JP2669822B2 - Work route determination device for work vehicles - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a work route determination device for a work vehicle that automatically determines the work route of the work vehicle based on data of a work area. (B) Conventional Technology In recent years, there is a cleaning robot or the like that performs work such as cleaning while self-propelled in a predetermined work area while receiving power from an outlet. Such a working vehicle is, for example,
61-108070. By the way, as a working method of such a work vehicle, a method based on teaching in which an operator programs a traveling route, or a method in which the work is completed by randomly traveling by using an external world recognition means having a work area between them is mainly. It was C) Problems to be solved by the invention By the way, in such a work method by teaching, when the shape of the work area changes, the user has to teach the traveling route to the work vehicle each time, and the versatility is poor. .
On the other hand, the random traveling method has a problem that there is a risk that the work is duplicated and that the work takes a long time. D) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention relates to a work vehicle in which a power supply cord is connected to an outlet provided in a work area with an obstacle, and works by self-propelled by power supply from the power supply cord. A work route determination device for a work vehicle that determines a route of a work area, a work area detection unit that detects position information of obstacles and outlets in the work area as work area data, and a plurality of work areas according to the work area data. Dividing means for dividing into sub-regions, work order determining means for determining the work order of a plurality of sub-regions, and a work order determining means for determining the work order of the plurality of sub-regions so as to minimize the points at which the feeding cords are caught on the corners of the obstacle during work. Starting point / end point determining means for determining a work start point and a work end point of each sub-region that minimizes the movement distance, and a work vehicle in each sub-region based on the work start point and the work end point And a sub-route determining means for determining the work route of. (E) Operation According to the present invention, an efficient work route can be determined according to the position information of the obstacle and the outlet in the work vehicle. Further, since the work order in which the place where the power supply cord is caught on the corner of the obstacle is minimized is determined, it is easy to control the length of the power supply cord during work. Further, based on the work start and end points of each sub-region determined so that the distance from the work end point of each sub-region to the work start point of the next sub-region is minimized, Since the work route is determined, the number of turns of the work vehicle and the travel route are minimized. F) Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the work route determination device of the present invention, and (1) shows the shape of a work area where work (for example, cleaning work) of a work vehicle is to be performed, as shown in FIG. Thing (I)
In a certain work area (II), work area detection means for detecting coordinate points of P ₀ , P ₁ , P ₂ , P ₃ , and P _{4 and} a coordinate point of the outlet K as work area data. It is composed of a distance detector and a direction detector that detect the traveling distance and direction of the work vehicle, and a sound wave sensor that detects an obstacle. (2)
Represents the work area into a plurality of rectangular search areas (A), (B), ... (H) according to the obstacle data of the obstacle (I) arranged in the center of the work area data, as shown in FIG. The network creating means for dividing and creating the connection state (network state) as shown in FIG. 4, (3) is based on the network created by the network creating means (2), and is connected to the search area (A) ( B) ... (H) is the fifth
As shown in the figure, it is a division method selecting means for selecting a division method (a), (b), etc. for dividing a work area by appropriately combining sub areas (ADF). Things are selected. (4) is a pickup means for picking up the one having the smallest number of constituent sub-regions among the division methods (a), (b) selected by the division method selection means (3), and (5) is this pickup means. Work area determining means for determining the order of work vehicles in each sub area so that control of the power supply cord length in each of the division methods picked up in (4) is not difficult. Specifically, the power supply cord is an obstacle when working. Point (fixed point) that gets caught in the corner of (I)
The work (cleaning) order is determined so that
(6) is a start point for determining the work start point and the work end point so that the distance from the work (cleaning) end point of each sub-region to the work (cleaning) start point of the next sub-region in each division direction is minimized. The end point determining means (7) is a sub route determining means for determining a work route for each sub area based on the work starting point and end point of each sub area determined by the start point end point determining means (6). , The number of turns of the work vehicle and the travel route are determined to be the minimum. (8) shows the work route selecting means for calculating the time required for the work vehicle to travel the work route in each of the thus determined division methods and selecting the work route with the minimum time. The route is set as a route on which the work vehicle actually travels. As a work vehicle on which such a work route determination device is mounted, there is used a work vehicle which is operated by power supply using a power supply cord as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 61-108070. In such a work vehicle, the work route is determined by detecting the shape of the work region by the work region detecting means (1). That is, while the work vehicle orbits the work area by using the storage battery built in the work vehicle as a driving power source, the work area is set in the rectangular work area as shown in FIG. 2 by the distance detector, the direction detector and the sound wave sensor. Coordinates P ₀ and P ₄ indicating, coordinates k indicating the outlet, coordinates indicating obstacles (I) and (II)
Detecting the _{P 1, P 2, P 3} . A method for detecting such a work area is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 61-304432. The network creating means (2), based on the data of the obstacle (I) arranged in the center of the work area among the work area data detected in this way, defines the work area as a plurality of rectangular search areas as shown in FIG. A), (B), ... (H) are divided, and the connection state (network state) of these search areas (A), (B), ... (H) as shown in FIG. 4 is retained. Division method selection means (3)
Is the search area (A) (B) ... Generated as described above.
