AUTONOMOUS MOVING OBJECT

• US 20170017237A1
• Filed: 04/03/2014
• Published: 01/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: TOKUYAMA, Mikio, YAMAMOTO, Kenjiro, IIMURA, Taiki, AMINO, Azusa
• Granted Patent: US 10,365,657 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means

Abstract

An environment information acquisition unit acquires a signal state of a traffic light. A self-position estimation unit estimates a self-position of the autonomous moving object. A traveling route decision unit calculates a first time necessary to move along a first route from the self-position to an end point of a crosswalk and a second time necessary to move along a second route from the self-point to a start point of the crosswalk in a case in which the signal state is changed from blue to red on the crosswalk after a predetermined time or in a case in which the signal state is changed from blue to red, and selects a route corresponding to a time smaller between the first time and the second time. A vehicle control unit controls autonomous movement of the autonomous moving object so that the autonomous moving object moves along the selected route.

Claims

1. An autonomous moving object comprising:

an environment information acquisition unit that acquires a signal state of a traffic light;

a self-position estimation unit that estimates a self-position of the autonomous moving object;

a traveling route decision unit that calculates a first time necessary to move along a first route from the self-position to an end point of a crosswalk and a second time necessary to move along a second route from the self-point to a start point of the crosswalk in a case in which the signal state is changed from blue to red on the crosswalk after a predetermined time or in a case in which the signal state is changed from blue to red, and selects a route corresponding to a time smaller between the first time and the second time; and

a vehicle control unit that controls autonomous movement of the autonomous moving object so that the autonomous moving object moves along the selected route.

2. The autonomous moving object according to claim 1,

wherein the traveling route decision unit selects the route corresponding to the time smaller between the first time and the second time for each self-position varying over time.

3. The autonomous moving object according to claim 1, further comprising:

a speed decision unit that decides a speed so that a speed of the autonomous moving object increases in the case in which the signal state is changed from blue to red on the crosswalk after the predetermined time or in the case in which the signal state is changed from blue to red

wherein the vehicle control unit controls the autonomous movement of the autonomous moving object so that the autonomous moving object moves along the selected route at the decided speed.

4. The autonomous moving object according to claim 1, further comprising:

an obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle,

wherein the traveling route decision unit selects a route to avoid the obstacle.

5. The autonomous moving object according to claim 4,

wherein the traveling route decision unit calculates a degree of risk indicating easiness of touch between the detected obstacle and the autonomous moving object and selects a route in which the calculated degree of risk is minimum.

6. The autonomous moving object according to claim 5,

wherein the degree of risk is a number of approaches to the detected obstacle and the route.

7. The autonomous moving object according to claim 1,

wherein the traveling route decision unit selects a route in which the autonomous moving object is able to arrive at the start point or the end point of the crosswalk within a time in which the signal state is changed to red in the case in which the signal state is changed from blue to red on the crosswalk after the predetermined time.

8. The autonomous moving object according to claim 1,

wherein the traveling route decision unit selects a route which is not outside of the crosswalk.

9. The autonomous moving object according to claim 1,

wherein the traveling route decision unit selects a route closest to a straight line connecting the start point and the end point of the crosswalk.