Combination vehicle running simulation method and running simulation system

Abstract

To provide a running simulation system for efficiently predicting the trajectories of a towing vehicle and a wheeled platform that form a combination vehicle.SOLUTION: In a running simulation system 1S that simulates the running of a combination vehicle 2 in which two wheeled platforms 22A and B are coupled to each other with a towing vehicle 21 being located at the forefront side, a simulation device 1 includes: a processing unit that sets, three by three, candidate points 10P where a front axis center FC of the towing vehicle 21 passes through in multiple sites 100 on a route 10; a processing unit that acquires the trajectory for the front axis center FC to pass through the plurality of candidate points 10P selected one by one from the multiple sites 100; a processing unit that acquires the trajectories of the wheeled platforms 22A and B based on the trajectory of the front axis center FC; and a processing unit that acquires the running cost for the combination vehicle 2 moving on the route 10 based on the trajectory of the front axis center FC and on the trajectories of the wheeled platforms 22A and B.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a simulation of the travel trajectory of an articulated vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, articulated vehicles in which a towing vehicle pulls a dolly have been used to improve the efficiency of transporting products and parts (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Articulated vehicles can simultaneously transport large amounts of products and parts that cannot be carried by a single vehicle. When operating articulated vehicles, it is necessary to set the trajectory of the towing vehicle so that each dolly coupled to the towing vehicle does not go out of the aisle.

[0003] The following Patent Document 1 describes a system for searching for the most efficient route for a vehicle when there are multiple routes from a start point to a goal point. This system attempts to search for the optimal route by comparing the costs of multiple routes.

[0004] In the system of Patent Document 1, the locus of the towing vehicle when traveling alone and when towing are determined in advance for each section constituting the route. A cost is set for each of the locus of traveling alone and the locus of towing in each section. In this system, a cost is selected and accumulated for each section constituting the route according to whether the vehicle is traveling alone or when towing, and the cost for each route is calculated as the route cost. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2022-114188 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the conventional articulated vehicles have the following problems: While it is relatively easy to determine the trajectory of a towing vehicle alone, in the case of an articulated vehicle in which a bogie is coupled to a towing vehicle, unique circumstances arise in which the traveling trajectories of the towing vehicle and the bogie are different, and this poses technical problems in how to determine the towing travel trajectory in each section and how to determine the towing travel trajectory efficiently.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems in the conventional art, and has an object to provide a simulation method and system for efficiently predicting the trajectories of the towing vehicle and the bogies that make up an articulated vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One aspect of the present invention is a method for simulating the running of a combination vehicle in which one or more bogies are connected in series, with a towing vehicle having steered front wheels and fixed-steered rear wheels at the front, comprising the steps of: A process of setting two or more candidate points that can be passing points of a front axle center FC, which is the midpoint of the axle of the front wheels of the towing vehicle, at each of a plurality of locations on a route formed by a passage; A process of determining a path of the front shaft center FC through a plurality of candidate points selected one by one from the plurality of locations; A process of determining a trajectory of the one or more than two bogies based on the trajectory of the front axle center FC; and calculating a travel cost, which is an amount representing a degree of difficulty when the articulated vehicle moves along the route, based on the trajectory of the front axle center FC and the trajectories of the one or more bogies, The method for simulating traveling of an articulated vehicle includes determining the traveling cost for each combination of a plurality of candidate points selected one by one from the plurality of locations.

[0009] One aspect of the present invention is a system for simulating the running of a combination vehicle in which one or more bogies are connected in series, with a towing vehicle having steered front wheels and fixed rear wheels at the front, the system comprising: a processing unit that sets two or more candidate points that can be passing points of a front axle center FC, which is a midpoint of an axle of a front wheel of the towing vehicle, at each of a plurality of locations on a route that is formed by a passage; a processing unit that determines a path of the front shaft center FC through a plurality of candidate points selected one by one from the plurality of locations; A processing unit that determines a trajectory of the one or more bogies based on the trajectory of the front axle center FC; a processing unit that calculates a travel cost, which is an amount representing a degree of difficulty when the articulated vehicle moves along the route, based on the trajectory of the front axle center FC and the trajectories of the one or more bogies, The processing unit that calculates the travel cost is in a traveling simulation system for articulated vehicles, and is configured to calculate the travel cost for each combination of a plurality of candidate points selected one by one from the plurality of locations. Effect of the Invention

[0010] In the traveling simulation method and traveling simulation system of the present invention, when simulating the traveling of an articulated vehicle, two or more candidate points that can be passing points of the front axle center FC are set at each of a plurality of locations on the route. Then, a trajectory of the front axle center FC is obtained so that the front axle center FC passes through a plurality of candidate points selected one by one from the plurality of locations, and further, the trajectories of one or two or more bogies are obtained.

[0011] In the present invention, a travel cost, which is an amount representing the difficulty of an articulated vehicle moving along a route, is calculated based on the trajectory of the front axle center FC and the trajectories of multiple bogies. This travel cost is calculated for each combination of multiple candidate points selected one by one from multiple locations. The travel cost is useful for judging the relative merits of combinations of multiple candidate points.

[0012] In this way, according to the articulated vehicle running simulation method and running simulation system of the present invention, by setting candidates for the passing points of the front axle center FC at multiple locations on the route, it is possible to determine the trajectory of each vehicle constituting the articulated vehicle for each combination of multiple candidate points. Then, it is possible to determine the running cost for the articulated vehicle moving along the route for each combination of multiple candidate points. The running cost for each combination of multiple candidate points is useful when selecting the optimal combination of candidate points. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of a driving simulation system. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a system diagram showing the configuration of an articulated vehicle. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a driving plan line and candidate points set for a route. [Diagram 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a driving plan line (driving plan line coordinates) set on a route. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of a candidate point input screen. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of a running simulation. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an articulated vehicle that travels such that the rear axle center RC is aligned along a travel plan line. [Figure 12] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the trajectory of a front axle center FC. [Figure 13] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a passing area of ​​an articulated vehicle. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a front view of a display screen showing the path of the front axle center FC with the lowest running cost. [Figure 15] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a passing area of ​​a magnetic sensor module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] The embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the following examples. Example 1 This example relates to a traveling simulation method and traveling simulation system 1S for an articulated vehicle 2 in which a front-wheel-steered towing vehicle 21 tows bogies 22A and B. The contents of this example will be described with reference to Figs.

