Work machine and flying object

Abstract

SOLUTION: A work machine is provided that includes a movable part that can move relative to a machine body, a flying object takeoff and landing site provided on the machine body, and a takeoff and landing permission part that permits takeoff and landing of the flying object when the movable part is not at an interference position that interferes with a planned takeoff and landing trajectory of the flying object. The work machine may be a construction machine, and the movable part may be a work attachment that moves up and down relative to the machine body. The work machine may further include a movement instruction part that, when the work attachment is at the interference position, moves the work attachment downward to a non-interference position where the work attachment does not interfere with the planned takeoff and landing trajectory.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a work machine and an aircraft. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 states, "When the survey is completed, drone 100a and drone 100b land on the landing area provided on the main unit 40 of the hydraulic excavator 10 and start charging. Meanwhile, drone 100c takes off from the landing area and captures images from above the hydraulic excavator 10 using the imaging device 102." (paragraph 0057) Patent Document 2 states, "The control device 201 may determine whether or not landing is possible before landing on the docking device S6. For example, it may determine that landing is impossible when the engine 11 of the excavator 100 is operating. ... The control device 201 may determine that landing is impossible when it determines that the excavator 100 is tilted based on vehicle tilt information transmitted by the excavator 100." (paragraph 0288) Patent Document 3 states that "The heavy equipment control device 29 rotates the rotating device 30 by 180 degrees as shown in FIG. 19(b) (step S105). After step S105 is completed, one of the two drones 100 may be landed on the landing area and charged." (paragraph 0090). Patent Document 4 states that "The multicopter 50 moves toward the multicopter port 70 of the excavator 10 that has responded with a reservation completion (step SA2). When the multicopter 50 reaches the sky above the multicopter port 70, it starts descending and lands on the multicopter port 70 (step SA3). At this time, for example, an image of the multicopter port 70 is acquired, and while performing image analysis, the relative position of the aircraft with respect to the multicopter port 70 can be fine-tuned." (paragraph 0127). [Prior art document] [Patent documents] [Patent Document 1] JP 2022-188250 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2022-000570 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2022-132679 A [Patent Document 4] WO2017 / 099070 Summary of the Invention

[0003] In a first aspect of the present invention, a work machine is provided, the work machine comprising: a movable unit capable of moving relative to a body of the work machine, an aircraft takeoff and landing site provided on the body of the work machine, and a takeoff and landing permission unit that permits takeoff and landing of the aircraft when the movable unit is not in an interference position that interferes with a planned takeoff and landing trajectory of the aircraft.

[0004] The work machine may be a construction machine. In the work machine, the movable part may be a work attachment that moves up and down relative to the machine body.

[0005] Any of the above-mentioned work machines may further comprise a movement instruction unit that, when the work attachment is at the interference position, moves the work attachment downward to a non-interference position where the work attachment does not interfere with the planned departure and arrival trajectory.

[0006] Any of the above-described work machines may further include a warning unit that warns an operator operating the work machine when the movable part is in the interference position.

[0007] In any of the above-described work machines, the takeoff and landing permission unit may permit the takeoff and landing when the movable unit is not located above the aircraft takeoff and landing site.

[0008] Any of the above-described work machines may further include a stop instruction unit that stops operation of the movable part in response to the departure and arrival being permitted.

[0009] In any of the above-described work machines, the stop instruction unit may release the stop of the operation in response to the flying object having finished passing through the interference position after takeoff or landing.

[0010] In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an aircraft comprising: a determination unit that determines, for a work machine having a movable part that is movable relative to an airframe and an aircraft landing site provided on the airframe, whether the movable part is in an interference position that interferes with a planned takeoff and landing trajectory of the aircraft, and a permission instruction unit that gives the work machine permission to take off and land the aircraft when the movable part is not in the interference position.

[0011] In a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a work machine comprising an aircraft takeoff and landing site provided on an airframe, and an operation stopping unit that stops operation of the work machine that interferes with the takeoff and landing of the aircraft in response to a trigger for the takeoff and landing of the aircraft.

[0012] In a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an aircraft, the aircraft comprising: a stop instruction unit that transmits an instruction signal to a work machine having an aircraft takeoff and landing site provided on the body of the aircraft, to stop an operation of the work machine that is interfering with takeoff and landing of the aircraft, and a determination unit that determines that the takeoff and landing are possible in response to the work machine stopping the operation in accordance with the instruction signal.

[0013] The above summary of the invention does not list all of the features of the present invention. Also, subcombinations of these features may also be inventions. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a departure and arrival management system 10 according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 1 is an example of a block diagram of a construction machine 200 according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 3] 4 is an example of a flowchart of a landing operation flow of the takeoff and landing management system 10 according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a state in which the construction machine 200 has a work attachment 204 extended. FIG. [Diagram 5]2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a state in which the construction machine 200 is holding a work attachment 204. FIG. [Figure 6] 4 is an example of a flowchart of a takeoff operation flow of the departure and arrival management system 10 according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is an example of a block diagram of a construction machine 400 according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] The present invention will be described below through embodiments of the invention, but the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention according to the claims. Furthermore, not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the invention.

[0016] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a take-off and landing management system 10 according to a first embodiment. The take-off and landing management system 10 manages an aircraft to take off and land at an aircraft take-off and landing site provided on the body of a work machine that has a movable part that can move relative to the body, without coming into contact with the movable part of the work machine. Examples of the work machine include construction machines (shovels, cranes, etc.), civil engineering machines, building demolition machines, and automobile demolition machines. The work machine may be a self-propelled machine, or a stationary machine that cannot be self-propelled.

[0017] The departure and arrival management system 10 may include one or more construction machines 200 and one or more aircraft 300. In the departure and arrival management system 10, the one or more construction machines 200 and the one or more aircraft 300 communicate with each other wirelessly or by wire via a communication network 50. As shown in FIG. 1, the departure and arrival management system 10 according to the first embodiment includes one construction machine 200 and one aircraft 300 that communicate with each other wirelessly via the communication network 50. In the following description, the aircraft 300 may be referred to as a drone.

