JP2622630B2 - Mobile car position recognition device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for recognizing the position of a mobile vehicle such as a construction vehicle that autonomously travels while recognizing its own position in a construction site over a wide range such as a golf course or a residential area.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a position recognition device for a mobile vehicle of this type, a light wave reflecting device such as an infrared ray is installed on a mobile vehicle traveling on a construction site, and the mobile vehicle is directed to a predetermined point overlooking the construction site. A light generator that irradiates light such as infrared light and a light wave distance measuring device that detects a light wave reflected from a light wave reflecting device of a moving vehicle and calculates a distance to the moving vehicle; Azimuth detector that detects the vertical angle), and the position of the moving vehicle in the construction site based on the distance between the two calculated by the lightwave distance measuring device and the horizontal and vertical angles detected by the azimuth detector Was calculated, whereby the position of the moving vehicle was recognized.

[0003]

However, in such a conventional position recognition apparatus for a mobile vehicle, the mobile body is fixed by obstacles such as trees and undulations existing in the construction site while the mobile body is running. If the position is blocked from the field of view of the position recognition unit, which is a station, the position of the moving vehicle cannot be recognized.

In such a case, a method of eliminating a blind spot in the site by installing a plurality of position recognition units as fixed stations is conceivable. However, there is a problem that the number of the position recognition units increases, and the cost increases. In addition, these location recognition units must be moved as the construction progresses,
There is a problem that the labor and cost for that purpose increase, and the cost further increases.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and the position of a moving vehicle can be easily and inexpensively recognized even at a construction site that is difficult to overlook due to the presence of obstacles. An object of the present invention is to provide a position recognition device for a moving vehicle.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a moving vehicle that automatically travels in a construction site, and an ultrasonic wave installed at an arbitrary position in the construction site and directed toward the moving vehicle. A plurality of signs having an ultrasonic transmitter that emits light and a light wave reflector that reflects light waves from a moving vehicle, an ultrasonic detector that detects ultrasonic waves from the signs, and An automatic tracking unit that operates so that an acoustic wave detector receives the ultrasonic wave from the ultrasonic transmitter so as to face the marker, and an optical wave that is installed in the automatic tracking unit and is transmitted toward the marker. Measuring means for measuring the distance to the sign by receiving the light wave reflected by the light wave reflector and detecting the horizontal angle and the vertical angle of the moving vehicle with respect to the sign, and the distance data obtained by the measuring means Characterized by comprising a calculating means for calculating the position of the traveling mobile vehicle on the basis of the horizontal and vertical angle data in real time. Further, the invention is characterized in that at least two sets of the ultrasonic detector, the measuring means, and the automatic tracking means are mounted on the mobile vehicle.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between a moving vehicle and a sign, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of the position recognition unit of the vehicle, FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are side and front views of the sign, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the operation.

First, in FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a construction site, and in FIGS. 2 and 3, reference numeral 2 denotes a mobile vehicle such as a construction vehicle that autonomously travels in the construction site 1, and reference numerals 3a, 3b,.
It is a sign placed at an appropriate distance from any point overlooking the sky. As shown in FIG. 2, signs 3a and 3b
Ultrasonic detectors 4a and 4b and marker 3 for detecting the direction of ...
a and a function to measure the distance to 3b, and a sign 3a,
Two sets of total unit type measuring devices 5a and 5b having a function of detecting the horizontal direction and the vertical direction angle of the moving body 2 with respect to 3b... Are set, and each set tracks each toward different signs 3a and 3b. It is installed on each of the automatic tracking devices 6a and 6b to be operated. Sign 3a,
3b, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a support 31 inserted into the ground of the construction site 1, an ultrasonic transmitter 32 for direction detection attached to the upper end of the support 31, and the ultrasonic transmitter And a light reflector 33 for distance measurement attached to a support 31 below the support 32.

Next, the configuration of FIG. 1 will be described. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 7 denotes a central processing unit (hereinafter, referred to as a CPU) including a microcomputer mounted on the moving vehicle 2;
The CPU 7 has an arithmetic processing function for recognizing the position of the moving vehicle 2 and also has a control function of the tracking devices 6a and 6b and a control function of causing the moving vehicle 2 to run automatically.

The CPU 7 has a program for position recognition,
A storage device 8, an input interface 9, and an output interface 10 for storing programs for controlling the tracking devices 6a and 6b, travel route data of the mobile vehicle 2, and calculation results or detection data of the CPU 7 are connected to each other. The output interface 10 includes a traveling device 1 that causes the automatic tracking devices 6a and 6b and the moving vehicle 2 to travel zero.
1 are respectively connected to the automatic tracking devices 6a and 6b.
Ultrasonic detectors 4a and 4b and measuring device 5 mounted on
The respective measurement data a and 5b are input to the input interface 9. The input interface 9 is connected to an inclination sensor 12 for detecting the inclination of the vehicle 2.

Next, the operation of the embodiment constructed as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
First, in step S1, the initial position PO (XO, YO, ZO) of the mobile vehicle 2 in the construction site 1 shown in FIG.
Is set by a known surveying system or the like. In the next step S2, the automatic tracking devices 6a and 6b are set in the operation mode, and the search for the markers 3a and 3b by the ultrasonic detectors 4a and 4b is started. Then, in the next step S3, it is determined whether the ultrasonic detector 4a has directly faced the ultrasonic transmitter 32 of the marker 3a by taking in the detection signal of the ultrasonic detector 4a into the CPU 7 through the interface 9.
Similarly, in step S4, the detection signal of the ultrasonic detector 4b is transmitted to the CP through the interface 9 to determine whether the ultrasonic detector 4b has faced the ultrasonic transmitter 32 of the marker 3b.
Judgment is made by taking in U7.

