JP6673813B2 - Travel route management system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a travel route management system that determines a travel route for a work vehicle that automatically travels while working in a work place.

  The field work machine according to Patent Literature 1 includes a route calculation unit and a driving support unit for performing field work by automatic traveling. The route calculation unit obtains an outer shape of the field from the topographical data, and calculates a travel route starting from the travel start point and ending at the travel end point based on the outer shape and the work width of the field work machine. The driving support unit compares the vehicle position obtained from the positioning data (latitude / longitude data) obtained from the GPS module with the traveling route calculated by the route calculating unit, and the traveling body travels along the traveling route. The steering mechanism is controlled as follows.

Patent Literature 1 discloses a system that automatically controls one work vehicle, while Patent Document 2 discloses a system that performs work while running two work vehicles in parallel.
In the travel route setting device used in this system, the travel route is determined by setting the positional relationship between the first work vehicle and the second work vehicle. When the traveling route is determined, the position of the own vehicle is measured, and work is performed while traveling along the traveling route.

JP 2015-112071 A JP-A-2006-093125

  In the automatic work traveling of a work vehicle according to Patent Documents 1 and 2, a travel route for working in the work site is calculated based on the outer shape of the work site and the specifications of the work vehicle, and along the calculated travel route. Thus, one or more work vehicles automatically travel. The calculated travel route has a form extending in a single stroke so as to cover the work site, and the travel route covers the work site while repeating straight traveling for a long distance and U-turn traveling for changing the traveling direction. Is representative of the calculated travel route. In the case of such a traveling route, there are various types of U-turn traveling routes, such as a route composed only of a turning traveling route, a route composed of a turning traveling route and a straight traveling route, and a route composed of a turning traveling route including reverse traveling. Is used. In addition, a work vehicle that performs agricultural work or the like often performs work when traveling straight ahead and temporarily stops work when traveling U-turn. In addition, when turning with a small turning radius in the U-turn running, the ground is hurt. When turning with a large turning radius, the space required for the U-turn running becomes large, and there is a problem that the working efficiency is reduced. However, such a problem has not been considered in a conventional traveling route for automatic work traveling.

  In view of such circumstances, there is a demand for a traveling route management system that can rationally select a U-turn traveling route.

A travel route management system according to the present invention for determining a travel route for a work vehicle that automatically travels while working on a work place sets the work place to an outer peripheral area and a work target area that is inside the outer peripheral area. An area setting unit, and a next traveling path element to be traveled next from a plurality of parallel traveling path elements constituting a traveling path covering the work target area without previously determining the entire travel covering the work target area. A path element selection unit for sequentially selecting, the path element selection unit, the U-turn traveling path for transition from the traveling path element as a transfer source to the next traveling path element as a destination, the The selection is made based on the interval between the transfer source and the transfer destination.

According to this configuration, the work vehicle does not simply connect the adjacent traveling route elements with each other by the U-turn traveling route but performs the transition from the traveling route element of the transition source in order to perform the traveling of the entire work target area. The U-turn traveling route is selected based on the distance to the preceding traveling route element.
As a result, a large number of parallel traveling route elements set in the work target area are sequentially connected by the U-turn traveling route at an appropriate interval according to the state of the work place and the type of work as much as possible. If only an interval that cannot connect the traveling route elements is found, a U-turn traveling route that connects at the interval is selected. Since a large number of parallel traveling route elements set in the work target area can be connected by selecting a U-turn traveling route according to the interval, work using a reasonable traveling route for automatic traveling can be performed. Driving is realized.

  By the way, in a work place such as a field into which a work vehicle for agricultural work is put, it is customary to set an outer peripheral region located outside the work target region of the work place as a region where the work vehicle can travel freely. Is being done. For this reason, it is convenient to set the U-turn traveling route in the outer peripheral area. Therefore, in one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the U-turn traveling route is a traveling route set in the outer peripheral area.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a first U-turn traveling path for realizing a normal U-turn traveling only in forward traveling and a switchback turn traveling for forward and backward traveling are implemented as the U-turn traveling path. And the second U-turn traveling route can be calculated, and the route element selection unit selects the first U-turn traveling route when the interval is large, and selects the second U-turn traveling route when the interval is small. select. In this configuration, when the interval from the traveling path element of the transfer source to the traveling path element of the transition destination is short enough to allow the normal U-turn traveling to roughen the work place unacceptably, or when the normal U-turn traveling is impossible, A switchback turn run including a turn using the switchback can be selected. Further, in this configuration, it is possible to prevent a traveling route element having an interval requiring switchback turn traveling from being selected as a destination traveling route element as much as possible. As a result, while the switchback turn traveling requiring complicated steering control is suppressed as much as possible, the switchback turn traveling can be executed depending on the interval, so that a reasonable traveling route can be realized.

  Further, in one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first U-turn travel route includes a clockwise U-turn travel route and a counterclockwise U-turn travel route, and the route element selection The unit preferentially selects the clockwise U-turn traveling route over the clockwise U-turn traveling route. This is because, in the case of agricultural work vehicles such as tractors, counterclockwise (left turn) travel has been mainly performed, and even when a person enters an automatically traveling work vehicle for monitoring purposes, there is no discomfort. In addition, there is an advantage that a sense of incongruity does not occur even when a work vehicle that is automatically traveling is monitored from outside.

It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the work driving | running | working of the work vehicle in a work target area. It is explanatory drawing which shows the basic flow of automatic driving | running | working control using a driving | running route determination apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the driving | running | working pattern which repeats a U-turn and straight ahead. It is explanatory drawing which shows the driving | running | working pattern along a mesh-like path | route. It is a side view of a harvester which is one of embodiments of a work vehicle. It is a control function block diagram in a driving route management system. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a method of calculating a mesh line, which is an example of a traveling route element group. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the driving | running | working route element group calculated by the strip part element calculation part. It is explanatory drawing which shows a normal U-turn and a switchback turn. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of selecting a traveling route element in the traveling route element group according to FIG. 8. It is explanatory drawing which shows the spiral running pattern in the driving | running | working route element group calculated by the mesh path | route element calculation part. It is explanatory drawing which shows the reciprocating driving pattern in the driving | running | working route element group calculated by the mesh path | route element calculation part. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a basic generation principle of a U-turn traveling route. FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a U-turn traveling route generated based on the generation principle of FIG. 13. FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a U-turn traveling route generated based on the generation principle of FIG. 13. FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a U-turn traveling route generated based on the generation principle of FIG. 13. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an α-turn traveling route in a mesh-shaped traveling route element group. It is explanatory drawing which shows the case where the work travel resumed after leaving from the work target area is not continued from the work travel before leaving. It is explanatory drawing which shows the work driving | running by the several harvesters which carried out cooperative control. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a basic traveling pattern of cooperative control traveling using a traveling route element group calculated by a mesh route element calculating unit. It is explanatory drawing which shows the departure driving | running and return driving | running in cooperative control driving | running. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the cooperative control driving | running | working using the driving | running | working route element group calculated by the strip part element calculation part. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the cooperative control driving | running | working using the driving | running | working route element group calculated by the strip part element calculation part. It is explanatory drawing which shows a middle split process. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the cooperative control driving | running | working in the field divided in the middle. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the cooperative control driving | running in the field divided into the grid | lattice form. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure which can adjust the parameter of a slave harvester from a master harvester. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating automatic traveling for creating a U-turn traveling space around a parking position. It is explanatory drawing which shows the specific example of the route selection by two harvesters with different working widths. It is explanatory drawing which shows the specific example of the route selection by two harvesters with different working widths.

[Overview of automatic driving]
FIG. 1 schematically shows work traveling using the traveling route management system. In this embodiment, the work vehicle is a harvester 1 that performs a harvesting operation (harvesting operation) for harvesting agricultural products while traveling as a work traveling, and is a model generally called a normal combine. A work place where the harvester 1 works and runs is called a field. In the harvesting work in the field, an area where the harvester 1 travels around while performing work along a boundary of the field called a ridge is set as an outer peripheral area SA. The inside of the outer peripheral area SA is set as the work target area CA. The outer peripheral area SA is used as a moving space, a direction changing space, and the like for the harvester 1 to discharge crops and supply fuel. In order to secure the outer peripheral area SA, the harvester 1 performs three or four round trips along the boundary of the field as the first work trip. In the round traveling, the field is worked by the working width of the harvester 1 for each round, so the outer peripheral area SA has a width about 3 to 4 times the working width of the harvester 1. From this, unless otherwise specified, the outer peripheral area SA is treated as a previously-cutted area (worked place), and the work target area CA is treated as an un-cutted area (unworked place). In this embodiment, the working width is treated as a value obtained by subtracting the overlap amount from the cutting width. However, the concept of the working width differs depending on the type of the working vehicle. The work width in the present invention is defined by the type of work vehicle and the type of work.

Note that the term "work traveling" used in this application is not limited to traveling while actually performing work, but also encompasses traveling without performing work for changing directions during work. Is used in the sense of
Further, in this specification, the term “work environment of a work vehicle” may include a state of a work vehicle, a state of a work place, a command by a person (a monitor, a driver, a manager, or the like), and the like. Evaluating the environment requires state information. This state information includes mechanical factors such as refueling and discharge of harvested products, environmental factors such as weather fluctuations and workplace conditions, and human requests such as unexpected work interruption instructions. Further, when a plurality of work vehicles work in cooperation with each other, the positional relationship between the work vehicles is one of the work environment or state information. Note that the supervisor or the manager may be on the work vehicle, or may be near the work vehicle or far away from the work vehicle.

  The harvester 1 includes a satellite positioning module 80 that outputs positioning data based on a GPS signal from an artificial satellite GS used in a GPS (global positioning system). It has a function of calculating the own vehicle position, which is the position coordinates of the specific location of the machine 1. The harvester 1 has an automatic traveling function for automating traveling and harvesting work by maneuvering the calculated own vehicle position to match a target traveling route. In order to discharge the harvested crop while traveling, the harvester 1 needs to approach and park around the transport vehicle CV parked at the ridge. When the parking position of the transport vehicle CV is determined in advance, such approaching travel, that is, temporary departure from work travel in the work target area CA, and return to work travel can also be performed by automatic travel. It is possible. The travel route for leaving from the work target area CA and returning to the work target area CA is generated when the outer peripheral area SA is set. In addition, a refueling vehicle and other work support vehicles can be parked instead of the transport vehicle CV.

[Basic flow of work vehicle automatic traveling]
In order for the harvester 1 incorporating the traveling route management system of the present invention to perform harvesting work by automatic traveling, a traveling route management device that generates a traveling route as a traveling target and manages the traveling route is required. Become. The basic configuration of the traveling route management device and the basic flow of automatic traveling control using the traveling route management device will be described with reference to FIG.

  The harvester 1 arriving at the field performs harvesting while circling along the inside of the boundary of the field. This is called perimeter cutting and is a well-known harvesting operation. At this time, in the corner region, traveling is performed in which forward and backward movements are repeated so that no uncut culm remains. In this embodiment, at least one round of the outermost circumference is performed by manual running so that there is no uncut portion and no bumps are made. The remaining several turns on the inner peripheral side may be automatically driven by an automatic traveling program dedicated to peripheral mowing, or may be performed by manual traveling following peripheral mowing on the outermost periphery. As the shape of the work target area CA left inside the traveling locus of the round traveling, a polygon as simple as possible, preferably a quadrangle, is adopted so as to be convenient for the automatic traveling.

Further, the traveling locus of the orbital traveling can be obtained based on the own vehicle position calculated by the own vehicle position calculating unit 53 from the positioning data of the satellite positioning module 80. Further, from this traveling locus, the outer shape data of the field, in particular, the outer shape data of the work target area CA which is the uncut land located inside the traveling locus of the circuit running around, is generated by the outer shape data generator 43. The field is managed separately by the area setting unit 44 into an outer peripheral area SA and a work target area CA.