[0018] In this embodiment, the above-mentioned work machine is, as an example, a construction machine 200 that works at a work site 30 such as a construction site or a demolition site. The movable part of the work machine in this embodiment is a work attachment 204 that moves up and down relative to the body of the construction machine 200. In this embodiment, in the state shown in Fig. 1, the construction machine 200 is located at the work site 30, and the flying object 300 is flying in the air above the work site 30.

[0019] The construction machine 200 is, for example, a crawler excavator, and as shown in Fig. 1, has a crawler-type lower traveling body 201 and an upper rotating body 202 mounted so as to be rotatable relative to the lower traveling body 201 via a rotating mechanism. As an example, a driver's cabin (which may also be referred to as a cab) 203 of the construction machine 200 is provided on the front left side of the upper rotating body 202, and a work attachment 204 is provided in the front center of the upper rotating body 202. The upper rotating body 202 is an example of a machine body.

[0020] The work attachment 204 has a boom 205 mounted on the upper rotating body 202 so as to be able to be raised and lowered, an arm 206 rotatably connected to the tip of the boom 205, and a bucket 207 rotatably connected to the tip of the arm 206. The work attachment 204 is moved up and down relative to the upper rotating body 202 by a boom cylinder 208 constituted by an extendable hydraulic cylinder. The boom cylinder 208 is interposed between the boom 205 and the upper rotating body 202 so as to extend and lower by receiving a supply of hydraulic oil to rotate the boom 205 in the hoisting direction. The work attachment 204 may be moved up and down relative to the upper rotating body 202 by a hydraulic cylinder other than the boom cylinder 208, such as an arm cylinder or a bucket cylinder. The movable part described above may refer to at least one of the boom 205, the arm 206, and the bucket 207, instead of the work attachment 204.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, the cab 203 is provided with an aircraft landing site 209 on the outside of the ceiling, for example. The aircraft landing site 209 is a space where one or more aircraft 300 can land. In the present embodiment, as an example, one aircraft 300 can land on the aircraft landing site 209. In addition to or instead of the outside of the ceiling of the cab 203, the aircraft landing site 209 may be any place on the upper surface of the upper rotating body 202 where the aircraft 300 can land. The aircraft landing site 209 may have a locking mechanism that can engage with the aircraft 300 so that the aircraft 300 landing on the aircraft landing site 209 does not fall off. The aircraft landing site 209 may have a charger that can charge the aircraft 300 landing on the aircraft landing site 209 by contact or non-contact charging. The aircraft landing site 209 may have an anti-aircraft marker that serves as a landmark for the aircraft 300 to land. The aircraft landing site 209 may be connected to the aircraft 300 by a wired cable for power supply, and power may be supplied to the aircraft 300 by the wired cable.

[0022] A display unit 270 is provided in the cab 203. In addition to the display unit 270, the cab 203 is provided with a plurality of operation devices for operating, for example, the lower traveling body 201, the upper rotating body 202, and the work attachment 204. The plurality of operation devices may be directly operated by the user 20 in the cab 203, may be remotely operated by the user 20 in an operation room provided in a location remote from the work site 30, or may be operated by automatic driving. The user 20 referred to here is an operator who operates the construction machine 200.

[0023] The display unit 270 is a display, and may be provided in front of the cab 203 of the construction machine 200 as shown in FIG. 1. The display unit 270 may display images and messages to the user 20 in the cab 203. The display unit 270 may display images captured by the aircraft 300, for example. The display unit 270 may display a message indicating that the work attachment 204 will be automatically lowered or automatically stopped when the aircraft 300 lands on or takes off from the aircraft landing pad 209. The display unit 270 may additionally have a speaker and may emit a sound based on inputted voice data.

[0024] The flying object 300 may be, for example, a wireless unmanned drone, and may be a rotorcraft having multiple wings as shown in FIG. 1. The flying object 300 may be a wired unmanned drone, or may be a manned helicopter. The flying object 300 may perform at least one of autonomous flight and autonomous photography according to a command signal received from the construction machine 200 and a program previously built in. In addition to or instead of this, part of the flight and photography of the flying object 300 may be manually controlled by wireless communication by the user 20 operating the controller of the flying object 300. The user 20 referred to here may be the same as or different from the user 20 who operates the construction machine 200, and may be, for example, a supervisor who monitors the work status of the construction machine 200 from outside the construction machine 200 at the work site 30.

[0025] In this embodiment, the flying object 300 is equipped with one or more cameras 301, and may be capable of capturing 360-degree images of the flying object 300 using the one or more cameras 301. The flying object 300 further includes an electric motor (actuator) for rotating the multiple wings, a group of sensors such as a GNSS sensor for detecting its own position and a gyro sensor for detecting its own attitude, and a battery for supplying power to at least the group of sensors, the electric motor, and the camera 301. The battery is charged by contact or non-contact from a charger provided in the flying object landing site 209 of the construction machine 200, for example.

[0026] The flying object 300 may transmit image data of the surroundings of the flying object 300 captured by one or more cameras 301 to the construction machine 200 or a remote control room via the communication network 50. The images captured by the flying object 300 may be still images or videos.

[0027] The aircraft 300 may transmit a take-off / landing intention signal to the construction machine 200 via the communication network 50 before the construction machine 200 takes off or lands at the aircraft launch pad 209, i.e., before at least one of landing at the aircraft launch pad 209 and taking off from the aircraft launch pad 209. When the construction machine 200 permits the aircraft 300 to take off or land at the aircraft launch pad 209, the aircraft 300 may receive a take-off / landing permission signal from the construction machine 200 via the communication network 50, and may take off or land at the aircraft launch pad 209 in response to receiving the take-off / landing permission signal.

