Guided vehicle system and travel route map creation method for guided vehicle system

• US 7,680,597 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2006
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Original Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Daigo
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Cuong H
• Application Number:
  US11/483,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20070016369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 701200-211, 340/995.1, 340/915.12, 340/915.14, 340/988, 340/995.1 TO, 340/995.28
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3837 Data obtained from a single source
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3848 Data obtained from both position sensors and additional sensors

Abstract

CAD data of a guided vehicle system is converted into layout data of a map. The layout data is displayed on a screen. Attribute data is added to the layout data to edit the map data. The edited map data is distributed to overhead traveling vehicles. By controlling a probe vehicle to actually travel on a travel route, positions of load ports and buffers on the map, and data about transfer to/from these load ports and buffers are verified, and updated, and then, the resulting data is distributed to the other overhead traveling vehicles and a controller.

Claims

1. A guided vehicle system, wherein a guided vehicle stores a map of a travel route and travels along the travel route, the guided vehicle system comprising:

display means for displaying a layout of the travel route on a screen;

editing means for inputting attribute data on the travel route to the displayed layout for creating the map;

a plurality of load ports and a plurality of buffers for temporally storing articles along the travel route; and

a plurality of dogs and IDs for reading data provided on the travel route;

said guided vehicle includes;

transfer means;

a first sensor means for verifying the positions of the load ports and the buffers;

a second sensor means for verifying the positions and states of the dogs and IDs,

wherein the transfer means is operated to verify data about transfer of articles between the load ports and said guided vehicle and between the buffers and said guided vehicle.

2. The guided vehicle system of claim 1, further comprising conversion means for converting CAD data used for constructing the guided vehicle system into the layout of the travel route.

3. The guided vehicle system of claim 2, wherein at the time of changing the layout, the conversion means extracts change portion of the CAD data, converts the extracted change portion into the layout, and combines the layout with the map before the change.