JPH05242393A - Automatic carrier truck - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain rapid traveling while preventing the mutual interference of communication between adjacent response units by changing the intensity of a transmission signal to a response unit or receiving sensitivity for the reception of data from a response unit in accordance with the traveling speed of an automatic carrier truck. CONSTITUTION:At the time of accessing a response unit 2 from a question unit 1, the number of a traveling section in which an automatic carrier truck is traveling is detected, the information of a traveling speed corresponding to the number is read out from a memory 16 by a microcomputer 10, the intensity of a signal to be transmitted to the response unit 2 is changed in accordance with the traveling speed and information including the current traveling speed is transmitted to the accessing unit 1. At the time of receiving information indicating the traveling speed transmitted from the question unit 1, the response unit 2 changes the intensity of the signal for transmitting data in accordance with the traveling speed and transmits the changed contents to the unit 1. The unit 1 changes the receiving sensitivity of the signal from the unit 2 in accordance with the traveling speed to receive a response from the unit 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic carrier truck used for carrying parts, tools and products in factories and the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to an automatic carrier truck equipped with an interrogator for contactlessly communicating with each responder installed in a traveling section.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventionally known automatic carrier truck of this type, an interrogator built in the truck is used to interrogate a transponder installed in the vicinity of a traveling route, and position information is transmitted from the transponder. There is known one that is read out in a non-contact manner and used for determining a traveling route.

Here, when the amount of data read from the responder by the interrogator is constant, the communication time T ₁ between the interrogator and the responder required to read the data must satisfy the following equation (1). There is.

T ₁ <L / V ₁ (1) In the above, L: when the interrogator passes near the responder,
Distance at which communication is possible V: Upper limit of moving speed Normally, the communication time T ₁ can be considered to be constant. Therefore, in order to increase the moving speed of the automatic carrier, it is desired that the communicable distance L is large. Be done. However, the communicable distance L needs to be small in order to prevent communication interference between adjacent transponders.

[0005]

As described above, in the conventionally known automatic carrier truck, when the interrogator passes in the vicinity of the responder, the communicable distance L is constant, so that high speed performance is achieved. When the importance is attached, the installation distance L1 between the adjacent transponders must be increased. On the other hand, when the installation distance L1 between the adjacent transponders must be reduced, such as a branching route, the requirement must be satisfied. There was a drawback that he could not.

Therefore, in view of the above points, the object of the present invention is to increase the communication range when the interrogator mounted on the automatic carrier passes near the transponder at high speed and small at low speed. By doing so, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic carrier truck capable of traveling at high speed while preventing mutual interference of communication between adjacent transponders.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an automatic carrier truck equipped with an interrogator for contactlessly communicating with each responder installed in a traveling section. In the control means, the strength of the signal transmitted from the interrogator to the responder is set according to the traveling speed of the automatic carrier, and the receiving sensitivity when the signal from the responder is received is set. It is equipped with.

In a preferred control system for an automatic carrier according to the present invention, the interrogator has means for storing information on traveling speed for each traveling route, strength of a signal transmitted to the responder, and response from the responder. Means for changing the sensitivity of receiving the signal according to the traveling speed, and means for transmitting information indicating the traveling speed to the responder, the responder installed in the traveling section, the traveling speed transmitted by the interrogator When the information shown is received, a means for changing the strength of the signal for transmitting data to the interrogator according to the traveling speed is provided.

[0009]

According to the above configuration of the present invention, the strength of the signal sent from the interrogator to the responder and the receiving sensitivity of the interrogator itself can be changed according to the traveling speed. It is possible to automatically set a suitable communicable distance as appropriate.

According to a preferred control system for an automatic carrier according to the present invention, the interrogator detects the number of the traveling section in which the automatic carrier is traveling when calling the responder, and then The information on the traveling speed corresponding to the number is read from the memory, the intensity of the signal transmitted to the responder is changed according to the traveling speed, and the interrogation is transmitted including the information indicating the current traveling speed. On the other hand, when the transponder receives the information indicating the traveling speed transmitted by the interrogator, the transponder changes the strength of the signal for transmitting data to the interrogator according to the traveling speed and transmits the signal. Then, the interrogator changes the sensitivity of receiving the signal from the responder according to the traveling speed and receives the response from the responder.

