JPS6353614A - Route exchanging method for unmanned vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To exchange a route without providing an exchanging guide way actually by travelling autonomously an unmanned vehicle from one guide way to other route with virtual route information and exchanging routes. CONSTITUTION:In accordance with the detecting signal of a guide way detecting part 40 to catch a guide signal generated by a guide line 12 and detect the right/left dislocation, a processor 46 makes a travelling driving part 48 execute the guide travelling. When an unmanned vehicle GVn comes to an S point on a first guide way 10, the information concerning a route exchanging command and a virtual route 50 is inputted from an external part to the processor 46. After the processor 46 stores the information of the virtual route 50 into a memory 44, it stops the guide travelling following the detecting signal of the detecting part 40, the information of a leaving route 52 stored in the memory 44 is referred to, and a vehicle GVn is autonomously travelled. At the termination, the processor 46 refers to the information of an entering route 54, makes the vehicle GVn travel autonomously, the detecting part 40 detects the signal of a guide line 22 near the termination, and then, a guide travelling control is restarted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a route exchange method for an automatic guided vehicle, in which the automatic guided vehicle detects a guidance signal and exchanges the guidance route for guiding the automatic guided vehicle from one to the other.

<Prior art> When there are multiple independent guidance routes for giving a guidance signal to an automatic guided vehicle to guide its travel, the route of the automatic guided vehicle is switched from one guidance route to another due to transportation planning. There are cases where you want to In this case, conventionally, an exchange guidance route connecting one guidance route and the other guidance route is provided, and a guidance signal of a frequency different from that of the one or the other guidance route is generated on this exchange guidance route, so that the automatic guided vehicle can By switching the reception frequency to that of the exchange guidance route when the departure point of one guidance route is reached, and further switching the reception frequency to that of the other guidance route when the arrival point of the other guidance route is reached, the exchange guidance is performed. The route was used to cause a transition from one guide route to the other guide route.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> However, in the conventional route exchange method described above, it is necessary to provide a guide route so as to overlap one guide M route and the other guide route, which takes time for burying work and reduces the transportation cost. There has been a problem in that when it is desired to change the plan, the exchange guidance route cannot be easily changed.

The present invention was made in view of the drawbacks of the prior art,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a route exchange method for an automatic guided vehicle, which allows one guide route to be easily exchanged with the other guide route without requiring a complicated exchange guide route.

Means for Solving the Problems> FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an automatic guided vehicle system according to the present invention, in which 10 is a first guide route consisting of a loop-shaped guide wire 12, and 20 is a loop-shaped guide route. A second guiding path consisting of lines 22, G V n (n = 1, 2.

) is an automated guided vehicle. This automatic guided vehicle G o has a guide route detection section 40 that detects deviation from the guide cotton 12 or 22 based on the guide signal emitted by the guide wire 12 or 22, and a guided run according to the detection signal of the guide route detection section 40. The vehicle has a processor (CPU) 46 that performs autonomous travel according to virtual route information stored in a memory 44, and a travel drive unit 48 that performs travel drive under the control of the processor 46. 50 is a virtual route between the first guide route 10 and the second guide route 20 which are spaced apart;
A departure path 52 on an arc that reaches an intermediate point C clockwise with a radius of r, = L/2 and a center angle of 90 degrees from a departure point S on the way, and a departure path 52 from this 0 point to an intermediate point C. The second guidance route 2 has a center angle of 90° counterclockwise with a radius of
It consists of an incident path on an arc that reaches a certain incident point I in the middle of zero.

Operation> In a state where the processor 46 causes the travel drive unit 48 to perform guided travel according to the detection signal of the guidance path detection unit 40 that catches the guidance signal emitted by the guide wire 12 and detects left and right deviations, the automatic guided vehicle G V n is the first guidance route 10
At the point 8 above, a route exchange command and information regarding the virtual route 50 are input to the processor 46 from the outside. As a result, the processor 46 stores the information on the virtual route 50 in the memory 44, stops the guided travel according to the detection signal of the guide route detection unit 40, and then stores the information on the departure route 52 among the information stored in the memory 44. The automatic guided vehicle GV controls the travel drive unit 48 with reference to the information.

to complete autonomous driving. Then, when the end of the exit path 52 is reached, the processor 46 next moves to the input path 54.
With reference to the information, the travel drive unit 48 is controlled to cause the automatic guided vehicle to travel autonomously.

