Remote control devices and remote control programs for industrial vehicles

Abstract

To provide a remote control device and remote control program for industrial vehicles that enable the easy construction of a remote control system for industrial vehicles. [Solution] The remote control device for industrial vehicles includes a control unit. The control unit runs a web application for remote control of industrial vehicles to start the remote control system. The control unit transmits camera images from a camera for remote monitoring of the industrial vehicle to a user terminal via a communication unit and displays the camera images as moving images on the screen of the remote control system displayed on the user terminal's web browser. The control unit converts operation inputs for remote control of the industrial vehicle received from the user terminal via the communication unit into operation signals for the industrial vehicle and transfers them to the control board of the industrial vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a remote operation device and a remote operation program for industrial vehicles.

Background Art

[0002] As one type of forklift, a walkie forklift is known. A walkie forklift is not a type of forklift on which an operator rides, but a type of forklift that an operator operates while walking. In a walkie forklift, since there is no need for an operator's riding space, the vehicle body can be made small.

[0003] In recent years, systems have been proposed that enable remote operation of industrial vehicles such as forklifts. Since a walkie forklift does not have an operator's riding space, it is difficult for an operator with a physical disability to operate. On the other hand, by enabling remote operation, it is expected that even an operator with a physical disability can operate a forklift. Also, even in the case of a normal forklift, it is possible to operate from home or an office, so it is possible to work without going to the site. When making industrial vehicles compatible with such remote operation, it is required that a remote operation system can be easily constructed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] An embodiment provides a remote operation device and a remote operation program for an industrial vehicle that can easily construct a remote operation system for an industrial vehicle. <00000​​​

[0006] One embodiment of a remote control device for an industrial vehicle includes a control unit. The control unit runs a web application for remote control of the industrial vehicle to activate the remote control system. The control unit transmits camera images from a camera for remote monitoring of the industrial vehicle to a user terminal via a communication unit and displays the camera images as moving images on the screen of the remote control system displayed on the user terminal's web browser. The control unit converts operation inputs for remote control of the industrial vehicle received from the user terminal via the communication unit into operation signals for the industrial vehicle and transmits them to the industrial vehicle's control board. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] In one embodiment, a remote control device and remote control program for an industrial vehicle are provided, which enable the easy construction of a remote control system for the industrial vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows an example configuration of a remote control system for an industrial vehicle according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an external view showing the configuration of an example of a walkie forklift as an example of an industrial vehicle. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the electrical connection between the industrial vehicle and the remote control unit. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a remote control unit. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an example of a remote control system screen displayed on a user's terminal's web browser. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the remote control unit. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an example of a remote control system for an industrial vehicle according to the embodiment. The remote control system 1 includes an industrial vehicle 2 and a user terminal 3. The industrial vehicle 2 can communicate with the user terminal 3 via P2P (peer to peer) communication through a network 4. The network 4 is, for example, a local network. In this case, the industrial vehicle 2 and the user terminal 3 are in a relationship where they can know each other's private addresses. The industrial vehicle 2 and the user terminal 3 may be connected to communicate using a short-range wireless communication method that does not go through the network 4, such as Bluetooth®.

[0010] Industrial vehicle 2 is a vehicle used for industrial purposes. Industrial vehicle 2 is not limited to, but could be, for example, a battery-powered walkie forklift. Industrial vehicle 2 is remotely controllable by attaching a remote control unit 26.

[0011] User terminal 3 is a terminal device with browser functionality, such as a personal computer (PC), smartphone, or tablet, although it is not limited to these. When the industrial vehicle 2 is in a state where it can be remotely controlled, user terminal 3 can communicate with the industrial vehicle 2 and display a video of the industrial vehicle 2's field of view. The worker can remotely control the industrial vehicle 2 while viewing the video displayed on user terminal 3. A controller 3a may be connected to user terminal 3. The worker can remotely control the industrial vehicle 2 not only by directly operating user terminal 3, but also by operating controller 3a. Controller 3a may be connected to user terminal 3 via a wired connection such as USB, or wirelessly via Bluetooth. Controller 3a may be a controller dedicated to the remote control of the industrial vehicle 2, or it may be a controller used for operations other than the operation of the industrial vehicle 2, such as a game console.

