JP2847674B2 - Unmanned vehicle control method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for controlling an unmanned working vehicle for cleaning a floor or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an unmanned working vehicle of this type, a traveling route is set so as to travel all over a work area by repeating straight traveling and a U-turn, and the vehicle travels along the traveling route. The work was performed by operating a working device such as a floor cleaning device. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Sho 62-154008 discloses that a self-propelled robot, which is an unmanned working vehicle, travels in a zigzag manner at a first pitch by repeating straight traveling and U-turn, and in a direction perpendicular to the straight traveling direction. When the distance between the boundary of the predetermined area and the self-propelled robot becomes a value that makes the U-turn at the first pitch impossible, the robot is caused to travel by making a U-turn or reverse turning at a pitch corresponding to the distance. Is disclosed.

[0003]

However, when the unmanned working vehicle travels, the direction is changed by a U-turn just before the boundary of the working area, so that the working device does not pass through the wall and obstacles. However, there is a problem that a region that cannot be applied remains. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem. When an unmanned working vehicle is traveling and reaches a boundary of a work area and turns, the work can be performed on a wall or obstacles. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for controlling an unmanned working vehicle that can prevent an unoccupied region from remaining.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to a control method for driving an unmanned working vehicle having a traveling distance measuring means and a traveling direction measuring means within a predetermined working area. It is assumed that the inside of the vehicle is divided according to the size of the working device, and when the unmanned working vehicle advances to the side on which the working device is attached,
While traveling forward in the row, if the working device reaches the boundary of the front working area, the vehicle travels backward for a predetermined distance, turns at the reverse position, reverses or advances for a predetermined distance, and turns at the position. Moves to the second row by a combination of turning in the reverse direction, or a combination of turning backward by a predetermined distance and turning in a substantially S-shape in plan view from the backward position, and then moving in the same direction as the first row. Moving forward, when the working device reaches the boundary of the front working area, after moving backward by a predetermined distance, making a 180 ° turn at that position, moving forward in the opposite direction to the first row,
The same operation is repeated to move the column.

[0005]

According to the above-mentioned method, if the unmanned working vehicle is traveling forward in the first row and the working device reaches the boundary of the front working area, the vehicle travels backward by a predetermined distance and turns and then moves forward or backward. Or the reverse turn, or the backward movement of a predetermined distance and the S-shaped turn, can move to the second row. Next, in the second row, the working device is advanced in the same direction as the first row to reach the boundary of the working area in front. Thereby, even if there is an obstacle along the line, the unmanned working vehicle can turn without hitting the obstacle, and the work remaining near the work area boundary can be eliminated, and Can work every corner of the border.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a wheel portion for traveling of an unmanned working vehicle. Encoders 4 and 5 for detecting a moving distance of the unmanned working vehicle 1 are respectively attached to left and right fixed wheels 2 and 3 provided in the unmanned working vehicle 1.
Further, the unmanned working vehicle 1 is provided with a steering / driving wheel 6.
A working device 7 is provided. When the unmanned working vehicle 1 advances to the side on which the working device 7 is mounted, it is referred to as forward movement, and when the unmanned working vehicle 1 advances in the reverse direction, it is referred to as reverse movement. Further, although not shown, two ultrasonic sensors for detecting an obstacle are provided on each surface around the unmanned working vehicle 1 in total of two.

FIG. 2 shows a peripheral configuration of a traveling control device mounted on the unmanned working vehicle 1. The travel control device 11 includes a microcomputer or the like having a calculation and storage function, and includes a travel speed encoder 12, the left and right fixed wheels 2,
3, detection signals are received from various sensors such as the encoders 4 and 5, the steering angle detection potentiometer 13, and the ultrasonic sensor 14, and a predetermined operation is performed to obtain a command signal, which is output to the steering motor M2 to perform steering. Control is performed, and a speed signal set according to the traveling course is output to the traveling motor M1 to control traveling of the unmanned working vehicle 1.

A virtual Xg-Yg plane having the origin at the lower left end of the work area is set in the work area. Work area Xg
Assuming a column equally divided in the direction, the lower left end of the work area is the travel start position, the upper right end of the work area is the travel end position, and from the column to which the travel start position belongs to the column to which the travel end position belongs, Column numbers are assigned as 2, 3, .... A column whose column number is odd is called an odd column, and a column whose column number is even is called an even column. When the unmanned working vehicle 1 reaches a boundary of the work area while traveling on a certain row, the unmanned working vehicle 1 turns and travels on the next row in the opposite direction to the above-mentioned row. Defined as movement.

This row movement is performed by one of the four turning methods described below. First, the first turning method will be described. When there is an obstacle on the Xg negative direction side of the odd-numbered row when moving from the odd-numbered row to the even-numbered row, as shown in FIG. Stops in front (# 1), moves backward by a predetermined distance in the Yg negative direction of the odd-numbered row and stops (# 2), turns 90 ° counterclockwise there (# 3), and moves from the odd-numbered row to the even-numbered row Reverse and stop (#
4) Turn 90 ° clockwise on the spot (# 5). Thereby, the movement from the odd-numbered column to the next even-numbered column is completed.
Next, it advances in the Yg positive direction of the even-numbered row and stops just before the boundary R (# 6), and moves backward and stops a predetermined distance in the Yg-negative direction of the even-numbered row (# 7). 180 ° (# 8). Thus, the turning is completed. Next, it advances in the Yg negative direction of the even-numbered row (# 9). # 2 and # 7
The reason why the vehicle travels backward by a predetermined distance is that since the unmanned working vehicle 1 is moving forward to the position of the boundary R so as not to generate an uncleaned area, it is necessary to move backward to a position where the vehicle can be turned in order to turn. .

