JPH0560609B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides an unmanned vehicle equipped with a driving means, a braking means, a steering means, and a travel steering control means, using a highly directional signal such as a laser beam and this signal. The present invention relates to a guidance control device that uses a reflecting means such as a corner cube that reflects in the same direction as the incident direction.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, there have been two methods of guiding unmanned trolleys using the above-mentioned on-vehicle laser beam emitting, scanning, and receiving device and corner cubes as guide route markers: the three reference point method and the two reference point method. A method has been proposed.

The above 3 reference point method is based on the reference point of the unmanned trolley and each 3 reference points.
This method measures each azimuth angle at each reference point formed by the corner cubes, and calculates the amount of positional deviation and tilt of the unmanned trolley.

Further, the two reference point method is a method of measuring the azimuth angle and the elevation angle to calculate the positional deviation amount and inclination of the unmanned trolley.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

The problem with the three reference point method described above is that the calculations are very complicated, and with the two reference point method, the scanning mechanism is complicated because the laser beam scans in two directions to measure the azimuth and elevation angles. Because of the need for an elevation angle, it became necessary to emit the laser beam diagonally upward from the unmanned cart, which posed a safety problem as there was a risk of the laser beam hitting people's eyes.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to solve the above problems, this invention
From a light projecting means, a scanning means, and a light receiving means that project and scan a highly directional optical signal for guiding and controlling the unmanned trolley in parallel to the road surface of the unmanned trolley, and receive the reflected light of the projected light. a distance measuring means for measuring the distance between the light reflection position and a reference point on which the light emitting and receiving means are installed on the unmanned trolley; a traveling distance detecting means for calculating the traveling distance of the unmanned trolley; An unmanned trolley comprising logical calculation means that calculates the separation distance between a reference point and a guidance route, calculates the deviation from a predetermined separation distance and the inclination of the guidance route and the unmanned trolley, and outputs an appropriate steering signal. The guidance and control device equipped with the system is installed at a certain low height from the road surface on the side of the unmanned trolley's running path, with predetermined installation intervals to reflect the highly directional light signal from the unmanned trolley. The guide route is formed by continuously or intermittently installing a guide route configuring means including a first reflecting means and a second reflecting means, and is distanced from the light emitting/scanning means and the light receiving means of the unmanned trolley. The measuring means detects a certain set of guidance route configuring means at a certain scanning timing, measures each distance between the reference point of the unmanned trolley and the first reflecting means and the second reflecting means, Using Heron's formula to calculate the area from the lengths of the three sides of a triangle whose three sides are formed by the distance between the reference point of the unmanned trolley and each reflecting means and the predetermined installation distance between each reflecting means, and the usual Using the formula for calculating the area of the triangle (1/2 x distance between reflecting means x separation distance), calculate the separation distance between the reference point of the unmanned trolley and the guidance route at a certain scanning timing, and do the same at the next scanning timing. Calculate the separation distance, and from the difference between each separation distance and the distance of the unmanned trolley that traveled within each separation distance measurement time,
The inclination of the unmanned trolley with respect to the guidance route is calculated, and the amount of lateral deviation of the unmanned trolley from the guidance route is calculated based on the deviation between the separation distance at the next scanning timing and the predetermined separation distance, and the guidance of the unmanned trolley is performed. A steering control signal is output to the steering means using appropriate steering control logic based on the inclination and lateral deviation amount with respect to the route, and the unmanned trolley is continuously guided along the guidance route while sequentially performing measurements and calculations of the above contents. It was designed to do so.

[Effect]

The present invention has the above-mentioned configuration, in which an optical signal is emitted from a light projection means provided at a reference point of an unmanned trolley, and the optical signal is scanned by a scanning means so as to form a surface parallel to the traveling road surface of the unmanned trolley. a plurality of sets of first reflecting means located on the scanning plane of the optical signal and forming a guide path at a position at a low height from the road surface on the side of the road surface on which the unmanned trolley travels; A light receiving means provided at a reference point of the unmanned trolley receives the reflected light from the guiding route structuring means including the second reflecting means as a set, and the reflected light from the one set of guiding route structuring means closest to the unmanned trolley is received. is selected according to appropriate logic, and each distance from the reference point of the unmanned trolley to the selected first reflecting means and second reflecting means is measured by the distance measuring means from the time of light emission to the reception of the reflected light. Measure by distance measurement method such as

Note that the distance measurement described above is performed at each predetermined scanning period of the optical signal, and at present, one set of reflected light (first and second reflected light) from the guidance route forming means that is the object of distance measurement is measured. When it is no longer possible to receive the reflected light from the guiding route forming means, the reflected light from the guiding route forming means located next in the direction of movement of the unmanned trolley is adopted, and the scanning is performed again continuously at each scanning period. .

