JP2022079467A - Working vehicle radio management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a working vehicle radio management system that constructs more effective radio communication network among a plurality of working vehicles.

SOLUTION: A working vehicle radio management system that transmits information at least from a communication unit 4 of a first working vehicle to a second working vehicle 1 among a plurality of working vehicles via a communication network includes a communication terminal 9 that can accept a human operation and transmit stop information to stop the first working vehicle using a preset third use frequency band.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

COPYRIGHT: (C)2022,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a work vehicle radio management system that transmits information from at least a communication unit of a first work vehicle to a second work vehicle via a communication network among a plurality of work vehicles.

Recent work vehicles are equipped with wireless communication devices and can exchange information with external communication devices via a wireless communication network. In particular, the automatically traveling work vehicle receives various control commands related to the work travel from other work vehicles, a remote control device brought by the administrator, and the like, and performs a control operation based on the received control commands.

For example, in the work vehicle operation system disclosed in Patent Document 1, the work vehicle is provided with a control module that outputs a control signal for controlling an operating device by operating the operation device, and the portable information terminal as a remote control device is provided with a control module. It is provided with a display capable of displaying a pseudo operation device corresponding to the operation device of the work vehicle, and a remote control unit that generates a remote operation signal based on an operation input to the pseudo operation device. By operating this pseudo operation device, the user can give an operation command similar to operating the actual operation device to the work vehicle and remotely control the operation of the work vehicle.

Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a work vehicle cooperation system in which a master work vehicle and an unmanned maneuverable child work vehicle following the parent work vehicle perform ground work. In this system, a manned maneuverable master work vehicle and an unmanned maneuverable child work vehicle that follows the parent work vehicle perform ground-based work in a reciprocating straight line running that repeats straight line running and U-turn running. At that time, the work travel target position data of the child work vehicle is calculated in consideration of the parent travel locus data calculated from the parent position data indicating the position of the parent work vehicle, the parent ground work width data, and the child ground work width data. Will be done. The calculated work travel target position data is wirelessly transmitted to the child work vehicle. The received work travel target position data becomes the control control target value, and the child work vehicle is operated unmanned.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-192740 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-178759

In the system according to Patent Document 1, by constructing a wireless communication network between the work vehicle and the remote control device, the running work of the work vehicle can be remotely controlled by the remote control device. Further, in the system according to Patent Document 2, by constructing a wireless communication network between a manned work vehicle and an unmanned work vehicle, data on each other's work travel is exchanged, and cooperative travel work is performed. The types and amounts of data exchanged between work vehicles and remote control devices and between manned work vehicles and unmanned work vehicles are increasing year by year. In addition, the types of data to be communicated include those that do not allow communication errors such as emergency stop commands, and those that have a large amount of data even if the communication error is not fatal, such as peripheral images. It is mixed. From such a situation, there is a demand for a work vehicle radio management system that constructs a more effective wireless communication network between a plurality of work vehicles.

The present invention is a work vehicle radio management system that transmits information from at least the communication unit of the first work vehicle to the second work vehicle via a communication network among a plurality of work vehicles, and is preset as well as accepting human operations. A communication terminal capable of transmitting stop information for stopping the first work vehicle using the third work frequency band is provided, and the communication unit uses the photographed image data around the first work vehicle for the third use. It is configured so that it can be transmitted to the second work vehicle using at least one of the first used frequency band and the second used frequency band preset as a frequency band different from the frequency band, and the communication terminal can transmit the first. 3 The communication unit is configured to be able to receive the stop information transmitted using the used frequency band, and when the stop information is not received from the communication terminal, the photographed image data is used in the communication terminal. The photographed image data transmitted to the communication terminal using at least one of the first used frequency band, the second used frequency band, and the third used frequency band is transmitted to the second work vehicle. It is configured to send.

