JP2018206094A - Observation device and vehicle control system - Google Patents

Abstract

An observation apparatus and a vehicle control system capable of observing the state of the ground with a simple configuration at low cost. SOLUTION: Pattern irradiation units 4a to 4d that irradiate a projection pattern toward a ground G around a vehicle 1, an irradiation control unit 13 that controls irradiation of projection patterns 6a to 6d by the pattern irradiation units 4a to 4d, and Imaging units 5a to 5d that are arranged separately from the pattern irradiation units 4a to 4d and that capture the projection patterns 6a to 6d irradiated by the pattern irradiation units 4a to 4d, and images of the projection patterns 6a to 6d on a flat surface and the vehicle And an arithmetic unit 14 that calculates a difference by comparing the projection patterns 6a to 6d irradiated to the ground around one with images captured by the imaging units 5a to 5d. [Selection] Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to an observation apparatus that observes a ground state based on a projection pattern irradiated to the periphery of a vehicle, and a vehicle control system including the observation apparatus.

Conventionally, a technique for observing the ground surface around a vehicle using an external sensor has been proposed.
For example, Patent Document 1 describes a technique for observing the ground surface around a vehicle using an external sensor that uses laser light, millimeter waves, ultrasonic waves, or the like as a probe.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-71564

  However, in observation using an external sensor, it is necessary to analyze the state of the ground from information detected by the external sensor, which makes it difficult to observe the state of the ground with a low-cost and simple configuration. It was.

  This invention solves the said subject, and it aims at obtaining the observation apparatus and vehicle control system which can observe the state of the ground with a low-cost and simple structure.

An observation apparatus according to the present invention includes an irradiation unit, an irradiation control unit, an imaging unit, and a calculation unit.
The irradiation unit irradiates the projection pattern toward the ground around the vehicle. The irradiation control unit controls irradiation of the projection pattern by the irradiation unit. The imaging unit is arranged separately from the irradiation unit, and images the projection pattern irradiated by the irradiation unit. The calculation unit calculates a difference by comparing the image of the projection pattern on the flat surface with the image captured by the imaging unit of the projection pattern irradiated on the ground around the vehicle by the irradiation unit.

  According to this invention, since the imaging unit is arranged separately from the irradiating unit, between the image of the projection pattern on the flat surface and the captured image of the projection pattern irradiated to the ground around the vehicle, Differences occur according to the ground conditions. By using this difference as an observation value of the ground state, it is possible to observe the ground state with a simple configuration at a low cost.

It is a principal part top view which shows the structure of the vehicle control system which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a principal part side view which shows the structure of the vehicle control system which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle control system according to Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 4A is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration for realizing the functions of the observation apparatus according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 4B is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration for executing software that implements the functions of the observation apparatus according to Embodiment 1. 3 is a conceptual side view showing an observation principle of the observation apparatus according to Embodiment 1. FIG. It is another side view conceptual diagram which shows the observation principle of the observation apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of irradiation of the projection pattern to the vehicle periphery. It is a figure which shows the image of the projection pattern in a flat surface. It is a figure which shows the example of irradiation of the projection pattern to the ground with an unevenness | corrugation. It is a figure which shows the image of the projection pattern in a flat surface, and the picked-up image of the projection pattern irradiated to the ground with an unevenness | corrugation. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the vehicle control system which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
1 is a main part plan view showing the configuration of a vehicle control system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of the main part showing the configuration of the vehicle control system according to the first embodiment.
The vehicle 1 is a vehicle that autonomously travels toward a preset point, and includes driving wheels 2a and 2b and driven wheels 3a and 3b. The driving wheels 2a and 2b are driven to rotate by receiving a driving force from an electric motor (not shown). The vehicle 1 travels in an arbitrary direction by controlling the driving wheels 2a and 2b independently of each other. The driven wheels 3a and 3b are supported on the lower part of the vehicle so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis so as not to hinder the turning operation of the drive wheels 2a and 2b.

