Information processing device, autonomous mobile device, conveyance system, and information processing method

Abstract

An information processing device according to the present disclosure is used in a conveyance system in which one or more autonomous mobile devices convey an object within a conveyance area, and comprises: an information storage unit that stores a master map obtained by a detection unit in a state in which at least three reference parts are provided in the conveyance area, and a mobile device map obtained by a detection unit included in each autonomous mobile device in a state in which a reference part similar to those of the master map is provided in the conveyance area, the mobile device map being used in the autonomous mobile device; and an information control unit that determines a positional relationship between the master map and the mobile device map with reference to the reference parts.

Description

Information processing device, automatic moving device, transport system, and information processing method

[0001] This specification discloses an information processing device, an automatic moving device, a transport system, and an information processing method.

[0002] A conventional transportation system has been proposed that determines whether relocation is necessary when a collision between a mobile device and an obstacle occurs at the node position based on location information indicating the node position and map information indicating the obstacle position, and notifies the user if relocation is necessary (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This system then accepts a relocation operation, stores nodes that do not need to be relocated and the nodes after the relocation, and generates a route plan using the stored nodes, thereby enabling the safe and efficient execution of a travel task.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-14996

[0004] In the above-mentioned conveying system, the automatic moving device may create a map to be used when the automatic moving device moves using a detection unit provided in the automatic moving device. On the other hand, if the conveying system includes automatic moving devices equipped with detection units with different performance and detection heights, the resolution and contours of objects may differ for each map, and if specific position information is available on one map, it may not be possible to identify which position it corresponds to on other maps, making it impossible to use maps uniformly.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve such problems, and its main purpose is to provide an information processing device, an automatic moving device, a transportation system, and an information processing method that can more appropriately share information related to maps.

[0006] The present disclosure has adopted the following means to achieve the above-mentioned main object.

[0007] The information processing device disclosed herein is an information processing device used in a conveying system in which an object is conveyed within a conveying area by one or more automatic moving devices, and is equipped with an information storage unit that stores a master map obtained by a detection unit when at least three reference points are provided in the conveying area, and a moving device map used by the automatic moving device obtained by a detection unit possessed by the automatic moving device when reference points similar to the master map are provided in the conveying area, and an information control unit that determines the positional relationship between the master map and the moving device map using the reference points as a reference.

[0008] In this information processing device, even if the sensing units or detectors used to create the master map and the mobile device map are different, the positions of the reference points are included in each map, so the positional relationship between the master map and the mobile device map can be determined based on the reference points. Therefore, this information processing device can more appropriately share information about the maps.

[0009] 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a delivery system 10 and a conveyance system 11. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a store 60. An explanatory diagram showing an example of an automatic moving device 30. A three-sided view of the automatic moving device 30 connected to a cart 12. An explanatory diagram showing an example of an automatic moving device 30B. An explanatory diagram showing an example of information stored in an information storage unit 63. A flowchart showing an example of a map creation processing routine. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a store 60 when a map is created in which a reference unit 17 is placed. An explanatory diagram showing an example of each automatic moving device detecting a display shelf 69. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a master map 80 and a moving device map 81. A flowchart showing an example of an automatic moving processing routine. A flowchart showing an example of a map matching processing routine.

[0010] An embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a delivery system 10 and a conveyance system 11. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a store 60. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an automatic moving device 30. FIG. 4 is a three-sided view of the automatic moving device 30 connected to a cart 12, with FIG. 4A being a plan view, FIG. 4B being a front view, and FIG. 4C being a side view. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an automatic moving device 30B. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing examples of map information 64, conveyance job information 65, and automatic moving device information 66 stored in an information storage unit 63. Note that, for ease of explanation, the automatic moving devices 30, 30B, 30C, etc. will be collectively referred to simply as "automatic moving devices," and the detection units 43, 43B, etc. will be collectively referred to simply as "detection units."

[0011] The delivery system 10 includes a transport system 11 that distributes goods from a delivery source to a delivery destination, such as delivery of goods from a logistics center 20 to a store 60 and delivery from the store 60 to the logistics center 20, and transports goods within the logistics center 20 or the store 60. The transport system 11 has one or more automatic moving devices that automatically move goods as objects within a transport area and performs a process to transport the goods. In this delivery system 10, an example in which goods are transported using a cart 12 as a transport object will be described, but this is not limited to this. The cart 12 may be omitted, or other transport objects such as a pallet may be used. The transport system 11 in the logistics center 20 may include a logistics PC 21, an automatic moving device 30, and the cart 12. The transport system 11 in the store 60 may include a store PC 61, an automatic moving device 30, and the cart 12. Here, the "items" are not particularly limited as long as they are transported, and examples thereof include industrial products including machines, devices, device units, and parts, as well as commonly used daily commodities, food, and fresh produce. Examples of the "source of delivery" and the "destination of delivery" include a logistics center 20 that collects and delivers items, a warehouse that stores items, and a store 60 that sells items. For ease of explanation, the following description will focus on the automated transport device 30 that transports items to the store 60 as the delivery destination, as the transport system 11 of the delivery system 10.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1 , the delivery system 10 includes a logistics PC 21, a store PC 61, an automated transport device 30, and a management server 70. The trolley 12 is a transport object used to transport goods, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 , includes a platform 13 and casters 14. The platform 13 is a flat member on which goods are loaded. The casters 14 have wheels that allow the trolley 12 to move and are disposed on the underside of the platform 13. The trolley 12 may be a basket trolley. A logistics center 20 and a store 60 use multiple types of trolleys 12 with different sizes, etc. A delivery vehicle 16 is a vehicle that carries one or more trolleys 12 and delivers goods. The delivery vehicle 16 loads the trolleys 12 into its cargo compartment at the logistics center 20, delivers the goods to the delivery destination, and returns the empty trolley 12 to the logistics center 20.

