JP2023090789A - Automatic travel system and automatic travel method - Google Patents

Abstract

To avoid collision between a working device and an obstacle while preventing useless execution of collision avoidance control.SOLUTION: An automatic travel system includes an automatic travel control unit, an obstacle detection unit, and a display control unit. The automatic travel control unit causes a work vehicle (tractor 1) to travel, based on position information of the work vehicle. The obstacle detection unit can detect an obstacle within a predetermined detection range C around the work vehicle. The display control unit displays a detection range object visually indicating a range as the detection range C with reference to the work vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

The present invention relates to an automatic traveling system and an automatic traveling method for automatically traveling a work vehicle.

As the automatic traveling system, there is known a system that automatically travels a work vehicle while avoiding a collision with an obstacle (see Patent Document 1, for example).

The system described in Patent Document 1 includes an obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle within a predetermined detection range around the work vehicle based on detection information from an obstacle sensor provided in the work vehicle, and an obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle within a predetermined detection range around the work vehicle. and a collision avoidance control section that performs collision avoidance control for avoiding collision with the obstacle when the object detection section detects the obstacle.

As collision avoidance control, the collision avoidance control unit performs various processes such as notification processing for notifying the presence of an obstacle, deceleration processing for reducing the traveling speed of the work vehicle, and travel stop processing for stopping the travel of the work vehicle. to avoid collisions between obstacles and work vehicles.

The obstacle detection unit changes the size of the predetermined detection range according to the traveling speed of the work vehicle, and the collision avoidance control unit is configured to perform appropriate processing according to the traveling speed of the work vehicle. there is

WO2015/147149

A working vehicle is equipped with various working devices for performing various kinds of work. Therefore, it is necessary to consider avoiding collisions with not only the work vehicle but also the work equipment with respect to the obstacle.

However, in the system described in Patent Document 1, collision with a working device is not taken into consideration, and collision avoidance control is not performed in a state corresponding to the working device.

For example, in a work device such as an offset mower, the work device performs work such as mowing grass at a position spaced outward from the work vehicle in the lateral direction of the work vehicle. Therefore, in order to avoid a collision between the work device and the obstacle, a detection range is set to a position in the left-right direction that is away from the work vehicle on the outer side, and an obstacle is detected within the detection range. It is necessary to perform collision avoidance control.

Therefore, it is conceivable to widen the detection range for detecting obstacles, but if the detection range is simply widened, collision avoidance control is performed in vain, and there is a possibility that work efficiency will be lowered. A working device such as an offset mower exists only on one side in the left-right direction of the work vehicle, and there is no working device on the opposite side in the left-right direction. Collision avoidance control is wasted due to the detection of obstacles that do not collide with the device.

In view of this situation, the main object of the present invention is to provide an automatic traveling system and an automatic traveling method that can avoid a collision between a working device and an obstacle while preventing unnecessary execution of collision avoidance control. It is in the point to do.

An automatic driving system according to one aspect includes an automatic driving control section, an obstacle detection section, and a display control section. The automatic travel control unit causes the work vehicle to travel based on the position information of the work vehicle. The obstacle detection section is capable of detecting an obstacle within a predetermined detection range around the work vehicle. The display control unit displays a detection range object that visually indicates the detection range with reference to the work vehicle.

An automatic traveling method according to one aspect includes: making the work vehicle travel based on position information of the work vehicle; detecting an obstacle within a predetermined detection range around the work vehicle; and displaying a detection range object visually indicating the detection range with reference to the vehicle.

Diagram showing schematic configuration of automated driving system Block diagram showing the schematic configuration of the automated driving system Front view of the tractor viewed from the front side Rear view of the tractor viewed from the rear side A diagram showing the target travel route in the work area Plan view showing measurement ranges of multiple obstacle sensors A plan view showing a detection range for detecting an obstacle in a tractor to which offset mowers are coupled. Flowchart showing the operation in the obstacle detection system The figure which shows the state which displayed the traveling position of a tractor, and the detection range which detects an obstacle in a display part. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which the traveling position of the tractor, the detection range for detecting obstacles, and the position of obstacles are displayed on the display unit; A diagram showing a state in which the traveling position of the tractor, the measurement range of the obstacle sensor, and the range within and outside the measurement range are displayed on the display unit. Flowchart showing the operation when displaying on the display unit

An embodiment of an automatic driving system according to the present invention will be described based on the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, this automatic driving system employs a tractor 1 as a work vehicle. And it can be applied to an unmanned work vehicle such as an unmanned lawn mower.

[First embodiment]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, this automatic traveling system includes an automatic traveling unit 2 mounted on a tractor 1 and a mobile communication terminal 3 set to communicate with the automatic traveling unit 2 . As the mobile communication terminal 3, a tablet-type personal computer, a smart phone, or the like having a touch panel type display unit 51 (for example, a liquid crystal panel) or the like that can be touch-operated can be adopted.

The tractor 1 includes a traveling body 7 having left and right front wheels 5 functioning as drivable steering wheels and left and right drivable rear wheels 6 . A bonnet 8 is arranged on the front side of the traveling machine body 7 , and an electronically controlled diesel engine (hereinafter referred to as an engine) 9 having a common rail system is provided in the bonnet 8 . A cabin 10 forming a boarding-type operating section is provided on the rear side of the bonnet 8 of the traveling body 7 .

An offset mower 12, which is an example of a working device, is connected to the rear portion of the traveling body 7 via a three-point link mechanism 11 so as to be able to move up and down and roll. As a result, the tractor 1 is configured for mowing. Instead of the offset mower 12, various working machines such as a rotary tillage device, a plow, a disc harrow, a cultivator, a subsoiler, a seeding device, and a spreading device can be connected to the rear portion of the tractor 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the tractor 1 includes an electronically controlled transmission 13 for shifting the power from the engine 9, a fully hydraulic power steering mechanism 14 for steering the left and right front wheels 5, and the left and right rear wheels 6. Left and right side brakes (not shown) for braking, electronically controlled brake operation mechanism 15 that enables hydraulic operation of the left and right side brakes, work clutch (not shown) that intermittently transmits power to the offset mower 12, work An electronically controlled clutch operating mechanism 16 that enables hydraulic operation of the clutch, an electrohydraulically controlled elevating drive mechanism 17 that drives the offset mower 12 up and down, and an in-vehicle electronic device that has various control programs related to automatic traveling of the tractor 1, etc. A control unit 18, a vehicle speed sensor 19 for detecting the vehicle speed of the tractor 1, a steering angle sensor 20 for detecting the steering angle of the front wheels 5, and a positioning unit 21 for measuring the current position and current direction of the tractor 1 are provided. .

The engine 9 may be an electronically controlled gasoline engine with an electronic governor. A hydromechanical continuously variable transmission (HMT), a hydrostatic continuously variable transmission (HST), a belt-type continuously variable transmission, or the like can be adopted as the transmission 13 . As the power steering mechanism 14, an electric power steering mechanism 14 or the like having an electric motor may be employed.

Inside the cabin 10, as shown in FIG. 1, a steering wheel 38 that enables manual steering of the left and right front wheels 5 via a power steering mechanism 14 (see FIG. 2), a driver's seat 39 for passengers, and a touch panel. A formula display and various operating tools are provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, the in-vehicle electronic control unit 18 includes a shift control section 181 that controls the operation of the transmission 13, a braking control section 182 that controls the operation of left and right side brakes, and a work that controls the operation of the offset mower 12. A device control unit 183, a steering angle setting unit 184 that sets the target steering angle of the left and right front wheels 5 during automatic travel and outputs the target steering angle to the power steering mechanism 14, and a pre-generated target travel route P for automatic travel (for example, 5) and the like.

