KR102615626B1 - Method for visually or aurally providing information to guide driving and autonomous mobile robot for carrying out the method - Google Patents

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method of audiovisually providing driving guidance information performed by an autonomous robot includes: a) driving along a preset movement path, but providing driving guidance information including the movement path with a predetermined visual Processing the information into information and displaying it on the road ahead, or processing it into predetermined auditory information and outputting it to the outside; b) when an unexpected obstacle located on the movement path is detected, identifying a restricted area where the display of the visual information is restricted or the transmission of the auditory information is cut off due to the obstacle; and c) changing the shape and area in which the visual information is displayed so that some or all of the visual information is not displayed in the restricted area, or changing the output direction of the auditory information so that the auditory information does not reach the restricted area. Including the step of, wherein an information provision area where the visual information can be displayed or the auditory information can be reached is preset, and the restricted area is included in the information provision area.

Description

Method for providing driving guidance information audio-visually and autonomous driving robot performing the same

The present invention relates to an autonomous driving robot, and discloses a method of providing audio-visual driving guidance information performed by an autonomous driving robot.

Recently, the use of self-driving robots has been increasing in various industries and service sites, but improvements are required to address the inconvenience or collision problems that may cause to people, and the resulting dynamic limitations and damage to robots.

In this regard, expression technology is being introduced so that the robot not only operates according to its purpose, but also informs other objects around it of its own information. For example, self-driving robots are emerging that utilize lighting technology to display specific information on walls or floors to notify the outside world, or are equipped with means to output guidance voices.

However, conventionally developed robot visual expression technologies are limited to providing static information (eg, guidance text). In particular, with regard to the movement of the robot, it is limited to simply informing the current driving direction, so the problem of pedestrians having to avoid the robot in a hurry or collisions occurring is still difficult to solve.

Furthermore, there is a limit to the fact that the output light is obscured or blurred by unexpected obstacles while driving, preventing information from being exposed to the outside.

In addition, conventionally developed robot auditory expression technology does not take into account the robot's movement path or obstacles that impede the transmission of sound, and is limited to technology that simply spreads sound representing information to the surrounding area.

Accordingly, there is a high risk of causing noise pollution even to people who are not related to the robot's path, and there is a problem that it is less effective because it does not attract special attention to pedestrians who actually require guidance information.

The present invention is intended to solve the problems of the prior art described above. Driving guidance information for various purposes, including travel routes, is exposed to the outside audio-visually, but when unexpected obstacles are placed on the route and interfere with the provision of information, The purpose is to provide a self-driving robot that minimizes traffic.

