JP2003075173A - Method for correcting track of travel and track processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To correct the track of a vehicle in a retrospective manner. SOLUTION: A server device receives position data from a vehicle (Figure. 2 S11) and calculates the track from the received position data and displays it (S12). A determination is made as to whether or not K or more position data among N position data are out of a course determined by map information (S14). If K or more position data are out of the course, a difference in angle between the inclination of the track and the course is calculated (S16) and the track is rotated by the difference in angle to correct the track (S17).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for correcting a running locus of a vehicle and a running locus processing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In factories, warehouses and the like, a transport system for transporting luggage by traveling on a predetermined traveling path has been introduced. This transportation system consists of multiple vehicles,
It is composed of a server device for grasping the operation status of them.

The current position of the transport vehicle is calculated, for example, by the controller inside the transport vehicle, calculating the traveling distance from the rotational speed of the wheels and the outer dimensions of the wheels, and the turning angle from the output of the angular velocity sensor, and using the position data of the starting point as the position data. The current position is estimated from the calculated traveling distance and turning angle. Further, a reference point whose position data is known is provided in the middle of the traveling path, and the position data is corrected by detecting the reference point with a sensor of the transport vehicle or the like.

[0004]

However, when traveling on a curved road, the error of the position data calculated from the traveling distance and the turning angle is accumulated, and the vehicle actually travels on the road. However, the estimated traveling position may indicate the outside of the traveling path. In such a case, in the conventional transfer system, the controller of the carrier holds only the position data of the current position, and therefore the position data cannot be corrected until the reference point where the position is specified is detected. It was

Further, when the server device obtains the traveling locus from the position data transmitted from the transport vehicle and displays the traveling locus, the traveling locus different from the actual one is displayed on the display device. In such a case, in the conventional position correction method, the traveling locus is displayed while extending the traveling path until the transport vehicle detects the reference point where the position is specified and the position data is corrected. . Therefore, there is a problem that the display of the traveling locus becomes difficult for the user to understand.

An object of the present invention is to make it possible to retroactively correct the traveling locus of a vehicle.

[0007]

A method for correcting a traveling locus of the present invention acquires position data of a plurality of points where a vehicle has traveled, and compares the acquired position data of the plurality of points with a traveling path indicated by map information. When the traveling locus obtained from the position data is out of the traveling path of the map information, the traveling locus is corrected based on the map information so as to enter the traveling path.

According to the present invention, it is possible to retroactively correct the traveling locus of the vehicle so as to enter the traveling path defined by the map information. Therefore, the traveling locus can be displayed so as not to conflict with the map information. further,
By acquiring the corrected position data at the end of the traveling locus, the vehicle position data can be corrected so as to match the map information.

In the above invention, when the traveling locus extends out of the traveling route indicated by the map information, the traveling locus is centered around a point where the traveling direction changes or a predetermined point on the traveling route determined by the map information. The traveling locus may be corrected by rotating so as to coincide with the direction of the traveling path.

With this configuration, the traveling locus is rotated about the point where the traveling direction changes or the point determined by the map information so that the traveling locus enters the traveling path indicated by the map information. Can be modified. In the above invention, when the traveling locus is divided into a plurality of segments, it is determined whether or not the traveling locus is protruding from the traveling path indicated by the map information in units of the segments, and the traveling locus is protruding from the traveling path. In addition, the traveling locus may be modified so as to enter the traveling path for each segment.

The segment division method may be, for example, a point where the inclination of the traveling locus changes, a point where the position such as a stop position is specified, a mechanical position detecting marker, a magnetic marker, an optical beacon transmitter, or the like. It divides based on the point where the installed vehicle can recognize the position.

With such a configuration, it is possible to correct the traveling locus with a portion where the traveling locus is easily deviated and where the traveling road is bent as one section. In the above invention, the vehicle may acquire the position data of the traveling locus corrected by the server device and correct its own position data.

With this configuration, the vehicle can acquire the position data of the traveling locus corrected based on the map information from the server device and correct its own position data so as to match the map information. it can. In the above invention, even if the position data of the point where the position of the traveling road is specified is acquired, and the traveling locus is corrected so as to be in the traveling road based on the position data and the map information. good.

