JP5610870B2 - Unmanned traveling vehicle guidance device and unmanned traveling vehicle guidance method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an unmanned traveling vehicle guidance device and an unmanned traveling vehicle guidance method.

  When an unmanned traveling vehicle is moved to a remote destination by remote control, it is necessary to perform traveling control while measuring the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle. As a method of measuring the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle, there is a method using GPS (Global Positioning System). However, GPS needs to always supplement four or more GPS satellite radio waves output from GPS satellites, and cannot be applied indoors, in mountainous areas, or around urban areas with high structures.

  Therefore, as a method not using GPS, a method using odometry that integrates the rotation speed of a wheel, a method using triangulation using a laser range finder, a method using triangulation using a camera, and the like have been put into practical use. Yes.

  In particular, as an example of a triangulation method using a camera, Patent Document 1 automatically generates CAD data of an object existing in a moving space by processing an input image, searches the generated CAD data, and performs a search. A technique using information on the CAD data is described.

JP 2006-3263 A

  However, odometry affects road surface properties such as sand and the like, and the slip ratio of the wheels increases, and the relative movement measurement accuracy decreases. There is a method to measure the amount of movement by measuring the vehicle speed with a vehicle speed sensor using a camera and integrating it with time as a method for the occurrence of measurement error due to this slip, but the distance that the camera is focused on is short However, there is a problem that the measurement range is limited and measurement becomes impossible when the unmanned traveling vehicle swings on rough terrain.

  In addition, triangulation using the laser range finder obtains the current position by checking the amount of relative movement from the start point by collating the terrain data obtained during movement. In terrain with low reflectivity, there is a problem that accuracy is lowered and error is increased due to difficulty in terrain measurement using a laser.

  Furthermore, triangulation using a camera is limited to work in a place where the space is not wide, such as indoors, such as when a stationary object is measured from a moving object.

  Due to the above problems, when an unmanned traveling vehicle is moved in a place where GPS cannot be used, the amount of movement of the unmanned traveling vehicle can be accurately measured, and as a result, the target point cannot be accurately reached.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a guidance device and a guidance method capable of causing an unmanned traveling vehicle to reach a target point with high accuracy even in a place where GPS cannot be used. To do.

  In order to solve the above problems, the guidance device of the present invention employs the following means.

That is, the guidance device according to the present invention includes an imaging unit that captures an image of a subject and a measurement unit that measures the amount of movement of the subject. The unmanned traveling moves to a target point while measuring the amount of movement of the subject by the measurement unit. A vehicle guidance device, a transmission means for transmitting to the unmanned traveling vehicle a target point designated from a planar image showing a moving area in which the unmanned traveling vehicle moves in a plane, and a photograph taken by the photographing means a plurality of first point in the imaging plane of the photographing means from an image, and a plurality of second points in the movement area from the planar image, the plurality of first point and the plurality of second points corresponding respectively, And designation means for designating the corresponding first point and the second point to be in a positional relationship that is connected with the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle by a straight line, the plurality of first points, and the plurality of second points. on the basis of Wherein deriving the absolute coordinates of the center of the imaging means, a first derivation means for the said center and a current position of the unmanned vehicle, starting from the current position derived by said first derivation means, the unmanned vehicle wherein while performing the measurement of the current position by the measuring means in the middle of traveling toward the target position, the accumulated value of the measurement error due to the measurement means to reset the accumulated value when reaching a predetermined value, the photographing Second deriving means for deriving the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle again based on a plurality of first points designated from the photographed image newly taken by the means and a plurality of second points designated from the planar image And comprising.

  According to the present invention, the unmanned traveling vehicle has the photographing means for photographing the subject and the measuring means for measuring the amount of movement of the subject, and moves to the target point while measuring the amount of movement of the subject by the measuring means.

The target point designated from the plane image showing the moving area in which the unmanned traveling vehicle moves in a plane is transmitted to the unmanned traveling vehicle by the transmission means. In addition, a plurality of first points on a photographing surface of the photographing unit from a photographed image photographed by the photographing unit, a plurality of second points on a moving region from a planar image, a plurality of first points and a plurality of second points, respectively. The designation means designates the first point and the second point corresponding to each other so that the first point and the second point corresponding to each other are connected to the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle by a straight line.
The first derivation means, based on the plurality of first point and a plurality of second points, to derive the absolute coordinates of the center of the imaging means, the said center to the current position of the unmanned vehicle.

  The unmanned traveling vehicle autonomously travels to the target point while measuring the current position by the measuring unit from the current position derived by the first deriving unit to the target point.

The second deriving unit resets the accumulated value when the accumulated value of the measurement error by the measuring unit reaches a predetermined value while the unmanned traveling vehicle is autonomously traveling, and newly uses the photographing unit included in the unmanned traveling vehicle. The current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle is derived again based on the plurality of first points designated from the photographed image and the plurality of second points designated from the planar image.

