JP2000259248A - Collision preventing device for travelling vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a collision preventing device for a carrier to prevent collision at junction without using a central intensive controller and a iunction controller. SOLUTION: A leader and a sub-leader are selected based on evaluated values intrinsic to respective vehicles, an entrance application signai is transmitted to a leader by the carrier entering the junction and when no carrier to enter the iunction exists, an entrance permission signal is transmitted and when the carrier to enter the iunction exists in an area, a stand-by signal is transmitted by the leader. A passage signal is transmitted when the carrier passes the junction by the carrier entered the iunction and the entrance permission signal is transmitted to the stand-by carrier by the leader responding to the passage signal. When the leader is failed, the sub-leader is promoted to the leader and junction control is continuously performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an AGV (Automate
The present invention relates to a collision prevention device for a traveling vehicle mounted on an automatic conveyance vehicle such as a d Guided Vehicle).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Automatic transport vehicles such as AGVs are increasingly used in logistics and transport systems used in container yards in harbors, or in transport systems in factories. In such a transport system, for example, a traveling route is set in advance in a predetermined traveling area such as in a container yard,
A plurality of transport vehicles automatically travel individually along the travel route according to the instructions. Since there is a junction in the traveling route, it is necessary to control the transport vehicle so as not to collide at this junction.

An example of collision prevention control at a junction is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 61-226813 entitled "Truckless Vehicle Operation Management Apparatus". In this device, as shown in FIG. 13, a centralized central control device for centrally managing the transport system is installed, and the centralized central control device sets a traveling route such that the transport vehicles do not collide with each other at each junction. Calculate and send to each carrier. Each carrier travels according to the received travel route.

[0004] As another example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 4-36566 is an example.
No. 8 discloses a "branching / merging system of a transport device". In this system, a junction management device is installed at each of a plurality of branch / junction points. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, the transport vehicle 3 first escapes from the junction area of the junction 4 managed by the junction management device 5, and then the transport vehicle 1 and the transport vehicle 2 enter the junction 4 in this order. In this case, the transport vehicle 1 and the transport vehicle 2 each apply for an entry permission to the junction management device 5, and the junction management device 5
Based on the escape notification, only the carrier 1 is permitted to enter the junction, and the carrier 2 is given a standby command.

[0005]

In the above-mentioned prior art, it is necessary to install a centralized management device or a junction management device for each junction, which has a problem that the cost increases. Further, when the centralized management device breaks down, it is not possible to instruct a traveling route, and it becomes impossible not only to prevent the collision but also to continue the operation of the transport system itself. In addition, if the junction management device fails, it becomes impossible to use the failed junction, and the transport system cannot be used effectively.

Furthermore, in the prior art in which a junction management device is installed, it is necessary to add or change the junction management device for addition or change of the junction, and the system flexibility is extremely low and the system can respond quickly. There is a problem that can not be.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a collision preventing device for a traveling vehicle that can prevent vehicle collision without installing a centralized management device or a management device for each junction.

[0008]

The present invention according to claim 1 is mounted on a plurality of traveling vehicles which are set in a predetermined traveling area in advance and travel along a traveling route where a junction exists. In a collision preventing device for a traveling vehicle for avoiding a collision at a point, a storage means for storing a position of a confluence point, an evaluation value unique to the own vehicle, and a position detecting means for detecting a current own vehicle position on a traveling area A traveling drive unit for controlling traveling and stopping of the vehicle; outputting the evaluation value of the own vehicle stored in the storage unit; and inputting the evaluation value of the other vehicle and the evaluation value of the own vehicle stored in the storage unit. Based on the above, when the evaluation value of the own vehicle is the highest, the own vehicle is determined to be the leader and the reader determining means for writing the reader as the reader in the storage means, and based on the storage means and the position detecting means, up to the confluence to be entered. Has reached the set merging distance After the entry application signal is output and the entry application signal is output, when the entry permission signal is input, the traveling drive unit is controlled to enter the junction, and after passing the junction, a passing signal is output and the entry application signal is output Later, when a standby signal is input, the entry side merging control means for controlling the traveling drive means to stop the vehicle, and when stored in the storage means as a leader, the input approach application signal is input to the merging point management information. For vehicles that output an entry signal at the same junction, the entry permission signal is output only to the vehicle that attempts to enter the junction first, and the second or later junction is output. For the vehicle that is about to enter the vehicle, the leader-side merging control unit that outputs a standby signal and the evaluation value of the own vehicle output from the leader determination unit are transmitted, and the received evaluation value of the other vehicle is transmitted to the leader determination unit. Enter and join the entry side The entry application signal and the passing signal output from the control means are transmitted, and the received entry permission signal and the standby signal are input to the entry side joining control means, and the entry permission signal and the standby signal output from the reader side joining control means are transmitted. Communication means for transmitting and receiving the entered application signal to the leader-side merging control means.

