JPH0827651B2 - Work route determination device for work vehicles - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a work route determination device for a work vehicle that automatically determines the work route of the work vehicle based on work area data.

(B) Conventional Technology In recent years, there is a cleaning robot or the like that performs work such as cleaning while self-propelled in a predetermined work area while receiving power from an outlet. Such a working vehicle is, for example,
61-108070. By the way, as a work method of such a work vehicle, a method based on teaching in which an operator programs a scanning path, or a method in which work is completed by randomly traveling by using an external environment recognizing means having the work areas between them is the main. It was

C) Problems to be solved by the invention By the way, in such a work method by teaching, when the shape of the work area changes, the user has to teach the traveling route to the work vehicle each time, and the versatility is poor. .
On the other hand, in the method of random traveling, there is a problem that work unevenness occurs due to duplicate work or no work.

D) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention relates to a work vehicle in which a power supply cord is connected to an outlet provided in a work area having an obstacle, and works while self-propelled by power supply from the power supply cord. In the work route determination device for the work vehicle that determines the route of the work area, a work area detection unit that detects the position information of the obstacle and the outlet in the work area as work area data, and a plurality of work areas are created according to the work area data. Dividing means for dividing into sub-regions, work order determining means for determining the work order of a plurality of sub-regions so that the power feeding cord is caught at the corner of the obstacle at the time of work, and the work order deciding means within each sub-region And a sub route determining means for determining a work route of the work vehicle.

(E) Operation According to the present invention, an efficient work route can be determined according to the position information of the obstacle and the outlet in the work area. Further, since the work sequence in which the power supply cord is caught at the corner of the obstacle is minimized, the power supply cord length during the work can be easily controlled.

F) Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a work route determining device of the present invention, in which (1) is a shape of a work area for work (for example, cleaning work) of a work vehicle, for example, as shown in FIG. Thing (I)
In a certain work area of (II), it is a work area detecting means for detecting the coordinate points of P ₀ , P ₁ , P ₂ , P ₃ , P ₄ and the outlet K as work area data. It is composed of a distance detector and a direction detector that detect the traveling distance and direction of the work vehicle, and a sound wave sensor that detects an obstacle. (2) is a plurality of rectangular search areas (A), (B), ... (A) as shown in FIG. 3 according to the obstacle data of the obstacle (I) arranged at the center in the work area data. H) and a network creating means for creating the connection state (network state) as shown in FIG. 4, and (3) is a search area () which is connected based on the network created by the network creating means (2). A division method selecting means for selecting a division method (a), (b), etc. for dividing a work area by a sub-area (ADF), which is a combination of A, (B), ... (H), as shown in FIG. Then, a rectangular area is selected as the sub area. (4) is a pickup means for picking up the one having the smallest number of sub-regions among the division methods (a), (b) selected by the division method selection means (3), and (5) is the pickup means. It is a work sequence determining means for determining the work sequence of each sub-region so that the control of the power supply cord length in each division method picked up in (4) does not become difficult. Specifically, the power supply cord is an obstacle ( The order of work (cleaning) is determined so that the number of points (fixed points) caught on the corner of I) is minimized. (6)
Determines the work start point and work end point so that the distance from the work (cleaning) end point of each sub-region to the work (cleaning) start point of the next sub-region in each division method will be the minimum. Means, (7) is a sub-route determining means for determining a work route for each sub-region based on the work start point and end point of each sub-region determined by the start-point end-point determining means (6). The number of turns and the route of travel are determined to be the minimum. (8) shows the work route selecting means for calculating the time required for the work vehicle to travel the work route in each of the thus determined division methods and selecting the work route with the minimum time. The route is set as a route on which the work vehicle actually travels.

As a work vehicle on which such a work route determining device is mounted, there is used a work vehicle which performs work by power feeding with a power feeding cord as in Japanese Patent Application No. 61-108070. In such a work vehicle, the work route is determined by detecting the shape of the work region by the work region detecting means (1). That is, while the work vehicle orbits the work area by using the storage battery built in the work vehicle as a driving power source, the work area is set in the rectangular work area as shown in FIG. 2 by the distance detector, the direction detector and the sound wave sensor. Coordinates P ₀ and P ₄ , coordinates k indicating an outlet, coordinates indicating obstacles (I) and (II)
Detect P ₁ , P ₂ and P ₃ . A method for detecting such a work area is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 61-304432. The network creating means (2), based on the data of the obstacle (I) arranged in the center of the work area among the work area data detected in this way, defines the work area as a plurality of rectangular search areas as shown in FIG. A), (B), ... (H) are divided, and the connection state (network state) of these search areas (A), (B), ... (H) as shown in FIG. 4 is retained. The division method selection means (3) has the search areas (A) (B) ... (H) generated as described above.
Based on the above, rectangular sub-regions (A) (B) ... Which are formed by appropriately combining these search regions (A) (B) ... (H).
(H) (AB) (AD) ... are formed, and a method of expressing a work area by a combination of these sub areas, that is, a method of dividing the work area by sub areas is selected as shown in FIG. Of the division methods (a) and (b) selected in this way,
The maximum division method with the smallest number of constituent sub-regions is picked up by the pickup means (4). When there is one obstacle in the center as in this embodiment, there are 16 types of maximum division methods with the smallest number of sub-regions, and the number of sub-regions at that time is 4. However, from the viewpoint of work efficiency, the work should be started at the corner of the surface with the outlet K, that is, (A) or (C).
It is necessary to work on the sub-region including (B) second, starting from the corner of the above, and by adding this restriction to the pickup means (4), 11 kinds of maximum division methods as shown in FIG. 6 can be picked up. To be done.

