Control system for industrial machinery

Abstract

To reduce the burden on the operator. [Solution] A control system for a work machine according to one embodiment comprises: a work machine having an attachment; a drive force detection device for detecting the drive force that drives the attachment; an output device capable of outputting information to an operator operating the work machine; an identification unit that performs control to identify the part of the attachment that is in contact with the work object based on the detection result of the detection unit; and an output control unit that performs control to output from the output device information representing the reaction force generated at the part, which is estimated based on the detection result of the drive force detection device.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a control system for a working machine.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, an operator who is skilled in operating a working machine tends to predict the situation of the working machine from information generated by the working machine such as engine sound, and perform operations flexibly according to the predicted situation. On the other hand, it is difficult for an operator who is not skilled in operating a working machine to predict the situation of the working machine from the information generated by the working machine.

[0003] In recent years, a technique has been proposed to detect the loads applied to a plurality of hydraulic cylinders of a working machine and change the transparency of an image displayed on a display according to the detected load information (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the technique described in Patent Document 1, although the load of the pressure applied to a plurality of hydraulic cylinders is displayed, it is difficult for an operator to intuitively grasp the force generated according to the operation of the working machine in the load of the pressure applied to each of the plurality of actuators.

[0006] In view of the above, by outputting information indicating the reaction force of the part of the working machine that is in contact with the work target, the situation of the operation of the working machine is grasped, and the operation burden is reduced.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, the operating status of a work machine is monitored, thereby reducing the burden on the operator. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of a remote control system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a side view showing a work machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This diagram schematically shows an example of the configuration of a work machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a functional block diagram showing an example configuration of a remote control system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of the layout of a remote control room according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This figure illustrates the table structure of the output method storage unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] This diagram illustrates the correspondence between the work performed by the work machine according to the first embodiment and the information output. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of a display screen shown on the central monitor according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of a display screen shown on the central monitor according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10]This is a sequence diagram showing the overall processing flow in the remote control system according to the first embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are illustrative and do not limit the invention. Not all features and combinations thereof in the embodiments of this disclosure are necessarily essential to the invention. In each drawing, the same or corresponding components are denoted by the same or corresponding reference numerals, and redundant descriptions may be omitted.

[0011] The working machine 100 according to the embodiment of this disclosure is a shovel. The working machine 100 may be any working machine equipped with an attachment, and may be a machine other than a shovel, such as a crane or a forklift. In the illustrated example, the shovel as the working machine 100 is an excavator equipped with a bucket 6 as an end attachment, but it may be an applied machine such as a forestry machine equipped with an end attachment other than the bucket 6. Furthermore, it may be a crawler crane equipped with a lower traveling body, an upper rotating body, and an attachment provided on the upper rotating body.

[0012] (First Embodiment) First, with reference to Figure 1, an overview of the remote control system (an example of a control system) SYS according to the first embodiment will be described. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the remote control system SYS according to the first embodiment.

[0013] <Equipment that constitutes a remote control system> As shown in Figure 1, the remote control system SYS according to the first embodiment includes a work machine 100 and a remote control room RC.

[0014] The work machine 100 and the remote control room RC are connected via a communication line NW to enable the transmission and reception of data.

[0015] The working machine 100 enables wireless communication. Then, the working machine 100 can transmit and receive data with devices (for example, the remote operation room RC) connected to the communication line NW.

[0016] The working machine 100 is present at the work site where the working machine 100 performs work. Thus, in this embodiment, a plurality of types of devices are provided at the work site. And the working machine 100 can transmit information regarding the work site to the remote operation room RC. Thereby, the remote operation room RC can confirm the work site according to the information from the working machine 100. Note that this embodiment does not limit the device for measuring the work site to the working machine 100, and other types of devices such as a drone flying over the work site or an imaging device that can be carried by a user may also be used.

[0017] The working machine 100 included in the remote operation system SYS may be one or a plurality of units. Thereby, the remote operation system SYS can provide information regarding the work site to the remote operation room RC through one or a plurality of working machines 100.

[0018] <Configuration example of the remote operation room> The remote operation room RC includes a communication device T2, a remote controller R40, an operation device R42, an operation sensor R43, a sound output device SP2E, and a display device D1E. Also, an operation seat DS on which an operator OP who remotely operates the working machine 100 sits is installed in the remote operation room RC.

[0019] The communication device (an example of a receiving device) T2 is configured to control communication with a communication device T1 (see FIG. 2) attached to the working machine 100.

[0020] <0000​​​ The display device D1E displays a screen based on information transmitted from the work machine 100, allowing the operator OP in the remote control room RC to visually check the area around the work machine 100. The display device D1E allows the operator to check the conditions of the work site, including the area around the work machine 100, even though the operator is in the remote control room RC. In the illustrated example, the display device D1E is a liquid crystal display that displays images captured by the imaging device S6 mounted on the work machine 100. The display device D1E may also be a display or projector that enables naked-eye stereoscopic viewing, or it may be a VR goggle or the like.

[0022] The sound output device SP2E is an example of an output device capable of outputting various sound information (an example of information) to the operator OP who operates the work machine 100. The sound output device SP2E outputs sound based on information transmitted from the work machine 100 so that the operator OP in the remote control room RC can hear the sounds emitted at the work site. For example, the sound output device SP2E outputs sound generated by the remote controller R40.

[0023] The sound output device SP2E may be a stationary device such as a speaker, or a wearable device such as earphones or headphones. The speaker may be a mono speaker, a stereo speaker, or a surround speaker. The speaker may also be an omnidirectional speaker or a directional speaker. The wearable device may have noise-canceling functionality, spatial audio functionality (3D sound functionality), or bone conduction functionality. In addition, multiple sound output devices SP2E may be installed around the operator's seat DS.

[0024] An operating device R42 (an example of an operating unit) is equipped with an operating sensor R43 for detecting the operation of the operating device R42. The operating sensor R43 is, for example, a tilt sensor that detects the tilt angle of the operating lever, or an angle sensor that detects the oscillation angle of the operating lever around its pivot axis. The operating sensor R43 may also consist of other sensors such as a pressure sensor, a current sensor, a voltage sensor, or a distance sensor. The operating sensor R43 outputs information regarding the operation of the operating device R42 that it has detected to the remote controller R40. The remote controller R40 generates an operation signal based on the received information and transmits the generated operation signal to the work machine 100. The operating sensor R43 may also be configured to generate an operation signal. In this case, the operating sensor R43 may output the operation signal to the communication device T2 without going through the remote controller R40. This enables remote control of the work machine 100 from the remote control room RC.

[0025] <Example of a work machine configuration> Next, with reference to Figure 2, an overview of the work machine 100 according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 2 is a side view of the work machine 100 as a work machine according to the first embodiment.

[0026] In Figure 2, +X represents one direction of the X-axis in the three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, and (not shown) -X represents the other direction of the X-axis. +Y represents one direction of the Y-axis in the three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, and (not shown) -Y represents the other direction of the Y-axis. +Z represents one direction of the Z-axis in the three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, and (not shown) -Z represents the other direction of the Z-axis. In Figure 1, the +X side of the work machine 100 corresponds to the front side of the work machine 100, and the -X side of the work machine 100 corresponds to the rear side of the work machine 100. Also, the +Y side of the work machine 100 corresponds to the left side of the work machine 100, and the -Y side of the work machine 100 corresponds to the right side of the work machine 100. Furthermore, the +Z side of the work machine 100 corresponds to the top side of the work machine 100, and the -Z side of the work machine 100 corresponds to the bottom side of the work machine 100. The same applies to other figures.

[0027] The work machine 100 comprises a lower traveling body 1, an upper rotating body 3 mounted on the lower traveling body 1 so as to be rotatable via a slewing mechanism 2, an attachment AT for performing various tasks, and a driver's cab 10. The driver's cab 10 is also called a cabin or cab. The front side of the work machine 100 (upper rotating body 3) corresponds to the side on which the attachment AT is attached to the upper rotating body 3 when the work machine 100 is viewed from directly above along the slewing axis of the upper rotating body 3. The left, right, and rear sides of the work machine 100 (upper rotating body 3) correspond to the left, right, and rear sides as seen from the perspective of an operator seated in the driver's seat inside the driver's cab 10, respectively.

