Guided control device for unmanned vehicle

• US 20090299562A1
• Filed: 08/06/2007
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd., Sumco Techxiv Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Sudou, Tsugio, Nishijima, Akiharu
• Granted Patent: US 8,280,573 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/25
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• 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

Abstract

Guiding speed is increased while an unmanned vehicle is prevented from straying from a travel passage width, to improve the work efficiency. Target speed of the unmanned vehicle increases as a distance between a current position of the unmanned vehicle and a guidable borderline increases, and the target speed of the unmanned vehicle decreases as the distance between the current position of the unmanned vehicle and a guidable borderline decreases. The unmanned vehicle travels, along a travel path having adjacent inbound/outbound lanes, in a direction opposite to a direction of a vehicle on an oncoming lane. If it is determined that the vehicle traveling along the oncoming lane is approaching the unmanned vehicle, then the target speed of the unmanned vehicle is reduced, whereby the unmanned vehicle is caused to travel at a low guiding speed.

Claims

1. A guided travel control device for an unmanned vehicle for guiding and causing the unmanned vehicle to travel along a target travel course at a target speed, the guided travel control device comprising:

target speed setting means for setting the target speed of the unmanned vehicle such that the target speed of the unmanned vehicle increases as a distance between a current point on the target travel course and a travelable borderline representing a boundary of a travel passage width in which the unmanned vehicle can travel increases; and

guided travel control means for guiding and causing the unmanned vehicle to travel along the target travel course so that the set target speed can be obtained.

4. The guided travel control device for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the unmanned vehicle travels along a travel path having adjacent inbound/outbound lanes while facing a vehicle traveling along an oncoming lane,

the guided travel control device further comprises determination means for determining whether the vehicle traveling along the oncoming lane approaches the unmanned vehicle, and

the guided travel control means reduces the target speed of the unmanned vehicle when the vehicle traveling along the oncoming lane approaches the unmanned vehicle.

2. A guided travel control device for an unmanned vehicle for guiding and causing the unmanned vehicle to travel along a target travel course at a target speed, the guided travel control device comprising:

guidable width setting means for setting a guidable width such that the guidable width increases as a distance between a current point on the target travel course and a travelable borderline representing a boundary of a travel passage width in which the unmanned vehicle can travel increases;

target speed setting means for setting the target speed of the unmanned vehicle such that the target speed of the unmanned vehicle increases as the guidable width increases; and

guided travel control means for guiding and causing the unmanned vehicle to travel along the target travel course so that the set target speed can be obtained.

3. The guided travel control device for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the target speed setting means sets the target speed of the unmanned vehicle such that the target speed of the unmanned vehicle increases as the distance between the current position of the unmanned vehicle and a guidable borderline increases while the target speed of the unmanned vehicle decreases as the distance between the current position of the unmanned vehicle and the guidable borderline decreases.

5. The guided travel control device for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the unmanned vehicle travels along a travel path having adjacent inbound/outbound lanes while facing a vehicle traveling along an oncoming lane,

the guided travel control device further comprises determination means for determining whether the vehicle traveling along the oncoming lane approaches the unmanned vehicle, and

the guided travel control means reduces the target speed of the unmanned vehicle when the vehicle traveling along the oncoming lane approaches the unmanned vehicle.

6. The guided travel control device for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

the unmanned vehicle travels along a travel path having adjacent inbound/outbound lanes while facing a vehicle traveling along an oncoming lane,

the guided travel control device further comprises determination means for determining whether the vehicle traveling along the oncoming lane approaches the unmanned vehicle, and

the guided travel control means reduces the target speed of the unmanned vehicle when the vehicle traveling along the oncoming lane approaches the unmanned vehicle.