JP2021006009A - Work vehicle coordination system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a work vehicle coordination system capable of performing efficient field work.SOLUTION: A work vehicle coordination system 1 comprises: a first location detection module 18A for detecting a first location, a location of a first work vehicle; a second location detection module 18B for detecting a second location, a location of a second work vehicle; a field map acquisition unit 30 for acquiring a map of a field at which field work is to be performed; an already worked area map creation unit 32 that on the basis of the first location, the second location, and the map, creates an already worked area map indicating an already worked area at which field work has been already performed; a relative travel location setting unit 34 that on the basis of the already worked area map and the first location, sets a relative travel location of the second work vehicle to the first work vehicle; and a travel control unit 36 that on the basis of the first location and the relative travel location, makes the second work vehicle perform an automatic travel.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a work vehicle cooperation system in which a first work vehicle and a second work vehicle that automatically travels following the first work vehicle cooperate to perform field work.

Conventionally, in order to finish the field work quickly, the field work has been performed while traveling in one field with a plurality of work vehicles. As such a technique, for example, there is one described in Patent Document 1.

Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle control system in which a target traveling position is sequentially determined based on a position in which the parent work vehicle actually travels, and the child work vehicle travels toward the target traveling position. In this vehicle control system, the child work vehicle is configured to follow and travel so as to maintain a predetermined offset amount set with respect to the parent work vehicle.

U.S. Patent Publication No. 6732024

In the technique described in Patent Document 1, the child work vehicle travels so as to maintain the offset amounts in the longitude direction and the latitude direction set in advance with respect to the master work vehicle, and the travel locus of the master work vehicle is set as the work width. The vehicle travels along the target travel route that has been translated by the amount. However, the field is not limited to a vast work area, but also a narrow work area or a work area having a shape in which the length in the lateral direction is extremely short with respect to the length in the longitudinal direction. When traveling in such a field using the technique described in Patent Document 1, the child work vehicle cannot travel properly, and the work efficiency may deteriorate.

Therefore, there is a need for a work vehicle coordination system that can efficiently perform field work.

The feature configuration of the work vehicle cooperation system according to the present invention is a work vehicle cooperation system in which the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle that automatically travels following the first work vehicle cooperate to perform field work. The field work is performed with the first position detection module that detects the first position that is the position of the first work vehicle, the second position detection module that detects the second position that is the position of the second work vehicle, and the field work. Based on the field map acquisition unit that acquires the map of the field, the first position, the second position, and the map, the work area that creates the work area map that shows the work area where the field work was performed is created. A map creation unit, a relative traveling position setting unit that sets a relative traveling position of the second working vehicle with respect to the first working vehicle based on the existing work site map and the first position, and the first position and the said The point is that it includes a travel control unit that automatically travels the second work vehicle based on the relative travel position.

With such a characteristic configuration, the second work vehicle can be automatically driven so as to follow the first work vehicle based on the set relative traveling position. Therefore, since the field work can be performed not only with the first work vehicle but also with the second work vehicle, it is possible to efficiently perform the field work.

Further, it is preferable that the relative traveling position setting unit sets the relative traveling position so that the second work vehicle travels on the unworked area where the field work is not performed in the field based on the existing work area map. Is.

With such a configuration, the second work vehicle can follow the unworked area while performing field work.

Further, the travel route calculation unit for calculating the travel route of the first work vehicle based on the existing work site map and the first position is provided, and the relative travel position setting unit is the travel route of the first work vehicle. When the area calculated as is sandwiched between the existing work areas, it is preferable to set the relative traveling position so that the second work vehicle travels on the existing work area.

With such a configuration, the second work vehicle can be driven to follow the first work vehicle even when the amount of unworked land in the field is reduced, for example.

Further, the second work vehicle is provided with a detection unit for detecting the relative position of the first work vehicle with respect to the second work vehicle, and the travel control unit has the relative position coincided with the relative travel position. As described above, it is preferable to automatically drive the second work vehicle.

With such a configuration, it is possible to easily perform automatic traveling while maintaining the relative traveling position set by the second work vehicle. Therefore, by setting the relative traveling position to the unworked area, it is possible to perform all the field work on the field.

Further, the first work vehicle performs the field work while traveling along a travel path set in the work target area set in the field, and the relative travel position setting unit is the first work vehicle. It is preferable to set the relative traveling position for each traveling path of the above.

With such a configuration, it is possible to set the distance between the travel path of the first work vehicle and the travel path of the second work vehicle for each travel route. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately set the relative traveling position according to the state of the field and the state of field work.

