JP2004323135A - Article management system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an article management system for assisting installation and storage or purchase of an article corresponding to dimension and attribute of the article and a situation of a living space. <P>SOLUTION: This article management system 100 is provided with an article moving body data base 106 having article information in the living space, an article moving body retrieval/management means 105 for managing the article moving body data base 106, an environment map 108 having map information, an environment map management means 107 for managing the environment map 108, a sensing means 104 for detecting the article, a retrieval means 119 for retrieving an empty region for the article in the living space based on the article information and the map information and preparing a list of articles to be installed, and a display means 117 for displaying the list. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an article management system that manages articles existing in a living space, and in particular, newly stores articles (including storage furniture such as shelves and closets and objects stored in the storage furniture) in the living space. The present invention relates to a system for supporting selection of an appropriate article in accordance with a situation in a living space when carrying in the article.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a system for managing articles present in a living space, a household management support system that manages inventory of goods at home, supports effective use of purchased products, and supports economical shopping (for example, there is known a system for managing household goods). And Patent Document 1).
[0003]
FIG. 24 shows a configuration of a household management support system disclosed in Patent Document 1. In this household management support system, in order placement / purchase processing 5001, household order management data 5006 and product information data 5008 are created when ordering or purchasing a product. In the stock data update process 5002, the stock information data 5007 in the household management data 5006 is created or updated. In the inventory data survey / analysis processing 5003, the usage status of the inventory information data 5007 is analyzed based on the household management data 5006 and the product information data 5008, and the use of the inventory in the use warning and the use proposal processing 5004 is performed. An instruction of a use proposal and an instruction of purchase of an out-of-stock product at the time of product purchase consideration / shopping list creation processing 5005 are issued. The household management support system performs inventory management by reducing the burden of manual input by the user based on the configuration described above, so that purchased products can be effectively used without waste.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-9-265492
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
According to such a conventional technique, it is possible to consider purchasing goods or create a shopping list according to excess or deficiency of goods in order to manage inventory of goods at home. That is, according to the above-described related art, it is possible to examine purchased articles based on information on the number of articles.
[0006]
However, information on the size of the article was not registered and managed in the product information data 5008. For this reason, when an article was purchased based on the shopping list, it was not known whether the article could be installed at an appropriate location. That is, in the conventional system, no consideration has been given to whether the article can be installed at an appropriate place in the house due to dimensional restrictions. Therefore, this is not a problem particularly when the purchased article is a relatively small article such as food or daily necessities, but it cannot be installed when the purchased article is a large article such as a shelf or a closet. Was likely to occur. In other words, there is a possibility that although the product is purchased, there is not enough installation space, and the product must be discarded after all.
[0007]
Even if there is an installation space, it may be inappropriate to install the article in the installation space due to the properties of the article. For example, even if there is sufficient installation space in the center of the room, it is not appropriate to place an article called a closet in the center of the room. However, if the attributes of the article are not taken into account, the purchase of a closet may be encouraged based on the installation space in the center of the room even though there is not actually an appropriate installation space. In the related art, since only the inventory management of the articles is performed, the user cannot be effectively supported when the installation space has to be determined in consideration of the attributes of the articles.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to support the installation, storage, or purchase of articles corresponding to the dimensions and attributes of the articles and the conditions of living space. is there.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
An article management system according to the present invention is a system for managing articles existing in a living space, and a database having at least map information in the living space, and database management means for registering or updating map information in the database. And search means for searching for an empty area for articles in the living space based on the map information stored in the database, and output means for outputting information on the searched empty area. is there.
[0010]
The database may be a database having information on articles in the living space and map information in the living space, and the database management means registers or updates the article information or map information in the database. The search means may search for a free area for articles in the living space based on the article information and map information stored in the database.
[0011]
According to the article management system, the user can easily grasp how much free space for articles is in the living space. Therefore, it is possible to easily determine whether or not an article to be carried in (for example, an article to be newly purchased, etc.) can be installed at an appropriate place, and troubles relating to an installation space after the carry-in, etc. Can be prevented beforehand.
[0012]
The article management system may include sensing means for detecting an article in a living space, and the database management means may register or update information based on detection information of the sensing means.
[0013]
The search means may create an article list of articles that can be installed in the living space based on the data in the empty area and the article database outside the living space.
[0014]
Thereby, when purchasing new articles (including storage furniture such as shelves and closets and storage items stored in the storage furniture), it is easy to purchase goods of an appropriate size according to the indoor situation. You can choose.
[0015]
The article database may be an article database on the Internet.
[0016]
Thereby, the range of articles to be selected is widened.
[0017]
It is preferable that, when the user designates the condition of the carried-in article, the search unit extracts an article satisfying the condition from articles that can be installed in the living space, and then creates the article list.
[0018]
Thereby, an article list according to the needs of the user is created, and the convenience is improved.
[0019]
It is preferable that, when the user selects a stored article to store or install the article as a carry-in article, the search unit extracts a stored article that can be installed in the living space and creates an article list.
[0020]
Thereby, for example, when newly purchasing a stored article such as a shelf or a closet, it is possible to select a stored article that can be installed even in a small space in the living space (for example, a gap between other stored articles). This makes it possible to arrange the stored articles efficiently. Further, it is easy to arrange the stored articles neatly, and the appearance can be improved.
[0021]
Note that a stored article is a stored article (for example, a closet or the like) that stores an article inside, a stored article (for example, a bookshelf or the like) that stores an article in a state where a part of the article can be recognized from the outside, It includes an article (for example, a table).
[0022]
When the user specifies a stored article and an article to be stored in the stored article, the search unit extracts a stored article having a storage amount equal to or larger than the size of the specified article from articles that can be installed in the living space. Is preferred.
[0023]
Thus, for example, when newly purchasing storage furniture such as a shelf or a closet, it is possible to select storage furniture of an appropriate size according to the size of an article to be stored after purchase.
[0024]
It is preferable that, when the user designates the attribute of the designated article, the retrieval unit extracts a contained article having an attribute matching the attribute of the designated article from the article list.
[0025]
This eliminates the need for the user to judge the suitability of the article and the stored article, and improves convenience.
[0026]
When the user designates a stored article as a carry-in article, the search means satisfies a predetermined storage condition or a storage condition specified by the user by being used together with a stored article already existing in the living space. It is preferable to extract the different housing furniture.
[0027]
This eliminates the need for the user to judge the suitability (for example, suitability based on uniformity of size, appearance, and the like) between the stored article to be purchased and the existing stored article, thereby improving convenience. .
[0028]
The search means determines whether or not to discard an article already existing in the living space according to the necessity of the article, and when discarding, extracts stored articles that satisfy the storage condition after discarding. preferable.
[0029]
This makes it possible to optimize or optimize the arrangement of articles in the living space, including the disposal of existing articles.
[0030]
When the user designates a housed article as a carry-in article and a room in which the housed article is to be installed, the search means selects a housed article having an attribute matching the attribute of the room from among the housed articles which can be installed in the room. Is preferably extracted.
[0031]
This eliminates the need for the user to judge the suitability of the accommodation article and the installation room, and improves convenience.
[0032]
The search means determines whether or not the number of uncontained articles having a predetermined attribute in the living space is equal to or more than a predetermined number based on the article information or the map information of the database. Based on the empty area and the data of the article database, a list of accommodated articles that can be installed in the living space and that can accommodate the unaccommodated articles may be created.
[0033]
Thus, for example, when the number of unaccommodated articles increases, it is possible to propose a new purchase of an accommodated article such as a shelf or a closet together with a purchase item list of an appropriate size according to the situation in the living space.
[0034]
When a user designates one or more items in the list, it is preferable to display on the display means a virtual situation in which the items are installed in the living space.