[0015] The driving environment of the articulated vehicle 2 may be, for example, an indoor environment such as a factory or a logistics warehouse, or an outdoor environment within the premises of a factory or the like. In the driving environment, as shown in Fig. 1, a route 10 is formed by an aisle 12 along which the articulated vehicle 2 can travel. In the explanation of this example, the aisle 12 refers to an area in which the vehicle can travel. On the other hand, the route 10 is a path along which the articulated vehicle 2 travels, and is a concept that does not have a width, area, etc.

[0016] Route 10 (Fig. 1) is a route formed by passage 12 that is roughly C-shaped with the left and right reversed. Passage 12 is an area of ​​a fixed width of 4m. Passage 12 is surrounded by a prohibited area 13 where vehicles are prohibited from entering or exiting. Of the roughly C-shaped passage 12, which is made up of three sides excluding the left side (short vertical side) of the four sides of a horizontally long rectangle, passage 12A corresponding to the upper horizontal side and passage 12C corresponding to the lower side are 20m long, and passage 12B corresponding to the right vertical side is 10m long.

[0017] The route 10 starts from a start point ST located in the upper passage 12A, passes through a passage 12B on the right side, and reaches a goal point GL located in a passage 12C on the lower side. The start point ST and goal point GL indicate the positions of the towing vehicle 21 at the start and the finish. Due to the overall length of the articulated vehicle 2, there is a positional deviation between the start point ST and the goal point GL in the longitudinal direction of the passages 12A and C. The start point ST is located midway along the upper passage 12A, while the goal point GL is located near the end of the lower passage 12C.

[0018] In the configuration of this example, a non-recommended area 128 where it is undesirable for the articulated vehicle 2 to pass is provided in the passage 12. In this example, since it is undesirable to get too close to the edge of the passage 12, the non-recommended area 128 is set on both the left and right ends of the passage 12 as shown in Fig. 1. The non-recommended area 128 may be selectively set, for example, in a location where machinery is installed facing the passage 12, or along a passage where people walk. Also, for example, an area surrounded by the non-recommended area 128 may be set in the passage instead of the prohibited area 13.

[0019] On the actual route 10, individual magnetic markers (not shown) for guiding the travel of the articulated vehicles 2 are placed at intervals. The simulation results of the travel trajectory of the articulated vehicles 2 provide useful information when planning the placement positions of the magnetic markers on the route 10. This is because the magnetic markers need to be placed so that the magnetic sensor module (described later) attached to the towing vehicle 21 passes directly overhead.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 2, the articulated vehicle 2 is made up of a leading towing vehicle 21 equipped with drive wheels and two bogies 22 (bogies 22A and B). In the articulated vehicle 2, the two bogies 22A and B are connected in series to the towing vehicle 21. The towing vehicle 21 is 2 m long and 1 m wide, and the bogies 22A and B are 1.8 m long and 1 m wide. The overall length of the articulated vehicle 2 is approximately 6 m.

[0021] The towing vehicle 21 has a pair of left and right front wheels 211 that are steered wheels, and rear wheels 212 that are driven wheels. The maximum steering angle of the front wheels 211 is 60 degrees. The rear wheels 212 are fixed-rudder wheels in which the axial direction of the rotation shaft is fixed. A connecting hook 219 is provided at the rear of the towing vehicle 21, extending rearward. In addition, a magnetic sensor module 3 for detecting magnetic markers is attached to the rearmost end of the towing vehicle 21. The towing vehicle 21 that tows the dolly 22 tends to need to make large turns when going around corners, for example. The rearmost end of the towing vehicle 21 is less affected by the large turns of the towing vehicle 21, and is therefore an appropriate mounting position for the magnetic sensor module 3.

[0022] The magnetic sensor module 3 is a rod-shaped sensor unit incorporating multiple magnetic sensors (not shown) spaced apart. The magnetic sensor module 3 is attached to the towing vehicle 21 with its longitudinal direction aligned with the vehicle width direction. The length of the rod-shaped magnetic sensor module 3 is close to the vehicle width of the towing vehicle 21. The rod-shaped magnetic sensor module 3 extending along the vehicle width direction can reliably detect the magnetic marker regardless of positional deviation of the towing vehicle 21 in the vehicle width direction relative to the magnetic marker.

[0023] The bogie 22 (22A / B) is a four-wheel vehicle equipped with front wheels 221 which are swivel wheels and rear wheels 222 with fixed steering. The bogie 22 has a connecting bar 220 for connecting to the towing vehicle 21 or the preceding bogie 22, and also has a connecting hook 229 for connecting to the following bogie 22. The connecting bar 220 and the connecting hook 229 extend along the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. The connecting hook 229 has the same specifications as the connecting hook 219 of the towing vehicle 21.

[0024] The connecting bar 220 has holes (not shown) for engaging the connecting hooks 219, 229. The connecting hook 219 of the towing vehicle 21 and the connecting bar 220 of the front bogie 22A combine to form a connecting portion 28A. Moreover, the connecting hook 229 of the front bogie 22A and the connecting bar 220 of the rear bogie 22B combine to form a connecting portion 28B.

[0025] A traction shaft 280, which is a virtual vertical axis, is formed at the connecting portions 28A and 28B. The traction shaft 280 is the axis about which the direction of the rear vehicle rotates relative to the direction (orientation) of the front vehicle. The maximum value of the bending angle (traction bending angle), which is the angular deviation between the direction of the front vehicle and the direction of the rear vehicle, is 45 degrees. The traction shaft 280 is located in the gap between the front vehicle and the rear vehicle. The distance (traction shaft distance) between the traction shaft 280 and the axle of the rear wheels (rear axle 222A) of the towed vehicles, the bogies 22A and 22B, is 1.3 m.

[0026] For reference, the system configuration of the towing vehicle 21 will now be described. As shown in Fig. 3, the towing vehicle 21 is configured to include a magnetic sensor module 3, a control unit 40 that controls the traveling of the combination vehicle 2, an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) 42 for implementing inertial navigation, a motor unit 44 that drives and rotates the rear wheels 212, a steering unit 46 that steers the front wheels 211, which are steered wheels, and the like.

[0027] The control unit 40 is a unit that controls the traveling of the towing vehicle 21. The control unit 40 controls the steering angle of the front wheels 211 and the rotational angular velocity of the rear wheels 212 via a steering unit 46 and a motor unit 44. The control unit 40 includes an electronic circuit (not shown) that includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes various calculations, as well as memory elements such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory).

