JP2023177532A - guidance system - Google Patents

Abstract

To enable an operator maneuvering a manned transportation vehicle to intuitively recognize a distance to a cargo handling position, a direction thereof and the like by using a plurality of unmanned flying objects for guiding the manned transportation vehicle.SOLUTION: A guidance system S comprises: a manned transportation vehicle 1 that is operated by an operator O; a plurality of unmanned flying objects 2 capable of hovering in the air; and a management device 3 that controls the unmanned flying objects 2. Each unmanned flying object 2 comprises: a projection unit 23 that projects a guide image 200; and a road surface imaging unit 25 that captures images of a road surface side. The management device 3 comprises: a guide road generation unit 31 that generates a guide road 4 between a vehicle position D1 of the manned transportation vehicle 1 and a cargo handling position D2; an arrangement determination unit 32 that determines a position where the plurality of unmanned flying objects 2 will hover in the air on the guide road 4; and a projection commanding unit 33 that commands the projection unit 23 a direction in which the guide image is projected on the basis of an image captured by the road surface imaging unit 25.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a guidance system including a manned guided vehicle and an unmanned flying vehicle.

2. Description of the Related Art Manned guided vehicles (for example, forklifts) used in facilities such as factories and warehouses are configured to operate when an operator rides on and operates them. Forklifts are configured to use their forks to carry out loading and unloading operations.

By the way, a guidance system is known that includes a manned guided vehicle operated by an operator, an unmanned flying vehicle that can be stopped in the air, and a management device that controls the unmanned flying vehicle (see Patent Document 1, etc.).

In a guidance system, an unmanned flying vehicle is equipped with a projector that projects a guidance image onto a road surface. The guidance image displays, for example, an arrow pointing in the specified direction, and is projected onto the road surface in front of the manned guided vehicle. Thereby, the operator who is operating the manned guided vehicle is configured to be guided to the cargo handling position by checking the guidance image.

By the way, in conventional guidance systems, the manned guided vehicle is guided based on one guidance image projected by one unmanned flying vehicle, so the operator operating the manned guided vehicle can intuitively know the distance and direction to the cargo handling position. The problem is that it is difficult to recognize the

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-52629

Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to use a plurality of unmanned flying vehicles to guide a manned guided vehicle so that an operator operating the manned guided vehicle can intuitively determine the distance and direction to the cargo handling position. The objective is to provide a guidance system that can be recognized.

In order to solve the above problems, a guidance system according to the present invention includes a manned carrier operated by an operator, a plurality of unmanned flying vehicles that can be stopped in the air, and a management device that controls the unmanned flying vehicles. . The unmanned flying vehicle includes a projection section that projects a guidance image and a road surface photographing section that photographs the road side. Furthermore, the management device includes a taxiway generation unit that generates a taxiway between the vehicle position of the manned guided vehicle and the cargo handling position, and a placement determination unit that determines the positions at which the plurality of unmanned aircraft will stop in the air on the taxiway. and a projection instruction section that instructs the projection section in a direction in which the guidance image is projected based on the image taken by the road surface imaging section.

Preferably, the projection instruction section includes a collection section that collects teacher data based on the relationship between color data regarding the color of the photographed image, illuminance data regarding the illuminance, and a visibility score indicating visibility for an operator. In addition, the projection instruction unit performs machine learning from the teacher data collected in the collection unit, and includes a learning model generation unit that generates and stores a learning model by machine learning, and acquires current color data and illuminance data at predetermined intervals. a prediction unit that acquires a visibility score from the learning model by inputting the current color data and illuminance data acquired from the acquisition unit into the learning model generated by the learning model generation unit; and a determination unit that determines a direction in which the guidance image is projected based on the visibility score obtained by the determination unit.

It is desirable that the direction in which the guidance image is projected includes the road surface side, the shelf side, and the ceiling side.

Preferably, the shelf includes a projection surface onto which the guidance image is projected.

The projection surface may be a flat surface of a projection panel provided on a shelf or a flat surface of luggage stored on a shelf.

The unmanned aerial vehicle may further include a shelf photographing section that photographs the shelf side, and a ceiling photographing section that photographs the ceiling side. The projection instruction section instructs the projection section in a direction in which the guide image is projected based on the images taken by the road surface imaging section, the shelf imaging section, and the ceiling imaging section.

Preferably, the projection instruction section includes a collection section that collects teacher data based on the relationship between color data regarding the color and illuminance data regarding the illuminance of each photographed image and a visibility score indicating visibility for an operator. . Also, a learning model generation unit that performs machine learning from the teacher data collected in the collection unit and generates and stores a learning model by machine learning, and an acquisition unit that acquires current color data and illuminance data at predetermined intervals; A prediction unit that acquires a visibility score from the learning model by inputting the current color data and illuminance data acquired from the acquisition unit into the learning model generated by the learning model generation unit; A determination unit that determines a direction in which the guidance image is projected based on the visibility score.

