JP2024154235A - Location information setting method, program, and information processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

To upgrade the precision in designating the position of each unit area in a layout where unit areas are aligned in a first direction and second direction.SOLUTION: A position information designation method includes a step of disposing a reference object, which is used to designate position information, in at least one unit area within a disposition region where unit areas in which an object may possibly be disposed are aligned in a first direction and second direction, a step of designating a detection route of a moving body which passes through a predetermined distance range from a unit area in which the reference object is disposed, a step of moving a moving body, in which a sensor capable of detecting the reference object is incorporated, along the detection route, and causing the sensor to detect the position and posture of the reference object, and a step of calculating position information on each of the unit areas within the disposition region on the basis of the position and posture of the reference object.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

This disclosure relates to a method for setting location information, a program, and an information processing device.

Mobile objects that move automatically to transport cargo are known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes creating a travel plan to an empty area of a temporary storage facility where the object is to be placed, and automatically driving an unmanned cargo handling vehicle to the empty area of the temporary storage facility according to the created travel plan. Patent Document 1 also describes that temporary storage facility area IDs indicating each area of the temporary storage facility and section information indicating the coordinate position of the area are stored in advance.

JP 2022-135682 A

As shown in Patent Document 1, the coordinate position where an object is placed may be set in advance, but there is a risk that the coordinate position may be set to be offset from the position where the object is actually placed in the facility. Also, the facility layout may be set so that the unit areas where the objects are placed are arranged in a matrix in the first and second directions. In this case, there is a risk that the offset from the actual position may be particularly large. For this reason, there is a demand to improve the accuracy of setting the position of each unit area in a layout where unit areas are arranged in the first and second directions.

The present disclosure aims to provide a method, program, and information processing device for setting position information that can improve the accuracy of setting the position of each unit area in a layout in which unit areas are arranged in a first direction and a second direction.

The method for setting position information according to the present disclosure includes the steps of placing a reference object used for setting position information in at least one unit area in a placement area in which unit areas in which an object may be placed are arranged in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction; setting a detection path for a moving body that passes within a predetermined distance range from the unit area in which the reference object is placed; moving the moving body, which is equipped with a sensor capable of detecting the reference object, along the detection path and detecting the position and orientation of the reference object by the sensor; and calculating position information for each of the unit areas in the placement area based on the position and orientation of the reference object.

The program disclosed herein is a program for causing a computer to set position information of unit areas in a placement area in which unit areas in which an object may be placed are arranged in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a reference object used for setting the position information is placed in at least one of the unit areas in the placement area, and the program makes the computer execute the steps of: setting a detection path for a moving object that passes within a predetermined distance range from the unit area in which the reference object is placed; moving the moving object, which is equipped with a sensor capable of detecting the reference object, along the detection path and detecting the position and orientation of the reference object by the sensor; and calculating position information for each of the unit areas in the placement area based on the position and orientation of the reference object.

The information processing device according to the present disclosure is an information processing device that sets position information of a unit area in an arrangement area in which unit areas in which an object may be placed are arranged in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a reference object used for setting the position information is placed in at least one of the unit areas in the arrangement area, and includes a path setting unit that sets a detection path of a moving body that passes within a predetermined distance range from the unit area in which the reference object is placed, a detection result acquisition unit that acquires the position and attitude of the reference object detected by the moving body equipped with a sensor capable of detecting the reference object while moving along the detection path, and a position acquisition unit that calculates position information of each of the unit areas in the arrangement area based on the position and attitude of the reference object.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to improve the accuracy of setting the position of each unit area in a layout in which unit areas are arranged in a first direction and a second direction.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a mobility control system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a moving body. FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of the management device. FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of an information processing device. FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of a control device for a moving body. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of detection of a reference object. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of calculation of position information of a unit area. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of calculation of the position information of a unit area. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating setting of position information of a unit area. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of movement of a moving body to a unit area. FIG. 11 is a graph illustrating another example of calculation of the position of the unit area in the second embodiment. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing an example of movement of a moving body to a unit area according to the third embodiment.

Below, a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to this embodiment, and when there are multiple embodiments, the present disclosure also includes configurations in which the respective embodiments are combined.

First Embodiment
(Mobility Control System)
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a movement control system according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the movement control system 1 according to the present embodiment includes a moving body 10, a management device 12, and an information processing device 14. The movement control system 1 is a system that controls the movement of a moving body 10 belonging to a facility W. The facility W is, for example, a facility that is managed by logistics, such as a warehouse, but may be any facility that operates the moving body 10. In the movement control system 1, the moving body 10 picks up and transports an object P arranged within an area AR of the facility W. The area AR is an area in which the object P is installed and the moving body 10 moves, for example, the floor surface of the facility W. In this embodiment, the object P transported by the moving body 10 is a transport object in which luggage is loaded on a pallet. However, the object P is not limited to being loaded on a pallet and may be any form, for example, it may be only luggage without a pallet. In addition, the moving body 10 is not limited to being a device that transports the object P, and may be a device that moves within the facility W for any purpose.

Hereinafter, one direction along the area AR is referred to as the X direction, and a direction along the area AR that intersects with the X direction is referred to as the Y direction. In this embodiment, the Y direction is a direction perpendicular to the X direction. The X and Y directions may be said to be directions along a horizontal plane. The direction perpendicular to the X and Y directions, more specifically, the direction perpendicular to the vertical direction upward, is referred to as the Z direction. In this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, "position" refers to a position (coordinate) in a coordinate system on a two-dimensional surface on the area AR (the coordinate system of the area AR). Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the "attitude (orientation)" of the moving body 10, etc., refers to the orientation of the moving body 10, etc., in the coordinate system of the area AR, and refers to the yaw angle (rotation angle) of the moving body 10 when the X direction is 0° when viewed from the Z direction.

(Placement Area)
As shown in FIG. 1, a placement area AR1 is set in the area AR. The placement area AR1 is an area in which unit areas A in which an object P may be placed are arranged in a first direction (X direction in this example) along the area AR and a second direction (Y direction in this example) along the area AR intersecting the first direction. The placement area AR1 is an area in which the moving body 10 can move, in other words, the moving body 10 can move in an area in the placement area AR1 in which the object P is not placed. In this embodiment, the placement area AR1 is set on the floor surface of the facility W, and is, for example, a temporary storage area for the object P set on the floor surface. That is, for example, the object P loaded on the transport vehicle that transported the object P to the facility W is temporarily placed in the installation area AR1, and the object P in the installation area AR1 is transported to another location in the facility W (for example, a storage area such as a shelf). However, the use of the installation area AR1 is not limited to being a temporary storage area. The installation area AR1 may be an area for any purpose in which the object P is installed.

A unit area A is an area set up for the installation of an object P. The shape and size of the unit area A are set in advance. In the example of FIG. 1, the unit area A is rectangular, but the shape and size may be arbitrary. The unit area A is divided into areas for each object P, and one object P is placed in each unit area A. Depending on the status of the equipment W, each unit area A may or may not have an object P placed therein.

The installation area AR1 can be said to be an area in which the installation line AL, which is an area in which the unit areas A are arranged in a first direction (X direction in this example), is arranged in a second direction (Y direction in this example) intersecting the first direction. In other words, the installation area AR1 is an area in which the unit areas A are arranged in a matrix in the X direction and the Y direction. There are no walls to prevent the moving body 10 from entering the installation area AR1 on the periphery of the installation area AR1 or between adjacent unit areas A in the installation area AR1. Therefore, the moving body 10 can enter the installation area AR1 from outside the installation area AR1 and can move between unit areas A within the installation area AR1. In this embodiment, a line (e.g., a white line) that allows the boundary of the installation line AL to be visible is provided between the installation lines AL adjacent to each other in the Y direction, extending in the X direction. In addition, a line (e.g., a white line) that allows the boundary of the unit areas A to be visible may also be provided between the unit areas A adjacent to each other in the X direction. However, these lines are not essential. Furthermore, no walls are provided between adjacent unit areas A in the X direction to prevent the moving body 10 from entering, but walls may be provided between adjacent installation lines AL in the Y direction.

