JP3141349B2 - Mobile control system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mobile object control system suitable for controlling a robot that performs a random walk.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional computer simulation, a simulation model called a DLA (Diffusion Limited Aggregation) model simulates an aggregation phenomenon that grows randomly.
FIG. 10 shows the algorithm of this DLA model. First, at step S31, seed particles (seed particles) are placed at an arbitrary position, and at step S32, other particles (diffused particles) are placed at an arbitrary position away from the seed particles. In step S33, the diffused particles placed in step S32 are randomly walked (randomly walked).
The diffused particles are moved by a predetermined distance, and each time the diffused particles are moved, the direction is randomly changed. In step S34, it is determined whether the diffused particles have moved far enough away from the seed particles.

If it is determined in step S34 that the diffused particles have moved far enough away from the seed particles,
Proceeding to step S35, the diffused particles that have moved far away from the seed particles are removed, and the process returns to step S32. Steps S32 to S35 are repeated until it is determined in step S34 that the diffusion particles have not moved away from the seed particles.

If it is determined in step S34 that the diffusion particles have not moved away from the seed particles, the process proceeds to step S36, where it is determined whether the diffusion particles have contacted the seed particles. If it is determined in step S36 that the diffusion particles are not in contact with the seed particles, the process returns to step S33. In step S34, it is determined that the diffusion particles are not far enough from the seed particles, and step S36 is performed. In steps S33 and S3, it is determined that the diffusion particles have come into contact with the seed particles.
4 and S36 are repeated.

If it is determined in step S36 that the diffusion particles have come into contact with the seed particles, the process proceeds to step S37, where the diffusion particles that have come into contact with the seed particles are newly registered as seed particles.
Record. Then, returning to step S32, a new diffusion particle is placed again at an arbitrary position away from the seed particles ( including the new seed particles), and thereafter, the above-described processing (step S32)
To S37) are repeated.

A cluster (DLA cluster) formed by contacting a large number of diffusion particles with seed particles by the above processing is shown in FIG.
It is shown in FIG.

[0007]

In the case where such a simulation of the cohesion phenomenon is realized by a seed device as seed particles and a plurality of random walk devices for random walk as diffusion particles, the random walk device forms a DLA cluster. There was a problem that it took an enormous amount of time to form.

[0008] Further, when the random walker has moved far enough from the seed apparatus, the random walker must be removed, which is not practical.

Further, for example, when an illumination lamp is mounted on a random walker that performs a random walk as an interior representing an operation pattern corresponding to a process of generating a DLA cluster and is turned on, as described above, the random walker has a D
Because it takes an enormous amount of time to form an LA cluster,
There was a problem that was boring for the user and lacked in interest.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and aims to form a DLA cluster in a short time.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a moving object control system comprising: at least one random walker moving in an arbitrary direction; and at least a direction vector for determining a direction in which the random walker moves. In the moving object control system having one seed device, the random walk device, the contact detector 10 as a detecting means for detecting that the seed device directly or indirectly contacted via another random walk device,
The microcomputer 7 as a control means for moving the random walker according to the direction vector given by the seed device and a new direction vector determined by an arbitrary direction vector, and stopping the random walker according to the detection result of the contact detector 10. And characterized in that:

This mobile object control system can move the seed device in any direction.

[0013]

In the moving object control system according to the first aspect, the random walker moves in accordance with a new direction vector determined by the direction vector given by the seed device and an arbitrary direction vector, and is directly transmitted to the seed device. Alternatively, it stops when it detects that it has indirectly contacted through another random walker. Therefore, the aggregation phenomenon (DLA) that grows randomly
The cluster generation process) can be simulated in a short time. Also, for example, when an illumination lamp is mounted on a random walker that performs a random walk as an interior expressing an operation pattern corresponding to a process of generating a DLA cluster and is turned on, the random walker can quickly perform the DLA.
Since a cluster is formed, it is possible to prevent the viewer from feeling bored.

When the seed device can be moved in any direction, the random walker forms a unique DLA cluster, which can give the viewer a greater interest.