  The work traveling with respect to the work target area CA is performed by automatic traveling. For this reason, the route management unit 60 manages a travel route element group, which is a travel route for a travel that covers the work target area CA (a travel that fills the work width). This traveling route element group is an aggregate of many traveling route elements. The route management unit 60 calculates a group of travel route elements based on the outline data of the work target area CA, and stores the group of travel route elements in a memory in a readable manner.

  In this travel route management system, not all travel routes are determined in advance before work travel in the work target area CA, but during travel, the travel route is determined in accordance with circumstances such as the work environment of the work vehicle. Changes are possible. The minimum unit (link) between points (nodes) at which the travel route can be changed is a travel route element. When the automatic traveling is started from the designated place, the next traveling route element to be traveled next is sequentially selected from the traveling route element group by the route element selecting unit 63. The automatic traveling control unit 511 generates automatic traveling data based on the selected traveling route element and the own vehicle position so that the vehicle body follows the traveling route element, and executes the automatic traveling.

  In FIG. 2, a travel route generation device that generates a travel route for the harvester 1 is configured by the outer shape data generation unit 43, the area setting unit 44, and the route management unit 60. In addition, a traveling route determination device that determines a traveling route for the harvester 1 is configured by the vehicle position calculation unit 53, the area setting unit 44, the route management unit 60, and the route element selection unit 63. Such a travel route generation device and a travel route determination device can be incorporated in a control system of the conventional harvester 1 capable of automatically traveling. Alternatively, it is also possible to construct a traveling route generation device and a traveling route determination device in a computer terminal, and connect the computer terminal and a control system of the harvester 1 so that data can be exchanged, thereby realizing automatic traveling.

[Overview of travel route element group]
As an example of the traveling route element group, FIG. 3 shows a traveling route element group having a plurality of parallel dividing lines that divide the work target area CA into strips as traveling route elements. This travel route element group is a parallel arrangement of linear travel route elements in which two nodes (both end points, which are referred to as route changeable points where route change is possible) are connected by one link. It is. The travel route elements are set so as to be arranged at equal intervals by adjusting the overlap amount of the working width. The transition from the end point of the travel route element indicated by one line to the end point of the travel route element indicated by another line is performed by a U-turn travel (for example, a 180 ° turning travel). Automatic traveling while connecting such parallel traveling route elements by U-turn traveling is hereinafter referred to as “reciprocating traveling”. The U-turn traveling includes a normal U-turn traveling and a switchback-turn traveling. The normal U-turn traveling is performed only by the forward movement of the harvester 1, and the traveling locus is U-shaped. The switchback turn travel is performed by using the forward and backward movements of the harvester 1, and the traveling trajectory is not U-shaped. As a result, the harvester 1 travels in the same direction as the normal U-turn travel. Is obtained. In order to perform a normal U-turn traveling, a distance between two or more traveling route elements is required between the route changeable point before the direction change traveling and the route changeable point after the direction change traveling. For shorter distances, switchback turn travel is used. That is, the switchback turn travel reverses unlike the normal U-turn travel, so that there is no influence of the turning radius of the harvester 1 and there are many choices of traveling route elements to shift. However, since the forward / backward switching is performed in the switchback turn traveling, basically, the switchback turn traveling takes longer time than the normal U-turn traveling.

  As another example of the traveling route element group, FIG. 4 shows a traveling route element group that is formed by dividing the work target area CA into meshes and includes a large number of mesh lines extending in the vertical and horizontal directions. The route can be changed at the intersections between the mesh lines (path changeable points) and at both ends of the mesh lines (path changeable points). In other words, the traveling route element group constructs a route network in which the intersections and end points of the mesh lines serve as nodes, and the sides of each mesh defined by the mesh lines function as links, thereby enabling traveling with a high degree of freedom. In addition to the above-described reciprocating traveling, for example, “swirl traveling” or “zigzag traveling” from inward to outward as shown in FIG. 4 is also possible. It is also possible.

[Thinking when selecting travel route elements]
The selection rule when the route element selecting unit 63 sequentially selects the next travel route element that is the next travel route element to be traveled includes a static rule set before the work travel and a static rule set during the work travel. It can be divided into dynamic rules used in real time. The static rule includes selecting a traveling route element based on a predetermined basic traveling pattern, for example, a traveling route element such that a reciprocating traveling is performed while performing a U-turn traveling as shown in FIG. And a rule for selecting a traveling route element so as to realize a counterclockwise spiral traveling from the outside to the inside as shown in FIG. 4. The dynamic rules include a state of the harvester 1 in real time, a state of the work place, and a command of a monitor (including a driver and a manager). In principle, dynamic rules are used in preference to static rules. For this purpose, there is provided a work state evaluation unit 55 that outputs state information obtained by evaluating the state of the harvester 1, the state of the work place, the command of the monitor, and the like. Various types of primary information (work environment) are input as work parameters required for such evaluation. The primary information includes not only signals from various sensors and switches provided in the harvester 1 but also weather information, time information, and external facility information such as a drying facility. Furthermore, when cooperative work is performed by a plurality of harvesters 1, the primary information includes the state information of the other harvesters 1.

[Overview of harvester]
FIG. 5 is a side view of the harvester 1 as a working vehicle employed in the description of this embodiment. The harvester 1 includes a crawler-type traveling machine body 11. An operating unit 12 is provided at a front portion of the traveling body 11. Behind the operation unit 12, a threshing device 13 and a harvest tank 14 for storing the harvest are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. Further, a harvesting unit 15 is provided in front of the traveling machine body 11 so as to be adjustable in height. Above the harvesting section 15, a reel 17 for raising the grain stalk is provided so as to be adjustable in height. A transport device 16 for transporting the harvested culm and a discharge device 18 for discharging the crop from the crop tank 14 are provided between the harvesting unit 15 and the threshing device 13. A load sensor for detecting the weight of the crop (the state of storage of the crop) is provided below the crop tank 14, and a yield meter and a taste meter (registered trademark) are provided inside and around the crop tank 14. I have. From the taste meter, measurement data of the moisture value and protein value of the harvested product is output as quality data. The harvester 1 is provided with a satellite positioning module 80 configured as a GNSS module, a GPS module, or the like. As a component of the satellite positioning module 80, a satellite antenna for receiving a GPS signal or a GNSS signal is attached to an upper portion of the traveling body 11. Note that the satellite positioning module 80 may include an inertial navigation module incorporating a gyro acceleration sensor or a magnetic azimuth sensor to complement satellite navigation.

  In FIG. 5, a monitoring person (including a driver and a manager) monitoring the movement of the harvesting machine 1 gets on the harvesting machine 1, and the communication terminal 4 operated by the monitoring person is brought into the harvesting machine 1. I have. However, the communication terminal 4 may be configured to be attached to the harvester 1. Further, the monitoring person and the communication terminal 4 may exist outside the harvester 1.

  The harvester 1 is capable of automatic traveling by automatic steering and manual traveling by manual steering. Further, as the automatic traveling, there are an automatic traveling in which the entire traveling route is determined in advance as in the related art, and an automatic traveling in which the next traveling route is determined in real time based on the state information. In the present application, the former, in which the entire traveling route is determined in advance, is referred to as conventional traveling, and the latter, in which the next traveling route is determined in real time, is referred to as automatic traveling. The customary travel route is configured, for example, such that several patterns are registered in advance, or that the observer can arbitrarily set the communication terminal 4 or the like.

[Function control block for automatic driving]
FIG. 6 shows a control system constructed in the harvester 1 and a control system of the communication terminal 4. In this embodiment, a travel route management device that manages a travel route for the harvester 1 includes a first travel route management module CM1 built in the communication terminal 4 and a second travel route management module CM1 built in the control unit 5 of the harvester 1. And two traveling route management modules CM2.

  The communication terminal 4 includes a communication control unit 40, a touch panel 41, and the like, and has a function of a computer system and a function as a user interface for inputting conditions necessary for automatic traveling realized by the control unit 5. The communication terminal 4 can exchange data with the management computer 100 via a wireless line or the Internet by using the communication control unit 40, and can control the control unit 5 of the harvester 1 by a wireless LAN, a wired LAN, or another communication method. Data exchange is possible. The management computer 100 is a computer system installed in a remote management center KS, and functions as a cloud computer. The management computer 100 can store information sent from each farmer, agricultural union, or agricultural enterprise and send it out as required. FIG. 6 shows a work place information storage unit 101 and a work plan management unit 102 as realizing such a server function. In the communication terminal 4, external data acquired from the management computer 100 or the control unit 5 of the harvester 1 through the communication control unit 40, and input data such as a user instruction (conditions required for automatic traveling) input through the touch panel 41. Based on the data processing, the processing result is displayed on the display panel of the touch panel 41 and can be transmitted to the management computer 100 and the control unit 5 of the harvester 1 through the communication control unit 40.

The work place information storage unit 101 stores field information including a topographical map around the field and attribute information of the field (such as the entrance and exit of the field, the line direction, etc.). The work plan management unit 102 of the management computer 100 manages a work plan document that describes work contents in a designated field. The field information and the work plan can be downloaded to the communication terminal 4 or the control unit 5 of the harvester 1 through the operation of the observer or through a program that is automatically executed. The work plan includes various information (work conditions) on the work in the field to be worked. The information (work conditions) includes, for example, the following.
(A) traveling pattern (reciprocating traveling, spiral traveling, zigzag traveling, etc.) (b) parking position of the support vehicle of the transport vehicle CV and parking position of the harvester for discharging the harvested material, etc. (c) working form (one vehicle) (D) A so-called middle split line (e) Crop species to be harvested (rice (Japonica rice, Indica rice), wheat, soybeans, rapeseed, buckwheat, etc.) And the value of the rotation speed of the threshing device 13 according to the vehicle speed.
In particular, the setting of the traveling equipment parameters and the setting of the harvesting equipment parameters according to the crop type are automatically executed from the information of (e), so that setting mistakes are avoided.

  The position where the harvester 1 parks to discharge the crops to the transport vehicle CV is a parking position for discharging the crops, and the position where the harvester 1 parks to refuel from the refueling vehicle is the refueling position. Parking position, and in this embodiment, are set at substantially the same position.

  The above information (a) to (e) may be in the form of being input by the observer through the communication terminal 4 as a user interface. The communication terminal 4 has an input function of instructing start and stop of automatic traveling, an input function of performing automatic traveling or customary traveling as described above, and a vehicle traveling device such as a traveling transmission. An input function and the like for finely adjusting the parameter values for the working device group 72 (see FIG. 6) such as the group 71 and the harvesting unit 15 are also constructed. Among the parameters of the working device group 72, those whose values can be finely adjusted include the height of the reel 17, the height of the harvesting unit 15, and the like.

  The communication terminal 4 can be switched to an animation display state of the automatic traveling route or the customary traveling route, the parameter display / fine adjustment state, or the like by an artificial switching operation. In addition, this animation display is to animate the traveling trajectory of the harvester 1 traveling along the automatic traveling route or the customary traveling route, which is the traveling route in the conventional traveling in which the entire traveling route is determined in advance, and to animate the touch panel 41 This is to display on the display panel. By such an animation display, the driver can intuitively confirm the traveling route to be traveled before traveling.

The work place data input unit 42 inputs the field information downloaded from the management computer 100, the work plan, and the information obtained from the communication terminal 4. The schematic diagram of the field, the position of the field entrance and the parking position for receiving the assistance from the work support vehicle, which are included in the field information, are displayed on the touch panel 41, and the driver who makes a round trip to form the outer peripheral area SA is supported. Is done. When data such as a field entrance and a parking position is not included in the field information, the user can input through the touch panel 41. The outer shape data generation unit 43 obtains the accurate outer shape and outer dimensions of the field and the work target area CA from the traveling trajectory data (time-series data of the own vehicle position) when the harvester 1 circulates from the control unit 5. Calculate the outer shape and outer dimensions of.
The area setting unit 44 sets the outer peripheral area SA and the work target area CA from the traveling trajectory data of the orbiting of the harvester 1. The set position coordinates of the outer peripheral area SA and the work target area CA, that is, the outer shape data of the outer peripheral area SA and the work target area CA are used for generating a traveling route for automatic traveling. In this embodiment, since the generation of the traveling route is performed by the second traveling route management module CM2 constructed in the control unit 5 of the harvester 1, the set position coordinates of the outer peripheral area SA and the set work target area CA are as follows: This is sent to the second traveling route management module CM2.

