Automatic travel system for work vehicle, and automatic travel method for work vehicle

Abstract

To provide an automatic travel system for a work vehicle and an automatic travel method for a work vehicle capable of setting a standby position suitable for a standby reason of the work vehicle and a work condition while reducing a burden on a user.SOLUTION: An automatic travel system for a work vehicle includes an automatic travel control section 46F. The automatic travel control section 46F allows a work vehicle V1 to automatically travel in a work place. The automatic travel control section 46F allows the work vehicle V1 to automatically reversely travel from a material supply side as an outer periphery of the work place in which materials are supplied to the work vehicle V1, and to automatically turn and travel to a next work route after automatically reversely traveling.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic driving system for a work vehicle and an automatic driving method for a work vehicle that enable automatic driving of work vehicles such as tractors, ride-on lawn mowers, ride-on rice transplanters, ride-on seeders, ride-on fertilizer spreaders, combines, and unmanned lawn mowers.

Background Art

[0002] In an automatic driving system for a work vehicle, for example, there is one provided with a supply position setting unit that sets a supply position (an example of a standby position) of materials at a position designated by a user, and when it becomes necessary to supply materials with the work vehicle, the work vehicle is configured to automatically travel to the above-described supply position and wait at the supply position (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the automatic driving system for a work vehicle described in Patent Document 1, the supply position of materials is set at a single position designated in advance by the user using a supply position setting window displayed on the display of a wireless communication terminal. Therefore, for example, the set supply position actually has obstacles such as trees nearby, which hinders the supply of materials to the work vehicle, or is far from the current position of the work vehicle that requires material supply, and it takes time to move to the supply position, etc. This may cause inconveniences that are not suitable for the standby reasons (here, material supply) and working conditions of the work vehicle.

[0005] In order to prevent the occurrence of such inconveniences, it is necessary for the user to specify an appropriate refueling position while fully considering the reasons for the work vehicle to wait and the working conditions. Also, when such inconveniences occur, the user will have to specify the refueling position again. Therefore, the burden on the user for specifying an appropriate refueling position has become large.

[0006] In view of this actual situation, the main problem of the present invention is to provide an automatic driving system for a work vehicle and an automatic driving method for a work vehicle that can set a standby position suitable for reasons for the work vehicle to wait and working conditions while reducing the burden on the user.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0007] An automatic driving system for a work vehicle according to one aspect includes an automatic driving control unit. The automatic driving control unit automatically drives the work vehicle at a work site. The automatic driving control unit automatically reverses the work vehicle from the side of the material supply side, which is the outer periphery of the work site where the work vehicle has been replenished with materials, and after the automatic reverse driving, automatically turns the work vehicle toward the next work route.

[0008] An automatic driving method for a work vehicle according to one aspect includes automatically driving the work vehicle at a work site, automatically reversing the work vehicle from the side of the material supply side, which is the outer periphery of the work site where the work vehicle has been replenished with materials, and after the automatic reverse driving, automatically turning the work vehicle toward the next work route.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] 〔First Embodiment〕 Hereinafter, as an example of a mode for carrying out the present invention, a first embodiment in which an automatic driving system for a work vehicle according to the present invention is applied to a tractor which is an example of a work vehicle will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] Note that the automatic driving system for a work vehicle according to the present invention can be applied to riding work vehicles other than tractors, such as riding rice transplanters, combines, riding lawn mowers, snow removal vehicles, wheel loaders, etc., and unmanned work vehicles such as unmanned tillers and unmanned lawn mowers.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the tractor V1 exemplified in this first embodiment has a seeding working device (hereinafter referred to as a seeding device) 3 connected to its rear part via a three-point link mechanism 2. Thus, this tractor V1 is configured in a seeding specification for performing seeding work by the seeding device 3 connected to its rear part. The seeding device 3 is connected to the rear part of the tractor V1 so as to be liftable and rollable.

[0013] In addition, various working devices such as a fertilizer applicator, a fertilizer seeder, a chemical spraying device, a rotary tiller, a plow, a disk harrow, a cultivator, a subsoiler, a mowing device, etc. can be connected to the rear part of this tractor V1 instead of the seeding device 3.

[0014] By using an automatic driving system for a work vehicle, the tractor V1 can automatically drive in fields Aa to Ag shown in FIGS. 5 to 6 exemplified as registered work areas. Incidentally, the fields Aa to Ag exemplified in FIGS. 5 to 6 are regular fields Aa, Ab, Ad to Af having a rectangular outer shape or deformed fields Ac, Ag having a trapezoidal shape, but the registered fields may have a triangular or pentagonal outer shape, or a deformed field including a curved portion on at least one side of the outer shape.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the automatic driving system for a work vehicle includes an automatic driving unit 4 mounted on the tractor V1, and a mobile communication terminal 5 which is an example of a wireless communication device communicatively set to be wirelessly communicable with the automatic driving unit 4, etc. The mobile communication terminal 5 is provided with a multi-touch type display device (for example, a liquid crystal panel) 50 that enables various information displays and input operations related to automatic driving.

[0016] In addition, a tablet-type personal computer, a smartphone, etc. can be adopted for the mobile communication terminal 5. Also, for wireless communication, wireless LAN (Local Area Network) such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) can be adopted.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tractor V1 includes a front frame 10 disposed at its front portion, left and right steerable and drivable front wheels 11, left and right drivable rear wheels 12, an electronically controlled diesel engine (hereinafter referred to as the engine) 13 having a common rail system, a main clutch 14 for interrupting the power from the engine 13, a transmission unit 15 for shifting the power passing through the main clutch 14, a bonnet 16 covering the engine 13 and the like, and a cabin 17 disposed at the rear portion of the tractor V1, and the like. In addition, an electronically controlled gasoline engine having an electronic governor or the like may be adopted for the engine 13.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 2, the left and right front wheels 11 are steerably connected to both left and right ends of a front axle case 18 rotatably supported by the front frame 10 via left and right front wheel gear cases 19. The left and right rear wheels 12 are supported by left and right rear axle cases (not shown) provided at the rear portion of the transmission unit 15. The engine 13 is vibration-proof supported by the front frame 10.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, the transmission unit 15 has a traveling transmission system 15A for shifting the power from the engine 13 for traveling and a working transmission system 15B for shifting the power for work.

[0020] The traveling transmission system 15A includes an electronically controlled main transmission 20 for shifting the power from the engine 13, an electronically hydraulically controlled forward and reverse switching device 21 for switching the power from the main transmission 20 between forward and reverse, a gear-type sub-transmission 22 for shifting the forward or reverse power from the forward and reverse switching device 21 into two high and low stages, a gear-type creep transmission 23 for shifting the forward or reverse power from the forward and reverse switching device 21 into an ultra-low speed stage, a rear-wheel differential device 24 for distributing the power from the sub-transmission 22 or the creep transmission 23 to the left and right rear wheels 12, left and right reduction devices 25 for reducing the power from the rear-wheel differential device 24 and transmitting it to the left and right rear wheels 12, and an electronically hydraulically controlled transmission switching device 26 for switching the transmission to the left and right front wheels 11 from the sub-transmission 22 or the creep transmission 23, and the like.

[0021] The work transmission system 15B includes a hydraulic PTO clutch 27 that interrupts the power from the engine 13, a PTO speed change device 28 that switches the power transmitted via the PTO clutch 27 between three forward speeds and one reverse speed, a PTO shaft 29 that outputs the power from the PTO speed change device 28 for work, and the like.

[0022] The speed change unit 15 is provided with left and right brakes 30 that individually brake the left and right rear wheels 12.

[0023] The main speed change device 20 employs an I-HMT (Integrated Hydro-static Mechanical Transmission), which is an example of a hydro-mechanical continuously variable transmission with higher transmission efficiency than a hydrostatic continuously variable transmission (HST).

[0024] In addition, instead of the I-HMT, the main speed change device 20 may employ a continuously variable transmission such as an HMT (Hydraulic Mechanical Transmission), which is an example of a hydro-mechanical continuously variable transmission, a hydrostatic continuously variable transmission, or a belt-type continuously variable transmission. Alternatively, instead of the continuously variable transmission, an electronically controlled hydraulic stepped speed change device having a plurality of hydraulic speed change clutches and a plurality of electromagnetic speed change valves that control the oil flow thereto may be employed.

[0025] The transmission switching device 26 switches the transmission state to the left and right front wheels 11 between a transmission cutoff state that cuts off the transmission to the left and right front wheels 11, a constant velocity transmission state that transmits power to the left and right front wheels 11 so that the peripheral speed of the left and right front wheels 11 becomes the same as the peripheral speed of the left and right rear wheels 12, and a double speed transmission state that transmits power to the left and right front wheels 11 so that the peripheral speed of the left and right front wheels 11 becomes approximately twice the peripheral speed of the left and right rear wheels 12. The power from the transmission switching device 26 is transmitted to the front wheel differential device 32 built into the front axle case 18 via a transmission shaft 31 for front-wheel drive or the like. The front wheel differential device 32 distributes the power from the transmission switching device 26 to the left and right front wheels 11. The distributed power is transmitted to the left and right front wheels 11 via left and right transmission devices (not shown) built into the left and right front wheel gear cases 19. The left and right transmission devices decelerate the power from the front wheel differential device 32 and transmit it to the left and right front wheels 11 while allowing the left and right front wheels 11 to be steered. The power taken out from the PTO shaft 29 is transmitted to a working device such as a seeding device or a fertilizer application device driven by the power via an external transmission shaft (not shown) or the like when the working device is connected to the rear part of the tractor V1.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 1, inside the cab 17, there are provided a steering wheel 35 for manual steering, a seat 36 for the occupant, and a multi-touch liquid crystal monitor 37 that enables various information displays and input operations. Thus, an on-vehicle driving unit that enables the occupant to drive the tractor V1 is formed inside the cab 17.

[0027] Although illustration is omitted, the operation section includes an accelerator lever that enables maintenance at the set engine speed, an accelerator pedal that enables speed increase from the set engine speed, a clutch pedal that enables intermittent operation of the main clutch 14, a main shift lever that enables shift operation of the main transmission 20, a reverser lever that enables forward / reverse switching operation of the forward / reverse switching device 21, a sub-shift lever that enables shift operation of the sub-transmission 22, a creep shift lever that enables shift operation of the creep transmission 23, a PTO switch that enables intermittent operation of the PTO clutch 27, a PTO shift lever that enables shift operation of the PTO transmission 28, and left and right brake pedals and a parking lever that enable switching operation to the braking state of the left and right brakes 30, and the like.

[0028] The left and right brakes 30 are mechanically interlocked and connected to the left and right brake pedals and the parking lever. When either one or both of the left and right brake pedals are depressed, the left and right brakes 30 brake the corresponding rear wheels 12 with a braking force corresponding to the amount of depression at that time. When the parking lever is operated and held in the braking area, the left and right brakes 30 brake the left and right rear wheels 12 with a braking force corresponding to the holding position at that time.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 1, the seeding device 3 has a seeding frame 3A detachably connected to the three-point link mechanism 2 and seeding units 3B corresponding to the number of working rows. Each seeding unit 3B has a storage section 3Ba for storing seeds, which is an example of agricultural materials, a feeding section 3Bb for feeding a predetermined amount of seeds from the storage section 3Ba, a disk-type furrow opener 3Bc for forming a seeding furrow on the field surface, and a plurality of press wheels 3Bd for compacting the soil covering after seeding, and the like. Although illustration is omitted, the seeding device 3 has a ground wheel that contacts the ground during the working travel of the tractor V1 and rotates with the travel of the tractor V1, and a transmission system that transmits the rotational force of the ground wheel to the feeding section 3Bb of each seeding unit 3B. Each feeding section 3Bb is driven by the rotational force from the ground wheel, and thereby feeds the seeds stored in each storage section 3Ba little by little. That is, the seeding device 3 is configured in a ground wheel drive system that performs seeding by the rotational force of the ground wheel.

[0030] Furthermore, the seeding device 3 may be configured as a PTO drive type driven by power taken out from the PTO shaft 29, or an electric drive type driven by power from an electric motor.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 3, the tractor V1 is provided with a full hydraulic power steering unit 40 for steering the left and right front wheels 11, an electro-hydraulic control type auto brake unit 41 for operating the left and right brakes 30, an electronically controlled PTO valve unit 42 for operating the PTO clutch 27, an electro-hydraulic control type lifting drive unit 43 for driving the seeding device 3 up and down, an electro-hydraulic control type rolling unit 44 for driving the seeding device 3 to swing in the roll direction, vehicle state detection equipment 45 including various sensors and switches provided on the tractor V1, and an in-vehicle control unit 46 having various control units, and the like.

[0032] Furthermore, an electric type having a steering electric motor may be adopted for the power steering unit 40.

[0033] The vehicle state detection equipment 45 is a general term for various sensors and switches provided on each part of the tractor V1. Although not shown, the vehicle state detection equipment 45 includes an accelerator sensor for detecting the operation amount from the idling positions of the accelerator lever and the accelerator pedal, a rotation sensor for detecting the engine speed, a shift sensor for detecting the operation amount of the main transmission lever, a vehicle speed sensor for detecting the vehicle speed of the tractor V1, a reverser sensor for detecting the operation position of the reverser lever, a steering angle sensor for detecting the steering angle of the front wheels 11, a height sensor for detecting the height position of the seeding device 3, an inclination sensor for detecting the roll angle of the tractor V1, and a plurality of remaining amount sensors 45A (see FIG. 3) for detecting that the remaining amount of the seeds stored in each storage part 3Ba of the seeding device 3 has decreased to the set value for seed replenishment, and various other sensors. The vehicle state detection equipment 45 includes various switches such as a PTO switch for commanding the engagement and disengagement of the PTO clutch 27, and a lift switch for commanding the lifting of the seeding device 3.

[0034] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 4, the in-vehicle control unit 46 includes an engine control unit 46A that controls the engine 13, a transmission unit control unit 46B that controls the vehicle speed of the tractor V1 and the switching between forward and reverse, a steering control unit 46C that controls the steering, a work device control unit 46D that controls work devices such as the seeding device 3, a display control unit 46E that controls display and notification for the liquid crystal monitor 37 and the like, an automatic driving control unit 46F that controls automatic driving, and a non-volatile in-vehicle storage unit 46G that stores an automatic driving target path P (see FIG. 5) generated according to the driving area in the field, and the like. Each of the control units 46A to 46F is constructed by an electronic control unit in which a microcontroller or the like is integrated and various control programs. Each of the control units 46A to 46F is connected to be mutually communicable via a CAN (Controller Area Network).

[0035] In addition, for the mutual communication of the control units 46A to 46F, communication standards other than CAN or next-generation communication standards, for example, in-vehicle Ethernet or CAN-FD (CAN with FLexible Data rate) may be adopted.

[0036] When the accelerator lever is operated, the engine control unit 46A executes engine speed maintenance control to maintain the engine speed at a speed corresponding to the operation amount from the idling position of the accelerator lever based on the detection information from the accelerator sensor and the detection information from the rotation sensor. When the accelerator pedal is operated and the operation amount from the idling position of the accelerator pedal exceeds the operation amount from the idling position of the accelerator lever, the engine control unit 46A executes engine speed change control to change the engine speed to a speed corresponding to the operation amount from the idling position of the accelerator pedal based on the detection information from the accelerator sensor and the detection information from the rotation sensor.

[0037] When the shift lever is operated, the shift unit control section 46B controls the operation of the main transmission 20 based on the detection information from the shift sensor and the detection information from the vehicle speed sensor, thereby performing vehicle speed control to change the vehicle speed of the tractor V1 to a speed corresponding to the operation position of the shift lever. The vehicle speed control includes a deceleration stop process of decelerating the main transmission 20 to a zero speed state to stop the running of the tractor V1 when the shift lever is operated to the zero speed position.