Using the respective distances between the first reflecting means and the second reflecting means and the reference point of the unmanned cart obtained by the distance measuring means, the reference point of the unmanned cart is determined by the logical calculation means.
In the triangle formed by the three points of the first reflecting means and the second reflecting means, calculate the area of the triangle according to Heron's formula and the area of a normal triangle using the formula (1/
By using the fact that the areas of the triangles are equal (2 x distance between reflecting means x separation distance), the separation distance between the reference point of the unmanned trolley and the guidance route at a certain scanning cycle timing is calculated, and the unmanned trolley is moved to a predetermined distance. Calculate the difference between the separation distance from the guidance route, which is the travel route of The amount of change in the separation distance during the scanning period is calculated using the separation distance obtained at the scanning timing, and the amount of change in the separation distance is calculated based on the distance traveled between the scanning periods from the distance detection means provided on the unmanned trolley and the amount of change in the separation distance described above. , calculate the inclination of the unmanned trolley with respect to the guidance route, and use the above deviation amount and inclination to continuously move the unmanned trolley away from the predetermined guidance route for each scanning period based on an appropriate steering control theory. In order to maintain a distance while traveling, an appropriate steering control signal is output to the steering means to control the steering means and guide and control the unmanned bogie.

〔Example〕

The drawings show one embodiment of the guidance control device for an unmanned trolley according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the relationship between the unmanned trolley and the guidance route.

In this figure, GL is the guidance route, and this guidance route GL is provided on one side of the unmanned trolley, and the height from the road surface is low enough that highly directional light such as a laser beam will not be irradiated to people's eyes. The position is set to match the height of the optical scanning plane from the unmanned cart V.

This guide route GL is formed by arranging multiple sets of guide route forming means each consisting of a set of reflecting means An..., Bn... with an installation interval c〓 for reflecting the laser beam, and each reflecting means A .

Assuming that the traveling direction of the unmanned trolley V is the direction shown in FIG. 1, the unmanned trolley V sends a highly directional laser beam from its reference point C to detect the reflecting means A and B to the unmanned trolley as shown in FIG. The light projecting means 11 and the light scanning means 12 of the light control means 1 shown in the functional block diagram of the guidance control device on the vehicle V scan parallel to the running road surface of the unmanned vehicle V as shown in the scanning range indicated by the fan-shaped diagonal lines in FIG. Then, light scanning is performed in a certain predetermined range at a predetermined scanning period in only one direction, and the light receiving means 1 of the unmanned trolley V is scanned once by the laser beam.
In 3, many reflected lights from many reflecting means can be obtained, and among the above many reflected lights,
As position information for guidance control, unmanned trolley V
Based on the information of a set of reflected lights (each reflected light from the first reflecting means An and the second reflecting means Bn) obtained at the beginning of the scanning cycle within the optical scanning range and closest to the location where the Perform guidance control.

Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the scanning direction of the unmanned trolley V is counterclockwise, and the reflecting means A and B are the first reflecting means A,
Next, by installing the second reflecting means B in this order, each reflected light from the first reflecting means A at the initial stage of one optical scan, and then from the second reflecting means B is received. This means that the pair of light reflecting means A and B serving as the guide route forming means closest to the unmanned trolley V has been detected, and the subsequent reflected light is ignored, and the pair of light reflecting means A and B serving as the guide route forming means closest to the unmanned trolley V are detected. Only the reflected light from the reflecting means A and B is controlled, and guidance control, which will be described later, is performed.

Here, in FIG. 1, the first reflecting means
An and the second reflecting means Bn are the means to be guided and controlled, but when the unmanned trolley V moves further forward and the reflected light from the first reflecting means An is no longer obtained,
The reflecting means An, Bn are no longer subject to guidance control for the unmanned trolley V, and the reflected light from the reflecting means A(n+1), B(n+1) is then adopted as the subject of guidance control. At this time, at the beginning of scanning, the second reflecting means Bn, then the first reflecting means A(n+
1), then the reflected light is detected in the order of the second reflecting means B (n+1), but the reflected light from the first second reflecting means Bn is ignored and only the first reflecting means A is detected. (n+1), followed by the second reflecting means B
Only one set of reflected lights detected in the order of (n+1) is adopted. Note that the first reflecting means A
(n-1), (n), (n+1)... and the second reflecting means B(n-1), (n), (n+1)... have reflected light in the same direction as the incident direction of the light. The first reflecting means A(n-1),(n),
(n+1)... and second reflecting means B(n-1), (n),
(n+1) can be identified using existing technology, which is to provide a non-reflective area on the reflective surface of the corner cube.
This is done by encoding the reflected light.

