JP2014153117A - System and method for obtaining information indicating direction of mobile object - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To determine the direction to which a mobile object such as a robot is facing right now.SOLUTION: An environment side base station 40 is provided at the ceiling or the like of an area where a robot 10 (mobile object) moves, and the robot 10 is provided with a robot side base station 20. The robot 10 rotates an antenna 45 of the robot 10 or the robot side base station 20 so as to capture the environment side base station 40 (environment side wireless device 50) in the direction of an antenna array axis of the robot side base station 20, and allows the environmental side base station 40 to orient the direction (angle θ1) of the robot 10 while the environment side base station 40 is captured in the direction of the antenna array axis. On the basis of the angle θ1 and an angle θ2 that is held by the robot 10 and is formed by the axis 190 of the robot 10 and the antenna array axis of the robot side base station 20, the direction (=θ1+(180-θ2)) of the axis 190 of the robot 10 is obtained.

Description

  The present invention relates to a system and method for acquiring information indicating the direction of a moving object.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that base station information, which is information indicating the relationship between the coordinate system used by the mobile terminal for positioning and the absolute orientation, is received from the base station, and the directivity direction of the directional antenna is based on the received signal strength. It is described that a screen for guiding the user to face the base station is displayed, and information indicating the absolute direction is output based on the determined terminal position and base station information.

  In Patent Document 2, a distance and an angle of a radio communication base station antenna are measured in a state where a magnetic north reference direction is set, and a three-dimensional coordinate value is calculated. Based on the calculated three-dimensional coordinate value, The calculation of azimuth and tilt is described.

  Further, Patent Document 3 adds the declination information of each area held by the communication network and the angle (phone screen orientation) with respect to the horizontal component of the magnetic north of the mobile phone output by the compass, and the phone screen orientation relative to true north. It is described that the angle of the horizontal component of is obtained.

  Non-Patent Document 1 describes an outdoor mobile robot that estimates the position by fusing odometry information, visual odometry information, GPS information, and attitude angle information using a particle filter as a technique for causing a moving body to acquire the current position. Has been.

  Non-Patent Document 2 discloses that a wireless signal is transmitted from a plurality of antennas installed in a base station to a portable terminal carried by a pedestrian, and the phase difference between the wireless signals transmitted from each antenna is used to A position locating system that obtains a relative position and obtains the current position of the pedestrian from the obtained relative position (direction, distance) and the absolute position of the base station is disclosed.

JP2011-242165A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-286752 JP 2006-94368 A

Kazuhiko Otani, Koji Nagatani (Tohoku University), Kazuya Yoshida (Tohoku University), "Position estimation experiment in a rough terrain field of a mobile robot equipped with GPS and odometry functions", 10th System Integration Division Lecture (S12009), 2009 December 24-26, Tokyo Takenori Takeuchi, Kiminori Kono, Minoru Kono, “Development of a location detection system using the 2.4 GHz band”, The 56th Annual Conference of the Chugoku Branch of the Institute of Electrical and Information Engineering, 2005

  In recent years, development / research of robots that autonomously move indoors in underground malls, warehouses, factories, etc., and perform communication services, cleaning, security, luggage transport, etc. is underway. In providing services by robots that are premised on such autonomous movement, there are many needs to grasp the direction the robot is currently facing.

  Here, as a mechanism for acquiring a direction in which a moving body such as a robot is currently facing, a mechanism using a GPS, an electronic compass, or a gyrocompass is generally used. However, GPS cannot be used in an environment where signals sent from satellites cannot be captured, and an electronic compass cannot be used in an environment where geomagnetism cannot be detected. In addition, the gyrocompass has a drawback in that the size of the apparatus is increased because a mechanically movable part is indispensable due to its configuration.

  The present invention has been made based on such a background, and an object thereof is to provide a system and method for acquiring information indicating the direction of a moving object.

In order to achieve the above object, one of the present inventions
A wireless device that transmits a location signal, which is a wireless signal, to a wireless device that attempts to determine the current position;
The first antenna pair and the second antenna pair have a path difference between the positioning signals received by each antenna of the first antenna pair and the position received by each antenna of the second antenna pair. And the first antenna pair and the second antenna pair are arranged so that each antenna of the first antenna pair and the second antenna pair is rectangular on a plane. Based on the phase difference Δθ of the positioning signals received by the antennas of the first antenna pair or the antennas of the second antenna pair, the direction in which the wireless device exists is obtained. A base station that locates the current position of the wireless device based on the determined direction;
A system for acquiring information indicating the orientation of a moving object, configured using a position location system configured with
A mobile unit-side radio device that is the radio unit provided in the mobile unit;
An environment side base station which is the base station provided above an area in which the mobile body moves;
A mobile-side base station that is the base station provided in the mobile, and an environment-side radio device that is the radio device provided in the environment-side base station,
With
The environment-side base station performs position location based on the position location signal transmitted from the mobile-side radio apparatus, thereby the mobile body represented by a coordinate system set on a plane on which the mobile body moves. Obtain the angle θ1, which is the direction in which
The moving body is
An x-axis direction plane that is a plane perpendicular to the xy plane including the x-axis that is a coordinate axis set in the direction of one side perpendicular to the rectangle from the center of the rectangle of the antenna group of the mobile base station, or The environment-side wireless device in any direction of a y-axis direction plane that is a plane perpendicular to an xy plane including a y-axis that is a coordinate axis set in a direction perpendicular to the x-axis with the center of the rectangle as an origin To control the directivity direction of the antenna group of the mobile-side base station,
Obtain the angle θ2 formed by the direction of the machine axis set for itself and the x-axis or the y-axis,
Based on the angle θ1 and the angle θ2, the direction of the axis represented by a coordinate system set on a plane on which the moving body moves is obtained.

  According to the present invention, in the position locating system, an accurate orientation of the moving body (moving body is determined by utilizing the property that the positioning accuracy of the direction is increased along the antenna arrangement axis (x axis, y axis) of the base station. Current direction).

  Another aspect of the present invention is the system described above, wherein the mobile body is set in a direction of one side perpendicular to the rectangle with the center of the rectangle of the antenna group of the environment-side base station as an origin. An X-axis direction plane that is a plane perpendicular to the XY plane including the X-axis that is the coordinate axis, or a XY plane that includes the Y-axis that is a coordinate axis set in a direction perpendicular to the X from the center of the rectangle as the origin When present in any one of the Y-axis direction planes that are planes, based on the angle θ1 and the angle θ2, the coordinate system represented by the coordinate system set on the plane on which the moving body moves The direction of the axis will be determined.

  As described above, when the mobile body is present in the direction of the X-axis direction plane or the Y-axis direction plane of the environment-side base station, the environment-side wireless device is placed in either the X-axis direction plane or the Y-axis direction plane of the mobile-side base station. If the direction of the axis in the state captured in this direction is obtained, the orientation accuracy of the angle θ1 can be improved.