According to the present invention, a unique evaluation value is defined for each vehicle, and the evaluation value is set according to, for example, the information processing capability of a computer mounted on the vehicle. Therefore, for example, when the system is started, the evaluation values are exchanged using the reader determination means, the vehicle having the highest evaluation value is determined as the leader, and the vehicle is written as the reader in the storage means.

[0010] When entering the junction, when the distance to the junction to be approached reaches the junction distance, the vehicle to be entered transmits an entry application signal. This merging distance may be stored in the storage means in advance, for example, or may be derived as appropriate according to the traveling speed of the vehicle. The leader receives the entry application signal transmitted by each vehicle, stores it in the storage means as merge point management information, and when there are a plurality of vehicles trying to enter the same merge point, the reader enters the merge point first. The access permission signal is transmitted only to the vehicle that performs the operation, and the standby signal is transmitted to the other vehicles. When the vehicle that wants to enter the junction receives the entry permission signal, the vehicle enters the junction as it is by the travel control means, and sends a passing signal back to the reader when passing through the junction. After transmitting the approach signal, the vehicle that has returned the standby signal from the reader is stopped by the traveling drive means. Upon receiving the passing signal, the reader determines that it is possible to enter the junction, and transmits the passing signal to the waiting vehicle. In response, the waiting vehicle enters the junction by the traveling drive means, and after passing, transmits a passing signal.

As described above, the collision of the vehicle at the merging point is avoided by the merging control means on the leader side of the leader vehicle. Such a leader-side merging control means is provided in a collision prevention device mounted on each vehicle, and does not need to be separately installed as a centralized management device as in the prior art, and as a merging point management device for each merging point. Since there is no need for installation, no installation cost is required. In addition, addition or change of a junction can be handled by adding or changing the junction stored in the storage means, and the system is more flexible than a conventional junction management device.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, when the evaluation value of the own vehicle is the second highest based on the input evaluation value of the other vehicle and the stored evaluation value of the own vehicle, Is a sub-reader written in the storage means, a failure determination means for determining that the reader has failed, and, if the sub-reader is written in the storage means, receives an entry application signal transmitted from each vehicle by the communication means and receives the junction management information. And sub-reader control means for rewriting the sub-reader written in the storage means to the reader and promoting the reader to the reader when the failure judgment means judges that the reader has failed.

According to the present invention, the sub-leader is also selected by the reader determination means, and the junction management information is stored together with the reader by the sub-reader control means. When the failure determination means determines that the reader has failed, the sub-reader control means rewrites the sub-reader written in the storage means with the reader. When the sub-reader is rewritten by the reader, the leader-side merge control means is started in response to the rewrite, and performs merge point control based on the merge point management information stored in the storage means. In this way, when the leader fails, the sub-leader is promoted to the leader and the junction control can be performed.