[0011]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described in detail below.

FIG. 1 shows an automatic carrier control system to which the present invention is applied. In the figure, an interrogator 1 includes a microcomputer 10 which is the center of control, a transmission circuit 11 and a transmission antenna 12 which perform transmission to the responder 2, a reception circuit 13 and a reception antenna 14 which receive from the response device 2, An interface circuit 15 with the control unit 3 of the automatic carrier, a memory 16 for storing information necessary for controlling the microcomputer 10, a battery 17 for backing up the memory 16 of the microcomputer 10, and a signal transmitted from the transmitting antenna 12. Strength control circuit 1 for controlling the strength of
8 and a reception sensitivity control circuit 19 that controls the sensitivity of the signal received from the reception antenna 14.

The responder 2 is a receiving circuit 2 for receiving signals from the microcomputer 20 and the interrogator 1 which are the center of control.
3, a receiving antenna 24, a transmitting circuit 21 for transmitting to the interrogator 1, a transmitting antenna 22, a battery 25 for supplying power,
The transmission strength control circuit 28 controls the strength of the signal transmitted from the transmission antenna 22, and the reception sensitivity control circuit 29 controls the sensitivity of the signal received from the reception antenna 24.

The control unit 3 of the automatic carrier vehicle comprises a microcomputer 30, which is the center of control, and a battery 3 for supplying electric power.
1, a memory 32 of the micro computer 30, a display 33 for displaying an operation, a drive circuit 3 for a drive device such as a motor
4. The interface circuit 35 with the interrogator 1.

FIG. 2 is a timing chart at the time of communication (reading) between the interrogator 1, the responder 2 and the control unit 3 in this embodiment, in which the control unit 3 of the automatic carrier truck responds via the interrogator 1. 2 shows a communication procedure for reading data No. 2.

The control unit 3 transmits a command C1 for instructing the interrogator 1 to read out, an interrogation CALL1 composed of a traveling section number N1 and a parity P1.

After receiving the interrogation CALL1, the interrogator 1 has an interrogation C composed of a command C2 for instructing the transponder 2 to read, a traveling speed V1 and a parity P2.
Send ALL2.

After receiving the interrogation CALL2, the responder 2 gives the interrogator 1 a command C indicating a response to the reading.
3. The response ANS1 including the read data D1 and the parity P3 is transmitted.

After receiving the response ANS1, the interrogator 1 sends a command C indicating a response to the read to the control unit 3.
4. The interrogation ANS2 including the read data D1 and the parity P4 is transmitted.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the operation of the interrogator 1 in this embodiment at the time of interrogation / response.

The microcomputer 10 of the interrogator 1 is
In step S1, the presence / absence of the interrogation from the control unit 3 is determined based on the presence / absence of a reception signal input to the microcomputer 10 through the interface circuit 15. If there is an appeal, the process proceeds to step S2, and if not, the process proceeds to step S9.

In step S2, the number of the traveling section is detected from the data included in the call, and the process proceeds to step S3.

In step S3, the values of the corresponding traveling speed V1, the transmission intensity S1 of the transmitting circuit 11 and the receiving sensitivity R1 of the receiving circuit 13 are read from the memory 16 of the microcomputer 10 from the number of the traveling section. For example, the transmission intensity S1 of the transmission circuit 11 and the reception sensitivity R of the reception circuit 13 corresponding to the number N1 and speed V1 at addresses 00 to 07 in FIG.
Since the values of 1 are stored, these values are read.

