Vehicle monitor for controlling movements of a plurality of vehicles

• US 6,246,932 B1
• Filed: 08/19/1999
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Kuromoto, Kazunori, Tojima, Masanori, Ozaki, Tomonori, Kageyama, Masato, Kaneko, Kiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US09/367,641
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/24, 701/117, 701/217, 701/300, 701/25, 701/50, 340/989, 340/992, 342/357.07
• US Class Current: 701/24
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• 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

Abstract

This invention is a vehicle monitor for avoiding interference between vehicles, etc., without incurring cost increases for deploying auxiliary equipment at a wide-area site, while imposing only low loads on communication lines and monitoring stations, without impairing safety, and while realizing high flexibility for modifications of planned travelling paths. This system can also cope with various forms of interference which can occur throughout the entire planned travelling paths. In the system of the present invention, transceiver devices are provided in the monitoring station and in a plurality of vehicles, respectively, for sending and receiving position data and directive data between the monitoring station and the plurality of vehicles, using a communication system wherewith radio-communication is possible over the distances between the monitoring station and the plurality of vehicles. The planned travelling paths are divided into a plurality of segments and position data are transmitted, using the transceiver devices provided respectively in the plurality of vehicles, to the monitoring station every time a vehicle reaches a division point on the planned travelling paths, whereby, in the monitoring station, determinations are made as to which segment on the planned travelling paths each of the plurality of vehicles is present in, and directive data are transmitted to the vehicles according to the results of those determinations.

Claims

1. A vehicle monitor comprising a plurality of vehicles each equipped with vehicle position measurement means for measuring a current position of own vehicle, and with manual or automatic travel-guidance control means for guiding the own vehicle so as to travel along a taught planned travelling path while comparing the current vehicle position measured against a target position on the taught planned travelling path;

and a monitoring station that receives position data and speed data transmitted by each of the plurality of vehicles and, based on those received position data, transmits directive data for directing travel of the plurality of vehicles while monitoring positional interrelationships between the plurality of vehicles, characterized in that

transceiver means are provided in the monitoring station and in each of the plurality of vehicles, respectively, for sending and receiving the position data and the directive data between the monitoring station and the plurality of vehicles, using a communication system capable of radio communication over distances between the monitoring station and the plurality of vehicles;

the planned travelling paths are divided into a plurality of segments, and lengths of segments in the planned travelling paths are established so as not to become shorter than stopping distances determined from the speed data transmitted from the plurality of vehicles; and

determinations are made, in the monitoring station, as to which of the segments of the planned travelling paths each of the plurality of vehicles is present in, by causing the position data to be transmitted to the monitoring station by the transceiver means provided in each of the plurality of vehicles each time a vehicle reaches a dividing point on the planned travelling paths, and directive data are transmitted to each vehicle according to results of those determinations.

2. A vehicle monitor comprising a plurality of vehicles each equipped with vehicle position measurement means for measuring a current position of own vehicle, and with manual or automatic travel-guidance control means for guiding the own vehicle so as to travel along a taught planned travelling path while comparing the current vehicle position measured against a target position on the taught planned travelling path;

and a monitoring station that receives position data transmitted by each of the plurality of vehicles and, based on those received position data, transmits directive data for directing travel of the plurality of vehicles while monitoring positional interrelationships between the plurality of vehicles, characterized in that

transceiver means are provided in the monitoring station and in each of the plurality of vehicles, respectively, for sending and receiving the position data and the directive data between the monitoring station and the plurality of vehicles, using a communication system capable of radio communication over distances between the monitoring station and the plurality of vehicles;

the planned travelling paths are divided into a plurality of segments;

determinations are made, in the monitoring station, as to which of the segments of the planned travelling paths each of the plurality of vehicles is present in, by causing the position data to be transmitted to the monitoring station by the transceiver means provided in each of the plurality of vehicles each time a vehicle reaches a dividing point on the planned travelling paths and directive data are transmitted to each vehicle according to results of those determinations; and

each of the plurality of vehicles is equipped with an obstacle sensor for detecting obstacles, and lengths of the segments in the planned travelling paths are established so that they are never shorter than effective detection distance of the obstacle sensor.

