Vehicle guidance system for avoiding obstacles stored in memory

• US 6,539,294 B1
• Filed: 06/04/2001
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Kageyama, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): LOUIS JACQUES, JACQUES H
• Application Number:
  US09/857,409
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/23, 701/24, 701/25, 701/26, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/210, 701/211, 180/167, 180/168, 180/169, 318/587, 318/580, 318/568.1, 318/567, 348/113, 348/118, 348/119
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/842 using electromagnetic, optical or photoelectric beams, e.g. laser beams
• 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: G05D 1/0221 involving a learning process
• 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 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0287 involving a plurality of land vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00, particularly anticollision systems G08G1/16

Abstract

If an obstacle (74) is detected, its position is stored in obstacle memory unit (41) on the assumption that the obstacle (74) is common to a plurality of vehicles (2, 2). As vehicles (2, 2) pass by, the content of the obstacle memory unit (44) is updated. When the vehicles (2, 2) are supplied with position data of the respective goal point (72, 72), the vehicles (2, 2) are guided by their goal point (72, 72) in accordance with the content of the obstacle memory unit (41) so that they can avoid the obstacle (74). Vehicles can be thus guided to avoid obstacles by knowing the existence of obstacles in the working sites where the positions of obstacles are always different.

Claims

1. A vehicle guidance system for guiding a plurality of vehicles, comprising:

memory means for storing positions of obstacles at a work site common to the plurality of vehicles when the plurality of vehicles travel simultaneously over that work site;

updating means for updating content stored in the memory means, the stored content including common data for all of the vehicles; and

guidance means for generating, based on the common data, travel course data for each vehicle that does not conflict with the obstacles, and guiding the plurality of vehicles respectively along each of the generated travel courses.

2. The vehicle guidance system according to claim 1, in which some or all of the plurality of vehicles comprise obstacle detection means for detecting obstacles;

the vehicle guidance system further comprising;

obstacle position measurement means for measuring positions of those obstacles based on position of a vehicle when an obstacle has been detected by the obstacle detection means; and

wherein the memory means stores the positions of obstacles measured by the obstacle position measurement means as positions of obstacles common to the plurality of vehicles; and

the updating means updates the content stored in the memory means, based on the position of a new obstacle measured by the obstacle position measurement means, every time a new obstacle is detected by the obstacle detection means.

3. The vehicle guidance system according to claim 1, in which some or all of the plurality of vehicles comprise:

road surface condition detection means for detecting a road surface condition; and

determination means for determining that a current road surface is an obstacle based on the road surface condition detected by the road surface condition detection means;

wherein the memory means stores position of a vehicle at the time when the current road surface was determined to be an obstacle by the determination means as position of an obstacle common to the plurality of vehicles; and

the updating means updates the content stored in the memory means every time the determination means determines a new obstacle.

4. The vehicle guidance system according to claim 1, in which some or all of the plurality of vehicles comprise:

reception means for receiving signals from other manned vehicles indicating that an obstacle exists in vicinity of its own vehicle;

transmission means for transmitting signals indicating position of its own vehicle when a signal is received indicating that an obstacle exists in vicinity of its own vehicle; and

obstacle position measurement means for receiving signals indicating a vehicle position transmitted from the transmission means and for measuring positions of obstacles near that vehicle based on the vehicle position received;

wherein the memory means stores the positions of obstacles measured by the obstacle position measurement means as positions of obstacles common to the plurality of vehicles; and

the updating means updates the content stored in the memory means, based on the position of a new obstacle measured by the obstacle position measurement means, every time a signal is received by the reception means indicating that a new obstacle exists.

5. The vehicle guidance system according to claim 1, wherein, when a manned or unmanned work vehicle having vehicle position measurement means for measuring position of its own vehicle is present inside an area traveled over by the plurality of vehicles, the memory means stores the position of the work vehicle measured by the vehicle position measurement means as position of an obstacle common to the plurality of vehicles, and the updating means updates the content stored in the memory means every time the position of the work vehicle is altered by the vehicle position measurement means.

6. The vehicle guidance system according to claim 5, wherein the updating means updates the content stored in the memory means every time the positions of the work vehicles are successively changed in conjunction with traveling of the work vehicles.

7. The vehicle guidance system according to claim 5, wherein the updating means updates the content stored in the memory means every time the work vehicle stops traveling and stopped position of that work vehicle is changed.

