JP7133906B2 - AUTOMATED VEHICLE SYSTEM, CONTROL SYSTEM, CONTROL METHOD, AND PROGRAM - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD Embodiments of the present invention relate to an automatic driving vehicle system , a control system, a control method, and a program .

Conventionally, in manufacturing factories, etc., self-driving vehicles that automatically travel around the manufacturing site have been used to transport product materials and parts. By using an automatic driving vehicle, it is possible to manufacture products with a smaller number of workers, making it possible to reduce manufacturing costs.
However, self-driving cars have not spread widely at manufacturing sites where hygiene is important, such as food, medical products, cosmetics, and sanitary products. When an autonomous vehicle is running, dust and dirt on the floor adhere to the wheels, and the dust and dirt adhering to the autonomous vehicle scatters, which may reduce hygiene at the manufacturing site. Because there is
For this reason, there is a demand for the development of technology that can keep automatic driving cars clean.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-2603

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an automatic driving vehicle system , a control system, a control method, and a program capable of keeping the automatic driving vehicle clean.

The automatic driving vehicle system according to the embodiment can be installed in correspondence with equipment for processing objects to be processed. The automated driving vehicle system includes an automated driving vehicle that travels on a route set corresponding to the facility, a cleaning unit that is provided on a part of the route and cleans the automated driving vehicle, and a cleaning unit that cleans the automated driving vehicle on the route. A charging unit provided in the part for charging the battery of the automatic driving vehicle, a charging time prediction unit for predicting a charging time required for charging the battery , and a plurality of cleanings performed by the cleaning unit. a cleaning time storage unit for storing the content and cleaning time required for each of the plurality of cleaning content; comparing the predicted charging time and the cleaning time; a cleaning content determination unit that selects the cleaning content that is shorter than the predicted charging time and determines that the selected cleaning content is to be executed by the cleaning unit.

1 is a diagram schematically representing an automatic driving vehicle system according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an automatic traveling vehicle of the automatic traveling vehicle system according to the first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view illustrating the cleaning unit of the automatic driving vehicle system according to the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is a schematic side view illustrating another cleaning unit of the automatic driving vehicle system according to the first embodiment; It is a block diagram showing a configuration of part of an automatic driving vehicle system according to a second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a side view showing an automatic driving vehicle system according to a third embodiment; FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a configuration of part of an automatic driving vehicle system according to a fourth embodiment;

Each embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
Note that the drawings are schematic or conceptual, and the relationship between the thickness and width of each portion, the size ratio between portions, and the like are not necessarily the same as the actual ones. Also, even when the same parts are shown, the dimensions and ratios may be different depending on the drawing.
In the specification and drawings of the present application, elements similar to those already described are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an automatic driving vehicle system according to the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the autonomous vehicle system 1 includes an autonomous vehicle 100 and a cleaning unit 200 as an example of a cleaning unit.

In the present embodiment, as an example, a case where the automatic driving vehicle system 1 is used in a manufacturing site of foods, medical products, cosmetics, sanitary products, or the like, where hygiene is important, will be described. At manufacturing sites of these articles, for example, facilities for processing objects to be processed are arranged, and the automatic driving vehicle system 1 according to the present embodiment can be installed corresponding to the facilities.
Here, the object to be processed represents the finished product of the above-mentioned article, or the raw material, in-process product, or semi-finished product used in the manufacture of these products. Processing also refers to various steps related to the manufacture of an article, such as manufacturing or processing an object to be processed, or gripping or transporting an object to be processed.

An autonomous vehicle 100 travels, for example, along a route 10 as shown in FIG. For example, in the automatic driving vehicle 100, an electronic map of the place to travel is created in advance and stored. Further, the automatic driving vehicle 100 is connected to a host computer 300 via wireless communication or the like, and the host computer 300 transmits a destination instruction to the automatic driving vehicle 100 . When the automatic driving vehicle 100 receives the destination instruction, it refers to the stored electronic map and sets the route to the destination. The automatic driving vehicle 100 travels along the route while comparing the set route with the location where it is actually traveling using a camera and a laser length measuring device (not shown).
Alternatively, the self-driving vehicle 100 may travel along a track formed by attaching a tape or the like to the floor surface.
The cleaning unit 200 is provided on a part of the route 10 and cleans the automatic traveling vehicle 100 stopped on the part of the route 10 .