In the example of Fig. 1, five installation lines AL1, AL2, AL3, AL4, and AL5 arranged in the Y direction are provided as the installation line AL. Also, in the example of Fig. 1, five unit areas A are provided in the X direction within the installation line AL. That is, the installation line AL1 has unit areas _A11 to _A15 arranged in the X direction, the installation line AL2 has unit areas _A21 to _A25 arranged in the X direction, the installation line AL3 has unit areas _A31 to _A35 arranged in the X direction, the installation line AL4 has unit areas _A41 to _A45 arranged in the X direction, and the installation line AL5 has unit areas _A51 to _A55 arranged in the X direction. Furthermore, the unit areas A (e.g., unit areas _A15 , _A25 , _A35 , _A45 , _A55 ) that are at the same position in each installation line AL when counted from the X direction are lined up along the Y direction, in other words, at the same position in the X direction. However, the number of installation lines AL and the number of unit areas A in each installation line AL are not limited to five and may be any multiple. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the number of unit areas A provided in each installation line AL is the same for each installation line AL, but is not limited thereto and may be different for each installation line AL.

When placing an object P in a unit area A of the installation area AR1, the movement control system 1 controls the unloading of the object P by the moving body 10 into the unit area A so that the front surface Pa of the object P faces in the opposite direction to the X direction. That is, in the unit area A where the object P is placed, the front surface Pa of the object P faces in the opposite direction to the X direction. However, the front surfaces Pa of all objects P are not limited to facing in the opposite direction to the X direction, and for example, the front surfaces Pa of at least some objects P may face in a direction shifted from the opposite direction to the X direction. The front surface Pa of the object P refers to the surface from which the moving body 10 approaches. In this embodiment, an opening Pb is formed in the front surface Pa of the object P into which the fork 24 of the moving body 10, which will be described later, is inserted.

The number of installation areas AR1 may be any number, and one or more may be set within the facility W. In addition, areas within the facility W other than the installation area AR1 may also be provided where the target object P is placed.

(Waypoint)
In the area AR, a waypoint WP is set for each position (coordinate). The route of the moving body 10, which will be described later, is set to connect the waypoints WP. That is, the route connecting the waypoints WP that the moving body 10 plans to pass through becomes the route of the moving body 10. The waypoints WP are set according to the layout of the facility W, such as the position of the installation area AR1 and the passageway. For example, the waypoints WP are set in a matrix shape in the area AR. In addition, it is preferable that the waypoints WP are set for each unit area A in the installation area AR1. For example, the waypoints WP are set at positions (coordinates) corresponding to each unit area A. The position corresponding to the unit area A (the position where the waypoint WP is set) may be set appropriately, and may be, for example, any position that overlaps with the unit area A. In the example of FIG. 1, the waypoint WP corresponding to the unit area A is set at the center position in the Y direction on the side opposite to the X direction of the unit area A.

(Mobile)
2 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a moving body. The moving body 10 is a device capable of moving automatically. In this embodiment, the moving body 10 is a device capable of transporting a target object. More specifically, in this embodiment, the moving body 10 is a forklift, more specifically, a so-called AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) or AGF (Automated Guided Forklift). However, the moving body 10 is not limited to being a forklift that transports a target object, and may be any device capable of moving automatically.

As shown in FIG. 2, the moving body 10 includes a vehicle body 20, wheels 20A, straddle legs 21, a mast 22, a fork 24, a sensor 26A, and a control device 28. The straddle legs 21 are provided at one end of the vehicle body 20 in the front-rear direction and are a pair of shaft-shaped members protruding from the vehicle body 20. The wheels 20A are provided at the tip of each straddle leg 21 and on the vehicle body 20. That is, a total of three wheels 20A are provided, but the positions and number of the wheels 20A may be arbitrary. The mast 22 is movably attached to the straddle legs 21 and moves in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 20. The mast 22 extends along the up-down direction (here, direction Z) perpendicular to the front-rear direction. The fork 24 is movably attached to the mast 22 in direction Z. The fork 24 may also be movable in the lateral direction of the vehicle body 20 (a direction intersecting the up-down and front-rear directions) relative to the mast 22. The fork 24 has a pair of claws 24A, 24B. The claws 24A, 24B extend from the mast 22 toward the front of the vehicle body 20. The claws 24A and 24B are disposed apart from each other in the lateral direction of the mast 22. In the following, in the front-rear direction, the direction toward the side of the first moving body 10A where the fork 24 is not provided is referred to as the forward direction, and the direction toward the side where the fork 24 is provided is referred to as the rearward direction.

The sensor 26A detects at least one of the position and the posture of an object present around the vehicle body 20. It can also be said that the sensor 26A detects at least one of the position of the object relative to the moving body 10 and the posture of the object relative to the moving body 10. In this embodiment, the sensor 26A is provided at the forward tip of each straddle leg 21 and at the rear side of the vehicle body 20. However, the position at which the sensor 26A is provided is not limited to this, and the sensor 26A may be provided at any position, and the number of sensors provided may also be arbitrary.

Sensor 26A is, for example, a sensor that irradiates laser light. Sensor 26A irradiates laser light while scanning in one direction (here, the horizontal direction) and detects the position and orientation of an object from the reflected light of the irradiated laser light. In other words, sensor 26A can also be said to be a so-called two-dimensional (2D)-LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). However, sensor 26A is not limited to the above and may be a sensor that detects an object by any method, for example, it may be a so-called three-dimensional (3D)-LiDAR that scans in multiple directions, a so-called one-dimensional (1D)-LiDAR that does not scan, or a camera.

The control device 28 controls the movement of the moving body 10. The control device 28 will be described later.

(Management Device)
FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of the management device. The management device 12 is a system that manages the logistics in the facility W. In this embodiment, the management device 12 is a WCS (warehouse control system) or a WMS (warehouse management system), but is not limited to a WCS or a WMS and may be any system, for example, a back-end system such as other production management systems. The location where the management device 12 is installed is arbitrary, and may be installed in the facility W or may be installed at a location away from the facility W to manage the facility W from the remote location. The management device 12 is a computer, and includes a communication unit 30, a storage unit 32, and a control unit 34 as shown in FIG. 3.

The communication unit 30 is a module used by the control unit 34 to communicate with an external device such as the information processing device 14, and may include, for example, an antenna. In this embodiment, the communication method used by the communication unit 30 is wireless communication, but any communication method may be used. The storage unit 32 is a memory that stores various information such as the calculation contents and programs of the control unit 34, and includes, for example, at least one of a RAM (Random Access Memory), a main storage device such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), and an external storage device such as a HDD (Hard Disk Drive).

The control unit 34 is a calculation device and includes a calculation circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 34 includes a destination position setting unit 40. The control unit 34 realizes the destination position setting unit 40 by reading and executing a program (software) from the storage unit 32 and executes the program. The control unit 34 may execute the process by one CPU, or may be provided with multiple CPUs and execute the process by the multiple CPUs. At least a part of the destination position setting unit 40 may be realized by a hardware circuit. The program for the control unit 34 stored in the storage unit 32 may be stored in a recording medium that can be read by the management device 12.

