100b, and the distance between the movable apparatuses, namely the movable apparatus 100a and the different movable apparatus 100b, on the basis of the captured image data groups acquired in Step S402. Details of the processing will be described later by using FIG. 5.

In Step S405 (determination step), the traveling status determination unit 215 determines a traveling status regarding whether or not the movable apparatus 100a has to follow the different movable apparatus 100b and whether or not the movable apparatus 100a can follow the different movable apparatus 100b. In other words, in Step S405, whether or not the movable apparatus is to follow the different movable apparatus on the basis of the reliability of the position and orientation information of the movable apparatus and the analysis result in the movable apparatus analysis step.

Here, the traveling status is determined on the basis of the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a measured in Step S403 and the moving direction of the different movable apparatus 100b analyzed in Step S404. Details of the processing will be described later by using FIG. 6.

In Step S406, the traveling details determination unit 216 determines the moving direction and the moving speed of the movable apparatus 100a on the basis of the motion of the different movable apparatus 100b analyzed in Step S404 and the traveling status determined in Step S405. Details of the processing for the moving direction and the moving speed determined here will be described later by using FIG. 7.

In Step S407, end determination processing is executed. As the end determination processing, the information processing device 201 determines whether or not the movable apparatus 100a has arrived the destination set in Step S401. The destination and the coordinate position of the movable apparatus 100a are compared, and in a case where a difference from the coordinate position is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value, it is determined that the movable apparatus 100a has arrived the destination, and a series of the processing illustrated in FIG. 4 is ended.

In a case where the difference from the coordinate position is greater than the predetermined position, the movable apparatus 100a has not arrived the destination, the processing returns to Step S402, and the series of processing is continued.

Next, FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating processing in Step S404 in FIG. 4 and explains the processing of the movable apparatus analysis unit 214 detecting the different movable apparatus 100b that is present in the surroundings of the movable apparatus 100a and analyzing motion thereof. Note that each part of the processing illustrated in the flowchart in FIG. 5 is realized by the CPU 301 as a computer executing the computer program stored in the memory.

The movable apparatus analysis unit 214 analyzes the position, the moving direction, and the moving speed of the different movable apparatus 100b, and the distance between the movable apparatus 100a and the different movable apparatus 100b as motion of the different movable apparatus 100b. Note that in the first embodiment, the position and the motion of the different movable apparatus 100b are analyzed by arranging a predetermined marker at a rear portion of the different movable apparatus 100b in advance and detecting the arranged marker.

Note that it is desirable to enable distinction regarding which of movable apparatuses the movable apparatus 100b corresponds to when the marker is read, by arranging a different maker for each different movable apparatus 100b.

In Step S501, the different movable apparatus 100b is detected. As a method for detecting the different movable apparatus 100b, the different movable apparatus 100b is detected by applying a template matching method. Specifically, predetermined marker data is read as the object model data held by the data holding unit 212 first.

The different movable apparatus 100b is detected by using the read predetermined marker data on the captured image data at the latest clock time acquired in Step S402 and applying the template matching method.

In Step S502, whether or not the different movable apparatus 100b has been detected in the surroundings of the movable apparatus 100a in Step S501 is determined. The processing proceeds to Step S503 in a case where the different movable apparatus 100b has been detected, or the processing proceeds to Step S508 in a case where the different movable apparatus has not been detected.

In Step S503, motion of the different movable apparatus 100b detected in Step S501 is tracked. Specifically, the amount of movement of the different movable apparatus 100b detected in Step S501 as a target is calculated from the continuous captured image data groups acquired in Step S402.

The coordinates of the different movable apparatus 100b as an analysis target at the latest clock time (rt) are expressed as (XWb1 (rt), YWb1 (rt). Also, the coordinates of the different movable apparatus 100b as a target at a past clock time (rt-1) by one unit time (one frame) from the latest clock time (rt) are expressed as (XWb1 (rt-1), YWb1 (rt-1)).

The amount of movement (Xvb1, Yvb1) is calculated from a difference between the coordinates (XWb1 (rt), YWb1 (rt)) and the coordinates (XWb1 (rt-1), YWb1 (rt-1)) as represented by Equations 1 and 2 below.

X_vb1=X_Wb1(rt)−X_Wb1(rt-1) (Equation 1)

Y_vb1=Y_Wb1(rt)−Y_Wb1(rt-1) (Equation 2)

The amount of movement (X_vb1, Yvb1) calculated here is referred to as a movement vector. In Step S502, the movable apparatus analysis unit 214 calculates the movement vector for the different movable apparatus 100b detected in Step S501 in this manner.