As shown in FIG. 2, the positioning unit 21 includes satellites for measuring the current position and current direction of the tractor 1 using a GPS (Global Positioning System), which is an example of a satellite positioning system (NSS: Navigation Satellite System). A navigation system 22, and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 23, which has a triaxial gyroscope, a tridirectional acceleration sensor, and the like, and measures the attitude, orientation, and the like of the tractor 1, and the like are provided. Positioning methods using GPS include DGPS (Differential GPS: relative positioning method), RTK-GPS (Real Time Kinematic GPS: interferometric positioning method), and the like. In this embodiment, RTK-GPS suitable for positioning of mobile units is adopted. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, reference stations 4 that enable positioning by RTK-GPS are installed at known positions around the field.

As shown in FIG. 2, the tractor 1 and the reference station 4 are provided with positioning antennas 24 and 61 for receiving radio waves transmitted from a positioning satellite 71 (see FIG. 1), and an antenna between the tractor 1 and the reference station 4. Communication modules 25, 62, etc. are provided that enable wireless communication of various types of information including positioning information (correction information). Thereby, the satellite navigation device 22 receives the positioning information obtained by the positioning antenna 24 on the tractor side receiving the radio wave from the positioning satellite 71, and the positioning antenna 61 on the base station side receives the radio wave from the positioning satellite 71. Based on the obtained positioning information (correction information for measuring the current position of the tractor 1), the current position and current azimuth of the tractor 1 can be measured with high accuracy. Further, the positioning unit 21 includes a satellite navigation device 22 and an inertial measurement device 23 to measure the current position, current azimuth, and attitude angle (yaw angle, roll angle, pitch angle) of the tractor 1 with high precision. can be done.

The positioning antenna 24, the communication module 25, and the inertial measurement device 23 provided in the tractor 1 are accommodated in the antenna unit 80, as shown in FIG. The antenna unit 80 is arranged at an upper position on the front side of the cabin 10 .

As shown in FIG. 2, the mobile communication terminal 3 includes a terminal electronic control unit 52 having various control programs for controlling the operation of the display unit 51, etc., and positioning information between the communication module 25 on the tractor side and A communication module 53 or the like is provided to enable wireless communication of various information including. The terminal electronic control unit 52 includes a travel route generation unit 54 that generates a target travel route P (see, for example, FIG. 5) for automatically traveling the tractor 1, and various input information entered by the user and a travel route generation unit It has a non-volatile terminal storage unit 55 and the like for storing the target travel route P and the like generated by 54 .

When the travel route generation unit 54 generates the target travel route P, a user such as a driver or manager follows the input guidance for setting the target travel route displayed on the display unit 51 of the mobile communication terminal 3 to operate the work vehicle. Vehicle information such as the model, the type of working device such as the offset mower 12 and the working width is input, and the input vehicle information is stored in the terminal storage unit 55 . The work area S (see FIG. 5) for which the target travel route P is to be generated is a farm field, and the terminal electronic control unit 52 of the mobile communication terminal 3 acquires farm field information including the shape and position of the farm field and stores it in the terminal storage unit. Stored in 55.

When the user or the like drives the tractor 1 to actually run, the terminal electronic control unit 52 acquires the shape and position of the farm field from the current position of the tractor 1 acquired by the positioning unit 21 and the like. It is possible to acquire location information for specifying such as. The terminal electronic control unit 52 can also acquire the position information of the farm field by reading the shape and position of the farm field from map information or the like stored in an external management device or the like. The terminal electronic control unit 52 specifies the shape and position of the farm field from the acquired position information, and acquires the farm field information including the specified work area S from the specified shape and position of the farm field. FIG. 5 shows an example in which a rectangular work area S is specified.

When the field information including the shape, position, etc. of the specified field is stored in the terminal storage unit 55, the travel route generation unit 54 uses the field information and the vehicle body information stored in the terminal storage unit 55 to calculate the target A travel route P is generated.

As shown in FIG. 5, the travel route generation unit 54 divides and sets the work area S into a central area R1 and an outer peripheral area R2. The central area R1 is set in the central part of the working area S, and serves as a reciprocating working area in which the tractor 1 automatically travels in reciprocating directions to perform predetermined work (for example, work such as plowing). The outer peripheral region R2 is set around the central region R1. The traveling route generation unit 54 determines, for example, the turning radius required for turning the tractor 1 along the edge of the field, based on the turning radius, the front-to-rear width and the left-to-right width of the tractor 1, etc., which are included in the vehicle body information. I am looking for The travel route generation unit 54 divides the work area S into a central area R1 and an outer area R2 so as to secure the required space around the outer circumference of the central area R1.

As shown in FIG. 5, the travel route generator 54 creates a target travel route P using vehicle information, field information, and the like. For example, the target travel path P includes a plurality of linear work paths P1 and a plurality of connecting paths P2 which are arranged and set in parallel in the central region R1 with the same straight distance and a certain distance corresponding to the work width. have. The plurality of work paths P1 are paths for performing predetermined work while the tractor 1 is traveling straight. The connection path P2 is a U-turn path for changing the traveling direction of the tractor 1 by 180 degrees without performing a predetermined work, and connects the end of the work path P1 and the beginning of the next adjacent work path P1. ing.

Incidentally, the target travel route P shown in FIG. 5 is merely an example, and the type of target travel route to be set can be changed as appropriate. For example, the travel route generator 54 can generate only the work route P1 without generating the connecting route P2. In this case, when the user or the like drives the tractor 1 to actually travel, as shown in FIG. The travel route generation unit 54 generates a linear initial straight route connecting the point A and the point B, and generates a plurality of parallel routes parallel to the initial straight route. can be taken as the work path P1.

The target travel route P generated by the travel route generation unit 54 can be displayed on the display unit 51, and is stored in the terminal storage unit 55 as route information associated with vehicle information, field information, and the like. The route information includes the azimuth angle of the target travel route P, the set engine rotation speed, the target travel speed, and the like, which are set according to the travel mode of the tractor 1 on the target travel route P and the like.

In this way, when the travel route generation unit 54 generates the target travel route P, the terminal electronic control unit 52 transfers the route information from the mobile communication terminal 3 to the tractor 1, so that the in-vehicle electronic control unit 18 of the tractor 1 can get route information. The in-vehicle electronic control unit 18 automatically travels the tractor 1 along the target travel route P while acquiring its own current position (current position of the tractor 1) with the positioning unit 21 based on the acquired route information. can be done. The current position of the tractor 1 acquired by the positioning unit 21 is transmitted from the tractor 1 to the mobile communication terminal 3 in real time (for example, at intervals of several milliseconds). I understand.

Regarding the transfer of the route information, the entire route information can be transferred from the terminal electronic control unit 52 to the vehicle-mounted electronic control unit 18 at once before the tractor 1 starts automatic traveling. Further, for example, the route information including the target travel route P can be divided into a plurality of route portions each having a small amount of information and having predetermined distances. In this case, only the initial route portion of the route information is transferred from the terminal electronic control unit 52 to the in-vehicle electronic control unit 18 before the tractor 1 starts automatically traveling. After the start of automatic driving, each time the tractor 1 reaches a route acquisition point set according to the amount of information, etc., the route information only for the subsequent route portion corresponding to that point is sent from the terminal electronic control unit 52 to the in-vehicle electronic control unit. It may be transferred to unit 18 .

