Garbage crane control system, garbage crane control method, and program

Abstract

This invention provides a waste crane control system that can improve the efficiency of operating multiple waste cranes. [Solution] The garbage crane control system comprises: first and second garbage cranes; a candidate calculation unit that calculates operation candidate pairs for each of a plurality of area patterns in which the boundary positions of each of the plurality of area patterns are different, including operation candidate pairs for the first garbage crane in the first area and operation candidate pairs for the second garbage crane in the second area; an operation determination unit that selects one operation candidate pair from the operation candidate pairs calculated for each of the plurality of area patterns and determines the operation of the first garbage crane in the first area and the operation of the second garbage crane in the second area; and a crane control unit that controls the first and second garbage cranes according to the determined operation of the first and second garbage cranes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a refuse crane control system, a refuse crane control method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that selects high-priority operation candidates as operation candidates for a plurality of cranes, generates a plurality of combinations that define the assignment and execution order of the operation candidates, calculates the work time and waiting time for each combination, selects a combination that satisfies a predetermined condition, and derives an operation plan.

[0003] Patent Document 2 discloses a technology that, when controlling a plurality of cranes, determines the operation of the first crane based on the operation of the second crane, refers to a priority table corresponding to the state of refuse, selects operations in order from the highest priority to determine the presence or absence of interference, and determines an operation that does not cause interference as the operation of the first crane.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] When operating a plurality of refuse cranes, it is required to perform more efficient operation through cooperation between the cranes.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its main object is to provide a refuse crane control system, a refuse crane control method, and a program that are capable of improving the efficiency of operations of a plurality of refuse cranes.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] To solve the above problems, a garbage crane control system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: first and second garbage cranes; a candidate calculation unit that calculates operation candidate pairs for each of a plurality of area patterns in which the garbage pit is divided into a first area for the first garbage crane and a second area for the second garbage crane, each of which has different boundary positions, including operation candidate pairs for the first garbage crane in the first area and operation candidate pairs for the second garbage crane in the second area; an operation determination unit that selects one operation candidate pair from the operation candidate pairs calculated for each of the plurality of area patterns and determines the operation of the first garbage crane in the first area and the operation of the second garbage crane in the second area; and a crane control unit that controls the first and second garbage cranes according to the determined operation of the first and second garbage cranes. This makes it possible to improve the efficiency of operating multiple garbage cranes.

[0008] In the above embodiment, the operation of the first and second garbage cranes may include a grasping operation in which garbage is grasped with a bucket, and a dropping operation in which garbage is dropped from the bucket. This makes it possible to determine the operation of the garbage crane, which includes the grasping operation and the dropping operation.

[0009] In the above embodiment, the plurality of area patterns may be a combination of a plurality of area patterns applied during the grasping operation, which divide the garbage pit into a first area and a second area, with the boundary positions being different from each other, and a plurality of area patterns applied during the dropping operation, which divide the garbage pit into a first area and a second area, with the boundary positions being different from each other. This makes it possible to improve the degree of freedom in operating the garbage crane by separating the area pattern for the grasping operation from the area pattern for the dropping operation.

[0010] In the above embodiment, the system further comprises: a visual sensor for sensing the surface of the accumulated waste in the waste pit; a gripping position determination unit that determines, based on visual data acquired by the visual sensor, whether there is a gripping position in each of the multiple management areas partitioned within the waste pit for the purpose of managing the waste; a dropping position determination unit that determines, based on the visual data, whether there is a dropping position in each of the multiple management areas from which the waste can be dropped from the bucket; and an executable determination unit that determines an executable operation from among a plurality of operations in which the waste is grasped by the bucket in a management area selected from the multiple management areas and the waste is dropped from the bucket in the selected management area or another management area, based on the results of the gripping position determination and the dropping position determination. The candidate calculation unit may further select an operation candidate for the first waste crane in the first area and an operation candidate for the second waste crane in the second area from among the executable operations. This makes it possible to streamline the selection of operation candidates.

[0011] In the above embodiment, the system further includes a visual sensor that senses the surface of the accumulated waste in the waste pit, and a statistical calculation unit that calculates predetermined statistical quantities for each of a plurality of management areas divided within the waste pit for the purpose of managing the waste according to its purpose, based on the visual data acquired by the visual sensor. The candidate calculation unit may select a candidate operation for the first waste crane in the first area and a candidate operation for the second waste crane in the second area based on the statistical quantities. This makes it possible to streamline the selection of operation candidates.

[0012] In the above embodiment, the operation determination unit may calculate the sum of the evaluation values ​​of the operation candidate pairs based on the evaluation value set for each operation candidate, and select one operation candidate pair from among the operation candidate pairs based on the sum of the evaluation values. This makes it possible to make the operation determination process more efficient.

[0013] In the above embodiment, the evaluation value may change according to the facility operating status. This makes it possible to determine an operation that is appropriate for the facility operating status.

[0014] In the above embodiment, the crane control unit may put one of the first or second garbage cranes into standby mode if the operation of the first garbage crane and the operation of the second garbage crane interfere with each other. This makes it possible to suppress contact between the garbage cranes.

[0015] In the above embodiment, the crane control unit may move the first waste crane to a first evacuation area away from the second waste crane, and move the second waste crane to a second evacuation area away from the first waste crane, when the distance between the first waste crane and the second waste crane falls below a predetermined level. This makes it possible to suppress contact between the waste cranes.