In Step S504, a value corresponding to a movement direction of the different movable apparatus 100b is calculated. The value of the movement direction is a value indicating in which direction the different movable apparatus 100b advances. Here, the movement vector calculated in Step S503 is assumed to be a value corresponding to the moving direction of the different movable apparatus 100b.

In Step S505, a moving speed of the different movable apparatus 100b is calculated. The movement vector calculated in Step S503 is divided by a difference time (a difference between the clock time (rt) and the clock time (rt-1)). In this manner, the moving speed of the different movable apparatus 100b is calculated.

In Step S506, the position of the different movable apparatus 100b is calculated. The position is a value indicating at which coordinates the different movable apparatus 100b is located in the real space. Here, the coordinates (XWb1 (rt), YWb1 (rt)) of the different movable apparatus 100b as an analysis target at the latest clock time (rt) calculated in Step S503 is output.

In Step S507, the distance between the movable apparatuses, namely the movable apparatus 100a and the different movable apparatus 100b is calculated. The coordinates of the movable apparatus 100a are calculated in the measurement of the position and orientation in Step S403, and the coordinates of the movable apparatus 100a at the latest clock time (rt) are assumed to be (XWal (rt), Ywa1 (rt)).

The distance Dab1 (rt) between the movable apparatuses is calculated as represented by Equation 3 below from a difference between the coordinates (XWal (rt), Ywa1 (rt)) of the movable apparatus 100a and the coordinates (XWb1 (rt), Ywb1 (rt)) of the different movable apparatus 100b obtained in Step S506.

D

a
⁢
b
⁢
1
⁢

(

r
⁢
t

)

=

(

X

W
⁢
b
⁢
1
⁢

(

r
⁢
t

)

-

X

Wa
⁢
1
⁢

(

r
⁢
t

)

)

2

+

(

Y

W
⁢
b
⁢
1
⁢

(

r
⁢
t

)

-

Y

Wa
⁢
1
⁢

(
rt
)

)

2

(

Equation
⁢

3

)

In Step S508, whether or not the movable apparatus analysis processing has ended is determined. In a case where it is determined that the processing in Steps S501 to S507 has been completed on the object model data prepared in advance, the processing illustrated in FIG. 5 is ended. In a case where there is object model data that has not yet been read, the processing returns to Step S501, and the series of processing is continued.

Processing of determining a traveling status regarding whether the movable apparatus 100a has to follow and travel with the different movable apparatus 100b or has to travel autonomously is executed on the basis of the result of analyzing the motion of the different movable apparatus 100b obtained in the above processing and predetermined conditions.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining processing performed by the traveling status determination unit 215 in Step S405 in FIG. 4. Each piece of processing illustrated in the flowchart in FIG. 6 is realized by the CPU 301 as a computer executing the computer program stored in the memory.

In Step S601, the position and orientation and the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a calculated in Step S403 are acquired.

In Step S602, a result of analyzing motion of the different movable apparatus 100b analyzed in Step S404 is acquired.

In Step S603, whether or not the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a acquired in Step S601 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value is determined. The processing proceeds to Step S604 in a case where the reliability is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, or the processing proceeds to Step S605 in a case where the reliability is less than the predetermined value.

In Step S604, it is determined that stable autonomous traveling can be performed, it is determined that there is no need to perform following traveling as a result of determining the traveling status, and a traveling status pattern 1 is thus selected. In other words, in Step S604, it is determined that autonomous traveling is to be performed in a case where the reliability is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

In Step S605, whether or not the moving direction which is one of results of analyzing motion of the different movable apparatus 100b acquired in Step S602 is within a predetermined angular range with respect to the moving direction of the movable apparatus 100a. In other words, whether or not the different movable apparatus 100b as a target of following is within a predetermined angular range with respect to the moving direction of the movable apparatus 100a is examined, and whether the different movable apparatus 100b is moving in a similar direction is determined.

As a specific determination method, an intersecting angle cos θ is obtained by using Equation 4 below, for example, from two values of the moving direction of the movable apparatus 100a and the moving direction of the different movable apparatus 100b.

cos
⁢
θ

=

X

va
⁢
1

⁢

X

vb
⁢
1

+

Y
va

⁢

Y

vb
⁢
1

X

va
⁢
1

2

+

Y

va
⁢
1

2

⁢

X

vb
⁢
1

2

+

Y

vb
⁢
1

2

(

Equation
⁢

4

)

Then, whether or not the obtained intersecting angle cos θ is within a predetermined value range is further determined by Equation 5, for example. The processing proceeds to Step S606 in a case where the moving direction is within the predetermined value range, or the processing proceeds to Step S607 in a case where the moving direction is outside the predetermined value range.

cos θ_min<cos θ≤cos θ_max (Equation 5)

In Step S606, there is a need to perform following traveling as a result of determining the traveling status, it is determined that the following traveling is to be performed, and a traveling status pattern 2 is thus selected. In other words, in a case where the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a is less than the predetermined value in Step S603, and it is difficult to perform stable autonomous traveling, it is determined that the different movable apparatus 100b moving in a similar direction is present in Step S605, and it is thereby determined that following traveling is thus to be performed.

