JP6297436B2 - Parallel work system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a parallel work system in which a first work vehicle and a second work vehicle run in parallel to each other, and relates to a technique that enables the work to be performed while maintaining an appropriate distance between the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle.

  Conventionally, the master vehicle is operated by an operator, the slave vehicle is an unmanned vehicle, the master vehicle and the slave vehicle are each equipped with a control device, and communication between the vehicles is possible by radio, and the slave vehicle is operated in parallel to the master vehicle. A program that can do this is provided. The master vehicle and the slave vehicle are provided with a distance measuring device, and the distance between the master vehicle and the slave vehicle is adjusted to be a predetermined distance.

  In addition, a technique is known in which a master vehicle and / or a slave vehicle includes a navigation device such as a GPS, and the position of the master vehicle and / or the slave vehicle can be limited (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP-T-2001-507843

  In the above technology, the navigation device mounted on the master vehicle and the slave vehicle increases the cost when the navigation device with high positioning accuracy is mounted on both vehicles, and the cost can be reduced if the positioning accuracy is lowered, It becomes difficult to run unattended.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and one of the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle is equipped with a high-precision positioning system, and the other is a low-precision positioning in a portable remote control device. The system is installed, and it is intended to be able to understand the positional relationship between the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle by using a positioning system that is versatile and as cheap as possible.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is as described above. Next, means for solving the problem will be described.
That is, according to the first aspect, the first satellite positioning system is mounted on one of the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle, and the remote operation device brought into the other work vehicle has the first satellite positioning system. Is equipped with a low-accuracy second satellite positioning system, and the first satellite positioning system and the second satellite positioning system are used to measure the current positions of the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle. The position of the work vehicle is displayed on the display device of the remote control device.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the control device of the remote control device calculates a distance between the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle, and issues an alarm when the distance is equal to or less than the set distance.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the control device of the remote control device calculates a distance between the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle and issues an alarm when the distance is equal to or greater than the set distance.

  By using the means as described above, the manned side positioning system can be constituted by an inexpensive positioning system.

The schematic side view which shows an autonomous traveling work vehicle, a GPS satellite, and a reference station. Control block diagram. The figure which shows the state which performs the parallel operation which drive | works diagonally forward and diagonally backward. The figure which shows the state which performs parallel running work along with the front-back direction. The figure which shows the state which a manned work vehicle drive | works ahead of an unmanned work vehicle and performs work.

A parallel running work system is described in which a first work vehicle and a second work vehicle run side by side and reciprocate along a travel route set in an agricultural field.
First, the first work vehicle is an autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 that can automatically travel unattended, and the second work vehicle is a manned accompanying traveling work vehicle 100 that is steered by an operator accompanying the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1. An embodiment in which the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 and the accompanying traveling working vehicle 100 are tractors, and the autonomous tilling working vehicle 1 and the accompanying traveling working vehicle 100 are respectively equipped with rotary tillers 24 and 224 as work implements will be described. However, the work vehicle is not limited to a tractor, and may be a combine. The work machine is not limited to a rotary tiller. It may be.

  1 and 2, an overall configuration of a tractor that becomes an autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 will be described. An engine 3 is installed in the hood 2, a dashboard 14 is provided in a cabin 11 at the rear of the hood 2, and a steering handle 4 serving as a steering operation means is provided on the dashboard 14. The steering wheel 4 is rotated to rotate the front wheels 9 and 9 through the steering device. The steering direction of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 is detected by the steering sensor 20. The steering sensor 20 is composed of an angle sensor such as a rotary encoder, and is disposed at the rotation base of the front wheel 9. However, the detection configuration of the steering sensor 20 is not limited as long as the steering direction is recognized, and the rotation of the steering handle 4 may be detected or the operation amount of the power steering may be detected. The detection value obtained by the steering sensor 20 is input to the control device 30. The control device 30 includes a CPU (central processing unit), a storage device 30m such as a RAM and a ROM, an interface, and the like, and the storage device 30m stores a program, data, and the like for operating the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1.