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an autonomous vehicle of the autonomous vehicle system according to the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 2, the autonomous vehicle 100 includes, for example, a housing 101, front wheels (driven wheels) 102, rear wheels (driving wheels) 103, bumpers 104, indicators 105, operation buttons 106, and connecting pins 107. have.

The shape of the housing 101 is, for example, a cuboid shape having a front surface, a rear surface, side surfaces, an upper surface, and a bottom surface. A front wheel 102 and a rear wheel 103 are attached to the bottom surface of the housing 101 facing the floor. The front wheel 102 is attached to the front side of the bottom surface, and the rear wheel 103 is attached to the rear side of the bottom surface.

The bumper 104 is provided on the front surface of the housing 101 . When the autonomous vehicle 100 collides with an obstacle while traveling forward, the bumper 104 operates and the autonomous vehicle 100 stops, for example. The display 105 is provided on the upper surface of the housing 101 . The display 105 displays the status of the autonomous vehicle 100, such as the route number on which the autonomous vehicle 100 travels and the battery voltage.

The operation button 106 is provided adjacent to the display 105 on the upper surface of the housing 101 . The operation buttons 106 include, for example, a power button 106a, a start button 106b, and a stop button 106c. The power button 106 a is a button for turning on and off the power of the automatic driving vehicle 100 . The start button 106b is a button for starting the autonomous vehicle 100 to travel. The stop button 106c is a button for stopping the automatic driving vehicle 100 from running.

A connector (not shown) is provided inside the housing 101 . This coupler has a coupling pin 107 and a motor (not shown). The connecting pin 107 is driven by a motor (not shown) to ascend or descend toward the housing 101 through a hatch 107 a formed on the upper surface of the housing 101 . The automatic traveling vehicle 100 and the transported object are connected by engaging the connecting pin 107 with the transported object such as a cart on which parts and works are mounted.

In addition to these, the automatic driving vehicle 100 appropriately has a sensor for detecting obstacles, a speaker for notifying the state of the automatic driving vehicle 100, and the like. The operation of each component provided in the automatic driving vehicle 100 is controlled by the control unit 110 shown in FIG. The control unit 110 may control each component of the automatic driving vehicle 100 based on commands sent from the host computer 300 .

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view illustrating the cleaning unit of the automatic driving vehicle system according to the first embodiment.
The cleaning unit 200 has a wheel cleaning means 210, a housing cleaning means 220, and a control section 230, as shown in FIG. 3(a). The wheel cleaning means 210 and the housing cleaning means 220 are housed, for example, inside a pedestal 235 provided on the floor on which the automatic traveling vehicle 100 travels. When cleaning the autonomous vehicle 100, the autonomous vehicle 100 stops on the pedestal 235, and the cleaning unit 200 performs cleaning.

A plurality of wheel cleaning means 210 are provided for cleaning each wheel of the automatic traveling vehicle 100, as shown in FIG. 3(a), for example. The wheel cleaning means 210 has a pair of rollers 211, a motor 212, a brush 213, and a spout 214, as shown in FIG. 3B, for example.

When cleaning the autonomous vehicle 100 , the front wheels 102 and the rear wheels 103 are placed on rollers 211 . In this state, each wheel rotates by driving the motor 212 and rotating the pair of rollers 211 in the same direction. The brush 213 and the spout 214 are provided between the pair of rollers 211, for example. The brush 213 comes into contact with the wheel while the cleaning liquid is being discharged from the spout 214 onto the rotating wheel, thereby removing dust and dirt adhering to the wheel. The cleaning liquid discharged from the spout 214 may be city water, pure water, or the like, and may contain an agent for efficiently removing stains, a sterilizing component for sterilizing the wheels, or the like. The size and shape of each component of the wheel cleaning means 210 can be appropriately changed according to the size and shape of each wheel.

The housing cleaning means 220 has a motor 221, a roller 222, a belt 223, a brush 224, a spout 225, a head 226, a vertical motion actuator 227, and a horizontal motion actuator 228, as shown in FIG. 3(c), for example.

