JP2020119011A - Driving control device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a driving control device that can suppress deterioration in estimation accuracy of a location of a moving body in a site where a change in ambient environment is frequent.SOLUTION: A driving control device 4 comprises: a location estimation unit 6 that estimates a location of a moving object 2; and a drive control unit 16 that controls so as to make the moving body 2 drive along a virtual guide line 3 on the basis of the location of the moving body 2. The location estimation unit 6 has: a laser sensor 9 that irradiates surroundings of the moving body 2 with a laser, and detects a distance up to objects around the moving body 2 by receiving reflection light of the laser; and a SLAM controller 10 that estimates and computes the location of the moving body 2 on the basis of detection data on the laser sensor 9. When the moving body 2 drives through sites where movable objects 31 exist, the SLAM controller 10 uses only an effective detection range Q set narrower than a usual detection range P for the purposes of an estimation and computation so as to avoid the movable object 31 as a detection range of the detection data on the laser sensor 9.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a travel control device.

As a conventional traveling control device, for example, a technique described in Patent Document 1 is known. The travel control device described in Patent Document 1 sets a laser distance sensor that emits a laser beam, detects a reflected light thereof to measure a distance to an object, and an address and a travel area of a travel area in which an automated guided vehicle travels. The current position of the automated guided vehicle is estimated by matching the measurement data from the laser distance sensor and the map data with the data memory that stores the correspondence information with the coordinates that are set, and the automated guided vehicle is determined based on the estimation result. And a processing unit for traveling according to the route data.

JP, 2011-253414, A

However, the above-mentioned conventional techniques have the following problems. That is, in a place where the surrounding environment changes drastically, such as a place where an opening/closing shutter is present or a pickup place where a truck passes, because the distance data measured by the laser distance sensor and the map data often do not match, unattended The accuracy of estimating the position of the transport vehicle deteriorates.

An object of the present invention is to provide a traveling control device that can suppress deterioration of the estimation accuracy of the position of a moving body in a place where the surrounding environment changes drastically.

One aspect of the present invention is, in a travel control device that automatically travels a mobile body along a travel route, based on a position estimation unit that estimates the position of the mobile body, and a position of the mobile body that is estimated by the position estimation unit. The position estimation unit irradiates a laser around the moving body and receives the reflected light of the laser, and the control unit controls the driving unit of the moving body so that the moving body travels along the traveling route. Accordingly, the estimation calculation unit includes a distance detection unit that detects a distance to an object around the moving body and an estimation calculation unit that calculates the position of the moving body based on the detection data of the distance detection unit. When the mobile body travels in a place where there is no movable object that changes the surrounding environment, the normal detection range preset as the detection range of the detection data of the distance detection unit is used for the estimation calculation of the position of the mobile body. When a moving object travels in a place where a moving object is present, only the effective detection range, which is set to be narrower than the normal detection range, is set as the detection range of the detection data of the distance detection unit to avoid the moving object. Of the detection data of the distance detection unit other than the effective detection range is not used for the estimation calculation of the position of the moving body.

In such a traveling control device, the distance detecting unit irradiates a laser around the moving body to detect the distance to an object around the moving body, and the estimation calculation unit detects the detection data of the distance detecting unit. An estimation calculation of the position of the moving body is performed based on the above. Here, when the moving body travels in a place where a movable object that changes the surrounding environment exists, effective detection is set narrower than the normal detection range so as to avoid the movable object as the detection range of the detection data of the distance detection unit. Only the range is used for the estimation calculation of the position of the moving body, and the detection range of the detection data of the distance detection unit other than the effective detection range is not used for the calculation calculation of the position of the moving body. Therefore, when estimating the position of the moving body in a place where the surrounding environment changes drastically, it is less likely to be affected by the surrounding environment change. This suppresses deterioration of the accuracy of estimating the position of the moving body in a place where the surrounding environment changes drastically.

The effective detection range may be smaller than the normal detection range so that the detection angle of the detection data of the distance detection unit avoids a movable object. With such a configuration, the effective detection range can be surely made narrower than the normal detection range.

