Driving control system, work vehicle, driving control method, and computer program

Abstract

The present invention provides a driving control system, a work vehicle, and a driving control method that enable work vehicles to perform repetitive actions efficiently. [Solution] The driving control system comprises a positioning device that outputs position data of the work vehicle and a control device that controls the operation of the work vehicle. In recording mode, the control device records route data including multiple waypoint data in a storage device, and in playback mode, drives the work vehicle automatically based on the route data. The control device selects three waypoint data, including one of the multiple waypoint data and two other waypoint data located on either side of the said waypoint data, each of which is located at a predetermined distance or more from the said waypoint data, determines a circle determined by the positions of the three points based on the three waypoint data, and classifies the route into a first part where the radius of curvature is greater than or equal to a threshold and a second part where the radius of curvature is less than a threshold, based on the radius of the circle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a driving control system, a work vehicle, a driving control method, and a computer program.

Background Art

[0002] As next-generation agriculture, research and development of smart agriculture utilizing ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and IoT (Internet of Things) are underway. Research and development for automation and unmanned operation of work vehicles such as tractors used in fields are also underway. For example, work vehicles that travel by automatic steering using a positioning system such as GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) capable of precise positioning have been put into practical use.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a work vehicle that can autonomously move between a plurality of tree rows by using SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) technology that simultaneously performs position estimation and map creation in an orchard such as a vineyard. Patent Document 1 describes that in an orchard, while a work vehicle travels between a plurality of tree rows, operations such as mowing and control are performed using a work implement (agricultural implement) connected to the work vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] There is a demand for automation and unmanned operation of tasks performed by work vehicles while they are traveling within a field (e.g., an orchard). Tasks performed by work vehicles while traveling within a field may be repeated multiple times. For example, mowing and pest control may be repeated multiple times in the same field. When the same task is repeated, the work vehicle travels the same route within the field in the same way while performing the same task. In such cases, if autonomous driving using, for example, SLAM technology is performed each time, the processing load for autonomous driving will increase unnecessarily.

[0006] Efficiently performing repetitive tasks on work vehicles is required not only for agricultural machinery, but also for work vehicles used for non-agricultural purposes, such as construction vehicles or snowplows. Furthermore, even when work vehicles are not performing tasks, efficient execution of repetitive routes is required.

[0007] The present invention aims to provide a driving control system, a work vehicle, and a driving control method that can efficiently perform repetitive actions (including driving and other actions) of a work vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to embodiments of the present invention, the following solutions are provided.

[0009] [Item a1] A vehicle driving control system for work vehicles, A positioning device that outputs positional data relating to the position of the aforementioned work vehicle, A control device that controls the operation of the aforementioned work vehicle and Equipped with, The control device is It can operate in both recording and playback modes. In the recording mode, route data relating to the route traveled by the work vehicle, including a plurality of waypoint data, each containing information about the position of the work vehicle, acquired based on the position data while the work vehicle is traveling, is recorded in the storage device. In the playback mode, the operation of the work vehicle is controlled while the work vehicle is driven automatically based on the route data. Based on the aforementioned path data, the path is classified into a first part in which the curvature is less than or equal to a threshold, and a second part in which the curvature is greater than the threshold. A driving control system that causes the method of controlling the operation of the work vehicle in the regeneration mode to differ between the first part and the second part.

[0010] [Item a2] The control device is The driving control system according to item a1, wherein in the playback mode, the operation of the work vehicle differs depending on whether the work vehicle is traveling on the first part or on the second part.

[0011] [Item a3] The control device is The driving control system according to item a2, wherein in the regeneration mode, the speed and / or engine speed of the work vehicle are made different when the work vehicle is traveling on the first part and when the work vehicle is traveling on the second part.

[0012] [Item a4] The control device is A first speed of the work vehicle and a second speed of the work vehicle, which is smaller than the first speed, are determined. In the playback mode, when the work vehicle is traveling on the first portion, the work vehicle is driven at the first speed. The driving control system according to item a3, wherein, in the playback mode, when the work vehicle is traveling on the second part, the work vehicle is driven at the second speed.

[0013] [Item a5] The control device is The travel control system according to item a4, which determines the first speed and the second speed based on a user input.

[0014] [Item a6] The control device is determines a first engine speed of the work vehicle and a second engine speed of the work vehicle, the second engine speed being smaller than the first engine speed, and causes the work vehicle to travel at the first engine speed when the work vehicle is traveling in the first part in the reproduction mode, The travel control system according to any one of items a2 to a5, which causes the work vehicle to travel at the second engine speed when the work vehicle is traveling in the second part in the reproduction mode.

[0015] [Item a7] The control device is The travel control system according to item a6, which determines the first engine speed and the second engine speed based on a user input.

[0016] [Item a8] The control device is capable of decelerating the work vehicle when the work vehicle is traveling in the first part in the reproduction mode, The travel control system according to any one of items a2 to a7, which is capable of accelerating the work vehicle when the work vehicle is traveling in the second part in the reproduction mode.

[0017] [Item a9] The path includes a plurality of the first parts and a plurality of the second parts that connect the plurality of the first parts, The control device is In the playback mode, when the work vehicle is traveling along the first section, the work vehicle is decelerated in the section heading towards the second section. The driving control system according to item a8, wherein, in the playback mode, when the work vehicle is traveling on the second part, the work vehicle is accelerated on the part heading toward the first part.

[0018] [Item a10] The aforementioned work vehicle is connected to a work machine, The aforementioned work vehicle has a coupling device for connecting the aforementioned work machine, The coupling device includes a three-point hitch for adjusting the height of the work machine, The control device is A driving control system according to any one of items a2 to a9, wherein in the playback mode, the height of the three-point hitch is made different when the work vehicle is driving on the first part and when the work vehicle is driving on the second part.

[0019] [Item a11] The control device is The driving control system according to item a10, wherein in the playback mode, the height of the three-point hitch when the work vehicle is traveling on the second portion is higher than the height of the three-point hitch when the work vehicle is traveling on the first portion.

[0020] [Item a12] The aforementioned work vehicle is connected to a work machine, The aforementioned work vehicle has a coupling device for connecting the aforementioned work machine, The coupling device includes a PTO shaft that supplies power to the work machine, The control device is A travel control system according to any one of items a2 to a11, wherein in the regeneration mode, the rotation of the PTO shaft is switched on or off depending on whether the work vehicle is traveling on the first part or on the second part.

[0021] [Item a13] The control device is In the aforementioned regeneration mode, when the work vehicle is traveling along the first portion, the rotation of the PTO shaft is turned on. The travel control system according to item a12, wherein, in the regeneration mode, the rotation of the PTO shaft is turned off when the work vehicle is traveling on the second part.

[0022] [Item a14] The control device is When the user performs an operation to start the operation of the work vehicle in the playback mode, The difference between the position of the work vehicle when the operation is performed and the position of the reference start point in the route data that is to be referenced by the operation is compared with a predetermined value. If the difference is less than or equal to the predetermined value, the work vehicle will start moving. If the difference exceeds the predetermined value, the work vehicle will not be allowed to start moving. A driving control system according to any one of items a1 to a13, wherein if the reference starting point is included in the second part, the predetermined value is made smaller than if the reference starting point is included in the first part.

[0023] [Item a15] The control device is When the user performs an operation to start the operation of the work vehicle in the playback mode, The difference between the bearing of the work vehicle when the operation is performed and the bearing of the work vehicle at the reference start point in the route data that is to be referenced by the operation is compared with a predetermined value. If the difference is less than or equal to the predetermined value, the work vehicle will start moving. If the difference exceeds the predetermined value, the work vehicle will not be allowed to start moving. A driving control system according to any one of items a1 to a14, wherein when the reference starting point is included in the second part, the predetermined value is made smaller than when the reference starting point is included in the first part.

[0024] [Item a16] The control device is It is possible to record other route data relating to other routes, generated by editing the route data recorded in the storage device, in the storage device. When the user performs the operation to start editing the aforementioned route data, If the editing start point is included in the first part, the editing of the route data is permitted to begin. A driving control system according to any one of items a1 to a15, which prohibits the start of editing of the route data if the editing start point is included in the second part.

[0025] [Item a17] The aforementioned route includes a route that runs within the field. The first part includes a plurality of parallel main paths, The second part is a driving control system according to any one of items a1 to a16, which includes a plurality of turning paths connecting the plurality of main paths.

[0026] [Item a18] A driving control system described in any one of items a1 to a17, Running gear including the steering wheels, A drive unit that drives the aforementioned traveling device and Equipped with, The control device, in the playback mode, controls the drive unit based on the plurality of waypoint data included in the route data, thereby driving the work vehicle automatically.

[0027] [Item a19] A control device for controlling the operation of a work vehicle, which is executed by a control device capable of operating in recording mode and playback mode, and a method for controlling the movement of a work vehicle, In the recording mode, route data relating to the route traveled by the work vehicle, which includes a plurality of waypoint data each containing information about the position of the work vehicle, acquired based on position data relating to the position of the work vehicle while the work vehicle is traveling, is recorded in the storage device. In the aforementioned playback mode, the operation of the work vehicle is controlled while the work vehicle is driven automatically based on the route data, Based on the aforementioned path data, the path is classified into a first part in which the curvature is less than or equal to a threshold, and a second part in which the curvature is greater than the threshold. The first part and the second part shall have different methods for controlling the operation of the work vehicle in the regeneration mode. A driving control method including the above.

[0028] [Item a20] A computer program executed by a processor in a control device that controls the operation of a work vehicle and is capable of operating in recording mode and playback mode, The aforementioned processor, In the recording mode, route data relating to the route traveled by the work vehicle, which includes a plurality of waypoint data each containing information about the position of the work vehicle, acquired based on position data relating to the position of the work vehicle while the work vehicle is traveling, is recorded in the storage device. In the aforementioned playback mode, the operation of the work vehicle is controlled while the work vehicle is driven automatically based on the route data, Based on the aforementioned path data, the path is classified into a first part in which the curvature is less than or equal to a threshold, and a second part in which the curvature is greater than the threshold. The first part and the second part shall have different methods for controlling the operation of the work vehicle in the regeneration mode. A computer program that executes something.

[0029] [Item b1] A vehicle driving control system for work vehicles, A positioning device that outputs positional data relating to the position of the aforementioned work vehicle, A control device that controls the operation of the aforementioned work vehicle and Equipped with, The control device is It can operate in both recording and playback modes. In the recording mode, route data relating to the route traveled by the work vehicle, including a plurality of waypoint data, each containing information about the position of the work vehicle, acquired based on the position data while the work vehicle is traveling, is recorded in the storage device. In the playback mode, the operation of the work vehicle is controlled while the work vehicle is driven automatically based on the route data. The control device is Select three waypoint data, including one of the aforementioned plurality of waypoint data and two waypoint data located on either side of the said waypoint data, each of which is located at a predetermined distance or more from the said waypoint data. The circle is determined by the positions of the three points based on the three waypoint data mentioned above. A driving control system that classifies the path into a first portion where the radius of curvature is greater than or equal to a threshold, and a second portion where the radius of curvature is less than the threshold, based on the radius of the circle.

[0030] [Item b2] The control device is Based on the radius of the circle, the curvature of the path in the waypoint data is determined. The driving control system according to item b1, which classifies the path into a first part and a second part based on the curvature at each point of the determined path.

[0031] [Item b3] The driving control system according to item b1 or b2, wherein the predetermined distance is greater than the interval between the positions of consecutive waypoint data among the plurality of waypoint data.

[0032] [Item b4] The control device is a driving control system according to any one of items b1 to b3, wherein the control device determines the threshold based on user input.

[0033] [Item b5] The control device is a driving control system according to any one of items b1 to b4, which determines the predetermined distance based on user input.

[0034] [Item b6] The control device is a driving control system according to any one of items b1 to b5, wherein the control device displays a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display that allows the user to set the threshold and the predetermined distance.

[0035] [Item b7] The control device is The driving control system according to item b6, further displaying on the display an image showing the result of classifying the route into a first part and a second part based on the threshold and predetermined distance input via the GUI.

[0036] [Item b8] The control device is The driving control system according to item b7, wherein when the threshold and / or predetermined distance input via the GUI is changed, the image is changed to an image showing the result of classifying the path into a first part and a second part based on the changed threshold and predetermined distance.

[0037] [Item b9] The control device is a driving control system according to any one of items b1 to b8, wherein the control device causes the first part and the second part to have different methods for controlling the operation of the work vehicle in the regeneration mode.

[0038] [Item b10] A driving control system described in any one of items b1 to b9, Running gear including the steering wheels, A drive unit that drives the aforementioned traveling device and Equipped with, The control device, in the playback mode, controls the drive unit based on the plurality of waypoint data included in the route data, thereby driving the work vehicle automatically.

[0039] [Item b11] A control device for controlling the operation of a work vehicle, which is executed by a control device capable of operating in recording mode and playback mode, and a method for controlling the movement of a work vehicle, In the recording mode, route data relating to the route traveled by the work vehicle, which includes a plurality of waypoint data each containing information about the position of the work vehicle, acquired based on position data relating to the position of the work vehicle while the work vehicle is traveling, is recorded in the storage device. In the aforementioned playback mode, the operation of the work vehicle is controlled while the work vehicle is driven automatically based on the route data, Selecting three waypoint data, including one of the aforementioned plurality of waypoint data and two waypoint data located on either side of the said waypoint data, each of which is located at a predetermined distance or more from the said waypoint data. The circle is determined by the positions of the three points based on the aforementioned three waypoint data, Based on the radius of the circle, the path is classified into a first part where the radius of curvature is greater than or equal to a threshold, and a second part where the radius of curvature is less than the threshold. A driving control method including the above.