Based on (H), these search areas (A) (B) ...
Forming rectangular sub-regions (A) (B) ... (H) (AB) (AD) ... by appropriately combining (H), and expressing the working area by combining these sub-regions That is, a method of dividing the work area by sub-areas is selected as shown in FIG. Division method selected in this way (b)
(B) ... The maximum division method having the smallest number of constituent sub-regions is picked up by the pickup means (4). When there is one obstacle in the center as in this embodiment, there are 16 types of maximum division methods with the smallest number of sub-regions, and the number of sub-regions at that time is four. However, from the viewpoint of work efficiency, the work should be started at the corner of the surface with the outlet K, that is,
Starting from the corner of (A) or (C), it is necessary to work on the sub-region including (B) secondly, and by adding this restriction to the pickup means (4) as shown in FIG.
Eleven maximum division methods are picked up. In this way, in each of the picked-up maximum division methods, the work order determination means (5) determines the work order of the sub areas in the work area in the order in which the points at which the feeding cord is caught are the smallest. That is, for example, ｛(ADF) (BC) (E
When the work is performed in the order as shown in Fig. 7 in the maximum division method called (H) (G)}, the power supply cord is caught at the _three corners (R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ ) of the obstacle (I) at the same time. In some cases, it becomes difficult to control the length of the power supply cord. On the other hand, when the work of each sub-region is performed in the order as shown in Fig. 8, only _two corners (R ₁ , R ₂ ) are caught at the maximum, making it easier to control the feed cord length than in the case of Fig. 7. become. Therefore, the work order as shown in FIG. 8 is selected. Such work order is uniquely determined in each maximum division method of the work area. When the work order is determined in this way, the start point end point determining means (6) sets the work start point (Si) and the work of each sub-region so that the movement distance between the work end point and the work start point of each sub-region is minimized. Determine the end point (Ei) (i = 1,2,3,4). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, the j-th work end point (Ej) and the (j + 1) -th work start point (Sj _{+ 1} ) are separated (j = 1, 2,
3) is omitted, and the end point (Ej) and the start point (S
j ₊₁ ) are determined to be close. The work starting point and the work ending point are also determined for each maximum division method. Thereafter, the sub-path determining means (7) obtains the information of the work start point (Si) and the work end point (Ei) of each sub-area and determines the work direction and the work width in each sub-area. FIG. 11, FIG.
When the work start point (Si) and the work end point (Ei) are not diagonal as shown in FIG. 12, the work direction of the work vehicle is uniquely determined.
On the other hand, when the work start point (Si) and the work end point (Ei) exist diagonally, the work direction is taken in the longitudinal direction as shown in FIG. This is because the speed characteristic from the start of travel of the work vehicle to the stop of travel has acceleration and deceleration sections as shown in Fig. 14, and it is necessary to stop once when changing the direction, so there is little change in direction. This is because the work time will be shorter if you do not. When the working direction is determined, the working width is determined. This is based on the width of the suction port if the work vehicle carries out cleaning work. That is, the maximum working width that allows the work to be performed with a uniform working width within a range where the working width does not exceed the width of the suction port is selected. By doing so, the portions that are redundantly cleaned will be distributed over the entire sub-region, and the work unevenness will be eliminated. In this way, for example, as shown in FIG. 15, after determining the work route for each maximum division method, the work route selection means (8) determines the time required for the work vehicle to travel on each work route. It is calculated and the one with the shortest time is selected and set as the route on which the work vehicle actually travels. For example, the traveling speed of the work vehicle, the suction width of the vacuum cleaner attached to the work vehicle,
When the working area, outlet position, and obstacles (I) and (II) are positioned as shown in Fig. 16, the time required for each division method is as shown in Fig. 6. ｛(AB) (CEH) (DF)
The division called (G)} becomes the shortest time. When the work route is determined in this way, the work vehicle moves to the outlet position, connects the power supply plug, and performs work (cleaning) along the above route while receiving power from the outside. In the present application, when determining a work route in each sub-region, the work start point and the work end point are determined, but the work route is determined. However, in general, a work region having a rectangular shape is used. It is possible to set the work starting point only and to perform the work in the shortest time. FIG. 17 shows a flowchart for determining this work route. That is, this flow first recognizes a rectangular work area, then decides whether to perform the work in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction with respect to the rectangular work area, and then decides the work end point and the work width. The work route is determined. Hereinafter, the method of determining the work route will be described in detail. Here, the target work is cleaning, and the mobile robot has an omnidirectional movement function and runs according to a deceleration pattern as shown in FIG. That is, the robot changes the low speed period (between t _{2 and} t _{1 in the} figure) according to the traveling distance. First, the robot determines the work direction based on the given rectangular work area data. Figure 18 and 19
This will be described with reference to the drawings. When the work area shown in FIG. 18 is given, the work route determination device provided in the work vehicle uses the length (L, W) of each side of the work area and the size of the work vehicle itself (φ
The cylindrical shape of R. ) Determines the work direction so that the work time is shortened. Here, to simplify the calculation, L
= MR, W = nR (m and n are natural numbers and m> n),
The work time when the work is performed on the path for performing the work by moving parallel to the long side L shown in the figure is calculated. The total traveling distance is represented by the sum of the traveling distance in the side L direction (the traveling distance of Σ (III)) and the traveling distance in the side W direction (the traveling distance of Σ (IV)). (Σ (III) mileage) = n (m-1) R ... (Σ (IV) mileage) = (n-1) R ... Next, the time required to travel each route is
When R = 2Vmax ² / a (time required) = n (2m-1) .Vmax / a ... '(time required) = 3 (n-1) .Vmax / a ...' In other words, the total work time is ( 2mn + 2n-3) ・ Vmax / a… ″
Becomes On the other hand, when the work is performed while moving in parallel to the short side L side, the total work time = (2mn + 2m−3) · Vmax / a.
