JPH04209011A - Control system for unmanned conveyance vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To know the current position of a conveyance vehicle in traveling motion and to plan the travel schedule of other conveyance vehicles by measuring time differences between received signals outputted by receivers, installed at respective positions in a conveyance range, as the unmanned conveyance vehicle travels. CONSTITUTION:An unmanned conveyance vehicle 1a sends a pulse signal from a transmitter 7a at constant intervals. The pulse signal is received by the receivers 8a-8c, which report the reception times to a coordinate computer 9. The coordinate computer 9 calculates the position of the unmanned conveyance vehicle from the differences between the times reported by the receivers 8a 8c. Then the result is reported to a controller 2 for the unmanned conveyance vehicle to calculate the current position of the unmanned conveyance vehicle. The transmitter 7a is powered by a dedicated battery 10 and continues to operate even if the unmanned conveyance vehicle stops or if its main body battery comes down. It is therefore decided whether or not other unmanned conveyance vehicles can travel in safety.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field 1] The present invention relates to a control system 1 for an automatic guided vehicle, and particularly to a technology for managing the current position of an automatic guided vehicle.

[Prior Art J] Fig. 3 is a system configuration diagram of a conventional automatic guided vehicle control system. The control system controls multiple automated guided vehicles (
la), (lb), and these automated guided vehicles (lal
, (Automated guided vehicle controller (2) that remotely controls the traveling of lbl and the transfer control of transported objects, to the automated guided vehicle,
Alternatively, multiple transfer tables (3
a) to (3d), communication devices (4a) to (4d) installed on each transfer platform (3a) to (3dl) and transmitting and receiving signals between the automatic guided vehicle controller (3) and the automatic guided vehicle, intersections ( 6a) and (6b), and the driving route (5) of the automatic guided vehicle.

Next, the operation of the conventional system will be explained according to the above configuration.

In FIG. 3, as an example, it is assumed that a request for transport from the transfer table (3C) to the transfer table (3a) occurs.

The automatic guided vehicle controller (2) gives a loading command to the automatic guided vehicle (lal) through the communication device (4C), and waits for a report on the completion of the loading operation from the communication device (4c).

When the loading work is completed, the automatic guided vehicle controller (2) sends the automatic guided vehicle (la) via the communication device (4C).
Give the command to move to the transfer table (3a), and send the communication device (4a)
Waiting for arrival report.

When the arrival report is received, the automatic guided vehicle controller (2
) gives a command to the automatic guided vehicle (la) to load and unload onto the transfer platform (3a) through the communication device (4a), and sends the communication device (4a)
) to wait for a report on the completion of loading and unloading operations.

The transport work ends when the automatic guided vehicle controller (2) receives the loading/unloading work completion report.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] Conventional automatic guided vehicle control systems are configured as described above, so if the automatic guided vehicle is traveling, the current position of the automatic guided vehicle cannot be managed and the purpose of the automatic guided vehicle cannot be managed. The current position of the conveyance vehicle on the road is not known until it reaches the ground, so
If multiple automated guided vehicles share a part of the driving route,
There is a problem in that if the current guided vehicle does not arrive at its destination, the next guided vehicle cannot start traveling in order to avoid collisions between the guided vehicles.

This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a control system for an automatic guided vehicle that is equipped with a device that measures the current position of a traveling automatic guided vehicle.

[Means for Solving the Problems 1] A control system for an automatic guided vehicle according to the present invention allows an automatic guided vehicle that automatically transfers and loads objects to travel automatically within a predetermined transport range, wherein the automatic guided vehicle A transmitter installed in the vehicle and transmits a signal, a receiver installed at multiple locations within the above transportation range, which sequentially receives the transmitted signal and outputs a signal reception signal as the automatic guided vehicle travels, and each receiver The automatic guided vehicle is equipped with a current position detecting means for receiving signals from the automatic guided vehicle and detecting the current position of the automatic guided vehicle based on the time lag between these received signals.

[Function] According to the current position detecting means of the present invention, the current position detection means can detect the current position by measuring the time difference between the received signals output from the receivers installed at each position in the transport range as the automatic guided vehicle travels. It is possible to determine in which position the guided vehicle is traveling, and it can be determined whether it is safe to allow other automatic guided vehicles to travel.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1st
The figure is a system configuration diagram of a control system for an automatic guided vehicle in this embodiment. In the figure, the same reference numerals as in FIG. 3 indicate the same or corresponding parts. In the figure, (7al, (
7b) is a transmitter mounted on each automatic guided vehicle (LAL, (LB)) that transmits a pulse signal at regular intervals; (8a)
~(8cl is a receiver that outputs a reception time signal when receiving a pulse signal from each transmitter (7al, (7b), (9
) is a coordinate calculator that determines the current position of the automatic guided vehicle based on the received time signals from each of the receivers (8a) to (8C).

