JPH08286749A - Automated guided vehicle guide system of automatic carrying route change type - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide the automated guided vehicle guide system of automatic carrying route change type where data carriers can bee surely arranged in accordance with an actual carrying route and the change of the carrying route can be automatically set. CONSTITUTION: A post 1 incorporating a data carrier which is driven into the carrying route of an automated guided vehicle 50 at each point and where a data carrier 2 where movement information of the vehicle 50 is preliminarily stored is buried, a reader 21 which is provided in the vehicle 50 and has the two-way communication function for movement information of the data carrier 2 in the post 1 incorporating the data carrier, a visual sensor 49 provided in the vehicle 50, and a carrying route change means which rewrites data of the data carrier 2 by the transmitted radio wave from the reader 21 to change the carrying route at the time of detecting the abnormal state by the visual sensor 49 are provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automated guided vehicle guidance system, and more particularly to an automated guided vehicle guided route guided system capable of automatically changing a transport route.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, on a rail in which a magnetic tape or the like is embedded, a transport vehicle carries out a predetermined work while detecting the rail so as to move on a transport route in a factory. Further, a program in which the traveling distance and the work pattern are stored in advance is installed in the automatic guided vehicle, and the automatic guided vehicle is controlled and moved according to the program.

[0003]

However, the conventional system has the following problems. (1) When a rail having a magnetic tape or the like embedded therein is used, changing the transport path involves replacing the rail, which makes it difficult to change the transport path. (2) When a program in which the traveling distance and the work pattern are stored in advance is installed in the automatic guided vehicle, the creation of the program itself is troublesome, and the program needs to be changed every time the transfer route is changed. It is not easy to change the transport route.

Further, there is a problem that a discrepancy occurs between the actual transport route and the programmed transport route. The present invention eliminates the above-mentioned problems, can reliably arrange a data carrier according to an actual transport route, and can automatically set the transport route change automatically guided transport type automatic guided vehicle. The purpose is to provide a guidance system.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides: (1) In an automatic guided vehicle guided system for automatically changing a conveying route, driving is performed at each point on the conveying route of the automatic guided vehicle. It has a bidirectional communication function with a data carrier built-in pile in which a data carrier in which movement information of the automatic guided vehicle is previously stored is embedded, and with the data carrier movement information of the data carrier built in the unmanned guided vehicle. A reader, a visual sensor provided on the unmanned guided vehicle, and a transport path for rewriting the data of the data carrier and changing the transport path by an electromagnetic wave emitted from the reader when an abnormal state is detected by the visual sensor. A changing means is provided.

(2) In the automatic guided vehicle guided system according to the above (1), the brake and the alarm device are activated upon detection of an abnormal state from the visual sensor.

[0007]

[Action]

(1) According to the automatic guided vehicle automatic guided vehicle guidance system of claim 1, a data carrier in which movement information of the guided vehicle is stored in advance, which is driven at each point on the guided route of the guided vehicle. A data carrier built-in pile having embedded therein, a reader provided in the automatic guided vehicle, having a bidirectional communication function with movement information of the data carrier of the built-in data carrier, and a visual sensor provided in the unmanned guided vehicle. By detecting the abnormal state by the visual sensor, a radio wave is emitted from the reader, the data of the data carrier is rewritten, and a conveyance route changing unit for changing the conveyance route is provided. Accordingly, the data carrier can be surely arranged, and the transfer route change can be automatically set.

(2) According to the automatic route changing type automatic guided vehicle guiding system of the second aspect, the brake and the alarm device are activated by detecting an abnormal state from the visual sensor. It is possible to prevent accidents and call attention to those who work in the vicinity.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automated guided vehicle guided system for guiding a transport route according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a pile with a built-in data carrier used therein, and FIG. 3 is an automated guided vehicle guided route. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the data carrier built-in pile of the guidance system and its reader, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the control / drive device of the automatic transfer type automatic guided vehicle.

