JP2005122530A - Self-propelled device and its program - Google Patents

Abstract

In a self-propelled device, it is determined whether or not a traveling according to an intended algorithm has been performed from a traveling time in a designated area.
A traveling time measuring unit for measuring a traveling time of a self-propelled device, a traveling time accumulating unit for accumulating traveling time, a previous traveling time accumulated in the traveling time accumulating unit, and a current traveling time. The abnormality determining unit that compares the traveling time is configured to include 10. As a result, if there is a difference greater than the specified value in the compared time, it can be determined that the vehicle did not travel according to the intended algorithm, and it is estimated that an abnormality occurred in the sensor or the traveling means as the cause. Anomaly detection is also possible.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention is used for a sensor abnormality detection technique in a self-propelled device.

  In recent years, mainly in the automobile industry field, development of devices that are equipped with a plurality of sensors to automatically travel and walk while avoiding danger and responding to the surrounding environment has been developed. In the field of consumer equipment, a cleaning robot is provided that cleans the house while driving automatically.

  Such a self-propelled device includes an ultrasonic sensor for detecting a failure, a gyro sensor for controlling a posture, an impact sensor for detecting contact of the device, and the like in addition to a traveling means composed of a motor, a wheel and the like in the device body. It is installed, and automatic travel is realized by controlling the travel means based on the information collected from the sensors. FIG. 6 shows a configuration diagram of a conventional self-propelled device. In FIG. 6, a power source 2, a motor 3, an ultrasonic sensor 4 and an impact sensor 5 that detect a collision, and a gyro sensor 6 that detects an attitude are connected to the apparatus main body 1, and the ultrasonic sensor 4 and the impact sensor 5 are connected to each other. Collision detecting means 7 for preventing the apparatus main body 1 from coming into contact with an obstacle from information, attitude detecting means 8 for detecting the attitude of the apparatus main body 1 from information of the gyro sensor 6, and traveling means 9 for controlling the traveling of the motor 3. And an abnormality determination unit 10 for determining an abnormality in the travel of the device body 1 based on information from the collision detection unit 7, the posture detection unit 8, and the travel unit 9, and the travel unit 9 based on the information of the abnormality determination unit 10. It is comprised from the control part 11 which performs control of these.

Conventionally, this type of self-propelled device needs to operate the sensor normally in consideration of the safety of the user, and is equipped with various abnormality detection means. The collision detection means 7 is equipped with means for detecting whether or not the pulse of the ultrasonic sensor 4 is normally generated (for example, see Patent Document 1), and the traveling means 9 monitors the speed of the motor 9. Means (for example, refer to Patent Document 2) for determining an abnormality when a speed equal to or higher than a specified value is calculated is mounted.
JP-A-8-166823 JP-A-8-255021

  However, when the conventional means is used, it is possible to detect a single hardware abnormality such as a sensor or a motor, but a specific gyro sensor 6 or the like that controls the traveling posture of the self-propelled device is used. In the case where automatic running of a specified area is performed based on an algorithm, it has been difficult to determine whether or not the vehicle has normally run according to the algorithm. That is, even if the ultrasonic sensor 4 or the motor 9 operates normally in terms of hardware, the ultrasonic sensor 4 is contaminated, or an abnormality occurs when the installation angle is shifted due to an obstacle collision, or the left and right motors are driven. Even if the balance becomes abnormal and the vehicle runs other than the set algorithm, or is meandering, it is difficult to detect that it is abnormal.

  Therefore, the present invention is a self-propelled device that performs autonomous traveling in a specified area based on a specific algorithm, and the sensor operates normally as intended by the developer and can detect when the traveling is abnormal. The purpose is to build easily.

  In order to solve the conventional problem, a self-propelled device according to the present invention includes a travel time measurement unit that measures a travel time, and a travel time accumulation unit that accumulates the travel time measured in the travel time measurement unit. And an abnormality determining unit that compares the previous traveling time accumulated in the traveling time accumulating unit with the current traveling unit.

  As a result, if there is a deviation of the specified value or more in the compared time, it can be determined that the vehicle did not travel according to the intended algorithm, and it is estimated that an abnormality occurred in the sensor or traveling means as the cause. Detection is also possible.

  The self-propelled device of the present invention has an abnormality when dirt is attached to the ultrasonic sensor or the installation angle is shifted due to a collision, or an abnormality in the drive balance of the left and right motors even when no abnormality has occurred in the hardware. Can be detected, and an abnormality can be detected even when traveling other than the intended algorithm is performed.

