JPS59132009A - Automatic operation controller of unattended vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce guide marks and sensors and to improve economization by detecting set marks, which are provided at intervals, with a sensor, which detects the transversal displacement quantity, to control steering. CONSTITUTION:Running guide marks 5 are provided on the floor surface side at proper intervals in the running direction, and an optical sensor 6 which detects the transversal displacement quantity of the vehicle body to marks 5, a data receiver 7 to which destination data in a branching position or the like is inputted from a transmitter on the ground side, and a control operating device 10 which drives and controls motors M1 and M2 on a basis of this data are provided on the side of an unattended vehicle A. Data received by the receiver 7 is stored in a memory 13 through an I/O port 11 and a CPU12. The transversal displacement is detected in accordance with light sensing states of the optical sensor 6 in right, left, and center positions, and the detection signal is counted by a counter 14 and is operated together with data in the memory 13 by the CPU12, and thus driving mechanisms 8 and 9 are controlled.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention enables an unmanned vehicle, such as an electromagnetic induction type or an optical guidance type used for transporting workpieces in warehouse facilities, assembly production lines, etc., to move along a predetermined route and at a desired position. This invention relates to an automatic operation control device for branching, merging, shifting, stopping, etc.

A conventional automatic flight control system uses travel guidance marks that are continuously provided along the entire length of the travel route, a sensor that detects the amount of lateral displacement of the aircraft with respect to the guidance marks, and a system that automatically controls the aircraft based on the detection results of this sensor. Separately from an automatic tracking control system comprising a steering control mechanism so as to automatically follow the guidance mark, driving position display marks provided at appropriate intervals over the travel guidance mark; A sensor that detects the presence or absence of this driving position display mark,
A receiver into which control signals for destinations such as branching, merging positions, and stop positions are input; means for counting the number of travel position display marks as the vehicle travels based on detection signals from the sensors; and input control of the receiver. Automatic operation control comprising means for calculating the signal and the count signal, and means for outputting control signals for branching, merging, shifting, stopping, etc. to the travel drive mechanism and steering drive mechanism based on the calculation results. However, this method requires a large number of travel position display marks for operation control and sensors to detect these marks. Since the construction requires a lot of time and effort, the cost of equipment for automatic operation control systems including such unmanned vehicles has skyrocketed.

The present invention provides that an unmanned vehicle traveling route is generally composed of a combination of straight lines and curved lines, and that on a straight route, even if the unmanned vehicle is only intermittently steered in the unmanned area, the unmanned vehicle deviates from the predetermined traveling route beyond a permissible range. The aim is to improve the above-mentioned drawbacks in terms of equipment by making reasonable modifications to the guidance mark side.

The automatic operation control system for an unmanned vehicle according to the present invention, which has been made to achieve such an object, has a characteristic configuration that includes travel guidance marks provided at appropriate intervals and a sensor that detects the lateral displacement of the vehicle with respect to the guidance marks. , a steering drive mechanism for controlling the steering so that the aircraft automatically follows the guidance mark based on the detection result of the sensor; a means for receiving destination data; and a means for receiving destination data; an unmanned vehicle, comprising: means for counting the number of , means for calculating the received data signal and the count signal, and means for outputting a control signal to a travel drive mechanism and a steering drive mechanism based on the calculation result. The point is that it was constructed from.

The effects of the above feature configuration are as follows.

In other words, the steering control for making the unmanned vehicle follow a predetermined travel route is an intermittent control, and the control interval is relatively long although it varies depending on the travel speed, etc., so the travel guidance mark Even if it is made into a discontinuous mark, it will not have any adverse effect on the desired follow-up control.
Therefore, by counting the number of travel guidance marks based on the detection signal of the tracking sensor, the current travel position of the unmanned vehicle can be reliably grasped. By calculating the destination data signals such as the gear shift position and stop position, and controlling the travel drive mechanism and steering drive mechanism based on the calculation results, the unmanned vehicle is guided along the desired travel route according to the input destination data. It is possible to reliably branch, merge, change gears, stop, etc. at certain positions.

The effects of the above action are as follows.

In other words, it is not only possible to reduce the number of travel position display marks and sensors for detecting these marks for operation control as in the past, but also eliminates the need for construction on the travel position display marks. It has now become possible to economically advantageously install an automatic operation control system for unmanned vehicles.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the configuration of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a pair of left and right steering wheels (2+,
(Equipped with a steering frame (3) that is rotatable around the vertical axis (P) that supports the steering frame (3) and a motor (Ml) that rotates the steering frame (3) through a chain, etc., and , A pair of left and right drive wheels i41, f4) driven by a motor (M2) are installed at the rear of the vehicle to form an unmanned vehicle (A) for carrying cargo. On the (FL) side, light reflective marks (6), which are examples of travel guide marks, are provided at appropriate intervals in the traveling direction, and on the unmanned vehicle (A) side, the light reflective marks +61 are provided.
an optical sensor (6) that detects the amount of lateral displacement of the aircraft relative to 7) Also, based on the detection signal of the optical sensor (6) and the input data signal of the receiver (7), the aircraft automatically follows the light reflection mark +51 and moves along its travel route. The steering drive mechanism (
8) and the travel drive device 5 (9) of the travel motor (M2).
) is provided with a control arithmetic unit (lO) using a microcomputer that outputs control signals.

