JP2018092620A - Traveling route determination device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technology capable of achieving a work travel on as proper a traveling route as possible without delaying start of the work travel.SOLUTION: The traveling route determination device includes: a route management part for storing a number of traveling route factors covering a work object region; a first route factor selection part 631 for calculating a selection order of the traveling route factors for all traveling routes on the basis of a basic priority rule prior to the work travel of a service car; a second route factor selection part 632 for extracting, as re-calculation traveling route factors, traveling route factors for no travels from a traveling route factor group during a work travel based on the selection order and re-calculating a selection order of the re-calculation traveling route factors on the basis of a cost evaluation rule; and a route setting part for correcting the selection order of the first route factor selection part 631 according to the selection order of the second route factor selection part 632.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

  The present invention relates to a travel route determination device that determines a travel route for a work vehicle that travels while working on a work site.

  The field work machine by patent document 1 is provided with the path | route calculation part and the driving assistance unit, in order to perform field work using automatic driving | running | working. The route calculation unit obtains the outer shape of the field from the terrain data, and calculates a travel route starting from the set travel start point and ending at the travel end point based on the outer shape and the work width of the field work machine. The driving support unit compares the vehicle position obtained based on the positioning data (latitude / longitude data) obtained from the GPS module with the travel route calculated by the route calculation unit, and the traveling vehicle body moves along the travel route. The steering mechanism is controlled to travel.

  In Patent Document 1, the entire travel route covering the field is calculated before traveling, and the work travel is performed along the entire travel route. In such calculation of all travel routes, if optimization calculation is performed in consideration of various conditions, the calculation load becomes heavy, and it takes time until the calculation result is obtained, and the start of work travel is delayed. Conversely, if various conditions are omitted and the calculation load is lightened, the entire travel route can be obtained in a short time, but the result is likely to be inefficient work.

JP 2015-112071

  In view of such a situation, there is a demand for a technique that realizes work travel on an appropriate travel route as much as possible without delaying the start of work travel.

  A travel route determination device that determines a travel route for a work vehicle that travels while working on a work place covers an area setting unit that sets a work target area of the work vehicle at the work place, and the work target area. A route management unit that calculates a travel route element group that is an aggregate of a number of travel route elements constituting the travel route and stores it in a readable manner, and before the work travel of the work vehicle, based on a basic priority rule A first route element selection unit that calculates a selection order of the travel route elements for all the travel routes, and the travel during the work travel of the work vehicle based on the selection order calculated by the first route element selection unit. A second route element selection unit that extracts an untraveled travel route element from the route element group as a recalculation travel route element, and recalculates a selection order of the recalculation travel route elements based on a cost evaluation rule; And a route setting unit that corrects the selection order is calculated selection order calculated by the second path element selection unit by a route element selection unit.

  According to this configuration, first, a travel route element group that covers the set work target area is calculated. By sequentially selecting the travel route elements constituting this travel route element group and performing the work travel using the selected travel route elements as the target travel route, the work in the work target area is completed. The function of calculating the selection order of travel route elements is realized by the first route element selection unit and the second route element selection unit. The first route element selection unit calculates a selection order of travel route elements for all travel routes based on the basic priority rule prior to work travel. As soon as the selection order is calculated, the work vehicle starts working. Since the first path element selection unit only calculates the selection order based on the basic priority rule, the calculation burden is light and the selection order as the calculation result can be obtained in a short time. However, this selection order is not always appropriate in terms of workability, running performance, and economic efficiency. In order to obtain an appropriate selection order, it is necessary to add various conditions regarding workability, running performance, and economic efficiency. Here, a rule for calculating a selection order of travel route elements having more appropriate profits in consideration of such conditions is referred to as a cost evaluation rule. In this configuration, when the calculation of the selection order by the first route element selection unit is completed, that is, when the work travel starts, the second route element selection unit recalculates the travel route element that has not yet traveled. Extraction is made as a route element, and the selection order is calculated based on the cost evaluation rule. Since the selection order calculated by the second route element selection unit is more appropriate than the selection order calculated by the first route element selection unit, the route setting unit is calculated by the second route element selection unit. The selection order calculated by the first route element selection unit is corrected with the selection order. During the calculation by the second route element selection unit, since the work vehicle has already been traveling, the calculation time of the second route element selection unit can avoid delaying the work travel. Then, only the amount of work travel in the corrected selection order is a more appropriate work travel considering the cost.

Note that the phrase “work travel” used in this application is a broad term that includes not only traveling while actually performing work, but also traveling that does not perform work for changing the direction during work. It is used in the sense of
Furthermore, in this specification, the phrase “work environment of the work vehicle” can also include the state of the work vehicle, the state of the work place, a command from a person (such as a supervisor, a driver, or an administrator). State information is required by evaluating the environment. Examples of the state information include mechanical factors such as fuel supply and crop discharge, environmental factors such as weather changes and work site conditions, and human requests such as an unexpected work interruption command. Further, when a plurality of work vehicles work while cooperating, the positional relationship between the work vehicles is also one of the work environment or state information. It should be noted that the supervisor or manager may be in the work vehicle, or may be near the work vehicle or far away from the work vehicle.

  When one of the recalculation travel route elements travels during the calculation of the selection order of the recalculation travel route elements by the second route element selection unit, the travel route element that has already been traveled must be traveled again. Waste occurs. In order to avoid this, in one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second route element selection unit is the last of the selection order calculated by the first route element selection unit as the recalculation travel route element. A predetermined number of travel route elements are extracted from In this configuration, since a predetermined number of travel route elements from the last travel route element in the selection order are subject to recalculation of the selection order, this predetermined number is calculated again in consideration of calculation time and travel time. If the number of route elements is such that there is no possibility of traveling by the work vehicle, the above-mentioned problem is solved.

  Since the work travel time of the work vehicle and the calculation time by the second route element selection unit are not constant, a predetermined number is accurately determined so as to ensure that the re-calculation travel route element is not traveled by the work vehicle during the re-calculation. Difficult to do. If the predetermined number is set small in consideration of safety, the number of travel route elements having an appropriate selection order is reduced. In order to eliminate this problem reasonably, in one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second route element selection unit performs a process of extracting the recalculation travel route element and recalculating the selection order. By repeatedly adding a new travel route element with a slower selection order, the process repeats while incrementing the predetermined number. If the travel route element added and extracted last is a travel route element that is traveling, the repeat process is stopped. To do. In this configuration, the predetermined number is recalculated as the number that the recalculation travel route element is not likely to be traveled by the work vehicle, and the predetermined number is incremented if there is time allowance. Thus, the number of recalculation travel route elements is increased, and the selection order is recalculated again. In this way, when the predetermined number is incremented, if the travel route element newly extracted as a recalculation travel route element by being incremented is running, the recalculation is stopped. Thereby, the selection order corrected with the result of the recalculation obtained so far is valid as it is, and the work travel along the travel route as appropriate as possible is realized. Note that the phrase “increment” used in this application does not have a limited meaning of increasing the predetermined number by one. As the increase number, not only 1 but also two or more numbers may be used. Further, the actual work travel time and the calculation time are compared, and instead of using a constant increase number, the increase number may be changed at the timing of the increment.

  The work target area can be covered by various forms of travel routes. Often used in farm work or the like is a travel route that connects parallel travel routes with a U-turn travel route. At that time, the interval between the parallel travel paths is defined by the work width, and the U-turn width of the U-turn travel path is defined by the minimum turning radius. In general, since the U-turn width is larger than the work width, it is not possible to employ a travel route that connects adjacent travel routes with a U-turn travel route. For this reason, it is necessary to select the next travel route from one travel route with several travel routes in between. In such a route selection, the selection order technique according to the present invention can be used effectively. Therefore, in one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the travel route element group is a parallel line group composed of parallel lines that divide the work target area into strips, and the U-turn of the work vehicle. By traveling, a transition from one end of one travel path element to one end of another travel path element is executed.

  As described above, in the basic priority rule suitable when the parallel line group is adopted as the travel route element group, the priority from the travel route element serving as the order source to the travel route element serving as the order destination is set in advance. The priority is set so that an appropriately separated travel route element that is separated from the travel route element that is the order origin by a predetermined distance has the highest priority as the order destination, and from the travel route element that is the order origin. It is preferable that the distance is set to be lower as the separation distance to the travel route element that is the turn destination increases. If such a basic priority rule is used, the selection order of the travel route elements can be easily determined one after another, so that the calculation is completed in a short time even if the number of travel route elements is large.

  In addition, regarding the cost evaluation rule used subsequent to the calculation of the selection order in the basic priority rule, the cost evaluated in the cost evaluation rule is calculated in the selection order calculated by the second route element selection unit. It is preferable that an element is a cost generated when the work vehicle travels, and a selection order in which the cost is lowest is calculated by the second route element selection unit. In the field of route search, a more appropriate selection order can be obtained by calculating a selection order that minimizes the integrated value of the cost required to pass through each travel route element using cost evaluation rules. It is done.

  In work travel, the target items for cost evaluation are the superiority and inferiority of fuel consumption due to the distance of travel distance, especially the distance of U-turn travel, the impact on work vehicles and work sites due to deviation from the appropriate steering angle, and the work quality depending on the travel direction The superiority or inferiority of is suitable. Even if it takes time to calculate the selection order based on such a cost evaluation rule, the selection order is more appropriate than the selection order based on the basic priority rule.

It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the work traveling of the work vehicle in a work object area | region. It is explanatory drawing which shows the basic flow of automatic traveling control. It is explanatory drawing which shows the driving | running | working pattern which repeats a U turn and a straight advance. It is explanatory drawing which shows the driving | running | working pattern along a mesh-shaped path | route. It is a side view of the harvester which is one of the embodiments of a work vehicle. It is a control function block diagram in a work vehicle automatic travel system. It is explanatory drawing explaining the calculation method of the mesh straight line which is an example of a driving | running route element group. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the driving | running route element group calculated by the strip partial element calculation part. It is explanatory drawing which shows a normal U turn and a switchback turn. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of selection of the travel route element in the travel route element group by FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the flow of the special route selection algorithm at the time of working by linear reciprocation. It is explanatory drawing which shows the flow of the route selection correction algorithm which rewrites the selection order of a driving | running route element. It is explanatory drawing which shows the spiral drive pattern in the drive route element group calculated by the mesh route element calculation part. It is explanatory drawing which shows the linear reciprocating travel pattern in the travel route element group calculated by the mesh route element calculation part. It is explanatory drawing explaining the basic production | generation principle of a U-turn driving path. FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a U-turn travel route generated based on the generation principle of FIG. 15. FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a U-turn travel route generated based on the generation principle of FIG. 15. FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a U-turn travel route generated based on the generation principle of FIG. 15. It is explanatory drawing of the alpha turn travel route in a mesh-like travel route element group. It is explanatory drawing which shows the case where the work driving | work restarted after leaving | separating from a work object area | region is not performed from the continuation of the work driving | running | working before detachment | leave. It is explanatory drawing which shows the work driving | running | working by the multiple harvesting machines by which the cooperative control was carried out. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the cooperative control driving | running | working using the driving | running route element group calculated by the strip partial element calculation part. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the cooperative control driving | running | working using the driving | running route element group calculated by the strip partial element calculation part. It is explanatory drawing which shows a middle division process. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the coordinated control driving | running | working in the field where it was divided. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the cooperative control driving | running | working in the agricultural field divided into the grid | lattice form. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure which can adjust the parameter of a slave harvester from a master harvester. It is explanatory drawing which shows the specific example of the path | route selection by two harvesting machines from which work width differs. It is explanatory drawing which shows the specific example of the path | route selection by two harvesting machines from which work width differs. It is a figure which shows an example of the driving | running route element group which consists of a curved parallel line. It is a figure which shows an example of the driving | running route element group containing the curved mesh line. It is a figure which shows an example of the driving | running route element group which consists of a curved mesh line.

