JP7377642B2 - Management device for multiple vehicles - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a management device for a plurality of vehicles.

At sites where large amounts of earth and sand have been deposited due to landslides caused by earthquakes or typhoons, or from volcanic eruptions, it is necessary to remove the earth and sand and restore the site to its original state.
Here, if the site where a large amount of earth and sand has accumulated is the first point, and the place where the earth and sand is processed away from the first point is the second point, there will be multiple transport vehicles such as dump trucks (hereinafter simply referred to as vehicles). This means that a large amount of earth and sand is transported from the first point to the second point by traveling back and forth on the road connecting the first point and the second point.
It is conceivable that the plurality of vehicles are vehicles whose inter-vehicle distance, vehicle speed, and steering are automatically controlled, and the plurality of vehicles form a convoy from the first point to the second point and travel.
At this time, some of the vehicles traveling may experience driving abnormalities, such as driving off the road, the following distance being too narrow or too wide, or the vehicle stopping. There are concerns that if the convoy is disrupted, the transportation of earth and sand will be delayed, leading to delays in restoration work.
Therefore, an unmanned flying vehicle equipped with an imaging unit as disclosed in Patent Document 1 is flown, and the vehicle convoy is monitored based on image information of the vehicle convoy captured by the imaging unit. It is conceivable that the vehicles could be controlled remotely to maintain the convoy.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-168861

However, although it is possible to detect vehicle running abnormalities by simply monitoring convoys using unmanned aerial vehicles, it is not possible to detect vehicle running abnormalities by simply monitoring vehicle convoys. , temporary malfunctions, etc. are unknown, which is disadvantageous in performing appropriate remote control for vehicles in which running abnormalities have occurred, and there is room for improvement in maintaining vehicle convoys.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a management device for a plurality of vehicles that is advantageous in performing appropriate remote control of a vehicle in which a running abnormality has occurred. be.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a management device for a plurality of vehicles traveling in a convoy from a first point to a second point, the device comprising: a remotely controlled unmanned flying vehicle; a vehicle identification unit that detects whether or not there is a running abnormality in the plurality of vehicles forming a line and identifies the vehicle in which the abnormality has been detected as a specific vehicle; The present invention is characterized by comprising a vehicle detection section and a vehicle remote control section that maintains the vehicle convoy by remotely controlling the specific vehicle based on the detection result by the vehicle detection section.
Further, the present invention further includes a first imaging unit provided in the unmanned flying vehicle, and the vehicle identification unit is configured to determine whether or not the vehicle convoy is configured based on image information of the vehicle convoy captured by the first imaging unit. The present invention is characterized in that the presence or absence of a running abnormality in the plurality of vehicles forming the vehicle is detected, and the vehicle in which the abnormality is detected is specified as a specific vehicle.
Further, in the present invention, the detection of the presence or absence of a running abnormality of the plurality of vehicles by the vehicle identification unit is performed under a predetermined condition that at least one of the running position of the vehicles, the vehicle speed of the vehicles, and the inter-vehicle distance of the vehicles is determined in advance. It is characterized by the fact that the decision is made based on whether or not it deviates from the
The present invention also provides a first flight in which the unmanned aerial vehicle is flown so that the entire vehicle convoy can be photographed by the first imaging section based on image information of the vehicle convoy photographed by the first imaging section. The apparatus is characterized by further comprising a body control section.
Further, the present invention further includes a failure determination section that determines the details of the failure of the specific vehicle based on the detection result by the vehicle detection section, and the remote control of the specific vehicle by the vehicle remote control section is performed by the failure determination section. It is characterized in that it is made based on the determination result of.
Further, in the present invention, the remote control of the specific vehicle by the vehicle remote control unit is such that one or both of vehicle speed control and steering control of the specific vehicle is performed so that the vehicle convoy is maintained. characterized by what is done.
Further, in the present invention, when the specific vehicle is identified by the vehicle identifying unit, the legs of the unmanned flying vehicle are determined in advance of the specific vehicle based on image information of the specific vehicle captured by the first imaging unit. The present invention is characterized by further comprising a second flight control unit that moves the unmanned flying object integrally with the specific vehicle while bringing the unmanned flying object into contact with a predetermined location.
Further, the present invention is characterized in that the vehicle detecting section detects the state of the specific vehicle by detecting either or both of vibrations and sounds generated from the specific vehicle.
Further, in the present invention, the vehicle detection section is configured with a second imaging section provided on the flying object, and the vehicle detection section detects the state of the specific vehicle by detecting the state of the specific vehicle imaged by the second imaging section. It is characterized in that it is performed based on image information inside the cabin of a specific vehicle.

