JPH08123548A - Autonomous traveling vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To prevent an obstacle sensor from receiving impulse force or friction force at the time of model traveling by providing a regulating means and the obstacle sensor so that a self-traveling vehicle can travel along an object. CONSTITUTION: A mobile truck 8 is provided with contact type tracing sensors 1-A, 1-B, 1-C and 1-D of the regulating means two by two respectively on the left and right side faces of a mobile truck main body 8 in an advancing direction 9. Besides, contact type obstacle sensors 10a-10d are provided on the four side faces of the mobile truck 8. While the model traveling is performed along an object 11 such as walls, the model traveling is provided by respectively controlling a traveling means through a travel control means and steering means through a steering control means while using a processing means based on the signals from the tracing sensors 1-A-1-D. When any obstacle is detected, the signals of the tracing sensors 1-A-1-D and the obstacle detection sensors 10a-10d are inputted to the processing means, and a position azimuth is controlled by respectively controlling the traveling means through the traveling control means and the steering means through the steering control means.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an autonomous vehicle, and more particularly to an autonomous vehicle that travels following an object such as a wall, corrects the position of the vehicle, and detects obstacles. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A mobile work vehicle (autonomous vehicle) that moves while detecting the presence of obstacles around it is used for traveling along a target object such as a wall or for detecting the presence of obstacles. Various sensors are used.

There are two types of sensors: a contact sensor for detecting an object by contact with the object to be detected and a non-contact sensor for detecting an object to be detected within a certain distance. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4-260905 discloses a mobile work vehicle which is provided with non-contact sensors on the left and right sides and travels while keeping a certain distance from a wall.

However, since a non-contact type sensor such as an ultrasonic sensor or a light emitting sensor is a sensor utilizing reflection, it is difficult to recognize an object in the vicinity, and the distance between the copying object and the mobile work vehicle is made extremely short, or Keeping the distance at zero is difficult. Further, since the drive circuit of the non-contact type sensor is more complicated than the drive circuit of the contact type sensor, the use of the non-contact type sensor has a problem that the cost of the mobile work vehicle increases.

Therefore, a contact-type copying sensor for realizing the copying traveling by contacting the copying object and an obstacle sensor for detecting an obstacle such as a person, another work vehicle, or a wall are provided together. Mobile work vehicles are being developed.

FIG. 16 is an external view of a mobile work vehicle equipped with a detection device including a conventional contact-type copying sensor and an obstacle sensor.

The mobile work vehicle 8 has four contact-type scanning sensors 1-A to 1-D in the lateral direction with respect to the traveling direction and obstacle sensors 10a to 10a for detecting obstacles in the front, rear and side directions.
d is provided.

Since the contact-type copying sensors 1-A to 1-D detect the contact with the copying object, the mobile work vehicle travels while keeping the contact state with the copying object (copying movement).
Can be realized.

[0009]

However, in a mobile work vehicle equipped with a conventional detection device including a copy sensor and an obstacle sensor, the obstacle detection sensor also receives the impact force and the frictional force received by the copy sensor during the copy traveling. There was a problem that it would end up.

Therefore, the present invention is an autonomous vehicle including a restricting means for causing the autonomous vehicle to travel along an object and an obstacle sensor, wherein the obstacle sensor generates an impact force or a frictional force at the time of copying traveling. The purpose is to provide a self-driving vehicle that does not receive.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an autonomous vehicle which is capable of traveling along an object, and is a regulating means for causing the autonomous vehicle to travel along the object. And an obstacle sensor for detecting an obstacle in the direction in which the object is present, so that the obstacle sensor does not come into contact with the object when traveling along the object by the regulation means. The vehicle is an autonomous vehicle characterized in that a regulating means and an obstacle sensor are arranged.

[0012]

The autonomous vehicle according to the invention of claim 1 travels along the object by the restricting means and the obstacle sensor which is not in contact with the object when the restricting means contacts the object.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is an external view of a mobile work vehicle equipped with a detection device including a scanning sensor and an obstacle sensor according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

The "copying traveling" used in this embodiment means traveling along an object such as a wall (at a constant interval), and the "copying object" is an object for performing the copying traveling. An object (for example, a wall), and the “copying sensor” refers to a sensor that detects an object to be copied in order to carry out copying traveling.

