WO2024111594A1

WO2024111594A1 - Construction equipment

Info

Publication number: WO2024111594A1
Application number: PCT/JP2023/041862
Authority: WO
Inventors: 拓馬菅原; 圭一郎穴原; 直樹萩原
Original assignee: 日立建機株式会社
Priority date: 2022-11-25
Filing date: 2023-11-21
Publication date: 2024-05-30

Abstract

Provided is construction equipment that comprises a display device that is provided in an operator cab, an on-board operation device that is operated by an operator that has boarded the operator cab and outputs a manned operation signal, a communication device that receives an unmanned operation signal from outside a vehicle body, an operating mode switch that selects either a manned operating mode in which the manned operation signal is valid or an unmanned operating mode in which the unmanned operation signal is valid, and a controller that controls the vehicle body on the basis of the manned operation signal or the unmanned operation signal according to the operating mode. When the unmanned operating mode has been selected, the controller controls the vehicle body on the basis of the unmanned operation signal and outputs a caution display that urges caution that the unmanned operating mode has been selected to the display device. When the manned operating mode has been selected, the controller controls the vehicle body on the basis of the manned operation signal and does not display the caution display. The present invention can thereby notify a rider of construction equipment that is in a state in which unmanned operation is enabled that the construction equipment is in a state in which unmanned operation is enabled.

Description

Construction Machinery

The present invention relates to construction machinery such as hydraulic excavators that can be selectively switched between manned operation, in which the operator directly operates the machinery by riding on the machinery, and unmanned operation, in which the operator operates the machinery from a remote location.

At disaster sites and the like, there is a demand for hydraulic excavators and other construction machines that can be operated from a remote location (hereinafter referred to as "remote operation") as described in Patent Document 1. However, there are cases where an operator can more easily grasp the condition of the vehicle and the surroundings and work more efficiently by riding on the machine and directly operating it (hereinafter referred to as "on-board operation") than by remote operation, so it is desirable to be able to switch to on-board operation even for remotely operable construction machines.

JP 2011-9823 A

However, in the case of construction machinery that can be operated by switching between remote operation and on-board operation, consideration should be given to whether there is any passenger inside the machinery that can be operated remotely. For example, there is a possibility that a passenger who has boarded the machinery to start it up may start remote operation before getting off, or that a passenger may mistakenly switch the operation mode to remote operation mode. In such cases, the construction machinery may make unexpected movements to the passenger.

The object of the present invention is to provide a construction machine that can inform occupants of the machine that it is in a state where it can be operated unmanned.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a vehicle body having a driver's cab, a display device provided inside the driver's cab, an on-board operation device provided inside the driver's cab and operated by an operator in the driver's cab to output a manned operation signal which is an operation signal commanding the operation of the vehicle body, a communication device that receives an unmanned operation signal which is output from an unmanned operation unit for operating the vehicle body from outside the vehicle body and is an operation signal commanding the operation of the vehicle body, and a driving mode that can select one of a manned operation mode in which the manned operation signal is enabled and the unmanned operation signal is disabled, and an unmanned operation mode in which the unmanned operation signal is enabled and the manned operation signal is disabled. A construction machine equipped with a driver's mode switch and a controller that controls the vehicle body based on the manned operation signal or the unmanned operation signal according to the operation mode set by the operation mode switch, the controller controls the vehicle body based on the unmanned operation signal when the unmanned operation mode is selected by the operation mode switch, and outputs a warning display on the display device to alert the user that the unmanned operation mode has been selected, and provides a construction machine that controls the vehicle body based on the manned operation signal and does not display the warning display on the display device when the manned operation mode is selected by the operation mode switch.

The present invention makes it possible to inform occupants of construction machinery that is capable of unmanned operation that the machinery is capable of unmanned operation.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a hydraulic excavator, which is an example of a construction machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a remote control system including a construction machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen displayed on a display device in the cab of the hydraulic excavator shown in FIG. 1 in a manned operation mode. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen displayed on a display device in a cab of the hydraulic excavator shown in FIG. 1 in an unmanned operation mode. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing another example of a display screen displayed on the display device in the cab of the hydraulic excavator shown in FIG. 1 in the unmanned operation mode; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing yet another example of a display screen displayed on the display device in the cab of the hydraulic excavator shown in FIG. 1 in an unmanned operation mode; 2 is a flowchart showing a main part of a procedure for controlling the display of a display device in a cab by a controller provided in the hydraulic excavator shown in FIG.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention using the drawings.

