Management system, management method, program, and autonomous moving apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021154857-A1
Application number	US-202017095995-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 12, 2020
Priority date	Nov 25, 2019
Publication date	May 27, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A management system is for managing a mobile robot as an autonomous moving apparatus and includes a cleanliness level setting unit, an instruction reception unit, a storage unit, and a control unit. The cleanliness level setting unit sets a cleanliness level of the autonomous moving apparatus. The instruction reception unit receives an instruction for a task the autonomous moving apparatus executes. The storage unit stores a database associating information about at least an operator or a destination of the autonomous moving apparatus, a place which the autonomous moving apparatus passes through, and an object to be conveyed by the autonomous moving apparatus, which are included in the task, with the cleanliness level of the autonomous moving apparatus. The control unit controls the setting of the cleanliness level of the autonomous moving apparatus or processing for the instruction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A management system for managing an autonomous moving apparatus comprising:
a cleanliness level setting unit configured to set a cleanliness level of the autonomous moving apparatus; an instruction reception unit configured to receive an instruction for a task executed by the autonomous moving apparatus; a storage unit configured to store a database, the database associating information about at least one of an operator of the autonomous moving apparatus, a destination of the autonomous moving apparatus, a place which the autonomous moving apparatus passes through, and an object to be conveyed by the autonomous moving apparatus, which are included in the task, with the cleanliness level of the autonomous moving apparatus; and a control unit configured to control the setting of the cleanliness level of the autonomous moving apparatus or processing for the instruction based on the information included in the database.

2 . The management system according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit is configured to determine a content of the task received by the autonomous moving apparatus based on the set cleanliness level.

3 . The management system according to claim 1 , wherein
when the control unit executes the task related to the instruction, the control unit is configured to set a route corresponding to the cleanliness level associated with the task.

4 . The management system according to claim 1 , wherein
when the control unit executes the task related to the instruction, the control unit is configured to set an operation acceleration corresponding to the cleanliness level associated with the task.

5 . The management system according to claim 1 , wherein
when the control unit executes the task related to the instruction, the control unit is configured to update the cleanliness level of the autonomous moving apparatus to the cleanliness level associated with the task.

6 . The management system according to claim 1 , wherein
after a first task associated with a first cleanliness level is executed, the control unit is configured not to allow an execution of a second task associated with a second cleanliness level different from the first cleanliness level.

7 . The management system according to claim 1 , further comprising an environmental monitor configured to set a cleanliness level of a surrounding environment of the autonomous moving apparatus, wherein
the control unit is configured to update, when the autonomous moving apparatus is exposed to the surrounding environment associated with a fourth cleanliness level different from a third cleanliness level as a result of executing a third task associated with the third cleanliness level, the cleanliness level of the autonomous moving apparatus to the fourth cleanliness level.

8 . An autonomous moving apparatus comprising:
the management system according to claim 1 ; an operation reception unit configured to receive the instruction for the task; and a drive unit configured to move the autonomous moving apparatus according to the task.

9 . A management method for managing an autonomous moving apparatus, the management method comprising:
setting a cleanliness level of the autonomous moving apparatus; receiving an instruction for a task executed by the autonomous moving apparatus; storing a database, the database associating information about at least one of an operator of the autonomous moving apparatus, a destination of the autonomous moving apparatus, a place which the autonomous moving apparatus passes through, and an object to be conveyed by the autonomous moving apparatus, which are included in the task, with the cleanliness level of the autonomous moving apparatus; and controlling the cleanliness level of the autonomous moving apparatus or processing for the instruction based on the information stored in the database.

10 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a management method for managing an autonomous moving apparatus, the method comprising:
setting a cleanliness level of the autonomous moving apparatus; receiving an instruction for a task executed by the autonomous moving apparatus; storing a database, the database associating information about at least one of an operator of the autonomous moving apparatus, a destination of the autonomous moving apparatus, a place which the autonomous moving apparatus passes through, and an object to be conveyed by the autonomous moving apparatus, which are included in the task, with the cleanliness level of the autonomous moving apparatus; and controlling the cleanliness level of the autonomous moving apparatus or processing for the instruction based on the information stored in the database.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Takai Tomohisa
• Yamaguchi Yuhei
• Toyoshima Satoshi
• Watanabe Yuta
• Honda Mikio
• Oda Shiro
• Taira Tetsuya
• Otsuki Nobuhisa

Classifications

• G05B19/04 Primary

  Program control other than numerical control, i.e. in sequence controllers or logic controllers (G05B19/418 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G16H40/20 Primary

  for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms · CPC title

• B62D63/02

  Motor vehicles · CPC title

• G16H40/63

  for local operation · CPC title

• B62D63/04

  Component parts or accessories · CPC title