[0028] In addition to the magnetic sensor module 3, the steering unit 46, and the motor unit 44, the control unit 40 is connected to a memory device constituting a map database 48 and a wheel speed unit 442 that outputs pulses in response to the rotation of the rear wheels 212. The control unit 40 uses the pulses output by the wheel speed unit 442 to identify the vehicle speed.

[0029] The map database 48 is a database that stores driving map data that represents the shapes of the passages 12 and the route 10. Magnetic markers placed on the route 10 are linked to a map represented by the driving map data. By referring to the driving map data, the positions of the magnetic markers can be identified. The driving map data can be assigned the trajectory of a target when the articulated vehicle 2 travels. By referring to the driving map data, the trajectory of the target can be read out.

[0030] The target trajectory is, for example, the trajectory of the front axle center FC, which is the center of the axle of the front wheels 211 of the towing vehicle 21. When the articulated vehicle 2 moves along the route 10, the magnetic sensor module 3 detects a magnetic marker, and further, a lateral deviation from the detected magnetic marker (amount of lateral deviation of the towing vehicle 21) is identified. The lateral deviation from the magnetic marker is converted into a lateral deviation of the front axle center FC from the target trajectory using the orientation of the towing vehicle 21. The lateral deviation of the front axle center FC from the target trajectory can be subject to steering control of the towing vehicle 21. For example, travel control including steering control that suppresses the lateral deviation of the front axle center FC is applied to the towing vehicle 21, thereby enabling the articulated vehicle 2 to move along the route 10.

[0031] Next, a description will be given of a simulation device 1 (FIG. 1) which is a computer device constituting the driving simulation system 1S of this embodiment and which executes the driving simulation method of this embodiment. The simulation device 1 is a device including a main body 153 having a calculation function, output devices such as a liquid crystal display 151 and a printer, and input devices such as a keyboard 155 and a mouse. The main body 153 contains an electronic board on which an electronic circuit using a CPU is formed, storage devices such as a solid state drive and a hard disk drive, and the like.

[0032] An application program for inputting the travel plan line 10L and the candidate points 10P is installed in the simulation device 1. The travel plan line 10L (FIG. 4) is a line that forms a trajectory that passes through the rear axle center RC, which is the center of the rear axle of the towing vehicle 21, when the articulated vehicle 2 moves along the route 10 from the start point ST to the goal point GL. The candidate points 10P (FIG. 4) are points that can be passing points of the front axle center FC. The candidate points 10P are arranged at positions 100 that are provided corresponding to the reference points 10S on the travel plan line 10L. In this example, the inflection points on the travel plan line 10L from a straight line to an arc and from an arc to a straight line are set as the reference points 10S. Any point on the travel plan line 10L can be the reference point 10S. The configuration may be such that the operator can set any point on the travel plan line 10L as the reference point 10S.

[0033] This application program provides a user interface for inputting the driving plan line 10L and the candidate points 10P on a display screen such as the liquid crystal display 151. The operator can input the driving plan line 10L and the candidate points 10P by operating on the display screen. The input operation of the driving plan line 10L will be described later with reference to FIG. 6. The input operation of the candidate points 10P will be described later with reference to FIG. 8.

[0034] The main body 153 is provided with a communication port such as a LAN (Local Area Network) port and a USB port, and various data can be input and output via these ports. Data acquired by the main body 153 from the outside include, for example, map data and vehicle specifications. The map data is data that represents two-dimensional coordinates of the route 10, the passage 12, and the non-recommended area 128 illustrated in FIG. 1. The map data acquired by the simulation device 1 may be shared with the above-mentioned driving map data stored in the map database 48 (see FIG. 3), or may be data of different specifications.

[0035] The data output by the main body 153 to the outside includes data showing the optimum trajectory when the articulated vehicle 2 moves along the route 10, a comparison result of the degree of difficulty of movement for various trajectories (a list of travel costs), etc. The output form of the comparison result may be, for example, a display on the display screen of the liquid crystal display 151, or may be a printout by a printer (not shown) or the like.

[0036] The simulation device 1 can realize the functions of the following units by the CPU executing software programs. (1) Travel plan line setting unit: a processing unit that sets the coordinates of the travel plan line 10L (travel plan line coordinates) input by, for example, an operator using an application program to the route 10. The travel plan line setting unit sets the travel plan line 10L to the route 10 by associating the travel plan line coordinates with map data. (2) Candidate point setting unit: A processing unit that sets two or more candidate points 10P (see FIG. 4) (in this example, three candidate points) that can be passing points of the front axle center FC of the towing vehicle 21 at multiple locations 100 (see FIG. 4) on the route 10. The candidate point setting unit sets the candidate points 10P by associating the coordinates of the candidate points 10P inputted using an application program with the map data. (3) Towing vehicle trajectory estimation unit: A processing unit that determines a trajectory 10F (described later with reference to FIG. 11) of the front axle center FC as the front axle center FC passes through a plurality of candidate points 10P selected one by one from a plurality of locations 100. In addition to the trajectory 10F of the front axle center FC, the towing vehicle trajectory estimation unit determines the orientation (posture) of the towing vehicle 21 when the front axle center FC moves along this trajectory 10F. (4) Bogie orientation estimation unit: A processing unit that estimates the orientation of the bogies 22A and B. The bogie orientation estimation unit determines the orientation of the bogie 22 that is directly towed by the towing vehicle 21 or the bogie 22, based on the orientation of the towing vehicle 21 or the bogie 22 that is at the front of the articulated vehicles 2 in the traveling direction. (5) Bogie trajectory estimation unit: A processing unit that determines the trajectories of the bogies 22A and 22B that constitute the articulated vehicle 2 based on the trajectory 10F of the front axle center FC. (6) Travel cost calculation unit: a processing unit that calculates a travel cost, which is an amount that represents the difficulty level when the articulated vehicle 2 moves along the route 10, based on the trajectory 10F of the front axle center FC and the trajectories of the bogies 22A and B. The contents of the travel cost will be described in detail later. (7) Optimal trajectory selection unit: A processing unit that selects and outputs an optimal trajectory from among multiple types of trajectories of the front axle center FC. The trajectory of the front axle center FC is obtained for each combination of multiple candidate points 10P selected one by one from multiple locations 100 on the path 10.

[0037] Next, a description will be given of a traveling simulation method of this embodiment executed by the traveling simulation system 1S configured as described above. When the traveling simulation method of this embodiment is implemented, the following data are input: specification data of the towing vehicle 21, specification data of the bogie 22 which is the towed vehicle, data of the traveling plan line 10L, data of the candidate points 10P, coordinate data of the passage 12, coordinate data of the prohibited area 13, etc.

