JP7467266B2 - Autonomous driving system and control method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an autonomous driving system for an agricultural work vehicle that enables the agricultural work vehicle to drive autonomously through communication between an operating device and the agricultural work vehicle.

In recent years, autonomous driving systems have been developed that allow unmanned work vehicles without an operator to travel autonomously in order to perform agricultural work efficiently and easily in fields (see Patent Documents 1 to 3). In the autonomous driving systems of Patent Documents 1 to 3, an operator can remotely control the work vehicle using an operating device such as a tablet-type personal computer in order to monitor the autonomous travel of the work vehicle in a work area such as a field.

International Publication No. 2015/119263 JP 2016-093125 A JP 2016-095658 A

The software (application) for the autonomous driving system stored in the operation device and the software (firmware) implemented in the control device of the work vehicle are both updated to correct defects. Since software updates (version upgrades) are performed on both the operation device and the work vehicle, there are cases where only one of the software in the operation device or the work vehicle is updated. In such cases, there may be a loss of compatibility between the software in the operation device and the software in the work vehicle, and there is a risk that the work vehicle that has started autonomous driving will become unable to be controlled by the operation device.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned current situation, and has as its technical objective the provision of an autonomous driving system for an agricultural work vehicle that can safely operate an agricultural work vehicle while it is traveling autonomously.

The present invention includes a work vehicle capable of autonomous driving, a remote control device capable of communicating with the work vehicle, and a server that determines whether the version information of the vehicle-side software version of the work vehicle and the device-side software version of the remote control device match. If the server determines that the version information of the vehicle-side software version and the device-side software version do not match, the autonomous driving of the work vehicle is prohibited. The server checks the version information of the vehicle-side software version and the device-side software version, and if at least one of the vehicle-side software and the device-side software is not the latest version and contains version information of the other software, the autonomous driving of the work vehicle is permitted. The server transmits autonomous driving information required for the autonomous driving of the work vehicle and notification information to prompt the update of the version information of the vehicle-side software and the device-side software. The remote control device receives the autonomous driving information and the notification information, and after a predetermined operation of the work vehicle is completed, notifies the user to prompt the user to update the vehicle-side software and the device-side software.

In the above-mentioned autonomous driving system, the server may store update histories for the device-side software and the vehicle-side software.

In the above-mentioned autonomous driving system, if the server determines that there is a mismatch in version information between the vehicle-side software and the device-side software, it may notify the work vehicle or the remote control device of the mismatch.

The present invention also provides a work vehicle capable of autonomous driving and capable of communicating with a remote control device, the work vehicle comprising: a control unit that controls autonomous driving based on an operation signal from the remote control device; and a receiving unit that receives an autonomous driving permission signal when the version information of the device-side software version of the remote control device matches the version information of the vehicle-side software version of the work vehicle, or when at least one of the device-side software version and the vehicle-side software version contains version information of the other software. The work vehicle prohibits autonomous driving when the version information of the device-side software version and the vehicle-side software version do not match, but performs autonomous driving when at least one of the device-side software version and the vehicle-side software version contains version information of the other software.

The present invention also provides a remote control device capable of communicating with a work vehicle performing autonomous driving, comprising a display unit that checks the version information of the vehicle-side software version of the work vehicle and the device-side software version of the remote control device, and displays a message indicating that the version information of the vehicle-side software version and the device-side software version needs to be updated, and a receiving unit that receives autonomous driving information required for the autonomous driving of the work vehicle and notification information for prompting the updating of the version information of the vehicle-side software and the device-side software, and when at least one of the version of the vehicle-side software and the version of the device-side software is not the latest version, the display unit receives the autonomous driving information and the notification information, and displays a message prompting the updating of the vehicle-side software and the device-side software after a predetermined operation of the work vehicle is completed.

The present invention also includes a process for checking the version information of the vehicle-side software version of an autonomously driven work vehicle and the remote control device-side software version capable of communicating with the work vehicle, and a process for receiving the autonomous driving information and the notification information and displaying a message prompting the user to update the vehicle-side software and the device-side software when it is confirmed that at least one of the vehicle-side software version and the remote control device-side software version is not the latest version after a predetermined operation of the work vehicle is completed.

According to the present invention, when the version of the device-side software of the remote control device matches the version of the vehicle-side software of the agricultural work vehicle, the agricultural work vehicle is permitted to travel autonomously, which makes it possible to avoid the agricultural work vehicle becoming uncontrollable while traveling autonomously and also makes it possible to respond to emergency situations. In addition, if the device-side software and vehicle-side software are outdated, the operator is notified to update to the latest version, which allows the agricultural work machine to travel autonomously using highly safe software with no defects, thereby further improving safety.

1 is an overall diagram showing a configuration of an autonomous driving system in an embodiment. 2 is a side view of a tractor, which is an agricultural vehicle, in the autonomous driving system of FIG. 1 . FIG. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the tractor. 11 is a timing chart showing communication operations in an autonomous driving system when the software of the remote control device and the tractor have not been updated. 11 is a timing chart showing communication operations in an autonomous driving system when software of a remote control device and a tractor is updated. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a communication state when the tractor is traveling autonomously. 11 is a timing chart showing communication operations in an autonomous driving system when only the software of a tractor is updated. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a communication state during software update of the remote control device. 11 is a timing chart showing communication operations in an autonomous driving system when only the software of a remote control device is updated. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a communication state during software update of a tractor. 13 is a timing chart showing another example of communication operations in an autonomous driving system when the software of the remote control device and the tractor have not been updated. FIG. 11 is an overall diagram showing the configuration of an autonomous driving system in another embodiment. 11 is a timing chart showing communication operations in an autonomous driving system when only the software of a tractor is updated. 11 is a timing chart showing communication operations in an autonomous driving system when only the software of a remote control device is updated. FIG. 2 is an overall side view of an unmanned tractor and a manned tractor.

<Autonomous Driving System>
An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, an autonomous driving system that autonomously drives a tractor, which is an example of an agricultural vehicle according to the present invention, will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 4. In the following description, a tractor that autonomously drives and works will be referred to as an "unmanned tractor" or "robot tractor," and a tractor that drives and works by being directly operated by an operator will be referred to as a "manned tractor."