[0015]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of a robot as a seed device and a random walker device to which a moving object control system according to the present invention is applied. A directional antenna 1 of a robot as a random walking device has a directivity as shown in FIG. 2, for example, is rotated by a motor (not shown), and changes the direction of the directivity (rotates). The radio wave transmitted from the omnidirectional antenna 14 of the robot is received and supplied to BPFs (bandpass filters) 2 and 3. The BPF 2 extracts a signal in a predetermined frequency band from the radio wave supplied from the directional antenna 1 and supplies the signal to the switch 4. The BPF 3 extracts a signal in another predetermined frequency band from the radio wave supplied from the directional antenna 1 and supplies the signal to the switch 4.

The switch 4 is controlled by the microcomputer 7 and
A signal in a predetermined frequency band output from the PF2 or a signal in another predetermined frequency band output from the BPF3 is alternately selected and supplied to the amplifier 5. The amplifier 5 amplifies the signal supplied from the switch 4 and outputs the signal to the detection circuit 6. The detection circuit 6 detects the signal supplied from the amplifier 5 and supplies a detection output to the microcomputer 7.

The steering mechanism 8 is controlled by the microcomputer 7 to control (change) the direction of the front wheels 21 of the robot, that is, the direction in which the robot moves, and
Is notified to the microcomputer 7 (FIGS. 3 and 4). The drive mechanism 9 is controlled by the microcomputer 7 and controls the rear wheel 2 of the robot.
In addition to controlling (changing) the number of rotations of 2, ie, the speed at which the robot moves, the number of rotations of the rear wheel 22 is notified to the microcomputer 7 (FIGS. 3 and 4).

The antenna rotating mechanism 11 is controlled by the microcomputer 7 to control a motor for rotating the directional antenna 1 and to notify the microcomputer 7 of the rotation angle of the motor, that is, the direction of the directional antenna 1 rotated by the motor. .

The short-circuit SW (short-circuit switch) 15 short-circuits or opens the metal plate 23 and the metal plate 24 wound around the outer package (side surface) of, for example, a cylindrical robot (FIGS. 3 and 4). 5). As shown in FIG. 5, when the metal plate 23 and the metal plate 24 are short-circuited,
A resistor 31 for limiting a current flowing through the short-circuit SW 15 is connected between the metal plate 23 and one end of the short-circuit SW 15. The short-circuit SW 15 is controlled by the microcomputer 7 so as to open the metal plate 23 and the metal plate 24 when the robot is operating as a random walking device, and is connected to the metal plate 23 when the robot is operating as a seed device. The microcomputer 7 controls so as to short-circuit the plate 24.

When the robot is operating as a random walk device, the contact detector 10 allows the random walk device to directly contact the seed device.
Or contacting indirectly through another random walker,
Detection is performed as follows and the microcomputer 7 is notified. That is,
The above-mentioned random walk device in which the metal plate 23 and the metal plate 24 are open is connected directly to the seed device in which the metal plate 23 and the metal plate 24 are short-circuited or indirectly through another random walk device. When they come into contact with each other, the metal plate 23 and the metal plate 24 of the seed device are short-circuited, so that the metal plate 23 and the metal plate 24 of the contacted random walk device are short-circuited. Therefore, the contact detector 10
Detects that the metal plate 23 and the metal plate 24 are short-circuited and notifies the microcomputer 7 when the robot is operating as a random walking device.

The transmission circuit 13 is controlled by the microcomputer 7,
If the robot is operating as a seed device, the frequency f ₁
Alternatively, for example, a sine wave of f ₂ is modulated and supplied to the omnidirectional antenna 14. The omnidirectional antenna 14 is connected to the transmitting circuit 1
The signal supplied from 3 is transmitted as a radio wave.

A mode switch (mode switch) 12 is a switch for switching between a seed device mode in which the robot operates as a seed device and a random walk device mode in which the robot operates as a random walk device, and notifies the microcomputer 7 of the current mode. .

