Remote operation system and unmanned transport vehicle

Abstract

A remote operation system is used for remotely operating a plurality of operation objects, and an operator can confirm the receiving state of the operation objects even through one-way communication. A remote operation system (1) for remotely operating a plurality of objects (3) to be operated is provided with: a transmission unit (24) that transmits the objects (3) to be operated by an operator (P); a reception unit (41) that receives the transmission signal from the transmission unit (24); an evaluation unit (42) that evaluates the reception signal received by the reception unit (41); a control unit (43) that controls the object to be operated (3) so as to perform an operation on the basis of the evaluation results of the evaluation unit (42); and a notification unit (40) that performs notification on the basis of the evaluation results of the evaluation unit (42).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a remote operation system for remotely operating a plurality of operation objects. Background Art

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-66556 states that an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) can be brought to an emergency stop using a wireless signal from a wireless terminal (see paragraphs

[0001] ,

[0032] , and

[0045] of the publication). Figure 1 、 Figure 10 ). In addition, paragraph

[0030] of the publication lists BLE (Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy) communication as a type of wireless communication.

[0003] In BLE communication, pairing or advertising is performed between the transmitter and receiver. While pairing is suitable for one-to-one communication, multiple automated guided vehicles typically operate simultaneously at sites where they are used, requiring one-to-N or M-to-N (M and N are natural numbers greater than 2) communication. This creates the need for advertising, which is broadcast communication.

[0004] However, advertising is a one-way communication method. Therefore, even if it is possible to confirm that the sending unit is in the sending state based on the display of the sending unit, there is a problem that the sending side cannot confirm whether the receiving unit has received the signal from the sending unit because there is no feedback to the sending unit.

[0005] Prior art literature

[0006] Patent Literature

[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-66556 (see paragraphs

[0001] ,

[0032] ,

[0045] and Figure 1 、 Figure 10 ) Summary of the Invention

[0008] The present invention is made in view of the above-mentioned actual situation in the past. The problem to be solved by the present invention is that, regarding a remote operation system for remotely operating multiple operation objects, an operator can confirm the reception status of the operation object even in one-way communication.

[0009] The present invention is a remote operation system for remotely operating multiple operation objects, wherein the remote operation system comprises: a sending unit, which sends the operation object through the operation of the operator; a receiving unit, which receives the transmission signal from the sending unit; an evaluation unit, which evaluates the reception signal received by the receiving unit; a control unit, which controls the operation object in a manner of performing operations based on the evaluation results of the evaluation unit; and a notification unit, which makes notifications corresponding to the evaluation results of the evaluation unit.

[0010] In the present invention, when an operator transmits a signal to multiple operation targets from a transmitting unit, the receiving unit receives the transmitted signal. The evaluation unit then evaluates the received signal. The control unit controls the operation targets so that operations are performed based on the evaluation results of the evaluation unit. The notification unit issues a notification based on the evaluation results of the evaluation unit.

[0011] In this case, if the transmission signal sent from the transmitting unit is received by the receiving unit, the notification unit will make a notification based on the evaluation result of the evaluation unit on the received signal. Therefore, even if the communication between the transmitting unit and the receiving unit is one-directional communication (i.e., one-way communication / single-directional communication), the operator can use the notification unit to confirm that the transmission signal sent from the transmitting unit has been received by the receiving unit.

[0012] In the present invention, the evaluation unit evaluates the operation performed by the operator based on the transmission data packet transmitted from the transmission unit.

[0013] In this case, a transmission packet is transmitted from the transmission unit according to an operation performed by the operator, the evaluation unit evaluates the transmission packet as a reception signal, and the control unit controls and the notification unit notifies based on the evaluation result according to the operation performed by the operator.

[0014] In the present invention, the transmission data packet sent from the transmission unit includes a communication confirmation signal and a stop signal. In this case, no matter whether the transmission signal is a communication confirmation signal or a stop signal, when the transmission signal is received by the receiving unit, a notification corresponding to the evaluation result of each signal is performed.

[0015] In the present invention, when transmitting the communication confirmation signal, the control unit performs control so as to maintain the state of the operation target, and when transmitting the stop signal, the control unit performs control so as to stop the operation target.

[0016] In the present invention, when the operator does not perform any operation for a predetermined time, the interval between sending the communication confirmation signal is made longer than the interval between sending the stop signal. In this case, by reducing the frequency of sending the communication confirmation signal, power consumption can be reduced.

[0017] In the present invention, when the transmitting unit and the receiving unit are outside the communication range, the control unit maintains the state of the operation object, stops the operation object, or performs deceleration control on the operation object.

[0018] In the present invention, the notification unit is a display lamp that displays notification information, a sound generator that generates notification sound, or an externally connected display.

[0019] In the present invention, the transmitting unit is provided in the remote operation terminal, and the remote operation terminal has a stop button that can be pressed and reset by an operator.

