JP6854312B2 - Travel area identification device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a technique of an autonomous traveling work vehicle, and more particularly to a technique of a traveling area specifying device which is a device for specifying a traveling area of an autonomous traveling work vehicle.

Conventionally, as a work vehicle such as a tractor, a work vehicle capable of autonomously traveling (unmanned traveling) along a set route (autonomous traveling work vehicle) is known, and for example, there is one shown in Patent Document 1. The work vehicle shown in Patent Document 1 is provided with a control program for defining a route in each of a work area (central part of the work site) where work is performed by the work vehicle and an area (peripheral part) excluding the work area. The control program makes it possible to automate a predetermined work by autonomously driving a work vehicle along a route.

The work vehicle shown in Patent Document 1 is provided with a device for registering and specifying a field, which is a traveling area, and an operator travels on the outer circumference of the field with an autonomous traveling work vehicle, and the apex (corner) is obtained from the acquired traveling locus. By designating the part), the field shape is registered.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-66405

However, in the prior art shown in Patent Document 1, if the apex in the traveling locus is specified incorrectly, the shape of the field as the traveling area may be erroneously set, which is contrary to the intention of the user. In some cases, the route was set in the wrong travel area.

The present invention has been made in view of the current problems, and when the shape of the field, which is the traveling area, is erroneously set in the route setting of the autonomously traveling work vehicle, the setting of the traveling area is erroneous. It is an object of the present invention to provide a traveling area specifying device capable of notifying the presence of a vehicle or correcting the setting of a traveling area to prevent a route from being set in an erroneous traveling area.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is as described above, and next, the means for solving this problem will be described.

That is, the traveling area specifying device according to the present invention travels on the vehicle body based on the position information acquisition unit capable of acquiring the position information of the vehicle body and the traveling locus of the vehicle body specified by using the position information. A traveling locus area specifying unit capable of specifying a locus region, a traveling region specifying unit capable of specifying a traveling region on which the vehicle body unit travels based on a plurality of selection points selected from the traveling loci, and the traveling area specifying unit. A storage unit that stores field information to be compared with the traveling area specified by, a determination unit that compares and determines the size of the traveling area and the field information, and a notification unit that can execute a predetermined notification. , The traveling area specifying unit identifies the first traveling area and the second traveling area by adding a selection point, and the determining unit determines each of the first traveling area and the second traveling area. When the field information is larger than the corresponding first traveling region or the second traveling region, the predetermined notification is at least the first traveling region and the second traveling region. as one of the travel region and said field information partially overlap, notifying that there is an error in added the selected point.

Further, the traveling area specifying device according to the present invention travels on the vehicle body based on a position information acquisition unit capable of acquiring the position information of the vehicle body and a traveling locus of the vehicle body specified by using the position information. A traveling locus area specifying unit capable of specifying a locus region, a traveling region specifying unit capable of specifying a traveling region on which the vehicle body unit travels based on a plurality of selection points selected from the traveling loci, and the traveling area specifying unit. A storage unit that stores field information to be compared with the traveling area specified by, a determination unit that compares and determines the size of the traveling area and the field information, and a correction unit that can correct the traveling area. , The traveling area specifying unit identifies the first traveling area and the second traveling area by adding a selection point, and the determining unit determines each of the first traveling area and the second traveling area. When the field information is larger than the corresponding first traveling region or the second traveling region, the correction unit is at least the first traveling region and the second traveling region. When any one of the regions partially overlaps with the field information, the added selection points are corrected so that the first traveling region, the second traveling region, and the field information match.

According to the traveling area specifying device according to the present invention, when the traveling area partially overlaps with the area data acquired in advance in the setting of the route of the work vehicle that autonomously travels, it is notified that there is an error in the traveling area. Thereby, or by correcting the traveling area so that the traveling area and the area data match, it is possible to prevent the route from being set in the erroneous traveling area.

Schematic side view of the autonomous driving work vehicle and the accompanying traveling work vehicle. A control block diagram of an autonomous driving work vehicle. The figure which shows the initial screen of a remote control device. The figure which shows the field setting when using the autonomous driving work vehicle. The figure which shows the area of a field. The figure which shows the acquisition situation of the traveling locus in a field. The figure which shows the setting state of the field shape based on the traveling locus in a field. The figure which shows the setting situation of an incorrect field shape. The figure which shows the judgment situation of the field shape by the map information. The figure which shows the setting state of the field shape in a field (when two areas are set in one field), (A) the figure which shows the division state of a field, (B) the figure which shows the setting state of a field shape. A diagram showing the setting status of the field shape in the field (when two regions are set in one field), (A) a diagram showing the setting status of the incorrect field shape, and (B) the determination status of the field shape based on the region data. The figure which shows.

The configuration of the autonomous traveling work vehicle, which is the work vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention, will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. As shown in FIG. 1, an autonomous driving work vehicle 1 capable of automatically traveling unmanned and a manned work vehicle 100 that is steered by an operator accompanying the autonomous driving work vehicle 1 are used as tractors for autonomous driving work. An embodiment in which a rotary tiller is attached to the vehicle 1 and the work vehicle 100 as a work machine will be described. However, the work vehicle is not limited to the tractor and may be a combine harvester, and the work machine is not limited to the rotary tiller, but is a ridger, a mower, a rake, a seeder, a fertilizer, etc. You may.