When the automatic traveling of the tractor 1 is started, for example, when the user or the like moves the tractor 1 to the start point and various automatic traveling start conditions are satisfied, the user displays the display unit 51 on the mobile communication terminal 3. is operated to instruct the start of automatic traveling, the mobile communication terminal 3 transmits the automatic traveling start instruction to the tractor 1 . As a result, in the tractor 1, the in-vehicle electronic control unit 18 receives the instruction to start automatic traveling, so that the positioning unit 21 acquires the current position of the tractor 1 (the current position of the tractor 1). Automatic travel control is started to automatically travel the tractor 1 along the road. Automatic travel control in which the vehicle-mounted electronic control unit 18 automatically travels the tractor 1 along the target travel route P within the work area S based on the positioning information of the tractor 1 acquired by the positioning unit 21 using the satellite positioning system. It is configured as an automatic travel control unit that performs

The automatic travel control includes an automatic transmission control that automatically controls the operation of the transmission 13, an automatic braking control that automatically controls the operation of the brake operation mechanism 15, an automatic steering control that automatically steers the left and right front wheels 5, and an offset mower 12. It includes automatic control for work that automatically controls the operation of

In the automatic shift control, the shift control unit 181 controls the movement of the tractor 1 on the target travel route P based on the route information of the target travel route P including the target travel speed, the output of the positioning unit 21, and the output of the vehicle speed sensor 19. The operation of the transmission 13 is automatically controlled so that the vehicle speed of the tractor 1 can be obtained as the target traveling speed set according to the traveling mode or the like.

In the automatic braking control, the braking control unit 182 controls the left and right side brakes in the braking region included in the route information of the target travel route P based on the target travel route P and the output of the positioning unit 21. The operation of the brake operating mechanism 15 is automatically controlled so that the wheels 6 are properly braked.

In the automatic steering control, the steering angle setting unit 184 controls the target positions of the left and right front wheels 5 based on the route information of the target travel route P and the output of the positioning unit 21 so that the tractor 1 automatically travels along the target travel route P. A steering angle is obtained and set, and the set target steering angle is output to the power steering mechanism 14 . Based on the target steering angle and the output of the steering angle sensor 20, the power steering mechanism 14 automatically steers the left and right front wheels 5 so that the steering angle of the left and right front wheels 5 is obtained as the target steering angle.

In the automatic work control, the work device control unit 183 controls the tractor 1 to perform work such as the starting end of the work route P1 (see, for example, FIG. 5) based on the route information of the target travel route P and the output of the positioning unit 21. When the start point is reached, the offset mower 12 starts a predetermined work (for example, mowing), and when the tractor 1 reaches a work end point such as the end of the work path P1 (see, for example, FIG. 5). Accordingly, the operations of the clutch operation mechanism 16 and the elevation drive mechanism 17 are automatically controlled so that the predetermined work by the offset mower 12 is stopped.

Thus, in the tractor 1, the transmission 13, the power steering mechanism 14, the brake operation mechanism 15, the clutch operation mechanism 16, the elevation drive mechanism 17, the vehicle electronic control unit 18, the vehicle speed sensor 19, the steering angle sensor 20, the positioning The automatic traveling unit 2 is composed of the unit 21, the communication module 25, and the like.

In this embodiment, not only can the tractor 1 automatically travel without a user or the like in the cabin 10, but it is also possible to automatically travel the tractor 1 with a user or the like in the cabin 10. Therefore, not only can the tractor 1 automatically travel along the target travel route P by the automatic travel control by the in-vehicle electronic control unit 18 without the user or the like boarding the cabin 10, but also the user or the like can board the cabin 10. Even in this case, the tractor 1 can be automatically traveled along the target travel route P by the automatic travel control by the in-vehicle electronic control unit 18 .

When a user or the like is in the cabin 10, the vehicle electronic control unit 18 switches between an automatic running state in which the tractor 1 automatically runs and a manual running state in which the tractor 1 runs based on the operation of the user. be able to. Therefore, the automatic travel state can be switched to the manual travel state while the target travel route P is being automatically traveled in the automatic travel state. state can be switched to automatic driving state. For switching between the manual driving state and the automatic driving state, for example, a switching operation unit for switching between the automatic driving state and the manual driving state can be provided near the driver's seat 39, and the switching operation unit can be carried. It can also be displayed on the display unit 51 of the communication terminal 3 . Further, when the user operates the steering wheel 38 during automatic driving control by the in-vehicle electronic control unit 18, the automatic driving state can be switched to the manual driving state.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tractor 1 is equipped with an obstacle detection system 100 for detecting obstacles around the tractor 1 (running body 7) and avoiding collisions with the obstacles. ing. The obstacle detection system 100 includes a plurality of lidar sensors 101 and 102 that can three-dimensionally measure the distance to an object using lasers, and a plurality of sensors that can measure the distance to the object using ultrasonic waves. Sonar units 103 and 104 having sonar, cameras 105, 106, 107, and 108 for imaging the surroundings of the tractor 1 (running body 7), an obstacle detection section 110, and a collision avoidance control section 111 are provided. .

As shown in FIG. 2, the obstacle detection system 100 includes multiple obstacle sensors D, such as lidar sensors 101, 102, sonar units 103, 104, and cameras 105, 106. Obstacles to be detected in each case are objects, people, and the like. The lidar sensors 101 and 102 include a front rider sensor 101 for measuring the front side of the tractor 1 and a rear rider sensor 102 for measuring the rear side of the tractor 1 . The sonar units 103 and 104 include a right sonar unit 103 for measuring the right side of the tractor 1 and a left sonar unit 104 for measuring the left side of the tractor 1 . The cameras 105, 106, 107, and 108 include a front camera 105 whose measurement object is the front side of the tractor 1, a rear camera 106 whose measurement object is the rear side of the tractor 1, and a right camera 106 whose measurement object is the right side of the tractor 1. A camera 107 and a left camera 108 for measuring the left side of the tractor 1 are provided.

The obstacle detection unit 110 repeatedly performs obstacle detection processing in real time based on measurement information from the lidar sensors 101, 102, sonar units 103, 104, and cameras 105, 106, 107, 108, and detects a detection range C (see FIG. 7). It properly detects obstacles such as objects and people inside. The collision avoidance control unit 111 performs collision avoidance control for avoiding collisions with obstacles detected in real time.

The obstacle detection section 110 and the collision avoidance control section 111 are provided in the in-vehicle electronic control unit 18 . An in-vehicle electronic control unit 18 communicates with an electronic control unit for the engine included in the common rail system, lidar sensors 101, 102, sonar units 103, 104, cameras 105, 106, 107, 108, etc. via a CAN (Controller Area Network). are connected so that they can communicate with each other.

The lidar sensors 101 and 102 measure the distance to the measurement object from the round trip time until the laser light (for example, pulsed near-infrared laser light) hits the measurement object and bounces back (Time Of Flight). . The lidar sensors 101 and 102 scan the laser light in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction at high speed, and sequentially measure the distance to the measurement object at each scanning angle, thereby measuring the distance to the measurement object in three dimensions. are measuring. The lidar sensors 101 and 102 repeatedly measure the distance to the measurement object within the measurement range in real time. The lidar sensors 101 and 102 are configured to generate a three-dimensional image from the measurement information and output it to the outside. A three-dimensional image generated from the measurement information of the lidar sensors 101 and 102 is displayed on a display device such as the display unit of the tractor 1 or the display unit 51 of the mobile communication terminal 3, so that the user or the like can visually recognize the presence or absence of obstacles. be able to. Incidentally, in a three-dimensional image, for example, colors can be used to indicate the distance in the perspective direction.

The front lidar sensor 101 is attached to the bottom of an antenna unit 80 arranged at an upper position on the front side of the cabin 10, as shown in FIGS. The antenna unit 80 is attached to a pipe-shaped antenna unit support stay 81 extending over the entire length of the cabin 10 in the lateral direction of the traveling body 7, as shown in FIG. The antenna unit 80 is arranged at a position corresponding to the central portion of the cabin 10 in the left-right direction of the traveling body 7 . The front lidar sensor 101 is attached to the antenna unit 80 in a front-down posture in which the front side portion is positioned downward, and is provided integrally with the antenna unit 80 . Like the antenna unit 80 , the front rider sensor 101 is arranged at a position corresponding to the central portion of the cabin 10 in the lateral direction of the traveling body 7 .