[0020] The present invention also includes a switch with a stop assist function for assisting in stopping an operation object. The switch with a stop assist function includes: a button configured to be pressed and reset by an operator, the button being stopped by the pressing operation; an operating unit configured to operate the button in response to a stop signal from a transmitting unit; and a locking unit configured to lock the button in the pressed state and to release the lock by the operator resetting the button.

[0021] According to the present invention, an operator directly depresses the button of a switch with a stop assist function to stop the object being operated. On the other hand, if the receiving unit receives a stop signal from the transmitting unit, the operating unit depresses the button under control of the control unit based on the evaluation result of the received signal by the evaluation unit. The locking unit locks the button in the depressed state. In this case, the switch with a stop assist function assists the operator in stopping the object being operated.

[0022] In the present invention, the reset operation after the operating unit operates the button is enabled when the radio wave intensity of the receiving signal of the receiving unit is greater than the radio wave intensity of the receiving signal of the receiving unit when the stop signal from the transmitting unit starts to be transmitted.

[0023] In this case, as the transmitter approaches the receiver, the radio wave intensity of the signal received by the receiver increases. Therefore, the operator who has sent the stop signal from the transmitter approaches the receiver to reset the button of the switch with the stop assist function.

[0024] In the present invention, the switch with the stop assist function is an emergency stop switch.

[0025] In the present invention, the operation object is an unmanned transport vehicle.

[0026] In the present invention, the automated guided vehicle is equipped with the switch with the stop assist function.

[0027] Effects of the Invention

[0028] As described above, according to the present invention, if a transmission signal sent from a transmitting unit is received by a receiving unit, a notification is made by a notification unit based on an evaluation result of the receiving signal by the evaluation unit. Therefore, even when the communication between the transmitting unit and the receiving unit is one-way communication, the operator can use the notification unit to confirm that the receiving unit has received the transmission signal sent from the transmitting unit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Figure 1 This is an overall perspective view showing an example of an application to which a remote operation system according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

[0030] Figure 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the remote operating system ( Figure 1 ) is a schematic front view of an example of a portable wireless terminal.

[0031] Figure 3 The remote operating system ( Figure 1 ) is a diagram showing an example of a schematic module structure.

[0032] Figure 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the remote operating system ( Figure 1 ) is a schematic longitudinal sectional structural diagram of an example of an emergency stop switch unit, showing the state when not operated.

[0033] Figure 5 Shows the operation of the emergency stop switch unit ( Figure 4 ) (remote operation / manual operation).

[0034] Figure 6 The remote operating system ( Figure 1 ) of the portable wireless terminal ( Figure 2 ) is a flowchart of an example of a control flow.

[0035] Figure 7 The remote operating system ( Figure 1 ) of the receiver ( Figure 3 ) is a flowchart of an example of a control flow.

[0036] Figure 8 The remote operating system ( Figure 1 ) of the receiver ( Figure 3 ) is a flowchart of an example of a control flow.

[0037] Figure 9 is a diagram showing the portable wireless terminal ( Figure 2 ) of the sending part ( Figure 3 ) is a diagram of an example of a data packet sent.

[0038] Figure 10is a diagram showing the portable wireless terminal ( Figure 2 ) of the sending part ( Figure 3 ) shows other examples of sending data packets. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings.

[0040] Figures 1 to 10 is a diagram for explaining a remote operation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 The overall structure of the application of the remote operating system involved in this embodiment is shown. Figure 2 The portable (wearable) wireless terminal used by the operator is shown. Figure 3 shows the outline module structure of the remote operating system, Figure 4 、 Figure 5 The schematic structure of the emergency stop switch unit constituting the remote operation system is shown. Figures 6 to 8 shows the control flow of the remote operating system, Figure 9 、 Figure 10 A specific example of sending a data packet is shown. In addition, for the convenience of illustration, Figure 4 and Figure 5 Hatching omitted.

[0041] Figure 1 1 shows a plurality of automated guided vehicles 3 as devices (operation targets) remotely controlled by the remote operation system 1 according to this embodiment. The term "automated guided vehicle" is used in this specification in a broad sense. In addition to the narrowly defined automated guided vehicle (AGV), this "automated guided vehicle" also includes autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).

[0042] The automated guided vehicle 3 includes a receiver 4 for receiving external signals and an emergency stop switch unit (emergency stop switch / switch with stop assist function) 5 for causing an emergency stop of the automated guided vehicle 3. In this example, the receiver 4 and the emergency stop switch unit 5 are located at the front of the automated guided vehicle 3. However, their installation locations are not limited to this and may be located on the side or rear of the automated guided vehicle 3. Furthermore, in this example, indicator lights 401-403 are provided on the front panel of the receiver 4. However, these indicator lights 401-403 may also be provided separately from the receiver 4 (for example, all or some of the indicator lights 401-403 may be provided on the front, side, or rear of the automated guided vehicle 3 via vertically extending supports).