[Outline of automatic driving]
FIG. 1 schematically shows work travel by an automatic work vehicle travel system employing the technology according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the work vehicle is a harvester 1 that performs a harvesting operation (reaping operation) for harvesting crops while traveling as a work traveling, and is a model generally called a normal combine. The work place that is operated by the harvester 1 is called a farm field. In the harvesting operation in the farm field, an area in which the harvester 1 travels around while performing the work along the boundary line of the farm field called hoe is set as the outer circumferential area SA. The inner side of the outer peripheral area SA is set as a work target area CA. The outer peripheral area SA is used by the harvesting machine 1 as a moving space, a direction changing space, etc. for discharging harvested products and refueling. In order to secure the outer peripheral area SA, the harvesting machine 1 performs three to four rounds of traveling along the field boundary as the first work traveling. In the round traveling, the field is operated by the work width of the harvester 1 every round, so the outer peripheral area SA has a width of about 3 to 4 times the work width of the harvester 1. From this, unless otherwise noted, the outer peripheral area SA is treated as an already-cut area (an already-worked area), and the work area CA is treated as an uncut area (an un-worked area). In this embodiment, the work width is handled as a value obtained by subtracting the overlap amount from the cutting width. However, the concept of work width differs depending on the type of work vehicle. The work width in the present invention is defined by the type of work vehicle and the work type.

  The harvester 1 includes a satellite positioning module 80 that outputs positioning data based on a GPS signal from an artificial satellite GS used in GPS (Global Positioning System). The harvester 1 harvests from the positioning data. The vehicle 1 has a function of calculating the vehicle position that is the position coordinates of a specific location of the machine 1. The harvester 1 has an automatic traveling function that automates the traveling harvesting operation by maneuvering the calculated own vehicle position so as to match the target traveling route. The harvester 1 needs to approach and park the transport vehicle CV parked at the shore in order to discharge the harvested product while traveling. When the parking position of the transport vehicle CV is determined in advance, such approaching traveling, that is, temporary departure from work traveling in the work target area CA, and return to work traveling may also be performed automatically. Is possible. The travel route for leaving the work target area CA and returning to the work target area CA is generated when the outer peripheral area SA is set. In addition, a refueling vehicle and other work support vehicles can be parked instead of the transport vehicle CV.

[Basic flow of the automatic traveling system for work vehicles]
In order for the harvester 1 incorporated in the automatic work vehicle traveling system of the present invention to perform the harvesting operation automatically, a traveling route management device that generates a traveling route that is a target of traveling and manages the traveling route is provided. Necessary. The basic configuration of this travel route management device and the basic flow of automatic travel control using this travel route management device will be described with reference to FIG.

  The harvesting machine 1 that has arrived at the field performs harvesting while circling along the inside of the boundary line of the field. This work is called perimeter cutting and is a well-known work in harvesting work. At that time, in the corner area, traveling that repeats forward and backward movement is performed so that an uncut grain culm does not remain. In this embodiment, at least the outermost circumference is performed by manual travel so that there is no leftover and does not hit the ridge. The remaining several laps on the inner circumference side may be automatically run by an automatic running program dedicated to peripheral cutting, or may be performed manually following the peripheral cutting on the outermost circumference. As the shape of the work target area CA left inside the traveling locus of such a circular traveling, a polygonal shape as simple as possible, preferably a rectangular shape, is adopted so as to be convenient for the automatic traveling.

  Furthermore, the traveling locus of this orbital traveling can be obtained based on the vehicle position calculated by the vehicle position calculation unit 53 from the positioning data of the satellite positioning module 80. Further, the contour data generation unit 43 generates the contour data of the field from this travel locus, in particular, the contour data of the work target area CA that is an uncut area located inside the travel locus of the orbital travel. The field is managed by the area setting unit 44 separately in the outer peripheral area SA and the work target area CA.

  Work travel for the work target area CA is performed by automatic travel. Therefore, the route management unit 60 manages a travel route element group that is a travel route for travel that covers the work target area CA (travel that is filled with the work width). This travel route element group is an aggregate of a number of travel route elements. The route management unit 60 calculates a travel route element group based on the outer shape data of the work area CA and stores it in a memory so that it can be read out.

  In this work vehicle automatic travel system, the order of travel route elements to be traveled is selected from the travel route element group in order to determine all travel routes before work travel in the work target area CA. The route element selection unit 63 has a function of creating a full travel route or a partial travel route by selecting travel route elements from the travel route element group in the order of travel. For this purpose, a basic route selection algorithm that outputs a reasonable result without taking time and a full-scale route selection algorithm that outputs a more precise result over time are introduced into the route element selection unit 63. Has been. The minimum unit (link) between a point (node) and a point (node) at which the travel route can be changed is a travel route element. When the automatic travel is started from the designated place, the next travel route element to be traveled next is sequentially sent to the automatic travel control unit 511 based on the selection order calculated by the route element selection unit 63. Based on the selected travel route element and the own vehicle position, the automatic travel control unit 511 generates automatic travel data so that the vehicle body follows the travel route element, and executes automatic travel.

  In FIG. 2, a travel route generation device that generates a travel route for the harvester 1 is constructed by the outer shape data generation unit 43, the region setting unit 44, and the route management unit 60. Further, a travel route determination device that determines a travel route for the harvester 1 is constructed by the vehicle position calculation unit 53, the region setting unit 44, the route management unit 60, and the route element selection unit 63. Such a travel route generation device and a travel route determination device can be incorporated in the control system of the conventional harvester 1 capable of automatic travel. Alternatively, it is possible to construct a travel route generation device and a travel route determination device in a computer terminal, and connect the computer terminal and the control system of the harvester 1 so that data can be exchanged, thereby realizing automatic travel.

[Overview of travel route element group]
As an example of the travel route element group, FIG. 3 shows a travel route element group in which a large number of parallel dividing straight lines that divide the work area CA into strips are used as travel route elements. This travel route element group is a parallel travel route element in which two nodes (both end points, referred to herein as a route changeable point that can be changed) are connected by a single link. It is. The travel route elements are set to be arranged at equal intervals by adjusting the overlap amount of the work width. For the transition from the end point of the travel route element indicated by one straight line to the end point of the travel route element indicated by the other straight line, U-turn travel (for example, 180 ° direction change travel) is performed. The automatic traveling while connecting such parallel traveling path elements by U-turn traveling is hereinafter referred to as “linear reciprocating traveling”. This U-turn travel includes normal U-turn travel and switchback turn travel. The normal U-turn traveling is performed only by the forward movement of the harvester 1, and the traveling locus is U-shaped. The switchback turn travel is performed by using the forward and backward movements of the harvester 1, and the travel locus is not U-shaped. As a result, the harvester 1 travels in the same direction as the normal U-turn travel. Is obtained. In order to perform normal U-turn travel, a distance is required to sandwich two or more travel route elements between the route changeable point before the direction change travel and the route changeable point after the direction change travel. At shorter distances, switchback turn travel is used. That is, since the switchback turn travel is reverse, unlike the normal U-turn travel, there is no influence of the turning radius of the harvester 1, and there are many choices of travel route elements to be transferred. However, since switching between forward and backward is performed in the switchback turn traveling, the switchback turn traveling basically takes time compared with the normal U-turn traveling.

  As another example of the travel route element group, FIG. 4 shows a travel route element group including a large number of mesh division straight lines extending in the vertical and horizontal directions for dividing the work target area CA into meshes. The path can be changed at the intersections between the mesh straight lines (points where the path can be changed) and at both ends of the mesh straight lines (points where the path can be changed). In other words, this travel route element group constructs a route network in which the intersections and end points of the mesh straight lines serve as nodes, and the sides of each mesh partitioned by the mesh straight lines function as links, thereby enabling travel with a high degree of freedom. In addition to the above-described linear reciprocating traveling, for example, “spiral traveling” or “zigzag traveling” that is directed from the outside to the inside as shown in FIG. 4 is possible. It is also possible to change.

[Concept of selecting travel route elements]
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the route element selection unit 63 includes a first route element selection unit 631 and a second route element selection unit 632. The first route element selection unit 631 sets the selection order of the travel route elements for all travel routes based on a basic priority rule that rules out a basic route selection algorithm that outputs a reasonable result without taking time. calculate. The second route element selection unit 632 recalculates the selection order of the recalculated travel route elements based on a cost evaluation rule in which a full-scale route selection algorithm that outputs more precise results over time is ruled. Note that a travel pattern of work travel performed on the work target area is set before the selection order is calculated by the route element selection unit 63. This traveling pattern includes, for example, a linear reciprocating traveling pattern so as to realize a linear reciprocating traveling while performing a U-turn traveling as shown in FIG. Prior to work travel, the first route element selection unit 631 calculates the order of selection of travel route elements for all travel routes. The work vehicle can automatically travel using the selected travel route element as a target travel route. When the calculation of the selection order by the first route element selection unit 631 is completed, the automatic traveling of the work vehicle is started, and the selection order of the travel route elements is recalculated by the second route element selection unit 632. The travel route element (recalculation travel route element) that is the target of recalculation of the selection order in the second route element selection unit 632 is a travel that has not traveled among the travel route elements selected by the first route element selection unit 631. It is a route element. The selection order calculated by the first route element selection unit 631 is rewritten by the selection order recalculated by the second route element selection unit 632.

[Outline of harvester]
FIG. 5 is a side view of the harvester 1 as a work vehicle adopted in the description of this embodiment. The harvesting machine 1 includes a crawler type traveling machine body 11. A driving unit 12 is provided at the front of the traveling machine body 11. Behind the operation unit 12, a threshing device 13 and a crop tank 14 for storing a crop are juxtaposed in the left-right direction. Further, a harvesting section 15 is provided in front of the traveling machine body 11 so that the height can be adjusted. Above the harvesting section 15, a reel 17 that raises the cereal basket is provided so that the height can be adjusted. Between the harvesting unit 15 and the threshing device 13, a transport device 16 that transports the harvested cereal meal and a discharge device 18 that discharges the crop from the crop tank 14 are provided. A load sensor for detecting the weight of the harvested product (a stored state of the harvested product) is installed in the lower part of the harvested tank 14, and a yield meter and a taste meter are installed in and around the harvested tank 14. The taste meter outputs the measurement data of the moisture value and protein value of the harvest as quality data. The harvester 1 is provided with a satellite positioning module 80 configured as a GNSS module, a GPS module, or the like. As a constituent element of the satellite positioning module 80, a satellite antenna for receiving GPS signals and GNSS signals is attached to the upper portion of the traveling aircraft body 11. Note that the satellite positioning module 80 can include an inertial navigation module incorporating a gyro acceleration sensor or a magnetic azimuth sensor to complement satellite navigation.

  In FIG. 5, a monitoring terminal (including a driver and a manager) who monitors the movement of the harvesting machine 1 is on the harvesting machine 1 and the communication terminal 4 operated by the monitoring person is brought into the harvesting machine 1. Yes. However, the communication terminal 4 may be configured to be attached to the harvester 1. Furthermore, the supervisor and the communication terminal 4 may exist outside the harvester 1.

