Electric forklift voice broadcast control system based on domain control technology

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of electric forklift control, in particular to an electric forklift voice broadcast control system based on domain control technology. Vehicle states and sensor signals are integrated through the domain controller, communication is achieved through two CAN channels, and the wiring harness layout is simplified. According to the system, voice contents and priorities are customized through a visual instrument, the cost is reduced by adopting a single CAN voice loudspeaker, meanwhile, the alarm response efficiency is improved through a priority algorithm, and the operation safety of the forklift is remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of electric forklift control technology, specifically to an electric forklift voice broadcast control system based on domain control technology. Background Technology

[0002] With increasingly severe environmental and energy issues, electric forklifts, relying on their superior characteristics, are gradually replacing internal combustion forklifts, attracting more and more attention and gaining a huge market share. At the same time, the safety of using electric forklifts is receiving increasing attention, as forklift accidents are common every year, causing significant trouble for businesses, factories, and people's lives. Therefore, users are placing higher demands on the safe operation of electric forklifts.

[0003] During operation, the voice alarm prompts of an electric forklift are part of its intelligent safety driving function. These primarily include alerts for improper or unsafe operation by the driver and reminders to personnel in the work area to be aware of safety during vehicle operation. In traditional electric forklift alarm systems, the voice alarm prompts are mainly implemented by rigidly connecting the wiring to drive the corresponding alarm speakers. Different alarm functions require different wiring, and the more alarm functions required, the more complex the wiring harness becomes. Furthermore, the alarm voice prompts are tied to hardware; different alarm functions require different speakers, which cannot be freely defined, and the types of alarm voice prompts are limited.

[0004] Therefore, implementing diverse vehicle alarm voice prompt functions is complex, requiring multiple voice prompt broadcast hardware supports, resulting in numerous components and high costs. Furthermore, the wiring harness layout and the entire vehicle system are more complex.

[0005] In conclusion, building a simple, low-cost, versatile, and personalized whole-vehicle voice alarm system to achieve intelligent and safe driving of electric forklifts and make vehicle operation safer and more reliable has become an urgent problem to be solved by those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0006] To address the issues of complex wiring harnesses and poor scalability in existing voice alarm systems, this invention provides a voice broadcast control system for electric forklifts based on domain control technology, comprising:

[0007] The vehicle domain controller (VCU) is used to receive vehicle information and signals collected by sensor groups through the CAN channel and I / O interface, perform comprehensive logical judgment on the vehicle information and peripheral sensor information, and control the output of corresponding commands.

[0008] The CAN speaker is connected to the vehicle domain controller (VCU) via the CAN bus, receives control signals from the VCU and plays voice.

[0009] The instrument panel is visually designed, provides a voice configuration interface, and communicates with the vehicle domain controller (VCU).

[0010] The sensor group is used to collect vehicle operating status information, including vehicle speed sensor, seat status sensor and collision avoidance sensor;

[0011] The control system communicates through two independent CAN channels. The first CAN channel connects the vehicle domain controller (VCU), the vehicle controller (MCU), and the visual instrument panel, while the second CAN channel connects the vehicle domain controller (VCU), the CAN speaker, and the sensor group.

[0012] In one embodiment, the vehicle domain controller (VCU) incorporates a priority algorithm to determine the order of voice broadcasts based on the level of danger.

[0013] In one embodiment, the CAN speaker supports importing custom audio files via an external interface.

[0014] In one embodiment, the visualization instrument supports multilingual switching and volume adjustment functions.

[0015] In one embodiment, the sensor group includes a radar probe and an AI camera for providing collision avoidance alerts.

[0016] This utility model has the following advantages:

[0017] 1. Simplified wiring: By integrating signal processing through the vehicle domain controller (VCU), only two CAN channels are needed to achieve full system communication, reducing wiring harness complexity;

[0018] 2. Flexible expansion: Supports customization of voice content and voice broadcast priority through a visual dashboard to adapt to different scenario needs;

[0019] 3. Cost optimization: Replacing the multi-speaker solution with a single CAN voice speaker reduces hardware costs;

[0020] 4. Enhanced safety: High-risk alarms are broadcast first through a priority algorithm, improving the safety of forklift operations. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the system structure of this utility model.