With this structure, the traveling locus can be corrected more accurately with reference to the point where the position is specified.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a method of correcting a traveling locus in a transport system according to an embodiment of the present invention. A controller 11 built in a vehicle (transport vehicle, component transport vehicle, forklift, etc.) receives a vehicle signal 12 input from a speed sensor, a yaw rate (angular velocity) sensor, or the like.
The current position is calculated based on the
A wireless transmission / reception unit (not shown) transmits the wireless signal to the server device 13.

The server device 13 manages the travel schedules of a plurality of transport vehicles and holds map information indicating the travel route of the transport vehicles. Further, the server device 13 receives the position data from the controller 11 of the transport vehicle, sequentially stores the received position data, and calculates the traveling locus from the position data. Further, the traveling locus is compared with the traveling path indicated by the map information, and it is determined whether or not the traveling locus is out of the traveling path. If the traveling locus extends beyond the certain number of data,
Correct the running path so that it is inside the running path. And
The position data at the end of the corrected travel locus, that is, the latest position data is transmitted to the transport vehicle.

The controller 11 of the transport vehicle takes in the position data at the end of the traveling locus transmitted from the server device 13 as its own position data. As a result, the traveling locus of the guided vehicle is corrected retroactively so as not to be inconsistent with the map information, so that the user can easily display the traveling locus. Further, by the position data corrected by the server device 13 being acquired by the transport vehicle, it is possible to correct its own position to match the map information.

Next, FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the processing for correcting the traveling locus of the guided vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The server device 13 receives the position data from the transport vehicle at regular intervals and sequentially stores the received position data (FIG. 2, S11). Next, the map information indicating the internal arrangement of the factory or the like, which is stored in advance in the external storage device or the like of the server device 13, is displayed, and the traveling locus of the carrier is displayed on the map information (S12). Then, the position data of a plurality of points including the received position data is held as the latest data (S13).

Next, the N pieces of position data are compared with the coordinates of the running road in the map information to determine whether or not the points indicated by the K or more pieces of position data are out of the running road (S1).
4). If the points indicated by the K or more position data are off the running path (S14, YES), step S1
Proceed to step 5 and calculate the average value of the inclination of the traveling locus. further,
An angle difference between the calculated inclination of the traveling locus and the traveling path (passage) is calculated (S16). Then, the N pieces of position data are corrected so that the traveling locus falls within the traveling path (S17). The correction of the position data is performed by, for example, correcting the corresponding position data on the traveling locus when the traveling locus is rotated so that the inclination of the traveling locus matches the extension direction of the traveling road.

Next, the corrected position data of the trailing end of the traveling locus is transmitted to the transport vehicle (S18). After that, the position data before correction (oldest data) stored inside is erased (S19). 3 (A) and 3 (B) are explanatory views of the method for correcting the traveling locus described above. As shown in FIG.
If K or more position data out of the N position data is out of the travel route determined by the map information,
Find the trajectory connecting the points specified by the N position data,
The average value of the slope of the locus is calculated. Further, the angle difference between the inclination and the extension direction of the traveling path is calculated.

When the angle difference between the inclination of the traveling path and the traveling path is obtained, the starting point of the change in the traveling direction (N in FIG. 3B).
With 0) as the origin, the traveling locus connecting points N1, N2, N3, N4 ... Is rotated by the angle difference. As a result, the traveling locus is corrected so as to enter the traveling path.

According to the above-described first embodiment, the traveling locus of the guided vehicle traveling on the determined traveling path is retroactively corrected so as to enter the traveling path determined by the map information. You can Further, by transmitting the corrected position data at the end of the traveling locus to the carrier and the carrier taking in the position data as its own position data, the position data of the carrier can be corrected so as to match the map information.

Next, FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the traveling locus correction processing according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In this correction processing, the traveling locus is divided into a plurality of segments, and the traveling locus is corrected in segment units. If the server device 13 receives the position data from the transport vehicle (FIG. 4,
S21), the received position data and the data received by then,
A running locus is calculated from the stored plurality of position data, and the running locus is displayed (S22). Further, those position data are stored as data for processing for correcting the trajectory (S23).

Next, it is determined whether the number of stored data is N or more (S24). When the number of data is N or more (S24, YES), M data are extracted from the N data (S25). Then, the M pieces of data are divided into a plurality of segments (S26).