[0016] Furthermore, another embodiment of the present invention is a garbage crane control method for controlling first and second garbage cranes, wherein the garbage pit is divided into a first area for the first garbage crane and a second area for the second garbage crane, and for each of a plurality of area patterns with mutually different boundary positions, operation candidate pairs are calculated, including operation candidate pairs for the first garbage crane in the first area and operation candidate pairs for the second garbage crane in the second area. One operation candidate pair is selected from the operation candidate pairs calculated for each of the plurality of area patterns to determine the operation of the first garbage crane in the first area and the operation of the second garbage crane in the second area, and the first and second garbage cranes are controlled according to the determined operation of the first and second garbage cranes. This makes it possible to improve the efficiency of operating multiple garbage cranes.

[0017] Further, a program according to another aspect of the present invention causes a computer to execute: for each of a plurality of area patterns having different boundary positions that divide a waste pit into a first assigned area for a first waste crane and a second assigned area for a second waste crane, calculating an operation candidate pair including an operation candidate for the first waste crane in the first assigned area and an operation candidate for the second waste crane in the second assigned area; and selecting one operation candidate pair from the operation candidate pairs calculated for each of the plurality of area patterns, and determining the operation of the first waste crane in the first assigned area and the operation of the second waste crane in the second assigned area. According to this, it is possible to improve the efficiency of operations of a plurality of waste cranes. Effects of the Invention

[0018] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the efficiency of operations of a plurality of waste cranes. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing an example of a waste crane control system. [Figure 2] It is a diagram showing an example of a waste pit and waste cranes. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing an example of a waste pit. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing an example of a measurement control PC. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing an example of an operation determination unit. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing an example of a waste crane control method. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing an example of an area pattern. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing an example of assigned areas. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing an example of executability determination. [Figure 10] It is a diagram showing an example of summary statistics. [Figure 11] It is a diagram showing an example of operation evaluation values. [Figure 12A] This diagram shows an example of the operation settings. [Figure 12B] This diagram shows an example of the operation settings. [Figure 12C] This diagram shows an example of the operation settings. [Figure 13] This diagram shows an example of a standby operation. [Figure 14] This figure shows an example of an evacuation procedure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0020] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this specification and in each drawing, elements similar to those described above in relation to previously shown drawings will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions may be omitted as appropriate.

[0021] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the waste crane control system 100. The figure schematically shows the waste crane 3 installed above the waste pit PT and the configuration related to its control.

[0022] The waste crane 3 is a trolley-type overhead crane and comprises a girder 33 that travels on a pair of rails 39 installed above the waste pit PT, a trolley 35 that travels on the girder 33, and a bucket 31 suspended from the trolley 35 for grasping and dropping waste. In this embodiment, two cranes 3 are installed on the rails 39 (details will be described later).

[0023] A platform PF is located next to the waste pit PT, and when the loading door DR is open, the packer truck CV loads waste from platform PF into the waste pit PT.

[0024] The waste pit PT is divided into a receiving area AP for receiving waste fed in from the platform PF, and a storage area RP for storing waste transferred from the receiving area AP. The waste pit PT also has a hopper (not shown) that leads to the incinerator.

[0025] In the following explanation, the entire mass of waste accumulated in the waste pit PT will be referred to as "accumulated waste AG" to distinguish it from individual pieces of waste. Accumulated waste AG is also called a "waste pile." Therefore, when referring to the shape of accumulated waste AG, it refers to the macroscopic shape of the entire accumulated waste, not the shape of individual pieces of waste.

[0026] The waste crane control system 100 includes a waste crane 3, a measurement and control PC 1, a range sensor 2, an image sensor 4, a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) 5, and a crane control device 6.

[0027] The measurement and control PC1 is a computer, such as a personal computer, that includes a CPU, RAM, ROM, non-volatile memory, and input / output interfaces. The CPU performs information processing according to a program loaded from ROM or non-volatile memory into RAM.

[0028] The program may be supplied via an information storage medium such as an optical disc or memory card, or via a communication network such as the Internet or LAN.

[0029] The range sensor 2 is a sensor that measures the height of each position in the accumulated waste AG. The range sensor 2 is installed on top of the waste pit PT and generates 3D point cloud data representing the surface shape of the accumulated waste AG, which is output to the measurement control PC 1. The range sensor 2 is an example of a visual sensor that senses the surface of the accumulated waste AG, and the 3D point cloud data is an example of visual data.

[0030] The range sensor 2 is, for example, a Time of Flight (TOF) distance image sensor or a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensor. However, it is not limited to these; the range sensor 2 may also be, for example, a stereo distance image sensor.

[0031] Image sensor 4 is a sensor that images the surface of the accumulated waste AG. Image sensor 4 is installed on top of the waste pit PT and generates image data of the surface of the accumulated waste AG, which is output to the measurement control PC 1. Image sensor 4 is another example of a visual sensor, and image data is another example of visual data.

[0032] The PLC5 and crane control device 6 are control units that control the waste crane 3 in accordance with control commands output from the measurement and control PC1. The crane control device 6 includes a motor and an inverter, etc.

[0033] Figure 2 shows an example of a waste pit PT and a waste crane 3. Figure 3 shows an example of area division of the waste pit PT. The waste pit PT is divided into multiple areas to manage waste according to its purpose. In addition, multiple hoppers H1 to H3 leading to the incinerator are installed next to the waste pit PT.

[0034] Specifically, the waste pit PT is divided into a receiving area AP and a storage area RP. Furthermore, the storage area RP is divided into a transfer area RP1 for transferring waste from the receiving area AP and an input area RP2 for storing waste to be fed into the incinerator. The storage area RP may also include a resting area for letting the waste settle before being fed into the incinerator.