In the prior art using a centralized management device,
If the centralized management device itself fails, the entire system goes down. In the conventional technology using the junction management device, if the junction management device fails, the junction managed by the junction management device is controlled. However, in the present invention, if the leader performing the merge point breaks down, the sub-leader is promoted to the leader and continues to perform the merge point management in the present invention. The problem that the whole system goes down or that some confluence points cannot be used is prevented.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the reader determining means determines a vehicle having the next highest evaluation value after the own vehicle based on the input evaluation value of the other vehicle and the stored evaluation value of the own vehicle. The sub-leader control means is stored in the storage means, and the sub-reader control means is written with the sub-reader in the storage means, and when promoted from the sub-leader to the reader, the confluence point management information stored in the storage means is stored next to the own vehicle by the communication means. Transmit to a vehicle with a high evaluation value, when neither the reader nor the sub-reader is written in the storage means, and when the confluence point management information is received by the communication means, the confluence point management information is stored in the storage means, It is characterized in that a sub-reader is written in the storage means.

According to the present invention, the leader determination means stores the vehicle having the next highest evaluation value in the storage means in the storage means, and when the sub-leader has been promoted to the leader, merges the junction management information stored in the storage means. The transmission is transmitted to the vehicle having the next highest evaluation value after the own vehicle. The vehicle that has received the junction management information writes the sub-leader in the storage means and is promoted to the sub-leader, becomes a new sub-leader, and continues to store the junction management information performed by the sub-leader. Further, if the new leader fails, the new sub-leader is promoted to a leader. At this time, the new sub-leader is selected by passing the junction management information to the vehicle having the highest evaluation value next to the new sub-leader. By sequentially changing the leader and the sub-leader in this way, the confluence point management is performed as long as the traveling vehicle exists, and the downfall of the entire transport system is reliably prevented.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the failure determination means does not receive any of the entry permission signal and the standby signal within a predetermined time after transmitting the entry application signal to the reader, and the other vehicle determines When it is possible to communicate with the reader, it is determined that the reader is out of order.

According to the present invention, after the entry request signal is transmitted, if there is no response from the reader within a predetermined time, the entry request signal is transmitted to another vehicle, for example, a sub-reader, and a response is received from the sub-reader. If it can be confirmed that communication with the sub-reader is possible, it is determined that the reader is out of order. This makes it possible to identify whether the reader is out of order or the communication means of the own vehicle is out of order.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a carrier 11 on which a collision preventing device 10 for a traveling vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted. The transport vehicle 11 is, for example, an automatic traveling vehicle used in a transport system of a container terminal. In the transport system of the container terminal, a travel route is set in advance in a predetermined travel area such as a container yard, and each transport vehicle 11 travels from a designated starting point along a travel route to a designated destination. It travels by automatic operation and transports containers.
There are a plurality of junctions in the traveling route, and there is a possibility that the transport vehicles 11 collide with each other at the junctions. Therefore, in order to avoid the collision, each transport vehicle 11 is equipped with a collision prevention device 10.

The collision prevention device 10 includes a control unit 12, a communication unit 13, a traveling drive unit 14, and a position detection unit 15. The control unit 12 includes a storage unit, a reader determination unit, an entry side merge control unit, a reader It has side merging control means, sub-leader control means, and failure determination means. The communication means 13 is capable of wirelessly communicating with at least all the other transport vehicles 11 traveling in the travel area.
2 is transmitted, and the received signal is input to the control means 12. The traveling drive unit 14 controls a traveling drive source of the carrier 11 and controls traveling and stop of the carrier 11 based on a signal from the control unit 12. The position detecting means 15 detects the current position on the traveling area of the carrier 11 as, for example, a coordinate position and inputs it to the control means 12.

The storage means of the control means 12 stores in advance the position of the merge point as a coordinate position on the traveling area and identifies the merge point.
It is stored together with the D number. In addition, an evaluation value unique to the carrier 11 is set. The evaluation value is determined by the information processing capability of the microcomputer of the control means 12, and a value specific to the collision prevention device 10 of each carrier 11 is determined by, for example, the calculation speed or the storage capacity. Further, a unique ID number is set in the storage means in order to identify the transport vehicle 11.

When the transport system is started, first, a vehicle serving as a leader is selected by the leader determination means. FIG.
5 is a flowchart illustrating a control process of a reader determination unit.

