Automotive movable body, movable body control method and computer program

• US 20050234610A1
• Filed: 04/07/2005
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Shimizu, Akio, Hirose, Tatsuya, Tokumaru, Tomoyoshi
• Application Number:
  US11/100,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20050234610A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2201/0208 Lawn mower
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2201/0215 Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

Provided are: an automotive movable body capable of moving to an entire area surrounded by a wall excluding an area where an obstacle exists no matter what shape an obstacle existing within the area has; a movable body control method; and a recording medium storing a computer program. An automotive movable body for which moving algorithm is specified moves toward an object detected at the time of start of moving and judges whether the distance to the object is shorter than a predetermined value or not. When it is judged that the distance is shorter than a predetermined value, the body moves a first distance along the object, then moves a second distance in a direction intersecting the segment connecting the position before moving with the position after moving, and then moves toward the position where moving of the second distance is started after turning around at approximately 180°.

Claims

1. An automotive movable body comprising:

a driven wheel;

an actuator for driving the driven wheel;

a sensor for detecting an object which exists in the vicinity;

a control unit for controlling an operation of the driven wheel according to a detection result of the sensor; and

a moved distance calculating unit for calculating a moved distance from a moving starting position,

the control unit comprising;

first driving signal outputting means for outputting to the actuator a driving signal capable of causing the body to move along an object;

first judging means for judging whether the distance calculated by the moved distance calculating unit is up to a first distance or not;

second driving signal outputting means for outputting to the actuator a driving signal capable of causing the body to move in a direction which intersects with a segment connecting a position before moving with a position after moving, when the first judging means judges that the distance is up to the first distance;

second judging means for judging whether the distance calculated by the moved distance calculating unit is up to a second distance or not; and

third driving signal outputting means for outputting to the actuator a driving signal capable of causing the body to turn around at approximately 180°

, when the second judging means judges that the distance is up to the second distance or when the sensor detects an object.

2. The automotive movable body according to claim 1, further comprising:

fourth driving signal outputting means for outputting to the actuator a driving signal capable of causing the body to move toward an object detected by the sensor after moving is started;

distance calculating means for calculating a distance to a detected object, when the sensor detects the object; and

third judging means for judging whether the distance calculated by the distance calculating means is shorter than a predetermined value or not.

3. An automotive movable body comprising:

a driven wheel;

an actuator for driving the driven wheel;

a sensor for detecting an object which exists in the vicinity;

a control unit for controlling an operation of the driven wheel according to a detection result of the sensor; and

a moved distance calculating unit for calculating a moved distance from a moving starting position,

the control unit comprising a processor capable of performing the following operations of

outputting to the actuator a driving signal capable of causing the body to move along an object;

judging whether the distance calculated by the moved distance calculating unit is up to a first distance or not;

outputting to the actuator a driving signal capable of causing the body to move in a direction which intersects with a segment connecting a position before moving with a position after moving, when it is judged that the distance is up to the first distance;

judging whether the distance calculated by the moved distance calculating unit is up to a second distance or not; and

outputting to the actuator a driving signal capable of causing the body to turn around at approximately 180°

, when it is judged that the distance is up to the second distance or when the sensor detects an object.

4. The automotive movable body according to claim 3, wherein

the processor is further capable of performing the following operations of:

outputting to the actuator a driving signal capable of causing the body to move toward an object detected by the sensor after moving is started;

calculating a distance to a detected object, when the sensor detects the object; and

judging whether the calculated distance is shorter than a predetermined value or not.

5. The automotive movable body according to claim 4, comprising a plurality of sensors, wherein

the processor is further capable of performing the following operations of:

calculating a moving direction with respect to an object on the basis of a detection result of the plurality of sensors, when it is judged that the distance to the detected object is longer than a predetermined value;

judging whether the calculated moving direction differs from a normal direction of a surface of the object detected on the basis of detection results of the plurality of sensors or not; and

correcting a control signal to be sent to the actuator according to a difference between the calculated moving direction and the normal direction of the surface of the detected object, when it is judged that the calculated moving direction differs from the normal direction of the surface of the detected object.

6. The automotive movable body according to claim 4, comprising a plurality of sensors, wherein

the processor is further capable of performing the following operations of:

calculating a moving direction with respect to an object on the basis of detection results of the plurality of sensors, when it is judged that the distance to the detected object is shorter than a predetermined value; and

storing the calculated moving direction, wherein

the processor outputs to the actuator a driving signal having a corrected turning around direction according to the stored moving direction.

7. The automotive movable body according to claim 4, comprising a plurality of sensors, wherein

the processor is further capable of performing the following operations of:

calculating a moving direction with respect to an object on the basis of detection results of the plurality of sensors, when it is judged that the distance to the detected object is longer than a predetermined value;

judging whether the calculated moving direction differs from a moving direction specified by the sent driving signal or not; and

correcting a control signal to be sent to the actuator according to a difference between the two moving directions, when it is judged that two moving directions differ from each other.