The destination position setting unit 40 sets the destination position to which the moving body 10 will move. The specific processing content will be described later.

The management device 12 may also perform processes other than setting the destination position. For example, the management device 12 may also set information for controlling mechanisms (e.g., elevators, doors, etc.) other than the mobile body 10 provided in the facility W.

(Information processing device)
FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of an information processing device. The information processing device 14 is a device that processes information related to the movement of the mobile body 10. The information processing device 14 is, for example, an FCS (Fleet Control System), but is not limited thereto, and may be any device that processes information related to the movement of the mobile body 10. The information processing device 14 is a computer, and includes a communication unit 50, a storage unit 52, and a control unit 54, as shown in FIG. 4. The communication unit 50 is a module used by the control unit 54 to communicate with external devices such as the management device 12 and the mobile body 10, and may include, for example, an antenna. In this embodiment, the communication method by the communication unit 50 is wireless communication, but the communication method may be any communication method. The storage unit 52 is a memory that stores various information such as the calculation contents and programs of the control unit 54, and includes, for example, at least one of a RAM, a main storage device such as a ROM, and an external storage device such as a HDD.

The control unit 54 is a calculation device and includes a calculation circuit such as a CPU. The control unit 54 includes a position acquisition unit 60, a route setting unit 62, and a detection result acquisition unit 64. The control unit 54 realizes the position acquisition unit 60, the route setting unit 62, and the detection result acquisition unit 64 by reading and executing a program (software) from the storage unit 52, and executes the processes. The control unit 54 may execute these processes using one CPU, or may be provided with multiple CPUs and execute the processes using the multiple CPUs. At least a part of the position acquisition unit 60, the route setting unit 62, and the detection result acquisition unit 64 may be realized by a hardware circuit. The program for the control unit 54 stored in the storage unit 52 may be stored in a recording medium that can be read by the information processing device 14.

The position acquisition unit 60 acquires information on the predicted position of the unit area A and sets the position of the unit area A. The route setting unit 62 sets the route of the moving body 10, and the detection result acquisition unit 64 acquires the detection results of the reference object PA (described below) by the moving body 10. The specific processing contents of these will be described later.

In this embodiment, the management device 12 and the information processing device 14 are separate devices, but they may be integrated devices. That is, the management device 12 may have at least some of the functions of the information processing device 14, and the information processing device 14 may have at least some of the functions of the management device 12.

(Control device for a moving object)
Next, the control device 28 of the moving body 10 will be described. FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of the control device of the moving body. The control device 28 is a device that controls the moving body 10. The control device 28 is a computer, and includes a communication unit 70, a storage unit 72, and a control unit 74, as shown in FIG. 5. The communication unit 70 is a module used by the control unit 74 to communicate with an external device such as the information processing device 14, and may include, for example, an antenna. In this embodiment, the communication method by the communication unit 70 is wireless communication, but the communication method may be arbitrary. The storage unit 72 is a memory that stores various information such as the calculation contents and programs of the control unit 74, and includes, for example, at least one of a RAM, a main storage device such as a ROM, and an external storage device such as an HDD.

The control unit 74 is a calculation device and includes a calculation circuit such as a CPU. The control unit 74 includes a route acquisition unit 80, a movement control unit 82, and a detection control unit 84. The control unit 74 realizes the route acquisition unit 80, the movement control unit 82, and the detection control unit 84 by reading and executing a program (software) from the storage unit 72, and executes the processes. The control unit 74 may execute these processes using one CPU, or may have multiple CPUs and execute the processes using the multiple CPUs. In addition, at least a part of the route acquisition unit 80, the movement control unit 82, and the detection control unit 84 may be realized by a hardware circuit. In addition, the program for the control unit 74 stored in the storage unit 72 may be stored in a recording medium that can be read by the control device 28.

The route acquisition unit 80 acquires information about the route of the moving body 10, the movement control unit 82 controls the movement mechanisms of the moving body 10, such as the drive unit and steering, to control the movement of the moving body 10, and the detection control unit 84 acquires the detection results of the reference object PA by the sensor 26A. The specific processing contents of these will be described later.

(Processing of the movement control system)
The processing contents of the mobility control system 1 will be described below.

(Unit area position information)
The information processing device 14 stores map information of the facility W. The map information of the facility W is information including position information of each position in the facility W (in this embodiment, the position information of each waypoint WP). The map information is set based on design information of the facility W, such as CAD information. Therefore, the position information of each unit area A included in the map information (in this embodiment, the position information of the waypoint WP corresponding to each unit area A) is also set in advance based on the design information of the placement area AR1. The design information of the placement area AR1 is a design value related to the layout of the placement area AR1 and each unit area A. The design information of the placement area AR1 may include, for example, the position of the placement area AR1 in the facility W, the number and arrangement of the unit areas A in the placement area AR1, and the size and shape of the unit areas A, which are set at the time of design. Hereinafter, the position of the unit area A set based on the design information will be appropriately described as the predicted position of the unit area A.

Here, the predicted position of the unit area A is not set by actually measuring the position of the unit area A in the facility W, so it may be offset from the actual position of the unit area A. In particular, the predicted position of the unit area A may be set relatively from the predicted positions of other unit areas A based on the number, arrangement, size, and shape of each unit area A determined at the time of design, so there is a risk of the deviation from the actual position being particularly large. That is, for example, if the waypoint W ₁₂ is set at a position one unit area A away from the waypoint W ₁₁ on the opposite side of the X direction, the predicted position of the waypoint W ₁₂ will be offset by adding the deviation amount of the waypoint W _11. Also, for example, in the placement area AR1, the moving body 10 moves along the installation line AL following the predicted position of the unit area A shown in the map information, so if the deviation of the predicted position of the unit area A is large, there is a risk of it going beyond the actual installation line AL and entering the adjacent installation line AL. Therefore, in the arrangement area AR1 where the unit areas A are arranged in the first and second directions, it is required to improve the accuracy of setting the position of each unit area A in the map information. In response to this, in this embodiment, the mobile body 10 detects the reference object PA arranged in the unit area A, and based on the detection result, the position information of each unit area A in the map information is set (updated). This makes it possible to reduce deviation from the actual position and improve the accuracy of setting the position of the unit area A. Below, this process will be specifically described.

(Placement of reference objects)
6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of detection of a reference object. When setting (updating) the position of a unit area A in map information, a reference object PA is placed in at least one unit area A in the placement area AR1. The reference object PA is an object used to set the position information of the unit area A. The reference object PA may be any object whose position and orientation can be detected by the sensor 26A of the moving body 10, but is preferably an object of the same type as the target object P. For example, the reference object PA is preferably a pallet, or a pallet on which luggage is loaded.

The reference object PA may be placed in any unit area A within the placement area AR1, but is preferably placed in each of multiple unit areas A within the placement area AR1. In this embodiment, the reference object PA is placed in each of the unit areas A at the four corners of the placement area AR1. That is, in the example of Fig. 6, one reference object PA is placed in each of the unit areas _A11 , _A15 , _A51 , and _A55 . However, the reference object PA may also be placed in unit areas A other than the four corners of the placement area AR1.

The reference object PA is preferably placed in a predetermined position and orientation relative to the actual unit area A. For example, the reference object PA may be placed without deviation relative to the actual unit area A, and the front surface Pa of the reference object PA may be placed along the side of the unit area A in the direction opposite to the X direction in which it is placed. The entity that places the reference object PA may be any entity, and the reference object PA may be placed by a worker, for example. In this case, for example, the worker visually checks the white lines surrounding the unit area A and places the reference object PA without deviation relative to the unit area A.

