Travel control system, work vehicle, and travel control method

Abstract

To improve the efficiency of repetitive operation by a working vehicle.SOLUTION: A control device controls an operation of a work vehicle that automatically travels while performing work along a work route including a plurality of primary routes arranged in parallel and a plurality of turning routes connecting the plurality of primary routes, and is capable of operating in a recording mode and a reproduction mode. In the recording mode, while the work vehicle is traveling, the control device generates a plurality of pieces of way point information each including first information relating to a position of the work vehicle and second information relating to a state of the work vehicle, on the basis of position data acquired from the positioning device and sensor data acquired from one or more sensors that detect the state of the work vehicle, and records the plurality of pieces of way point information in the storage device. The control device generates a plurality of pieces of waypoint information on a remaining route by processing including copying a plurality of pieces of waypoint information recorded while the work vehicle is traveling along a partial route including one main route and one turning route connected to the main route.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 17

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cruise control system, a work vehicle, and a cruise control method. [Background technology]

[0002] Research and development is underway on smart agriculture, which utilizes ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and IoT (Internet of Things) as the next generation of agriculture. Research and development is also underway to automate and unmanned farm vehicles such as tractors used in farm fields. For example, farm vehicles that can steer automatically using positioning systems such as GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), which enables precise positioning, have been put into practical use.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a work vehicle that can autonomously move between multiple rows of trees in an orchard such as a vineyard by utilizing SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) technology that simultaneously performs position estimation and map creation. Patent Document 1 describes that while the work vehicle travels between multiple rows of trees in an orchard, it performs work such as weeding and pest control using a work machine (agricultural implement) connected to the work vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2022 / 107586 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] There is also a demand for automation and unmanned operation of work performed by work vehicles while traveling within a field (e.g., an orchard). Work performed by work vehicles while traveling within a field may involve the same task being repeated multiple times. For example, weeding and pest control may be performed multiple times in the same field. When the same task is performed repeatedly, the work vehicle performs the same task while traveling the same route within the field in the same way. In such cases, if autonomous traveling using, for example, SLAM technology is performed every time, the processing load for autonomous traveling will increase more than necessary.

[0006] The need to efficiently perform repetitive work vehicle movements is not limited to agricultural machinery, but is also required for work vehicles used for purposes other than agriculture, such as construction vehicles and snowplows. Furthermore, even when a work vehicle is traveling without performing work, it is required to efficiently travel the same route repeatedly.

[0007] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a travel control system, a work vehicle, and a travel control method that enable a work vehicle to efficiently perform repetitive operations (including traveling and other operations). [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present disclosure provides the solutions described in the following items.

[0009] [Item 1] A travel control system for a work vehicle that automatically travels while performing work along a work path that includes a plurality of parallel main paths and a plurality of turning paths that connect the plurality of main paths, a positioning device that detects the position of the work vehicle and outputs position data; one or more sensors that detect the state of the work vehicle and output sensor data; a control device for controlling the operation of the work vehicle; Equipped with The control device capable of operating in record and play modes; In the recording mode, while the work vehicle is traveling, based on the position data and the sensor data, a plurality of waypoint information pieces each including first information on the position of the work vehicle and second information on the state of the work vehicle are generated and recorded in a storage device; In the playback mode, the operation of the work vehicle is controlled while the work vehicle is automatically traveling based on the first information and the second information included in the plurality of waypoint information recorded in the recording mode; generating a plurality of waypoint information for a remaining route of the work route other than the partial routes by processing including duplicating a plurality of waypoint information recorded while the work vehicle was traveling along a partial route including one main route of the plurality of main routes and one turning route of the plurality of turning routes connected to the main route in the recording mode; Cruise control system.

[0010] [Item 2] the partial route is a route for one round trip including two adjacent main routes among the plurality of main routes and one or two turning routes connected to the two main routes among the plurality of turning routes, the control device generates the plurality of waypoint information for the remaining route by translating and duplicating the plurality of waypoint information for the one round trip route; Item 1. The cruise control system according to item 1.

[0011] [Item 3] the partial path is configured by one main path among the plurality of main paths and one turning path among the plurality of turning paths that is connected to the main path, the control device generates the plurality of waypoint information for a route other than the partial route and the reverse partial route by translating and duplicating a plurality of waypoint information for a route for one round trip that is composed of the partial route and an inverted partial route that is obtained by inverting the partial route with respect to the direction in which the main route extends. Item 1. The cruise control system according to item 1.

[0012] [Item 4] 4. The cruise control system of any one of items 1 to 3, wherein the second information includes information regarding at least one of a speed of the work vehicle, a steering angle of the work vehicle, and a state of the transmission.

[0013] [Item 5] The work vehicle includes a PTO shaft that transmits power to a work implement, The second information includes information indicating whether rotation of the PTO shaft is on or off. 5. The cruise control system according to any one of items 1 to 4.

[0014] [Item 6] The work vehicle is equipped with a three-point hitch for adjusting the height of the work implement, The second information includes information about the height of the three-point hitch. 6. The cruise control system according to any one of items 1 to 5.

[0015] [Item 7] The work vehicle is provided with a front wheel acceleration function that increases the speed of the front wheels when turning, The second information includes information indicating whether the front wheel speed increasing function is on or off. 7. The cruise control system according to any one of items 1 to 6.

[0016] [Item 8] The work vehicle is provided with an automatic single-brake function that brakes the inside rear wheel when turning, Including information indicating whether the automatic braking function is on or off, 8. The cruise control system according to any one of items 1 to 7.

[0017] [Item 9] The control device displays on a display a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows a user to edit the partial route and to instruct the user to generate the remaining route by duplicating it.

[0018] [Item 10] Item 10. The cruise control system according to item 9, wherein the GUI has a function that allows a user to set how many rows and columns of a route are to be generated by duplicating the partial route.

[0019] [Item 11] The driving control system according to any one of items 1 to 10, Running gear and A work vehicle equipped with:

[0020] [Item 12] A control device that controls the operation of a work vehicle that automatically travels while performing work along a work route that includes a plurality of parallel main routes and a plurality of turning routes that connect the plurality of main routes, and that is capable of operating in a recording mode and a playback mode, a processor; a memory storing a computer program; Equipped with The computer program causes the processor to: In the recording mode, while the work vehicle is traveling, based on the position data and the sensor data, generating a plurality of waypoint information, each including first information on the position of the work vehicle and second information on the state of the work vehicle, and recording the waypoint information in a storage device; In the playback mode, controlling the operation of the work vehicle while causing the work vehicle to travel automatically based on the first information and the second information included in the plurality of waypoint information recorded in the recording mode; In the recording mode, generating a plurality of waypoint information for the remaining route of the work route other than the partial route by processing including duplicating a plurality of waypoint information recorded while the work vehicle was traveling along a partial route including one main route of the plurality of main routes and one turning route of the plurality of turning routes connected to the main route; A control device that executes the above.

[0021] [Item 13] A control device for controlling a work vehicle that automatically travels while performing work along a work path that includes a plurality of parallel main paths and a plurality of turning paths connecting the plurality of main paths, the control device being capable of operating in a recording mode and a playback mode, comprising: In the recording mode, while the work vehicle is traveling, based on position data acquired from a positioning device that detects the position of the work vehicle and sensor data acquired from one or more sensors that detect the state of the work vehicle, generate and record a plurality of waypoint information in a storage device, each of which includes first information regarding the position of the work vehicle and second information regarding the state of the work vehicle; In the playback mode, automatically controlling the operation of the work vehicle while causing the work vehicle to travel by automatic driving based on the first information and the second information included in the plurality of waypoint information recorded in the recording mode; generating a plurality of waypoint information for a remaining route of the work route other than the partial route by duplicating the plurality of waypoint information recorded while the work vehicle was traveling along a partial route including one main route of the plurality of main routes and one turning route connected to the main route of the plurality of turning routes in the recording mode; Driving control method.

[0022] [Item 14] A computer program executed by a processor in a control device that controls the operation of a work vehicle that automatically travels while performing work along a work path that includes a plurality of parallel main paths and a plurality of turning paths that connect the plurality of main paths, and that is capable of operating in a recording mode and a playback mode, In the recording mode, the processor generates and records in a storage device a plurality of waypoint information pieces each including first information on the position of the work vehicle and second information on the state of the work vehicle based on position data acquired from a positioning device that detects the position of the work vehicle and sensor data acquired from one or more sensors that detect the state of the work vehicle while the work vehicle is traveling; In the playback mode, controlling the operation of the work vehicle while causing the work vehicle to travel automatically based on the first information and the second information included in the plurality of waypoint information recorded in the recording mode; In the recording mode, generating a plurality of waypoint information for the remaining route of the work route other than the partial route by processing including duplicating a plurality of waypoint information recorded while the work vehicle was traveling along a partial route including one main route of the plurality of main routes and one turning route of the plurality of turning routes connected to the main route; A computer program that executes the following:

[0023] [Item 15] A control device that executes the cruise control method described in item 13.

[0024] [Item 16] A computer program product executed by a computer that controls the operation of a work vehicle, causing the computer to execute the cruise control method described in item 13.

[0025] [Item 17] A storage medium storing a computer program executed by a computer that controls the operation of a work vehicle, The computer program is a storage medium that causes the computer to execute the driving control method described in item 13.

[0026] [Item 18] A control device that controls the operation of a work vehicle that automatically travels while performing work along a work route that includes a plurality of parallel main routes and a plurality of turning routes that connect the plurality of main routes, and that is capable of operating in a recording mode and a playback mode, a means for generating a plurality of waypoint information pieces, each of which includes first information relating to the position of the work vehicle and second information relating to the state of the work vehicle, based on the position data and the sensor data while the work vehicle is traveling in the recording mode, and recording the generated waypoint information pieces in a storage device; a means for controlling, in the playback mode, the operation of the work vehicle while causing the work vehicle to travel automatically, based on the first information and the second information included in the plurality of waypoint information recorded in the recording mode; a means for generating a plurality of waypoint information for the remaining route of the work route other than the partial route by processing including duplicating a plurality of waypoint information recorded while the work vehicle was traveling along a partial route including one main route of the plurality of main routes and one turning route of the plurality of turning routes connected to the main route in the recording mode; A control device comprising:

[0027] [Item 19] A control device according to item 12 or 18; a first drive device that drives a traveling device of the work vehicle; Equipped with In the playback mode, the control device controls the first drive device based on the first information and the second information included in the plurality of waypoint information recorded in the recording mode, thereby causing the work vehicle to automatically drive.

[0028] [Item 20] Further provided is a second drive device that drives a work implement coupled to the work vehicle, the second information includes information regarding the operation of the work machine, Item 20. The travel control system of item 19, wherein the control device, in the playback mode, controls the operation of the work machine by controlling the second drive device based on the second information included in the plurality of waypoint information recorded in the recording mode.

[0029] A general or specific aspect of the present disclosure may be realized by an apparatus, a system, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, or a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium, or any combination thereof. The computer-readable storage medium may include a volatile storage medium or a non-volatile storage medium. An apparatus may be composed of multiple devices. When an apparatus is composed of two or more devices, the two or more devices may be located in a single device or may be located separately in two or more separate devices.