In the present invention, a vehicle that has experienced a running abnormality is identified as a specific vehicle, the state of the specific vehicle is detected by a vehicle detection unit installed in an unmanned flying vehicle, and the specific vehicle is remotely controlled based on the detection result. The line was maintained.
Therefore, appropriate remote control can be performed on a specific vehicle corresponding to the state of the specific vehicle detected by the vehicle detection unit, which is advantageous in maintaining the convoy reliably, and prevents construction work from occurring due to vehicle abnormality. This will prevent the overall progress from being affected and will be advantageous in completing the construction on schedule.
In addition, based on the image information of the vehicle convoy captured by the first imaging unit installed on the unmanned flying vehicle, the presence or absence of a running abnormality in a plurality of vehicles forming the convoy is detected, and the vehicle in which the abnormality has been detected is selected. Identification as a specific vehicle is advantageous in accurately detecting the presence or absence of a running abnormality in a vehicle and identifying the specific vehicle even when a convoy is formed by a large number of vehicles.
Furthermore, the presence or absence of a running abnormality in multiple vehicles is detected based on whether at least one of the vehicle running position, vehicle speed, and inter-vehicle distance deviates from predetermined conditions. This is advantageous in easily and reliably detecting the presence or absence of a running abnormality in the vehicle.
Furthermore, if the unmanned flying vehicle is made to fly so that the entire convoy can be photographed by the first imaging section based on the image information of the convoy captured by the first imaging section, an image capturing the entire convoy can be obtained. Information can be reliably obtained, which is more advantageous in easily and reliably detecting the presence or absence of vehicle running abnormality.
Further, if the specific vehicle is further provided with a failure determination unit that determines the details of the failure of the specific vehicle based on the detection result by the vehicle detection unit, and the specific vehicle is remotely controlled based on the determination result of the failure determination unit, the specific vehicle This is advantageous in making remote control appropriate for the failure details.
In addition, if the remote control of a specific vehicle is made to control the vehicle speed and/or the steering of the specific vehicle so that the convoy is maintained, the convoy can be accurately controlled. This is advantageous when traveling from one point to a second point.
In addition, when the specific vehicle is identified by the vehicle identification unit, the unmanned flying vehicle is brought into contact with a predetermined location of the specific vehicle based on the image information of the specific vehicle captured by the first imaging unit. Moving the flying object integrally with the specific vehicle is advantageous in ensuring that the vehicle detection unit detects the state of the specific vehicle in a stable manner.
In addition, if the condition of a specific vehicle is detected by using the vehicle detection unit to detect vibrations and/or sounds generated by the specific vehicle, for example, malfunctions such as engine malfunction or tire punctures can be detected reliably. This is advantageous for detection.
In addition, by detecting the state of a specific vehicle based on the image information of the interior of the specific vehicle captured by the second imaging unit, it is possible to reliably prevent failures such as disconnection between the actuator and the operated member in the vehicle interior. This is advantageous for detection.

1 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a construction site to which a management device for multiple vehicles according to an embodiment is applied; FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a management device for a plurality of vehicles and a vehicle in an embodiment. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a vehicle running abnormality, in which (A) shows a state in which the vehicle has deviated from the road, (B) shows a state in which the inter-vehicle distance is below a predetermined range, and (C) shows a state in which the inter-vehicle distance is below a predetermined range. Indicates a state in which the It is an operation flowchart of the management device of a plurality of vehicles of an embodiment.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
First, a construction work site to which a plurality of vehicle management device (hereinafter simply referred to as management device) of the present embodiment is applied will be described.
For example, at sites where large amounts of earth and sand have been deposited due to landslides caused by earthquakes or typhoons, or from volcanic eruptions, it is necessary to remove the earth and sand and restore the site to its original state.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of vehicles 10 such as dump trucks are used to transport a large amount of earth and sand 12 to a place away from the place where the earth and sand are deposited.
That is, the construction site includes a first point P1 where a large amount of earth and sand 12 has accumulated, a second point P2 where the transported earth and sand 12 is processed, and a road 14 connecting the first point P1 and the second point P2. It is composed of:
Moreover, as such a road 14, a temporary road formed by laying coal slag or the like on the ground in advance is often used.
At the first point P1, earth and sand 12 is loaded onto the vehicle 10 by a working machine 16A such as a backhoe. In order to transport a large amount of earth and sand 12, several dozen vehicles 10 are prepared, and these multiple vehicles 10 form a convoy 18 under automatic control and travel along the road from the first point P1 to the second point P2. Run on 14.
At this time, the plurality of vehicles 10, for example, form a convoy 18 and travel on the road 14 from the first point P1 to the second point P2 at a predetermined vehicle speed with a predetermined inter-vehicle distance. Automatically controlled.
At the second point P2, the earth and sand 12 dropped onto the ground from each vehicle 10 is leveled into a desired shape using a working machine 16B such as a bulldozer.
Here, a driving abnormality occurs in the plurality of vehicles 10 traveling from the first point P1 to the second point P2, and the vehicle deviates from the road 14, or the distance between the vehicles is too narrow or too wide. Alternatively, if a situation occurs in which the vehicles 10 stop and the convoy 18 is disrupted, there is a concern that the transportation of the earth and sand 12 will be delayed and restoration work will be delayed.