Further, the placement determining unit may determine the aerial stop position of the unmanned aerial vehicle so that the unmanned aerial vehicle is positioned at the height of the cargo handling position.

Preferably, the placement determining unit determines the aerial stop position of the unmanned aerial vehicle so that the unmanned aerial vehicle is positioned at the height of the cargo handling position. Furthermore, the management device controls the unmanned flying vehicle to emit light when the height of the cargo handling position corresponds to the height of the lowest shelf.

Preferably, the placement determining unit determines the aerial stop position of the unmanned aerial vehicle so that the unmanned aerial vehicle is positioned at the height of the cargo handling position. The management device also includes a projection instruction unit that controls the unmanned flying vehicle to project the guidance image toward the ceiling when the height of the cargo handling position corresponds to the height of the lowest shelf.

It is preferable that the placement determining unit determines the aerial stopping position of the unmanned flying vehicle on a straight line connecting the eye level of the operator operating the manned guided vehicle and the height of the cargo handling position.

The placement determining unit may determine the aerial stopping position of the unmanned aerial vehicle on a straight line connecting a height corresponding to the eyes of an operator operating the manned guided vehicle and a height of the cargo handling position. Furthermore, the management device includes a projection instruction unit that controls the unmanned flying vehicle to project the guidance image toward the road surface.

Preferably, the management device includes a projection instruction unit that controls the unmanned flying vehicle to project the guidance image toward the ceiling. Further, the placement determining unit controls the unmanned flying object so that the distance between the manned guided vehicle and the unmanned flying object closest to the manned guided vehicle becomes a predetermined length.

The management device also includes a projection instruction unit that controls the unmanned aerial vehicle to project a guidance image toward the road surface or ceiling, and a focus that adjusts the focus of the guidance image according to the height of the unmanned aerial vehicle. Control may be performed to make adjustments.

The guidance system according to the present invention suspends a plurality of unmanned flying vehicles in the air on a taxiway generated between the vehicle position of the manned guided vehicle and the cargo handling position, so that an operator operating the manned guided vehicle can move to the cargo handling position. You can intuitively recognize the distance, position, direction, etc.

Furthermore, the projection instruction unit is designed to instruct the direction in which the guidance image is projected depending on the condition of the road surface, such as dirt or peeling, so even if the guidance image cannot be projected neatly on the road surface, By clearly projecting the guidance image onto a shelf, ceiling, etc., it is possible to make it easier for the operator operating the manned guided vehicle to recognize the guidance image.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the guidance system. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the guidance system. FIG. 3 is a side view showing the guidance system, in which (A) shows a state in which a guidance image is projected onto a road surface, and (B) shows a state in which a guidance image is projected onto a ceiling. FIG. 3 is a side view showing the guidance system, in which (A) shows a state in which a guidance image is projected onto a projection panel of a shelf, and (B) shows a state in which a guidance image is projected onto luggage stored on a shelf. A block diagram showing a guidance system. FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining a projection instruction section. FIG. 7 is a side view showing another guidance system of Embodiment 1; FIG. 7 is a side view showing a guidance system according to another embodiment 2; FIG. 7 is a side view showing a guidance system according to another embodiment 3; FIG. 7 is a side view showing a guidance system according to another embodiment 4; FIG. 7 is a side view showing a guidance system according to another embodiment 5; FIG. 7 is a side view showing a guidance system according to another embodiment 6;

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a guidance system according to the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

<First embodiment>
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the guidance system S includes a manned guided vehicle 1 operated by an operator O. The manned guided vehicle 1 is configured to operate when an operator O operates it. In this embodiment, the manned guided vehicle 1 is a counterbalance type forklift, and is configured so that the vehicle body can travel and the fork can be raised and lowered by operation by the operator O.

The guidance system S includes a plurality of shelves R installed in a facility such as a factory or warehouse. The shelf R includes a plurality of steps in the height direction, and is configured such that the luggage L can be stored at a predetermined position on the steps. The manned guided vehicle 1 performs cargo handling by loading and unloading the cargo L at a predetermined position on the shelf R. The shelves R are arranged at intervals of a predetermined width so that the manned guided vehicle 1 can travel and handle cargo, and a passage P is formed between the opposing shelves R (FIG. 2). .

The guidance system S includes a plurality of unmanned flying objects 2 that can be stopped in the air. The unmanned flying object 2 is called a drone, and is capable of flying to a predetermined mid-air stopping position and hovering at a predetermined mid-air stopping position by rotating rotary wings provided at the tips of each of a plurality of arms. It is configured as follows.

The guidance system S includes a management device 3 for controlling the unmanned flying vehicle 2 (FIG. 5). The management device 3 includes a storage section 30. The storage unit 30 stores a map M including shelves R and passages P installed within the facility, luggage L placed within the facility, and the like.

