JP2817200B2 - Mobile robot - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a mobile robot capable of regulating and controlling a traveling direction and a traveling posture.

[Prior Art] In recent years, with the development of factory automation (FA), various mobile robot systems including a plurality of mobile robots and a control station that controls these mobile robots have been developed and put into practical use.

In this type of system, the control station instructs each mobile robot wirelessly or wiredly at each destination and the work to be performed at that destination. Each mobile robot, which has received an instruction from the control station, searches for the optimum route with reference to the map information written in its own memory. When the optimal route is searched, each mobile robot automatically travels to the designated location through the searched optimal route, and upon reaching each designated location, performs the designated work at that location. When the work is completed, wait for the next instruction on the spot.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, conventional mobile robots do not have a means for controlling their own posture during traveling, so that each mobile robot travels in a certain path in any posture. It is not always easy for humans to predict what to do. In other words, the mobile robot determines in advance whether the mobile robot travels forward or backward with respect to the passage (hereinafter referred to as forward or backward) or travels laterally with respect to the passage (hereinafter referred to as traversing). It was difficult to know. For this reason, there has been a risk that contact accidents may frequently occur between the mobile robot and the installed object near the traveling path. In addition, for a mobile robot that prefers to work with its side facing the work point, traversing is preferable for work efficiency when approaching the work point, but conventionally, whether the mobile robot traverses Was up to the mobile robot. Further, in the case of a grid-like or grid-like traveling road network, it is preferable from the viewpoint of operation efficiency to uniformly regulate the traveling posture of the mobile robot. However, conventionally, such regulation is performed as described above. I didn't.

In addition, since only a narrow road width can be secured, there are some passages that are desirably one-way in terms of safety measures. However,
Conventional mobile robots are not provided with a means for regulating the traveling direction, which hinders smooth operation of the mobile robot.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a mobile robot capable of regulating and controlling a traveling direction and a traveling posture.

"Means for Solving the Problems" In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is a mobile robot for a mobile robot system including a plurality of mobile robots and a control station that controls the mobile robot,
A mobile robot having a map memory for storing map information, performing a route search based on the map information read from the map memory, and automatically traveling while reserving the searched route to the control station; A traveling mode table in which data specifying a traveling posture of the mobile robot and data indicating a one-way traveling section are stored, and control means for controlling a traveling mode according to the contents of the traveling mode table. I have.

According to the present invention, since the human can regulate and control the traveling direction and the traveling posture of the mobile robot, the operation of the mobile robot can be facilitated, and the work efficiency can be improved. Safety can be ensured.

Hereinafter, a mobile robot system to which a mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the mobile robot system. In this figure, 1 is a control station, 2
(2-1, 2-2,...) Are mobile robots, and the control station 1 and each mobile robot 2 are wirelessly connected. The mobile robot 2 moves along a magnetic tape attached to a floor of a predetermined traveling path, and nodes are set on the traveling path at appropriate intervals. Here, the node is a position (intersection, branch point, stop position) on the traveling road where the traveling state of the mobile robot 2 changes. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a traveling path, in which... Are nodes. Each node has a node mark attached to the floor, and the mobile robot 2 is provided with a detector for detecting the node mark. There are the following three types of nodes.

(1) Map entry node: a node serving as a starting point when the mobile robot 2 newly enters the travel path, and in FIG. It should be noted that the traveling mobile robot cannot travel via the map entry node in order to avoid the danger of collision with the mobile robot 2 entering the map.

(2) Work node: a work node at which work points S1, S2, S3, S4,... Are provided. In FIG.
,. When the mobile robot 2 performs a work, it temporarily stops at this work node, and then proceeds to a target work point, for example, S1 (or any of S2, S3, S4,...) And stops to perform the work.

(3) Passing nodes: nodes that the mobile robot 2 simply passes through, and in FIG. 2, all nodes other than the above-described nodes.

Each node is classified into a spinnable node, a non-spinnable node, an auto-chargeable node, an automatic non-chargeable node, and the like according to a difference in function.

Here, the spinnable node refers to a node having a function of rotating the mobile robot 2 to change its direction. The automatic charging-capable node refers to a node that automatically charges the mobile robot 2. In addition, 1
It is also possible for one node to have both a spin function and an automatic charging function.

Next, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control station 1. In this figure, 1a is a CPU (central processing unit), 1b is
A program memory in which a program used in the PU 1a is stored, 1c is a collision table, 1d is a map memory, and 1e is a running mode table (1c to 1e will be described later). 1f is a data memory for storing data.
In this data memory 1f, it is determined whether or not each node is reserved as a path of a certain mobile robot, or each node has a mobile robot 2 currently stopped there.
Has been written as to whether or not there is. 1g is the operation unit,
1h is a communication device, this communication device 1h transmits the data supplied from the CPU 1a on a carrier wave of 200 to 300 MHz,
Further, it receives data transmitted from the mobile robot 2 on a carrier wave.

