Guide member and route setting method

Abstract

To provide a guide member for easily setting a route for an automated vehicle. [Solution] The symbolic guide rail 1, which is a guide member for setting a path for an automated vehicle, includes an information providing unit 14 that provides information to the vehicle side representing the configuration of the path ahead, a magnetic generating unit including individualized magnetic pieces 15 that can be used to identify the position of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction of the path, and a predetermined shape portion 13 that exhibits a predetermined shape determined for each configuration of the path. By installing it on the road surface on which the vehicle moves, it is possible to make the vehicle travel in accordance with the configuration of the path related to the shape of the predetermined shape portion 13.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for setting a route for automatically driving a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a system for automating logistics within facilities such as factories and warehouses, a system in which a magnetic tape is laid along a route is known. In this system, a transport vehicle travels while detecting the magnetic tape and following the magnetic tape. (For example, see Patent Document 1).

[0003] In recent years, there have been attempts to apply vehicles with autonomous driving introduced in factories and warehouses to agricultural lands such as construction sites and orchards. For example, a crawler vehicle (an endless track vehicle) can also handle uneven ground such as construction sites and orchards. If autonomous driving of vehicles can be realized in agricultural lands such as construction sites and orchards, the burden on workers engaged in on-site work can be reduced, and work efficiency can be improved.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004] ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and aims to provide a guide member for easily setting a route for an automatically driven vehicle, and a method for setting a route using this guide member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a guide member for setting a route for an automated vehicle, wherein the vehicle is able to travel according to information provided from the infrastructure side. An information providing unit that provides the vehicle with information representing the characteristics of the path ahead, A magnetic generating unit including one or more individualized magnets that can be used to determine the position of a vehicle in the longitudinal direction of a path, It includes a predetermined shaped part that exhibits a predetermined shape defined for each type of route, The present invention relates to a guide member that, when installed on a road surface, ground, or floor surface on which a vehicle travels, enables the vehicle to travel in a manner corresponding to the path configuration related to the shape of the predetermined shaped part.

[0008] One aspect of the present invention is a method for setting a route for an automated vehicle, wherein the vehicle is capable of traveling according to information provided from the infrastructure side. An information providing unit that provides the vehicle with information representing the characteristics of the path ahead, A magnetic generating unit including one or more fragmented magnets that can be used to determine the position of a vehicle in the longitudinal direction of a route, It has a predetermined shaped part that exhibits a predetermined shape defined for each type of route, By utilizing a guide member that can drive a vehicle according to the configuration of the forward path relating to the shape of the predetermined shaped part, The present invention relates to a method for setting a route for an automated vehicle by installing the guide members on the road surface, ground, or floor surface on which the vehicle travels. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The guide member according to the present invention is a guide member that assists the driving of an autonomous vehicle. The guide member according to the present invention comprises an information providing unit that provides the vehicle with information representing the configuration of the path ahead, a magnetic field generating unit that can be used to identify the position of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction of the path, and a predetermined shape unit that exhibits a predetermined shape determined for each configuration of the path.

[0010] A vehicle using the guide member according to the present invention can acquire information representing the configuration of the path ahead and can determine the vehicle's position along the longitudinal direction of the path. Unlike guide members such as magnetic tapes, this guide member does not physically guide the vehicle's movement. This guide member enables the determination of the vehicle's position along the longitudinal direction of the path and provides information representing the configuration of the path ahead, thereby supporting the vehicle's movement.