[0013] The logistics center 20 is a place where goods are collected and delivered to stores 60 in various locations or to other logistics centers 20. As shown in FIG. 1 , the logistics center 20 has one or more automatic moving devices 30, which can automatically move the carts 12. At this logistics center 20, workers or arm robots (not shown) perform the task of loading goods onto the carts 12 corresponding to the delivery destinations. The automatic moving devices 30 collect the carts 12 with specified delivery destinations and carry them in and out.

[0014] The logistics PC 21 is installed in the logistics center 20 and is configured as an information processing device for managing products at the logistics center 20 and the automated transport device 30. The logistics PC 21 includes an information control unit 22, an information storage unit 23, and a communication unit 27. The information control unit 22 has a CPU and controls the entire device. The information storage unit 23 stores various application programs and various data files. The information storage unit 23 stores map information 24, transport job information 25, automated transport device information 26, and the like. The map information 24 includes map data of the logistics center 20 as a transport area. In addition to a master map created for management purposes, if multiple types of automated transport devices are used within the transport area, the map information 24 includes multiple types of transport device map data corresponding to the types of automated transport devices. The transport job information 25 includes information used to transport items by the automated transport device 30, such as the transport order and type of the items, the initial position of the source, the transport position of the destination, and a rough transport route. The transport job information 25 may include information such as the weight and size of the transported object. The automatic moving device information 26 is information in which the device name of the automatic moving device 30, the identification information (ID) of the detection unit, the detection area and installation height of the detection unit, and other information are associated with the identification information (ID) of the automatic moving device. The communication unit 27 wirelessly communicates with external devices such as the automatic moving device 30. The communication unit 27 exchanges information with the management server 70 and the store PC 61 via the network 15.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the automatic moving device 30 is a vehicle that automatically moves a cart 12 serving as a transport object for transporting goods. The automatic moving device 30 slides into the space between the casters 14 on the underside of the mounting portion 13 of the cart 12, lifting the mounting portion 13 from below to load the object, or is coupled to the cart 12 so as to engage with the mounting portion 13 and tow the object, thereby moving the cart 12. The automatic moving device 30 may be an automatic guided vehicle (AGV) that moves along a line formed on a road surface, a wall surface, or an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) that senses its surroundings and moves along a free route. As shown in FIG. 3 , the automatic moving device 30 includes a control device 31, a vehicle body 37, a lifting / lowering unit 38, a communication unit 39, a drive unit 40, a coupling unit 42, a detection unit 43, and an illumination unit 44.

[0016] The control device 31 is a controller that controls the entire automatic moving device 30 and includes a moving control unit 32 such as a CPU and a moving device storage unit 33 such as a flash memory. The moving control unit 32 outputs control signals to the lifting unit 38, the driving unit 40, the communication unit 39, and the detection unit 43, and also receives signals from the communication unit 39 and the detection unit 43. The moving control unit 32 controls the connecting unit 42 by controlling the lifting unit 38. The moving control unit 32 determines the moving direction, moving distance, and current position of the automatic moving device 30 based on the driving status of the driving unit 40. The moving control unit 32 controls the movement and stopping of the automatic moving device 30 based on information from the detection unit 43 and determines whether an object is present within the transport area. The moving device storage unit 33 stores various application programs and various data files. The moving device storage unit 33 stores, for example, map information 34 and transport job information 35. For example, when the automatic moving device 30 is used in the logistics center 20, the map information 34 is information about a map of the logistics center 20, and when the automatic moving device 30 is used in the store 60, the map information 34 is information about a map of the store 60. The transport job information 35 is information used to transport items, and is similar to the transport job information 25 and the transport job information 65. The map information 34 and the transport job information 35 are acquired via communication from a management device such as the logistics PC 21, the store PC 61, or the management server 70.