  When the field is large, an operation called “intermediate splitting” is performed to create an intermediate split area that divides the field into a plurality of sections on a traveling path that passes through the center. This intermediate position designation can also be performed by a touch operation on the outline drawing of the work place displayed on the screen of the touch panel 41. Of course, the setting of the middle position also affects the generation of the traveling route element group for automatic traveling, and thus may be automatically performed when the traveling route element group is generated. At this time, if the parking position of the harvester 1 for receiving the support of the work support vehicle such as the transport vehicle CV is arranged on the extension of the middle area, the travel of the crop discharge from all the sections is efficiently performed. Will be

  The second traveling route management module CM2 includes a route management unit 60, a route element selection unit 63, and a route setting unit 64. The route management unit 60 calculates a travel route element group which is an aggregate of a large number of travel route elements constituting a travel route covering the work target area CA, and stores the travel route element group in a readable manner. The route management unit 60 includes a mesh route element calculation unit 601, a strip route element calculation unit 602, and a U-turn route calculation unit 603 as functional units for calculating a traveling route element group. The route element selection unit 63 sequentially selects the next travel route element to be traveled next from the travel route element group based on various selection rules described later in detail. The route setting unit 64 sets the selected next traveling route element as a target traveling route for automatic traveling.

  The mesh route element calculation unit 601 calculates, as a travel route element, a travel route element group that is a mesh line group including mesh lines that divide the work target area CA into meshes, and also calculates the position coordinates of the intersections and end points of the mesh lines. Can be calculated. Since this traveling path element is the target traveling path at the time of automatic traveling of the harvester 1, the harvester 1 can change the path from one traveling path element to the other traveling path element at the intersection and end point of the mesh lines. It is possible. That is, the intersections and end points of the mesh lines function as route changeable points that allow the harvester 1 to change the route.

  FIG. 7 shows an outline of the arrangement of a mesh line group, which is an example of a travel route element group, in the work target area CA. The travel route element group is calculated by the mesh route element calculation unit 601 such that the work width of the harvester 1 is set as the mesh interval and the work target area CA is completely filled with mesh lines. As described above, the work target area CA is an area inside the outer peripheral area SA formed by the round running of the work width of 3 to 4 times inward from the boundary of the field, and thus basically, the work is performed. The outer shape of the target area CA is similar to the outer shape of the field. However, in order to facilitate calculation of a mesh line, the outer peripheral area SA may be created so that the work target area CA is substantially polygonal, preferably substantially quadrangular. In FIG. 7, the shape of the work target area CA is a deformed rectangle including a first side S1, a second side S2, a third side S3, and a fourth side S4.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the mesh path element calculation unit 601 moves from the position at a distance of half the working width of the harvester 1 from the first side S1 of the work target area CA, parallel to the first side S1. In addition, the first line group arranged on the work target area CA at intervals of the work width of the harvester 1 is calculated. Similarly, from a position spaced half the working width of the harvester 1 from the second side S2, the work area CA is parallel to the second side S2 and spaced apart by the working width of the harvester 1. From the second line group arranged above the third side S3, at a distance of half the working width of the harvester 1 from the position spaced parallel to the third side S3 and the interval of the working width of the harvester 1 The third line group that is spaced above the work target area CA, from a position spaced half the working width of the harvester 1 from the fourth side S4, is parallel to the fourth side S4, and A fourth group of lines arranged on the work target area CA at intervals of the work width is calculated. As described above, the first side S1 to the fourth side S4 are reference lines for generating a line group as a traveling route element group. If there are position coordinates of two points on the straight line, the straight line can be defined. Therefore, each line, particularly each straight line, which is a traveling route element is converted into data as a straight line defined by the position coordinates of two points of each straight line. Are stored in a memory in a predetermined data format. In this data format, in addition to a route number as a route identifier for identifying each travel route element, as a property value of each travel route element, a route type, a side of a reference outer square, untraveled / already traveled And so on.

  Of course, the above-described calculation of the line group can also be applied to a polygonal work area CA other than a quadrangle. That is, assuming that the work target area CA has an N-corner shape where N is an integer of 3 or more, the traveling route element group includes N line groups from the first line group to the N-th line group. Each line group includes lines arranged at a predetermined interval (work width) in parallel with any side of the N-gon.

  Note that a traveling route element group is also set in the outer peripheral area SA by the route management unit 60, and the traveling path elements set in the outer peripheral area SA are used when the harvester 1 travels in the outer peripheral area SA. The travel route elements set in the outer peripheral area SA are given attribute values such as a departure route, a return route, and a U-turn traveling intermediate straight route. The leaving route means a traveling route element group used for the harvester 1 to leave the work target area CA and enter the outer peripheral area SA. The return path means a group of travel path elements used for returning the harvester 1 from the outer peripheral area SA to the work travel in the work target area CA. The U-turn traveling intermediate straight path (hereinafter simply referred to as an intermediate straight path) is a linear path that constitutes a part of the U-turn traveling path used for the U-turn traveling in the outer peripheral area SA. That is, the intermediate straight traveling path is a linear traveling path element group that forms a line portion connecting the turning path on the starting side of the U-turn traveling and the turning path on the ending side of the U-turn traveling. This is a path provided in parallel with each side of the work target area CA. In addition, in the case where the place performs the spiral running and performs the work travel while switching to the reciprocating travel on the way, the unrunned area becomes smaller than the work target area CA on all sides due to the spiral travel, so the work travel is efficiently performed. In this case, it is more efficient to make a U-turn travel in the work target area CA because it is not necessary to move to the outer peripheral area SA. Therefore, when the U-turn traveling is performed in the work target area CA, the intermediate straight traveling path is moved in parallel to the inner peripheral side according to the position of the outer peripheral line of the uncut land.

  In FIG. 7, since the shape of the work target area CA is a deformed rectangle, there are four sides serving as the reference for generating the mesh path element group. However, if the shape of the work target area CA is rectangular or square, The number of sides serving as references for generating the mesh path element group is two, and the structure of the mesh path element group is simpler.

  In this embodiment, the route management unit 60 includes a strip route element calculation unit 602 as an optional traveling route element calculation unit. As shown in FIG. 3, the traveling path element group calculated by the strip path element calculation unit 602 is parallel to a reference side selected from the sides constituting the outer shape of the work target area CA, for example, the longest side. It is a group of parallel lines extending and covering the work target area CA with the work width (filled with the work width). The travel path element group calculated by the strip path element calculation unit 602 divides the work target area CA into strips. Further, the traveling path element group is an aggregate of parallel lines sequentially connected by a U-turn traveling path for the harvester 1 to make a U-turn traveling. That is, when the traveling of one traveling route element that is a parallel line is completed, the U-turn traveling route for transition to the next selected traveling route element is determined by the U-turn route calculating unit 603.

  The U-turn route calculating unit 603 calculates a U-turn traveling route for connecting the two traveling route elements selected from the traveling route element group calculated by the strip route element computing unit 602 in the U-turn traveling. When the outer peripheral area SA and the like are set, the U-turn path calculator 603 calculates the outer shape and outer dimension of the outer peripheral area SA, the outer shape and outer diameter of the work target area CA, the turning radius of the harvester 1, and the like. In the outer peripheral area SA, one intermediate straight path parallel to the outer side of the work target area CA is calculated for each area corresponding to each side (outer side) of the outer periphery of the work target area CA, and a normal U-turn is performed. When traveling and switchback turn traveling are performed, a start-side turning path that connects the currently traveling traveling path element to the corresponding intermediate straight traveling path, and an end that connects the corresponding intermediate straight traveling path to the traveling traveling path element that transitions. And the side turning path. That is, the U-turn route calculation unit 603 determines, as the U-turn traveling route, a first U-turn traveling route that realizes a normal U-turn traveling performed only in forward traveling and a second U-turn traveling route that implements switchback turning traveling performed in forward traveling and reverse traveling. Calculate the turn traveling route. The route element selecting unit 63 selects the next traveling route element to be traveled next from the traveling route element group, and performs the U-turn traveling route (the first U-turn traveling route or the second U-turn traveling route) calculated by the strip route element calculating unit 602. Route). In addition, the first U-turn traveling route includes a clockwise U-turn traveling route and a counterclockwise U-turn traveling route. As will be described in detail later, the route element selection unit 63 performs the process from the currently selected travel route element (transition source travel route element) to the next travel route element to travel next (transition destination travel route element). Has a rule that selects the first U-turn traveling route when the interval is large, and selects the second U-turn traveling route when the interval is small. Furthermore, the route element selection unit also has a rule for selecting a left-turn U-turn traveling route with priority over a right-turn U-turn traveling route.

  As shown in FIG. 6, in the control unit 5 of the harvester 1 constructing the second traveling route management module CM2, various functions are constructed to perform work traveling. The control unit 5 is configured as a computer system, and includes an output processing unit 7, an input processing unit 8, and a communication processing unit 70 as input / output interfaces. The output processing unit 7 is connected to a vehicle traveling equipment group 71, a working device equipment group 72, a notification device 73, and the like provided in the harvester 1. The vehicle traveling equipment group 71 includes, for example, steering equipment that adjusts the speeds of the left and right crawlers of the traveling body 11 to perform steering, and equipment (not shown) that is controlled for vehicle traveling, such as a transmission mechanism and an engine unit. include. The working device group 72 includes devices constituting the harvesting unit 15, the threshing device 13, the discharging device 18, and the like. The notification device 73 includes a display, a lamp, and a speaker. In particular, on the display, along with the outer shape of the field, various pieces of information such as a traveled travel route (travel locus) and a travel route to be run from now on are displayed. Lamps and speakers are used to notify passengers (drivers and supervisors) of cautionary information and warning information, such as driving precautions and deviation from a target travel route in automatic steering travel.

  The communication processing unit 70 has a function of receiving the data processed by the communication terminal 4 and transmitting the data processed by the control unit 5. Thereby, the communication terminal 4 can function as a user interface of the control unit 5. The communication processing unit 70 is further used for exchanging data with the management computer 100, and thus has a function of handling various communication formats.

  The input processing unit 8 is connected to a satellite positioning module 80, a traveling system detection sensor group 81, a work system detection sensor group 82, an automatic / manual switching operation tool 83, and the like. The traveling system detection sensor group 81 includes sensors for detecting traveling conditions such as an engine speed and a gearshift condition. The working system detection sensor group 82 includes a sensor for detecting the height position of the harvesting unit 15 and a sensor for detecting the storage amount of the harvest tank 14. The automatic / manual switching operation tool 83 is a switch for selecting one of an automatic traveling mode for traveling by automatic steering and a manual traveling mode for traveling by manual steering. Further, a switch for switching between automatic traveling and conventional traveling is provided in the driving unit 12 or is built in the communication terminal 4.

  Further, the control unit 5 includes a travel control unit 51, a work control unit 52, a host vehicle position calculation unit 53, and a notification unit 54. The own vehicle position calculation unit 53 calculates the own vehicle position based on the positioning data output from the satellite positioning module 80. Since the harvester 1 is configured to be able to travel in both automatic traveling (automatic steering) and manual traveling (manual steering), the traveling control unit 51 that controls the vehicle traveling equipment group 71 includes the automatic traveling control unit 511. And a manual travel control unit 512. The manual traveling control unit 512 controls the vehicle traveling equipment group 71 based on an operation by the driver. The automatic traveling control unit 511 calculates an azimuth deviation and a positional deviation between the traveling route set by the route setting unit 64 and the own vehicle position, generates an automatic steering command, and outputs the steering device via the output processing unit 7. Output to The work control unit 52 gives a control signal to the work device group 72 in order to control the movement of the operation devices provided in the harvesting unit 15, the threshing device 13, the discharge device 18, and the like that constitute the harvester 1. The notification unit 54 generates a notification signal (display data or voice data) for notifying a driver or a supervisor of necessary information through a notification device 73 such as a display.