[0022] Figure 2 This is the system control flowchart of this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0024] like Figure 1 As shown, embodiments of this application provide a voice broadcast control system for electric forklifts based on domain control technology, including:

[0025] The vehicle domain controller (VCU) receives vehicle information and signals collected by the sensor array via CAN channels and I / O interfaces. It performs comprehensive logical judgment on the vehicle information and peripheral sensor information and outputs corresponding control commands. The CAN speaker is connected to the VCU via the CAN bus, receives control signals from the VCU, and plays voice commands. The visual instrument panel provides a voice configuration interface and communicates with the VCU. The sensor array is used to collect vehicle operating status information, including vehicle speed sensors, seat status sensors, and collision avoidance sensors. The control system communicates through two independent CAN channels. The first CAN channel connects the VCU, the vehicle controller MCU, and the visual instrument panel, while the second CAN channel connects the VCU, the CAN speaker, and the sensor array.

[0026] Specifically, the vehicle domain controller (VCU) serves as the central processing unit. It receives vehicle information and signals from various sensors via CAN channels and I / O interfaces. It performs comprehensive logical judgments on the vehicle and peripheral sensor information, and outputs corresponding control commands. The execution results are communicated to the CAN speaker via a second CAN channel, thereby controlling the CAN speaker and providing the required voice alarm prompts for the entire vehicle. This enhances the intelligent and safe driving performance of the forklift. Furthermore, the entire system is equipped with a visual instrument for visualization, enabling not only visualization of forklift operations but also allowing for the free addition, removal, switching, and modification of alarm prompts, as well as adjustment of alarm priorities. The entire voice broadcast system comprises two CAN channels, the first and second CAN channels, to reduce interference from high current to sensor signals.

[0027] After the vehicle is powered on, the Vehicle Domain Controller (VCU) interacts with the Vehicle Controller Microcontroller (MCU) to obtain vehicle status information. It also acquires signals transmitted from various sensors and I / O interfaces. The VCU processes these signals and analyzes them using logical algorithms to enable intelligent driving safety functions, such as alerting drivers to improper or unsafe operations and reminding personnel in the work area to be cautious during vehicle operation. This ultimately improves the overall vehicle safety performance.

[0028] Optionally, voice alarm prompts can be mainly divided into three categories.

[0029] The first category is voice warnings, which mainly include seat OPS reminders, i.e., alarm prompts when the driver leaves the seat but the vehicle is not in a safe condition; reversing voice prompts, driving voice prompts, turning voice prompts, etc., i.e., reminding people around to pay attention to safety when the vehicle is reversing, moving forward, or turning; seat belt reminders, i.e. reminding the driver to fasten the seat belt for safe operation; and speeding alarms, i.e. reminding the driver not to exceed the speed limit and to maintain a safe speed.

[0030] The second major category is operational procedure prompts, primarily focusing on the correct operating sequence. These prompts are issued via the CAN voice alarm when the driver operates the forklift outside of the recommended sequence, informing them of the error and standardizing proper operation, thus significantly improving overall vehicle safety. Examples include prompts for early activation of forward and reverse gears, early activation of the accelerator, early activation of the lift switch, early activation of the tilt switch, early activation of the side shift switch, early activation of the attachment switch, and prompts to release the handbrake.

[0031] The third category is auxiliary function prompts and warnings, mainly including automatic leveling prompts, lifting height prompts, collision avoidance prompts, and braking prompts. Automatic leveling prompts, when the forklift operator is operating the forklift, if the automatic leveling function is activated, will have the CAN voice speaker providing real-time reminders of the fork's level status, providing convenience for operators and significantly improving forklift operation safety in certain special conditions. Lifting height prompts, when the lifting height reminder function is activated, will have the CAN voice speaker broadcasting the real-time lifting height of the goods. This improves work efficiency and significantly enhances forklift operation safety when stacking goods. Collision avoidance prompts utilize radar sensors and AI cameras installed around the vehicle. These sensors receive signals from the vehicle's surroundings, and the vehicle domain controller (VCU) analyzes and processes the received signals using algorithms. When an obstacle or person enters the detection range of the radar and AI camera, the Vehicle Domain Controller (VCU) outputs a control signal to control the CAN voice horn to perform actions such as alerting pedestrians to the left front, right front, and rear, indicating danger to the left, right, and rear of the vehicle. These voice alerts serve to both the driver and other personnel within the forklift's working area, significantly improving the safety of intelligent forklift operation. Braking alerts primarily remind personnel within the forklift's working area to be aware of the braking action when the driver applies the brakes, further enhancing forklift operation safety.