As a method of dividing into segments, the extracted M pieces of data may be divided into one segment as many pieces of data as the shape of the trajectory can be expressed and the inclination of the trajectory can be calculated. It is also possible to divide, as one segment, between the points whose positions are specified in advance or the points which are separated from the points whose positions are specified by a certain distance.

The M values are not limited to fixed values, but the M values may be variable. In that case, first N
After extracting M pieces of data from each piece of data and dividing them into segments that can express the shape of the locus and calculate the inclination of the locus, the value of M is increased and the segment is divided again into segments. The division may be terminated when the numbers of segments match. By doing so, the traveling locus can be divided into segments of optimum size.

Next, the distance between the first segment and the boundary line of the road, that is, the distance between the position data in the segment and the boundary line showing the width of the road is calculated (S27). Then, it is determined whether or not the position data of a predetermined number or more in the segment is separated from the boundary line of the traveling path by a certain value or more (S28).

When the position data of a predetermined number or more is separated from the boundary line by a predetermined value or more (S28, YES), the average inclination θ of the width of the running path of the segment Si of interest with respect to the center line is calculated ( S29). Next, using the oldest data d0 of the segment of interest as the origin, the subsequent data is rotated by the average inclination θ (S30). As a result, the position data protruding from the traveling road is corrected so as to enter the traveling road.

Next, it is determined whether or not the processing has been completed for all the segments (S31). If there is a segment that has not been processed (S31, NO),
The process proceeds to step S32 and the above process is repeated for the next segment. When the trajectory correction processing is completed for all the segments (S31, YES), as the correction information, for example, position data at the end of the corrected travel trajectory is transmitted to the transport vehicle by a wireless signal (S33). As a result, the correction of the traveling locus is completed, and N pieces of data for correction processing are deleted (S34).

In the above trajectory correction processing, N pieces of position data are copied as data for processing, but the position data is not copied and the received position data is corrected as it is. It may be used for processing. In that case, it is not necessary to delete the copy data.
As another method, after correcting the collected position data, the collected position data may be deleted or overwritten with the correction data.

Here, an example of the display of the travel locus before the correction and the travel locus after the correction will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.
In the transport system shown in FIG. 5, an optical beacon transmitter 23 is installed at a predetermined position on the traveling path 21. The carrier is equipped with an optical beacon receiver, and the optical beacon transmitter 23
Receiving position data (such as ID information indicating the installation position of the optical beacon transmitter) transmitted from the device, it recognizes its own current position.

A square mark 22 on the road 21 in FIG.
Indicates the loading / unloading place of luggage. Since the position data of this loading / unloading place can be registered in advance in the transport vehicle, when the vehicle is stopped at that location, the position data calculated from the number of rotations of the wheels of the transport vehicle is corrected to the position data of the stopped point. It is also possible to do so.

A case will now be described in which the carrier vehicle starts at point A in FIG. 5, passes through points C, D, ... Since the optical beacon transmitter 23 is installed at the point B, the position data calculated by the transport vehicle at the point B is corrected to correct position data. As a result, the traveling locus of the point B displayed on the display device (not shown) of the server device 13 is corrected to a position approximately in the center of the width of the traveling road 21.

When the transport vehicle reaches the point C, the position data transmitted from the optical beacon transmitter 23 installed at the point C is received, and the position data calculated from the traveling distance is corrected. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, the traveling locus at point C is corrected to a position approximately in the center of the width of the traveling path 21.

Between the point D, the point E, and the point F, the error in the position data of the guided vehicle becomes large, and the traveling locus largely extends from the traveling path 21. When the carrier travels to point F and receives the position data transmitted from the optical beacon transmitter 23 installed at that position, the position data calculated by the carrier is the position data transmitted from the optical beacon transmitter 23. Will be modified based on. Accordingly, the traveling locus of the guided vehicle displayed on the display device is corrected to a position substantially at the center of the width of the traveling path 21 at the point F.

Next, the running locus largely protrudes inside the running path 21 at the portion where the running path 21 is bent at a right angle. Then, at the point G, the position of the guided vehicle is corrected again based on the position data transmitted from the optical beacon transmitter 23. Between the H point and the I point, and between the J point and the K point, the travel locus largely extends outside the travel path.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display example of the traveling locus after the above-described traveling locus correction processing is executed. Starting from the point A, the position data of the guided vehicle is specified by receiving the position data transmitted from the optical beacon transmitter 23 at the position C, and the position data of the specified point is stored in the server device 13.
Sent to.

