JPH08305438A - Following vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] (Correction) [Construction] The main body vehicle 1 that follows the user at a predetermined distance, stores a first predetermined distance and a second predetermined distance larger than the first predetermined distance. The switching means 16 switches the first predetermined distance when the rotation signal of the drive wheel 4 is input from the rotation detection means 7 and the second predetermined distance when the stop signal is input. A follow-up traveling vehicle that travels at a speed faster than the instructed speed until the first predetermined distance is reached when the input of the switching means 16 is switched from the stop signal to the rotation signal. [Effects] When the user performs work around the main body vehicle after stopping, the user does not needlessly follow up, which is very convenient and the energy for driving is not wasted. Further, since the user is quickly followed, the waiting time is reduced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a follow-up traveling vehicle that follows and travels according to the walking of a user.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, JP-A-6-274223 (G05D1 / 00)
There is known a traveling vehicle that follows the user's walking as shown in FIG. In this vehicle, the ultrasonic wave oscillated from the traveling vehicle is received by the receiver that the user has, and when it is received by the receiver, the radio wave is transmitted from the transmitter on the user side, and the receiver installed in the vehicle By receiving the information, the predetermined distance is calculated from the transmission time during this period, and the running and stopping are controlled so that the vehicle travels at a predetermined distance.

However, with such a configuration,
When the user stops while driving, the traveling vehicle also stops,
When the user stops, he or she often works at the stopping place and sometimes moves finely near the traveling vehicle.
In that case, in the case of the above-described configuration, the user and the traveling vehicle always follow each other with a constant distance, so that the number of starting and stopping increases, and the energy for driving the drive source, for example, the amount of exhausting the gasoline or the battery is reduced. To increase. Even when the user travels back and forth in a short section starting from the stop location and the traveling vehicle does not have to move, the traveling vehicle will follow each time, so energy for driving the drive source is wasted. Can be exhausted. Further, since the vehicle travels unnecessarily, there is a problem that the usability is deteriorated.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above drawbacks, and provides an energy-saving and easy-to-use follow-up traveling vehicle that does not wastefully consume energy for driving a drive source. This is an issue.

[0005]

According to the structure of claim 1 of the present invention, the drive source for rotating the drive wheels and the rotation detection for detecting the rotation stop of the drive wheels and outputting the rotation signal and the stop signal. And a control means for controlling the drive source by following the vehicle with a predetermined distance from the user, the predetermined distance being a first predetermined distance and the first predetermined distance. And a second predetermined distance that is larger than the second predetermined distance, and a switching means that switches to a first predetermined distance when a rotation signal is input from the rotation detection means and a second predetermined distance when a stop signal is input. To do.

Further, a speed instructing means for instructing a driving force of the driving source is provided, and when the input of the switching means is switched from a stop signal to a rotation signal, the driving force instructed until the first predetermined distance is reached. It is characterized in that a speed control means for driving with a large driving force is provided.

A timer that operates for a predetermined time when the control means outputs a stop signal is provided, and the drive source is driven when the distance between the traveling vehicle and the user at the end of the timer is larger than the second predetermined distance. A comparison means is provided.

Further, the control means includes an oscillator for oscillating an ultrasonic sensor carried by the user, a receiver for receiving ultrasonic waves provided on the vehicle body, and a reception level detector for detecting the reception level. , And a microcomputer that controls a drive source according to the reception level.

[0009]

According to the present invention, the control means controls the drive source so that the drive source follows the predetermined distance, and when the user starts walking, the drive source rotates the drive wheels to follow the drive source. Stop driving and stop the main vehicle. The rotation detecting means detects the operation time and the stop time, and when the rotation signal is input, the distance between the user and the main body vehicle is set to the first predetermined distance, and when the stop signal is detected, the second predetermined distance is set. Switch settings. As a result, while the main vehicle is stopped, the main vehicle does not move even if the user moves within the second predetermined distance range.