[0038] When the reverse lever is operated, the shift unit control section 46B performs forward / reverse switching control to switch the transmission state of the forward / reverse switching device 21 based on the detection information from the reverse sensor. The forward / reverse switching control includes a cutoff state switching process of switching the forward / reverse switching device 21 to a transmission cutoff state when the reverse lever is operated to the neutral position, a forward state switching process of switching the forward / reverse switching device 21 to a forward transmission state when the reverse lever is operated to the forward position, and a reverse state switching process of switching the forward / reverse switching device 21 to a reverse transmission state when the reverse lever is operated to the reverse position.

[0039] When the PTO switch is operated to the on position, the work implement control section 46D controls the operation of the PTO valve unit 42 to switch the PTO clutch 27 from a transmission cutoff state to a transmission state. When the PTO switch is operated to the off position, the work implement control section 46D controls the operation of the PTO valve unit 42 to switch the PTO clutch 27 from a transmission state to a transmission cutoff state.

[0040] The working device control unit 46D controls the operation of the lifting drive unit 43 based on the operation of the lifting switch, the detection information from the height sensor, and the preset working height position and the non-working height position for retraction, and executes lifting control to lift and lower the seeding device 3 between the working height position and the non-working height position. The lifting control includes a lifting process of lifting the seeding device 3 from the working height position to the non-working height position when an upward command is issued by the operation of the lifting switch, and a lowering process of lowering the seeding device 3 from the non-working height position to the working height position when a downward command is issued by the operation of the lifting switch.

[0041] Based on the detection information from the steering angle sensor, the detection information from the height sensor, and the preset non-working height position, when the working device control unit 46D detects that the steering angle of the front wheels 11 has reached the threshold value from less than the threshold value, it determines that the tractor V1 has started to turn, and has a turning upward control function of controlling the operation of the lifting drive unit 43 to lift the seeding device 3 from the working height position to the non-working height position.

[0042] Based on the detection information from the reverser sensor, the detection information from the height sensor, and the preset non-working height position, when the working device control unit 46D detects the operation of the reverser lever to the reverse position, it has a reverse upward control function of controlling the operation of the lifting drive unit 43 to lift the seeding device 3 from the working height position to the non-working height position.

[0043] Based on the detection information from the inclination sensor and the preset control target attitude, the working device control unit 46D has an automatic rolling control function of controlling the operation of the rolling unit 44 to maintain the roll attitude of the seeding device 3 at the control target attitude.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 3, the tractor V1 is provided with a positioning unit 70 that measures the current position, current orientation, etc. of the tractor V1. The positioning unit 70 includes a satellite navigation device 71 that measures the current position and current orientation of the tractor V1 using GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), which is an example of a satellite positioning system (NSS: Navigation Satellite System), and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 72 that has a three-axis gyroscope and three-directional acceleration sensors, etc., and measures the attitude and orientation of the tractor V1. Examples of positioning methods using GNSS include DGNSS (Differential GNSS: relative positioning method) and RTK-GNSS (Real Time Kinematic GNSS: interference positioning method). In this first embodiment, RTK-GNSS, which is suitable for positioning of a moving body, is adopted. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, reference stations 6 that enable positioning by RTK-GNSS are installed at known positions around the farm field.

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, each of the tractor V1 and the reference station 6 is provided with a GNSS antenna 73, 60 that receives radio waves transmitted from the positioning satellite 7 (see FIG. 1), and a communication module 74, 61 that enables wireless communication of each information including positioning information between the tractor V1 and the reference station 6. Thereby, the satellite navigation device 71 of the positioning unit 70 can measure the current position and current orientation of the tractor V1 with high accuracy based on the positioning information obtained by the GNSS antenna 73 on the tractor V1 side receiving radio waves from the positioning satellite 7 and the positioning information obtained by the GNSS antenna 60 on the reference station 6 side receiving radio waves from the positioning satellite 7. Further, since the positioning unit 70 has the satellite navigation device 71 and the inertial measurement unit 72, it can measure the current position, current orientation, and attitude angles (yaw angle, roll angle, pitch angle) of the tractor V1 with high accuracy.

[0046] In this tractor V1, the communication module 74 is included in the positioning unit 70 (see FIG. 3). The tractor V1 is equipped with a communication module 76 that enables wireless communication of each piece of information including positioning information with the mobile communication terminal 5. The inertial measurement device 72, GNSS antenna 73, and communication module 76 of the positioning unit 70 are included in the antenna unit 75 shown in FIG. 1. The antenna unit 75 is arranged at the upper left and right center positions on the front side of the cabin 17. And the positioning target position when measuring the current position of the tractor V1 and the like is set at the axle center position between the left and right rear wheels 12 obtained by conversion from the attachment position of the GNSS antenna 73 in the tractor V1.

[0047] Incidentally, when a wireless LAN such as Wi-Fi is adopted for wireless communication in this tractor V1, the communication module 76 functions as a converter that converts communication information in both directions between the wireless LAN and CAN.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 3, the mobile communication terminal 5 is provided with a terminal control unit 51 having an electronic control unit in which a microcontroller or the like is integrated and various control programs, and a communication module 52 that enables wireless communication of each information including positioning information with the communication module 76 on the tractor V1 side. The terminal control unit 51 includes a display control unit 51A that controls display and notification for the display device 50 and the like, a target path generation unit 51B that generates a target path P (see FIG. 5) for automatic travel, and a non-volatile terminal storage unit 51C that stores the target path P generated by the target path generation unit 51B and the like. The terminal storage unit 51C stores, as various information used for generating the target path P, vehicle body information such as the turning radius and working width of the tractor V1, and field information obtained from the above-described positioning information. The field information includes a plurality of region specific points Ap1 to Ap4 (see FIG. 5) and a region specific frame F (see FIG. 5) that specify the travel region of the tractor V1 according to the shape and size of the field. The plurality of region specific points Ap1 to Ap4 can be obtained by manually registering the corner points of the field necessary for specifying the travel region of the tractor V1 in the field using GNSS when the user manually travels the tractor V1 along the outer peripheral edge of the field to be registered. The region specific frame F can be obtained by the target path generation unit 51B generating a line segment connecting the obtained plurality of region specific points Ap1 to Ap4 in the order of acquisition.

[0049] In addition, when the field to be registered is a deformed field including a curved portion on at least one side of its outer shape, in order to specify the travel region of the tractor V1 according to its shape and size, etc., in addition to the corner points, it is necessary to register a plurality of region specific points according to the shape of the curved portion.

[0050] When the target path generation mode is selected by the user's touch operation on the display device 50, the target path generation unit 51B starts an information acquisition process for acquiring various information related to the generation of the target path P (see FIG. 5).

[0051] Next, based on FIGS. 6 to 10, the information acquisition process of the target route generation unit 51B will be described.

[0052] When the target route generation mode is selected, the target route generation unit 51B checks whether registered fields Aa to Ag exist around the tractor V1 based on the current position of the tractor V1 transmitted from the in-vehicle control unit 46.

[0053] When registered fields Aa to Ag exist, the target route generation unit 51B switches the display screen of the display device 50 to a registered field display screen 50A that displays map data including the fields Aa to Ag (see FIG. 6).

[0054] When no registered fields Aa to Ag exist, the target route generation unit 51B switches the display screen of the display device 50 to a new registration confirmation screen (not shown) for confirming whether to perform new registration of a field.

[0055] When it is confirmed by the user's touch operation on the new registration confirmation screen that new registration of a field is to be performed, the target route generation unit 51B switches the display screen of the display device 50 to a field registration screen (not shown) that displays map data around the tractor and also displays operation procedures related to field registration. When the registration of the field is completed according to the operation procedures on the field registration screen, the display screen of the display device 50 is switched to the registered field display screen 50A to display the newly registered field as a registered field existing around the tractor V1. The operation procedures displayed on the field registration screen include methods for acquiring each shape specific point (such as corner points Ap1 to Ap4 shown in FIG. 5) of the unregistered field.

[0056] When it is confirmed by the user's touch operation on the new registration confirmation screen that new registration of a field is not to be performed, the target route generation unit 51B ends the target route generation mode.

[0057] When the target route generation unit 51B detects a touch operation by the user on the registered farm display screen 50A shown in FIG. 6, for example, when the rectangular farm Ad among the farms Aa to Ag displayed on the registered farm display screen 50A is selected as the farm to be worked on, the display screen of the display device 50 is switched to a selected farm display screen 50B that displays the selected farm Ad and the like (see FIG. 7). On the selected farm display screen 50B shown in FIG. 7, together with the selected farm Ad, a message 50Ba prompting the selection of the start position S of the automatic driving and a screen switching button 50Bb for instructing the switching to the next screen are displayed.

[0058] When the start position S of the automatic driving is selected on the selected farm display screen 50B shown in FIG. 7 and the screen switching button 50Bb is operated, the target route generation unit 51B switches the display screen of the display device 50 to a work device selection screen 50C that enables the selection of a work device (see FIG. 8). On the work device selection screen 50C shown in FIG. 8, a plurality of ranking setting buttons 50Ca, 50Cb that enable the ranking setting of each work device displayed on the work device selection screen 50C, a plurality of work device selection buttons 50Cc, 50Cd that enable the selection of each displayed work device, and a screen switching button 50Ce for instructing the switching to the next screen are displayed.

[0059] When the target path generation unit 51B selects, for example, a seeding device on the working device selection screen 50C shown in FIG. 8 and operates the screen switching button 50Ce, the display screen of the display device 50 is switched to a headland area setting screen 50D that enables setting of the headland areas A1 and A2 (see FIG. 5) in the field Ad (see FIG. 9). On the headland area setting screen 50D shown in FIG. 9, a first headland setting button 50Da for setting a pair of first headland areas A1 where the tractor V1 changes direction and a pair of second headland areas A2 where the tractor V1 does not change direction with respect to the field Ad, a second headland setting button 50Db for setting only the pair of first headland areas A1 with respect to the field Ad, a minimum setting button 50Dc for setting each of the headland areas A1 and A2 to the minimum, a multiple setting button 50Dd for setting each of the headland areas A1 and A2 to a multiple of the working width, a headland work button 50De for including each of the headland areas A1 and A2 in the working area Aw (see FIG. 5), and a screen switching button 50Df for instructing switching to the next screen are displayed. Regarding the multiple setting button 50Dd for setting the headland area to a multiple of the working width, it may be provided with a 1-fold setting button for setting the headland area to 1 times the working width, a 2-fold setting button for setting it to 2 times the working width, and the like.

[0060] When, in the headland area setting screen 50D shown in FIG. 9, the screen switching button 50Df is operated after the necessary setting operations have been performed, the target path generation unit 51B switches the display screen of the display device 50 to a working condition setting screen 50E that enables setting of working conditions such as the vehicle speed and engine speed during work (see FIG. 10). On the working condition setting screen 50E shown in FIG. 10, a plurality of working condition display parts 50Ea to 50Ed for displaying working conditions such as the vehicle speed during work set by the user, a headland work display part 50Ee for displaying the presence or absence of headland work, and a screen switching button 50Ef for instructing switching to the next screen are displayed.

[0061] When the screen switching button 50Ce is operated on the working condition setting screen 50E shown in FIG. 10, the target route generation unit 51B ends the information acquisition process. Then, for the field Ad selected on the registered field display screen 50A shown in FIG. 6, a target route generation process is performed to generate a target route P in consideration of various types of information acquired in the information acquisition process.

[0062] Specifically, for example, when the first headland setting button 50Da and the multiple setting button 50Dd are operated on the headland area setting screen 50D shown in FIG. 9 for the field Ad shown in FIG. 5, as shown in FIG. 5, a pair of first headland areas A1 and a pair of second headland areas A2 are secured within the area specifying frame F of the field Ad by a multiple of the working width, and the central area A3 within the area specifying frame F excluding these headland areas A1 and A2 is specified as the rectangular working area Aw. Then, when the start position S is selected at the lower left part of the field Ad on the selected field display screen 50B shown in FIG. 7 and the seeding device 3 is selected on the working device selection screen 50C shown in FIG. 8, as shown in FIG. 5, for the working area Aw of the field Ad, a plurality of working routes P1 arranged in parallel at a predetermined interval corresponding to the working width of the seeding device 3 are generated, and for a pair of first headland areas A1, a plurality of direction conversion routes P2 that connect the plurality of working routes P1 from the start position S in the traveling order of the tractor V1 are generated.

[0063] As a result, the target route generation unit 51B can set the working area Aw and generate the target route P based on the user's arbitrary settings for the field Ad shown in FIG. 5. The generated target route P is stored in the terminal storage unit 51C together with various setting contents including the seed feeding amount per unit distance by each feeding unit 3Bb of the seeding device 3.

[0064] In the target path P shown in FIG. 5, each working path P1 is a path along which the tractor V1 automatically travels while performing seeding work. Each turning path P2 is a path along which the tractor V1 automatically travels from the end point of the previous working path P1 to the start point of the next working path P1 without performing seeding work. The start point of each working path P1 is the work start point p1 where the tractor V1 starts seeding work, and the end point of each working path P1 is the work stop point p2 where the tractor V1 stops seeding work.

[0065] Note that the target path P shown in FIG. 5 is merely an example, and the target path generation unit 51B can generate various target paths P suitable for them based on vehicle body information such as different turning radii and number of working rows according to the models of the tractor V1 and the seeding device 3, and field information such as different field shapes and sizes according to the fields Aa to Ag.

[0066] The target path P is stored in the terminal storage unit 51C in a state associated with vehicle body information and field information, etc., and can be displayed on the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5. The target path P includes the traveling direction and target vehicle speed of the tractor V1 in each working path P1, and the target vehicle speed and front wheel steering angle of the tractor V1 in each turning path P2, etc.

[0067] The terminal control unit 51 transmits the field information and the target path P stored in the terminal storage unit 51C to the in-vehicle control unit 46 in response to a transmission request command from the in-vehicle control unit 46. The in-vehicle control unit 46 stores the received field information and the target path P, etc. in the in-vehicle storage unit 46G. Regarding the transmission of the target path P, for example, the terminal control unit 51 may transmit all of the target path P from the terminal storage unit 51C to the in-vehicle control unit 46 at once at a stage before the tractor V1 starts automatic driving. Alternatively, the terminal control unit 51 may divide the target path P into a plurality of divided path information for each predetermined distance, and sequentially transmit a predetermined number of divided path information corresponding to the route of the tractor V1 from the terminal storage unit 51C to the in-vehicle control unit 46 every time the traveling distance of the tractor V1 reaches the predetermined distance from a stage before the tractor V1 starts automatic driving.

[0068] When a manual operation by the user to satisfy various automatic driving start conditions is performed and the driving mode of the tractor V1 is switched to the automatic driving mode, and when the start of automatic driving is commanded by a touch operation of the user on the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5, while acquiring the current position, current orientation, etc. of the tractor V1 measured by the positioning unit 70 using the aforementioned GNSS, the automatic driving control unit 46F starts the automatic driving control to automatically drive the tractor V1 according to the target route P of the registration work area A.

[0069] During the execution of the automatic driving control, for example, when the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5 is operated by the user to command the end of automatic driving, or when manual operation tools such as the steering wheel 35 and the accelerator pedal are operated by the user on board the driving unit, the automatic driving control unit 46F terminates the automatic driving control and switches the driving mode from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode.

[0070] The automatic driving control by the automatic driving control unit 46F includes an engine automatic control process for transmitting a control command for automatic driving related to the engine 13 to the engine control unit 46A, a vehicle speed automatic control process for transmitting a control command for automatic driving related to the vehicle speed and the forward / backward switching of the tractor V1 to the transmission unit control unit 46B, a steering automatic control process for transmitting a control command for automatic driving related to steering to the steering control unit 46C, and a work automatic control process for transmitting a control command for automatic driving related to a work device such as the seeding device 3 to the work device control unit 46D.

[0071] In the engine automatic control process, the automatic driving control unit 46F transmits an engine speed change command for instructing a change in the engine speed based on the set speed included in the target route P, etc. to the engine control unit 46A. The engine control unit 46A executes an engine speed automatic change control for automatically changing the engine speed according to various control commands related to the engine 13 transmitted from the automatic driving control unit 46F.

