JP2015175604A - Reception terminal, navigation system, automatic traveling vehicle and automatic traveling system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a reception terminal or the like capable of determining a position and a direction.SOLUTION: A reception terminal 20 for acquiring an ID from a plurality of lighting devices which repeatedly transmit unique IDs superimposed on illumination light by respectively emitting the illumination light includes: an optical receiver 200 which has directivity and receives the illumination light; an acquisition section 221 which acquires the ID superimposed on the illumination light received by the optical receiver 200; a tilt detector 210 which detects a tilt of the reception terminal 20 when the optical receiver 200 receives the illumination light; memory 230 which associates and stores tilt information indicating the tilt detected by the tilt detector 210 and the ID acquired by the acquisition section 221.

Description

  The present invention relates to a receiving terminal, a navigation system, an automatic traveling vehicle, an automatic traveling system, and the like, and more particularly to a receiving terminal, a navigation system, an automatic traveling vehicle, and an automatic traveling system using visible light communication.

  In recent years, a technique for superimposing an optical signal on illumination light (visible light) from an illumination device by light intensity modulation or the like is known. Thereby, not only illumination light can be irradiated from the illumination device, but also information can be transmitted (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Optical communication (visible light communication) using such illumination light has an advantage that the communication range can be visually confirmed because the communication range is limited to the range where the illumination light can reach, compared to normal wireless communication. Alternatively, visible light communication has an advantage that the communication range can be limited to a limited space.

  As a system using such advantages, there is a navigation system. For example, an ID unique to the lighting device is transmitted from each of a plurality of lighting devices provided in the facility, and the moving body (receiving terminal) receives the ID to identify the position (current position) of the moving body. can do. With such a navigation system, it is possible to specify the position of a moving body in an indoor or underground shopping area where GPS (Global Positioning System) radio waves are difficult to reach.

JP 2012-147316 A

  In the above conventional technique, when visible light communication is used, the receiving terminal can acquire the approximate position of itself, but cannot determine the direction.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a receiving terminal, a navigation system, an automatic traveling vehicle, and an automatic traveling system that can determine a position and a direction.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, a receiving terminal according to an aspect of the present invention receives the ID from a plurality of lighting devices that each repeatedly transmit a unique ID superimposed on the illumination light by emitting illumination light. A receiving terminal for obtaining a light receiver having directivity, the light receiving device for receiving the illumination light, an acquisition unit for obtaining an ID superimposed on the illumination light received by the light receiver; Correspondence between an inclination detector that detects the inclination of the receiving terminal when a light receiver receives the illumination light, inclination information indicating the inclination detected by the inclination detector, and an ID acquired by the acquisition unit And a memory for storing the data.

  In addition, for example, when the receiving terminal exists in an overlapping area where the first illumination light and the second illumination light overlap and illuminate among the plurality of illumination lights, (i) the reception terminal (Ii) receiving the second illumination light in a state where the receiving terminal is tilted at the second tilt, and the acquisition unit is configured to receive the first illumination light in a state tilted at the first tilt. The first ID superimposed on the first illumination light and the second ID superimposed on the second illumination light may be acquired.

  For example, the receiving terminal may further include a determination unit that determines a direction of the receiving terminal and an area where the receiving terminal exists based on the first ID and the second ID.

  In addition, for example, the receiving terminal further includes a display unit that displays a map, a position of the first illumination device that emits the first illumination light, and a position of the second illumination device that emits the second illumination light. A display control unit that displays the determined direction and area on the map may be provided.

  Moreover, the navigation system which concerns on 1 aspect of this invention is a navigation system provided with the said receiving terminal and these illumination devices.

  In addition, the automatic traveling vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention travels on a traveling path formed by a plurality of lighting devices that each repeatedly transmit a unique ID superimposed on the illumination light by emitting illumination light. An automatic traveling vehicle that is a light receiver having directivity, the light receiver that receives the illumination light, the acquisition unit that acquires the ID superimposed on the illumination light received by the light receiver, and An inclination control unit that changes the inclination of the light receiver over time and acquires inclination information indicating the inclination of the light receiver when the light receiver receives the illumination light, and the light receiver converts the illumination light A timer for obtaining time information indicating the time when the data was received, a memory for associating the ID, the inclination information, and the time information with each other and storing them as travel information, and travel information stored in the memory Based on the automatic And a determination unit for determining the traveling direction of the line car.

  In addition, for example, the plurality of illumination devices repeatedly transmit a first unique illumination ID superimposed on the first illumination light and a unique second ID superimposed on the second illumination light. 2 illuminating devices, the travel path includes an overlapping area where the first illumination light and the second illumination light overlap and illuminates, and the determination unit is configured such that the light receiver receives the first illumination light and the When at least one of the second illumination lights cannot be received, it may be determined that there is an error in the traveling direction of the automatic traveling vehicle.

  Further, for example, the tilt control unit tilts the light receiver to the left and right with respect to the traveling direction of the autonomous vehicle, and the determination unit includes the first sensor with the light receiver tilted to the left at a first angle. When the first illumination light is received and the second illumination light is received in a state tilted to the right at a second angle that is substantially the same as the first angle, it is determined that the traveling direction of the autonomous vehicle is correct. May be.

  Further, for example, the memory may further store the ID, the tilt information, and the time information as appropriate travel information when traveling on a correct travel path in advance.

  Further, for example, the determination unit determines that there is an error in the traveling direction of the automatic traveling vehicle when the traveling information deviates from an error range that is a predetermined range based on the appropriate traveling information. Also good.

  Moreover, the automatic traveling system which concerns on 1 aspect of this invention is an automatic traveling system provided with the said automatic traveling vehicle and these illumination devices.

  According to the present invention, the position and direction can be determined.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the navigation system which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the illuminating device which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the receiving terminal which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the receiving terminal which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the inclination of a receiving terminal when acquiring ID1 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the inclination of a receiving terminal when acquiring ID2 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows ID and inclination information memorize | stored in the memory which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the receiving terminal which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the application display screen which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a top view which shows the structure of the automatic traveling system which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the state which the light receiver of the automatic traveling vehicle which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention inclines. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the light receiver of the automatic traveling vehicle which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the automatic traveling vehicle which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a figure which shows ID which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention, inclination information, and time information. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the automatic traveling vehicle which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the relationship between the automatic traveling vehicle which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention, and an illumination area. It is a figure which shows the structure of the automatic traveling vehicle which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the automatic traveling vehicle which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the automatic traveling vehicle which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the illuminating device which concerns on Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the data of the optical communication which concerns on Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the conventional navigation system.

(Knowledge that became the basis of the present invention)
The present inventor has found that the following problems occur regarding the receiving terminal and the navigation system described in the “Background Art” column.

  Details of the conventional problem will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional navigation system.

  FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional navigation system. As shown in FIG. 19, the four lighting devices 60 a to 60 d are arranged near the entrance to the intersection. The illumination devices 60a to 60d repeatedly transmit IDa to IDd by irradiating the illumination areas 61a to 61d with illumination light in which unique IDa to IDd are superimposed.

  For example, when receiving the IDa, the receiving terminal 70 can determine that it is in the illumination area 61a. However, the receiving terminal 70 cannot determine which direction it is facing.

  Here, when the receiving terminal 70 moves to the illumination area 61b, the receiving terminal 70 can acquire IDb. Thereby, the receiving terminal 70 can recognize that it moved to the illumination area 61b from the illumination area 61a by acquiring ID1 and ID2 in order.

  As described above, conventionally, when the receiving terminal moves, it is possible to sequentially obtain IDs from a plurality of lighting devices and determine the direction in which the receiving terminal has moved.

  However, in this case, the receiving terminal must be moved to each communication area of the plurality of lighting devices, which is not convenient for the user. It is preferable for the user to be able to determine the position and direction on the spot without moving.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a receiving terminal, a navigation system, an automatic traveling vehicle, and an automatic traveling system that can determine the position and direction without moving.