1. Schematic configuration of a construction machine Fig. 1 is a plan view of a hydraulic excavator, which is an example of a construction machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. The hydraulic excavator 1 is a representative example of a construction machine to which the present invention is applied, but the present invention is not limited to hydraulic excavators and can also be applied to other construction machines such as dump trucks, bulldozers, and wheel loaders. Hereinafter, the direction in which an operator sitting in the driver's seat faces (the left side in Fig. 1) is assumed to be the front side of the hydraulic excavator 1 (strictly speaking, the rotating body 4). The hydraulic excavator 1 shown in Fig. 1 includes a working device (front working machine) 5 on its vehicle body 2.

2. Vehicle Body The vehicle body 2 includes a running body 3 and a rotating body 4. The running body 3 is a foundation structure that allows the hydraulic excavator 1 to travel under its own power, and may be a wheel-type running body, but this embodiment illustrates a configuration in which a crawler-type running body is used. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to construction machines in which the vehicle body 2 includes the running body 3 and the rotating body 4, but can also be applied to construction machines of a type in which the vehicle body does not have a rotating structure.

The running body 3 includes a track frame, tracks 3c, and a running motor. Although not specifically shown, the track frame is formed in an H-shape in plan view by a center frame and left and right side frames connected to the center frame. An idler is supported at one end of the front and rear of the left and right side frames of the track frame, and a sprocket is supported at the other end for free rotation. The output shaft of the running motor is connected to the rotating shaft of the sprocket. The running motor is a hydraulic motor. A circular track 3c is looped around the idler and sprocket on each of the left and right side frames, and the running body 3 runs by driving the track 3c with the sprocket.

The rotating body 4 is mounted on the upper part of the running body 3 via a slewing ring (not shown) so as to be able to rotate left and right, and includes a slewing frame, a driver's cab (cabin) 4b, a counterweight 4c, an engine room (machine room) 4d, etc. The slewing frame is the base frame of the rotating body 4, and is supported on the truck frame via the slewing ring. A slewing motor (not shown) is mounted on the slewing frame near the slewing ring, and the output shaft of the slewing motor meshes with a gear provided on the slewing ring, causing the rotating body 4 to rotate left and right relative to the running body 3. A hydraulic motor or an electric motor can be used as the slewing motor.

A cab 4b is provided at the front of the rotating frame so as to be located on one side of the working device 5 in the left-right direction (the left side in this example). An engine room 4d is provided behind the cab 4b on the rotating frame. The engine room 4d houses a hydraulic system including a prime mover, a hydraulic pump driven by the prime mover, a control valve that controls the pressure oil from the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic actuator (boom cylinder 5e, etc.), heat exchangers, etc. An electric motor may be used as the prime mover, but in this embodiment, an engine (internal combustion engine) is used. A counterweight 4c is attached to the rear end of the rotating frame. The counterweight 4c is a heavy object for balancing the weight with the working device 5, and is formed in an arc shape along the rear end rotating trajectory of the rotating frame.

3. Working device The working device 5 is attached to the revolving body 4 and is a multi-joint working device including a working arm 5a, a bucket 5d as an attachment, a boom cylinder 5e as an actuator, an arm cylinder 5f, and a bucket cylinder. The working arm 5a is configured to include a boom 5b and an arm 5c. The boom 5b is connected to the front part of the revolving body 4 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. The arm 5c is connected to the tip of the boom 5b so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction. The bucket 5d is rotatably attached to the tip of the arm 5c. Both ends of the boom cylinder 5e are connected to the revolving body 4 and the boom 5b. Both ends of the arm cylinder 5f are connected to the boom 5b and the arm 5c. The base end of the bucket cylinder is rotatably connected to the arm 5c. The tip of the bucket cylinder is connected to the arm 5c and the bucket 5d via a bucket link. The boom cylinder 5e, the arm cylinder 5f, and the bucket cylinder drive the boom 5b, the arm 5c, and the bucket 5d, respectively. The boom cylinder 5e, the arm cylinder 5f, and the bucket cylinder are all hydraulic cylinders.

4. Remote Control System Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a remote control system including a construction machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. The remote control system shown in Fig. 2 has a hydraulic excavator 1 that can be wirelessly controlled, and a remote operation unit 50 that wirelessly controls the hydraulic excavator 1. The hydraulic excavator 1 is disposed at a work site. The remote operation unit 50 is disposed in a building constructed away from the work site.

4-1. Remote operation unit
The remote unit 50 is an unmanned operation unit installed in a remote location or the like for operating the vehicle body 2 of the hydraulic excavator 1 from outside the vehicle body 2. This remote operation unit 50 is configured to simulate the on-board operation devices (described later) such as the operating lever device 14 of the hydraulic excavator 1 to be operated, and the driver's cab 4b, and has a communication device 51, an operation device 52, a display device 53, and a controller 60.