(Detection path setting)
The path setting unit 62 of the information processing device 14 sets a detection path R0, which is a path along which the moving body 10 moves in order to detect the reference object PA. The detection path R0 is a path that passes within a predetermined distance range from the unit area A in which the reference object PA is arranged. "Within a predetermined distance range from the unit area A in which the reference object PA is arranged" refers to a distance range within which the position and orientation of the reference object PA can be detected by the sensor 26A mounted on the moving body 10. In other words, the detection path R0 can be said to be a path that passes through a position where the position and orientation of the reference object PA on the unit area A can be detected by the sensor 26A.

The method of setting the detection path R0 may be arbitrary. For example, in this embodiment, the information processing device 14 acquires predicted position information, which is position information of the predicted position of the unit area A in which the reference object PA is arranged, by the position acquisition unit 60. For example, map information including the predicted position is stored in the storage unit 52 of the information processing device 14, and the position acquisition unit 60 reads out the predicted position information of the unit area A in which the reference object PA is arranged from the storage unit 52. In the example of Figure 6, the position acquisition unit 60 acquires, as predicted position information of the unit area A in which the reference object PA is located, predicted position information ( _x011 , _y011 ) of waypoint _WP11 corresponding to unit area _A11 , predicted position information ( _x015 , _y015 ) of waypoint _WP15 corresponding to unit area _A15 , predicted position information ( _x051 , _y051 ) of waypoint _WP51 corresponding to unit area _A51 , and predicted position information ( _x055 , _y055 ) of waypoint _WP55 corresponding to unit area _A55 .

In this embodiment, the route setting unit 62 sets the detected route R0 based on the predicted position information of the unit area A in which the reference object PA is placed. The route setting unit 62 extracts waypoints WP within a predetermined distance range from the predicted position of the unit area A in which the reference object PA is placed from the map information, and sets the route passing through the extracted waypoints WP as the detected route R0. When there are multiple unit areas A in which the reference object PA is placed, the route setting unit 62 extracts waypoints WP within a predetermined distance range from the predicted position of the unit area A for all of the unit areas A, and sets the route passing through all of the extracted waypoints WP as the detected route R0. In the example of FIG. 6, the route setting unit 62 sets the route passing through waypoints WPa, WPb, WPc, and WPd within a predetermined distance range from the predicted positions of waypoints WP ₁₁ , WP ₁₅ , WP ₅₁ , and WP ₅₅ as the detected route R0.

The information processing device 14 transmits information on the detected route R0 to the moving body 10 that is scheduled to move according to the detected route R0, and the route acquisition unit 80 of the moving body 10 acquires the information on the detected route R0 set by the information processing device 14. Note that the moving body 10 that moves according to the detected route R0 may be the same moving body as the moving body 10 that transports the object P (moving body 10 that moves to the unit area A of the destination position) described below, or may be a different moving body 10.

Thus, in this embodiment, the information processing device 14 sets the detected route R0, but the entity that sets the detected route R0 is not limited to the information processing device 14 and may be any entity. For example, the route acquisition unit 80 of the moving body 10 may set the detected route R0 in a similar manner to that described above.

(Movement along detected path)
The movement control unit 82 of the moving body 10 moves the moving body 10 according to the detected route R0. More specifically, in this embodiment, it is preferable that the route acquisition unit 80 of the moving body 10 sets the second detected route (travel path) based on the detected route R0 (layout path). In this case, the route acquisition unit 80 sets the second detected route based on the detected route R0 and information on the vehicle specifications of the moving body 10. The information on the vehicle specifications is, for example, specifications that affect the route on which the moving body 10 can move, such as the size of the moving body 10 and the minimum turning radius. Like the detected route R0, the second detected route is also a route that passes within a predetermined distance range from the unit area A in which the reference object PA is arranged. More specifically, the second detected route is a route that can be followed by the second moving body 10B and passes within a predetermined distance range from the unit area A in which the reference object PA is arranged.

The movement control unit 82 moves the moving body 10 along a set route (the second detection route in this example) by sequentially grasping the position information of the moving body 10. Any method can be used to acquire the position information of the moving body 10, but for example, in this embodiment, a detection body (not shown) is provided in the facility W, and the movement control unit 82 acquires information on the position and attitude of the moving body 10 based on the detection of the detection body. Specifically, the moving body 10 irradiates a laser beam toward the detection body and receives the reflected laser beam from the detection body to detect its own position and attitude in the facility W. The method of acquiring the position and attitude information of the moving body 10 is not limited to using the detection body, and for example, SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) may be used.

(Reference detection)
The detection control unit 84 of the moving body 10 causes the sensor 26A to detect the position and orientation of the reference object PA while the moving body 10 is moving, and acquires the detection results of the position and orientation of the reference object PA by the sensor 26A. In this embodiment, while the moving body 10 is moving along the detection path R0 (in this example, the second detection path), the detection control unit 84 causes the sensor 26A to detect the surroundings at predetermined intervals, thereby detecting the position and orientation of the reference object PA. When multiple reference objects PA are arranged, the detection control unit 84 causes the position and orientation of each reference object PA to be detected, and acquires the detection results of the position and orientation of each reference object PA.

For example, in a configuration in which the sensor 26A irradiates laser light, the detection control unit 84 causes the sensor 26A to irradiate laser light while scanning laterally (horizontally) while the mobile body 10 is moving along the detection path R0 (the second detection path in this example). The reference object PA reflects the laser light from the sensor 26A, and the sensor 26A receives the reflected light from the reference object PA. The detection control unit 84 calculates the position and orientation of the reference object PA based on the reflected light from the reference object PA received by the sensor 26A. For example, if a collection of individual measurement points (individual reflected lights received) acquired by the sensor 26A is considered to be a point cloud, the detection control unit 84 may calculate the position and orientation of the reference object PA based on the point cloud.

The detection control unit 84 of the moving body 10 transmits the detection result of the position and orientation of the reference object PA by the sensor 26A to the information processing device 14. That is, the detection result acquisition unit 64 of the information processing device 14 acquires the detection result of the position and orientation of the reference object PA from the moving body 10. Note that in this embodiment, the detection control unit 84 of the moving body 10 transmits the calculation result of the position and orientation of the reference object PA based on the detection of the sensor 26A to the information processing device 14 as the detection result of the position and orientation of the reference object PA, but is not limited to this. For example, the detection control unit 84 of the moving body 10 may transmit the detection data (e.g., point cloud data) by the sensor 26A to the information processing device 14 as the detection result of the position and orientation of the reference object PA, and the detection result acquisition unit 64 of the information processing device 14 may calculate the position and orientation of the reference object PA from the detection data by the sensor 26A.

(Setting the position information of the unit area)
The position acquisition unit 60 of the information processing device 14 calculates the position information of each unit area A in the placement area AR1 based on the detection results of the position and orientation of the reference object PA. Any method for calculating the position information of each unit area A based on the detection results of the position and orientation of the reference object PA may be used, but an example of the calculation method in this embodiment will be described below.