In Figure 2, the reference point C of the unmanned trolley V is the guidance route GL.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the functions of the guidance control device installed in the unmanned trolley V. In FIGS. 2 and 5, when the reflecting means An and Bn are the objects of guidance control, the distance measuring means 2 of the unmanned trolley V emits light from the light control means 1 and each reflecting means A,
Light projecting means 1
1. Measure the distances b and a between the reference point C of the unmanned trolley V on which the light control means 1 consisting of the light scanning means 12 and the light receiving means 13 is installed, and the first reflecting means An and the second reflecting means Bn, Using these measured values a, b and the predetermined installation distance c between the first reflecting means An and the second reflecting means Bn, the logical calculation means 4 calculates the reference point C of the unmanned trolley V and the guide route GL. Calculate the separation distance Ln from the Reference point C of unmanned trolley V,
In the triangle formed by the three points of the first reflecting means An and the second reflecting means Bn, first, the lengths of the three sides are a,
The area of the triangle calculated from b and c (Heron's formula) and the first reflecting means corresponding to the base of the triangle
Predetermined installation distance between An and the second reflecting means Bn
Since the surfaces of the triangle using the distance Ln from the guidance route GL of the reference point C of the unmanned trolley V corresponding to the height of the triangle are equal to c〓, the guidance of the reference point C of the unmanned trolley V using the following formula Calculate the separation distance Ln from the route GL.

1/2・C・Ln=√(−)(−
)(-)(2S=a+b+c) Ln=2/C・=√(-)(-
)(-)(2S=a+b+c)...(1) Using equation (1), calculate the separation distance Ln in a certain scanning period of the reference point C of the unmanned trolley V, and determine the predetermined guidance route of the unmanned trolley V. The difference between L and the separation distance Ln in a certain scanning period calculated above is calculated by the following equation and is set as the deviation amount ΔLn of the reference point C of the unmanned trolley V in a certain scanning period.

△Ln=Ln-L...(2) Here, if △L is negative, the reference point C of the unmanned trolley V has deviated toward the guide route GL side, and the amount of deviation is |△Ln| , ΔLn are positive, the reference point C is deviated far away from the guide route GL, and the amount of deviation is |ΔLn|.

Figures 3 and 4 show the guidance route of the unmanned trolley V.
This is a relational diagram when there is an inclination with respect to GL (traveling route RL), and in Figs. Calculate the separation distance Ln from the path GL, and in the next scanning period, the lengths of the three sides of the triangle are a′, b′,
c〓, the separation distance Ln' of the reference point C in that scanning period is given by equation (1), Ln'=2/C・√(-')(-
′)(−〓)(2S=a′+b′+c〓). At this point, in addition to calculating the deviation amount ΔLn' of the reference point C of the unmanned trolley V using equation (2), the distance S traveled by the unmanned trolley V during the scanning period is obtained from the traveling distance detecting means 3, and the Using the traveling distance S and the amount of change in separation distance Ln'-Ln during the scanning period shown in FIG. GL (travel route R.
The slope θn′ with respect to L) is calculated using the following equation.

θ′=sin ^-1 Ln′−Ln/S ……(3) Here, if the values of Ln′ and Ln are equal, the slope θ′ is zero, and if the value of θ′ is negative, the unmanned trolley V is tilted to the right with respect to its traveling direction, that is, it is approaching the guide route GL, and the amount of tilt is |θ'|. If the value of θ' is positive, it is tilted to the left, that is, it is moving away from the guide route GL, and the amount of tilt is |θ'|.

As explained above, the guidance route of the unmanned trolley V to the reference point C is continuously
Amount of deviation from the set separation distance L to GL △
Ln and the slope θ' with respect to the guidance route GL (driving route RL) are calculated and output to the steering (control) means 5 using appropriate steering control logic, so that the reference point C of the unmanned bogie V is always from the guidance route GL. Preset separation distance L
Control is performed so that the unmanned trolley V runs while holding the .