[0072] In the vehicle speed automatic control process, the automatic driving control unit 46F transmits to the shift unit control unit 46B a shift operation command for instructing a shift operation of the main transmission 20 based on the target vehicle speed included in the target route P, a forward / backward switching command for instructing a forward / backward switching operation of the forward / backward switching device 21 based on the traveling direction of the tractor V1 included in the target route P, and the like. The shift unit control unit 46B automatically controls the operation of the main transmission 20 according to various control commands regarding the main transmission 20, the forward / backward switching device 21, etc. transmitted from the automatic driving control unit 46F, and executes automatic vehicle speed control for automatically controlling the operation of the forward / backward switching device 21, such as automatic forward / backward switching control. The automatic vehicle speed control includes, for example, an automatic deceleration stop process for decelerating the main transmission 20 to a zero speed state to stop the traveling of the tractor V1 when the target vehicle speed included in the target route P is zero speed.

[0073] In the steering automatic control process, the automatic driving control unit 46F transmits to the steering control unit 46C a steering command for instructing the steering of the left and right front wheels 11 based on the front wheel steering angle included in the target route P, and the like. The steering control unit 46C controls the operation of the power steering unit 40 according to the steering command transmitted from the automatic driving control unit 46F to perform automatic steering control for steering the left and right front wheels 11, and when the steering angle of the front wheels 11 reaches a threshold value, controls the operation of the autobrake unit 41 to activate the brake 30 on the inner side of the turn, such as automatic braking turning control.

[0074] In the automatic operation control process, the automatic driving control unit 46F transmits to the work equipment control unit 46D a work start command for instructing switching to the working state of the seeding device 3 based on the work start point p1 included in the target path P, a work stop command for instructing switching to the non-working state of the seeding device 3 based on the work stop point p2 included in the target path P, and the like. The work equipment control unit 46D controls the operation of the lifting drive unit 43 according to various control commands regarding the seeding device 3 transmitted from the automatic driving control unit 46F, and executes automatic work start control for lowering the seeding device 3 to the working height position for operation, automatic work stop control for raising the seeding device 3 to the non-working height position for stopping, and the like.

[0075] In addition, when the work equipment 3 is a seeding device, a mower, or the like driven by the power from the PTO shaft 29, in the automatic work start control based on the work start command from the automatic driving control unit 46F, the work equipment control unit 46D controls the operations of the PTO valve unit 42 and the lifting drive unit 43 to lower the work equipment 3 to the working height position for operation. Also, in the automatic work stop control based on the work stop command from the automatic driving control unit 46F, the work equipment control unit 46D controls the operations of the PTO valve unit 42 and the lifting drive unit 43 to stop the work equipment 3 and raise it to the non-working height position.

[0076] That is, the above-described automatic driving unit 4 includes a power steering unit 40, an autobrake unit 41, a PTO valve unit 42, a lifting drive unit 43, a rolling unit 44, vehicle state detection equipment 45, an in-vehicle control unit 46, a positioning unit 70, and communication modules 74, 76, and the like. And when these operate properly, the tractor V1 can be accurately automatically driven along the target path P, and the tillage work by the seeding device 3 can be properly performed.

[0077] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 4, the tractor V1 is provided with an obstacle detection system 80 that monitors the surroundings of the tractor V1 and detects obstacles existing in the surroundings. The obstacles detected by the obstacle detection system 80 include persons such as operators working in the fields Aa to Ag, other work vehicles, and existing utility poles, trees, etc. in the fields Aa to Ag.

[0078] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the obstacle detection system 80 includes four cameras 81 to 84 that image the surroundings of the tractor V1, an active sensor unit 85 that measures the distance to a measurement object existing in the surroundings of the tractor V1, an image processing device 86 that processes images from each of the cameras 81 to 84, and an obstacle detection device 87 that integrally processes information from the image processing device 86 and measurement information from the active sensor unit 85 to detect obstacles. The image processing device 86 and the obstacle detection device 87 are constructed by an electronic control unit in which a microcontroller or the like is integrated, various control programs, and the like. The active sensor unit 85, the image processing device 86, and the obstacle detection device 87 are connected to the in-vehicle control unit 46 via CAN so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0079] The obstacle detection system 80 has, as four cameras 81 to 84, a front camera 81 in which a predetermined range in front from the cabin 17 is set as the imaging range, a rear camera 82 in which a predetermined range in the rear from the cabin 17 is set as the imaging range, a right camera 83 in which a predetermined range on the right from the cabin 17 is set as the imaging range, and a left camera 84 in which a predetermined range on the left from the cabin 17 is set as the imaging range.

[0080] The front camera 81 and the rear camera 82 are arranged on the left-right center line of the tractor V1. The front camera 81 is arranged in an anterior downward posture that looks down on the front side of the tractor V1 from an obliquely upper side at the upper left-right center position on the front end side of the cabin 17. Thereby, for the front camera 81, a predetermined range on the front side of the vehicle body with the left-right center line of the tractor V1 as the axis of symmetry is set as the imaging range. The rear camera 82 is arranged in a posterior downward posture that looks down on the rear side of the tractor V1 from an obliquely upper side at the upper left-right center position on the rear end side of the cabin 17. Thereby, for the rear camera 82, a predetermined range on the rear side of the vehicle body with the left-right center line of the tractor V1 as the axis of symmetry is set as the imaging range. The right camera 83 is arranged in a right-lower downward posture that looks down on the right side of the tractor V1 from an obliquely upper side at the upper front-rear center position on the right end side of the cabin 17. Thereby, for the right camera 83, a predetermined range on the right side of the vehicle body is set as the imaging range. The left camera 84 is arranged in a left-lower downward posture that looks down on the left side of the tractor V1 from an obliquely upper side at the upper front-rear center position on the left end side of the cabin 17. Thereby, for the left camera 84, a predetermined range on the left side of the vehicle body is set as the imaging range.

[0081] The active sensor unit 85 includes a front lidar sensor 85A with a predetermined range in front of the cabin 17 set as the measurement range, a rear lidar sensor 85B with a predetermined range behind the cabin 17 set as the measurement range, and a sonar 85C with a predetermined range to the right of the cabin 17 and a predetermined range to the left of the cabin 17 set as the measurement ranges. Each of the lidar sensors 85A and 85B has a measurement unit 85Aa and 85Ba that performs measurement in the measurement range using laser light (for example, pulsed near-infrared laser light), which is an example of measurement light, and a lidar control unit 85Ab and 85Bb that generates a distance image and the like based on the measurement information from the measurement units 85Aa and 85Ba. The sonar 85C has a right ultrasonic sensor 85Ca, a left ultrasonic sensor 85Cb, and a single sonar control unit 85Cc. Each of the lidar control units 85Ab and 85Bb and the sonar control unit 85Cc is constructed by an electronic control unit in which a microcontroller or the like is integrated, various control programs, and the like. Each of the lidar control units 85Ab and 85Bb and the sonar control unit 85Cc are connected to be mutually communicable via CAN to the obstacle detection device 87.

[0082] In each of the lidar sensors 85A and 85B, each measurement unit 85Aa and 85Ba measures the distance to each measurement point (an example of a measurement object) in the measurement range by the TOF (Time Of Flight) method that measures the distance to the measurement point based on the round-trip time until the irradiated laser light reaches the measurement point and returns. Each measurement unit 85Aa and 85Ba performs three-dimensional measurement in the measurement range by scanning the laser light horizontally and vertically at high speed over the entire measurement range and sequentially measuring the distance to the measurement point for each scanning angle (coordinate). Each measurement unit 85Aa and 85Ba sequentially measures the intensity of the reflected light (hereinafter referred to as the reflection intensity) from each measurement point obtained when the laser light is scanned horizontally and vertically at high speed over the entire measurement range. Each measurement unit 85Aa and 85Ba repeatedly measures in real time the distance to each measurement point in the measurement range, each reflection intensity, etc. Each lidar control unit 85Ab and 85Bb generates a distance image from the measurement information such as the distance to each measurement point measured by each measurement unit 85Aa and 85Ba and the scanning angle (coordinate) with respect to each measurement point, extracts a group of measurement points estimated to be obstacles, and transmits the measurement information regarding the extracted group of measurement points to the obstacle detection device 87 as the measurement information regarding the obstacle candidates.

[0083] The front lidar sensor 85A and the rear lidar sensor 85B are arranged on the left-right center line of the tractor V1 in the same manner as the front camera 81 and the rear camera 82. The front lidar sensor 85A is arranged in an upper left-right central portion on the front end side of the cabin 17 in a front-downward posture that looks down on the front side of the tractor V1 from an obliquely upward side. Thereby, in the front lidar sensor 85A, a predetermined range on the front side of the vehicle body with the left-right center line of the tractor V1 as the axis of symmetry is set as the measurement range by the measurement unit 85Aa. The rear lidar sensor 85B is arranged in an upper left-right central portion on the rear end side of the cabin 17 in a rear-downward posture that looks down on the rear side of the tractor V1 from an obliquely upward side. Thereby, in the rear lidar sensor 85B, a predetermined range on the rear side of the vehicle body with the left-right center line of the tractor V1 as the axis of symmetry is set as the measurement range by the measurement unit 85Ba.

[0084] In the sonar 85C, the sonar control unit 85Cc determines the presence or absence of a measurement object in the measurement range based on the transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves by the left and right ultrasonic sensors 85Ca and 85Cb. The sonar control unit 85Cc measures the distance to the measurement object from each of the ultrasonic sensors 85Ca and 85Cb by the TOF (Time Of Flight) method that measures the distance to the measurement point based on the round-trip time until the transmitted ultrasonic wave reaches the measurement point and returns, and transmits the measured distance to the measurement object and the direction of the measurement object to the obstacle detection device 87 as measurement information regarding the obstacle candidate.

[0085] The right ultrasonic sensor 85Ca is attached in a vehicle body right outward posture to a right boarding step portion (not shown) disposed between the right front wheel 11 and the right rear wheel 12 in the cabin 17. Thereby, a predetermined range on the right outer side of the vehicle body is set as the measurement range for the right ultrasonic sensor 85Ca. The left ultrasonic sensor 85Cb is attached in a vehicle body left outward posture to the left boarding step portion 17A disposed between the left front wheel 11 and the left rear wheel 12 in the cabin 17. Thereby, a predetermined range on the left outer side of the vehicle body is set as the measurement range for the left ultrasonic sensor 85Cb.

[0086] The image processing device 86 performs image processing on the images sequentially transmitted from each of the cameras 81 to 84. The image processing device 86 is subjected to a learning process for recognizing a person such as an operator working in the registered field, other work vehicles, and existing utility poles, trees, etc. in the registered field as obstacles.

[0087] The image processing device 86 synthesizes the images sequentially transmitted from each of the cameras 81 to 84 to generate a full-surround image (for example, a surround view) of the tractor V1, and transmits the generated full-surround image and the images from each of the cameras 81 to 84 to the display control unit 46E on the tractor side and the display control unit 51A on the portable communication terminal side.

[0088] As a result, the omnidirectional image generated by the omnidirectional image generation unit 86A, the image in the traveling direction of the tractor V1, etc. can be displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 37 of the tractor V1, the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5, etc. And through this display, the user can visually recognize the situation around the tractor V1 and the situation in the traveling direction.

[0089] Based on the images sequentially transmitted from the cameras 81 to 84, the image processing device 86 determines whether there is an obstacle that hinders the travel of the tractor V1 in the imaging range of any of the cameras 81 to 84. When an obstacle exists, a coordinate calculation process for obtaining the coordinates of the obstacle on the image where the obstacle exists is performed, and the obtained coordinates of the obstacle are converted into coordinates based on the vehicle body coordinate origin based on the mounting positions and mounting angles of the cameras 81 to 84, etc. Then, the straight-line distance between the converted coordinates and a preset distance calculation reference point is obtained as the distance from the distance calculation reference point to the obstacle, and the converted coordinates and the obtained distance to the obstacle are transmitted to the obstacle detection device 87 as detection information regarding the obstacle. On the other hand, when no obstacle exists, it is transmitted to the obstacle detection device 87 that the obstacle is not detected.

[0090] In this way, when an obstacle exists in any of the imaging ranges of the cameras 81 to 84, since the image processing device 86 transmits the detection information of the obstacle to the obstacle detection device 87, the obstacle detection device 87 can detect that an obstacle exists in any of the imaging ranges of the cameras 81 to 84 by receiving the detection information of the obstacle, and can also detect the position of the obstacle and the distance to the obstacle. Also, when no obstacle exists in any of the imaging ranges of the cameras 81 to 84, since the image processing device 86 transmits the non-detection of the obstacle to the obstacle detection device 87, the obstacle detection device 87 can detect that no obstacle exists in any of the imaging ranges of the cameras 81 to 84.

[0091] When the detection information regarding an obstacle from the image processing device 86 with high object discrimination accuracy and the measurement information regarding an obstacle candidate from the active sensor unit 85 with high ranging accuracy are consistent, the obstacle detection device 87 adopts the distance from the obstacle candidate obtained from the active sensor unit 85 as the distance to the obstacle. Thereby, the obstacle detection device 87 can acquire detection information regarding an obstacle with high object discrimination accuracy and high ranging accuracy. The obstacle detection device 87 transmits the acquired detection information regarding the obstacle to the in-vehicle control unit 46.

[0092] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 4, the in-vehicle control unit 46 includes a collision avoidance control unit 46H that avoids a collision with an obstacle based on the detection information from the obstacle detection device 87. The collision avoidance control unit 46H is constructed by an electronic control unit in which a microcontroller or the like is integrated, various control programs, and the like. The collision avoidance control unit 46H is connected to other control units 46A to 46F of the in-vehicle control unit 46, the active sensor unit 85, the image processing device 86, and the obstacle detection device 87 so as to be able to communicate with each other via CAN.

[0093] The collision avoidance control unit 46H acquires the distance to the obstacle and the like based on the detection information from the obstacle detection device 87, and according to the acquired distance to the obstacle and the like, performs notification processing for operating a notifier such as a notification buzzer and a notification lamp provided in the tractor V1 and the mobile communication terminal 5, automatic deceleration processing for reducing the vehicle speed of the tractor V1, automatic traveling stop processing for stopping the traveling of the tractor V1, and the like, and is configured to appropriately perform collision avoidance processing for the obstacle.

[0094] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 4, the in-vehicle control unit 46 includes a standby position setting unit 46K that sets a standby position p0 (see FIG. 5) of the tractor V1 when replenishing seeds to the seeding device 3 of the tractor V1 (hereinafter referred to as a replenishment standby position). The standby position setting unit 46K is constructed by an electronic control unit in which a microcontroller or the like is integrated, various control programs, and the like. The standby position setting unit 46K is connected to other control units 46A to 46F, 46H, etc. of the in-vehicle control unit 46 so as to be able to communicate with each other via CAN.

[0095] When the standby position setting unit 46K detects manual driving of the tractor V1 to the fields Aa to Ag to be worked, based on the position information of the tractor V1 measured by the positioning unit 70 using the GNSS described above, and information regarding each field Aa to Ag (see FIGS. 5 to 6) existing around the tractor V1, etc., the standby position acquisition control is executed.

[0096] Hereinafter, based on the flowchart of FIG. 11, the standby position acquisition control of the standby position setting unit 46K in the seeding operation in the field Ad shown in FIG. 5 will be described.

[0097] When the standby position setting unit 46K detects the manual driving of the tractor V1 to the field Ad, the path acquisition process for acquiring the manual driving path Rm of the tractor V1 from the position information of the tractor V1 measured by the positioning unit 70 is started (step #1).

[0098] The standby position setting unit 46K performs a first determination process for determining whether the tractor V1 has entered the field Ad from outside the field Ad based on the manual driving path Rm being acquired and the outer shape OL of the field Ad included in the information regarding the field Ad (step #2). Specifically, it is determined whether the manual driving path Rm being acquired intersects the outer shape OL of the field Ad.