In other words, in a case where the reliability is less than the predetermined threshold value and the moving direction of the movable apparatus and the moving direction of the different movable apparatus are within a preset range, it is determined that the movable apparatus is to follow the different movable apparatus in Step S606.

In Step S607, the different movable apparatus 100b that is to be regarded as a target of following is not present as a result of determining the traveling status, it is necessary to perform following traveling, but the following traveling cannot be performed, and a traveling status pattern 3 is thus selected.

In other words, reliability of the movable apparatus 100a is lower than the predetermined value, the different movable apparatus 100b as a target of following traveling in a similar direction is not present, and the following traveling cannot be performed. Therefore, since the value of the reliability of the position and orientation is low while the autonomous traveling is to be performed, a state in which the stability of the autonomous moving has been degraded is achieved.

The processing of determining traveling details of the movable apparatus 100a is executed in Step S406 on the basis of the traveling status determined in the processing illustrated in FIG. 6 and the result of analyzing motion of the different movable apparatus 100b obtained in Step S404.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining processing performed by the traveling details determination unit 216 in Step S406 in FIG. 4. Note that each piece of processing illustrated in the flowchart in FIG. 7 is realized by the CPU 301 as a computer executing the computer program stored in the memory. In FIG. 7, the traveling details determination unit 216 determines the moving direction and the moving speed as traveling details of the movable apparatus 100a.

In Step S701, the position and orientation and the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a calculated in Step S403 are acquired. Also, the result of analyzing motion of the different movable apparatus 100b analyzed in Step S404 is acquired in Step S702.

In Step S703, the traveling status pattern selected in Step S405 is acquired, and the following processing is switched on the basis of the traveling status pattern. In other words, in a case of the traveling status pattern 1 of the traveling status indicating that there is no need to perform the following traveling, the processing proceeds to Step S704.

On the other hand, the processing proceeds to Step S706 in a case of the traveling status pattern 2 of the traveling status indicating that there is a need to perform the following traveling and the following traveling is to be performed, or the processing proceeds to Step S710 in a case of the traveling status pattern 3 indicating that the following traveling cannot be performed while there is a need to perform the following traveling.

In Step S704, the moving direction is determined from the current position and orientation of the movable apparatus 100a acquired in Step S701 for the route information set in Step S401. Also, in Step S705, the moving speed is determined on the basis of the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a. Here, since the reliability is equal to or greater than the predetermined value and stable moving control can be performed, a predefined moving speed is set.

In Step S706, the moving direction of the movable apparatus 100a is determined on the basis of the position and the moving direction of the different movable apparatus 100b which are the results of analyzing motion of the different movable apparatus 100b acquired in Step S702. Specifically, a direction obtained by adding the relative direction from the movable apparatus 100a to the position of the different movable apparatus 100b and the moving direction of the different movable apparatus 100b is defined as a moving direction of the movable apparatus 100a.

A difference between the relative direction from the movable apparatus 100a to the position of the different movable apparatus 100b and the moving direction of the different movable apparatus 100b is reduced by performing following traveling in the moving direction determined here.

In Step S707, whether or not the distance between the movable apparatus 100a and the different movable apparatus 100b is equal to or greater than a predetermined value is determined. The processing proceeds to Step S708 in a case where the distance between the movable apparatuses is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, or the processing proceeds to Step S709 in a case where the distance between the movable apparatuses is less than the predetermined value.

In Step S708, the same speed as the moving speed of the different movable apparatus 100b is determined as the moving speed of the movable apparatus 100a. Here, a case where the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a is low and the distance between the movable apparatuses is equal to or greater than the predetermined value will be described. Since the distance between the movable apparatuses is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, an influence of the different movable apparatus 100b on sensor measurement is small. It is determined that a reason for degradation of the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a is not the close distance between the movable apparatuses, and the moving speed of the movable apparatus 100a is determined to be the same speed as that of the different movable apparatus 100b.

