Target object detection server

• US 20090146795A1
• Filed: 12/05/2008
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Saito, Yoko, Ogawa, Naohide, Matsumoto, Satoki
• Granted Patent: US 8,466,777 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.500
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A target object detection server is a detection server which communicates by wireless to a detector which detects whether or not a target object exists within a surrounding area of the detector by means of a detection tag mounted on the target object. Furthermore, the target object detection server connects through a network with one or more receivers which are arranged in a surrounding area of the target object, and receives a radio wave transmitted from the detection tag. According to the target object detection server mentioned above, it is possible to increase reliability for detecting the target object more accurately.

Claims

1. A target object detection server for:

communicating wirelessly to a detector which detects by using a detection tag mounted on a target object whether or not the target object exists in a surrounding area of the detector, and

connecting through a network with one or more receivers which are arranged in a surrounding area of the target object and receive a radio wave transmitted from the detection tag,

the target object detection server comprising;

a receiver information acquiring unit which obtains information associated with an receiver ID for identifying the receiver;

the information including at least the tag identification number, electric field strength, and a reception time, by transmitting the information from the receiver, if the receiver receives a radio wave transmitted from the detection tag;

a radio wave including information on the tag identification number for identifying the detection tag,

a target position acquiring unit which obtains information on a target object position indicating where the target object is, based on receiver information obtained by the receiver information acquiring unit, and an arrangement position of the receiver which is associated beforehand with the receiver ID, and

a target position transmitter for transmitting to the detector the information on the target object position obtained through the target position acquiring unit.

2. The target object detection server according to claim 1, wherein the detector comprises:

a tag identification number storing unit which stores the tag identification number included in the radio wave transmitted from the detection tag, when the detector receives the transmitted radio wave, and

a transmitted radio wave notice signal transmitter which transmits a notice signal indicating that the transmitted radio wave is received, to the target object detection server,

the target object detection server comprising;

a transmitted radio wave notice signal receiver which receives the notice signal of receiving the radio wave transmitted from the transmitted radio wave notice signal transmitter,

a task data storing unit which stores a task in which the tag identification number of the detection tag mounted on the target object is associated beforehand with a motion which the detector executes for the target object,

a determination unit for determining whether or not the tag identification number of the detection tag mounted on the target object is identical with the tag identification number associated with a task stored in the task data storing unit, through the notice signal of receiving the detection tag transmitted radio wave;

the notice signal which is received by the detection tag transmitted radio wave notice signal receiver, and

a deletion instruction unit which instructs the detector to delete the tag identification number included in the associated transmitted radio wave, from the tag identification number storing unit, if the determination unit determines that both the tag identification numbers are not identical with each other.

3. The target object detection server according to claim 1, wherein the detector is

an autonomous mobile robot, the target object detection server further comprising:

a task data storing unit which stores a task in which the tag identification number of the detection tag mounted on the target object is associated beforehand with a motion which the detector executes for the target object, and

a traveling control unit which instructs the mobile robot to travel toward a target object, if the tag identification number associated with the task stored in the task data storing unit is identical with the tag identification number included in the receiver information, when the mobile robot can not receive the radio wave transmitted from the detection tag and only the receiver can detect the transmitted radio wave.

4. The target object detection server according to claim 1, wherein the detector is an autonomous mobile robot and a plurality of the mobile robots are provided, the target object detection server further comprising:

a task data storing unit which stores a task in which the tag identification number of the detection tag mounted on the target object is associated beforehand with a motion which the detector executes for the target object, and

a current position acquiring unit which obtains information on a current position of each mobile robot,

an inquiring unit which obtains a reply by inquiring of each mobile robot whether the mobile robot is executing a task or on standby, and

a traveling control unit which instructs one or a plurality of the mobile robots among the mobile robots to travel to the target object, based on the information on the target object position obtained by the target position acquiring unit, the information on the current position of the mobile robot obtained by the current position acquiring unit, and the notification obtained by the inquiring unit.