JPH0944241A - Beam light guidance device for moving object - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a light beam photodetecting means on the vehicle-body side to seurely receive a light beam for a guidance projected on the ground side and perform position detection with respect to a guide path even when an operation device mounted on the vehicle body is operated, for example. SOLUTION: Beam light projecting means B1 and B2 which project light beams A1 (A2) for the guidance along the guide path of the moving object V are installed on the ground side so as to project the two guidance light beams A1 and A1 from both end sides of the guide path in opposite directions along the guide path. Further, this device is provided with the light beam photodetection means S which photodetects at least one of the guidance light beams A1 and A1 projected in the opposite directions along the guide path and a control means which detects the position of the moving object V on the guide path based on the information on photodetection obtained by the beam photodetection means S and perform steering control according to the position detection information so that the moving object V travels along the guide path.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is provided with a beam light projection means for projecting a guiding beam light along a guiding path of a moving body on the ground side, and the moving body receives the guiding beam light. The position of the moving body with respect to the guide path is detected based on the beam light receiving means and the light receiving information of the beam light receiving means, and the moving body travels along the guide path based on the position detection information. The present invention relates to a beam light guide device for a moving body, which is provided with control means for controlling the steering so that

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A beam light guiding apparatus for a moving body projects a guiding light beam along a plurality of work steps as a guiding path set in a rectangular field, for example. For example, a work vehicle for rice planting is provided with a beam light receiving means composed of an optical sensor having a predetermined lateral resolution, and the work vehicle for the guide route is based on the light receiving position information at which the light sensor receives the light beam for guiding. The position of the work vehicle is detected, and the work vehicle is guided and traveled along each work stroke while the steering control is performed so as to be an appropriate position with respect to the guidance route based on the position detection information. In the past, the guiding light beam was projected in one direction from one end of each work process to the other end (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-5914). .

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, when the guiding beam light projected from the rear side is blocked by, for example, raising a working device (planting device or the like) attached to the rear portion of the vehicle body, Since the beam light receiving means on the side cannot receive the beam light, it is impossible to detect the vehicle body position with respect to the guide route based on the received light information and to perform proper steering control using the position detection information. there were.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art by, for example, operating a working device or the like provided on a vehicle body side. The above-mentioned light beam receiving means is capable of surely receiving the guide light beam projected on the ground side.

[0005]

According to a first characteristic configuration of a beam light guiding apparatus for a moving body according to the present invention, the beam light projecting means is arranged in opposite directions along both sides of the guiding path in opposite directions. It is configured to project two guiding beam lights, and the beam light receiving means is configured to receive at least one of two guiding beam lights projected in opposite directions along the guiding path. There is a point.

A second characteristic configuration is the same as the first characteristic configuration, wherein the beam light receiving means is composed of two light receiving portions provided at both front and rear ends of the moving body in the traveling direction,
One of the two light receiving units is provided for the control unit.
It is configured to detect the position of the moving body with respect to the guide route based on one or both received light information.

A third characteristic structure is the same as the second characteristic structure, wherein the beam light projection means projects the two guiding beam lights in a state of being brought close to the traveling road surface of the moving body, The two light receiving units are located at positions close to the traveling road surface of the moving body.

[0008]

A first embodiment of a beam light guide device for a moving body according to the present invention.
According to the above characteristic configuration, the two light beams for guiding are projected by the beam light projecting means on the ground side from both ends of the guiding route in opposite directions along the guiding route, that is, from both directions of the front side and the rear side of the vehicle body. Therefore, even if one of the two guiding beam lights is blocked by a device provided on the front side or the rear side of the vehicle body, for example, at least one of the two guiding beam lights is on the moving body side. The light is received by the beam light receiving means. Then, the position of the moving body with respect to the guide route is detected based on the light reception information of the beam light receiving means, and the steering is controlled so that the moving body travels along the guide route based on the position detection information.