[0099] During the first determination process, the standby position setting unit 46K continues the route acquisition process until the tractor V1 enters the field Ad. When the tractor V1 enters the field Ad, it performs an entry point acquisition process to acquire the entry point when the tractor V1 enters the field Ad from outside the field Ad (step #3), and performs a standby position setting process to set the acquired entry point as the supply standby position p0 (step #4). Specifically, when the manually traveled route Rm being acquired intersects the outer shape OL of the field Ad, it is determined that the tractor V1 has entered the field Ad, and the intersection point of the manually traveled route Rm and the outer shape OL of the field Ad is set as the entry point of the tractor V1 with respect to the field Ad, and this entry point is set as the supply standby position p0 and stored in the in-vehicle storage unit 46G.

[0100] After performing the standby position setting process, the standby position setting unit 46K performs a second determination process to determine whether the tractor V1 has reached the automatic driving start position S (step #5).

[0101] During the second determination process, the standby position setting unit 46K continues the route acquisition process until the tractor V1 reaches the automatic driving start position S. When the tractor V1 reaches the automatic driving start position S, it stores the manually traveled route Rm up to the start position S in the in-vehicle storage unit 46G and ends the route acquisition process (step #6), and then ends the standby position acquisition control.

[0102] In the automatic driving state where the automatic driving control unit 46F executes automatic driving to make the tractor V1 automatically drive according to the target route P, it determines whether the standby condition for making the tractor V1 standby at the supply standby position p0 is satisfied. When the standby condition is satisfied, it executes seed supply movement control to make the tractor V1 automatically drive from the current position to the supply standby position p0 and standby at the supply standby position p0.

[0103] Specifically, in this first embodiment, since the tractor V1 is configured for seeding specifications, the automatic travel control unit 46F determines that the standby condition is satisfied when the remaining amount sensor 45A (see FIG. 3) provided in each storage unit 3Ba of the seeding device 3 detects that the remaining amount of seeds in any of the storage units 3Ba has decreased to the set value for seed replenishment.

[0104] That is, in the automatic travel state of the tractor V1 by automatic travel control, the automatic travel control unit 46F determines based on the detection information from each remaining amount sensor 45A whether the remaining amount of seeds in any of the storage units 3Ba of the seeding device 3 has decreased to the set value for seed replenishment, and when the remaining amount of seeds in any of the storage units 3Ba has decreased to the set value for seed replenishment, it executes the movement control for seed replenishment.

[0105] Note that the set value for seed replenishment in this first embodiment is set to a value larger than the amount of seeds consumed when the tractor V1 travels automatically on a single work path P1 in the target path P.

[0106] Hereinafter, based on the flowchart of FIG. 12, the movement control for seed replenishment by the automatic travel control unit 46F in the seeding operation in the field Ad shown in FIG. 5 will be described.

[0107] When starting the movement control for seed replenishment, the automatic travel control unit 46F performs a remaining amount decrease notification process of notifying the user, by means of the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5 or the like, that the remaining amount of seeds in the storage unit 3Ba has decreased to the set value for seed replenishment (step #11).

[0108] The automatic travel control unit 46F performs an interruption position setting process of setting the work stop point (terminal point) p2 on the work path P1 on which the tractor V1 is traveling as the interruption position p3 for seed replenishment, and a restart position setting process of setting the next work start point (start end point of the next work path P1) p1 with respect to the interruption position p3 as the restart position p4 after seed replenishment, based on the target path P and the current position of the tractor V1 (steps #12 to 13).

[0109] After the above position setting, the automatic driving control unit 46F generates a shortest replenishment movement route Pm1 from the interruption position p3 for seed replenishment to the replenishment standby position p0 using the un-traveled route of the target route P (the route indicated by the thin line in the target route P shown in FIG. 5) and the manual driving route Rm stored in the in-vehicle storage unit 46G, and a shortest restart movement route Pm2 from the replenishment standby position p0 to the restart position p4 after seed replenishment using the manual driving route Rm (steps #14 to 15).

[0110] Although not shown, the restart movement route Pm2 includes a direction change route for changing the direction of the tractor V1 from the reverse posture to the forward posture at the start end portion of the route.

[0111] The automatic driving control unit 46F performs a third determination process for determining whether the tractor V1 has reached the interruption position p3 (step #16). In the third determination process, the seeding operation by automatic driving control is continued until the tractor V1 reaches the interruption position p3, and an automatic driving control interruption process for interrupting the automatic driving control when the tractor V1 reaches the interruption position p3 is performed (step #17).

[0112] After the interruption of the automatic driving control, the automatic driving control unit 46F starts a replenishment movement process for automatically driving the tractor V1 from the interruption position p3 to the replenishment standby position p0 according to the replenishment movement route Pm1, and a replenishment movement notification process for notifying the user by a display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5 that the tractor V1 is in the process of moving to the replenishment standby position p0 (steps #18 to 19).

[0113] The automatic travel control unit 46F performs a fourth determination process to determine whether the tractor V1 has reached the supply standby position p0 (step #20). In the fourth determination process, until the tractor V1 reaches the supply standby position p0, the supply movement process and the supply movement notification process are continued. When the tractor V1 reaches the supply standby position p0, the supply movement process and the supply movement notification process are terminated, and the tractor V1 is made to wait at the supply standby position p0 (steps #21 to 22).

[0114] While the tractor V1 is waiting at the supply standby position p0, the automatic travel control unit 46F performs a fifth determination process to determine whether a user's touch operation on the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5 has instructed the resumption of automatic travel by the automatic travel control of the tractor V1 (step #23).

[0115] In the fifth determination process, until the resumption of automatic travel is instructed, the automatic travel control unit 46F determines that the replenishment of seeds to each storage unit 3Ba is not completed and makes the tractor V1 wait at the supply standby position p0. When the resumption of automatic travel is instructed, the automatic travel control unit 46F determines that the replenishment of seeds to each storage unit 3Ba is completed, and starts a resumption movement process to automatically travel the tractor V1 from the supply standby position p0 to the resumption position p4 according to the resumption movement path Pm2, and a resumption movement notification process to notify the user through the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5 etc. that the tractor V1 is in the process of moving to the resumption position p4 (steps #24 to 25).

[0116] The automatic travel control unit 46F performs a sixth determination process to determine whether the tractor V1 has reached the resumption position p4 (step #26). In the sixth determination process, until the tractor V1 reaches the resumption position p4, the resumption movement process and the resumption movement notification process are continued. When the tractor V1 reaches the resumption position p4, the resumption movement process and the resumption movement notification process are terminated (steps #27 to 28).

[0117] After the restart movement process and the restart movement notification process are completed, the automatic driving control unit 46F performs an automatic driving control restart process to resume the automatic driving of the tractor V1 by automatic driving control (step #29), and then ends the movement control for seed replenishment.

[0118] With the above configuration, in this automatic driving system for a work vehicle, when the standby position setting unit 46K detects the manual driving of the tractor V1 to the fields Aa to Ag to be worked, it executes standby position acquisition control to acquire the entry point of the tractor V1 to the fields Aa to Ag to be worked, and sets this entry point as the replenishment standby position p0. As a result, the user does not need to set the replenishment standby position p0 for each of the fields Aa to Ag.

[0119] The entry point set as the replenishment standby position p0 is the entrance / exit of the fields Aa to Ag connecting the fields Aa to Ag to a farm road Rf or the like where a transport vehicle loaded with replenishment seeds can be parked. Therefore, when replenishing seeds to the seeding device 3 of the tractor V1 waiting at the replenishment standby position p0, a transport vehicle loaded with seeds can be easily approached to the tractor V1 at the replenishment standby position p0. As a result, the labor required for seed replenishment from a transport vehicle or the like to the seeding device 3 of the tractor V1 can be reduced.

[0120] Also, in this automatic driving system for a work vehicle, when the remaining amount of seeds in the seeding device 3 drops to the set value for seed replenishment, the automatic driving control unit 46F executes movement control for seed replenishment, moves the tractor V1 to the replenishment standby position p0, and then makes it wait at the replenishment standby position p0. As a result, the user does not need to manually drive the tractor V1 from the interruption position p3 to the replenishment standby position p0.

[0121] Furthermore, in this automatic driving system for the work vehicle, while the tractor V1 is waiting at the supply standby position p0, when the supply of seeds to the seeding device 3 is completed and the user touches the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5 to command the resumption of automatic driving control, the automatic driving control unit 46F moves the tractor V1 from the supply standby position p0 to the resumption position p4 and then resumes the automatic driving of the tractor V1 according to the target path P by automatic driving control. As a result, the user does not need to manually drive the tractor V1 from the supply standby position p0 to the resumption position p4.

[0122] That is, since the setting of the supply standby position p0 in each field Aa to Ag and the movement of the tractor V1 to the supply standby position p0 can be automatically and appropriately performed, the supply work of the tractor V1 to the seeding device 3 can be efficiently performed while reducing the burden on the user.

[0123] Moreover, in this automatic driving system for the work vehicle, since the interruption position p3 of the seeding work is set at the work stop point p2 of the currently traveling work path P1, even when the remaining amount of seeds in the seeding device 3 decreases to the set value for seed supply during the work path P1, the tractor V1 can continue the seeding work by automatic driving control to the work stop point p2 of the currently traveling work path P1. And since the resumption position p4 after seed supply is set at the next work start point (the start point of the next work path P1) with respect to the interruption position p3, for example, compared with the case where the resumption position p4 (the interruption position p3 of the seeding work) after seed supply is set at an intermediate position of the currently traveling work path P1, in the resumption movement process of automatically driving the tractor V1 to the resumption position p4, after the tractor V1 moves forward to near the resumption position p4, there is no need to switch to the reverse state and reverse to the resumption position p4. As a result, the tractor V1 can be efficiently automatically driven to the resumption position p4.

[0124] Further, in the automatic driving system for this work vehicle, in both the replenishment movement process and the resumption movement process, since the tractor V1 travels along the un-traveled path or the manual driving path Rm of the target path P, there is a risk that the already-worked area Awa of the fields Aa to Ag will be trampled by the tractor V1, or there is a risk that ruts will be formed in the un-worked area Awb of the fields Aa to Ag, which will have an adverse effect on the seeding operation. This can be avoided.

[0125] Although not shown in the figure, the automatic driving control unit 46F includes a convoy control module that enables multiple tractors V1 to travel in convoy along the target path P (see Fig. 13). When the start of the convoy operation is commanded by a touch operation of the user on the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5 in a state where various manual setting operations for enabling the convoy operation have been performed, the convoy control module utilizes the aforementioned GNSS, obstacle detection system 80, collision avoidance control unit 46H, etc., to execute automatic convoy control for making multiple tractors V1 travel in convoy along the target path P.

[0126] In the convoy operation, among the multiple tractors V1, the standby position setting unit 46K of the leading tractor V1 sets the entry point of the tractor V1 for the fields Aa to Ag obtained in the aforementioned entry point acquisition process as the replenishment standby position p0. The standby position setting unit 46K of the subsequent tractors V1 sets a predetermined position within the field at a predetermined interval from the replenishment standby position p0 of the leading tractor V1 as the replenishment standby position p0 according to the traveling order during the convoy operation. Then, during the execution of the automatic convoy control, when the remaining amount of seeds in the seeding device 3 of any one of the tractors V1 drops to the set value for seed replenishment, the convoy control module for each tractor V1 executes the aforementioned seed replenishment movement control, moves each tractor V1 from the seeding operation interruption position p3 to each replenishment standby position p0 at a predetermined inter-vehicle distance in the traveling order during the convoy operation, and then makes it standby at each replenishment standby position p0.

[0127] Further, when the control module for coordinated travel of each tractor V1 is commanded to resume automatic coordinated travel by a touch operation of the user on the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5 after the replenishment of seeds to the seeding device 3 of each tractor V1 is completed while waiting at each replenishment standby position p0 of each tractor V1, each tractor V1 is moved from each replenishment standby position p0 to each restart position p4, and then the automatic travel of the tractor V1 according to the target path P by automatic coordinated travel control is resumed.

[0128] Accordingly, also in the coordinated travel operation of causing a plurality of (two in FIG. 13) tractors V1 to travel in parallel along the target path P as shown in FIG. 13, since the setting of the replenishment standby position p0 in each field Aa to Ag and the movement of the tractor V1 to the replenishment standby position p0 can be automatically and appropriately performed, the replenishment work for the seeding device 3 of the tractor V1 can be efficiently performed while reducing the burden on the user.

[0129] In addition, for example, as shown in FIG. 13, in the coordinated travel operation of causing two tractors V1 to travel side by side along the target path P, when the leading tractor V1 is a manned aircraft with a user on board in its driving unit and the trailing tractor V1 accompanying this manned aircraft is an unmanned aircraft, the control modules for coordinated travel of each tractor V1 and the standby position setting unit 46K may perform the following control operations.

[0130] When the control module for coordinated travel of the manned aircraft detects a change from the automatic travel mode to the manual travel mode in the travel mode of the manned aircraft during the execution of automatic coordinated travel control, the control module for coordinated travel of the manned aircraft interrupts the automatic coordinated travel control and performs an interruption point transmission process of transmitting the interruption point to the unmanned aircraft. Further, the control module for coordinated travel of the manned aircraft executes a path acquisition control of acquiring the manual travel path Rm of the manned aircraft from the position information of the manned aircraft measured by the positioning unit 70 of the manned aircraft and an acquired path transmission control of transmitting the acquired manual travel path Rm of the manned aircraft to the unmanned aircraft.

[0131] When the control module for drone drafting receives the interruption point of the manned aircraft during the execution of the automatic drafting control, it continues the automatic drafting control until it reaches the point corresponding to the interruption point of the manned aircraft on the current working path P1, and then interrupts the automatic drafting control. And when the control module for drone drafting receives the manual driving path Rm of the manned aircraft, after the interruption of the automatic drafting control, it executes a manual path following control to make the drone follow the manned aircraft along the manual driving path Rm with a predetermined inter-vehicle distance from the manned aircraft. The manual path following control includes a standby position setting process in which a standby position setting unit 46K of the drone acquires detection information from an obstacle detection device 87 of the drone, and when it detects the stop of the manned aircraft based on the acquired detection information, sets the rear position of the manned aircraft at a predetermined interval from the stop position of the manned aircraft as the standby position p0 of the drone, and a standby stop process in which when the standby position p0 of the drone is set by the standby position setting unit 46K, the control module for drone drafting automatically stops the drone at the standby position p0.

[0132] Thus, for example, when a user on board the manned aircraft grasps that the remaining amount of seeds in any one of the tractors V1 has decreased to the set value for seed replenishment via the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5 or the like, and after the manned aircraft reaches the work stop point p2 (interruption position p3) of the current working path P1 under automatic drafting control, performs manual driving to move the manned aircraft to the desired replenishment standby position p0, the drone interrupts the automatic drafting control and executes the manual path following control after reaching the work stop point p2 (interruption position p3) of the current working path P1. As a result, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 13, the drone can be made to follow the manned aircraft along the manual driving path Rm of the manned aircraft. And when the manned aircraft reaches the replenishment standby position p0 and stops at the replenishment standby position p0, the drone can be automatically stopped at the standby position p0 at a predetermined interval from the stop position of the manned aircraft.

[0133] 〔Second Embodiment〕 Hereinafter, as an example of a mode for carrying out the present invention, a second embodiment in which an automatic driving system for a work vehicle according to the present invention is applied to a riding rice transplanter which is an example of a work vehicle will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0134] Furthermore, the automatic driving system for a work vehicle exemplified in this second embodiment is different from the automatic driving system for a work vehicle exemplified in the first embodiment in terms of the control operations of the standby position setting unit 46K and the automatic driving control unit 46F, in addition to the work vehicle to which it is applied. Therefore, the main components of the work vehicle to which it is applied, the control operations of the standby position setting unit 46K and the automatic driving control unit 46F, etc. will be described.