  Another aspect of the present invention is the above-described system, wherein the environment-side base station is configured such that the mobile-side radio device is the plane in the X-axis direction of the environment-side base station or the environment-side base station. It is assumed that a control mechanism for controlling to capture in any direction of the Y-axis direction plane is provided.

  In this way, by actively capturing the moving body from the environment side base station side in the direction of its own antenna arrangement axis (X axis, Y axis), the moving body is always facing with high accuracy at any time. The moving object can be acquired.

  In addition, the subject which this application discloses, and its solution method are clarified by the column of the form for inventing, and drawing.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to cause a moving body to acquire the direction in which it is currently facing.

1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a service providing system 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating main hardware of the robot 10. FIG. It is a figure which shows the main functions with which the robot 10 is provided. 2 is a diagram illustrating main hardware of a robot-side base station 20. FIG. It is a figure which shows the main functions with which the robot side base station 20 is provided. 2 is a diagram illustrating main hardware of a robot-side wireless device 30. FIG. It is a figure which shows the main functions with which the robot side radio | wireless apparatus 30 is provided. 2 is a diagram showing main hardware of an environment-side base station 40. FIG. It is a figure which shows the main functions with which the environment side base station 40 is provided. 2 is a diagram illustrating main hardware of an environment-side wireless device 50. FIG. It is a figure which shows the main functions with which the environment side radio | wireless apparatus 50 is provided. 3 is a diagram illustrating main hardware of a server device 60. FIG. It is a figure which shows the main functions with which the server apparatus 60 is provided. It is a figure which shows the data format of the position location signal 1400. FIG. It is a figure explaining the relationship between each antenna 251 which comprises the antenna group 25 of the robot side base station 20, and the antenna 55 with which the environment side radio | wireless apparatus 50 is provided. It is a figure explaining the positional relationship of the environment side radio | wireless apparatus 50 and the robot side base station. It is a figure explaining the relationship between the antenna group 25 of the robot base station 20, and the origin O, x-axis, and y-axis. It is a figure explaining the area which can be located with comparatively high precision. It is a figure explaining that the precision of a position location becomes high in the vicinity of an antenna arrangement axis. It is a figure explaining that the precision of a position location becomes high in the vicinity of an antenna arrangement axis. It is a figure explaining the mechanism which acquires the direction of the axis of the robot. It is a figure explaining the mechanism which acquires the direction of the axis of robot 10 with higher accuracy. It is a flowchart explaining an axis direction acquisition process S2000.

  FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a system (hereinafter referred to as a service providing system 1) described as an embodiment of the present invention. The service providing system 1 includes one or more robots 10 (moving bodies) that move within an area where services are provided (hereinafter also referred to as service providing areas), and a robot-side base station 20 provided in the robot 10. (Mobile-side base station), robot-side radio apparatus 30 (mobile-side radio apparatus), a plurality of environment-side base stations 40 provided at predetermined positions in the service-provided area, and environments provided in each environment-side base station 40 And a server device 60 provided in a management center of the service providing system 1.

  The robot 10 (robot-side base station 20, robot-side wireless device 30), environment-side base station 40, environment-side wireless device 50, and server device 60 are wireless or wired communication means (wireless LAN, weak wireless, dedicated line, Are connected to each other via a public line or the Internet.

  The service providing system 1 provides various services such as assistance, guidance, guidance, patrol monitoring, transportation of goods, security, etc., in facilities such as hospitals, factories, and museums. The robot 10 autonomously moves in the service providing area and provides a service while grasping the current position and posture of the robot 10 at any time by means such as odometry. In this embodiment, for simplicity of explanation, the robot 10 moves on the flat floor surface 6 in the service providing area, and the plurality of environment-side base stations 40 and the plurality of environment-side wireless devices 50 are provided. It is assumed that a ceiling surface 7 provided in parallel with the floor surface 6 is provided above the floor surface 6 in the service providing area with an appropriate interval.

  The robot-side base station 20 provided in the robot 10 functions as a base station for a location system described later. The robot-side base station 20 receives a positioning signal, which will be described later, sent from the environment-side radio device 50, and based on this, the environment-side radio device 50 (environment-side base station) viewed from itself 8 (robot 10). 40) is located (or the direction in which the device itself is seen from the environment-side wireless device 50).

  The environment-side base station 40 provided on the ceiling surface 7 functions as a base station for a location system described later. The environment-side base station 40 receives a position-locating signal (described later) sent from the robot-side radio device 30 provided in the robot 10, and based on this, the direction in which the robot 10 is seen (or the robot) The direction in which the user exists as viewed from 10 is determined.

  FIG. 2 shows the main hardware of the robot 10. As shown in the figure, the robot 10 includes a central processing unit 11 (CPU, MPU, etc.), a storage device 12 (RAM, ROM, NVRAM, hard disk device) in addition to the robot base station 20 and the robot radio device 30 described above. Etc.), input / output device 13 (numeric keypad, touch panel, liquid crystal display, voice recognition device, voice output device, etc.), clock device 14 (RTC (Real Time Clock), HPET (High Precision Event Timer), etc.), wireless communication interface 15 , A control device 16, a traveling device 17, and various sensors 18. The hardware of the robot side base station 20 and the robot side wireless device 30 will be described later.

  The central processing unit 11 implements various functions provided in the robot 10 by reading and executing a program stored in the storage device 12. The wireless communication interface 15 performs wireless communication with the server device 60.

  The control device 16 includes, for example, a control mechanism (servo motor, actuator) of a mechanical drive unit such as a robot arm. The traveling device 17 includes, for example, a power motor, a motor control device (amplifier), a speed change mechanism, and a turning control mechanism, and controls the movement and direction / posture of the robot 10 (forward, reverse, left and right turn, acceleration / deceleration, inclination, etc.) Control) and control of the directivity direction of the antenna group 25 described later (or direction control of the antenna arrangement axes described later).

  Various sensors 18 are sensors (rotation sensors (rotary encoder, resolver, etc.), angular velocity sensors, angular acceleration sensors, velocity sensors, acceleration sensors, etc.) that acquire the current position of the robot 10 and the state (posture, movement, etc.) of the robot 10. including.

  FIG. 3 shows main functions of the robot 10. As shown in the figure, the robot 10 includes an autonomous movement control unit 101, a service provision processing unit 102, a wireless device capturing unit 103, an angle θ1 acquisition unit 104, an angle θ2 acquisition unit 105, a direction acquisition unit 106, and robot state information acquisition. Unit 107 and information transmitting / receiving unit 108. These functions are realized by hardware included in the robot 10 or when the central processing unit 11 of the robot 10 reads and executes a program stored in the storage device 12. The functions of the robot-side base station 20 and the robot-side radio device 30 will be described later.

  The autonomous movement control unit 101 controls the traveling device 17, for example, the autonomous movement of the robot 10 in the service providing area while grasping the current position and posture of the robot 10 based on signals output from odometry and various sensors 18. Realize the move.

  For example, the service provision processing unit 102 controls the input / output device 13, the control device 16, and the traveling device 17 to realize various services provided by the robot 10.

