COLLISION AVOIDING METHOD AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEM

• US 20130325210A1
• Filed: 04/03/2012
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kollmorgen Automation AB (Regal Rexnord Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Kollmorgen Saro AB (Regal Rexnord Corp.)
• Inventors: Palm, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 8,838,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• 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: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

A collisions avoiding method for avoiding collisions between vehicles (10; 12) moving in a predetermined area (14), wherein said vehicles may include unmanned vehicles (10) and maimed vehicles (12). The method includes storing a map covering at least said predetermined area, said map including possible routes used by said vehicles (10;12). Vehicles moving in said predetermined area continuously transfer data relating to their present positions to a collision avoidance calculation module (20). Also included is continuously predicting specific paths of vehicles based on present positions and possible routes of said vehicles (10;12), preventing collisions between vehicles (10;12) by continuously comparing said predicted paths and possible routes to detect overlapping positions of different vehicles (10; 12) and forwarding interrupting commands to vehicles (10;12) heading to an overlapping position. The apparatus comprises a collision avoidance calculation module (20) and a processing unit (25), said processing unit (25) being arranged to continuously compare said predicted paths of each pair of the vehicles moving in said predetermined area (14) to detect overlapping positions.

Claims

1. A collisions avoiding method for avoiding collisions between vehicles moving in a predetermined area, wherein said vehicles may include unmanned vehicles and manned vehicles, comprising:

storing a map covering at least said predetermined area, said map corresponding to the layout of said predetermined area including locations of fixed installations and structures present in said predetermined area and including available drive path areas and possible routes used by said vehicles,

vehicles moving in said area continuously transferring data relating to their present positions to a collision avoidance calculation module,

continuously predicting in said collision avoidance calculation module specific paths of vehicles based on present positions and possible routes of said vehicles,

preventing collisions between vehicles by continuously comparing in said collision avoidance calculation module said predicted paths and possible routes to detect overlapping positions of different vehicles, and by

forwarding from said collision avoidance calculation module interrupting commands to vehicles heading to an overlapping position.

2. The collisions avoiding method as claimed in claim 1, also including the steps of storing and updating path data relating to currently used paths for said unmanned vehicles when moving in at least said predetermined area.

3. The collisions avoiding method as claimed in claim 2, also including transferring data relating to predetermined paths used by unmanned vehicles from an AGV system controller unit to said collision avoidance calculation module.

4. The collisions avoiding method as claimed in claim 2, also including the steps of:

storing in said map preferred routes used by manned vehicles,

continuously predicting in said collision avoidance calculation module specific paths of manned vehicles based on present positions and preferred routes of said manned vehicles, and

preventing collisions between vehicles by continuously comparing in said collision avoidance calculation module said predicted paths with said currently used paths to detect overlapping positions and by forwarding interrupting commands to vehicles heading to an overlapping position.

5. The collisions avoiding method as claimed in claim 1, also including the steps of enabling receiving and storing information relating to destination of manned vehicles.

6. The collisions avoiding method as claimed in claim 1, also including the steps of storing a sweep area covered by at least said unmanned vehicles.

7. The collisions avoiding method as claimed in claim 1, also including the steps of sending a slow down or stop signal to an unmanned vehicle heading towards the overlapping position.

8. The collisions avoiding method as claimed in claim 1, also including the steps of storing in said map of said predetermined area preferred routes used by manned vehicles and continuously predicting specific paths of manned vehicles based on present positions and said preferred routes of said manned vehicles.

9. A collisions avoiding system for avoiding collisions between vehicles moving in a predetermined area, wherein said vehicles may include unmanned vehicles and manned vehicles, comprising

a collision avoidance calculation module arranged to receive and store position data relating to the position of each vehicle transporting in said predetermined area, said collision avoidance calculation module storing data corresponding to the layout of said predetermined area including locations of fixed installations and structures present in said predetermined area and including available drive path areas and possible routes used by said vehicles, and

a processing unit continuously calculating and predicting specific paths of said vehicles moving in a predetermined area based on present positions and possible routes of said vehicles, said processing unit being arranged to continuously compare said predicted paths of each pair of the vehicles moving in said predetermined area to detect overlapping positions and to forward interrupting commands to vehicles heading to an overlapping position.

10. The collisions avoiding system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said processing unit is arranged to continuously calculate and predict specific paths of manned vehicles based on present positions and preferred routes of said manned vehicles, and to continuously compare said predicted paths with currently used predetermined paths of unmanned vehicles to detect overlapping positions and to forward interrupting commands to vehicles heading to an overlapping position.

11. The collisions avoiding system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said collision avoidance calculation module is operatively connected to an AGV system controller unit for receiving information relating to predetermined paths of unmanned vehicles.