The automatic traveling control unit 511 can perform not only steering control but also vehicle speed control. As described above, for example, the passenger sets the vehicle speed through the communication terminal 4 before starting the work.
The vehicle speeds that can be set include the vehicle speed during harvest running, the vehicle speed during non-working turning (U-turn running, etc.), and when traveling in the outer peripheral area SA after leaving the work target area CA when discharging crops or refueling. Vehicle speed. The automatic traveling control unit 511 calculates the actual vehicle speed based on the positioning data obtained by the satellite positioning module 80. The output processing unit 7 sends a shift operation command for traveling or the like to the vehicle traveling equipment group 71 so that the actual vehicle speed matches the set vehicle speed.

[Automatic route]
Examples of automatic traveling will be described separately for an example of performing reciprocating traveling and an example of performing spiral traveling.

  First, an example in which the vehicle travels back and forth using the travel route element group calculated by the strip route element calculation unit 602 will be described. FIG. 8 schematically shows a traveling route element group composed of 21 traveling route elements represented by strips having a reduced line length, and a route number is given above each traveling route element. ing. The harvester 1 at the start of the work traveling is located at the 14th traveling route element. The degree of separation between the traveling path element where the harvester 1 is located and the other traveling path elements is a signed integer, and is provided below each path. The priority at which the harvester 1 located in the 14th travel route element shifts to the next travel route element is indicated by an integer value below the travel route element in FIG. The smaller the value, the higher the priority, and the priority is selected. When the harvester 1 shifts from the traveled travel route element to the next travel route element, as shown in FIG. 9, the harvester 1 shifts to the next travel route element across at least two travel route elements. Traveling and switchback turn travel that allows transition to less than or equal to two travel path elements, ie, adjacent travel path elements, are possible. In the normal U-turn traveling, when the vehicle enters the outer peripheral area SA from the end point of the traveling route element of the transfer source, the direction is changed by about 180 ° and the vehicle enters the end point of the traveling route element of the transition destination. If the distance between the traveling path element of the transfer source and the traveling path element of the transition destination is large, the vehicle travels straight along during a turn of about 90 °. That is, the normal U-turn traveling is executed only in the forward traveling. On the other hand, in the switchback turn traveling, when the vehicle enters the outer peripheral area SA from the end point of the traveling route element of the transfer source, the vehicle once turns by about 90 ° and then smoothly enters the traveling route element of the transition by approximately 90 °. After traveling backward to the position, the vehicle goes to the end point of the travel route element to which the vehicle is to move. As a result, the steering control becomes complicated, but it is also possible to shift to a traveling route element having a short interval between each other.

  The selection of the next traveling route element to be traveled is performed by the route element selecting unit 63. In this embodiment, as a priority of the basic selection, the traveling route element is separated by a predetermined distance from the traveling route element as the order source. The appropriate separated traveling route element is set to the highest priority, and the priority is set to be lower as the distance from the traveling route element which is the original order becomes lower than the appropriate separated traveling route element. For example, regarding the transition to the next traveling route element, a normal U-turn traveling with a short traveling distance has a short traveling time and is efficient. Therefore, the priority of the traveling route element on both the left and right sides separated by two is set to the highest (priority = “1”). Since the traveling time of the normal U-turn traveling increases as the distance from the harvester 1 increases, the priority decreases (priority = “2”, “3”,...). That is, the numerical value of the priority indicates the priority. However, the traveling time of the normal U-turn traveling becomes longer, and the priority of the transition to the next traveling route element eight spaces apart, which is less efficient than the switchback turning traveling, is lower than that of the switchback turning traveling. In the switchback turn traveling, the priority of shifting to the next traveling route element is higher than the priority of shifting to the next traveling route element. This is because a switchback turn traveling to an adjacent traveling route element requires a sharp turn, and is highly likely to ruin the field. The transition to the next traveling route element can be performed in either the left or right direction. However, as described above, the transition to the left traveling route element (counterclockwise U-turn traveling) The rule is adopted that the route) has priority over the transition to the right traveling route element (clockwise U-turn traveling route). Therefore, in the example of FIG. 8, the harvester 1 located at the route number: 14 selects the travel route element of the route number: 17 as the travel route element to travel next. Such setting of the priority is performed every time the harvester 1 enters a new travel route element.

  A travel route element that has already been selected, that is, a travel route element for which work has been completed, is basically prohibited from being selected. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, for example, if the route number: 11 or the route number: 17 having the priority “1” is the already-worked land (the already-cutted ground), the harvester located at the route number: 14 1 selects the traveling route element of the route number: 18 having the priority "2" as the traveling route element to travel next.

  FIG. 11 shows an example in which the vehicle travels in a spiral using the travel route elements calculated by the mesh route element calculation unit 601. The field outer peripheral area SA and the work target area CA shown in FIG. 11 are the same as those in FIG. 7, and the travel route element group set in the work target area CA is also the same. Here, for the sake of explanation, traveling route elements having the first side S1 as a reference line are indicated by L11, L12..., And traveling route elements having the second side S2 as a reference line are indicated by L21, L22. , The traveling route elements with the third side S3 as the reference line are denoted by L31, L32,..., And the traveling route elements with the fourth side S4 as the reference line are denoted by L41, L42,.

  The bold line in FIG. 11 indicates a traveling route that travels in a spiral shape from the outside to the inside of the harvester 1. The travel route element L11 outside the work target area CA is selected as the first travel route. At about the intersection of the traveling route element L11 and the traveling route element L21, a route change of approximately 90 ° is performed, and the harvester 1 travels on the traveling route element L21. Further, a route change of approximately 110 ° is made at the intersection of the traveling route element L21 and the traveling route element L31, and the harvester 1 travels on the traveling route element L31. At the intersection of the traveling route element L31 and the traveling route element L41, a route change of approximately 70 ° is performed, and the harvester 1 travels on the traveling route element L41. Next, the harvester 1 shifts to the traveling route element L12 at the intersection of the traveling route element L12 and the traveling route element L41 inside the traveling route element L11. By repeatedly selecting such a traveling route element, the harvester 1 travels in a spiral manner from the outside to the inside in the work target area CA in the field. in this way. When the spiral running pattern is set, the route is changed at the intersection of the running route elements located at the outermost periphery of the work target area CA while having the attribute of not running, and the harvester 1 changes direction.

  FIG. 12 shows a running example of U-turn running using the same running route element group shown in FIG. First, the traveling route element L11 outside the work target area CA is selected as the first traveling route. The harvester 1 enters the outer peripheral area SA beyond the end (end point) of the traveling route element L11, makes a 90 ° turn along the second side S2, and further extends in parallel with the traveling route element L11. A 90 ° turn is performed again so as to enter the start end (end point) of the element L14. As a result, after the normal U-turn traveling of 180 °, the traveling path element L11 is shifted to the traveling path element L14 with two traveling path elements separated. Further, when the vehicle travels along the travel route element L14 and enters the outer peripheral area SA, the vehicle travels through a normal U-turn travel of 180 ° to a travel route element L17 extending parallel to the travel route element L14. In this manner, the harvester 1 shifts from the traveling path element L17 to the traveling path element L110, and further from the traveling path element L110 to the traveling path element L16, and finally, the work traveling in the entire work target area CA in the field. Complete. As is clear from the above description, the example of the reciprocating travel using the travel route element group by the strip route element calculation unit 602 described with reference to FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 is based on the mesh route element calculation. The present invention is also applicable to reciprocating traveling using the traveling route element calculated by the unit 601.

  As described above, the reciprocating traveling can be realized by a traveling path element group that divides the work target area CA into strips or a traveling path element group that divides the work target area CA into meshes. In other words, a traveling route element group that divides the work target area CA into a mesh shape can be used for reciprocating traveling, spiral traveling, and zigzag traveling. It is also possible to change to running.

[Generation principle of U-turn traveling route]
The basic principle of the U-turn route calculating section 603 generating the U-turn traveling route will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 13 shows a U-turn traveling route that transitions from the turning source traveling route element indicated by LS0 to the turning destination traveling route element indicated by LS1. In normal traveling, if LS0 is a traveling route element in the work area CA, LS1 is a traveling route element in the outer peripheral area SA (= intermediate straight path), and LS1 is a traveling route element in the work area CA. In this case, LS0 is generally a traveling route element (= intermediate straight traveling route) in the outer peripheral area SA. For example, a straight line formula (or two points on a straight line) of the traveling route elements LS0 and LS1 is recorded in the memory, and the intersection (indicated by PX in FIG. 13) and the intersection angle (FIG. Is indicated by θ). Next, a tangent circle having a radius (indicated by r in FIG. 13) that is in contact with the traveling route element LS0 and the traveling route element LS1 and is equal to the minimum turning radius of the harvester 1 is calculated. An arc (a part of the tangent circle) connecting a contact point (indicated by PS0 and PS1 in FIG. 13) between the tangent circle and the travel route elements LS0 and LS1 forms a turning path. Therefore, the distance Y between the intersection PX between the traveling route elements LS0 and LS1 and the contact point with the circle is determined by Y = r / (tan (θ / 2)). Since the minimum turning radius is substantially determined by the specifications of the harvester 1, r is a specified value. Note that r does not have to be the same value as the minimum turning radius, and it is sufficient that a reasonable turning radius is set in advance by the communication terminal 4 or the like, and that a turning operation to achieve the turning radius is programmed. In terms of traveling control, when the harvester 1 reaches the position coordinates (PS0) where the distance to the intersection is Y while traveling on the traveling route element LS0 of the turning source, the harvesting machine 1 starts the turning traveling, and then turns. If the difference between the azimuth of the harvester 1 and the azimuth of the traveling route element LS1 of the turning destination falls within an allowable value, the turning traveling is ended. At that time, the turning radius of the harvester 1 does not have to exactly match the radius r. By performing the steering control based on the distance and the azimuth difference from the turning destination traveling route element LS1, the harvester 1 can shift to the turning destination traveling route element LS1.

  FIGS. 14, 15 and 16 show three specific U-turn runnings. In FIG. 14, the traveling route element LS0 of the turning source and the traveling route element LS1 of the turning destination extend in an inclined state from the outer periphery of the work target area CA, but the same applies even if they extend vertically. Here, the U-turn traveling route in the outer peripheral area SA is an extension of the traveling path element LS0 and the traveling path element LS1 to the outer peripheral area SA, and an intermediate straight path that is a part (line segment) of the traveling path element in the outer peripheral area SA. And two arc-shaped turning paths. This U-turn traveling route can also be generated according to the basic principle described with reference to FIG. An intersection angle θ1 and an intersection PX1 between the intermediate straight path and the turning source traveling path element LS0, and an intersection angle θ2 and an intersection PX2 between the intermediate straight path and the turning destination traveling path element LS1 are calculated. Furthermore, the position coordinates of the contact points PS10 and PS11 of the tangent circles of the radius r (= the turning radius of the harvester 1) that are in contact with the traveling route element LS0 of the turning source and the intermediate straight traveling route, and traveling of the intermediate straight traveling route and the turning destination. The position coordinates of the tangent points PS20 and PS21 of a tangent circle having a radius r that is in contact with the path element LS1 are calculated. At these contact points PS10 and PS20, the harvester 1 starts to turn. Similarly, a U-turn traveling route that bypasses the triangular projection can be generated in the work target area CA having the triangular projection shown in FIG. The intersections of the travel route elements LS0 and LS1 and two intermediate straight routes that are part (line segments) of the travel route elements in the outer peripheral area SA are obtained. To calculate each intersection, the basic principle described with reference to FIG. 13 is applied.