[0030] A general or specific aspect of the present disclosure may be realized by an apparatus, a system, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, or a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium, or any combination thereof. The computer-readable storage medium may include a volatile storage medium or a non-volatile storage medium. An apparatus may be composed of multiple devices. When an apparatus is composed of two or more devices, the two or more devices may be located in a single device or may be located separately in two or more separate devices. [Effects of the Invention]

[0031] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, a cruise control system, a work vehicle, and a cruise control method are provided that can efficiently perform repetitive operations (including traveling and other operations) of a work vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0032] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view schematically illustrating an example of a work vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an example configuration of a work vehicle and a work machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3A] 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration example of a cruise control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3B] 1 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of a control device included in a cruise control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of a cruise control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an environment in which a work vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure travels; [Figure 6A] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a route traveled by a work vehicle in a recording mode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6B] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a route traveled by a work vehicle in a regeneration mode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating another example of a route traveled by a work vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating another example of a route traveled by a work vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9A] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process performed by the control device in a recording mode. [Figure 9B] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process performed by the control device in a recording mode. [Figure 9C] 10 is a flowchart showing yet another example of the process performed by the control device in the recording mode. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of waypoint information. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process performed by the control device in a playback mode. [Figure 12A]FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a process performed by a control device of the cruise control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12B] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a process performed by a control device of the cruise control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12C] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a process performed by a control device of the cruise control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a group of operation switches and an operation terminal provided inside a cabin of a work vehicle. FIG. [Figure 14A] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of a method for generating waypoint information in a recording mode. [Figure 14B] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of a method for generating waypoint information in a recording mode. [Figure 15A] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for explaining another example of a method for generating waypoint information in the recording mode. [Figure 15B] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for explaining another example of a method for generating waypoint information in the recording mode. [Figure 16A] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a GUI for instructing how many rows of waypoint information to generate by duplication based on waypoint information of a partial route. [Figure 16B] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a GUI for editing waypoint information. [Figure 17] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a waypoint information generation process executed by the control device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] (Definition of terms) In this disclosure, a "work vehicle" refers to a vehicle used to perform work on a work site. A "work site" is any location where work can be performed, such as a farm field, forest, or construction site. A "field" is any location where agricultural work can be performed, such as an orchard, field, rice paddy, grain farm, or pasture. A work vehicle may be an agricultural machine such as a tractor, rice transplanter, combine harvester, riding cultivator, or riding brush cutter, or a vehicle used for non-agricultural purposes such as a construction vehicle or snowplow. A work vehicle may be configured to be able to mount a work implement (also called an "work device" or "implement") appropriate for the work to be performed on at least one of the front and rear of the work vehicle. In particular, a work implement mounted on an agricultural tractor is sometimes called an "agricultural implement." Traveling while performing work using the work implement is sometimes referred to as "work travel." The "operation" of a work vehicle includes not only travel of the work vehicle but also other operations.

[0034] "Autonomous driving" refers to controlling the vehicle's driving through the action of a control device, rather than through manual operation by a driver. During autonomous driving, not only the vehicle's driving but also the work operation (e.g., the operation of a work machine) may be controlled automatically. The driving of a vehicle through autonomous driving is referred to as "autonomous driving." The control device may control at least one of the following operations required for vehicle driving: steering, adjusting the driving speed, and starting and stopping driving. When controlling a work vehicle equipped with a work machine, the control device may control operations such as raising and lowering the work machine and starting and stopping the work machine's operation. Autonomous driving may include not only the vehicle driving toward a destination along a predetermined route, but also driving while tracking a target. In addition to the autonomous driving mode, an autonomously driving vehicle may operate in a manual driving mode, in which the vehicle is driven by manual operation by the driver. Driving through manual operation by the driver is referred to as "manual driving." "Manual operation by the driver" includes not only manual operation by the driver on the vehicle but also remote operation by a driver (operator) outside the vehicle. An autonomously driving vehicle may drive partially based on manual operation by the driver. "Automatic steering" refers to steering a vehicle by the function of a control device without manual operation by the driver. Part or all of the control device may be external to the vehicle. Communication of control signals, commands, data, etc. may occur between the vehicle and a control device external to the vehicle. An autonomously driven vehicle may travel autonomously while sensing the surrounding environment without human involvement in controlling the vehicle's travel. A vehicle capable of autonomous travel can travel unmanned. During autonomous travel, obstacles may be detected and obstacle avoidance operations may be performed.

[0035] A "crop row" is a row of crops, trees, or other plants growing in a field such as an orchard or a field, or in a forest, etc. In this disclosure, the term "crop row" is a concept that includes "tree row."

[0036] (Embodiment) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described. However, more detailed descriptions than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed descriptions of well-known matters and redundant descriptions of substantially identical configurations may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary redundancy in the following description and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. Note that the inventors provide the accompanying drawings and the following description to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and do not intend for them to limit the subject matter described in the claims. In the following description, components having the same or similar functions are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0037] The following embodiments are examples, and the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments. For example, the numerical values, shapes, materials, steps, and step orders shown in the following embodiments are merely examples, and various modifications are possible as long as no technical contradiction occurs. Furthermore, one aspect can be combined with another aspect.

[0038] Below, an embodiment will be described in which the work vehicle is a tractor used for agricultural work in fields such as orchards, as an example. The technology of the present disclosure is not limited to tractors, and can be applied to other types of agricultural machinery, such as rice transplanters, combine harvesters, riding cultivators, and riding lawnmowers. The technology of the present disclosure can also be applied to work vehicles used for purposes other than agriculture, such as construction vehicles or snowplows. The technology of the present disclosure can also be applied to travel of work vehicles outside of work areas and travel of work vehicles that do not involve work.

[0039] [Outline of work vehicle configuration] Fig. 1 is a side view that schematically shows an example of a work vehicle 100 and a work implement 300 coupled to the work vehicle 100. Fig. 2 is a block diagram that schematically shows an example of the configuration of the work vehicle 100 and the work implement 300.

[0040] 1 and 2, work vehicle 100 is equipped with a positioning device 110 (e.g., a GNSS unit) that detects the position of work vehicle 100 and outputs position data, a sensor group 150 that detects the state of work vehicle 100 and outputs sensor data, and a control device 180 that controls the operation of work vehicle 100. Sensor group 150 includes one or more sensors.

[0041] Work vehicle 100 may further include multiple external sensors that sense the surroundings of work vehicle 100. An "external sensor" is a sensor that senses the state outside the work vehicle. In the example of FIG. 1 , the external sensors include multiple LiDAR sensors 140, multiple cameras 120, and multiple obstacle sensors 130.

[0042] 2 includes a positioning device 110, a camera 120, an obstacle sensor 130, a LiDAR sensor 140, a sensor group 150, a memory device 170, a control device 180, and an operation terminal 200, as well as a communication device 190, an operation switch group 210, and a drive device 240 (sometimes referred to as a "first drive device"). These components are connected to each other via a bus so that they can communicate with each other.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 1, work vehicle 100 includes a vehicle body 101, a prime mover (engine) 102, and a transmission 103. The vehicle body 101 is provided with a traveling device including wheels 104 with tires, and a cabin 105. The traveling device includes four wheels 104, axles that rotate the four wheels, and braking devices (brakes) that brake each axle. The wheels 104 include a pair of front wheels 104F and a pair of rear wheels 104R. A driver's seat 107, a steering device 106, an operation terminal 200, and a group of switches for operation are provided inside the cabin 105. One or both of the front wheels 104F and the rear wheels 104R may be replaced with multiple wheels (crawlers) equipped with tracks rather than wheels with tires.

[0044] The prime mover 102 may be, for example, a diesel engine. An electric motor may be used instead of a diesel engine. The transmission 103 can change the propulsive force and travel speed of the work vehicle 100 by changing gears. The transmission 103 can also switch the work vehicle 100 between forward and reverse travel.

[0045] The steering device 106 includes a steering wheel, a steering shaft connected to the steering wheel, and a power steering device that assists steering by the steering wheel. The front wheels 104F are steerable wheels, and the traveling direction of the work vehicle 100 can be changed by changing the turning angle (also referred to as the "steering angle"). The steering angle of the front wheels 104F can be changed by operating the steering wheel. The power steering device includes a hydraulic device or an electric motor that supplies an assisting force to change the steering angle of the front wheels 104F. When automatic steering is performed, the steering angle is automatically adjusted by the force of the hydraulic device or electric motor under control of a control device arranged inside the work vehicle 100.

[0046] A coupling device 108 is provided at the rear of the vehicle body 101. The coupling device 108 includes, for example, a three-point support device (also called a "three-point hitch" or "three-point link"), a PTO (Power Take Off) shaft, a universal joint, and a communication cable. The coupling device 108 allows the work implement 300 to be attached to and detached from the work vehicle 100. The coupling device 108 can raise and lower the three-point hitch using, for example, a hydraulic device, thereby changing the position or attitude of the work implement 300. Power can also be sent from the work vehicle 100 to the work implement 300 via the universal joint. The work vehicle 100 can cause the work implement 300 to perform a predetermined task while towing the work implement 300. The coupling device may be provided at the front of the vehicle body 101. In this case, the work implement can be connected to the front of the work vehicle 100.

[0047] 1 is a sprayer that sprays a chemical onto crops, but the work machine 300 is not limited to a sprayer. For example, any work machine such as a mower, seeder, spreader, rake, baler, harvester, plow, harrow, or rotary can be connected to the work vehicle 100 and used.

[0048] The positioning device 110 receives satellite signals (also referred to as GNSS signals) transmitted from multiple GNSS satellites and performs positioning based on the satellite signals. GNSS is a general term for satellite positioning systems such as GPS (Global Positioning System), QZSS (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System, e.g., Michibiki), GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou. In this embodiment, the positioning device 110 is provided on top of the cabin 105, but may be provided in another location.

[0049] 2, the positioning device 110 includes a GNSS receiver 111, an RTK receiver 112, and a processing circuit 116. The positioning device 110 may further include an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 115.

[0050] The GNSS receiver 111 includes an antenna that receives signals from GNSS satellites and a processing circuit that determines the position of the work vehicle 100 based on the signals received by the antenna. The GNSS receiver 111 receives satellite signals transmitted from multiple GNSS satellites and generates GNSS data based on the satellite signals. The GNSS data is generated in a predetermined format, such as the NMEA-0183 format. The GNSS data may include, for example, values ​​indicating the identification number, elevation angle, azimuth angle, and reception strength of each satellite from which the satellite signal is received.

[0051] The positioning device 110 may use RTK (Real Time Kinematic)-GNSS to perform positioning of the work vehicle 100. RTK-GNSS positioning utilizes satellite signals transmitted from multiple GNSS satellites as well as correction signals transmitted from a reference station. The reference station may be installed near the work site where the work vehicle 100 will be traveling (for example, within 10 km of the work vehicle 100). The reference station generates correction signals, for example, in RTCM format, based on the satellite signals received from multiple GNSS satellites and transmits them to the positioning device 110. The RTK receiver 112 includes an antenna and a modem and receives the correction signals transmitted from the reference station. The processing circuit 116 of the positioning device 110 corrects the positioning results obtained by the GNSS receiver 111 based on the correction signals. Using RTK-GNSS, it is possible to perform positioning with an accuracy of, for example, a few centimeters. Position information including latitude, longitude, and altitude information is obtained through high-precision positioning using RTK-GNSS. The positioning device 110 calculates the position of the work vehicle 100, for example, at a frequency of approximately 1 to 10 times per second. Note that the positioning method is not limited to RTK-GNSS, and any positioning method (such as interferometric positioning or relative positioning) that can obtain position information with the required accuracy can be used. For example, positioning may be performed using a Virtual Reference Station (VRS) or a Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS).

[0052] The positioning device 110 in this embodiment further includes an IMU 115. By including the IMU 115, the positioning device 110 can complement position data by using signals from the IMU 115. By complementing position data based on satellite signals using data acquired by the IMU 115, it is possible to improve positioning performance.