  The harvester 1 can perform automatic traveling by automatic steering and manual traveling by manual steering. In addition, as the automatic traveling, the harvester 1 that can perform automatic traveling in which all traveling routes are determined in advance as in the past and automatic traveling in which the next traveling route is determined in real time based on the state information is possible. The automatic traveling by automatic steering and the manual traveling by manual steering are possible. In the present application, the former that travels with all travel routes determined in advance is referred to as conventional travel, and the latter that determines the next travel route in real time is referred to as automatic travel, and both are handled as separate items. For example, some patterns are registered in advance, or the monitoring route can be arbitrarily set by the supervisor in the communication terminal 4 or the like.

[Function control block for automatic driving]
FIG. 6 shows a control system constructed in the harvester 1 and a control system of the communication terminal 4. In this embodiment, the travel route management device that manages the travel route for the harvester 1 is the first travel route management module CM1 constructed in the communication terminal 4 and the first constructed in the control unit 5 of the harvester 1. 2 travel route management module CM2.

  The communication terminal 4 includes a communication control unit 40, a touch panel 41, and the like, and has a function of a computer system and a function as a user interface for inputting conditions necessary for automatic driving realized by the control unit 5. The communication terminal 4 can exchange data with the management computer 100 via a wireless line or the Internet by using the communication control unit 40, and the control unit 5 of the harvester 1 by a wireless LAN, a wired LAN, or other communication method. Data exchange is possible. The management computer 100 is a computer system installed in a remote management center KS and functions as a cloud computer. The management computer 100 can store information sent from each farmer, agricultural association, or agricultural enterprise and send it out as required. In FIG. 6, a work location information storage unit 101 and a work plan management unit 102 are shown to realize such a server function. In the communication terminal 4, external data acquired from the management computer 100 or the control unit 5 of the harvester 1 through the communication control unit 40, and input data such as user instructions (conditions necessary for automatic traveling) input through the touch panel 41. Based on this, data processing is performed, and the processing result is displayed on the display panel unit of the touch panel 41 and can be transmitted to the management computer 100 and the control unit 5 of the harvester 1 through the communication control unit 40.

The work site information storage unit 101 stores farm field information including topographic maps around the farm field, farm field attribute information (field entrances, strip directions, and the like). In the work plan management unit 102 of the management computer 100, a work plan document describing work contents in a designated field is managed. The field information and the work plan can be downloaded to the communication terminal 4 or the control unit 5 of the harvester 1 through the operation of the supervisor or through a program that is automatically executed. The work plan includes various types of information (work conditions) regarding work in the field to be worked. Examples of this information (working conditions) include the following.
(A) Travel pattern (linear reciprocal travel, spiral travel, zigzag travel, etc.)
(B) Parking position of the support vehicle of the transport vehicle CV and parking position of the harvester for discharging the harvested product (c) Work mode (work by one harvester 1, work by multiple harvesters 1)
(D) So-called middle line (e) Value of vehicle speed and rotation speed of threshing device 13 according to the crop type (rice (Japonica rice, Indica rice), wheat, soybean, rapeseed, buckwheat etc.) to be harvested.
In particular, setting of traveling equipment parameters and harvesting equipment parameters according to the crop type is automatically executed from the information of (e), so setting errors are avoided.

  The position where the harvester 1 is parked to discharge the harvested product to the transport vehicle CV is the harvested discharge parking position, and the position where the harvester 1 is parked to replenish the fuel from the refueling vehicle is refueled. Parking position, and in this embodiment, it is set at substantially the same position.

  The information (a)-(e) may be input by a supervisor through the communication terminal 4 as a user interface. The communication terminal 4 has an input function for instructing the start and stop of automatic driving, an input function for whether the vehicle travels as an automatic driving or a conventional driving as described above, and a vehicle driving device such as a driving transmission. An input function and the like for finely adjusting the parameter values for the work device group 72 (see FIG. 6) such as the group 71 and the harvesting unit 15 are also constructed. Among the parameters of the work device group 72, those whose values can be finely adjusted include the height of the reel 17, the height of the harvesting section 15, and the like.

  The communication terminal 4 can be switched to an animation display state of an automatic travel route or a customary travel route, the parameter display / fine adjustment state, or the like by an artificial switching operation. The animation display is an animation of the travel path of the harvester 1 that travels along an automatic travel path or a conventional travel path that is a travel path in a conventional travel in which all travel routes are determined in advance, and It is to display on the display panel unit. By such animation display, the driver can intuitively confirm the travel route to be traveled before traveling.

  The work site data input unit 42 inputs the field information downloaded from the management computer 100, the work plan, and information acquired from the communication terminal 4. The farm field schematic diagram and the position of the farm field entrance / exit included in the farm field information are displayed on the touch panel 41 to assist the driver who makes a round trip for forming the outer circumferential area SA. When data such as a farm field entrance / exit is not included in the farm field information, the user can input through the touch panel 41. The outer shape data generation unit 43 uses the traveling locus data (time-series data of the host vehicle position) during the round traveling of the harvester 1 received from the control unit 5 with high accuracy in the outer shape and outer dimensions of the field and the work target area CA. The outer shape and outer dimensions of the are calculated. The region setting unit 44 sets the outer peripheral region SA and the work target region CA from the traveling locus data of the circular traveling of the harvester 1. The set position coordinates of the outer peripheral area SA and the work target area CA, that is, the outer shape data of the outer peripheral area SA and the work target area CA are used to generate a travel route for automatic travel. In this embodiment, since the travel route is generated by the second travel route management module CM2 constructed in the control unit 5 of the harvester 1, the position coordinates of the set outer peripheral area SA and work target area CA are: It is sent to the second travel route management module CM2.

  When the farm field is large, an operation called “half-splitting” is performed to create a middle-splitting area that divides the farm field into a plurality of sections on the traveling route of the center breakthrough. The intermediate position designation can also be performed by a touch operation on the outline drawing of the work place displayed on the screen of the touch panel 41. Of course, since the middle position setting also affects the generation of the travel route element group for automatic travel, it may be automatically performed when the travel route element group is generated. At that time, if the parking position of the harvester 1 for receiving the support of the work support vehicle such as the transport vehicle CV is arranged on the extended line of the middle area, the discharge of the harvest from all the sections is efficiently performed. Is called.

  The second travel route management module CM2 includes a route management unit 60, a route element selection unit 63, and a route setting unit 64. The route management unit 60 calculates a travel route element group that is an aggregate of a number of travel route elements that form a travel route that covers the work target area CA, and stores the travel route element group in a readable manner. The route management unit 60 includes a mesh route element calculation unit 601, a strip route element calculation unit 602, and a U-turn route calculation unit 603 as functional units that calculate a travel route element group. The route element selection unit 63 includes a first route element selection unit 631 and a second route element selection unit 632 having the functions described above, and sequentially selects the next travel route element to be traveled next from the travel route element group. To do. The route setting unit 64 sets the selected next travel route element as a target travel route for automatic travel.

  The mesh route element calculation unit 601 calculates, as the travel route element, a travel route element group that is a mesh straight line group including mesh division straight lines that mesh-divide the work area CA, and the position coordinates of the intersections and end points of the mesh straight lines. Can also be calculated. Since this travel route element becomes the target travel route during the automatic travel of the harvester 1, the harvester 1 can change the route from one travel route element to the other travel route element at the intersections and end points of the mesh straight lines. Is possible. That is, the intersections and end points of the mesh straight lines function as path changeable points that allow the harvester 1 to change the path.

  FIG. 7 shows an outline of the arrangement of the mesh straight line group, which is an example of the travel route element group, in the work target area CA. The travel route element group is calculated by the mesh route element calculation unit 601 so that the work width of the harvester 1 is a mesh interval and the work target area CA is filled with mesh straight lines. As described above, the work target area CA is an area inside the outer peripheral area SA formed by the 3 to 4 rounds of work width inward from the boundary of the farm field. The outer shape of the target area CA is similar to the outer shape of the field. However, in order to facilitate the calculation of the mesh straight line, the outer peripheral area SA may be created so that the work target area CA is substantially polygonal, preferably substantially rectangular. In FIG. 7, the shape of the work area CA is a deformed quadrangle composed of a first side S1, a second side S2, a third side S3, and a fourth side S4.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the mesh path element calculation unit 601 is parallel to the first side S <b> 1 from a position that is a half of the work width of the harvester 1 from the first side S <b> 1 of the work target area CA. In addition, the first straight line group arranged on the work target area CA with an interval corresponding to the work width of the harvester 1 is calculated. Similarly, the work target area CA is parallel to the second side S2 and spaced from the second side S2 by a half of the work width of the harvester 1 with an interval corresponding to the work width of the harvester 1. From the position of the second straight line group arranged above, half the distance of the working width of the harvesting machine 1 from the third side S3, the distance is parallel to the third side S3 and the working width of the harvesting machine 1 is set. A third straight line grouped on the work target area CA, a position parallel to the fourth side S4 from the fourth side S4 and a position half the working width of the harvester 1, and the work of the harvester 1 A fourth straight line group arranged on the work target area CA with an interval corresponding to the width is calculated. Thus, the first side S1 to the fourth side S4 are reference lines for generating a straight line group as the travel route element group. If there are position coordinates of two points on a straight line, the straight line can be defined. Therefore, each straight line as a travel route element is converted into data as a straight line defined by the position coordinates of two points of each straight line, and is determined in advance. It is stored in the memory in the specified data format. In this data format, in addition to a route number as a route identifier for identifying each travel route element, as an attribute value of each travel route element, a route type, a side of a reference outline rectangle, an unrun / existing travel Etc. are included.

  Of course, the calculation of the straight line group described above can also be applied to a polygonal work target area CA other than a quadrangle. That is, assuming that the work target area CA has an N-corner shape when N is an integer of 3 or more, the travel route element group includes N straight line groups from the first straight line group to the Nth straight line group. Each straight line group includes straight lines arranged at a predetermined interval (working width) in parallel with any side of the N-gon.

  Note that a travel route element group is also set in the outer periphery area SA by the route management unit 60, and the travel route element set in the outer periphery area SA is used when the harvester 1 travels in the outer periphery area SA. The travel route element set in the outer peripheral area SA is given attribute values such as a departure route, a return route, and an intermediate straight travel route for U-turn travel. The departure route means a traveling route element group used for the harvester 1 to leave the work target area CA and enter the outer peripheral area SA. The return path means a travel path element group used for the harvester 1 to return from the outer peripheral area SA to the work travel in the work target area CA. The U-turn traveling intermediate straight path (hereinafter simply referred to as an intermediate straight traveling path) is a linear path that constitutes a part of the U-turn traveling path used for the U-turn traveling in the outer peripheral area SA. That is, the intermediate straight traveling path is a linear traveling path element group that constitutes a straight line portion that connects the turning path on the start side of the U-turn traveling and the turning path on the end side of the U-turn travel, and in the outer peripheral area SA. It is a path provided in parallel with each side of the work target area CA. In addition, when the swirl travel is initially performed and the work travel is performed while switching to the straight reciprocating travel, the uncut area is smaller than the work target area CA by the swirl travel, so that the work travel is efficiently performed. In order to do this, the U-turn traveling in the work target area CA does not have to bother to move to the outer peripheral area SA, so there is no wasteful traveling and it is efficient. Therefore, when the U-turn traveling is executed in the work target area CA, the intermediate straight traveling path is translated inward to the inner peripheral side according to the position of the outer peripheral line of the uncut ground.