  FIG. 16 shows turning traveling by switchback turn traveling, in which the traveling route element LS0 of the turning source is shifted to the traveling path element LS1 of the turning destination. In this switchback turn traveling, a tangent circle having a radius r contacting an intermediate straight path parallel to the outer side of the work target area CA, which is a part (line segment) of the traveling path element in the outer peripheral area SA, and the traveling path element LS0. And a tangent circle having a radius r that is in contact with the intermediate straight traveling route and the traveling route element LS1 is calculated. According to the basic principle described with reference to FIG. 13, the position coordinates of the contact point between the two tangent circles and the intermediate straight traveling path, the position coordinates of the contact point between the traversing source travel path element LS0 and the tangent circle, The position coordinates of the contact point between the traveling route element LS1 and the tangent circle are calculated. As a result, a U-turn traveling route in the switchback turn traveling is generated. In the switchback turn travel, the harvester 1 travels backward on the intermediate straight path.

[Change of direction in spiral running]
FIG. 17 shows an example of a direction change travel used for a route change at an intersection which is a route changeable point of the travel route element in the above-described spiral running. Hereinafter, this direction change traveling is referred to as α-turn traveling. The traveling route in the α-turn traveling (α-turn traveling route) is a kind of a so-called turning traveling route, and includes a traveling route element of the traveling source (indicated by LS0 in FIG. 17) and a traveling route element of the turning destination (see FIG. 17). 17 is indicated by LS1), passes through the turning path in the forward direction, and contacts the traveling path element of the turning destination in the turning path in the reverse direction. Since the α-turn traveling route is standardized, the α-turn traveling route generated according to the intersection angle between the traveling route element of the traveling source and the traveling route element of the turning destination is registered in advance. Therefore, the route management unit 60 reads an appropriate α-turn traveling route based on the calculated intersection angle, and provides the route to the route setting unit 64. Instead of this configuration, an automatic control program for each intersection angle is registered in the automatic traveling control unit 511, and based on the intersection angle calculated by the route management unit 60, the automatic traveling control unit 511 A configuration for reading data may be employed.

[Rules for route selection]
The route element selection unit 63 includes a work plan received from the management center KS, a running pattern (for example, a reciprocating running pattern or a spiral running pattern) artificially input from the communication terminal 4, a position of the own vehicle, and a work state evaluation. The traveling route elements are sequentially selected based on the status information output from the unit 55. That is, unlike the case where the entire travel route is formed based only on the set travel pattern, a suitable travel route corresponding to a situation that cannot be predicted before the work is formed. In addition to the basic rules described above, the following route selection rules A1 to A11 can be registered in advance in the route element selection unit 63, and a suitable route selection rule can be selected according to the traveling pattern and the state information. Rules are applied.

  (A1) When the transition from the automatic traveling to the manual traveling is requested by the operation of the observer (passenger), the selection of the traveling route element by the route element selecting unit 63 is stopped after the preparation for the manual traveling is completed. . Such an operation includes an operation of the automatic / manual switching operation tool 83, an operation of the braking operation tool (especially an operation of sudden stop), an operation of a steering operation tool (such as a steering lever) at a predetermined steering angle or more, and the like. Further, the traveling system detection sensor group 81 includes a sensor that detects the absence of a monitor required to be boarded during automatic traveling, for example, a seating detection sensor provided on a seat or a seatbelt wearing detection sensor. In this case, the automatic traveling control can be stopped based on the signal from the sensor. That is, when the absence of the monitor is detected, the stop of the automatic running control or the running of the harvester 1 itself is stopped. Further, the operation of the steering operation tool with a small steering angle smaller than the predetermined steering angle may be configured to perform only the fine adjustment of the traveling direction without stopping the automatic traveling control.

(A2) The automatic traveling control unit 511 monitors the relationship (distance) between the outer shape line position of the field and the position of the own vehicle based on the positioning data, and avoids contact between the ridge and the aircraft during turning in the outer peripheral area SA. To control the autonomous driving. Specifically, the automatic traveling is stopped to stop the harvester 1, the form of the turn traveling is changed (from normal U-turn traveling to switchback-turn traveling or α-turn traveling), and the vehicle does not pass through the area. Set the driving route.
Also, "The turning area is getting smaller. Please be careful. And the like.

  (A3) When the storage amount of the harvest in the harvest tank 14 is full or nearly full and the harvest needs to be discharged, the work state evaluation unit 55 sends the path element selection unit 63 as one of the state information. A discharge request (a type of request to leave the work traveling in the work target area CA) is issued. In this case, the vehicle departs from the work traveling in the work target area CA based on the parking position for performing the discharging work to the transport vehicle CV at the ridge and the own vehicle position, travels in the outer peripheral area SA, and enters the parking position. The appropriate traveling route element (for example, the traveling route element that is the shortest route) toward the traveling route element group is a traveling route element group set in the outer peripheral area SA, which is provided with the attribute value of the departure route, and the work target area CA Is selected from the traveling route element group set in.

  (A4) A fuel replenishment request (a type of departure request) is issued when the imminent fuel shortage is evaluated based on the remaining fuel tank value calculated from a signal from a fuel remaining sensor or the like. Also in this case, as in (A3), based on the parking position, which is a preset fuel supply position, and the own vehicle position, an appropriate travel route element to the fuel supply position (for example, travel that is the shortest route) Path element) is selected.

  (A5) When the vehicle leaves the work traveling in the work target area CA and enters the outer peripheral area SA, it is necessary to return to the work target area CA again. The travel route element closest to the departure point or the travel route element closest to the current position in the outer circumference area SA is set in the outer circumference area SA as the travel route element serving as the starting point of the return to the work target area CA. The travel route element group is selected from the one to which the attribute value of the return route is given and the travel route element group set in the work target area CA.

  (A6) When deciding a traveling route that leaves the work travel in the work target area CA and returns to the work target area CA again for crop discharge and fuel replenishment, the work already performed in the work target area CA (already traveled) Thus, the traveling route element to which the traveling prohibition attribute is added is restored as a traveling route element that can travel. If a predetermined time or more can be reduced by selecting an already-operated traveling route element, the traveling route element is selected. Further, when traveling away from the work target area CA, traveling in the work target area CA may be performed using reverse.

  (A7) The timing at which the vehicle leaves the work traveling in the work target area CA for the purpose of discharging crops and refueling is determined based on the respective margins and the traveling time or traveling distance to the parking position. Here, the margin is a travel time or a travel distance predicted until the harvest tank 14 becomes full from the current storage amount if the crop is discharged. In the case of refueling, the travel time or travel distance is estimated from the current remaining amount in the fuel tank until fuel is completely exhausted. For example, when passing near the parking position for discharge during automatic driving, the vehicle passes through the parking position based on the margin or the time required for the discharging operation, and then leaves when it is full and returns to the parking position. It is determined whether the vehicle is finally traveling efficiently (the total working time is short or the total traveling distance is short) when the vehicle comes and when the vehicle is discharged near the parking position. If the discharge operation is performed when the amount is too small, the number of discharges increases as a whole, and it is not efficient. If the discharge operation is almost full, it is more efficient to discharge the discharge.

  (A8) FIG. 18 shows a case where the traveling route element selected in the work traveling resumed after leaving from the work target area CA is not a continuation of the work traveling before leaving. In this case, a reciprocating traveling pattern as shown in FIGS. 3 and 12 is set in advance. In FIG. 18, the parking position is indicated by a reference symbol PP, and, as a comparative example, a traveling route in the case where the work has been successfully completed in the work target area CA in a reciprocating travel with a 180-turn U-turn travel is indicated by a dotted line. It is shown. The actual running trajectory is shown by a thick solid line. As the work traveling progresses, a linear traveling route element and a U-turn traveling route are sequentially selected (step # 01).

  During the work traveling (step # 02), when a departure request is issued, a traveling route from the work target area CA to the outer peripheral area SA is calculated. At this point, a path that goes straight ahead along the traveling route element that is currently traveling to the outer peripheral area SA and a turn that is 90 degrees from the traveling route element that is currently traveling, and has a cut area (= have already traveled attribute) It is conceivable that the route passes through the outer peripheral area SA where the parking position exists after passing through the traveling route element (a set of traveling route elements). Here, the latter route having a shorter traveling distance is selected (step # 03). In the latter departure traveling, as the departure traveling path element in the work target area CA after the 90 ° turn, a traveling path element set in the outer peripheral area SA that is translated to the departure point is used. However, if the withdrawal request is made with sufficient time, the former route is selected. In the former departure traveling, the harvesting operation is continued during the departure traveling in the work target area CA, which is advantageous in terms of work efficiency.

  When the harvester 1 leaves the work traveling in the work target area CA and leaves the work target area CA and the outer peripheral area SA to arrive at the parking position, the harvester 1 receives assistance from the work support vehicle. In this example, the crop stored in the crop tank 14 is discharged to the transport vehicle CV.

  When the discharge of the harvest is completed, it is necessary to return to the point where the withdrawal request has occurred in order to return to the work traveling. In the example of FIG. 18, since an unworked portion remains in the traveling route element that was traveling when the departure request was issued, the process returns to the traveling route element. For this reason, the harvester 1 selects the travel route element of the outer peripheral area SA from the parking position, travels counterclockwise, and reaches the end point of the target travel route element, turns 90 ° there, and turns the travel route element. Enter the element and do the work run. After the point at which the withdrawal request is generated, the harvester 1 travels without work, and travels along the next travel route element via the U-turn travel route (step # 04). Thereafter, the harvester 1 continues to reciprocate and completes the work traveling in the work target area CA (step # 05).

  (A9) When the input work place data includes the position of a traveling obstacle in the field, or when the harvester 1 is equipped with an obstacle position detecting device, the position of the obstacle and the vehicle A travel route element for obstacle avoidance travel is selected based on the position. As the selection rule for the obstacle avoidance purpose, there is a rule for selecting a traveling route element that takes a detour route as close as possible to an obstacle, and there is no obstacle when entering the work target area CA after exiting the outer peripheral area SA once. There are rules for selecting travel route elements that can take a route.

  (A10) When the spiral traveling pattern as shown in FIGS. 4 and 11 is set and the length of the traveling route element to be selected becomes shorter, the spiral traveling pattern is automatically switched to the reciprocating traveling pattern. Can be This is because, when the area is reduced, the spiral running including the α-turn running for moving forward and backward tends to be inefficient.

  (A11) If the number of unworked (unrunned) travel route elements in the unworked area, that is, the travel route element group in the work target area CA becomes less than or equal to a predetermined value when the vehicle travels in the customary travel, the practice is performed. Automatic switching from driving to automatic driving. Further, when the harvester 1 is working in a spiral running from the outside to the inside of the work target area CA covered by the mesh wire group, the area of the remaining unworked land is reduced, and the unworked travel route is reduced. When the number of elements becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value, the mode is switched from the spiral running to the reciprocating running. In this case, as described above, in order to avoid useless traveling, the traveling route element having the attribute of the intermediate straight traveling route is translated from the outer peripheral area SA to the vicinity of the unworked area of the work target area CA.

  (A12) In fields such as rice cultivation and wheat cultivation, running the harvester 1 in parallel with the rows (rows), which are rows of seedlings, improves the efficiency of the harvesting operation. For this reason, in the selection of the travel route element by the route element selection unit 63, the travel route element parallel to the stripe is more easily selected. However, if the attitude of the aircraft is not the attitude or position parallel to the streak direction at the start of work travel, even if it is travel along the direction intersecting the streak direction, Configure to work. Thereby, even a little useless traveling (non-working traveling) can be reduced, and the work can be completed quickly.