Motor 221 , rollers 222 and spout 225 are attached to head 226 . The brush 224 is provided, for example, at a position spaced upward from the roller 222 . When the roller 222 is rotated by the motor 221, the driving force is transmitted to the brush 224 via the belt 223, and the brush 224 rotates. The cleaning liquid is discharged from the water discharge port 225 in accordance with the rotation of the brush 224 . The cleaning liquid discharged from the water outlet 225 is the same as the cleaning liquid discharged from the water outlet 214, for example.

The head 226 is fixed to a vertically movable actuator 227 . Further, the vertical motion actuator 227 is fixed to a horizontal motion actuator 228 which is horizontally movable. By driving the vertical motion actuator 227 and the horizontal motion actuator 228, the head 226 can be moved in any direction.

The housing cleaning means 220 is housed in the pedestal 235, for example, while the self-driving vehicle 100 is not being cleaned. When cleaning the automatic traveling vehicle 100 , the head 226 is moved by the vertical motion actuator 227 and the horizontal motion actuator 228 . The housing 101 is cleaned by ejecting the cleaning liquid from the spout 225 while bringing the rotating brush 224 into contact with the bottom surface of the housing 101 . The housing cleaning means 220 may further clean the front surface, rear surface, or side surface of the housing 101 in addition to the bottom surface. The cleaning liquid discharged during cleaning by the wheel cleaning means 210 and the housing cleaning means 220 is discharged, for example, from a drainage port (not shown) formed on the upper surface of the pedestal 235 .

Here, the case of using the cleaning liquid when cleaning the automatic traveling vehicle 100 is illustrated, but the cleaning unit 200 does not use the cleaning liquid, and only the brushes 213 and 224 of the wheel cleaning means 210 and the housing cleaning means 220 are cleaned. You may clean the automatic driving vehicle 100 by. In this case, in order to prevent the dust and dirt dropped by the brushes 213 and 224 from scattering around the cleaning unit 200, the cleaning unit 200 may be provided with suction means for sucking the dust and dirt.

Operations of the wheel cleaning means 210 and the housing cleaning means 220 are controlled by the control section 230 . The control unit 230 may control the operations of the wheel cleaning means 210 and the housing cleaning means 220 based on commands from the host computer 300 shown in FIG.

The automatic driving vehicle 100 measures, for example, the cumulative travel time and cumulative travel distance after the last cleaning. Then, when the travel time or travel distance exceeds a predetermined value, the autonomous vehicle 100 moves to the cleaning unit 200 .
For example, when it is detected that the autonomous vehicle 100 has moved to the cleaning unit 200 and stopped, the control unit 230 starts cleaning the autonomous vehicle 100 . Movement and stopping of the automatic driving vehicle 100 to the cleaning unit 200 can be detected by a sensor (not shown) or the like.
When the cleaning unit 200 finishes cleaning the automatic traveling vehicle 100 , the control unit 230 transmits information indicating that the cleaning has finished to the automatic traveling vehicle 100 . Transmission of information from the control unit 230 to the automatic driving vehicle 100 may be performed via the host computer 300 . The autonomous vehicle 100 resumes traveling along the route 10 upon receiving the information.

A charging unit 400 for charging the automatic driving vehicle 100 is provided on a part of the route 10 . This charging unit 400 is installed side by side with the cleaning unit 200, for example, as shown in FIG. 3(a).

The charging unit 400 charges the automatic driving vehicle 100 in a non-contact manner, for example. The rear surface of the automatic driving vehicle 100 and the charging unit 400 are provided with, for example, coils (not shown) for contactless charging. By forming a magnetic field by applying a current to the coil of the charging unit 400, an induced electromotive force is generated in the coil on the side of the autonomous vehicle 100, and the autonomous vehicle 100 is charged.
Note that the configurations for contactless charging of the automatic driving vehicle 100 and the charging unit 400 are arbitrary and can be changed as appropriate. Charging of the self-driving vehicle 100 by the charging unit 400 is controlled by the control unit 230, for example. Alternatively, the automatic driving vehicle system 1 may include another control section for controlling the charging unit 400 .