[0028] The lower travel body 1 includes, for example, a pair of left and right crawlers 1C. Specifically, the crawlers 1C include a left crawler and a right crawler. The left crawler is driven by a left travel hydraulic motor 2ML (see Figure 3), and the right crawler is driven by a right travel hydraulic motor 2MR (see Figure 3). The left travel hydraulic motor 2ML is a travel drive unit that drives the left crawler, which is the driven part, and can rotate the left crawler. The right travel hydraulic motor 2MR is a travel drive unit that drives the right crawler, which is the driven part, and can rotate the right crawler. Note that the travel drive units may also be electric motors.

[0029] A boom 4 is rotatably mounted to the front center of the upper slewing body 3, an arm 5 is rotatably mounted to the tip of the boom 4, and a bucket 6 is rotatably mounted to the tip of the arm 5. In the illustrated example, the boom 4, arm 5, and bucket 6 constitute an excavation attachment, which is an example of attachment AT. The boom 4, arm 5, and bucket 6 are driven by a boom cylinder 7, arm cylinder 8, and bucket cylinder 9, respectively.

[0030] Bucket 6 is an example of a work tool (end attachment). Bucket 6 is used, for example, for excavation work. Depending on the work content, other work tools may be attached to the tip of arm 5 instead of bucket 6. Other work tools may be other types of buckets, such as large buckets, slope buckets, or dredging buckets. Other work tools may also be types of work tools other than buckets, such as agitators, breakers, grapples, or lifting magnets. The excavation attachment may be provided with a bucket tilt mechanism.

[0031] The slewing hydraulic motor 2A, the left travel hydraulic motor 2ML, the right travel hydraulic motor 2MR, the boom cylinder 7, the arm cylinder 8, and the bucket cylinder 9 are hydraulic actuators driven by hydraulic fluid discharged from a hydraulic pump.

[0032] Furthermore, the work machine 100 may have all or part of its driven parts, such as the lower traveling body 1, upper slewing body 3, boom 4, arm 5, and bucket 6, electrically driven. In other words, the work machine 100 may be a hybrid excavator or electric excavator, in which all or part of its driven parts are driven by electric actuators.

[0033] The imaging device S6 is mounted on the upper rotating body 3 and captures images of the area around the work machine 100, acquiring image information representing the area around the work machine 100. In the illustrated example, the imaging device S6 includes a front camera S6F, a left camera S6L, a right camera S6R, and a rear camera S6B.

[0034] The front camera S6F is a camera that captures images in front of the work machine 100 and is mounted on the outside of the operator's cab 10, such as on the roof of the operator's cab 10 or the side of the boom 4. The left camera S6L is a camera that captures images to the left of the work machine 100, the right camera S6R is a camera that captures images to the right of the work machine 100, and the rear camera S6B is a camera that captures images behind the work machine 100. Specifically, the front camera S6F, left camera S6L, right camera S6R, and rear camera S6B are all monocular wide-angle cameras equipped with an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS, and the information of the captured images is taken up by the controller 30. Alternatively, the images captured by the imaging device S6 may be output to the display device D1 (see Figure 3).

[0035] In the illustrated example, the front camera S6F is mounted on the roof of the driver's cab 10, the left camera S6L is mounted on the upper left end of the upper surface of the upper rotating body 3, the right camera S6R is mounted on the upper right end of the upper surface of the upper rotating body 3, and the rear camera S6B is mounted on the upper rear end of the upper surface of the upper rotating body 3.

[0036] The imaging device S6 may constitute an object detection device that detects objects in the vicinity of the work machine 100. The object detection device may consist of devices other than a camera. For example, the object detection device may be a LiDAR. A LiDAR is, for example, a device capable of measuring the distance between a point cloud of 1 million or more points within the monitoring range and the LiDAR (laser source). Alternatively, the object detection device may be other devices capable of measuring the distance to an object, such as a stereo camera, a depth image camera, or a millimeter-wave radar. When a millimeter-wave radar or the like is used as the object detection device, the object detection device may determine the distance and direction of the object by transmitting a large number of signals (such as laser light) toward the object and receiving the reflected signals. Alternatively, the object detection device may be a combination of two or more types of devices. For example, the object detection device may be a combination of an imaging device and a LiDAR, or a combination of an imaging device and a millimeter-wave radar, or a combination of an imaging device and a stereo camera.

[0037] The controller 30 is an example of a control device and is composed of a computer including, for example, a CPU, a volatile memory device, a non-volatile memory device, and various input / output interfaces. The controller 30 implements various functions, for example, by reading a program from the non-volatile memory device, loading it into the volatile memory device, and having the CPU execute it. In the illustrated example, the controller 30 is configured to implement various functions and control the work machine 100. These functions include, for example, a machine guidance function that guides the operator in manually operating the work machine 100. The functions may also include a contact avoidance function that automatically or autonomously operates or stops the work machine 100 to avoid contact between the work machine 100 and objects within the monitoring range around the work machine 100.

[0038] The boom angle sensor S1 detects the rotation angle of the boom 4. In this embodiment, the boom angle sensor S1 is an acceleration sensor that can detect the rotation angle of the boom 4 relative to the upper slewing body 3 (hereinafter referred to as "boom angle") which changes per unit time. The boom angle sensor S1 can detect the angular velocity of the boom 4, which indicates the change in boom angle, and the angular acceleration of the boom 4, which indicates the rate of said change. The boom angle is, for example, at its minimum when the boom 4 is at its lowest position, and increases as the boom 4 is raised.

[0039] The arm angle sensor S2 detects the rotation angle of the arm 5. In this embodiment, the arm angle sensor S2 is an acceleration sensor and can detect the rotation angle of the arm 5 relative to the boom 4 (hereinafter referred to as "arm angle"). The arm angle sensor S2 can detect the angular velocity of the arm 5, which indicates the change in the arm angle, and the angular acceleration of the arm 5, which indicates the rate of change. The arm angle is, for example, at its minimum when the arm 5 is closed to its shortest extent, and increases as the arm 5 is opened.

[0040] The bucket angle sensor S3 detects the rotation angle of the bucket 6. In this embodiment, the bucket angle sensor S3 is an acceleration sensor and can detect the rotation angle of the bucket 6 relative to the arm 5 (hereinafter referred to as "bucket angle"). The bucket angle sensor S3 can detect the angular velocity of the bucket 6, which indicates the change in bucket angle, and the angular acceleration of the bucket 6, which indicates the rate of change. The bucket angle is, for example, at its minimum when the bucket 6 is fully closed, and increases as the bucket 6 is opened.

[0041] The boom angle sensor S1, arm angle sensor S2, and bucket angle sensor S3 can be any sensor (an example of an attitude detection device) capable of acquiring information about the attitude of the attachment, and may be an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), a 6-axis sensor, a potentiometer using a variable resistor, a stroke sensor that detects the stroke amount of the corresponding hydraulic cylinder, a rotary encoder that detects the rotation angle around the connecting pin, a gyro sensor, or a combination of an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor, respectively.

[0042] The detection signals corresponding to the boom angle from the boom angle sensor S1, the detection signals corresponding to the arm angle from the arm angle sensor S2, and the detection signals corresponding to the bucket angle from the bucket angle sensor S3 are input to the controller 30. The detection signals may include angular velocity in addition to angle.

[0043] The machine tilt sensor S4 detects the tilt state of the machine (lower traveling body 1 or upper rotating body 3) relative to the horizontal plane. The machine tilt sensor S4 is, for example, attached to the upper rotating body 3 and detects the tilt angle of the work machine 100 (i.e., the upper rotating body 3) around two axes: the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction. The machine tilt sensor S4 may be, for example, an acceleration sensor, a 6-axis sensor, or an IMU. The detection signal corresponding to the tilt angle from the machine tilt sensor S4 is input to the controller 30.

[0044] The rotation sensor S5 outputs information regarding the rotation of the upper rotating body 3. The rotation sensor S5 detects, for example, the rotational angular velocity and rotational angular acceleration of the upper rotating body 3 relative to the lower traveling body 1. The rotation sensor S5 may also detect the rotation angle. The rotation sensor S5 may be, for example, a gyro sensor, a resolver, or a rotary encoder. The detection signals corresponding to the rotation angle, rotational angular velocity, and rotational angular acceleration of the upper rotating body 3 detected by the rotation sensor S5 are input to the controller 30.