[0040] [Item b12] A computer program executed by a processor in a control device that controls the operation of a work vehicle and is capable of operating in recording mode and playback mode, The aforementioned processor, In the recording mode, route data relating to the route traveled by the work vehicle, which includes a plurality of waypoint data each containing information about the position of the work vehicle, acquired based on position data relating to the position of the work vehicle while the work vehicle is traveling, is recorded in the storage device. In the aforementioned playback mode, the operation of the work vehicle is controlled while the work vehicle is driven automatically based on the route data, Selecting three waypoint data, including one of the aforementioned plurality of waypoint data and two waypoint data located on either side of the said waypoint data, each of which is located at a predetermined distance or more from the said waypoint data. The circle is determined by the positions of the three points based on the aforementioned three waypoint data, Based on the radius of the circle, the path is classified into a first part where the radius of curvature is greater than or equal to a threshold, and a second part where the radius of curvature is less than the threshold. A computer program that executes something.

[0041] [Item c1] A control device that performs the driving control method described in item a19 or b11.

[0042] [Item c2] A computer program executed by a computer that controls the operation of a work vehicle, A computer program that causes the computer to perform the steps of the driving control method described in item a19 or b11.

[0043] [Item c3] A computer program medium executed by a computer that controls the operation of a work vehicle, A computer program medium that causes the computer to execute the driving control method described in item a19 or b11.

[0044] [Item c4] A vehicle driving control system for work vehicles, A positioning device that outputs positional data relating to the position of the aforementioned work vehicle, The control device described in item c1 and A driving control system having the following features.

[0045] [Item c5] A control device for controlling the operation of a work vehicle, which is capable of operating in recording mode and playback mode, In the recording mode, means for recording route data relating to the route traveled by the work vehicle, which includes a plurality of waypoint data each containing information about the position of the work vehicle, acquired based on position data relating to the position of the work vehicle while the work vehicle is traveling, into a storage device; In the playback mode, means for controlling the operation of the work vehicle while driving the work vehicle automatically based on the route data, A means for classifying the path into a first part whose curvature is less than or equal to a threshold and a second part whose curvature is greater than the threshold, based on the aforementioned path data. Means for differentiating the method of controlling the operation of the work vehicle in the regeneration mode between the first part and the second part. A control device, including a control device.

[0046] [Item c6] A control device for controlling the operation of a work vehicle, which is capable of operating in recording mode and playback mode, In the recording mode, means for recording route data relating to the route traveled by the work vehicle, which includes a plurality of waypoint data each containing information about the position of the work vehicle, acquired based on position data relating to the position of the work vehicle while the work vehicle is traveling, into a storage device; In the playback mode, means for controlling the operation of the work vehicle while driving the work vehicle automatically based on the route data, A means for selecting three waypoint data, including one of the aforementioned plurality of waypoint data and two waypoint data located on either side of the said waypoint data, each of which is located at a predetermined distance or more from the said waypoint data. The circle is determined by the positions of the three points based on the aforementioned three waypoint data, A means for classifying the path into a first portion whose radius of curvature is greater than or equal to a threshold, and a second portion whose radius of curvature is less than the threshold, based on the radius of the circle. A control device, including a control device.

[0047] [Item c7] A vehicle driving control system for work vehicles, A positioning device that outputs positional data relating to the position of the aforementioned work vehicle, The control device described in item c5 or c6 and A driving control system having the following features.

[0048] [Item c8] One or more processors, The above-mentioned one or more processors have one or more memories that store a computer program that causes the steps of the driving control method described in a19 or b11 to be executed, and A control device having

[0049] [Item c9] The control device described in item c8, A first drive unit that drives the running gear of the aforementioned work vehicle and Equipped with, The control device is a driving control system that, in the playback mode, controls the first drive unit based on the position data recorded in the storage device to drive the work vehicle automatically.

[0050] Comprehensive or specific embodiments of the present invention may be realized by apparatus, systems, methods, integrated circuits, computer programs, or computer-readable non-temporary storage media, or any combination thereof. Computer-readable storage media may include volatile storage media or non-volatile storage media. An apparatus may consist of multiple devices. If an apparatus consists of two or more devices, these two or more devices may be located in a single device or in two or more separate devices. [Effects of the Invention]

[0051] According to embodiments of the present invention, a driving control system, a work vehicle, and a driving control method are provided that can efficiently perform repetitive operations (including driving and other operations) of a work vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0052] [Figure 1] This is a schematic side view showing an example of a work vehicle in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a work vehicle and work machine in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3A] This block diagram shows a schematic configuration example of a driving control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3B] This is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control device in a driving control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a driving control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This figure schematically shows an example of the environment in which a work vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention operates. [Figure 6A] This figure schematically shows an example of a route traveled by a work vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention in recording mode. [Figure 6B] This figure schematically shows an example of a route traveled by a work vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention in regeneration mode. [Figure 7] This figure schematically shows another example of a route taken by a work vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This figure schematically shows another example of a route taken by a work vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9A] This flowchart shows an example of processing performed by the control unit in recording mode. [Figure 9B] This flowchart shows an example of processing performed by the control unit in recording mode. [Figure 9C] This flowchart shows yet another example of processing performed by the control unit in recording mode. [Figure 10] This figure shows an example of waypoint data. [Figure 11] This flowchart shows an example of processing performed by the control unit in playback mode. [Figure 12A] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of processing performed by the control device of the driving control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12B] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of processing performed by the control device of the driving control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12C] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of processing performed by the control device of the driving control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] This figure shows an example of a group of control switches and control terminals installed inside the cabin of a work vehicle. [Figure 14] This flowchart shows an example of a process performed by a control device. [Figure 15A] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of processing performed by a control device. [Figure 15B] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of processing performed by a control device. [Figure 16A]This flowchart shows an example of processing performed by the control unit in playback mode. [Figure 16B] This is an example of a display screen shown on a terminal device operated by a user who is controlling the playback mode. [Figure 17] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the processing performed by a control device. [Figure 18A] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the processing performed by a control device. [Figure 18B] This flowchart shows an example of the processing performed by the control unit when an operation is performed to start playback mode. [Figure 19A] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the processing performed by a control device. [Figure 19B] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the processing performed by a control device. [Figure 19C] This flowchart shows an example of a process performed by a control device. [Figure 20] This flowchart shows an example of a process performed by a control device. [Figure 21A] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of how to classify a path into a first part and a second part. [Figure 21B] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of how to classify a path into a first part and a second part. [Figure 21C] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of how to classify a path into a first part and a second part. [Figure 21D] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of how to classify a path into a first part and a second part. [Figure 22A] This figure shows an example of the result of classifying a path into a first part and a second part. [Figure 22B] This figure shows an example of the result of classifying a path into a first part and a second part. [Figure 23A] This is an example of a display screen shown on a terminal device operated by a user performing playback mode operations. [Figure 23B]This is an example of a display screen shown on a terminal device operated by a user performing playback mode operations. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0053] (Definition of terms) In this specification, “work vehicle” means a vehicle used to perform work in a work area. “Work area” is any place where work can be performed, such as a field, forest, or construction site. “Field” is any place where agricultural work can be performed, such as an orchard, farm, rice paddy, grain farm, or pasture. A work vehicle may be agricultural machinery such as a tractor, rice transplanter, combine harvester, riding cultivator, or riding mower, or a vehicle used for non-agricultural purposes, such as a construction vehicle or snowplow. A work vehicle may be configured to be equipped with work implements (also called “working devices” or “implements”) on at least one of its front and rear ends, depending on the work being performed. In particular, work implements attached to agricultural tractors are sometimes called “agricultural implements.” The act of a work vehicle driving while performing work with work implements may be referred to as “work driving.” The “operation” of a work vehicle includes not only the driving of the work vehicle but also other operations.

[0054] "Automated driving" means that the vehicle's movement is controlled by a control device, without manual operation by the driver. During automated driving, not only the vehicle's movement but also the operation of work (e.g., the operation of work equipment) may be controlled automatically. The movement of the vehicle under automated driving conditions is referred to as "automated driving." The control device can control at least one of the following necessary for the vehicle's movement: steering, adjustment of driving speed, starting and stopping the vehicle. When controlling a work vehicle equipped with work equipment, the control device may also control operations such as raising and lowering the work equipment and starting and stopping the operation of the work equipment. Driving under automated driving conditions may include not only driving the vehicle along a predetermined route toward a destination but also driving while following a target. In addition to automated driving mode, a vehicle performing automated driving may also operate in manual driving mode, where it is driven by the driver's manual operation. Driving under the driver's manual operation is referred to as "manual driving." "Driver's manual operation" includes not only manual operation by the driver on the vehicle but also remote operation by an operator outside the vehicle. A vehicle performing automated driving conditions may be driven partially based on the driver's manual operation. "Automatic steering" refers to the steering of a vehicle by a control device, without manual operation by the driver. Part or all of the control device may be located outside the vehicle. Communication, such as control signals, commands, or data, may take place between the external control device and the vehicle. A vehicle capable of autonomous driving may operate autonomously, sensing its surroundings without human intervention in controlling its movement. A vehicle capable of autonomous driving can operate unmanned. Obstacle detection and obstacle avoidance may occur during autonomous driving.

[0055] A "crop row" refers to a row of crops, trees, or other plants growing in a field such as an orchard or farm, or in a forest. In this specification, the term "crop row" includes the concept of "tree row."

[0056] (Embodiment) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. However, unnecessarily detailed explanations will be omitted. Yes. For example, detailed explanations of already well-known matters and redundant explanations of substantially identical components may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation becoming unnecessarily verbose and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. The inventors provide the accompanying drawings and the following explanation so that those skilled in the art can fully understand the invention, and not to limit the subject matter described in the claims. In the following explanation, components having the same or similar function are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0057] The following embodiments are illustrative, and the technology of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. For example, the numerical values, shapes, materials, steps, and order of steps shown in the following embodiments are merely examples, and various modifications are possible as long as they do not create a technical inconsistency. Furthermore, it is possible to combine one embodiment with another.

[0058] The following describes an embodiment in which the work vehicle is a tractor used for agricultural work in fields such as orchards. The technology of the present invention is not limited to tractors, but can also be applied to other types of agricultural machinery such as rice transplanters, combine harvesters, riding cultivators, and riding lawnmowers. The technology of the present invention can also be applied to work vehicles used for purposes other than agriculture, such as construction vehicles or snowplows. The technology of the present invention can also be applied to the driving of work vehicles outside of work areas, and to the driving of work vehicles without performing work.

[0059] [Outline of the work vehicle configuration] Figure 1 is a schematic side view showing an example of a work vehicle 100 and a work machine 300 connected to the work vehicle 100. Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram showing an example configuration of the work vehicle 100 and the work machine 300.

[0060] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the work vehicle 100 includes a positioning device 110 (e.g., a GNSS unit) that outputs positional data relating to the position of the work vehicle 100, and a control device 180 that controls the operation of the work vehicle 100.

[0061] The work vehicle 100 may further include a group of sensors 150 that output sensor data related to the state of the work vehicle 100. The group of sensors 150 includes one or more internal sensors. The "internal sensors" include various sensors that detect the state of the work vehicle 100.

[0062] The work vehicle 100 may further be equipped with multiple external sensors that sense the surroundings of the work vehicle 100. "External sensors" are sensors that sense the external conditions of the work vehicle. In the example in Figure 1, the external sensors include multiple LiDAR sensors 140, multiple cameras 120, and multiple obstacle sensors 130.

[0063] In the example shown in Figure 2, the work vehicle 100 includes a positioning device 110, a camera 120, an obstacle sensor 130, a LiDAR sensor 140, a sensor group 150, a storage device 170, a control device 180, and an operating terminal 200, as well as a communication device 190, an operating switch group 210, and a drive device 240 (sometimes referred to as the "first drive device"). These components are connected to each other via a bus so as to be able to communicate with one another.

[0064] As shown in Figure 1, the work vehicle 100 comprises a body 101, a prime mover (engine) 102, and a transmission 103. The body 101 is provided with a running gear including wheels with tires 104 and a cabin 105. The running gear includes four wheels 104, axles that rotate the four wheels, and brakes that brake each axle. The wheels 104 include a pair of front wheels 104F and a pair of rear wheels 104R. Inside the cabin 105 are a driver's seat 107, a steering gear 106, an operating terminal 200, and a group of switches for operation. One or both of the front wheels 104F and the rear wheels 104R may be replaced with multiple wheels fitted with tracks (crawlers) instead of wheels with tires.

[0065] The prime mover 102 may be, for example, a diesel engine. An electric motor may be used instead of a diesel engine. The transmission 103 can change the propulsion force and travel speed of the work vehicle 100 by shifting gears. The transmission 103 can also switch the work vehicle 100 between forward and reverse.

[0066] The steering system 106 includes a steering wheel, a steering shaft connected to the steering wheel, and a power steering system that assists steering by the steering wheel. The front wheels 104F are steering wheels, and the direction of travel of the work vehicle 100 can be changed by changing their steering angle (also referred to as the "steering angle"). The steering angle of the front wheels 104F can be changed by operating the steering wheel. The power steering system includes a hydraulic system or electric motor that supplies auxiliary force to change the steering angle of the front wheels 104F. When automatic steering is performed, the steering angle is automatically adjusted by the force of the hydraulic system or electric motor under control from a control device located inside the work vehicle 100.