  1st invention has a travel means, and in the self-propelled apparatus which autonomously travels in the designated area based on a specific algorithm, the travel time measuring unit for measuring the travel time and the travel measured by the travel time measuring unit A travel time accumulating unit that accumulates time, and an abnormality determination unit that compares the previous travel time accumulated in the travel time accumulating unit at the end of travel with the current travel time. A self-propelled device that judges whether or not the vehicle has run according to the algorithm. Accordingly, it is possible to detect whether or not the vehicle has traveled according to the intended algorithm from the travel time information.

  In the second invention, in particular, the travel time accumulation unit of the first invention accumulates the travel time of a plurality of designated areas, and determines whether or not the travel according to the intended algorithm has been performed in the plurality of designated areas. A traveling device was used. Thereby, it is possible to accumulate | store driving | running time for every area | region in a driving | running | working time accumulation | storage part, and it can detect whether it drive | worked according to the intended algorithm also in a some area | region.

  According to a third aspect of the invention, in addition to the first or second aspect of the invention, an external input means is provided, and a target travel time can be set via the external input means. A self-propelled device that compares the travel time set as the target and determines whether or not the vehicle travels according to the intended algorithm is determined from the difference between the two travel times. Thereby, it is possible to determine whether or not the vehicle has traveled according to the intended algorithm even when the living environment in the travel region changes, such as when the vehicle travels for the first time or when the furniture layout is changed.

  The fourth invention includes, in addition to any one of the first to third inventions, a collision detection unit that detects a collision, and the abnormality determination unit includes the collision information detected by the collision detection unit, and the travel time. The self-propelled device is configured to determine whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the collision detection means based on the traveling time accumulated in the accumulation unit. Thereby, abnormality of a collision detection means can be detected using the collision information detected in the collision detection means, and the traveling time accumulated in the traveling time accumulation unit.

  In addition to any one of the first to fourth inventions, the fifth invention is provided with posture detection means for detecting the running posture, and the abnormality determination unit includes the motor drive information detected by the running means. The self-propelled device determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the travel means or the posture detection means based on the travel posture information detected by the posture detection means and the travel time accumulated in the travel time accumulation unit. . As a result, the abnormality of the travel means or the posture detection means using the drive information of the motor detected by the travel means, the travel posture information detected by the posture detection means, and the travel time accumulated in the travel time accumulation unit. Can be detected.

  In particular, in addition to any one of the first to fifth inventions, the sixth invention includes an external notification means, and when it is determined that the vehicle has not traveled according to the intended algorithm, A self-propelled device for notification was used. Thereby, the detected abnormality content can be notified to the outside.

  In the seventh invention, in particular, as a configuration for causing all or any one of the first to sixth inventions to function, the computer is caused to function as all or part of the invention. All or part of the invention can be easily realized.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 shows a configuration diagram of a self-propelled device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, a device main body 1 is a self-propelled device that is driven by a power source 2 and controls the traveling means 9 according to a command from the control unit 11 to drive the motor 3, and is connected to the device main body 1. From the detection information of the ultrasonic sensor 4 and the impact sensor 5, the collision detection means 7 for detecting that the device main body 1 collides with an obstacle, and the detection information of the gyro sensor 6 connected to the device main body 1 are used. Posture detection means 8 for detecting the posture, a travel time measuring unit 12 for measuring the travel time in which the device main body 1 travels in the specified area based on a specific algorithm, and the travel time measured by the travel time measuring unit 12 are stored. A travel time accumulating unit 13 that performs the operation, and an abnormality determination unit 10 that compares the previous travel time accumulated in the travel time accumulation unit 13 with the current travel time at the end of travel.

  The operation / action of the self-propelled device configured as described above will be described below.

  First, when the self-propelled device starts traveling in the specified area in response to a command from the control unit 11, the traveling time measuring unit 12 starts measuring the traveling time. When the self-propelled device finishes traveling in the designated area, the traveling time measuring unit 12 stops measuring the traveling time and accumulates the measured traveling time in the traveling time accumulating unit 13.

  Here, in the abnormality determination unit 10, the previous travel time accumulated in the travel time accumulation unit 13 is compared with the current travel time, and when an error exceeding a specified value occurs, the current travel is performed according to the intended algorithm. It is possible to detect that the vehicle is not traveling.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, it is possible to easily determine whether or not the vehicle has traveled according to the intended algorithm by measuring the travel time in the designated area and comparing it with the accumulated travel time. It becomes.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is an extraction of the abnormality determination unit 10 of FIG. 1. In the second embodiment, the travel time storage unit 13 of FIG. 1 includes a region a travel time storage unit 13 a that stores the travel time of region a, It is assumed that the region b travel time accumulating unit 13b for accumulating the travel time of the region b and the region c travel time accumulating unit 13c for accumulating the travel time of the region c are assumed.