A data carrier 2 is built in the data carrier built-in pile 1. The data carrier 2 stores movement data of the automated guided vehicle 50 in advance. This data carrier built-in pile 1 is driven in at each point on the transfer route of the automatic guided vehicle 50. In that case, the data and program of the data carrier 2 of the data carrier built-in pile 1 which has been once driven can be rewritten by switching to the abnormal mode, which will be described later.

On the other hand, the unmanned guided vehicle 50 can read the movement data stored in the data carrier 2 of the data carrier built-in stake 1 at the bottom thereof, and at the same time, can read the data of the data carrier 2 of the data carrier built-in stake 1. A reader 21 having a bidirectional communication function for transmitting rewriting radio waves is provided. The abnormal state caused by the automated guided vehicle 50 is detected by the visual sensor 49, such as an infrared sensor or CCD
When an object approaches a certain distance at the tip of the automated guided vehicle 50 by a camera or the like, this is detected as an abnormal state.

Then, according to the information read by the reader 21, the control / driving device 40 operates and the wheels 51
And the automatic guided vehicle 50 is moved. Hereinafter, the configuration of each part and the operation of the automatic guided vehicle will be described in detail. First, regarding the structure of the data carrier and its reader,
This will be described with reference to FIG.

The data carrier built-in pile 1 has a built-in data carrier 2 as a microchip, and the data carrier 2 is composed of an antenna and an application specific (ASIC) electronic circuit. More specifically,
Receiving antenna (coil antenna) 11, demodulator 12, S
P / PS converter 13, main controller 14, data memory 1
5, that is, ROM (Read Only Memory) 15A,
A data rewritable RAM (random access memory) 15B, an oscillator 16, a modulator 17, an amplifier 18,
A transmission antenna (coil antenna) 19 is provided.

On the other hand, the reader (transmission / reception device) 21 for reading the data carrier 2 arranged at each point of the transport route of the automatic guided vehicle 50 has a main control unit 22 and a PS / SP conversion unit along the signal flow. 23, modulator 24, oscillator 2
5, amplifier 26, transmission antenna (coil antenna) 2
7, receiving antenna (coil antenna) 28, amplifier 2
9. It has a demodulator 30. In addition, the signal control unit 31,
Upper interface control unit 32, data buffer RA
An M33 and a power supply unit 34 are provided.

Therefore, the transmitting antenna 2 of the reader 21
When a radio wave is irradiated from 7 to the data carrier 2, electric power is generated by electromagnetic induction in the receiving antenna (coil antenna) 11 in the data carrier (microchip) 2 and the operation of the data carrier 2 is activated. The activated data carrier 2 reads the data stored in the RAM 15B in advance and transmits it by electromagnetic induction radio waves.

Then, the transmitted radio wave is received by the receiving antenna (coil antenna) 28 of the reader 21,
Read as data. Next, the operation of the control / drive device of the automatic guided vehicle will be described with reference to FIG. FIG.
As shown in, the data read by the reader 21 is read by the control device 42 via the interface 41. The output from the control device 42 turns on the power switch 43 of the power supply 44, and drives the servo mechanism 46 that drives the motor 45 and the handle 47. Then, the handle 47 is operated according to the information from the control device 42 to the servo mechanism 46, and the wheels 51 are driven by the drive of the motor 45.

Further, the automatic guided vehicle 50 is provided with a visual sensor 49 so that it can monitor an abnormal state. Therefore, due to an abnormal state from the visual sensor 49, for example, an abnormal approach of an obstacle on the transport path,
When the abnormal state is detected, the detection signal is sent to the control device 42, and the control device 42 causes the brake 49 of the automated guided vehicle 50 to move.
In addition to activating A, the alarm 49B is activated. Subsequently, the control device 42 switches from the original program built in the control device 42 to the abnormal mode program (macro program), selects the abnormal mode path, and causes the automatic guided vehicle 50 to operate in the abnormal mode.

When it is confirmed that the normal mode can be entered, the abnormal mode program (macro program) is switched to the original program to return to the normal mode path, and the normal mode path is moved to the previously stored data carrier 2. Move according to the data. Reference numeral 48 denotes a manual switch which can be turned off by a human operation when an abnormality occurs.