In Step S709, a lower speed than the moving speed of the different movable apparatus 100b is determined as the moving speed of the movable apparatus 100a. This is because the distance between the movable apparatus from the different movable apparatus 100b is too close, the different movable apparatus 100b significantly affects the sensor measurement, and there is a likelihood that it is not possible to sufficiently acquire information regarding the surroundings of the movable apparatus 100a.

As a result, there is a likelihood that the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a is a low value. Thus, a lower speed than the moving speed of the different movable apparatus 100b is determined as the moving speed of the movable apparatus 100a. The distance between the movable apparatuses is set to be equal to or greater than the predetermined value while following traveling is performed, and the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a is thereby improved by employing a lower speed in this manner.

In a case where the traveling status pattern 3 is determined to be employed in Step S703, the moving direction is determined from the current position and orientation of the movable apparatus 100a acquired in Step S701 for the route information set in Step S401 similarly to Step S704 in Step S710.

Furthermore, a lower speed than the predetermined moving speed is determined on the basis of the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a acquired in Step S701 in Step S711. This is because safety is to be enhanced since the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a is low and the different movable apparatus as a target of following is not present in the surroundings.

In other words, there is a high likelihood that the reliability is less than the predetermined value and it is difficult to perform stable moving control in this situation. Therefore, in a case where the reliability is less than a predetermined minimum value, for example, it is determined to temporarily stop. On the other hand, in a case where the reliability is equal to or greater than the predetermined minimum value and is less than the predetermined value, the movable apparatus is caused to perform low-speed traveling at a lower speed than the predetermined moving speed on the basis of the reliability. Alternatively, the moving speed may be gradually reduced as the reliability is lower.

As described above, the moving direction, the moving speed, and the like of the movable apparatus 100a are determined on the basis of the result of analyzing motion of the different movable apparatus 100b and the traveling status. A signal indicating the traveling details determined by the traveling details determination unit 216 is transmitted to the control device 203, and the control device 203 controls a traveling pattern when the movable apparatus 100a is moved to the destination in accordance with the signal indicating the traveling details.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to improve moving efficiency of the movable apparatus 100a to a predetermined destination. Note that in the first embodiment, the example in which the processing is ended in response to the determination regarding whether the movable apparatus has arrived at the destination as end determination in Step S407.

However, this processing may be ended in a case where an end instruction is received from the user. Alternatively, new destination setting and route setting are preformed, and the series of processing in and after Step S402 may be continued, in a case where a route change is received from the user.

Note that although the example in which the information processing device 201 and the sensor 202 are disposed inside the movable apparatus 100 has been described in the first embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the information processing device 201 and the sensor 202 may be configured outside the movable apparatus 100. In the case of this configuration, the movable apparatus 100, the information processing device 201, and the sensor 202 may be connected to each other and perform data communication with each other via a network.

Also, although the motion analysis of the movable apparatus is performed by arranging a predetermined marker at the rear portion of the movable apparatus and detecting the arranged marker in the processing performed by the movable apparatus analysis unit 214 in the first embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto.

The movable apparatus may be detected by holding a captured image group of movable apparatuses as object model data and applying the template matching method. Also, not only the template matching method but a neural network or deep learning may be applied by using the captured image group of movable apparatuses as training data as the method for detecting movable apparatuses.

Also, although the example in which the position and orientation and the reliability are obtained by comparing the feature points extracted from sensor data and the feature points of the map data when the position and orientation and the reliability are calculated by the position and orientation measurement unit 213 has been described in the first embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, each point in the sensor data may be used as point group data, the closest points between the two point groups between the point group data of the sensor data and the point group data of the map data may be used as corresponding points, and the position and orientation may be calculated such that the sum of the distances between the points becomes small.

Specifically, the position and orientation of the movable apparatus 100a may be calculated by using an iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm. As for the reliability, the residual error of the corresponding point group after the registration (position matching) is calculated, and the reliability is determined to be higher as the value of the remaining is smaller.

On the other hand, the reliability is determined to be low in a case where the remaining value is a high value, and there is a high likelihood that the position and orientation have not been able to be accurately calculated similarly to the case where the feature points as described in the first embodiment are used.

Second Embodiment

In the first embodiment, motion of a different movable apparatus that is present in the surroundings of the movable apparatus is analyzed, and a traveling status regarding whether or not to follow the different movable apparatus and whether or not the following is possible is determined from the result of analyzing reliability of the host movable apparatus and the motion of the different movable apparatus. Also, the example in which the moving direction and the moving speed of the movable apparatus are determined on the basis of the result of determining the traveling status has been described.

In a second embodiment, an example in which movable apparatus information is communicated with a different movable apparatus that is present in the surroundings of a movable apparatus, a traveling status regarding whether to follow the different movable apparatus and whether the following is possible are determined on the basis of the acquired movable apparatus information, and a moving direction and a moving speed of the movable apparatus are determined will be described.

