US-12619247-B2 - Mobile object, information processing method, information processing system, and computer program

US12619247B2US 12619247 B2US12619247 B2US 12619247B2US-12619247-B2

Abstract

A mobile object includes: a remaining energy amount acquisition unit that acquires the amount of energy remaining in the mobile object; and a range specifying unit that specifics, on the basis of the amount of energy remaining in the mobile object, a movement range in which the mobile object can return from the current position to the return position.

Inventors

Yuki KATSUMATA
Akira Fukui

Assignees

Sony Group Corporation

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20220706
Priority Date: 20210909

Claims (17)

1 . A mobile object comprising: circuitry including a processor that is configured to acquire an amount of energy remaining in the mobile object; specify a movement range in which the mobile object is able to return from a position of the mobile object to a return position, based on the amount of energy remaining in the mobile object; acquire attribute information about a region adjacent to a boundary of the movement range on a side of the return position on a map; and when the attribute information is classified as an unrecommended type in terms of entry, change the movement range in accordance with the region corresponding to the attribute information classified as the unrecommended type.
2 . The mobile object according to claim 1 , wherein the range specifying unit calculates, circuitry is further configured to calculate, based on the amount of remaining energy, a candidate on-route point through which the mobile object is able to return from the position of the mobile object to the return position, and specify the movement range based on the candidate on-route point.
3 . The mobile object according to claim 2 , wherein the candidate on-route point is a point at which energy for returning to be consumed by the mobile object to return to the return position through the candidate on-route point is not greater than the amount of remaining energy.
4 . The mobile object according to claim 3 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to calculate the energy for returning, based on the position of the mobile object.
5 . The mobile object according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to set the boundary of the movement range as a boundary where entry of the mobile object is unrecommended or prohibited.
6 . The mobile object according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to transmit information about the movement range that was specified, to an external device.
7 . The mobile object according to claim 1 , wherein the mobile object is operated by an operating device, and the circuitry is further configured to transmit information about the movement range that was specified, to the operating device.
8 . The mobile object according to claim 1 , further comprising an imager that captures an image of surroundings of the mobile object, wherein the circuitry is further configured to specify the region adjacent to the boundary of the movement range on the side of the return position based on the image captured by the imager, and when attribute information about the region that was specified and/or an object included in the region is classified as the unrecommended type in terms of entry, change the movement range in accordance with the region corresponding to the attribute information classified as the unrecommended type and/or the region including the object.
9 . The mobile object according to claim 1 , wherein the mobile object includes a flying object, and the circuitry is further configured to specify the movement range as a plane that is defined in a three-dimensional space.
10 . The mobile object according to claim 9 , further comprising: an altimeter that acquires an altitude of the mobile object, wherein the circuitry is further configured to transmit, to an external device, information about the movement range that was specified, and information about the altitude acquired by the altimeter.
11 . The mobile object according to claim 1 , wherein when the mobile object crosses the movement range to a side on which the mobile object moves away from the return position, the circuitry is further configured to control the mobile object to forcibly start moving to the return position.
12 . The mobile object according to claim 1 , wherein when a control command for causing the mobile object to cross the movement range to a side on which the mobile object moves away from the return position is issued, the circuitry is further configured to reject the control command.
13 . The mobile object according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to determine a route to the return position, when control to move the mobile object to the return position is activated in accordance with a control command from a user or in a forcible manner, and change the route that was determined, wherein when direct return energy to be consumed for movement to the return position becomes larger than the amount of energy remaining in the mobile object during the movement to the return position along the route that was determined, the circuitry is further configured to specify a plurality of candidate arrival points, and specify a route to the candidate arrival point closest to the return position among the plurality of candidate arrival points.
14 . The mobile object according to claim 13 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to specify the plurality of candidate arrival points, based on attribute information about a region on a map and observation information about surroundings of the mobile object.
15 . An information processing method comprising: acquiring an amount of energy remaining in a mobile object; specifying a movement range in which the mobile object is able to return from a position of the mobile object to a return position, based on the amount of energy remaining in the mobile object; and controlling the mobile object to forcibly start moving to the return position when the mobile object crosses the movement range to a side on which the mobile object moves away from the return position.