[0017] The body 37 is a flat housing that fits under the cart 12. Wheels 41 are disposed on the underside, and a coupling unit 42 is disposed on the upper side. The body 37 houses the control device 31, a communication unit 39, a drive unit 40, and the like. A detection unit 43 is disposed on the exterior of the body 37. The communication unit 39 is an interface that wirelessly exchanges information with external devices such as the logistics PC 21 and the store PC 61. The movement control unit 32 exchanges information with external devices via the communication unit 39. The drive unit 40 is a motor connected to each wheel 41 of the body 37 and drives the automatic moving device 30 by rotating the connected wheels 41. The automatic moving device 30 has four wheels 41 and moves by rotating the wheels 41. The wheels 41 may be Mecanum wheels or omniwheels that can move vertically and horizontally with four independently driven wheels. The connecting part 42 is disposed on the upper surface of the vehicle body part 37 and is a unit that can be connected to and disconnected from the carriage 12 as a transported object by rising and falling. The connecting part 42 is a structure that loads the carriage 12 or engages with the carriage 12 to move the carriage 12. The lifting part 38 is a drive part that raises and lowers the connecting part 42.

[0018] The detection unit 43 is disposed in the vehicle body 37 and detects the state of the automated mobile device 30 and the presence and distance of objects present in at least a portion of the periphery of the automated mobile device 30. The detection unit 43 may, for example, detect the presence and distance of objects by irradiating the surroundings with light such as a laser or sound waves and detecting reflected waves. The detection unit 43 may, for example, be one or more of an inertial measurement unit, a laser scan sensor, an imaging camera, a stereo camera, and a sonar sensor. The detection unit 43 may include a stereo camera disposed in front of the vehicle or a LiDAR (light detection and ranging) disposed on the front, side, or rear of the vehicle body 37. The illumination unit 44, for example, an LED light, illuminates at least a portion of the periphery of the vehicle body 37.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 5 , the automatic moving device 30B is a vehicle that automatically moves a cart 12 as a transport object for transporting goods. This automatic moving device 30B has a configuration similar to that of the automatic moving device 30, except that a housing that is taller than the connecting portion 42 is disposed on one end of the vehicle body portion 37. This housing is equipped with a detection unit 43B and an illumination unit 44. The detection unit 43B may have different performance than the detection unit 43, such as the size and distance of the detection area. The automatic moving device 30C is a device that creates a master map used by the store PC 61, which serves as an information processing device and management device (see FIG. 9 , described later). The automatic moving device 30C may have a configuration similar to that of the automatic moving device 30, except that the detection unit 45 is disposed at a different height from the automatic moving devices 30 and 30B. The detection unit 45 may have the same performance as the detection units 43 and 43B, or may have different performance.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the store 60 is a commercial facility where delivered goods are displayed and sold. The store 60 has one or more automatic transport devices that can automatically move the carts 12. The store 60 includes a transport area 68 through which the goods are transported, an aisle through which the carts 12 pass within the transport area 68, display shelves 69 on which the goods are displayed, and wall sections that are non-movement areas. As shown in FIG. 2 , the store 60 also includes a backyard 60a through which goods from the delivery trucks 16 are brought in and out. The delivery origin of the goods is primarily the backyard 60a. The store PC 61 is installed in the store 60 and is configured as an information processing device that manages merchandise in the store 60. The store PC 61 includes an information control unit 62, an information storage unit 63, and a communication unit 67. The store PC 61 also includes a display unit and an input device. The display unit is a display that displays images. The input device includes a keyboard, a mouse, etc. that accept input from the user. The information control unit 62 has a CPU and is responsible for controlling the entire device. The information storage unit 63 stores various application programs and various data files. The information storage unit 63 stores map information 64 of the store 60, transport job information 65 including jobs for transported items to be transported by the automatic transport device 30, automatic transport device information 66 related to the cart 12, etc.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 6 , the map information 64 includes one or more map data for the transport area 68 of the store 60. This map information 64 includes a master map 80 and one or more mobile device maps 81 (see FIG. 10 ). The master map 80 is map data obtained by the detection unit 45 when at least three reference units 17 are provided in the transport area 68. The master map 80 is created by the detection unit 45 of the automatic mobile device 30C, which serves as a map creation device. The mobile device map 81 is obtained by a detection unit of the automatic mobile device when reference units 17 similar to the master map 80 are provided in the transport area 68, and is map data used by the automatic mobile device. When multiple types of automatic mobile devices are used in the transport system 11, the information storage unit 63 stores map information 64 including at least a first mobile device map obtained by a first automatic mobile device and a second mobile device map obtained by a second automatic mobile device. The mobile device map 81 is created by a detection unit with different performance than the detection unit 45 and / or a detection unit with a different height than the detection unit 45. The master map 80 and the mobile device map 81 are created in a state where a reference portion 17 having the same vertical dimensions and shape within the detection range of the detection unit 45 and the detection range of the detection unit is provided within the transport area 68. The master map 80 and the mobile device map 81 may also be created using a reference portion 17B, which is a three-dimensional object having a characteristic portion 18. As shown in FIG. 6 , the transport job information 65 includes information used by the automated transport device 30 to transport items, such as identification information (ID) of the item and / or the cart 12, the type of the cart 12 carrying the item, the item category, the target destination position, and a rough transport route. In the transport job information 65, the initial position and transport position of the transported item may be specified in the coordinate system of the master map 80. The automated transport device information 66 includes information about the automated transport devices 30 used in the store 60. This automatic moving device information 66 is information in which the device name of the automatic moving device 30, the identification information (ID) of the detection unit, the detection area and installation height of the detection unit, and other information are associated with the identification information (ID) of the automatic moving device.

