WO2023210255A1

WO2023210255A1 - Standby assistance device, program, and method

Info

Publication number: WO2023210255A1
Application number: PCT/JP2023/013154
Authority: WO
Inventors: 佳樹久本; 智史大月; 健一中島
Original assignee: 川崎重工業株式会社
Priority date: 2022-04-25
Filing date: 2023-03-30
Publication date: 2023-11-02
Also published as: JP2023161214A

Abstract

This standby assistance device 2 comprises: a communication apparatus 12 that communicates with an external unit; an acquisition apparatus 14 that acquires surroundings information for a mobile body, or a storage apparatus 16 in which surroundings information for the mobile body are stored; and a controller 18. The controller 18 determines whether the communication status of the communication apparatus 12 is normal or abnormal, and if said communication status has been determined to be abnormal, calculates a standby location cost on the basis of the surroundings information from the acquisition apparatus 14 or the surroundings information from the storage apparatus 16, said standby location cost varying due to an external force that the mobile body receives from the surrounding environment in a direction facilitating movement, and sets a standby location on the basis of the results of this calculation and determines a route to said standby location.

Description

Standby support device, program and method

The present disclosure relates to a standby support device, program, and method. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a standby support device, program, and method installed in a mobile body having an automatic driving function.

In recent years, the practical use of mobile objects with autonomous driving functions, such as autonomous ships and unmanned vehicles, has progressed. In these mobile bodies, the monitoring center monitors the status of the mobile body by periodically communicating with a remote monitoring center. This achieves high safety for moving objects.

Communication between the monitoring center and mobile objects may not be performed properly due to equipment failure, deterioration of radio wave conditions, etc. Patent Document 1 discloses a system that automatically stops a self-driving car when communication between a monitoring center and the self-driving car is interrupted to ensure safety.

JP 2021-71753 Publication

In the above system, when the moving object automatically stops and enters the standby state, the moving object receives external forces from the surroundings, and it may be difficult to wait appropriately. For example, a self-navigating ship can be affected by wind and waves after it automatically stops. When a self-propelled vehicle is stopped on a slope, there is a possibility that the self-propelled vehicle will start moving due to gravity.

Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a standby support device, a program, and a method that realize appropriate standby of a moving object while taking into account external forces from the surroundings.

This standby support device is installed in a mobile object that has an automatic driving function. This standby support device includes a communication device that communicates with the outside, an acquisition device that acquires surrounding information of the mobile object, or a storage device that stores surrounding information of the mobile object, and a controller. The controller determines whether the communication state of the communication device is normal or abnormal, and when the communication state is determined to be abnormal, the controller determines the communication state based on the surrounding information from the acquisition device or the surrounding information from the storage device. A waiting place cost that varies depending on an external force that the moving body receives from the surrounding environment in a direction that promotes movement is calculated, a waiting place is set based on the calculation result, and a route to the waiting place is determined.

This standby support program operates a processor installed in a mobile object that has an automatic driving function. This program includes a process for determining whether the communication status between the mobile body and the outside is normal or abnormal, and a process for determining whether the communication status between the mobile body and the outside is normal or abnormal, and when the communication status is determined to be abnormal, the mobile body is The process of calculating a waiting place cost that varies depending on an external force received from the environment in a direction that encourages movement, the process of setting a waiting place based on the calculation result, and the process of determining a route to the waiting place. Let the processor execute it.

This standby support method is used in a mobile object that has an automatic driving function. This method determines whether the communication state between the mobile object and the outside is normal or abnormal, and when the communication state is determined to be abnormal, the mobile object is removed from the surrounding environment based on surrounding information of the mobile object. The waiting place cost, which varies depending on the external force received in the direction that encourages movement, is calculated, the waiting place is set based on the calculation result, and the route to the waiting place is determined.

In this standby support device, the controller calculates the standby place cost that represents the suitability of the standby place. This waiting space cost varies depending on the external force that the moving body receives from the surrounding environment in a direction that encourages movement. As a result, the present standby support device can set an appropriate standby place even when an external force is applied to the moving object from the surroundings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an autonomous ship equipped with a standby support device according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the standby support device of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a flow diagram showing the processing of the controller of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the surrounding situation of the autonomous ship of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is an example of the waiting location cost set in the situation of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is an example of waiting place costs set in other situations. FIG. 7A is a plan view showing a self-propelled vehicle equipped with a standby support device according to another embodiment and its surroundings, and FIG. 7B is a side view showing the self-propelled vehicle and its surroundings. It is. FIG. 8 is an example of the waiting location cost set in the situation of FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is another example of waiting place costs set in other situations. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an automatic aircraft equipped with a standby support device according to still another embodiment and the situation around it.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate.

[First embodiment]
FIG. 1 shows an autonomous ship 4 equipped with a standby support device 2 according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, the autonomous ship 4 is an unmanned ship. The autonomous ship 4 does not need to be an unmanned ship. The autonomous ship 4 may operate automatically under the supervision of a crew member. As shown in FIG. 1, the autonomous ship 4 is communicating with a monitoring center 6. The monitoring center 6 communicates with the autonomous ship 4 to monitor the autonomous ship 4 and control its operation as necessary. Furthermore, the autonomous ship 4 acquires current position information from the GNSS satellite 8.

As shown in FIG. 1, this autonomous ship 4 is equipped with a standby support device 2 and a drive device 10. The standby support device 2 determines whether the autonomous ship 4 is in a state where it can be normally monitored or controlled by the monitoring center 6. When the standby support device 2 determines that the device is not in a state where it can be monitored or controlled, it sets an appropriate standby place and determines a route to the standby place. The drive device 10 automatically moves the autonomous ship 4 to the waiting location along this route. The drive device 10 is typically an engine and its controller. The drive device 10 may be an electric motor and its controller.

A block diagram of the standby support device 2 is shown in FIG. This standby support device 2 includes a communication device 12, an acquisition device 14, a storage device 16, a controller 18, and an output device 20. FIG. 2 shows a communication satellite 22, a GNSS satellite 8, a LiDAR 24, and a camera 26 that send surrounding information to the standby support device 2. In addition to LiDAR 24, radar or sonar may send surrounding information to standby support device 2. LiDAR 24 and camera 26 are mounted on autonomous ship 4. The LiDAR 24 and the camera 26 may be installed at a location facing the sea, such as a coastal location or a lighthouse. In this case, the information acquired by LiDAR 24 and camera 26 is sent to autonomous ship 4 via wireless communication.