For example, when the remaining amount of the built-in battery falls below a predetermined value, the automatic driving vehicle 100 moves to the charging unit 400 and stops, and charging by the charging unit 400 is performed. Alternatively, automatic driving vehicle 100 may be moved to charging unit 400 and stopped based on a command from host computer 300 . In this case, the host computer 300, for example, predicts the operating hours and non-operating hours of the automatic driving vehicle 100 from the processing status of the equipment, and charges the automatic traveling vehicle 100 during the non-operating hours. Send command to 100.

Here, the effect of this embodiment will be described.
The autonomous vehicle system 1 according to this embodiment includes the autonomous vehicle 100 and the cleaning unit 200 as described above. The cleaning unit 200 is provided on a part of the route along which the autonomous vehicle 100 travels, and is capable of cleaning the autonomous vehicle 100 . Therefore, according to this embodiment, the automatic driving vehicle 100 can be kept clean. Therefore, the automatic driving vehicle system 1 according to the present embodiment is suitably used in manufacturing sites for foods, medical products, etc., where sanitation is emphasized.

Moreover, since the front wheels 102 and the rear wheels 103 of the automatic driving vehicle 100 abut on the floor surface during travel, dust and dirt are particularly likely to adhere to these wheels. Therefore, in order to keep the autonomous vehicle 100 cleaner and improve sanitation, it is desirable that the wheels of the autonomous vehicle 100 are cleaned by the cleaning unit 200 as shown in FIG.

When cleaning the autonomous vehicle 100, it is desirable to use a cleaning liquid. By discharging the cleaning liquid from the spouts 214 and 225 to the automatic driving vehicle 100, the dust and dirt adhering to the automatic driving vehicle 100 can be efficiently washed away, and the removed dust and dirt can be prevented from scattering. is. At this time, further cleaning with the brushes 213 and 224 can make the automatic traveling vehicle 100 cleaner.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 3A, it is desirable that the cleaning unit 200 is provided with a charging unit 400 . While the automatic driving vehicle 100 is being cleaned, the automatic driving vehicle 100 needs to be stopped. no longer need to be stopped. Therefore, the operating time of the automatic driving vehicle 100 can be extended, and the productivity using the automatic driving vehicle 100 can be improved.

When charging is performed while the automatic driving vehicle 100 is being cleaned, if the cleaning liquid is splashed on the terminals or the like, there is a possibility of electric leakage or corrosion of the terminals. Therefore, it is desirable that the charging unit 400 can charge the autonomous vehicle 100 in a non-contact manner, as shown in FIG. 3(a).

Note that if the cleaning liquid contains a chemical agent or a sterilizing component, the housing 101 may corrode if the housing 101 is made of metal. For this reason, when using a cleaning liquid containing a chemical agent or a sterilizing component, it is desirable that the surface of the housing 101 is covered with a material that is resistant to corrosion, such as resin.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view illustrating another cleaning unit of the automatic driving vehicle system according to the first embodiment. Cleaning unit 200a shown in FIG.

The storage tank 240 is connected to a water supply source (not shown) such as a water pipe, and stores cleaning liquid for cleaning the automatic traveling vehicle 100 . When using a liquid containing a drug or a sterilizing component as the cleaning liquid, the storage tank 240 may be connected to a device that generates these liquids.

The pump 241 sends out the cleaning liquid stored in the storage tank 240 toward the spout 242 . A plurality of spouts 242 are formed on the upper surface of the base 235 as shown in FIG. 4(b). The cleaning liquid sent from the pump 241 is discharged toward the automatic traveling vehicle 100 from a plurality of water outlets 242 .

The number and arrangement of the water outlets 242 can be changed according to the extent to which the cleaning liquid is applied to the automatic traveling vehicle 100 . For example, the water discharge port 242 is provided so that the cleaning liquid is applied to the bottom surface of the housing 101, the front wheels 102, and the rear wheels 103 when cleaning the automatic driving vehicle 100. FIG. The water discharge port 243 is provided around the water discharge port 242 , and the cleaning liquid discharged from the water discharge port 242 is discharged from the water discharge port 243 .

