Automatic operation device for crane

Abstract

To provide an automatic operation device for a crane, which can increase the accuracy of a control parameter for an automatic crane operation.SOLUTION: An automatic operation device 100 for a crane 1 comprises: a position condition setting unit that sets a moving start point position and a moving end point position; a suspended load condition setting unit that sets a suspended load condition; a weather condition setting unit that sets a weather condition; a crane condition setting unit that sets a crane condition; a suspended load oscillation amount setting unit; a conveying time setting unit; a simulation unit 23 that simulates the movement of a suspended load support of the crane 1, generates a path of the suspended load support, and calculates a control parameter for automatically controlling a drive device of the crane 1; and a crane control unit 25 that automatically controls the drive device of the crane 1 on the basis of the path generated by the simulation unit 23 and the control parameter calculated by the simulation unit 23 to move the suspended load support of the crane 1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an automatic crane operation device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an automatic operation system for tower cranes. This automatic operation system uses a blueprint of the building and coordinates that calculate the transfer time to read the position of the tip of the tower crane's jib and the installation position of the building component (suspended load) on the coordinate system, calculates the positional relationship (distance) between the two, and determines whether to hoist or lower the crane, raise or lower the jib, or rotate the rotor to the right or left, while also calculating the time required to perform these operations, determining the travel speed, and outputting an automatic operation start signal. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-112178 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, in the automatic operation of a tower crane as described in Patent Document 1, the setting of control parameters that control the amount of crane operation is important because it affects safety and accuracy.

[0005] When determining the control parameters for automatic crane operation, it is possible to actually use the crane and adjust the crane operation amount within a range that minimizes load sway (swaying of the suspended load) and overlap, and then calculate the control parameters based on that.

[0006] However, there are many different load weights, and it is necessary to adjust the control parameters for various operations such as hoisting and lowering, swinging, and elevation for each, which is time-consuming. Furthermore, the accuracy of the control parameters can be reduced by external factors such as wind speed at the construction site. On the other hand, if the load is actually lifted without knowing the degree of load sway or overlap, there is a risk that the load may collide with the surrounding area, making it difficult to ensure safety.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an automatic crane operation device that can improve the accuracy of control parameters for automatic crane operation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, a first aspect of the present invention is an automatic crane operation device that automatically controls a driving device of a crane to move a load support part of the crane that can support a load, the automatic operation device including: a position condition setting means that sets a movement start position and a movement end position of the load; a load condition setting means that sets load conditions including the size and load amount of the load; a weather condition setting means that sets weather conditions including wind direction and wind speed; a crane condition setting means that sets crane conditions including deflection information of the crane; a load sway amount setting means that sets a maximum allowable amount of sway of the load; and a transport time setting means that sets a maximum allowable amount of transport time for the load from the movement start position to the movement end position. The system comprises a time setting means, a simulation means that simulates the movement of the load support part of the crane based on the movement start position and the movement end position, the load conditions, the weather conditions, the crane conditions, the maximum allowable amount of swing of the load, and the maximum allowable amount of transport time, creates a path for the load support part, and calculates control parameters for automatically controlling the drive device of the crane, and a crane control means that automatically controls the drive device of the crane based on the path created by the simulation means and the control parameters calculated by the simulation means, to move the load support part of the crane.

[0009] A second aspect of the present invention is an automatic crane operation device of the first aspect described above, comprising a display unit and a display processing means for displaying the results of the simulation of the movement of the load support part performed by the simulation means on the display unit, wherein the simulation means performs the simulation using a three-dimensional model, and the display processing means displays the three-dimensional model and the movement trajectory of the load support part on the display unit.

[0010] A third aspect of the present invention is the automatic crane operation device according to the first aspect or the second aspect, wherein the simulation means calculates the control parameters that minimize the transfer time.