[0043] The operator P carries a portable wireless terminal (remote operation terminal) 2 for sending signals to the unmanned transport vehicle 3. Figure 2 As shown, the wireless terminal 2 is configured to be push-operated and reset by an operator and includes a stop button 20 for transmitting a stop signal to the receiver 4 of the automated guided vehicle 3; a power button 21; a communication confirmation button 22; and a display unit 23. Although not shown, a latch (or lock) mechanism is provided within the wireless terminal 2 to retain the stop button 20 in its depressed position.

[0044] The communication confirmation button 22 is used to send a communication confirmation signal to the receiver 4 of the unmanned transport vehicle 3. The display unit 23 is configured to, for example, display the power status (e.g., lights up when the power is on, and goes out when the power is off), display the stop signal transmission status (e.g., lights up when the stop signal is on, and flashes when the stop signal is not on), and also display the battery remaining amount (e.g., flashes when the remaining amount is less than a specified amount, and goes out when the remaining amount is greater than a specified amount) and the charging status (e.g., lights up during charging, and goes out when charging is completed and the charging cable is not connected). In addition, although not shown in the figure, a pair of D-rings for buckles are provided on the left and right sides of the wireless terminal 2, and the wireless terminal 2 is worn on the operator's wrist with the help of a belt (strap) passing through the above-mentioned D-rings (see Figure 1 ).

[0045] Next, use Figure 3 The schematic module structure of the remote operation system 1 will be described.

[0046] As shown in the figure, the remote operation system 1 is used to control multiple automated guided vehicles (AGVs) 3 ( Figure 3 Only one of them is shown in the figure) for remote operation, and includes the above-mentioned portable wireless terminal 2, receiver 4 and emergency stop switch unit 5.

[0047] The automated guided vehicle 3 includes an AGV controller 30 and a drive unit 31, such as a servo motor, connected to the AGV controller 30. The wireless terminal 2 includes the stop button 20, the communication confirmation button 22, a display unit 23, a transmitter 24, and a control circuit 25 connected to these components. The transmitter 24 transmits a stop signal when the stop button 20 is pressed and transmits a communication confirmation signal when the communication confirmation button 22 is pressed. The various components of the wireless terminal 2 are assembled into a wireless module, for example.

[0048] The receiver 4 includes a receiving unit 41 for receiving the transmission signal from the transmitting unit 24 of the wireless terminal 2; an evaluation unit 42 for evaluating the reception signal received by the receiving unit 41; a control unit 43 for controlling the automated guided vehicle 3 to perform operations based on the evaluation results of the evaluation unit 42; and a notification unit 40 for issuing notifications based on the evaluation results of the evaluation unit 42. The control unit 43 and the evaluation unit 42 are comprised of, for example, a programmable logic controller (PLC) 44. The PLC 44 includes a CPU and memory, and the memory stores a control program for performing control based on the reception signal received by the receiving unit 41.

[0049] The notification unit 40 consists of indicator lights 401-403 (indicator lights 1-3), a sound generator 404, and a wireless output unit 405. The indicator lights 401-403 display notification information, the sound generator 404 generates notification sounds, and the wireless output unit 405 wirelessly outputs notification information to an externally connected display (not shown). For example, the indicator light 401 indicates whether the unit is inside or outside the communication range (e.g., flashes slowly when inside the communication range and turns off when outside the communication range) and whether a communication confirmation signal has been received (e.g., flashes rapidly when a communication confirmation signal has been received). The indicator light 402 indicates the power status (e.g., lights up when the power is on and turns off when the power is off) and the stop signal transmission status (e.g., flashes slowly when the stop signal is being transmitted). The indicator light 403 indicates the operating status of the emergency stop switch unit 5 (e.g., turns off when the emergency stop switch unit 5 is not operating, lights up when operating normally, and flashes rapidly when an abnormality occurs).

[0050] For example, BLE (Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy) communication is used for communication between the transmitter 24 of the wireless terminal 2 and the receiver 41 of the receiver 4 .

[0051] The control unit 43 of the receiver 4 is connected to the AGV controller 30 of the unmanned transport vehicle 3 and is also connected to the emergency stop switch unit 5. The emergency stop switch unit 5 is connected to the AGV controller 30 of the unmanned transport vehicle 3. There are multiple emergency stop switch units 5 corresponding to the multiple unmanned transport vehicles 3, but only one is shown here. Figure 4 and Figure 5 Provide explanation.

[0052] like Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the emergency stop switch unit 5 includes: a housing (casing) 51; a button 50 supported at one end of the housing 51 and capable of being pressed by an operator; an operating shaft 52 connected to the inner side of the button 50 and extending axially within the housing 51; a movable contact 53 mounted at the distal end of the operating shaft 52 and moving therewith; and a fixed contact 54 fixed to the inner wall of the housing 51, disposed opposite the movable contact 53, and capable of contacting and separating with the movable contact 53. In this example, the button 50 is disposed at one end of the emergency stop switch unit 5, and the contacts 53 and 54 are disposed at the other end of the emergency stop switch unit 5.