[0135] As shown in FIGS. 14 to 15, the riding rice transplanter V2 exemplified in this second embodiment includes a traveling vehicle body 1 corresponding to the tractor V1 exemplified in the first embodiment, and a work device for planting seedlings (hereinafter referred to as a seedling planting device) 3 connected to the rear portion of the traveling vehicle body 1 via a link mechanism (not shown). Thereby, this riding rice transplanter V2 can plant seedlings in the field Ad as the work target by the seedling planting device 3 provided in its rear portion. The seedling planting device 3 is connected to the rear portion of the traveling vehicle body 1 so as to be liftable and rollable. Incidentally, FIGS. 14 to 15 illustrate the case where the field Ad among the fields Aa to Ag is selected as the work target. Further, the riding rice transplanter V2 can be provided with work devices such as a fertilizer application device and a chemical spraying device in addition to the seedling planting device 3.

[0136] As shown in FIGS. 14 to 15, the seedling planting device 3 is provided with a seedling placing table 3C on which mat seedlings, which are an example of agricultural materials, are placed. Although not shown, the seedling planting device 3 is provided with a plurality of leveling floats, a power distribution unit, a lateral feeding mechanism, a longitudinal feeding mechanism for the number of work rows and a planting mechanism, and a planting frame that supports these.

[0137] The seedling placement table 3C is formed to place mat seedlings for the number of working rows. The seedling placement table 3C is supported by the planting frame so as to be slidable in the left-right direction. Each soil leveling float levels the muddy surface of the field as the machine body travels during working travel. The power distribution unit distributes the power from the engine transmitted through the working transmission system to the lateral feed mechanism and each planting mechanism. The lateral feed mechanism is driven by the power from the power distribution unit, and by this drive, the seedling placement table 3C is reciprocally driven in the left-right direction with a constant stroke corresponding to the left-right width of the mat seedlings. The vertical feed mechanism is driven by the lateral feed mechanism each time the seedling placement table 3C reaches the left and right stroke ends, and by this drive, each mat seedling placed on the seedling placement table 3C is vertically fed downward at a predetermined pitch. Each planting mechanism is arranged in the left-right direction at a constant interval corresponding to the row spacing for planting. Each planting mechanism is configured in a rotary type having a pair of planting claws. Each planting mechanism is driven by the power from the power distribution unit, and by this drive, seedlings are scraped off little by little from the lower end of each mat seedling and planted in the field. The planting frame includes a square pipe-shaped main member extending in the left-right direction, a support frame extending upward from the main member, and a plurality of transmission cases extending rearward from the main member, etc. A pair of left and right planting mechanisms are detachably attached to the rear end portion of each transmission case. Inside each transmission case, a transmission mechanism for transmitting the power from the power distribution unit to the planting mechanism is provided.

[0138] In the vehicle state detection device 45 of the riding rice transplanter V2, instead of the plurality of remaining amount sensors 45A (see FIG. 3) exemplified in the first embodiment, a plurality of seedling remaining amount sensors 45B (described by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3) for detecting that the remaining amount of any of the mat seedlings for the number of working rows placed on the seedling placement table 3C of the seedling planting device 3 has decreased to the set value for seedling replenishment are included.

[0139] In FIGS. 14 to 15, in a state where the farm field Ad is selected as the work target, the start position S is selected at the lower left part of the farm field Ad on the selected farm field display screen 50B shown in FIG. 7, the seedling planting device 3 is selected on the work device selection screen 50C shown in FIG. 8, and the first headland setting button 50Da and the headland work button 50De are operated on the headland area setting screen 50D shown in FIG. 9, an example of a work area Aw specified by the target path generation unit 51B for the farm field Ad, a generated target path P, etc. is shown.

[0140] Specifically, for the farm field Ad shown in FIGS. 14 to 15, a pair of first headland areas A1 and a pair of second headland areas A2 are secured by a multiple of the working width within the area specifying frame F of the farm field Ad, and the central area A3 within the area specifying frame F excluding those headland areas A1, A2 is specified as a rectangular first working area Aw1, and each headland area A1, A2 is specified as a frame-shaped second working area Aw2. Then, for the first working area Aw1, a plurality of first working paths P1 arranged in parallel at a predetermined interval corresponding to the number of working rows (working width) of the seedling planting device 3 are generated, and for a pair of first headland areas A1, a plurality of first direction conversion paths P2 connecting the plurality of first working paths P1 from the start position S in the traveling order of the riding rice transplanter V2 are generated. Also, for the second working area Aw2, four second working paths P3 along the area specifying frame F, a single second direction conversion path P4 connecting the final first working path P1 in the first working area Aw1 to the first second working path P3 in the second working area Aw2, and three third direction conversion paths P5 connecting each second working path P3 in the traveling order of the riding rice transplanter V2 are generated.

[0141] Note that the target path P shown in FIGS. 14 to 15 is merely an example, and the target path generation unit 51B can generate various target paths P suitable for them based on vehicle body information such as different turning radii and the number of working rows according to the model of the riding rice transplanter V2, and farm field information such as different shapes and sizes of the farm fields according to the farm fields Aa to Ag.

[0142] Although illustration is omitted, in the selection field display screen 50B (see Fig. 7) displayed on the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5, among the four field sides (corresponding to the outer shape specifying lines) As1 to As4 (see Fig. 14) that specify the outer shape OL of the field Ad, a touch operation is possible to select a field side (field side As1 in Figs. 14 to 15) suitable for seedling supply to the seedling planting device 3 of the riding rice transplanter V2. When the touch operation is performed, the standby position setting unit 46K functions as a specifying unit that designates the field side As1 of the field Ad corresponding to the touch operation as the supply field side. Thus, for example, as shown in Figs. 14 to 15, when one of the pair of first headland areas A1 where the riding rice transplanter V2 changes direction is adjacent to a farm road Rf or the like where a transport vehicle loaded with supply mat seedlings can be parked, the field side As1 of the field Ad along that one of the first headland areas A1 can be designated as the seedling supply field side. Also, for example, when there are utility poles, trees, etc. that obstruct seedling supply along the field side As3 along one of the pair of first headland areas A1 where the riding rice transplanter V2 changes direction, by not designating the field side As3 as the supply field side, the possibility of the field side As3 being used as the supply field side can be avoided.

[0143] In addition, the set value for seedling supply in this second embodiment is set to a value larger than the amount of seedlings consumed when the riding rice transplanter V2 automatically travels on the two first working paths P1 of the target path P.

[0144] During the automatic travel of the riding rice transplanter V2 along the target path P within the first working area Aw1 under the automatic travel control of the automatic travel control unit 46F, the standby position setting unit 46K executes standby position acquisition control when it detects that the remaining amount of any of the mat seedlings for the number of working rows placed on the seedling mounting table 3C of the seedling planting device 3 has decreased to the set value for seedling supply based on the detection information from each seedling remaining amount sensor 45B.

[0145] Hereinafter, based on the flowchart of Fig. 16, the standby position acquisition control of the standby position setting unit 46K in the seedling planting operation in the field Ad shown in Fig. 14 will be described.

[0146] When the standby position setting unit 46K detects that the remaining amount of any of the mat seedlings corresponding to the number of working rows placed on the seedling mounting table 3C has decreased to the set value for seedling replenishment, based on the target path P and the current position of the riding rice transplanter V2, the working path identification process for identifying the first working path P1 along which the riding rice transplanter V2 is traveling is performed (step #31).

[0147] The standby position setting unit 46K performs a seventh determination process for determining whether the traveling direction of the riding rice transplanter V2 on the identified first working path (hereinafter referred to as the identified working path) P1 is a direction approaching the field side As1 for seedling replenishment selected by the user's touch operation on the selected field display screen 50B (step #32).

[0148] When the traveling direction of the riding rice transplanter V2 is a direction approaching the field side As1 for seedling replenishment in the seventh determination process, the standby position setting unit 46K performs a first standby position setting process for setting the intersection of the extension line L of the identified working path P1 and the field side As1 for seedling replenishment as the replenishment standby position p0a based on the identified working path P1 and the field side As1 for seedling replenishment (step #33), and then ends the standby position acquisition control.

[0149] When the traveling direction of the riding rice transplanter V2 is not a direction approaching the field side As1 for seedling replenishment in the seventh determination process, the standby position setting unit 46K performs a second standby position setting process for setting the intersection of the extension line L of the next working path P1 (hereinafter referred to as the next process working path) along which the riding rice transplanter V2 travels after the identified working path P1 and the field side As1 for seedling replenishment as the replenishment standby position p0a based on the next process working path P1 and the field side As1 for seedling replenishment (step #34), and then ends the standby position acquisition control.

[0150] The automatic travel control unit 46F determines whether or not a first standby condition for causing the riding rice transplanter V2 to standby at the supply standby position p0a is satisfied during automatic travel along the target path P within the first work area Aw1 of the riding rice transplanter V2 by automatic travel control. When the first standby condition is satisfied, the automatic travel control unit 46F executes seedling supply movement control for automatically traveling the riding rice transplanter V2 from the current position to the supply standby position p0a and causing it to standby at the supply standby position p0a.

[0151] Specifically, in this second embodiment, the work vehicle is the riding rice transplanter V2. When it is detected by any one of a plurality of seedling remaining amount sensors 45B provided on the seedling mounting table 3C that the remaining amount of any one of the mat seedlings for the number of work rows placed on the seedling mounting table 3C has decreased to the set value for seedling supply, the standby position setting unit 46K sets the supply standby position p0a. Therefore, the automatic travel control unit 46F is set to determine that the first standby condition is satisfied when the supply standby position p0a is set by the standby position setting unit 46K.

[0152] That is, the automatic travel control unit 46F determines whether or not the supply standby position p0a is set by the standby position setting unit 46K during the automatic travel of the riding rice transplanter V2 by automatic travel control. When the supply standby position p0a is set, the automatic travel control unit 46F executes seedling supply movement control.

[0153] Hereinafter, based on the flowcharts of FIGS. 17 to 18, the seedling supply movement control of the automatic travel control unit 46F in the seedling planting work in the field Ad shown in FIG. 14 will be described.

[0154] The automatic travel control unit 46F performs remaining amount decrease notification processing for notifying the user, by means of a display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5 or the like, that the remaining amount of the mat seedlings placed on the seedling mounting table 3C has decreased to the set value for seedling supply, in association with the start of the seedling supply movement control (step #41).

[0155] The automatic travel control unit 46F performs an eighth determination process for determining whether or not the supply standby position p0a set by the standby position setting unit 46K is the intersection of the extension line L of the specific work path P1 and the field side As1 for seedling supply (step #42).

[0156] When the supply standby position p0a is the intersection of the extension line L of the specific work path P1 and the field side As1 for seedling supply in the eighth determination process, the automatic travel control unit 46F performs a first interruption position setting process of setting the work stop point (terminal point) p2 of the specific work path P1 to the interruption position p3 for seedling supply based on the target path P and the current position of the riding rice transplanter V2 (step #43).

[0157] When it is determined in the eighth determination process that the supply standby position p0a is not the intersection of the extension line L of the specific work path P1 and the field side As1 for seedling supply, the automatic travel control unit 46F performs a second interruption position setting process of setting the work stop point (terminal point) p2 of the next process work path P1 to the interruption position p3 for seedling supply based on the target path P and the current position of the riding rice transplanter V2 (step #44).

[0158] After setting the interruption position p3 for seedling supply, the automatic travel control unit 46F performs a restart position setting process of setting the next work start point (the start point of the next work path P1) p1 for the interruption position p3 to the restart position p4 after seedling supply, and sets the extension line L of the specific work path P1 or the extension line L of the next process work path P1 from the interruption position p3 for seedling supply to the supply standby position p0a as the supply movement path Pm3, and sets the supply movement path Pm3 and the first direction change path P2 from the interruption position p3 to the restart position p4 as the restart movement path Pm4 (steps #45 to 46).

[0159] The automatic travel control unit 46F performs a ninth determination process of determining whether the riding rice transplanter V2 has reached the interruption position p3 (step #47). In the ninth determination process, the seedling planting work by automatic travel control is continued until the riding rice transplanter V2 reaches the interruption position p3, and an automatic travel control interruption process of interrupting the automatic travel control when the riding rice transplanter V2 reaches the interruption position p3 is performed (step #48).

[0160] After the interruption of the automatic driving control, the automatic driving control unit 46F starts a replenishment movement process for automatically driving the riding rice transplanter V2 from the interruption position p3 to the replenishment standby position p0a according to the replenishment movement path Pm3, and a replenishment movement notification process for notifying the user by means of a display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5 that the riding rice transplanter V2 is in the process of moving to the replenishment standby position p0a (steps #49 to 50).

[0161] The automatic driving control unit 46F performs a tenth determination process for determining whether or not the riding rice transplanter V2 has reached the replenishment standby position p0a (step #51). In the tenth determination process, until the riding rice transplanter V2 reaches the replenishment standby position p0a, the replenishment movement process and the replenishment movement notification process are continued. When the riding rice transplanter V2 reaches the replenishment standby position p0a, the replenishment movement process and the replenishment movement notification process are terminated, and the riding rice transplanter V2 is made to wait at the replenishment standby position p0a (steps #52 to 53).

[0162] While the riding rice transplanter V2 is waiting at the replenishment standby position p0a, the automatic driving control unit 46F performs an eleventh determination process for determining whether or not the resumption of automatic driving of the riding rice transplanter V2 by the automatic driving control has been commanded by a touch operation of the user on the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5 (step #54).

[0163] In the eleventh determination process, until the resumption of automatic driving is commanded, the automatic driving control unit 46F determines that the replenishment of seeds to each storage unit 3Ba is not completed, and makes the riding rice transplanter V2 wait at the replenishment standby position p0a. When the resumption of automatic driving is commanded, the automatic driving control unit 46F determines that the replenishment of seeds to each storage unit 3Ba is completed, and starts a resumption movement process for automatically driving the riding rice transplanter V2 from the replenishment standby position p0a to the resumption position p4 according to the resumption movement path Pm4, and a resumption movement notification process for notifying the user by means of a display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5 that the riding rice transplanter V2 is in the process of moving to the resumption position p4 (steps #55 to 56).

[0164] The automatic travel control unit 46F performs a 12th determination process to determine whether the riding rice transplanter V2 has reached the restart position p4 (step #57). In the 12th determination process, until the riding rice transplanter V2 reaches the restart position p4, the restart movement process and the restart movement notification process are continued, and when the riding rice transplanter V2 reaches the restart position p4, the restart movement process and the restart movement notification process are terminated (steps #58 to 59).

[0165] After the automatic travel control unit 46F terminates the restart movement process and the restart movement notification process, it performs an automatic travel control restart process to restart the automatic travel by the automatic travel control of the riding rice transplanter V2 (step #60), and then terminates the seedling replenishment movement control.

[0166] With the above configuration, in this automatic travel system for a work vehicle, when the standby position setting unit 46K detects that the remaining amount of the mat seedlings in the seedling planting device 3 has decreased to the set value for seedling replenishment, it executes standby position acquisition control to obtain the intersection of the field side As1 for seedling replenishment in the work target fields Aa to Ag and the extension line L of the specific work route P1 or the extension line L of the next process work route P1, and sets this intersection as the replenishment standby position p0a. As a result, the user does not need to set the replenishment standby position p0a for each of the fields Aa to Ag.

[0167] And the replenishment standby position p0a is the intersection of the field side As1 for seedling replenishment adjacent to the farm road Rf where a transport vehicle or the like loaded with the replenishment mat seedlings can be parked and the extension line L of the specific work route P1 or the extension line L of the next process work route P1. Therefore, when replenishing the mat seedlings to the seedling planting device 3 of the riding rice transplanter V2 waiting at the replenishment standby position p0a, a transport vehicle or the like loaded with the mat seedlings can be easily approached to the riding rice transplanter V2 at the replenishment standby position p0a. As a result, the labor required for replenishing the seedlings from the transport vehicle or the like to the seedling planting device 3 of the riding rice transplanter V2 can be reduced.