Next, the management device and the plurality of vehicles 10 according to the present invention will be explained in detail.
First, the vehicle 10 will be explained.
As shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the vehicle 10 includes a map information storage section 10A, a positioning section 10B, a vehicle surrounding situation detection section 10C, an actuator 10D, an automatic control section 10E, and a vehicle side communication It is configured to include a section 10F and an identification index section 10G.
The map information storage unit 10A stores map information including position information of the road 14 from the first point P1 to the second point P2.
The positioning unit 10B generates positioning information indicating the position of the own vehicle (vehicle 10) based on positioning signals received from positioning satellites such as GPS satellites.
The vehicle surrounding situation detection unit 10C is composed of a camera, a radar device, an ultrasonic sensor, etc., and detects vehicle surrounding situation information indicating the surrounding situation of the own vehicle (vehicle 10), which is necessary for automatically controlling the vehicle 10. It is something to do. The vehicle surrounding situation information includes automatic control of the vehicle 10, such as the distance between the own vehicle (vehicle 10) and the vehicles 10 in front and behind, the presence or absence of obstacles, the width and direction of the road 14 on which the vehicle is traveling, the display of traffic lights, and road signs. Contains information needed to carry out the process.

The actuator 10D is connected to operated members of the vehicle 10, such as a steering wheel, a brake pedal, an accelerator pedal, and a shift lever, via coupling fittings, and operates the operated members.The actuator 10D includes an air cylinder, an air cylinder, Various actuators known in the art can be used, such as electric cylinders and motors.
The automatic control unit 10E controls the vehicle 10 to automatically travel based on the map information stored in the map information storage unit 10A and the positioning information generated by the positioning unit 10B.
Further, the automatic control unit 10E controls the traveling of the vehicle 10 based on the vehicle surrounding situation information detected by the vehicle surrounding situation detection unit 10C. For example, the vehicle speed and inter-vehicle distance are controlled to be within preset ranges.
Specifically, the automatic control unit 10E controls the operation of the actuator 10D to operate the operated member, thereby performing operations related to running of the vehicle 10, such as starting, stopping, accelerating/decelerating, and steering.
The vehicle-side communication unit 10F communicates with a second communication unit 24H of the management device main body 24, which will be described later. In the figure, reference numeral 10H indicates an antenna of the vehicle side communication section 10F.
When the vehicle-side communication unit 10F receives the remote control command information transmitted from the second communication unit 24H, the automatic control unit 10E operates the operated member based on the remote control command information, giving priority to the automatic control described above. and remotely control the vehicle 10.

Further, vehicle identification information such as a vehicle number is assigned to each vehicle 10 in order to identify the vehicle 10, and a second communication unit 24H of the management device main body 24, which will be described later, Based on the information, the vehicle-side communication unit 10F of each vehicle 10 is identified and communicated with.
The identification indicator section 10G displays the vehicle identification information in a form that can be read optically or through image processing, and is provided on the surface of the body of each vehicle 10.
As the identification index section 10G, various conventionally known forms of display such as characters, one-dimensional barcodes, two-dimensional barcodes, etc. can be used.

The management device 22 includes a management device main body 24 and an unmanned aerial vehicle 20.
The management device main body 24 is installed in an office or the like that is away from the construction site.
The management device main body 24 includes an aircraft remote control command unit 24A, a first communication unit 24B, a display unit 24C, a vehicle identification unit 24D, a failure determination unit 24E, a first aircraft control unit 24F, and a first communication unit 24B. It is configured to include a second aircraft control section 24G, a second communication section 24H, a vehicle remote control section 24I, and a notification section 24J.

The flying object remote control command section 24A generates flying object operation command information for remotely controlling the unmanned flying object 20 by an operator operating an operating member such as a joystick.
The first communication unit 24B communicates with the flying object 38 via the first wireless line, transmits flying object operation command information to the unmanned flying object 20, and transmits image information and information transmitted from the unmanned flying object 20. It receives the detection result of the state of the vehicle 10, and has a first antenna 24K for a first wireless line.
Note that the first wireless line may use any known communication technology, for example, 5G (fifth generation mobile communication system).
The display section 24C displays the image information received by the first communication section 24B.
Therefore, the operator remotely controls the unmanned flying vehicle 20 based on the image information displayed on the first display section 24C, and also controls the vehicle convoy 18 formed by the plurality of vehicles 10 based on the image information. Designed to be visible.