A driver seat 5 is disposed behind the steering handle 4, and a mission case 6 is disposed below the driver seat 5. Rear axle cases 8 and 8 are connected to the left and right sides of the transmission case 6, and rear wheels 10 and 10 are supported on the rear axle cases 8 and 8 via axles. The power from the engine 3 is shifted by a transmission (a main transmission or an auxiliary transmission) in the mission case 6 so that the rear wheels 10 and 10 can be driven. The transmission is constituted by, for example, a hydraulic continuously variable transmission, and the movable swash plate of a variable displacement hydraulic pump is operated by a transmission means 44 such as a motor so that the transmission can be changed. The speed change means 44 is connected to the control device 30. The rotational speed of the rear wheel 10 is detected by the vehicle speed sensor 27 as a traveling speed detecting means, and is input to the control device 30 as the traveling speed. However, the traveling speed detection method and the arrangement position of the vehicle speed sensor 27 are not limited.
Further, the rear axle cases 8 and 8 are provided with a braking device 46, and the braking device 46 is connected to the control device 30 so that braking control is possible.

  The transmission case 6 houses a PTO clutch and a PTO transmission. The PTO clutch is turned on and off by a PTO on / off means 45. The PTO on / off means 45 is connected to the control device 30 to connect and disconnect the power to the PTO shaft. It can be controlled.

  A front axle case 7 is supported on a front frame 13 that supports the engine 3, front wheels 9 and 9 are supported on both sides of the front axle case 7, and power from the transmission case 6 can be transmitted to the front wheels 9 and 9. It is configured. The front wheels 9 and 9 are steered wheels, which can be turned by turning the steering handle 4, and the front wheels 9 and 9 are steered left and right by a steering actuator 40 comprising a power steering cylinder as a driving means of the steering device. It can be turned. The steering actuator 40 is connected to the control device 30 and is controlled and driven by automatic traveling means.

  An engine controller 60 serving as engine rotation control means is connected to the control device 30, and an engine rotation speed sensor 61, a water temperature sensor, a hydraulic pressure sensor, and the like are connected to the engine controller 60 so that the state of the engine can be detected. The engine controller 60 detects the load from the set rotational speed and the actual rotational speed and controls it so as not to be overloaded, and transmits the state of the engine 3 to the remote operation device 112 described later so that it can be displayed on the display 113. Yes.

  The fuel tank 15 disposed below the step is provided with a level sensor 29 for detecting the fuel level and is connected to the control device 30. The display means 49 provided on the dashboard of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 has a fuel supply. A fuel gauge for displaying the remaining amount is provided and connected to the control device 30. Then, information regarding the remaining amount of fuel is transmitted from the control device 30 to the remote operation device 112, and the remaining fuel amount and workable time are displayed on the display 113 of the remote operation device 112.

  On the dashboard 14, display means 49 for displaying an engine tachometer, a fuel gauge, a hydraulic pressure, etc., an abnormal monitor, a set value, and the like are arranged.

  Further, a rotary tiller 24 is installed as a work machine behind the tractor body via a work machine mounting device 23 so as to be able to move up and down to perform the tilling work. An elevating cylinder 26 is provided on the transmission case 6, and the elevating arm 26 constituting the work implement mounting device 23 is rotated by moving the elevating cylinder 26 to extend and lower the rotary tiller 24. The lift cylinder 26 is expanded and contracted by the operation of the lift actuator 25, and the lift actuator 25 is connected to the control device 30. In addition, an angle sensor 21 is provided on the lift arm of the work implement mounting device 23 as means for detecting the lift position to detect the lift height of the work implement, and the angle sensor 21 is connected to the control device 30.

  In addition, an obstacle sensor 41 is disposed on the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 and is connected to the control device 30 so as not to contact the obstacle. For example, the obstacle sensor 41 is composed of a laser sensor or an ultrasonic sensor, and is arranged at the front, side, or rear of the aircraft and connected to the control device 30. Whether or not an obstacle approaches within a set distance is controlled to stop traveling.