  The wireless device capturing unit 103 controls (movement control, turning control, etc.) the control device 16 and the traveling device 17 (or the robot-side base station 20 or the antenna group 25 of the robot-side base station 20) and the environment-side wireless device 50. Is captured in the direction of the antenna arrangement axis of the antenna group 25 described later of the robot-side base station 20.

  The angle θ1 acquisition unit 104 receives information indicating the current position of the robot (robot 10), which is determined by the environment side base station 40, sent from the environment side base station 40, and based on the received information, The X axis in the coordinate system (X, Y) set with the environment side base station 40 as the origin and the angle θ1 (the direction in the plane parallel to the floor surface 6) as seen from the base station 40 The angle formed by the direction in which is present. Alternatively, the angle θ1 may be obtained on the environment side base station 40 side, and this may be provided (transmitted) from the environment side base station 40 to the robot 10.

  The angle θ2 acquisition unit 105 uses the x-axis (x, y) in the coordinate system (x, y) in which the x-axis and y-axis are set in the direction of the antenna arrangement axis described later of the robot-side base station 20 with the robot-side base station 20 as the origin. Alternatively, the angle θ2 formed by the y-axis) and the reference axis (hereinafter referred to as the machine axis 190) set in the robot 10 is acquired. Note that when the pointing direction of the antenna group 25 (described later) of the robot-side base station 20 is fixed with respect to the aircraft axis 190, the angle θ2 acquisition unit 105 stores the angle θ2 in the storage device 12 in advance, for example. . Further, when the antenna group 25 (described later) is provided in a state in which the directivity direction can be variably controlled with respect to the axle 190, the angle θ2 acquisition unit 105 can control the directivity direction control amount of the antenna group 25, for example, The angle θ2 is acquired from the output information of the sensor that acquires the directivity direction of the antenna group 25 with respect to the axis 190.

  The direction acquisition unit 106 determines a direction in which the robot (robot 10) is currently facing based on the angle θ1 and the angle θ2 by a method described later.

  The robot state information acquisition unit 107 receives its own current position provided from the environment-side base station 40, and a position location signal provided from the environment-side wireless device 50 and emitted from the robot-side wireless device 30 of the robot 10. Based on information such as electric field strength and measurement values of various sensors 18, an area (hereinafter, referred to as an area that can be located) in which the robot (the robot 10) can currently position the environment-side base station 40. Information indicating whether or not exists is acquired.

  The information transmitting / receiving unit 108 communicates with the server device 60, receives (downloads) various information from the server device 60, and various information used in the server device 60 (for example, information acquired by the robot state information acquiring unit 107). To the server device 60 (upload).

  FIG. 4 shows the main hardware of the robot-side base station 20. As shown in the figure, the robot side base station 20 includes a central processing unit 21 (CPU, MPU, etc.), a storage device 22 (RAM, ROM, NVRAM, hard disk device, etc.), a wireless communication interface 23, an antenna group 25, and An antenna changeover switch 26 is provided.

  The central processing unit 21 implements various functions of the base station 20 by reading and executing a program stored in the storage device 22. The wireless communication interface 23 demodulates the position location signal received from the antenna group 25 and transmitted from the environment side wireless device 50. As will be described later, the environment-side wireless device 50 may be configured as a passive device such as a passive RFID tag. In this case, the wireless communication interface 23 transmits a response inducing signal (question signal) that prompts the environment-side wireless device 50 to transmit a position location signal, and the position-location signal sent from the environment-side wireless device 50 as a response. Receive.

  The antenna group 25 includes at least four antennas 251. The antenna changeover switch 26 selects one of the antennas 251 constituting the antenna group 25 by, for example, a time division method, and connects the selected antenna 251 to the wireless communication interface 23. The antenna 251 is, for example, a directional antenna or a circularly polarized directional antenna. When the service providing system 1 is implemented indoors where obstacles such as walls exist, it is preferable to use a circularly polarized directional antenna as the antenna 251. Since the plane of polarization of a circularly polarized reflected wave (or standing wave) is inverted when reflected by a wall or the like, the reflected wave (or standing wave) is effectively attenuated by using a circularly polarized directional antenna. be able to. The antenna group 25 may be fixed to the robot 10, or may be provided in a state in which the robot 10 can be moved and controlled by a servo mechanism or the like so that the direction of the antenna group 25 can be changed.

  FIG. 5 shows main functions of the robot-side base station 20. As shown in the figure, the robot-side base station 20 includes a position location signal receiving unit 201 and a position location processing unit 202. These functions are realized by hardware provided in the robot side base station 20 or by the central processing unit 21 of the robot side base station 20 reading and executing a program stored in the storage device 22. .

  Among the above functions, the position location signal receiving unit 201 receives a position location signal (described later) sent from the environment-side wireless device 50 while controlling the wireless communication interface 23 and the antenna changeover switch 26. The position determination processing unit 202 is based on the position determination signal received by the position determination signal receiving unit 201, and the direction (angle θ2) in which the environment-side wireless device 50 (environment-side base station 40) exists as viewed from itself (robot 10). .

  FIG. 6 shows the main hardware of the robot-side radio apparatus 30. As shown in the figure, the robot side wireless device 30 includes a central processing unit 31 (CPU, MPU, etc.), a storage device 32 (RAM, ROM, NVRAM, etc.), a communication interface 33, a position location signal transmission circuit 34, and an antenna. 35. The robot-side wireless device 30 can also be configured as a passive-type device such as a passive-type RFID tag that operates using the power of the wireless signal transmitted from the environment-side base station 40, for example.

  The position location signal transmission circuit 34 transmits a position location signal (described later) from the antenna 35. When the robot-side wireless device 30 is configured as a passive device, the position location signal transmission circuit 34 transmits a location location signal in response to receiving a response inducing signal from the environment side base station 40. When the robot 10 is used indoors where obstacles such as walls exist, the antenna 35 is preferably a circularly polarized directional antenna. Since the polarization plane of the circularly polarized reflected wave (or standing wave) is inverted when reflected by an obstacle such as a wall, the reflected wave or standing wave is effective by using a circularly polarized directional antenna. Can be attenuated. The antenna 35 is provided such that its directing direction is upward (in the direction of the ceiling surface 7) or obliquely upward.

  The communication interface 33 communicates with the environment-side base station 40 and the server device 60 in a wireless or wired manner. The communication between the environment-side base station 40 and the robot 10 can be performed by using the position location signal to include information in a position location signal to be described later.

  FIG. 7 shows main functions of the robot-side radio apparatus 30. As shown in the figure, the robot-side radio apparatus 30 includes a position location signal transmission unit 301, an information storage unit 302, and an information transmission / reception unit 303. These functions are realized by hardware included in the robot-side wireless device 30 or by the central processing unit 31 of the robot-side wireless device 30 reading and executing a program stored in the storage device 32. The

  The position determination signal transmission unit 301 controls the position determination signal transmission circuit 34 to transmit a position determination signal, which will be described later, to be received by the base station 20 provided in the robot 10 from the antenna 35. The position location signal transmission unit 101 transmits a position location signal when, for example, a preset timing (for example, every predetermined time, a time set by the user) arrives. When the robot-side wireless device 30 is configured as a passive device, the position location signal transmission unit 301 transmits a position location signal as a response to the response guidance signal sent from the environment side base station 40. To do.