However, the technical challenges that this embodiment aims to achieve are not limited to the technical challenges described above, and other technical challenges may exist.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method of audiovisually providing driving guidance information performed by an autonomous robot includes: a) driving along a preset movement path, but providing driving guidance information including the movement path with a predetermined visual Processing the information into information and displaying it on the road ahead, or processing it into predetermined auditory information and outputting it to the outside; b) when an unexpected obstacle located on the movement path is detected, identifying a restricted area where the display of the visual information is restricted or the transmission of the auditory information is cut off due to the obstacle; and c) changing the shape and area in which the visual information is displayed so that some or all of the visual information is not displayed in the restricted area, or changing the output direction of the auditory information so that the auditory information does not reach the restricted area. Including the step of, wherein an information provision area where the visual information can be displayed or the auditory information can be reached is preset, and the restricted area is included in the information provision area.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, step a) determines a pattern of pixels to be operated based on all or part of the movement path included in the information provision area, and irradiates light with the pattern to It includes the step of displaying a line representing all or part of the travel route on the road surface ahead.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in step a), when the self-driving robot is a robot that moves while following a specific object, light of a preset image that informs the tracking of the object is generated to follow the movement of the object. It includes the step of examining the road surface where the object is located.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in step a), when the self-driving robot is a delivery robot, an image of delivery information including the product loaded on the self-driving robot and the shipping location of the product is determined, and It includes the step of generating image light and radiating it to the road surface ahead.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, step a) includes outputting the auditory information by orienting it in the direction of the movement path.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, step b) obtains an avoidance route for driving while avoiding the obstacle, identifies an information expression area excluding the restricted area from the information provision area, and then avoids the obstacle. It includes the step of extracting a route included in the information expression possible area among the routes.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, step c) determines a pattern of pixels to be operated based on the extracted path, irradiates light with the pattern, and creates a line representing the extracted path in the information expression area. It includes marking on the road surface.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, step c) calculates a normal vector at each point where the direction of the extracted path changes, determines a vector that averages the direction of each normal vector as a reference direction vector, and determines the reference direction vector. It includes setting an output direction of the auditory information based on a direction vector.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, step c) obtains a plurality of vectors dividing the information expression possible area at a preset angle based on the current position of the autonomous driving robot, and among the plurality of vectors, the and outputting the auditory information in the direction of the vector closest to the reference direction vector.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an autonomous driving robot that provides driving guidance information audio-visually controls the driving operation to drive along a preset movement path and converts the driving guidance information including the movement path into predetermined visual information. Or a control unit that processes auditory information; a display unit that displays the visual information on a road surface ahead under the control of the control unit; an audio unit that outputs the auditory information to the outside under control of the controller; and a sensor unit that detects an unexpected obstacle located on the movement path and transmits it to the control unit, wherein the control unit, when receiving the detected obstacle from the sensor unit, displays the visual information due to the obstacle. Identify a restricted area where transmission of the auditory information is restricted or interrupted, change the shape and area in which the visual information is displayed so that some or all of the visual information is not displayed in the restricted area, or limit the auditory information. Change the output direction of the auditory information so that it does not reach the area.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the control unit determines a pattern of pixels to be operated based on all or part of the movement path included in the information provision area, and the display unit determines a pattern of pixels to be operated based on the control of the control unit. By irradiating light in the above pattern, a line representing all or part of the movement path is displayed on the road ahead.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, when an autonomous robot is designed for the purpose of moving while following a specific object, the control unit continuously tracks the location of the object, and the display unit displays a preset signal notifying the tracking of the object. Generates light of an image and irradiates the light generated on the road surface where the object is located under the control of the control unit. When designed for delivery purposes, the control unit determines the product loaded on the autonomous robot and the shipping location of the product. An image containing delivery information is determined, and the display unit generates light of the image under control of the control unit and radiates it to the road surface in front.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sound unit is designed as a directional speaker that outputs the auditory information by orienting it in the direction of the movement path.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, when receiving an obstacle detected by the sensor unit, the control unit acquires an avoidance route for driving while avoiding the obstacle, and provides information excluding the restricted area from the information provision area. After identifying the area where information can be expressed, a path included in the area where information can be expressed is extracted from among the avoidance routes.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the control unit determines a pattern of pixels to be operated based on the extracted path, and the display unit irradiates light with the pattern according to the control of the control unit to create a line indicating the extracted path. is displayed on the road surface in the area where information can be expressed.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the control unit calculates a normal vector at each point where the direction of the extracted path changes, determines a vector averaging the directions of each normal vector as a reference direction vector, and based on the current position Obtains a plurality of vectors dividing the information expression area at a preset angle, and the sound unit directs the auditory information in the direction of the vector closest to the reference direction vector among the plurality of vectors under the control of the control unit. and print it out.

One embodiment of the present invention provides an interaction technology for conveying the robot's intention to an external object through a method of audiovisually announcing driving guidance information of an autonomous robot.

One embodiment of the present invention detects situations in which obstacles occur in the robot's expression of opinion depending on the physical properties of light and waves, and provides technology to avoid these situations.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, an extensive movement path, rather than simply the direction of movement of the robot at a specific point in time, is displayed on the road surface or provided audibly.

As a result, even people who are more than a certain distance away from the robot can determine the robot's movement path in advance, thereby preventing accidents due to autonomous driving and improving safety.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, by focusing the robot's expression of opinion on people located on the movement path, the effectiveness of warnings and guidance is guaranteed, and damage to people around due to the robot's driving or expression is minimized.