  In order to solve such a problem, the receiving terminal according to one embodiment of the present invention provides IDs from a plurality of lighting devices that each repeatedly transmit a unique ID superimposed on the illumination light by emitting the illumination light. A receiver having a directivity, a receiver that receives illumination light, an acquisition unit that acquires an ID superimposed on the illumination light received by the receiver, and a receiver For associating and storing an inclination detector for detecting the inclination of the receiving terminal when receiving illumination light, inclination information indicating the inclination detected by the inclination detector, and the ID acquired by the acquisition unit And a memory.

  Thereby, by storing the tilt information and the ID in association with each other in the memory, when an overlapping area in which a plurality of illumination lights from a plurality of illumination devices overlap is provided, the receiving terminal does not move, You can determine which direction you are facing.

  Hereinafter, a receiving terminal, a navigation system, an automatic traveling vehicle, and an automatic traveling system according to embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that each of the embodiments described below shows a preferred specific example of the present invention. Therefore, the numerical values, shapes, materials, components, component arrangements, connection forms, and the like shown in the following embodiments are merely examples, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Therefore, among the constituent elements in the following embodiments, constituent elements that are not described in the independent claims showing the highest concept of the present invention are described as optional constituent elements.

  Each figure is a mimetic diagram and is not necessarily illustrated strictly. Moreover, in each figure, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the same structural member.

(Embodiment 1)
[Navigation system overview]
First, an outline of the navigation system according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a navigation system 1 according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the navigation system 1 according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of lighting devices 10 (lighting devices 10 a and 10 b) and a receiving terminal 20. The navigation system 1 is a system that performs navigation of the receiving terminal 20 and a user who has the receiving terminal 20 using visible light communication.

  The navigation is to guide the receiving terminal 20 and the user to a predetermined position (destination), and includes, for example, notifying the approximate current location and direction of the receiving terminal 20 and the approximate location of the destination. It is out. That is, the navigation includes not only guiding the user by actually notifying the route to the destination, but also simply notifying the position information and the direction.

  Each of the plurality of lighting devices 10 repeatedly transmits a unique ID superimposed on the illumination light by emitting the illumination light.

  Specifically, the illumination device 10a repeatedly transmits ID1 by irradiating the illumination area 11a with the first illumination light on which the unique ID (ID1) is superimposed. Similarly, the illumination device 10b repeatedly transmits ID2 by irradiating the illumination area 11b with the second illumination light on which the unique ID (ID2) is superimposed.

  At this time, the illumination area 11a and the illumination area 11b overlap as shown in (a) and (b) of FIG. 1A shows a side view, and FIG. 1B shows a plan view. In addition, FIG. 1B does not show the illumination devices 10a and 10b.

  When the receiving terminal 20 exists in the overlapping area 12, the receiving terminal 20 can acquire ID1 by receiving the first illumination light from the lighting device 10a, and the second lighting from the lighting device 10b. By receiving light, ID2 can be acquired.

  At this time, when receiving the first illumination light and the second illumination light at the same time, the receiving terminal 20 cannot acquire the ID because the optical waveforms overlap. Therefore, the receiving terminal 20 can acquire ID1 and ID2 by receiving the first illumination light and the second illumination light at different timings.

[Lighting device]
Next, the illumination device 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the illumination device 10 according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the lighting device 10 includes a lighting module 100 and a signal generator 110.

  The illumination module 100 repeatedly transmits the unique ID superimposed on the illumination light by emitting the illumination light. The illumination light is, for example, light in the visible light band having a wavelength of about 380 nm to 780 nm. Note that the illumination module 100 may emit infrared light as illumination light. That is, the illumination module 100 may emit light in the visible light band or the infrared light band as illumination light.

  Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the illumination module 100 includes a current source 101, a capacitor 102, a light emitting unit 103, a load 104, and a switch transistor 105.

  The current source 101 supplies a constant current to the light emitting unit 103. The current source 101 receives AC power from, for example, a system power supply and converts the power into DC power, thereby supplying a constant current to the light emitting unit 103. Note that the current flowing through the light emitting unit 103 is actually not completely constant, and includes fluctuation due to the operation of the switch transistor 105.

  The capacitive element 102 is, for example, a smoothing capacitor, suppresses fluctuations in the current flowing through the light emitting unit 103, and removes noise.

  The light emitting unit 103 includes a plurality of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) connected in series, and generates illumination light. The plurality of LEDs are, for example, white LEDs, but may partially include LEDs of other colors. Moreover, the light emission part 103 should just have the responsiveness with respect to the switching speed of the switch transistor 105, for example, may contain organic EL (Electro Luminescence) light-emitting body or an inorganic EL light-emitting body instead of some LED.

  The load 104 is a load circuit connected in series with the light emitting unit 103 and having a resistance component.

  The switch transistor 105 is connected to the load 104 in parallel, and is, for example, a power MOS transistor for power control having a large current capacity and a small on-resistance. When the switch transistor 105 is off, the current from the current source 101 flows through the light emitting unit 103 and the load 104. On the other hand, when the switch transistor 105 is on, the current from the current source 101 flows through the light emitting unit 103 and the switch transistor 105.

  In other words, the current flowing through the light emitting unit 103 varies depending on whether the switch transistor 105 is on or off, and the brightness of the illumination light varies. Thus, the switch transistor 105 controls the brightness of the illumination light. In optical communication, digital data is transmitted as light and dark. That is, digital data (ID) is superimposed on the illumination light (see FIG. 18).

  The signal generator 110 includes, for example, a memory for storing an ID unique to the lighting device 10. The signal generator 110 generates a gate signal to the switch transistor 105 so as to superimpose the ID stored in the memory on the illumination light. For example, the signal generator 110 generates a gate signal in accordance with a communication frame defined in CP-1223 “Visible Light Beacon System” of the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association Standard (JEITA).

  Specifically, the signal generator 110 repeatedly transmits a frame indicating an ID at a constant period. Each frame has fixed-length data including a preamble indicating the head of the frame, type information indicating the type of the frame, a payload indicating arbitrary information (here, ID), and an error detection code of the frame. For example, it is a CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) code.

  In the present embodiment, the signal generator 110 uses pulse position modulation (PPM: Pulse Position Modulation) of N (integer of 2 or more) value as light intensity modulation. For example, in 4PPM, 2 bits are expressed by one symbol having a fixed time length (see FIG. 18).

[Receiving terminal]
Next, reception terminal 20 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an appearance of receiving terminal 20 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of receiving terminal 20 according to the present embodiment.

  As illustrated in FIG. 3, the receiving terminal 20 is a portable information terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal. The receiving terminal 20 is a terminal that acquires IDs from a plurality of lighting devices. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the reception terminal 20 includes a light receiver 200, a tilt detector 210, a processor 220, a memory 230, a wireless unit 240, and an external output unit 250.

  The light receiver 200 is a light receiver having directivity, and receives illumination light. For example, the light receiver 200 is a light receiver that receives only light incident from a predetermined range.

  For example, the light receiver 200 includes a light receiving element that receives illumination light and photoelectrically converts the received illumination light to generate and output an electrical signal. The light receiving element is, for example, a photodiode, a phototransistor, a photoconductor, or the like.

  The inclination detector 210 detects the inclination of the receiving terminal 20 when the light receiver 200 receives illumination light. Specifically, the inclination detector 210 is a triaxial acceleration sensor or an angular velocity sensor (gyro sensor). For example, the inclination detector 210 detects how many times the receiving terminal 20 is inclined in a predetermined direction with reference to a state parallel to the ground. The inclination detected by the inclination detector 210 is stored in the memory 230 as inclination information.

  Note that the predetermined directions are, for example, left, right, front, and rear. Here, left, right, front, and rear are, for example, the left direction, the right direction, the upper direction, and the lower direction in FIG. In FIG. 3, the direction toward the paper surface is vertically downward.

  The processor 220 controls the overall operation of the receiving terminal 20. For example, the processor 220 controls the overall operation of the receiving terminal 20 by executing a program stored in the memory 230. For example, the processor 220 guides the movement of the user based on the ID received from the lighting device 10 by executing a navigation program.

  As illustrated in FIG. 4, the processor 220 includes an acquisition unit 221, a determination unit 222, and a display control unit 223 as functional configurations.

  The acquisition unit 221 acquires the ID superimposed on the illumination light received by the light receiver 200. Specifically, the acquisition unit 221 acquires the ID by demodulating the electrical signal generated by the light receiver 200. For example, the acquisition unit 221 demodulates an electrical signal including an ID subjected to N-value pulse position modulation to the original ID.