[0012] Figure 2 is an external view showing the configuration of an example of a walkie forklift as an example of an industrial vehicle 2. The walkie forklift in the example shown in Figure 2 has a body 20. Front wheels 21 and rear wheels 22 are provided on the lower part of the body 20. The front wheels 21 and rear wheels 22 can be driven by a drive motor provided inside the body 20.

[0013] Additionally, a mast 23 is attached to the front of the vehicle body 20. A fork 24 is attached to the mast 23. The fork 24 is raised and lowered along the mast 23 by operation by a worker.

[0014] Furthermore, a steering handle 25 is provided at the rear of the vehicle body 20. The steering handle 25 is equipped with operating components such as a switch for raising and lowering the forks 24 and an accelerator lever for controlling the output of the vehicle body 20's drive motor. The operator can perform various operations by gripping the steering handle 25 and operating the operating components while walking. Here, the steering handle 25 may be configured to be tiltable, and various operations may be performed by adjusting the angle of the steering handle 25.

[0015] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a remote control unit 26 may be attached externally to the vehicle body 20. The remote control unit 26 is connected, for example, via USB, to a forklift control board located inside the vehicle body 20 for communication. Terminals for connecting the remote control unit 26 may be repurposed from the terminals for attaching accessories provided on the industrial vehicle 2. A support member 26a is attached to the remote control unit 26 in a vertical direction, and a camera 27 for remote monitoring of the industrial vehicle 2 is attached to the tip of the support member 26a. The camera 27 may be, for example, an omnidirectional camera equipped with a fisheye lens, and may be connected to the control circuit of the remote control unit 26. The height at which the camera 27 is attached is approximately at the eye level of a worker. The support member 26a may be configured to be extendable and retractable so that the position of the camera 27 can be adjusted to the eye level of a worker.

[0016] The remote operation unit 26 is a circuit unit on which a control unit, a wireless communication unit, and a sensor group including the same sensors as those provided on the vehicle body 20 are implemented, and provides a remote operation function for the industrial vehicle 2 by mediating real-time communication between the industrial vehicle 2 and the user terminal 3.

[0017] Here, in FIG. 2, the remote operation unit 26 is attached to the side surface portion of the vehicle body 20, but the attachment position of the remote operation unit 26 is not limited to the side surface portion of the vehicle body 20.

[0018] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the electrical connection between the industrial vehicle 2 and the remote operation unit 26. As described above, inside the vehicle body 20 of the walkie forklift as the industrial vehicle 2, a forklift control board 201 is provided. The forklift control board 201 includes a processor and a memory, and performs overall control of the industrial vehicle 2. The forklift control board 201 can operate by receiving power supply from the battery 204. The forklift control board 201 controls the drive mechanism 203 by receiving, for example, a drive mechanism operation signal as an operation input from the steering handle 25.

[0019] A sensor group 202 and a drive mechanism 203 are electrically connected to the forklift control board 201. The sensor group 202 includes one or more sensors that detect the operation input of the steering handle 25 and output a drive mechanism operation signal corresponding thereto. Further, the sensor group 202 includes one or more sensors that detect various states of the vehicle body 20. The sensor group 202 includes, but is not limited to, for example, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a GPS receiver, etc. The sensor group 202 may include not only sensors pre-mounted on the vehicle body 20 but also sensors externally attached to the vehicle body 20 as supplies for the industrial vehicle 2. The drive mechanism 203 is a mechanism including a motor for driving the vehicle body 20 of the industrial vehicle 2, a converter for generating an output voltage to the motor, etc. The drive motor may include a travel motor for the travel of the vehicle body 20, a power steering motor for the steering of the vehicle body 20, and a cargo handling motor for the lifting and lowering of the fork 24. The converter transforms the output voltage of the battery 204 into voltages required for driving each motor.