The communication device 12 performs wireless communication with the monitoring center 6. Communicator 12 receives data from monitoring center 6 and sends it to controller 18 . The communicator 12 sends data from the controller 18 to the monitoring center 6.

The acquirer 14 acquires surrounding information from the communication satellite 22, GNSS satellite 8, LiDAR 24, and camera 26. The acquirer 14 receives information on the weather, tides, etc. around the autonomous ship 4 from, for example, a communication satellite 22. The acquirer 14 acquires the current position of the autonomous ship 4 from the GNSS satellite 8. The acquirer 14 acquires information about surrounding obstacles from the LiDAR 24 and the camera 26. Acquirer 14 sends these ambient information to controller 18 .

The storage device 16 stores surrounding information acquired in advance. For example, the storage device 16 stores an environmental map. This environmental map includes information on obstacles such as shallow waters and bridges, and information on areas suitable for anchoring. The storage device 16 stores information on the amount of ship traffic acquired in advance over a predetermined period of time. That is, the storage device 16 stores information on which areas are congested sea areas. Storage device 16 is typically a hard disk or a semiconductor memory.

The controller 18 determines whether the autonomous ship 4 can be normally monitored or controlled by the monitoring center 6, sets a waiting place, determines the route to the waiting place, and outputs the results from the output device 20. It is sent to the drive device 10 and the display device 28. In this embodiment, the controller 18 includes a processor (CPU) and a program that causes the processor to execute processing. Although not shown, the program is stored in the storage device 16. Part or all of the controller 18 may be configured with a dedicated circuit.

The drive device 10 automatically moves the autonomous ship 4 to the waiting location according to the route sent from the controller 18. The display device 28 displays information on the route and waiting location determined by the controller 18. When a crew member is on board the autonomous ship 4, the crew member can check the route and waiting location information on the display device 28, and manually operate the autonomous ship 4 using an operating device (not shown) if necessary. can. The standby support device 2 and the display device 28 constitute a standby support system. The display device 28 and the operating device may be integrated.

FIG. 3 shows the processing flow of the controller 18. This flow also shows the operating state of the autonomous ship 4. As shown in the figure, this autonomous ship 4 has the following states: normal automatic operation A1, standby automatic operation A2, and standby A3. In this embodiment, the processing of the controller 18 is activated repeatedly at predetermined time intervals in the normal automatic operation A1 state. As shown in FIG. 3, the controller 18 has processes from step S1 to step S7.

In step S1, it is determined whether the autonomous ship 4 is in a state where it can be normally monitored or controlled by the monitoring center 6. Specifically, the controller 18 determines whether the communication status between the autonomous ship 4 and the monitoring center 6 is normal or abnormal by checking whether predetermined communication is possible with the monitoring center 6 via the communication device 12. Determine whether Furthermore, in this embodiment, the controller 18 detects the presence or absence of hacking by detecting whether the behavior of the drive device 10 is normal. For example, the controller 18 monitors a predetermined signal within the drive device 10 and tests whether this signal is exhibiting a predetermined movement. Alternatively, the controller 18 checks whether the command from the monitoring center and the operation of the drive device 10 match. If the communication is normal with the monitoring center 6 and hacking is not detected, which is the "normal state", the processing of the controller 18 ends. The autonomous ship 4 is operated in the automatic operation A1 state. If the communication with the monitoring center 6 is not normal or if hacking is detected, which is an "abnormal state", the next step S2 is executed.

In step S2, a waiting place is set by calculating a waiting place cost representing the degree of suitability as a waiting place for each predetermined position. Step S2 is
(S2-1) Setting of obstacle cost, distance cost, traffic cost, and anchorage cost (S2-2) Calculation of waiting place cost (S2-3) Including the steps of setting waiting place. These steps will be explained below with reference to the examples of FIGS. 4-6.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the surrounding situation of the autonomous ship 4. As shown in FIG. 4, this self-navigating ship 4 is located in a congested sea area 30 with a large amount of traffic. On the right side of the congested sea area 30, there is a shallow water 32 in which the autonomous ship 4 cannot navigate. An anchorage area 34 suitable for anchoring is located on the left front of the autonomous ship 4. Other ships 36 are navigating around this autonomous ship 4. Arrow A in FIG. 4 represents the direction of the current.

In step (S2-1), the controller 18 sets obstacle cost, distance cost, traffic cost, and anchorage cost for each position within a predetermined range from information on the surrounding situation.

The obstacle cost is a cost representing obstacles around the autonomous ship 4. Obstacle costs increase at locations where obstacles exist. The "obstacle cost map" in FIG. 5 represents the obstacle costs set at each position as a map. In FIG. 5, the x-axis and y-axis represent the position in the plane direction. The z-axis represents the set cost. The symbol Po represents the position of the autonomous ship 4. As shown in the obstacle cost map of FIG. 5, in this example, the obstacle cost is set to be large at the position where the shallow water 32 exists and the position where the other vessel 36 exists. In this embodiment, the controller 18 obtains the location of the shoal 32 from an environmental map, the location of other vessels 36 from LiDAR 24, radar, or camera 26 information, and sets the obstacle cost.

The distance cost is a cost representing the distance from the current position of the autonomous ship 4. The distance cost increases as the distance from the autonomous ship 4 increases. The set distance cost is shown in the distance cost map of FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5, the distance cost is minimized at the position of the autonomous ship 4, and increases as distance from this position increases.

The traffic cost is a cost representing the amount of ship traffic. The higher the volume of ship traffic in an area, the higher the traffic cost. The set traffic cost is shown in the traffic cost map of FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5, the traffic cost is set to be large in the congested sea area 30. In this embodiment, controller 18 obtains traffic information from storage 16 and sets traffic costs. The traffic cost may be set by the current actual ship traffic obtained from the communication satellite 22.

The anchorage cost is a cost that represents the suitability of an anchorage location. In this embodiment, the anchorage cost for each position is determined from information on "areas suitable for anchoring" (anchoring areas) stored in the environmental map and tidal current and wind power information obtained from the communication satellite 22. When there is a tidal current and wind force exerting force on the autonomous ship 4 and there is a possibility that the autonomous ship 4 may drift, the autonomous ship 4 needs to be at anchor in order to wait. In this case, the anchoring cost in the anchoring area is set lower than in other areas. FIG. 5 shows an anchoring cost map in this case. In the anchoring area 34, the anchoring cost is set low.