[0067] A coupling device 108 is provided at the rear of the vehicle body 101. The coupling device 108 includes, for example, a three-point support device (also called a "three-point hitch" or "three-point link"), a PTO (Power Take Off) shaft, a universal joint, and a communication cable. The coupling device 108 allows the work implement 300 to be attached to and detached from the work vehicle 100. The coupling device 108 can change the position or orientation of the work implement 300 by raising and lowering the three-point hitch, for example, by a hydraulic system. Power can also be supplied from the work vehicle 100 to the work implement 300 via the universal joint. The work vehicle 100 can pull the work implement 300 and have the work implement 300 perform a predetermined task. The coupling device may be provided at the front of the vehicle body 101. In that case, the work implement can be connected to the front of the work vehicle 100.

[0068] The implement 300 shown in Figure 1 is a sprayer for spraying chemicals onto crops, but the implement 300 is not limited to a sprayer. For example, any implement such as a mower, seeder, spreader, rake, baler, harvester, plow, harrow, or rotary tiller can be connected to the work vehicle 100 and used.

[0069] The positioning device 110 receives satellite signals (also referred to as GNSS signals) transmitted from multiple GNSS satellites and performs positioning based on these satellite signals. GNSS is a general term for satellite positioning systems such as GPS (Global Positioning System), QZSS (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System, e.g., Michibiki), GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou. In this embodiment, the positioning device 110 is located on top of the cabin 105, but it may be located in other positions.

[0070] As shown in Figure 2, the positioning device 110 comprises a GNSS receiver 111, an RTK receiver 112, and a processing circuit 116. The positioning device 110 may further include an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 115.

[0071] The GNSS receiver 111 includes an antenna for receiving signals from GNSS satellites and a processing circuit for determining the position of the work vehicle 100 based on the signals received by the antenna. The GNSS receiver 111 receives satellite signals transmitted from multiple GNSS satellites and generates GNSS data based on the satellite signals. The GNSS data is generated in a predetermined format, such as NMEA-0183 format. The GNSS data may include, for example, the identification number, elevation angle, azimuth angle, and received signal strength of each satellite from which the satellite signal was received.

[0072] The positioning device 110 may perform positioning of the work vehicle 100 using RTK (Real Time Kinematic)-GNSS. In RTK-GNSS positioning, in addition to satellite signals transmitted from multiple GNSS satellites, correction signals transmitted from a base station are used. The base station may be installed near the work site where the work vehicle 100 will be driving (for example, within 10 km of the work vehicle 100). Based on the satellite signals received from multiple GNSS satellites, the base station generates a correction signal, for example, in RTCM format and transmits it to the positioning device 110. The RTK receiver 112 includes an antenna and a modem and receives the correction signal transmitted from the base station. The processing circuit 116 of the positioning device 110 corrects the positioning result from the GNSS receiver 111 based on the correction signal. By using RTK-GNSS, it is possible to perform positioning with an accuracy of, for example, an error of a few centimeters. Position information, including latitude, longitude, and altitude information, is acquired by high-precision positioning using RTK-GNSS. The positioning device 110 calculates the position of the work vehicle 100 at a frequency of, for example, 1 to 10 times per second. The positioning method is not limited to RTK-GNSS; any positioning method that can obtain the necessary accuracy of positional information (such as interferometric positioning or relative positioning) can be used. For example, positioning may be performed using VRS (Virtual Reference Station) or DGPS (Differential Global Positioning System).

[0073] The positioning device 110 in this embodiment further includes an IMU 115. By including the IMU 115, the positioning device 110 can supplement position data using signals from the IMU 115. By supplementing position data based on satellite signals using data acquired by the IMU 115, the positioning performance can be improved.

[0074] The IMU115 may be equipped with a 3-axis accelerometer and a 3-axis gyroscope. The IMU115 may also be equipped with an orientation sensor, such as a 3-axis geomagnetic sensor. The IMU115 functions as a motion sensor and can output signals indicating various quantities such as acceleration, velocity, displacement, and attitude of the work vehicle 100. The processing circuit 116 can estimate the position and orientation of the work vehicle 100 with higher accuracy based on the signals output from the IMU115 in addition to the satellite signals and correction signals. The signals output from the IMU115 can be used to correct or complement the position calculated based on the satellite signals and correction signals. The IMU115 outputs signals at a higher frequency than the GNSS receiver 111. For example, the IMU115 outputs signals at a frequency of several tens to several thousand times per second. Using these high-frequency signals, the processing circuit 116 can measure the position and orientation of the work vehicle 100 at a higher frequency (e.g., 10 Hz or higher). Instead of the IMU115, a 3-axis accelerometer and a 3-axis gyroscope may be provided separately. The IMU 115 may be provided as a separate device from the positioning device 110.

[0075] The sensor group 150 may include various sensors (i.e., internal sensors) that detect the state of the work vehicle 100 or work machine 300. For example, the sensor group 150 may include a steering wheel sensor 152, a steering angle sensor 154, and an axle sensor 156.

[0076] The steering wheel sensor 152 measures the rotation angle of the steering wheel of the work vehicle 100. The steering angle sensor 154 measures the steering angle of the front wheels 104F, which are the steering wheels. The values ​​measured by the steering wheel sensor 152 and the steering angle sensor 154 can be used for steering control by the control device 180.

[0077] The axle sensor 156 measures the rotational speed of the axle connected to the wheel 104, i.e., the number of rotations per unit time. The axle sensor 156 may be a sensor that utilizes, for example, a magnetoresistive element (MR), a Hall element, or an electromagnetic pickup. The axle sensor 156 outputs a numerical value indicating, for example, the number of rotations of the axle per minute (unit: rpm). The axle sensor 156 is used to measure the speed of the work vehicle 100. The value measured by the axle sensor 156 can be used for speed control by the control device 180.

[0078] The storage device 170 includes one or more storage media, such as flash memory or magnetic disks. The storage device 170 stores various data generated by the positioning device 110, camera 120, obstacle sensor 130, LiDAR sensor 140, sensor group 150, and control device 180. The data stored in the storage device 170 may include an environmental map of the environment in which the work vehicle 100 travels, an obstacle map that is generated sequentially during travel, and route data for autonomous driving. The storage device 170 also stores computer programs that cause each ECU in the control device 180 to perform various operations described later. Such computer programs may be provided to the work vehicle 100 via a storage medium (e.g., semiconductor memory or optical disk) or a telecommunications line (e.g., the Internet). Such computer programs may be sold as commercial software.

[0079] The control device 180 includes a plurality of ECUs. These plurality of ECUs include, for example, an ECU 181 for speed control, an ECU 182 for steering control, an ECU 183 for work equipment control, and an ECU 184 for automatic driving control.

[0080] The ECU 181 controls the speed of the work vehicle 100 by controlling the prime mover 102, the transmission 103, and the brakes, which are included in the drive unit 240.

[0081] The ECU 182 controls the steering of the work vehicle 100 by controlling the hydraulic system or electric motor included in the steering device 106 based on the measurements of the steering wheel sensor 152.

[0082] The ECU 183 controls the operation of the three-point hitch and PTO shaft, etc., included in the coupling device 108, in order to make the work implement 300 perform the desired operation. The ECU 183 also generates signals to control the operation of the work implement 300 and transmits these signals from the communication device 190 to the work implement 300.

[0083] The ECU 184 performs calculations and controls to achieve autonomous driving based on data output from the positioning device 110, camera 120, obstacle sensor 130, LiDAR sensor 140, and sensor group 150. For example, the ECU 184 estimates the position of the work vehicle 100 based on data output from at least one of the positioning device 110, camera 120, and LiDAR sensor 140. In situations where the reception strength of satellite signals from GNSS satellites is sufficiently high, the ECU 184 may determine the position of the work vehicle 100 based only on data output from the positioning device 110. On the other hand, in environments such as orchards where there are obstacles such as trees that obstruct the reception of satellite signals around the work vehicle 100, the ECU 184 estimates the position of the work vehicle 100 using data output from the LiDAR sensor 140 or camera 120. During autonomous driving, the ECU 184 performs calculations necessary for the work vehicle 100 to travel along the target path based on the estimated position of the work vehicle 100. ECU184 sends a command to ECU181 to change speed and a command to ECU182 to change steering angle. ECU181 changes the speed of the work vehicle 100 by controlling the prime mover 102, the transmission 103, or the brakes in response to the command to change speed. ECU182 changes the steering angle by controlling the steering device 106 in response to the command to change steering angle.

[0084] Through the operation of these ECUs, the control unit 180 enables autonomous driving. During autonomous driving, the control unit 180 controls the drive unit 240 based on the measured or estimated position of the work vehicle 100 and the sequentially generated target path. This allows the control unit 180 to drive the work vehicle 100 along the target path.

[0085] Multiple ECUs included in the control unit 180 can communicate with each other according to a vehicle bus standard such as CAN (Controller Area Network). Instead of CAN, a faster communication method such as Automotive Ethernet (registered trademark) may be used. In Figure 2, each of the ECUs 181 to 184 is shown as a separate block, but each of their functions may be implemented by multiple ECUs. An on-board computer integrating at least some of the functions of ECUs 181 to 184 may be provided. The control unit 180 may also include ECUs other than ECUs 181 to 184, and any number of ECUs can be provided depending on their function. Each ECU includes a processing circuit containing one or more processors.

[0086] Cameras 120 may be installed, for example, on the front, rear, left, and right sides of the work vehicle 100. Cameras 120 capture images of the environment around the work vehicle 100 and generate image data. The images acquired by cameras 120 may be transmitted, for example, to a terminal device for remote monitoring. These images may be used to monitor the work vehicle 100 during unmanned operation. Cameras 120 may be installed as needed, and their number is arbitrary.

[0087] The LiDAR sensor 140 is an example of an external sensor that outputs sensor data showing the distribution of features around the work vehicle 100. In the example in Figure 1, two LiDAR sensors 140 are located at the front and rear of the cabin 105. The LiDAR sensors 140 may be located in other places (for example, at the lower front of the vehicle body 101). Each LiDAR sensor 140 repeatedly outputs sensor data showing the distance and direction to each measurement point of an object in the surrounding environment, or the two-dimensional or three-dimensional coordinate values ​​of each measurement point, while the work vehicle 100 is in motion. The number of LiDAR sensors 140 is not limited to two; it may be one or three or more.

[0088] The LiDAR sensor 140 may be configured to output two-dimensional or three-dimensional point cloud data as sensor data. In this specification, “point cloud data” broadly means data showing the distribution of multiple reflection points observed by the LiDAR sensor 140. The point cloud data may include, for example, the coordinate values ​​of each reflection point in two-dimensional or three-dimensional space, or information indicating the distance and direction of each reflection point. The point cloud data may also include brightness information for each reflection point. The LiDAR sensor 140 may be configured to repeatedly output the point cloud data, for example, at a preset period. Thus, the ambient sensor may include one or more LiDAR sensors 140 that output point cloud data as sensor data.

[0089] Sensor data output from the LiDAR sensor 140 is processed by a control device that controls the automatic driving of the work vehicle 100. While the work vehicle 100 is driving, the control device can sequentially generate an obstacle map showing the distribution of objects around the work vehicle 100 based on the sensor data output from the LiDAR sensor 140. The control device can also generate an environmental map by stitching together the obstacle maps during automatic driving, for example, using an algorithm such as SLAM. The control device can also estimate the position and orientation of the work vehicle 100 (i.e., self-localization) by matching the sensor data with the environmental map.

[0090] The multiple obstacle sensors 130 shown in Figure 1 are located at the front and rear of the cabin 105. Obstacle sensors 130 may also be located in other areas. For example, one or more obstacle sensors 130 may be provided at any location on the sides, front, and rear of the vehicle body 101. Obstacle sensors 130 may include, for example, laser scanners or ultrasonic sonar. Obstacle sensors 130 are used to detect surrounding obstacles during autonomous driving and to stop or bypass the work vehicle 100.

[0091] The control device of the work vehicle 100 may use sensing data acquired by a sensing device such as a camera 120 or a LiDAR sensor 140 for positioning, in addition to the positioning results from the positioning device 110. If there are features that function as characteristic points in the environment in which the work vehicle 100 travels, such as farm roads, forest roads, public roads, or orchards, the position and orientation of the work vehicle 100 can be estimated with high accuracy based on the data acquired by the camera 120 or LiDAR sensor 140 and an environmental map stored in a storage device in advance. By correcting or supplementing the position data based on satellite signals using the data acquired by the camera 120 or LiDAR sensor 140, the position of the work vehicle 100 can be determined with even higher accuracy.

[0092] The work vehicle 100 and the work machine 300 can communicate with each other via a communication cable included in the coupling device 108. The work vehicle 100 can also communicate with a terminal device 400 for remote monitoring via the network 80. The terminal device 400 is any computer, such as a personal computer (PC), laptop computer, tablet computer, or smartphone.

[0093] The work machine 300 includes a drive unit 340 (sometimes referred to as the "second drive unit"), a control device 380, and a communication device 390. Figure 2 shows the components that are relatively highly relevant to the operation of the work vehicle 100's automatic driving, and other components are not shown.

[0094] Camera 120 is an imaging device that captures the environment around the work vehicle 100. Camera 120 includes an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal Xide Semiconductor). Camera 120 may also include an optical system including one or more lenses and a signal processing circuit. While the work vehicle 100 is in motion, Camera 120 captures the environment around the work vehicle 100 and generates image (e.g., video) data. Camera 120 can capture video at a frame rate of, for example, 3 frames per second (fps) or higher. The images generated by Camera 120 can be used, for example, when a remote observer uses a terminal device 400 to check the environment around the work vehicle 100. The images generated by Camera 120 may be used for positioning or obstacle detection. As shown in Figure 1, multiple cameras 120 may be installed at different locations on the work vehicle 100, or a single camera may be installed. A visible light camera that generates visible light images and an infrared camera that generates infrared images may be provided separately. Both the visible light camera and the infrared camera may be provided as cameras that generate surveillance images. The infrared camera can also be used for detecting obstacles at night.