(B) Collision table 1c The collision table 1c is a table for preventing collision between the mobile robots 2 and 2, and a plurality of collision tables 1c are formed between two adjacent nodes via the traveling path. It consists of collision data blocks. In the traveling path shown in FIG. 2, for example, the collision data block corresponding to the node set [,] includes a node to a node (or vice versa).
When the mobile robot 2 moves to the node, the number of the node and the number of such nodes that may collide with another mobile robot 2 at that node are written.

(B) Map memory 1d In the map memory 1d, so-called map information, that is, (XY) coordinates of each node,... Shown in FIG.
Node functions (spin function, automatic charging function, etc. described above)
, The number of another node connected to the node via the travel path, the distance to each node connected to the node via the travel path, and the like.

(C) Travel Mode Table 1e The travel mode table 1e is a table that specifies the travel mode of each mobile robot 2, and is composed of a plurality of travel mode data blocks B0, B1,. In this case, one block is formed for each of the traveling mode data blocks B0, B1,... Corresponding to two adjacent nodes connected on the traveling path. In the road network shown in FIG.
[,], [,], [,], [,],
The traveling mode data blocks B, B,... Are formed for each of [,],. FIG. 4 (a) shows the configuration of the travel mode table 1c, and FIG. 4 (b) shows the configuration of each travel mode data block B0, B2,. Each of the travel mode data blocks B0, B2,... Includes a start node number column 11e, an end node number column 12e, and a travel direction instruction column 13.
e, a running posture instruction field 14e and a speed limit field 15e.

Each column of the driving mode data blocks B0, B1,.
In 5e), the following data is written, respectively.

(A) Start node number column 11e and end node number column 12e The start node number is written in the start node number column 11e, and the end node number is written in the end node number column 12b. In the example of the running mode data block corresponding to the node set [,] in FIG. 2, the node is the start node and the node is the end node. Therefore, a number is written in the start node column 11e and a number is written in the end node column 12e in the travel mode data block. Note that the start point and the end point simply refer to one of two adjacent nodes as the start point and the other as the end point.

(B) Travel direction instruction column 13e The travel direction instruction column 13e is a column for instructing a traffic direction (one-way traffic or two-way traffic) between two adjacent nodes. In this example, when the content written in the traveling direction instruction column 13e is "0", it means that there is no one-way instruction,
"1" means one-way instruction from the start node to the end node, and "2" means one-way instruction from the end node to the start node. Also, in this example, the node set [,
] And [,], corresponding to the traveling direction indication columns 13
“1” is written in “e”, and “0” is written in the traveling direction instruction column 13e corresponding to each of the other node sets. Therefore, in this example, although the traffic in the node → node → node direction shown in FIG. 2 is permitted,
Reverse traffic is prohibited.

(C) Traveling posture instruction column 14e The traveling posture instruction column 14e is a column for instructing the posture (forward or backward or traverse) to be taken by the mobile robot 2 when traveling between two adjacent nodes. In this example, when the content written in the traveling posture instruction column 14e is "0", it means a forward / backward instruction, and when the content is "1", it means a traversing instruction. Then, the node set [,],
“0” is written in the running posture instruction column 14e corresponding to each of [,], [,], [,], [,], and the node set [,], [,], [,], [,
"1" is written in each of the running posture instruction columns 14e corresponding to], [,].

(D) Speed limit field 15e The maximum speed at which the vehicle travels between nodes is written in the speed limit field 15e.

Next, the mobile robot 2 will be described. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the mobile robot 2. In this figure, 2a is a CPU, 2b is a program memory storing programs used in the CPU 2a, 2c is a data memory for storing data, and 2d is an operation. 2e, a communication device; 2f, a map memory storing map information of the same content as the map memory 1d in the control station 1; 2g, data of the same content as the running mode table 1e in the control station 1 It is a traveling mode table 2g. The data stored in the map memory 2f and the traveling mode table 2g are created by the control station 1 and transferred to each mobile robot 2 via an IC card. Reference numeral 2h denotes a traveling control device which receives traveling data (destination data, traveling mode data, traveling speed data, etc.) supplied from the CPU 2a, and detects a magnetic tape and a node mark on the floor surface by a magnetic sensor and a driving motor. To move the mobile robot 2 to the target node.
Reference numeral 2i denotes an arm control device which receives a work program number supplied from the CPU 2a, reads out a work program of that number from the internal memory when the mobile robot 2 arrives at the work node, and reads the work program of the robot arm by the read program. Control) to perform various tasks.

 Next, the operation of the above-described mobile robot will be described.