[0038] The specification data of the towing vehicle 21 is, for example, as shown in Table 1. The values ​​exemplified in Table 1 are the values ​​of each dimension in FIG. [Table 1]

[0039] For example, L0 in Table 1 is the distance between the front axle 211A and the rear axle 212A of the towing vehicle 21, i.e., the wheelbase. For example, dimension W0 is the width of the towing vehicle 21. For example, dimension H0 is the distance from the rear axle 212A to the rear towing axle 280. α_max is not a dimension but the maximum steering angle of the front wheel 211, which is the steered wheel. α_rate_max is not a dimension but the maximum steering angular speed.

[0040] The specification data of the dolly 22 is, for example, as shown in Table 2. The values ​​exemplified in Table 2 are the values ​​of each dimension in FIG. [Table 2]

[0041] For example, num in Table 2 is not a dimension but the number of bogies 22 towed by the towing vehicle 21. For example, L1 is the distance from the front towing axle 280 to the rear axle 222A (towing axle distance). For example, H1 is the distance from the rear axle 222A to the rear towing axle 280. For example, β_max is the maximum bending angle of the coupling part 28. The bending angle (towing bending angle) is the angular deviation between the azimuth (direction) of the towing vehicle 21 and the azimuth of the bogie 22A, or the angular deviation between the azimuth of the front bogie 22A and the azimuth of the rear bogie 22B.

[0042] The driving simulation method of this example is executed based on a driving plan line 10L and candidate points 10P (see FIG. 4) input by an operator. The candidate points 10P are points that can be passing points of the front axle center FC. In this example, locations 100 for inputting candidate points 10P are set corresponding to reference points 10S on the driving plan line 10L. Two or more candidate points 10P (three for each in this example) are set at each of the multiple locations 100. In this example, reference points 10S are set at inflection points on the driving plan line 10L where a straight line turns into an arc and where an arc turns into a straight line.

[0043] In the traveling simulation method of this example, the trajectories and orientations of the towing vehicle 21 and the bogies 22A and B are calculated so that the plurality of candidate points 10P selected one by one from the plurality of locations 100 are set as passing points of the front axle center FC. Then, for each combination of the plurality of candidate points 10P selected one by one from the plurality of locations 100, a traveling cost is calculated, which is an amount representing the difficulty level when the articulated vehicle 2 travels along the route 10. The traveling cost for each combination of the plurality of candidate points 10P is useful for determining a preferable movement trajectory of the articulated vehicle 2, a movement trajectory close to optimal, and the like. As will be described later with reference to FIG. 10, the traveling simulation method of this example includes a traveling plan line setting process P1, a candidate point setting process P2, a towing vehicle trajectory estimation process P3, a bogie trajectory estimation process P4, and a traveling cost determination process P5.

[0044] Below, following an explanation of how the operator inputs the driving plan line 10L and the candidate points 10P, the contents of the driving plan line setting process P1, the candidate point setting process P2, the towing vehicle trajectory estimation process P3, the bogie trajectory estimation process P4, and the driving cost determination process P5 will be explained in order.

[0045] (How to enter a driving plan line) As described above, the simulation device 1 can execute an application program for inputting the driving plan line 10L and the candidate points 10P (see FIG. 4). This application program allows the input of the driving plan line 10L and the candidate points 10P on a display screen such as the liquid crystal display 151. In response to the execution of the application program, an input screen such as that shown in FIG. 6 is displayed. This input screen is a screen including a main window 15W with tabs. The tabs include at least a driving plan line input tab and a candidate point input tab. The functions of the main window 15W can be switched by selecting a tab.

[0046] Fig. 6 is an example of an input screen in which the travel plan line input tab is selected and a main window 15W for inputting a travel plan line 10L is displayed. In the main window 15W (Fig. 6) in the same figure, a route 10, a passage 12, etc. are displayed based on the above map data acquired from an external source. In the tool box 15T, operation buttons for switching the display mode, such as a zoom-in button and a zoom-out button, and operation buttons for switching the input mode, such as a straight line button, an arc button, a lane change button, etc., are arranged.

[0047] The straight line button is a button for switching to a mode for inputting a straight line trajectory as the driving plan line 10L. The arc button is a button for switching to a mode for inputting an arc trajectory as the driving plan line 10L. The lane change button is a button for switching to a mode for inputting a lane change trajectory as the driving plan line 10L. Here, the lane change trajectory is a trajectory that changes the position of the course in the width direction without changing the course direction before and after the lane change.

[0048] For example, when the mode is switched to input of a straight line trajectory, a straight line trajectory can be input as the travel plan line 10L by operating a mouse or the like. By setting the start point and the end point with a mouse or the like, the straight line trajectory from the start point to the end point can be input as the travel plan line 10L. Figure 6 shows a state in which the start point ST is set as the start point, and then point P1 is set as the end point, thereby inputting the straight line trajectory from the start point ST to point P1.

[0049] For example, after switching to a mode for inputting a circular arc trajectory as shown in Fig. 6, by setting point P1 as the starting point and point P2 as the end point, the circular arc trajectory connecting points P1 and P2 can be input. For example, the start point and the end point can be set by moving cursor C using an input device such as a mouse and selecting a position on the screen. In this way, the driving plan line 10L can be input by seamlessly connecting the start point ST and the goal point GL by appropriately combining straight line trajectories, circular arc trajectories, and lane change trajectories on the application program.

[0050] By using the application program executed by the simulation device 1 of this embodiment, the driving plan line 10L can be input simply by appropriately combining straight line trajectories, circular arc trajectories, and lane change trajectories (see FIG. 7). By using the application program, it is possible to create a driving plan for the articulated vehicles 2 without any special knowledge or skills.

[0051] (How to input candidate points)

[0052] Tabs for switching functions are provided in the main window 15W in the input screen for the driving plan line 10L in Fig. 6. When the candidate point input tab is selected, the main window 15W (Fig. 8) for inputting the candidate points 10P can be switched to and displayed.

[0053] Here, the candidate points 10P (FIG. 9) are points on the route 10 that can be passing points of the front axle center FC. In the configuration of this example, three candidate points 10P are set at each of a plurality of locations 100 on the route 10. The locations 100 at which the candidate points 10P can be set are set for each reference point 10S on the driving plan line 10L. As described above, the reference points 10S in this example are set at points on the driving plan line 10L where a straight line switches to an arc, and points where an arc switches to a straight line, etc.