The server device 13 stores the position data of a plurality of points, and determines whether or not the traveling locus calculated from those position data is out of the traveling path 21 determined by the map information. Running path is above a certain level Running path 2
If the value 1 is out of position, the traveling locus from the received position data to a certain number of points traced back in the past is corrected so as to enter the traveling path 21.

As a result, the traveling locus from the traveling road 21 shown in FIG. 5 to the point C, which is protruding, is corrected and displayed so as to enter the traveling road 21 as shown in FIG. Since the traveling locus from the point D to the point E also largely extends from the traveling path 21, the server device 13 corrects the traveling locus from the point D to the point E so as to enter the traveling path 21.

The running locus from the point E to the point F is also largely off the running path 21. In this case, the optical beacon transmitter 23 is installed at the point F, and accurate position data can be acquired when the transport vehicle passes through the point F. Therefore, for example, the corrected position data of the point E and the F A locus that connects the position data of the points with a substantially straight line is calculated and displayed as a running locus.

As a method of correcting the trajectory of the straight line portion, for example, as described in the above-mentioned correction processing, the average value θ of the inclinations of the trajectory divided into the segment units is obtained, and the traveling trajectory is determined with the starting point of the segment as the origin. Rotate by the amount of inclination θ so that it is parallel to the extension direction of the traveling path and correct the traveling locus.

Alternatively, in the case where the position of one point on the traveling locus is specified by the loading / unloading place of luggage, the installation place of the optical beacon, etc., the specified point is used as a reference until the end point of the segment. The trajectory may be rotated or moved in parallel so that the trajectory is included in the traveling path.

Alternatively, the position data of the point on the traveling path corresponding to an arbitrary point of the segment is obtained from the map information,
The traveling locus may be corrected by rotating the traveling locus of the segment based on the point obtained from the map information. F
Since the traveling locus between the point and the point G also largely extends from the traveling path 21, the traveling locus during that time is similarly corrected. In this case, since the point F and the point G are the installation locations of the optical beacon transmitter 23, the server device 13 follows the inner boundary line of the traveling path 21 whose traveling locus is determined by the map information on the basis of those points. Have been corrected.

Since the running loci between the points I and J and between the points J and K also largely extend from the running path 21,
The locus in the meantime has also been corrected. In this case, the server device 13 corrects the position data of the I point, the position data of the J point, and the position data of the K point received from the transport vehicle to a predetermined position in the traveling path 21 determined by the map information, and further, The travel loci between the point I and the point J, and the travel points between the point J and the point K are translated so that the start point and the end point of the travel loci of the respective segments coincide with the points indicated by the corrected position data. As a result, as shown in FIG.
The traveling locus from the point to the point K is corrected and displayed so as to enter the traveling path.

The correction of the traveling locus may be executed when the traveling locus exceeds a certain value beyond the traveling road defined by the map information, or when the certain number of position data is received, the traveling locus may be corrected. May be divided into a plurality of segments, and the traveling locus may be corrected sequentially in segment units, and the correction timing may be set arbitrarily.

According to the above-described first and second embodiments, it is possible to use the position data of the autonomously traveling carrier vehicle and the map information so that the travel locus is in the past so as to enter the travel route indicated by the map information. Since it can be corrected retroactively to the traveling locus of, the traveling locus of the carrier can be corrected to match the map information.

Further, since the transport vehicle acquires the position data at the end of the traveling locus corrected by the server device 13, even if the transport vehicle does not hold the map information, the position data calculated by itself is used as the map information. Can be modified to suit. Further, since the server device 13 holds the map information and corrects the traveling loci of one or a plurality of transport vehicles, it is not necessary for each transport vehicle to store the map information. Furthermore, since the controller 11 of the carrier vehicle only has to rewrite the position data calculated by itself based on the position data transmitted from the server device 13, the processing load on the controller 11 is reduced. Further, since the server device 13 holds the map information, it is possible to flexibly deal with the change of the traveling route of the carrier vehicle.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment,
You may comprise as follows. The locus correction method is not limited to the method of rotating the point where the direction of the traveling locus changes as the origin, and for example, the point where the traveling direction of the guided vehicle estimated from the map information changes or a point near the origin is used as the origin. The traveling locus may be rotated. In addition, when the end point of the segment is the installation position of the optical beacon transmitter 23 or the like and accurate position data can be acquired, the traveling locus may be rotated or moved in parallel with the end point as a reference to correct the locus. .