When the tidal currents and wind power are small and there is little possibility that the autonomous ship 4 will move due to the tidal currents and wind power, there is little need for the autonomous ship 4 to anchor. In this embodiment, the smaller the tidal current and wind power, the smaller the difference in anchoring cost between the anchoring area and other areas is set. An example of an anchorage cost map in the absence of tidal currents and wind power is shown in FIG. In the example of FIG. 6, the anchorage cost is set constant regardless of location. In FIG. 6, the obstacle cost, distance cost, and traffic cost are the same as in FIG. 5.

There are various ways to set anchoring costs. The difference in anchoring cost between the anchoring area and other areas may be set to continuously increase in proportion to the increase in tidal current or wind power. The difference in anchoring cost between the anchoring area and other areas may be set to increase in stages as the tidal current or wind force increases.

In step (S2-2), the controller 18 calculates the waiting place cost at each position by adding up the obstacle cost, distance cost, traffic cost, and anchorage cost for the corresponding position. FIG. 5 shows a waiting location cost map when there are tidal currents and wind force exerting external forces on the autonomous ship 4. FIG. 6 shows a waiting location cost map in the case where there is no tidal current or wind force exerting an external force on the autonomous ship 4.

In step (S2-3), the controller 18 sets the position where the waiting place cost is the smallest as the waiting place. In FIGS. 5 and 6, the symbol Po represents the current position of the autonomous ship 4, and the symbol Pt represents the set waiting location. In this embodiment, if there are multiple positions with the lowest waiting place cost, all of them are set as waiting places. Which of these locations will be selected as the actual waiting location will be determined at the same time as route determination, which will be described later.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the cost of the anchorage varies depending on the tidal current and wind force that exert force on the autonomous vessel 4 in a direction that encourages movement, and the cost of the waiting area also varies accordingly. The waiting place Pt can be set at different positions depending on the tidal current and wind force that exert force on the autonomous ship 4 in a direction that urges it to move. A waiting location Pt is set corresponding to the external force.

In step S3, the controller 18 determines whether the autonomous ship 4 has arrived at the waiting place Pt by comparing the current position Po and the waiting place Pt. "Arrival" at this time includes a case where the position of the automated navigation ship 4 when the abnormality is first detected in step S1 matches the waiting location Pt (a case where the automated navigation ship 4 does not need to move). If the autonomous ship 4 has not arrived at the waiting place Pt, the process moves to step S4. If the autonomous ship 4 has arrived at the waiting location Pt, the process moves to step S5.

In step S4, the controller 18 determines a route from the current position Po to the waiting location Pt. In this embodiment, among the possible routes from the current position Po to the waiting place Pt, the route with the minimum total waiting place cost (referred to as route cost) on the route is selected. If there are a plurality of waiting places Pt with the minimum waiting place cost, the route with the minimum route cost is selected from among the possible routes from the current position Po to all the waiting places Pt. In FIG. 4, an example of a route determined by this process is indicated by an arrow L. Path L is sent to drive device 10 . The autonomous ship 4 automatically moves along this route L, and enters the standby automatic operation A2 state. The process of the controller 18 returns to step S2.

The route determination method is not limited to the above. For example, if there are multiple waiting places Pt, and the ship drives on the right, the waiting place Pt that is located on the rightmost side of the front side of the autonomous ship 4 is selected, and the route is selected from among the possible routes so far. The route with the minimum total cost may be selected.

In step S5, the controller 18 determines a standby method. In this embodiment, whether the autonomous ship 4 is a drifting ship or an anchored ship is determined by the tidal current or wind force that exerts an external force on the autonomous ship 4. A vessel is considered to be an anchored vessel when the tidal current or wind force is above a predetermined value, and a drifting vessel when the tidal current or wind force is less than a predetermined value. The autonomous ship 4 enters the standby A3 state according to this result.

In step S6, similarly to step S1, it is determined whether the communication state between the autonomous ship 4 and the monitoring center 6 is normal or abnormal, and the presence or absence of hacking is detected. If these are in the "normal state", the processing of the controller 18 ends. The automatic operation ship 4 normally operates under automatic operation A1. If this is an "abnormal state", the next step S7 is executed.

In step S7, it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the most recent standby state. If the predetermined time has not elapsed, step S6 is repeated. If the predetermined time has elapsed, the process returns to step S2, and the setting of the waiting place, the determination of the route to the waiting place, and the determination of the waiting method are carried out again.

Although not explained in the above embodiment, when an "abnormal state" is detected in step S1, the controller 18 stores the target point in the normal automatic operation A1 in the memory 16, and then returns the target point in step S6 and When it is determined that the vehicle is in a "normal state", the controller 18 may read out this target point from the memory 16 and set it as the target point for automatic driving. The target point for normal automatic operation A1 is written in the memory 16 in advance, and when it is determined in step S6 that it is in a "normal state", the controller 18 reads this target point from the memory 16 and uses it for automatic operation. It may also be set as a target point.

Below, the effects of this embodiment will be explained.

In the present embodiment, the controller 18 of the standby support device 2 calculates a standby place cost that represents the suitability of the autonomous ship 4 as a standby place. This waiting place cost includes an anchoring cost that represents the degree of suitability as an anchoring place. This anchorage cost varies depending on the tidal current and wind force that exert force on the autonomously operated vessel 4. This makes it possible to set an appropriate standby position that corresponds to the magnitude of the tidal current and wind force. This standby support device 2 realizes appropriate standby of the autonomous ship 4 in consideration of external forces from the surroundings.

In this embodiment, the controller 18 determines whether the communication state with the monitoring center 6 is normal or abnormal and detects hacking even after the autonomous ship 4 starts standby. If a predetermined period of time elapses without the communication status becoming normal or with the communication state being hacked, the controller 18 sets the waiting location, determines the route to the waiting location, and determines the waiting method again. The tidal currents and wind forces that exert force on the autonomous ship 4 may change over time. For example, changes in tidal currents and wind forces may require a change from a drifting vessel to an anchored vessel. This standby support device 2 realizes appropriate standby of the autonomous ship 4 even if the surrounding environment changes during standby.