The pattern irradiation units 4a to 4d are irradiation units that irradiate the projection pattern toward the ground G. For example, the pattern irradiation units 4 a to 4 d are configured using a projection lamp or a laser, and irradiate the ground G with a projection pattern of visible light. The projection pattern is a pattern of light applied to the ground around the vehicle 1 and is realized as a figure pattern having an arbitrary shape or a pattern in which a character pattern is combined therewith. For example, the projection pattern is preferably a square lattice pattern in which distortion of the pattern according to the unevenness of the ground is easily visible.
The projection pattern is not limited to visible light, and may be invisible light such as infrared light or ultraviolet light. In this case, the imaging units 5a to 5d correspond to the wavelength of light of the projection pattern. This can be achieved with a camera.

  1 and 2, the pattern irradiation unit 4 a irradiates the projection pattern onto the ground G in the right side surface direction of the vehicle 1, and the pattern irradiation unit 4 b irradiates the ground pattern in the left side surface direction of the vehicle 1. . The pattern irradiation unit 4 c irradiates the projection pattern on the ground G in the front direction of the vehicle 1, and the pattern irradiation unit 4 d irradiates the projection pattern on the ground G in the rear direction of the vehicle 1.

  The imaging units 5a to 5d are imaging units that are arranged separately from the pattern irradiation units 4a to 4d and that capture the projection patterns irradiated by the pattern irradiation units 4a to 4d. That is, the imaging units 5a to 5d are exposed from positions different from the pattern irradiation units 4a to 4d in the housing of the vehicle 1. Note that an optical camera that is less expensive than a laser range finder can be used for the imaging units 5a to 5d.

  1 and 2, the imaging unit 5 a is arranged separately from the pattern irradiation unit 4 a and images a projection pattern irradiated on the ground G in the right side surface direction of the vehicle 1. The imaging unit 5b is arranged separately from the pattern irradiating unit 4b, and images the projection pattern irradiated to the ground G in the left side direction of the vehicle 1. The imaging unit 5 c is arranged separately from the pattern irradiation unit 4 c and images a projection pattern irradiated to the ground G in the front direction of the vehicle 1. The imaging unit 5d is arranged separately from the pattern irradiating unit 4d, and images the projection pattern irradiated to the ground G in the back direction of the vehicle 1.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the vehicle control system according to the first embodiment. In FIG. 3, the same components as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. The vehicle control system shown in FIG. 3 controls traveling of the vehicle 1 by remote operation of the remote operation terminal 8. The remote operation terminal 8 is a terminal that performs wireless communication or wired communication with the transmission / reception unit 9, transmits operation information corresponding to the input operation of the operator a to the transmission / reception unit 9, and receives information from the transmission / reception unit 9. To do.

  The vehicle control system shown in FIG. 3 includes a transmission / reception unit 9, a travel control unit 10, an external sensor 11, an internal sensor 12, and an observation device A. The transmission / reception unit 9 performs wireless communication or wired communication with the remote operation terminal 8 and outputs the operation information received from the remote operation terminal 8 to the travel control unit 10. The external sensor 11 is a sensor that detects a situation around the vehicle, and detects, for example, a three-dimensional shape around the vehicle or captures an image around the vehicle. The inner world sensor 12 is a sensor that detects the behavior of the vehicle 1 and detects, for example, the traveling speed, acceleration, angular velocity, and inclination angle of the vehicle 1.

The observation apparatus A includes pattern irradiation units 4a to 4d, imaging units 5a to 5d, an irradiation control unit 13, and a calculation unit 14. The irradiation control unit 13 controls irradiation of the projection pattern by the pattern irradiation units 4a to 4d. The calculation unit 14 compares the projected pattern image on the flat surface with the images captured by the imaging units 5a to 5d of the projection pattern irradiated to the ground around the vehicle by the pattern irradiation units 4a to 4d, and calculates the difference.
The image of the projection pattern on the flat surface is an image obtained by converting the projection pattern on the flat surface into the same coordinate system as the captured image, and is set in advance in, for example, the calculation unit 14.

