Autonomous Mobile Robot System

• US 20090062974A1
• Filed: 08/22/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tamamoto, Junichi, Hosoda, Yuji
• Application Number:
  US12/196,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20090062974A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/25
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0295 by at least one leading vehicle of the fleet

Abstract

An autonomous mobile robot system having plural mobile robots and integrative planning means to plan the moving zone of the plural mobile robots, wherein: the integrative planning means is installed on the plural mobile robots including a main mobile robot to travel autonomously and a subordinate mobile robot to travel on the basis of the instructions of the main mobile robot; and each of the plural mobile robots is provided with, at least, measurement means to measure the situation of ambient environment, communication means to communicate between the integrative planning means and the other mobile robot, main device position recognition means to recognize the position of the mobile robot, subordinate device position recognition means to recognize the position of the other mobile robot, travel planning means to plan travel routes of the mobile robot and the other mobile robot, and travel control means to control a drive mechanism in accordance with the travel planning means. A guided vehicle and a truck or the like can travel autonomously and cooperatively while obtaining information on ambient environment without mechanical connection and can automatically be separated from and merged with each other.

Claims

1. An autonomous mobile robot system having plural mobile robots and integrative planning means to plan the moving zone of the plural mobile robots, wherein:

the integrative planning means is installed on the plural mobile robots including a main mobile robot to travel autonomously and a subordinate mobile robot to travel on the basis of the instructions of the main mobile robot; and

each of the plural mobile robots is provided with, at least, measurement means to measure the situation of ambient environment, communication means to communicate between the integrative planning means and the other mobile robot, main device position recognition means to recognize the position of the mobile robot, subordinate device position recognition means to recognize the position of the other mobile robot, travel planning means to plan travel routes of the mobile robot and the other mobile robot, and travel control means to control a drive mechanism in accordance with the travel planning means.

5. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile robot is provided with a plurality of measurement means to measure the situation of ambient environment.

9. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 1,

wherein:

the main mobile robot is provided with a plurality of measurement means to measure the situation of ambient environment; and

the subordinate mobile robot is provided with identification means to show a device number recognized by the measurement means.

13. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 1,

wherein:

the main mobile robot is provided with a plurality of measurement means to measure the situation of ambient environment; and

the subordinate mobile robot is provided with measurement means to measure at least a kind of the situation of ambient environment and identification means to show a device number recognized by the measurement means of the main mobile robot.

17. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the measurement means is measurement means to measure the distance from the ambient environment in the form of distribution by scanning.

21. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the measurement means is measurement means to measure the distance from ambient environment in the form of distribution by scanning.

25. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the measurement means is measurement means to measure the distance from ambient environment in the form of distribution by scanning.

29. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the measurement means is measurement means to measure the distance from ambient environment in the form of distribution by scanning.

33. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 1,

wherein:

the subordinate device position recognition means of the main mobile robot recognizes the positions of the plural subordinate mobile robots; and

the travel planning means of the main mobile robot is travel planning means to plan the travel routes of the plural subordinate mobile robots.

37. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 5,

wherein:

the subordinate device position recognition means of the main mobile robot recognizes the positions of the plural subordinate mobile robots; and

the travel planning means of the main mobile robot is travel planning means to plan the travel routes of the plural subordinate mobile robots.

41. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 9,

wherein:

the subordinate device position recognition means of the main mobile robot recognizes the positions of the plural subordinate mobile robots; and

the travel planning means of the main mobile robot is travel planning means to plan the travel routes of the plural subordinate mobile robots.

45. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 13,

wherein:

the subordinate device position recognition means of the main mobile robot recognizes the positions of the plural subordinate mobile robots; and

the travel planning means of the main mobile robot is travel planning means to plan the travel routes of the plural subordinate mobile robots.

49. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 17,

wherein:

the subordinate device position recognition means of the main mobile robot recognizes the positions of the plural subordinate mobile robots; and

the travel planning means of the main mobile robot is travel planning means to plan the travel routes of the plural subordinate mobile robots.

2. An autonomous mobile robot system having plural mobile robots and integrative planning means to plan the moving zone of the plural mobile robots,

wherein:

the plural mobile robots include a main mobile robot to travel autonomously and a subordinate mobile robot to travel on the basis of the instructions of the main mobile robot;

the main mobile robot is provided with, at least, measurement means to measure the situation of ambient environment, communication means to communicate between the integrative planning means and the subordinate mobile robot, main device position recognition means to recognize the position of the main mobile robot, subordinate device position recognition means to recognize the position of the subordinate mobile robot, travel planning means to plan travel routes of the main mobile robot and the subordinate mobile robot, and travel control means to control a drive mechanism in accordance with the travel planning means; and

the subordinate mobile robot is provided with, at least, communication means to communicate between the integrative planning means and the main mobile robot, and travel control means to control a drive mechanism in accordance with the travel planning means of the main mobile robot.

6. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 2, wherein the mobile robot is provided with a plurality of measurement means to measure the situation of ambient environment.

10. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 2,

wherein:

the main mobile robot is provided with a plurality of measurement means to measure the situation of ambient environment; and

the subordinate mobile robot is provided with identification means to show a device number recognized by the measurement means.

14. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 2,

wherein:

the main mobile robot is provided with a plurality of measurement means to measure the situation of ambient environment; and

the subordinate mobile robot is provided with measurement means to measure at least a kind of the situation of ambient environment and identification means to show a device number recognized by the measurement means of the main mobile robot.

18. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the measurement means is measurement means to measure the distance from the ambient environment in the form of distribution by scanning.

22. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the measurement means is measurement means to measure the distance from ambient environment in the form of distribution by scanning.

26. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the measurement means is measurement means to measure the distance from ambient environment in the form of distribution by scanning.

30. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the measurement means is measurement means to measure the distance from ambient environment in the form of distribution by scanning.

34. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 2,

wherein:

the subordinate device position recognition means of the main mobile robot recognizes the positions of the plural subordinate mobile robots; and

the travel planning means of the main mobile robot is travel planning means to plan the travel routes of the plural subordinate mobile robots.

38. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 6,

wherein:

the subordinate device position recognition means of the main mobile robot recognizes the positions of the plural subordinate mobile robots; and

the travel planning means of the main mobile robot is travel planning means to plan the travel routes of the plural subordinate mobile robots.

42. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 10,

wherein:

the subordinate device position recognition means of the main mobile robot recognizes the positions of the plural subordinate mobile robots; and

the travel planning means of the main mobile robot is travel planning means to plan the travel routes of the plural subordinate mobile robots.

46. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 14,

wherein:

the subordinate device position recognition means of the main mobile robot recognizes the positions of the plural subordinate mobile robots; and

the travel planning means of the main mobile robot is travel planning means to plan the travel routes of the plural subordinate mobile robots.

50. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 18,

wherein:

the subordinate device position recognition means of the main mobile robot recognizes the positions of the plural subordinate mobile robots; and

the travel planning means of the main mobile robot is travel planning means to plan the travel routes of the plural subordinate mobile robots.

3. An autonomous mobile robot system having plural mobile robots and integrative planning means to plan the moving zone of the plural mobile robots,

wherein:

the integrative planning means is installed on the plural mobile robots including a main mobile robot to travel autonomously and a subordinate mobile robot to cooperatively travel on the basis of the instructions of the main mobile robot;

each of the plural mobile robots is provided with measurement means to measure the situation of ambient environment, communication means to communicate between the integrative planning means and the other mobile robot, main device position recognition means to recognize the position of the main mobile robot, subordinate device position recognition means to recognize the position of the subordinate mobile robot, travel planning means to plan travel routes of the main mobile robot and the subordinate mobile robot, and travel control means to control a drive mechanism in accordance with the travel planning means; and

the subordinate mobile robot is designated to be changed to a main mobile robot by the instructions of the integrative planning means and travels autonomously when the subordinate mobile robot is separated from the interlocked main mobile robot and travels.

7. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 3, wherein the mobile robot is provided with a plurality of measurement means to measure the situation of ambient environment.

11. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 3,

wherein:

the main mobile robot is provided with a plurality of measurement means to measure the situation of ambient environment; and

the subordinate mobile robot is provided with identification means to show a device number recognized by the measurement means.

15. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 3,

wherein:

the main mobile robot is provided with a plurality of measurement means to measure the situation of ambient environment; and

the subordinate mobile robot is provided with measurement means to measure at least a kind of the situation of ambient environment and identification means to show a device number recognized by the measurement means of the main mobile robot.

19. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the measurement means is measurement means to measure the distance from the ambient environment in the form of distribution by scanning.

23. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the measurement means is measurement means to measure the distance from ambient environment in the form of distribution by scanning.

27. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the measurement means is measurement means to measure the distance from ambient environment in the form of distribution by scanning.

31. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 15, wherein at least one of the measurement means is measurement means to measure the distance from ambient environment in the form of distribution by scanning.

35. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 3,

wherein:

the subordinate device position recognition means of the main mobile robot recognizes the positions of the plural subordinate mobile robots; and

the travel planning means of the main mobile robot is travel planning means to plan the travel routes of the plural subordinate mobile robots.

39. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 7,

wherein:

the subordinate device position recognition means of the main mobile robot recognizes the positions of the plural subordinate mobile robots; and

the travel planning means of the main mobile robot is travel planning means to plan the travel routes of the plural subordinate mobile robots.

43. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 11,

wherein:

the subordinate device position recognition means of the main mobile robot recognizes the positions of the plural subordinate mobile robots; and

the travel planning means of the main mobile robot is travel planning means to plan the travel routes of the plural subordinate mobile robots.

47. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 15,

wherein:

the subordinate device position recognition means of the main mobile robot recognizes the positions of the plural subordinate mobile robots; and

the travel planning means of the main mobile robot is travel planning means to plan the travel routes of the plural subordinate mobile robots.

51. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 19,

wherein:

the subordinate device position recognition means of the main mobile robot recognizes the positions of the plural subordinate mobile robots; and

the travel planning means of the main mobile robot is travel planning means to plan the travel routes of the plural subordinate mobile robots.