[0168] Further, in this automatic driving system for the work vehicle, when the remaining amount of the mat seedlings in the seedling planting device 3 decreases to the set value for seedling replenishment and the replenishment standby position p0a is set by the standby position setting unit 46K, the automatic driving control unit 46F executes the movement control for seedling replenishment, moves the riding rice transplanter V2 to the replenishment standby position p0a, and then makes it standby at the replenishment standby position p0a. As a result, the user does not need to manually drive the riding rice transplanter V2 from the interruption position p3 to the replenishment standby position p0a.

[0169] Furthermore, in this automatic driving system for the work vehicle, while the riding rice transplanter V2 is on standby at the replenishment standby position p0a, when the replenishment of the mat seedlings on the seedling stage 3C of the seedling planting device 3 is completed and the user's touch operation on the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5 commands the resumption of the automatic driving of the riding rice transplanter V2 by automatic driving control, the automatic driving control unit 46F moves the riding rice transplanter V2 from the replenishment standby position p0a to the resumption position p4, and then resumes the automatic driving of the riding rice transplanter V2 according to the target path P by automatic driving control. As a result, the user does not need to manually drive the riding rice transplanter V2 from the replenishment standby position p0a to the resumption position p4.

[0170] That is, since the setting of the replenishment standby position p0a in each field Aa to Ag and the movement of the riding rice transplanter V2 to the replenishment standby position p0a can be automatically and appropriately performed, the replenishment work for the seedling planting device 3 of the riding rice transplanter V2 can be efficiently performed while reducing the burden on the user.

[0171] Furthermore, in this automatic driving system for the work vehicle, since the interruption position p3 of the seedling planting operation is set at the work stop point p2 of the specific work route P1 or the next process work route P1, even when the remaining amount of the mat seedlings in the seedling planting device 3 during the work route P1 decreases to the set value for seedling replenishment, the riding rice transplanter V2 can continue the seedling planting operation by automatic driving control up to the work stop point p2 of the specific work route P1 or the next process work route P1. And since the restart position p4 after seedling replenishment is set at the next work start point (the start point of the next work route P1) p1 with respect to the interruption position p3, for example, compared to the case where the restart position p4 (the interruption position p3 of the seedling planting operation) after seedling replenishment is set at an intermediate position of the specific work route P1, in the restart movement process for automatically driving the riding rice transplanter V2 to the restart position p4, after the riding rice transplanter V2 is advanced to near the restart position p4, it is not necessary to switch to the reverse state and reverse to the restart position p4. As a result, the riding rice transplanter V2 can be efficiently automatically driven to the restart position p4.

[0172] Also, the interruption position p3 of the seedling planting operation becomes the work stop point p2 of the specific work route P1 or the next process work route P1 close to the field side As1 for seedling replenishment, and the restart position p4 after seedling replenishment becomes the next work start point p1 adjacent to the interruption position p3 close to the field side As1 for seedling replenishment. Therefore, the replenishment movement path Pm3 from the interruption position p3 to the replenishment standby position p0a and the restart movement path Pm4 from the replenishment standby position p0a to the restart position p4 can be shortened. Thereby, the time required for the movement of the riding rice transplanter V2 from the interruption position p3 to the replenishment standby position p0a and the movement from the replenishment standby position p0a to the restart position p4 can be shortened.

[0173] Furthermore, in this automatic driving system for the work vehicle, in either the replenishment movement process or the restart movement process, since the riding rice transplanter V2 travels along the extension line L of the specific work route P1 or the next process work route P1 or the first direction conversion route P2, it is possible to avoid the possibility that the already worked area Awa of the fields Aa to Ag is trampled by the riding rice transplanter V2 and the possibility that ruts that adversely affect the seedling planting operation are formed in the unworked area Awb of the fields Aa to Ag.

[0174] When a touch operation by the user is performed on a path acquisition button (not shown) displayed on the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5, the off-field movement path acquisition control unit 46K of the riding rice transplanter V2 executes off-field movement path acquisition control to acquire an off-field manual travel path Rm for the fields Aa to Ag of the riding rice transplanter V2 as an off-field movement path Pm5 (see FIGS. 14 to 15).

[0175] Hereinafter, based on the flowchart of FIG. 19, the off-field movement path acquisition control of the off-field movement path acquisition control unit 46K for the field Ad shown in FIGS. 14 to 15 will be described.

[0176] The off-field movement path acquisition control unit 46K performs a start point acquisition process of acquiring a start point p5 of the manual travel of the riding rice transplanter V2 for the field Ad from the position information of the riding rice transplanter V2 measured by the positioning unit 70 in accordance with a touch operation by the user on the path acquisition button (step #61), and then starts a path acquisition process of acquiring the manual travel path Rm of the riding rice transplanter V2 (step #62).

[0177] The off-field movement path acquisition control unit 46K performs a 13th determination process of determining whether or not the riding rice transplanter V2 has reached the travel area of the field Ad based on the manual travel path Rm being acquired and the area specific frame F of the field Ad included in the information regarding the field Ad (step #63). Specifically, it is determined whether or not the manual travel path Rm being acquired is in contact with the area specific frame F of the field Ad.

[0178] In the 13th determination process, the off-field movement path acquisition control unit 46K continues the path acquisition process until the riding rice transplanter V2 reaches the travel area of the field Ad, and when the riding rice transplanter V2 reaches the travel area of the field Ad, performs a reach point acquisition process of acquiring the reach point p6 (step #64).

[0179] Specifically, when the manually traveled path Rm being acquired touches the area specifying frame F of the field Ad, it is determined that the riding rice transplanter V2 has reached the traveling area of the field Ad, and the contact point between the manually traveled path Rm and the area specifying frame F is set as the arrival point p6 of the riding rice transplanter V2 with respect to the traveling area of the field Ad.

[0180] After acquiring the arrival point p6, the standby position setting unit 46K performs an off-field movement path storage process of setting the manually traveled path Rm from the start point p5 of the manual travel to the arrival point p6 as the off-field movement path Pm5 and storing it in the in-vehicle storage unit 46G, a start position setting process of setting the arrival point p6 as the travel start position when the riding rice transplanter V2 automatically travels according to the off-field movement path Pm5, and a standby position setting process of setting the start point p5 of the manual travel as the standby position (hereinafter referred to as the off-field standby position) p0b outside the field Ad of the riding rice transplanter V2 (steps #65 to 67). Thereafter, the path acquisition process is terminated (step #68), and the off-field movement path acquisition control is terminated.

[0181] When the automatic travel control of automatically traveling the riding rice transplanter V2 according to the target path P of the field Ad shown in FIGS. 14 to 15 ends, the automatic travel control unit 46F determines whether or not a second standby condition for causing the riding rice transplanter V2 to standby at the off-field standby position p0b is satisfied. When the second standby condition is satisfied, off-field automatic travel control is executed to automatically travel the riding rice transplanter V2 from the current position (the end point of the target path P) to the off-field standby position p0b and cause it to standby at the off-field standby position p0b.

[0182] Specifically, the automatic travel control unit 46F is set to determine that the second standby condition is satisfied when the riding rice transplanter V2 reaches the end point of the target path P and the off-field movement path Pm5, the travel start position p6, and the off-field standby position p0b are set by the standby position setting unit 46K.

[0183] That is, the automatic travel control unit 46F determines whether or not the off-field movement path Pm5, the travel start position p6, and the off-field standby position p0b are set by the standby position setting unit 46K when the riding rice transplanter V2 reaches the end point of the target path P, and executes off-field automatic travel control when they are set.

[0184] After the riding rice transplanter V2 finishes the seedling planting work in the field Ad and reaches the end point of the target path P, as shown in FIG. 15, the riding rice transplanter V2 can be automatically driven along the off-site movement path Pm5 to the off-site standby position p0b, and with the arrival at the off-site standby position p0b, the riding rice transplanter V2 can be made to wait at the off-site standby position p0b.

[0185]

[0184] As a result, if the off-site standby position p0b is a loading / unloading position with respect to the transport vehicle Z that transports the riding rice transplanter V2, as shown in FIGS. 14 to 15, the labor of manually driving the riding rice transplanter V2 from the field Ad to the loading / unloading position can be saved. Also, if the off-site standby position p0b is an installation position such as a storage shed for storing the riding rice transplanter V2, the labor of manually driving the riding rice transplanter V2 from the field Ad to the storage shed can be saved. Further, if the off-site standby position p0b is a position near the registered field where the work will be carried out next to the field Ad, the labor of manually driving the riding rice transplanter V2 from the field Ad to near the next registered field can be saved, and the work efficiency can be improved.

[0186] In the second embodiment, the case where the standby position setting unit 46K executes off-site movement path acquisition control when a user's touch operation is performed on the path acquisition button displayed on the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5 has been exemplified. However, when the off-site standby position p0b is, for example, a loading / unloading position with respect to the transport vehicle Z that transports the riding rice transplanter V2, the standby position setting unit 46K may start off-site movement path acquisition control when a shift operation for switching the shift state of the shift unit 15 in the riding rice transplanter V2 from the ultra-low speed gear for loading / unloading to the high speed gear for moving travel is performed. Also, when the off-site standby position p0b is, for example, an installation position such as a storage shed for storing the riding rice transplanter V2, the standby position setting unit 46K may start off-site movement path acquisition control when a power-on operation is performed on the riding rice transplanter V2.

[0187] 〔Third Embodiment〕 Hereinafter, as an example of an embodiment for carrying out the present invention, a third embodiment in which an automatic driving system for a work vehicle according to the present invention is applied to a combine, which is an example of a work vehicle, will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0188] In addition, the automatic driving system for a work vehicle exemplified in this third embodiment is different from the automatic driving systems for work vehicles exemplified in the first and second embodiments in terms of, in addition to the work vehicle to which it is applied, the control operations of the standby position setting unit 46K and the automatic driving control unit 46F. Therefore, the main configuration of the work vehicle to which it is applied, the control operations of the standby position setting unit 46K and the automatic driving control unit 46F, etc. will be described.

[0189] As shown in FIGS. 20 to 21, the combine V3 exemplified in this third embodiment is a full crawler-type traveling vehicle body (not shown) corresponding to the tractor V1 exemplified in the first embodiment or the traveling vehicle body 1 exemplified in the second embodiment, and is provided with a working device for harvesting grain straws (hereinafter referred to as a cutting and conveying device) 3, a threshing device 8 that performs threshing and sorting processing on the grain straws cut and conveyed by the cutting and conveying device 3, and a grain tank 9 that stores the grains from the threshing device 8, and the like. The grain tank 9 is provided with a screw conveyor-type grain discharging device 9A that discharges the grains stored therein to the loading platform of an off-vehicle transport vehicle Z or the like. Thereby, this combine V3 can harvest the grain straws sown in the field Ad as the work target by the cutting and conveying device 3 provided at the front thereof. And the grains obtained by performing threshing and sorting processing on the harvested grain straws can be stored in the grain tank 9.

[0190] In addition, FIGS. 20 to 21 illustrate the case where the field Ad among the fields Aa to Ag is selected as the work target.

[0191] The vehicle state detection device 45 of the combine V3 includes a full cup sensor 45C (described by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3) that detects that the storage amount of the grains in the grain tank 9 has reached the set value for grain discharging, instead of the plurality of remaining amount sensors 45A (see FIG. 3) exemplified in the first embodiment or the plurality of seedling remaining amount sensors 45B (see FIG. 3) exemplified in the second embodiment.

[0192] In FIGS. 20 to 21, when the mowing and conveying device 3 is selected on the work device selection screen 50C shown in FIG. 8 in a state where the field Ad is selected as the work target, an example of the target path P generated by the target path generation unit 51B for the field Ad is shown.

[0193] Specifically, for the field Ad shown in FIGS. 20 to 21, the area inside the area specifying frame F of the field Ad is specified as the rectangular work area Aw, and a target path P for peripheral mowing is generated for this work area Aw. This target path P includes a plurality of work paths P1 arranged in parallel along each side of the field Ad at a predetermined interval according to the number of working rows (working width) of the mowing and conveying device 3, and a plurality of direction changing paths P2 that connect the plurality of work paths P1 from the start position S in the traveling order of the combine V3.

[0194] Note that the target path P shown in FIGS. 20 to 21 is merely an example, and the target path generation unit 51B can generate various target paths P suitable for them based on vehicle body information such as different turning radii and the number of working rows according to the model of the combine V3, and field information such as different field shapes and sizes according to the fields Aa to Ag.

[0195] When a user touches a standby position setting button (not shown) displayed on the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5, the standby position setting unit 46K executes the standby position acquisition control exemplified in the first embodiment. As a result, the entry point of the combine V3 into the field Ad is set to the standby position p0 (see FIG. 20) of the combine V3 when discharging the grains stored in the grain tank 9 of the combine V3 outside the machine (hereinafter referred to as the discharge standby position). Further, this discharge standby position p0 is stored in the in-vehicle storage unit 46G together with the manual travel path Rm (see FIG. 20) from the discharge standby position p0 to the start position S of the automatic travel.

[0196] In the automatic driving state where the automatic driving control unit 46F executes automatic driving control to make the combine V3 automatically drive along the target path P, it determines whether the standby condition for making the combine V3 standby at the discharge standby position p0 is satisfied. When the standby condition is satisfied, it executes grain discharge movement control to automatically drive the combine V3 from the current position to the discharge standby position p0 and make it standby at the discharge standby position p0.

[0197] Specifically, in this third embodiment, since the work vehicle is the combine V3, the automatic driving control unit 46F is set to determine that the standby condition is satisfied when it is detected by the full sensor 45C provided in the grain tank 9 that the storage amount of grains in the grain tank 9 has reached the set value for grain discharge.

[0198] That is, in the automatic driving state of the combine V3 by automatic driving control, the automatic driving control unit 46F determines based on the detection information from the full sensor 45C whether the storage amount of grains in the grain tank 9 has reached the set value for grain discharge, and executes grain discharge movement control when the storage amount has reached the set value for grain discharge.

[0199] The set value for grain discharge in this third embodiment is set to a value that can store the grains obtained when the combine V3 automatically drives on a single work path P1 of the target path P in the grain tank 9.

[0200] Hereinafter, based on the flowchart of FIG. 22, the grain discharge movement control of the automatic driving control unit 46F in the harvesting operation in the farm field Ad shown in FIG. 20 will be described.

[0201] When starting the grain discharge movement control, the automatic driving control unit 46F performs a full notification process of notifying the user through the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5 or the like that the storage amount of grains in the grain tank 9 has reached the set value for grain discharge (step #71).

[0202] Based on the target path P and the current position of the combine V3, the automatic driving control unit 46F performs an interruption position setting process of setting the work stop point (terminal point) p2 on the work path P1 during which the combine V3 is traveling to the interruption position p3 for grain discharge, and a restart position setting process of setting the next work start point (start point of the next work path P1) p1 with respect to the interruption position p3 to the restart position p4 after grain discharge (steps #72 to 73).

[0203] After the above position setting, the automatic driving control unit 46F uses the traveled path (the path indicated by the thick line in the target path P shown in FIG. 20) of the target path P and the manual driving path Rm stored in the in-vehicle storage unit 46G to generate a shortest discharge movement path Pm6 from the interruption position p3 for grain discharge to the discharge standby position p0, and a shortest restart movement path Pm7 from the discharge standby position p0 to the restart position p4 after grain discharge (steps #74 to 75).

[0204] Although not shown in the figure, the restart movement path Pm7 includes a direction change path for changing the direction of the combine V3 from the reverse posture to the forward posture at the start end portion of the path.

[0205] The automatic driving control unit 46F performs a 14th determination process of determining whether the combine V3 has reached the interruption position p3 (step #76). In the 14th determination process, the harvesting operation by automatic driving control is continued until the combine V3 reaches the interruption position p3, and an automatic driving control interruption process of interrupting the automatic driving control is performed when the combine V3 reaches the interruption position p3 (step #77).