According to the second characteristic configuration, in the first characteristic configuration, the one of the two guiding light beams projected from the front side of the moving body is the traveling direction of the moving body. What is received by the light receiving unit provided at the front end and projected from the rear side of the moving body is received by the light receiving unit provided at the rear end in the traveling direction of the moving body, and is received at both front and rear ends in the traveling direction. The position of the moving body with respect to the guide route is detected based on the light receiving information of either one or both of the two light receiving units, and the moving body travels along the guide route based on the position detection information. Steering is controlled.

Further, according to the third characteristic constitution, in the second characteristic constitution, two guiding beams projected in opposite directions along the guiding route in a state of being brought close to the traveling road surface of the moving body. One of the lights is received by a light receiving unit provided at the front end of the moving body in the traveling direction of the moving body, and the other light is received at the rear end of the moving body in the traveling direction of the moving body. The light is received by a light receiving unit provided in a state of being close to the road surface.

[0011]

Therefore, according to the first characteristic configuration of the beam light guiding apparatus for a moving body according to the present invention, the beam light receiving means on the vehicle body side can be operated even when, for example, a working device provided on the vehicle body is operated. Projected along the guide route on the ground side 2
At least one of the two guiding beam lights is received reliably, and the position information for the guiding route of the moving body detected based on the received light information of the guiding beam light is used to move the moving body along the guiding route. It has become possible to drive in an appropriate steering condition.

Further, according to the second characteristic configuration, the two light receiving portions provided at both front and rear ends of the moving body in the traveling direction of the moving light receive information of the light received for guiding from the front side or the rear side of the traveling direction, respectively. Among them, for example, it is possible to select the light receiving information about the beam light whose optical path is not blocked by various devices mounted on the vehicle body and detect the position of the moving body with respect to the guide route based on the light receiving information, so a more reliable state Further, when both pieces of light reception information are used, the position detection can be performed with higher accuracy, and thus the preferable means of the first characteristic configuration can be obtained.

Further, according to the third characteristic configuration, the guiding beam light projected close to the traveling road surface of the moving body is provided at a low position close to the traveling road surface at the front and rear ends of the moving body in the traveling direction. Since the light is received by the light receiving unit, the influence of the deviation of the light receiving position due to rolling of the vehicle body can be reduced as compared with the case where the light receiving unit provided at a high position apart from the traveling road surface of the moving body receives the guiding beam light. As a result, it is possible to avoid the deterioration of the position detection accuracy as much as possible, and thus it is possible to obtain the preferable means of the second characteristic configuration.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a work vehicle V for rice planting as a moving body will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, at the upper end of one reference side M1 of a plurality of sides surrounding a rectangular work site (field) K, the lengths of adjacent sides M2 and M3 adjacent to the reference side M1 are long. Provided with an entrance / exit Mi through which the work vehicle V enters and exits along the direction, and in the longitudinal direction of the adjacent sides M2, M3,
Adjacent sides M in a state in which both end sides of the work site K are headland parts K1 and K2 and a central part is a work target part Ks.
The work vehicle V is reciprocated along the longitudinal direction of M2 and M3 to perform the reciprocal work for the work target portion Ks. After that, in both headland portions K1 and K2, the work vehicle V is
The headland work is performed on the headland portions K1 and K2 while reciprocating along the longitudinal direction of the reference side M1.
The work target portion Ks and the two headland portions K1 and K2 are provided on the right side and the left side provided at both end positions of the work target portion Ks in the longitudinal direction of the adjacent sides M2 and M3 along the reference side M1. It is divided by boundary lines Y and Y.

The reference side M1 in the work target portion Ks
Process R1 as a plurality of guide paths lined up in the longitudinal direction of the
In order to guide the work vehicle V along each of the above, the first beam light as the beam light projection means for projecting the guiding light beam A1 along the longitudinal direction of the work stroke R1 in a state of vertically scanning a predetermined angle. Projection device B1 and a pair of headland parts K1,
In K2, the first headland portion K1 adjacent to the reference side M1 and the second headland portion K2 adjacent to the facing side M4 facing the reference side M1 are respectively arranged in the longitudinal direction of the adjacent sides M2 and M3. In order to guide the work vehicle V along each of the work strokes R2 as the guidance path, a beam light projection is performed in which the guidance light beam A2 is vertically scanned at a predetermined angle along the longitudinal direction of the work stroke R2. The second beam light projection device B2 as means is provided on the ground side.