[0095] The obstacle sensor 130 detects objects present around the work vehicle 100. The obstacle sensor 130 may include, for example, a laser scanner or an ultrasonic sonar. The obstacle sensor 130 outputs a signal indicating the presence of an obstacle when an object is closer than a predetermined distance from the obstacle sensor 130. Multiple obstacle sensors 130 may be installed at different locations on the work vehicle 100. For example, multiple laser scanners and multiple ultrasonic sonars may be placed at different locations on the work vehicle 100. By providing many such obstacle sensors 130, blind spots in monitoring obstacles around the work vehicle 100 can be reduced.

[0096] The drive system 240 includes various devices necessary for the movement of the work vehicle 100 and the driving of the work equipment 300, such as the prime mover 102, the transmission 103, the steering system 106, and the coupling device 108. The prime mover 102 may be an internal combustion engine, such as a diesel engine. The drive system 240 may also be equipped with an electric motor for traction, either in place of or in conjunction with the internal combustion engine.

[0097] The communication device 190 is a device that includes circuits for communicating with the work machine 300 and the terminal device 400. The communication device 190 includes circuits for transmitting and receiving signals compliant with ISOBUS standards, such as ISOBUS-TIM, to and from the communication device 390 of the work machine 300. This makes it possible to make the work machine 300 perform desired operations or to obtain information from the work machine 300. The communication device 190 may further include an antenna and communication circuits for transmitting and receiving signals via the network 80 to and from the terminal device 400. The network 80 may include, for example, a cellular mobile communication network such as 3G, 4G, or 5G and the internet. The communication device 190 may also have a function to communicate with a mobile terminal used by a supervisor near the work vehicle 100. Communication with such a mobile terminal may be conducted in accordance with any wireless communication standard, such as Wi-Fi®, cellular mobile communication such as 3G, 4G, or 5G, or Bluetooth®.

[0098] The operation terminal 200 is a terminal for the user to perform operations related to the movement of the work vehicle 100 and the operation of the work machine 300, and is also called a virtual terminal (VT). The operation terminal 200 may be equipped with a display device such as a touch screen and / or one or more buttons. The display device may be a display such as a liquid crystal or organic light-emitting diode (OLED). By operating the operation terminal 200, the user can perform various operations such as switching the automatic driving mode on / off, switching the recording (teaching) mode and playback mode (described later) on / off, and switching the work machine 300 on / off. At least some of these operations can also be achieved by operating the operation switch group 210. The operation terminal 200 may be configured to be detachable from the work vehicle 100. A user located away from the work vehicle 100 may control the operation of the work vehicle 100 by operating the detached operation terminal 200. The operation terminal 200 may be equipped with a storage device. The storage device in the operating terminal 200 may store various data necessary for the operation of the work vehicle 100 instead of the storage device 170.

[0099] The drive unit 340 in the work machine 300 shown in Figure 2 performs the operations necessary for the work machine 300 to perform a predetermined operation. The drive unit 340 includes devices such as a hydraulic system, an electric motor, or a pump, depending on the application of the work machine 300. The control device 380 controls the operation of the drive unit 340. The control device 380 causes the drive unit 340 to perform various operations in response to signals transmitted from the work vehicle 100 via the communication device 390. It can also transmit signals corresponding to the status of the work machine 300 from the communication device 390 to the work vehicle 100.

[0100] [Driving control system] A driving control system according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described. The driving control system according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, for example, to the work vehicle 100 described above. In the example shown in Figures 1 and 2, a work machine 300 is connected to the work vehicle 100, but it is not essential that the work machine 300 is connected to the work vehicle 100. That is, the driving control system according to an embodiment of the present invention can also be applied to a work vehicle 100 that is not connected to a work machine 300.

[0101] Figure 3A is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration example of a driving control system 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 3A, the driving control system 1000 according to this embodiment includes a positioning device 110 that detects the position of a work vehicle 100 and outputs position data, and a control device 180 that controls the operation of the work vehicle 100. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the positioning device 110 and the control device 180 are installed on the work vehicle 100. The control device 180 works in cooperation with the positioning device 110 to function as the driving control system 1000 of the work vehicle 100. The control device 180 and the positioning device 110 can be connected to communicate with each other via a bus 810.

[0102] Figure 3A also shows one or more internal sensors (sensor group) 150 that output sensor data related to the status of the work vehicle 100. The sensor group 150 may be included in the driving control system 1000 or it may be an external element of the driving control system 1000. In this embodiment, the sensor group 150 is provided on the work vehicle 100 as shown in Figure 2. The sensor group 150 may be connected to the control device 180 and the positioning device 110 so as to be able to communicate with each other via the bus 810.

[0103] Figure 3A also shows a storage device 870 in which information acquired by the control device 180 is recorded. The storage device 870 may be included in the travel control system 1000 or may be an external component of the travel control system 1000. The storage device 870 may be mounted on the work vehicle 100 or on the work machine 300. The storage device 870 may be connected to the control device 180 so as to be able to communicate with each other via the bus 810. For example, the storage device 870 may be the storage device 170 shown in Figure 2 or a storage device provided in the operation terminal 200. The operation terminal 200 may be included in the travel control system 1000. The storage device 870 may be located outside the work vehicle 100 and the work machine 300. A storage device 870 located outside the work vehicle 100 and the work machine 300 may be connected to the control device 180 via a communication network.

[0104] In the example shown in Figure 1, the positioning device 110 is mounted on the work vehicle 100, but the positioning device 110 may also be mounted on a work machine 300 connected to the work vehicle 100. In addition to, or instead of, the positioning device mounted on the work vehicle 100, a positioning device (e.g., a GNSS unit) mounted on the work machine 300 may function as the positioning device 110 of the driving control system 1000. The position measured by the positioning device mounted on the work vehicle 100 or the work machine 300 is strictly speaking the position of the point where the positioning device is located, but in this specification, that position is referred to as the "position of the work vehicle".

[0105] The sensor group 150 is not limited to the steering wheel sensor 152, steering angle sensor 154, and axle sensor 156 described above, but may include various sensors mounted on the work vehicle 100. For example, the sensor group 150 may include one or more sensors selected from a temperature sensor, illuminance sensor, fuel sensor, water temperature sensor, oil level gauge, engine speed sensor, vehicle speed sensor, battery voltage sensor, shuttle sensor, hand accelerator sensor, accelerator pedal sensor, main transmission lever sensor, sub-transmission lever sensor, seat belt sensor, PM sensor, acceleration sensor, angular velocity sensor, IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), and geomagnetic sensor. The sensor group 150 may also include a PTO sensor that detects the on / off state of rotation of the PTO shaft, and / or a 3P position sensor that detects the height position of the 3-point hitch (hereinafter also simply referred to as "height"). Furthermore, in addition to one or more sensors mounted on the work vehicle 100, or in place of one or more sensors mounted on the work machine 300, one or more sensors mounted on the work machine 300 may be included in the sensor group 150 of the travel control system 1000.

[0106] In the example shown in Figure 3A, the control unit 180 includes multiple ECUs. These ECUs may include, for example, ECUs 181 to 184 shown in Figure 2. However, the control unit 180 may be a single ECU or other computing device. Figure 3B is a block diagram showing an example configuration of such a control unit 180. In the example in Figure 3B, the control unit 180 comprises a processor 281, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 283, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 285, a communication device 287, and a storage device 289. These components may be interconnected via a bus 290.

[0107] The processor 281 is a semiconductor integrated circuit, also referred to as a central processing unit (CPU) or microprocessor. The processor 281 may include an image processing unit (GPU). The processor 281 sequentially executes a computer program describing a predetermined set of instructions stored in the ROM 283, thereby realizing the processing performed by the driving control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The control device 180 may comprise a plurality of processors 281. The processing performed by the driving control system according to an embodiment of the present invention may be performed collaboratively by the plurality of processors 281. Part or all of the processor 281 may be an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or ASSP (Application Specific Standard Product) equipped with a CPU.

[0108] The communication device 287 is an interface for data communication between the control device 180 and an external computing device. The communication device 287 can perform wired communication such as CAN (Controller Area Network), or wireless communication compliant with the Bluetooth® standard and / or Wi-Fi® standard.

[0109] The storage device 289 can store location data acquired from the positioning device 110, sensor data acquired from the sensor group 150, location data and / or sensor data during processing, first information acquired from location data, and second information acquired from sensor data, etc. The storage device 289 includes, for example, a hard disk drive or a non-volatile semiconductor memory. In this example, the storage device 289 may also function as the storage device 870 in the example of Figure 3A.

[0110] The hardware configuration of the control device 180 is not limited to the example above. It is not necessary for part or all of the control device 180 to be mounted on the work vehicle 100. By utilizing the communication device 287, one or more computing devices located outside the work vehicle 100 can function as part or all of the control device 180. For example, one or more server computers and / or computing devices included in a terminal device connected to a network can function as part or all of the control device 180. Alternatively, one or more computing devices mounted on the work vehicle 100 may perform all the functions required of the control device 180.

[0111] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing another configuration example of a driving control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system shown in Figure 4 includes a work vehicle 100, other work vehicles 700, a server computer 500, and a plurality of terminal devices 600. The terminal devices 600 may be portable or fixed. Some or all of the functions of the control device 180 shown in Figure 3B may be implemented by one or more computing devices connected to the communication device 287 of the control device 180 in the work vehicle 100 via a communication network 800. Such computing devices may be the server computer 500 or the terminal devices 600. Other work vehicles (e.g., agricultural machinery) 700 may be connected to such a communication network 800. Communication may take place between the control device 180 in the work vehicle 100 and the other work vehicles 700. Some of the data used for processing by the control device 180 in the work vehicle 100 may be provided to the control device 180 from the other work vehicles 700 via the communication network 800. For example, waypoint data defining a route and a series of operations generated by a control device in another work vehicle 700 may be transmitted from the other work vehicle 700 to the control device 180 of work vehicle 100. Based on this waypoint data, the control device 180 can perform a playback operation in the playback mode described later.

[0112] As shown in Figure 3B, one example of a "control device" in an embodiment of the present invention is a computing device comprising at least one processor and at least one memory that stores a computer program (code) that defines a control process executed by the processor. The "control device" may also be a computing device comprising a hardware accelerator such as an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), ASSP (Application Specific Standard Product), or ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) configured to execute the control process.

[0113] In embodiments of the present invention, "processor" refers to hardware electronic circuits such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), DSP (Digital Signal Processor), ISP (Image Signal Processor), or NPU (Neural Network Processing Unit). "Memory" refers to hardware electronic circuits such as ROM (Read Only Memory) or RAM (Random Access Memory). Part of the memory may be a storage medium connected to the processor by wiring or a network. These hardware electronic circuits may be implemented by one or more integrated circuits (ICs) or large-scale integrated circuits (LSIs). Each functional unit or block and associated component within the electronic circuit may be manufactured individually as separate integrated circuit chips, or some or all of these functional units or blocks may be combined and manufactured as a single integrated circuit chip.

[0114] A program defining the operation of the processor is designed to cause the processor to perform one or more functions, operations, steps, or processes in embodiments of the present invention.

[0115] [Recording mode and playback mode] As described below, the travel control system 1000 can control the operation of the work vehicle 100 using the so-called teaching-playback method used in the field of robot control. The control device 180 in the travel control system 1000 can operate in recording mode and playback mode. Recording mode is a mode for recording multiple locations (hereinafter also referred to as "waypoints") that define the travel path of the work vehicle 100. In recording mode, the operation of the work vehicle 100 at each waypoint may be further recorded. Playback mode is a mode for reproducing the travel path of the work vehicle 100 recorded in recording mode. If the operation of the work vehicle 100 at each waypoint is recorded in recording mode, the operation of the work vehicle 100 at each waypoint may also be reproduced in playback mode. The operations in recording mode and playback mode correspond to the teaching operation and playback operation in the teaching-playback method, respectively. The operation of the control device 180 in recording mode and playback mode may be referred to as "teaching" and "playback," respectively. Recording mode may also be referred to as "teaching mode," and playback mode as "playback mode."

[0116] The operation of the control device 180 in the travel control system 1000 in recording mode and playback mode will be explained with reference to Figures 5, 6A, and 6B. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the environment in which the work vehicle 100 travels. Figure 6A is a schematic diagram showing an example of the route 30T that the work vehicle 100 travels in recording mode. Figure 6B is a schematic diagram showing an example of the route 30P that the work vehicle 100 travels in playback mode. In this example, the work vehicle 100 travels between multiple rows of trees 20 (hereinafter also referred to as "crop rows 20") in an orchard such as a vineyard, and performs predetermined tasks (for example, mowing, pest control, sowing, fertilizing, etc.) using the work machine 300.

[0117] (Recording mode) In recording mode, in the example shown in Figure 6A, the work vehicle 100 travels while performing work with the work machine 300. In the example shown in Figure 6A, the work vehicle 100 travels along a route 30T from a starting point 30S to an ending point 30G. Figure 6A illustrates the state in which the work vehicle 100 is located before the starting point 30S and the state in which the work vehicle 100 is located beyond the ending point 30G. In recording mode, while the work vehicle 100 is traveling, the control device 180 records multiple waypoint data in the storage device 870 based on the position data output from the positioning device 110. Each of the multiple waypoint data includes first information regarding the position of the work vehicle 100. Each of the multiple waypoint data may further include second information regarding the state of the work vehicle 100. In other words, in recording mode, while the work vehicle 100 is traveling, the control device 180 may record multiple waypoint data, each containing first information and second information, in the storage device 870 based on position data output from the positioning device 110 and sensor data output from the sensor group 150. The first information and second information included in each waypoint data indicate the position of the work vehicle 100 and the state of the work vehicle 100 at that position, respectively. Therefore, the first information may be called "position information" and the second information may be called "state information". The multiple first information included in the multiple waypoint data indicates the route 30T traveled by the work vehicle 100. The multiple waypoint data may be recorded in the storage device 870 as "route data" indicating the route 30T, associated with information about the route 30T (for example, including an identifier indicating the route 30T). Each of the multiple second information included in the multiple waypoint data is recorded in association with the corresponding first information. Each of the multiple pieces of second information contained in the multiple waypoint data is recorded in association with the corresponding first information, thereby recording information about the state of the work vehicle 100 at each position along the route 30T that the work vehicle 100 traveled. For example, as shown in Figure 6A, at each of the multiple positions (waypoints) Pr along the route 30T that the work vehicle traveled, the first and second pieces of information are acquired and recorded as waypoint data.