When the user's movement exceeds the second predetermined distance, the vehicle body starts to operate by driving the drive source, and the speed is faster than the instructed speed until the predetermined distance reaches the first predetermined distance. Follow the user. At this time, the predetermined distance is switched to the first predetermined distance by the rotation signal from the rotation detecting means. Then, when the distance between the main body vehicle and the user reaches the first predetermined distance, the speed is decelerated to follow the instructed speed.

When the rotation detecting means detects that the main body vehicle is stopped, the timer operates at the same time, and the drive source is driven at the position of the user when a predetermined time has passed, that is, the distance from the main body vehicle. Determine whether to let or stop.
Therefore, when the main body vehicle is stopped and the predetermined distance is set to the second predetermined distance, even if the user moves beyond the second predetermined distance during the timer operation, the main vehicle does not move and the timer operation ends. The stop of the operation is determined according to the position of the user at the time. As a result, when the user reciprocates in a section exceeding the second predetermined distance from the stop location as a starting point, the vehicle body is stopped unless the time set by the timer is exceeded. Also, when the user travels back and forth in a section that exceeds the second predetermined distance from the stop place, if the time set by the timer is exceeded, the main body vehicle will be
Start running to follow the user.

Further, as means for detecting the distance between the user and the vehicle body, the distance is calculated by detecting the intensity of the ultrasonic wave oscillated by the user.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings by taking a golf cart as an example.

First, the control circuit mounted on the main body vehicle 1 will be described.

Reference numeral 2 is a control means for carrying out arithmetic processing such as control of traveling speed and control of steering, that is, a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as a microcomputer).

Reference numeral 3 denotes a drive source, that is, a motor for driving a battery (not shown) as a power source to rotate the drive wheels 4, and the drive source 3 is a drive control circuit 5 based on a signal from the microcomputer 2. The driving force, that is, the traveling speed is PWM-controlled by the control signal from. A signal is input to the microcomputer 2 for the traveling speed by selecting the desired speed of the user of the speed instruction means 6 connected to the microcomputer 2, and a drive control circuit for driving the drive source 3 based on this signal. 5
Signal is output to. In the case of the present embodiment, the duty in the PWM control is increased when traveling at high speed, and the duty is reduced when traveling at low speed. Although the motor is used as the drive source 3 in the present embodiment, the drive source 3 is not limited to the motor and an engine may be used.

Reference numeral 7 is a rotation detecting means for detecting the rotation speed of the drive wheel 4, for example, an encoder.
Has a function of checking whether the drive wheels 4 are rotating or stopped, and a function of measuring a traveling distance by the number of rotations of the drive wheels 4. Then, the signal from the rotation detecting means 7 is input to the microcomputer 2.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a steered wheel whose traveling direction is steered by a steering motor 9. The direction of the steered wheel 8 is ultrasonic wave in the direction in which the user is present based on a signal from a reception level detector 13 described later. The traveling direction is determined by the signal from the microcomputer 2 detected from the direction, and the steering motor 9 is driven by the direction control circuit 10 to rotate the steered wheels 8.

Reference numeral 11 denotes an oscillator that is attached to a user's waist or the like and is carried and constantly oscillates ultrasonic waves at a constant frequency.

Reference numeral 12 is a receiver for receiving the ultrasonic waves output from the oscillator 11. The receiver 12 is connected with a reception level detector 13 for detecting the reception level of the ultrasonic waves. The distance between the oscillator 11 and the receiver 12 is calculated according to the level. The reception level detector 13 can also detect the direction in which the ultrasonic wave is oscillating, and the direction in which the ultrasonic wave is oscillating is detected and input to the microcomputer 2. The signal input to the microcomputer 2 for detecting the oscillation direction outputs to the direction control circuit 10 a control signal for rotating the steering motor 9 to the left or right.