[0011] A fourth aspect of the present invention is the automatic crane operation device according to the first aspect or the second aspect, wherein the simulation means calculates the control parameters that minimize the amount of swing of the suspended load. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an automatic crane operation device that can improve the accuracy of control parameters for automatic crane operation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic overall configuration diagram of a crane that is automatically operated by an automatic crane operation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an automatic crane operation device. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing details of a condition setting unit. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a screen showing a simulation result displayed on a display unit. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart of the processing of the automatic crane operation device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic overall configuration diagram of a crane that is automatically operated by an automatic crane operation device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the automatic crane operation device. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing details of a condition setting unit. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a screen showing simulation results displayed on a display unit. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of processing by the automatic crane operation device.

[0016] An automatic crane driving device 100 (hereinafter simply referred to as "automatic driving device 100") according to one embodiment of the present invention is an automatic driving device 100 that automatically controls the drive device of a crane 1 to move a load support part 2 of the crane 1 that can support a load O. Note that, hereinafter, automatically controlling the drive device of the crane 1 to move the load support part 2 of the crane 1 may be simply referred to as "automatically controlling the crane 1."

[0017] [crane] As shown in Figure 1, the crane 1 of this embodiment is a fixed tower crane that includes a mast 4 that is fixed to a foundation 3 and extends in the vertical direction, a rotating body 5 that is rotatably supported on the upper part of the mast 4, a jib 6 that is supported on the rotating body 5 so that it can be raised and lowered, and a load support part 2 that is suspended from the tip of the jib 6. The mast 4 may be fixed to the building. Furthermore, the crane 1 may be manually operable in addition to automatic control operation, which will be described later.

[0018] The rotating body 5 is rotatably supported on the upper part of the mast 4 via a rotating device (drive device) 7. The rotating body 5 is rotatable about an axis (rotation axis) extending in the vertical direction. The rotating body 5 may also be supported on the mast 4 so as to be able to move up and down in the vertical direction.

[0019] The rotating body 5 is provided with a hoisting winch (drive device) 8 that enables the jib 6 to be raised and lowered, a lifting winch (drive device) 9 that enables the load support part 2 to be raised and lowered, and a support frame 10 that stands up from the rotating body 5.

[0020] A hoisting wire rope 11 is wound around the hoisting winch 8. The hoisting wire rope 11 extends from the hoisting winch 8 via a support frame 10 to the jib 6 and is connected to the tip of the jib 6. By driving the hoisting winch 8, the hoisting wire rope 11 is wound or let out, allowing the jib 6 to be raised or lowered with the base end as a fulcrum.

[0021] A lifting wire rope 12 is wound around the lifting winch 9. The lifting wire rope 12 extends downward from the tip of the jib 6, via the lifting winch 9, support frame 10, and the tip of the jib 6. A load support part 2 is connected to the tip of the lifting wire rope 12. By driving the lifting winch 9, the lifting wire rope 12 is wound or let out, allowing the load support part 2 to move up and down in the vertical direction. The load support part 2 is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of supporting the load O, and may be, for example, a hook block or a bucket.

[0022] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the crane 1 is equipped with various sensors that acquire various state quantities of the crane 1. In this embodiment, the crane 1 includes a slewing angle encoder 13 that acquires the slewing angle of the rotating body 5, a hoisting angle encoder 14 that acquires the hoisting angle of the jib 6, and a lifting position encoder 15 that acquires the lifting position of the load support unit 2. The slewing angle encoder 13 acquires the slewing angle of the rotating body 5 from the rotation speed of the slewing device 7. This allows the slewing angle of the jib 6 to be acquired. The hoisting angle encoder 14 acquires the hoisting angle of the jib 6 from the rotation speed of the hoisting winch 8. The lifting position encoder 15 acquires the lifting position of the load support unit 2 from the rotation speed of the hoisting winch 9. Because the crane 1 is a fixed tower crane, its installation position (latitude, longitude, and altitude) is identified. The height of the mast 4 and the length of the jib 6 are also identified. Therefore, by obtaining a predetermined reference position of the crane 1 (for example, the center position of the rotation axis at the top of the mast 4) and various state quantities of the crane 1, the position (latitude, longitude, altitude) of the tip of the jib 6 at that time can be determined.