[0045] The boom cylinder 7 is equipped with a boom rod pressure sensor S7R and a boom bottom pressure sensor S7B. The arm cylinder 8 is equipped with an arm rod pressure sensor S8R and an arm bottom pressure sensor S8B. The bucket cylinder 9 is equipped with a bucket rod pressure sensor S9R and a bucket bottom pressure sensor S9B. The boom rod pressure sensor S7R, boom bottom pressure sensor S7B, arm rod pressure sensor S8R, arm bottom pressure sensor S8B, bucket rod pressure sensor S9R, and bucket bottom pressure sensor S9B are devices that detect the pressure (an example of driving force) required to drive each component of the attachment AT (for example, boom 4, arm 5, and bucket 6), and are collectively referred to as "cylinder pressure sensors (an example of driving force detection devices)". In this embodiment, the device for detecting the driving force required to drive each component of the attachment AT is not limited to cylinder pressure sensors, and other detection devices such as strain gauges may be used. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the method of using pressure as the driving force is not limited to the method of using pressure, and thrust calculated by multiplying the pressure by the pressure-receiving area may also be used.

[0046] The boom rod pressure sensor S7R detects the pressure in the rod-side oil chamber of the boom cylinder 7 (hereinafter referred to as "boom rod pressure"), and the boom bottom pressure sensor S7B detects the pressure in the bottom-side oil chamber of the boom cylinder 7 (hereinafter referred to as "boom bottom pressure"). The arm rod pressure sensor S8R detects the pressure in the rod-side oil chamber of the arm cylinder 8 (hereinafter referred to as "arm rod pressure"), and the arm bottom pressure sensor S8B detects the pressure in the bottom-side oil chamber of the arm cylinder 8 (hereinafter referred to as "arm bottom pressure"). The bucket rod pressure sensor S9R detects the pressure in the rod-side oil chamber of the bucket cylinder 9 (hereinafter referred to as "bucket rod pressure"), and the bucket bottom pressure sensor S9B detects the pressure in the bottom-side oil chamber of the bucket cylinder 9 (hereinafter referred to as "bucket bottom pressure").

[0047] The positioning device PS measures the position of the upper rotating body 3. The positioning device PS is, for example, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) compass and detects the position and orientation of the upper rotating body 3. The detection signals corresponding to the position and orientation of the upper rotating body 3 are received by the controller 30. The function of detecting the orientation of the upper rotating body 3 may be realized by an orientation sensor attached to the upper rotating body 3. In this embodiment, the positioning device PS measures the current position of the work machine 100 in a globally identifiable reference coordinate system.

[0048] A reference coordinate system is, for example, the World Geodetic System, which can determine a location on Earth. The World Geodetic System is a three-dimensional orthogonal XYZ coordinate system with its origin at the Earth's center of mass, the X-axis pointing in the direction of the intersection of the Greenwich Meridian and the equator, the Y-axis pointing in the direction of 90 degrees east longitude, and the Z-axis pointing in the direction of the North Pole.

[0049] The operator's cab 10 is a compartment where the operator sits and is located on the front left side of the upper rotating body 3. However, the operator's cab 10 may be omitted if the work machine 100 is remotely controlled or if the work machine 100 operates by fully automatic operation.

[0050] The communication device T1 communicates with external devices through a communication network including a mobile communication network, a satellite communication network, or the Internet. The communication device T1 is, for example, a mobile communication module compatible with mobile communication standards such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G (4th Generation), or 5G (5th Generation), a communication module compatible with short-range wireless communication standards such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or Bluetooth (registered trademark), or a satellite communication module for connecting to a satellite communication network.

[0051] The work machine 100 operates actuators in response to the operation of the operator seated in the cab 10, driving the driven parts such as the lower traveling body 1, the upper slewing body 3, the boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6.

[0052] Alternatively, the work machine 100 may be configured to be remotely controlled from outside the work machine 100. When the work machine 100 is remotely controlled, the inside of the operator's cab 10 may be unoccupied.

[0053] Furthermore, the work machine 100 may automatically operate the actuators regardless of the operator's actions. This enables the work machine 100 to automatically operate at least a portion of the driven parts, such as the lower traveling body 1, the upper slewing body 3, the boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6, that is, to achieve a so-called "machine control function".

[0054] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the work machine 100 according to this embodiment. In Figure 3, the mechanical power transmission system, hydraulic fluid line, pilot line, and electrical control system are indicated by double lines, thick solid lines, thick dashed lines, and dotted lines, respectively.

[0055] The drive system of the work machine 100 includes an engine 11, a regulator 13, a main pump 14, and a control valve unit 17. The hydraulic drive system of the work machine 100 also includes hydraulic actuators such as a slewing hydraulic motor 2A, a left travel hydraulic motor 2ML, a right travel hydraulic motor 2MR, a boom cylinder 7, an arm cylinder 8, and a bucket cylinder 9.

[0056] The engine 11 is an example of a power source for the work machine 100, and is mounted, for example, at the rear of the upper rotating body 3. The power source for the work machine 100 may also be a combination of a battery or fuel cell and an electric motor. Specifically, the engine 11 rotates at a constant speed at a preset target rotational speed under direct or indirect control by the controller 30, driving the main pump 14 and the pilot pump 15. The engine 11 is, for example, a diesel engine that uses light oil as fuel. The engine 11 may also be a gasoline engine or a hydrogen engine, etc.

[0057] The regulator 13 controls the discharge rate of the main pump 14. For example, the regulator 13 controls the discharge rate of the main pump 14 by adjusting the angle (tilt angle) of the swash plate of the main pump 14 in response to a control command from the controller 30.

[0058] The main pump 14, for example, is mounted at the rear of the upper rotating body 3, similar to the engine 11, and supplies hydraulic fluid to the control valve unit 17 through the hydraulic fluid line. In the illustrated example, the main pump 14 is a variable displacement hydraulic pump.

[0059] The control valve unit 17 is one of the hydraulic control devices that control the hydraulic system in the work machine 100. In the illustrated example, the control valve unit 17 includes control valves 171 to 176. The control valve unit 17 is configured to selectively supply hydraulic fluid discharged by the main pump 14 to one or more hydraulic actuators through the control valves 171 to 176. The control valves 171 to 176 control the flow rate of hydraulic fluid flowing from the main pump 14 to the hydraulic actuators, and the flow rate of hydraulic fluid flowing from the hydraulic actuators to the hydraulic fluid tank. The hydraulic actuators include a boom cylinder 7, an arm cylinder 8, a bucket cylinder 9, a left travel hydraulic motor 2ML, a right travel hydraulic motor 2MR, and a slewing hydraulic motor 2A. Specifically, control valve 171 corresponds to the right travel hydraulic motor 2MR, control valve 172 corresponds to the left travel hydraulic motor 2ML, and control valve 173 corresponds to the slewing hydraulic motor 2A. Furthermore, control valve 174 corresponds to bucket cylinder 9, control valve 175 corresponds to boom cylinder 7, and control valve 176 corresponds to arm cylinder 8.

[0060] The pilot pump 15 is an example of a pilot pressure generating device and is configured to supply hydraulic fluid to a hydraulic control device via a pilot line. In the illustrated example, the pilot pump 15 is a fixed-displacement hydraulic pump. However, the pilot pressure generating device may be implemented by the main pump 14. That is, the main pump 14 may have the function of supplying hydraulic fluid to the control valve unit 17 via a hydraulic fluid line, as well as the function of supplying hydraulic fluid to various hydraulic control devices via a pilot line. In this case, the pilot pump 15 may be omitted.

[0061] The discharge pressure sensor 28 is configured to detect the discharge pressure of the main pump 14. In the example shown in the figure, the discharge pressure sensor 28 outputs the detected value to the controller 30.

[0062] The operating device 26 is a device used by the operator to operate the actuator. The operating device 26 includes, for example, an operating lever and an operating pedal. The actuator may be a hydraulic actuator or an electric actuator.