In this embodiment, the difference between an unmanned tractor and a manned tractor is whether or not it is directly operated by an operator, and the configuration of the tractor is the same for both unmanned and manned tractors. That is, even with an unmanned tractor, an operator can board (ride) it and operate it directly (in other words, it can be used as a manned tractor). Also, even with a manned tractor, the operator can dismount and have it perform autonomous driving and work (in other words, it can be used as an unmanned tractor).

Furthermore, autonomous driving means that the configuration of the tractor 1 for driving is controlled by the autonomous driving control device 51 etc. equipped in the tractor 1 shown in FIG. 4, and the tractor 1 drives along a predetermined route. Furthermore, in this specification, autonomous work means that the configuration of the tractor 1 for work is controlled by the autonomous driving control device 51 etc., and the tractor 1 performs work along a predetermined route.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the autonomous driving system of this embodiment, a remote control device 70 operated by an operator wirelessly communicates with a tractor 1 in a field (work area) H1, thereby controlling the autonomous driving of the tractor 1, which acquires position information (positioning information) through communication with a positioning satellite 63. The unmanned tractor 1 communicates with a server 100 installed in a management center C1 through a communication network N1 such as a telephone line network, and transmits the driving information of the tractor 1 together with the position information (positioning information) and time information to the server 100. The server 100 accumulates the driving information of the unmanned tractor 1 together with the position information and time information, and stores it as work history information.

A reference station (portable reference station) 60 is installed near the field H1. The reference station 60 has position information that serves as a reference point, which is the installation position. The reference station 60 directly receives signals from a positioning satellite 63 (hereafter referred to as "satellite signals") via a positioning antenna 61, and indirectly receives signals from the positioning satellite 63 received by the unmanned tractor 1 via a wireless communication antenna 64 (hereafter referred to as "vehicle signals").

The reference station 60 uses the reference station communication device 62 to calculate position correction information from the satellite signal and the vehicle signal using the RTK positioning method or the like, and transmits the information to the tractor 1 via the wireless communication antenna 64. The tractor 1 corrects the satellite positioning information measured by the positioning antenna 6 (see FIG. 2) using the correction information transmitted from the reference station 60 to obtain the current position information of the tractor 1 (e.g., latitude information and longitude information).

In the field H1, the remote control device 70 communicates wirelessly with the tractor 1 without being connected to the communication network N1, receives drive information for the tractor 1 along with location information and time information, and stores this information as work history information. While visually checking the situation in the field H1 and the state of the tractor 1, the operator can operate the remote control device 70 to instruct the tractor 1, which is connected to the remote control device 70, to start and stop autonomous driving.

In the operator's office O1, the remote control device 70 is connected to an access point 90 such as a router that is connected to the communication network N1 via an ONU (Optical Network Unit) or a modem. By connecting to the access point 90 in the office O1, the remote control device 70 is able to communicate with the server 100 via the communication network N1. The remote control device 70 is then able to communicate with the server 100. The work history information of the tractor 1 that has already been stored is transmitted to the server 100.

When the server 100 receives work history information (hereinafter referred to as "additional work history information") from the remote control device 70, it reads out work history information that has already been received from the tractor 1 and stored (hereinafter referred to as "basic work history information"). The server 100 then compares the basic work history information with the additional work history information to generate updated work history information by adding the additional work history information to the basic work history information, and stores this together with the name of the operator who performed the operation, the model of the tractor 1, etc.

The external terminal device (service tool) 80 is a terminal device carried by a serviceman of the sales company or manufacturing company of the tractor 1, and is capable of communicating with the tractor 1 by connecting it to the tractor 1 via a wired connection. The tractor 1 connected to the external terminal device 80 communicates with the server 100 via the communication network N1, thereby, for example, updating software (firmware) in the control device within the tractor 1 and diagnosing faults in the tractor 1.

<Tractor>
Next, the tractor 1 will be described below with reference to Figs. 2 to 4. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the tractor 1 includes a machine body 2 that autonomously travels in a field H1. A working machine 3 is detachably provided on the machine body 2. The working machine 3 is used for agricultural work. As the working machine 3, for example, there are various working machines such as a cultivator, a plow, a fertilizer applicator, a grass cutter, and a seeding machine, and a desired working machine 3 can be selected from these as needed and attached to the machine body 2. The machine body 2 is configured so that the height and attitude of the attached working machine 3 can be changed. The machine body 2, which is the machine body of the tractor 1, has its front part supported by a pair of left and right front wheels 7, 7, and its rear part supported by a pair of left and right rear wheels 8, 8. The front wheels 7, 7 and the rear wheels 8, 8 form a running part.

A bonnet 9 is disposed at the front of the machine body 2. Inside this bonnet 9, an engine 10 that is the driving source of the tractor 1 is housed. This engine 10 can be configured as, for example, a diesel engine, but is not limited to this and may be configured as, for example, a gasoline engine. Also, an electric motor may be used as the driving source in addition to or instead of the engine.

A cabin 11 is located behind the bonnet 9, in which the operator sits. Inside the cabin 11, the main components are a steering wheel 12 for the operator to steer, a seat 13 in which the operator can sit, and various operating devices for performing various operations. However, agricultural work vehicles are not limited to those with a cabin 11, and may be ones that do not have a cabin 11.

Although not shown in the figures, the above-mentioned operating devices include, for example, a monitor device, a throttle lever, a main shift lever, a lift lever, a PTO switch, a PTO shift lever, and multiple hydraulic shift levers. These operating devices are located near the seat 13 or near the steering wheel 12.

The monitor device is configured to be able to display various information about the tractor 1. The throttle lever sets the rotation speed of the engine 10. The main speed change lever changes the gear ratio of the transmission case 22. The lift lever raises and lowers the height of the working machine 3 mounted on the machine body 2 within a predetermined range. The PTO switch switches on and off the power transmission to the PTO shaft (power take-off shaft) protruding outward from the rear end side of the transmission case 22. That is, when the PTO switch is in the ON state, power is transmitted to the PTO shaft, the PTO shaft rotates, and the working machine 3 is driven, whereas when the PTO switch is in the OFF state, the power to the PTO shaft is cut off, the PTO shaft does not rotate, and the working machine 3 stops. The PTO speed change lever changes the power input to the working machine 3, and specifically, changes the rotation speed of the PTO shaft. The hydraulic speed change lever switches the hydraulic external take-off valve.