[0053] The IMU 115 may include a three-axis acceleration sensor and a three-axis gyroscope. The IMU 115 may also include a direction sensor such as a three-axis geomagnetic sensor. The IMU 115 functions as a motion sensor and can output signals indicating various quantities such as the acceleration, velocity, displacement, and attitude of the work vehicle 100. The processing circuit 116 can estimate the position and orientation of the work vehicle 100 with higher accuracy based on the signals output from the IMU 115 in addition to the satellite signals and correction signals. The signals output from the IMU 115 can be used to correct or supplement the position calculated based on the satellite signals and correction signals. The IMU 115 outputs signals at a higher frequency than the GNSS receiver 111. For example, the IMU 115 outputs signals at a frequency of several tens to several thousand times per second. Using these high-frequency signals, the processing circuit 116 can measure the position and orientation of the work vehicle 100 at a higher frequency (e.g., 10 Hz or higher). A three-axis acceleration sensor and a three-axis gyroscope may be provided separately instead of the IMU 115. The IMU 115 may be provided as a device separate from the positioning device 110 .

[0054] The sensor group 150 may include various sensors (i.e., internal sensors) that detect the state of the work vehicle 100 or the work implement 300. For example, the sensor group 150 may include a steering wheel sensor 152, a turning angle sensor 154, and an axle sensor 156.

[0055] The steering wheel sensor 152 measures the rotation angle of the steering wheel of the work vehicle 100. The turning angle sensor 154 measures the turning angle of the front wheels 104F, which are the steered wheels. The measurement values ​​from the steering wheel sensor 152 and the turning angle sensor 154 can be used for steering control by the control device 180.

[0056] The axle sensor 156 measures the rotational speed of the axle connected to the wheel 104, i.e., the number of rotations per unit time. The axle sensor 156 may be a sensor that uses, for example, a magnetoresistive element (MR), a Hall element, or an electromagnetic pickup. The axle sensor 156 outputs a numerical value that indicates, for example, the number of rotations per minute (unit: rpm) of the axle. The axle sensor 156 is used to measure the speed of the work vehicle 100. The measurement value from the axle sensor 156 can be used for speed control by the control device 180.

[0057] Storage device 170 includes one or more storage media such as flash memory or a magnetic disk. Storage device 170 stores various data generated by positioning device 110, camera 120, obstacle sensor 130, LiDAR sensor 140, sensor group 150, and control device 180. The data stored in storage device 170 may include an environmental map of the environment in which work vehicle 100 travels, an obstacle map that is generated sequentially during travel, and route data for autonomous driving. Storage device 170 also stores computer programs that cause each ECU in control device 180 to perform various operations, which will be described later. Such computer programs may be provided to work vehicle 100 via a storage medium (e.g., a semiconductor memory or an optical disk) or an electric communication line (e.g., the Internet). Such computer programs may be sold as commercial software.

[0058] The control device 180 includes a plurality of ECUs, such as an ECU 181 for speed control, an ECU 182 for steering control, an ECU 183 for work machine control, and an ECU 184 for automatic driving control.

[0059] The ECU 181 controls the speed of the work vehicle 100 by controlling the prime mover 102 , the transmission 103 , and the brakes included in the drive unit 240 .

[0060] The ECU 182 controls the steering of the work vehicle 100 by controlling the hydraulic device or electric motor included in the steering device 106 based on the measurement value of the steering wheel sensor 152 .

[0061] The ECU 183 controls the operation of the three-point hitch, PTO shaft, and the like included in the coupling device 108 in order to cause the work machine 300 to perform a desired operation. The ECU 183 also generates signals to control the operation of the work machine 300, and transmits the signals from the communication device 190 to the work machine 300.

[0062] The ECU 184 performs calculations and controls to achieve autonomous driving based on data output from the positioning device 110, the camera 120, the obstacle sensor 130, the LiDAR sensor 140, and the sensor group 150. For example, the ECU 184 estimates the position of the work vehicle 100 based on data output from at least one of the positioning device 110, the camera 120, and the LiDAR sensor 140. In a situation where the reception strength of satellite signals from GNSS satellites is sufficiently high, the ECU 184 may determine the position of the work vehicle 100 based only on the data output from the positioning device 110. On the other hand, in an environment where there are obstructions such as trees that block the reception of satellite signals around the work vehicle 100, such as an orchard, the ECU 184 estimates the position of the work vehicle 100 using the data output from the LiDAR sensor 140 or the camera 120. During autonomous driving, the ECU 184 performs calculations necessary for the work vehicle 100 to travel along a target route based on the estimated position of the work vehicle 100. ECU 184 sends a command to change the speed to ECU 181 and a command to change the steering angle to ECU 182. In response to the command to change the speed, ECU 181 controls the prime mover 102, the transmission 103, or the brakes to change the speed of the work vehicle 100. In response to the command to change the steering angle, ECU 182 controls the steering device 106 to change the steering angle.

[0063] Through the operation of these ECUs, control device 180 realizes autonomous driving. During autonomous driving, control device 180 controls drive device 240 based on the measured or estimated position of work vehicle 100 and the target route that is generated sequentially. In this way, control device 180 can cause work vehicle 100 to travel along the target route.

[0064] The multiple ECUs included in the control device 180 can communicate with each other in accordance with a vehicle bus standard such as CAN (Controller Area Network). Instead of CAN, a faster communication method such as Automotive Ethernet (registered trademark) may be used. In FIG. 2, each of the ECUs 181 to 184 is shown as an individual block, but the functions of each of these may be realized by multiple ECUs. An on-board computer that integrates at least some of the functions of the ECUs 181 to 184 may be provided. The control device 180 may include ECUs other than the ECUs 181 to 184, and any number of ECUs may be provided depending on the functions. Each ECU includes a processing circuit including one or more processors.

[0065] Cameras 120 may be installed, for example, on the front, rear, left and right sides of work vehicle 100. Cameras 120 capture images of the environment around work vehicle 100 and generate image data. Images acquired by cameras 120 may be transmitted to a terminal device for remote monitoring, for example. These images may be used to monitor work vehicle 100 during unmanned operation. Cameras 120 may be installed as needed, and the number of cameras 120 is optional.

[0066] The LiDAR sensor 140 is an example of an external sensor that outputs sensor data indicating the distribution of features around the work vehicle 100. In the example of FIG. 1, two LiDAR sensors 140 are arranged at the front and rear of the cabin 105. The LiDAR sensors 140 may also be provided in other positions (for example, at the lower front of the vehicle body 101). While the work vehicle 100 is traveling, each LiDAR sensor 140 repeatedly outputs sensor data indicating the distance and direction to each measurement point of an object in the surrounding environment, or the two-dimensional or three-dimensional coordinate values ​​of each measurement point. The number of LiDAR sensors 140 is not limited to two, and may be one, three or more.

[0067] The LiDAR sensor 140 may be configured to output two-dimensional or three-dimensional point cloud data as sensor data. In this specification, "point cloud data" broadly means data indicating the distribution of multiple reflection points observed by the LiDAR sensor 140. The point cloud data may include, for example, coordinate values ​​of each reflection point in two-dimensional or three-dimensional space, or information indicating the distance and direction of each reflection point. The point cloud data may also include brightness information of each reflection point. The LiDAR sensor 140 may be configured to repeatedly output the point cloud data, for example, at a preset cycle. In this way, the external sensor may include one or more LiDAR sensors 140 that output point cloud data as sensor data.

[0068] The sensor data output from the LiDAR sensor 140 is processed by a control device that controls the autonomous driving of the work vehicle 100. While the work vehicle 100 is traveling, the control device can sequentially generate an obstacle map that shows the distribution of objects present around the work vehicle 100 based on the sensor data output from the LiDAR sensor 140. The control device can also use an algorithm such as SLAM to piece together obstacle maps during autonomous driving and generate an environmental map. The control device can also estimate the position and orientation of the work vehicle 100 (i.e., self-localization) by matching the sensor data with the environmental map.

[0069] The multiple obstacle sensors 130 shown in FIG. 1 are provided at the front and rear of the cabin 105. The obstacle sensors 130 may also be located in other locations. For example, one or more obstacle sensors 130 may be provided at any position on the side, front, and rear of the vehicle body 101. The obstacle sensors 130 may include, for example, a laser scanner or ultrasonic sonar. The obstacle sensors 130 are used to detect surrounding obstacles during autonomous driving and to stop or detour the work vehicle 100.

[0070] The control device of the work vehicle 100 may use, in addition to the positioning results from the positioning device 110, sensing data acquired by a sensing device such as the camera 120 or LiDAR sensor 140 for positioning. If there are features that function as feature points in the environment in which the work vehicle 100 is traveling, such as farm roads, forest roads, public roads, or orchards, the position and orientation of the work vehicle 100 can be estimated with high accuracy based on the data acquired by the camera 120 or LiDAR sensor 140 and an environmental map that has been stored in advance in a storage device. By using the data acquired by the camera 120 or LiDAR sensor 140 to correct or complement position data based on satellite signals, the position of the work vehicle 100 can be identified with higher accuracy.

[0071] The work vehicle 100 and the work implement 300 can communicate with each other via a communication cable included in the coupling device 108. The work vehicle 100 can also communicate with a terminal device 400 for remote monitoring via the network 80. The terminal device 400 is any computer, such as a personal computer (PC), laptop computer, tablet computer, or smartphone.

[0072] The work machine 300 includes a drive unit 340 (sometimes referred to as the "second drive unit"), a control unit 380, and a communication unit 390. Note that Fig. 2 shows components that are relatively closely related to the operation of the automatic driving by the work vehicle 100, and does not show other components.

[0073] The camera 120 is an imaging device that captures images of the environment surrounding the work vehicle 100. The camera 120 includes an image sensor, such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS). The camera 120 may also include an optical system including one or more lenses and a signal processing circuit. The camera 120 captures images of the environment surrounding the work vehicle 100 while the work vehicle 100 is traveling and generates image (e.g., video) data. The camera 120 can capture video at a frame rate of, for example, 3 frames per second (fps) or higher. The images generated by the camera 120 can be used, for example, when a remote observer checks the environment surrounding the work vehicle 100 using the terminal device 400. The images generated by the camera 120 may be used for positioning or obstacle detection. As shown in FIG. 1, multiple cameras 120 may be installed at different positions on the work vehicle 100, or a single camera may be installed. A visible light camera that generates a visible light image and an infrared camera that generates an infrared image may be provided separately. Both a visible light camera and an infrared camera may be provided as cameras that generate images for surveillance. The infrared camera can also be used to detect obstacles at night.

[0074] The obstacle sensor 130 detects objects present around the work vehicle 100. The obstacle sensor 130 may include, for example, a laser scanner or an ultrasonic sonar. The obstacle sensor 130 outputs a signal indicating the presence of an obstacle when an object is present closer than a predetermined distance from the obstacle sensor 130. Multiple obstacle sensors 130 may be provided at different positions on the work vehicle 100. For example, multiple laser scanners and multiple ultrasonic sonars may be arranged at different positions on the work vehicle 100. By providing such a large number of obstacle sensors 130, blind spots in monitoring obstacles around the work vehicle 100 can be reduced.

[0075] The drive device 240 includes various devices necessary for the travel of the work vehicle 100 and the driving of the work implement 300, such as the prime mover 102, transmission 103, steering device 106, and coupling device 108 described above. The prime mover 102 may be equipped with an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine. The drive device 240 may be equipped with an electric motor for traction instead of or in addition to the internal combustion engine.