Reference numeral 14 is a start / stop switch for stopping the traveling of the main body vehicle 1, that is, the golf cart. The start / stop switch 14 is for stopping the following traveling, for example, when searching for a golf ball in a mountain or a valley. It is a switch to operate when it is difficult to be followed.

Reference numeral 15 is a memory in the microcomputer 2,
The memory 15 stores a first predetermined distance and a second predetermined distance, and the first predetermined distance is shorter than the second predetermined distance, for example, the first predetermined distance is 5 meters indicated by a broken line in FIG. The second predetermined distance is set to 10 meters shown by the solid line in FIG.

Reference numeral 16 is the memory 15 and the rotation detecting means 7.
The switching means 16 switches the predetermined value to a first predetermined distance when the rotation detection means 7 outputs a traveling signal, and to a second predetermined distance when it outputs a stop signal.

A timer 17 receives a signal from the rotation detecting means 7 and is in a state of passing a signal while the rotation signal is being input, and starts an operation when a stop signal is input. The timer 17 is connected to the reception level detector 13, and a signal from the reception level detector 13 is input when a predetermined time set in the timer 17 has elapsed. The predetermined time of the timer 17 is set to 30 seconds, for example.

Reference numeral 18 is a comparison means in which the timer 17 and the switching means 16 are connected to each other, and the comparison means 18 compares the input calculation distance from the reception level detector 13 and a predetermined distance from the switching means 16. And outputs a PWM signal for driving the drive source 3 to the drive control circuit 5 so as to eliminate the difference.

Reference numeral 19 is a speed control means for inputting the speed commanded by the speed command means 6 and for inputting a signal from the comparison means 18. The speed control means 19 is a second predetermined distance when the main vehicle 1 is started. If the speed exceeds, the drive signal is output to the drive control circuit 5 so that the speed becomes faster than the instructed speed.
Then, during traveling, it functions to switch the speed to the instructed speed so that the vehicle travels at the instructed speed when the distance to the oscillator 11 becomes short and reaches the first predetermined distance.

Next, the operation will be described based on FIG. 2 using a flow chart.

When the main body vehicle 1 is ready to run, a signal transmitted from the rotation detecting means 7 is input to the microcomputer 2 (S1), and it is determined whether the signal is a rotation signal or a stop signal (S2). If the signal is a rotation signal, the main vehicle 1
Then, the following distance between the user and the user, that is, the distance between the oscillator 11 and the receiver 12 is set to the first predetermined distance (S3). Then, it is separated by the first predetermined distance and follows the movement of the user at the instructed speed (S4). At this time, the timer 17 is energized. However, if the user approaches within the first predetermined distance or the user stops, the comparison means 18 determines whether the distance is within the first predetermined distance (S5), and the drive source 3 is stopped (S6). At this time, since the drive source 3 is stopped and the signal from the rotation detecting means 7 becomes a stop signal, the distance between the vehicle body 1 and the user is set to the second predetermined distance (S).
7).

When the second predetermined distance is set, the timer 17
Operates for a predetermined time (S8), and the distance between the user and the main vehicle 1 when the predetermined time has elapsed is detected (S9). If the distance at this time is within the second predetermined distance, timer again
The user and the main vehicle 1 after a predetermined time after operating 17 (S8)
And the distance is compared (S9). If the second predetermined distance is exceeded, the drive source 3 starts operating to follow (S1
0), and since the rotation signal from the rotation detecting means 7 is input along with the rotation of the drive wheels 4 (S11), the follow-up distance between the user and the main body vehicle 1 is set to the first set distance (S).
12). At this time, when the rotation signal is not input, the drive is stopped because it is abnormal.

When the vehicle starts to run, the distance between the user and the main vehicle 1 is wide, so that the speed is faster than the speed set by the speed instructing means 6, that is, the speed obtained by adding the predetermined speed T to the instructed speed. Drive (S13). Then, when the distance between the user and the main body vehicle 1 is within the first predetermined distance, the vehicle is decelerated so as to travel at the instructed speed, and thereafter, the vehicle travels following the first predetermined distance (S14).