  FIG. 4A is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration for realizing the function of the observation apparatus A. In FIG. 4A, the processing circuit 100 is connected to the light emitting device 101 and the camera 102. FIG. 4B is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration for executing software that implements the functions of the observation apparatus A. In FIG. 4B, the processor 103 and the memory 104 are connected to the light emitting device 101 and the camera 102. The pattern irradiation units 4a to 4d of the observation device A are light emitting devices 101, for example, projection lamps or lasers. The imaging units 5 a to 5 d of the observation apparatus A are cameras 102.

  Each function of the irradiation control unit 13 and the calculation unit 14 in the observation apparatus A is realized by a processing circuit. That is, the observation apparatus A compares the image of the projection pattern on the flat surface with the captured image of the projection pattern irradiated on the ground around the vehicle, and calculates the difference between the two images according to the state of the ground around the vehicle. A processing circuit for executing the series of processes up to is provided. The processing circuit may be dedicated hardware or a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes a program stored in the memory.

When the processing circuit is the dedicated hardware shown in FIG. 4A, the processing circuit 100 includes, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (FPGA). Field-Programmable Gate Array) or a combination thereof.
The functions of the irradiation control unit 13 and the calculation unit 14 may be realized by separate processing circuits, or these functions may be realized by a single processing circuit.

When the processing circuit is the processor 103 shown in FIG. 4B, each function of the irradiation control unit 13 and the calculation unit 14 is realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. Software or firmware is written as a program and stored in the memory 104.
The processor 103 reads out and executes the program stored in the memory 104, thereby realizing the functions of the respective units. That is, the observation apparatus A includes a memory 104 for storing a program that, when executed by the processor 103, results from the series of processes described above. These programs cause a computer to execute the procedures or methods of the irradiation control unit 13 and the calculation unit 14.

  The memory 104 includes, for example, a nonvolatile or volatile semiconductor such as a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a flash memory, an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), or an EEPROM (Electrically-EPROM). Magnetic disks, flexible disks, optical disks, compact disks, mini disks, DVDs, and the like are applicable.

A part of each function of the irradiation control unit 13 and the calculation unit 14 may be realized by dedicated hardware, and a part may be realized by software or firmware.
For example, the processing circuit 100 as dedicated hardware realizes the function of the irradiation controller 13, and the function of the arithmetic unit 14 by the processor 103 reading and executing the program stored in the memory 104. May be realized.
Thus, the processing circuit can realize each of the above functions by hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.

Next, the operation will be described.
When the transmission / reception unit 9 receives the operation information of the operator a transmitted from the remote operation terminal 8, the transmission / reception unit 9 outputs the operation information to the travel control unit 10. The travel control unit 10 controls the rotational driving of the drive wheels 2a and 2b based on the operation information, so that the vehicle 1 travels. The external sensor 11 acquires information outside the vehicle such as a video around the vehicle 1, and the internal sensor 12 detects information in the vehicle such as the traveling speed of the vehicle 1. Information on the inside and outside of the vehicle detected by the outside sensor 11 and the inside sensor 12 is output to the transmission / reception unit 9.

The transmission / reception unit 9 transmits information inside and outside the vehicle to the remote operation terminal 8. The remote operation terminal 8 presents information on the inside and outside of the vehicle received from the transmission / reception unit 9 to the operator a. The operator a can remotely operate the vehicle 1 while referring to the information inside and outside the vehicle received from the vehicle 1 side.
When the transmission / reception unit 9 receives ground observation operation information from the remote operation terminal 8, the transmission / reception unit 9 outputs the operation information to the irradiation control unit 13.