In this configuration, as the radio transmission data relating to the work running of a plurality of work vehicles, a frequency band selected for each data type of the radio transmission data from a plurality of different frequency bands is used as the frequency band to be used. Therefore, an appropriate frequency band according to the data type can be used for wireless transmission of data. Further, by using a plurality of frequency bands, the communication of wireless transmission data is multi-channeled, so that there is an advantage that the amount of wireless transmission data required for the work running of the work vehicle can be appropriately distributed. .. When the communication unit receives the stop information from the communication terminal, the communication unit transmits the captured image data to the communication terminal using at least one of the first used frequency band and the second used frequency band. At the same time, it is preferable that the photographed image data transmitted to the communication terminal using at least one of the first used frequency band and the second used frequency band is transmitted to the second working vehicle. Is. Further, when the third used frequency band is determined to be defective, the work vehicle is forcibly stopped even if at least one of the first used frequency band and the second used frequency band is in a good state. It is preferable to be allowed to.

In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, a communication state determination unit for determining a communication state of a plurality of used frequency bands including the first used frequency band, the second used frequency band, and the third used frequency band. And, in the plurality of used frequency bands, the used frequency band selection unit for selecting the used frequency band to be allocated for each data type including the captured image data based on the communication state is provided. In this configuration, since the communication status of each of the plurality of frequency bands used as the used frequency band is checked, it is possible to identify the frequency band in which the reception sensitivity is lowered or the frequency band in which radio wave interference is received. Therefore, by adjusting the purpose of use of the plurality of frequency bands according to the communication state, the optimum wireless transmission according to the communication state becomes possible.

In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the plurality of frequency bands include a first frequency band, a second frequency band, and a third frequency band, and the first frequency band is the second frequency band. The second frequency band is higher than the frequency band, the second frequency band is higher than the third frequency band, and the data types include photographed image data around the work vehicle, control information data related to the traveling work of the work vehicle, and the work vehicle. When an emergency stop command for making an emergency stop is included and all of the plurality of frequency bands are in a good state, the first frequency band is used as the used frequency band for the captured image data. The second frequency band is used as the used frequency band for the control information data, and the third frequency band is used as the used frequency band for transmitting the emergency stop command.

In wireless data transmission, in the high frequency band, the amount of data transmission is large but its propagation characteristics are poor, and in the low frequency band, the amount of data transmission is small but its propagation characteristics are good. There is a feature. In consideration of this, in the above-described configuration, the amount of data is large, but the loss of the transmitted data is not fatal. The frequency band is used. Further, although the amount of data is small, the third frequency band having the lowest frequency is used for wireless transmission of an emergency stop command in which loss of transmitted data can be fatal. Further, the second frequency band is used for wireless transmission of control information data in which the loss of transmitted data is not fatal and the amount of data is large. As a result, the used frequency band appropriately selected according to the data type required for the work running of the work vehicle is used for data transmission.

It is important for the driver on the manned work vehicle to monitor the automatic driving of the unmanned work vehicle in order to reliably perform the work using the plurality of work vehicles as desired. In addition, the movement of the unmanned work vehicle may enter the blind spot of the driver of the manned work vehicle, and the driver of the manned work vehicle may miss the unexpected movement of the unmanned work vehicle. For that purpose, it is also important to have a configuration in which an observer who stands at the work site and monitors the movement of the unmanned work vehicle uses a remote control device to make an emergency stop of the unmanned work vehicle. From this, in one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the first work vehicle is an unmanned work vehicle that automatically travels, and the second work vehicle is a manned work vehicle that manually travels. The communication terminal is a remote control device operated by a user outside the work vehicle, and communication of the captured image data is performed between the manned work vehicle and the unmanned work vehicle, and the stop information is obtained. Communication is performed between the remote control device and the unmanned work vehicle.

In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, when there is a margin of data transmission capacity in at least one of the frequency bands used, at least a part of the data content in the at least one data type is the data transmission. Overlapping transmission is performed using the frequency band used, which has a sufficient capacity. In this configuration, if there is a vacancy in the used frequency band allocated according to the data type, at least a part of the data of other data types, preferably important data, is wirelessly transmitted by using the vacancy. Will be done. This improves the communication reliability of wireless transmission.