The microcomputer 7 has a ROM in which a control program is stored, a RAM as a work area for storing information necessary for operation, an interface with each block constituting the robot, and a CPU (ROM) for controlling the ROM, RAM and interface. Each of them is not shown) and controls each block constituting the robot in accordance with the operation mode of the robot set by the mode switch 12. Further, the microcomputer 7 has a built-in random generator (not shown) for generating a random direction vector n (t) having a unit length (t is the current time).

Next, the operation will be described. When the mode SW 12 is operated and the mode of the device (robot) is set to the seed device mode, the robot operates as a seed device. That is, first, a control signal is output from the microcomputer 7 to the short-circuit SW15, the short-circuit SW15 is turned on, and the metal plates 23 and 24 are short-circuited (short-circuited) (FIG. 5).
Then, in the transmission circuit 13, the sine wave of the frequency f ₁ is modulated and transmitted as a radio wave from the non-directional antenna 14.

When a predetermined time set in the microcomputer 7 elapses, the microcomputer 7 outputs a control signal to the short-circuit SW 15 again, and the short-circuit SW 15 is turned off.
The metal plates 23 and 24 are opened (FIG. 5). Then, the transmission circuit 13, a sine wave of frequency f ₂ is modulated,
The omnidirectional antenna 14 transmits the radio wave.

As described above, the seed device is operated for a certain period of time.
An operation in which the metal plates 23 and 24 are short-circuited and a radio wave modulated by a sine wave having a frequency f ₁ is transmitted from the omnidirectional antenna 14, and the metal plates 23 and 24 are opened for a certain period of time so that the frequency f _A non-directional antenna 1
4 is repeated.

Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
The operation of the seed device will be further described. First step S
1, the short-circuit SW 15 is turned on, and the metal plate 2
3 and 24 are short-circuited (FIG. 5). In step S2, the sine wave of frequency f ₁ is modulated by the transmission circuit 13, is transmitted as a radio wave from an omni-directional antenna 14.

Here, as shown in FIG. 7A, a radio wave obtained by modulating a sine wave having a frequency f ₁ is a random walker (R in the figure).
(Shown by S in the figure) is a radio wave (coagulation radio wave) for causing (aggregation around the seed device).

In step S3, it is determined whether a predetermined time set in the apparatus has elapsed. In step S3, if it is determined that the predetermined time has not elapsed, the process returns to step S2, aggregation around the close cause (species apparatus radio waves sinusoid of frequency f ₁ is modulated, i.e. the random walk apparatus species apparatus The transmission of the radio wave for the In step S3, the processes in steps S2 and S3 are repeated until it is determined that the predetermined time has elapsed.

If it is determined in step S3 that the predetermined time has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S4, where the short-circuit SW1
5 is turned off, and the metal plates 23 and 24 short-circuited in step S1 are opened. In step S5,
The transmission circuit 13 modulates a sine wave having a frequency f _{2 and} transmits the sine wave as a radio wave from the non-directional antenna 14.

Here, as shown in FIG. 7 (c), a radio wave obtained by modulating a sine wave having a frequency f ₂ is a random walker (R in FIG. 7).
) Is a radio wave (spreading radio wave) for keeping the seed device away from the seed device (indicated by S in the figure) (spreading from around the seed device).

In step S6, it is determined whether a predetermined time set in the apparatus has elapsed. In step S6, if it is determined that the predetermined time has not elapsed, the process returns to the step S5, the radio wave sinusoid of frequency f ₂ is modulated, i.e., (diffuse from the seed device) a random walk device away causes the seed device The transmission of the radio wave is continued. In step S6, the processes in steps S5 and S6 are repeated until it is determined that the predetermined time has elapsed.

If it is determined in step S6 that the predetermined time has elapsed, the process returns to step S1 and the short circuit S
W15 is turned on, and the metal plates 23 and 24 opened in step S4 are short-circuited. Hereinafter, the above-described processing (steps S1 to S6) is repeated.

