Work vehicle system and automatic travel method

Abstract

To provide an arrangement that does not require positioning of a plurality of travel routes and can efficiently manage the plurality of travel routes even when a plurality of travel routes are set for the same farm field.SOLUTION: A work vehicle system comprises: a travel route forming unit and a selection unit. The travel route forming unit is configured to be able to form a plurality of spaced apart straight routes which are travel routes for a work vehicle in a farm field. The selection unit selects either one of a first mode in which the work vehicle automatically turns between the two straight routes, and a second mode in which the work vehicle travels automatically based on the straight routes and the work vehicle manually turns between the two straight routes in response to the operator's operation, as a driving mode of the work vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates primarily to a work vehicle system and an automatic driving method for automatically driving a work vehicle along a driving route. [Background technology]

[0002] In order to have a work vehicle travel autonomously using an autonomous driving system, it is necessary to create a travel route in advance. Patent Document 1 discloses a method in which an operator designates two points in a field, creates a straight route by extending a reference line that passes through these two points, and arranges these straight routes side by side to create a travel route (a travel route that does not include turns). Patent Document 2 discloses a method for creating a travel route (a travel route that includes turns) that includes a straight route arranged in a work area of ​​a field and a turning route that connects the straight routes. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4948098 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-211734 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Here, due to various circumstances such as the shape of the field and the operator's requests, both a travel route that does not include a turn and a travel route that includes a turn may be created for the same field. Also, if the positions of these travel routes (specifically, the positions of the straight routes) do not match, the positions of the travel routes must be adjusted. Furthermore, since these travel routes are created for the same field, it is desirable that they be managed efficiently.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its main purpose is to provide a configuration that eliminates the need to adjust the positions of multiple travel routes even when multiple travel routes are set for the same field, and that can efficiently manage multiple travel routes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A work vehicle system according to one aspect of the present invention includes a travel path creation unit and a selection unit. The travel path creation unit is configured to create a plurality of linear paths spaced apart as travel paths for the work vehicle to travel in a field. The selection unit selects, as the travel mode of the work vehicle, one of a first mode in which the work vehicle automatically turns between two of the linear paths, and a second mode in which the work vehicle automatically travels based on the linear paths and manually turns between the two linear paths in response to an operator's operation.

[0007] An automatic driving method according to one embodiment includes creating a plurality of straight paths spaced apart as driving paths for driving a work vehicle in a farm field, and selecting, as a driving mode for the work vehicle, either a first mode in which the work vehicle automatically turns between two of the straight paths, or a second mode in which the work vehicle automatically drives based on the straight paths and manually turns between the two straight paths in response to an operator's operation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] A side view of a rice transplanter provided in an area registration system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Plan view of the rice transplanter. [Figure 3] Block diagram of a rice transplanter and a wireless communication terminal. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a process of creating a first travel route and a second travel route from one another. [Figure 7]10 is a flowchart showing the processing performed when creating a first travel route. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing the processing performed when creating a second driving route. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the shape of a field in which work is expected to be carried out by switching between a first travel path and a second travel path. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart showing processing related to autonomous driving. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing screens displayed on the wireless communication terminal before and after switching modes. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a side view of a rice transplanter 1 used in a farm field work system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the rice transplanter 1. Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the rice transplanter 1 and a wireless communication terminal 7.

[0010] The autonomous driving system 100 of this embodiment uses a rice transplanter 1 as a work vehicle that works in a field, and an operator gives instructions using a wireless communication terminal 7 or the like, causing the rice transplanter 1 to autonomously travel and perform work (planting seedlings). Note that the field operating machine in the present invention is not limited to the rice transplanter 1, and for example, a seed drill, a tractor, a combine harvester, etc. can also be used.

[0011] Autonomous driving means that the control unit provided in the rice transplanter 1 controls devices related to driving, and at least steering is performed autonomously to follow a predetermined route. In addition to steering, the rice transplanter may also be configured to perform autonomous control of vehicle speed or work by a work machine. Autonomous driving includes cases where a person is riding on the rice transplanter 1 and cases where a person is not riding on the rice transplanter 1.

[0012] 1 and 2, the rice transplanter 1 includes a vehicle body 11, front wheels 12, rear wheels 13, and a planting unit 14. The front wheels 12 and rear wheels 13 are provided in pairs on the left and right sides of the vehicle body 11.

[0013] The vehicle body 11 includes a hood 21. The hood 21 is provided at the front of the vehicle body 11. An engine 22 is provided inside the hood 21.

[0014] The power generated by the engine 22 is transmitted to the front wheels 12 and rear wheels 13 via a transmission case 23. This power is also transmitted to the planting section 14 via the transmission case 23 and a PTO shaft 24 disposed at the rear of the vehicle body section 11.