The first beam light projection device B1 is basically installed at a boundary position between two adjacent work steps of the plurality of work steps R1 at a ratio of one to two adjacent work steps. ing. Further, the second beam light projection device B2 is installed at the boundary position of the work steps because the plurality of work steps R2 are two. Also, in the figure, adjacent sides M2, M3
A third beam light projection device B3 for projecting a beam light A3 parallel to the beam light A2 is provided at a position inside the projection position of the beam light A2 from the second beam light projection device B2 in the longitudinal direction of. .

The first and second beam light projection devices B1,
B2 is the work process R from both ends of each work process R1, R2.
1, two guiding beam lights A in opposite directions along R1
1 and A2 are configured by laser devices and the like provided at both end positions of each work stroke R1 and R2 so as to project the work vehicles 1 and A2 close to the traveling road surface (field scene) of the work vehicle V. The third beam light projection device B3 is also composed of a laser device or the like.

Next, the structure of the working vehicle V will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rear portion of the vehicle body 5 having a pair of left and right front wheels 3 and rear wheels 4 has a ground working condition and a non-ground working condition. A seedling planting device 6 that can be switched between a working state and a working state is provided so as to be able to move up and down and stop driving. In other words, when the vehicle is driven in the lowered state, it is the ground work state, and the other states are non-working states. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the front and rear wheels 3 and 4 are configured such that the left and right wheels are paired so as to be individually steerable, and steering hydraulic cylinders 7 and 8 and an electromagnetically operated control valve 9 for them are provided. , 10 are provided.
That is, a two-wheel steering system that steers only one of the front wheels 3 or the rear wheels 4, a four-wheel steering system that steers the front and rear wheels 3, 4 in opposite phases and at the same angle, and the front and rear wheels 3, 4 in the same phase. In addition, it is possible to selectively use three types of steering types, that is, a parallel steering type that steers at the same angle.

In FIG. 4, 11 is a hydraulic continuously variable transmission that shifts the output from the engine E to drive the front and rear wheels 3 and 4 simultaneously, 12 is an electric motor for gear shifting operation, and 13 is a planting device. 6, a hydraulic cylinder for raising and lowering, 14 a control valve thereof, 15 an electromagnetically operated planting clutch for intermittently driving the planting device 6 by the engine E, 16 a work vehicle V
Is a control device using a microcomputer for controlling the traveling of the plant and the operation of the planting device 6, and based on detection information by various sensors described later and work data stored in advance, the shift motor 12 and each control valve 9 , 10, 1
4 and each of the planting clutch 15 are controlled.

The sensors mounted on the work vehicle V will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, steering angle detection sensors P1 and P2 using potentiometers for detecting steering angles of the front and rear wheels 3 and 4, respectively. A vehicle speed sensor P3 using a potentiometer that indirectly detects the forward / backward traveling state and the vehicle speed based on the speed change state of the transmission 11, and an encoder S3 for detecting the traveling distance by counting the number of rotations of the output shaft of the transmission 11.
And a direction sensor S4 using geomagnetism for detecting the body direction of the work vehicle V.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the work vehicle V has a beam for receiving the guiding light beams A1 and A2 from the first beam light projecting device B1 and the second beam light projecting device B2. A steering control light receiving sensor S as light receiving means,
When the work vehicle V is automatically traveling along the guiding beam lights A1 and A2 from the first or second beam light projecting devices B1 and B2, the second beam light projection intersecting the beam lights A1 and A2. The trigger light receiving sensor S2 for receiving the beam lights A2 and A1 from the device B2 or the first beam light projector B1 and the beam light A3 from the third beam light projector B3.
Are provided.