[0053] The emergency stop switch unit 5 also includes an electromagnetic solenoid (solenoid / actuating unit) 60, which is provided inside the housing 51 and is used to actuate the button 50. The solenoid 60 is disposed between the contacts 53 and 54 and the button 50. The solenoid 60 includes a solenoid body (electromagnetic coil unit) 61, which holds the operating shaft 52 so that it can slide in the axial direction. The solenoid body 61 functions to move (actuate) the operating shaft 52 in the direction in which the button 50 is pressed. The solenoid 60 is connected to the receiver 4 ( Figure 3 ) is connected to the control unit 43, and current is supplied and stopped from the outside under the control of the control unit 43. The solenoid 60 is used to assist in the operation of the button 50 and thus the automated guided vehicle 3 (stop assistance) so that the operator can press the button 50 even from a position away from the emergency stop switch unit 5.

[0054] The operating shaft 52 has a flange portion 52a extending toward the outer circumference at its approximate center. On the other hand, an extension portion 51a extending toward the inner circumference is provided on the inner wall surface of the housing 51. The extension portion 51a is arranged opposite to the flange portion 52a at a predetermined interval in the axial direction. The coil spring 55 is arranged between the flange portion 52a and the extension portion 51a in a compressed state. One end of the coil spring 55 abuts and is stopped by the flange portion 52a and moves along with the movement of the shaft portion 52. The other end of the coil spring 55 abuts and is stopped by the extension portion 51a and is stopped on the housing 51 side. The coil spring 55 causes an elastic reaction force to act on the flange portion 52a and the extension portion 51a. By utilizing this elastic reaction force, the contact 54 is moved in a direction away from the fixed contact 54 (contact disconnection direction ( Figure 4 The right side in the figure), i.e., the side where the button 50 changes from the on state to the off state), applies force to the movable contact 53.

[0055] exist Figure 4 When the emergency stop switch unit 5 is not operated (before operation), the coil spring 55 is in a state of maximum compression between the extension 51a and the flange 52a, and the elastic reaction force of the coil spring 55 is the largest, thereby retaining the largest elastic energy. Figure 5 After the emergency stop switch unit 5 is operated, the coil spring 55 is released from the Figure 4 The state of the coil spring 55 is stretched in the axial direction, the elastic reaction force of the coil spring 55 is reduced, and the elastic energy retained by the coil spring 55 is also reduced.

[0056] The operating shaft 52 has a protrusion 52b protruding toward the outer peripheral side near the button 50. The longitudinal section of the protrusion 52b is formed into a trapezoidal shape and has a pair of inclined surfaces. On the other hand, a pair of engaging parts 56 are provided inside the housing 51. Each engaging part 56 has a pair of inclined surfaces that can be engaged with each inclined surface of the protrusion 52b. The elastic reaction force of the spring 57 provided inside the housing 51 is used to apply force to each engaging part 56 toward the corresponding protrusion 52b side. Figure 4 In the non-operated state shown in FIG, the inclined surface on the left side of the engaging member 56 is engaged with the inclined surface on the right side of the protrusion 52b. Figure 5 In the state after the operation shown, the inclined surface on the right side in the drawing of the engaging member 56 is engaged with the inclined surface on the left side in the drawing of the protrusion 52 b.

[0057] The protrusion 52b of the operating shaft 52, the engaging member 56 and the spring 57 constitute the state after the push-in operation ( Figure 5 ) is a locking portion 58 that locks the button 50. In order to change the button 50 from the locked state ( Figure 5 The button 50 is restored to the unlocked state ( Figure 4 ), after stopping the current supply to the solenoid body 61 of the solenoid 60, the operator grasps the button 50 by hand and pushes it in the direction opposite to the direction of the pressing operation ( Figure 5 Then, the operating shaft 52 moves together with the button 50, so that the protrusion 52b of the operating shaft 52 causes each engaging member 56 to gradually retract while overcoming the elastic reaction force of the spring 57. As a result, the protrusion 52b of the operating shaft 52 passes over each engaging member 56 and moves from the Figure 5 The state after the press operation is restored to Figure 4 Thus, the operator manually performs the reset operation of the button 50.

[0058] The portion of housing 51 that houses solenoid 60, coil spring 55, protrusion 52b of operating shaft 52, and engaging member 56 corresponds to operating portion 51A, while the portion that houses the contacts, including movable contact 53 and fixed contact 54, corresponds to contact portion 51B. Push button 50 is located at one end of operating portion 51A, and contact portion 51B is located at the other end.

[0059] The emergency stop switch unit 5 is installed on the unmanned transport vehicle 3 ( Figure 1 ) has a mounting hole formed on the upper panel 35 on the front side, the operating portion 51A and the contact portion 51B of the emergency stop switch unit 5 are accommodated in the interior of the upper panel 35, and only the button 50 is configured above the upper panel 35.

[0060] Next, use Figures 6 to 8 An example of the control flow of the remote operation system 1 according to the present embodiment is described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Figure 6 shows the control flow of the wireless terminal, Figure 7 and Figure 8 The control flow of the receiver is shown.