[0011] The route setting method according to the present invention is a method of setting a route using the guide member described above. The guide member has a shape corresponding to the configuration of the route ahead. An operator setting the route can understand the information that the guide member provides to the vehicle based on its shape. Furthermore, the same operator can immediately identify the guide member to be installed when setting the route. By installing the guide member according to the present invention on the ground or the like, it is possible to make the vehicle travel in a desired direction, thereby enabling the setting of a route for the vehicle to travel automatically. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] A perspective view of the symbolic guide rail for the corner in Example 1. [Figure 2] A perspective view of the magnet piece in Example 1. [Figure 3] A perspective view of the vehicle carrying the transport box in Example 1. [Figure 4] A block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the vehicle in Example 1. [Figure 5] A block diagram showing the configuration of the system for controlling the vehicle's movement in Example 1. [Figure 6]Block diagram showing the combination of the magnetic sensor array and the information acquisition circuit in Example 1. [Figure 7] Graph showing the distribution of magnetic intensity in the vehicle width direction in Example 1. [Figure 8] Graph showing the change in the traveling direction of the sum of magnetic measurement values by the magnetic sensor An in Example 1. [Figure 9] Front view showing the symbolic guide rail (a) for the right corner and the symbolic guide rail (b) for the left corner in Example 1. [Figure 10] Explanatory drawing showing the symbolic guide rail for the stop position in Example 1. [Figure 11] Perspective view of the symbolic guide rail marked with markings in Example 1. [Figure 12] Explanatory drawing of the path set by the symbolic guide rail in Example 1. [Figure 13] Explanatory drawing of the installation position of the symbolic guide rail in Example 1. [Figure 14] Front view of other symbolic guide rails in Example 1. [Figure 15] Perspective view of the symbolic guide rail for straight travel in Example 1. [Figure 16] Front view of three types of symbolic guide rails for corners in Example 2. [Figure 17] Front view exemplifying the symbolic guide rail for corners in Example 3. [Figure 18] Diagram showing a list of RFID numbers of the symbolic guide rail in Example 3.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below using the following examples. (Example 1) This example illustrates a symbolic guide rail 1 for setting a route 5 for the automatic movement of vehicle 2, and a method for setting a route 5 using this symbolic guide rail 1. This will be explained using Figures 1 to 15.

[0014] The symbolic guide rail 1 (Figure 1) is a guide member installed on the ground on which the vehicle travels and assists the automatic movement of the vehicle 2. The symbolic guide rail 1 can be used by the vehicle to determine its position in the longitudinal direction of the path, and is configured to provide the vehicle with path information that represents the configuration of the path ahead.

[0015] This example demonstrates how to establish a path within an orchard using symbolic guide rails 1. The vehicle used is a crawler-type vehicle (continuous track vehicle) capable of navigating uneven terrain and steps within the orchard's pathways. This vehicle is equipped with an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) and is capable of autonomous driving. The vehicle's configuration will be explained in detail later.

[0016] The symbolic guide rail 1 in this example (Figure 1) is a rod-shaped molded product made from a composite material of, for example, plastic-based raw materials and wood-based raw materials. The symbolic guide rail 1 in this example has a rectangular cross-section with a width of 8 cm and a height of 4 cm, and a total length of approximately 70 cm. The symbolic guide rail 1 illustrated in Figure 1 is a symbolic guide rail for corners. The symbolic guide rail 1 for corners has a curved tip that gives it a J-shape.

[0017] The symbolic corner guide rail 1 (Figure 1) is composed of a straight section 11 that is formed in a straight line and a predetermined shaped section 13 at the tip that is curved to form a J shape. The shape of the predetermined shaped section 13 is determined for each type of path ahead. The predetermined shaped section 13 is a shape that represents the type of path. For example, in the case of the symbolic corner guide rail 1 in Figure 1, the shape of the predetermined shaped section 13 is determined to be a curved shape that symbolically represents the shape of the curve that forms the path.

[0018] In this example, the symbolic guide rail 1 is installed such that, from the perspective of a vehicle approaching the symbolic guide rail 1, the straight section 11 is located on the side closer to the rail and the predetermined shaped section 13 is located on the side further away. In the following explanation, the side closer to the rail will be referred to as the "near side," and the side further away will be referred to as the "front side."

[0019] Two magnetic pieces 15 are provided at intervals along the longitudinal direction of the straight section 11 of the symbolic guide rail 1. The magnetic pieces 15 are an example of magnetic generating units that can be used to determine the position of the vehicle 2 along the longitudinal direction of the path 5 when the symbolic guide rail 1 is installed. In this example, the distance between the centers of the two magnetic pieces 15 is 30 cm.

[0020] The magnet piece 15 is housed in a bottomed hole drilled in the straight section 11 and embedded in a sealed state with resin material. The magnet piece 15 (Figure 2) is a short, cylindrical permanent magnet (an example of a fragmented magnet). In the magnet piece 15, the magnetic axis indicating the direction connecting the centers of the north and south poles is along the central axis of the cylindrical shape, with one end face being the north pole and the other end face being the south pole. The magnet piece 15 is embedded so that the magnetic axis is aligned with the thickness direction of the symbolic guide rail 1.

[0021] In this example of the symbolic guide rail 1, two magnetic pieces 15 positioned on the straight section 11 function as an information providing unit 14 that provides information to the vehicle. The two magnetic pieces 15, acting as the information providing unit 14, provide information to the vehicle based on the combination of magnetic polarities detected by the vehicle, i.e., the magnetic polarity that is on the upper side when installed.