3. A vehicle monitor comprising a plurality of vehicles each equipped with vehicle position measurement means for measuring a current position of own vehicle, and with manual or automatic travel-guidance control means for guiding the own vehicle so as to travel along a taught planned travelling path while comparing the current vehicle position measured against a target position on the taught planned travelling path;

and a monitoring station that receives position data transmitted by each of the plurality of vehicles and, based on those received position data, transmits directive data for directing travel of the plurality of vehicles while monitoring positional interrelationships between the plurality of vehicles, characterized in that

transceiver means are provided in the monitoring station and in each of the plurality of vehicles, respectively, for sending and receiving the position data and the directive data between the monitoring station and the plurality of vehicles, using a communication system capable of radio communication over distances between the monitoring station and the plurality of vehicles;

the planned travelling paths are divided into a plurality of segments;

determinations are made, in the monitoring station, as to which of the segments of the planned travelling paths each of the plurality of vehicles is present in, by causing the position data to be transmitted to the monitoring station by the transceiver means provided in each of the plurality of vehicles each time a vehicle reaches a dividing point on the planned travelling paths and directive data are transmitted to each vehicle according to results of those determinations; and

at least one of the plurality of vehicles is a manned vehicle, in which manned vehicle are provided display means for displaying particulars of directive data transmitted from the monitoring station, and also means for automatically executing the particulars of the directive data when the particulars of the directive data have not been executed before a prescribed length of time has elapsed since display of the directive data on the display means.

4. A vehicle monitor comprising a plurality of vehicles each equipped with vehicle position measurement means for measuring a current position of own vehicle, and with manual or automatic travel-guidance control means for guiding the own vehicle so as to travel along a taught planned travelling path while comparing the current vehicle position measured against a target position on the taught planned travelling path;

and a monitoring station that receives position data transmitted by each of the plurality of vehicles and, based on those received position data, transmits directive data for directing travel of the plurality of vehicles while monitoring positional interrelationships between the plurality of vehicles, characterized in that

first transceiver means are provided in the monitoring station and in each of the plurality of vehicles for sending and receiving the position data and the directive data between the monitoring station and the plurality of vehicles; and

the monitoring station is configured so that, for each vehicle, current position and current direction of advance on the planned travelling paths are found, based on the position data transmitted from the plurality of vehicles, respectively, via the first transceiver means, so that, for each vehicle, an allowable travel sector on the planned travelling paths wherein no interference with other vehicles will occur is found, and so that directive data directing each such vehicle to travel over that allowable travel sector and designating frequentness with which position data are to be transmitted from vehicles in that travel sector are transmitted to the vehicles via the first transceiver means.

5. The vehicle monitor according to claim 4, wherein position data transmission points where the position data are to be transmitted from the vehicles to the monitoring station are established beforehand on the planned travelling paths, and the plurality of vehicles are configured so that they transmit the position data via the first transceiver means to the monitoring station every time they pass one of the position data transmission points on the planned travelling paths.

6. The vehicle monitor according to claim 5, wherein data indicating the position data transmission points are transmitted from the monitoring station to the vehicles via the first transceiver means.

7. The vehicle monitor according to claim 4, wherein transmission intervals or transmission times for transmissions of the position data to be made from the vehicles to the monitoring station are established beforehand, and the plurality of vehicles are configured so that they transmit the position data via the first transceiver means to the monitoring station, either at every transmission interval, or every time the transmission time is reached.

8. The vehicle monitor according to claim 7, wherein data indicating either transmission intervals or transmission times at which the position data are to be transmitted are transmitted from the monitoring station to the vehicles via the first transceiver means.

9. The vehicle monitor according to claim 4, wherein second transceiver means are provided for sending and receiving the position data mutually between the plurality of vehicles, the monitoring station transmits data specifying another vehicle or vehicles wherewith there is a danger of interference with a own vehicle or vehicles, to vehicles for which mutual communications are necessary because of a danger of interference, via the first transceiver means, and vehicles receiving the data from the monitoring station specifying the other vehicle or vehicles mutually exchange own position data with the other vehicle or vehicles, based on data specifying the other vehicle or vehicles, via the second transceiver means, so that own vehicle or vehicles and other vehicle or vehicles do not interfere.