The irradiation control unit 13 controls the pattern irradiation units 4 a to 4 d to irradiate the projection patterns 6 a to 6 d to the ground around the vehicle 1 according to the operation information input from the transmission / reception unit 9, and the projection patterns 6 a to 6 d are irradiated. The imaging units 5a to 5d are instructed to take an image of the ground.
The pattern irradiation units 4 a to 4 d irradiate the projection patterns 6 a to 6 d to the ground around the vehicle 1 under the control of the irradiation control unit 13. In synchronization with the irradiation process, the imaging units 5a to 5d image the ground on which the projection patterns 6a to 6d are irradiated by the pattern irradiation units 4a to 4d.

Here, since the imaging units 5a to 5d are arranged apart from the pattern irradiation units 4a to 4d, images of the projection patterns 6a to 6d on the flat surface and the periphery of the vehicle irradiated with the projection patterns 6a to 6d A difference according to the state of the ground occurs between the captured image of the ground. The computing unit 14 compares these captured images and calculates the difference. The transmission / reception unit 9 transmits information indicating the difference calculated by the calculation unit 14 to the remote operation terminal 8.
The remote operation terminal 8 visualizes the information indicating the difference generated by the observation apparatus A and presents it to the operator a. The operator a can grasp the state of the ground on which the vehicle 1 is traveling based on the information presented from the remote operation terminal 8.

Examples of the projection patterns 6a to 6d include a lattice pattern or a grid pattern with light spots. For example, the calculation unit 14 calculates a coordinate difference of the feature point, that is, a coordinate of the position where the distortion of the projection pattern occurs, using the intersection of the grid or the light point of the grid on the captured image as the feature point.
Further, the remote operation terminal 8 visualizes the difference calculated by the computing unit 14 by, for example, contour display by color or brightness, or by contour display. Further, the remote operation terminal 8 may display captured images of the ground irradiated with the projection patterns 6a to 6d in addition to the visualized information. Thereby, the operator a can grasp | ascertain the state of the ground intuitively.

Next, the principle of observing unevenness on the ground will be described.
FIG. 5 is a side view conceptual diagram showing the observation principle of the observation apparatus A, and shows a case where the pattern irradiation unit 4c irradiates the projection surface with a plane and a convex surface on the ground G in front of the vehicle, and images the image by the imaging unit 5c. ing. FIG. 6 is another conceptual side view showing the observation principle of the observation apparatus A. The pattern irradiation unit 4c irradiates the projection pattern onto the plane and the concave surface on the ground G in front of the vehicle, and the imaging unit 5c captures the image. Shows the case.

In FIG. 5, the plane of the ground G can be represented by a straight line A-C-B.
The light irradiated from the pattern irradiation unit 4 c at the point D and traveling along the center of the optical axis is irradiated to the plane of the ground G at the point E. The light reflected at the point E is incident on the imaging unit 5c at the point F.
On the other hand, in FIG. 5, the convex surface of the ground G can be represented by a curve of A-C-H.
The light irradiated from the pattern irradiation unit 4 c at the point D and traveling along the center of the optical axis is irradiated onto the convex surface of the ground G at the point J. The light reflected at the point J is incident on the imaging unit 5c at the point F. As shown in FIG. 5, the convex surface of the ground G appears to be displaced closer to the vehicle in the y-axis direction by an angle θ than the reflected light EF on the plane of the ground G.