  The determination unit 222 determines the direction of the receiving terminal 20 and the presence area where the receiving terminal 20 exists based on the plurality of IDs acquired from the plurality of lighting devices 10. For example, the overlapping area 12 includes the first ID (ID1) superimposed on the first illumination light emitted from the illumination device 10a and the second ID (ID2) superimposed on the second illumination light emitted from the illumination device 10b. Suppose that the receiving terminal 20 has acquired the above. At this time, the determination unit 222 determines the direction of the receiving terminal 20 and the presence area where the receiving terminal 20 exists based on the first ID and the second ID.

  The display control unit 223 displays the positions of the plurality of lighting devices 10, the direction and presence area determined by the determination unit 222 on the map displayed by the display unit 251. Specifically, the display control unit 223 causes the display unit 251 to display a map based on the map information. Further, the display control unit 223 displays the position of the illumination device 10a that has emitted the first illumination light, the position of the illumination device 10b that has emitted the second illumination light, and the determined direction and presence area on the map. Let

  Specific operations of the determination unit 222 and the display control unit 223 will be described later with reference to FIG.

  The memory 230 is a memory for storing the inclination information indicating the inclination detected by the inclination detector 210 and the ID acquired by the acquisition unit 221 in association with each other. The memory 230 stores history information 231 and a position DB 232. The memory 230 is a non-volatile recording medium such as a flash memory, for example.

  The history information 231 is information in which inclination information indicating the inclination detected by the inclination detector 210 and the ID acquired by the acquisition unit 221 are associated with each other. The history information 231 may include time information indicating the time when the light receiver 200 receives illumination light. That is, the memory 230 may store the tilt information, the time information, and the ID in association with each other.

  The position DB 232 is a database in which IDs of a plurality of lighting devices 10 are associated with position information, a database having map information representing a map including the position information, and the like. Note that the memory 230 may not store the position DB 232. In this case, for example, the radio unit 240 may acquire the position DB 232 from an external server device or the like.

  The memory 230 stores a program such as a navigation program or an OS (Operating System) program that operates the receiving terminal 20 as an information terminal. For example, the memory 230 includes a cache memory, a main memory, and an auxiliary storage device.

  The wireless unit 240 includes a plurality of wireless communication modules according to wireless communication standards. For example, the wireless unit 240 includes a Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard module that performs close proximity wireless communication.

  In addition, the wireless unit 240 includes a communication module that connects to a wireless LAN such as WiFi, for example. For example, when a wireless LAN access point exists around the receiving terminal 20, the wireless unit 240 can be connected to the access point. Thereby, for example, the display control unit 223 accesses various databases of the server device on the Internet via the wireless LAN and the access point, and acquires position information indicating the position of the lighting device 10, map information, and the like. Can do.

  The wireless unit 240 may include a communication module that wirelessly connects to a base station of a mobile phone, for example. Thereby, the display control part 223 can access the various databases of said server apparatus via the radio | wireless part 240 and a base station.

  The external output unit 250 includes a display unit 251 and an audio output unit 252.

  The display unit 251 has a display panel, and displays a map during the execution of the navigation program. Marks indicating the position, passage, room, building, etc. of the lighting device 10 are added to the map. The display panel is a touch panel, for example, and can accept user operations.

  The audio output unit 252 has a speaker, an earphone jack, and the like, and outputs an audio indicating the approximate current position of the receiving terminal 20, specifically, the position of the lighting device 10 during execution of the navigation program.

[Overlapping area]
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the overlapping area 12 is provided by a plurality of illumination lights from the plurality of illumination devices 10. The overlapping area 12 is an area where the first illumination light emitted from the illumination device 10a and the second illumination light emitted from the illumination device 10b overlap and illuminate. In other words, the overlapping area 12 is an area where the illumination area 11a and the illumination area 11b overlap.

  At this time, the receiving terminal 20 according to the present embodiment includes the light receiver 200 having directivity, and thus can receive the first illumination light and the second illumination light in the overlapping area 12 respectively. Specifically, when there is a receiving terminal in the overlapping area 12, the light receiver 200 receives the first illumination light in a state where the receiving terminal 20 is tilted at the first tilt, and tilts at the second tilt. The second illumination light is received in the state.

  FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating the inclination of the receiving terminal 20 when acquiring ID1 and ID2 according to the present embodiment, respectively.

  For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5A, the light receiver 200 receives the first illumination light emitted from the illumination device 10a in a state where the receiving terminal 20 existing in the overlapping area 12 is tilted by θ1 degree to the left. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 5B, the light receiver 200 receives the second illumination light emitted from the illumination device 10b in a state where the receiving terminal 20 existing in the overlapping area 12 is tilted by θ2 degrees to the right.

  Thereby, the acquisition unit 221 acquires the first ID (ID1) superimposed on the first illumination light and the second ID (ID2) superimposed on the second illumination light. Then, the memory 230 stores ID1 and ID2 acquired by the acquisition unit 221 and inclination information (θ1 and θ2) indicating inclination detected by the inclination detector 210 in association with each other and stored as history information 231. The history information 231 is as shown in FIG. 6, for example.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing IDs and inclination information stored in the memory 230 according to the present embodiment. Specifically, FIG. 6 shows history information 231.

  As illustrated in FIG. 6, the tilt information indicates a direction in which the receiving terminal 20 is tilted when the light receiver 200 receives illumination light, and an angle when the light receiver 200 receives illumination light. For example, the tilted direction is “left” or “right”, and the angle is represented by a numerical value such as “30 ° 15′20” ”.

  Note that the tilt information may include only the tilted direction. The determination unit 222 can determine the direction of the receiving terminal 20 only with information such as “left” or “right”. The numerical value indicating the degree of inclination is not limited to the angle.

[Operation]
Next, the operation of receiving terminal 20 according to the present embodiment will be described using FIG. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation of receiving terminal 20 according to the present embodiment. Hereinafter, a case where the receiving terminal 20 exists in the overlap area 12 will be described.

  First, the user tilts the receiving terminal 20 (S10).

  With the receiving terminal 20 tilted to a predetermined inclination, the light receiver 200 receives illumination light (Yes in S11). Note that the user may change the angle and direction in which the receiving terminal 20 is tilted (return to S10) until the illumination light is correctly received (No in S11). In addition, when receiving the illumination light, the receiving terminal 20 may notify the user that the light reception is successful by sound or vibration.

  Next, when the light receiver 200 receives illumination light, the acquisition unit 221 acquires the ID of the illumination light received by the light receiver 200 (S12). Further, the tilt detector 210 acquires tilt information by detecting the tilt when the light receiver 200 receives illumination light. Then, the memory 230 stores the ID and the tilt information in association with each other (S13).

  Next, the determination unit 222 determines whether two or more IDs have been acquired (S14). Specifically, it is determined whether or not two or more IDs are stored in the memory 230. When two or more IDs cannot be acquired (No in S14), the receiving terminal 20 waits until two or more IDs can be acquired.

  At this time, the receiving terminal 20 may prompt the user to acquire another ID. Specifically, the receiving terminal 20 may display a text message “Please turn to another lighting device” on the display unit 251. Alternatively, the receiving terminal 20 may output the audio from the audio output unit 252.

  When two or more IDs can be acquired (S14), the determination unit 222 acquires position information based on the plurality of IDs (S15). Specifically, the determination unit 222 acquires position information corresponding to an ID acquired from an external server device or the like via the wireless unit 240. When the memory 230 stores the position DB 232, the determination unit 222 may obtain the position information by reading the position information from the memory 230.

  Next, the determination unit 222 acquires map information corresponding to the acquired position information (S16). Specifically, the determination unit 222 acquires map information indicating a map including all of the acquired plurality of position information from the external server device or the memory 230. The map including all of the acquired plurality of position information is, for example, a floor map.

  Next, the determination unit 222 determines the presence area based on the plurality of IDs (S17). Specifically, the determination unit 222 determines the presence area based on position information corresponding to a plurality of IDs. For example, the determination unit 222 determines the overlapping area 12 as an existing area.

