Excavators, excavator management systems

Abstract

To improve safety.SOLUTION: A shovel has: an operator cab with an operation device inside; and a control device that, during control of action elements based on operation of an external operation device provided outside the operator cab, receives an instruction to switch to control of the action elements based on operation of the operation device, and switches control of the action elements to control based on the operation of the operation device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an excavator and a management system for an excavator. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Construction machines having a function for switching between on-board control and radio control have been known. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3375092 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The above-mentioned conventional technology describes switching between control methods, but does not describe which control method should be prioritized depending on the situation. As a result, with the conventional technology, there is a possibility that the construction machine will be controlled in a way that is not the control method that should be prioritized.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, the object is to improve safety. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A shovel according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a driver's cab having an operation device provided therein, and a control device that, during control of an operation element based on operation of an external operation device provided outside the driver's cab, receives a switch instruction to control the operation element based on operation of the operation device, and switches the control of the operation element to control based on operation of the operation device, wherein the switch instruction includes a switch instruction generated based on operation of the external operation device and a switch instruction generated based on operation of the operation device. when the switching instruction is generated based on the operation of the operation device, the control device transmits a notification indicating the switching, including a request for change to control of the operation element based on the operation of the external operation device, to an external control device that controls the external operation device, and when the switching instruction is generated based on the operation of the external operation device, receives a notification indicating the switching, including a request for change to control of the operation element based on the operation of the operation device, from the external control device that controls the external operation device. It's a shovel.

[0008] Also, there is provided a management system for a shovel including a shovel and an external operation device provided outside the shovel, wherein the shovel has a driver's cab with an operation device provided therein, and a control device that, during control of an operation element based on an operation signal received from the external operation device, receives a switch instruction to control of the operation element based on operation of the operation device and switches the control of the operation element to control based on operation of the operation device, and the switch instruction includes a switch instruction generated based on operation of the external operation device and a switch instruction generated based on operation of the operation device. When the switching instruction is generated based on the operation of the operation device, the control device transmits a notification indicating the switching, including a request for change to control of the operation element based on the operation of the external operation device, to an external control device that controls the external operation device; and when the switching instruction is generated based on the operation of the external operation device, receives a notification indicating the switching, including a request for change to control of the operation element based on the operation of the operation device, from the external control device that controls the external operation device. , an excavator management system. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] Safety can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a shovel according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a drive system of a shovel. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an electrical system mounted on the excavator. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the area around the driver's seat in the cabin seen from above. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a first diagram illustrating an example of a remote control room. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a second diagram illustrating an example of a remote control room. [Figure 7] 1 is a first flowchart illustrating the operation of a shovel. [Figure 8] 10 is a second flowchart illustrating the operation of the shovel. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of a management system for an excavator. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Non-limiting exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0013] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an excavator according to an embodiment of the present invention. An upper rotating body 3 is rotatably mounted on a lower traveling body 1 of the excavator 100 via a rotating mechanism 2. A boom 4 is attached to the upper rotating body 3. An arm 5 is attached to the tip of the boom 4, and a bucket 6 is attached to the tip of the arm 5 as an end attachment.

[0014] The boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6 constitute an excavation attachment, which is an example of an attachment. The boom 4 is driven by a boom cylinder 7, the arm 5 is driven by an arm cylinder 8, and the bucket 6 is driven by a bucket cylinder 9.

[0015] A boom angle sensor S1 is attached to the boom 4, an arm angle sensor S2 is attached to the arm 5, and a bucket angle sensor S3 is attached to the bucket link. A swing angular velocity sensor S4 is attached to the upper swing body 3.

[0016] The boom angle sensor S1 is one of the attitude detection sensors and is configured to detect the rotation angle of the boom 4. In this embodiment, the boom angle sensor S1 is a stroke sensor that detects the stroke amount of the boom cylinder 7, and derives the rotation angle of the boom 4 around the boom foot pin that connects the upper rotating body 3 and the boom 4 based on the stroke amount of the boom cylinder 7.