As described above, the seed apparatus is used for a certain period of time.
An operation of short-circuiting the metal plates 23 and 24 to transmit a radio wave from the omni-directional antenna 14 for bringing the random walk device closer to the seed device (aggregating around the seed device) (step S1).
To S3) and an operation of opening the metal plates 23 and 24 for a certain period of time and transmitting a radio wave for moving the random walker away from the seed device (diffusing from the seed device) from the omnidirectional antenna 14 ( Steps S4 to S6) are repeated.

On the other hand, when the mode switch 12 is set to the random walking device mode, the robot operates as a random walking device.
First, the microcomputer 7 controls the antenna rotation mechanism 11 so as to rotate the directional antenna 1,
In the antenna rotating mechanism 11, a motor for rotating the directional antenna 1 is controlled. Radio waves transmitted from the omnidirectional antenna 14 of the seed device are received by the rotating directional antenna 1 of the random walker and supplied to the BPFs 2 and 3. In the BPF 2, a signal in a predetermined frequency band is extracted from a radio wave supplied from the directional antenna 1, supplied to the switch 4, and
In F 3, a signal in another predetermined frequency band is extracted from the radio wave supplied from the directional antenna 1 and supplied to the switch 4.

Here, the signal of the predetermined frequency band extracted by the BPF 2 is the frequency f ₁ modulated by the seed device.
Is a signal in a band centered at. Another signal of a predetermined frequency band to be taken out by BPF3 is a band signal centered at frequency f ₂ that is modulated by type apparatus.

The switch 4 alternately selects a signal of a predetermined frequency band output from the BPF 2 or a signal of another predetermined frequency band output from the BPF 3,
The signal is output to the detection circuit 6 via the amplifier 5. Detection circuit 6
In, the signal supplied from the amplifier 5 is detected, and the detection output is supplied to the microcomputer 7.

The microcomputer 7 determines whether the detection output supplied from the detection circuit 6 is a sine wave of the frequency f _{1 or} a sine wave of the frequency f ₂ .
The maximum reception level R (t) (where t is the current time) is detected from the detection output of the detection circuit 6 from the reception level of the radio wave that changes due to the rotation of the directional antenna 1. Further, in the microcomputer 7, the direction of the directional antenna 1 at which the maximum reception level R (t) is detected, that is, the direction of the seed device transmitting radio waves from the non-directional antenna 14 is supplied from the antenna rotation mechanism 11. Of the direction (direction of the directional antenna 1 at which the maximum reception level R (t) is detected, ie, the direction in which the seed device is present (the seed device is located)). A vector (direction vector) r (t) is calculated.

In the microcomputer 7, the maximum reception level R (t), the direction vector r (t), and the random direction vector n (t) whose unit length is generated by the built-in random generator are represented by: For example, a new direction vector △ X (t) is calculated according to the equation (1) or (2), and the steering mechanism 8 is controlled so that the direction of the front wheel 21 becomes the direction of the direction vector △ X (t). Is performed, and the driving mechanism 9 is controlled so that the rotation speed of the rear wheel 22 becomes a rotation speed proportional to the magnitude of the direction vector △ X (t). ΔX (t) = αR (t) r (t) + βn (t) (1) ΔX (t) = − αR (t) r (t) + βn (t) (2) where α and β are predetermined Constant.

In this embodiment, in the microcomputer 7, the detection output supplied from the detection circuit 6 is the frequency f
_When it is determined that the sine wave is _1, the steering mechanism 8 and the driving mechanism 9 are controlled according to the direction vector △ X (t) calculated by the equation (1) (FIG. 8), and supplied from the detection circuit 6. If the detection output is determined to be a sine wave of a frequency f _2, the steering mechanism 8 and the drive mechanism 9 according to the calculated direction vector △ X (t) by equation (2) it is controlled.

Here, as shown in FIG. 8, the direction vector △ X (t) calculated by the equation (1) is a direction vector αR (t) r pointing in the direction where the seed device S is located.
A direction vector βn (t) in a random direction is added to (t). Therefore, when the moving direction and the speed of the random walker R are determined by the equation (1), the random walker R performs a random walk in a direction where the seed device S is placed when viewed globally (FIG. 7A). ).