8. A vehicle guidance system wherein:

each of a plurality of vehicles is provided with vehicle position measurement means for measuring current position of that vehicle;

when position data for target points that should be reached by each of the plurality of vehicles are given, data are generated for travel courses that pass through those target points; and

each of the plurality of vehicles is made to guide that vehicle along its proper travel course while comparing the current vehicle position measured by the vehicle position measurement means with positions on the generated travel course;

the vehicle guidance system comprising;

memory means for storing positions of obstacles at a work site common to the plurality of vehicles when the plurality of vehicles travel simultaneously over that work site;

updating means for updating content stored in the memory means;

travel course generation means which, when position data on the target points are given, generate data for travel courses that pass through those target points, based on content recorded in the memory means, so that there is no conflict with the obstacles; and

guidance means for guiding the plurality of vehicles, respectively, along travel courses generated by the travel course generation means.

9. A vehicle guidance system wherein:

each of a plurality of vehicles is provided with vehicle position measurement means for measuring current position of that vehicle;

when position data for target points that should be reached by each of the plurality of vehicles and position data for a course area capable of being traveled by the plurality of vehicles are given, data are generated for travel courses that travel inside that course area and pass through those target points; and

each of the plurality of vehicles is made to guide that subject vehicle along its proper travel course while comparing the current vehicle position measured by the vehicle position measurement means with positions on generated travel course;

the vehicle guidance system comprising;

memory means for storing positions of obstacles at a work site common to the plurality of vehicles when the plurality of vehicles travel simultaneously over that work site;

updating means for updating content stored in the memory means;

travel course generation means which, when position data on the target points and position data on the course area are given, generates data for the travel courses that travel inside the course area and pass through the target points, based on content recorded in the memory means, so that there is no conflict with the obstacles; and

guidance means for guiding the plurality of vehicles, respectively, along travel courses generated by the travel course generation means.

10. The vehicle guidance system according to claim 9, comprising:

display means for displaying the course area on a display screen; and

obstacle indication means for indicating positions of obstacles on the display screen based on relative positional relationship thereof with the course area on the display screen;

wherein the memory means stores the positions of obstacles on the display screen indicated by the obstacle indication means as positions of obstacles common to the plurality of vehicles; and

the updating means updates the content stored in the memory means every time the position of an obstacle is newly indicated by the obstacle display means.

11. The vehicle guidance system according to claim 9, comprising:

display means for displaying on a display screen the course area and, of the travel courses generated by the travel course generation means, a traveled travel course or courses that have already been traveled over by the vehicles; and

obstacle indication means for indicating positions of obstacles on the display screen based both on relative positional relationship thereof with the course area on the display screen and on relative positional relationship with the traveled travel course or courses on the display screen;

wherein the memory means stores the positions of obstacles on the display screen indicated by the obstacle indication means as positions of obstacles common to the plurality of vehicles; and

the updating means updates the content stored in the memory means every time the position of an obstacle is newly indicated by the obstacle display means.

12. The vehicle guidance system according to claim 9, comprising:

display means for displaying the course area on a display screen;

obstacle indication means for indicating positions of obstacles on the display screen based on relative positional relationship thereof with the course area on the display screen; and

revision means for revising the positions of obstacles indicated by the obstacle indication means, based on data on the traveled travel course or courses over which the vehicles have already traveled, of the travel courses generated by the travel course generation means;

wherein the memory means stores the obstacle positions revised by the revision means as positions of obstacles common to the plurality of vehicles; and

the updating means updates the content stored in the memory means every time an obstacle position newly indicated by the obstacle indication means is revised by the revision means.

13. A vehicle guidance system comprising vehicle position measurement means for measuring current position of one vehicle, and being constructed such that, when position data for target points that should be reached by the vehicles and position data for a course area where the vehicle can travel are given, data for a travel course that travels inside the course area and passes through the target points are generated;

and the subject vehicle is guided over that travel course while comparing current vehicle positions measured by the vehicle position measurement means and positions on the generated travel course;

the vehicle guidance system comprising;

indication means for indicating the position of a movement starting point inside the course area, the direction of a vehicle at the movement starting point, the position of a target point inside the course area, and the direction of a vehicle at the target point;

travel course generation means for generating travel course data wherewith the vehicle departs the movement target point in the indicated vehicle direction, alters the direction of advance thereof, reversing direction at one or more direction reversal points, and arrives at the target point in the indicated vehicle direction, so that, when position data indicating the boundary line of the course area are given, and the position of the movement starting point, the vehicle direction at the movement starting point, the position of the target point, and the vehicle direction at the target point are indicated by the indication means, the vehicle can travel over the interior enclosed by the boundary line of the course area and also turn around with a turning radius equal to or greater than the minimum turning radius of the vehicle; and

guidance means for causing the vehicle to be guided over the travel course generated by the travel course generation means.