[0017] The arm angle sensor S2 is one of the posture detection sensors and is configured to detect the rotation angle of the arm 5. In this embodiment, the arm angle sensor S2 is a stroke sensor that detects the stroke amount of the arm cylinder 8, and derives the rotation angle of the arm 5 around the connecting pin that connects the boom 4 and the arm 5 based on the stroke amount of the arm cylinder 8.

[0018] The bucket angle sensor S3 is one of the posture detection sensors and is configured to detect the rotation angle of the bucket 6. In this embodiment, the bucket angle sensor S3 is a stroke sensor that detects the stroke amount of the bucket cylinder 9, and derives the rotation angle of the bucket 6 around the connecting pin that connects the arm 5 and the bucket 6 based on the stroke amount of the bucket cylinder 9.

[0019] Each of the boom angle sensor S1, arm angle sensor S2, and bucket angle sensor S3 may be a rotary encoder, an acceleration sensor, a potentiometer (variable resistor), an inclination sensor, an inertial measurement unit, etc. The inertial measurement unit may be configured, for example, by combining an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor.

[0020] The rotation angular velocity sensor S4 is configured to detect the rotation angular velocity of the upper rotating body 3. In this embodiment, the rotation angular velocity sensor S4 is a gyro sensor. The rotation angular velocity sensor S4 may be configured to calculate a rotation angle based on the rotation angular velocity. The rotation angular velocity sensor S4 may also be configured with other sensors such as a rotary encoder.

[0021] The upper rotating body 3 is equipped with a cabin 10 serving as a driver's room, an engine 11, a positioning device 18, a sound collection device A1, an imaging device C1, a communication device T1, etc. A controller 30 is also installed inside the cabin 10. A driver's seat, operating devices, etc. are also installed inside the cabin 10. However, the excavator 100 may be an unmanned excavator in which the cabin 10 is omitted.

[0022] The engine 11 is a drive source of the excavator 100. In this embodiment, the engine 11 is a diesel engine. An output shaft of the engine 11 is connected to input shafts of the main pump 14 and the pilot pump 15, respectively.

[0023] The positioning device 18 is configured to measure the position of the excavator 100. In this embodiment, the positioning device 18 is a GNSS compass, and is configured to be able to measure the position and orientation of the upper rotating body 3.

[0024] The sound collector A1 is configured to collect sounds generated around the excavator 100. In this embodiment, the sound collector A1 is a microphone attached to the upper rotating body 3.

[0025] The imaging device C1 is configured to capture images of the surroundings of the excavator 100. In this embodiment, the imaging device C1 includes a rear camera C1B attached to the rear end of the upper surface of the upper rotating body 3, a front camera C1F attached to the front end of the upper surface of the cabin 10, a left camera C1L attached to the left end of the upper surface of the upper rotating body 3, and a right camera C1R attached to the right end of the upper surface of the upper rotating body 3. The imaging device C1 may be a spherical camera installed at a predetermined position within the cabin 10. The predetermined position is, for example, a position corresponding to the eye position of an operator seated in a driver's seat installed within the cabin 10.

[0026] The communication device T1 is configured to control communication with devices external to the shovel 100. In this embodiment, the communication device T1 is configured to control wireless communication between the communication device T1 and devices external to the shovel 100 via a wireless communication network.

[0027] Specifically, the excavator 100 of this embodiment may communicate with a remote control room RC, which will be described later, via the communication device T1, and operate in response to an operation signal received by the communication device T1 from the remote control room RC.

[0028] The controller 30 is a calculation device that executes various calculations. In this embodiment, the controller 30 is configured as a microcomputer including a CPU and a memory. The various functions of the controller 30 are realized by the CPU executing programs stored in the memory.

[0029] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a drive system of an excavator. In Figure 2, mechanical power transmission lines are indicated by double lines, hydraulic oil lines by thick solid lines, pilot lines by dashed lines, and electrical control lines by dotted lines.

