JP2020028224A - Field map creation system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a field map creation system for creating a map with field information.SOLUTION: A field map creation system 1 includes an own vehicle position detection module 18 provided on a harvesting machine traveling automatically, for detecting an own vehicle position, a field information acquisition part 31 for acquiring information on a field where the harvesting machine is traveling as field information, during travel of the harvesting machine, and a map creation part 32 for creating a field map in which the own vehicle position and the field information are correlated mutually.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a field map creation system that creates a field map using a harvester that performs automatic traveling.

  Conventionally, harvesters such as combine harvesters have been used for harvesting grains. Some types of combine harvesters perform harvesting by automatic traveling in order to increase harvesting efficiency (for example, Patent Document 1).

  Patent Literature 1 describes a work vehicle support system for a work vehicle that automatically travels in a work place. In this work support vehicle system, a traveling route for automatic traveling is calculated based on an outline map indicating the outline of the field obtained when the combine is manually traveling around the outer periphery of the field, and the position of the own vehicle is detected. Automatic work traveling is performed so that the own vehicle position detected by the module is along the traveling route.

JP 2017-55673 A

  For example, in a field, there are various areas such as a slippery area and an area where an object exists when the harvester performs automatic traveling. In these areas, the same may be applied to the next travel of the area. The technology described in Patent Literature 1 performs automatic traveling along the traveling route calculated by the combine, but does not assume that information on a field that is performing the automatic traveling is assumed. It is not assumed that the information obtained at that time will be used effectively for the next run.

  Therefore, a field map creation system that creates a map to which field information is added while automatically traveling is required.

  The characteristic configuration of the field map creating system according to the present invention is provided in a harvester that performs automatic traveling, an own vehicle position detection module that detects an own vehicle position, and while the harvester is traveling, the harvester travels. A field information obtaining unit that obtains information on a current field as field information, and a map creating unit that creates a map of the field in which the vehicle position and the field information are associated with each other. .

  With such a characteristic configuration, it is possible to easily create a map to which information on the field acquired during traveling is added. Therefore, for example, it is possible to use the information on the field when the vehicle travels next on the field where the map has been created. Further, since the harvester can acquire information on the field at the time of harvesting, a map can be created efficiently.

  Further, the field map creating system detects a first vehicle speed calculating unit that calculates a vehicle speed according to a moving amount of the harvester based on the own vehicle position as a first vehicle speed, and detects a rotation speed of a drive wheel of the harvester. A second rotation speed detector, a second vehicle speed calculator that calculates a vehicle speed corresponding to the rotation speed of the harvester as a second vehicle speed, and a slip of the harvester based on the first vehicle speed and the second vehicle speed. It is preferable to further include a slip amount calculating unit that calculates an amount, and the field information obtaining unit obtains the slip amount as the field information.

  With such a configuration, it is possible to create a wetland map indicating a place where slipping is likely to occur or a place where slipping is difficult in a field, based on the first vehicle speed and the second vehicle speed. According to such a wetland map, a place where the field is easily slipped or a place where the slip is difficult is clarified, so that it can be effectively used, for example, the next time the vehicle runs on the field or soil improvement.

  The field map creation system further includes a height information acquisition unit that acquires height information of the field based on the position of the vehicle, and the field information acquisition unit uses the height information as the field information. It is preferable to acquire.

  With such a configuration, by creating a map to which information indicating the height of the field is added, the height difference between the fields can be clarified. Therefore, based on this map, it is possible to improve the height difference and to perform soil improvement as needed.

  The field map creation system further includes an object detection unit provided in the harvester, which is located around the harvester, and detects an object different from a grain harvested by the harvester, the field information acquisition unit Preferably, information indicating the position of the object is acquired as the field information.

  With such a configuration, the position at which the object is detected can be assigned to the map. Therefore, it is possible to call attention to the next traveling.

  Further, the field map creating system, during the automatic traveling of the harvester, comprises a manual operation detection unit that detects a manual operation performed by an operator who uses the harvester against the automatic traveling, It is preferable that the field information acquisition unit acquires information indicating a position where the manual operation is performed as the field information.