It is a side view of a combine. It is a figure which shows the outline of the traveling route. It is a figure which shows the outline of the traveling route. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the work vehicle cooperation system. It is a figure which shows the outline of the relative traveling position. It is a figure which shows the outline of a relative position. It is a figure which shows another example of a relative traveling position. It is explanatory drawing of another example of a relative traveling position.

The work vehicle cooperation system according to the present invention is configured so that the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle that automatically travels following the first work vehicle can cooperate with each other to perform field work. The first work vehicle is a work vehicle that follows the second work vehicle, and the second work vehicle is a work vehicle that follows and travels on the first work vehicle. According to the work vehicle cooperation system, such a first work vehicle and a second work vehicle can cooperate with each other to smoothly perform field work. Hereinafter, the work vehicle cooperation system 1 of the present embodiment will be described as the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle as the first combine 10A and the second combine 10B, which perform harvesting work in the field, respectively. When it is not necessary to distinguish between the first combine 10A and the second combine 10B, they are collectively referred to as the combine 10.

FIG. 1 is a side view of the combine 10 of the present embodiment. In the following, the combine 10 of the present embodiment will be described by taking a so-called ordinary combine as an example. Of course, the combine 10 may be a head-feeding combine.

Here, in order to facilitate understanding, in the present embodiment, unless otherwise specified, "front" (direction of arrow F shown in FIG. 1) means front in the front-rear direction (traveling direction) of the aircraft, and " "Rear" (direction of arrow B shown in FIG. 1) shall mean rearward in the front-rear direction (traveling direction) of the aircraft. Further, the left-right direction or the lateral direction shall mean the airframe crossing direction (airframe width direction) orthogonal to the airframe front-rear direction. Further, "up" (direction of arrow U shown in FIG. 1) and "down" (direction of arrow D shown in FIG. 1) are positional relationships in the vertical direction (vertical direction) of the aircraft, and are relative to the ground height. It shall indicate the relationship.

As shown in FIG. 1, the combine 10 includes a traveling vehicle body 11, a crawler-type traveling device 12, a driving unit 13, a threshing device 14, a grain tank 15, a harvesting section H, a transport device 16, and a grain discharging device 17 (““ An example of a "working unit") and a position detection module 18 (general term for "first position detection module 18A" and "second position detection module 18B" in FIG. 4) are provided.

The traveling device 12 is provided in the lower part of the traveling vehicle body 11 (hereinafter referred to as “vehicle body 11”). The combine 10 is configured to enable automatic traveling by the traveling device 12. The driving unit 13, the threshing device 14, and the grain tank 15 are provided on the upper side of the traveling device 12, and form the upper part of the vehicle body 11. The driver unit 13 can be boarded by a driver who drives the combine 10 and a monitor who monitors the work of the combine 10. Usually, the driver and the observer also serve concurrently. When the driver and the observer are different persons, the observer may monitor the work of the combine 10 from outside the combine harvester 10.

The grain discharge device 17 is connected to the lower rear portion of the grain tank 15. Further, the position detection module 18 is attached to the front upper part of the driving unit 13 and detects the position of the own vehicle of the combine 10. As the position detection module 18, it is possible to use a satellite positioning module configured as a GNSS module. The position detection module 18 has a satellite antenna for receiving GPS signals and GNSS signals (referred to as “GPS signals” in this embodiment) from the artificial satellite GS (see FIG. 2). The position detection module 18 can include an inertial navigation module incorporating a gyro acceleration sensor and a magnetic compass sensor in order to complement satellite navigation. Of course, the inertial navigation module may be provided at a place different from the position detection module 18. The position detection module 18 detects the position of the own vehicle, which is the position of the combine 10, based on the GPS signal and the detection result of the inertial navigation module described above. The own vehicle position detected by the position detection module 18 is used for automatic traveling (autonomous traveling) of the combine 10 and for each functional unit described later.

The harvesting section H is provided at the front portion of the combine 10. The transport device 16 is provided on the rear side of the harvesting portion H. The harvesting unit H has a cutting mechanism 19 and a reel 20. The cutting mechanism 19 cuts the planted grain stalks in the field. The reel 20 scrapes the planted culm to be harvested while rotating and driving. With such a configuration, the harvesting unit H can harvest grains (a type of agricultural product) in the field. The combine 10 can perform work traveling by the traveling device 12 while harvesting grains in the field by the harvesting unit H.

The cut grain culm cut by the cutting mechanism 19 is conveyed to the threshing device 14 by the conveying device 16. In the threshing device 14, the harvested culm is threshed. The grains obtained by the threshing treatment are stored in the grain tank 15. The grains stored in the grain tank 15 are discharged to the outside of the machine by the grain discharging device 17 as needed.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of a traveling route of the first combine 10A. The first combine 10A can automatically travel along a traveling route set in the field. For this automatic traveling, the information indicating the own vehicle position (own vehicle position information) acquired by the above-mentioned first position detection module 18A is used.