  In addition, the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 is mounted with a camera 42 for photographing the front, rear, and work implements and is connected to the control device 30. The video imaged by the camera 42 is displayed on the display 113 of the remote control device 112 provided in the accompanying traveling work vehicle 100. However, when the display screen of the display 113 is small, it is displayed on another large display, the camera image is always or selectively displayed on another dedicated display, or the display means 49 provided in the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 is used. It is also possible to display it. In addition, even if one camera 42 is arranged at the center of the aircraft and rotated around the vertical axis to photograph the surroundings, a plurality of cameras 42 are arranged at the front, rear, or four corners of the aircraft. The configuration for photographing the surroundings is not limited.

  The accompanying traveling work vehicle 100, which is a manned traveling vehicle, is operated by an operator, and a remote operation device 112 is mounted on the accompanying traveling work vehicle 100 so that the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 can be operated. Since the basic configuration of the accompanying traveling work vehicle 100 is substantially the same as that of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1, detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The remote operation device 112 sets the travel route R of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1, monitors the traveling state of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 and the operating state of the work implement, stores work data, and the autonomous traveling work vehicle. 1 is operated remotely. The remote operation of the remote operation device 112 can be performed, for example, by operating the emergency stop work vehicle 1 in an emergency stop, temporary stop, re-start, change in vehicle speed, change in engine speed, raising / lowering of the work implement, turning on / off of the PTO clutch, etc. I have to. That is, the operator can easily operate the autonomous traveling work vehicle by controlling the accelerator actuator, the shifting means 44, the PTO on / off means 45, the braking device 46, and the like from the remote control device 112 via the communication device 111, the communication device 110, and the control device 30. 1 can be remotely controlled.

  The remote operation device 112 can be attached to and detached from an operation unit such as a dashboard of the accompanying traveling work vehicle 100 and the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1. The remote control device 112 can be operated while attached to the dashboard of the accompanying traveling work vehicle 100, or can be taken out of the accompanying traveling work vehicle 100 to be carried and operated, or attached to the dashboard of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1. Can be operated. The remote operation device 112 can be configured by, for example, a notebook or tablet personal computer. In this embodiment, a tablet computer is used.

  Further, the remote operation device 112 and the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 are configured to be able to communicate with each other wirelessly, and the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 and the remote operation device 112 are provided with communication devices 110 and 111 for communication, respectively. ing. The communication device 111 is configured integrally with the remote operation device 112. The communication means is configured to be able to communicate with each other via a wireless LAN such as WiFi. The remote operation device 112 is provided with a display 113 as a touch panel type operation screen that can be operated by touching the screen on the surface of the housing, and the CPU, storage device, battery, etc. as the communication device 111 and the control device 119 are accommodated in the housing. doing. The display 113 can display surrounding images taken by the camera 42, the state of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1, the state of work, information on GPS, an operation screen, and the like so that the operator can monitor.

The position of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 and the position of the accompanying traveling work vehicle 100 are acquired using GPS (global positioning system).
GPS was originally developed as a navigation support system for aircraft, ships, etc., and is composed of 24 GPS satellites (four in six orbital planes) orbiting around 20,000 kilometers above the ground. It consists of a control station that performs tracking and control, and a user communication device that performs positioning. In addition to GPS (United States), high-precision positioning can be performed by using a satellite positioning system (GNSS) such as a quasi-zenith satellite (Japan) or a Glonus satellite (Russia). In this embodiment, GPS is used. explain.

