Travel control method, travel control device, and mobile robot for mobile robot systems

A travel control system for controlling the motion of a plurality of mobile robots, said system comprising:

• a control station including:
• (a) means for indicating the destination of each mobile robot;
• (b) means for reserving a travel route for each mobile robot;
• (c) means for transmitting to each mobile robot the travel routes of other mobile robots, position data indicative of the present position of other mobile robots and condition data indicative of the present condition of other mobile robots;
• (d) a collision table storing the positions of nodes at which a collision between mobile robots may occur;
• and
• (e) approach prohibition means for receiving travel route information from said mobile robots, reaching nodes stored in said collision table corresponding to the same travel route, and prohibiting the approach of other said mobile robots to said node;
• and in which each mobile robot comprises:
• (a) means for searching for the route indicated by the control station and sending information indicative of the route to the control station;
• (b) automatic travel means for traveling automatically along the found travel route;
• (c) travel data information means for informing the control station of position data indicating the present position of the mobile robot along the travel route and condition data indicating the present condition of the mobile robot;
• and
• (d) travel data memory means for writing the travel route of other mobile robots, position data indicating the present position of said other mobile robots and condition data indicating the present condition of said other mobile robots.