Control device and method for controlling waste crane

Abstract

To provide a control method of a refuse crane capable of preventing overflow of a refuse pile height in a receiving side area of a refuse pit.SOLUTION: An increase amount of a height of a pile of waste in an acceptance area, the increase amount corresponding to a value obtained by subtracting an amount of waste transported from the acceptance area to a destination area per unit time from an amount of waste input to the acceptance area per the unit time, the acceptance area being an area in which waste is input in a waste pit, the destination area being an area to which waste is transported from the acceptance area, an operation of transporting waste from the acceptance area to the destination area being acceptance; The operation mode is determined based on an automatic determination logic of the operation mode in which an increase amount of a height of a waste pile in the acceptance area is associated with an operation mode for the acceptance in which a position or a range of the acceptance area in which waste conveyed in the acceptance is dropped is defined, and the waste is accepted in the determined operation mode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device and a control method for a crane. [Background technology]

[0002] Waste transported to a waste incineration facility is dropped from a garbage truck into the receiving area of ​​a pit, where it is agitated and then dumped into a hopper. Patent Document 1 discloses a control system that switches the crane's operation between "throwing," "receiving," and "transshipping" depending on factors such as the height of the pile of waste accumulated in the receiving area. Patent Document 1 does not disclose any technology that prevents the height of the pile of waste accumulated in the receiving area from exceeding a threshold and overflowing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7161642 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] To provide a method for controlling a garbage crane that can prevent the garbage pile height from overflowing in the receiving area of ​​a garbage pit.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a control device and a control method for a garbage crane that can solve the above problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The control device of the present disclosure is equipped with a means for determining an operating mode based on an increase in the height of the garbage pile in the receiving source area, which corresponds to the value obtained by subtracting the amount of garbage transported from the receiving source area to the receiving destination area per unit time from the amount of garbage input into the receiving source area per unit time, when the area in a garbage pit where garbage is dumped is defined as a receiving source area, the destination where garbage is transported from the receiving source area is defined as a receiving destination area, and the operation of transporting garbage from the receiving source area to the receiving destination area is defined as receiving, and an automatic operating mode determination logic that corresponds the increase in the height of the garbage pile in the receiving source area to the operating mode of the receiving, which specifies the position or range of the receiving destination area where the garbage transported during the receiving is dropped.

[0007] The control method for a garbage crane disclosed herein defines the area in a garbage pit where garbage is dumped as a source area, the destination where garbage is transported from the source area as a destination area, and the operation of transporting garbage from the source area to the destination area as receiving, and determines the operating mode based on an automatic operating mode determination logic that matches the increase in the height of the garbage pile in the source area corresponding to the value obtained by subtracting the amount of garbage transported from the source area to the destination area per unit time from the amount of garbage dumped into the source area per unit time, and the operating mode for receiving, which specifies the position or range of the destination area where the garbage transported during the receiving will be dropped, and then performs garbage reception in the determined operating mode. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The control device and garbage crane control method disclosed herein can prevent the garbage pile height in the garbage receiving area from overflowing. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a waste treatment plant. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a first diagram illustrating an operation mode of the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a second diagram illustrating an operation mode of the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a first diagram illustrating an automatic operation mode switching logic according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a first diagram showing an example of automatic switching of an operation mode according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a second diagram illustrating the operation mode automatic switching logic according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a second diagram showing an example of automatic switching of the operation mode according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a third diagram illustrating the operation mode automatic switching logic according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an automatic operation mode switching process according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a hardware configuration of a control device according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] <Embodiment> Hereinafter, a method for controlling a crane in a waste treatment plant according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. (composition) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a waste treatment plant according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, a waste treatment plant 100 includes a crane system 1, a pit 2, a hopper 3, a platform 5, and a control device 10. The pit 2 is a facility for storing waste delivered by a waste collection truck 6. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the pit 2 viewed from above. The hopper 3 is a waste inlet for sending the waste to an incinerator (not shown). The waste is fed into the hopper 3 by the crane system 1. The crane system 1 is equipped with cranes C1 and C2, which perform operations such as stirring and transporting the waste. The cranes C1 and C2 are movably arranged on rails R1 and R2. For example, the crane C1 cannot overtake the crane C2 and move to the right of the page, or the crane C2 cannot move to the left of the crane C1. Various operations of the crane system 1 are controlled by the control device 10. The control device 10 moves the cranes C1 and C2 left and right, up and down, and toward the front and back of the page to perform operations such as feeding, receiving, and stirring. Although the dumping, receiving, and mixing processes will be described later, the control of this embodiment mainly concerns the receiving process. Platform 5 is an area where garbage trucks 6 dump garbage into pit 2. Garbage trucks 6 arrive at platform 5 carrying garbage and dump it toward pit 2. The dumped garbage falls into area 2c of pit 2 and is then transported to area 2a or area 2b by cranes C1 and C2. Doors 4a to 4e are installed on the wall near area 2c. Garbage can be dumped from garbage trucks 6 into area 2c only when doors 4a to 4e are open. Areas 2a and 2b alternate roles, for example, on a given day. For example, on a given day, area 2a serves as the dump source, supplying garbage to hoppers 3a and 3b, and area 2b serves as the receiver of garbage dumped from garbage trucks 6. In this case, area 2a is called the dump area, and area 2b is called the receiving area. Area 2c is also called the source area. The next day, the waste dumped into area 2c is transported to area 2a, and then dumped from area 2b into hoppers 3a and 3b. In this case, area 2a remains the destination area, area 2b remains the dump area, and area 2c remains the source area.