[0035]
As a result, before the article is carried in, the arrangement state after the article can be grasped.
[0036]
It is preferable to include a work robot that moves an article so as to match the virtual situation when receiving a user's instruction.
[0037]
As a result, the burden on the user for moving the articles is reduced.
[0038]
It is preferable that an ordering means for ordering the article when the user designates the article from the list is provided.
[0039]
This eliminates the need for the user to place an order, and improves convenience.
[0040]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, a basic configuration of the article management system according to the present embodiment will be described.
[0041]
-Overall configuration of article management system-
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of an article management system 100 according to the present invention. The article management system 100 is roughly divided into three subsystems: an environment management server 101 (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as a server), a work robot 102 (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as a robot), and an operation terminal. 103. Hereinafter, the configuration of each subsystem will be described in the order of the environment management server 101, the work robot 102, and the operation terminal 103.
[0042]
-Configuration of environmental management server-
The environment management server 101, which is the first subsystem, includes a sensing means 104 for grasping the situation in the environment, an article moving object search / management means 105 for managing articles and moving objects existing in the environment, Moving object database 106 for storing data for the environment, environment map management means 107 for managing information on the entire environment other than the goods, an environment map 108 for storing data for the management, the article moving object database 106 and the environment. A transmission / reception unit 109 for receiving an inquiry about the data of the map 108 from outside and transmitting information to the outside in response to the inquiry, a search unit 119, and a first control unit 110 for controlling the units 104 to 109 and 119; Consists of
[0043]
The article moving object database 106 and the environment map 108 constitute a “database” having information on articles in the living space and map information in the living space. The article moving object search / management means 105 and the environment map management means 107 constitute "database management means".
[0044]
The environment in the present embodiment refers to a space (living space) in which a person and an article exist in a mutually related manner, such as a house or an office.
[0045]
The map information is composed of structural information of an object (immovable object) that hardly moves usually, such as a room or furniture. The structural information is area information (for example, the floor in a room and the shelf in a storage room) on which at least other objects can be installed in and above the space occupied by the inanimate object Vertex of the circumscribed polygon). The area information is represented by a coordinate system display, a display using a coordinate system and a shape, and the like. The map information also includes information on constraints when installing articles, for example, conditions such as the height and weight of articles that can be installed.
[0046]
The term "article" is a term that basically includes both non-animals and moving objects (movable objects), but in the following, may refer only to moving objects depending on the context.
[0047]
Hereinafter, each component of the environment management server 101 will be described in order.
[0048]
<Sensing means>
The sensing means 104 constantly monitors the positions and states of all monitoring objects existing in the operating environment (for example, houses, offices, stores, and the like), that is, articles, furniture, people, robots, and the like existing in the environment. is there. In addition, the sensing unit 104 detects, when a new article is newly brought into the environment by a mobile object such as a person or a robot, the new article is also detected.
[0049]
Although the specific configuration of the sensing unit 104 is not particularly limited, for example, a unit using an image sensor, a unit using an electronic tag, or the like can be suitably used. Here, a method using an image sensor and a method using an electronic tag will be described as specific examples of a method of detecting an article or a moving object.
[0050]
First, a method using an image sensor will be described. The type of image sensor used here is not particularly limited, but a camera can be suitably used as a device that efficiently monitors a wide area such as an indoor area with a small number of facilities. Hereinafter, an example will be described in which a camera is installed on a ceiling, a wall, or the like, and an object or a moving object is detected using an image captured by the camera.
[0051]
Background Art As a general method for detecting an article or a moving object using a camera image, a background subtraction method is known. The background subtraction method is a method in which a model image as a background is prepared in advance, and a difference between a current input image and the model image is obtained to obtain an object from the image. The sensing means 104 according to the present embodiment aims to detect and monitor articles and moving objects in the environment. Therefore, for example, when there is no environmental change, a single image in which no article moving object exists in the environment can be used as the model image. On the other hand, when the environmental fluctuation is severe, an image obtained by averaging images continuously photographed at a certain time may be used.
[0052]
FIG. 2 is an auxiliary diagram for specifically explaining the background subtraction method, and FIG. 2A is a diagram showing an example of the model image. FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating an input image at a certain point in time captured using the same camera as the camera that captured the image in FIG. 2A, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a background difference image obtained by subtracting the model image of FIG. 2A from the input image of FIG. As can be seen from FIG. 2C, only a part having a difference between the input image and the model image emerges in the background difference image. As described above, in the background subtraction method, it is possible to detect articles in the environment by extracting only the portions that emerge from the background difference image. The number of cameras used may be one, but if two or three or more cameras are used, it is possible to acquire the shape and posture information of the article using a stereoscopic three-dimensional measurement technique.
[0053]
Next, a detection method using an electronic tag will be described. In recent years, a method for detecting the position of an article or a moving object using an electronic tag has been developed. In the present invention, almost all of these methods can be applied. For example, the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-357251 can be used.
[0054]
Here, the electronic tag is a device including an IC that stores data and an antenna that can wirelessly transmit the data, and can write information and read the written information by a device called a reader / writer. is there.
[0055]
The tag can store attribute data characterizing the article, that is, data such as the type, date of manufacture, shape, weight, and article image of the article. By storing such data in an electronic tag and making the data freely accessible, more advanced article management becomes possible. For example, robots can use data on the shape and weight of articles when gripping and installing articles, use the date of manufacture to manage quality expiration dates, use the type of article to search for items, etc. Become. As a result, a great advantage is brought to the user. It is also possible to attach a tag in which data on the mobile object, for example, information such as a person's name and date of birth, is written. In the case of a person, the tag may be embedded in a portable object that is always carried, for example, a watch, a mobile phone, glasses, or the like.
[0056]
As described above, a method of detecting an article and a moving object using a camera and an electronic tag has been described as a specific example of the sensing technique. However, the sensing unit 104 may use other methods. The sensing means 104 includes at least one of a camera, an electronic tag, and other sensors.
[0057]
When a new article or moving object is detected by the sensing means 104, the information is registered and updated in the article moving object database 106 via an article moving object search / management means 105 described later. For example, the location of the article, the attitude of the article, the location of the moving object, and the like are registered in the article moving object database 106. However, the information registered in the article moving object database 106 is not limited to the information directly detected by the sensing unit 104. When a certain article is moving, it may be configured to infer which moving body is moving the article based on the information received from the sensing unit 104 and to register the inference result.
[0058]
An example of the above inference method will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram conceptually showing the basic configuration of the article moving object search / management means 105 according to the present invention. The article moving object search / management means 105 in FIG. 3 includes an article operator detecting means 301 for detecting that an article registered in the article moving object database 106 is operated by a moving object, and an article operator detecting means 105 And a moving body information acquiring unit 302 for acquiring information on the moving body operating the operation article detected by the moving object 301.
[0059]
The article operator detecting means 301 detects that the article is being operated by the moving body by using the sensing means 104. For example, when the sensing means 104 uses the background subtraction method as described above, the input image and the model image are compared, and when a portion having a difference over time occurs, the article is detected in the region. It is assumed that it has been operated. Of course, the detection method by the article operator detection means 301 is not limited to the above method, and for example, an electronic tag may be used.
[0060]
When the article operator detecting means 301 detects that the article is operated by the moving body, the moving body information acquiring means 302 acquires information on the moving body operating the article. For example, when a camera is used as the sensing unit 104 as described above, an image of the operated area is acquired by the camera, and face authentication processing is performed on the image. Since the moving body thus identified is considered to have been in the vicinity when the article was operated, this moving body is assumed to be the operator. Of course, since the background difference method usually uses a camera that captures a wide area, the resolution may not be sufficient to perform face authentication. Therefore, a high-resolution camera with a narrow angle is installed for face authentication separately from the camera for the background subtraction method, and the narrow-angle camera is directed to an area where the operation of the article is detected by the article operator detection unit 301. Authentication may be performed. Of course, the method of identifying a moving object is not limited to face authentication, but may be iris authentication or the like. Instead of performing authentication, an image of an area where an operation is being performed may be captured by a camera, and the image may be used by other means. These images may be used only when authentication fails.