The steering control light receiving sensor S is composed of two light receiving portions S1 and S1 'provided at both front and rear ends in the traveling direction of the work vehicle V in a state of protruding to the left lateral side of the vehicle body.
The two light receiving units S1 and S1 ′ are installed at positions close to the traveling road surface (field scene) of the work vehicle V in accordance with the projection height of the beam lights A1 and A2. As a result, the steering control optical sensor S receives at least one of the two guiding light beams A1 and A2 projected in opposite directions along each work stroke R1 and R2, that is, The light beams A1 and A2 from the front side in the vehicle body traveling direction are received by the light receiving unit S1 on the front end side of the vehicle body, and the beam lights A1 and A2 from the rear side are received by the light receiving unit S1 ′ on the rear end side of the vehicle body. I am configuring.

The trigger light-receiving sensor S2 is composed of a pair of front and rear sensors S2a and S2b located at the upper left and right center of the vehicle body in a plan view.
The a is located a predetermined distance ahead of the line connecting the two axes of the front wheels 3, and the rear sensor S2b is located on the line connecting the two axes of the rear wheels 4. The trigger sensor S2 detects only whether or not the light beams A1, A2, A3 from the left and right sides of the vehicle body are received.

The steering control light receiving sensor S will be described by taking the light receiving portion S1 as an example, as shown in FIG.
A pair of front and rear photosensors S1a, S arranged side by side with a predetermined distance d in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body and a predetermined distance in the up-and-down direction.
It is composed of 1b. Then, each optical sensor S1a,
In S1b, a plurality of light receiving elements D are juxtaposed in the lateral direction of the vehicle body so as to have a light receiving position of a predetermined resolution in the lateral direction, and the position of the light receiving element D0 located at the center of the sensor in the lateral direction is used as a reference. The light receiving positions of the guiding light beams A1 and A2 in the lateral direction of the vehicle body, that is, the positions X1 and X2 of the light receiving element D, respectively, can be detected. Reference numeral 18 is a mirror for reflecting the beam lights A1 and A2 projected laterally toward the light-receiving surface of each optical sensor.

Based on the detection information of various sensors such as the steering control light receiving sensor S and the trigger light receiving sensor S2, and the preset work schedule information, the control device 16
The work vehicle V is controlled to travel and the operation of various devices such as the planting section 6 is controlled. Using the control device 16, the position of the work vehicle V with respect to the work strokes R1, R2 is detected based on the light reception information of the steering control light receiving sensor S, and the work vehicle V is detected based on the position detection information. The control means 100 is configured to control the steering so as to travel along the work strokes R1 and R2. Then, the control means 100 is configured to detect the position of the work vehicle V with respect to the work strokes R1 and R2 based on the light reception information of one or both of the two light receiving units S1 and S1 ′. There is. In this work vehicle V for rice planting, since the planting section 6 is attached to the rear side of the vehicle body, the light reception information of the light receiving section S1 on the front end side is used. For example, when the working section is attached to the front side of the vehicle body. Is used with the light receiving information of the light receiving section S1 ′ on the rear end side, or when both light beams from the front and rear of the vehicle body are not blocked, both light receiving sections S1 on both front and rear sides are used.
It is also possible to use the light reception information of S1 '.

The position detection for the work strokes R1 and R2 of the work vehicle V by the control means 100 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 5, a pair of front and rear optical sensors S1a, S1b.
Based on the positions X1 and X2 of the respective light receiving elements and the distance d in the vehicle body front-rear direction from the following formula, the position detection information is used as the direction of projection of the guide beam lights A1 and A2 of the work vehicle V, that is, the work. The lateral deviation x and the inclination φ with respect to the strokes R1 and R2 are obtained.