The front camera 105 is arranged above the front lidar sensor 101 . As with the front lidar sensor 101, the front camera 105 is attached in a front-down posture in which the front portion is positioned downward. The front camera 105 is provided so as to capture an image of the front side of the traveling body 7 while looking down from the obliquely upper side. The captured image captured by the front camera 105 can be output to the outside. The image captured by the front camera 105 can be displayed on a display device such as the display unit of the tractor 1 or the display unit 51 of the mobile communication terminal 3 so that the user or the like can visually recognize the surroundings of the tractor 1 . The front lidar sensor 101 and the front camera 105 are arranged at a position corresponding to the roof 35 in the vertical direction.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the rear rider sensor 102 is attached to a pipe-shaped sensor support stay 82 extending over the entire length of the cabin 10 in the lateral direction of the traveling body 7 . The rear rider sensor 102 is arranged at a position corresponding to the central portion of the cabin 10 in the lateral direction of the traveling body 7 . The rear rider sensor 102 is attached to the sensor support stay 82 in a rearwardly lowered posture in which the rearward portion is positioned downward.

The rear camera 106 is arranged above the rear lidar sensor 102 . Like the rear lidar sensor 102 , the rear camera 106 is mounted in a rearwardly lowered posture in which the rearward portion is positioned downward. The rear camera 106 is provided so as to capture an image of the rear side of the traveling body 7 while looking down from an obliquely upper side. The captured image captured by the rear camera 106 can be output to the outside. An image captured by the rear camera 106 can be displayed on a display device such as the display unit of the tractor 1 or the display unit 51 of the mobile communication terminal 3 so that the user or the like can visually recognize the surroundings of the tractor 1 . The rear lidar sensor 102 and the rear camera 106 are arranged at a position corresponding to the roof 35 in the vertical direction.

Although not shown, the right camera 107 and the left camera 108 are provided via support stays, etc., so as to capture an image obliquely downward, like the front camera 105 and the rear camera 106 . The right camera 107 and the left camera 108 can also be arranged at positions corresponding to the roof 35 in the vertical direction. Images captured by the right camera 107 and the left camera 108 are also configured to be output to the outside. Images captured by the right camera 107 and the left camera 108 can be displayed on a display device such as the display unit of the tractor 1 or the display unit 51 of the mobile communication terminal 3 so that the user or the like can visually recognize the surroundings of the tractor 1. .

The sonar units 103 and 104 are configured to measure the distance to the object to be measured from the round-trip time until the projected ultrasonic waves hit and bounce off the object to be measured. As the sonar units 103 and 104, a right sonar unit 103 whose measurement range is the right side of the tractor 1 (traveling body 7), and a left sonar unit 104 (see FIG. 1) whose measurement range is the left side of the tractor 1 (traveling body 7). and are provided.

The obstacle detection system 100 includes lidar sensors 101, 102, sonar units 103, 104 and cameras 105, 106, 107 to detect obstacles within a predetermined detection range C (see FIG. 7) around the tractor 1. , 108 are provided. The measurement ranges of the plurality of obstacle sensors D will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing measurement ranges of a plurality of obstacle sensors D. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6, on the front side of the tractor 1, the measurement range C1 of the front lidar sensor 101 and the measurement range C2 of the front camera 105 are partially overlapped. Both the measurement range C1 and the measurement range C2 are set to bilaterally symmetrical ranges. The measurement range C2 is set to a range in which the distance from the tractor 1 to the front side is larger than the measurement range C1, and which is larger than the measurement range C1 by a predetermined angle in the horizontal direction.

On the rear side of the tractor 1, similarly to the front side of the tractor 1, the measurement range C3 of the rear lidar sensor 102 and the measurement range C4 of the rear camera 106 are partially overlapped. Both the measurement range C3 and the measurement range C4 are set to bilaterally symmetrical ranges. The measurement range C4 is set to a range in which the distance from the tractor 1 to the rear side is larger than the measurement range C3, and which is larger than the measurement range C3 by a predetermined angle in the horizontal direction.

On the right side of the tractor 1, the measurement range C5 of the right sonar unit 103 and the measurement range C6 of the right camera 107 are partially overlapped. Both the measurement range C5 and the measurement range C6 are set symmetrical in the front-rear direction. The measuring range C6 is set to a range in which the distance from the tractor 1 to the right side is larger than the measuring range C5, and which is larger than the measuring range C5 by a predetermined angle in the longitudinal direction.

On the left side of the tractor 1, similarly to the right side of the tractor 1, the measurement range C7 of the left sonar unit 104 and the measurement range C8 of the left camera 108 are partially overlapped. Both the measurement range C7 and the measurement range C8 are set symmetrical in the front-rear direction. The measurement range C8 is set to a range in which the distance from the tractor 1 to the left side is larger than the measurement range C7, and which is larger than the measurement range C7 by a predetermined angle in the longitudinal direction.

As described above, in the device shown in FIG. 6, the measurement ranges of the two obstacle sensors D are overlapped in any direction of the tractor 1: front, rear, right, and left. Multiple obstacle sensors D can also be provided with non-overlapping sensor D measurement ranges. How to set the measurement ranges of the plurality of obstacle sensors D such as the lidar sensors 101 and 102, the sonar units 103 and 104, and the cameras 105, 106, 107 and 108 can be changed as appropriate.

Obstacle detection processing by the obstacle detection unit 110 will be described.
The obstacle detection unit 110 detects the presence or absence of obstacles within a predetermined detection range around the tractor 1 based on measurement information from the lidar sensors 101, 102, sonar units 103, 104, and cameras 105, 106, 107, 108. and an obstacle detection process for detecting the position of the obstacle.

For the front side of the tractor 1, the obstacle detection unit 110 detects the presence or absence of an obstacle, for example, based on the measurement information of the front camera 105 as an obstacle detection process. Based on the measurement information of 101, the position of the obstacle is detected. Incidentally, when an obstacle exists only within the measurement range C2 of the front camera 105, the obstacle detection unit 110 detects the presence or absence of the obstacle and the position of the obstacle based on the measurement information of the front camera 105. is detected. As described above, the obstacle detection unit 110 detects the presence of an obstacle based on the measurement information of the front lidar sensor 101 and the measurement information of the front camera 105 as an obstacle detection process on the front side of the tractor 1. It detects the position of the obstacle. Regarding the rear side of the tractor 1 as well, the obstacle detection unit 110 detects the existence of an obstacle based on the measurement information of the rear lidar sensor 102 and the measurement information of the rear camera 106 as an obstacle detection process on the rear side of the tractor 1. It also detects the position of the obstacle.

On the right side of the tractor 1, the obstacle detection unit 110 detects the presence or absence of an obstacle, for example, based on the measurement information of the right camera 107 as an obstacle detection process. Based on the measurement information of the sonar unit 103, the position of the obstacle is detected. Incidentally, when an obstacle exists only within the measurement range C6 of the right camera 107, the obstacle detection unit 110 detects the presence or absence of the obstacle and the position of the obstacle based on the measurement information of the right camera 107. is detected. As described above, the obstacle detection unit 110 detects the presence of an obstacle based on the measurement information of the right sonar unit 103 and the measurement information of the right camera 107 as an obstacle detection process on the right side of the tractor 1, and detects the presence of the obstacle. Detecting the position of obstacles. As for the left side of the tractor 1, the obstacle detection unit 110 also detects the presence of an obstacle based on the measurement information of the left sonar unit 104 and the measurement information of the left camera 108 as the obstacle detection processing on the left side of the tractor 1. Also, the position of the obstacle is detected.