  As described above, the present invention provides a plurality of images specified from the captured images captured by the imaging unit of the unmanned traveling vehicle when the accumulated error of the measuring unit that measures the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle reaches a predetermined value. Since the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle is derived based on the first point and a plurality of second points designated from the planar image, the accumulated error due to the measuring means can be reset, and as a result, the GPS cannot be used. However, the unmanned traveling vehicle can reach the target point with high accuracy.

Further, the present invention is the first point of the multiple, the second point is designated, each corresponding, corresponding first point and the second point is connected by current position and the straight line that is derived It is a positional relationship.

According to this , the first point and the second point corresponding to each other are in a positional relationship that is connected to the derived current position by a straight line. As a result, a plurality of equations with the current position as an unknown are obtained based on the first point and the second point, and the present invention can more easily derive the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle.

  In the present invention, the plurality of first points and the plurality of second points may each be 6 or more.

  According to the present invention, since the plurality of first points and the plurality of second points are each 6 or more, 18 or more equations are obtained in the xyz coordinate system, and the unmanned traveling vehicle moves together with the current position. It is possible to derive the orientation and the like.

  In the present invention, the photographing unit may perform photographing for each predetermined photographing section so that the same predetermined object is located at substantially the center of the photographed image while the unmanned traveling vehicle is traveling. And the measurement unit may measure the amount of movement of the unmanned traveling vehicle by performing triangulation based on a plurality of captured images acquired by photographing for each predetermined photographing section by the photographing unit.

  According to the present invention, the photographing means included in the unmanned traveling vehicle is provided for each predetermined photographing section so that the same predetermined object is positioned substantially at the center of the photographed image while the unmanned traveling vehicle is traveling. Take a photo. Then, the measurement means measures the amount of movement of the unmanned traveling vehicle by performing triangulation based on a plurality of photographed images acquired by photographing for each predetermined photographing section by the photographing means. The amount of movement of the unmanned traveling vehicle can be easily measured from only the information obtained from the traveling vehicle.

  In the present invention, the measurement unit may include at least one of a rotation number detection unit that detects a rotation number of a wheel of the unmanned traveling vehicle and an inertial force detection unit that detects an inertial force acting on the unmanned traveling vehicle. .

  According to the present invention, the measuring means is at least one of a rotational speed detecting means for detecting the rotational speed of the wheel of the unmanned traveling vehicle and an inertial force detecting means for detecting an inertial force acting on the unmanned traveling vehicle. The amount of movement of the unmanned traveling vehicle can be easily measured from only the information obtained from the unmanned traveling vehicle.

  According to the present invention, the measuring unit includes a second photographing unit including a telecentric lens, and the movement amount of the unmanned traveling vehicle is measured based on the captured images continuously photographed by the second photographing unit. May be.

  According to the present invention, the measuring means is the second photographing means provided with the telecentric lens, and the movement amount of the unmanned traveling vehicle is measured based on the photographed images continuously photographed by the second photographing means. Thus, the present invention can easily measure the movement amount of the unmanned traveling vehicle from only the information obtained from the unmanned traveling vehicle.

  Further, in the present invention, the measurement unit includes a rotation number detection unit that detects a rotation number of a wheel of the unmanned traveling vehicle, the measurement of the movement amount of the unmanned traveling vehicle by the rotation number detection unit, and the second Of the measurement of the movement amount of the unmanned traveling vehicle based on the photographed image photographed by the photographing means, measurement with a smaller measurement error may be performed.

  According to the present invention, of the measurement of the movement amount of the unmanned traveling vehicle by the rotational speed detection means and the measurement of the movement amount of the unmanned traveling vehicle based on the photographed image photographed by the second photographing means, the measurement error is further reduced. Since small measurement is performed, the present invention can measure the movement amount of the unmanned traveling vehicle with higher accuracy only from the information obtained by the unmanned traveling vehicle.

  On the other hand, in order to solve the above problems, the guiding method of the present invention employs the following means.

That is, the guidance method according to the present invention includes an imaging unit that captures a subject and a measurement unit that measures the amount of movement of the subject, and the unmanned traveling moves to a target point while measuring the amount of movement of the subject by the measurement unit. A method for guiding a vehicle, the first step of transmitting to the unmanned traveling vehicle a target point designated from a planar image showing a moving area in which the unmanned traveling vehicle moves in a plane, and photographed by the photographing means a plurality of first point in the imaging plane of the imaging unit from the captured image, and said plurality of second points from the plane image in the moving area, the plurality of first point and the plurality of second points each corresponding to And a second step of designating the corresponding first point and the second point to be in a positional relationship in which the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle is connected by a straight line, the plurality of first points, and the plurality of first points based on the 2-point Wherein deriving the absolute coordinates of the center of the imaging means, and a third step of the said center and a current position of the unmanned vehicle, starting from the current position derived in the third step, the unmanned vehicle is the measurement If the accumulated value of the measurement error by the measuring means reaches a predetermined value while traveling toward the target point while measuring the current position by the means, the accumulated value is reset, and the photographing means newly And a fourth step of deriving the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle again based on a plurality of first points designated from the photographed image taken on the basis of and a plurality of second points designated from the planar image. .