[0030] The drive system of the excavator 100 is made up of an engine 11, a regulator 13, a main pump 14, a pilot pump 15, a control valve unit 17, a controller 30, and a solenoid valve unit 45. The engine 11 is drive-controlled by an engine control unit 74.

[0031] The main pump 14 supplies hydraulic oil to a control valve unit 17 via a hydraulic oil line 16. In this embodiment, the main pump 14 is a swash plate type variable displacement hydraulic pump.

[0032] The regulator 13 is configured to control the discharge amount of the main pump 14. In this embodiment, the regulator 13 is configured to adjust the tilt angle of the swash plate of the main pump 14 in response to the discharge pressure of the main pump 14 or a control signal from the controller 30. The discharge amount (displacement volume) of the main pump 14 per rotation is controlled by the regulator 13.

[0033] The pilot pump 15 is configured to supply hydraulic oil to various hydraulic control devices via a pilot line 25. In this embodiment, the pilot pump 15 is a fixed displacement hydraulic pump. However, the pilot pump 15 may be omitted. In this case, the function of the pilot pump 15 may be realized by the main pump 14. That is, the main pump 14 may have a function of supplying hydraulic oil to the solenoid valve unit 45 and the like via a throttle or the like, in addition to the function of supplying hydraulic oil to the control valve unit 17.

[0034] The control valve unit 17 is configured to selectively supply hydraulic oil received from the main pump 14 to one or more hydraulic actuators. In this embodiment, the control valve unit 17 includes a plurality of control valves corresponding to the plurality of hydraulic actuators. The control valve unit 17 is configured to selectively supply hydraulic oil discharged from the main pump 14 to one or more hydraulic actuators. The hydraulic actuators include, for example, a boom cylinder 7, an arm cylinder 8, a bucket cylinder 9, a left-side traveling hydraulic motor 1L, a right-side traveling hydraulic motor 1R, and a swing hydraulic motor 2A.

[0035] The controller 30 is configured to control the solenoid valve unit 45 based on an operation signal received through the communication device T1. In this embodiment, the operation signal may be transmitted from a remote control room RC. Alternatively, the operation signal may be generated by an operation device provided in the cabin 10. The remote control room RC and the operation device provided in the cabin 10 will be described in detail later.

[0036] The solenoid valve unit 45 includes a plurality of solenoid valves arranged in the pilot lines 25 that connect the pilot pump 15 to the pilot ports of the control valves in the control valve unit 17 .

[0037] In this embodiment, the controller 30 can control the pilot pressure acting on the pilot port of each control valve by individually controlling the opening area of ​​each of the multiple solenoid valves. Therefore, the controller 30 can control the flow rate of hydraulic oil flowing into each hydraulic actuator and the flow rate of hydraulic oil flowing out of each hydraulic actuator, and therefore can control the movement of each hydraulic actuator.

[0038] In this way, the controller 30 can raise and lower the boom 4, open and close the arm 5, open and close the bucket 6, rotate the upper rotating body 3, and move the lower traveling body 1, etc., in response to operation signals from outside, such as a remote control room.

[0039] Furthermore, the controller 30 of this embodiment switches between control of the operating elements (hydraulic actuators) based on operation signals generated by an operating device installed in the cabin 10 and control of the operating elements (hydraulic actuators) based on operation signals received from the remote control room RC, depending on the operator's instructions.

[0040] The functions of the controller 30 of this embodiment will be described below. The controller 30 of this embodiment has a switching unit 31, an autonomous control unit 32, and a stop command generation unit 33. Each of these functions is realized by the CPU reading and executing a program stored in the controller 30.

[0041] The switching unit 31 switches the operation signal used to control the hydraulic actuator in response to the operation of an operation device provided in the cabin 10 for issuing a switching instruction.

[0042] Specifically, the switching unit 31 switches the operation signal used to control the operation element from an operation signal received from the remote control room RC to an operation signal generated by an operation device provided in the cabin 10, in response to an operation inside the cabin 10. In other words, the switching unit 31 receives an instruction to switch to an operation inside the cabin 10 during remote operation, and switches the control of the operation element to control based on the operation inside the cabin 10.