Furthermore, the storage unit 30 stores one or more cargo handling tasks T performed by the manned guided vehicle 1 as a cargo handling schedule J. In other words, the cargo handling schedule J includes a cargo handling task T1 for picking up a cargo L from a predetermined location on a predetermined shelf R, a cargo handling task T2 for depositing the cargo L at a predetermined location on a predetermined shelf R, and a cargo handling task T2 for loading the cargo L at a predetermined location on a predetermined shelf R. One or more cargo handling tasks T, such as a cargo handling task T3 for placing the cargo L and a cargo handling task T4 for picking up the cargo L from the receiving location, are set in a predetermined order. Further, the cargo handling task T includes position information of the cargo L and cargo handling (pickup or storage) information for the cargo L.

The management device 3 includes a cargo handling instruction section 34, and the cargo handling instruction section 34 displays the cargo handling task T of the cargo handling schedule J transmitted from the storage section 30 on the display section 11 provided in the driver's seat of the manned guided vehicle 1. configured to display.

The display unit 11 is configured with, for example, a touch panel display, and the cargo handling instruction unit 34 displays on the display unit 11 the cargo handling task T that the manned guided vehicle 1 should perform. The operator O operates the manned guided vehicle 1 to handle cargo according to the cargo handling task T displayed on the display unit 11. When the cargo handling task T is completed, the operator O presses an end button (not shown) displayed on the display section 11, and an end signal is transmitted to the cargo handling instruction section 34. The cargo handling instruction unit 34 is configured to display the cargo handling task (next cargo handling task) T to be performed by the manned guided vehicle 1 on the display unit 11 based on the cargo handling schedule J upon receiving the end signal. .

The manned guided vehicle 1 includes a position detection section 10. The position detection unit 10 includes a laser sensor, a GPS sensor, an electromagnetic induction sensor, and the like. The position detection unit 10 is configured to detect the vehicle position D1 of the manned guided vehicle 1.

The management device 3 includes a guideway generation section 31. The taxiway generation unit 31 generates information on the vehicle position D1 of the manned guided vehicle 1 transmitted from the position detection unit 10, the facility map M transmitted from the storage unit 30, and the cargo handling schedule J transmitted from the storage unit 30. Based on the cargo handling task T, a guide path 4 between the vehicle position D1 of the manned guided vehicle 1 and the cargo handling position D2 is generated. The cargo handling position D2 is a position on the path P where the manned guided vehicle 1 picks up and deposits cargo in the cargo handling task T (FIG. 2).

As shown in FIG. 2, the guideway generation unit 31 is configured to generate, for example, a guideway 4 that connects the vehicle position D1 and the cargo handling position D2 on the passage P. The guideway 4 is set, for example, so that the travel distance of the manned guided vehicle 1 is the shortest. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the guideway 4 includes a first straight section 41, a bent section 40, and a second straight section 42.

The unmanned aerial vehicle 2 includes a position detection section 20 (FIG. 5). The position detection unit 20 includes a GPS sensor, a gyro sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a laser sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a compass, an acceleration sensor, etc., and can detect the position of the unmanned flying vehicle 2.

The unmanned flying vehicle 2 includes a flight control section 21. The flight control unit 21 is configured to control the rotation of the rotor. Based on the detection result of the position detection unit 20 and the control of the flight control unit 21, the unmanned flying object 2 flies to a predetermined aerial stop position on the taxiway 4 and hovers so as to stop in the air at the air stop position. can do.

The management device 3 includes a placement determining section 32. The arrangement determining unit 32 is configured to determine the number of unmanned flying objects 2 according to the distance of the taxiway 4.

For example, when the unmanned aerial vehicles 2 are arranged at equal intervals on the taxiway 4, when the taxiway 4 is long distance, the arrangement determining unit 32 determines that a large number of unmanned aerial vehicles 2 are arranged at equal intervals on the taxiway 4. On the other hand, when the taxiway 4 is short, it is determined that a small number of unmanned flying vehicles 2 are arranged.

The placement determining unit 32 is further configured to determine an aerial stop position at which the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 hovers on the taxiway 4 . As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 hovers in the air at equal intervals on the first straight section 41 and the second straight section 42 of the taxiway 4, and also hovers at the bending section of the taxiway 4. It stops in the air and hovers at the bending position D3 located on the taxiway 40 and the cargo handling position D2 located on the taxiway 4.

Since the bending position D3 on the taxiway 4 is an important position where the manned guided vehicle 1 turns, the unmanned flying vehicle 2 stops in the air and hovers at the bending position D3, so that the operator O can move the vehicle at the important position. A certain bending position D3 can be quickly grasped. In addition, since the cargo handling position D2 on the taxiway 4 is an important position where the manned guided vehicle 1 performs cargo handling work, the unmanned flying vehicle 2 is suspended in the air and hovering at the cargo handling position D2, so that the operator O can , the cargo handling position D2, which is an important position, can be quickly grasped.

