Traveling vehicle system and stop control method for traveling vehicle

• US 20070016341A1
• Filed: 07/10/2006
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Original Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Inventors: Nagasawa, Atsuo
• Application Number:
  US11/482,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20070016341A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/18 operated by wayside apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

A first mark 20 is provided before a target stop position, and a second mark 22 is provided between the first mark 20 and the target stop position. When a mark sensor 24 of a traveling vehicle 8 detects the first mark 20, a speed pattern generation unit 26 generates a speed pattern for the remaining distance. When the mark sensor 24 detects the second mark 22, the speed pattern 26 newly generates a speed pattern, and the traveling vehicle 8 stops at the target stop position.

Claims

1. A traveling vehicle system wherein a traveling vehicle travels between stop positions along a travel route, the traveling vehicle system comprising

at least two marks provided separately at known positions before a stop position in the travel route,

the traveling vehicle comprising:

detection means for detecting the marks; and

means for generating a first speed pattern to stop at the stop position when a first mark is detected, and generating a second speed pattern to stop at the stop position when a second mark is detected, wherein

the traveling vehicle travels from the first mark to the second mark in accordance with the first speed pattern, travels from the second mark to the stop position in accordance with the second speed pattern, and stops at the stop position.

2. The traveling vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the traveling vehicle further comprises a map of the travel route, and an encoder for counting at least one of a revolution number of a travel motor and a revolution number of travel wheels, and wherein

when the encoder detects that the traveling vehicle comes to a position close to the stop position by determining the position of the traveling vehicle on the map, deceleration of the traveling vehicle traveling toward the stop position is started before detection of the first mark.

3. The traveling vehicle system of claim 2, wherein the second mark comprises a mark formed by repeating a predetermined pattern at an equal pitch, and the detection means detects the pattern;

and

the traveling vehicle further comprises confirmation means for counting the number of times the detected pattern is repeated, and confirming whether the traveling vehicle stopped within an allowable range from the stop position or not, based on the counted value when the traveling vehicle stopped.

4. A stop control method of controlling a traveling vehicle to travel and stop between stop positions along a travel route, the method comprising the steps of:

providing at least two marks separately at known positions before a stop position in the travel route;

providing the traveling vehicle with detection means for detecting the marks;

providing the traveling vehicle with means for generating a first speed pattern to stop at the stop position when a first mark is detected, and generating a second speed pattern to stop at the stop position when a second mark is detected; and

controlling the traveling vehicle to travel from the first mark to the second mark in accordance with the first speed pattern, travel from the second mark to the stop position in accordance with the second speed pattern, and stop at the stop position.