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WO2013168452A1 - Movement system, movement method, and light-emitting tube - Google Patents

Movement system, movement method, and light-emitting tube Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2013168452A1
WO2013168452A1 PCT/JP2013/055142 JP2013055142W WO2013168452A1 WO 2013168452 A1 WO2013168452 A1 WO 2013168452A1 JP 2013055142 W JP2013055142 W JP 2013055142W WO 2013168452 A1 WO2013168452 A1 WO 2013168452A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
information
light
moving
led
light emission
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PCT/JP2013/055142
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French (fr)
Japanese (ja)
Inventor
山田　祐司
Original Assignee
株式会社フジクラ
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Publication of WO2013168452A1 publication Critical patent/WO2013168452A1/en

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01B—MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
    • G01B11/00—Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01D—MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01D5/00—Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable
    • G01D5/26—Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable characterised by optical transfer means, i.e. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a moving system, a moving method, and an LED tube using an LED tube.
  • Patent Documents 1 to 3 a transmission means (lighting fixture) for transmitting position information is arranged on the ceiling of a building, and a user having a terminal receives position information from below.
  • a transmission means for transmitting position information
  • the position accuracy becomes about several meters.
  • the communication systems of Patent Documents 1 to 3 are unsuitable for application to a mobile system that moves a mobile object with high accuracy.
  • the identification display device of Patent Document 4 invented by the present inventor can identify and display the work position to the user with a positional accuracy of about several centimeters.
  • this technology is completely different in technical field from a moving system of a moving body.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a moving system that has a simple configuration and can move a moving object with high accuracy.
  • a main invention for achieving the above object includes a moving body that moves in a moving direction, a moving mechanism that moves the moving body, and a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a row, and along the moving direction.
  • a light emitting tube arranged to emit light from the light emitting element in a light emission pattern indicating the light emission information based on a light emission information table in which the light emitting element and light emission information are associated with each other; and
  • a moving device provided on the moving body so as to be opposed to each other, receiving the light emission pattern while the moving body is moving, obtaining the light emission information, and controlling the moving mechanism according to the light emission information System.
  • FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an external configuration of the LED tube 1.
  • FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the LED tube 1.
  • FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the LED tube 1.
  • FIG. 4 is a wiring diagram of the LED block group 32.
  • FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the light emission control method of the LED 3.
  • FIG. 6A is an explanatory diagram of a first form of the moving system 100 using the LED tube 1.
  • FIG. 6B is an explanatory diagram of the light emission information table 45 stored in the memory 44.
  • FIG. 6C is an explanatory diagram of light emission information indicated by the light emission pattern of each LED 3.
  • FIG. 7 is an external view of the moving body 5 that is a movement target.
  • FIG. 8A is a hardware block diagram of the communication device 7.
  • FIG. 8A is a hardware block diagram of the communication device 7.
  • FIG. 8A is a hardware block diagram of the communication device 7.
  • FIG. 8A is a hardware block diagram of the communication
  • FIG. 8B is a block diagram of various functions of the communication device 7.
  • FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the initial confirmation process performed by the initial confirmation unit 85F.
  • FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the movement process performed by the movement processing unit 85G.
  • FIG. 11A to FIG. 11D are explanatory diagrams of a state during the movement process.
  • FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of the second form of the mobile system 100.
  • FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of light emission information.
  • FIG. 14 is a block diagram of various functions of the communication device 7 according to the second embodiment.
  • FIG. 15 is a flowchart of the movement process performed by the movement processing unit 85G according to the second embodiment.
  • FIG. 16A is an explanatory diagram of a third form of the mobile system 100.
  • FIG. 16B is a block diagram of various functions of the communication device 7 according to the third embodiment.
  • FIG. 17 is a flowchart of the movement process performed by the movement processing unit 85G according to the third embodiment.
  • 18A to 18D are explanatory diagrams of a state during the movement process.
  • FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram of the fourth form of the mobile system 100.
  • FIG. 20 is a flowchart of a method for laying the LED tube 1.
  • FIG. 21 is another wiring diagram of the LED block group 32.
  • a light emitting tube having a moving body that moves in a moving direction, a moving mechanism that moves the moving body, and a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a row, and that is arranged along the moving direction, the light emitting Based on a light emission information table in which elements and light emission information are associated with each other, a light emitting tube that emits light from the light emitting element in a light emission pattern indicating the light emission information, and a moving body so as to face the light emitting tube,
  • a moving system including a communication device that receives the light emission pattern during the movement of the moving body, acquires the light emission information, and controls the moving mechanism according to the light emission information becomes clear. According to such a moving system, it is possible to realize a moving system that has a simple configuration and can move the moving body with high accuracy.
  • the communication device has a housing having a light receiving window, and the light emitting pattern from the light emitting element not facing the light receiving window is shielded from light. Thereby, the interference by a different light emission pattern can be suppressed. Moreover, light from the outside can also be shielded.
  • the light receiving window is desirably long enough to face two or more light emitting elements. Thereby, the moving speed of the moving body can be set relatively fast, and the light emission cycle of the light emission pattern can be set long.
  • the light emitting tube preferably includes a plurality of blocks each composed of two or more light emitting elements, and the two or more light emitting elements of the same block emit light with the same light emission pattern. Thereby, the amount of received light can be increased.
  • the light emitting element of a certain block emits light
  • the light emission information is position information indicating a position in the light emitting tube, and the light emitting element preferably emits light in a light emission pattern indicating the position information. Thereby, if the light emission pattern is received, the current position of the moving body can be determined.
  • the communication apparatus stores target position information indicating a target position, and the communication apparatus receives the light emission pattern while the moving body is moving, acquires the position information, and the acquired position information is If it is the target position information, it is desirable to control the moving mechanism so that the moving body is positioned at the target position. Thereby, the moving body can be positioned at the target position.
  • the movement system includes a plurality of the movement mechanisms, and the light emission information includes specific information for specifying any of the plurality of movement mechanisms, and is associated with the specific information. It is desirable that the light emitting element emits light with a light emission pattern indicating the specific information.
  • the communication device stores event information for specifying the moving mechanism to be controlled, and the communication device receives the light emission pattern and acquires the specifying information while the moving body is moving. If the movement mechanism indicated by the acquired specific information is the movement mechanism indicated by the event information, it is desirable to control the movement mechanism indicated by the specific information. Thereby, a mobile body can be moved to a predetermined position.
  • the light emitting element of the light emitting tube emits visible light. Thereby, various information (abnormal information, failure information, speed information, direction information, etc.) can be displayed to the operator.
  • a light emitting tube having a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a row is arranged along a moving direction of the moving body, and a communication device is arranged on the moving body so as to face the light emitting tube, and the light emitting element and the light emitting element are emitted. Based on a light emission information table associated with information, each of the light emitting elements is caused to emit light with a light emission pattern indicating the light emission information, and the light emitting pattern is received by the communication device while the mobile body is moving, so that the light emission
  • a moving method characterized by acquiring information and controlling a moving mechanism for moving the moving body according to the light emission information will be apparent. According to such a moving method, the moving body can be moved with high accuracy with a simple configuration.
  • the luminous tube becomes clear. According to such a light emitting tube, a plurality of light emitting elements can be easily installed.
  • FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an external configuration of the LED tube 1.
  • FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the LED tube 1.
  • the LED tube 1 is a light emitting tube in which a large number of light emitting elements are arranged in a transparent tube 2.
  • LED 3 light emitting diode
  • LD laser diode
  • the LED tube 1 has flexibility, and can be wound around, for example, a drum. Thereby, carrying of the LED tube 1 becomes easy.
  • the LED tube 1 has a flat cross section, and the light emitting surface 21A faces one surface.
  • the surface opposite to the light emitting surface 21A is an adhesive surface 21B.
  • the adhesive seal is peeled off from the adhesive surface 21B and the adhesive surface 21B is attached to the wall, the light emitting surface 21A of the LED tube 1 is laid so as to face outward. Note that the adhesive seal may not be provided, and the LED tube can be fixed by applying an adhesive to the LED tube 1 or screwing the LED tube 1.
  • both edges of the tube 2 protrude above the light emitting surface 21 (irradiation side). This is to prevent the light emitting surface 21 from being damaged or soiled by mechanical contact from the outside.
  • LEDs 3 are arranged in a line at equal intervals of 1 cm. For this reason, the length of the LED tube 1 is about 10 meters.
  • LED3 does not necessarily need to be arrange
  • the identification number may be printed in the vicinity of LED3, and the distance display from an edge part may be printed.
  • connection terminal 22 is provided at both ends of the LED tube 1.
  • the connection terminal 22 can be connected to the connection terminal 22 of another LED tube 1.
  • the power supply terminal for connecting with an exclusive power supply and the setting terminal for connecting with the setting terminal 91 are provided in the end of the LED tube 1.
  • FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the LED tube 1.
  • the LED tube 1 includes an LED block group 32, an LED control unit 4, and a power supply circuit 46. A number of control lines are connected between the LED block group 32 and the LED control unit 4.
  • the LED block group 32 includes a plurality of LEDs 3 (in this case, 1024 LEDs 3).
  • the LED block group 32 is composed of 256 LED blocks 31 (see FIG. 4), and each LED block 31 is composed of four LEDs 3. A detailed configuration of the LED block group 32 will be described later.
  • the LED control unit 4 is a control unit that causes each LED 3 to emit light with a light emission pattern according to the light emission information.
  • the LED control unit 4 includes an LED drive circuit 41, an LED control circuit 42, an MPU 43, and a memory 44.
  • the LED drive circuit 41 generates a signal to be sent to each control line based on the light emission information from the LED control circuit 42.
  • the LED control unit 4 also has a brightness adjustment function by controlling the bias current of the LED 3.
  • the LED control circuit 42 is a circuit for controlling the LED drive circuit 41.
  • the LED control circuit 42 outputs light emission information to the LED drive circuit 41 based on a command from the MPU 43.
  • the MPU 43 is a small arithmetic circuit.
  • the memory 44 is storage means composed of a ROM 44A and a RAM 44B.
  • the ROM 44A stores a control program to be executed by the MPU 43, a light emission information table 45 in which the LED 3 is associated with light emission information, and the like.
  • the RAM 44B provides an area for expanding a program executed by the MPU 43.
  • the LED control unit 4 becomes a control unit that causes each LED 3 to emit light with a light emission pattern indicating light emission information.
  • the MPU 43 executes a control program stored in the ROM 44A, thereby realizing other processing (for example, setting processing).
  • the power supply circuit 46 is a circuit that generates necessary power from input power.
  • the input power of the power supply circuit 46 has two systems. One is input power supplied from an external dedicated power supply via a power supply terminal. The other is input power supplied from a setting terminal (for example, a USB terminal) for connection to the setting terminal 91.
  • the LED tube 1 includes various interface circuits.
  • the setting interface circuit 47 is an interface circuit for inputting / outputting information via a setting terminal (for example, a USB terminal) for connection to the setting terminal 91.
  • the connection interface circuit 48 is an interface circuit for inputting and outputting information via the connection terminal 22. The reason why there are two connection interface circuits 48 is that there are connection terminals 22 at both ends of the LED tube 1.
  • FIG. 4 is a wiring diagram of the LED block group 32.
  • a single LED block 31 is formed by connecting two or more LEDs 3 in series.
  • one LED block 31 is configured by connecting four LEDs 3 in series. Since there are 1024 LEDs 3 in the LED tube 1, there are 256 LED blocks 31 in total. The four LEDs 3 in the same LED block 31 emit light with the same light emission pattern.
  • the LED block group 32 is connected to the LED drive circuit 41 by 128 cathode control lines and two anode control lines.
  • the number of cathode control lines corresponds to half of the number of LED blocks 31 constituting the LED block group 32.
  • the cathode side of each LED block 31 is connected to one of the cathode control lines, and the anode side of each LED block 31 is connected to one of the anode control lines.
  • Each cathode control line is connected to the cathode side of each of the two LED blocks 31.
  • the two LED blocks 31 connected to the common cathode control line are adjacent to each other.
  • Each anode control line is connected to each anode side of 128 LED blocks 31.
  • One of the two anode control lines is connected to the anode side of the odd-numbered LED block 31.
  • the other is connected to the anode side of the even-numbered LED block 31.
  • LEDs 3 of the same LED block 31 are connected in series. Thereby, the sum of the bias currents supplied by the LED drive circuit 41 can be reduced. However, four LEDs 3 can be connected in parallel instead of in series. In this case, the sum of the bias currents increases, but the bias voltage can be reduced. In the case of parallel connection, even if a certain LED 3 breaks down, other LEDs 3 can be turned on, and malfunctions of the movement process described later can be suppressed.
  • the number of LEDs 3 in each LED block 31 is not limited to four. One may be sufficient and another number of 2 or more may be sufficient. However, considering the bias current and the bias voltage, it is appropriate that the number of LEDs 3 of the LED block 31 is 10 or less. Moreover, when there are too many LED blocks 31, a position detection precision will fall.
  • FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the light emission control method of the LED 3. Here, a cathode signal and an anode signal for the first and second LED blocks 31 and a light emission pattern of the first and second LED blocks 31 are shown.
  • the cathode signal is a signal that the LED drive circuit 41 outputs to the cathode control line.
  • the cathode signal is a serial signal obtained by time-division multiplexing the light emission signals to the two LED blocks 31.
  • the anode signal is a signal output from the LED drive circuit 41 to the anode control line.
  • the two anode signals are alternately turned on and off at periodic time intervals (time slots shown in FIG. 5). Each LED 3 of the LED block 31 emits light with a predetermined light emission pattern when a current flows in accordance with the cathode signal while the anode signal is on.
  • the odd-numbered LED blocks 31 and the even-numbered LED blocks 31 emit light alternately. Therefore, adjacent LED blocks 31 emit light alternately, and do not emit light simultaneously. That is, when the LED 3 of a certain LED block 31 emits light, the LED 3 of the LED block 31 adjacent to both sides does not emit light. Thereby, the interference at the time of light reception can be suppressed.
  • the LED drive circuit 41 outputs each cathode signal and each anode signal according to the light emission information from the LED control circuit 42. Thereby, the LED drive circuit 41 can light-emit LED3 of each LED block 31 with the light emission pattern according to light emission information, respectively.
  • Each LED 3 (or LED block 31) emits light with a light emission pattern indicating the corresponding light emission information.
  • the light emission information that each LED 3 should transmit in the light emission pattern will be described later.
  • FIG. 6A is an explanatory diagram of a first form of the moving system 100 using the LED tube 1.
  • FIG. 6B is an explanatory diagram of the light emission information table 45 stored in the memory 44.
  • FIG. 6C is an explanatory diagram of light emission information indicated by the light emission pattern of each LED 3.
  • a moving system 100 in which the number of LED tubes 1 is one and the movement of the moving body 5 is limited to one dimension will be described.
  • the moving system 100 shown in FIG. 6A is used in, for example, a logistics system that transports articles such as merchandise.
  • the moving body 5 that is the moving object is placed on the belt conveyor 6A and moves.
  • the moving body 5 containing articles at the starting position moves by the belt conveyor 6A and reaches the target position
  • the moving body 5 is pushed out of the belt conveyor 6A by the sorting machine 6B (moved by the sorting machine 6B), and the target. It is assumed that it is positioned at a position.
  • a large number of sorting machines 6B are arranged along the belt conveyor 6A, one of which is also arranged at the target position.
  • the belt conveyor 6 ⁇ / b> A and the sorting machine 6 ⁇ / b> B correspond to a moving mechanism that moves the moving body 5.
  • the LED tube 1 described above is arranged along the moving direction of the moving body 5, that is, along the belt conveyor 6A.
  • the light emitting surface 21 ⁇ / b> A of each LED 3 of the LED tube 1 faces the moving body 5.
  • the memory 44 of the LED tube 1 stores a light emission information table 45 that associates the LEDs 3 with the light emission information (see FIG. 6B). Since the LEDs 3 of the same LED block 31 emit light with the same light emission pattern, the LED block 31 is associated with the light emission information instead of the LED 3.
  • Each light emission information is information (position information) indicating the position of the corresponding LED block 31 in the LED tube 1.
  • Each LED block 31 of the LED tube 1 emits light with a light emission pattern corresponding to the position information. That is, each LED block 31 emits position information so as to indicate each position in the LED tube 1. Specifically, each LED block 31 of the LED tube 1 emits light in a light emission pattern indicating numbers 1 to 256 (light emission information) sequentially from the end LED block 31 (see FIG. 6C). Here, the LED block 31 on the left side in the drawing emits a light emission pattern indicating a young number.
  • the LED 3 at the starting position emits a light emission pattern indicating “3” as position information. Further, the LED 3 at the target position emits a light emission pattern indicating “150” as position information.
  • the light emission pattern of the LED 3 does not have to indicate light emission information (here, position information) directly by turning it on / off (light emission / extinction).
  • the light emission information may be scrambled to convert 8-bit light emission information into 10-bit information, and the light emission pattern may indicate the 10-bit information.
  • FIG. 7 is an external view of the moving body 5 that is a moving object.
  • the moving body 5 is a moving object of the moving system 100.
  • the moving body 5 includes a moving car 51.
  • the moving car 51 is a car for accommodating articles and the like.
  • a communication device 7 is attached to the side surface of the moving car 51.
  • the communication device 7 is provided in the moving body 5 so as to face the LED 3 of the LED tube 1.
  • the communication device 7 receives the light emission pattern of the LED 3 of the LED tube 1 while the moving body 5 is moving, acquires light emission information, and moves according to the acquired light emission information (here, the belt conveyor 6A and the sorter 6B). To control.
  • the configuration and functions of the communication device 7 will be described later.
  • the housing 71 of the communication device 7 is provided with a light receiving window 71A.
  • the light receiving window 71 ⁇ / b> A is disposed close to the LED tube 1 so as to face the LED 3 of the LED tube 1.
  • the LED tube 1 and the communication device 7 are configured and arranged so that the light receiving window 71A continues to face the LED tube 1 while the moving body 5 is moving.
  • the light receiving window 71A in the casing 71, the light emission pattern from the LED 3 not facing the light receiving window 71A is shielded from light, so that interference due to different light emission patterns can be suppressed.
  • disturbance light in the vertical direction can be shielded.
  • the light receiving window 71A is an opening extending along the moving direction of the moving body 5.
  • the length of the light receiving window 71A is about 3 cm (the length that can receive light from 3 to 4 LEDs 3 arranged at 1 cm intervals).
  • the light receiving window 71A has a length that can face two or more LEDs 3. Thereby, it is possible to set the moving speed of the moving body 5 relatively fast, and to set the periodic time interval (time slot shown in FIG. 5) of the light emission pattern of the LED 3 relatively long. If the length of the light receiving window 71A is short (for example, 1 cm corresponding to the interval between the LEDs 3), in order to receive all of the light emission patterns for the time slots in FIG. It is necessary to set the moving speed slower or set the periodic time interval (time slot shown in FIG. 5) of the light emission pattern of the LED 3 to be shorter.
  • the light receiving window 71A has a length that can face two or more LEDs 3. The amount of light when receiving the light emission pattern can be increased. Thereby, the erroneous detection of the light emission pattern can be suppressed.
  • the length of the light receiving window 71A is shorter than the length of eight LEDs 3 (corresponding to two LED blocks 31). Thereby, the interference by a different light emission pattern can be suppressed.
  • the housing 71 of the communication device 7 is also provided with an antenna 72 for wireless communication, a reading start button 73, a lamp 74, and the like (see FIG. 7).
  • FIG. 8A is a hardware block diagram of the communication device 7.
  • the communication device 7 includes a light receiving unit 81, a communication unit 82, and a control unit 83.
  • the light receiving unit 81 is a unit for receiving light emission information from the LED 3.
  • the light receiving unit 81 includes a light receiving unit 81A, a preamplifier 81B, an AGC circuit 81C, and a decoding circuit 81D.
  • the light receiving unit 81A is an element that converts a light emission pattern (optical signal) received from the LED 3 into an electric signal.
  • the light receiving unit 81A is configured by a photodiode, a phototransistor, or the like.
  • the preamplifier 81B is a circuit that amplifies the electric signal from the light receiving unit 81A with a predetermined gain.
  • the AGC circuit 81C is a circuit that automatically adjusts the output signal from the preamplifier 81B to a predetermined level. As will be described later, since the number of LEDs 3 that can receive light from the light receiving window 71A is not constant, the output signal is adjusted to a predetermined level by the AGC circuit 81C.
  • the decoding circuit 81D is a circuit that decodes the scrambled received signal. The decoding circuit 81D outputs the received signal to the control unit 83 and notifies the control unit 83 of a reception notification.
  • the communication unit 82 is a unit for communicating with the outside. Here, the communication unit 82 performs wireless communication. The communication unit 82 receives signals from the outside and transmits signals to the outside.
  • the communication unit 82 includes a wireless processing circuit 82A and a wireless interface 82B.
  • the wireless processing circuit 82A is a circuit that processes signals to be transmitted and received.
  • the wireless interface 82B is an interface that communicates with the outside via the antenna 72.
  • the control unit 83 is a unit for controlling the communication device 7.
  • the control unit 83 includes a moving side MPU 83A and a moving side memory 83B.
  • the moving side MPU 83 ⁇ / b> A is a small arithmetic circuit for controlling the communication device 7.
  • the moving side memory 83B is a storage means composed of a ROM and a RAM.
  • the ROM of the movement side memory 83B stores a control program to be executed by the movement side MPU 83A, various information, and the like.
  • the RAM of the moving side memory 83B provides an area for developing a program executed by the moving side MPU 83A.
  • Various functions described below are realized by the movement side MPU 83A executing the control program stored in the movement side memory 83B.
  • the communication device 7 also includes a reading start button 73, a lamp 74, a power supply unit 84, and the like.
  • the lamp 74 is a light emitting means for notifying the operation state of the communication device 7.
  • the power supply unit 84 includes a battery 84A and a moving-side power supply circuit 84B that generates necessary power from the battery 84A.
  • FIG. 8B is a block diagram of various functions of the communication device 7.
  • the light receiving unit 85A has a function of receiving information (for example, position information) from the light receiving unit 81.
  • the optical receiving unit 85A has a function of detecting a reception notification from the decoding circuit 81D and storing light emission information (for example, position information) received from the decoding circuit 81D in the movement side memory 83B.
  • the optical receiver 85A is realized by the control unit 83 executing the control program of the moving side memory 83B and obtaining necessary information from the light receiving unit 81.
  • the wireless communication unit 85B has a function of performing wireless communication via the antenna 72.
  • the wireless communication unit 85B receives information (for example, setting information) from the outside, the wireless communication unit 85B has a function of notifying the fact and storing the received information in the mobile memory 83B.
  • the wireless communication unit 85B also has a function of transmitting information to the outside.
  • the wireless communication unit 85B is realized by the control unit 83 executing the control program of the moving side memory 83B to control the communication unit 82.
  • the button operation unit 85C has a function of detecting that the reading start button 73 has been pressed.
  • the button operation unit 85C is realized when the control unit 83 executes a control program in the movement side memory 83B and detects a signal from the reading start button 73.
  • the initial setting unit 85D has a function of performing initial settings such as setting of a departure position, a target position, and the like, and setting of a program for realizing movement processing described later.
  • the initial setting unit 85D performs initial setting according to the setting information received from the external management server 92 (see FIG. 12) via the wireless communication unit 85B.
  • the position information storage unit 86 is a storage unit for storing predetermined position information.
  • the position information storage unit 86 is realized by a part of the storage area of the movement side memory 83B.
  • the position information storage unit 86 stores departure position information 86A, target position information 86B, and current position information 86C.
  • the departure position information 86A and the target position information 86B in the position information storage unit 86 are position information set by the initial setting unit 85D.
  • the departure position information 86A is initially set to “3” and the target position information 86B is initially set to “150”.
  • the current position information 86 ⁇ / b> C is the latest position information received from the LED 3 of the LED tube 1 by the light receiving unit 85 ⁇ / b> A.
  • the current position information 86C is updated as needed.
  • the abnormality notification unit 85E has a function of determining whether there is an abnormality and a function of notifying that when there is an abnormality.
  • the abnormality notification unit 85E realizes abnormality notification processing such as the control unit 83 executing the control program of the moving-side memory 83B to cause the lamp 74 to blink or the wireless communication unit 85B to transmit an abnormality notification to the outside. To do.
  • the initial confirmation unit 85F has a function of performing an initial confirmation process performed before the moving body 5 moves.
  • the initial confirmation process is a process for confirming whether or not the moving body 5 is located at the departure position. The initial confirmation process will be described later (see FIG. 9).
  • the movement processing unit 85G has a function of performing movement processing of the moving body 5.
  • the movement process is a process for moving the moving body 5 from the starting position to the target position. The movement process will be described later (see FIG. 10).
  • FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the initial confirmation process performed by the initial confirmation unit 85F.
  • the operator installs the moving body 5 at the starting position on the belt conveyor 6A before executing the initial confirmation process.
  • the operator presses the reading start button 73 of the communication device 7 of the mobile body 5 after the installation this initial confirmation process starts.
  • the control unit 83 waits for a reception notification from the decoding circuit 81D (S001). If there is a reception notification, the control unit 83 acquires the reception information stored in the movement side memory 83B (S002). Here, the acquired reception information should be the position information “3”, and the position information should be updated as the current position information 86C.
  • the control unit 83 determines whether or not the received information is position information (S003). If the received information is not position information (NO in S003), the control unit 83 performs an abnormality notification process and ends the initial confirmation process (S004). If the received information is position information (YES in S003), the control unit 83 determines whether or not the current position information 86C matches the departure position “3” (S005). If they do not match (NO in S005), the control unit 83 performs an abnormality notification process and ends the initial confirmation process (S006). When the current position information 86C matches the departure position “3” (YES in S005), the control unit 83 normally ends the initial confirmation process.
  • FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the movement process performed by the movement processing unit 85G.
  • FIG. 11A to FIG. 11D are explanatory diagrams of a state during the movement process. On the left side of each of FIGS. 11A to 11D, the position of the moving body 5 during the movement process is shown. On the right side, the state of the LED tube 1 visible from the light receiving window 71A is shown. The number in the square indicating the LED 3 is position information indicated by the light emission pattern of the LED 3. Further, the LED 3 that emits light at a certain timing is indicated by a thick line, and the LED 3 that is turned off is indicated by a dotted line.