(Cooperative driving control)
Next, a description will be given of work traveling by the traveling vehicle automatic traveling system into which a plurality of traveling vehicles are put. Here, for easy understanding, a work traveling (automatic traveling) by the two harvesters 1 will be described. FIG. 19 shows a state where the first work vehicle functioning as the master harvester 1m and the second work vehicle functioning as the slave harvester 1s work and travel on one field in cooperation. In order to distinguish the two harvesters 1, the names of the master harvester 1 m and the slave harvester 1 s are given to them, respectively. Name. Note that a supervisor is riding on the master harvester 1m, and the supervisor operates the communication terminal 4 brought into the master harvester 1m. For convenience, the terms master and slave are used, but do not imply a strict master-slave relationship. Data communication is possible between the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s via the respective communication processing units 70, and exchanges state information. The communication terminal 4 not only gives the master harvester 1m a command of a supervisor or data relating to a traveling route, etc., but also sends a supervisor command to the slave harvester 1s via the communication terminal 4 and the master harvester 1m. Data about the travel route can be provided. For example, the state information output from the work state evaluation unit 55 of the slave harvester 1s is also transferred to the master harvester 1m, and the state information output from the work state evaluation unit 55 of the master harvester 1m is sent to the slave harvester 1s. Is also transferred. Therefore, both route element selecting units 63 have a function of selecting the next traveling route element in consideration of both the state information and the positions of the own vehicle. In the case where the route management unit 60 and the route element selection unit 63 are constructed in the communication terminal 4, both harvesters 1 provide the state information to the communication terminal 4, and the next traveling route element selected there. Will receive.

  FIG. 20 shows a work target area CA covered by a mesh line group including mesh lines divided into meshes by the work width, similarly to FIG. Here, the master harvester 1m enters the traveling route element L11 from the vicinity of the lower right apex of the deformed rectangle indicating the work target area CA, turns left at the intersection of the traveling route element L11 and the traveling route element L21, and travels to the left. Enter L21. Further, the vehicle turns left at the intersection of the traveling route element L21 and the traveling route element L32 and enters the traveling route element L32. In this way, the master harvester 1m performs a left-handed spiral run. On the other hand, the slave harvester 1s enters the travel route element L31 from near the upper left apex of the work target area CA, turns left at the intersection of the travel route element L31 and the travel route element L41, and enters the travel route element L41. . Further, the vehicle turns left at the intersection of the traveling route element L41 and the traveling route element L12 to enter the traveling route element L12. In this way, the slave harvester 1s performs a left-handed spiral run. As is clear from FIG. 20, since the cooperative control is performed such that the traveling locus of the slave harvester 1s enters between the traveling locus of the master harvester 1m, the master harvester 1m has its own working width and the slave harvester. The swirling travel is spaced by a width that is equal to the working width of 1 s, and the slave harvester 1 s is a spiral running that is spaced by a width that is equal to the working width of its own working width and the working width of the master harvester 1 m. . The travel locus of the master harvester 1m and the travel locus of the slave harvester 1s create a double spiral.

  In addition, since the work target area CA is defined by the outer peripheral area SA formed by the outer peripheral traveling, the traveling for forming the outer peripheral area SA is first performed by the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s. It must be done by either. This round traveling can also be performed by cooperative control of the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s.

  The traveling locus shown in FIG. 20 is a theoretical one. Actually, the traveling locus of the master harvester 1m and the traveling route of the slave harvester 1s are corrected according to the status information output from the work status evaluator 55, and the traveling locus is also completely double spiral. Not be. An example of such a corrected traveling will be described below with reference to FIG. In FIG. 21, a transport vehicle CV that transports the crops harvested by the harvester 1 is parked at a position corresponding to the outside of the center of the first side S1 outside the field (ridge). Then, at a position adjacent to the transport vehicle CV in the outer peripheral area SA, a parking position where the harvester 1 is parked for the work of discharging the harvest to the transport vehicle CV is set. FIG. 21 shows that the slave harvester 1 s is separated from the traveling route element in the work target area CA, travels around the outer peripheral area SA, discharges the harvested product to the transport vehicle CV, and returns to the outer A state in which the vehicle travels around the area SA and returns to the traveling route element in the work target area CA is shown.

  First, when a withdrawal request (harvest discharge) is generated, the route element selection unit 63 of the slave harvester 1s determines the attribute of the withdrawal route in the outer peripheral area SA based on the margin of the storage amount, the traveling distance to the parking position, and the like. A traveling route element having a ground and a traveling route element serving as a departure source of the departure route attribute to the traveling route element are selected. In the present embodiment, the traveling route element set in the area where the parking position is set in the outer peripheral area SA and the traveling route element L41 currently traveling are selected, and the traveling route element L41 and the traveling route element L41 are selected. The intersection with L12 is the departure point. The slave harvester 1s that has proceeded to the outer peripheral area SA travels to the parking position along the traveling path element (separation path) of the outer peripheral area SA, and discharges the harvest to the transport vehicle CV at the parking position.

  The master harvester 1m continues the work traveling in the work target area CA while the slave harvester 1s is leaving the work travel in the work target area CA and discharging the harvest. However, the slave harvester 1s was originally planning to select the traveling path element L13 at the intersection of the traveling path element L42 and the traveling path element L13 while traveling the traveling path element L42. However, the traveling of the traveling path element L12 has been canceled due to the detachment of the slave harvester 1s, and thus the traveling path element L12 has not been cut (not traveling). Therefore, the route element selection unit 63 of the master harvester 1m selects the travel route element L12 instead of the travel route element L13. That is, the master harvester 1m travels to the intersection of the travel route element L42 and the travel route element L12, turns left there, and travels along the travel route element L12.

  When the slave harvester 1s finishes discharging the harvested material, the path element selection unit 63 of the slave harvester 1s determines the current position and the automatic traveling speed of the slave harvester 1s and the attributes of the traveling path element in the work target area CA (not traveling). / Running), and the running route element to be returned is selected based on the current position and the automatic running speed of the master harvester 1m. In the present embodiment, the traveling route element L43 that is the outermost unworked traveling route element is selected. The slave harvester 1s travels counterclockwise from the parking position in the outer peripheral area SA along the travel route element having the attribute of the return route, and enters the travel route element L43 from the left end of the travel route element L43. When the route element selecting unit 63 of the slave harvester 1s selects the traveling route element L43, the information is transmitted to the master harvester 1m as state information. Assuming that the traveling route has been selected up to the traveling route element L33, the route element selecting unit 63 of the master harvester 1m selects the traveling route element L44 adjacent to the inside of the traveling route element L43 as the next traveling route element. This means that there is a possibility that the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s are close to each other near the intersection of the traveling path element L33 and the traveling path element L44. Therefore, the traveling control unit 51 of either of the harvesters 1m and 1s or one of the traveling control units 51 calculates a transit time difference between the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s at the intersection in the vicinity of the intersection and passes the difference. If the time difference is equal to or less than the predetermined value, control is performed so that the harvester 1 (the master harvester 1m in this case) with the slower transit time stops temporarily to avoid collision. After the slave harvester 1s has passed the intersection, the master harvester 1m starts automatic traveling again. As described above, since the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s exchange information such as the own vehicle position and the selected traveling route element with each other, the collision avoidance action and the delay avoidance action can be executed.

  Such a collision avoiding action and a delay avoiding action are also executed in a round trip as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23. In FIG. 22 and FIG. 23, parallel line groups composed of lines parallel to each other are indicated by L01, L02,... L10, L01-L04 are already-operated traveling route elements, and L05-L10 Is an unworked traveling route element. In FIG. 22, the master harvester 1m travels in the outer peripheral area SA to head to the parking position, and the slave harvester 1s is temporarily stopped at the lower end of the work target area CA, specifically, at the lower end of the travel route element L04. When the slave harvester 1s enters the outer peripheral area SA in order to shift from the travel route element L04 to the travel route element L07 in a U-turn travel, the slave harvester 1s collides with the master harvester 1m. It is stopped. When the master harvester 1m is parked at the parking position, it is impossible to enter or leave the work area CA using the travel path elements L05, L06, and L07. L05, L06, and L07 are temporarily prohibited from traveling (selection is prohibited). When the master harvester 1m finishes the discharging operation and moves from the parking position, the route element selecting unit 63 of the slave harvester 1s takes the travel route of the master harvester 1m into consideration, from the travel route elements L05-L10, and then to the next. The traveling path element to be shifted is selected, and the slave harvester 1s restarts the automatic traveling.

  Also, while the master harvester 1m is performing the discharging operation at the parking position, the slave harvester 1s can continue the operation. An example is shown in FIG. In this case, the route element selection unit 63 of the slave harvester 1s normally selects the travel route element L07 three lanes ahead with the travel route element priority “1” as the travel route element of the transfer destination. However, the traveling route element L07 is prohibited from traveling as in the example of FIG. Therefore, the traveling route element L08 having the next highest priority is selected. The travel route from the travel route element L04 to the travel route element L08 may be a route (shown by a solid line in FIG. 23) that travels backward through the current travel route element L04 that has already traveled, or a lower end of the travel route element L04. A plurality of routes, such as a route (shown by a dotted line in FIG. 23) that advances forward in the clockwise direction to the outer peripheral area SA, are calculated, and the most efficient route, for example, the shortest route (in this embodiment, the shortest route) Path) is selected.

  As described above, even when a plurality of harvesters 1 cooperate and perform work on one field, each of the route element selection units 63 performs the work plan received from the management center KS or the artificial data from the communication terminal 4. Based on the input traveling pattern (for example, a reciprocating traveling pattern or a spiral traveling pattern), the position of the own vehicle, the state information output from the respective work state evaluation units 55, and a selection rule registered in advance. Then, the traveling route elements are sequentially selected. Hereinafter, selection rules (B1) to (B11), which are rules other than the above-described (A1) to (A12) and are unique when a plurality of harvesters 1 work in cooperation, are listed.

(B1) The plurality of harvesters 1 that cooperate and travel work automatically travel in the same travel pattern.
For example, when a reciprocating traveling pattern is set for one harvester 1, a reciprocating traveling pattern is also set for the other harvester 1.

  (B2) When one of the harvesters 1 is separated from the work traveling in the work target area CA and enters the outer peripheral area SA when the spiral traveling pattern is set, the other harvester 1 travels further outside. Select a route element. As a result, instead of leaving the traveling route of the harvester 1 that has left, the traveling route element that the harvester 1 that has left will travel is preempted.

  (B3) When the separated harvester 1 returns to the work traveling in the work target area CA again when the spiral traveling pattern is set, the harvester 1 is far from the harvester 1 that is traveling and has not been worked. Select a travel route element with attributes.

  (B4) When the spiral traveling pattern is set and the length of the traveling route element to be selected becomes short, the work traveling is performed by only one harvester 1, and the remaining harvesters 1 are traveling. Break away from

  (B5) When the spiral running pattern is set, in order to avoid the danger of collision, the plurality of harvesters 1 use a travel route from a travel route element group parallel to the polygonal side indicating the outer shape of the work target area CA. Forbid selecting elements at the same time.

  (B6) When the reciprocating traveling pattern is set, when one of the harvesters 1 is traveling in a U-turn, the other harvesters 1 are in the area where the U-turn traveling is executed in the outer peripheral area SA. Is controlled automatically so as not to enter the vehicle.

  (B7) When the reciprocating traveling pattern is set, as the next traveling route element, at least two or more of the other harvesting machines 1 from the traveling route element scheduled to travel next or the traveling route element currently traveling. The traveling route element at the position where the traveling route element is skipped is selected.

  (B8) The determination of the timing of departure from the work traveling in the work target area CA and the selection of the traveling route element for the purpose of discharging the crops and refueling are not limited to the margin and the traveling time to the parking position. The operation is performed under the condition that a plurality of harvesters 1 do not leave simultaneously.

  (B9) When the customary traveling is set in the master harvester 1m, the slave harvester 1s performs automatic traveling following the master harvester 1m.

  (B10) When the capacity of the harvest tank 14 of the master harvester 1m and the capacity of the harvest tank 14 of the slave harvester 1s are different, if a discharge request is issued at the same time or almost at the same time, the harvester 1 with a smaller capacity is used. Perform the discharge work first. The discharge standby time (non-working time) of the harvester 1 that cannot discharge can be shortened, and the harvesting work in the field can be completed as soon as possible.