[0023] In this embodiment, the various state quantities of the crane 1 are obtained from information from the slewing angle encoder 13, the hoisting angle encoder 14, and the lifting position encoder 15, but this is not limitative and the various state quantities of the crane 1 can be obtained by various methods. For example, the various state quantities of the crane 1 may be obtained by a GPS (Global Positioning System) or a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) provided at the tip of the jib 6 or the load support part 2.

[0024] (Hardware configuration) As shown in Figure 3, the automatic driving device 100 is a device that performs calculations such as a computer, and is equipped with a CPU 31, a RAM 32, a ROM 33, a display unit 34, and a communication unit 35, which are connected so as to be accessible via a bus 36.

[0025] A CPU (Central Processing Unit) 31 is a central processing unit that loads a program stored in a ROM 33 into a RAM 32 and controls various controls and arithmetic processes in accordance with the program.

[0026] The RAM (Random Access Memory) 32 is a volatile memory that temporarily stores various data, calculation results by the CPU 41, and the like.

[0027] The ROM (Read Only Memory) 33 is a non-volatile memory that stores programs and the like (for example, applications and the like compatible with the automatic driving device 100 of this embodiment).

[0028] The display unit 34 is a touch panel display device that can handle various setting inputs. In addition to its display function, the display unit 34 also functions as an input unit that accepts various inputs. Note that the autonomous driving device 100 may also include an input unit separate from the display unit 34.

[0029] The communication unit 35 is a communication interface for controlling communication with an external device, and may be, for example, a network interface. The communication interface may be either wired or wireless.

[0030] [Automatic driving device] 1 and 2, the automatic driving device 100 includes a three-dimensional information acquisition unit (three-dimensional information acquisition means) 21, a condition setting unit (condition setting means) 22, a simulation unit (simulation means) 23, a display processing unit (display processing means) 24, and a crane control unit (crane control means) 25. The CPU 31 of the automatic driving device 100 executes information processing in cooperation with software such as a program stored in the ROM 33, thereby functioning as three-dimensional information acquisition means, condition setting means, simulation means, display processing means, and crane control means. Note that some of the functions of the CPU 31 of the automatic driving device 100 may be extracted and provided in another information processing device, and processing may be executed using multiple information processing devices.

[0031] (3D information acquisition department) The three-dimensional information acquisition unit 21 acquires three-dimensional information from a predetermined storage means for recreating the construction site in the virtual space VS and displaying it in three dimensions on the display unit 34 of the automatic driving device 100. The predetermined storage means for storing this three-dimensional information may be a predetermined storage unit (storage) of the automatic driving device 100, or may be built in a database server. When built in a database server, the database server may be located on a local network, or may be a cloud server that stores data via the Internet.

[0032] The three-dimensional information for recreating a construction site in the virtual space VS and displaying it in three dimensions on the display unit 34 of the autonomous driving device 100 may be, for example, point cloud data of the construction site, a digital twin generated based on the point cloud data of the construction site, or a BIM (Building Information Modeling) model or CIM (Construction Information Modeling) model (hereinafter referred to as a "BIM / CIM model") in which attribute information is added to the digital twin of the construction site. Point cloud data is, for example, data indicating a set of points associated with each of three-dimensional coordinates. A digital twin is, for example, data in which a copy of a physical space is reproduced in a digital space (virtual space) based on information acquired from the physical space. A BIM / CIM model is a three-dimensional model of a building or construction site.

[0033] In this embodiment, the three-dimensional information acquisition unit 21 acquires three-dimensional information representing the state of the construction site according to the current construction progress from a cloud server (not shown) connected via a network. The three-dimensional information stored in the cloud server may be, for example, three-dimensional information obtained from information acquired by a 3D-LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) device installed at the tip of the jib 6 of the crane 1. The 3D-LiDAR acquires information about the construction site, including construction objects around the crane 1, as three-dimensional point cloud data. The point cloud data acquired by the 3D-LiDAR represents the state of the construction site according to the current construction progress. For example, when structural elements such as beams and columns are installed according to the construction progress, the newly installed structural elements such as beams and columns can be detected. The data acquired by the 3D-LiDAR is transmitted to the cloud server via a network.