[0015] The vehicle body 11 further includes a driver's seat 25 and a plurality of operating members. An operator can sit in the driver's seat 25. The driver's seat 25 is disposed between the front wheels 12 and the rear wheels 13 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 11. The plurality of operating members include a steering handle 26, a speed change operation pedal 27, and a planting clutch lever 30.

[0016] The rice transplanter 1 can be steered by operating the steering handle 26. The traveling speed (vehicle speed) of the rice transplanter 1 can be adjusted by operating the speed change pedal 27. By operating the planting clutch lever 30, it is possible to switch between a transmission state in which the planting clutch transmits power to the PTO shaft 24 (i.e., the planting unit 14) and a disconnection state in which the planting clutch does not transmit power to the PTO shaft 24 (i.e., the planting unit 14).

[0017] The planting unit 14 is located behind the vehicle body 11. The planting unit 14 is connected to the vehicle body 11 via a lifting link mechanism 31. The lifting link mechanism 31 is composed of a parallel link including a top link 31a and a lower link 31b.

[0018] In the lifting link mechanism 31, a lifting cylinder 32 of a lifting device is connected to the lower link 31b. The lifting device can raise and lower the planting unit 14 up and down relative to the vehicle body 11 by extending and retracting the lifting cylinder 32. In this embodiment, the lifting cylinder 32 is a hydraulic cylinder, but it may also be an electric cylinder. The lifting device may also raise and lower the planting unit 14 using an actuator other than a cylinder.

[0019] The planting section 14 includes a planting input case section 33, a plurality of planting units 34, a seedling carrier 35, a plurality of floats 36, and a spare seedling carrier 37. The planting section 14 sequentially supplies seedlings from the seedling carrier 35 to each planting unit 34, allowing for continuous planting of seedlings.

[0020] Each planting unit 34 has a planting transmission case 41 and a rotating case 42. Power is transmitted to the planting transmission case 41 via the PTO shaft 24 and the planting input case 33.

[0021] The rotating case 42 is rotatably attached to the planting transmission case 41. The rotating case 42 is arranged on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the planting transmission case 41. Two planting claws 43 are attached to one side of each rotating case 42.

[0022] The two planting claws 43 are aligned in the traveling direction of the rice transplanter 1. The two planting claws 43 are displaced with the rotation of the rotating case part 42. As the two planting claws 43 are displaced, one row of seedlings is planted.

[0023] The seedling carrier 35 is located above and in front of the planting units 34. A seedling mat can be placed on the seedling carrier 35. The seedling carrier 35 is configured to supply the seedlings in the seedling mat placed on the seedling carrier 35 to each planting unit 34.

[0024] Specifically, the seedling carrier 35 is configured to be able to move laterally (slide laterally) back and forth in the width direction of the vehicle. Also, the seedling carrier 35 is configured to be able to intermittently transport the seedling mat vertically downward at the end of the reciprocating movement of the seedling carrier 35.

[0025] The float 36 is provided swingably at the bottom of the planting unit 14. The bottom surface of the float 36 can be brought into contact with the surface of the field in order to stabilize the planting posture of the planting unit 14 relative to the surface of the field.

[0026] A pair of spare seedling trays 37 are provided on the left and right sides of the vehicle body 11. The spare seedling trays 37 are arranged on the outer side of the hood 21 in the vehicle width direction. The spare seedling trays 37 can carry seedling boxes containing spare mat seedlings.

[0027] The upper parts of the pair of left and right spare seedling trays 37 are connected by a connecting frame 28 that extends vertically and in the vehicle width direction. A housing 29 is provided in the center of the connecting frame 28 in the vehicle width direction. Inside the housing 29, a positioning antenna 61, an inertial measurement unit 62, and a communication antenna 63 are provided.

[0028] The positioning antenna 61 can receive radio waves from positioning satellites that make up the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). Based on these radio waves, known positioning calculations are performed, allowing the position of the rice transplanter 1 to be obtained.

[0029] The inertial measurement device 62 has three gyro sensors (angular velocity sensors) and three acceleration sensors. The angular velocity and acceleration of the rice transplanter 1 detected by the inertial measurement device 62 are used as auxiliary sensors, thereby improving the accuracy of the positioning results of the rice transplanter 1.

[0030] The communication antenna 63 is an antenna for performing wireless communication with the wireless communication terminal 7 shown in FIG.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 50 includes a calculation unit, a storage device, an input / output unit, and the like (not shown). The storage device stores various programs, data, and the like. The calculation unit can read and execute various programs from the storage device. The above hardware and software work together to cause the control unit 50 to operate as a travel control unit 51 and a work implement control unit 52. The control unit 50 may be a single piece of hardware, or multiple pieces of hardware that can communicate with each other. In addition to the above-mentioned inertial measurement unit 62, the control unit 50 is also connected to a position acquisition unit 64, a communication processing unit 65, a vehicle speed sensor 66, a steering angle sensor 67, and a planting clutch sensor 68.