  According to the present invention, when the cumulative error of the measuring unit that measures the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle reaches a predetermined value, the plurality of first images specified from the captured images captured by the capturing unit included in the unmanned traveling vehicle. The current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle is derived based on the points and the plurality of second points designated from the planar image. Thereby, this invention can reset the accumulation error by a measurement means, As a result, an unmanned traveling vehicle can be made to reach | attain a target point accurately also in the place where GPS cannot be used.

  According to the present invention, there is an excellent effect that an unmanned traveling vehicle can accurately reach a target point even in a place where GPS cannot be used.

1 is a schematic diagram of an unmanned traveling vehicle guidance system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a mimetic diagram showing the electric composition of the guidance device concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a mimetic diagram showing the electric composition of the unmanned traveling vehicle concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process of the driving | running | working guidance program which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the movement environment of the unmanned traveling vehicle which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the teaching point for measuring the present position of the unmanned traveling vehicle which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram required for description of derivation | leading-out of the present position of an unmanned traveling vehicle from the teaching point which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the driving | running route of the unmanned driving vehicle which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the range which the unmanned traveling vehicle which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention image | photographs with a camera, carrying out autonomous traveling. It is a figure which shows an example of the image continuously image | photographed with the unmanned traveling vehicle which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the electrical structure of the unmanned traveling vehicle which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of the movement amount sensor which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a graph which shows the change of the measurement error of the odometry and movement amount sensor with respect to the inclination angle of the moving surface of the unmanned traveling vehicle which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a graph which shows the measurement error of the travel distance in the switching processing concerning a 3rd embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a guidance device for an unmanned traveling vehicle according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
The first embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

  FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an unmanned traveling vehicle guidance system 1.

  The unmanned traveling vehicle guidance system 1 includes a guidance device 10 and an unmanned traveling vehicle 15.

  The guidance device 10 transmits various information for guiding the traveling of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 toward the unmanned traveling vehicle 15. The unmanned traveling vehicle 15 is a vehicle that travels unmanned on the ground, and autonomously travels based on information transmitted from the guidance device 10. In the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 travels on a star (satellite, planet, comet, etc., moon as an example in FIG. 1) different from the earth. Located on the earth.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the guidance device 10.

  The guidance device 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 12 that controls the operation of the guidance device 10 as a whole, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 14 in which various programs and various parameters are stored in advance, and a work area when the CPU 12 executes various programs. A RAM (Random Access Memory) 16 used as a storage device, a variety of programs such as a travel guidance program, which will be described in detail later, and a hard disk drive (HDD) 18 as storage means for storing various information.

  Further, the guidance device 10 is configured by a keyboard, a mouse, and the like, and an operation input unit 20 that receives input of various operations, an image display unit 22 that displays various images, and transmission / reception that transmits and receives various information to and from the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 The unit 24 is provided.

  The operator of the guidance device 10 operates the operation input unit 20 to input various information necessary for causing the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 to autonomously travel.

  The CPU 12, ROM 14, RAM 16, HDD 18, operation input unit 20, image display unit 22, and external interface 24 are electrically connected to each other via a system bus 30. Therefore, the CPU 12 accesses the ROM 14, the RAM 16, and the HDD 18, grasps the operation state with respect to the operation input unit 20, displays various images on the image display unit 22, and various types with the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 through the transmission / reception unit 24. Information can be transmitted and received.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15.

  The unmanned traveling vehicle 15 works on the control unit 40 that controls the operation of the entire unmanned traveling vehicle 15, the camera 42 that captures the subject, the wheel rotational speed sensor 44 that detects the rotational speed of the wheel of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15, and the unmanned traveling vehicle 15. An inertial sensor 46 that detects an inertial force, and a storage unit 48 that includes a magnetic storage device or a semiconductor storage device and stores various types of information.

  The image acquired by the camera 42 is used to measure the movement amount and the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15, and the rotation speed acquired by the wheel rotation number sensor 44 represents the movement amount of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15. The inertial force used for measurement and acquired by the inertial sensor 46 is used for measuring the direction in which the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 is moving (hereinafter referred to as “movement direction”) and the posture. In addition, image information indicating an image captured by the camera 42, information indicating detection results of the wheel rotation number sensor 44, and the inertial sensor 46 are stored in the storage unit 48 together with information transmitted from the guidance device 10.

  Further, the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 includes a transmission / reception unit 50 that transmits and receives various types of information to and from the guidance device 10 and a drive unit 52 that includes a motor that is mechanically coupled to steering wheels and drive wheels (not shown).

  The control unit 40, wheel rotation number sensor 44, inertial sensor 46, storage unit 48, transmission / reception unit 50, and drive unit 52 are electrically connected to each other via a system bus 54. Therefore, the control unit 40 controls the wheel speed sensor 44 and the inertial sensor 46, accesses the storage unit 48, transmits / receives various information to / from the guidance device 10 via the transmission / reception unit 50, and steers via the drive unit 52. The wheel and the drive wheel are controlled, and the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 is autonomously traveled.