In this way, in each of the picked-up maximum division methods, the work order determination means (5) determines the work order of the sub-regions in the work region in the order that the points at which the power supply cord is caught are the smallest. That is, for example, {(ADF) (BC)
When the work is performed in the order as shown in FIG. 7 in the maximum division method called (EH) (G)}, the power supply cords are simultaneously supplied to the _three corners (R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ ) of the obstacle (I). It may get caught, and the length of the power supply cord becomes difficult. On the other hand, when the work of each sub-region is performed in the order as shown in Fig. 8, only _two corners (R ₁ , R ₂ ) are caught at the maximum, and the control of the feed cord length can be controlled more than in the case of Fig. 7. It will be easier. Therefore, the work order as shown in FIG. 8 is selected.
Such work order is uniquely determined in each maximum division method of the work area. When the work order is determined in this manner, the start point / end point determining means (6) and the work start point (Si) of each sub area and the work are set so that the movement distance between the work end point and the work start point of each sub area is minimized. End point (Ei)
(I = 1,2,3,4). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, the j-th work end point (Ej) and the (j + 1) -th work start point (Sj ₊₁ ) are separated (j = 1,2,3). Is omitted, and the end point (Ej) and the start point (Sj ₊₁ ) are determined to be close to each other as shown in FIG. The work starting point and the work ending point are also determined for each maximum division method.

Thereafter, the sub-path determining means (7) obtains the information of the work start point (Si) and the work end point (Ei) of each sub-area and determines the work direction and the work width in each sub-area. FIG. 11, FIG.
When the work start point (Si) and work end point (Ei) are not diagonal as shown in Fig. 12, the work direction of the work vehicle is uniquely determined.
On the other hand, when the work start point (Si) and the work end point (Ei) are diagonally arranged, the work direction should be the longitudinal direction as shown in FIG. This is because the speed characteristic from the start of travel of the work vehicle to the stop of travel has acceleration and deceleration sections as shown in Fig. 14, and it is necessary to stop once when changing the direction, so there is little change in direction. This is because the work time will be shorter if you do not. When the work direction is decided, the work width is decided. This is based on the width of the suction port if the work vehicle carries out cleaning work. That is, the maximum work width that allows work to be performed with a uniform work width within a range in which the work width does not exceed the width of the suction port is selected. By doing so, the portions that are redundantly cleaned will be distributed over the entire sub-region, and the work unevenness will be eliminated.

Thus, for example, as shown in FIG. 15, after determining the work route for each maximum division method, the work route selecting means (8) determines the time required for the work vehicle to travel on each work route. It is calculated and the one with the shortest time is selected and set as the route on which the work vehicle actually travels. For example, the traveling speed of the work vehicle, the suction width of the vacuum cleaner attached to the work vehicle,
When the working area, outlet position, and obstacles (I) and (II) are positioned as shown in Fig. 16, the time required for each division method is as shown in Fig. 6. ｛(AB) (CEH) (DF)
The division called (G)} becomes the shortest time. When the work route is determined in this way, the work vehicle moves to the outlet position, connects the power supply plug, and performs work (cleaning) along the above route while receiving power from the outside.

In the present application, when the work route in each sub area is determined, the work route is determined with respect to the work start point and the work end point that have been determined. It is possible to set the work starting point only and to perform the work in the shortest time. FIG. 17 shows a flowchart for determining this work route. That is, this flow first recognizes a rectangular work area, then decides whether to perform the work in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction with respect to the rectangular work area, and then decides the work end point and the work width. The work route is determined.

Hereinafter, the method of determining the work route will be described in detail. Here, the target work is cleaning, the mobile robot has an omnidirectional movement function, and travels according to the acceleration / deceleration pattern shown in FIG. That is, the robot changes the constant speed period (between t _{2 and} t _{1 in the} figure) according to the traveling distance.

First, the robot determines the work direction based on the given rectangular work area data. Figure 18 and 19
This will be described with reference to the drawings. When the work area shown in FIG. 18 is given, the work path determining device provided in the work vehicle is designed to measure the flow (L, W) of each side of the work area and the size of the work vehicle itself (φ
The cylindrical shape of R. ) Determines the work direction so that the work time will be shorter. Here, in order to simplify the calculation,
L = mR, W = nR (m and n are natural numbers and m> n), and the working time when the work is performed by moving in parallel to the long side L side shown in the figure. To calculate.

