JPH0744231A - Self-propelled vehicle route guidance system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To provide a traveling route guidance system for a self-propelled vehicle that does not require much labor and time for the placement work of a marker and does not spoil the aesthetics of the placement location. [Structure] A plurality of markers 3 are arranged along a travel route 1 of a self-propelled vehicle 2 at appropriate distances from each other, a line sensor of the self-propelled vehicle 2 detects the marker 3, and based on the detected position of the marker 3. The vehicle body direction and the vehicle body position are corrected, the direction of the traveling route 1 is detected, and the traveling route 1 between the markers 3 is complemented for traveling. Accordingly, since the markers 3 may be arranged at appropriate intervals, the marker 3 can be installed with less labor and time, and the change of the traveling route 1 can be easily dealt with, and the markers 3 can be arranged. It is possible to minimize the loss of the aesthetics of the place.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for guiding a traveling route of a vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a system for guiding a traveling route to an unmanned vehicle, as shown in FIG. 6, a strip for recognition (hereinafter referred to as a line marker) 21 is attached or embedded on a floor or the like. In general, the sensor 23 provided in the self-propelled vehicle 22 constantly guides the line marker 21 so that the line marker 21 is advanced along a predetermined traveling route. Further, when the self-propelled vehicle 22 is turned right or left, for example, a bending marker 24 is provided near the line marker 21, and the traveling direction is changed when the bending marker 24 is detected. It is supposed to make a decision and to bend.

[0003]

However, in the conventional method as described above, since the line marker 21 must be arranged along the route to be traveled without interruption, a lot of time and labor is required for the installation work of the line marker 21. However, there is a problem in that it is difficult to deal with a change in the travel route, etc., and the line marker 21 may spoil the appearance of the installation location.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems and does not require much labor and time for the marker installation work.
Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a travel route guiding system for a self-propelled vehicle that does not spoil the appearance of the location.

[0005]

In order to solve the above problems, the first means of the present invention is to provide a plurality of markers arranged at appropriate distances from each other along a traveling route of a self-propelled vehicle, and A self-propelled vehicle that travels while detecting the marker by the detection means, correcting the vehicle body direction and the vehicle body position based on the detected position of the marker, and detecting the direction of the traveling route to complement the traveling route between the markers. Be prepared.

The second means of the present invention is the above-mentioned first means, wherein the marker is inclined at the same angle with respect to the traveling route and the first side arranged orthogonal to the traveling route. ,
A top portion formed by the intersection is formed with second and third sides arranged so as to face the traveling direction of the travel route, and the self-propelled vehicle has a line sensor for detecting a marker and a first side. Control means for correcting the vehicle body direction based on the data detected for the side, for correcting the vehicle body direction and the vehicle body position based on the data detected for the second and third sides, and for traveling in the traveling direction along the travel route; It is equipped with.

The third means of the present invention is the above-mentioned second means, wherein the marker has an equilateral triangle shape.

[0008]

According to the first means, the self-propelled vehicle corrects the vehicle body direction and the vehicle body position based on the detected positions of the markers while detecting a plurality of markers arranged at appropriate distances along the traveling route. At the same time, the vehicle travels while detecting the direction of the travel route and complementing the travel route between the markers. Therefore, it suffices to dispose the markers only at predetermined points.

Further, the second means allows the self-propelled vehicle to travel more accurately along the travel route while complementing the travel route between the markers. Further, since it is not necessary to distinguish between the bottom side and the hypotenuse by the third means, it is easy to handle at the time of installation and the installation work can be performed efficiently.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall plan view showing a travel route guiding system for a self-propelled vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a travel route of the self-propelled vehicle 2, and along the travel route 1, a plurality of markers 3 for guiding the self-propelled vehicle are arranged at appropriate distances from each other. The marker 3 is formed of a regular triangular magnetic plate,
The markers 3 are arranged at intervals of several meters in a straight traveling route, while bending (turning right, turning left, turning, etc.)
In the traveling route to be carried out, they are arranged at intervals of 1 m or less.

As shown in FIG. 2, the self-propelled vehicle 2 has a steering wheel 1
One front wheel 4 and two rear wheels 5 and 6 fixed in the front-rear direction are provided, and the front wheel 4 is steered via a belt 8 by a steering motor 7 with an angle encoder. There is. Reference numeral 9 denotes a traveling motor that gives a traveling driving force.

Further, two line sensors 11 and 12 for detecting the magnetism of the marker 3 are fixed to the front and rear of the vehicle body in the vehicle 2 in a direction along the vehicle width direction.
1 and 12 are composed of, for example, a plurality of magnetic sensors arranged in parallel. Further, each part of the self-propelled vehicle 2 is controlled by a control means (not shown).

Next, a method for guiding the traveling route of the vehicle will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the self-propelled vehicle 2 has a marker 3
It is designed to go straight into the upper area. When the line sensor 11 on the front side approaches the marker 3 and detects the bottom side (first side) 3a thereof as the self-propelled vehicle 2 advances, the magnetic sensor 11a on one end side of the line sensor 11 detects magnetism and a predetermined value is obtained. Position (eg near the center)
Travel distance L until the magnetic sensor 11b detects the magnetism
Ask for 1. The distance between the magnetic sensors 11a and 11b is L
2. If the angle of the vehicle body with respect to the traveling route 1 of the self-propelled vehicle 2 is θ, tan θ = L1 / L2. Therefore, the vehicle body angle θ of the self-propelled vehicle 2 is calculated from this equation, and this vehicle body angle θ is obtained. Based on this, the direction of the front wheels 3 is changed to correct the vehicle body direction, and the vehicle body angle θ with respect to the travel route 1 is reduced. After this, before the line sensor 12 on the rear side approaches the marker 3,
The direction of the front wheels 3 is changed to the straight traveling direction. Then, the correction of the vehicle body direction by the rear side line sensor 12 is similarly performed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, when the front side line sensor 11 approaches the hypotenuses 3b and 3c on both sides, the positions of the hypotenuses 3b and 3c are detected and the line sensor 11 is evenly distributed from the center to the left and right. The direction of the front wheel 3 is changed so that the edges of the hypotenuses 3b and 3c are detected, and the line sensor 1
The center of 1 is controlled so as to pass the apex 3d of the marker 3 to correct the vehicle body direction and the vehicle body position, and the accurate traveling direction along the travel route 1 is detected. Then, the same process is performed by the line sensor 12 on the rear side.