7 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of calculation of position information of a unit area. In this embodiment, the position acquisition unit 60 calculates the position of the unit area A in which the reference object PA is arranged from the position and orientation of the reference object PA. For example, the position (relative position) of the unit area A relative to the position and orientation of the reference object PA is set in advance, and the position acquisition unit 60 calculates the position of the unit area A in which the reference object PA is arranged based on this preset relative position and the detection result of the position and orientation of the reference object PA. When multiple reference objects PA are arranged, the position acquisition unit 60 calculates the position of the unit area A for each unit area A in which the reference object PA is arranged, based on the position and orientation of the reference object PA arranged in the unit area A. For example, in the examples of Figures 6 and 7, the position acquisition unit 60 calculates position information ( _x11 , _{y11) of waypoint WP11 corresponding to unit area A11 based on the position and attitude of reference object PA placed in unit area A11, calculates position information (x15, y15) of waypoint WP15 corresponding to unit area A15 based on the position and attitude of reference object PA placed in unit area A15, calculates position information (x51, y51 ) of waypoint WP51 corresponding to unit area A51 based on} the position and attitude of reference object PA placed in unit area _A51 , and calculates position information ( _x55 , _y55 ) of waypoint _WP11 corresponding to unit area _A55 based _on the position and attitude of reference object PA placed in unit area _A55 .

7, the position acquisition unit 60 calculates the position of each unit area A in the placement area AR1 based on the calculation result of the position of the unit area A in which the reference object PA is placed. In this embodiment, the position acquisition unit 60 calculates the position of each unit area A based on the calculation result of the position of the unit area A in which the reference object PA is placed and the design information of the placement area AR1. For example, the position ( _x12 , _y12 ) of waypoint _WP12 corresponding to unit area _A12 is calculated as a position one length of the unit area A indicated in the design information of the placement area _AR1 away from the position ( _x11 , _y11 ) of waypoint _WP11 toward the position ( _x15 , _y15 ) of waypoint WP15.

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of calculation of the position information of the unit area. As shown in steps S3 and S4 of Figure 8, the position acquisition unit 60 may correct the position of the unit area A at the four corners where the reference object PA is placed so that the area surrounded by the line D connecting the positions of the unit areas A at the four corners where the reference object PA is placed approaches a rectangle. In this case, for example, the position acquisition unit 60 calculates the degree of deviation of the line D connecting the positions of the unit areas A at the four corners where the reference object PA is placed from the outer periphery of the rectangle. Then, if the degree of deviation is less than a predetermined value, the position acquisition unit 60 does not correct the position of the unit area A at the four corners, assuming that the line D is sufficiently rectangular. On the other hand, if the degree of deviation is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the position acquisition unit 60 corrects at least a part of the position of the unit area A at the four corners so that the line D approaches the outer periphery of the rectangle. Any correction method may be used here, but for example, the position acquisition unit 60 may calculate the corrected positions of the unit area A at the four corners so that the amount of deviation (first deviation) between the corrected position of the unit area A at the four corners and the position of the unit area A at the four corners before correction is less than a predetermined value, and the amount of deviation (second deviation) between the line D connecting the corrected positions of the unit area A at the four corners and the periphery of the rectangle is less than a predetermined value. For example, the position acquisition unit 60 may calculate the corrected positions of the unit area A at the four corners by optimization calculation so that the first deviation and the second deviation are as small as possible.

When the position of the unit area A at the four corners is corrected, the corrected position is treated as the position of the unit area A at that corner, and the position of each unit area A within the placement area AR1 is calculated based on the corrected position of the unit area A at the four corners in the same manner as described above.

The position acquisition unit 60 calculates the position information of each unit area A within the placement area AR1 in the above manner. The position acquisition unit 60 updates the position information of each unit area A in the map information from the predicted position information of the unit area A to the calculated position information of each unit area A. As a result, the position information of each unit area A included in the map information becomes highly accurate data set based on the position and orientation of the reference object PA.

(Processing flow)
The process flow for setting the position information of the unit area described above will be described. FIG. 9 is a flowchart for describing the setting of the position information of the unit area. In this embodiment, when setting the position information of the unit area A, the reference object PA is placed in the unit area A at the four corners. Then, as shown in FIG. 9, the information processing device 14 sets a detection path R0 that passes within a predetermined distance range from the unit area A in which the reference object PA is placed by the path setting unit 62 (step S10), and transmits information of the detection path R0 to the moving body 10 (step S12). The moving body 10 moves along the detection path R0, acquires the detection results of the position and orientation of the reference object PA placed in the unit area A at the four corners, and transmits them to the information processing device 14. The information processing device 14 acquires the detection results of the position and orientation of the reference object PA from the moving body 10 (step S14), calculates the position information of the unit area A at the four corners by the position acquisition unit 60 based on the position and orientation of the reference object PA (step S16), and calculates the position information of each unit area A based on the position information of the unit area A at the four corners (step S18). The position information of each unit area A calculated in this manner is set as the position information of each unit area A in the map information.

(Mobile work)
The movement control system 1 executes an operation of moving the moving body 10 toward the unit area A (for example, an operation of transporting the object P to the unit area A, or an operation of transporting the object P from the unit area A) based on the position information of the unit area A in the map information set as described above. A specific description will be given below.

(Setting the destination position)
FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the movement of a moving body to a unit area. The destination position setting unit 40 of the management device 12 sets a destination position to which the moving body 10 is to move. In this embodiment, in order to explain an example in which the moving body 10 moves to a unit area A in the installation area AR1, the destination position setting unit 40 sets a position corresponding to the unit area A to which the moving body 10 is to move as the destination position. For example, the destination position setting unit 40 selects a waypoint WP corresponding to the unit area A to which the moving body 10 is to move and sets it as the destination position. The destination position setting unit 40 may set any unit area A (waypoint WP) in the installation area AR1 as the destination position, and may set the unit area A (waypoint WP) to be the destination position based on, for example, pre-set order information indicating the object P to be transported and the transport source and destination of the object P. In the example of FIG. 10, the unit area A ₁₅ (waypoint WP1 ₅ ) is set as the destination position.

The management device 12 transmits the location information of the set destination location to the information processing device 14. In other words, the location acquisition unit 60 of the information processing device 14 acquires the location information of the destination location set by the destination location setting unit 40 of the management device 12.

(Setting the first route)
The route setting unit 62 of the information processing device 14 sets a first route R1 (layout path) for the moving body 10 based on the position information of the destination position. The route setting unit 62 selects each waypoint WP that connects the origin to the destination position, and sets a route that connects the positions of each of the waypoints WP indicated by the map information as the first route R1. The origin position may be set arbitrarily, and for example, the waypoint WP closest to the position where the moving body 10 starts moving may be set as the origin.

In this embodiment, unit area A of installation area AR1 is set as the destination position. Therefore, based on the position information of the destination position and the position information of each unit area A in the map information, the route setting unit 62 sets a first route R1 (layout path) for the mobile body 10 so that the mobile body 10 passes through the installation area AR1 along the X direction (the direction along the installation line AL) toward the destination position. The route setting unit 62 sets the first route R1 so as to include an outside area section R1A and an approach section R1B.

The outside-area section R1A is a section of the first route R1 that runs from outside the placement area AR1 to the placement area AR1. In the example of this embodiment, the outside-area section R1A is a section from the movement origin outside the placement area AR1 to the boundary position between the outside of the placement area AR1 and the inside of the placement area AR1. The outside-area section R1A preferably includes a section that connects a waypoint WP (waypoint WPE in the example of FIG. 10) located on the opposite side of the X direction to the installation line AL including the destination position, and a waypoint WP (waypoint WP ₁₁ in the example of FIG. 10) located on the opposite side of the X direction included in the installation line AL including the destination position. In addition, the outside-area section R1A preferably also includes a section for the moving body 10 to turn around and switch the rear direction where the fork 24 is provided to the traveling direction.