The effective detection range may be shorter than the normal detection range so that the detection distance of the detection data of the distance detection unit avoids a movable object. Even with such a configuration, the effective detection range can be surely narrower than the normal detection range.

The traveling control device includes a storage unit that stores the position of the movable object and an effective detection range corresponding to the movable object, and a location where the movable object exists based on the position of the movable object estimated by the position estimation unit. It may further be provided with a notifying unit for notifying the estimation calculation unit of the effective detection range stored in the storage unit when it is determined to travel. In such a configuration, since it is not necessary for the position estimation unit to determine whether or not the moving body travels in a place where a movable object that changes the surrounding environment exists, it is possible to simplify the configuration and processing of the position estimation unit. You can

The position estimation unit further includes a storage unit that stores the position of the movable object and the effective detection range corresponding to the movable object, and the estimation calculation unit determines that the moving object has a movable object based on the latest estimation calculation result. The effective detection range may be acquired from the storage unit when it is determined that the vehicle travels in a place where With such a configuration, since the effective detection range is stored in advance in the storage unit of the position estimation unit, it is not necessary to receive the effective detection range from the outside.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the deterioration of the estimation accuracy of the position of a mobile body can be suppressed in a place where the surrounding environment changes drastically.

It is a schematic structure figure showing a run control system provided with a run control device concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the traveling control apparatus shown by FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing details of a calculation processing procedure executed by the SLAM controller shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing a normal detection range and an effective detection range of detection data of a laser sensor set in the SLAM controller shown in FIG. 2. 3 is a flowchart showing details of a notification processing procedure executed by an effective detection range notification unit shown in FIG. 2. 3 is a flowchart showing details of a control processing procedure executed by the drive control unit shown in FIG. 2. It is a conceptual diagram which shows a mode that the estimation range of the position of a moving body is switched by switching the detection range of the detection data of the laser sensor shown in FIG. As a comparative example, it is a conceptual diagram showing a state in which an estimation calculation of a position of a moving body is performed without switching a detection range of detection data of a laser sensor. It is a conceptual diagram which compares and shows the estimation result of the position of a mobile body according to the presence or absence of switching of the detection range of the detection data of a laser sensor. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the traveling control apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. 11 is a flowchart showing details of a calculation processing procedure executed by the SLAM controller shown in FIG. 10. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the modification of the effective detection range set in a SLAM controller.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or equivalent elements will be denoted by the same reference symbols, without redundant description.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a travel control system including a travel control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the traveling control system 1 is a system that causes a moving body 2 such as a forklift to travel unmanned from a start point 3A to a destination point 3B. The traveling direction of the moving body 2 may be forward or backward.

The traveling control system 1 includes a traveling control device 4 for automatically traveling the moving body 2 along a virtual guide line 3 which is a traveling route from a start point 3A to a destination point 3B, and a moving body 2 for traveling. And a magnetic mark 5 associated with travel instruction data.

The virtual guide line 3 is a travel route virtually set on the data. Although the virtual guide line 3 is a straight line route in FIG. 1, it may be a curved route. The position of the virtual guide line 3 including the start point 3A and the destination point 3B is represented by two-dimensional coordinates (XY coordinates). Here, the two-dimensional coordinates of the start point 3A are (0,0). The two-dimensional coordinates of the destination point 3B are (100,0). The magnetic mark 5 is installed on the floor. The magnetic mark 5 is embedded at a position corresponding to the side of the virtual guide line 3 on the floor surface.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the traveling control device 4. In FIG. 2, the traveling control device 4 of the present embodiment is mounted on the moving body 2. The travel control device 4 includes a position estimation unit 6, a magnetic mark sensor 7, and an automatic travel control unit 8.