[0061]
When an electronic tag is used as the sensing unit 104, information on articles and moving objects can be collected by appropriately disposing a tag reader / writer. In addition, when managing the operation of an article at a specific place, it is desirable to acquire the article information and the moving body information by arranging the tag reader / writer at the specific place. In this case, it is preferable to dispose a gate-type tag reader / writer in order to accurately detect the operation of the article. In this method, as shown in FIG. 4, it is preferable to provide a tag reader / writer at a door or window of a room. By installing a tag reader / writer as shown in FIG. 4, it is possible to detect an article or a moving object that has passed through a door or a window without leakage. This is particularly effective when managing taking out of an article or the like. In FIG. 4, the tag reader / writers A and B are installed so as to surround doors and windows vertically and horizontally, so as to perform accurate detection independent of the direction of an electronic tag passing through the tag reader / writer. . Of course, the tag reader / writer may be installed only at the top and bottom of the window or door, only at the left and right, or at the center.
[0062]
In the case of using such a tag reader / writer, it is desirable to accumulate information of a moving object that has passed through a door or a window together with an article in the article moving object database 106 as a borrower of the article. As a result, management of the person who carries out the article can be automatically performed by a simple process.
[0063]
In addition, by installing such tag reader / writers A and B inside and outside doors and windows doubly, it is possible to detect whether an article is brought in or taken out. For example, for each of the tag reader / writers A and B, first, the first tag reader / writer is set outside the door or window outside the work area. Also, the second tag reader / writer is installed on the room side of the door or window, that is, in the work area. By installing the first and second tag reader / writers inside and outside in this manner, when a certain article is detected by the outer first reader / writer and then detected by the room-side second reader / writer, It can be assumed that the article has been brought into the room from the outside. Conversely, when an article is detected by the first reader / writer on the outside after being detected by the second reader / writer on the room side, it can be estimated that the article has been taken out of the room.
[0064]
Of course, the place where such a tag reader / writer is installed is not limited to a room door or window. For example, such a tag reader / writer may be installed in a refrigerator and used for managing items in the refrigerator.
[0065]
<Article moving object database>
The article moving object database 106 is a database that stores the data. FIGS. 5 and 6 are conceptual diagrams showing an example of the configuration of the article moving object database 106 and the description contents of data. The article moving object database 106 is roughly divided into a database for handling articles (see FIG. 5) and a database for handling moving objects (see FIG. 6).
[0066]
The database for handling articles is composed of three types of sub-databases each storing different types of data, that is, databases storing article data 501, article history data 502, and article attribute data 503, respectively. It is on the street.
[0067]
The article data 501 includes an ID for distinguishing each article, a pointer to article history data 502 which is an operation history of the article, and a pointer to article attribute data 503 in which physical attributes of the article are described. Consists of If the same kind of article is physically different, it is necessary to treat them as different articles. Therefore, different IDs are assigned to the same kind of articles. On the other hand, articles of the same type have different IDs but have the same physical attributes. Therefore, if the articles are of the same kind, the pointer to the same article attribute data 503 is pointed to, so that the capacity of the database is not wasted.
[0068]
The article history data 502 stores the operation history of the article, and includes the time at which the operation was performed, the operation content, the operator, and the position after the operation. There are various ways to represent position data. In this example, the position is represented by six parameters. The first three parameters (x1, y1, z1) represent the position of the article (for example, the center of gravity of the article can be used as the representative position), and the last three parameters (α1, β1, γ1) The posture of the article is represented by an angle. How to represent the posture of the article will be described later. These position and orientation data are acquired by the sensing means 104 or a robot sensor 111 (see FIG. 1) described later. The operator is selected from any of the moving objects registered as moving object data, which will be described later, by inference as described above.
[0069]
The article attribute data 503 stores the unique physical attribute information of the article. In FIG. 5, the shape (including the size such as length, width, and height), weight, and appearance image are exemplified. Have been. These attribute data are acquired and registered in advance by a measurement method suitable for each attribute manually.
[0070]
Next, shape data and posture data of an article will be described with reference to FIG.
[0071]
First, the shape data of an article will be described. FIG. 7A shows the shape (cylinder) of an original article (for example, a drink can). By using a stereoscopic three-dimensional measurement technique or the like for such an article, it is possible to obtain polygon data in which the surface of the article is approximated by a plurality of surfaces as shown in FIG. 7B. Each surface is described as a set of coordinates of vertices on appropriately determined article coordinates (X ', Y', Z 'in the figure).
[0072]
Next, the posture data of the article will be described. FIG. 7C shows a situation where the article is placed in the real world. The coordinates XYZ represent the coordinates in the real world, and the coordinates X′-Y′-Z ′ represent the coordinates (article coordinates) based on the article. As described above, the shape of the article placed in the real world can be determined by forming the sensing unit 104 of the environment management server 101 or the sensor 111 of the work robot 102 with two cameras and performing three-dimensional measurement by stereo vision. Obtainable. By performing matching with the shape data (polygon model) of the article, it is possible to know how the article is rotated three-dimensionally in the real world. Attitude data can be obtained.
[0073]
Specifically, after matching the shape data of the article (polygon model) with the shape data in the real world, how the article coordinates attached to the shape data of the article are three-dimensionally changed in the real world. Ask if it is rotating. For this purpose, first, it is assumed that the X ′ axis is rotated by an angle α in the horizontal direction with respect to the X axis and is rotated by an angle β in the up and down direction, and the values of the angles α and β are obtained. FIG. 8A is a diagram in which the X ′ axis is rotated by −α in the horizontal direction and −β in the vertical direction. Next, as shown in FIG. 8B, it is assumed that the Z ′ axis is rotated by an angle γ with respect to the Z axis, and the value of the angle γ is obtained. In this manner, the posture data when the article is placed in the real world can be specified using the variables (α, β, γ).
[0074]
Note that such posture data is used for the purpose of changing the article to an appropriate posture when the gripped article is installed by the robot 102 and the situation of the installation position does not match the gripping attitude of the article. You.
[0075]
Next, a database for handling moving objects (see FIG. 6) will be described. The database dealing with the moving object is composed of sub-databases storing three types of data, namely, moving object data 601, moving object history data 602, and moving object attribute data (not shown). It is.
[0076]
The moving object data 601 includes an ID for distinguishing each moving object and a pointer to moving object history data 602 that stores the moving history of the moving object.
[0077]
The moving body history data 602 includes a time, a position of the moving body at the time, and a state of the moving body at the time. Note that the position of the moving object is represented by three values of coordinates (X, Y) on the plane and the direction r.
[0078]
The moving object attribute data stores the unique physical attribute information of the moving object, and its weight, shape, and the like are given as an example.
[0079]
In the moving body history data 602, the state of the moving body indicates a general human motion such as "sit,""stand,""sleep," or "walk" if the moving body is a person. If the body is a robot, it indicates an operation that the robot can perform on an article, such as “gripping” or “release”. These may be determined in advance for each movable body, and any one of them may be selected. When the moving object is a robot, not only the operation content but also the operation target article ID and the operation content are represented as a set.
