IP Library Granted Patent US 11,656,621
Granted Patent B2
US 11,656,621 · App. 17/096,171 · Granted May 23, 2023

Conveyance control system, non-transitory computer readable medium storing conveyance control program, and conveyance control method

Inventors: Tomohisa Takai (Nagoya, JP); Yuhei Yamaguchi (Toyota, JP); Satoshi Toyoshima (Okazaki, JP); Yuta Watanabe (Toyota, JP); Mikio Honda (Toyota, JP); Shiro Oda (Anjyo, JP); Tetsuya Taira (Nagakute, JP); Nobuhisa Otsuki (Toyota, JP)
Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G05D1/0088G01C21/206G05B19/4155G05D1/0011G05D1/0212G05B2219/50391G05D1/0231G05D1/0255G05D2201/0211
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,656,621
App. No.
17/096,171
Granted
May 23, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides a conveyance control system and the like that enable a scheduled recipient of a conveyance object to reliably receive the conveyance object even when a destination of a conveyance robot is changed for any reason. The conveyance control system is a conveyance control system configured to control a conveyance robot to autonomously move and convey a conveyance object to a destination, including: a change unit configured to change the destination after the conveyance robot starts conveying the conveyance object; and a notification unit configured to notify an information terminal of a scheduled recipient of the conveyance object about destination information regarding the destination that has been changed by the change unit.

Claims (22)

1. A conveyance control system configured to control a conveyance robot to autonomously move and convey a conveyance object to a destination, the conveyance control system comprising:

at least one memory storing computer-executable instructions; and

at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to:

transmit, via a network, to an information terminal of a scheduled recipient of the conveyance object, first information indicating the destination where the conveyance object is to be received by the scheduled recipient so that the scheduled recipient is able to receive the conveyance object at the destination,

when the conveyance robot attempts to open a door of a security area to enter the security area and the conveyance robot detects a person following the conveyance robot, change the destination after the conveyance robot starts conveying the conveyance object such that the conveyance robot does not enter the security area; and

when the destination of the conveyance robot is changed, transmit, via the network, to the information terminal of the scheduled recipient of the conveyance object, second information indicating the changed destination so that the scheduled recipient is able to receive the conveyance object at the changed destination.

2. The conveyance control system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor transmits the second information when the at least one processor changes the destination without an instruction from the scheduled recipient.

3. The conveyance control system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to acquire, via the network, location information about a location of the scheduled recipient, wherein the at least one processor changes the destination based on the location information so that the scheduled recipient is able to receive the conveyance object at the location of the scheduled recipient.

4. The conveyance control system according to claim 1 , wherein when no destination that meets a predetermined criterion is found, the at least one processor changes the destination based on an instruction from a sender or the scheduled recipient of the conveyance object.

5. The conveyance control system according to claim 1 , wherein when the conveyance robot has been removed to a place by an external force, the at least one processor determines the place to which the conveyance robot has been removed to be the changed destination.

6. The conveyance control system according to claim 1 , wherein the second information further indicates a reason why the destination has changed.

7. The conveyance control system according to claim 1 , wherein when the conveyance robot reaches the changed destination and the conveyance object is collected, the at least one processor is configured to transmit, via the network, to the information terminal of a sender of the conveyance object, third information indicating a collector.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a conveyance control program for controlling a conveyance robot to autonomously move and convey a conveyance object to a destination, the conveyance control program, when executed, causes a computer to:

transmit, via a network, to an information terminal of a scheduled recipient of the conveyance object, first information indicating the destination where the conveyance object is to be received by the scheduled recipient so that the scheduled recipient is able to receive the conveyance object at the destination,

when the conveyance robot attempts to open a door of a security area to enter the security area and the conveyance robot detects a person following the conveyance robot, change the destination after the conveyance robot starts conveying the conveyance object such that the conveyance robot does not enter the security area; and

when the destination of the conveyance robot is changed, transmit, via the network, to the information terminal of the scheduled recipient of the conveyance object, second information indicating the changed destination so that the scheduled recipient is able to receive the conveyance object at the changed destination.

9. A conveyance control method for controlling a conveyance robot to autonomously move and convey a conveyance object to a destination, the conveyance control method comprising:

transmitting, via a network, to an information terminal of a scheduled recipient of the conveyance object, first information indicating the destination where the conveyance object is to be received by the scheduled recipient so that the scheduled recipient is able to receive the conveyance object at the destination,

when the conveyance robot attempts to open a door of a security area to enter the security area and the conveyance robot detects a person following the conveyance robot, changing the destination after the conveyance robot starts conveying the conveyance object such that the conveyance robot does not enter the security area; and

when the destination of the conveyance robot is changed, transmitting, via the network, to the information terminal of the scheduled recipient of the conveyance object, second information indicating the changed destination so that the scheduled recipient is able to receive the conveyance object at the changed destination.

10. The conveyance control system according to claim 5 , wherein:

in response to the conveyance robot being removed to the place by the external force, the at least one processor is configured to cause the conveyance robot to stay at the place and the at least one processor is configured to transmit, to the information terminal, a reason for the stoppage which is displayed, on a display, as a message including the reason for the stoppage.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 22, 2021
From: YAMAGUCHI, YUHEI; TOYOSHIMA, SATOSHI; WATANABE, YUTA; HONDA, MIKIO; ODA, SHIRO; TAIRA, TETSUYA; OTSUKI, NOBUHISA
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 056615/0448 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2019-212518 · Nov 25, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210157317A1 · May 27, 2021
Cited By (2)
US 12,490,674 US 12,626,212