When the obstacle detection section 110 detects an obstacle, the obstacle detection section 110 detects a plurality of obstacle sensors D such as the lidar sensors 101 and 102, the sonar units 103 and 104, and the cameras 105, 106, 107 and 1089. Each of them is configured to be switchable between an operating state and a non-operating state. The obstacle detection unit 110 does not switch all of the plurality of obstacle sensors D to the operative state, but instead switches the sensors according to the traveling state of the tractor 1 and the state of the working device such as the offset mower 12, etc., as shown in FIG. , some of the plurality of obstacle sensors D are switched to the active state, and the rest are switched to the non-operating state. FIG. 7 shows the measurement range of the obstacle sensor D in the active state.

By switching each of the plurality of obstacle sensors D between an operating state and a non-operating state, the obstacle detection unit 110 detects the entire system according to the traveling state of the tractor 1 and the state of the working device such as the offset mower 12. , the detection range C for detecting obstacles is freely changeable. By switching some of the plurality of obstacle sensors D to a non-operating state, the obstacle detection unit 110 reduces the processing load of the obstacle detection unit 110, improves the processing speed, and accurately and quickly I am trying to detect obstacles.

When the tractor 1 travels forward, as shown in FIG. 7, the obstacle detection unit 110 switches the front lidar sensor 101 and the front camera 105 to the operating state, and disables the rear lidar sensor 102 and the rear camera 106. Switching to active state. Although illustration is omitted, conversely, when the tractor 1 travels backward, the obstacle detection unit 110 switches the rear rider sensor 102 and the rear camera 106 to the operating state, and the front rider sensor 101 and the front camera 105 is deactivated.

When the offset mower 12, which is a working device, is offset to the left of the tractor 1, as shown in FIG. Switching to the active state and switching the right camera 107 to the non-operating state. In this case, by switching the right sonar unit 103 to the operating state, the obstacle detection section 110 detects an obstacle only in the range close to the tractor 1 on the right side of the tractor 1, but the right sonar unit 103 is turned off. It can also be switched to the active state.

Conversely, when the offset mower 12, which is a work device, is offset to the right of the tractor 1, although not shown, the obstacle detection section 110 detects the right sonar unit 103, the left sonar unit 104, and the right camera. 107 is switched to the active state, and the left camera 108 is switched to the non-active state. In this case, by switching the left sonar unit 104 to the operating state, the obstacle detection unit 110 detects an obstacle only in the range close to the tractor 1 on the left side of the tractor 1, but the left sonar unit 104 is turned off. It can also be switched to the active state.

The obstacle detection unit 110 determines whether the tractor 1 is traveling forward or backward based on the operating state of a forward/reverse switching lever provided in the control unit of the tractor 1 . When generating the target travel route P for automatically traveling the tractor 1, the vehicle body information including information on the working device such as the type of the working device and the working width is input. Based on the obtained vehicle body information, it is determined in which direction the working device such as the offset mower 12 is positioned with respect to the tractor 1 in the left-right direction. Therefore, the obstacle detection unit 110 acquires the running state of the tractor 1 based on the operating state of the forward/reverse switching lever, acquires the state of the working device based on the vehicle body information, and obtains the running state of the tractor 1. And each of the plurality of obstacle sensors D is switched between an operating state and a non-operating state according to the status of the working device.

In this manner, the obstacle detection unit 110 switches each of the plurality of obstacle sensors D between the operating state and the non-operating state, so that the operation is performed according to the traveling state of the tractor 1 and the state of the working device such as the offset mower 12 . , the detection range C for detecting obstacles is changed for the entire system. FIG. 7 shows the detection range C of the entire system when the tractor 1 is traveling forward and the offset mower 12 is offset to the left of the tractor 1 .

In the configuration shown in FIG. 7, the obstacle detection unit 110 changes the detection range C for detecting an obstacle by switching each of the plurality of obstacle sensors D between an operating state and a non-operating state. By changing the measurement range of the object sensor D itself, it is possible to change the detection range C for detecting obstacles in the system as a whole. For example, in FIG. 6, regarding the measurement range C1 of the front rider sensor 101, by changing the distance from the tractor 1 to the front end of the measurement range C1 and the angle to the left and right ends in the left-right direction, the front rider sensor 101 can measure Range C1 can be changed.

When the tractor 1 travels forward, for example, the obstacle detection unit 110 detects the distance from the tractor 1 and the angle in the horizontal direction in the measurement range C1 of the front lidar sensor 101 and the measurement range C2 of the front camera 105. can be set to be larger than the measurement range C3 of the rear lidar sensor 102 and the measurement range C4 of the rear camera 106. Conversely, when the tractor 1 travels backward, for example, the obstacle detection unit 110 detects the distance from the tractor 1 and the angle in the left-right direction in the measurement range C3 of the rear lidar sensor 102 and the measurement range C3 of the rear camera 106. C4 can be set to be larger than the measurement range C1 of the front lidar sensor 101 and the measurement range C2 of the front camera 105 .

Further, when the offset mower 12, which is a work device, is offset to the left of the tractor 1, for example, the obstacle detection unit 110 detects the distance from the tractor 1 and the angle in the front-rear direction of the left camera 108. The measurement range C8 can be set to be larger than the measurement range C6 of the right camera 107 . Conversely, when the offset mower 12, which is a work device, is offset to the right of the tractor 1, for example, the obstacle detection unit 110 detects the distance from the tractor 1 and the angle in the front-rear direction from the right camera 107. can be set to be larger than the measurement range C8 of the left camera 108 .

In this way, the obstacle detection unit 110 changes the measurement range itself of the obstacle sensor D according to the traveling state of the tractor 1 and the situation of the working device such as the offset mower 12, so that the system as a whole detects obstacles. It is also possible to change and set the detection range C for detecting .

When changing the measurement range of the obstacle sensor D itself, for example, if the working device is located near the tractor 1, the distance from the tractor 1 to avoid collision between the working device and the obstacle should be reduced. The detection range may be up to a near position. On the other hand, if the working device is located at a distance from the tractor 1, the detection range should be set to a position far from the tractor 1 in order to avoid collision between the working device and the obstacle. Is required. Therefore, the obstacle detection unit 110 changes the distance from the tractor 1 in the measurement range of the obstacle sensor D according to the distance from the tractor 1 to the working device, thereby detecting an obstacle as a whole system. Range C can be changed.

Collision avoidance control by the collision avoidance control unit 111 will be described.
The collision avoidance control unit 111 is configured to perform collision avoidance control to decelerate the tractor 1 or stop the tractor 1 when the obstacle detection unit 110 detects an obstacle. For example, in the detection range C (see FIG. 7), if the distance from the tractor 1 to the existing position of the obstacle is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance, the collision avoidance control unit 111 decelerates the tractor 1 as collision avoidance control. . If the distance from the tractor 1 to the position of the obstacle within the detection range C is less than a predetermined distance, the collision avoidance control section 111 stops the tractor 1 as collision avoidance control. In this case, with respect to the predetermined distance, the predetermined distance for the front side of the tractor 1 and the predetermined distance for the rear side of the tractor 1 may be different, or the predetermined distance may be changed according to the running speed of the tractor 1. can. Regarding the predetermined distance, it is possible to appropriately change what kind of distance is set according to various conditions.

In the collision avoidance control, the collision avoidance control unit 111 not only decelerates the tractor 1 or stops the tractor 1, but also activates a notification device 26 such as a notification buzzer or a notification lamp to notify the presence of an obstacle. I am reporting. In the collision avoidance control, the collision avoidance control unit 111 communicates with the mobile communication terminal 3 from the tractor 1 using the communication modules 25 and 53 and causes the display unit 51 to display the presence of the obstacle. It is possible to notify that

The operation of obstacle detection system 100 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.
The obstacle detection unit 110 acquires the traveling state of the tractor 1 by determining whether the tractor 1 is traveling forward or backward from the operating state of the forward/reverse switching lever (step #1). ). The obstacle detection unit 110 detects which side of the work device such as the offset mower 12 is positioned relative to the tractor 1 in the left-right direction and the position of the work device such as the offset mower 12 from the vehicle body information including information on the work device such as the type of the work device and the working width. 1, the status of the working device such as the position information of the working device is acquired (step #2).

