JP2643130B2 - Driverless vehicle guidance device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A. Industrial Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an unmanned vehicle guidance device in an unmanned transport system.

B. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present invention, in guiding an unmanned vehicle to a predetermined traveling route and a traveling route, the unmanned vehicle detects laser light along the set route and performs steering along the set route, and The unmanned vehicles detect the light that crosses the intersection, and perform the course change steering at the intersection, so that the unmanned vehicles can be reliably guided without the need for a track or a taxiway.

C. Prior Art Unmanned transport systems are designed to control the unmanned vehicle along a taxiway installed on a track or ground floor, thereby changing the travel route and travel route that have been programmed or set in advance. Acceleration / deceleration ranges and stop positions are changed by drive control according to the loaded weight, and unmanned operation of cargo handling and various controls is performed.

Of these, in the taxiway system, as shown in FIG. 4, the unmanned vehicle M detects a taxiway L buried vertically and horizontally on the ground floor, and performs steering control along the taxiway L. In this method, a method in which a current is caused to flow while using the guide path L as a guide line and a guide magnetic field is detected on the unmanned vehicle M side, a method in which the guide path L is detected as a light reflective tape on the unmanned vehicle M side by a light emitting and receiving device, Further, there is a method of detecting the guidance path L as an iron belt on the unmanned vehicle M side by a proximity magnetic sensor.

Further, as shown in the figure, the course change at the intersection is performed by detecting the intersection sign CPL provided immediately before the intersection of the taxiway L by the sign detector of the unmanned vehicle M, and detecting this and the course change program at the intersection. The steering in the command direction is performed by the command.

D. Problems to be Solved by the Invention The conventional guidance system requires installation of a track or a taxiway on the ground floor, which requires a large amount of equipment cost, and requires a large amount of layout change work. become. In this respect, the light reflection tape system is relatively simple, but the guideway may be damaged due to soiling of the guideway, so that frequent maintenance is required.

E. Means and Action for Solving the Problems The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a laser light source that emits a laser beam modulated differently for each set path is provided on the ground floor, A laser for detecting the laser light of the laser light source in the traveling direction is provided with four light emitting sources for emitting light modulated differently for each intersection in a direction crossing the set course with light for setting the intersection of the set course. Light detection means is provided, and light detection means for detecting light from the light emitting source is provided on the side of the vehicle body, and a set course is distinguished by an absolute address determined according to a modulation of a detection signal of the laser light detection means, and a detection signal is detected. An intersection is detected by detecting a displacement from the incident position with respect to the set path, performing steering control along the set path, determining the intersection position from the detection signal of the light emitting source, and distinguishing by the absolute address determined according to the modulation of the detection signal. The control means for performing the course change steering control is provided, the course of the unmanned vehicle is set by the laser light of the laser light source, the intersection position is set by the light of the light emitting source, and the unmanned vehicle follows the course set by the detection of these lights. And control of course change at intersections.

F. Embodiment FIG. 1 is an apparatus configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. On the ground floor set vertically and horizontally set path R (R _1, R _2, R _3), the laser light source 1 _1, 1 _2, 1 ₃ provided outside unmanned vehicle traveling area in the extension direction of the setting path R Each laser light source is configured to emit laser light modulated at a frequency different from each other in a set traveling direction. Intersection position P of set course R
The light source 2 _1, 2 _2, 2 _3, 2 ₄ are provided in each of four corners in,
Each light-emitting source is configured to emit light with different frequency modulation at each intersection in a direction crossing the set course R. These light emitting sources ₂₁ to ₂₄ may be a laser light source, for example.

The unmanned vehicle 3 uses a microcomputer as a control center, and performs drive control of drive wheels by a drive system and steering control of steerable wheels by a steering system. Here, the unmanned vehicle 3 includes laser light detectors 4 and 5 at the front and rear portions of the vehicle body. These detectors 4 and 5 are configured to detect a horizontal incident position of laser light from the laser light source ₁₁ or the like from the front or the rear. Second
Figure shows the arrangement of the detector 4 (or 5), receiving the laser light from the laser light source A to the light-receiving element array 4 ₂ via the optical system 4 _1, sets the receiving position of the light receiving element array 4 ₂ path R And a detection signal corresponding to the amount of displacement of the unmanned vehicle with respect to. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, when the laser beam detector 4 of the unmanned vehicle with respect to the laser irradiation direction of the laser light source A is in the direction deviated by an angle θ in the horizontal direction, the light receiving position of the light-receiving element array 4 ₂ Obtains a detection signal of the displacement amount N proportional to the angle θ from the center. The detection signal is used to travel along a set path R unmanned vehicle is taken into the control device described later, for example, a laser beam at the center of the light receiving element array 4 ₂ in the laser light detection state shown in FIG. 3 The steering control of the unmanned vehicle is performed in the direction of the arrow P so as to receive the control signal.

On the other hand, the unmanned vehicle 3 includes a photodetector 6 on the lower side of the vehicle body. The detector 6 is the structure for detecting light from the light source 2 ₁ etc. from the vehicle body side portion.