[0035] In the following explanation, the areas used to manage waste according to its purpose, such as the receiving area AP, storage area RP, transshipment area RP1, input area RP2, and aging area, will also be collectively referred to as the "management area."

[0036] The area division of the waste disposal pit is merely an example, and it is not necessary to divide the entire waste disposal pit; multiple areas, which are subdivisions of parts of the waste disposal pit, may be targeted.

[0037] Other examples of area division include the establishment of special areas within the storage area RP where wastewater from the waste pit PT is discharged, or within the receiving area AP where waste other than that brought in by regular garbage trucks CV, such as citizen-submitted waste, bulky waste residue, sludge, and vegetation, is brought in. These areas are regularly agitated.

[0038] In this embodiment, two garbage cranes 3A and 3B are installed in the garbage pit PT. In the following description, the first garbage crane 3A will also be referred to as "Crane No. 1 3A," and the second garbage crane 3B will also be referred to as "Crane No. 2 3B." "Garbage crane 3" is a collective term for Crane No. 1 3A and Crane No. 2 3B.

[0039] Crane No. 1, 3A, is equipped with a bucket 31A, a girder 33A, and a trolley 35A, while Crane No. 2, 3B, is equipped with a bucket 31B, a girder 33B, and a trolley 35B. "Bucket 31" is a collective term for buckets 31A and 31B, "Girder 33" is a collective term for girders 33A and 33B, and "Trolley 35" is a collective term for trolleys 35A and 35B.

[0040] In the diagram, the X direction is the extension direction of the girder 33, the traverse direction of the trolley 35, and the direction in which the receiving area AP and the storage area RP are adjacent. Specifically, the X1 direction is the direction in which the receiving area AP is located relative to the storage area RP, and the X2 direction is the direction in which the storage area RP is located relative to the receiving area AP.

[0041] In the diagram, the Z direction represents the extension direction of rail 39 (see Figure 1) and the direction of travel of the waste crane 3. The Z direction also represents the extension of the boundary between the receiving area AP and the storage area RP, and the direction in which the transshipment area RP1 and the input area RP2 are adjacent. Specifically, the Z1 direction is the direction in which transshipment area RP1 is located relative to input area RP2, and the Z2 direction is the direction in which input area RP2 is located relative to transshipment area RP1. Note that transshipment area RP1 and input area RP2 may be swapped depending on the day of the week, for example, so there may be cases where the Z1 direction and Z2 direction are reversed.

[0042] Crane 1 3A is positioned in the Z1 direction relative to Crane 2 3B and cannot move in the Z2 direction more than Crane 2 3B. Crane 2 3B is positioned in the Z2 direction relative to Crane 1 3A and cannot move in the Z1 direction more than Crane 1 3A.

[0043] For example, in the situation shown in Figure 2, Crane 1 3A cannot reach the loading area RP2 to grab the waste because Crane 2 3B is in the way. On the other hand, when a loading request is made to Hopper 1 H1, since Hopper 1 H1 is at the end in the Z1 direction, Crane 1 3A needs to load the waste. In such a case, Crane 2 3B is required to operate in a way that allows Crane 1 3A to grab the waste in loading area RP2.

[0044] As shown in Figure 3, the waste pit PT is divided into multiple areas 1 to 12 in the Z direction. The operation of the girder 33 of the waste crane 3 is determined in units of areas in the Z direction. Each area contains multiple point clouds, and the position of the girder 33 is controlled in units of point clouds. The width of each area in the Z direction is set to be equal to the width of the bucket 31 in the Z direction. Therefore, the quotient obtained by dividing the width of the waste pit PT in the Z direction by the width of the bucket 31 in the Z direction is the number of areas in the Z direction.

[0045] Furthermore, the waste pit PT is divided into multiple areas in the X direction. The operation of the trolley 35 of the waste crane 3 is determined in units of the areas divided in the X direction. Each area contains multiple point clouds, and the position of the trolley 35 is controlled in units of point clouds. The width of each area in the X direction is set to be equal to the width of the bucket 31 in the X direction. Therefore, the quotient obtained by dividing the width of the waste pit PT in the X direction by the width of the bucket 31 in the X direction is the number of areas in the X direction.

[0046] Figure 4 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the measurement and control PC1. The measurement and control PC1 includes a height acquisition unit 11, a height processing unit 12, an image acquisition unit 13, an image processing unit 14, an association unit 15, and an operation determination unit 16. These functional units are realized by the measurement and control PC1 executing information processing according to a program.

[0047] The height acquisition unit 11 acquires 3D point cloud data representing the height of the accumulated waste AG at each location measured by the measurement range sensor 2. Each location of the accumulated waste AG is the horizontal position of each point in the 3D point cloud data. The height processing unit 12 performs predetermined calculation processing on the 3D point cloud data acquired by the height acquisition unit 11.

[0048] The image acquisition unit 13 acquires image data captured by the image sensor 4. The image processing unit 14 performs predetermined image processing on the image data acquired by the image acquisition unit 13. Specifically, the image processing unit 14 evaluates the degree of agitation of the accumulated waste AG at each location in the image.

[0049] The association unit 15 associates the waste height and agitation degree at each position in the accumulated waste AG. The operation determination unit 16 determines the operation of the waste crane 3 based on the waste height and agitation degree at each position in the accumulated waste AG, and outputs a control command to the PLC 5 to carry out the determined operation.

[0050] The operation of the garbage crane 3 includes a grasping operation in which the bucket 31 grasps the garbage, and a dropping operation in which the garbage is dropped from the bucket 31. The dropping operation is not limited to a normal dropping operation in which the bucket 31 drops the garbage without changing its position, but may also be a scattering operation in which the bucket 31 changes its position while scattering the garbage.