Of course, when an abnormal state is detected from the visual sensor 49 on the way further, similarly, the mode is shifted to the abnormal mode, and the transport route avoiding the obstacle is selected and the transport route is changed. . FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of guiding a transportation route of an unmanned guided vehicle guiding system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a movement flowchart of the unmanned guided vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the normal case, the automatic guided vehicle 50 reads the data “straight ahead” of the data carrier 2 of the data carrier built-in pile 1 at the point A, and goes straight ahead.
Next, at point B, the data of the data carrier 2 "go straight"
And then go straight ahead, and at point C, read the data "Left turn" of the data carrier 2 and turn left. Further, at point D, the data "straight ahead" of the data carrier 2 is read and goes straight, then at point E, the data "straight ahead" of the data carrier 2 is read and straight ahead, and at point F, the data "right ahead" of the data carrier 2 is read. Turn left and read left.

Further, at point G, the data "straight ahead" of the data carrier 2 is read and goes straight, at point H, the data "straight ahead" of the data carrier 2 is read and straight ahead, and finally at point X, the data of data carrier 2 is read. Read and perform the work. However, when the movement of the automated guided vehicle 50 is hindered at the point C, it is necessary to change the transportation route. In that case, the radio wave from the reader 21 is used to read only the ID code of the data carrier 2 and not the data indicating the direction.
Switching to the abnormal mode operation by the control device 42 of the automatic guided vehicle 50. That is, from the original program (normal mode program) built in the control device 42 mounted on the automated guided vehicle 50 to the abnormal mode program (macro program)
To switch to the abnormal mode operation. In the abnormal mode operation, when the ID of the data carrier 2 at the point is confirmed, the process proceeds according to the abnormal mode program.

The operation for automatically changing the transfer route will be described below with reference to FIG.
This will be described in detail with reference to FIG. First, the automatic guided vehicle 50 starts with the data carrier 2 of the point A data carrier built-in pile 1.
The data “straight ahead” is read to go straight, and then the data “straight ahead” of the data carrier 2 is read at point B to go straight. In other words, the automated guided vehicle 50 is
The movement is performed according to the data (step S1).

Next, when heading to point C, an obstacle 60 is found by the visual sensor 49 mounted on the automated guided vehicle 50, and an abnormal state detection signal is output from the visual sensor 49 (step S2). Then, the brake 49A and the alarm 49B of the automated guided vehicle 50 are activated (step S
3). Then, the control device 4 mounted on the automated guided vehicle 50
The source program built in 2 is switched to the abnormal mode program (step S4).

Next, the automatic guided vehicle 50 is moved backward by one point section (step S5). Next, the ID code "B" of the data carrier 2 at the point (B point) that has passed during the backward movement is read and confirmed (step 6). If the result of the confirmation judgment (step 7) is OK, a part of the data of the data carrier 2, that is, the direction information is invalidated (step 8), and the memory 42 built in the control device 42.
It moves according to the control command data "turn left" from A (step S9).

Next, when the point (I point) is reached,
ID of the data carrier 2 at that point (I point)
If the code “I” is read (step S10) and the result of the confirmation judgment (step 11) is OK, the direction information of the data of the data carrier 2 is invalid (step 12).
And moves according to the control command data "right turn" from the memory 42A built in the control device 42 (step S1).
3).

Next, when the point (D point) is reached,
ID of the data carrier 2 at that point (D point)
If the code “D” is read and confirmed (step S14) and the result of the confirmation judgment (step S15) is OK,
The direction information is invalidated (step S16), and the control device 42
It moves according to the control command data "Left turn" from the memory 42A built in (step 17). Thereafter, the ID data of the points are repeatedly confirmed and proceed (step 18). That is, when the next point (E point) is reached, the data carrier 2 at that point (E point) is reached.
Read the ID code "E" of the
It moves according to the control command data "straight ahead" from the memory 42A built in the control device 42.