[0034] If a 3D-LiDAR is installed at the tip of the jib 6 of the crane 1, the 3D point cloud data defined by X, Y, and Z coordinates obtained by the 3D-LiDAR can be converted into latitude, longitude, and altitude based on the position (latitude, longitude, and altitude) of the tip of the jib 6 of the crane 1. This makes it possible to determine the position (latitude, longitude, and altitude) at which a structure appears depending on the progress of construction, and to grasp the state of the construction site (three-dimensional information) according to the progress of construction at that time. Note that a GNSS may be installed on the crane 1 (for example, at the tip of the jib 6) to acquire coordinates that serve as the reference for the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the 3D point cloud data. Furthermore, the method by which the three-dimensional information acquisition unit 21 acquires three-dimensional information representing the state of the construction site is not limited to the above, and various other methods capable of acquiring three-dimensional information representing the state of the construction site according to the progress of construction can be applied.

[0035] (Condition setting section) The condition setting unit 22 sets conditions necessary for a simulation to be executed by the simulation unit 23, which will be described later. The setting method by the condition setting unit 22 may be, for example, direct input from an input unit of the automatic driving device 100 by a crane operator or the like, or input from an external device via communication.

[0036] 4, the condition setting unit 22 includes a plurality of condition setting units. Specifically, the condition setting unit 22 includes a position condition setting unit (position condition setting means) 221, a lifting condition setting unit (lifting condition setting means) 222, a weather condition setting unit (weather condition setting means) 223, a crane condition setting unit (crane condition setting means) 224, a lifting load sway amount setting unit (lifting load sway amount setting means) 225, and a transport time setting unit (transport time setting means) 226.

[0037] (Position condition setting section) The position condition setting unit 221 sets the start position and end position of movement when moving the suspended load O. The start position and end position of movement are set as position information (hereinafter referred to as "suspended load position information"). For example, the position condition setting unit 221 sets the position information of a position specified (input) in a three-dimensional model of a construction site in a virtual space VS (described later) displayed on the display unit 34 as the suspended load position information of the start position and end position of movement.

[0038] The suspended load position information may be any information capable of identifying the position, such as three-dimensional coordinate information (X coordinate, Y coordinate, Z coordinate). Alternatively, if an area ID set for each position or area is associated with the three-dimensional coordinate information of that position or area and stored in advance, the area ID may be used as the suspended load position information. Furthermore, the three-dimensional coordinate information serving as the suspended load position information may be three-dimensional coordinate information (X coordinate, Y coordinate, Z coordinate) representing a pinpoint position, or may be three-dimensional coordinate information (X1-X2 coordinate, Y1-Y2 coordinate, Z1-Z2 coordinate) representing a predetermined range (area). Furthermore, the three-dimensional coordinate information may be information indicating latitude, longitude, and altitude, or may be coordinate information (X coordinate, Y coordinate, Z coordinate) corresponding to a three-dimensional model of a construction site in the virtual space VS, which will be described later.

[0039] (Lifting condition setting section) The lifting condition setting unit 222 sets the lifting conditions including the size of the load O and the amount of lifting load (weight of the load O). When setting the lifting conditions, the lifting condition setting unit 222 may set a value input from the input unit of the automatic driving device 100 (for example, the weight of the load O) as the lifting conditions. Alternatively, if an ID number or the like is associated with each load O in advance and information about the load O (such as the amount of lifting load) can be obtained by knowing the ID number or the like, the lifting condition setting unit 222 may identify a value such as the amount of lifting load of the load O from the ID number or the like input from the input unit of the automatic driving device 100 and set the identified value as the lifting condition. Note that the lifting conditions may include other information (for example, the shape and type of the load O) in addition to the amount of lifting load.