Specifically, the host movable apparatus performs communication with the different movable apparatus and acquires the movable apparatus information of the different movable apparatus. Route information of the different movable apparatus included in the acquired movable apparatus information and route information of the movable apparatus are compared to obtain a length of an overlapping route. It is determined that following traveling is to be performed in a case where the overlapping route is equal to or greater than a specific length, or it is determined that following is not needed and autonomous traveling is to be performed in a case where the overlapping length is less than the specific length.

In a case where the host movable apparatus is to follow and travel with the different movable apparatus, the moving speed of the movable apparatus is determined on the basis of reliability of the different movable apparatus and the distance between the host movable apparatus and the different movable apparatus.

Also, in a case where the reliability of the different movable apparatus is low and the distance between the movable apparatuses is short, a lower speed than the moving speed of the different movable apparatus is set as the moving speed of the host movable apparatus. In a case where the reliability of the different movable apparatus is high and the distance between the movable apparatuses is long, a higher speed than the moving speed of the different movable apparatus is set as the moving speed of the host movable apparatus.

In this manner, the traveling status is more accurately determined as compared with the first embodiment by communicating (receiving) each piece of movable apparatus information from the different movable apparatus and obtaining the overlapping route. Also, it is possible to move while keeping an appropriate distance between the movable apparatuses and to improve efficiency of moving to a destination by determining the moving speed of the movable apparatus on the basis of the reliability of the different movable apparatus and the distance between the movable apparatuses, namely between the movable apparatus and the different movable apparatus.

Note that description regarding matters similar to those in the first embodiment will be omitted and different points will be mainly described in the following description of the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of an information processing device 201 according to the second embodiment. The information processing device 201 according to the second embodiment is configured of a sensor information acquisition unit 801, a data holding unit 802, a movable apparatus information communication unit 803, a position and orientation measurement unit 804, a traveling status determination unit 805, a traveling details determination unit 806, and the like.

The sensor information acquisition unit 801 reccives and acquires sensor information measured by a sensor 202. The acquired sensor information is output to the position and orientation measurement unit 804. The data holding unit 802 holds map data created in advance, and the map data is used by the position and orientation measurement unit 804 to measure the position and orientation of the movable apparatus 100a.

The movable apparatus information communication unit 803 transmits and receives movable apparatus information to and from each other between the movable apparatus 100a and the different movable apparatus 100b. In other words, the movable apparatus information communication unit 803 acquires the movable apparatus information of the different movable apparatus in the surroundings from the different movable apparatus. The movable apparatus information includes at least one of a position and orientation, reliability, destination information, route information, a traveling method, a moving direction, a moving speed, and the like of each of the movable apparatus 100a and the different movable apparatus 100b.

The movable apparatus information received from the different movable apparatus 100b via the movable apparatus information communication unit 803 is supplied to the position and orientation measurement unit 804 and the traveling status determination unit 805. On the other hand, the movable apparatus information communication unit 803 inputs the position and orientation, the reliability, and the like of the movable apparatus 100a calculated by the position and orientation measurement unit 804. Also, the movable apparatus information communication unit 803 inputs the destination information, the route information, the traveling method, the moving direction, the moving speed, and the like from the traveling details determination unit 806.

The position and orientation measurement unit 804 calculates the position and orientation and the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a on the basis of the sensor information acquired by the sensor information acquisition unit 801 and the map data in the data holding unit 802. In other words, the position and orientation measurement unit 804 measures the position and orientation information of the movable apparatus and the reliability of the position and orientation information. Additionally, the position and orientation measurement unit 804 receives the movable apparatus information of the different movable apparatus 100b from the movable apparatus information communication unit 803 and updates the position and orientation of the movable apparatus 100a in accordance with the value of the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a.

The traveling status determination unit 805 determines a traveling status regarding whether the movable apparatus 100a has to follow the different movable apparatus 100b on the basis of the movable apparatus information of the different movable apparatus 100b received via the movable apparatus information communication unit 803. In other words, the traveling status determination unit 805 determines whether or not the movable apparatus is to follow the different movable apparatus on the basis of the movable apparatus information acquired by the movable apparatus information communication unit 803.

The traveling details determination unit 806 determines the moving direction and the moving speed as traveling details of the movable apparatus 100 on the basis of an output result of the traveling status determination unit 805. In other words, the traveling details determination unit 806 determines at least one of the moving direction and the moving speed of the movable apparatus on the basis of the result of the determination of the traveling status determination unit 805 and the movable apparatus information. The determined moving direction and the moving speed are output to the control device 203.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the information processing device 201 according to the second embodiment. Note that each piece of processing illustrated in the flowchart in FIG. 9 is realized by a CPU 301 as a computer executing a computer program stored in a memory.