The position estimation unit 6 estimates the position of the mobile body 2. The position estimation unit 6 estimates the self-position of the moving body 2 by using, for example, a SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) method. SLAM is a self-position estimation technique that estimates self-position using sensor data and map data. SLAM uses a laser range scanner or the like to simultaneously perform self-position estimation and environmental map creation. The position estimation unit 6 has a laser sensor 9 and a SLAM controller 10.

The laser sensor 9 is a distance detection unit that detects the distance to an object around the moving body 2 by irradiating the laser around the moving body 2 and receiving the reflected light of the laser. As the laser sensor 9, for example, a laser range finder is used. The laser sensor 9 irradiates the laser in a fan shape (see FIG. 4). Specifically, the laser sensor 9 irradiates a laser in a predetermined angular range (here, 270 degrees) centered on the direction directly behind the moving body 2. The laser emitted from the laser sensor 9 hits the stationary object 30 (see FIG. 4), and the laser light (reflected light) reflected by the stationary object 30 is received by the laser sensor 9. The stationary object 30 is a wall or a pillar of a building.

The SLAM controller 10 is composed of a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, an input/output interface and the like. The SLAM controller 10 is an estimation calculation unit that performs estimation calculation of the position of the moving body 2 based on the detection data of the laser sensor 9. Specifically, the SLAM controller 10 matches the distance data to the stationary object 30 detected by the laser sensor 9 with the map data of the surrounding environment of the moving body 2 to perform an estimation calculation of the position of the moving body 2. .. The position of the moving body 2 is represented by a two-dimensional coordinate (XY coordinate) and a direction.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing details of the arithmetic processing procedure executed by the SLAM controller 10. This process is executed when the moving body 2 starts traveling from the start point 3A to the destination point 3B.

In FIG. 3, the SLAM controller 10 first acquires the detection data of the laser sensor 9 (step S101). Subsequently, the SLAM controller 10 determines whether or not the detection range switching instruction has been notified from the automatic traveling control unit 8 together with the effective detection range (step S102). The detection range switching instruction is an instruction to switch the detection range of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 from the normal detection range P to the effective detection range Q.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the normal detection range P is the moving body 2 when the moving body 2 travels in a place where there is no movable object 31 (see FIG. 4B) that changes the surrounding environment. Is a detection range of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 used for the position estimation calculation, and is set in advance. The movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment is not a stationary object such as a wall or a pillar of a building, but an object that may move and change depending on the situation. Examples of the movable object 31 include a shutter that is opened and closed when another moving body 2 moves in and out, and a truck at a collection point that loads and unloads luggage. Then, the environment around the moving body 2 (an object recognized as a stationary object) changes depending on whether the shutter that is the movable object 31 is opened or closed and whether or not there is a track. The normal detection range P is, for example, the entire range of the detection data of the laser sensor 9.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the effective detection range Q is used for estimation calculation of the position of the moving body 2 when the moving body 2 travels in a place where a movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment exists. Is a detection range of the detection data of the laser sensor 9. The effective detection range Q is set narrower than the normal detection range P according to the position of the movable object 31 so as to avoid the movable object 31.

The effective detection range Q is smaller than the normal detection range P depending on the position of the movable object 31 so that the detection angle of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 avoids the movable object 31. Here, the effective detection range Q is set to half of the normal detection range P. That is, the detection angle of the effective detection range Q is 1/2 of the detection angle of the normal detection range P. More specifically, the effective detection range Q is set to a half angle range on the left and right sides where the movable object 31 does not exist, out of the entire range of the detection data of the laser sensor 9.

When the SLAM controller 10 determines in step S102 that the detection range switching instruction has not been notified, the SLAM controller 10 uses the normal detection range P as the detection range of the detection data of the laser sensor 9, and estimates the position of the moving body 2. Is performed (step S103). Specifically, the SLAM controller 10 matches the distance data to the stationary object 30 around the moving body 2 in the normal detection range P of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 with the map data of the surrounding environment of the moving body 2. , Estimate the position of the mobile unit 2. As a result, the estimated position of the moving body 2 is obtained.

Then, the SLAM controller 10 outputs the estimated position of the moving body 2 to the automatic travel control unit 8 (step S104).