[0028] The departure / landing intention signal may be intended as a signal indicating that the construction machine 200 is about to depart or land at the aircraft landing site 209. The departure / landing intention signal may include at least one of a landing intention signal indicating that the aircraft 300 is about to land at the aircraft landing site 209 and a takeoff intention signal indicating that the aircraft 300 is about to take off from the aircraft landing site 209. The departure / landing intention signal may be a signal indicating that it is time for the aircraft 300 to depart or land according to a predetermined flight plan, or a signal indicating that a button instructing departure or landing has been pressed by the user 20 on the controller when the aircraft 300 is manually controlled. The landing intention signal may be a signal indicating that the remaining battery charge of the battery of the aircraft 300 has fallen below a predetermined threshold, or may be a signal indicating that an abnormality, malfunction, or the like has occurred in the aircraft 300. The takeoff intention signal may be a signal indicating that the remaining battery charge of the battery of the aircraft 300 has exceeded a predetermined threshold, or may be a signal indicating that a problem such as an abnormality or malfunction that has occurred in the aircraft 300 has been resolved. The takeoff and landing permission signal may be intended to mean a signal indicating that the construction machine 200 is permitted to take off and land at the aircraft landing site 209 .

[0029] 2 is an example of a block diagram of a construction machine 200 according to the first embodiment. The construction machine 200 according to the first embodiment includes a communication unit 210, a departure / arrival permission unit 220, a movement instruction unit 230, a warning unit 240, a stop instruction unit 250, a departure / arrival detection unit 260, a display unit 270, a supply control unit 280, and a work attachment drive unit 290.

[0030] The communication unit 210 wirelessly communicates with the flying object 300 via the communication network 50. The communication unit 210 may receive, for example, a takeoff / landing intention signal or GNSS information from the flying object 300 via the communication network 50, and may output the received takeoff / landing intention signal to the takeoff / landing permission unit 220. The communication unit 210 may receive, for example, image data from the flying object 300 via the communication network 50, and may output the received image data to at least one of the takeoff / landing permission unit 220 and the display unit 270. The communication unit 210 may transmit a takeoff / landing permission signal to the flying object 300 via the communication network 50 in response to, for example, a takeoff / landing permission signal being input from the takeoff / landing permission unit 220.

[0031] The takeoff and landing permission unit 220 permits takeoff and landing of the aircraft 300 when the work attachment 204 is not at an interference position interfering with the planned takeoff and landing trajectory of the aircraft 300. The planned takeoff and landing trajectory of the aircraft 300 may refer to a planned trajectory that the aircraft 300 will pass when taking off and landing at the aircraft landing site 209 of the construction machine 200, that is, a planned flight path. The interference position may refer to a flight path within a predetermined range from the aircraft landing site 209, for example, within a range in which the work attachment 204 can move, among the planned flight paths.

[0032] Specifically, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may determine whether or not the work attachment 204 is at an interference position in response to receiving a takeoff and landing intention signal of the flying object 300 from the communication unit 210. More specifically, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may determine whether or not the work attachment 204 is at an interference position interfering with the planned takeoff and landing trajectory of the flying object 300 shown in the image in response to receiving a takeoff and landing intention signal of the flying object 300 and image data capturing the traveling direction of the flying object 300 from the communication unit 210.

[0033] The takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may, for example, when the work attachment 204 is at an interference position, output a takeoff and landing impossible signal indicating that the flying object 300 cannot take off or land to the movement instruction unit 230. The takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may, for example, when the work attachment 204 is at an interference position, output a takeoff and landing permission signal to the warning unit 240 before outputting the takeoff and landing impossible signal to the movement instruction unit 230.

[0034] For example, when there is no work attachment 204 at the interference position or when the work attachment 204 has disappeared from the interference position, the take-off and landing permission unit 220 may output a take-off and landing permission signal to the communication unit 210 and cause the flying object 300 to transmit the take-off and landing permission signal via the communication network 50. For example, when there is no work attachment 204 at the interference position or when the work attachment 204 has disappeared from the interference position, the take-off and landing permission unit 220 may output the take-off and landing permission signal to the stop instruction unit 250 before outputting the take-off and landing permission signal to the communication unit 210, and may additionally output the take-off and landing permission signal to the warning unit 240.

[0035] The takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may, for example, output a detection signal to the stop instruction unit 250 in response to receiving a detection signal indicating that the takeoff and landing detection unit 260 has detected that the takeoff and landing of the aircraft 300 at the aircraft takeoff and landing site 209 has been completed, and may additionally output a detection signal to the warning unit 240.

[0036] When the work attachment 204 is at the interference position, the movement instruction unit 230 moves the work attachment 204 downward to a non-interference position where the work attachment 204 does not interfere with the planned take-off and landing trajectory. More specifically, in response to a take-off and landing prohibition signal being input from the take-off and landing permission unit 220, the movement instruction unit 230 may output a movement instruction to the supply control unit 280 to move the work attachment 204 downward to the non-interference position.

[0037] The warning unit 240 warns the operator who operates the construction machine 200 when the work attachment 204 is at the interference position. More specifically, the warning unit 240 may output, in response to a departure / landing disable signal being input from the departure / landing permission unit 220, a movement advance notice instruction to the display unit 270 that gives a notice to the user 20 that the work attachment 204 will be moved downward. In response to a departure / landing permission signal being input from the departure / landing permission unit 220, the warning unit 240 may output, in response to a departure / landing permission signal being input from the departure / landing permission unit 220, a stop advance notice instruction to the display unit 270 that gives a notice to the user 20 that the operation of the work attachment 204 will be stopped. In response to a detection signal being input from the departure / landing permission unit 220, the warning unit 240 may output, in response to a release advance notice instruction to the display unit 270 that gives a notice to the user 20 that the operation stop of the work attachment 204 will be released.

