Method for controlling mobile object and cargo handling system

Abstract

The present invention makes it possible to improve adjustment work performed before cargo handling system operation. This method for controlling a mobile object comprises: a step for causing a mobile object to operate in a position adjustment mode for adjusting a target position of cargo in map data; and a step for causing the mobile object to operate in a work mode for loading / unloading the cargo at the target position on the basis of the map data. The position adjustment mode includes: a step in which holding equipment on which the cargo is placed is sensed by a sensing unit of the mobile object; and a step in which a target position on the holding equipment is adjusted on the basis of position information about the sensed holding equipment and position information about the holding equipment in the map data.

Description

Mobile object control method and cargo handling system

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control method for a moving body and a cargo handling system.

[0002] There is known a technology for performing cargo handling work using an automatically moving vehicle in a warehouse, etc. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a picking system in which a transport vehicle transports items placed on a shelf of a picking station to a shelf of a shipping station.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-188236

[0004] Mobile objects move and load and unload cargo based on map data that defines the work area. There may be a misalignment between the location of cargo on the map data and the actual location of the cargo on the storage equipment (such as shelves). For this reason, a trial run of the mobile object is conducted at the work site before the cargo handling system goes into operation. During the trial run, the mobile object actually performs the operations that will be performed during operation, and workers make any necessary adjustments while monitoring the mobile object. There is a need to improve the adjustment work before the cargo handling system goes into operation, such as by reducing the work time and workload.

[0005] The present disclosure is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a control method for a mobile body and a cargo handling system that can improve adjustment work before the cargo handling system is put into operation.

[0006] The control method for a mobile body according to the present disclosure is a control method for a mobile body that performs loading and unloading work, and includes the steps of operating the mobile body in a position adjustment mode that adjusts a target position of luggage in map data, and operating the mobile body in a work mode that loads and unloads luggage at the target position based on the map data, wherein the position adjustment mode includes the steps of detecting a holding facility on which luggage is to be placed using a detection unit of the mobile body, and adjusting the target position on the holding facility based on the detected position information of the holding facility and the position information of the holding facility in the map data.

[0007] The cargo handling system of the present disclosure comprises a mobile body capable of switching between multiple operating modes including a position adjustment mode for adjusting the target position of cargo in map data and a work mode for loading and unloading cargo at the target position based on the map data, and an information processing device for performing information processing according to the operating mode of the mobile body, wherein in the position adjustment mode, the mobile body detects the holding facility on which the cargo is placed using a detection unit of the mobile body, and the information processing device adjusts the target position on the holding facility based on the position information of the holding facility detected by the mobile body and the position information of the holding facility in the map data.

[0008] The control method for a mobile body according to the present disclosure is a control method for a mobile body that performs loading and unloading work, and includes the steps of operating the mobile body in a driving adjustment mode that adjusts driving parameters in a curved area of ​​map data, and operating the mobile body in a work mode that loads and unloads cargo based on the map data and the driving parameters, wherein the driving adjustment mode includes the steps of having the mobile body drive through the curved area multiple times at different driving speeds, and adjusting the driving parameters in the curved area based on the detection results of an obstacle by a detection unit of the mobile body while driving through the curved area.

[0009] The loading and unloading system of the present disclosure comprises a mobile body capable of switching between multiple operating modes including a driving adjustment mode that adjusts driving parameters in curved areas of map data and a work mode that loads and unloads cargo based on the map data and the driving parameters, and an information processing device that processes information according to the operating mode of the mobile body, wherein in the driving adjustment mode, the mobile body drives through the curved area multiple times at different driving speeds, and the information processing device adjusts the driving parameters in the curved area based on the detection results of an obstacle detected by a detection unit of the mobile body while driving through the curved area.

[0010] According to the present disclosure, adjustment work before operation of a cargo handling system can be improved.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a cargo handling system according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a mobile body. FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a management device. FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of an information processing device. FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of a control device for a mobile body. FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view illustrating a detection operation of a holding facility. FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of a holding facility. FIG. 8 is a schematic side view illustrating a detection operation of the holding facility. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating a result of adjusting a target position. FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view illustrating a process for acquiring aisle spacing. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a movement trajectory in an approach operation of a mobile body. FIG. 12 is a schematic side view illustrating a process for acquiring aisle spacing. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a process for approaching a target position by a mobile body. FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of acquiring an error in an approach position when the installation area is a floor surface. FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of an installation area in a linear layout. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing another example of an installation area in a linear layout. FIG. 17 is a schematic plan view illustrating an example of a curved area. FIG. 18 is a schematic plan view illustrating another example of a curved area. FIG. 19 is a schematic view illustrating a safety area according to the traveling speed of a mobile object. FIG. 20 is a schematic view showing a safety area and obstacles when a mobile object travels through a curved area 103. FIG. 21 is a schematic view showing an example of a double-track curved area. FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of the position adjustment mode. FIG. 23 is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of the traveling adjustment mode. FIG. 24 is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of the work mode.

[0012] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments, and when there are multiple embodiments, the present disclosure also includes configurations in which the respective embodiments are combined.

[0013] First Embodiment (Loading and Unloading System) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a loading and unloading system according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the loading and unloading system 1 according to this embodiment includes a mobile body 10, a management device 12, and an information processing device 14. The loading and unloading system 1 is a system in which the mobile body 10 performs loading and unloading work at a facility W. The facility W is, for example, a facility that is subject to logistics management, such as a warehouse. In the loading and unloading system 1, the mobile body 10 performs loading and unloading work. The mobile body 10 holds and transports a load P placed within an area AR of the facility W and places it at a target position. The area AR is, for example, the floor of the facility W, and is an area where the load P is placed and where the mobile body 10 moves. The facility W includes structures such as walls 120 and pillars 122. The area AR is defined by these walls 120, pillars 122, etc. In this embodiment, the load P is a transport target object in the form of items loaded on a pallet. The pallet of the cargo P has an opening formed therein through which the forks 24 (described later) of the moving body 10 are inserted. However, the cargo P is not limited to cargoes loaded on a pallet and may be in any form, for example, it may be cargoes only without a pallet.

[0014] Hereinafter, one direction along the region AR is referred to as the X direction, and a direction along the region AR that intersects with the X direction is referred to as the Y direction. In this embodiment, the Y direction is a direction perpendicular to the X direction. The X and Y directions may also be referred to as directions along a horizontal plane. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to the X and Y directions, more specifically, the direction pointing vertically upward, is referred to as the Z direction. Furthermore, in this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, "position" refers to a position (coordinate) in a coordinate system on a two-dimensional plane on the region AR (the coordinate system of the region AR). Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, "attitude" of the moving body 10 or the like refers to the orientation of the moving body 10 or the like in the coordinate system of the region AR, and refers to the yaw angle (rotation angle) of the moving body 10 when the X direction is set to 0° when viewed from the Z direction.

[0015] A plurality of installation areas are provided in an area AR within the facility W. An installation area is an area set up for placing luggage P. In some cases, a holding facility 2 on which luggage P is placed is provided in the installation area. The holding facility 2 is, for example, a shelf (rack) for holding luggage. The holding facility 2 may be a workbench for performing picking work or the like, or a conveyor lane for transporting luggage P. The installation area may not be provided with holding facility 2. In such an installation area, luggage P (a pallet of luggage P) is placed directly on the floor by a mobile body 10. The position (coordinates), shape, and size of the installation area are set in advance.

[0016] (Waypoints) Waypoints A are set for each position (coordinate) in the area AR. A travel path 102, which is the travel route along which the mobile body 10 travels, is set to connect the waypoints A. In other words, the route connecting the waypoints A that the mobile body 10 plans to pass through becomes the travel path 102 of the mobile body 10. Waypoints A are set according to the layout of the facility W, such as the locations of the installation areas and passageways. For example, waypoints A are set in a matrix pattern within the area AR, and their positions and number are set so that a travel route can be set connecting a position facing one installation area to a position facing any other installation area. A position facing an installation area may be, for example, a position from which the mobile body 10 can pick up luggage P placed in the installation area. In addition, waypoints A that serve as charging locations (waypoint An where a charging device CH is located in the example of FIG. 1) and waiting locations (waypoint Am in the example of FIG. 1) are set among the waypoints A. Waypoint A, which serves as a charging location or waiting location, may be set at any position that does not overlap with the route connecting waypoints A facing each other in the installation area (the route used for transportation).

[0017] The positions of the installation area, the holding facility 2, the waypoint A, the travel path 102, etc. are registered in advance in map data 52B of the area AR (see FIG. 4 ). The mobile body 10 moves based on the map data 52B. A target position Q is set for each installation area (the holding facility 2 or the location where the baggage P is placed directly) in the map data 52B. The target position Q is the position coordinate where the baggage P is placed by the mobile body 10. One or more target positions Q are set for one holding facility 2. In loading and unloading work, the mobile body 10 holds the baggage P at the target position Q designated as the unloading position, and places the baggage P at the target position Q designated as the loading position.

[0018] (Mobile body) Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a mobile body. The mobile body 10 is a device that can move automatically and transport a load P. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the mobile body 10 is a forklift, more specifically, a so-called AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) or AGF (Automated Guided Forklift). However, the mobile body 10 is not limited to a forklift that transports load P, and may be any device that can move automatically.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, the moving body 10 includes a vehicle body 20, wheels 20A, straddle legs 21, a mast 22, forks 24, a detector 26, a bracket 27, and a control device 28.

[0020] The straddle legs 21 are a pair of shaft-shaped members provided at one end of the vehicle body 20 in the fore-and-aft direction and protruding from the vehicle body 20. The wheels 20A are provided on the tip of each straddle leg 21 and on the vehicle body 20. That is, a total of three wheels 20A are provided, but the positions and number of the wheels 20A may be arbitrary. The mast 22 is movably attached to the straddle legs 21 and moves in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body 20. The mast 22 extends in an up-and-down direction (here, direction Z) perpendicular to the fore-and-aft direction. The fork 24 is movably attached to the mast 22 in direction Z. The fork 24 can also move laterally of the vehicle body 20 (a direction intersecting the up-and-down and fore-and-aft directions) relative to the mast 22. The fork 24 has a pair of claws 24A, 24B. The claws 24A, 24B extend from the mast 22 toward the front of the vehicle body 20. The claws 24A and 24B are spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction of the mast 22. Hereinafter, in the front-to-rear direction, the direction on the side of the moving body 10 where the fork 24 is provided will be referred to as the front direction, and the direction on the side where the fork 24 is not provided will be referred to as the rear direction.