[0076] The communication device 190 is a device including circuits for communicating with the work implement 300 and the terminal device 400. The communication device 190 includes circuits for transmitting and receiving signals compliant with an ISOBUS standard, such as ISOBUS-TIM, between the communication device 390 of the work implement 300. This allows the work implement 300 to perform desired operations and acquire information from the work implement 300. The communication device 190 may further include an antenna and communication circuits for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the terminal device 400 via a network 80. The network 80 may include, for example, a cellular mobile communication network such as 3G, 4G, or 5G, and the Internet. The communication device 190 may also have a function for communicating with a mobile terminal used by an observer located near the work vehicle 100. Communication with such a mobile terminal may be performed in accordance with any wireless communication standard, such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), cellular mobile communication such as 3G, 4G, or 5G, or Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0077] The operation terminal 200 is a terminal through which a user performs operations related to the travel of the work vehicle 100 and the operation of the work implement 300, and is also referred to as a virtual terminal (VT). The operation terminal 200 may include a display device such as a touch screen and / or one or more buttons. The display device may be, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display. By operating the operation terminal 200, a user can perform various operations, such as switching the autonomous driving mode on / off, switching the recording (teaching) mode and the playback mode (described below) on / off, and switching the work implement 300 on / off. At least some of these operations can also be achieved by operating the operation switch group 210. The operation terminal 200 may be configured to be detachable from the work vehicle 100. A user located away from the work vehicle 100 may operate the detached operation terminal 200 to control the operation of the work vehicle 100. The operation terminal 200 may include a storage device. A storage device in the operation terminal 200 may store various data necessary for the operation of the work vehicle 100 instead of the storage device 170 .

[0078] The drive unit 340 in the work implement 300 shown in Figure 2 performs the operations required for the work implement 300 to perform a predetermined task. The drive unit 340 includes devices appropriate for the intended use of the work implement 300, such as a hydraulic device, an electric motor, or a pump. The control device 380 controls the operation of the drive unit 340. The control device 380 causes the drive unit 340 to perform various operations in response to signals transmitted from the work vehicle 100 via the communication device 390. The control device 380 can also transmit signals appropriate to the state of the work implement 300 from the communication device 390 to the work vehicle 100.

[0079] [Drive control system] A cruise control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. The cruise control system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is applied, for example, to the work vehicle 100 described above. Note that, although the example of Figures 1 and 2 shows a work implement 300 coupled to the work vehicle 100, it is not essential that the work implement 300 be coupled to the work vehicle 100. In other words, the cruise control system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can also be applied to a work vehicle 100 to which no work implement 300 is coupled.

[0080] 3A is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration example of a cruise control system 1000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 3A, the cruise control system 1000 according to this embodiment includes a positioning device 110 that detects the position of the work vehicle 100 and outputs position data, one or more sensors (sensor group) 150 that detect the state of the work vehicle 100 and output sensor data, and a control device 180 that controls the operation of the work vehicle 100. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the positioning device 110, the sensor group 150, and the control device 180 are provided in the work vehicle 100. The control device 180 functions as the cruise control system 1000 for the work vehicle 100 in cooperation with the positioning device 110 and the sensor group 150. The control device 180, the positioning device 110, and the sensor group 150 can be connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via a bus 810.

[0081] FIG. 3A also shows a storage device 870 in which information acquired by the control device 180 is recorded. The storage device 870 may be included in the control system 1000, or may be an element external to the control system 1000. The storage device 870 may be mounted on the work vehicle 100 or on the work implement 300. The storage device 870 may be communicatively connected to the control device 180 via a bus 810. For example, the storage device 870 may be the storage device 170 shown in FIG. 2, or may be a storage device included in the operation terminal 200. The operation terminal 200 may be included in the cruise control system 1000. The storage device 870 may be located outside the work vehicle 100 and the work implement 300. The storage device 870 located outside the work vehicle 100 and the work implement 300 may be connected to the control device 180 via a communication network.

[0082] 1, the positioning device 110 is attached to the work vehicle 100, but the positioning device 110 may also be attached to a work implement 300 coupled to the work vehicle 100. In addition to the positioning device attached to the work vehicle 100, or instead of the positioning device attached to the work vehicle 100, a positioning device (e.g., a GNSS unit) attached to the work implement 300 may function as the positioning device 110 of the cruise control system 1000. The position measured by the positioning device attached to the work vehicle 100 or work implement 300 is, strictly speaking, the position of the point where the positioning device is located, but in this specification this position will be referred to as the "position of the work vehicle."

[0083] Sensor group 150 is not limited to the above-described steering wheel sensor 152, turning angle sensor 154, and axle sensor 156, but may include various sensors mounted on work vehicle 100. For example, sensor group 150 may include one or more sensors selected from a temperature sensor, an illuminance sensor, a fuel sensor, a water temperature sensor, an oil level gauge, an engine rotation sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, a battery voltage sensor, a shuttle sensor, a hand accelerator sensor, an accelerator pedal sensor, a main shift lever sensor, an auxiliary shift lever sensor, a seat belt sensor, a PM sensor, an acceleration sensor, an angular velocity sensor, an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), and a geomagnetic sensor. Sensor group 150 may also include a PTO sensor that detects the on / off state of rotation of the PTO shaft, and / or a 3P position sensor that detects the height position of the three-point hitch (hereinafter also simply referred to as "height"). Furthermore, in addition to or instead of one or more sensors mounted on the work vehicle 100, one or more sensors mounted on the work implement 300 may be included in the sensor group 150 of the driving control system 1000.

[0084] In the example shown in FIG. 3A, the control device 180 includes multiple ECUs. These ECUs may include, for example, ECUs 181 to 184 shown in FIG. 2. However, the control device 180 may be a single ECU or other computing device. FIG. 3B is a block diagram showing an example configuration of such a control device 180. In the example of FIG. 3B, the control device 180 includes a processor 281, a read-only memory (ROM) 283, a random access memory (RAM) 285, a communication device 287, and a storage device 289. These components may be connected to each other via a bus 290.

[0085] The processor 281 is a semiconductor integrated circuit, and is also referred to as a central processing unit (CPU) or a microprocessor. The processor 281 may include a graphics processing unit (GPU). The processor 281 sequentially executes a computer program containing a predetermined set of instructions stored in the ROM 283, thereby realizing the processing performed by the cruise control system of the present disclosure. The control device 180 may include multiple processors 281. The processing performed by the cruise control system of the present disclosure may be performed cooperatively by the multiple processors 281. Some or all of the processors 281 may be a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or an application specific standard product (ASSP) equipped with a CPU.

[0086] The communication device 287 is an interface for performing data communication between the control device 180 and an external computing device. The communication device 287 can perform wired communication using a controller area network (CAN) or the like, or wireless communication conforming to the Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard and / or the Wi-Fi (registered trademark) standard.

[0087] The storage device 289 can store data such as position data acquired from the positioning device 110, sensor data acquired from the sensor group 150, position data and / or sensor data during processing, first information acquired from the position data, and second information acquired from the sensor data. The storage device 289 includes, for example, a hard disk drive or a nonvolatile semiconductor memory. In this example, the storage device 289 may function as the storage device 870 in the example of FIG. 3A.

[0088] The hardware configuration of the control device 180 is not limited to the above example. It is not necessary for part or all of the control device 180 to be mounted on the work vehicle 100. By utilizing the communication device 287, it is also possible to have one or more computing devices located outside the work vehicle 100 function as part or all of the control device 180. For example, one or more server computers and / or one or more computing devices included in a terminal device connected to a network can function as part or all of the control device 180. On the other hand, one or more computing devices mounted on the work vehicle 100 may perform all of the functions required of the control device 180.

[0089] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing another example configuration of a cruise control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The system shown in FIG. 4 includes a work vehicle 100, another work vehicle 700, a server computer 500, and multiple terminal devices 600. The terminal device 600 may be either a portable or fixed terminal device. Some or all of the functions of the control device 180 shown in FIG. 3B may be implemented by one or more computing devices connected to the communication device 287 of the control device 180 via a communication network 800. Such computing devices may be the server computer 500 or the terminal device 600. Other work vehicles (e.g., agricultural machinery) 700 may be connected to such a communication network 800. Communication may take place between the control device 180 of the work vehicle 100 and the other work vehicle 700. Some of the data used for processing by the control device 180 of the work vehicle 100 may be provided to the control device 180 from the other work vehicle 700 via the communication network 800. For example, waypoint information defining a route and a series of operations generated by a control device in another work vehicle 700 may be transmitted from the other work vehicle 700 to the control device 180 of the work vehicle 100. Based on the waypoint information, the control device 180 can execute a playback operation in a playback mode, which will be described later.

[0090] 3B, one example of a "controller" in this disclosure is a computing device including at least one processor and at least one memory that stores a computer program (code) that defines a control process executed by the processor. The "controller" may also be a computing device that includes a hardware accelerator, such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific standard product (ASSP), or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), configured to execute the control process.

[0091] In this disclosure, a "processor" refers to a hardware electronic circuit such as a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an image signal processor (ISP), or a neural network processing unit (NPU). A "memory" refers to a hardware electronic circuit such as a read-only memory (ROM) or a random access memory (RAM). Part of the memory may be a storage medium connected to the processor by wiring or a network. These hardware electronic circuits may be implemented by one or more integrated circuits (ICs) or large-scale integrated circuits (LSIs). Each functional unit or block and related components in the electronic circuit may be fabricated individually as a separate integrated circuit chip, or some or all of these functional units or blocks may be combined and fabricated as a single integrated circuit chip.

[0092] The program that defines the operation of the processor is designed to cause the processor to execute one or more functions, operations, steps, or processes in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0093] [Recording and Playback Modes] As described below, the cruise control system 1000 is capable of controlling the operation of the work vehicle 100 using a so-called teaching-playback method used in the field of robot control. The control device 180 in the cruise control system 1000 can operate in a recording mode and a playback mode. The recording mode is a mode in which multiple positions (hereinafter also referred to as "waypoints") that define the travel path of the work vehicle 100 and the operation at each waypoint are recorded. The playback mode is a mode in which the travel path of the work vehicle 100 and the operation at each waypoint that were recorded in the recording mode are reproduced. The operations in the recording mode and the playback mode correspond to the teaching operation and the playback operation, respectively, in the teaching-playback method. The operation of the control device 180 in the recording mode and the playback mode may be referred to as "teaching" and "playback," respectively. The recording mode may also be referred to as the "teaching mode," and the playback mode may also be referred to as the "playback mode."

[0094] The operation of the control device 180 in the cruise control system 1000 in the recording mode and playback mode will be described with reference to Figures 5, 6A, and 6B. Figure 5 is a diagram that schematically shows an example of an environment in which the work vehicle 100 travels. Figure 6A is a diagram that schematically shows an example of a route 30T along which the work vehicle 100 travels in the recording mode. Figure 6B is a diagram that schematically shows an example of a route 30P along which the work vehicle 100 travels in the playback mode. In this example, the work vehicle 100 travels between a plurality of tree rows 20 (hereinafter also referred to as "crop rows 20") in an orchard such as a vineyard, while using the work implement 300 to perform predetermined work (e.g., mowing, pest control, sowing seeds, fertilizing, etc.).