If it is determined that the ultrasonic detectors 4a and 4b face the ultrasonic transmitters 32 of the corresponding markers 3a and 3b by such a tracking operation, after step S5 or step S10. The following position recognition processing is executed. In step S5, the measuring device 5a
A light wave is applied to the light wave reflector 33 of the sign 3a facing the light wave from the vehicle, and the reflected light wave is received to measure the distance between the moving vehicle 2 and the sign 3a. Measure the angle of Then, in the next step S6, the position Pa (Xa, Ya, Z) of the marker 3a is determined based on the measured distance data, the horizontal and vertical angle data, and the initial position data.
a) is calculated. In the next step S7, the mobile vehicle 2 is caused to travel in accordance with the travel route data stored in the storage device 8 while tracking the sign 3a. The driving command at this time is the CPU 7
Is output to the traveling device 14 so that the mobile vehicle 2 automatically travels along the traveling route data.

In the next step S8, the distance to the sign 3a associated with the traveling of the moving vehicle 2 and the horizontal and vertical angle data of the moving vehicle 2 with respect to the sign 3a are measured by the measuring device 5a, and based on these measured data. The position of the marker 3a is calculated in real time. Then, in the next step S9, the position of the moving vehicle 2 is calculated from the calculated position of the sign 3a by an inverse operation.

On the other hand, on the measuring device 5b side, step S1
At 0, the measuring device 5b irradiates the light wave reflecting plate 33 of the sign 3b facing the light wave with the light wave, and measures the distance between the moving vehicle 2 and the sign 3b by receiving the reflected light wave. The horizontal and vertical angles to are measured. Then, the next step S11
Then, the position Pb (Xb, Yb, Zb) of the marker 3b is calculated based on the measured distance data, the angle data in the horizontal and vertical directions, and the initial position data. Then, in the next step S7, the moving vehicle 2
Is automatically driven according to the traveling route data stored in the storage device 8. In the next step S12, the distance to the sign 3b and the horizontal and vertical angle data accompanying the traveling of the mobile vehicle 2 are measured by the measuring device 5b, and the position of the sign 3b is calculated in real time based on the measured data. In the next step S13, the position of the moving vehicle 2 is calculated from the calculated position of the sign 3b by an inverse operation. In step S14, the result calculated in steps S9 and S13 is adjusted to adjust the position P1 (X1, Y
1, Z1) is determined. Further, the inclination of the moving vehicle 2 is measured by the inclination angle sensor 12, and the position of the moving vehicle 2 is corrected based on the measured inclination.

In this embodiment, the position of the traveling vehicle 2 can be recognized in real time,
In addition, by providing two sets of ultrasonic detectors, a measuring device, and a tracking device, even if one of them loses a sign, the position of the moving vehicle can be recognized, and the position measurement accuracy of the moving vehicle can be improved. Furthermore, the sign itself does not require a position measuring means, so that a position recognition device can be provided at low cost, and it is not necessary to determine the installation position of the sign in advance, and the sign can be moved freely as the construction progresses. I can do it.

The present invention is not limited to the configuration shown in the above embodiment, but can be variously modified without departing from the scope described in claims.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, a sign having an ultrasonic wave transmitter and a light wave reflecting plate is installed at an arbitrary position on a construction site, and a moving vehicle traveling on the construction site receives the sign from the sign. Automatically an ultrasonic detector that receives ultrasonic waves and a measuring device that receives the light waves reflected by the light wave reflector of the sign and measures the distance to the sign and measures the horizontal and vertical angles of the moving vehicle with respect to the sign It is installed via a tracking means, and based on distance data to the sign and horizontal and vertical angle data with respect to the sign when the ultrasonic detector and the measuring device are directly facing the sign by the tracking means, the moving vehicle Since the position of the sign is calculated, there is no need to provide a means for position recognition on the sign itself, and the position recognition system can be configured at low cost, and the position recognition of the moving vehicle can be simplified. . In addition, by providing at least two sets of ultrasonic detectors and measuring devices for a moving vehicle, the accuracy of measuring the position of the moving vehicle can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an arrangement relationship between a moving vehicle and a sign in a construction site according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a plan view for explanation in this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic front view of a position recognition unit of the moving vehicle in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the sign in the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the sign in the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure for position recognition in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Construction site 2 Mobile vehicle 3a, 3b Sign 32 Ultrasonic wave transmitter 33 Light wave reflector 4a, 4b Ultrasonic detector 5a, 5b Measuring device 6a, 6b Automatic tracking device 7 CPU 8 Storage device 12 Tilt angle sensor

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A moving vehicle that automatically travels in a construction site, an ultrasonic transmitter that is installed at an arbitrary position in the construction site and emits an ultrasonic wave toward the moving vehicle, and reflects a light wave from the moving vehicle. A plurality of signs having an optical wave reflector, an ultrasonic detector for detecting ultrasonic waves from the signs, and an ultrasonic detector installed on the moving vehicle, wherein the ultrasonic detector receives ultrasonic waves from the ultrasonic transmitter. Automatic tracking means that operates to face the sign by doing, and installed on the automatic tracking means, by receiving the light wave transmitted toward the sign reflected by the light wave reflector. Measuring means for measuring the distance to the sign and detecting the horizontal angle and the vertical angle of the moving vehicle with respect to the sign; and moving the vehicle based on the distance data and the horizontal and vertical angle data obtained by the measuring means. A position recognition device for a mobile vehicle, comprising: a calculation unit for obtaining a position of the vehicle in real time. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least two sets of said ultrasonic detector, measuring means, and automatic tracking means are mounted on said mobile vehicle.