  The information storage unit 302 stores information about itself (for example, information indicating the installation position of the robot-side wireless device 30 (hereinafter, referred to as device installation position information)). In the apparatus installation position information, the installation position of the robot-side radio apparatus 30 is represented by, for example, a coordinate system set in the service providing area. The information transmission / reception unit 303 exchanges various information with the environment-side base station 40 and the server device 60.

  FIG. 8 shows main hardware of the environment side base station 40. As shown in the figure, the environment side base station 40 includes a central processing unit 41 (CPU, MPU, etc.), a storage device 42 (RAM, ROM, NVRAM, hard disk device, etc.), a wireless communication interface 43, an antenna group 45, and An antenna changeover switch 46 is provided. The hardware of the environment-side base station 40 is the same as that of the robot-side base station 20, and therefore the description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 9 shows main functions provided in the environment-side base station 40. As shown in the figure, the environment-side base station 40 includes a position location signal receiver 401, a position location processor 402, and a robot current position transmitter 403. Note that these functions are realized by hardware included in the environment-side base station 40 or when the central processing unit 41 of the environment-side base station 40 reads and executes a program stored in the storage device 42. .

  Among the above functions, the position determination signal receiving unit 401 receives a position determination signal (described later) sent from the robot-side wireless device 30 while controlling the wireless communication interface 43 and the antenna changeover switch 46. When the robot-side wireless device 30 is configured as a passive device, the environment-side base station 40 further includes a function of transmitting a response induction signal.

  The position location processing unit 402 determines the current position of the robot 10 as viewed from itself (environment side base station 40) based on the position location signal received by the position location signal receiving unit 401. The robot current position transmission unit 403 notifies the robot 10 of the current position of the robot 10 determined by the position determination processing unit 402.

  FIG. 10 shows the main hardware of the environment side wireless device 50. As shown in the figure, the environment-side wireless device 50 includes a central processing unit 51 (CPU, MPU, etc.), a storage device 52 (RAM, ROM, NVRAM, etc.), a communication interface 53, a position location signal transmission circuit 54, and an antenna. 55. Note that the environment-side wireless device 50 can also be configured as a passive device such as a passive RFID tag that operates using the power of a wireless signal transmitted from the robot-side base station 20, for example. .

  The position location signal transmission circuit 54 transmits a position location signal to be described later from the antenna 55. When the environment-side wireless device 50 is configured as a passive device, the position determination signal transmission circuit 54 transmits a position determination signal in response to receiving a response induction signal from the robot-side base station 20. When the robot 10 is used indoors where an obstacle such as a wall exists, the antenna 55 is preferably a circularly polarized directional antenna. Since the polarization plane of the circularly polarized reflected wave (or standing wave) is inverted when reflected by an obstacle such as a wall, the reflected wave or standing wave is effective by using a circularly polarized directional antenna. Can be attenuated.

  The antenna 55 is provided such that its directing direction is directed downward (in the direction of the floor surface 6) or obliquely downward. The communication interface 53 communicates with the robot 10 and the server device 60 in a wireless or wired manner.

  FIG. 11 shows main functions of the environment-side wireless device 50. As shown in the figure, the environment-side wireless device 50 includes a position location signal transmission unit 501, an information storage unit 502, and an information transmission / reception unit 503. These functions are realized by hardware included in the environment-side wireless device 50 or by the central processing unit 51 of the environment-side wireless device 50 reading and executing a program stored in the storage device 52. The

  The position determination signal transmission unit 501 controls the position determination signal transmission circuit 54 to transmit a position determination signal, which will be described later, to be received by the robot base station 20 from the antenna 55. The location determination signal transmission unit 501 transmits a location determination signal when, for example, a preset timing (for example, every predetermined time, a time set by the user) arrives. When the environment-side wireless device 50 is configured as a passive device, the position location signal transmission unit 501 transmits a location location signal as a response to the response induction signal transmitted from the robot side base station 20.

  The information storage unit 502 stores information related to itself (environment-side wireless device 50) (for example, information indicating its own installation position (hereinafter referred to as apparatus installation position information)). In the device installation position information, the installation position of the environment-side wireless device 50 is represented by, for example, a coordinate system set in the service providing area. The information transmission / reception unit 503 exchanges information with the robot 10 and the server device 60.

  FIG. 12 shows main hardware of the server device 60. As shown in the figure, the server device 60 includes a central processing unit 61 (CPU, MPU, etc.), a storage device 62 (RAM, ROM, NVRAM, hard disk device, etc.), an input device 63 (keyboard, mouse, etc.), a display device. 64 (liquid crystal display or the like) and a communication interface 65.

  The central processing unit 61 implements various functions of the server device 60 by reading and executing a program stored in the storage device 62. The display device 64 displays, for example, information on the current position of the robot 10, the direction in which the robot 10 is currently facing, the posture of the robot 10, the state of various facilities provided in the robot 10, and the services provided by the robot 10. The communication interface 65 communicates with the robot 10, the environment side base station 40, and the environment side wireless device 50 in a wireless or wired manner.

  FIG. 13 shows main functions of the server device 60. As shown in the figure, the server device 60 includes an information collecting unit 601, an information providing unit 602, and a setting information storage unit 603. Note that these functions are realized by hardware included in the server device 60 or by the central processing unit 61 of the server device 60 reading and executing a program stored in the storage device 62.

  The information collection unit 601 receives information about the robot 10 from the robot 10 and the environment-side base station 40 (whether the robot 10 is currently in the location area, whether the robot 10 is currently facing, The attitude, the state of various facilities provided in the robot 10, information on services provided by the robot 10, and the like).

  The information providing unit 602, for example, gives information on guidance to the destination to the robot 10, information on other robots 10 (current position of other robots 10, movement direction of other robots 10), current location of the robots 10, etc. Provide various information such as surrounding information.

  The setting information storage unit 603 stores information on each environment-side base station 40, for example, device installation position information of each environment-side base station 40 provided in the service providing area.

<Positioning system>
Next, the position location system will be described. The position locating system includes a wireless device (robot-side wireless device 30 or environment-side wireless device 50) that transmits a position-locating signal that is a spectrum-spread wireless signal, and a position determination signal (robot) 10, at least one of the robot-side base station 20, the robot-side radio device 30, the environment-side base station 40, and the environment-side radio device 50). .

  At the time of position determination by the position determination system, the wireless device transmits a position determination signal which is a radio signal subjected to spectrum spread from the antenna. In addition, when the position is determined by the position determination system, the base station periodically receives a position determination signal transmitted from a wireless device while switching a plurality of antennas constituting the antenna group (antenna group 25 or antenna group 45). To do.

  FIG. 14 shows a data format of the position location signal 1400 transmitted from the wireless device (the robot-side wireless device 30 or the environment-side wireless device 50). As shown in the figure, the position location signal 1400 includes a control signal 1411, a measurement signal 1412, and device information 1413.