The unmanned vehicle 3 is provided with a control device that detects the amount of displacement with respect to the target set course R from the laser beam incident position detected by the detector 4 or 5, and controls the steering toward the set course. Further, this control device discriminates a target laser light source from its modulation frequency, detects an absolute address of a set course, and prevents erroneous detection of another laser light. On the other hand, the unmanned vehicle 3 is provided with a control device that determines that the vehicle has reached the intersection based on the signal with light detected by the detector 6 and enters a course change control at the intersection as needed.
This control device determines the absolute address of the intersection from the modulation frequency of the light emitting source and the modulation frequency of the laser light source, and performs the course change steering by abutting with the course change intersection address of the programmed traveling route.

With such a configuration, the unmanned vehicle 3 has the laser light sources 1 ₁ , 1 ₂ ,
1 while detecting with the detector 4 or 5 a laser beam from ₃ etc. traveling along a direction, that set the path of the laser light source, the light source 2 ₁ at intersections, 2 _2, 2 _3, 2 light from ₄ etc. When the detector 6 receives light, a change of course is obtained by matching with the absolute address of the target intersection.

Note that the course change method is, for example, running with a circular arc locus having a constant curvature by detecting light from the light emitting source with the detector 6 immediately before the intersection and controlling the running for a certain running distance by a certain steering angle.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, a laser light source frequency-modulated for the set course and a light-emitting source frequency-modulated for the intersection sign are provided on the ground floor, and the laser light detectors before and after the unmanned vehicle and the side portions are provided. The photodetector and the control device can guide the unmanned vehicle according to the set course and change the course at the intersection, eliminating the need for the conventional guide or track. Further, the course layout needs to be changed only by increasing the number of laser light sources or changing the installation position. Also, since unmanned vehicles can determine the absolute address of each intersection from two frequency-modulated lights from a laser light source and a light emitting source, only the absolute address of the route change intersection position is written as a traveling route program for unmanned vehicles. If it is included, the setting of the traveling route is simplified, and erroneous determination of the intersection position is eliminated.

Incidentally, in the embodiment, when the unmanned vehicle 3 is provided with a spin turn enables the drive system, the unmanned vehicle 3 is caused to perform a course change by spin turn at an intersection center, the intersection of the light source 2 ₁
Without providing such an arrangement, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the laser beam from the lateral laser light source is detected as an intersection position signal by the photodetector 6 on the unmanned vehicle side.

Further, in the embodiment, the case where the absolute address is set by the frequency-modulated light is shown. However, the same operation and effect can be obtained by using another modulation method such as pulse modulation.

Further, in the embodiment, the case where the laser light detectors 4 and 5 are provided before and after the unmanned vehicle has been described, but this can be detected at the front or rear of the unmanned vehicle with respect to the laser light from one of the set courses. In a system in which the traveling direction of the unmanned vehicle is limited to one direction with respect to the set course, it is sufficient to provide a detector at one of the front and rear portions of the unmanned vehicle.

G. Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention provides a laser light source that emits a laser beam that sets a set course and a light emitting source that emits light that sets an intersection of the set course in a direction crossing the set course,
Steering according to the laser beam on the unmanned vehicle side and the course change steering at the intersection by detecting light from the side emission source are performed, so that the conventional taxiway or track is unnecessary, and the ground side and unmanned vehicle side There is an effect that simplification of the equipment can be performed, and reliable guidance can be performed while easily changing the course layout on the ground side. In particular, since the intersection position is set by the light source provided at each intersection position, there is an effect that the intersection can be set at an arbitrary position. When four light emitting sources are provided at the intersection, the unmanned vehicle can detect the intersection position regardless of the traveling direction of the unmanned vehicle. In addition, since each light source modulates differently, there is an effect that an intersection position can be detected at an absolute address. Furthermore, since a light-emitting source is provided for each intersection to specify the intersection, there is an effect that even when a plurality of unmanned vehicles are traveling on the traveling road, the intersection can be detected without interruption by other unmanned vehicles.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a laser beam detector, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing laser beam detection and a steering direction of an unmanned vehicle, and FIG. It is a schematic diagram of a taxiway. 1 ₁ , 1 ₂ , 1 ₃ …… Laser light source, 2 ₁ , 2 ₂ , 2 ₃ , 2 ₄ …… Emission source 3… Unmanned vehicle 4, 5 …… Laser light detector, 4 ₂ …
Photodetector array, 6 ... Photodetector, 7 ₁ ... Slit, 7 ₂
... Light receiving element array.

Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-61-292710 (JP, A) JP-A-60-239612 (JP, A) JP-A-59-56178 (JP, A) JP-A-59-212922 (JP) , A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A ground floor surface is provided with a laser light source for emitting laser light modulated differently for each set path, and a light for setting an intersection of the set path is subjected to different modulation at each intersection in a direction crossing the set path. Four light-emitting sources for emitting the emitted light, the unmanned vehicle is provided with laser light detecting means for detecting the laser light of the laser light source in the traveling direction, and light detection for detecting light from the light-emitting source on the side of the vehicle body. Means for distinguishing a set path by an absolute address determined for each modulation of a detection signal of the laser beam detection means, and detecting a displacement from the incident position of the detection signal with respect to the set path to perform steering control along the set path. An unmanned vehicle provided with control means for determining an intersection position from a detection signal of the light emitting source and performing a course change steering control at an intersection distinguished by an absolute address determined according to the modulation of the detection signal. Guidance device.