As a result, the self-propelled vehicle 2 complements the travel route 1 between the markers 3 and travels while being accurately guided on the travel route 1 in the direction indicated by the marker 3. The bending point is taught to the self-propelled vehicle 2 in advance, and the bending operation is performed, for example, when the predetermined marker 3 is detected. Note that, as shown in FIG. 1, since the vehicle body direction of the self-propelled vehicle 2 is easily deviated from the traveling route 1 at the time of bending, the markers 3 are arranged so that the markers 3 can be detected when the bending operation is completed. Further, the markers 3 indicating the bidirectional movement are arranged close to each other within a predetermined distance, and within this distance, the detected markers 3 are ignored and the backward marker 3 is prevented from being erroneously recognized as the forward marker 3. ing.

According to this traveling route guiding system, the markers 3 may be arranged at appropriate intervals, so that the markers 3
The installation work of can be done with less labor and time, the traveling route 1 can be easily changed, and the aesthetic appearance of the installation location can be minimized.

As shown in FIG. 5, encoders 13 and 14 may be provided on the rear wheels 5 and 6 to detect the direction of the vehicle body and the amount of movement. Further, in the above embodiment, the case of the three-wheel system of one front wheel 4 and the two rear wheels 5 and 6 has been described, but it is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to a four-wheel system or a self-propelled vehicle of another traveling system. Nor. Further, the marker 3 and the line sensors 11 and 12 are not limited to magnetism, and an optical sensor or the like may be used. Further, the shape of the marker 3 may be an isosceles triangle, but if it is an equilateral triangle as in this embodiment, it is not necessary to distinguish between the bottom side and the hypotenuse, and therefore it is easy to handle at the time of placement and the placement work is easy. You can do it efficiently. Further, in the above embodiment, the case where two line sensors 11 and 12 are provided to correct the vehicle body direction and the vehicle body position and to improve the detection accuracy of the traveling direction has been described.
There may be only one or three or more.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of markers are arranged at an appropriate distance from each other along the traveling route of the self-propelled vehicle, and the markers are detected by the detection means of the self-propelled vehicle during traveling. By detecting and correcting the vehicle body direction and the vehicle body position based on the detected position of the marker, and detecting the direction of the traveling route and compensating for the traveling route between the markers and traveling, the markers are spaced at appropriate intervals. Since it is only necessary to place the marker at a distance, it is possible to perform the marker installation work with less labor and time, easily change the travel route, etc., and minimize the loss of the aesthetic appearance of the installation location. Can be suppressed.

Further, the first side of the marker, which is arranged orthogonally to the traveling route, is inclined at the same angle with respect to the traveling route, and the apex formed by the intersection is directed in the traveling direction of the traveling route. The vehicle body direction is corrected based on the data detected for the first side and the line sensor as a detection means for detecting the marker in the self-propelled vehicle. And a control means for correcting the vehicle body direction and the vehicle body position based on the data detected for the second and third sides and for traveling in the traveling direction along the traveling route. It is possible to more accurately travel along the travel route while complementing the travel route.

Further, by making the marker into an equilateral triangle, it is not necessary to distinguish between the bottom side and the hypotenuse, so that it is easy to handle when arranging and the arranging work can be performed efficiently.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall plan view showing a travel route guidance system for a self-propelled vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a self-propelled vehicle of the same travel route guidance system.

FIG. 3 is a plan view for explaining a driving route guiding method of the driving route guiding system.

FIG. 4 is a plan view for explaining a traveling route guiding method of the traveling route guiding system.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a self-propelled vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a conventional travel route guidance system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 traveling route 2 self-propelled vehicle 3 marker 3a bottom side (first side) 3b, 3c oblique side (second and third side) 3d top 11 and 12 line sensor

Front page continued (72) Inventor Toshikazu Nemoto 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor, Akira Fujishiro 4-18 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan In-house (72) Inventor Fumiharu Tomizu 4-18 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo J-AL East Japan Mechatronics Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of markers arranged at appropriate distances from each other along a travel route of a self-propelled vehicle, and a detection means for detecting the markers while the vehicle is traveling, and based on the detected position of the marker, the vehicle direction and A travel route guidance system for a self-propelled vehicle, comprising: a self-propelled vehicle that corrects the vehicle body position, detects the direction of the travel route, and complements the travel route between the markers. 2. The marker is inclined at the same angle with respect to the travel route and a first side arranged orthogonal to the travel route,
A second part and a third part, whose tops formed by the intersections are arranged so as to face the traveling direction of the travel route, are formed, and the self-propelled vehicle has a line sensor as a detection means for detecting a marker. , The vehicle body direction is corrected based on the data detected for the first side, the vehicle body direction and the vehicle body position are corrected based on the data detected for the second and third sides, and the vehicle travels in the traveling direction along the travel route. The traveling route guiding system for a self-propelled vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. The traveling route guidance system for a self-propelled vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the marker has an equilateral triangle shape.