Cleaning liquid is discharged from a plurality of water outlets 242 onto the wheels and housing 101 of the automatic driving vehicle 100 to wash away dust and dirt from the wheels and housing 101, similar to the cleaning unit shown in FIG. It is possible to keep the traveling vehicle 100 clean.

(Second embodiment)
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of part of the automatic driving vehicle system according to the second embodiment.
In the autonomous vehicle system 2 shown in FIG. 5 , the control unit 110 of the autonomous vehicle 100 has a charging time prediction unit 111 . The host computer 300 also has a cleaning time storage unit 301 and a cleaning content determination unit 302 .

The charging time prediction unit 111 detects the remaining amount of the battery included in the automatic driving vehicle 100 and predicts the time required for charging the battery from the detected value. The control unit 110 , for example, transmits the predicted charging time predicted by the charging time prediction unit 111 to the host computer 300 .

The cleaning time storage unit 301 stores the cleaning details of the automatic traveling vehicle 100 and the time required for executing the cleaning details. For example, when the automatic driving vehicle system 2 includes the cleaning unit 200 shown in FIG. It is

The cleaning content determination unit 302 determines the cleaning content to be performed by the cleaning unit 200 based on the charging time predicted by the charging time prediction unit 111 . For example, cleaning the housing 101 takes longer than cleaning the front wheels 102 and the rear wheels 103 . When the predicted charging time is longer than the cleaning time of the front wheels 102 and the rear wheels 103 and shorter than the cleaning time of the housing 101 , the cleaning content determination unit 302 cleans the front wheels 102 and the rear wheels 103 and cleans the housing 101 . decide not to clean the Alternatively, if the predicted charging time is shorter than the time for any cleaning content, the cleaning content determining unit 302 may decide not to perform cleaning during charging at that time.

The host computer 300 transmits the content determined by the cleaning content determination unit 302 to the control unit 230 . The control unit 230 executes the cleaning content based on the determined content for the automatic driving vehicle 100 .

As described above, the autonomous vehicle 100 must be stopped while the autonomous vehicle 100 is being charged and cleaned. However, while charging is essential for driving the autonomous vehicle 100, cleaning is not essential for driving the autonomous vehicle 100. FIG. Therefore, in order to improve the operating efficiency of the automatic driving vehicle 100, cleaning should be performed only while the automatic driving vehicle 100 is stopped for charging, and the automatic driving vehicle 100 should not be stopped only for cleaning. desirable.

Regarding this point, if cleaning is being performed at the end of charging, it is conceivable to forcibly terminate the cleaning, but the efficiency of the cleaning work will decrease. In addition, if the cleaning is interrupted in the middle, the dust and dirt cannot be removed sufficiently, and the automatic driving vehicle 100 runs with clumps of dust and dirt adhering to the housing 101, which rather deteriorates the hygiene of the manufacturing site. There is also a possibility that it will be lost.

To solve these problems, according to the present embodiment, the details of cleaning of the autonomous vehicle 100 are determined based on the estimated charging time. It becomes possible to keep it more clean.

Here, the case where the control unit 110 has the function as the charging time prediction unit 111 and the host computer 300 has the functions as the cleaning time storage unit 301 and the cleaning content determination unit 302 has been described, but this embodiment is described. is not limited to this. The respective functions of the charging time prediction unit 111, the cleaning time storage unit 301, and the cleaning content determination unit 302 may be realized by any one of the control unit 110, the control unit 230, and the host computer 300 as appropriate.
Alternatively, the functions of charging time prediction unit 111 , cleaning time storage unit 301 , and cleaning content determination unit 302 may be realized by at least one of control unit 110 and control unit 230 . In this case, the information may be transmitted directly from the control unit 110 to the control unit 230 without going through the host computer 300 .

(Third embodiment)
FIG. 6 is a side view showing an automatic driving vehicle system according to the third embodiment.
The automatic driving vehicle system 3 according to the third embodiment differs from the automatic driving vehicle system 1 according to the first embodiment in that instead of the cleaning unit 200, a sterilization unit 500 is provided as another example of the cleaning unit. .

The sterilization unit 500 has a storage section 510 and an ultraviolet light irradiation section 520 . The storage unit 510 is provided on the pedestal 235 and configured to store the automatic driving vehicle 100 . A plate member 511 that forms part of the wall surface of the storage section 510 is configured to be rotatable by a rotary actuator 512 .