The communication device 51 is a device for sending and receiving signals related to the remote operation of the hydraulic excavator 1, and plays a role in sending and receiving data related to remote operation (unmanned operation signals, work video signals, surveillance video signals, etc.) between the hydraulic excavator 1 via the network NW. In this embodiment, the unmanned operation signals are operation signals that command the operation of the running body 3, rotating body 4, work equipment 5, etc. of the hydraulic excavator 1, and are signals transmitted from the remote operation unit 50 and received by the hydraulic excavator 1. The work video is live video captured by the camera 11 (part of multiple cameras) mounted on the hydraulic excavator 1 of the field of view including the work equipment 5 from the driver's cab 4b side. The surveillance video is live video captured by the camera 11 (part of multiple cameras) of the hydraulic excavator 1 of the surroundings (rear and sides) of the vehicle body 2 of the hydraulic excavator 1.

The operating device 52 is a device that commands the operation of the hydraulic excavator 1, and includes a lever-type operating device that imitates the operating lever device 14.

The display device 53 includes a large monitor that displays in real time the work images captured by the camera 11 of the hydraulic excavator 1, as well as a display device that displays various settings, surveillance images, etc., equivalent to the display device 12 (described below) provided in the operator's cab 4b of the hydraulic excavator 1.

The controller 60 is a computer and has an operation signal processing function 61 and a display control function 62. The display control function 62 is a function that controls the display of the display device 53 based on video signals and other signals from the hydraulic excavator 1 input via the communication device 51. The operator who remotely operates the hydraulic excavator using the remote operation unit 50 operates the operation device 52 while viewing the work images and the like on the display device 53. The operation signal processing function 61 is a function that generates an unmanned operation signal in response to the operation of the operation device 52 and transmits it to the hydraulic excavator 1 via the communication device 51.

4-2. Functional Blocks of the Construction Machine The hydraulic excavator 1 is equipped with a camera 11, a display device 12, a communication device 13, an operating lever device 14, an operation mode switch 15, a speaker 16, a warning light 17, and a controller 20.

The cameras 11 include a perimeter monitoring camera that captures surveillance footage of the area around the vehicle body 2, and a remote driving camera that captures work footage as seen from the driver's cab 4b. The perimeter monitoring camera is generally a rear monitoring camera mounted on the rear of the rotating body 4 to capture footage of the area behind the rotating body 4, and in many cases a side monitoring camera is also provided on the side of the rotating body 4. The remote driving camera is mounted, for example, in the driver's cab 4b, and captures footage from the perspective of the passenger operating the vehicle in the driver's cab 4b. The footage captured by these cameras 11 is converted into a digital signal via an encoder, output, and input to the controller 20.

The display device 12 is provided inside the driver's cab 4b and displays various settings such as the driving mode, operation information, vehicle information, camera images, warnings, messages, etc. Several examples of the display screen of the display device 12 will be explained later using Figures 3 to 6.

The communication device 13 transmits and receives data related to remote operation to and from the remote operation unit 50 via the network NW. The communication device 13 communicates with the remote operation unit 50 and sequentially receives unmanned operation signals. In other words, the hydraulic excavator 1 is configured to be able to receive unmanned operation signals from outside the vehicle body 2 via the communication device 13. In addition, the communication device 13 sequentially transmits work video signals from the camera 11 output from the controller 20 to the remote operation unit 50 during the unmanned operation mode described below.

The operating lever device 14 is an electric lever device provided inside the cab 4b, and is used to operate the actuator 18 that drives the working device 5 and the rotating body 4. The actuator 18 is a collective term for the boom cylinder 5e, the arm cylinder 5f, the bucket cylinder, and the rotating motor. The cab 4b is also provided with an operating device (not shown) for operating the travel motor of the traveling body 3, but is omitted from FIG. 2. The operating lever device 14 is a boarding operating device operated by a passenger sitting in the driver's seat of the cab 4b, and generates an operating signal (hereinafter referred to as a "manned operating signal" to distinguish it from an unmanned operating signal) that commands the operation of the working device 5 and the rotating body 4 according to the operation of the passenger, and outputs it to the controller 20. The boarding operating device includes an operating device (not shown) that operates the travel motor of the traveling body 3, as well as handles and various pedals of a wheel loader or a dump truck, if it is a different type of construction machine. The same applies to the operating device 52 of the remote control unit 50 that simulates the boarding operating device.

In this embodiment, remote operation of the hydraulic excavator 1 by the remote operation unit 50 is described as a typical example of "unmanned operation", but unmanned operation means operation other than manned operation in which an operator in the driver's cab 4b operates the hydraulic excavator 1 using the operating lever device 14 or the like. For example, automatic operation of construction machinery is also an example of unmanned operation. Therefore, the "unmanned operation signal" is not limited to operation signals received from the remote operation unit 50, but can also include operation signals that command the operation of the vehicle body 2 other than manned operation signals. For example, in the case of automatic operation of construction machinery operating at a mining site, the control signal from a control device serving as an unmanned operation unit corresponds to the above-mentioned "unmanned operation signal".