[0021] The detection unit 26 detects environmental information around the mobile body 10. The detection unit 26 detects, for example, a package P placed at a target position Q as a pickup position. The detection unit 26 detects, for example, an obstacle when the mobile body 10 travels through an area AR. As shown in FIG. 1 , obstacles include stationary objects in the area AR, such as a wall 120, a pillar 122, a holding facility 2, and placed package P, as well as moving objects, such as other mobile bodies 10 other than the mobile body itself. The detection unit 26 includes one or more sensors. In the example of FIG. 2 , the detection unit 26 includes a sensor 26A, a sensor 26B, and a TOF camera 26C.

[0022] The sensors 26A and 26B detect at least one of the position and posture of an object present around the vehicle body 20. It can be said that the sensors 26A and 26B detect at least one of the position of an object relative to the mobile body 10 and the posture of the object relative to the mobile body 10. In this embodiment, the sensor 26A is provided at the front tip of each straddle leg 21 and on the rear side of the vehicle body 20. In this embodiment, the sensor 26B is provided above the vehicle body 20, near the upper end of the mast 22. However, the positions at which the sensors 26A and 26B are provided are not limited thereto, and the sensors may be provided at any positions, and the number of sensors provided may also be any.

[0023] Sensors 26A and 26B are, for example, sensors that emit laser light. Sensors 26A and 26B emit laser light while scanning in one direction (here, the horizontal direction), and detect the position and orientation of an object from the reflected light of the emitted laser light. In other words, sensors 26A and 26B can also be said to be so-called two-dimensional (2D)-LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). However, sensors 26A and 26B are not limited to the above and may be sensors that detect objects by any method. For example, sensors may be so-called three-dimensional (3D)-LiDAR that scans in multiple directions, so-called one-dimensional (1D)-LiDAR that does not scan, or cameras.

[0024] The TOF camera 26C detects images and position information of objects in front of the forks 24. The TOF camera 26C includes a Time of Flight (ToF) distance image sensor as an image sensor. The ToF method is a distance measurement technique that measures the distance to an object by irradiating the object with light from a light source and utilizing the time difference between when the reflected light is detected by the image sensor. The TOF camera 26C generates a depth image that measures depth information for each pixel along with the captured image. This allows the distance to the object captured in the captured image to be obtained. In this embodiment, the TOF camera 26C moves integrally with the forks 24. In the example of FIG. 2 , the TOF camera 26C is attached to a bracket 27 extending downward from the underside of the forks 24. As a result, the TOF camera 26C moves up and down as the forks 24 move up and down along the mast 22. The TOF camera 26C moves back and forth as the mast 22 and the fork 24 move back and forth along the straddle leg 21. Instead of the TOF camera 26C, an imaging device capable of measuring distance, such as a stereo camera, or a three-dimensional (3D)-LiDAR may be provided on the bracket 27.

[0025] The control device 28 controls the movement of the moving body 10. The control device 28 will be described later.

[0026] (Management Device) FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of the management device. The management device 12 is a system that manages logistics in the facility W. In this embodiment, the management device 12 is a WCS (warehouse control system) or a WMS (warehouse management system). However, the management device 12 is not limited to a WCS or a WMS and may be any system, such as a back-end system such as a production management system. The management device 12 may be installed at any location, and may be installed within the facility W or at a location remote from the facility W to manage the facility W from that location. The management device 12 is a computer, and as shown in FIG. 3, includes a communication unit 30, a memory unit 32, and a control unit 34.

[0027] The communication unit 30 is a module used by the control unit 34 to communicate with external devices such as the information processing device 14, and may include, for example, a Wi-Fi (registered trademark) module or an antenna. In this embodiment, the communication method used by the communication unit 30 is wireless communication, but any communication method may be used. The storage unit 32 is a memory that stores various information such as the calculation contents and programs of the control unit 34, and may include, for example, at least one of a main storage device such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a ROM (Read Only Memory), and an external storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive).

[0028] The control unit 34 is a computing device and includes an arithmetic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 34 includes a destination information setting unit 40. The control unit 34 implements the destination information setting unit 40 and executes its processing by reading and executing a program (software) from the storage unit 32. The control unit 34 may execute the processing using a single CPU, or may be provided with multiple CPUs and execute the processing using the multiple CPUs. The destination information setting unit 40 may also be implemented using a hardware circuit. The program for the control unit 34 stored in the storage unit 32 may also be stored in a recording medium readable by the management device 12.

[0029] The destination information setting unit 40 sets destination information indicating the destination of the moving body 10 .

[0030] (Information Processing Device) FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of an information processing device. The information processing device 14 is installed in the facility W and processes information related to the movement of the mobile object 10. The information processing device 14 is, for example, a Fleet Control System (FCS), but is not limited thereto and may be any device that processes information related to the movement of the mobile object 10. The information processing device 14 is a computer and, as shown in FIG. 4, includes a communication unit 50, a storage unit 52, and a control unit 54. The communication unit 50 is a module used by the control unit 54 to communicate with external devices such as the management device 12 and the mobile object 10, and may include, for example, an antenna or a Wi-Fi module. In this embodiment, the communication method used by the communication unit 50 is wireless communication, but any communication method may be used. The storage unit 52 is a memory that stores various information such as the calculation contents and programs of the control unit 54, and may include, for example, at least one of a RAM, a main storage device such as a ROM, and an external storage device such as an HDD. The storage unit 52 stores a program 52A for causing the calculation device to operate as the control unit 54 of this embodiment. The storage unit 52 stores map data 52B of the area AR. The storage unit 52 stores operation setting information 52C (described later) for the mobile object 10. Note that the operation setting information 52C for the mobile object 10 may be stored in a storage unit 72 (described later) of each mobile object 10.

[0031] The control unit 54 is a computing device and includes a computing circuit such as a CPU. The control unit 54 includes a destination information acquisition unit 60, an operation setting unit 62, a mode switching processing unit 64, and an adjustment processing unit 66. The control unit 54 reads and executes a program 52A (software) from the storage unit 52, thereby realizing the destination information acquisition unit 60, the operation setting unit 62, the mode switching processing unit 64, and the adjustment processing unit 66 and executing these processes. The control unit 54 may execute these processes using a single CPU, or may be equipped with multiple CPUs and execute the processes using the multiple CPUs. Furthermore, at least a portion of the destination information acquisition unit 60, the operation setting unit 62, the mode switching processing unit 64, and the adjustment processing unit 66 may be implemented using hardware circuits. The program 52A for the control unit 54 stored in the storage unit 52 may be stored on a recording medium readable by the information processing device 14.

[0032] The information processing device 14 according to this embodiment performs information processing according to the operation mode of the mobile body 10. The destination information acquisition unit 60 acquires destination information, and the work setting unit 62 sets work instructions for the mobile body 10. The mode switching processing unit 64 generates a mode switching instruction for switching the operation mode of the mobile body 10. The adjustment processing unit 66 performs various adjustment processes based on detection results obtained by the detection unit 26 of the mobile body 10 when the mobile body 10 is operated in an adjustment mode (position adjustment mode, travel adjustment mode). Note that instead of transmitting a mode switching instruction for switching the operation mode of the mobile body 10 from the information processing device 14 to the mobile body 10, an operator may input a mode switching instruction to the mobile body 10 without going through the information processing device 14 or the management device 12. In this case, the mode switching processing unit 64 does not need to be provided in the information processing device 14.

[0033] In the present embodiment, the management device 12 and the information processing device 14 are separate devices, but they may be integrated devices. That is, the management device 12 may have at least some of the functions of the information processing device 14, and the information processing device 14 may have at least some of the functions of the management device 12.

[0034] (Mobile Body Control Device) Next, the control device 28 of the mobile body 10 will be described. FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of the mobile body control device. The control device 28 is a device that controls the mobile body 10. The control device 28 is a computer, and as shown in FIG. 5, includes a communication unit 70, a storage unit 72, and a control unit 74. The communication unit 70 is a module used by the control unit 74 to communicate with external devices such as the information processing device 14, and may include, for example, an antenna or a Wi-Fi (registered trademark) module. In this embodiment, the communication method used by the communication unit 70 is wireless communication, but any communication method may be used. The storage unit 72 is a memory that stores various information such as the calculation contents and programs of the control unit 74, and includes, for example, at least one of a RAM, a main storage device such as a ROM, and an external storage device such as an HDD.

[0035] The control unit 74 is a computing device and includes a computing circuit such as a CPU. The control unit 74 includes a task acquisition unit 80, an operation control unit 82, a switching unit 84, and a detection processing unit 86. The control unit 74 reads and executes a program (software) from the storage unit 72, thereby realizing the task acquisition unit 80, the operation control unit 82, the switching unit 84, and the detection processing unit 86 and performing their respective processes. The control unit 74 may execute these processes using a single CPU, or may include multiple CPUs and execute the processes using the multiple CPUs. Furthermore, at least a portion of the task acquisition unit 80, the operation control unit 82, the switching unit 84, and the detection processing unit 86 may be implemented using hardware circuits. Furthermore, the program for the control unit 74 stored in the storage unit 72 may be stored in a recording medium readable by the control device 28.

[0036] The work acquisition unit 80 acquires information indicating the travel route of the mobile body 10, and the operation control unit 82 controls the movement mechanisms of the mobile body 10, such as the drive unit and steering, to control the movement of the mobile body 10. The operation control unit 82 also controls the movement mechanisms of the mast 22 and the forks 24 to control the operations of the forks 24 to hold and release the load P.

[0037] The mobile body 10 according to this embodiment is capable of switching between multiple operation modes. The switching unit 84 switches the operation mode of the mobile body 10 in response to a mode switching instruction from the information processing device 14. In this embodiment, the operation modes of the mobile body 10 include a work mode in which cargo P is loaded and unloaded at a target position Q based on the map data 52B, a position adjustment mode in which the target position Q of the cargo P is adjusted in the map data 52B, and a travel adjustment mode in which travel parameters are adjusted in curved areas in the map data 52B. The work mode is the operation mode during normal operation of the cargo handling system 1 and is the operation mode in which cargo handling work is performed. The position adjustment mode and the travel adjustment mode are operation modes for adjustment work performed before the cargo handling system 1 is put into operation or during maintenance. Hereinafter, the position adjustment mode and the travel adjustment mode are collectively referred to as the adjustment mode. In the adjustment mode, the mobile body 10 performs a trial run without performing cargo handling work. Note that instead of acquiring a mode switching instruction from the information processing device 14 , the switching unit 84 may accept input of a mode switching instruction from the worker without going through the information processing device 14 or the management device 12 .

