Transporter vehicle and transporter vehicle control method

• US 9,902,397 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2014
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Ohsugi, Shigeru, Sugihara, Motohide, Mitsuta, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Dager, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US14/401,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20160264134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/04 with a tipping movement of load-transporting element dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/00 Brake-action initiating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/12 Trucks; Load vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/125 Heavy duty trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/10 Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/00 Input parameters relating to data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/095 Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0953 the prediction being responsive to vehicle dynamic parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/14 Trucks; Load vehicles, Busses
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/145 Haulage vehicles, trailing trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking or steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/095 Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 : for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A transporter vehicle includes: a vehicle; a vessel that is provided in the vehicle; a traveling state detection device that detects a traveling state of the vehicle; an object detection device that detects an object in front of the vehicle; and a collision determination unit that determines a possibility of collision with the object based on a loading state of a load of the vessel, a detection result of the traveling state detection device, and a detection result of the object detection device.

Claims

1. A transporter vehicle comprising:

a vehicle;

a vessel that is provided in the vehicle;

a traveling state detection device that detects a traveling state of the vehicle;

an object detection device that detects an object in front of the vehicle;

a detection unit that detects a loading state of a load of the vessel; and

a collision determination unit that determines a possibility of collision with the object based on a deceleration of the vehicle set based on the loading state of the load of the vessel detected by the detection unit, a detection result of the traveling state detection device, and a detection result of the object detection device; and

a calculation unit that

calculates, based on a traveling speed of the vehicle at a first point detected by the traveling state detection device and the deceleration, a required stop distance between the first point and a second point where the vehicle can be stopped,

calculates a stop distance passage time from a first time point at which the vehicle exists at the first point to a second time point at which the vehicle arrives at the second point when the vehicle travels by the required stop distance at the traveling speed from the first time point, and

calculates, based on a relative distance and a relative speed of the object and the vehicle at the first time point detected by the object detection device, an object arrival time from the first time point to a third time point at which the vehicle arrives at the object when the vehicle travels by the relative distance at the relative speed from the first time point,

wherein the collision determination unit determines the possibility of collision based on the stop distance passage time and the object arrival time.

2. The transporter vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a variable setting unit that sets the deceleration of the vehicle based on the loading state of the load of the vessel,

wherein the collision determination unit determines the possibility of collision by estimating a time until the collision with the object occurs based on the deceleration set by the variable setting unit, the detection result of the traveling state detection device, and the detection result of the object detection device.

3. The transporter vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising:

a calculation unit that calculates, based on a traveling speed of the vehicle at a first point detected by the traveling state detection device and the deceleration set by the variable setting unit, a required stop distance between the first point and a second point where the vehicle can be stopped, calculates a stop distance passage time from a first time point at which the vehicle exists at the first point to a second time point at which the vehicle arrives at the second point when the vehicle travels by the required stop distance at the traveling speed, and calculates, based on a relative distance and a relative speed of the object and the vehicle at the first time point detected by the object detection device, an object arrival time from the first time point to a third time point at which the vehicle arrives at the object when the vehicle travels by the relative distance at the relative speed from the first time point,

wherein the collision determination unit determines the possibility of collision based on the stop distance passage time and the object arrival time.

4. The transporter vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a process system capable of performing a process for reducing damage caused by the collision; and

a control unit that outputs a signal for reducing damage caused by the collision to the process system based on a determination result of the collision determination unit.

5. The transporter vehicle according to claim 4,

wherein the process system includes a plurality of process devices capable of performing different processes, and

wherein the control unit outputs the signal to a specific process device based on the determination result of the collision determination unit.

6. The transporter vehicle according to claim 5,

wherein the determination of the collision determination unit includes a classification of the possibility of collision into a plurality of levels, and

wherein the control unit outputs the signal to a specific process device based on the level.

7. The transporter vehicle according to claim 4,

wherein the process devices include at least one of an alarm device capable of performing an alarm generation process, a braking device capable of performing a brake process on a traveling device of the vehicle, and a power generation device capable of performing an output reduction process of reducing a driving force for the traveling device of the vehicle.

8. The transporter vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a detection result of the detection unit is output to the collision determination unit.

9. The transporter vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the detection unit includes a weight sensor that detects a weight of the vessel.

10. The transporter vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the loading state includes a state whether a load exists in the vessel.

11. The transporter vehicle according to claim 10,

wherein a load is loaded on the vessel in a loading field of a mine, the vehicle travels from the loading field to a soil disposal field of the mine, and the load is discharged in the soil disposal field,

wherein a first deceleration is set when the vehicle travels after the load is loaded in the loading field, and

wherein a second deceleration larger than the first deceleration is set when the vehicle travels after the load is discharged in the soil disposal field.

12. The transporter vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein a load is loaded on the vessel by a loading machine in the loading field, and

wherein information on the loading state of the vessel is output from the loading machine to the collision determination unit.