1 is an exemplary diagram for explaining an embodiment of an autonomous driving robot that visually provides driving guidance information of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an embodiment of an autonomous driving robot that audibly provides driving guidance information of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a block diagram for explaining the structure of a self-driving robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a flowchart of a method for providing audio-visual driving guidance information according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figures 5 and 6 are flowcharts illustrating a process for visually providing driving guidance information when an unexpected obstacle is detected according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figures 7 and 8 are flowcharts illustrating a process for audibly providing driving guidance information when an unexpected obstacle is detected according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Below, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present invention. However, the present invention may be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In order to clearly explain the present invention in the drawings, parts that are not related to the description are omitted, and similar parts are given similar reference numerals throughout the specification.

Throughout the specification, when a part is said to be "connected" to another part, this includes not only the case where it is "directly connected," but also the case where it is "electrically connected" with another element in between. . Additionally, when a part "includes" a certain component, this means that it may further include other components rather than excluding other components, unless specifically stated to the contrary.

In this specification, 'part' includes a unit realized by hardware, a unit realized by software, and a unit realized using both. Additionally, one unit may be realized using two or more pieces of hardware, and two or more units may be realized using one piece of hardware. Meanwhile, '~ part' is not limited to software or hardware, and '~ part' may be configured to reside in an addressable storage medium or may be configured to reproduce one or more processors. Therefore, as an example, '~ part' refers to components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components, and task components, processes, functions, properties, and procedures. , subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. The functions provided within the components and 'parts' may be combined into a smaller number of components and 'parts' or may be further separated into additional components and 'parts'. Additionally, components and 'parts' may be implemented to regenerate one or more CPUs within a device or a secure multimedia card.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail using the attached drawings.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an autonomous robot is a device designed to periodically perform preset services while driving in a designated area, where the services can be diverse, such as delivery, delivery, transportation, guidance, processing, and beautification. and is not particularly limited.

According to one embodiment, the self-driving robot is connected to a server that monitors the driving and service performance of the self-driving robot and performs wireless communication. Accordingly, data detected by various sensors installed on the self-driving robot is sent to the server. It can be transmitted in real time. The server can transmit control commands generated based on the received data to the self-driving robot.

According to one embodiment, the self-driving robot may be connected to the terminal of the manager who manages the self-driving robot and perform wireless communication. Here, the manager terminal can be installed with a program that monitors the driving and service performance of the autonomous driving robot, receive various data collected during autonomous driving, and transmit the corresponding control commands to the autonomous driving robot.

Meanwhile, the “administrator terminal” may be implemented as a computer or portable terminal that can connect to a server or other terminals through a network. Here, the computer is, for example, a laptop equipped with a web browser, a desktop, a laptop, a VR HMD (e.g., HTC VIVE, Oculus Rift, GearVR, DayDream, PSVR, etc.), etc. may include. Here, VR HMD is for PC (e.g. HTC VIVE, Oculus Rift, FOVE, Deepon, etc.), mobile (e.g. GearVR, DayDream, Storm Magic, Google Cardboard, etc.), and console (PSVR). Includes independently implemented Stand Alone models (e.g. Deepon, PICO, etc.). Portable terminals are, for example, wireless communication devices that ensure portability and mobility, including smart phones, tablet PCs, and wearable devices, as well as Bluetooth (BLE, Bluetooth Low Energy), NFC, RFID, and ultrasonic devices. , may include various devices equipped with communication modules such as infrared, WiFi, and LiFi. In addition, “network” refers to a connection structure that allows information exchange between nodes such as terminals and servers, including a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), and the Internet. (WWW: World Wide Web), wired and wireless data communication network, telephone network, wired and wireless television communication network, etc. Examples of wireless data communication networks include 3G, 4G, 5G, 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project), LTE (Long Term Evolution), WIMAX (World Interoperability for Microwave Access), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth communication, infrared communication, and ultrasound. This includes, but is not limited to, communication, Visible Light Communication (VLC), LiFi, etc.