The unmanned aerial vehicle 2 includes a storage section 22. The storage unit 22 stores the guidance image 200. The guidance image 200 is composed of, for example, an arrow for guiding the manned guided vehicle 1 to the cargo handling position D2, and is displayed so that the direction of the arrow changes depending on the cargo handling position D2 (FIG. 2).

The unmanned aerial vehicle 2 includes a projection section 23. The projection unit 23 is composed of, for example, a projector, and is capable of projecting the guidance image 200 stored in the storage unit 22 onto the road surface of the passage P of the facility (FIGS. 1 and 2). ).

The management device 3 includes a projection instruction section 33. The projection instruction unit 33 is configured to determine the guidance image 200 to be projected onto the path P according to the taxiway 4 generated by the taxiway generation unit 31 and send a projection instruction to the projection unit 23 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 2. ing.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the projection unit 23 is normally configured to project the guidance image 200 onto the road surface of the passage P.

Further, the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 includes a road surface photographing section 25, and the road surface photographing section 25 is configured to photograph the road surface of the passage P. The road surface photographing unit 25 may be a camera having, for example, a CCD sensor, a CMOS sensor, an image processor, etc., and is configured to acquire photographed images.

The unmanned aerial vehicle 2 includes a projection unit 23 that projects the guidance image 200, but the projection unit 23 may, for example, change the direction in which one projector projects the guidance image 200, or change the direction in which a plurality of projectors project the guidance image 200. The guide image 200 can be projected onto the aisle P side, the shelf R side, the ceiling C side, etc. The projection unit 23 is configured such that, for example, a projector is configured to be rotatable by a motor, or a reflecting mirror that reflects the guided image 200 is configured to be rotated by a motor, and the direction in which the guided image 200 is projected is changed. Good too.

Furthermore, the projection instruction section 33 is configured to instruct the projection section 23 on the direction in which the guide image 200 is projected based on the image taken by the road surface imaging section 25 . The projection instruction unit 33 stores the color of the road surface of the passage P, and when a predetermined proportion of the entire photographed image has a color different from the color of the road surface of the passage P, it indicates that the road surface is dirty or peeled off. Since the guidance image 200 cannot be projected clearly, the projection unit 23 may be instructed to project the guidance image 200 not on the aisle P but on the shelf R side, the ceiling C side, etc. (see FIGS. 3 and 3). Figure 4).

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the projection instruction unit 33 may instruct the projection unit 23 in a direction in which the guided image 200 is projected using machine learning. At this time, the projection instruction section 33 includes a collection section 40 that collects teacher data 46. The teacher data 46 includes color data D1 regarding the color of the road surface of the passage P, and illuminance data D2 regarding the illuminance of the road surface of the passage P.

The projection instruction unit 33 includes a learning model generation unit 41 that performs machine learning from the teacher data 46 (color data D1, illuminance data D2) collected by the collection unit 40, and generates and stores a learning model by machine learning. The learning model generation unit 41 of this embodiment performs supervised learning. In supervised learning, a large amount of teacher data 46, that is, pairs of input data ID and output data OD, are input to the learning model generation unit 41.

The input data ID includes the color and illuminance of the road surface of the passage P. The output data OD is a visibility score. The input data ID is evaluated and a numerical parameter from 0 to 10 is set as a visibility score indicating the possibility of whether or not the operator can visually recognize the guide image 200.

For example, in a case where it is determined that the numerical parameter of the visibility score is high, that is, there is a high possibility that the operator will be able to visually recognize the guidance image 200, for example, the proportion of the color of the road surface of the passage P that is the same as the original color is determined to be high. Visibility is often good if the color is high, or even if the proportion of the same color is low, the proportion of colors close to the original color is high, and the illuminance is high.

On the other hand, when the numerical parameter of the visibility score is low, that is, it is determined that the possibility that the operator will be able to recognize the guidance image 200 is low, for example, the proportion of the color of the road surface of the passage P that is different from the original color If the color is high, or even if the proportion of different colors is low, the proportion of colors far from the original color is high, and the illuminance is low, visibility is often poor.

The visibility score may be set using numerical parameters such as the color and illumination of the road surface of the passageway P, or may be set using numerical parameters weighted and averaged using a weighting coefficient.

Note that when the operator actually visually recognizes the guidance image 200, the visibility differs depending on the color and illuminance of the road surface of the passage P, so the visibility of the guidance image 200 by the operator depends on the color and illumination of the road surface of the passage P. It can be inferred that a certain relationship such as correlation exists between the two.

The learning model generation unit 41 uses a machine learning algorithm such as a general neural network. The learning model generation unit 41 generates a model (learning model) that estimates an output from input by performing machine learning using input data ID and output data OD having a correlation as teacher data 46, that is, when input data ID is input. , generate a model that outputs a visibility score.