[0011] Hereinafter, the horizontal direction of the page will be referred to as a row and the vertical direction as a column. As shown in the example in the figure, each area of ​​pit 2 divided into 8 rows and 14 columns will be called a cell. For example, the cell in row A and column 1 will be referred to as cell (A, 1). In the example pit 2 shown in Figure 1, area 2a is a 5 cell x 5 cell range from rows A to E and columns 9 to 13, and area 2b is a 5 cell x 5 cell range from rows A to E and columns 3 to 7, but these are just examples, and the position and range of areas 2a and 2b can be set as desired by the user.

[0012] (Input) Loading refers to the process of loading garbage into hoppers 3a and 3b. Hoppers 3a and 3b are equipped with sensors that measure the garbage height, which indicates the amount of garbage stored in the hopper. When the garbage height falls below a certain level, there will be an insufficient amount of garbage to supply to the incinerator (not shown). In this case, the control device 10 controls the crane C1 to load the garbage from the pit 2 into hopper 3a. The same is true for hopper 3b. When the garbage height in the hopper reaches or exceeds a certain level, it becomes unnecessary to load any more garbage. In this case, the control device 10 does not load garbage into hoppers 3a and 3b.

[0013] (Acceptance) Receiving refers to the task of transporting waste dropped into the source area (area 2c) to the destination area (area 2a or 2b). The height of waste in each cell of the pit 2 is managed. For example, sensors measuring the height of waste in each cell may be installed on the walls, ceiling, or overhead space of the pit 2, and the height may be measured using these sensors. Alternatively, the height may be estimated based on the amount of waste transported by the cranes C1 and C2. If the height of the waste pile in the source area (area 2c) exceeds a predetermined threshold, it must be quickly moved to another location within the pit 2, as this will affect the disposal of waste from the waste collection truck 6. For example, if the height of the waste in cell (H, 8) exceeds the threshold and area 2b is the destination area, the control device 10 moves crane C1 or C2 to cell (H, 8) and transports the waste from cell (H, 8) to the destination area (area 2b). This task is called "receiving." During reception, for example, the control device 10 calculates the average height of the waste in each column of the region 2b from the height of the waste in each cell of the region 2b, selects the column with the lowest average height of the waste, and evenly drops (scatters) the waste transported from cell (H, 8) over the entire selected column. The height of the waste in each cell after the waste has been dropped is determined and managed by measurement or calculation. In addition, an overall evaluation score representing the state of the waste mixing in each cell after the waste has been dropped is calculated, and the overall evaluation score is managed for each cell. Any method can be used to calculate the overall evaluation score. For example, it may be calculated using a formula such that the more times the waste is mixed, the higher the overall evaluation score.

[0014] (stirring) Mixing is the process of using cranes C1 and C2 to pick up waste from a cell and drop it into the same cell, or transport it to another cell and drop it there. The waste stored in areas 2a and 2b is mixed so that the waste in each cell is evenly suited to combustion. Each time mixing is done, the overall evaluation score of the cell is updated. Mixing is given priority to cells with a low overall evaluation score, and does not have to be done for cells whose overall evaluation score is above a certain threshold, which indicates that the waste is ready to be dumped into hoppers 3a and 3b.

[0015] Garbage trucks 6 continuously dump garbage into the receiving area, and if the garbage is not received, the height of the garbage pile in the receiving area will overflow. However, simply receiving the garbage will leave the garbage unsuitable for burning in an incinerator. Therefore, in this embodiment, cranes C1 and C2 are controlled to prevent the garbage pile height in the receiving area from overflowing while improving the overall evaluation score of the garbage in the receiving area. More specifically, the operating modes of cranes C1 and C2 are automatically switched based on the average increase in the garbage pile height in the receiving area and (amount of garbage input - receiving speed), and cranes C1 and C2 are controlled to receive the garbage appropriately and, if there is room, to mix the garbage.