[0043] Furthermore, the switching unit 31 switches the operation signal used to control the operation elements from the operation signal generated by the autonomous control unit 32 to the operation signal received from the remote control room RC in response to an operation inside the cabin 10. In other words, upon receiving an instruction to switch to remote control during autonomous operation, the switching unit 31 switches the control of the operation elements to control based on remote control.

[0044] The autonomous control unit 32 autonomously makes various decisions, and based on the results of those decisions, autonomously determines the operation content of the operating element (hydraulic actuator) that is the target of the autonomous operation, and generates an operation signal according to the determined operation content, thereby realizing the autonomous operation function of the shovel 100.

[0045] The stop command generating unit 33 generates a stop command for the operation elements in response to the operation of an operation device for issuing a stop command provided in the cabin 10, and transmits the stop command to each operation element.

[0046] The operation of the controller 30 using these components will be described in detail later.

[0047] Next, the configuration of the management system SYS including the shovel 100 and the drive system of the shovel 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an electrical system mounted on the shovel.

[0048] 3, the shovel 100 is included in a management system SYS for the shovel 100. The management system SYS includes the shovel 100, a management device 90 that communicates with the shovel 100, and a remote control room RC. Note that the number of shovels 100 included in the management system SYS may be any number.

[0049] The drive system of the excavator 100 mainly includes an engine 11, a main pump 14, a pilot pump 15, a control valve unit 17, an operating device 26, a controller 30, an engine control unit (ECU) 74, an engine speed adjustment dial 75, an operating valve 110, etc.

[0050] The engine 11 is a drive source of the excavator 100, and is, for example, a diesel engine that operates to maintain a predetermined rotation speed. The output shaft of the engine 11 is connected to the input shafts of the main pump 14 and the pilot pump 15.

[0051] The main pump 14 is a hydraulic pump that supplies hydraulic oil to a control valve unit 17 via a hydraulic oil line 16, and is, for example, a swash plate type variable displacement hydraulic pump.

[0052] The pilot pump 15 is a hydraulic pump for supplying hydraulic oil to various hydraulic control devices via a pilot line 25, and is, for example, a fixed displacement hydraulic pump.

[0053] The control valve unit 17 is a hydraulic control valve that controls the hydraulic system in the excavator 100. The control valve unit 17 selectively supplies hydraulic oil supplied from the main pump 14 to, for example, one or more of the boom cylinder 7, arm cylinder 8, bucket cylinder 9, traveling hydraulic motor (right) 1A, traveling hydraulic motor (left) 1B, and swing hydraulic motor 2A. In the following description, the boom cylinder 7, arm cylinder 8, bucket cylinder 9, traveling hydraulic motor (right) 1A, traveling hydraulic motor (left) 1B, and swing hydraulic motor 2A will be collectively referred to as the "hydraulic actuators."

[0054] The operating device 26 is a device used by an operator to operate the hydraulic actuators, and supplies hydraulic oil from the pilot pump 15 to pilot ports of flow control valves corresponding to the hydraulic actuators via a pilot line 25. The pressure of the hydraulic oil supplied to each pilot port is set to a pressure according to the operation direction and operation amount of operating levers 26A to 26D corresponding to the hydraulic actuators. The operating device 26 also includes operating switches 26a, 26b, and 26c, which will be described later.

[0055] The ECU 74 is a device that controls the engine 11. For example, based on a command value from the controller 30, the ECU 74 outputs to the engine 11 a fuel injection amount and the like for controlling the rotation speed of the engine 11 in accordance with the engine rotation speed (mode) set by the operator using the engine rotation speed adjustment dial 75.

