JP2021033954A - Moving body system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a moving body system capable of allowing a moving body to continue traveling while suppressing a decrease in convenience when a weight of an object on the moving body is too large.SOLUTION: In a moving body system, a weight acquisition unit 58 acquires a weight of an object on a moving body 10 that a user can get on and off while traveling. When the acquired weight is equal to or greater than a threshold value, a moving body management unit 74 causes another moving body to travel toward a position of the moving body 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a technique for controlling the traveling of a moving body.

Patent Document 1 discloses a migration support system that supports the migration behavior of a user who travels around the city, a shopping mall, etc. by traveling a small mobile body on which the user can get on and off. This migration support system includes a closed loop road that passes through a plurality of preset points, and a plurality of small moving bodies that self-propell on the closed loop road at a low speed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-45805

Multiple users may ride on the moving object, and users with relatively heavy luggage may ride on it. If the weight of the object on the moving body is too heavy, the moving body becomes difficult to travel. It is possible to continue running by removing some users and luggage from the moving body, but it is inconvenient for the users who get off the vehicle to search for another moving body.

The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and an object of the present invention is a mobile body system in which a moving body can continue to travel while suppressing a decrease in convenience when the weight of an object on the moving body is too large. Is to provide.

In order to solve the above problems, in the mobile system of the present invention, a weight acquisition unit that acquires the weight of an object on the mobile that the user can get on and off while traveling, and the acquired weight are threshold values. In the above case, the mobile body management unit for traveling another mobile body toward the position of the mobile body is provided.

According to this aspect, when the weight of the object on the moving body is equal to or more than the threshold value, another moving body is moved toward the position of the moving body, so that the user and a part of the load are moved to the other moving body. Can be made to. Therefore, the moving body can continue to travel while suppressing the decrease in convenience.

According to the present invention, when the weight of the object on the moving body is too large, the moving body can continue to travel while suppressing a decrease in convenience.

It is a figure which shows the outline of the structure of the mobile body system which concerns on embodiment. It is a perspective view of the moving body of FIG. It is a figure which shows the situation which a plurality of moving bodies of FIG. 1 run or stand by. It is a figure which shows the functional structure of the mobile body and a server device of FIG. It is a figure which shows the situation which the 2nd moving body arrived near the 1st moving body which exceeded the weight, which follows FIG. It is a figure which shows the situation which the 1st moving body and the 2nd moving body run in a platoon following FIG. It is a top view which shows the 1st moving body and the 2nd moving body running in a platoon of FIG.

FIG. 1 shows an outline of the configuration of the mobile system 1 according to the embodiment. The mobile system 1 includes a plurality of mobiles 10, a server device 12, and a radio station 16. The server device 12 and the radio station 16 are connected via a network such as the Internet. The communication unit of the mobile body 10 has a wireless communication function, and connects to the server device 12 via the wireless station 16 which is a base station. The server device 12 functions as a mobile body control device that controls a plurality of mobile bodies 10, and is installed in a data center.

The plurality of moving bodies 10 can automatically travel on a walking path, a plaza, or the like at a speed of about 3 to 5 kilometers per hour. The plurality of mobile bodies 10 may be patrolled around a station or a bus stop so as to visit a plurality of stores, may travel in a facility where a plurality of people gather, an event venue, or the like, or the user may travel. You may wait around the station or around the bus stop until you get on the bus. Facilities include, for example, theme parks, amusement parks, zoos, commercial complexes, shopping centers, outlet malls, and the like.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the moving body 10 of FIG. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the user is on the moving body 10. The moving body 10 travels on a road surface with pedestrians at a speed similar to that of pedestrians, and a person can freely get on and off during traveling.

The moving body 10 includes wheels 20, a vehicle body 22, a handrail 24, an information processing device 26, and a distance sensor 40. The information processing device 26 has a reception unit 36, an image pickup unit 42, and an output unit 44. The wheels 20 are four wheels and are rotated by a motor provided on the vehicle body 22. The vehicle body 22 has a pedestal formed in a substantially flat plate shape so that users can get on and off while traveling, and has a size capable of carrying about 4 to 6 standing users. A motor, a battery, and a traveling control unit are housed inside the vehicle body 22.

The handrail 24 has a pair of columns erected from the vehicle body 22 and a horizontal bar connecting the pair of columns. The user grips the handrail 24 to stabilize the riding posture. An information processing device 26 is fixed to the handrail 24. The reception unit 36 and the output unit 44 are display panels capable of touch input. The reception unit 36 accepts input by the user.