  As described above, in the unmanned traveling vehicle guidance system 1, the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 uses the guidance device 10 to transmit information acquired by the measuring device such as the camera 42, the wheel rotation number sensor 44, and the inertial sensor 46 via the transmission / reception unit 50. Send to. Then, the guidance device 10 performs a traveling guidance process for transmitting information for guiding the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 based on the information from the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 received via the transmission / reception unit 24 to the unmanned traveling vehicle 15.

  Next, the operation of the guidance device 10 according to the first embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of a travel guidance program executed by the CPU 12 in order for the guidance device 10 to perform the travel guidance process. The travel guidance program is stored in a predetermined area of the HDD 18 in advance.

First, in step 100, predetermined initial conditions required for guiding the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 are set. The initial condition is a distance interval (hereinafter referred to as “surveying execution interval T _A ”) in which the movement amount of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 is measured by triangulation using an image acquired by the camera 42 described in detail later. Yes, an interval for resetting the accumulated error of the measuring means for measuring the movement amount of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 (in the first embodiment, the wheel rotation speed sensor 44, the inertial sensor 46, and the bundle orientation processing described in detail later) , Referred to as “error reset interval T _B ”). The initial conditions are input by the operator via the operation input unit 20 of the guidance device 10. Error reset interval T _B is determined from the accuracy required for the measurement of the amount of movement of the unmanned vehicle 15.

Note that the error of the measuring means is measured in advance by a test. Then, the error of the measuring means, to be accumulated in accordance with a running distance of the unmanned vehicle 15, the error reset interval T _B based on the magnitude of the accumulated error with respect to the travel distance of the unmanned vehicle 15 is determined.

  In the next step 102, the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 is derived.

  Here, a method for deriving the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 executed in step 102 will be described.

  In FIG. 5, the schematic diagram of the movement environment of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 is shown. As shown in FIG. 5, the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 travels on the ground where there are a plurality of objects (natural objects such as stones and rocks and artificial objects).

Then, the guidance device 10 indicates the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 traveling on the ground as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of teaching points P _n designated from the captured image captured by the camera 42, and the unmanned traveling vehicle. planar image showing the moving region 15 moves in a plane (hereinafter, "moving map" hereinafter.) derived based on the specified plurality of teaching point Q _n from (hereinafter, "the teaching point specification method".) . That is, the current position derived in step 102 becomes the initial position of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15. The moving map is stored in advance in the HDD 18, and as the moving map, a satellite image obtained by photographing the moving area of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 from directly above (the unmanned vehicle is not shown), the unmanned traveling vehicle 15. An image or the like taken before landing on the moon is used by a transport aircraft (not shown) for transporting the moon to the moon.

  Hereinafter, the teaching point designation method will be described in more detail.

First, the operator designates corresponding teaching points P _n and Q _n from the moving map displayed on the image display unit 22 and the captured image acquired by the camera 42 transmitted from the unmanned traveling vehicle 15. Here, the corresponding teaching points P _n and Q _n mean that the current position derived from the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 is in a positional relationship where the teaching point P _n and the teaching point Q _n are connected by a straight line. .

FIG. 6A shows the teaching point P _n specified in the captured image, and FIG. 6B shows the teaching point Q _n specified in the moving map. In the example of FIGS. 6A and 6B, only three teaching points P _n and Q _n are shown, but in the first embodiment, teaching points P _n and Q _n are set to 6 ( n = 1, 2,..., 6) are designated one by one.

In the first embodiment, the operator designates the corresponding teaching points P _n and Q _n by pointing with the mouse on the screen of the image display unit 22 on which the moving map and the captured image are displayed. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the guidance device 10 may automatically specify the teaching point from the moving map and the captured image based on conditions set in advance in order to specify the teaching points P _n and Q _n .

As shown in FIG. 7, if the center of the camera 42 (hereinafter referred to as “camera center”) is C (X _c , Y _c , Z _c ), the teaching point P _n on the captured image and the moving map are displayed. Since the above teaching point Q _n is on the same optical axis, the teaching point P _n and the teaching point Q _n are expressed by the following equation (1) by using the scale factor K _n . The camera center _{C (X c, Y c,} Z c) are unknown indicates the current position of the unmanned vehicle 15, the scale factor _{K n} are also unknown. The mobile maps are the planar image, the value of Z coordinates indicating the height of the teaching point Q _n on moving map is also unknown.

Then, the teaching point P _n of the captured image in the absolute coordinate system is expressed as the following equation (2). In Equation (2), _pn is a teaching point of a captured image in the coordinate system (hereinafter referred to as “camera coordinate system”) in the camera 42, and T _xyz is a parallel expression represented by Equation (3) below. The movement matrix, R _xyz, is a rotation matrix represented by the following equation (4). Further, θ _x , θ _y , and θ _z indicate the posture of the camera 42, that is, the posture of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15, and are unknown numbers.

