MOBILE BODY, INFORMATION PROCESSOR, MOBILE BODY SYSTEM, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING PROGRAM

• US 20180246514A1
• Filed: 08/02/2016
• Published: 08/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: MITOMO, Toshimoto, SERITA, Kazutoshi
• Granted Patent: US 10,761,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/00 Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages B25J1/00 takes precedence; programme-controlled manipulators B25J9/00 ; vehicle aspects B60, B62, e.g. remote-controlled steering for motor vehicles B62D1/24; control of position of vehicles G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0202 specially adapted to aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/223 Command input arrangements on the remote controller, e.g. joysticks or touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/228 Command input arrangements located on-board unmanned vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/246 using environment maps, e.g. simultaneous localisation and mapping [SLAM]
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/248 generated by satellites, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/249 from positioning sensors located off-board the vehicle, e.g. from cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/646 Following a predefined trajectory, e.g. a line marked on the floor or a flight path
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/69 Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/10 : Terrestrial scenes scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0968 : Systems involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/141 : between two video terminals, e.g. videophone telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot

Abstract

A mobile body includes: an imaging unit; a movement mechanism that moves itself; a wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication; and an information generator that generates, on a basis of external information received from outside by the wireless communication unit, route guidance information for use in allowing the movement mechanism to move itself.

Claims

1. A mobile body comprising:

an imaging unit;

a movement mechanism that moves itself;

a wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication; and

an information generator that generates, on a basis of external information received from outside by the wireless communication unit, route guidance information for use in allowing the movement mechanism to move itself.

2. The mobile body according to claim 1, wherein the external information is inherent information held in an information processor as an operation device for the mobile body.

3. The mobile body according to claim 2, wherein the inherent information includes one or both of information regarding a GPS and search history information in the information processor.

4. The mobile body according to claim 1, wherein

a plurality of kinds of move modes used for movement by the movement mechanism are provided, and

the external information is used in accordance with the move mode set by a user.

5. The mobile body according to claim 4, wherein the information generator generates the route guidance information with use of a correspondence relationship between mode setting information indicating the move mode and information including the external information corresponding to each of the plurality of kinds of move modes.

6. The mobile body according to claim 4, wherein the information generator further uses movement history information in the mobile body to generate the route guidance information.

7. The mobile body according to claim 1, wherein the information generator further uses captured image data obtained by the imaging unit, position information of the mobile body, and map information to generate the route guidance information.

8. The mobile body according to claim 7, wherein

the captured image data, the position information, and the map information are stored together with data update time information regarding the captured image data while corresponding to the data update time information, and

the information generator automatically generates the route guidance information on a regular basis with use of the data update time information to update the captured image data on a regular basis.

9. The mobile body according to claim 7, further comprising an anomaly detector that compares a same point between the captured image data obtained at a present time and the captured image data obtained at a past time with use of the position information and the map information to detect an anomaly.

10. The mobile body according to claim 1, further comprising a communication operation unit that performs communication with other mobile bodies with use of the wireless communication.

11. The mobile body according to claim 10, wherein the communication operation unit performs, as the communication, negotiation with the other mobile bodies to perform a predetermined operation.

12. The mobile body according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined operation includes one or more of information transmission-reception operation, a conversation operation, an electric power feeding operation, and a switching operation of the mobile body to be used by a user.

13. The mobile body according to claim 1, further comprising a movement controller that controls a movement operation by the movement mechanism.

14. The mobile body according to claim 13, wherein

a solar cell used as a power source of the mobile body is provided, and

the movement controller controls the movement mechanism to cause the mobile body to preferentially move outdoors during daylight hours.

15. The mobile body according to claim 13, further comprising a position detector that detects whether the mobile body is located in an area where the wireless communication is executable,

wherein the movement controller controls the movement mechanism to cause the mobile body to move to inside of the area in a case where the position detector detects that the mobile body is not located in the area.

16. The mobile body according to claim 13, wherein the movement controller controls the movement mechanism to cause the mobile body to automatically move on a basis of preset schedule information.