[0080]
<Article moving object search and management means>
The article moving object search / management means 105 stores information on articles and moving objects obtained by the sensing means 104 in the article moving object database 106, and transmits / receives the information from the outside of the environment management server 101 to the transmitting / receiving means 109 and the first control means 110 When there is an inquiry about the information of the article or the moving object via the PC, necessary information is extracted from the article moving object database 106 in accordance with the contents of the inquiry, and is sent to the inquiry destination. Further, when a request for registration / update of information on an article or a moving object is received from the work robot 102 and the operation terminal 103, the registration / update is performed on the article moving object database 106.
[0081]
Access to the article moving object database 106 is permitted only to the article moving object search / management means 105, and management is performed so that writing and reading of the same article and moving object data are not performed simultaneously.
[0082]
By inputting a search key for narrowing down attributes of an article that the user wants to know, such as a date, an operator, and the type of the article, using the operation terminal 103 described later, the search is performed via the article moving object search / management unit 105. It is also possible to search for the location of the article in question.
[0083]
<Environment map management means>
The environment map management unit 107 manages a map in the work environment. FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of an environment map in comparison with an actual situation. FIG. 9 (a) is a diagram showing an actual situation, and FIG. 9 (b) is an environment map to simplify the actual situation. FIG. 9C is a diagram showing the actual situation further simplified and shown as a plane model. The environment map may be represented as three-dimensional data as described above, or may be more simply planar data. Data should be created according to the purpose of the map and the time required to create the map.For example, if it is necessary to create a three-dimensional model in a very short time, for a three-dimensional object, model it with the smallest cuboid that covers it. Just fine. For example, the model in FIG. 9B is such an example. In FIG. 9B, the table located at the center in FIG. 9A is modeled as a rectangular parallelepiped. The same applies to the plane data. In the model of FIG. 9C, the table located at the center is represented by a rectangular area orthogonally projected on the plane (the rectangular area of the hatched portion in FIG. 9C), and this area is represented by the robot. It is defined as a non-movable area.
[0084]
<Environment map>
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of data of the environment map 108, and shows data corresponding to FIG. The environment map 108 includes an environment map 801 and furniture attribute data 806.
[0085]
In this example, there are a “table”, a “bookshelf”, and a “trash can” in the room, and thus the environment map 801 stores data 802 to 804 together with room data 805. Furniture attribute data 806 stores respective attributes of a room, furniture, and the like. For example, in the room attribute 807 in the furniture attribute data 806, when there are a plurality of floors having different heights in the room, floor data corresponding to the number of the floors is recorded.
[0086]
In the data of the floor surface, the coordinates of the vertices of the surface (coordinate positions in real world coordinates) are described, and the height to the ceiling and the material of the floor surface are added for each surface. For example, for rectangular floor data, the data is
((X1, Y1, Z1), (X2, Y2, Z2), (X3, Y3, Z3) (X4, Y4, Z4), 2200, 0)
It is expressed as However, as the height standard, the lowest floor height in the room is set to 0. The first four coordinates represent the coordinates of the vertex, the next value 2200 represents the height to the ceiling (2200 mm), and the last value represents the material of the floor. The material of the floor surface is, for example, “0” is flooring, “1” is tatami, “2” is carpet, etc., and a corresponding number is determined in advance for each material.
[0087]
In addition, the attributes of each piece of furniture include data on a plurality of faces when the surface of the piece of furniture is approximated by a polyhedron, the type of furniture, the surface on which the article can be installed, the shape and posture of the main article installed on the installable surface, and the like. Is recorded.
[0088]
The furniture surface data describes the coordinates of the vertices of the surface (coordinate positions in real world coordinates), a flag indicating whether or not an article can be installed on the surface, and If the surface can be installed, the area of the surface and the height upward are attached. The upward height indicates, for example, the height to the ceiling in the case of a table top, and the distance to the shelf one level higher in the case of a shelf. However, the upward height refers to a distance in a direction substantially perpendicular to the installation surface, and does not necessarily mean only a distance in the vertical direction.
[0089]
For example, if the number of vertices is data for three faces,
((X1, Y1, Z1), (X2, Y2, Z2), (X3, Y3, Z3), 1,400)
It is expressed as The first three coordinates are the coordinates of the vertex, and the next numeral “1” means that the article can be installed. The surface whose number is “0” is a surface on which articles cannot be placed. The last value 400 indicates an upward height of 400 mm. Furniture type data is used to determine which furniture (table, bookshelf, trash can, etc.) the furniture at that position is.
[0090]
For example, when the furniture is a bookshelf, the main article shape, posture, and the like installed on the surface on which furniture can be installed are, for example, the shape of a “book” that is an article mainly stored (in a state where the furniture is normally leaned on the bookshelf). , A rectangular parallelepiped whose depth and height are extremely longer than the width) and a normal posture when the book is installed. However, there is a case where there is no limitation on the shape and posture of an article placed there, such as a table or a trash can. With the furniture attribute data 806 having such an attribute, when the work robot 102 installs the gripped article, the installation posture can be made favorable. For example, when an article gripped by the work robot 102 has a shape similar to a book and a bookshelf is designated at the installation position, the gripped article can be installed as if the book normally leans against the bookshelf. Of course, in addition to the relationship between bookshelves and books, the present invention can also be used for storing, for example, shoe shelves and shoes, tableware dryers and dishes.
[0091]
When the robot 102 moves in this environment, a moving route plan is made using these environment maps 108. For example, when the robot 102 is moved from the point A1 to the point A2 using the environment map using the plane model of FIG. 9C, the movement impossible area is avoided based on the shape and size of the robot 102. The route to be performed (see the curved arrow in FIG. 9C) may be calculated and determined.
[0092]
<Control means of environmental management server>
The first control unit 110 of the environment management server 101 is a part that controls the entire server 101. As described above, the main control contents include the following.
[0093]
That is, when there is an external inquiry about various data in the server 101 via the transmission / reception means 109, the first control means 110 sends the article moving object search / management means 105 or the environment map management means 107 according to the contents thereof. , A reference request for the data is issued.
[0094]
Further, the first control means 110 sends the result sent from the article moving object search / management means 105 or the environment map management means 107 to the inquiry source via the transmission / reception means 109 in response to the request.
[0095]
Further, the first control means 110 interprets a registration / update request for various data in the server transmitted from the outside via the transmission / reception means 109, and according to the contents thereof, the article moving object search / management means 105 Alternatively, a request for registration / update of the data is issued to the environment map management means 107.
[0096]
<Search means>
The search unit 119 searches for an empty area in the environment, searches for articles that can be installed in the empty area, creates a list of those articles, and specifies a user based on the data of the article mobile database 106 and the environment map 108. Analysis of conditions, notification to the user through the display means 117, and the like are performed to support the user who is considering purchasing a new article.
[0097]
As shown in FIG. 11, the search means 119 includes a condition analysis means 51, a database search means 52, a list creation means 53, and an order means 54. The function of each of these means 51 to 54 will be described in detail in each embodiment described later.
[0098]
As above, the configuration of the environment management server 101 has been sequentially described for each component.
[0099]
-Work robot configuration-
Next, the configuration of the work robot 102 as the second subsystem will be described. The work robot 102 plays a role in the article management system 100 in actually holding and carrying an article in the environment. Some or all of the article grasping and carrying operations by the robot 102 may be automated. For example, an instruction may be issued by a user through an operation terminal 103 described later, and the robot 102 may operate according to the instruction.
[0100]
As shown in FIG. 1, the robot 102 has, as its basic components, a sensor 111 for detecting an obstacle near the robot and obtaining information on an article to be gripped, a gripper 112 for gripping the article, and an environment map. 108, a moving plan creating means 113 for making a moving plan, a moving means 114 for moving, a transmitting / receiving means 109 for transmitting and receiving data to and from the environment management server 101 and the operation terminal 103, and a second means for controlling these means. 2 control means 115.
