AU2023201966B2

AU2023201966B2 - Travel path setting device

Info

Publication number: AU2023201966B2
Application number: AU2023201966A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Kosuke AKAT SUKA; Shun Maruyama; Shun MIZOO; Hirofumi Momose; Toru Takashima
Original assignee: Komatsu Ltd; Toyota Motor Corp
Current assignee: Komatsu Ltd; Toyota Motor Corp
Priority date: 2022-04-04
Filing date: 2023-03-30
Publication date: 2024-05-02
Anticipated expiration: 2043-03-30
Also published as: JP7779792B2; AU2023201966A1; JP2023152371A

Abstract

TRAVEL PATH SETTING DEVICE ABSTRACT A travel path setting device configured to set a target travel path of at least one of a plurality of movable bodies, including a travel path setting portion (62) configured to set a target travel path of a second movable body, which is the at least one of the plurality of movable bodies, at least based on a traveling state of a first movable body, which is one of one or more movable bodies traveling ahead of the second movable body. FIG.6 ~ ~'V1 (Vm) P Rm V 2(Va)

Description

FIG.6

~ ~'V1 (Vm)

P Rm

V2(Va)

TRAVEL PATH SETTING DEVICE BACKGROUND Technical Field

[0001] The following disclosure relates to a travel path setting device configured to set a target travel path of at least one of a plurality of movable bodies. Description of Related Art

[0002] For instance, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020- 126433 describes a travel path setting device in which when a second movable body that is an automated-driving movable body is approaching a first movable body that is another movable body kept at a standstill, the first movable body sets a travel path that enables the second movable body to avoid the first movable body and transmits information on the set travel path to the second movable body. Thus, the second movable body can travel along the travel path that avoids the first movable body. SUMMARY

[0002a] It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome, or at least ameliorate, at least one disadvantage of present arrangements.

[0002b] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a travel path setting device configured to set a target travel path of at least one of a plurality of movable bodies, comprising a travel path setting portion (62) configured to set a target travel path of a second movable body, which is the at least one of the plurality of movable bodies, at least based on a traveling state of a first movable body, which is one of one or more movable bodies traveling ahead of the second movable body, wherein the travel path setting portion sets the target travel path of the second movable body to a path along which the first movable body has traveled when an absolute value of a difference between: a value indicative of an actual turning state of the first movable body; and a value indicative of a target turning state of the first movable body is greater than a set value, the target turning state being a turning state of the first movable body that is based on a target travel path of the first movable body, wherein turning state is a lateral displacement, a lateral acceleration, and a turning radius.

[0002c] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a travel path setting device configured to set a target travel path of at least one of a plurality of movable bodies, comprising: a road surface condition obtaining portion configured to obtain a condition of a road surface of a target travel path of a first movable body, which is one of one or more movable bodies traveling ahead of the at least one of the plurality of movable bodies, based on a traveling state of the first la movable body; and a travel path setting portion configured to set a target travel path of a second movable body, which is one of the at least one of the plurality of movable bodies, to a path different from the target travel path of the first movable body, when the condition of the road surface of the target travel path of the first movable body is obtained, by the road surface condition obtaining portion, as a worse condition in which the condition of the road surface is worse than a set condition; wherein the first movable body is one of the one or more movable bodies traveling ahead of the second movable body, wherein the travel path setting portion sets the target travel path of the second movable body to a path along which the first movable body has traveled when an absolute value of a difference between: a value indicative of an actual turning state of the first movable body; and a value indicative of a target turning state of the first movable body is greater than a set value, the target turning state being a turning state of the first movable body that is based on a target travel path of thefirst movable body, wherein turning state is a lateral displacement, a lateral acceleration, and a turning radius.

[0003] An example aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a target travel path setting device configured to set a target travel path that avoids an area where a road surface condition is poor.

[0004] The travel path setting device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure sets a target travel path of a second movable body, which is a movable body that is to travel after a first movable body has traveled, based on a traveling state of thefirst movable body that has traveled previously. Specifically, when a condition of a road surface, on which the first movable body has passed when traveling along its own target travel path, is obtained, based on the traveling state of the first movable body, as a worse condition in which the condition of the road surface is worse than a set condition, the target travel path of the second movable body that travels following the first movable body is set to another travel path different from the target travel path of the first movable body. This enables the second movable body to travel while avoiding the area where the road surface condition is poor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] The objects, features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of the present disclosure will be better understood by reading the following detailed description of an embodiment, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a view conceptually illustrating a work system including a travel path setting device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; Fig. 2 is a flowchart representing a target travel path setting program stored in a memory of a control ECU of a control device as a travel path setting device according to the embodiment; Fig. 3 is a flowchart representing a movable-body information generation program stored in a memory of a movable body ECU of a movable body as one constituent element of the work system; Fig. 4 is a flowchart representing a target travel path storing program stored in the memory of the movable body ECU; Fig. 5 is a view conceptually illustrating a travel path along which the movable body travels; Fig. 6 is a view conceptually illustrating a travel path along which another movable body that is different from the movable body travels; Fig. 7A is a view illustrating a map stored in the memory of the control ECU and utilized in determining a degree of different-path setting request based on an absolute value of a difference between: a value indicative of an actual turning state of the movable body; and a value indicative of a target turning state of the movable body; Fig. 7B is a view illustrating a map stored in the memory of the control ECU and utilized in determining the degree of different-path setting request based on an absolute value of a difference between: a value indicative of an actual steering operation state of the movable body; and a value indicative of a target steering operation state of the movable body; and Fig. 7C is a view illustrating a map stored in the memory of the control ECU and utilized in determining the degree of different-path setting request based on a value indicative of a state of a vibration of the movable body in an up-down direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

[0006] Referring to the drawings, there will be hereinafter described a work system including a travel path setting device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[00071 The work system including the travel path setting device according to the present embodiment includes, for instance, a plurality of movable bodies V that works in mines, etc., a control device C that is communicable with each of the plurality of movable bodies V, and an antenna A. The control device C and the plurality of movable bodies V wirelessly communicate with each other directly or through the antenna A.