[0022] The management server 70 is an information processing device that manages the delivery system 10. The management server 70 includes an information control unit 72, an information storage unit 73, and a communication unit 77. The information storage unit 73 stores map information 74, which is a database of maps of the logistics center 20 and the store 60, transport job information 75, which is a database used to execute and manage the transport of goods, and automatic transport device information 76, which is a database of automatic transport devices. The communication unit 77 exchanges information with external devices such as the logistics PC 21 and the store PC 61 via the network 15. The information control unit 72 transmits the map information 74, transport job information 75, and automatic transport device information 76 via the communication unit 77 based on requests from the logistics PC 21 and the store PC 61. Note that the map information 24, map information 34, and map information 74 contain information similar to that of the map information 64, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted. Further, detailed explanations of transport job information 25, transport job information 35, and transport job information 75 will be omitted as they contain information similar to that of transport job information 65. Further, detailed explanations of automatic moving device information 26 and automatic moving device information 76 will be omitted as they contain information similar to that of automatic moving device information 66.

[0023] Next, in the transport system 11 configured as described above, a process for creating map data for the store PC 61 will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a map creation process routine executed by the transport control unit 32 of the automated transport device. This routine is stored in the transport device storage unit 33 and is initiated by an operator when new map data for the transport area 68 is created, for example, when the transport system 11 is installed, when the store 60 is renovated, when the display shelves 69 are rearranged, or when the display positions of items are changed. In this map creation process, a master map 80 is created by the automated transport device 30C, and a transport device map 81 is created by the automated transport device 30, the automated transport device 30B, or the like. During map creation, an operator performs work to set up at least three reference sections 17 in the transport area 68. While this description mainly focuses on the process for creating the transport device map 81 by the automated transport device 30, the automated transport devices 30B and 30C also perform similar processes, and detailed descriptions of their map creation processes will be omitted.

[0024] FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a store 60 when a map is created, with a reference portion 17 positioned. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of each automated mobile device detecting a display shelf 69. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a master map 80 and a mobile device map 81. FIG. 10A is an explanatory diagram of the master map 80, FIG. 10B is an explanatory diagram of the mobile device map 81, and FIG. 10C is an explanatory diagram aligning the maps based on a reference portion 87. As shown in FIG. 8, the reference portion 17 is a member having the same vertical dimensions within the detection range of the detection unit 45 of the automated mobile device 30C and the detection range of the detection units 43, 43B of the automated mobile devices 30, 30B. Here, the reference portion 17 is shaped like a polygonal prism, particularly a rectangular prism. The reference portion may be, for example, a reference portion 17B having a characteristic feature 18 with a distinctive shape that is not generally present in the transport area 68. The characteristic portions 18 preferably have the same dimensions and shape in the vertical direction, and may be convex portions, notches, grooves such as concave portions, or uneven portions.

[0025] In the conveyance system 11, when multiple automated mobile devices or types of automated mobile devices are simultaneously moved within the same transport area 68, group control is required based on self-position estimation information for map information created by each automated mobile device. In the conveyance system 11, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the shape and size (resolution) of the resulting map may differ depending on the performance of the detection unit of each device and the height at which it is installed. Therefore, the master map 80 stored in the store PC 61 on the host system that performs group control may differ in shape and coordinate system from the mobile device map 81 stored in each automated mobile device. In this conveyance system 11, map data used by each device is acquired with a reference unit 17 installed. Reference units 17 of a fixed size and height, e.g., rectangular parallelepiped, are installed at at least three reference positions. When map data is acquired, the distances between the installed reference units 17 are known, and each device can align its coordinate system with the map created for each device using a separate detection unit 45 or detection unit, depending on the position of the reference unit 17 (see Figure 10C). The positions and number of the reference portions 17 are not particularly limited as long as they are positions and numbers that allow for easy consistency, and the number of reference portions 17 may be three or more.