In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, if at least one of the plurality of used frequency bands is determined to be defective and at least one is determined to be good, the frequency band determined to be defective is assigned. At least a part of the data content in the data type transmitted in the used frequency band is transmitted by the used frequency band which is a frequency band determined to be good. In this configuration, when the reception sensitivity is lowered or radio wave interference occurs in a specific frequency band, at least a part of the wireless transmission data of the data type assigned to the specific frequency band as the used frequency band is in the communication state. Since wireless transmission can be performed by interrupting another good frequency band used, the minimum communication reliability of wireless transmission is ensured.

When an unmanned work vehicle is connected by a wireless communication network and automatically driven, depending on the condition of the work place and the type of work, even if a part of the wireless communication network is cut off, the work driving must be avoided. Therefore, in one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, when at least one of the plurality of used frequency bands is determined to be defective, the unmanned work vehicle is forcibly stopped.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the communication state determination unit is configured to perform the communication state by receiving signal strength, beacon signal check, or both. A configuration in which the communication state is determined only by the received signal strength is advantageous in terms of cost because the circuit and program required for that purpose are simple. In the configuration in which the determination of the communication state is performed by the beacon signal check, the determination of the communication state becomes more reliable because the transmission / reception of the actual data (beacon signal) is involved. In a configuration in which the communication status is determined by both the received signal strength and the beacon signal check, it is easy to investigate the cause of the communication status defect, and it is possible to take more appropriate measures when the communication status defect occurs.

It is explanatory drawing explaining the basic structure in one of the embodiments of the work vehicle radio management system. It is a side view of the tractor which is an example of the work machine which adopted the work vehicle wireless management system. It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of the work vehicle wireless management system which consists of a manned work vehicle, an unmanned work vehicle, and a remote control device. It is a top view of the remote control device. It is a functional block diagram which shows the functional part of an unmanned work vehicle. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the radio data transmission management routine in a work vehicle radio management system. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the radio data transmission management routine in a work vehicle radio management system.

Next, one of the embodiments of the work vehicle radio management system of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the basic configuration of this work vehicle radio management system. The wireless communication network of this work vehicle wireless management system includes a communication unit 4 equipped in each of the two work vehicles and a remote control device 9 carried by a watchman. The frequency bands handled by this wireless communication network are the first frequency band, the second frequency band, and the third frequency band. The first frequency band is the highest band, followed by the second frequency band and the third frequency band. Each frequency band is officially regulated, the first frequency band is 2.4 giga band, the second frequency band is 920 mega band, and the third frequency band is 429 mega band. Of course, other bands may be adopted.

The types of wireless transmission data handled in the wireless communication network of this embodiment are photographed image data around the work vehicle, control information data related to the running work of the work vehicle, and an emergency stop command for stopping the work vehicle in an emergency. .. In principle, the frequency band used for wireless transmission of captured image data is referred to as the first used frequency band, and the frequency band used for wireless transmission of control information data is referred to as the second used frequency band. The frequency band used for transmission is referred to as a third used frequency band.

The communication unit 4 includes a communication processing unit 40, a communication state determination unit 41, and a frequency band selection unit 42 to be used. The communication processing unit 40 has a function of converting the input data into a form capable of wireless transmission and a function of converting the received wireless transmission data into a required form and outputting the data. The communication state determination unit 41 determines the communication state in the first frequency band, the second frequency band, and the third frequency band. When determining the communication state based on the received signal strength, the strength of the input signal from the antenna 49 is measured. If the measured intensity is equal to or higher than the threshold value, it is determined that the communication state is good, and if the measured intensity is lower than the threshold value, it is determined that the communication state is poor. When the communication status is determined by the beacon signal check, the communication units 4 of each other periodically transmit the beacon signal, the communication status is determined to be good through the success of the reception, and the communication status is determined through the failure of the reception. Is determined to be defective.

The used frequency band selection unit 42 is a frequency band used for captured image data (that is, the first used frequency band), a frequency band used for wireless transmission of control information data (that is, a second used frequency band), and an emergency stop command. The frequency band used for wireless transmission (that is, the third used frequency band) is selected based on the communication state determined by the communication state determination unit 41.

If the reception conditions of the first frequency band, the second frequency band, and the third frequency band are all good, the first frequency band is assigned to the first frequency band as the initial setting, and the second frequency band is assigned to the second frequency band. Is assigned a second frequency band, and a third frequency band is assigned to the third used frequency band.