[00081 The plurality of movable bodies V includes, for instance, a manual driving movable body Vm capable of traveling by a driving operation that is an operation of a driving operation member by a driver and an automated-driving movable body Va capable of traveling without depending on the driver's driving operation. The automated driving movable body Va is capable of traveling based on at least one of information on surroundings of the movable body V obtained by a camera, a lidar, etc., and a travel command from the control device C. Where it is not necessary to distinguish the manual driving movable body Vm and the automated-driving movable body Va from each other or where the manual-driving movable body Vm and the automated-driving movable body Va are collectively referred to, each of them will be simply referred to as "movable body V".

[0009] Each movable body V includes, for instance, a drive device D for driving the movable body V, a brake device B for braking the movable body V, a steering device T for steering steerable wheels of the movable body V, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver 10 as a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver, a surroundings information obtaining device 12, a movable-body communication device 14 for transmitting and receiving information wirelessly, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 16, and a movable body ECU 20 constituted principally a computer.

[0010] The drive device D may include, for instance, an electric motor functioning as a drive source and coupled to a plurality of drive wheels among a plurality of wheels 30 of the movable body V and a drive circuit for controlling the electric motor. By controlling the drive circuit, the electric motor is controlled to control the drive force applied to the drive wheels, so that the traveling speed and the acceleration of the movable body V are controlled.

[0011] The brake device B may be configured to include: a plurality of friction brakes each provided for a corresponding one of the plurality of wheels 30 to decrease rotation of the wheel 30 by pressing friction engagement members against a brake rotary body rotatable integrally with the wheel 30; and one or more pressing-force control actuators for controlling a pressing force of each friction brake. In a case where the friction brake is a fluid-pressure brake actuated based on a fluid pressure as the pressing force, each pressing-force control actuator may be constituted as a fluid-pressure control actuator. By controlling the pressing-force control actuators, the pressing force of the friction brakes provided for the respective wheels 30 is controlled to thereby control the braking force applied to each wheel 30.

[00121 The steering device T steers a left wheel 30L and a right wheel 30R, which are steerable wheels among the plurality of wheels 30. The steering device T includes, for instance, a pair of tie rods coupling the left wheel 30L and the right wheel 30R, a steering rod coupling the pair of tie rods, and a steering actuator provided for the steering rod. The steering rod is moved by the steering actuator in the width direction of the movable body V to steer the left wheel 30 and the right wheel 30R.

[00131 The GPS receiver 10 receives GPS signals based on which is obtained an own position of the movable body. The surroundings information obtaining device 12 includes a camera, a lidar, etc. The surroundings information obtaining device 12 recognizes an object present in surroundings of the corresponding movable body and obtains a relative positional relationship between the object and the movable body.

[0014] The inertial measurement unit 16 detects acceleration in each of the front-rear direction, the lateral direction, and the up-down direction of the movable body and an angular velocity about each of the axis extending in the front-rear direction, the axis extending in the lateral direction, and the axis extending in the up-down direction. In other words, the inertial measurement unit 16 detects the acceleration in each of the front-rear direction, the lateral direction, and the up-down direction of the movable body V, a roll rate, a pitch rate, a yaw rate, etc.

[0015] The movable-body communication device 14 wirelessly transmits the movable-body information generated by the movable body ECU 20 and receives the control information transmitted wirelessly from the control device C.

[00161 The manual-driving movable body Vm includes a driving operation member such as a steering operation member 22. The steering operation member 22 is operated to change an orientation of the movable body V. The manual-driving movable body Vm includes a driving-operation-state detecting portion such as a steering operation-state detecting portion 26 for detecting, for instance, an operation amount of the steering operation member 22 and a direction in which the steering operation member 22 is operated. The automated-driving movable body Va may include the driving operation member and the driving-operation-state detecting portion.

[00171 In most cases, the manual-driving movable body Vm is provided with a display 32. For instance, a target travel path is displayed on the display 32. The driver operates the driving operation member while viewing the target travel path displayed on the display 32 to move the manual-driving movable body Vm.

[0018] There are connected, to the movable body ECU 20, the drive circuit of the drive device D, the pressing-force control actuators of the brake device B, the steering actuator of the steering device T, the GPS receiver 10, the surroundings information obtaining device 12, the movable-body communication device 14, the inertial measurement unit 16, the steering-operation-state detecting portion 26, and the display 32. The movable body ECU 20 includes, for instance, a travel path memory portion 42, a traveling state obtaining portion 43, a movable-body-information generating portion 44, and a traveling control portion 46.

[0019] The travel path memory portion 42 is configured to store, for instance, information on the target travel path set for the movable body. It is not essential for the manual-driving movable body Vm to include the travel path memory portion 42. The target travel path can be displayed on the display 32, and the driver can drive along the target travel path displayed on the display 32.

[0020] The information on the target travel path of each movable body V is supplied from the control device C before departure and is stored in the travel path memory portion 42. The information on the target travel path is sometimes changed and set after departure. The changed and set information on the target travel path is transmitted from the control device C to the movable body V and is stored in the travel path memory portion 42 so as to be updated.

[0021] The traveling state obtaining portion 43 is configured to obtain a traveling state of the movable body V. The traveling state obtaining portion 43 may be referred to as a movable-body traveling-state obtaining portion. In a case where the movable body is the manual-driving movable body, the traveling state includes, for instance, an actual turning state, an operation state of the driving operation member, and a state of a vibration in the up-down direction. In a case where the movable body is the automated-driving movable body, the traveling state includes, for instance, the state of the vibration in the up-down direction.

