Travel control system for travel vehicle and travel vehicle

• US 7,778,771 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2007
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Kazuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu; Yonel
• Application Number:
  US11/728,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20070225901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23- 25, 701200-202, 701/208, 701117-119, 340988-989, 340991-993
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0263 using magnetic strips

Abstract

A travel control system for controlling a travel vehicle to advance from a first travel course toward a predetermined one of a plurality of second travel courses includes a destination information provider providing to the travel vehicle destination information indicating the predetermined one of the plurality of second travel courses before the travel vehicle reaches the junction and a first junction information provider providing to the travel vehicle junction information indicating one of the plurality of second travel courses before the travel vehicle reaches the junction. The travel vehicle obtains the destination information from the destination information provider and the junction information from the first junction information provider before reaching a junction between the first and second travel courses. The travel vehicle collates the destination information with the junction information and advances to the predetermined one of the plurality of second travel courses based on a result of the collation.

Claims

1. A travel control system for controlling a travel vehicle to advance from a first travel course toward a predetermined one of a plurality of second travel courses in a travel course network having a junction between the first travel course and the plurality of second travel courses, the travel control system comprising:

a destination information provider that provides to the travel vehicle destination information indicating the predetermined one of the plurality of second travel courses before the travel vehicle reaches the junction, wherein the destination information provider is provided in the travel course network leading towards the first travel course; and

a first junction information provider that provides to the travel vehicle junction information indicating one of the plurality of second travel courses before the travel vehicle reaches the junction, wherein the first junction information provider is provided in the first travel course upstream of the junction and downstream of the destination information provider,

wherein the travel vehicle obtains the destination information from the destination information provider and the junction information from the first junction information provider before reaching the junction, the travel vehicle collating the destination information with the junction information, the travel vehicle advancing to the predetermined one of the plurality of second travel courses based on a result of the collation.

2. The travel control system according to claim 1, wherein the travel vehicle is an automated guided vehicle operable to travel automatically.

3. The travel control system according to claim 1, wherein the travel vehicle carries assembly parts, each of the destination information and the junction information includes at least one of a supply area where the assembly parts are supplied to the travel vehicle, a line in which the assembly parts are assembled for manufacturing a product, and a process to which the assembly parts are provided from the travel vehicle in the line.

4. The travel control system according to claim 1, wherein the destination information provider is an issuing machine which is provided in the travel course network for issuing a medium which records data including the destination information.

5. The travel control system according to claim 1, wherein the first junction information provider is an ID tag which is provided in the first travel course.

6. The travel control system according to claim 1, further comprising a second junction information provider for providing to the travel vehicle junction information indicating one of the plurality of second travel courses after the travel vehicle passes through the junction.

7. The travel control system according to claim 6, wherein the travel vehicle collates the destination information obtained from the destination information provider with the junction information obtained from the second junction information provider for judging whether or not the travel vehicle keeps on traveling.

8. The travel control system according to claim 6, wherein the second junction information provider is an ID tag which is provided in one of the plurality of second travel courses.

9. A travel vehicle for advancing from a first travel course to a predetermined one of a plurality of second travel courses in a travel course network having a junction between the first travel course and the plurality of second travel courses, the travel vehicle comprising:

a destination information obtainer that obtains destination information indicating the predetermined one of the plurality of second travel courses from a destination information provider provided in the travel course network leading toward the first travel course before the travel vehicle reaches the junction;

a junction information obtainer that obtains junction information indicating one of the plurality of second travel courses from a junction information provider provided in the first travel course upstream of the junction and downstream of the destination information provider before the travel vehicle reaches the junction; and

an advance controller that collates the destination information obtained by the destination information obtainer with the junction information obtained by the junction information obtainer before the travel vehicle reaches the junction, the advance controller controlling the travel vehicle to advance from the first travel course to the predetermined one of the plurality of second travel courses based on a result of the collation.

10. The travel vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the travel vehicle is an automated guided vehicle operable to travel automatically.

11. The travel vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the destination information obtainer is an IC reader.

12. The travel vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the junction information obtainer is an ID reader.

13. A method for controlling an advancement of a travel vehicle from a first travel course to a predetermined one of a plurality of second travel courses in a travel course network having a junction between the first travel course and the plurality of second travel courses, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a destination information provider in the first travel course network leading toward the first travel course for providing to the travel vehicle destination information indicating the predetermined one of the plurality of second travel courses;

providing a first junction information provider in the first travel course upstream of the injunction and downstream of the destination information provider for providing to the travel vehicle junction information indicating one of the plurality of second travel courses;

obtaining the destination information from the destination information provider before the travel vehicle reaches the junction;

obtaining the junction information from the first junction information provider before the travel vehicle reaches the junction;

collating the destination information obtained from the destination information provider with the junction information obtained from the first junction information provider before the travel vehicle reaches the junction; and

controlling the travel vehicle to advance from the first travel course to the predetermined one of the plurality of second travel courses based on a result of the collation.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the destination information provider is an issuing machine which is provided in the travel course network for issuing a medium which records data including the destination information.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the first junction information provider is an ID tag which is provided in the first travel course.

16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

providing a second junction information provider in one of the plurality of second travel courses for providing to the travel vehicle junction information indicating one of the plurality of second travel courses;

obtaining the junction information from the second junction information provider after the travel vehicle passes through the junction; and

collating the destination information obtained from the destination information provider with the junction information obtained from the second junction information provider for judging whether or not the travel vehicle keeps on traveling.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the second junction information provider is an ID tag.