When the reception state of any of the first frequency band, the second frequency band, and the third frequency band is poor, the following emergency stop notification process can be arbitrarily adopted.
(1) When it is determined that the communication state of the first frequency band is defective and the communication state of the second frequency band is determined to be good, the captured image data in which the first frequency band is assigned as the first frequency band is used. , It is wirelessly transmitted using the second frequency band together with the control information data. At that time, it is preferable to convert the captured image data into still image data or the like instead of moving image data to reduce the amount of data. Similarly, when it is determined that the communication state of the second frequency band is defective and the communication state of the first frequency band is determined to be good, the control information data in which the second frequency band is assigned as the second used frequency band is input. , It is wirelessly transmitted using the first frequency band together with the captured image data.
(2) When the communication state of the third frequency band is determined to be poor and the communication state of the first frequency band or the second frequency band is determined to be good, the third frequency band is assigned as the third frequency band. The emergency stop command is wirelessly transmitted with the first frequency band or the second frequency band as the third frequency band.
(3) When it is determined that the communication state of the third frequency band is defective, the emergency stop command may not be wirelessly transmitted, so that the work vehicle is forcibly stopped.
(4) If any one of the first frequency band, the second frequency band, and the third frequency band is determined to be defective, the work vehicle is forcibly stopped for the time being.

On the contrary, when there is a margin of data transmission capacity in at least one of the first used frequency band, the second used frequency band, and the third used frequency band, especially in the first used frequency band or the second used frequency band. If there is a margin in the data transmission capacity, the control information data or the captured image data is duplicated and transmitted using the used frequency band in which the margin is available.

Next, as a specific application example of the work vehicle wireless management system shown in FIG. 1, a communication unit 4 is equipped on a manned work vehicle that manually travels and an unmanned work vehicle that automatically travels, and a remote control device is provided on the work vehicle. Describe a system carried by a user outside of.

FIG. 2 shows a tractor as an example of a work vehicle participating in this work vehicle radio management system. In this tractor, a control portion 20 is provided in the central portion of the vehicle body 1 supported by the front wheels 11 and the rear wheels 12. The rear part of the vehicle body 1 is equipped with a working device 30 which is a rotary tilling device via a hydraulic elevating mechanism 31. The front wheel 11 functions as a steering wheel, and the traveling direction of the tractor is changed by changing the steering angle by the steering mechanism 13. The steering angle of the front wheels 11 is changed by the operation of the steering mechanism 13. The steering mechanism 13 includes a steering motor 14 for automatic steering. During manual driving, the front wheels 11 can be steered by operating the steering wheel 22 arranged in the control unit 20. A general-purpose terminal 3 provided with a display, a speaker, a touch panel, and operation buttons is arranged in the control unit 20. The general-purpose terminal 3 has a function of providing information to the driver and a function of inputting information from the driver.

The cabin 21 of the tractor is provided with a satellite positioning module 80 configured as a GNSS (global navigation satellite system) module. As a component of the satellite positioning module 80, a satellite antenna for receiving a GNSS signal (including a GPS signal) is attached to the ceiling area of the cabin 21. In order to complement satellite navigation, it is possible to combine the satellite positioning module 80 with an inertial navigation module incorporating a gyro acceleration sensor and a magnetic direction sensor. The inertial navigation module may be provided at a place different from the satellite positioning module 80. The vehicle body 1 is further equipped with a plurality of photographing cameras 85 for photographing the surroundings during traveling work, and an obstacle sensor 86 for detecting obstacles in the surroundings.