The driving mode switch 15 is a switch that can selectively switch the driving mode setting between a manned driving mode and an unmanned driving mode. The driving mode switch 15 may be a switch on the screen of the display device 12, or may be a physical switch provided separately from the screen. The manned driving mode is a driving mode in which the manned operation signal is enabled and the unmanned operation signal is disabled. The unmanned driving mode is a driving mode in which the unmanned operation signal is enabled and the manned operation signal is disabled.

In the manned operation mode, even if communication between the remote operation unit 50 and the hydraulic excavator 1 is established, the remote operation unit 50 is not given the right to operate. In the manned operation mode, the hydraulic excavator 1 operates in response to the operation of the operating lever device 14 inside the operator's cab 4b, and the remote operation unit 50 cannot perform any interrupt operations. The remote operation unit 50 cannot switch the operation mode from the manned operation mode to the unmanned operation mode.

In contrast, in the unmanned operation mode, the remote operation unit 50 is given the operating authority, the hydraulic excavator 1 operates in response to the operation of the remote operation unit 50, and the hydraulic excavator 1 does not respond even if the operating lever device 14 inside the driver's cab 4b is operated. However, the operation of the operation mode switch 15 is valid not only in the manned operation mode but also in the unmanned operation mode. Therefore, by operating the operation mode switch 15 to switch the operation mode from the unmanned operation mode to the manned operation mode, boarding operations using the operating lever device 14 and the like are enabled. In addition, the operation of the key switch 19 is also valid regardless of the operation mode. The key switch 19 is a switch that starts and stops the prime mover of the hydraulic excavator 1. Even in the unmanned operation mode, the key switch 19 can be turned off in the driver's cab 4b to stop the prime mover of the hydraulic excavator 1 and forcibly stop the hydraulic excavator 1.

The speaker 16 is provided inside the cab 4b and notifies the occupant of the vehicle of warnings or messages by sound. The warning light 17 is an indicator light such as a lamp attached to the outer wall of the hydraulic excavator 1 (e.g., the top of the rotating body 4) in a position visible from around the hydraulic excavator 1.

4-3. Controller The controller 20 is an on-board computer (a computer mounted on the hydraulic excavator 1) that controls the operation of the hydraulic excavator 1. The controller 20 has a machine control function that controls the vehicle body 2 including the working device 5, the traveling body 3, and the rotating body 4 based on a manned operation signal or an unmanned operation signal according to the operation mode set by the operation mode switch 15. Specifically, the controller 20 drives a solenoid valve (e.g., a boom-raising solenoid valve) of a hydraulic system mounted on the hydraulic excavator 1 according to an operation signal input according to an operation (e.g., a boom-raising operation). As a result, a directional control valve (a boom directional control valve) is driven by a pilot pressure output from the solenoid valve, an actuator is driven (e.g., the boom cylinder 5e is extended), and the hydraulic excavator 1 operates (the boom 5b rotates upward). The operation signal that is the basis of such control is either the manned operation signal or the unmanned operation signal described above, and differs depending on the operation mode.

The controller 20 also has an operation mode determination function 21 and a display control function 22. The operation mode determination function 21 is a function that determines whether the current operation mode set by the operation mode switch 15 is a manned operation mode or an unmanned operation mode based on the operation signal of the operation mode switch 15. The display control function 22 is a function that controls the display of the display device 12 according to the current operation mode. The operation mode determination function 21 can also be configured to determine the current operation mode based on operation mode setting data (e.g., a flag indicating unmanned operation mode/manned operation mode) recorded in the memory of the controller 20 when the mode is switched by the operation mode switch 15.

In this embodiment, an example is given in which a single controller 20 has a machine control function for controlling the work device 5, the running body 3, the rotating body 4, etc., as well as an operation mode determination function 21 and a display control function 22, but the controller 20 may be composed of multiple computers. In this case, for example, the machine control function, the operation mode determination function 21, and the display control function 22 may be executed by separate computers. Furthermore, the operation mode determination function 21 and the display control function 22 may be executed by separate computers.

For example, when the manned operation mode is selected by the operation mode switch 15, the controller 20 disables the unmanned operation signal and simultaneously enables the manned operation signal, hides the warning display (described later) on the display device 12, and outputs various setting displays required for boarding operations and surveillance images from the camera 11 to the display device 12 (for example, FIG. 3 described later). The controller 20 then controls the actuator 18 based on the manned operation signal input from the operating lever device 14, thereby controlling the vehicle body 2.