Also, assuming that the focal length of the camera 42 is f, the size of the light receiving element (for example, CCD) of the camera 42 is s _y , s _z, and each teaching point on the shooting screen is i, j, the coordinates The system _pn is represented by the following formula (5).

When the expression (1) is expanded, 3 n equations relating to the x, y, and z coordinates are obtained for the total n teaching points as shown in the expression (2). On the other hand, as described above, the unknowns include, in addition to the six positions X _c , Y _c , Z _c of the camera 42 and the postures θ _x , θ _y , θ _z of the camera 42, a scale factor K _n (n) and The total number of teaching points z coordinates (n) on the moving map is 6 + 2n. Therefore, by specifying 6 teaching points (n ≧ 6) or more, the obtained equation exceeds the unknown, and the current position of the camera 42 indicating the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 indicates the attitude of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15. It is derived together with the posture of the camera 42 shown.

  In the next step 104, the designation of the target point by which the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 arrives by autonomous traveling and the waypoint to be routed before reaching the target point by the operator is accepted via the operation input unit 20.

  The designation of the target point and the waypoint by the operator is received via the operation input unit 20 on the moving map displayed on the image display unit 22 of the guidance device 10. The operator only needs to specify at least the target point, and does not necessarily specify the waypoint.

In the next step 106, an instruction to start autonomous driving toward the target point of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 (hereinafter referred to as “traveling start signal”) is transmitted to the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 via the transmission / reception unit 24. The CPU 12 transmits a travel start signal to the unmanned travel vehicle 15 when there is an input for transmitting a travel start signal by the operator to the unmanned travel vehicle 15 via the operation input unit 20. Also, the set survey execution interval T _A and the error reset interval T _B in step _100, the current position of the unmanned vehicle 15 measured in step 102, and the target point and the transit point set in step 104, starts running Along with the signal, the signal is transmitted from the guidance device 10 to the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 through the transmission / reception unit 24. When the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 receives the surveying execution interval T _A , the error reset interval T _B , the current position, the target location, and the waypoint transmitted from the guidance device 10, these are stored in the storage unit 48.

  When the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 receives the traveling start signal transmitted from the guidance device 10, the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 starts autonomous traveling toward the target point.

  Here, the autonomous traveling of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 will be described.

  First, based on the current position information, the target point, and the waypoint transmitted from the guidance device 10 together with the travel start signal, the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 starts from the current position as shown in FIG. A travel route connecting points is generated.

  The unmanned traveling vehicle 15 measures the amount of movement of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 by integrating the value of the rotational speed detected by the wheel rotational speed sensor 44, and integrates the value of the inertial force detected by the inertial sensor 46. By doing so, autonomous travel is performed along the travel route generated while measuring the direction and orientation of the unmanned travel vehicle 15. The unmanned traveling vehicle 15 derives its current position by performing coordinate conversion based on the amount of movement measured by the wheel rotation number sensor 44 and the direction measured by the inertial sensor 46. Further, the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 counts its travel distance as a distance count A and a distance count B.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 is arranged for each predetermined shooting section so that the same predetermined object is positioned at the approximate center (shooting center) of the image while performing autonomous driving. The image information indicating the image acquired by the imaging is transmitted to the guidance device 10 via the transmission / reception unit 50. The unmanned traveling vehicle 15 that is traveling autonomously changes the direction of the camera 42 so that the same object comes to the center of photographing, and takes an image for each predetermined photographing section so that overlapping of each image becomes large.

  In other words, as shown in FIG. 9, the predetermined shooting section indicates an interval of the movement amount of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15, and the length of the shooting section is set in advance by the resolution of the camera 42. Specifically, as the resolution is lower, the camera 42 cannot look far away, so the shooting section is set shorter.

  Further, the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 appropriately transmits the movement amount, the current position, a captured image captured by the camera 42, and the like to the guidance device 10 via the transmission / reception unit 50.

  In the next step 108, it is determined whether or not the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 has reached the target point. If the determination is affirmative, the program is terminated. If the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step 110. When the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 reaches the target point, the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 transmits an arrival signal indicating that the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 has reached the target point to the guidance device 10 via the transmission / reception unit 50. And the guidance apparatus 10 determines with the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 having reached | attained the target point, when the arrival signal transmitted from the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 is received.

At step 110, it is determined whether the distance count A of the unmanned vehicle 15 has reached the survey execution interval T _A, the case of affirmative determination, the system control shifts to step 112, in the case of negative determination, to step 108 Return. Incidentally, unmanned vehicle 15, the distance count A reached survey execution interval T _A, and transmits the interval T _A arrival signal indicating that reached survey execution interval T _A to the induction device 10 via the transceiver 50 . The guiding device 10 determines when receiving the interval T _A arrival signal transmitted from the unmanned vehicle 15, and distance count A of the unmanned vehicle 15 has reached the survey execution interval T _A. Unmanned vehicle 15, when it reaches the surveying execution interval T _A stops moving.

  In the next step 112, triangulation (hereinafter referred to as “bundle orientation processing”) is performed based on the photographed image for each predetermined photographing section acquired by photographing for each predetermined photographing section by the camera 42 during autonomous traveling. By doing so, the movement amount (current position) of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 is derived.