[0051] As shown in Figure 5, the operation determination unit 16 includes a gripping position determination unit 161, a drop position determination unit 162, an execution feasibility determination unit 163, a statistical calculation unit 164, a candidate calculation unit 165, and an execution operation determination unit 166. The specific processes of these units will be described later.

[0052] Figure 6 is a flowchart mainly showing an example of the procedure for determining the operation of the garbage crane, which is part of the garbage crane control method implemented in the garbage crane control system 100. The measurement and control PC1 executes the information processing shown in the figure according to the program.

[0053] First, the measurement and control PC1 selects an area pattern number (S11) and determines the area assigned to crane 1 3A (hereinafter also referred to as the "crane 1 area") and the area assigned to crane 2 3B (hereinafter also referred to as the "crane 2 area") (S12).

[0054] The area patterns will be explained with reference to Figures 7 and 8. The area pattern divides the waste pit PT into an area handled by Crane No. 1, located in the Z1 direction, and an area handled by Crane No. 2, located in the Z2 direction. Multiple area patterns, identified by area pattern numbers, have different boundary positions BD between the areas handled by Crane No. 1 and Crane No. 2. Note that the area pattern divides areas 1 to 12, which are divided in the Z direction, into areas handled by each crane; areas divided in the X direction are not used for area division.

[0055] The columns for "Crane No. 1's assigned area (grabbing)", "Crane No. 1's assigned area (dropping)", "Crane No. 2's assigned area (grabbing)", and "Crane No. 2's assigned area (dropping)" in the table shown in Figure 7 contain area numbers 1 to 12, which are areas obtained by dividing the waste pit PT in the Z direction.

[0056] Specifically, the area pattern number represents a combination of multiple area patterns applied during the gripping operation, which divide the waste pit PT into areas handled by Crane No. 1 and Crane No. 2, with different boundary positions BD, and multiple area patterns applied during the dropping operation, which divide the waste pit PT into areas handled by Crane No. 1 and Crane No. 2, with different boundary positions BD.

[0057] For example, when the area pattern number is 5, during a gripping operation, the area assigned to crane 1 is only area 1, and the area assigned to crane 2 is areas 2 through 12, with the boundary position BD being between areas 1 and 2. In other words, during a gripping operation, the gripping position of crane 1 3A is determined in area 1, and the gripping position of crane 2 3B is determined in areas 2 through 12.

[0058] On the other hand, when the area pattern number is 5, during the drop operation, the area assigned to crane 1 is areas 1 to 5, and the area assigned to crane 2 is areas 6 to 12, with the boundary position BD being between areas 5 and 6 (see Figure 8). In other words, during the drop operation, the drop position for crane 1 3A is determined in areas 1 to 5, and the drop position for crane 2 3B is determined in areas 6 to 12.

[0059] When the number of areas is n (where n is a natural number), the boundary position BD can take n-1 positions, and the combination of grab operation and drop operation results in (n-1) × (n-1) possible area pattern numbers. That is, when the number of areas is 12, there are 121 possible area pattern numbers.

[0060] Furthermore, if a threshold distance is set between cranes to prevent Crane 1 3A and Crane 2 3B from getting too close, at least one of the areas handled by Crane 1 or Crane 2 may be narrowed to ensure a distance greater than or equal to the threshold. For example, if the boundary position BD is between areas 5 and 6, the area handled by Crane 1 may be narrowed to areas 1-4, or the area handled by Crane 2 may be narrowed to areas 7-12. Narrowing the areas of responsibility may result in area patterns that do not require calculation.

[0061] Let me explain why area patterns are set individually for the grasping operation and the dropping operation. For example, as shown in Figure 8, if there is a lot of waste in the receiving areas AP of areas 6, 8, and 9, and the evaluation value of the transfer operation from the receiving area AP to the transfer area RP1 is high, if the area patterns are fixed for the grasping operation and the dropping operation, the operation of crane 2 3B to grasp the waste in the receiving area AP of area 6 and drop the waste in the transfer area RP1 of area 6 will be set, and crane 1 3A will not be able to go to the receiving areas AP of areas 6, 8, and 9 to grasp the waste.

[0062] Alternatively, if crane 1 3A is set to grab the waste at receiving area AP in area 6 and drop it at transshipment area RP1 in areas 1-6, then crane 2 3B, even if it grabs the waste at receiving area AP in area 8 or 9, cannot go to transshipment area RP1 to drop the waste.

[0063] In contrast, by setting separate area patterns for the grasping operation and the dropping operation, it becomes possible to set Crane 1 3A to grasp the waste in the receiving area AP of area 6 and drop the waste in the transshipment area RP1, and Crane 2 3B to grasp the waste in the receiving area AP of area 8 or 9 and drop the waste in the transshipment area RP1, thereby enabling efficient operation of Crane 1 3A and Crane 2 3B.

[0064] Returning to the explanation of Figure 6, the measurement control PC1 then performs an operation feasibility determination for each of the areas assigned to Crane No. 1 and Crane No. 2, as determined in S12 (S13). The operation feasibility determination is performed by the grip position determination unit 161, the drop position determination unit 162, and the operation feasibility determination unit 163 (see Figure 5).

[0065] Refer to Figure 9 to explain the determination of whether an operation is possible. The operation of the waste crane 3 is a series of operations in which the bucket 31 grasps the waste in a management area selected from multiple management areas (receiving area AP, transshipment area RP1, input area RP2, and resting area, etc.), and drops the waste from the bucket 31 in that management area or another management area.