[0095] (recording mode) In the example of FIG. 6A, in the recording mode, the work vehicle 100 travels while performing work using the work implement 300. In the example of FIG. 6A, the work vehicle 100 travels along a route 30T from a start point 30S to an end point 30G. FIG. 6A illustrates a state in which the work vehicle 100 is located just before the start point 30S and a state in which the work vehicle 100 is located beyond the end point 30G. In the recording mode, while the work vehicle 100 is traveling, the control device 180 records multiple pieces of waypoint information in the storage device 870 based on the position data output from the positioning device 110 and the sensor data output from the sensor group 150. Each piece of waypoint information includes first information related to the position of the work vehicle 100 and second information related to the status of the work vehicle 100. The first information and second information included in each piece of waypoint information indicate the position of the work vehicle 100 and the status of the work vehicle 100 at that position, respectively. Therefore, the first information may be referred to as "position information" and the second information as "status information." The multiple pieces of first information included in the multiple pieces of waypoint information indicate the route 30T traveled by the work vehicle 100. Each of the multiple pieces of second information included in the multiple pieces of waypoint information is recorded in association with the corresponding first information. By recording each of the multiple pieces of second information included in the multiple pieces of waypoint information in association with the corresponding first information, information on the status of the work vehicle 100 at each position on the route 30T traveled by the work vehicle 100 is recorded. For example, as shown in FIG. 6A, the first information and the second information are acquired at each of the multiple positions (waypoints) Pr on the traveled route 30T and recorded as waypoint information.

[0096] In the recording mode, the work vehicle 100 may perform manual driving under manual operation by the driver, or may perform automatic driving under automatic driving. When the work vehicle 100 performs automatic driving in the recording mode, it may perform autonomous driving without manual operation by the driver, or it may perform automatic driving while partially based on manual operation by the driver. For example, automatic steering control, in which the driver controls the driving speed of the work vehicle 100 and automatically controls the steering, may be performed during driving in the recording mode. Alternatively, during driving in the recording mode, the work vehicle 100 may perform automatic driving while the work equipment 300 is operated by manual operation by the driver. Manual operation by the driver includes not only manual operation by the driver on the work vehicle 100, but also remote operation by a driver (operator) outside the work vehicle 100. Such remote operation may be performed using, for example, the terminal device 600 shown in FIG. 4 or another remote operation device.

[0097] The second information broadly includes information relating to conditions other than the position of the work vehicle 100. The second information includes, for example, information relating to the operation of the work vehicle 100, such as the driving condition of the work vehicle 100. The driving condition of the work vehicle 100 is defined by the speed, acceleration (i.e., the rate of change of speed per unit time), driving direction (heading), etc. of the work vehicle 100. The information relating to the driving condition of the work vehicle 100 includes, for example, one or more of information on the speed of the work vehicle 100, information on the engine rotation speed of the work vehicle 100, information on the acceleration of the work vehicle 100, information on the heading of the work vehicle 100, information on the steering angle of the steering wheels of the work vehicle 100, and information on the gear ratio of the transmission 103 of the work vehicle 100. The second information may also include information on the attitude of the work vehicle 100. Information on the attitude of the work vehicle 100 includes, for example, information on the heading of the work vehicle 100. The second information is not limited to information relating to the operation of the work vehicle 100, but may also include, for example, information on the temperature in the work vehicle 100 (e.g., the temperature of the engine coolant), information on the presence or absence of a malfunction in the work vehicle 100 (e.g., a diagnostic trouble code: DTC), etc. Specific examples of methods for acquiring the second information will be described later.

[0098] The second information may include information related to the state of the coupling device 108 for coupling the work implement 300. The coupling device 108 may include, for example, a PTO shaft that supplies power to the work implement 300 and a three-point hitch that adjusts the height of the work implement 300. The information related to the state of the coupling device 108 may include, for example, one or more of information on whether the rotation of the PTO shaft is on or off and information on the height of the three-point hitch.

[0099] When a work implement 300 is coupled to the work vehicle 100, the second information may include information about the state of the work implement 300 in addition to information about the state of the work vehicle 100. For example, when a positioning device is attached to the work implement 300, information about the position or orientation of the work implement 300 (for example, the angle with respect to a reference orientation) may be included in the second information. Alternatively, when a sensor that detects the operation of a movable part in the work implement 300 is provided in the work implement 300, information detected by the sensor may be included in the second information.

[0100] (Playback mode) In playback mode, the work vehicle 100 travels by autonomous driving. The control device 180 controls the operation of the work vehicle 100 while causing the work vehicle 100 to travel automatically, based on the first information and second information included in the plurality of waypoint information recorded in recording mode. In the example of FIG. 6B, the work vehicle 100 travels automatically based on the first information (position information) and second information (status information) included in the plurality of waypoint information recorded when traveling along a route 30T (see FIG. 6A) in recording mode. In playback mode, the control device 180 causes the work vehicle 100 to travel along a target route 30P defined by the first information included in the plurality of waypoint information recorded in recording mode. For example, the control device 180 performs steering control of the work vehicle 100 so as to minimize deviations in the position and orientation (heading) of the work vehicle 100 relative to the target route 30P. This allows the work vehicle 100 to travel along the target route 30P. In the playback mode, the work vehicle 100 can automatically reproduce the operation of the work vehicle 100 that was recorded in the recording mode.

[0101] The playback mode is initiated, for example, when the work vehicle 100 is located at the start point 30S of the target route 30P. The control device 180 ends the playback mode, for example, when the work vehicle 100 reaches the end point 30G of the target route 30P. Figure 6B illustrates a state in which the work vehicle 100 is located just before the start point 30S, and a state in which the work vehicle 100 is located midway along the route 30P.

[0102] 6A and 6B, when a work implement 300 is coupled to the work vehicle 100, the control device 180 can control the operation of the work vehicle 100 and the work implement 300 while causing the work vehicle 100 to travel automatically, based on the first information and second information included in the plurality of waypoint information recorded in recording mode. That is, in playback mode, the work vehicle 100 can automatically reproduce the operation of the work implement 300 in addition to the operation of the work vehicle 100 recorded in recording mode.

[0103] According to the travel control system of this embodiment, in playback mode, the operation of the work vehicle 100 recorded in recording mode can be reproduced, thereby efficiently performing repetitive operations of the work vehicle 100. In recording mode, second information related to conditions other than the position of the work vehicle 100 is recorded in association with first information related to the position of the work vehicle 100, thereby facilitating automation and unmanned operation of the work vehicle 100.

[0104] When a work implement 300 is coupled to the work vehicle 100, in playback mode the work vehicle 100 can automatically reproduce the operations of the work implement 300 in addition to the operations of the work vehicle 100 that were recorded in recording mode, thereby enabling the efficient performance of repetitive work performed by the work implement 300. In recording mode, second information on the state of the work implement 300 is recorded in association with first information on the position of the work vehicle 100, thereby facilitating the automation and unmanned operation of work performed by the work implement 300.

[0105] In the examples of FIGS. 6A and 6B , the work vehicle 100 travels between multiple tree rows 20 along a route 30T or a route 30P. More specifically, the work vehicle 100 travels between two adjacent tree rows 20, turning at a headland before and after traveling between the two adjacent tree rows 20. The headland is the area between the end of each tree row and the boundary of the orchard. Specifically, the following operations may be performed: The multiple tree rows 20 are ordered from the end as follows: a first tree row 20A, a second tree row 20B, a third tree row 20C, a fourth tree row 20D, and so on. The work vehicle 100 first travels between the first tree row 20A and the second tree row 20B from a starting point 30S, and upon completing this travel, turns right and travels in the reverse direction between the second tree row 20B and the third tree row 20C. After completing the journey between the second row of trees 20B and the third row of trees 20C, the vehicle turns further left and travels between the third row of trees 20C and the fourth row of trees 20D. By repeating the same operation thereafter, the vehicle travels to the end point 30G of the route 30T or the route 30P.

[0106] (Another example of a driving route) 7 and 8 are diagrams that schematically show other examples of routes that the work vehicle 100 travels.

[0107] FIG. 7 shows a route 30A along which a work vehicle 100 travels among multiple crop rows 20 in a non-rectangular field 70P. In recording mode, the work vehicle 100 travels along the route 30A from a start point 30S to an end point 30G. In playback mode, the control device 180 automatically drives the work vehicle 100 along a target route defined by first information included in multiple pieces of waypoint information recorded in recording mode. As shown in FIG. 7, in a non-rectangular field, the lengths of the crop rows 20 may vary, making autonomous driving difficult. By using the driving control system of this embodiment, the work vehicle 100 can efficiently perform repetitive operations even in a non-rectangular field, thereby facilitating the automation and unmanned operation of the work vehicle 100.

[0108] FIG. 8 shows a route 30B that the work vehicle 100 travels outside of a field 70. The area shown in FIG. 8 includes multiple fields 70 where the work vehicle 100 performs agricultural work, and roads 76 in the surrounding areas. The roads 76 may be farm roads. In recording mode, the work vehicle 100 travels along route 30B from a start point 30S to an end point 30G. In playback mode, the control device 180 automatically drives the work vehicle 100 along a target route defined by first information included in multiple pieces of waypoint information recorded in recording mode. As in the example shown in FIG. 8, the driving control system of this embodiment can also be applied to driving outside of a field. For example, the system can be suitably applied to repeated driving, such as movement of the work vehicle 100 between fields, or movement of the work vehicle 100 between a storage location and a field. In such a case, the repetitive operation (here, movement) of the work vehicle 100 can be performed efficiently, which promotes automation and unmanned operation of the operation (here, movement) of the work vehicle 100.

[0109] (Example of processing in recording mode) FIG. 9A is a flowchart showing an example of the processing performed by the control device 180 in the recording mode.

[0110] The timing to start the recording mode is specified, for example, by the user. For example, the driver may operate the control device 180 to send a signal including an instruction to start the recording mode, causing the control device 180 to start the recording mode. For example, the driver of the work vehicle 100 can send a signal including an instruction to start the recording mode to the control device 180 by operating a predetermined operation switch provided in the work vehicle 100 or an input device such as the operation terminal 200. The recording mode may be started while the work vehicle 100 is traveling, or may be started while the work vehicle 100 is stopped.

[0111] When the recording mode is started, in step S102, the control device 180 generates first information and second information based on the position data output from the positioning device 110 and the sensor data output from the sensor group 150 while the work vehicle 100 is traveling. For example, the control device 180 may calculate the position (i.e., coordinates) of a reference point of the work vehicle 100 based on the position data output from the positioning device 110, and generate (acquire) information indicating that position as the first information. The control device 180 can calculate the position of the reference point of the work vehicle 100 based on the position data output from the positioning device 110 and information indicating the relative positional relationship between the positioning device 110 and the work vehicle 100, which is recorded in advance in a storage device. The control device 180 may also generate, as the second information, information required to control various actuators that are driven during playback, based on the sensor data output from the sensor group 150.

[0112] The first information and the second information may be generated at any timing. For example, the first information and the second information may be generated every time the work vehicle 100 travels a certain distance, or may be generated at certain time intervals. The certain distance (for example, in the example of FIG. 6A, the distance between two adjacent waypoints Pr in the traveling direction of the work vehicle 100) may be set to a value of, for example, several tens of centimeters (cm) to several meters (m). The certain time may be set to a value within a range of, for example, 1 to 10 seconds.

[0113] In step S104, the control device 180 records the waypoint information including the first information and second information generated in step S102 in the storage device 870 (see FIG. 3A). The first information and the second information are recorded in association with each other.