[0063] The operation sensor 29 is configured to detect the operator's actions using the operation device 26. In this embodiment, the operation sensor 29 detects the operating direction and amount of the operation device 26 corresponding to each actuator and outputs the detected values ​​to the controller 30. In the illustrated example, the controller 30 can control the opening area of ​​the proportional valve 31 according to the output of the operation sensor 29. The controller 30 then supplies the hydraulic fluid discharged by the pilot pump 15 to the pilot port of the corresponding control valve in the control valve unit 17. The pressure of the hydraulic fluid supplied to each pilot port (pilot pressure) is, in principle, the pressure corresponding to the operating direction and amount of the operation device 26 corresponding to each hydraulic actuator. Thus, the operation device 26 is configured to supply the hydraulic fluid discharged by the pilot pump 15 to the pilot port of the corresponding control valve in the control valve unit 17.

[0064] The proportional valve 31, which functions as a control valve for machine control, is located in the pipeline connecting the pilot pump 15 and the pilot port of the control valve in the control valve unit 17, and is configured to change the flow area of ​​the pipeline. In the illustrated example, the proportional valve 31 operates in response to control commands output by the controller 30. Therefore, the controller 30 can adjust the pilot pressure acting on the pilot port of the control valve by the proportional valve 31, independently of the operation of the operating device 26 by the operator.

[0065] This configuration allows the controller 30 to operate the hydraulic actuator corresponding to a specific operating device 26 even when no operation is being performed on that particular operating device 26.

[0066] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the control system of the work machine 100 includes a controller 30, a display device D1, an input device D2, and a communication device T1, etc. The display device D1 is installed inside the operator's cab 10 and outputs various information to the operator under the control of the controller 30. The input device D2 is a button or touch panel, etc., installed inside the operator's cab 10, and processes input from the operator.

[0067] The controller 30 is configured to output control commands to the regulator 13 as needed, thereby changing the discharge rate of the main pump 14.

[0068] Furthermore, the controller 30 may be configured to perform control related to a machine guidance function that guides the manual operation of the work machine 100 by the operator through the operating device 26. Alternatively, the controller 30 may be configured to perform control related to a machine control function that automatically assists the manual operation of the work machine 100 by the operator through the operating device 26.

[0069] Furthermore, some of the functions of controller 30 may be implemented by other controllers (control devices). In other words, the functions of controller 30 may be implemented in a manner distributed among multiple controllers. For example, machine guidance functions and machine control functions may be implemented by dedicated controllers (control devices).

[0070] [Explanation of information used to communicate the status of operation] Traditionally, skilled operators of work machinery have recognized the operating status of the work machinery from information emitted from the machinery, such as engine noise and the load on the control devices, and have operated the work machinery accordingly. It is preferable that even operators who are not skilled in operating work machinery recognize the operating status of the work machinery when operating it.

[0071] Furthermore, when an operator remotely controls a work machine, the amount of information transmitted from the machine to the operator tends to decrease compared to onboard operation, which may lead to a decline in operability.

[0072] Therefore, in recent years, there has been a demand for industrial machinery to provide operators with information that allows them to understand the current status of its operation. However, because industrial machinery can perform a variety of tasks, it is difficult to provide information that is specific to the task being performed. For example, the parts of the attachment that come into contact with the workpiece differ depending on the task being performed.

[0073] Therefore, in the work machine 100 according to this embodiment, when presenting the reaction force generated by the work machine 100 to the operator OP, the part of the attachment AT that is in contact with the work object is identified, and information indicating the reaction force generated at that part is presented.

[0074] Furthermore, when presenting the force generated by a work machine to the operator, there are technologies that allow the operator to perceive it through force feedback or vibration from the control device, or technologies that allow the operator to perceive it by vibrating the driver's seat where the operator is sitting. In conventional work machines, when the operator perceives the force generated by the work machine through force feedback or vibration from the control device, it becomes difficult for the operator to perform precise operations with the control device due to the force feedback or vibration. Also, when conventional work machines vibrate the driver's seat, it becomes difficult for the operator to perceive changes in force, and the vibration of the driver's seat may also increase fatigue.

[0075] Therefore, in the remote control system SYS according to this embodiment, the operator OP is made aware of the change in reaction force by outputting different sounds or displays in accordance with the change in reaction force occurring at the attachment AT.

[0076] <Block configuration of the remote control system> Figure 4 is a functional block diagram showing an example configuration of the remote control system SYS according to this embodiment. In the example shown in Figure 4, the block configurations of the remote control room RC and the work machine 100, which are included in the remote control system SYS, are shown. The hardware configuration of the work machine 100 will not be explained.

[0077] <Configuration of the Remote Control Room (RC)> The remote control room RC includes a remote controller R40, a communication device T2, an operation sensor R43, an operation device R42, and a display device D1E. The communication device T2, operation sensor R43, and operation device R42 have been described above, so their explanation is omitted.

[0078] Next, we will explain the remote control room RC. Figure 5 shows an example of the layout of the remote control room RC. The remote control room RC is equipped with multiple control devices R42, with the operator's seat DS as the reference point.

[0079] In this embodiment, the display device D1E is a multi-display consisting of six monitors arranged in two vertical rows and three horizontal columns, as shown in Figure 5. Specifically, the display device D1E includes the central monitor D1Ea, the upper monitor D1Eb, the left monitor D1Ec, the right monitor D1Ed, the upper left monitor D1Ee, and the upper right monitor D1Ef.

[0080] <<Functional Blocks of Work Machines>> Returning to Figure 4, we will now describe each functional block within the controller 30 of the work machine 100. Each functional block within the controller 30 is conceptual and does not necessarily need to be physically configured as shown. All or part of each functional block can be configured by distributing and integrating them functionally or physically in any unit. Each processing function performed in each functional block is realized, all or any part thereof, by a program executed on the CPU. Alternatively, each functional block may be realized as hardware using wired logic. The controller 30, by realizing the program, includes an acquisition unit 301, a identification unit 302, a reaction force estimation unit 303, a transmission control unit 304, a reception control unit 305, and an actuator drive unit 306.

[0081] The acquisition unit 301 acquires signals from various detection devices installed on the work machine 100. For example, the acquisition unit 301 acquires the detection results from the boom angle sensor S1, the arm angle sensor S2, and the bucket angle sensor S3. The acquisition unit 301 also acquires detection results from each of the cylinder pressure sensors S7R, S7B, S8R, S8B, S9R, and S9B.

[0082] Furthermore, the acquisition unit 301 acquires measurement results such as the position and orientation of the work machine 100 from the positioning device PS. The acquisition unit 301 also acquires image information from the imaging device S6.

[0083] The identification unit 302 performs control to identify the part of the attachment AT that is in contact with the work object, based on the image information (an example of detection result) acquired from the imaging device (an example of a detection unit) S6.

[0084] For example, when the work machine 100 performs excavation work, the identification unit 302 recognizes the position of the work target and the bucket 6 by performing image processing on the image information acquired from the imaging device S6. The identification unit 302 then recognizes whether a part of the bucket 6 is in contact with the work target and identifies the part of the bucket 6 that is in contact with the work target. Any method may be used for image processing, etc. Then, when the excavation work is started, the identification unit 302 identifies the tip of the bucket 6 as the part in contact with the work target (ground) based on the image information acquired from the imaging device S6. For example, when the work machine 100 performs digging work, the identification unit 302 identifies the bottom surface of the bucket 6 as the part in contact with the work target (ground) based on the image information acquired from the imaging device S6.

[0085] Another example is when replacing the end attachment of the attachment AT of the work machine 100 using a coupling mechanism or the like. In this case, the identification unit 302 identifies the surface of the mechanism on the arm 5 (main body) side, which is located at the tip of the attachment AT, that is in contact with the mechanism on the work tool side that is to be replaced, based on the image information acquired from the imaging device S6.