In step S4, the microcomputer 10 sends the transmission intensity control circuit 1 via the output port P2.
8, the transmission strength control circuit 18 sets the transmission strength S1 in the transmission circuit 11, and the microcomputer 10 similarly receives the reception sensitivity in the reception sensitivity control circuit 19 via the output port P4. The control signal of R1 is transmitted, and the receiving sensitivity control circuit 19 sets the receiving sensitivity R1 in the receiving circuit 13. After the setting, the process proceeds to step S5.

In step S5, the call C to the responder 2 is issued.
ALL1 is created and transmitted via the transmission circuit 11 and the transmission antenna 12. Next, it progresses to step S6.

In step S6, the response ANS1 is received from the transponder 2 via the receiving antenna 14 and the receiving circuit 13, and the presence or absence of an error is determined using the parity P3.
If there is no error, the process proceeds to step S7, and if there is, the process proceeds to step S8.

In step S7, the control unit 3 including the read data from the response ANS1 and the information indicating the success of the read.
A response ANS2 to be transmitted to the controller 3 is created and transmitted to the control unit 3 via the interface circuit 15. Next, step S
Proceed to 9.

In step S8, a response ANS2 including information indicating a read failure is created and transmitted to the control unit 3 via the interface circuit 15. Next, step S9
Go to.

In step S9, the response operation ends.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the response operation of the transponder 2 in this embodiment.

The microcomputer 20 of the responder 2 is
In step S1, it is determined whether or not the interrogation from the interrogator 1 is started based on the presence or absence of a reception signal input to the microcomputer 20 through the reception circuit 23 and the reception antenna 24. If there is an appeal, the process proceeds to step S2, and if not, the process proceeds to step S6.

In step S2, an interrogation from the interrogator 1 is received, and the presence or absence of an error is determined by using the received parity P2. If there is an error, proceed to step S6,
If not, the process proceeds to step S3.

In step S3, the values of the transmission intensity S1 of the transmission circuit 21 and the reception sensitivity R1 of the reception circuit 23 corresponding to the traveling speed V1 included in the challenge are set to the microcomputer 20.
Read from the internal memory of the transmitter circuit 21 and the receiver circuit 2
Set to 3. For example, the transmission circuit 21 corresponding to the speed V1 and the speed V1 at addresses 00, 01 and 03 in FIG.
Since the values of the transmission intensity S1 and the reception sensitivity R1 of the receiving circuit 23 are stored, these values are read and set.

The microcomputer 20 has an output port P
2 to the control signal of the transmission intensity S1 to the transmission intensity control circuit 28, and the transmission intensity control circuit 28 sets the transmission intensity S1 in the transmission circuit 21. Similarly, the microcomputer 20 outputs the transmission intensity S1 via the output port P4. Reception sensitivity control circuit 29
To the receiving circuit 23, and the receiving sensitivity control circuit 29 sets the receiving sensitivity R1 in the receiving circuit 23. After the setting, go to step S4.

In step S4, the data designated by the interrogation command C2 from the interrogator 1 is read from the internal memory of the microcomputer 20, and the command C is read.
3 and the parity P3 are added to form a response ANS3.
Next, it progresses to step S5.

In step S5, the response ANS1 is transmitted to the interrogator 1 via the transmission circuit 21 and the transmission antenna 22,
Go to step S6.

In step S6, the response operation ends.

FIG. 5 shows an example of data stored in the interrogator in this embodiment. In the memory 16 of the microcomputer 10 of the interrogator 1, the transmission circuit 11 corresponding to the traveling section number N1 at addresses 00 and 01, the traveling speed V1 at addresses 02 and 03, and the traveling speed V1 at addresses 04 and 05. The values of the transmission intensity S1 and the reception sensitivity R1 of the reception circuit 13 are stored, and the address 08 is also stored.
No. N2 of the traveling section at addresses 09 and 09, addresses 0A and 0B
The transmission speed S1 of the transmission circuit 11 and the reception circuit 1 corresponding to the traveling speed V1 at the address and the traveling speeds at the addresses 0C and 0D.
The value of the reception sensitivity R1 of 3 is stored.