  (B11) When one field is considerably large, one field is divided into a plurality of sections by middle division, and one harvester 1 is put into each section. FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram showing the middle of the middle dividing process in which a band-shaped middle divided area CC is formed at the center of the work target area CA and the work target area CA is divided into two sections CA1 and CA2. FIG. 25 is an explanatory diagram showing a state after the intermediate dividing process is completed. In this embodiment, the master harvester 1m forms the middle split area CC. While the master harvester 1m performs the middle split, the slave harvester 1s performs work traveling in the section CA2, for example, in a reciprocating traveling pattern. Prior to this work traveling, a traveling route element group for the section CA2 is generated. At this time, the travel route elements corresponding to one work width on the side of the middle division area CC of the section CA2 are prohibited from being selected until the middle division process is completed, and the contact between the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s is prohibited. To avoid.

  When the middle splitting process is completed, the master harvester 1m is controlled to travel as a single work traveling using the travel route element group calculated for the section CA1, and the slave harvester 1s is calculated for the section CA2. The travel control is performed using the travel route element group thus performed, as in the case of independent work travel. When one of the harvesters 1 completes the work first, the user enters the section where the work remains, and the cooperative control between the harvester 1 and another harvester 1 is started. The harvester 1 having completed the work in the section in charge automatically travels to the section in charge of the other harvester 1 in order to support the work of the other harvester 1.

  When the size of the field is even larger, the field is divided into grids as shown in FIG. This middle split can be performed by the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s. The work performed by the master harvester 1m and the work performed by the slave harvester 1s are assigned to the grid-shaped sections, and work is performed by the single harvester 1 in each section. However, the travel route element is selected on condition that the distance between the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s does not exceed a predetermined value. This is because, if the slave harvester 1s is too far from the master harvester 1m, it becomes difficult for the observer who is riding on the master harvester 1m to monitor the work traveling of the slave harvester 1s and exchange status information with each other. That's why. In the case of the form as shown in FIG. 26, the harvester 1 having completed the work in the section in charge is directed to the section in charge of the other harvester 1 in order to support the work of the other harvester 1. The vehicle may travel automatically or may travel automatically to the next section in charge of the vehicle.

  Since the parking position of the transport vehicle CV and the parking position of the refueling vehicle are outside the outer peripheral area SA, depending on the section where the vehicle is traveling, the traveling route for discharging the crops and refueling becomes longer. Running time is wasted. For this reason, at the time of going traveling to the parking position and returning traveling from the parking position, a traveling route element and a circuit traveling route element that perform work traveling in a section that becomes a path are selected.

[Fine adjustment of parameters of working equipment and other equipment during cooperative automatic driving]
When the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s work in coordination with each other, a monitoring person is usually mounted on the master harvester 1m. 4, the parameter values for the vehicle traveling equipment group 71 and the work equipment group 72 in the automatic traveling control can be finely adjusted. In order to realize the parameter values of the master harvester 1m for the vehicle traveling equipment group 71 and the working equipment equipment group 72 also in the slave harvester 1s, as shown in FIG. Can be adjusted. However, there is no problem even if the communication terminal 4 is provided in the slave harvester 1s. The reason is that the slave harvester 1s may also perform independent automatic traveling or may be used as the master harvester 1m.

  In the communication terminal 4 shown in FIG. 27, a parameter acquisition unit 45 and a parameter adjustment command generation unit 46 are configured. The parameter acquisition unit 45 acquires the device parameters set in the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s. Thereby, the set values of the device parameters of the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s can be displayed on the display panel of the touch panel 41 of the communication terminal 4. The monitor boarding the master harvester 1m inputs, via the touch panel 41, the device parameter adjustment amount for adjusting the device parameters of the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s. The parameter adjustment command generator 46 generates a parameter adjustment command for adjusting the corresponding device parameter based on the input device parameter adjustment amount, and transmits the parameter adjustment command to the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s. As a communication interface for such communication, the control unit 5 of the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s includes a communication processing unit 70, and the communication terminal 4 includes a communication control unit 40. . The adjustment of the device parameters of the master harvester 1m may be performed directly by the observer using various operating tools mounted on the master harvester 1m. The equipment parameters are divided into travel equipment parameters and work equipment parameters. The travel equipment parameters include vehicle speed and engine speed, and the work equipment parameters include the height of the harvesting unit 15 and the height of the reel 17. Have been.

  As described above, the automatic driving control unit 511 has a function of calculating the actual vehicle speed based on the positioning data obtained by the satellite positioning module 80. In the cooperative automatic driving, using this function, the actual vehicle speed based on the positioning data of the preceding harvester 1 in the same direction is compared with the actual vehicle speed based on the positioning data of the succeeding harvester 1, and if there is a vehicle speed difference, The vehicle speed is adjusted so that the vehicle speed of the succeeding harvester 1 becomes the vehicle speed of the preceding harvester 1. Thereby, abnormal approach or contact due to a difference in vehicle speed between the preceding harvester 1 and the succeeding harvester 1 is avoided.

  The communication processing unit 70 of the harvester 1 and the communication control unit 40 of the communication terminal 4 can be provided with a communication call function of sending a call or mail with a registered portable communication terminal such as a mobile phone. In the case where the communication communication function is provided, when the stored amount of the harvest exceeds a predetermined amount, a call (artificial) to the effect that the harvest is discharged to the driver of the transport vehicle CV to which the harvest is discharged. Voice) or mail. Similarly, when the remaining fuel amount becomes equal to or less than a predetermined amount, a call (artificial voice) or an e-mail requesting refueling is sent to the driver of the refueling vehicle.

[Alternative Embodiment] (1) In the above-described embodiment, in order to perform a normal U-turn traveling, two points are required between the route changeable point before the direction change traveling and the route changeable point after the direction change traveling. A distance sandwiching the above-described traveling route elements is required, and for shorter distances, switchback turn traveling has been used.
Furthermore, as the next traveling route element, the traveling route element separated by two is set to the highest priority. However, since the distance between the two traveling path elements required for the normal U-turn traveling depends on the turning performance of the harvester 1, the distance is naturally different for other harvesters 1 (working vehicles). Therefore, an appropriate distance between the two traveling route elements that is the limit for using the normal U-turn traveling is set for each harvester 1 (working vehicle) used.

(2) In the above-described embodiment, the description of the automatic traveling is based on the premise that a sufficient space is secured for both the U-turn traveling in the reciprocating traveling and the α-turn traveling in the spiral traveling by the preliminary round traveling. Did. However, in general, the space required for the U-turn traveling is larger than the space required for the α-turn traveling, and there is a possibility that the space required for the U-turn traveling may not be sufficient in the preceding round traveling. For example, as shown in FIG. 28, when performing a U-turn while one harvester 1 is performing work, a divider or the like may come into contact with the ridge and break the ridge. Therefore, when the reciprocating travel pattern is set as the travel pattern, when the work travel is started, first, at least the outermost circumference of the work target area CA is automatically run and the outer circumference area SA is expanded to the inner circumference side. . Thereby, even if the width of the outer peripheral area SA formed by the preceding round traveling is insufficient for the U-turn, the U-turn can be performed without any problem thereafter. Further, when the harvester 1 is stopped at a specified parking position for the purpose of discharging the harvest to a work support vehicle stopped around the field, the harvester 1 is placed at the parking position for efficient work. It is necessary to stop the vehicle with a certain degree of accuracy and in a posture (orientation) suitable for support work. This is the same whether it is automatic or manual. As shown in FIG. 28, when the peripheral area PP including the parking position faces the U-turn path group, the outer peripheral line on the side where the U-turn is performed among the outer peripheral lines of the work target area CA is reciprocated. When the outer peripheral area SA is narrow, the harvester 1 may enter the work target area CA, which is an unworked area, to damage agricultural crops or the like, or may break the ridge by contacting the ridge. There is. Therefore, it is preferable to perform additional round traveling (additional round traveling) before starting traveling work in the work target area CA by reciprocating traveling. Such additional round traveling may be performed according to an instruction of a monitor, or may be performed automatically. Note that, as described above, the orbital traveling in advance to create the outer peripheral area SA is usually performed in a plurality of rounds in a spiral. Since the outermost round traveling route has a complicated traveling route and varies from field to field, artificial steering is employed. The subsequent round running is performed by automatic steering or artificial steering.

The traveling route for the additional orbital traveling can be calculated based on the traveling locus of the harvester 1 in the preliminary traveling and the outer shape data of the work target area CA, so that automatic steering is possible. Hereinafter, an example of the flow of the additional round traveling in the automatic traveling will be described with reference to FIG.
<Step # 01>
By the previous round trip, the field is divided into an outer peripheral area SA where the harvesting operation has been completed and a work target area CA where the harvesting operation is to be performed. After the previous round traveling, as shown in step # 01 of FIG. 28, the peripheral area PP and the U-turn route group UL are located at the same portion in the outer peripheral area SA. Then, the width of the portion where the U-turn route group UL is set in the outer peripheral area SA is not expanded only by the reciprocating traveling. Therefore, in order to extend the width of this portion, the additional round traveling shown in step # 02 of FIG. 28 is executed automatically or based on the instruction of the observer.
<Step # 02>
In this additional round traveling, a plurality of round traveling path elements constituting a round traveling path with respect to a rectangle having a left end traveling path element Ls and a right end traveling path element Le as opposite sides, which are linear traveling path elements of reciprocal traveling. (The thick line in FIG. 28) is calculated. Here, the orbital traveling route element is a traveling route element Ls, a traveling route element Le, a traveling route element connecting the upper ends of the traveling route element Ls and the traveling route element Le, a traveling route element Ls and the traveling route element Le. And a traveling route element connecting the lower ends of Le. When the automatic traveling is started, a circuit traveling route element suitable for the additional circuit traveling route is selected by the path element selecting unit 63, and the automatic traveling (circular traveling work traveling) is executed.
<Step # 03>
As shown in step # 03 of FIG. 28, the additional round traveling expands the outer peripheral area SA and creates a space for one or more work widths in the peripheral area of the parking position. Next, the work target area CA is reduced by the work width of the number of turns in the additional round traveling, so that the left target travel path element Ls and the right end travel path element Le are reduced in the work target area CA. Move inward Then, for a new work area CA having a rectangular shape having the moved travel path element Ls and the travel path element Le as opposite sides, a work travel path based on the U-turn travel pattern is determined, and the new work area CA is determined. Automatic work traveling is started.

  In step # 01 in FIG. 28, the parking position may not be located without facing the U-turn traveling route, and for example, the parking position may be located facing the traveling route element Ls at the left end. In this case, the reciprocating travel in which the travel route element Ls is selected first is performed, so that the area around the parking position is expanded, so that the above-described additional round travel is no longer performed. Alternatively, only one additional round running may be performed.

  In addition, even when a plurality of harvesters 1 work in a coordinated manner, the above-described additional round traveling may be automatically performed. In the case of cooperative work, reciprocating traveling is set as a traveling pattern, and if the parking position is set to a position facing the U-turn traveling route, a plurality of laps (about 3 to 4 laps) are immediately obtained after the start of the work traveling. Additional lap driving is automatically performed. Thereby, the work target area CA is reduced, and a wide space is secured on the inner peripheral side of the parking position. Therefore, even if one harvester 1 is parked at the parking position, the other harvesters 1 can make a U-turn on the inner peripheral side of the parking position, or Can pass through.

(3) In the above-described embodiment, when the reciprocating traveling pattern is set, a parking position for working on a support vehicle such as the transport vehicle CV is set in an area where the U-turn traveling is performed in the outer peripheral area SA. When the harvesting machine 1 is stopped, the harvesting machine 1 that is different from the harvesting machine 1 that is stopped for the discharge operation or the like stops and waits until the end of the discharge operation or the like, and the traveling route element that bypasses the parking position is selected. Or was configured to be. However, in such a case, in order to secure a sufficient space for performing a U-turn traveling on the inner peripheral side of the parking position, when automatic traveling (work traveling) is started, one or more vehicles are started. The harvester 1 may be configured to run around the outer periphery of the work target area CA several times automatically.