On the other hand, when the unmanned driving mode is selected by the driving mode switch 15, the controller 20 disables the manned operation signal and enables the unmanned operation signal, and transmits the work video and monitoring video from the camera 11 to the remote driving unit 50 via the network NW. Then, based on the unmanned operation signal received from the remote driving unit 50 via the network NW, the controller 20 controls the actuator 18 and controls the vehicle body 2. In this embodiment, the controller 20 displays the screen of the display device 12 inside the driver's cab 4b not only when the driving mode is the manned driving mode but also when the driving mode is the unmanned driving mode, regardless of whether there is a passenger in the driver's cab 4b, and controls the display according to the driving mode. When the unmanned driving mode is selected, the controller 20 controls the vehicle body 2 based on the unmanned operation signal and outputs a warning display to the display device 12 to alert the driver that the unmanned driving mode has been selected. In the manned driving mode, the warning display on the display device 12 is not displayed.

5. Display Screen in the Cab An example of the display screen of the display device in the cab will be described with reference to Figs. 3 to 6.

5-1. In manned operation mode Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on a display device in the cab in the manned operation mode. When the controller 20 determines that the current operation mode is the manned operation mode, it outputs various data required for the occupant in the cab 4b to operate the vehicle to the display device 12 installed in the cab 4b, as shown in Fig. 3. The display screen 200A shown in Fig. 3 has display areas for a setting display 201, a vehicle body information display 202, a camera image 203, and a driving mode display 204.

The setting display 201 displays various current settings set by the occupant in the driver's cab 4b. FIG. 3 shows, as examples, a mark indicating that the driving mode is set to low speed mode (setting display 201 at the top of the screen) and setting displays for air conditioning and radio (setting display 201 at the bottom of the screen). In the figure, for the sake of simplicity, only the driving mode is shown as an example of the setting display 201 at the top of the screen, but in reality other setting displays such as the idle speed setting may also be displayed.

The vehicle body information display 202 displays data related to the current state of the vehicle body from various sensors mounted on the vehicle, such as the coolant temperature, hydraulic oil temperature, and remaining fuel. In FIG. 3, to simplify the illustration, the coolant temperature is shown as an example of the vehicle body information display 202.

Camera image 203 is a live image of the surroundings of the vehicle captured by camera 11. FIG. 3 shows an example in which images from multiple cameras 11 are combined with a planar image of the hydraulic excavator 1 to display an image of the hydraulic excavator 1 and its surroundings viewed from above. While viewing this display, the occupant (operator) drives the hydraulic excavator 1 while checking that there are no obstacles or the like in the surrounding area.

The operation mode display 204 is a display of the current operation mode determined by the controller 20 using the operation mode determination function 21. In FIG. 3, it is displayed that the current operation mode setting is the manned operation mode.

5-2. In unmanned operation mode FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on the display device in the cab in the unmanned operation mode. When the controller 20 determines that the current operation mode is the unmanned operation mode, as shown in FIG. 4, it outputs a warning display to the display device 12 to call attention that the operation mode is set to the unmanned operation mode. In the unmanned operation mode, it is assumed that there is no occupant in the cab 4b, but the warning display is constantly displayed on the display device 12 in the form of a light or a flash while the operation mode is set to the unmanned operation mode. For example, there is a possibility that the unmanned operation will start before the occupant who got into the cab 4b to start the hydraulic excavator 1 gets off, or that the occupant will mistakenly switch the operation mode to the unmanned operation mode. In addition, there is a possibility that a worker who does not know that the hydraulic excavator 1 is in the unmanned operation mode will get into the hydraulic excavator 1. In such a case, the construction machine may perform an unexpected operation for the occupant. In the example of FIG. 4, as a warning display, the operation mode display 204 is switched to the unmanned operation mode, and a warning message 205 and a warning icon 206 are displayed. In this embodiment, whether the current operation mode is the unmanned operation mode or the manned operation mode is displayed in a single area on the display screen (the display area of the operation mode display 204). Only one of the warning message 205 and the warning icon 206 may be used to warn that the operation mode is the unmanned operation mode. Furthermore, the display form of these warning and attention displays (the warning message 205, the warning icon 206, and the unmanned operation mode display of the operation mode display 204) can be emphasized by a blinking display (repeated display/non-display, repeated inversion of the character color/background color, etc.) in addition to a lit display.

The warning message 205 includes a message indicating that the current driving mode is the unmanned driving mode and a message prompting the driver to change the driving mode setting to the manned driving mode. The warning message 205 may be displayed in a display area dedicated to warning messages, or in a display area that is exclusively used for on-board driving. In other words, at least a portion of the dedicated display for the manned driving mode on the display device 12 can be hidden, and the warning message 205 can be displayed in place of the hidden dedicated display for the manned driving mode. The dedicated display for the manned driving mode is a display that does not need to be displayed if there is no driver in the driver's cab 4b, but needs to be displayed when the driver is on-board driving. In the display example of FIG. 3, in addition to the setting display 201 at the bottom of the screen, the setting display 201 at the top of the screen, the vehicle information display 202, and the camera image 203 also correspond to the dedicated display for the manned driving mode.