  In FIG. 7, since the shape of the work target area CA is a modified quadrangle, there are four sides serving as a reference for generating the mesh path element group. However, if the shape of the work target area CA is rectangular or square, There are two sides as a reference for generating the mesh path element group, and the structure of the mesh path element group becomes simpler.

  In this embodiment, the route management unit 60 includes a strip route element calculation unit 602 as an optional travel route element calculation unit. The travel route element group calculated by the strip route element calculation unit 602 is parallel to the reference side, for example, the longest side selected from the sides constituting the outer shape of the work area CA, as shown in FIG. A parallel straight line group (corresponding to the “parallel line group” according to the present invention) that extends and covers the work target area CA with the work width (fills with the work width). The travel route element group calculated by the strip route element calculation unit 602 divides the work area CA into strips. Furthermore, the travel route element group is an aggregate of parallel straight lines (corresponding to “parallel lines” according to the present invention) sequentially connected by a U-turn travel route for the harvester 1 to travel a U-turn. In other words, when the travel of one travel route element that is a parallel straight line is completed, the U-turn travel route for transition to the next selected travel route element is determined by the U-turn route calculation unit 603.

  The U-turn route calculation unit 603 calculates a U-turn travel route for connecting two travel route elements selected from the travel route element group calculated by the strip route element calculation unit 602 by U-turn travel. When the outer peripheral area SA or the like is set, the U-turn path calculation unit 603 is based on the outer shape and outer dimension of the outer peripheral area SA, the outer shape and outer diameter of the work target area CA, the turning radius of the harvester 1, and the like. One intermediate straight path parallel to the outer side of the work target area CA is calculated for each area corresponding to each outer side (outer side) of the work target area CA, and the normal U-turn When travel and switchback turn travel are performed, the end of connecting the turning path on the start side that connects the travel route element that is currently traveling and the corresponding intermediate straight travel route, and the travel route element that transitions to the corresponding intermediate straight travel route Side turning path is calculated. The generation principle of the U-turn travel route will be described later.

  As shown in FIG. 6, various functions are constructed in the control unit 5 of the harvesting machine 1 constructing the second travel route management module CM2 in order to perform work travel. The control unit 5 is configured as a computer system, and includes an output processing unit 7, an input processing unit 8, and a communication processing unit 70 as input / output interfaces. The output processing unit 7 is connected to a vehicle travel device group 71, a work device device group 72, a notification device 73, and the like equipped in the harvester 1. The vehicle travel device group 71 includes steering devices that perform steering by adjusting the speeds of the left and right crawlers of the traveling vehicle body 11, and devices that are controlled for vehicle travel, such as a speed change mechanism and an engine unit (not shown). include. The work device group 72 includes devices constituting the harvesting unit 15, the threshing device 13, the discharge device 18, and the like. The notification device 73 includes a display, a lamp, and a speaker. In particular, the display displays various notification information such as the travel route (travel locus) that has been traveled and the travel route that is to be traveled, along with the outer shape of the field. The lamp and the speaker are used for notifying a passenger (driver or monitor) of caution information and warning information such as driving precautions and deviation from a target driving route in automatic steering driving.

  The communication processing unit 70 has a function of receiving data processed by the communication terminal 4 and transmitting data processed by the control unit 5. Thereby, the communication terminal 4 can function as a user interface of the control unit 5. Since the communication processing unit 70 is also used for exchanging data with the management computer 100, it has a function of handling various communication formats.

  The input processing unit 8 is connected to a satellite positioning module 80, a traveling system detection sensor group 81, a work system detection sensor group 82, an automatic / manual switching operation tool 83, and the like. The traveling system detection sensor group 81 includes sensors that detect a traveling state such as an engine speed and a shift state. The work system detection sensor group 82 includes a sensor for detecting the height position of the harvesting unit 15, a sensor for detecting the storage amount of the harvested tank 14, and the like. The automatic / manual switching operation tool 83 is a switch for selecting either an automatic travel mode in which the vehicle travels by automatic steering or a manual travel mode in which the vehicle travels by manual steering. In addition, a switch for switching between automatic traveling and conventional traveling is provided in the driving unit 12 or constructed in the communication terminal 4.

  Furthermore, the control unit 5 includes a travel control unit 51, a work control unit 52, a vehicle position calculation unit 53, and a notification unit 54. The own vehicle position calculation unit 53 calculates the own vehicle position based on the positioning data output from the satellite positioning module 80. Since the harvesting machine 1 is configured to be able to travel by both automatic traveling (automatic steering) and manual traveling (manual steering), the traveling control unit 51 that controls the vehicle traveling device group 71 includes an automatic traveling control unit 511. And a manual travel control unit 512 are included. The manual travel control unit 512 controls the vehicle travel device group 71 based on an operation by the driver. The automatic travel control unit 511 calculates an azimuth shift and a positional shift between the travel route set by the route setting unit 64 and the host vehicle position, generates an automatic steering command, and outputs the steering device via the output processing unit 7. Output to. The work control unit 52 gives a control signal to the work device group 72 in order to control the movement of operation devices provided in the harvesting unit 15, the threshing device 13, the discharge device 18, and the like constituting the harvester 1. The notification unit 54 generates a notification signal (display data or voice data) for notifying a driver or a monitor of necessary information through a notification device 73 such as a display.

  The automatic travel control unit 511 can perform not only steering control but also vehicle speed control. As described above, for example, the passenger sets the vehicle speed through the communication terminal 4 before starting work. The vehicle speed that can be set includes the vehicle speed during harvesting traveling, the vehicle speed during non-working turn (such as U-turn traveling), and when traveling in the outer peripheral area SA away from the work target area CA during harvesting or refueling. The vehicle speed is included. The automatic travel control unit 511 calculates the actual vehicle speed based on the positioning data obtained by the satellite positioning module 80. The output processing unit 7 sends a shift operation command to travel to the vehicle travel device group 71 so that the actual vehicle speed matches the set vehicle speed.

[Automatic driving route]
An example of automatic traveling in the work vehicle automatic traveling system will be described with reference to an example of linear reciprocating traveling using the traveling route element group calculated by the strip route element calculating unit 602.

  First, an example in which the vehicle travels in a straight line using the travel route element group calculated by the strip route element calculation unit 602 will be described. FIG. 8 shows a travel route element group composed of 21 travel route elements represented by strips with a shortened straight line length, schematically, and a route number is assigned to the upper side of each travel route element. ing. The harvester 1 at the start of work travel is located in the 14th travel route element. The degree of separation between the travel route element where the harvesting machine 1 is located and other travel route elements is a signed integer and is given to the lower side of each route. The priority for the harvester 1 located on the 14th travel route element to move to the next travel route element is shown as an integer value in the lower part of the travel route element in FIG. The smaller the value, the higher the priority and the priority is selected. This priority is based on the basic priority rule adopted in the first route element selection unit 631 of the route element selection unit 63, and the priority from the travel route element of the transfer source to the travel route element as the transfer destination is determined. Show. When the harvesting machine 1 shifts from a travel path element that has completed travel to the next travel path element, as shown in FIG. 9, a normal U-turn that transitions to the next travel path element with at least two travel path elements interposed therebetween It is possible to travel and switchback turn travel that can move to adjacent travel route elements with two or less travel route elements interposed therebetween. In normal U-turn travel, when entering the outer peripheral area SA from the end point of the transition route element, the direction is changed by about 180 ° and enters the end point of the transition destination travel route element. If the distance between the travel route element at the transition source and the travel route element at the transition destination is large, a corresponding straight travel is made during a turn of about 90 °. That is, the normal U-turn travel is executed only by the forward travel. In contrast, when the switchback turn travel enters the outer peripheral area SA from the end point of the travel source travel path element, after turning about 90 °, it smoothly enters the travel path element of the transition destination by turning about 90 °. After moving backward to the position, head to the end point of the destination travel path element. As a result, the steering control becomes complicated, but it is possible to shift to a travel route element having a short interval.

  The selection of the travel route element to be traveled next is performed by the first route element selection unit 631 and the second route element selection unit 632 of the route element selection unit 63. In the basic priority rule adopted by the first route element selection unit 631, as a priority of basic selection, an appropriately separated travel route element that is separated by a predetermined distance from the travel route element that is the order origin is set as the highest priority. The priority is set to be lower as the distance from the travel route element that is the original order becomes larger than the proper separation travel route element. For example, with respect to the transition to the next travel route element, normal U-turn travel with a short travel distance has a short travel time and is efficient. Therefore, the priority of the two left and right travel route elements that are left open is set to be the highest (priority = “1”). The further away from the harvesting machine 1, the longer the normal U-turn travel time, so the priority becomes lower (priority = “2”, “3”,...). That is, the numerical value of the priority indicates the priority order. However, the priority of the transition to the adjacent travel route elements opened by 8 which is longer than the normal U-turn travel and becomes less efficient than the switchback turn travel is lower than the switchback turn travel. In the switchback turn traveling, the priority for shifting to the traveling route element opened by one is higher than the priority for shifting to the adjacent traveling route element. This is because the switchback turn traveling to the adjacent traveling route element requires a sharp turn and is likely to damage the field. The transition to the next travel route element can be performed in either the left or right direction, but the transition to the left travel route element has priority over the transition to the right travel route element in accordance with conventional work conventions. The rule is adopted. Therefore, in the example of FIG. 8, the harvester 1 located on the route number: 14 selects the travel route element of the route number: 17 as the travel route element to travel next. Such priority setting is performed each time the harvester 1 enters a new travel route element.

  An already selected travel route element, in other words, a travel route element for which work has been completed, is basically prohibited from being selected. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 10, for example, if the route number: 11 or the route number: 17 with the priority “1” is the already-worked land (the already-cutted land), the harvester located at the route number: 14 1 selects a travel route element of route number 18 having a priority “2” as a travel route element to be traveled next.

[Regarding optimization of automated driving routes]
Next, an example of specific processing steps for determining the selection order of travel route elements by the first route element selection unit 631 and the second route element selection unit 632 of the route element selection unit 63 will be described.
In the example described below, in order to simplify the explanation, the next traveling route element to be traveled next is sequentially selected from the traveling route element group as shown in FIG. One traveling route is determined. Therefore, FIG. 10 shows a state in the middle of the travel route element selection order calculation process by the first route element selection unit 631. 10 and 11, 21 strip-like travel route elements are shown as in the travel route element group shown in FIG. 8, and a route number is assigned to the upper side of each route. In FIG. 11, not the priority but the order selected so far is given to the center of the travel route element. In addition, the selected travel route element, that is, the travel route element that has been virtually completed is painted black. In this way, every time the destination travel route element is determined, a priority as shown in FIG. 8 is set with the travel route element as the current position of the harvester 1, and based on the priority, The travel route element to be transferred is determined. By repeating this, the entire travel route is created.

  When the travel route element selection order is calculated by the first route element selection unit 631 and the travel route element based on the calculated selection order is set by the route setting unit 64, the work travel can be started. Note that the first route element selection unit 631 has a light computational load, in which the selection priority is determined by the degree of separation (interval, distance) between the travel route element where the harvester 1 is located and other travel route elements. Employs priority rules. Therefore, the selection order calculated by the first route element selection unit 631 is not necessarily an appropriate selection order. For this reason, when the selection order of the travel route elements by the first route element selection unit 631 is calculated, the selection order of the travel route elements by the second route element selection unit 632 capable of calculating a more appropriate selection order is calculated. Be started. As described above, the second route element selection unit 632 employs a cost evaluation rule that selects a travel route element while performing cost evaluation so as to obtain higher work efficiency. In the second route element selection unit 632, a predetermined number (three or more) of travel route elements extracted from the end of the order of selection of the travel route elements by the first route element selection unit 631 are subject to calculation.