[0086] In this embodiment, an example is described in which image information acquired from the imaging device S6 is used to identify the part in contact with the work object. However, the method for identifying the part in contact with the work object is not limited to the method using image information acquired from the imaging device S6. For example, the identification unit 302 may estimate the posture of the attachment AT (an example of a detection result) based on angle sensors (an example of detection units) S1, S2, S3, and identify the part of the attachment AT in contact with the work object from the positional relationship between the position of the work object (e.g., the ground) stored in advance and the estimated posture. Another method for identifying the part in contact with the work object is, for example, the identification unit 302 to calculate the lowest point of the bucket 6 in the vertical direction based on angle sensors (an example of detection units) S1, S2, S3, and use that lowest point as the contact point with the ground. As a further method, the specific unit 302 may calculate the force and moment acting on a part of the bucket 6 based on the detection results from each of the cylinder pressure sensors S7R, S7B, S8R, S8B, S9R, and S9B, and the angle sensors (examples of detection units) S1, S2, and S3, and estimate the position of the contact point based on the calculated force and moment.

[0087] The reaction force estimation unit 303 estimates the direction and magnitude of the reaction force generated at a location identified by the identification unit 302 (for example, the tip or bottom surface of the bucket 6) based on the detection results from each of the cylinder pressure sensors S7R, S7B, S8R, S8B, S9R, and S9B, and the orientation of the attachment AT detected from each of the angle sensors S1, S2, and S3.

[0088] In the case of excavation, the reaction force is the reaction force to the excavation force, and is a force that is equal to the excavation force but in the opposite direction. Similarly, in other types of work, the reaction force is a force that is equal to the force applied to the workpiece but in the opposite direction.

[0089] The reaction force estimation unit 303 may use any method, not limited to well-known methods, to estimate the direction and magnitude of the reaction force generated at a predetermined location from the cylinder pressure detected by each of the cylinder pressure sensors S7R, S7B, S8R, S8B, S9R, and S9B, and the orientation of the attachment AT detected by each of the angle sensors S1, S2, and S3. For example, the reaction force estimation unit 303 may estimate the magnitude and direction of the reaction force by performing inverse dynamics calculations based on the cylinder pressure detected by each of the cylinder pressure sensors S7R, S7B, S8R, S8B, S9R, and S9B, and the orientation of the attachment AT detected by each of the angle sensors S1, S2, and S3.

[0090] The transmission control unit 304 controls the transmission of various information based on the acquisition results of the acquisition unit 301 to the remote control room RC via a communication device (an example of a transmission device) T1. For example, the transmission control unit 304 controls the transmission of image information captured by the imaging device S6, and position information indicating the position and orientation of the work machine 100 identified by the positioning device PS, to the remote control room RC.

[0091] Furthermore, the transmission control unit 304 controls the transmission of information regarding the posture of the work machine 100, including the attachment AT, to the remote control room RC, including the angle information from the boom angle sensor S1, the arm angle sensor S2, and the bucket angle sensor S3, the slewing angle information from the slewing sensor S5, and the cylinder pressure detected from the cylinder pressure sensors S7R, S7B, S8R, S8B, S9R, and S9B.

[0092] Furthermore, the transmission control unit 304 controls the transmission of information indicating the part of the work object that is in contact with the work object, as identified by the identification unit 302, and information indicating the magnitude and direction of the reaction force generated at the identified part, as estimated by the reaction force estimation unit 303, to the remote control room RC.

[0093] The receiving control unit 305 controls the reception of various information from the remote control room RC via the communication device T1. For example, the receiving control unit 305 receives operation signals from the remote control room RC to control the operation of the work machine 100.

[0094] The actuator drive unit 306 is configured to drive the actuator mounted on the work machine 100. In this embodiment, the actuator drive unit 306 generates and outputs an operating signal for each of the multiple solenoid valves included in the proportional valve 31 based on the operation signal transmitted from the remote control room RC.

[0095] Upon receiving an activation signal, each solenoid valve increases or decreases the pilot pressure acting on the pilot port of the corresponding control valve in the control valve unit 17. As a result, the hydraulic actuator corresponding to each control valve operates at a speed corresponding to the stroke amount of the control valve.

[0096] <<Functional Blocks of the Remote Control Room>> This section describes the functional blocks within the remote controller (an example of a control unit) 40 of the remote control room RC. Each functional block within the remote controller R40 is conceptual and does not necessarily need to be physically configured as shown in the diagram. All or part of each functional block can be configured by distributing and integrating them functionally or physically in any unit. Each processing function performed by each functional block is realized, all or any part thereof, by a program executed on the CPU. Alternatively, each functional block may be realized as hardware using wired logic. The remote controller R40, by implementing the program, includes a receiving control unit 401, a work identification unit 402, a conversion unit 403, an output control unit 404, a signal generation unit 405, and a transmission control unit 406.

[0097] Furthermore, the memory device ST2 connected to the remote controller R40 stores the output method memory unit ST2A.

[0098] The output method storage unit ST2A in this embodiment stores correspondences for outputting appropriate information to the operator OP according to the work being performed by the work machine 100.

[0099] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the table structure of the output method storage unit ST2A according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 6, the output method storage unit ST2A stores correspondences for identifying the output method of information corresponding to a task. As shown in Figure 6, the output method storage unit ST2A stores the task, the output destination, and the output method in association. Therefore, the remote controller R40 can refer to the output method storage unit ST2A to make the information to be output different depending on the task of the work machine 100.

[0100] The work is the work currently being performed by the work machine 100. The work includes, for example, "excavation", "attachment replacement", "buried object detection", "excavation / deepening (excavation or deepening)", "optional work (disaster response or abnormality response)", "penetration phase of the excavation cycle", "excavation phase of the excavation cycle", "lifting phase included in the excavation cycle", "swiveling phase included in the excavation cycle", and "soil removal (loading) phase included in the excavation cycle".

[0101] The "excavation" system stores a "sound output device" as the output destination and a "change in sound amplitude or frequency when the magnitude of the reaction force exceeds a predetermined standard" as the output method. The predetermined standard is determined based on the upper limit standard value of the reaction force against the ground during excavation.

[0102] When the work machine 100 is performing "excavation," the remote controller R40 outputs to a "sound output device," which reduces interference with lever operation compared to when force feedback or vibration is applied to the control device. Furthermore, when the work machine 100 is performing "excavation," the output method is to "change the amplitude or frequency of the sound when the magnitude of the reaction force exceeds a predetermined standard." This allows the operator OP to operate the work machine 100 in a way that does not change the amplitude or frequency of the sound, enabling the work machine 100 to level the ground so that the contact reaction force with the ground is reduced. Moreover, since the operator OP can recognize the accuracy of the straightness of the bucket 6's tip, the remote control system SYS can improve the operator OP's proficiency.

[0103] The "attachment replacement" operation stores the output destination as a "display device" and the output method as "displaying a vector indicating the magnitude and direction of the reaction force at the tip of the connection mechanism on the attachment side."

[0104] The remote controller R40 can transmit the direction of the reaction force to the operator OP by setting its output destination to a display device when the work machine 100 is performing an "attachment change". Furthermore, when the work machine 100 is performing an "attachment change", the output method is to "display a vector indicating the magnitude and direction of the reaction force at the tip of the connection mechanism on the attachment side". This allows the operator OP to recognize the contact between the attachment AT and the work tool to be connected and to make fine adjustments to the position of the tip of the connection mechanism on the attachment AT side.

[0105] The "buried object detection" system stores the "sound output device" as the output destination and the "filtering process for the change in reaction force, and the change in the amplitude or frequency of the sound output according to the result of the filtering process" as the output method. The filtering process uses, for example, a high-pass filter. In other words, the remote controller R40 changes the amplitude or frequency of the sound output when the change in reaction force is large.

[0106] The remote controller R40 sets its output destination to the "sound output device" when the work machine 100 is performing "buried object detection". The remote controller R40 then "filters the amount of change in reaction force and changes the amplitude or frequency of the output sound according to the result of the filtering process". Therefore, the operator OP can recognize a sharp change in reaction force by the change in the amplitude or frequency of the output sound. When the operator OP recognizes the amplitude or frequency of the sound, they can stop the work assuming that the bucket 6 etc. has come into contact with a buried object, thereby reducing the degree of damage to the buried object. The cutoff frequency of the high-pass filter used for filtering is set considering differences in the material of the buried object to be detected, the shape of the bucket 6, the characteristics of the soil (viscosity, etc.), or the type of soil. Furthermore, the remote controller R40 according to this embodiment performs the above-described control as "buried object detection," allowing the operator OP to recognize not only the presence of a buried object when the bucket 6 etc. comes into contact with it, but also the presence of a buried object immediately before contact. By suppressing contact between the bucket etc. 6 and the buried object, it is possible to further reduce the degree of damage to the buried object and the bucket 6 etc.