[0032] The position acquisition unit 64 is electrically connected to the positioning antenna 61. The position acquisition unit 64 acquires the position of the rice transplanter 1 as, for example, latitude and longitude information from the positioning signal received by the positioning antenna 61. The position acquisition unit 64 receives the positioning signal from a reference station (not shown) using an appropriate method and then performs positioning using the well-known GNSS-RTK method. However, instead of this, positioning using, for example, differential GNSS, or standalone positioning, etc. may be performed. Alternatively, position acquisition based on the radio wave strength of a wireless LAN or the like, or position acquisition using inertial navigation, etc. may be performed.

[0033] The communication processing unit 65 is electrically connected to the communication antenna 63. The communication processing unit 65 can transmit and receive data to and from the wireless communication terminal 7 by performing modulation processing or demodulation processing using an appropriate method.

[0034] The vehicle speed sensor 66 can detect the vehicle speed of the rice transplanter 1. The vehicle speed sensor 66 is provided at an appropriate position on the rice transplanter 1, for example, on the axle of the front wheels 12. In this case, the vehicle speed sensor 66 generates pulses according to the rotation of the axle of the front wheels 12. The data of the detection results obtained by the vehicle speed sensor 66 is output to the control unit 50.

[0035] The steering angle sensor 67 can detect the steering angle of the front wheels 12. The steering angle sensor 67 is provided at an appropriate position on the rice transplanter 1, for example, on a kingpin (not shown) provided on the front wheels 12. The steering angle sensor 67 may also be provided on the steering handle 26. Data on the detection results obtained by the steering angle sensor 67 is output to the control unit 50.

[0036] The planting clutch sensor 68 is a sensor that detects the operating position of the planting clutch lever 30. The detection result of the planting clutch sensor 68 is output to the control unit 50. The control unit 50 can determine whether planting work is being performed based on the detection result of the planting clutch sensor 68. The detection result data obtained by the planting clutch sensor 68 is output to the control unit 50.

[0037] The travel control unit 51 can perform automatic control regarding the travel of the rice transplanter 1. For example, the travel control unit 51 can perform vehicle speed control and steering control. The travel control unit 51 may perform both vehicle speed control and steering control simultaneously, or may perform steering control only. In the latter case, the operator operates the vehicle speed of the rice transplanter 1 using the speed change operation pedal 27.

[0038] In the vehicle speed control, the vehicle speed of the rice transplanter 1 is adjusted based on predetermined conditions. Specifically, the travel control unit 51 controls the current vehicle speed obtained from the detection results of the vehicle speed sensor 66 to approach the target vehicle speed. This control is realized by changing at least one of the gear ratio of the transmission in the transmission case 23 and the rotation speed of the engine 22. Note that this vehicle speed control also includes control to reduce the vehicle speed to zero so that the rice transplanter 1 stops.

[0039] Steering control is a control that adjusts the steering angle of the rice transplanter 1 based on predetermined conditions. Specifically, the steering control is performed by the travel control unit 51 to bring the current steering angle obtained from the detection result of the steering angle sensor 67 closer to the target steering angle. This control is realized, for example, by driving a steering actuator provided on the rotation shaft of the steering wheel 26. Note that with regard to steering control, the travel control unit 51 may directly adjust the steering angle of the front wheels 12 of the rice transplanter 1 instead of the rotation angle of the steering wheel 26.

[0040] The work machine control unit 52 can control the operation of the planting unit 14 (lifting and lowering operation, planting work, etc.) based on predetermined conditions.

[0041] The wireless communication terminal 7 is a tablet terminal and includes a communication antenna 71, a communication processing unit 72, a display unit 73, an operation unit 74, and a control unit 80. The wireless communication terminal 7 is not limited to a tablet terminal, and may be a smartphone or a laptop. The wireless communication terminal 7 performs various processes related to the autonomous traveling of the rice transplanter 1, as described below, but at least some of these processes can also be performed by the control unit 50 of the rice transplanter 1. Conversely, at least some of the various processes related to the autonomous traveling performed by the control unit 50 of the rice transplanter 1 can also be performed by the wireless communication terminal 7.

[0042] The communication antenna 71 includes a short-range communication antenna for wireless communication with the rice transplanter 1, and a mobile communication antenna for communication using a mobile phone line and the Internet. The communication processing unit 72 is electrically connected to the communication antenna 71. The communication processing unit 72 can perform modulation or demodulation processing using an appropriate method to send and receive data to and from the wireless communication terminal 7 or other devices. Therefore, for example, part of the information stored in the control unit 50 or the control unit 80 can also be stored in an external server.

[0043] The display unit 73 is a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, or the like, and is configured to be able to display images. The display unit 73 can display, for example, information regarding autonomous driving, information regarding the settings of the rice transplanter 1, detection results of various sensors, and warning information. The operation unit 74 includes a touch panel and hardware keys. The touch panel is placed on top of the display unit 73, and is capable of detecting operations by the operator's fingers, etc. The hardware keys are placed on the side of the housing of the wireless communication terminal 7 or around the display unit 73, etc., and can be operated by the operator pressing them. Note that the wireless communication terminal 7 may be configured to have only either a touch panel or hardware keys.