17. The mobile body according to claim 1, wherein the information generator generates the route guidance information with consideration also given to action history information of a user obtained in a standby state of the mobile body.

18. The mobile body according to claim 1, wherein

one or more pieces of the route guidance information generated by the information generator are provided to a user through the wireless communication, and

the movement mechanism moves the mobile body on a basis of a route determined by the user.

19. The mobile body according to claim 1, wherein the movement mechanism includes one or more of a walking mechanism, a wheel mechanism, and a flying mechanism.

20. The mobile body according to claim 19, wherein

the movement mechanism includes one of the wheel mechanism and the walking mechanism, and

the information generator generates the route guidance information while avoiding a route having a level difference.

21. An information processor comprising:

a wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication with a mobile body including an imaging unit and a movement mechanism;

a user interface unit;

a storage unit; and

an information generator that generates route guidance information for use in moving the mobile body by the movement mechanism on a basis of one or more pieces of information out of received information received from the mobile body by the wireless communication unit, input information inputted by a user in the user interface unit, and held information held in the storage unit.

22. The information processor according to claim 21, wherein the information generator generates the route guidance information on a basis of the received information, the input information, and the held information.

23. The information processor according to claim 21, wherein

the received information includes movement history information in the mobile body,

the input information includes search history information in the information processor, and

the held information includes information regarding a GPS in the information processor.

24. The information processor according to claim 21, wherein the user interface unit outputs, to a user, each of position information of a plurality of the mobile bodies on a basis of the received information.

25. The information processor according to claim 24, wherein the information generator uses each of the position information of the plurality of the mobile bodies to generate the route guidance information for use in allowing the mobile bodies to come closer to one another by a shortest route.

26. The information processor according to claim 25, wherein the information generator generates the route guidance information by the shortest route in consideration of remaining electric power information of the mobile body as the received information.

27. The information processor according to claim 24, further comprising a communication controller that controls a communication operation performed between the plurality of the mobile bodies with use of the wireless communication.

28. A mobile body system comprising:

a mobile body including an imaging unit, a first wireless communication unit, and a movement mechanism that moves itself; and

an information processor including a second wireless communication unit, a user interface unit, and a storage unit, the second wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication with the mobile body, wherein

one or both of a first information generator in the mobile body and a second information generator in the information processor are provided,

the first information generator that generates first information as route guidance information for use in moving the mobile body by the movement mechanism on a basis of external information received from outside by the first wireless communication unit, and

the second information generator that generates second information as the route guidance information on a basis of one or more pieces of information out of received information received from the mobile body by the second wireless communication unit, input information inputted by a user in the user interface unit, and held information held in the storage unit.

29. The mobile body system according to claim 28, wherein

the first information generator is provided in the mobile body, and

the second information generator is provided in the information processor.

30. An information processing method comprising:

a first step of receiving external information from outside through wireless communication in a mobile body including an imaging unit and a movement mechanism; and

a second step of generating route guidance information for use in moving the mobile body by the movement mechanism on a basis of the external information received in the first step.

31. An information processing method comprising:

a first step of obtaining one or more pieces of information out of received information received from a mobile body including an imaging unit and a movement mechanism through wireless communication with the mobile body, input information inputted from a user in a user interface unit in an information processor, and held information held in a storage unit in the information processor; and

a second step of generating route guidance information for use in moving the mobile body by the movement mechanism on a basis of the one or more pieces of information obtained in the first step.

32. An information processing program causing, when executed by a computer in a mobile body, the computer to implement:

a first step of receiving external information from outside through wireless communication in the mobile body including an imaging unit and a movement mechanism; and

a second step of generating route guidance information for use in moving the mobile body by the movement mechanism on a basis of the external information received in the first step.

33. An information processing program causing, when executed by a computer in an information processor, the computer to implement:

a first step of obtaining one or more pieces of information out of received information received from a mobile body including an imaging unit and a movement mechanism through wireless communication with the mobile body, input information inputted from a user in a user interface unit in the information processor, and held information held in a storage unit in the information processor; and

a second step of generating route guidance information for use in moving the mobile body by the movement mechanism on a basis of the one or more pieces of information obtained in the first step.