Method of controlling travel within travel system for unmanned vehicle and travel system for unmanned vehicle

• US 9,008,889 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2011
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Ozaki, Tomonori, Takeda, Koji, Osagawa, Kenta, Hiranaka, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, SHARDUL D
• Application Number:
  US13/634,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20130238182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23- 26, 701/41, 701/30.5, 701/30.7, 701/31.2, 318/587, 348/118, 348/119
• US Class Current: 701/26
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0011 involving control alternatives for a single driving scenario, e.g. planning several paths to avoid obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 47/00 Machines for obtaining or the removal of materials in open-pit mines obtaining peat E21C49/00
• 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

Abstract

Topographical data for a work location is created and information on a new travel route is generated. Next, a work location including the new travel route is constructed on the basis of the created topographical data. Then, the information on the new travel route generated is provided to the vehicle, the vehicle is made to travel along said new travel route in accordance with temporary travel control data, and actual topographical data for the new travel route is acquired. Next, the aforementioned temporary travel control data is corrected on the basis of the acquired actual topographical data for the new travel route. After that, the unmanned vehicle is made to travel in accordance with the corrected travel control data.

Claims

1. In a travel system for an unmanned vehicle that makes the unmanned vehicle travel along a travel route within a work location, a method of controlling travel within the travel system for an unmanned vehicle, comprising the steps of:

creating topographical data for the work location;

generating information on a new travel route and temporary travel control data based on the created topographical data for the work location;

constructing a work location including the new travel route based on the created topographical data;

acquiring actual topographical data for the new travel route by providing the generated information on the new travel route to a vehicle and making the vehicle travel along the new travel route in accordance with the temporary travel control data;

correcting the temporary travel control data based on the acquired actual topographical data for the new travel route; and

making the unmanned vehicle travel in accordance with the corrected travel control data.

2. The method of controlling travel within a travel system for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

correcting the topographical data for the work location based on the acquired actual topographical data for the new travel route.

3. The method of controlling travel within a travel system for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

topographical data created before construction of the work location includes gradient data, and the temporary travel control data includes a temporary travel speed for the vehicle;

and

speed limit by the temporary travel speed is relaxed in accordance with an increase in reliability of the gradient data among the topographical data created before the construction of the work location.

4. The method of controlling travel within a travel system for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

topographical data created before the construction of the work location includes gradient data, and the temporary travel control data includes a temporary travel speed for the vehicle;

and

speed limit by the temporary travel speed is relaxed in accordance with an increase in reliability of actual gradient data for the new travel route acquired after the construction of the work location.

5. The method of controlling travel within a travel system for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

topographical data created before the construction of the work location includes gradient data, and the temporary travel control data includes a temporary travel speed for the vehicle;

reliability of the gradient data for the work location is judged by performing acquisition of the actual topographical data a plurality of times; and

speed limit by the temporary travel speed is relaxed in accordance with an increase in reliability of the gradient data for the work location.

6. The method of controlling travel within a travel system for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

both the vehicle for acquiring the actual topographical data for the new travel route and the unmanned vehicle that travels in accordance with the corrected travel control data are unmanned vehicles for carrying freight.

8. The method of controlling travel within a travel system for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

topographical data created before construction of the work location includes gradient data, and the temporary travel control data includes a temporary travel speed for the vehicle;

and

speed limit by the temporary travel speed is relaxed in accordance with an increase in reliability of the gradient data among the topographical data created before the construction of the work location.

9. The method of controlling travel within a travel system for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

topographical data created before the construction of the work location includes gradient data, and the temporary travel control data includes a temporary travel speed for the vehicle;

and

speed limit by the temporary travel speed is relaxed in accordance with an increase in reliability of actual gradient data for the new travel route acquired after the construction of the work location.

10. The method of controlling travel within a travel system for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

topographical data created before the construction of the work location includes gradient data, and the temporary travel control data includes a temporary travel speed for the vehicle;

reliability of the gradient data for the work location is judged by performing acquisition of the actual topographical data a plurality of times; and

speed limit by the temporary travel speed is relaxed in accordance with an increase in reliability of the gradient data for the work location.

11. The method of controlling travel within a travel system for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

both the vehicle for acquiring the actual topographical data for the new travel route and the unmanned vehicle that travels in accordance with the corrected travel control data are unmanned vehicles for carrying freight.

12. The method of controlling travel within a travel system for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

topographical data created before the construction of the work location includes gradient data, and the temporary travel control data includes a temporary travel speed for the vehicle;

and

speed limit by the temporary travel speed is relaxed in accordance with an increase in reliability of actual gradient data for the new travel route acquired after the construction of the work location.

13. The method of controlling travel within a travel system for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

topographical data created before the construction of the work location includes gradient data, and the temporary travel control data includes a temporary travel speed for the vehicle;

reliability of the gradient data for the work location is judged by performing acquisition of the actual topographical data a plurality of times; and

speed limit by the temporary travel speed is relaxed in accordance with an increase in reliability of the gradient data for the work location.

14. The method of controlling travel within a travel system for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

both the vehicle for acquiring the actual topographical data for the new travel route and the unmanned vehicle that travels in accordance with the corrected travel control data are unmanned vehicles for carrying freight.

15. The method of controlling travel within a travel system for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

topographical data created before the construction of the work location includes gradient data, and the temporary travel control data includes a temporary travel speed for the vehicle;

reliability of the gradient data for the work location is judged by performing acquisition of the actual topographical data a plurality of times; and

speed limit by the temporary travel speed is relaxed in accordance with an increase in reliability of the gradient data for the work location.

16. The method of controlling travel within a travel system for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

both the vehicle for acquiring the actual topographical data for the new travel route and the unmanned vehicle that travels in accordance with the corrected travel control data are unmanned vehicles for carrying freight.

17. The method of controlling travel within a travel system for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 5, wherein

both the vehicle for acquiring the actual topographical data for the new travel route and the unmanned vehicle that travels in accordance with the corrected travel control data are unmanned vehicles for carrying freight.

18. The method of controlling travel within a travel system for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

topographical data created before the construction of the work location includes gradient data, and the temporary travel control data includes a temporary travel speed for the vehicle;

and

speed limit by the temporary travel speed is relaxed in accordance with an increase in reliability of actual gradient data for the new travel route acquired after the construction of the work location.

19. The method of controlling travel within a travel system for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

topographical data created before the construction of the work location includes gradient data, and the temporary travel control data includes a temporary travel speed for the vehicle;

reliability of the gradient data for the work location is judged by performing acquisition of the actual topographical data a plurality of times; and

speed limit by the temporary travel speed is relaxed in accordance with an increase in reliability of the gradient data for the work location.

20. The method of controlling travel within a travel system for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

both the vehicle for acquiring the actual topographical data for the new travel route and the unmanned vehicle that travels in accordance with the corrected travel control data are unmanned vehicles for carrying freight.

7. A travel system for an unmanned vehicle that makes the unmanned vehicle travel along a travel route within a work location, wherein

the travel system

creates topographical data for the work location;

generates information on a new travel route and temporary travel control data based on the created topographical data for the work location;

constructs the work location including the new travel route based on the created topographical data;

acquires actual topographical data for the new travel route by providing a vehicle with the information on the new travel route generated and making the vehicle travel along the new travel route in accordance with the temporary travel control data;

corrects the temporary travel control data based on the acquired actual topographical data for the new travel route; and

makes the unmanned vehicle travel in accordance with the corrected travel control data.