4. An autonomous mobile robot system having plural mobile robots and integrative planning means to plan the moving zone of the plural mobile robots,

wherein:

the integrative planning means is installed on the plural mobile robots including a main mobile robot to travel autonomously and a subordinate mobile robot to travel on the basis of the instructions of the main mobile robot;

each of the plural mobile robots is provided with measurement means to measure the situation of ambient environment, communication means to communicate between the integrative planning means and the other mobile robot, main device position recognition means to recognize the position of the main mobile robot, subordinate device position recognition means to recognize the position of the subordinate mobile robot, travel planning means to plan travel routes of the main mobile robot and the subordinate mobile robot, and travel control means to control a drive mechanism in accordance with the travel planning means; and

when the travel route along which the main mobile robot travels merges with another travel route, the main mobile robot is designated to be changed to a subordinate mobile robot by the instructions of the integrative planning means and cooperatively travels after merger by the instructions of another main mobile robot located on the other travel route.

8. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 4, wherein the mobile robot is provided with a plurality of measurement means to measure the situation of ambient environment.

12. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 4,

wherein:

the main mobile robot is provided with a plurality of measurement means to measure the situation of ambient environment; and

the subordinate mobile robot is provided with identification means to show a device number recognized by the measurement means.

16. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 4,

wherein:

the main mobile robot is provided with a plurality of measurement means to measure the situation of ambient environment; and

the subordinate mobile robot is provided with measurement means to measure at least a kind of the situation of ambient environment and identification means to show a device number recognized by the measurement means of the main mobile robot.

20. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the measurement means is measurement means to measure the distance from the ambient environment in the form of distribution by scanning.

24. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the measurement means is measurement means to measure the distance from ambient environment in the form of distribution by scanning.

28. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the measurement means is measurement means to measure the distance from ambient environment in the form of distribution by scanning.

32. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the measurement means is measurement means to measure the distance from ambient environment in the form of distribution by scanning.

36. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 4,

wherein:

the subordinate device position recognition means of the main mobile robot recognizes the positions of the plural subordinate mobile robots; and

the travel planning means of the main mobile robot is travel planning means to plan the travel routes of the plural subordinate mobile robots.

40. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 8,

wherein:

the subordinate device position recognition means of the main mobile robot recognizes the positions of the plural subordinate mobile robots; and

the travel planning means of the main mobile robot is travel planning means to plan the travel routes of the plural subordinate mobile robots.

44. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 12,

wherein:

the subordinate device position recognition means of the main mobile robot recognizes the positions of the plural subordinate mobile robots; and

the travel planning means of the main mobile robot is travel planning means to plan the travel routes of the plural subordinate mobile robots.

48. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 16,

wherein:

the subordinate device position recognition means of the main mobile robot recognizes the positions of the plural subordinate mobile robots; and

the travel planning means of the main mobile robot is travel planning means to plan the travel routes of the plural subordinate mobile robots.

52. The autonomous mobile robot system according to claim 20,

wherein:

the subordinate device position recognition means of the main mobile robot recognizes the positions of the plural subordinate mobile robots; and

the travel planning means of the main mobile robot is travel planning means to plan the travel routes of the plural subordinate mobile robots.

53. A method for controlling plural autonomous mobile robots by integrative planning means to plan the moving zone of the plural mobile robots,

wherein:

the integrative planning means designates the plural mobile robots as a main mobile robot to travel autonomously and a subordinate mobile robot to travel on the basis of the instructions of the main mobile robot;

each of the plural mobile robots recognizes the positions of the mobile robot and the other mobile robot by measuring the situation of ambient environment and plans the travel routes of the mobile robot and the other mobile robot; and

the main and subordinate mobile robots cooperatively travel along the travel routes on the basis of the instructions of the main mobile robot designated by the integrative planning means.

54. A method for controlling plural autonomous mobile robots by integrative planning means to plan the moving zone of the plural mobile robots,

wherein:

the plural mobile robots include a main mobile robot to travel autonomously and a subordinate mobile robot to travel on the basis of the instructions of the main mobile robot;

the main mobile robot recognizes the positions of the main mobile robot and the subordinate mobile robot by measuring the situation of ambient environment and plans the travel routes of the main mobile robot and the subordinate mobile robot; and

the subordinate mobile robot travels cooperatively with the main mobile robot along the travel routes planned on the basis of the instructions of the main mobile robot.

55. A method for controlling plural autonomous mobile robots by integrative planning means to plan the moving zone of the plural mobile robots,

wherein:

the integrative planning means designates the plural mobile robots as a main mobile robot to travel autonomously and a subordinate mobile robot to travel on the basis of the instructions of the main mobile robot;

each of the plural mobile robots recognizes the positions of the mobile robot and the other mobile robot by measuring the situation of ambient environment and plans the travel routes of the mobile robot and the other mobile robot;

the main and subordinate mobile robots cooperatively travel along the travel routes on the basis of the instructions of the main mobile robot designated by the integrative planning means; and

when the subordinate mobile robot is separated from the cooperative travel and travels, the subordinate mobile robot is designated to be changed to a main mobile robot and travels autonomously by the instructions of the integrative planning means.