The direction vector △ X (t) calculated by the equation (2) is a direction vector -αR (t) r (t) that is directed in a direction opposite to the direction in which the seed device S is placed.
, A direction vector βn (t) in a random direction is added. Therefore, when the moving direction and the speed of the random walker R are determined by the equation (2), the random walker R randomly walks in a direction opposite to the direction in which the seed device S is placed when viewed globally ( FIG. 7 (c)).

In the steering mechanism 8, under the control of the microcomputer 7, the direction of the front wheel 21 is changed to the direction vector △ X.
In the drive mechanism 9, the rotation speed of the rear wheel 22 is set to a rotation speed proportional to the magnitude of the direction vector △ X (t) under the control of the microcomputer 7. Takes a random walk.

As described above, when the random walking device that is performing random walk directly contacts the seed device or indirectly through another random walking device, that is, the metal plate 23 and the metal plate 24 are opened. When the random walking device that is in contact with the seed device in which the metal plate 23 and the metal plate 24 are short-circuited directly or indirectly via another random walking device, the metal plate 23 of the seed device and the metal plate 24 is short-circuited, the metal plate 23 and the metal plate 24 of the contacted walker are short-circuited, and the contact detector 10 detects that the metal plate 23 and the metal plate 24 are short-circuited. Is done.

In the microcomputer 7, in the contact detector 10,
When it is detected that the metal plate 23 and the metal plate 24 of the random walker are short-circuited, the steering mechanism 8 is controlled so as to stop the operation of the front wheel 21 and the operation of the rear wheel 22 is stopped. Control is performed on the drive mechanism 9 so as to perform the control. Then, the random walk device stops operating in a state of being in direct contact with the seed device or indirectly through another random walk device. Therefore, a plurality of random walkers perform the above operation, thereby forming a DLA cluster as shown in FIG. 7B, for example.

Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
The operation of the random walker will be further described. First, in step S11, a radio wave transmitted from the non-directional antenna 14 of the seed device is received by the directional antenna 1 of the random walk device. In step S12, the radio wave received in step S11 is, or not to modulate the sine wave of frequency f _1, or those obtained by modulating a sine wave of frequency f ₂ is determined. In step S12, the radio wave received in step S11 is, if it is determined that the modulated sine wave of a frequency f _2, the process proceeds to step S13, the control according to equation (2), as random walk device to random walk Then, the process returns to step S11. In step S12, to the electromagnetic wave received in step S11, it is determined that the modulated sine wave of a frequency f _1, step S1
The processing from 1 to S13 is repeated.

In step S12, step S11
In the case where the received radio waves is determined to those obtained by modulating the sine wave of frequency f _1, the process proceeds to step S14, equation (1)
, The random walker is controlled to perform a random walk, and the process proceeds to step S15.

In step S15, it is determined whether or not the random walker has contacted the seed device directly or indirectly through another random walker. In step S15,
When it is determined that the random walk device is not in direct contact with the seed device or indirectly through another random walk device, the process returns to step S11, and in step S15, the random walk device directly contacts the seed device. Steps S11 and S1 until it is determined that the contact has been made indirectly via another random walker.
Steps S2 and S15 are repeated. Step S
In 15, when it is determined that the random walk device has directly contacted the seed device or indirectly through another random walk device, the process proceeds to step S16, and the random walk device is controlled to stop.

After step S16, the process proceeds to step S17, where the radio wave transmitted from the omnidirectional antenna 14 of the seed device is received by the directional antenna 1 of the random walker, as in step S11. Step S18
In the radio wave received in step S17 it is, or not to modulate the sine wave of frequency f _1, or those obtained by modulating a sine wave of frequency f ₂ is determined. In step S18, the radio wave received in step S17 has the frequency f ₁
If it is determined that the sine wave has been modulated, step S
17, and in step S18, step S17
Radio wave received in the, until it is determined that the modulated sine wave of a frequency f _2, and repeats the processing of step S17, S18.