[0022] For instance, the actual turning state of the manual-driving movable body Vm can be represented by a lateral displacement, a turning radius, or a yaw rate. The lateral displacement and the turning radius can be obtained respectively based on the lateral acceleration and the yaw rate, which are detected values of the inertial measurement unit 16 of the manual-driving movable body Vm. The operation state (that can be represented by the operation amount, the operation force, etc.,) of the steering operation member 22, which functions as the driving operation member of the manual-driving movable body Vm, can be detected by the steering-operation-state detecting portion 26. The manual-driving movable body Vm turns in accordance with the operation of the steering operation member 22. Thus, the actual turning state can be obtained based on the steering operation state of the steering operation member 22 detected by the steering-operation-state detecting portion 26. In this sense, the operation amount, the operation force, etc., of the steering operation member 22 detected by the steering-operation-state detecting portion 26 may be considered as a value representing the actual turning state.

[0023] The state of the vibration in the up-down direction of each of the automated-driving movable body Va and the manual-driving movable body Vm can be represented by a relative displacement of the body and the wheel in the up-down direction, i.e., the amplitude of the vibration in the up-down direction, or the acceleration in the up down direction, for instance. The amplitude of the vibration in the up-down direction and the acceleration in the up-down direction can be obtained based on the acceleration in the up-down direction detected by the inertial measurement unit 16, for instance.

[0024] The movable-body-information generating portion 44 is configured to generate the movable-body information that is information wirelessly transmitted from the movable body V. The movable-body information includes, for instance, movable body traveling state information, movable-body positional information, and identification information.

[0025] The movable-body traveling state information is information indicative of the traveling state of the movable body V obtained by the traveling state obtaining portion 43. The movable-body traveling state information includes at least one of actual-turning-state information indicative of the actual turning state, steering operation-state information indicative of the steering operation state, and up-down vibration-state information indicative of the state of the up-down vibration.

[0026] The movable-body positional information is information indicative of a position of the movable body V obtained based on the GPS signals received by the GPS receiver 10. The identification information identifies each of the movable bodies V. The identification information is set and stored in advance so as to correspond to each of the movable bodies V. The generated movable-body information is output to the movable body communication device 14. The movable-body communication device 14 wirelessly transmits the movable-body information.

[00271 The movable-body-information generating portion 44 of each of the plurality of movable bodies V executes a movable-body information generation program illustrated in Fig. 3 at intervals of a set length of time. At Step 51, the movable-body traveling state information is obtained. (Hereinafter, Step 51 will be abbreviated as "S51". Other steps will be similarly abbreviated.) At S52, the movable-body positional information is obtained. At S53, the identification information is read in. At S54, the movable-body information including the identification information, the movable-body positional information, and the movable-body traveling state information is generated. The movable-body information is output to the movable-body communication device 14 and transmitted therefrom.

[0028] The traveling control portion 46 controls the drive device D, the brake device B, and the steering device T to thereby control traveling of the movable body V. The traveling control portion 46 of the automated-driving movable body Va controls, for instance, the drive device D, the brake device B, and the steering device T such that the movable body V travels along the target travel path stored in the travel path memory portion 42. For instance, the drive device D, the brake device B, and the steering device T are controlled based on at least one of: the travel command included in the control information received by the movable-body communication device 14; and the relative positional relationship, obtained by the surroundings information obtaining device 12, between the object present in the surroundings of the movable body V and the movable body V.

[0029] The traveling control portion 46 of the manual-driving movable body Vm controls the drive device D, the brake device B, and the steering device T based on the operation state of the driving operation member such as the steering operation member 22.

[00301 The control device C includes a control ECU 50 constituted principally by a computer and a control communication device 52 connected to the control ECU 50. The control ECU 50 includes, for instance, a control-information generating portion 54, a work-plan-information memory portion 56, a movable-body-information memory portion 58, a road surface condition obtaining portion 60, and a travel path setting portion 62.

[0031] A control communication device 52 wirelessly transmits the control information generated by the control-information generating portion 54 and receives the movable-body information transmitted wirelessly from the movable-body communication device 14 of the movable body V.

[0032] The control-information generating portion 54 generates the control information including the travel command, travel path information indicative of the target travel path, and the identification information of the movable body.

[0033] The work-plan-information memory portion 56 stores information on a work plan of each movable body V. The work-plan-information memory portion 56 includes a travel-path-information memory portion 56a that stores information on the target travel path of each movable body V. The work-plan-information memory portion

56 further stores an ordinal number of each movable body V in a traveling order of the plurality of movable bodies V.

[0034] As illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, for instance, a road in a mine is wide, and a target travel path RO is usually set such that the movable body V travels substantially straightforward. In a case where the departure location and the destination location are the same among the plurality of movable bodies V, it is usual to set the same target travel path RO for the plurality of movable bodies V. In the present embodiment, the target travel path of a first movable body VI, which is the movable body V that travels earlier, and the target travel path of a second movable body V2, which is the movable body V that travels later, are set to the same target travel path RO. The travel-path information memory portion 56a stores information on the target travel path RO indicated by the solid line.

[00351 The movable-body-information memory portion 58 stores the movable-body positional information and the movable-body traveling state information (indicative of the actual turning state, the driving operation state, and the state of the up down vibration), which are included in the movable-body information received by the control communication device 52. These sets of information stored in the movable-body information memory portion 58 include not only those currently received but also those previously received.