The vehicle identification unit 24D detects the presence or absence of a running abnormality in a plurality of vehicles 10 forming the vehicle convoy 18, and identifies the vehicle 10 in which the abnormality has been detected as the specific vehicle 11.
In the present embodiment, the vehicle identification unit 24D forms the vehicle convoy 18 based on image information of the vehicle convoy 18 received by the first communication unit 24B and imaged by an imaging unit 20B of the unmanned flying vehicle 20, which will be described later. The presence or absence of a running abnormality in a plurality of vehicles 10 is detected, and the vehicle 10 in which the abnormality has been detected is specified as a specific vehicle 11. Detection of such an abnormality can be performed using conventionally known image processing techniques.
Furthermore, the vehicle identification unit 24D detects whether or not there is a running abnormality in the plurality of vehicles 10, whether at least one of the running position of the vehicle 10, the vehicle speed of the vehicle 10, and the inter-vehicle distance of the vehicle 10 deviates from a predetermined condition. It is based on whether or not.
For example, the conditions include that the traveling position of the vehicle 10 does not protrude from the road 14, that the vehicle speed is within a predetermined range, and that the inter-vehicle distance is within a predetermined range.
Further, the determination that the running position of the vehicle 10 protrudes from the road 14 may be made based on the fact that the running position of the vehicle 10 deviates from the road 14 by a predetermined distance or more in a direction away from the road 14. The predetermined distance may be, for example, 8 m to 20 m.
Further, the vehicle identification unit 24D recognizes the vehicle identification information of the specific vehicle 11 based on the identification index unit 10G of the specific vehicle 11 included in the image information of the vehicle convoy 18.

The failure determination unit 24E determines the nature of the failure of the specific vehicle 11 based on the detection result by a vehicle detection unit 20D provided in the unmanned flying vehicle 20, which will be described later.
As will be described later, the details of the failure include a temporary disturbance in the control operation by the automatic control unit 10E, a malfunction of the engine, a tire blowout, and a disconnection between the connecting tool and the operated member.

The second communication unit 24H communicates with the vehicle communication units 10F of the plurality of vehicles 10 individually based on the vehicle identification information via the second wireless line. It transmits remote control information and has a second antenna 24L for a second wireless line.
Note that, like the first wireless line, the second wireless line may use any known communication technology, for example, 5G (fifth generation mobile communication system).

The vehicle remote control unit 24I remotely controls the operation of the specific vehicle 11 including the traveling operation based on the detection result by the vehicle detection unit 20D, and communicates with the vehicle side communication unit 10F of the vehicle 10 via the second communication unit 24H. The specific vehicle 11 is remotely controlled by transmitting remote control information to.
In this embodiment, remote control of the specific vehicle 11 by the vehicle remote control unit 24I is performed based on the determination result of the failure determination unit 24E.
The remote control of the specific vehicle 11 by the vehicle remote control unit 24I is performed to control the vehicle speed and/or the steering of the specific vehicle 11 so that the vehicle convoy 18 is maintained.
Therefore, the vehicle remote control unit 24I is able to detect a problem in which it is difficult to continue driving, such as a flat tire of the specific vehicle 11 or a disconnection of the connector connecting the actuator 10D and the operated member. , the specific vehicle 11 is guided out of the road 14 and stopped so as not to interfere with the running of other vehicles 10.
In this case, the remote control of the specific vehicle 11 by the vehicle remote control unit 24I includes controlling the vehicle speed of the specific vehicle 11 so that the convoy 18 of vehicles 10 excluding the specific vehicle 11 among the plurality of vehicles 10 is maintained; One or both of the steering controls will be performed.
In addition, if it is possible to continue driving due to a temporary disturbance in the control operation by the automatic control unit 10E, a malfunction of the engine, etc., the vehicle remote control unit 24I controls the vehicle speed and steering of the specific vehicle 11. In other words, the specific vehicle 11 is controlled to maintain a predetermined inter-vehicle distance with the vehicles 10 in front and behind it, maintain a predetermined vehicle speed, and travel on the road 14, and the specific vehicle 11, together with other vehicles 10, The vehicles are controlled to form a convoy 18 and travel.
In this case, the remote control of the specific vehicle 11 by the vehicle remote control unit 24I includes controlling the vehicle speed of the specific vehicle 11 so that a convoy 18 of vehicles 10 including the specific vehicle 11 among the plurality of vehicles 10 is maintained; One or both of the steering controls will be performed.

The notification unit 24J identifies and notifies the specific vehicle 11 by displaying vehicle identification information (for example, vehicle number) of the specific vehicle 11 recognized from the identification indicator unit 10G by the vehicle identification unit 24D on the display unit 24C. It is.