When the SLAM controller 10 determines in step S102 that the detection range switching instruction has been notified together with the effective detection range Q, the SLAM controller 10 uses the effective detection range Q as the detection range of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 to detect the position of the moving body 2. (Step S105).

Specifically, the SLAM controller 10 matches the distance data to the stationary object 30 around the moving body 2 in the effective detection range Q of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 with the map data of the surrounding environment of the moving body 2. , Estimate the position of the mobile unit 2. That is, only the effective detection range Q of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 is used for the estimation calculation of the position of the moving body 2, and the detection range of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 other than the effective detection range Q is the moving body 2's range. Not used for position estimation calculations. As a result, the estimated position of the moving body 2 is obtained.

Then, the SLAM controller 10 outputs the estimated position of the moving body 2 to the automatic travel control unit 8 (step S106). After that, the SLAM controller 10 acquires the detection data of the laser sensor 9 (step S107).

Subsequently, the SLAM controller 10 determines whether or not the detection range returning instruction has been notified from the automatic traveling control unit 8 (step S108). The detection range return instruction is an instruction to return the detection range of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 from the effective detection range Q to the normal detection range P. When the SLAM controller 10 determines that the detection range returning instruction has not been notified, the SLAM controller 10 executes step S105 again.

When the SLAM controller 10 determines that the detection range return instruction has been notified, the SLAM controller 10 uses the normal detection range P of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 to perform the estimation calculation of the position of the moving body 2 (step S103). Then, the SLAM controller 10 outputs the estimated position of the moving body 2 to the automatic travel control unit 8 (step S104).

Returning to FIG. 2, the magnetic mark sensor 7 is attached to the lower portion of the moving body 2. The magnetic mark sensor 7 detects the magnetic mark 5.

The automatic traveling control unit 8 performs a predetermined process based on the position of the moving body 2 estimated by the position estimating unit 6 so as to automatically move the moving body 2 from the start point 3A to the destination point 3B. The motor 11 and the steering motor 12 are controlled.

The traveling motor 11 is a motor that rotationally drives traveling wheels (not shown). The steering motor 12 is a motor that rotationally drives a steering wheel (not shown). The traveling motor 11 and the steering motor 12 form a drive unit of the moving body 2.

The automatic travel control unit 8 is composed of a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, an input/output interface and the like. The automatic travel control unit 8 has a storage unit 13, a deviation amount calculation unit 14, an effective detection range notification unit 15, and a drive control unit 16.

The storage unit 13 stores information about traveling of the mobile body 2, such as the positions of the virtual guide lines 3 and the magnetic marks 5, traveling instruction data, and the like. The positions of the virtual guide line 3 and the magnetic mark 5 are stored as two-dimensional coordinates. The traveling instruction data is associated with each magnetic mark 5 as described above. Examples of the travel instruction data include an acceleration instruction, a stop instruction, a right turn instruction, a left turn instruction, and the like.

The storage unit 13 also stores the position of the movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment and the effective detection range Q corresponding to the movable object 31. The position of the movable object 31 and the effective detection range Q are also stored as two-dimensional coordinates.

The shift amount calculation unit 14 shifts the virtual guide line 3 and the moving body 2 based on the position of the virtual guide line 3 stored in the storage unit 13 and the position of the moving body 2 estimated by the position estimation unit 6. Calculate the amount. At this time, the shift amount calculation unit 14 calculates the shift amount between the position coordinates of the virtual guide line 3 and the position coordinates of the moving body 2 and the shift amount between the direction of the virtual guide line 3 and the moving body 2. ..

The effective detection range notification unit 15 responds to the movable object 31 when it determines that the moving object 2 travels in the place where the movable object 31 exists based on the position of the movable object 2 estimated by the position estimation unit 6. A notification unit that notifies the SLAM controller 10 of the effective detection range Q to be performed. Specific processing of the effective detection range notification unit 15 will be described in detail later.