As shown in FIG. 6, the autonomous vehicle 100 is put into and taken out of the storage section 510 with the plate member 511 opened. The ultraviolet light irradiation unit 520 irradiates the automatic driving vehicle 100 with ultraviolet light when the automatic driving vehicle 100 is stored in the storage unit 510 and the plate member 511 is closed. The ultraviolet light irradiation unit 520 irradiates the upper surface and the bottom surface of the automatic driving vehicle 100 with ultraviolet light, as shown in FIG. 6, for example. The ultraviolet light irradiation unit 520 may further irradiate the side surface of the automatic traveling vehicle 100 with ultraviolet light, or may irradiate only the bottom surface of the automatic traveling vehicle 100 with ultraviolet light.

For example, similarly to the first embodiment, the control unit 230 measures the cumulative running time and cumulative running distance after the last sterilization. Then, when the travel time or travel distance exceeds a predetermined value, the autonomous vehicle 100 moves to the sterilization unit 500 . The sterilization unit 500 starts sterilizing the autonomous vehicle 100 when it is detected that the autonomous vehicle 100 has moved to the sterilization unit 500 and stopped.
When the sterilization of the autonomous vehicle 100 by the sterilization unit 500 is completed, information indicating that the sterilization is completed is transmitted from the control unit 230 to the autonomous vehicle 100 . The autonomous vehicle 100 resumes traveling along the route 10 upon receiving the information.

According to the sterilization unit 500 shown in FIG. 6, the automatic driving vehicle 100 can be sterilized by irradiating the automatic driving vehicle 100 with ultraviolet light. Therefore, like the cleaning units 200 and 200a shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, it is possible to keep the autonomous vehicle 100 clean. In addition, since the automatic traveling vehicle system 3 according to the present embodiment does not use a cleaning liquid or a brush, the cleaning liquid does not splash or dirt removed from the automatic traveling vehicle 100 does not scatter. In addition, the wet automatic driving vehicle 100 does not run in the manufacturing site. Therefore, according to the sterilization unit 500 shown in FIG. 6, it is possible to keep the sterilization unit 500 and its surroundings cleaner.

The sterilization unit 500 is provided with a charging unit 400, for example, similarly to the first embodiment. By charging the autonomous vehicle 100 while the autonomous vehicle 100 is being sterilized, there is no need to stop the autonomous vehicle 100 separately for sterilization and charging. Therefore, the operating time of the automatic driving vehicle 100 can be extended, and the productivity using the automatic driving vehicle 100 can be improved.

Although the case of sterilizing the automatic driving vehicle 100 by irradiating it with ultraviolet light has been described here, the sterilization unit 500 of the automatic driving vehicle system 3 according to this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the sterilization unit 500 may spray the self-driving vehicle 100 stored in the storage unit 510 with a disinfectant. That is, as long as the automatic driving vehicle 100 can be sterilized, the specific configuration of the sterilization unit 500 can be changed as appropriate.

(Fourth embodiment)
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of part of the automatic driving vehicle system according to the fourth embodiment.
In the automatic driving vehicle system 4 shown in FIG. 7, the control unit 110 of the automatic driving vehicle 100 has a charging time prediction unit 111, like the automatic driving vehicle system 2 shown in FIG. The host computer 300 also has a sterilization time storage section 303 and a sterilization content determination section 304 .

The sterilization time storage unit 303 stores the content of sterilization to be performed on the automatic driving vehicle 100 and the time required for executing the content of sterilization. The sterilization content determination unit 304 determines the sterilization content to be performed by the sterilization unit 500 based on the charging time predicted by the charging time prediction unit 111 .

The host computer 300 transmits the content determined by the sterilization content determination unit 304 to the control unit 230 . The control unit 230 executes the sterilization content based on the determined content for the automatic driving vehicle 100 .