[0044] The control unit 80 includes an arithmetic unit, a storage device, an input / output unit, and the like, which are not shown. The storage device stores various programs, data, and the like. The arithmetic unit can read out and execute various programs from the storage device. Through cooperation between the above hardware and software, the control unit 80 can operate as a storage unit 81, a first driving route creation unit 82, a second driving route creation unit 83, an interlocking route creation unit 84, a display control unit 85, and a route selection unit 86. The processing performed by each unit of the control unit 80 will be described later.

[0045] Next, the field and the travel route for autonomous travel will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. The field includes a work area and a headland area. The work area is located in the center of the field and is an area for carrying out work. The headland area is located outside the work area and is an area used for carrying out work appropriately in the work area. For example, the headland area is used to move the rice transplanter 1 that has entered the field to a start position for work in the work area. Furthermore, the headland area is also used as an area for turning the rice transplanter 1.

[0046] The position and shape of the field are created based on the transition of position information when the rice transplanter 1 is driven along the perimeter of the field. The position and shape of the field may also be created by the user specifying an area on a map displayed on the display unit 73, for example, without actually driving the rice transplanter 1. In addition, in this embodiment, information about the field is stored in the wireless communication terminal 7, but it may also be stored in the server described above. In this case, the wireless communication terminal 7 acquires information about the field from the server.

[0047] In this embodiment, a first travel path 91 and a second travel path 92 are created as travel paths for autonomously traveling the rice transplanter 1. Hereinafter, the first travel path 91 and the second travel path 92 may be collectively referred to as "travel paths." First, the first travel path 91 will be described. The first travel path 91 is created by the first travel path creation unit 82 or the interlocking path creation unit 84. As shown in FIG. 4, the first travel path 91 is configured to include a plurality of first straight paths 91a and a plurality of turning paths 91b. In addition, a start position (S in FIG. 4) and an end position (G in FIG. 4) are set for the first travel path 91.

[0048] The first straight path 91a is a straight path and is parallel to, for example, one side (e.g., a short side) of the outline of the field or work area. The first straight path 91a is created so as to fit within the field. In this embodiment, the first straight path 91a may be created so as to fit within the work area, or may be created so as to slightly extend beyond the work area. Since the first straight path 91a is a path along which the rice transplanter 1 moves linearly through the work area, it is created so that at least a portion of the first straight path 91a overlaps with the work area. The placement interval of the first straight path 91a is determined based on, for example, the work width, the overlap length (the length indicating the degree to which adjacent work areas overlap in the vehicle width direction), and the work interval (the length indicating the amount of space between adjacent work areas in the vehicle width direction).

[0049] The turning path 91b is a path that connects the first straight paths 91a to each other. In the present embodiment, the turning path 91b connects adjacent first straight paths 91a to each other, but it may also connect first straight paths 91a that are further apart. Furthermore, the turning path 91b in the present embodiment is a path that causes the rice transplanter 1 to make a 180-degree turn, thereby causing the rice transplanter 1 to turn around and reach the next first straight path 91a. Alternatively, the turning path 91b may be a path that causes the rice transplanter 1 to make a 90-degree turn, then move backward, and then move forward and make another 90-degree turn, thereby causing the rice transplanter 1 to turn around and reach the next first straight path 91a (a path that performs a so-called fishtail turn). In this way, the first travel path creation unit 82 creates the first travel path 91 based on the start position, the end position, the position of the field, the position of the work area, the arrangement interval of the first straight paths 91a, and the turning method. At least one of these conditions may be omitted, or other conditions may be added.

[0050] Next, the second travel path 92 will be described. The second travel path 92 is created by the second travel path creation unit 83 or the interlocking path creation unit 84. As shown in FIG. 5, the second travel path 92 is made up of a plurality of second straight paths 92a. The second travel path 92 is a path intended for autonomous travel only on straight sections. Turning is performed manually (by operating the steering wheel 26) at the timing intended by the operator. Furthermore, no start or end position is set for the second travel path 92. Hereinafter, the first straight path 91a and the second straight path 92a may be collectively referred to simply as the "straight path."

[0051] The second straight path 92a is a straight path and, like the first straight path 91a, is parallel to, for example, one side (e.g., short side) of the outline of the field or work area. The second straight path 92a in this embodiment is created so as to extend beyond the field, but may be created only within the field. The spacing between the second straight paths 92a is determined based on the same criteria as the first straight path 91a. The number of second straight paths 92a created is not particularly limited. The second straight path 92a in this embodiment is also created in positions that do not overlap the field at all, but may be created only in positions that overlap the field. The second travel path creation unit 83 creates a line segment by, for example, connecting two positions specified by the operator, and then extends the line segment and arranges it at the above-mentioned spacing to create the second travel path 92.