  • FIG. 11A is an explanatory diagram of a state when the movement process is started.
  • the control unit 83 wirelessly transmits a drive command for the belt conveyor 6A (S101). Thereby, the motor which drives the belt conveyor 6A starts driving, and the moving body 5 starts to move.
  • the control unit 83 waits for a reception notification from the decoding circuit 81D (S102). If there is a reception notification, the control unit 83 acquires the reception information stored in the movement side memory 83B (S103).
  • the received information should be position information corresponding to the position of the moving body 5, and the position information should be updated as current position information 86C.
  • the control unit 83 determines whether the received information is position information (S104). If the received information is not position information (NO in S104), the control unit 83 performs an abnormality notification process and ends the movement process (S105). If the received information is position information (YES in S104), the control unit 83 determines whether or not the current position information 86C has reached the target position “150” (S106). When it is determined that the current position information 86C has not reached the target position (NO in S106), the control unit 83 determines whether the target position has been passed (S107). If the current position information 86C does not pass through the target position (NO in S107), the movement of the moving body 5 by the belt conveyor 6A continues (S101).
  • the light receiving unit 81A of the light receiving unit 81 of the communication device 7 receives the light emission pattern indicating the position information “25”.
  • the optical receiving unit 85A detects the reception notification from the decoding circuit 81D, and stores the position information “25” as the current position information 86C in the position information storage unit 86 of the moving side memory 83B.
  • the control unit 83 determines that “there is a reception notification” in S102, acquires the current position information “25” in S103, determines “YES” in S104, and determines “NO” in S106. In S107, “NO” is determined, and the movement of the moving body 5 by the belt conveyor 6A is continued (S101).
  • the light receiving window 71A faces two or more LEDs 3, and two or more LEDs 3 of the same LED block 31 emit light with the same light emission pattern. The amount increases. Thereby, erroneous detection of position information can be suppressed.
  • the light receiving window 71A is formed to face two or more LEDs 3 in this way, as shown in FIG. 11C, two LEDs 3 belonging to different LED blocks 31 may face the light receiving window 71A at the same time.
  • the LED blocks 31 adjacent to both sides do not emit light (see FIGS. 4 and 5), and therefore, as shown in FIG. It is not necessary to receive different light emission patterns. That is, interference during light reception can be suppressed.
  • the AGC circuit 81C (see FIG. 8A) of the light receiving unit 81 automatically adjusts the output signal of the preamplifier 81B to a predetermined level, so that erroneous conversion when converting the received light emission pattern into light emission information is suppressed. it can.
  • the control unit 83 determines “YES” in S106, and transmits a notification of arrival wirelessly (S108).
  • the sorter 6B When the target position sorter 6B receives the arrival notice (or when the target position sorter 6B receives a command from the management server that has received the arrival notice), as shown in the left diagram of FIG. 11D, the sorter 6B. Pushes the moving body 5 out of the belt conveyor 6A (the sorter 6B moves the moving body 5), and the moving body 5 is positioned at the target position.
  • the control unit 83 When the current position passes the target position (YES in S107), the control unit 83 performs an abnormality notification process and ends the movement process (S109). By doing so, it is possible to prevent intrusion into an abnormal area, erroneous delivery, and the like on the mobile body 5 side. Instead of performing the abnormality notification process in S109, a process may be performed in which the belt conveyor 6A is driven in reverse to return the position of the moving body 5.
  • the moving system 100 described above includes a moving body 5 that moves in a predetermined moving direction, a belt conveyor 6A and a sorting machine 6B that move the moving body 5, and an LED tube 1 (corresponding to a light emitting tube). And a communication device 7.
  • the communication device 7 is configured to control the belt conveyor 6A and the sorter 6B by receiving light emission patterns, obtaining light emission information, and transmitting a command according to the light emission information.
  • the moving system 100 can be easily installed.
  • the LED tube 1 and the communication device 7 are arranged so as to face each other, the distance between the LED tube 1 and the communication device 7 is close, so the moving body 5 has high resolution (position accuracy of several cm). Can be moved.
  • the LED tube 1 includes a plurality of LEDs 3 arranged in a row, and is configured to cause each LED 3 to emit light with a light emission pattern indicating light emission information based on the light emission information table 45. According to the LED tube 1 configured in this way, a large number of LEDs 3 can be easily installed.
  • the communication device 7 described above has a casing 71 provided with a light receiving window 71A, and the light emission pattern of the LED 3 not facing the light receiving window 71A is shielded from light. Thereby, the interference by a different light emission pattern can be suppressed. Moreover, light from the outside can also be shielded.
  • the light receiving window 71A has a length that can face two or more LEDs 3. Thereby, it is possible to set the moving speed of the moving body 5 relatively fast, and to set the periodic time interval (time slot shown in FIG. 5) of the light emission pattern of the LED 3 relatively long. In addition, since two or more LEDs 3 of the same LED block 31 emit light with the same light emission pattern, the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 81A is increased, and erroneous detection of position information can be suppressed.
  • the light receiving window 71A When the light receiving window 71A is formed so as to face two or more LEDs 3, two LEDs 3 belonging to different LED blocks 31 may face the light receiving window 71A at the same time as shown in FIG. 11C. However, when a certain LED block 31 emits light, the LED blocks 31 adjacent to both sides thereof do not emit light (see FIGS. 4 and 5), so that the light receiving unit 81A simultaneously receives different light emission patterns as shown in FIG. 11C. I don't have to.
  • the light emission information is position information indicating a position in the LED tube 1, and the LED 3 emits light with a light emission pattern indicating the position information. Thereby, if the light emission pattern is received, the current position of the moving body 5 can be determined.
  • the communication device 7 stores target position information 86B. If the acquired current position information 86C is the target position information 86B, the communication device 7 controls the sorting machine 6B (corresponding to a moving mechanism). Thereby, the moving body 5 can be positioned at the target position.
  • FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of the second form of the mobile system 100. Here, the movement system 100 using many LED tubes 1 is demonstrated.
  • the management server 92 wirelessly transmits setting information to the communication device 7 (not shown in FIG. 12), and performs initial setting (setting of the target position information 86B and the movement processing unit 85G in the initial setting unit 85D of the communication device 7 (Move processing program settings etc.).
  • the mobile body 5 including the communication device 7 that has been initialized is placed on the belt conveyor 6A in order.
  • the management server 92 only sets the communication device 7 and does not track the position of the moving body 5 thereafter. For this reason, the load of the management server 92 is lighter than in the case of centrally managing the positions of all the mobile bodies 5.
  • the belt conveyor 6A always continues to operate in one direction, and the moving body 5 moves to the target building by the belt conveyor 6A.
  • the LED tube 1 is arranged along the moving direction of the belt conveyor 6A.
  • two or more LED tubes 1 are connected by a connection terminal 22.
  • two or more LED tubes 1 may be connected by connecting terminals 22.
  • Each building is provided with an elevator 6C for transporting the moving body 5 to a predetermined floor.
  • the sorting machine 6B pushes the moving body 5 from the belt conveyor 6A to the retreat space
  • the worker standing by in the retreat space carries the mobile body 5 into the elevator 6C.
  • the LED tube 1 is arranged along the moving direction of the elevator 6C.
  • the elevator 6 ⁇ / b> C corresponds to a moving mechanism that moves the moving body 5.
  • belt conveyors 6D to 6F are two-dimensionally arranged in a mesh.
  • the LED tube 1 is disposed along the belt conveyors 6D to 6F.
  • An area number is assigned to each belt conveyor.
  • the sorting machine 6B pushes out the moving body 5 from the belt conveyor 6D in the first area
  • the moving body 5 can be moved to the belt conveyor 6E in the second area or the belt conveyor 6F in the third area.
  • the belt conveyors 6D to 6F and the sorting machine 6B installed on these belt conveyors correspond to a moving mechanism that moves the moving body 5.
  • FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of light emission information.
  • the light emission information includes “building number”, “floor number”, “area number”, “LED tube number”, and “LED block number”.
  • the “building number” is information for identifying the building where the LED tube 1 is installed.
  • the “floor number” is information for specifying the floor on which the LED tube 1 is installed.
  • the “area number” is information for specifying the area where the LED tube 1 is installed (or the belt conveyor in that area).
  • the “LED tube number” is information for specifying each LED tube 1 when two or more LED tubes 1 are connected by the connection terminal 22.
  • “LED block number” is information for specifying the LED block 31 in the LED tube 1 and corresponds to the position information 1 to 256 in FIG. 6C.
  • each LED block 31 is associated with light emission information of 32 bits in the drawing.
  • 32-bit light emission information shown in FIG. 13 is associated with each LED block 31 instead of the light emission information 1 to 256 in FIG. 6B.
  • the communication device 7 of the mobile body 5 receives the light emission pattern and receives the light emission information, the current position of the mobile body 5 can be specified. For this reason, in the following description, 32-bit light emission information is also referred to as “position information”.
  • FIG. 14 is a block diagram of various functions of the communication device 7 according to the second embodiment. Compared with the above-described FIG. 8B, there is a difference in that there are a plurality (four in this case) of target position information 86B in the position information storage unit 86. An event information storage unit 87 is newly prepared. The event information storage unit 87 stores event information 87A including a destination of the arrival notification (information for specifying the moving mechanism) and a command for processing to be performed by the destination. Since there are four pieces of target position information 86B, there are also four pieces of event information 87A.
  • FIG. 12 a block diagram of the communication device 7 of the first moving body 5 in FIG. 12 is shown.
  • the hardware of the communication device 7 is almost the same as that shown in FIG. 8A.
  • FIG. 15 is a flowchart of the movement process performed by the movement processing unit 85G of the second form.
  • the moving process starts.
  • the movement process of the 1st mobile body 5 of FIG. 12 is demonstrated.
  • the moving body 5 moves (S201). Similar to the mobile system 100 of the first embodiment, the communication device 7 is attached to the mobile body 5, and the control unit 83 waits for a reception notification from the decoding circuit 81D (S202). If there is a reception notification, the control unit 83 acquires the reception information stored in the movement side memory 83B (S203). The control unit 83 determines whether the received information is position information (S204). If the received information is not position information (NO in S204), the control unit 83 performs an abnormality notification process and ends the movement process (S205).
  • the control unit 83 determines whether or not the current position has reached the first target position “P_A” (S206). When it is determined that the current position has not reached the target position (NO in S206), the control unit 83 determines whether the target position has been passed (S207). If the current position does not pass the target position (NO in S207), the movement of the moving body 5 by the belt conveyor 6A continues (S201). If the current position passes the target position (YES in S207), the control unit 83 performs an abnormality notification process and ends the movement process (S209). These processes are almost the same as the processes in S101 to S109 of the first form.
  • the communication device 7 detects the light emission pattern corresponding to the target position “P_A” from the LED tube 1. Under this situation, the control unit 83 determines “YES” in S206, and wirelessly issues a command to the second sorter 6B of the belt conveyor 6A based on the first event information 87A of the event information storage unit 87. Transmit (S208). When receiving the command, the second sorter 6B pushes the moving body 5 from the belt conveyor 6A to the retracting space, and the worker waiting in the retracting space moves the moving body 5 to the elevator 6C.
  • control unit 83 wirelessly transmits an ascent command to the elevator 6C based on the first event information 87A in the event information storage unit 87 (S208). Thereafter, since there is a next target position (YES in S210), the control unit 83 updates the target position in accordance with the second target position information 86B in the position information storage unit 86 (S211).
  • the moving body 5 moves in the second building (S201). If the LED tube 1 is arranged along the elevator 6C and there is a reception notification from the decoding circuit 81D (S202), the control unit 83 acquires the reception information stored in the movement side memory 83B (S203). When the received information is position information (YES in S204), the control unit 83 determines whether or not the current position has reached the second target position “P_B” (S206). When the moving body 5 reaches the second target position “P_B” (YES in S206), the control unit 83 wirelessly transmits a stop command to the elevator 6C based on the second event information 87A (S208). .
  • the elevator 6C stops when it receives the stop command.
  • the elevator 6C stops on the third floor.
  • the control unit 83 sounds the buzzer of the elevator 6C based on the second event information 87A, and notifies the attendant that the moving body 5 has arrived at the third floor (S208).
  • the staff member who heard the buzzer moves the moving body 5 from the elevator 6C to the belt conveyor 6D. Since there is a next target position (YES in S210), the control unit 83 updates the target position according to the third target position information 86B (S211).
  • the control unit 83 executes substantially the same movement process, and when the moving body 5 reaches the third target position “P_C” by the belt conveyor 6D in the first area (YES in S206), the third event Based on the information 87A, a command is sent to the second sorter 6B in the first area to move the moving body 5 to the belt conveyor 6F in the third area, and a command is sent to the motor of the belt conveyor 6F in the third area. Then, the belt conveyor 6F in the third area is driven (S208). Since the next target position is present (YES in S210), the control unit 83 updates the target position according to the fourth target position information 86B (S211).
  • control unit 83 executes substantially the same movement process, and when the moving body 5 reaches the fourth target position “P_D” by the belt conveyor 6F in the third area (YES in S206), the fourth event Based on the information 87A, a stop command is transmitted to the motor of the belt conveyor 6F in the third area (S208), and the movement process is terminated (NO in S210).
  • the motor of the belt conveyor 6F in the third area stops according to the command, the moving body 5 is positioned at the final target position “P_D” (the position of the star in FIG. 12).
  • the above-described sorting is not performed instead of stopping the motor of the belt conveyor 6F in the third area as described above.
  • the moving body 5 may be pushed out from the belt conveyor 6F by a machine.
  • the control unit 83 can recognize the stop of the belt conveyor 6F when the reception information does not change, the belt after the predetermined time (time until the moving body 5 is taken out from the belt conveyor 6F) has elapsed since the stop of the belt conveyor 6F. You may transmit the operation start command of the motor of the conveyor 6F. In this case, the control device of the belt conveyor 6F operates the motor when receiving the operation start command. However, the control device for the belt conveyor 6F may reject the operation start command (do not operate the motor) when the motor is stopped in accordance with the abnormality notification. Note that the control device for the belt conveyor 6F may manage whether or not the plurality of moving bodies 5F are flowing to the belt conveyor 6F.
  • the light emission information is position information indicating the position of the LED block 31.
  • the light emission information may not be position information.
  • the target position information 86B indicating the target position is stored in the mobile memory 83B of the communication device 7 of the mobile body 5.
  • the target position information 86B may not be stored in the movement side memory 83B. Even in such a case, the moving body 5 can be positioned at the target position as described below.
  • FIG. 16A is an explanatory diagram of the third form of the mobile system 100.
  • the movement of the moving body 5 is limited to one dimension.
  • the mobile system 100 of the third form has almost the same configuration as the mobile system 100 of the first form.
  • the moving body 5 that is the moving object is placed on the belt conveyor 6A and moves.
  • the moving body 5 containing articles at the starting position moves by the belt conveyor 6A and reaches the target position
  • the moving body 5 is pushed out of the belt conveyor 6A by the sorting machine 6G and positioned at the target position.
  • 2Two sorters 6G are arranged between the starting position and the target position.
  • the moving body 5 is pushed out to the target position by the second sorter 6G. Since the sorter 6G of the third form takes time to operate, it is necessary to operate in advance before the mobile body 5 arrives.
  • the sorter 6G is operated.
  • the second sorting machine is timed when the moving body 5 reaches the 184th LED block 31 a predetermined distance before the second sorting machine 6G. 6G shall be operated. It is assumed that the LED 3 at the starting position emits a light emission pattern indicating “3” as position information.
  • the LED tube 1 is disposed along the moving direction of the moving body 5, that is, along the belt conveyor 6A.
  • the LED blocks 31 except for the 64th and 184th lights emit a light emission pattern according to position information, for example.
  • the 64th LED block 31 emits a light emission pattern indicating "first approach information” indicating that the first sorter 6G is approaching.
  • the 184th LED block 31 emits a light emission pattern indicating “second approach information” indicating that the second sorter 6G is approaching.
  • “Near 1” in FIG. 16A indicates that the LED 3 emits light with a light emission pattern indicating “first approach information”.
  • “Near 2” in the figure indicates that the LED 3 emits light with a light emission pattern indicating “second approach information”.
  • first approach information is associated with the 64th LED block 31, and “second approach information” is associated with the 184th LED block 31. It is associated.
  • the “first approach information” and the “second approach information” correspond to specific information for specifying a movement mechanism (here, the sorter 6G) to be controlled from a plurality of movement mechanisms. For example, it is possible to indicate that the light emission information is approach information by changing the extension bit of the light emission information in FIG.
  • FIG. 16B is a block diagram of various functions of the communication device 7 according to the third embodiment. Compared to FIG. 8B and FIG. 14 described above, the target position information 86B is not stored. Instead, event information 87 ⁇ / b> A that identifies the sorter 6 ⁇ / b> G to be controlled by the movement process is stored in the event information storage unit 87.
  • FIG. 17 is a flowchart of the movement process performed by the movement processing unit 85G according to the third embodiment.
  • 18A to 18D are explanatory diagrams of a state during the movement process.
  • 18A to 18D show the position of the moving body 5 during the movement process on the left side of each figure.
  • the state of the LED tube 1 visible from the light receiving window 71A is shown.
  • light emission information indicated by the light emission pattern of the LED 3 is described. Further, the LED 3 that emits light at a certain timing is indicated by a thick line, and the LED 3 that is turned off is indicated by a dotted line.
  • the moving body 5 moves (S301).
  • the communication device 7 is attached to the moving body 5, and the control unit 83 waits for a reception notification from the decoding circuit 81D (S302). If there is a reception notification, the control unit 83 acquires the reception information stored in the movement side memory 83B (S303).
  • the control unit 83 determines whether or not the received information is approach information (S304). When the received information is not the approach information (NO in S304), the moving body 5 is continuously moved by the belt conveyor 6A (S301). When the received information is approach information (YES in S304), the control unit 83 determines whether or not the moving mechanism to be controlled by the moving process is approaching based on the approach information and the event information 87A. (S305). Specifically, the control unit 83 determines whether or not the moving mechanism indicated by the approach information matches the moving mechanism indicated by the event information 87A in the event information storage unit 87 (here, the second sorter 6G). (S305). If the controlled object is not approaching (NO in S305), the movement of the moving body 5 by the belt conveyor 6A continues (S301).
  • the control unit 83 determines “YES” in S304. However, since the “first approach information” is information indicating the approach of the first sorter 6G and does not indicate the approach of the second sorter 6G, the control unit 83 determines “NO” in S305. And the movement of the moving body 5 by the belt conveyor 6A continues (S301).
  • the control unit 83 determines “YES” in S304. Further, since the “second approach information” is information indicating the approach of the second sorter 6G, the control unit 83 determines “YES” in S305, and controls the control object (here, the event information 87A). The command is transmitted wirelessly to the second sorter 6G) (S306).
  • the second sorter 6G When the second sorter 6G receives the command, the second sorter 6G starts operating before the mobile unit 5 arrives. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 18D, the moving body 5 is pushed out of the belt conveyor 6A by the second sorter 6G and positioned at the target position.
  • the light emission information includes approach information (specific information) for identifying the sorter 6G to be controlled from among a plurality of sorters 6G (movement mechanism).
  • the LED 3 associated with the information emits light with a light emission pattern indicating the approach information. Thereby, if the light emission pattern is received, it becomes possible to specify the approaching sorter 6G.
  • the communication device 7 stores event information 87A for specifying a moving mechanism to be controlled. If the moving mechanism indicated by the approach information matches the moving mechanism indicated by the event information 87A, the communication information 7 indicates the approach information.
  • the moving mechanism here, the second sorter 6G is controlled. Thereby, the moving body 5 can be moved to a predetermined position.
  • FIG. 19A is an explanatory diagram of the fourth form of the mobile system 100.
  • FIG. 19B is a graph of the moving speed of the moving body 5.
  • the moving body 5 that is a moving object includes a drive mechanism (not shown) and travels on the rail 6H.
  • a drive mechanism (not shown) corresponds to a moving mechanism that moves the moving body 5.
  • the LED tube 1 is disposed along the moving direction of the moving body 5, that is, along the rail 6H.
  • the 64th LED block 31 emits a light emission pattern indicating “first movement speed information”.
  • the 121st LED block 31 emits a light emission pattern indicating “second movement speed information”.
  • the 184th LED block 31 located at the target position emits a light emission pattern indicating “arrival information”.
  • the “first movement speed information” is associated with the 64th LED block 31, and the “second movement information” is associated with the 121st LED block 31.
  • “Moving speed information” is associated with the LED block 31 of No. 184, and “arrival information” is associated with it.
  • “First moving speed information”, “second moving speed information”, and “arrival information” are specific information that specifies a drive mechanism (not shown) as a control target, and parameters of processing to be performed by the control target ( Here, it is also parameter information for setting (moving speed). For example, by changing the extension bit of the light emission information in FIG. 13, it can be shown that the light emission information is movement speed information or arrival information.
  • the “first movement speed information” is information indicating the movement speed V1.
  • “Second moving speed information” is information indicating the moving speed V2. Note that the moving speeds V1 and V2 have a relationship of V0> V1> V2 (> 0) with respect to the initial speed V0 of the moving body 5.
  • the moving body 5 is moving at the initial speed V0.
  • the communication device 7 of the moving body 5 receives the light emission pattern indicating “first movement speed information” from the LED tube 1
  • the communication device 7 controls the drive mechanism (not shown) according to the first movement speed information to move the communication device 7.
  • the speed is changed to the moving speed V1.
  • the driving mechanism is controlled according to the second movement speed information, and the movement speed is changed to the movement speed. Change to V2.
  • the driving mechanism is controlled to stop the moving body 5 (set the moving speed to zero).
  • the moving body 5 moving on the rail 6H at the initial speed V0 is gradually decelerated before the target position and stopped at the target position, thereby being positioned at the target position.
  • the moving body 5 can be positioned at the target position without storing the target position information 86B in the movement-side memory 83B. For this reason, even if the arrangement of the second sorter 6G is changed due to a layout change or the like, it is not necessary to change the information set in the movement side memory 83B.
  • FIG. 20 is a flowchart of a method for laying the LED tube 1.
  • the dedicated light receiver is connected to the setting terminal 91 and can receive the light emission pattern of the LED 3 and output the light emission information to the setting terminal 91.
  • the worker temporarily installs three LED tubes 1 (S402).
  • the three LEDs 3 are arranged in a substantially straight line along the belt conveyor. Since the length of the LED tube 1 is about 10m, when the end of the LED tube 1 is aligned with the reference position (0m), the connection terminal 22 of the LED tube 1 can be connected to the 10m and 20m points from the reference position. Has been.
  • the worker connects the setting terminal 91 to the setting terminal of the LED tube 1 and sets predetermined information in the memory 44 of the LED tube 1 (S403). Since the LED tube 1 has already been temporarily installed, the operator stores the building number “3”, the floor number “5”, the area number “12” and the LED in the memory 44 of the LED tube 1 at the reference position (0 m). Set tube number “0”. The operator also connects the setting terminals 91 in order to the other two LED tubes 1 and sets predetermined information in the memory 44. In the memory 44 of the other two LED tubes 1, the same information is set for the building number, the floor number, and the area number, and “1” or “2” is set for the LED tube number.
  • “master” is set as “master / slave information” in the memory 44 of the LED tube 1 at the reference position (0 m), and “master / slave information” is set as “master / slave information” in the memories 44 of the other two LED tubes 1.
  • the setting terminal 91 may manage the other two pieces of information.
  • LED tube number is used instead as “master / slave information”.
  • each LED tube 1 determines each light emission information corresponding to each LED block 31 based on the set information (building number, floor number, area number and LED tube number) (see FIG. 13) is automatically generated, and the light emission information table 45 is generated.
  • the LED block number in the light emission information is set in advance as a default value.
  • a light emission information table 45 that associates each LED block 31 with light emission information is stored in the memory 44 of each LED tube 1.
  • the operator connects the three LED tubes 1 by connecting the connecting terminals 22 at 10 m and 20 m from the reference position (0 m) (S404). At this time, the operator removes the adhesive seal from the adhesive surface 21B of the LED tube 1 (the surface opposite to the light emitting surface 21A), and places the adhesive surface 21B so that the light emitting surface 21A of the LED tube 1 faces the belt conveyor side.
  • the LED tube 1 may be finally installed by pasting it on a wall or the like.
  • the operator connects the setting terminal 91 to the LED tube 1 with the LED tube number “0” (or the LED tube 1 of the “master”).
  • the setting terminal 91 can set not only the LED tube 1 with the LED tube number “0” but also other LED tubes 1 by specifying the LED tube number. For example, when the setting terminal 91 designates the LED tube number “2”, the LED tubes 1 with the LED tube numbers “0” and “1” receive the setting information from the setting terminal 91 as the connection terminal 22 (and the connection interface).
  • the LED tube 1 with the LED tube number “2” is set based on the setting information transferred from the adjacent LED tube 1.
  • the operator confirms the operation of the LED tube 1 using a dedicated light receiver (S405). Specifically, the light emission pattern of the LED 3 is read with a dedicated light receiver at an arbitrary position of the LED tube 1 and the light emission information (building number, floor number, area number, LED tube number, LED block number) is confirmed to be correct. (Or check whether it is within the required position accuracy).
  • the light emission information is only the position information, in other words, if each LED 3 only emits light with the light emission pattern indicating the position information, the laying of the LED tube 1 is completed at this stage.
  • the worker next changes a part of the light emission information of the LED tube 1 and sets the approach information (S406).
  • the operator reads the light emission pattern of the LED 3 with a dedicated light receiver at a position in front of the sorting machine 6G by a predetermined distance (for example, 1 m). Thereby, the operator can specify the light emission information (here, the building number, floor number, area number, LED tube number, LED block number) of the LED 3 on the setting terminal 91.
  • the specified light emission information is the building number “3”, the floor number “5”, the area number “12”, the LED tube number “0”, and the LED block number “64”.
  • the operator displays the light emission information table 45 registered in the memory 44 with the LED tube number “0” on the setting terminal 91, and displays the light emission information associated with the LED block number “64”. It changes to "first approach information" (S406).
  • the operator registers “second approach information” in the light emission information table 45 of the memory 44 of the LED tube 1 by the same procedure.