Here, the case where the control unit 110 has the function as the charging time prediction unit 111 and the host computer 300 has the functions as the sterilization time storage unit 303 and the sterilization content determination unit 304 has been described, but this embodiment is not limited to The respective functions of the charging time prediction unit 111, the sterilization time storage unit 303, and the sterilization content determination unit 304 may be realized by any one of the control unit 110, the control unit 230, and the host computer 300 as appropriate.
Alternatively, the functions of charging time prediction unit 111 , sterilization time storage unit 303 , and sterilization content determination unit 304 may be realized by at least one of control unit 110 and control unit 230 . In this case, the information may be transmitted directly from the control unit 110 to the control unit 230 without going through the host computer 300 .

According to the present embodiment, similarly to the second embodiment, the processing efficiency of the sterilization process by the sterilization unit 500 can be improved, and the automatic driving vehicle 100 can be kept cleaner.

In the above embodiment, the case of purifying the autonomous vehicle 100 by cleaning or sterilizing has been described, but the autonomous vehicle system according to the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to these specific configurations. That is, as long as the automatic driving vehicle system according to the embodiment of the present invention includes an automatic driving vehicle and a cleaning unit that cleans the automatic driving vehicle, the specific aspect thereof can be changed as appropriate. is.

Although some embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated above, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, changes, etc. can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and equivalents thereof. Moreover, each of the above-described embodiments can be implemented in combination with each other.

1 to 4 automatic driving vehicle system, 10 route, 11 identification tag, 100 automatic driving vehicle, 101 housing, 102 front wheel, 103 rear wheel, 104 bumper, 105 display device, 106 operation button, 107 connecting pin, 107a entrance, 110 control unit 111 charging time prediction unit 200, 200a cleaning unit 200a cleaning unit 210 wheel cleaning means 211 roller 212 motor 213 brush 214 spout 220 housing cleaning means 221 motor 222 roller 223 belt, 224 brush, 225 spout, 226 head, 227 vertical motion actuator, 228 horizontal motion actuator, 230 control unit, 235 base, 240 storage tank, 241 pump, 242 spout, 243 drain port, 300 host computer, 400 Charging unit 500 Sterilization unit 510 Storage unit 520 Ultraviolet light irradiation unit

Claims (15)