As used herein, the term "autonomous driving" means that the tractor travels along a predetermined route by controlling the configuration of the tractor with respect to the traveling by the control unit (ECU) provided in the tractor. Performing farm work in a single field with unmanned vehicles and manned vehicles may be referred to as cooperative work, follow-up work, accompanying work, and the like of farm work. In addition to "performing farm work in a single field with unmanned vehicles and manned vehicles", as cooperative work of farm work, "performing farm work in different fields such as adjacent fields with unmanned vehicles and manned vehicles at the same time" "To do" may be included.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the overall configuration of the tractor serving as the autonomous driving work vehicle 1 will be described. In the vehicle body 2 of the tractor, the engine 4 is installed inside the bonnet 3, the dashboard 14 is provided in the cabin 12 at the rear of the bonnet 3, and the steering handle 5 serving as a steering operation means is provided on the dashboard 14. It is provided. The rotation of the steering handle 5 rotates the directions of the front wheels 10 and 10 via the steering device. The steering actuator 40 that operates the steering device is connected to the steering controller 301 that constitutes the control unit 30. The steering direction of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 is detected by the steering sensor 20. The steering sensor 20 includes an angle sensor such as a rotary encoder, and is arranged at a rotation base of the front wheel 10. However, the detection configuration of the steering sensor 20 is not limited as long as the steering direction is recognized, and the rotation of the steering handle 5 may be detected or the operating amount of the power steering may be detected. The detected value obtained by the steering sensor 20 is input to the steering controller 301 of the control unit 30.

The control unit 30 includes a steering controller 301, an engine controller 302, a shift control controller 303, a horizontal control controller 304, a work control controller 305, a positioning control unit 306, an autonomous driving control controller 307, and the like, each of which is a CPU (central processing unit). It is equipped with a storage device such as a RAM or ROM, an interface, etc., and the storage device stores programs and data for operation, and can communicate so that information and data can be transmitted and received by CAN communication. Further, the autonomous driving control controller 307 includes a memory 309 which is a storage unit for storing programs, data, and the like.

The driver's seat 6 is arranged behind the steering wheel 5, and the mission case 7 is arranged below the driver's seat 6. Rear axle cases 9.9 are connected to the left and right sides of the mission case 7, and rear wheels 11 and 11 are supported on the rear axle cases 9.9 via axles. The power from the engine 4 is changed by the transmission (main transmission and auxiliary transmission) in the transmission case 7, and the rear wheels 11 and 11 can be driven. The transmission is composed of, for example, a hydraulic continuously variable transmission, and the movable swash plate of the variable displacement hydraulic pump is operated by a transmission means 44 such as a motor to enable shifting. The speed change means 44 is connected to the speed change control controller 303 of the control unit 30. The rotation speed of the rear wheels 11 is detected by the vehicle speed sensor 27 and input to the shift control controller 303 as the traveling speed. However, the vehicle speed detection method and the arrangement position of the vehicle speed sensor 27 are not limited.

A PTO clutch and a PTO transmission are housed in the mission case 7, the PTO clutch is turned on and off by the PTO on / off means 45, and the PTO on / off means 45 is connected to the autonomous travel control controller 307 of the control unit 30 via the display means 49. It is connected and can control the connection and disconnection of power to the PTO axis. Further, when a seeder, a ridge coating machine, or the like is attached as a working machine, a working machine controller 308 is provided so that the working machine can control its own control, and the working machine controller 308 is via information communication wiring (so-called ISOBUS). Is connected to the work control controller 305.

A front axle case 8 is supported on the front frame 13 that supports the engine 4, front wheels 10 and 10 are supported on both sides of the front axle case 8, and power from the mission case 7 can be transmitted to the front wheels 10 and 10. It is configured in. The front wheels 10 and 10 are steering wheels, which can be rotated by rotating the steering handle 5, and the front wheels 10 and 10 are steered left and right by a steering actuator 40 composed of a power steering cylinder which is a driving means of the steering device. It is rotatable. The steering actuator 40 is connected to and controlled by the steering controller 301 of the control unit 30.

The engine speed sensor 61, the water temperature sensor, the oil pressure sensor, and the like are connected to the engine controller 302, which is the engine rotation control means, so that the state of the engine 4 can be detected. The engine controller 302 detects the load from the set rotation speed and the actual rotation speed, controls the load so as not to cause an overload, and transmits the state of the engine 4 to the remote control device 112, which will be described later, so that the display device 113 can display the state. ing.

Further, a level sensor 29 for detecting the liquid level of fuel is arranged in the fuel tank 15 arranged below the step and connected to the display means 49, and the display means 49 is provided on the dashboard 14 of the autonomous driving work vehicle 1. Display the remaining amount of fuel. Then, the remaining amount of fuel is calculated by the autonomous driving control controller 307 for the workable time, information is transmitted to the remote control device 112 via the communication device 110, and the remaining amount of fuel is displayed on the display device 113 of the remote control device 112. The workable time can be displayed. The display means for displaying the tachometer, fuel gauge, oil pressure, and abnormality may be different from the display means for displaying the current position and the like.