The first combine 10A of the present embodiment is harvested in the field according to the following procedure.

First, the driver / observer manually operates the first combine 10A, and as shown in FIG. 2, performs a harvesting run so as to orbit the outer peripheral portion of the field along the boundary line of the field. As a result, the area that has become the mowed land (already worked area) is set as the outer peripheral area SA. The area left as uncut land (unworked land) inside the outer peripheral area SA is set as the work target area CA.

At this time, in order to secure a certain width of the outer peripheral region SA, the driver runs the first combine 10A for 2 to 3 laps. In this traveling, the width of the outer peripheral region SA is expanded by the working width of the first combine 10A each time the first combine 10A makes one round. For example, after the first two to three laps have been completed, the width of the outer peripheral region SA becomes about two to three times the working width of the first combine 10A. The first lap run by the driver is not 2 to 3 laps, but may be more (4 laps or more) or 1 lap.

The outer peripheral region SA is used as a space for the first combine 10A to change direction when harvesting is performed in the work target region CA. Further, the outer peripheral region SA is also used as a space for movement such as when moving to a grain discharge place or a refueling place after the harvesting run is finished.

FIG. 2 also shows a transport vehicle CV in which the grains harvested by the combine 10 are discharged and transported. When discharging the grains, the combine 10 moves to the vicinity of the transport vehicle CV (an example of the "support vehicle") and discharges the grains to the transport vehicle CV via the grain discharge device 17.

The manual operation described above is performed by traveling the first combine 10A. When the outer peripheral region SA and the work target area CA are set, as shown in FIG. 3, the first combine 10A and the second combine 10B perform harvesting work in the work target area CA. The first combine 10A and the second combine 10B are harvested by automatic traveling along a traveling route set in the work target area CA. The first combine 10A may be manually driven.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the work vehicle cooperation system 1 of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the work vehicle cooperation system 1 includes a first position detection module 18A, a second position detection module 18B, a field map acquisition unit 30, an existing work site map creation unit 32, and a relative traveling position setting unit 34. Each functional unit of the travel control unit 36, the travel route calculation unit 40, and the detection unit 42 is provided. Each of these functional units is constructed with hardware, software, or both with a CPU as a core member in order to perform processing related to the cooperative work of the first combine 10A and the second combine 10B.

The first position detection module 18A detects the first position, which is the position of the first combine 10A. The function of the first position detection module 18A has been described in the above position detection module 18, and will be omitted.

The second position detection module 18B detects the second position, which is the position of the second combine 10B. The function of the second position detection module 18B has been described in the above position detection module 18, and will be omitted.

The field map acquisition unit 30 acquires a map of the field where the field work is performed. The field work is a harvesting work by the combine 10. For example, when the first combine 10A orbits along the boundary line of the field by the above-mentioned driver / observer, the map of the field is obtained by sequentially performing harvesting while detecting the first position, and acquiring the map. It may be generated based on one position, or if there is a map stored separately, the map may be acquired.

The work area map creation unit 32 creates a work area map showing the work area where the field work has been performed, based on the first position, the second position, and the map. The first position is acquired by the first position detection module 18A and transmitted as information indicating the first position. The second position is acquired by the second position detection module 18B and transmitted as information indicating the second position. The map is acquired by the field map acquisition unit 30, and is transmitted as map information indicating the map. As the work site, the area where the first combine 10A and the second combine 10B traveled while performing the harvesting work in the field is regarded as the work site. The work site map creation unit 32 uses the unworked land indicated by the map information transmitted from the field map acquisition unit 30 as the first combine 10A and the second combine 10A based on the information indicating the first position and the information indicating the second position. The work area map is created while updating to the work area, which is the area where the combine 10B traveled while performing the harvesting work.

The relative traveling position setting unit 34 sets the relative traveling position of the second combine 10B with respect to the first combine 10A based on the existing work site map and the first position. The work area map is created by the work area map creation unit 32, and is transmitted from the work area map creation unit 32. Of course, the configuration may be such that it is stored in the existing work site map creation unit 32 and referred to by the relative traveling position setting unit 34. The first position is acquired by the first position detection module 18A and transmitted as information indicating the first position.

The relative traveling position of the second combine 10B with respect to the first combine 10A is a traveling position of the second combine 10B with reference to the position of the first combine 10A. In the present embodiment, the position of the first combine 10A corresponds to the end of the first combine 10A that is closest to the second combine 10B. Specifically, when the second combine 10B follows the left rear of the first combine 10A, the left rear end of the first combine 10A corresponds to the second combine 10B.

