Device for guiding vehicle

• US 6,502,016 B1
• Filed: 05/04/2001
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Ozaki, Tomonori, Kageyama, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US09/831,105
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/25, 701/200, 701/206, 701/207, 701/201, 731/78.R, 340/988
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/841 Devices for controlling and guiding the whole machine, e.g. by feeler elements and reference lines placed exteriorly of the machine construction of roads E01C19/008
• 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: G05D 1/0259 using magnetic or electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/12 Target-seeking control

Abstract

Position data of target points (26′, 26′, . . . ) in a target area (21) is generated based on the position data of the target area (21) (position data of a borderline (20)) inputted to area data input device (3). A vehicle (13) is sequentially guided to travel through the target positions (26′, 26′, . . . ) in the target area (21) while being given the position data of the target points (26′, 26′, . . . ). Not by a conventional method such as a teaching method, a travel course to target points in a target area is easily created with little man-hour in a short time when an earth unloading area (target area) which the vehicle is to reach is given, thereby enhancing the work efficiency of creating a travel course. Further, target earth unloading points in an earth unloading area are arranged uniformly and densely, and consequently the efficiencies of an earth unloading work and a leveling work are enhanced.

Claims

1. A vehicle guiding device which receives position data of target points where a vehicle is to reach and guides the vehicle to travel to the target points according to the position data of the target points, the device comprising:

area data input means for inputting position data of a borderline of a target area where the vehicle is to reach;

target point generating means for generating position data of a plurality of target points in the target area according to the position data of the target area which are inputted to the area data input means; and

guidance means for sequentially guiding the vehicle to travel to the plurality of target points in the target area by sequentially giving the position data of the plurality of target points generated by the target point generating means.

2. The vehicle guidance device according to claim 1, wherein the target area is an earth unloading area where earth and sand are unloaded.

3. The vehicle guidance device according to claim 2, wherein the target point generating means arranges a plurality of target earth unloading points at equal intervals in the earth unloading area according to the position data of the borderline of the earth unloading area and data indicating an arrangement interval of the target earth unloading points.

4. A vehicle guidance device which is provided with vehicle position measuring means for measuring a current position of an own vehicle, receives position data of target points where the vehicle is to reach, generates data of a traveling course which is routed to pass through the target points according to the position data of the target points, and compares the current vehicle position measured by the vehicle position measuring means with a position on the generated traveling course to guide the own vehicle to travel along the traveling course, the device comprising:

area data input means for inputting position data of a borderline of a target area where the vehicle is to reach;

target point generating means for generating position data of a plurality of target points in the target area according to the position data of the target area which are inputted to the area data input means;

traveling course generating means for generating for each of the target points data of a traveling course, which is routed from an entrance of the target area to one of the plurality of target points in the target area and to an exit of the target area, according to the position data of the plurality of target points in the target area generated by the target point generating means; and

guidance means for sequentially guiding the vehicle to travel along each of the traveling course generated by the traveling course generating means.

5. The vehicle guidance device according to claim 4, wherein the target area is an earth unloading area where earth and sand are unloaded.

6. The vehicle guidance device according to claim 5, wherein the target point generating means arranges the plurality of target earth unloading points at equal intervals in the earth unloading area according to the position data of the borderline of the earth unloading area and data indicating the arrangement intervals of the target earth unloading points.

7. The vehicle guidance device according to claim 4, wherein:

the area data input means comprises means for inputting position data of the entrance point and the exit point of the target area, and

the traveling course generating means generates for each of the target points data of the traveling course, which is routed from the entrance point of the target area to one of the plurality of target points in the target area and to the exit point of the target area, according to the position data of the entrance point and exit point of the target area.

8. A vehicle guidance device which is provided with vehicle position measuring means for measuring a current position of an own vehicle, receives position data of target points where the vehicle is to reach, generates data of a traveling course routed to pass through the target points according to the position data of the target points, and compares the current vehicle position measured by the vehicle position measuring means with a position on the generated traveling course to guide the own vehicle to travel along the traveling course, the device comprising:

area data input means for inputting position data of a borderline of a target area where the vehicle is to reach;

untravelable area data input means for inputting position data of an untravelable area indicating an area where the vehicle cannot travel;

target point generating means for generating position data of a plurality of target points in the target area according to the position data of the target area which are inputted to the area data input means;

traveling course generating means for generating for each of the target points data of a traveling course, which is routed from an entrance of the target area to reach one of the plurality of target points in the target area and to an exit of the target area so not to pass the untravelable area, according to the position data of the plurality of target points in the target area generated by the target point generating means and the position data of the untravelable area which are inputted to the untravelable area data input means; and

guidance means for sequentially guiding the vehicle to travel along each of the traveling courses generated by the traveling course generating means.

9. The vehicle guidance device according to claim 8, wherein the target area is an earth unloading area where earth and sand are unloaded.

10. The vehicle guidance device according to claim 9, wherein, the target point generating means arranges the plurality of target earth unloading points at equal intervals in the earth unloading area according to the position data of the borderline of the earth unloading area and the data indicating arrangement intervals of the target earth unloading points.

11. The vehicle guidance device according to claim 8, wherein:

the untravelable area data input means comprises means for inputting the position data of an entrance point and an exit point of the target area, and

the traveling course generating means generates for each of the target points data of the traveling course, which is routed from the entrance point of the target area to reach one of the plurality of target points in the target area and to the exit point of the target area so not to pass the untravelable area, according to the position data of the entrance point and the exit point of the target area.

12. A vehicle guidance device which is provided with vehicle position measuring means for measuring a current position of an own vehicle, receives position data of target points where the vehicle is to reach, generates data of a traveling course routed to pass through the target points according to the position data of the target points, compares the current vehicle position measured by the vehicle position measuring means with a position on the generated traveling course to guide the own vehicle to travel along the traveling course, the device comprising:

earth unloading area data input means for inputting position data of a borderline of the earth unloading area where earth and sand are to be unloaded;

target point generating means for generating position data of a plurality of target earth unloading points in the earth unloading area according to position data of the earth unloading area which are inputted to the earth unloading area data input means;

traveling course generating means for sequentially generating for each of the target earth unloading points data of the traveling course, which is routed to pass an entrance of the earth unloading area to reach a first target earth unloading point and to pass an exit of the earth unloading area so not to pass the target earth unloading points on the previously generated traveling course, according to the position data of the plurality of target earth unloading points in the earth unloading area generated by the target point generating means; and

guidance means for guiding the vehicle to travel along the traveling course sequentially generated by the traveling course generating means.

13. The vehicle guidance device according to claim 12, wherein the target point generating means arranges the plurality of target earth unloading points at equal intervals in the earth unloading area according to the position data of the borderline of the earth unloading area and the data indicating the arrangement intervals of the target earth unloading points.

14. The vehicle guidance device according to claim 12, wherein:

the earth unloading area data input means comprises means for inputting position data of an entrance point and an exit point of the earth unloading area; and

the traveling course generating means generates sequentially for each of the target points data of the traveling course, which is routed to pass the entrance point of the earth unloading area to reach the first target earth unloading point in the earth unloading area and to pass the exit point of the earth unloading area so not to pass the target earth unloading points on the previously generated traveling course, according to the position data of the entrance point and the exit point of the earth unloading area.