The imaging unit 42 is a camera that images the surroundings. Further, the information processing device 26 is provided with a communication unit that communicates with the server device 12. The communication unit transmits the reception information received by the reception unit 36 to the server device 12, and receives the information from the server device 12. The distance sensor 40 is provided at the front end of the vehicle body 22 and detects the distance between the moving body 10 and the object in front by using a laser beam or the like. The detected distance is used for controlling the inter-vehicle distance during platooning, which will be described later.

FIG. 3 shows a situation in which the plurality of moving bodies 10 of FIG. 1 are traveling or standing by. The plurality of moving bodies 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, and 10f orbit the first traveling path 82 of a predetermined closed loop on the pedestrian path around the station 90 at intervals from each other. Another plurality of mobile bodies 10g, 10h, 10i are waiting in front of the station 90. Yet another plurality of moving bodies 10j, 10k, 10l, 10m are traveling on a free route on the pedestrian path. When these moving bodies 10a, 10b and the like are not distinguished, they are referred to as moving bodies 10.

Pedestrians can freely get on and off the moving body 10 while traveling. A pedestrian can move to a desired position on the first travel path 82 simply by getting on the moving body 10 orbiting the first travel path 82. Further, the pedestrian can get on the moving body 10 which is running or waiting and input the destination to the reception unit 36, so that the moving body 10 can automatically drive to the destination and move to the destination. As described above, if a user with a capacity of more than the capacity rides on one moving body 10 or an excessively heavy load is loaded, the load on the motor becomes excessive, the running speed decreases, or the running speed depends on the weight. I can't do it. Therefore, in the embodiment, when the weight of the object including the user on the moving body 10 is equal to or greater than the threshold value, another moving body 10 is traveled toward the position of the moving body 10, and the weights of the two moving bodies 10 are increased. Disperse.

FIG. 4 shows the functional configurations of the mobile body 10 and the server device 12 of FIG. In FIG. 4, each element described as a functional block that performs various processes can be composed of a circuit block, a memory, and other LSIs in terms of hardware, and is loaded into the memory in terms of software. It is realized by a program or the like. Therefore, it is understood by those skilled in the art that these functional blocks can be realized in various forms by hardware only, software only, or a combination thereof, and is not limited to any of them.

The mobile body 10 includes a control device 25, an information processing device 26, and a distance sensor 40. The control device 25 controls the traveling of the moving body 10. The control device 25 includes a position acquisition unit 30, a travel control unit 32, a route holding unit 34, a route derivation unit 50, a map information holding unit 52, an inclination acquisition unit 54, a setting unit 56, and a weight acquisition unit 58. The information processing device 26 includes a communication unit 28, a reception unit 36, an image pickup unit 42, and an output unit 44. The server device 12 includes a communication unit 70 and a mobile management unit 74.

The position acquisition unit 30 of the mobile body 10 acquires the position information of the mobile body 10 using GPS (Global Positioning System), and supplies the acquired position information to the travel control unit 32 and the communication unit 28.

The route holding unit 34 holds the traveling route information used for the traveling control in the traveling control unit 32. The travel route information indicates a route that is a target of travel of the moving body 10. The travel route information may be stored in advance in the route holding unit 34 or may be received from the server device 12, but in any case, the traveling route information is held in the route holding unit 34. The imaging unit 42 images the periphery of the moving body 10, acquires the captured image, and supplies the captured image to the traveling control unit 32.

The travel control unit 32 controls the travel of the moving body 10 based on the travel route information. The travel control unit 32 controls the steering angle and speed of the moving body 10 so as to travel according to the travel route information using the position information and the captured image. The travel control unit 32 may control the pedestrian to pause, avoid, or approach the pedestrian based on the travel environment information acquired from the captured image, as long as the vehicle is not separated from the travel route by a predetermined interval or more. Further, the travel control unit 32 may control not only the travel route but also the travel speed based on the set travel information.

The reception unit 36 receives the input of the destination by the user and supplies the received destination information to the route derivation unit 50. The reception unit 36 detects input by the user by, for example, a display panel capable of touch input or a microphone.