[0052] The interlocking path creation unit 84 has a first interlocking function of creating a second travel path 92 in conjunction with the creation of a first travel path 91 by the first travel path creation unit 82. Furthermore, the interlocking path creation unit 84 has a second interlocking function of creating a first travel path 91 in conjunction with the creation of a second travel path 92 by the second travel path creation unit 83. The first interlocking function and the second interlocking function are configured to be able to be enabled / disabled individually.

[0053] First, the first interlocking function will be described. When the first interlocking function is enabled, the interlocking path creation unit 84 extracts one first straight path 91a from the first travel path 91, as shown in FIG. 6 (the central diagram in FIG. 5). In this embodiment, one first straight path 91a including the start position is extracted, but other first straight paths 91a may also be extracted. Next, the interlocking path creation unit 84 extends the extracted first straight path 91a to create a second straight path 92a.

[0054] Finally, the interlocking path creation unit 84 further creates a second straight path 92a at the same spacing as the first straight path 91a. In this way, the interlocking path creation unit 84 creates the second traveling path 92. By creating the second traveling path 92 in this manner, the first straight path 91a and the second straight path 92a overlap (the positions of the straight paths match).

[0055] The length of the second straight path 92a may be a fixed value or may be a value determined depending on the size of the corresponding field. Furthermore, the number of second straight paths 92a to be arranged may be a fixed value or may be a value determined depending on the size of the corresponding field.

[0056] Next, the second interlocking function will be described. When the second interlocking function is enabled, the interlocking path creation unit 84 extracts, from the second straight path 92a of the second travel path 92, the path that overlaps with the work area and is located at the extreme edge, as shown in FIG. 5. Then, the interlocking path creation unit 84 creates the first straight path 91a by adjusting (shortening) the length of the second straight path 92a based on the size of the work area (center diagram in FIG. 5). Note that if the field, work area, etc. are not registered, the second travel path 92 cannot be created. Therefore, the interlocking path creation unit 84 displays this information on the display unit 73.

[0057] Next, the interlocking path creation unit 84 arranges the first straight path 91a in a range overlapping with the work area at the same arrangement interval as the second straight path 92a. Finally, the interlocking path creation unit 84 creates a turning path 91b based on the start position, end position, turning method, etc. Note that if these conditions are set in advance, the interlocking path creation unit 84 uses those settings. If a necessary condition is missing, the interlocking path creation unit 84 displays a screen to prompt the operator to input the necessary condition.

[0058] The method of creating a travel route using the first interlocking function and the second interlocking function is one example, and a travel route may be created using a method different from the above.

[0059] Next, the flow of operations performed by the first travel route creation unit 82, the second travel route creation unit 83, and the linked route creation unit 84 to create travel routes will be briefly described with reference to Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing performed when creating the first travel route 91. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the processing performed when creating the second travel route 92.

[0060] When an instruction to create a first travel path is received from the operator (S101), the first travel path 91 is created using the method described above (S102). Next, the interlocking path creation unit 84 determines whether the first interlocking function is enabled or disabled (S103). If the first interlocking function is disabled, the memory unit 81 stores the first travel path 91 created by the first travel path creation unit 82 in association with the field (S104). "Storing in association with the field" means, for example, storing the field identification information and the travel path identification information in association with each other. If the first interlocking function is enabled, the interlocking path creation unit 84 creates the second travel path 92 using the first travel path 91 as described above (S105). Next, both the first travel path 91 and the second travel path 92 are associated with the field and stored in the memory unit 81 (S106).

[0061] In this embodiment, the first interlocking function is configured to be enabled / disabled in advance. Alternatively or additionally, the first interlocking function may be enabled / disabled when creating the first travel route. For example, a check box indicating that the second travel route is to be created at the same time may be provided on the screen for creating the first travel route. When the operator checks this check box, the first interlocking function is enabled. Furthermore, the fact that the second travel route 92 has been created in conjunction with the first travel route 91 may or may not be displayed on the display unit 73.

[0062] Figure 8 shows the process when an instruction to create a second travel route 92 is issued, in contrast to Figure 7. The processes from S201 to S206 in Figure 8 correspond to the processes from S101 to S106 in Figure 7, with only the first and second steps swapped, so a description thereof will be omitted. Also, the modified examples relating to the first interlocking function can also be applied to the second interlocking function.

[0063] Next, switching of travel routes will be described with reference to Fig. 9 to Fig. 11. First, an example of a situation in which it becomes necessary to switch travel routes will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the shape of a farm field in which work is expected to be carried out by switching between a first travel route 91 and a second travel route 92.