In FIG. 6, the plane of the ground G is represented by a straight line A-C-B as in FIG. 5.
The light irradiated from the pattern irradiation unit 4 c at the point D and traveling along the center of the optical axis is irradiated to the plane of the ground G at the point E. The light reflected at the point E is incident on the imaging unit 5c at the point F.
On the other hand, in FIG. 6, the concave surface of the ground G can be represented by a polygonal line A-C-K.
The light irradiated from the pattern irradiation unit 4 c at the point D and traveling along the center of the optical axis is irradiated to the concave surface of the ground G at the point L. The light reflected at the point L enters the imaging unit 5c at the point F. As shown in FIG. 6, the concave surface of the ground G appears to be displaced to the far side from the vehicle in the y-axis direction by an angle γ as compared with the reflected light EF on the plane of the ground G.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an irradiation example of the projection patterns 6 a to 6 c around the vehicle, and illustrates a state in which the projection patterns 6 a to 6 d are irradiated on the flat ground around the vehicle 1. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an image of the projection pattern 6c on the flat surface. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an irradiation example of the projection pattern 6c on the ground with unevenness, and shows a captured image of the projection pattern 6c irradiated on the ground with unevenness in front of the vehicle.

  When the periphery of the vehicle 1 is a flat ground, the irradiation control unit 13 irradiates the projection patterns 6 a to 6 d toward the ground G on the right side, left side, front, and rear of the vehicle 1. 4a to 4d are controlled. In the example of FIG. 7, the flat lattice-shaped projection patterns 6 a to 6 d are irradiated on the flat surface by the pattern irradiation units 4 a to 4 d. The imaging units 5a to 5d image the ground G on the right side, left side, front, and rear of the vehicle 1 in accordance with the irradiation of the projection patterns 6a to 6d. Thereby, the image shown in FIG. 8 can be obtained as a captured image in front of the vehicle.

  When there is unevenness around the vehicle 1, the irradiation control unit 13 irradiates the projection patterns 6 a to 6 d toward the ground G on the right side, left side, front, and rear of the vehicle 1 in the same manner as described above. The irradiation units 4a to 4d are controlled. In the example of FIG. 9, the pattern irradiating unit 4c irradiates a surface with projections and depressions with a rectangular grid-like projection pattern 6c. In FIG. 9, the description of the projection patterns 6a, 6b, 6d is omitted.

  In order to show the unevenness | corrugation of the ground G, the contour lines 20a-20h and 21a-21c are described. The ground G is lowest at the position of the contour line 20a, becomes higher toward the contour line 20h, and is highest at the position of the contour line 20h. The contour lines 21a to 21c represent the concave portions of the ground G, and the ground G becomes lower from the contour line 21a toward the contour line 21c.

The projection pattern 6c irradiated from the pattern irradiation unit 4c onto the ground G in front of the vehicle is distorted as shown in FIG.
That is, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in the image obtained by imaging the projection pattern 6 c of FIG. 9, the convex portion of the ground G is imaged closer to the vehicle 1 in the y-axis direction than the flat surface, The concave portion of the ground G is imaged on the side farther from the vehicle 1 in the y-axis direction than the flat surface. A similar displacement occurs in the x-axis direction, but the description is omitted here.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a captured image of the projection pattern 6c irradiated on the flat ground G in FIG. 8 and a captured image of the projection pattern 6c ′ irradiated on the ground G with unevenness in FIG. In FIG. 10, although the projection pattern 6c and the projection pattern 6c 'are described, they are the projection patterns 6c irradiated on the ground G in front of the vehicle from the same pattern irradiation unit 4c, except that the irradiation target ground is different. As shown in FIG. 10, a difference according to the state of the ground G occurs between the two captured images. The computing unit 14 compares these captured images and calculates the difference. The transmission / reception unit 9 transmits information indicating the difference calculated by the calculation unit 14 to the remote operation terminal 8.

  The remote operation terminal 8 visualizes the information indicating the difference as shown in FIG. 10 and presents it to the operator a. Based on this presentation information, the operator a can grasp the unevenness of the ground G on which the vehicle 1 is traveling. For example, the operator a can travel on a route that avoids the unevenness of the ground G by controlling the travel of the vehicle 1 by the remote operation terminal 8.

In a conventional remotely operated vehicle, the operator has to grasp the state of the ground only from the image around the vehicle acquired by the external sensor, and the unevenness of the ground is difficult to understand.
On the other hand, in the vehicle control system according to the first embodiment, since the information indicating the state of the ground is obtained by the observation device A, the operator can intuitively grasp the unevenness of the ground.