[0054] The three candidate points 10P for each location 100 are arranged at equal intervals along an arrangement line 10A perpendicular to the direction of a tangent 10T of the driving plan line 10L at the reference point 10S. It is optional to arrange the three candidate points 10P symmetrically with respect to the tangent 10T, to the left of the traveling direction, or to the right of the tangent 10T, depending on the operation of the operator.

[0055] A main window 15W in FIG. 8 displays a driving plan line 10L input on the input screen in FIG. 6. Reference points 10S are displayed on the driving plan line 10L in the figure. In the case of the driving plan line 10L in the figure, four reference points 10S are displayed. They are called the first to fourth reference points 10S from the start point ST toward the goal point GL. In the input screen illustrated in FIG. 8, for example, the first reference point 10S is selected by mouse operation (cursor C) or the like, and an input window 15U for a candidate point 10P is popped up and displayed.

[0056] The input window 15U popped up in Fig. 8 has a reference point sequence display field, a travel direction offset value input field, a lateral offset value input field, and a placement pattern selection button 158 for the candidate points 10P. The reference point sequence display field is a display field that shows the sequence of the reference point 10S counting from the start point ST. In the example of Fig. 8 where the first reference point 10S is selected, 1 (number) is displayed in the reference point sequence display field.

[0057] The travel direction offset value is the distance from the reference point 10S to the arrangement line 10A of the three candidate points 10P, as shown in FIG. 9. The horizontal offset value is the interval between the three candidate points 10P. The arrangement pattern selection button 158 has three buttons: a center button, a left button, and a right button. The center button is a button for arranging the three candidate points 10P symmetrically with respect to the tangent line 10T as shown in a position 100 corresponding to the first reference point 10S in FIG. 9. The left button is a button for arranging the candidate point 10P to the left in the travel direction with respect to the tangent line 10T as shown in a position 100 corresponding to the second reference point 10S in FIG. 9. The right button is a button for arranging the candidate point 10P to the right in the travel direction with respect to the tangent line 10T (not shown).

[0058] In the simulation device 1, three candidate points 10P can be input for each of the locations 100 corresponding to each reference point 10S by the above-mentioned operations. In general, for reference points 10S that are inflection points from a straight line to an arc, such as the first reference point 10S and the third reference point 10S in Fig. 9, it is preferable to arrange three candidate points 10P symmetrically with respect to the tangent line 10T. On the other hand, for reference points 10S that are inflection points from an arc to a straight line, such as the second reference point 10S and the fourth reference point 10S in Fig. 9, it is preferable to arrange three candidate points 10P closer to the outer periphery of the arc, rather than the inner periphery of the arc.

[0059] Also, for reference points 10S that are inflection points from a straight line to an arc, such as the first reference point 10S and the third reference point 10S in Fig. 9, it is advisable to place the candidate point 10P at a position offset in the traveling direction by the wheelbase of the towing vehicle 21. On the other hand, for reference points 10S that are inflection points from an arc to a straight line, such as the second reference point 10S and the fourth reference point 10S in Fig. 9, it is advisable to set the offset of the candidate point 10P in the traveling direction relative to the reference point 10S to zero so that the change from an arc to a straight line can be quickly followed.

[0060] (Travel plan line setting process P1) The travel plan line setting process P1 (FIG. 10) is a process for setting the input travel plan line 10L to the route 10. In this travel plan line setting process P1, the travel plan line coordinates, which are the coordinates of the travel plan line 10L, are associated with the map data, so that the travel plan line 10L is set to the route 10. In the travel plan line setting process P1, the travel plan defined by the line called the travel plan line 10L is converted into the travel plan line coordinates, which are discrete coordinates. After the travel plan line setting process P1 is performed, the map data specifies the positional relationship of the travel plan line 10L (travel plan line coordinates) with respect to the route 10 and the passage 12.

[0061] (Candidate point setting process P2) The candidate point setting process P2 (FIG. 10) is a process for setting candidate points 10P, which are set as shown in FIG. 9 based on values ​​input on the input screen in FIG. 8, on the route 10. The candidate points 10P are points that can be passing points of the front axle center FC. In this example, three candidate points 10P are set for each location 100 corresponding to the reference point 10S.

[0062] In the candidate point setting process P2, the candidate point coordinates, which are the coordinates of each candidate point 10P, are associated with the map data, thereby setting the candidate points 10P on the route 10. After the candidate point setting process P2 is performed, the map data specifies the positional relationship of the candidate points 10P with respect to the route 10 and the passage 12.

[0063] (Tow vehicle trajectory estimation process P3) The towing vehicle trajectory estimation process P3 (FIG. 10) is a process for estimating the trajectory 10F of the front axle center FC of the towing vehicle 21 and the orientation of the towing vehicle 21. In this towing vehicle trajectory estimation process P3, first, the trajectory of the front axle center FC is calculated for each combination of candidate points 10P selected one by one from the locations 100 corresponding to each reference point 10S.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 11, the trajectory of the front axle center FC is a trajectory in which the rear axle center RC passes through discrete driving plan line coordinates and the front axle center FC passes through a selected candidate point 10P. Such a trajectory of the front axle center FC is estimated together with the orientation of the towing vehicle 21. The trajectory 10F of the front axle center FC and the orientation (posture) of the towing vehicle 21 are found based on the specifications of the towing vehicle 21, such as the wheelbase and steering angle range, the driving plan line coordinates, and the candidate point coordinates. The candidate point coordinates are the coordinates of the candidate points 10P selected one by one for each location 100 corresponding to each reference point 10S. In the towing vehicle trajectory estimation process P3, in addition to the trajectory 10F and orientation (posture) of the front axle center FC, the steering angle (front wheel) is calculated at each position on the route 10.

[0065] In addition, at the connection between the straight line and the arc on the travel plan line 10L, the trajectory 10F of the front axle center FC may be adjusted so that the change in the steering angle is smooth. At the above-mentioned connection, due to the inner wheel difference of the towing vehicle 21, the front axle center FC passes through a curve on the outer side of the arc that constitutes the travel plan line 10L. When the front axle center FC moving along the straight line that constitutes the travel plan line 10L transfers to a curve on the outer side of the arc that constitutes the travel plan line 10L, or transfers from this curve on the outer side to the straight line that constitutes the travel plan line 10L, it is advisable to adjust the trajectory of the front axle center FC. When the front axle center FC transfers as described above, for example, the change in the steering angle can be made smooth by adjusting the trajectory of the front axle center FC so that it becomes the trajectory of a so-called lane change.