[0064] The field shown in FIG. 9 is trapezoidal, and the work area is also trapezoidal. In the example shown in FIG. 9, the right-side contour of the work area is inclined relative to the left-side contour. In addition, a first straight path 91a is created that is parallel to the left side of the work area. Therefore, near the right edge of the work area, the first straight path 91a intersects with the right-side contour (hypotenuse) of the work area. As a result, the angle between the path and the work area is significantly different from 90 degrees. In addition, the first travel path 91 approaches the edge of the field. For this reason, the portion indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 9 may not be set as a route for autonomous travel. Therefore, the portion indicated by the two-dot chain line is traveled using the second travel path 92.

[0065] Even if the shape of the field and the work area is not trapezoidal, it may be necessary to switch between the first travel path 91 and the second travel path 92. Here, the first travel path 91 creates a turning path 91b in a position with sufficient clearance to ensure the rice transplanter 1 turns (for example, at the edge of the field or a position sufficiently far from obstacles, etc.). Therefore, for example, when the first travel path 91 is created in a situation where there is an obstacle in the field, the range in which work can be performed may be narrowed. Therefore, it may be preferable for the operator to manually turn the rice transplanter 1 using the second travel path 92 only for the portion where the obstacle needs to be detoured or avoided.

[0066] Furthermore, in the past, even when the first travel path 91 and the second travel path 92 were created, the two travel paths were managed separately. Therefore, in order to switch the travel path, after autonomous travel using the first travel path 91 was completed, the operator had to display a screen such as a list of routes and search for and select the second travel path 92. Furthermore, because the first travel path 91 and the second travel path 92 were created separately, the positions of the first straight path 91a and the second straight path 92a usually did not match. To prevent duplicate work and work omissions, it was necessary to align the positions of the first straight path 91a and the second straight path 92a. Therefore, route adjustment work was also required.

[0067] Next, with reference to Fig. 10 and Fig. 11, a process flow for switching driving routes and performing work using the autonomous driving system 100 of this embodiment will be described. Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing the process related to autonomous driving. Fig. 11 is a diagram showing screens displayed on the wireless communication terminal 7 before and after switching modes. In the following, performing work using the first driving route 91 will be referred to as the first mode, and performing work using the second driving route 92 will be referred to as the second mode.

[0068] First, the operator operates the operation unit 74 to give an instruction to start autonomous driving. When the control unit 80 receives an instruction for autonomous driving from the operator (S301), it displays a screen on the display unit 73 that prompts the operator to select whether to perform the work in the first mode or the second mode (S302). In this embodiment, the configuration prompts the operator to select from buttons labeled first mode, second mode, etc., but a configuration may also be adopted in which a route is displayed and the operator is prompted to make a selection.

[0069] Next, the control unit 80 (route selection unit 86) selects a travel route according to the mode selected by the operator (S303). That is, the control unit 80 (route selection unit 86) selects the first travel route 91 when the operator selects the first mode, and selects the second travel route 92 when the operator selects the second mode. The control unit 80 causes the rice transplanter 1 to start autonomous travel by transmitting to the rice transplanter 1 an instruction to start autonomous travel and the selected route, etc. (S304).

[0070] After the autonomous traveling starts, the control unit 80 determines whether or not the mode switching conditions are satisfied (S305). The mode switching conditions are conditions under which switching between the first mode and the second mode can be executed. The mode switching conditions include, for example, that the rice transplanter 1 is not traveling autonomously, that the rice transplanter 1 and the wireless communication terminal 7 are able to communicate, that two or more traveling routes for the same field are stored in association with each other, and that no abnormalities have occurred.

[0071] If the control unit 80 determines that the mode switching conditions are satisfied, it enables the mode switching button shown in FIG. 11 (S306). For example, if the mode switching conditions are not satisfied, the mode switching button is grayed out and inoperable, and if the mode switching conditions are satisfied, the mode switching button becomes operable. Alternatively, the mode switching button may be configured to be displayed only when the mode switching conditions are satisfied. Furthermore, the mode switching button may be displayed on a top screen related to autonomous driving, or on a settings screen that is displayed when a predetermined button is pressed.

[0072] The control unit 80 determines whether or not there is an instruction to change the mode (i.e., whether or not the operator has operated the mode switching button) (S307). If the control unit 80 determines that there is an instruction to change the mode, it performs the process of step S303 again. That is, the changed driving route is selected by the route selection unit 86, and autonomous driving begins.

[0073] In this way, by using the mode switching button, the mode can be changed with a simple operation. In particular, in this embodiment, two travel routes are stored in association with each other, so other travel routes associated with the same field can be automatically detected. This eliminates the need for the operator to select a relevant travel route from a list of travel routes. Furthermore, since two travel routes are stored in association with the same field, for example, when a field is deleted, the two associated travel routes can also be deleted at the same time. Furthermore, since the travel routes created for a certain field can be displayed together, it is easy to check the travel routes.

[0074] Next, the travel history will be described with reference to Fig. 11. The travel history indicates the area where the rice transplanter 1 traveled along the travel route. In this embodiment, the area where the rice transplanter 1 traveled and where work was performed is managed as the work history. Therefore, the work history is a type of travel history. Whether or not work was performed is determined based on the operation of the work machine (for example, the operating state of the planting clutch).