  The operation / action of the self-propelled device configured as described above will be described below.

  First, when the self-propelled device starts traveling in the designated area a according to a command from the control unit 11, the traveling time measuring unit 12 starts measuring the traveling time. When the self-propelled device finishes traveling in the specified area, the traveling time measuring unit 12 stops measuring the traveling time and accumulates the measured traveling time in the region a traveling time accumulating unit 13a. Similarly, when the self-propelled device starts traveling in the designated region b or the designated region c, the traveling time measurement unit 12 starts measuring the traveling time, and when the self-propelled device finishes traveling in the designated region, The travel time measuring unit 12 stops the measurement of the travel time, and accumulates the measured travel time in the region b travel time storage unit 13b or the region c travel time storage unit 13c.

  Next, when the self-propelled device starts traveling in the region a, the traveling time measuring unit 12 starts measuring the traveling time, and when the self-propelled device finishes traveling in the region a, the traveling time measuring unit 12 The measurement of the traveling time is stopped, and the measured traveling time is accumulated in the region a traveling time accumulating unit 13a.

  Here, when the abnormality determination unit 10 compares the previous travel time accumulated in the region a travel time accumulation unit 13a with the current travel time, and an error exceeding a specified value occurs, the current travel is intended. It is possible to detect that the vehicle is not traveling according to the algorithm.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, it is possible to accumulate traveling times in a plurality of designated areas and easily determine whether or not the traveling according to the intended algorithm has been performed in the plurality of areas. That is, it is possible to easily determine whether or not the vehicle has traveled according to the intended algorithm even when autonomously traveling in a plurality of rooms, or when autonomously traveling a single room divided into multiple times.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 3 shows a configuration diagram of a self-propelled device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The configuration of FIG. 3 is a configuration provided with external input means 14 in contrast to the first embodiment shown in FIG. As a result, the user can arbitrarily set and change the travel time stored in the travel time storage unit 13 using the external input means 14.

  For example, when the specified area is first traveled or when the arrangement of furniture is changed, the information accumulated in the travel time accumulating unit 13 is not a normal value. In this case, it is possible to set and change the target travel time using the external input means 14 and easily determine whether or not the travel is performed according to the intended algorithm even when the living environment of the travel area changes. Is possible.

(Embodiment 4)
Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, FIG. 4 is an extraction of the collision detection means 7 of FIG. 1, and the collision detection means 7 includes an ultrasonic sensor abnormality detection means 15 for detecting whether or not the pulse of the ultrasonic sensor 4 is normally transmitted. It is assumed that the apparatus includes a collision number accumulating unit 16 that accumulates the number of collisions of the device main body 1 with the obstacle detected by the impact sensor 5.

  The operation / action of the self-propelled device configured as described above will be described below.

  First, when the self-propelled device starts traveling in the specified area in response to a command from the control unit 11, the traveling time measuring unit 12 starts measuring the traveling time. The ultrasonic sensor abnormality detection means 15 monitors that the ultrasonic sensor 4 is operating normally while the self-propelled device is running, and if an abnormality occurs in the ultrasonic sensor 4, the abnormality determination unit 10 To notify. When the collision sensor 5 detects a collision with the obstacle of the self-propelled device, the collision number accumulation unit 16 accumulates the number of collisions and notifies the control unit 11 via the abnormality determination unit 10. When the self-propelled device finishes traveling in the specified area, the traveling time measuring unit 12 stops measuring the traveling time and accumulates the measured traveling time in the traveling time accumulating unit 13.

  Here, the abnormality determination unit 10 compares the previous travel time stored in the travel time storage unit 13 with the current travel time, and detects an error exceeding a specified value by the sensor abnormality detection means 15. The hardware abnormality information of the ultrasonic sensor 4 is confirmed, and when a hardware abnormality occurs in the ultrasonic sensor 4, the hardware abnormality of the ultrasonic sensor 4 is detected. In addition, when no hardware abnormality is detected in the ultrasonic sensor 4, the number of collisions of the self-propelled device with the obstacle is confirmed by the collision number accumulating unit 16, and It is possible to determine that the sound wave sensor 4 is abnormal when dirt is attached or the installation angle is shifted due to a collision.

(Embodiment 5)
Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Here, it is assumed that the traveling unit 9 has a function of driving and controlling the motor 3 and a function of monitoring whether or not the motor 3 is normally driven.