Furthermore, the calculation part 14 may produce | generate the information regarding the state of the ground from the said difference.
For example, the computing unit 14 may generate contour display image information using the color or brightness of the uneven ground G, or may generate an image displaying contour lines. By displaying in this way, the operator can easily grasp the unevenness of the ground G intuitively.

  Although the case where the unevenness | corrugation of the ground G was observed was shown, the same observation is possible even if it is the unevenness | corrugation by the obstruction on the flat ground G. That is, the difference shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 occurs between the captured image of the projection pattern irradiated to the ground G with the obstacle and the captured image of the projection pattern irradiated to the flat ground G. Therefore, when the calculation unit 14 calculates the difference, the observation apparatus A can observe unevenness due to the obstacle.

  As described above, the observation apparatus A according to Embodiment 1 includes the pattern irradiation units 4a to 4d, the irradiation control unit 13, the imaging units 5a to 5d, and the calculation unit 14. In this configuration, since the imaging units 5a to 5d are arranged separately from the pattern irradiation units 4a to 4d, the captured image of the projection pattern on the flat surface and the captured image of the projection pattern irradiated to the ground G around the vehicle. A difference in accordance with the state of the ground G around the vehicle occurs. By utilizing this difference as an observation value of the state of the ground G, the state of the ground G can be observed with a simple configuration at a low cost.

  In the observation apparatus A according to Embodiment 1, the calculation unit 14 generates information indicating the state of the ground G from the difference between the captured images. Thereby, information in which the state of the ground G is easy to understand can be obtained.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle control system according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. In FIG. 11, the same components as those of FIG.
The vehicle control system shown in FIG. 11 is a system mounted on a vehicle 1A that travels by autonomous control, and includes a travel control unit 10A, an external sensor 11, an internal sensor 12, an input unit 15, a travel route setting unit 16, and an observation device. B is provided. Similar to the vehicle 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pattern irradiation units 4 a to 4 d, the imaging units 5 a to 5 d, the external sensor 11, and the internal sensor 12 are mounted on the vehicle 1 </ b> A.

  The travel route setting unit 16 sets a route for traveling the vehicle 1A. For example, the travel route setting unit 16 determines a route from the relay point to the destination point while avoiding the obstacle based on the relay point, the destination point, the position of the obstacle, and the map information received by the input unit 15. calculate. The traveling control unit 10A controls the rotational driving of the drive wheels 2a and 2b shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 so that the vehicle 1A travels along the route set by the traveling route setting unit 16.

  The observation apparatus B includes pattern irradiation units 4a to 4d, imaging units 5a to 5d, an irradiation control unit 13, and a calculation unit 14A. The computing unit 14A compares the image captured by the imaging units 5a to 5d with the projection pattern irradiated on the flat surface and the image captured by the imaging units 5a to 5d with the projection pattern irradiated to the ground around the vehicle. The difference is calculated, and information regarding the state of the ground around the vehicle is generated from the difference. The information regarding the state of the ground around the vehicle is, for example, information indicating the position of an area where the ground is uneven. The travel route setting unit 16 calculates the travel route of the vehicle 1A based on the information generated by the calculation unit 14A.

In the vehicle control system shown in FIG. 11, the functions of the travel control unit 10A, the irradiation control unit 13, the calculation unit 14A, and the travel route setting unit 16 are realized by a processing circuit.
That is, the vehicle control system includes a processing circuit for executing these functions.
The processing circuit may be dedicated hardware as shown in FIG. 4A, or may be a processor that executes a program stored in a memory as shown in FIG. 4B.