[0020] The forklift control board 201 is communicably connected to the remote operation unit 26 via the input / output unit 205. The input / output unit 205 is, for example, a USB interface, but is not limited thereto.

[0021] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an example of the remote operation unit 26. The remote operation unit 26 can be configured, for example, using a Raspberry Pi (registered trademark), but is not limited thereto. The remote operation unit 26 has a control unit 261, a storage unit 262, a camera input / output unit 263, a sensor group 264, and a wireless communication unit 265.

[0022] The control unit 261 includes a processor such as a CPU and controls the remote operation unit 26. The control unit 261 can perform various processes for controlling the remote operation unit 26 by executing the programs stored in the storage unit 262.

[0023] The memory unit 262 can store various programs and parameters related to the control of the remote control unit 26, such as the OS (Operating System) 2621 and the remote control program 2622. The OS 2621 is a program for realizing the basic functions of the remote control unit 26. The various programs stored in the memory unit 262 are executed under the control of the OS. The remote control program 2622 is a program for remotely controlling the industrial vehicle 2 and is configured as a web application executed by the control unit 261 of the remote control unit 26. The remote control program 2622 causes the control unit 261 to execute a function that realizes real-time communication for remote control between the industrial vehicle 2 and the user terminal 3 according to a real-time communication protocol such as WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication). More specifically, the remote control program 2622 causes the control unit 261 to perform at least the following functions: to start the remote control system and display the screen of the industrial vehicle 2's remote control system on a web browser displayed on the user terminal 3's screen; and to receive operation inputs from workers via the user terminal 3 or controller 3a and transfer them to the forklift control board 201 of the industrial vehicle 2. Here, the UI for remote control of the industrial vehicle 2 may display real-time moving images captured by the camera 27 and information related to the vehicle body 20 detected by the sensor group 202.

[0024] Figure 5 shows an example of a remote control system screen displayed on a user terminal's web browser. The example screen 30 is displayed on a web browser and includes a User Interface (UI) UI31 for remote control. UI31 is a screen that can be operated by an operator for the remote control of the industrial vehicle 2.

[0025] UI31 includes a video display area 32, which is a display area for video images captured by the camera 27. If the camera 27 is an omnidirectional camera, the video display area 32 displays a video image extracted from the 360-degree video images captured by the camera 27 in a predetermined viewing direction, for example, initially in the direction of the front of the industrial vehicle 2. The viewing direction extracted from the video image can be switched by the operator. Also, images captured by an omnidirectional camera usually have distortion according to the characteristics of the optical system. Therefore, when the control unit 261 displays a video image in the video display area 32, it performs distortion correction according to the characteristics of the optical system on the extracted image.

[0026] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 5, the video display area 32 displays a remote control indicator 32a. The remote control indicator 32a is displayed while remote control is being performed via the remote control unit 26, and is intended to inform the operator viewing the remote control system screen 30 that remote control is in progress. In the example shown in Figure 5, the remote control indicator 32a is a string of characters indicating that remote control is in progress. The remote control indicator 32a may also be a mark or the like instead of a string of characters.

[0027] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 5, the video display area 32 shows an operation panel 32b for remotely controlling the industrial vehicle 2. The operation panel 32b consists of software buttons that can be selected using a mouse, keyboard, controller 3a, etc., provided on the user terminal 3. Upon receiving a selection of a button on the operation panel 32b, the control unit 261 converts the operation input resulting from the selection of that button into a drive mechanism operation signal and transmits the converted drive mechanism operation signal to the forklift control board 201. The drive mechanism operation signal may be the same as the drive mechanism operation signal input to the forklift control board 201 when the steering wheel 25 is operated. Here, in the example shown in Figure 5, the operation panel 32b includes arrow buttons to indicate the direction of travel of the industrial vehicle 2, a brake button, and a mast raising / lowering button. Needless to say, the buttons included in the operation panel 32b and their layout are not limited to those shown in Figure 5. For example, the operation panel 32b may be modeled after the steering wheel 25 and consist of graphics with the same button arrangement as the steering wheel 25.