  The existence area may be, for example, a range drawn by a circle whose center is the middle point of a plurality of pieces of position information and has a predetermined radius. The radius at this time is, for example, the distance from the middle point to the nearest lighting device. Alternatively, the existence area may be a range drawn by a minimum circle including all of a plurality of pieces of position information.

  Next, the determination unit 222 determines the direction of the receiving terminal 20 based on the correspondence relationship between the inclination information and the ID (S18). That is, the determination unit 222 determines the direction of the receiving terminal 20 based on the history information 231. Specifically, when the determination unit 222 acquires ID1 with the receiving terminal 20 tilted to the left and acquires ID2 with the receiving terminal 20 tilted to the right, the receiving terminal 20 It determines with it being the direction perpendicular | vertical with respect to the line segment which ties 10a and the illuminating device 10b, and facing the front. In other words, it can be seen that the user stands on the line connecting the lighting device 10a and the lighting device 10b such that the lighting device 10a is on the left side and the lighting device 10b is on the right side.

  Finally, the display control unit 223 displays a map on the display unit 251 using the map information, and displays a plurality of position information corresponding to a plurality of IDs, a presence area, and a direction thereof on the map ( S19). Thereby, for example, a screen as shown in FIG. 8 is displayed on the display unit 251 of the receiving terminal 20.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the application display screen according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 8, an ellipse 260 indicates an existing area, and an arrow 261 indicates a direction. In addition, the display screen shows the positions of the illumination devices 10a and 10b corresponding to ID1 and ID2.

  In the above example, only the direction in which the receiving terminal 20 is tilted is described as the tilt information. However, by using the angle, the presence area and the direction can be determined with higher accuracy.

  For example, it is assumed that the receiving terminal 20 obtains ID1 by inclining the angle θ1 to the left and obtains ID2 by inclining the angle θ2 to the right. At this time, assuming that the difference in height between the receiving terminal 20 and the lighting device 10a or 10b is H, the determination unit 222 determines that the receiving terminal 20 is centered on the lighting device 10a and a circle with a radius Htanθ1 and the lighting device 10b. Can be determined to be near the intersection with the circle of radius Htanθ2.

  The height difference H can be calculated by subtracting the height of the receiving terminal 20 from the floor from the height from the floor to the lighting device 10a or 10b. Since the height from the floor to the lighting device 10a or 10b is fixed, it can be included in the position information. Moreover, the height of the receiving terminal 20 can be set in advance as a general height (for example, 1.5 m) when a human stands and operates.

[Summary]
As described above, receiving terminal 20 according to the present embodiment receives IDs from a plurality of lighting devices 10 that repeatedly transmit unique IDs superimposed on illumination light by emitting illumination light. The terminal 20 is a light receiver having directivity, the light receiver 200 that receives illumination light, the acquisition unit 221 that acquires the ID superimposed on the illumination light received by the light receiver 200, and the light receiver. The inclination detector 210 that detects the inclination of the receiving terminal 20 when the 200 receives illumination light, the inclination information indicating the inclination detected by the inclination detector 210, and the ID acquired by the acquisition unit 221 are associated with each other. And a memory 230 for storing.

  In addition, the navigation system 1 according to the present embodiment is a navigation system including the receiving terminal 20 and a plurality of lighting devices 10.

  Accordingly, by storing the inclination information and the ID in association with each other in the memory 230, for example, when the overlapping area 12 where a plurality of illumination lights from the plurality of illumination devices 10 overlap is provided, the reception terminal 20 Without moving, it is possible to determine which direction it is facing. Moreover, since position information can be acquired based on the ID, the direction and position can be determined.

  In addition, for example, when the receiving terminal 20 exists in the overlapping area 12 where the first illumination light and the second illumination light overlap and illuminate among the plurality of illumination lights, (i) the reception terminal 20 (Ii) the receiving terminal 20 receives the second illumination light in a state tilted at the second tilt, and the acquisition unit 221 receives the first illumination light. The first ID superimposed on and the second ID superimposed on the second illumination light are acquired.

  Thereby, since the light receiver 200 having directivity is provided, a plurality of IDs are appropriately acquired by tilting the receiving terminal 20 so that the light receiver 200 faces each of the plurality of lighting devices 10 even in the overlapping area 12. can do.

  For example, the receiving terminal 20 further includes a determination unit 222 that determines the direction of the receiving terminal 20 and the area where the receiving terminal 20 exists based on the first ID and the second ID.

  Thus, since the determination unit 222 determines the direction and position, the user can know which position and direction he / she is facing by simply looking at or hearing the determination result.

  In addition, for example, the receiving terminal 20 further determines the display unit 251 that displays a map, the position of the illumination device 10a that emits the first illumination light, and the position of the illumination device 10b that emits the second illumination light. A display control unit 223 for displaying directions and areas on a map;

  Thereby, since the direction and the approximate current position are displayed on the map, the user can easily know which position and direction he / she is facing. Therefore, user convenience can be improved.

(Embodiment 2)
[Outline of Automated Driving System]
Next, an outline of the automatic traveling system according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the configuration of the automatic traveling system 2 according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the automatic traveling system 2 according to the second embodiment includes a plurality of lighting devices (ID1 to ID6) and an automatic traveling vehicle 30. The automatic traveling system 2 is a system that causes the automatic traveling vehicle 30 to travel on the traveling path 13 using visible light communication.

  For example, the automatic traveling system 2 can be used for an automatic conveyance system that conveys luggage in factories and warehouses. Alternatively, the automatic traveling system 2 may be used for a self-propelled cleaner (so-called robot cleaner) in a home.

  The six illumination devices 10a to 10f shown in FIG. 9 irradiate the illumination areas 11a to 11f with illumination light emitted from each. For example, the illuminating devices 10a to 10f are spotlights and irradiate the illumination areas 11a to 11f.

  At this time, the six lighting devices 10a to 10f constitute two pairs. An overlapping area is formed by the pair of lighting devices.

  Specifically, the overlap area 12 is an area where the illumination area 11a and the illumination area 11b overlap. The overlapping area 12a is an area where the illumination area 11c and the illumination area 11d overlap. The overlap area 12b is an area where the illumination area 11e and the illumination area 11f overlap.

  The travel path 13 is formed by a plurality of lighting devices 10a to 10f. Specifically, the travel path 13 is provided between a pair of lighting devices. For example, the traveling path 13 is provided so as to pass between the illumination devices 10a and 10b, between the illumination devices 10c and 10d, and between the illumination devices 10e and 10f. The travel path 13 is provided such that the distance from the paired two illumination devices is substantially constant. Specifically, the travel path 13 includes overlapping areas 12, 12a, and 12b. In other words, the travel path 13 is formed by the overlapping areas 12, 12a, and 12b.

  Below, it demonstrates centering on a different point from Embodiment 2. FIG.

[Outline of automatic vehicle and receiver]
Next, the outline | summary of the automatic traveling vehicle 30 which concerns on this Embodiment, and the light receiver 200 with which the automatic traveling vehicle 30 is provided are demonstrated using FIG. 10A and 10B. FIG. 10A is a plan view showing a state in which the light receiver 200 of the automatic traveling vehicle 30 according to the present embodiment is tilted. FIG. 10B is a perspective view showing an appearance of the light receiver 200 of the automatic traveling vehicle 30 according to the present embodiment.

  The automatic traveling vehicle 30 according to the present embodiment is, for example, an automatic transport vehicle that can automatically transport a load. As shown to (a) of FIG. 10A, the automatic traveling vehicle 30 is provided with the light receiver 200, the wheel 31, and the support part 32. FIG.

  The light receiver 200 is the same as the light receiver 200 shown in the first embodiment. However, the light receiver 200 according to the present embodiment is rotatably supported by the support portion 32. For example, as shown in (b) and (c) of FIG. 10A, the light receiver 200 is rotatable so as to be tilted left and right with respect to the traveling direction of the automatic traveling vehicle 30. In other words, the rotation direction (inclination direction) of the light receiver 200 is a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the automatic traveling vehicle 30.

  The wheels 31 are provided to make the automated traveling vehicle 30 travel smoothly. In the present embodiment, the automated traveling vehicle 30 includes four wheels 31, but is not limited thereto. At least one of the plurality of wheels 31 included in the automatic traveling vehicle 30 is movable in the direction of the axis of rotation. Thereby, the automatic traveling vehicle 30 can change the traveling direction.