[00361 Based on the traveling state indicated by the movable-body traveling state information included in the movable-body information, the road surface condition obtaining portion 60 obtains whether the condition of the road surface, on which the movable body V passes when traveling along the target travel path, is a worse condition in which the condition of the road surface is worse than a set condition. In other words, the road surface condition obtaining portion 60 obtains whether the condition of the road surface of the target travel path is the worse condition. As the condition of the road surface, a condition of unevenness of the road surface, namely, a condition of projections and depressions on the road surface, is mainly considered. In other words, the degree of unevenness of the road surface is mainly considered. In a case where the degree of unevenness is high such as a case where a height from the bottom of a depression to the top of a projection on the road surface is great or a case where the inclination of a line connecting the top of the projection and the bottom of the depression is steep, the condition of the road surface is obtained as the worse condition described above.

[00371 Specifically, based on the traveling state of the first movable body VI that has traveled earlier, the road surface condition obtaining portion 60 obtains a degree of different-path setting request A. The degree of different-path setting request A represents a degree of a request to set the target travel path of the second movable body V2 that is to travel later following the first movable body VI to a path different from the target travel path of the first movable body VI. When the degree of different-path setting request A is greater than a request-degree threshold Ath and/or when a value obtained by subtracting a previous value of the degree of different-path setting request A from a current value of the degree of different-path setting request A is greater than a request degree difference AAth, the condition of the road surface of the target travel path of the first movable body VI is obtained as the worse condition described above.

[0038] The value obtained by subtracting the previous value of the degree of different-path setting request A from the current value of the degree of different-path setting request A is greater than the request-degree difference AAth means as follows. A value, which is obtained by subtracting (a) the degree of different-path setting request A(,. 1) obtained based on the traveling state of the movable body represented by the movable body traveling state information included in the previously received movable-body information from (b) the degree of different-path setting request A(n) obtained based on the traveling state of the movable body represented by the movable-body traveling state information included in the currently received movable-body information, is greater than the request-degree difference AAth. Here, the movable-body information is obtained by the control communication device 52 for the same position on the road surface of the target travel path. A(n)-A(n1)> AAth In other words, in two movable bodies that travel along the same target travel path, the degree of different-path setting request A(n) obtained based on the traveling state of the movable body included in the movable-body information transmitted from one of the two movable bodies that travels later is greater by the request-degree difference AAth than the degree of different-path setting request A(n.) obtained based on the traveling state of the movable body included in the movable-body information transmitted from the other of the two movable bodies V that travels earlier.

[0039] When the degree of different-path setting request A is greater than the request-degree threshold Ath, the value, which is obtained by subtracting the previous value of the degree of different-path setting request A from the current value of the degree of different-path setting request A, is greater than the request-degree difference AAth in most cases. In a case where the same target travel path is set for the first movable body VI and the second movable body V2, the degree of different-path setting request A may be considered as a degree of a request to change the target travel path RO that is set in advance for the second movable body V2.

[0040] In a case where a manual-driving movable body Vm that is the first movable body VI travels deviating from the target travel path, for instance, it is estimated that the driver of the manual-driving movable body Vm has determined that the condition of the road surface of the target travel path is poor and the area where the road surface condition is poor should be avoided. In this case, it is determined that the degree of different-path setting request A is greater than the request-degree threshold Ath.

[0041] Specifically, as illustrated in Fig. 7A, when an absolute value of a difference between: a value Mr indicative of the actual turning state of the manual-driving movable body Vm (that is at least one of the lateral displacement, the lateral acceleration, and the turning radius, for instance); and a value Mt indicative of a target turning state (that is at least one of a target lateral displacement, target lateral acceleration, and a target turning radius, for instance) is greater than a first set value Mth, the degree of different path setting request A can be determined to be a greater value than when the absolute value is less than the first set value Mth. When the absolute value of the difference between the value Mr indicative of the actual turning state and the value Mt indicative of the target turning state is greater than the first set value Mth, it is determined that the manual-driving movable body Vm has traveled deviating from the target travel path. In this case, it is determined that the degree of different-path setting request A is greater than the request-degree threshold Ath.

[0042] Further, as illustrated in Fig. 7B, when an absolute value of a difference between: a value Sr indicative of an actual steering operation state of the manual-driving movable body Vm (that is at least one of the operation amount and the operation force of the steering operation member 22, for instance); and a value St indicative of a target steering operation state (that is at least one of a target operation amount and a target operation force, for instance) is greater than a second set value Sth, the degree of different-path setting request A can be determined to be a greater value than when the absolute value is less than the second set value Sth. When the absolute value of the difference between the value Sr and the value St is greater than the second set value Sth, it is determined that the manual-driving movable body Vm has traveled deviating from the target travel path. In this case, it is determined that the degree of different-path setting request A is greater than the request-degree threshold Ath.

[00431 The value indicative of the target turning state and the value indicative of the target steering operation state are stored in the travel-path-information memory portion 56a as information relating to the target travel path. In a case where the target travel path is substantially straight, each of the value indicative of the target turning state and the value indicative of the target steering operation state is a value close to 0.

[0044] Further, as illustrated in Fig. 7C, when a value H indicative of the state of the up-down vibration of the automated-driving movable body Va or the manual driving movable body Vm (such as the amplitude of the up-down vibration or the acceleration in the up-down direction) is greater than a third set value Hth (such as a set amplitude or set acceleration), the degree of different-path setting request A can be determined to be a greater value than when the value H is less than the third set value Hth. When the value H indicative of the state of the up-down vibration is greater than the third set value Hth, it may be determined that the degree of unevenness of the road surface is high. In this case, it may be determined that the degree of different-path setting request A is greater than the request-degree threshold Ath.

[0045] When the road surface condition obtaining portion 60 obtains the condition of the road surface of the target travel path of the first movable body VI as the worse condition in which the condition of the road surface is worse than the set condition, the travel path setting portion 62 sets the target travel path of the second movable body V2 to a path different from the target travel path of the first movable body VI. In other words, the travel path setting portion 62 changes the target travel path preset for the second movable body V2 and sets the different path as target travel path of the second movable body V.