[0026] When the map creation processing routine is started, the movement control unit 32 of the automated moving device 30 first detects the surroundings of the device using the detection unit 43 while moving through the transport area 68 (S100) and stores the detection results in the moving device storage unit 33 (S110). Next, the movement control unit 32 determines whether or not the reference portion 17 has been detected based on the shape of the reference portion 17 (S120). If the reference portion 17 has been detected, the movement control unit 32 records the coordinates of the reference portion 17 (S130). Note that the detection of the reference portion 17 and the storage of the coordinates may be omitted here, and may be performed by the control device 31 or the information control unit 62 using the map data after map data creation. After S130, or if the reference portion 17 has not been detected in S120, the movement control unit 32 determines whether or not the entire transport area 68 has been detected (S140). If the entire transport area 68 has not been detected, the movement control unit 32 executes the processing from S100 onward. On the other hand, when the entire transport area 68 is detected in S140, the movement control unit 32 stores the obtained map data in the mobile device storage unit 33 based on the detection results stored in the mobile device storage unit 33, outputs the created map data to the store PC 61, which is the host device (S150), and ends this routine. In S150, the automated mobile device 30B outputs the created mobile device map 81 to the store PC 61, and the automated mobile device 30C outputs the created master map 80 to the store PC 61. Furthermore, when there are multiple automated mobile devices of the same type with the same type of detection unit 43 arranged at the same height, it is possible to create a single mobile device map 81 and omit creating other duplicate maps. After the map creation process is completed, the operator removes the reference unit 17, which aligns each map, from the transport area 68 to ensure a clearer route for the automated mobile device 30. In this way, the area of ​​the reference portion 87 of the master map 80 or the mobile device map 81 becomes an area that can be passed by the automatic mobile device.

[0027] Next, a process in which the automatic moving device automatically transports an object within the transport area 68 using the moving device map 81 will be described. FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an automatic moving process routine executed by the moving control unit 32 of the automatic moving device 30. This routine is stored in the moving device storage unit 33 and is executed by the moving control unit 32 after the automatic moving device 30 is started. When this routine is started, the moving control unit 32 first reads and acquires the map information 34 and the transport job information 35 from the storage unit 33 (S200). Note that the moving control unit 32 may also acquire the map information 34 and the transport job information 35 from the store PC 61. Next, the moving control unit 32 determines whether it is time to transport the object (S210). The moving control unit 32 makes this determination based on the transport time included in the transport job information 35. If it is not time to transport the object, the moving control unit 32 waits. If it is time to issue a transport command, the moving control unit 32 selects the object based on the transport job information 35 (S220).

[0028] Next, the movement control unit 32 updates the map data (S230). The movement control unit 32 updates the map data by, for example, querying the store PC 61 for information on whether a new detected object is present at a predetermined position in the transport area 68 or whether a previously detected object is no longer present at the predetermined position. By querying the store PC 61, the movement control unit 32 performs a process to update the coordinates of its own mobile device map 81 to reflect the current presence or absence of a detected object. Next, the movement control unit 32 moves to an initial position, which is a predetermined position where the transported object is located, connects the transported object (S240), and moves to a predetermined target transport position, which is a target transport position (S250). The movement control unit 32 obtains from the store PC 61 the coordinates of the initial position, which have been converted into positions on the mobile device map 81 by the store PC 61, and the coordinates of the transport position. The movement control unit 32 may also control the drive unit 40 to move along a transport route included in the transport job information 35. Furthermore, when the movement control unit 32 acquires information on a detected object as a predetermined position from the store PC 61, the movement control unit 32 may move the automated mobile device using the mobile device map 81 while taking into account the information on the predetermined position. The movement control unit 32 may also move the automated mobile device along a movement route that avoids the detected object. Next, the movement control unit 32 determines whether or not there is a detected object in the transport area 68 during travel (S260). The movement control unit 32 determines the presence or absence of the detected object based on the objects present on the mobile device map 81. If there is a detected object, the movement control unit 32 transmits the position of the detected object to the store PC 61 (S270). The movement control unit 32 transmits coordinates based on the mobile device map 81 of the mobile device itself to the store PC 61 as the position of the detected object. After acquiring the position of the detected object, the store PC 61 calculates the coordinates of the corresponding mobile device map 81 on the master map 80 using the position of the reference unit 87 as a reference and saves the coordinates as an area on the master map 80.

[0029] After S270, or if no detected object is detected in S260, the movement control unit 32 determines whether the automatic moving device 30 has arrived at the target transfer position (S280). If the automatic moving device 30 has not arrived at the transfer position, the movement control unit 32 executes the processing from S250 onward. That is, the movement control unit 32 detects any detected object present on the path of the transfer area 68 and controls the drive unit 40 and the detection unit 43 to move the automatic moving device 30 to the transfer position. On the other hand, when the automatic moving device 30 arrives at the transfer position, the movement control unit 32 places the object at the transfer position (S290) and determines whether there is a next object to be transferred based on the transfer job information 35 (S300). If there is a next object to be transferred, the movement control unit 32 executes the processing from S200 onward. However, if there is no next object to be transferred, the movement control unit 32 controls the drive unit 40 to move the automatic moving device 30 to a predetermined standby position (S310). When the automatic moving device 30 arrives at the predetermined standby position, the movement control unit 32 ends this routine.