In Step S901, system initialization is performed, and the information processing device 201 is brought into an operable state similarly to the first embodiment. Also, reading of the map data held in the data holding unit 802 and destination setting and route setting of the movable apparatus 100a are performed.

In Step S902, the sensor information acquisition unit 801 acquires sensor information. Similarly to the first embodiment, the sensor information is captured image data obtained by imaging the surroundings of the movable apparatus 100a.

In Step S903 (communication step), the movable apparatus information received from the different movable apparatus 100b is acquired via the movable apparatus information communication unit 803. In other words, the movable apparatus information of the different movable apparatus in the surroundings is acquired from the different movable apparatus in Step S903.

In Step S904 (position and orientation information measurement step), the position and orientation and the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a are measured. In other words, the position and orientation information of the movable apparatus and the reliability of the position and orientation information are measured in Step S904. In the second embodiment, the movable apparatus information of the different movable apparatus 100b acquired in Step S903 is used to update the position and orientation in a case where the reliability is a low value. Details of the processing will be described later by using FIG. 10.

In Step S905 (determination step), the traveling status determination unit 805 determines a traveling status regarding whether the movable apparatus 100a has to follow and travel with the different movable apparatus 100b or has to travel autonomously. In other words, whether or not the movable apparatus is to follow the different movable apparatus is determined on the basis of the movable apparatus information acquired in the communication step in Step S905.

Here, the traveling status is determined on the basis of the movable apparatus information of the different movable apparatus 100b acquired in Step S903. Details of the processing will be described later by using FIG. 11.

In Step S906, the traveling details determination unit 806 determines the moving direction and the moving speed of the movable apparatus 100a on the basis of the results in Step S903 and Step S905. Details of the processing will be described later by using FIG. 12.

End determination processing is executed in Step S907. The end determination processing is similar to that in the first embodiment. Here, in a case where it is determined that the movable apparatus has arrived at the destination, the series of processing illustrated in FIG. 9 is ended. In a case where it is determined that the movable apparatus has not arrived at the destination, the processing returns to Step S902, and the processing is continued.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining a processing example in Step S904 performed by the position and orientation measurement unit 804. Each piece of the processing illustrated in the flowchart in FIG. 10 is realized by the CPU 301 as a computer executing the computer program stored in the memory.

In Step S1001, the position and orientation of the movable apparatus 100a is calculated. In Step S1002, the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a is calculated. In Step S1003, whether or not the reliability calculated in Step S1002 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value is determined.

In a case where the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the position and orientation and the reliability calculated in Step S1001 and Step S1002 are output, and the processing in FIG. 9 is ended. In a case where the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a is less than the predetermined value, the processing proceeds to Step S1004.

In Step S1004, the distance (the distance between the movable apparatuses) between the movable apparatus 100a and the different movable apparatus 100b is calculated. Here, the relative distance to the different movable apparatus 100b is calculated from the captured image data of the surroundings of the movable apparatus 100a acquired in Step S902.

Specifically, the different movable apparatus 100b is detected from the captured image data, and the distance with respect to a detected pixel position is calculated through stereo measurement. The calculated distance Dab2 (rt) between the movable apparatuses is expressed as (Xab2 (rt), Yab2 (rt)).

In Step S1005, the movable apparatus information of the different movable apparatus 100b acquired in Step S903 is acquired. In Step S1006, the distance between the movable apparatuses calculated in Step S1004 and the position and orientation of the different movable apparatus 100b acquired in Step S1005 are used to update the position and orientation of the movable apparatus 100a. The position and orientation updated here and the reliability calculated in Step S1002 are output, and the processing flow in FIG. 9 is ended.

Note that the position and orientation of the movable apparatus 100a are calculated on the basis of Equations 6 and 7 below, for example. In other words, the position (Xwa2 (rt), Ywa2 (rt)) of the movable apparatus 100a is obtained from a difference between the position (Xwb2 (rt), Ywb2 (rt)) of the different movable apparatus 100b and the distance (Xab2 (rt), Yab2 (rt)) to the different movable apparatus 100b obtained in Step S1004.