[00461 The travel path setting portion 62 may include a learning portion 64 or the like. The learning portion 64 determines the target travel path of the second movable body V2 to be an optimum path by learning a relationship between: current and previous traveling states of each of the plurality of movable bodies V, i.e., at least one of the state of the vibration in the up-down direction, the skidding (slipping) state, and the running speed, represented by the information stored in the movable-body-information memory portion 58; and current and previous travel paths of each of the plurality of movable bodies V (such as the target travel paths of one or more first movable bodies V represented by the information stored in the travel-path-information memory portion 56a and the travel paths previously set by the travel path setting portion 62). For instance, the optimum target travel path can be a path that avoids the area where the road surface condition is worse than the set condition and that is as short as possible. The learning portion 64 can determine the optimum travel path utilizing Al (Artificial Intelligence).

[00471 As illustrated in Fig. 5, a case is considered in which the automated driving movable body Va, which is the first movable body VI, travels along the target travel path RO, which includes an area P where the degree of unevenness of the road surface is high. In this case, when the value H indicative of the state of the up-down vibration of the first movable body VI is greater than the third set value Hth, it is determined that the degree of different-path setting request A is greater than the request degree threshold Ath, as illustrated in Fig. 7C. When the road surface condition obtaining portion 60 obtains the condition of the road surface of the target travel path RO as the condition that is worse than the set condition, the target travel path of the second movable body V2 can be set to a target travel path Ral different from the target travel path RO.

[00481 When the second movable body V2 travels along the target travel path Ral, the value H indicative of the state of the up-down vibration of the second movable body V2 may become greater than the third set value Hth. In this case, the target travel path of the movable body (as the second movable body V2) which is to travel after the movable body (as the first movable body VI) that has traveled along the target travel path Ral is changed from the target travel path Ral and set to a target travel path Ra2 (different from the target travel path Ral). In a case where the first movable body V is the automated-driving movable body Va, the learning portion 64 may set the target travel path of the second movable body V2.

[0049] The different target travel path described above can be set to a path that deviates from the target travel path RO to a greater extent when the degree of different-path setting request A is great than when the degree of different-path setting request A is small. This is because when the degree of unevenness of the road surface is high, the area where the degree of unevenness is high is large in most cases.

[0050] As illustrated in Fig. 6, in a case where the manual-driving movable body Vm, which is the first movable body VI, travels along a path Rm that deviates from the target travel path RO and the absolute value of the difference between the value Mr indicative of the actual turning state and the value Mt indicative of the target turning state is greater than the first set value Mth, it is determined, as illustrated in Fig. 7A, that the degree of different-path setting request A for the road surface of the target travel path RO is greater than the request-degree threshold Ath. When the road surface condition obtaining portion 60 obtains the condition of the road surface of the target travel path RO as the condition that is worse than the set condition, the target travel path of the second movable body V2 is set to the path Rm along which the manual-driving movable body Vm has traveled.

[0051] The control ECU 50 executes a target travel path setting program represented by a flowchart of Fig. 2 at intervals of a set length of time. It is determined at SI whether the control communication device 52 has received the movable-body information. When an affirmative determination (YES) is made at S, the control flow proceeds to S2 at which the position of thefirst movable body VI as the movable body is obtained based on the movable-body positional information included in the movable-body information, the traveling state of the first movable body VI is obtained based on the movable-body traveling state information, and the degree of different-path setting request A for the road surface at that position is obtained. At S3, it is determined whether at least one of: the value AA obtained by subtracting the previous value of the degree of different-path setting request A(n.i) from the current value of the degree of different-path setting request A(n) is greater than the request-degree difference AAth, i.e., A(n)-A(n1)=AA , AA>AAth; and the degree of different-path setting request A(n) is greater than the request-degree threshold Ath, i.e., A(n)>Ath, is satisfied. When an affirmative determination (YES) is made at S3, the control flow proceeds to S4 to determine whether the first movable body VI that has transmitted the movable-body information is the manual-driving movable body Vm.

[0052] When an affirmative determination (YES) is made at S4, the control flow proceeds to S5 to determine whether at least one of: the absolute value of the difference between the value Mr indicative of the actual turning state of the manual driving movable body Vm and the value Mt indicative of the target turning state of the manual-driving movable body Vm is greater than the first set value Mth; and the absolute value of the difference between the value Sr indicative of the actual steering operation state and the value St indicative of the target steering operation state is greater than the second set value Sth is satisfied. When an affirmative determination (YES) is made at S5, the control flow proceeds to S6 at which the target travel path of the second movable body V2 is set to the path Rm (indicated by the long dashed short dashed line in Fig. 6) along which the manual-driving movable body Vm has traveled.

[00531 The manual-driving movable body Vm may sometimes travel on the road surface whose condition is worse than the set condition. For instance, an affirmative determination (YES) may be made at S3 due to the fact that the value H indicative of the state of the up-down vibration of the manual-driving movable body Vm is greater than the third set value Hth. It is thus not desirable to set the target travel path of the second movable body V2 to the actual travel path of the manual-driving movable body Vm (as the first movable body VI) always when an affirmative determination (YES) is made at S4.

In a case where a difference between the actual travel path and the target travel path of the manual-driving movable body Vm is small, the necessity to change the target travel path of the second movable body V2 to the actual travel path of the manual-driving movable body Vm is considered to be low. S5 is provided in view of the situations.

[0054] When a negative determination (NO) is made at S4 or S5, the control flow proceeds to S7 to set a travel path that avoids the road surface on which the first movable body (that may be the automated-driving movable body V or the manual-driving movable body Vm) has traveled. For instance, the target travel path of the second movable body V2 is set to the target travel path Ral indicated by the dashed line in Fig. 5 or the target travel path Ra2 indicated by the long dashed short dashed line in Fig. 5. The control flow then proceeds to S8 to generate the control information including set travel path information indicative of the target travel path set at S6 or S7 and the identification information of the second movable body V2 (that may be all the movable bodies that travel after the first movable body VI, for instance). The generated control information is output to the control communication device 52. The control communication device 52 transmits the control information.