  Among these, the control signal 1411 includes a modulated wave and various control signals. The measurement signal 1412 includes a non-modulated wave of about several milliseconds (for example, a signal used for detecting the direction in which the target is located relative to the base station and the relative distance from the base station to the target) (for example, a 2048 chip spread code). Is included. The device information 1413 is information indicating the installation position of the wireless device that transmitted the position location signal 1400 (for example, expressed in a coordinate system set in the service providing area. Hereinafter, this is also referred to as device installation position information). And information for identifying the wireless device (hereinafter referred to as wireless device ID).

  FIG. 15 shows a plurality of antennas 251a to 251d constituting an antenna group 25 included in a base station (the robot-side base station 20 or the environment-side base station 40. Hereinafter, the robot-side base station 20 will be described as an example). It is a figure explaining the relationship with the antenna 55 with which the environment side radio | wireless apparatus 50 is provided. As shown in the figure, the antenna group 25 has an interval equal to or less than one wavelength of the position location signal 1400 (for example, wavelength λ = 12.5 cm when a 2.4 GHz band radio wave is used as the position location signal 1400). And four circularly polarized directional antennas (hereinafter referred to as antennas 251a to 251d) arranged adjacently at regular intervals in a substantially square shape in plan view. Each of the antennas 251a to 251d is provided, for example, such that the directing direction is directed upward (toward the ceiling) or obliquely upward.

Here, the angle formed between the horizontal direction at the height of the antenna group 25 and the direction in which the environment-side wireless device 50 exists with respect to the antenna group 25 is represented by α (the environment-side wireless device 50 viewed from the robot-side base station 20). Direction)
α = arcTan (D (m) / L (m)) = arcSin (ΔL (cm) / 3 (cm))
There is a relationship. Note that D (m) is the difference between the installation height of the antenna 55 of the environment-side wireless device 50 and the height of the antenna group 25 of the robot-side base station 20 (the central portion of the area surrounded by the four antennas 251a to 251d). L (m) is the length of a line segment connecting the point where the perpendicular line dropped from the antenna 55 of the environment-side wireless device 50 intersects the plane on which the robot 10 moves and the center of the antenna group 25, and ΔL ( cm) is a difference in propagation path length to the antenna 55 of the environment-side wireless device 50 for each of the two specific antennas 251 among the antennas 251 constituting the antenna group 25 (hereinafter also referred to as a path difference). ).

Here, if the phase difference of the positioning signal 1400 received by each of the two specific antennas 251 constituting the antenna group 25 is Δθ,
ΔL (cm) = Δθ / (2π / λ (cm))
There is a relationship. In addition, when a 2.4 GHz band radio wave is used as the position location signal 1400, λ = 12.5 (cm).
α = arcSin (Δθ / π)
There is a relationship. Since α can be calculated from Δθ (radian) within the measurable range (−π / 2 <Δθ <π / 2), the environment-side wireless device 50 viewed from the robot-side base station 20 from the above equation exists. Direction α can be acquired.

As shown in FIG. 16, the ground height of the antenna 55 of the environment-side wireless device 50 is H (m), the ground height of the antenna group 25 of the base station 20 is h (m), and the environment-side wireless device 50 (the antenna 55 thereof). When the orthogonal coordinate system (X, Y, Z) is set with the intersection of the perpendicular line drawn from the plane and the plane on which the robot 10 moves as the origin, the projection of the direction α onto the XZ plane is ΔΦ (X), If the projection onto the YZ plane is ΔΦ (Y), the relative coordinates of the robot 10 with respect to the origin can be obtained from the following equation.
Δd (X) = (H−h) × Tan (ΔΦ (X))
Δd (Y) = (H−h) × Tan (ΔΦ (Y))

If the absolute coordinates of the origin are (X1, X1,0), the absolute coordinates (XX, YY, 0) of the robot 10 can be obtained from the following equation.
XX = X1 + Δd (X)
YY = Y1 + Δd (Y)

  Note that the basic principle of the positioning described above is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2004-184078, 2005-351877, 2005-351878, and 2006-23261. It has been detailed.

  By the way, when positioning is performed by the method described above, an error due to a frequency deviation generated in a crystal oscillator included in a radio apparatus or a base station becomes a problem. For example, when the frequency stability of the crystal oscillator is ± 0.5 ppm, a maximum frequency deviation (2400 Hz) of 1 ppm occurs between the wireless device and the base station, and the switching period of the antenna switch 26 of the base station is 32 μs. In this case, a phase difference (error) of 2400 Hz × 32 μs × 360 ° = 27.65 ° is generated. Therefore, in this position locating system, the error due to the frequency deviation is canceled as follows to improve the measurement accuracy.

First, for example, the phase difference of the positioning signal 1400 received by the first antenna pair (the first antenna 251a and the second antenna 251b) of the antenna group 25 of the base station (here, the robot side base station 20 will be described as an example). Δθ1 (the result of measuring the phase of the second antenna 251b with respect to the first antenna 251a (= measured value)) is the propagation path of the position location signal 1400 from the antenna 55 to the first antenna 251a of the environment-side wireless device 50. If the true value of the phase difference caused by the difference (path difference) from the propagation path of the positioning signal 1400 from the antenna 55 to the second antenna 251b of the environment-side wireless device 50 is Δθt1, and the above measurement error is F1 Can be represented by the following equation.
Δθ1 = Δθt1 + F1 Equation 1

On the other hand, the phase difference Δθ2 of the positioning signal 1400 received by the second antenna pair (the third antenna 251c and the fourth antenna 251d) of the antenna group 25 of the robot-side base station 20 (the fourth antenna with reference to the third antenna 251c). As a result of measuring the phase of 251d (= measured value), the propagation path of the positioning signal 1400 from the antenna 55 of the environment-side wireless device 50 to the third antenna 251c, and the fourth from the antenna 55 of the environment-side wireless device 50 are shown. If the true value of the phase difference caused by the difference (path difference) from the propagation path of the position location signal 1400 to the antenna 251d is Δθt2, and the measurement error is F2, it can be expressed by the following equation.
Δθ2 = −Δθt2 + F2 Equation 2

Further, taking the difference between both sides of Equation 1 and Equation 2, the following is obtained.
Δθ1−Δθ2 = (Δθt1 − (− Δθt2)) + (F1−F2) Equation 3

  Here, the first antenna pair and the second antenna pair are the path difference of the positioning signal 1400 received by the antennas 251a and 251b of the first antenna pair and the antennas 251c and 251d of the second antenna pair. Is provided so that the path difference of the position location signal 1400 received by the first position signal coincides, that is, the phase difference Δθt1 and the phase difference Δθt2 coincide with each other, and this matching value is set as θt = Δθt1 = Δθt2. The value of (Δθt1 − (− Δθt2)) on the right side is 2θt.