Next, the second turning method will be described. When there is no obstacle on the Xg negative direction side of the odd row in the movement from the odd row to the even row, as shown in FIG. 4, the unmanned working vehicle 1 moves forward in the Yg positive direction of the odd row, and Stop in front (#
11), move backward by a predetermined distance in the Yg negative direction of the odd-numbered row, stop (# 12), and turn 90 ° clockwise there (# 1)
3), advance from the odd column to the even column, and stop (# 14);
At this point, the vehicle turns 90 ° counterclockwise (# 15). Thereby, the movement from the odd-numbered column to the next even-numbered column is completed. Next, it advances in the Yg positive direction of the even-numbered row and stops just before the boundary R (# 16), moves backward by a predetermined distance in the Yg-negative direction of the even-numbered row, and stops (# 17). Turn 180 ° (# 18). Thus, the turning is completed. Next, it advances in the Yg negative direction of the even-numbered row (# 19). The reason why the vehicle travels a predetermined distance backward in # 12 and # 17 is as described above.

Next, the third turning method will be described. When there is an obstacle on the Xg positive direction side of the even-numbered row when moving from the odd-numbered row to the even-numbered row, as shown in FIG. Stop in front (#
21), move backward by a predetermined distance in the Yg negative direction of the odd-numbered row, stop (# 22), and turn forward in an S-shape from the odd-numbered row to the even-numbered row (# 23). Thereby, the movement from the odd-numbered column to the next even-numbered column is completed. Next, it moves forward in the Yg positive direction of the even-numbered row and stops just before the boundary R (# 24), moves backward a predetermined distance in the Yg-negative direction of the even-numbered row and stops (# 25), and then turns clockwise in that position. Turn 180 ° (# 26). Thus, the turning is completed. Next, it advances in the Yg negative direction of the even-numbered row (# 2).
7). In # 22 and # 25, moving backward by a predetermined distance
For the reasons described above.

Finally, the fourth turning method will be described.
When there is no obstacle on the Xg positive direction side of the even-numbered row in the movement from the odd-numbered row to the even-numbered row, as shown in FIG.
It advances in the Yg positive direction of the odd-numbered row and stops just before the boundary R (# 31), and moves backward by a predetermined distance in the Yg-negative direction of the odd-numbered row (#).
32), make a reverse turn from the odd row to the even row in an S shape (#)
33). Thereby, the movement from the odd-numbered column to the next even-numbered column is completed. Next, it advances in the Yg positive direction of the even-numbered row and
(# 34), reverses by a predetermined distance in the Yg negative direction of the even-numbered row and stops (# 35), and turns 180 ° counterclockwise on the spot (# 36). Thus, the turning is completed. Next, it advances in the Yg negative direction of the even-numbered row (# 3).
7). In # 32 and # 35, moving backward by a predetermined distance
For the reasons described above.

By turning the unmanned work vehicle short of the boundary of the work area by any of the above-mentioned turning methods, it becomes possible to work to every corner of the work area. The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, in addition to the case where the vehicle turns before the boundary of the work area, the same applies to the case where the ultrasonic sensor detects an obstacle and the vehicle turns before the obstacle. In addition, various operations such as a cleaning operation and a painting operation can be performed using the unmanned operation vehicle.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, while the unmanned working vehicle is traveling forward in the first row, if the working device reaches the boundary of the front working area, the vehicle travels backward by a predetermined distance and stops at the place. Move to the second row by a combination of turning and backward or forward and reverse turning, or a combination of backward and S-shaped turning for a predetermined distance, and then move forward in the same direction as the first row, If the vehicle reaches the boundary of the front work area, it moves backward by a predetermined distance, then makes a 180 ° turn at that location, moves forward in the opposite direction to the first row, and thereafter repeats the same operation to move the row Can be. As a result, it is possible to prevent a region where the work cannot be performed from remaining on the boundary of the work region or just before an obstacle, and to perform a more precise work such as floor cleaning.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a top view of an unmanned working vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the periphery of a travel control device of the unmanned working vehicle.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a first turning method in a case where an obstruction is present on the Xg negative direction side of the odd-numbered row in the movement from the odd-numbered row to the even-numbered row.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a second turning method in a case where there is no obstacle on the Xg negative direction side of the odd row in the movement from the odd row to the even row.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a third turning method in a case where an obstruction is present on the Xg positive direction side of the even row in the movement from the odd row to the even row.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a fourth turning method in a case where there is no obstacle on the Xg positive direction side of the even-numbered row in the movement from the odd-numbered row to the even-numbered row.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Unmanned working vehicle 7 Working device 11 Travel control device

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G05D 1/02

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A control method for driving an unmanned working vehicle provided with a traveling distance measuring means and a traveling direction measuring means in a predetermined work area, in which a row divided in the work area according to the size of a work device is assumed. When the time when the unmanned working vehicle advances to the side where the working device is mounted is defined as forward, when the unmanned working vehicle is traveling forward in the first row, if the working device reaches the boundary of the front working area, A reverse movement of a predetermined distance, a turn at the reverse position, a reverse movement or a forward movement of a predetermined distance, and the reverse direction of the turn at the position.
Combination of turns, or reverse for a predetermined distance and reverse
Move to the second row by a combination of turning in a substantially S-shape in plan view from the set position , and then advance in the same direction as the first row, so that the working device reaches the boundary of the front working area. For example, after traveling backward by a predetermined distance, the vehicle makes a 180 ° turn at that position, advances in the opposite direction to the first row, and thereafter repeats the same operation to move the row. Car control method.