[0040] (Weather condition setting section) The weather condition setting unit 223 sets weather conditions including wind direction and wind speed. The weather condition setting unit 223 may set the wind direction and wind speed input from the input unit of the automatic driving device 100 as the weather conditions. Alternatively, if the crane 1 is equipped with a wind speed sensor capable of measuring wind direction and wind speed, the weather condition setting unit 223 may acquire real-time wind direction and wind speed from the wind speed sensor and set them as the weather conditions. Note that the weather conditions may include other information (e.g., temperature, rain, snow, etc.) in addition to wind direction and wind speed.

[0041] (Crane condition setting section) The crane condition setting unit 224 sets crane conditions including deflection information of the crane 1. When the crane 1 hoists a load O, deflection occurs in the crane 1 due to deflection of the mast 4 and jib 6 and elongation of the hoisting wire rope 11, etc. The deflection information of the crane 1 is information that indicates the relationship between the hoisting angle, the deflection of the crane 1, and the amount of the hoisting load. For example, the deflection information of the crane 1 indicates that when the hoisting angle is 43 degrees and a load of 4 tons is hoisted, the position of the tip of the jib 6 will tilt 1.5 degrees forward (in the direction in which the jib 6 is extended) compared to when no load is hoisted. In addition to the deflection information of the crane 1, the crane conditions may also include other information (e.g., the length of the mast and jib, the crane's capabilities in lever operation (manual operation) (swinging, hoisting, and hoisting capabilities), etc.).

[0042] (Load swing amount setting section) The load sway amount setting unit 225 sets the maximum allowable amount of sway of the load O. When the load O is suspended, the load O sways due to the rotation or elevation of the crane 1, or due to external factors such as wind. The maximum allowable amount of sway of the load O is a value that indicates the extent to which sway is permitted relative to a reference position of the load O in which the load O is stationary while suspended. The maximum allowable amount of sway may be input by numerically inputting the amount of sway (for example, inputting the distance from the reference position), or by selectively inputting the amount of sway from a slider or pull-down list displayed on the display unit 34.

[0043] (Transport time setting section) The transport time setting unit 226 sets the maximum allowable transport time for the load O from the start position of the movement to the end position of the movement. The maximum allowable transport time may be input by inputting a numerical value of the time, or by selecting and inputting the time from a slider S (see FIG. 5) or a pull-down list displayed on the display unit 34.

[0044] (Simulation Department) The simulation unit 23 executes a program for simulating the operation of the crane 1 based on the various conditions set by the condition setting unit 22. As a result, the simulation unit 23 simulates the movement of the load support unit 2 of the crane 1, creates a path for the load support unit 2, and calculates control parameters (acceleration, deceleration, etc.) for automatically controlling the drive devices (slewing device 7, hoisting winch 8, and lifting winch 9) of the crane 1. Note that the program executed by the simulation unit 23 can be any of a variety of conventionally used programs, including commercially available products.

[0045] The conditions set in the simulation unit 23 include the movement start position and movement end position, the load conditions, the weather conditions, the crane conditions, the maximum allowable amount of swing of the load O, and the maximum allowable amount of transport time. As described above, these conditions are set by the position condition setting unit 221, the load condition setting unit 222, the weather condition setting unit 223, the crane condition setting unit 224, the load swing amount setting unit 225, and the transport time setting unit 226.

[0046] The simulation unit 23 creates a path for the load support unit 2, for example, by using a three-dimensional model of the construction site that can be reproduced in the virtual space VS from the three-dimensional information acquired by the three-dimensional information acquisition unit 21. The path for the load support unit 2 is a transport path from a set start position to an end position. The simulation unit 23 creates a safe path from the start position to the end position on the three-dimensional model of the construction site according to the set size of the load O, so that the load O does not come into contact with surrounding obstacles (such as already-constructed buildings). The conditions set in the simulation unit 23 include crane conditions, so the path created by the simulation unit 23 takes into account at least the deflection of the crane 1. Furthermore, the conditions set in the simulation unit 23 include weather conditions, so the path created by the simulation unit 23 takes into account at least the wind direction and wind speed.