  As shown in the example of FIG. 10, the operator can identify the same target point in each captured image through the operation input unit 20 and the image display unit 22 on which a plurality of captured images captured during autonomous traveling are displayed. Is associated with a plurality of captured images. Then, the guidance device 10 performs bundle orientation processing based on the coordinate information of the target points associated with each other on the captured image, so that the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 that captured each captured image (traveling direction (see FIG. 9 X direction) and a direction orthogonal to the X direction (Y direction in FIG. 9)).

  Note that in the bundle orientation processing, if the area to be imaged in which each captured image overlaps is large, the position estimation error is reduced. Therefore, the captured image is captured for each predetermined imaging section so that the overlap between the images is increased. The

  On the other hand, in the case where bundle orientation cannot be performed from the photographed images photographed for each predetermined photographing section by the camera 42 (because the area around the moving area of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 is uniform terrain, there is no target to be used for association and photographing is performed. When each image cannot be associated), bundle orientation is not performed, and autonomous traveling using the wheel rotational speed sensor 44 and the inertial sensor 46 is performed.

  Then, after the measurement of the movement amount (current position) of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 is completed, the guidance device 10 transmits a traveling start signal for resuming movement together with the current position as a measurement result via the transmission / reception unit 24. It transmits to the vehicle 15. When the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 receives the travel start signal together with the current position, the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 again generates a travel route from the received current position to the target location, resumes autonomous travel along the travel route, and resets the distance count A. Then, a new distance count A is counted.

In the next step 114, the distance count B of unmanned vehicle 15 determines whether it has reached the error reset interval T _B, when the affirmative determination is the program shifts to step 116, in the case of negative determination, Step Return to 108. The unmanned vehicle 15, when the own distance count B reaches the error reset interval T _B, the interval T _B arrival signal indicating that you have reached the error reset interval T _B, the induction device via the transceiver 50 10 Send to. The guiding device 10 determines when receiving the interval T _B arrival signals transmitted from the unmanned vehicle 15, and distance count B of unmanned vehicle 15 has reached the error reset interval T _B. Unmanned vehicle 15, when it reaches the error reset interval T _B stops moving.

  In step 116, the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 is derived by the same processing as the teaching point designation method executed in step 102, the current position derived to the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 is transmitted, and the process returns to step 108.

In the teaching point specified process according to step 116, unmanned vehicle 15 are a plurality of teaching points P _n from the newly captured photographed image by the camera 42 at a position reached error reset interval T _B is designated. Further, the plurality of teaching points Q _n specified from the planar map may be newly specified or may be the teaching points Q _n specified in step 102.

  As described above, according to the teaching point designation method, the wheel rotational speed sensor 44, the inertial sensor 46, and the movement amount and the current position error caused by the bundle orientation processing are reset. Then, the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 again generates a traveling route connecting the transit point and the target point with the current position derived in step 116 as a starting point, restarts autonomous traveling, and resets the distance count B. A distance count B is counted.

As described above, the induction device 10 according to the first embodiment, capturing the movement amount of unmanned vehicle 15 when it reaches the error reset interval T _B, taken by the camera 42 having the unmanned vehicle 15 Since the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 is derived based on the plurality of teaching points P _n specified from the image and the plurality of teaching points Q _n specified from the moving map, the accumulated error by the measuring unit can be reset. As a result, the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 can reach the target point with high accuracy even in a place where GPS cannot be used.

[Second Embodiment]
Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  The configuration of the guidance device 10 according to the second embodiment is the same as the configuration of the guidance device 10 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG.

  FIG. 11 shows the configuration of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 according to the second embodiment. In FIG. 11, the same components as those in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG.

  The unmanned traveling vehicle 15 includes a movement amount sensor 60.

  The movement amount sensor 60 has a camera 72 provided with a telecentric lens 70 as shown in FIG. In addition, since the optical axis is a straight line, the telecentric lens has a feature that the enlargement / reduction of the image (change in shape) does not occur due to the change in the distance to the imaging surface within the in-focus range.

  An analog signal indicating a captured image output from the camera 72 is input to the image capture board 74 and converted into a digital signal. Then, the image processing unit 76 performs image processing on the digital signal indicating the captured image output from the image capture board 74, so that the image processing unit 76 is based on the position of the subject indicated by the captured image continuously captured by the camera 72. Thus, the movement amount of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 is measured.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the movement amount sensor 60 according to the second embodiment is such that the camera 72 and the telecentric lens 70 face the ground, and the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 travels autonomously on the ground. Shoot continuously.

  In the image processing in the image processing unit 76 according to the second embodiment, feature points of the ground pattern are extracted from the captured images continuously captured by the camera 72, and the extracted feature points are tracked, that is, each captured image is captured. Are subjected to block matching to calculate the amount of difference between the positions of feature points in consecutive captured images. Then, the image processing unit 76 measures the movement amount of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 by geometric calculation based on the calculated difference amount, the parameters of the camera 72, the telecentric lens 70, and the like.