FIG. 3 shows how a field is cultivated by a manned work vehicle in which a driver (user) gets in and travels manned and an unmanned work vehicle in which an unmanned work vehicle travels. Here, the manned work vehicle and the unmanned work vehicle are substantially the same type of tractor, and are equipped with the communication unit 4 shown in FIG. The field is divided into a substantially quadrangular central area and a peripheral area around the central area, which is also called a headland defined along the ridge. In the central region, since the ground work is performed by the reciprocating travel, the traveling locus is a repetition of a linear outward traveling and a turning (U-turn) traveling, and a linear returning traveling and a turning (U-turn) traveling. The headland is a turning area in the work run of the central work area. In the peripheral area, a lap work run is performed by repeating a straight line run and a turning run in each corner area. Two-way wireless communication is performed between the manned work vehicle and the unmanned work vehicle. Further, a monitor (user) who brought the remote control device 9 stands on the ridge. The remote control device 9 wirelessly communicates with the unmanned work vehicle in one direction.

FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the remote control device 9. The remote controller 9 is a handy type that can be operated with one hand. The surface thereof is provided with a power button, an emergency stop button 91, an automatic driving start button 92, and a pause button 93. If the emergency stop button 91 is pressed, an emergency stop command is transmitted to the communication unit 4 of the unmanned work vehicle. Similarly, if the automatic driving start button 92 is pressed, an automatic driving start command is transmitted, and if the pause button 93 is pressed, a pause command is transmitted.

In this wireless communication network, wireless communication is performed between the manned work vehicle and the unmanned work vehicle using two channels of the first used frequency band and the second used frequency band. The first frequency band used is used for transmitting captured image data by the capturing camera 95. The second used frequency band is used for exchanging control information data generated in each of the manned work vehicle and the unmanned work vehicle. The control information data includes the state of the vehicle body 1 of each work vehicle (own vehicle position, engine speed, vehicle speed, etc.), the state of the work device 30 (work depth, posture, etc.), the detection result of the obstacle sensor 86, and the like. Is done.

FIG. 5 shows a functional block diagram of the control system of the unmanned work vehicle. Since the control system of the manned work vehicle is substantially the same, the description of the control system of the unmanned work vehicle can be diverted to the description of the control system of the manned work vehicle.

The control unit CU, which is a core element of the control system of an unmanned work vehicle, includes an output processing unit 7 and an input processing unit 8 as input / output interfaces. The communication unit 4 described with reference to FIG. 1 is equipped for wireless data exchange with the outside, and the communication unit 4 is connected to the control unit CU through an in-vehicle LAN. Of course, the communication unit 4 may be constructed in the control unit CU. Further, a general-purpose terminal 3 provided with a graphic user interface is also connected so that the movement of the work vehicle can be managed by user operation. In FIG. 5, the general-purpose terminal 3 is a fixed type connected to the in-vehicle LAN, but if it is configured so that wireless data can be exchanged with the control unit CU via the communication unit 4, it can be taken out of the vehicle. , Can be used.

The output processing unit 7 is connected to a work traveling device group 70 including a vehicle traveling device group 71 and a working device device group 72, and a notification device 73 including a lamp, a buzzer, a speaker, and the like. The vehicle traveling device group 71 includes control devices related to vehicle traveling, such as an engine control device, a shift control device, a braking control device, and a steering control device. The working equipment group 72 includes a power control device such as a PTO clutch of the working device 30 which is a rotary tilling device in this embodiment, an elevating cylinder control device of an elevating mechanism 31 for raising and lowering the rotary cultivating device, and the like. ..

A satellite positioning module 80, an automatic / manual switching operation tool 81, a traveling state detection sensor group 82, a working state detection sensor group 83, a photographing camera 85, an obstacle sensor 86, and the like are connected to the input processing unit 8. The automatic / manual switching operation tool 81 is a switch for selecting either an automatic traveling mode in which the vehicle travels by automatic steering or a manual steering mode in which the vehicle travels by manual steering. For example, by operating the automatic / manual switching operation tool 81 while driving in the automatic steering mode, it is possible to switch to driving with manual steering, and by operating the automatic / manual switching operation tool 81 while driving with manual steering. , Can be switched to running with automatic steering. The traveling state detection sensor group 82 includes a sensor that detects the state of operating tools (components of the working driving operating tool group 84) such as an engine speed adjuster, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, and a steering wheel 22. .. The work state detection sensor group 83 includes a sensor that detects the state of the work operation tool (component of the work travel operation tool group 84) that adjusts the drive and posture of the work device 30.