  With such a configuration, the position where the manual operation has been performed can be given to the map. Therefore, it is possible to call attention to the next traveling.

It is a side view of a combine used in a field map creation system. It is a figure showing the outline of automatic running of a combine. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a traveling route in automatic traveling. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of a field map creation system. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a map to which a slip amount is given. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a map to which a position where a manual operation has been performed is provided. It is a figure showing an example of a map to which height information was given.

  A field map creation system according to the present invention is configured to create a field map using information on a field acquired by a harvester during work. Hereinafter, the field map creation system 1 of the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a side view of a combine 10 that is an example of a harvester used in the field map creation system 1 (see FIG. 4). In the following, the combine 10 of the present embodiment will be described using a so-called ordinary combine as an example. Of course, the combine 10 may be a self-contained combine.

  Here, in order to facilitate understanding, in the present embodiment, unless otherwise specified, “front” (the direction of the arrow F shown in FIG. 1) means forward in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft (running direction), The "rear" (the direction of arrow B shown in FIG. 1) means the rear in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft (running direction). In addition, the left-right direction or the lateral direction means a cross-machine direction (machine width direction) orthogonal to the machine longitudinal direction. Further, “up” (direction of arrow U shown in FIG. 1) and “down” (direction of arrow D shown in FIG. 1) are positional relationships in the vertical direction (vertical direction) of the airframe, and The relationship shall be shown.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the combine 10 includes a traveling vehicle body 11, a crawler-type traveling device 12, an operating unit 13, a threshing device 14, a grain tank 15, a harvesting unit H, a transport device 16, a grain discharging device 17, A vehicle position detection module 18 is provided.

  The traveling device 12 is provided below the traveling vehicle body 11 (hereinafter simply referred to as the vehicle body 11). The combine 10 is configured to be able to travel by a traveling device 12. The driving unit 13, the threshing device 14, and the grain tank 15 are provided on the upper side of the traveling device 12 and constitute an upper portion of the vehicle body 11. The driving unit 13 is capable of boarding a driver who drives the combine 10 and a monitor who monitors work of the combine 10. Usually, the driver and the supervisor are concurrently used. When the driver and the monitor are different persons, the monitor may monitor the operation of the combine 10 from outside the combine 10.

  The grain discharge device 17 is connected to a lower rear portion of the grain tank 15. In addition, the vehicle position detection module 18 is attached to the front upper portion of the driving unit 13 and detects the vehicle position. The own vehicle position detection module 18 can use a satellite positioning module configured as a GNSS module. The vehicle position detection module 18 has a satellite antenna for receiving a GPS signal or a GNSS signal (referred to as “GPS signal” in the present embodiment) from the artificial satellite GS (see FIG. 2). The vehicle position detection module 18 may include an inertial navigation module incorporating a gyro acceleration sensor or a magnetic azimuth sensor to complement satellite navigation. Of course, the inertial navigation module may be provided at a location different from the vehicle position detection module 18. The host vehicle position detection module 18 detects the host vehicle position, which is the position of the combine 10, based on the above-described GPS signal and the detection result of the inertial navigation module. The own vehicle position detected by the own vehicle position detection module 18 is used for automatic traveling (autonomous traveling) of the combine 10 and for each functional unit to be described later as “own vehicle position information”.

  The harvesting unit H is provided at a front part of the combine 10. The transport device 16 is provided behind the harvesting unit H. The harvesting unit H has a cutting mechanism 19 and a reel 20. The cutting mechanism 19 cuts the planted grain culm in the field. The reel 20 scrapes the planted grain stem to be harvested while rotating and driving. With such a configuration, the harvesting unit H can harvest cereals (a kind of agricultural crop) in the field. The combine 10 is capable of traveling by the traveling device 12 while harvesting cereals in the field by the harvesting unit H.

  The harvested grain culm cut by the cutting mechanism 19 is transported by the transport device 16 to the threshing device 14. In the threshing device 14, the harvested culm is threshed. The grains obtained by the threshing process are stored in the grain tank 15. The grains stored in the grain tank 15 are discharged outside the machine by a grain discharge device 17 as necessary. The combine 10 is provided with a hydraulic tilting mechanism 110 between the vehicle body 11 and the traveling device 12, and tilts the vehicle body 11 in the left-right direction and the front-back direction with respect to the running surface (field scene). It is possible.