As shown in FIG. 1, the chassis 20 that constitutes the framework of the aircraft body 2 is provided at the bottom. The chassis 20 is composed of an aircraft frame 21, a transmission case 22, a front axle 23, and a rear axle 24, etc.

The machine frame 21 is a support member at the front of the tractor 1, and supports the engine 10 directly or via vibration-proof members or the like. The transmission case 22 changes the power from the engine 10 and transmits it to the front axle 23 and the rear axle 24. The front axle 23 is configured to transmit the power input from the transmission case 22 to the front wheels 7. The rear axle 24 is configured to transmit the power input from the transmission case 22 to the rear wheels 8.

As shown in FIG. 4, the tractor 1 includes an engine control device 15, a main machine control device 16, and a work machine control device 17 that are capable of communicating with each other via a vehicle bus line 18 as a control unit for controlling the operation (forward, reverse, stopping, turning, etc.) of the machine body 2. The output side of the engine control device 15 is electrically connected to a common rail device 41 as a fuel injection device provided in the engine 5. Meanwhile, the input side of the engine control device 15 is electrically connected to a rotation speed sensor 31 that detects the rotation speed of the engine 5, etc.

The output side of the machine control device 16 is electrically connected to a transmission 42, which includes a hydraulic transmission that changes the speed of the power from the engine 5, and left and right brake devices 26 that apply brakes to the power transmission to the left and right rear wheels 8 on the rear axle 24. Meanwhile, the input side of the machine control device 16 is electrically connected to a vehicle speed sensor 32 that detects the rotation speed of the rear wheels 8, and an inclination angle sensor 33 that detects the inclination angle and inclination angular velocity of the machine body 2. In addition, the output side of the work machine control device 17 is electrically connected to a work machine lifting actuator 44, and the input side of the work machine control device 17 is electrically connected to a work machine sensor 34 that detects the attitude and operating state of the work machine 3.

The tractor 1 also has a vehicle-mounted terminal device 19 connected to the vehicle bus line 18, and the vehicle-mounted terminal device 19 can be connected to the communication network N1 via a wireless telephone line or the like. That is, the tractor 1 can communicate with the server 100 of the management center C1 by connecting to the communication network N1 via the vehicle-mounted terminal device 19. Furthermore, the tractor 1 has an external terminal (not shown) that can be connected to the vehicle bus line 18, and is configured to be able to electrically connect an external terminal device (service tool) 80, such as a computer operated by a service technician, to the vehicle bus line 18.

The common rail device 41 injects fuel into each cylinder of the engine 10. In this case, the fuel injection valves of the injectors for each cylinder of the engine 10 are opened and closed under control of the engine control device 15, so that high-pressure fuel pumped from the fuel tank to the common rail device 41 by the fuel supply pump is injected from each injector into each cylinder of the engine 10, and the injection pressure, injection timing, and injection period (injection amount) of the fuel supplied from each injector are controlled with high precision.

The transmission 42 is, for example, a movable swash plate type hydraulic continuously variable transmission, and is provided in the transmission case 22. The transmission 42 is controlled by the machine control device 16 to appropriately adjust the angle of the swash plate, thereby making it possible to set the gear ratio of the transmission case 22 to the desired gear ratio.

The lifting actuator 44 raises and lowers the work implement 3 to either a retracted position (a position where no agricultural work is performed) or a working position (a position where agricultural work is performed), for example by operating a three-point linkage mechanism that connects the work implement 3 to the machine body 2. The lifting actuator 44 is controlled by the work implement control device 17 to appropriately raise and lower the work implement 3, so that agricultural work can be performed by the work implement 3 at a desired height in the field area, for example.

The tractor 1 equipped with the above-mentioned control devices 15-17 is configured to be able to perform agricultural work while traveling in a field by controlling each part of the tractor 1 (machine body 2, work implement 3, etc.) through communication between the control devices 15-17 via the vehicle bus line 18 based on various operations by an operator inside the cabin 11. In addition, the tractor 1 of the embodiment is capable of autonomous traveling based on predetermined control signals output by the remote control device 70, for example, even without an operator on board.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, various components such as an autonomous driving control device 51 for enabling autonomous driving are added to the tractor 1. Furthermore, the tractor 1 is equipped with various components such as a positioning antenna 6 required for acquiring its own (machine's) position information based on a positioning system. With this configuration, the tractor 1 is able to acquire its own position information based on the positioning system and drive autonomously on a farm field.

Next, the configuration of the tractor 1 for autonomous driving will be described in detail. Specifically, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, the tractor 1 is equipped with an autonomous driving control device 51, a steering control device 52, a positioning surveying device 53, a wireless communication router (low-power data communication device) 54, a steering actuator 43, a positioning antenna 6, and a wireless communication antenna unit 48.

The autonomous driving control device 51 and steering control device 52 are configured to be able to communicate with the engine control device 15, the main machine control device 16, and the work machine control device 17 via the vehicle bus line 18. The autonomous driving control device 51 is also able to communicate with the positioning survey device 53 and the wireless communication router 54 via the autonomous driving bus line 56 in the autonomous driving communication system, which is a separate system from the steering communication system using the vehicle bus line 18.

The steering actuator 43 is provided, for example, midway along the rotation axis (steering shaft) of the steering wheel 12, and adjusts the rotation angle (steering angle) of the steering wheel 12. When the tractor 1 (as an unmanned tractor) travels along a predetermined route, the steering control device 52 calculates an appropriate rotation angle of the steering wheel 12 so that the tractor 1 travels along that route, and controls the steering actuator 43 so that the steering wheel 12 rotates at the calculated rotation angle.

The steering control device 52 receives a detection signal of the rotation angle of the steering wheel 12 from the steering angle sensor 35, and communicates with the engine control device 15, the main machine control device 16, and the work machine control device 17 via the vehicle bus line 18, thereby performing steering according to the vehicle speed of the tractor 1. Note that the steering actuator 43 may adjust the steering angle of the front wheels 7 of the tractor 1 rather than the rotation angle of the steering wheel 12, in which case the steering wheel 12 will not rotate even when turning.