[0016] (Control device functions and configuration) The control device 10 includes a signal acquisition unit 11, an operation mode determination unit 12, a control unit 13, and a storage unit 14. The signal acquisition unit 11 acquires signals including the amount of garbage (t / h) dropped into area 2c (referred to as the garbage input amount) and the amount of garbage (t / h) transported from area 2c to areas 2a and 2b (referred to as the receiving speed). The signal acquisition unit 11 also acquires signals including the height of the garbage pile in the receiving area (area 2c). For example, the signal acquisition unit 11 receives signals including the amount of garbage input and the receiving speed, and signals including the garbage pile height, every hour, and records the information on the amount of garbage input and the receiving speed included in the received signals in the storage unit 14. The receiving speed can be calculated by multiplying the number of inputs (times / h) by the weight of garbage picked up per input (t / time). The signal acquisition unit 11 may also acquire signals including information on the congestion level of the platform 5 (e.g., the number of garbage trucks 6 present on the platform 5).

[0017] The operation mode determination unit 12 determines the operation mode for receiving the cranes C1 and C2. Here, an example of an operation mode for receiving will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. As will be described below, each operation mode specifies the range and position in the receiving area where the waste is dropped. If the range where the waste is dropped is wide, it is expected that the waste in each cell will be homogenized so that it is suitable for combustion, and if the position where the waste is dropped is close to the source area, it will be possible to transport the waste more times, which is expected to improve the receiving speed.

[0018] [Mixing receiving mode] The agitation receiving mode is an operating mode in which the crane C1 or C2 repeatedly grabs and scatters waste deep into the pit 2 x times, followed by agitation y times. In the agitation receiving mode, as shown in FIG. 2, crane C1 or C2 performs a scattering operation x times, such as grabbing waste from cell (H, 11) and dropping it evenly into each of the six rows of cells in area 2b, and then performs a agitation operation y times, such as grabbing waste from cell (E, 6) and dropping it into cell (A, 3). In this example, cell (H, 11), row 6, cell (E, 6), and cell (A, 3) are merely examples, and other cells and rows may be included in the x number of scatterings and y number of agitations. This also applies to the other operating modes described below. The agitation receiving mode is an operating mode in which the degree of agitation of waste is high and the waste receiving speed is low.

[0019] [Normal Acceptance Mode] The normal receiving mode is an operating mode in which the crane repeatedly grabs garbage and scatters it to the back of the pit 2. In the normal receiving mode, as illustrated in Figure 2, the crane C1 or C2 repeatedly performs a scattering operation, for example, grabbing garbage from cell (H, 11) and dropping it evenly into each of the six rows of cells in area 2b. The normal receiving mode is an operating mode in which the degree of garbage agitation is medium to high and the garbage receiving speed is low.

[0020] [Semi-busy mode] Semi-busy mode is an operating mode in which the crane repeatedly grabs waste and drops it at a specific location. In semi-busy mode, as shown in Figure 3, crane C1 or C2 performs an operation such as grabbing waste from cell (H, 11) and dropping it into cell (D, 6) in a certain unit of time. Semi-busy mode is an operating mode in which the degree of waste agitation is medium and the waste acceptance speed is medium.

[0021] [Busy Mode] Busy mode is an operating mode in which the crane repeatedly grabs waste and drops it into a nearby area. In busy mode, as shown in Figure 3, crane C1 or C2 grabs waste from cell (H, 11) and drops it into one of the cells in area 2a in a certain unit of time. Busy mode is an operating mode in which the degree of waste agitation is low and the waste acceptance rate is high.

[0022] These operating modes are ranked in descending order of mixing level (degree of homogenization suitable for combustion), as follows: mixing acceptance mode, normal acceptance mode, semi-busy mode, and busy mode. Also, these operating modes are ranked in descending order of acceptance speed, as follows: busy mode, semi-busy mode, normal acceptance mode, and mixing acceptance mode.

[0023] Through the inventor's testing and research, it was discovered that the relationship between (amount of garbage input - receiving rate) per unit time (e.g., 1 hour) and the average increase in garbage pile height in area 2c (receiving source area) is a linear relationship L1, as shown in Figure 4(a). The vertical axis of Figure 4(a) shows the "average increase in garbage pile height (m / h)," and the horizontal axis shows the "(amount of garbage input - receiving rate) per hour." Using this relationship, from the graph in Figure 4(a), when the "(amount of garbage input - receiving rate) per hour" at 10 o'clock is x1 (t / h), the "average increase in garbage pile height (m / h)" is 0.5, and the garbage pile height at 10 o'clock can be estimated as follows: Estimated height of the garbage pile at 10 o'clock (m) = Height of the garbage pile at 9 o'clock (m) + 0.5 (m) The operation mode determination unit 12 uses this relationship to automatically switch the operation mode and prevent the height of the garbage pile in the area 2c from overflowing.