In the example of Figure 4, a warning message 205 is displayed in the display area of the setting display 201 (Figure 3) at the bottom of the screen, and the air conditioning and radio settings are hidden. This setting is just one example, and in unmanned driving mode, at least one of the setting display 201, vehicle body information display 202, and camera image 203 can be configured to be hidden. Note that in the example of Figure 4, the setting display 201 (driving mode) at the top of the screen is displayed in the same way as in attended driving mode. As for the vehicle body information display 202, the indicator for the cooling water temperature itself is displayed, but the data display is hidden.

In addition, if a predetermined abnormal state is detected, such as when the cooling water temperature or hydraulic oil temperature exceeds a set temperature, the display device 12 displays a message informing the occupant of the details of the abnormality. Although not specifically shown, in this embodiment, the message is displayed, for example, in the display area of the setting display 201 (FIG. 3) at the bottom of the screen. If an abnormal state such as the cooling water temperature is detected during unmanned operation mode, the controller 20 can also be configured to alternately and repeatedly display a warning message 205 and a message informing the occupant of the details of the abnormality at a specified time interval in the display area of the setting display 201.

The warning icon 206 is an icon that notifies the passenger of an abnormality. The warning icon 206 is highlighted when an abnormality occurs in the vehicle body condition, for example, when the coolant temperature or hydraulic oil temperature exceeds a set value, but in this embodiment, this warning icon 206 is also displayed in unmanned driving mode.

In addition, the output from the display device 12 in the cab 4b indicating that the vehicle is in the unmanned operation mode can be combined with at least one of a sound output from the speaker 16 in the cab 4b and a notification output from the warning light 17 to the outside of the vehicle. The warnings from the speaker 16 and warning light 17 are also constantly output while the operation mode of the hydraulic excavator 1 is in the unmanned operation mode, similar to the caution display from the display device 12. Both the speaker 16 and the warning light 17 are driven by a command signal from the controller 20.

The sound output from the speaker 16 can be a warning sound, a voice message, or a combination of both. The notification output from the warning light 17 can also be used to notify of matters other than the unmanned operation mode by lighting, flashing, the flashing interval, and the lighting color. For example, by changing the display color of the warning light 17 such that blue indicates that the hydraulic excavator 1 is in the unmanned operation mode, orange indicates that the prime mover is running, green indicates that the hydraulic excavator 1 is locked, and red indicates that a malfunction has occurred, the warning light 17 can notify of multiple matters.

Note that the warning output on the display device 12 in the driver's cab 4b indicating that the vehicle is in the unmanned operation mode as described in FIG. 4 is just one example, and the warning can be modified in various ways without departing from the basic concept. Some modified examples are briefly described below.

5-3. Modification 1
5 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on a display device in a cab during unmanned operation mode. In FIG. 5, elements that are the same as or correspond to those in the previously mentioned drawings are given the same reference numerals as those in the previously mentioned drawings, and description thereof will be omitted.

The example of FIG. 4 has been described in which at least a portion of the dedicated display for the attended operation mode on the display device 12 can be hidden and a warning message 205 can be displayed in place of the hidden dedicated display for the attended operation mode. As an example, FIG. 4 has been described in which a warning message 205 is displayed in the display area of the setting display 201 (FIG. 3) at the bottom of the screen, but FIG. 5 illustrates a case in which a warning message 205 is displayed in place of the vehicle body information display 202 in the display area of the vehicle body information display 202. Unlike the example of FIG. 4, the display area of the setting display 201 at the bottom of the screen displays air conditioning settings and the like as they are displayed in attended operation mode (FIG. 3). Also, in the example of FIG. 5, the display of the warning icon 206 has been omitted. In other respects, the display example of FIG. 5 is similar to the display example of FIG. 4.

In this way, it is possible to change as appropriate which display area of the dedicated display in the attended operation mode the warning message 205 is displayed in. For example, the warning message 205 may be displayed in place of the camera image 203 in the display area of the camera image 203.

Of course, like the display example in Figure 4, the display example in Figure 5 can also be combined with at least one of the warning display using the speaker 16 and the warning light 17.

5-4. Modification 2
6 is a diagram showing another example of a display screen displayed on the display device in the cab during unmanned operation mode. In FIG. 6, elements that are the same as or correspond to those in the previously mentioned drawings are given the same reference numerals as those in the previously mentioned drawings, and the description thereof will be omitted.

