Traffic control server and system

• US 10,339,806 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2015
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hamada, Tomoyuki, Ishimoto, Hidefumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwari, Maceeh
• Application Number:
  US15/506,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20180068561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,582 Days
• Field of Search: 701119
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0289 with means for avoiding collisions between vehicles vehicle fittings for automatically controlling speed including means for detecting potential obstacles B60K31/0008; avoiding obstacles by action on the steering system B62D; radar, sonar, lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096708 where the received information might be used to generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/207 with respect to certain areas, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas with possible alerting when inside or outside boundaries

Abstract

A traffic control server 31 controls traffic for a first vehicle 70 traveling on an outgoing lane and a second vehicle 20 traveling on a return lane and having attributes that are different from the first vehicle 70. The traffic control server 31 is provided with a travel-permitted zone setting unit 331b for setting a first travel-permitted zone 100, which is a partial zone of the outgoing lane and in which travel of the first vehicle 70 is permitted, and a second travel-permitted zone 200, which is a partial zone of the return lane and in which travel of the second vehicle 20 is permitted. The travel-permitted zone setting unit 331b sets the first travel-permitted zone and the second travel-permitted zone 200 so as to cause the second vehicle to stop or decelerate and the first vehicle to travel when the first vehicle and the second vehicle pass each other.

Claims

1. A traffic control server that performs traffic control of a first vehicle, which is traveling in an approach lane, and a second vehicle, which is traveling in a return lane, the second vehicle being different in attribute from the first vehicle, and the approach lane and the return lane being provided in parallel to each other in a mine site, comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

a storage device; and

a communication device,

wherein the storage device and the communication device are connected to the CPU,

wherein the storage device stores map information of a travel route and zone information that indicates travel-permitted zones given to the respective vehicles,

wherein the zone information includes information indicating a first travel-permitted zone as a partial zone, where the first vehicle is allowed to travel, in the approach lane, a travel permission restricted zone that is set in the return lane in association with the first travel permitted zone, where the second vehicle is restricted to travel, and a second travel-permitted zone as another partial zone, where the second vehicle is allowed to travel, in the return lane, respectively, and

wherein the storage device stores one or more programs that when executed by the CPU configure the CPU to;

upon receiving a new zone setting request from at least one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle via the communication device, execute a new setting and a cancellation of at least one of the first travel permitted zone, the travel permission restricted zone and the second travel permitted zone, based on the zone information, and store the new setting and the at least one cancellation in the storage device as new zone information,

upon setting the first travel permitted zone, set a partial zone parallel to the first travel permitted zone in the return lane as the travel permission restricted zone,

after a new first travel permitted zone is set in the approach lane based on the travel of the first vehicle;

set a new travel permission restricted zone, the new travel permission restricted zone being set in association with the new first travel permitted zone,

upon determining a distance from a current position of the first vehicle to a rear end of the first travel permitted zone that the first vehicle has already passed is a predetermined travel permission canceling distance or more, cancel the first travel permitted zone, through which the first vehicle has already passed, and

cancel the travel permission restricted zone in association with the first travel permitted zone that the first vehicle has already passed,

upon receiving a request for setting a new second travel permitted zone from the second vehicle;

upon determining the travel permission restrict zone is set to a zone in the return lane that the second vehicle requests to set the new second travel permitted zone, restrict the setting of the new second travel permitted zone in the zone of the return lane, and

upon determining that the travel permission restrict zone that is set to the zone of the return lane that the second vehicle requests to set the new second travel permitted zone is cancelled, set the new second travel permitted zone in the return lane, and

instruct the communication device to transmit setting information including the new zone information indicating each zone newly set to the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

2. The traffic control server according to claim 1, wherein:

the programs stored in the storage device when executed by the CPU further configure the CPU to;

upon setting a new first travel-permitted zone, restrict the setting of the new first travel permitted zone if the second vehicle traveling in a still further partial zone corresponding to the new first travel permitted zone in the return lane has a vehicle speed greater than a predetermined vehicle speed threshold.

3. The traffic control server according to claim 2, wherein:

the predetermined vehicle speed threshold is zero.

4. The traffic control server according to claim 1, wherein:

the zone information further includes information specifying a quasi-travel-permitted zone,

the approach lane includes a merging point or a crossing point and,

the return lane includes a merging point or a crossing point; and

the programs stored in the storage device when executed by the CPU further configure the CPU to;

after setting the first travel permitted zone with the merging point or crossing point included therein, set an entry zone to the approach lane, the entry zone being on a merging lane that merges into the approach lane or a crossing lane that crosses the approach lane, as a quasi-travel-permitted zone associated with the first travel-permitted zone to restrict entry of any of the vehicles into the quasi-travel-permitted zone, and

after setting the second travel permitted zone with the merging point or crossing point included therein, set an entry zone to the return lane, the entry zone being on a merging lane that merges into the return lane or a crossing lane that crosses the return lane, as the quasi-travel-permitted zone associated with the second travel-permitted zone to restrict entry of any of the vehicles into the false travel-permitted zone.