The approach section R1B is a section of the first route R1 that passes through the arrangement area AR1 along the X direction to reach the destination position. The approach section R1B can also be said to be a section that reaches the position of the unit area A shown in the map information as the destination position. In the example of this embodiment, the approach section R1B is connected to the outside area section R1A. That is, the approach section R1B is a section that connects the end point of the outside area section R1A (the waypoint WP located on the opposite side of the X direction included in the installation line AL including the destination position) to the destination position in the X direction within the installation line AL including the destination position. In the example of FIG. 10, no object P (other object) is located in the unit areas A ₁₁ to A ₁₄ in the installation line AL1, and the destination position is set to a position corresponding to the unit area A ₁₅ in the installation line AL1. Therefore, the approach section R1B is a route that connects the position of waypoint _WP11 shown on the map information, via _WP12 , _WP13 , and _WP14 , to the position of waypoint _WP15 also shown on the map information.

The information processing device 14 transmits information about the set first route R1 to the mobile body 10. That is, the route acquisition unit 80 of the mobile body 10 acquires the information about the first route R1 set by the information processing device 14.

Thus, in this embodiment, the information processing device 14 sets the first route R1, but the entity that sets the first route R1 is not limited to the information processing device 14 and may be any entity. For example, the route acquisition unit 80 of the mobile body 10 may set the first route R1 in a similar manner to that described above.

(Setting the second route)
The route acquisition unit 80 of the moving body 10 sets a second route R2 (global path) based on the first route R1. More specifically, the route setting unit 82 sets the second route R2 based on the first route R1 and information on the vehicle specifications of the moving body 10. Like the first route R1, the second route R2 is also a route that reaches the unit area A, which is the destination position. More specifically, the second route R2 is a route that can be followed by the moving body 10 and that reaches the unit area A, which is the destination position.

The route setting unit 82 sets the second route R2 to include an outside-area section R2A that corresponds to the outside-area section R1A of the first route R1, and an approach section R2B that corresponds to the approach section R1B of the first route R1.

The outside-area section R2A is a section of the second route R2 that extends from a position outside the placement area AR1 toward the placement area AR1. The outside-area section R2A preferably includes a section that connects a waypoint WP (waypoint WPE in the example of FIG. 10) located on the opposite side of the installation line AL including the destination position in the X direction to a waypoint WP (waypoint WP ₁₁ in the example of FIG. 10) located on the most opposite side of the X direction included in the installation line AL including the destination position. In addition, the outside-area section R2A preferably also includes a section for the moving body 10 to turn around and switch the rear direction where the fork 24 is provided to the traveling direction.

The approach section R2B is a section of the second route R2 that passes through the arrangement area AR1 along the X direction to reach the destination position. The approach section R2B can also be said to be a section that reaches the position of the unit area A shown in the map information as the destination position. In the example of this embodiment, the approach section R2B is connected to the outside area section R2A. That is, the approach section R2B is a section that connects the end point of the outside area section R2A to the destination position in the X direction within the installation line AL that includes the destination position. In the example of FIG. 10, the approach section R2B is a route that connects the position of the waypoint WP ₁₁ shown in the map information to the position of the waypoint WP ₁₅ shown in the map information via WP ₁₂ , WP ₁₃ , and WP ₁₄ .

Thus, in this embodiment, the mobile body 10 sets the second route R2, but the entity that sets the second route R2 is not limited to the mobile body 10 and may be any entity. For example, the information processing device 14 may set the second route R2, and the route acquisition unit 80 of the mobile body 10 may acquire information on the second route R2 from the information processing device 14. Also, in this embodiment, the second route R2 is set based on the first route R1, but the method of setting the second route R2 is not limited to this and may be any entity. The second route R2 may be set by any method based on the position information of the destination position and the position information of each unit area A in the map information.

(Movement of moving objects)
The movement control unit 82 of the moving body 10 moves the moving body 10 according to the second route R2, and causes the moving body 10 to reach the destination position, the unit area A. The movement control unit 82 moves the moving body 10 so as to pass through the second route R2 by sequentially grasping the position information of the moving body 10.

(effect)
As described above, in this embodiment, the position and orientation of the reference object PA placed in the unit area A is detected by the mobile body 10, and the position information of each unit area A in the map information is calculated based on the detection result. According to this embodiment, the position of the unit area A is calculated from the position and orientation of the reference object PA placed in the actual unit area A, so that deviation from the actual position is suppressed and the setting accuracy of the position of the unit area A can be improved. Furthermore, because the reference object PA is detected by the mobile body 10, the workload of setting the position of the unit area A can be suppressed.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment will be described. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the position and orientation of the reference object PA are detected multiple times. Descriptions of the configurations of the second embodiment and the first embodiment will be omitted.

In the second embodiment, the detection control unit 84 of the moving body 10 causes the sensor 26A to detect the position and orientation of the reference object PA multiple times, and obtains multiple detection results regarding the position and orientation of the reference object PA. Here, one detection refers to a group of detections from which the position and orientation of the reference object PA can be calculated. That is, for example, when irradiating laser light, the position and orientation of the reference object PA is calculated from a group of points acquired by scanning the laser light, so one detection corresponds to acquiring a group of points for calculating the position and orientation of the reference object PA. The method of detecting the position and orientation of the reference object PA multiple times may be arbitrary, but for example, the position and orientation of the reference object PA may be detected multiple times by having the moving body 10 pass a position within a predetermined range from the reference object PA multiple times and performing detection each time the moving body passes through the position. In addition, the position and orientation of the reference object PA may be detected multiple times while stopping at a position within a predetermined range from the reference object PA.

In the second embodiment, the position acquisition unit 60 of the information processing device 14 calculates the position information of each unit area A in the placement area AR1 based on the multiple detection results of the position and orientation of the reference object PA. For example, the position acquisition unit 60 calculates the position of the unit area A in which the reference object PA is placed based on the multiple detection results of the position and orientation of the reference object PA, and calculates the position information of each unit area A from the position of the unit area A in which the reference object PA is placed. In this case, for example, the position acquisition unit 60 calculates the position of the unit area A in which the reference object PA is placed for each detection result of the reference object PA, and sets the average value or median value of the positions of the unit area A for each detection result as the position of the unit area A. That is, for example, if the reference object PA is detected five times, the position of the unit area A in which the reference object PA is placed is calculated five times, and the average value (or median value) of the calculated values of the positions of each unit area A is set as the position of the unit area A. When multiple reference objects PA are arranged, the position acquisition unit 60 sets the position of each unit area A in which a reference object PA is arranged in a similar manner.

Figure 11 is a graph illustrating another example of the calculation of the position of the unit area in the second embodiment. In the above description, the average value of the positions of the unit area A for each detection result is taken as the position of the unit area A, but this is not limited thereto. Hereinafter, the position of the unit area A calculated from one detection result of the reference object PA will be appropriately described as the estimated position of the unit area. In this example, the position acquisition unit 60 counts the estimated positions of each unit area A and calculates, for each estimated position, the correspondence between the estimated position of the unit area A and the degree of likelihood that the unit area A is calculated to be the estimated position. For example, in Figure 11, a graph is shown showing an example of the correspondence between the estimated position and the degree of likelihood that the unit area A is calculated to be the estimated position (probability density in the example of Figure 11) for a certain unit area A. In this example, the position acquisition unit 60 performs the same process for each of the unit areas A at the four corners to calculate the correspondence between the estimated position and the degree of likelihood for each of the unit areas A at the four corners. In the example of FIG. 11, the probability distribution is treated as the degree of likelihood that the estimated position will be calculated, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the frequency with which the estimated position occurs may be treated as the degree of likelihood that the estimated position will be calculated.

