Control device and method for guided travel of unmanned vehicle

• US 7,966,106 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2006
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Sudou, Tsugio, Nishijima, Akiharu, Kuromoto, Kazunori, Takeda, Koji, Tojima, Masanori, Mori, Masaki, Ozaki, Tomonori
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Broadhead; Brian J
• Application Number:
  US11/636,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20070150133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,656 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/25
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0282 generated in a local control room

Abstract

Leveling operation can be effectively performed at a discharge site without increasing a cost of vehicles, and a running course can be easily generated in a short time and at a low-cost. Based on each of measured position data of a survey line 20 of a discharge site 21, a normal line Lc normal to the survey line 20 is obtained, a target discharge position 26′ is positioned at a prescribed distance away from the survey line 20 in an inward direction of the discharge site 21 based on the normal line Lc, and then data of a running course 27 in which a reference approach direction 31 to approach the target discharge position 26′ is a direction normal to the survey line 20 are generated.

Claims

1. A control device for a guided travel of an unmanned vehicle, in which the unmanned vehicle is guided to travel along a running course so as to approach in a desired direction to a target discharge position as a target position where the unmanned vehicle performs a discharge operation at a discharge site, and is controlled to perform the discharge operation to discharge a load on the unmanned vehicle at the target discharge position, the control device comprising:

running course generation means for, after obtaining a line normal to the survey line based on each of measured position data of a survey line at the discharge site, generating, based on the obtained normal line, data of a running course in which the target discharge position is set at a position in a prescribed distance away from the survey line and a direction to approach the target discharge position is normal to the survey line; and

control means for guiding the unmanned vehicle to travel along the generated running course to the target discharge position, and operating the unmanned vehicle so as to discharge the load on the unmanned vehicle at the target discharge position after the unmanned vehicle reaches the target discharge position.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the running course generation means;

obtains each segment point on the survey line based on the measured position data of the survey line, obtains each line normal to each of the segment points, obtains a point on each of the normal lines at a prescribed distance away from the segment points in an inward direction of the discharge site, obtains a line of which line shape is corrected by applying a smoothing process to a line that is acquired by connecting each of the obtained points on each of the normal lines, and by setting as the target discharge position a position on a line normal to the line to which this smoothing process is applied, generates the data of the running course in which the direction of the normal line is a direction to approach the target discharge position.

3. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the running course generation means;

obtains a line from which a survey line is corrected by applying a smoothing process to a line that is acquired by connecting each of the measured positions on the survey line,

obtains a line normal to the line to which the smoothing process is applied,

sets as the target discharge position a position on the normal line, and

generates the data of the running course in which a direction of the normal line is a direction to approach the target discharge position.

4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein

a mound is formed along the survey line at the discharge site,

the unmanned vehicle is provided with a sensor for detecting that a wheel of the unmanned vehicle reaches a position at the mound formed along the survey line, and

when the sensor detects that the wheel of the unmanned vehicle reaches the mound formed along the survey line before the wheel reaches the target discharge position, the unmanned vehicle is operated so as to discharge the load on the unmanned vehicle at the position where the sensor detects.

5. The control device according to claim 4, wherein

the sensor detects a reduction of a speed or a travel distance of the unmanned vehicle, and

when the reduction of the speed or the travel distance of the unmanned vehicle is detected by the sensor before a speed reduction instruction to stop the unmanned vehicle at the target discharge position is output, it is detected that the wheel of the unmanned vehicle reaches a position at the mound formed along the survey line, and the unmanned vehicle is operated so as to discharge the load on the unmanned vehicle at the position that the sensor detects.

6. A control method for a guided travel of an unmanned vehicle, in which the unmanned vehicle is guided to travel along a running course so as to approach in a desired direction to a target discharge position as a target position where the unmanned vehicle performs a discharge operation at a discharge site, and to perform the discharge operation to discharge a load on the unmanned vehicle at the target discharge position, the control method comprising:

measuring each position of a survey line showing a boundary line of the discharge site to obtain each of measured position data;

obtaining a line normal to the survey line based on each of the measured position data;

generating, based on the normal line, data of a running course in which the target discharge position is positioned at a prescribed distance away from the survey line and a direction to approach the target discharge position is normal to the survey line;

guiding the unmanned vehicle to travel along the generated running course to the target discharge position, and

operating the unmanned vehicle so as to discharge the load on the unmanned vehicle at the target discharge position after the unmanned vehicle reaches the target discharge position.

7. The method of claim 6 further including the steps of:

obtaining each segment point on the survey line based on the measured position data of the survey line,

obtaining each line normal to each of the segment points,

obtaining a point on each of the normal lines at a prescribed distance away from the segment points in an inward direction of the discharge site,

obtaining a line of which line shape is corrected by applying a smoothing process to a line that is acquired by connecting each of the obtained points on each of the normal lines, and

by setting as the target discharge position a position no a line normal to the line to which this smoothing process is applied, generating the data of the running course in which the direction of the normal line is a direction to approach the target discharge position.

8. The method of claim 6 further including the steps of:

obtaining a line from which a survey line is corrected by applying a smoothing process to a line that is acquired by connecting each of the measured positions on the survey line,

obtaining a line normal to each of the segment points,

setting as the target discharge position a position on the normal line, and

generating the data of the running course in which a direction of the normal line is a direction to approach the target discharge position.

9. The method of claim 6 further including the steps of:

forming a mound along the survey line at the discharge site,

providing the unmanned vehicle with a sensor for detecting that a wheel of the unmanned vehicle reaches a position at the mound formed along the survey line, and

when the sensor detects that the wheel of the unmanned vehicle reaches the position at the mound formed along the survey line before the wheel reaches the target discharge position, operating the unmanned vehicle so as to discharge the load on the unmanned vehicle at the position where the sensor detects.

10. The method of claim 9 further including the steps of:

detecting with the sensor, a reduction of a speed or a travel distance of the unmanned vehicle, and

when the reduction of the speed or the travel distance of the unmanned vehicle is detected by the sensor before a speed reduction instruction to stop the unmanned vehicle at the target discharge position is output, detecting that the wheel of the unmanned vehicle reaches a position at the mound formed along the survey line, and operating the unmanned vehicle so as to discharge the load on the unmanned vehicle at the position that the sensor detects.