[0055] A target travel path storing program represented by a flowchart of Fig. 4 is executed in each movable body at intervals of a set length of time. At S31, it is determined whether the movable-body communication device 14 has received the control information. At S32, it is determined whether the identification information included in the control information coincides with the identification information that represents itself. When an affirmative determination (YES) is made at S32, the control flow proceeds to S33 at which the set travel path information included in the control information is read in and the set target travel path is stored in the travel path memory portion 42.

[00561 When the movable body V reaches the location of the set target travel path, the movable body V travels along the set target travel path. In the manual-driving movable body Vm, the set target travel path is displayed on the display 32. Thus, the driver operates the steering operation member 22 while viewing the indication on the display 32. In the automated-driving movable body Va, the traveling control portion 46 controls, for instance, the drive device D, the brake device B, and the steering device T.

[00571 As described above, the condition of the road surface of the target travel path is obtained based on the traveling state of the movable body that has traveled earlier, and the target travel path of the movable body that is to subsequently travel is changed and set. As a result, the target travel path of the movable body that is to subsequently travel can be changed and set quickly and easily, thus ensuring the traveling stability of the movable body and enhancing the work efficiency. The condition of the road surface varies in accordance with traveling of the movable body V and a lapse of time. In the present embodiment, the condition of the road surface is obtained based on the traveling state of the movable body V that has traveled earlier, and the obtained road surface condition is reflected in setting and changing of the travel path of the movable body V that is to subsequently travel. This configuration enables setting of the travel path that matches the actual road surface condition.

[00581 In the embodiment illustrated above, the control device C corresponds to the travel path setting device. A portion of the control ECU 50 that stores the map of Fig. 7, a portion of the control ECU 50 that stores S1-S3 of the flowchart of Fig. 2, a portion of the control ECU 50 that executes S1-S3, etc., constitute the road surface condition obtaining portion. A portion of the control ECU 50 that stores S6 and S7, a portion of the control ECU 50 that executes S6 and S7, etc., constitute the travel path setting portion.

[0059] The condition of the road surface can be obtained based on the skidding state that is the traveling state of the movable body V. In the present embodiment, it is determined that the condition of the road surface is worse than the set condition when a frictional coefficient of the road surface of the target travel path is low. In this case, the target travel path is changed. When an absolute value of a slip ratio of the wheel 30 is greater than a set slip ratio in a situation in which the first movable body VI travels along the target travel path RO, it is determined that the condition of the road surface is worse than the set condition, and the target travel path RO is changed and set. In a case where the first movable body V is the automated-driving movable body Va and the absolute value of the difference between the value Mr indicative of the actual turning state and the value Mt indicative of the target turning state is greater than a slip determination threshold, it may be determined that the frictional coefficient of the road surface is low and the condition of the road surface is worse than the set condition.

[00601 The road surface condition obtaining portion 60 may be provided in the movable body V. In the present embodiment, the value indicative of the target turning state and the value indicative of the target steering operation state are stored in the travel path memory portion 42 of the movable body ECU 20. Further, the information indicative of the road surface condition obtained by the movable body may be included in the movable-body information and transmitted to the control device C.

[00611 The travel path setting portion 62 may be provided in the movable body V. In this case, the information on the changed target travel path obtained by each of the plurality of movable bodies V may be transmitted from the movable body in question (as the first movable body VI) to the movable body (as the second movable body V2) that is to travel after the movable body that has obtained the information.

[0062] The target travel path of the second movable body V2 need not necessarily be set in advance, but may be set as needed during traveling based on the traveling state of the first movable body VI. The target travel path of the second movable body V2 may be set to the same path as the target travel path of the first movable body VI or may be set to a path different from the target travel path of thefirst movable body V1.

[00631 In the embodiment illustrated above, the degree of different-path setting request A is obtained as illustrated in Figs. 7A-7C. The present disclosure may be configured otherwise. For instance, the degree of different-path setting request A may be obtained as a value that increases stepwise with an increase in the absolute value of the difference between the value indicative of the actual turning state and the value indicative of the target turning state, an increase in the absolute value of the difference between the value indicative of the actual steering operation state and the value indicative of the target steering operation state, or an increase in the value indicative of the up-down vibration.

[0064] In the embodiment illustrated above, the travel path setting device is applied to the work system for use in the mine work. The travel path setting device is usable in not only the mine work but also various kinds of work. The present disclosure is applicable to not only the work system but also a traveling control system for controlling the traveling states of a plurality of movable bodies, a management system for managing a plurality of movable bodies, etc.

[00651 It is to be understood that the present disclosure may be embodied with various changes and modifications, which may occur to those skilled in the art. For instance, each of the drive device D, the brake device B, and the steering device T may have any suitable configuration. Further, the learning portion 64 is not necessarily essential.

[00661 Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and claims, the words "comprise", "comprising", and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of "including, but not limited to".

CLAIMABLE INVENTIONS

[00671 There will be hereinafter described claimable inventions.

(1) A travel path setting device configured to set a target travel path of at least one of a plurality of movable bodies, comprising a travel path setting portion configured to set a target travel path of a second movable body, which is the at least one of the plurality of movable bodies, at least based on a traveling state of a first movable body, which is one of one or more movable bodies traveling ahead of the second movable body.

[0068] The one or more movable bodies traveling ahead of the second movable body may be one or more movable bodies including one movable body that is traveling immediately ahead of the second movable body or may include one movable body that is traveling ahead of the second movable body with a plurality of movable bodies interposed therebetween and at least one movable body that is traveling ahead of the one movable body.