[0118] In recording mode, the work vehicle 100 may be driven manually by the driver or automatically. When the work vehicle 100 is automatically driven in recording mode, it may drive autonomously without the driver's manual intervention, or it may drive automatically while partially relying on the driver's manual input. For example, automatic steering control may be performed during driving in recording mode, where the driver controls the driving speed of the work vehicle 100 and the steering is controlled automatically. Alternatively, during driving in recording mode, the work vehicle 100 may be automatically driven while the work machine 300 is operated by the driver's manual input. The driver's manual input includes not only the driver's manual input on the work vehicle 100 but also remote input from an operator outside the work vehicle 100. Such remote input can be performed using, for example, the terminal device 600 shown in Figure 4, or other remote control devices.

[0119] The second information broadly includes information about the state of the work vehicle 100 other than its position. The second information includes, for example, information about the operation of the work vehicle 100, such as its driving state. The driving state of the work vehicle 100 is determined by the speed of the work vehicle 100, acceleration (i.e., rate of change of speed per unit time), direction of travel (azimuth), etc. Information about the driving state of the work vehicle 100 includes, for example, one or more of the following: information about the speed of the work vehicle 100, information about the engine speed of the work vehicle 100, information about the acceleration of the work vehicle 100, information about the orientation of the work vehicle 100, information about the steering angle of the steering wheels of the work vehicle 100, information about the gear ratio of the transmission 103 of the work vehicle 100, etc. The second information may also include information about the attitude of the work vehicle 100. Information about the attitude of the work vehicle 100 includes, for example, information about the orientation of the work vehicle 100. The second type of information is not limited to information regarding the operation of the work vehicle 100, but may also include, for example, information regarding the temperature of the work vehicle 100 (e.g., engine coolant temperature), and information regarding the presence or absence of malfunctions in the work vehicle 100 (e.g., diagnostic trouble codes: DTC). Specific examples of how to acquire the second type of information will be described later.

[0120] The second information may include information regarding the state of the coupling device 108 for connecting the work implement 300. The coupling device 108 may include, for example, a PTO shaft that supplies power to the work implement 300 and a three-point hitch for adjusting the height of the work implement 300. The information regarding the state of the coupling device 108 may include, for example, one or more of the following: information on whether the rotation of the PTO shaft is on or off, and information on the height of the three-point hitch.

[0121] The second information may include, in addition to information regarding the status of the work vehicle 100, information regarding the status of the work machine 300 if the work machine 300 is connected to the work vehicle 100. For example, if a positioning device is attached to the work machine 300, information regarding the position or orientation (e.g., angle relative to a reference orientation) of the work machine 300 may be included in the second information. Alternatively, if a sensor for detecting the movement of a movable part of the work machine 300 is provided on the work machine 300, information detected by that sensor may be included in the second information.

[0122] (Playback mode) In playback mode, the work vehicle 100 operates automatically. The control device 180 controls the operation of the work vehicle 100 while it is automatically driving, based on the first information contained in the multiple waypoint data recorded in recording mode. If each of the multiple waypoint data contains second information regarding the state of the work vehicle 100, the control device 180 controls the operation of the work vehicle 100 while it is automatically driving, based on the first and second information contained in the multiple waypoint data recorded in recording mode. In the example in Figure 6B, the work vehicle 100 automatically drives based on the first information (location information) and second information (state information) contained in the multiple waypoint data recorded when it traveled along route 30T (see Figure 6A) in recording mode. In playback mode, the control device 180 drives the work vehicle 100 along the target route 30P defined by the first information contained in the multiple waypoint data recorded in recording mode. For example, the control device 180 controls the steering of the work vehicle 100 to minimize the deviation of the work vehicle 100's position and orientation (azimuth) from the target path 30P. This allows the work vehicle 100 to travel along the target path 30P. In playback mode, the work vehicle 100 can automatically reproduce the operation of the work vehicle 100 recorded in recording mode.

[0123] The regeneration mode is started, for example, when the work vehicle 100 is located at the starting point 30S of the target route 30P. The regeneration mode may also be started when the work vehicle 100 is located at an intermediate point on the target route 30P (i.e., a point between the starting point 30S and the ending point 30G). The control device 180 ends the regeneration mode, for example, when the work vehicle 100 reaches the ending point 30G of the target route 30P. However, even when the work vehicle 100 is located at an intermediate point on the target route 30P, the control device 180 may terminate the automatic operation in the regeneration mode, for example, when it receives a signal that includes an instruction to terminate the regeneration mode. Figure 6B illustrates the state in which the work vehicle 100 is located before the starting point 30S and the state in which the work vehicle 100 is located in the middle of the route 30P.

[0124] As shown in the examples in Figures 6A and 6B, when the work machine 300 is connected to the work vehicle 100, the control device 180 can control the operation of the work vehicle 100 and the work machine 300 while the work vehicle 100 is automatically driven, based on the first information (or the first and second information) contained in the multiple waypoint data recorded in recording mode. In other words, in playback mode, the work vehicle 100 can automatically reproduce not only the operation of the work vehicle 100 recorded in recording mode, but also the operation of the work machine 300.

[0125] According to the driving control system of this embodiment, in playback mode, the operation of the work vehicle 100 can be reproduced based on first information regarding the position of the work vehicle 100 recorded in recording mode, so that repetitive operations of the work vehicle 100 can be performed efficiently. Therefore, automation and unmanned operation of the work vehicle 100 are promoted. If, in recording mode, second information regarding the state of the work vehicle 100 other than its position is recorded in association with the first information regarding the position of the work vehicle 100, the automation and unmanned operation of the work vehicle 100 are further promoted.

[0126] When a work implement 300 is attached to a work vehicle 100, in playback mode, the operation of the work vehicle 100 with the work implement 300 attached can be reproduced based on the first information recorded in recording mode, thus enabling efficient repetitive operations of the work vehicle 100 with the work implement 300 attached. For example, in recording mode, by recording second information regarding the state of the work implement 300 in association with first information regarding the position of the work vehicle 100, automation and unmanned operation of work by the work implement 300 can be promoted. In other words, the work vehicle 100 can automatically reproduce not only the operation of the work vehicle 100 recorded in recording mode, but also the operation of the work implement 300, thus enabling efficient repetitive operations performed by the work implement 300.

[0127] In the examples of Figures 6A and 6B, the work vehicle 100 travels along a path 30T or path 30P between multiple rows of trees 20. More specifically, the work vehicle 100 travels between two adjacent rows of trees 20, and turns at the headland before and after traveling between two adjacent rows of trees 20. The headland is the area between the end of each row of trees and the boundary of the orchard. Specifically, the following actions may be performed: Multiple rows of trees 20 are numbered from end to end as the first row of trees 20A, the second row of trees 20B, the third row of trees 20C, the fourth row of trees 20D, and so on. The work vehicle 100 starts from the starting point 30S, first travels between the first row of trees 20A and the second row of trees 20B, and once that travel is complete, turns to the right and travels in the opposite direction between the second row of trees 20B and the third row of trees 20C. Once the journey between the second row of trees 20B and the third row of trees 20C is complete, the train turns left again and travels between the third row of trees 20C and the fourth row of trees 20D. Thereafter, the same operation is repeated until the train reaches the end point 30G of route 30T or route 30P.

[0128] (Other examples of travel routes) Figures 7 and 8 schematically show other examples of routes taken by the work vehicle 100.

[0129] Figure 7 shows a route 30A in which a work vehicle 100 travels between multiple crop rows 20 in a field 70P that is not rectangular in shape. In recording mode, the work vehicle 100 travels along route 30A from a starting point 30S to an ending point 30G. In playback mode, the control device 180 automatically drives the work vehicle 100 along a target route defined by first information contained in the multiple waypoint data recorded in recording mode. As shown in Figure 7, in a field that is not rectangular in shape, the lengths of the crop rows 20 may differ, making autonomous driving difficult in some cases. By using the driving control system in this embodiment, the work vehicle 100 can efficiently perform repetitive operations even in a field that is not rectangular in shape, thereby promoting the automation and unmanned operation of the work vehicle 100.

[0130] Figure 8 shows a route 30B on which the work vehicle 100 travels outside the field 70. The area shown in Figure 8 includes multiple fields 70 on which the work vehicle 100 performs agricultural work, and the surrounding roads 76. The roads 76 may be farm roads. In recording mode, the work vehicle 100 travels along route 30B from a starting point 30S to an ending point 30G. In playback mode, the control device 180 automatically drives the work vehicle 100 along a target route defined by first information contained in the multiple waypoint data recorded in recording mode. As shown in the example in Figure 8, the driving control system in this embodiment can also be applied to driving outside the field. For example, it can be suitably applied to repetitive driving such as the movement of the work vehicle 100 between fields, or the movement of the work vehicle 100 between its storage location and the field. In such cases, the repetitive movements (in this case, movement) of the work vehicle 100 can be performed efficiently, thus promoting the automation and unmanned operation of the work vehicle 100's movements (in this case, movement).

[0131] (Example of processing in recording mode) Figure 9A is a flowchart showing an example of processing performed by the control device 180 in recording mode.

[0132] The timing of the start of the recording mode is specified, for example, by the user. For example, the control device 180 may start the recording mode when a signal containing an instruction to start the recording mode is sent to the control device 180 by the driver's operation. For example, the driver on the work vehicle 100 can send a signal containing an instruction to start the recording mode to the control device 180 by operating an input device such as a predetermined operation switch or operation terminal 200 provided inside the work vehicle 100. The recording mode may be started while the work vehicle 100 is in motion, or it may be started when the work vehicle 100 is stopped.

[0133] When the recording mode is started, in step S102, the control device 180 generates first and second information based on the position data output from the positioning device 110 and the sensor data output from the sensor group 150 while the work vehicle 100 is in motion. For example, the control device 180 may calculate the position (i.e., coordinates) of the reference point of the work vehicle 100 based on the position data output from the positioning device 110 and generate (acquire) information indicating that position as first information. The control device 180 can calculate the position of the reference point of the work vehicle 100 based on the position data output from the positioning device 110 and information indicating the relative positional relationship between the positioning device 110 and the work vehicle 100, which is previously recorded in the storage device. The control device 180 may also generate second information necessary for controlling various actuators that are driven during playback, based on the sensor data output from the sensor group 150.

[0134] The first and second pieces of information can be generated at any time. For example, the first and second pieces of information may be generated each time the work vehicle 100 travels a certain distance, or each time interval. The certain distance (for example, in the example of Figure 6A, the distance between two adjacent waypoints Pr in the direction of travel of the work vehicle 100) can be set to a value of, for example, several tens of centimeters (cm) to several meters (m). The certain time interval can be set to a value within the range of, for example, one second to ten seconds.

[0135] In step S104, the control device 180 records waypoint data, including the first information and the second information generated in step S102, in the storage device 870 (see Figure 3A). The first information and the second information are recorded in association with each other.

[0136] Figure 10 shows an example of waypoint data. The waypoint data shown in Figure 10 includes waypoint number (No.) 90, first information 91 indicating the position of the work vehicle 100, and second information 92 indicating the status of the work vehicle 100. The first information 91 indicates the position coordinates of the waypoint. The position coordinates may, for example, show latitude and longitude in a geographic coordinate system, or they may show position coordinates in a coordinate system different from the geographic coordinate system. In addition to latitude and longitude, the position coordinates may also include altitude information. In the example in Figure 10, the second information 92 includes information indicating vehicle speed, steering angle, presence or absence of brakes, ON / OFF status of the PTO axis, and height of the 3P hitch. The second information 92 may include only some of this information. Alternatively, the second information 92 may include other information not shown in Figure 10. For example, information indicating the status of the forward / reverse lever may be included in the second information 92. Alternatively, information regarding the ON / OFF status of the front wheel speed-increasing function (also known as "double-speed turn") may be included in the second information 92.

[0137] The control device 180 repeats the processes in steps S102 and S104 until a command to terminate the recording mode is issued (step S106). The timing of the termination of the recording mode can be specified by the user. For example, the control device 180 may terminate the recording mode when a signal including an instruction to terminate the recording mode is sent to the control device 180 by the operator. For example, the operator on the work vehicle 100 can send a signal including an instruction to terminate the recording mode to the control device 180 by operating a predetermined operation switch or an input device such as an operation terminal 200 provided on the work vehicle 100.

[0138] Figure 9B is a flowchart showing another example of processing performed by the control device 180 in recording mode. The flowchart in Figure 9B differs from the flowchart in Figure 9A in that step S104 is performed after the recording mode has ended.

[0139] In the example shown in Figure 9B, the control device 180 executes the process in step S104 after the work vehicle 100 has finished running in recording mode (step S103). In step S104, multiple waypoint data, including the first and second information generated during the work vehicle 100's run in step S102, are recorded in the storage device 870. The first and second information generated in step S102 may be temporarily stored in the storage device 870 or a different storage device (for example, a memory such as the RAM 285 shown in Figure 3B) and erased after the waypoint data is recorded. In this example, after the run in recording mode is finished, waypoint data as shown in Figure 10 is generated and recorded for each waypoint.