On the other hand, the traveling position of the second combine 10B is, as will be described later, the functional unit (“detection unit 42” in the present embodiment) of the second combine 10B in which the second combine 10B detects the first combine 10A. The position corresponds. The detection unit 42 may be provided above the front end of the operation unit 13. Further, the information indicating such a position can be calculated by using the detection result of the second position detection module 18B of the second combine 10B.

Therefore, the relative traveling position setting unit 34 is the first based on the work area map created by the work area map creation unit 32 and the information indicating the first position acquired by the first position detection module 18A. The position of the detection unit 42 of the second combine 10B with reference to the left rear end of the combine 10A is set as the relative traveling position.

FIG. 5 shows a conceptual diagram of the relative traveling position. As described above, the relative traveling position is relative to the distance r1 from the left rear end of the first combine 10A and the reference direction in the first combine 10A (in FIG. 5, the traveling direction of the first combine 10A). It is defined by the angle θ1.

It is preferable that the relative traveling position setting unit 34 sets the relative traveling position so that the second combine 10B travels on the unworked area where the field work is not performed in the field based on the existing work area map. As described above, the work area map shows the area where the harvesting work was performed in the field map as the work area. Therefore, the area other than the existing work area in the field corresponds to the unworked area. The relative traveling position setting unit 34 sets the relative traveling position so that the second combine 10B travels on such an unworked land while performing the harvesting work. This makes it possible to carry out the harvesting work efficiently.

It is preferable that the relative traveling position setting unit 34 sets the relative traveling position for each traveling path of the first combine 10A. As described above, the first combine harvester 10A and the second combine harvester 10B travel along the travel path set in the work target area CA. That is, a plurality of travel paths are formed in the work target area CA, and the vehicle travels back and forth. The relative travel position setting unit 34 sets the relative travel position for each such travel route. Specifically, it is preferable to set the first combine 10A when it moves while turning from the area where the harvesting work is performed to the area where the harvesting work is performed next. As a result, the second combine 10B can be efficiently moved to the area where the next harvesting operation is performed.

Note that FIG. 5 illustrates a relative traveling position in which the working width of the first combine 10A and the working width of the second combine 10B are set so as to be adjacent to each other without a gap. For example, as shown in FIG. 7A, the relative traveling position has a gap between the working width of the first combine 10A and the working width of the second combine 10B when viewed along the traveling direction. It is also possible to have the working width of the first combine 10A and the working width of the second combine 10B when viewed along the traveling direction as shown in FIG. 7 (B). Can be set to overlap each other.

The detection unit 42 is provided in the second combine 10B and detects the relative position of the first combine 10A with respect to the second combine 10B. In the present embodiment, the detection unit 42 corresponds to a camera provided above the front end portion of the driving unit 13.

The relative position of the first combine 10A with respect to the second combine 10B is a relative position of the first combine 10A with reference to the position of the second combine 10B. In the present embodiment, the position of the second combine 10B corresponds to the position of the detection unit 42. On the other hand, the relative position of the first combine 10A is defined by the left rear end of the first combine 10A.

FIG. 6 shows a conceptual diagram of the relative position. The relative position is defined by the distance r2 from the detection unit 42 of the second combine 10B and the angle θ2 with respect to the reference direction (in FIG. 6, the traveling direction of the second combine 10B) in the second combine 10B. To.

The travel control unit 36 automatically travels the second combine 10B based on the first position and the relative travel position. The first position is information indicating the position of the first combine 10A, and the relative traveling position is the position of the second combine 10B set by a parameter consisting of a distance r1 and an angle θ1 with respect to the first combine 10A. is there.

In particular, in the present embodiment, the travel control unit 36 automatically travels the second combine 10B so that the relative position coincides with the relative travel position. The relative position is the position of the first combine 10A, which is detected by the detection unit 42 and is defined by the distance r2 and the angle θ2 with respect to the second combine 10B. Therefore, the travel control unit 36 automatically travels so that the distance r2 and the angle θ2 of the first combine 10A with respect to the second combine 10B coincide with the distance r1 and the angle θ1. As a result, the second combine 10B performs the field work while appropriately following the first combine 10A, so that the field work can be performed efficiently.