[0101]
FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the robot 102 according to the present embodiment. Hereinafter, each unit of the robot 102 will be described with the direction in which the tip of the arm 201 faces in the drawing as the front surface of the robot.
[0102]
Two moving means 114 are provided on one side of the robot main body, and are constituted by a total of four wheels on both sides. In this example, an example of wheels is shown as the moving means 114, but as the moving means 114, an optimum means may be selected according to the place or environment where the robot is used. For example, when moving on the ground with a lot of unevenness, a crawler type or multi-legged moving means may be used. When the gripping means 112 including the arm 201 and the hand 202 makes the entire area of the house a movable area, the moving means 114 is not always necessary.
[0103]
The sensor 111 detects an obstacle around the robot and the like. In this example, the sensor 111 includes an ultrasonic sensor 111a, a stereo camera 111b as a visual sensor, and a collision sensor 111c. The ultrasonic sensor 111a is attached to each of three places on the front, back, and right and left sides, and measures the time until the ultrasonic wave is emitted and the reflected wave is received, so that the approximate distance from the sensor to the obstacle is measured. Is calculated. In the present embodiment, a short-range obstacle is detected by the ultrasonic sensor 111a before the collision. The stereo camera 111b inputs the surrounding situation as an image and performs processing such as recognition on the image to determine the presence or absence of an obstacle and obtain more accurate information on the article to be grasped. The collision sensor 111c is a sensor that detects that an impact of a predetermined force is applied to the sensor 111c. The collision sensor 111c hits an obstacle that cannot be detected by another sensor from the outside or the robot itself moves. Detects a collision inside.
[0104]
The movement plan creating means 113, when a movement instruction to the designated place is issued to the robot, determines the movement route from the current position to the designated place by using the data of the environment map 108 acquired from the environment management server 101. Create using Naturally, if there is an obstacle between the current position and the destination, a route to avoid the obstacle is required, but the environment map contains the area where the robot can move in advance, as described above. Since it is described, a moving route in the area may be created. The most general Dijkstra method or the like is used for creating the moving route.
[0105]
The gripping means 112 is a means for gripping an article. In the present embodiment, the gripping means 112 includes an articulated arm 201 and a hand 202 provided at the tip of the arm 201 as shown in FIG.
[0106]
The second control means 115 interprets the robot operation command list sent from the outside via the transmission / reception means 109 and executes the commands in order.
[0107]
The above is the configuration of the work robot 102.
[0108]
-Configuration of operation terminal-
The operation terminal 103, which is the third subsystem, is a terminal used by the user in the article management system 100 to operate articles in the environment or to instruct articles to be carried into the environment.
[0109]
As shown in FIG. 1, the operation terminal 103 has, as its basic configuration, interface means 116 used for article operations and inquiries of articles to be carried in, display means 117 for displaying an operation screen, and input by the interface means 116. The transmission / reception unit 109 performs a transmission / reception operation such as transmitting the instruction content of the article operation to the environment management server 101, and the third control unit 118 controlling the respective units.
[0110]
The operator uses the interface unit 116 and the display unit 117 to instruct a moving operation of the article or to input information of the article or the moving body. In the case of a movement operation on an article, the command of the movement operation input via the interface means 116 is sent to the work robot 102 via the transmission / reception means 109, and the work robot 102 receiving the command sends the work robot 102 as instructed. To move. In addition, when information of an article or a moving object is input via the interface means 116, and when an article is searched, these requests are transmitted to the environment management server 101, and the environment management server 101 Receive an answer. The third control means 118 controls each of the above means.
[0111]
The display means 117 displays characters or images, and for example, a CRT, a liquid crystal display device, a plasma display, or the like can be suitably used. It is also possible to use a printer or the like as the display means. Further, the display means can be replaced with another notification means. The notification unit is not limited to the display unit, and may be a unit that notifies the user by voice.
[0112]
As above, the basic configuration of the article management system 100 has been sequentially described for each of the subsystems 101, 102, and 103.
[0113]
In the above-described embodiment (see FIG. 1), the article management system 100 includes three subsystems: an environment management server 101, a work robot 102, and an operation terminal 103, and these subsystems are connected to a wireless or wired network. An example is shown in which the configuration is such that information is exchanged with each other via the Internet. However, the configuration of the article management system according to the present invention is not limited to the above configuration. For example, the configuration may be such that the operation terminal 103 is attached to the environment management server 101 or the work robot 102. Also, the configuration may be such that a plurality of robots 102 work in parallel while cooperating, instead of one robot.
[0114]
-Example 1-
Next, as an embodiment of the article management system 100, an example will be described in which a user who newly purchases furniture or the like is assisted in determining the furniture to be purchased or the like.
[0115]
The article management system 100 according to the present embodiment is a system for managing articles existing in a house, and when a user newly purchases a new article, mainly a storage furniture such as a shelf or a closet, the user can use the article management system 100 in the house. This is a system that has a function to support the user so that the user can select an appropriate purchase item according to the situation.
[0116]
In the present embodiment, the following changes are made to the article moving object database 106 and the environment map 108 in order to exhibit the above function.
[0117]
That is, as shown in FIG. 13, the article moving object database 106 according to the present embodiment is composed of sub-databases storing three types of data: article data 1001, article history data 1002, and article attribute data 1003. The data contents are as follows.
[0118]
The article data 1001 includes an ID for distinguishing each article, a pointer to article history data 1002 that is an operation history of the article, a current state indicating the latest position information of the article, and attributes of the article. It consists of a pointer to the described item attribute data 1003 and a degree of necessity indicating whether the item is necessary or discarded. However, the items of the article data 1001 are not limited to these, and it goes without saying that other items may be included in the article data 1001.
[0119]
The article history data 1002 stores the operation history of the article, and includes the time at which the operation was performed, the operation content, the operator, the position after the operation, and the state after the operation. The state after the operation can be obtained from the position after the operation.
[0120]
The article attribute data 1003 stores unique physical attribute information possessed by the article. In FIG. 13, the shape (including the size such as length, width, height, etc.), weight, and appearance image are examples of information. Are listed.
[0121]
FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an environment map used to determine a candidate for a purchased product in a plane model. The hatched portion in the figure represents a free area 1101, and is a candidate area when installing furniture.
[0122]
The free area 1101 is an area that is physically free and excluding the prohibited area. The prohibited area is an area where it is inappropriate to place furniture in consideration of furniture installation conditions and the like.
[0123]
For example, furniture such as a closet is not usually installed in the center of a room, but can be installed near a wall. Therefore, when purchasing a closet or the like, the central part of the room is a prohibited area. If a closet is placed in front of a door, window, or outlet, the door cannot be used, so even if the area in front of the door is physically vacant, such an area is prohibited. Area and is excluded from the free area 1101. In addition, since a room usually requires an empty area for traffic, such an empty area is also a prohibited area.
[0124]
By the way, some furniture is provided with a door, a drawer, and the like, and such furniture requires an extra space for opening the door or pulling out the drawer, in addition to a space for installing the furniture main body. Therefore, when purchasing such furniture, a space is required in which the installation space for the furniture body and the extra space are added.
[0125]
The empty area 1101 does not necessarily need to be an empty area from the floor to the ceiling. For example, in the case of an empty area located in front of a window, furniture and the like can be installed in a space below the window. In such a case, the area above the window may be the prohibited area, and the space below the window may be the empty area 1101. When there is an obstacle such as a ventilation fan above the wall surface, the height from the floor surface to the obstacle may be set as the empty area 1101. When another piece of furniture can be installed on the already installed furniture, the space above the already installed furniture can be used as the empty area 1101. As described above, the empty area 1101 may be determined in consideration of the three-dimensional information. By setting an upper limit value for the height of the installation candidate furniture, an area where only a part in the height direction is vacant can be effectively used.