On the other hand, the errors F1 and F2 are generally almost the same between the measurement of the first antenna pair and the measurement of the second antenna pair, and the value of (F1-F2) on the right side is as close to 0 as possible. Become. From the above, Equation 3 is as follows.
θt = (Δθ1-Δθ2) / 2 Formula 4

  As understood from Equation 4, the measurement errors F1 and F2 in Equations 1 and 2 can be canceled by measuring the phase difference with each of the first antenna pair and the second antenna pair. Therefore, the phase difference θt can be obtained with high accuracy by measuring the phase difference using the first antenna pair and the second antenna pair.

  For example, if the AGC (Automatic Gain Controller) is provided on the phase measurement side (base station 20 side in this embodiment) to reduce the frequency deviation, the value of (F1-F2) on the right side is Furthermore, it can approach 0, and the measurement accuracy of the phase difference θt can be further improved.

<Positioning accuracy>
In the position locating system, position locating is possible with high accuracy of the order of several tens of centimeters. However, the accuracy of position determination by the position determination system is not necessarily uniform over the entire positionable area, and the position determination accuracy is determined by the base station (here, the robot side base station 20 will be described as an example) of the antenna 55 of the environment side wireless device 50. It gets higher as you get closer to.

  The orientation accuracy is determined by the arrangement direction of the antennas 251 of the robot-side base station 20, that is, as shown in FIG. 17A, the center of the four antennas 251a to 251d arranged in a square shape (the center of each of the antennas 251a to 251d). X-axis direction set in the direction of one side of the square with the origin O as a point equidistant from the origin, or the direction perpendicular to the x-axis with the center of the square as the origin O (the other side adjacent to the one side) The y-axis direction (hereinafter referred to as the x-axis or the y-axis is also referred to as an antenna arrangement axis) set in the direction) and the relative positional relationship with the antenna 55 of the environment-side wireless device 50 also changes.

  For example, when the antenna group 25 on the robot base station 20 side is arranged as shown in FIG. 17A, as shown in FIG. 17B, the vicinity of the antenna arrangement axis (perpendicular to the xy plane including the X axis). When the antenna 55 of the environment-side wireless device 50 exists in the vicinity of the plane or in the vicinity of the plane perpendicular to the xy plane including the Y axis), the direction (whether or not the target is located on the antenna arrangement axis) It has been found that relatively high orientation accuracy can be obtained. In addition, in the vicinity of the antenna array axis, the orientation (whether the target is located in the direction of the antenna array axis) is relatively high even in the vicinity of the boundary of the positionable area or in a predetermined range beyond the positionable area. Is known to be obtained. Here, it can be understood, for example, that this characteristic is obtained.

  Consider a case where the antennas 251a to 251d of the robot-side base station 20 and the antenna 55 of the environment-side wireless device 50 have the positional relationship shown in FIG. 18A. In the figure, the antenna 55 of the environment-side wireless device 50 exists in the direction of a plane perpendicular to the xy plane including the x axis. Further, in the figure, arcs 77 and 78 indicated by alternate long and short dash lines represent the wavefronts of the position location signal 1400 transmitted from the antenna 55 of the environment-side wireless device 50.

  As can be understood from the figure, there is no difference in the arrival time of the positioning signal 1400 transmitted from the antenna 55 of the environment-side wireless device 50 between the antenna 251b and the antenna 251c, and the antenna 251a and the antenna 251d Between the antennas 251b and 251c and between the antennas 251a and 251d, the phase difference in the y-axis direction is zero.

  On the other hand, there is a difference in the arrival time of the positioning signal 1400 transmitted from the antenna 55 of the environment-side wireless device 50 between the antenna 251a and the antenna 251b, and the positioning signal is also between the antenna 251c and the antenna 251d. There is a difference in the arrival time of 1400.

  FIG. 18B is a view of the antenna group 25 of the base station 20 and the antenna 55 of the environment-side wireless device 50 as viewed from the negative side of the y-axis when they are in the positional relationship of FIG. 18A. In the figure, solid lines denoted by reference numerals 81 and 82 indicate positions that reach the antenna group 25 of the robot-side base station 20 as direct waves in the position-locating signal 1400 transmitted from the antenna 55 of the environment-side wireless device 50, respectively. The orientation signal 1400. Dashed lines 91 and 92 indicate antenna groups of the robot-side base station 20 as indirect waves (multipath, reflected waves, etc.) of the position location signal 1400 transmitted from the antenna 55 of the environment-side wireless device 50, respectively. This is a position location signal 1400 that reaches 25. As described above, the positioning signal 1400 transmitted from the antenna 55 of the environment-side wireless device 50 reaches the antenna group 25 of the robot-side base station 20 in a form in which the indirect wave and the direct wave are combined.

  If attention is paid to the indirect wave 91 and the indirect wave 92, there is a difference between the arrival time to the antenna 251b and the antenna 251c and the arrival time to the antenna 251a and the antenna 251d. Therefore, the influence of the indirect wave 91 on the positioning signal 1400 received by the antenna 251b and the antenna 251c (the influence of the antenna 251b and the antenna 251c on the direct wave) and the indirect wave 92 are received by the antenna 251a and the antenna 251d. This is different from the influence on the position location signal 1400 (influence on the direct wave received by the antenna 251a and the antenna 251d). For this reason, when an indirect wave exists, the measurement accuracy of the phase difference in the x-axis direction is affected.

  On the other hand, there is no difference in arrival time between the indirect wave 91 and the indirect wave 92 between the antenna 251b and the antenna 251c, and the position determination that the indirect wave 91 and the indirect wave 92 are received by the antenna 251b and the antenna 251c, respectively. The influence on the signal 1400 (the influence on the direct wave) is the same. Further, there is no difference in arrival time between the indirect wave 91 and the indirect wave 92 between the antenna 251a and the antenna 251d, and the indirect wave 91 and the indirect wave 92 are received by the antenna 251a and the antenna 251d, respectively. The influence on 1400 (the influence on the direct wave) is the same. Therefore, the influence on the measurement accuracy of the phase difference in the Y-axis direction is reduced.

  It can be understood as described above that the orientation accuracy is the characteristic described above. In the same manner as described above, it can be understood that also in the relationship between the environment-side base station 40 and the robot-side radio apparatus 30, the localization accuracy is increased on the antenna array axis of the antenna group 25 of the environment-side base station 40. Further, according to the above, it can be understood that relatively high orientation accuracy can be obtained in the direction in the vicinity of the antenna array axis even in a situation where only indirect waves reach.

<Obtaining the direction the robot is currently facing>
By the way, if the above characteristic of the positioning system that a relatively high positioning accuracy is obtained in the vicinity of the antenna arrangement axis, the accurate direction in which the robot 10 is currently facing can be obtained by the following method. . Hereinafter, it demonstrates in order.

  First, when the robot 10 is present in an area where the environment-side base station 40 can be located (an area where the position of the position to be located can be located), the environment-side base station 40 is seen from the direction in which the robot 10 is present (floor surface). 6) (corresponding to the angle θ1 described above).