  First, when the self-propelled device starts traveling in the specified area in response to a command from the control unit 11, the traveling time measuring unit 12 starts measuring the traveling time. The posture detection means 8 accumulates posture information detected by the gyro sensor 6 and notifies the control unit 11 via the abnormality determination unit 10 when correction is necessary. The traveling means 9 monitors that the motor 3 is normally driven while the self-propelled device is traveling, and notifies the abnormality determination unit 10 when an abnormality occurs in the motor 3. When the self-propelled device finishes traveling in the specified area, the traveling time measuring unit 12 stops measuring the traveling time and accumulates the measured traveling time in the traveling time accumulating unit 13.

  Here, the abnormality determination unit 10 compares the previous travel time accumulated in the travel time accumulation unit 13 with the current travel time, and if an error exceeding a specified value occurs, the error is accumulated in the posture detection means 8. The posture information and the driving information of the motor 9 detected by the traveling means are confirmed. If there is a problem with the driving information of the motor 9, the abnormality of the motor 9 is detected. When the correction has occurred at a value exceeding the specified value range, it can be determined that the gyro sensor 6 is abnormal.

(Embodiment 6)
Next, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The configuration of FIG. 5 is a configuration provided with external notification means 17 for notifying the abnormality content detected by the abnormality determination unit 10 to the outside with respect to the third embodiment shown in FIG.

  As a result, when the self-propelled device does not travel according to the intended algorithm, the user can easily determine which sensor caused the abnormality.

(Embodiment 7)
Next, Embodiment 7 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the computer includes a collision detection unit 7, an attitude detection unit 8, a travel unit 9, an abnormality determination unit 10, a control unit 11, a travel time measurement unit 12, a travel time storage unit 13, The computer is made to function as all or part of the configuration for causing the external input unit 14 and the external notification unit 17 to function as all or part of the program.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, all or part of the present invention can be easily realized using a general-purpose computer or a server.

  As described above, the self-propelled device according to the present invention can be widely used as an abnormality detection method for devices that autonomously travel using sensors.

Configuration diagram of self-propelled device in Embodiment 1, Embodiment 4 and Embodiment 5 of the present invention The block diagram of the abnormality judgment part in Embodiment 2 of this invention Configuration diagram of self-propelled device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention Configuration diagram of collision detection means in Embodiment 4 of the present invention Configuration diagram of self-propelled device according to Embodiment 6 and Embodiment 7 of the present invention Configuration diagram of conventional self-propelled devices

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Apparatus main body 2 Power supply 3 Motor 4 Ultrasonic sensor 5 Impact sensor 6 Gyro sensor 7 Collision detection means 8 Attitude detection means 9 Travel means 10 Abnormality judgment part 11 Control part 12 Travel time measurement part 13 Travel time accumulation part 13a Area | region a travel time Accumulation unit 13b Area b travel time accumulation unit 13c Area c travel time accumulation unit 14 External input means 15 Ultrasonic sensor abnormality detection means 16 Collision frequency accumulation part 17 External notification means

Claims (7)

In a self-propelled device that has traveling means and autonomously travels in a specified area based on a specific algorithm, a traveling time measuring unit that measures traveling time, and a traveling time that accumulates the traveling time measured by the traveling time measuring unit A storage unit; and an abnormality determination unit that compares the previous travel time stored in the travel time storage unit with the current travel time at the end of the travel, and performs the travel according to the intended algorithm from the difference between the two travel times. A self-propelled device that determines whether or not a visit has been made. The self-propelled device according to claim 1, wherein the travel time accumulating unit accumulates travel times of a plurality of designated areas, and determines whether or not the plurality of designated areas have traveled according to an intended algorithm. An external input means is provided, and a target travel time can be set via the external input means. The abnormality determination unit compares the current travel time with the travel time set as the target, and the two travel times The self-propelled device according to claim 1, wherein it is determined whether or not the vehicle has traveled according to an intended algorithm from the difference between the two. A collision detection means for detecting a collision is provided, and the abnormality determination unit determines whether an abnormality has occurred in the collision detection unit based on the collision information detected by the collision detection unit and the travel time accumulated in the travel time accumulation unit. Self-propelled device given in any 1 paragraph of Claims 1-3 which judge whether. A posture detection unit that detects a running posture is provided, and the abnormality determination unit includes a motor drive information detected by the travel unit, a travel posture information detected by the posture detection unit, and a travel stored in the travel time storage unit. The self-propelled device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the traveling means or the posture detecting means is determined based on time. The self-propelled device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the abnormality determination unit includes an external notification unit, and notifies the outside when it is determined that the vehicle has not traveled according to the intended algorithm. A program for causing a computer to function as all or part of the self-propelled device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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