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained according to the above configuration. First, as a method for measuring the current position of an automatic guided vehicle, as shown in Fig. 2, the automatic guided vehicle (lal is a transmitter (7a)
A pulse signal is transmitted at regular intervals.

The pulse signal is sent to the receivers (8a), (8b), (8
c), and the reception time is determined by the coordinate computer (9).
The coordinate computer (9) determines the position of the automatic guided vehicle from the time difference reported by each receiver, and the current position is determined through a series of operations such as reporting from time to time to the automatic guided vehicle controller (2). It will be done.

The transmitter (7a) is operated by a dedicated battery (10) and continues to operate even if the automatic guided vehicle stops or the main battery of the automatic guided vehicle runs out.

The operation of this embodiment will now be described in detail based on the above current position determining method.

In Figure 1, the transfer platform (3C) is placed on the automatic guided vehicle (1a).
Transfer request from to transfer table (3a) and automatic guided vehicle (1b)
Suppose that a request for transport from the transfer table (3b) to the transfer table (3d) occurs in .

The automatic guided vehicle controller (2) is an automatic guided vehicle (la)
, (lb) through the communication devices (4c) and (4b).

At this time, the automated guided vehicle (1a) sends a loading completion report (
lbl (if it does, the automatic guided vehicle controller (2) will move the automatic guided vehicle 41al to the transfer table (3a).
Give driving commands.

Since the automatic guided vehicle (1a) passes between the intersections (6a) and f6b), no travel command is given to the automatic guided vehicle (lb) until it passes through (6a).

As a result of determining the current position of the automatic guided vehicle (la) by the coordinate calculator (9), the automatic guided vehicle (la) is located at the intersection (6a).
At the point when the automatic guided vehicle (lb) passes through, the automatic guided vehicle controller (2) gives a traveling command to the automatic guided vehicle (lb).

Therefore, compared to the conventional system, a travel command can be given to the automatic guided vehicle (lb) faster by the time taken for the automatic guided vehicle (la) to arrive at the transfer platform (3a) from the intersection (6a).

In addition, the automatic guided vehicle (la) may run out of battery before it reaches the transfer platform (3a) or due to other reasons.
Assume that a) has stopped.

At this time, if the automatic guided vehicle (lal) stopped after passing the intersection (6a), then the automatic guided vehicle (1b
) gives a running command.

If the automated guided vehicle (la) stops before passing the intersection (6a), the automated guided vehicle (la) will become an automated guided vehicle (lb).
Wait until it is removed from the travel path, and at that point give a driving command to the automatic guided vehicle (LBL).

Ru.

In this way, the effects of failure of the automated guided vehicle can be minimized.

In addition, if automatic guided vehicles are about to collide with each other, are left on the road by humans, or do not start even when given a driving command, the automatic guided vehicle controller will issue a warning to the person. emanate.

Furthermore, it will be possible to view the current location and movement status of the automated guided vehicle from the outside.

Furthermore, since the current position of a traveling automatic guided vehicle can be managed, optimal operation of the automatic guided vehicle can be achieved when a plurality of automatic guided vehicles share a traveling route.

In addition to the above advantages, it is also possible to know where the automatic guided vehicle will be moved if it is manually moved due to a malfunction, etc., so that when it becomes clear that the automatic guided vehicle has been moved to another location, the automatic guided vehicle that has stopped will be able to move forward. This makes it possible for other automatic guided vehicles that could not start to start traveling.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the current position of an unmanned guided vehicle can be determined appropriately, so even when the transport range is shared with multiple unmanned guided vehicles, other unmanned guided vehicles can The travel schedule of the guided vehicle can be established early, the operational efficiency of the automated guided vehicle is improved, and optimal control of multiple automated guided vehicles can be achieved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a control system for an automatic guided vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a method for measuring the current position of an automatic guided vehicle in this embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a control system for an automatic guided vehicle. In the figure, (lal, (lb) is an automatic guided vehicle, (
2) is an automatic guided vehicle controller, (3a) to (3d) are transfer tables, (5) is a travel path, (7a), (7bl is a transmitter, (8a) to (8cl are receivers, (9) is a coordinate calculator. In the figures, the same reference numerals indicate the same or equivalent parts. Figure 1 I!3

Claims (1)

[Claims] An unmanned guided vehicle that automatically transfers and loads conveyed objects automatically travels within a predetermined transport range, and a transmitter that is mounted on the automatic guided vehicle and transmits a signal and installed at multiple locations within the transport range. There is a receiver that sequentially receives the transmitted signals and outputs a signal reception signal as the automatic guided vehicle travels, and a receiver that receives the signal reception signals from each receiver, and due to the time difference between these received signals, the automatic guided vehicle 1. A control system for an automatic guided vehicle, comprising: current position detection means for detecting the current position of the automatic guided vehicle.