The mobile work vehicle in this embodiment is characterized in that the scanning sensor and the obstacle sensor are arranged so that the obstacle sensor does not contact the object when the scanning sensor contacts the object.

The mobile work vehicle 8 shown in FIG. 1 has contact type scanning sensors 1-A, 1-B and 1-C, 1-on the left and right side surfaces of the mobile work vehicle main body 8 with respect to the traveling direction 9 as restricting means.
Two Ds are provided. Further, contact type obstacle sensors 10a to 10d are provided on four side surfaces of the mobile work vehicle 8.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the mobile work vehicle of FIG. Referring to FIG. 2, the mobile work vehicle 8 includes a processing unit 22 that performs various processes, a scanning sensor 20 (1-A to 1-D) that detects a scanning target object, and an obstacle detection sensor that detects an obstacle. 21 (10a to 10d), a map information storage unit 27 that stores map information such as the position of the object to be copied, a traveling unit 25 including a motor and wheels for traveling, and traveling that controls the traveling unit 25. A control means 23 and a steering means 26 for controlling the direction of the mobile work vehicle 8 by changing the directions of the wheels and the like,
The steering control means 24 is provided for controlling the steering means 26.

In this mobile work vehicle, the processing means 22 controls the traveling of the mobile work vehicle 8 based on the map information stored in the map information storage means 27. When the copying traveling is performed on the copying object such as a wall, the processing means 22 causes the traveling means 25 and the steering control means via the traveling control means 23 based on the signal from the copying sensor 20. Trajectory traveling is realized by controlling the steering means 26 via 24. Further, at the time of detecting an obstacle which will be described later, signals from the scanning sensor 20 and the obstacle detecting sensor 21 are input to the processing means 22.

Further, at the time of position / azimuth correction, which will be described later, the processing means 22 causes the traveling control means 23 to travel along the position / azimuth correction object based on the signal from the scanning sensor 20.
The position and orientation is corrected by controlling the traveling means 25 via the steering control means 24 and the steering means 26 via the steering control means 24.

FIG. 3 is an external view of one of the copy sensors 1-A to 1-D of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a specific example of the contact member 2 of FIG.

The scanning sensor 1 includes a main body 6, a contact type switch 5 provided on the main body 6, a joint section 4 provided on the main body 6, an elastic member 3 joined to the joint section 4, and an elastic member 3.
A protruding member 7 for turning on the switch 5, which is provided in the
And the contact member 2 provided on the elastic member 3.

As the contact member 2, a rotatable wheel-shaped roller provided at the end of the elastic member 3 as shown in FIG. 4 (1) may be used, or as shown in FIG. 4 (2). A rollable sphere provided at the end of the elastic member 3 may be used. As a result, it is possible to reduce friction at the time of contact between the copying sensor and the copying object.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the scanning sensor 1 shown in FIG. (A) shows a state where the copying object 11 and the copying sensor 1 are not in contact with each other. In this state, the copy sensor is off. (B) shows a state in which the copying sensor 1 and the copying object 11 are in contact with each other. In this state, the copying object 11 and the contact member 2 come into contact with each other, and the elastic member 3 is pushed toward the switch body, whereby the projection member 7
Comes into contact with the switch 5, and the scanning sensor is turned on. (C) shows a state in which the copying sensor is closer to the copying object 11 than the state shown in (b). In this state, the elastic member 7 bends to maintain the ON state. Moreover, the bending of the elastic member 7 can reduce the impact applied to the switch body.

FIG. 6 is an external view of a scanning sensor of a mobile work vehicle including a scanning sensor according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

If the copying object 11 and the copying sensor 1 are too close to each other, the copying sensor 1 may be damaged. Therefore, in the detection apparatus of this embodiment, the distance between the copying sensor and the copying object is a constant distance. It is characterized by including a sensor protection protrusion 16 for preventing the following. As a result, it is possible to prevent the damage of the copying sensor caused by the copying sensor and the copying object 11 coming too close to each other.

As the obstacle sensors 10c and 10d, it is also possible to use non-contact sensors (for example, those which project infrared rays and determine the distance by triangulation).

A method using an infrared irradiation type non-contact sensor will be described as an example with reference to FIG.
The infrared light emitted from the light emitting unit 51 of the obstacle sensor 10c is reflected when it hits an obstacle. The reflected infrared light is received by the light receiving unit 52 of the obstacle sensor 10c. Based on the position where the light receiving unit 52 receives infrared light, the distance between the obstacle sensor and the obstacle can be obtained by the principle of triangulation.