When the transport system is started, the control of the reader determining means is started. First, at step a1, the reader determining means transmits the evaluation value of the own vehicle from the communication means 13 together with the ID number of the own vehicle. In step a2, the evaluation value and the ID number transmitted by each carrier are received by the communication means 13, and in step a3, the evaluation value of the own vehicle stored in the storage means is compared with the evaluation value of another carrier, If the evaluation value of the own vehicle is the highest, the process proceeds to step a4, and the reader is written in the storage means and the own vehicle becomes the leader vehicle.

If the evaluation value of the own vehicle is not the first in step a3, the process proceeds to step a5, where the evaluation value of the own vehicle is 2
It is determined whether it is the second highest. If the number is the second highest, the sub-reader is written in the storage means in step a6. Next, in step a7, the ID number of the carrier having the highest evaluation value after the own vehicle is written in the storage means, and in step a8, the ID number of the leader vehicle is written.

If the evaluation value of the own vehicle is not the second in step a5, it is determined that the own vehicle is neither the leader nor the sub-leader, and the process proceeds to step a9, where the ID of the carrier having the next highest evaluation value after the own vehicle is determined. The number is written, and the ID number of the leader car is written in step a10.

Further, the leader and the sub-leader may be controlled so as to transmit and declare that the own vehicle is the leader or the sub-leader to all the transport vehicles together with the transport vehicle ID.

Next, a description will be given of a merging distance R for determining a timing of transmitting an entry application signal when entering a merging point. The carrier 11 sends an entry application signal to the leader vehicle before entering the junction, and enters the junction when a leader signal is returned from the leader vehicle. The timing of transmission of the entry application signal is transmitted when the distance to the junction to be entered reaches the junction distance R.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a method for deriving the merging distance R. When the minimum distance that can avoid collision between the transport vehicles is D, the required stop distance of the transport vehicle is L, the maximum advance / retreat determination time delay is T, and the transport vehicle speed is V, the merge distance R
Is R ≧ D + L + VT
Calculated as (1). Here, the minimum distance D that can avoid collision between the transport vehicles is defined by the largest transport vehicle among the transport vehicles 11 traveling in the travel area, and does not collide when the largest transport vehicle passes the junction. It is the distance from the center of the junction. The required stop distance L is a distance required from when the brake is applied to when the transport vehicle stops, and the required stop distance L is determined based on the maximum speed of each transport vehicle. The maximum delay time T is the maximum delay from the transmission of the entry request signal to the reception of either the entry permission signal or the standby signal or to the determination that the communication means of the vehicle has failed. Time. The transport vehicle speed V is set based on, for example, the maximum speed of each transport vehicle. By substituting the minimum collision avoidance distance D, the required stop distance L, and the time delay T into the above equation (1), the merging distance R is calculated for each carrier and stored in the storage means.

The merging distance R may be stored in the storage means in advance as described above, and a speed detecting means for detecting the traveling speed of the vehicle is provided. The distance R may be calculated. Further, the merging distance R may be set such that the conveying vehicle speed V is the maximum speed of all the conveying vehicles and the merging distance R is constant for all the conveying vehicles, and the distance R is stored in the storage means.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a signal transmission / reception state at the junction, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control process of the entry-side junction control means. First, at step b1, the merging distance R stored in the storage means and the position detection means 1
Based on the current position from No. 5, it is detected that the distance to the junction to be entered has reached the junction distance R, and the control of the entry-side junction control means is started. In the next step b2, the entry-side junction control is performed. The means outputs an entry application signal, and transmits an entry application signal from the communication means 13 to the leader vehicle together with the ID number of the vehicle and the ID number of the junction to be entered.