  Furthermore, in the second embodiment, when the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 is autonomously traveling, the wheel rotation number sensor 44 gives priority to the movement amount sensor 60 because a measurement error increases in the movement amount when the wheel slips. Use. However, when the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 swings on rough terrain, the movement amount sensor 60 cannot focus on the camera 72 and cannot accurately measure the movement amount. Therefore, when the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 moves on rough terrain, the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 measures the movement amount of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 by the wheel rotation speed sensor 44.

  In addition, as a switching method of the movement amount sensor 60 and the wheel rotation speed sensor 44, when the rough terrain in the moving region is known in advance, the wheel when the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 moves to the known rough terrain. It may be switched to the rotational speed sensor 44 and set to switch to the movement amount sensor 60 when the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 moves from the known rough terrain. Not limited to this, the inertial sensor 46 detects the magnitude of the swing of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 and switches to the wheel rotational speed sensor 44 when the magnitude of the swing exceeds a predetermined magnitude. Other methods such as a method of setting so as to switch to the movement amount sensor 60 when the magnitude of the swing is equal to or smaller than a predetermined magnitude may be used.

[Third Embodiment]
Hereinafter, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  The configuration of the guidance device 10 according to the third embodiment is the same as the configuration of the guidance device 10 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. The configuration of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 according to the third embodiment is the same as the configuration of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 according to the second embodiment shown in FIG.

  The unmanned traveling vehicle 15 according to the third embodiment is an unmanned traveling vehicle based on measurement of the amount of movement of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 by the wheel rotation number sensor 44 and a captured image photographed by the movement amount sensor 60 in autonomous traveling. Among the 15 movement amount measurements, measurement with a smaller measurement error is performed.

  In FIG. 13, the movement amount (hereinafter referred to as “odometry”) and movement obtained from the rotational speed acquired by the wheel rotational speed sensor 44 with respect to the inclination angle of the moving surface of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 according to the third embodiment. The change of the measurement error of the movement amount calculated | required from the quantity sensor 60 is shown. As shown in FIG. 13, the measurement error of odometry increases as the inclination angle of the moving surface of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 increases. However, the measurement error of the movement amount sensor 60 increases the inclination angle of the moving surface of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15. Regardless of whether or not.

  This is because as the inclination angle of the moving surface of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 increases, the force of sliding down the slope increases, and the slip ratio between the soil, which is the moving surface, and the wheels increases. That is, there is a correlation between the slip ratio of the wheels of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 and the odometry measurement error. On the other hand, the measurement error of the movement amount sensor 60 includes a quantization error when performing block matching of the captured image, a calibration error of the camera 72, an error due to the inclination of the moving surface, and the like. Among these, since the error due to the inclination of the moving surface is corrected based on the attitude of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 measured by the inertial sensor 46, the measurement error of the movement amount sensor 60 is substantially constant.

  Therefore, the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 according to the third embodiment estimates the wheel slip rate from the inclination angle of the moving surface, and switches the movement amount sensor 60 and the wheel rotation number sensor 44 based on the estimated slip rate. A switching process for measuring the movement amount of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 is performed.

  The switching process will be specifically described below.

  First, the measurement error of the movement amount sensor 60 is acquired by performing a test in advance.

  Further, the relationship between the odometry measurement error due to the wheel slip of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 and the inclination of the moving surface is acquired by performing a test in advance. Note that the wheel slip depends not only on the inclination angle of the moving surface but also on the soil characteristics of the moving surface and the shape of the wheel. Further, odometry error information with respect to the inclination angle of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 and movement amount sensor error information indicating the measurement error of the movement amount sensor 60 are stored in the storage unit 48.

  When the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 is autonomously traveling, the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 estimates the odometry measurement error from the current inclination angle and the odometry error information stored in the storage unit 48, and the movement amount indicated in the movement amount sensor error information. The measurement error of the sensor 60 is compared. If the measurement error of the movement amount sensor 60 is smaller than the measurement error of odometry by this comparison, the movement amount sensor 60 is used. On the other hand, when the measurement error of the movement amount sensor 60 is larger than the measurement error of odometry, odometry is used. If the movement amount cannot be measured by the movement amount sensor 60, the movement amount is measured by odometry.

  As a result, as shown in FIG. 14A, at an inclination angle of 0 °, when the switching process is performed, only when the odometry is performed, and when the odometry and the inertial sensor 46 are used, the measurement error with respect to the travel distance is increased. Although there is no significant difference, as shown in FIG. 14B, at an inclination angle of 20 °, when the switching process is performed, the mileage is compared with the case where only odometry is used and when odometry and the inertial sensor 46 are used. The measurement error for becomes smaller. Thus, the movement amount of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 can be measured with higher accuracy only from the information obtained by the unmanned traveling vehicle 15.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using said each embodiment, the technical scope of this invention is not limited to the range as described in each said embodiment. Various changes or improvements can be added to the above-described embodiments without departing from the gist of the invention, and embodiments to which the changes or improvements are added are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  For example, in each of the above embodiments, the case where the guidance device 10 is arranged on the earth has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the guidance device 10 is a star different from the earth (for example, It is good also as the form arrange | positioned in the moon.