[0038] The stop instruction unit 250 stops the operation of the work attachment 204 in response to the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 granting permission for takeoff and landing. More specifically, the stop instruction unit 250 may output a stop instruction to the supply control unit 280 for stopping at least a portion of the operation of the work attachment 204 in response to the input of a takeoff and landing permission signal from the takeoff and landing permission unit 220. The operation of at least a portion of the work attachment 204 referred to here may refer to an operation of the work attachment 204 such that the work attachment 204 overlaps with the aircraft takeoff and landing site 209 in a plan view of the construction machine 200 seen from the vertical direction, or may refer to only the operation of moving the boom 205 upward, for example.

[0039] The stop instruction unit 250 releases the stop of the operation of the work attachment 204 in response to the flying object 300 having passed the interference position after takeoff or landing. More specifically, the stop instruction unit 250 may output a release instruction to the supply control unit 280 to release the stop of at least a part of the operation of the work attachment 204 in response to the input of a detection signal from the takeoff and landing permission unit 220.

[0040] The takeoff / landing detection unit 260 detects the takeoff / landing of the flying object 300 at the flying object landing site 209. In response to detecting the takeoff / landing of the flying object 300 at the flying object landing site 209, the takeoff / landing detection unit 260 may output a detection signal indicating that the takeoff / landing is completed to the takeoff / landing permission unit 220.

[0041] The take-off / landing detection unit 260 may include a sensor that measures the distance between the aircraft 300 and the aircraft landing site 209. In this case, when the take-off / landing detection unit 260 detects that the distance has become 0 cm, for example, it may determine that the aircraft 300 has landed at the aircraft landing site 209, and when the take-off / landing detection unit 260 detects that the distance has become a predetermined distance or more, it may determine that the aircraft 300 has taken off from the aircraft landing site 209 and moved away from the interference position.

[0042] As described above, the display unit 270 displays images and messages. More specifically, the display unit 270 may display an image from the flying object 300 input from the communication unit 210. In response to various advance notice instructions being input from the warning unit 240, the display unit 270 may display a message indicating that the work attachment 204 will be automatically lowered, automatically stopped, or the automatic stop will be released in accordance with the contents of the advance notice instructions.

[0043] The supply control unit 280 controls the supply of the primary pilot pressure in the work attachment driving unit 290. More specifically, in response to a movement instruction being input from the movement instruction unit 230, the supply control unit 280 may control the supply of the primary pilot pressure in the work attachment driving unit 290 so as to move the work attachment 204 downward to a non-interference position. In response to a stop instruction being input from the stop instruction unit 250, the supply control unit 280 may stop the supply of the primary pilot pressure in the work attachment driving unit 290. In response to a release instruction being input from the stop instruction unit 250, the supply control unit 280 may release the stop of the supply of the primary pilot pressure in the work attachment driving unit 290.

[0044] The work attachment driving unit 290 has a pilot pump 291 , a first control valve 292 , an operating device 293 , a main pump 294 , a second control valve 295 , and a pilot port 296 .

[0045] The pilot pump 291 supplies a primary pilot pressure to the first control valve 292 via a pilot line. The first control valve 292 supplies the primary pilot pressure from the pilot pump 291 to the operating device 293 and the control valve 297 in response to a control signal input from the supply control unit 280. The operating device 293 is provided in the cab 203, and converts the primary pilot pressure to a secondary pilot pressure in response to, for example, an operation by a user 20 in the cab 203, and supplies the secondary pilot pressure to a pilot port 296 of a second control valve 295 via a shuttle valve 298. The main pump 294 supplies hydraulic oil to the second control valve 295 via a high-pressure hydraulic line. The second control valve 295 supplies hydraulic oil from the main pump 294 to the boom cylinder 208 in response to the secondary pilot pressure supplied to the pilot port 296. The control valve 297 controls the opening and closing of the shuttle valve 298 in response to a control signal input from the supply control unit 280, thereby controlling the supply of the above-mentioned secondary pilot pressure to the pilot port 296 of the second control valve 295.

[0046] The work attachment drive unit 290 controls the supply of the primary pilot pressure from the pilot pump 291 to the operation device 293 by the supply control unit 280. For example, the work attachment drive unit 290 moves the work attachment 204 downward to a non-interference position by the supply control unit 280 as described above. For example, when the supply of the primary pilot pressure from the pilot pump 291 to the operation device 293 is stopped by the supply control unit 280, the work attachment drive unit 290 is brought into a state in which the user 20 cannot drive the boom cylinder 208 by operating the operation device 293, that is, the operation of the boom 205 is prohibited. For example, when the supply control unit 280 releases the stop of the supply of the primary pilot pressure from the pilot pump 291 to the operation device 293, the work attachment drive unit 290 is brought into a state in which the user 20 can drive the boom cylinder 208 by operating the operation device 293, that is, the operation of the boom 205 is allowed.

[0047] Fig. 3 is an example of a flowchart of the landing operation flow of the takeoff and landing management system 10 according to the first embodiment. As an example, the landing operation flow in Fig. 3 is started when the aircraft 300, which is photographing the work site 30 while hovering in the sky above the work site 30, photographs at least a part of the aircraft takeoff and landing site 209 of the construction machine 200 from a specific position so that the aircraft takeoff and landing site 209 is located near the center of the photographing field of view, and transmits a landing intention signal to the construction machine 200 via the communication network 50 together with image data of at least a part of the aircraft takeoff and landing site 209.

[0048] In response to receiving a landing intention signal from the aircraft 300 via the communication network 50 along with image data of the aircraft takeoff and landing site 209, the construction machine 200 determines whether the work attachment 204 is in an interference position that will interfere with the planned takeoff and landing trajectory of the aircraft 300 (step S101).

[0049] The planned takeoff and landing trajectory when the aircraft 300 lands at the aircraft landing site 209 is a trajectory that the aircraft 300 is scheduled to pass when it lands at the aircraft landing site 209, that is, a planned flight path. The aircraft 300 flies in a straight line from the above-mentioned specific position and lands at the aircraft landing site 209. The specific position may be a position vertically above the aircraft landing site 209 that is slightly higher than the maximum reachable height of the work attachment 204, for example, a position about several meters higher. The specific position may be a position horizontally shifted from the aircraft landing site 209 in a horizontal plane that is slightly higher than the aircraft landing site 209, for example, about several centimeters to 1 meter higher. The specific position may be any position diagonally above the aircraft landing site 209 that can capture at least a part of the aircraft landing site 209. The specific position may be the current position of the flying object 300 that is hovering above the work site 30 and photographing the work site 30, or may be a position different from the current position. The different position may be referred to as a standby position.