[0061] When the program is started by turning on the power of the wireless terminal 2, the wireless terminal 2 first Figure 6 In step S1, it is determined that the wireless terminal 2 ( Figures 1 to 3 ) of the communication confirmation button 22 ( Figure 2 、 Figure 3 ) is turned on by the operator P. If the communication confirmation button 22 is turned on, the process moves to step S2, and the sending unit 24 ( Figure 3 ) starts sending the communication confirmation signal. Towards the unmanned transport vehicle 3 ( Figure 1 ) of receiver 4 ( Figure 1 、 Figure 3 ) wirelessly transmits a communication confirmation signal. After processing in step S2, the process proceeds to step S3. On the other hand, if the communication confirmation button 22 of the wireless terminal 2 is not turned on within the specified time in step S1, the process proceeds to step S3.

[0062] In step S3, it is determined whether the stop button 20 ( Figure 2 、 Figure 3 ) is turned on by the operator P. If the stop button 20 is turned on, the process moves to step S4, and the sending unit 24 ( Figure 3 ) starts sending the stop signal. Towards the unmanned transport vehicle 3 ( Figure 1 ) of the receiver ( Figure 1 、 Figure 3 ) wirelessly transmits a stop signal. After step S4, the process proceeds to step S5. On the other hand, if the stop button 20 of the wireless terminal 2 is not pressed within the specified time in step S3, the process returns to step S1 and repeats steps S1 through S3.

[0063] In step S5, the system waits for the stop button 20 to be reset. Resetting, as used herein, means that after the operator P manually presses the stop button 20 of the wireless terminal 2 to switch to the on state, the operator P manually pulls the stop button 20, which remains pressed, to permanently restore the stop button 20 to its pre-pressed off state. If the stop button 20 has been reset, the judgment in step S5 is "Yes," and the process proceeds to step S6.

[0064] In step S6, it is determined whether the program is to be terminated. If the program is to be terminated, the determination in step S6 is "Yes" and the program is terminated. On the other hand, if the program is not to be terminated, the process returns to step S1 and the processes of steps S1 to S6 are repeated.

[0065] Next, on the receiver 4 side of the unmanned transport vehicle 3, first, Figure 7 In step T1, the receiving unit 41 ( Figure 3 ) receives the data from the transmitting unit 24 of the wireless terminal 2 ( Figure 3 Here, the reception signal received by the receiving unit 41 is a communication confirmation signal in this example (refer to Figure 6 Either the step S2 of the figure) or the stop signal (refer to step S4 of the figure).

[0066] If the transmission signal from the wireless terminal 2 is received by the receiving unit 41, the determination in step T1 is "Yes" and the process proceeds to step T2. In step T2, an evaluation processing subroutine is executed to evaluate the received signal.

[0067] In this case, Figure 8 In step U1, a determination is made as to whether the received signal is a communication confirmation signal. If the received signal received by the receiving unit 41 is a communication confirmation signal, the determination in step U1 is "Yes," and the process proceeds to step U2. In step U2, the display light 1 (display light 401) is flashed at a high speed. After processing step U2, the process proceeds to step U3.

[0068] In step U3, it is determined whether the received signal is a stop signal. If the received signal received by the receiving unit 41 is not a stop signal (ie, a communication confirmation signal), the determination in step U3 is "No", and the program returns to step U3. Figure 7 In step T1, the receiving unit 41 waits for reception of a transmission signal from the wireless terminal 2. If the transmission signal is received, the process proceeds to step T2 and the evaluation process subroutine is executed again.

[0069] If the reception signal received by the receiving unit 41 is a stop signal, Figure 8If the judgment in step U1 is "No", the program proceeds to step U3. If the judgment in step U3 is "Yes", the program proceeds to step U4. In step U4, the display light 2 (display light 402) is flashed at a low speed. After the processing in step U4, the program returns to Figure 7 The main process is transferred to step T3.

[0070] Here, regarding the unmanned transport vehicle 3 ( Figure 1 、 Figure 3 ), the AGV controller 30 controls the driving unit 31 to drive along the specified route at a specified speed. At this time, if the operator P turns on the communication confirmation button 22 of the wireless terminal 2 and the receiving unit 41 of the receiver 4 of any unmanned guided vehicle 3 receives the communication confirmation signal sent from the transmitting unit 24, the display light 1 (display light 401) of the unmanned guided vehicle 3 flashes at a high speed ( Figure 8 2), the operator P can visually confirm that the automated guided vehicle 3 is able to communicate with the wireless terminal 2. Furthermore, upon receiving the communication confirmation signal, the control unit 43 of the receiver 4 only controls the display of the notification unit 40 without operating the emergency stop switch unit 5. Therefore, the driving state of the automated guided vehicle 3 remains unchanged and is maintained.