The first unmanned aerial vehicle control unit 24F controls the unmanned aerial vehicle so that the entire vehicle convoy 18 can be photographed by the imaging unit 20B based on image information of the vehicle convoy 18 imaged by an imaging unit 20B of the unmanned aerial vehicle 20, which will be described later. 20 in flight.
That is, the first unmanned flying object control unit 24F determines, based on the image information captured by the imaging unit 20B, that the entire convoy 18 formed by several dozen vehicles 10 falls within the field of view of the imaging unit 20B. The unmanned flying object 20 is flown so that the altitude and the direction of the imaging unit 20B are maintained.
In this case, as long as the entire vehicle convoy 18 can be photographed by the imaging unit 20B, the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 may hover and remain at one location in the air, or it may follow the movement of the vehicle convoy 18. The unmanned aerial vehicle 20 may be flown.

When the specific vehicle 11 is specified by the vehicle identifying unit 24D, the second flying object control unit 24G identifies the leg portion 28 of the unmanned flying object 20 based on the image information of the specific vehicle 11 captured by the first imaging unit 20B. The unmanned flying object 20 is moved integrally with the specific vehicle 11 while making contact with a predetermined location of the specific vehicle 11.
The predetermined location of the specific vehicle 11 is, for example, the windshield of the specific vehicle 11, the door glasses located on both sides in the vehicle width direction, or the roof portion that covers the upper part of the vehicle compartment (driver's cabin).

As shown in FIG. 1, the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 includes an unmanned aerial vehicle body 26, a leg section 28 provided at the lower part of the unmanned aerial vehicle body 26, and a plurality of rotors 30 provided on the unmanned aerial vehicle body 26. , and a plurality of motors 20E (see FIG. 2) that are provided for each rotor 30 and rotate the rotor 30.
As shown in FIG. 2, the unmanned flying vehicle 20 further includes a flying vehicle side communication section 20A, an imaging section 20B, a flying vehicle control section 20C, and a vehicle detection section 20D.
The aircraft side communication unit 20A communicates with the first communication unit 24B of the management device main body 24 via the first wireless line, and communicates with the first communication unit 24B of the management device main body 24 via the first wireless line, and the image information captured by the imaging unit 20B and the information detected by the vehicle detection unit 20D. It transmits information indicating the detection result of the state of the vehicle 10 to the first communication section 24B, and receives unmanned aircraft operation command information from the first communication section 24B. Reference numeral 20F in the figure indicates an antenna of the aircraft side communication section 20A.

The imaging unit 20B includes a first imaging unit that images the vehicle convoy 18 and generates image information about the vehicle convoy 18, and a second imaging unit that images the interior of the specific vehicle 11 and generates image information. It is something.
Note that the first imaging section and the second imaging section may be provided independently, but if the first imaging section and the second imaging section are configured with one imaging section 20B as in this embodiment, unmanned flight This is advantageous in simplifying the structure and reducing the weight of the body 20.
The aircraft control unit 20C controls the rotation of each rotor 30 based on the aircraft operation command information transmitted from the first communication unit 24B to the aircraft side communication unit 20A via the first wireless line. 20 in flight.
The vehicle detection unit 20D detects the state of the specific vehicle 11.
In this embodiment, the vehicle detection unit 20D includes a vibration sensor 2002 that detects vibrations of the specific vehicle 11, a microphone 2004 that detects the sound of the specific vehicle 11, and a second imaging unit that captures an image of the interior of the specific vehicle 11. It consists of
Vibration sensor 2002 detects vibrations caused by, for example, a flat tire.
The microphone 2004 detects, for example, abnormal noise caused by engine malfunction.
The second imaging unit (imaging unit 20B) detects disconnection between the coupling tool and the operated member as image information by imaging the interior of the vehicle.
As described above, the second flying object control unit 24G causes the unmanned flying object 20 to move integrally with the specific vehicle 11 while bringing the leg portions 28 of the unmanned flying object 20 into contact with a predetermined location of the specific vehicle 11. Therefore, the vibration sensor 2002 and the microphone 2004 can accurately detect vibrations and abnormal noises, and the second imaging unit 20B can accurately image the state inside the vehicle interior.

Next, the operation of the management device 22 will be explained with reference to the flowchart in FIG.
First, as shown in FIG. 1, earth and sand 12 is loaded onto a plurality of vehicles 10 at a first point P1 using a work machine 16 such as a backhoe (step S10).
When the loading work of the earth and sand 12 to the plurality of vehicles 10 is completed, each vehicle 10 runs on the road 14 from the first point P1 toward the second point P2 under the control of the automatic control unit 10E (step S12). .
At this time, the automatic control unit 10E is based on the positioning information supplied from the positioning unit 10B and the map information read from the map information storage unit 10A, and also based on the vehicle surrounding situation information supplied from the vehicle surrounding situation detection unit 10C. Based on this, the operated member is operated via the actuator 10D, whereby the plurality of vehicles 10 form a vehicle line 18 and travel on the road 14 while maintaining a constant vehicle speed and a constant inter-vehicle distance.