On the dashboard 14, a tachometer of the engine 4, a fuel gauge, a monitor indicating an abnormality, a monitor indicating an abnormality, and a display means 49 for displaying a set value and the like are arranged. The display means 49 is a touch panel type like the remote control device 112, and can input and select data, operate switches, operate buttons, and the like.

Further, the working machine 24 is mounted on the rear portion of the vehicle body portion 2 of the tractor so as to be able to move up and down via the working machine mounting device 23. In the present embodiment, a rotary tillage device is adopted as the working machine 24, and an elevating cylinder 26 is provided on the mission case 7, and the elevating cylinder 26 is expanded and contracted to form the working machine mounting device 23. The arm is rotated so that the working machine 24 can be raised and lowered. The elevating cylinder 26 is expanded and contracted by the operation of the elevating actuator 25, and the elevating actuator 25 is connected to the horizontal control controller 304 of the control unit 30. Further, a tilt cylinder is provided on one of the lift links on the left and right sides of the work equipment mounting device 23, and the tilt actuator 47 for operating the tilt cylinder is connected to the horizontal control controller 304.

A mobile GPS antenna 34 and a data receiving antenna 38 for enabling detection of position information are connected to the positioning control unit 306 serving as a position detecting unit, and the mobile GPS antenna 34 and the data receiving antenna 38 are provided on the cabin 12. .. The positioning control unit 306 is provided with a position calculating means to calculate the latitude and longitude so that the current position can be displayed on the display means 49 or the display device 113 of the remote control device 112. Highly accurate positioning can be achieved by using a satellite positioning system (GNSS) such as the Quasi-Zenith Satellite (Japan) or Glonass Satellite (Russia) in addition to GPS (US), but in this embodiment, GPS is used. explain.

The autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 includes a gyro sensor 31 for obtaining posture change information of the vehicle body unit 2, and an azimuth angle detection unit 32 for detecting the traveling direction, and is connected to the control unit 30. However, since the traveling direction can be calculated from the GPS position measurement, the azimuth detection unit 32 can be omitted. The gyro sensor 31 detects the angular velocity of the inclination (pitch) of the vehicle body portion 2 in the front-rear direction, the angular velocity of the inclination (roll) of the vehicle body portion 2 in the left-right direction, and the angular velocity of the turning (yaw). By integrating and calculating the three angular velocities, it is possible to obtain the inclination angle and the turning angle of the vehicle body portion 2 in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. Specific examples of the gyro sensor 31 include a mechanical gyro sensor, an optical gyro sensor, a fluid type gyro sensor, a vibration type gyro sensor, and the like. The gyro sensor 31 is connected to the control unit 30, and inputs information related to the three angular velocities to the control unit 30.

The azimuth detection unit 32 detects the direction (traveling direction) of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1. Specific examples of the azimuth detection unit 32 include a magnetic azimuth sensor and the like. The azimuth detection unit 32 inputs information to the autonomous driving control controller 307 via the CAN communication means.

In this way, the autonomous travel control controller 307 calculates the signal acquired from the gyro sensor 31 and the azimuth detection unit 32 by the attitude / direction calculation means, and the attitude (direction, front-rear direction and left / right of the vehicle body unit 2) of the autonomous travel work vehicle 1 is calculated. Find the inclination of the direction, the turning direction).

The position information of the autonomous driving work vehicle 1 is acquired by using GPS (Global Positioning System). Examples of the positioning method using GPS include various methods such as independent positioning, relative positioning, DGPS (differential GPS) positioning, and RTK-GPS (real-time kinematic-GPS) positioning, and any of these methods can be used. However, in this embodiment, the RTK-GPS positioning method with high measurement accuracy is adopted.

In RTK-GPS (Real-time Kinematic-GPS) positioning, GPS observation is performed simultaneously by a reference station whose position is known and a mobile station that seeks the position, and the data observed by the reference station is used as a mobile station by radio or other means. This is a method of transmitting to the GPS in real time and finding the position of the mobile station in real time based on the position result of the reference station.

In the present embodiment, the positioning control unit 306 serving as a mobile station, the mobile GPS antenna 34, and the data receiving antenna 38 are arranged on the autonomous driving work vehicle 1, and the fixed communication device 35, the fixed GPS antenna 36, and the data transmitting antenna serving as reference stations are arranged. 39 is arranged at a predetermined position. In the RTK-GPS (real-time kinematic-GPS) positioning of the present embodiment, the phase is measured (relative positioning) by both the reference station and the mobile station, and the data measured by the fixed communication device 35 of the reference station is transmitted from the data transmission antenna 39. It transmits to the data receiving antenna 38.

The mobile GPS antenna 34 arranged in the autonomous driving work vehicle 1 receives signals from GPS satellites 37, 37, .... This signal is transmitted to the mobile communication device 33 for positioning. At the same time, the fixed GPS antenna 36, which serves as the reference station, receives the signals from the GPS satellites 37, 37, ..., Positions them with the fixed communication device 35, transmits them to the positioning control unit 306, analyzes the observed data, and moves. Determine the location of the station.