Next, at step b3, the communication means 13
It is determined whether or not has received an entry permission signal from the leader vehicle. If the signal has been received and the entry permission signal has been input to the entry-side merge control means, the process proceeds to step b4, where the approach-side merge control means sets By controlling the means 14, the vehicle 14 moves forward and enters the junction. When the vehicle enters the junction and the passage of the junction is detected by the position detection means 15 in step b5, a passage signal is output in step b6 and the passage signal is transmitted to the leader vehicle via the communication means 13. The transmission signal may be transmitted, for example, when the above-mentioned junction distance R is away from the junction, or when the above-mentioned minimum collision avoidance distance D is away from the center of the junction. Alternatively, the transmission may be performed when a predetermined distance is determined for each junction.

If no entry permission signal is received in step b3, the operation proceeds to step b7, and if a standby signal is received, the operation proceeds to step b8, where
Control 4 to apply brakes and stop just before entering the junction. Thereafter, the transport vehicle that has entered the junction passes through the junction, transmits a passing signal to the leader vehicle, transmits an entry permission signal to the own vehicle in which the leader vehicle is waiting, and in step b9, the entry permission signal is transmitted. Is received, the traveling drive means 14 is controlled to transmit the carrier, and the process proceeds to step b4 to enter the junction.

If the standby signal is not received in step b7, the failure determination means determines whether the leader vehicle has failed or the own vehicle has failed. This failure determination means will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the control process of the leader-side merging control means. Table 1 shows a merging point management list which is merging point management information.

[0035]

[Table 1]

Referring to FIG. 6 and Table 1, a control method of the reader-side merging control means will be described. When the reader is written in the storage means by the above-described reader determination means, the own vehicle is determined to be the leader and the control of the leader-side merging control means is started. The leader-side merging control means performs merging point management based on the merging point management list.

As shown in Table 1, the merge point management list is written in each row as a management record including a merge point ID, a carrier ID, a state, and a reception time in the order of reception. For example, in Table 1, in the first row, a carrier having a carrier ID = 003 is located at a confluence of a carrier ID = 01 at time 9:13:17.
This indicates that the entry application signal was transmitted at the second 76. Each management record is entered in the junction management list in the order of reception time. In order to speed up data retrieval, the management records having the same junction ID are arranged in the junction management list in order. Add to management list.
For example, as shown in Table 1, when a carrier with a carrier ID = 009 attempts to enter a junction with a junction ID = 01, the entry application information is the management record on the first line having the same junction ID. At the line following the

When a signal is input to the reader-side merging control means via the communication means 13, the type of the received signal, the merging point ID, and the carrier ID are checked in step c1.
In step c2, a management record having the same junction ID is checked in the junction management list. Step c
If the signal received in step 3 is an entry application signal,
Proceed to the next step c4.

If the above management record does not exist, an entry permission signal is transmitted to the carrier having the carrier ID in step c5, and the junction ID, the carrier ID, and the like are added to the junction management list in step c6. A management record with the state of entry is inserted. For example, in Table 1, the vehicle ID = 00 at time 9: 13: 17: 76.
3 in response to the approach application signal from the carrier 3
01 management record did not exist, so the carrier ID
= 003, an entry permission signal is transmitted, and a management record having a junction ID of 01, a transport vehicle ID of 003, and a state of entry at the junction is inserted.

If the aforementioned management record exists in step c4, a standby signal is transmitted to the carrier having the carrier ID in step c7, and in step c8, the consolidation point ID and the carrier The management record whose ID and state are waiting is inserted. For example, in Table 1, the vehicle ID = 00 at time 9: 15: 37: 21
9 for the entry application signal from the carrier 9
01 management record already exists,
A standby signal is transmitted to the transport vehicle having the status of “009”, and a management record having a junction ID of “01”, a transport vehicle ID of “009”, and a standby status is inserted.