[0066] As shown in Fig. 12, the locus 10F of the front axle center FC is determined for each combination of candidate points 10P selected one by one from a plurality of locations 100. In the configuration of this example, three candidate points 10P are set for each of the locations 100 corresponding to the first to fourth reference points 10S. Therefore, the number of combinations of the candidate points 10P is 3 to the fourth power = 81. Therefore, 81 loci are shown in Fig. 12 as the locus 10F of the front axle center FC.

[0067] For example, because the start point ST belongs to a straight section, after leaving the start point ST, the 81 loci 10F of the front axle centers FC are the same until just before the first reference point 10S, and are superimposed into one in Fig. 12. Three candidate points 10P are set corresponding to the first reference point 10S, and therefore, as the candidate point 10P is approached, at least some of the 81 loci 10F of the front axle centers FC are shifted.

[0068] (Carriage trajectory estimation process P4) The bogie trajectory estimation process P4 is a process for estimating the trajectories and orientations of the bogies 22A and B towed by the towing vehicle 21. In the bogie trajectory estimation process P4, the trajectory 10F of the front axle center FC and the steering angle calculated in the towing vehicle trajectory estimation process P3 are applied to the articulated vehicle model to calculate the trajectories and attitudes (orientations) of the two following bogies 22 in order from the front. The bogie trajectory estimation process P4 is, so to speak, a process for running the bogies 22A and B in a simulation space, which is a virtual space.

[0069] The articulated vehicle model is a model in which the bogie 22, which is the towed vehicle, is towed via the towing axle 280. The articulated vehicle model in this example is a two-wheel model of multiple articulation that calculates the trajectory of each vehicle. In this articulated vehicle model, angles are obtained in the following order: front wheel steering angle (steering angle) of the towing vehicle 21 → yaw angle (direction, attitude) of the towing vehicle 21 → bending angle of the coupling section 28A → yaw angle (direction, attitude) of the bogie 22A → bending angle of the coupling section 22B → yaw angle (direction, attitude) of the bogie 22B, and the trajectory of each vehicle is calculated. In this articulated vehicle model, a relationship is formulated that represents the motion of a multiple articulated vehicle at low speeds where the influence of centrifugal force is small. When formulating the articulated vehicle model, the specifications of the towed vehicle (see Table 2), such as the distance between the towing axle 280 and the rear axle 222A and the bending angle range around the towing axle 280, are reflected.

[0070] The bogie trajectory estimation process P4 is executed in order for the combination of the towing vehicle 21 and the front bogie 22A, and the combination of the front bogie 22A and the rear bogie 22B. For the combination of the towing vehicle 21 and the front bogie 22A, the coordinates of the trajectory 10F of the front axle center FC of the towing vehicle 21 are applied to the articulated vehicle model to determine the trajectory of the towing axle 280 and the orientation of the bogie 22A, which is the towed vehicle.

[0071] For a combination of the front bogie 22A and the rear bogie 22B, the coordinates of the trajectory of the towing axle 280 of the front coupling part 28A of the bogie 22A are applied to the articulated vehicle model to determine the trajectory of the front coupling part 28B of the bogie 22B, which is the towed vehicle, and the orientation of the bogie 22B. Furthermore, in the bogie trajectory estimation process P4, the bend angle (towing bend angle) of the coupling parts 28A and 28B around the towing axle 280 is determined at each position on the route 10.

[0072] (Driving cost determination process P5) The travel cost determination process P5 is a process for determining the travel cost of the articulated vehicle 2 for each combination of a plurality of candidate points 10P selected one by one from the plurality of locations 100. In the configuration of this example, a trajectory of the articulated vehicle 2, such as the trajectory 10F of the front axle center FC, is determined for each combination of a plurality of candidate points 10P, and the travel cost of each trajectory is determined by the travel cost determination process P5. In the travel cost determination process P5, the travel cost of each trajectory is determined based on the trajectory and orientation (posture) of the towing vehicle 21 and the trajectory and orientation (posture) of the bogies 22A·B.

[0073] In the travel cost determination process P5, first, a passing area 10R (FIG. 13) for the articulated vehicle 2 is found based on the trajectory and attitude (orientation) of the towing vehicle 21 and the trajectories and attitudes (orientations) of the two bogies 22A and B. Specifically, by overlapping the passing areas of the vehicles (the towing vehicle 21 and the two bogies 22) that make up the articulated vehicle 2, the outermost left and right points in the width direction are identified, as shown in FIG. 13. These outer left and right points at each position on the route 10 form the outer edge 10J in the width direction of the passing area 10R for the articulated vehicle 2. The passing area 10R for the articulated vehicle 2 is an area defined by being sandwiched between a pair of outer edges 10J.

[0074] In the travel cost determination process P5, multiple types of cost index values ​​for calculating the travel cost are obtained for each of the 81 trajectories 10F of the front axle centers FC. The cost index values ​​are the number of times the steering angle exceeds the allowable range of the steering angle (see Table 1), the number of times the steering angular velocity exceeds the allowable range of the steering angular velocity (see Table 1), the number of times the vehicle enters the non-recommended region 128 (see FIG. 1), the number of times the traction turn angle (turn angle) exceeds the allowable range, the integral value of the distance between the travel plan line 10L and the trajectory of the rear axle center RC, the integral value of the traction turn angle, the integral value of the steering angle, and the like. Here, the traction turn angle is at least one of the angular deviation (turn angle) between the orientation of the towing vehicle 21 and the orientation of the bogie 22B, and the angular deviation (turn angle) between the orientation of the bogie 22A and the orientation of the bogie 22B.

[0075] The travel cost determination process P5 determines the travel cost based on all or part of the above cost index values. Specifically, the travel cost is determined by multiplying each cost index value by a coefficient and adding the results. The coefficients are set individually according to the degree of influence of each cost index value. A positive coefficient should be set for a cost index value whose smaller value indicates smoother travel or fewer travel problems. On the other hand, a negative coefficient should be set for a cost index value whose larger value indicates smoother travel or fewer travel problems.

[0076] By multiplying each coefficient, which is set to positive or negative according to this policy, by the corresponding cost index value, a cost value indicating the degree of influence of each cost index value can be obtained. The driving cost is the sum of the cost values ​​of each cost index value. The smaller the driving cost value, the better the driving, and the larger the value, the less desirable the driving.