[0024] The control unit 13 controls the cranes C1 and C2 based on the operation mode determined by the operation mode determination unit 12. In this embodiment, automatic switching of the operation mode when receiving is selected as the operation to be performed by the cranes C1 and C2 will be described. The control unit 13 determines which operation to perform, receiving, mixing, or throwing, in accordance with a predetermined control logic, and when receiving is performed, the control unit 13 performs the receiving in the operation mode selected by the automatic operation mode switching function of this embodiment.

[0025] The memory unit 14 stores the information acquired by the signal acquisition unit 11, the overall evaluation score of each cell, a graph showing the relationship between (amount of garbage input - acceptance rate) per hour and the average increase in garbage pile height (e.g., Figure 4(a)), automatic operation mode determination logic (e.g., Figure 4(b)), various thresholds, etc.

[0026] (Method of determining the operation mode) Next, a method for determining the operation mode will be described with reference to FIGS. Figure 4(a) shows the linear relationship L1 between the average increase in waste pile height and the (amount of waste input - acceptance rate) per hour. Figure 4(b) shows the automatic operation mode determination logic. The vertical axis of Figure 4(b) represents the operation mode, and the horizontal axis represents the average increase in waste pile height. The graph in Figure 4(b) shows the thresholds for automatic operation mode switching. When the average increase in waste pile height reaches a value corresponding to the upward solid line, the system switches to the next higher operation mode with a higher acceptance rate. When the average increase in waste pile height reaches a value corresponding to the downward dashed line, the system switches to the next lower operation mode with a lower acceptance rate. The automatic determination logic has a dead band to prevent chattering at the threshold boundary. Note that the number of operation modes, threshold values, etc. are merely examples and can be set arbitrarily.

[0027] Next, an example of automatic switching of the operation mode will be described with reference to Fig. 5. The vertical axis of Fig. 5 represents the height of the garbage pile in the receiving area (area 2c), and the horizontal axis represents time. The operation mode determination unit 12 determines the operation mode in the following procedure. (1) A threshold value Th1 (Fig. 5) is set based on the height of the garbage pile in the receiving area. When the height exceeds the threshold value Th1, the automatic operation mode switching function is turned ON. When the height falls below the threshold value Th1, the automatic operation mode switching function is turned OFF. (2) When the automatic operation mode switching function is ON, the increase in the average garbage pile height (m / h) is calculated using the (amount of garbage input - receiving speed) (t / h) per unit time (for example, 1 hour) and the linear relationship L1 in Figure 4(a). Next, the automatic decision logic threshold in Figure 4(b) is referenced to determine the operation mode corresponding to the calculated increase in the average garbage pile height.

[0028] (Automatic daytime driving mode switching) 5, the height of the pile of garbage at 9:00 is equal to or less than the threshold value Th1. Therefore, the operation mode determination unit 12 turns off the automatic operation mode switching function. The operation mode determination unit 12 determines the operation of the cranes C1 and C2 related to receiving to be a predetermined operation mode.

[0029] At 10 o'clock, the height of the garbage pile exceeds threshold value Th1. Therefore, the operation mode determination unit 12 turns on the automatic operation mode switching function. If the (amount of garbage input - receiving speed) at 10 o'clock is x0 (t / h) in Figure 4(a), the average increase in garbage pile height corresponding to x0 is less than 0.0, so the operation mode determination unit 12 determines the operation mode to be the mixing receiving mode based on the automatic determination logic in Figure 4(b).

[0030] At 11:00, the height of the garbage pile exceeds threshold value Th1. Therefore, the operation mode determination unit 12 turns on the automatic operation mode switching function. If the (amount of garbage input - receiving speed) at 11:00 is x2 (t / h) in Figure 4(a), the average increase in garbage pile height corresponding to x2 exceeds 2.0, so the operation mode determination unit 12 switches the operation mode to busy mode by referring to the automatic determination logic in Figure 4(b).

[0031] At 12 o'clock, the height of the garbage pile exceeds the threshold value Th1. Therefore, the operation mode determination unit 12 turns on the automatic operation mode switching function. If the (amount of garbage input - receiving speed) at 12 o'clock is x3 (t / h) in FIG. 4(a), the average increase in garbage pile height corresponding to x3 is less than 0.0, so the operation mode determination unit 12 switches the operation mode to the mixing and receiving mode by referring to FIG. 4(b). This means that mixing will be performed in addition to scattering. If there is no significant change in the value of (amount of garbage input - receiving speed) by 13 o'clock, the mixing and receiving mode will continue to be selected.