  The support part 32 supports the light receiver 200. For example, the support part 32 supports the light receiver 200 so that rotation is possible.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 10B, the two support portions 32 are arranged side by side in the traveling direction of the automatic traveling vehicle 30. The two support parts 32 hold | maintain the rod-shaped member 33 so that rotation is possible.

  The two rod-shaped members 33 sandwich the light receiver 200. Specifically, the two rod-shaped members 33 sandwich the central portion of the side surface of the light receiver 200. For example, in the top view, the light receiver 200 is line symmetric with respect to the two rod-shaped members 33 as axes of symmetry. The relative positional relationship between the rod-shaped member 33 and the light receiver 200 is fixed.

  Thereby, the light receiver 200 is rotated by rotating the rod-shaped member 33. That is, the light receiver 200 rotates about the rod-shaped member 33 as a rotation axis. Thereby, the light receiver 200 can receive illumination light from a predetermined direction.

  The method of rotating the light receiver 200 is not limited to this. Moreover, the automatic traveling vehicle 30 should just be able to tilt the light receiver 200, and may tilt the light receiver 200 by methods other than rotation. For example, the support portion 32 that supports the light receiver 200 may be movable to the left and right with respect to the traveling direction, with the connection portion with the main body of the automatic traveling vehicle 30 as a fulcrum.

[Configuration of autonomous vehicle]
Next, the configuration of the automated traveling vehicle 30 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the automated traveling vehicle 30 according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the automatic traveling vehicle 30 includes a light receiver 200, a sensor rotating unit 310, a processor 320, a memory 330, a timer 340, and a wheel driving unit 350.

  The sensor rotation unit 310 is, for example, a motor, and rotates the light receiver 200. For example, the sensor rotation unit 310 rotates the light receiver 200 fixed to the rod-shaped member 33 by rotating the rod-shaped member 33 based on the control from the tilt control unit 323.

  The processor 320 controls the overall operation of the automated traveling vehicle 30. For example, the processor 320 controls the overall operation of the automated traveling vehicle 30 by executing a program stored in the memory 330. For example, the processor 320 controls the automatic traveling vehicle 30 to appropriately travel on the traveling path 13 based on the IDs received from the plurality of lighting devices 10 by executing the automatic traveling program.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the processor 320 includes an acquisition unit 221, a determination unit 322, and a tilt control unit 323 as functional configurations. Since the acquisition unit 221 is the same as that in the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted.

  The determination unit 322 determines the traveling direction of the automated traveling vehicle 30 based on the traveling information 331 stored in the memory 330. For example, the overlapping area 12 includes the first ID (ID1) superimposed on the first illumination light emitted from the illumination device 10a and the second ID (ID2) superimposed on the second illumination light emitted from the illumination device 10b. The case where the automatic traveling vehicle 30 acquires in FIG. At this time, the determination unit 322 determines that there is an error in the traveling direction of the automated traveling vehicle 30 when the light receiver 200 cannot receive at least one of the first illumination light and the second illumination light. The determination unit 322 receives the first illumination light with the light receiver 200 tilted to the left at the first angle, and tilted to the right at the second angle that is substantially the same as the first angle. When the second illumination light is received, it is determined that the traveling direction of the automated traveling vehicle 30 is correct. Note that “substantially the same” means not only completely matching but also substantially the same, and includes a case where there is an error of several percent.

  Further, the determination unit 322 controls the traveling direction of the automatic traveling vehicle 30 based on the determination result of the traveling direction of the automatic traveling vehicle 30. For example, the determination unit 322 determines whether or not to change the traveling direction, and transmits the control signal indicating the changed traveling direction to the wheel driving unit 350 when the traveling direction is changed.

  The tilt control unit 323 changes the tilt of the light receiver 200 over time. Further, the tilt control unit 323 acquires tilt information indicating the tilt of the light receiver 200 when the light receiver 200 receives illumination light. For example, the tilt control unit 323 performs control so that the light receiver 200 is tilted left and right with respect to the traveling direction of the automatic traveling vehicle 30.

  Specific operations of the determination unit 322 and the inclination control unit 323 will be described later with reference to FIG.

  The memory 330 is a memory for storing the ID acquired by the acquisition unit 221, the inclination information acquired by the inclination control unit 323, and the time information acquired by the timer 340 in association with each other as travel information 331. is there. The memory 330 is a non-volatile recording medium such as a flash memory, for example.

  The memory 330 stores a program such as an automatic running program or an OS (Operating System) program. For example, the memory 330 includes a cache memory, a main memory, and an auxiliary storage device.

  The timer 340 acquires time information indicating the time when the light receiver 200 receives illumination light. For example, the timer 340 counts absolute date and time. Alternatively, the timer 340 may count the time from a predetermined timing. Specifically, the timer 340 may have a stopwatch function and may count the time from the start of traveling of the automatic traveling vehicle 30.

  The wheel drive unit 350 is, for example, a motor and drives the wheels 31. Specifically, the wheel drive unit 350 rotates the wheels 31 so that the automatic traveling vehicle 30 travels in the traveling direction determined by the determination unit 322 based on the control signal transmitted from the determination unit 322. And the direction of the axis of rotation of wheel 31 is changed.

  In the present embodiment, the tilt information acquired by the tilt control unit 323 is stored in the memory 330, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as in the first embodiment, the light receiver 200 may be provided with an inclination detector 210 that detects the inclination of the light receiver 200. In this case, the inclination information acquired by the inclination detector 210 is stored in the memory 330.

[Running information]
Here, the traveling information 331 stored in the memory 330 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing travel information 331 according to the present embodiment.

  The traveling information 331 is log information indicating the traveling state of the automated traveling vehicle 30. As illustrated in FIG. 12, the traveling information 331 is information in which time information, inclination information, and acquired ID are associated with each other.

  The time information is information acquired by the timer 340, for example, information indicating an absolute date and time. Alternatively, the time information may be information indicating the time from the start of traveling of the automated traveling vehicle 30.

  The tilt information is information acquired by the tilt control unit 323. For example, the tilt information indicates the direction in which the light receiver 200 is tilted when the light receiver 200 receives illumination light, and the angle thereof.

[Operation]
Next, the operation of the automated traveling vehicle 30 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of the automated traveling vehicle 30 according to the present embodiment.

  First, the automatic traveling vehicle 30 travels while changing the inclination of the light receiver 200 (S20). Specifically, the sensor rotation unit 310 rotates the light receiver 200 according to the control from the tilt control unit 323. For example, the tilt control unit 323 tilts the light receiver 200 alternately left and right with respect to the traveling direction of the automated traveling vehicle 30.

  Specifically, the tilt control unit 323 first tilts the light receiver 200 to the left while gradually increasing the tilt angle from the state in which the light receiver 200 faces directly upward (initial state). Note that the state in which the light receiver 200 is facing right is, for example, the state illustrated in FIG. At this time, when the illumination device 10 is located immediately above the light receiver 200, illumination light from the illumination device 10 can be received.

  The tilt control unit 323 tilts the light receiver 200 to the right when the light receiver 200 receives illumination light. Further, the tilt control unit 323 tilts the light receiver 200 to the left when the light receiver 200 receives illumination light. Thereby, for example, when the illumination light is received in the state shown in (b) and (c) of FIG. 10A, the inclination control unit 323 displays “(a) → (b) → (a) → (c” in FIG. 10A. ) → (a) → (b) →...

  Thereby, the tilt control unit 323 acquires the tilt at the time of switching the tilt direction as tilt information and stores the tilt information in the memory 330.

  If the illumination light cannot be acquired even if the light receiver 200 is tilted to a predetermined limit value, the tilt control unit 323 changes the direction in which the light receiver 200 is tilted. The predetermined limit value is a predetermined threshold value such as 45 degrees or 90 degrees, for example.

  Next, as illustrated in FIG. 13, the determination unit 322 determines the number of acquired IDs (S21). Specifically, the determination unit 322 determines how many IDs have been acquired within a predetermined period. The predetermined period is, for example, a cycle in which the light receiver 200 is tilted left and right. As an example, the predetermined period is a period until the light receiver 200 returns from the initial state to the initial state after being tilted to the limit value to the left and tilted to the limit value to the right.