  Next, the selection order of all travel route elements is calculated by the first route element selection unit 631, the work travel process after all travel routes are created, and the selection order of travel route elements by the second route element selection unit 632. The correction process for rewriting the selection order of the unworked travel route elements will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12.

<Step # 01>
As described above, when the outer peripheral area SA is created by the work by the circular traveling, the field setting unit 44 divides the field into the outer peripheral area SA and the work target area CA, and further, the work path CA has a strip route. A travel route element group calculated by the element calculation unit 602 is set. As the work travel start point, the current position of the harvester 1 or the position input by the supervisor through the communication terminal 4 is adopted. Here, one end of the route number: 16 is selected as the work travel start point.

<Step # 02>
When the start of the automatic travel is instructed, the work travel along the travel route element is executed from the end point of the travel route element of the route number: 16 which is the travel work start point.

<Step # 03>
Based on all the travel routes calculated by the first route element selection unit 631 and set by the route setting unit 64, the travel route element of the route number: 13 is selected, and the work travel along the travel route element is executed. The

<Step # 04>
Similarly, subsequent work travels are sequentially advanced based on all travel routes set in the route setting unit 64.

<Step # 05>
At this stage, it is assumed that the calculation of the selection order of the travel route elements by the second route element selection unit 632 is completed. The second route element selection unit 632 extracts three travel route elements retroactively from the travel route element that is the last in the selection order calculated by the first route element selection unit 631, and between these travel route elements. When the actual travel advances to the route number: 10 (the third selection order in the temporary total travel route), the remaining travel route element 2 from the last third travel route element is calculated. The optimal selection order for driving the vehicle is calculated. In the example shown in step # 05 of FIG. 11, the original selection order is “route number: 19 → route number: 9 → route number: 12 (travel time / travel amount: 13)”. Thus, the re-calculated selection order is “route number: 19 → route number: 12 → route number: 9 (traveling time / travel amount: 10)”. It is determined that the travel time (movement amount) is smaller. That is, the recalculated selection order is the optimum route selection.

<Step # 06>
The selection order of the corresponding travel route elements is replaced by the selection order recalculated in step # 05. During this time, the harvesting machine 1 has moved to the route number: 7 which is the fourth selection order in all the provisional travel routes. However, there is still time to allow the harvesting machine 1 that is actually traveling to reach the 19th route number 19 in the replacement selection order 19 in accordance with the original selection order that has not been replaced. In other words, the recalculation of the selection order increases the predetermined number to be extracted one by one from the final travel route element side of the tentative total travel route, while the actual travel route element is used for recalculation. It repeats until it is included in the travel route element to be extracted. Thereby, more travel route elements are in the proper selection order. However, the recalculated selection order may be the same as the selection order of all the temporary travel routes, and in this case, the above replacement is skipped. In addition, this embodiment is only an example for explaining the above algorithm. For example, there are places where the selection order in the provisional entire travel route is not in accordance with the basic rules described based on FIGS. 8 to 10. is there.

  Next, the selection order changing algorithm performed in steps # 05 and # 06 described above will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 12, nine travel route elements are indicated by C1... C9. The first state, state A, is the selection order calculated by the first route element selection unit 631 that uses the basic priority rule described above. The departure travel route element is C2, and the selection order from that, that is, the travel order, is calculated as C2-C4-C6-C8-C5-C7-C9-C1-C3. Work travel is started, travel route elements are sequentially selected, and the harvester 1 travels. At the same time, the second route element selection unit 632 partially recalculates the selection order based on the selection order change algorithm.

  In the change algorithm here, first, three travel route elements, C9-C1-C3, are extracted from the lowest order of the selection order calculated by the first route element selection unit 631. The cost for traveling along these three travel route elements is calculated based on the cost evaluation rule. Costs employed in the cost evaluation rule include fuel consumption, travel time, and the like, but a transition distance for transition between travel route elements (U-turn travel), which is easier to calculate, is preferable. If a selection order with a lower cost is found from the calculated cost, the selection order of the three travel route elements extracted is changed according to the selection order. Therefore, the new selection order is C9-C3-C1 (calculation 1).

  Further, the fourth travel route element C7 from the lowest is additionally extracted as a selection order change target, and the selection order of the four travel route elements, C7-C9-C3-C1, is evaluated based on the cost evaluation rule. In the illustrated example, the selection order, C7-C9-C3-C1, is changed to C7-C1-C3-C9 (calculation 2). Such calculation is sequentially performed while newly extracting a new travel route element as a selection order change target (calculation 3). The repetitive calculation based on the cost evaluation rule is stopped when the additionally extracted travel route element is actually traveled. In the example of FIG. 12, in the state B, the travel route element C8 is traveling, and in the calculation 4, the travel route element C8 is extracted as the latest additional extracted travel route element. Therefore, at this time point, the calculation 4 is stopped, and the route setting unit 64 changes the selection order C5-C1-C3-C7-C9, which is the calculation result of the calculation 3, to the selection order subsequent to the travel route element C8. Do. As a result, the travel route element order that the harvester 1 travels is the cost from the initial selection order calculated based on the basic priority rule, C2-C4-C6-C8-C5-C7-C9-C1-C3. In view of the above, it is changed to C2-C4-C6-C8-C5-C1-C3-C7-C9.

  In this way, the selection order calculated by the first route element selection unit 631 with a light calculation load is selected based on the second route element selection unit 632 that allows a route selection with a heavy calculation load but higher work efficiency. By making corrections in order, work travel on the most appropriate travel route is realized. During the calculation by the second route element selection unit, since the work vehicle is already performing a traveling operation, the calculation time of the two route element selection unit does not delay the work traveling.

  FIG. 13 shows an example in which the vehicle travels in a spiral manner using the travel route element calculated by the mesh route element calculation unit 601. The field outer peripheral area SA and the work target area CA shown in FIG. 13 are the same as those in FIG. 7, and the traveling route element group set in the work target area CA is also the same. Here, for the sake of explanation, the travel route elements having the first side S1 as the reference line are indicated by L11, L12..., And the travel route elements having the second side S2 as the reference line are indicated by L21, L22. , L3, L32,..., And L4, L42,..., And L4, L42,.

  A thick line in FIG. 13 indicates a travel route that travels in a spiral shape from the outside to the inside of the harvester 1. The travel route element L11 outside the work target area CA is selected as the first travel route. A route change of approximately 90 ° is performed at the intersection of the travel route element L11 and the travel route element L21, and the harvester 1 travels on the travel route element L21. Furthermore, a route change of approximately 110 ° is performed at the intersection of the travel route element L21 and the travel route element L31, and the harvester 1 travels on the travel route element L31. A route change of approximately 70 ° is performed at the intersection of the travel route element L31 and the travel route element L41, and the harvester 1 travels on the travel route element L41. Next, the travel route element L12 is shifted to the travel route element L12 at the intersection of the travel route element L12 and the travel route element L41 inside the travel route element L11. By repeatedly selecting such travel route elements, the harvester 1 travels in a spiral manner from the outside to the inside in the work target area CA of the field. in this way. When the spiral traveling pattern is set, the route change is performed at the intersection of the traveling route elements that have the non-traveling attribute and are located on the outermost periphery of the work target area CA, and the harvester 1 changes direction.

  FIG. 14 shows a travel example of U-turn travel using the same travel route element group shown in FIG. First, the travel route element L11 outside the work target area CA is selected as the first travel route. The harvesting machine 1 enters the outer peripheral area SA beyond the end (end point) of the travel path element L11, makes a 90 ° turn along the second side S2, and further travels in parallel with the travel path element L11. A 90 ° turn is made again so as to enter the starting end (end point) of the element L14. As a result, after the normal U-turn travel of 180 °, the travel route element L11 is shifted to the travel route element L14 with two travel route elements being opened. Further, when traveling on the travel route element L14 and entering the outer peripheral area SA, the travel route element L17 extending in parallel with the travel route element L14 passes through a normal U-turn travel of 180 °. In this way, the harvester 1 shifts from the travel route element L17 to the travel route element L110, and further from the travel route element L110 to the travel route element L16, and finally the work travel of the entire work target area CA in the field. To complete. As is clear from the above description, the example of the linear reciprocating travel using the travel route element group by the strip route element calculation unit 602 described using FIG. 8, FIG. 9, and FIG. The present invention is also applicable to straight-line reciprocating travel using travel route elements calculated by the calculation unit 601.

  As described above, the linear reciprocating traveling can be realized by a traveling route element group that divides the work target area CA into strips or a traveling route element group that divides the work target area CA into a mesh shape. . In other words, the travel route element group that divides the work area CA into a mesh shape can be used for linear reciprocating travel, spiral travel, and zigzag travel, and the travel pattern can be changed from spiral travel during the work. It is also possible to change to linear reciprocating travel. Furthermore, the traveling route element selection order technique using the first route element selecting unit 631 and the second route element selecting unit 632 is also applied to the linear reciprocating traveling using the traveling route element group shown in FIG. Can do.

[Generation principle of U-turn travel route]
The basic principle by which the U-turn route calculation unit 603 generates a U-turn travel route will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 15 shows a U-turn travel route that shifts from the travel route element indicated by LS0 to the travel route element indicated by LS1. In normal travel, if LS0 is a travel route element in the work area CA, LS1 becomes a travel path element (= intermediate straight travel path) in the outer periphery area SA, and conversely, LS1 is a travel path element in the work area CA. If so, LS0 is generally a travel route element (= intermediate straight route) in the outer peripheral area SA. Linear formulas (or two points on the straight line) of the travel route elements LS0 and LS1 are recorded in the memory, and from these linear formulas, their intersections (indicated by PX in FIG. 15) and intersection angles (in FIG. 15). is calculated). Next, a tangent circle having a radius (indicated by r in FIG. 15) that is in contact with the travel route element LS0 and the travel route element LS1 and equal to the minimum turning radius of the harvester 1 is calculated. An arc (a part of the contact circle) connecting the contact points (shown as PS0 and PS1 in FIG. 15) between the contact circle and the travel route elements LS0 and LS1 is a turning route. Therefore, the distance Y between the intersection PX of the travel route elements LS0 and LS1 and the contact point with the circle is expressed as Y = r / (tan (θ / 2))
Ask for. Since the minimum turning radius is substantially determined by the specifications of the harvester 1, r is a specified value. Note that r does not have to be the same value as the minimum turning radius, and it is only necessary to set a reasonable turning radius in advance by the communication terminal 4 or the like and program the turning operation to be the turning radius. In terms of travel control, the harvester 1 starts turning when it reaches the position coordinate (PS0) where the distance to the intersection is Y while traveling on the turning origin travel path element LS0, and then turns. If the difference between the azimuth of the harvester 1 and the azimuth of the travel route element LS1 at the turn destination falls within an allowable value, the turn travel is terminated. At that time, the turning radius of the harvester 1 may not exactly coincide with the radius r. By performing steering control based on the distance and the azimuth difference with the turning destination travel path element LS1, the harvester 1 can shift to the travel destination travel path element LS1.