[0022] Here, the configuration of the vehicle 2 that automatically travels using the symbolic guide rail 1 will be explained with reference to Figures 3 to 6. Vehicle 2 (Figure 3) is a crawler-type vehicle (continuous track vehicle) equipped with annular rubber belts, which are crawlers 21L and R, on both sides of the vehicle body 2B. The dimensions of vehicle 2 are 1 m in length and 1.2 m in width. The dimensions of vehicle body 2B are 0.8 m in length and 0.7 m in width. The top surface of vehicle body 2B forms a loading platform on which a transport box 200 or the like can be placed. A rod-shaped magnetic sensor array 4 is mounted on the front of vehicle body 2B so as to be aligned with the vehicle width direction (lateral direction).

[0023] Vehicle 2 is electrically configured around a control circuit 20 that performs vehicle control, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. The control circuit 20 is electrically connected to an information acquisition circuit 40 that acquires route information, an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) 28 for realizing inertial navigation, a left motor 24L that rotates the left crawler 21L, a right motor 24R that rotates the right crawler 21R, a speed sensor 26L that measures the drive speed of the left crawler 21L, and a speed sensor 26R that measures the drive speed of the right crawler 21R.

[0024] Vehicle 2 can change its direction (vehicle orientation, yaw angle) according to the difference in the driving speed of the left and right crawlers 21L and R. By setting a difference in driving speed while driving the left and right crawlers 21L and R in the same direction, vehicle 2 can be made to travel along an arc-shaped trajectory. By driving the left and right crawlers 21L and R in opposite directions, a spin turn is possible, which changes the vehicle orientation without changing its position.

[0025] The IMU28 (Figures 4 and 5) is a circuit that estimates the relative position and heading of vehicle 2 using inertial navigation. Although not shown in the figures, the IMU28 includes a two-axis magnetic sensor which is an electronic compass for measuring heading, a two-axis accelerometer for measuring acceleration, a two-axis gyro sensor for measuring angular velocity around the yaw axis, etc. The yaw axis is the vertical axis.

[0026] The IMU28 can measure longitudinal acceleration, lateral acceleration, yaw rate, etc., acting on vehicle 2. Integrating the longitudinal acceleration will calculate the vehicle speed, and further integrating the vehicle speed will calculate the vehicle's displacement. Integrating the yaw rate will calculate the change in vehicle orientation. Note that the vehicle speed can also be obtained from the measurement results of speed sensors 26L and 26R.

[0027] Vehicle 2, equipped with an IMU28 (Inertial Navigation Unit), is capable of autonomous driving. Vehicle 2 can travel in a straight line autonomously. Vehicle 2 can also travel in a curved path autonomously, following an arc-shaped curve. Vehicle 2 is capable of autonomous driving such as traveling in a straight line for a predetermined distance at a predetermined speed, or autonomous driving that follows an arc of a predetermined radius and changes direction by 90 degrees.

[0028] The control circuit 20 of vehicle 2 is configured using a CPU that performs various calculations, memory elements such as ROM and RAM, etc. The control circuit 20 is equipped with an I / O circuit that performs communication with external circuits. The control circuit 20 performs communication with external circuits such as the IMU 28, motor 24, and information acquisition circuit 40 via the I / O circuit. Control data for driving vehicle 2 is stored in the memory area of ​​the memory elements. In particular, in the configuration of this example, the control data is stored linked to route information that represents the configuration of the path 5 ahead.

[0029] The magnetic sensor array 4 (Figure 6) comprises 12 magnetic sensors An (where n is an integer from 1 to 12), a signal acquisition unit 41 that acquires magnetic measurement values ​​(magnetic intensity) from magnetic sensors An at the same time, a detection processing unit 43 including a CPU (not shown), and an output unit 45 that outputs the detection processing results.

[0030] The magnetic sensor array 4 is rod-shaped, with 12 magnetic sensors An arranged along its longitudinal direction at 5 cm intervals. In this example, the magnetic sensors An are MI sensors that detect magnetism using the known MI effect (Magneto Impedance Effect). The direction of magnetic force measured by each magnetic sensor An is the same. The magnetic sensor array 4 is mounted on the vehicle 2 so that the strength of the magnetic field acting in the vertical direction can be measured.

[0031] Twelve magnetic measurements taken at the same time by the magnetic sensor An form a distribution of magnetic intensity (intensity of the vertically acting magnetism) in the vehicle width direction, as shown in the approximate curve in Figure 7. This figure shows, for example, the distribution of magnetic intensity in the vehicle width direction when the magnetic sensor array 4 is positioned directly above the north pole magnet piece 15. A peak in magnetic intensity appears directly above the magnet piece 15. In the case of a south pole magnet piece 15, the distribution of magnetic intensity in the vehicle width direction will be the graph in Figure 7 with the sign reversed.