[0050] The interference position is a position where the work attachment 204 may overlap with such a planned takeoff and landing trajectory, i.e., a straight line (shortest distance) connecting a specific position and the aircraft takeoff and landing site 209, and is an overlapping position (range) between the straight line and the three-dimensional range in which the work attachment 204 can move.

[0051] In step S101, more specifically, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 of the construction machine 200 analyzes an image of at least a portion of the aircraft landing site 209 in response to receiving a landing intention signal together with image data of at least a portion of the aircraft landing site 209. More specifically, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 determines whether the aircraft landing site 209 is partially hidden by the work attachment 204 in the image.

[0052] When the construction machine 200 determines that the work attachment 204 is not present at the interference position (step S101: NO), it stops the operation of the work attachment 204 (step S103) and then permits the flying object 300 to land (step S105). More specifically, when the construction machine 200 determines that the flying object landing site 209 is not partially hidden by the work attachment 204 in the above-mentioned image, it stops the supply of the primary pilot pressure to the work attachment drive unit 290 so as to stop at least a part of the operation of the work attachment 204 to the supply control unit 280 via the stop instruction unit 250. The takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may cause the warning unit 240 to display a stop notice message on the display unit 270 prior to stopping at least a part of the operation of the work attachment 204. Thereafter, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 causes the communication unit 210 to transmit a takeoff and landing permission signal to the flying object 300 via the communication network 50.

[0053] A specific example of step S101 and step S105 will be described with reference to Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. In this specific example, when landing at the aircraft landing site 209, the aircraft 300 flies vertically downward in a straight line from a position slightly higher than the maximum reachable height of the work attachment 204 vertically above the aircraft landing site 209, and lands at the aircraft landing site 209. When taking off from the aircraft landing site 209, the aircraft 300 flies vertically upward in a straight line from the aircraft landing site 209 and takes off from the aircraft landing site 209. In this case, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 permits takeoff and landing when there is no work attachment 204 above the aircraft landing site 209.

[0054] For example, in an example of a state in which the construction machine 200 has the work attachment 204 extended, as shown in the schematic diagram of Fig. 4, the work attachment 204 and the aircraft takeoff and landing site 209 do not overlap in a plan view of the construction machine 200 seen from the vertical direction, and the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may determine that the work attachment 204 is not above the aircraft takeoff and landing site 209 and permit takeoff and landing. For example, in an example of a state in which the construction machine 200 is holding the work attachment 204, as shown in the schematic diagram of Fig. 5, the work attachment 204 and the aircraft takeoff and landing site 209 partially overlap in a plan view, and the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may determine that the work attachment 204 is above the aircraft takeoff and landing site 209 and not permit takeoff and landing.

[0055] Returning to the operation flow of Fig. 3, if the flying object 300 has not landed at the flying object landing site 209, the construction machine 200 waits until it does (step S107: NO), and when the flying object 300 has landed at the flying object landing site 209 (step S107: YES), the construction machine 200 releases the stop of the operation of the work attachment 204 (step S109), and the flow ends. More specifically, in response to receiving a detection signal indicating that the flying object 300 has landed at the flying object landing site 209 from the takeoff / landing detection unit 260, the takeoff / landing permission unit 220 of the construction machine 200 causes the supply control unit 280 to release the stop of the operation of at least a part of the work attachment 204 via the stop instruction unit 250, to release the stop of the supply of the primary pilot pressure in the work attachment drive unit 290. The takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may cause the warning unit 240 to display a notice of cancellation on the display unit 270 prior to canceling the suspension of the operation of at least a portion of the work attachment 204.

[0056] In step S101, when the construction machine 200 determines that the work attachment 204 is at the interference position (step S101: YES), it moves the work attachment 204 downward to a non-interference position (step S102) and returns to step S101. More specifically, when the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 of the construction machine 200 determines that the aircraft takeoff and landing site 209 is partially hidden by the work attachment 204 in the above-mentioned image, it controls the supply control unit 280 via the movement instruction unit 230 to move the work attachment 204 downward to a non-interference position. Prior to controlling the work attachment 204 to move downward to the non-interference position, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may cause the warning unit 240 to display a movement notice message on the display unit 270.

[0057] Fig. 6 is an example of a flowchart of the takeoff operation flow of the takeoff management system 10 according to the first embodiment. As an example, the takeoff operation flow of Fig. 6 is started when the aircraft 300, which has landed on the aircraft landing site 209, photographs a specific direction and transmits a takeoff intention signal together with image data of the specific direction to the construction machine 200 via the communication network 50.

[0058] In response to receiving a takeoff intention signal along with image data taken in a specific direction from the aircraft 300 via the communication network 50, the construction machine 200 determines whether the work attachment 204 is present in an interference position that will interfere with the planned takeoff and landing trajectory of the aircraft 300 (step S201).

[0059] The planned takeoff and landing trajectory when the aircraft 300 takes off from the aircraft landing field 209 is a planned trajectory that the aircraft 300 will follow when taking off from the aircraft landing field 209, i.e., a planned flight path. The aircraft 300 takes off from the aircraft landing field 209 by flying in a straight line in the above-mentioned specific direction from the aircraft landing field 209 or a position slightly above the aircraft landing field 209, for example, a position slightly above the aircraft landing field 209 by about several centimeters to 1 meter. The specific direction may be vertically upward, may be any direction in a horizontal plane, or may be diagonally upward from the aircraft landing field 209.

