JP2005084877A - Self-propelled equipment and its program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem, wherein when a mobile object is already present in a range where the approach of the traveling object is discriminated at the start of stopping, self-traveling equipment misdetects that the mobile object is approaching, in the self-traveling equipment. <P>SOLUTION: The self-propelled equipment is configured to use a measured value, calculated by measuring a distance to an object at the start of stopping and a measured value calculated by measuring a distance with an object to be measured during the stop afterward, to decide that the traveling object is approaching, and to report it only when it is recognized that the traveling object has actually approached during the stop after starting to stop. Thus, the self-propelled equipment will not misdetect the traveling object at the start of stopping, and informs such a traveling object like a human being of the danger of collision with the self-propelled equipment. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a self-propelled device that travels independently without human assistance.

Conventionally, this type of self-propelled device includes a traveling means, an object detecting means for detecting an object, a route information acquiring means for acquiring route information from transmitters installed on the ground, and the object detecting means. Change means for changing the view length, the view width, and the view angle, and a notification means for notifying when an object is detected, and the change means from the route information acquired by the route information acquisition means when the stop is started. When a moving object such as a person who is outside the field of view of the object detection unit enters the field of view when the stop is started during the stop by changing the field length, field width, and field angle of the object detection unit Is detected by the notification means (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-233423 A

  However, in the conventional configuration, when the route information is not acquired, the field length, the field width, and the field angle of the object detection unit cannot be changed, so when the stop is started at a position where the route information cannot be acquired. When there is an object in the field of view of the object detection means, the object is detected and notified by the notification means, and thus there is a problem that a moving object such as a person cannot be detected.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and uses a measured value obtained by measuring a distance from an object at the time of starting a stop and a measured value obtained by measuring a distance from the object measured during the stop. Even if the object falls within the threshold that is one of the conditions for determining that the object is “approaching” when the stop is started, the moving object starts “stopping” without erroneously detecting “approaching” To provide a self-propelled device that informs that a moving object such as a person is at risk of collision by determining that the moving object is "approaching" only when the object actually approaches With the goal.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, the self-propelled device of the present invention provides a distance between a distance measuring unit that measures a distance to an object and an object measured by the distance measuring unit at the time when the stop is started. The moving object approaches when the distance between the stop distance storage means stored and the object measured by the distance measuring means is shorter than the distance stored in the stop distance storage means and shorter than a predetermined threshold. An approach determining means for determining that the vehicle is moving, and a notifying means, and when the object approaches during stoppage and the moving determining means determines that the moving object is approaching, self-running is notified by the notifying means. It is a type device.

  Thereby, by using the measured value obtained by measuring the distance from the object at the time when the stop is started and the measured value obtained by measuring the distance from the object during the subsequent stop, the object is When the object actually approaches after starting to stop without erroneously detecting that the moving object is “approaching” even if it is within the threshold value that is one of the conditions for determining “approaching” Only when the moving object is determined to be “approaching” and notified, the moving object such as a person can be notified of the danger of collision.

  The self-propelled device of the present invention determines that the moving object is “approaching” and notifies the moving object only when it is recognized that the object has actually approached after the stop is started. It is possible to notify a moving object such as a person that there is a danger of collision with the self-propelled device without erroneously detecting the error.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a distance measuring unit that measures a distance from an object, a stop-time distance storage unit that stores a distance from the object measured by the distance measuring unit at the time when the stop is started, and the distance measuring unit. An approach determining means for determining that the moving object is approaching when the distance to the object measured in step (a) is shorter than the distance stored in the stop distance storage means and shorter than a predetermined threshold; When the object is approaching during the stop and the approach determining means determines that the moving object is approaching, the notifying means notifies the object so that the object approaches when the stop is started. Even if it is within the threshold value, which is one of the conditions for determining that the moving object is moving, it will move only when the moving object actually approaches after starting to stop without erroneously detecting that the moving object is approaching. Determined that the object is approaching By informing, it can be informed that there is a risk of collision to the moving object such as a human.

  The second invention includes an illuminance detection means, and when the illuminance detected by the illuminance detection means exceeds a predetermined threshold, the approach determination means determines whether or not the moving object is approaching, It is possible to determine whether or not the moving object has approached only when the moving object such as a person is difficult to find a self-propelled device without wasting it.