On the other hand, if the signal received in step c3 is a passing signal, the management record whose state is the entry of the junction is deleted from the junction management list in step c9. Next, in step c10, the same junction I
The management record having the status D is checked, and if there is a management record in the standby state, an entry permission signal to the carrier of the management record registered at the earliest is transmitted in step c11, and the junction management is performed in step c12. The status of the management record in the list is changed from standby to junction entry. For example, when the passing signal is received from the carrier having the carrier ID = 003 in Table 1, the confluence ID = 0.
1. Since the management record of the carrier ID = 003 is deleted, and the management record of the confluence ID = 01 still exists, the entry permission signal is sent to the carrier of the next management record, the carrier ID = 009. At the same time, the state of the management record of the confluence point ID = 01 and the carrier ID = 009 is changed from standby to entry of the confluence point.

When the leader vehicle enters the junction, the leader-side merging control means responds to the entry request signal output by the leader-side merging control means of the leader vehicle, and outputs either the entry permission signal or the standby signal. Input to the entry-side merge control means.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing a control process of the failure judging means, and FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a communication state at the time of failure judgment. When the entry application signal is transmitted to the leader vehicle in step b2 of the entry-side merging means shown in FIG. 5 described above, the failure determination means starts counting time with a timer in step d1. The timer measures a predetermined time, and if neither the entry signal nor the standby signal is received from the leader vehicle within the predetermined time in step d2, an entry permission signal is transmitted to the sub-reader in step d3. Then, step d4
When the entry permission signal is received from the sub-leader, it is determined that the leader car is out of order, and based on the instruction from the sub-leader, the process proceeds to step b4 in the flowchart of the entry side joining means shown in FIG. enter in.

If the entry permission signal is not received in step d4, the process proceeds to step d5, and the process proceeds to step d5.
Even when the standby signal is received from the sub-reader in step 5, it is determined that the leader vehicle is out of order, and the process proceeds to step b8 in FIG. 5 based on the standby signal from the sub-leader, and stops according to the instruction of the standby signal from the sub-leader. .

If the standby signal is not received in the above step d5, the process proceeds to step d6, where it is determined whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the entry signal was transmitted to the sub-reader. If not, the process returns to step d4. If the elapsed time has elapsed, it is determined that the communication means of the own vehicle has failed or that both the leader and the sub-leader have failed. In any case, since the transport operation cannot be performed normally, the operator immediately retreats to a safe place in step d7.

If there is no reply even though the entry permission signal has been transmitted, there are two cases, that is, the case where the leader car is out of order and the case where the own car is out of order. After the lapse of time, an entry application signal is transmitted to the sub-leader, which is another carrier different from the leader vehicle, and if a reply is received, it is determined that the communication means of the own vehicle is normal and the leader vehicle is broken. can do.

In step d3, a failure detection signal is sent to the sub-reader instead of sending an entry permission signal, and the sub-reader sends back either the entry permission signal or the standby signal in response to the failure detection signal. May be controlled.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a control method of the sub-reader control means in a normal state. When the own vehicle is determined to be the sub-leader by the reader determination means and the sub-reader is written in the storage means, normal control of the sub-reader control means is started.

The sub-leader control means creates a confluence point management list similar to that of the leader. That is, step e5
In step (2), the communication means 13 receives an entry request signal transmitted from another carrier toward the leader carrier, and the sub-reader control means writes the entry request to the merge point management list in the storage means in the same manner as the leader-side merge control means described above. Put in. At step e7, a passing signal transmitted by the carrier passing through the junction is received, and a management record relating to the carrier passing through is deleted from the junction management list. In step e9, the state of the management record of the standby transport vehicle is changed from standby to entry into the junction.

In this way, the sub-leader control means creates a merge point management list similar to that of the leader.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the replacement of the reader and the sub-reader when the reader fails, and FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the control process of the sub-reader control means at that time. When the failure determination means determines that the leader vehicle is out of order, the subleader is promoted to a leader.

As described above, the carrier that has transmitted the entry application signal transmits the entry application signal to the sub-leader if there is no reply from the leader even after the predetermined time has elapsed. When the sub-leader control means receives the entry application signal for the sub-leader in step f1 of FIG. 11, it determines that the own vehicle has been promoted to the leader, and in step f2, the all-vehicles 11
Then, the ID of the own vehicle that has become the leader is transmitted to declare that the own vehicle is the leader, and the sub-reader of the storage means is rewritten to the reader in the next step f3. In response to the rewriting to the reader, the control of the leader side merging control means is started, and the merging point management is started.