The positioning antenna 6 receives signals from a positioning satellite constituting a positioning system such as a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). The positioning antenna 6 is disposed on the upper surface of the roof 14 of the cabin 11. The signal received by the positioning antenna 6 is input to the positioning survey device 53, which calculates the position information of the tractor 1 (strictly speaking, the positioning antenna 6) as, for example, latitude and longitude information. The position information calculated by the positioning survey device 53 is acquired by the autonomous driving control device 51 and used for controlling the tractor 1.

The positioning survey device 53 is electrically connected to the first wireless communication antenna 48a in the wireless communication antenna unit 48, and communicates with a reference station (portable reference station) 60 (described later) through a first wireless communication network (e.g., a wireless communication network in the 920 MHz band) using a specific low-power radio. The wireless communication antenna unit 48 is disposed on the upper surface of the roof 14 of the cabin 11. The positioning survey device 53 corrects the satellite positioning information of the tractor 1 (mobile station) by receiving correction information (positioning correction information) from the reference station 60 installed in a position close to the field via the first wireless communication antenna 48a, and determines the current position of the tractor 1. For example, various positioning methods such as DGPS (differential GPS positioning) and RTK positioning (real-time kinematic positioning) can be applied.

In this embodiment, for example, RTK positioning is applied, and in addition to the positioning antenna 6 on the mobile station side tractor 1, a reference station 60 equipped with a reference station positioning antenna 61 is also provided. The reference station 60 is placed at a position (reference point) that does not interfere with the travel of the tractor 1, such as around a field. The position information of the reference point where the reference station 60 is installed is set in advance. The reference station 60 is equipped with a reference station communication device 62 that can communicate via a first wireless communication network established between the positioning surveying device 53 of the tractor 1 and the communication device by the first wireless communication antenna 48a.

In RTK positioning, the carrier phase (satellite positioning information) from the positioning satellite 63 is measured by both the reference station 60 installed at the reference point and the positioning antenna 6 of the tractor 1, which is the mobile station side for which position information is sought. The reference station 60 generates correction information including the measured satellite positioning information and the position information of the reference point, etc., every time it measures satellite positioning information from the positioning satellite 63 or every time a set period has elapsed, and transmits the correction information from the reference station communication device 62 to the first wireless communication antenna 48a of the tractor 1. The positioning survey device 53 of the tractor 1 (corresponding to a mobile station) corrects the satellite positioning information measured by the positioning antenna 6 using the correction information transmitted from the reference station 60 to obtain the current position information (e.g., latitude information and longitude information) of the tractor 1.

In this embodiment, a highly accurate satellite positioning system using the GNSS-RTK method is used, but this is not limited to this, and other positioning systems may be used as long as they can obtain highly accurate position coordinates. GNSS-RTK is a positioning method that improves accuracy by correcting information based on information from a reference station whose position is known, and there are several methods that differ in the method of distributing information from the reference station. Since the present invention does not depend on the GNSS-RTK method, details will be omitted in this embodiment.

The positioning survey device 53 is capable of measuring not only the position information of the tractor 1 (machine 2) by satellite positioning, but also the tilt angle information for the front, rear, left and right by inertial measurement. The tilt angle information measured by the positioning survey device 53 is acquired by the autonomous driving control device 51 in a state where it is associated with the position information (latitude and longitude information) and is used to control the tractor 1. The positioning survey device 53 is also capable of measuring the height position of the positioning antenna 6 relative to the field scene, and thus the vehicle height of the tractor 1 (machine 2).

The wireless communication antenna unit 48 is disposed on the upper surface of the roof 14 of the cabin 11 of the tractor 1, and includes first and second wireless communication antennas 48a, 48b that are communicatively connected to first and second wireless communication networks of different frequency bands. The first wireless communication network is constructed, for example, with a specific low-power radio in the 920 MHz band, which has a high data transmission speed, in order to communicate positioning correction information from the reference station 60. The second wireless communication network is constructed, for example, with a low-power data communication system in the 2.4 GHz band in order to communicate large-capacity data such as image data at high speed. Note that a part of the antennas 48a, 48b may be disposed inside the cabin 11.

The first wireless communication antenna 48a is electrically connected to the positioning survey device 53, and the second wireless communication antenna 48b is electrically connected to the wireless communication router 54. The wireless communication router 54 connected to the second wireless communication antenna 48b communicates with a remote control device 70 capable of displaying images, which is operated by an operator outside the tractor 1, via the second wireless communication network. The wireless communication router 54 receives control signals from the remote control device 70 and transmits them to the autonomous driving control device 51 via the autonomous driving bus line 56.

The wireless communication router 54 also receives images captured by the camera 36, which captures images in front of the tractor 1, by communicating wirelessly with the camera 36 via the second wireless communication network. The camera 36 is attached to an upper position of the cabin 11, and captures images of the field conditions, such as the area around the hood 6 in front of the cabin 11. In this embodiment, the camera 36 is attached integrally to the wireless communication antenna unit 48, but it may be attached to multiple locations, such as to the sides or rear of the roof 14 of the cabin 11.

The remote control device 70 is specifically configured as a tablet-type personal computer equipped with a touch panel. The operator can refer to and confirm information (e.g., information about the field required for autonomous driving) displayed on the touch panel of the remote control device 70. The operator also operates the remote control device 70 to transmit a control signal for controlling the tractor 1 to the autonomous driving control device 51 of the tractor 1. Note that the remote control device 70 of the embodiment is not limited to a tablet-type personal computer, and instead, it can be configured as, for example, a notebook-type personal computer. Alternatively, a monitor device mounted on a tractor other than the tractor 1 can be used as the remote control device.