The control unit CU incorporates a work travel control unit 50, an automatic travel control unit AC, a transmission data processing unit 61, and a mode switching unit 62 as functional units constructed by software.

The work travel control unit 50 includes a travel control unit 51, a work control unit 52, and an engine control unit 53. The travel control unit 51 controls the vehicle travel equipment group 71. Since the tractor is configured to be capable of traveling in both automatic traveling (automatic steering) and manual traveling (manual steering), the traveling control unit 51 has a manual traveling control function and an automatic traveling control function. When the manual travel control function is executed, the vehicle travel equipment group 71 is controlled based on the operation by the driver. When the automatic driving control function is executed, a steering control signal (a type of operation control signal) generated based on an automatic steering command given from the automatic driving control unit AC is output to the steering motor 14. The work control unit 52 gives a work control signal (a type of operation control signal) to the work equipment group 72 in order to control the movement of the work equipment 30. The engine control unit 53 gives an engine control signal (a type of operation control signal) to the operation device of the engine.

The automatic travel control unit AC includes a route generation unit 54, a route setting unit 55, a vehicle position calculation unit 56, and an automatic work travel command unit 57.

The route generation unit 54 reads out the outline data of the field from the input field information, and generates an appropriate traveling route in this field. The generation of this travel route may be performed automatically based on the basic initial parameters input by the driver, or the travel route generated by another computer may be downloaded. In any case, the travel route output from the route generation unit 54 is expanded in the memory and used for automatic travel. Of course, this travel route can be used for guidance for the work vehicle to travel along the travel route even in manual travel.

The route setting unit 55 sequentially reads out the travel routes expanded in the memory and sets them as the travel routes that are the targets of the travel. The own vehicle position calculation unit 56 calculates the position of the vehicle body 1 or the position of the work device 30 based on the positioning data sequentially sent from the satellite positioning module 80. The automatic work travel command unit 57 calculates the directional deviation and the positional deviation between the target travel route and the position of the own vehicle, and gives an automatic steering command to eliminate the directional deviation and the positional deviation to the travel control unit 51.

The mode switching unit 62 has a function of switching between a manned work vehicle mode that functions as a manned work vehicle and an unmanned work vehicle mode that functions as an unmanned work vehicle when a plurality of work vehicles cooperate to perform work. Have. The transmission data processing unit 61 handles control information data indicating the working running state detected by the running state detection sensor group 82, the working state detection sensor group 83, and the obstacle sensor 86, and the captured image data from the photographing camera 85. The transmission data processing unit 61 converts various data into an appropriate format for converting into wireless transmission data, and converts the transmitted wireless transmission data into a data format that can be internally processed.

Next, an example of a wireless data transmission management routine in an unmanned work vehicle will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.
First, the determination result from the communication state determination unit 41 is taken in, and it is checked whether or not the third frequency band communication state is good (# 01). In the default state, this third frequency band is used as the third frequency band for transmitting the emergency stop command from the remote controller 9. Therefore, when the communication state of the third frequency band is poor (No branch at # 01), the transmission data processing unit 61 gives an automatic travel stop command to the work travel control unit 50 (# 61). As a result, the unmanned work vehicle stops automatic driving. Further, a stop notification process (driving a lamp or a buzzer) indicating the stop of the automatic driving is executed (# 62).

When the communication state of the third frequency band is good (Yes branch at # 01), it is further checked whether the communication state of the first frequency band and the second frequency band is good (# 02). In this check, different processes are performed according to the following four communication states.

(1) When the communication conditions of the first frequency band and the second frequency band are good (# 10):
The first frequency band is used as the first frequency band used (# 11). The second frequency band is used as the second frequency band used (# 12).

