TRAVEL-RESTRICTED AREA SETTING SYSTEM FOR UNMANNED TRAVELING VEHICLE AND COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR SETTING TRAVEL-RESTRICTED AREA OF UNMANNED TRAVELING VEHICLE

• US 20140107882A1
• Filed: 06/15/2012
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Tojima, Masanori, Takeda, Koji
• Granted Patent: US 9,377,779 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2045 Guiding machines along a predetermined path for graders E02F3/841; machines for construction of roads E01C19/004
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/205 Remotely operated machines, e.g. unmanned vehicles E02F3/8866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/207 of the type electric propulsion units, e.g. electric motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/262 with follow-up actions to control the work tool, e.g. controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/00 Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0214 in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/02 using take-up reel or drum

Abstract

A computer program product for setting a travel-restricted area for an unmanned traveling vehicle, where a travel of a vehicle traveling with no man attended is restricted in a workplace of an electric work machine that operates with electricity supplied via a cable from an external power supply, the computer program causing a computer to execute: estimating a position of the cable based on at least information on a position of the electric work machine, information on a position of a support body that supports the cable, and a length of the cable between the electric work machine and the support body, and setting the travel-restricted area based on the estimated position of the cable.

Claims

1. A travel-restricted area setting system for an unmanned traveling vehicle, comprising:

an electric work machine that operates with electricity supplied via a cable from an external power supply;

a work machine position detecting device that is mounted on the electric work machine so as to detect information on a position of the electric work machine;

a work machine communication device that is mounted on the electric work machine so as to transmit the information on the position of the electric work machine detected by the work machine position detecting device;

a support body that supports the cable; and

a management device having a communication device that receives the information on the position of the electric work machine transmitted from the work machine communication device, wherein

the management device estimates a position of the cable based on at least the information on the position of the electric work machine, information on a position of the support body, and a length of the cable between the electric work machine and the support body, and

the management device sets a travel-restricted area where a travel of a vehicle traveling with no man attended is restricted based on the estimated position of the cable.

2. The travel-restricted area setting system for the unmanned traveling vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a relay support body that is disposed between the support body and the electric work machine so as to movably support the cable, wherein

the management device estimates the position of the cable using information on a position of the relay support body.

3. The travel-restricted area setting system for the unmanned traveling vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the relay support body comprises:

a relay support body position detecting device that is mounted on the relay support body so as to detect information on the position of the relay support body; and

a relay support body communication device that is mounted on the relay support body so as to transmit the information on the position of the relay support body detected by the relay support body position detecting device, and

the management device estimates the position of the cable using the information on the position of the relay support body detected by the relay support body position detecting device.

4. The travel-restricted area setting system for the unmanned traveling vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the management device uses a history of a change in the position of the relay support body due to a movement of the relay support body as the information on the position of the relay support body.

5. The travel-restricted area setting system for the unmanned traveling vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the management device uses a direction following the cable between the relay support body and the electric work machine as a moving direction of the relay support body.

6. The travel-restricted area setting system for the unmanned traveling vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the electric work machine is an electric power shovel used in a mine.

12. The travel-restricted area setting system for the unmanned traveling vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

the management device uses a history of a change in the position of the relay support body due to a movement of the relay support body as the information on the position of the relay support body.

7. A computer program product for setting a travel-restricted area for an unmanned traveling vehicle, where a travel of a vehicle traveling with no man attended is restricted in a workplace of an electric work machine that operates with electricity supplied via a cable from an external power supply, the computer program causing a computer to execute:

estimating a position of the cable based on at least information on a position of the electric work machine, information on a position of a support body that supports the cable, and a length of the cable between the electric work machine and the support body, and

setting the travel-restricted area based on the estimated position of the cable.

8. The computer program product for setting the travel-restricted area for the unmanned traveling vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

the position of the cable is estimated using information on a position of a relay support body that is disposed between the support body and the electric work machine so as to movably support the cable.

9. The computer program product for setting the travel-restricted area for the unmanned traveling vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

a history of a change in the position of the relay support body due to a movement of the relay support body is used as the information on the position of the relay support body.

10. The computer program product for setting the travel-restricted area for the unmanned traveling vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

a direction following the cable between the relay support body and the electric work machine is used as a moving direction of the relay support body.

11. The computer program product for setting the travel-restricted area for the unmanned traveling vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

the electric work machine is an electric power shovel used in a mine.