The autonomous driving control device 51 compares the driving route generated by the remote control device 70 with the position information of the tractor 1, calculates the steering angle of the tractor 1, the target engine speed, the gear ratio, etc., in order to make the tractor 1 autonomously drive at a predetermined driving speed while performing a predetermined work along the driving route, and communicates with each control device 15-17, 52 through the vehicle bus line 18. As a result, the tractor 1 can perform agricultural work using the work implement 3 while autonomously driving along the driving route. In this way, the route within the field area (driving area) where the tractor 1 autonomously drives may be referred to as the "driving route" in the following description. In addition, the area (working area) in the field area (driving area) that is the subject of agricultural work by the work implement 3 of the tractor 1 is determined as the entire field area excluding the headland and the clearance, and is set based on these registration points and the working width of the tractor 1 when the operator or the like performs the registration work of the registration points described below.

When the operator executes a stop operation on the remote control device 70, the autonomous driving control device 51 stops fuel injection in the common rail device 41 through communication with the engine control device 15, and places the transmission device 42 in a neutral state through communication with the main vehicle control device 16, and applies a braking operation using the brake device 26 described below. At this time, the autonomous driving control device 52 may control the steering actuator 43 through communication with the steering control device 51 to place the handlebars 12 in a neutral position, and orient the left and right front wheels 7, 7 in a straight-ahead direction.

The autonomous driving control device 51 checks the communication state between the positioning device 53 and the reference station 60 (communication state in the first communication network) and the communication state between the wireless communication router 54 and the remote control device 70 (communication state in the second communication network) via the autonomous driving bus line 56. When the autonomous driving control device 51 checks that the communication state in either the first or second communication network has been cut off, it stops the autonomous driving of the tractor 1 by communicating with the engine control device 15 and the gear change control device 16, etc. Note that when the positioning device 53 and the wireless communication router 54 do not receive a signal from the communication partner for a predetermined period of time or longer, the autonomous driving control device 51 determines that communication with the communication partner has been cut off.

The tractor 1 is further provided with a pair of left and right brake devices 26, 26 that apply the brakes to the left and right rear wheels 8, 8 by two systems: the operation of the brake pedal or parking brake lever, and automatic control. In other words, both the left and right brake devices 26, 26 are configured to apply the brakes to both the left and right rear wheels 8, 8 by operating the brake pedal (or the parking brake lever) in the braking direction. Also, when the rotation angle of the handlebars 12 reaches or exceeds a predetermined angle, the brake device 26 for the rear wheel 8 on the inside of the turn is configured to automatically perform a braking operation in response to a command from the machine control device 16 (so-called auto brake).

The reference station 60 includes a reference station wireless communication antenna 64 that distributes correction information, a reference station positioning antenna 61 that receives a signal from a positioning satellite 63, and a reference station communication device 62 that is electrically connected to the wireless communication antenna 64 and the positioning antenna 61. The reference station 60 is installed at a reference point for identifying the position of the tractor (work vehicle) 1 that serves as a mobile station. The portable reference station 60 installed at the reference point sends the signal from the positioning satellite 63 received by the reference station positioning antenna 61 to the reference station communication device 62, which generates correction information including the measured satellite positioning information and the position information of the reference point. The reference station 60 then distributes the correction information generated by the reference station communication device 62 via the first wireless communication network. The reference station 60 is configured to be disassembled into multiple components, and each of the disassembled components may be configured to be large enough to be stored in a specified case and transported.

<Basic processing operations in an autonomous driving system>
Next, the basic processing operations in the autonomous travel of the unmanned tractor 1 in the field H1 will be described below with reference to Figures 5 to 11. As shown in Figures 5 to 7, when the key switch for the unmanned tractor 1 in the field H1 is turned ON, the control devices 15 to 17, 51, and 52, the positioning device 53, and the wireless communication router 54 are powered on, and the engine 10 is driven and put into an idling state. At this time, the unmanned tractor 1 is stopped by the braking action of the left and right brake devices 26. On the other hand, when the power of the remote control device 70 is turned on, a display consisting of a touch panel is displayed and device-side software is started.

The unmanned tractor 1 controls the communication operation of the wireless communication router 54 by the autonomous driving control device 51, and the wireless communication router 54 starts searching for a remote control device 70 with which it can communicate through the second wireless communication network. That is, the wireless communication router 54 generates a communication confirmation signal including a tractor ID unique to the unmanned tractor 1 and transmits it from the second wireless communication antenna 48b. The remote control device 70 pre-stores the tractor ID of the unmanned tractor 1 with which it can communicate in the autonomous driving system. Then, when the remote control device 70 receives a communication confirmation signal including the tractor ID, if the received tractor ID matches the tractor ID stored in advance, it authenticates communication with the wireless communication router 54 of the unmanned tractor 1.

After authenticating the communication with the unmanned tractor 1, the remote control device 70 generates a response signal to the communication confirmation signal and transmits it to the wireless communication router 54 of the unmanned tractor 1. The remote control device 70 generates a response signal including a device ID unique to the device itself and transmits it to the wireless communication router 54 through the second wireless communication network. The unmanned tractor 1 pre-stores the device ID of the remote control device 70 with which communication is possible in the autonomous driving system in the autonomous driving control device 51 or the wireless communication router 54. Therefore, when the unmanned tractor 1 receives a response signal at the wireless communication router 54 via the second wireless communication antenna 48b, it authenticates the communication with the remote control device 70 if the device ID in the received response signal matches the pre-stored device ID.

When communication is established between the unmanned tractor 1 (wireless communication router 54) and the remote control device 70 as described above, the unmanned tractor 1 notifies the server 100 that communication has been established. At this time, the unmanned tractor 1 transmits the tractor ID of the unmanned tractor 1 and the device ID of the remote control device 70 from the vehicle-mounted terminal device 19 to the server 100 via the communication network N1.

When the key switch of the unmanned tractor 1 is turned ON and the positioning surveying device 53 is powered on, the position information (latitude and longitude information) of the unmanned tractor 1 is calculated by communicating with the positioning satellite 63 and the reference station 60 via the antennas 6 and 48a. After the authentication process between the unmanned tractor 1 (wireless communication router 54) and the remote control device 70 described above, the position information of the unmanned tractor 1 is transmitted to the server 100 together with the tractor ID and device ID.