According to one embodiment, an autonomous driving robot may be designed to include a function to notify driving guidance information to the outside in a visual manner. Here, the driving guidance information is set by the server or administrator terminal and stored in the self-driving robot, and may include, but is not limited to, movement routes, service-related information for the purpose of the robot, collision and theft warnings, etc.

1 is an exemplary diagram for explaining an embodiment of an autonomous driving robot that visually provides driving guidance information of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1(a), the self-driving robot 100 according to one embodiment may display the future movement path from the driving location on the road surface in front. Rather than simply indicating the current direction of movement, such as going straight, stopping, turning left, or turning right, all or part of the route to the destination can be displayed in line form. That is, all movement paths within the output limit range are linearly extended and exposed to the outside, and the shape and area of the movement paths exposed as the robot 100 moves can change in real time. Accordingly, even pedestrians in distant areas where the robot 100 has not reached can recognize the robot's movement line and leave in advance, thereby preventing safety accidents in advance.

The self-driving robot 100 according to one embodiment may be designed to include a function of moving while following a specific object. For example, it may be designed to follow a specific worker by loading certain tools, parts, equipment, etc., or may be designed to follow a pedestrian with impaired mobility and assist walking, but is not limited to these examples. This self-driving robot 100 can determine the location of the object it is following in real time, and as shown in FIG. 1(b), it can display a predetermined image notifying the tracking on the road surface where the object is located. Accordingly, even in a space where a large number of people or objects are distributed, the user of the robot 100 can easily determine which robot 100 is in charge of the robot 100 and whether the robot 100 is following the user well. You can.

The self-driving robot 100 according to one embodiment may be a delivery robot that autonomously drives while loading a specific product and delivers it to a specified destination. At this time, delivery information including information on the loaded product and the shipping location of the product may be preset and stored in the robot 100. As shown in FIG. 1(c), this self-driving robot 100 can output an image representing delivery information on the road surface to inform orderers or pedestrians, thereby enabling quick and safe delivery.

According to one embodiment, the self-driving robot 100 may be designed to include a function to notify driving guidance information to the outside in an auditory manner. Here, the driving guidance information is set by the server or administrator terminal and stored in the self-driving robot, and may include, but is not limited to, movement routes, service-related information for the purpose of the robot, collision and theft warnings, etc.

Figure 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an embodiment of an autonomous driving robot that audibly provides driving guidance information of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the self-driving robot 100 according to one embodiment may be designed to direct the output sound in a specific direction rather than simply dispersing the sound of driving guidance information to the outside. Accordingly, the sound is focused on those who actually need guidance, thereby improving attention, and the phenomenon of unnecessary noise pollution can be minimized.

Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 3, an embodiment of the structure of the self-driving robot of the present invention will be described. Figure 3 is a block diagram for explaining the structure of a self-driving robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the self-driving robot 100 may include a control unit 110, a sensor unit 120, a display unit 130, and an audio unit 140.

According to one embodiment, the control unit 110 determines and controls the overall operation of the self-driving robot 100. The optimal movement path for autonomous driving is preset and stored in the control unit 110, and the control unit 110 can control the operation of the driving unit (not shown) based on this. Meanwhile, the direction or shape of the movement path is not particularly limited, and may be designed by taking into account factors affecting driving, such as fixed obstacles, walking paths, and human density previously identified in the driving space.

According to one embodiment, the control unit 110 may process driving guidance information into predetermined visual information. For example, the control unit 110 can determine the operation pattern of the pixels included in the display unit 130, and light is output in the determined pattern, so that visual information representing driving guidance information can be expressed on the road surface.

According to one embodiment, the control unit 110 may process driving guidance information into predetermined auditory information. For example, sound information may be matched and stored in the control unit 110 for each type of driving guidance information. In the case of a movement path, the control unit 110 can combine each sound information matched with a preset driving direction, and accordingly, the auditory guidance is provided in response to the movement path that changes in real time as the robot 100 travels. Enemy information can also change in real time.