[0071] Next, when the operator P turns on the stop button 20 of the wireless terminal 2 and the stop signal is transmitted from the transmitter 24, the stop signal is received by the receiver 41 of the receiver 4 of the automated guided vehicle 3, which is in a state capable of communicating with the wireless terminal 2. Then, the control unit 43 of the receiver 4 stops the emergency stop switch unit 5. In this case, the solenoid 60 ( Figure 3 、 Figure 4 ) supplies current, thereby the operating shaft 52 is attracted to Figure 4 The right side moves (accompanied by the push button 50), and as a result, the movable contact 53 separates from the fixed contact 54 and the contact is disconnected (refer to Figure 5 ). The contact of the emergency stop switch unit 5 is opened and the power supply to the driving unit 31 of the automated guided vehicle 3 is cut off, thereby causing the automated guided vehicle 3 to stop urgently. In addition, at this time, the control unit 43 of the receiver 4 controls the display of the notification unit 40 so that the display light 2 (display light 402) of the automated guided vehicle 3 flashes at a low speed ( Figure 8 In step U4), the operator P can visually confirm that the unmanned transport vehicle 3 has received the stop signal. In addition, the operator P can also operate the button 50 of the emergency stop switch unit 5 by manually pressing it.

[0072] To reset the emergency stop switch unit 5 by releasing the depressed state of the button 50 and returning it to its original position, the operator P first manually pulls the stop button 20 of the wireless terminal 2 to reset the emergency stop switch unit 5. This stops the transmission of the stop signal from the transmitter 24 of the wireless terminal 2, thereby stopping the current supply to the solenoid 60 of the emergency stop switch unit 5. From this state, the operator P pulls the button 50 of the emergency stop switch unit 5 to reset the emergency stop switch unit 5.

[0073] Next, if you return to Figure 7 , step T3 determines whether the emergency stop switch unit 5 is operating normally. If the emergency stop switch unit 5 is operating normally, the judgment in step T3 is "Yes," and the process proceeds to step T4. In step T4, the indicator light 3 (indicator light 403) is illuminated. After processing step T4, the process proceeds to step T5. On the other hand, if the emergency stop switch unit 5 is not operating normally, the judgment in step T3 is "No," and the process proceeds to step T6. In step T6, the indicator light 3 (indicator light 403) is flashed at a high speed. After processing step T6, the process proceeds to step T5.

[0074] Here, as an example of the emergency stop switch unit 5 not operating normally, the following situation can be imagined: although the stop signal transmitted from the transmitting unit 24 of the wireless terminal 2 is received by the receiving unit 41 of the receiver 4 of the automated guided vehicle 3, the contacts of the emergency stop switch unit 5 are not opened due to welding of the contacts, malfunction of the solenoid 60, etc.

[0075] Next, in step T5, it is determined whether the program is to be terminated. If the program is to be terminated, the determination in step T5 is "Yes" and the program is terminated. On the other hand, if the program is not to be terminated, the process returns to step T1 and the processes of steps T1 to T5 are repeated.

[0076] [First Modification]

[0077] In the above embodiment, three indicator lights 1 to 3 (indicator lights 401 to 403) are provided as indicator lights constituting the notification unit 40 of the receiver 4. However, the number of indicator lights is not limited to this number and may be greater or less than this number. Furthermore, the arrangement of the indicator lights 1 to 3 (indicator lights 401 to 403) is not limited to that shown in the above embodiment and may be arranged in a different order or in a vertical direction.

[0078] [Second Modification]

[0079] In the above embodiment, an example is shown in which the evaluation result of the evaluation unit 42 of the receiver 4 is notified through various displays of the display light 1 (display light 401), the display light 2 (display light 402), or the display light 3 (display light 403), but the application of the present invention is not limited to this.

[0080] In addition to or instead of the displays of the display lights 1 to 3 (display lights 401 to 403), the sound generator 404 can generate a notification sound (e.g., a buzzer, a music box sound, etc.) to notify the evaluation result of the evaluation unit 42 of the receiver 4, or the evaluation result of the evaluation unit 42 of the receiver 4 can be output wirelessly to an external display (not shown) connected via the wireless output unit 405.

[0081] [Third Modification]

[0082] In the above embodiment, it is assumed that the transmission signal from the transmission unit 24 of the wireless terminal 2 is always transmitted at a constant transmission interval, but the application of the present invention is not limited to this.

[0083] Figure 9 This figure shows a modified example of a transmission packet sent from transmitter unit 24 of wireless terminal 2. In this figure, gray transmission signals represent communication confirmation signals, while black transmission signals represent stop signals. Furthermore, the transmission signal shown with a dashed line indicates that the communication confirmation signal has been omitted (i.e., the packet has been omitted).

[0084] like Figure 9 As shown, after the start of transmission, the communication confirmation signal starts to be transmitted at a constant transmission interval. However, if the operator does not operate the wireless terminal 2, that is, the operator does not operate the communication confirmation button 22 and the stop button 20 for a predetermined time, the wireless terminal 2 and the receiver 4 are in a state where communication is possible and the stop signal can be transmitted, but it is determined that it is a safe state and the operator does not need to press the stop button 20 ( Figure 6 In this example, the transmission interval is changed to 1 for every 4 transmissions (i.e., the transmission frequency is reduced to 1 / 4). This can reduce the number of communication data packets to 1 / 4 (in other words, the transmission interval is increased by 4 times), thereby reducing power consumption. As shown in the figure, the transmission interval of the communication confirmation signal is also increased by 4 times relative to the transmission interval of the stop signal. In addition, the changed transmission frequency is not limited to Figure 9 The frequencies shown are appropriately set according to each application of the remote operation system.