When the server 100 confirms from the tractor ID and device ID that the tractor 1 and remote control device are capable of using the autonomous driving system, it authenticates the unmanned tractor 1 to enable communication between the unmanned tractor 1 and the server 100. When the server 100 authenticates the unmanned tractor 1, it reads map information centered on the position information received from the unmanned tractor 1 and transmits the read map information to the unmanned tractor 1. At this time, the server 100 confirms the field (work area) assigned to the operator who operates the unmanned tractor 1 from the tractor ID and device ID, adds information about the field (work area) to be worked on to the map information and transmits it to the unmanned tractor 1.

When the unmanned tractor 1 receives map information from the server 100 at the vehicle-mounted terminal device 19, the unmanned tractor 1 provides the received map information to the wireless communication router 54 via the autonomous driving control device 51, and transmits the map information from the wireless communication router 54 to the remote control device 70. The remote control device 70, which has received the map information, displays a map including the field (work area) assigned to the operator on the display based on the received map information.

The operator operates a touch panel constituting the display of the remote control device 70, for example, to specify the field (work area) to be worked on by the unmanned tractor 1 from the map displayed on the display. The operator also specifies the work equipment and the size of the work equipment to be used by the unmanned tractor 1 to perform work (cultivation, sowing, fertilization, plowing, ridge making, etc.) to the remote control device 70.

The remote control device 70 generates a response signal including the field (work area) and work machine specified by the operator and transmits it to the unmanned tractor 1, which generates a work route (work path) along which the unmanned tractor 1 will move by calculation based on the specified field and work performed by the work machine. That is, when the autonomous driving control device 51 is notified of the details of the field and work machine contained in the response signal received by the wireless communication router 54, the autonomous driving control device 51 sets a work route based on the specified field and work machine. The wireless communication router 54 then transmits a communication confirmation signal including the set work route to the remote control device 70.

When the remote control device 70 receives an operation from the operator to start autonomous driving, it generates a response signal permitting autonomous driving and transmits it to the unmanned tractor 1 (wireless communication router 54). When the unmanned tractor 1 receives the response signal, which is an autonomous driving permission signal, at the wireless communication router 54, the autonomous driving control device 51 executes control operations of each part via the engine control device 15, the main machine control device 16, the work machine control device 17, and the steering control device 52, and the autonomous driving of the unmanned tractor 1 begins.

When the unmanned tractor 1 starts autonomous driving, it transmits the driving status of the body 2 and the working equipment 3 (engine RPM, vehicle speed of the body 2, engine load, tilting attitude of the body 2, tilting attitude of the working equipment 3, elevation position of the working equipment 3, braking operation of the left and right brake devices 26, steering angle of the handle 10, switching of the PTO switch, etc.) together with position information and time information to the server 100 and the remote control device 70. The position information is latitude and longitude information calculated by the positioning survey device 53 based on information received from the positioning satellite 63 and the reference station 60, and the time information is information indicating the time measured by one of the control devices 15-17, 52, 53 of the unmanned tractor 1.

<Software version check process>
In the autonomous driving system in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5 to FIG. 11, the version (revision number) of the vehicle-side software (firmware) of the control devices 15 to 17, 51, and 52 in the unmanned tractor 1 that is the target of autonomous driving is confirmed with the version of the device-side software (application) for the autonomous driving system in the remote control device 70. Then, when the vehicle-side software of the unmanned tractor 1 and the device-side software of the remote control device 70 match, the autonomous driving of the unmanned tractor 1 by the autonomous driving system is permitted. In other words, when the vehicle-side software of the unmanned tractor 1 and the device-side software of the remote control device 70 do not match, the autonomous driving of the unmanned tractor 1 by the autonomous driving system is prohibited. In addition, the server 100 stores each version of the vehicle-side software and the device-side software together with the update history of each of the vehicle-side software of the unmanned tractor 1 and the device-side software of the remote control device 70.

Note that "matching versions" does not only refer to cases where the software on the tractor 1 side or the remote control device 70 side is revised to match the revision of the other, but also includes cases where only one piece of software has been revised but the other is operable using the latest version of the software. In the following, for simplicity's sake, it is assumed that the versions match when the software on the tractor 1 side and the remote control device 70 side each have two versions, an old and a new one, and both pieces of software are new versions, or when both pieces of software are old versions.

As shown in FIG. 5, if the versions of the vehicle-side software of the tractor 1 and the device-side software of the remote control device 70 are both old versions (if the versions of the vehicle-side software and device-side software are old), when performing authentication operations to establish communication between the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70, the communication confirmation signal and the response signal do not contain version information indicating the version of each software. Therefore, since both the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70 receive signals without version information, they determine that each other's software is an old version and matches, authenticate each other, and establish communication between the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70.

When the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70, which have older software versions, allow communication with each other, the unmanned tractor 1 transmits the tractor ID, device ID, and location information to make an authentication request to the server 100. Since the server 100 does not receive the version information of the software of the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70, it checks from the stored version update history that the software of the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70 is an older version.

The server 100 recognizes that the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70 are both operating with old versions of software, and sends the map information along with an update notification to the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70 to prompt them to update their software. When the unmanned tractor 1 receives the update notification together with the map information from the server 100, it sends the map information and the update notification to the remote control device 70.

As a result, the remote control device 70 receives an update notification from the server 100 along with the map information, and after the specified operation of the field (work area) and the work machine is completed, a notification screen (e.g., a text message such as "The tractor can be operated. However, the versions of both the tractor software and the autonomous driving application have been updated. Please update the software after completing work") is displayed on the display, encouraging the user to update the software of the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70. As a result, by checking the notification screen of the remote control device 70, the operator can confirm that operation for autonomous driving of the unmanned tractor 1 is possible, and recognize that the software versions of the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device have been updated.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the versions of the vehicle-side software of the tractor 1 and the device-side software of the remote control device 70 are both new versions (when the versions of the vehicle-side software and the device-side software are new), when performing an authentication operation to establish communication between the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70, the communication confirmation signal and the response signal each contain version information indicating the version of each software. Therefore, the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70 each check the version information contained in the received signal, determine that the respective software is a new version and matches, and authenticate each other, thereby establishing communication between the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70.

The unmanned tractor 1 also transmits the version information of each piece of software along with the tractor ID, device ID, and location information to make an authentication request to the server 100. The server 100 receives the version information of the software of the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70, and confirms that the software of the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70 are new versions of the software.