  Subsequently, the environment base station 40 is captured in the direction of the antenna array axis of the antenna group 25 of the robot side base station 20 by causing the robot 10 (or the robot side base station 20 or the antenna group 25) to turn. Let

The state at this time is shown in FIG. 19A. In the figure, the direction θ1 is an angle (= tan) formed by the X axis in the coordinate system (X, Y) in which the X axis and the Y axis are set with the environment side base station 40 as the origin and the direction in which the robot 10 exists. ⁻¹ (Δd (Y) / Δd (X))). Also, in the figure, the angle θ2 is the x axis (y axis in the coordinate system (x, y) in which the x axis and the y axis are respectively set in the direction of the antenna arrangement axis with the robot side base station 20 as the origin. Is an angle formed by a reference axis set to the robot 10 (hereinafter referred to as the machine axis 190).

  As shown in the figure, the axis 190 of the robot 10 is oriented in the direction of θ1 + (180 ° −θ2) as seen from the X axis of the coordinate system (X, Y) of the environment side base station 40. Here, if the coordinate system (X, Y) of the environment side base station 40 is an absolute coordinate system, the direction of the axis 190 of the robot 10 represented by the absolute coordinate system can be acquired. Therefore, according to this method, as long as the robot 10 exists in the positionable area of the environment-side base station 40, the exact direction in which the robot 10 is currently facing can be acquired.

  Note that the orientation accuracy of the angle θ1 (the direction in which the robot 10 is seen from the environment side base station 40 in the coordinate system (X, Y)) is the current position (Δ (X)) of the robot 10 by the environment side base station 40. , Δ (Y)), but as described above, it is relatively high when the robot 10 exists in the vicinity of the antenna arrangement axis of the environment-side base station 40 as shown in FIG. 19B, for example. The current position (Δ (X), Δ (Y)) of the robot 10 can be determined with accuracy. Therefore, the robot 10 is actively moved in the direction of the antenna arrangement axis of the antenna group 45 of the environment side base station 40, and the environment is set when the robot 10 exists in the direction of the antenna arrangement axis of the antenna group 45 of the environment side base station 40. If the position determination of the robot 10 is performed by the side base station 40, the position determination accuracy of the angle θ1 can be improved.

  Further, when the robot 10 exists in the direction of the antenna arrangement axis as described above, relatively high orientation accuracy can be obtained in the direction even when the robot 10 exists outside the area where the environment side base station 40 can be located as described above. Therefore, when the robot 10 exists in the direction of the antenna arrangement axis, the direction in which the robot 10 currently faces is accurately acquired even when the robot 10 exists outside the area where the environment-side base station 40 can be located. be able to.

On the other hand, the orientation accuracy of the angle θ2 (the angle formed by the x axis and the axis 190 of the robot 10 in the coordinate system (x, y)) is determined by the robot base station 20 in the direction of the antenna array axis of the antenna group 25. It depends on the orientation accuracy when capturing the side wireless device 50. For example, when the radius of the area where the position determination of the robot-side base station 20 is possible is 300 cm, the error of the angle θ2 is about ± 10 cm, and the positioning accuracy of the angle θ2 is ± tan ⁻¹ (10/300) = ± It is about 2 °.

<Processing example>
Next, an example of processing performed by the robot 10 when acquiring the direction in which the robot 10 (the axis 190) is currently facing will be described. FIG. 20 is a flowchart for explaining a process (hereinafter referred to as “axle direction acquisition process S2000”) performed when the robot 10 acquires a direction in which its own axis 190 is facing. During execution of the axis direction acquisition process S2000, each of the environment-side base stations 40 and the robot-side wireless device 30 provided in the service providing area repeatedly transmit the position location signal 1400 at a sufficiently short time interval. It shall be.

  As shown in the figure, the robot 10 monitors in real time the arrival timing of acquiring the exact direction in which the robot 10 is facing while providing the service while autonomously moving in the service providing area (S2011, S2012). When it is time to acquire the exact direction in which the robot is facing (S2012: YES), the robot 10 waits for reception of the orientation result of the location that is sent from the environment-side base station 40 and that is oriented with respect to itself. (S2013). Note that the above timing comes when, for example, the robot 10 is trying to correct an error accumulated in the direction in which the robot 10 is grasping by odometry or the like. Further, the above timing comes when, for example, a service that is based on the premise that the robot 10 knows the current direction is to be provided.

  Here, if the orientation result of the location that has been oriented for itself within a predetermined time cannot be received (S2013: NO), the robot 10 moves, for example, a predetermined distance from the current location (S2014), and then It waits again for the reception of the position orientation result (S2013). For example, the environment-side base station 40 determines that the robot 10 has entered its own location area when the received electric field strength of the position location signal 1400 transmitted from the robot-side radio apparatus 30 exceeds a preset threshold value. At that time, the current position of the robot 10 is determined, and the result (position determination result) is transmitted to the robot 10. Further, for example, when the environment-side base station 40 detects that the robot 10 is present in the direction of its own antenna arrangement axis from the result of position location based on the position location signal 1400 transmitted from the robot-side radio device 30, The current position of the robot 10 is transmitted to the robot 10.

  When the robot 10 receives the localization result of its current position from the environment-side base station 40 (S2013: YES), the environment-side base station 40 that has transmitted the received position-location result currently has its own antenna array axis. It is determined whether or not it exists in the direction (S2015). When the environment-side base station 40 does not exist in the direction of its own antenna arrangement axis (S2015: NO), the robot 10 performs control so that the environment-side base station 40 is caught in the direction of its own antenna arrangement axis. Here, this control is performed, for example, by turning control of the entire robot, turning control of the robot-side base station 20, turning control of the antenna group 25 in the pointing direction (S2016).

  Subsequently, the robot 10 obtains the angle θ1 from the position determination result received from the environment side base station 40 (S2017), and from the obtained angle θ1 and angle θ2 (the angle obtained by the angle θ2 obtaining unit 105), The direction in which the axis 190 is currently facing is acquired (S2018).

  Thereafter, the robot 10 resumes the provision of the service (S2011), and provides the service by using, for example, the accurate direction that the acquired robot is facing. For example, the robot 10 provides various services while correcting the odometry information using the accurate current position and direction that the robot 10 is facing, which is acquired as described above.

  As described above, according to the service providing system 1 of the present embodiment, it is possible to accurately acquire the direction in which the robot 10 is currently facing using the position location system. For this reason, even when the robot 10 is used in an environment where a GPS, an electronic compass, a gyrocompass, or the like cannot be used, for example, the robot 10 can acquire the exact direction in which the robot 10 is currently facing.

  By the way, the above description is for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and does not limit the present invention. It goes without saying that the present invention can be changed and improved without departing from the gist thereof, and that the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the case where the antennas 251a to 251d of the antenna group 25 are arranged in a square shape has been described, but the same applies to the case where the antennas 251a to 251d are arranged in a rectangular (rectangular) shape. Thus, the same effect can be obtained.