  • the position of the LED block 31 to be changed is specified by the dedicated light receiver, and is associated with the specified LED block 31.
  • the light emission information may be changed. For example, in the case of the LED tube 1 of the fourth form (see FIG. 19A), moving speed information and arrival information are set as the light emission information.
  • the target position information 86B may be set in the communication device 7 of the mobile object 5.
  • the light emission pattern at the target position is read by the dedicated light receiver, and the setting terminal 91 reads the position information (building number, floor number, area number, LED tube number, LED block number) indicated by the light emission pattern.
  • the management server 92 sets the registered position information as the target position information 86B in the position information storage unit 86 of the communication device 7 of the moving body 5. .
  • the above moving system is not limited to a physical distribution system that transports goods such as merchandise.
  • the moving body 5 (traffic system) may be configured by replacing the moving body 5 described above with a rail vehicle.
  • it is also possible to configure a moving system that moves the inspection device by using an inspection device that inspects the inside of the piping as a moving body and disposing the LED tube in the piping.
  • an LED tube can also be utilized as an illuminating device in piping.
  • the moving body 5 is restricted in moving direction by the belt conveyor 6A, the elevator 6C, the rail 6H, and the like, and the LED tube 1 is arranged along the moving direction thus restricted.
  • the present invention is not limited to this, and there may be no means for limiting the moving direction of the moving body 5.
  • the communication device 7 analyzes the installation direction of the LED tube 1 by detecting the positions of two or more LEDs facing the light receiving window 71A, and moves the moving body 5 along the analyzed installation direction.
  • the moving mechanism may be controlled. Thereby, since the moving body 5 moves so that LED3 of the LED tube 1 may be tracked, the LED tube 1 and the communication device 7 can continue to face each other during the movement.
  • the camera is mounted on the communication device 7, an image is taken in a photographing range that includes a large number of LEDs 33 of the LED tube 1, and the curvature of the LED tube 1 is obtained by analyzing the position of the light emitting point. May be. And you may control the movement of the mobile body 5 with the moving speed according to the curvature of the LED tube 1.
  • the cathode control line is connected to the two LED blocks 31, and the anode control line is connected to the 128 LED blocks 31.
  • the wiring of the LED block group 32 is not limited to this.
  • the cathode control line and the anode control line may be wired so as to be connected to one LED block 31.
  • the light emission timing of each LED block 31 can be arbitrarily changed.
  • the odd-numbered LED blocks 31 and the even-numbered LED blocks 31 emit light alternately.
  • the adjacent LED blocks 31 are the same. It is also possible to substantially increase the number of LEDs in the LED block by an integral multiple by controlling to emit light with the light emission pattern. However, according to FIG. 21, the number of wirings increases.
  • the above-described LED block 31 is composed of two or more LEDs 3, and the LEDs 3 of the same LED block 31 emit light with the same light emission pattern.
  • the present invention is not limited to this. By configuring the LED block from one LED, each LED may emit light with a different light emission pattern.
  • the LED control unit 4 is integrated with the LED block group 32 and the like. However, it is also possible to configure the LED control unit 4 separately from the LED block group 32 and connect the LED control unit 4 and the LED block group 32 with a cable.
  • the LED 3 preferably emits visible light. That is, it is desirable that the emission wavelength of the LED 3 be in the range of 380 nm to 780 nm, which is the visible light region. When the LED 3 emits visible light, for example, the following processing is possible.
  • the light emission pattern can be visually recognized without flickering, and the lighting state can be stably visually recognized. That is, it can appear that the LED 3 is always lit. Further, if the always-on state is a normal state, the failure of the LED 3 can be visually recognized when the LED 3 fails and is turned off.
  • information such as the speed and moving direction of the moving body 5 can be displayed in a visible manner.
  • the speed information may be made visible by blinking the LED 3 fast when the speed of the moving body 5 is fast and blinking the LED 3 late when the speed of the moving body 5 is slow.
  • a plurality of LEDs 3 or LED blocks 31
  • the LED 3 emits visible light in the above-described vehicle movement system (traffic system)
  • the driver can recognize the traveling direction of the vehicle even at night by allowing the driver to visually recognize the visible light from the LED 3.
  • Speed control can be performed.
  • the operator can be notified by turning on the LED 3. Further, not only the presence / absence of an abnormality may be notified, but information such as the location where the abnormality has occurred may be displayed to the operator. For example, it is possible to turn on the LED 3 so as to guide the operator to the place where the abnormality has occurred by sequentially turning on the LED 3 (or the LED block 31) toward the place where the abnormality has occurred.
  • LED 3 when the LED 3 emits visible light, not only the above information (abnormal information, failure information, speed information, direction information, etc.) but also various other information can be displayed so that the operator can visually recognize the information. .
  • the LED tube 1 and the rail 6H are comprised separately.
  • the LED tube may be configured to function as a rail. If it does in this way, it will become easy to arrange
  • the light emitting surface of the LED tube usually faces upward, and the light receiving window 71A of the communication device 7 attached to the moving body 5 covers the light emitting surface from above. Will be arranged downward.
  • the light emission direction of the LED tube 1 is not limited to the horizontal direction, and may be the vertical direction or other directions.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Control Of Position, Course, Altitude, Or Attitude Of Moving Bodies (AREA)
  • Length Measuring Devices By Optical Means (AREA)
  • Optical Transform (AREA)
  • Optical Communication System (AREA)

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a movement system capable of moving a mobile body with good precision and having a configuration that is easy to install. [Solution] The present invention is a movement system provided with: a mobile body that moves in a movement direction; a movement mechanism for moving the mobile body; a light-emitting tube for causing the light-emitting elements to emit light in a light emission pattern that shows light emission information, on the basis of a light emission information table in which the light-emitting elements and the light emission information have been correlated, the light-emitting tube being disposed along the movement direction and having a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed in a line; and a communication device for receiving the light emission pattern to acquire the light emission information while the mobile body is moving, and for controlling the movement mechanism in accordance with the light emission information, the communication device being provided to the mobile body so as to face the light-emitting tube.

Description

[規則37.2に基づきISAが決定した発明の名称]　移動システム、移動方法及び発光チューブ[Name of invention determined by ISA based on Rule 37.2] Movement system, movement method and luminous tube
　本発明は、ＬＥＤチューブを用いた移動システム、移動方法及びＬＥＤチューブに関する。 The present invention relates to a moving system, a moving method, and an LED tube using an LED tube.
　赤外線により位置情報を送信する送信手段を建物内に配置し、携帯情報端末で位置情報を受信する赤外線通信システムが知られている（特許文献１参照）。また、位置情報を重畳させた照明光（可視光）を送信させ、受信端末で位置情報を受信する可視光通信システムも知られている（特許文献２、３参照）。 There is known an infrared communication system in which transmission means for transmitting position information by infrared rays is arranged in a building and position information is received by a portable information terminal (see Patent Document 1). There is also known a visible light communication system that transmits illumination light (visible light) on which position information is superimposed and receives position information at a receiving terminal (see Patent Documents 2 and 3).
特開２０００－２９８０３４号公報JP 2000-298034 A 特開２０１０－１１７３０１号公報JP 2010-117301 A 特開２００８－２８１５６１号公報JP 2008-281561 A 特開２０１０－９５３２４号公報JP 2010-95324 A
　特許文献１～３の通信システムでは、位置情報を送信する送信手段（照明器具）を建物の天井などに配置するとともに、端末を持ったユーザが下から位置情報を受信する。このような通信システムでは、信号の干渉を防ぐために送信手段の間隔を広げて設置する必要があるため、位置精度（分解能）が数ｍ程度になってしまう。このため、特許文献１～３の通信システムは、高精度で移動体を移動させる移動システムに適用するには、不向きである。 In the communication systems disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3, a transmission means (lighting fixture) for transmitting position information is arranged on the ceiling of a building, and a user having a terminal receives position information from below. In such a communication system, in order to prevent signal interference, it is necessary to increase the interval between the transmission means, so that the position accuracy (resolution) becomes about several meters. For this reason, the communication systems of Patent Documents 1 to 3 are unsuitable for application to a mobile system that moves a mobile object with high accuracy.
　また、特許文献１～３の通信システムでは、送信手段（照明器具）の設置が不便である。特に、特許文献２、３の通信システムでは、照明器具を送信手段としているため、送信手段の設置場所の制約が大きい。 In addition, in the communication systems of Patent Documents 1 to 3, it is inconvenient to install transmission means (lighting equipment). In particular, in the communication systems disclosed in Patent Documents 2 and 3, since the lighting device is used as the transmission unit, there is a great restriction on the installation location of the transmission unit.
　なお、本件発明者の発明した特許文献４の識別表示装置は、数ｃｍ程度の位置精度でユーザに作業位置を識別表示することができる。但し、この技術は、移動体の移動システムとは技術分野が全く異なっている。 Note that the identification display device of Patent Document 4 invented by the present inventor can identify and display the work position to the user with a positional accuracy of about several centimeters. However, this technology is completely different in technical field from a moving system of a moving body.
　本発明は、設置が簡単な構成であり、高精度で移動体を移動させることが可能な移動システムを提供することを目的とする。 The object of the present invention is to provide a moving system that has a simple configuration and can move a moving object with high accuracy.
　上記目的を達成するための主たる発明は、移動方向に移動する移動体と、前記移動体を移動させる移動機構と、列状に配置された複数の発光素子を有し、前記移動方向に沿って配置された発光チューブであって、前記発光素子と発光情報とを対応付けた発光情報テーブルに基づいて、前記発光情報を示す発光パターンで前記発光素子をそれぞれ発光させる発光チューブと、前記発光チューブと対向するように前記移動体に設けられ、前記移動体の移動中に前記発光パターンを受光して前記発光情報を取得し、前記発光情報に応じて前記移動機構を制御する通信装置とを備える移動システムである。 A main invention for achieving the above object includes a moving body that moves in a moving direction, a moving mechanism that moves the moving body, and a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a row, and along the moving direction. A light emitting tube arranged to emit light from the light emitting element in a light emission pattern indicating the light emission information based on a light emission information table in which the light emitting element and light emission information are associated with each other; and A moving device provided on the moving body so as to be opposed to each other, receiving the light emission pattern while the moving body is moving, obtaining the light emission information, and controlling the moving mechanism according to the light emission information System.
　本発明の他の特徴については、後述する明細書及び図面の記載により明らかにする。 Other features of the present invention will be made clear by the description and drawings described later.
　本発明によれば、設置が簡単な構成であり、高精度で移動体を移動させることが可能な移動システムを実現できる。 According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a moving system that has a simple configuration and can move a moving body with high accuracy.
図１は、ＬＥＤチューブ１の外観構成の説明図である。FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an external configuration of the LED tube 1. 図２は、ＬＥＤチューブ１の断面図である。FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the LED tube 1. 図３は、ＬＥＤチューブ１のブロック図である。FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the LED tube 1. 図４は、ＬＥＤブロック群３２の配線図である。FIG. 4 is a wiring diagram of the LED block group 32. 図５は、ＬＥＤ３の発光制御方法の説明図である。FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the light emission control method of the LED 3. 図６Ａは、ＬＥＤチューブ１を用いた移動システム１００の第１形態の説明図である。図６Ｂは、メモリ４４に記憶された発光情報テーブル４５の説明図である。図６Ｃは、各ＬＥＤ３の発光パターンが示す発光情報の説明図である。FIG. 6A is an explanatory diagram of a first form of the moving system 100 using the LED tube 1. FIG. 6B is an explanatory diagram of the light emission information table 45 stored in the memory 44. FIG. 6C is an explanatory diagram of light emission information indicated by the light emission pattern of each LED 3. 図７は、移動対象である移動体５の外観図である。FIG. 7 is an external view of the moving body 5 that is a movement target. 図８Ａは、通信装置７のハードウェアのブロック図である。図８Ｂは、通信装置７の各種機能のブロック図である。FIG. 8A is a hardware block diagram of the communication device 7. FIG. 8B is a block diagram of various functions of the communication device 7. 図９は、初期確認部８５Ｆの行う初期確認処理のフロー図である。FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the initial confirmation process performed by the initial confirmation unit 85F. 図１０は、移動処理部８５Ｇの行う移動処理のフロー図である。FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the movement process performed by the movement processing unit 85G. 図１１Ａ～図１１Ｄは、移動処理中の様子の説明図である。FIG. 11A to FIG. 11D are explanatory diagrams of a state during the movement process. 図１２は、移動システム１００の第２形態の説明図である。FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of the second form of the mobile system 100. 図１３は、発光情報の説明図である。FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of light emission information. 図１４は、第２形態の通信装置７の各種機能のブロック図である。FIG. 14 is a block diagram of various functions of the communication device 7 according to the second embodiment. 図１５は、第２形態の移動処理部８５Ｇの行う移動処理のフロー図である。FIG. 15 is a flowchart of the movement process performed by the movement processing unit 85G according to the second embodiment. 図１６Ａは、移動システム１００の第３形態の説明図である。図１６Ｂは、第３形態の通信装置７の各種機能のブロック図である。FIG. 16A is an explanatory diagram of a third form of the mobile system 100. FIG. 16B is a block diagram of various functions of the communication device 7 according to the third embodiment. 図１７は、第３形態の移動処理部８５Ｇの行う移動処理のフロー図である。FIG. 17 is a flowchart of the movement process performed by the movement processing unit 85G according to the third embodiment. 図１８Ａ～図１８Ｄは、移動処理中の様子の説明図である。18A to 18D are explanatory diagrams of a state during the movement process. 図１９は、移動システム１００の第４形態の説明図である。FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram of the fourth form of the mobile system 100. 図２０は、ＬＥＤチューブ１の敷設方法のフロー図である。FIG. 20 is a flowchart of a method for laying the LED tube 1. 図２１は、ＬＥＤブロック群３２の別の配線図である。FIG. 21 is another wiring diagram of the LED block group 32.
　後述する明細書及び図面の記載から、少なくとも以下の事項が明らかとなる。 At least the following matters will become clear from the description and drawings described below.
　移動方向に移動する移動体と、前記移動体を移動させる移動機構と、列状に配置された複数の発光素子を有し、前記移動方向に沿って配置された発光チューブであって、前記発光素子と発光情報とを対応付けた発光情報テーブルに基づいて、前記発光情報を示す発光パターンで前記発光素子をそれぞれ発光させる発光チューブと、前記発光チューブと対向するように前記移動体に設けられ、前記移動体の移動中に前記発光パターンを受光して前記発光情報を取得し、前記発光情報に応じて前記移動機構を制御する通信装置とを備える移動システムが明らかとなる。　
　このような移動システムによれば、設置が簡単な構成であり、高精度で移動体を移動させることが可能な移動システムを実現できる。 A light emitting tube having a moving body that moves in a moving direction, a moving mechanism that moves the moving body, and a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a row, and that is arranged along the moving direction, the light emitting Based on a light emission information table in which elements and light emission information are associated with each other, a light emitting tube that emits light from the light emitting element in a light emission pattern indicating the light emission information, and a moving body so as to face the light emitting tube, A moving system including a communication device that receives the light emission pattern during the movement of the moving body, acquires the light emission information, and controls the moving mechanism according to the light emission information becomes clear.
According to such a moving system, it is possible to realize a moving system that has a simple configuration and can move the moving body with high accuracy.
　前記通信装置は、受光窓を備えた筐体を有し、前記受光窓に対向していない前記発光素子からの前記発光パターンは遮光されることが望ましい。これにより、異なる発光パターンによる干渉を抑制できる。また、外部からの光も遮光できる。 It is desirable that the communication device has a housing having a light receiving window, and the light emitting pattern from the light emitting element not facing the light receiving window is shielded from light. Thereby, the interference by a different light emission pattern can be suppressed. Moreover, light from the outside can also be shielded.
　前記受光窓は、２以上の発光素子と対向できる長さになっていることが望ましい。これにより、移動体の移動速度を比較的速く設定したり、発光パターンの発光周期を長く設定したりすることが可能になる。 The light receiving window is desirably long enough to face two or more light emitting elements. Thereby, the moving speed of the moving body can be set relatively fast, and the light emission cycle of the light emission pattern can be set long.
　前記発光チューブは、２以上の前記発光素子から構成されたブロックを複数備え、同じブロックの２以上の前記発光素子を同じ発光パターンで発光させることが望ましい。これにより、受光量を増やすことができる。 The light emitting tube preferably includes a plurality of blocks each composed of two or more light emitting elements, and the two or more light emitting elements of the same block emit light with the same light emission pattern. Thereby, the amount of received light can be increased.
　ある前記ブロックの前記発光素子が発光するとき、隣接する前記ブロックの前記発光素子は発光しないことが望ましい。これにより、同時に異なる発光パターンを受光しないで済む。 When the light emitting element of a certain block emits light, it is desirable that the light emitting element of the adjacent block does not emit light. Thereby, it is not necessary to simultaneously receive different light emission patterns.
　前記発光情報は、前記発光チューブにおける位置を示す位置情報であり、前記発光素子は、前記位置情報を示す発光パターンでそれぞれ発光することが望ましい。これにより、発光パターンを受光すれば、移動体の現在位置を判断することが可能になる。 The light emission information is position information indicating a position in the light emitting tube, and the light emitting element preferably emits light in a light emission pattern indicating the position information. Thereby, if the light emission pattern is received, the current position of the moving body can be determined.
　前記通信装置は、目標位置を示す目標位置情報を記憶しており、前記通信装置は、前記移動体の移動中に前記発光パターンを受光して前記位置情報を取得し、取得した前記位置情報が前記目標位置情報であれば、前記移動体を前記目標位置に位置決めさせるように前記移動機構を制御することが望ましい。これにより、移動体を目標位置に位置決めできる。 The communication apparatus stores target position information indicating a target position, and the communication apparatus receives the light emission pattern while the moving body is moving, acquires the position information, and the acquired position information is If it is the target position information, it is desirable to control the moving mechanism so that the moving body is positioned at the target position. Thereby, the moving body can be positioned at the target position.
　前記移動システムは、前記移動機構を複数備えており、前記発光情報には、複数の前記移動機構のいずれかを特定するための特定情報が含まれており、前記特定情報に対応付けられた前記発光素子が、前記特定情報を示す発光パターンで発光することが望ましい。また、前記通信装置は、制御対象となる前記移動機構を特定するイベント情報を記憶しており、前記通信装置は、前記移動体の移動中に前記発光パターンを受光して前記特定情報を取得し、取得した前記特定情報の示す前記移動機構が前記イベント情報の示す前記移動機構であれば、前記特定情報の示す前記移動機構を制御することが望ましい。これにより、移動体を所定の位置に移動させることができる。 The movement system includes a plurality of the movement mechanisms, and the light emission information includes specific information for specifying any of the plurality of movement mechanisms, and is associated with the specific information. It is desirable that the light emitting element emits light with a light emission pattern indicating the specific information. In addition, the communication device stores event information for specifying the moving mechanism to be controlled, and the communication device receives the light emission pattern and acquires the specifying information while the moving body is moving. If the movement mechanism indicated by the acquired specific information is the movement mechanism indicated by the event information, it is desirable to control the movement mechanism indicated by the specific information. Thereby, a mobile body can be moved to a predetermined position.
　前記発光チューブの前記発光素子は、可視光を発光することが望ましい。これにより、種々の情報（異常情報、故障情報、速度情報、方向情報など）を作業者に表示することが可能になる。 It is desirable that the light emitting element of the light emitting tube emits visible light. Thereby, various information (abnormal information, failure information, speed information, direction information, etc.) can be displayed to the operator.
　列状に配置された複数の発光素子を有する発光チューブを、移動体の移動方向に沿って配置させるとともに、前記発光チューブと対向させて通信装置を前記移動体に配置させ、前記発光素子と発光情報とを対応付けた発光情報テーブルに基づいて、前記発光情報を示す発光パターンで前記発光素子をそれぞれ発光させ、前記移動体の移動中に前記通信装置に前記発光パターンを受光させて、前記発光情報を取得し、前記発光情報に応じて、前記移動体を移動させる移動機構を制御することを特徴とする移動方法が明らかとなる。　
　このような移動方法によれば、簡単な構成で、高精度で移動体を移動させることができる。 A light emitting tube having a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a row is arranged along a moving direction of the moving body, and a communication device is arranged on the moving body so as to face the light emitting tube, and the light emitting element and the light emitting element are emitted. Based on a light emission information table associated with information, each of the light emitting elements is caused to emit light with a light emission pattern indicating the light emission information, and the light emitting pattern is received by the communication device while the mobile body is moving, so that the light emission A moving method characterized by acquiring information and controlling a moving mechanism for moving the moving body according to the light emission information will be apparent.
According to such a moving method, the moving body can be moved with high accuracy with a simple configuration.
　列状に配置された複数の発光素子と、前記発光素子と発光情報とを対応付けた発光情報テーブルを記憶し、前記発光情報を示す発光パターンで前記発光素子をそれぞれ発光させる制御部とを備える発光チューブが明らかとなる。　
　このような発光チューブによれば、複数の発光素子を簡単に設置できる。 A plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in a row; and a light-emitting information table in which the light-emitting elements and the light-emitting information are associated with each other; The luminous tube becomes clear.
According to such a light emitting tube, a plurality of light emitting elements can be easily installed.
　＝＝＝ＬＥＤチューブ＝＝＝
＜外観＞
　図１は、ＬＥＤチューブ１の外観構成の説明図である。図２は、ＬＥＤチューブ１の断面図である。 === LED tube ===
<Appearance>
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an external configuration of the LED tube 1. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the LED tube 1.
　ＬＥＤチューブ１は、透明なチューブ２の中に多数の発光素子を配置した発光チューブである。ここでは、発光素子としてＬＥＤ３（発光ダイオード）が用いられているが、ＬＤ（レーザダイオード）などの他の発光素子が用いられても良い。 The LED tube 1 is a light emitting tube in which a large number of light emitting elements are arranged in a transparent tube 2. Here, LED 3 (light emitting diode) is used as the light emitting element, but other light emitting elements such as LD (laser diode) may be used.
　ＬＥＤチューブ１は、可撓性を有しており、例えばドラム等に巻き付けることが可能である。これにより、ＬＥＤチューブ１の持ち運びが容易になる。 The LED tube 1 has flexibility, and can be wound around, for example, a drum. Thereby, carrying of the LED tube 1 becomes easy.
　ＬＥＤチューブ１は、断面が扁平形状になっており、発光面２１Ａは一方の面を向いている。発光面２１Ａとは反対側の面は、接着面２１Ｂになっている。接着面２１Ｂから接着シールを剥がし、接着面２１Ｂを壁に貼り付ければ、ＬＥＤチューブ１の発光面２１Ａが外側を向くように敷設される。なお、接着シールを備えていなくても良く、ＬＥＤチューブ１に接着剤を塗布したり、ＬＥＤチューブ１をネジ止めしたりすることによって、ＬＥＤチューブを固定することも可能である。 The LED tube 1 has a flat cross section, and the light emitting surface 21A faces one surface. The surface opposite to the light emitting surface 21A is an adhesive surface 21B. When the adhesive seal is peeled off from the adhesive surface 21B and the adhesive surface 21B is attached to the wall, the light emitting surface 21A of the LED tube 1 is laid so as to face outward. Note that the adhesive seal may not be provided, and the LED tube can be fixed by applying an adhesive to the LED tube 1 or screwing the LED tube 1.
　図２に示すように、チューブ２の両縁が発光面２１よりも上側（照射側）に突出している。これは、外部からの機械的接触によって発光面２１が損傷したり汚れたりすることを防止するためである。 As shown in FIG. 2, both edges of the tube 2 protrude above the light emitting surface 21 (irradiation side). This is to prevent the light emitting surface 21 from being damaged or soiled by mechanical contact from the outside.
　１本のＬＥＤチューブ１の中には、１０２４個のＬＥＤ３が１ｃｍの等間隔で列状に配置されている。このため、ＬＥＤチューブ１の長さは１０メートル程度である。但し、ＬＥＤ３は必ずしも等間隔で配置されていなくても良いが、等間隔に配置されていれば、ＬＥＤ３の位置を考慮してＬＥＤチューブ１を敷設するときに作業性が向上する。なお、ＬＥＤ３の近傍に識別番号が印刷されていても良いし、端部からの距離表示が印刷されていても良い。 In one LED tube 1, 1024 LEDs 3 are arranged in a line at equal intervals of 1 cm. For this reason, the length of the LED tube 1 is about 10 meters. However, although LED3 does not necessarily need to be arrange | positioned at equal intervals, if it arrange | positions at equal intervals, workability | operativity will improve when laying LED tube 1 in consideration of the position of LED3. In addition, the identification number may be printed in the vicinity of LED3, and the distance display from an edge part may be printed.
　ＬＥＤチューブ１の両端には、連結用端子２２が設けられている。連結用端子２２は、別のＬＥＤチューブ１の連結用端子２２と接続することが可能である。また、ＬＥＤチューブ１の一端には、専用電源と接続するための電源端子や、設定端末９１（図３参照）と接続するための設定端子が設けられている。 The connection terminal 22 is provided at both ends of the LED tube 1. The connection terminal 22 can be connected to the connection terminal 22 of another LED tube 1. Moreover, the power supply terminal for connecting with an exclusive power supply and the setting terminal for connecting with the setting terminal 91 (refer FIG. 3) are provided in the end of the LED tube 1. FIG.
＜内部構成＞
　図３は、ＬＥＤチューブ１のブロック図である。 <Internal configuration>
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the LED tube 1.
　ＬＥＤチューブ１は、ＬＥＤブロック群３２と、ＬＥＤ制御部４と、電源回路４６とを備えている。ＬＥＤブロック群３２とＬＥＤ制御部４との間を多数の制御線が接続している。 The LED tube 1 includes an LED block group 32, an LED control unit 4, and a power supply circuit 46. A number of control lines are connected between the LED block group 32 and the LED control unit 4.
　ＬＥＤブロック群３２は、複数のＬＥＤ３（ここでは１０２４個のＬＥＤ３）から構成されている。ＬＥＤブロック群３２は２５６個のＬＥＤブロック３１（図４参照）から構成されており、各ＬＥＤブロック３１は、４個のＬＥＤ３から構成されている。ＬＥＤブロック群３２の詳しい構成については、後述する。 The LED block group 32 includes a plurality of LEDs 3 (in this case, 1024 LEDs 3). The LED block group 32 is composed of 256 LED blocks 31 (see FIG. 4), and each LED block 31 is composed of four LEDs 3. A detailed configuration of the LED block group 32 will be described later.