The drive control unit 16 causes the traveling motor 11 and the traveling motor 11 to travel along the virtual guide line 3 based on the displacement amount between the virtual guide line 3 and the moving body 2 calculated by the displacement amount calculating unit 14. The steering motor 12 is controlled. When the magnetic mark 5 is detected by the magnetic mark sensor 7, the drive control unit 16 also causes the traveling motor 11 and the steering motor 12 to drive the moving body 2 in accordance with the traveling instruction data associated with the magnetic mark 5. To control. Specific processing of the drive control unit 16 will be described in detail later.

In the above, the shift amount calculation unit 14 and the drive control unit 16 cause the traveling motor 11 to travel the moving body 2 along the virtual guide line 3 based on the position of the moving body 2 estimated by the position estimation unit 6. And a control unit that controls the steering motor 12.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing details of the notification processing procedure executed by the effective detection range notification unit 15. Similar to the calculation process by the SLAM controller 10, this process is also executed when the traveling of the mobile body 2 from the start point 3A to the destination point 3B is started.

In FIG. 5, the effective detection range notification unit 15 first acquires the estimated position of the moving body 2 obtained by the SLAM controller 10 (step S111). Then, the effective detection range notification unit 15 determines, based on the estimated position of the moving body 2, whether or not the moving body 2 has reached the place where the movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment exists (step S112). When it is determined that the moving body 2 has not reached the place where the movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment exists, the effective detection range notification unit 15 executes the procedure S111 again.

When the effective detection range notification unit 15 determines that the moving body 2 has reached the place where the movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment exists, the effective detection range notification unit 15 acquires the effective detection range Q corresponding to the movable object 31 from the storage unit 13. (Step S113). Then, the effective detection range notification unit 15 notifies the SLAM controller 10 of the detection range switching instruction (described above) together with the effective detection range Q (step S114).

Then, the effective detection range notification unit 15 acquires the estimated position of the moving body obtained by the SLAM controller 10 (step S115). Then, the effective detection range notification unit 15 determines, based on the estimated position of the moving body 2, whether or not the moving body 2 has passed the place where the movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment exists (step S116). When the effective detection range notification unit 15 determines that the moving body 2 has not passed the place where the movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment exists, the effective detection range notification unit 15 executes the step S115 again.

When the effective detection range notification unit 15 determines that the moving body 2 has passed the place where the movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment exists, it notifies the SLAM controller 10 of the detection range return instruction (described above) (step S117). ).

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing details of the control processing procedure executed by the drive control unit 16. Similar to the calculation process by the SLAM controller 10, this process is also executed when the traveling of the mobile body 2 from the start point 3A to the destination point 3B is started.

In FIG. 6, the drive control unit 16 first determines whether or not the magnetic mark 5 is detected by the magnetic mark sensor 7 (step S121). When the drive control unit 16 determines that the magnetic mark 5 is detected, the drive control unit 16 acquires the travel instruction data corresponding to the number of the magnetic mark 5 from the storage unit 13 (step S122).

At this time, when the magnetic mark sensor 7 detects the first (first) magnetic mark 5 from the start point 3A, the travel instruction data associated with the first magnetic mark 5 is acquired. When the magnetic mark sensor 7 detects the second (2nd) magnetic mark 5 from the start point 3A, the travel instruction data associated with the 2nd magnetic mark 5 is acquired.

Then, the drive control unit 16 outputs a control signal corresponding to the acquired travel instruction data to the travel motor 11 and the steering motor 12 (step S123). The drive control unit 16 outputs a control signal for increasing the rotation speed of the traveling motor 11 to the traveling motor 11, for example, when the acquired traveling instruction data is an acceleration instruction. As a result, the speed of the moving body 2 is increased.