In this way, the autonomous traveling control controller 307 is provided as an autonomous traveling means for autonomously traveling the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1. That is, the various information acquisition units connected to the autonomous driving control controller 307 acquire the traveling state of the autonomous driving work vehicle 1 as various information, and the various control units connected to the autonomous driving control controller 307 acquire the autonomous driving work vehicle 1. Control the autonomous driving of 1. Specifically, the positioning control unit 306 receives the radio waves transmitted from the GPS satellites 37, 37, ..., Obtains the position information of the vehicle body 2 at set time intervals, and receives the position information from the gyro sensor 31 and the azimuth detection unit 32. Displacement information and azimuth information of the vehicle body unit 2 are obtained, and steering is performed so that the vehicle body unit 2 travels along a preset route (work path Ra and travel path Rb) based on the position information, displacement information, and azimuth information. The actuator 40, the speed change means 44, the elevating actuator 25, the PTO on / off means 45, the engine controller 302, etc. are controlled to autonomously travel and automatically work.

Further, an obstacle sensor 41 is arranged in the autonomous driving work vehicle 1 and is connected to the control unit 30 so as not to come into contact with the obstacle. For example, the obstacle sensor 41 is composed of a laser sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and a camera, is arranged at the front, side, and rear of the vehicle body 2 and is connected to the control unit 30, and is connected to the control unit 30 by the control unit 30 in front of the vehicle body 2. It detects whether there is an obstacle on the side or behind, and controls to stop running when the obstacle approaches within the set distance.

Further, the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 is equipped with a camera 42F for photographing the front, a work machine behind, and a camera 42R for photographing the field state after the work, and is connected to the control unit 30. In the present embodiment, the cameras 42F and 42R are arranged on the front part and the rear part of the roof of the cabin 12, but the arrangement position is not limited, and the cameras 42F and 42R are arranged on the front part and the rear part in the cabin 12 or one camera. Even if the 42 is arranged in the center of the vehicle body 2 and rotated around the vertical axis to photograph the surroundings, a plurality of cameras 42 are arranged at the four corners of the vehicle body 2 to photograph the surroundings of the vehicle body 2. There may be. The images taken by the cameras 42F and 42R are displayed on the display device 113 of the remote control device 112 provided in the work vehicle 100.

The remote control device 112 sets a route R including a work path Ra and a travel path Rb described later of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1, remotely operates the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1, and determines the traveling state of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1. It monitors the operating state of the work machine and stores work data, and includes a control device (CPU and memory), a communication device 111, a display device 113, and the like.

The work vehicle 100, which is a manned traveling vehicle, is operated by a worker on board, and the remote control device 112 is mounted on the work vehicle 100 so that the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 can be operated. Since the basic configuration of the work vehicle 100 is substantially the same as that of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1, detailed description thereof will be omitted. The work vehicle 100 (or the remote control device 112) may be provided with a GPS control unit.

The remote control device 112 can be attached to and detached from an operation unit such as a dashboard of the work vehicle 100 and the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1. The remote control device 112 can be operated while being attached to the dashboard of the work vehicle 100, taken out of the work vehicle 100 and carried around, or attached to the dashboard 14 of the autonomous driving work vehicle 1. It is possible. The remote control device 112 can be configured by, for example, a notebook type or tablet type personal computer. In this embodiment, it is composed of a tablet-type personal computer.

Further, the remote control device 112 and the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 are configured to be able to communicate with each other wirelessly, and the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 and the remote control device 112 are provided with communication devices 110 and 111 for communication, respectively. ing. The communication device 111 is integrally configured with the remote control device 112. The communication means is configured to be able to communicate with each other by, for example, a wireless LAN. The remote control device 112 is provided with a display device 113 on the surface of the housing, which is a touch panel type operation screen that can be operated by touching the screen, and houses the communication device 111, the CPU, the storage device 114, the battery, and the like in the housing. ..

Next, a procedure for setting the route R (working route Ra and traveling route Rb) by the remote control device 112 will be described. The display device 113 of the remote control device 112 is a touch panel type, and the initial screen appears when the power is turned on to activate the remote control device 112. On the initial screen, as shown in FIG. 3, a tractor setting button 201, a field setting button 202, a route generation setting button 203, a data transfer button 204, a work start button 205, and an end button 206 are displayed.

First, the tractor setting will be described. When the tractor setting button 201 is touched, the tractor name (model) is displayed when the remote control device 112 has used the tractor in the past, that is, when the tractor set in the past exists. When multiple tractor names are displayed, touch and select the tractor name to be used this time, and then return to the initial screen. When setting a new tractor, specify the tractor model. In this case, enter the model name directly. Alternatively, the models of a plurality of tractors are displayed in a list on the display device 113 so that a desired model can be selected.

When the model of the tractor is set, the setting screen for the mounting position of the mobile GPS antenna 34 appears. Since the mounting position of the mobile GPS antenna 34 differs depending on the tractor and may differ depending on the technician who mounts the mobile GPS antenna 34, the plan view of the tractor is displayed and the mounting position is set.

