Patent ID: 8175748

Claim:
A mobile device that moves to a movable target object, the mobile device comprising: a target object detection unit that detects the target object; a driving device that causes the mobile device to move; a storage device that stores environment map information including target object location information and map information; a present location acquisition unit for acquiring a present location of the mobile device from at least one measured sensor value and the map information; a search unit for searching for a route from the present location of the mobile device to the location of the target object, using the map information, the present location of the mobile device, and the target object location information; and a drive control unit for controlling the driving device so as to move along the route found by the search; wherein the search unit searches for a route from the present location of the mobile device to the target object location information included in the environment map information, and in a case where the target object is detected by the target object detection unit while moving along the route found by the search, the search unit searches for a new route from the present location of the mobile device at the time of detection to a detected location of the target object; and wherein the drive control unit causes the mobile device to move along the new route found by the search.