On the other hand, the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 flies until it reaches a position where the imaging unit 20B of the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 can image the entire vehicle convoy 18 by remote control by the operator via the airborne remote control command center 24A. Then, by switching to the control by the first unmanned flying object control unit 24F, it hovers at a position where the entire vehicle convoy 18 can be imaged, or it flies following the vehicle convoy 18, and the image capturing unit 20B captures the image of the vehicle convoy 18. is imaged (step S14).

Based on the image information of the entire vehicle convoy 18 transmitted from the aircraft-side communication unit 20A of the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 to the second communication unit 24H, the vehicle identification unit 24D monitors the presence or absence of a running abnormality of the vehicle 10 (step S16).
Driving abnormalities include, for example, the following:
As shown in FIG. 3(A), the traveling position of the vehicle 10 deviates from the road 14.
As shown in FIG. 3(B), when the inter-vehicle distance of the vehicle 10 falls below a predetermined range.
As shown in FIG. 3(C), when the inter-vehicle distance of the vehicle 10 exceeds a predetermined range.
When the traveling speed of the vehicle 10 is below or above a predetermined range.
When the traveling speed of the vehicle 10 becomes zero and the vehicle 10 stops.
If step S16 is affirmative, that is, if the vehicle specifying unit 24D determines that there is a running abnormality, the vehicle specifying unit 24D specifies the vehicle 10 as the specific vehicle 11, and identifies the specified specific vehicle 11 by the identification indicator 10G. The vehicle identification information of the specific vehicle 11 is recognized based on (step S18).

When the specific vehicle 11 is specified by the vehicle identification unit 24D, the remote control of the unmanned flying object 20 is switched from the first flying object control section 24F to the second flying object control section 24G, and the second flying object control section 24G The unmanned aerial vehicle 20 is integrated with the specific vehicle 11 while bringing the legs 28 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 into contact with a predetermined location of the specific vehicle 11 based on the image information of the specific vehicle 11 captured by the first imaging unit 20B. (step S20).
As a result, the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 brings its legs 28 into contact with a predetermined location of the specific vehicle 11, such as the windshield, door glass, or the roof covering the upper part of the vehicle interior (driver's cabin). maintain the condition.

The vehicle detection unit 20D detects the state of the specific vehicle 11 in a state where the leg portion 28 of the unmanned flying object 20 is in contact with a predetermined location of the specific vehicle 11 (step S22).
That is, vibrations occurring in the specific vehicle 11 are detected by the vibration sensor 2002. Further, the microphone 2004 detects the sound generated from the specific vehicle 11. Further, by capturing an image of the interior of the vehicle with the imaging unit 20B, presence or absence of disconnection between the coupling tool and the operated member is detected as image information.
The detection result of the state of the vehicle 10 detected by the vehicle detection unit 20D is transmitted from the aircraft side communication unit 20A to the first communication unit 24B of the management device main body 24 (step S24).
The failure determination unit 24E of the management device main body 24 determines the nature of the failure of the specific vehicle 11 based on the received detection result (step S26). Specifically, it determines whether the engine is malfunctioning, the tire is flat, or the connection between the coupling tool and the operated member is disconnected.

The vehicle remote control unit 24I transmits remote control information to the vehicle side communication unit 10F of the vehicle 10 via the second communication unit 24H based on the detection result by the vehicle detection unit 20D, whereby the specific vehicle 11 is remotely controlled. The convoy 18 is maintained (step S28).
Specifically, if the breakdown is such that it is difficult to continue driving, the specific vehicle 11 is guided off the road 14 and stopped, and the vehicle 11 is stopped so that it is not in the way of the convoy 18 formed by other vehicles 10. Avoid becoming.
In addition, if it is possible to continue driving due to the nature of the failure, the vehicle speed and inter-vehicle distance of the specific vehicle 11 are controlled to be within a predetermined range, and the specific vehicle 11 forms a convoy 18 with other vehicles 10. The vehicle is controlled so that the vehicle travels in a controlled manner.

Once the specific vehicle 11 is remotely controlled by the vehicle remote control unit 24I and the convoy 18 is maintained, control of the unmanned flying vehicle 20 is switched from the second flying vehicle control unit 24G to the first unmanned flying vehicle control unit 24F. , the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 is controlled so that imaging information of the entire vehicle convoy 18 is obtained (step S30).

The first unmanned flying vehicle control unit 24F determines whether the vehicle convoy 18 has reached the second point P2 based on the imaging information of the entire vehicle convoy 18 transmitted from the unmanned flying vehicle 20 (step S32).
If step S32 is affirmative, that is, if the entire vehicle convoy 18 has arrived at the second point P2 and the vehicles 10 have stopped, the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 is caused to land at a predetermined location.
Then, the earth and sand 12 are dropped from each vehicle 10 onto the ground at the second point P2, and the ground leveling work is performed by the work machine 16B such as a bulldozer (step S34). This operation of dropping the earth and sand 12 from the vehicle 10 onto the ground may be performed by the vehicle remote control unit 24I, or may be performed by a worker riding on the vehicle 10.
In this way, the work of transporting the earth and sand 12 by the plurality of vehicles 10 is once completed.

