Control system, control method, and non-transitory storage medium

A control method for a mobile robot that has an autonomous movement mode in which the mobile robot moves autonomously, and a user operation mode in which the mobile robot is operable by a user, wherein the mobile robot comprising:

• a platform including a lifting stage configured to load and unload a transport object, the lifting stage having a portion housed inside the platform and a loading surface exposed on an upper surface of the platform, the lifting stage configured to be raised and lowered autonomously or by user operation;
• a joystick mounted on the platform and configured to receive a movement operation from the user, the joystick including a button configured to be depressed by the user to switch between the autonomous movement mode and the user operation mode;
• a first LED positioned around and adjacent to the lifting stage;
• a second LED positioned around and adjacent to the joystick;
• and
• a controller configured to perform system control for the mobile robot;
• the control method comprising using the controller to perform:
• mode switch control, based on operation of the button, for switching between the autonomous movement mode in which the mobile robot is moved autonomously and the user operation mode in which the mobile robot is moved based on a movement operation that is performed by the user, and
• light emission control configured to control the first LED and the second LED to emit light in synchronization, in different light emission patterns, corresponding to a plurality of predetermined conditions;
• wherein the light emission control is configured to:
• (i) emit a first light-emission pattern when the mobile robot is in the autonomous movement mode,
• (ii) emit a second light-emission pattern when the mobile robot is in the user operation mode, and
• (iii) emit a third light-emission pattern indicating whether the lifting stage is being raised or lowered.

A non-transitory storage medium storing instructions that are executable by one or more processors and that cause the one or more processors to perform system control for a mobile robot that has an autonomous movement mode in which the mobile robot moves autonomously, and a user operation mode in which the mobile robot is operable by a user, wherein the mobile robot comprising:

• a platform including a lifting stage configured to load and unload a transport object, the lifting stage having a portion housed inside the platform and a loading surface exposed on an upper surface of the platform, the lifting stage configured to be raised and lowered autonomously or by user operation;
• a joystick mounted on the platform and configured to receive a movement operation from the user, the joystick including a button configured to be depressed by the user to switch between the autonomous movement mode and the user operation mode;
• a first LED positioned around and adjacent to the lifting stage;
• a second LED positioned around and adjacent to the joystick;
• and
• a controller configured to perform system control for the mobile robot;
• the system control comprising using the controller to perform:
• mode switch control, based on operation of the button, for switching between the autonomous movement mode in which the mobile robot is moved autonomously and the user operation mode in which the mobile robot is moved based on a movement operation that is performed by the user, and
• light emission control configured to control the first LED and the second LED to emit light in synchronization, in different light emission patterns, corresponding to a plurality of predetermined conditions;
• wherein the light emission control is configured to:
• (i) emit a first light-emission pattern when the mobile robot is in the autonomous movement mode,
• (ii) emit a second light-emission pattern when the mobile robot is in the user operation mode, and
• (iii) emit a third light-emission pattern indicating whether the lifting stage is being raised or lowered.