According to one embodiment, an area in which information can be provided may be set in advance in the control unit 110. Here, the information provision area refers to the range where visual information can be displayed or auditory information can reach, which is determined depending on the performance of the display unit 130 and the sound unit 140 and can be changed according to the administrator's settings. You can.

According to one embodiment, when an unexpected obstacle is placed on the movement path, the control unit 110 may perform a process to prevent interruption of information provision by the obstacle. Details of this are shown in FIGS. 5 to 5. This will be explained later in Section 8.

The sensor unit 120 according to one embodiment serves to sense the surroundings of the self-driving robot 100. For example, the sensor unit 120 may include, but is not limited to, a lider, an ultrasonic sensor, a camera, or a heat sensor that detects objects around the robot 100.

According to one embodiment, the sensor unit 120 may detect obstacles located on the movement path of the self-driving robot 100 while driving and transmit the information to the control unit 110. Fixed obstacles identified in advance are reflected in the movement path, so here, unexpected obstacles such as people who momentarily move within the movement path or unknown terrain features are more effective.

The display unit 130 according to one embodiment serves to display visual information on the road surface in front under the control of the control unit 110. The display unit 130 may be composed of a light source such as a laser or LED and may be designed to output light at a wavelength that is easy to observe with the naked eye. Of course, the type of light source does not limit the present invention.

According to one embodiment, the display unit 130 may be designed as a combination of pixels divided into a preset number. Each pixel can operate independently, and the light of each pixel is irradiated according to a pattern determined by the control unit 110, thereby generating visual information representing driving guidance information and displaying it on the road surface.

Referring to FIG. 1 , for example, the display unit 130 may radiate light in a pattern determined by the control unit 110 to display a line indicating the movement path on the road surface up to the information provision area. Additionally, the display unit 130 may radiate light in a pattern determined by the control unit 110 to display an image indicating the tracking of an object on the road surface where the object is located. Additionally, the display unit 130 may display an image of delivery information on the road ahead by irradiating light in a pattern determined by the control unit 110.

As a further example, the display unit 130 may be designed to output light of a variable wavelength depending on the brightness of the road surface. The brightness of the road surface while driving can be continuously collected by the brightness detection sensor included in the sensor unit 120, and the control unit 110 can determine the wavelength according to the brightness of the road surface in real time and transmit it to the display unit 130. . Accordingly, it is possible to minimize the number of cases where visual information is expressed blurry, making it impossible to convey meaning, or overly expressed, causing damage to surrounding pedestrians.

The sound unit 140 according to one embodiment serves to output auditory information to the outside according to the control of the control unit. The type or shape of the sound unit 140 is not particularly limited, but it is preferably designed as a directional speaker in order to deliver auditory information only to people located on the movement path.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a method for audio-visually providing driving guidance information for the self-driving robot 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 . Figure 4 is a flowchart of a method for providing audio-visual driving guidance information according to an embodiment of the present invention. For convenience of explanation, the self-driving robot 100 will be replaced with the robot 100.

In step S410, while driving along a preset movement path, the robot 100 processes driving guidance information including the movement path into predetermined visual information and displays it on the road ahead, or processes it into predetermined auditory information and outputs it to the outside. can do.

According to one embodiment, the robot 100 determines a pattern of pixels to be operated based on all or part of the movement path included in the information provision area, and irradiates light with the corresponding pattern to determine all or part of the movement path. The indicated line can be displayed on the road surface ahead.

According to one embodiment, when the robot 100 is designed to move while following a specific object, light of a preset image notifying the tracking of the object may be generated and radiated to the road surface where the object is located. Here, the shape or size of the image is not particularly limited.

According to one embodiment, when the robot 100 is designed for delivery purposes, an image of delivery information including the product loaded on the robot 100 and the shipping location of the product is determined, and light of the image is generated to produce a front view of the robot 100. It can be investigated on the road surface.