A specific example of the timer operation will be described with reference to FIG.

In the graph shown in FIG. 4, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the distance between the vehicle body 1 and the user.

In the case of A, when the main body vehicle 1 that has followed is stopped, the timer 17 is activated and the predetermined distance is also switched to the second predetermined distance by the stop signal from the rotation detecting means 7. After that, the user leaves the main body vehicle 1 and moves beyond the second predetermined distance. Then, after the expiration of the timer time, if the vehicle is located at a position away from the second predetermined distance, the fact that the second predetermined distance is exceeded is detected, the drive source 3 is operated, and the rotation detection means 7 rotates. The predetermined distance is switched to the first predetermined distance by the signal, and the vehicle travels following. The traveling speed at this time is such that the user travels at a high speed obtained by adding T to the instructed speed until the first predetermined distance is reached, and when the first predetermined distance is reached, the traveling speed is the instructed speed and the interval is the first predetermined distance. Open and follow.

Next, in the case of B, after the following traveling, the main body vehicle 1 is stopped, and at the same time, the timer 17 is operated and the predetermined distance is also switched to the second predetermined distance by the stop signal from the rotation detecting means 7. After that, the user leaves the main body vehicle 1 and moves beyond the second predetermined distance. However, after the timer expires, the second
When the vehicle is within the predetermined distance, the driving source 3 does not operate and the timer 17 operates again. When the timer 17 repeatedly operates and the position of the user exceeds the second predetermined distance after the timer has expired, the drive source 3 is started and the predetermined distance is switched to the first predetermined distance by the rotation signal from the rotation detecting means 7. And follow. The traveling speed at this time is such that the user travels at a high speed obtained by adding T to the instructed speed until reaching the first predetermined distance, and when the first predetermined distance is reached, the speed is switched to the instructed speed and only the first predetermined distance is reached. Follow and run at intervals.

The above-mentioned operation is specifically described as an operation on a golf course. When the main body vehicle 1 which is a golf cart follows the oscillator 11 carried by the caddy, the main body vehicle 1 stops along with the stop of the caddy. In the case of B, when delivering the club to the player or the like, if the vehicle returns to within the second predetermined distance before the timer time elapses, the main vehicle 1 maintains the stopped state. If you don't come back like A, the caddy is judged to be moving forward,
The oscillator 11 travels in the direction of the ultrasonic waves oscillated at a speed faster than the instructed speed. Even when returning to within the second predetermined distance within the timer time as in B, the timer 17 is constantly operated during stop, and when the second predetermined distance is exceeded at the end of the timer time, start and run To do. Further, the work of filling the soil in the hole of the lawn after the player hits can be performed without the main body vehicle 1 moving within the range of the second predetermined distance. After the work is completed, the caddy will move forward and proceed.
The main body vehicle 1 does not start operating until the predetermined distance is exceeded.

As described above, the predetermined distance includes the first predetermined distance and the second predetermined distance larger than the first predetermined distance,
Since the switching means 16 for switching to the first predetermined distance when the rotation signal is input from the rotation detection means 7 and the second predetermined distance when the stop signal is input is provided in the vicinity of the main vehicle 1 when the user stops. When performing work, it is extremely easy to use because it does not follow unnecessary. Further, since it does not follow unnecessarily, energy for driving the drive source 3, such as a battery and gasoline, is not wasted.

Further, when the input of the switching means 16 is switched from the stop signal to the rotation signal, the speed control means 19 for traveling at a speed faster than the instructed speed instructed until the first predetermined distance is provided, so that after the stop, Even if the user has left the second predetermined distance, the user can be followed quickly, the waiting time is short, and the usability is very good.

