JPH03125664A - Automatic driving device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To efficiently conduct control even if the number of vehicles is increased by setting the inherent recognition code of each vehicle in individual control devices of a plurality of vehicles, and conducting the communication by vehicle designation utilizing polling from a central control unit. CONSTITUTION:Along a track 7 on which a plurality of vehicles 9 are running, an inductive radio cable 6 is laid, which has start end box 5 and terminal box 4 displaced on both end parts of a highway crossing 8, and an inductive radio device (ground station) 3 is connected to the start end box 5. A central control unit 1 for managing the operation of all the vehicles 9 is connected to the inductive radio device 3, and a manual operation board 2 is connected to the central control unit 1. In this case, in the central control unit 1, a target vehicle is designated by the inherent recognition code of each vehicle 9, and transmission is conducted thereto by polling. On the individual control device side of each vehicle 9, a prescribed response is conducted only when the self recognition code is received.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic vehicle driving system that controls the driving of a plurality of vehicles using a wireless device such as a guided radio.

[Prior art]

When a central control device using a computer or a sequence controller controls the operation of a plurality of vehicles using wireless devices, the following is performed when fishing on a boat.

First, each vehicle is equipped with a vehicle control device, and this vehicle control device transmits vehicle information such as the vehicle's current position, traveling speed, and traveling direction to the central control device at any time.

On the other hand, the central control device receives the transmitted vehicle information from time to time, judges the content, and constantly outputs control commands regarding running and stopping to the vehicle control device of each vehicle based on a predetermined operation schedule. It has become.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

By the way, in the conventional device as described above, the central control device constantly communicates with the vehicle control devices of all vehicles and outputs control commands at all times, so when the number of vehicles to be controlled increases, all vehicles There is a problem in that it takes a lot of time to understand vehicle information and output control commands based on the operation schedule. Furthermore, as the number of vehicles increases, the load on computers and the like also increases, which requires equipment with high processing capacity, leading to a problem of increased costs.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and the communication processing between the central control device and the vehicle control device is performed by specifying a vehicle from the central control device and performing polling.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a vehicle automatic driving device that can efficiently cope with an increase in the number of controlled vehicles.

[Means to solve the problem]

The automatic vehicle driving device according to the present invention transmits command signals regarding running and stopping of the vehicle from a central control device to vehicle control devices separately installed in a plurality of vehicles, and transmits command signals regarding the vehicle position and stop transmitted from the vehicle control device. In an automatic vehicle driving system in which the central control device receives a vehicle information signal related to a state and controls the driving of a plurality of vehicles, the central control device includes a storage means for storing a recognition code unique to each vehicle, and a vehicle control device from the central control device. a transmission means for specifying a vehicle by the recognition code and transmitting a signal requesting a vehicle information signal by polling; The vehicle is characterized by comprising a response means that responds only when its own recognition code is received, and a means that transmits the command signal by the transmission means only when the state of the vehicle is changed.

[Effect]

The storage means stores a recognition code unique to each vehicle, and the central control unit specifies the target vehicle using the recognition code and transmits it by polling.

This transmission includes a command signal and a signal requesting a vehicle information signal, and the vehicle control device responds to these signals only when it receives its own recognition signal and does not request a vehicle information signal. The vehicle control device transmits the vehicle information signal of its own vehicle to the central control device. The central control unit transmits command signals only when changing the state of the vehicle.

〔Example〕

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be specifically described below based on drawings showing embodiments thereof. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the overall configuration of an automatic vehicle driving system according to the present invention.

7 in the figure indicates a plurality of vehicles 9, 9. . . is a track on which the vehicle runs, and a guided wireless cable 6 is laid along the track 7. The guidance radio cable 6 is laid with a start box 5 and a termination box 4 installed at both ends of the railroad crossing 8 of the track 7, and a guidance radio device (ground station) 3 is connected to the start box 5. The guidance radio device 3 is connected to a central control device 1 that manages the operation of all vehicles, and a manual operation panel 2 for manual operation by an operator is connected to the central control device 1.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle, and the vehicle 9 is equipped with an induction heat iA device (on-vehicle station) 12 and a vehicle control device 13. A guided radio communication antenna 10 and a guided radio position detection antenna 11 are connected to the guided radio device 12. It communicates with the device 3 and sends and receives signals between the vehicle control device 13 and the central control device 1. The guided radio position detection antenna 11 receives signals transmitted from a plurality of specific positions of the guided radio cable 6 and sends the detected signals to the vehicle control device 13. The vehicle control device 13 recognizes the position of the host vehicle on the track 7 by receiving the detection signal. Further, each vehicle control device 13 stores a unique vehicle number as an identification code unique to the vehicle in which the vehicle control device 13 is mounted.