[0028]

## EQU1 ## φ = tan ^-1 (| X1-X2 | / d) x = X1

In this example, the lateral deviation x is set to the light receiving position of one of the front and rear photosensors S1a and S1b (S1a), but an error due to the inclination φ of the vehicle body should be avoided. For this purpose, a pair of front and rear optical sensors S1a, S1
The average value of the light receiving positions X1 and X2 of each b may be used. Then, the work vehicle V is subjected to steering control by setting a target steering angle such that the deviation x and the inclination φ are both zero. However, in the present embodiment, steering control is performed by a two-wheel steering system in which only the front wheels 3 are steered during straight traveling in each work stroke.

Further, the control device 16 controls the light beam A
At the intersection of A1 and A2, the work vehicle V is guided by the beam lights A1 and A2 along one of the work paths R1 and R2, and the beam light A1 along the other guide route R1 and R2.
It is configured so as to turn and move to a state guided by A2. In other words, the control device 16 causes the work vehicle V to travel forward by one stroke so that the work vehicle V performs each of the work steps R1 and R2 in the reciprocating work and the headland work in the forward state, and then the work vehicle V travels forward. When V is automatically traveling along the guidance beam lights A1 and A2, the guidance beam light A
1, based on the light reception information of the trigger sensor S2 that receives the light beams A2 and A1 that intersect with A1 and A2, 18 from the end of each stroke to the start of the next stroke adjacent to the stroke.
It is configured to set the start position of the turning motion of 0 degree or 90 degrees.

Next, the travel route of the work vehicle V will be described with reference to FIG. First, the final work site portion R1a connected to the entrance Mi along the longitudinal direction of the adjacent sides M2, M3,
Also, the reciprocating work is performed while leaving the relay work site portion R1b adjacent to the adjacent side M3 located away from the entrance Mi. Here, the final work site portion R1a is the reference side M1.
Of the plurality of work steps R1 arranged in the longitudinal direction of the work area corresponding to the uppermost work step, and the relay work area portion R1b is the two work pieces on the lower end side of the plurality of work steps R1. It is the work site part corresponding to the process.

In the reciprocating work, specifically, the work stroke R1 farthest from the entrance Mi except for the relay work site R1b is taken on the left boundary line Y indicating the work start position of the start end portion thereof. Starting from the Pst point in the right direction in the figure. Therefore, the vehicle is stopped in the middle and the first seedling replenishment is performed, and the vehicle is run forward to the Pst point in a non-working state. Even after this, the work vehicle V continues to operate on the reference side M1 of each work stroke R1, R2.
The seedlings are replenished as needed according to the consumption state of the seedlings when the seedlings stop at the starting end. When reaching the Pst point, the planting device 6 is driven to start the planting work, and thereafter, each work stroke R1 is performed while turning 180 degrees at the left and right headland portions K1 and K2.
Traveling back and forth, the final work stroke R1 of the work target portion Ks
In the (second stroke from the top of the figure), the vehicle travels to the end position Pen on the right boundary line Y while being guided by the guiding beam light A1 based on the detection information of the steering control light receiving sensor S.

After this, of the pair of headland parts K1 and K2, the first headland part K1 adjacent to the reference side M1 and the second headland part K adjacent to the opposite side M4 facing the reference side M1.
The above-mentioned headland work for working 2 is performed, and in the headland work, during the transition between the first headland part K1 and the second headland part K2, while the relay work site part R1b is running, Work on the relay work site part R1b, and finally, from the second headland part K2 toward the entrance Mi, the final work site part R1
It is set to work the final work site portion R1a while traveling a.

Specifically, first, a light receiving sensor for steering control so as to move from the end position Pen to the start end of the inner working stroke R2 of the two working strokes R2 of the second headland portion K2. While being guided to the guiding beam light A1 based on the light receiving information of S, the vehicle moves backward from the end position Pen to the position where the front side sensor S2a receives the guiding beam light A2 on the far right side in the figure, and then in the forward state. The light beam is guided to the guiding beam light A2 based on the light reception information of the light receiving sensor S while being guided by the guiding beam light A1 projected from the side, and the rear sensor S2b for trigger receives the guiding beam light A1. The vehicle travels backward from a position to a position of a predetermined distance to reach the planting start position. Then, the work process R2 is automatically traveled in the forward movement state while being guided by the guiding beam light A2 based on the light reception information of the light receiving sensor S.