X_wa2(rt)=X_wb2(rt)−X_ab2(rt) (Equation 6)

Y_wa2(rt)=Y_wb2(rt)−Y_ab2(rt) (Equation 7)

In a case where the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a is determined to be less than the predetermined value in the aforementioned processing, the position and orientation of the different movable apparatus 100b acquired through communication is used to update the position and orientation of the movable apparatus 100a. Therefore, the movable apparatus 100a can calculate the stable position and orientation of the movable apparatus 100a itself even in a case where the reliability is low.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining a processing example in Step S905 performed by the traveling status determination unit 805. Note that each piece of processing illustrated in the flowchart in FIG. 11 is realized by the CPU 301 as a computer executing the computer program stored in the memory.

In Step S1101, the movable apparatus information communication unit 803 acquires the movable apparatus information of the different movable apparatus 100b that is present in the surroundings of the movable apparatus 100a.

In Step S1102, the route information of the different movable apparatus 100b and the route information of the movable apparatus 100a included in the movable apparatus information acquired in Step S1101 are compared. Here, the route information is compared to obtain the length of the overlapping route.

The route information includes information regarding the destination set in Step S901, information regarding each point to be passed before the destination, and information regarding lengths between the points. In the comparison of the route information, the length of the overlapping route is calculated by comparing whether each point to be passed is the same between the movable apparatus 100a and the different movable apparatus 100b and adding the lengths between the same points.

In Step S1103, the distance between the movable apparatuses, namely the movable apparatus 100a and the different movable apparatus 100b is calculated. The same processing as that in Step S1004 is performed to calculate the distance Dab2 (rt) between the movable apparatuses which is the distance between the movable apparatus 100a and the different movable apparatus 100b.

In Step S1104, whether or not the distance Dab2 (rt) between the movable apparatuses calculated in Step S1103 is less than a predetermined value. Here, the distance between the movable apparatuses is used to evaluate whether the different movable apparatus 100b as a target of following is present within a predetermined distance range. The processing proceeds to Step S1105 in a case where the distance Dab2 (rt) between the movable apparatuses is less than the predetermined value, or the processing proceeds to Step S1108 in a case where the distance Dab2 (rt) between the movable apparatuses is equal to or greater than the predetermined value.

In Step S1105, whether or not the length of the overlapping route obtained in Step S1102 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Here, how long the following traveling is to be performed is evaluated on the basis of the length of the overlapping route. The processing proceeds to Step S1106 in a case where the length of the overlapping route is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, or the processing proceeds to Step S1107 in a case where the length is less than the predetermined value.

Since the different movable apparatus 100b as a target of following is present within the predetermined range, and the distance by which following traveling can be performed is equal to or greater than the predetermined value in Step S1106, it is determined that the following traveling can be performed and the following traveling is to be performed as a result of determining the traveling status, and a traveling status pattern 4 is selected.

Since the different movable apparatus 100b as a target of following is present within the predetermined range while the distance by which the following traveling can be performed is less than the predetermined value in Step S1107, it is determined that the following traveling is not needed and autonomous traveling is to be performed as a result of determining the traveling status, and a traveling status pattern 5 is selected.

Specifically, this corresponds to a case where an end point of the overlapping route has been approached, a case where the movable apparatus 100a has almost arrived at the destination, and the like. Therefore, the movable apparatus 100a selects the traveling status pattern 5 for autonomous traveling. In this manner, whether or not the movable apparatus is to follow the movable apparatus in the surroundings is determined in accordance with the length of the overlapping route between the route of the different movable apparatus and the route of the movable apparatus in Step S1105 to Step S1107.

In Step S1108, it is determined that the following traveling cannot be performed and the autonomous traveling is to be performed as a result of determining the traveling status since it is determined that the different movable apparatus 100b as a target of following is not present within the specific range in Step S1104, and a traveling status pattern 6 is selected.

The processing of determining traveling details of the movable apparatus 100a is executed in Step S906 on the basis of the traveling status pattern selected in the above processing and the movable apparatus information of the different movable apparatus 100b acquired in Step S903.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining a processing example in Step S906 performed by the traveling details determination unit 806. Note that each piece of processing illustrated in the flowchart in FIG. 12 is realized by the CPU 301 as a computer executing the computer program stored in the memory.

In Step S1201, the position and orientation and the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a calculated in Step S904 are acquired. Also, in Step S1202, the movable apparatus information of the different movable apparatus 100b acquired in Step S903 is read.

In Step S1203, the traveling status pattern selected in Step S905 is acquired, and the following processing is switched on the basis of the pattern. In a case where the traveling status is the traveling status pattern 4 of performing following traveling, the processing proceeds to Step S1204.

On the other hand, in a case where the traveling status is the traveling status pattern 5 in which the following traveling is not needed and autonomous traveling is to be performed, and in a case of a result of determination of the traveling status pattern 6 in which the following traveling cannot be performed and autonomous traveling is to be performed, the processing proceeds to Step S1209.