[0030] Next, a process for aligning coordinates between the master map 80 and the mobile device map 81, which is executed by the store PC 61, will be described. FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a map alignment process routine executed by the information control unit 62 of the store PC 61. This routine is stored in the information storage unit 63 and is executed after the store PC 61 is started. When this routine starts, the information control unit 62 of the store PC 61 first determines whether information about a detected object has been acquired from an automated mobile device (S400). If information about a detected object has been acquired, the information control unit 62 reads and acquires data about the mobile device map 81 used by the automated mobile device that transmitted the information from the map information 64 stored in the information storage unit 63 (S410). Next, the information control unit 62 reads the master map 80, determines the positional relationship between the master map 80 and the mobile device map 81 using the reference unit 87 as a reference, and stores the determined position in the information storage unit 63 (S420). For example, when the information control unit 62 acquires a predetermined position within the transport area 68 from the first automatic moving device, it acquires a predetermined position on the master map 80 obtained based on the reference section 87 of the map 81 for the first moving device and the master map 80, and stores this position.

[0031] After S420, or if no information about the detected object has been obtained in S400, the information control unit 62 determines whether information indicating that the map data should be updated has been obtained from the automated mobile device (S430). When information indicating that the map data should be updated has been obtained from the automated mobile device, the mobile control unit 32 reads and obtains the position of the detected object associated with the master map 80 from the information storage unit 63 (S440), determines the position on the mobile device map 81 of the corresponding automated mobile device, and outputs this to the corresponding automated mobile device (S450). The information control unit 62 obtains a predetermined position on the second mobile device map 81 obtained, for example, using the reference portions 87 of the master map 80 and the second mobile device map 81 as a reference, and outputs the obtained predetermined position to the second automated mobile device.

[0032] After S450, or if information to update the map data has not been acquired in S430, the information control unit 62 determines whether all transport processes of the automated moving device have been completed (S460). If all transport processes have not been completed, the information control unit 62 executes the processes from S400 onwards. On the other hand, if all transport processes have been completed, the information control unit 62 ends this routine.

[0033] Here, the correspondence between the components of this embodiment and the components of the present disclosure will be clarified. The logistics PC 21, store PC 61, and management server 70 of this embodiment are examples of information processing devices of the present disclosure, the information control units 22, 62, and 72 are examples of information control units, the information storage units 23, 63, and 73 are examples of information storage units, and the transport system 11 is an example of a transport system. Furthermore, the automatic moving device 30 is an example of an automatic moving device of the present disclosure, the movement control unit 32 is an example of a movement control unit, and the moving device storage unit 33 is an example of a moving device storage unit. Note that in this embodiment, an example of an information processing method of the present disclosure is clarified by explaining the operation of the store PC 61.

[0034] The store PC 61 of the present embodiment described above is an information processing device used in a conveyance system 11 in which one or more automated moving devices 30, 30B convey an object (item) within a conveyance area 68. The store PC 61 includes an information storage unit 63 that stores a master map 80 obtained by a detection unit 45 in a state in which at least three reference portions 17 are provided in the conveyance area 68, a mobile device map 81 obtained by a detection unit of the automated moving device in a state in which reference portions 17 similar to those in the master map 80 are provided in the conveyance area 68, and used by the automated moving device, and an information control unit 62 that determines the positional relationship between the master map 80 and the mobile device map 81 based on the reference portions 87. Even if the detection units 45 and detection units 43 used to create the master map 80 and the mobile device map 81 are different, the store PC 61 includes the position of the common reference portion 87 in each map, so that the positional relationship between the master map 80 and the mobile device map 81 can be determined based on the reference portions 87. Therefore, the store PC 61 can share information about maps more appropriately.

[0035] The information storage unit 63 also stores at least a first mobile device map 81 obtained by the first automatic mobile device and a second mobile device map 81 obtained by the second automatic mobile device. When a predetermined position within the transport area 68 is obtained from the first automatic mobile device, the information control unit 62 acquires the predetermined position on the master map 80 obtained based on a reference section 87 between the first mobile device map 81 and the master map 80, acquires the predetermined position on the second mobile device map 81 obtained based on the reference section 87 between the master map 80 and the second mobile device map 81, and outputs the acquired predetermined position to the second automatic mobile device. The store PC 61 can use the reference section 87 to ensure consistency between the positional relationships of the mobile device maps 81 via the master map 80. Furthermore, the master map 80 is created by the detection unit 45 of the automated mobile device 30C as a map creation device, and the mobile device map 81 may be created by a detection unit 43 with different performance than the detection unit 45 and / or a detection unit 43 with a different height than the detection unit 45. In this store PC 61, even if the detection units 45 and 43 have different performances or are at different heights and detect different contours of surrounding objects, map information can be shared more appropriately using the reference unit 87 as a reference. Furthermore, the master map 80 and the mobile device map 81 are created with a reference unit 17 having the same vertical dimensions within the detection range of the detection unit 45 and the detection ranges of the detection units 43 and 43B, and located within the transport area 68. In this store PC 61, the reference unit 87 for determining the positional relationship is detected in the same way in all maps, allowing processing to be performed using the reference unit 17 as a more reliable reference. The master map 80 and the mobile device map 81 may be created using the reference portion 17B, which is a three-dimensional object having the characteristic portion 18. In this store PC 61, the presence of the characteristic portion 18 can further improve the recognition rate of the reference portion 17B.