  FIG. 16, FIG. 17, and FIG. 18 show three specific U-turn runs. In FIG. 16, the turning-source travel path element LS0 and the turning-destination travel path element LS1 extend in an inclined state from the outer side of the work target area CA. Here, the U-turn travel route in the outer periphery region SA is an extension line to the outer periphery region SA of the travel route element LS0 and the travel route element LS1, and an intermediate straight travel route that is a part (line segment) of the travel route element in the outer periphery region SA. And two arcuate turning paths. This U-turn travel route can also be generated according to the basic principle described with reference to FIG. An intersection angle θ1 and an intersection point PX1 between the intermediate straight path and the turning source travel path element LS0, and an intersection angle θ2 and an intersection point PX2 between the intermediate straight path and the turning destination travel path element LS1 are calculated. Further, the position coordinates of the contact points PS10 and PS11 of the circle of contact with the radius r (= the turning radius of the harvesting machine 1) contacting the turning source travel path element LS0 and the intermediate straight travel path, and the intermediate straight travel path and the travel of the turn destination The position coordinates of the contact points PS20 and PS21 of the contact circle with the radius r in contact with the path element LS1 are calculated. At these contact points PS10 and PS20, the harvester 1 starts turning. Similarly, a U-turn travel route that bypasses the triangular projection can be generated in the same manner for the work area CA having the triangular projection shown in FIG. Intersection points of the travel route elements LS0 and LS1 and two intermediate straight travel routes that are a part (line segment) of the travel route elements in the outer peripheral area SA are obtained. The basic principle described with reference to FIG. 15 is applied to the calculation of each intersection.

  FIG. 18 shows the turning travel by the switchback turn traveling, and shifts from the travel route element LS0 of the turning source to the travel route element LS1 of the turning destination. In this switchback turn traveling, a tangent circle with a radius r that contacts the intermediate straight traveling path parallel to the outer side of the work target area CA, which is a part (line segment) of the traveling path element in the outer peripheral area SA, and the traveling path element LS0. Then, a tangent circle of radius r in contact with the intermediate straight traveling route and the travel route element LS1 is calculated. In accordance with the basic principle described with reference to FIG. 15, the position coordinates of the contact point between the two contact circles and the intermediate straight path, the position coordinate of the contact point between the travel path element LS0 of the turning source and the contact circle, The position coordinates of the contact point between the travel route element LS1 and the contact circle are calculated. Thereby, the U-turn traveling route in the switchback turn traveling is generated. In the switchback turn traveling, the intermediate straight traveling route is traveled backward by the harvester 1.

[About direction change travel in spiral travel]
FIG. 19 shows an example of the direction change travel used for the route change at the intersection which is the route changeable point of the travel route element in the above-described spiral travel. Hereinafter, this direction change traveling is referred to as α-turn traveling. The travel route in this α-turn travel (α-turn travel route) is a kind of so-called reverse travel route, and is a travel route element of the travel source (shown as LS0 in FIG. 19) and a travel route element of the turning destination (see FIG. 19). 19 is a path that touches the travel path element of the turning destination in the backward turning path from the intersection point indicated by LS1). Since the α-turn travel route is standardized as the α-turn travel route, the α-turn travel route generated according to the intersection angle between the travel route element of the travel source and the travel route element of the turn destination is registered in advance. Yes. Therefore, the route management unit 60 reads out an appropriate α-turn traveling route based on the calculated intersection angle, and gives the route to the route setting unit 64. Instead of this configuration, an automatic control program for each crossing angle is registered in the automatic travel control unit 511, and the automatic travel control unit 511 uses the appropriate automatic control program based on the crossing angle calculated by the route management unit 60. A configuration of reading may be employed.

[Exception rule for route selection]
The route element selection unit 63 has a function of selecting an emergency evacuation travel route element in addition to the travel route element selection function by the first route element selection unit 631 and the second route element selection unit 632 as described above. This is because the travel based on the selection order of the travel route elements calculated by the first route element selection unit 631 or the second route element selection unit 632 is temporarily stopped, and another travel route element is selected to be exceptional. This is an exception process for running. Such exception processing is determined based on the state information output from the work state evaluation unit 55. Hereinafter, route selection rules A1 to A11 in exception processing will be exemplified.

(A1) When a transition from automatic driving to manual driving is requested by an operation by a supervisor (passenger), selection of a driving route element by the route element selecting unit 63 is stopped after preparation for manual driving is completed. . Such operations include operation of the automatic / manual switching operation tool 83, operation of the brake operation tool (particularly sudden stop operation), operation of a predetermined steering angle or more with a steering operation tool (such as a steering lever), and the like. Further, the traveling system detection sensor group 81 includes a sensor that detects the absence of a supervisor who is required to board during automatic traveling, for example, a seating detection sensor provided in a seat or a seat belt wearing detection sensor. If it is, the automatic travel control can be stopped based on the signal from this sensor. That is, when the absence of the supervisor is detected, the automatic traveling control is stopped, or the traveling of the harvester 1 is stopped. Further, a configuration in which an operation with a minute steering angle smaller than a predetermined steering angle by the steering operation tool is performed only fine adjustment of the traveling direction without stopping the automatic traveling control may be employed.

(A2) The automatic traveling control unit 511 monitors the relationship (distance) between the contour line position of the field and the vehicle position based on the positioning data, and avoids contact between the kite and the aircraft during turning in the outer peripheral area SA. To control the automatic running. Specifically, the automatic traveling is stopped and the harvester 1 is stopped, the form of turn traveling is changed (from normal U-turn traveling to switchback turn traveling or α-turn traveling), or the region is not passed. Set the travel route. Also, “The turning area is narrow. Please be careful. ”Etc. may be configured to be notified.

(A3) When the amount of harvest stored in the harvest tank 14 is full or nearly full and the crop needs to be discharged, the work state evaluation unit 55 sends it to the route element selection unit 63 as one of the state information. A discharge request (a kind of request for leaving from work traveling in the work target area CA) is issued. In this case, on the basis of the parking position for performing the discharge operation to the transport vehicle CV and the own vehicle position, the vehicle moves away from the work traveling in the work target area CA, travels in the outer peripheral area SA, and the parking position. An appropriate travel route element (for example, a travel route element that becomes the shortest route) that is directed to the vehicle is provided with the attribute value of the departure route among the travel route element groups set in the outer peripheral area SA, and the work target area CA. Is selected from the travel route element group set in (1).

(A4) A fuel replenishment request (a type of withdrawal request) is issued when the urgency of fuel shortage is evaluated based on the fuel tank remaining amount value calculated by a signal from the fuel remaining amount sensor or the like. Also in this case, as in (A3), an appropriate travel route element to the fuel supply position (for example, travel that becomes the shortest route) based on the parking position and the vehicle position, which are preset fuel supply positions. Route element) is selected.

(A5) When the vehicle travels away from the work area CA and enters the outer peripheral area SA, it is necessary to return to the work area CA again. The travel route element closest to the departure point or the travel route element closest to the current position in the outer peripheral area SA is set in the outer peripheral area SA as the travel path element serving as the starting point of the return to the work target area CA. The travel route element group is selected from those given the return route attribute value and the travel route element group set in the work area CA.

(A6) When determining a travel route that leaves the work travel in the work target area CA and returns again to the work target area CA in order to discharge the crop and refuel, the existing work in the work target area CA (already traveled) Thus, the travel route element to which the travel prohibition attribute is assigned is revived as a travel route element that can travel. If a predetermined time or more can be shortened by selecting an already-worked travel route element, the travel route element is selected. Furthermore, it is also possible to use reverse travel for traveling in the work target area CA when leaving the work target area CA.

(A7) The timing of leaving the work travel in the work target area CA for crop discharge and fuel replenishment is determined from each margin and the travel time or travel distance to the parking position. Here, the margin is a travel time or a travel distance that is predicted from the current storage amount in the crop tank 14 until it becomes full if the crop is discharged. In the case of refueling, it is the travel time or travel distance predicted from the current remaining amount in the fuel tank until the fuel is completely exhausted. For example, when passing near the parking position for discharging during automatic driving, the vehicle passes the parking position based on the margin and the time required for the discharging work, then leaves the parking position and returns to the parking position. It is determined whether it is an efficient travel (whether the total work time is short or the total travel distance is short) depending on whether the vehicle is coming or near the parking position. If the discharge operation is performed when the amount is too small, the number of discharges increases as a whole, which is not efficient, and if it is almost full, it is more efficient to discharge it.

(A8) FIG. 20 shows a case where the travel route element selected in the work travel resumed after leaving the work target area CA is not a continuation of the work travel before the departure. In this case, a linear reciprocating pattern as shown in FIGS. 3 and 14 is set in advance. In FIG. 20, the parking position is indicated by the reference sign PP, and as a comparative example, the travel route when the work is smoothly performed in the linear reciprocating travel with the U-turn travel of 180 ° in the work target area CA is a dotted line. It is shown in The actual travel locus is indicated by a thick solid line. As the work travel proceeds, a linear travel route element and a U-turn travel route are sequentially selected (step # 01).

  During the work travel (step # 02), when a departure request is generated, a travel route that travels from the work target area CA to the outer peripheral area SA is calculated. At this point, the vehicle travels straight along the traveling route element that is currently traveling and exits to the outer peripheral area SA, and turns 90 ° from the traveling route element that is currently traveling, and has already-cut ground (= having already traveled attributes). It is considered that the route passes through an outer peripheral area SA where a parking position exists through a set portion of travel route elements). Here, the latter route having a shorter travel distance is selected (step # 03). In this latter leaving travel, a traveling path element set in the outer peripheral area SA is translated to the leaving point as the leaving travel path element in the work target area CA after turning 90 °. However, if the withdrawal request is made with a time margin, the former route is selected. In the former separation travel, since the harvesting operation is continued during the separation travel in the work target area CA, there is an advantage in terms of work efficiency.

  When the harvesting machine 1 leaves the work target area CA and leaves the work target area CA and the outer peripheral area SA and arrives at the parking position, the harvester 1 receives support from the work support vehicle. In this example, the harvest stored in the harvest tank 14 is discharged to the transport vehicle CV.

  When the harvest is completely discharged, it is necessary to return to the point where the withdrawal request is generated in order to return to the work traveling. In the example of FIG. 20, since the unworked portion is left in the travel route element that was traveling when the departure request is generated, the process returns to the travel route element. For this reason, the harvesting machine 1 selects the travel route element of the outer peripheral area SA from the parking position, travels counterclockwise, and when it reaches the end point of the target travel route element, it turns 90 ° there and turns the travel route element Enter the element and do a work run. After passing the point where the withdrawal request is generated, the harvester 1 travels non-working and travels along the next travel route element via the U-turn travel route (step # 04). Thereafter, the harvester 1 continues the linear reciprocating travel, and completes the work travel in the work target area CA (step # 05).

(A9) When the position of the traveling obstacle in the field is included in the input work site data, or when the harvesting machine 1 is equipped with the obstacle position detection device, the position of the obstacle and the own vehicle Based on the position, a travel route element for obstacle avoidance travel is selected. As a selection rule for the purpose of avoiding the obstacle, there is a rule for selecting a travel route element that takes a detour route as close as possible to the obstacle, or there is no obstacle when entering the work target area CA after leaving the outer peripheral area SA once. There is a rule for selecting a travel route element that can take a straight route.

(A10) When the spiral travel pattern as shown in FIGS. 4 and 13 is set, if the length of the travel route element to be selected is shortened, the spiral travel pattern is automatically changed to the linear reciprocal travel pattern. Can be switched. This is because, when the area is reduced, the spiral traveling including the α-turn traveling that moves forward and backward tends to be inefficient.