In this way, the obstacle sensors 10c, 1
Even if a non-contact sensor is used as 0d, the obstacle sensors 10c and 10d are provided at positions where they do not come into contact with the copying target object 11 during copying traveling. But obstacle sensor 1
When 0c and 10d are non-contact sensors, when the distance between the copying object 11 and the obstacle sensors 10c and 10d is shorter than the detection limit distance of the obstacle sensors 10c and 10d, the obstacle sensors 10c and 10d are copying objects. The object 11 is erroneously recognized as an obstacle.

Therefore, when the obstacle sensors 10c and 10d are non-contact sensors, it is necessary to prevent the copying object 11 from being detected as an obstacle.

Therefore, the distance l (see FIG. 14) between the obstacle sensors 10c and 10d and the object 11 to be copied when the copying sensor 1 contacts the object 11 to be copied is obtained in advance, and the obstacle sensor 10c is obtained. In 10d, only obstacles located at a distance shorter than 1 are detected as obstacles.

The copy sensors 1-A, 1-B and 1-
C and 1-D are non-contact sensors (for example, infrared rays are projected,
The distance may be obtained by triangulation).

A method of using a protrusion instead of using a scanning sensor as the regulation means is also conceivable. this is,
As shown in FIG. 15, in a state in which the protrusion 61 provided on the mobile work vehicle is in contact with the object to be copied, the mobile work vehicle is caused to travel with the traveling direction slightly directed toward the object to be copied. In this way, the protrusion 61 can be kept in contact with the object to be copied, so that the mobile work vehicle can travel along the object to be copied.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the copy traveling. (A) is an object 11 that the mobile work vehicle 8 follows.
It shows the state of continuing straight ahead in the direction. In this state, the mobile work vehicle 8 goes straight in the traveling direction 12. (B) is one of the scanning sensors of the mobile work vehicle 1
-A shows a state in which the copying target object 11 is in contact. In this state, the copy sensor 1-A is turned on, and the processing means 2
The traveling means 25 and the steering means 26 are controlled by 2 to change the traveling direction of the mobile work vehicle 8 in the direction of the arrow. (C) is one of the scanning sensors of the mobile work vehicle 8 from the state of (b) 1-
The state where B is in contact with the copying object 11 is shown. The mobile work vehicle 8 stops changing the traveling direction in response to the ON state of the copying sensor 1-B. (D) shows the state of copying travel. In this state, the mobile work vehicle 8 has the copy sensors 1-A, 1
-Proceeds while following the condition that both B are turned on.

FIG. 8 shows the processing means 2 in the direction change of FIG.
It is a flowchart which shows the process of 2.

In step S601, the copy sensor 1
The processing means 22 moves the mobile work vehicle 8 straight until -A is turned on. If the processing means 22 detects that the scanning sensor 1-A is turned on, the traveling direction is changed in step S602 as described above. Step S603
Then, the change of the traveling direction is continued until both the copy sensors 1-A and 1-B are turned on. Copy sensor 1-A, 1-B
If both are turned on, the change of the traveling direction is stopped in step S604, and the copying traveling is realized in step S605.

In step S601, the copy sensor 1-C
Is detected, the traveling direction is changed in the direction opposite to the direction shown in FIG. 7B in step S602, and the ON of the scanning sensors 1-C and 1-D is detected in step S603. In this case, the copying traveling when the copying object is on the right side with respect to the traveling direction of the mobile work vehicle is realized.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the processing of position and orientation correction performed by the mobile work vehicle shown in FIG.

While the mobile work vehicle 8 is moving, the traveling direction of the own vehicle and the position of the own vehicle recognized by the processing means 22 due to slipping on the floor or the like are the actual traveling direction and the actual position of the own vehicle. May be different from. Therefore processing means 2
It is necessary to perform processing for making the traveling direction and the position of the own vehicle recognized in 2 the same as the actual traveling direction and the actual position of the own vehicle. This process is called position and orientation correction.