Next, the operation will be described.
The calculation unit 14A calculates the difference between the captured images according to the unevenness of the ground G around the vehicle 1A in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Furthermore, the calculation unit 14A calculates, for example, the coordinate value in the real space (the three-dimensional space in which the vehicle 1A is traveling) of the position where the unevenness of the ground G that the vehicle 1A should avoid from the calculated difference, The information about the state of the ground G around the vehicle 1 </ b> A is output to the travel route setting unit 16.

  The travel route setting unit 16 calculates a travel route that avoids the unevenness of the ground G based on the position of the vehicle 1A, the map information, and the information calculated by the calculation unit 14A. The travel control unit 10 </ b> A controls the travel of the vehicle 1 </ b> A according to the route calculated by the travel route setting unit 16. Thereby, it can avoid that vehicle 1A approachs the unevenness | corrugation of the ground G, falls, or collides with an obstruction.

  As described above, the vehicle control system according to the second embodiment includes the travel route setting unit 16 that calculates the travel route of the vehicle 1A based on the information generated by the calculation unit 14A, in addition to the observation device B, and the travel route. A travel control unit 10A that controls the travel of the vehicle 1A according to the travel route calculated by the setting unit 16; By having these configurations, it is possible to control the traveling of the vehicle 1A according to the unevenness of the ground around the vehicle 1A.

  In the present invention, within the scope of the invention, any combination of each embodiment, any component of each embodiment can be modified, or any component can be omitted in each embodiment. .

  1, 1A vehicle, 2a, 2b driving wheel, 3a, 3b driven wheel, 4a-4d pattern irradiation unit, 5a-5d imaging unit, 6a-6d projection pattern, 8 remote control terminal, 9 transmission / reception unit, 10, 10A traveling control 11, external sensor, 12 internal sensor, 13 irradiation control unit, 14, 14 A calculation unit, 15 input unit, 16 travel route setting unit, 20 a to 20 h, 21 a to 21 c contour lines, 100 processing circuit, 101 light emitting device, 102 Camera, 103 processor, 104 memory.

An observation apparatus according to the present invention is mounted on a vehicle that travels by remote control from a remote control terminal, and includes an irradiation unit, an irradiation control unit, an imaging unit, and a calculation unit. The irradiation unit irradiates the projection pattern toward the ground around the vehicle. The irradiation control unit controls irradiation of the projection pattern by the irradiation unit. The imaging unit is arranged separately from the irradiation unit, and images the projection pattern irradiated by the irradiation unit. Calculation unit, a projection pattern which has been irradiated to the ground near the vehicle by the image and the irradiation portion of the projection pattern on the flat surface by comparing the image capturing section is captured, calculates a difference in the shape of the pattern. In this configuration, the remote operation terminal displays information indicating the difference calculated by the calculation unit.

Claims (3)

An irradiation unit that irradiates a projection pattern toward the ground around the vehicle;
An irradiation control unit that controls irradiation of the projection pattern by the irradiation unit;
An imaging unit that is arranged apart from the irradiation unit and images a projection pattern irradiated by the irradiation unit;
An arithmetic unit that calculates a difference by comparing an image of a projection pattern on a flat surface with an image captured by the imaging unit of a projection pattern irradiated on the ground around the vehicle by the irradiation unit. Observation device. The observation device according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit generates information on a ground state from the difference. An irradiation unit that irradiates a projection pattern toward the ground around the vehicle;
An irradiation control unit that controls irradiation of the projection pattern by the irradiation unit;
An imaging unit that is arranged apart from the irradiation unit and images a projection pattern irradiated by the irradiation unit;
A difference between the image of the projection pattern on the flat surface and the image captured by the imaging unit with respect to the projection pattern irradiated on the ground around the vehicle by the illuminating unit is calculated, and the state of the ground around the vehicle is calculated from the difference. An arithmetic unit for generating information;
A travel route setting unit that calculates a travel route of the vehicle based on the information generated by the arithmetic unit;
A vehicle control system comprising: a travel control unit that controls the travel of the vehicle according to the travel route calculated by the travel route setting unit.

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