The projection instruction section 33 includes an acquisition section 45 that acquires the current input data ID at predetermined time intervals. In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 45 is the road surface imaging unit 25. As described above, the input data ID is the color and illuminance of the road surface of the passage P. The input data ID is acquired at predetermined intervals (for example, every minute).

The projection instruction unit 33 applies the learning model generated by the learning model generation unit 41 to the current input data ID acquired from the acquisition unit 45 to predict whether or not the operator can visually recognize the guide image 200. A prediction unit 42 is provided.

When the current input data ID is input to the prediction unit 42 at predetermined intervals, the color and illuminance of the road surface of the passageway P are analyzed to obtain a visibility score. If the acquired visibility score satisfies the condition that it is equal to or greater than a predetermined numerical parameter set in advance, it is predicted that there is a high possibility that the operator will be able to visually recognize the guide image 200.

When visibility is low, the determining unit 43 determines for the projection unit 23 that the direction in which the guidance image 200 is projected is not toward the road surface of the passageway P, but toward the shelf R side, the ceiling C side, etc. . This makes it easier for the operator to visually recognize the guide image 200.

Further, the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 may include a shelf photographing section 26 and a ceiling photographing section 27 in addition to the road surface photographing section 25. The shelf photographing unit 26 is configured to photograph the shelf R. The ceiling photographing unit 27 is configured to photograph the ceiling C. Each photographing unit 25, 26, 27 may be a camera having, for example, a CCD sensor, a CMOS sensor, an image processor, etc., and is configured to acquire data of photographed images. Each of the photographing units 25, 26, and 27 may be composed of a plurality of different cameras, or may be composed of a single camera.

As shown in FIG. 4(A), the shelf R may include a projection panel 210 provided for each storage section in which the luggage L is stored. The projection panel 210 is configured to project the guidance image 200 onto a projection surface 201 that is a flat surface on the passage P side. Further, as shown in FIG. 4(B), the guidance image 200 may be projected using the projection surface 201 on the path P side of the luggage L stored on the shelf R.

The projection instruction section 33 uses the projection panel 210 or the luggage L to be projected when the road surface of the passage P photographed by the road surface photographing section 25 is dirty or peeled off, or on the shelf R photographed by the shelf photographing section 26. If the surface 201 is not present or the projection surface 201 is dirty, the guidance image 200 may be projected onto the ceiling C as shown in FIG. 3(B).

The projection instruction unit 33 stores the color of the projection surface 201, and when a predetermined percentage of the entire photographed image has a color different from the normal color, it is dirty or peeled off, and the projection direction is detected. Since the image 200 cannot be projected clearly, the projection unit 23 may be instructed to project the guided image 200 not on the shelf R side but on the ceiling C side. Furthermore, when the projection instruction unit 33 recognizes that the luggage L is not stored on the shelf R, since there is no projection surface 201, the projection instruction unit 33 projects the guided image 200 not on the shelf R side but on the ceiling C side. The projection unit 23 may also be instructed.

In addition to the color and illuminance of the road surface of the passageway P, the collection unit 40 of the projection instruction unit 33 collects color data D1 regarding the colors of the projection surface 201 and the ceiling C, and the illuminance regarding the illuminance of the projection surface 201 and the ceiling C. It may also include data D2.

Then, the learning model generation section 41 of the projection instruction section 33 performs machine learning from the teacher data 46 collected by the collection section 40 in the same way as the color and illuminance of the road surface of the passageway P, and generates a learning model by machine learning. The prediction unit 42 predicts whether the operator can visually recognize the guide image 200 based on the input data ID from the acquisition unit 45, which is the shelf photography unit 26 and the ceiling photography unit 27.

When the visibility of the road surface of the passage P is low, the determining unit 43 causes the projection unit 23 to project the guidance image 200 in the direction of the ceiling C side instead of the shelf R side, or Instead, it is decided to move it toward the shelf R side. This makes it easier for the operator to visually recognize the guide image 200.

The operator O visually observes the guidance image 200 projected on the aisle P side, the shelf R side, or the ceiling C side, drives the manned guided vehicle 1 along the guidance image 200 to the cargo handling position D2, and displays the information on the display unit 11. The manned guided vehicle 1 can be operated to perform cargo handling work on the cargo L according to the cargo handling task T that has been determined.

In the guidance system S, the manned guided vehicle 1 The operator O who operates the cargo handling position D2 can intuitively recognize the distance and direction to the cargo handling position D2.

<Other Examples>
Other embodiments of the guidance system S will be described based on FIGS. 7 to 12.
Note that configurations similar to those in the first embodiment may be omitted to avoid redundant explanation.