Referring to FIG. 9, the mobile work vehicle 8 is recognized by the processing means 22 as proceeding in the direction of arrow 14, but in reality it is traveling in the direction indicated by arrow 15, and It is assumed that the deviation is dθ. After that, the mobile work vehicle 8 comes into contact with the position / orientation correction target 13 such as a wall, so that one of the scanning sensors 1-A is turned on. Then, the processing means 22 rotates the mobile work vehicle 8 until the scanning sensor 1-B is turned on. Since the rotation angle of the mobile work vehicle 8 at this time corresponds to dθ, the correction can be performed by adding dθ to the direction recognized by the processing means.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the processing performed by the processing means 22 in the position / orientation correction shown in FIG.

In step S701, the copy sensor 1-
The mobile work vehicle 8 continues straight ahead until A is turned on. If it is determined that the scanning sensor 1-A is on, the traveling direction is changed in step S702. The traveling direction is changed until it is determined in step S703 that both of the scanning sensors 1-A and 1-B are on. If it is determined that both the copy sensors 1-A and 1-B are on, the change of the traveling direction is stopped in step S704. The position and orientation is corrected based on the amount of change in the traveling direction in step S705.

In step S701, the ON state of the copy sensor 1-C is detected, and step S70
2 is changed in the opposite direction to the case of FIG. 9, and in step S703, the scanning sensors 1-C, 1-
When the ON state of D is detected, it becomes possible to perform the position and orientation correction in the opposite direction to the position and orientation correction shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the correction of the position data of the mobile work vehicle 8. When the mobile work vehicle 8 stores the own vehicle position in the memory as coordinate data, the coordinate data stored in the memory may be different from the actual coordinate data due to slippage of the floor, driving error, and the like. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, a mobile work vehicle 8
However, as a result of moving from the coordinates P0 (x0, y0), the coordinate data stored in the memory is P1 (x
1, y1), but actually P1 '(x1', y1 ')
Suppose you have proceeded to. At that time, the scanning sensor on the left with respect to the traveling direction is turned on by coming into contact with the position / orientation correction target 13. The memory of the mobile work vehicle stores in advance the coordinates (here, the x-coordinate Xs) of the position / orientation correction target 13 in the path in which the vehicle is traveling, and the scanning sensor on the left with respect to the traveling direction is turned on. The x-coordinate of the host vehicle stored in the memory when is changed to Xs. As a result, the x coordinate is corrected.

Further, by arranging the scanning sensors in the front and rear with respect to the traveling direction of the mobile work vehicle 8 and storing the y coordinate where the position / orientation correction target exists in the memory, the y coordinate can be similarly corrected. You can

It should be noted that, without storing the coordinates in the memory, if the copying sensor is simply turned on while the moving work vehicle is moving straight, the moving work vehicle will follow the contacting object regardless of whether the contacting object is the copying object or not. The control may be performed so that the vehicle travels straight after changing the traveling direction.

Even if the mobile work vehicle intends to move in parallel to the wall, if it repeatedly hits the left wall as shown in FIG. 11, it means that there is some trouble in the drive system and it moves to the left. Since it indicates that the vehicle is advancing, a learning function such as increasing the driving force of the left drive wheel may be provided.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing the processing of the processing means in the obstacle detection by the scanning sensor.

When it is detected in step S801 that the scanning sensor is turned on while the mobile work vehicle is moving, step S801 is performed.
In 802, the control means reads out the map information and determines whether there is an object to be copied or a position / orientation correction object in that direction. If the result is no, the processing means 22 registers the object as an obstacle in step S803. For example, when the mobile work vehicle next arrives at this position, the mobile work vehicle is controlled so as not to move to the registered obstacle position.

When any one of the scanning sensors is turned on while the mobile work vehicle is stopped, it means that the object has moved and has come into contact with the mobile work vehicle. Alternatively, the mobile work vehicle may be controlled.

Further, the following configurations of the invention can be considered from the above embodiments. # 1 In an autonomous vehicle capable of traveling along an object, a regulation unit for causing the autonomous vehicle to travel along the object and an obstacle sensor for detecting an obstacle in the direction in which the object exists And wherein the restriction means and the obstacle sensor are arranged so that the obstacle sensor does not come into contact with the object when traveling along the object by the restriction means. Autonomous vehicle that does.

# 2 The autonomous traveling vehicle according to # 1, wherein the restricting means includes a contact type scanning sensor. # 3 The scanning sensor includes a rotating part that contacts an object #
The autonomous vehicle described in 2.