[0038] The detection processing unit 86 acquires the detection results by the detection unit 26 and performs information processing based on the acquired detection results. The detection processing unit 86 acquires the self-position of the mobile body 10 from the detection results by the detection unit 26. The detection processing unit 86 detects and determines whether an obstacle has been detected while the mobile body 10 is traveling. The detection processing unit 86 calculates the position of the holding equipment 2, such as a shelf, from the detection results by the detection unit 26.

[0039] (Processing of the cargo handling system) The processing contents of the cargo handling system 1 will be described below.

[0040] The map data 52B pre-registers information such as the location of the holding equipment 2, the locations of fixed obstacles such as walls 120 and pillars 122, the target position Q for each installation area, the location of waypoint A, and the travel path 102. In the work mode, the mobile body 10 performs loading and unloading operations based on the map data 52B. The mobile body 10 acquires work instructions from the information processing device 14 from the origin to the destination. The work instructions acquire the target position Q, which is the loading position (origin) and the target position Q, which is the loading position (destination), specified by the destination information. The information on the target position Q includes the coordinate values ​​of X, Y, Z, and θ (yaw angle) in the map data 52B. The mobile body 10 estimates its own position and detects obstacles based on the map data 52B and the detection results of the detection unit 26, calculates a travel trajectory according to the actual environment, and travels from the origin to the destination. The mobile body 10 performs an approach operation to the target position Q when loading cargo at the origin or loading cargo at the destination. The position and posture of the moving body 10 are controlled from the start position of the approach operation to the end position (i.e., the target position Q) to make the fork 24 reach the target position Q.

[0041] There may be errors between the position information in the map data 52B and the positions of obstacles, installation areas, and holding equipment 2 in the actual facility W. Therefore, before the cargo handling system 1 is put into operation, a test run of the mobile body 10 based on the map data 52B is performed. Typically, an operator is present during the test run to check whether the mobile body 10 can properly approach each target position Q in the area AR, whether the mobile body 10 can travel through the area AR without any problems, and so on. If any problems are found, the operator may perform tasks such as correcting the map data 52B and / or correcting the travel parameters. Performing adjustments for all check items takes time and places a heavy burden on the operator. Therefore, the cargo handling system 1 according to this embodiment operates the mobile body 10 in adjustment modes (position adjustment mode, travel adjustment mode) during the test run, thereby reducing the operator's work time and workload.

[0042] (Position Adjustment Mode) First, the position adjustment mode according to the embodiment will be described. The position adjustment mode is a mode for checking and adjusting the position of the target position Q in order to ensure that the mobile object 10 appropriately approaches the target position Q of the luggage P in the map data 52B.

[0043] The position adjustment mode includes a step of detecting the holding facility 2 on which the luggage P is placed using the detection unit 26 of the mobile body 10, and a step of adjusting the target position Q on the holding facility 2 based on the position information of the detected holding facility 2 and the position information of the holding facility 2 in the map data 52B.

[0044] The mobile body 10 executes a step of detecting the holding facility 2 on which the baggage P is placed using the detection unit 26 of the mobile body 10. When starting the position adjustment mode, the information processing device 14 generates a mode switching instruction for switching to the position adjustment mode using the mode switching processing unit 64, and transmits the mode switching instruction to the mobile body 10 using the communication unit 50. The mobile body 10, which has received the mode switching instruction, switches the operation mode to the position adjustment mode using the switching unit 84. As a result, the mobile body 10 operates in the position adjustment mode. Note that the operator may switch the operation mode by inputting a mode switching instruction to the control device 28 of the mobile body 10. In this case, it is not necessary for the information processing device 14 to generate and transmit the mode switching instruction.

[0045] When operating in the position adjustment mode, the mobile body 10 acquires operation setting information 52C from the information processing device 14 via the communication unit 70. The operation setting information 52C is data that presets the operating conditions of the mobile body 10 in the adjustment mode. In the position adjustment mode, the mobile body 10 automatically performs an operation to detect the holding equipment 2 that is the detection target, based on the preset operation setting information 52C. In other words, the mobile body 10 performs the operation in the position adjustment mode without any operational input by the operator.

[0046] FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view illustrating the detection operation of the holding equipment. FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of the holding equipment. FIG. 8 is a schematic side view illustrating the detection operation of the holding equipment. In the embodiment, an example is shown in which the holding equipment 2 is a shelf that holds luggage P. In the examples of FIGS. 6 to 8 , the holding equipment 2 has a column 91 and a shelf 92 supported by the column 91. The shelf 92 has a rectangular shape, and each of its four corners is supported by the column 91. In the examples of FIGS. 6 to 8 , the holding equipment 2 has two shelf 92 at different positions, one above the other. Including the floor surface below the shelf 92, the holding equipment 2 has an installation area of ​​three levels, and two target positions Q are set side by side for each level.

[0047] (Detection process of holding facility) In the position adjustment mode, the mobile body 10 detects the holding facility 2 by approaching a part of the holding facility 2. In the example of Fig. 6, the mobile body 10 performs an approach operation to a pillar 91 of the holding facility 2. Based on the map data 52B, the mobile body 10 performs an approach operation to one of the multiple pillars 91 that is located closer when approaching the target position Q. Fig. 6 shows an example in which the mobile body 10 performs an approach operation to one pillar 91 per holding facility 2, but the mobile body 10 may approach multiple pillars 91.

[0048] During the approach operation, the mobile body 10 approaches the target position (post 91) so that the forks 24 can directly face the target position and place the load P held on the forks 24. Therefore, the mobile body 10 can detect an image and position information of the post 91 using the TOF camera 26C, which detects the area ahead of the forks 24. Furthermore, when the mobile body 10 approaches the post 91 during the approach operation, the post 91 is positioned within the detection range of the sensors 26A and 26B, and the position information of the post 91 can also be detected by the sensors 26A and 26B. That is, the post 91 may be detected using a distance image sensor (TOF camera 26C) or a LiDAR (sensor 26A or 26B). The post 91 may be detected by any sensor included in the detection unit 26 of the mobile body 10. For example, an image of the post 91 may be acquired using a normal camera without a distance detection function, and the position of the post 91 may be estimated by image processing. The detection processing unit 86 of the moving body 10 acquires actual position information of the pillar 91 in the area AR based on the detection results of these detection units 26 and the self-position of the moving body 10 .

[0049] Thus, in this embodiment, the pillar 91 can be detected in front of the mobile body 10 by performing an approach operation on a part of the holding facility 2 (the pillar 91) rather than the target position Q of the holding facility 2. The pillar 91 is generally narrow, which tends to reduce the number of measurement points (point cloud data) that can be acquired by the sensors 26A, 26B, and TOF camera 26C. However, capturing the pillar 91 in front of the mobile body 10, where measurement accuracy is most readily achieved, can improve position detection accuracy. When detecting the position of the pillar 91, it is preferable to detect the intersection between the pillar 91 and the shelf 92, for example, because this makes it easier to obtain accurate data. In addition to the pillar 91, the position of the end face (beam) of the shelf 92 may also be detected. Furthermore, when executing the position adjustment mode, a reflector or identification mark for position measurement may be attached to the pillar 91. This further improves position measurement accuracy. Although an example of performing an approach operation toward a part of the holding equipment 2 (pillar portion 91) is shown here, it is also possible to perform an approach operation toward the target position Q of the holding equipment 2 to detect the position of the holding equipment 2 (pillar portion 91, etc.).

[0050] In the example of FIG. 8 , the holding facility 2 has multiple target positions Q at different heights. In this case, in the position adjustment mode, the mobile body 10 changes the height of the detection unit 26 to detect multiple locations in the height direction of the holding facility 2. That is, if the holding facility 2 has an installation area with multiple levels, the mobile body 10 arranges the detection unit 26 at the height of each level of the holding facility 2 to obtain detection results. In the example of FIG. 8 , since the holding facility 2 has a three-level structure, the mobile body 10 moves the forks 24 up and down to arrange the TOF cameras 26C of the detection unit 26 at the height of each level of the holding facility 2 to detect the pillars 91. For example, the mobile body 10 detects the pillars 91 using the TOF cameras 26C at the height positions of the forks 24 when approaching the target position Q of the first level, the height positions of the forks 24 when approaching the target position Q of the second level (see dashed two-dot line), and the height positions of the forks 24 when approaching the target position Q of the third level (see dashed two-dot line). This allows the actual position information of the pillar portion 91 at the approach height of each step to be obtained.

[0051] The mobile body 10 transmits the position information of the pillar 91 acquired by the detection processing unit 86 to the information processing device 14 via the communication unit 70.

[0052] (Adjustment of target position) In the embodiment, the information processing device 14 executes a step of adjusting the target position Q on the holding facility 2 based on the detected position information of the holding facility 2 and the position information of the holding facility 2 in the map data 52B.

[0053] The information processing device 14 calculates the actual position coordinates of the holding facility 2 based on the actual position information of the pillar 91 acquired by the mobile body 10 and the map data 52B. The shape, dimensions, and orientation of the holding facility 2 are known in the map data 52B. Therefore, it is possible to acquire the horizontal (X and Y) positional deviation and the yaw orientation deviation of the holding facility 2 between the actual position information of the pillar 91 and the position coordinates of the pillar 91 in the map data 52B. Furthermore, it is possible to grasp the inclination of the holding facility 2 from the position information of multiple points in the height direction of the pillar 91. Therefore, the adjustment processing unit 66 of the information processing device 14 calculates the actual position (X and Y coordinates) and actual orientation (tilt angles in the roll, pitch, and yaw directions) of the holding facility 2 shown in FIG. 7 based on the acquired position information. Furthermore, the relative coordinates of the target position Q on the holding facility 2 (e.g., the relative coordinates of the target position Q with respect to the detected pillar 91) are known in the map data 52B. Therefore, the adjustment processing unit 66 calculates the position coordinates (X, Y, Z coordinates) of each target position Q set on the holding facility 2 from the actual position and posture of the holding facility 2 .

[0054] Then, if there is an error between the position coordinates of the target position Q registered in the map data 52B and the calculated position coordinates of the target position Q, the adjustment processing unit 66 corrects (adjusts) the position coordinates of the target position Q in the map data 52B using the calculated position coordinates of the target position Q.

[0055] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating the result of adjusting the target position. In FIG. 9 , the holding facility 2 and the target position Q registered in the map data 52B are indicated by dotted lines. In FIG. 9 , the holding facility 2 and the target position Q calculated based on the position information of the holding facility 2 detected by the detection unit 26 are indicated by solid lines. In FIG. 9 , the deviation between the position and orientation of the holding facility 2 in the map data 52B (dotted lines) and the actual position and orientation (solid lines) is exaggerated to explain the concept of positional deviation. As shown in FIG. 9 , the information processing device 14 corrects the map data 52B based on the position information of the holding facility 2 detected by the detection unit 26 so that the target position Q in the map data 52B becomes an appropriate position in the actual environment. As a result, when the mobile object 10 operates in the work mode, the mobile object 10 can approach an appropriate position that matches the actual position and orientation of the holding facility 2 to load and unload the cargo P.