  A third invention includes a traveling means and a control means for controlling the traveling means, the illuminance detected by the illuminance detecting means exceeds the threshold value of the illuminance threshold storage means, and the moving object approaches by the approach determining means. When the moving means such as a person approaches when it is difficult to find a self-propelled device by controlling the traveling means by the control means, it is possible to Collision with a moving object can be avoided.

  4th invention is equipped with the time measuring means which time-measures the present | current time, and stops by determining whether a moving object is approaching by an approach determination means when the time by the said time measuring means is a predetermined time range. It is possible to determine whether the moving object is approaching only in a dark time zone such as a night when it is difficult for a moving object such as a person to find a self-propelled device without consuming unnecessary electric power.

  5th invention memorize | stored the threshold value for which the approach determination means memorize | stored the threshold value for determining that a moving object is approaching, the illumination intensity threshold value memory means which memorize | stored the threshold value of illumination intensity, and memorize | stored the time range A time range storage means and a setting means, the threshold value stored by the approach determination threshold storage means by the setting means, or the illuminance threshold value stored by the illuminance threshold storage means or stored in the time range storage means By setting the set time range, it is possible to determine the approach of the moving object at an arbitrary distance, an arbitrary illuminance, or an arbitrary time range.

  6th invention is set as the program for functioning a computer as all or one part of the self-propelled apparatus of 1st-5th invention, and a computer is all the self-propelled apparatus of 1st-5th invention. Alternatively, by making it function as a part, it is possible to easily realize all or part of the self-propelled device of the present invention using a general-purpose computer or server.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited by this embodiment.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a self-propelled device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, a main body 1 includes a wheel 2 as a traveling means, a motor 3 for driving the wheels 2, a control means 4 for controlling the motor 3, an ultrasonic sensor 5 for measuring a distance from an object, and a stop point. Stop distance storage means 6 capable of storing a plurality of distances to the object measured by the ultrasonic sensor 5, and distances of objects measured by the ultrasonic sensor 5 stored in the stop distance storage means 6 It is provided with an approach determining means 7 for determining that a moving object is approaching when it is shorter (or smaller) and shorter (or smaller) than a predetermined threshold, and an LCD 8 serving as a notification means.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the present embodiment, and FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 are diagrams for determining that the moving object is approaching by the approach determining means 7 in the present embodiment. Yes, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d are ultrasonic sensors installed on the main body 1, 9 is a range for determining that a moving object is approaching, 10 is an ultrasonic sensor 5a, 5b 5c and 5d are ranges in which an object can be measured, 11a is the position of the object when the main body 1 starts to stop, and 11b is a distance storage distance when the main body 1 is stopped by the approach determination means 7 A position 11c that is determined to be closer to the position stored in the means, and a position 11c that is determined that the moving object is approaching by the approach determination means 7 while the main body 1 is stopped.

  The operation and action of the self-propelled device configured as described above will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  The motor 3 is stopped by the control means 4 and the running is finished (STEP 1). Measurement values measured by the ultrasonic sensors 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d at the time when the stop is started (the ultrasonic sensors 5a, 5b, and 5c are the range 10 that can be measured by the ultrasonic sensor 5, the ultrasonic wave 5c 3 stores the range 10 that can be measured by the ultrasonic sensor 5 in the case of FIG. 3, and in the case of FIGS. 4 and 5, the position 11a of the moving object at the time of the stop is stored in the storage unit 6 at the time of stop (STEP 2). . During the stop, the distance from the object is measured by the ultrasonic sensors 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d, and the measured value becomes smaller than the measured value stored in the storage means 6 at the time of stop (in the case of FIG. 3 and FIG. When the object has moved to 11b, in the case of FIG. 5, the moving object has moved to 11c), and the measured value is within a range 9 (50 cm in this embodiment) for determining that the moving object is approaching When the approach determination means 7 determines that it has entered (when the moving object has moved to 11c in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5), the LED 8 as the notification means is turned on (STEP 4 to STEP 7). In addition, after the LED 8 is turned on, the LED 8 is turned off when the measured value measured by the ultrasonic sensors 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d is outside the range 9 for determining that the moving object is approaching. The determination means 7 determines the approach of the moving object (STEP9, STEP10).