[0032] At 2:00 PM, the height of the garbage pile exceeds the threshold value Th1. Therefore, the operation mode determination unit 12 turns on the automatic operation mode switching function. Also, at 2:00 PM, the height of the garbage pile exceeds the threshold value Th2. The threshold value Th2 is used to detect when the garbage pile height is approaching overflow. When the garbage pile height exceeds the threshold value Th2, the operation mode determination unit 12 determines the operation mode based on an automatic determination logic different from that shown in FIG. 4(b). FIG. 6 shows an example of the automatic determination logic for the operation mode adopted when the garbage pile height in the receiving area exceeds the threshold value Th2. FIG. 6(a) shows the same linear relationship L1 as in FIG. 4(a), but the dead zone range is different from that shown in FIG. 4(a). When the garbage pile height is high (approaching overflow), the threshold value for determining the operation mode is corrected in the automatic determination logic shown in FIG. 6(b) so that a higher mode (a mode with a faster receiving speed) is selected even if the average increase in the garbage pile height (m / h) is small. For example, in the case of Figure 4(b), busy mode is not selected unless the average increase in waste pile height is 2.0 or more, but in the case of Figure 6(b), the system is corrected so that busy mode is selected when the average increase in waste pile height is 1.5 or more. This makes it possible to change to an operating mode that is closer to human judgment, which attempts to increase the receiving speed to avoid overflow when overflow approaches. The magnitude of the correction from the automatic judgment logic shown in Figure 4(b) to the automatic judgment logic shown in Figure 6(b) can be adjusted.

[0033] If the (amount of garbage input - receiving speed) at 2 p.m. is x4 in Fig. 6(a), the average increase in garbage pile height corresponding to x4 exceeds 1.5, so the operation mode determination unit 12 switches the operation mode to busy mode by referring to Fig. 6(b), thereby improving the receiving speed.

[0034] Next, if the (amount of waste carried in - acceptance rate) at 3 p.m. is x5 in Figure 6(a), the average increase in waste pile height corresponding to x5 is less than 1.5, but exceeds 1.0, so it falls within the dead zone, and the operation mode determination unit 12 will refer to Figure 6(b) and maintain the operation mode in busy mode. As a result, acceptance will continue in busy mode until 4 p.m. As an example, waste disposal will be completed at 4 p.m., and then a maintenance period will continue until 5 p.m.

[0035] (Automatic switching of nighttime driving mode) Next, the operation mode during the night (after 5 p.m.) when no garbage is being dumped will be described. Because the ratio (amount of garbage dumped minus the receiving speed) is equal to or less than 0 from the time garbage dumping is completed until the next morning, the operation mode determination unit 12 determines the operation mode as the agitation receiving mode by referring to FIG. 4(b). The agitation receiving mode involves agitating y times for every x number of times of receiving, but the x and y times can be set arbitrarily. For example, a user can set the x and y times in the control device 10 based on the height of the garbage pile in the receiving area at the time of garbage dumping completion and the day of the week, and the control unit 13 performs the agitation receiving mode based on the set x and y. FIG. 7 shows an example of the change in garbage pile height during the night. The vertical axis of FIG. 7 represents the height of the garbage pile in the receiving area, and the horizontal axis represents time. Graph 71 shows the change in garbage pile height when the garbage pile height is high at the time of dumping completion, and graph 72 shows the change in garbage pile height when the garbage pile height is low at the time of dumping completion. If the waste pile height is high, the number of times x is increased and the number of times y is decreased. This reduces the waste pile height the next morning. Furthermore, if the waste pile height is low, the number of times y is increased and the amount of agitation is increased, thereby maintaining the waste in a state suitable for combustion. Generally, the waste is first scattered (scattered) from the source area to the destination area at night, and then agitated in the morning. In this case, the upper layers of the destination area are agitated, but the waste in the inner layers that was scattered earlier in the night is piled up without being agitated. In contrast, according to this embodiment, the agitation reception mode is selected, and an operation consisting of x scattering times and y agitation times is performed throughout the night, allowing not only the upper layers but also the inner layers to be agitated and piled up. Thus, by applying the automatic operation mode switching of this embodiment, the optimal operation mode is selected without the need for operator judgment on the cranes C1 and C2, thereby automatically preventing overflow in the source area and increasing the overall evaluation score of the destination area. In addition, during the night from the end of delivery until the next morning, it is possible to complete the acceptance and increase the overall evaluation score at the same time.