[0140] Figure 9C is a flowchart showing yet another example of processing performed by the control device 180 in recording mode. The flowchart in Figure 9C differs from the flowchart in Figure 9B in that the first and second information are generated after the driving in recording mode has finished.

[0141] In the example shown in Figure 9C, in step S101, the control device 180 stores the position data output from the positioning device 110 and the sensor data output from the sensor group 150 in memory (for example, RAM 285 shown in Figure 3B) while the work vehicle 100 is in motion. After the work vehicle 100 has finished driving in recording mode (step S103), the control device 180 executes the processes in steps S105 and S107. In step S105, the control device 180 generates first information and second information for each of the multiple waypoints based on the position data and sensor data stored in memory. In step S107, the control device 180 records multiple waypoint data, each containing first information and second information, in the storage device 870. In this example, after the driving in recording mode has finished, first information and second information are generated for each waypoint, and waypoint data as shown in Figure 10 is recorded for each waypoint.

[0142] (Example of processing in playback mode) Figure 11 is a flowchart showing an example of processing performed by the control device 180 in playback mode.

[0143] In playback mode, the control device 180 automatically drives the work vehicle 100 based on pre-recorded waypoint data. The control device 180 acquires position data indicating the position of the work vehicle 100 output from the positioning device 110 (step S121). Next, the control device 180 calculates the deviation between the position of the work vehicle 100 and the target path (step S122). The target path is defined by the position information (first information) of multiple waypoints recorded in recording mode. The deviation represents the distance between the position of the work vehicle 100 at that time and the target path. The control device 180 determines whether the calculated position deviation exceeds a preset threshold (step S123). If the deviation exceeds the threshold (if "Yes" is answered in step S123), the control device 180 changes the steering angle by changing the control parameters of the steering device 106 included in the drive device 240 so that the deviation becomes smaller (step S124). If the deviation does not exceed the threshold in step S123 (i.e., "No" in step S123), the process in step S124 is not performed. The control device 180 repeats the operations from steps S121 to S124 until it receives a signal including an instruction to end the playback mode (step S125).

[0144] In playback mode, the control device 180 automatically drives the work vehicle 100 along the target path by executing, for example, the process shown in Figure 11. The control device 180 may further control the operation of the work vehicle 100 based on state information (second information) corresponding to each of the multiple waypoints that define the target path. For example, if the second information includes information on the steering angle of the steering wheels of the work vehicle 100, in addition to the process shown in Figure 11, steering control of the work vehicle 100 based on the steering angle included in the second information may be performed. If the second information includes information on the speed of the work vehicle 100, the speed of the work vehicle 100 is controlled based on the speed information included in the second information. In addition, for example, if an operation is recorded in which the rotation of the PTO shaft is stopped (off) before the start of a turn and the rotation of the PTO shaft is started (on) after the end of the turn, the control device 180 will reproduce that operation when the work vehicle 100 turns in playback mode.

[0145] Control technologies such as PID control or MPC control (model predictive control) can be applied to the steering and speed control of the work vehicle 100. By applying these control technologies, the control of the work vehicle 100 to approach the target path and target speed can be made smoother.

[0146] (If the second piece of information includes information about the driving status of the work vehicle) Referring to Figure 12A, an example of processing performed by the control device 180 when the second information includes information regarding the driving state of the work vehicle 100 will be explained. Figure 12A is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of processing performed by the control device 180 in the driving control system 1000. In addition to the driving control system 1000, Figure 12A also shows the drive unit 240 and the operation switch group 210. For simplicity, some components are omitted from the illustration in Figure 12A.

[0147] (Control of the speed of work vehicles) The control device 180 controls the speed of the work vehicle 100 by controlling the prime mover 102, the braking device (brake) 293, and the transmission 103, which are included in the drive unit 240. The braking device 293 brakes the axle that rotates the wheels 104 of the work vehicle 100. Specifically, the speed of the work vehicle 100 can be controlled by controlling the engine speed of the prime mover (engine) 102 and / or the gear ratio of the transmission 103. For example, the transmission 103 has multiple gears, and the control device 180 controls the gear ratio of the transmission 103 by switching the gears of the transmission 103. The multiple gears of the transmission 103 may be composed of a combination of multiple main gears and multiple sub-gears. When the work vehicle 100 is being driven manually, the control device 180 controls the speed of the work vehicle 100 by controlling the engine 102, the braking system (brakes) 293, and the transmission 103 in response to the driver's operation of the accelerator control device 215 (e.g., accelerator lever or accelerator pedal), the braking control device 216 (e.g., brake pedal), and / or the gear shift control switch 218 (e.g., shift lever). The gear shift control switch 218 is a switch for selecting the gear of the transmission 103. The control device 180 may further switch between two-wheel drive mode and four-wheel drive mode in response to the driver's operation.

[0148] In recording mode, the control device 180 sequentially acquires sensor data output from vehicle speed sensors such as the axle sensor 156, the engine speed sensor 158, and the gear ratio sensor 159, which detects the gear ratio information of the transmission 103. Based on this sensor data, the control device 180 generates and records information on the speed of the work vehicle 100, the engine speed of the work vehicle 100, and the gear ratio information of the transmission 103 as second information, associated with the position information (first information) of each waypoint. In this case, in playback mode, the control device 180 controls the speed of the work vehicle 100 by controlling the prime mover 102, the transmission 103, and the braking system 293 included in the drive unit 240, based on the second information recorded in recording mode. The gear ratio sensor 159 is mounted on the rotating shaft within the transmission 103 and may be a sensor that detects the gear ratio, or it may be a shift position sensor that identifies the selected gear by detecting the position of the shift lever (gear position operation switch 218) for selecting a gear. The gear ratio information of the transmission 103 is not limited to information indicating the gear ratio itself, but may also be information that identifies the selected gear among the multiple gears of the transmission 103. Since one gear corresponds to one gear ratio, if the gear is identified, the gear ratio can be identified.

[0149] The work vehicle 100 may be equipped with a double-speed turn mode (front wheel speed increase function). Double-speed turn is an operation that increases the speed of the front wheels when the steering angle of the front wheels exceeds a threshold due to the driver turning the steering wheel a large amount. Performing a double-speed turn reduces the turning radius and enables smoother turning. The work vehicle 100 may be equipped with a solenoid (referred to as the "double-speed solenoid") for driving a clutch to switch the double-speed turn mode on and off. The control device 180 can switch the double-speed solenoid on and off via a hydraulic circuit. When the double-speed solenoid is on, the rotational speed of the front wheels is approximately twice as fast as when the double-speed solenoid is off.

[0150] The second information may further include information regarding the driving mode of the work vehicle 100. For example, the information regarding the driving mode of the work vehicle 100 may include information on whether it is moving forward or backward. The information regarding the driving mode may include information on whether the driving mode of the work vehicle 100 is in four-wheel drive mode or two-wheel drive mode. The information regarding the driving mode may include information on whether the double-speed turn mode is on or off. The information regarding the driving mode may further include information on whether the automatic single-brake mode is on or off. Good. The automatic single-sided braking mode, when enabled, is a mode in which the inner rear wheel is lightly braked if the steering angle of the front wheel 104F, which is the steering wheel, exceeds a predetermined value while driving. In playback mode, the control device 180 controls the driving mode of the work vehicle 100 by controlling the prime mover 102, transmission 103, and braking device 293 included in the drive unit 240 based on second information recorded in recording mode.

[0151] (Steering control of work vehicles) The control device 180 changes the steering angle of the front wheels 104F, which are the steering wheels of the work vehicle 100, by controlling the steering device 106, and changes the direction of the work vehicle 100 by changing the steering angle of the steering wheels. When the work vehicle 100 is being driven manually, the control device 180 changes the steering angle of the steering wheels and the direction of the work vehicle 100 by controlling the steering device 106 in response to the driver's operation of the steering wheel 217.

[0152] In recording mode, the control device 180 acquires information on the steering angle of the steering wheels of the work vehicle 100 as second information, based on sensor data (measured values) output from the steering wheel sensor 152 and / or steering angle sensor 154. In this case, in playback mode, the control device 180 controls the steering of the work vehicle 100 by controlling the hydraulic system or electric motor included in the steering system 106, based on the second information recorded in recording mode.

[0153] The second piece of information may further include information regarding the posture of the work vehicle 100. The posture of the work vehicle 100 may include, for example, the roll angle θ. R , pitch angle θ P , and yaw angle θ Y It is represented by the roll angle θ. R This represents the amount of rotation of the work vehicle 100 around its longitudinal axis. Pitch angle θ P This represents the amount of rotation of the work vehicle 100 around its left-right axis. Yaw angle θ Y This represents the amount of rotation of the work vehicle 100 around its vertical axis. The attitude can also be defined by other angles, such as Euler angles, or by quaternions. The control device 180 obtains information about the attitude of the work vehicle 100 based, for example, on data output from the IMU 115.

[0154] (If the second piece of information includes information about the status of the coupling device) Referring to Figure 12B, an example of processing performed by the control device 180 when the second information includes information regarding the state of the coupling device 108 for connecting the work machine 300 will be described. Figure 12B is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of processing performed by the control device 180 of the travel control system 1000. In addition to the travel control system 1000, Figure 12B also shows the coupling device 108 and the group of operating switches 210.

[0155] As shown in Figure 12B, the coupling device 108 includes a three-point hitch 291 for connecting the work implement 300 and a PTO shaft 292 for supplying rotational power to the work implement 300. The operating switch group 210 includes a 3P position switch 211 for operating the height of the three-point hitch 291 and a PTO switch 222 for operating the rotation of the PTO shaft 292 on / off. The sensor group 150 includes a 3P position sensor 251 for detecting the height position of the three-point hitch 291 and a PTO sensor 252 for detecting the rotation of the PTO shaft 292 on / off. Each of the coupling device 108, the operating switch group 210, and the sensor group 150 may include other components, but for simplicity, some components are omitted from the illustration in Figure 12B. The control device 180 is connected to the 3P position sensor 251, the PTO sensor 252, the three-point hitch 291, and the PTO shaft 292. The control device 180 can communicate with these components using a communication protocol such as CAN.

[0156] The control device 180 controls the height of the three-point hitch 291 and the on / off switching of the rotation of the PTO shaft 292. When the work vehicle 100 is operated manually by the driver, the control device 180 changes the height of the three-point hitch 291 in response to the driver's operation of the 3P position switch 211 and switches the rotation of the PTO shaft 292 on / off in response to the driver's operation of the PTO switch 222.

[0157] In recording mode, the control device 180 generates information regarding the height of the three-point hitch 291 as second information based on sensor data output from the 3P position sensor 251. In this case, in playback mode, the control device 180 controls the height of the three-point hitch 291 based on the second information recorded in recording mode. Also, in recording mode, the control device 180 acquires information regarding the on / off status of the rotation of the PTO shaft 292 as second information based on sensor data output from the PTO sensor 252. In this case, in playback mode, the control device 180 controls the on / off status of the rotation of the PTO shaft 292 based on the second information recorded in recording mode.

[0158] (If the second piece of information includes information about the condition of the work equipment) Referring to Figure 12C, an example of processing performed by the control device 180 when a work machine 300 is connected to a work vehicle 100 and the second information includes information about the state of the work machine 300 will be explained. Figure 12C is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of processing performed by the control device 180 of the travel control system 1000. In addition to the travel control system 1000, Figure 12C also shows the work machine 300 and the group of operating switches 210. For simplicity, some components are omitted from the illustration in Figure 12C.

[0159] As shown in Figure 12C, the work implement 300 includes a drive unit 340 that performs the necessary operations for the work implement 300 to perform a predetermined operation, a control device 380 that controls the operation of the drive unit 340, and one or more work implement sensors 302 that detect the state of the drive unit 340 and output sensor data. The drive unit 340 includes devices depending on the application of the work implement 300, such as a hydraulic system, an electric motor, or a pump. The work implement sensors 302 have a structure corresponding to the drive unit 340 and include, for example, a hydraulic sensor. The operation switch group 210 includes work implement switches 213 for operating the work implement 300.

[0160] The control device 180 controls the operation of the work implement 300 by sending a command to the control device 380 to control the operation of the drive unit 340. When the work vehicle 100 is being operated manually by the driver, the control device 180 controls the operation of the work implement 300 by sending a command to the control device 380 to control the operation of the drive unit 340 in response to the driver's operation of the work implement switch 213.

[0161] In recording mode, the control device 180 acquires or generates second information regarding the state of the work implement 300 based on the sensor data output from the work implement sensor 302. For example, the control device 380 may generate second information regarding the state of the work implement 300 based on the sensor data output from the work implement sensor 302 and transmit the second information to the control device 180. Alternatively, the control device 180 may receive sensor data output from the work implement sensor 302 via the control device 380 and generate information regarding the state of the work implement 300. In such a case, in playback mode, the control device 180 controls the operation of the work implement 300 by causing the control device 380 to control the operation of the drive unit 340 based on the second information recorded in recording mode.

[0162] Figure 13 shows an example of an operating terminal 200 and a group of operating switches 210 located inside the cabin 105 of a work vehicle 100. Inside the cabin 105 is a group of operating switches 210, which includes a number of switches that can be operated by the driver. The group of operating switches 210 includes examples of operating switches described with reference to Figures 12A, 12B, and 12C. obtain.

[0163] (Classification of routes) Figure 14 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing performed by the control device 180. Figures 15A and 15B are schematic diagrams illustrating the processing performed by the control device 180 in the example shown in Figure 14. The processing shown in Figure 14 may be performed, for example, after the end of the recording mode, i.e., after the recording of multiple waypoint data has finished, and before automatic operation in playback mode begins.