[00691 To set the target travel path of the second movable body includes: to newly set the target travel path of the second movable body; and to change and set the target travel path of the second movable body to a path different from the target travel path of the first movable body in a case where the target travel path that is the same as the target travel path of the first movable body is set for the second movable body in advance.

[00701 (2) The travel path setting device according to the form (1), comprising a road surface condition obtaining portion configured to obtain, based on the traveling state of the first movable body, a condition of a road surface of a target travel path of the first movable body, wherein, when the condition of the road surface of the target travel path of the first movable body is obtained, by the road surface condition obtaining portion, as a worse condition in which the condition of the road surface is worse than a set condition, the travel path setting portion sets the target travel path of the second movable body to a path different from the target travel path of thefirst movable body.

[00711 The first movable body may actually travel or may not actually travel on the road surface of the target travel path. In a case where the first movable body actually travels along the target travel path, the condition of the road surface on which the first movable body has actually traveled can be obtained based on, for instance, the traveling state of the first movable body (such as the state of the up-down vibration or the skidding state). In a case where the first movable body does not travel on the road surface of the target travel path, it is estimated that the road surface of the target travel path has been determined by the first movable body to be poor and should be therefore avoided. Thus, the condition of the road surface of the target travel path of the first movable body can be obtained as the worse condition in which the condition of the road surface is worse than the set condition.

[0072] (3) The travel path setting device according to the form (2), wherein the road surface condition obtaining portion is configured to: obtain, based on the traveling state of the first movable body, a degree of different-path setting request indicative of a degree of a request to set the target travel path of the second movable body to the path different from the target travel path of the first movable body; and obtain the condition of the road surface of the target travel path of the first movable body as the worse condition at least one of (a) when the obtained degree of different-path setting request is greater than a request-degree threshold and (b) when a value obtained by subtracting a previous value of the degree of different-path setting request from a current value of the degree of different-path setting request is greater than a request-degree difference.

[0073] (4) The travel path setting device according to the form (2) or (3), wherein the road surface condition obtaining portion is configured to obtain the condition of the road surface of the target travel path of the first movable body based on at least one of a vibration state of the first movable body in an up-down direction, a turning state of the first movable body, an operation state of a driving operation member of the first movable body, and a skidding state of the first movable body, each of the vibration state, the turning state, the operation sate, and the skidding state being the traveling state of the first movable body.

[0074] (5) The travel path setting device according to any one of the forms (2) through (4), wherein the first movable body is an automated-driving movable body, and wherein, when a condition of a road surface of a target travel path of the automated-driving movable body is obtained, by the road surface condition obtaining portion, as the worse condition based on a traveling state of the automated-driving movable body, the travel path setting portion sets the target travel path of the second movable body to a path that avoids the road surface on which the automated-driving movable body has traveled.

[00751 (6) The travel path setting device according to any one of the forms (1) through (5), wherein the travel path setting portion includes a learning-type travel path setting portion configured to set the target travel path of the second movable body based on a relationship between a travel path and a traveling state of each of the plurality of movable bodies.

[00761 The plurality of movable bodies includes the second movable body and the first movable body. Based on the relationship between the travel path and the traveling state of each of the plurality of movable bodies, it is possible to set an optimum target travel path of the second movable body.

[00771 (7) The travel path setting device according to any one of the forms (1) through (6), wherein the first movable body is a manual-driving movable body, and wherein the travel path setting portion sets the target travel path of the second movable body to a path along which the manual-driving movable body has traveled when an absolute value of a difference between: a value indicative of an actual turning state of the manual-driving movable body; and a value indicative of a target turning state of the manual-driving movable body is greater than a set value, the target turning state being a turning state of the manual-driving movable body that is based on a target travel path of the manual-driving movable body.

[00781 The second movable body that is to travel after the manual-driving movable body may be the automated-driving movable body or may be the manual-riving movable body.

[00791 In a case where the first movable body is the automated-driving movable body, if the automated-driving movable body includes the surroundings information obtaining device that is capable of recognizing the condition of the road surface in front of itself and changes the path based on the condition of the road surface, the target travel path of the second movable body can be set to the path along which the first movable body has actually traveled.

[00801 (8) The travel path setting device according to the form (7), comprising a road surface condition obtaining portion that obtains a condition of a road surface of the target travel path of the manual-driving movable body as a worse condition in which the condition of the road surface is worse than a set condition when the absolute value of the difference is greater than the set value, wherein, when the condition of the road surface of the target travel path of the manual-driving movable body is obtained, by the road surface condition obtaining portion, as the worse condition based on a traveling state of the manual-driving movable body, the travel path setting portion sets the target travel path of the second movable body to a path along which the manual-driving movable body has traveled.

[00811 (9) The travel path setting device according to any one of the forms (1) through (8), wherein each of the plurality of movable bodies includes a travel path memory portion configured to store a target travel path set by the travel path setting portion.

[0082] The travel path memory portion 42 in the embodiment illustrated above corresponds to the travel path memory portion.

[0083] (10) The travel path setting device according to any one of the forms (1) through (9), comprising a control device communicable with each of the plurality of movable bodies, wherein each of the plurality of movable bodies includes: a traveling state obtaining portion configured to obtain a traveling state of the movable body; and a movable-body communication device configured to transmit movable-body traveling state information indicative of the traveling state obtained by the traveling state obtaining portion, wherein the control device includes a control communication device configured to receive the movable-body traveling state information, wherein the travel path setting portion is provided in the control device and is configured to set the target travel path of the second movable body based on the traveling state of the first movable body that is obtained based on the movable-body traveling state information received by the control communication device, and wherein the control communication device is configured to transmit set travel path information indicative of the target travel path of the second movable body set by the travel path setting portion.