[0028] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 5, the UI 31 includes a vehicle status display area 33. The vehicle status display area 33 displays various vehicle statuses detected by the sensor group 264. In the example shown in Figure 5, information on driving speed and the presence or absence of obstacles is displayed. Needless to say, other information may also be displayed. As will be explained later, the sensor group 264 is a group of sensors provided in parallel with the sensor group 202. Therefore, the vehicle status display area 33 may display various vehicle statuses that can be detected by the sensor group 202 of the industrial vehicle 2.

[0029] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 5, UI31 includes a map display area 34 showing the current location of the industrial vehicle 2. The map may be created in the control unit 261 based on the coordinates of the industrial vehicle 2 identified by the GPS receiver included in the sensor group 264. The map display area 34 may be omitted.

[0030] Furthermore, in the example of Figure 5, the UI 31 includes software buttons that can be operated by the operator. In the example of Figure 5, the UI 31 includes a remote operation start button 35, a remote operation end button 36, and an operation setting button 37.

[0031] The remote control start button 35 is a button selected by the operator to initiate remote control of the industrial vehicle 2. As will be explained later, when the remote control start button 35 is operated, the control unit 261 activates the remote control mode of the industrial vehicle 2. When the remote control start button 35 is selected and the remote control mode is activated, the remote control start button 35 becomes inactive and cannot be selected.

[0032] The remote control termination button 36 is a button selected by the operator to terminate the remote control of the industrial vehicle 2. As will be explained later, when the remote control termination button 36 is operated, the control unit 261 disables the remote control mode of the industrial vehicle 2. While the remote control mode is disabled, the remote control termination button 36 becomes inactive and cannot be selected.

[0033] The operation setting button 37 is a button for configuring the operation panel 32b and the controller 3a. When the operation setting button 37 is operated, the control unit 261 displays the setting screens for the operation panel 32b and the controller 3a (not shown). On this setting screen, the operator can associate each button on the operation panel 32b with the operation input of the industrial vehicle 2. Also on this setting screen, the operator can perform the process of making the controller 3a recognized by the remote control unit 26 and associate each button on the controller 3a with the operation input of the industrial vehicle 2.

[0034] The screen 30 shown in Figure 5 is an example and can be modified as appropriate. For example, other display areas or buttons may be provided besides those shown in screen 30, or some of the display areas or buttons shown in screen 30 may be omitted.

[0035] Now, let's return to the explanation of Figure 4. The camera input / output unit 263 is equipped with an interface for communication between the control unit 261 and the camera 27, and performs the transfer of control instructions from the control unit 261 to the camera 27 and the transfer of moving images from the camera 27 to the control unit 261.

[0036] Sensor group 264 is a group of sensors mounted on the remote control unit 26 for remote monitoring of the industrial vehicle 2, and includes at least the same sensors as sensor group 202. In other words, sensor group 264 is a group of sensors provided in parallel with sensor group 202 and is capable of collecting the same sensor data as sensor group 202. Sensor group 264 is switched on from sensor group 202 and becomes active when the remote control unit 26 is in remote control mode. On the other hand, sensor group 202 is deactivated when the remote control unit 26 is not in remote control mode. Here, sensor group 264 may include sensors other than those in sensor group 202. The mounting position of each sensor constituting sensor group 264 is, for example, the remote control unit 26. On the other hand, at least some of the sensors constituting sensor group 264 may be sensors mounted on the vehicle body 20 and connected to the control unit 261 of the remote control unit 26.