[0107] The remote controller R40 according to this embodiment is not limited to a method of outputting information (sound) corresponding to buried object detection when it receives a predetermined operation from the operator OP via the operating device R42. For example, the remote controller R40 may repeat the process corresponding to buried object detection at a predetermined interval regardless of the operation from the operator OP. For example, the remote controller R40 may repeat the above-described process corresponding to buried object detection at a predetermined interval from the time the tip of the bucket 6 makes contact with the ground until the time the tip of the bucket 6 leaves the ground.

[0108] The "Drilling / Deep Drilling" function stores a "sound output device" as the output destination and "sound output with different amplitude or frequency depending on the magnitude of the reaction force when the toe is not visible on the display device" as the output method.

[0109] The remote controller R40 sets the output destination to the "sound output device" when the work machine 100 is performing "excavation / deep digging (excavation or bed digging)". The remote controller R40 then determines whether the tip of the bucket 6 is visible on the display device D1E based on the image information captured by the imaging device S6. The remote controller R40 then controls the output of sound with different amplitude or frequency depending on the magnitude of the reaction force if the tip of the bucket 6 is not visible on the display device. Therefore, even if the operator OP cannot see the tip of the bucket 6 by referring to the display screen of the display device D1E, the operator OP can recognize the magnitude of the reaction force generated at the part in contact with the ground (the tip of the bucket) by the sound output. Thus, the operator OP can operate the work machine 100 taking the magnitude of the reaction force into consideration.

[0110] Furthermore, the "excavation / deep drilling" function stores the output destination as a "display device" and the output method as "displaying a vector indicating the magnitude and direction of the reaction force on the part in contact with the work object."

[0111] The remote controller R40 outputs to a display device when the work machine 100 is performing "excavation / deep digging (excavation or bed digging)". The remote controller R40 then displays a vector indicating the magnitude and direction of the reaction force on the part in contact with the work object. The operator OP can recognize the magnitude of the reaction force generated at the part in contact with the work object by referring to the display screen of the display device D1E. Therefore, the operator OP can operate the work machine 100 while taking the magnitude of the reaction force into consideration.

[0112] The "arbitrary task (disaster response or anomaly response)" is stored with the output destination being "sound output device" and the output method being "output a warning sound when a threshold is exceeded."

[0113] The remote controller R40 outputs a warning sound from the sound output device SP2E when the magnitude of the reaction force exceeds a threshold, regardless of the operation being performed by the work machine 100. The threshold is determined according to the embodiment. Therefore, it is possible to suppress overloads occurring in the work machine 100 and to suppress damage to objects.

[0114] Furthermore, the output method memory unit ST2A stores the gains G1 to G5 associated with each of the "penetration phase of the excavation cycle," "excavation phase of the excavation cycle," "lifting phase of the excavation cycle," "swiveling phase of the excavation cycle," and "soil removal (loading) phase of the excavation cycle" for outputting sound from the sound output device SP2E.

[0115] Therefore, the operator OP can recognize the change in work phase by the change in the output volume. Furthermore, the remote controller R40 according to this embodiment enables sound output according to the work phase. For example, in the "soil removal (loading) phase," since sound output would be bothersome, the remote controller R40 reduces the gain G5 compared to the gains G1 to G4 of the other phases. As another example, in the "penetration phase," in order to allow the operator OP to recognize the reaction force generated at the toes, etc., the remote controller R40 increases the sound gain G1 corresponding to the vertical component of the reaction force compared to the gains G2 to G4 of the other phases.

[0116] Returning to Figure 4, the receiving control unit 401 controls the reception of various information from the work machine 100 via the communication device T2.

[0117] For example, the receiving control unit 401 controls the receiving of image information captured by the imaging device S6 and position information indicating the position and orientation of the working machine 100, as determined by the positioning device PS, from the working machine 100. The receiving control unit 401 also controls the receiving of detection results from various detection devices installed on the working machine 100.

[0118] Furthermore, the receiving control unit 401 controls the reception of information regarding the posture of the work machine 100, including the attachment AT, including the angle information from the boom angle sensor S1, the arm angle sensor S2, and the bucket angle sensor S3, the slewing angle information from the slewing sensor S5, and the cylinder pressure detected from the cylinder pressure sensors S7R, S7B, S8R, S8B, S9R, and S9B.

[0119] Furthermore, the receiving control unit 401 controls the reception of information indicating the part in contact with the work object, and information indicating the magnitude and direction of the reaction force generated at the specified part, which is estimated by the reaction force estimation unit 303.

[0120] The work identification unit 402 identifies the work being performed on the work machine 100 based on information regarding the operation content of the operating device R42 detected by the operation sensor R43. Any method may be used to identify the work based on the operation content, regardless of whether it is a well-known method. This embodiment is not limited to identifying the work of the work machine 100 based on the operation content of the operating device R42 detected by the operation sensor R43; for example, a method may be used to identify the work of the work machine 100 based on the operation of the work machine 100 detected by various sensors. As a modified example, when the work identification unit 402 receives input for work settings from the operator OP via the operating device R42, etc., it may identify the set work as the work that the work machine 100 will perform.

[0121] The conversion unit 403 converts the received information indicating the magnitude and direction of the reaction force into information to be output from the display device D1E or the sound output device SP2E. This embodiment describes an example in which the information to be output differs depending on the work, but it is not limited to the form in which the information to be output differs depending on the work, as long as the magnitude or direction of the reaction force of the part in contact with the work object can be output as information that the operator OP can recognize.

[0122] In this embodiment, the conversion unit 403 identifies the output destination of the information from the display device D1E and the sound output device SP2E based on the work identified by the work identification unit 402 and the output method storage unit ST2A. Then, the conversion unit 403 converts the information indicating the magnitude and direction of the reaction force into output information based on the output method corresponding to the identified work.

[0123] The conversion unit 403 according to this embodiment converts the information to be output according to the correspondence of the output method storage unit ST2A shown in Figure 6, thereby making it possible to output different information from at least one of the display device D1E and sound output device SP2E depending on the specified operation.

[0124] For example, when the conversion unit 403 identifies the output destination of the information as the sound output device SP2E, it converts the magnitude of the reaction force into sound that is expressed in terms of frequency.

[0125] Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the correspondence between the work performed by the work machine 100 according to this embodiment and the information output.

[0126] As shown in Figure 7(A), the work machine 100 sequentially performs the penetration phase 100B of the drilling cycle, the drilling phase 100C of the drilling cycle, and the lifting phase 100D of the drilling cycle, starting from a stopped state 100A.

[0127] Furthermore, in Figure 7, we define the period P1 as the work stop state 100A, the period P2 as the penetration phase 100B of the drilling cycle, the period P3 as the drilling phase 100C of the drilling cycle, and the period P4 as the lifting phase 100D of the drilling cycle.

[0128] Line 1711 in Figure 7(B) indicates the magnitude of the reaction force received by the receiving control unit 401 from the work machine 100.

[0129] Figure 7(C) shows the sound converted by the conversion unit 403 based on the magnitude of the received reaction force. In the sound shown in Figure 7(C), the frequency of the sound is changed according to the magnitude of the reaction force. Specifically, the frequency increases as the absolute value of the reaction force increases, and the frequency decreases as the absolute value of the reaction force decreases. The conversion unit 403 may also convert the sound by superimposing slightly different frequencies to generate a beat. For example, the conversion unit 403 may convert the sound such that the frequency increases as the absolute value of the reaction force increases, and the beat frequency also increases as the absolute value of the reaction force increases, and so on, and the frequency decreases as the absolute value of the reaction force decreases, and the beat frequency also decreases as the absolute value of the reaction force decreases. Furthermore, the output control unit 404 may output sound simultaneously from multiple sound output devices SP2. When sound is output simultaneously from multiple sound output devices SP2, the frequency increases as the absolute value of the reaction force increases, and the beat frequency from the sound output by the multiple sound output devices SP2 can be increased as the absolute value of the reaction force increases. Furthermore, if multiple sound output devices SP2 are provided, the output control unit 404 may differentiate which sound output device SP2 outputs sound depending on the direction of the reaction force. In this way, the output control unit 404 differentiates which sound output device SP2 outputs sound according to each of the periods P2, P3, and P4.