According to one embodiment, the robot 100 may output auditory information oriented in the direction of the movement path rather than outputting auditory information in a random direction.

In step S420, when an unexpected obstacle located on the movement path is detected, the robot 100 may identify a restricted area where the display of visual information is limited or the transmission of auditory information is interrupted by the obstacle. Here, the restricted area is included within the information provision area and may include an area where the view is obscured by an obstacle.

In step S430, the robot 100 changes the shape and area in which the visual information is displayed so that some or all of the visual information is not displayed in the restricted area, or changes the output direction of the auditory information so that the auditory information does not reach the restricted area. You can change it. In other words, it is possible to prevent the transmission of audio-visual information from being restricted due to obstacles, and specific embodiments related to this will be described using FIGS. 5 to 8.

Figures 5 and 6 are flowcharts illustrating a process for visually providing driving guidance information when an unexpected obstacle is detected according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, in step (a), the robot 100 travels along a preset movement path 52a to the destination or waypoint 51. In the robot 100, an information provision area 53 is set, which is the output limit range of visual information. The robot 100 displays a line 54a for a path included in the information provisionable area 53 among the movement paths 52a on the road surface in front. The obstacle 55 is still located outside the movement path 52a. Meanwhile, for explanation purposes, the initial movement path 52a is shown in the form of a straight line, but it can be set in various forms including at least one of straight lines, curves, and combinations thereof, such as winding or curved parts depending on fixed obstacles or terrain features. .

In step (b), an obstacle 55 is unexpectedly located on the movement path 52a.

In step (c), the robot 100 detects an obstacle 55 located on the movement path 52a through the sensor unit 120. The robot 100 determines the edge 56 and its area facing the robot 100 based on the depth value, which is the distance from the obstacle 55.

In step (d1), the robot 100 creates an avoidance path 52b for driving while avoiding the obstacle 55. For example, the robot 100 may re-search the optimal path to avoid the obstacle 55 based on the information collected by the sensor unit 120.

In step (d2), the robot 100 identifies a restricted area 57 where the line 54a is obscured or obscured by the obstacle 55 based on the border 56 and area of the identified obstacle 55. do. The robot 100 excludes the restricted area 57 from the information provision area 53 and identifies the information expression area 58 in which visual information can be transmitted.

Referring to FIG. 6, in step (e), the robot 100 extracts a path included in the information expression possible area 58 from the avoidance path 52b.

In step (f), the robot 100 determines the pattern of pixels to be operated based on the extracted path. The robot 100 radiates light in a determined pattern and displays a line 52b indicating the extracted path on the road surface in the information expression area 58.

Through this embodiment, even if an obstacle that interferes with the nature of light is found on the traveling path of the robot 100, the changed moving path of the robot 100 can be immediately notified to surrounding pedestrians, thereby preventing safety accidents in advance. It can be.

Figures 7 and 8 are flowcharts illustrating a process for audibly providing driving guidance information when an unexpected obstacle is detected according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 7, in step (a), the robot 100 travels along a preset movement path 72a to the destination or waypoint 71. In the robot 100, an information provision area 73, which is the output limit range of auditory information, is set. The robot 100 outputs auditory information (sound) representing driving guidance information in the direction 74a of the movement path 72a, and the sound can reach the information provision area 73. The obstacle 75 is still located outside the movement path 72a.

In step (b), an obstacle 75 is unexpectedly located on the movement path 72a.

In step (c), the robot 100 detects an obstacle 75 located on the movement path 72a through the sensor unit 120. The robot 100 determines the edge 76 and its area facing the robot 100 based on the depth value, which is the distance from the obstacle 75.

In step (d1), the robot 100 creates an avoidance path 72b for driving while avoiding the obstacle 75. For example, the robot 100 may re-search the optimal path to avoid the obstacle 75 based on the information collected by the sensor unit 120.

