JPS60204013A - Guiding method of unattended car - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase the amount of information installed on a running path by further laying other position marker on a magnetic marker laid continuously along a running course of an unattended car. CONSTITUTION:A magnetic marker made from magnetic ferrite powder, etc. is used for a guide lane 1 on a road surface on which an unattended car V runs, and its width is formed widely enough within the width of the unattended car V. To this unattended car V, magnetic sensors MS1, MS2 are fixed so as to be opposed to the right and left ends of the guide lane 1, and it is run automatically along a running course by controlling a steering motor in accordance with its detecting output. In this case, furthermore, an aluminum tape piece is stuck as a position marker MK onto the guide lane 1, and an optical sensor PS is loaded as a detecting sensor of the marker concerned MK on the unattended car V. In this way, the unattended car V runs automatically along the running course, the position marker MK is detected by the optical sensor PS, and its amount of information can be expanded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a marker installed on a driving path of an unmanned vehicle. For more details, see 6. Related to location information markers in methods of guiding unmanned vehicles using magnetic signs. [Prior art and its problems] Conventionally, one method of guiding unmanned vehicles has been to use magnetic materials such as ferrite. A method has been proposed that uses . For example, as proposed in Japanese Patent Application No. 56-015455 (title of invention ``Automatic Travel Control System for Vehicles''), magnetic signs using magnetic materials such as ferrite are attached along the driving course of unmanned vehicles. , which are placed on or under the road surface, and are detected by a plurality of magnetic sensors mounted on the unmanned vehicle, thereby allowing the unmanned vehicle to travel automatically.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an unmanned vehicle seen from above, showing the positional relationship between a magnetic sign and a magnetic sensor in order to explain the prior art. When the unmanned vehicle V attempts to proceed according to the magnetic markings (hereinafter referred to as guide lane 1) laid along the driving course, for example, as shown in the same figure, the unmanned vehicle V
If the direction of deviates from the direction of guide lane 1 to the right, you will board the unmanned JILV! ;It L/ft 2 pieces C7)
Magnetic sensor MSI, Mg2(7) medium tD Ms
2 bE, when the vehicle deviates from the guide lane 1, the detection output turns OFF. Conversely, when the direction of the unmanned vehicle V shifts to the left, the detection output of the sensor 84S1 turns OFF. Therefore, the unmanned vehicle Magnetic sensor MS2 turns OFF the steering of V'
By controlling the steering to the left when the magnetic sensor MSI is OFF, and to the right when the magnetic sensor MSI is OFF, the unmanned vehicle V moves along the guide lane 1, that is, along the traveling course.

When performing such control, the fixed positions of the magnetic sensors MS 1 and Mg2 mounted on the unmanned vehicle V) 1i and The positional deviation d of the magnetic sensor with respect to the directional deviation angle θ with respect to the lane 1 increases, in other words, it becomes sensitive to the directional deviation of the unmanned vehicle V.

Therefore, in order to improve running performance, the width of guide lane 1 should be made as large as possible, and the magnetic sensor MSI
, it is advantageous to attach Mg2 to the outside of the unmanned vehicle V as much as possible.

In recent years, there has also been a desire for faster speeds for unmanned vehicles. However, as the speed of the unmanned vehicle V increases, the positional deviation d per unit time with respect to the direction deviation angle θ between the direction of the unmanned vehicle V and the guide lane 1 increases. In other words, the higher the speed of the unmanned vehicle V, the greater the possibility that it will deviate from the guide lane even if there is a small deviation in direction. From this point of view as well, it is advantageous to increase the width of the guide lane.

On the other hand, in order to actually drive the unmanned vehicle V automatically, in addition to the guide lane 1, signs (hereinafter referred to as position markers) with various positional information such as stop positions and deceleration positions are required. As shown in the figure, in order to improve running performance, it is necessary to widen the width of the guide lane 1. Therefore, when using the same magnetic sign as the guide lane as a position marker, it is difficult to secure enough space for installing the position marker.
There is a drawback that the amount of information that a position marker can have is inevitably limited.

No matter how wide the guide lane 1 is made in the map, the width of the guide lane 1 is actually necessary to guide the unmanned vehicle ■, especially when the unmanned vehicle V is traveling stably on a straight section.
That is, the width is only 1 inch, which is about the same width or slightly wider than the width of the steady left-right vibration at the position of the magnetic sensor that occurs when the unmanned vehicle V travels. In other words, the central part of the guide lane 1 does not contribute much to the guidance of the unmanned vehicle V when it is on foot, and it can be said that it occupies space unnecessarily.

[Purpose of Departure]

In view of the above-mentioned drawbacks, an object of the present invention is to provide a barrel attraction method for unmanned vehicles that can widen the width of a guide lane using magnetic markers and expand the amount of information that a position marker can have. It is in.

[Structure of the invention]

The present invention further lays signs other than Tsukuda and -ki signs on magnetic signs (guide lanes) that are continuously installed along the driving course of unmanned vehicles, and uses these signs as position markers to This is a 62# method for an unmanned vehicle, which is characterized by detecting the position marker with a position detection sensor mounted on the vehicle and obtaining position information of the unmanned vehicle in motion.

〔Example〕

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to drawings showing embodiments.

FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of the present invention, and is a perspective view of the positional relationship between a guide lane and a position marker installed on the road surface and a sensor mounted on the unmanned vehicle, as viewed from one side of the unmanned vehicle.