[0130] In the example shown in Figure 7(C), the volume (amplitude) of the sound is changed according to the phase of the drilling cycle. Specifically, during period P2 of the penetration phase 100B of the drilling cycle, the output sound is louder than during period P3 of the drilling phase 100C, and during period P4 of the lifting phase 100D of the drilling cycle, the output sound is quieter than during period P3 of the drilling phase 100C. In this way, the remote controller R40 changes the output volume according to the phase, allowing the operator OP to recognize the phase change.

[0131] This embodiment shows an example of outputting sound and images to present the reaction force to the operator OP. However, this embodiment does not limit the manner in which the reaction force is presented to sound and images. For example, vibration may be used to present the reaction force to the operator OP. In the modified remote control system SYS, the operator OP wears a wearable device to present the reaction force by vibration.

[0132] Figure 7(D) shows the vibration converted by the conversion unit 403 based on the magnitude of the received reaction force. The vibration shown in Figure 7(D) has its frequency and amplitude changed according to the magnitude of the reaction force. Specifically, the frequency and amplitude increase as the absolute value of the reaction force increases, and the frequency and amplitude decrease as the absolute value of the reaction force decreases. Furthermore, if the wearable device is equipped with multiple vibrators, the output control unit 404 may make different vibrators vibrate depending on the direction of the reaction force. Figure 7(D) shows an example in which the frequency and amplitude are changed according to the magnitude of the reaction force, but other embodiments are also possible, such as changing either the amplitude or the frequency according to the magnitude of the reaction force.

[0133] In the example shown in Figure 7(D), the gain used to convert vibrations into amplitude is varied depending on the phase of the drilling cycle. Specifically, the gain for the penetration phase 100B of the drilling cycle is greater than the gain for the drilling phase 100C. The gain for the lifting phase 100D of the drilling cycle is smaller than the gain for the drilling phase 100C. In this way, the remote controller R40 changes the output amplitude according to the phase, allowing the operator OP to recognize the phase change.

[0134] Returning to Figure 4, when the conversion unit 403 identifies the display device D1E as the output destination for the information, it converts the information indicating the reaction force into an image that shows the magnitude and direction of the reaction force. For example, the converted image may be an arrow image. The arrow image indicates the direction of the reaction force by the direction of the arrow and the magnitude of the reaction force by the length of the arrow.

[0135] The output control unit 404 controls the output of various types of information from the sound output device SP2E and the display device D1E, respectively. For example, the output control unit 404 controls the output of image information captured by the imaging device S6 from the display device D1E.

[0136] Furthermore, the output control unit 404 outputs the information converted by the conversion unit 403. For example, if the conversion unit 403 converts the information into sound, the output control unit 404 outputs the sound converted by the conversion unit 403 from the sound output device SP2E. Also, if multiple sound output devices SP2E are provided in the remote control room RC, the output control unit 404 outputs the sound converted by the conversion unit 403 from the sound output device SP2E corresponding to the direction of the reaction force. Therefore, the output control unit 404 controls the output of a sound from the sound output device SP2E that represents one or more of the direction and magnitude of the reaction force.

[0137] The output control unit 404 according to this embodiment controls the output by continuously changing the frequency of the sound according to the magnitude of the reaction force generated at the part in contact with the workpiece. The output control unit 404 according to this embodiment is not limited to continuously changing the frequency of the sound according to the magnitude of the reaction force, but may also continuously change the phase, amplitude, or direction of output of the sound according to the magnitude of the reaction force. Furthermore, the output control unit 404 may continuously change the phase, frequency, or amplitude of the sound according to the direction of the reaction force generated at the part in contact with the workpiece. For example, the output control unit 404 may use a technique to simulate the direction of the reaction force by continuously changing the phase of the sound according to the direction of the reaction force.

[0138] Furthermore, the output control unit 404 is not limited to sound as the object to be continuously changed in accordance with one or more of the magnitude and direction of the reaction force, but may also continuously change vibration. For example, if the operator OP is wearing a wearable device equipped with multiple vibrators, the output control unit 404 outputs an instruction to vibrate the wearable device. The instruction to vibrate is, for example, an instruction for vibration in which the amplitude is continuously changed in accordance with the magnitude of the reaction force, as shown in Figure 7(D). Furthermore, if the wearable device is equipped with multiple vibrators, the output control unit 404 outputs an instruction to vibrate the vibrator among the multiple vibrators that corresponds to the direction of the reaction force. Furthermore, the output control unit 404 may continuously change one or more of the frequency, phase, and direction of output of the vibration in accordance with the magnitude of the reaction force generated at the part in contact with the work object, or it may continuously change one or more of the frequency, amplitude, and phase of the vibration in accordance with the direction of the reaction force generated at the part in contact with the work object.

[0139] Furthermore, if the conversion unit 403 converts the image into one or more images representing the direction and magnitude of the reaction force, the output control unit 404 outputs the image converted by the conversion unit 403 to the display device (an example of an output device) D1E.

[0140] As described above, the output control unit 404 according to this embodiment controls the output of information representing the reaction force generated at the part in contact with the work object, which is estimated based on the detection results of the cylinder pressure sensors S7R, S7B, S8R, S8B, S9R, and S9B, and the posture of the attachment AT detected from each of the angle sensors S1, S2, and S3, via the sound output device SP2E or the display device D1E.

[0141] Figure 8 shows an example of the display screen shown on the central monitor D1Ea according to this embodiment. The central monitor D1Ea displays image information captured by the front camera S6F.

[0142] Before displaying the image information shown in Figure 8, the receiving control unit 401 receives information identifying the tip of the bucket 6 as the part that came into contact with the work object. Therefore, in the screen 1800 shown in Figure 8, the arrow image 1811 is displayed in the region 1801 corresponding to the tip of the bucket 6 from the image information captured by the imaging device S6.

[0143] Arrow image 1811 shows the magnitude and direction of the reaction force generated at the toe. Therefore, the operator OP can recognize the magnitude and direction of the reaction force by referring to arrow image 1811.

[0144] Figure 8 shows an example of a screen displaying the magnitude and direction of the reaction force, but this embodiment is not limited to displaying a screen that can recognize the magnitude and direction of the reaction force. For example, the remote controller R40 may display a screen that can recognize the magnitude of the reaction force.

[0145] Figure 9 shows an example of the display screen shown on the central monitor D1Ea according to this embodiment. The central monitor D1Ea displays image information captured by the front camera S6F.

[0146] Figure 9 displays a gauge image 1911 showing the magnitude of the reaction force. The gauge image 1911 is an image that shows the magnitude of the reaction force as the length of the gauge. The operator OP can recognize the magnitude of the reaction force by referring to the gauge image 1911.

[0147] This embodiment does not limit the image indicating the magnitude of the reaction force to a gauge image. For example, the remote controller R40 may use a circular image as the image indicating the magnitude of the reaction force. For example, the circular image may have different sizes and colors depending on the magnitude of the reaction force. Therefore, when the operator OP refers to the circular image, they can recognize the magnitude of the reaction force from the size and color of the circle.

[0148] The signal generation unit 405 generates operation signals to control the operation of the work machine 100 according to the operation received by the operation sensor R43.

[0149] The transmission control unit 406 controls the transmission of various types of information to the remote control room RC. For example, the transmission control unit 406 controls the transmission of operation signals generated by the signal generation unit 405 to the work machine 100.

[0150] The processing procedure executed by the remote control system SYS according to this embodiment will now be described. Figure 10 is a sequence diagram showing the overall processing flow in the remote control system SYS according to this embodiment.

[0151] The remote controller R40 in the remote control room RC receives the operation performed by the operating device R42 from the operating sensor R43 (S1011).

[0152] Then, the work identification unit 402 identifies the work to be performed on the work machine 100 according to the received operation (S1012).

[0153] The signal generation unit 405 generates an operation signal to control the operation of the work machine 100 according to the operation received in S1011 (S1013).