The obstacle detection unit 110 sets a detection range C for detecting obstacles in the system as a whole, according to the traveling state of the tractor 1 and the state of the working device such as the offset mower 12 (step #3). For example, when the tractor 1 is traveling forward and the offset mower 12 is positioned on the left side of the tractor 1, as shown in FIG. The detection range C is set by switching the left sonar unit 104, the right sonar unit 103, and the left camera 108 to the operating state, and switching the rear lidar sensor 102, the rear camera 106, and the right camera 107 to the non-operating state.

The obstacle detection unit 110 performs an obstacle detection process of detecting the presence or absence of an obstacle and the position of the obstacle within the set detection range C (step #4). When the obstacle detection unit 110 detects an obstacle by the obstacle detection process, the collision avoidance control unit 111 performs collision avoidance control (if Yes in step #5, step #6).

In this way, the obstacle detection system 100 repeats the operations of steps #1 to #6 while the tractor 1 is automatically traveling to prevent collisions between the tractor 1 and the work devices such as the offset mower 12 and the obstacles. The tractor 1 is automatically traveled along the target travel route P while avoiding.

In the mobile communication terminal 3, when the tractor 1 is automatically driven, as shown in FIGS. A range C is displayed on the display unit 51 . As a result, the user or the like can grasp the traveling condition of the tractor 1 and the detection range C of obstacles while the tractor 1 is automatically traveling.

The positional information of the tractor 1 can be displayed not only on the display unit 51 of the mobile communication terminal 3, but also on the display unit of the tractor 1 or the display unit of an external management device. Since the configuration for displaying the position information of the tractor 1 is the same, the case where the information is displayed on the display unit 51 of the mobile communication terminal 3 will be described below.

As shown in FIG. 2, the mobile communication terminal 3 has a work vehicle position information acquisition unit 56 that acquires position information of the tractor 1, and a detection range C that acquires position information of the obstacle detection system 100. detection range position information acquisition unit 57, an obstacle position information acquisition unit 58 that acquires position information of an obstacle when an obstacle is detected by the obstacle detection system 100, and a display mode in the display unit 51. A display control unit 59 is provided.

Since the positioning unit 21 of the tractor 1 acquires the position information of the tractor 1 using the satellite positioning system, the work vehicle position information acquisition unit 56 communicates between the communication module 25 on the tractor 1 side and the mobile communication terminal 3 side. The position information of the tractor 1 is acquired through wireless communication with the module 53 .

The obstacle detection unit 110 in the obstacle detection system 100 for the tractor 1 sets a detection range C for detecting obstacles in the system as a whole, depending on the traveling state of the tractor 1 and the state of the working device such as the offset mower 12. Therefore, the position information of the detection range C with respect to the tractor 1 is grasped. The detection range position information acquisition unit 57 acquires position information of the detection range C with respect to the tractor 1 via wireless communication between the communication module 25 on the tractor 1 side and the communication module 53 on the mobile communication terminal 3 side. there is

The obstacle detection unit 110 in the obstacle detection system 100 of the tractor 1 obtains the position information of the obstacle with respect to the tractor 1 by executing the obstacle detection process when an obstacle is detected. The obstacle position information acquisition unit 58 acquires position information of obstacles with respect to the tractor 1 through wireless communication between the communication module 25 on the tractor 1 side and the communication module 53 on the mobile communication terminal 3 side. .

The display control unit 59 identifies the travel position of the tractor 1 (current position of the tractor 1) based on the position information of the tractor 1 acquired by the work vehicle position information acquisition unit 56, and the detection range position information acquisition unit 57 The position of the detection range C with respect to the traveling position of the tractor 1 is specified based on the position information of the detection range C with respect to the tractor 1 acquired in . As shown in FIG. 9, the display control unit 59 causes the display unit 51 to display the specified travel position of the tractor 1 and the detection range C on the map.

The display control unit 59 controls the measurement ranges C1, C2, C5, C7, and C8 (measuring ranges shown in gray in FIG. 9) of the obstacle sensors D in the operating state and the measurement ranges in the non-operating state. The measurement ranges C3, C4, and C6 (the measurement ranges shown in white in FIG. 9) of the obstacle sensor D are displayed in different display modes. As different display modes, for example, various display modes such as changing the displayed color can be made different. As a result, while displaying all of the measurement ranges C1 to C8 of the plurality of obstacle sensors D on the display unit 51, the detection range C, which is the measurement range of the obstacle sensors D in the operating state, and the obstacle sensor in the non-operating state. The measurement range of the object sensor D can be identified. Therefore, a user or the like can not only know what the detection range C for detecting an obstacle is, but also what the measurement range of the obstacle sensor D in the non-operating state is. You can easily recognize if there is one.

9, the display control unit 59 displays the travel position of the tractor 1 and the detection range C on the map within the work area S. A work path P1 generated in the area S is superimposed and displayed.

As shown in FIG. 10, when the obstacle detection unit 110 detects an obstacle within the detection range C, the display control unit 59 controls the position information of the tractor 1 acquired by the work vehicle position information acquisition unit 56. The traveling position of the tractor 1 (current position of the tractor 1) is specified based on the position of the detected obstacle based on the position information of the obstacle with respect to the tractor 1 acquired by the obstacle position information acquisition unit 58 (Position indicated by “x” in FIG. 10) is displayed on the display unit 51 . The display control unit 59 not only displays the positional information of the obstacles, but also displays the measurement ranges C1 and C2 (Fig. 10 The measurement ranges C5, C7, and C8 (ranges shown in light gray in FIG. 10) of the obstacle sensor D in the non-detecting state where no obstacle is detected are displayed in different display modes. is displayed in As a result, the user or the like can recognize which range is the detection range C and which range is the measurement range of the non-operating obstacle sensor D, and in which range in the detection range C the obstacle is detected. can also be easily recognized.

During automatic travel of the tractor 1, as shown in FIG. 9, the display control unit 59 only displays the travel position of the tractor 1 and the position of the detection range C (measurement range of the obstacle sensor D in the operating state). isn't it. As shown in FIG. 11, when the measurement range C1 of the obstacle sensor D in the operating state is displayed on the display unit 51, the inside range C1a within the work area S and the outside range C1b outside the work area T are different. It is displayed in the display mode. As different display modes, for example, various display modes such as changing the displayed color can be made different. Incidentally, in FIG. 11, the measurement ranges C2, C4, C6, and C8 of the cameras 105, 106, 107, and 108 are omitted in order to facilitate understanding of the in-area range C1a and the out-of-area range C1b.

In order to display the in-area range C1a and the out-of-area range C1b, as shown in FIG. there is When generating the target travel route P for automatically traveling the tractor 1, the shape and position of the work area S (field) are acquired as field information. The position information of the work area S is acquired from the information. The display control unit 59 identifies the position of the outer end of the work area S from the position information of the work area S acquired by the work area position information acquisition unit 60, and displays the position of the work area S as shown in FIG. Based on the position of the outer end, the measurement range C1 is displayed by dividing it into an in-area range C1a and an out-of-area range C1b.

In FIG. 11, since the tractor 1 is traveling forward, the front rider sensor 101 is in the operating state. ) and the outside range C1b (range shown in white) are displayed in different display modes.