[0056] (Acquisition of Aisle Spacing) FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view illustrating the process of acquiring aisle spacing. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a movement trajectory during an approach operation of a mobile object. FIG. 10 illustrates an example of an aisle 101 in which two rows of shelves (holding equipment 2) facing each other are lined up. As shown in FIG. 11 , the approach operation involves the mobile object 10 facing in a direction along the aisle 101, changing its direction of travel by approximately 90 degrees, and curving its travel trajectory so as to directly face the target position Q of the holding equipment 2 or the column 91. Therefore, in FIG. 10 , if the width (spacing E) of the aisle 101 in the map data 52B is smaller than the width (spacing E) of the aisle 101 in the map data 52B, or if the travel path 102 registered at the position of the aisle 101 in the map data 52B is actually biased to one side of the aisle 101, the mobile object 10 may be unable to perform the approach operation, requiring a worker to take appropriate action. For example, Figure 10 shows a case in which the yaw-direction posture of one of the opposing holding devices 2 (bottom side of Figure 10) is tilted, and the spacing E1 at one end of the aisle 101 is smaller than the spacing E2 at the other end of the aisle 101.

[0057] Therefore, the position adjustment mode according to the embodiment includes a step in which the mobile body 10 travels between the opposing holding facilities 2 to acquire the interval E between the opposing holding facilities 2. This step of acquiring the interval E is executed before the detection process of the holding facilities 2 by the approach operation to the holding facilities 2 described above.

[0058] As the mobile body 10 travels along the passage 101 between opposing holding facilities 2, the detection unit 26 acquires position information for calculating the interval E between the holding facilities 2. For example, the detection processing unit 86 of the mobile body 10 detects position information of the front surface 93 of each holding facility 2 based on the detection results of one or both of the sensors 26A and 26B. The part of the holding facility 2 to be detected is not particularly limited. It may be the pillar portion 91 of the holding facility 2 or the end face (beam) of the shelf board 92. A pallet 110 may be placed in advance for position detection at a target position Q on the first stage (i.e., the floor surface) of the holding facility 2, and the position of the pallet 110 may be detected by the sensor 26A.

[0059] There are no particular limitations on the operation of detecting the holding equipment 2 by the mobile body 10. The mobile body 10 may collect the detection results of the detection unit 26 while traveling along the passage 101, or may alternately (intermittently) perform movement and data collection, such as temporarily stopping at a measurement position between opposing holding equipment 2 to collect data using the detection unit 26, and then moving to the next measurement position.

[0060] 12 is a schematic side view illustrating the process of acquiring the aisle spacing E. In the process of acquiring the aisle spacing E, if the holding equipment 2 has multiple target positions Q at different heights, the mobile body 10 may acquire the spacing E at multiple locations in the height direction by changing the height of the detection unit 26.

[0061] For example, the mobile body 10 moves the forks 24 up and down to position the TOF cameras 26C of the detection unit 26 at the height of each step of the holding equipment 2 to acquire the distance E. For example, the mobile body 10 detects the distance E using the TOF cameras 26C at the height positions of the forks 24 when approaching the target position Q of the first step, the height positions of the forks 24 when approaching the target position Q of the second step, and the height positions of the forks 24 when approaching the target position Q of the third step. For the first step, the sensor 26A may be used. If the sensor 26B is a 3D-LiDAR, the sensor 26B may simultaneously detect the distance E at each height. This acquires the distance E of the passage 101 at the approach height of each step. This makes it possible to grasp the difference in distance E, for example, when the holding equipment 2 is tilted in the pitch direction and the distance E is different between the lower and upper parts of the holding equipment 2, as shown in FIG. 12 . Therefore, it is possible to grasp in advance before approaching a situation such as when the first level of the holding equipment 2 can be approached but the third level cannot.

[0062] The moving body 10 calculates the interval E based on the position information detected by the detection processing unit 86. The detection processing unit 86 of the moving body 10 calculates the interval E from the positions of the front faces 93 of the opposing holding facilities 2.

[0063] Then, in the step of detecting the holding facility 2 described above using the detection unit 26 of the moving body 10, the moving body 10 either approaches a portion of the holding facility 2 or skips the approach operation depending on the acquired interval E. The moving body 10 performs an approach operation for holding facility 2 that is located in a position where the interval E is greater than the minimum interval required for the approach operation. The moving body 10 skips over holding facility 2 that is located in a position where the interval E is less than the minimum interval required for the approach operation without performing the approach operation.

[0064] As a result, in the position adjustment mode, the mobile body 10 automatically performs detection processing (approach operation) for all holding facilities 2 to be detected, except for holding facilities 2 for which the approach operation was skipped based on the acquired interval E. Therefore, even if there is a holding facility 2 that cannot be approached, the detection processing for the holding facility 2 in the position adjustment mode does not end midway, and for holding facilities 2 that can be detected automatically, detection processing is performed without any work by the worker. For holding facilities 2 that cannot be approached, after a series of detection processes have been performed, the worker may separately perform corresponding work such as adjusting the position of the holding facility 2 or correcting the map data 52B. This eliminates the need for the worker to accompany the mobile body 10 during the detection processing, thereby reducing the workload.

[0065] Depending on the actual environment of the facility W, the passage 101 may be wide enough that the mobile object 10 can clearly approach it. Therefore, the process of acquiring the passage spacing may not necessarily be performed.

[0066] (Approach Process to Target Position) FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the approach process to the target position by the mobile body. As described above, the position coordinates of each target position Q set on the holding facility 2 are adjusted based on the actual position of the holding facility 2 acquired by the approach operation to the holding facility 2 (pillar portion 91) and the relative coordinates of the target position Q within the holding facility 2, thereby eliminating any discrepancy between the coordinates of the target position Q in the map data 52B and the actual position of the target position Q. However, due to factors such as errors included in the position measurement and the fact that the floor surface conditions (friction, unevenness, etc.) in the area AR may differ from expectations, when the mobile body 10 actually performs the approach operation to the target position Q, the position at which the mobile body 10 approaches may deviate from the target position Q.

[0067] Therefore, the position adjustment mode according to the embodiment can include, after the step of adjusting the target position Q, a step of making the moving body 10 approach the adjusted target position Q and acquiring an error in the approach position.

[0068] Specifically, the mobile body 10 performs an approach operation toward the target position Q from which the error is to be acquired. During the approach operation toward the target position Q, the mobile body 10 detects a part of the holding equipment 2 using the detection unit 26. The detection processing unit 86 of the mobile body 10 detects, for example, the position coordinates of the end of the shelf 92 of the holding equipment 2 (i.e., the intersection of the shelf 92 and the column 91) reflected within the field of view of the TOF camera 26C. The approach operation of the mobile body 10 is repeatedly executed a predetermined number of times specified in the operation setting information 52C. The predetermined number of times can be one or more times, depending on the user's setting. The mobile body 10 transmits the detected position coordinates to the information processing device 14 via the communication unit 70.

[0069] The adjustment processing unit 66 of the information processing device 14 calculates a geometrically appropriate target position Q with respect to the detected position of the holding facility 2 in the image of the TOF camera 26C. Then, the adjustment processing unit 66 acquires, as an approach position error, the deviation of the reference position of the moving body 10 from the position coordinates of the appropriate target position Q obtained from the image of the TOF camera 26C. The reference position of the moving body 10 is, for example, the origin position of the TOF camera 26C. The acquired approach position error includes positional deviation and attitude deviation. In particular, the approach position error includes a position error in the left-right direction (left-right direction in the image) of the moving body 10 when facing the target position Q. When the approach operation is performed multiple times, the adjustment processing unit 66 calculates the average and variance of the approach position error.

[0070] The adjustment processor 66 compares the calculated approach position error with the thresholds (thresholds for position and orientation errors, or thresholds for the mean and variance) specified in the operation setting information 52C. If the calculated approach position error is greater than the threshold, the adjustment processor 66 adjusts the target position Q in the map data 52B so that the error is within the threshold. If the calculated approach position error is equal to or less than the threshold, the adjustment processor 66 determines that the error is within the acceptable range and terminates the process without adjusting the target position Q. The threshold can be set within a range in which the loading position of the luggage P can be adjusted while the mobile body 10 is performing an approach operation. For example, the mobile body 10 can adjust the installation position of the luggage P in the left-right direction without changing the position of the mobile body 10 by performing a side shift operation in which the forks 24 are moved left and right. Therefore, the threshold for the left-right error may be set according to the upper limit of the amount of movement possible for the side shift. This allows the luggage P to be loaded and unloaded by reliably correcting positional deviations that occur during the approach operation.

[0071] The adjustment of the error in the approach position (the approach operation by the mobile body 10 and the adjustment process of the target position Q based on the error in the approach position) may be performed only once or may be performed multiple times. The adjustment of the error in the approach position may be performed for all the target positions Q set on the holding facility 2, or may be performed for only some of the target positions Q set on the holding facility 2. When the adjustment of the error in the approach position is performed for only some of the target positions Q set on the holding facility 2, the other target positions Q may be adjusted based on the adjustment results of those some of the target positions Q.

[0072] In addition, if the installation area is the floor surface and there is no detectable holding equipment 2 at the target position Q, the pallet can be regarded as the holding equipment 2.

[0073] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of acquiring an approach position error when the installation area is a floor surface. As illustrated in FIG. 14 , before the mobile body 10 approaches the target position Q, a pallet 110 is placed at the target position Q in advance. The installation position of the pallet 110 is set to an appropriate position where the pallet 110 should be placed when the mobile body 10 approaches the target position Q in the work mode. In the position adjustment mode, the mobile body 10 approaches the target position Q where the pallet 110 is placed without holding the cargo P, and detects the pallet 110 using the detection unit 26, such as the TOF camera 26C. The information processing device 14 can calculate a geometrically appropriate target position Q with respect to the detected position of the holding facility 2 (i.e., the pallet 110) in the image of the TOF camera 26C, and thereby obtain an approach position error.

[0074] In some cases, the installation area is set to extend linearly on the floor surface. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of an installation area in a linear layout. FIG. 15 shows an example in which linear installation areas R are set side by side in an area AR. The direction in which the installation areas R extend is the depth direction, and the direction in which the installation areas R are lined up is the width direction. In each installation area R, multiple target positions Q are lined up in the depth direction. The spacing between the target positions Q in the depth direction is set, for example, so that each package P is placed with almost no gaps between them. In this type of installation area R, packages P are placed in order starting from the target position Q at the back side of the installation area R (upper side of FIG. 15 ). In the work mode, the approach operation to the target position Q is linear along the depth direction. Note that, although identification lines 107 may be set between each installation area R as a guide for the worker, the identification lines 107 are not necessary for controlling the mobile body 10.