The route deriving unit 50 derives a second traveling route from the current position to the destination. The route deriving unit 50 derives a route for directing the moving body 10 to the destination based on the position information of the moving body 10, the destination, and the map information held in the map information holding unit 52. The map information includes information that defines an area in which the moving body 10 can travel. The route deriving unit 50 causes the route holding unit 34 to hold the derived second traveling route and supplies it to the communication unit 28 as well. When the second travel route is derived, the travel control unit 32 travels the moving body 10 along the second travel route.

In this way, when the moving body 10 laps on a preset first travel route, travels on a free route, or waits until it accepts an input of a destination, the purpose is to accept the input of the destination. Switch to the second travel route toward the ground. As a result, the moving body 10 can guide the desired user to the destination.

The output unit 44 outputs information about the vicinity of the current position of the moving body 10 in motion to the user. The information near the current location includes information on stores near the current location, information on entertainment services provided near the current location, and the like. The output unit 44 includes a display unit and a speaker (not shown). The display unit displays information near the current position. The speaker outputs information near the current position by voice.

The inclination acquisition unit 54 includes an inclination sensor and acquires the inclination angle of the vehicle body 22 in the traveling direction of the moving body 10. If the moving body 10 is traveling on a road surface with an upward slope in the traveling direction, the inclination angle of the vehicle body 22 is a positive value, and if the moving body 10 is traveling on a road surface with a downward slope in the traveling direction, the inclination angle is negative. Is the value of. The tilt acquisition unit 54 supplies the acquired tilt angle to the setting unit 56.

The setting unit 56 sets a threshold value for excess weight on the moving body 10 according to the inclination angle of the vehicle body 22, and supplies the set threshold value to the weight acquisition unit 58. The threshold value is appropriately determined by an experiment or the like, and when the weight on the moving body 10 is equal to or greater than the threshold value, it becomes difficult for the moving body 10 to travel. The larger the tilt angle, the more difficult it is to run with a smaller weight. Therefore, the threshold value is set smaller as the tilt angle increases. Therefore, an appropriate threshold value can be set according to the slope of the road surface. The tilt angle and the threshold value may be previously associated and held in the setting unit 56 as a table, or a mathematical formula expressing the relationship between the tilt angle and the threshold value may be held in the setting unit 56.

The weight acquisition unit 58 includes a weight sensor and acquires the weight of an object including the user on the moving body 10, that is, on the pedestal of the vehicle body 22. When the acquired weight is equal to or greater than the threshold value set by the setting unit 56, the weight acquisition unit 58 supplies the weight excess signal to the communication unit 28, the travel control unit 32, and the output unit 44. The travel control unit 32 suspends the moving body 10 when the overweight signal is supplied. As a result, deterioration or failure of the motor or the like due to excessive weight can be suppressed. When the overweight signal is supplied, the output unit 44 outputs to the user information indicating that the weight has been exceeded and that another moving body is being called. This allows the user to understand the reason for the stop and the need to switch when another mover arrives.

It should be noted that the inclination acquisition unit 54 and the setting unit 56 may not be provided, and a predetermined threshold value may be used. In this case, the configuration of the moving body 10 can be simplified.

The weight acquisition unit 58 detects the occupant based on the acquired weight. When the acquired weight is equal to or greater than a predetermined occupant determination value, the weight acquisition unit 58 supplies the communication unit 28 with information indicating the presence or absence of a “presence” occupant. When the acquired weight is less than the occupant determination value, the weight acquisition unit 58 supplies the communication unit 28 with information indicating the presence or absence of a “none” occupant. The occupant determination value may be smaller than the threshold value, for example, about 10 kg.

The communication unit 28 communicates information with the communication unit 70 of the server device 12. The information transmitted from the communication unit 28 is accompanied by the identification information of the mobile body 10, and the server device 12 makes the mobile body 10 identifiable. The communication unit 28 periodically transmits the position information of the mobile body 10 and the information indicating the presence / absence of an occupant to the server device 12. When the weight overweight signal is supplied from the weight acquisition unit 58, the communication unit 28 transmits a call request for the mobile body and information on the current travel route to the server device 12. Hereinafter, the moving body 10 that has transmitted the call-in request for the moving body will be referred to as a first moving body.

The communication unit 70 of the server device 12 receives the position information of the mobile body 10 and the information indicating the presence or absence of an occupant from each of the mobile bodies 10, and requests the call of the mobile body from the first mobile body 10 and the current travel route. Receive more information. The communication unit 70 supplies the received information to the mobile management unit 74.

The mobile body management unit 74 manages a plurality of mobile bodies 10. The mobile body management unit 74 holds the position information of the mobile body 10 and the information indicating the presence / absence of an occupant in association with the identification information of the mobile body 10 for each mobile body 10.

