JPS61254425A - Position detecting method for working machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect the position of a working machine on a track by receiving an optical signal from the working machine and forming an image and analyzing the image. CONSTITUTION:A support tower 8 is erected in a yard 1 where coal 5 is stored and coal mining is conducted, and a television camera 9 is installed on the top portion 8a of the tower in such a manner that the whole working area of a stacker 3 and a reclaimer can come within the range of the television camera. Light emitting elements L1, L2 as a light emitting source are individually fixed to the respective upper portions of the stacker 3 and the reclaimer. Image data from the television camera 9 is processed in an image processor 10. An image processing circuit 11 is adapted to image display on display means according to image formation position of the light emitting elements L1, L2 and display mode changed at every cycle, and print display by printing means 14.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Industrial Field of Application The present invention is useful for detecting the position of a working machine for extracting coal or the like.
ll machine position detection method.

BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY For example, in a coke manufacturing factory, coal to be supplied to a coke oven is stored in a coking coal storage yard (hereinafter referred to as a yard), or a specific brand of coal is mined from a pile of stored coal. Various working machines are used, such as stackers for stacking coal and reclaimers for scraping out coal. The stacker and reclaimer can each move along a plurality of rails provided on the yard. Coal is stored by stacker in predetermined areas around the rails, separated by brand. A reclaimer extracts a specific brand of coal and supplies it to a coke oven.

Yards where coal storage and coal mining operations are performed are generally large, on the order of several hundred square meters, and in order to detect the current working positions of stackers and reclaimers, it is necessary to
Conventionally, transmitters such as proximity switches and limit switches that are activated by the proximity of a working machine are provided at multiple locations along the rail. Electrical signals from these transmitters are transmitted, for example, from a long underground 1! It is sent to the receiver through the line, and based on the type of received signal, work 8! The current working position of each machine is detected.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the above-mentioned prior art, the durability of the transmitter is poor due to the harsh environment of the yard, and the transmitter is contaminated by coal dust and malfunctions, or the transmitter is contaminated with coal. If it becomes buried, accurate operation will not be achieved. Also, you can set up multiple transmitters or send out! Since it is necessary to install a long electric wire connecting the Iff and the receiver underground, the equipment cost is high and maintenance requires a lot of effort.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for detecting the position of a working machine that solves the above-mentioned technical problems, facilitates maintenance, and reduces equipment costs.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention provides signals for identifying a working machine based on a light emission period, intensity, wavelength, number of installed units, installation position, etc. from a light emitting source attached to a working machine movable on an orbit. a step of receiving the light signal from the work machine and forming an image; analyzing the image to identify the light emission signal from the work machine; and identifying the light signal of the work machine from the image formation position on the image plane. A method for detecting a position of a working machine, comprising the step of identifying a position on a track.

By applying the present invention to a working machine that follows a predetermined movement pattern on a track, the position of the working machine can be detected with a precision that does not pose any practical problem.

Effect According to the present invention, work that can be moved on orbit 8! A light emitting source differentiated by the light emitting period, light intensity, light wavelength, or installation number rlL is attached to the machine, and the signal from the light source is received, the signal is optically detected, and the imaging position is determined. By detecting and identifying the position of the work machine corresponding to the imaged position, it is possible to accurately detect the position of the work machine on the yard at a lower cost and with easier maintenance than existing methods. . Furthermore, for example, by synchronizing the period of light from the light emitting elements with a clock, it is possible to eliminate the influence of noise caused by ambient light and the like.

According to this method, the work position can be detected without error by optimally selecting the type of light emitting signal even during the day or night, or even when visibility is extremely poor due to dense fog or heavy rain.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof. In the yard 1, a plurality of stackers 2 (four in this example) extend in parallel, and a stacker 3
and the reclaimer 4 can each move along these rails 2. Coal 5 unloaded from a ship by an unloader or the like is transported by a stacker 3 and stored in a predetermined area of a yard 1, sorted by brand. When a particular brand of coal 5 is to be supplied to a coke oven (not shown), the reclaimer 4 is moved to the area of the yard 1 where the particular brand of coal 5 is stored, and the coal mining operation is performed. A specific brand of coal 5 mined by the reclaimer 4 is put into a chain conveyor 7, and sent by the conveyor belt to a blending/pulverizing facility to be supplied to a coke oven.

In the present invention, a support tower 8 is erected in a yard 1 where coal 5 is stored and mined, and a television camera 9 is mounted on the top 8a of the tower 8 so that the entire working area of the stacker 3 and reclaimer 4 can be seen. Install.

Furthermore, light emitting elements Ll and L2 as light emitting sources are individually attached to the upper portions of the stacker 3 and the reclaimer 4, respectively.

Image data from the television camera 9 is processed by an image processing device 10
Image processing is performed as described below.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the storage capacity of the image memory 12. The light emitting elements Ll and L2 attached to the top of the stacker 3 and reclaimer 4 emit flashing lights with different periods. This flashing light may be monochromatic light or laser light, and the flashing light from the light emitting elements L1 and L2 is received by the television camera 9. The television camera 9 detects the bone position of the blinking lights from the light emitting elements Ll and L2 through image analysis processing. Image data from the television camera 9 is transmitted to an image processing device io installed in a location in the yard 1 that is not affected by the environment.