[0032] The detection processing unit 43 (Figure 6) of the magnetic sensor array 4 is an arithmetic circuit that performs marker detection processing to detect the magnet piece 15. The detection processing unit 43 is composed of a CPU that performs various calculations, memory elements such as ROM and RAM, etc., although it is not shown in the figure. The detection processing unit 43 acquires 12 magnetic measurement values ​​from the magnetic sensor An at a frequency of 3 kHz and performs detection processing targeting the magnet piece 15.

[0033] For example, the sum of magnetic measurements by magnetic sensor An changes over time as shown in Figure 8 before and after passing the north-pole magnet piece 15. For example, in the graph of the sum of magnetic measurements in Figure 8, the magnet piece 15 can be detected by detecting the peak. Furthermore, by using the distribution of magnetic measurements from magnetic sensor An when it passes the magnet piece 15 (Figure 7), the position of the magnet piece 15 in the vehicle width direction can be determined by identifying the peak. Note that in the case of a south-pole magnet piece 15, the graph in Figure 8 will be inverted in sign.

[0034] The detection processing unit 43 inputs the detection processing result, indicating whether or not the magnet piece 15 has been detected, to the information acquisition circuit 40 via the output unit 15. If the magnet piece 15 is detected, the detection processing result includes the magnetic polarity of the magnet piece 15 and the lateral deviation of the vehicle 2 relative to the magnet piece 15. The magnetic polarity of the magnet piece 15 can be determined according to the sign of the peak in the magnetic intensity distribution shown in Figure 7. The lateral deviation of the vehicle 2 can be determined by substituting the position of the magnet piece 15 in the vehicle width direction relative to the vehicle 2 with the magnet piece 15 as the reference.

[0035] When vehicle 2 passes over the symbolic guide rail 1 (Figure 1), two magnetic pieces 15 arranged on the straight section 11 are detected in succession. Based on the sequential combination of the magnetic polarities of the two magnetic pieces 15, the purpose of the symbolic guide rail 1, that is, the type of path represented by the symbolic guide rail 1, can be identified. Furthermore, based on the two lateral deviations of the two magnetic pieces 15, the deviation of the vehicle's direction of travel relative to the longitudinal direction of the straight section 11 of the symbolic guide rail 1 can be identified. If the symbolic guide rail 1 is installed so that the longitudinal direction of the straight section 11 is aligned with the direction of path 5, then the deviation of the vehicle's direction of travel relative to the direction of path 5 can be identified.

[0036] The information acquisition circuit 40 is a circuit that acquires route information representing the configuration of route 5. In the vehicle 2 of this example, various types of route information are stored in the information DB (information database) 400. The information DB 400 stores route information linked to pattern information of sequential combinations of two magnetic polarities. The information acquisition circuit 40 acquires route information from the information DB 400 that corresponds to the combination of magnetic polarities of the magnet pieces 15 continuously detected from the symbolic guide rail 1.

[0037] The information acquisition circuit 40 receives route information acquired from the information DB 400 as input to the control circuit 20. As described above, the control circuit 20 stores control data for driving the vehicle 2, associated with route information representing the characteristics of the route 5 ahead. The vehicle 2 is controlled by the control data corresponding to the route information and can drive according to the characteristics of the route 5 ahead.

[0038] This example demonstrates how to set the path of vehicle 2 using symbolic guide rails 1 for corners (Figure 9) and symbolic guide rails 1 for stopping points (Figure 10). Figure 9(a) shows the symbolic guide rail 1 for a right corner, where the predetermined shaped section 13 curves to the right. Figure 9(b) shows the symbolic guide rail 1 for a left corner, where the predetermined shaped section 13 curves to the left. In this example, the corners corresponding to the symbolic guide rails 1 are curves with a radius of 1 m.

[0039] In the symbolic guide rail 1 for the right corner (Figure 9(a)), the magnet piece 15 detected as a south pole by the vehicle 2 (referred to as the south pole magnet piece) is positioned towards the front, and the magnet piece 15 detected as a north pole by the vehicle 2 (referred to as the north pole magnet piece) is positioned towards the front. On the other hand, in the symbolic guide rail 1 for the left corner (Figure 9(b)), the north pole magnet piece 15 is positioned towards the front, and the south pole magnet piece 15 is positioned towards the front.