[0164] In step S141, the control device 180 calculates the curvature or radius of curvature of the path based on the recorded path data. For example, the control device 180 retrieves path data (i.e., multiple waypoint data) recorded in the storage device 870. Figure 15A schematically shows an example of path data recorded in the storage device 870. For simplicity, only some waypoint data Pr are shown in the callouts in the figure, but the path 32T is defined by multiple waypoint data Pr. The path 32T is, for example, a path that runs through a field. The path 32T has multiple parallel main paths 32Ts and multiple turning paths 32Tc that connect the multiple main paths 32Ts. For example, as shown in the example in Figure 6A, each of the multiple main paths 32Ts may be a path that runs between two adjacent rows of crops (e.g., rows of trees). In such a case, each of the multiple turning paths 32Tc may be a path that turns in the headland before and after running between two adjacent rows of crops. When traveling along such a route, the work vehicle 100 performs work using the work implement 300 while traveling along the main route 32Ts, for example, but does not perform work using the work implement 300 when traveling along the turning route 32Tc.

[0165] The control device 180 calculates the curvature or radius of curvature (i.e., the reciprocal of curvature) at each point on the path 32T based on the acquired waypoint data Pr. Since the radius of curvature is the reciprocal of curvature, if either the curvature or the radius of curvature is calculated, the other can be determined by finding its reciprocal. The method for calculating the curvature or radius of curvature will be described later.

[0166] In step S142, the control device 180 classifies the path 32T into a first part 32a whose curvature is less than or equal to a threshold, and a second part 32b whose curvature is greater than a threshold, based on the curvature calculated in step S141. The control device 180 may also classify the path based on the radius of curvature of the path calculated in step S141. When classifying based on the radius of curvature, for example, it can be classified into a first part 32a whose radius of curvature is greater than or equal to a threshold, and a second part 32b whose radius of curvature is less than a threshold. The threshold for the radius of curvature is different from the threshold for curvature. In this example, multiple main paths 32Ts may be classified into the first part 32a, and multiple turning paths 32Tc may be classified into the second part 32b. In the figure, the first part 32a is shown by a dotted line, and the second part 32b is shown by a solid line. As in this example, a path may have multiple first parts or multiple second parts. When a path has multiple first parts, second parts may exist between adjacent first parts. If a path has multiple second parts, a first part may exist between adjacent second parts.

[0167] The control device 180 can, for example, differentiate the control method of the operation of the work vehicle 100 in the regeneration mode between the first part and the second part by classifying the routes as described above before the automatic operation in the regeneration mode begins. Therefore, the repetitive operations of the work vehicle 100 can be performed efficiently. An example of differentiating the control method of the operation of the work vehicle 100 in the regeneration mode between the first part and the second part will be explained below.

[0168] (An example of making the driving state of the work vehicle in playback mode different in the first or second part) The control device 180, for example, in regeneration mode, causes the operation of the work vehicle 100 (in this example, the driving state of the work vehicle 100) to differ depending on whether the work vehicle 100 is traveling on the first part or on the second part.

[0169] Figure 16A is a flowchart showing an example of processing performed by the control device 180 in regeneration mode. In this example, the control device 180 makes the speed and / or engine speed of the work vehicle 100 different when the work vehicle 100 is traveling on the first part and when the work vehicle 100 is traveling on the second part, for example, in regeneration mode.

[0170] In step S151, the control device 180 determines the first speed and second speed of the work vehicle 100, and / or the first engine speed and second engine speed. The second speed is less than the first speed. The second engine speed is less than the first engine speed.

[0171] The determination of the first and second speeds is made, for example, based on user input. The determination of the first and second engine speeds is made, for example, based on user input. Figure 16B is an example of a display screen shown on a terminal device operated by a user who is operating the playback mode. The display screen in Figure 16B includes a GUI for the user to set the playback mode. On the display screen in Figure 16B, the user can input the first speed and second speed in boxes 54a and 54b, respectively, and the first engine speed and second engine speed in boxes 52a and 52b, respectively.

[0172] In step S152, the control device 180 starts the automatic driving of the work vehicle 100 in regeneration mode. When the work vehicle 100 is traveling the first part of the route in automatic driving mode (if "Yes" is answered in step S153), in step S154, the control device 180 drives the work vehicle 100 at a first speed and / or a first engine speed. When the work vehicle 100 is traveling the second part of the route in automatic driving mode (if "No" is answered in step S153), in step S155, the control device 180 drives the work vehicle 100 at a second speed and / or a second engine speed. In other words, even if the second information included in the multiple waypoint data includes information on speed and / or engine speed, the work vehicle 100 is driven automatically using the values ​​determined in step S151. The control device 180 repeats the processes of steps S153, S154, and S155 until it receives a signal that includes an instruction to terminate the automatic driving of the work vehicle 100 in regeneration mode (step S156).

[0173] The control device 180 can make the operation of the work vehicle 100 different when the work vehicle 100 is traveling on the first part and when the work vehicle 100 is traveling on the second part in the playback mode, thereby enabling efficient control of the operation of the work vehicle 100. As in the example above, a different speed and / or engine speed may be set from the second information included in the multiple waypoint data. For example, when using a different work machine than the one that traveled the route in the recording mode, automatic operation in the playback mode can be performed using a control method determined according to the type of work machine, thereby enabling effective use of the recorded data.

[0174] Furthermore, the determination of the first and second speeds may be based on the second information included in the multiple waypoint data if that second information includes information on the speed of the work vehicle 100. That is, the control device 180 can determine the first speed based on the second information included in the multiple waypoint data classified into the first part of the route data, and determine the second speed based on the second information included in the multiple waypoint data classified into the second part.

[0175] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of path 32T to illustrate another example of processing performed by control device 180.

[0176] Figure 17 shows only a portion of the route 32T. As shown in Figure 15B, the route 32T includes a plurality of first sections 32a and a plurality of second sections 32b connecting the plurality of first sections 32a. In this example, the control device 180 can decelerate the work vehicle 100 when the work vehicle 100 is traveling on the first section in regeneration mode, and can accelerate the work vehicle 100 when the work vehicle 100 is traveling on the second section in regeneration mode. For example, as shown in Figure 17, in regeneration mode, when the work vehicle 100 is traveling on the first section 32a, the control device 180 decelerates the work vehicle 100 in the section 36a leading to the second section 32b. In regeneration mode, when the work vehicle is traveling on the second section 32b, the control device 180 accelerates the work vehicle 100 in the section leading to the first section 32a.

[0177] By controlling the automatic driving of the work vehicle 100 in this way, for example, as shown in the example in Figure 16A, the work vehicle 100 can be driven more smoothly when driven automatically based on the first and second speeds and / or the first and second engine speeds.

[0178] (An example of making the state of the coupling device for connecting the work equipment different in the first or second part during playback mode.) In regeneration mode, the control device 180 may change the state of the coupling device 108 for connecting the implement 300 depending on whether the work vehicle 100 is traveling on the first section or on the second section. For example, in regeneration mode, the control device 180 may change the height of the three-point hitch that adjusts the height of the implement 300 depending on whether the work vehicle 100 is traveling on the first section or on the second section, or it may switch the rotation of the PTO shaft that supplies power to the implement 300 on or off. For example, in regeneration mode, the control device 180 may set the height of the three-point hitch when the work vehicle 100 is traveling on the second section higher than the height of the three-point hitch when the work vehicle 100 is traveling on the first section. For example, in regeneration mode, the control device 180 turns on the rotation of the PTO shaft when the work vehicle 100 is traveling through the first section, and turns off the rotation of the PTO shaft when the work vehicle 100 is traveling through the second section. By controlling the height of the three-point hitch and / or the rotation of the PTO shaft as described above, the work vehicle 100 can efficiently travel and perform other operations while working between multiple rows of crops in a field, as shown in the example in Figure 6A.

[0179] (An example of using different conditions for starting playback mode in the first or second part) Figure 18A is a schematic diagram of route 32T and work vehicle 100 to illustrate an example of processing performed by the control device 180. Figure 18B is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing performed by the control device 180 when an operation to start the regeneration mode is performed. Figure 18A shows a schematic diagram of when the work vehicle 100 attempts to start automatic driving in regeneration mode using route data of route 32T. In this example, the attempt is to start automatic driving in regeneration mode from partway along route 32T. The left side of Figure 18A shows an example where the attempt is to start automatic driving in regeneration mode using waypoint data Pr0a of the first part 32a of route 32T as the reference starting point, and the right side of Figure 18A shows an example where the attempt is to start automatic driving in regeneration mode using waypoint data Pr0b of the second part 32b of route 32T as the reference starting point.

[0180] In step S161, the control device 180 receives a signal including an instruction to start automatic operation in regeneration mode. For example, when an operation to start automatic operation in regeneration mode is performed, for example, by a user, the control device 180 receives a signal including an instruction to start automatic operation in regeneration mode. For example, the user performs an operation to start automatic operation in regeneration mode by operating an input device such as an operation terminal 200. The operation to start automatic operation in regeneration mode includes an operation to identify the route data to be used in regeneration mode. In step S161, the control device 180 may also receive a signal to identify the route data to be used in regeneration mode. In this example, route data relating to route 32T is identified. Furthermore, in step S161, the control device 180 may also acquire position data relating to the position of the work vehicle 100.

[0181] In step S162, the control device 180 calculates the difference Df between the position of the work vehicle 100 when it received the signal in step S161 (for example, the position of the reference point of the work vehicle 100) and the position of the reference start point from the route data identified by the signal received in step S161, which is the reference start point to be initiated by the operation in step S161. For example, the control device 180 identifies the waypoint data Pr closest to the position of the work vehicle 100 when it received the signal in step S161 as the reference start point.

[0182] The control device 180 compares the difference Df calculated in step S162 with a predetermined value (threshold). At this time, as in the example on the left side of Figure 18A, if the reference starting point is included in the first part of the route (if "Yes" is answered in step S163), the control device 180 compares the difference Df calculated in step S162 with a first predetermined value. If the difference Df calculated in step S162 is less than or equal to the first predetermined value (if "Yes" is answered in step S164), the control device 180 starts the automatic driving of the work vehicle 100 in step S166. If the difference Df calculated in step S162 is greater than the first predetermined value (if "No" is answered in step S164), the control device 180 terminates in step S167 without starting the automatic driving of the work vehicle 100.

[0183] As shown in the example on the right side of Figure 18A, if the reference starting point is included in the second part of the route (if the answer is "No" in step S163), the control device 180 compares the difference Df calculated in step S162 with a second predetermined value. The second predetermined value is smaller than the first predetermined value. If the difference Df calculated in step S162 is less than or equal to the second predetermined value (if the answer is "Yes" in step S165), the control device 180 starts the automatic driving of the work vehicle 100 in step S166. If the difference Df calculated in step S162 is greater than the second predetermined value (if the answer is "No" in step S165), the control device 180 terminates in step S167 without starting the automatic driving of the work vehicle 100.

[0184] The control device 180 can thus make the conditions for initiating automatic driving in regeneration mode stricter in the second part than in the first part. That is, the threshold for deviation from the target path can be made smaller in the second part than in the first part. Since the curvature of the second part is greater than that of the first part, it is preferable that the deviation from the target path at the start is smaller than that of the first part in order to accurately follow the target path defined by the path data. By performing the control method described above, the control device 180 can accurately follow the target path.

[0185] The control device 180 may also set a threshold for the deviation of the azimuth from the target path to be smaller in the second part than in the first part, as a condition for starting automatic driving in the regeneration mode. That is, when the user performs an operation to start the work vehicle 100 in regeneration mode, the control device 180 compares the difference θf between the azimuth of the work vehicle 100 at the time the operation is performed and the azimuth of the work vehicle at the reference start point in the path data that the operation is intended to start referencing with a predetermined value (threshold). In Figure 18A, the azimuth of the work vehicle 100 at the time the operation to start the work vehicle 100 in regeneration mode is performed is shown by a solid arrow, and the azimuth of the work vehicle at the reference start point Pr0a or Pr0b is shown by a dotted arrow. The control device 180 starts the automatic driving of the work vehicle 100 if the azimuth difference θf is less than or equal to the predetermined value, and does not start the automatic driving of the work vehicle 100 if the azimuth difference θf is greater than the predetermined value. In this case, if the reference starting point is included in the first part of the path, the predetermined value (threshold) is set to be larger than when the reference starting point is included in the second part of the path.

[0186] (An example of having different conditions for allowing editing of route data in the first or second part) Figures 19A and 19B are schematic diagrams of the path 32T illustrating an example of processing performed by the control device 180. Figure 19C is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing performed by the control device 180.

[0187] Figures 19A and 19B schematically illustrate how route data editing is performed. In this example, route data editing is performed by replacing a portion of route 32T (here, the route between position PP1 and position PP2) with a newly generated route 34 connecting position PP1 and position PP2. The edited route is shown as route "32T'" in Figure 19B. Such route data editing can be performed, for example, by having a work vehicle 100 actually travel along route 34 between position PP1 and position PP2. After editing, the control device 180 records the route data of the edited route 32T' in the storage device 870. The storage device 870 may contain both the route data of the route 32T before editing and the route data of the edited route 32T'.

[0188] Figure 19C shows an example of the processing performed by the control device 180 when an operation is performed to start editing route data.

[0189] As shown in Figure 19C, in step S171, the control device 180 receives a signal including an instruction to start editing route data. For example, when the operation to start editing route data is performed, for example, by a user (e.g., the driver of the work vehicle 100), the control device 180 receives a signal including an instruction to start editing route data. For example, the user performs the operation to start editing route data by operating an input device such as the operation terminal 200. In the examples of Figures 19A and 19B, the operation to start editing route data may be performed when the work vehicle 100 is located at position PP1. The operation to start automatic driving in playback mode includes an operation to identify the route data to be used in playback mode. In step S161, the control device 180 may also receive a signal to identify the route data to be used in playback mode. In this example, route data for route 32T is identified. Also in step S171, the control device 180 may acquire position data regarding the position of the work vehicle 100.

