Voice-actuated machine body control apparatus for construction machine

• US 7,103,545 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2001
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Sarl (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Shin Caterpillar Mitsubishi Ltd. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Furuta, Hideto
• Primary Examiner(s): ARMSTRONG, ANGELA A
• Application Number:
  US10/090,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20020152079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,006 Days
• Field of Search: 704/246, 704273-275
• US Class Current: 704/246
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/20 Drives; Control devices gearings in general F16H; controlling in general G05; electric multi-motor drives H02K, H02P
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/205 Remotely operated machines, e.g. unmanned vehicles E02F3/8866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/24 Safety devices , e.g. for preventing overload E02F9/226 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35453 Voice announcement, oral, speech input
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/02 electric

Abstract

A voice-actuated machine body control apparatus for a construction machine is provided. The voice-actuated machine body control apparatus comprises speech recognition means (1a) capable of speech-recognizing a voice command representative of an instruction by voice regarding a movement of a machine body (80), machine body control means (1e) capable of controlling the machine body movement based on a result of the recognition by the speech recognition means (1a), obstacle recognition means (1b) capable of detecting the presence of an object outside the machine body which may possibly make an obstacle to the machine body movement, and avoidance means (1c) capable of inhibiting, when the presence of an object outside of the machine body is detected by the obstacle recognition means (1b), the machine body movement in accordance with the voice command preferentially to the control by the machine body control means (1e) thereby to avoid an inappropriate movement of the machine body (80). Thus, the construction machine (80) can be operated appropriately with voice uttered by the operator while the operator does not operate an joystick, a pedal or the like and does not perform an inputting operation using a switch or the like.

Claims

1. A voice-actuated machine body control apparatus for a construction machine, comprising:

speech recognition means capable of speech-recognizing a voice command representative of an instruction by voice regarding a movement of a machine body;

machine body control means capable of controlling the movement of said machine body based on a result of the recognition by said speech recognition means;

obstacle recognition means capable of detecting the presence of an object outside said machine body which may be an obstacle to the movement of the machine body; and

avoidance means capable of inhibiting, when the presence of an object outside of said machine body is detected by said obstacle recognition means, the machine body movement by said machine body control means thereby to avoid an inappropriate movement of said machine body,

wherein said speech recognition means discriminates whether or not the voice command is issued by a registered operator, and

when the speech recognition means discriminates that the voice command is issued by the registered operator, said machine body control means permits the machine body movement, and

when the speech recognition means discriminates that the voice command is not issued by the registered operator, said machine body control means inhibits the machine body movement.

2. The voice-actuated machine body control apparatus for a construction machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said avoidance means further comprises:

priority degree determination means for determining a degree of priority regarding the inhibition of the machine body movement in accordance with the voice command; and

an optimum machine body movement is performed using the degree of priority determined by said priority degree determination means.

3. The voice-actuated machine body control apparatus for a construction machine as set forth in claim 2, wherein said priority degree determination means

determines the degree of priority such that the highest degree of priority is provided to a parameter regarding a person.

4. The voice-actuated machine body control apparatus for a construction machine as set forth in claim 3, wherein said priority degree determination means

determines the degree of priority such that, where the highest degree of priority is assured, a next highest degree of priority is provided to a parameter regarding said machine body.

5. The voice-actuated machine body control apparatus for a construction machine as set forth in claim 4, further comprising speech notification means capable of notifying an operator by voice of a situation of avoidance by the machine body movement when the optimum machine body movement is performed.

6. The voice-actuated machine body control apparatus for a construction machine as set forth in claim 3, further comprising speech notification means capable of notifying an operator by voice of a situation of avoidance by the machine body movement when the optimum machine body movement is performed.