Guidance 1 in which the automatic guided vehicle moves and comes near the end of the incident path 54, and the guidance path detection unit 40 forms the second guidance path 20.
When the processor 46 catches the guidance signal of the aI 22 and detects that there is no lateral deviation, the processor 46 stops the autonomous travel control for the travel drive unit 48 and restarts the guidance travel control.

<Embodiment> Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an automatic guided vehicle traveling system (4) according to the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a first automatic guided vehicle travel system, and a first guide route 10 for automatic guided vehicles GV, GV2°, GV, is formed by a guide wire 12 arranged in a loop shape. , an induced current generator 14 is connected to both ends of the induction s12, and a guided vehicle traffic control device 16 is further connected to this induced current generator 14.

The induced current generator 14 generates a low frequency induced current of a predetermined frequency f1 in the guided wire 12, and transmits this induced current to the automatic guided vehicles GV, GV2, . . . . This is to have the GVn detect it and automatically drive the vehicle so as not to deviate from a predetermined route.

The guided vehicle traffic control device 16 connects each automatic guided vehicle GV via an induced current generator 14 and a guiding wire 12.

GV , ... mutual communication of commands and data with GV, and each unmanned guided vehicle GV according to a predetermined transportation plan.
,,GV2. -- - GV It is designed to move from a predetermined position on the G first guide route 10 to another predetermined position.

2 is a second automatic guided vehicle running system, which is composed of a second guide path 20 consisting of a loop-shaped guide wire 22, an induced current generator 24, and a guided vehicle traffic control device 26; A predetermined frequency f2 different from the induced current generator 14
The guided vehicle traffic control device 26 generates a low frequency induced current of +1. GVn+2
．． . . , and is moved from a predetermined position on the second guide path RI 20 to another predetermined position according to a predetermined transportation plan.

Further, the guided vehicle traffic control device 16 changes the route of the automatic guided vehicle from the first guide route 10 to the second guide route 20 by giving a predetermined command as necessary.

Similarly, the guided vehicle traffic control device 26 can change the route of the automated guided vehicle from the second guided route 20 to the first guided route 10 by giving a predetermined command to the automated guided vehicle on the second guided route 20 as necessary. It is now possible to have it replaced.

Each automatic guided vehicle is configured in the same way, and for example, to explain the automatic guided vehicle Gvn, the left and right pickups 60 and 62 that detect the induced current from the guide wire 12, the adding circuit 64 that adds the signals of both pickups, and the adding circuit 64 that adds the signals of both pickups. A/ result
A guide path detection unit 40 consisting of an A/D converter 66 that performs D conversion and output, a motor 74.76 coupled to left and right drive wheels 70.72, a servo amplifier 78 that drives and controls the motor 74.76, and A travel drive section 48 consisting of a servo controller 80 , encoders 82 , 84 for detecting rotational speed coupled to the left and right drive wheels 70 , 72 , and commands to and from the external guided vehicle traffic control device 16 via a serial communication interface 86 . In addition to mutually communicating information and data,
A processor 46 receives detection signals from the guidance route detection section 40 and encoders 82 and 84 and outputs a predetermined control signal to the travel drive section 48 to control travel, and a memory 44 connected to the processor 46. Become.

The memory 44 stores various control programs for controlling travel, and the processor 46 executes predetermined control processing based on guided travel commands or autonomous travel commands sent from the guided vehicle traffic control device 16 in accordance with these control programs. It is supposed to be in charge of

Multiple magnets (not shown) are placed at predetermined positions along the guide line 12.22, and by detecting these magnets with magnetic sensors, each automated guided vehicle can determine its own position on the route. It looks like this.