[0060] The interference position is a position where the work attachment 204 may overlap with such a planned takeoff and landing trajectory, i.e., a straight line extending from the aircraft takeoff and landing site 209 in the specific direction, and is an overlapping position (range) between the straight line and the three-dimensional range in which the work attachment 204 can move.

[0061] In step S201, more specifically, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 of the construction machine 200 analyzes the image captured in the specific direction in response to receiving the takeoff intention signal together with the image data captured in the specific direction. More specifically, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 determines whether or not a predetermined range from near the center of the field of view in the image, for example a range slightly larger than the dimensions of the flying object 300, is at least partially hidden by the work attachment 204.

[0062] When the construction machine 200 determines that the work attachment 204 is not present at the interference position (step S201: NO), it stops the operation of the work attachment 204 (step S203) and then permits the flying object 300 to take off (step S205). More specifically, when the construction machine 200 determines that the above-mentioned range is not at least partially hidden by the work attachment 204 in the above-mentioned image, it stops the supply of the primary pilot pressure to the work attachment drive unit 290 so as to stop at least a part of the operation of the work attachment 204 to the supply control unit 280 via the stop instruction unit 250. The takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may cause the warning unit 240 to display a stop notice message on the display unit 270 prior to stopping at least a part of the operation of the work attachment 204. Thereafter, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 causes the communication unit 210 to transmit a takeoff and landing permission signal to the flying object 300 via the communication network 50.

[0063] If the aircraft 300 has not taken off from the aircraft landing site 209, the construction machine 200 waits until it does so (step S207: NO), and when the aircraft 300 has taken off from the aircraft landing site 209 (step S207: YES), the construction machine 200 releases the stop of the operation of the work attachment 204 (step S209), and the flow ends. More specifically, in response to receiving a detection signal from the takeoff / landing detection unit 260 indicating that the aircraft 300 has taken off from the aircraft landing site 209, the takeoff / landing permission unit 220 of the construction machine 200 causes the supply control unit 280 to release the stop of the operation of at least a part of the work attachment 204 via the stop instruction unit 250 to release the stop of the supply of the primary pilot pressure in the work attachment drive unit 290. The takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may cause the warning unit 240 to display a notice of cancellation on the display unit 270 prior to canceling the suspension of the operation of at least a portion of the work attachment 204.

[0064] The takeoff / landing detection unit 260 may output a detection signal indicating that the aircraft 300 has taken off from the aircraft landing site 209 when it detects that the distance between the aircraft 300 and the aircraft landing site 209 has become equal to or greater than a predetermined distance, and the predetermined distance may correspond to a range in which the work attachment 204 can move. In other words, the takeoff / landing detection unit 260 may output a detection signal indicating that the aircraft 300 has taken off from the aircraft landing site 209 when the aircraft 300 has taken off from the aircraft landing site 209 and moved away from the interference position.

[0065] In step S201, when the construction machine 200 determines that the work attachment 204 is at the interference position (step S201: YES), it moves the work attachment 204 downward to a non-interference position (step S202) and returns to step S201. More specifically, when the departure and arrival permission unit 220 of the construction machine 200 determines that the above-mentioned range is at least partially hidden by the work attachment 204 in the above-mentioned image, it controls the supply control unit 280 via the movement instruction unit 230 to move the work attachment 204 downward to the non-interference position. Prior to controlling the work attachment 204 to move downward to the non-interference position, the departure and arrival permission unit 220 may cause the warning unit 240 to display a movement notice message on the display unit 270.

[0066] According to the take-off and landing management system 10 of the first embodiment described above, the aircraft is managed so that the aircraft can take off and land at the aircraft take-off and landing site provided on the aircraft body of the work machine having a movable part that can move relative to the aircraft body without coming into contact with the movable part of the work machine. More specifically, in the take-off and landing management system 10, the construction machine 200 having the work attachment 204 that moves up and down relative to the aircraft body and the aircraft take-off and landing site 209 allows the aircraft 300 to take off and land when the work attachment 204 is not in an interference position that interferes with the planned take-off and landing trajectory of the aircraft 300. According to the construction machine 200 having such a configuration, the aircraft 300 can take off and land at the aircraft take-off and landing site 209 while reliably avoiding the movable part such as the work attachment 204 coming into contact with the aircraft 300 and being damaged.

[0067] In the above embodiment, the construction machine 200 may be equipped with a camera for monitoring the surroundings of the construction machine 200, a human presence sensor for detecting people around the construction machine 200, and the like. In addition to these cameras and human presence sensors, the camera 301 of the flying object 300 landing at the flying object landing site 209 may detect that the work attachment 204 may collide with surrounding people or objects. The construction machine 200 may stop the automatic descent of the work attachment 204, etc., in response to detecting that the work attachment 204 may collide with surrounding people or objects. In addition to or instead of this, the construction machine 200 may be configured so that the user 20 who receives a movement notice message before the automatic descent of the work attachment 204, etc., can manually stop the automatic descent of the work attachment 204, etc.

[0068] In the above embodiment, in addition to or instead of automatically lowering the work attachment 204, the construction machine 200 may warn the user 20 via the display unit 270 to manually move the work attachment 204 downward.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 of the construction machine 200 has been described as being configured to determine whether the work attachment 204 is in an interference position based on an image captured by the aircraft 300. In addition to or instead of this, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may determine whether the work attachment 204 is in an interference position based on the attitude of the work attachment 204 when the planned takeoff and landing trajectory of the aircraft 300 with respect to the aircraft landing site 209 is predetermined. The takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may specify the attitude of the work attachment 204 based on an angle sensor provided on the construction machine 200, a camera provided on the construction machine 200, the extension length of the boom cylinder 208, or the like. The takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may recognize the position of the work attachment 204, for example, in relative coordinates with respect to the aircraft landing site 209. The takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may set the position of the work attachment 204 in a tucked-in attitude state as the initial position, for example. The takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may identify the position of the work attachment 204 based on the length of the boom cylinder 208 corresponding to the vertical position of the boom 205.