In step (d2), the robot 100 identifies a restricted area 77 where sound transmission is interrupted by the obstacle 75 based on the border 76 and area of the identified obstacle 75. The robot 100 excludes the restricted area 77 from the information provision area 73 and identifies the information expression area 78 through which auditory information can pass.

In step (e), the robot 100 extracts a path included in the information expression possible area 78 from the avoidance path 72b.

Referring to FIG. 8, in step (f1), the robot 100 calculates a normal vector 81 at each point where the direction of the extracted path changes. The robot 100 gathers each normal vector 81 to the same starting point and then averages the directions of each normal vector 81. The robot 100 determines the vector obtained by averaging as the reference direction vector 82.

According to one embodiment, the robot 100 may determine whether the reference direction vector 82 is included in the restricted area 77. In other words, if auditory information is output in the direction of the reference direction vector 82, it is determined whether it will pass through the restricted area. As a result of the determination, if it does not pass, the robot 100 can set the output direction of the auditory information based on the reference direction vector 82. Conversely, if you pass, you enter the next step.

In step (f2), the robot 100 acquires a plurality of vectors 83 that divide the information expression area 78 at a preset angle based on the current location. For example, the direction of the plurality of vectors 83 is preset in the robot 100, and may mean a direction in which the sound unit 140 is oriented and capable of producing output.

In step (g), the robot 100 determines the vector 84 that is closest to the reference direction vector 82 among the plurality of vectors 83. In other words, among directions that can be output as directivity, the direction closest to the direction of the reference direction vector 82 is identified.

In step (h), the robot 100 outputs auditory information in the direction of the vector 84 closest to the reference direction vector 82.

Through this embodiment, even if an obstacle that interferes with the nature of sound is found on the traveling path of the robot 100, the changed moving path of the robot 100 can be immediately notified to surrounding pedestrians, thereby preventing safety accidents in advance. It can be. Additionally, since the sound output by the robot 100 is directed to people active around the changed route, the effect of focusing attention while minimizing noise pollution can be achieved.

Although the methods and systems of the present invention have been described with respect to specific embodiments, some or all of their components or operations may be implemented using a computer system having a general-purpose hardware architecture.

The description of the present invention described above is for illustrative purposes, and those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention can be easily modified into other specific forms without changing the technical idea or essential features of the present invention. will be.

For example, in the embodiment of the present invention, visual information is representatively described as being displayed on the road surface, but it should be seen that it can be changed to being displayed on the wall or ceiling as the case may be.

Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. For example, each component described as unitary may be implemented in a distributed manner, and similarly, components described as distributed may also be implemented in a combined form.

The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims described below rather than the detailed description above, and all changes or modified forms derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalent concepts should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention. do.

100: Self-driving robot

Claims (16)