Next, the operation when the automatic guided vehicle, for example, Gvn, switches routes from the first guide route 10 to the second guide route 20 will be described.

First, when the automatic guided vehicle GV is performing normal guided travel, the processor 46 adjusts the reception frequency of the pickup 60.62 to fl, and the processor 46 adjusts the receiving frequency of the pickup 60. Based on the deviation signal of
A predetermined control calculation is performed to eliminate the deviation, and fixedly set outer wheel side set speed (O20) data and wheel ratio data (WRO) as a result of the control calculation are sent to the servo controller 80, and the drive wheel 72 is set to the outer wheel. Side setting speed O3D
.

The motors 74 and 76 are driven so that the drive wheel 70 has an inner wheel speed l5D=O8DXWRO, and the vehicle automatically travels to the target value input via the guide line 12 from the guided vehicle traffic control device 16.

Next, in the case of this embodiment, the route exchange is performed between the partial routes 10A and 2OA, where the first guide route 10 and the second guide route 20 are parallel to each other with an interval between them. Now, on this partial route 10A, the automatic guided vehicle GV, which is in the middle of automatically guided travel, is
When it is desired to move to the guided route 20, first, the guided vehicle traffic control device 16 gives the guided vehicle traffic control device 26 a route exchange command, for example, as follows.

TRANSFERGV To LOOP-B (
1 However, GVn is the automated guided vehicle number, LOO, P-B
is a guide route symbol attached corresponding to the second guide route 20.

The conveyance vehicle traffic control device 26 that received this command is G
Knowing that the automatic guided vehicle represented by V is being sent to the second guide route 20, the predetermined automatic guided vehicle receiving unit performs a preparation process for receiving the automatic guided vehicle.

Subsequently, the following route exchange command is given from the guided vehicle traffic control device 16 to the automatic guided vehicle GVn on the partial route 10A.

MOVE LINE A to LINE B
(2) MOVE TURN ANGLE 90RAD
IUS r RIGHT (31 MOVE T
URN ANGLE 90°RADIUS r LE
FT F2 (41, rLINE AJ
indicates the guide line 12, LINE BJ indicates the guide line 22, and in response to the command (2), the processor 46 makes predetermined preparations for route exchange. rMOVE TURNJ stops guided travel and commands rotation by autonomous travel. rANGLE 90°RADIU3 r RI
GHTJ is the right rotation of radius r1 center angle 900, rANG
LE 90° RADIUS r t,, EFTJ means left rotation of radius r1 center angle 90', first guidance path 10
A virtual route 50 consisting of a departure route 52 from and an entrance route 54 to the second guide route 20 is specified. In addition, rbaL/
It is 2. "F2" means that the execution of the command (4) should be stopped when an induced current of frequency f2 is detected under the termination condition.

When the processor 46 receives the command (2), the processor 46 continues (3)
, (4) are stored in the memory 44, and (3), (4)
Execute route exchange in this order. That is, based on the command (3), guided travel (straight travel on the partial route 10A) according to the detection signal from the guided route detection unit 40 is stopped, autonomous travel control is started according to the information regarding the departure route 52, and the automatic guided vehicle GV , rotate clockwise.

Specifically, the processor 46 outputs predetermined outer wheel set speed O8D data for the drive wheel 70 serving as the outer wheel to the servo controller 80, and also outputs r in (3) and drive wheel 70.
, 72, the set wheel ratio WRC is calculated using the following formula (% formula %)] (see Figure 2), and the actual drive wheel ratio is 70°72.
Regarding the speed ratio WRFB, from the output of encoder 82.84, the following formula WRFB-(output of encoder 84)/(encoder 8
The value obtained in step 2) is fed back, corrected by executing the control calculation shown in FIG. 3, and outputted to the servo controller 80 as corrected wheel ratio 1l-WRO data.

The servo controller 80 drives the motors 74 and 76 via the servo amplifier 78 in accordance with the set outer wheel speed O8D and the inner wheel speed ISD=OSDXWRO.