In the same figure, a magnetic marker made of a composite material of magnetic ferrite powder and resin is used for the guide lane 1, and in order to improve the ability to follow the running course as shown in Gfl, the guide lane 1 The width is sufficiently wide within the width of the unmanned vehicle V. Magnetic sensors MSI and Mg2 are fixed to the unmanned vehicle V at positions facing the guide lane 1 near the left and right ends of the guide lane 1. The magnetic sensor MSI
, Mg2 detect only the distortion of a uniform magnetic field such as the earth's magnetism caused by the guide lane 1, so two commonly known fluxgate type magnetometers are differentially used. In addition, the unmanned vehicle ■ has wheels W1 to W, and Wl has a steering motor (not shown), W, , W.
A drive motor (not shown) is connected to . The unmanned vehicle V has a magnetic sensor MSI.

By controlling the steering motor according to the detection output of guide lane 1 of #lS2,
In other words, the vehicle automatically travels along a driving course. 1, a piece of aluminum tape is stretched over the guide lane 1 as a position marker, and the unmanned vehicle V is used as a sensor for detecting the position marker by combining a light emitter and a light receiver to detect the light reflected from the aluminum tape. Equipped with a type of optical sensor PS. The unmanned vehicle V automatically travels along the travel course and detects the position marker wind from time to time using the optical sensor PS. Now, for example, place the position marker kite at an appropriate position on the running course.
If j+2 means the stopping position, then the unmanned vehicle V
The control unit (not shown) is configured such that the optical sensor PS is connected to the position marker M.
l( is detected, the point where the output is turned on is determined to be the stop position, and if necessary, the drive motor is controlled and stopped.

As in this example, a magnetic label is used as the guide lane 1, a fluxgate type magnetometer is used as the magnetic sensor hub for detecting the magnetic label, and an aluminum tape, which is a non-magnetic material, is used as the position marker (2). Position marker l111
When using an optical sensor PS as a detection sensor of 1II ( Detection of the position marker MK by the PS is not hindered by the guide lane l laid under the position marker.

In other words, the installation spaces for the guide lane I and the position marker MK can be determined independently of each other. Therefore, if the width of the guide lane l is sufficiently large, even if there is almost no margin on the road surface, the space in which the position marker can be installed is not limited at all. Therefore, for example, by arranging the position marker claws in a matrix in the traveling direction of the unmanned vehicle (1) and in a direction perpendicular thereto, it is also easy to enlarge the upper position from the viewpoint of installation space.

In the above example, an aluminum tape was used as the light reflecting material, but various materials with high light reflectance such as stainless steel, resin with a white glossy surface, and paper could also be used. Things can be used. In addition, Toriketsubusu Co., Ltd.
As described on page 251 of "Automatic Conveyance Technology" published in September, it is also possible to use paints containing radiation or paints that react to specific light such as ultraviolet rays as light-reflecting materials. .

As described above, by using a magnetic label as a guide lane and detecting it with a fluxgate type magnetometer, and using the light reflection side as a position marker and detecting it with an optical sensor, the position marker can be detected. It can be installed regardless of the position of the guide lane. In other words, the installation direction 11' of the position marker can be expanded, and the amount of position information that can be placed on the road surface can be increased.

Furthermore, it is clear that the same effect can be obtained by using a non-magnetic metal material such as aluminum, stainless steel, or copper instead of the light reflecting material in the above embodiment, and using a metal sensor for the optical sensor layer 9. be. In this case, as a metal sensor,
A generally known eddy current sensor or a sensor that detects capacitance that changes due to the proximity of a metal material can be used.

In the above embodiment, an example is shown in which a fluxgate type magnetometer is used as the magnetic sensor, but it is also possible to use a magnetic sensor such as a Hall element that can detect a static magnetic field.

In addition to the method of detecting distortion of the static magnetic field as described above, there are other methods for detecting guide lanes using magnetic labels.
There is a method using an alternating magnetic field. For example, two coils are used to generate an alternating magnetic field by passing an alternating current through one of the coils, and changes in the distribution of the alternating magnetic field due to the guide lane are detected using a separate coil, or one coil There are methods that detect changes in self-inductance due to the guide lane as changes in the balance of a bridge circuit including the coil, and methods that detect changes in the oscillation frequency and oscillation voltage of an oscillation circuit including the coil.

However, when using such a method of detecting a guide lane using an alternating magnetic field and using a metal material such as aluminum tape as a position marker installed on the guide lane, eddy currents generated in the metal material that is the position marker , it becomes difficult to detect the guide lane below the 16 markers. .

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, by using a magnetic marker as a guide lane and using a light reflective material or a non-magnetic metal material as a position marker, it is possible to expand the installation space for position markers onto the guide lane. is possible. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to make the width of the guide lane sufficiently wide and increase the amount of information that can be installed on the driving path, which in turn makes it possible to perform more complicated driving control of an unmanned vehicle. It is something that you have.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the positional relationship between a magnetic sensor mounted on an unmanned vehicle and a magnetic sign, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the positional relationship between a guide lane, a position marker, a magnetic sensor, and an optical sensor in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1... Guide lane, ■... Unmanned vehicle, MSI, 8i
s2...magnetic sensor, PS...optical sensor (position detection sensor), MK...position marker, horse~W3...wheel patent applicant NEC Corporation

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In an unmanned vehicle guidance method in which magnetic markers installed effectively continuously along the driving course of the unmanned vehicle are detected by multiple magnetic sensors mounted on the unmanned vehicle to control the automatic driving of the unmanned vehicle. , using a sign other than the magnetic sign laid over the magnetic sign as a position marker, detecting the marker with a position detection sensor mounted on the unmanned vehicle, and obtaining information on the position of the unmanned vehicle while the vehicle is moving. A method for guiding unmanned vehicles. (2) The positional information marker is made of a light reflecting material, and the device for detecting the positional information marker is an optical sensor that is a combination of a light emitter and a light receiver.
The method for guiding an unmanned vehicle according to (3) the position information marker is made of a non-magnetic metal material, and the sensor for detecting the position information marker is a metal sensor. guidance method for unmanned vehicles.