  When there are two IDs that can be acquired within a predetermined period (“2” in S21), the determination unit 322 determines whether or not the angles associated with the acquired IDs are substantially the same. (S22). That is, the determination unit 322 determines whether the left and right angles are substantially the same.

  When the left and right angles are substantially the same (Yes in S22), the determination unit 322 determines that the traveling direction of the automated traveling vehicle 30 is correct and maintains the current traveling direction (returns to S20).

  When the left and right angles are not substantially the same (No in S22), the determination unit 322 calculates the correct traveling direction so that the left and right angles are substantially the same. For example, when the left angle is large, the determination unit 322 controls the wheel driving unit 350 so that the automatic traveling vehicle turns to the left because the vehicle is traveling closer to the right side of the lighting device than the correct position. On the other hand, when the right angle is large, the determination unit 322 controls the wheel driving unit 350 so that the automatic traveling vehicle 30 turns to the right because the vehicle is traveling closer to the left side of the lighting device than the correct position. .

  Next, when the number of IDs acquired within a predetermined period is one (“1” in S21), the determination unit 322 calculates a correct traveling direction so that two IDs can be acquired (S24). . For example, when only the left ID can be acquired, the vehicle is traveling in a position closer to the left side of the lighting device than the correct traveling path 13, so that the determination unit 322 makes the wheel drive unit so that the automatic traveling vehicle 30 turns to the right. 350 is controlled. If only the right ID can be obtained, the determination unit 322 moves the wheel drive unit 350 so that the automatic traveling vehicle 30 turns to the left because the vehicle is traveling closer to the right side of the lighting device than the correct traveling path 13. Control.

  And the direction of the automatic traveling vehicle 30 is changed by the wheel drive part 350 driving the wheel 31 based on the control signal from the determination part 322 (S25).

  Next, when no ID can be acquired within a predetermined period (“0” in S21), the determination unit 322 maintains traveling for a certain period (S26). And the determination part 322 determines whether ID was able to be acquired within a fixed period (S27). When the ID can be acquired (Yes in S27), the determination unit 322 determines the number of acquired IDs (S21), and continues the subsequent processing according to the determination result.

  When the ID cannot be acquired within a certain period (No in S27), the determination unit 322 stops the traveling of the automated traveling vehicle 30 (S28). Specifically, the determination unit 322 stops the driving of the wheel 31 by the wheel driving unit 350. Then, the determination unit 322 notifies the outside that traveling has been stopped (S29). For example, the determination unit 322 may notify a server device connected via a network, or may output an alarm sound.

  In the present embodiment, the tilt control unit 323 has shown an example in which the tilt direction is changed when the light receiver 200 receives illumination light. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the tilt control unit 323 may always tilt the light receiver 200 to a predetermined limit value. Specifically, the tilt control unit 323 tilts the light receiver 200 regardless of whether or not the illumination light can be received halfway until a predetermined tilt angle (for example, 45 degrees) is obtained. It may be repeated periodically.

[Judgment result of autonomous vehicle and traveling direction]
Below, the specific example in the case of controlling the automatic traveling vehicle 30 according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 13 is demonstrated using FIG. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the relationship between the state of the autonomous vehicle and the illumination area according to the present embodiment.

  For example, the automatic traveling vehicle 30a is correctly traveling in the overlapping area 12 and on the traveling path 13. Since the automatic traveling vehicle 30a travels in the overlapping area 12, two IDs (ID1 and ID2) can be acquired ("2" in S21).

  Furthermore, since the automatic traveling vehicle 30a is traveling at a position where the distance from each of the lighting device 10a and the lighting device 10b is substantially constant, the angles corresponding to the two acquired IDs are substantially the same (S22). Yes). For this reason, the automatic traveling vehicle 30a maintains the current traveling direction.

  Further, the automatic traveling vehicle 30b travels in the overlapping area 12b and on the right side in the traveling path 13. Since the automatic traveling vehicle 30b travels in the overlapping area 12b, two IDs (ID5 and ID6) can be acquired ("2" in S21).

  At this time, the inclination angle when ID5 is acquired from the illumination device 10e is larger than the inclination angle when ID6 is acquired from the illumination device 10f (No in S22). In this case, it determines with the automatic traveling vehicle 30b drive | working the position close | similar to the illuminating device 10f. Therefore, the determination unit 322 can travel the traveling path 13 correctly by bending the automated traveling vehicle 30b to the left (S25).

  The automated traveling vehicle 30c is traveling in the illumination area 11c, but is outside the illumination area 11d. Specifically, the vehicle travels in a position that protrudes from the travel path 13 and is close to the illumination device 10c. Therefore, although the automatic traveling vehicle 30c can acquire ID3, it cannot acquire ID4 ("1" in S21).

  In this case, since the determination unit 322 can acquire only ID3, the automatic traveling vehicle 30c determines that the vehicle is traveling in a position close to the lighting device 10c. Therefore, the determination unit 322 can return the traveling vehicle 13 to the traveling path 13 by bending the automated traveling vehicle 30c to the right (S25).

  Further, the automated traveling vehicle 30d travels at a position outside any of the illumination areas. Therefore, the automatic traveling vehicle 30d cannot acquire any ID ("0" in S21). In addition, after traveling from the illumination areas 11a to 11f, the automatic traveling vehicle 30d remains unable to acquire any ID even though traveling for a certain period is maintained (No in S27). For this reason, the determination unit 322 determines that it is difficult for the automatic traveling vehicle 30d to return to the correct traveling path 13 by itself, and stops the traveling of the automatic traveling vehicle 30d.

  Further, the automatic traveling vehicle 30e travels at a position outside any of the illumination areas. Specifically, the automatic traveling vehicle 30e travels at a position outside any of the illumination areas even though it travels on the correct travel path 13. For this reason, the automatic traveling vehicle 30e cannot acquire any ID ("No" in S21). This occurs because the lighting areas do not overlap between one pair of lighting areas and the other pair.

  At this time, by maintaining the traveling of the automatic traveling vehicle 30e for a certain period (S26), the automatic traveling vehicle 30e can travel within the overlapping area 12b. After the automated traveling vehicle 30e enters the overlapping area 12b, ID5 and ID6 can be acquired ("2" in S21). Therefore, as in the case of the automatic traveling vehicle 30a, the automatic traveling vehicle 30e only needs to maintain the current traveling direction.

  As described above, when any ID cannot be acquired, even if there is a portion where the illumination area is not included in the travel path 13 by providing a certain period for maintaining travel, the automatic travel vehicle is appropriately traveled. be able to. Note that the fixed period for maintaining the traveling is determined based on, for example, the speed of the automatic traveling vehicle and the distance between the overlapping areas in the traveling path 13 (for example, the distance between the overlapping areas 12a and 12b).

[Summary]
As described above, the automatic traveling vehicle 30 according to the present embodiment travels formed by a plurality of lighting devices 10 that each transmit illumination light and repeatedly transmit a unique ID superimposed on the illumination light. An automatic traveling vehicle 30 traveling on the road 13 is a light receiver having directivity, and receives a light receiver 200 that receives illumination light and an ID superimposed on the illumination light received by the light receiver 200. An acquisition unit 221, an inclination control unit 323 that changes the inclination of the light receiver 200 over time and acquires inclination information indicating the inclination of the light receiver 200 when the light receiver 200 receives illumination light, and the light receiver A timer 340 that acquires time information indicating the time when the illumination light is received by the 200, a memory 330 that stores ID, inclination information, and time information in association with each other as travel information 331, and a memory 33 Based on the travel information stored in, and a determination unit 322 the traveling direction of the automatic vehicle 30.

  The automatic traveling system 2 according to the present embodiment is an automatic traveling system including an automatic traveling vehicle 30 and a plurality of lighting devices 10.

  Thereby, ID, inclination information, and time information are matched and memorize | stored in the memory 330, for example, when the duplication area 12 with which several illumination light from the several illuminating device 10 overlapped was provided. The position and direction of the automated traveling vehicle 30 can be determined. Therefore, the automatic traveling vehicle 30 can travel along the predetermined traveling path 13 based on the determined position and direction.