In this embodiment, the waiting place cost includes a traffic cost representing the amount of traffic. Thereby, a position where other ships 36 navigate less frequently can be used as a waiting place. This prevents the automatic navigation ship 4 on standby from becoming an obstacle to the navigation of other ships 36. This contributes to realizing safe standby of the autonomous ship 4.

In this embodiment, the waiting location cost includes a distance cost representing the distance from the current position of the autonomous ship 4. Thereby, the route to the waiting area can be shortened. This contributes to improved safety when moving to the waiting area.

In this embodiment, the waiting place cost includes an obstacle cost representing the presence of an obstacle. This makes it possible to determine a route that avoids obstacles. This allows for safe movement to the waiting area.

In this embodiment, whether the autonomous ship 4 is a drifting ship or an anchored ship is determined by an external force applied to the autonomous ship 4. By anchoring the vessel when external forces are large, safe standby can be achieved. By allowing the ship to drift when the external force is small, it is possible to efficiently transition from standby to normal automatic operation.

[Second embodiment]
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a self-propelled vehicle 40 equipped with a standby support device 2 according to another embodiment and the surrounding situation of this self-propelled vehicle 40. FIG. 7A is a plan view of the self-propelled vehicle 40 and the surrounding situation, and FIG. 7B is a side view of the self-propelled vehicle 40 and the surrounding situation. In this embodiment, the self-propelled vehicle 40 is an unmanned vehicle that automatically travels within a predetermined area. The self-propelled vehicle 40 may be a vehicle in which a driver can ride. This self-propelled vehicle 40 is communicating with the monitoring center 6. The monitoring center 6 communicates with the self-propelled vehicle 40 to monitor the self-propelled vehicle 40 and perform travel control as necessary. The self-propelled vehicle 40 also obtains current position information from the GNSS satellite 8.

As shown in FIG. 7B, this self-propelled vehicle 40 includes a standby support device 2 and a drive device 10. The standby support device 2 determines whether the self-propelled vehicle 40 is in a state where it can be normally monitored or controlled by the monitoring center 6. When the standby support device 2 determines that the vehicle is not in a controllable state, it sets an appropriate standby place, determines a route to the standby place, and notifies the drive device 10 of the results. The drive device 10 automatically moves the self-propelled vehicle 40 to the standby location along this route. The drive device 10 is typically an engine and its controller. The drive device 10 may be a motor and its controller.

The self-propelled vehicle 40 may include the display device 28. The display device 28 displays information on the route and waiting location determined by the controller 18. When a driver is riding in the self-propelled vehicle 40, the driver can check information on the route and waiting location on the display device 28 and manually operate the self-propelled vehicle 40. The standby support device 2 and the display device 28 constitute a standby support system. In a self-propelled vehicle 40 without a driver on board, the display device 28 may not be provided.

The block diagram of the standby support device 2 of this embodiment is the same as that in FIG. 2. This device includes a communicator 12, an acquirer 14, a memory 16, a controller 18, and an output device 20. In this embodiment, the controller 18 does not have a hacking detection function. The controller 18 may have a hacking detection function.

The acquirer 14 acquires information on obstacles such as surrounding buildings and vehicles from the communication satellite 22, LiDAR 24 (in this embodiment, radar or optical sensor), and camera 26. The acquirer 14 acquires the current position of the self-propelled vehicle 40 from the GNSS satellite 8. Acquirer 14 sends this information to controller 18 .

The storage device 16 stores surrounding information acquired in advance. For example, the storage device 16 stores an environmental map. This environmental map includes information on obstacles such as buildings and information on areas unsuitable for parking, such as around emergency equipment. The storage device 16 stores traffic information acquired in advance over a predetermined period of time. That is, the storage device 16 stores information on which areas have a high traffic volume.

The controller 18 determines whether the self-propelled vehicle 40 can be normally monitored or controlled by the monitoring center 6, sets a waiting place, determines a route to the waiting place, and transmits the results from the output device 20 to the drive device. Send to 10. The processing flow of this controller 18 is the same as the processing flow of FIG. 3. Since the processing content of each step is different from each step in FIG. 3, in the following explanation, the steps corresponding to each step from S1 to S7 are named S1a to S7a.

In step S1a, it is determined whether the self-propelled vehicle 40 is in a state where it can be normally monitored or controlled by the monitoring center 6. The controller 18 determines whether the communication state between the self-propelled vehicle 40 and the monitoring center 6 is normal or abnormal by checking whether predetermined communication with the monitoring center 6 is possible. If the controller 18 is in a "normal state" in which normal communication is performed with the monitoring center 6, the processing of the controller 18 ends. The self-propelled vehicle 40 is normally driven in a state of automatic operation A1. If the communication state with the monitoring center 6 is in an "abnormal state" that is not normal, the next step S2a is executed.

In step S2a, a waiting place is set by calculating a waiting place cost representing the degree of suitability as a waiting place for each predetermined position. Step S2a is
(S2a-1) Setting obstacle cost, distance cost, traffic cost, and slope cost (S2a-2) Calculating waiting place cost (S2a-3) Setting the waiting place.
In the following, an example of calculating a waiting location cost will be described with reference to FIGS. 7-9.

As mentioned above, the surrounding situation of the self-propelled vehicle 40 is shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. The symbol R in FIG. 7A represents an area with heavy traffic. This self-propelled vehicle 40 is located in a region R with heavy traffic. Other vehicles 42 are running in front and behind the self-propelled vehicle 40 . As shown in FIG. 7B, the self-propelled vehicle 40 is located on a slope.

In step (S2a-1), the controller 18 sets obstacle cost, distance cost, traffic cost, and slope cost from the surrounding situation.

The obstacle cost is a cost representing obstacles around the self-propelled vehicle 40. Obstacle costs increase at locations where obstacles exist. The set obstacle costs are shown in the obstacle cost map of FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, in this example, the obstacle cost is set to be large at a position where another vehicle 42 is present. In this embodiment, the controller 18 obtains the location of other vehicles 42 from LiDAR 24 (radar or optical sensor) or camera 26 information to set the obstacle cost.

The distance cost represents the distance from the current position of the self-propelled vehicle 40. The distance cost increases as the distance from the self-propelled vehicle 40 increases. The set distance cost is shown in the distance cost map of FIG. 8.