As shown in FIG. 8, if the vehicle-side software of the unmanned tractor 1 is a new version while the device-side software of the remote control device 70 is an old version (the version of the device-side software is older than the version of the vehicle-side software), when performing an authentication operation to establish communication between the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70, the communication confirmation signal contains version information but the response signal does not contain version information. In this case, the communication confirmation signal generated based on the new version of the vehicle-side software is configured to be processable by the old version of the device-side software. Therefore, the remote control device 70 authenticates the unmanned tractor 1 by receiving the communication confirmation signal.

On the other hand, the unmanned tractor 1 receives a response signal without version information, and therefore determines that the software is inconsistent, stops the wireless communication router 54 from sending a communication confirmation signal, and cuts off communication with the remote control device 70. The unmanned tractor 1 also sends the server 100 the version information of the vehicle-side software along with the tractor ID, device ID, and location information.

By receiving only the version information of the vehicle-side software, the server 100 recognizes that the versions of the vehicle-side software of the tractor 1 and the device-side software of the remote control device 70 do not match. The server 100 also checks the update history of the device-side software of the remote control device 70, reads the version of the device-side software of the remote control device 70, and notifies the unmanned tractor 1. The unmanned tractor 1 stops the engine 10 after sending a notification prompting an update of the device-side software of the remote control device 70.

On the other hand, the remote control device 70 does not receive a communication confirmation signal from the unmanned tractor 1 (wireless communication router 54) even after a predetermined time has elapsed, and therefore determines that communication with the unmanned tractor 1 has been cut off. Therefore, the remote control device 70 displays a screen on the display notifying the user that communication with the unmanned tractor 1 has been cut off and to check the status of the unmanned tractor 1 (for example, a text message such as "Communication with the tractor is not possible. The tractor engine will be stopped. After the tractor engine is stopped, please check the tractor").

The operator therefore boards the unmanned tractor 1 by checking the screen display of the remote control device 70. At this time, the unmanned tractor 1 is notified of the device-side software update, for example, by a display on a monitor device (not shown) in the cabin 11. This allows the operator boarding the unmanned tractor 1 to recognize that an update of the device-side software of the remote control device 70 is requested.

As shown in Figures 8 and 9, when the operator confirms the update request for the device-side software of the remote control device 70, he returns to the office O1 and connects the remote control device 70 to the access point 90. As a result, the remote control device 70 is connected to the communication network N1 via the access point 90 and can communicate with the server 100, and requests the server 100 to update the device-side software. At this time, the remote control device 70 transmits its own device ID to the server 100, and the server 100 confirms the update request from the remote control device 70 and authenticates the communication with the remote control device 70.

When communication between the server 100 and the remote control device 70 is established, a new version of the device-side software (optimum version of the application) is read and sent to the remote control device 70 to make it compatible with the new version of the vehicle-side software of the unmanned tractor 1. When the remote control device 70 receives the new version of the device-side software, it updates the old version of the device-side software, and when the software update is complete, it notifies the server 100 of the completion, and communication between the server 100 and the remote control device 70 is cut off.

As shown in FIG. 10, if the vehicle-side software of the tractor 1 is an old version while the device-side software of the remote control device 70 is a new version (if the version of the vehicle-side software is older than the version of the device-side software), the communication confirmation signal does not contain version information when performing authentication operation to establish communication between the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70. Since the remote control device 70 receives a communication confirmation signal without version information, it determines that the software is inconsistent and cuts off communication with the unmanned tractor 1 (wireless communication router 54).

The unmanned tractor 1 (wireless communication router 54) determines that communication with the remote control device 70 has been cut off because it does not receive a response signal from the remote control device 70 even after a predetermined time has elapsed. Therefore, the remote control device 70 notifies the unmanned tractor 1 that communication with the unmanned tractor 1 has been cut off, for example, via a monitor device (not shown) in the cabin 11.

Meanwhile, the remote control device 70 recognizes that the vehicle-side software of the unmanned tractor 1 is outdated, and by confirming the inconsistency with the version of the device-side software, displays a screen on the display notifying the operator that the vehicle-side software of the unmanned tractor 1 needs to be updated (for example, a text message such as "The tractor software has not been updated. Please contact your service shop to update the tractor software"). As a result, by checking the notification screen of the remote control device 70, the operator can recognize that the vehicle-side software of the unmanned tractor 1 is still an old version and therefore cannot be operated for autonomous driving.

As shown in Figures 10 and 11, when the operator confirms the update request for the vehicle-side software of the unmanned tractor 1, he contacts a service store such as a dealer and requests an update of the vehicle-side software. Then, a service technician connects an external terminal device (service tool) 80 to the unmanned tractor 1 via a wired connection, and notifies the unmanned tractor 1 of the update of the vehicle-side software of the unmanned tractor 1. At this time, the external terminal device 80 transmits a device ID unique to the device to the unmanned tractor 1.

As a result, the unmanned tractor 1 is connected to the communication network N1 by the vehicle-mounted terminal device 19, becomes able to communicate with the server 100, and requests the server 100 to update the vehicle-side software. At this time, the unmanned tractor 1 transmits the device ID of the external terminal device 80 along with its own tractor ID to the server 100, and the server 100 confirms the update request made through the external terminal device 80 and authenticates the communication with the unmanned tractor 1.

When communication between the server 100 and the unmanned tractor 1 is established, a new version of the vehicle-side software (optimum version of firmware) is read out and sent to the unmanned tractor 1 to make it compatible with the new version of the device-side software of the remote control device 70. When the unmanned tractor 1 receives the new version of the vehicle-side software, it updates it from the old version of the vehicle-side software, and when the software update is complete, it notifies the server 100 of the completion, and communication between the server 100 and the remote control device 70 is cut off.

When the software of the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70 are old versions, the server device 100 may check the update history of the software of the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70 as shown in FIG. 12 to determine whether the software versions match. In this case, after the server 100 confirms that the software versions of the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70 match, communication between the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70 is established. Also, as in the above-mentioned cases of FIG. 6, FIG. 8, and FIG. 10, even when the server 100 receives the software version information of the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70 with which communication has been established, it may compare it with the latest software version information stored to check whether an update is required.