[0066] In the diagram, "Storage Area (Transshipment Destination)" represents transshipment area RP1, "Storage Area (Input)" represents input area RP2, and "Storage Area (Resting)" represents the resting area.

[0067] The types of operations for the waste crane 3 include agitation, transfer, and loading. Agitation involves picking up waste and dropping it within the same location or the same management area to agitate it. Transfer is the operation of transferring waste by dropping the picked-up waste to a different location within the same management area or to a different management area. Loading is the operation of loading the waste picked up in the storage area (loading area) into the hopper.

[0068] In each management area, conditions such as the amount of waste stored change constantly, which may result in situations where there is no suitable position to grab or drop the waste, making certain operations impossible. Therefore, as explained below, the system determines the grab or drop position in each management area to narrow down the possible operations.

[0069] First, the measurement and control PC1, based on the 3D point cloud data acquired by the range sensor 2, determines for each assigned area whether there are any grasping positions in each management area where the bucket 31 can grasp the waste, or in other words, whether there are any positions where the bucket 31 cannot grasp the waste (processing as the grasping position determination unit 161).

[0070] Specifically, the measurement and control PC1 determines whether there is a gripping position in each of the receiving area AP, transshipment area RP1, loading area RP2, and laying area included in the area handled by Crane No. 1, and similarly determines whether there is a gripping position in each of the receiving area AP, transshipment area RP1, loading area RP2, and laying area included in the area handled by Crane No. 2.

[0071] Furthermore, if the area handled by crane No. 1 does not include the receiving area AP, transshipment area RP1, loading area RP2, or laying area, the measurement control PC1 will determine that there are no gripping positions in that area. Similarly, if the area handled by crane No. 2 does not include the receiving area AP, transshipment area RP1, loading area RP2, or laying area, the PC1 will determine that there are no gripping positions in that area.

[0072] In the following explanation, a position where the bucket 31 can grasp garbage is also referred to as a "grasping OK position," and a position that is not a grasping OK position, i.e., a position where the bucket 31 cannot grasp garbage, is also referred to as a "grasping NG position."

[0073] For example, the measurement and control PC1 determines that any position in the accumulated waste AG that is below a predetermined height is a position where grasping is not possible. For instance, a position where the waste height is too low for the bucket 31 to grasp the waste is designated as a position where grasping is not possible.

[0074] Furthermore, the measurement and control PC1 determines that any position within the accumulated waste AG that has a slope greater than a predetermined level is a position where the waste cannot be grasped. For example, a position that is too sloped for the bucket 31 to grasp the waste is designated as a position where the waste cannot be grasped. The slope is calculated based on the difference in elevation of multiple surrounding positions that surround the target position.

[0075] Furthermore, the measurement and control PC1 determines that the area adjacent to the loading door DR (see Figure 1) is a "grabbing NG" position while the loading door DR is open, so that the waste being loaded from the platform PF does not hit the bucket 31.

[0076] In addition, the measurement and control PC1 also determines that areas near the edge of the waste pit PT, which are set as NG by the automatic driving system, are also NG positions. The measurement and control PC1 then designates any position that does not meet any of the conditions for an NG position as an OK position.

[0077] Next, the measurement and control PC1, based on the 3D point cloud data acquired by the range sensor 2, determines for each assigned area whether there is a drop position where waste can be dropped from the bucket 31, or in other words, whether there are any positions where waste cannot be dropped from the bucket 31 (processing as the drop position determination unit 162). Note that when the drop operation is a scattering operation, the drop position is the end point of the scattering operation.

[0078] Specifically, the measurement and control PC1 determines whether there is a drop position in each of the receiving area AP, transshipment area RP1, loading area RP2, and laying area included in the area handled by Crane No. 1, and similarly determines whether there is a drop position in each of the receiving area AP, transshipment area RP1, loading area RP2, and laying area included in the area handled by Crane No. 2.

[0079] In the following explanation, a drop position from which garbage can be dropped from bucket 31 is also referred to as an "OK drop position," and a position that is not an OK drop position, i.e., a position from which garbage cannot be dropped from bucket 31, is also referred to as an "NG drop position."

[0080] For example, the measurement and control PC1 determines that any position in the accumulated waste AG that is above a predetermined height is a position where dropping is not permitted. For instance, a position where the waste is too high to be dropped from bucket 31 is designated as a position where dropping is not permitted.

[0081] Furthermore, the measurement and control PC1 determines that dropping the waste is not allowed at any of the positions in the accumulated waste AG that have a slope greater than a predetermined level. For example, a position that is so inclined that dropping the waste from bucket 31 would cause it to tilt is designated as a position where dropping is not allowed.

[0082] Furthermore, the measurement and control PC1 determines that the area adjacent to the loading door DR (see Figure 1) is a drop-off NG position while the loading door DR is open, so that the waste being loaded from the platform PF does not hit the bucket 31.

[0083] In addition, the measurement and control PC1 also determines areas that are set as NG (not allowed) by the automatic driving system, such as near the edge of the waste pit PT, as drop-off NG locations. Then, the measurement and control PC1 designates any location that does not meet any of the drop-off NG conditions as a drop-off OK location.

[0084] Next, the measurement and control PC1 determines, for each assigned area, which operation is executable from among multiple operations, based on the results of the grab-NG judgment and drop-NG judgment (processing as the executable determination unit 163).

[0085] Specifically, the measurement and control PC1, for the area managed by Crane No. 1, excludes operations that include a management area where no grab-OK position exists (a management area where all grab-NG positions exist) as a grab position, and operations that include a management area where no drop-OK position exists (a management area where all drop-NG positions exist) as a drop position, from among multiple operations, as impossible to execute. The operations that remain after this exclusion are determined to be executable operations in the area managed by Crane No. 1.