In step S18, step S17
Radio wave received in the, if it is determined that the modulated sine wave of a frequency f _2, the flow returns to step S11, and repeats the processing in subsequent steps S11 to S18.

Therefore, when the received radio wave is a modulated sine wave of the frequency f ₁ , the random walker performs a random walk according to the equation (1), and performs a coagulation process (FIG. 7A).
7B), a DLA cluster is formed. When the received radio wave is obtained by modulating a sine wave having a frequency of f ₂ , the random walk device uses Equation (2).
Random walk according to the diffusion process (Fig. 7
The diffusion is performed through the process (from the state of FIG. 7B to the state of FIG. 7C).

As described above, the seed device has the frequency f
_Since the radio wave that modulates the sine wave of ₁ and the radio wave that modulates the sine wave of the frequency f ₂ are alternately transmitted at regular time intervals, the random walker repeats the aggregation process and the diffusion process, The motion pattern of the random walking device is a direction vector {X} calculated from a direction vector r (t) indicating the direction in which the seed device is placed and a random direction vector n (t).
As determined by (t) (Equations (1) and (2)), the aggregation operation (FIG. 7A) and the diffusion operation (FIG. 7C) are performed not only in a short time but also in the same manner. The operation pattern is not repeated.

The case where the mobile object control system of the present invention is applied to a robot has been described above. However, if the present invention is applied to, for example, an interior or the like, a random walking device can perform various coagulation operations and diffusion operations in a short time. The repetition can attract the interest of the viewer and prevent the user from feeling bored.

The robot as the seed device can move according to a random direction vector n (t) generated by a random generator built in the microcomputer 7, for example. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the robot is a seed device and a random walking device. However, when the robot is dedicated to the random walking device, the mode SW 12 and the transmission circuit 1 are used.
3. The omnidirectional antenna 14 and the short-circuit SW 15 become unnecessary, and the device can be configured at low cost.

[0055]

According to the moving object control system of the first aspect, the random walker moves in accordance with the direction vector given by the seed device and a new direction vector determined by an arbitrary direction vector. Detects direct or indirect contact through another random walker and stops. Therefore, the aggregation phenomenon (D
(LA cluster generation process) can be simulated in a short time.

According to the moving object control system of the second aspect, the seed device can be moved in any direction, so that the random walker forms a unique DLA cluster,
It can attract the interest of the viewer.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a robot to which a mobile object control system according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the directivity of the directional antenna 1 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the robot of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the robot of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining that the metal plates 23 and 24 are short-circuited by the short-circuit SW15 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an operation when the mode of the apparatus (robot) is set to the seed apparatus mode in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a coagulation process and a diffusion process by a robot as a random walking device.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a direction vector △ X (t) calculated for determining a moving direction and a speed of a robot as a random walking device.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining an operation when the mode of the apparatus (robot) is set to the random walker mode in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is an algorithm for generating a DLA cluster in a conventional computer simulation.

FIG. 11 shows a DL generated by the algorithm of FIG.
It is a top view showing an example of A cluster.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 directional antenna 2, 3 BPF (bandpass filter) 4 switch 5 amplifier 6 detection circuit 7 microcomputer 8 steering mechanism 9 drive mechanism 10 contact detector 11 antenna rotation mechanism 12 mode SW (mode switch) 13 transmission circuit 14 non-directional Antenna 15 Short-circuit SW (short-circuit switch) 21 Front wheel 22 Rear wheel 23, 24 Metal plate 31 Resistance

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A moving object control system, comprising: at least one random walker moving in an arbitrary direction; and at least one seed device providing a direction vector for determining a direction in which the random walker moves. The apparatus includes: a detecting unit configured to detect that the seed apparatus is in direct contact with the seed apparatus or indirectly through another random walking apparatus; and a new direction determined by a direction vector given by the seed apparatus and an arbitrary direction vector. Control means for moving the random walker according to a vector and for stopping the random walker in accordance with the detection result of the detection means. 2. The moving object control system according to claim 1, wherein the seed device moves in an arbitrary direction.