[0114] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of waypoint information. The waypoint information shown in FIG. 10 includes a waypoint number (No.) 90, first information 91 indicating the position of the work vehicle 100, and second information 92 indicating the status of the work vehicle 100. The first information 91 indicates the position coordinates of the waypoint. The position coordinates may indicate, for example, latitude and longitude in a geographic coordinate system, or may indicate position coordinates in a coordinate system different from the geographic coordinate system. The position coordinates may include altitude information in addition to latitude and longitude. The second information 92 in the example of FIG. 10 includes information indicating the vehicle speed, steering angle, presence or absence of brakes, ON / OFF status of the PTO shaft, and the height of the 3P hitch. The second information 92 may include only some of this information. Alternatively, the second information 92 may include other information not shown in FIG. 10. For example, the second information 92 may include information indicating the status of the forward / reverse lever. Alternatively, the second information 92 may include information on whether the front wheel speed increasing function (also referred to as "double speed turn") is ON or OFF.

[0115] Control device 180 repeats the processing of steps S102 and S104 until a command to end the recording mode is issued (step S106). The timing to end the recording mode can be specified by the user. For example, the driver may operate an input device such as the operation terminal 200 to send a signal including an instruction to end the recording mode to control device 180, causing control device 180 to end the recording mode. For example, the driver of work vehicle 100 can send a signal including an instruction to end the recording mode to control device 180 by operating a predetermined operation switch provided on work vehicle 100 or an input device such as operation terminal 200.

[0116] Fig. 9B is a flowchart showing another example of the processing performed in the recording mode by the control device 180. The flowchart in Fig. 9B differs from the flowchart in Fig. 9A in that step S104 is performed after driving in the recording mode has ended.

[0117] In the example shown in FIG. 9B, after the work vehicle 100 has finished traveling in the recording mode (step S103), the control device 180 executes the processing of step S104. In step S104, a plurality of pieces of waypoint information including the first information and second information generated while the work vehicle 100 was traveling in step S102 is recorded in the storage device 870. The first information and second information generated in step S102 may be temporarily stored in the storage device 870 or a storage device different from the storage device 870 (for example, a memory such as the RAM 285 shown in FIG. 3B), and may be erased after the waypoint information is recorded. In this example, after the work vehicle 100 has finished traveling in the recording mode, waypoint information such as that shown in FIG. 10 is generated and recorded for each waypoint.

[0118] Figure 9C is a flowchart showing yet another example of processing performed in the recording mode by the control device 180. The flowchart shown in Figure 9C differs from the flowchart shown in Figure 9B in that the first information and the second information are generated after driving in the recording mode has ended.

[0119] In the example shown in FIG. 9C, in step S101, the control device 180 stores the position data output from the positioning device 110 and the sensor data output from the sensor group 150 in memory (for example, RAM 285 shown in FIG. 3B) while the work vehicle 100 is traveling. After the work vehicle 100 has finished traveling in the recording mode (step S103), the control device 180 executes the processes of steps S105 and S107. In step S105, the control device 180 generates first information and second information for each of a plurality of waypoints based on the position data and sensor data stored in memory. In step S107, the control device 180 records a plurality of pieces of waypoint information, each of which includes the first information and the second information, in the storage device 870. In this example, after traveling in the recording mode has finished, the first information and second information are generated for each waypoint, and waypoint information such as that shown in FIG. 10 is recorded for each waypoint.

[0120] (Example of processing in playback mode) FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing performed by the control device 180 in the playback mode.

[0121] In playback mode, the control device 180 automatically drives the work vehicle 100 based on pre-recorded waypoint information. The control device 180 acquires position data indicating the position of the work vehicle 100 output from the positioning device 110 (step S121). Next, the control device 180 calculates the deviation between the position of the work vehicle 100 and the target route (step S122). The target route is defined by the position information (first information) of multiple waypoints recorded in recording mode. The deviation represents the distance between the position of the work vehicle 100 at that time and the target route. The control device 180 determines whether the calculated position deviation exceeds a preset threshold (step S123). If the deviation exceeds the threshold ("Yes" in step S123), the control device 180 changes the steering angle by changing the control parameters of the steering device 106 included in the drive device 240 so as to reduce the deviation (step S124). If the deviation does not exceed the threshold value in step S123 ("No" in step S123), the process of step S124 is not performed. The control device 180 repeats the operations of steps S121 to S124 until an instruction to end the playback mode is issued (step S125).

[0122] In playback mode, the control device 180 causes the work vehicle 100 to automatically travel along a target route by executing, for example, the processing shown in FIG. 11 . The control device 180 further controls the operation of the work vehicle 100 based on state information (second information) corresponding to each of a plurality of waypoints that define the target route. For example, if the second information includes information on the steering angle of the steering wheels of the work vehicle 100, in addition to the processing shown in FIG. 11 , steering of the work vehicle 100 is controlled based on the steering angle included in the second information. If the second information includes information on the speed of the work vehicle 100, the speed of the work vehicle 100 is controlled based on the speed information included in the second information. In addition, for example, if an operation is recorded in which the rotation of the PTO shaft is stopped (turned off) before the start of a turn and the rotation of the PTO shaft is started (turned on) after the turn is completed, the control device 180 reproduces that operation when the work vehicle 100 turns in playback mode.

[0123] Control techniques such as PID control or MPC control (model predictive control) can be applied to the steering control and speed control of work vehicle 100. By applying these control techniques, it is possible to smooth the control that moves work vehicle 100 closer to the target route and target speed.

[0124] (When the second information includes information regarding the driving state of the work vehicle) With reference to Fig. 12A, an example of processing performed by the control device 180 when the second information includes information related to the traveling state of the work vehicle 100 will be described. Fig. 12A is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of processing performed by the control device 180 in the traveling control system 1000. In addition to the traveling control system 1000, Fig. 12A also shows the drive device 240 and the operation switch group 210. For simplicity, some components are not shown in Fig. 12A.

[0125] (Controlling the speed of work vehicles) The control device 180 controls the speed of the work vehicle 100 by controlling the prime mover 102, braking device (brake) 293, and transmission 103 included in the drive device 240. The braking device 293 brakes the axle that rotates the wheels 104 of the work vehicle 100. Specifically, the speed of the work vehicle 100 can be controlled by controlling the engine speed of the prime mover (engine) 102 and / or the gear ratio of the transmission 103. For example, the transmission 103 has multiple gear stages, and the control device 180 controls the gear ratio of the transmission 103 by switching the gear stages of the transmission 103. The multiple gear stages of the transmission 103 can be configured by combining multiple main gear stages and multiple sub gear stages. When the work vehicle 100 is being manually driven, the control device 180 controls the speed of the work vehicle 100 by controlling the prime mover 102, the braking device (brake) 293, and the transmission 103 in response to the driver's operation of the accelerator operation device 215 (e.g., accelerator lever or accelerator pedal), the brake operation device 216 (e.g., brake pedal), and / or the gear stage operation switch 218 (e.g., shift lever). The gear stage operation switch 218 is a switch for selecting the gear stage of the transmission 103. The control device 180 may further switch between two-wheel drive mode and four-wheel drive mode in response to the driver's operation.

[0126] In the recording mode, the control device 180 sequentially acquires sensor data output from vehicle speed sensors such as the axle sensor 156, the engine rotation speed sensor 158, and the gear ratio sensor 159 that detects information about the gear ratio of the transmission 103. Based on this sensor data, the control device 180 generates and records information about the speed of the work vehicle 100, information about the engine rotation speed of the work vehicle 100, and information about the gear ratio of the transmission 103 as second information in association with the position information of each waypoint (first information). In such a case, in the playback mode, the control device 180 controls the speed of the work vehicle 100 by controlling the prime mover 102, the transmission 103, and the braking device 293 included in the drive device 240 based on the second information recorded in the recording mode. The gear ratio sensor 159 may be a sensor provided on a rotating shaft within the transmission 103 that detects the gear ratio, or may be a shift position sensor that identifies the selected gear by detecting the position of a shift lever (gear stage operation switch 218) for selecting a gear. The information on the gear ratio of the transmission 103 is not limited to information indicating the gear ratio itself, but may also be, for example, information that identifies the selected gear stage among multiple gear stages of the transmission 103. Because one gear stage corresponds to one gear ratio, the gear ratio can be identified once the gear stage is identified.

[0127] The work vehicle 100 may be equipped with a double-speed turn function (front wheel speed-up function). A double-speed turn is an operation that increases the speed of the front wheels when the driver turns the steering wheel significantly and the steering angle of the front wheels exceeds a threshold. Performing a double-speed turn reduces the turning radius, enabling smoother turns. The work vehicle 100 may be equipped with a solenoid (referred to as a "double-speed solenoid") for driving a clutch that switches the double-speed turn function on and off. The control device 180 can switch the double-speed solenoid on and off via a hydraulic circuit. When the double-speed solenoid is on, the rotational speed of the front wheels is approximately twice as fast as when the double-speed solenoid is off.

[0128] The second information may further include information regarding the driving mode of the work vehicle 100. For example, the information regarding the driving mode of the work vehicle 100 may include information regarding whether the vehicle is moving forward or backward. The information regarding the driving mode may include information regarding whether the vehicle is moving in four-wheel drive mode or two-wheel drive mode. The information regarding the driving mode may include information regarding whether double speed turning is on or off. The information regarding the driving mode may further include information regarding whether the automatic single braking mode is on or off. When the automatic single braking mode is on, the inner rear wheel is lightly braked when the steering angle of the front wheel 104F, which is the steered wheel, exceeds a predetermined value while the vehicle is moving. In the playback mode, the control device 180 controls the driving mode of the work vehicle 100 by controlling the prime mover 102, the transmission 103, and the braking device 293 included in the drive device 240 based on the second information recorded in the recording mode.

[0129] (Steering control of work vehicles) The control device 180 controls the steering device 106 to change the steering angle of the front wheels 104F, which are the steered wheels of the work vehicle 100, and by changing the steering angle of the steered wheels, changes the heading of the work vehicle 100. When the work vehicle 100 is being manually driven, the control device 180 changes the steering angle of the steered wheels of the work vehicle 100 and the heading of the work vehicle 100 by controlling the steering device 106 in response to operation of the steering wheel 217 by the driver.

[0130] In the recording mode, the control device 180 acquires, as second information, information on the steering angle of the steering wheels of the work vehicle 100, based on sensor data (measured values) output from the steering wheel sensor 152 and / or the turning angle sensor 154. In such a case, in the playback mode, the control device 180 controls the steering of the work vehicle 100 by controlling the hydraulic device or electric motor included in the steering device 106, based on the second information recorded in the recording mode.

[0131] The second information may further include information regarding the attitude of the work vehicle 100. The attitude of the work vehicle 100 may be determined, for example, by the roll angle θ R , pitch angle θ P , and yaw angle θ Y The roll angle θ is expressed as R represents the amount of rotation around the longitudinal axis of the work vehicle 100. Pitch angle θ P represents the amount of rotation around the axis in the left-right direction of the work vehicle 100. Yaw angle θ Y represents the amount of rotation around the vertical axis of the work vehicle 100. The attitude may also be defined by other angles such as Euler angles, or by quaternions. The control device 180 obtains information regarding the attitude of the work vehicle 100 based on data output from the IMU 115, for example.

[0132] (When the second information includes information about the state of the coupling device) With reference to Fig. 12B, an example of processing performed by the control device 180 when the second information includes information related to the state of the coupling device 108 for coupling the work machine 300 will be described. Fig. 12B is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of processing performed by the control device 180 of the travel control system 1000. In addition to the travel control system 1000, Fig. 12B also shows the coupling device 108 and the operation switch group 210.