(A11) In the case where the vehicle is traveling in the conventional traveling, the conventional operation is performed when the number of unworked (unrunning) traveling route elements in the unworked land, that is, the traveling route element group in the work target area CA is equal to or less than a predetermined value. It is automatically switched from running to automatic running. Further, when the harvesting machine 1 is working in the swirl traveling from outside to inside the work target area CA covered by the mesh straight line group, the area of the remaining unworked land decreases, and the unworked travel route When the number of elements becomes a predetermined value or less, the spiral traveling is switched to the linear reciprocating traveling. In this case, as described above, in order to avoid unnecessary travel, the travel route element having the attribute of the intermediate straight travel route is translated from the outer peripheral area SA to the vicinity of the unworked area in the work target area CA.

  When the exception processing as described above is completed, the travel may be returned to the travel based on the travel route element selection order calculated by the first route element selection unit 631 or the second route element selection unit 632 again. Alternatively, when it is difficult to return, the selection order of the travel route elements is calculated again by the first route element selection unit 631 and the second route element selection unit 632, and the travel based on the selection order is resumed. Also good.

(Cooperative driving control)
In the embodiment described above, the work traveling in the field is performed by one harvesting machine 1. Of course, the present invention is also applicable to the use of a plurality of work vehicles. Here, for ease of understanding, a description will be given of a mode in which work traveling (automatic traveling) is performed by two harvesting machines 1. FIG. 2119 shows a state in which the first work vehicle that functions as the master harvester 1m and the second work vehicle that functions as the slave harvester 1s cooperate and travel on one field. A supervisor has boarded the master harvester 1m, and the supervisor operates the communication terminal 4 brought into the master harvester 1m. For convenience, the terms master and slave are used, but there is no master-slave relationship, and the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s are respectively based on the above-described travel route setting routine (travel route element selection rule). Set up your own route and run automatically. However, data communication is possible between the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s via each communication processing unit 70, and various information is exchanged. The communication terminal 4 not only provides the master harvester 1m with a supervisor's command and data related to the travel route, but also sends a supervisor's command to the slave harvester 1s via the communication terminal 4 and the master harvester 1m. Data on the travel route can be given.

  In the coordinated traveling, the master harvester is assigned by first allocating a travel route element that is a calculation target of the selection order to the first route element selection unit 631 provided in the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s. The inconvenience that the machine 1m and the slave harvester 1s travel on the same travel route element can be avoided. Further, the first route element selection unit 631 and the second route element selection unit 632 are constructed not on the harvesting machine 1 side but on the communication terminal 4 side, and the master harvesting machine 1m and the slave harvesting machine 1s travel on the communication terminal 4. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the selection order of the driving route elements is calculated and transmitted to the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s. In this case, the first route element selection unit 631 and the second route element selection unit 632 not only select the same travel route element between the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s, but also with the master harvester 1m. It is necessary to adopt an algorithm for calculating the selection order in consideration of the travel time so that the slave harvester 1s does not travel adjacently.

Even in a straight-line reciprocating traveling by a plurality of harvesters 1, it is possible to execute an exceptional process for performing an exceptional traveling by selecting an emergency escape traveling route element as described above. An example of exception processing in coordinated traveling will be described with reference to FIGS.
22 and FIG. 23, a group of parallel straight lines made up of mutually parallel straight lines is indicated by L01, L02,... L10, L01-L04 are already-worked travel path elements, and L05-L10. Is an unworked travel route element. In FIG. 22, the master harvester 1m travels in the outer peripheral area SA in order to go to the parking position, and the slave harvester 1s is temporarily stopped at the lower end of the work target area CA, specifically, at the lower end of the travel path element L04. When the slave harvester 1s enters the outer peripheral area SA in order to move from the travel route element L04 to the travel route element L07 by U-turn travel, it collides with the master harvester 1m. It is stopped. When the master harvester 1m is parked at the parking position, it is impossible to enter or leave the work target area CA using the travel path elements L05, L06, and L07. L05, L06, and L07 are temporarily prohibited from traveling (selection prohibited). When the master harvester 1m finishes the discharge operation and moves from the parking position, the route element selection unit 63 of the slave harvester 1s takes the travel route of the master harvester 1m into account, and then from the travel route element L05-L10, The travel route element to be transferred is selected, and the slave harvester 1s resumes automatic travel.

  In addition, the slave harvester 1s can continue the work while the master harvester 1m is performing the discharge work at the parking position. An example is shown in FIG. In this case, the route element selection unit 63 of the slave harvester 1s normally selects the three-lane ahead travel route element L07 having the travel route element priority “1” as the travel destination travel route element. However, the travel route element L07 is prohibited from traveling as in the example of FIG. Therefore, the travel route element L08 having the next highest priority is selected. The travel route from the travel route element L04 to the travel route element L08 includes a route that travels backward through the current travel route element L04 that has already traveled (shown by a solid line in FIG. 23), and the lower end of the travel route element L04. A plurality of routes such as a route (indicated by a dotted line in FIG. 23) that advances clockwise from the vehicle to the outer peripheral area SA is calculated, and the most efficient route, for example, the shortest route (in this embodiment, the solid line) Route) is selected.

  When one field is considerably wide, one field is divided into a plurality of sections by dividing, and one harvesting machine 1 is put in each section. FIG. 24 is an explanatory view showing the middle of the middle division process in which a band-shaped middle area CC is formed at the center of the work area CA and the work area CA is divided into two sections CA1 and CA2. 25 is an explanatory diagram showing the state after the end of the middle split process. In this embodiment, the master harvester 1m forms the middle area CC. While the master harvester 1m is performing the middle split, the slave harvester 1s performs a work travel in the section CA2, for example, in a linear reciprocating travel pattern. Prior to this work travel, a travel route element group for the section CA2 is generated. At this time, the travel route element corresponding to one work width on the middle area CC side of the section CA2 is prohibited from being selected until the middle process is completed, and the contact between the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s is prohibited. To avoid.

  When the intermediate process is completed, the master harvester 1m is controlled to travel like a single operation using the travel path element group calculated for the section CA1, and the slave harvester 1s is calculated for the section CA2. Using the travel route element group, travel control is performed like a single work travel. When the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s travel straight and reciprocally in each section CA1 as such an independent work travel, the first path element selection unit 631 and the second path described above for each section CA1. Work travel using the element selection unit 632 is possible.

  When the size of the field is larger, the field is divided in a lattice pattern as shown in FIG. This middle splitting can be performed by the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s. The work by the master harvester 1m and the work by the slave harvester 1s are distributed to the sections formed by the lattice-shaped division, and the work traveling by the single harvester 1 is performed in each section. However, the travel route element is selected on the condition that the distance between the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s is not more than a predetermined value. This is because if the slave harvester 1s is too far from the master harvester 1m, it becomes difficult for the supervisor who is on the master harvester 1m to monitor the work traveling of the slave harvester 1s and to communicate state information with each other. Because. In the case of the form as shown in FIG. 26, the harvester 1 that has finished the work in the section in charge is directed to the section in charge of the other harvester 1 in order to support the work of the other harvester 1. Automatic traveling may be performed, or automatic traveling may be performed so as to go to the next section in charge of the own vehicle. Even in this case, when the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s travel linearly in each section, the first path element selection unit 631 and the second path element selection unit 632 described above are used for each section. Can be operated.

[About fine adjustment of parameters such as work equipment group during cooperative automatic driving]
When the master harvester 1 m and the slave harvester 1 s work together in a coordinated manner, the master harvester 1 m is usually equipped with a supervisor. 4, the parameter values for the vehicle travel device group 71 and the work device group 72 in the automatic travel control can be finely adjusted. In order to realize the parameter values for the vehicle traveling device group 71 and the work device group 72 of the master harvester 1m also in the slave harvester 1s, as shown in FIG. 27, the parameters of the master harvester 1m to the slave harvester 1s are set. The structure which can adjust can be employ | adopted. However, there is no problem even if the communication terminal 4 is also provided in the slave harvester 1s. This is because the slave harvester 1s may also be used as the master harvester 1m in both cases of independent automatic traveling.

  In the communication terminal 4 shown in FIG. 27, a parameter acquisition unit 45 and a parameter adjustment command generation unit 46 are constructed. The parameter acquisition unit 45 acquires device parameters set by the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s. Thereby, the set values of the device parameters of the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s can be displayed on the display panel unit of the touch panel 41 of the communication terminal 4. The supervisor boarding the master harvester 1m inputs the device parameter adjustment amount for adjusting the device parameters of the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s through the touch panel 41. The parameter adjustment command generator 46 generates a parameter adjustment command for adjusting the corresponding device parameter based on the input device parameter adjustment amount, and transmits the parameter adjustment command to the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s. As a communication interface for such communication, the control unit 5 of the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s includes a communication processing unit 70, and the communication terminal 4 includes a communication control unit 40. . The adjustment of the device parameters of the master harvester 1m may be performed directly by the supervisor using various operating tools equipped on the master harvester 1m. The equipment parameters are divided into travel equipment parameters and work equipment parameters. The travel equipment parameters include the vehicle speed and the engine speed, and the work equipment parameters include the height of the harvesting section 15 and the height of the reel 17. It is.

Another embodiment

(1) In the above-described embodiment, regarding the setting and selection of travel route elements, it is assumed that the work widths of the master harvester 1m as the first work vehicle and the slave harvester 1s as the second work vehicle are the same. explained. Here, two examples are used to explain how the travel route elements are set and selected when the work width of the master harvester 1m and the work width of the slave harvester 1s are different. The work width of the master harvester 1m will be described as the first work width, and the work width of the slave harvester 1s will be described as the second work width. In order to facilitate understanding, specifically, the first work width is set to “6” and the second work width is set to “4”.

(1-1) FIG. 28 shows an example in which a linear reciprocating traveling pattern is set. In this case, the route management unit 60 is an aggregate of a large number of travel route elements that cover the work target area CA with a reference width that is the greatest common divisor or approximate largest common divisor of the first work width and the second work width. A certain travel route element group is calculated. Since the first work width is “6” and the second work width is “4”, the reference width is “2”. In FIG. 28, in order to identify the travel route elements, numbers from 01 to 20 are assigned to the travel route elements as route numbers.

  It is assumed that the master harvester 1m starts from the travel route element of the route number 17 and the slave harvester 1s starts from the travel route element of the route number 12. As shown in FIG. 6, the route element selection unit 63 has a first route element selection unit 631 having a function of selecting a travel route element of the master harvester 1m and a function of selecting a travel route element of the slave harvester 1s. The second route element selection unit 632 has a second route element selection unit 632. When the route element selection unit 63 is constructed in the control unit 5 of the master harvester 1m, the next travel route element selected by the second route element selection unit 632 is the communication processing unit 70 of the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester. Is provided to the route setting unit 64 of the slave harvesting machine 1s via the communication processing unit 70 of the machine 1s. Note that the center of the work width or the center of the harvesting machine 1 and the travel route element do not necessarily coincide with each other. If there is a deviation, automatic traveling control is performed in consideration of the deviation.

(2-1) As shown in FIG. 28, the first route element selection unit 631 has an area that is an integral multiple of the first work width or the second work width (can be non-running or already running), or From the travel route element group that has not traveled, the next travel route so as to leave a total area of the integral multiple of the first work width and the integral multiple of the second work width (whether it has been traveled or has already traveled). Select an element. The selected next travel route element is given to the route setting unit 64 of the master harvester 1m. Similarly, the second path element selection unit 632 may include a first work width or an area that is an integer multiple of the second work width (can be non-running or already running), or an integer multiple of the first work width and the second work width. The next travel route element is selected from the travel route element group that has not traveled so as to leave a total area (which can be either non-running or already traveled).