14. The vehicle guidance system according to claim 13, wherein the vehicle is an unmanned vehicle that is loaded with a load by a loading machine, and the course area position data are updated by excluding a certain area referenced to current position of the loading machine from current course area.

15. The vehicle guidance system according to claim 14, wherein the certain area excluded from the current course area is an area within reach of the loading mechanism of the loading machine.

16. The vehicle guidance system according to claim 14, wherein the certain area excluded from the current course area is inside an area within reach of the loading mechanism of the loading machine, and an area of about size of main body of the loading machine.

17. The vehicle guidance system according to claim 14, wherein the certain area excluded from the current course area is inside an area within reach of the loading mechanism of the loading machine, and an area that is located at a constant distance from the boundary of the course area.

18. The vehicle guidance system according to claim 13, wherein the vehicle is an unmanned vehicle that is loaded with a load by a loading machine;

relative position indication means for indicating relative positions relative to the loading machine is provided; and

position data for the course area are updated by excluding an area referenced to positions indicated by the relative position indication means from current course area.

19. The vehicle guidance system according to claim 13, wherein the vehicle is an unmanned vehicle that is loaded with a load by a loading machine, and position data for the course area are updated by adding, to current course area, an area within range occupied by the unmanned vehicle at a target point that should be reached by the unmanned vehicle.

20. The vehicle guidance system according to claim 13, wherein the vehicle is an unmanned vehicle that is loaded with a load by a loading machine, and position data for the course area are updated either by excluding a certain area referenced to current position of the loading machine from current course area, or by adding area within range occupied by the unmanned vehicle at target point that should be reached by the unmanned vehicle to current course area.

21. The vehicle guidance system according to claim 20, further comprising selection means for selecting whether the course area is to be expanded or contracted, according to type of work being done by the loading machine, wherein the course area position data are subjected to updating processing according to results of selection made by the selection means.

22. An unmanned vehicle guidance system for guiding unmanned vehicles over guidance courses based on travel positions of those unmanned vehicles measured by travel position measurement means and course data defining guidance courses for the unmanned vehicles;

the unmanned vehicle guidance system comprising;

means for inputting shape of a course area;

means for respectively indicating the position of a movement starting point and the direction of advance of the unmanned vehicle at that position, and the position of a movement target point and the direction of advance of the unmanned vehicle at that position;

means for producing course data wherewith the indicated position and the direction of advance are satisfied at the movement starting point and at the movement target point, and wherewith the direction of advance of the unmanned vehicle changes at one or more direction reversal points provided between the movement starting point and the movement target point;

means for inferring conflicts between the course area and the unmanned vehicle when the unmanned vehicle is made to travel over a guidance course defined by the produced course data, based on data relating to the unmanned vehicle; and

course data alteration means for altering the course data when a conflict has been inferred.

23. The unmanned vehicle guidance system according to claim 22, wherein the means for producing course data comprises:

means for generating position of an intermediate point in the guidance course inside the course area and direction of vehicle advance at that position; and

means for connecting position of the movement starting point, position of the intermediate point, and position of the movement target point, with a circular arc or arcs and/or straight line or lines, so as to pass through each of those positions, and such that the direction of vehicle advance at each of those positions coincides either with direction of a tangent to such circular arc or arcs or with direction of such straight line or lines;

wherein the course data alteration means alters the course data by altering the position of the intermediate point when the conflict has been inferred.

24. The unmanned vehicle guidance system according to claim 23, wherein the means for producing the course data comprises:

evaluation means for evaluating the course data using distances between the guidance course and boundaries of the course area; and

selection means for selecting course data having best evaluation values out of a plurality of generated course data.

