Safety management apparatus for autonomous traveling cart

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11904897-B2
Application number	US-202117407597-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2021
Priority date	Aug 24, 2020
Publication date	Feb 20, 2024
Grant date	Feb 20, 2024

Abstract

The safety management apparatus comprises a protective shield with automatic opening and closing, a sensor configured to obtain physical information related to an occupant boarded an autonomous traveling cart, and a controller configured to control the opening and closing of the protective shield. The protective shield is configured to be normally open and, when closed, shield an occupant space of the cart from the outside. The controller includes at least one memory including at least one program, and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory. The at least one processor executes a first process and a second process upon execution of the at least one program. The first process is to determine whether the occupant is an infant based on the physical information. The second process, which is executed when the occupant is determined to be an infant, is to close the protective shield.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A safety management apparatus for an autonomous traveling cart comprising:
a protective shield with autonomous opening and closing configured to be normally open and, when closed, shield an occupant space of the autonomous traveling cart from an outside, the protective shield including a roof;
a sensor configured to obtain physical information related to an occupant boarded the autonomous traveling cart; and
a controller configured to control opening and closing of the protective shield, the controller comprising:
at least one memory including at least one program; and
at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory,

wherein the at least one processor executes upon execution of the at least one program:
determining whether the occupant is an infant or not based on the physical information obtained by the sensor; and
closing the protective shield when the occupant is determined to be the infant.

2. The safety management apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the protective shield is configured not to be opened from an inside of the occupant space but to be opened from the outside of the occupant space.

3. The safety management apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the protective shield is configured to, when opened, allow an adult to enter and exit the occupant space while standing, and when closed, narrow the occupant space to a size that the adult cannot board.

4. The safety management apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the protective shield has a portion formed of material through which an inside of the occupant space can be seen from the outside when closed.

5. The safety management apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one processor further executes upon execution of the at least one program:
obtaining locational information of a guardian of the infant; and
generating a traveling route of the autonomous traveling cart based on obtained position information.

6. The safety management apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the at least one processor further executes upon execution of the at least one program locking the protective shield until the autonomous traveling cart arrives at the guardian.

7. The safety management apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein the at least one processor further executes upon execution of the at least one program:
receiving an entry of a passcode;
matching an entered passcode with a registered passcode of the guardian; and

unlocking the protective shield in response to a certification of the entered passcode.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sato Daisuke
• Ishii Daisuke
• Izu Hiroki
• Morita Hiroki
• Sato Kei
• Nanahara Masaki
• Serizawa Kazumi
• Tanaka Hironobu
• Mogi Shunsuke
• Hayashi Takashi
• Kusumoto Akihiro
• Kanata Tetsuya
• Iwami Yozo
• Katsumata Yuhei
• Honda Daisaku
• Narita Saki
• Fukudome Hideki
• Watabe Takuya
• Ichikawa Naoko
• Maniwa Yuta
• Nishikawa Yuki

Classifications

• B60W60/0016 Primary

  of the vehicle or its occupants · CPC title

• B60R25/23

  using manual input of alphanumerical codes · CPC title

• B60W60/00253

  Taxi operations · CPC title

• G01G19/44 Primary

  for weighing persons · CPC title

• B60W2540/221

  Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs · CPC title