　ＬＥＤ制御部４は、発光情報に応じた発光パターンでＬＥＤ３をそれぞれ発光させる制御部である。ＬＥＤ制御部４は、ＬＥＤ駆動回路４１と、ＬＥＤ制御回路４２と、ＭＰＵ４３と、メモリ４４とを備えている。ＬＥＤ駆動回路４１は、ＬＥＤ制御回路４２からの発光情報に基づき、各制御線に流す信号を生成する。なお、ＬＥＤ制御部４は、ＬＥＤ３のバイアス電流の制御による輝度調整機能も有する。ＬＥＤ制御回路４２は、ＬＥＤ駆動回路４１を制御するための回路である。ＬＥＤ制御回路４２は、ＭＰＵ４３からの指令に基づいて、ＬＥＤ駆動回路４１に発光情報を出力する。ＭＰＵ４３は、小型の演算回路である。メモリ４４は、ＲＯＭ４４ＡとＲＡＭ４４Ｂから構成された記憶手段である。ＲＯＭ４４Ａには、ＭＰＵ４３が実行するための制御プログラムや、ＬＥＤ３と発光情報とを対応付けた発光情報テーブル４５などが記憶されている。ＲＡＭ４４Ｂは、ＭＰＵ４３が実行するプログラムを展開するための領域を提供する。ＭＰＵ４３がＲＯＭ４４Ａに記憶された制御プログラムを実行することによって、ＬＥＤ制御部４が、発光情報を示す発光パターンでＬＥＤ３をそれぞれ発光させる制御部になる。また、ＭＰＵ４３がＲＯＭ４４Ａに記憶された制御プログラムを実行することによって、その他の処理（例えば設定処理）なども実現される。 The LED control unit 4 is a control unit that causes each LED 3 to emit light with a light emission pattern according to the light emission information. The LED control unit 4 includes an LED drive circuit 41, an LED control circuit 42, an MPU 43, and a memory 44. The LED drive circuit 41 generates a signal to be sent to each control line based on the light emission information from the LED control circuit 42. The LED control unit 4 also has a brightness adjustment function by controlling the bias current of the LED 3. The LED control circuit 42 is a circuit for controlling the LED drive circuit 41. The LED control circuit 42 outputs light emission information to the LED drive circuit 41 based on a command from the MPU 43. The MPU 43 is a small arithmetic circuit. The memory 44 is storage means composed of a ROM 44A and a RAM 44B. The ROM 44A stores a control program to be executed by the MPU 43, a light emission information table 45 in which the LED 3 is associated with light emission information, and the like. The RAM 44B provides an area for expanding a program executed by the MPU 43. When the MPU 43 executes the control program stored in the ROM 44A, the LED control unit 4 becomes a control unit that causes each LED 3 to emit light with a light emission pattern indicating light emission information. Further, the MPU 43 executes a control program stored in the ROM 44A, thereby realizing other processing (for example, setting processing).
　電源回路４６は、入力電力から必要な電力を生成する回路である。ここでは、電源回路４６の入力電力は、２系統ある。１つは、外部の専用電源から電源端子を介して供給される入力電力である。もう１つは、設定端末９１と接続するための設定端子（例えばＵＳＢ端子）から供給される入力電力である。 The power supply circuit 46 is a circuit that generates necessary power from input power. Here, the input power of the power supply circuit 46 has two systems. One is input power supplied from an external dedicated power supply via a power supply terminal. The other is input power supplied from a setting terminal (for example, a USB terminal) for connection to the setting terminal 91.
　また、ＬＥＤチューブ１は、各種のインターフェース回路を備えている。設定用インターフェース回路４７は、設定端末９１と接続するための設定端子（例えばＵＳＢ端子）を介して情報を入出力するためのインターフェース回路である。連結用インターフェース回路４８は、連結用端子２２を介して情報を入出力するためのインターフェース回路である。連結用インターフェース回路４８が２つあるのは、ＬＥＤチューブ１の両端にそれぞれ連結用端子２２があるためである。 Moreover, the LED tube 1 includes various interface circuits. The setting interface circuit 47 is an interface circuit for inputting / outputting information via a setting terminal (for example, a USB terminal) for connection to the setting terminal 91. The connection interface circuit 48 is an interface circuit for inputting and outputting information via the connection terminal 22. The reason why there are two connection interface circuits 48 is that there are connection terminals 22 at both ends of the LED tube 1.
　図４は、ＬＥＤブロック群３２の配線図である。 FIG. 4 is a wiring diagram of the LED block group 32.
　２以上のＬＥＤ３が直列接続されることによって、１個のＬＥＤブロック３１が構成されている。ここでは、４個のＬＥＤ３が直列接続されることによって、１個のＬＥＤブロック３１が構成されている。ＬＥＤチューブ１には１０２４個のＬＥＤ３があるため、ＬＥＤブロック３１は、全部で２５６個ある。同じＬＥＤブロック３１の４個のＬＥＤ３は、同じ発光パターンで発光することになる。 A single LED block 31 is formed by connecting two or more LEDs 3 in series. Here, one LED block 31 is configured by connecting four LEDs 3 in series. Since there are 1024 LEDs 3 in the LED tube 1, there are 256 LED blocks 31 in total. The four LEDs 3 in the same LED block 31 emit light with the same light emission pattern.
　ＬＥＤブロック群３２は、１２８本のカソード制御線と２本のアノード制御線によって、ＬＥＤ駆動回路４１と接続されている。カソード制御線の数は、ＬＥＤブロック群３２を構成するＬＥＤブロック３１の数の半分に相当する。各ＬＥＤブロック３１のカソード側は、いずれかのカソード制御線と接続されており、各ＬＥＤブロック３１のアノード側は、どちらか一方のアノード制御線に接続されている。 The LED block group 32 is connected to the LED drive circuit 41 by 128 cathode control lines and two anode control lines. The number of cathode control lines corresponds to half of the number of LED blocks 31 constituting the LED block group 32. The cathode side of each LED block 31 is connected to one of the cathode control lines, and the anode side of each LED block 31 is connected to one of the anode control lines.
　各カソード制御線は、２個のＬＥＤブロック３１のそれぞれのカソード側と接続されている。共通のカソード制御線に接続された２個のＬＥＤブロック３１は、隣接した位置関係にある。このようにカソード制御線を配線することにより、個々のＬＥＤブロック３１にカソード制御線を配線した場合と比べて、配線数を半分にできる。 Each cathode control line is connected to the cathode side of each of the two LED blocks 31. The two LED blocks 31 connected to the common cathode control line are adjacent to each other. By wiring the cathode control lines in this way, the number of wirings can be halved compared to the case where the cathode control lines are wired to the individual LED blocks 31.
　各アノード制御線は、１２８個のＬＥＤブロック３１のそれぞれのアノード側と接続されている。２本のアノード制御線のうちの一方は、奇数番目のＬＥＤブロック３１のアノード側と接続されており。他方は、偶数番目のＬＥＤブロック３１のアノード側と接続されている。このようにアノード制御線を配線することにより、個々のＬＥＤブロック３１にアノード制御線を配線した場合と比べて、配線数を大幅に削減できる。 Each anode control line is connected to each anode side of 128 LED blocks 31. One of the two anode control lines is connected to the anode side of the odd-numbered LED block 31. The other is connected to the anode side of the even-numbered LED block 31. By wiring the anode control lines in this way, the number of wirings can be greatly reduced as compared with the case where the anode control lines are wired to the individual LED blocks 31.
　図中では、同じＬＥＤブロック３１の４個のＬＥＤ３が直列接続されている。これにより、ＬＥＤ駆動回路４１が供給するバイアス電流の和を小さくできる。但し、４個のＬＥＤ３を直列接続ではなく、並列接続することも可能である。この場合、バイアス電流の和は大きくなるが、バイアス電圧を小さくできる。並列接続の場合、あるＬＥＤ３が故障しても、他のＬＥＤ３が点灯可能になり、後述する移動処理の誤動作を抑制できる。 In the figure, four LEDs 3 of the same LED block 31 are connected in series. Thereby, the sum of the bias currents supplied by the LED drive circuit 41 can be reduced. However, four LEDs 3 can be connected in parallel instead of in series. In this case, the sum of the bias currents increases, but the bias voltage can be reduced. In the case of parallel connection, even if a certain LED 3 breaks down, other LEDs 3 can be turned on, and malfunctions of the movement process described later can be suppressed.
　なお、各ＬＥＤブロック３１のＬＥＤ３の数は、４個に限られるものではない。１個でも良いし、２以上の別の個数でも良い。但し、バイアス電流・バイアス電圧を考慮すると、ＬＥＤブロック３１のＬＥＤ３の数を１０個以内にすることが適当である。また、ＬＥＤブロック３１の数が多すぎると、位置検出精度が低下することになる。 Note that the number of LEDs 3 in each LED block 31 is not limited to four. One may be sufficient and another number of 2 or more may be sufficient. However, considering the bias current and the bias voltage, it is appropriate that the number of LEDs 3 of the LED block 31 is 10 or less. Moreover, when there are too many LED blocks 31, a position detection precision will fall.
　図５は、ＬＥＤ３の発光制御方法の説明図である。ここでは、１、２番目のＬＥＤブロック３１に対するカソード信号及びアノード信号と、１、２番目のＬＥＤブロック３１の発光パターンとが図示されている。 FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the light emission control method of the LED 3. Here, a cathode signal and an anode signal for the first and second LED blocks 31 and a light emission pattern of the first and second LED blocks 31 are shown.
　カソード信号は、ＬＥＤ駆動回路４１がカソード制御線に出力する信号である。カソード信号は、２個のＬＥＤブロック３１への発光信号を時分割多重化したシリアル信号である。アノード信号は、ＬＥＤ駆動回路４１がアノード制御線に出力する信号である。２つのアノード信号は、周期的な時間区間（図５に示すタイムスロット）ごとに互い違いにオン・オフを繰り返している。ＬＥＤブロック３１の各ＬＥＤ３は、アノード信号がオンの間、カソード信号に応じて電流が流れることによって、所定の発光パターンで発光する。 The cathode signal is a signal that the LED drive circuit 41 outputs to the cathode control line. The cathode signal is a serial signal obtained by time-division multiplexing the light emission signals to the two LED blocks 31. The anode signal is a signal output from the LED drive circuit 41 to the anode control line. The two anode signals are alternately turned on and off at periodic time intervals (time slots shown in FIG. 5). Each LED 3 of the LED block 31 emits light with a predetermined light emission pattern when a current flows in accordance with the cathode signal while the anode signal is on.
　２つのアノード信号が互い違いにオンになるため、奇数番目のＬＥＤブロック３１と偶数番目のＬＥＤブロック３１が交互に発光する。したがって、隣接するＬＥＤブロック３１は互い違いに発光し、同時に発光しない。つまり、あるＬＥＤブロック３１のＬＥＤ３が発光するとき、その両側に隣接するＬＥＤブロック３１のＬＥＤ３は発光しない。これにより、受光時の干渉を抑制できる。 Since the two anode signals are alternately turned on, the odd-numbered LED blocks 31 and the even-numbered LED blocks 31 emit light alternately. Therefore, adjacent LED blocks 31 emit light alternately, and do not emit light simultaneously. That is, when the LED 3 of a certain LED block 31 emits light, the LED 3 of the LED block 31 adjacent to both sides does not emit light. Thereby, the interference at the time of light reception can be suppressed.
　ＬＥＤ駆動回路４１は、ＬＥＤ制御回路４２からの発光情報に従って、各カソード信号及び各アノード信号を出力する。これにより、ＬＥＤ駆動回路４１は、各ＬＥＤブロック３１のＬＥＤ３を発光情報に応じた発光パターンでそれぞれ発光させることができる。 The LED drive circuit 41 outputs each cathode signal and each anode signal according to the light emission information from the LED control circuit 42. Thereby, the LED drive circuit 41 can light-emit LED3 of each LED block 31 with the light emission pattern according to light emission information, respectively.
　なお、各ＬＥＤ３（若しくはＬＥＤブロック３１）と発光情報とを対応付けた発光情報テーブル４５は、ＬＥＤチューブ１のメモリ４４に予め記憶されている。それぞれのＬＥＤ３（若しくはＬＥＤブロック３１）は、対応する発光情報を示す発光パターンで発光することになる。各ＬＥＤ３が発光パターンで送信すべき発光情報については、後述する。 A light emission information table 45 in which each LED 3 (or LED block 31) and light emission information are associated with each other is stored in the memory 44 of the LED tube 1 in advance. Each LED 3 (or LED block 31) emits light with a light emission pattern indicating the corresponding light emission information. The light emission information that each LED 3 should transmit in the light emission pattern will be described later.
　＝＝＝ＬＥＤチューブを用いた移動システム（１）＝＝＝
　図６Ａは、ＬＥＤチューブ１を用いた移動システム１００の第１形態の説明図である。図６Ｂは、メモリ４４に記憶された発光情報テーブル４５の説明図である。図６Ｃは、各ＬＥＤ３の発光パターンが示す発光情報の説明図である。ここでは、ＬＥＤチューブ１の基本的な動作の理解を容易にするために、ＬＥＤチューブ１の数を１本とし、移動体５の移動を１次元に限定した移動システム１００について説明する。 === Transfer system using LED tube (1) ===
FIG. 6A is an explanatory diagram of a first form of the moving system 100 using the LED tube 1. FIG. 6B is an explanatory diagram of the light emission information table 45 stored in the memory 44. FIG. 6C is an explanatory diagram of light emission information indicated by the light emission pattern of each LED 3. Here, in order to facilitate understanding of the basic operation of the LED tube 1, a moving system 100 in which the number of LED tubes 1 is one and the movement of the moving body 5 is limited to one dimension will be described.
　図６Ａに示す移動システム１００は、例えば商品などの物品を輸送する物流システムなどに用いられる。移動対象である移動体５は、ベルトコンベア６Ａに載せられて移動する。ここでは、出発位置で物品を収容した移動体５が、ベルトコンベア６Ａによって移動し、目標位置に到達すると、仕分け機６Ｂによってベルトコンベア６Ａから押し出されて（仕分け機６Ｂによって移動して）、目標位置に位置決めされることを想定している。ベルトコンベア６Ａに沿って仕分け機６Ｂが多数配置されており、そのうちの一つが目標位置にも配置されている。ベルトコンベア６Ａや仕分け機６Ｂは、移動体５を移動させる移動機構に相当する。 The moving system 100 shown in FIG. 6A is used in, for example, a logistics system that transports articles such as merchandise. The moving body 5 that is the moving object is placed on the belt conveyor 6A and moves. Here, when the moving body 5 containing articles at the starting position moves by the belt conveyor 6A and reaches the target position, the moving body 5 is pushed out of the belt conveyor 6A by the sorting machine 6B (moved by the sorting machine 6B), and the target. It is assumed that it is positioned at a position. A large number of sorting machines 6B are arranged along the belt conveyor 6A, one of which is also arranged at the target position. The belt conveyor 6 </ b> A and the sorting machine 6 </ b> B correspond to a moving mechanism that moves the moving body 5.
　前述のＬＥＤチューブ１は、移動体５の移動方向に沿うように、すなわちベルトコンベア６Ａに沿うように、配置されている。ＬＥＤチューブ１の各ＬＥＤ３の発光面２１Ａは、移動体５の方に向いている。ＬＥＤチューブ１のメモリ４４には、ＬＥＤ３と発光情報とを対応付けた発光情報テーブル４５が記憶されている（図６Ｂ参照）。同じＬＥＤブロック３１のＬＥＤ３は同じ発光パターンで発光するので、ＬＥＤ３の代わりにＬＥＤブロック３１が発光情報と対応付けられている。それぞれの発光情報は、対応するＬＥＤブロック３１のＬＥＤチューブ１における位置を示す情報（位置情報）になっている。 The LED tube 1 described above is arranged along the moving direction of the moving body 5, that is, along the belt conveyor 6A. The light emitting surface 21 </ b> A of each LED 3 of the LED tube 1 faces the moving body 5. The memory 44 of the LED tube 1 stores a light emission information table 45 that associates the LEDs 3 with the light emission information (see FIG. 6B). Since the LEDs 3 of the same LED block 31 emit light with the same light emission pattern, the LED block 31 is associated with the light emission information instead of the LED 3. Each light emission information is information (position information) indicating the position of the corresponding LED block 31 in the LED tube 1.
　ＬＥＤチューブ１の各ＬＥＤブロック３１は、位置情報に応じた発光パターンで発光する。つまり、各ＬＥＤブロック３１は、ＬＥＤチューブ１における各位置を示すように、位置情報をそれぞれ発光する。具体的には、ＬＥＤチューブ１の各ＬＥＤブロック３１は、端のＬＥＤブロック３１から順に１～２５６の数字（発光情報）を示す発光パターンでそれぞれ発光する（図６Ｃ参照）。ここでは、図中の左側のＬＥＤブロック３１ほど、若い数字を示す発光パターンを発光する。ここでは、一例として、出発位置におけるＬＥＤ３は、位置情報として「３」を示す発光パターンを発光するものとする。また、目標位置におけるＬＥＤ３は、位置情報として「１５０」を示す発光パターンを発光するものとする。 Each LED block 31 of the LED tube 1 emits light with a light emission pattern corresponding to the position information. That is, each LED block 31 emits position information so as to indicate each position in the LED tube 1. Specifically, each LED block 31 of the LED tube 1 emits light in a light emission pattern indicating numbers 1 to 256 (light emission information) sequentially from the end LED block 31 (see FIG. 6C). Here, the LED block 31 on the left side in the drawing emits a light emission pattern indicating a young number. Here, as an example, the LED 3 at the starting position emits a light emission pattern indicating “3” as position information. Further, the LED 3 at the target position emits a light emission pattern indicating “150” as position information.
　なお、ＬＥＤ３の発光パターンは、オン・オフ（発光・消滅）で直接的に発光情報（ここでは位置情報）を示すものでなくても良い。例えば、発光情報にスクランブルをかけて８ビットの発光情報を１０ビットの情報に変換し、発光パターンは、その１０ビットの情報を示しても良い。このようにすることで、ＬＥＤ３が可視光を発光する場合に、発光パターンがちらつかずに視認されるようになり、点灯状態が安定して視認されやすくなる。 It should be noted that the light emission pattern of the LED 3 does not have to indicate light emission information (here, position information) directly by turning it on / off (light emission / extinction). For example, the light emission information may be scrambled to convert 8-bit light emission information into 10-bit information, and the light emission pattern may indicate the 10-bit information. By doing in this way, when LED3 light-emits visible light, a light emission pattern comes to be recognized without flickering and it becomes easy to visually recognize the lighting state stably.
　図７は、移動対象である移動体５の外観図である。 FIG. 7 is an external view of the moving body 5 that is a moving object.
　移動体５は、移動システム１００の移動対象である。移動体５は、移動かご５１を備えている。移動かご５１は、物品などを収容するためのかごである。移動かご５１の側面には、通信装置７が取り付けられている。通信装置７は、ＬＥＤチューブ１のＬＥＤ３と対向するように移動体５に設けられる。通信装置７は、移動体５の移動中にＬＥＤチューブ１のＬＥＤ３の発光パターンを受光して発光情報を取得し、取得した発光情報に応じて移動機構（ここではベルトコンベア６Ａや仕分け機６Ｂ）を制御する。通信装置７の構成や機能については後述する。 The moving body 5 is a moving object of the moving system 100. The moving body 5 includes a moving car 51. The moving car 51 is a car for accommodating articles and the like. A communication device 7 is attached to the side surface of the moving car 51. The communication device 7 is provided in the moving body 5 so as to face the LED 3 of the LED tube 1. The communication device 7 receives the light emission pattern of the LED 3 of the LED tube 1 while the moving body 5 is moving, acquires light emission information, and moves according to the acquired light emission information (here, the belt conveyor 6A and the sorter 6B). To control. The configuration and functions of the communication device 7 will be described later.
　通信装置７の筐体７１には、受光窓７１Ａが設けられている。受光窓７１Ａは、ＬＥＤチューブ１のＬＥＤ３と対向するように、ＬＥＤチューブ１に接近させて配置される。なお、移動体５の移動中に受光窓７１ＡがＬＥＤチューブ１と対向し続けるように、ＬＥＤチューブ１及び通信装置７が構成・配置されている。筐体７１に受光窓７１Ａを設けることによって、受光窓７１Ａに対向していないＬＥＤ３からの発光パターンが遮光されるので、異なる発光パターンによる干渉を抑制できる。また、受光窓７１Ａも設けることにより、垂直方向の外乱光を遮光することもできる。なお、外乱光を遮光することを目的として、垂直方向からの光（例えば照明光）を遮るための庇（ひさし）を設けても良い。 The housing 71 of the communication device 7 is provided with a light receiving window 71A. The light receiving window 71 </ b> A is disposed close to the LED tube 1 so as to face the LED 3 of the LED tube 1. The LED tube 1 and the communication device 7 are configured and arranged so that the light receiving window 71A continues to face the LED tube 1 while the moving body 5 is moving. By providing the light receiving window 71A in the casing 71, the light emission pattern from the LED 3 not facing the light receiving window 71A is shielded from light, so that interference due to different light emission patterns can be suppressed. Also, by providing the light receiving window 71A, disturbance light in the vertical direction can be shielded. In addition, you may provide the eaves (eaves) for interrupting | blocking the light (for example, illumination light) from a perpendicular direction for the purpose of shielding disturbance light.
　受光窓７１Ａは、移動体５の移動方向に沿って延びた開口になっている。ここでは、受光窓７１Ａの長さは、３ｃｍ程度（１ｃｍ間隔で配置された３～４個のＬＥＤ３から受光できる程度の長さ）であるものとする。 The light receiving window 71A is an opening extending along the moving direction of the moving body 5. Here, it is assumed that the length of the light receiving window 71A is about 3 cm (the length that can receive light from 3 to 4 LEDs 3 arranged at 1 cm intervals).
　受光窓７１Ａは、２以上のＬＥＤ３と対向できる長さになっている。これにより、移動体５の移動速度を比較的速く設定したり、ＬＥＤ３の発光パターンの周期的な時間区間（図５に示すタイムスロット）を比較的長く設定したりすることを可能にしている。もし仮に受光窓７１Ａの長さが短い場合（例えば、ＬＥＤ３の間隔に相当する１ｃｍの場合）、図５のタイムスロット分の発光パターンの全部を受光できるようにするためには、移動体５の移動速度を遅く設定したり、ＬＥＤ３の発光パターンの周期的な時間区間（図５に示すタイムスロット）を短く設定したりする必要がある。 The light receiving window 71A has a length that can face two or more LEDs 3. Thereby, it is possible to set the moving speed of the moving body 5 relatively fast, and to set the periodic time interval (time slot shown in FIG. 5) of the light emission pattern of the LED 3 relatively long. If the length of the light receiving window 71A is short (for example, 1 cm corresponding to the interval between the LEDs 3), in order to receive all of the light emission patterns for the time slots in FIG. It is necessary to set the moving speed slower or set the periodic time interval (time slot shown in FIG. 5) of the light emission pattern of the LED 3 to be shorter.
　また、本実施形態では、同じＬＥＤブロック３１の２以上のＬＥＤ３を同じ発光パターンで発光させてもいるので（図４参照）、受光窓７１Ａが２以上のＬＥＤ３と対向できる長さであることによって、発光パターンを受光するときの光量を増やすことができる。これにより、発光パターンの誤検出を抑制できる。 In the present embodiment, since two or more LEDs 3 of the same LED block 31 are caused to emit light with the same light emission pattern (see FIG. 4), the light receiving window 71A has a length that can face two or more LEDs 3. The amount of light when receiving the light emission pattern can be increased. Thereby, the erroneous detection of the light emission pattern can be suppressed.
　なお、受光窓７１Ａの長さは、８個分のＬＥＤ３（２つのＬＥＤブロック３１に相当）の長さよりも短くなっている。これにより、異なる発光パターンによる干渉を抑制できる。 The length of the light receiving window 71A is shorter than the length of eight LEDs 3 (corresponding to two LED blocks 31). Thereby, the interference by a different light emission pattern can be suppressed.
　通信装置７の筐体７１には、無線通信用のアンテナ７２、読み取り開始ボタン７３、ランプ７４なども設けられている（図７参照）。 The housing 71 of the communication device 7 is also provided with an antenna 72 for wireless communication, a reading start button 73, a lamp 74, and the like (see FIG. 7).
　図８Ａは、通信装置７のハードウェアのブロック図である。通信装置７は、受光ユニット８１と、通信ユニット８２と、制御ユニット８３と、を備える。 FIG. 8A is a hardware block diagram of the communication device 7. The communication device 7 includes a light receiving unit 81, a communication unit 82, and a control unit 83.
　受光ユニット８１は、ＬＥＤ３から発光情報を受信するためのユニットである。受光ユニット８１は、受光部８１Ａ、プリアンプ８１Ｂ、ＡＧＣ回路８１Ｃ及び復号回路８１Ｄを有する。受光部８１Ａは、ＬＥＤ３から受光した発光パターン（光信号）を電気信号に変換する素子である。例えば、受光部８１Ａは、フォトダイオードやフォトトランジスタなどから構成される。プリアンプ８１Ｂは、受光部８１Ａからの電気信号を所定のゲインで増幅する回路である。ＡＧＣ回路８１Ｃは、プリアンプ８１Ｂからの出力信号を所定レベルに自動調整する回路である。後述するように、受光窓７１Ａから受光可能なＬＥＤ３の数が一定ではないため、ＡＧＣ回路８１Ｃによって出力信号を所定レベルに調整する。復号回路８１Ｄは、スクランブル等がかけられた受信信号を復号化する回路である。復号回路８１Ｄは、受信した信号を制御ユニット８３に出力するとともに、受信通知を制御ユニット８３に通知する。 The light receiving unit 81 is a unit for receiving light emission information from the LED 3. The light receiving unit 81 includes a light receiving unit 81A, a preamplifier 81B, an AGC circuit 81C, and a decoding circuit 81D. The light receiving unit 81A is an element that converts a light emission pattern (optical signal) received from the LED 3 into an electric signal. For example, the light receiving unit 81A is configured by a photodiode, a phototransistor, or the like. The preamplifier 81B is a circuit that amplifies the electric signal from the light receiving unit 81A with a predetermined gain. The AGC circuit 81C is a circuit that automatically adjusts the output signal from the preamplifier 81B to a predetermined level. As will be described later, since the number of LEDs 3 that can receive light from the light receiving window 71A is not constant, the output signal is adjusted to a predetermined level by the AGC circuit 81C. The decoding circuit 81D is a circuit that decodes the scrambled received signal. The decoding circuit 81D outputs the received signal to the control unit 83 and notifies the control unit 83 of a reception notification.