The image processing device 10 includes an image processing circuit 11 realized by a microcomputer or the like, an image memory 12,
It includes a display means 13 such as a cathode ray tube, and a printing means 14 such as a printer. The image memory 12 has ixj memory cells subdivided into a matrix as shown in FIG. 4, and each area of the yard 1 imaged by the television camera 9 corresponds to each memory cell. . In the image processing circuit 11, the light emitting element L by the television camera 9
The same address in the image memory 12 corresponding to the imaging positions of L and L2 is detected. Furthermore, the cycle of blinking light from the light emitting elements L1 and L2 is detected by the clock signal. The image processing circuit 11 includes light emitting elements L1. The image forming position of L2 is displayed as an image on the display means 13 in a different display mode for each cycle, for example, in red or blue, and the printing means 14
Print and display by.

5 and 6, a light emitting element L1 is attached to the stacker 3, a light emitting element L2 is attached to the reclaimer 4, and these two working machines are stationary within the working area of the yard 1. In this case, one light emitting element L1 is the fifth light emitting element L1.
It is assumed that the light emitting element L2 emits a pulse with a period T1 shown in FIG. 5(1), and the light emitting element L2 emits a pulse with a period T2 shown in FIG. 5(2). At time t1, as shown in FIG. 6, the address Amr++ Apql of the image memory 12
: Light is imaged at the corresponding position, and then at time t2, as shown in FIG. 6 (2), the 7th dress A+ of the image memory 12
When the light is imaged at a position corresponding to When the light forms an image at the position corresponding to the address Apq of No. 12, the blinking light is identified as the light emitting element L1, and an image is displayed. In this way, the working machine in the yard 1 can be specified by detecting the position of the machining machine in the work area from the coordinate relationship between the image memory 12 and the yard 1, and identifying the periods of the light emitting elements Ll and L2. I can do it. Even if the lights from the light emitting elements Ll and L2 are overlapped and imaged on the same 7th dress of Naori-do L, the working machine can be identified by detecting its blinking cycle. Therefore, even if a plurality of stackers 3 and reclaimers 4 are provided on one rail 2, there will be no problem in image processing.

As another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 7, light from the light emitting elements Ll and L2 is received by a plurality of light receiving elements 16 arranged at addresses corresponding to the rail 2 via a zoom lens 14. It is also possible to have a configuration like this.

In the above embodiment, the light emitting elements Ll and L2 emit flashing light with different periods, but any light that can be distinguished from the illumination light of the yard 1 or disturbance light may be used, for example, light with different wavelengths or light. In order to obtain light of different wavelengths, for example, light of different intensities may be used for each light emitting element Ll.

Filters with different colors may be provided in L2, and in the case of light having different intensities, the intensity of the light can be identified by level discrimination.

A TV camera 9 is installed to take images of the wide work area of the yard 1, and work 8! A specific optical signal transmitted from the machine is received by the television camera 8, the image is analyzed by the image analysis element, and the type of the optical signal and the transmitting position are determined to detect the position of the working machine. The advantages shown below can be obtained.

(1) Even when multiple work W1 machines are arranged on one rail, the work machines can be identified and specified simply by changing the period, wavelength, or intensity of the light of light emitting elements Pi and L2. be able to.

(2) By making the image of the transmission location correspond to the yard position, it is possible to determine in which area of the 10 broken positions of the rail the work machine is located using the image element or the printing element, so that the work I! The machine can be managed accurately.

(3) There is no need to install multiple transmitters along the rails or to install long electric wires underground as in the past, which reduces equipment costs and facilitates maintenance.

(4) The working machine is fully automatic, making it possible to store and mine coal by remote control, which is particularly effective for night operations.

(5) By making the image elements of the television camera 9 dense in the peripheral area of the rail 2 and coarse in other areas, the reliability of the imaging position of the light focused on the imaging screen can be improved. can do.

The type and number of working machines, the number of rails and light emitting elements are not limited to those in the above embodiments.

The method for detecting the position of a working machine according to the present invention is not only used in connection with coal storage and mining operations in the coke manufacturing industry, but also can be used in a wide range of technical fields.

Effects As described above, according to the present invention, a source is attached to a working machine that is movable on a track, and the working area of the working machine is optically detected by optical means, and the work area corresponding to the position of the working area is detected. By detecting the imaging position of the light emitting element and identifying the position of the working machine by receiving the output from the optical means, equipment costs can be reduced and maintenance can be facilitated.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof, FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is for explaining the storage capacity of the image memory 12. Figure 5
The figure is a waveform diagram of blinking light from the light emitting elements Ll and L2, FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the positions of the light emitting elements Ll and L2 and the operation for identifying them, and FIG. 7 is a diagram of another embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure showing an example. 1...Yard, 3...Stacker, 4...Reclaimer-18...Support tower, 9...TV camera, 10
...image processing device, 11...image processing circuit, 12.
...Image memory, 13...Display means, 14...Printing means, Ll, L2...Light emitting element

Claims (1)

[Claims] A step of generating a signal from a light emitting source attached to a working machine movable on an orbit to identify the working machine based on the emission period, intensity, wavelength, number of installed units, installation position, etc. , a step of receiving an optical signal from a working machine and forming an image, analyzing the image to identify a light emitting signal from the working machine, and determining the position on the trajectory of the working machine from the imaging position on the image plane. A method for detecting the position of a work machine, the method comprising: identifying the position of a working machine;