(Other Example 1)
As shown in FIG. 7, the placement determining unit 32 of the management device 3 may be configured to determine the aerial stop position of the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 so that the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 is positioned at the height of the cargo handling position D2. That is, the storage unit 30 of the management device 3 stores the height position of the cargo handling position D2 of each cargo handling task T in the cargo handling schedule J. The height position of the cargo handling position D2 is the height of the cargo L to be handled in each cargo handling task T. The manned guided vehicle 1 performs loading and unloading operations on the luggage L at the height of the loading position D2. The arrangement determining unit 32 is configured so that the unmanned flying object 2 hovers and stops in the air at a height corresponding to the height position of the cargo handling position D2 of each cargo handling task T.

The operator O who operates the manned guided vehicle 1 drives the manned guided vehicle 1 along the guidance image 200 projected from the unmanned flying vehicle 2 onto the path P, but visually confirms the mid-air stopping position of the unmanned flying vehicle 2. By simply doing this, the height of the cargo L to be handled can be intuitively recognized.

(Other Example 2)
As shown in FIG. 8, the placement determining unit 32 of the management device 3 may be configured to determine the aerial stop position of the unmanned flying vehicle 2 so that the unmanned flying vehicle 2 is located at the height of the cargo handling position D2. The unmanned flying object 2 is equipped with a light emitting device (not shown) and is configured to emit light so that the operator O can easily recognize the position of the unmanned flying object 2.

When the height position of the cargo handling position D2 corresponds to the height of the lowest stage of the shelf R, the arrangement determining unit 32 of the management device 3 arranges the unmanned aircraft 2 so that it is located at the height of the lowest stage of the shelf R. The aerial stopping position of the flying object 2 is determined. Therefore, since the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 is suspended in the air at a low position close to the passage P, even if the guidance image 200 is projected onto the passage P, it is difficult for the operator O to recognize the unmanned aerial vehicle 2. emits light, and as a result, the operator O can reliably recognize the guideway 4.

When the manned guided vehicle 1 travels and approaches the unmanned flying vehicle 2, the unmanned flying vehicle 2 is configured to take an evasive flight so as not to collide with the manned guided vehicle 1.

The operator O who operates the manned guided vehicle 1 can reach the cargo handling position D2 by driving the manned guided vehicle 1 along the unmanned flying vehicle 2, but only by visually confirming the mid-air stop position of the unmanned flying vehicle 2. , the height of the cargo L to be handled can be intuitively recognized.

(Other Example 3)
As shown in FIG. 9, the placement determining unit 32 of the management device 3 may be configured to determine the aerial stop position of the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 so that the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 is positioned at the height of the cargo handling position D2. The unmanned aerial vehicle 2 is equipped with a projection section 23, and the projection section 23 is configured to be able to project the guidance image 200 onto the ceiling C of the facility.

When the height position of the cargo handling position D2 corresponds to the height of the lowest stage of the shelf R, the arrangement determining unit 32 of the management device 3 arranges the unmanned aircraft 2 so that it is located at the height of the lowest stage of the shelf R. The aerial stopping position of the flying object 2 is determined. Therefore, since the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 is suspended in the air at a low position close to the passage P, even if the guidance image 200 is projected onto the passage P, it is difficult for the operator O to recognize the unmanned aerial vehicle 2. By projecting the guidance image 200 onto the ceiling C, the operator O can reliably recognize the guidance path 4.

When the manned guided vehicle 1 travels and approaches the unmanned flying vehicle 2, the unmanned flying vehicle 2 is configured to take an evasive flight so as not to collide with the manned guided vehicle 1.

The operator O who operates the manned guided vehicle 1 can reach the cargo handling position D2 by driving the manned guided vehicle 1 along the guidance image 200 projected onto the ceiling C from the unmanned aerial vehicle 2. The height of the cargo L to be handled can be intuitively recognized by simply visually checking the mid-air stopping position of the cargo L.

(Other Example 4)
As shown in FIG. 10, the placement determining unit 32 of the management device 3 stops the unmanned flying vehicle 2 in the air on a straight line OS connecting the eye level of the operator O who operates the manned guided vehicle 1 and the height position of the cargo handling position D2. It may be configured to determine a position. The unmanned flying object 2 is equipped with a light emitting device (not shown) and is configured to emit light so that the operator O can easily recognize the position of the unmanned flying object 2.

The operator O who operates the manned guided vehicle 1 can reach the cargo handling position D2 by driving the manned guided vehicle 1 along the unmanned flying vehicle 2, but only by visually confirming the mid-air stop position of the unmanned flying vehicle 2. , the height of the cargo L to be handled can be intuitively recognized.

(Other Example 5)
As shown in FIG. 11, the placement determining unit 32 of the management device 3 stops the unmanned flying vehicle 2 in the air on a straight line OS connecting the eye level of the operator O who operates the manned guided vehicle 1 and the height position of the cargo handling position D2. It may be configured to determine a position. The unmanned aerial vehicle 2 includes a projection section 23, and the projection section 23 is configured to be able to project the guidance image 200 onto the passageway P of the facility.

