Guided vehicle system and travel route map creation method for guided vehicle system

• US 20070016369A1
• Filed: 07/11/2006
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Original Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Daigo
• Granted Patent: US 7,680,597 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3837 Data obtained from a single source
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3848 Data obtained from both position sensors and additional sensors

Abstract

CAD data of a guided vehicle system is converted into layout data of a map. The layout data is displayed on a screen. Attribute data is added to the layout data to edit the map data. The edited map data is distributed to overhead traveling vehicles. By controlling a probe vehicle to actually travel on a travel route, positions of load ports and buffers on the map, and data about transfer to/from these load ports and buffers are verified, and updated, and then, the resulting data is distributed to the other overhead traveling vehicles and a controller.

Claims

1. A guided vehicle system, wherein a guided vehicle stores a map of a travel route and travels along the travel route, the guided vehicle system comprising:

display means for displaying a layout of the travel route on a screen; and

editing means for inputting attribute data on the travel route to the displayed layout for creating the map.

2. The guided vehicle system of claim 1, further comprising conversion means for converting CAD data used for constructing the guided vehicle system into the layout of the travel route.

3. The guided vehicle system of claim 1, further comprising distribution means for distributing the created map to the guided vehicle and verification means for verifying the attribute data on the map provided in at least one of the guided vehicles, for distributing the verified map to respective guided vehicles.

4. The guided vehicle system of claim 2, wherein at the time of changing the layout, the conversion means extracts change portion of the CAD data, converts the extracted change portion into the layout, and combines the layout with the map before the change.

5. The guided vehicle system of claim 4, further comprising distribution means for distributing the created map to the guided vehicle, and means for obtaining the attribute data on the map provided in at least one of the guided vehicles, wherein the means for obtaining the attribute data obtains the attribute data for the layout converted from the CAD data to update the map, and distributes the updated map to respective guided vehicles.

6. A map creation method for a travel route for allowing a guided vehicle to store the map of the travel route, and to travel along the travel route, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a layout of the travel route on a screen;

obtaining attribute data on the travel route for the displayed layout;

inputting the obtained attribute data; and

allowing edition of the layout with the inputted attribute data to create the map of the travel route.

7. The map creation method of claim 6, further comprising the step of converting CAD data used for constructing the guided vehicle system into the layout of the travel route.

8. The map creation method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

distributing the created map to the guided vehicle;

controlling the guided vehicle with the distributed map to travel along the travel route for verifying the attribute data on the map; and

distributing the verified map to another guided vehicle.