  That is, after the master harvester 1m or the slave harvester 1s automatically travels along the next travel route element given by the first route element selection unit 631 or the second route element selection unit 632, the work target area CA includes The untraveled area having a width that is an integral multiple of the first work width or the second work width will remain. However, in the end, there is a possibility that an unworked area having a narrow width less than the second work width may remain. However, such an unworked area remaining at the end of the master harvester 1m or the slave harvester 1s. Worked on either.

(2-2) FIG. 29 shows an example in which a spiral traveling pattern is set. In this case, a travel route element group is set in the work target area CA by a vertical straight line group and a horizontal straight line group whose vertical and horizontal intervals are the first work width. The travel route elements belonging to the horizontal straight line group are given symbols X1 to X9 as their route numbers, and the travel route elements belonging to the vertical straight line group are given symbols Y1 to Y9 as their route numbers. It has been.

  In FIG. 29, a spiral running pattern is set in which the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s draw a counterclockwise double spiral from the outside to the inside. It is assumed that the master harvester 1m starts from the travel route element of the route number Y1, and the slave harvester 1s starts from the travel route element of the route number X1. The route element selection unit 63 is divided into a first route element selection unit 631 and a second route element selection unit 632 in this case as well.

  As shown in FIG. 29, the master harvester 1m first travels on the travel route element of the route number Y1 first selected by the first route element selection unit 631. However, since the travel route element group shown in FIG. 29 is initially calculated using the first work width as an interval, the second route for the slave harvester 1s having the second work width smaller than the first work width is used. The position coordinate of the travel route element of the route number X1 first selected by the route element selection unit 632 is corrected in order to fill the difference between the first work width and the second work width. That is, the travel route element of the route number X1 is corrected to the outside by 0.5 times the difference between the first work width and the second work width (hereinafter, this difference is referred to as the width difference) (FIG. 29). , # 01). Similarly, the route numbers Y2, X8, and Y8, which are the next travel route elements selected along with the travel of the slave harvester 1s, are also corrected (FIG. 29, # 02, # 03, and # 04). The master harvester 1m travels on the travel route elements of the route numbers X1 and Y9 from the original route number Y1 (FIG. 29, # 03 and # 04), and the travel route element of the route number X2 that is selected next. Since the slave harvester 1s is traveling outside, position correction is performed by the width difference (# 04 in FIG. 29). When the travel route element of the route number X3 is selected for the slave harvester 1s, the slave harvester 1s has already traveled the travel route element of the route number X1 located outside the route number X3. The position is corrected by 1.5 times the width difference (# 05 in FIG. 29). In this way, after that, the difference between the first work width and the second work width is calculated in accordance with the number of travel route elements traveled by the slave harvester 1s sequentially outside the selected travel route element. In order to kill, the position of the selected travel route element is corrected (FIG. 29, # 06). Here, the position correction of the travel route element is performed by the route management unit 60, but it is also possible for the first route element selection unit 631 and the second route element selection unit 632 to perform correction.

  28 and 29, it is assumed that the first route element selection unit 631 and the second route element selection unit 632 are built in the control unit 5 of the master harvester 1m. However, the second path element selection unit 632 can also be constructed in the slave harvester 1s. At that time, the slave harvester 1s receives the data indicating the travel route element group, and the first route element selection unit 631 and the second route element selection unit 632 exchange the travel route elements selected by themselves, The next travel route element is selected, and necessary position coordinate correction is performed. Further, the route management unit 60, the first route element selection unit 631, and the second route element selection unit 632 are all constructed in the communication terminal 4, and the selected travel route element is sent from the communication terminal 4 to the route setting unit 64. Configuration is also possible.

(3) The control function block described with reference to FIG. 6 in the above-described embodiment is merely an example, and each functional unit can be further divided or a plurality of functional units can be integrated. Moreover, although the function part was distributed to the control unit 5 as the upper control device, the communication terminal 4, and the management computer 100, the distribution of the function unit is also an example, and each function unit is assigned to an arbitrary upper control device. It is also possible to distribute them. If the upper control devices are connected so that data can be exchanged, they can be distributed to different upper control devices. For example, in the control function block diagram shown in FIG. 6, the work place data input unit 42, the outer shape data generation unit 43, and the region setting unit 44 are constructed in the communication terminal 4 as the first travel route management module CM <b> 1. . Furthermore, the route management unit 60, the route element selection unit 63, and the route setting unit 64 are constructed in the control unit 5 of the harvester 1 as the second travel route management module CM2. Instead, the route management unit 60 may be included in the first travel route management module CM1. Further, the outer shape data generation unit 43 and the region setting unit 44 may be included in the second travel route management module CM2. All of the first travel route management module CM1 may be constructed in the control unit 5, or all of the second travel route management module CM2 may be constructed in the communication terminal 4. It is more convenient to construct the communication terminal 4 that can take out as many control function units as possible regarding the travel route management because the degree of freedom of maintenance and the like is increased. The distribution of the function units is limited by the data processing capabilities of the communication terminal 4 and the control unit 5 and the communication speed between the communication terminal 4 and the control unit 5.

(4) The travel route calculated and set in the present invention is used as a target travel route for automatic travel, but can also be used as a target travel route for manual travel. That is, the present invention can be applied not only to automatic travel but also to manual travel, and of course, operation in which automatic travel and manual travel are mixed is also possible.

(5) In the above-described embodiment, the field information sent from the management center KS includes a topographic map around the field in the first place. An example of improving the accuracy of. However, the field information does not include the topographical map around the field, at least the topographical map of the field, and may be configured such that the outer shape and the external dimensions of the field are calculated only by the orbital running. Further, the field information and work plan written from the management center KS, and items input through the communication terminal 4 are not limited to those described above, and can be changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It is.

(6) In the above-described embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the strip path element calculation unit 602 is provided separately from the mesh path element calculation unit 601, and the strip path element calculation unit 602 performs the work target area. An example in which a travel route element group that is a group of parallel straight lines covering CA is calculated. However, instead of providing the strip route element calculation unit 602, linear reciprocating travel may be realized using a travel route element that is a mesh-like straight line group calculated by the mesh route element calculation unit 601.

(7) In the above-described embodiment, when coordinated traveling control is performed, the parameters of the vehicle traveling device group 71 and the work device group 72 of the slave harvester 1s are changed based on the visual result of the supervisor. An example is shown. However, it is configured so that images (moving images and still images taken at regular intervals) captured by cameras mounted on the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s are displayed on a monitor or the like mounted on the master harvester 1m. Then, the supervisor may look at this video, determine the work status of the slave harvester 1s, and change the parameters of the vehicle travel device group 71 and the work device group 72. Alternatively, the parameter of the slave harvester 1s may be changed in conjunction with the change of the parameter of the master harvester 1m.

(8) In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the plurality of harvesting machines 1 that perform work traveling in cooperation with each other is configured to automatically travel with the same traveling pattern is illustrated. However, the harvesting machines 1 are configured to automatically travel with different traveling patterns. It is also possible.

(9) In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the cooperative automatic traveling is performed by the two harvesting machines 1 is shown. However, the cooperative automatic traveling by the three or more harvesting machines 1 is the same as the automatic working vehicle automatic traveling system and the traveling route. It can be realized by a management device.

(10) In FIG. 3, as an example of the travel route element group, a travel route element group having a number of parallel straight lines that divide the work target area CA into strips is used as the travel route element. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the travel route element group shown in FIG. 30 uses curved parallel lines as travel route elements. Thus, the “parallel lines” according to the present invention may be curved. The “parallel line group” according to the present invention may include curved parallel lines.

(11) In FIG. 4, as an example of the travel route element group, a travel route element group including a large number of mesh division straight lines extending in the vertical and horizontal directions for dividing the work target area CA into meshes is shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in the travel route element group shown in FIG. 31, the horizontal mesh division line on the paper surface is a straight line, and the vertical mesh division line on the paper surface is curved. In the travel route element group shown in FIG. 32, both the horizontal mesh division line and the vertical mesh division line on the paper surface are curved. As described above, the mesh dividing line may be curved. The mesh dividing line group may include a curved mesh dividing line.

(12) In the above-described embodiment, the linear reciprocating traveling is performed by repeating the traveling along the linear traveling route element and the U-turn traveling. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and is configured to perform reciprocating by repeating traveling along a curved traveling path element as shown in FIGS. 30 to 32 and U-turn traveling. May be.

  The traveling route determination device of the present invention is not limited to the harvesting machine 1 that is an ordinary combine as a working vehicle. The present invention can also be applied to other harvesting machines 1, tractors equipped with working devices such as tillage devices, paddy field working machines, and the like.

1: Harvesting machine (work vehicle)
4: Communication terminal 5: Control unit 41: Touch panel 42: Work place data input unit 43: Outline data generation unit 44: Area setting unit 50: Communication processing unit 51: Travel control unit 53: Own vehicle position calculation unit 54: Notification unit 60: route management unit 601: mesh route element calculation unit 603: U-turn route calculation unit 62: strip route element calculation unit 63: route element selection unit 631: first route element selection unit 632: second route element selection unit 64: Route setting unit 70: Communication processing unit SA: Outer peripheral area CA: Work target area

Claims (7)

A travel route determination device that determines a travel route for a work vehicle that travels while working on a work site,
An area setting unit for setting a work target area of the work vehicle in the work place;
A route management unit that calculates a travel route element group that is an aggregate of a number of travel route elements that constitute a travel route that covers the work target area, and stores the travel route element group in a readable manner;
A first route element selection unit that calculates a selection order of the travel route elements for all travel routes, based on a basic priority rule, before the work travel of the work vehicle;
During the work travel of the work vehicle based on the selection order calculated by the first route element selection unit, an untraveled travel route element is extracted as a recalculated travel route element from the travel route element group, and the cost evaluation rule A second route element selection unit that recalculates the selection order of the recalculation travel route elements based on;
A travel route determination device comprising: a route setting unit that corrects the selection order calculated by the first route element selection unit with the selection order calculated by the second route element selection unit.   2. The travel route according to claim 1, wherein the second route element selection unit extracts a predetermined number of travel route elements from the end of the selection order calculated by the first route element selection unit as the recalculated travel route element. Decision device.   The second route element selection unit increments the predetermined number by newly extracting a travel route element with a slower selection order in the process of extracting the recalculated travel route element and recalculating the selection order. However, the travel route determination device according to claim 2, wherein the repeat processing is stopped if the travel route element that is additionally extracted last is a travel route element that is traveling.   The travel route element group is a parallel line group composed of parallel lines that divide the work target area into strips, and another travel from one end of one travel route element by U-turn travel of the work vehicle. The travel route determination device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a transition to one end of the route element is performed. In the basic priority rule, priority is set in advance from the travel route element as the order source to the travel route element as the order destination,
The priority is set so that an appropriately separated travel route element that is separated from the travel route element that is the order origin by a predetermined distance has the highest priority as the order destination, and from the travel route element that is the order origin. The travel route determination device according to claim 4, wherein the travel route determination device is set to be lower as the separation distance to the travel route element becomes larger. The cost evaluated by the cost evaluation rule is a cost generated when the work vehicle travels the travel route element in the selection order calculated by the second route element selection unit,
The travel route determination device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the selection order in which the cost is lowest is calculated by the second route element selection unit.   The travel route determination device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the cost depends on a travel distance of the U-turn travel.

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