[0070] For example, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may pre-store the relationship between the extension and retraction length of the boom cylinder 208 and the displacement amount or displacement trajectory of one or more reference points of the work attachment 204 relative to the initial coordinates, and may calculate the attitude of the work attachment 204 based on the extension and retraction length of the boom cylinder 208 controlled by the work attachment drive unit 290 and the relationship. The takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may determine whether the work attachment 204 is in an interference position based on the identified attitude of the work attachment 204 and a known planned takeoff and landing trajectory. In this case, the construction machine 200 does not need to receive image data from the flying object 300.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 of the construction machine 200 has been described as being configured to determine whether the work attachment 204 is in an interference position in response to an input of a takeoff and landing intention signal from the aircraft 300. In addition to or instead of this, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may constantly perform this determination in a case where a planned takeoff and landing trajectory of the aircraft 300 with respect to the aircraft landing site 209 is predetermined and whether the work attachment 204 is in an interference position is determined based on the attitude of the work attachment 204, etc. In this case, in response to determining that the work attachment 204 is in an interference position, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may cause the warning unit 240 to display an error message to that effect on the display unit 270 in response to the determination that the work attachment 204 is in an interference position.

[0072] In the above embodiment, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 of the construction machine 200 has been described as being configured to determine whether or not the work attachment 204 is in an interference position in response to an input of a takeoff intention signal from the aircraft 300 when the aircraft 300 takes off from the aircraft landing pad 209. In addition to or instead of this, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may determine whether or not the work attachment 204 is in an interference position in response to the takeoff and landing detection unit 260 notifying the aircraft 300 that a locking mechanism provided at the aircraft landing pad 209 in a state where the aircraft 300 is landing has been released.

[0073] In the above embodiment, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 of the construction machine 200 has been described as being configured to determine whether the work attachment 204 is in an interference position in response to input of a takeoff intention signal from the aircraft 300 when the aircraft 300 takes off from the aircraft landing site 209. In addition to or instead of this, when multiple aircraft 300 are used in the takeoff and landing management system 10, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may determine whether the work attachment 204 is in an interference position in order to allow the aircraft 300 landing at the aircraft landing site 209 to take off in response to input of a landing intention signal from the aircraft 300 in flight.

[0074] In the above embodiment, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 of the construction machine 200 may take into consideration the distance from the flying object 300 to the construction machine 200. For example, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may receive GNSS position information from the flying object 300, calculate the distance by referring to the GNSS position information of the construction machine 200, and determine whether the distance is equal to or less than a predetermined distance. The takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may be configured to determine whether the work attachment 204 is in an interference position on the condition that the distance is equal to or less than a predetermined distance.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 of the construction machine 200 has been described as being configured to determine whether the work attachment 204 is in the interference position. Alternatively, the aircraft 300 may determine whether the work attachment 204 is in the interference position. More specifically, the aircraft 300 may be provided with a determination unit that determines whether the work attachment 204 is in an interference position that interferes with the planned takeoff and landing trajectory of the aircraft 300, and a permission instruction unit that allows the construction machine 200 to take off and land the aircraft 300 when the work attachment 204 is not in the interference position. The method by which the determination unit determines whether the work attachment 204 is in the interference position may be the same as the determination method described in the above embodiment, and a duplicated description will be omitted.

[0076] In the above embodiment, at least one of the flying object 300 and the construction machine 200 may determine its own position using a RTK method that combines position information from a reference station installed on the ground with its own GNSS information. In addition to or instead of this, the flying object 300 may estimate its own position using a SLAM method.

[0077] The planned departure and arrival trajectory may be defined, for example, by relative coordinates determined in advance with respect to the aircraft landing site 209 of the construction machine 200. The planned departure and arrival trajectory defined by the relative coordinates in this way may be stored in the memory of the construction machine 200. The relative coordinates of the planned departure and arrival trajectory may be the coordinates of a plurality of points. In this case, the construction machine 200 may transmit current coordinate data of the aircraft landing site 209 based on GNSS information or the like and relative coordinate data of the planned departure and arrival trajectory to the aircraft 300 via the communication network 50, and the aircraft 300 may determine a flight route from its own current position based on GNSS information or the like to the aircraft landing site of the construction machine 200 based on the coordinate data received from the construction machine 200. Of the flight route, at least the route around the aircraft landing site 209 of the construction machine 200 follows the planned departure and arrival trajectory.

[0078] In the above embodiment, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 of the construction machine 200 has been described as being configured to transmit a takeoff and landing permission signal to the aircraft 300 to permit takeoff and landing of the aircraft 300 when it is determined that the work attachment 204 is not present at the interference position. In addition to or instead of this, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may output an instruction to the aircraft landing site 209 so that the aircraft 300 can take off and land at the aircraft landing site 209 when it is determined that the work attachment 204 is not present at the interference position. For example, when the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 outputs an instruction to the aircraft landing site 209 so that the aircraft 300 can land at the aircraft landing site 209, the aircraft landing site 209 may switch an anti-aircraft sign required as a landmark for the aircraft 300 to land at the aircraft landing site 209 from a non-display state to a display state. For example, when the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 outputs an instruction to the aircraft landing pad 209 so that the aircraft 300 can take off from the aircraft landing pad 209, the aircraft landing pad 209 may switch from a state in which the aircraft 300 is fixed to a state in which it is not fixed by the above-mentioned locking mechanism.

[0079] In the above embodiment, additionally or alternatively, the flying object 300 may have a sensor that detects the departure and arrival at the flying object landing site 209. The sensor may include an altitude sensor provided on the flying object. In this case, at least one of the flying object 300 and the construction machine 200 may store the altitude of the flying object landing site 209 in advance, and may detect the departure and arrival of the flying object 300 at the flying object landing site 209 based on the difference between the altitude of the flying object landing site 209 and the altitude of the flying object 300. In this case, the construction machine 200 may not be provided with the departure and arrival detection unit 260.