　通信ユニット８２は、外部と通信するためのユニットである。ここでは、通信ユニット８２は、無線による通信を行う。通信ユニット８２は、外部から信号を受信することも、外部へ信号を送信することも行う。通信ユニット８２は、無線処理回路８２Ａと、無線インターフェース８２Ｂとを備えている。無線処理回路８２Ａは、送受信する信号を処理する回路である。無線インターフェース８２Ｂは、アンテナ７２を介して外部と通信を行うインターフェースである。 The communication unit 82 is a unit for communicating with the outside. Here, the communication unit 82 performs wireless communication. The communication unit 82 receives signals from the outside and transmits signals to the outside. The communication unit 82 includes a wireless processing circuit 82A and a wireless interface 82B. The wireless processing circuit 82A is a circuit that processes signals to be transmitted and received. The wireless interface 82B is an interface that communicates with the outside via the antenna 72.
　制御ユニット８３は、通信装置７を制御するためのユニットである。制御ユニット８３は、移動側ＭＰＵ８３Ａと、移動側メモリ８３Ｂとを備えている。移動側ＭＰＵ８３Ａは、通信装置７を制御するための小型の演算回路である。移動側メモリ８３Ｂは、ＲＯＭとＲＡＭから構成された記憶手段である。移動側メモリ８３ＢのＲＯＭには、移動側ＭＰＵ８３Ａが実行するための制御プログラムや、各種の情報などが記憶されている。移動側メモリ８３ＢのＲＡＭは、移動側ＭＰＵ８３Ａが実行するプログラムを展開するための領域を提供する。移動側ＭＰＵ８３Ａが移動側メモリ８３Ｂに記憶された制御プログラムを実行することによって、後述する各種の機能部が実現される。 The control unit 83 is a unit for controlling the communication device 7. The control unit 83 includes a moving side MPU 83A and a moving side memory 83B. The moving side MPU 83 </ b> A is a small arithmetic circuit for controlling the communication device 7. The moving side memory 83B is a storage means composed of a ROM and a RAM. The ROM of the movement side memory 83B stores a control program to be executed by the movement side MPU 83A, various information, and the like. The RAM of the moving side memory 83B provides an area for developing a program executed by the moving side MPU 83A. Various functions described below are realized by the movement side MPU 83A executing the control program stored in the movement side memory 83B.
　なお、通信装置７は、読み取り開始ボタン７３、ランプ７４及び電源ユニット８４なども備えている。ランプ７４は、通信装置７の動作状態を報知するための発光手段である。電源ユニット８４は、バッテリ８４Ａと、バッテリ８４Ａから必要な電力を生成する移動側電源回路８４Ｂとを備えている。 The communication device 7 also includes a reading start button 73, a lamp 74, a power supply unit 84, and the like. The lamp 74 is a light emitting means for notifying the operation state of the communication device 7. The power supply unit 84 includes a battery 84A and a moving-side power supply circuit 84B that generates necessary power from the battery 84A.
　図８Ｂは、通信装置７の各種機能のブロック図である。 FIG. 8B is a block diagram of various functions of the communication device 7.
　光受信部８５Ａは、受光ユニット８１から情報（例えば位置情報）を受信する機能を有する。光受信部８５Ａは、復号回路８１Ｄからの受信通知を検知すると共に、復号回路８１Ｄから受信した発光情報（例えば位置情報）を移動側メモリ８３Ｂに格納する機能も有する。光受信部８５Ａは、制御ユニット８３が移動側メモリ８３Ｂの制御プログラムを実行して受光ユニット８１から必要な情報を得ることにより実現される。 The light receiving unit 85A has a function of receiving information (for example, position information) from the light receiving unit 81. The optical receiving unit 85A has a function of detecting a reception notification from the decoding circuit 81D and storing light emission information (for example, position information) received from the decoding circuit 81D in the movement side memory 83B. The optical receiver 85A is realized by the control unit 83 executing the control program of the moving side memory 83B and obtaining necessary information from the light receiving unit 81.
　無線通信部８５Ｂは、アンテナ７２を介して無線通信する機能を有する。無線通信部８５Ｂは、外部から情報（例えば設定情報）を受信したときに、その旨を通知すると共に、受信した情報を移動側メモリ８３Ｂに格納する機能も有する。また、無線通信部８５Ｂは、外部へ情報を送信する機能も有する。無線通信部８５Ｂは、制御ユニット８３が移動側メモリ８３Ｂの制御プログラムを実行して通信ユニット８２を制御することにより実現される。 The wireless communication unit 85B has a function of performing wireless communication via the antenna 72. When the wireless communication unit 85B receives information (for example, setting information) from the outside, the wireless communication unit 85B has a function of notifying the fact and storing the received information in the mobile memory 83B. The wireless communication unit 85B also has a function of transmitting information to the outside. The wireless communication unit 85B is realized by the control unit 83 executing the control program of the moving side memory 83B to control the communication unit 82.
　ボタン操作部８５Ｃは、読み取り開始ボタン７３が押されたことを検知する機能を有する。ボタン操作部８５Ｃは、制御ユニット８３が移動側メモリ８３Ｂの制御プログラムを実行して、読み取り開始ボタン７３からの信号を検知することにより実現される。 The button operation unit 85C has a function of detecting that the reading start button 73 has been pressed. The button operation unit 85C is realized when the control unit 83 executes a control program in the movement side memory 83B and detects a signal from the reading start button 73.
　初期設定部８５Ｄは、出発位置や目標位置などの設定や、後述する移動処理を実現するためのプログラムの設定などの初期設定を行う機能を有する。初期設定部８５Ｄは、外部の管理サーバ９２（図１２参照）から無線通信部８５Ｂを介して受信した設定情報に従って、初期設定を行う。 The initial setting unit 85D has a function of performing initial settings such as setting of a departure position, a target position, and the like, and setting of a program for realizing movement processing described later. The initial setting unit 85D performs initial setting according to the setting information received from the external management server 92 (see FIG. 12) via the wireless communication unit 85B.
　位置情報記憶部８６は、所定の位置情報を記憶するための記憶部である。位置情報記憶部８６は、移動側メモリ８３Ｂの記憶領域の一部により実現される。ここでは、位置情報記憶部８６は、出発位置情報８６Ａと、目標位置情報８６Ｂと、現在位置情報８６Ｃとを記憶する。位置情報記憶部８６の出発位置情報８６Ａ及び目標位置情報８６Ｂは、初期設定部８５Ｄにより設定される位置情報である。ここでは、出発位置情報８６Ａは「３」に初期設定されており、目標位置情報８６Ｂは「１５０」に初期設定されているものとする。現在位置情報８６Ｃは、光受信部８５ＡがＬＥＤチューブ１のＬＥＤ３から受信した最新の位置情報である。現在位置情報８６Ｃは、随時更新されることになる。 The position information storage unit 86 is a storage unit for storing predetermined position information. The position information storage unit 86 is realized by a part of the storage area of the movement side memory 83B. Here, the position information storage unit 86 stores departure position information 86A, target position information 86B, and current position information 86C. The departure position information 86A and the target position information 86B in the position information storage unit 86 are position information set by the initial setting unit 85D. Here, it is assumed that the departure position information 86A is initially set to “3” and the target position information 86B is initially set to “150”. The current position information 86 </ b> C is the latest position information received from the LED 3 of the LED tube 1 by the light receiving unit 85 </ b> A. The current position information 86C is updated as needed.
　異常通知部８５Ｅは、異常の有無を判断する機能と、異常があるときにその旨を通知する機能を有する。異常通知部８５Ｅは、制御ユニット８３が移動側メモリ８３Ｂの制御プログラムを実行して、ランプ７４を点滅させたり、無線通信部８５Ｂにより外部へ異常通知を送信させたりするなどの異常通知処理を実現する。 The abnormality notification unit 85E has a function of determining whether there is an abnormality and a function of notifying that when there is an abnormality. The abnormality notification unit 85E realizes abnormality notification processing such as the control unit 83 executing the control program of the moving-side memory 83B to cause the lamp 74 to blink or the wireless communication unit 85B to transmit an abnormality notification to the outside. To do.
　初期確認部８５Ｆは、移動体５の移動前に行われる初期確認処理を行う機能を有する。初期確認処理は、出発位置に移動体５が位置するか否かを確認する処理である。初期確認処理については、後述する（図９参照）。 The initial confirmation unit 85F has a function of performing an initial confirmation process performed before the moving body 5 moves. The initial confirmation process is a process for confirming whether or not the moving body 5 is located at the departure position. The initial confirmation process will be described later (see FIG. 9).
　移動処理部８５Ｇは、移動体５の移動処理を行う機能を有する。移動処理は、移動体５を出発位置から目標位置まで移動させるための処理である。移動処理については、後述する（図１０参照）。 The movement processing unit 85G has a function of performing movement processing of the moving body 5. The movement process is a process for moving the moving body 5 from the starting position to the target position. The movement process will be described later (see FIG. 10).
　図９は、初期確認部８５Ｆの行う初期確認処理のフロー図である。作業者は、初期確認処理を実行させる前に、移動体５をベルトコンベア６Ａ上の出発位置に設置する。設置後に作業者が移動体５の通信装置７の読み取り開始ボタン７３を押すと、この初期確認処理が開始する。 FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the initial confirmation process performed by the initial confirmation unit 85F. The operator installs the moving body 5 at the starting position on the belt conveyor 6A before executing the initial confirmation process. When the operator presses the reading start button 73 of the communication device 7 of the mobile body 5 after the installation, this initial confirmation process starts.
　制御ユニット８３は、復号回路８１Ｄからの受信通知を待つ（Ｓ００１）。受信通知があれば、制御ユニット８３は、移動側メモリ８３Ｂに格納された受信情報を取得する（Ｓ００２）。ここでは、取得した受信情報は、位置情報「３」のはずであり、その位置情報は現在位置情報８６Ｃとして更新されているはずである。 The control unit 83 waits for a reception notification from the decoding circuit 81D (S001). If there is a reception notification, the control unit 83 acquires the reception information stored in the movement side memory 83B (S002). Here, the acquired reception information should be the position information “3”, and the position information should be updated as the current position information 86C.
　次に、制御ユニット８３は、受信情報が位置情報か否かを判断する（Ｓ００３）。受信情報が位置情報でない場合には（Ｓ００３でＮＯ）、制御ユニット８３は、異常通知処理を行い、初期確認処理を終了する（Ｓ００４）。受信情報が位置情報である場合には（Ｓ００３でＹＥＳ）、制御ユニット８３は、現在位置情報８６Ｃが出発位置である「３」と一致するか否かを判断する（Ｓ００５）。不一致の場合には（Ｓ００５でＮＯ）、制御ユニット８３は、異常通知処理を行い、初期確認処理を終了する（Ｓ００６）。現在位置情報８６Ｃが出発位置「３」と一致する場合には（Ｓ００５でＹＥＳ）、制御ユニット８３は、初期確認処理を正常終了する。 Next, the control unit 83 determines whether or not the received information is position information (S003). If the received information is not position information (NO in S003), the control unit 83 performs an abnormality notification process and ends the initial confirmation process (S004). If the received information is position information (YES in S003), the control unit 83 determines whether or not the current position information 86C matches the departure position “3” (S005). If they do not match (NO in S005), the control unit 83 performs an abnormality notification process and ends the initial confirmation process (S006). When the current position information 86C matches the departure position “3” (YES in S005), the control unit 83 normally ends the initial confirmation process.
　図１０は、移動処理部８５Ｇの行う移動処理のフロー図である。図１１Ａ～図１１Ｄは、移動処理中の様子の説明図である。図１１Ａ～図１１Ｄの各図の左側には、移動処理中の移動体５の位置が示されている。右側には、受光窓７１Ａから見えるＬＥＤチューブ１の様子が示されている。ＬＥＤ３を示す四角形の中の数字は、そのＬＥＤ３の発光パターンの示す位置情報である。また、あるタイミングで発光するＬＥＤ３を太線で示し、消灯しているＬＥＤ３を点線で示している。 FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the movement process performed by the movement processing unit 85G. FIG. 11A to FIG. 11D are explanatory diagrams of a state during the movement process. On the left side of each of FIGS. 11A to 11D, the position of the moving body 5 during the movement process is shown. On the right side, the state of the LED tube 1 visible from the light receiving window 71A is shown. The number in the square indicating the LED 3 is position information indicated by the light emission pattern of the LED 3. Further, the LED 3 that emits light at a certain timing is indicated by a thick line, and the LED 3 that is turned off is indicated by a dotted line.
　前述の初期確認処理の後、図１０に示す移動処理が開始する。図１１Ａは、移動処理を開始するときの様子の説明図である。 After the initial confirmation process described above, the movement process shown in FIG. 10 starts. FIG. 11A is an explanatory diagram of a state when the movement process is started.
　制御ユニット８３は、ベルトコンベア６Ａの駆動指令を無線で送信する（Ｓ１０１）。これにより、ベルトコンベア６Ａを駆動するモータが駆動を開始し、移動体５が移動し始める。 The control unit 83 wirelessly transmits a drive command for the belt conveyor 6A (S101). Thereby, the motor which drives the belt conveyor 6A starts driving, and the moving body 5 starts to move.
　制御ユニット８３は、復号回路８１Ｄからの受信通知を待つ（Ｓ１０２）。受信通知があれば、制御ユニット８３は、移動側メモリ８３Ｂに格納された受信情報を取得する（Ｓ１０３）。ここでは、受信情報は、移動体５の位置に対応する位置情報のはずであり、その位置情報は現在位置情報８６Ｃとして更新されているはずである。 The control unit 83 waits for a reception notification from the decoding circuit 81D (S102). If there is a reception notification, the control unit 83 acquires the reception information stored in the movement side memory 83B (S103). Here, the received information should be position information corresponding to the position of the moving body 5, and the position information should be updated as current position information 86C.
　次に、制御ユニット８３は、受信情報が位置情報か否かを判断する（Ｓ１０４）。受信情報が位置情報でない場合には（Ｓ１０４でＮＯ）、制御ユニット８３は、異常通知処理を行い、移動処理を終了する（Ｓ１０５）。受信情報が位置情報である場合には（Ｓ１０４でＹＥＳ）、制御ユニット８３は、現在位置情報８６Ｃが目標位置「１５０」に到達したか否かを判断する（Ｓ１０６）。制御ユニット８３は、現在位置情報８６Ｃが目標位置に到達していないと判断した場合（Ｓ１０６でＮＯ）、目標位置を通過してしまったか否かを判断する（Ｓ１０７）。現在位置情報８６Ｃが目標位置を通過していなければ（Ｓ１０７でＮＯ）、ベルトコンベア６Ａによる移動体５の移動が継続する（Ｓ１０１）。 Next, the control unit 83 determines whether the received information is position information (S104). If the received information is not position information (NO in S104), the control unit 83 performs an abnormality notification process and ends the movement process (S105). If the received information is position information (YES in S104), the control unit 83 determines whether or not the current position information 86C has reached the target position “150” (S106). When it is determined that the current position information 86C has not reached the target position (NO in S106), the control unit 83 determines whether the target position has been passed (S107). If the current position information 86C does not pass through the target position (NO in S107), the movement of the moving body 5 by the belt conveyor 6A continues (S101).
　例えば図１１Ｂの右図に示す状況では、通信装置７の受光ユニット８１の受光部８１Ａは、位置情報「２５」を示す発光パターンを受光することになる。このとき、光受信部８５Ａは、復号回路８１Ｄからの受信通知を検知すると共に、現在位置情報８６Ｃとして位置情報「２５」を移動側メモリ８３Ｂの位置情報記憶部８６に格納することになる。この状況下では、制御ユニット８３は、Ｓ１０２で「受信通知有り」と判断し、Ｓ１０３で現在位置情報「２５」を取得し、Ｓ１０４で「ＹＥＳ」と判断し、Ｓ１０６で「ＮＯ」と判断し、Ｓ１０７で「ＮＯ」と判断し、ベルトコンベア６Ａによる移動体５の移動が継続することになる（Ｓ１０１）。 For example, in the situation shown in the right diagram of FIG. 11B, the light receiving unit 81A of the light receiving unit 81 of the communication device 7 receives the light emission pattern indicating the position information “25”. At this time, the optical receiving unit 85A detects the reception notification from the decoding circuit 81D, and stores the position information “25” as the current position information 86C in the position information storage unit 86 of the moving side memory 83B. Under this situation, the control unit 83 determines that “there is a reception notification” in S102, acquires the current position information “25” in S103, determines “YES” in S104, and determines “NO” in S106. In S107, “NO” is determined, and the movement of the moving body 5 by the belt conveyor 6A is continued (S101).
　ところで、図１１Ｂに示すように、本実施形態では、受光窓７１Ａが２以上のＬＥＤ３と対向するとともに、同じＬＥＤブロック３１の２以上のＬＥＤ３が同じ発光パターンで発光するので、受光部８１Ａの受光量が多くなる。これにより、位置情報の誤検出を抑制できる。 As shown in FIG. 11B, in this embodiment, the light receiving window 71A faces two or more LEDs 3, and two or more LEDs 3 of the same LED block 31 emit light with the same light emission pattern. The amount increases. Thereby, erroneous detection of position information can be suppressed.
　このように受光窓７１Ａが２以上のＬＥＤ３と対向するように形成されている場合、図１１Ｃに示すように、異なるＬＥＤブロック３１に属する２個のＬＥＤ３が同時に受光窓７１Ａに対向することがある。但し、本実施形態では、あるＬＥＤブロック３１が発光するとき、その両側に隣接するＬＥＤブロック３１は発光しないので（図４、図５参照）、図１１Ｃに示すように、受光部８１Ａは、同時に異なる発光パターンを受光しないで済む。つまり、受光時の干渉を抑制できる。 When the light receiving window 71A is formed to face two or more LEDs 3 in this way, as shown in FIG. 11C, two LEDs 3 belonging to different LED blocks 31 may face the light receiving window 71A at the same time. . However, in the present embodiment, when a certain LED block 31 emits light, the LED blocks 31 adjacent to both sides do not emit light (see FIGS. 4 and 5), and therefore, as shown in FIG. It is not necessary to receive different light emission patterns. That is, interference during light reception can be suppressed.
　また、受光窓７１Ａが２以上のＬＥＤ３と対向するように形成されている場合、受光窓７１Ａから受光するＬＥＤ３の数が変化する（ここでは１個～４個の間で変化する）。但し、本実施形態では、受光ユニット８１のＡＧＣ回路８１Ｃ（図８Ａ参照）がプリアンプ８１Ｂの出力信号を所定レベルに自動調整するので、受光した発光パターンを発光情報に変換するときの誤変換を抑制できる。 Further, when the light receiving window 71A is formed so as to face two or more LEDs 3, the number of LEDs 3 that receive light from the light receiving window 71A changes (here, it changes between 1 and 4). However, in this embodiment, the AGC circuit 81C (see FIG. 8A) of the light receiving unit 81 automatically adjusts the output signal of the preamplifier 81B to a predetermined level, so that erroneous conversion when converting the received light emission pattern into light emission information is suppressed. it can.
　ベルトコンベア６Ａによる移動体５の移動を継続していると、図１１Ｄの右図に示すように、通信装置７の受光ユニット８１の受光部８１Ａが、位置情報「１５０」を示す発光パターンを受光することになる。この状況下では、制御ユニット８３は、Ｓ１０６で「ＹＥＳ」と判断し、到達通知を無線で送信する（Ｓ１０８）。目標位置の仕分け機６Ｂが到達通知を受信すると（若しくは、到達通知を受信した管理サーバからの指令を目標位置の仕分け機６Ｂが受信すると）、図１１Ｄの左図に示すように、仕分け機６Ｂが移動体５をベルトコンベア６Ａの外部へ押し出し（仕分け機６Ｂが移動体５を移動させ）、移動体５が目標位置に位置決めされることになる。 If the moving body 5 continues to be moved by the belt conveyor 6A, the light receiving portion 81A of the light receiving unit 81 of the communication device 7 receives the light emission pattern indicating the position information “150” as shown in the right diagram of FIG. 11D. Will do. Under this situation, the control unit 83 determines “YES” in S106, and transmits a notification of arrival wirelessly (S108). When the target position sorter 6B receives the arrival notice (or when the target position sorter 6B receives a command from the management server that has received the arrival notice), as shown in the left diagram of FIG. 11D, the sorter 6B. Pushes the moving body 5 out of the belt conveyor 6A (the sorter 6B moves the moving body 5), and the moving body 5 is positioned at the target position.
　なお、現在位置が目標位置を通過した場合には（Ｓ１０７でＹＥＳ）、制御ユニット８３は、異常通知処理を行い、移動処理を終了する（Ｓ１０９）。このようにすることで、異常なエリアへの侵入や誤配送などを移動体５側で防ぐことができる。なお、Ｓ１０９で異常通知処理を行う代わりに、ベルトコンベア６Ａを反転駆動して、移動体５の位置を戻すような処理を行っても良い。 When the current position passes the target position (YES in S107), the control unit 83 performs an abnormality notification process and ends the movement process (S109). By doing so, it is possible to prevent intrusion into an abnormal area, erroneous delivery, and the like on the mobile body 5 side. Instead of performing the abnormality notification process in S109, a process may be performed in which the belt conveyor 6A is driven in reverse to return the position of the moving body 5.
　以上説明した移動システム１００は、所定の移動方向に移動する移動体５と、移動体５を移動させるベルトコンベア６Ａ及び仕分け機６Ｂ（移動機構に相当）と、ＬＥＤチューブ１（発光チューブに相当）と、通信装置７とを備えている。通信装置７は、発光パターンを受光して発光情報を取得し、発光情報に応じて指令を送信することによって、ベルトコンベア６Ａや仕分け機６Ｂを制御するように構成されている。ＬＥＤチューブ１を移動体５の移動方向に沿って配置するとともに、ＬＥＤチューブ１と対向するように通信装置７を移動体５に設けることによって、移動システム１００を簡単に設置することができる。また、ＬＥＤチューブ１と通信装置７が対向するように配置されているため、ＬＥＤチューブ１と通信装置７との距離が接近しているので、高い分解能（数ｃｍの位置精度）で移動体５を移動させることができる。 The moving system 100 described above includes a moving body 5 that moves in a predetermined moving direction, a belt conveyor 6A and a sorting machine 6B that move the moving body 5, and an LED tube 1 (corresponding to a light emitting tube). And a communication device 7. The communication device 7 is configured to control the belt conveyor 6A and the sorter 6B by receiving light emission patterns, obtaining light emission information, and transmitting a command according to the light emission information. By arranging the LED tube 1 along the moving direction of the moving body 5 and providing the communication device 7 on the moving body 5 so as to face the LED tube 1, the moving system 100 can be easily installed. In addition, since the LED tube 1 and the communication device 7 are arranged so as to face each other, the distance between the LED tube 1 and the communication device 7 is close, so the moving body 5 has high resolution (position accuracy of several cm). Can be moved.
　なお、ＬＥＤチューブ１は、列状に配置された複数のＬＥＤ３を有し、発光情報テーブル４５に基づいて、発光情報を示す発光パターンでＬＥＤ３をそれぞれ発光させるように構成されている。このように構成されたＬＥＤチューブ１によれば、多数のＬＥＤ３を容易に設置することができる。 The LED tube 1 includes a plurality of LEDs 3 arranged in a row, and is configured to cause each LED 3 to emit light with a light emission pattern indicating light emission information based on the light emission information table 45. According to the LED tube 1 configured in this way, a large number of LEDs 3 can be easily installed.
　また、上記の通信装置７は受光窓７１Ａを備えた筐体７１を有し、受光窓７１Ａに対向していないＬＥＤ３の発光パターンが遮光されている。これにより、異なる発光パターンによる干渉を抑制できる。また、外部からの光も遮光できる。 Further, the communication device 7 described above has a casing 71 provided with a light receiving window 71A, and the light emission pattern of the LED 3 not facing the light receiving window 71A is shielded from light. Thereby, the interference by a different light emission pattern can be suppressed. Moreover, light from the outside can also be shielded.
　更に、受光窓７１Ａは、２以上のＬＥＤ３と対向できる長さになっている。これにより、移動体５の移動速度を比較的速く設定したり、ＬＥＤ３の発光パターンの周期的な時間区間（図５に示すタイムスロット）を比較的長く設定したりすることを可能にしている。また、同じＬＥＤブロック３１の２以上のＬＥＤ３が同じ発光パターンで発光するので、受光部８１Ａの受光量が多くなり、位置情報の誤検出を抑制できる。 Furthermore, the light receiving window 71A has a length that can face two or more LEDs 3. Thereby, it is possible to set the moving speed of the moving body 5 relatively fast, and to set the periodic time interval (time slot shown in FIG. 5) of the light emission pattern of the LED 3 relatively long. In addition, since two or more LEDs 3 of the same LED block 31 emit light with the same light emission pattern, the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 81A is increased, and erroneous detection of position information can be suppressed.
　なお、受光窓７１Ａが２以上のＬＥＤ３と対向するように形成されている場合、図１１Ｃに示すように、異なるＬＥＤブロック３１に属する２個のＬＥＤ３が同時に受光窓７１Ａに対向することがある。但し、あるＬＥＤブロック３１が発光するとき、その両側に隣接するＬＥＤブロック３１は発光しないので（図４、図５参照）、図１１Ｃに示すように、受光部８１Ａは、同時に異なる発光パターンを受光しないで済む。 When the light receiving window 71A is formed so as to face two or more LEDs 3, two LEDs 3 belonging to different LED blocks 31 may face the light receiving window 71A at the same time as shown in FIG. 11C. However, when a certain LED block 31 emits light, the LED blocks 31 adjacent to both sides thereof do not emit light (see FIGS. 4 and 5), so that the light receiving unit 81A simultaneously receives different light emission patterns as shown in FIG. 11C. I don't have to.