The present invention is not limited to the system using the optical beacon, but can be applied to any system as long as the server device 13 or the vehicle can hold the map information. For example, the present invention can be applied to a system in which an ID tag that transmits ID information that can identify a position by a wireless signal, a marker that can acquire position information in contact or non-contact, and the like are installed on a traveling path.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the server device 13 corrects the traveling locus of the transport vehicle has been described. However, the transport vehicle holds the map information, and based on the map information, the self-traveling locus is determined. It may be modified and the modified travel locus or position data may be transmitted to the server device 13. The present invention can be applied to vehicles other than transport vehicles.

[0051]

According to the present invention, it is possible to retroactively correct the traveling locus of a vehicle so that the traveling locus falls within a traveling path determined by map information. Therefore, the traveling locus can be displayed so as not to conflict with the map information. further,
When the vehicle obtains the corrected position data of the traveling locus, the position data of the vehicle can be corrected so as to match the map information. Further, when the server device holds the map information and corrects the traveling locus, the vehicle does not need to hold the map information and does not need to correct the position data, so that the processing load on the vehicle is reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a transfer system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of travel locus correction processing according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a method of correcting a traveling locus.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a travel locus correction process according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a traveling locus before correction.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a corrected traveling locus.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 Controller 13 Server device 21 Road 22 Unloading point 23 Optical beacon transmitter

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. Obtaining position data of a plurality of points where a vehicle has traveled, comparing the obtained position data of the plurality of points with a traveling path indicated by map information, and a traveling locus obtained from the position data is a map of the map information. A method for correcting a traveling locus, characterized in that when the vehicle is protruding from the traveling road, the traveling locus is corrected so as to enter the traveling road based on the map information. 2. The position data of a plurality of points where the vehicle has traveled is acquired, the position data of the plurality of points and the traveling path indicated by the map information are compared, and the traveling locus indicated by the position data of the plurality of points is the map information. If the direction of the traveling locus coincides with the direction of the traveling route of the map information, and the traveling locus is rotated or moved so as to enter the traveling route, A method for correcting a traveling locus, characterized in that the traveling locus is corrected. 3. The direction of the traveling locus is centered around a point where the traveling direction changes or a predetermined point on the traveling road determined by the map information when the traveling locus is out of the traveling route of the map information. The method for correcting a traveling locus according to claim 1, wherein the traveling locus is corrected by rotating the traveling locus so as to match the extension direction of the traveling road. 4. A traveling locus is divided into a plurality of segments, it is determined whether or not the traveling locus is out of the traveling road indicated by the map information for each segment, and when it is out of the traveling road, 4. The method of correcting a traveling locus according to claim 1, wherein the traveling locus is corrected so that the traveling locus enters the traveling road in units of the segment. 5. The correction of the travel locus according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle acquires position data of the travel locus corrected by the server device and corrects its own position data. Method. 6. Obtaining position data of a point where the position of the traveling road is specified, and correcting the traveling locus so as to enter the traveling road based on the position data and the map information. The method for correcting a traveling locus according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. 7. A server device obtains position data of a plurality of points where a vehicle has traveled, the server device compares position data of the plurality of points with a travel path indicated by map information, and positions of the plurality of points are compared. When the traveling locus obtained from the data is out of the traveling path indicated by the map information, the traveling locus is corrected based on the map information so as to enter the traveling path. How to fix. 8. A position data acquisition means for acquiring position data of a plurality of points on which a vehicle has traveled, and a travel path of the vehicle calculated from the acquired position data of the plurality of points and a travel path indicated by map information are compared, A traveling locus determining means for determining whether or not the traveling locus extends beyond the traveling path indicated by the map information; and the map when the traveling locus determining means determines that the traveling locus extends beyond the traveling path. A traveling locus processing device, comprising: a correction unit that corrects the traveling locus based on information so that the traveling locus enters the traveling path.