[0037] The wireless communication unit 265 includes a communication device for the remote control unit 26 to communicate with the user terminal 3 and performs processing for communication between the remote control unit 26 and the industrial vehicle 2. For example, the wireless communication unit 265 transmits a web page containing the screen of the remote control system to the user terminal 3. Also, when the wireless communication unit 265 receives sensor data and camera images from the control unit 261, it transmits the received sensor data and camera images to the user terminal 3. Furthermore, when the wireless communication unit 265 receives operation input from the user terminal 3, it forwards the received operation input to the control unit 261.

[0038] Next, the operation of the remote control unit 26 will be explained. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the remote control unit 26. Here, for the operation shown in Figure 6, it is assumed that the remote control unit 26 is already installed on the industrial vehicle 2 and is in a state where it can communicate with the user terminal 3. Furthermore, it is assumed that the screen of the remote control system shown in Figure 5 is already displayed in the web browser on the display of the user terminal 3.

[0039] In step S1, the control unit 261 determines whether or not to start remote control of the industrial vehicle 2. For example, if the remote control start button 35 is selected on the screen in Figure 5, it is determined to start remote control of the industrial vehicle 2. It is also determined to start remote control of the industrial vehicle 2 if remote control has already started. If it is determined in step S1 to start remote control of the industrial vehicle 2, the process proceeds to step S2. If it is not determined in step S1 to start remote control of the industrial vehicle 2, the process proceeds to step S6.

[0040] In step S2, the control unit 261 sends a control command to the camera 27 to activate the camera 27. The control unit 261 then displays the video image obtained from the camera 27 in the video display area 32 of the remote control system screen 30 displayed on the web browser of the user terminal 3.

[0041] In step S3, the control unit 261 switches the sensors by disabling the sensor group 202 and enabling each sensor of the sensor group 264 on the forklift control board 201 of the industrial vehicle 2. The control unit 261 then displays the vehicle status of the industrial vehicle 2, based on the sensor data obtained from each sensor of the sensor group 264, in the vehicle status display area 33 of the remote control system screen 30 displayed on the web browser of the user terminal 3. Furthermore, the control unit 261 may also display the location of the industrial vehicle 2 in the map display area 34 of the remote control system screen 30 displayed on the web browser of the user terminal 3.

[0042] Here, the processes in step S2 and step S3 are shown as sequential processes in this order. However, the processes in step S2 and step S3 may also be sequential processes in reverse order, or parallel processes. Furthermore, in step S3, when disabling the sensor group 202, the control unit 261 may output a control instruction to the forklift control board 201 of the industrial vehicle 2 instructing it to turn off the power to each sensor of the sensor group 202. On the other hand, in step S3, the control unit 261 does not have to output a control instruction to the forklift control board 201 of the industrial vehicle 2 instructing it to turn off the power to each sensor of the sensor group 202. In other words, the power to the sensor group 202 of the industrial vehicle 2 may remain on or be turned off.

[0043] In step S4, the control unit 261 determines whether or not it has received an operation input from the user terminal 3 via the wireless communication unit 265. For example, it is determined that an operation input has been received from the user terminal 3 if it receives a selection of any button on the operation panel 32b displayed on the web browser or an operation on the controller 3a. If it is determined in step S4 that an operation input has been received from the user terminal 3, the process proceeds to step S5. If it is not determined in step S4 that an operation input has been received from the user terminal 3, the process proceeds to step S6.

[0044] In step S5, the control unit 261 converts the received operation input into a drive mechanism operation signal that can be received by the forklift control board 201. The control unit 261 then transfers the converted drive mechanism operation signal to the forklift control board 201. This allows the forklift control board 201 to perform control in the same manner as if the steering wheel 25 were operated. For example, the control unit 261 inputs the received operation input to a sensor that detects the operation input of the remote control unit 26 as part of the sensor group 264 and transfers the resulting drive mechanism operation signal to the forklift control board 201. Alternatively, the control unit 261 may generate a drive mechanism operation signal corresponding to the received operation input using a signal generator or the like, and transfer the generated drive mechanism operation signal to the forklift control board 201.