[0206] After the interruption of the automatic driving control, the automatic driving control unit 46F starts a discharge movement process of automatically driving the combine V3 from the interruption position p3 to the discharge standby position p0 according to the discharge movement path Pm6, and a discharge movement notification process of notifying the user by the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5 or the like that the combine V3 is in the process of moving to the discharge standby position p0 (steps #78 to 79).

[0207] The automatic travel control unit 46F performs a 15th determination process to determine whether the combine V3 has reached the discharge standby position p0 (step #80). In the 15th determination process, until the combine V3 reaches the discharge standby position p0, the discharge movement process and the discharge movement notification process are continued. When the combine V3 reaches the discharge standby position p0, the discharge movement process and the discharge movement notification process are terminated, and the combine V3 is made to wait at the discharge standby position p0 (steps #81 - 82).

[0208] While the combine V3 is waiting at the discharge standby position p0, the automatic travel control unit 46F performs a 16th determination process to determine whether a user's touch operation on the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5 has commanded the resumption of automatic travel of the combine V3 by automatic travel control (step #83).

[0209] In the 16th determination process, until the resumption of automatic travel is commanded, the automatic travel control unit 46F determines that the discharge of grains from the grain tank 9 is not complete and makes the combine V3 wait at the discharge standby position p0. When the resumption of automatic travel is commanded, the automatic travel control unit 46F determines that the discharge of grains from the grain tank 9 is complete, and starts a resumption movement process to automatically travel the combine V3 from the discharge standby position p0 to the resumption position p4 according to the resumption movement path Pm7, and a resumption movement notification process to notify the user via the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5 etc. that the combine V3 is in the process of moving to the resumption position p4 (steps #84 - 85).

[0210] The automatic travel control unit 46F performs a 17th determination process to determine whether the combine V3 has reached the resumption position p4 (step #86). In the 17th determination process, until the combine V3 reaches the resumption position p4, the resumption movement process and the resumption movement notification process are continued. When the combine V3 reaches the resumption position p4, the resumption movement process and the resumption movement notification process are terminated (steps #87 - 88).

[0211] After the resumption movement process and the resumption movement notification process are completed, the automatic driving control unit 46F performs an automatic driving control resumption process to resume the automatic driving of the combine V3 by automatic driving control (step #89), and then ends the movement control for grain discharge.

[0212] With the above configuration, in this automatic driving system for a work vehicle, when a user touches the standby position setting button displayed on the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5, the standby position setting unit 46K executes standby position acquisition control to obtain the entry point of the combine V3 with respect to the fields Aa to Ag to be worked, and sets this entry point as the discharge standby position p0. As a result, the user does not need to set the discharge standby position p0 for each of the fields Aa to Ag.

[0213] The entry point set as the discharge standby position p0 is the entrance / exit of the fields Aa to Ag that connects the fields Aa to Ag to a farm road Rf or the like where a transport vehicle Z for grain conveyance for loading the grain from the grain tank 9 of the combine V3 can be parked. As a result, it becomes possible to park a transport vehicle Z for grain conveyance or the like near the discharge standby position p0, and the grain discharge work from the grain tank 9 of the combine V3 to the loading platform of the transport vehicle Z or the like after the combine V3 reaches the discharge standby position p0 can be performed smoothly.

[0214] Also, in this automatic driving system for a work vehicle, when the storage amount of the grain in the grain tank 9 reaches the set value for grain discharge, the automatic driving control unit 46F executes the movement control for grain discharge, moves the combine V3 to the discharge standby position p0, and then makes it standby at the discharge standby position p0. As a result, the user does not need to manually drive the combine V3 from the interruption position p3 to the discharge standby position p0.

[0215] Furthermore, in this automatic driving system for the work vehicle, while waiting at the discharge standby position p0 of the combine V3, when the discharge of the grains from the grain tank 9 is completed and the user's touch operation on the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5 commands the resumption of the automatic driving of the combine V3 by automatic driving control, the automatic driving control unit 46F moves the combine V3 from the discharge standby position p0 to the resumption position p4 and then resumes the automatic driving of the combine V3 according to the target route P by automatic driving control. As a result, the user does not need to manually drive the combine V3 from the discharge standby position p0 to the resumption position p4.

[0216] That is, since the setting of the discharge standby position p0 in each field Aa to Ag and the movement of the combine V3 to the discharge standby position p0 can be automatically and appropriately performed, the grain discharge operation of the combine V3 from the grain tank 9 can be efficiently performed while reducing the burden on the user.

[0217] Moreover, in this automatic driving system for the work vehicle, since the interruption position p3 of the harvesting operation is set at the work stop point p2 of the currently traveling work route P1, even when the storage amount of the grains in the grain tank 9 reaches the set value for grain discharge during the operation on the work route P1, the combine V3 can continue the harvesting operation by automatic driving control to the work stop point p2 of the currently traveling work route P1. And since the resumption position p4 after the grain discharge is set at the next work start point (the start point of the next work route P1) with respect to the interruption position p3, for example, compared with the case where the resumption position p4 (the interruption position p3 of the harvesting operation) after the grain discharge is set at an intermediate position of the currently traveling work route P1, in the discharge movement process of automatically driving the combine V3 from the interruption position p3 to the discharge standby position p0, there is no need to reverse the combine V3 from the interruption position p3 and then switch to the forward state and drive forward to the discharge standby position p0. As a result, the combine V3 can be efficiently automatically driven to the discharge standby position p0.

[0218] Further, in the automatic driving system for this work vehicle, in both the discharge movement process and the restart movement process, since the combine V3 travels according to the traveled route of the target route P or the manual driving route Rm, it is possible to avoid the possibility that the unworked area Awb of the fields Aa to Ag is trampled by the combine V3.

[0219] Although not shown, on the selection field display screen 50B (see FIG. 7) displayed on the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5, a touch operation for setting the discharge standby position p0 at a plurality of locations in the field Ad is enabled. When the touch operation is performed, the standby position setting unit 46K sets the discharge standby position p0 at a plurality of locations in the field Ad corresponding to the touch operation.

[0220] As shown in FIG. 3, when a plurality of discharge standby positions p0 are set at a plurality of locations in the field Ad in the in-vehicle control unit 46, a standby position selection unit 46L (described by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3) that selects a single discharge standby position p0 from the plurality of discharge standby positions p0 is included. The standby position selection unit 46L is constructed by an electronic control unit in which a microcontroller or the like is integrated, various control programs, and the like. The standby position selection unit 46L is connected to other control units 46A to 46F, 46H, 46K, etc. of the in-vehicle control unit 46 so as to be able to communicate with each other via CAN.

[0221] For example, as shown in FIG. 21, when a plurality (two locations in FIG. 21) of discharge standby positions p0 are set at the field edge of the field Ad adjacent to an agricultural road Rf or the like where a transport vehicle Z for grain transport can be parked, etc., the standby position selection unit 46L is based on the current position of the combine V3 when the above-described standby conditions are satisfied, the number of times the combine V3 moves to each discharge standby position p0, etc. A standby position selection process for selecting an appropriate discharge standby position p0 for the current grain discharge operation is performed. Further, the standby position selection unit 46L performs a selection standby position notification process for notifying the user of the selected discharge standby position p0 on the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5 or the like.

[0222] Specifically, for example, when the standby position selection unit 46L determines that one discharge standby position p0 is closer to the interruption position p3 set from the current position of the combine V3 when the above-described standby condition is satisfied than the other discharge standby position p0, in the standby position selection process, the closer one discharge standby position p0 is selected as the current discharge standby position p0. As a result, the time required for the movement between the interruption position p3 and the discharge standby position p0 of the combine V3 can be shortened, and the grain discharge operation can be efficiently performed.

[0223] Further, for example, when the number of movements of the combine V3 with respect to one discharge standby position p0 is less than the number of movements of the combine V3 with respect to the other discharge standby position p0, in the standby position selection process, the one discharge standby position p0 with the smaller number of movements is selected as the current discharge standby position p0. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the softening at the discharge standby position p0 from becoming severe due to an increase in the number of movements of the combine V3.

[0224] Then, the user can grasp in advance the discharge standby position p0 used in the current grain discharge operation through the selection standby position notification process of the standby position selection unit 46L. As a result, the user can move a transport vehicle Z for grain conveyance or the like to the discharge standby position p0 in accordance with the movement of the combine V3 to the discharge standby position p0 selected by the standby position selection unit 46L under the grain discharge movement control of the automatic travel control unit 46F.

[0225] 〔Fourth Embodiment〕 Hereinafter, as an example of a mode for carrying out the present invention, a fourth embodiment in which an automatic travel system for a work vehicle according to the present invention is applied to a riding mower which is an example of a work vehicle will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0226] Furthermore, the automatic driving system for a work vehicle exemplified in this second embodiment is different from the automatic driving systems for work vehicles exemplified in the first to third embodiments in terms of, in addition to the work vehicle to which it is applied, the control operations of the standby position setting unit 46K and the automatic driving control unit 46F. Therefore, the main components of the work vehicle to which it is applied, the control operations of the standby position setting unit 46K and the automatic driving control unit 46F, and the like will be described.

[0227] As shown in FIGS. 23 to 26, in the riding lawn mower V4 exemplified in this fourth embodiment, a work device for mowing grass (hereinafter referred to as a mower) 3 is connected to the rear part of the tractor V1 exemplified in the first embodiment via a three-point link mechanism 2. The mower 3 is connected to the rear part of the tractor V1 so as to be liftable and rollable. In addition, in FIG. 23, the landing strip A of the airport is exemplified as the registration work area.

[0228] As shown in FIGS. 23 to 26, the landing strip A includes a plurality of vegetation areas 91 adjacent to the runway 90. FIGS. 23 to 26 show an example of a work area Aw specified by the target route generation unit 51B and a target route P generated for the landing strip A.

[0229] Specifically, for the landing strip A, each vegetation area 91 is specified as a work area Aw, and a target route P is generated for each work area Aw. Each target route P includes four first work routes P1 along the outer periphery of each work area Aw, three second direction conversion routes P2 that connect the plurality of first work routes P1 in the traveling order of the riding lawn mower V4, a plurality of second work routes P3 arranged in parallel at a predetermined interval corresponding to the working width of the mower 3, a single second direction conversion route P4 that connects the final first work route P1 to a predetermined second work route P3, a plurality of third direction conversion routes P5 that connect each second work route P3 in the traveling order of the riding lawn mower V4, and the like. Between each work area Aw, a movement route Pm that connects those target routes P in the traveling order of the riding lawn mower V4 is generated.

[0230] The target path P shown in FIGS. 23 to 26 is merely an example, and the target path generation unit 51B can generate various target paths P suitable for them based on vehicle body information such as different turning radii and working widths according to the models of the tractor V1 and the mower 3, and working area information such as the shape and size of the planting area 91 that varies according to the landing strip A.

[0231] Although not shown, on the selection field display screen 50B (see FIG. 7) displayed on the display device 50 of the mobile communication terminal 5, a touch operation for setting the standby position p0 (hereinafter referred to as the evacuation standby position) of the riding mower V4 when evacuating the riding mower V4 during takeoff and landing of the aircraft to a plurality of locations at a predetermined distance or more from the runway 90 is enabled. When the touch operation is performed, the standby position setting unit 46K sets the evacuation standby position p0 at a plurality of locations corresponding to the touch operation. In FIGS. 23 to 26, the connection points (entry / exit points) for each planting area 91 connecting the planting areas 91 of the landing strip A to the surrounding road 92 located outside the landing strip A are set as the evacuation standby position p0.

[0232] As shown in FIG. 3, the in-vehicle control unit 46 includes a standby position selection unit 46L (described by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3) that selects a single evacuation standby position p0 from a plurality of evacuation standby positions p0. The standby position selection unit 46L is constructed by an electronic control unit integrating a microcontroller or the like and various control programs. The standby position selection unit 46L is connected to other control units 46A to 46F, 46H, 46K, etc. of the in-vehicle control unit 46 via CAN so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0233] When the standby condition for causing the riding mower V4 to standby at the evacuation standby position p0 is satisfied, the standby position selection unit 46L executes standby position selection control for selecting the evacuation standby position p0 that allows the riding mower V4 to reach in the shortest time.

[0234] Still, in this fourth embodiment, since the registration work location is the landing strip A of the airport, the standby position selection unit 46L is set to determine that the standby condition is satisfied when it receives a prior notice from the control tower when an aircraft takes off or lands at the airport.

[0235] Hereinafter, based on the flowchart of FIG. 27, the standby position selection control of the standby position selection unit 46L in the vegetation planting area 91 shown in FIGS. 23 to 26 will be described.

[0236] When the standby condition is satisfied, the standby position selection unit 46L performs an information acquisition process of acquiring the current position, traveling state, etc. of the riding lawn mower V4 at that time (step #91).

[0237] The standby position selection unit 46L estimates a plurality of evacuation routes for each evacuation standby position p0 according to the acquired information, the traveling form of the riding lawn mower V4, etc., and performs a required time calculation process of calculating the required time until the riding lawn mower V4 reaches each evacuation standby position p0 from the estimated evacuation route, traveling form, etc. (step #92).

[0238] The standby position selection unit 46L performs a standby position selection process of selecting the evacuation standby position p0 with the shortest calculated required time as the current evacuation standby position p0, and an evacuation information transmission process of transmitting, as evacuation information, the evacuation route Pm8, traveling form, etc. suitable for moving to the selected evacuation standby position p0 to the automatic driving control unit 46F (steps #93 to 94), and then ends the standby position selection control.

[0239] When the automatic driving control unit 46F receives the evacuation information from the standby position selection unit 46L, it determines that the standby condition for making the riding lawn mower V4 standby at the evacuation standby position p0 is satisfied, and according to the evacuation route Pm8, traveling form, etc. included in the evacuation information from the standby position selection unit 46L, it executes an evacuation movement control of automatically driving the riding lawn mower V4 to the evacuation standby position p0 and making it standby at the evacuation standby position p0.

[0240] Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 24, when the standby position selection unit 46L receives the advance notice from the control tower described above, if the current position of the riding lawn mower V4 is closer to the evacuation standby position p0 set on the terminal side of the target route P than the evacuation standby position p0 set on the start end side of the target route P, and the traveling state of the riding lawn mower V4 is in a state of moving forward toward the perimeter road 92, the standby position selection unit 46L selects the evacuation standby position p0 on the terminal side as the current evacuation standby position p0, and as evacuation information, transmits the evacuation standby position p0 on the terminal side, the shortest evacuation route Pm8 from the current position of the riding lawn mower V4 to the evacuation standby position p0 on the terminal side, forward traveling, etc. to the automatic driving control unit 46F. Then, based on the evacuation information from the standby position selection unit 46L, the automatic driving control unit 46F causes the riding lawn mower V4 to travel forward to the evacuation standby position p0 on the terminal side along the evacuation route Pm8.

[0241] For example, as shown in FIG. 25, when the standby position selection unit 46L receives the advance notice from the control tower described above, if the current position of the riding lawn mower V4 is closer to the evacuation standby position p0 on the start end side than the evacuation standby position p0 on the rear end side described above, and the traveling state of the riding lawn mower V4 is in a state of moving forward toward the perimeter road 92, the standby position selection unit 46L selects the evacuation standby position p0 on the start end side as the current evacuation standby position p0, and as evacuation information, transmits the evacuation standby position p0 on the start end side, the shortest evacuation route Pm8 from the current position of the riding lawn mower V4 to the evacuation standby position p0 on the start end side, forward traveling, etc. to the automatic driving control unit 46F. Then, based on the evacuation information from the standby position selection unit 46L, the automatic driving control unit 46F causes the riding lawn mower V4 to travel forward to the evacuation standby position p0 on the start end side along the evacuation route Pm8.