〔effect〕

As described above, the guidance control device for an unmanned trolley of the present invention uses a plurality of sets of reflection means as guidance route forming means at appropriate intervals to discretely transmit a highly directional optical signal from the unmanned trolley to a person. The unmanned trolley can be used to guide the unmanned trolley on the roadside by simply installing it at a low height above the road surface and on the scanning plane of the highly directional light signal from the unmanned trolley. Although the means of
While continuously detecting each guide route forming means and maintaining a distance from the determined guide route,
It has the unique effect of being able to be reliably guided using only safe and simple calculations.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the guidance control device for an unmanned trolley according to the present invention, and FIG.
The figure shows the unmanned trolley and 1 when the unmanned trolley is deviated.
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the relationship between the unmanned trolley and one set of guide route forming means when the unmanned trolley is inclined with respect to the guide route; FIG. The figure is a plan view showing the relationship for calculating the inclination of the unmanned trolley with respect to the guidance route.
The figure is a block diagram showing the functions of a guidance control device provided in an unmanned trolley. RL...Unmanned trolley travel route, GL...Guidance route,
L... Set separation distance from the guidance route, A(n
-1), (n), (n+1)...first reflecting means, R
(n-1), (n), (n+1)...second reflecting means,
c...Specified installation distance between the first reflecting means and the second reflecting means, d(n-1), (n), (n+1)...Arbitrary distance between guide route forming means, C... Reference point, V...Unmanned trolley, a...Distance between the unmanned trolley reference point and the second reflecting means, b...Distance between the unmanned trolley reference point and the first reflecting means, Ln, Ln'...Unmanned Calculated separation distance between the bogie reference point and the guidance route, △Ln...
...Amount of deviation of the reference point position of the unmanned trolley with respect to the set separation distance, S... Distance traveled by the unmanned trolley during the scanning period,
θ...Inclination with respect to the guide route (traveling route) of the unmanned trolley, 1... Light control means, 11... Light projecting means, 1
2... Optical scanning means, 13... Light receiving means, 2... Distance measuring means, 3... Traveling distance detecting means, 4... Logical operation means, 5... Steering (control) means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an unmanned trolley equipped with a traveling drive means, a braking means, a steering means, and a traveling/steering control means,
From a light projecting means, a scanning means, and a light receiving means that project and scan a highly directional optical signal for guiding and controlling the unmanned trolley in parallel to the road surface of the unmanned trolley, and receive the reflected light of the projected light. a distance measuring means for measuring the distance between the light reflection position and a reference point on which the light emitting and receiving means are installed on the unmanned trolley; a traveling distance detecting means for calculating the traveling distance of the unmanned trolley; An unmanned trolley comprising logical calculation means that calculates the separation distance between a reference point and a guidance route, calculates the deviation from a predetermined separation distance and the inclination of the guidance route and the unmanned trolley, and outputs an appropriate steering signal. The guidance and control device equipped with the system is installed at a certain low height from the road surface on the side of the unmanned trolley's running path, with predetermined installation intervals to reflect the highly directional light signal from the unmanned trolley. The guide route is formed by continuously or intermittently installing a guide route forming means including a first reflecting means and a second reflecting means, and is distanced from the light emitting, scanning means and light receiving means of the unmanned trolley. The measuring means detects a certain set of guidance route configuring means at a certain scanning timing, measures each distance between the reference point of the unmanned trolley and the first reflecting means and the second reflecting means, Using Heron's formula to calculate the area from the lengths of the three sides of a triangle whose three sides are formed by the distance between the reference point of the unmanned trolley and each reflecting means and the predetermined installation distance between each reflecting means, and the usual Using the formula for calculating the area of the triangle (1/2 x distance between reflecting means x separation distance), calculate the separation distance between the reference point of the unmanned trolley and the guidance route at a certain scanning timing, and do the same at the next scanning timing. Calculate the separation distance, and from the difference between each separation distance and the distance of the unmanned trolley that traveled within each separation distance measurement time,
The inclination of the unmanned trolley with respect to the guidance route is calculated, and the amount of lateral deviation of the unmanned trolley from the guidance route is calculated based on the deviation between the separation distance at the next scanning timing and the predetermined separation distance, and the guidance of the unmanned trolley is performed. Outputs a steering control signal to the steering means using appropriate steering control logic based on the inclination and lateral deviation amount with respect to the route, and continuously guides the unmanned trolley along the guidance route while sequentially performing measurements and calculations of the above contents. A guidance control device for an unmanned trolley.