[0040] Naturally, the back side of the north pole end face of the magnet piece 15 is the south pole end face. Therefore, in this example, there is no distinction between left and right corner symbolic guide rails 1 (Figure 9), and the symbolic guide rail 1 for right corners (Figure (a)) and the symbolic guide rail 1 for left corners (Figure (b)) are exactly the same. If the symbolic guide rail 1 for a left curve is flipped over, it can be used as a symbolic guide rail 1 for a right curve.

[0041] The symbolic guide rail 1 for the stopping point (Figure 10) has a predetermined shape section 13 in the shape of a horizontal bar that symbolically represents the stop line. The straight section 11 is linear in shape, similar to the symbolic guide rail 1 for the corner (Figure 9), and has two locations where magnetic pieces 15 are embedded. The difference between the symbolic guide rail 1 for the corner and the symbolic guide rail 1 for the stopping point lies in the difference in the shape of the predetermined shape section 13, as well as the combination of magnetic polarity of the two magnetic pieces 15 in the straight section 11. In the symbolic guide rail 1 for the stopping point, the magnetic polarity of both the front magnetic piece 15 and the forward magnetic piece 15 is N-pole.

[0042] The magnetic pieces 15 of the symbolic guide rail 1 (Figures 9 and 10) in this example can be used to determine the position along the longitudinal direction of the path. Vehicle 2 can detect when it has reached a position before a corner or stopping point by detecting the magnetic pieces 15 of the symbolic guide rail 1.

[0043] In this example, the embedded position of the front magnet piece 15 is set as a representative position of the symbolic guide rail 1, and a band-shaped marking 10 (see Figure 11) is applied around its entire circumference. Figure 11 shows an example of a symbolic guide rail 1 for a corner, but the same marking is also applied to the symbolic guide rail for a stopping point (see Figure 10). In this example, the predetermined distance for the installation rule of the symbolic guide rail 1 is set to 0.5m.

[0044] By using the symbolic corner guide rail 1 (Figure 11), it is possible to set up a path 5 consisting of a right-angle corner and a straight path, as shown in Figure 12. In this example configuration, a right-angle corner can be set up by installing the symbolic corner guide rail 1 on a straight path, and a straight path can be set up downstream of that right-angle corner. By further installing the symbolic corner guide rail 1 on this straight path, a new straight path that bends at a right angle can be set up. The path 5 illustrated in Figure 12 is a circular path formed by this procedure.

[0045] In this example configuration, it is advisable to establish installation rules for the symbolic guide rails 1. For example, the symbolic guide rail 1 for corners may be installed at a predetermined distance before the entrance to the corner. Similarly, the symbolic guide rail 1 for stopping points may be installed at a predetermined distance before the stopping point. By establishing such installation rules, the positional accuracy of the vehicle 2's movement control after passing the symbolic guide rails 1 can be improved.

[0046] For example, a method for setting a right corner in route 5 will be explained with reference to Figure 13. For example, if route 5 is set from a straight path 511 to a straight path 512 via a right corner 52 with a radius of 1m, then a symbolic guide rail 1 for the right corner should be installed on the straight path 511 before the right corner 52.

[0047] At this time, the symbolic guide rail 1 is installed in a position where the straight section 11 is aligned with the center line 511C of the straight track 511. The installation position of the symbolic guide rail 1 in the longitudinal direction of the straight track 511 is such that the marking 10 is located 0.5m before the entrance 521 of the right corner 52. The entrance 521 of the right corner 52 on the straight track 511 is located perpendicular to the straight track 512 (center line 512C) by the radius of the right corner 52 (1m). As shown in Figure 13, the symbolic guide rail 1 should be installed on the straight track 511 so that the marking 10 is located 1.5m from the straight track 512. By installing the symbolic guide rail 1 in this way, a path 5 can be set from the straight track 511 through the right corner 52 with a radius of 1m to the straight track 512.

[0048] Furthermore, when installing the symbolic guide rail 1 on the straight track 511, it is preferable to align the straight section 11 of the symbolic guide rail 1 with the center line 511C of the straight track 511. This makes it possible to identify the deviation of the vehicle's orientation relative to the center line 511C at the entrance 521 of the right corner 52, thereby improving the angular accuracy of the vehicle's running control after it has passed the symbolic guide rail 1.

[0049] In the route 5 shown in Figure 12, a workbench 59 is installed along the straight track 513 that forms the lower horizontal section in the figure, and a stopping position is set in front of the workbench 59. A T-shaped symbolic guide rail 1 for the stopping position should be installed so that a marking (see Figure 11) is located 0.5 m before the stopping position. The orientation of the symbolic guide rail 1 for the stopping position at this time is such that the straight section 11 is aligned with the longitudinal direction of the straight track 513.