  As a positioning method using GPS, there are various methods such as single positioning, relative positioning, DGPS (differential GPS) positioning, RTK-GPS (real-time kinematics-GPS) positioning, and any of these methods can be used. However, in the present embodiment, the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 serving as the first work vehicle employs the RTK-GPS positioning method (referred to as the first satellite positioning system) with high measurement accuracy to measure the current position. In addition, the operator travels on the accompanying traveling work vehicle 100 serving as the second work vehicle with the remote operation device 112, and the remote operation device 112 has a DGPS positioning (second satellite positioning) that is less accurate than the first satellite positioning system. System) to measure the current position. Although the accuracy of the DGPS positioning method is lower than that of the RTK-GPS positioning method, the DGPS positioning method is sufficient and inexpensive to detect the relative distance between the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 and the accompanying traveling work vehicle 100. The relative position between the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 can be detected. While operating the remote control device 112, the relative position between the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 and the accompanying traveling work vehicle 100 is displayed on the display device 113, so that the operator can easily grasp and move too close or too far away. It can be easily recognized. However, the second satellite positioning system may be a single positioning type as long as it is cheaper than the first satellite positioning system and the distance between the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle can be measured to some extent. The first satellite positioning system is not limited as long as it is a positioning system with higher accuracy than the RTK-GPS positioning system.

An RTK-GPS positioning method will be described with reference to FIGS.
RTK-GPS (real-time kinematics-GPS) positioning is performed by simultaneously performing GPS observations on a reference station whose position is known and a mobile station whose position is to be obtained. Is transmitted in real time, and the position of the mobile station is obtained in real time based on the position result of the reference station.

  In the present embodiment, a mobile communication device 33 serving as a mobile station, a mobile GPS antenna 34, and a data receiving antenna 38 are disposed on the cabin 11 of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1, and a fixed communication device 35 and a fixed GPS antenna 36 serving as a reference station. The data transmission antenna 39 is disposed at a predetermined position that does not interfere with the work in the field. In the RTK-GPS (real-time kinematic-GPS) positioning of the present embodiment, phase measurement (relative positioning) is performed at both the reference station and the mobile station, and data measured by the fixed communication device 35 of the reference station is transmitted from the data transmission antenna 39. Transmit to the data receiving antenna 38.

  The mobile GPS antenna 34 arranged in the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 receives signals from GPS satellites 37, 37. This signal is transmitted to the mobile communication device 33 for positioning. At the same time, signals from GPS satellites 37, 37... Are received by a fixed GPS antenna 36 serving as a reference station, measured by a fixed communication device 35, transmitted to the mobile communication device 33, and the observed data is analyzed and moved. Determine the station location. The position information obtained in this way is transmitted to the control device 30.

  Thus, the control device 30 in the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 includes automatic traveling means for automatically traveling. The automatic traveling means receives radio waves transmitted from the GPS satellites 37, 37. The position information of the aircraft is obtained at time intervals, the displacement information and the orientation information of the aircraft are obtained from the gyro sensor 31 and the orientation sensor 32, and along the set route preset by the aircraft based on the position information, the displacement information, and the orientation information. In order to run, the steering actuator 40, the speed change means 44, the elevating actuator 25, the PTO on / off means 45, the engine controller 60, and the like are controlled to automatically run and work automatically. Note that position information (map information) on the outer periphery of the field H, which is the work range, is also set in advance by a known method and stored in the storage device 30m.

  In DGPS positioning, single positioning is performed at both the mobile station and the reference station, a positioning error is obtained at the reference station, and the correction information is received by the mobile station, thereby performing correction processing in real time. In the present embodiment, the remote operation device 112 includes a communication device 333, a GPS antenna 334, and a data communication antenna 338, and the remote operation device 112 receives correction information generated by the reference station via the data communication antenna 38. Find the position.

  The position of the remote control device 112 and the position of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 thus obtained are displayed on the display device 113 and the display means 49, the mutual separation distance is calculated, and displayed on the display device 113 and the display means 49. I am doing so. In this way, the relative positions of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 and the accompanying traveling work vehicle 100 can be easily recognized. The remote control device 112 or the accompanying traveling work vehicle 100 is provided with an alarm device such as a buzzer or a speaker 151 and connected to the control devices 119 and 130. Further, the distance between the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 and the accompanying traveling work vehicle 100 is compared with the maximum separation setting distance and the minimum separation setting distance. When the separation distance is longer than the maximum separation setting distance, an alarm is generated and the separation is performed. An alarm is issued when the distance is shorter than the minimum distance setting distance. Note that the maximum separation setting distance and the minimum separation setting distance can be easily changed by the remote operation device 112 or the like.