The operator O who operates the manned guided vehicle 1 can reach the cargo handling position D2 by driving the manned guided vehicle 1 along the unmanned flying vehicle 2, but only by visually confirming the mid-air stop position of the unmanned flying vehicle 2. , the height of the cargo L to be handled can be intuitively recognized.

Further, since the operator O can drive the manned guided vehicle 1 along the unmanned flying vehicle 2, the guidance image 200 does not need to be composed of arrows pointing in the direction of the cargo handling position D2, and other information such as The type of cargo L to be handled and the like can be displayed. Therefore, the operator O can make preparations for picking up and placing the cargo L depending on the type of the cargo L and the like.

(Other Example 6)
As shown in FIG. 12, the placement determining unit 32 of the management device 3 may be configured to determine the aerial stop position of the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 so that the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 is positioned at the height of the cargo handling position D2. The unmanned aerial vehicle 2 is equipped with a projection section 23, and the projection section 23 is configured to be able to project the guidance image 200 onto the ceiling C of the facility.

When the height position of the cargo handling position D2 corresponds to the height of the lowest stage of the shelf R, the arrangement determining unit 32 of the management device 3 arranges the unmanned aircraft 2 so that it is located at the height of the lowest stage of the shelf R. The aerial stopping position of the flying object 2 is determined. Therefore, since the unmanned flying object 2 is located at a low position close to the passage P, even if the guidance image 200 is projected onto the passage P, it is difficult for the operator O to recognize it. The body 2 is controlled to project the guidance image 200 onto the ceiling C.

Furthermore, if the distance X between the manned guided vehicle 1 and the guidance image 200 closest to the manned guided vehicle 1 is short, the line of sight of the operator O operating the manned guided vehicle 1 will be directed upward at a large angle, which is dangerous. Therefore, the arrangement determining unit 32 determines that the distance X between the manned guided vehicle 1 and the guidance image 200 closest to the manned guided vehicle 1 is a predetermined length, so that the line of sight of the operator O does not look upward at a large angle. control like this.

The distance X may be a fixed length set in advance, and may be set depending on the speed of the manned guided vehicle 1, for example, it becomes longer when the speed of the manned guided vehicle 1 is faster than a predetermined speed, and becomes shorter when the speed is slower than the predetermined speed. may be changed. Thereby, the line of sight of the operator O who operates the manned guided vehicle 1 is directed upward at a small angle, so that the manned guided vehicle 1 can travel safely.

When the manned guided vehicle 1 travels and approaches the unmanned flying vehicle 2, the unmanned flying vehicle 2 is configured to take an evasive flight so as not to collide with the manned guided vehicle 1.

The operator O who operates the manned guided vehicle 1 drives the manned guided vehicle 1 along the guidance image 200 projected from the unmanned flying vehicle 2 onto the ceiling C, but visually confirms the mid-air stopping position of the unmanned flying vehicle 2. By simply doing this, the height of the cargo L to be handled can be intuitively recognized.

(Other Example 7)
When the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 projects the guidance image 200 toward the road surface of the passageway P or the ceiling C, the projection instruction unit 33 of the management device 3 performs guidance according to the height of the aerial stop position of the unmanned aerial vehicle 2. Control may be performed to adjust the focus so that the image 200 is clearly projected onto the road surface of the passageway P or the ceiling C.

The guidance image 200 is clearly projected onto the road surface or the ceiling C of the passageway P by adjusting the focus, so that the operator O can reliably recognize the guidance image 200, thereby properly driving and driving the manned guided vehicle 1. can be operated.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the configuration of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. For example, it can be changed as follows.

In the embodiment described above, the unmanned flying object 2 projects the guidance image 200 onto the passage P or the ceiling C, or emits light from itself, so that the taxiway 4 is recognized visually by the operator O. However, the guideway 4 may be configured to include a sound generator (not shown) that emits sounds such as a voice, a buzzer, a chime, etc., so that the operator O can recognize the guideway 4 by hearing. The sound generation unit is configured to emit sounds such as "Turn left in 15 meters", "30 meters ahead, destination", "There is an obstacle ahead. Please be careful".

The effects of the present invention will be explained.

In the guidance system S, the manned guided vehicle 1 is operated by suspending a plurality of unmanned flying objects 2 in the air on the taxiway 4 generated between the vehicle position D1 and the cargo handling position D2 of the manned guided vehicle 1. The operator O can intuitively recognize the distance, position, direction, etc. to the cargo handling position D2.

Furthermore, the projection instruction section 33 is configured to instruct the direction in which the guidance image 200 is projected depending on the condition of the road surface of the passage P, such as dirt or peeling, based on the photographed image by the road surface photographing section 25. Even if the guidance image 200 cannot be clearly projected on the road surface of the passageway P, the operator O operating the manned guided vehicle 1 can recognize the guidance image 200 by clearly projecting the guidance image 200 on other parts. You can make it easier.