[0080] FIG. 7 is an example of a block diagram of the construction machine 400 according to the second embodiment. The construction machine 400 according to the second embodiment is different from the construction machine 200 according to the first embodiment in that it does not include the movement instruction unit 230, and further, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 stops the operation of the construction machine 200 that interferes with the takeoff and landing of the flying object 300 in response to a trigger for takeoff and landing of the flying object 300. The takeoff and landing permission unit 220 may further permit the takeoff and landing of the flying object 300 when the operation of the construction machine 200 is stopped. The trigger may be, for example, receiving a takeoff and landing intention signal from the flying object 300, an operator indicating an intention to take off or land by pressing a takeoff and landing button or voice instruction, or receiving a takeoff and landing instruction from an external person such as a site worker, site supervisor, remote operator, or remote monitor other than the operator on board the work machine. The interfering operation may be, for example, the up and down movement of the work attachment 204 or the rotation operation of the upper rotating body 202. Other configurations of the construction machine 400 according to the second embodiment are similar to the corresponding configurations of the construction machine 200 according to the first embodiment, and the same reference numbers are used to omit redundant explanations. The construction machine 400 according to the second embodiment also has the same effects as the construction machine 200 according to the first embodiment. The departure and arrival permission unit 220 in this embodiment is an example of an operation stopping unit.

[0081] In the above second embodiment, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 of the construction machine 400 has been described as being configured to stop the operation of the construction machine 200 that is interfering with the takeoff and landing of the flying object 300 in response to the occurrence of a takeoff and landing trigger for the flying object 300. Alternatively, the flying object 300 may instruct the construction machine 400 to stop the operation of the construction machine 200 that is interfering with the takeoff and landing of the flying object 300. More specifically, the flying object 300 may include a stop instruction unit that transmits an instruction signal to the construction machine 400 to stop the operation of the construction machine 200 that is interfering with the takeoff and landing of the flying object 300, and a judgment unit that judges that the takeoff and landing of the flying object 300 is possible in response to the construction machine 400 stopping the operation in accordance with the instruction signal. The judgment unit may judge that the takeoff and landing of the flying object 300 is possible, for example, when a stop signal indicating that the operation has been stopped is received from the construction machine 400.

[0082] In the above second embodiment, one of the flying object 300 and the construction machine 400 may determine the planned takeoff and landing trajectory of the flying object 300. For example, the takeoff and landing permission unit 220 of the construction machine 400 may stop the above-mentioned operation of the construction machine 400, and then set a flight path that does not cause the flying object 300 to interfere with parts of the construction machine 400 other than the flying object takeoff and landing site 209. Alternatively, for example, the flying object 300 may detect parts of the construction machine 400 other than the flying object takeoff and landing site 209 and determine the planned takeoff and landing trajectory.

[0083] Although the present invention has been described above using the embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It is clear from the description of the claims that such modifications and improvements can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0084] It should be noted that the order of execution of each process, such as operations, procedures, steps, and stages, in the devices, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, specifications, and drawings is not specifically stated as "before," "prior to," etc., and may be realized in any order unless the output of a previous process is used in a later process. Even if the operational flow in the claims, specifications, and drawings is explained using "first," "next," etc. for convenience, it does not mean that it is essential to perform the process in this order. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 10 Arrival and Departure Management System 20 users 30 Work Site 50 Communication Network 200 Construction Machinery 201 Undercarriage 202 Upper rotating body 203 Cab 204 Work attachment 205 Boom 206 Arm 207 Bucket 208 Boom cylinder 209 Aircraft Landing Site 210 Communications Department 220 Flight Clearance Department 230 Movement instruction section 240 Warning section 250 Stop instruction section 260 Arrival and Departure Detection Unit 270 Display section 280 Supply control section 290 Work attachment drive unit 291 Pilot Pump 292 First control valve 293 Operating device 294 Main Pump 295 Second control valve 296 Pilot Port 297 Control valve 298 Shuttle Valve 300 Flying Objects 400 Construction Machinery

Claims

1. A movable part that can move relative to the aircraft body; An aircraft landing site provided on the aircraft; a takeoff and landing permission unit that permits takeoff and landing of the aircraft when the movable unit is not in an interference position that interferes with a scheduled takeoff and landing trajectory of the aircraft; A work machine comprising:

2. The work machine is a construction machine, The movable part is a work attachment that moves up and down relative to the machine body.

2. The work machine of claim 1.

3. a movement instruction unit that, when the work attachment is at the interference position, moves the work attachment downward to a non-interference position where the work attachment does not interfere with the planned departure and arrival trajectory, 3. A work machine according to claim 2.

4. a warning unit that warns an operator who operates the work machine when the movable part is in the interference position, A work machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The takeoff and landing permission unit permits the takeoff and landing when the movable unit is not located above the aircraft landing site. A work machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. A stop instruction unit that stops the operation of the movable unit in response to the departure and arrival being permitted is further provided. A work machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. The stop instruction unit releases the stop of the operation in response to the aircraft having passed the interference position after the takeoff and landing.

7. A work machine according to claim 6.

8. An air vehicle, a determination unit that determines whether or not a movable part of a work machine that is movable relative to an airframe and has an aircraft landing site provided on the airframe is in an interference position that interferes with a planned takeoff and landing trajectory of the aircraft; a permission instructing unit that, when the movable part is not at the interference position, permits the work machine to take off and land the flying object; An aircraft equipped with the above.

9. A work machine, An aircraft landing site provided on the aircraft; an operation stopping unit that stops an operation of the work machine that is interfering with the takeoff and landing of the flying object in response to a trigger for the takeoff and landing of the flying object; A work machine comprising:

10. An air vehicle, a stop instruction unit that transmits an instruction signal to a work machine having an aircraft takeoff and landing site provided on an airframe, to stop an operation of the work machine that is interfering with the takeoff and landing of the aircraft; a determination unit that determines that the departure and arrival are possible in response to the work machine stopping the operation in accordance with the instruction signal; An aircraft equipped with the above.

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