[0075] In the example shown in FIG. 15 , a temporary travel path 102X dedicated to the position adjustment mode is registered in the map data 52B, as indicated by the thick dotted line. The temporary travel path 102X is set separately from the general travel path 102 used in modes other than the position adjustment mode. The temporary travel path 102X extends along the width direction perpendicular to the depth direction of the installation region R. The temporary travel path 102X crosses multiple installation regions R. As a result, in the position adjustment mode, the mobile body 10 approaches the target position Q from the side, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 , and then changes its traveling direction by approximately 90 degrees to perform an approach operation along a path directly facing the target position Q. As in the example of FIG. 14 , a pallet 110 is installed in advance at the target position Q. The mobile body 10 detects the position of the installed pallet 110, thereby determining the error in the approach position.

[0076] In the example of FIG. 15 , for one installation area R, pallets 110 can be installed at multiple target positions Q that are located at a distance greater than the distance required for the approach operation. Therefore, in the position adjustment mode, pallets 110 can be installed at multiple target positions Q at once, and the mobile body 10 can be caused to sequentially perform approach operations for those target positions Q. When an approach position error is acquired for the target position Q where the pallet 110 is installed in FIG. 15 , the position of the pallet 110 is changed to another target position Q, and the same operation is performed. Therefore, although only two temporary travel paths 102X are illustrated in FIG. 15 , a temporary travel path 102X can be set for each target position Q in the depth direction. As a result, in the position adjustment mode, approach position error acquisition for multiple target positions Q can be performed in batch processing, without having to acquire approach position errors by repositioning the pallet 110 one by one from the back of the installation area R, thereby reducing the workload of the operator. In FIG. 15, similarly to the above, the approach operation may be performed on only a portion of the target positions Q, and the other target positions Q may be adjusted based on the adjustment results of the portion of the target positions Q.

[0077] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing another example of an installation area with a linear layout. Unlike FIG. 15 , FIG. 16 shows an example of setting a temporary travel path 102X when an obstacle such as a pillar 122 exists between horizontally arranged installation areas R. In FIG. 16 , the installation area R is divided into a group on one side and a group on the other side, separated by the pillar 122. Therefore, a temporary travel path 102X is set for each group. The temporary travel path 102X in FIG. 16 includes a portion extending in the depth direction of the installation area R and a portion extending in the width direction so as to cross multiple installation areas R within the group. The portion of the temporary travel path 102X extending in the depth direction can be shared with the general travel path 102. When the width of the group (the number of columns in the installation area R) is small, the mobile object 10 may enter the installation area R by traveling backward, as indicated by the thick arrow in FIG. 16 , change direction to follow a line extending in the width direction, and then approach the target position Q by traveling forward.

[0078] It is considered that the error between the target position Q and the actual approach position can be sufficiently reduced by adjusting the position of the target position Q through the approach operation to the holding equipment 2 (pillar 91). Therefore, the approach process to the target position Q does not necessarily have to be performed.

[0079] (Driving Adjustment Mode) Next, the driving adjustment mode according to the embodiment will be described. The driving adjustment mode is a mode for adjusting driving parameters in the curve area 103 (see FIG. 17) of the map data 52B.

[0080] The position adjustment mode includes a step of driving the mobile body 10 through the curved area 103 multiple times at different driving speeds, and a step of adjusting driving parameters in the curved area 103 based on the detection results of an obstacle by the detection unit 26 of the mobile body 10 while driving through the curved area 103.

[0081] In the driving adjustment mode, the mobile body 10 executes a step of driving the curved area 103 multiple times at different driving speeds. When starting the driving adjustment mode, the information processing device 14 generates a mode switching instruction for switching to the driving adjustment mode by the mode switching processing unit 64 and transmits it to the mobile body 10. Upon receiving the mode switching instruction, the mobile body 10 switches the operation mode to the driving adjustment mode by the switching unit 84. As a result, the mobile body 10 operates in the driving adjustment mode. Note that the operator may switch the operation mode by inputting a mode switching instruction to the control device 28 of the mobile body 10. In this case, it is not necessary for the information processing device 14 to generate and transmit the mode switching instruction.

[0082] When operating in the driving adjustment mode, the mobile body 10 acquires operation setting information 52C from the information processing device 14. In the driving adjustment mode, the mobile body 10 automatically performs an operation of driving the curved area 103 multiple times at different driving speeds based on the preset operation setting information 52C.

[0083] FIG. 17 is a schematic plan view illustrating an example of a curved area. The curved area 103 in the area AR includes a corner of the area AR as shown in FIG. 17. That is, the curved area 103 is a location (corner) where walls 120 extending in different directions intersect. In the case of FIG. 17, a pillar 122 of a facility W is located near the corner. The wall 120 and the pillar 122 are registered in the map data 52B as obstacles that prevent the mobile object 10 from traveling. In the map data 52B, a curved travel path 102 is set between the wall 120 and the pillar 122, and the area including this curved travel path 102 is the curved area 103.

[0084] FIG. 18 is a schematic plan view illustrating another example of a curved area. The curved area 103 in the area AR includes a junction as shown in FIG. 18. That is, the curved area 103 is a location where paths extending in different directions intersect. In the case of FIG. 18, there is a path 101 that passes between multiple opposing holding facilities 2, and another path 104 to which the path 101 connects. The holding facilities 2 are obstacles that prevent the mobile object 10 from traveling. In the map data 52B, travel paths 102 are set for each of the intersecting paths 101 and 104, and the area including the intersecting (merging) travel paths 102 is the curved area 103.

[0085] In the driving adjustment mode, the mobile object 10 automatically drives through a curved area 103 in the map data 52B as shown in Fig. 17 or 18. While the mobile object 10 is driving, the detection unit 26 detects obstacles. The detection processing unit 86 of the mobile object 10 determines, using the detection unit 26, whether or not there is interference between the safety area 130 and an obstacle according to the driving speed when driving through the curved area 103.

[0086] FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram illustrating safety areas according to the traveling speed of a moving body. Safety areas 130 are set in front of and behind the moving body 10. The safety areas 130 are areas secured so that, if the moving body 10 detects an obstacle in the vicinity while traveling, it can stop without coming into contact with the detected obstacle. The safety areas 130 are set in front of and behind the moving body 10 in the traveling direction. The safety area 130 includes a deceleration area 132 and a forced stop area 134. The deceleration area 132 is an area where the moving body 10 starts to decelerate, and is an outer area including the outer edge of the safety area 130. The forced stop area 134 is an area where the moving body 10 is forced to stop, and is set in a range closer to the moving body 10 than the deceleration area 132. The forced stop area 134 includes the inner edge of the safety area 130 (i.e., the position closest to the moving body 10).

[0087] The moving body 10 decelerates when an obstacle is present inside the outer edge of the safety area 130. In one example, the moving body 10 is provided with a normal brake, such as a regenerative brake of a motor provided in a drive unit, and a mechanical brake, such as a disc brake, for forcibly stopping the moving body 10. When an obstacle is present in the deceleration area 132 of the safety area 130, the moving body 10 decelerates using the normal brake. When the moving body 10 approaches the obstacle until it enters the forced stop area 134, the moving body 10 is forcibly stopped by the mechanical brake. In this way, the moving body 10 avoids contact with the obstacle while traveling. As described above, obstacles include the wall 120, the pillar 122, the holding facility 2, and other moving bodies 10 other than the moving body itself.

[0088] The size of the safety area 130 changes depending on the traveling speed so that the mobile object 10 can stop without coming into contact with an obstacle. In other words, the size of the safety area 130 corresponds to the braking distance based on the current speed of the mobile object 10. As shown in Fig. 19 , when the traveling speed of the mobile object 10 is low, the safety area 130 (deceleration area 132 and forced stop area 134) is set to be narrow (short), and when the traveling speed of the mobile object 10 is high, the safety area 130 (deceleration area 132 and forced stop area 134) is set to be wide (long). Although Fig. 19 shows two examples of the range of the safety area 130, the range of the safety area 130 may change continuously or stepwise depending on the traveling speed.

[0089] In this way, the safety area 130 changes depending on the travel distance, so by having the mobile body 10 travel through the curved area 103 multiple times at different travel speeds, it is possible to confirm whether an obstacle has approached to the inside of the safety area 130 corresponding to each travel speed. The approach of an obstacle into the safety area 130 is detected by, for example, acquiring point cloud data around the mobile body 10 using the sensor 26A and obtaining the distance to the obstacle.

[0090] FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram showing a safety area and obstacles when a mobile object travels through a curved area 103. FIG. 20 shows an example of traveling through the curved area 103 shown in FIG. 17. The mobile object 10 enters the curved area 103 along the travel path 102 registered in the map data 52B and travels through the curved area 103 along a curved section CV of the travel path 102 that is calculated in advance. Here, if an obstacle enters the safety area 130 at any time before the mobile object 10 passes through the curved area 103, it is determined that there is "interference" between the safety area 130 and the obstacle. If no obstacle enters the safety area 130 before the mobile object 10 passes through the curved area 103, it is determined that there is "no interference" between the safety area 130 and the obstacle. FIG. 20 shows an example of "interference" because a wall 120 enters the safety area 130 while passing through the curved section CV.

[0091] The mobile object 10 sets the travel speed for each travel count based on the operation setting information 52C received from the information processing device 14. In one example, the mobile object 10 starts from the lowest travel speed in the operation setting information 52C and increases the travel speed each time the travel count increases. Since the safety area 130 is narrower as the travel speed decreases, it is assumed that "no interference" will occur while the travel speed of the mobile object 10 is low. As the travel speed increases and the safety area 130 expands, there is a possibility that "interference" will occur, as shown in FIG. 20 . The mobile object 10 ends travel through the curved area 103 when the result of travel through the curved area 103 is "interference." In addition, the operation setting information 52C (or the map data 52B) specifies a preset upper limit speed for the curved area 103 that is assumed in advance. The mobile object 10 also ends travel through the curved area 103 when the travel speed reaches the set upper limit speed and the result is "no interference."

[0092] The mobile body 10 transmits the traveling speed during traveling and the presence or absence of interference to the information processing device 14. As a result, when the mobile body 10 executes the step of traveling through the curved area 103 at different traveling speeds multiple times, the maximum speed at which the mobile body 10 can travel without interference between the safety area 130 and an obstacle can be ascertained.