16 . An information processing system comprising: a mobile object that includes an imager configured to capture an image of surroundings of the mobile object; and an information processing device that includes circuitry including a processor that is configured to acquire an amount of energy remaining in the mobile object, specify a movement range in which the mobile object is able to return from a position of the mobile object to a return position, based on the amount of energy remaining in the mobile object, and control a display to display the movement range superimposed on a map image, wherein the circuitry is further configured to specify a region adjacent to a boundary of the movement range on a side of the return position based on the image captured by the imager, and when attribute information about the region that was specified and/or an object included in the region is classified as an unrecommended type in terms of entry, change the movement range in accordance with the region corresponding to the attribute information classified as the unrecommended type and/or the region including the object.
17 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage device having a computer program product for causing a computer to carry out: acquiring an amount of energy remaining in a mobile object; specifying a movement range in which the mobile object is able to return from a position of the mobile object to a return position, based on the amount of energy remaining in the mobile object; determining a route to the return position, when control to move the mobile object to the return position is activated in accordance with a control command from a user or in a forcible manner; changing the route that was determined; and when direct return energy to be consumed for movement to the return position becomes larger than the amount of energy remaining in the mobile object during the movement to the return position along the route that was determined, specifying a plurality of candidate arrival points and further specifying a route to the candidate arrival point closest to the return position among the plurality of candidate arrival points.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is based on PCT filing PCT/JP2022/026779, filed Jul. 6, 2022, which claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-147143, filed Sep. 9, 2021, the entire contents of each are incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a mobile object, an information processing method, an information processing system, and a computer program. BACKGROUND ART In recent years, mobile objects called autonomous mobile robots have attracted attention in various industrial fields. An example of mobile objects is drones. Drones are already being used for various purposes such as aerial photographing, measurement, disaster relief, and transportation and logistics. A mobile object might unexpectedly stop due to energy shortage. Therefore, there is a technology for notifying the user of the remaining battery charge and the operable time, to prompt the user to avoid an unexpected stop of the mobile object. Further, there also is a technique of forcibly causing a mobile object to return when the remaining battery charge falls below a predetermined value (see Patent Document 1). However, from a notification of the remaining battery charge and the operable time, it is difficult to see to what extent the mobile object can be actually moved. Therefore, even in a case where the mobile object is returned to a desired return point with the remaining battery charge or the operable time used as an index, a situation in which the mobile object fails to return might occur. In particular, as to an unmanned mobile object such as a drone that is operated by the user from a remote place, it is difficult for the user to intuitively grasp the service limit of the mobile object. It is considered that, for that reason, an unexpected stop is likely to occur during returning. CITATION LIST Patent Document Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-73056 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention The present disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a mobile object, an information processing method, an information processing system, and a computer program for effectively preventing a situation in which the mobile object fails to reach the return position. Solutions to Problems A mobile object according to the present disclosure includes: a remaining energy amount acquisition unit that acquires the amount of energy remaining in the mobile object; and a range specifying unit that specifies a movement range in which the mobile object can return from the position of the mobile object to a return position, on the basis of the amount of energy remaining in the mobile object. An information processing method according to the present disclosure includes: a step of acquiring the amount of energy remaining in a mobile object; and a step of specifying a movement range in which the mobile object can return from the position of the mobile object to the return position, on the basis of the amount of energy remaining in the mobile object. An information processing system according to the present disclosure includes: a mobile object: a remaining energy amount acquisition unit that acquires the amount of energy remaining in the mobile object; a range specifying unit that specifies a movement range in which the mobile object can return from the position of the mobile object to the return position, on the basis of the amount of energy remaining in the mobile object; and a map rendering unit that displays the movement range superimposed on a map image. A computer program according to the present disclosure causes a computer to carry out: a step of acquiring the amount of energy remaining in a mobile object; and a step of specifying a movement range in which the mobile object can return from the position of the mobile object to the return position, on the basis of the amount of energy remaining in the mobile object. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an information processing system according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image displayed on an information processing device in the information processing system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is block diagrams of both a mobile object and the information processing device in the information processing system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process to be performed by the mobile object in the information processing system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is block diagrams of both a mobile object and an information processing device in an information processing system according to a modification of the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of a boundary defining an entry unrecommended region, the boundary being specified by an information processing system according to a second embodiment. FIG.