<Another embodiment>
Another embodiment of the autonomous driving system of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 13 to 15. As shown in Figure 13, in the autonomous driving system of this embodiment, a remote control device 70 used in a field H1 is connected to a communication network N1 via, for example, a wireless telephone line, and is capable of communicating with a server 100. Therefore, even if the versions of the vehicle-side software of the unmanned tractor 1 and the device-side software of the remote control device 70 do not match, the older version of the software can be updated based on the communication between the remote control device 70 and the server 100.

As shown in FIG. 14, if the vehicle-side software of the unmanned tractor 1 is a new version while the device-side software of the remote control device 70 is an old version (the version of the device-side software is older than the version of the vehicle-side software), the remote control device 70 notifies the user of a communication error and the unmanned tractor 1 notifies the user to update the device-side software. This allows the operator to recognize that the device-side software of the remote control device 70 needs to be updated, and the operator operates the remote control device 70 to request the server 100 to update the device-side software.

The software update request notification from the remote control device 70 includes the device ID of the remote control device 70, and the server 100 authenticates the remote control device 70 based on the device ID and establishes communication with the remote control device 70. The server 100 reads out a new version of the device-side software (an optimal version of the application) to make the unmanned tractor 1 compatible with the new version of the vehicle-side software, and transmits it to the remote control device 70.

When the device-side software of the remote control device 70 is updated in this way, the operator turns on the key switch for the unmanned tractor 1. This updates the software versions of the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70, and as shown in FIG. 6, communication between the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70 is established, allowing the unmanned tractor 1 to start autonomous driving.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 15, if the vehicle-side software of the tractor 1 is an old version while the device-side software of the remote control device 70 is a new version (if the version of the vehicle-side software is older than the version of the device-side software), the remote control device 70 will notify the operator that the vehicle-side software needs to be updated. This allows the operator to recognize that the vehicle-side software of the unmanned tractor 1 needs to be updated, and by operating the remote control device 70, the operator will request the server 100 to update the vehicle-side software.

The software update request notification from the remote control device 70 includes the device ID of the remote control device 70 and the tractor ID of the unmanned tractor 1. The server 100 authenticates the unmanned tractor ID together with the remote control device 70 based on the device ID and tractor ID, and establishes communication with both the remote control device 70 and the unmanned tractor 1. The server 100 reads out the new version of the vehicle-side software (optimized version of the application) to make it compatible with the new version of the device-side software of the remote control device 70, and transmits it to the unmanned tractor 1.

When the vehicle-side software of the unmanned tractor 1 is updated in this manner, the unmanned tractor 1 notifies the remote control device 70 that the software update on the unmanned tractor 1 has been completed. In addition, when the remote control device 70 recognizes that the software update on the unmanned tractor 1 has been completed, it notifies the operator by displaying the completion of the software update on a display, and also notifies the server 100 of the completion of the software.

After that, communication between the remote control device 70 and the unmanned tractor 1 is cut off, and the remote control device 70 receives a communication confirmation signal from the unmanned tractor 1. At this time, the software versions of the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70 are new, so communication between the unmanned tractor 1 and the remote control device 70 is established as shown in FIG. 6, and the unmanned tractor 1 can start autonomous driving.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, but can be embodied in various forms. The configuration of each part is not limited to the illustrated embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention. That is, in the above-mentioned embodiment, a single tractor 1 is used to work in a field, but multiple tractors 1 may be used to work. In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 16, part of the agricultural work in the field is performed by the unmanned tractor 1, and the remaining agricultural work is performed by the manned tractor 1A. The unmanned tractor 1 and the manned tractor 1A can perform cooperative work, following work, accompanying work, etc., to share the agricultural work in a single field. In the above-mentioned cooperative work, the unmanned tractor 1 may perform agricultural work in one field, and at the same time, the manned tractor 1A may perform agricultural work in another field. Furthermore, multiple unmanned tractors 1 may perform any of the above-mentioned cooperative work, following work, and accompanying work.

1. Tractor (work vehicle)
15 Engine control device 16 Main machine control device 17 Work machine control device 18 Vehicle bus line 19 Vehicle-mounted terminal device 48 Wireless communication antenna unit 48a First wireless communication antenna 48b Second wireless communication antenna 51 Autonomous driving control device 52 Steering control device 53 Positioning side device 54 Wireless communication router 56 Autonomous driving bus line 60 Reference station 63 Positioning satellite 70 Remote control device 80 External terminal device 90 Access point 100 Server C1 Management center H1 Field (work area)
N1 Communication network network O1 Office

Claims (4)

An autonomously driven work vehicle;
A remote control device capable of communicating with the work vehicle,
a mismatch determination means for determining whether a version of the vehicle-side software of the work vehicle and a version of the device-side software of the remote control device are in agreement;
a prohibition means for prohibiting the autonomous driving of the work vehicle when the mismatch determination means determines that there is no match;
an old version determination means for determining that both the vehicle side software and the device side software are old versions;
and a means for permitting autonomous driving of the work vehicle and issuing a notification to prompt updating of the vehicle-side software and the device-side software when the old version determination means determines that both are old versions.
Autonomous driving system. The method further includes a means for issuing a notification to prompt the user to update the vehicle-side software and the device-side software, the vehicle-side software being an older version, when the inconsistency determination means determines that the software does not match.
The autonomous driving system according to claim 1 . a new version determination means for determining whether the vehicle-side software and the device-side software are both new versions;
and a means for permitting autonomous driving of the work vehicle and not issuing a notification to prompt updating of the vehicle-side software and the device-side software when the new version determination means determines that both are new versions.
The autonomous driving system according to claim 1 or 2. A method for controlling a remote control device capable of communicating with an autonomously traveling work vehicle, comprising:
a mismatch determination step of determining that a version of the vehicle-side software of the work vehicle and a version of the device-side software of the remote control device do not match;
a step of cutting off communication between the remote control device and the work vehicle when it is determined that the two do not match in the mismatch determination step;
an old version determination step of determining that both the vehicle-side software and the device-side software are old versions;
and when it is determined in the old version determination step that both versions are old, establishing communication between the remote control device and the work vehicle and issuing a notification to prompt a software update.
Control methods.

Images