The total traveling distance is represented by the sum of the traveling distance in the side L direction (the traveling distance of Σ (III)) and the traveling distance in the side W direction (the traveling distance of Σ (IV)).

(Distance traveled by Σ (III)) = n (m-1) R (Distance traveled by Σ (IV)) = (n-1) R Next, the time required to travel each route is
If R = 2Vmax ² / a, then (time required) = n (2m−1) · Vmax / a ... ′ (time required) = 3 (n−1) · Vmax / a ……… In other words, the total work time is ( 2mn + 2n-3) ・ Vmax / a ... ″.

On the contrary, when performing work by moving in parallel to the short side L, the total work time = (2mn + 2m-3) Vmax / a ... ″,
">". (∵m> n) That is, the work time is shorter when the work is performed along the long side and the work width is moved on the short side. In the case of a work vehicle having no omnidirectional movement function, the time required for a turn is added to (the time required). That is, the total working time is π = 3 in "and"
When it is approximated as follows, = (2mn + 10n-11) · Vmax / a = (2mn + 10m-11) · Vmax / a, and the difference between and is more than the difference between “and”. Here, in FIGS. 19A and 19B, L = 8R, W
= 4R, Vmax = 30cm / s, a = 15cm / s ² The working time is (a): 138 (S) (with omnidirectional movement function) (b): 154 (S) (with omnidirectional movement function) Yes) (a): 186 (S) (without omnidirectional movement function) (b): 266 (S) (without omnidirectional movement function) The larger the ratio (L / W) of the two sides L, W (L> W), the larger the difference in working time. (The width S in the figure represents the work start point and E represents the end point.) After the work direction is determined by the above method, the work end point and the work width are determined. First
FIGS. 20 (a) and (b) show two types of work routes having the same work area and the same work direction and different work widths. In both figures, when the work end point E is determined with respect to the work start point S, the work width determination method of (a) performs the work at the maximum value R that can be considered as the work width, and only sets the work width to L at the end.
₁ (<R) is used as the determination method of (b), working width L ₂
(L ₂ <R). In the case of (a), as shown in FIG. 21 (a), the work of the V area is performed twice and the work of the VI area is performed three times, and there is unevenness in the work depending on the work place. The area (V in FIG. 21 (b)) in which the work is performed every time extends over the entire work area, and the work is averaged, so it is considered that there is no unevenness. Therefore, the work shall be performed with a uniform work width as shown in FIG. 21 (b).

G) Effect of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, an efficient work route is determined according to the position information of the obstacle and the outlet in the work area, and the power supply cord is placed at the corner of the obstacle. Since the work order in which the number of caught parts is minimized is determined, it becomes easy to control the length of the power supply cord during work.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the work route determination device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the form of a work area, FIG. 3 is a schematic view when the work area is divided into sub areas, and FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the combined state of regions, FIG. 5 is a table diagram showing a method of dividing a work region, FIG. 6 is a table diagram showing a selected maximum division method, and FIGS. 7 and 8 are work of sub-regions. Schematic diagrams showing the order, FIGS. 9 and 10 are schematic diagrams showing how to determine the work start point and work end point of each work area, and FIGS. 11 to 13 are work routes of the work vehicle in the sub areas. Fig. 14 is a schematic diagram showing the running characteristics of the work vehicle, Fig. 15 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the work route of the work vehicle in the entire work area, and Fig. 16 is the performance characteristics and work of the work vehicle. FIG. 17 is a table showing the form of the area, FIG. 17 is a flow chart for determining the work route of the rectangular work area, FIG. 18, FIG. 19 (a) ( ), Figure 20 (a) (b)
Is a schematic view showing a work path of a rectangular work area, No. 21
(A) and (b) are schematic views of a work area showing a portion where work is repeated. (1) ... Work area detection means, (2) ... Network creation means, (3) ... Division method selection means, (4) ... Pickup means, (5) ... Work order determination means, (6)
...... Start point / end point determining means, (7) ...... Sub route determining means, (8) …… Work route selecting means.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── --- Continued from the front page (56) Reference JP-A-59-121406 (JP, A) JP-A-62-32516 (JP, A) JP-A-62-19907 (JP, A) JP-A-62- 19908 (JP, A) JP 62-19909 (JP, A) JP 60-79470 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Work of a work vehicle in which a power supply cord is connected to an outlet provided in a work area having an obstacle, and the route of the work vehicle is determined by the power supply from the power supply cord while the vehicle is self-propelled. In the route determination device, a work area detecting unit that detects position information of obstacles and outlets in the work area as work area data, and a dividing unit that divides the work area into a plurality of sub areas according to the work area data, At the time of work, work order determining means for determining the work order of the plurality of sub-regions and work routes of the work vehicle within each sub-region are determined so that the points where the power supply cord is caught on the corners of the obstacle are minimized. A work route determination device for a work vehicle, comprising: a sub route determination means.