Figure 4 shows an example of hiding the data on the vehicle information display 202 in unmanned driving mode, but when hiding some of the displays necessary in manned driving mode (except when a warning message is displayed instead), it is also possible to change which displays are hidden as appropriate. Figure 6 shows an example of simply hiding the camera image 203 (when the camera image 203 is erased without displaying the warning message 205). In the example of Figure 6, the display of the warning icon 206 has also been omitted. In other respects, the display example of Figure 6 is the same as the display example of Figure 4.

Of course, like the display example in Figure 4, the display example in Figure 6 can also be combined with at least one of the warning displays using the speaker 16 and the warning light 17.

6. Display Control Fig. 7 is a flow chart showing the main steps of the display control procedure of the display device in the cab by the controller.

When the key switch 19 is turned on and power is applied, the controller 20 starts the flow shown in FIG. 7 (START). When the flow in FIG. 7 starts, the controller 20 first determines whether the current operation mode set by the operation mode switch 15 is the unmanned operation mode using the operation mode determination unit function 21 (step S1). If the controller 20 determines that the current operation mode is the unmanned operation mode, it proceeds to step S2, and if the controller 20 determines that the current operation mode is the attended operation mode, it proceeds to step S3.

If it is determined that the current operation mode is the unmanned operation mode, the controller 20 uses the display control function 22 to display a warning on the display device 12 of the driver's cab 4b (step S2). The warning display is an appropriate display indicating that the operation mode is unmanned (unmanned operation mode display on the operation mode display 204, warning message 205, warning icon 206, etc.), as shown in each of Figs. 4 to 6. At that time, it is desirable to display a message (warning message 205) encouraging the user to switch to the manned operation mode, as shown in each of Figs. 4 to 6. In addition, as described above, it is also desirable to simultaneously perform at least one of the following: hiding part of the dedicated display for the manned operation mode, sound warning by the speaker 16, and alerting the surroundings by the warning light 17.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the current driving mode is not the unmanned driving mode, i.e., the manned driving mode, the controller 20 uses the display control function 22 to display various information necessary for driving on the display device 12 of the driver's cab 4b (step S3). As an example of the display of various information necessary for driving is described in FIG. 3, for example, the setting display 201 at the top and bottom of the screen, the vehicle information display 202, the camera image 203, etc.

After outputting to the display device 12 according to the driving mode (after executing the processing of step S2 or S3), the controller 20 judges whether the key switch 19 is off (step S4). If it is judged that the key switch 19 is off, the controller 20 ends the display control of the display device 12 as a delay process, and ends the flow of FIG. 7. If it is judged that the key switch 19 is still on, the controller 20 returns to the procedure of step S1 and repeats the procedure of steps S1-S4.

In this way, the controller 20 repeatedly executes the control of steps S1-S4 at a predetermined cycle time (for example, about 0.1 s) while energized. During this process, if there is an occupant in the driver's seat 4b during the unmanned operation mode and the occupant switches the operation mode to the manned operation mode in response to the warning message 205, the warning by the display device 12, speaker 16, and warning light 17 related to the unmanned operation mode will stop. At the same time, the display on the display device 12 will switch to a display for on-board operation as exemplified in FIG. 3. If there is no occupant in the driver's cab 4b during the unmanned operation mode and remote operation of the hydraulic excavator 1 continues without switching the operation mode, the display control of step S2 will be repeatedly executed during that time. Therefore, even if the driver's cab 4b is unmanned, as long as the operation mode is the unmanned operation mode, warnings by the display device 12 and the like will be continuously executed within the driver's cab 4b. In addition, when the driving mode is set to the manned driving mode and an occupant in the driver's cab 4b switches the driving mode to the unmanned driving mode, the screen of the display device 12 switches, for example, from the screen shown in FIG. 3 to any of the screens shown in FIG. 4 to FIG. 6. If a warning is set to be issued by the speaker 16 or the warning light 17, the warning will start from the speaker 16 or the warning light 17 together with a warning display by the display device 12.

7. Effects (1) In the unmanned operation mode, the cab 4b of the hydraulic excavator 1 is assumed to be unmanned, but in this embodiment, a warning is displayed on the display device 12 inside the cab 4b regardless of whether or not there is an occupant in the cab 4b. As a result, if there is an occupant in the unmanned operation mode, the occupant can be notified that the unmanned operation mode is in effect. If the cab 4b is unmanned as expected, the warning display on the display device 12 continues unseen. In this way, according to this embodiment, it is possible to notify an occupant in the hydraulic excavator 1 that is capable of unmanned operation that the unmanned operation mode is in effect.