[0086] Similarly, the measurement and control PC1, for the area managed by Crane No. 2, excludes operations that include a management area where no grab-OK position exists (a management area where all grab-NG positions exist) as a grab position, and operations that include a management area where no drop-OK position exists (a management area where all drop-NG positions exist) as a drop position, from among multiple operations, as impossible to execute. The operations that remain after this exclusion are determined to be executable operations in the area managed by Crane No. 2.

[0087] For example, in the example shown in Figure 9, in the area managed by Crane No. 1, the drop failure rate for the transshipment area RP1 is 100%, and operations where the drop location is transshipment area RP1 are judged as NG (Not Valid). In other words, stirring operations where both the gripping and drop locations are transshipment area RP1, and transshipment operations where the gripping location is receiving area AP and the drop location is transshipment area RP1, are judged as NG (Not Valid). Note that in the example shown in Figure 9, no laying area is set.

[0088] For loading operations where the drop location is hoppers 1 to 3, the measurement and control PC1 determines whether crane 1 3A can move from the area handled by crane 1 to each hopper. If it can move, it determines the operation is feasible (OK); if it cannot move, it determines the operation is feasible (NG). Similarly, the measurement and control PC1 determines whether crane 2 3B can move from the area handled by crane 2 to each hopper. If it can move, it determines the operation is feasible (OK); if it cannot move, it determines the operation is feasible (NG).

[0089] Furthermore, the measurement and control PC1 determines whether it is possible to move to the hopper, as well as whether there is a loading request. If there is a loading request, it determines it is possible (OK), and if there is no loading request, it determines it is not possible (NG). The measurement and control PC1 also makes a feasibility determination for the corresponding crane for each hopper. That is, when the corresponding crane for hopper No. 1 is crane No. 1 3A, the feasibility determination for hopper No. 1 is made only for crane No. 1 3A, and crane No. 2 3B is always determined to be unsuitable (NG).

[0090] Returning to the explanation of Figure 6, the measurement and control PC1 then calculates summary statistics for each of the areas assigned to Crane No. 1 and Crane No. 2, as determined in S12 (S14). The calculation of summary statistics is a process performed by the statistics calculation unit 164 (see Figure 5).

[0091] Refer to Figure 10 to explain the calculation of summary statistics. The measurement control PC1 calculates predetermined summary statistics for each of the multiple management areas for each assigned area, based on the waste height at each position of the accumulated waste AG measured by the range sensor 2 and the degree of agitation at each position of the accumulated waste AG determined from the image captured by the image sensor 4.

[0092] Summary statistics include, for example, the maximum, minimum, and average waste height, as well as the maximum, minimum, and average degree of agitation. These summary statistics are used to determine the operating candidates for waste cranes 3A and 3B.

[0093] Specifically, the measurement and control PC1 calculates the maximum, minimum, and average waste height, as well as the maximum, minimum, and average degree of agitation, for each of the receiving area AP, transshipment area RP1, input area RP2, and resting area included in the area managed by Crane No. 1.

[0094] Similarly, the measurement and control PC1 calculates the maximum, minimum, and average waste height, as well as the maximum, minimum, and average degree of agitation, for each of the receiving area AP, transshipment area RP1, input area RP2, and resting area included in the area managed by Crane No. 2.

[0095] Returning to the explanation of Figure 6, the measurement and control PC1 then determines an operation candidate pair, which includes an operation candidate for crane 3A in the area controlled by crane 1, and an operation candidate for crane 3B in the area controlled by crane 2 (S15). The determination of the operation candidate pair is a process performed by the candidate calculation unit 165 (see Figure 5).

[0096] Specifically, the measurement and control PC1 selects, from among the operations determined to be executable in S13, the operation candidate for Crane 1 3A in the Crane 1 area and the operation candidate for Crane 2 3B in the Crane 2 area, based on the summary statistics calculated in S14. The operation candidate is defined by the operation content (mixing operation, transshipment operation, or loading operation) and the target position (grabbing position and dropping position).

[0097] For example, the measurement and control PC1 may select a stirring operation in a controlled area as an operation candidate if the degree of agitation in that controlled area is lower than a predetermined agitation threshold. Alternatively, the measurement and control PC1 may select a transfer operation that includes the controlled area as a gripping position as an operation candidate if the waste height in the controlled area is higher than a predetermined gripping height threshold. Furthermore, the measurement and control PC1 may select a transfer operation that includes the controlled area as a drop position as an operation candidate if the waste height in the controlled area is lower than a predetermined drop height threshold.

[0098] This makes it more likely that stirring operations will be selected as a candidate operation if there are control areas with a relatively low degree of agitation. Also, if there are control areas with a relatively high waste height, transshipment operations that include that control area as a gripping position will be selected as a candidate operation. Also, if there are control areas with a relatively low waste height, transshipment operations that include that control area as a drop position will be selected as a candidate operation.

[0099] Next, the measurement and control PC1 increments the area pattern number (S16), and for the new area pattern number, it repeats the process of determining the crane's assigned area (S12), determining whether the operation is feasible (S13), calculating summary statistics (S14), and determining candidate operation pairs (S15). These processes S12 to S16 are repeated until the area pattern number reaches its maximum value (S17).

[0100] When the area pattern number reaches its maximum value, the measurement control PC1 then performs an execution operation determination, deciding which operations to be performed by crane 1 3A and crane 2 3B from among the candidate operation pairs calculated for each area pattern number (S18). The execution operation determination is a process performed by the execution operation determination unit 166 (see Figure 5).