[0154] The transmission control unit 406 controls the transmission of the operation signal generated by the signal generation unit 405 to the work machine 100 (S1014).

[0155] The actuator drive unit 306 drives the actuator mounted on the work machine 100 based on the operation signal received by the receiving control unit 401 (S1001).

[0156] The acquisition unit 301 acquires detection results from various detection devices provided on the work machine 100 (S1002). The detection results acquired from the various detection devices include, for example, the detection results from each of the cylinder pressure sensors S7R, S7B, S8R, S8B, S9R, and S9B, and image information from the imaging device S6.

[0157] The identification unit 302 identifies the part of the attachment AT that is in contact with the work object based on the image information acquired from the imaging device S6 (S1003).

[0158] The reaction force estimation unit 303 estimates the direction and magnitude of the reaction force generated at the part identified by the identification unit 302 (for example, the tip or bottom surface of the bucket 6) based on the detection results from each of the cylinder pressure sensors S7R, S7B, S8R, S8B, S9R, and S9B and the posture of the attachment AT (S1004).

[0159] The transmission control unit 304 transmits the detection results acquired by the acquisition unit 301, information indicating the identified part, and information indicating the estimated reaction force to the remote control room RC (S1005).

[0160] The conversion unit 403, taking into account the operation specified in S1012 and the output method storage unit ST2A, converts the information indicating the magnitude and direction of the received reaction force into information to be output from at least one of the display device D1E and the sound output device SP2E (S1015).

[0161] The output control unit 404 controls the output of the information converted by the conversion unit 403 (for example, sound or image) from at least one of the display device D1E and the sound output device SP2E (S1016).

[0162] The remote control system SYS according to this embodiment is shown as an example of a configuration and is not limited to the above-described configuration. For example, the specific unit 302 and reaction force estimation unit 303 provided in the controller 30 may be provided on the remote controller R40 side. Furthermore, the work specific unit 402 and conversion unit 403 provided in the remote controller R40 may be provided on the controller 30 side.

[0163] In this embodiment, as shown in the example in Figure 6, the remote controller R40 outputs information to one type of output destination corresponding to the work. However, this embodiment does not limit the output destination to one type, and may have multiple types. For example, the remote controller R40 may associate a "sound output device" and a "vibrator" as output destinations for "excavation / deep drilling". In this case, when the work of the work machine 100 is "excavation / deep drilling", the remote controller R40 simultaneously outputs sound from the sound output device SP2E with "variable amplitude or frequency depending on the magnitude of the reaction force" and vibration from the wearable device.

[0164] (Variation 1) In the embodiments described above, an example was explained in which the remote control system SYS outputs information corresponding to the reaction force of the part of the work machine 100 that is in contact with the work object to the remote control room RC. However, the embodiments described above do not limit the output destination of the information corresponding to the reaction force of the part of the work object that is in contact to the remote control room RC. Therefore, this modification describes a case in which the control system of the work machine is applied to the work machine 100, and an operator operates the work machine 100 while riding on it.

[0165] The controller 30 of the work machine 100 according to this modified example comprises a part of the configuration shown for the controller 30 described above (acquisition unit 301, identification unit 302, and reaction force estimation unit 303) and a part of the configuration shown for the remote controller R40 (work identification unit 402, conversion unit 403, and output control unit 404). Furthermore, a storage device (not shown) provided in the work machine 100 stores the output method storage unit ST2A.

[0166] The controller 30 in this modified example, having the configuration described above, identifies the part of the attachment AT in contact with the work object and estimates the magnitude and direction of the reaction force generated at that part. Furthermore, the controller 30 identifies the work being performed by the work machine 100 from the content of the operation on the operating device 26. Then, the controller 30, taking into account the identified work and the output method storage unit ST2A, converts information indicating the estimated magnitude and direction of the reaction force into information to be output from the display device D1 or the sound output device (provided in the driver's cab 10). The controller 30 then outputs the converted information from the display device D1 or the sound output device (provided in the driver's cab 10).

[0167] The controller 30 according to this modified example, by having the configuration described above, can achieve the same effects as the embodiment described above.

[0168] <effect> The remote control system SYS of the above-described embodiment and the modified work machine 100 described above output information indicating the reaction force generated at the part in contact with the work object. By feeding back this reaction force information to the operator, the operator can easily recognize the status of the operation of the work machine 100. In this way, the operator can operate the work machine 100 after recognizing the status of its operation. Therefore, the remote control system SYS of the above-described embodiment and the modified work machine 100 described above can reduce the operator's operational burden.

[0169] The remote control system SYS of the above-described embodiment and the modified work machine 100 described above identify the work being performed by the work machine 100 based on the operation of the work machine 100 or the operation received by the operating device, and output different information from the output device according to the identified work. Therefore, the operator can recognize the reaction force information corresponding to the work. Thus, the remote control system SYS of the above-described embodiment and the modified work machine 100 described above can reduce the operational burden required to make the work machine 100 perform the work.

[0170] The remote control system SYS of the embodiment described above and the modified work machine 100 described above output at least one of sound, vibration, and image converted from information indicating the reaction force, allowing the operator to easily recognize changes in the reaction force. Furthermore, since the remote control system SYS of the embodiment and the modified work machine 100 described above output sound from the sound output device SP2E, image output from the display devices D1E and D1, and vibration output to the wearable device, they do not interfere with the operator's lever operation and reduce the operator's burden and fatigue compared to cases where force feedback or vibration is applied to the operating device or driver's seat, etc. Moreover, since the remote control system SYS and the modified work machine 100 described above enable the operator to recognize changes in the reaction force without replacing the operating device or driver's seat, etc., a low-cost and retrofittable system can be provided.

[0171] Preferred embodiments and modifications of the present disclosure have been described above. However, the inventions of the present disclosure are not limited to the embodiments described above. Various modifications, substitutions, etc., can be applied to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the inventions of the present disclosure. Furthermore, each of the features described with reference to the embodiments described above may be combined as appropriate, as long as they do not conflict technically. [Explanation of symbols]

[0172] 100 working machines 1. Lower running body 2. Swivel mechanism 3. Upper rotating body 4 Boom 5 Arms 6 buckets S1 Boom Angle Sensor S2 Arm Angle Sensor S3 Bucket Angle Sensor S6 imaging device S7R, S7B, S8R, S8B, S9R, S9B Cylinder Pressure Sensor T1 Communication Device PS positioning device 30 controllers 301 Acquisition Department 302 Specific section 303 Reaction force estimation unit 304 Transmission Control Unit 305 Receiving Control Unit 306 Actuator drive unit 31 Proportional valve RC Remote Control Room T2 Communication Device D1E display device R40 Remote Controller 401 Receiving Control Unit 402 Work Specification Department 403 Conversion Unit 404 Output Control Unit 405 Signal Generation Unit 406 Transmission Control Unit R42 operating device R43 Operation Sensor

Claims

1. A work machine having an attachment, A drive force detection device for detecting the drive force that drives the attachment, An output device capable of outputting information to the operator of the aforementioned work machine, The identification unit performs control to identify the part of the attachment that is in contact with the work object based on the detection result of the detection unit, An output control unit that controls the output of information representing the reaction force generated at the part, which is estimated based on the detection results of the driving force detection device, from the output device. A control system for work machines equipped with the following features.

2. The system further includes a work identification unit that identifies the work being performed by the work machine based on the operation of the work machine or an operation received by the operating device, The output control unit shall, in accordance with the specified operation, vary the information output from the output device. A control system for a work machine according to claim 1.

3. The output control unit controls the output of sound, vibration, or image from the output device that represents one or more of the direction and magnitude of the reaction force. A control system for a work machine according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The output control unit continuously changes one or more of the frequency, amplitude, phase, and output direction of the sound or vibration in accordance with one or more of the direction and magnitude of the reaction force. A control system for a work machine according to claim 3.

5. The output control unit controls the output of sound or vibration from one of the plurality of output devices corresponding to the direction of the reaction force. A control system for a work machine according to claim 3.

6. The device further comprises a posture detection device for detecting the posture of the attachment, The output control unit controls the output device to output information representing the reaction force generated at the part, which is estimated based on the detection result of the driving force detection device and the attitude detected by the attitude detection device. A control system for a work machine according to claim 1.

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