The sub-reader control means rewrites the data in the storage means with the reader, and then proceeds to step f4. In the storage means, the ID of the carrier having the highest evaluation value next to the own vehicle by the leader determination means
Is transmitted, and the junction management list stored in the storage means is transmitted to the carrier having the next evaluation value. In this way, when the leader car breaks down, the sub-leader is promoted to the leader, and the promoted leader continues to manage the junction.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a control process of the sub-leader control means of a normal transporting vehicle which is neither the leader nor the sub-leader. As described above, when the sub-leader is promoted to a leader, the merge point management list stored by the sub-leader is transmitted to the carrier having the next evaluation value. When the ordinary carrier that is neither the leader nor the sub-leader receives the merge point management information in step g1, it judges that the own vehicle has been promoted to the sub-leader in step g2, and writes the merge point management list in the storage means.
At 3, the sub-reader is written into the storage means. When the sub-reader is written in the storage means, the normal control of the sub-reader control means shown in FIG. 9 is started in response. In this way, when the sub-leader is promoted to the leader, the ordinary carrier having the next evaluation value is promoted to the sub-leader. Therefore,
It is possible to maintain the confluence point management as long as the carrier exists.

When a new transport vehicle is added to the transport system, the leader may be selected again by using the leader determination means. The newly added transport vehicle is next to the transport vehicle with the lowest evaluation value. May be controlled.
When the junction is added or changed, it is only necessary to add or change the junction stored in the storage means of each vehicle.

Further, each reader and the sub-reader communicate with each other at regular intervals, the reader confirms that the communication means of the sub-reader has not failed, and when the reader detects the failure of the communication means of the sub-reader, the sub-reader is activated. Change to a carrier with the following evaluation value. In this case, the leader determination means of each transport vehicle shall store the evaluation values of all the transport vehicles in the storage device, and when the new sub-leader is replaced, all the merging point management lists stored by the leader are stored in the new sub-leader. Send. In response to receiving the merge point management list, the new sub-leader starts normal control of the sub-leader control means.
In this way, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the reader and the sub-leader fail simultaneously. In addition, each carrier is provided with a proximity sensor, so that collision can be avoided more reliably.

[0057]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a collision preventing device is mounted on each carrier, and one leader is selected from a plurality of carriers, and the junction is managed by the leader. In addition, it is not necessary to separately install a centralized management device and a junction management device as in the related art, and the cost can be reduced. In addition, the change of the junction only needs to change the junction stored in the storage means, and the system is rich in flexibility.

According to the present invention, when the reader fails, the sub-leader is promoted to the leader. For example, in a conventional system using a centralized management device, if the centralized management device fails, the entire system goes down. However, if a leader fails, the system goes down due to the promotion of the sub-leader to the leader. Without having to maintain confluence.

When communication with the reader becomes impossible, such as when the communication environment between the traveling vehicles is not good, the confluence point manager quickly shifts from the reader to the sub-leader, and the confluence point is maintained without stopping the system. Management can be maintained.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the sub-leader is promoted to the leader, the merging point management information held by the sub-leader is transmitted to the carrier having the third evaluation value. The carrier having the evaluation value is the sub-leader. By sequentially upgrading in this way, it is possible to reliably prevent the system from going down, and to maintain the junction management.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when there is no reply from the reader, the reader is determined to be out of order when communication with another vehicle is possible, so that the communication means of the own vehicle is out of order. And whether the reader is out of order.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a collision prevention apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a transport vehicle 11 on which is mounted.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a control process of a reader determination unit.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a merging distance R;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a signal transmission / reception state at a junction.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control process of an entry-side merging control means.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a control process of a leader-side merging control unit.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a control process of a failure determination unit.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a transmission / reception state when a failure is detected.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a normal control process of the sub-reader control means.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing promotion from a sub-leader to a reader when a reader fails.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a control process of a sub-reader control unit when a failure is determined.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a control process of a sub-reader control unit of a normal transport vehicle.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a conventional junction management system using a centralized management device.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a conventional collision prevention system in which a junction management device is installed for each junction.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Collision prevention device 11 Transport vehicle 12 Control means 13 Communication means 14 Travel drive means 15 Position detection means