[0045] In step S6, the control unit 261 determines whether or not to terminate the remote control of the industrial vehicle 2. For example, if the remote control termination button 36 is selected on the screen shown in Figure 5, it is determined that the remote control of the industrial vehicle 2 will be terminated. Alternatively, if it is detected through communication with the forklift control board 201 that there has been an operation input from the steering wheel 25, it may also be determined that the remote control of the industrial vehicle 2 will be terminated. In other words, if there is an operation input from the steering wheel 25, the operation input from the steering wheel 25 may be prioritized to avoid conflicts in operation. If it is determined in step S6 that the remote control of the industrial vehicle 2 will be terminated, the process proceeds to step S7. If it is not determined in step S6 that the remote control of the industrial vehicle 2 will be terminated, the process proceeds to step S9.

[0046] In step S7, the control unit 261 sends a control command to the camera 27 to stop the camera 27.

[0047] In step S8, the control unit 261 switches the sensors by enabling each sensor in sensor group 202 and deactivating each sensor in sensor group 264 to the forklift control board 201 of the industrial vehicle 2. If the power to the sensor group 202 of the industrial vehicle 2 was turned off in step S3, the control unit 261 may output a control instruction in step S8 to the forklift control board 201 of the industrial vehicle 2 to turn on the power to each sensor in sensor group 202.

[0048] Here, the processes in step S7 and step S8 are shown as sequential processes in this order. On the other hand, the processes in step S7 and step S8 may also be sequential processes in reverse order, or they may be parallel processes.

[0049] In step S9, the control unit 261 determines whether or not to set the operation settings. For example, if the operation setting button 37 is selected on the screen in Figure 5, it is determined that the operation settings will be set. If it is determined in step S9 that the operation settings will be set, the process proceeds to step S10. If it is not determined in step S9 that the operation settings will be set, the process proceeds to step S11.

[0050] In step S10, the control unit 261 displays an operation setting screen (not shown) on the web browser of the user terminal 3. Then, the control unit 261 performs operation settings for the operation panel 32b or controller 3a in response to operation input from the user terminal 3.

[0051] In step S11, the control unit 261 determines whether or not to terminate the operation. For example, if the user terminal 3 closes the web browser, it is determined that the operation should be terminated. If it is determined in step S11 that the operation should be terminated, the process in Figure 6 ends. If it is not determined in step S11 that the operation should be terminated, the process returns to step S1.

[0052] As described above, in this embodiment, the remote control program in the remote control unit 26 is configured as a web application. Therefore, the remote control program in this embodiment can operate without being affected by the specifications of the industrial vehicle 2 and the user terminal 3. The remote control unit 26 is also equipped with a sensor group 264 that is provided in parallel with the sensor group 202 of the industrial vehicle 2. The remote control unit 26 is also equipped with a camera 27. Thus, in this embodiment, a remote control system can be easily constructed without being affected by the specifications of the industrial vehicle 2 and the user terminal 3.

[0053] Furthermore, because the remote control system operates via a web application, there is no need to install any special application on the user terminal 3. In other words, the user on user terminal 3 can view the camera images acquired by the industrial vehicle 2 as moving images on a web browser.

[0054] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the industrial vehicle can be switched between remote operation and normal operation modes with only a simple process involving switching between sensor group 202 and sensor group 264 and switching the activation of camera 27.

[0055] Furthermore, the remote control unit 26 and camera 27 are external units independent of the industrial vehicle 2, for example, connected to the industrial vehicle 2 via USB. Therefore, in this embodiment, remote control functionality can be provided even to industrial vehicles 2 that do not originally support remote control functionality.