(2) When the communication condition is good only in the first frequency band (# 20):
The first frequency band is used as the first frequency band used (# 21). Therefore, the captured image data is wirelessly transmitted using the first frequency band, which is the 2.4 giga band. Further, it is checked whether or not there is a margin in data transmission in the first used frequency band, which is the first frequency band (# 22). If there is a margin in the data transmission of the first used frequency band (Yes branch at # 22), the control information data that was originally intended to be transmitted in the second frequency band for the margin of the first used frequency band (first frequency band). Put on. Therefore, the control information data is simplified (data amount reduction) to the extent necessary (# 23). Then, the control information data is transmitted using the first frequency band. That is, the first frequency band is also used as the second used frequency band (# 24). If there is no margin in the data transmission of the first used frequency band (No branch at # 22), the first frequency band is used as the first used frequency band and the second used frequency band, and the captured image data and the control information data are used. Used for both wireless transmissions. Therefore, the captured image data is simplified (reduced in the amount of data) to the extent necessary by frame thinning, still image conversion, or the like (# 25). Similarly, the control information data is simplified (data amount reduced) to the extent necessary (# 26). Then, the captured image data and the control information data are transmitted using the first frequency band. That is, the first frequency band is used not only as the first used frequency band but also as the second used frequency band (# 27).

(3) When the communication status of the first frequency band and the second frequency band is poor (# 30):
It is checked whether there is a margin in data transmission in the third frequency band, which is the third frequency band (# 31). If there is a margin in the data transmission of the third used frequency band (Yes branch at # 31), the captured image data that was originally intended to be transmitted in the first frequency band for the margin of the third used frequency band (third frequency band). And the control information data that was originally intended to be transmitted in the second frequency band is carried. Since the amount of transmission data in the 3rd frequency band, which is the 429 mega band, is small, the captured image data is simplified to the extent necessary (# 34), and the 3rd frequency band is also used as the 1st frequency band. The simplified captured image data is wirelessly transmitted in the third frequency band (# 35). Similarly, the control information data is simplified to the extent necessary (# 36), the third frequency band is also used as the second frequency band, and the simplified control information data is wirelessly transmitted in the third frequency band. (# 37). If there is a margin in data transmission in the third used frequency band (No branch at # 31), the transmission data processing unit 61 gives an automatic travel stop command to the work travel control unit 50 (# 32). As a result, the unmanned work vehicle stops automatic driving. Further, a stop notification process (driving a lamp or a buzzer) indicating the stop of the automatic driving is executed (# 33).

(4) When the communication condition is good only in the second frequency band (# 40):
The second frequency band is used as the second frequency band used (# 41). Therefore, the control information data is wirelessly transmitted using the second frequency band which is the 920 mega band. Further, it is checked whether or not there is a margin in data transmission in the second used frequency band, which is the second frequency band (# 42). If there is a margin in the data transmission of the second used frequency band (Yes branch at # 42), the captured image data that is originally intended to be transmitted in the first frequency band to the margin of the second used frequency band (second frequency band). Put on. Therefore, the captured image data is simplified (reduced in the amount of data) to the extent necessary (# 43). Then, the captured image data is transmitted using the second frequency band. That is, the second frequency band is also used as the first used frequency band (# 44). If there is no margin in the data transmission in the second used frequency band (No branch at # 42), the wireless transmission of the captured image data is stopped (# 45), and the transmission stop of the captured image data is notified (# 46).

[Another embodiment]
(1) In the above-described embodiment, three frequency bands are used, but more frequency bands can also be used.
(2) In the above-described embodiment, the remote control device 9 is used as a mere signal transmitter that performs unidirectional wireless communication, but instead of this, a high-performance communication terminal such as a tablet computer is used as a remote control. It may be used as a device 9. In this case, bidirectional wireless communication is possible between the remote control device 9 and the work vehicle, and for example, the captured image data can be displayed on the touch panel of the communication terminal as the remote control device 9.
(3) Each functional unit in the functional block diagram shown in FIG. 5 is mainly divided for explanatory purposes. In practice, each functional unit can be integrated with other functional units or divided into a plurality of functional units. For example, the automatic driving control unit AC may be constructed in the general-purpose terminal 3.
(4) In the above-described embodiment, the manned work vehicle and the unmanned work vehicle are of the same type and their control systems are substantially the same, but the manned work vehicle and the unmanned work vehicle are composed of different types of work vehicles. May be good. Further, the control system may be provided with only the essential ones for each of the manned work vehicle and the unmanned work vehicle.
(5) In the above-described embodiment, a tractor equipped with a rotary tiller as a work device 30 is taken up as a work vehicle, but other than such a tractor, for example, a rice transplanter, a fertilizer applicator, and a combine. Various work vehicles such as a farm work vehicle such as, or a construction work vehicle provided with a dozer, a roller, or the like as the work device 30 can also be adopted as an embodiment. Further, one work vehicle may be a vehicle that does not actually perform work.