[0126]
When the furniture is heavy, it is necessary to consider whether the furniture can be supported. For example, when a television is placed on a stand and the stand cannot support the weight of the television, the space above the stand does not become a free space 1101 for the television. When the furniture is a piano or the like, the unreinforced floor is removed from the empty area 1101.
[0127]
In addition, in consideration of the attributes of the room, the empty area 1101 may be determined so that furniture suitable for the room is arranged. For example, if the room is a kitchen, an empty area may be determined in this room so as to place no furniture other than a settable furniture such as a cupboard, a refrigerator, a range table, a dining table, and the like. Further, if the room is a bedroom, the empty area may be determined in this room such that cupboards, bookshelves, and the like other than the predetermined non-installable furniture are placed. That is, it may be handled such that an empty area exists only when predetermined installable furniture is selected. Further, when predetermined non-installable furniture is selected, it may be handled so that there is no empty area.
[0128]
The condition of the free area 1101 can be freely adjusted by the user using the environment map management unit 107.
[0129]
FIG. 15 shows a data example of the environment map 108 corresponding to FIG. The environment map 108 includes an environment map 1102, furniture attribute data 1105, and free space data 1106. The environment map 1102 stores data 1103 of furniture existing in a room and data 1104 of a free area which is a candidate area when installing furniture. The attributes of the furniture data 1103 and the free area data 1104 are stored in the furniture attribute data 1105 and the free area data 1106, respectively. The attribute data 1105a of each piece of furniture includes data of a plurality of faces when the surface of the piece of furniture is approximated by a polyhedron, the type of furniture, the shape, size and attitude of the main article to be installed on the face on which furniture can be installed, and the maximum size of the piece of furniture. The storage capacity and the like are recorded. In the data 1106a of each free area, information on the area including the height up to the above, restriction information (for example, weight restriction) when furniture is installed in the area are recorded. Although illustration is omitted in FIG. 15, floor environment data is also registered in this environment map, as in the example shown in FIG.
[0130]
When the user newly purchases a new article (including not only stored furniture such as shelves and chests, but also articles stored therein, etc.), the present article management system 100 appropriately purchases the article according to the indoor situation. Help the user to select items.
[0131]
Specifically, the article management system 100 checks whether or not the article can be appropriately arranged based on information on the article (article information) and information on the room (room information), and based on the result. Determine the purchase candidate. As the article information, for example, information on the size of the article, such as length, width, height, etc., if the article is storage furniture, information on how many and how many items can be stored, etc. Information on the location and orientation of where it is placed, information on the attribute (article name) of what the article is (books, tableware, clothes, etc.), necessity of whether the article is necessary or discarded Related information. On the other hand, the room information includes information on the size of the room, information on the size and arrangement of furniture already installed in the room, information on the empty area of the room obtained from the information, and the like. The article management system 100 selects an appropriate purchase item based on such information according to predetermined conditions, for example, a size that can be installed in a room, a capacity of storing a predetermined number of books or more, and the like. Help the user to do it.
[0132]
Next, the operation of the article management system 100 will be described.
[0133]
FIG. 16 shows the flow of processing of the article management system 100. First, in step S <b> 1, the user uses the interface unit 116 of the operation terminal 103 to inquire the environment management server 101 about a new article purchase. FIG. 17 shows a display example on the display means 117 at the time of inquiry. Note that it is also possible to specify conditions when making an inquiry. The specification of the condition will be described later.
[0134]
When the environment management server 101 receives the above inquiry, the database search means 52 of the search means 119 searches one or both of the environment map 108 and the article moving object database 106 according to the inquiry (step S2), and based on the search result. Then, the list creation means 53 creates a result list (step S3).
[0135]
The database search is performed as follows. That is, the search unit 119 refers to the free space data 1106 from the environment map 108 and lists the sizes of furniture that can be installed. Further, the search means 119 refers to the furniture attribute data 1105 of the environment map 108 and the article data 1001 of the article moving object database 106 to determine at which position each article in the house is currently located (or to which furniture). And information indicating how many articles can be further stored in each piece of furniture (specifically, information on the size and number of articles that can be stored).
[0136]
The result list created in step S3 is displayed on the display means 117. FIG. 18 shows an example of the screen display. In the display example of FIG. 18, only a list of candidate articles is displayed, but an empty area may be displayed in addition to the list of candidate articles. In addition, the empty area may be displayed on the display means 117 before the database search.
[0137]
As described above, the user can easily select an appropriate purchase item by referring to the display screen of the display unit 117.
[0138]
Example 2
As described above, when making an inquiry in step S1, it is possible to specify conditions. Next, an example of specifying a condition will be described.
[0139]
First, a case will be described in which the search is made for product information outside the article management system 100 as a condition.
[0140]
In this example, as shown in FIG. 19, first, in step S1, a user makes a conditional inquiry. Next, the search means 119 having received the inquiry analyzes the condition by the condition analysis means 51 (step S11). In this example, since the search for the product information is specified as a condition, the search unit 119 lists up the product information 1206 published on the Internet or the like in the above-described example when searching the database in step S2. Only items that match the free space and the storable size are extracted, and an item list including specifications such as a product name, size, and price is created (step S3). At this time, if an item name of an article (for example, “storage furniture”, “closet”, “cupboard”, “dishware”, “frying pan”, etc.) is additionally specified as a condition, a further narrowed list can be created. it can. Here, the product information 1206 may be a site of a manufacturer on the Internet, a site of a store, or a specialized site that provides such information. The format and contents of the product information 1206 are not limited at all.
[0141]
Subsequently, in step S4, the created list is displayed on the display unit 117. The display method by the display means 117 is not limited at all. For example, if the display method is to be sorted and displayed on the basis of product classification or price order, user convenience can be improved. FIG. 20 shows an example of such a display screen.
[0142]
As a result, the user can easily select an appropriate purchase item by referring to the display screen of the display unit 117.
[0143]
Example 3
Next, an example in which condition designation is performed on condition that existing articles in the house are stored will be described. That is, this example is an example in which the size and attributes of an article (storage article) to be stored in newly purchased storage furniture are specified.
[0144]
In this example, the processing flow is the same as in the above example (see FIG. 19). In this example, after performing the condition analysis (step S11), the search unit 119 refers to the article data 1001 of the article moving object database 106 in the database search (step S2), and the article specified as the condition is already cleared. Item (stored in furniture or the like) or an item that has not been cleared (in other words, an item that is to be stored with furniture to be newly purchased). If the designated article has not been cleared, furniture that stores the article and has a size that can be installed in the current house is listed.
[0145]
For example, if the article to be stored is a glass or a dish, a cupboard of a size that can store these is listed. On the other hand, if the articles to be stored are books or magazines, bookshelves of a size that can store these are listed.
[0146]
The articles stored in the newly purchased furniture can be automatically determined by the article management system 100 by referring to the article data 1001. However, it is a matter of course that the user may manually set the articles to be stored in newly purchased furniture.
[0147]
The results listed as described above are displayed on the display means 117. As a result, the user can easily select an appropriate purchase item.
[0148]
Example 4
In the example shown above, the items already stored or the storage furniture that already stores the items were not taken into consideration when listing up. However, taking these into account, the following results can be added to the list in addition to the existing list. That is, since the furniture attribute data 1105 describes the amount that can be stored, as a condition, if the movement or disposal of articles already stored or storage furniture that already stores articles is permitted, By moving or discarding the existing article, various storage patterns can be considered. In other words, it is possible to consider not only the case where articles not currently stored are stored in newly purchased furniture, but also the case where articles currently stored in other furniture are stored in newly purchased furniture. . As a result, it is possible to add and propose a new option to the user.