  In addition, the environment side base station 40 is provided with a control mechanism for rotating the antenna group 45 in a plane parallel to the ceiling surface 7 (floor surface 6), and the robot 10 is positively attached to its own antenna from the environment side base station 40 side. You may make it capture | acquire in the direction of an array axis | shaft (X axis, Y axis). Thereby, the orientation accuracy of the angle θ1 can be increased. In this case, the antenna group 45 may be rotated at a timing when it is detected that the robot 10 is present in the positionable area, or may be always rotated. The environment-side base station 40 does not necessarily need to rotate the directivity direction of the antenna group 45 by 360 degrees, but by rotating it by 90 degrees at least in either the left or right direction, The robot 10 can be captured quickly, and the robot 10 can be captured quickly.

  The antenna group 25 of the robot-side base station 20 and the antenna 35 of the robot-side wireless device 30 may be shared. Further, the antenna group 45 of the environment side base station 40 and the antenna 55 of the environment side wireless device 50 may be shared.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the moving body is the robot 10 has been described as an example. However, the moving body may be another type such as a person, a luggage, or a transport vehicle. The function of the server device 60 may be realized by the robot 10 or the environment side base station 40.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Service provision system 10 Robot 20 Robot side base station 30 Robot side radio | wireless apparatus 40 Environment side base station 50 Environment side radio | wireless apparatus 101 Autonomous movement control part 103 Radio | wireless apparatus capture | acquisition part 104 Angle (theta) 1 acquisition part 105 Angle (theta) 2 acquisition part 106 Direction acquisition part

Claims (6)

A wireless device that transmits a position location signal that is a wireless signal;
The first antenna pair and the second antenna pair have a path difference between the positioning signals received by each antenna of the first antenna pair and the position received by each antenna of the second antenna pair. And the first antenna pair and the second antenna pair are arranged so that each antenna of the first antenna pair and the second antenna pair is rectangular on a plane. Based on the phase difference Δθ of the positioning signals received by the antennas of the first antenna pair or the antennas of the second antenna pair, the direction in which the wireless device exists is obtained. A base station that locates the current position of the wireless device based on the determined direction;
A system for acquiring information indicating the orientation of a moving object, configured using a position location system configured with
A mobile unit-side radio device that is the radio unit provided in the mobile unit;
An environment side base station which is the base station provided above an area in which the mobile body moves;
A mobile-side base station that is the base station provided in the mobile, and an environment-side radio device that is the radio device provided in the environment-side base station,
With
The environment-side base station performs position location based on the position location signal transmitted from the mobile-side radio apparatus, thereby the mobile body represented by a coordinate system set on a plane on which the mobile body moves. Obtain the angle θ1, which is the direction in which
The moving body is
An x-axis direction plane that is a plane perpendicular to the xy plane including the x-axis that is a coordinate axis set in the direction of one side perpendicular to the rectangle from the center of the rectangle of the antenna group of the mobile base station, or The environment-side wireless device in any direction of a y-axis direction plane that is a plane perpendicular to an xy plane including a y-axis that is a coordinate axis set in a direction perpendicular to the x-axis with the center of the rectangle as an origin To control the directivity direction of the antenna group of the mobile-side base station,
Obtain the angle θ2 formed by the direction of the machine axis set for itself and the x-axis or the y-axis,
Based on the angle θ1 and the angle θ2, a direction of the axis expressed in a coordinate system set on a plane on which the moving body moves is obtained. A system for acquiring information indicating the direction of the moving body . A system for acquiring information indicating the orientation of the moving body according to claim 1,
The mobile body is an X axis that is a plane perpendicular to an XY plane including an X axis that is a coordinate axis set in the direction of one side perpendicular to the rectangle with the rectangle center of the antenna group of the environment side base station as an origin It exists in any direction of the direction plane or the Y-axis direction plane that is perpendicular to the XY plane including the Y-axis that is the coordinate axis set in the direction perpendicular to the X from the center of the rectangle. Information indicating the direction of the moving body, wherein the direction of the axis expressed in the coordinate system set on the plane on which the moving body moves is obtained based on the angle θ1 and the angle θ2. To get the system. A system for obtaining information indicating the orientation of a moving object according to claim 2,
The environment-side base station controls the mobile-side radio device to be captured in either the X-axis direction plane of the environment-side base station or the Y-axis direction plane of the environment-side base station. The system which acquires the information which shows the direction of the moving body characterized by including the control mechanism to perform. A wireless device that transmits a position location signal that is a wireless signal;
The first antenna pair and the second antenna pair have a path difference between the positioning signals received by each antenna of the first antenna pair and the position received by each antenna of the second antenna pair. And the first antenna pair and the second antenna pair are arranged so that each antenna of the first antenna pair and the second antenna pair is rectangular on a plane. Based on the phase difference Δθ of the positioning signals received by the antennas of the first antenna pair or the antennas of the second antenna pair, the direction in which the wireless device exists is obtained. A base station that locates the current position of the wireless device based on the determined direction;
A method for obtaining information indicating the orientation of a moving object, which is performed using a position location system configured to include:
A mobile unit is provided with a mobile unit side radio device as the radio unit, and an environment side base station which is the base station is provided above an area where the mobile unit moves,
The mobile unit is provided with a mobile base station that is the base station, and the environment base station is provided with an environment side radio device that is the radio device,
The environment-side base station performs position location based on the position location signal transmitted from the mobile body-side radio apparatus, whereby the mobile body represented by a coordinate system set on a plane on which the mobile body moves Obtain the angle θ1, which is the direction in which
The moving body is
An x-axis direction plane that is a plane perpendicular to the xy plane including the x-axis that is a coordinate axis set in the direction of one side perpendicular to the rectangle from the center of the rectangle of the antenna group of the mobile base station, or The environment-side wireless device in any direction of a y-axis direction plane that is a plane perpendicular to an xy plane including a y-axis that is a coordinate axis set in a direction perpendicular to the x-axis with the center of the rectangle as an origin To control the directivity direction of the antenna group of the mobile-side base station,
Obtain the angle θ2 formed by the direction of the machine axis set for itself and the x-axis or the y-axis,
Based on the angle θ1 and the angle θ2, the direction of the axis represented by a coordinate system set on a plane on which the moving body moves is obtained. . A method for obtaining information indicating a direction of a moving object according to claim 4,
The X axis which is a plane perpendicular to the XY plane including the X axis which is a coordinate axis set in the direction of one side perpendicular to the rectangle from the center of the rectangle of the antenna group of the environment side base station as the origin It exists in any direction of the direction plane or the Y-axis direction plane that is perpendicular to the XY plane including the Y-axis that is the coordinate axis set in the direction perpendicular to the X from the center of the rectangle. Information indicating the direction of the moving body, wherein the direction of the axis expressed in the coordinate system set on the plane on which the moving body moves is obtained based on the angle θ1 and the angle θ2. How to get. A method for obtaining information indicating a direction of a moving object according to claim 5,
The environment-side base station controls the mobile-side radio device to be captured in either the X-axis direction plane of the environment-side base station or the Y-axis direction plane of the environment-side base station. A method for obtaining information indicating a direction of a moving body, comprising a control mechanism for performing the above operation.

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