Travel-restricted area setting system for unmanned traveling vehicle and computer program for setting travel-restricted area of unmanned traveling vehicle

• US 9,377,779 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2012
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Tojima, Masanori, Takeda, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITTINGTON, JESS G
• Application Number:
  US14/119,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20140107882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,474 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: E02F 9/207 of the type electric propulsion units, e.g. electric motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/262 with follow-up actions to control the work tool, e.g. controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/00 Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0214 in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/02 using take-up reel or drum

Abstract

A computer program product for setting a travel-restricted area for an unmanned traveling vehicle, where a travel of a vehicle traveling with no man attended is restricted in a workplace of an electric work machine that operates with electricity supplied via a cable from an external power supply, the computer program causing a computer to execute: estimating a position of the cable based on at least information on a position of the electric work machine, information on a position of a support body that supports the cable, and a length of the cable between the electric work machine and the support body, and setting the travel-restricted area based on the estimated position of the cable.

Claims

1. A travel-restricted area setting system for an unmanned conveying vehicle, comprising:

an electric work machine that operates with electricity supplied via a cable from an external, power supply, and includes a controller configured to detect and transmit primary position data corresponding to a position thereof;

a stationary support body that supports the cable at a fixed location;

a management device configured to receive the primary position data transmitted from the controller of the work machine communication device; and

a movable relay support body disposed between the stationary support body and the electric work machine, movably supporting the cable;

wherein the management device is configured to estimate a position of the cable based on at least the primary position data corresponding to the position of the electric work machine, information on a position of the stationary support body, information on a position of the relay support body, and a length of the cable between the electric work machine and the stationary support body, and to set a travel-restricted area where a travel of the unmanned vehicle is restricted based on the estimated position of the cable,

wherein the position of the cable is estimated based on an estimation line which passes through the position of the electric work machine and the position of the stationary support body, a length of the estimation line being the same as the length of the cable, and

wherein the management device is configured to estimate the estimation line whenever a moving distance of the electric work machine exceeds a predetermined threshold moving distance, and

wherein the management device is configured to equate a curved line passing through the position of the electric work machine and the position of the stationary support body whose length is the same as the length of the cable as the estimation line when a position of an apex of the curved line is on a same side as a side of a position of an estimation line previously calculated with respect to a straight line connecting the position of the electric work machine and the position of the stationary support body.

2. The travel-restricted area setting system for the unmanned conveying vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the management device is configured to estimate the position of the cable using the information on the position of the relay support body detected by the relay support body position detecting device.

3. The travel-restricted area setting system for the unmanned conveying vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the management device uses a history of a change in the position of the relay support body due to a movement of the relay support body as the information on the position of the relay support body.

4. The travel-restricted area setting system for the unmanned conveying vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the management device uses a direction following the cable between the relay support body and the electric work machine as a moving direction of the relay support body.

5. The travel-restricted area setting system for the unmanned conveying vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the electric work machine is an electric power shovel used in a mine.

10. The travel-restricted area setting system for the unmanned conveying vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the management device uses a history of a change in the position of the relay support body due to a movement of the relay support body as the information on the position of the relay support body.

11. The travel-restricted area setting system for the unmanned conveying vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the relay support body is movable relative to the stationary support body and configured to reel in and out at least one of a first length of the cable between the electric work machine and the relay support body, and a second length of the cable between the relay support body and the stationary support body, and wherein the relay support body has a controller configured to transmit secondary position data corresponding to a position of the relay support body.

12. The travel-restricted area setting system for the unmanned conveying vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the relay support body is configured to reel in and out both the first length of cable between the electric work machine and the relay support body, and the second length of cable between the relay support body and the stationary support body.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a computer program for setting a travel-restricted area for an unmanned conveying vehicle in a workplace which has an electric work machine operating with electricity supplied via a cable from an external power supply, the computer program comprising a set instructions for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

estimating a position of the cable based on at least information on a position of the electric work machine, information on a position of a stationary support body that supports the cable at a fixed location, information on a position of a movable relay support body which is disposed between the stationary support body and the electronic work machine and movably supports the cable, and a length of the cable between the electric work machine and the stationary support body, and

setting the travel-restricted area based on the estimated position of the cable,

wherein the position of the cable is estimated based on an estimation line which passes through the position of the electric work machine and the position of the stationary support body, a length of the estimation line being the same as the length of the cable, and

wherein the management device is configured to estimate the estimation line whenever a moving distance of the electric work machine exceeds a predetermined threshold moving distance, and

wherein the management device is configured to equate a curved line passing through the position of the electric work machine and the position of the support body whose length is the same as the length of the cable as the estimation line when a position of an apex of the curved line is on a same side as a side of a position of an estimation line previously calculated with respect to a straight line connecting the position of the electric work machine and the position of the stationary support body.

7. The computer readable medium having the computer program stored thereon for setting the travel-restricted area for the unmanned conveying vehicle according to claim 6, wherein a history of a change in the position of the relay support body due to a movement of the relay support body is used as the information to estimate the position of the relay support body.

8. The computer readable medium having the computer program stored thereon for setting the travel-restricted area for the unmanned conveying vehicle according to claim 6, wherein a direction following the cable between the relay support body and the electric work machine is used as a moving direction of the relay support body.

9. The computer readable medium having the computer program stored thereon for setting the travel-restricted area for the unmanned conveying vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the electric work machine is an electric power shovel used in a mine.