Once the load on the vehicle 10 is gone, the empty vehicle 10 is now driven from the second point P2 to the first point P1.
The same processing as described above is performed by the management device 22 regarding the traveling of the plurality of vehicles 10 from the second point P2 to the first point P1.
Also, regarding the specific vehicle 11 that is stopped outside the road 14 by vehicle remote control while traveling from the first point P1 to the second point P2 or from the second point P2 to the first point P1, , a worker may separately move to the stopping point of the specific vehicle 11 and repair the specific vehicle 11 to make it driveable, and then drive the specific vehicle 11 to the first point P1 or the second point P2 by remote control.
Further, among the specific vehicles 11, those in which a running abnormality has been detected but are still able to run have reached the first point P1 or the second point P2. Therefore, the operator only has to identify the specific vehicle 11 and repair it based on the vehicle identification information notified by the notification section 24J.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the vehicle 10 that has experienced a running abnormality is identified as the specific vehicle 11, and the state of the specific vehicle 11 is detected by the vehicle detection unit 20D provided in the unmanned aerial vehicle 20. Based on the detection results, the specific vehicle 11 is remotely controlled to maintain the convoy 18.
Therefore, appropriate remote control can be performed on the specific vehicle 11 corresponding to the state of the specific vehicle 11 detected by the vehicle detection unit 20D, which is advantageous in maintaining the convoy 18 reliably.
Therefore, for example, when transporting a large amount of earth and sand 12 such as volcanic ash, volcanic blocks, etc. generated due to a disaster from the first point P1 to the second point P2, a large number of vehicles 10 form a convoy 18 and travel. In this case, it is possible to reliably prevent the convoy 18 from stopping or reducing the vehicle speed due to abnormality in the running of the vehicles 10, and it is possible to prevent the overall progress of the construction work from being affected by the abnormality in the running of the vehicles 10, thereby ensuring that the entire construction progress is maintained as planned. This will be advantageous in completing the construction work on time.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, based on the image information of the vehicle convoy 18 captured by the first imaging unit (imaging unit 20B) provided in the unmanned aerial vehicle 20, the plurality of vehicles 10 forming the vehicle convoy 18 are The presence or absence of a running abnormality is detected, and the vehicle 10 in which the abnormality is detected is specified as a specific vehicle 11.
Therefore, even when the vehicle convoy 18 is formed by a large number of vehicles 10, it is advantageous to accurately detect the presence or absence of a running abnormality in the vehicles 10 and to identify the specific vehicle 11.

Further, in the present embodiment, the detection of the presence or absence of a running abnormality in a plurality of vehicles 10 is performed when at least one of the running position of the vehicle 10, the vehicle speed of the vehicle 10, and the inter-vehicle distance of the vehicle 10 deviates from a predetermined condition. This is advantageous in easily and reliably detecting whether or not there is a running abnormality in the vehicle 10.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the entire vehicle convoy 18 can be photographed by the first imaging section (imaging section 20B) based on the image information of the vehicle convoy 18 photographed by the first imaging section (imaging section 20B). Since the unmanned flying vehicle 20 is made to fly, it is possible to reliably obtain image information capturing the entire convoy 18 formed by a plurality of vehicles 10, and it is possible to easily confirm whether or not there is a running abnormality in the vehicle 10. It is more advantageous for detection.

In addition, in this embodiment, a failure determination unit 24E is further provided that determines the details of the failure of the specific vehicle 11 based on the detection result by the vehicle detection unit 20D, and the remote control of the specific vehicle 11 by the vehicle remote control unit 24I is Since the determination is made based on the determination result of the determination unit 24E, it is advantageous in making the remote control of the specific vehicle 11 appropriate in accordance with the details of the failure.

Further, in the present embodiment, remote control of the specific vehicle 11 by the vehicle remote control unit 24I includes controlling one or both of vehicle speed control and steering control of the specific vehicle 11 so that the vehicle convoy 18 is maintained. This is advantageous in accurately driving the vehicle convoy 18 from the first point P1 to the second point P2.

Further, in the present embodiment, when the specific vehicle 11 is specified by the vehicle specifying unit 24D, the legs of the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 are Since the unmanned flying object 20 is moved integrally with the specific vehicle 11 while the unit 28 is brought into contact with a predetermined location of the specific vehicle 11, the state of the specific vehicle 11 can be reliably detected by the vehicle detection unit 20D. This is advantageous for stable operation.