As a result, the values of the transmission intensity S1 and the reception sensitivity R1 are selected so as to increase the communicable distance between the interrogator 1 and the responder 2 in the section where the automatic traveling vehicle travels at high speed. On the other hand, in the traveling section where the installation interval between the transponders is short, the values of the transmission intensity S1 and the reception sensitivity R1 are selected so that the communicable distance between the interrogator 1 and the transponder 2 is smaller than the installation interval of the response period. It becomes possible to do.

FIG. 6 shows an example of data stored in the transponder in this embodiment. In the internal memory of the microcomputer 20 of the transponder 2, addresses 00, 01 and 0
The values of the transmission intensity S1 of the transmission circuit 21 and the reception sensitivity R1 of the reception circuit 23 corresponding to the speed V1 and the speed V1 are stored in the address 3, and similarly, the speed V2 and the speed V2 are stored in the addresses 04, 05 and 06, respectively. Corresponding transmission intensity S2 and reception sensitivity R
The value of 2 is stored.

Regarding the embodiments described so far,
It can be represented as the following configuration.

An automatic carrier truck equipped with an interrogator for interrogating the responder installed in the traveling section by radio communication by electromagnetic waves and reading the information held by the responder in a contactless manner or writing information in the responder In the interrogator, the interrogator stores a traveling speed when the automated guided vehicle travels in each traveling section with a different number in the memory 1 for each traveling section number, and an interrogator for interrogating each traveling speed. Means for storing the signal intensity of the transmission circuit of the memory 2 in the memory 2 and the number of the traveling section when the responder is called, are read from the memory 1 in the traveling section of the starting point of the automatic carrier, and in the subsequent traveling sections. When calling the responder with the means for detecting using the information read from the responder, the traveling speed is read out from the memory 1 by using the number of the traveling section, and the read traveling speed is compared. The intensity of the signal of the transmission circuit for reading from the memory 2, and means for performing calling by setting the intensity of the read signal to the transmission circuit.

Here, the interrogator receives the response from the transponder after interrogating the means for storing the receiving sensitivity in the memory 3 when receiving from the transponder for each traveling speed and the transponder. At this time, the traveling speed corresponding to the responding device to be called is read from the memory 1, the signal strength of the reception circuit corresponding to the read traveling speed is read from the memory 3, and the read reception sensitivity is set in the reception circuit to receive the response. And means for performing.

When the interrogator calls the transponder, the interrogator stores the traveling speed corresponding to the interrogator in the memory 1.
The transponder is provided with means for transmitting the read traveling speed information in the interrogation. The responder responds to the interrogator for each traveling speed with the strength of the signal of the transmission circuit stored in the memory 4.
And a means for responding to the interrogator by reading the strength of the signal corresponding to the traveling speed included in the received call from the memory 4, and setting the strength of the read signal in the transmission circuit. Equipped with.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention, in an automatic carrier truck equipped with an interrogator for communicating in a contactless manner with a transponder installed in a traveling section, the interrogator is set to the traveling speed of the automatic carrier truck. Depending on the configuration, the strength of the signal sent to the transponder and the reception sensitivity when receiving from the transponder are changed, so communication is possible when the interrogator mounted on the automatic carrier passes near the transponder. By increasing the large distance during high-speed traveling and decreasing it during low-speed traveling, it becomes possible to perform high-speed traveling while preventing mutual interference of communication between adjacent transponders.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an automatic carrier control system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a timing diagram at the time of communication (reading) between the interrogator, the responder, and the control unit of the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of the interrogator included in the present embodiment at the time of calling / response.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a response operation of a transponder included in this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of data stored in the interrogator of this embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of data stored in a transponder of the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Interrogator 2 Responder 3 Control unit of automatic carrier

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An automatic carrier truck equipped with an interrogator for contactlessly communicating with each transponder installed in a traveling section, wherein the interrogator unit according to the traveling speed of the automatic carrier truck. An automatic carrier vehicle comprising: a control unit that sets the strength of the signal transmitted from the transponder to the transponder and sets the reception sensitivity when receiving the signal from the transponder.