[0047] The simulation unit 23 performs a simulation of moving a suspended load O with a set lifting weight along the created route within the set ranges of the maximum allowable swing amount and the maximum allowable transport time, and calculates control parameters (hereinafter simply referred to as "control parameters") for automatically controlling the drive device of the crane 1. For example, the simulation unit 23 may calculate control parameters that will result in the shortest transport time within the set range of the maximum allowable swing amount. Alternatively, the simulation unit 23 may calculate control parameters that will result in the smallest amount of swing of the suspended load O within the set range of the maximum allowable transport time.

[0048] The simulation unit 23 can execute a simulation even if the set weather conditions differ from the actual weather. The simulation unit 23 can also execute a simulation even if the set crane conditions differ from the specifications of the crane 1 that is the target of automatic operation.

[0049] (Display processing unit) The display processing unit 24 executes processing to display the results of the simulation of the movement of the load support unit 2 performed by the simulation unit 23 on the display unit 34. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the display processing unit 24 recreates a construction site in a virtual space VS based on the three-dimensional information acquired by the three-dimensional information acquisition unit 21 and displays the recreated construction site on the display unit 34. The display processing unit 24 then displays, on a three-dimensional model, a path P1 of the load support unit 2 (load O) from a movement start position A to a movement end position B, and a movement trajectory P2 including the swinging of the load O when automatically controlled using the determined control parameters. That is, the display processing unit 24 displays the three-dimensional model and the movement trajectory P2 of the load support unit 2 on the display unit 34. Furthermore, the display processing unit 24 may also display the transport time when automatically controlled using the determined control parameters. In addition, if the set value for the maximum allowable amount of oscillation is too small and does not fall within the range of the maximum allowable amount of transport time, or if the set value for the maximum allowable amount of transport time is too small and does not fall within the range of the maximum allowable amount of oscillation, the display processing unit 24 may display this fact (display that it does not fall within the range).

[0050] (Crane control unit) The crane control unit 25 automatically controls the crane 1 based on the path created by the simulation unit 23 and the control parameters calculated by the simulation unit 23. Specifically, the crane control unit 25 acquires the rotation angle of the rotating body 5, the hoisting angle of the jib 6, and the lifting position of the load support unit 2 from the rotation angle encoder 13, the hoisting angle encoder 14, and the lifting position encoder 15, and automatically controls the rotation device 7, the hoisting winch 8, and the lifting winch 9 of the crane 1 to move the load support unit 2. The crane control unit 25 may also automatically control the drive device of the crane 1 while correcting the control parameters based on external factors (for example, information from a wind speed sensor provided on the crane 1, load swing, etc.).

[0051] The crane control unit 25 may not automatically control the crane 1 if at least one of the load conditions, weather conditions, and crane conditions simulated by the simulation unit 23 when determining the path and control parameters differs from the actual load O, actual weather, or specifications of the actual crane 1. The actual load O refers to the load O that is the target of swinging during automatic operation. The actual crane 1 refers to the crane that is the target of automatic operation. The actual load O can be detected, for example, by providing the crane 1 with a load detection means such as a load meter that detects the weight of the load O, or by providing the crane 1 with an imaging means such as a camera that can capture images of the load O. The actual weather can be detected by providing the crane 1 with the wind speed sensor described above, or by obtaining weather information via the Internet. The specifications of the actual crane 1 can be stored in advance in the automatic driving device 100.

[0052] (Autonomous driving processing) Next, the automatic driving process executed by the automatic driving device 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. The automatic driving process is repeatedly executed from when the automatic driving device 100 is started until when it is stopped.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 6, in the automatic driving process, first, the automatic driving device 100 receives input of all information necessary for the simulation (step S1).