[0190] In step S172, the control device 180 determines whether the editing start point to be started is included in the first part of the route 32T. If the editing start point is included in the first part of the route 32T (if the answer is "Yes" in step S172), it permits the start of editing the route data of route 32T. If the editing start point is included in the second part of the route 32T (if the answer is "No" in step S172), it does not permit the start of editing the route data of route 32T.

[0191] The control device 180 can thus allow editing of the route data only in the first part. Since the curvature of the second part is greater than that of the first part, if editing of the route data is performed from the middle of the second part, the accuracy of route tracking may not be sufficient, for example, at the joint. By performing the control method described above, the control device 180 can accurately follow the target route defined by the edited route data.

[0192] (Method of classifying Part 1 and Part 2) Figure 20 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing performed by the control device 180. Figures 21A, 21B, 21C, and 21D are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of how to classify a path into a first part and a second part. An example of how to classify a path into a first part and a second part will be explained with reference to Figures 20 and 21A-21D.

[0193] As shown in Figure 20, in step S181, the control device 180 selects three waypoint data, which include one of a plurality of waypoint data included in the route data, and two waypoint data located on either side of the said waypoint data, each of which is located at a predetermined distance or more from the position of the said waypoint data.

[0194] Figure 21A is a schematic diagram showing an example of route data recorded in the storage device 870, and shows a portion of the route data for route 32T. In the example in Figure 21A, the control device 180 selects three waypoint data No.(x-1) to No.(x+1) from among multiple waypoint data Pr included in the route data of route 32, including waypoint data No.x and two waypoint data No.(x-1) and No.(x+1) located on either side of waypoint data No.x, with their respective positions at a predetermined distance Dd or more from the position of waypoint data No.x. The two waypoint data on either side of waypoint data No.x are determined by selecting the waypoint data closest to waypoint data No.x from among the waypoint data that are at a predetermined distance Dd or more from the position of waypoint data No.x on each side.

[0195] The value of the predetermined distance Dd can be set arbitrarily. The value of the predetermined distance Dd may be changed, for example, depending on the shape of the path. In the example in Figure 21A, the predetermined distance Dd is smaller than the interval between the positions of consecutive waypoint data among the multiple waypoint data. As in the example in Figure 21D, the predetermined distance Dd may be larger than the interval between the positions of consecutive waypoint data among the multiple waypoint data. In the example in Figure 21D, three waypoint data No. (x-2), No. x, and No. (x+2) are selected, including waypoint data No. x and two waypoint data No. (x-2) and No. (x+2) located on either side of waypoint data No. x, with their respective positions being at least a predetermined distance Dd away from the position of waypoint data No. x.

[0196] In step S182, the control device 180 determines a circle determined by the positions of three points based on the three waypoint data selected in step S181. In the example in Figure 20B, the control device 180 determines a circle CL(x) determined by the positions of three points based on the three waypoint data No.(x-1) to No.(x+1).

[0197] In step S183, the control device 180 classifies the path into a first part where the radius of curvature is greater than or equal to a threshold, and a second part where the radius of curvature is less than a threshold, based on the radius of the circle determined in step S182. In the example in Figure 21B, the control device 180 determines, for example, the radius rd(x) of the circle CL(x) determined in step S182 as the radius of curvature in waypoint data No. x. The control device 180 can determine the radius of curvature in each waypoint data and classify it into a first part where the radius of curvature is greater than or equal to a threshold, and a second part where the radius of curvature is less than a threshold.

[0198] The control device 180 may classify the path into a first part and a second part based on the curvature at each point in the path. As mentioned above, the radius of curvature is the reciprocal of the curvature, so if either the curvature or the radius of curvature is calculated, the other can be determined by finding its reciprocal. In the example in Figure 21B, the control device 180 determines the curvature at waypoint data No. x based, for example, on the radius rd(x) of circle CL(x) determined in step S182. For example, the curvature at waypoint data No. x can be the reciprocal of the radius rd(x) of circle CL(x). The control device 180 can determine the curvature at each waypoint data and classify it into a first part where the curvature is below a threshold and a second part where the curvature is above a threshold. An example of the classification result based on curvature is shown in Figure 21C. The graph in Figure 21C shows the waypoint No. on the horizontal axis and the curvature on the vertical axis.

[0199] When classifying a path into a first and second part, and using the curvature at each point in the path, the curvature can be expressed as a value between 0 and 1 by normalizing it to the maximum curvature in that path. In other words, since the curvature threshold is a value between 0 and 1, there is the advantage that setting and adjusting the curvature threshold is easy for the user to understand. Also, curvature is sometimes more intuitively understandable to the user than the radius of curvature when displayed on a screen or GUI (such as Figures 23A and 23B described later).

[0200] Figures 22A and 22B show examples of the results of classifying a path into a first part and a second part. The graphs in Figures 22A and 22B show the waypoint No. on the horizontal axis and the curvature (a value normalized by the maximum value of the curvature in the path) on the vertical axis. Figure 22A shows the result when the interval between three waypoint data is less than a predetermined distance Dd, and Figure 22B shows the result when the interval between three waypoint data is greater than or equal to the predetermined distance Dd. In Figure 22A, it can be seen that adjacent waypoint data oscillates near the threshold value, which is not preferable from the viewpoint of classifying the path into a first part and a second part. In contrast, in Figure 22B, there is less noise near the threshold value.

[0201] The control device 180 may determine a threshold value of the curvature or the radius of curvature based on a user input. The control device 180 may determine a predetermined distance Dd based on a user input. The control device 180 may cause a display to display a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows a user to set a threshold value of the curvature or the radius of curvature and the predetermined distance Dd. An example of the GUI will be described below.

[0202] Figures 23A and 23B are examples of display screens displayed on a terminal device operated by a user who performs an operation in the playback mode. The display screen in Figure 23A includes a GUI that allows a user to set a threshold value of the curvature and a GUI that allows a user to set a predetermined distance Dd. On the display screen in Figure 23A, the user can set (change) the threshold value of the curvature by the input value in box 56a and can set (change) the predetermined distance Dd by the input value in box 56b. Also, the user can set (change) the length of the portion 36a that decelerates the work vehicle 100 shown in FIG. 17 by the input value in box 56c.

[0203] The control device 180 may further display, on the display, an image showing the result of classifying the path into a first part and a second part. The display screen of FIG. 23B includes an image 58a showing the result of classifying the path into a first part and a second part based on the threshold value of the curvature and the predetermined distance Dd input via the GUI included in the display screen of FIG. 23A. The image 58a is displayed in a form in which the part classified as the first part and the part classified as the second part in the path can be identified. In this example, the part classified as the first part is displayed by a dotted line, and the part classified as the second part is displayed by a solid line. The part classified as the first part and the part classified as the second part may be displayed in different colors.

[0204] The control device 180 may display while dynamically changing the result of classification into a first part and a second part according to the threshold value of the curvature and the predetermined distance Dd input via the GUI included in the display screen of FIG. 23A. That is, when the threshold value of the curvature and / or the predetermined distance Dd input via the GUI is changed, the control device 180 may reflect the classified result in the image 58a in real time. The user can set (adjust) the threshold value of the curvature or the radius of curvature and / or the predetermined distance Dd while viewing the result of classifying the path into a first part and a second part. The contents of FIGS. 23A and 23B may be displayed on one display screen. In such a case, the visibility for the user is improved.

[0205] In this example, the display screen of FIG. 23B further includes a notification 58b for confirming the value set by the GUI included in the display screen of FIG. 16B.

[0206] In the embodiment of the present invention, the method of classifying the path into a first part and a second part is not limited to the above-described example. For example, the curvature or the radius of curvature of the path may be obtained by a method different from the above-described example. The control device 180 may obtain, for example, information on the angular velocity around the yaw axis of the work vehicle 100 (sometimes referred to as “yaw rate”) based on the sensor data output from the sensor group 150, and determine the curvature or the radius of curvature of the path traveled by the work vehicle 100 based on the angular velocity around the yaw axis of the work vehicle 100.

[0207] Alternatively, the control device 180 may classify the route into a first part and a second part based on the state of the work vehicle 100. For example, the route may be classified into a first part and a second part depending on whether the work vehicle 100 is in a predetermined travel mode. If the above-mentioned double-speed turn mode can be switched on or off, the "predetermined travel mode" includes, for example, the double-speed turn mode being off. Since the double-speed turn mode may be turned on, for example, in a turning route and turned off in a straight route, the portion traveled with the double-speed turn mode off may be classified into a first part, and the portion traveled with the double-speed turn mode on may be classified into a second part. As another example, the control device 180 may classify the route into a first part and a second part based on the state of the coupling device 108 for coupling the work machine 300.

[0208] The driving control systems in the above embodiments can also be retrofitted to work vehicles that do not possess those functions. Such control systems can be manufactured and sold independently of the work vehicles. Computer programs used in such control systems can also be manufactured and sold independently of the work vehicles. Computer programs can be provided, for example, stored in a computer-readable non-temporary storage medium. Computer programs can also be provided by download via telecommunications lines (e.g., the Internet). [Industrial applicability]

[0209] The technology of this invention can be widely applied to various types of work vehicles used in smart agriculture. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0210] 100...Work vehicle, 110...Positioning device (GNSS unit), 150...Sensor group, 180...Control device, 210...Operation switch group, 300...Work machine, 1000...Driving control system

Claims

1. A vehicle driving control system for work vehicles, A positioning device that outputs positional data relating to the position of the aforementioned work vehicle, A control device that controls the operation of the aforementioned work vehicle and Equipped with, The control device is It can operate in both recording and playback modes. In the recording mode, route data relating to the route traveled by the work vehicle, including a plurality of waypoint data, each containing information about the position of the work vehicle, acquired based on the position data while the work vehicle is traveling, is recorded in the storage device. In the playback mode, the operation of the work vehicle is controlled while the work vehicle is driven automatically based on the route data. The control device is Select three waypoint data, including one of the aforementioned plurality of waypoint data and two waypoint data located on either side of the said waypoint data, each of which is located at a predetermined distance or more from the said waypoint data. The circle is determined by the positions of the three points based on the three waypoint data mentioned above. A driving control system that classifies the path into a first portion where the radius of curvature is greater than or equal to a threshold, and a second portion where the radius of curvature is less than the threshold, based on the radius of the circle.

2. The control device is Based on the radius of the circle, the curvature of the path in the waypoint data is determined. The driving control system according to claim 1, wherein the path is classified into a first part and a second part based on the curvature at each point of the determined path.

3. The driving control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the predetermined distance is greater than the interval between the positions of consecutive waypoint data among the plurality of waypoint data.

4. The driving control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control device determines the threshold value based on user input.

5. The driving control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control device determines the predetermined distance based on user input.

6. The driving control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control device displays a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display that allows the user to set the threshold and the predetermined distance.

7. The control device is The driving control system according to claim 6, further displaying on the display an image showing the result of classifying the route into a first part and a second part based on the threshold and predetermined distance input via the GUI.

8. The control device is The driving control system according to claim 7, wherein when the threshold and / or predetermined distance input via the GUI is changed, the image is changed to an image showing the result of classifying the path into a first part and a second part based on the changed threshold and predetermined distance.

9. The driving control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control device provides different methods for controlling the operation of the work vehicle in the regeneration mode between the first part and the second part.

10. A driving control system according to claim 1 or 2, Running gear including the steering wheels, A drive unit that drives the aforementioned traveling device and Equipped with, The control device, in the playback mode, controls the drive unit based on the plurality of waypoint data included in the route data, thereby driving the work vehicle automatically.

11. A control device for controlling the operation of a work vehicle, which is executed by a control device capable of operating in recording mode and playback mode, and a method for controlling the movement of a work vehicle, In the recording mode, route data relating to the route traveled by the work vehicle, which includes a plurality of waypoint data each containing information about the position of the work vehicle, acquired based on position data relating to the position of the work vehicle while the work vehicle is traveling, is recorded in the storage device. In the aforementioned playback mode, the operation of the work vehicle is controlled while the work vehicle is driven automatically based on the route data, Selecting three waypoint data, including one of the aforementioned plurality of waypoint data and two waypoint data located on either side of the said waypoint data, each of which is located at a predetermined distance or more from the said waypoint data. The circle is determined by the positions of the three points based on the three waypoint data mentioned above, Based on the radius of the circle, the path is classified into a first part where the radius of curvature is greater than or equal to a threshold, and a second part where the radius of curvature is less than the threshold. A driving control method including the above.

12. A computer program executed by a processor in a control device that controls the operation of a work vehicle and is capable of operating in recording mode and playback mode, The aforementioned processor, In the recording mode, route data relating to the route traveled by the work vehicle, which includes a plurality of waypoint data each containing information about the position of the work vehicle, acquired based on position data relating to the position of the work vehicle while the work vehicle is traveling, is recorded in the storage device. In the aforementioned playback mode, the operation of the work vehicle is controlled while the work vehicle is driven automatically based on the route data, Selecting three waypoint data, including one of the aforementioned plurality of waypoint data and two waypoint data located on either side of the said waypoint data, each of which is located at a predetermined distance or more from the said waypoint data. The circle is determined by the positions of the three points based on the three waypoint data mentioned above, Based on the radius of the circle, the path is classified into a first part where the radius of curvature is greater than or equal to a threshold, and a second part where the radius of curvature is less than the threshold. A computer program that executes something.

Images