1 Manned guided vehicle 2 Unmanned flying object 3 Management device 4 Taxiway 25 Road surface photography unit 26 Shelf photography unit 27 Ceiling photography unit 31 Taxiway generation unit 32 Layout determination unit 33 Photography instruction unit 40 Collection unit 41 Learning model generation unit 42 Prediction unit 43 Determination unit 45 Acquisition unit 200 Guidance image 201 Projection surface 210 Projection panel D1 Vehicle position D2 Cargo handling position S Guidance system R Shelf P Road surface C Ceiling O Operator

Claims (14)

A manned guided vehicle operated by an operator,
Multiple unmanned flying vehicles that can stop in the air,
A guidance system comprising: a management device that controls the unmanned flying vehicle;
The unmanned aerial vehicle is
a projection unit that projects a guidance image;
Equipped with a road surface photography section that photographs the road surface side,
The management device includes:
a guideway generation unit that generates a guideway between the vehicle position of the manned guided vehicle and the cargo handling position;
a placement determining unit that determines a position at which the plurality of unmanned flying vehicles will stop in the air on the taxiway;
A guidance system comprising: a projection instruction section that instructs the projection section in a direction in which the guidance image is projected based on an image taken by the road surface photography section. The projection instruction section includes:
a collection unit that collects teacher data based on a relationship between color data regarding the color of the photographed image and illuminance data regarding the illuminance, and a visibility score indicating visibility of the operator;
a learning model generation unit that performs machine learning from the teacher data collected by the collection unit, and generates and stores a learning model by the machine learning;
an acquisition unit that acquires the current color data and the illuminance data at predetermined time intervals;
a prediction unit that acquires the visibility score from the learning model by inputting the current color data and the illuminance data acquired from the acquisition unit to the learning model generated by the learning model generation unit; ,
The guidance system according to claim 1, further comprising: a determination unit that determines a direction in which the guidance image is projected based on the visibility score acquired by the prediction unit. The guidance system according to claim 1, wherein the direction in which the guidance image is projected includes the road surface side, the shelf side, and the ceiling side. The guidance system according to claim 3, wherein the shelf includes a projection surface onto which the guidance image is projected. 5. The guidance system according to claim 4, wherein the projection surface is a flat surface of a projection panel provided on the shelf or a flat surface of luggage stored on the shelf. The unmanned aerial vehicle further includes:
a shelf photographing unit that photographs the shelf side;
a ceiling photographing section for photographing the ceiling side,
The projection instruction section includes:
The guidance system according to claim 3, wherein the guidance system instructs the projection unit in a direction in which the guidance image is projected based on each image taken by the road surface photography unit, the shelf photography unit, and the ceiling photography unit. . The projection instruction section includes:
a collection unit that collects teacher data based on the relationship between color data regarding the color and illuminance data regarding the illuminance of each photographed image and a visibility score indicating visibility of the operator;
a learning model generation unit that performs machine learning from the teacher data collected by the collection unit, and generates and stores a learning model by the machine learning;
an acquisition unit that acquires the current color data and the illuminance data at predetermined time intervals;
a prediction unit that acquires the visibility score from the learning model by inputting the current color data and the illuminance data acquired from the acquisition unit to the learning model generated by the learning model generation unit; ,
The guidance system according to claim 6, further comprising: a determination unit that determines a direction in which the guidance image is projected based on the visibility score acquired by the prediction unit. The guidance according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the placement determining unit determines an aerial stop position of the unmanned flying vehicle so that the unmanned flying vehicle is located at a height of the cargo handling position. system. The guidance system according to claim 8, wherein the management device controls the unmanned flying vehicle to emit light when the height of the cargo handling position corresponds to the height of the lowest shelf. The management device includes a projection instruction unit that controls the unmanned flying vehicle to project a guidance image toward the ceiling when the height of the cargo handling position corresponds to the height of the lowest shelf. The guidance system according to claim 8. The position determining unit determines the aerial suspension position of the unmanned aerial vehicle on a straight line connecting a height corresponding to the eyes of an operator operating the manned guided vehicle and a height of the cargo handling position. 8. The guidance system according to any one of 1 to 7. The guidance system according to claim 11, wherein the management device includes a projection instruction unit that controls the unmanned flying vehicle to project a guidance image toward a road surface. The management device includes a projection instruction unit that controls the unmanned flying vehicle to project a guidance image toward the ceiling,
The arrangement determining unit controls the unmanned flying object so that the distance between the manned guided vehicle and the unmanned flying object closest to the manned guided vehicle becomes a predetermined length. 1. The guidance system according to 1. The management device includes a projection instruction unit that controls the unmanned flying vehicle to project a guidance image toward a road surface or a ceiling,
The guidance system according to claim 1, wherein control is performed to perform focus adjustment to adjust the focus of the guidance image according to the height of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

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