In addition, since the unmanned flying object 20 is moved integrally with the specific vehicle 11 while the legs 28 of the unmanned flying object 20 are brought into contact with a predetermined location of the specific vehicle 11, the vehicle detecting section 20D detects the specific vehicle. The condition of a specific vehicle can be detected by detecting vibrations and/or sounds generated from the 11, which is advantageous in reliably detecting malfunctions such as engine malfunctions and tire punctures. .

In addition, since the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 is moved integrally with the specific vehicle 11 while bringing the leg portions 28 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 into contact with a predetermined location of the specific vehicle 11, the second imaging unit (imaging unit Since the state of the specific vehicle can be detected based on the image information of the interior of the specific vehicle 11 captured in step 20B), failures such as disconnection between the operated member in the vehicle interior and the actuator 10D can be reliably detected. It is advantageous to do so.

In this embodiment, a case has been described in which the vehicle identification section 24D, the failure determination section 24E, the first flying object control section 24F, and the second flight control section 24G are provided in the management device main body 24. The identification section 24D, the failure determination section 24E, the first flying object control section 24F, and the second flight control section 24G may be provided in the unmanned flying object 20.
However, the present embodiment is advantageous in simplifying the configuration and reducing the weight of the unmanned flying vehicle 20.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, a case has been described in which the vehicles 10 forming the vehicle convoy 18 travel under automatic control; however, the vehicles 10 are not only remotely controlled but also driven by a driver. Even if it is possible, the present invention is of course applicable. In that case, remote control by the vehicle remote control unit 24I of the management device 22 is executed with priority over the driving operation by the driver.
Further, in this embodiment, the case where there is a single unmanned flying vehicle 20 has been described, but it goes without saying that two or more unmanned flying vehicles 20 may be provided.
Further, in this embodiment, the unmanned flying object 20 is made to fly using the motor 20E, but it may be made to fly using any known power source, for example, an internal combustion engine such as a piston engine or a jet engine. It may also be configured using

10 Vehicle 11 Specific vehicle 18 Vehicle convoy 20 Unmanned flying vehicle 20B Imaging section (first imaging section, second imaging section)
20D Vehicle detection section 28 Leg section 22 Management device 24D Vehicle identification section 24E Failure determination section 24F First flying object control section 24G Second flying object control section 24I Vehicle remote control section P1 First point P2 Second point

Claims (7)

A management device for a plurality of vehicles traveling in a convoy from a first point to a second point,
a remotely controlled unmanned vehicle;
a first imaging unit provided on the unmanned flying vehicle;
Based on image information of the vehicle convoy captured by the first imaging unit, detecting whether or not there is a running abnormality in the plurality of vehicles forming the vehicle convoy, and identifying the vehicle in which the abnormality has been detected as a specific vehicle. A vehicle identification unit that
When the specific vehicle is identified by the vehicle identifying unit, the legs of the unmanned flying vehicle are brought into contact with a predetermined location of the specific vehicle based on the image information of the specific vehicle captured by the first imaging unit. a second flight control unit that moves the unmanned flying object integrally with the specific vehicle while
a vehicle detection unit that is provided on the unmanned flying vehicle and detects the state of the specific vehicle;
a vehicle remote control unit that maintains the vehicle convoy by remotely controlling the specific vehicle based on a detection result by the vehicle detection unit;
A management device for a plurality of vehicles, characterized by comprising: Detection of the state of the specific vehicle by the vehicle detection unit is performed by detecting either or both of vibrations and sounds generated from the specific vehicle.
A management device for a plurality of vehicles according to claim 1 . The vehicle identifying unit detects whether or not there is a running abnormality in the plurality of vehicles by determining whether at least one of the running position of the vehicle, the vehicle speed of the vehicle, and the inter-vehicle distance of the vehicle deviates from a predetermined condition. made based on
A management device for a plurality of vehicles according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The vehicle further includes a first flying object control section that causes the unmanned flying object to fly so that the entire vehicle convoy can be photographed by the first imaging section based on image information of the vehicle convoy taken by the first imaging section. ,
A management device for a plurality of vehicles according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: further comprising a failure determination unit that determines the details of the failure of the specific vehicle based on the detection result by the vehicle detection unit,
Remote control of the specific vehicle by the vehicle remote control unit is performed based on a determination result of the failure determination unit,
A management device for a plurality of vehicles according to any one of claims 1 to 4. Remote control of the specific vehicle by the vehicle remote control unit includes:
one or both of vehicle speed control and steering control of the specific vehicle is performed so that the vehicle convoy is maintained;
A management device for a plurality of vehicles according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The vehicle detection unit includes a second imaging unit provided on the unmanned flying vehicle ,
Detection of the state of the specific vehicle by the vehicle detection unit is performed based on image information of the interior of the specific vehicle captured by the second imaging unit.
A management device for a plurality of vehicles according to any one of claims 1 to 6 .

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