[0036] (Another example of automatic decision logic) While Figures 4 and 5 illustrate an example in which the operation mode is switched based on the average increase in garbage pile height, other methods may be used, such as calculating the average increase in garbage pile height per hour or automatically switching the operation mode, depending on the congestion level of the platform 5. Figure 8(a) shows the relationship between the congestion level of the platform 5 and the average increase in garbage pile height per hour (m / h). As in Figures 4(a) and 5(a), a linear relationship L2 is obtained between the two. The congestion level of the platform may be determined, for example, as "none" when there are zero garbage collection trucks 6 on the platform 5, "light" when there are one to three trucks, "moderate" when there are four to six trucks, and "severe" when there are seven or more trucks, and the operation mode determination unit 12 may calculate the congestion level of the platform 5 according to these criteria. The operation mode determination unit 12 calculates the average increase in garbage pile height per hour from the congestion level of the platform 5 and the graph of FIG. 8(a), and can determine the operation mode based on the calculated average increase in garbage pile height and the automatic determination logic illustrated in FIG. 4(b) and FIG. 5(b). Furthermore, after calculating the congestion level of the platform 5, the operation mode determination unit 12 may determine the operation mode based on the automatic determination logic illustrated in FIG. 8(b). For example, if the congestion level is light, the operation mode determination unit 12 selects the normal acceptance mode, and if the congestion level is medium, the operation mode determination unit 12 selects the semi-busy mode. The dead zone may be set according to the number of garbage trucks 6 present on the platform 5. For example, if the operation mode becomes the busy mode (seven or more trucks), and the number of garbage trucks 6 present on the platform 5 decreases from that state to five, the operation mode transitions to the semi-busy mode, and if the number of garbage trucks 6 decreases to two, the operation mode transitions to the normal acceptance mode. Note that the number of congestion level classifications is not limited to four in this example. In addition, in Figures 4(b) and 5(b), the operating mode is determined according to the average increase in garbage pile height per hour, but it is also possible to set the amount of garbage input per hour - the acceptance rate on the horizontal axis of Figures 4(b) and 5(b), and prepare automatic decision logic that defines the relationship between the amount of garbage input per hour - the acceptance rate and the operating mode, and determine the operating mode directly based on the amount of garbage input per hour - the acceptance rate.

[0037] (operation) Next, the flow of the automatic switching process of the operation mode will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an automatic operation mode switching process according to the embodiment. The operation mode determination unit 12 repeats the following process every unit time. First, the operation mode determination unit 12 determines whether the height of the garbage pile in the receiving area is equal to or less than the threshold value Th1 (step S1). If it is equal to or less than the threshold value Th1 (step S1; Yes), the operation mode determination unit 12 turns off the automatic operation mode switching function and sets the receiving operation mode to normal mixing mode (step S2). Here, normal mixing mode may be an operation mode that incorporates not only receiving (moving and scattering) but also a lot of mixing, since there is still some room before the garbage pile height overflows. For example, the normal mixing mode may be the same as the mixing receiving mode.

[0038] If the difference exceeds the threshold value Th1 (step S1; No), the operation mode determination unit 12 turns on the automatic operation mode switching function (step S3). Next, the operation mode determination unit 12 determines whether to select the agitation reception mode based on the previous waste input amount-receiving speed per unit time, or the average increase in waste pile height per unit time, or the current congestion level of the platform 5, and the automatic determination logic such as FIG. 4(b) (step S4). If the waste input amount-receiving speed per unit time, etc. satisfy the conditions for the agitation reception mode (step S4; Yes), the operation mode determination unit 12 determines the reception operation mode to be the agitation reception mode (step S5).

[0039] If the conditions for the agitation acceptance mode are not met (step S4; No), the operation mode determination unit 12 determines whether to select the normal acceptance mode based on the average increase in the height of the garbage pile per unit time, etc., and the automatic determination logic of Figure 4(b) etc. (step S6).If the average increase in the height of the garbage pile per unit time, etc., meets the conditions for the normal acceptance mode (step S6; Yes), the operation mode determination unit 12 determines the operation mode to be the normal acceptance mode (step S7).

[0040] If the conditions for the normal acceptance mode are not met (step S6; No), the operation mode determination unit 12 determines whether to select the semi-busy mode based on the average increase in garbage pile height per unit time, etc., and the automatic determination logic of Figure 4(b) etc. (step S8). If the average increase in garbage pile height per unit time, etc., meets the conditions for the semi-busy mode (step S8; Yes), the operation mode determination unit 12 determines the operation mode to be the semi-busy mode (step S9). If the conditions are not met (step S8; No), the operation mode determination unit 12 determines the operation mode to be the busy mode (step S10). Note that if the garbage pile height in the acceptance area exceeds threshold Th2, the automatic determination logic of Figure 5(b) can be used in the determinations of steps S4, S6, and S8. In the flowchart of Figure 9, the operating mode during automatic switching is switched to one of the stirring receiving mode, normal receiving mode, semi-busy mode, and busy mode, but the operating mode is not limited to these four, and may be switched to one of five or more operating modes, or may be switched to one of three or fewer operating modes.