In a method of providing driving guidance information audio-visually performed by an autonomous driving robot,
a) driving along a preset travel route, processing the driving guidance information including the travel route into predetermined visual information and displaying it on the road ahead, or processing it into predetermined auditory information and outputting it to the outside;
b) when an unexpected obstacle located on the movement path is detected, identifying a restricted area where the display of the visual information is restricted or the transmission of the auditory information is cut off due to the obstacle; and
c) Changing the shape and area in which the visual information is displayed so that some or all of the visual information is not displayed in the restricted area, or changing the output direction of the auditory information so that the auditory information does not reach the restricted area. step;
Including,
A method of providing audio-visual driving guidance information, wherein an information provision area where the visual information can be displayed or the auditory information can be reached is preset, and the restricted area is included in the information provision area. . According to clause 1,
In step a), a pattern of pixels to be operated is determined based on all or part of the movement path included in the information provision area, and light is irradiated with the pattern to create a line representing all or part of the movement path. A method of providing driving guidance information audio-visually, including the step of displaying on the road ahead. According to clause 1,
In step a), when the self-driving robot is a robot that moves while following a specific object, light of a preset image notifying the tracking of the object is generated and radiated to the road surface where the object is located according to the movement of the object. A method of providing driving guidance information audio-visually, including steps. According to clause 1,
In step a), when the self-driving robot is a delivery robot, an image of delivery information including the product loaded on the self-driving robot and the shipping location of the product is determined, and light in the image is generated to cover the road surface in front. A method of providing driving guidance information audio-visually, including the step of investigating. According to clause 1,
The step a) includes outputting the audio information by orienting it in the direction of the travel route. According to clause 1,
In step b), an avoidance route for driving while avoiding the obstacle is created, an information expression area excluding the restricted area is identified from the information provision area, and then included in the information expression area among the avoidance routes. A method of providing driving guidance information audio-visually, including the step of extracting a route. According to clause 6,
Step c) includes determining a pattern of operating pixels based on the extracted path, irradiating light with the pattern, and displaying a line representing the extracted path on the road surface of the information expression possible area. , A method of providing audio and visual driving guidance information. According to clause 6,
In step c), a normal vector is calculated at each point where the direction of the extracted path changes, a vector that averages the direction of each normal vector is determined as a reference direction vector, and the auditory information is provided based on the reference direction vector. A method of providing driving guidance information audio-visually, including the step of setting the output direction of . According to clause 8,
In step c), a plurality of vectors are obtained that divide the information expression area at a preset angle based on the current position of the self-driving robot, and the direction of the vector closest to the reference direction vector among the plurality of vectors is obtained. A method of providing driving guidance information audio-visually, including: outputting the audio information in a oriented manner. In an autonomous driving robot that provides audio and visual driving guidance information,
a control unit that controls driving operations to drive along a preset travel path and processes driving guidance information including the travel path into predetermined visual information or auditory information;
a display unit that displays the visual information on a road surface ahead under the control of the control unit;
an audio unit that outputs the auditory information to the outside according to the control of the control unit; and
a sensor unit that detects unexpected obstacles located on the movement path and transmits the detection to the control unit;
Including,
When receiving an obstacle detected from the sensor unit, the control unit determines a restricted area where display of the visual information is restricted or transmission of the auditory information is interrupted by the obstacle,
Change the shape and area in which the visual information is displayed so that some or all of the visual information is not displayed in the restricted area, or change the output direction of the auditory information so that the auditory information does not reach the restricted area,
An autonomous driving robot wherein an information provision area where the visual information can be displayed or the auditory information can be reached is preset, and the restricted area is included in the information provision area. According to clause 10,
The control unit determines a pattern of pixels to be operated based on all or part of the movement path included in the information provision area,
The display unit irradiates light in the pattern under control of the control unit to display a line indicating all or part of the movement path on the road surface in front. According to clause 10,
When designed for the purpose of following and moving a specific object, the control unit continuously tracks the position of the object, and the display unit generates light of a preset image notifying the tracking of the object under the control of the control unit and detects the object. Survey the road surface where is located,
When designed for delivery purposes, the control unit determines an image of the delivery information including the goods loaded on the autonomous robot and the shipping location of the goods, and the display unit displays the image of the delivery information according to the control of the control unit. A self-driving robot that generates and surveys the road ahead. According to clause 10,
The sound unit is designed as a directional speaker that outputs the auditory information in the direction of the movement path. According to clause 10,
When receiving an obstacle detected from the sensor unit, the control unit obtains an avoidance route for driving while avoiding the obstacle, identifies an information expression area excluding the restricted area from the information provision area, and then avoids the obstacle. An autonomous driving robot that extracts a route included in the information expression possible area among the routes. According to clause 14,
The control unit determines a pattern of pixels to be operated based on the extracted path, and the display unit irradiates light in the pattern under the control of the control unit to display a line representing the extracted path on the road surface in the information expression possible area. Displaying autonomous driving robot. According to clause 14,
The control unit calculates a normal vector at each point where the direction of the extracted path changes, determines a vector that averages the direction of each normal vector as a reference direction vector, and sets the information expression area at a preset angle based on the current location. Obtain multiple vectors to divide by,
The audio unit orients and outputs the auditory information in the direction of a vector closest to the reference direction vector among the plurality of vectors under the control of the control unit.

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