[0077] In the running cost determination process P5, the running cost is calculated for each of the 81 trajectories 10F of the front axle centers FC. Then, the trajectory with the smallest running cost is selected from the 81 trajectories 10F of the front axle centers FC. The trajectory selected in this manner is displayed on the display screen of the liquid crystal display 151 as the trajectory of the control target of the front axle center FC, for example, as shown in FIG.

[0078] It is also possible to exclude some of the 81 trajectories 10F of the front axle centers FC from the targets for calculating the travel cost in advance. For example, these include trajectories where a steering angle, steering angular velocity, or traction angle exceeds the allowable range (see Tables 1 and 2), or trajectories where deviation into the prohibited area 13 occurs. Since such trajectories are trajectories on which the articulated vehicle 2 cannot travel in the first place, they can be excluded from the targets for calculating the travel cost.

[0079] As described above, in the traveling simulation method and traveling simulation system 1S of this example, when simulating the traveling of the articulated vehicle 2, two or more candidate points 10P that can be passing points of the front axle center FC are set at each of the multiple locations 100 on the route 10. Then, a trajectory 10F of the front axle center FC is obtained so that the front axle center FC passes through the multiple candidate points 10P selected one by one from the multiple locations 100, and further the trajectories of the bogies 22A·B are obtained.

[0080] In this example, a travel cost is calculated based on the trajectory 10F of the front axle center FC and the trajectories of the multiple bogies 22A and B, which is an amount representing the degree of difficulty when traveling the articulated vehicle 2 along the route 10. This travel cost is calculated for each combination of multiple candidate points 10P selected one by one from the multiple locations 100. The travel cost is useful for determining the merits of a combination of multiple candidate points 10P, the merits of the trajectory 10F of the front axle center FC based on this combination, and the like. It is also possible to display a list of the travel costs of the 81 trajectories 10F of the front axle center FC illustrated in FIG. 12. In this case, it is also possible to display a list of the 81 trajectories in order of lowest to highest travel cost.

[0081] In this way, according to the traveling simulation method and traveling simulation system 1S for the articulated vehicle 2 of this example, by setting candidates for the passing points of the front axle centre FC at a plurality of locations 100 on the route 10, it is possible to determine the trajectory of the articulated vehicle 2 for each combination of a plurality of candidate points 10P. Then, the traveling cost for the articulated vehicle 2 when moving along the route 10 can be determined for each combination of a plurality of candidate points.

[0082] The trajectory 10F of the front axle center FC selected by the traveling simulation method of this example can be a target trajectory when steering and controlling the towing vehicle 21, which is the leading vehicle of the articulated vehicles 2. If the control target point for the target trajectory is located at the front of the towing vehicle 21, meandering of the articulated vehicles 2 relative to the traveling plan line 10L can be suppressed, and control stability can be improved.

[0083] In this example, the candidate point 10P is set one-dimensionally at a location 100 corresponding to the reference point 10S on the driving plan line 10L. Alternatively, the candidate point 10P may be set two-dimensionally at the location 100. In this example, the candidate point 10P is set by inputting an offset value in the traveling direction and an offset value in the lateral direction. Alternatively, the candidate point 10P may be set by specifying a position on the screen where the driving plan line 10L is displayed by operating the mouse or the like.

[0084] In this example, the reference point 10S is set at an inflection point on the driving plan line 10L. The reference point 10S may also be set at a point other than an inflection point. The positional relationship of the location 100 with respect to the reference point 10S is not limited to the configuration of this example, and can be set arbitrarily.

[0085] The traveling cost is preferably an amount that reflects at least one of the steering angle and steering angular velocity of the front wheels 211 of the towing vehicle 21. In this case, a trajectory with less excessive steering angles and abrupt steering can be selected. By setting the trajectory selected in this manner as the control target, the traveling of the articulated vehicle 2 when traveling along the route 10 can be made smoother.

[0086] The travel cost is preferably an amount that reflects at least one of the following: the traction turn angle (turn angle), which is the angular deviation between the orientation of the towing vehicle 21 at the front of the articulated vehicles 2 in the traveling direction and the bogie 22A directly towed by the towing vehicle 21, and the traction turn angle (turn angle), which is the angular deviation between the orientation of the bogie 22A and the orientation of the bogie 22B directly towed by the bogie 22A. In this case, a trajectory with a small traction turn angle can be selected when the articulated vehicles 2 travel along the route 10. If this trajectory is set as a control target, the traction turn angle of the articulated vehicles 2 traveling along the route 10 can be suppressed, and the travel of the articulated vehicles 2 can be made smoother.

[0087] In this example, the driving plan line 10L that passes through the rear axle center RC is illustrated. Instead of this, a driving plan line that does not necessarily have to pass through the rear axle center RC may be set. A standard driving trajectory of the articulated vehicle 2, a preferable trajectory of the rear axle center RC, or the like can be set as such a driving plan line. When setting such a driving plan line, the driving cost is preferably an amount that reflects at least the magnitude of the positional deviation between the driving plan line 10L and the trajectory of the rear axle center RC. In this case, a trajectory that reduces the positional deviation between the driving plan line 10L and the trajectory of the rear axle center RC can be selected. If this trajectory is set as a control target, the trajectory of the rear axle center RC can be brought closer to the driving plan line 10L. The amount that reflects the magnitude of the positional deviation between the driving plan line 10L and the trajectory of the rear axle center RC may be an integral value of the distance between the driving plan line 10L and the trajectory of the rear axle center RC.

[0088] In the configuration of this example, the passing area 10R of the articulated vehicle 2 is determined. Meanwhile, in the area constituting the passage 12, a non-recommended area 128 where it is not desirable for the articulated vehicle 2 to pass is set. The travel cost is preferably an amount that reflects at least one of the number of times and the amount of deviation of the passing area 10R of the articulated vehicle 2 into the non-recommended area 128. In this case, a trajectory that reduces the number of times or the amount of deviation into the non-recommended area 128 can be selected. If this trajectory is set as the control target, deviation of the articulated vehicle 2 into the non-recommended area 128 when traveling along the route 10 can be suppressed.

[0089] The travel cost may be an amount that reflects the size of the space in the width direction of the passing area 10R of the articulated vehicle 2 in the area that constitutes the passage 12. In this case, it is possible to select a trajectory that reduces the degree to which the articulated vehicle 2 approaches the edge of the passage 12. If this trajectory is set as the control target, the articulated vehicle 2 will travel closer to the center of the passage 12, reducing the risk of the articulated vehicle 2 interfering with equipment or the like beside the passage 12.