# 4 The autonomous vehicle according to # 2 or # 3, wherein the scanning sensor further performs position correction.

# 5 The autonomous vehicle according to # 2 or # 3, wherein the scanning sensor further detects an obstacle.

# 6 The autonomous vehicle according to any one of # 2 to # 5, wherein the copying sensor includes a sensor protection protrusion that protects the copying sensor.

The autonomous vehicles described above in # 2 to # 6 have the following actions. The autonomous traveling vehicle according to # 2 has the function of the autonomous traveling vehicle according to # 1 and, in addition to the function of the autonomous traveling vehicle according to the first aspect, includes a scanning sensor that realizes scanning traveling and an obstacle sensor that does not contact the object when the scanning sensor contacts the object. Detect the presence.

In addition to the function of the autonomous vehicle described in # 2, the autonomous vehicle described in # 3 comes into contact with an object by the rotating portion.

The autonomous vehicle described in # 4 has the function of the autonomous vehicle described in # 2 or # 3, and the scanning sensor further corrects the position.

The autonomous vehicle described in # 5 has the function of the autonomous vehicle described in # 2 or # 3, and the scanning sensor further detects an obstacle.

In the autonomous vehicle described in # 6, in addition to the function of the autonomous vehicle described in any of # 2 to # 5, the copying sensor is protected by the sensor protection protrusion.

The autonomous vehicles described in # 2 to # 6 have the following effects. The autonomous traveling vehicle described in # 2 can realize the copy traveling in addition to the effect of the autonomous traveling vehicle described in # 1.

In addition to the effect of the autonomous traveling vehicle described in # 2, the autonomous traveling vehicle described in # 3 can reduce friction between the scanning sensor and an object in contact with the scanning sensor.

The autonomous vehicle described in # 4 can perform position correction in addition to the effect of the autonomous vehicle described in # 2 or # 3.

The autonomous vehicle described in # 5 can detect an obstacle in addition to the effect of the autonomous vehicle described in # 2 or # 3.

In addition to the effect of the autonomous vehicle described in any one of # 2 to # 5, the autonomous vehicle described in # 6 can prevent damage due to an overload on the copying sensor.

[0065]

As described above, the autonomous vehicle according to the first aspect of the present invention can suppress the friction and impact that the obstacle sensor receives from the object when the vehicle comes into contact with the object while traveling along the object.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a mobile work vehicle including a detection device including a scanning sensor and an obstacle sensor according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the mobile work vehicle of FIG.

3 is an external view of one of the scanning sensors 1-A to 1-D of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a specific example of the contact member 2 of FIG.

5 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the scanning sensor 1 shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is an external view of a copy sensor of a mobile work vehicle including a copy sensor according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the operation of copying travel.

8 is a flowchart showing the processing of the processing means 22 in the direction change of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the process of position and orientation correction performed by the mobile work vehicle shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a processing means 22 for position and orientation correction shown in FIG.
5 is a flowchart showing a process performed by the.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining correction of position data of a mobile work vehicle.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing processing of processing means in obstacle detection by the scanning sensor.

FIG. 13 is an external view of an autonomous vehicle using a non-contact sensor as an obstacle sensor.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a state in which the autonomous vehicle of FIG. 13 is following a profile.

FIG. 15 is an external view of an autonomous vehicle using a protrusion as a regulation unit.

FIG. 16 is an external view of a mobile work vehicle including a detection device including a conventional contact-type copying sensor and an obstacle sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Copying Sensor 2 Contact Member 3 Elastic Member 4 Joint 5 Switch 6 Switch Main Body 7 Projection Member 8 Mobile Work Vehicle Main Body 9 Moving Direction 10 Obstacle Detection Sensor 11 Copying Target 13 Position Orientation Correction Target 16 Sensor Protection Projection 20 Copying sensor 21 Obstacle detection sensor 22 Processing means 23 Traveling control means 24 Steering control means 25 Traveling means 26 Steering means 27 Map information storage means

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Naoki Kubo 2-3-13 Azuchi-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka, Osaka International Building Minolta Co., Ltd. (72) Yuichi Kawakami 2-chome, Azuchi-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka No. 13 Osaka International Building Minolta Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An autonomous vehicle capable of traveling along an object, for controlling an autonomous vehicle to travel along the object, and for detecting an obstacle in a direction in which the object exists. An obstacle sensor, and the regulating means and the obstacle sensor are arranged so that the obstacle sensor does not come into contact with the object when traveling along the object by the regulating means. An autonomous vehicle characterized by.