5. The traffic control server according to claim 1, wherein:

the storage device further stores map data, which indicate positions of the approach lane and return lane, and

the programs stored in the storage device when executed by the CPU further configure the CPU to set the first travel permitted zone and second travel permitted zone with reference to the map data, and after the setting of the first travel-permitted zone, invalidate the map data for a further partial zone, which is parallel to the first travel-permitted zone so set, in the return lane to restrict setting of a new second travel-permitted zone on the invalidated map data.

6. A traffic control system including a traffic control server that performs traffic control of a first vehicle, which is traveling in an approach lane, and a second vehicle, which is traveling in a return lane, the second vehicle being different in attribute from the first vehicle the approach lane and the return lane being provided in parallel to each other in a mine site, first onboard terminal device mounted on the first vehicle, and second onboard terminal device mounted on the second vehicle, the traffic control server and the first onboard terminal device and second onboard terminal device being connectable for communication, wherein:

the traffic control server comprises;

a CPU;

a storage device; and

a server-side communication device,

wherein the storage device and the server-side communication device are connected to the CPU,

wherein the storage device stores map information of a travel route and zone information that indicates travel-permitted zones given to the respective vehicles,

wherein the zone information includes information indicating a first travel-permitted zone as a partial zone, where the first vehicle is allowed to travel, in the approach lane, a travel permission restricted zone that is set in the return lane in association with the first travel-permitted zone, where the second vehicle is restricted to travel, and a second travel-permitted zone as another partial zone, where the second vehicle is allowed to travel, in the return lane, respectively, and

wherein the storage device stores one or more programs that when executed by the CPU configure the CPU to;

upon receiving a new zone setting request from at least one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle via the server-side communication device, execute a new setting and a cancellation of at least one of the first travel-permitted zone, the travel permission restricted zone and the second travel-permitted zone, based on the zone information, and store the new setting and the at least one cancellation in the storage device as new zone information,

upon setting the first travel permitted zone, set a partial zone parallel to the first travel permitted zone in the return lane as the travel permission restricted zone,

after a new first travel permitted zone is set in the approach lane based on the travel of the first vehicle;

set a new travel permission restricted zone, the new travel permission restricted zone being set in association with the new first travel permitted zone,

upon determining a distance from a current position of the first vehicle to a rear end of the first travel permitted zone that the first vehicle has already passed is a predetermined travel permission canceling distance or more, cancel the first travel permitted zone, through which the first vehicle has already passed, and

cancel the travel permission restricted zone in association with the first travel permitted zone that the first vehicle has already passed by,

upon receiving a request for setting a new second travel permitted zone from the second vehicle;

upon determining the travel permission restrict zone is set to a zone in the return lane that the second vehicle requests to set the new second travel permitted zone, restrict the setting of the new second travel permitted zone in the zone of the return lane, and

upon determining that the travel permission restrict zone that is set to the zone of the return lane that the second vehicle requests to set the new second travel permitted zone is cancelled, set the new second travel permitted zone in the return lane,

upon setting the first travel permitted zone, transmit first zone response information, which indicates the first travel-permitted zone, to the first onboard terminal device via the server-side communication device, and

upon setting the second travel permitted zone, transmit second zone response information, which indicates the second travel-permitted zone, to the second onboard terminal device via the server-side communication device,

wherein the first onboard terminal device comprises;

a first terminal-side CPU;

a first terminal-side storage device;

a first terminal-side display device; and

a first terminal-side communication device,

wherein the first terminal-side storage device, the first terminal-side display device and the first terminal-side communication device are connected to the first terminal-side CPU,

wherein the first terminal-side storage device stores one or more programs that when executed by the first terminal-side CPU configure the first terminal-side CPU to display the first zone response information received from the first terminal-side communication device on the first terminal-side display device,

wherein the second onboard terminal device comprises;

a second terminal-side CPU,

a second terminal-side storage device, and

a second terminal-side communication device,

wherein the second terminal-side storage device, and the second terminal-side communication device are connected to the second terminal-side CPU, and

wherein the second terminal-side storage device stores one or more programs that when executed by the second terminal-side CPU configure the second terminal-side CPU to issue a travel control instruction to a vehicle control device based on the second zone response information received from the second terminal-side communication device.

7. The traffic control system according to claim 6, wherein:

the first vehicle is a manned vehicle operated by an operator on board on the manned vehicle, and the second vehicle is an autonomously-traveling vehicle.

8. The traffic control system according to claim 6, wherein:

the first vehicle is an unloaded dump truck and the second vehicle is a dump truck with a payload carried thereon, or the first vehicle is a dump truck with a payload carried thereon and the second vehicle is an unloaded dump truck.