When the request for calling the moving body is supplied, the moving body management unit 74 identifies the moving body 10 having no occupant and the position closest to the first moving body 10 among the plurality of moving bodies 10. Hereinafter, the specified moving body 10 is referred to as a second moving body. The moving body management unit 74 causes the second moving body 10 to travel toward the position of the first moving body 10. Since the second moving body 10 has no occupant, there is no risk of causing a disadvantage to the occupant even if the second moving body 10 travels to the position of the first moving body 10. The mobile body management unit 74 transmits a movement instruction to the second mobile body 10 via the communication unit 70. The movement instruction includes the position information of the first moving body 10.

The communication unit 28 of the second mobile body 10 receives the movement instruction from the server device 12 and supplies the movement instruction to the route deriving unit 50. The route deriving unit 50 that receives the movement instruction derives a third traveling route from the current position to the position of the first moving body 10, and the traveling control unit 32 derives the second traveling body along the third traveling path. Run 10. The travel control unit 32 suspends the second moving body 10 when it reaches the vicinity of the position of the first moving body 10. The output unit 44 of the second moving body 10 may output information prompting the movement of occupants and luggage.

When the second mobile body 10 reaches the vicinity of the position of the first mobile body 10 based on the position information of the second mobile body 10, the mobile body management unit 74 uses the communication unit 70 to perform the first movement. A group running instruction is transmitted to the moving body 10 and the second moving body 10. The group travel instruction includes information on the travel route of the first mobile body 10.

It is assumed that some users and luggage on the first mobile body 10 will move to the second mobile body 10 that has arrived. The weight acquisition unit 58 of the first moving body 10 stops the supply of the overweight signal when the acquired weight is less than the threshold value. When the supply of the overweight signal is stopped and the communication unit 28 receives the group travel instruction, the travel control unit 32 causes the first moving body 10 to travel again along the travel route after a lapse of a predetermined time. The predetermined time may be, for example, several seconds. Before the start of running, the output unit 44 may output to the user that the running is resumed. Due to the reduced weight, the first moving body 10 can travel normally.

When the second moving body 10 receives the group running instruction, the second moving body 10 follows the first moving body 10 on the traveling path according to the information of the traveling path of the first moving body 10. While the first moving body 10 is stopped, the second moving body 10 is also stopped.

A specific example will be described. Here, an example in which an excess weight occurs in the moving body 10 orbiting the first traveling path 82 will be described, but the moving body 10 heading for the destination on the second traveling route, the moving body 10 traveling on a free route, or the moving body 10 traveling on a free route will be described. The same applies when the weight of the waiting moving body 10 is exceeded.

It is assumed that a plurality of users get on the first moving body 10a traveling at the position shown in FIG. 3 and the weight exceeds the threshold value. Since the second moving body 10k closest to the first moving body 10a has no occupant, the second moving body 10k heads toward the position of the first moving body 10a.

FIG. 5 shows a situation in which the second moving body 10k arrives near the overweight first moving body 10a, following FIG. The second moving body 10k traveled along the third traveling path 84. Some users on the first mobile body 10a move to the second mobile body 10k. As a result, the weight on the first moving body 10a is reduced, and the first moving body 10a resumes traveling. The user who got off the first mobile body 10a does not need to search for another mobile body 10 and can easily board the second mobile body 10k. Therefore, the first moving body 10a can continue to travel while suppressing a decrease in convenience.

FIG. 6 shows a situation in which the first mobile body 10a and the second mobile body 10k, following FIG. 5, travel in a platoon. The first moving body 10a travels on the first traveling path 82 at a constant speed of, for example, about 3 to 5 kilometers per hour, and the second moving body 10k travels on the first traveling path 82 detected by the distance sensor 40. The distance from the first moving body 10a in front of the vehicle is maintained at a predetermined interval, and the vehicle follows the first moving body 10a in front of the vehicle. The predetermined interval is, for example, several centimeters to one meter. The travel control unit 32 of the second moving body 10k controls the travel speed based on the distance detected by the distance sensor 40. In this way, the first moving body 10a and the second moving body 10k perform platooning traveling as a group while maintaining relative positions with each other. By platooning, for example, even in a situation where one user rides on the first moving body 10a and puts the user's luggage on the second moving body 10k, the luggage is within reach, so that the user is relieved. be able to.