[0090] Furthermore, the driving plan line 10L in the driving simulation method of this embodiment is an appropriate combination of straight line trajectories, arc trajectories, and lane change trajectories. By using the application program executed by the simulation device 1 of this embodiment, the driving plan line 10L can be input simply by appropriately combining straight line trajectories, arc trajectories, and lane change trajectories, and driving plans for the articulated vehicles 2 can be made without special knowledge or skills.

[0091] By determining the trajectory and orientation (posture) of the towing vehicle 21, it is possible to identify a magnetic detection area 10D (FIG. 15) through which the magnetic sensor module 3 passes as the combined vehicle 2 moves along the route 10. The magnetic detection area 10D is an area in which magnetism is detected by the magnetic sensor module 3 while the combined vehicle 2 is moving. Information on the magnetic detection area 10D is one piece of information obtained as a result of simulating the travel trajectory of the combined vehicle 2. The magnetic detection area 10D is useful information when planning the placement positions of magnetic markers on the route 10. By placing a magnetic marker in the magnetic detection area 10D, the combined vehicle 2 moving along the route 10 can detect the magnetic marker with a high degree of certainty.

[0092] Although specific examples of the present invention have been described in detail as examples, these specific examples merely disclose examples of the technology encompassed by the claims. Needless to say, the claims should not be interpreted as being limited by the configurations, numerical values, etc. of the specific examples. The claims encompass technologies that are obtained by variously modifying, changing, or appropriately combining the specific examples by utilizing publicly known technologies and the knowledge of those skilled in the art. [Explanation of symbols]

[0093] 1 Simulation device 1S Driving Simulation System 10 Routes 10J Outer edge (of the passing area) 10L Travel Plan Line 10P Candidate Points 10R passing area 10S reference point 100 locations 12(12A~C) Aisle 128 Deprecated Areas 2 Consolidated vehicles 21 Traction vehicle 211 Front wheels (steering wheels) 211A front axle 212 Rear wheel 212A rear axle 22(22A·B) Cart 221 Front wheel 222 Rear wheel 222A rear axle 28(28A・B) Connection part 280 Traction axle 3 Magnetic Sensor Module 40 Control Unit 48 Map Database FC front axis center RC rear axle center

Claims

1. A method for simulating the running of a combination vehicle in which one or more bogies are connected in series, with a towing vehicle having steered front wheels and fixed-steered rear wheels, comprising the steps of: A process of setting two or more candidate points that can be passing points of a front axle center FC, which is a midpoint of the axle of the front wheels of the towing vehicle, at each of a plurality of locations on a route formed by a passage; A process of determining a path of the front shaft center FC through a plurality of candidate points selected one by one from the plurality of locations; A process of determining a trajectory of the one or more bogies based on the trajectory of the front axle center FC; and calculating a travel cost, which is an amount representing a degree of difficulty when the articulated vehicle moves along the route, based on the trajectory of the front axle center FC and the trajectories of the one or more bogies, a travel simulation method for an articulated vehicle, the travel cost being calculated for each combination of a plurality of candidate points selected one by one from the plurality of locations;

2. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of setting a driving plan line, which is a locus of a rear axle center RC, which is a midpoint of an axle of a rear wheel of the towing vehicle, for the route; The process of determining the trajectory of the front axle center FC is a driving simulation method for an articulated vehicle that determines the trajectory of the front axle center FC so that the rear axle center RC passes through the driving plan line and the front axle center FC passes through a plurality of candidate points selected one by one from the plurality of locations.

3. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: setting a driving plan line for the route to be compared with a path of a rear axle center RC, which is a midpoint of an axle of a rear wheel of the towing vehicle; A method for simulating traveling of an articulated vehicle, wherein the traveling cost is an amount that reflects at least the magnitude of a positional deviation between the traveling plan line and a path of the rear axle center RC.

4. According to claim 2 or 3, the driving plan line is a trajectory that is configured by a straight line trajectory, a circular arc trajectory, and a lane change trajectory, a lane change trajectory that changes the position of the path in the width direction without changing the path direction before and after the lane change;

5. 4. The method for simulating traveling of an articulated vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the traveling cost is an amount that reflects at least one of a steering angle and a steering angular speed of the front wheels.

6. 4. A method for simulating the running of articulated vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the running cost is an amount reflecting a bend angle which is an angular deviation between the orientation of the towing vehicle or bogie which is at the front of the articulated vehicles in the direction of travel and the orientation of a bogie which is directly towed by the towing vehicle or bogie.

7. According to any one of claims 1 to 3, the method further includes a process of determining a passing area through which the towing vehicle and the one or more than two carriages pass, a non-recommended area through which it is not recommended for the articulated vehicle to pass is set in the passage, and the travel cost is an amount reflecting at least one of the number of times the passing area has gone beyond the non-recommended area and the amount by which it has gone beyond the non-recommended area.

8. According to any one of claims 1 to 3, the method further includes a process of determining a passing area through which the towing vehicle and the one or more than two carriages pass, A method for simulating traveling of articulated vehicles, wherein the traveling cost is an amount that reflects the size of space in a width direction of the passing area in the passage.

9. A system for simulating the running of a combination vehicle in which one or more bogies are connected in series, with a towing vehicle having steered front wheels and fixed rear wheels at the front, comprising: a processing unit that sets two or more candidate points that can be passing points of a front axle center FC, which is a midpoint of an axle of a front wheel of the towing vehicle, at each of a plurality of locations on a route that is formed by a passage; a processing unit that determines a path of the front shaft center FC through a plurality of candidate points selected one by one from the plurality of locations; a processing unit for determining a trajectory of the one or more bogies based on a trajectory of the front axle center FC; a processing unit that calculates a travel cost, which is an amount representing a degree of difficulty when the articulated vehicle moves along the route, based on the trajectory of the front axle center FC and the trajectories of the one or more bogies, a processing unit for calculating the travel cost is configured to calculate the travel cost for each combination of a plurality of candidate points selected one by one from the plurality of locations, said processing unit being configured to calculate the travel cost for each combination of a plurality of candidate points selected one by one from the plurality of locations,

10. 10. The articulated vehicle running simulation system according to claim 9, configured to select a combination of the plurality of candidate point combinations that has the lowest running cost, and to output a trajectory of the front axle center FC that corresponds to that combination.

Images