[0085] [Fourth Modification]

[0086] In the above embodiment, it is assumed that the transmitter 24 of the wireless terminal 2 and the receiver 41 of the receiver 4 of the automated guided vehicle 3 are always within the communication range, but the application of the present invention is not limited to this.

[0087] Figure 10 This figure shows another variation of a transmission packet sent from the transmitter 24 of the wireless terminal 2. In this figure, gray transmission signals represent communication confirmation signals, while black transmission signals represent stop signals. Furthermore, white transmission signals represent communication confirmation signals that were not received by the receiver 4. Specifically, the white sections indicate that the transmitter 24 of the wireless terminal 2 and the receiver 41 of the automated guided vehicle 3 are outside the communication range.

[0088] When the transmitter 24 of the wireless terminal 2 and the receiver 41 of the receiver 4 of the automated guided vehicle 3 are outside the communication range, the control unit 43 of the receiver 4 controls the notification unit 40 so that the indicator light 1 (indicator light 401) of the automated guided vehicle 3 is turned off. This allows the operator P to visually confirm that the automated guided vehicle 3 is outside the communication range. Furthermore, when the transmitter 24 of the wireless terminal 2 and the receiver 41 of the receiver 4 of the automated guided vehicle 3 are within the communication range, the control unit 43 of the receiver 4 controls the notification unit 40 so that the indicator light 1 (indicator light 401) of the automated guided vehicle 3 flashes at a low speed. This allows the operator P to visually confirm that the automated guided vehicle 3 is within the communication range.

[0089] Furthermore, when the transmitter 24 of the wireless terminal 2 and the receiver 41 of the receiver 4 of the automated guided vehicle 3 are outside the communication range, the control unit 43 of the receiver 4 can output a control signal to the AGV controller 30 of the automated guided vehicle 3 to drive and control the drive unit 31, thereby stopping or slowing the automated guided vehicle 3. Alternatively, the control unit 43 of the receiver 4 can refrain from driving and controlling the drive unit 31 of the automated guided vehicle 3, maintaining the current driving state. Furthermore, even if the radio wave conditions between the wireless terminal 2 and the automated guided vehicle 3 deteriorate and the radio wave strength of the received signal from the receiver 41 of the receiver 4 decreases, the automated guided vehicle 3 can be controlled not to stop immediately. This is because, even in such situations, the reception status of the automated guided vehicle 3 can be visually confirmed using the notification unit 40. This prevents the automated guided vehicle 3 from frequently stopping, so-called "minor stops," thereby preventing a decrease in production efficiency.

[0090] exist Figure 9 and Figure 10While the example shown shows the communication confirmation signal and the stop signal having the same radio wave strength, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the radio wave strength of the stop signal can be set higher than that of the communication confirmation signal. This can save energy during normal communication and reliably stop the automated guided vehicle 3 in an emergency.

[0091] [Fifth Modification]

[0092] In the embodiment described, after the operator P turns on the stop button 20 of the wireless terminal 2 and uses the solenoid 60 of the emergency stop switch unit 5 to press the button 50, thereby causing the unmanned guided vehicle 3 to stop urgently, the operator P resets the stop button 20 of the wireless terminal 2 to return it to its original position. Thus, even a person other than the operator P who operates the wireless terminal 2 can perform the reset operation of the button 50 of the emergency stop switch unit 5.

[0093] Here, generally, radio wave strength has a characteristic of attenuating inversely proportional to the square of the distance. Therefore, by measuring the radio wave strength of the received signal received by the receiving unit 41 of the receiver 4 of the automated guided vehicle 3, it is possible to calculate the proximity of the wireless terminal 2 that pressed the stop button 20 to the automated guided vehicle 3 that has been put to an emergency stop.

[0094] In this fourth modified example, a reset operation of the button 50 of the emergency stop switch unit 5 after actuation is enabled only when the radio signal strength of the signal received by the receiving unit 41 of the receiver 4 is greater than the radio signal strength of the signal received by the receiving unit 41 at the time the stop signal from the transmitting unit 24 of the wireless terminal 2 begins to be transmitted. Consequently, unless the operator P carrying the wireless terminal 2 who has pressed the stop button 20 is near the emergency-stopped automated guided vehicle 3, a person near the automated guided vehicle 3 cannot reset the button 50 of the emergency stop switch unit 5. The reset operation of the button 50 of the emergency stop switch unit 5 is only possible when the operator P carrying the wireless terminal 2 approaches the automated guided vehicle 3. Consequently, only the operator P who has pressed the stop button 20 of the wireless terminal 2 can reset the button 50 of the emergency stop switch unit 5, preventing accidental reset operations of the button 50 of the emergency stop switch unit 5 and improving the safety of the remote operation system.