8. The automotive movable body according to claim 5, comprising a plurality of sensors, wherein

the processor is further capable of performing the following operations of:

calculating a moving direction with respect to an object on the basis of detection results of the plurality of sensors, when it is judged that the distance to the detected object is longer than a predetermined value;

judging whether the calculated moving direction differs from a moving direction specified by the sent driving signal or not; and

correcting a control signal to be sent to the actuator according to a difference between the two moving directions, when it is judged that two moving directions differ from each other.

9. The automotive movable body according to claim 6, comprising a plurality of sensors, wherein

the processor is further capable of performing the following operations of:

calculating a moving direction with respect to an object on the basis of detection results of the plurality of sensors, when it is judged that the distance to the detected object is longer than a predetermined value;

judging whether the calculated moving direction differs from a moving direction specified by the sent driving signal or not; and

correcting a control signal to be sent to the actuator according to a difference between the two moving directions, when it is judged that two moving directions differ from each other.

10. The automotive movable body according to claim 4, wherein the processor is further capable of performing the following operations of:

calculating a moved distance before turning around covered before a driving signal capable of causing turning around at approximately 180°

is sent to the actuator;

calculating a moved distance after turning around;

judging whether the moved distance after turning around is shorter than the moved distance before turning around or not, when the sensor detects the existence of an object; and

outputting to the actuator a driving signal capable of avoiding the detected object, when it is judged that the moved distance after turning around is shorter than the moved distance before turning around.

11. The automotive movable body according to claim 5, wherein the processor is further capable of performing the following operations of:

calculating a moved distance before turning around covered before a driving signal capable of causing turning around at approximately 180°

is sent to the actuator;

calculating a moved distance after turning around;

judging whether the moved distance after turning around is shorter than the moved distance before turning around or not, when the sensor detects the existence of an object; and

outputting to the actuator a driving signal capable of avoiding the detected object, when it is judged that the moved distance after turning around is shorter than the moved distance before turning around.

12. The automotive movable body according to claim 6, wherein the processor is further capable of performing the following operations of:

calculating a moved distance before turning around covered before a driving signal capable of causing turning around at approximately 180°

is sent to the actuator;

calculating a moved distance after turning around;

judging whether the moved distance after turning around is shorter than the moved distance before turning around or not, when the sensor detects the existence of an object; and

outputting to the actuator a driving signal capable of avoiding the detected object, when it is judged that the moved distance after turning around is shorter than the moved distance before turning around.

13. The automotive movable body according to claim 7, wherein the processor is further capable of performing the following operations of:

calculating a moved distance before turning around covered before a driving signal capable of causing turning around at approximately 180°

is sent to the actuator;

calculating a moved distance after turning around;

judging whether the moved distance after turning around is shorter than the moved distance before turning around or not, when the sensor detects the existence of an object; and

outputting to the actuator a driving signal capable of avoiding the detected object, when it is judged that the moved distance after turning around is shorter than the moved distance before turning around.

14. The automotive movable body according to claim 8, wherein the processor is further capable of performing the following operations of:

calculating a moved distance before turning around covered before a driving signal capable of causing turning around at approximately 180°

is sent to the actuator;

calculating a moved distance after turning around;

judging whether the moved distance after turning around is shorter than the moved distance before turning around or not, when the sensor detects the existence of an object; and

outputting to the actuator a driving signal capable of avoiding the detected object, when it is judged that the moved distance after turning around is shorter than the moved distance before turning around.

15. The automotive movable body according to claim 9, wherein the processor is further capable of performing the following operations of:

calculating a moved distance before turning around covered before a driving signal capable of causing turning around at approximately 180°

is sent to the actuator;

calculating a moved distance after turning around;

judging whether the moved distance after turning around is shorter than the moved distance before turning around or not, when the sensor detects the existence of an object; and

outputting to the actuator a driving signal capable of avoiding the detected object, when it is judged that the moved distance after turning around is shorter than the moved distance before turning around.

16. A movable body control method,

the movable body comprising:

a driven wheel;

an actuator for driving the driven wheel;

a sensor for detecting an object which exists in the vicinity; and

a moved distance calculating unit for calculating a moved distance from a moving starting position, wherein

an operation of the driven wheel is controlled according to a detection result of the sensor,

the method comprising the steps of;

outputting to the actuator a driving signal capable of causing the body to move along an object;

judging whether the distance calculated by the moved distance calculating unit is up to a first distance or not;

outputting to the actuator a driving signal capable of causing the body to move in a direction which intersects with a segment connecting a position before moving with a position after moving, when it is judged that the distance is up to the first distance;

judging whether the distance calculated by the moved distance calculating unit is up to a second distance or not; and

outputting to the actuator a driving signal capable of causing the body to turn around at approximately 180°

, when it is judged that the distance is up to the second distance or when the sensor detects an object.

17. The movable body control method according to claim 16, comprising further steps of:

outputting to the actuator a driving signal capable of causing the body to move toward an object detected by the sensor after moving is started;

calculating a distance to a detected object, when the sensor detects the object; and

judging whether the calculated distance is shorter than a predetermined value or not.