  The communication unit 2 is arranged in the driving unit 13. In the present embodiment, the communication terminal 2 is fixed to the driving unit 13. Of course, the communication terminal 2 may be configured to be detachable from the driving unit 13 or may be arranged outside the combine 10.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an outline of automatic traveling of the combine 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the combine 10 performs automatic traveling along a traveling route set in a field. For this automatic traveling, the vehicle position information acquired by the vehicle position detection module 18 described above is used.

  The combine 10 of this embodiment performs a harvesting operation in a field according to the following procedure.

  First, the driver / monitor manually operates the combine 10 and performs harvesting traveling so as to orbit along the boundary of the field at the outer peripheral portion in the field as shown in FIG. As a result, the area that has been cut (the already worked place) is set as the outer peripheral area SA. The area left uncut (unworked area) inside the outer peripheral area SA is set as the work target area CA.

  At this time, in order to secure the width of the outer peripheral area SA to some extent, the driver causes the combine 10 to run two to three times. In this traveling, each time the combine 10 makes one turn, the width of the outer peripheral area SA increases by the working width of the combine 10. For example, after the first two or three rounds of traveling, the width of the outer peripheral area SA becomes about two to three times the working width of the combine 10. Note that the first round traveling by the driver is not limited to two or three laps, but may be longer (four or more laps).

  The outer peripheral area SA is used as a space for the combine 10 to change directions when performing harvesting traveling in the work target area CA. In addition, the outer peripheral area SA is also used as a space for movement when the harvest travel is once completed and the grain is moved to a grain discharge location, or is moved to a fuel supply location.

  FIG. 2 also shows a transport vehicle CV from which the grains harvested by the combine 10 are discharged and transported. When discharging the grains, the combine 10 moves to the vicinity of the transport vehicle CV, and discharges the grains to the transport vehicle CV by the grain discharging device 17.

  When the outer peripheral area SA and the work target area CA are set by the above-described manual operation, a travel route in the work target area CA is calculated as shown in FIG. The calculated traveling route is sequentially set based on the work traveling pattern, and the combine 10 is automatically controlled so as to travel along the set traveling route.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of the field map creation system 1 of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the field map creation system 1 of the present embodiment includes a vehicle position detection module 18, a field information acquisition unit 31, a map creation unit 32, a first vehicle speed calculation unit 33, a rotation speed detection unit 34, The second vehicle speed calculation unit 35, the slip amount calculation unit 36, the height information acquisition unit 37, the object detection unit 38, the manual operation detection unit 39, and the map storage unit 40 are provided. Each of these functional units is configured with hardware and / or software using a CPU as a core member in order to perform processing relating to creation of a field map. The field map creation system 1 acquires various information from the combine 10 via the communication terminal 2 of the combine 10.

  The own vehicle position detection module 18 detects the own vehicle position of the combine 10 as described above, and outputs the detection result as own vehicle position information.

  The first vehicle speed calculation unit 33 calculates a vehicle speed according to the amount of movement of the combine 10 based on the own vehicle position. The host vehicle position of the combine 10 is detected by the host vehicle position detection module 18 and transmitted as host vehicle position information. The own vehicle position information is continuously transmitted to the first vehicle speed calculation unit 33 (for example, at predetermined time intervals). The vehicle position information includes position information (latitude and longitude information) indicating the latitude and longitude, as well as time information indicating the time at which the position information was acquired. The first vehicle speed calculation unit 33 calculates a time difference and a moving amount at which the two pieces of the own vehicle position information are acquired from a plurality of (for example, two) pieces of the own vehicle position information. The movement amount of the combine 10 calculated based on such predetermined plurality of own vehicle position information corresponds to the above-mentioned “movement amount based on the own vehicle position of the combine 10”. The first vehicle speed calculation unit 33 calculates the vehicle speed of the combine 10 during the acquisition of the two vehicle position information by dividing such a movement amount by the corresponding time difference. In the present embodiment, the vehicle speed of the combine 10 calculated using the movement amount based on the own vehicle position of the combine 10 is treated as the first vehicle speed. The first vehicle speed corresponds to the GPS vehicle speed because it is a vehicle speed based on the GPS signal.