[0041] (effect) As described above, according to this embodiment, the receiving operation mode is automatically switched based on the relationship between the average increase in the garbage pile height per unit time (amount of garbage delivered minus the receiving rate). This allows for proactive switching of the operating mode, compared to a control system that compares the garbage pile height with a threshold and performs an overflow prevention operation when the threshold is exceeded. This prevents overflow in the receiving area. Furthermore, when the garbage pile height in the receiving area exceeds the threshold Th2, even if the average increase in the garbage pile height per unit time (amount of garbage delivered minus the receiving rate) is equivalent to the normal receiving mode, overflow can be more reliably avoided by making a correction such as selecting the semi-busy mode or busy mode. Furthermore, during the period from the completion of garbage dumping to the following morning, the average increase in the garbage pile height per unit time (amount of garbage delivered minus the receiving rate) is lowest, so the system accepts garbage in the agitation receiving mode. This allows for both a reduction in the garbage pile height and an improvement in the overall garbage evaluation score. In the above explanation, it was assumed that there was a linear relationship between (amount of garbage input - receiving speed) per unit time and the average increase in garbage pile height, but this embodiment can also be applied when this relationship is not a simple linear relationship but is a relationship expressed as a polynomial. For example, this embodiment can be applied when there is a relationship that produces an output that is related to an input to a certain extent, such as multiple regression, ridge regression, or neural network.

[0042] 10 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a control device. A computer 900 includes a CPU 901, a main storage device 902, an auxiliary storage device 903, an input / output interface 904, and a communication interface 905. The above-described control device 10 is implemented in the computer 900. The above-described functions are stored in the auxiliary storage device 903 in the form of a program. The CPU 901 reads the program from the auxiliary storage device 903, loads it into the main storage device 902, and executes the above-described processing in accordance with the program. The CPU 901 also allocates a storage area in the main storage device 902 in accordance with the program. The CPU 901 also allocates a storage area in the auxiliary storage device 903 for storing data being processed in accordance with the program.

[0043] Alternatively, a program for implementing all or part of the functions of the control device 10 may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and the program may be loaded into a computer system and executed to perform processing by each functional unit. The term "computer system" as used herein includes hardware such as an OS and peripheral devices. Furthermore, if a WWW system is used, the term "computer system" also includes a homepage provision environment (or display environment). Furthermore, the term "computer-readable recording medium" refers to portable media such as CDs, DVDs, and USBs, as well as storage devices such as hard disks built into the computer system. Furthermore, if the program is distributed to the computer 900 via a communication line, the computer 900 that receives the program may load the program into the main storage device 902 and execute the above-described processing. Furthermore, the program may be for implementing part of the above-described functions, or may be capable of implementing the above-described functions in combination with a program already stored in the computer system.

[0044] As described above, several embodiments according to the present disclosure have been described, but all of these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims, as well as in the scope and spirit of the invention.

[0045] <Additional Notes> The control device and the crane control method described in the embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows.

[0046] (1) The control device according to the first aspect includes a means for determining an operating mode based on an increase in the height of the garbage pile in the receiving source area, which corresponds to the amount of garbage input into the receiving source area per unit time minus the amount of garbage transported from the receiving source area to the receiving destination area per unit time, when the area in the garbage pit into which garbage is input is defined as a receiving source area, the destination of the garbage to be transported from the receiving source area is defined as a receiving destination area, and the operation of transporting garbage from the receiving source area to the receiving destination area is defined as receiving, and an automatic determination logic for the operating mode that corresponds to the increase in the height of the garbage pile in the receiving source area and the operating mode of the receiving, which specifies the position or range of the receiving destination area into which the transported garbage is dropped during the receiving. This makes it possible to prevent the height of the garbage pile in the receiving area from overflowing.

[0047] (2) The control device according to the second aspect includes a means for determining an operation mode based on an automatic operation mode determination logic that associates an increase in the height of the garbage pile in the receiving source area corresponding to the congestion level of garbage collection vehicles that deposit garbage into the receiving source area with an operation mode for the receiving that specifies the position or range of the receiving destination area into which the transported garbage is dropped during the receiving, when the area in the garbage pit into which garbage is deposited is defined as a receiving source area, the destination of the garbage to be transported from the receiving source area is defined as a receiving destination area, and the operation mode for the receiving that specifies the increase in the height of the garbage pile in the receiving source area corresponding to the congestion level of garbage collection vehicles that deposit garbage into the receiving source area. This makes it possible to prevent the height of the garbage pile from overflowing in the receiving area.

[0048] (3) The control device according to the third aspect is a control device according to (1) to (2), and the automatic operation mode determination logic is such that the greater the increase in the height of the garbage pile in the source area, the greater the operation mode that corresponds to a larger amount of garbage transported from the source area to the destination area, and the smaller the increase in the height of the garbage pile in the source area, the greater the operation mode that corresponds to a more homogenous state of the garbage in the destination area. This allows the system to prevent overflow by prioritizing the movement of waste to the receiving area rather than mixing it when the increase in the height of the waste pile is large, and by mixing or scattering the waste over a wide area when the increase in the height of the waste pile is small, the state of the waste can be homogenized to a state suitable for combustion.