[0075] Conventionally, the work history when traveling along the first travel path 91 and the work history when traveling along the second travel path 92 were managed separately. However, since both are work performed in the same field, it is preferable to manage them together. In particular, the rice transplanter 1 may calculate the remaining work area from the work history and calculate and prepare the required amount of seedling mats. Therefore, conventionally, it was necessary to compare the work history of the first travel path 91 with the work history of the second travel path 92 to calculate the required amount of seedling mats, which was a significant effort for the operator.

[0076] In contrast, in this embodiment, the work history of both can be managed in a unified manner. Furthermore, the control unit 80 (display control unit 85) can superimpose the travel route during travel and the work history on the display unit 73. The upper diagram in FIG. 11 shows the work history before switching the travel route (during autonomous travel using the first travel route 91). The shaded area represents the work history. The lower diagram in FIG. 11 shows the work history after switching the travel route (during autonomous travel using the second travel route 92). As shown in the lower diagram in FIG. 11, even after switching the travel route, the work history before switching the travel route is displayed on the display unit 73 by the display control unit 85. In this way, in this embodiment, the work history is carried over even when the travel route is switched, allowing the work history to be managed appropriately. Therefore, for example, the required amount of seedling mats can be easily calculated.

[0077] In this embodiment, the work history is stored in association with the field, not with the travel route. Therefore, for example, when a process for deleting the work history is performed, the deletion of the work history is reflected regardless of whether the autonomous travel route is the first travel route 91 or the second travel route 92.

[0078] As described above, the autonomous traveling system 100 of this embodiment includes a first traveling path creation unit 82, a second traveling path creation unit 83, an interlocking path creation unit 84, a memory unit 81, a path selection unit 86, and a traveling control unit 51. The first traveling path creation unit 82 is a traveling path for traveling the rice transplanter 1 in the field, and is capable of creating a first traveling path 91 including a plurality of first straight paths 91a arranged at intervals so as to fit within the field, and a turning path 91b connecting the first straight paths 91a. The second traveling path creation unit 83 is a traveling path for traveling the rice transplanter 1 in the field, and is capable of creating a second traveling path 92 consisting of a plurality of second straight paths 92a arranged at intervals. The interlocking path creation unit 84 has at least one of a function of creating a second travel path 92 by creating a second straight path 92a, at least a portion of which overlaps with the first straight path 91a, in conjunction with the creation of the first travel path 91 by the first travel path creation unit 82, and a function of creating a first travel path 91 including the first straight path 91a, which overlaps with the second straight path 92a, in conjunction with the creation of the second travel path 92 by the second travel path creation unit 83. The memory unit 81 associates and stores the travel path created by the first travel path creation unit 82 or the second travel path creation unit 83 with the travel path created by the interlocking path creation unit 84. The path selection unit 86 alternatively selects the first travel path 91 or the second travel path 92 in accordance with an input instruction. The travel control unit 51 causes the rice transplanter 1 to travel autonomously along at least a portion of the travel path selected by the path selection unit 86.

[0079] As a result, the positions of the straight-line paths of the two travel routes are aligned, eliminating the need to adjust the positions of the travel routes. Furthermore, the two travel routes created in conjunction with each other are associated, making it easier to manage these travel routes and apply them to work vehicles. Furthermore, when one travel route is created, the other is automatically created, reducing the effort required to create the travel routes.

[0080] In addition, in the autonomous driving system 100 of this embodiment, the process in which the linked path creation unit 84 creates the second driving path 92 in conjunction with the creation of the first driving path 91 by the first driving path creation unit 82 includes a process in which the first straight path 91a of the first driving path 91 is extended to form the second straight path 92a.

[0081] This allows the second travel route 92 to be created from the first travel route 91 through simple processing. In particular, if there is information necessary to create the first travel route 91, the second travel route 92 can be created, so the second travel route 92 can be created automatically without requiring the user to enter additional information, etc.

[0082] The autonomous driving system 100 of this embodiment also includes a display unit 73 and a display control unit 85. The display unit 73 displays the driving route currently selected by the route selection unit 86 and the driving history of the rice transplanter 1. When the driving route selected by the route selection unit 86 is switched, the display control unit 85 displays the driving history before and after the switch together on the display unit.

[0083] This makes it possible to easily grasp the travel history of the entire field even when the travel route is switched.

[0084] The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the above configuration can be modified, for example, as follows.

[0085] In the above embodiment, the interlocking path creation unit 84 has both the first interlocking function and the second interlocking function, but it may be configured to have only one of the functions.

[0086] In the above embodiment, the driving history before the route change and the driving history after the route change are displayed in the same manner without distinction, but they may be displayed in different colors, for example.