　また、発光情報は、ＬＥＤチューブ１における位置を示す位置情報であり、ＬＥＤ３は、位置情報を示す発光パターンでそれぞれ発光する。これにより、発光パターンを受光すれば、移動体５の現在位置を判断することが可能になる。また、通信装置７は、目標位置情報８６Ｂを記憶しており、取得した現在位置情報８６Ｃが目標位置情報８６Ｂであれば、仕分け機６Ｂ（移動機構に相当）を制御する。これにより、移動体５を目標位置に位置決めすることができる。 Further, the light emission information is position information indicating a position in the LED tube 1, and the LED 3 emits light with a light emission pattern indicating the position information. Thereby, if the light emission pattern is received, the current position of the moving body 5 can be determined. The communication device 7 stores target position information 86B. If the acquired current position information 86C is the target position information 86B, the communication device 7 controls the sorting machine 6B (corresponding to a moving mechanism). Thereby, the moving body 5 can be positioned at the target position.
　＝＝＝ＬＥＤチューブを用いた移動システム（２）＝＝＝
　図１２は、移動システム１００の第２形態の説明図である。ここでは、多数のＬＥＤチューブ１を用いた移動システム１００について説明する。 === Transfer system using LED tube (2) ===
FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of the second form of the mobile system 100. Here, the movement system 100 using many LED tubes 1 is demonstrated.
　管理サーバ９２は、通信装置７（図１２では不図示）に無線で設定情報を送信し、通信装置７の初期設定部８５Ｄに初期設定（目標位置情報８６Ｂの設定や、移動処理部８５Ｇの行う移動処理のプログラムの設定など）を行わせる。初期設定済みの通信装置７を備えた移動体５が、ベルトコンベア６Ａに順番に載せられていく。管理サーバ９２は、通信装置７の設定を行うだけであり、その後の移動体５の位置を追跡することは行わない。このため、全ての移動体５の位置を集中管理する場合と比べて、管理サーバ９２の負荷は軽い。 The management server 92 wirelessly transmits setting information to the communication device 7 (not shown in FIG. 12), and performs initial setting (setting of the target position information 86B and the movement processing unit 85G in the initial setting unit 85D of the communication device 7 (Move processing program settings etc.). The mobile body 5 including the communication device 7 that has been initialized is placed on the belt conveyor 6A in order. The management server 92 only sets the communication device 7 and does not track the position of the moving body 5 thereafter. For this reason, the load of the management server 92 is lighter than in the case of centrally managing the positions of all the mobile bodies 5.
　ベルトコンベア６Ａは、常に一方向に動作し続けており、移動体５は、ベルトコンベア６Ａによって、目的のビルまで移動する。ベルトコンベア６Ａの移動方向に沿うように、ＬＥＤチューブ１が配置されている。ベルトコンベア６Ａが長い場合には、２以上のＬＥＤチューブ１が連結用端子２２で連結されている。図中の他のＬＥＤチューブ１についても、２以上のＬＥＤチューブ１が連結用端子２２で連結されていることがある。 The belt conveyor 6A always continues to operate in one direction, and the moving body 5 moves to the target building by the belt conveyor 6A. The LED tube 1 is arranged along the moving direction of the belt conveyor 6A. When the belt conveyor 6 </ b> A is long, two or more LED tubes 1 are connected by a connection terminal 22. As for other LED tubes 1 in the figure, two or more LED tubes 1 may be connected by connecting terminals 22.
　各ビルには、移動体５を所定のフロアまで輸送するためのエレベータ６Ｃが設けられている。ここでは、仕分け機６Ｂがベルトコンベア６Ａから移動体５を退避スペースに押し出すと、退避スペースに待機している作業者が移動体５をエレベータ６Ｃに運び込むこととする。エレベータ６Ｃの移動方向に沿うように、ＬＥＤチューブ１が配置されている。エレベータ６Ｃは、移動体５を移動させる移動機構に相当する。 Each building is provided with an elevator 6C for transporting the moving body 5 to a predetermined floor. Here, when the sorting machine 6B pushes the moving body 5 from the belt conveyor 6A to the retreat space, the worker standing by in the retreat space carries the mobile body 5 into the elevator 6C. The LED tube 1 is arranged along the moving direction of the elevator 6C. The elevator 6 </ b> C corresponds to a moving mechanism that moves the moving body 5.
　各フロアには、ベルトコンベア６Ｄ～６Ｆが２次元的に網目状に配置されている。これらのベルトコンベア６Ｄ～６Ｆに沿うように、ＬＥＤチューブ１が配置されている。ベルトコンベアごとに、エリア番号が付されている。ここでは、仕分け機６Ｂが第１エリアのベルトコンベア６Ｄから移動体５を押し出すことによって、第２エリアのベルトコンベア６Ｅや第３エリアのベルトコンベア６Ｆに移動体５を移動させることができる。ベルトコンベア６Ｄ～６Ｆや、これらのベルトコンベアに設置された仕分け機６Ｂは、移動体５を移動させる移動機構に相当する。 On each floor, belt conveyors 6D to 6F are two-dimensionally arranged in a mesh. The LED tube 1 is disposed along the belt conveyors 6D to 6F. An area number is assigned to each belt conveyor. Here, when the sorting machine 6B pushes out the moving body 5 from the belt conveyor 6D in the first area, the moving body 5 can be moved to the belt conveyor 6E in the second area or the belt conveyor 6F in the third area. The belt conveyors 6D to 6F and the sorting machine 6B installed on these belt conveyors correspond to a moving mechanism that moves the moving body 5.
　図１３は、発光情報の説明図である。 FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of light emission information.
　発光情報には、「ビル番号」、「フロア番号」、「エリア番号」、「ＬＥＤチューブ番号」及び「ＬＥＤブロック番号」が含まれる。「ビル番号」は、ＬＥＤチューブ１が設置されているビルを特定するための情報である。「フロア番号」は、ＬＥＤチューブ１が設置されているフロアを特定するための情報である。「エリア番号」は、ＬＥＤチューブ１が設置されているエリア（又はそのエリアのベルトコンベア）を特定するための情報である。「ＬＥＤチューブ番号」は、２以上のＬＥＤチューブ１が連結用端子２２で連結されているときに各ＬＥＤチューブ１を特定するための情報である。「ＬＥＤブロック番号」は、ＬＥＤチューブ１におけるＬＥＤブロック３１を特定するための情報であり、図６Ｃの位置情報１～２５６に相当する。 The light emission information includes “building number”, “floor number”, “area number”, “LED tube number”, and “LED block number”. The “building number” is information for identifying the building where the LED tube 1 is installed. The “floor number” is information for specifying the floor on which the LED tube 1 is installed. The “area number” is information for specifying the area where the LED tube 1 is installed (or the belt conveyor in that area). The “LED tube number” is information for specifying each LED tube 1 when two or more LED tubes 1 are connected by the connection terminal 22. “LED block number” is information for specifying the LED block 31 in the LED tube 1 and corresponds to the position information 1 to 256 in FIG. 6C.
　各ＬＥＤチューブ１のメモリ４４の発光情報テーブル４５には、各ＬＥＤブロック３１に、図中の３２ビットの発光情報がそれぞれ対応付けられている。言い換えると、発光情報テーブル４５には、図６Ｂの１～２５６の発光情報の代わりに、図１３に示す３２ビットの発光情報が各ＬＥＤブロック３１にそれぞれ対応付けられている。 In the light emission information table 45 of the memory 44 of each LED tube 1, each LED block 31 is associated with light emission information of 32 bits in the drawing. In other words, in the light emission information table 45, 32-bit light emission information shown in FIG. 13 is associated with each LED block 31 instead of the light emission information 1 to 256 in FIG. 6B.
　移動体５の通信装置７が発光パターンを受光して発光情報を受信すれば、移動体５の現在位置を特定することが可能である。このため、以下の説明では、３２ビットの発光情報のことも「位置情報」と呼ぶ。 If the communication device 7 of the mobile body 5 receives the light emission pattern and receives the light emission information, the current position of the mobile body 5 can be specified. For this reason, in the following description, 32-bit light emission information is also referred to as “position information”.
　図１４は、第２形態の通信装置７の各種機能のブロック図である。前述の図８Ｂと比べると、位置情報記憶部８６の目標位置情報８６Ｂが複数（ここでは４つ）ある点で異なる。また、イベント情報記憶部８７が新たに用意されている。イベント情報記憶部８７は、到達通知の送信先（移動機構を特定する情報）と、送信先が行うべき処理の指令とからなるイベント情報８７Ａを記憶している。目標位置情報８６Ｂが４つあるため、イベント情報８７Ａも４つある。 FIG. 14 is a block diagram of various functions of the communication device 7 according to the second embodiment. Compared with the above-described FIG. 8B, there is a difference in that there are a plurality (four in this case) of target position information 86B in the position information storage unit 86. An event information storage unit 87 is newly prepared. The event information storage unit 87 stores event information 87A including a destination of the arrival notification (information for specifying the moving mechanism) and a command for processing to be performed by the destination. Since there are four pieces of target position information 86B, there are also four pieces of event information 87A.
　ここでは、図１２の１番目の移動体５の通信装置７のブロック図を示している。通信装置７のハードウェアは、図８Ａとほぼ同様である。 Here, a block diagram of the communication device 7 of the first moving body 5 in FIG. 12 is shown. The hardware of the communication device 7 is almost the same as that shown in FIG. 8A.
　図１５は、第２形態の移動処理部８５Ｇの行う移動処理のフロー図である。移動体５がベルトコンベア６Ａに載せられたときに、移動処理が開始する。以下、図１２の１番目の移動体５の移動処理について説明する。 FIG. 15 is a flowchart of the movement process performed by the movement processing unit 85G of the second form. When the moving body 5 is placed on the belt conveyor 6A, the moving process starts. Hereinafter, the movement process of the 1st mobile body 5 of FIG. 12 is demonstrated.
　ベルトコンベア６Ａは動作し続けているので、移動体５がベルトコンベア６Ａに載せられると、移動体５が移動する（Ｓ２０１）。第１形態の移動システム１００と同様に、移動体５には通信装置７が取り付けられており、制御ユニット８３は、復号回路８１Ｄからの受信通知を待つ（Ｓ２０２）。受信通知があれば、制御ユニット８３は、移動側メモリ８３Ｂに格納された受信情報を取得する（Ｓ２０３）。制御ユニット８３は、受信情報が位置情報か否かを判断する（Ｓ２０４）。受信情報が位置情報でない場合には（Ｓ２０４でＮＯ）、制御ユニット８３は、異常通知処理を行い、移動処理を終了する（Ｓ２０５）。受信情報が位置情報である場合には（Ｓ２０４でＹＥＳ）、制御ユニット８３は、現在位置が第１の目標位置「Ｐ_Ａ」に到達したか否かを判断する（Ｓ２０６）。制御ユニット８３は、現在位置が目標位置に到達していないと判断した場合（Ｓ２０６でＮＯ）、目標位置を通過してしまったか否かを判断する（Ｓ２０７）。現在位置が目標位置を通過していなければ（Ｓ２０７でＮＯ）、ベルトコンベア６Ａによる移動体５の移動が継続する（Ｓ２０１）。現在位置が目標位置を通過した場合には（Ｓ２０７でＹＥＳ）、制御ユニット８３は、異常通知処理を行い、移動処理を終了する（Ｓ２０９）。これらの処理は、第１形態のＳ１０１～Ｓ１０９の処理とほぼ同じである。 Since the belt conveyor 6A continues to operate, when the moving body 5 is placed on the belt conveyor 6A, the moving body 5 moves (S201). Similar to the mobile system 100 of the first embodiment, the communication device 7 is attached to the mobile body 5, and the control unit 83 waits for a reception notification from the decoding circuit 81D (S202). If there is a reception notification, the control unit 83 acquires the reception information stored in the movement side memory 83B (S203). The control unit 83 determines whether the received information is position information (S204). If the received information is not position information (NO in S204), the control unit 83 performs an abnormality notification process and ends the movement process (S205). If the received information is position information (YES in S204), the control unit 83 determines whether or not the current position has reached the first target position “P_A” (S206). When it is determined that the current position has not reached the target position (NO in S206), the control unit 83 determines whether the target position has been passed (S207). If the current position does not pass the target position (NO in S207), the movement of the moving body 5 by the belt conveyor 6A continues (S201). If the current position passes the target position (YES in S207), the control unit 83 performs an abnormality notification process and ends the movement process (S209). These processes are almost the same as the processes in S101 to S109 of the first form.
　ベルトコンベア６Ａによる移動体５の移動を継続していると、通信装置７がＬＥＤチューブ１から目標位置「Ｐ_Ａ」に相当する発光パターンを検出することになる。この状況下では、制御ユニット８３は、Ｓ２０６で「ＹＥＳ」と判断し、イベント情報記憶部８７の第１のイベント情報８７Ａに基づいて、ベルトコンベア６Ａの第２の仕分け機６Ｂに指令を無線で送信する（Ｓ２０８）。第２の仕分け機６Ｂは、指令を受信すると、移動体５をベルトコンベア６Ａから退避スペースに押し出し、退避スペースに待機している作業者が移動体５をエレベータ６Ｃに移動させることになる。更に、制御ユニット８３は、イベント情報記憶部８７の第１のイベント情報８７Ａに基づいて、エレベータ６Ｃに上昇指令を無線で送信する（Ｓ２０８）。その後、制御ユニット８３は、次の目標位置があるので（Ｓ２１０でＹＥＳ）、位置情報記憶部８６の２番目の目標位置情報８６Ｂに従って目標位置を更新する（Ｓ２１１）。 If the moving body 5 continues to be moved by the belt conveyor 6A, the communication device 7 detects the light emission pattern corresponding to the target position “P_A” from the LED tube 1. Under this situation, the control unit 83 determines “YES” in S206, and wirelessly issues a command to the second sorter 6B of the belt conveyor 6A based on the first event information 87A of the event information storage unit 87. Transmit (S208). When receiving the command, the second sorter 6B pushes the moving body 5 from the belt conveyor 6A to the retracting space, and the worker waiting in the retracting space moves the moving body 5 to the elevator 6C. Further, the control unit 83 wirelessly transmits an ascent command to the elevator 6C based on the first event information 87A in the event information storage unit 87 (S208). Thereafter, since there is a next target position (YES in S210), the control unit 83 updates the target position in accordance with the second target position information 86B in the position information storage unit 86 (S211).
　指令を受信したエレベータ６Ｃが上昇することによって、移動体５が第２ビル内を移動する（Ｓ２０１）。エレベータ６Ｃに沿ってＬＥＤチューブ１が配置されており、制御ユニット８３は、復号回路８１Ｄからの受信通知があれば（Ｓ２０２）、移動側メモリ８３Ｂに格納された受信情報を取得する（Ｓ２０３）。制御ユニット８３は、受信情報が位置情報である場合には（Ｓ２０４でＹＥＳ）、現在位置が第２の目標位置「Ｐ_Ｂ」に到達したか否かを判断する（Ｓ２０６）。移動体５が第２の目標位置「Ｐ_Ｂ」に到達したとき（Ｓ２０６でＹＥＳ）、制御ユニット８３は、第２のイベント情報８７Ａに基づいて、エレベータ６Ｃに停止指令を無線で送信する（Ｓ２０８）。エレベータ６Ｃは、停止指令を受信すると、停止する。ここでは、エレベータ６Ｃは第３フロアで停止することになる。更に、制御ユニット８３は、第２のイベント情報８７Ａに基づいてエレベータ６Ｃのブザーを鳴らし、移動体５が第３フロアに到着したことを係員に報知する（Ｓ２０８）。ブザーを聞きつけた係員は、移動体５をエレベータ６Ｃからベルトコンベア６Ｄに移し替えることになる。制御ユニット８３は、次の目標位置があるので（Ｓ２１０でＹＥＳ）、３番目の目標位置情報８６Ｂに従って目標位置を更新する（Ｓ２１１）。 When the elevator 6C that receives the command rises, the moving body 5 moves in the second building (S201). If the LED tube 1 is arranged along the elevator 6C and there is a reception notification from the decoding circuit 81D (S202), the control unit 83 acquires the reception information stored in the movement side memory 83B (S203). When the received information is position information (YES in S204), the control unit 83 determines whether or not the current position has reached the second target position “P_B” (S206). When the moving body 5 reaches the second target position “P_B” (YES in S206), the control unit 83 wirelessly transmits a stop command to the elevator 6C based on the second event information 87A (S208). . The elevator 6C stops when it receives the stop command. Here, the elevator 6C stops on the third floor. Further, the control unit 83 sounds the buzzer of the elevator 6C based on the second event information 87A, and notifies the attendant that the moving body 5 has arrived at the third floor (S208). The staff member who heard the buzzer moves the moving body 5 from the elevator 6C to the belt conveyor 6D. Since there is a next target position (YES in S210), the control unit 83 updates the target position according to the third target position information 86B (S211).
　その後、制御ユニット８３は、ほぼ同様の移動処理を実行し、移動体５が第１エリアのベルトコンベア６Ｄによって３番目の目標位置「Ｐ_Ｃ」に到達したとき（Ｓ２０６でＹＥＳ）、第３のイベント情報８７Ａに基づいて、第１エリアの第２の仕分け機６Ｂに指令を送信して移動体５を第３エリアのベルトコンベア６Ｆに移動させるとともに、第３エリアのベルトコンベア６Ｆのモータに指令を送信して第３エリアのベルトコンベア６Ｆを駆動させる（Ｓ２０８）。そして、制御ユニット８３は、次の目標位置があるので（Ｓ２１０でＹＥＳ）、４番目の目標位置情報８６Ｂに従って目標位置を更新する（Ｓ２１１）。更に、制御ユニット８３は、ほぼ同様の移動処理を実行し、移動体５が第３エリアのベルトコンベア６Ｆによって４番目の目標位置「Ｐ_Ｄ」に到達したとき（Ｓ２０６でＹＥＳ）、第４のイベント情報８７Ａに基づいて、第３エリアのベルトコンベア６Ｆのモータに停止指令を送信し（Ｓ２０８）、移動処理を終了する（Ｓ２１０でＮＯ）。第３エリアのベルトコンベア６Ｆのモータが指令に従って停止すると、移動体５は、最終的な目標位置「Ｐ_Ｄ」（図１２の星印の位置）で位置決めされることになる。 Thereafter, the control unit 83 executes substantially the same movement process, and when the moving body 5 reaches the third target position “P_C” by the belt conveyor 6D in the first area (YES in S206), the third event Based on the information 87A, a command is sent to the second sorter 6B in the first area to move the moving body 5 to the belt conveyor 6F in the third area, and a command is sent to the motor of the belt conveyor 6F in the third area. Then, the belt conveyor 6F in the third area is driven (S208). Since the next target position is present (YES in S210), the control unit 83 updates the target position according to the fourth target position information 86B (S211). Further, the control unit 83 executes substantially the same movement process, and when the moving body 5 reaches the fourth target position “P_D” by the belt conveyor 6F in the third area (YES in S206), the fourth event Based on the information 87A, a stop command is transmitted to the motor of the belt conveyor 6F in the third area (S208), and the movement process is terminated (NO in S210). When the motor of the belt conveyor 6F in the third area stops according to the command, the moving body 5 is positioned at the final target position “P_D” (the position of the star in FIG. 12).
　ところで、複数の移動体５が第３エリアのベルトコンベア６Ｆ上にある場合、Ｓ２０８によりベルトコンベア６Ｆが停止してしまうと、他の移動体５が目標位置に到達できなくなってしまう。そこで、複数の移動体５が第３エリアのベルトコンベア６Ｆ上を流れることが想定される場合には、上記のように第３エリアのベルトコンベア６Ｆのモータを停止させるのではなく、前述の仕分け機によって移動体５をベルトコンベア６Ｆから押し出しても良い。若しくは、複数の移動体５が第３エリアのベルトコンベア６Ｆを流れる場合において、或る移動体５の位置決めのために第３エリアのベルトコンベア６Ｆのモータが停止したときには、他の移動体５の制御ユニット８３は、受信情報が変化しないことによってベルトコンベア６Ｆの停止を認識できるので、ベルトコンベア６Ｆの停止から所定時間（移動体５がベルトコンベア６Ｆから取り出されるまでの時間）を経過した後にベルトコンベア６Ｆのモータの動作開始指令を送信しても良い。この場合、ベルトコンベア６Ｆの制御装置は、動作開始指令を受信するとモータを動作させることになる。但し、ベルトコンベア６Ｆの制御装置は、異常通知に従ってモータを停止させたときには、動作開始指令を拒絶しても良い（モータを動作させない）。なお、複数の移動体５Ｆがベルトコンベア６Ｆに流れているか否かをベルトコンベア６Ｆの制御装置が管理しても良い。 By the way, when the plurality of moving bodies 5 are on the belt conveyor 6F in the third area, if the belt conveyor 6F is stopped by S208, the other moving bodies 5 cannot reach the target position. Therefore, when it is assumed that the plurality of moving bodies 5 flow on the belt conveyor 6F in the third area, the above-described sorting is not performed instead of stopping the motor of the belt conveyor 6F in the third area as described above. The moving body 5 may be pushed out from the belt conveyor 6F by a machine. Alternatively, when a plurality of moving bodies 5 flow on the belt conveyor 6F in the third area, when the motor of the belt conveyor 6F in the third area stops for positioning of the certain moving body 5, the other moving bodies 5 Since the control unit 83 can recognize the stop of the belt conveyor 6F when the reception information does not change, the belt after the predetermined time (time until the moving body 5 is taken out from the belt conveyor 6F) has elapsed since the stop of the belt conveyor 6F. You may transmit the operation start command of the motor of the conveyor 6F. In this case, the control device of the belt conveyor 6F operates the motor when receiving the operation start command. However, the control device for the belt conveyor 6F may reject the operation start command (do not operate the motor) when the motor is stopped in accordance with the abnormality notification. Note that the control device for the belt conveyor 6F may manage whether or not the plurality of moving bodies 5F are flowing to the belt conveyor 6F.
　上記の第２形態の移動システム１００のように、第１形態の移動システム１００を応用することが可能である。 It is possible to apply the mobile system 100 of the first form like the mobile system 100 of the second form.
　＝＝＝ＬＥＤチューブを用いた移動システム（３）＝＝＝
　前述の移動システム１００では、発光情報は、ＬＥＤブロック３１の位置を示す位置情報であった。しかし、次に説明する第３形態の移動システム１００のように、発光情報は、位置情報でなくても良い。 === Transfer system using LED tube (3) ===
In the moving system 100 described above, the light emission information is position information indicating the position of the LED block 31. However, as in the mobile system 100 according to the third embodiment described below, the light emission information may not be position information.
　また、前述の移動システム１００では、移動体５の通信装置７の移動側メモリ８３Ｂに、目標位置を示す目標位置情報８６Ｂが記憶されていた。但し、移動側メモリ８３Ｂに目標位置情報８６Ｂが記憶されていなくても良い。このような場合であっても、以下に説明するように、移動体５を目標位置に位置決めすることが可能である。 In the above-described mobile system 100, the target position information 86B indicating the target position is stored in the mobile memory 83B of the communication device 7 of the mobile body 5. However, the target position information 86B may not be stored in the movement side memory 83B. Even in such a case, the moving body 5 can be positioned at the target position as described below.
　図１６Ａは、移動システム１００の第３形態の説明図である。ここでは、説明を容易にするために、移動体５の移動を１次元に限定して説明する。 FIG. 16A is an explanatory diagram of the third form of the mobile system 100. Here, for ease of explanation, the movement of the moving body 5 is limited to one dimension.
　第３形態の移動システム１００は、第１形態の移動システム１００とほぼ同様の構成である。移動対象である移動体５は、ベルトコンベア６Ａに載せられて移動する。ここでは、出発位置で物品を収容した移動体５が、ベルトコンベア６Ａによって移動し、目標位置に到達すると、仕分け機６Ｇによってベルトコンベア６Ａから押し出されて、目標位置に位置決めされる。 The mobile system 100 of the third form has almost the same configuration as the mobile system 100 of the first form. The moving body 5 that is the moving object is placed on the belt conveyor 6A and moves. Here, when the moving body 5 containing articles at the starting position moves by the belt conveyor 6A and reaches the target position, the moving body 5 is pushed out of the belt conveyor 6A by the sorting machine 6G and positioned at the target position.
　２つの仕分け機６Ｇが、出発位置から目標位置までの間に配置されている。移動体５は、第２の仕分け機６Ｇによって目標位置に押し出される。第３形態の仕分け機６Ｇは、動作に時間がかかるため、移動体５が到着する前に予め動作させる必要がある。ここでは一例として、第１の仕分け機６Ｇによって移動体５を仕分ける場合には、第１の仕分け機６Ｇよりも所定距離手前の６４番のＬＥＤブロック３１に移動体５が到達したタイミングで第１の仕分け機６Ｇを動作させるものとする。また、第２の仕分け機６Ｇによって移動体５を仕分ける場合には、第２の仕分け機６Ｇよりも所定距離手前の１８４番のＬＥＤブロック３１に移動体５が到達したタイミングで第２の仕分け機６Ｇを動作させるものとする。なお、出発位置におけるＬＥＤ３は、位置情報として「３」を示す発光パターンを発光するものとする。 ２Two sorters 6G are arranged between the starting position and the target position. The moving body 5 is pushed out to the target position by the second sorter 6G. Since the sorter 6G of the third form takes time to operate, it is necessary to operate in advance before the mobile body 5 arrives. Here, as an example, when the moving body 5 is sorted by the first sorting machine 6G, the first time is reached when the moving body 5 reaches the 64th LED block 31 a predetermined distance before the first sorting machine 6G. The sorter 6G is operated. Further, when the moving body 5 is sorted by the second sorting machine 6G, the second sorting machine is timed when the moving body 5 reaches the 184th LED block 31 a predetermined distance before the second sorting machine 6G. 6G shall be operated. It is assumed that the LED 3 at the starting position emits a light emission pattern indicating “3” as position information.