When the mounting position of the mobile GPS antenna 34 is set, the setting screen for the size, shape, and position of the working machine mounted on the tractor appears. The position of the work equipment is selected from the front, between the front and rear wheels, the rear, and the offset. When the setting of the work machine is completed, the setting screen of the vehicle speed during work, the engine speed during work, the vehicle speed during turning, and the engine speed during turning appears. The vehicle speed during work can be different for the outbound route and the inbound route. When the vehicle speed and engine speed settings are complete, the screen returns to the initial screen.

Next, the field setting will be described. When the field setting button 202 is touched, the name of the set field is displayed when the work is performed by using the tractor by the remote control device 112 in the past, that is, when the field set in the past exists. By touching and selecting the field name to be worked on this time from the displayed plurality of field names, it is possible to proceed to the route generation setting described later or return to the initial screen. It is also possible to edit or newly set the set field.

If there is no registered field, a new field will be set. When a new field setting is selected, as shown in FIG. 4, the tractor (autonomous traveling work vehicle 1) is positioned at one of the four corners A in the field H, and the "measurement start" button is touched. After that, the tractor is run along the outer circumference of the field H to register the field shape. Next, the operator registers the corner positions A, B, C, D and the inflection point from the registered field shape to specify the field shape.

When the field H is specified, the work start position Sw, the work direction F, and the work end position Gw are set as shown in FIG. If there is an obstacle in this field H, move the tractor to the position of the obstacle, touch the obstacle setting button (not shown), run around the obstacle, and set the obstacle. I do. If an obstacle exists in the vicinity of the periphery of the field H, or if the obstacle is smaller than the minimum turning radius and becomes too large when traveling on the outer circumference thereof, it may be registered from the displayed map of the field. When the above work is completed or when a field registered in the past is selected, a confirmation screen is displayed, and an OK (confirmation) button and an "edit / add" button are displayed. If there is a change in the field registered in the past, touch the "Edit / Add" button.

When the OK button is touched in the field setting, the route generation setting is set. The route generation setting can also be set by touching the route generation setting button 203 on the initial screen. When the mode shifts to the route generation setting mode, the selection screen of the position where the work vehicle 100 travels with respect to the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 is displayed. That is, the positional relationship between the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 and the work vehicle 100 is set. Specifically, (1) the work vehicle 100 is located on the left rear side of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1. (2) The work vehicle 100 is located on the right rear side of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1. (3) The work vehicle 100 is located directly behind the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1. (4) The work vehicle 100 does not run side by side (work is performed only by the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1). 4 types are displayed and can be selected by touching.

Next, the width of the work machine of the work vehicle 100 is set. That is, the width of the work machine is input by a number. Next, set the number of skips. That is, when the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 reaches the field edge (headland) and moves from the first work road R1 to the second work road R2, the number of routes to be skipped is set. Specifically, (1) do not skip. (2) Skip one row. (3) Skip two rows. Select one of. Next, the overlap is set. That is, the overlap amount of the work width in the work path R2 adjacent to the work path R1 is set. Specifically, (1) do not overlap. (2) Overlap. Select. If you select "Overlap", the numerical value input screen is displayed, and you cannot proceed to the next step unless you enter the numerical value.

Next, the outer circumference is set. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, an area outside the work area HA in which the work is performed by the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 and the work vehicle 100 or by the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 is set. In other words, a headland HB that swivels at the field edge as a non-working state and a side margin HC that is a non-working area in contact with the outer periphery of the field on both the left and right sides between the headland HB and the headland HB are set. .. Therefore, field H = work area HA + headland HB + headland HB + side margin HC + side margin HC. Normally, the width Wb of the headland HB and the width Wc of the side margin HC are set to be less than twice the width of the work machine mounted on the work vehicle 100, and the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 and the work vehicle 100 run side by side. After the work is completed, the worker gets into the work vehicle 100 and manually makes two rounds around the outer circumference so that the work can be finished. However, it is also possible to work on the outer circumference with the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1.

When the input of the above various settings is completed, the confirmation screen appears, and when the confirmation is touched, the route R including the work route Ra and the travel route Rb is automatically generated. The work route Ra is a route generated in the work area HA, is a route traveled while performing work, and is a straight route. However, if the work area HA is not rectangular, it may protrude. The travel route Rb is a route generated in an area other than the work area HA (headland HB and side margin HC), and is a route that travels without performing work. It is a route that combines straight lines and curves, and is mainly used. , It becomes a route for turning in the headland HB.

As for the work route Ra and the travel route Rb, the work route Ra and the travel route Rb are generated for the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 and the work vehicle 100, respectively. If you want to see the route after the route is generated, you can touch the route generation setting button 203 to display the simulation image and check it. The work route Ra and the travel route Rb are generated without touching the route generation setting button 203. When the work path Ra and the travel path Rb are automatically generated, the work start position Sw and the work end position Gw are set to the corresponding positions closest to the start position and the end position registered in the field setting.

When each item of the route generation setting is set, the route generation setting is displayed, and "route setting button", "data transfer", and "return to home" are displayed in a selectable manner at the bottom.