18. The transporter vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the detection unit includes a pressure sensor.

19. The transporter vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the detection unit includes a first operation unit and a second operation unit, and

when a load is loaded on the vessel, the first operation unit is operated by an operator, and when the vessel is empty, the second operation unit is operated by the operator.

20. The transporter vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the detection unit includes an operation unit of a loading machine, a load being loaded on the vessel by the loading machine, and

after a loading operation is completed, the operation unit of the loading machine is operated by the operator.

21. The transporter vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the detection unit includes an imaging device which captures an image or a laser device, the imaging device or the laser device being mounted in the transporter vehicle.

22. The transporter vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the detection unit includes an optical device or a weight detection device which is mounted outside the transporter vehicle.

23. The transporter vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the detection unit includes a GPS (global positioning system) receiver.

13. A transporter vehicle comprising:

a vehicle;

a vessel that is provided in the vehicle;

a traveling state detection device that detects a traveling state of the vehicle;

an object detection device that detects an object in front of the vehicle;

a collision determination unit that determines a possibility of collision with the object based on a loading state of a load of the vessel, a detection result of the traveling state detection device, and a detection result of the object detection device;

a variable setting unit that sets a deceleration of the vehicle based on the loading state of the load of the vessel; and

a calculation unit that

calculates, based on a traveling speed of the vehicle at a first point detected by the traveling state detection device and the deceleration, a required stop distance between the first point and a second point where the vehicle can be stopped,

calculates a stop distance passage time from a first time point at which the vehicle exists at the first point to a second time point at which the vehicle arrives at the second point when the vehicle travels by the required stop distance at the traveling speed from the first time point, and

calculates, based on a relative distance and a relative speed of the object and the vehicle at the first time point detected by the object detection device, an object arrival time from the first time point to a third time point at which the vehicle arrives at the object when the vehicle travels by the relative distance at the relative speed from the first time point,

wherein the collision determination unit estimates a time until the collision with the object occurs based on the deceleration set by the variable setting unit, the detection result of the traveling state detection device, and determines the possibility of collision based on the stop distance passage time and the object arrival time.

14. A transporter vehicle control method comprising:

detecting a traveling state of a transporter vehicle including a vessel by a traveling state detection device provided in the transporter vehicle;

detecting an object in front of the transporter vehicle by an object detection device provided in the transporter vehicle;

detecting a loading state of a load of the vessel;

determining a possibility of collision between the transporter vehicle and the object based on the detected load of the vessel, a detection result of the traveling state detection device, and a detection result of the object detection device;

calculating, based on a traveling speed of the vehicle at a first point detected by the traveling state detection device and the deceleration, a required stop distance between the first point and a second point where the vehicle can be stopped;

calculating a stop distance passage time from a first time point at which the vehicle exists at the first point to a second time point at which the vehicle arrives at the second point when the vehicle travels by the required stop distance at the traveling speed from the first time point;

calculating, based on a relative distance and a relative speed of the object and the vehicle at the first time point detected by the object detection device, an object arrival time from the first time point to a third time point at which the vehicle arrives at the object when the vehicle travels by the relative distance at the relative speed from the first time point; and

determining the possibility of collision based on the stop distance passage time and the object arrival time.

15. The transporter vehicle control method according to claim 14, further comprising:

setting the deceleration of the transporter vehicle based on the loading state of the load of the vessel; and

estimating a time until the transporter vehicle and the object collide with each other based on the set deceleration, the detection result of the traveling state detection device, and the detection result of the object detection device,

wherein the possibility of collision is determined based on the estimated time.

16. The transporter vehicle control method according to claim 15, further comprising:

calculating, based on a deceleration and a traveling speed of the transporter vehicle at a first point detected by the traveling state detection device, a required stop distance between the first point and a second point where the transporter vehicle can be stopped;

calculating a stop distance passage time from a first time point at which the transporter vehicle exists at the first point to a second time point at which the transporter vehicle arrives at the second point when the transporter vehicle travels by the required stop distance at the traveling speed from the first time point;

calculating, based on a relative distance and a relative speed of the object and the transporter vehicle at the first time point detected by the object detection device, an object arrival time from the first time point to a third time point at which the transporter vehicle arrives at the object when the transporter vehicle travels by the relative distance at the relative speed from the first time point; and

comparing the stop distance passage time with the object arrival time,

wherein the possibility of collision is determined based on a comparison result.

17. The transporter vehicle control method according to claim 15,

wherein a load is loaded on the vessel in a loading field of a mine, the transporter vehicle travels from the loading field to a soil disposal field of the mine, and the load is discharged from the vessel in the soil disposal field,

wherein a first deceleration is set when the transporter vehicle travels after the load is loaded in the loading field, and

wherein a second deceleration larger than the first deceleration is set when the transporter vehicle travels after the load is discharged in the soil disposal field.