Each of the moving bodies 10 may be provided with an inter-vehicle communication unit that acquires information such as the speed and position of the surrounding moving bodies 10 by wireless communication between the moving bodies 10, and when a group traveling instruction is received, the inter-vehicle distance is provided. You may run in a platoon by performing coordinated control by CACC (Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control) based on the information acquired by the communication unit. In this case, the distance sensor 40 does not have to be provided.

FIG. 7 is a top view showing a first moving body 10a and a second moving body 10k traveling in a platoon of FIG. The information processing device 26 is not shown. The first moving body 10a and the second moving body 10k travel in a platoon in the direction d1 with a predetermined interval. When the predetermined interval is about several centimeters, the user can easily move between the first moving body 10a and the second moving body 10k while traveling. When multiple users are family members, friends, etc., the convenience is enhanced by being able to move.

The plurality of moving bodies 10 may travel in a group without traveling in a platoon. Further, the plurality of moving bodies 10 may not travel in a group, do not control the distance between the front and rear moving bodies 10, and may travel individually at intervals wider than a predetermined interval.

The present invention has been described above based on the embodiments. Embodiments are merely examples, and it is understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible for each component and combination of each processing process, and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present invention.

For example, in the embodiment, the plurality of moving bodies 10 traveling in a platoon are not connected, but may be connected. The moving body 10 includes a first connecting mechanism provided at the front end of the vehicle body 22 instead of the distance sensor 40, and a second connecting mechanism provided at the rear end of the vehicle body 22. The two front and rear moving bodies 10 are connected by a first connecting mechanism and a second connecting mechanism. For example, the first connecting mechanism includes an electromagnet, and the second connecting mechanism is made of a magnetic material. When the moving body 10 travels in a platoon, the electromagnet of the first connecting mechanism generates a magnetic force. By this magnetic force, the second connecting mechanism of the front moving body 10 is connected to the first connecting mechanism. The first connecting mechanism can be rotated in the in-plane direction of the upper surface by the rotating portion. The second connecting mechanism can be rotated in the in-plane direction of the upper surface by the rotating portion. As a result, it is possible to run in a platoon along a curved running path. As the first connecting mechanism and the second connecting mechanism, various well-known mechanisms can be used. In this modification, the distance between the front and rear moving bodies 10 is more stable than in the embodiment, so that the user can move more easily between the moving bodies 10 during traveling.

In the embodiment, the moving body 10 travels along the first traveling path 82 based on the position information using GPS, but a belt such as a magnetic tape may be provided along the first traveling path 82. .. In this case, the moving body 10 orbits along the belt. The moving body 10 may travel so as to follow the belt based on the magnetic field generated from the belt, or may travel so as to follow the belt detected by image analysis. In this modification, the degree of freedom in the configuration of the mobile system 1 can be improved.

Further, the server device 12 may not be provided. In this case, the function of the mobile body management unit 74 of the server device 12 is provided by the mobile body 10 of one of the plurality of mobile bodies 10. The mobile body 10 having the function of the server device 12 receives information such as a call request for the mobile body from a plurality of other mobile bodies 10, and places the specified second mobile body 10 at the position of the first mobile body 10. Drive towards. In this modification, the degree of freedom in the configuration of the mobile system 1 can be improved.

Further, the process of deriving the travel route in the control device 25 may be executed by the server device 12. In this case, the route deriving unit 50 and the map information holding unit 52 are mounted on the server device 12, and the server device 12 derives the traveling route and transmits the derived traveling route information to the moving body 10. In this modification, the degree of freedom in the configuration of the mobile system 1 can be improved.

1 ... Mobile system, 10,10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f, 10g, 10h, 10i, 10j, 10k, 10l, 10m ... Mobile, 12 ... Server device, 25 ... Control device, 26 ... Information Processing device, 30 ... position acquisition unit, 32 ... travel control unit, 34 ... route holding unit, 36 ... reception unit, 40 ... distance sensor, 42 ... imaging unit, 44 ... output unit, 50 ... route derivation unit, 52 ... map Information holding unit, 54 ... Inclined acquisition unit, 56 ... Setting unit, 58 ... Weight acquisition unit, 74 ... Mobile object management unit.

Claims (1)

A weight acquisition unit that acquires the weight of an object on a moving object that the user can get on and off while driving,
When the acquired weight is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the moving body management unit that runs another moving body toward the position of the moving body, and
A mobile system characterized by being equipped with.

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