  Conventionally, a system that performs marking while marking the floor (running path) with a tape and detecting the tape is known. However, the tape attached to the floor is easy to peel off, and there is a problem that maintenance such as reattachment is troublesome and the aesthetic appearance is impaired.

  On the other hand, according to the automatic traveling vehicle 30 according to the present embodiment, the traveling road 13 can be traveled by using the illumination light from the illumination device. Therefore, an increase in the amount of maintenance work can be suppressed, and the aesthetic appearance can be made difficult to be impaired.

  In addition, for example, the plurality of lighting devices 10 repeatedly transmits the unique first ID superimposed on the first illumination light, and the lighting device repeatedly transmits the unique second ID superimposed on the second illumination light. 10b, the travel path 13 includes the overlapping area 12 in which the first illumination light and the second illumination light overlap and the determination unit 322 is configured so that the light receiver 200 receives the first illumination light and the second illumination light. When at least one of them cannot be received, it is determined that there is an error in the traveling direction of the automated traveling vehicle 30.

  Thereby, since the traveling path 13 includes the overlapping area 12, when at least one ID cannot be acquired, it means that the automatic traveling vehicle 30 is not traveling in the overlapping area 12. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether or not the automatic traveling vehicle 30 is traveling correctly by determining that there is an error in the traveling direction when at least one ID cannot be acquired.

  In addition, for example, the tilt control unit 323 tilts the light receiver 200 to the left and right with respect to the traveling direction of the automated traveling vehicle 30, and the determination unit 322 performs the first operation with the light receiver 200 tilted to the left at the first angle. When the illumination light is received and the second illumination light is received in a state where the illumination light is tilted to the right at a second angle that is substantially the same as the first angle, it is determined that the traveling direction of the automatic traveling vehicle 30 is correct.

  Thereby, for example, when the first ID is acquired in a state where the light receiver 200 is tilted to the left, and then the second ID is acquired in a state where the light receiver 200 is tilted to the right, the automatic traveling vehicle 30 is located between the two illumination devices. It can be determined that the vehicle is traveling in the overlapping area 12. At this time, if the first angle and the second angle are substantially the same, it can be determined that the vehicle is traveling in the approximate center of the overlapping area 12, that is, the approximate center of the travel path 13. Therefore, when the angles at which the two IDs are acquired are substantially the same, it is possible to cause the automatic traveling vehicle 30 to travel on the traveling path 13 with high accuracy by determining that the traveling direction is correct.

(Embodiment 3)
[Configuration of autonomous vehicle]
Next, an automatic traveling vehicle according to Embodiment 3 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a configuration of the automatic traveling vehicle 40 according to the present embodiment.

  Compared with the automatic traveling vehicle 30 shown in FIG. 11, the automatic traveling vehicle 40 according to the present embodiment includes a determination unit 422 instead of the determination unit 322, and the memory 330 newly stores the appropriate traveling information 431. It is different from the memorized point. Below, it demonstrates focusing on a different point.

  The determination unit 422 determines that there is an error in the traveling direction of the automatic traveling vehicle 40 when the traveling information 331 deviates from an error range that is a predetermined range based on the appropriate traveling information 431.

  Here, the appropriate travel information 431 is travel information when the automated traveling vehicle 40 travels in advance on the correct travel path. That is, the appropriate travel information 431 is ID, inclination information, and time information when the automatic traveling vehicle 40 travels in advance on the correct travel path.

  At this time, each time information indicates, for example, the time from the start of traveling. Alternatively, when the time information indicates an absolute date and time, a difference from the date and time at the start of traveling may be calculated.

  Specifically, the determination unit 422 compares the travel information 331 acquired during travel with the appropriate travel information 431 stored in advance. When the travel information 331 deviates from the error range of the appropriate travel information 431, it is determined that there is an error in the travel direction.

  Specifically, the determination unit 422 compares the ID corresponding to the time information indicating the time from the start of traveling with the inclination information.

  For example, the determination unit 422 determines whether the ID corresponding to the first time information of the travel information 331 matches the ID corresponding to the second time information of the appropriate travel information 431. At this time, the first time information and the second time information are, for example, a time from the start of traveling within a predetermined error range. If the two IDs do not match, the determination unit 422 determines that there is an error in the traveling direction of the automated traveling vehicle 40.

  When the two IDs match, the determination unit 422 further determines whether the inclination information of the traveling information 331 and the inclination information of the appropriate traveling information 431 corresponding to each of the two IDs are within a predetermined error range. Determine whether. If the slope information of the travel information 331 and the slope information of the appropriate travel information 431 are within the error range, the determination unit 422 determines that the travel direction is correct, and if the travel information is out of the error range, the travel direction has an error. Is determined.

  The error range is, for example, several percent to several tens percent of the inclination information and time information of the appropriate traveling information 431.

[Operation]
Next, the operation of the automated traveling vehicle 40 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 16A and 16B. 16A and 16B are flowcharts showing the operation of the automated traveling vehicle 40 according to the present embodiment.

  First, the operation | movement which produces | generates the appropriate travel information 431 is demonstrated using FIG. 16A.

  As shown in FIG. 16A, the automatic traveling vehicle 40 travels on the correct route while changing the inclination of the light receiver 200 (S30). For example, when the user operates the automatic traveling vehicle 40, the automatic traveling vehicle 40 can travel along the appropriate traveling path 13.

  Then, the time information acquired during traveling, the ID, and the inclination information are associated with each other and stored in the memory 330 as appropriate traveling information 431 (S31).

  The appropriate traveling information 431 is determined according to the speed of the automatic traveling vehicle 40, the arrangement of the plurality of lighting devices 10, and the tilting direction (rotation speed) of the light receiver 200. For this reason, the appropriate travel information 431 may be calculated in advance using these and stored in the memory 330.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 16B, an operation for causing the automatic traveling vehicle 40 to travel using the appropriate travel information 431 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 16B, the automatic traveling vehicle 40 travels while changing the inclination of the light receiver 200 (S40). Specifically, this is the same as step S20 shown in FIG. However, at this time, the speed of the automatic traveling vehicle 40 and the way of tilting the light receiver 200 are substantially the same as when the appropriate traveling information 431 is acquired.

  Next, the determination unit 422 determines whether or not the acquired ID and inclination information are within the error range of the appropriate travel information 431 (S41). At this time, the determination unit 422 may determine whether or not the acquired time information is within an error range.

  When the traveling information 331 is within the error range of the appropriate traveling information 431 (Yes in S41), the determination unit 422 determines that the traveling direction of the automatic traveling vehicle 40 is correct and maintains the current traveling direction.

  When the traveling information 331 deviates from the error range of the appropriate traveling information 431 (No in S41), the determination unit 422 stops traveling of the automatic traveling vehicle 40 (S42). Specifically, the determination unit 422 stops the driving of the wheel 31 by the wheel driving unit 350. Then, the determination unit 422 notifies the outside that traveling has been stopped (S43). For example, the determination unit 422 may notify a server device or the like connected via a network, or may output an alarm sound.

[Summary]
As described above, in the automatic traveling vehicle 40 according to the present embodiment, the memory 330 further stores the ID, the inclination information, and the time information when traveling on the correct traveling path 13 in advance as the appropriate traveling information 431. . For example, the determination unit 422 determines that there is an error in the traveling direction of the automatic traveling vehicle 30 when the traveling information 331 deviates from an error range that is a predetermined range based on the appropriate traveling information 431.

  Thus, whether or not the automatic traveling vehicle 40 is traveling on the correct traveling path 13 by comparing the acquired ID and inclination information with the appropriate traveling information 431 acquired when traveling on the correct traveling path 13 in advance. It can be easily determined.

(Embodiment 4)
Next, the lighting apparatus according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the illumination device 50 according to the present embodiment.

  The illumination device 50 according to the present embodiment is different from the illumination device 10 shown in FIG. 2 in that an illumination module 500 is provided instead of the illumination module 100. Specifically, the lighting module 500 includes a light emitting unit 504 instead of the load 104. Below, it demonstrates focusing on a different point.