It can be installed corresponding to the equipment for processing the object to be processed,
an automated driving vehicle that travels along a route that is set corresponding to the facility;
a cleaning unit provided in a part of the route and cleaning the automatic driving vehicle;
a charging unit provided in the part of the route and charging a battery of the automatic driving vehicle;
a charging time prediction unit that predicts a charging prediction time required for charging the battery ;
a cleaning time storage unit for storing a plurality of cleaning contents to be executed by the cleaning unit and a cleaning time required for each of the plurality of cleaning contents;
Compare the predicted charging time and the cleaning time, select the cleaning content shorter than the predicted charging time from the plurality of cleaning content, and execute the selected cleaning content in the cleaning unit. a cleaning content determination unit that determines to
self-driving car system with 2. The cleaning content determining unit determines not to cause the cleaning unit to execute the cleaning content when there is no cleaning content shorter than the predicted charging time among the plurality of cleaning content. The described automated vehicle system. It can be installed corresponding to the equipment for processing the object to be processed,
an automated driving vehicle that travels along a route that is set corresponding to the equipment;
a cleaning unit that is provided on a part of the route and cleans the automatic driving vehicle;
a charging unit provided in the part of the route and charging a battery of the automatic driving vehicle;
a charging time prediction unit that predicts a charging prediction time required to charge the battery ;
a cleaning time storage unit that stores a plurality of cleaning contents to be executed by the cleaning unit and a cleaning time required for each of the plurality of cleaning contents;
comparing the predicted charging time and the cleaning time, selecting the cleaning content that is shorter than the predicted charging time from the plurality of cleaning content, and deciding to cause the cleaning unit to execute the selected cleaning content. a cleaning content determination unit;
self-driving car system with The automatic driving vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the cleaning content determination unit determines not to cause the cleaning unit to perform the cleaning content when there is no cleaning content shorter than the predicted charging time among the plurality of cleaning content. system. The autonomous vehicle system according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the cleaning unit cleans wheels of the autonomous vehicle. The automatic traveling vehicle system according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the cleaning unit discharges cleaning liquid onto the automatic traveling vehicle to clean it. 7. The automatic driving vehicle system according to claim 6, wherein the cleaning unit cleans the wheels using a brush while discharging the cleaning liquid onto the wheels of the automatic driving vehicle. It can be installed corresponding to the equipment for processing the object to be processed,
an automated driving vehicle that travels along a route that is set corresponding to the facility;
a sterilization unit provided in a part of the route and sterilizing the automatic driving vehicle;
a charging unit provided in the part of the route and charging a battery of the automatic driving vehicle;
a charging time prediction unit that predicts a charging prediction time required for charging the battery ;
a sterilization time storage unit that stores a plurality of sterilization contents to be executed by the sterilization unit and a sterilization time required for each of the plurality of sterilization contents;
Comparing the predicted charging time and the sterilization time, selecting the sterilization content shorter than the predicted charging time from the plurality of sterilization content, and determining to cause the sterilization unit to execute the selected sterilization content. a sterilization content determination unit;
self-driving car system with The automatic driving vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the sterilization content determination unit determines not to cause the sterilization unit to execute the sterilization content when there is no sterilization content shorter than the predicted charging time among the plurality of sterilization content. system. The sterilization unit is
a storage unit that stores the automatic driving vehicle;
an ultraviolet light irradiation unit provided in the storage unit for irradiating the automatic driving vehicle with ultraviolet light;
The automatic driving vehicle system according to claim 8 or 9, comprising: The automatic driving vehicle system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the object to be processed is at least one of medical products, food products, cosmetics, and sanitary products. an automatic driving vehicle that travels along a route that is set in correspondence with the facility that processes the object to be processed;
a cleaning unit provided in a part of the route and cleaning the automatic driving vehicle;
A control system for controlling
a charging time prediction unit that predicts a charging time required for charging a battery of the automatic driving vehicle by a charging unit provided on the part of the route;
a cleaning time storage unit for storing a plurality of cleaning contents to be executed by the cleaning unit and a cleaning time required for each of the plurality of cleaning contents;
Compare the predicted charging time and the cleaning time, select the cleaning content shorter than the predicted charging time from the plurality of cleaning content, and execute the selected cleaning content in the cleaning unit. a cleaning content determination unit that determines to
control system with controlling an automated driving vehicle that travels a predetermined route and a cleaning unit that cleans the automated driving vehicle; A control system that causes the cleaning unit to perform a portion of the cleaning content selected from a plurality of cleaning content ,
During charging , predicting a predicted charging time required for charging the battery, comparing the predicted charging time with the cleaning time required for each of the plurality of cleaning contents ,
selecting the cleaning content that is shorter than the predicted charging time from the plurality of cleaning content, and determining to cause the cleaning unit to execute the selected cleaning content;
A control system that does not cause the cleaning unit to execute the cleaning content when there is no cleaning content that is shorter than the predicted charging time . an automatic driving vehicle that travels along a route that is set in correspondence with the facility that processes the object to be processed;
a cleaning unit provided in a part of the route and cleaning the automatic driving vehicle;
A control method for an automated driving vehicle system comprising:
estimating the estimated charging time required for charging the battery of the automatic driving vehicle by the charging unit provided on the part of the route;
referencing a plurality of cleaning tasks performed by said cleaning unit and a cleaning time required for each of said plurality of cleaning tasks;
Compare the predicted charging time and the cleaning time, select the cleaning content shorter than the predicted charging time from the plurality of cleaning content, and execute the selected cleaning content in the cleaning unit. A control method that determines whether to an automatic driving vehicle that travels along a route that is set in correspondence with the facility that processes the object to be processed;
a cleaning unit provided in a part of the route and cleaning the automatic driving vehicle;
A program that causes a computer to control the
said computer,
a charging time prediction unit that predicts a charging time required for charging a battery of the automatic driving vehicle by a charging unit provided on the part of the route;
a cleaning time storage unit that stores a plurality of cleaning contents to be executed by the cleaning unit and a cleaning time required for each of the plurality of cleaning contents; and the predicted charging time and the cleaning time. and selecting the cleaning content shorter than the predicted charging time from the plurality of cleaning content, and deciding to cause the cleaning unit to execute the selected cleaning content. part,
A program that acts as a

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