25. The unmanned vehicle guidance system according to claim 23, wherein the means for producing the course data comprises:

evaluation means for evaluating the course data using a function between distances between the guidance course and boundaries of the course area, and minimum radius of the guidance course; and

selection means for selecting course data having best evaluation values out of a plurality of generated course data.

26. The unmanned vehicle guidance system according to claim 22, wherein the means for producing course data comprises:

means for generating position of an intermediate point in the guidance course inside the course area and direction of vehicle advance at that position; and

means for connecting position of the movement starting point, position of the intermediate point, and position of the movement target point, with a spline curve, so as to pass through each of those positions, and such that direction of vehicle advance at each of those positions coincides with direction of a tangent to the spline curve;

wherein the course data alteration means alters the course data by altering the position of the intermediate point when such conflict has been inferred.

27. The unmanned vehicle guidance system according to claim 22, wherein the means for producing the course data comprises:

means for generating position of an intermediate point in the guidance course inside the course area and direction of vehicle advance at that position; and

means for connecting position of the movement starting point, position of the intermediate point, and position of the movement target point, with a spline curve and a circular arc, or with a spline curve and a straight line or lines, so as to pass through each of those positions, and such that direction of the vehicle advance at each of those positions coincides with direction of a tangent to that spline curve, direction of a tangent to such circular arc, or direction of such straight line or lines;

wherein the course data alteration means alters the course data by altering the position of the intermediate point when such conflict has been inferred.

28. The unmanned vehicle guidance system according to claim 22, wherein the travel position measurement means is a GPS, and means for inputting shape of the course area comprises:

means for switching a position measured by the GPS to a position measured at left edge or right edge of the unmanned vehicle; and

indication means for indicating whether to switch to position measured at the left edge or to position measured at the right edge.

29. The unmanned vehicle guidance system according to claim 22, wherein the travel position measurement means is a GPS, and means for inputting shape of the course area comprises means for selectively altering position of antenna of the GPS to left edge or right edge of the unmanned moving body.

30. An unmanned vehicle guidance system for guiding unmanned vehicles over guidance courses based on travel positions of those unmanned vehicles measured by travel position measurement means and course data defining guidance courses for the unmanned vehicles;

the unmanned vehicle guidance system comprising;

means for inputting shape of a course area;

means for producing travel course data wherewith the unmanned vehicle alters the direction of advance thereof reversing direction at one or more direction reversal points and arrives at a target point, so that, when the shape of the course area is input, the unmanned vehicle can travel over the interior enclosed by the boundary line of the course area and also turn around with turning radius equal to or greater than the minimum turning radius of the unmanned vehicle;

means for inferring conflicts between the course area and an unmanned vehicle when that unmanned vehicle is made to travel over a course defined by the produced course data;

course data alteration means for altering the course data when the conflict has been inferred; and

mode setting means for causing the unmanned vehicle to be guided using the generated course data when automatic operation mode has been set, and for collecting course area shape data by causing the unmanned vehicle to be guided along a course area and detecting positions traveled by the unmanned vehicle when measurement mode been set.

31. An unmanned vehicle guidance system for guiding unmanned vehicles over guidance courses based on travel positions of those unmanned vehicles measured by travel position measuring means and course data defining guidance courses for the unmanned vehicles, the unmanned vehicle guidance system comprising:

means for inputting shape of a course area;

means for producing course data;

means for inferring conflicts between the course area and the unmanned vehicle when that unmanned vehicle is made to travel over a course defined by the produced course data, based on data relating to the unmanned vehicle;

course data alteration means for altering the course data when the conflict has been inferred;

means for recognizing a course area shape change zone; and

course area shape updating means for updating shape of the course area so that that course area shape is altered only in the shape change zone.

32. The unmanned vehicle guidance system according to claim 31, wherein the means for recognizing the shape change zone of the course area comprises:

a moving body for measuring that moves through the course area;

movement position measurement means for measuring movement position of the moving body for measuring; and

means for specifying the shape change zone based on the movement position of the moving body for measuring and an area occupied by that moving body.

33. The unmanned vehicle guidance system according to claim 31, wherein the means for recognizing the shape, change zone of the course area comprises:

position measurement means for measuring three-dimensional positions of digging unit of a work machine for digging operations in the course area;

ground height measurement means for measuring initial ground height in the course area; and

means for specifying the shape change zone of the course area based on position of the digging unit and area occupied thereby when height of the digging unit and the initial ground height coincide.