[0056] (modified version) The following describes variations of the embodiment. In this embodiment, the industrial vehicle 2 and the user terminal 3 can communicate via P2P, for example, a local network. Alternatively, the industrial vehicle 2 and the user terminal 3 may be configured to communicate via P2P over the internet. However, in this case, since the industrial vehicle 2 and the user terminal 3 do not know each other's private addresses, NAT (Network Address Translation) traversal processing is required for P2P communication. For such NAT traversal processing, the industrial vehicle 2 and the user terminal 3 may be configured to communicate via a server that operates as a signaling server or a STUN (Session Traversal Utilities for NAT) / TURN (Traversal Using Relays around NAT) server. This makes it possible to remotely control the industrial vehicle 2 from a user terminal 3 located in a remote location.

[0057] Furthermore, if the industrial vehicle 2 and the user terminal 3 are capable of P2P communication via a server, the remote control program as a web application may be executed on the server. However, even in this case, it is desirable that the remote control unit 26 be externally attached to the industrial vehicle 2.

[0058] Furthermore, although a walkie forklift is shown as an example of industrial vehicle 2 in the embodiment, the technology of the embodiment can also be applied to industrial vehicles other than walkie forklifts. For example, industrial vehicle 2 may be a forklift other than a walkie forklift, such as a reach forklift.

[0059] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified in various ways during implementation without departing from its essence. Furthermore, each embodiment may be combined as appropriate, and in that case, the combined effects can be obtained. Moreover, the above embodiments include various inventions, and various inventions can be extracted by selecting combinations from the multiple constituent elements disclosed. For example, if the problem can be solved and effects obtained even if some constituent elements are deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the embodiment, then the configuration with these deleted constituent elements can be extracted as an invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0060] 1 Remote control system, 2 Industrial vehicle, 3 User terminal, 3a Controller, 4 Network, 20 Body, 21 Front wheels, 22 Rear wheels, 23 Mast, 24 Forks, 25 Steering wheel, 26 Remote control unit, 26a Support member, 27 Camera, 201 Forklift control board, 202 Sensor group, 203 Drive mechanism, 204 Battery, 205 Input / Output unit, 261 Control unit, 262 Memory unit, 263 Camera input / output unit, 264 Sensor group, 265 Wireless communication unit.

Claims

1. Run a web application for remote control of industrial vehicles to start the remote control system, The camera image transmitted from the camera for remote monitoring of the industrial vehicle is sent to the user terminal by the communication unit, and the camera image is displayed as a moving image on the screen of the remote control system displayed on the user terminal's web browser. The operation input for remote control of the industrial vehicle received from the user terminal via the communication unit is converted into an operation signal for the industrial vehicle and transmitted to the control board of the industrial vehicle. A remote control device for an industrial vehicle, equipped with a control unit.

2. The control unit transmits sensor data from the first group of sensors for remote monitoring of the industrial vehicle to the user terminal and displays the vehicle status of the industrial vehicle based on the sensor data on the screen of the remote control system displayed on the web browser of the user terminal. The remote control device according to claim 1.

3. The first sensor group is a sensor group provided in parallel with the second sensor group provided on the industrial vehicle, and collects sensor data equivalent to that of the second sensor group. The control unit enables the first sensor group and disables the second sensor group when remote operation of the industrial vehicle is initiated, and enables the second sensor group and disables the first sensor group when remote operation of the industrial vehicle is terminated. The remote control device according to claim 2.

4. The remote control device is an external unit that is communicatively connected to the control board of the industrial vehicle, and comprises the camera and the first group of sensors. The remote control device according to claim 2 or 3.

5. Running a web application for the remote control of industrial vehicles to activate the remote control system, The camera image transmitted from the camera for remote monitoring of the industrial vehicle is transmitted to the user terminal by the communication unit, and the camera image is displayed as a moving image on the screen of the remote control system displayed on the user terminal's web browser. The operation input for remote control of the industrial vehicle received from the user terminal via the communication unit is converted into an operation signal for the industrial vehicle and transmitted to the control board of the industrial vehicle. A remote control program for industrial vehicles to be executed by a processor.

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