The traffic cost is a cost representing the amount of vehicle traffic. The higher the volume of vehicle traffic in an area, the higher the traffic cost. The set traffic cost is shown in the traffic cost map of FIG. 8. In this embodiment, controller 18 obtains traffic information from storage 16 and sets traffic costs. The traffic cost may be determined by the current actual vehicle traffic obtained from the communication satellite 22.

The slope cost is a cost representing the slope of the ground at each position. If the slope is large, the stopped self-propelled vehicle 40 may start to move due to the force of gravity exerted on the self-propelled vehicle 40. At a position where the slope is large, the slope cost is set to be large. The tilt cost is a cost representing the influence of gravity that exerts a force on the self-propelled vehicle 40 in a direction that promotes movement. The slope cost set in the case of FIG. 7B is shown in the slope cost map of FIG. 8. In this embodiment, controller 18 sets the slope cost from slope information stored in the environmental map.

When the slope of the ground is small, the gravity applied in the direction in which the self-propelled vehicle 40 is moved is also small. When the slope of the ground is small, the difference in slope cost between the slope area and the horizontal area is set to be small. FIG. 9 shows the slope cost when the entire target area is horizontal. In this example, the slope cost is set to be constant regardless of location in the target area. In FIG. 9, the obstacle cost, distance cost, and traffic cost are the same as in FIG. 8.

There are various ways to set the slope cost. The inclination cost may be set to continuously increase in proportion to the increase in the inclination angle. The inclination cost may be set to increase in stages as the inclination angle increases.

In step (S2a-2), the controller 18 calculates the waiting place cost at each position by adding up the obstacle cost, distance cost, traffic cost, and slope cost for the corresponding position. FIG. 8 shows a waiting location cost map when there is a sloped part on the ground. FIG. 9 shows a waiting location cost map when the entire surface of the ground is horizontal.

In step (S2a-3), the controller 18 sets the position where the waiting place cost is the smallest as the waiting place. In FIGS. 8 and 9, the symbol Po represents the current position of the self-propelled vehicle 40, and the symbol Pt represents the set waiting location. In this embodiment, if there are multiple positions with the lowest waiting place cost, all of them are set as waiting places. Which of these locations will be selected as the actual waiting location will be determined at the same time as route determination, which will be described later.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the inclination cost varies depending on the degree of inclination that exerts a force on the self-propelled vehicle 40 in a direction that encourages movement, and the waiting place cost also varies accordingly. The waiting place Pt can be set at different positions depending on the degree of inclination that exerts a force on the self-propelled vehicle 40 in a direction that encourages movement. It is possible to set a waiting area that corresponds to external forces.

Although not shown in the examples of FIGS. 8 and 9, a "stopping cost" representing the suitability of the vehicle as a standby position may be further set. For example, in front of an entrance or exit, on top of an underground fire hydrant, or other locations inappropriate for the self-propelled vehicle 40 to wait, the parking cost is set to be large. The stopping cost for each location is set from information on various facilities stored in the environmental map. The stopping cost is added together with other costs when calculating the waiting place cost.

In step S3a, the controller 18 determines whether the self-propelled vehicle 40 has arrived at the waiting place Pt by comparing the current position Po and the waiting place Pt. If the self-propelled vehicle 40 has not arrived at the waiting location Pt, the process moves to step S4a. If the self-propelled vehicle 40 has arrived at the waiting location Pt, the process moves to step S5a.

In step S4a, the controller 18 determines a route from the current position Po to the waiting location Pt. In this embodiment, the route with the minimum route cost is selected from among the possible routes from the current position Po to the waiting location Pt. If there are a plurality of waiting places Pt with the minimum waiting place cost, the route with the minimum route cost is selected from among the possible routes from the current position Po to all the waiting places Pt. In FIG. 7A, an example of the determined route is indicated by an arrow L. Path L is sent to drive device 10 . The self-propelled vehicle 40 automatically moves along this route L, entering the standby automatic operation A2 state. The process of the controller 18 returns to step S2a.

The route determination method is not limited to the above. For example, when there are multiple waiting places Pt, since vehicles drive on the left in Japan, the waiting place Pt located furthest to the left in front of this self-propelled vehicle 40 is selected, and the route The path with the least cost may be selected.

In step S5a, the controller 18 determines the standby method. In this embodiment, depending on the degree of inclination that exerts an external force on the self-propelled vehicle 40, it is determined whether to perform "stopping" in which the running direction is stopped using the normal brake, or "double brake parking" in which the parking brake is applied. When the degree of inclination is greater than a predetermined value, the vehicle is considered to be parked with double brakes, and when the degree of inclination is less than the predetermined value, the vehicle is stopped. This result is sent to the drive device 10, and the self-propelled vehicle 40 enters the standby A3 state according to this result.

In step S6a, similarly to step S1a, it is determined whether the communication state between the self-propelled vehicle 40 and the monitoring center 6 is normal or abnormal. If the communication state is normal, the controller 18 ends the process. The self-propelled vehicle 40 is normally in automatic operation A1. If the communication state is abnormal, the next step S7a is executed.

In step S7a, it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the most recent standby state. If the predetermined time has not elapsed, step S6a is repeated. If the predetermined time has elapsed, the process returns to step S2a and the waiting location is reset.

In the present embodiment, the controller 18 of the standby support device 2 calculates a standby place cost that represents the suitability of the standby place for the self-propelled vehicle 40. This waiting place cost includes ramp cost. By using the tilt cost, an appropriate standby position can be set in consideration of the gravity that exerts a force on the self-propelled vehicle 40. The standby support device 2 realizes appropriate standby of the self-propelled vehicle 40 in consideration of external forces from the surroundings.

In this embodiment, it is determined whether to "stop" or "double brake parking" during standby based on the slope of the ground. By using dual brake parking when the external force due to inclination is large, safe waiting can be achieved. By stopping the vehicle when the external force caused by the inclination is small, it is possible to efficiently transition from standby to normal automatic operation.

As described above, a stopping cost representing the suitability of the self-propelled vehicle 40 as a standby position may be further provided. By adding the stopping cost to the calculation of the waiting place cost, waiting at a more appropriate place can be realized.

