Travel control method, travel control device, and mobile robot for mobile robot systems
First Claim
1. A travel control method for a mobile robot system comprising a plurality of mobile robots, a control station for controlling said mobile robots and radio communication apparatus for communicating between each of said mobile robots and said control station, each of said mobile robots having a map memory for storing travel map information, means for determining a best travel route to a destination based on said travel map information, and at least one sensor mounted on each of said mobile robots for detecting said best travel route, said travel control method comprising the steps of:
- designating by means of said control station a destination for each of said mobile robots;
communicating said destinations to said mobile robots via said radio communication apparatus;
determining within each of said mobile robots said best travel route based no said travel map information read out from said map memory when said designation has ben designated by said control station;
transmitting from each of said mobile robots to said control station a request to reserve each position on said best travel route determined by said mobile robot;
reserving in said control station said best travel route for each of said mobile robots based on said reservation request from said each of said mobile robots; and
moving each of said mobile robots automatically along said reserved best travel route, each of said mobile robots detecting said best travel route by the at least one sensor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A plurality of mobile robots forming part of a travel control system are controlled by a travel control station. The travel control station directs each of the mobile robots to a destination where it performs selected operations. The robot, in response to instructions from the travel control station, searches the route selected by the travel control station and sends the results of the search to the control station. The travel control station, upon receipt of this information, determines whether or not the travel path searched by the mobile robot is already reserved by another other mobile robot as indicated by data stored in a reservation table. If the path is available, the control station transmits a reservation completion signal to the mobile robot. The mobile robot then travels automatically along the reserved travel path. In addition, when the travel of a given mobile robot is interfered with by other mobile robots, the travel control station directs the given robot to wait or to take an alternate route according to the situation, or directs the interfering mobile robots to halt their travel.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. A travel control method for a mobile robot system comprising a plurality of mobile robots, a control station for controlling said mobile robots and radio communication apparatus for communicating between each of said mobile robots and said control station, each of said mobile robots having a map memory for storing travel map information, means for determining a best travel route to a destination based on said travel map information, and at least one sensor mounted on each of said mobile robots for detecting said best travel route, said travel control method comprising the steps of:
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designating by means of said control station a destination for each of said mobile robots; communicating said destinations to said mobile robots via said radio communication apparatus; determining within each of said mobile robots said best travel route based no said travel map information read out from said map memory when said designation has ben designated by said control station; transmitting from each of said mobile robots to said control station a request to reserve each position on said best travel route determined by said mobile robot; reserving in said control station said best travel route for each of said mobile robots based on said reservation request from said each of said mobile robots; and moving each of said mobile robots automatically along said reserved best travel route, each of said mobile robots detecting said best travel route by the at least one sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A travel control system for controlling the motion of a plurality of mobile robots, said system comprising:
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a control station including; (a) means for indicating the destination of each mobile robot; (b) means for reserving a travel route for each mobile robot; (c) means for transmitting to each mobile robot the travel routes of other mobile robots, position data indicative of the present position of other mobile robots and condition data indicative of the present condition of other mobile robots; (d) a collision table storing the positions of nodes at which a collision between mobile robots may occur; and (e) approach prohibition means for receiving travel route information from said mobile robots, reaching nodes stored in said collision table corresponding to the same travel route, and prohibiting the approach of other said mobile robots to said node; and in which each mobile robot comprises; (a) means for searching for the route indicated by the control station and sending information indicative of the route to the control station; (b) automatic travel means for traveling automatically along the found travel route; (c) travel data information means for informing the control station of position data indicating the present position of the mobile robot along the travel route and condition data indicating the present condition of the mobile robot; and (d) travel data memory means for writing the travel route of other mobile robots, position data indicating the present position of said other mobile robots and condition data indicating the present condition of said other mobile robots.
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Specification