[0050] A worker setting up route 5 can, for example, install a right-curving symbolic guide rail (see Figure 9(a)) at a right corner to symbolize the shape of a right-turning curve. Similarly, at a left corner, a left-curving symbolic guide rail 1 (see Figure 9(b)) can be installed to symbolize the shape of a left-turning curve. At a stop position, a T-shaped symbolic guide rail 1 (see Figure 10) can be installed to symbolize the stop line. In this example configuration, the symbolic guide rail 1 corresponding to the configuration of route 5 can be identified at a glance by its appearance, reducing the risk of mistakenly installing a symbolic guide rail 1 with a different purpose.

[0051] As described above, the symbolic guide rail 1, which is the guide member in this example, is a guide member that supports the automatic driving of vehicle 2 by providing route information, unlike magnetic tape or the like which physically supports the automatic driving of vehicle. This symbolic guide rail 1 takes on a shape according to the type of route. A person performing route setting work can grasp the type of route that the symbolic guide rail 1 corresponds to just by looking at its appearance. By installing the symbolic guide rail 1, when setting a route, there is no risk of mistaking a symbolic guide rail 1 for one with a different purpose, and the route can be set relatively easily and with high reliability.

[0052] In this example, a symbolic guide rail 1, which exhibits a curved shape and a shape that mimics a stop line, and has a symbolic shape representing corners, stopping points, and other characteristics, is used as an example of a guide member. The shape of the guide member including the predetermined symbol is not limited to the shape exemplified in this example. Any guide member that exhibits a different shape depending on the characteristics of the route is acceptable.

[0053] In this example, the symbolic guide rail 1 has two magnetic pieces 15 positioned adjacent to each other with a center-to-center distance of 30 cm. Alternatively, two magnetic sensor arrays 4 could be placed at two locations in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle 2, at the same interval as the two magnetic pieces 15. In this case, the vehicle 2 would be able to detect both magnetic pieces 15 of the symbolic guide rail 1 simultaneously.

[0054] In this example, magnetic pieces 15 are placed at two locations spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the straight section 11. Alternatively, two or more magnetic pieces 15 may be placed along the width direction of the straight section 11. In this case, the two or more magnetic pieces 15 can be detected simultaneously. It is preferable to configure the system so that route information can be provided to the vehicle 2 side based on the combination of magnetic polarities of the two or more magnetic pieces 15.

[0055] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 14, a magnetic tape 111 may be arranged along the longitudinal direction of the straight section 11, and magnetic pieces 115 may be arranged alongside the magnetic tape 111. The magnetic pieces 115 may be, for example, scraps of the magnetic tape 111. The number of magnetic pieces 115 arranged side by side may be one or two or more. If the magnetic pieces 115 are arranged side by side such that the magnetic polarity of adjacent magnetic components is different, it becomes easier to detect each magnetic piece 115 arranged side by side on the magnetic tape 111. The magnetic pieces 115 constitute an information providing section 14, and can indicate whether it is a right corner or a left corner depending on whether the magnetic piece 115 is located on the left or right side of the magnetic tape 111.

[0056] Alternatively, a symbolic guide rail 1 for straight-line movement, as illustrated in Figure 15, may be provided. In this symbolic guide rail 1, the predetermined shaped section 13 has a straight shape that symbolizes the shape of a straight road and is integrated with the straight section 11. In the symbolic guide rail 1 for straight-line movement, for example, magnetic pieces 15 are embedded at three equally spaced locations, each 20 cm apart.

[0057] Based on the change in lateral deviation when the vehicle 2 passes over three magnet pieces 15 arranged in a straight line, it is possible to determine whether the vehicle 2 is moving in a straight line, and the accuracy of the vehicle's straight-line movement. By using the result of the determination of the vehicle 2's straight-line movement accuracy, it is possible to improve the straight-line movement of the vehicle 2 by, for example, correcting the accuracy of the yaw rate measurement by the IMU 28, or suppressing the difference in driving speed between the left and right crawlers 21L and R. Furthermore, it is also good to provide information to the vehicle 2 based on the combination of magnetic polarities of the three magnet pieces 15. The information provided may include the distance from the symbolic guide rail 1 detected immediately before, and the distance to the next symbolic guide rail 1.