  In the present embodiment, the ultrasonic sensor 5 is used to measure the distance to the object, but a distance measuring sensor such as an optical sensor may be used.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when a stop is started, it is erroneously detected that a moving object is approaching even if the object is already in the range (threshold) determined to be approaching. Without stopping, it can be determined that the moving object is approaching only when the object is actually approaching and notifying that the moving object such as a person is in danger of collision. .

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a self-propelled device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The main body 1 includes illuminance detection means 12 for detecting illuminance in addition to the configuration shown in FIG.

  About the self-propelled apparatus comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below.

  The motor 3 is stopped by the control means 4 and the running is finished. Measurement values measured by the ultrasonic sensors 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d at the time when the stop is started (the ultrasonic sensors 5a, 5b, and 5c are in a range 9 that can be measured by the ultrasonic sensor 5, and the ultrasonic wave c is In the case of FIG. 3, the range 9 that can be measured by the ultrasonic sensor 5, and in the case of FIG. 4 and FIG. During stoppage, when the illuminance is detected by the illuminance detection means 12 and the illuminance falls below a threshold value (50 lux in this embodiment), the approach determination means 7 determines the approach of the moving object. The subsequent determination operation or the operation after determining that the moving object is approaching is the same as in the first embodiment.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to determine whether or not a moving object has approached only when the moving object such as a person is difficult to find a self-propelled device without wasting power.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a self-propelled device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

  About the self-propelled apparatus comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below.

  The motor 3 is stopped by the control means 4 and the running is finished. Measurement values measured by the ultrasonic sensors 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d at the time when the stop is started (the ultrasonic sensors 5a, 5b, and 5c are in a range 9 that can be measured by the ultrasonic sensor 5, and the ultrasonic wave c is In the case of FIG. 3, the range 9 that can be measured by the ultrasonic sensor 5, and in the case of FIG. 4 and FIG. During stoppage, when the illuminance is detected by the illuminance detection means 12 and the illuminance falls below the threshold (50 lux in this embodiment), the distance from the object is measured by the ultrasonic sensors 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d, and the measurement is performed. The value is shorter than the measured value stored in the storage means 6 at the time of stop (in the case of FIGS. 3 and 4, when the moving object has moved to 11b, in the case of FIG. 5, the moving object has moved to 11c), and When the approach determination means 7 determines that the measured value is within the range 9 (50 cm in this embodiment) for determining that the moving object is approaching (the moving object in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 is 11c), the motor 3 is driven by the control means 2, and the ultrasonic wave measuring the direction opposite to the direction measured by the ultrasonic sensor 5c determined that the moving object is approaching the main body 1 by the wheel 2. Sensor 5a measures To move to the direction.

  In the present invention, after it is determined that the moving object is approaching, the collision with the moving object is only avoided, but the avoidance operation may be performed while the LCD 8 is turned on.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when a moving object such as a person approaches in the dark when it is difficult to find a self-propelled device, a collision with a moving object such as a person can be avoided by performing an avoidance operation. it can.

(Embodiment 4)
FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a self-propelled device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The main body 1 is provided with time measuring means 13 for measuring the current time in addition to the configuration of FIG.

  About the self-propelled apparatus comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below.

  The motor 3 is stopped by the control means 4 and the running is finished. Measurement values measured by the ultrasonic sensors 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d at the time when the stop is started (the ultrasonic sensors 5a, 5b, and 5c are in a range 9 that can be measured by the ultrasonic sensor 5, and the ultrasonic wave c is In the case of FIG. 3, the range 9 that can be measured by the ultrasonic sensor 5, and in the case of FIG. 4 and FIG. During stoppage, when the time measured by the time measuring means 13 falls within the set time range (in the present embodiment, from 0:00 am to 6:00 am), the approach determining means 7 determines whether or not the moving object is approaching. judge. The subsequent determination operation or the operation after determining that the moving object is approaching is the same as in the first embodiment.

  As described above, according to the present invention, whether or not a moving object is approaching only in a dark time zone such as a night when it is difficult for a moving object such as a person to find a self-propelled device without consuming wasteful power during a stop. Can be determined.

(Embodiment 5)
FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a self-propelled device according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. In addition to the configuration of FIG. 8, the main body 1 has an illuminance threshold storage means 14 for storing an illuminance threshold, a time range storage means 15 for storing a time range, and an approach determination means 7 for determining that a moving object is approaching. An approach determination threshold storage unit 16 storing a threshold value, an illuminance threshold of the illuminance threshold storage unit 14, a time range of the time range storage unit 15, or a setting unit 17 for setting a threshold of the approach determination threshold storage unit 16 are provided.