Thereafter, the work stroke R2 inside the second headland portion K2, the work stroke R1b inside the relay work ground portion R1b, the work stroke R2 inside the first headland portion K1, and the first headland portion K.
1, the work stroke R2 outside, the work stroke R1b outside the relay work land portion R1b, and the work stroke R2 outside the second headland portion K2, in that order, at the beginning of the next stroke at the end of each stroke. The vehicle automatically travels while swinging to the other part, and finally travels straight through the final work site portion R1a in a forward state and exits from the work site through the entrance Mi.

[Other Embodiment] In the above embodiment, the beam light receiving means S is composed of two light receiving portions S1 and S1 'provided at both front and rear ends of the moving body (work vehicle V) in the traveling direction. The present invention is not limited to this, and for example, it may be configured by one light receiving portion provided at the center position in the front-rear direction. Further, even when the two light receiving portions S1 and S1 ′ are provided at both front and rear ends in the traveling direction, it is not always necessary to install them at a position close to the traveling road surface, for example, adhesion of mud from the traveling road surface. Under severe conditions, the projection position of the guiding light beam and the installation position of the light receiving unit may be set to a slightly higher position away from the road surface.

Further, in the above embodiment, the beam light projecting means B1 and B2 for projecting the guiding beam lights A1 and A2 are constituted by laser light generators or the like, but it is also possible to use a device for generating light beams other than laser light. Good.

In the above embodiment, the guide route is set to the work vehicle V.
Is a work process R that runs while performing work such as rice planting
1 and R2 are shown, the guiding route may be a guiding route that simply guides a moving body that does not work.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to the work vehicle V for rice planting as a moving body, but the work vehicles for agricultural work other than rice planting and various work vehicles other than farm work are also shown. The specific configuration of each part at that time is appropriately changed according to the purpose of the working vehicle, working conditions, and the like.

It should be noted that reference numerals are added to the claims for convenience of comparison with the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the structures of the accompanying drawings by the entry.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an entire guide path and a projection position of a guide light beam.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a work vehicle and a beam light projection means.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing a work vehicle and a beam light receiving means.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a control configuration on the work vehicle side.

FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating detection of a light receiving position of a beam light receiving unit and a vehicle body position.

[Explanation of symbols]

 V moving body B1, B2 beam light projecting means S beam light receiving means 100 control means S1, S1 'light receiving section

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. Beam light projecting means (B1, B2) for projecting a guiding beam light along a guiding path of a moving body (V).
Is provided on the ground side, and the moving body (V) receives the light beam for guidance and a light beam receiving means (S), and the light beam receiving means (S).
The position of the moving body (V) with respect to the guide route is detected based on the received light information, and the moving body (V) is steered so as to travel along the guide route based on the position detection information. A beam light guide device for a moving body, which is provided with a control means (100) for controlling, wherein the beam light projection means (B1, B2) are arranged in opposite directions from both ends of the guide path along the guide path. The beam light receiving means (S) is configured to project two guiding beam lights, and receives at least one of the two guiding beam lights projected in opposite directions along the guiding path. A beam light guide device for a moving object configured to perform. 2. The light beam receiving means (S) is composed of two light receiving portions (S1, S1 ') provided at both front and rear ends of the moving body (V) in the traveling direction, and the control means (100). ) Indicates the two light receiving portions (S1,
The beam light guide of the moving body according to claim 1, which is configured to detect the position of the moving body (V) with respect to the guide path based on light reception information of any one or both of S1 '). apparatus. 3. The beam light projection means (B1, B2)
Project the two guiding light beams in a state of approaching the traveling road surface of the moving body (V), and the two light receiving portions (S1, S1 ′) are the traveling road surface of the moving body (V). The beam light guide device for a moving body according to claim 2, wherein the beam light guide device is installed at a position close to.