[0036] The automated mobile device 30 of this embodiment includes the store PC 61 as the information processing device described above and is used in a transport system 11 in which one or more automated mobile devices transport an object within a transport area 68. The automated mobile device 30 includes a detection unit 43 that detects its surroundings, a mobile device storage unit 33 that stores a mobile device map 81 used by the automated mobile device 30, which is obtained by the detection unit 43 when at least three reference units 17 are provided in the transport area 68, and a travel control unit 32 that, upon receiving predetermined position information from the store PC 61, takes the predetermined position information into account and moves the automated mobile device 30 using the mobile device map 81. Like the store PC 61 described above, the automated mobile device 30 can share information related to the map more appropriately using the reference unit 17. The travel control unit 32 also creates the mobile device map 81 based on information obtained by the detection unit 43 when at least three reference units 17 are provided in the transport area 68, and outputs the created mobile device map 81 to the store PC 61. In this automatic mobile device 30, the map used by the automatic mobile device 30 is created by the automatic mobile device 30, so information about the map can be shared more reliably.

[0037] The transport system 11 of this embodiment includes the above-described store PC 61 and the above-described automatic transport devices 30, 30B, and 30C. In this transport system 11, the store PC 61 and the automatic transport devices are used, so that information related to maps can be shared more appropriately.

[0038] It goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be embodied in various forms as long as they fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0039] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the master map 80 is created by the automatic moving device 30C as a map creation device. However, this is not limited to this, and the master map 80 may be created using an item transporting device such as the automatic moving device 30 or the automatic moving device 30B. In this case, the information control unit 62 may determine whether the first automatic moving device and the second automatic moving device are the same type of automatic moving device equipped with detection units of the same type and height, and if the determination result indicates that the first automatic moving device is the same type, output a predetermined position corresponding to the map for the first moving device to the second automatic moving device. In this information control unit 62, if there is little need to match the positional relationship of the maps, this process can be omitted to simplify the process.

[0040] In the above-described embodiment, the store PC 61 is an information processing device, and the transport of the cart 12 by the automatic moving device 30 in the store 60 is described, but this is not limited to this, and the logistics PC 21 may be an information processing device, and the application may be to the transport of the cart 12 by the automatic moving device 30 in the logistics center 20, or the information processing device may be the management server 70, and the automatic moving device 30 may transport the cart 12 in the logistics center 20 and / or store 60.

[0041] In the above-described embodiment, when the movement control unit 32 determines that it is time to transport an object based on the acquired transport job information 35, the movement control unit 32 selects the object to be transported based on the transport job information 35 and transports it to the transport position. However, this is not particularly limited. For example, the movement control unit 32 may move the object to be transported using the automated moving device 30 without using the transport job information 35. In this case, the information storage unit 63 of the store PC 61, the information storage unit 23 of the logistics PC 21, or the information storage unit 73 of the management server 70 may store item information and destination area information. The item information includes at least the type of item and a destination area ID that identifies the destination area of ​​the item, and associates these items. The destination area information includes at least the destination area ID and coordinate values ​​of the destination area, and associates these items. Then, for example, the movement control unit 32 may move the automated moving device 30 to an initial position where a dolly, which is the object to be transported, is placed and recognize a marker attached to the dolly or the item loaded on the dolly. The movement control unit 32 may then acquire a destination area to which the cart should be transported based on the marker ID of the recognized marker. The destination area may be acquired, for example, by transmitting the recognized marker ID to the store PC 61, the logistics PC 21, or the management server 70, identifying the type of item from the marker ID, and deriving coordinate values ​​of the corresponding destination area from the item information and destination area information based on the type of item, and transmitting these to the movement control unit 32. The movement control unit 32 may then transport the cart to the acquired destination area using the automated moving device 30.

[0042] In the above-described embodiment, the present disclosure has been described as the store PC 61, but is not particularly limited to this, and may be applied to the transport system 11, an information processing method, or a program thereof.

[0043] The present disclosure may be configured as follows: For example, an information processing method of the present disclosure is an information processing method used in a conveyance system in which an object is conveyed within a conveyance area by one or more automatic moving devices, and includes the steps of acquiring a master map obtained by a detection unit in a state in which at least three or more reference portions are provided in the conveyance area, and a moving device map used by the automatic moving device obtained by a detection unit of the automatic moving device in a state in which reference portions similar to the master map are provided in the conveyance area, and determining a positional relationship between the master map and the moving device map using the reference portions as references.

[0044] This information processing method allows for more appropriate sharing of map-related information, similar to the information processing device described above. Note that this information processing method may employ various aspects of the information processing device described above, or may include additional steps that implement the functions of the information processing device described above.