In Step S1204, the moving direction of the movable apparatus 100a is determined from the position and the traveling direction of the different movable apparatus 100b read in Step S1202.

In Step S1205, whether or not the distance between the movable apparatuses is equal to or greater than a predetermined minimum value is determined. The processing proceeds to Step S1206 in a case where the distance between the movable apparatuses is equal to or greater than the predetermined minimum value, or the processing proceeds to Step S1208 in a case where the distance between the movable apparatuses is less than the minimum value. As the predetermined minimum value of the distance between the movable apparatuses, a target distance of the following traveling is set.

In Step S1206, whether or not the reliability of the different movable apparatus 100b is equal to or greater than a predetermined value is determined. The processing proceeds to Step S1207 in a case where the reliability of the different movable apparatus 100b is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, or the processing proceeds to Step S1208 in a case where the reliability is less than the predetermined value. The moving speed of the movable apparatus 100a is determined in Step S1207 and Step S1208 on the basis of the results of the determination in Step S1205 and Step S1206.

In Step S1207, a higher speed than the moving speed of the different movable apparatus 100b is determined as a moving speed of the movable apparatus 100a. Here, the reliability of the different movable apparatus 100b is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and stable moving control is performed. Also, since the distance between the movable apparatuses is equal to or greater than a predefined minimum value, a higher moving speed is determined to approach the target distance between the movable apparatuses in the following traveling.

In Step S1208, a lower speed than the moving speed of the different movable apparatus 100b is determined as a moving speed of the movable apparatus 100a. Cases corresponding to Step S1208 include a case where the reliability of the different movable apparatus 100b is less than the predetermined value and a case where the distance between the movable apparatuses is less than the predetermined minimum value. In order to execute stable movement control, a lower moving speed is determined.

Here, in Step S1205 to Step S1208, the moving speed of the movable apparatus is determined in accordance with the distance between the movable apparatus and the different movable apparatus and the reliability of the different movable apparatus in a case where the movable apparatus follows the different movable apparatus. However, the moving speed of the movable apparatus may be determined in accordance with at least one of the distance between the movable apparatus and the different movable apparatus and the reliability of the different movable apparatus.

In Step S1209, whether or not the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a is equal to or greater than the predetermined value is determined. The processing proceeds to Step S1211 in a case where the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, or the processing proceeds to Step S1210 in a case where the reliability is less than the predetermined value.

In Step S1210, the position and orientation measurement of the movable apparatus 100a is executed again. Here, the processing of recovering the autonomous traveling is performed by calculating the position and orientation and the reliability again. The position and orientation measurement is executed again on the basis of the position and orientation and the reliability calculated in Step S904, and the amount of calculation is thereby reduced.

In Step S1211, the moving direction is determined from the position and orientation of the movable apparatus 100a calculated in Step S904 or in Step S1210 for the route information set in Step S901.

In Step S1212, the moving speed is determined on the basis of the reliability of the movable apparatus 100a. Here, since the reliability is equal to or greater than the predetermined value and stable movement control can be performed, a predetermined moving speed is set.

As described above, the moving direction and the moving speed of the movable apparatus 100a are determined on the basis of the movable apparatus information of the different movable apparatus 100b and the traveling status determined in Step S905. A signal corresponding to the traveling status determined by the traveling details determination unit 806 is transmitted to the control device 203, and the control device 203 controls the traveling pattern when the movable apparatus 100a is moved to its destination in accordance with the signal indicating the traveling details.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, it is possible to improve efficiency of moving of the movable apparatus 100a to a predetermined destination. Moreover, the traveling status is more accurately determined as compared with the first embodiment by communicating each piece of movable apparatus information with the different movable apparatus 100b and obtaining the overlapping route.

Also, the moving speed of the movable apparatus is determined on the basis of the reliability of the different movable apparatus 100b and the distance Dab2 (rt) between the movable apparatuses, namely the movable apparatus 100a and the different movable apparatus 100b, and the moving while keeping an appropriate distance between the movable apparatuses thereby becomes possible.

Note that in the second embodiment, the traveling status is determined on the basis of whether or not the distance Dab2 (rt) between the movable apparatuses is less than the predetermined value and whether or not the length of the overlapping route is equal to or greater than the predetermined value in the determination processing of the traveling status determination unit 805. However, the determination of the traveling status is not limited thereto. The traveling status may be determined on the basis only of the determination of the distance between the movable apparatuses, or the traveling status may be determined on the basis only of the determination of the length of the overlapping route.