">". (∵m> n) The work time is shorter when the work is performed along the long side and moves by the work width on the short side. In the case of a work vehicle having no omnidirectional movement function, the time required for a turn is added to (the time required). The total work vehicle time is π for ″ and ″.
When it is approximated as 3, it becomes = (2mn + 10n-11) .Vmax / a = (2mn + 10m-11) .Vmax / a, and there is more than the difference between "and". Here, in FIGS. 19A and 19B, L = 8R, W
= 4R, Vmax = 30cm / s, a = 15cm / s ² working time is (a): 138 (S) (b): 154 (S) (with omnidirectional movement function) (a): 186 (S) (b): 266 (S) (No omnidirectional movement function). The larger the ratio (L / W) of the two sides L, W (L> W), the larger the difference in working time. (The width S in the figure represents the work start point and E represents the end point.) After the work direction is determined by the above method, the work end point and the work width are determined. No.
FIGS. 20 (a) and (b) show two types of work routes having the same work area and the same work direction and different work widths. In both figures, when the work end point E is determined with respect to the work start point S, the work width determination method of (a) performs the work at the maximum value R that can be considered as the work width, and only sets the work width to L at the end.
₁ (<R) is used as the determination method of (b), working width L ₂
(L ₂ <R). In the case of (a), as shown in FIG. 21 (a), the work in the V area is performed twice and the work in the VI area is performed three times. Area where the work is performed (Fig. 21 (b)
Since the middle V) covers the entire work area, an averaged work can be performed, so it seems that there is no unevenness. Therefore, it is assumed that the work is performed with a uniform work width as shown in Fig. 21 (b). G) Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, an efficient work route is determined in accordance with the position information of the obstacle and the outlet in the work area, and the power supply cord is positioned at the corner of the obstacle. Since the work order in which the places to be caught is minimized is determined, it is easy to control the power supply cord length during the work. Also, based on the work start point and work end point of each sub-area determined so that the distance from the work end point of each sub-area to the work start point of the next sub-area is minimized, Since the work route is determined, the number of turns and the travel route of the work vehicle are minimized, and the work of the work vehicle can be performed more efficiently.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a work route determination device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the form of a work area, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram when the work area is divided into sub areas. , FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a connection state of each sub-region, FIG. 5 is a table showing a method of dividing a work area, FIG. 6 is a table showing a selected maximum dividing method, FIG. Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the work order of the sub-regions, Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 are schematic diagrams showing how to determine the work start point and work end point of each work region, and Figs. 11 to 13 are within the sub-region FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing the work route of the work vehicle in FIG. 14, FIG. 14 is a characteristic diagram showing the traveling characteristics of the work vehicle, FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the work route of the work vehicle in the entire work area, and FIG. Table showing the performance characteristics of the work vehicle and the form of the work area, FIG. 17 is a flowchart when determining the work path of the rectangular work area, 18 diagrams, Fig. 19 (a) (b), Figure 20 (a) (b)
Is a schematic view showing a work path of a rectangular work area, No. 21
(A) and (b) are schematic views of a work area showing a portion where work is repeated. (1) ... Work area detection means, (2) ... Network creation means, (3) ... Division method selection means, (4) ... Pickup means, (5) ... Work sequence determination means, (6) ... Start point, end point determination Means, (7) ... Sub route determination means, (8) ... Work route selection means.

   ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page    (56) References JP-A-59-121406 (JP, A)                 JP 62-32516 (JP, A)                 JP 62-19907 (JP, A)                 JP 62-19908 (JP, A)                 JP 62-19909 (JP, A)                 JP-A-60-79470 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A power supply cord is connected to an outlet provided in a work area with an obstacle, and in a work route determination device for a work vehicle that determines a route of a work vehicle that performs work while self-propelled by power supply from the power supply cord, Work area detection means for detecting position information of obstacles and outlets in the work area as work area data, dividing means for dividing the work area into a plurality of sub areas according to the work area data, and a power supply cord at the time of work Work order deciding means for deciding the work order of a plurality of sub-regions so that the number of points that are caught on the corner of the obstacle is minimized, and work start of each sub-region that minimizes the movement distance between each sub-region Point and end point determining means for determining a point and a work end point, and sub route determining means for determining a work route of the work vehicle in each sub area based on the work start point and the work end point , Work vehicle of the working path determining apparatus characterized in that it comprises.