[0058] In this example, a crawler-type vehicle is used as an example, but any vehicle with two or more wheels may be used. Also, in this example, a configuration for setting a route in an orchard is described, but the area to which the route is set may also be a construction site, etc. A crawler-type vehicle can handle uneven terrain. The area to which the route is set may also be a factory or warehouse, etc. In the case of a factory or warehouse, the road surface on which vehicle 2 moves can be prepared, so a vehicle with wheels instead of crawlers may be used. The symbolic guide rail to be installed on the prepared road surface may be a sheet-like material that can be attached to the road or floor surface. In the case of a sheet-like symbolic guide rail, it is good to combine individual sheet-like magnetic pieces.

[0059] (Example 2) This example is based on the configuration of Example 1, but with an increased variety of symbolic guide rails 1 for corners. This will be explained with reference to Figure 16.

[0060] In the configuration of Example 1, the only corner that can be set is a curved arc with a radius of 1 m. On the other hand, in the configuration of this example, there are three types of corners that can be set: a curved arc with a radius of 2 m, a curved arc with a radius of 1 m, and a corner created by a spin turn in which the vehicle 2 changes direction in place without changing its position. In this example, as shown in Figure 16, three types of symbolic guide rails 1 for corners with different shapes of predetermined shaped section 13 are provided.

[0061] The symbolic guide rail 1 in Figure 16(a) corresponds to a corner formed by a circular arc-shaped curve with a radius of 1 m. The predetermined shaped portion 13 of this symbolic guide rail 1 is the same as that of the symbolic guide rail exemplified in Embodiment 1.

[0062] The symbolic guide rail 1 in Figure 16(b) corresponds to a corner with a circular arc-shaped curve of radius 2m. The predetermined shape portion 13 of this symbolic guide rail 1 has a gentler curvature compared to the predetermined shape portion 13 in Figure 16(a), symbolically representing the shape of a large radius, gentle curve.

[0063] The symbolic guide rail 1 in Figure 16(c) corresponds to a corner caused by a spin turn. The shape of the predetermined shaped portion 13 of this symbolic guide rail 1 is like one side of a square, symbolizing the shape of a corner caused by a spin turn.

[0064] Each of the three types of symbolic guide rails 1 in Figure 16 is provided with three locations for embedding magnetic pieces 15. Depending on the combination of magnetic polarity of the three magnetic pieces 15, up to eight types of route information can be provided to the vehicle 2. The worker setting the route can grasp the type of corner corresponding to the predetermined shape section 13 at a glance, thus preventing the installation of the wrong type of symbolic guide rail 1. As with Embodiment 1, the symbolic guide rail 1 for corners in this example can be switched between right-hand and left-hand corners by flipping it over.

[0065] The other components and effects are the same as in Example 1.

[0066] (Example 3) This example is a symbolic guide rail 1 equipped with an RFID tag 140, which is an example of an information provision unit 14, based on the configuration of Embodiment 1. This will be explained with reference to Figures 17 and 18.

[0067] The RFID tag 140 is a wireless communication tag that transmits information by receiving power from the vehicle. The symbolic guide rail 1 in this example corresponds to a vehicle 2 equipped with a tag reader that reads the tag information (route information) of the RFID tag 140. In the symbolic guide rail 1 in this example (Figure 17), the magnet piece on the near side is omitted, while the RFID tag 140 is attached to the upper surface of the magnet piece 15 on the front side. Unlike Embodiment 1, the symbolic guide rail 1 for corners in this example is distinguished into one for right corners and one for left corners. The route information output as tag information differs between the symbolic guide rail 1 for right corners and the guide rail 1 for left corners.

[0068] In this example, multiple types of symbolic guide rails 1 are provided for right corners, each with a different radius of the corresponding curve, and multiple types of symbolic guide rails 1 are provided for left corners, each with a different radius of the corresponding curve. All types of symbolic guide rails, including other symbolic guide rails such as those for stopping points, are associated with an RFID number, which is identification information, as shown in Figure 18, for example. Each symbolic guide rail 1 is configured to output route information including the RFID number.

[0069] As shown in Figure 18, for example, the symbolic guide rail 1 for a right corner on a curve with a radius of 1m outputs route information including the RFID number "1". For example, the symbolic guide rail 1 for a left corner on a curve with a radius of 3m outputs route information including the RFID number "103". On the vehicle 2 side, which acquires route information from the symbolic guide rail 1, the list information in Figure 18 is stored in the information database. By referring to the list information in Figure 18 using the RFID number included in the route information acquired from the RFID tag 140 of the symbolic guide rail 1, the route information associated with that RFID number can be obtained.