When the information is transferred, it can be transferred by touching the data transfer button 204 provided on the initial screen. Since this transfer is performed by the remote control device 112, it is necessary to transfer the set information to the control device of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1. This transfer can be performed by (1) a method of transferring using a terminal or (2) a method of transferring wirelessly. In the present embodiment, when the terminal is used, it is autonomous with the remote control device 112 using a USB cable. The control device of the traveling work vehicle 1 is directly connected or stored in the USB memory, and then connected to the USB terminal of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 for transfer. When transferring wirelessly, transfer is performed using a wireless LAN.

Here, the configuration of the traveling area specifying device according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 includes a mobile GPS antenna 34 which is a position information acquisition unit capable of acquiring the current position N which is the position information of the vehicle body unit 2. Further, the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 identifies the traveling locus K of the vehicle body 2 using the current position N detected by the moving GPS antenna 34, and identifies the traveling locus region KA of the vehicle body 2 based on the traveling locus K. It is provided with a remote control device 112 which is a traveling locus region specifying unit capable of enabling the vehicle. In the autonomous driving work vehicle 1, the control unit 30 can specify the travel locus region KA of the vehicle body unit 2 based on the travel locus K, and the control unit 30 can be used instead of the remote control device 112. , The traveling locus region KA of the vehicle body portion 2 may be specified.

Further, the remote control device 112 of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 has a shape of a field H which is a traveling region in which the vehicle body portion 2 travels based on corner portions P to U which are a plurality of selection points selected from the traveling locus K (hereinafter, It also has a function of a traveling area specifying part capable of specifying a field shape HK). In the autonomous driving work vehicle 1, the control unit 30 can specify the field shape HK based on the corner portions P to U, which are a plurality of selection points selected from the traveling locus K, and is a remote control device. Instead of 112, the control unit 30 may be configured to specify the field shape HK.

Further, the remote control device 112 of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 also has a function of a correction unit capable of correcting the field shape HK. In the autonomous driving work vehicle 1, the control unit 30 may be used to correct the field shape HK, and the control unit 30 may be used to correct the field shape HK instead of the remote control device 112. May be.

Furthermore, the remote control device 112 of the autonomous driving work vehicle 1 includes a display device 113 which is a notification unit capable of executing a predetermined notification.

That is, the traveling area specifying device 150 according to the embodiment of the present invention is specified by using the moving GPS antenna 34 and the current position N, which are the position information acquisition units capable of acquiring the current position N which is the position information of the vehicle body unit 2. It is a traveling locus area specifying unit capable of specifying the traveling locus region KA of the vehicle body 2 based on the traveling locus K of the vehicle body 2, and is also based on a plurality of selection points P to U selected from the traveling locus K. The remote control device 112 and the control unit 30 which are the traveling area specifying unit capable of specifying the shape of the field H (field shape HK) which is the traveling area on which the vehicle body unit 2 travels, and further are the correction units capable of correcting the field shape HK. And.

Next, the field registration in the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. Here, a case where the field H having an uneven shape as shown in FIG. 6 is registered will be described as an example. In the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1, when the field H as shown in FIG. 6 is registered in the field, the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 is driven by the operator's operation along the outer circumference of the field H to acquire the traveling locus K. As shown in FIG. 6, the shape of the traveling locus K substantially matches the outer peripheral shape of the field H. Since the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 requires a predetermined turning radius when turning, the corner portion of the traveling locus K has an arc shape unlike the actual shape of the field H.

Next, in the field registration of the field H, the corner portion existing on the traveling locus K is specified. As shown in FIG. 7, the traveling locus K shown in the present embodiment has six corners P, Q, R, S, T, and U, and P, Q as shown in FIG. , R, S, T, U, and a traveling locus K having corners thereof is displayed on the display device 113.

Next, in the field registration of the field H, the operator selects the corner portion existing on the traveling locus K and sets the shape of the field H (field shape HK). For example, as shown in FIG. 7, when the operator selects six corners of P, Q, R, S, T, and U on the traveling locus K, the field shape HK as shown in FIG. 7 is set. Will be done. If the operator definitely selects all the corners, as shown in FIG. 7, the field shape HK that substantially matches the shape of the field H can be set with high accuracy.

On the other hand, for example, when the operator selects only five corners P, Q, R, T, and U on the traveling locus K (that is, when he forgets to select the corner S), FIG. 8 shows. A pentagonal field shape HK as shown is set. In this case, the portion of the field shape HK corresponding to the triangle RST is set as a part (internal region) of the field H even though it is originally a region outside the field H. In such a case, the wrong field shape HK may be set, and the work path Ra and the travel path Rb of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 may be set outside the field H.

Therefore, in the traveling area specifying device 150 according to the embodiment of the present invention, in order to prevent the work path Ra and the traveling route Rb of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 from being set in the range outside the field H, the following The configuration described is adopted.

In the traveling area specifying device 150 according to the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 7, a closed region surrounded by the acquired traveling locus K (hereinafter, referred to as a traveling locus region KA) is provided by the remote control device 112. When it is detected that a specific point on the automatically specified and set field shape HK is located outside the specified traveling locus region KA, the remote control device 112 incorrectly sets the field shape HK. (That is, the field shape HK is squeezed out from the actual field H). Then, when it is determined that the field shape HK is incorrect, the remote control device 112 is configured to issue an alarm on the display device 113 of the remote control device 112.