[0133] As shown in FIG. 12B , the coupling device 108 includes a three-point hitch 291 for connecting the work machine 300 and a PTO shaft 292 for supplying rotational power to the work machine 300. The operation switch group 210 includes a 3P position switch 211 for changing the height of the three-point hitch 291 and a PTO switch 222 for switching the rotation of the PTO shaft 292 on and off. The sensor group 150 includes a 3P position sensor 251 for detecting the height position of the three-point hitch 291 and a PTO sensor 252 for detecting the rotation of the PTO shaft 292 on and off. Each of the coupling device 108, the operation switch group 210, and the sensor group 150 may include other components, but for simplicity's sake, some of the components are not shown in FIG. 12B . The control device 180 is connected to the 3P position sensor 251, the PTO sensor 252, the three-point hitch 291, and the PTO shaft 292. The control device 180 can communicate with these components using a communication protocol such as CAN.

[0134] The control device 180 controls the height of the three-point hitch 291 and the on / off switching of the rotation of the PTO shaft 292. When the work vehicle 100 is being operated by manual operation by the driver, the control device 180 changes the height of the three-point hitch 291 in response to the driver's operation of the 3P position switch 211, and switches the on / off switching of the rotation of the PTO shaft 292 in response to the driver's operation of the PTO switch 222.

[0135] In the recording mode, the control device 180 generates information about the height of the three-point hitch 291 as second information based on the sensor data output from the 3P position sensor 251. In such a case, in the replay mode, the control device 180 controls the height of the three-point hitch 291 based on the second information recorded in the recording mode. Also, in the recording mode, the control device 180 acquires information about whether the rotation of the PTO shaft 292 is on or off as second information based on the sensor data output from the PTO sensor 252. In such a case, in the replay mode, the control device 180 controls the rotation of the PTO shaft 292 on or off based on the second information recorded in the recording mode.

[0136] (When the second information includes information about the status of the work equipment) With reference to Fig. 12C, an example of processing performed by the control device 180 when the work implement 300 is coupled to the work vehicle 100 and the second information includes information related to the state of the work implement 300 will be described. Fig. 12C is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of processing performed by the control device 180 of the cruise control system 1000. In addition to the cruise control system 1000, Fig. 12C also shows the work implement 300 and the operation switch group 210. For simplicity, some components are not shown in Fig. 12C.

[0137] 12C , the work machine 300 includes a drive unit 340 that performs the operations required for the work machine 300 to perform a predetermined task, a control device 380 that controls the operation of the drive unit 340, and one or more work machine sensors 302 that detect the state of the drive unit 340 and output sensor data. The drive unit 340 includes a device appropriate for the application of the work machine 300, such as a hydraulic device, an electric motor, or a pump. The work machine sensor 302 has a structure appropriate for the drive unit 340 and includes, for example, a hydraulic sensor. The operation switch group 210 includes a work machine switch 213 for controlling the operation of the work machine 300.

[0138] The control device 180 controls the operation of the work implement 300 by sending a command to the control device 380 to control the operation of the drive device 340. When the work vehicle 100 is being operated by manual operation by the driver, the control device 180 controls the operation of the work implement 300 by sending a command to the control device 380 to control the operation of the drive device 340 in response to operation of the work implement switch 213 by the driver.

[0139] In the recording mode, the control device 180 acquires or generates information about the state of the work machine 300 as second information based on the sensor data output from the work machine sensor 302. For example, the control device 380 may generate second information about the state of the work machine 300 based on the sensor data output from the work machine sensor 302 and transmit the second information to the control device 180. Alternatively, the control device 180 may receive sensor data output from the work machine sensor 302 via the control device 380 and generate information about the state of the work machine 300. In such a case, in the playback mode, the control device 180 controls the operation of the work machine 300 by having the control device 380 control the operation of the drive device 340 based on the second information recorded in the recording mode.

[0140] Fig. 13 is a diagram showing an example of operation terminal 200 and operation switch group 210 provided inside cabin 105 of work vehicle 100. Operation switch group 210 including a plurality of switches that can be operated by the driver is arranged inside cabin 105. Operation switch group 210 may include the examples of operation switches described with reference to Figs. 12A, 12B, and 12C.

[0141] (Another example of how to record waypoint information) Next, an example of how to efficiently record waypoint information in recording mode will be described.

[0142] As described above, in the recording mode, the operator drives the work vehicle 100 within a work site (for example, a field such as an orchard, rice paddy, or farm) and records the position and status of the work vehicle 100 (for example, speed, direction of travel, on / off status of the PTO axle, height of the three-point linkage, etc.) for each waypoint. This recording (teaching) operation can be performed by, for example, manual driving by the operator, automatic steering operation, or remote control. However, in any method, the work vehicle 100 must drive the entire work site once. If the work site is large, the work vehicle 100 will have to drive for a long time to teach, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive.

[0143] In the example shown in FIG. 6A, the work vehicle 100 travels along a work path that includes multiple main paths that run parallel to multiple tree rows 20 (i.e., crop rows) in a work area such as an orchard, and multiple turning paths that connect the multiple main paths. The main paths are straight path sections located between two adjacent tree rows 20. In the example of FIG. 6A, the main paths are straight path sections, but they may also be curved. The turning paths are curved path sections that connect two adjacent main paths. When the work vehicle 100 travels along such a work path, the work vehicle 100 must travel back and forth multiple times to repeat the same work for teaching purposes, which places a heavy burden on the operator.

[0144] Therefore, the control device 180 may generate waypoint information for the entire route by duplicating partial waypoint information recorded while the work vehicle 100 is traveling along a partial route, such as one round trip or half of one round trip, in the recording mode. With this method, the operator only needs to travel the work vehicle 100 along a partial route. This allows teaching to be completed in a shorter time, reducing the burden on the operator.

[0145] An example of the above operation will now be described in more detail.

[0146] FIG. 14A is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a method for generating waypoint information in the recording mode. In the recording mode, the work vehicle 100 travels along a partial path 30T that includes at least one main path 30Ta among multiple main paths that run parallel to the multiple crop rows 20 and at least one turning path 30Tb among the multiple turning paths that are connected to the main path 30Ta. In the following description, the direction in which the main path extends is referred to as the x direction, and the direction parallel to the ground and perpendicular to the x direction is referred to as the y direction. In the example shown in FIG. 14A, the partial path 30T is a route that makes one round trip and includes two adjacent main paths 30Ta among the multiple main paths and two turning paths 30Tb among the multiple turning paths that are connected to the two main paths 30Ta. The partial path 30T is not limited to such a route, and may be, for example, a route that makes one round trip and includes two adjacent main paths 30Ta and one turning path 30Tb that connects the two main paths 30Ta. Alternatively, the partial path 30T may be half of one round trip path, as shown in FIG. 15A.

[0147] The control device 180 generates and records a plurality of waypoint information in the storage device 870 while the work vehicle 100 is traveling along the partial route 30T, or after the work vehicle 100 has completed traveling along the partial route 30T. Each piece of waypoint information includes first information indicating the position of the corresponding waypoint Pr and second information indicating the status of the work vehicle 100 at that position. As a result, as exemplified in FIG. 14A or 15A, a plurality of waypoint information for, for example, one round trip or half of the route 30T is recorded. The control device 180 then generates a plurality of waypoint information for the remaining route of the work route other than the partial route 30T by processing that includes duplicating the recorded plurality of waypoint information.

[0148] FIG. 14B is a diagram showing an example of waypoint information for the remaining routes generated based on waypoint information for the partial route 30T. In the example shown in FIG. 14B, the control device 180 generates multiple pieces of waypoint information for the remaining routes 30T1 and 30T2 by translating and duplicating multiple pieces of waypoint information for the partial route 30T of one round trip. In FIG. 14B, the partial route 30T is indicated by a dashed arrow, and the remaining routes are indicated by dotted arrows. FIG. 14B shows examples of two round trip routes 30T1 and 30T2 as the remaining routes for which waypoint information is generated by duplication. The remaining routes for which waypoint information is generated by duplication are not limited to the two round trip routes 30T1 and 30T2, but may vary depending on the total number of crop rows 20.

[0149] The position of each duplicated waypoint is displaced in the arrangement direction (y direction) of the crop rows 20 from the position of the corresponding waypoint on the original partial route 30T by an integer multiple (e.g., 1x, 2x, 3x, ...) of a preset spacing between the crop rows 20. The spacing between the crop rows 20 is set in advance by the user, and this information can be recorded in the storage device 870. The status information of each duplicated waypoint is the same as the status information of the corresponding waypoint on the original partial route 30T.

[0150] 15A shows an example in which the partial path 30T that is the source of the duplication process is a path equivalent to half of one round trip. In this example, the partial path 30T is composed of one main path 30Ta and one turning path 30Tb connected to the main path 30Ta.

[0151] FIG. 15B is a diagram showing an example of the remaining route generated by the control device 180 in the example shown in FIG. 15A. In the example of FIG. 15B, the control device 180 executes a process of translating and duplicating multiple pieces of waypoint information for one round trip route composed of a partial route 30T and an inverted partial route 30T', which is obtained by inverting the partial route 30T in the direction (x direction) along which the main route extends and duplicating it. More specifically, the control device 180 inverts the position coordinates of each piece of waypoint information for the partial route 30T around the center position of the crop rows 20 in the x direction and increases the coordinates by the spacing between the crop rows 20 in the y direction. Furthermore, if each piece of waypoint information includes information about the orientation of the work vehicle 100, the orientation is inverted 180 degrees in the xy plane. As a result, multiple pieces of waypoint information for the inverted partial route 30T' are generated. The control device 180 generates each piece of waypoint information for the paths 30T1 and 30T1' by translating the position coordinates of each piece of waypoint information for the partial path 30T and the reversed partial path 30T' in the y direction by the distance between the crop rows 20. The remaining paths are then generated in a similar manner. Through this process, the control device 180 generates multiple pieces of waypoint information for paths other than the partial path 30T and the reversed partial path 30T'. FIG. 15B illustrates two round-trip paths 30T1, 30T', 30T2, and 30T2' as examples of the remaining paths for which waypoint information is generated by duplication. The remaining paths for which waypoint information is generated by duplication are not limited to two round-trip paths, but may vary depending on the total number of crop rows 20.

[0152] The above-described duplication process can be executed in response to a user operation after the work vehicle 100 travels along the partial route 30T and the waypoint information on the partial route 30T is recorded. The user can instruct the start of the duplication process for the waypoint information by operating an input device such as the operation terminal 200 shown in Fig. 3, for example.

[0153] The control device 180 may display, on a display (for example, a display on the operation terminal 200), a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows the user to issue an instruction to generate the remaining route by duplicating the partial route 30T. Such a GUI may have a function that allows the user to set how many rows or round trips of the route will be generated by duplicating the partial route 30T. Such a GUI may also have a function that allows the user to edit the information about each waypoint. An example of such a GUI will be described below with reference to FIGS. 16A and 16B.

[0154] FIG. 16A is a diagram showing an example of a GUI that allows a user to instruct the process of generating waypoint information for the remaining route by duplication based on the waypoint information for the partial route 30T. The GUI in this example has a function that allows the user to specify how many rows of waypoint information to generate by duplication. Such a GUI can be displayed, for example, on a display mounted on the operation terminal 200. By operating an input device such as the operation terminal 200, the user can specify how many rows of waypoint information to generate by duplication and can instruct the start of duplication.