[0101] Refer to Figure 11 to explain the determination of the execution operation. As a result of repeating the processes S12 to S16 described above, all area pattern numbers are set with the operation candidate for crane 3A No. 1 and the operation candidate for crane 3B No. 2, which constitute the operation candidate pair.

[0102] Each operation has an operation evaluation value set according to its type. The measurement and control PC1 calculates the sum of the operation evaluation values ​​of candidate operation pairs for each area pattern number and selects the candidate operation pair with the highest sum of operation evaluation values ​​as the operation to be performed by Crane 1 3A and Crane 2 3B.

[0103] The types of operations include stirring, transshipment, and loading, and each of these has further operations specific to the control area where the gripping or dropping position is located (see Figure 9).

[0104] The operational evaluation value may change depending on the facility's operating status. Since the facility's operating status changes depending on the day of the week, time of day, or the number of furnaces in operation, changing the operational evaluation value accordingly makes it possible to select operations that are appropriate for the facility's operating status.

[0105] For example, during peak hours when garbage is being brought in by packer trucks (CV), the operational evaluation value for lowering the garbage height in the receiving area (AP) may be increased, or on the day before a holiday, the operational evaluation value for lowering the garbage height in the storage area (RP) may be increased.

[0106] If the sum of the operational evaluation values ​​of multiple candidate pairs of operations is the same, one operation will be selected from among those candidate pairs, taking into consideration factors such as the height of the debris at the grasping position, the height of the debris at the dropping position, and the amount of movement.

[0107] Returning to the explanation of Figure 6, the measurement and control PC1 then outputs operation commands to the PLC5 to implement the operation of Crane 1 3A and Crane 2 3B determined in S18 (S19). The PLC5 and the crane control device 6 control Crane 1 3A and Crane 2 3B according to the specified operation pattern.

[0108] The following describes examples of output for operation commands for Crane 1 3A and Crane 2 3B. As shown in Figure 12A, if there are no current operation commands for Crane 1 3A and Crane 2 3B, the measurement control PC1 sets the determined operation commands for Crane 1 3A and Crane 2 3B as the current operation commands.

[0109] As shown in Figure 12B, if there are current operation commands for Crane 1 3A and Crane 2 3B, and no operation commands for the next operation, the measurement and control PC1 sets the determined operation commands for Crane 1 3A and Crane 2 3B as the next operation commands.

[0110] As shown in Figure 12C, if both Crane 1 3A and Crane 2 3B have current and next operation details, the measurement and control PC1 overwrites the determined operation commands for Crane 1 3A and Crane 2 3B with the next operation details.

[0111] Figure 13 shows an example of the standby operation of garbage cranes 3A and 3B. In this figure, the current position of bucket 31A of crane 1 3A is represented as "31A", the gripping position as "Grab A", and the dropping position as "Drop A". The current position of bucket 31B of crane 2 3B is represented as "31B", the gripping position as "Grab B", and the dropping position as "Drop B".

[0112] The operation of Crane 1 3A and Crane 2 3B are basically performed together, but due to differences in the travel distance of buckets 31A and 31B, the gripping or dropping operations are not performed perfectly simultaneously, and there may be timing discrepancies.

[0113] For example, as shown in Figure 13, if the gripping position of crane 1 3A is in the Z2 direction more than the dropping position of crane 2 3B, and the gripping operation of crane 1 3A is slower than the gripping operation of crane 2 3B, there is a risk that crane 2 3B may interfere with crane 1 3A while moving to the dropping position.

[0114] Therefore, if the gripping position of crane 1 3A is in the Z2 direction and closer to the gripping position of crane 2 3B than the dropping position of crane 2 3B, the measurement and control PC1 will have crane 2 3B wait at a position in the Z2 direction from the gripping position of crane 1 3A, that is, at a position between the gripping position of crane 1 3A and the gripping position of crane 2 3B, until the gripping operation of crane 1 3A is completed. The waiting of crane 2 3B is performed, for example, at a position with a distance CL of at least a threshold of inter-crane distance in the Z2 direction from the gripping position of crane 1 3A.

[0115] Similarly, if the gripping position of crane 2 3B is in the Z1 direction and closer to the gripping position of crane 1 3A than the dropping position of crane 1 3A, the measurement and control PC1 will have crane 1 3A wait at a position in the Z1 direction from the gripping position of crane 2 3B, i.e., a position between the gripping position of crane 1 3A and the gripping position of crane 2 3B, until the gripping operation of crane 2 3B is completed. The waiting of crane 1 3A is performed, for example, at a position with a distance CL of at least a threshold of inter-crane distance in the Z1 direction relative to the gripping position of crane 2 3B.

[0116] Although Figure 13 shows an example where the dropping operation of Crane 1 3A and Crane 2 3B is a scattering operation, the operation of keeping Crane 1 3A or Crane 2 3B on standby is not limited to scattering operations, but also applies to normal dropping operations where the bucket 31 drops the waste without changing its position.

[0117] Figure 14 shows an example of the retraction operation of garbage cranes 3A and 3B. When the distance between crane 1 3A and crane 2 3B falls below a threshold, the measurement and control PC1 retracts crane 1 3A in the Z1 direction and crane 2 3B in the Z2 direction to avoid interference between the two cranes. The distance between cranes is the distance between girders 33A and 33B (see Figure 2).

[0118] Specifically, when the distance between cranes falls below a threshold, the measurement and control PC1 moves crane 1 3A to a crane 1 retraction area located in the Z1 direction relative to crane 2 3B, and moves crane 2 3B to a crane 2 retraction area located in the Z2 direction relative to crane 1 3A.

