Interference prediction apparatus for unmanned vehicle

• US 6,253,128 B1
• Filed: 02/22/1999
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Kuromoto, Kazunori, Kageyama, Masato, Okawa, Yukio
• Primary Examiner(s): LOUIS JACQUES, JACQUES H
• Application Number:
  US09/253,937
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/24, 701/25, 701/26, 701/200, 701/201, 701/202, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/210, 701/300, 701/301, 180/168, 180/169, 180/167, 246/63.R, 246/167.R, 246/178, 246/187.B, 246/167.D, 340/901-905, 340/435, 340/436, 340/438
• US Class Current: 701/23
• 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

Interference prediction apparatus is applied when an unmanned vehicle is guided within a course area based on travel position and course data, and comprises a device for inputting the form of the course area, a device for preparing course data, device for estimating error of travel position when the unmanned vehicle is operated according to course data, and a device for predicting interference between the unmanned vehicle and areas outside the course area on the basis of estimated error so that interference can be prevented when unmanned vehicles pass by each other.

Claims

1. An interference prediction apparatus for unmanned vehicles, which predicts interference of an unmanned vehicle with areas outside of a course area when the unmanned vehicle travels along a traveling course provided within the course area, reconstitutes the traveling course from results of predicted of the interference, and guides the unmanned vehicle to travel along the reconstituted traveling course, comprising:

means for inputting course data indicative of form of the course area;

means for estimating error of a travel position when the unmanned vehicle travels along the traveling course; and

means for predicting whether the interference of the unmanned vehicle occurs with the areas outside of the course area based on the course data and the estimated error of the travel positions;

wherein when an occurrence of the interference is predicted by the means of predicting interference, the traveling course is reconstituted.

2. The interference prediction apparatus for unmanned vehicles, according the claim 1, wherein the means for predicting interference comprises:

means for estimating a zone wherein the unmanned vehicle is located on the basis of the estimated error, the course data and the width of the unmanned vehicle; and

means for determining that edge of the course area is within the zone in which the unmanned vehicle is located.

3. The interference prediction apparatus for unmanned vehicles, according to claim 1, wherein the means for predicting interference comprises:

means for establishing a zone within the course area where positions in the course data may not be present, on the basis of the estimated error, the course area, and the width of the unmanned vehicle; and

means for determining that a position in the course data is present within the zone.

7. The interference prediction apparatus for unmanned vehicles, according to claim 1 or 4, further comprising means for changing the course data to another course data with which interference can be avoided, when interference is predicted by the means for predicting interference.

8. The interference prediction apparatus for unmanned vehicles, according to claim 1 or 4, wherein the means for preparing course data comprises teaching type preparing means which records vehicle positions when an operator actually drives the unmanned vehicle.

4. An interference prediction apparatus for unmanned vehicles, which predicts, when an unmanned vehicle travels along a traveling course provided within a course area, interference of the unmanned vehicle with areas outside of the course area or interference of the unmanned vehicle with another unmanned vehicle traveling along another traveling course provided along the traveling course;

reconstitutes the traveling course from results of prediction of the interference; and

guides the unmanned vehicle to travel along the reconstituted traveling course, comprising;

means for inputting course data indicative of form of the course area;

means for estimating error of a travel position when the unmanned vehicle travels along the traveling course, and error of a travel position when the another unmanned vehicle travels along the another traveling course; and

means for predicting whether interference of the unmanned vehicle occurs with the areas outside of the course area based on the course data and the estimated error of the travel position of the unmanned vehicle, and whether interference of the unmanned vehicle occurs with the another unmanned vehicle based on each error estimated by the means for estimating error,

wherein when an occurrence of the interference is predicted by the means of predicting interference, the traveling course of the unmanned vehicle is reconstituted.

5. The interference prediction apparatus for unmanned vehicles, according to claim 4, wherein the means for predicting interference comprises:

means for estimating respective zones in which the unmanned vehicles are located respectively based on each of the estimated errors, the course data of the one unmanned vehicle and the another unmanned vehicle, and the widths of the one unmanned vehicle and the another unmanned vehicle; and

means for determining that the edge of the course area is within the zone in which the one unmanned vehicle is located and determining whether the respective zones interfere with each other.

6. The interference prediction apparatus for unmanned vehicles, according to claim 4, wherein the means for predicting interference comprises:

means for establishing respective zones within the course area where positions in the course data for the one unmanned vehicle may not be present, and where positions in the course data for the another unmanned vehicle may not be present, on the basis of each of the estimated errors, the course area, central position of the course area and the widths of the one unmanned vehicle and the another unmanned vehicle; and

means for determining that corresponding positions in the course data are present within the respective zones.

9. An interference prediction apparatus for unmanned vehicles, which predicts, when an unmanned vehicle travels along a traveling course provided, interference of the unmanned vehicle with another unmanned vehicle traveling along another traveling course provided along the traveling course, reconstitutes the traveling course from results of prediction of the interference, and guides the unmanned vehicle so as to travel along the reconstituted traveling course, comprising:

means for estimating error of a travel position when the unmanned vehicle travels along the traveling course, and error of a travel position when the another unmanned vehicle travels along the another course; and

means for predicting whether interference of the unmanned vehicle occurs with the another unmanned vehicle based on each error estimated by the means for estimating error,

wherein when occurrence of the interference is predicted by the means of predicting interference, the traveling course of the unmanned vehicle is reconstituted.