[0149]
An example involving the disposal of an existing article will be described in more detail.
[0150]
In this example, whether or not the article can be discarded is determined based on the necessity registered in the data of each article by referring to the article data 1001 of the article moving object database 106. The degree of necessity can be determined based on the individual judgment criteria of the article in consideration of the operation history and state of the article. For example, the degree of necessity may be determined if the article is not used for a certain period, the degree of necessity is small, if the article is used more than a specified number of times, the degree of necessity is large, if the article is used continuously for a certain period or more, or the like.
[0151]
The degree of necessity is not limited to alternative or unnecessary data, and may be numerical data in the form of necessity. The degree of necessity is not only automatically determined by the article management system 100, but also can be appropriately changed or set by the user.
[0152]
Various examples are possible with the disposal. For example, existing small furniture may be discarded, and articles stored in this furniture may be stored again in newly purchased large furniture. As children grow up in the home, small children's clothing is no longer needed. Therefore, the disposal of children's clothes may be encouraged based on the family structure.
[0153]
Example 5
Next, an example in which optimization processing is performed at the time of list creation will be described with reference to FIG.
[0154]
For example, if the size of an article to be stored is 20 cm × 20 cm × 20 cm, only furniture that can store a size of 20 cm × 20 cm × 20 cm or more will be listed in the above list of purchase support examples. However, it is assumed that furniture having shelves capable of storing articles of 30 cm × 30 cm × 30 cm already exists in the house, and the shelves store articles of 10 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm. In this case, if the article having the size of 10 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm is moved, and the article having the size of 20 cm × 20 cm × 20 cm to be stored is stored in the shelf instead of the article, the furniture to be newly purchased is That is, it is only necessary to be able to store a moving article having a size of 10 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm. In such a case, as furniture to be newly purchased, furniture capable of storing an article having a size of 10 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm can be added to the options. FIG. 22 shows a flowchart involving such optimization processing (step S21).
[0155]
The optimal state varies depending on the user, the situation, and the like. Therefore, the optimal definition or criterion can be set arbitrarily. For example, the number of unstored articles is reduced to the minimum number or the minimum capacity, all articles are stored in furniture according to their attributes (for example, stationery is not stored in a bookshelf, etc.), or furniture is stored together or stored. The same color, design, maker, series, type, etc., are used among the neighboring items that are used. It is considered that the most suitable definition is that articles which are placed or stored close to each other, frequently used articles are stored in a place where they can be easily taken out, and appearance is improved. Further, it is also conceivable to give a priority to the above definitions and combine a plurality of definitions.
[0156]
In the optimization process, the optimization may be performed on the assumption that the existing articles (including the storage furniture) are not discarded, but may be optimized including the discard of the existing articles.
[0157]
By setting solutions and parameters based on the above-described optimal definitions, it is possible to obtain states according to the respective optimal definitions. For example, in the above-described example (see FIG. 21), the solution is to minimize the number of unstored articles (that is, to clear as much of the articles in the house as possible), and to determine the size of each article and each piece of furniture. The size of the storage area may be set as a parameter.
[0158]
By giving such conditions specifically, more desirable results can be given to the user.
[0159]
As a method for realizing the optimization, a method using a neural network, a genetic algorithm (GA), or the like can be used. The specific method of optimization is not limited at all.
[0160]
-Example 6-
The support example described above is an example in which the search unit 119 creates and displays a list in response to an inquiry from a user. However, by setting conditions in advance, the search unit 119 can automatically display the list on the display unit 117. For example, a list display may be automatically performed when the number of unstored articles exceeds a predetermined number. As described above, the condition can be set based on the number, attribute, or size of the articles that are not stored. It is also possible to set search conditions in advance.
[0161]
In this example, the search means 119 sequentially monitors the article moving object database 106, and when a set condition is satisfied, creates a list as in the above example and displays it on the display means 117. For example, when new articles are brought into the house from the outside, the search unit 119 displays a list of furniture suitable for storing the articles on the display unit 117. Therefore, even if the user himself does not recognize the necessity of the storage furniture and does not perform the inquiry work, the search means 119 automatically makes a proposal, so that the user can easily select and purchase appropriate furniture. .
[0162]
-Example 7-
In the support example, the search unit 119 searches for a candidate for purchased furniture, and then displays a list of the results on the display unit 117 (see FIGS. 18 and 20). However, the display method of the search result is not limited to the list display, and various other display methods can be adopted. Further, in addition to the list display, another display method may be used together.
[0163]
For example, when the user selects a specific item described in the item list using the interface unit 116, the search unit 119 uses the data in the environment map 108 to set the item in the house when the item is installed. The expected situation may be displayed on the display means 117. For example, as shown in FIG. 23, a state in which the selected storage furniture and the article to be stored are stored in the storage furniture may be modeled and displayed. Or you may display using the image of an actual room or furniture. This makes it possible to know beforehand the appearance and atmosphere when the furniture is installed.
[0164]
When optimization is required, not only the selected storage furniture, but also the items designated to be moved or disposed of, and the storage furniture that stored the items are displayed, so that the situation after purchase can be displayed. It's easier to understand, and it's easier to determine which one to actually buy from the list. In particular, in the case where disposal is involved, it is desirable to inquire the user before disposal and process after the user's judgment so that the article is not disposed without the user's knowledge. At this time, it is also possible to reset the discarding criterion and the like using the article moving object search / management means 105. As a result, the effect that the subsequent useless inquiries are sequentially reduced can be expected.
[0165]
-Example 8-
Although each of the above support examples is an example of supporting the user to determine the furniture to be purchased, the article management system 100 may not only support the user's determination but also execute processing after the determination. Good.
[0166]
For example, in each of the above examples, when the user determines the furniture to be purchased, the ordering means 54 of the search means 119 may automatically order the furniture from a store or the like via a network such as the Internet. That is, the determination of the purchase item and the purchase procedure may be linked. Thereby, the purchase procedure of the user can be omitted.
[0167]
-Example 9-
In addition, the article management system 100 can make the work robot 102 assist or execute the movement of the article necessary for the purchase of furniture.
[0168]
For example, after actually purchasing the listed storage furniture, a new storage of an article that is not currently stored, a storage of the currently stored article in another storage furniture, For example, when discarding an existing article, the work robot 102 can cause the article to be gripped and installed at the destination.
[0169]
In the article management system 100, as described above, the expected situation after purchase can be displayed on the display means 117, so that the work robot 102 is instructed so as to be in that state, and the article placement work is performed. Can be. The instruction to the work robot 102 may be automatically given so as to be in the expected situation after purchase, or may be given as appropriate by the user in consideration of the expected situation after purchase.
[0170]
-Other examples-
The example of support for new purchase of furniture and the like at home has been described above. However, the embodiment of the article management system 100 is not limited to the support example. The use subject of the article management system 100 is not limited to the person who purchases the article, and may be a person who manufactures, sells, or coordinates the article. The processing in the above example is also applicable to applications in furniture dealers, moving companies, home sellers, and the like.
[0171]
For example, the article management system 100 can be used when a furniture dealer provides a service for proposing an appropriate product to a user. Specifically, the furniture dealer refers to the user's article moving object database 106, reads at least the information on the empty area and the information on the existing furniture, and also reads the article data and attributes as needed by the user. It is possible to propose an appropriate product by reading, and further narrowing down the product under optimal conditions according to the user.