10. The vehicle monitor according to claim 9, wherein the monitoring station is configured so that, when it is predicted that a plurality of vehicles will simultaneously enter a specific sector, on the planned travelling paths, for which entry is allowed by only one vehicle, directive data indicating that an allowable travel sector inclusive of the specific sector is to be traveled over, together with data specifying other vehicles predicted to simultaneously enter the specific sector, are transmitted to the plurality of vehicles predicted to simultaneously enter the specific sector, via the first transceiver means, and vehicles which receive data specifying the other vehicles from the monitoring station mutually exchange own position data with the other vehicles based on data specifying the other vehicles, via the second transceiver means, and determine which vehicle is to enter the specific sector first.

11. The vehicle monitor according to claim 10, wherein the specific sector is either a sector containing an intersection or a one-way sector.

12. The vehicle monitor according to claim 10, wherein vehicles that mutually exchange own position data via the second transceiver means are a vehicle traveling in lead on a travel route toward the specific sector, and a following vehicle traveling in same direction, behind the lead vehicle, on same travel route.

13. The vehicle monitor according to claim 9, wherein the monitoring station is configured so that, when it is predicted that a leading vehicle will enter a specific sector, on the planned travelling paths, for which entry is allowed by only one vehicle, before a following vehicle that will enter later, directive data indicating that an allowable travel sector inclusive of the specific sector is to be traveled over, data specifying the leading vehicle, and position data for the leading vehicle are received via the second transceiver means, whereby data directing that the specific sector is to be entered after confirming that the leading vehicle has left the specific sector are transmitted via the first transceiver means to the following vehicle.

14. The vehicle monitor according to claim 13, wherein the specific sector is either a sector containing an intersection or a one-way sector.

15. The vehicle monitor according to claim 13, wherein vehicles that mutually exchange own position data via the second transceiver means are a vehicle traveling in lead on a travel route toward the specific sector, and a following vehicle traveling in same direction, behind the lead vehicle, on same travel route.

16. The vehicle monitor according to claim 9, wherein, when it is predicted that two vehicles will pass each other in opposite directions on a planned travelling path, the monitoring station transmits, via the first transceiver means, directive data directing that an allowable travel sector containing predicted point of passing be traveled over, data specifying other vehicle predicted to be passed at the point of passing, and data directing that speed should be reduced at the point of passing, to those two vehicles, and the two vehicles are configured so that own position data are mutually exchanged, via the second transceiver means, with the other vehicle, based on data specifying the other vehicle, whereby reduced speed imposition is released upon confirmation that the two vehicles have indeed passed each other at the predicted point of passing.

17. The vehicle monitor according to claim 9, wherein, when it is predicted that two vehicles will pass each other in opposite directions on a planned travelling path, the monitoring station transmits, via the first transceiver means, directive data directing that an allowable travel sector containing the predicted point of passing be traveled over, and data specifying the other vehicle predicted to be passed at the point of passing, to the two vehicles, and also transmits, to at least one of the two vehicles, data directing that course be altered toward shoulder of road at the point of passing, and the two vehicles are configured so that own position data are mutually exchanged, via the second transceiver means, with the other vehicle, based on data specifying the other vehicle, whereby at least the one vehicle can return to course held prior to course change upon confirmation that the two vehicles have indeed passed each other at the predicted point of passing.

18. The vehicle monitor according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of vehicles is a manned vehicle, in which manned vehicle are provided display means for displaying particulars of directive data transmitted from the monitoring station, and also means for automatically executing the particulars of the directive data when at least particulars of the directive data directing a speed reduction or stop have not been executed before a prescribed length of time has elapsed after display of the directive data on the display means.

19. The vehicle monitor according to claim 4, wherein the monitoring station comprises mobile stations provided in the plurality of vehicles.