　ＬＥＤチューブ１は、移動体５の移動方向に沿うように、すなわちベルトコンベア６Ａに沿うように、配置されている。６４番及び１８４番を除くＬＥＤブロック３１は、例えば位置情報に従った発光パターンを発光する。６４番のＬＥＤブロック３１は、第１の仕分け機６Ｇが接近していることを示す「第１の接近情報」を示す発光パターンを発光する。１８４番のＬＥＤブロック３１は、第２の仕分け機６Ｇが接近していることを示す「第２の接近情報」を示す発光パターンを発光する。なお、図１６Ａの「近１」は、ＬＥＤ３が「第１の接近情報」を示す発光パターンで発光することを示している。また、同図の「近２」は、ＬＥＤ３が「第２の接近情報」を示す発光パターンで発光することを示している。 The LED tube 1 is disposed along the moving direction of the moving body 5, that is, along the belt conveyor 6A. The LED blocks 31 except for the 64th and 184th lights emit a light emission pattern according to position information, for example. The 64th LED block 31 emits a light emission pattern indicating "first approach information" indicating that the first sorter 6G is approaching. The 184th LED block 31 emits a light emission pattern indicating “second approach information” indicating that the second sorter 6G is approaching. Note that “Near 1” in FIG. 16A indicates that the LED 3 emits light with a light emission pattern indicating “first approach information”. In addition, “Near 2” in the figure indicates that the LED 3 emits light with a light emission pattern indicating “second approach information”.
　ＬＥＤチューブ１のメモリ４４の発光情報テーブル４５には、６４番のＬＥＤブロック３１に「第１の接近情報」が対応付けられており、１８４番のＬＥＤブロック３１に「第２の接近情報」が対応付けられている。「第１の接近情報」及び「第２の接近情報」は、複数の移動機構の中から制御対象となる移動機構（ここでは仕分け機６Ｇ）を特定するための特定情報に相当する。例えば、図１３の発光情報の拡張用ビットを変えることによって、発光情報が接近情報であることを示すことができる。 In the light emission information table 45 of the memory 44 of the LED tube 1, “first approach information” is associated with the 64th LED block 31, and “second approach information” is associated with the 184th LED block 31. It is associated. The “first approach information” and the “second approach information” correspond to specific information for specifying a movement mechanism (here, the sorter 6G) to be controlled from a plurality of movement mechanisms. For example, it is possible to indicate that the light emission information is approach information by changing the extension bit of the light emission information in FIG.
　図１６Ｂは、第３形態の通信装置７の各種機能のブロック図である。前述の図８Ｂや図１４と比べると、目標位置情報８６Ｂを記憶していない点で異なる。代わりに、移動処理の制御対象となる仕分け機６Ｇを特定するイベント情報８７Ａが、イベント情報記憶部８７に記憶されている。 FIG. 16B is a block diagram of various functions of the communication device 7 according to the third embodiment. Compared to FIG. 8B and FIG. 14 described above, the target position information 86B is not stored. Instead, event information 87 </ b> A that identifies the sorter 6 </ b> G to be controlled by the movement process is stored in the event information storage unit 87.
　図１７は、第３形態の移動処理部８５Ｇの行う移動処理のフロー図である。図１８Ａ～図１８Ｄは、移動処理中の様子の説明図である。図１８Ａ～図１８Ｄの各図の左側には、移動処理中の移動体５の位置が示されている。右側には、受光窓７１Ａから見えるＬＥＤチューブ１の様子が示されている。ＬＥＤ３を示す四角形の中には、そのＬＥＤ３の発光パターンの示す発光情報が記載されている。また、あるタイミングで発光するＬＥＤ３を太線で示し、消灯しているＬＥＤ３を点線で示している。 FIG. 17 is a flowchart of the movement process performed by the movement processing unit 85G according to the third embodiment. 18A to 18D are explanatory diagrams of a state during the movement process. 18A to 18D show the position of the moving body 5 during the movement process on the left side of each figure. On the right side, the state of the LED tube 1 visible from the light receiving window 71A is shown. In the square indicating the LED 3, light emission information indicated by the light emission pattern of the LED 3 is described. Further, the LED 3 that emits light at a certain timing is indicated by a thick line, and the LED 3 that is turned off is indicated by a dotted line.
　図１８Ａに示すように、移動体５がベルトコンベア６Ａに載せられると、移動体５が移動する（Ｓ３０１）。移動体５には通信装置７が取り付けられており、制御ユニット８３は、復号回路８１Ｄからの受信通知を待つ（Ｓ３０２）。受信通知があれば、制御ユニット８３は、移動側メモリ８３Ｂに格納された受信情報を取得する（Ｓ３０３）。 As shown in FIG. 18A, when the moving body 5 is placed on the belt conveyor 6A, the moving body 5 moves (S301). The communication device 7 is attached to the moving body 5, and the control unit 83 waits for a reception notification from the decoding circuit 81D (S302). If there is a reception notification, the control unit 83 acquires the reception information stored in the movement side memory 83B (S303).
　第３形態では、制御ユニット８３は、受信情報が接近情報か否かを判断する（Ｓ３０４）。受信情報が接近情報でない場合には（Ｓ３０４でＮＯ）、ベルトコンベア６Ａによる移動体５の移動が継続する（Ｓ３０１）。受信情報が接近情報の場合には（Ｓ３０４でＹＥＳ）、制御ユニット８３は、接近情報とイベント情報８７Ａとに基づいて、移動処理の制御対象となる移動機構が接近しているのか否かを判断する（Ｓ３０５）。具体的には、制御ユニット８３は、接近情報の示す移動機構と、イベント情報記憶部８７のイベント情報８７Ａの示す移動機構（ここでは第２の仕分け機６Ｇ）とが一致するか否かを判断する（Ｓ３０５）。制御対象が接近していない場合には（Ｓ３０５でＮＯ）、ベルトコンベア６Ａによる移動体５の移動が継続する（Ｓ３０１）。 In the third mode, the control unit 83 determines whether or not the received information is approach information (S304). When the received information is not the approach information (NO in S304), the moving body 5 is continuously moved by the belt conveyor 6A (S301). When the received information is approach information (YES in S304), the control unit 83 determines whether or not the moving mechanism to be controlled by the moving process is approaching based on the approach information and the event information 87A. (S305). Specifically, the control unit 83 determines whether or not the moving mechanism indicated by the approach information matches the moving mechanism indicated by the event information 87A in the event information storage unit 87 (here, the second sorter 6G). (S305). If the controlled object is not approaching (NO in S305), the movement of the moving body 5 by the belt conveyor 6A continues (S301).
　図１８Ｂに示すように、受信情報が「第１の接近情報」の場合、制御ユニット８３は、Ｓ３０４で「ＹＥＳ」と判断する。但し、「第１の接近情報」は、第１の仕分け機６Ｇの接近を示す情報であり、第２の仕分け機６Ｇの接近を示すものではないので、制御ユニット８３は、Ｓ３０５では「ＮＯ」と判断し、ベルトコンベア６Ａによる移動体５の移動が継続する（Ｓ３０１）。 As shown in FIG. 18B, when the received information is “first approach information”, the control unit 83 determines “YES” in S304. However, since the “first approach information” is information indicating the approach of the first sorter 6G and does not indicate the approach of the second sorter 6G, the control unit 83 determines “NO” in S305. And the movement of the moving body 5 by the belt conveyor 6A continues (S301).
　図１８Ｃに示すように、受信情報が「第２の接近情報」の場合、制御ユニット８３は、Ｓ３０４で「ＹＥＳ」と判断する。また、「第２の接近情報」は、第２の仕分け機６Ｇの接近を示す情報であるので、制御ユニット８３は、Ｓ３０５で「ＹＥＳ」と判断し、イベント情報８７Ａの示す制御対象（ここでは、第２の仕分け機６Ｇ）に、指令を無線で送信する（Ｓ３０６）。 As shown in FIG. 18C, when the received information is “second approach information”, the control unit 83 determines “YES” in S304. Further, since the “second approach information” is information indicating the approach of the second sorter 6G, the control unit 83 determines “YES” in S305, and controls the control object (here, the event information 87A). The command is transmitted wirelessly to the second sorter 6G) (S306).
　第２の仕分け機６Ｇが指令を受信すると、第２の仕分け機６Ｇは、移動体５が到着する前に動作を開始する。その後、図１８Ｄに示すように、移動体５は、第２の仕分け機６Ｇによって、ベルトコンベア６Ａから押し出されて、目標位置に位置決めされる。 When the second sorter 6G receives the command, the second sorter 6G starts operating before the mobile unit 5 arrives. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 18D, the moving body 5 is pushed out of the belt conveyor 6A by the second sorter 6G and positioned at the target position.
　上記の移動システム１００では、発光情報の中に、複数の仕分け機６Ｇ（移動機構）の中から制御対象となる仕分け機６Ｇを特定するための接近情報（特定情報）が含まれており、接近情報に対応付けられたＬＥＤ３は、接近情報を示す発光パターンで発光する。これにより、発光パターンを受光すれば、接近する仕分け機６Ｇを特定することが可能になる。また、通信装置７は、制御対象となる移動機構を特定するイベント情報８７Ａを記憶しており、接近情報の示す移動機構と、イベント情報８７Ａの示す移動機構とが一致すれば、接近情報の示す移動機構（ここでは第２の仕分け機６Ｇ）を制御する。これにより、移動体５を所定の位置に移動させることができる。 In the movement system 100 described above, the light emission information includes approach information (specific information) for identifying the sorter 6G to be controlled from among a plurality of sorters 6G (movement mechanism). The LED 3 associated with the information emits light with a light emission pattern indicating the approach information. Thereby, if the light emission pattern is received, it becomes possible to specify the approaching sorter 6G. Further, the communication device 7 stores event information 87A for specifying a moving mechanism to be controlled. If the moving mechanism indicated by the approach information matches the moving mechanism indicated by the event information 87A, the communication information 7 indicates the approach information. The moving mechanism (here, the second sorter 6G) is controlled. Thereby, the moving body 5 can be moved to a predetermined position.
　上記のように、移動側メモリ８３Ｂに目標位置情報８６Ｂが記憶されていなくても、移動体５を目標位置に位置決めすることができる。第３形態の移動システム１００によれば、レイアウト変更などによって第２の仕分け機６Ｇの配置が変更されても、移動側メモリ８３Ｂに設定する情報を変更しなくて済むという利点がある。（これに対し、前述の第１形態や第２形態では、移動側メモリ８３Ｂに設定する目標位置情報８６Ｂを変更する必要がある。）
　＝＝＝ＬＥＤチューブを用いた移動システム（４）＝＝＝
　図１９Ａは、移動システム１００の第４形態の説明図である。図１９Ｂは、移動体５の移動速度のグラフである。 As described above, even if the target position information 86B is not stored in the movement side memory 83B, the moving body 5 can be positioned at the target position. According to the movement system 100 of the third embodiment, there is an advantage that even if the arrangement of the second sorter 6G is changed due to a layout change or the like, it is not necessary to change the information set in the movement side memory 83B. (On the other hand, in the first form and the second form described above, it is necessary to change the target position information 86B set in the movement side memory 83B.)
=== Transfer system using LED tube (4) ===
FIG. 19A is an explanatory diagram of the fourth form of the mobile system 100. FIG. 19B is a graph of the moving speed of the moving body 5.
　移動対象である移動体５は、不図示の駆動機構を備えており、レール６Ｈの上を走行する。不図示の駆動機構は、移動体５を移動させる移動機構に相当する。 The moving body 5 that is a moving object includes a drive mechanism (not shown) and travels on the rail 6H. A drive mechanism (not shown) corresponds to a moving mechanism that moves the moving body 5.
　ＬＥＤチューブ１は、移動体５の移動方向に沿うように、すなわちレール６Ｈに沿うように、配置されている。６４番のＬＥＤブロック３１は、「第１の移動速度情報」を示す発光パターンを発光する。１２１番のＬＥＤブロック３１は、「第２の移動速度情報」を示す発光パターンを発光する。目標位置に位置する１８４番のＬＥＤブロック３１は、「到着情報」を示す発光パターンを発光する。 The LED tube 1 is disposed along the moving direction of the moving body 5, that is, along the rail 6H. The 64th LED block 31 emits a light emission pattern indicating “first movement speed information”. The 121st LED block 31 emits a light emission pattern indicating “second movement speed information”. The 184th LED block 31 located at the target position emits a light emission pattern indicating “arrival information”.
　言い換えると、ＬＥＤチューブ１のメモリ４４の発光情報テーブル４５には、６４番のＬＥＤブロック３１に「第１の移動速度情報」が対応付けられており、１２１番のＬＥＤブロック３１に「第２の移動速度情報」が対応付けられており、１８４番のＬＥＤブロック３１には「到着情報」が対応付けられている。「第１の移動速度情報」、「第２の移動速度情報」及び「到着情報」は、不図示の駆動機構を制御対象として特定した特定情報であるとともに、制御対象の行うべき処理のパラメータ（ここでは移動速度）を設定するパラメータ情報でもある。例えば、図１３の発光情報の拡張用ビットを変えることによって、発光情報が移動速度情報や到着情報であることを示すことができる。 In other words, in the light emission information table 45 of the memory 44 of the LED tube 1, the “first movement speed information” is associated with the 64th LED block 31, and the “second movement information” is associated with the 121st LED block 31. “Moving speed information” is associated with the LED block 31 of No. 184, and “arrival information” is associated with it. “First moving speed information”, “second moving speed information”, and “arrival information” are specific information that specifies a drive mechanism (not shown) as a control target, and parameters of processing to be performed by the control target ( Here, it is also parameter information for setting (moving speed). For example, by changing the extension bit of the light emission information in FIG. 13, it can be shown that the light emission information is movement speed information or arrival information.
　なお、「第１の移動速度情報」は、移動速度Ｖ１を示す情報である。「第２の移動速度情報」は、移動速度Ｖ２を示す情報である。なお、移動体５の初期速度Ｖ０に対して、移動速度Ｖ１及びＶ２は、Ｖ０＞Ｖ１＞Ｖ２（＞０）の関係になっている。 The “first movement speed information” is information indicating the movement speed V1. “Second moving speed information” is information indicating the moving speed V2. Note that the moving speeds V1 and V2 have a relationship of V0> V1> V2 (> 0) with respect to the initial speed V0 of the moving body 5.
　図１９Ａに示すように、移動体５は、初期速度Ｖ０で移動している。移動体５の通信装置７は、ＬＥＤチューブ１から「第１の移動速度情報」を示す発光パターンを受光したとき、その第１の移動速度情報に従って駆動機構（不図示）を制御して、移動速度を移動速度Ｖ１に変更する。移動体５の通信装置７が、ＬＥＤチューブ１から「第２の移動速度情報」を示す発光パターンを受光したとき、その第２の移動速度情報に従って駆動機構を制御して、移動速度を移動速度Ｖ２に変更する。また、移動体５の通信装置７が、ＬＥＤチューブ１から「到着情報」を示す発光パターンを受光したとき、駆動機構を制御して、移動体５を停止させる（移動速度をゼロにする）。このように、初期速度Ｖ０でレール６Ｈの上を移動する移動体５は、目標位置の手前で徐々に減速し、目標位置で停止することによって、目標位置に位置決めされる。 As shown in FIG. 19A, the moving body 5 is moving at the initial speed V0. When the communication device 7 of the moving body 5 receives the light emission pattern indicating “first movement speed information” from the LED tube 1, the communication device 7 controls the drive mechanism (not shown) according to the first movement speed information to move the communication device 7. The speed is changed to the moving speed V1. When the communication device 7 of the moving body 5 receives the light emission pattern indicating the “second movement speed information” from the LED tube 1, the driving mechanism is controlled according to the second movement speed information, and the movement speed is changed to the movement speed. Change to V2. Further, when the communication device 7 of the moving body 5 receives the light emission pattern indicating “arrival information” from the LED tube 1, the driving mechanism is controlled to stop the moving body 5 (set the moving speed to zero). As described above, the moving body 5 moving on the rail 6H at the initial speed V0 is gradually decelerated before the target position and stopped at the target position, thereby being positioned at the target position.
　上記の説明のように、発光情報は、位置情報や接近情報だけでなく、様々な情報を採用することが可能である。 As described above, it is possible to adopt not only position information and approach information but also various information as light emission information.
　第４形態においても、第３形態と同様に、移動側メモリ８３Ｂに目標位置情報８６Ｂを記憶せずに、移動体５を目標位置に位置決めすることができる。このため、レイアウト変更などによって第２の仕分け機６Ｇの配置が変更されても、移動側メモリ８３Ｂに設定する情報を変更しなくて済む。 Also in the fourth embodiment, similarly to the third embodiment, the moving body 5 can be positioned at the target position without storing the target position information 86B in the movement-side memory 83B. For this reason, even if the arrangement of the second sorter 6G is changed due to a layout change or the like, it is not necessary to change the information set in the movement side memory 83B.
　＝＝＝ＬＥＤチューブの敷設＝＝＝
　次に、移動システム１００を構築するためのＬＥＤチューブ１の敷設方法について説明する。ここでは、３番ビルの第５フロアの１２番エリアにおいて、３本のＬＥＤチューブ１を連結して敷設して、図１６Ａに示す第３形態の移動システム１００を構築するものとする。 === Laying LED tubes ===
Next, a method for laying the LED tube 1 for constructing the moving system 100 will be described. Here, in the 12th area of the 5th floor of the 3rd building, the 3 LED tubes 1 are connected and laid to construct the moving system 100 of the third form shown in FIG. 16A.
　図２０は、ＬＥＤチューブ１の敷設方法のフロー図である。 FIG. 20 is a flowchart of a method for laying the LED tube 1.
　まず、作業者は、３本のＬＥＤチューブ１、専用受光機及び設定端末９１を準備する（Ｓ４０１）。専用受光機は、設定端末９１に接続されており、ＬＥＤ３の発光パターンを受光して発光情報を設定端末９１に出力することができる。 First, the worker prepares three LED tubes 1, a dedicated light receiver and a setting terminal 91 (S401). The dedicated light receiver is connected to the setting terminal 91 and can receive the light emission pattern of the LED 3 and output the light emission information to the setting terminal 91.
　次に、作業者は、３本のＬＥＤチューブ１を仮設置する（Ｓ４０２）。ここでは、３本のＬＥＤ３が、ベルトコンベアに沿ってほぼ一直線上に並べられることになる。ＬＥＤチューブ１の長さは約１０ｍなので、基準位置（０ｍ）にＬＥＤチューブ１の端を合わせると、基準位置から１０ｍ先と２０ｍ先に、ＬＥＤチューブ１の連結用端子２２が連結できるように配置されている。 Next, the worker temporarily installs three LED tubes 1 (S402). Here, the three LEDs 3 are arranged in a substantially straight line along the belt conveyor. Since the length of the LED tube 1 is about 10m, when the end of the LED tube 1 is aligned with the reference position (0m), the connection terminal 22 of the LED tube 1 can be connected to the 10m and 20m points from the reference position. Has been.
　次に、作業者は、ＬＥＤチューブ１の設定端子に設定端末９１を接続し、ＬＥＤチューブ１のメモリ４４に所定の情報を設定する（Ｓ４０３）。既にＬＥＤチューブ１が仮設置されているので、作業者は、基準位置（０ｍ）にあるＬＥＤチューブ１のメモリ４４に、ビル番号「３」、フロア番号「５」、エリア番号「１２」及びＬＥＤチューブ番号「０」を設定する。作業者は、他の２本のＬＥＤチューブ１に対しても、設定端末９１を順に接続し、メモリ４４に所定の情報を設定する。なお、他の２本のＬＥＤチューブ１のメモリ４４には、ビル番号、フロア番号及びエリア番号は同じ情報が設定され、ＬＥＤチューブ番号は「１」又は「２」が設定される。 Next, the worker connects the setting terminal 91 to the setting terminal of the LED tube 1 and sets predetermined information in the memory 44 of the LED tube 1 (S403). Since the LED tube 1 has already been temporarily installed, the operator stores the building number “3”, the floor number “5”, the area number “12” and the LED in the memory 44 of the LED tube 1 at the reference position (0 m). Set tube number “0”. The operator also connects the setting terminals 91 in order to the other two LED tubes 1 and sets predetermined information in the memory 44. In the memory 44 of the other two LED tubes 1, the same information is set for the building number, the floor number, and the area number, and “1” or “2” is set for the LED tube number.
　なお、基準位置（０ｍ）にあるＬＥＤチューブ１のメモリ４４に「マスタ・スレーブ情報」として「マスタ」を設定し、他の２本のＬＥＤチューブ１のメモリ４４に「マスタ・スレーブ情報」として「スレーブ１」又は「スレーブ２」を設定し、「マスタ」のＬＥＤチューブ１のメモリ４４の情報を設定端末９１が管理することによって、他の２本の情報も管理できるようにしても良い。但し、ここでは、「ＬＥＤチューブ番号」を「マスタ・スレーブ情報」として代わりに用いる。 Note that “master” is set as “master / slave information” in the memory 44 of the LED tube 1 at the reference position (0 m), and “master / slave information” is set as “master / slave information” in the memories 44 of the other two LED tubes 1. By setting the “slave 1” or “slave 2” and managing the information in the memory 44 of the “master” LED tube 1, the setting terminal 91 may manage the other two pieces of information. However, here, “LED tube number” is used instead as “master / slave information”.
　Ｓ４０３の設定後、各ＬＥＤチューブ１の制御ユニット８３は、設定された情報（ビル番号、フロア番号、エリア番号及びＬＥＤチューブ番号）に基づいて、各ＬＥＤブロック３１に対応するそれぞれの発光情報（図１３参照）を自動的に生成し、発光情報テーブル４５を生成する。なお、発光情報の中のＬＥＤブロック番号は、デフォルトの値として予め設定されている。各ＬＥＤブロック３１と発光情報とを対応付けた発光情報テーブル４５は、それぞれのＬＥＤチューブ１のメモリ４４に記憶される。 After the setting of S403, the control unit 83 of each LED tube 1 determines each light emission information corresponding to each LED block 31 based on the set information (building number, floor number, area number and LED tube number) (see FIG. 13) is automatically generated, and the light emission information table 45 is generated. The LED block number in the light emission information is set in advance as a default value. A light emission information table 45 that associates each LED block 31 with light emission information is stored in the memory 44 of each LED tube 1.
　次に、作業者は、基準位置（０ｍ）から１０ｍ先と２０ｍ先において、連結用端子２２を接続することによって、３本のＬＥＤチューブ１を連結する（Ｓ４０４）。このとき、作業者は、ＬＥＤチューブ１の接着面２１Ｂ（発光面２１Ａとは反対側の面）から接着シールを剥がし、ＬＥＤチューブ１の発光面２１Ａがベルトコンベア側に向くように接着面２１Ｂを壁などに貼り付けることによって、ＬＥＤチューブ１を最終設置しても良い。 Next, the operator connects the three LED tubes 1 by connecting the connecting terminals 22 at 10 m and 20 m from the reference position (0 m) (S404). At this time, the operator removes the adhesive seal from the adhesive surface 21B of the LED tube 1 (the surface opposite to the light emitting surface 21A), and places the adhesive surface 21B so that the light emitting surface 21A of the LED tube 1 faces the belt conveyor side. The LED tube 1 may be finally installed by pasting it on a wall or the like.
　Ｓ４０４の連結後、作業者は、設定端末９１を、ＬＥＤチューブ番号「０」のＬＥＤチューブ１（若しくは「マスタ」のＬＥＤチューブ１）に接続する。設定端末９１は、ＬＥＤチューブ番号を指定することによって、ＬＥＤチューブ番号「０」のＬＥＤチューブ１の設定だけでなく、他のＬＥＤチューブ１の設定もできる。例えば、設定端末９１がＬＥＤチューブ番号「２」を指定した場合、ＬＥＤチューブ番号「０」及び「１」のＬＥＤチューブ１は、設定端末９１からの設定情報を連結用端子２２（及び連結用インターフェース回路４８：図３参照）を介して隣のＬＥＤチューブ１に転送し、ＬＥＤチューブ番号「２」のＬＥＤチューブ１は、隣のＬＥＤチューブ１から転送された設定情報に基づいて設定される。 After the connection of S404, the operator connects the setting terminal 91 to the LED tube 1 with the LED tube number “0” (or the LED tube 1 of the “master”). The setting terminal 91 can set not only the LED tube 1 with the LED tube number “0” but also other LED tubes 1 by specifying the LED tube number. For example, when the setting terminal 91 designates the LED tube number “2”, the LED tubes 1 with the LED tube numbers “0” and “1” receive the setting information from the setting terminal 91 as the connection terminal 22 (and the connection interface). The LED tube 1 with the LED tube number “2” is set based on the setting information transferred from the adjacent LED tube 1.
　次に、作業者は、専用受光機を用いて、ＬＥＤチューブ１の動作を確認する（Ｓ４０５）。具体的には、ＬＥＤチューブ１の任意の位置においてＬＥＤ３の発光パターンを専用受光機で読み取り、発光情報（ビル番号、フロア番号、エリア番号、ＬＥＤチューブ番号、ＬＥＤブロック番号）が正しいかどうかを確認する（若しくは、要求される位置精度に収まっているかを確認する）。 Next, the operator confirms the operation of the LED tube 1 using a dedicated light receiver (S405). Specifically, the light emission pattern of the LED 3 is read with a dedicated light receiver at an arbitrary position of the LED tube 1 and the light emission information (building number, floor number, area number, LED tube number, LED block number) is confirmed to be correct. (Or check whether it is within the required position accuracy).
　発光情報が位置情報だけならば、言い換えると、各ＬＥＤ３が位置情報を示す発光パターンで発光するだけならば、この段階でＬＥＤチューブ１の敷設は完了する。但し、第３形態（図１６Ａ参照）の移動システム１００の場合、位置情報以外の発光情報として、接近情報を設定する必要がある。そこで、次に作業者は、ＬＥＤチューブ１の発光情報の一部を変更して、接近情報を設定する（Ｓ４０６）。 If the light emission information is only the position information, in other words, if each LED 3 only emits light with the light emission pattern indicating the position information, the laying of the LED tube 1 is completed at this stage. However, in the case of the mobile system 100 of the third form (see FIG. 16A), it is necessary to set approach information as light emission information other than position information. Therefore, the worker next changes a part of the light emission information of the LED tube 1 and sets the approach information (S406).