[0087] <Notes on the invention> According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an autonomous driving system having the following configuration. Specifically, the autonomous driving system includes a first driving path creation unit, a second driving path creation unit, an interlocking path creation unit, a memory unit, a route selection unit, and a driving control unit. The first driving path creation unit is a driving path for a work vehicle to travel in a field, and is capable of creating a first driving path including a plurality of first straight paths that are spaced apart to fit within the field, and a turning path that connects the first straight paths. The second driving path creation unit is a driving path for a work vehicle to travel in a field, and is capable of creating a second driving path consisting of a plurality of second straight paths that are spaced apart. The interlocking path creation unit has at least one of a function of creating the second driving path by creating the second straight path, at least a portion of which overlaps with the first straight path, in conjunction with the creation of the first driving path by the first driving path creation unit, and a function of creating the first driving path including the first straight path that overlaps with the second straight path, in conjunction with the creation of the second driving path by the second driving path creation unit. The storage unit stores the travel route created by the first travel route creation unit or the second travel route creation unit in association with the travel route created by the interlocking route creation unit. The route selection unit alternatively selects the first travel route or the second travel route in response to an input instruction. The travel control unit causes the work vehicle to autonomously travel along at least a portion of the travel route selected by the route selection unit.

[0088] As a result, the positions of the straight-line paths of the two travel routes are aligned, eliminating the need to adjust the positions of the travel routes. Furthermore, the two travel routes created in conjunction with each other are associated, making it easier to manage these travel routes and apply them to work vehicles. Furthermore, when one travel route is created, the other is automatically created, reducing the effort required to create the travel routes.

[0089] In the above-mentioned autonomous driving system, it is preferable that the process in which the linked path creation unit creates the second driving path in conjunction with the creation of the first driving path by the first driving path creation unit includes a process in which the first straight path of the first driving path is extended to form the second straight path.

[0090] This allows the second driving route to be created from the first driving route through simple processing. In particular, if the information required to create the first driving route is available, the second driving route can be created automatically without requiring the user to enter additional information.

[0091] The autonomous driving system preferably has the following configuration. That is, the autonomous driving system includes a display unit and a display control unit. The display unit displays the driving route currently selected by the route selection unit and the driving history of the work vehicle. When the driving route selected by the route selection unit is switched, the display control unit displays the driving history before and after the switch together on the display unit.

[0092] This makes it possible to easily grasp the travel history of the entire field even when the travel route is switched.

[0093] A work vehicle system according to one aspect of the present invention includes a travel path creation unit and a selection unit. The travel path creation unit is configured to create a plurality of linear paths spaced apart as travel paths for the work vehicle to travel in a field. The selection unit selects, as a travel mode of the work vehicle between the two linear paths, either a first mode in which the work vehicle turns automatically or a second mode in which the work vehicle turns manually in response to an operator's operation.

[0094] An automated driving system according to one embodiment includes a control unit and a display control unit. The control unit is capable of switching between a first mode in which a work vehicle is automatically driven along a first driving path that includes a straight path and a turning path, and a second mode in which the work vehicle is automatically driven along a second driving path that is composed only of a straight path. The display control unit causes the display unit to display at least one of a work history of work performed by the work vehicle in the first mode and a work history of work performed by the work vehicle in the second mode.

[0095] An automatic driving method according to one embodiment includes switching between a first mode in which a work vehicle is automatically driven along a first driving path that includes a straight path and a turning path, and a second mode in which the work vehicle is automatically driven along a second driving path that is composed only of a straight path, and displaying on a display unit at least one of a work history of work performed by the work vehicle in the first mode and a work history of work performed by the work vehicle in the second mode. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 1 Rice transplanter (work vehicle) 50 control section 51 Travel control unit 80 Control Unit 100 Autonomous Driving System

Claims

1. a travel path creation unit capable of creating a plurality of linear paths arranged at intervals as travel paths for a work vehicle to travel in a farm field; a selection unit that selects, as a travel mode of the work vehicle, one of a first mode in which the work vehicle automatically turns between the two straight paths, and a second mode in which the work vehicle automatically travels based on the straight paths and manually turns between the two straight paths in response to an operation by an operator; A system for a work vehicle comprising:

2. the travel route creation unit creates the straight-line route based on a line created by connecting two specified positions; The work vehicle system of claim 1 .

3. the selection unit selects either the first mode or the second mode in response to an operation by an operator. The work vehicle system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. When the first mode is selected, the work vehicle is caused to turn using a preset turning method. The system for a work vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. the travel path creation unit creates a turning path for causing the work vehicle to turn based on the straight-line path when the first mode is selected. The system for a work vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. Creating a plurality of linear paths arranged at intervals as travel paths for a work vehicle to travel in a farm field; Selecting, as a travel mode of the work vehicle, either a first mode in which the work vehicle automatically turns between the two straight paths, or a second mode in which the work vehicle automatically travels based on the straight paths and manually turns between the two straight paths in response to an operation by an operator; An automatic driving method having the above construction.

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