Traveling Example 1 First, an example will be described in which the control station 1 wirelessly instructs the mobile robot 2-1 waiting at the map approach node to go to the work point S1 and perform a predetermined work.
Upon receiving the above instruction from the control station 1, the CPU 2a of the mobile robot 2-1 searches for a traveling route from the current position (map entry node) to the specified location (work point S1).
In this route search, the map memo 2g and the driving mode table are used.
The search is performed by a conventionally known vertical search method or the like by looking at predetermined data serving as a search target and a search element in 2g.
At this time, the CPU 2a looks at the traveling direction instruction column 13e in the traveling mode table 2g, and when a one-way instruction is given between two adjacent nodes to be searched, the CPU 2a searches in the traveling permission direction. It does not search from the direction of no traffic. If a route of →→→ is found by this route search, then the CPU 2a sequentially transmits (uploads) the found routes to the control station 1. CPU1 of control station 1
When a receives the above searched route, collision table 1
c) Check whether there is an obstacle (another mobile robot 2) on the route of →→→ based on the data memory 1f, etc., and transmit (download) the result to the mobile robot 2-1. In this case, when the CPU 1a transmits to the mobile robot 2-1 that there is an obstacle on the route, when the obstacle disappears on the route later (that is, when the other mobile robot 2 When you have passed,
Or when the user has left), the mobile robot 2-1 is again notified that there is no obstacle on the route. When the mobile robot 2-1 receives a notification from the CPU 1a that there is an obstacle on the route, the mobile robot 2-1 waits at a predetermined node on the route until receiving a notification that there is no obstacle on the route later. Becomes Mobile robot 2-1 starts from CPU1a.
When receiving a message indicating that there is no obstacle on the route of →→, the CPU 2a of the mobile robot 2-1 causes the node set [,], [,] and [,
], The content written in the traveling posture instruction column 14e is read from the traveling mode data block Bn corresponding to each.
As a result, in this example, “1” (traversing instruction) is set for the node set [,], and the node set [,
] And [,] are "0" (forward / backward direction)
Is read. Next, the CPU 2a of the mobile robot 2-1
The read content, that is, the running posture instruction data is transferred to the running control device 2h. When the travel control device 2h receives the travel posture instruction data from the CPU 2a, the travel robot 2h
Then, the vehicle is caused to take the traveling posture indicated by the supplied traveling posture instruction data, and the vehicle travels the route of →→→. That is, the traveling control device 2h is configured to control the mobile robot 2-1.
Is traversed between →. When reaching the node, the node is spun, the direction of the mobile robot 2-1 is changed by 90 °, and the mobile robot 2-1 is driven to move forward and backward between →→. When the mobile robot 2-1 reaches the node, it moves to the work point S1 by traversing next.

Driving Example 2 Next, a case will be described as an example where the control station 1 wirelessly instructs the mobile robot 2-1 waiting at the work point S4 to go to the work point S1 and perform a predetermined work. Upon receiving the instruction from the control station 1, the CPU 2a of the mobile robot 2-1 searches for a travel route from the current position (work point S4) to the designated location (work point S1) in the same manner as in the travel example 1. In accordance with the direction of In this case, if the traveling direction between the nodes is not a search element, a route of →→→→ will be searched, but in this example,
Since the traveling direction between nodes is a search element, the route search is performed with reference to the traveling direction between nodes as described above. Therefore, in this example, the route of →→ can be passed as described above,
The opposite direction is prohibited, so →→→
The route of → is not searched, and eventually the detour route of →→→→→→ shown in FIG. 2 is searched. After the detour route is searched,
The operation processing procedure when the mobile robot 2 moves to the work point S1 via the detour route while exchanging data with the control station 1 is the same as in the case of the traveling example 1, and thus the description is omitted.

Thus, according to the above configuration, a human can uniformly control the traveling of a plurality of mobile robots. Thereby, collision between the mobile robot and the installed devices can be avoided. An installation space for other equipment can be effectively and safely secured.

In the above embodiment, the mobile robot travels along the tape while detecting the magnetic tape on the floor,
The present invention can also be applied to a mobile robot that travels while detecting the surrounding situation with an ultrasonic sensor. In the above embodiment, the mobile robot has an arm. However, the present invention can be applied to a mobile robot that does not have an arm and simply travels automatically (for transportation or the like).

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the present invention provides a traveling mode memory in which data specifying a traveling posture of a mobile robot and data indicating a one-way traveling section are stored, and a traveling mode memory is stored in accordance with contents of the traveling mode memory. Since the apparatus includes the control means for controlling the mode, a human can uniformly control the traveling of the plurality of mobile robots. This makes it possible to facilitate the operation of the mobile robot, improve work efficiency, and ensure safety.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a mobile robot system to which a mobile robot 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied;
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a traveling path on which each mobile robot 2 travels, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control station 1 in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a traveling method table 1e in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the mobile robot 2. As shown in FIG. 1 ... Control station, 2,2-1 to 2-10 ... Mobile robot, 1a,
2a: CPU, 1d, 2f: map memory, 1e, 2g: travel mode table, 2h: travel controller, 13e: travel direction instruction field, 14e: travel attitude instruction field.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A mobile robot for a mobile robot system comprising a plurality of mobile robots and a control station for controlling said mobile robot, said mobile robot having a map memory for storing map information, said map being read from said map memory. In a mobile robot that automatically searches for a route based on map information and makes a reservation for the searched route to the control station, data specifying a running posture of the mobile robot and data indicating a one-way running section A mobile robot comprising: a traveling mode table in which is stored; and control means for controlling the traveling mode according to the contents of the traveling mode table.