　作業者は、仕分け機６Ｇから所定距離（例えば１ｍ）だけ手前の位置において、ＬＥＤ３の発光パターンを専用受光機で読み取る。これにより、作業者は、設定端末９１上において、そのＬＥＤ３の発光情報（ここではビル番号、フロア番号、エリア番号、ＬＥＤチューブ番号、ＬＥＤブロック番号）を特定できる。ここでは、特定された発光情報は、ビル番号「３」、フロア番号「５」、エリア番号「１２」、ＬＥＤチューブ番号「０」、ＬＥＤブロック番号「６４」であるとする。次に、作業者は、設定端末９１上において、ＬＥＤチューブ番号「０」のメモリ４４に登録されている発光情報テーブル４５を表示し、ＬＥＤブロック番号「６４」に対応付けられている発光情報を「第１の接近情報」に変更する（Ｓ４０６）。同様の手順により、作業者は、「第２の接近情報」を、ＬＥＤチューブ１のメモリ４４の発光情報テーブル４５に登録する。 The operator reads the light emission pattern of the LED 3 with a dedicated light receiver at a position in front of the sorting machine 6G by a predetermined distance (for example, 1 m). Thereby, the operator can specify the light emission information (here, the building number, floor number, area number, LED tube number, LED block number) of the LED 3 on the setting terminal 91. Here, it is assumed that the specified light emission information is the building number “3”, the floor number “5”, the area number “12”, the LED tube number “0”, and the LED block number “64”. Next, the operator displays the light emission information table 45 registered in the memory 44 with the LED tube number “0” on the setting terminal 91, and displays the light emission information associated with the LED block number “64”. It changes to "first approach information" (S406). The operator registers “second approach information” in the light emission information table 45 of the memory 44 of the LED tube 1 by the same procedure.
　なお、ＬＥＤブロック３１が「接近情報」以外の発光パターンで発光する場合においても、変更対象となるＬＥＤブロック３１の位置を専用受光機で特定し、特定されたＬＥＤブロック３１に対応付けられている発光情報を変更すれば良い。例えば、第４形態（図１９Ａ参照）のＬＥＤチューブ１の場合、発光情報として移動速度情報や到着情報が設定されることになる。 Even when the LED block 31 emits light with a light emission pattern other than “approach information”, the position of the LED block 31 to be changed is specified by the dedicated light receiver, and is associated with the specified LED block 31. The light emission information may be changed. For example, in the case of the LED tube 1 of the fourth form (see FIG. 19A), moving speed information and arrival information are set as the light emission information.
　移動体５の通信装置７に目標位置情報８６Ｂを設定することがある。このような場合には、目標位置における発光パターンを専用受光機で読み取り、設定端末９１は、その発光パターンの示す位置情報（ビル番号、フロア番号、エリア番号、ＬＥＤチューブ番号、ＬＥＤブロック番号）を管理サーバ９２に登録する。そして、その目標位置に移動体５を位置決めする際に、管理サーバ９２は、その移動体５の通信装置７の位置情報記憶部８６に、登録されている位置情報を目標位置情報８６Ｂとして設定する。 The target position information 86B may be set in the communication device 7 of the mobile object 5. In such a case, the light emission pattern at the target position is read by the dedicated light receiver, and the setting terminal 91 reads the position information (building number, floor number, area number, LED tube number, LED block number) indicated by the light emission pattern. Register in the management server 92. Then, when positioning the moving body 5 at the target position, the management server 92 sets the registered position information as the target position information 86B in the position information storage unit 86 of the communication device 7 of the moving body 5. .
　＝＝＝その他＝＝＝
　上記の実施形態は、主にＬＥＤチューブ、移動システム、ＬＥＤチューブの敷設方法について記載されているが、その記載の中には、移動方法、ＬＥＤチューブの設定方法、移動システムの製造方法、などの開示が含まれていることは言うまでもない。 === Others ===
The above embodiments are mainly described for LED tubes, moving systems, and LED tube laying methods, but the description includes moving methods, LED tube setting methods, moving system manufacturing methods, and the like. It goes without saying that disclosure is included.
　上記の実施形態は、本発明の理解を容易にするためのものであり、本発明を限定して解釈するためのものではない。本発明は、その趣旨を逸脱することなく、変更・改良され得ると共に、本発明には、その等価物が含まれることは言うまでもない。 The above embodiment is for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention can be modified and improved without departing from the gist thereof, and it goes without saying that the present invention includes equivalents thereof.
　＜移動システムについて＞
　上記の移動システムは、商品などの物品を輸送する物流システムに限られるものではない。例えば、前述の移動体５を鉄道車両に置き換えて、車両の移動システム（交通システム）を構成しても良い。若しくは、配管内を検査する検査装置を移動体とし、配管内にＬＥＤチューブを配置することによって、検査装置を移動させる移動システムを構成することもできる。なお、ＬＥＤが可視光を発光する場合、配管内にＬＥＤチューブを配置すれば、ＬＥＤチューブを配管内の照明装置として利用することもできる。 <About mobile systems>
The above moving system is not limited to a physical distribution system that transports goods such as merchandise. For example, the moving body 5 (traffic system) may be configured by replacing the moving body 5 described above with a rail vehicle. Alternatively, it is also possible to configure a moving system that moves the inspection device by using an inspection device that inspects the inside of the piping as a moving body and disposing the LED tube in the piping. In addition, when LED emits visible light, if an LED tube is arrange | positioned in piping, an LED tube can also be utilized as an illuminating device in piping.
　＜移動方向について＞
　前述の移動システムによれば、移動体５は、ベルトコンベア６Ａや、エレベータ６Ｃや、レール６Ｈなどによって移動方向が制限されており、このように制限された移動方向に沿ってＬＥＤチューブ１が配置されている。但し、これに限られるものではなく、移動体５の移動方向を制限する手段がなくても良い。 <About moving direction>
According to the above-described moving system, the moving body 5 is restricted in moving direction by the belt conveyor 6A, the elevator 6C, the rail 6H, and the like, and the LED tube 1 is arranged along the moving direction thus restricted. Has been. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and there may be no means for limiting the moving direction of the moving body 5.
　ところで、移動体５の移動方向を制限する手段が無い場合、移動体５の移動中にＬＥＤチューブ１と通信装置７との対向関係がずれるおそれがある。そこで、通信装置７が、受光窓７１Ａに対向する２以上のＬＥＤの位置を検出することによってＬＥＤチューブ１の設置方向を解析し、解析した設置方向に沿って移動体５を移動させるように、移動機構を制御しても良い。これにより、ＬＥＤチューブ１のＬＥＤ３を追尾するように移動体５が移動するので、移動中もＬＥＤチューブ１と通信装置７が対向し続けることができる。 By the way, when there is no means for restricting the moving direction of the moving body 5, there is a possibility that the facing relationship between the LED tube 1 and the communication device 7 is shifted while the moving body 5 is moving. Therefore, the communication device 7 analyzes the installation direction of the LED tube 1 by detecting the positions of two or more LEDs facing the light receiving window 71A, and moves the moving body 5 along the analyzed installation direction. The moving mechanism may be controlled. Thereby, since the moving body 5 moves so that LED3 of the LED tube 1 may be tracked, the LED tube 1 and the communication device 7 can continue to face each other during the movement.
　なお、通信装置７にカメラを搭載し、ＬＥＤチューブ１の多数のＬＥＤ３３が含まれるような撮影範囲で画像を撮影し、発光点の位置を画像解析することによって、ＬＥＤチューブ１の曲率などを求めても良い。そして、ＬＥＤチューブ１の曲率に応じた移動速度で移動体５の移動を制御しても良い。 In addition, the camera is mounted on the communication device 7, an image is taken in a photographing range that includes a large number of LEDs 33 of the LED tube 1, and the curvature of the LED tube 1 is obtained by analyzing the position of the light emitting point. May be. And you may control the movement of the mobile body 5 with the moving speed according to the curvature of the LED tube 1.
　＜ＬＥＤの配線について＞
　前述の図４のＬＥＤブロック群３２の配線図によれば、カソード制御線は２個のＬＥＤブロック３１に接続されており、アノード制御線は１２８個のＬＥＤブロック３１に接続されている。但し、ＬＥＤブロック群３２の配線は、これに限られるものではない。 <About LED wiring>
According to the wiring diagram of the LED block group 32 in FIG. 4 described above, the cathode control line is connected to the two LED blocks 31, and the anode control line is connected to the 128 LED blocks 31. However, the wiring of the LED block group 32 is not limited to this.
　例えば、図２１に示すように、カソード制御線もアノード制御線も１個のＬＥＤブロック３１に接続されるように配線しても良い。このような配線によれば、それぞれのＬＥＤブロック３１の発光タイミングを任意に変えることができる。（これに対し、図４の配線によれば、奇数番目のＬＥＤブロック３１と偶数番目のＬＥＤブロック３１が交互に発光する。）また、このような配線によれば、隣接するＬＥＤブロック３１が同じ発光パターンで発光するように制御することによって、ＬＥＤブロックのＬＥＤの数を実質的に整数倍にすることも可能である。但し、図２１によれば、配線数が増えてしまう。 For example, as shown in FIG. 21, the cathode control line and the anode control line may be wired so as to be connected to one LED block 31. According to such wiring, the light emission timing of each LED block 31 can be arbitrarily changed. (On the other hand, according to the wiring of FIG. 4, the odd-numbered LED blocks 31 and the even-numbered LED blocks 31 emit light alternately.) Also, according to such wiring, the adjacent LED blocks 31 are the same. It is also possible to substantially increase the number of LEDs in the LED block by an integral multiple by controlling to emit light with the light emission pattern. However, according to FIG. 21, the number of wirings increases.
　＜ＬＥＤブロックについて＞
　前述のＬＥＤブロック３１は、２以上のＬＥＤ３から構成されており、同じＬＥＤブロック３１のＬＥＤ３が同じ発光パターンで発光しているが、これに限られるものではない。ＬＥＤブロックを１個のＬＥＤから構成することにより、個々のＬＥＤがそれぞれ異なる発光パターンで発光するようにしても良い。 <About LED block>
The above-described LED block 31 is composed of two or more LEDs 3, and the LEDs 3 of the same LED block 31 emit light with the same light emission pattern. However, the present invention is not limited to this. By configuring the LED block from one LED, each LED may emit light with a different light emission pattern.
　＜ＬＥＤ制御部について＞
　前述の図３のＬＥＤチューブ１によれば、ＬＥＤ制御部４がＬＥＤブロック群３２などと一体化されていた。但し、ＬＥＤ制御部４をＬＥＤブロック群３２と別体に構成し、ＬＥＤ制御部４とＬＥＤブロック群３２の間をケーブルで接続するように構成することも可能である。 <About LED control unit>
According to the LED tube 1 of FIG. 3 described above, the LED control unit 4 is integrated with the LED block group 32 and the like. However, it is also possible to configure the LED control unit 4 separately from the LED block group 32 and connect the LED control unit 4 and the LED block group 32 with a cable.
　＜ＬＥＤの発光波長について＞
　ＬＥＤ３は、可視光を発光することが望ましい。つまり、ＬＥＤ３の発光波長が、可視光の領域である３８０ｎｍ～７８０ｎｍの範囲内であることが望ましい。ＬＥＤ３が可視光を発光することによって、例えば次のような処理が可能になる。 <About the emission wavelength of LED>
The LED 3 preferably emits visible light. That is, it is desirable that the emission wavelength of the LED 3 be in the range of 380 nm to 780 nm, which is the visible light region. When the LED 3 emits visible light, for example, the following processing is possible.
　例えば、既に説明したように、発光情報にスクランブルをかけることにより、発光パターンがちらつかずに視認されるようになり、点灯状態が安定して視認されやすくなる。つまり、ＬＥＤ３が常時点灯しているように見せかけることができる。また、常時点灯状態が正常状態だとすれば、ＬＥＤ３が故障して消灯状態になったときに、ＬＥＤ３の故障を視認することができる。 For example, as already described, by scrambling the light emission information, the light emission pattern can be visually recognized without flickering, and the lighting state can be stably visually recognized. That is, it can appear that the LED 3 is always lit. Further, if the always-on state is a normal state, the failure of the LED 3 can be visually recognized when the LED 3 fails and is turned off.
　また、移動体５の速度や移動方向などの情報を視認可能に表示することが可能になる。具体的には、移動体５の速度が速いときにはＬＥＤ３を速く点滅させ、移動体５の速度が遅いときにはＬＥＤ３を遅く点滅させることによって、速度の情報を視認できるようにしても良い。また、移動体５の移動方向に合わせて複数のＬＥＤ３（若しくはＬＥＤブロック３１）を順に点灯させることによって、点灯するＬＥＤ３が流れるように表示して、移動方向の情報を視認できるようにしても良い。　
　前述の車両の移動システム（交通システム）でＬＥＤ３が可視光を発光する場合には、ＬＥＤ３からの可視光を運転士が視認することによって、夜間でも車両の進行方向を認識でき、運転士が車両の速度制御を行うことが可能になる。 In addition, information such as the speed and moving direction of the moving body 5 can be displayed in a visible manner. Specifically, the speed information may be made visible by blinking the LED 3 fast when the speed of the moving body 5 is fast and blinking the LED 3 late when the speed of the moving body 5 is slow. Further, by turning on a plurality of LEDs 3 (or LED blocks 31) in order according to the moving direction of the moving body 5, it is possible to display the lighting LED 3 so that the information on the moving direction can be visually recognized. .
When the LED 3 emits visible light in the above-described vehicle movement system (traffic system), the driver can recognize the traveling direction of the vehicle even at night by allowing the driver to visually recognize the visible light from the LED 3. Speed control can be performed.
　また、異常停止した場合に、ＬＥＤ３を点灯させて作業者に報知させることができる。また、単に異常の有無を報知するだけでなく、異常が発生した場所等の情報を作業者に表示しても良い。例えば、異常が発生した場所に向かってＬＥＤ３（若しくはＬＥＤブロック３１）を順に点灯させることによって、作業者を異常発生場所に誘導するようにＬＥＤ３を点灯させることが可能である。 Also, when an abnormal stop occurs, the operator can be notified by turning on the LED 3. Further, not only the presence / absence of an abnormality may be notified, but information such as the location where the abnormality has occurred may be displayed to the operator. For example, it is possible to turn on the LED 3 so as to guide the operator to the place where the abnormality has occurred by sequentially turning on the LED 3 (or the LED block 31) toward the place where the abnormality has occurred.
　なお、ＬＥＤ３が可視光を発光することによって、上記の情報（異常情報、故障情報、速度情報、方向情報など）だけでなく、他の様々な情報も作業者が視認できるように表示可能になる。 Note that when the LED 3 emits visible light, not only the above information (abnormal information, failure information, speed information, direction information, etc.) but also various other information can be displayed so that the operator can visually recognize the information. .
　＜レールについて＞
　図１９Ａに示す第４形態の移動システムによれば、ＬＥＤチューブ１とレール６Ｈが別体に構成されている。但し、ＬＥＤチューブがレールとして機能するように構成しても良い。このようにすれば、移動体５の移動方向に沿ってＬＥＤチューブを配置することや、ＬＥＤチューブと通信装置７とを対向するように配置することが容易になる。 <About rail>
According to the movement system of the 4th form shown to FIG. 19A, the LED tube 1 and the rail 6H are comprised separately. However, the LED tube may be configured to function as a rail. If it does in this way, it will become easy to arrange | position an LED tube along the moving direction of the mobile body 5, or arrange | position so that an LED tube and the communication apparatus 7 may be opposed.
　なお、ＬＥＤチューブがレールとしても機能するように構成した場合、通常、ＬＥＤチューブの発光面は上を向き、移動体５に取り付けられる通信装置７の受光窓７１Ａは、発光面の上から覆い被さるように下向きに配置されることになる。このように、ＬＥＤチューブ１の発光方向は、水平方向に限らず、垂直方向でも良いし、他の方向でも良い。 When the LED tube is configured to function also as a rail, the light emitting surface of the LED tube usually faces upward, and the light receiving window 71A of the communication device 7 attached to the moving body 5 covers the light emitting surface from above. Will be arranged downward. Thus, the light emission direction of the LED tube 1 is not limited to the horizontal direction, and may be the vertical direction or other directions.
１　ＬＥＤチューブ、２　チューブ、
２１Ａ　発光面、２１Ｂ　接着面、２２　連結用端子、
３　ＬＥＤ、３１　ＬＥＤブロック、３２　ＬＥＤブロック群、
４　ＬＥＤ制御部、４１　ＬＥＤ駆動回路、４２　ＬＥＤ制御回路、４３　ＭＰＵ、
４４　メモリ、４４Ａ　ＲＯＭ、４４Ｂ　ＲＡＭ、４５　発光情報テーブル、
４６　電源回路、４７　設定用インターフェース回路、
４８　連結用インターフェース回路、
５　移動体、５１　移動かご、
６Ａ　ベルトコンベア、６Ｂ　仕分け機、６Ｃ　エレベータ、
６Ｄ～６Ｆ　ベルトコンベア、６Ｇ　仕分け機、６Ｈ　レール、
７　通信装置、７１　筐体、７１Ａ　受光窓、
７２　アンテナ、７３　読み取り開始ボタン、７４　ランプ、
８１　受光ユニット、
８１Ａ　受光部、８１Ｂ　プリアンプ、８１Ｃ　ＡＧＣ回路、８１Ｄ　復号回路、
８２　通信ユニット、８２Ａ　無線処理回路、８２Ｂ　無線インターフェース、
８３　制御ユニット、８３Ａ　移動側ＭＰＵ、８３Ｂ　移動側メモリ、
８４　電源ユニット、８４Ａ　バッテリ、８４Ｂ　移動側電源回路、
８５Ａ　光受信部、８５Ｂ　無線通信部、８５Ｃ　ボタン操作部、
８５Ｄ　初期設定部、８５Ｅ　異常通知部、８５Ｆ　初期確認部、８５Ｇ　移動処理部、
８６　位置情報記憶部、８６Ａ　出発位置情報、
８６Ｂ　目標位置情報、８６Ｃ　現在位置情報、
８７　イベント情報記憶部、８７Ａ　イベント情報、
９１　設定端末、９２　管理サーバ、
１００　移動システム 1 LED tube, 2 tube,
21A Light emitting surface, 21B Adhesive surface, 22 Connection terminal,
3 LED, 31 LED block, 32 LED block group,
4 LED control unit, 41 LED drive circuit, 42 LED control circuit, 43 MPU,
44 memory, 44A ROM, 44B RAM, 45 light emission information table,
46 power supply circuit, 47 setting interface circuit,
48 interface circuit for connection,
5 moving objects, 51 moving baskets,
6A belt conveyor, 6B sorter, 6C elevator,
6D-6F belt conveyor, 6G sorting machine, 6H rail,
7 communication device, 71 housing, 71A light receiving window,
72 antenna, 73 reading start button, 74 lamp,
81 light receiving unit,
81A light receiving unit, 81B preamplifier, 81C AGC circuit, 81D decoding circuit,
82 communication unit, 82A wireless processing circuit, 82B wireless interface,
83 Control unit, 83A Movement side MPU, 83B Movement side memory,
84 power supply unit, 84A battery, 84B moving side power supply circuit,
85A optical receiver, 85B wireless communication unit, 85C button operation unit,
85D initial setting unit, 85E abnormality notification unit, 85F initial confirmation unit, 85G movement processing unit,
86 position information storage unit, 86A departure position information,
86B target position information, 86C current position information,
87 event information storage unit, 87A event information,
91 setting terminal, 92 management server,
100 Mobile system

Claims (12)

  1. 　移動方向に移動する移動体と、
    　前記移動体を移動させる移動機構と、
    　列状に配置された複数の発光素子を有し、前記移動方向に沿って配置された発光チューブであって、前記発光素子と発光情報とを対応付けた発光情報テーブルに基づいて、前記発光情報を示す発光パターンで前記発光素子をそれぞれ発光させる発光チューブと、
    　前記発光チューブと対向するように前記移動体に設けられ、前記移動体の移動中に前記発光パターンを受光して前記発光情報を取得し、前記発光情報に応じて前記移動機構を制御する通信装置と
    を備える移動システム。     A moving body that moves in the moving direction;
    A moving mechanism for moving the moving body;
    A light emitting tube having a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a row and arranged along the moving direction, wherein the light emitting information is based on a light emitting information table in which the light emitting elements are associated with light emitting information. A light emitting tube that emits light from each of the light emitting elements with a light emitting pattern indicating:
    A communication device that is provided on the moving body so as to face the light emitting tube, receives the light emission pattern while the moving body is moving, acquires the light emission information, and controls the moving mechanism according to the light emission information A moving system comprising:
  2. 　請求項１に記載の移動システムであって、
    　前記通信装置は、受光窓を備えた筐体を有し、前記受光窓に対向していない前記発光素子からの前記発光パターンは遮光される
    ことを特徴とする移動システム。     The mobile system according to claim 1,
    The communication system includes a housing having a light receiving window, and the light emitting pattern from the light emitting element not facing the light receiving window is shielded from light.
  3. 　請求項２に記載の移動システムであって、
    　前記受光窓は、２以上の発光素子と対向できる長さになっている
    ことを特徴とする移動システム。     The mobile system according to claim 2,
    The moving system, wherein the light receiving window has a length that can be opposed to two or more light emitting elements.
  4. 　請求項３に記載の移動システムであって、
    　前記発光チューブは、２以上の前記発光素子から構成されたブロックを複数備え、同じブロックの２以上の前記発光素子を同じ発光パターンで発光させる
    ことを特徴とする移動システム。     The mobile system according to claim 3,
    The light emitting tube includes a plurality of blocks composed of two or more light emitting elements, and causes the two or more light emitting elements in the same block to emit light with the same light emission pattern.
  5. 　請求項４に記載の移動システムであって、
    　ある前記ブロックの前記発光素子が発光するとき、隣接する前記ブロックの前記発光素子は発光しない
    ことを特徴とする移動システム。     The mobile system according to claim 4,
    When the light emitting element of a certain block emits light, the light emitting element of the adjacent block does not emit light.
  6. 　請求項１～５のいずれかに記載の移動システムであって、
    　前記発光情報は、前記発光チューブにおける位置を示す位置情報であり、
    　前記発光素子は、前記位置情報を示す発光パターンでそれぞれ発光する
    ことを特徴とする移動システム。     The mobile system according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
    The light emission information is position information indicating a position in the light emitting tube,
    The light emitting element emits light with a light emission pattern indicating the position information, respectively.
  7. 　請求項６に記載の移動システムであって、
    　前記通信装置は、目標位置を示す目標位置情報を記憶しており、
    　前記通信装置は、前記移動体の移動中に前記発光パターンを受光して前記位置情報を取得し、取得した前記位置情報が前記目標位置情報であれば、前記移動体を前記目標位置に位置決めさせるように前記移動機構を制御する
    ことを特徴とする移動システム。     The mobile system according to claim 6,
    The communication device stores target position information indicating a target position,
    The communication device receives the light emission pattern during the movement of the moving body to acquire the position information, and if the acquired position information is the target position information, the communication apparatus positions the moving body at the target position. The moving system is characterized by controlling the moving mechanism as described above.
  8. 　請求項１～７のいずれかに記載の移動システムであって、
    　前記移動システムは、前記移動機構を複数備えており、
    　前記発光情報には、複数の前記移動機構のいずれかを特定するための特定情報が含まれており、
    　前記特定情報に対応付けられた前記発光素子が、前記特定情報を示す発光パターンで発光する
    ことを特徴とする移動システム。     The mobile system according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
    The movement system includes a plurality of the movement mechanisms,
    The light emission information includes specific information for specifying any of the plurality of moving mechanisms,
    The moving system, wherein the light emitting element associated with the specific information emits light with a light emission pattern indicating the specific information.
  9. 　請求項８に記載の移動システムであって、
    　前記通信装置は、制御対象となる前記移動機構を特定するイベント情報を記憶しており、
    　前記通信装置は、前記移動体の移動中に前記発光パターンを受光して前記特定情報を取得し、取得した前記特定情報の示す前記移動機構が前記イベント情報の示す前記移動機構であれば、前記特定情報の示す前記移動機構を制御する
    ことを特徴とする移動システム。     9. The mobile system according to claim 8, wherein
    The communication device stores event information that identifies the moving mechanism to be controlled,
    The communication device receives the light emission pattern during the movement of the moving body, acquires the specific information, and if the moving mechanism indicated by the acquired specific information is the moving mechanism indicated by the event information, A moving system that controls the moving mechanism indicated by the specific information.
  10. 　請求項１～９に記載の移動システムであって、
    　前記発光チューブの前記発光素子は、可視光を発光する
    ことを特徴とする移動システム。     A mobile system according to claims 1-9,
    The moving system, wherein the light emitting element of the light emitting tube emits visible light.
  11. 　列状に配置された複数の発光素子を有する発光チューブを、移動体の移動方向に沿って配置させるとともに、前記発光チューブと対向させて通信装置を前記移動体に配置させ、
    　前記発光素子と発光情報とを対応付けた発光情報テーブルに基づいて、前記発光情報を示す発光パターンで前記発光素子をそれぞれ発光させ、
    　前記移動体の移動中に前記通信装置に前記発光パターンを受光させて、前記発光情報を取得し、
    　前記発光情報に応じて、前記移動体を移動させる移動機構を制御する
    ことを特徴とする移動方法。     A light emitting tube having a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a row is arranged along the moving direction of the moving body, and a communication device is arranged on the moving body so as to face the light emitting tube,
    Based on a light emission information table in which the light emitting elements and light emission information are associated with each other, the light emitting elements are caused to emit light with light emission patterns indicating the light emission information, respectively.
    Receiving the light emission pattern in the communication device during the movement of the mobile body to obtain the light emission information;
    A moving method characterized by controlling a moving mechanism for moving the moving body according to the light emission information.
  12. 　列状に配置された複数の発光素子と、
    　前記発光素子と発光情報とを対応付けた発光情報テーブルを記憶し、前記発光情報を示す発光パターンで前記発光素子をそれぞれ発光させる制御部と
    を備える発光チューブ。     A plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a row;
    A light-emitting tube comprising: a light-emitting information table in which the light-emitting elements and light-emitting information are associated with each other;
PCT/JP2013/055142 2012-05-10 2013-02-27 Movement system, movement method, and light-emitting tube WO2013168452A1 (en)

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