  The rotation speed detection unit 34 detects the rotation speed of the drive wheels of the combine 10. In the present embodiment, the combine 10 is provided with a crawler-type traveling device 12, and is configured to be able to self-travel by the traveling device 12. For this reason, in the present embodiment, the drive wheels correspond to crawlers. Therefore, the rotation speed detection unit 34 detects the rotation speed of the crawler.

  The second vehicle speed calculation unit 35 calculates a vehicle speed corresponding to the rotation speed of the drive wheels of the combine 10 as the second vehicle speed. The number of rotations of the drive wheels of the combine 10 is detected and transmitted by the number-of-rotations detector 34. The detection result of the rotation speed detection unit 34 is continuously transmitted to the second vehicle speed calculation unit 35 (for example, every predetermined time). The detection result of the rotation speed detection unit 34 includes not only the rotation speed of the drive wheel but also time information indicating the time at which the rotation speed was detected. The second vehicle speed calculator 35 calculates the vehicle speed at the time when the rotation speed is detected. The calculation of the vehicle speed based on the rotation speed may be performed, for example, by storing a map defining the relationship between the rotation speed and the vehicle speed in advance, or by calculating from a relational expression defining the relationship between the rotation speed and the vehicle speed. May be. In the present embodiment, the vehicle speed of the combine 10 calculated according to the rotation speed of the drive wheels of the combine 10 is treated as the second vehicle speed. The second vehicle speed is a vehicle speed based on the instrument of the combine 10 itself, and thus corresponds to the vehicle speed of the main unit.

  Here, the second vehicle speed is calculated by an inertial measurement unit (IMU: inertial measurement unit) determining whether the combine 10 is traveling straight or turning, based on the angular velocity. For example, if the combine 10 is traveling straight. For example, the calculation may be performed using the average value of the rotation speeds of the crawlers on the left and right of the combine 10. If the combine 10 is turning, it is preferable to use the rotation speed of the outer crawler at the time of turning. Since the turning traveling is easier to slip between the straight traveling and the turning traveling, it is easy to detect the slip amount, and it is possible to accurately detect whether or not the field is slippery.

  The slip amount calculator 36 calculates the slip amount of the combine 10 based on the first vehicle speed and the second vehicle speed. The first vehicle speed is calculated by the first vehicle speed calculator 33 and transmitted. The second vehicle speed is calculated by the second vehicle speed calculator 35 and transmitted. Here, the slip in the present embodiment refers to a state in which the drive wheel (crawler) is idling, and does not include a state in which the vehicle slides on a road surface such as a hydroplane.

  In the present embodiment, the slip amount calculator 36 calculates the slip amount (slip ratio) from the difference between the first vehicle speed and the second vehicle speed. When the first vehicle speed and the second vehicle speed are equal (including a case where they are substantially equal), it means that the combine 10 has traveled without slipping. On the other hand, if the first vehicle speed is lower than the second vehicle speed, it means that the combine 10 has slipped. When the first vehicle speed is higher than the second vehicle speed, it means that the drive wheel has slipped on the field, but is not considered in the present embodiment as described above. The slip amount calculation unit 36 calculates a slip amount using the first vehicle speed and the second vehicle speed. Note that the slip amount may be, for example, a ratio of the first vehicle speed to the second vehicle speed, or may be a calculation result of an amount by which the driving wheels of the combine 10 actually spin.

  The height information acquisition unit 37 acquires the height information of the field based on the own vehicle position. The own vehicle position is detected by the own vehicle position detection module 18 as described above. The own vehicle position includes height information based on a GPS signal. The height information based on the GPS signal corresponds to the height of the vehicle position detection module 18 obtained by adding the geoid height and the altitude. Therefore, the height defined by the height information based on the GPS signal corresponds to the height of the field. In the present embodiment, the field height is treated as field height information. The own vehicle position is continuously transmitted from the own vehicle position detection module 18 to the height information acquisition unit 37. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the height information obtaining unit 37 obtains the height information of the field each time it is transmitted.