Although not explained in the above embodiment, when an "abnormal state" is detected in step S1a, the controller 18 stores the target point in the normal automatic operation A1 in the storage device 16, and performs step S6a and the like. When it is determined that the vehicle is in a "normal state", the controller 18 may read out this target point from the memory 16 and set it as the target point for automatic driving. The target point for normal automatic operation A1 is written in the memory 16 in advance, and when it is determined in step S6a that the state is "normal," the controller 18 reads this target point from the memory 16 and uses it for automatic operation. It may also be set as a target point.

[Third embodiment]
FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an automatic aircraft 46 equipped with a standby support device 2 according to another embodiment and the surrounding situation of this automatic aircraft 46. In this embodiment, autonomous aircraft 46 is a drone. The automatic aircraft 46 may be an aircraft on which a pilot can board. This automatic aircraft 46 is communicating with the monitoring center 6. The monitoring center 6 monitors the automatic aircraft 46 and performs flight control as necessary by communicating with the automatic aircraft 46. The automatic aircraft 46 also obtains current position information from the GNSS satellite 8.

This automatic aircraft 46 is equipped with a standby support device 2 and a drive device. The standby support device 2 determines whether the automatic aircraft 46 is in a state where it can be normally monitored or controlled by the monitoring center 6. When it is determined that the standby support device 2 is not in a controllable state, an appropriate standby place is set, a route to the standby place is determined, and the results are communicated to the drive device. The drive device automatically flies the automatic aircraft 46 to the waiting location according to this route.

The automatic aircraft 46 may be equipped with the display device 28. The display device 28 displays information on the route and waiting location determined by the controller 18. When a pilot is on board the automatic aircraft 46, the pilot can check the route and waiting location information on the display device 28 and manually operate the automatic aircraft 46. The standby support device 2 and the display device 28 constitute a standby support system. In an automatic aircraft 46 without a pilot on board, the display device 28 may be omitted.

The block diagram of the standby support device 2 of this embodiment is the same as that in FIG. 2. Below, the processing of the controller 18 of the standby support device 2 will be explained. The processing flow of this controller 18 is the same as the processing flow of FIG. 3. However, since the processing content of each step is different from each step in FIG. 3, in the following explanation, steps corresponding to steps S1 to S7 are named S1b to S7b, respectively.

In step S1b, it is determined whether the automatic aircraft 46 is in a state where it can be normally monitored or controlled by the monitoring center 6. The controller 18 determines whether the communication state between the automatic aircraft 46 and the monitoring center 6 is normal or abnormal by checking whether predetermined communication with the monitoring center 6 is possible. If the controller 18 is in a "normal state" in which normal communication is performed with the monitoring center 6, the processing of the controller 18 ends. The automatic aircraft 46 is normally operated in a state of automatic operation A1. If the communication state with the monitoring center 6 is in an "abnormal state" that is not normal, the next step S2b is executed.

In step S2b, a waiting place is set by calculating a waiting place cost representing the degree of suitability as a waiting place for each predetermined position. Step S2b is
(S2b-1) Setting obstacle cost, distance cost, and landing cost (S2b-2) Calculating waiting place cost (S2b-3) This step includes setting the waiting place.

In step (S2b-1), the controller 18 sets an obstacle cost, a distance cost, and a landing cost for each position within a predetermined three-dimensional range from the surrounding situation information. Although not shown, the cost maps of the obstacle cost, distance cost, and landing cost are maps in a three-dimensional space, respectively.

The obstacle cost is a cost representing obstacles around the automatic aircraft 46. Obstacle costs increase at locations where obstacles such as other aircraft, buildings, trees, etc. exist. No-fly zones also have an obstacle cost attached to them as obstacles. Information on other aircraft is obtained from LiDAR24 (radar). Buildings, no-fly zones, etc. are acquired from the environmental map stored in the memory 16.

The distance cost is a cost representing the distance from the current position of the automatic aircraft 46. The greater the distance from the autonomous aircraft 46, the greater the distance cost.

Landing cost is a cost that represents the suitability of a landing place. In this embodiment, the landing cost for each location is determined from the information on the "landable area 48" stored in the environmental map and the wind power information obtained from the communication satellite 22. When there are wind forces exerting a force on the autonomous aircraft 46 and hovering is dangerous, the autonomous aircraft 46 must land for a hold. In this case, the landing cost of the landing possible area 48 is set to be smaller than that of other areas. When the wind force is low, the automatic aircraft 46 is capable of hovering. Automated aircraft 46 does not need to land. In this case, the difference in landing cost between the landing possible area 48 and other areas is set small. That is, landing costs vary depending on the wind force exerting the force on the autonomous aircraft 46.

There are various ways to set the landing cost. The difference in landing cost between the landing possible area and other areas may be set to continuously increase in proportion to the increase in wind power. The difference in landing cost between the landing possible area and other areas may be set to increase in stages as the wind power increases.

In step (S2b-2), the controller 18 calculates the waiting place cost at each position by adding up the obstacle cost, distance cost, and landing cost for the corresponding positions.

In step (S2b-3), the controller 18 sets the position where the waiting place cost is the smallest as the waiting place.

Although not shown in the above embodiment, a "traffic cost" representing the amount of aircraft traffic may be further set. The traffic cost is set higher as the area has more aircraft traffic. In this embodiment, controller 18 obtains traffic information from storage 16 and sets traffic costs. The traffic cost may be determined by the current actual vehicle traffic obtained from the communication satellite 22. Traffic costs are added along with other costs when calculating waiting location costs.

In step S3b, the controller 18 determines whether the automatic aircraft 46 has arrived at the waiting location by comparing the current position and the waiting location. If the automatic aircraft 46 has not arrived at the waiting location, the process moves to step S4b. If the automatic aircraft 46 has arrived at the waiting location, the process moves to step S5b.

In step S4b, the controller 18 determines a route from the current position to the waiting location. In this embodiment, the route with the minimum route cost is selected from among the possible routes from the current location to the waiting location. The determined route is sent to the drive device. In FIG. 10, an example of a route determined by this process is indicated by an arrow L. The automatic aircraft 46 automatically moves along this route L, entering the standby automatic operation A2 state. The process of the controller 18 returns to step S2b.

In step S5b, the controller 18 determines the standby method. In this embodiment, "hovering" or "landing" is determined depending on whether the waiting location is in the air or on the ground. The automatic aircraft 46 enters a standby state A3.