That is, in the traveling area specifying device 150 according to the present invention, when the specific point on the set field shape HK is located outside the traveling locus region KA, the field H includes the region outside the traveling locus region KA. It is provided with a remote control device 112 which is a determination unit for determining that. Then, according to the traveling area specifying device 150 having such a configuration, it is possible to more reliably prevent the route R (working route Ra and traveling route Rb) from being mistakenly set outside the field H.

Further, in the traveling area specifying device 150 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the traveling locus region KA is automatically specified by the remote control device 112, and the set area of the field shape HK and the area of the traveling locus region KA are used. When the area of the field shape HK exceeds the area of the traveling locus region KA, the setting of the field shape HK is incorrect by the remote control device 112 (that is, the field shape HK is the actual field). It can be configured to determine that (it is sticking out from H).

That is, the traveling area specifying device 150 according to the present invention determines that the field shape HK includes a region outside the traveling locus region KA when the set area of the field shape HK is larger than the area of the traveling locus region KA. It is provided with a remote control device 112 which is a determination unit. Then, according to such a traveling area specifying device 150, it is possible to more reliably prevent the route R (working route Ra and traveling route Rb) from being mistakenly set outside the field H.

In determining whether or not there is a portion that protrudes from the field H, a threshold value may be set as appropriate, and when the area of the portion that protrudes exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the portion protrudes. It can be configured to make a judgment to that effect.

Further, the traveling area specifying device 150 according to the embodiment of the present invention can be configured to compare the set field shape HK with the known map information. As shown in FIG. 9, in the traveling area specifying device 150, the map information HM of the field H is stored in advance in the remote control device 112, and the field shape HK set by the remote control device 112 is referred to as the map information HM. It is configured to be compared. The map information HM includes information such as the position information (latitude and longitude of the end points), the area, and the shape of the field H. Then, when the remote control device 112 has a portion (for example, the triangle RST shown in FIG. 9) that does not match the map information HM in the field shape HK, the remote control device 112 issues an alarm on the display device 113 of the remote control device 112. It is configured in.

Here, in the traveling area specifying device 150, the content of the notification performed by the display device 113 is such that the content of the notification suggesting that the field H includes a region outside the traveling locus region KA. As specific notification contents to be displayed on the display device 113, for example, a sentence prompting the operator to confirm, such as "It is necessary to confirm whether the corners are selected incorrectly", or " If the route is generated as it is, the route may be generated outside the field H. "

Further, in the traveling area specifying device 150, the display device 113 does not notify that the field H includes an area outside the region of the traveling locus K, but the remote control device 112 causes the field H to be outside the region of the traveling locus K. The field shape HK may be corrected so as not to include the region. In this case, a display for confirming "whether or not to correct the field shape HK" is displayed on the display device 113, and when the operator selects "correction", the correction by the remote control device 112 is executed. It can be configured as follows.

The traveling area specifying device 150 is configured so that, for example, the field shape HK displayed on the display device 113 can be corrected by the operator by instructing the screen with a touch pen. For example, the operator can correct the corner portion S. By performing an additional selection operation, the field shape HK can be corrected.

Further, in the traveling area specifying device 150, in a configuration in which the map information or the like is compared with the field shape HK, the remote control device 112 identifies the protruding portion, and the specified protruding portion is specified by the remote control device 112. The field shape HK can be corrected so as to be deleted.

The method of specifying the field shape HK after acquiring the traveling locus K is not limited to the method of specifying only the corners. For example, the acquired travel locus K may be displayed on the display device 113, and the operator may specify the corners and sides by instructing the screen with a touch pen to specify the field shape HK. According to the specific method, the field shape HK can be accurately specified even when the corner portion is forgotten to be selected.

Alternatively, as a method of specifying the field shape HK after acquiring the traveling locus K, the remote control device 112 may automatically generate the field shape HK from the acquired traveling locus K, and further, automatically. The field shape HK generated in the above may be confirmed by the operator, and the operator may appropriately modify the field shape HK according to the actual situation to obtain a more appropriate field shape HK.

That is, the traveling area specifying device 150 according to the present invention uses the moving GPS antenna 34, which is a position information acquisition unit capable of acquiring the current position N, which is the position information of the vehicle body unit 2, and the vehicle body unit specified by using the current position N. It is a travel locus region specifying unit that can specify the travel locus region KA of the vehicle body unit 2 based on the travel locus K of 2, and is also based on the corner portions P to U that are a plurality of selection points selected from the travel locus K. A remote control device 112, which is a traveling area specifying unit capable of specifying a field shape HK, which is a traveling area on which the vehicle body unit 2 travels, and a display device 113, which is a notification unit capable of executing a predetermined notification, are provided, and a predetermined notification is provided. Is a notification suggesting that the set field shape HK includes a region outside the traveling locus region KA.