After performing step S123 or when determining that the magnetic mark 5 is not detected in step S121, the drive control unit 16 determines whether the virtual guide line 3 and the moving body 2 calculated by the displacement amount calculating unit 14 The deviation amount of is acquired (step S124). Then, the drive control unit 16 outputs a control signal to the travel motor 11 and the steering motor 12 such that the amount of deviation between the virtual guide line 3 and the moving body 2 becomes 0 (step S125). As a result, the position coordinates and the direction of the moving body 2 come closer to the virtual guide line 3.

Subsequently, the drive control unit 16 determines whether or not the moving body 2 has reached the destination point 3B (step S126). When the drive control unit 16 determines that the moving body 2 has not reached the destination point 3B, the drive control unit 16 executes step S121 again. When the drive control unit 16 determines that the moving body 2 has reached the destination point 3B, the drive control unit 16 ends this processing.

In the travel control system 1 configured as described above, when the moving body 2 is running, the laser sensor 9 irradiates the laser around the moving body 2 to thereby provide a distance to the stationary object 30 around the moving body 2. Is detected, and the SLAM controller 10 calculates the position of the moving body 2 based on the detection data of the laser sensor 9. At this time, before the moving body 2 reaches the place where the movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment exists, as shown in FIG. 7A, the normal detection range P is set as the detection range of the detection data of the laser sensor 9. Is used to estimate the position of the mobile unit 2.

When the moving body 2 reaches the place where the movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment exists, the effective detection range notification unit 15 of the automatic traveling control unit 8 instructs the SLAM controller 10 to perform the detection range switching and the effective detection corresponding to the movable object 31. The range Q is notified. Then, as shown in FIG. 7B, the SLAM controller 10 uses the effective detection range Q as the detection range of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 to perform the estimation calculation of the position of the moving body 2. Therefore, the estimation calculation of the position of the moving body 2 is performed in a state where the detection data of the laser light reflected by the movable object 31 among all the detection data of the laser sensor 9 is ignored (masked).

When the moving body 2 passes through the place where the movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment exists, the effective detection range notification unit 15 of the automatic travel control unit 8 notifies the SLAM controller 10 of the detection range return instruction. Then, as shown in FIG. 7C, the SLAM controller 10 again uses the normal detection range P as the detection range of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 to perform the estimation calculation of the position of the moving body 2.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing, as a comparative example, a state in which an estimation calculation of the position of the moving body 2 is performed without switching the detection range of the detection data of the laser sensor 9. In FIG. 8, even when the moving body 2 reaches the place where the movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment exists, the SLAM controller 10 uses the normal detection range P as the detection range of the detection data of the laser sensor 9, An estimation calculation of the position of the moving body 2 is performed.

In this case, the SLAM controller 10 erroneously matches the movable object 31 (data that is not created on the map) that changes the surrounding environment with the stationary object 30 (data that is on the map), as shown in FIG. 9B. Will be done. Therefore, the estimation accuracy of the position of the moving body 2 deteriorates under the influence of changes in the surrounding environment. As a result, the moving body 2 wobbles left and right (see FIG. 8B).

On the other hand, according to the present embodiment, when the moving body 2 travels in the place where the movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment exists, the moving object 31 is normally detected as the detection range of the detection data of the laser sensor 9. Only the effective detection range Q that is set narrower than the range P is used for the estimation calculation of the position of the moving body 2, and the range other than the effective detection range Q in the detection range of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 is the position of the moving body 2. Not used in the estimation operation of. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9A, it is possible to prevent the movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment from being erroneously matched with the stationary object 30. Therefore, when the position of the moving body 2 is estimated and calculated in a place where the surrounding environment changes drastically, that is, in a place where it is difficult to create map data, it is less likely to be affected by the surrounding environment change. As a result, deterioration of the estimation accuracy of the position of the moving body 2 is suppressed in a place where the surrounding environment changes drastically. As a result, when the moving body 2 travels, the moving body 2 is less likely to sway left and right.