  The light emitting unit 504 includes one or more LEDs connected in series, and generates illumination light. The one or more LEDs are, for example, white LEDs, but may be LEDs of other colors. In addition, the light emitting unit 504 is only required to have a high response to the switching speed of the switch transistor 105. For example, an organic EL light emitter or an inorganic EL light emitter may be used instead of one or more LEDs. The light emitting unit 504 is turned on and off when the switch transistor 105 is turned on and off. By turning on and off, the first ID is superimposed on the illumination light from the light emitting unit 504.

  For example, the light emitting unit 103 and the light emitting unit 504 emit different directions.

  For example, when the outer shell of the lighting device 50 is a rectangular parallelepiped housing, the light emitting unit 103 is disposed as a main light source of the lighting device 50 so as to irradiate from the front surface and the back surface of the housing. On the other hand, the light emission part 504 is arrange | positioned so that it may irradiate from the side surface of a housing | casing.

  Here, superimposition of ID on illumination light, that is, modulation will be described.

  FIG. 18 is a diagram for explaining data of optical communication according to the present embodiment. The example shown in FIG. 18 shows 2-bit data, 4PPM values, and optical signal waveforms when the illumination light is subjected to 4-level pulse position modulation (4PPM).

  The 2-bit data is data handled as one symbol that is a unit of modulation. The 4PPM value is a value corresponding to four positions according to 4PPM. The optical signal waveforms indicate the illumination light from the light emitting units 103 and 504, respectively. Specifically, the waveforms indicated by “lit” and “off” indicate illumination light from the light emitting unit 504, and the waveforms indicated by “bright” and “dark” indicate illumination light from the light emitting unit 103. .

  The fluctuation of the optical signal waveform of the light emitting unit 504 is actually much larger than the fluctuation of the optical signal waveform of the light emitting unit 103. That is, the modulation degree of the light emitting unit 504 is larger than the modulation degree of the light emitting unit 103. For this reason, ID from the light emission part 504 can be transmitted farther.

  As described above, according to lighting device 50 according to the present embodiment, the transmission range of IDs by visible light can be further widened. That is, the ID from the light emitting unit 504 can be transmitted farther.

(Other)
As described above, the receiving terminal, the navigation system, the automatic traveling vehicle, and the automatic traveling system according to the present invention have been described based on the above embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. .

  For example, in each of the above embodiments, the example in which the illumination area is circular has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the illumination area may be rectangular by limiting the light irradiation direction. By making the illumination area rectangular, for example, in the second embodiment, the overlapping areas 12, 12a, and 12b can be formed along the travel path 13 without any gaps, so that the automated traveling vehicle 30 can travel more accurately. Can be made.

  For example, in Embodiment 1, although the example which a user tilts the receiving terminal 20 was demonstrated, it is not restricted to this. For example, the receiving terminal 20 shown in the first embodiment may be tilted instead of the light receiver 200 shown in the second and third embodiments.

  For example, Embodiment 2 etc. demonstrated the example in which the illuminating device 10 is a spotlight, However, It is not restricted to this. For example, the lighting device 10 may be any one of a rectangular parallelepiped lighting device such as an advertising billboard lamp, an annular LED lamp, a straight tube LED lamp, or a light bulb type LED lamp.

  Further, for example, the operation of the receiving terminal 20 shown in the first embodiment can be realized as a navigation method. Furthermore, it can also be realized as a program that causes a computer to execute the steps included in the navigation method.

  Further, for example, the operation of the automatic traveling vehicle 30 or 40 shown in the second or third embodiment can be realized as an automatic traveling method. Furthermore, it can also be realized as a program for causing a computer to execute the steps included in the automatic traveling method.

  In addition, the embodiment can be realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions in each embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention, or a form obtained by subjecting each embodiment to various modifications conceived by those skilled in the art. Forms are also included in the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Navigation system 2 Automatic traveling system 10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f, 50, 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d Illuminating device 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, 11e, 11f, 61a, 61b, 61c, 61d Illuminating areas 12, 12a, 12b Overlapping area 13 Traveling roads 20, 70 Receiving terminals 30, 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 30e, 40 Automated traveling vehicles 31 Wheels 32 Supporting portions 33 Rod members 100, 500 Illumination modules 101 Current sources 102 Capacitance elements 103 and 504 Light emitting unit 104 Load 105 Switch transistor 110 Signal generator 200 Light receiver 210 Tilt detector 220 and 320 Processor 221 Acquisition unit 222, 322 and 422 Judgment unit 223 Display control unit 230 and 330 Memory 231 History information 23 Position DB
240 Radio unit 250 External output unit 251 Display unit 252 Audio output unit 260 Ellipse (existing area)
261 arrow (direction)
310 Sensor rotation unit 323 Tilt control unit 331 Travel information 340 Timer 350 Wheel drive unit 431 Appropriate travel information

Claims (11)

Each is a receiving terminal that obtains the ID from a plurality of lighting devices that repeatedly transmit a unique ID superimposed on the illumination light by emitting illumination light,
A receiver having directivity, the receiver receiving the illumination light;
An acquisition unit for acquiring an ID superimposed on the illumination light received by the light receiver;
An inclination detector for detecting an inclination of the receiving terminal when the light receiver receives the illumination light;
A receiving terminal comprising: a memory for storing the tilt information indicating the tilt detected by the tilt detector and the ID acquired by the acquiring unit in association with each other. When the receiving terminal is present in an overlapping area where the first illumination light and the second illumination light overlap and illuminate among the plurality of illumination lights, (i) the reception terminal is the first Receiving the first illumination light in a tilted state, and (ii) receiving the second illumination light in a state where the receiving terminal is tilted in the second tilt;
The receiving terminal according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit acquires a first ID superimposed on the first illumination light and a second ID superimposed on the second illumination light. The receiving terminal according to claim 2, further comprising: a determination unit that determines a direction of the receiving terminal and an area where the receiving terminal exists based on the first ID and the second ID. The receiving terminal further includes:
A display for displaying a map;
A display control unit for displaying the position of the first illumination device that has emitted the first illumination light, the position of the second illumination device that has emitted the second illumination light, and the determined direction and area on the map; The receiving terminal according to claim 3. The receiving terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A navigation system comprising the plurality of lighting devices. Each is an automatic traveling vehicle that travels on a traveling path formed by a plurality of illumination devices that repeatedly transmit unique IDs superimposed on the illumination light by emitting illumination light,
A receiver having directivity, the receiver receiving the illumination light;
An acquisition unit for acquiring an ID superimposed on the illumination light received by the light receiver;
An inclination control unit that changes the inclination of the light receiver over time, and obtains inclination information indicating the inclination of the light receiver when the light receiver receives the illumination light; and
A timer for acquiring time information indicating a time when the light receiver receives the illumination light;
A memory for storing the ID, the inclination information, and the time information in association with each other as travel information;
An automatic traveling vehicle comprising: a determination unit that determines a traveling direction of the automatic traveling vehicle based on traveling information stored in the memory. The plurality of lighting devices are:
A first illumination device that repeatedly transmits a unique first ID superimposed on the first illumination light;
A second illumination device that repeatedly transmits a unique second ID superimposed on the second illumination light,
The travel path includes an overlapping area in which the first illumination light and the second illumination light overlap and illuminate,
The automatic determination according to claim 6, wherein the determination unit determines that there is an error in a traveling direction of the automatic traveling vehicle when the light receiver cannot receive at least one of the first illumination light and the second illumination light. Traveling car. The tilt control unit tilts the light receiver left and right with respect to the traveling direction of the automatic traveling vehicle,
The determination unit receives the first illumination light in a state where the light receiver is tilted to the left at a first angle, and is tilted to the right at a second angle that is substantially the same as the first angle. The automatic traveling vehicle according to claim 7, wherein when the second illumination light is received, it is determined that a traveling direction of the automatic traveling vehicle is correct. The automatic traveling vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the memory further stores the ID, the inclination information, and the time information when traveling on a correct traveling path in advance as appropriate traveling information. The determination unit determines that there is an error in the traveling direction of the autonomous vehicle when the traveling information deviates from an error range that is a predetermined range based on the appropriate traveling information. Self-driving car. The automatic traveling vehicle according to any one of claims 6 to 10,
An automatic traveling system comprising the plurality of lighting devices.

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