Since the work area position information acquisition unit 60 acquires the position information of the work area S, obstacles can be detected through wireless communication between the communication module 25 on the tractor 1 side and the communication module 53 on the mobile communication terminal 3 side. The detection system 100 can acquire the position information of the work area S. FIG. Therefore, in the measurement range C1 of the obstacle sensor D in the operating state, the obstacle detection unit 110 detects an obstacle in the out-of-area range C1b by, for example, removing the out-of-area range C1b from the detection range C. The collision avoidance control unit 111 is in a non-execution state in which collision avoidance control is not executed.

The operation when the display control unit 59 causes the display unit 51 to display the traveling position of the tractor 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
The work vehicle position information acquisition unit 56 acquires the position information of the tractor 1, the detection range position information acquisition unit 57 acquires the position information of the detection range C, and acquires the position information of the tractor 1 and the detection range C (step #11).

9 based on the position information of the tractor 1 acquired by the work vehicle position information acquisition unit 56 and the position information of the detection range C acquired by the detection range position information acquisition unit 57. , the traveling position of the tractor 1 and a plurality of obstacles are displayed while the detection range C, which is the measurement range of the obstacle sensor D in the operating state, and the measurement range of the obstacle sensor D in the non-operating state are displayed in different display modes. Display processing for displaying the measurement ranges C1 to C8 of the object sensor D is performed (step #12).

When the obstacle position information acquisition unit 58 acquires the obstacle position information, the display control unit 59 displays a display based on the obstacle position information acquired by the obstacle position information acquisition unit 58, as shown in FIG. , the position of the obstacle (the position indicated by "x" in FIG. 10) is displayed, and the measurement ranges C1 and C2 (the range indicated by dark gray in FIG. 10) of the obstacle sensor D in the detection state are displayed. The position of the obstacle is displayed by displaying the measurement ranges C5, C7, and C8 (ranges shown in light gray in FIG. 10) of the detected obstacle sensor D in different display modes (step #13). If Yes, step #14).

The display control unit 59 determines whether or not the outside of the work area T is included in the measurement range of the obstacle sensor D in the operating state from the position information of the work area S acquired by the work area position information acquisition unit 60. (step #15). When the outside of the work area T is included in the measurement range of the obstacle sensor D in the operating state, the display control unit 59, as shown in FIG. Based on the position information of S, in the measurement range C1 of the obstacle sensor D in the operating state, the display mode is different between the intra-area range C1a (range shown in gray) and the outside area range C1b (range shown in white). is displayed (step #16).

In this way, the operations of steps #11 to #16 are repeated, and during automatic travel of the tractor 1, not only the travel position of the tractor 1, but also the measurement ranges C1 to C8 of the plurality of obstacle sensors D, and The positions of the obstacles are displayed on the display unit 51 so that the user can easily recognize them.

[Second embodiment]
The second embodiment is another embodiment of the obstacle detection system 100 in the first embodiment, and the description will focus on the points that are different from the first embodiment, and the points that are the same as the first embodiment will not be described. omitted.

In the first embodiment, the obstacle detection unit 110 is configured to be able to change the detection range C for detecting obstacles according to the working device such as the offset mower 12 connected to the tractor 1 . Instead of this, in the second embodiment, even if the obstacle detection unit 110 detects an obstacle, the collision avoidance control unit 111 may It is configured to be switchable between an execution state in which collision avoidance control is executed and a non-execution state in which collision avoidance control is not executed.

In the second embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the obstacle detection unit 110 activates all of the plurality of obstacle sensors D, and as shown in FIG. Obstacles are detected in the measuring ranges C1 to C8. Accordingly, the obstacle detector 110 detects the obstacle no matter which direction the tractor 1 faces, ie, the front side, the rear side, the right side, and the left side.

However, for example, when the tractor 1 is traveling forward, even if an obstacle is detected on the rear side of the tractor 1, the tractor 1 and the working device such as the offset mower 12 collide with the obstacle. never Further, when the working device such as the offset mower 12 is positioned on the left side of the tractor 1, even if an obstacle is detected on the right side of the tractor 1, the obstacle and the working device do not collide.

Therefore, even if an obstacle is detected by the obstacle detection unit 110, the collision avoidance control unit 111 can prevent collision with the obstacle according to the traveling state of the tractor 1, the state of the work device such as the offset mower 12, and the like. It is determined whether there is a possibility or not, and based on the determination result, switching is made between an execution state in which collision avoidance control is executed and a non-execution state in which collision avoidance control is not executed.

For example, when the tractor 1 is traveling forward, as shown in FIG. is detected, the collision avoidance control unit 111 switches to an execution state for executing collision avoidance control, performs collision avoidance control, and performs processing such as decelerating or stopping the tractor 1 . On the other hand, even if an obstacle is detected in the measurement ranges C3 and C4 on the rear side of the tractor 1, the collision avoidance control unit 111 switches to a non-execution state in which collision avoidance control is not executed, and performs collision avoidance control. do not have.

Further, when the working device such as the offset mower 12 is positioned on the left side of the tractor 1 (see FIG. 7), as shown in FIG. 1, the collision avoidance control unit 111 switches to the execution state for executing collision avoidance control, performs collision avoidance control, and decelerates or stops the tractor 1. etc. are processed. On the other hand, even if an obstacle is detected in the measurement range C6 on the right side of the tractor 1, the collision avoidance control unit 111 switches to the non-execution state where the collision avoidance control is not executed, and does not execute the collision avoidance control.

Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, when the tractor 1 is traveling forward in a state where the working device such as the offset mower 12 is positioned on the left side of the tractor 1, the plurality of obstacle sensors D In the measurement ranges C1 to C8, when an obstacle is detected in the measurement ranges C1 and C2 on the front side of the tractor 1, the measurement range C5 on the right side of the tractor 1, and the measurement ranges C7 and C8 on the left side of the tractor 1, collision avoidance is performed. The control unit 111 has switched to an execution state in which collision avoidance control is executed. On the other hand, even if obstacles are detected in the measurement ranges C3 and C4 on the rear side of the tractor 1 and the measurement range C6 on the right side of the tractor 1, the collision avoidance control unit 111 does not execute the collision avoidance control. Switching to running state. At this time, on the right side of the tractor 1, the collision avoidance control unit 111 is switched to the execution state in which the collision avoidance control is executed only in the measurement range C5, which is the range close to the tractor 1, but an obstacle is detected in the measurement range C5. However, the collision avoidance control unit 111 can switch to a non-execution state in which collision avoidance control is not executed.

In this way, in a state where the obstacle detection unit 110 detects obstacles in all the measurement ranges C1 to C8 of the plurality of obstacle sensors D, the collision avoidance control unit 111 detects the obstacles. Also, instead of executing collision avoidance control uniformly, collision avoidance control is executed depending on the running state of the tractor 1, the state of the work equipment such as the offset mower 12, and the range in which the obstacle is detected. and a non-execution state in which collision avoidance control is not executed.

When switching between the execution state in which collision avoidance control is executed and the non-execution state in which collision avoidance control is not executed, as described above, the collision avoidance control unit 111 causes the obstacle detection unit 110 to detect an obstacle, and the tractor 1 It is determined whether or not there is a possibility of collision with an obstacle according to the running state and the state of the work device such as the offset mower 12, and switching between the execution state and the non-execution state is performed based on the determination result. there is

Instead, at a timing before the obstacle detection unit 110 detects an obstacle, the collision avoidance control unit 111 detects a plurality of The measurement range of the obstacle sensor D is divided and set in advance into a measurement range for the execution state and a measurement range for the non-execution state. When the obstacle detection unit 110 detects an obstacle, the collision avoidance control unit 111 switches to the execution state if the position of the detected obstacle is within the measurement range for the execution state. If it is within the measurement range for the non-execution state, it can be switched to the non-execution state.

[Another embodiment]
Another embodiment of the present invention will be described.
It should be noted that the configuration of each embodiment described below is not limited to being applied alone, and can also be applied in combination with the configuration of other embodiments.