Further, a timer 17 which operates for a predetermined time when the rotation detecting means 7 outputs a stop signal is provided, and when the distance between the vehicle body 1 and the user at the end of the timer time is larger than the second predetermined distance, the drive source is set. Since the comparison means 18 for driving 3 is provided, when the user stops and works around the main body vehicle 1, it does not follow unnecessarily, and when the main body vehicle 1 is reciprocated in a short time. Workability is greatly improved because it does not follow.

Further, the control means includes an oscillator 11 for oscillating an ultrasonic sensor carried by the user, a receiver 12 for receiving ultrasonic waves provided on the main vehicle 1, and a reception level detector 13 for detecting the reception level. And the microcomputer 2 that controls the drive source 3 according to the reception level, the distance can be detected according to the strength of the ultrasonic wave, and thus the distance for follow-up travel can be measured with a simple configuration.

In this embodiment, the example of use in a golf cart on a golf course is given, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be applied to a vehicle used in a factory or the like.

[0041]

As described above, the predetermined distance includes the first predetermined distance and the second predetermined distance which is larger than the first predetermined distance, and the first predetermined distance when the rotation signal is input from the rotation detecting means. Since the switching means for switching to the second predetermined distance when the stop signal is input is provided, when the user works around the main body vehicle when the user stops, it does not follow unnecessarily, which is very convenient. In addition, since it does not follow unnecessarily, the energy for driving the drive source is not wasted.

Further, when the input of the switching means is switched from the stop signal to the rotation signal, the speed control means for driving with the driving force larger than the instructed driving force until the first predetermined distance is provided. Even if the user moves away from the second predetermined distance, the user can quickly follow the user after starting, so that the waiting time is reduced and the usability is greatly improved.

Further, a control is provided in which a timer that operates for a predetermined time when the rotation detecting means outputs a stop signal is provided, and the drive source is driven when the distance between the vehicle body and the user at the end of the timer is larger than the second predetermined distance. Since a means is provided, when the user stops and works around the main body vehicle, it does not follow unnecessarily, and when it makes a round trip from the main body vehicle in a short time, it does not follow so it is very workable. improves.

Further, the control means includes an oscillator for oscillating an ultrasonic sensor carried by the user, a receiver for receiving ultrasonic waves provided in the main body vehicle, a reception level detector for detecting the reception level, and a reception level. The distance can be detected according to the strength of the ultrasonic wave, and the distance for follow-up travel can be measured with a simple configuration.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a control circuit showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the same.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a predetermined distance between the user and the main vehicle.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing an example of the same operating state.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 Drive Wheel 3 Drive Source 7 Rotation Detection Means 2 Control Means 1 Main Vehicle 16 Switching Means 6 Speed Indication Means 19 Speed Control Means 17 Timer 18 Comparing Means 11 Oscillator 12 Receiver 13 Reception Level Detector

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A drive source for rotating a drive wheel, a rotation detecting means for detecting a rotation stop of the drive wheel and outputting a rotation signal and a stop signal, and a follow-up running having a predetermined distance from a user. And a control means for controlling the drive source, wherein the predetermined distance includes a first predetermined distance and a second predetermined distance larger than the first predetermined distance, and the rotation detecting means. The following traveling vehicle is provided with a switching means for switching to a first predetermined distance when a rotation signal is input from the device and to a second predetermined distance when a stop signal is input. 2. A speed instructing means for instructing a driving force of the drive source is provided, and when the input of the switching means is switched from a stop signal to a rotation signal, the driving force instructed until the first predetermined distance is reached. 2. The following vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising speed control means for driving with a large driving force. 3. A timer is provided which operates for a predetermined time when the rotation detecting means outputs a stop signal, and drives the drive source when the distance between the vehicle body and the user at the end of the timer is larger than a second predetermined distance. The following traveling vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising: 4. The control means includes an oscillator for oscillating an ultrasonic sensor carried by a user, a receiver for receiving ultrasonic waves provided in the vehicle body, and a reception level detector for detecting the reception level. The following vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a microcomputer that controls a drive source according to the reception level.