  The object detection unit 38 is provided in the combine 10, and detects an object existing around the combine 10 and different from a grain harvested by the combine 10. To be present around the combine 10 means to be present in the field where the combine 10 runs. The grain harvested by the combine 10 is a planted grain culm in a field. The object detection unit 38 detects an object different from such a planted grain culm. Such an object corresponds to, for example, a shed for storing agricultural working tools provided in a field. In order to detect an object different from the planted grain culm, the object detection unit 38 may set the detection height to be higher than the planted grain culm. Such an object detection unit 38 may be configured using an ultrasonic sensor, or may be configured using a camera. In the case of using a camera, an object may be detected based on a captured image acquired by the camera. It is preferable that such an object detection unit 38 be attached to an upper front part of the driving unit 13. When an object is detected by the object detection unit 38, the object may be stored in association with the own vehicle position. This makes it possible to specify the position where the object exists in the field.

  The manual operation detection unit 39 detects a manual operation performed by an operator who uses the combine 10 against the automatic traveling during the automatic traveling of the combine 10. In the present embodiment, the outer peripheral area SA is driven by a manual operation by a driver and a monitor, and the work target area CA is automatically driven by an automatic operation. For this reason, the automatic running of the combine 10 means the automatic running of the work target area CA. The worker using the combine 10 corresponds to a driver and a monitor. The manual operation performed by the operator using the combine 10 against the automatic driving includes the interruption operation (the sudden lever operation or the vehicle speed) performed by the driver and the monitor on the combine 10 during the automatic driving. Change operation). Specifically, the operation corresponds to a running stop operation, a steering operation, a running operation on the opposite side of the traveling direction, a stop operation for cutting the planted grain culm, and the like. The manual operation detection unit 39 detects such an interruption operation performed by the driver and the monitor. The manual operation detecting unit 39 may detect the detected interrupt operation in association with the own vehicle position where the interrupt operation is performed. The manual operation detected by the manual operation detection unit 39 may be configured to automatically detect the operation by the operator, or the operator may perform the manual operation when the operator performs the manual operation. You may indicate what you have done.

  The field information acquisition unit 31 acquires information on a field in which the combine 10 is traveling as field information while the combine 10 is traveling. In the present embodiment, the traveling of the combine 10 includes both the manual traveling and the automatic traveling. Field-related information (field information) is information indicating the state of the field or the state of the field, and is information that can be used when performing work in the field. Such information is preferably information that can be used not only in the combine 10 but also in another work vehicle (for example, a tractor or a rice transplanter).

  In the present embodiment, the slip amount of the combine 10 calculated by the above-described slip amount calculation unit 36, the field height information acquired by the height information acquisition unit 37, and the position of the object detected by the object detection unit 38 are calculated. The indicated information and the information indicating the position where the manual operation detected by the manual operation detection unit 39 is performed correspond to the field information. Therefore, the field information acquisition unit 31 acquires the slip amount of the combine 10, the field height information, the information indicating the position of the object, and the information indicating the position where the manual operation has been performed, as the field information.

  The map creation unit 32 creates a field map in which the vehicle position and the field information are associated with each other. Here, in the present embodiment, position information is also included for each of the above-mentioned field information. Therefore, in the field information, the own vehicle position and the field information are associated with each other. The map creating unit 32 receives the respective field information from the respective functional units, and creates a field map using the transmitted field information.

  The map of the field created by the map creating unit 32 may be stored in the map storage unit 40. Thus, the work vehicle traveling on the field can use the field map. Specifically, it is possible to create a map in which the field is divided into predetermined areas as shown in FIG. 5 based on the slip amount. Since such a slip amount is related to the wetland condition, the map in FIG. 5 can be used as a wetland map in which the wetland condition in the field is quantified. It is possible to appropriately perform soil improvement based on such a wetland map, and it is also possible to control to reduce the vehicle speed when traveling in a section where slippage is likely to occur based on the wetland map. Note that the vehicle speed when traveling in a working state (at the time of harvesting) is often different from the vehicle speed when traveling in a non-working state. On the other hand, it is assumed that the slip amount also varies depending on the vehicle speed. Therefore, a wetland map can be provided for each vehicle speed divided in a predetermined range.