[0095] [Sixth Modification]

[0096] While the above embodiment illustrates an example in which wireless terminal 2 is composed of a single wireless terminal, wireless terminal 2 may also be composed of two or more wireless terminals. In this case, each transmission packet sent from each wireless terminal may be assigned an identifier (ID), and the notification unit 40 of the receiver 4 may use a display unit to display the wireless terminal from which the transmission signal originated, using color coded information.

[0097] [Seventh Modification]

[0098] In the above embodiment, the wireless terminal 2 is described as a wristwatch (wristband) type device worn on the operator's wrist. However, the wireless terminal 2 may also be a pendant type device hung from the operator's neck. Furthermore, the wireless terminal 2 is not limited to the portable (wearable) type described above and may also be a device without a strap, chain, or other attachment for wearing on the operator's body.

[0099] [Other application examples]

[0100] While the above embodiments illustrate the application of the present invention to automated guided vehicles (AGVs), the present invention can also be applied to collaborative robots, where humans and robots collaborate to perform tasks. Furthermore, the present invention can be applied not only to factory automation (FA) applications, such as factories and warehouses where AGVs operate and manufacturing and assembly lines where collaborative robots operate, but also to the logistics, catering, food, medical, construction, and civil engineering industries.

[0101] [Other modifications]

[0102] The above-described embodiments and their variations should be considered in all respects as merely illustrative examples of the present invention and are not intended to be limiting. Even if not explicitly described in this specification, those skilled in the art in the art to which the present invention relates, taking into account the above-described teachings, will be able to construct various variations and other embodiments that utilize the principles of the present invention without departing from the spirit and essential features of the present invention.

[0103] Industrial Application Possibilities

[0104] The present invention is beneficial to a remote operation system for remotely operating a plurality of operation objects.

[0105] Description of Reference Numerals

[0106] 1: Remote operation system, 2: Portable wireless terminal (remote operation terminal), 20: Stop button, 24: Transmitter, 3: Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV / operation target), 4: Receiver, 40: Notification unit, 401-403: Display lights 1-3, 404: Sound generator, 41: Receiving unit, 42: Evaluation unit, 43: Control unit, 5: Emergency stop switch unit (emergency stop switch / switch with stop assist function), 50: Push button, 52b, 56, 57: Locking unit, 60: Solenoid (acting unit), P: Operator.

Claims

1. A remote operating system for remotely operating multiple operating objects. The remote operating system has: a sending unit configured to send the operation object through an operation by an operator; a receiving unit configured to receive a transmission signal from the transmitting unit; an evaluation unit that evaluates a reception signal received by the receiving unit; a control unit that controls the operation object so as to perform an operation based on the evaluation result of the evaluation unit; as well as A notification unit is configured to make a notification corresponding to the evaluation result of the evaluation unit.

2. The remote operation system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The evaluation unit evaluates an operation performed by an operator based on the transmission data packet transmitted from the transmission unit.

3. The remote operation system according to claim 1, wherein: The transmission packet transmitted from the transmission unit includes a communication confirmation signal and a stop signal.

4. The remote operation system according to claim 3, characterized in that: When transmitting the communication confirmation signal, the control unit performs control so as to maintain the state of the operation target, and when transmitting the stop signal, the control unit performs control so as to stop the operation target.

5. The remote operation system according to claim 3, characterized in that: If the operator does not perform any operation even after a predetermined time has passed, the transmission interval of the communication confirmation signal is made longer than the transmission interval of the stop signal.

6. The remote operation system according to claim 1, wherein: When the transmitting unit and the receiving unit are outside the communication range, the control unit maintains the state of the operation object, stops the operation object, or performs deceleration control on the operation object.

7. The remote operation system according to claim 1, wherein: The notification unit is a display lamp that displays notification information, a sound generator that generates notification sound, or an externally connected display.

8. The remote operation system according to claim 1, wherein: The transmitting unit is provided in a remote operation terminal, and the remote operation terminal has a stop button that can be pressed and reset by an operator.

9. The remote operation system according to claim 1, wherein: The remote operation system further includes a switch with a stop assist function for assisting a stop operation of the operation object, the switch with a stop assist function comprising: a button that is configured to be press-operable by an operator and capable of being reset, and the operation object is stopped by the pressing operation; an operating unit that operates the button in a manner such that the button is pressed based on a stop signal from the transmitting unit; and a locking portion that locks the button in a pushed-in state and can release the lock by an operator performing a reset operation on the button.

10. The remote operation system according to claim 9, characterized in that: The remote operating system is set to enable the reset operation after the working unit operates the button when the radio wave strength of the received signal of the receiving unit is greater than the radio wave strength of the received signal of the receiving unit when the stop signal from the sending unit starts to be sent.

11. The remote operation system according to claim 9, characterized in that: The switch with stop assistance function is an emergency stop switch.

12. The remote operation system according to claim 1, wherein: The operation object is an unmanned transport vehicle.

13. An unmanned transport vehicle, characterized in that: The automated guided vehicle is equipped with the switch with a stop assist function according to claim 9 .

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