[0093] The information processing device 14 executes a step of adjusting driving parameters for the curved area 103 based on the detection result of an obstacle by the detection unit 26 of the mobile object 10 while the mobile object 10 is traveling through the curved area 103. The driving parameters for the curved area 103 include an upper limit speed for the curved area 103. That is, in the step of adjusting the driving parameters, the information processing device 14 acquires the maximum speed at which interference between the safety area 130 and an obstacle does not occur as the upper limit speed for the curved area 103. Specifically, the adjustment processing unit 66 of the information processing device 14 acquires the driving results of the mobile object 10 (driving speed and presence or absence of interference) for each curved area 103 registered in the map data 52B. For each curved area 103 registered in the map data 52B, the information processing device 14 sets an upper limit speed for the mobile object 10 when traveling through that curved area 103. That is, if the maximum speed at which interference between the safety area 130 and an obstacle does not occur matches the set upper limit speed, the adjustment processing unit 66 sets (updates) the maximum speed at which interference does not occur as the upper limit speed. If the maximum speed matches the set upper limit speed, there is no need to update the upper limit speed.

[0094] In this embodiment, the driving adjustment mode may include a step of issuing a notification when the acquired upper limit speed is lower than a preset upper limit speed. In this case, the information processing device 14 notifies a pre-specified destination via the communication unit 50 that the maximum speed has been lowered below the set upper limit speed. The pre-specified destination may be the management device 12 or a terminal designated by the operator adjusting the loading / unloading system 1. The set upper limit speed is a speed calculated as the maximum speed that the vehicle can travel according to the design. Therefore, if the maximum speed does not reach the set upper limit speed, it is possible that the map data 52B, the travel path 102, and settings of travel parameters other than the maximum speed do not reflect the actual environment. By receiving the notification from the information processing device 14, the operator can confirm the positions of obstacles such as walls 120 and pillars 122 in the curved area 103, the position of the travel path 102, or the positions of the start point 105 and end point 106 of the curved section CV, and correct these data to appropriate values. If the maximum speed in the curved area 103 can be increased to the set upper limit speed as a result of the correction, this will contribute to improving the working efficiency of the mobile body 10.

[0095] The driving parameters adjusted by the information processing device 14 may include, in addition to the upper limit speed in the curved area 103, at least one of the position of the driving path 102, the start point 105 and end point 106 of the curved section CV of the driving path 102, and position information of an obstacle in the curved area 103. In another example of the embodiment, instead of the worker who received the notification adjusting the position of the driving path 102 or the start point 105 and end point 106 of the curved section CV, the information processing device 14 calculates the corrected position of the driving path 102 and the corrected positions of the start point 105 and end point 106 of the curved section CV so that driving is possible at the set upper limit speed, sets them in the map data 52B, and notifies the worker of the calculated data.

[0096] FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a double-track curved area. The double-track curved area 103 includes multiple travel paths 102 on which mobile objects 10 can simultaneously pass each other. In the example of FIG. 21 , the curved area 103 includes a first travel path 102A that passes on the inside of the curve and a second travel path 102B that passes on the outside of the curve, allowing two mobile objects 10 to simultaneously pass each other. When two mobile objects 10 pass each other in the double-track curved area 103, there is a possibility that the two mobile objects 10 may detect each other as an obstacle. The example of FIG. 21 illustrates a situation in which, as the two mobile objects 10 pass a curved section CV of their respective travel paths, a portion of the mobile object 10 traveling on the second travel path 102B interferes with the safety area 130 of the mobile object 10 traveling on the first travel path 102A.

[0097] Therefore, in the embodiment, in a curved area 103 where multiple mobile bodies 10 can travel simultaneously, in a step of traveling through the curved area 103 multiple times at different traveling speeds, the number of mobile bodies 10 that can travel simultaneously travels through the curved area 103. In the example of Fig. 21 , two mobile bodies 10 can pass through the curved area 103 simultaneously, so the two mobile bodies 10 travel through the curved area 103 simultaneously. As shown in Fig. 19 , the safety area 130 is set separately in front of and behind the mobile body 10, and has different ranges. Therefore, in a double-track curved area 103, whether or not interference with the safety area 130 occurs may vary depending on the traveling direction of the mobile body 10.

[0098] Therefore, in a double-track curved area 103, each moving body 10 travels in all combinations of traveling directions when passing through the curved area 103. In the case of Figure 21, traveling is performed in a total of four patterns, including two patterns in which the moving body 10 travels forward and backward on the first traveling path 102A on the inner loop, and two patterns in which the moving body 10 travels forward and backward on the second traveling path 102B on the outer loop. For each of the four patterns, each moving body 10 travels multiple times at different traveling speeds, gradually increasing the traveling speed from a low speed.

[0099] Note that the radius of curvature of the curved section CV may differ between the first inner traveling path 102A and the second outer traveling path 102B. Therefore, the trial travel speed confirmation range may be different for the inner traveling path and the outer traveling path. In other words, in each travel, the speed when traveling on the second outer traveling path 102B may be set to be faster than the speed when traveling on the first inner traveling path 102A.

[0100] Furthermore, in a double-track curved area 103, the possibility of interference varies depending on the position on the curved section CV at which each moving body 10 passes each other. The position on the curved section CV at which each moving body 10 is most likely to cause interference can be geometrically calculated from the shape of the safety area 130 and the relative positions of the travel paths 102. In the embodiment, the travel timing of each moving body 10 is adjusted so that the moving bodies 10 pass each other at the point on the curved section CV of each travel path 102 at which interference is most likely to occur.

[0101] In the step of adjusting the driving parameters, the information processing device 14 acquires driving parameters for each driving path 102, including the inner and outer loops of the curved area 103. That is, the adjustment processing unit 66 of the information processing device 14 acquires, for the double-track curved area 103, the upper limit speed when traveling on the first driving path 102A of the inner loop and the upper limit speed when traveling on the second driving path 102B of the outer loop. As a result, when multiple mobile bodies 10 simultaneously travel through the double-track curved area 103, it is possible to prevent one mobile body 10 from interfering with the safety area 130 of another mobile body 10. The upper limit speed may be set for each driving direction, or the lowest speed among the maximum speeds calculated for each combination may be set as the upper limit speed regardless of the driving direction.

[0102] Next, the operation setting information 52C used in the above-mentioned adjustment modes (position adjustment mode, travel adjustment mode) will be described. The operation setting information 52C includes at least one of identification information for identifying the holding facility 2, the number of approaches to the holding facility 2, the allowable error threshold, and the travel speed.

[0103] The identification information for identifying the holding facility 2 is information for identifying the holding facility 2 to be detected by the mobile body 10. In the map data 52B, each holding facility 2 is distinguished by unique identification information (e.g., a shelf ID). In the position adjustment mode, the mobile body 10 uses the detection unit 26 to detect holding facilities 2 included in the map data 52B that have identification information specified in the operation setting information 52C. The operation setting information 52C can target all holding facilities 2 for detection. The operator can edit the operation setting information 52C so that only a portion of the holding facilities 2 included in the map data 52B are targeted for detection.

[0104] The number of approaches to the holding facility 2 is information that specifies the number of repetitions of the approach operation to the holding facility 2. The mobile body 10 performs the approach operation to the same holding facility 2 the number of times specified in the operation setting information 52C and acquires the detection results. The information processing device 14 can statistically process the position information of the holding facility 2 based on the multiple detection results obtained. This reduces the influence of variations in the measurement results and allows for more appropriate adjustment of the target position Q.

[0105] The allowable error threshold is information that specifies the allowable range of error between the detected position information of the holding facility 2 and the position information of the holding facility 2 in the map data 52B. As described above, if the error is within the specified threshold, loading and unloading operations can be performed appropriately, and therefore position adjustment is not required.

[0106] The running speed is information that specifies the running speed of the mobile object 10 in the running adjustment mode. The operation setting information 52C may include information such as the number of times of running in the running adjustment mode, a set value or speed change amount of the running speed for each number of times of running, a set upper limit speed for each curved area 103, and a speed profile (setting of the change in running speed over time) when running through the curved area 103.

[0107] Through the above-described processing, in the adjustment mode, the mobile object 10 automatically operates to collect data. The information processing device 14 modifies the map data 52B and driving parameters based on the collected data. As described above, in the embodiment, the operation setting information 52C is stored in the storage unit 52 of the information processing device 14 and transmitted from the information processing device 14 to each mobile object 10. However, the operation setting information 52C may be stored in advance individually in the storage unit 72 of each mobile object 10.

[0108] (Work Mode) In the work mode, the mobile body 10 performs cargo handling operations based on information received from the information processing device 14. The mobile body 10 receives work instructions from the information processing device 14 and identifies the target position Q, which is the origin of the transfer, and the target position Q, which is the destination of the transfer, specified in the work instruction. The mobile body 10 receives map data 52B and driving parameters from the information processing device 14 and performs movement from the origin of the transfer to the destination and approach operations to each target position Q. In the work mode, the mobile body 10 approaches the target position Q on the holding facility 2 to load and unload the cargo P at the target position Q. By adjusting the target position Q in the position adjustment mode, the mobile body 10 can properly approach the adjusted target position Q in the work mode. The mobile body 10 travels through the curved area 103 based on the map data 52B and driving parameters. The mobile body 10 travels within a maximum speed range set for each curved area 103. As a result, interference between the safety area 130 of the mobile body 10 and obstacles when traveling through the curved area 103 is avoided.

[0109] (Processing Flow) The processing flow of each operation mode described above will be explained based on a flowchart. FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of the position adjustment mode. As shown in FIG. 22, the control unit 54 of the information processing device 14 generates a mode switching instruction for switching to the position adjustment mode using the mode switching processing unit 64, and transmits the instruction to the mobile object 10 using the communication unit 50 (step S20). When the mobile object 10 receives the mode switching instruction, the switching unit 84 transitions the operation mode to the position adjustment mode in response to the mode switching instruction (step S10). The control unit 54 of the information processing device 14 transmits operation setting information 52C to the mobile object 10 using the communication unit 50 (step S21). The mobile object 10 receives the operation setting information 52C (step S11).

[0110] As a first process of the position adjustment mode, the control unit 74 of the mobile body 10 executes a process of acquiring the interval E of the passages 101 based on the map data 52B and the operation setting information 52C (step S12). The detection processing unit 86 of the mobile body 10 identifies the holding facilities 2 for which the approach operation is possible and the holding facilities 2 for which the approach operation is not possible based on the interval E of the passages 101.