Next, it is checked whether or not the data in the data carrier 2 has been partially invalidated four times in a row (step S19). As a result, if the data in the data carrier 2 is partially invalidated four times in a row, the abnormal mode program is switched to the original program (step S).
20). When the result is OK in step S19, the automated guided vehicle 50 moves in the normal mode program according to the data of the data carrier 2 (step S21). Finally, it is determined whether or not it is the final point (point X) (step S22), and if it is the final point (point X), the movement of the automated guided vehicle 50 ends.

The memory 42 of the control device 42 described above is used.
A is a conversion table (look-up table) of control data (control information) corresponding to a failure at each point.
, And pick up the control data (control information) corresponding to the point where the failure occurred, and according to it,
Continue operation as an abnormal mode. While the vehicle is operating in the abnormal mode, for example, a rotating lamp as an alarm can be turned on to proceed to notify the user of the abnormal mode and alert the people in the vicinity.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made based on the spirit of the present invention, and these modifications are not excluded from the scope of the present invention.

[0030]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be achieved. (1) According to the invention as set forth in claim 1, a data carrier built-in pile, in which a data carrier in which movement information of the automatic guided vehicle is stored is embedded in advance, which is driven in at each point on the transport route of the automatic guided vehicle. Provided in the automatic guided vehicle,
A reader having a two-way communication function with the movement information of the data carrier of the data carrier built-in pile, a visual sensor provided in the unmanned guided vehicle, and an abnormal state detected by the visual sensor, radio waves are emitted from the reader. Since the data carrier of the data carrier is retransmitted and the transport route changing means for changing the transport route is provided, the data carrier can be surely arranged in accordance with the actual transport route, and the transport can be performed. The route change can be set automatically.

(2) According to the second aspect of the present invention, the brake and the alarm device are activated by detecting the abnormal state from the visual sensor. It is possible to call attention to the person doing the work.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automated guided vehicle guided system for conveying routes showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a data carrier built-in stake used in an automatic guided vehicle guided system for automatically changing a transportation route according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a pile with a built-in data carrier and a reader thereof in an automatic guided vehicle guided system for automatically changing a conveying route according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a control / drive device for an automatic guided vehicle type automatic guided vehicle showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of guiding a transportation route of an unmanned guided vehicle guiding system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a movement flowchart of the automatic guided vehicle showing the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Data carrier built-in pile 2 Data carrier 11,28 Reception antenna (coil antenna) 12,30 Demodulator 13 SP / PS conversion unit 14,22 Main control unit 15 Data memory 15A ROM 15B RAM 16,25 Oscillator 17,24 Modulator 18, 26, 29 Amplifier 19, 27 Transmission antenna (coil antenna) 21 Reader (transmission / reception device) 23 PS / SP conversion unit 31 Signal control unit 32 Upper interface control unit 33 Data buffer RAM 34 Power supply unit 40 Control / drive device 41 Interface 42 Control device 43 Power switch 44 Power supply 45 Motor 46 Servo mechanism 47 Handle 48 Manual switch 49 Visual sensor 49A Brake 49B Alarm device 50 Automated guided vehicle 51 Wheel 60 Obstacle

Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Office reference number FI Technical display location G06K 19/07 G06K 19/00 H

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. (a) A data carrier built-in pile, in which a data carrier in which movement information of the automatic guided vehicle is stored is embedded in advance at each point on the transportation route of the automatic guided vehicle, and (b) the unmanned vehicle. A reader provided on the carrier and having a two-way communication function with movement information of the data carrier of the data carrier built-in pile; (c) a visual sensor provided on the unmanned carrier; and (d) the visual sensor. An automatic guided route guided system for automatically changing a route, comprising: a transport route changing unit that rewrites data in the data carrier by a radio wave transmitted from the reader when an abnormal state is detected, and changes the transport route. . 2. The automatic guided vehicle guided automatic guided vehicle system according to claim 1, wherein a brake and an alarm device are activated by detecting an abnormal state from the visual sensor. Carrier guidance system.