[0155] FIG. 16B illustrates an example of a GUI providing a waypoint editing function. This GUI has the function of editing waypoint information for a partial route 30T recorded by teaching. By operating this GUI, the user can delete unnecessary waypoints from the partial route 30T or change the position information or status information of some waypoints. FIG. 16B illustrates an example in which the last waypoint (No. 22) in the partial route 30T has been selected by the user. The user can select the waypoint to edit by operating, for example, the touchscreen or other input device of the operation terminal 200. When the user selects a waypoint, the position information and status information associated with that waypoint (e.g., speed, PTO on / off information, or information regarding the elevation and lowering of the three-point linkage) are displayed. The user can edit the waypoint information by selecting the item to edit and entering values ​​or selecting desired values ​​from pull-down menus. After editing, the edited content is reflected by pressing the “Confirm” button. The selected waypoint can also be deleted by pressing the “Delete” button. Although not shown in Figure 16B, it may be possible to add new waypoints to the route and set the position and other information of the waypoints. Also, a function for editing waypoints on a route generated by duplication may be provided, not limited to partial routes recorded by teaching.

[0156] Such a GUI allows the user to edit waypoint information to preferred content depending on the usage mode. Note that the above-mentioned GUI is merely an example, and various modifications are possible regarding the function and layout of the GUI. For example, in the example of FIG. 16B, the status information (second information) of the work vehicle 100 includes speed, information indicating whether the rotation of the PTO shaft is on or off, and information regarding the height of the three-point linkage, but it may also include other information. For example, the second information may include information regarding at least one of the speed of the work vehicle 100, the steering angle of the work vehicle 100, and the state of the transmission. If the work vehicle 100 is equipped with a front wheel acceleration function that accelerates the front wheels when turning, the second information may include information indicating whether the front wheel acceleration function is on or off. If the work vehicle 100 is equipped with an automatic single-brake function that brakes the inside rear wheel when turning, the second information may include information indicating whether the automatic single-brake function is on or off. Using a GUI such as the one exemplified in FIG. 16B, all of the information included in the second information may be editable, or only a portion of the information included in the second information may be editable.

[0157] Fig. 17 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the control device 180. In the recording mode, the control device 180 can execute the above-described route generation method by executing the processing shown in Fig. 17. The processing shown in Fig. 17 is started in response to, for example, a user's operation to start the recording mode using the operation terminal 200.

[0158] In step S202, the control device 180 records waypoint information including position information and status information of the work vehicle 100. After step S202, the process proceeds to step S204.

[0159] In step S204, the control device 180 determines whether travel along at least a partial route equivalent to half of one round trip has been completed. The control device 180 determines that travel along the partial route has been completed, for example, when the user performs an operation to complete travel using the operation terminal 200. If it is determined in step S204 that travel along the partial route has been completed, the process proceeds to step S206. If travel along the partial route has not been completed, the process returns to step S202.

[0160] The process of step S202 may be executed, for example, every time work vehicle 100 travels a predetermined distance. Alternatively, the process of step S202 may be executed every time work vehicle 100 travels a predetermined time.

[0161] In step S206, the control device 180 displays a display screen (GUI) on the display of the operation terminal 200, which allows the user to specify how many rows of routes to generate by duplication based on the waypoint information of the recorded partial routes. For example, a display screen such as that shown in Fig. 16A is displayed on the display. After step S206, the process proceeds to step S208.

[0162] In step S208, the control device 180 determines whether a route generation instruction has been received from the user. For example, when the number of rows of routes (waypoints) to be generated is specified on the display screen shown in Fig. 16A and the "Start duplication" button is pressed, the control device 180 determines that a route generation instruction has been received and proceeds to step S210.

[0163] In step S210, the control device 180 generates waypoint information for the entire route by duplicating and translating the waypoint information for the partial route that was sequentially recorded in step S202 by the number of columns specified by the user. Note that, as in the example shown in Figure 15B, if partial route 30T is a route equivalent to half of one round trip, processing is also performed to invert the multiple waypoint information for partial route 30T in the x direction. After step S210, the process proceeds to step S212.

[0164] In step S212, the control device 180 records the waypoint information of the entire generated route in the storage device 870.

[0165] By performing the above operations, it is possible to generate multiple waypoint information for the remaining route at once based on multiple waypoint information for a partial route. According to this embodiment, the user only needs to travel one round trip or half of one round trip between the rows of crops, which significantly reduces the time and workload required for teaching.

[0166] In the example of FIG. 17, waypoint information is generated sequentially in step S202 while the work vehicle 100 is traveling. The operation is not limited to this. The control device 180 may generate waypoint information for a partial route all at once after the work vehicle 100 has completed traveling the partial route, as shown in FIG. 9B or 9C, for example. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 16B, it may be possible to edit waypoint information before the user issues a route generation instruction in step S208. Furthermore, the user may edit waypoint information before recording waypoint information for the entire route in step S212. Such a waypoint information editing function may also be provided in the case where waypoint information for the entire route is generated without performing a duplication process, as in the examples shown in FIGS. 9A to 9C.

[0167] The cruise control systems in the above embodiments can also be retrofitted to work vehicles that do not have these functions. Such control systems can be manufactured and sold independently of the work vehicles. The computer programs used in such control systems can also be manufactured and sold independently of the work vehicles. The computer programs can be provided, for example, by being stored on a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium. The computer programs can also be provided by downloading via a telecommunications line (e.g., the Internet). [Industrial Applicability]

[0168] The technology of the present disclosure is widely applicable to various types of work vehicles used in smart agriculture. [Explanation of symbols]

[0169] 100 work vehicle, 110 positioning device, 150 sensor group, 180 control device, 210 operation switch group, 300 implement (work machine), 1000 travel control system

Claims

1. A travel control system for a work vehicle that automatically travels while performing work along a work path that includes a plurality of parallel main paths and a plurality of turning paths that connect the plurality of main paths, a positioning device that detects the position of the work vehicle and outputs position data; one or more sensors that detect the state of the work vehicle and output sensor data; a control device for controlling the operation of the work vehicle; Equipped with The control device capable of operating in record and play modes; In the recording mode, while the work vehicle is traveling, a plurality of waypoint information pieces are generated based on the position data and the sensor data, each of the waypoint information pieces including first information relating to the position of the work vehicle and second information relating to the state of the work vehicle, and the waypoint information pieces are recorded in a storage device; In the playback mode, the operation of the work vehicle is controlled while the work vehicle is automatically traveling based on the first information and the second information included in the plurality of waypoint information recorded in the recording mode; In the recording mode, a process including duplicating a plurality of waypoint information recorded while the work vehicle was traveling along a partial route including one main route of the plurality of main routes and one turning route of the plurality of turning routes connected to the main route, generates a plurality of waypoint information for the remaining route of the work route other than the partial route. Cruise control system.

2. the partial route is a route for one round trip including two adjacent main routes among the plurality of main routes and one or two turning routes connected to the two main routes among the plurality of turning routes, the control device generates the plurality of waypoint information for the remaining route by translating and duplicating the plurality of waypoint information for the one round trip route; The cruise control system of claim 1 .

3. the partial path is configured by one main path among the plurality of main paths and one turning path among the plurality of turning paths connected to the main path, the control device generates the plurality of waypoint information for a route other than the partial route and the reverse partial route by translating and duplicating a plurality of waypoint information for a route for one round trip that is composed of the partial route and an inverted partial route that is obtained by inverting the partial route with respect to the direction in which the main route extends and duplicating the plurality of waypoint information for the route other than the partial route and the inverted partial route; The cruise control system of claim 1 .

4. The cruise control system of claim 1 , wherein the second information includes information regarding at least one of a speed of the work vehicle, a steering angle of the work vehicle, and a state of the transmission.

5. The work vehicle includes a PTO shaft that transmits power to a work machine, The second information includes information indicating whether rotation of the PTO shaft is on or off. The cruise control system of claim 1 .

6. The work vehicle is equipped with a three-point hitch for adjusting the height of the work implement, The second information includes information about the height of the three-point hitch. The cruise control system of claim 1 .

7. The work vehicle is provided with a front wheel acceleration function that increases the speed of the front wheels when turning, the second information includes information indicating whether the front wheel speed increasing function is on or off, The cruise control system of claim 1 .

8. The work vehicle is provided with an automatic single-brake function that brakes the inside rear wheel when turning, Including information indicating whether the automatic braking function is on or off, The cruise control system of claim 1 .

9. The cruise control system according to claim 1 , wherein the control device displays, on a display, a graphical user interface (GUI) that enables a user to edit the partial route and to instruct the user to generate the remaining route by duplicating the partial route.

10. The cruise control system according to claim 9 , wherein the GUI has a function of allowing a user to set how many rows of the route are to be generated by duplicating the partial route.

11. A cruise control system according to any one of claims 1 to 10; Running gear and A work vehicle equipped with:

12. A control device that controls the operation of a work vehicle that automatically travels while performing work along a work route that includes a plurality of parallel main routes and a plurality of turning routes that connect the plurality of main routes, and that is capable of operating in a recording mode and a playback mode, a processor; a memory storing a computer program; Equipped with The computer program causes the processor to: In the recording mode, while the work vehicle is traveling, based on the position data and the sensor data, generating a plurality of waypoint information, each including first information on the position of the work vehicle and second information on the state of the work vehicle, and recording the waypoint information in a storage device; In the playback mode, controlling the operation of the work vehicle while causing the work vehicle to travel automatically based on the first information and the second information included in the plurality of waypoint information recorded in the recording mode; In the recording mode, generating a plurality of waypoint information for the remaining route of the work route other than the partial route by processing including duplicating a plurality of waypoint information recorded while the work vehicle was traveling along a partial route including one main route of the plurality of main routes and one turning route of the plurality of turning routes connected to the main route; A control device that executes the above.

13. A control device for controlling a work vehicle that automatically travels while performing work along a work path that includes a plurality of parallel main paths and a plurality of turning paths connecting the plurality of main paths, the control device being capable of operating in a recording mode and a playback mode, comprising: In the recording mode, while the work vehicle is traveling, based on position data acquired from a positioning device that detects the position of the work vehicle and sensor data acquired from one or more sensors that detect the state of the work vehicle, a plurality of waypoint information each including first information regarding the position of the work vehicle and second information regarding the state of the work vehicle is generated and recorded in a storage device; In the playback mode, automatically controlling the operation of the work vehicle while causing the work vehicle to travel by automatic driving based on the first information and the second information included in the plurality of waypoint information recorded in the recording mode; In the recording mode, the recording device generates a plurality of waypoint information for the remaining route of the work route other than the partial route by duplicating the plurality of waypoint information recorded while the work vehicle is traveling along a partial route including one main route of the plurality of main routes and one turning route of the plurality of turning routes connected to the main route. Driving control method.

14. A computer program executed by a processor in a control device that controls the operation of a work vehicle that automatically travels while performing work along a work path that includes a plurality of parallel main paths and a plurality of turning paths that connect the plurality of main paths, and that is capable of operating in a recording mode and a playback mode, the processor, In the recording mode, while the work vehicle is traveling, based on position data acquired from a positioning device that detects the position of the work vehicle and sensor data acquired from one or more sensors that detect the state of the work vehicle, a plurality of waypoint information each including first information regarding the position of the work vehicle and second information regarding the state of the work vehicle is generated and recorded in a storage device; In the playback mode, controlling the operation of the work vehicle while causing the work vehicle to travel automatically based on the first information and the second information included in the plurality of waypoint information recorded in the recording mode; In the recording mode, generating a plurality of waypoint information for the remaining route of the work route other than the partial route by processing including duplicating a plurality of waypoint information recorded while the work vehicle was traveling along a partial route including one main route of the plurality of main routes and one turning route of the plurality of turning routes connected to the main route; A computer program that executes the following:

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