[0111] As a second process of the position adjustment mode, the control unit 74 of the mobile body 10 executes a detection process for the holding facility 2 based on the map data 52B and the operation setting information 52C (step S13). The control unit 74 of the mobile body 10 approaches a part (pillar portion 91) of the holding facility 2 using the operation control unit 82 and detects the holding facility 2 using the detection unit 26. At this time, the control unit 74 of the mobile body 10 identifies the holding facility 2 to be approached from the identification information (shelf ID) of the holding facility 2 included in the operation setting information 52C, and performs an approach operation for the identified holding facility 2 for which an approach operation is possible. The control unit 74 of the mobile body 10 skips the approach operation for the holding facility 2 for which an approach operation is not possible. The control unit 74 of the mobile body 10 transmits position information of the holding facility 2 detected by the detection unit 26 to the information processing device 14 via the communication unit 70.

[0112] The control unit 54 of the information processing device 14 adjusts the target position Q on the holding facility 2 based on the position information of the holding facility 2 detected by the detection unit 26 of the mobile object 10 and the position information of the holding facility 2 in the map data 52B (step S22). The adjustment processing unit 66 updates the target position Q in the map data 52B and transmits the updated map data 52B to the mobile object 10 via the communication unit 50.

[0113] As a third process in the position adjustment mode, the control unit 74 of the mobile object 10 executes an approach process to the target position Q based on the updated map data 52B and the operation setting information 52C (step S14). The control unit 74 of the mobile object 10 approaches the adjusted target position Q using the operation control unit 82 and acquires an error in the approach position using the detection processing unit 86. The control unit 74 of the mobile object 10 repeats the error acquisition process the number of approaches specified in the operation setting information 52C. The control unit 74 of the mobile object 10 transmits the acquired error in the approach position to the information processing device 14 via the communication unit 70. If the error in the received approach position is equal to or greater than a threshold, the adjustment processing unit 66 updates the target position Q (step S23). If the error in the received approach position is less than the threshold, the adjustment processing unit 66 does not update the target position Q because it is within the acceptable range.

[0114] In this way, the processing in the position adjustment mode is completed.

[0115] 23 is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of the driving adjustment mode. As shown in FIG. 23, the control unit 54 of the information processing device 14 generates a mode switching instruction for switching to the driving adjustment mode using the mode switching processing unit 64, and transmits the instruction to the mobile object 10 using the communication unit 50 (step S40). When the mobile object 10 receives the mode switching instruction, the switching unit 84 transitions the operation mode to the driving adjustment mode in response to the mode switching instruction (step S30). The control unit 54 of the information processing device 14 transmits operation setting information 52C to the mobile object 10 using the communication unit 50 (step S41). The mobile object 10 receives the operation setting information 52C (step S31).

[0116] The control unit 74 of the mobile object 10 sets the traveling speed in the curved area 103 to be traveled based on the operation setting information 52C (step S32). In the first travel, the control unit 74 of the mobile object 10 sets the traveling speed to the slowest value.

[0117] The control unit 74 of the mobile object 10, through the operation control unit 82, performs processing to travel through the curved area 103 as the travel target based on the map data 52B and the operation setting information 52C (step S33). While traveling, the detection processing unit 86 of the mobile object 10 determines whether or not there is interference between the safety area 130 and an obstacle based on the detection result by the detection unit 26. The control unit 74 of the mobile object 10 transmits the traveling speed and whether or not there is interference to the information processing device 14 via the communication unit 70.

[0118] The control unit 74 of the moving body 10 determines whether or not to end traveling through the curved area 103 (step S34). The control unit 74 of the moving body 10 determines that traveling has ended when the set value of the traveling speed through the curved area 103 reaches the set upper limit speed, or when interference between the safety area 130 and an obstacle occurs during traveling. The control unit 74 of the moving body 10 determines that traveling has not ended when interference between the safety area 130 and an obstacle does not occur during traveling and the set value of the traveling speed does not reach the set upper limit speed.

[0119] If the control unit 74 of the moving body 10 determines that the traveling has not ended (step S34; NO), the control unit 74 returns the process to step S32. As a result, the moving body 10 travels through the curved area 103 for the second time and thereafter. The control unit 74 of the moving body 10 increases the traveling speed each time the number of times the moving body 10 has traveled increases in step S32. If the control unit 74 of the moving body 10 determines that the traveling has ended (step S34; YES), the control unit 74 ends the process. If the curved area 103 is a double track, the above process is performed by multiple moving bodies 10.

[0120] When the control unit 54 of the information processing device 14 receives information on each traveling speed and the presence or absence of interference during traveling from the mobile object 10, the control unit 54 adjusts the traveling parameters (the upper limit speed in the curved area 103) by the adjustment processing unit 66. Although not shown, as described above, the control unit 54 of the information processing device 14 may issue a notification when the upper limit speed is lower than the set upper limit speed. Furthermore, the adjustment processing unit 66 of the information processing device 14 may adjust other traveling parameters besides the upper limit speed in the curved area 103.

[0121] The process of the driving adjustment mode is carried out as described above.

[0122] FIG. 24 is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of the work mode. As shown in FIG. 24 , the control unit 54 of the information processing device 14 generates a mode switching instruction for switching to the work mode using the mode switching processing unit 64, and transmits the instruction to the mobile object 10 via the communication unit 50 (step S60). When the mobile object 10 receives the mode switching instruction, the switching unit 84 transitions the operation mode to the work mode in response to the mode switching instruction (step S50). The control unit 54 of the information processing device 14 manages the loading and unloading operation, such as transmitting the work instruction to the mobile object 10 via the communication unit 50 (step S61). The control unit 74 of the mobile object 10 performs processing to execute the loading and unloading operation based on the map data 52B and driving parameters in accordance with the work instruction from the information processing device 14 (step S61).

[0123] (Effect) According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a control method for a mobile body 10 performing cargo handling operations includes the steps of operating the mobile body 10 in a position adjustment mode that adjusts a target position Q of a load P in map data 52B, and operating the mobile body 10 in a work mode that loads and unloads the load P at the target position Q based on the map data 52B. The position adjustment mode includes the steps of detecting, by the detection unit 26 of the mobile body 10, a holding facility 2 on which the load P is to be placed, and adjusting the target position Q on the holding facility 2 based on position information of the detected holding facility 2 and position information of the holding facility 2 in the map data 52B. According to the present disclosure, by operating the mobile body 10 in the position adjustment mode, the actual position of the holding facility 2 on which the load P is to be placed can be acquired by the mobile body 10. The acquired actual position of the holding facility 2 can be used to adjust the target position Q when loading and unloading the load P from the holding facility 2. This improves adjustment work before the operation of the cargo handling system 1.

[0124] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a control method for a mobile body 10 according to the first aspect, in which, in a position adjustment mode, the mobile body 10 automatically performs an operation of detecting the holding equipment 2 that is the detection target, based on preset operation setting information 52C. According to the present disclosure, the position information of the holding equipment 2 in the position adjustment mode can be automatically acquired. This reduces the burden on the worker in the adjustment work before the operation of the cargo handling system 1.

[0125] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, in the control method for the mobile body 10 according to the second aspect, the operation setting information 52C includes at least one of identification information for identifying the holding facility 2, the number of approaches to the holding facility 2, an allowable error threshold, and a traveling speed. According to the present disclosure, the mobile body 10 can appropriately acquire the position information of the holding facility 2 without an operator having to perform work such as directly inputting the information included in the operation setting information 52C on-site.

[0126] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a control method for the moving body 10 according to the third aspect, wherein the holding facility 2 has a plurality of target positions Q at different heights, and in a position adjustment mode, the moving body 10 changes the height of the detection unit 26 to detect a plurality of locations in the height direction of the holding facility 2. According to the present disclosure, it is possible to acquire not only the horizontal positional deviation of the holding facility 2 but also the attitude, such as the tilt, of the holding facility 2. By adjusting the target position Q based on the acquired position information, it is possible to appropriately adjust the target position Q even when the positional deviation varies depending on the height of the target position Q.

[0127] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a control method for a mobile body 10 according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein in a position adjustment mode, the mobile body 10 detects the holding facility 2 by approaching a part of the holding facility 2, and in a work mode, the mobile body 10 approaches a target position Q on the holding facility 2 to load or unload a load P at the target position Q. According to the present disclosure, by deliberately performing the approach operation to the target position Q where the load P is to be unloaded on a part of the holding facility 2 in the position adjustment mode, the reliability of detecting the holding facility 2 can be improved, and the accuracy of the acquired position information can be improved.

[0128] According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a control method for a mobile body 10 according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the position adjustment mode includes a step in which the mobile body 10 travels between opposing holding facilities 2 and acquires a distance E between the opposing holding facilities 2. In a step in which the detection unit 26 of the mobile body 10 detects the holding facilities 2, the mobile body 10 approaches a portion of the holding facilities 2 or skips the approach operation depending on the acquired distance E. According to the present disclosure, the width of the aisle 101 between the holding facilities 2 (i.e., the distance E between the opposing holding facilities 2) can be acquired. For example, if the width of the actual aisle 101 is narrower than the map data 52B, there is a possibility that the mobile body 10 cannot secure space for the approach operation. Therefore, it is possible to select whether to perform the approach operation or to skip without performing the approach operation based on the width of the actual aisle 101. This reduces the possibility that the mobile body 10 will be unable to perform the approach operation while acquiring position information of the holding facilities 2, which would require corresponding work, thereby improving adjustment work before the operation of the loading / unloading system 1.

[0129] According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for controlling a moving body 10 according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the position adjustment mode includes, after a step of adjusting a target position Q, a step of moving the moving body 10 toward the adjusted target position Q and acquiring an error in the approach position. According to the present disclosure, after adjusting the target position Q, it is possible to check the error between the target position Q and the approach position of the moving body 10. For example, if the error is within an allowable range, it is sufficient to complete the position adjustment, and if the error is outside the allowable range, it is possible to take measures such as performing additional adjustment.

[0130] According to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cargo handling system 1 including a mobile body 10 capable of switching between a plurality of operation modes, including a position adjustment mode for adjusting a target position Q of a cargo P in map data 52B and a work mode for loading and unloading the cargo P at the target position Q based on the map data 52B, and an information processing device 14 for processing information according to the operation mode of the mobile body 10. In the position adjustment mode, the mobile body 10 detects a holding facility 2 on which the cargo P is to be placed using a detection unit 26 of the mobile body 10, and the information processing device 14 adjusts the target position Q on the holding facility 2 based on the position information of the holding facility 2 detected by the mobile body 10 and the position information of the holding facility 2 in the map data 52B. According to the present disclosure, by operating the mobile body 10 in the position adjustment mode, the actual position of the holding facility 2 on which the cargo P is to be placed can be acquired by the mobile body 10. The acquired actual position of the holding facility 2 can be used to adjust the target position Q when loading and unloading the cargo P from the holding facility 2. This improves the adjustment work before operation of the cargo handling system 1.