[0054] For example, a three-dimensional model of a construction site in a virtual space VS (hereinafter simply referred to as the "three-dimensional model of the construction site") is displayed on the display unit 34 of the automatic driving device 100. An operator such as a crane operator (hereinafter simply referred to as the "operator") taps point A, which is to be the start position of movement, on the three-dimensional model of the construction site on the display unit 34. This causes the position condition setting unit 221 to set point A as the start position of movement. Similarly to the start position A of movement, the operator taps point B, which is to be the end position of movement, on the three-dimensional model of the construction site on the display unit 34, and the position condition setting unit 221 sets point B as the end position of movement. Furthermore, the operator sets the lifting conditions, weather conditions, crane conditions, the maximum allowable swing amount of the lifting load O, and the maximum allowable transport time on the display unit 34.

[0055] In this embodiment, the start and end positions of movement are specified on a three-dimensional model of the construction site, but this is not limiting. For example, a plurality of areas may be prepared in advance, and each area name or area ID (hereinafter referred to as "area ID, etc.") may be associated with and stored in advance as position information such as three-dimensional coordinate information for that area, and the start and end positions of movement may be set by inputting or selecting the area ID, etc. from the display unit 34.

[0056] Next, after receiving input of all information necessary for the simulation, the simulation unit 23 creates a path for the load support unit 2 (step S2). For example, when a "Start Simulation" button displayed on the display unit 34 is tapped, the simulation unit 23 creates a path for the load support unit 2 (step S2).

[0057] Next, the simulation unit 23 performs a simulation of moving the load O with the set lifting weight along the created route within the set ranges of the maximum allowable swing and the maximum allowable transport time, and calculates control parameters (step S3). For example, the simulation unit 23 calculates control parameters that will minimize the transport time within the set range of the maximum allowable swing. Alternatively, the simulation unit 23 calculates control parameters that will minimize the amount of swing of the load O within the set range of the maximum allowable transport time.

[0058] Next, the display processing unit 24 causes the display unit 34 to display the results of the simulation of the movement of the load support unit 2 performed by the simulation unit 23 (step S4).

[0059] Next, the crane control unit 25 determines whether or not an instruction to start automatic operation has been given (step S5). For example, the crane control unit 25 determines whether or not the "Start Automatic Operation" button BT (see FIG. 5) displayed on the display unit 34 has been tapped (step S5). If there is no instruction to start automatic operation (step S5: NO), the process returns to step S1 and accepts condition changes, etc. On the other hand, if there is an instruction to start automatic operation (step S5: YES), the crane control unit 25 automatically controls the crane 1 based on the route created by the simulation unit 23 and the control parameters calculated by the simulation unit 23 (step S6). When the automatic operation of the crane 1 ends, this process also ends.

[0060] As described above, after receiving an instruction to start automatic operation (step S5: YES), the crane control unit 25 may determine whether at least one of the load conditions, weather conditions, and crane conditions simulated by the simulation unit 23 differs from the actual load O, the actual weather, and the specifications of the crane 1. If it is determined that at least one of the conditions in the simulation differs from the actual conditions, the crane control unit 25 may not execute automatic control of the crane 1. At this time, the automatic operation device 100 may issue an alarm (such as a display on the display unit 34 or an audible alarm) to make the operator aware that the conditions at the time of the simulation under which the determined path and control parameters were calculated differ from the actual conditions.

[0061] In the automatic driving device 100 configured as described above, the crane control unit 25 automatically controls the crane 1 based on the route created by the simulation unit 23 and the control parameters calculated by the simulation unit 23. In this way, the simulation unit 23 performs a simulation before executing the automatic control of the crane 1, so that control parameters that can suppress the swaying and overlap (amount of load swing) of the suspended load O and reduce the operation time (transport time) can be quickly calculated for various conditions (lifting load amount, transport distance, etc.). This enables high-precision automatic operation of the crane 1 with only the minimum necessary adjustment work, such as setting the crane specification values ​​and suspended load information.

[0062] Furthermore, the control parameters calculated by the simulation unit 23 are calculated taking into consideration not only the weight of the suspended load and the transport distance (start and end positions of the movement), but also the deflection of the crane 1, weather (wind speed and direction), swinging of the suspended load O, and transport time. This makes it possible to improve the accuracy of the control parameters for automatic operation of the crane 1.