  About the self-propelled apparatus comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below.

  The setting means 17 sets the illuminance threshold of the illuminance detection means 12 (20 lux in the present embodiment), the time range of the time measuring means 13 (0 am to 5:00 am in the present embodiment), and the approach determination means 7 is a moving object. Is set to a threshold value (80 cm in this embodiment) and stored in the illuminance threshold value storage means 14, the time range storage means 15, and the approach determination threshold value storage means 16, respectively. Thereafter, the running is started, and after one hour has elapsed, the driving of the motor 3 is stopped by the control means 7. The time when the stop is started and the operation during the stop are the same as in the first embodiment.

  In the present embodiment, the setting means 17 sets three threshold values for illuminance, a time range, and a threshold for determining that a moving object is approaching, but either one or two are set. It doesn't matter. In the present embodiment, the motor 3 is stopped by the control means 4 after one hour has elapsed from the start of traveling. However, the measured value measured by the distance measuring means determines that the moving object is approaching. If it falls below the threshold value, it may be stopped.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to determine whether or not a moving object is approaching at an arbitrary distance, an arbitrary illuminance, or an arbitrary time range.

(Embodiment 6)
A self-propelled device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, the computer is caused to function as all or part of a configuration for causing the computer to function as all or part of the approach determination means 7.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, all or part of the self-propelled device of the present invention can be readily realized using a general-purpose computer or server.

  As described above, the self-propelled device and the program according to the present invention are information only when the stop is started, without erroneously detecting that the object is approaching, and the moving object is actually detected during the subsequent stop. Only when approaching, it is possible to determine that a moving object is approaching, and notify that there is a danger of a collision with a moving object such as a person.Therefore, a self-propelled device has a cleaning function. It can also be applied to applications such as self-propelled vacuum cleaners.

Block diagram of self-propelled device in Embodiment 1 of the present invention Same as above, flow chart of self-propelled equipment Same as above, moving object approach judgment diagram of self-propelled device Same as above, other moving object approach judgment diagram of self-propelled device Same as above, other moving object approach judgment diagram of self-propelled device Block diagram of self-propelled device in Embodiment 2 of the present invention Block diagram of self-propelled device in Embodiment 3 of the present invention Block diagram of self-propelled device in Embodiment 4 of the present invention Block diagram of self-propelled device in Embodiment 5 of the present invention

Explanation of symbols

2 wheels (traveling means)
4 Control means 5 Ultrasonic sensor (ranging means)
6 Stop distance storage means 7 Approach determination means 8 LED (notification means)
12 Illuminance detection means 13 Timekeeping means 14 Illuminance threshold storage means 15 Time range storage means 16 Approach determination threshold storage means 17 Setting means

Claims (6)

Ranging means for measuring the distance to the object, stop distance storage means for storing the distance from the object measured by the ranging means at the time of stopping, and the object measured by the ranging means And an informing means for determining that the moving object is approaching when the distance to the moving object is shorter than the distance stored in the stopping distance storage means and shorter than a predetermined threshold, A self-propelled device that notifies the notification means when the approaching means determines that the moving object is approaching. The self-propelled type according to claim 1, further comprising an illuminance detection means, wherein when the illuminance detected by the illuminance detection means exceeds a predetermined threshold, the approach determination means determines whether the moving object is approaching. machine. A travel means and a control means for controlling the travel means, when the illuminance detected by the illuminance detection means exceeds a predetermined threshold, and the approach judgment means determines that the moving object is approaching The self-propelled device according to claim 2, wherein the traveling means is controlled by the control means so as to avoid a collision with the object. 4. A time measuring means for measuring the current time is provided, and when the time by the time measuring means falls within a predetermined time range, it is determined whether the moving object is approaching by the approach determining means. The self-propelled device according to item 1. An approach determination threshold storage unit that stores a threshold for determining that a moving object is approaching by the approach determination unit, an illuminance threshold storage unit that stores an illuminance threshold, and a time range storage unit that stores a time range A threshold value stored by the approach determination threshold value storage means, a threshold value stored by the illuminance threshold value storage means, or a time range stored by the time range storage means. Item 5. The self-propelled device according to any one of items 1 to 4. A program for causing a computer to function as all or part of the self-propelled device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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