[0070] As with Example 1, it is also possible to share the symbolic guide rail for the right corner and the symbolic guide rail for the left corner. For example, the route information output by the RFID tag 140 as tag information should be such that the vehicle 2 can identify only the radius of the curve, while the magnetic polarity of the magnet piece 15 can be used to distinguish between a right corner and a left corner. On the vehicle 2 side, for example, if the magnet piece 15 is north pole, it is a symbolic guide rail for the right corner, and if the magnet piece 15 is south pole, it is a symbolic guide rail for the left corner.

[0071] In this example, the RFID tag 140 is attached to the end face of the magnetic piece 15. The arrangement of the RFID tag 140 is not limited to this example. The RFID tag 140 may be attached separately from the magnetic piece 15.

[0072] The other components and effects are the same as in Example 1.

[0073] Although specific examples of the present invention have been described in detail as shown in the examples above, these examples only disclose an example of the technology covered by the claims. Needless to say, the claims should not be interpreted restrictively based on the configuration or numerical values ​​of the specific examples. The claims encompass technologies obtained by various modifications, changes, or combinations of the above examples using prior art or the knowledge of those skilled in the art. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1. Symbolic guide rail (guide member) 10 Markings 11. Straight section 13. Predetermined shape part 14 Information Provision Department 140 RFID tags (wireless communication tags) 15. Magnetic pieces (magnetic generation part, magnet) 2 vehicles (tracked vehicles, crawler vehicles) 2B vehicle 20 Control circuits 21L, 21R Crawler 4. Magnetic sensor array 40 Information acquisition circuit 43 Detection Processing Unit 5 routes

Claims

1. A guide member for setting a route for an automated vehicle, wherein the vehicle can travel according to information provided by the infrastructure. An information providing unit that provides the vehicle with information representing the characteristics of the path ahead, A magnetic generating unit including one or more individualized magnets that can be used to determine the position of a vehicle in the longitudinal direction of a path, It includes a predetermined shaped part that exhibits a predetermined shape defined for each type of route, A guide member that, when installed on a road surface, ground, or floor surface on which a vehicle moves, can cause the vehicle to travel in a manner corresponding to the path configuration related to the shape of the predetermined shaped part.

2. The information providing unit is a guide member configured to utilize at least one of the one or two or more magnets of the magnetic generating unit.

3. In claim 1, the information providing unit is a guide member which is a wireless communication tag that receives power from the vehicle and transmits the information.

4. In claim 1, the magnetic field generating unit includes at least two magnets, and each of the at least two magnets is configured such that the vehicle can magnetically detect the lateral deviation of the vehicle relative to each magnet. A guide member capable of determining the direction of travel of a vehicle based on the lateral deviation of the vehicle relative to each of the magnets.

5. In claim 1, the magnetic field generating unit includes at least three magnets arranged in a straight line, and each of the at least three magnets is configured such that the vehicle can magnetically detect the lateral deviation of the vehicle relative to each magnet. A guide member capable of determining whether a vehicle is traveling in a straight line based on the lateral deviation of the vehicle relative to each of the magnets.

6. In any one of claims 1 to 5, the linear shape includes a linear portion on which the magnetic generating portion is arranged, A guide member installed in a straight section of the aforementioned route so that the straight section is aligned with the direction of the route.

7. The guide member according to claim 6, wherein the guide member includes at least a corner guide member installed in a straight section preceding a corner in the path, the predetermined shaped portion of the corner guide member is formed by bending from the straight section, and the corner guide member is J-shaped or L-shaped.

8. The guide member according to claim 6, wherein the guide member includes at least a guide member for a stopping point installed in a straight section preceding a stopping position in the path, the predetermined shaped portion of the guide member for the stopping point is formed to be perpendicular to the straight section, and the guide member for the stopping point is T-shaped.

9. The guide member according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined shape exhibited by the predetermined shaped portion is a shape representing the configuration of the path.

10. A method for setting a route for an automated vehicle, wherein the vehicle is able to travel according to information provided by the infrastructure. An information providing unit that provides the vehicle with information representing the characteristics of the path ahead, A magnetic generating unit including one or more fragmented magnets that can be used to determine the position of a vehicle in the longitudinal direction of a route, It has a predetermined shaped part that exhibits a predetermined shape defined for each type of route, By utilizing a guide member that can drive a vehicle according to the configuration of the forward path relating to the shape of the predetermined shaped part, A route setting method for setting a route for an automated vehicle by installing the guide member on the road surface, ground, or floor surface on which the vehicle travels.

11. In claim 10, there are multiple types of guide members, each with a different shape for the predetermined shaped portion, A route setting method for setting a route for an automated vehicle by installing a guide member having a predetermined shape that corresponds to the predetermined route pattern, among the multiple types of guide members, in front of a point where the desired route pattern is to be set.

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