(4) In the above-described embodiment, it is assumed that the working width of the master harvester 1m as the first work vehicle and the slave harvester 1s as the second work vehicle are the same, and the setting and selection of the travel route element is performed. explained. Here, how the setting and selection of the travel route element are performed when the work width of the master harvester 1m is different from the work width of the slave harvester 1s will be described with reference to two examples. The working width of the master harvester 1m will be described as a first working width, and the working width of the slave harvester 1s will be described as a second working width. Specifically, the first working width is set to “6” and the second working width is set to “4” for easy understanding.

(4-1) FIG. 29 shows an example in which a reciprocating traveling pattern is set. In this case, the route management unit 60 uses a reference width, which is the greatest common divisor or an approximate greatest common divisor of the first working width and the second working width, with a set of a large number of traveling route elements covering the work area CA. Calculate a certain traveling route element group. Since the first working width is “6” and the second working width is “4”, the reference width is “2”. In FIG. 29, in order to identify travel route elements, numbers from 01 to 20 are assigned to each travel route element as route numbers.

  It is assumed that the master harvester 1m starts from the traveling route element of the route number 17 and the slave harvester 1s departs from the traveling route element of the route number 12. As shown in FIG. 6, the path element selection unit 63 has a first path element selection unit 631 having a function of selecting a traveling path element of the master harvester 1m and a function of selecting a traveling path element of the slave harvester 1s. And a second path element selection unit 632. When the route element selecting unit 63 is constructed in the control unit 5 of the master harvester 1m, the next traveling route element selected by the second route element selecting unit 632 is transmitted to the communication processing unit 70 of the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester. It is provided to the route setting unit 64 of the slave harvester 1s via the communication processing unit 70 of the machine 1s. Note that the center of the working width or the center of the harvester 1 does not necessarily have to coincide with the traveling route element. If there is a deviation, the automatic traveling control is performed in consideration of the deviation.

  As shown in FIG. 29, the first path element selection unit 631 outputs an area of an integral multiple of the first working width or the second working width (either untraveled or already traveled) or the first working width. The next travel route element is selected from the travel route element group that has not traveled so as to leave a total area of the integral multiple and the integer multiple of the second working width (either untraveled or already traveled). The selected next traveling route element is provided to the route setting unit 64 of the master harvester 1m. Similarly, the second path element selection unit 632 determines whether the area is an integral multiple of the first working width or the second working width (either untraveled or already traveled), or an integral multiple of the first working width and the second working width. The next traveling route element is selected from the traveling route element group that has not traveled so as to leave a region (whether the vehicle has not traveled or has traveled) that is the integral multiple of the traveling route element.

  That is, after the master harvester 1m or the slave harvester 1s automatically travels along the next traveling route element given by the first route element selecting unit 631 or the second route element selecting unit 632, the work target area CA , The untraveled area having a width that is an integral multiple of the first working width or the second working width continues to be left. However, in the end, an unworked area having a narrow width less than the second working width may remain, but such a last remaining unworked area is the area of the master harvester 1m or the slave harvester 1s. Work is run on either.

(4-2) FIG. 30 shows an example in which a spiral running pattern is set.
In this case, a travel route element group is set in the work target area CA by a vertical line group and a horizontal line group whose vertical and horizontal intervals are the first work width. Driving route elements belonging to the horizontal line group are given symbols X1 to X9 as their route numbers, and traveling route elements belonging to the vertical line group are given symbols Y1 to Y9 as their route numbers. ing.

  In FIG. 30, a spiral running pattern is set such that the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s draw a left-handed double spiral line from outside to inside. It is assumed that the master harvester 1m starts from the traveling path element of the path number Y1, and the slave harvester 1s starts from the traveling path element of the path number X1. The path element selection unit 63 is also divided into a first path element selection unit 631 and a second path element selection unit 632 in this case.

  As shown in FIG. 30, the master harvester 1m first travels on the travel route element of the route number Y1 selected first by the first route element selection unit 631. However, since the travel route element group shown in FIG. 30 is initially calculated with the first working width as the interval, the second group of slave harvesters 1s having the second working width smaller than the first working width requires the second working width. The position coordinates of the traveling route element of the route number X1 initially selected by the route element selecting unit 632 are corrected in order to fill the difference between the first working width and the second working width. That is, the travel route element of the route number X1 is corrected to the outer side by 0.5 times the difference between the first work width and the second work width (hereinafter, this difference is referred to as a width difference) (FIG. 30). , # 01). Similarly, the route numbers Y2, X8, and Y8, which are the next travel route elements selected along with the travel of the slave harvester 1s, are also corrected (FIG. 30, # 02, # 03, and # 04). The master harvester 1m travels the traveling route elements of the route numbers X9 and Y9 from the original route number Y1 (FIG. 30, # 03 and # 04), but the traveling route element of the next selected route number X2. Since the slave harvester 1s is running on the outside, the position is corrected by the width difference (# 04 in FIG. 30). When the traveling route element of the route number X3 is selected for the slave harvester 1s, the slave harvester 1s has already traveled the traveling route element of the route number X1 located outside the route number X3. The position is corrected by 1.5 times the width difference (# 05 in FIG. 30). In this way, thereafter, the difference between the first working width and the second working width is sequentially determined in accordance with the number of traveling path elements on which the slave harvester 1s has traveled outside the selected traveling path element. In order to kill, the position of the selected traveling route element is corrected (# 06 in FIG. 30). Here, the position of the travel route element is corrected by the route management unit 60, but may be corrected by the first route element selection unit 631 and the second route element selection unit 632.

  In the traveling example using FIGS. 29 and 30, it is assumed that the first path element selection unit 631 and the second path element selection unit 632 are constructed in the control unit 5 of the master harvester 1 m. However, it is also possible for the second path element selector 632 to be built in the slave harvester 1s. At this time, the slave harvester 1s receives the data indicating the travel route element group, and the first route element selection unit 631 and the second route element selection unit 632 exchange their own selected travel route elements while exchanging their own travel route elements. It is advisable to select the next traveling route element and make necessary position coordinate corrections. In addition, the route management unit 60, the first route element selection unit 631, and the second route element selection unit 632 are all constructed in the communication terminal 4, and the communication terminal 4 sends the selected traveling route element to the route setting unit 64. Configurations are also possible.

(5) In the above-described embodiment, the control function blocks described with reference to FIG. 6 are merely examples, and it is also possible to further divide each function unit or integrate a plurality of function units. The functional units are distributed to the control unit 5 as the upper control device, the communication terminal 4, and the management computer 100. However, the distribution of the functional units is also an example, and each functional unit is assigned to an arbitrary upper control device. It is also possible to sort. If the upper control devices are connected so that data can be exchanged, they can be distributed to different upper control devices. For example, in the control function block diagram shown in FIG. 6, a work place data input unit 42, an outline data generation unit 43, and an area setting unit 44 are constructed in the communication terminal 4 as a first traveling route management module CM1. . Further, a route management unit 60, a route element selection unit 63, and a route setting unit 64 are configured in the control unit 5 of the harvester 1 as a second traveling route management module CM2. Instead, the route management unit 60 may be included in the first traveling route management module CM1. Further, the outer shape data generation unit 43 and the area setting unit 44 may be included in the second traveling route management module CM2. All of the first traveling route management module CM1 may be constructed in the control unit 5, or all of the second traveling route management module CM2 may be constructed in the communication terminal 4. It is convenient to construct the communication terminal 4 that can take out as many control function units as possible for the management of the traveling route in order to increase the degree of freedom of maintenance and the like. The distribution of the functional units is limited by the data processing capabilities of the communication terminal 4 and the control unit 5 and the communication speed between the communication terminal 4 and the control unit 5.

(6) The traveling route calculated and set in the present invention is used as a target traveling route for automatic traveling, but can also be used as a target traveling route for manual traveling. That is, the present invention can be applied not only to automatic traveling but also to manual traveling, and of course, it is also possible to operate in a mixture of automatic traveling and manual traveling.

(7) In the above-described embodiment, the field information sent from the management center KS includes the topographical map around the field in the first place, and the outer shape and the outer dimensions of the field are obtained by traveling around the field boundary. An example of improving the accuracy of the above is shown. However, the field information does not include the topographical map around the field, at least the topographical map of the field, and the outer shape and the outer dimensions of the field may be calculated only by the round trip. Further, the contents of the field information and the work plan sent from the management center KS and the items input through the communication terminal 4 are not limited to those in the above-described embodiment, and can be changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It is.

(8) In the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, a strip path element calculation section 602 is provided separately from the mesh path element calculation section 601, and the work target area is set by the strip path element calculation section 602. The example in which the traveling route element group that is the parallel line group covering the CA is calculated has been described. However, the reciprocating traveling may be realized by using the traveling route element which is a group of mesh-like lines calculated by the mesh route element calculating unit 601 without including the strip route element calculating unit 602.

(9) In the above-described embodiment, the parameters of the vehicle traveling equipment group 71 and the working device equipment group 72 of the slave harvester 1s are changed based on the visual observation result of the monitor while the cooperative traveling control is being performed. Examples have been given. However, the video (moving images or still images shot at regular intervals) captured by the cameras mounted on the master harvester 1m and the slave harvester 1s is displayed on a monitor or the like mounted on the master harvester 1m. Then, the observer may look at this video, determine the work status of the slave harvester 1s, and change the parameters of the vehicle traveling equipment group 71 and the working equipment equipment group 72. Alternatively, the parameter of the slave harvester 1s may be changed in conjunction with the change of the parameter of the master harvester 1m.

(10) In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the plurality of harvesters 1 that cooperate and travel work automatically travel in the same travel pattern, but are configured to travel automatically in different travel patterns. It is also possible.

(11) In the above-described embodiment, an example in which cooperative automatic traveling is performed by two harvesters 1 has been described, but cooperative automatic traveling by three or more harvesters 1 can also be realized.

  The traveling route management system according to the present invention is not limited to a harvester 1 that is a normal combine as a work vehicle, and any other work vehicle that can travel while automatically working in a work place. For example, the present invention can be applied to other harvesters 1, tractors equipped with a working device such as a tilling device, a paddy field working machine, and the like.

1: Harvester (work vehicle)
4: Communication terminal 41: Touch panel 42: Work place data input unit 43: External shape data generation unit 44: Area setting unit 5: Control unit 51: Travel control unit 511: Automatic travel control unit 512: Manual travel control unit 52: Work control Unit 53: own vehicle position calculation unit 54: notification unit 55: work state evaluation unit 60: route management unit 601: mesh route element calculation unit 603: U-turn route calculation unit 62: strip route element calculation unit 63: route element selection unit 64: route setting unit 80: satellite positioning module SA: outer peripheral area CA: work target area

Claims (4)

A travel route management system that determines a travel route for a work vehicle that automatically travels while working in a work place,
An area setting unit that sets the work place to an outer peripheral area and a work target area that is inside the outer peripheral area,
A path element for sequentially selecting a next traveling path element to be next traveled from a number of parallel traveling path elements constituting a traveling path covering the operation target area without previously determining the entire process covering the operation target area. And a selection unit,
The route element selection unit selects a U-turn traveling route for transitioning from the traveling route element as a source to the next traveling route element as a destination based on an interval between the source and the destination. Running route management system.   The travel route management system according to claim 1, wherein the U-turn travel route is a travel route set in the outer peripheral area. As the U-turn travel route, a first U-turn travel route that realizes a normal U-turn travel performed only in forward traveling and a second U-turn travel route that implements a switchback turn traveling performed in forward and reverse travel can be calculated. The travel route management system according to claim 2, wherein the route element selection unit selects the first U-turn travel route when the interval is large, and selects the second U-turn travel route when the interval is small. . The first U-turn travel route includes a clockwise U-turn travel route and a counterclockwise U-turn travel route, and the route element selection unit is counterclockwise from the clockwise U-turn travel route. The travel route management system according to claim 3, wherein the U-turn travel route is selected with priority.

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