Further, the traveling area specifying device 150 according to the present invention uses the moving GPS antenna 34, which is a position information acquisition unit capable of acquiring the current position N, which is the position information of the vehicle body unit 2, and the vehicle body unit specified by using the current position N. It is a travel locus region specifying unit that can specify the travel locus region KA of the vehicle body unit 2 based on the travel locus K of 2, and is also based on the corner portions P to U that are a plurality of selection points selected from the travel locus K. The remote control device 112 is provided with a remote control device 112 which is a travel area specifying unit capable of specifying a field shape HK which is a travel area on which the vehicle body portion 2 travels, and which is a correction unit capable of correcting the field shape HK. Is to correct the field shape HK to a region that does not include the region outside the travel locus region KA when the set field shape HK includes the region outside the travel locus region KA.

Then, according to the traveling area specifying device 150 having such a configuration, in the setting of the route R (working route Ra and traveling route Rb) of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1, the route R is erroneously set outside the field H which is the traveling region. It can be prevented from being set.

Next, regarding the field registration in the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, in the field H as shown in FIG. 10, for each of the two types of crops (crop X and crop Y), an area is set for each crop. This case will be described as an example. Here, a case where a substantially rectangular field H as shown in FIG. 10A is divided into two regions, a crop X is cultivated in one region, and a crop Y is cultivated in another region will be illustrated and described. To do.

In such a case, in order to register the region of the crop X in the field, first, the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 detects the outer peripheral shape of the field H and specifies the field shape HK of the entire field H. Here, as shown in FIG. 10B, by selecting the corner PQRS, the field shape HK of the entire field H is specified.

Next, in order to specify the region of crop X, a point T on the line segment PQ and a point U on the line segment RS are additionally selected, and the rectangular portion defined by the point PTUS is used for the crop X. It is specified as the field shape HK1, and the rectangular portion defined by the point QRUT is specified as the field shape HK2 for the crop Y.

Here, for example, if the user makes a mistake in selecting the points T and U, as shown in FIG. 11A, a part of the area of the crop Y is mistakenly registered as the area of the crop X in the field. Is a concern.

Therefore, in the traveling area specifying device 150 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the area data DX / DY of each area of the crops XY is acquired in advance, and the area data DX / DY is used for each field shape HK1 / HK2. By comparing with, it is possible to prevent erroneous field registration from being made. As the area data DX / DY of the crops XY, the area of each area, the position information of the end points in each area, the map data of each area (including the shape, area, and position information) and the like can be used.

Then, such area data DX / DY is stored in advance in the remote control device 112, and the specified field shapes HK1 / HK2 are compared with the area data DX / DY by the remote control device 112. Field registration can be prevented.

As shown in FIG. 11B, as a result of comparison using the area data DX / DY, it was determined by the remote control device 112 that the field shapes HK1 and HK2 had an error (there was an overlapping portion). In that case, the display device 113 notifies the user. Alternatively, when it is determined that the field shapes HK1 and HK2 are incorrect, the remote control device 112 arranges the points TU so that the specified field shapes HK1 and HK2 match the area data DX and DY. It may be configured to correct each field shape HK1 and HK2.

2 Body part 34 Mobile GPS antenna (position detection part)
30 Control unit 112 Remote control device 113 Display device 150 Travel area identification device H Field (travel area)
HK Field shape K Travel locus KA Travel locus area

Claims (2)

A position information acquisition unit that can acquire the position information of the vehicle body and
A traveling locus area specifying unit capable of specifying a traveling locus region of the vehicle body based on the traveling locus of the vehicle body specified by using the position information, and a traveling locus region specifying unit.
A traveling area specifying unit capable of specifying a traveling area in which the vehicle body unit travels based on a plurality of selection points selected from the traveling loci, and a traveling area specifying unit.
A storage unit that stores field information to be compared with the traveling area specified by the traveling area specifying unit, and a storage unit.
A determination unit that compares and determines the size of the traveling area and the field information,
It is equipped with a notification unit capable of executing a predetermined notification.
The traveling area specifying unit identifies the first traveling area and the second traveling area by adding a selection point, and determines the first traveling area and the second traveling area.
The determination unit compares the field information corresponding to each of the first traveling region and the second traveling region, and when the field information is larger than the corresponding first traveling region or the second traveling region. In addition, the predetermined notification notifies that there is an error in the added selection point, assuming that at least one of the first traveling region and the second traveling region and the field information partially overlap. A traveling area identification device characterized by this. A position information acquisition unit that can acquire the position information of the vehicle body and
A traveling locus area specifying unit capable of specifying a traveling locus region of the vehicle body based on the traveling locus of the vehicle body specified by using the position information, and a traveling locus region specifying unit.
A traveling area specifying unit capable of specifying a traveling area in which the vehicle body unit travels based on a plurality of selection points selected from the traveling loci, and a traveling area specifying unit.
A storage unit that stores field information to be compared with the traveling area specified by the traveling area specifying unit, and a storage unit.
A determination unit that compares and determines the size of the traveling area and the field information,
A correction unit capable of correcting the traveling area is provided.
The traveling area specifying unit identifies the first traveling area and the second traveling area by adding a selection point.
The determination unit compares the field information corresponding to each of the first traveling region and the second traveling region, and when the field information is larger than the corresponding first traveling region or the second traveling region. In addition, when the correction unit partially overlaps the field information with at least one of the first traveling region and the second traveling region, the first traveling region, the second traveling region, and the field information A traveling area specifying device, characterized in that the added selection point is corrected so as to be consistent with.

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