[0242] For example, as shown in FIG. 26, when the standby position selection unit 46L receives the advance notice from the control tower described above, if the current position of the riding mower V4 is closer to the evacuation standby position p0 on the terminal side than the evacuation standby position p0 on the start end side described above, and the traveling state of the riding mower V4 is a state of moving forward toward the runway 90, the standby position selection unit 46L selects the evacuation standby position p0 on the terminal side as the current evacuation standby position p0, and as evacuation information, sends the evacuation standby position p0 on the terminal side, the shortest evacuation route Pm8 from the current position of the riding mower V4 to the evacuation standby position p0 on the terminal side, reverse traveling, etc. to the automatic travel control unit 46F. Then, based on the evacuation information from the standby position selection unit 46L, the automatic travel control unit 46F causes the riding mower V4 to reverse-travel to the evacuation standby position p0 on the terminal side along the evacuation route Pm8.

[0243] With the above configuration, in this automatic driving system for a work vehicle, when the standby condition for causing the riding mower V4 to standby at the evacuation standby position p0 is satisfied, the standby position setting unit 46K executes standby position selection control and selects the optimal evacuation standby position p0 at the time when the standby condition is satisfied (when the aircraft takes off and lands). As a result, the user does not need to select a different optimal evacuation standby position p0 each time when the standby condition is satisfied.

[0244] Also, based on the evacuation information from the standby position setting unit 46K, the automatic travel control unit 46F executes evacuation movement control, moves the riding mower V4 to the optimal evacuation standby position p0 in the shortest time, and then causes it to standby at the evacuation standby position p0. As a result, the user does not need to manually drive the riding mower V4 to the evacuation standby position p0.

[0245] That is, since the selection of the evacuation standby position p0 in the landing zone A of the airport and the movement of the riding mower V4 to the evacuation standby position p0 can be automatically and appropriately performed, the movement of the riding mower V4 to the evacuation standby position p0 in response to the takeoff and landing of the aircraft can be performed well while reducing the burden on the user.

[0246] 〔Alternative Embodiment〕 Another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, the configurations of the respective alternative embodiments described below are not limited to being applied individually, and can also be applied in combination with the configurations of other alternative embodiments.

[0247] (1) Representative alternative embodiments regarding the configuration of the work vehicle are as follows. For example, the work vehicle may be configured in an electric specification equipped with an electric motor instead of the engine 13. For example, the work vehicle may be configured in a hybrid specification equipped with the engine 13 and an electric motor.

[0248] (2) The automatic driving system for the work vehicle illustrated in the first embodiment can be applied to work vehicles such as a seeding-fertilizing specification tractor V1 in which a seeding and fertilizing work device 3 is connected to the rear part of the tractor V1 via a three-point link mechanism 2 in addition to the seeding specification tractor V1, a fertilizing specification tractor V1 in which a fertilizing work device 3 is connected to the rear part of the tractor V1 via a three-point link mechanism 2, the riding rice transplanter V2 illustrated in the second embodiment, a riding rice transplanter V2 with a fertilizing function equipped with a fertilizing device in addition to the seedling planting device 3, and a riding rice transplanter V2 with a chemical spraying function equipped with a chemical spraying device in addition to the seedling planting device 3.

[0249] (3) The automatic driving system for the work vehicle illustrated in the second embodiment can be applied to work vehicles such as the riding rice transplanter V2 with a fertilizing function, the riding rice transplanter V2 with a chemical spraying function, the seeding specification tractor V1, the seeding-fertilizing specification tractor V1, and the fertilizing specification tractor V1, in addition to the riding rice transplanter V2.

[0250] (4) The automatic driving system for the work vehicle illustrated in the third embodiment can be applied to work vehicles such as a harvester that harvests corn, etc., in addition to the combine V3.

[0251] (5) The automatic driving system for a work vehicle exemplified in the fourth embodiment can be applied to work vehicles such as a rotary tillage tractor V1 in which a rotary tillage device is connected to the rear of a tractor V1 via a three-point link mechanism 2, a snowplow, and a wheel loader, in addition to the riding lawn mower V4.

[0252] (6) In the automatic driving system for a work vehicle exemplified in the fourth embodiment, when the standby position selection unit 46L moves the work vehicle (riding lawn mower V4) from the current position to the evacuation standby position p0, if there is a time margin to finish the work on the current work route P1, the work vehicle may be configured to transmit an evacuation route Pm8 to the automatic driving control unit 46F to move the work vehicle from the end of the work on the current work route P1 to the evacuation standby position p0. <Supplementary Note of the Invention>

[0253] The first characteristic configuration of the present invention is in an automatic driving system for a work vehicle, an automatic driving control unit that uses a satellite positioning system to automatically drive the work vehicle along a target route of a registered work area, and a standby position setting unit that sets a standby position of the work vehicle, the standby position setting unit acquires an entry point when entering the registered work area from outside the registered work area, and sets the entry point as the standby position, the automatic driving control unit determines whether a standby condition for waiting the work vehicle at the standby position is satisfied, and when the standby condition is satisfied, automatically drives the work vehicle from the current position to the standby position and waits at the standby position.

[0254] According to this configuration, when the user manually drives the work vehicle toward the registered work area, the standby position setting unit acquires the entry point of the work vehicle with respect to the registered work area and sets this entry point as the standby position. As a result, the user does not need to set a standby position for each registered work area where the work is performed.

[0255] And, for example, if the registration work site is a farmland, the entry point set at the standby position is the entrance / exit to the registered farmland that connects the registered farmland to a rural road outside the farmland. Also, for example, if the registration work site is the landing strip of an airport, the entry point set at the standby position is the entrance / exit to the registered landing strip that connects the registered landing strip to a perimeter road outside it.

[0256] As a result, if the work vehicle is, for example, a ride-on rice transplanter that plants seedlings in a farmland or a ride-on fertilizer applicator that supplies fertilizer to a farmland, the entrance / exit (entry point) that connects the farmland to a rural road or the like where a transport vehicle loaded with agricultural materials such as replenishment seedlings and fertilizer can be parked is set as the standby position of the work vehicle when replenishing agricultural materials. Also, if the work vehicle is a harvester such as a combine that harvests agricultural crops such as rice and soybeans in a farmland, the entrance / exit (entry point) that connects the farmland to a rural road or the like where a transport vehicle to which the harvested agricultural crops are transferred can be parked is set as the standby position of the work vehicle when transferring the agricultural crops from the work vehicle to the transport vehicle or the like. As a result, it becomes easier to replenish agricultural materials for the work vehicle and transfer agricultural crops from the work vehicle to a transport vehicle or the like.

[0257] On the other hand, if the work vehicle is a lawn mower that performs mowing work on the vegetation area around the runway at the landing strip of an airport, the entrance / exit (entry point) that connects the landing strip to a perimeter road outside it is set as the standby position of the work vehicle when evacuating the work vehicle during takeoff and landing of the aircraft. As a result, during takeoff and landing of the aircraft, the work vehicle can be evacuated to a position away from the runway.

[0258] And, as a standby condition for making the work vehicle standby at the standby position, for example, if the remaining amount of agricultural materials in the work vehicle is insufficient or the storage of agricultural crops is excessive, etc. are set, when these conditions are met, the work vehicle will automatically drive from the current position to the standby position for material replenishment or agricultural crop transfer and standby at that standby position. Further, as a standby condition for causing the work vehicle to standby at the standby position, for example, if reception of a prior notice from the control tower when an aircraft takes off or lands at an airport is set, when this condition is satisfied, the work vehicle automatically travels from the current position to the standby position for evacuation and stands by at that standby position. As a result, the user does not need to manually drive the work vehicle from the current position to the standby position.

[0259] That is, it is possible to set a standby position suitable for the standby reason and work situation of the work vehicle while reducing the burden on the user. Further, when the standby condition is satisfied, the work vehicle can be automatically driven to an appropriate standby position. And when the work vehicle is an agricultural work machine such as a riding rice transplanter or a combine, work such as supplying materials to the work vehicle at the standby position and transferring agricultural products from the work vehicle can be efficiently performed. Also, when the work vehicle is a lawn mower or the like that works on the landing strip of an airport, the work on the landing strip can be satisfactorily performed without interfering with the takeoff and landing of the aircraft.

[0260] The second characteristic configuration of the present invention is an automatic driving control unit that uses a satellite positioning system to automatically drive the work vehicle along the target route of the registration work area, and a standby position setting unit that sets the standby position of the work vehicle, the standby position setting unit sets the intersection of the extension line of the work route included in the target route and the outer shape of the registration work area as the standby position, the automatic driving control unit determines whether or not the standby condition for causing the work vehicle to standby at the standby position is satisfied, and when the standby condition is satisfied, automatically drives the work vehicle from the current position to the standby position and makes it standby at the standby position.

[0261] According to this configuration, the standby position setting unit obtains the above-described intersection from the target route and the outer shape of the work area included in the registration information regarding the registration work area, and sets this intersection as the standby position. As a result, the user does not need to set a standby position for each work area.

[0262] Then, for example, if the registration work area is a field, the intersection of the extension line of the work route included in the target route generated according to the work in the field and the outer shape of the field that forms the boundary between the inside and outside of the field is set as the standby position. Thereby, the moving distance from the current position of the work vehicle to the standby position can be shortened.

[0263] Furthermore, for example, if the work vehicle is an agricultural work machine such as a riding rice transplanter or a combine that performs work in a field, by setting, as the standby condition for waiting at the standby position, insufficient remaining amount of agricultural materials or excessive storage of agricultural products in the work vehicle, when these conditions are satisfied, the work vehicle will automatically travel from the current position to the standby position, which is the intersection of the extension line of the currently traveled work route and the outer shape of the field, and wait at that standby position. Thereby, the user does not need to manually drive the work vehicle from the current position to the standby position.

[0264] That is, it is possible to set a standby position suitable for the standby reason and work situation of the work vehicle while reducing the burden on the user. Also, when the standby condition is satisfied, the work vehicle can be automatically driven to an appropriate standby position. And when the work vehicle is an agricultural work machine such as a riding rice transplanter or a combine, operations such as supplying materials to the work vehicle including movement to the standby position and transferring agricultural products from the work vehicle can be efficiently performed.

[0265] The third characteristic configuration of the present invention is that among a plurality of outer shape specifying lines that specify the outer shape of the registration work area, it has a specifying part that specifies an outer shape specifying line where the standby position can be set.

[0266] According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of inconveniences such as the intersection of the extension line of the work route being set as the standby position in the outer shape specifying line adjacent to obstacles such as side ditches and wall bodies that hinder the movement of the work vehicle to the standby position, and in the outer shape specifying line where obstacles such as trees and electric wires that hinder the supply of materials to the work vehicle that has moved to the standby position and the transfer of agricultural products from the work vehicle are present nearby.

[0267] That is, it is possible to avoid the risk that an inappropriate standby position is set for the standby reason or work situation of the work vehicle or the like. As a result, even though the standby condition for causing the work vehicle to standby at the standby position is satisfied, the work vehicle cannot be automatically driven to the standby position, and even though the work vehicle is standby at the standby position, it becomes difficult to perform material replenishment for the work vehicle or transfer of agricultural products from the work vehicle, and the like. It is possible to avoid the occurrence of such inconveniences.

[0268] The fourth characteristic configuration of the present invention is an automatic driving control unit that automatically drives the work vehicle along the target route of the registered work area using a satellite positioning system, a standby position setting unit that sets standby positions of the work vehicle at a plurality of locations in the registered work area, and a standby position selection unit that selects a single standby position from the plurality of standby positions, the automatic driving control unit determines whether or not a standby condition for causing the work vehicle to standby at the standby position is satisfied, and when the standby condition is satisfied, automatically drives the work vehicle from the current position to the standby position selected by the standby position selection unit and causes it to standby at the standby position.

[0269] According to this configuration, it becomes possible to cause the standby position selection unit to select a single standby position suitable for the current position of the work vehicle when the standby condition for causing the work vehicle to standby at the standby position is satisfied from the plurality of standby positions set by the standby position setting unit. As a result, the user does not need to select a standby position suitable for the current position of different work vehicles every time the above-described standby condition is satisfied.

[0270] And, as a standby condition for causing the work vehicle to standby at the standby position, for example, if the remaining amount of agricultural materials in the work vehicle is insufficient or the storage of agricultural products is excessive, etc. are set, when these conditions are satisfied, the work vehicle will automatically drive from the current position to the selected standby position for material replenishment or agricultural product transfer and standby at that standby position. Further, as a standby condition for causing the work vehicle to standby at the standby position, for example, if reception of a prior notice from the control tower when an aircraft takes off or lands at an airport is set, when this condition is satisfied, the work vehicle automatically travels from the current position to the selected standby position for evacuation and standby at that standby position. This eliminates the need for the user to manually drive the work vehicle from the current position to the standby position.

[0271] That is, while reducing the burden on the user, it is possible to select a standby position suitable for the working conditions such as the current position of different work vehicles each time the above-described standby condition is satisfied. Further, when the standby condition is satisfied, the work vehicle can be automatically driven to an appropriate standby position. And when the work vehicle is an agricultural work machine such as a riding rice transplanter or a combine, operations such as supplying materials to the work vehicle and transferring crops from the work vehicle can be efficiently performed at the standby position. Also, when the work vehicle is a lawn mower working on the landing strip of an airport, the work on the landing strip can be performed well without interfering with the takeoff and landing of the aircraft.

[0272] An automatic driving system for a work vehicle according to one aspect includes an automatic driving control unit and a specifying unit. The automatic driving control unit automatically drives the work vehicle at a work site. The specifying unit designates an outer shape specifying line as a material supply side for supplying materials to the work vehicle from among a plurality of outer shape specifying lines that specify the outer shape of the work site.

[0273] An automatic driving method for a work vehicle according to one aspect includes automatically driving the work vehicle at a work site and designating an outer shape specifying line as a material supply side for supplying materials to the work vehicle from among a plurality of outer shape specifying lines that specify the outer shape of the work site.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0274] 46F Automatic driving control unit 46K Standby position setting unit (specifying unit) 46L Standby position selection unit A Registered work site (landing strip of airport) Aa Registration work site (field) Ab Registration work site (field) Ac Registration work site (field) Ad Registration work site (field) Ae Registration work site (field) Af Registration work site (field) Ag Registration work site (field) As1 Outer shape specific line As2 Outer shape specific line As3 Outer shape specific line As4 Outer shape specific line L Extension line of the work path OL Outer shape of the registration work site P Target path V1 Work vehicle (tractor with seeding specification) V2 Work vehicle (riding rice transplanter) V3 Work vehicle (combine harvester) V4 Work vehicle (riding lawn mower) p0 Standby position p0a Standby position p0b Standby position

Claims

1. An automatic driving control unit for automatically driving a work vehicle at a work site, wherein the automatic driving control unit automatically reverses the work vehicle from the material supply side, which is the outer periphery of the work site where the work vehicle has been replenished with materials, and after the automatic reverse driving, automatically turns the vehicle toward the next work route. An automatic driving system for a work vehicle.

2. The automatic driving control unit automatically reverses the work vehicle from the material supply side in response to a user's operation. The automatic driving system for a work vehicle according to Claim 1.

3. An interruption position for interrupting the automatic driving of the work vehicle is set at the end side of the work route for automatically driving the work vehicle toward the material supply side, and the automatic driving control unit automatically reverses the work vehicle toward the interruption position side when automatically reversing the work vehicle from the material supply side. The automatic driving system for a work vehicle according to Claim 1 or 2.

4. further comprising a material supply side setting unit for setting the material supply side. The automatic driving system for a work vehicle according to any one of Claims 1 to 3.

5. further comprising a display control unit for enabling the display unit to display the material supply side. The automatic driving system for a work vehicle according to Claim 4.

6. automatically driving a work vehicle at a work site; and automatically reversing the work vehicle from the material supply side, which is the outer periphery of the work site where the work vehicle has been replenished with materials, and after the automatic reverse driving, automatically turning the vehicle toward the next work route. An automatic driving method for a work vehicle.

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