JP2863361B2 - 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, when an abnormality such as contact with an obstacle or the like is detected while the vehicle is traveling, the traveling is interrupted. To return the vehicle body to a predetermined start start position and restart the running from the beginning. This is because when the unmanned working vehicle enters a place where it cannot escape or hits an obstacle, the vehicle body position cannot be accurately grasped, and it is necessary to perform the work again.

[0003]

However, in the method of re-starting the running from the beginning, there is a problem that after restarting, the area in which the work has already been completed also runs again, so that there is much waste. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-described problems, and when a vehicle detects an abnormality such as contact with an obstacle while traveling and stops traveling, the vehicle can be started even in the middle of a work area. An object of the present invention is to provide a work vehicle control method.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to a control method for causing an unmanned working vehicle to travel in a predetermined traveling pattern within a working area. Assuming columns in which the work area is divided according to the width, the unmanned work vehicle is driven using the travel data corresponding to each row, and while the unmanned work vehicle is traveling in the first row, the boundary of the work area in front is When the vehicle arrives at the vehicle, the vehicle turns and the second row travels in the opposite direction to the first row. Thereafter, the same operation is repeated to sequentially travel through each row. A display means for displaying an identification number and an input means for inputting an identification number in an arbitrary column are provided in the unmanned working vehicle, and when the unmanned working vehicle stops running, the identification number displayed on the display means is displayed. The line where the operation of the unmanned work vehicle was interrupted by input from the input means Restart the unmanned working vehicle from the work start point, the travel control means is to run the unmanned working vehicle with a traveling data corresponding to the column indicated by the input identification number.

[0005]

According to the above-mentioned method, when the unmanned work vehicle stops running while traveling in a certain row, the operator looks at the display means and inputs the identification number of the row, and the work starting point for the row is started. When the unmanned working vehicle is moved, the running of the unmanned working vehicle is started using the running data corresponding to the column indicated by the identification number. The unmanned work vehicle can be restarted from the work start point in the row.

[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, a non-contact type sensor such as an ultrasonic wave or light and a contact type sensor for detecting an obstacle are provided around the unmanned working vehicle 1.

In order to detect the distance to an obstacle existing within a predetermined distance in front of each sensor, a total of eight non-contact sensors are provided on each surface of the vehicle body. In order to detect the presence or absence of an obstacle within a predetermined distance in front of each sensor 8, one at the center of the front and rear surfaces of the vehicle body,
There are two types of non-contact type sensors 9 in which two are installed. When the non-contact sensor 8 detects an obstacle, the vehicle body performs an obstacle avoiding operation, and when the non-contact sensor 9 detects an obstacle, the vehicle body decelerates to a predetermined speed. Also,
The contact type sensor 10 is provided in the whole area around the vehicle body and detects that it has come into contact with an obstacle. When an obstacle is detected by the contact sensor 10, the vehicle body temporarily stops.

FIG. 2 shows a peripheral configuration of a traveling control device mounted on the unmanned working vehicle 1. Travel control device (travel control means)
Reference numeral 11 denotes a microcomputer or the like having arithmetic and storage functions, and includes a traveling speed encoder 12, encoders 4 and 5 for the left and right fixed wheels 2 and 3, a steering angle detecting potentiometer 13, a non-contact sensor 8, 9. A signal is received from a contact sensor 10, an input device (input means) 14 for inputting an identification number of a row (described later), and a predetermined operation is performed to obtain a command signal, which is output to the steering motor M2. To perform steering control. In addition, the traveling control device 11 outputs traveling data set according to the row to the traveling motor M1 in order to cause the unmanned working vehicle 1 to travel in a predetermined traveling pattern in the work area, The traveling of the work vehicle 1 is controlled. Needless to say, the traveling data corresponding to the row is set before traveling, and is stored in a storage unit (not shown). In addition, the travel control device 11 sets the identification number of the row in which the unmanned working vehicle 1 is traveling while the unmanned working vehicle 1 is traveling,
It always outputs to the display device (display means) 15 on the unmanned working vehicle 1.

As shown in FIG. 3, a virtual XY plane having the origin at the lower left end of the work area is set in the work area. Assuming a row in which the work area is equally divided in the X direction according to the size of the work apparatus 7 (work width of the unmanned work vehicle 1), the lower left end of the work area is set to the traveling start position A, and the upper right end of the work area is set to the upper right end. At the traveling end position B, identification numbers (hereinafter, referred to as column numbers) 1, 2, 3,... Are sequentially assigned from the column to which the traveling start position A belongs to the column to which the traveling end position B belongs. 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. In such a work area, the unmanned working vehicle 1 starts traveling from the traveling start position A, and in the first row, traveling is controlled based on traveling data set for the first row, and the row number “1” is set. Is displayed on the display device 15 on the unmanned working vehicle 1. When the unmanned working vehicle 1 reaches the working area boundary R, it turns and
It runs in the row in the opposite direction to the first row. Also in the second column, the traveling is controlled based on the traveling data set for the second column, and the column number “2” is displayed on the display device 15 on the unmanned working vehicle 1. Thereafter, the same operation is repeated up to the traveling end position B, so that the unmanned working vehicle 1 travels in a predetermined traveling pattern in the work area.

Now, while the unmanned working vehicle 1 is traveling in the fifth row while displaying the column number "5" on the display device 15, at the point C, the contact sensor 10 detects an abnormality such as contact with an obstacle. And stop. At this time, the operator sets the column number “5” displayed on the display device 15 on the unmanned working vehicle 1.
Is input from the input device 14, the travel control device 11 causes the unmanned work vehicle to travel using the travel data corresponding to the input column number "5". Therefore, if the vehicle body is moved to the work start point in the fifth row, , Using that point as the restart start point D,
The operation can be resumed according to a predetermined traveling pattern. Various operations such as a cleaning operation and a painting operation can be performed using the unmanned operation vehicle.

[0011]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the running is interrupted due to the detection of an abnormality in the vehicle body during the work traveling, the column number displayed on the display means is inputted, and the work starting point of the row is entered. If the vehicle body is moved to the next position, the work can be restarted from the work start point in the column of the input number, and the work can be restarted according to a predetermined traveling pattern. With this method,
The waste of traveling again in the area where the work has already been completed is reduced, and the work efficiency is improved as compared with the conventional method.

[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 plan view of the entire work area.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Unmanned working vehicle 7 Working device 10 Contact sensor 11 Travel control device 14 Input device 15 Display device R Working area boundary

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G05D 1/02 A47L 9/00 102

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An unmanned work vehicle is set in a work area in advance.
In the control method for traveling with a constant traveling pattern, the work area is divided according to a work width of the unmanned work vehicle.
Uninhabited using running data corresponding to each row
Run the work vehicle, and while the unmanned work vehicle is running in the first row,
Turn when you reach the boundary of the work area in front,
Run in the opposite direction to the first row, and repeat the same operation thereafter
Display means for sequentially driving each row and an identification number of the row in which the unmanned working vehicle is running.
Unattended operation of display means and input means for inputting an identification number of an arbitrary column
Provided on the vehicle, and when the unmanned working vehicle stops running,
Entering the indicated identification number from the input means,
Unmanned work from the work start point of the line where the traveling of the human work vehicle was suspended
When the industrial vehicle is restarted, the traveling control means
Unmanned operation using running data corresponding to the column indicated by another number
A method for controlling an unmanned working vehicle, characterized by driving a vehicle.