In this example, the position acquisition unit 60 selects, from among the estimated positions of the four corner unit areas A, an estimated position of the four corner unit area A such that the amount of deviation (rectangle deviation) between the area surrounded by the lines connecting the estimated positions of the four corners and the rectangle is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and the possibility of the estimated position being calculated as the estimated position is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. More preferably, the position acquisition unit 60 may select, from among the estimated positions of the four corner unit areas A, an estimated position of the four corner unit area A such that the amount of rectangular deviation is as small as possible, and the possibility of the estimated position being calculated as the estimated position is as high as possible, by optimization calculation. The position acquisition unit 60 sets the selected estimated position of the four corner unit area A as the position of the four corner unit area A. For example, when the unit areas A at the four corners are unit areas _A11 , _A15 , _A51 , and _A55 , the position acquisition unit 60 selects the estimated positions of the unit areas _A11 , _A15 , _A51 , and _A55 from among the estimated positions of the unit areas _A11 , _A15 , _A51 , and _A55 such that the deviation amount (rectangle deviation amount) between the line connecting the estimated positions of the unit areas _A11 , _A15 , _A51 , and A55 and the rectangle is as small as possible and the possibility of calculating the estimated positions is as high as possible, and sets the positions of the unit areas _A11 , _A15 , _A51 , and _A55 . By calculating the positions of the unit areas A _at the four corners in this manner, the calculation accuracy of the positions of the unit areas A can be improved more suitably.

Third Embodiment
Next, a third embodiment will be described. The third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that after setting the position information of the unit area A, the position information of the unit area A is updated based on the detection result of the moving body 10 moving toward the unit area A. In the third embodiment, the description of the parts of the configuration common to the first embodiment will be omitted. The third embodiment can also be applied to the second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing an example of movement of a moving body to a unit area according to the third embodiment. In the third embodiment, after setting the position information of each unit area A in the map information, a route R (first route R1 and second route R2) for the moving body 10 is set in the same manner as in the first embodiment. The moving body 10 moves along the set route R toward the unit area A of the destination position.

Here, the route R of the moving body 10 is set to pass through the installation line AL including the unit area A of the destination position and head toward one unit area A (unit area A of the destination position) in the installation line AL. In other words, the route R of the moving body 10 is set to pass through the position of the unit area A included in the installation line AL set in the map information and head toward the position of the unit area A of the destination position. That is, in the example of Fig. 12, the route R is set to connect the position of the waypoint _WP11 shown in the map information to the position of the waypoint _WP15 shown in the map information via _WP12 , _WP13 , and _WP14 .

In the third embodiment, the detection control unit 84 determines whether the moving body 10 will protrude from the installation line AL on the route R in the Y direction (or the opposite side to the Y direction) while the moving body 10 is moving along the route R (the second route R2 in this example). For example, the detection control unit 84 causes the sensor 26A to detect a boundary (e.g., a white line) on the Y direction side of the installation line AL, and determines whether the moving body 10 will protrude from the installation line AL based on the position of the moving body 10 and the position of the boundary. For example, the detection control unit 84 may determine that the moving body 10 will protrude if the distance between the position of the moving body 10 and the position of the boundary is less than a predetermined distance.

When it is determined that the moving body 10 will protrude from the installation line AL, the detection control unit 84 causes the sensor 26A to detect the position and orientation of the object P placed in the unit area A of the destination position. The detection control unit 84 transmits the detection result of the position and orientation of the object P placed in the unit area A of the destination position to the information processing device 14. Note that the method of detecting the position and orientation of the object P may be the same as the method of detecting the position and orientation of the reference object PA in the first embodiment.

When the position acquisition unit 60 of the information processing device 14 determines that the moving body 10 is going beyond the installation line AL and acquires the detection results of the position and orientation of the object P from the moving body 10, it recalculates the position of the unit area A based on the detection results of the position and orientation of the object P. The position acquisition unit 60 updates the position of the unit area A in the map information to the recalculated position of the unit area A.

For example, the position acquisition unit 60 calculates the position of the unit area A in which the object P is placed based on the detection result of the position and orientation of the object P. The method of calculating the position of the unit area A in which the object P is placed may be arbitrary, but for example, the position (relative position) of the unit area A relative to the position and orientation of the object P is set in advance, and the position acquisition unit 60 calculates the position of the unit area A in which the object P is placed based on this preset relative position and the detection result of the position and orientation of the object P. The position acquisition unit 60 may update only the position of the unit area A in which the object P is placed to a recalculated value. Also, the position acquisition unit 60 may recalculate and update the position of each unit area A on the installation line AL that includes the unit area A based on the recalculated position of the unit area A. Also, for example, the position acquisition unit 60 may recalculate and update the positions of all unit areas A based on the recalculated position of the unit area A.

In this way, in the third embodiment, when the moving body 10 goes beyond the installation line AL, the position of the unit area A in the map information is updated based on the detection result of the actually placed object P. This makes it possible to more appropriately bring the position of the unit area A in the map information closer to the actual position.

(effect)
The method for setting position information according to the first aspect of the present embodiment includes the steps of: arranging a reference object PA used for setting position information in at least one unit area A in an arrangement area AR1 in which unit areas A in which an object P may be arranged are arranged in a first direction (X direction) and a second direction (Y direction) intersecting the first direction; setting a detection path R0 of a moving body 10 that passes within a predetermined distance range from the unit area A in which the reference object PA is arranged; moving a moving body 10 equipped with a sensor 26A capable of detecting the reference object PA along the detection path R0, and detecting the position and attitude of the reference object PA by the sensor 26A; and calculating position information of each unit area A in the arrangement area AR1 based on the position and attitude of the reference object PA. According to the present disclosure, the position of the unit area A is calculated from the position and attitude of the reference object PA arranged in the actual unit area A, thereby suppressing deviation from the actual position and improving the setting accuracy of the position of the unit area A. In addition, since the reference object PA is detected by the moving body 10, the workload of setting the position of the unit area A can be suppressed.

The position information setting method according to the second aspect of this embodiment is the position information setting method according to the first aspect, and further includes a step of acquiring predicted position information of the unit area A in the map information. In the step of setting the detection path R0, the detection path R0 is set based on the predicted position information of the unit area A in which the reference object PA is placed, and in the step of calculating the position information of the unit area A, the position information of the unit area A in the map information is updated from the predicted position to the position information of the unit area A calculated based on the position and orientation of the reference object PA. According to the present disclosure, the position of the unit area A in the map information is updated from the position and orientation of the reference object PA placed in the actual unit area A, so that the setting accuracy of the position of the unit area A in the map information can be improved.

The position information setting method according to the third aspect of this embodiment is the position information setting method according to the first or second aspect, and in the step of placing the reference object PA, the reference object PA is placed in each of the unit areas A located at the four corners of the placement area AR1, and in the step of detecting the position and orientation of the reference object PA, the position and orientation of each of the reference objects PA placed in the unit areas A at the four corners is detected, and in the step of calculating the position information of the unit areas A, the position information of the unit areas A at the four corners is calculated based on the position and orientation of the reference object PA so that the area surrounded by the lines D connecting the positions of the unit areas A at the four corners approaches a rectangle, and the position information of each unit area A in the placement area AR1 is calculated based on the position information of the unit areas A at the four corners. By placing the reference object PA in the unit areas A at the four corners and setting the position of each unit area A from the position of the unit areas A at the four corners, it is possible to calculate the position of each unit area A with higher accuracy.

The position information setting method according to the fourth aspect of this embodiment is the position information setting method according to the third aspect, and in the step of detecting the position and orientation of the reference object PA, the position and orientation of each of the reference objects PA is detected multiple times, and in the step of calculating the position information of the unit area A, the position information of the unit area A at the four corners is calculated based on the multiple detection results of each of the reference objects PA. By detecting the reference object PA multiple times, it is possible to calculate the position of the unit area A with higher accuracy.