[0172]
In addition, by using the article management system 100 by a moving company, the moving operation can be made more efficient. Specifically, the moving trader can accurately estimate the amount of luggage to be transported by referring to the user's article mobile database 106 and reading data on the size and quantity of the articles. Therefore, truck arrangement and the like can be simplified. In addition, if the environment map 108 of the moving destination can be obtained, by using this and the article moving object database 106, the optimum arrangement of articles according to the user's request can be obtained by the above-described optimization processing. Even when the user does not instruct the arrangement of the articles during the operation, the moving company can install the articles in the optimal arrangement considered by the user. In addition, since the work robot 102 can assist transportation during the moving operation, the use of the work robot 102 can increase the efficiency of the work.
[0173]
By using the article management system 100, a home seller can propose an optimal arrangement of articles in a home for sale, like a moving company. In addition, in cooperation with furniture manufacturers and electric appliance manufacturers, it is possible to propose coordination of the entire house including newly purchased furniture and electric appliances.
[0174]
In the above example, a person other than the user needs to access the user database. In this case, the access must be made with due consideration given to security. That is, at the time of access from outside, it is necessary to perform processing such that only the minimum necessary information on the database can be read.
[0175]
Further, the article management system 100 is also effective when changing the layout of a room at home, storing an increased number of documents in an office, or changing the arrangement when a new employee comes.
[0176]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to support the installation, storage, purchase, or the like of an article corresponding to the dimensions and attributes of the article or the state of the living space. For this reason, it is possible to prevent troubles related to the installation space after carrying in the articles, incompatibility between the stored furniture and the stored items, deterioration in appearance, and the like. For example, when newly purchasing a new article (for example, storage furniture such as a shelf or a closet), it is possible to select an appropriate purchase item according to the situation in the living space.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an article management system according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an article detection process in a sensing unit.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram conceptually showing a basic configuration of an article moving object search / management unit.
FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing a room in which a gate-type tag reader / writer is arranged at a door or a window.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a data structure of article data in an article moving object database.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a data structure of moving object data in an article moving object database.
7A and 7B are diagrams for explaining the shape and posture of an article, wherein FIG. 7A shows the shape of an original article, FIG. 7B shows the shape of a modeled article, and FIG. 2 shows the shape of the modeled article under the situation placed in the model.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between coordinates in the real world and article coordinates.
9A and 9B are diagrams for explaining an environment map, where FIG. 9A shows an actual situation, FIG. 9B shows a three-dimensional model of FIG. 9A, and FIG. 9C shows a plane model of FIG. ing.
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a data structure of an environment map.
FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a search unit.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a work robot.
FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of a data structure of an article moving object database according to the embodiment.
FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of an environment map according to the embodiment.
FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of a data structure of an environment map according to the embodiment.
FIG. 16 is a flowchart of a process of the article management system according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing a display example on a display means.
FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing a display example on a display means.
FIG. 19 is a flowchart of a process of the article management system according to the second embodiment.
FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram showing a display example on a display means.
FIG. 21 is an explanatory diagram for describing an example of an optimization process.
FIG. 22 is a flowchart of a process of the article management system according to the fifth embodiment.
FIG. 23 is an explanatory diagram showing a display example on a display means.
FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional household management support system.
[Explanation of symbols]
100 ... article management system
101: Environmental management server
102 ・ ・ ・ Work robot
103 ・ ・ ・ Operation terminal
104 sensing means
105 ・ ・ ・ Article moving object search / management means
106 ・ ・ ・ Article moving object database
107 ・ ・ ・ Environment map management means
108 ・ ・ ・ Environment map
109 ··· Transmission / reception means (communication means)
110... First control means
111 ・ ・ ・ Sensor
112 ・ ・ ・ Grip means
113 ・ ・ ・ Transfer plan creation means
114 ・ ・ ・ Transportation means
115... Second control means
116 interface means
117... Display means (notification means)
118... Third control means
119 ... search means

Claims (15)

A system for managing articles present in a living space,
A database having at least map information in the living space;
Database management means for registering or updating the map information of the database,
Search means for searching for an empty area for articles in the living space based on the map information stored in the database,
Output means for outputting information on the searched free space;
An article management system comprising: A system for managing articles present in a living space,
A database having information on the articles in the living space and map information in the living space,
Database management means for registering or updating article information or map information of the database,
Search means for searching for an empty area for articles in the living space based on the article information and map information stored in the database,
Output means for outputting information on the searched free space;
An article management system comprising: An article management system according to claim 1 or 2,
Interface means;
Communication means for communicating with an article database having data of articles outside the living space,
When the user makes an inquiry as to whether or not a user can carry in a predetermined type of article from outside the living space via the interface means, the search means, based on the empty space and the data of the article database, Create an article list of installable articles after searching for the predetermined type of articles that can be installed in the
The article management system, wherein the output unit outputs the list in place of the free space information or together with the free space information. The article management system according to claim 3, wherein
The article database comprises an article database on the Internet including an article size and an article specification including at least one of a product name and a price of the article,
An article management system, wherein the communication means communicates with the article database via the Internet. The article management system according to claim 3 or 4,
When the user specifies a condition of a carried-in article through the interface means, the search means extracts an article satisfying the condition from articles which can be installed in the living space, and creates an article list. Management system. The article management system according to claim 3 or 4,
When the user selects a stored article to store or install an article as a carry-in article via the interface means, the search means extracts a stored article that can be installed in the living space and creates an article list. Article management system. An article management system according to any one of claims 3 to 5,
The search means, when the user selects, via the interface means, an article to be stored or placed as an article to be carried in or installed, and specifies one or more articles to be stored or installed in the article, An article management system that extracts stored articles having a storage amount equal to or larger than the size of the designated article from among the stored articles that can be installed in the living space, and creates a list of the extracted stored articles. The article management system according to claim 7, wherein
When the user designates the attribute of the designated article via the interface means, the search means extracts a contained article having an attribute matching the designated article attribute from the article list. Management system that creates a list of stored goods. An article management system according to any one of claims 3 to 5,
The search means, when the user designates a stored article to store or install an article as a carry-in article via the interface means, from among the stored articles that can be installed in the living space, An article management system that extracts stored articles that satisfy predetermined storage conditions or storage conditions specified by the user when used with existing stored articles, and creates a list of extracted stored articles. . The article management system according to claim 9,
The search means, when determining whether or not the accommodation condition is satisfied, determines whether or not to discard an article already existing in the living space according to the necessity of the article, and when discarding, after discarding An article management system for extracting stored articles that satisfy the storage conditions. An article management system according to any one of claims 3 to 5,
When the user specifies, via the interface means, a storage article to store or install articles as a carry-in article and a room to install the storage articles, a search is performed among the storage articles that can be installed in the room. An article management system that extracts stored articles having attributes that match the attributes of the room from the list, and creates a list of the extracted stored articles. An article management system according to claim 2,
Communication means for communicating with an article database having data of articles outside the living space,
The search means determines whether or not the number of uncontained articles having a predetermined attribute in the living space is equal to or more than a predetermined number based on the article information or the map information of the database, and the number of uncontained articles is equal to or more than a predetermined number. When becomes, based on the data of the free space and the article database, to create a list of accommodated articles that can be installed in the living space and can accommodate the unaccommodated articles,
The article management system, wherein the output unit outputs the list in place of the free space information or together with the free space information. An article management system according to any one of claims 3 to 11,
The output means has a display means for displaying the list,
The article management system, wherein when the user designates one or more articles in the list via the interface means, the display means displays a virtual situation where the articles are installed in the living space. The article management system according to claim 13,
An article management system including a work robot that moves an article in accordance with the virtual situation when receiving an instruction from a user. An article management system according to any one of claims 3 to 11, 13, and 14,
An article management system comprising ordering means for ordering an article when a user designates an article from the list using the interface means.

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