It is also possible to install a pressure sensor on the seat surface of the driver's seat or on the grip of the operating lever device 14 to detect an occupant in the driver's cab 4b, and to display a warning on the display device 12 only when an occupant is detected. In this case, however, it is necessary to implement a system for detecting occupants in the hydraulic excavator 1, which is costly. Furthermore, if the occupant in the driver's cab 4b does not intend to operate the hydraulic excavator 1, the occupant will not necessarily sit in the driver's seat or hold the grip. Therefore, displaying a warning on the display device 12 regardless of whether there is an occupant is present is a reasonable form of notifying an occupant who may be in the driver's cab 4b for some reason of the unmanned operation mode. Another major advantage of this embodiment is that it does not require a system for detecting occupants and is inexpensive.

(2) In addition, while the operation mode is set to the unmanned operation mode, a warning message 205 is output to the display device 12 as a caution display, urging the user to switch the operation mode to the manned operation mode. As a result, if there is an occupant in the driver's cab 4b during the unmanned operation mode, the occupant can be notified of specific and concise measures to be taken, and the occupant can be encouraged to take the desired action.

(3) For example, Figures 4 to 6 show an example in which the setting display 201, vehicle body information display 202, and camera image 203, which are displayed for the occupant driving in the manned driving mode, are each hidden in the unmanned driving mode. In this way, by hiding some of the dedicated displays for the manned driving mode that are necessary for boarding operations in the unmanned driving mode, it is possible to indirectly inform occupants who may be in the driver's cab 4b that the driving mode is not a manned driving mode, i.e., that the driving mode is unmanned.

In addition, in the examples of Figs. 4 and 5, a warning message 205 is displayed in the display area of the setting display 201 and the vehicle body information display 202 in place of the hidden setting display 201 and the vehicle body information display 202. By displaying a warning in the display area of information that is not required inside the driver's cab 4b during remote operation in this way, cluttering of the display screen is suppressed, the efficiency of information transmission is improved, and it is also preferable from the viewpoint of efficient utilization of the display area of the display device 12.

(4) In addition, while the operation mode is set to the unmanned operation mode, the warning light 17 indicates that the operation mode is unmanned, thereby making it possible to inform those around that the hydraulic excavator 1 is being remotely operated.

1...hydraulic excavator (construction machine), 2...vehicle body, 4b...operator cab, 5...working device, 12...display device, 13...communication device, 14...operating lever device (boarding operation device), 15...operating mode switch, 17...warning light, 20...controller, 50...remote operation unit, 201...setting display (dedicated display), 202...vehicle information display (dedicated display), 203...camera image (dedicated display), 204...operating mode display (warning display), 205...warning message (warning display, message)

Claims

A vehicle body having a driver's cab;
A display device provided inside the cab;
An on-board operation device that is provided inside the cab and is operated by an operator who is on board the cab and outputs a manned operation signal that is an operation signal that commands the operation of the vehicle body;
A communication device that receives an unmanned operation signal that is an operation signal that commands the operation of the vehicle body and is output from an unmanned operation unit for operating the vehicle body from outside the vehicle body;
an operation mode switch capable of selecting one of an operation mode of a manned operation mode in which the manned operation signal is enabled and the unmanned operation signal is disabled, and an unmanned operation mode in which the unmanned operation signal is enabled and the manned operation signal is disabled;
a controller for controlling the vehicle body based on the manned operation signal or the unmanned operation signal in accordance with the operation mode set by the operation mode switch,
When the unmanned driving mode is selected by the driving mode switch, the controller controls the vehicle body based on the unmanned operation signal and outputs a warning display on the display device to alert the user that the unmanned driving mode has been selected;
A construction machine characterized in that, when the manned operation mode is selected by the operation mode switch, the vehicle body is controlled based on the manned operation signal, and the warning display on the display device is made non-display.
2. The construction machine according to claim 1,
The construction machine is characterized in that, when the unmanned operation mode is selected by the operation mode switch, the controller outputs, as the warning display, a message to prompt the user to switch from the unmanned operation mode to the manned operation mode on the display device.
2. The construction machine according to claim 1,
The controller:
When the manned operation mode is selected by the operation mode switch, a dedicated display for the manned operation mode is output to the display device,
A construction machine characterized in that, when the unmanned operation mode is selected by the operation mode switch, at least a part of the dedicated display for the manned operation mode on the display device is not displayed.
The construction machine according to claim 3,
The construction machine is characterized in that the dedicated display is at least one of an air conditioning setting display, a radio setting display, a camera image, and a vehicle information display.
2. The construction machine according to claim 1,
A warning light is provided at a position visible from around the vehicle body,
A construction machine characterized in that the controller turns on or flashes the warning light when the unmanned operation mode is selected by the operation mode switch.
2. The construction machine according to claim 1,
A construction machine characterized in that the boarding operation device is an operation lever device capable of outputting a boarding operation signal that commands the operation of a work device included in the vehicle body.
2. The construction machine according to claim 1,
A construction machine characterized in that the unmanned operation unit is a remote operation unit installed outside the vehicle body and configured to simulate the on-board operation device.