It can be applied to a work vehicle wireless management system that manages work running by a plurality of work vehicles using a wireless communication network.

3: General-purpose terminal 4: Communication unit 40: Communication processing unit 41: Communication status determination unit 42: Used frequency band selection unit 50: Working travel control unit 61: Transmission data processing unit 62: Mode switching unit 85: Shooting camera 86: Failure Object sensor 9: Remote control device 91: Emergency stop button 92: Automatic driving start button 93: Pause button 95: Shooting camera AC: Automatic driving control unit CU: Control unit

Claims (10)

A work vehicle radio management system that transmits information from at least the communication unit of the first work vehicle to the second work vehicle via a communication network among a plurality of work vehicles.
It is equipped with a communication terminal capable of accepting human operations and transmitting stop information for stopping the first work vehicle using a preset third frequency band.
The communication unit uses at least one of a first used frequency band and a second used frequency band preset as a frequency band different from the third used frequency band for captured image data around the first work vehicle. It is configured so that it can be transmitted to the second work vehicle, and it is configured to be able to receive the stop information transmitted from the communication terminal using the third used frequency band.
When the communication unit does not receive the stop information from the communication terminal, the communication unit transmits the photographed image data to the communication terminal, and at the same time, the first used frequency band, the second used frequency band, and the third used. A work vehicle radio management system configured to transmit the captured image data transmitted to the communication terminal using at least one of the frequency bands used to the second work vehicle. When the communication unit receives the stop information from the communication terminal, the communication unit transmits the captured image data to the communication terminal using at least one of the first used frequency band and the second used frequency band. 1. The first aspect of claim 1 is configured to transmit the photographed image data transmitted to the communication terminal using at least one of the first used frequency band and the second used frequency band to the second working vehicle. The work vehicle radio management system described. When the third used frequency band is determined to be defective, the work vehicle is forcibly stopped even if at least one of the first used frequency band and the second used frequency band is in a good state. The work vehicle radio management system according to claim 1 or 2. The first work vehicle is an unmanned work vehicle that automatically travels.
The second work vehicle is a manned work vehicle that travels manually.
The communication terminal is a remote control device operated by a user outside the work vehicle.
The communication of the photographed image data is performed between the manned work vehicle and the unmanned work vehicle, and the communication of the stop information is performed between the remote control device and the unmanned work vehicle. The work vehicle radio management system described in item 1. When the third used frequency band is determined to be defective, the unmanned work vehicle is forcibly stopped even if at least one of the first used frequency band and the second used frequency band is in a good state. The work vehicle radio management system according to claim 4. A communication state determination unit for determining a communication state of a plurality of used frequency bands including the first used frequency band, the second used frequency band, and the third used frequency band.
Claims 1 to 5 include a used frequency band selection unit that selects the used frequency band to be assigned to each data type including the captured image data based on the communication state in the plurality of used frequency bands. The work vehicle radio management system described in any one of the items. The work vehicle radio management system according to claim 6, wherein the communication state determination unit performs the communication state by receiving signal strength, beacon signal check, or both. When the margin of the data transmission capacity is generated in at least one of the used frequency bands, at least a part of the data contents in the at least one data type uses the used frequency band having the margin of the data transmission capacity. The work vehicle radio management system according to claim 6 or 7, which is duplicated and transmitted. When at least one of the plurality of used frequency bands is determined to be defective and at least one is determined to be good, the data type transmitted in the used frequency band to which the frequency band determined to be defective is assigned. The work vehicle radio management system according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein at least a part of the data content in the above is transmitted by the frequency band used, which is a frequency band determined to be good. The work vehicle radio management system according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the unmanned work vehicle is forcibly stopped when at least one of the plurality of used frequency bands is determined to be defective.

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