As shown in FIG. 5, the light-reflecting mark (6) includes a flat light-reflecting part (5a) made of a highly light-reflective structure or material and a part (5b) that is fixed to the floor (FL). )
It is composed of. Incidentally, instead of providing such a driving fixing part (5b), as shown in FIG. The optical sensor (6) includes a light emitting unit (6, 1), (6a') that emits light toward the light reflective mark (5).
, (6a) and the light-receiving parts (
6b).

(6b') and (6b).

Next, the control calculation device using the microcomputer (
The steering and operation control according to 10) will be explained based on FIGS. 3 and 4.

That is, the destination data such as the branch position, merging position, deceleration position, and stop position received by the receiver (7) is stored in the memory (13) via the boat (11) and the CPU (12). . At this time, a soft counter (141) that counts the number of light reflection marks (5+) from the starting position is reset based on the detection signal of the optical sensor (6).

When the reflected light is detected by the light receiving part of the optical sensor (6), the detection signal of the optical sensor (6) is
. The data is input to the CPU (+2) via the boat (river), and the soft counter (14) operates - times.

At this time, the CPU (12) calculates the detection signal according to the program stored in the memory (I barrel), and based on the calculation result, for example, the central light receiving part < 6 b ) q' (
When the right light receiving section (6b) senses, the aircraft is steered to the right, and the center light receiving section (6b): 1. - When the left photodetector (6b) is detected, the aircraft is steered to the left, the center photodetector (6b) is detected, and the left and right photodetectors (6b) and (6b') are not sensitive. In order to control the aircraft to go straight, the I/. A control signal is output from the boat (river) to the steering drive mechanism (8) of the steering motor (Ml).

In this way, while automatically moving the aircraft along the light reflection mark (5), it moves from its starting position to the light reflection mark (5).
5) Count the number of items. The count signal and the data signal stored in the memory circle are calculated by the CPU (+2), and the aircraft moves to the data branch position, merging position, deceleration position,
When it is determined that the stop position has been reached, the corresponding control signals are sent to the I10 port (from the river to the steering motor (M)).
is output to the steering drive mechanism (8) of the drive motor (M2) and the drive drive mechanism (9) of the drive motor (M2).

In addition, an unmanned person arrived at the destination! In (A), after the predetermined cargo transfer work has been carried out, it is determined whether the work has been completed or not, and if there is work remaining, the same as above is performed based on the newly input destination data. Operation control is performed.

In the above embodiment, a light reflective tape was used as the guide mark [5i] and a light sensor was used as the sensor (6), but instead of this, a magnetic mark and a magnetic sensor or a metal mark and a metal sensing sensor were used. It may be carried out using.

For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the unmanned Jij (A), which has completed the predetermined loading and unloading work, is set at address Po on the first travel route (R1) as its home position and goes straight through the branch at address P1 to address P2. In the case of decelerating at address P3 and stopping at address P3, (a) When the unmanned vehicle (A) arrives at address r1, a control signal for driving straight is output to the steering drive mechanism (8).

(b) When the unmanned vehicle (A) arrives at address P2, a control signal for deceleration is output to the travel drive mechanism (9).

(c) When the unmanned vehicle (A) arrives at address P3, a control signal for stopping is output to the traveling drive mechanism (9).

It should be noted that the unmanned vehicle (A) is placed on the first traveling route (R1) at address P1.
) to the second travel route (R2), reset the soft counter 04) at the time of the branch,
It is configured to sequentially count the number of light reflection marks (5) again from the branch position.

In the above embodiment, the destination data from the transmitter on the ground side is received by the receiver (7) installed in the unmanned vehicle (A), and the data is input into the microcomputer. Alternatively, a destination setter provided in the unmanned m(A) may be configured to input the destination data into the microcomputer; in short, any means may be used as long as it can receive advance data.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 and 2 are a side view and a plan view showing the driving relationship of an unmanned vehicle, Figure 3 is an operation control system diagram, Figure 4 is a flowchart of operation control, and Figure 5 is a front view of the travel guidance mark. FIG. 6 is a front view of a travel guide mark showing another embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a travel line. (A)...Unmanned vehicle, (5i...Travel guidance mark, (6)...Sensor, (8)...
Steering drive mechanism, (9)...L@drive mechanism. Figure 1 - M3 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 6 A

Claims (1)

[Claims] ■ Travel guidance marks (5) provided at appropriate intervals
and a sensor (6) that detects the amount of lateral displacement of the aircraft with respect to this guidance mark (5), and based on the detection result of this sensor (6), the aircraft moves to the guidance mark (5) and automatically follows the guidance mark (5). Steering drive mechanism that controls steering as follows (8)
, a means for receiving a destination take, a means for counting the number of the guidance marks (6) as the vehicle travels, a means for calculating the received take signal and the count signal, and a traveling drive based on the calculation result. An unmanned vehicle (A) equipped with a means for outputting a control signal to the mechanism (9) and the steering drive mechanism (8)
An automatic operation control device for an unmanned vehicle, comprising: (2) The automatic operation control device for an unmanned vehicle according to claim (2), wherein the guide mark (5) is a light reflective tape, and the sensor (6) is an optical sensor. Q) The automatic operation control device for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the guide mark (5) is a magnetic mark and the sensor (6) is a magnetic sensor. (2) The automatic operation control device for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 0, wherein the guide mark (5) is a metal mark and the sensor (6) is a metal sensing sensor.