[0049] (4) A control device according to a fourth aspect is a control device according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the automatic operation mode determination logic is associated with an operation mode in which, when the height of the garbage pile in the source area is higher than a predetermined threshold value indicating that the garbage pile is approaching overflow, the amount of garbage transported from the source area to the destination area is increased, even if the increase in the height of the garbage pile in the source area is small, compared to when the height is not higher than a predetermined threshold value. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the height of the garbage pile in the receiving area from overflowing.

[0050] (5) In the fifth aspect of the control method for a garbage crane, when the area in a garbage pit where garbage is dumped is defined as a source area, the destination where garbage is transported from the source area is defined as a destination area, and the operation of transporting garbage from the source area to the destination area is defined as reception, the operation mode is determined based on an automatic operation mode determination logic that associates the increase in the height of the garbage pile in the source area corresponding to the value obtained by subtracting the amount of garbage transported from the source area to the destination area per unit time from the amount of garbage dumped into the source area per unit time, and the increase in the height of the garbage pile in the source area with the operation mode of the reception, which specifies the position or range of the destination area where the transported garbage is dropped during the reception, and the garbage is received in the determined operation mode.

[0051] (6) In the sixth aspect of the control method for a garbage crane, when the area in a garbage pit where garbage is dumped is defined as a source area, the destination where garbage is transported from the source area is defined as a destination area, and the operation of transporting garbage from the source area to the destination area is defined as receiving, the method determines the operating mode based on an automatic operating mode determination logic that associates the increase in the height of the garbage pile in the source area corresponding to the congestion level of garbage collection vehicles dumping garbage into the source area with an operating mode for receiving that specifies the position or range of the destination area where the transported garbage is dropped during the receiving, and then performs garbage reception in the determined operating mode. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 10. Control device 11. Signal acquisition unit 12. Operation mode determination unit 13 Control section 14...Storage section 900···Computer 901 CPU 902...Main memory 903...Auxiliary storage device 904 Input / Output Interface 905···Communication Interface

Claims

1. an area in a garbage pit where garbage is thrown into the garbage pit is defined as a receiving area, a destination area where the garbage is transported from the receiving area is defined as a receiving area, and the operation of transporting garbage from the receiving area to the receiving area is defined as receiving, and the operation mode is determined based on an automatic operation mode determination logic that associates an increase in the height of the garbage pile in the receiving area corresponding to a value obtained by subtracting the amount of garbage transported from the receiving area to the receiving area per unit time from the amount of garbage thrown into the receiving area per unit time, and an operation mode for receiving in which the position or range of the receiving area into which the transported garbage is dropped is specified; A control device comprising:

2. an area in a garbage pit where garbage is dumped is defined as a source area, a destination area to which garbage is transported from the source area is defined as a destination area, and the operation of transporting garbage from the source area to the destination area is defined as reception, and the operation mode is determined based on an automatic operation mode determination logic that associates an increase in the height of the garbage pile in the source area corresponding to the congestion level of garbage collection vehicles dumping garbage into the source area with an operation mode for reception that specifies the position or range of the destination area into which the transported garbage is dropped during reception; A control device comprising:

3. In the automatic operation mode determination logic, the greater the increase in the height of the waste pile in the source area, the greater the operation mode that will transport a larger amount of waste from the source area to the destination area, and the smaller the increase in the height of the waste pile in the source area, the greater the operation mode that will homogenize the state of the waste in the destination area. The control device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The automatic operation mode determination logic is associated with an operation mode in which, when the height of the pile of garbage in the source area is higher than a predetermined threshold value indicating that the pile of garbage is approaching overflow, the amount of garbage transported from the source area to the destination area is increased, even if the increase in the height of the pile of garbage in the source area is small, compared to when the height is not higher than a predetermined threshold value. The control device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. When the area in a garbage pit where garbage is thrown is defined as a receiving source area, the destination where garbage is transported from the receiving source area is defined as a receiving destination area, and the operation of transporting garbage from the receiving source area to the receiving destination area is defined as receiving, the operation mode is determined based on an automatic operation mode determination logic that associates an increase in the height of the garbage pile in the receiving source area corresponding to a value obtained by subtracting the amount of garbage transported from the receiving source area to the receiving destination area per unit time from the amount of garbage thrown into the receiving source area per unit time, and an operation mode for receiving that specifies the position or range of the receiving destination area into which the transported garbage is dropped during the receiving, and the operation mode is performed in the determined operation mode. How to control a garbage crane.

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