Further, in the present embodiment, the effective detection range Q is smaller than the normal detection range P so that the detection angle of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 avoids the movable object 31. Therefore, the effective detection range Q can be surely narrower than the normal detection range P.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the effective detection range notification unit 15 of the automatic travel control unit 8 notifies the SLAM controller 10 of the effective detection range Q when it is determined that the mobile body 2 travels in a place where the movable object 31 exists. To do. Therefore, since it is not necessary for the position estimation unit 6 to determine whether or not the moving body 2 travels in a place where the movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment exists, the configuration and processing of the position estimation unit 6 can be simplified. You can

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the traveling control device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 10, the travel control device 4 of the present embodiment includes a position estimation unit 6A, a magnetic mark sensor 7, and an automatic travel control unit 8A. The automatic traveling control unit 8A does not have the effective detection range notification unit 15 in the automatic traveling control unit 8 described above.

The position estimation unit 6A has a laser sensor 9, a memory 20, and a SLAM controller 10A. The memory 20 is a storage unit that stores the position of the movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment and the effective detection range Q corresponding to the movable object 31.

The SLAM controller 10A is an estimation calculation unit that performs estimation calculation of the position of the moving body 2 based on the detection data of the laser sensor 9, the position of the movable object 31 and the effective detection range Q stored in the memory 20. At this time, the SLAM controller 10A acquires the effective detection range Q from the memory 20 when it determines that the moving body 2 travels in the place where the movable object 31 exists based on the latest estimation calculation result.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing details of the arithmetic processing procedure executed by the SLAM controller 10A. In FIG. 11, the SLAM controller 10A first acquires the detection data of the laser sensor 9 (step S131).

Subsequently, the SLAM controller 10A determines whether or not the mobile body 2 has reached the place where the movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment exists, based on the latest estimated position of the mobile body 2 (step S132). The SLAM controller 10A uses the normal detection range P as the detection range of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 when determining that the moving body 2 has not reached the place where the movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment exists. , The position of the moving body 2 is estimated and calculated (step S133). As a result, the estimated position of the moving body 2 is obtained. Then, the SLAM controller 10A outputs the estimated position of the moving body 2 to the automatic travel control unit 8A (step S134).

When the SLAM controller 10A determines that the moving body 2 has reached the place where the movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment exists, the SLAM controller 10A acquires the effective detection range Q corresponding to the movable object 31 from the memory 20 (step S135). ). Then, the SLAM controller 10A uses the effective detection range Q as the detection range of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 to perform the estimation calculation of the position of the moving body 2 (step S136). As a result, the estimated position of the moving body 2 is obtained. Then, the SLAM controller 10A outputs the estimated position of the moving body 2 to the automatic travel control unit 8 (step S137).

Subsequently, the SLAM controller 10A acquires the detection data of the laser sensor 9 (step S138). Subsequently, the SLAM controller 10A determines whether or not the mobile body 2 has passed the place where the movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment exists, based on the latest estimated position of the mobile body 2 (step S139). When the SLAM controller 10A determines that the moving body 2 has not passed the place where the movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment exists, the SLAM controller 10A executes the step S136 again.

When the SLAM controller 10A determines that the moving body 2 has passed the place where the movable object 31 that changes the surrounding environment exists, it uses the normal detection range P as the detection range of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 to move. An estimation calculation of the position of the body 2 is performed (step S133). Then, the SLAM controller 10A outputs the estimated position of the moving body 2 to the automatic travel control unit 8 (step S134).

Also in the present embodiment as described above, when the position calculation of the moving body 2 is performed in a place where the surrounding environment changes drastically, the position of the moving body 2 is estimated because it is less likely to be affected by the change in the surrounding environment. The deterioration of accuracy is suppressed.

Further, in the present embodiment, the SLAM controller 10 acquires the effective detection range Q from the memory 20 when it is determined that the moving body 2 travels in the place where the movable object 31 exists. Since the effective detection range Q is stored in advance in the memory 20 of the position estimation unit 6 as described above, it is not necessary to receive the effective detection range Q from the outside.

FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram showing a modification of the effective detection range Q set in the SLAM controller 10. The effective detection range Q shown in FIG. 12A is intermittently set according to the position of the movable object 31 so as to avoid the movable object 31. Specifically, the effective detection range Q is set intermittently according to the position of the movable object 31 so that the detection angle of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 avoids the movable object 31.

The effective detection range Q shown in FIG. 12B is shorter than the normal detection range P depending on the position of the movable object 31 so that the detection distance of part of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 avoids the movable object 31. ing. Here, in the effective detection range Q, the detection distance of one half on the left and right sides where the movable object 31 is present in the entire range of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 is shorter than the normal detection range P. In the effective detection range Q, the detection distance of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 may be shorter than the normal detection range P as a whole. Even with such a configuration, the effective detection range Q can be surely narrower than the normal detection range P.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the detection range of the detection data of the laser sensor 9 is switched by the instruction notification from the automatic traveling control unit 8 or the judgment of the SLAM controller 10 itself, but the invention is not particularly limited to that. It may be performed by notification of an instruction from the host system.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the position estimation unit 6 estimates the position of the moving body 2 by using the SLAM method using a laser as the self-position estimation technique, but the present invention is not limited to the SLAM method. Any method can be applied as long as it is a method of estimating the position of the moving body 2 based on detection data of a sensor that detects a distance using a laser.

Further, the traveling control device of the above-described embodiment is a device for automatically traveling a forklift as the moving body 2, but the present invention is applicable to all moving bodies capable of automatic traveling such as a carrier truck. ..

2... Moving body, 3... Virtual guide line (travel route), 4... Travel control device, 6, 6A... Position estimation unit, 9... Laser sensor (distance detection unit), 10A... SLAM controller (estimation calculation unit) , 11... traveling motor (driving unit), 12... steering motor (driving unit), 13... storage unit, 14... deviation amount calculating unit (control unit), 15... effective detection range notifying unit (notifying unit), 16... driving Control unit (control unit), 20... Memory (storage unit), 30... Still object (object), 31... Movable object, P... Normal detection range, Q... Effective detection range.

Claims (5)

In a travel control device that automatically travels a moving body along a travel route,
A position estimation unit for estimating the position of the moving body,
Based on the position of the moving body estimated by the position estimation unit, a control unit for controlling the drive unit of the moving body so as to drive the moving body along the traveling route,
The position estimation unit is
By irradiating the periphery of the moving body with a laser and receiving the reflected light of the laser, a distance detecting unit that detects a distance to an object around the moving body,
Based on the detection data of the distance detection unit, an estimation calculation unit that performs an estimation calculation of the position of the moving body,
When the moving body travels in a place where a movable object that changes the surrounding environment does not exist, the estimation calculation unit sets the normal detection range preset as the detection range of the detection data of the distance detection unit to the moving body. It is used for position estimation calculation, and when the moving body travels in a place where the movable object exists, it is narrower than the normal detection range so as to avoid the movable object as the detection range of the detection data of the distance detection unit. Only the set effective detection range is used for the estimation calculation of the position of the moving body, and the detection range of the detection data of the distance detection unit other than the effective detection range is used for the estimation calculation of the position of the moving body. Do not drive control device. The travel control device according to claim 1, wherein the effective detection range is smaller than the normal detection range so that a detection angle of the detection data of the distance detection unit avoids the movable object. The travel control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the effective detection range is shorter than the normal detection range so that the detection distance of the detection data of the distance detection unit avoids the movable object. A storage unit that stores the position of the movable object and the effective detection range corresponding to the movable object,
Based on the position of the moving body estimated by the position estimating unit, the effective detection range stored in the storage unit is estimated when it is determined that the moving body travels in a place where the movable object exists. The travel control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a notification unit that notifies the calculation unit. The position estimation unit further includes a storage unit that stores the position of the movable object and the effective detection range corresponding to the movable object,
The said estimation calculation part acquires the said effective detection range from the said memory|storage part, when it determines with the said moving body traveling the place where the said movable body exists based on the latest estimation calculation result. The traveling control device according to claim 1.

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