[0131] According to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a control method for a mobile body 10 performing a loading / unloading operation, the control method including the steps of: operating the mobile body 10 in a driving adjustment mode for adjusting driving parameters in a curved area 103 in map data 52B; and operating the mobile body 10 in a work mode for loading and unloading cargo P based on the map data 52B and the driving parameters. The driving adjustment mode includes the steps of: causing the mobile body 10 to travel through the curved area 103 multiple times at different driving speeds; and adjusting the driving parameters in the curved area 103 based on obstacle detection results by the detection unit 26 of the mobile body 10 while traveling through the curved area 103. According to the present disclosure, by operating the mobile body 10 in the driving adjustment mode, data on obstacle detection results during traveling through the curved area 103 at multiple speeds can be obtained. Using the obstacle detection results during traveling, the driving parameters can be adjusted to enable safe and rapid traveling. This improves adjustment work before the operation of the loading / unloading system 1.

[0132] According to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for controlling the mobile body 10 according to the ninth aspect, wherein the driving parameters in the curved area 103 include an upper limit speed for the curved area 103. According to the present disclosure, it is possible to facilitate the task of determining an upper limit speed allowed for the mobile body 10 in the curved area 103.

[0133] According to an eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a control method for mobile body 10 according to the tenth aspect, wherein, in the step of traveling a plurality of times through curved area 103 at different traveling speeds, detection unit 26 acquires whether or not there is interference between safety area 130 and an obstacle according to the traveling speed during traveling through curved area 103, and in the step of adjusting traveling parameters, a maximum speed at which interference between safety area 130 and an obstacle does not occur is acquired as an upper limit speed for curved area 103. According to the present disclosure, the upper limit speed at which safe and prompt traveling through curved area 103 can be appropriately adjusted based on whether or not there is interference between safety area 130 and an obstacle.

[0134] According to a twelfth aspect of the present disclosure, in the method for controlling the moving object 10 according to the tenth or eleventh aspect, the travel adjustment mode includes a step of issuing a notification when the acquired upper limit speed is lower than a preset upper limit speed. Based on the notification, the worker can investigate the cause of the decrease in the upper limit speed and take appropriate action to bring the upper limit speed closer to the preset upper limit speed. For example, by reviewing the position of the travel path 102 when traveling through a curved area 103 and the positions of the start point 105 and end point 106 of the curved section CV of the travel path 102, the worker can optimize the travel parameters to move the moving object 10 more efficiently.

[0135] According to a thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for controlling a mobile body 10 according to any one of the ninth to twelfth aspects, wherein, for a curved area 103 on which multiple mobile bodies 10 can travel simultaneously, in the step of traveling through the curved area 103 multiple times at different traveling speeds, the step of traveling through the curved area 103 with as many mobile bodies 10 as can travel simultaneously and adjusting the traveling parameters, the step of acquiring traveling parameters for each traveling path 102 including an inner loop and an outer loop of the curved area 103. According to the present disclosure, even for the curved area 103 on which multiple mobile bodies 10 can travel simultaneously, the traveling parameters for each traveling path 102 can be appropriately adjusted using detection results acquired by actually traveling the mobile bodies 10. This effectively reduces the workload of workers in adjustment work before the operation of the loading and unloading system 1.

[0136] According to a fourteenth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for controlling the mobile body 10 according to the tenth aspect, wherein the travel parameters include, in addition to the upper limit speed in the curved area 103, at least one of the position of the travel path 102, the start point 105 and end point 106 of the curved portion of the travel path 102, and position information of an obstacle in the curved area 103. According to the present disclosure, by adjusting not only the upper limit speed in the curved area 103 but also various parameters related to travel in the curved area 103, the mobile body 10 can be moved more efficiently.

[0137] According to a fifteenth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cargo handling system 1 including a mobile body 10 capable of switching between multiple operation modes, including a driving adjustment mode that adjusts driving parameters in a curved area 103 of map data 52B and a work mode that loads and unloads cargo P based on the map data 52B and the driving parameters, and an information processing device 14 that processes information according to the operation mode of the mobile body 10. In the driving adjustment mode, the mobile body 10 travels through the curved area 103 at different driving speeds multiple times, and the information processing device 14 adjusts the driving parameters in the curved area 103 based on obstacle detection results by the detection unit 26 of the mobile body 10 while traveling through the curved area 103. According to the present disclosure, by operating the mobile body 10 in the driving adjustment mode, data on obstacle detection results while traveling through the curved area 103 at multiple speeds can be obtained. Using the obstacle detection results while traveling, the driving parameters can be adjusted to enable safe and rapid travel. This improves adjustment work before the operation of the cargo handling system 1.

[0138] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the embodiments are not limited to the contents of these embodiments. Furthermore, the above-described components include those that can be easily imagined by a person skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, and those that are within the so-called equivalent range. Furthermore, the above-described components can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the components can be made without departing from the spirit of the above-described embodiments.

[0139] For example, in the above embodiment, an example is shown in which both the position adjustment mode and the travel adjustment mode are executed, but of the position adjustment mode and the travel adjustment mode, only the position adjustment mode may be executed, or only the travel adjustment mode may be executed.

[0140] Furthermore, some or all of the processing that was performed by the control unit 54 of the information processing device 14 in the position adjustment mode and the travel adjustment mode may be performed by the control unit 74 of the mobile object 10. Furthermore, some or all of the processing that was performed by the control unit 74 of the mobile object 10 in the position adjustment mode and the travel adjustment mode may be performed by the control unit 54 of the information processing device 14.

[0141] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 cargo handling system 2 holding facility 10 mobile body 14 information processing device 26 detection unit 26A sensor 26B sensor 26C TOF camera 52B map data 52C operation setting information 102 travel path 102A first travel path 102B second travel path 103 curve area 105 start point 106 end point CV curved section E, E1, E2 interval P luggage Q target position

Claims

1. A method for controlling a mobile body that performs loading and unloading work, comprising the steps of: operating the mobile body in a position adjustment mode that adjusts a target position of a load in map data; and operating the mobile body in a work mode that loads and unloads the load at the target position based on the map data, wherein the position adjustment mode includes the steps of: detecting a holding facility on which the load is to be placed using a detection unit of the mobile body; and adjusting the target position on the holding facility based on the detected position information of the holding facility and the position information of the holding facility in the map data.

2. The method for controlling a mobile body according to claim 1, wherein in the position adjustment mode, the mobile body automatically performs an operation to detect the holding equipment to be detected based on preset operation setting information.

3. The method for controlling a moving body according to claim 2, wherein the operation setting information includes at least one of identification information for identifying the holding facility, the number of approaches to the holding facility, an allowable error threshold, and a traveling speed.

4. A method for controlling a moving body as described in claim 1, wherein the holding equipment has a plurality of target positions at different heights, and in the position adjustment mode, the moving body changes the height of the detection unit to detect a plurality of points in the height direction of the holding equipment.

5. A method for controlling a mobile body as described in claim 1, wherein in the position adjustment mode, the mobile body detects the holding facility by approaching a part of the holding facility, and in the work mode, the mobile body approaches the target position on the holding facility to load and unload cargo at the target position.

6. The method for controlling a mobile body described in claim 5, wherein the position adjustment mode includes a step in which the mobile body travels between the opposing holding facilities and acquires the distance between the opposing holding facilities, and in a step in which the holding facilities are detected by a detection unit of the mobile body, the mobile body approaches a part of the holding facilities or skips the approach operation depending on the acquired distance.

7. The method for controlling a moving body according to claim 1, wherein the position adjustment mode includes, after the step of adjusting the target position, a step of making the moving body approach the adjusted target position and acquiring an error in the approach position.

8. A cargo handling system comprising: a mobile body capable of switching between a plurality of operating modes including a position adjustment mode for adjusting the target position of cargo in map data, and a work mode for loading and unloading cargo at the target position based on the map data; and an information processing device for performing information processing according to the operating mode of the mobile body, wherein in the position adjustment mode, the mobile body detects holding equipment on which the cargo is placed using a detection unit of the mobile body, and the information processing device adjusts the target position on the holding equipment based on the position information of the holding equipment detected by the mobile body and the position information of the holding equipment in the map data.

9. A control method for a mobile body performing loading and unloading work, comprising the steps of: operating the mobile body in a driving adjustment mode that adjusts driving parameters in a curved area of ​​map data; and operating the mobile body in a work mode that loads and unloads cargo based on the map data and the driving parameters, wherein the driving adjustment mode includes the steps of: causing the mobile body to travel around the curved area a plurality of times at different driving speeds; and adjusting the driving parameters in the curved area based on the results of obstacle detection by a detection unit of the mobile body while traveling around the curved area.

10. The method for controlling a moving body according to claim 9, wherein the driving parameters in the curved area include an upper limit speed in the curved area.

11. A method for controlling a moving body as described in claim 10, wherein, in the step of traveling through the curved area multiple times at different traveling speeds, the detection unit acquires whether or not there is interference between a safety area and an obstacle according to the traveling speed when traveling through the curved area, and in the step of adjusting the traveling parameters, the maximum speed at which interference between the safety area and an obstacle does not occur is acquired as the upper limit speed for the curved area.

12. The method for controlling a moving body according to claim 10, wherein the driving adjustment mode includes a step of issuing a notification when the acquired upper limit speed is lower than a preset upper limit speed.

13. A method for controlling a mobile body as described in claim 9, wherein, for a curved area on which a plurality of said mobile bodies can travel simultaneously, in the step of traveling through said curved area a plurality of times at different traveling speeds, said curved area is traveled by as many of said mobile bodies as can travel simultaneously, and in the step of adjusting said traveling parameters, said traveling parameters are obtained for each traveling route including an inner loop and an outer loop of said curved area.

14. The method for controlling a moving body according to claim 10, wherein the driving parameters include, in addition to the upper limit speed in the curved area, at least one of the position of the driving route, the start and end points of the curved portion of the driving route, and position information of an obstacle in the curved area.

15. A loading and unloading system comprising: a mobile body capable of switching between multiple operating modes including a driving adjustment mode that adjusts driving parameters in curved areas of map data, and a work mode that loads and unloads cargo based on the map data and the driving parameters; and an information processing device that processes information according to the operating mode of the mobile body, wherein the mobile body drives through the curved area multiple times at different driving speeds in the driving adjustment mode, and the information processing device adjusts the driving parameters in the curved area based on the results of obstacle detection by a detection unit of the mobile body while driving through the curved area.

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