[0084] (11) The travel path setting device according to any one of the forms (1) through (9), wherein each of the plurality of movable bodies includes: a traveling state obtaining portion configured to obtain a traveling state of the movable body; and a movable-body communication device configured to transmit movable-body traveling state information indicative of the traveling state obtained by the traveling state obtaining portion, wherein the travel path setting portion is provided in the second movable body and is configured to set the target travel path of the second movable body based on at least one of: (a) the traveling state of the second movable body obtained by the traveling state obtaining portion; and (b) the traveling state of the first movable body indicated by the movable-body traveling state information received by the movable-body communication device, and wherein the movable-body communication device is configured to transmit and receive set travel path information indicative of the target travel path of the second movable body set by the travel path setting portion.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A travel path setting device configured to set a target travel path of at least one of a plurality of movable bodies, comprising a travel path setting portion configured to set a target travel path of a second movable body, which is the at least one of the plurality of movable bodies, at least based on a traveling state of a first movable body, which is one of one or more movable bodies traveling ahead of the second movable body, wherein the travel path setting portion sets the target travel path of the second movable body to a path along which the first movable body has traveled when an absolute value of a difference between: a value indicative of an actual turning state of the first movable body; and a value indicative of a target turning state of the first movable body is greater than a set value, the target turning state being a turning state of the first movable body that is based on a target travel

path of the first movable body, wherein turning state is a lateral displacement, a lateral acceleration, and a turning radius.

2. A travel path setting device configured to set a target travel path of at least one of a plurality of movable bodies, comprising: a road surface condition obtaining portion configured to obtain a condition of a road surface of a target travel path of a first movable body, which is one of one or more movable bodies traveling ahead of the at least one of the plurality of movable bodies, based on a traveling state of the first movable body; and a travel path setting portion configured to set a target travel path of a second movable body, which is one of the at least one of the plurality of movable bodies, to a path different from the target travel path of the first movable body, when the condition of the road surface of the target travel path of the first movable body is obtained, by the road surface condition obtaining portion, as a worse condition in which the condition of the road surface is worse than a set condition; wherein the first movable body is one of the one or more movable bodies traveling ahead of the second movable body, wherein the travel path setting portion sets the target travel path of the second movable body to a path along which the first movable body has traveled when an absolute value of a difference between: a value indicative of an actual turning state of the first movable body; and a value indicative of a target turning state of thefirst movable body is greater than a set value, the target turning state being a turning state of the manual-driving movable body that is based on a target travel path of the first movable body, wherein turning state is a lateral displacement, a lateral acceleration, and a turning radius.

3. The travel path setting device according to claim 2, wherein the road surface condition obtaining portion is configured to: obtain, based on the traveling state of the first movable body, a degree of different-path setting request indicative of a degree of a request to set the target travel path of the second movable body to the path different from the target travel path of the first movable body; and obtain the condition of the road surface of the target travel path of the first movable body as the worse condition at least one of (a) when the obtained degree of different-path setting request is greater than a request-degree threshold and (b) when a value obtained by subtracting a previous value of the degree of different-path setting request from a current value of the degree of different-path setting request is greater than a request-degree difference.

4. The travel path setting device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the road surface condition obtaining portion is configured to obtain the condition of the road surface of the target travel path of the first movable body based on at least one of a vibration state of the first movable body in an up-down direction, a turning state of the first movable body, an operation state of a driving operation member of the first movable body, and a skidding state of the first movable body, each of the vibration state, the turning state, the operation sate, and the skidding state being the traveling state of the first movable body.

5. The travel path setting device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the first movable body is an automated-driving movable body, and wherein, when a condition of a road surface of a target travel path of the automated-driving movable body is obtained, by the road surface condition obtaining portion, as the worse condition based on a traveling state of the automated-driving movable body, the travel path setting portion sets the target travel path of the second movable body to a path that avoids the road surface on which the automated-driving movable body has traveled.

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha Komatsu Ltd. Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON&FERGUSON

Va Vm FIG.1 30 30L 30 30L 30R 30R 12 20 20 D 12 DRIVE SURROUNDINGS MOVABLE BODY ECU SURROUNDINGS MOVABLE BODY ECU DEVICE INFORMATION 42 DRIVE INFORMATION 42 OBTAINING DEVICE DEVICE D OBTAINING DEVICE B TRAVEL PATH (CAMERA, LIDAR, etc.,) TRAVEL PATH (CAMERA, LIDAR, etc.,) MEMORY MEMORY BRAKE PORTION BRAKE PORTION DEVICE 16 DEVICE B 16 INERTIAL T 43 MEASUREMENT 43 UNIT TRAVELING STATE STEERING INERTIAL TRAVELING STATE DEVICE MEASUREMENT OBTAINING STEERING 10 OBTAINING UNIT PORTION DEVICE T PORTION 32 GPS RECEIVER 44 44 14 MOVABLE-BODY 26 MOVABLE-BODY DISPLAY 22 INFORMATION 1/6

INFORMATION MOVABLE-BODY GENERATING GENERATING COMMUNICATION STEERING STEERING-OPERATION- 10 PORTION DEVICE OPERATION STATE DETECTING PORTION 14 46 46 GPS RECEIVER MEMBER PORTION MOVABLE-BODY TRAVELING TRAVELING COMMUNICATION CONTROL CONTROL DEVICE PORTION PORTION

C 50 A CONTROL ECU 56 62 52 54 WORK-PLAN INFORMATION 60 MEMORY PORTION 58 TRAVEL PATH SETTING PORTION CONTROL CONTROL TRAVEL-PATH MOVABLE-BODY ROAD SURFACE COMMUNICATION INFORMATION INFORMATION INFORMATION CONDITION OBTAINING LEARNING DEVICE GENERATING 56a 64 PORTION PORTION MEMORY PORTION MEMORY PORTION PORTION