[0063] Furthermore, by the simulation performed by the simulation unit 23, the degree of swinging of the suspended load O as well as the route (transport route) can be grasped.

[0064] In this way, according to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an automatic crane driving device 100 that can improve the accuracy of control parameters for automatic driving of the crane 1.

[0065] Furthermore, the display processing unit 24 displays on the three-dimensional model a movement trajectory P2 including the swaying of the load O when automatically controlled using the determined control parameters. This allows the operator to visually confirm the results of the simulation on the three-dimensional model, making it easy to understand the results of the simulation. In particular, since the degree of swaying of the load O can be visualized, the degree of swaying can be understood before performing the lifting operation, thereby improving safety.

[0066] Furthermore, the simulation unit 23 calculates control parameters that will result in the shortest transport time within the range of the maximum allowable amount of sway set by the load sway amount setting unit 225, thereby making it possible to transport the load O automatically in the shortest transport time while suppressing sway.

[0067] Furthermore, the simulation unit 23 calculates control parameters that minimize the amount of swing of the load O within the maximum allowable range of the transport time set by the transport time setting unit 226, thereby making it possible to transport the load O automatically with the minimum amount of swing while reducing the transport time.

[0068] In this embodiment, the automatic driving device 100 is illustrated as being placed on the rotating body 5 of the crane 1 (Figure 1), but the placement location of the automatic driving device 100 is not limited to this, and it may also be placed at a location away from the crane 1 (for example, on the ground, etc.).

[0069] Although the present invention has been described above based on the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the content of the above embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the scope of the present invention. In other words, all other embodiments, examples, operational techniques, etc. made by those skilled in the art based on this embodiment are naturally included in the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 1: Crane 2: Hanging load support part 7: Swivel device (drive device) 8: Hoisting winch (drive unit) 9: Lifting winch (drive unit) 21: Three-dimensional information acquisition unit (three-dimensional information acquisition means) 22: Condition setting unit (condition setting means) 221: Position condition setting section (position condition setting means) 222: Lifting condition setting unit (lifting condition setting means) 223: Weather condition setting unit (weather condition setting means) 224: Crane condition setting unit (crane condition setting means) 225: Hanging load swing amount setting section (hanging load swing amount setting means) 226: Transport time setting unit (transport time setting means) 23: Simulation section (simulation means) 24: Display processing unit (display processing means) 25: Crane control unit (crane control means) 34: Display section 100: Automatic crane operation device

Claims

1. An automatic crane operation device that automatically controls a drive device of a crane to move a load support part of the crane that can support a load, a position condition setting means for setting a movement start position and a movement end position of the suspended load; a lifting condition setting means for setting lifting conditions including the size and lifting load of the lifting load; weather condition setting means for setting weather conditions including wind direction and wind speed; a crane condition setting means for setting crane conditions including the deflection information of the crane; a load sway amount setting means for setting a maximum allowable amount of sway of the load; a transport time setting means for setting a maximum allowable transport time for the suspended load from the movement start position to the movement end position; a simulation means for simulating the movement of the load support part of the crane based on the movement start position and the movement end position, the load conditions, the weather conditions, the crane conditions, the maximum allowable swing amount of the load, and the maximum allowable transport time, creating a path for the load support part, and calculating control parameters for automatically controlling the drive device of the crane; and crane control means for automatically controlling the drive device of the crane based on the path created by the simulation means and the control parameters calculated by the simulation means to move the load support part of the crane. An automatic crane operation device characterized by the above.

2. A display unit; a display processing means for displaying on the display unit a result of the simulation of the movement of the load support part performed by the simulation means, the simulation means performs the simulation using a three-dimensional model, The display processing means displays the three-dimensional model and the movement trajectory of the load support part on the display unit.

2. The automatic crane operation device according to claim 1.

3. The simulation means calculates the control parameters that minimize the transport time.

3. The automatic crane operation device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The simulation means calculates the control parameters that minimize the amount of swing of the suspended load.

3. The automatic crane operation device according to claim 1 or 2.

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