The position information setting method according to the fifth aspect of this embodiment is the position information setting method according to the fourth aspect, and in the step of calculating the position information of the unit area A, for each of the four corner unit areas A, an estimated position of the unit area A is calculated for each of the multiple detection results of the reference object PA, and from among the estimated positions of the four corner unit areas A, an estimated position of the four corner unit area A is selected that minimizes the amount of deviation between the area surrounded by lines connecting the estimated positions of the four corner unit areas A and the rectangle, and that is most likely to be calculated as that estimated position, and the selected estimated position is set as the position of the four corner unit area A. By calculating the positions of the four corner unit areas A in this manner, the calculation accuracy of the position of the unit area A can be more suitably improved.

The method for setting position information according to the sixth aspect of the present embodiment is a method for setting position information according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, and further includes the steps of: setting a route R passing through the installation line AL, which is an area in which the unit areas A are arranged in a first direction, and heading toward one unit area A within the installation line AL, based on the position information of the unit area A; moving the moving body 10 along the route R; and, when it is determined that the moving body 10 moving along the route R protrudes from the installation line AL to the second direction side, detecting the position and orientation of the object P placed in the unit area A by the sensor 26A mounted on the moving body 10. In the step of calculating the position information of the unit area A, the position information of the unit area A is updated based on the detection result of the position and orientation of the object P. According to the present disclosure, the position of the unit area A in the map information can be more suitably brought closer to the actual position.

The program according to the seventh aspect of this embodiment causes a computer to set position information of unit areas A in an arrangement area AR1 in which unit areas A, in which an object P may be placed, are arranged in a first direction and a second direction. A reference object PA used for setting the position information is placed in at least one unit area A in the arrangement area AR1. This program causes a computer to execute the steps of: setting a detection path R0 for a moving body 10 that passes within a predetermined distance range from the unit area A in which the reference object PA is placed; moving the moving body 10 equipped with a sensor 26A capable of detecting the reference object PA along the detection path R0 and detecting the position and orientation of the reference object PA by the sensor 26A; and calculating position information of each unit area A in the arrangement area AR1 based on the position and orientation of the reference object PA. According to the present disclosure, the accuracy of setting the position of the unit area A can be improved.

The information processing device 14 according to the eighth aspect of this embodiment sets position information of a unit area A in an arrangement area AR1 in which unit areas A in which an object P may be arranged are arranged in a first direction and a second direction. A reference object PA used for setting the position information is arranged in at least one unit area A in the arrangement area AR1. The information processing device 14 includes a path setting unit 62 that sets a detection path R0 of the moving body 10 that passes within a predetermined distance range from the unit area A in which the reference object PA is arranged, a detection result acquisition unit 64 that acquires the position and attitude of the reference object PA detected by the moving body 10 equipped with a sensor 26A capable of detecting the reference object PA while moving along the detection path R0, and a position acquisition unit 60 that calculates position information of each unit area A in the arrangement area AR1 based on the position and attitude of the reference object PA. According to the present disclosure, the accuracy of setting the position of the unit area A can be improved.

Although the embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above, the embodiment is not limited to the contents of this embodiment. The above-mentioned components include those that a person skilled in the art can easily imagine, those that are substantially the same, and those that are within the so-called equivalent range. Furthermore, the above-mentioned components can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the components can be made without departing from the spirit of the above-mentioned embodiment.

10 Mobile body 12 Management device 14 Information processing device A Unit area AL Installation line AR1 Installation area P Object PA Reference object R0 Detection route WP Waypoint

Claims (8)

A step of placing a reference object used for setting position information in at least one unit area in a placement area in which unit areas in which an object may be placed are arranged in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction;
setting a detection path of a moving object that passes within a predetermined distance range from a unit area in which the reference object is disposed;
a step of moving the moving body, which is equipped with a sensor capable of detecting the reference object, along the detection path and detecting a position and orientation of the reference object by the sensor;
calculating position information of each of the unit areas within the placement area based on the position and orientation of the reference object;
Including,
How to set location information. The method further includes a step of obtaining predicted position information of the unit area in map information;
In the step of setting the detection path, the detection path is set based on predicted position information of a unit area in which the reference object is arranged;
2. The position information setting method according to claim 1, wherein in the step of calculating the position information of the unit area, the position information of the unit area in the map information is updated from the predicted position information to position information of the unit area calculated based on the position and orientation of the reference object. In the step of placing the reference object, the reference object is placed in each of the unit areas located at four corners of the placement area;
In the step of detecting the positions and orientations of the reference objects, the positions and orientations of the reference objects arranged in the unit areas at the four corners are detected;
3. The method for setting position information according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein in the step of calculating the position information of the unit area, the position information of the unit area of the four corners is calculated based on the position and orientation of the reference object so that an area surrounded by lines connecting the positions of the unit areas of the four corners approaches a rectangle, and the position information of each of the unit areas within the placement area is calculated based on the position information of the unit areas of the four corners. In the step of detecting the positions and orientations of the reference objects, the positions and orientations of the reference objects are detected a plurality of times;
4. The position information setting method according to claim 3, wherein in the step of calculating the position information of the unit area, the position information of the unit areas at the four corners is calculated based on a plurality of detection results for each of the reference objects. In the step of calculating position information of the unit area,
For each of the four corner unit areas, an estimated position of the unit area is calculated for each of the multiple detection results of the reference object;
5. The method for setting position information according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of: selecting, from among the estimated positions of the four corner unit areas, an estimated position of the four corner unit area that minimizes the amount of deviation between an area surrounded by lines connecting the estimated positions of the four corner unit areas and the rectangle and that maximizes the possibility of calculating that estimated position; and setting the selected estimated position as the position of the four corner unit area. setting a route toward one of the unit areas within an installation line, the route passing through an installation line that is an area in which the unit areas are arranged in the first direction, based on position information of the unit areas;
moving a moving object along the path;
When it is determined that the moving body moving along the route protrudes from the installation line toward the second direction side, detecting the position and orientation of the target object arranged in the unit area by a sensor mounted on the moving body;
Further comprising:
3. The position information setting method according to claim 1, wherein in the step of calculating the position information of the unit area, the position information of the unit area is updated based on a detection result of the position and orientation of the target object. A program for causing a computer to set position information of a unit area in which a target object may be placed, the unit area being arranged in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction, the program comprising:
a reference object used for setting position information is placed in at least one of the unit areas in the placement area;
setting a detection path of a moving object that passes within a predetermined distance range from a unit area in which the reference object is disposed;
a step of moving the moving body, which is equipped with a sensor capable of detecting the reference object, along the detection path and detecting a position and orientation of the reference object by the sensor;
calculating position information of each of the unit areas within the placement area based on the position and orientation of the reference object;
to cause a computer to execute
program. An information processing device that sets position information of a unit area in which an object may be placed, the unit area being arranged in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction, the information processing device comprising:
a reference object used for setting position information is placed in at least one of the unit areas in the placement area;
a path setting unit that sets a detection path of a moving object that passes within a predetermined distance range from the unit area in which the reference object is disposed;
a detection result acquisition unit that acquires a position and an orientation of the reference object detected by the moving body, which is equipped with a sensor capable of detecting the reference object, while the moving body moves along the detection path;
a position acquisition unit that calculates position information of each of the unit areas within the placement area based on the position and orientation of the reference object;
Including,
Information processing device.

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