  Also, as shown in FIG. 6, the location where the manual operation is performed by the operator (in FIG. 6, a black circle is equivalent) is indicated (recorded) on the map, so that it is possible to call attention as a caution location. .

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, a map in which height information (geoid height + elevation) based on a GPS signal is stored in association with latitude and longitude information and shared with, for example, a tractor working in a field according to the map. Therefore, it is possible to effectively utilize the paddy field for horizontal work. In the example of FIG. 7, it is divided into 95 cm or more and less than 97 cm, 97 cm or more and less than 99 cm, 99 cm or more and less than 101 cm, 101 cm or more and less than 103 cm, and 103 cm or more and less than 105 cm. Accordingly, it is possible to create a height difference map of a field while performing harvesting work with the combine 10 without using a laser leveler. It should be noted that since the map of the field is divided into predetermined sections, it is preferable to calculate and use the average value of the heights obtained in the sections for each of these sections.

[Other embodiments]
In the above embodiment, the field information acquisition unit 31 has been described as acquiring the slip amount as the field information. However, the field information acquisition unit 31 may be configured not to acquire the slip amount as the field information.

  In the above embodiment, the field information acquisition unit 31 has been described as acquiring the height information as the field information. However, the field information acquisition unit 31 may be configured not to acquire the height information as the field information. .

  In the above embodiment, the field information acquisition unit 31 is described as acquiring the information indicating the position of the object as the field information. However, the field information acquisition unit 31 is configured not to acquire the information indicating the position of the object as the field information. It is also possible.

  In the above-described embodiment, the field information acquisition unit 31 has been described as acquiring the information indicating the position where the manual operation has been performed as the field information. However, the field information acquisition unit 31 may be configured to acquire the information indicating the position where the manual operation is performed. It is also possible to configure so as not to be acquired as field information.

  In the above embodiment, the combine machine 10 has been described as an example of a harvester, but the present invention can be applied to a harvester other than the combine machine 10 such as a corn harvester.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION This invention can be used for the field map preparation system which produces the map of a field using the harvester which performs automatic driving | running.

1: Field map creation system 10: Combine (harvester)
18: own vehicle position detection module 31: field information acquisition unit 32: map creation unit 33: first vehicle speed calculation unit 34: rotation speed detection unit 35: second vehicle speed calculation unit 36: slip amount calculation unit 37: height information acquisition Unit 38: Object detection unit 39: Manual operation detection unit

Claims (5)

A self-vehicle position detection module provided in the harvester that performs automatic traveling, and detecting a self-vehicle position;
During traveling of the harvester, a field information acquisition unit that acquires information on the field where the harvester is traveling as field information,
A map creating unit that creates a map of the field in which the vehicle position and the field information are associated with each other;
A field map creation system comprising: A first vehicle speed calculation unit that calculates a vehicle speed according to a movement amount based on the own vehicle position of the harvester as a first vehicle speed;
A rotation speed detection unit that detects the rotation speed of the drive wheel of the harvester,
A second vehicle speed calculation unit that calculates a vehicle speed according to the rotation speed of the harvester as a second vehicle speed;
A slip amount calculation unit that calculates a slip amount of the harvester based on the first vehicle speed and the second vehicle speed,
The field map creation system according to claim 1, wherein the field information acquisition unit acquires the slip amount as the field information. Further comprising a height information acquisition unit that acquires height information of the field based on the vehicle position,
The field map creation system according to claim 1, wherein the field information acquisition unit acquires the height information as the field information. The harvester, provided with an object detection unit that is present around the harvester and detects an object different from the grain harvested by the harvester,
The field map creation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the field information acquisition unit acquires information indicating a position of the object as the field information. During the automatic traveling of the harvester, comprising a manual operation detection unit that detects a manual operation performed by an operator who uses the harvester against the automatic traveling,
The field map creation system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the field information acquisition unit acquires information indicating a position where the manual operation is performed as the field information.

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