[0032] Optionally, for the three main categories of voice alarm prompts mentioned above, the vehicle domain controller (VCU) performs priority algorithm processing for each voice broadcast condition. The principle is to prioritize different voice broadcasts based on the degree of danger of the condition. Voice alarm prompts for conditions requiring alerting the driver or other passengers during normal forklift operation are given the lowest priority, such as those related to turning.

[0033] The system includes voice prompts for situations such as lifting height alerts. Conditions requiring voice alerts due to potential driver inattention leading to unsafe driving behaviors, such as speeding and reversing warnings, are classified as medium priority. Conditions where the forklift is not ready to start, such as not wearing a seatbelt or not releasing the handbrake, are classified as high priority. The purpose of this VCU algorithm is to prioritize voice alerts for urgent situations when multiple conditions require them, providing the highest level of alert to the driver and surrounding personnel, significantly improving the safety of intelligent forklift driving. For example, if steering and handbrake not being released occur simultaneously, the voice alert for handbrake not being released will be prioritized.

[0034] Optionally, the CAN voice speaker offers a variety of broadcast formats, supporting customer-recorded voices and importing them into the voice module according to the user manual to achieve custom voices. It can support multiple languages ​​and customized voices. Furthermore, the various operating condition voice broadcasts integrated into the vehicle domain controller (VCU) can be viewed and modified through a visual instrument panel. For example, the visual instrument panel allows for the free addition or removal of voice messages, switching them on and off, adjusting voice volume, and changing alarm prompts. Therefore, the embodiments of this application offer excellent scalability and flexibility, meeting the needs of various electric forklifts.

[0035] In summary, on the one hand, the embodiments of this application realize the function of intelligent voice prompt alarm for electric forklifts using the concept of domain control, covering most common intelligent safe driving voice broadcast reminders for most working conditions, and have universality, and can be applied to various electric forklift products.

[0036] Furthermore, the embodiments of this application are connected to the vehicle controller MCU and the CAN voice speaker only via CAN lines, simplifying the wiring and making it applicable to all products. It abandons the traditional approach of using rigid connections to drive corresponding alarm devices, greatly simplifying the vehicle wiring harness layout and making the vehicle more aesthetically pleasing. Moreover, only one CAN voice speaker is needed to achieve all broadcast alerts, eliminating the need for multiple speakers to implement different alarm functions. This simplification of the wiring harness and alarm devices not only significantly reduces costs but also simplifies the overall vehicle layout and makes the system safer and more reliable.

[0037] On the other hand, the voice broadcasts for various operating conditions integrated into the vehicle domain controller (VCU) can be viewed and modified through a visual instrument panel. Furthermore, the voice broadcasts from the CAN speaker support MP3 audio format created via mobile phones, networks, and computer software, and can be imported via a Type-C interface. Audio can be customized by the customer and supports recording in multiple languages. Therefore, the embodiments of this application have excellent scalability and flexibility, meeting the needs of various electric forklifts.

Claims

1. A voice broadcast control system for electric forklifts based on domain control technology, characterized in that, include: The vehicle domain controller (VCU) is used to receive vehicle information and signals collected by sensor groups through the CAN channel and I / O interface, perform comprehensive logical judgment on the vehicle information and peripheral sensor information, and control the output of corresponding commands. The CAN speaker is connected to the vehicle domain controller (VCU) via the CAN bus, receives control signals from the VCU and plays voice. The instrument panel is visually designed, provides a voice configuration interface, and communicates with the vehicle domain controller (VCU). The sensor group is used to collect vehicle operating status information, including vehicle speed sensor, seat status sensor and collision avoidance sensor; The control system communicates through two independent CAN channels. The first CAN channel connects the vehicle domain controller (VCU), the vehicle controller (MCU), and the visual instrument panel, while the second CAN channel connects the vehicle domain controller (VCU), the CAN speaker, and the sensor group.

2. The voice broadcast control system for electric forklifts based on domain control technology according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vehicle domain controller (VCU) has a built-in priority algorithm that divides the voice broadcast order according to the level of danger.

3. The electric forklift voice broadcast control system based on domain control technology according to claim 1, characterized in that, The CAN speaker supports importing custom audio files via an external interface.

4. The electric forklift voice broadcast control system based on domain control technology according to claim 1, characterized in that, The visualization instrument supports multilingual switching and volume adjustment.

5. The voice broadcast control system for electric forklifts based on domain control technology according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sensor array includes a radar probe and an AI camera, used to provide collision avoidance alerts.

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