Here, as described above, the second combine 10B has been described as having a relative traveling position set so as to travel on an unworked area. For example, in the work target area CA, it is possible that only the traveling path of the first combine 10A remains in the unworked area. In order to identify such a situation before setting the relative start position, it is preferable that the travel route calculation unit 40 calculates the travel route of the first combine 10A based on the work site map and the first position. As a result, it can be specified that all the areas of the work target area CA become the existing work area by the traveling of the first combine 10A before the traveling of the first combine 10A and the second combine 10B.

In such a case, the relative traveling position setting unit 34 causes the second combine 10B to travel on the existing work area when the area calculated as the traveling path of the first combine 10A is sandwiched between the existing work areas. It is preferable to set the relative traveling position. The case where the area calculated as the travel route of the first combine 10A is sandwiched between the existing work areas is the case where the area is already the work area as shown in FIG. 8 and the case where the first combine 10A is to be described as described above. This includes both cases where the combine harvester becomes a work area and is sandwiched between the work areas. In such a situation, the relative traveling position setting unit 34 sets the relative traveling position so that the second combine 10B can follow the first combine 10A while traveling on any of the existing work areas. This makes it possible to move the second combine 10B to the vicinity of the first combine 10A that has finished harvesting the field.

[Other Embodiments]
In the above embodiment, the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle have been described as being the combine 10, but the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle may be different from the combine 10. That is, the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle may be rice transplanters or tractors. Of course, vehicles other than these may be used. Further, the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle may be of different models (for example, a combination of a tractor and a combine).

In the above embodiment, the case where the number of the second combine 10B is one has been described, but the number of the second combine 10B may be two or more.

In the above embodiment, the relative traveling position setting unit 34 has been described as setting the relative traveling position so that the second combine 10B travels on the unworked land where the harvesting work in the field is not performed based on the existing working area map. However, the relative traveling position setting unit 34 may set the relative traveling position so that the second combine 10B travels on the existing work area where the harvesting work is being performed.

In the above embodiment, the detection unit 42 is a camera and detects the relative position of the first combine 10A with respect to the second combine 10B based on the captured image, and the travel control unit 36 has the relative position coincided with the relative travel position. As described above, the second combine 10B is automatically driven. However, the detection unit 42 may be, for example, a sensor (distance sensor, laser, or the like) that directly detects the distance.

In the above embodiment, the relative travel position setting unit 34 has been described as setting the relative travel position for each travel path of the first combine 10A set in the work target area CA, but the relative travel position is set in the work target area CA. It is also possible to set it to a constant value without changing it.

In the above embodiment, the traveling route in the work target area CA is shown in a straight line, but this is an example, and may be, for example, a route traveling while drawing a curve (a route including a curve).

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used in a work vehicle cooperation system in which a first work vehicle and a second work vehicle that automatically travels following the first work vehicle cooperate to perform field work.

1: Work vehicle cooperation system 10A: 1st combine (1st work vehicle)
10B: 2nd combine (2nd work vehicle)
18A: 1st position detection module 18B: 2nd position detection module 30: Field map acquisition unit 32: Existing work site map creation unit 34: Relative travel position setting unit 36: Travel control unit 40: Travel route calculation unit 42: Detection unit CA: Work area

Claims (5)

It is a work vehicle cooperation system in which the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle that automatically travels following the first work vehicle cooperate to perform field work.
A first position detection module that detects the first position, which is the position of the first work vehicle, and
A second position detection module that detects the second position, which is the position of the second work vehicle, and
A field map acquisition unit that acquires a map of the field where the field work is performed,
A work site map creation unit that creates a work site map showing the work site where the field work was performed based on the first position, the second position, and the map.
A relative traveling position setting unit that sets a relative traveling position of the second working vehicle with respect to the first working vehicle based on the existing work site map and the first position.
A traveling control unit that automatically travels the second work vehicle based on the first position and the relative traveling position.
Work vehicle cooperation system equipped with. The relative traveling position setting unit sets the relative traveling position so that the second work vehicle travels on an unworked area in the field where the field work is not performed based on the existing work area map. Work vehicle cooperation system described in. A travel route calculation unit for calculating the travel route of the first work vehicle based on the existing work site map and the first position is provided.
When the area calculated as the travel path of the first work vehicle is sandwiched between the existing work areas, the relative travel position setting unit causes the second work vehicle to travel on the existing work area. The work vehicle cooperation system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the relative traveling position is set. The second work vehicle is provided with a detection unit for detecting the relative position of the first work vehicle with respect to the second work vehicle.
The work vehicle cooperation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the travel control unit automatically travels the second work vehicle so that the relative position coincides with the relative travel position. The first work vehicle performs the field work while traveling along a travel path set in the work target area set in the field.
The work vehicle cooperation system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the relative travel position setting unit sets the relative travel position for each travel path of the first work vehicle.

Images