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hideaki Ota 1-1, Kawasaki-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. Inside Akashi Plant (72) Inventor Fumihiro Honda 1-1-1, Kawasaki-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. Akashi Factory (72) Inventor Koichi Fukumoto 1-1, Kawasaki-cho, Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. Akashi Factory F-term (reference) 5H301 AA02 AA03 AA09 BB05 CC03 CC06 DD01 DD08 DD17 EE03 EE12 GG11 LL04 LL08 LL11 LL17 MM09

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A collision of a traveling vehicle mounted on a plurality of traveling vehicles which are set in a predetermined traveling area in advance and travel along a traveling route where a junction exists, and which avoid collision at the junction. Storage means for storing the position of the junction and an evaluation value unique to the own vehicle; position detecting means for detecting the current position of the own vehicle in the running area; and running drive means for controlling running and stopping of the vehicle. And outputting the evaluation value of the own vehicle stored in the storage means, and based on the input evaluation value of the other vehicle and the evaluation value of the own vehicle stored in the storage means, when the evaluation value of the own vehicle is the highest. When the distance to the converging point to be entered reaches the set converging distance based on the reader judging means for judging the own vehicle as a leader and writing it to the memory means as a reader, and the memory means and the position detecting means. Outputs the entry application signal and outputs the entry application signal After the force, when the entry permission signal is input, the traveling drive means is controlled to enter the junction, and after passing the junction, a passing signal is output.After the entry application signal is output, the standby signal is input. Is an entry-side merging control means for controlling the traveling drive means to stop the vehicle; and, when stored in the memory means as a reader, stores the input approach application signal in the memory means as merging point management information, and For a vehicle that outputs an entry signal for a point, an entry permission signal is output only for the vehicle that attempts to enter the junction first, and for a vehicle that attempts to enter the junction after the second. A leader-side merging control unit that outputs a standby signal; and an evaluation value of the own vehicle output from the leader determination unit.
The received evaluation value of the other vehicle is input to the reader determination means, the entry application signal and the passing signal output from the entry side merge control means are transmitted, and the received entry permission signal and standby signal are input to the entry side merge control means. Communication means for transmitting an entry permission signal and a standby signal output from the leader-side merging control means, and inputting the received entry application signal to the reader-side merging control means. apparatus. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: determining, based on the input evaluation value of the other vehicle and the stored evaluation value of the own vehicle, that the evaluation value of the own vehicle is the second highest, and When the sub-reader is written in the storage means, the access request signal transmitted by each vehicle is received by the communication means and stored in the storage means as merge point management information. 2. The traveling vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising: sub-reader control means for rewriting the sub-reader written in the storage means to the reader and promoting the reader to the reader when the failure judgment means judges that the reader has failed. Anti-collision device. 3. The storage device according to claim 2, wherein the leader determination unit stores a vehicle having the next highest evaluation value in the storage unit based on the input evaluation value of the other vehicle and the stored evaluation value of the own vehicle. The sub-reader control means has a sub-reader written in the storage means, and, when being promoted from the sub-leader to the reader, the consolidation point management information stored in the storage means is transmitted by the communication means to the vehicle having the next highest evaluation value of the own vehicle. When both the reader and the sub-reader are not written in the storage means and the confluence point management information is received by the communication means, the confluence point management information is stored in the storage means,
3. The collision preventing device for a traveling vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the sub-reader is written in the storage unit. 4. When the failure determination means transmits an entry application signal to the reader, does not receive any of the entry permission signal and the standby signal within a predetermined time, and is capable of communicating with another vehicle. 4. The collision preventing device for a traveling vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the leader is determined to be out of order.