Transportation assistance methods and systems

Abstract

This invention discloses a transport assistance method and system suitable for transporting goods between a first area and a second area. The system includes an automated reciprocating path and a loading vehicle that automatically travels between the second and first areas along the automated reciprocating path. When the loading vehicle is within the second area, it can disengage from the automated reciprocating path and follow a target while maintaining an appropriate following distance. The loading vehicle can stop immediately upon detecting an obstacle and resume operation after the obstacle is removed, reducing the risk of collision. Furthermore, the loading vehicle is paired with a first sensor, enabling it to accurately locate the corresponding target.

Claims

1. A method for assisting in transportation, comprising: Set an automatic round-trip path between a first area and a second area; When a loader executes an automatic heading program, the loader can only move to the second area along the automatic round-trip path. When the loader is in the second area, it automatically switches from the automatic heading program to a target following program, so that the movement of the loader is not restricted by the automatic round-trip path. The loader executing the target following program detects whether the distance between itself and a paired target is within a preset following distance value. When the distance is greater than the preset following distance value, the loader moves towards the target. When the distance is less than or equal to the preset following distance value, the loader does not move. When the loader executes an automatic return program, the loader moves towards the first area along the automatic round-trip path. When the loader reaches the first area, it stops moving.

2. The transport assistance method as described in claim 1 further includes: When the loading vehicle executes the automatic heading procedure and detects an obstacle at a distance less than a collision prevention distance value, the loading vehicle stops moving. After the loading vehicle stops because the distance to the obstacle is less than the collision prevention distance value, if the obstacle is removed or moved to a distance greater than the collision prevention distance value, the loading vehicle executing the automatic heading procedure continues to move closer to the second area. When the loading vehicle executes the automatic heading procedure and no obstacle is detected on its path, or when the detected obstacle is at a distance greater than a collision prevention distance value but has not yet reached the second area, the loading vehicle continues moving.

3. The transport assistance method as described in claim 1 or 2 further includes: When the loading vehicle executes the automatic return procedure and detects an obstacle at a distance less than a collision prevention distance, the loading vehicle stops moving. After the loading vehicle stops because the distance to the obstacle is less than the collision prevention distance, if the obstacle is removed or moves to a distance greater than the collision prevention distance, the loading vehicle executing the automatic return procedure continues to move closer to the second area. When the loading vehicle executes the automatic return procedure and no obstacle is detected on the forward path, or when the detected obstacle is at a distance greater than a collision prevention distance but has not yet reached the first area, the loading vehicle continues moving. When the loading vehicle reaches the first area, it remains within the first area and is on the automatic round-trip path, waiting to execute the automatic forward procedure.

4. The transport assistance method as described in claim 3 further includes: When the loading vehicle is moving in the second area, if it detects an obstacle at a distance less than the collision prevention distance value and the distance between the loading vehicle and the target being followed is greater than, less than, or equal to the preset following distance value, the loading vehicle stops moving. The loading vehicle only moves when the distance between the loading vehicle and the obstacle is greater than the collision prevention distance value and the distance between the loading vehicle and the target being followed is greater than the preset following distance value. The collision prevention distance value and the preset following distance value are the same.

5. The transport assistance method as described in claim 1, wherein the second region includes a branch road, the automatic round-trip path includes a forward section and a return section disposed between and separated from the first region and the second region, the automatic round-trip path further includes a connecting section connecting the forward section and the return section and adjacent to the first region, the automatic round-trip path further includes an entry branch section extending from the forward section into the branch road and a departure branch section extending from the return section into the branch road, the loading vehicle executing the automatic going procedure enters the forward section from the return section via the connecting section, moves further along the forward section and enters the branch road of the second region from the entry branch section, and the loading vehicle executing the automatic returning procedure enters the return section from the departure branch section.

6. In the transport assistance method as described in claim 1, the loading vehicle executing the following target program in the second area only executes the automatic return program when the loading vehicle is manually operated to execute the automatic return program, and the loading vehicle staying in the first area only executes the automatic heading program when the loading vehicle is manually operated to execute the automatic heading program.

7. The transport assist method as described in claim 1, further comprising: The loading vehicle that enters the second area detects the paired following target. When the loading vehicle does not detect the paired following target, the loading vehicle remains stationary.

8. A transport assistance system, comprising: A first area; A second region, separated from the first region; A preset automatic round-trip path is located between the first area and the second area; A loading vehicle can move to both the first area and the second area. When the loading vehicle moves between the first area and the second area, it can only move along the automatic reciprocating path. When the loading vehicle is located within the second area, it can leave the automatic reciprocating path and follow a target. The loading vehicle and the target are always kept at a distance less than or equal to a preset following distance value. When the distance between the loading vehicle and the target is greater than the following distance value, the loading vehicle moves to a distance equal to the following distance value from the target.

9. The transport assistance system as described in claim 8, further comprising: A first sensor is disposed on the following target, and the loading vehicle is paired with the first sensor. When the loading vehicle is located in the second area, the loading vehicle detects the distance between itself and the first sensor to determine the distance value between the following target and the loading vehicle. The second area includes a branch road. The automatic round-trip path includes a forward section and a return section disposed between the first area and the second area and separated from each other. The automatic round-trip path further includes a connecting section connecting the forward section and the return section and adjacent to the first area. The automatic round-trip path also includes an entry branch extending from the forward section into the branch road and a departure branch extending from the return section into the branch road. The loading vehicle enters the second area from the forward section along the entry branch and enters the return section along the departure branch.

10. The transport assistance system as described in claim 9, further comprising: A second sensor is disposed in the first area. The loading vehicle is paired with the second sensor. When the loading vehicle moves along the automatic reciprocating path toward the first area, the loading vehicle stops moving when it detects that the distance between itself and the second sensor is equal to a preset stop distance value. The preset following distance value is a value between 0.5 meters and 30 meters, and the stop distance value is a value between 0.5 meters and 5 meters.

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