In step S6b, similarly to step S1b, it is determined whether the communication state between the automatic aircraft 46 and the monitoring center 6 is normal or abnormal. If the communication state is normal, the processing of the controller 18 ends. The automatic aircraft 46 enters normal automatic operation A1. If the communication state is abnormal, the next step S7b is executed.

In step S7b, it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the most recent standby state. If the predetermined time has not elapsed, step S6b is repeated. If the predetermined time has elapsed, the process returns to step S2b and the waiting location is reset.

In this embodiment, the controller 18 of the standby support device 2 calculates a standby place cost that represents the degree of suitability as a standby place for the automatic aircraft 46. This waiting place cost includes a landing cost that represents the degree of suitability as a landing place. This landing cost varies depending on the wind force exerting the force on the autonomous aircraft 46. This makes it possible to set an appropriate standby position that corresponds to the magnitude of the wind force. This standby support device 2 realizes appropriate standby of the automatic aircraft 46 in consideration of external forces from the surroundings.

In this embodiment, the external force applied to the automatic aircraft 46 determines whether to land or hover. A safe standby can be achieved by landing when the external force from the wind is large. By hovering when this external force is small, it is possible to efficiently transition from standby to normal automatic operation.

Although not described in the above embodiment, when an "abnormal state" is detected in step S1b, the controller 18 stores the target point in the normal automatic operation A1 in the memory 16, and performs step S6b and the like. When it is determined that the vehicle is in a "normal state", the controller 18 may read out this target point from the memory 16 and set it as the target point for automatic driving. The target point for normal automatic operation A1 is written in the memory 16 in advance, and when it is determined in step S6b that it is in a "normal state", the controller 18 reads this target point from the memory 16 and uses it for automatic operation. It may also be set as a target point.

The functionality of each controller device disclosed herein may include a general purpose processor, special purpose processor, integrated circuit, ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), conventional circuit, and/or configured or programmed to perform the disclosed functions. or a combination thereof. Processors are considered processing circuits or circuits because they include transistors and other circuits. In this disclosure, a circuit, unit, or means is hardware that performs the recited functions or is hardware that is programmed to perform the recited functions. The hardware may be the hardware disclosed herein or other known hardware that is programmed or configured to perform the recited functions. If the hardware is a processor, which is considered a type of circuit, the circuit, means or unit is a combination of hardware and software, the software being used for the configuration of the hardware and/or the processor.

As explained above, the standby support device 2 can realize an appropriate standby of the moving body by taking into account external forces from the surroundings. From this, the superiority of this standby support device 2 is clear.

[Disclosure items]
The following items are disclosures of preferred embodiments.

[Item 1]
A standby support device installed in a mobile body having an automatic driving function,
comprising a communication device that communicates with the outside, an acquisition device that acquires surrounding information of the moving object, or a storage device that stores surrounding information of the moving object, and a controller,
The controller determines whether the communication state of the communication device is normal or abnormal, and when the communication state is determined to be abnormal, the controller determines the communication state based on the surrounding information from the acquisition device or the surrounding information from the storage device. A standby support device that calculates a waiting place cost that varies depending on an external force that a moving body receives from the surrounding environment in a direction that encourages movement, sets a waiting place based on the calculation result, and determines a route to the waiting place. .

[Item 2]
Item 1, wherein the controller re-sets the waiting place and determines the route to the waiting place if a predetermined period of time has passed without the communication state becoming normal after the start of waiting at the waiting place. Standby support device as described.

[Item 3]
The controller further performs hacking detection;
The standby support device according to

item

1 or 2, wherein the controller, when detecting the occurrence of hacking, sets the standby place and determines a route to the standby place.

[Item 4]
The mobile object is an autonomous ship,
The controller calculates an obstacle cost based on surrounding obstacles, a distance cost based on the distance from the autonomous ship, a traffic cost based on surrounding traffic volume, and an anchoring cost based on the suitability of the anchoring location. Calculate the waiting place cost;
4. The standby support device according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein the anchoring cost varies depending on the current or wind speed that applies an external force to the autonomous ship.

[Item 5]
The standby support device according to item 4, wherein a standby method for the autonomously navigating ship is determined based on an external force received by the autonomously navigating vessel, whether the autonomously navigating vessel is placed on standby by drifting or anchored.

[Item 6]
The mobile object is a self-propelled vehicle,
The controller calculates the waiting place cost based on an obstacle cost based on surrounding obstacles, a distance cost based on the distance from the self-propelled vehicle, a traffic cost based on surrounding traffic volume, and a slope cost,
The standby support device according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein the inclination cost varies based on the inclination of the ground that applies an external force to the self-propelled vehicle.

[Item 7]
The standby support device according to item 6, which determines whether the self-propelled vehicle is to be parked or parked with dual brakes based on an external force that the self-propelled vehicle receives.

[Item 8]
The mobile object is an automatic aircraft,
the controller calculates the holding location cost based on an obstacle cost based on surrounding obstacles, a distance cost based on a distance from the automatic aircraft, a suitability as a landing location, and a landing cost;
The standby support device according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein the landing cost varies depending on the wind speed that applies an external force to the automatic aircraft.

[Item 9]
The standby support device according to item 8, wherein the standby method of the automatic aircraft is determined to be landing or hovering based on an external force received by the automatic aircraft.

[Item 10]
The waiting support device according to item 8 or 9, wherein the waiting place cost is further calculated based on a traffic cost based on surrounding traffic volume.

[Item 11]
Items 4 to 7 and 10, wherein the traffic cost is set from traffic volume information measured in advance and stored in the storage device, or from current traffic volume data acquired by the acquisition device. The standby support device according to any of the above.

[Item 12]
A standby support system comprising the standby support device according to any one of items 1 to 11, and a display device that displays information on the standby place and a route to the standby place.

[Item 13]
Equipped with a standby support device and a drive device,
The standby support device
comprising a communication device that communicates with the outside, an acquisition device that acquires surrounding information of the moving object, or a storage device that stores surrounding information of the moving object, and a controller,
The controller determines whether the communication state of the communication device is normal or abnormal, and when the communication state is determined to be abnormal, the controller determines the communication state based on the surrounding information from the acquisition device or the surrounding information from the storage device. Calculating a waiting place cost that varies depending on an external force that the moving object receives from the surrounding environment in a direction that promotes movement, setting a waiting place based on the calculation result, and determining a route to the waiting place,
A movable body that is automatically moved to the standby location along the route by the drive device.