[0119] Then, the measurement and control PC1 moves crane 1 3A to the crane 1 evacuation area and crane 2 3B to the crane 2 evacuation area, resets the operation of crane 1 3A and crane 2 3B, and resumes operation.

[0120] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are of course possible for those skilled in the art. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0121] 1 Measurement and control PC, 2 Range sensor, 3 (3A, 3B) Waste crane, 31 (31A, 31B) Bucket, 33 (33A, 33B) Girder, 35 Trolley, 39 Rail, 4 Image sensor, 5 PLC, 6 Crane control device, 11 Height acquisition unit, 12 Height processing unit, 13 Image acquisition unit, 14 Image processing unit, 15 Association unit, 16 Operation determination unit, 100 Waste crane control system, 161 Grab position determination unit, 162 Drop position determination unit, 163 Feasibility determination unit, 164 Statistical calculation unit, 165 Candidate calculation unit, 166 Execution operation determination unit, PT Waste pit, AP Receiving area, RP Storage area, RP1 Transfer area, RP2 Input area, H1~H3 Hopper, AG Accumulated waste, PF Platform, DR Loading door

Claims

1. First and second waste cranes, A candidate calculation unit calculates operation candidate pairs for each of multiple area patterns in which the waste pit is divided into a first area for the first waste crane and a second area for the second waste crane, where the boundary positions of each area are different, and which includes operation candidate pairs for the first waste crane in the first area and operation candidate pairs for the second waste crane in the second area. An operation determination unit selects one pair of operation candidates from the operation candidate pairs calculated for each of the multiple area patterns, and determines the operation of the first garbage crane in the first assigned area and the operation of the second garbage crane in the second assigned area. A crane control unit controls the first and second waste cranes according to the determined operation of the first and second waste cranes, A garbage crane control system equipped with the following features.

2. The operation of the first and second garbage cranes includes a grasping operation to grasp garbage with a bucket and a dropping operation to release garbage from the bucket. The waste crane control system according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned multiple area patterns are A plurality of area patterns, each with different boundary positions, which divide the waste pit into a first area and a second area, are applied during the aforementioned grasping operation. A plurality of area patterns, each with different boundary positions, which divide the waste pit into a first area and a second area, are applied during the aforementioned drop operation. The combination is The waste crane control system according to claim 2.

4. A visual sensor that senses the surface of the accumulated waste in the waste pit, Based on the visual data acquired by the visual sensor, a gripping position determination unit determines whether there is a gripping position in each of the multiple management areas partitioned within the waste pit for the purpose of managing waste, in which the bucket can grasp the waste. Based on the aforementioned visual data, a drop position determination unit determines whether there is a drop position in each of the multiple management areas from which garbage can be dropped from the bucket, An execution feasibility determination unit determines which operations are feasible from among a plurality of operations, which include grasping garbage with the bucket in a management area selected from the plurality of management areas and dropping the garbage from the bucket in the selected management area or another management area, based on the determination result of the grasping position and the determination result of the dropping position. Furthermore, The candidate calculation unit selects from the executable operations a candidate operation for the first waste crane in the first assigned area and a candidate operation for the second waste crane in the second assigned area. The waste crane control system according to claim 2.

5. A visual sensor that senses the surface of the accumulated waste in the waste pit, A statistical calculation unit calculates a predetermined statistical quantity for each of the multiple management areas that are divided within the waste pit for the purpose of managing waste, based on the visual data acquired by the aforementioned visual sensor. Furthermore, The candidate calculation unit selects, based on the statistical quantities, a candidate for the operation of the first waste crane in the first assigned area and a candidate for the operation of the second waste crane in the second assigned area. The waste crane control system according to claim 2.

6. The operation determination unit is, Based on the evaluation value set for each of the aforementioned operation candidates, the sum of the evaluation values ​​of the pair of operation candidates is calculated. Based on the sum of the evaluation values, one pair of candidate operations is selected from the candidate pairs of operations. The waste crane control system according to claim 1.

7. The aforementioned evaluation value changes depending on the facility's operating status. The waste crane control system according to claim 6.

8. The crane control unit, when the operation of the first waste crane and the operation of the second waste crane interfere with each other, will put one of the first waste crane and the second waste crane into standby mode. The waste crane control system according to claim 3.

9. The crane control unit, when the distance between the first waste crane and the second waste crane falls below a predetermined level, moves the first waste crane to a first evacuation area away from the second waste crane, and moves the second waste crane to a second evacuation area away from the first waste crane. The waste crane control system according to claim 1.

10. A garbage crane control method for controlling the first and second garbage cranes, For each of the multiple area patterns in which the waste pit is divided into a first area for the first waste crane and a second area for the second waste crane, with each boundary position being different from the others, a pair of operation candidates is calculated, including an operation candidate for the first waste crane in the first area and an operation candidate for the second waste crane in the second area. From the candidate pairs of operations calculated for each of the multiple area patterns, one candidate pair of operations is selected to determine the operation of the first garbage crane in the first assigned area and the operation of the second garbage crane in the second assigned area. Controlling the first and second waste cranes according to the determined operation of the first and second waste cranes, A method for controlling a garbage crane.

11. For each of the multiple area patterns in which the waste pit is divided into a first area for the first waste crane and a second area for the second waste crane, with each boundary position being different from the others, a pair of operation candidates is calculated, which includes an operation candidate for the first waste crane in the first area and an operation candidate for the second waste crane in the second area. Select one pair of operation candidates from the operation candidate pairs calculated for each of the multiple area patterns, and determine the operation of the first garbage crane in the first assigned area and the operation of the second garbage crane in the second assigned area. A program that causes a computer to execute something.

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