Next, the operation details of the device of the present invention configured as described above will be explained in the third section.
This will be explained based on the flowchart shown in the figure and FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the control procedure of the central control device 1. First, in step S1, the central control device 1 inquires about vehicle information (current position, running speed, etc.) to all vehicles existing on the track 7. This will be carried out sequentially by polling by specifying the vehicle number. In the next step S2, a vehicle information signal returned from the vehicle control device 13 is received.

This arrangement of vehicle information is always carried out during the idle time of the central control device 1.

In the next step S3, it is determined whether or not there is a vehicle whose running state should be changed based on a predetermined operation schedule. If the running state is not to be changed, the process returns to step S1, and if it is to be changed, the process is to proceed to step S4. In other words, starting from a stop,
This is a case where a command is issued to change the state of the vehicle, such as acceleration, deceleration, or changing from running to stopped.

In step S4, after specifying the vehicle number to be changed and transmitting a control signal, the process returns to step S1.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the control procedure of the vehicle control device 13. First, in step Sll, the central controller 1
Determine whether or not a signal transmitted from is received. The vehicle control devices 13 of all vehicles simultaneously receive a vehicle information adjustment signal or a control signal for changing the state of the vehicle transmitted from the central control device 1.

If a signal is received in step Sll, it is determined whether the specified vehicle number matches the own vehicle number, and only if they match, the response processing from step 513 onward is performed, and if they do not match, step S11 Return to hell.

In step S13, the signal transmitted to the host vehicle is determined,
If the vehicle information is in time, a vehicle information signal is sent to the central control device 1 in step S14, and if it is a control signal, the running state of the own vehicle is changed in accordance with the command content in step S15. Thereafter, the vehicle maintains its current running state until it receives the next control signal for its own vehicle.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when an emergency situation occurs, the operator activates the emergency stop switch (
(not shown), the central control device 1 sequentially designates vehicle numbers for all vehicles and transmits an emergency stop control command to bring the vehicles to an emergency stop.

In addition, the central control device 1 constantly transmits information that the central control device 1 is normal in the same manner as the above-mentioned vehicle information adjustment. If the vehicle control device 13 of each vehicle does not receive this information at regular intervals, it determines that an abnormality has occurred in the central control device 1, and stops its own vehicle, thereby stopping all vehicles on the track 7. .

This period can be determined by multiplying the interval at which this information is transmitted and the time during which communication is unavailable at the level crossing section 8, etc., by a safety factor. By configuring the emergency stop function in this way, even if an abnormality occurs in the central control device 1, guidance radio device 3, etc. and a stop command cannot be sent, the vehicle will automatically stop quickly and reliably, ensuring safety. Can be secured.

〔effect〕

As described above, in the vehicle automatic driving device according to the present invention,
Even when the number of vehicles to be controlled increases, by establishing a vehicle-specific recognition code for each vehicle control device, it is possible to communicate with the vehicle control device by vehicle specification using polling from the central control device. The reception processing of the device can be performed efficiently in a short time.

In addition, by transmitting commands to control the vehicle only when changing the state of the vehicle, the load associated with information communication between the vehicle control device and the central control device can be reduced, so it is possible to reduce the load on information communication between the vehicle control device and the central control device. The present invention has excellent effects such as being able to suppress the increase in cost without requiring the above.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the overall configuration of the automatic vehicle driving device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle, and Figs. 3 and 4 show the operation details of the device of the present invention. It is a flowchart. 1... Central control device 3... Guidance radio device (ground station) 7... Track 9... Vehicle 12... Guidance radio device (onboard station) 13... Vehicle control device

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Command signals concerning running and stopping of the vehicle are transmitted from a central control device to vehicle control devices installed separately in a plurality of vehicles, and command signals regarding the position and status of the vehicle transmitted from the vehicle control device are transmitted. An automatic vehicle driving system that controls the driving of a plurality of vehicles by receiving a vehicle information signal at the central control device, further comprising a storage means for storing a recognition code unique to each vehicle; and a storage means for storing a recognition code unique to each vehicle; Transmitting means for transmitting the command signal and transmitting a signal requesting a vehicle information signal by specifying a vehicle by the recognition code and performing polling, and a response to each signal by the transmitting means of each vehicle control device. , a response means that performs the response only when receiving its own recognition code; and a means that transmits the command signal by the transmission means only when changing the state of the vehicle.