[Item 14]
A program that operates a processor installed in a mobile object having an automatic driving function,
A process for determining whether a communication state between the mobile object and the outside is normal or abnormal, and a process for determining whether the communication state between the mobile object and the outside is normal or abnormal, and a process for causing the mobile object to move from the surrounding environment based on surrounding information of the mobile object when the communication state is determined to be abnormal. causing the processor to execute a process of calculating a waiting place cost that varies depending on an external force received in the urging direction, a process of setting a waiting place based on the calculation result, and a process of determining a route to the waiting place. , a program for standby assistance.

[Item 15]
A method used in a mobile body having an automatic driving function, the method comprising:
Determining whether a communication state between the mobile object and the outside is normal or abnormal, and if the communication state is determined to be abnormal, a direction in which the mobile object is encouraged to move from the surrounding environment based on surrounding information of the mobile object. A standby support method that calculates a standby place cost that varies depending on an external force applied to the standby place, sets a standby place based on the calculation result, and determines a route to the standby place.

2... Standby support device 4... Automatic navigation ship 6... Monitoring center 8... GNSS satellite 10... Drive device 12... Communication device 14... Acquisition device 16... Memory device 18... Controller 20... Output device 22... Communication satellite 24... LiDAR
26...Camera 28...Display/operation device 30...Congested sea area 32...Shallow water 34...Anchoring area 36...Other ships 40...Self-propelled vehicle 42...Others Ship 46...Automatic aircraft

Claims

A standby support device installed in a mobile body having an automatic driving function,
comprising a communication device that communicates with the outside, an acquisition device that acquires surrounding information of the moving object, or a storage device that stores surrounding information of the moving object, and a controller,
The controller determines whether the communication state of the communication device is normal or abnormal, and when the communication state is determined to be abnormal, the controller determines the communication state based on the surrounding information from the acquisition device or the surrounding information from the storage device. A standby support device that calculates a waiting place cost that varies depending on an external force that a moving body receives from the surrounding environment in a direction that encourages movement, sets a waiting place based on the calculation result, and determines a route to the waiting place. .
Claim 1: The controller sets the waiting place and determines the route to the waiting place again if a predetermined period of time has elapsed without the communication state becoming normal after the start of waiting at the waiting place. The standby support device described in .
The controller further performs hacking detection;
The standby support device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the controller sets the standby place and determines a route to the standby place when detecting the occurrence of hacking.
The mobile object is an autonomous ship,
The controller calculates an obstacle cost based on surrounding obstacles, a distance cost based on the distance from the autonomous ship, a traffic cost based on surrounding traffic volume, and an anchoring cost based on the suitability of the anchoring location. Calculate the waiting place cost;
The standby support device according to claim 1, wherein the anchoring cost varies depending on the current or wind speed that applies an external force to the autonomously operating ship.
5. The standby support device according to claim 4, wherein the standby method for the autonomously navigating ship is determined based on an external force received by the autonomously navigating vessel, whether the autonomously navigating vessel is placed on standby as a floating vessel or an anchored vessel.
The mobile object is a self-propelled vehicle,
The controller calculates the waiting place cost based on an obstacle cost based on surrounding obstacles, a distance cost based on the distance from the self-propelled vehicle, a traffic cost based on surrounding traffic volume, and a slope cost,
The standby support device according to claim 1, wherein the inclination cost varies based on the inclination of the ground that applies an external force to the self-propelled vehicle.
7. The standby support device according to claim 6, wherein the standby method for the self-propelled vehicle is determined based on an external force received by the self-propelled vehicle, whether the self-propelled vehicle is parked or parked using dual brakes.
The mobile object is an automatic aircraft,
the controller calculates the holding location cost based on an obstacle cost based on surrounding obstacles, a distance cost based on a distance from the automatic aircraft, a suitability as a landing location, and a landing cost;
The standby support device according to claim 1, wherein the landing cost varies depending on the wind speed that applies an external force to the automatic aircraft.
The standby support device according to claim 8, wherein the standby method of the automatic aircraft is determined to be landing or hovering based on an external force received by the automatic aircraft.
The waiting support device according to claim 8, wherein the waiting place cost is further calculated based on a traffic cost based on surrounding traffic volume.
Claims 4 to 7, wherein the traffic cost is set from traffic volume information measured in advance and stored in the storage device, or from current traffic volume data acquired by the acquisition device. 10. The standby support device according to any one of 10.
A standby support system comprising the standby support device according to claim 1 or 2, and a display device that displays information on the standby place and a route to the standby place.
Equipped with a standby support device and a drive device,
The standby support device
comprising a communication device that communicates with the outside, an acquisition device that acquires surrounding information of the moving object, or a storage device that stores surrounding information of the moving object, and a controller,
The controller determines whether the communication state of the communication device is normal or abnormal, and when the communication state is determined to be abnormal, the controller determines the communication state based on the surrounding information from the acquisition device or the surrounding information from the storage device. Calculating a waiting place cost that varies depending on an external force that the moving object receives from the surrounding environment in a direction that promotes movement, setting a waiting place based on the calculation result, and determining a route to the waiting place,
A movable body that is automatically moved to the standby location along the route by the drive device.
A program that operates a processor installed in a mobile object having an automatic driving function,
A process for determining whether a communication state between the mobile object and the outside is normal or abnormal, and a process for determining whether the communication state between the mobile object and the outside is normal or abnormal, and a process for causing the mobile object to move from the surrounding environment based on surrounding information of the mobile object when the communication state is determined to be abnormal. causing the processor to execute a process of calculating a waiting place cost that varies depending on an external force received in the urging direction, a process of setting a waiting place based on the calculation result, and a process of determining a route to the waiting place. , a program for standby assistance.
A method used in a mobile body having an automatic driving function, the method comprising:
Determining whether a communication state between the mobile object and the outside is normal or abnormal, and if the communication state is determined to be abnormal, a direction in which the mobile object is encouraged to move from the surrounding environment based on surrounding information of the mobile object. A standby support method that calculates a standby place cost that varies depending on an external force applied to the standby place, sets a standby place based on the calculation result, and determines a route to the standby place.