[0045] This specification also discloses the technical idea of ​​changing "the information processing device according to claim 1 or 2" to "the information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3" in claim 4 as originally filed, the technical idea of ​​changing "the information processing device according to claim 1 or 2" to "the information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4" in claim 5 as originally filed, the technical idea of ​​changing "the information processing device according to claim 1 or 2" to "the information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5" in claim 6 as originally filed, the technical idea of ​​changing "the information processing device according to claim 1 or 2" to "the information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6" in claim 7 as originally filed, and the technical idea of ​​changing "the information processing device according to claim 1 or 2" to "the information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6" and "the automatic moving device according to claim 7" to "the automatic moving device according to claim 7 or 8" in claim 9 as originally filed.

[0046] The present disclosure is applicable to the technical field of distribution systems that transport goods.

[0047] 10 Delivery system, 11 Transport system, 12 Cart, 13 Placement unit, 14 Caster, 15 Network, 16 Delivery vehicle, 17 Reference unit, 20 Logistics center, 21 Logistics PC, 22 Information control unit, 23 Information storage unit, 24 Map information, 25 Transport job information, 26 Automatic moving device information, 27 Communication unit, 28 Transport area, 30, 30B, 30C Automatic moving device, 31 Control device, 32 Movement control unit, 33 Movement storage unit, 34 Map information, 35 Transport job information, 37 Vehicle body unit, 38 Lifting unit, 39 Communication unit, 40 Drive unit, 41 Wheels, 42 Connection unit, 43 Detection unit, 44 Lighting unit, 45 Detection unit, 60 Store, 60a Backyard, 61 Store PC, 62 Information control unit, 63 Information storage unit, 64 Map information, 65 Transport job information, 66 automatic moving device information, 67 communication unit, 68 transport area, 69 display shelf, 70 management server, 72 information control unit, 73 information storage unit, 74 map information, 75 transport job information, 76 automatic moving device information, 77 communication unit, 80 master map, 81 moving device map, 87 reference unit.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus used in a conveyance system for conveying an object within a conveyance area by one or more automatic mobile devices, the information processing apparatus comprising: an information storage unit that stores a master map obtained by a detection unit in a state where at least three or more reference parts are provided in the conveyance area, and a mobile device map obtained by a detection unit included in the automatic mobile device and used by the automatic mobile device in a state where reference parts similar to the master map are provided in the conveyance area; and an information control unit that obtains a positional relationship in the master map and the mobile device map with reference to the reference part.

2. The information storage unit stores at least a first mobile device map obtained by the first automatic mobile device and a second mobile device map obtained by the second automatic mobile device. When a predetermined position within the conveyance area is acquired from the first automatic mobile device, the information control unit acquires a predetermined position on the master map obtained with reference to the reference parts of the first mobile device map and the master map, acquires a predetermined position on the second mobile device map obtained with reference to the reference parts of the master map and the second mobile device map, and outputs the acquired predetermined position to the second automatic mobile device. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The information control unit determines whether the first automatic mobile device and the second automatic mobile device are the same type of automatic mobile device having detection units of the same type and the same height. When the determination result indicates that they are the same type of automatic mobile device, the information control unit outputs a predetermined position corresponding to the first mobile device map to the second automatic mobile device. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The master map is created by the detection unit of a map creation device, and the mobile device map is created by a detection unit having a performance different from that of the detection unit and / or a detection unit having a different height from that of the detection unit. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The master map and the mobile device map are created in a state where reference parts having the same dimension in the vertical direction are provided within the conveyance area within the detection range of the detection unit and the detection range of the detection unit. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the master map and the map for the mobile device are created using the reference part, which is a three-dimensional object having characteristic parts.

7. An automatic mobile device used in a transport system that includes the information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 and transports an object within a transport area by one or more automatic mobile devices, the automatic mobile device comprising: a detection unit that detects the surroundings; a mobile device storage unit that stores a map for the mobile device obtained by the detection unit with at least three or more reference parts provided in the transport area and used by the automatic mobile device; and a movement control unit that, when acquiring information on a predetermined position from the information processing apparatus, moves the automatic mobile device using the map for the mobile device in consideration of the information on the predetermined position.

8. The automatic mobile device according to claim 7, wherein the movement control unit creates the map for the mobile device based on information obtained by the detection unit with at least three or more reference parts provided in the transport area, and outputs the created map for the mobile device to the information processing apparatus.

9. A transport system comprising the information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 and the automatic mobile device according to claim 7.

10. An information processing method used in a transport system that transports an object within a transport area by one or more automatic mobile devices, the information processing method including: obtaining a master map obtained by a detection unit with at least three or more reference parts provided in the transport area and a map for the mobile device obtained by a detection unit of the automatic mobile device with reference parts similar to those of the master map provided in the transport area and used by the automatic mobile device; and determining a positional relationship in the master map and the map for the mobile device with reference to the reference part.

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