  In addition, the second satellite positioning system (DGPS positioning method) is mounted on the remote control device 112, but may be mounted on the accompanying traveling work vehicle 100 serving as the second work vehicle for positioning. Although the first work vehicle is unmanned and the second work vehicle is manned, the first work vehicle is manned, and positioning is performed using a second satellite positioning system (DGPS positioning method) that is less accurate than the first satellite positioning system. However, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the second work vehicle is unmanned and performs positioning using the first satellite positioning system (RTK-GPS positioning system).

  That is, the first work vehicle or / and the second work vehicle travel along the set travel route R, and as shown in FIG. You can run in parallel. The distance between the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle is determined using a satellite positioning system, and the distance between the two is calculated from the position. When the first work vehicle is an unmanned autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 and the second work vehicle is a manned and accompanying traveling work vehicle 100, as described above, the first work vehicle is positioned by the RTK-GPS positioning method, The second work vehicle is positioned by the DGPS positioning method, the separation distance is calculated, and the control device of the first work vehicle controls the transmission means 44 so that the separation distance is within the set range. Alternatively, an operator who has boarded the second work vehicle operates the transmission of the second work vehicle so that the distance is within the set range while viewing the separation distance displayed on the display device 113. An alarm is issued when the set range is exceeded, so it can be easily recognized and changed in speed.

  When the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle are arranged as shown in FIG. 3 and the first work vehicle is manned and the second work vehicle is unmanned, the first work vehicle is positioned by the DGPS positioning method. Is measured by the RTK-GPS positioning method, the separation distance is calculated, and the control device of the second work vehicle controls the transmission means 44 so that the separation distance is within the set range. When the separation distance exceeds the set range, the speed is increased, and when it is within the set distance, the original work speed is set. Further, when the separation distance becomes shorter than the set range, the speed is decreased, and when the distance is within the set distance, the original work speed is set.

When the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle are unmanned, the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle are positioned by the RTK-GPS positioning method, the separation distance is calculated, and the separation distance is within the set range. In addition, the control device for the first work vehicle or the second work vehicle controls the transmission means 44.
In the case of the work in FIG. 3, the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle perform the same work and work twice the width at a time. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 4, even when the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle are arranged in the front and rear and perform separate work, the control is performed in the same manner as described above.

  In the above-described embodiment, the position of the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 traveling in front is measured by the RTK-GPS positioning system serving as the first satellite positioning system, and the accompanying traveling working vehicle 100 traveling behind the second traveling work vehicle 100 is the second satellite. Although the positioning is performed by the DGPS positioning system as a positioning system, as shown in FIG. 5, the present invention can also be applied to the case where the accompanying traveling work vehicle 100 travels in the previous process and the autonomous traveling work vehicle 1 travels and works in the subsequent process. It is.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. When the first work vehicle is an unmanned tractor, the second work vehicle is a manned tractor, the first work vehicle is a manned tractor, and the second work vehicle is an unmanned tractor, The present invention is applicable when both the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle are unmanned tractors.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Autonomous traveling working vehicle 30 Control apparatus 34 Moving GPS antenna 60 Engine controller 100 Accompanying traveling working vehicle 112 Remote operation apparatus

Claims (3)

  The first satellite positioning system is mounted on one of the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle, and the second satellite positioning is less accurate than the first satellite positioning system in the remote control device brought into the other work vehicle. The system is equipped with the first satellite positioning system and the second satellite positioning system to measure the current positions of the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle, and remotely control the positions of the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle. A parallel operation system characterized by displaying on a display device.   The parallel operation system according to claim 1, wherein the control device of the remote control device calculates a distance between the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle and issues an alarm when the distance is equal to or less than a set distance. The parallel operation system according to claim 2, wherein the control device of the remote control device calculates a distance between the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle and issues an alarm when the distance is equal to or greater than a set distance.

Images