(1) The configuration of the work vehicle can be modified in various ways.
For example, the work vehicle may be configured as a hybrid specification including the engine 9 and an electric motor for traveling, or may be configured as an electric specification including an electric motor for traveling instead of the engine 9. .
For example, the work vehicle may be configured as a semi-crawler specification that includes left and right crawlers instead of the left and right rear wheels 6 as the traveling portion.
For example, the work vehicle may be configured with a rear wheel steering specification in which the left and right rear wheels 6 function as steering wheels.

(2) In the above embodiment, the travel route generation unit 54, the work vehicle position information acquisition unit 56, the detection range position information acquisition unit 57, the obstacle position information acquisition unit 58, the display control unit 59, and the work area position information acquisition unit 60 etc. are provided in the mobile communication terminal 3, but they can also be provided in the tractor 1 (working vehicle) or an external management device.
For example, the display control unit 59 can be provided in a management device provided in an external monitoring center, and the display control unit 59 can control the display state of a display device such as a monitor provided in the monitoring center. As a result, the monitor of the monitoring center can display the position information of the work vehicle and the measurement range of the obstacle sensor that is in the operating state among the plurality of obstacle sensors. It is possible to monitor the running condition of the vehicle and the measurement range of the obstacle sensor.

(3) In the above embodiment, the obstacle sensors D include the lidar sensors 101 and 102, the sonar units 103 and 104, and the cameras 105, 106, 107, and 108. For example, the right camera 107 and the left camera 108 Alternatively, a long-distance measurement device such as a millimeter-wave radar that can measure obstacles far from the tractor 1 can be provided, and what kind of sensor is provided as the obstacle sensor D can be changed as appropriate. .

<Additional remarks of the invention>
A first characteristic configuration of the present invention is an automatic travel control unit that automatically travels a work vehicle based on positioning information of the work vehicle acquired using a satellite positioning system;
an obstacle detection unit capable of detecting an obstacle within a predetermined detection range around the work vehicle based on the measurement information of the obstacle sensor;
a collision avoidance control unit that performs collision avoidance control for avoiding a collision with an obstacle when the obstacle detection unit detects an obstacle,
The collision avoidance control unit is configured to be switchable between an execution state in which the collision avoidance control is executed and a non-execution state in which the collision avoidance control is not executed, according to the work device connected to the work vehicle. It is in.

According to this configuration, even if the obstacle detection unit detects an obstacle, the collision avoidance control unit does not uniformly perform collision avoidance control, but executes collision avoidance control according to the work device. state and a non-execution state in which collision avoidance control is not executed.

For example, if the position of the obstacle detected by the obstacle detection unit is a position at which there is a possibility of collision with the work device, the collision avoidance control unit switches to the execution state for executing collision avoidance control, and performs collision avoidance control. to avoid collision between the obstacle and the working device. On the other hand, if the position of the obstacle detected by the obstacle detection unit is a position where there is no possibility of colliding with the working device, the collision avoidance control unit switches to a non-execution state in which collision avoidance control is not executed. It is possible to prevent unnecessary collision avoidance control.

A second characteristic configuration of the present invention is an automatic travel control unit that automatically travels the work vehicle based on positioning information of the work vehicle acquired using a satellite positioning system;
an obstacle detection unit capable of detecting an obstacle within a predetermined detection range around the work vehicle based on the measurement information of the obstacle sensor;
a collision avoidance control unit that performs collision avoidance control for avoiding a collision with an obstacle when the obstacle detection unit detects an obstacle,
The obstacle detection section is configured such that the detection range can be freely changed according to the work device connected to the work vehicle.

According to this configuration, the obstacle detection section does not set the detection range for detecting obstacles as a fixed range, but changes and sets the detection range according to the work device. As a result, for example, depending on the position of the working device, the obstacle detection unit changes and sets the detection range so that the detection range includes obstacles that may collide with the working device. Therefore, the detection range corresponding to the work device can be appropriately set without including obstacles that have no possibility of colliding with the work device in the detection range. Therefore, it is possible to avoid the collision between the work device and the obstacle while preventing unnecessary execution of the collision avoidance control.

A third characteristic configuration of the present invention is that the obstacle detection unit includes a plurality of obstacle sensors capable of detecting obstacles within a measurement range, and when the work vehicle is caused to automatically travel, the obstacle detection unit detects a plurality of obstacles. each of the object sensors is configured to be switchable between an operating state and a non-operating state,
A display control unit for displaying position information of the work vehicle acquired using a positioning satellite system and a measurement range of an obstacle sensor in an operating state among the plurality of obstacle sensors on a display unit. at the point where

According to this configuration, the display control unit displays the position information of the work vehicle and the measurement range of the obstacle sensor in the operating state on the display unit. The travel position of the vehicle and the measurement range for detecting obstacles can be easily recognized. Moreover, since the measurement ranges of the obstacle sensors in the operating state are displayed, the user can easily recognize which obstacle sensor is in the operating state among the plurality of obstacle sensors.

In a fourth characteristic configuration of the present invention, when there are a plurality of obstacle sensors in an operating state, the display control unit detects the measurement range and obstacles of the obstacle sensors in a detection state that have detected an obstacle. The object is to display the measurement range of the obstacle sensor in a non-detection state on the display section in a display manner different from that of the obstacle sensor.

According to this configuration, when an obstacle is detected, the display control unit displays the measurement range of the obstacle sensor in the detection state and the measurement range of the obstacle sensor in the non-detection state in different display modes. A user or the like can quickly and appropriately recognize which obstacle sensor among a plurality of obstacle sensors has detected an obstacle. Therefore, it is possible to smoothly respond to the detection of the obstacle, and it is possible to improve the working efficiency.

A fifth characteristic configuration of the present invention is that the automatic travel control unit automatically travels the work vehicle within a preset work area,
When causing the display unit to display the measurement range of the obstacle sensor in the operating state, the display control unit displays the inner range within the work area and the outer range outside the work area in different display modes. It is in the point that it is made to display on the said display part.

According to this configuration, the display control unit causes the display unit to display the in-area range and the out-of-area range in different display modes. is the in-region range and which range is the out-of-region range.

1 tractor (work vehicle)
18 In-vehicle electronic control unit (automatic driving control unit)
59 Display control unit 101 Front rider sensor (obstacle sensor)
102 rear rider sensor (obstacle sensor)
103 right sonar unit (obstacle sensor)
104 left sonar unit (obstacle sensor)
105 front camera (obstacle sensor)
106 rear camera (obstacle sensor)
107 right camera (obstacle sensor)
108 left camera (obstacle sensor)
110 obstacle detection unit 111 collision avoidance control unit

Claims (5)

an automatic travel control unit that causes the work vehicle to travel based on position information of the work vehicle;
an obstacle detection unit capable of detecting an obstacle within a predetermined detection range around the work vehicle;
a display control unit that displays a detection range object that visually indicates the detection range with reference to the work vehicle;
automatic driving system. The display control unit displays the detection range object in different display modes between a detection state in which the obstacle detection unit detects an obstacle and a non-detection state in which the obstacle detection unit does not detect the obstacle. let
The automatic driving system according to claim 1. The detection range object includes a plurality of divided objects corresponding one-to-one to the plurality of measurement ranges included in the detection range,
The display control unit individually displays each of the plurality of divided objects in a different display mode between the detected state and the non-detected state.
The automatic driving system according to claim 2. The display control unit displays the traveling position of the work vehicle in the work area and the detection range object on the same screen.
The automatic driving system according to any one of claims 1 to 3. running the work vehicle based on the position information of the work vehicle;
detecting an obstacle within a predetermined detection range around the work vehicle;
displaying a detection range object visually indicating the range to be the detection range with reference to the work vehicle;
automatic driving method.

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