  In the above embodiments, the case where the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 travels on the moon surface has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 may travel on the earth. Good. In this case, when the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 travels on the earth where GPS satellite radio waves cannot be received, or the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 capable of receiving GPS satellite radio waves cannot receive GPS satellite radio waves for some reason. In this case, the guidance device 10 executes the traveling guidance program to guide the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 to travel.

Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the guidance device 10 has a plurality of teaching points P _n specified from a captured image captured by a camera included in the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 and a plurality of teaching points Q _n specified from a moving map. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the control unit 40 of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 has a plurality of parts designated by the guidance device 10. The present position of the unmanned traveling vehicle 15 may be derived based on the teaching point P _n and the plurality of teaching points Q _n .

10 guidance device 15 unmanned vehicle 12 CPU
42 Camera 44 Wheel Rotation Sensor 46 Inertia Sensor 60 Travel Amount Sensor 70 Telecentric Lens 72 Camera

Claims (7)

An apparatus for guiding an unmanned traveling vehicle that has an imaging unit that captures a subject and a measuring unit that measures the amount of movement of the subject, and that moves to a target point while measuring the amount of movement of the subject by the measuring unit,
Transmitting means for transmitting to the unmanned traveling vehicle a target point designated from a planar image showing a moving region in which the unmanned traveling vehicle moves in a plane;
A plurality of first point in the imaging plane of the photographing means from the image captured by the imaging means, and a plurality of second points in the movement area from the planar image, the said plurality of first point of the plurality Designating means for designating such that the two points correspond to each other, and the corresponding first point and the second point are in a positional relationship connected to the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle by a straight line;
Based on said plurality of second points and said plurality of first point, to derive the absolute coordinates of the center of the imaging means, a first derivation means for the said center and a current position of the unmanned vehicle,
Starting from the current position derived by said first deriving means, said in the course of unmanned vehicle is traveling toward the target position while performing the measurement of the current position by said measuring means, the measurement error due to the measurement means When the accumulated value reaches a predetermined value, the accumulated value is reset , and a plurality of first points designated from the photographed image newly photographed by the photographing means and a plurality of first points designated from the planar image are obtained. Second deriving means for deriving the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle again based on two points;
A guidance device comprising: It said plurality of first point and said plurality of second points, the induction system of claim 1 wherein each 6 or more locations. The photographing means performs photographing for each predetermined photographing section so that the same predetermined object is located at substantially the center of the photographed image while the unmanned traveling vehicle is traveling,
Said measuring means, said imaging means by by performing triangulation based on a plurality of captured images obtained by photographing a predetermined photographing interval claim 1 or claim to measure the amount of movement of the unmanned vehicle 2. The guidance device according to 2 . Said measuring means, rotational speed detecting means and from claim 1 comprising at least one of the inertial force detection means for detecting the inertial force acting on the unmanned vehicle according to claim 3 for detecting the rotational speed of a wheel of said unmanned vehicle The guidance device according to any one of the preceding claims. The said measurement means contains the 2nd imaging | photography means provided with the telecentric lens, The movement amount of the said unmanned traveling vehicle is measured based on the picked-up image continuously image | photographed by this 2nd imaging | photography means. induction device according to any one of claim 4. The measuring means includes a rotational speed detecting means for detecting the rotational speed of a wheel of the unmanned traveling vehicle, and is measured by the movement amount of the unmanned traveling vehicle by the rotational speed detecting means and photographed by the second photographing means. The guidance device according to claim 5, wherein the measurement with a smaller measurement error is performed among the measurement of the movement amount of the unmanned traveling vehicle based on the captured image. A method for guiding an unmanned traveling vehicle that has a photographing unit that photographs a subject and a measuring unit that measures the amount of movement of the subject, and moves to a target point while measuring the amount of movement of the subject by the measuring unit,
A first step of transmitting, to the unmanned traveling vehicle, a target point designated from a planar image showing a moving area in which the unmanned traveling vehicle moves in a plane;
A plurality of first point in the imaging plane of the photographing means from the image captured by the imaging means, and a plurality of second points in the movement area from the planar image, the said plurality of first point of the plurality A second step of designating that the two points correspond to each other and that the corresponding first point and the second point are in a positional relationship connected with the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle in a straight line;
Based on said plurality of second points and said plurality of first point, to derive the absolute coordinates of the center of the imaging means, and a third step of the said center and a current position of the unmanned vehicle,
Accumulation of measurement errors by the measuring means while the unmanned traveling vehicle is traveling toward the target point while measuring the current position by the measuring means, starting from the current position derived in the third step. When the value reaches a predetermined value, the accumulated value is reset , and a plurality of first points designated from the photographed image newly photographed by the photographing means and a plurality of second points designated from the planar image A fourth step of deriving the current position of the unmanned traveling vehicle again based on:
Induction method including.

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