In this way, under autonomous running control by the processor 46, the automatic guided vehicle GV moves from the departure point S away from the first guidance route 10 and on the virtually set withdrawal route 52.

Then, by time integration of the output of the encoder 82 or 84, it moves (1/
4 rotations), the processor 46 then stops the autonomous running control on the departure route 52 based on the command (4), starts a new autonomous running control according to the information about the entrance route 54, and runs unmanned. Rotate the transport vehicle GV, , to the left.

Specifically, the processor 46 outputs predetermined outer wheel setting speed O3D data for the drive wheel 72, which is the outer wheel, to the servo controller 80, and calculates the same speed as described above from =12-r (=L/2) and l in (4). WRC is determined in advance, and the WRO data corrected using the following formula WRFB = (output of encoder 82) / (output of encoder 84) is output to the servo controller 80, and the motors 76 and 74 are set at the outer wheel side set speed O8D. and inner wheel speed I 5D=O8DXWRO
Drive accordingly.

As a result, the automatic guided vehicle GV is at the end point C of the withdrawal route 52.
From there, it further moves on a virtually set incident path 54.

Then, when the output of the encoder 82 or 84 has moved by a distance of (2πr/4) on the incident path 54 by time integration, the processor 86 switches the receiving frequency of the pickup 60.62 to f2, and the guided path detection section A signal from 40 is input, and a check begins to be made to see if the guide wire 22 is detected. When the automatic guided vehicle GV approaches the end of the input path 54, the guide wire 22 and the input path 54 are in contact at the input point (), so the pickups 60, 62 begin to detect the induced current in the guide wire 22, A detection signal is output from the detection section 40.

The processor 46 continues to move on the curved line on the incident path 54 shown in (4) until the detection signal from the guiding in, n lateral passage section 40 indicates that there is no left-right deviation from the guiding line 22, and the central angle is 90°. When the left and right deviation is eliminated, the autonomous running control on the incident path 54 is stopped and switched to guidance path control again, and the next command 1N5ERT COM, PLETION (5
) to send. Upon receiving this command, the guided vehicle traffic control device 26 confirms that the automatic guided vehicle Gv, has completed the transition to the second guide route 22, and thereafter manages the travel of this automated guided vehicle GV.

Thereafter, the automatic guided vehicle Gvn guides along the second guiding route 22 in accordance with the commands from the guided vehicle traffic control device 26.

Note that when the guide line 22 cannot be detected even after moving a predetermined distance on the extension curve of the incident path 54, the processor 46 performs a predetermined alarm output process.

<Effects of the Invention> According to the present invention, the automatic guided vehicle autonomously travels from one guide route to the other guide route to exchange routes according to the virtual route information, so that an exchange guide route is actually provided. Routes can be easily exchanged without any hassle, and since the guide MN moves along a route having a predetermined curvature that touches the guide MN at the exit point and the input point, smooth route exchange operation is possible.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an automatic guided vehicle system according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a rotational movement operation during a route exchange, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a rotational movement control system during a route exchange. 10..First guidance route, 12.22..Guidance line, 20..Second guidance route, 40..Guidance route detection unit, 44..Memory, 46..Processor, 48..Traveling drive unit, 50・Virtual route

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] In an automatic guided vehicle route exchanging method for exchanging the route of an automatic guided vehicle from one guiding route on which the unmanned guided vehicle is guided to another guiding route, from a departure point of one guiding route. A virtual route passing through the entrance point of the other guidance route is input into or stored in the automatic guided vehicle, and this virtual route includes a departure route of a predetermined curvature that is almost in contact with the departure point of one guidance route and the entrance point of the other guidance route. An incident path with a predetermined curvature that is almost in contact with the point is included, and when it reaches the exit point of one guidance route, the automatic guided vehicle changes from guided travel along the guidance route to autonomous travel along the virtual route. A route exchange method for an automatic guided vehicle, characterized in that the automatic guided vehicle is switched from autonomous traveling to guided traveling when the other guided route is detected near the end of the virtual route.