[0056] The engine speed adjustment dial 75 is a dial for adjusting the engine speed, and in this embodiment of the present invention, the engine speed can be switched between four levels. For example, the engine speed adjustment dial 75 can switch the engine speed between four levels: SP mode, H mode, A mode, and IDLE mode. Note that FIG. 3 shows a state in which the H mode is selected with the engine speed adjustment dial 75.

[0057] The SP mode is a work mode selected when priority is given to the amount of work, and uses the highest engine speed. The H mode is a work mode selected when priority is given to both the amount of work and fuel economy, and uses the second highest engine speed. The A mode is a work mode selected when priority is given to fuel economy while operating the excavator 100 with low noise, and uses the third highest engine speed. The IDLE mode is a work mode selected when the engine is to be kept idling, and uses the lowest engine speed. The engine 11 is constantly controlled at the engine speed of the work mode set by the engine speed adjustment dial 75.

[0058] The operating valve 110 is a valve used by the controller 30 to operate the hydraulic actuators, and supplies hydraulic oil supplied from the pilot pump 15 via the pilot line 25 to the pilot ports of the flow control valves corresponding to each of the hydraulic actuators. The pressure of the hydraulic oil supplied to each pilot port is set to a pressure corresponding to a control signal from the controller 30. The operating valve 110 is provided on at least one of the rod side and bottom side of the cylinders of the boom 4, arm 5, and bucket 6 that make up the attachment, corresponding to the specified operation. It may also be provided on both the rod side and the bottom side.

[0059] In addition, the right traveling hydraulic motor 1A, the left traveling hydraulic motor 1B, and the swing hydraulic motor 2A are provided on at least one of the discharge side and the suction side, but may also be provided on both the discharge side and the suction side.

[0060] In this case, the specified operation can be performed even when the operating device 26 is in the neutral position. Also, a pressure reducing valve disposed between the operating device 26 and the control valve unit 17 may function as the operating valve 110. In this case, a stable operation command can be given to the control valve unit 17 by sending a pressure reducing command from the controller 30 to the pressure reducing valve with the operating device 26 fully tilted.

[0061] The shovel 100 is also provided with a display device D1. The display device D1 is connected to the controller 30 via a communication network such as a controller area network (CAN) or a local interconnect network (LIN). The display device D1 may also be connected to the controller 30 via a dedicated line.

[0062] The display device D1 also includes a conversion processing unit D1a that generates an image to be displayed on the image display unit D11. The conversion processing unit D1a generates a camera image to be displayed on the image display unit D11 based on the output of the imaging device C1. For this purpose, the imaging device C1 is connected to the display device D1 via, for example, a dedicated line. The conversion processing unit D1a also generates an image to be displayed on the image display unit D11 based on the output of the controller 30.

[0063] The imaging device C1 includes a front monitoring camera C1F, a left side monitoring camera C1L, a rear monitoring camera C1B, and a right side monitoring camera C1R.

[0064] The forward monitoring camera C1F is provided on the front side of the cabin 10, for example, on the ceiling of the cabin 10, and captures images of the area in front of the excavator 100 and the operations of the boom 4, arm 5, and bucket 6. The left side monitoring camera C1L is provided on the left side of the upper part of the cover 3a of the upper rotating body 3, for example, and captures images of the area to the left of the excavator 100.

[0065] The rear monitoring camera C1B is provided on the rear side of the upper rotating body 3, for example, on the rear side of the upper cover of the upper rotating body 3, and captures images of the area behind the excavator 100. The right side monitoring camera C1R is provided, for example, on the right side of the upper cover of the upper rotating body 3, and captures images of the area to the right of the excavator 100. The front monitoring camera C1F, left side monitoring camera C1L, rear monitoring camera C1B, and right side monitoring camera C1R are digital cameras having imaging elements such as CCD or CMOS, and each transmits the captured images to a display device D1 provided in the cabin 10.

[0066] The conversion processing unit D1a may be realized as a function of the controller 30, rather than as a function of the display device D1. In this case, the imaging device C1 is connected to the controller 30, rather than to the display device D1.

[0067] The display device D1 also includes a switch panel as an input unit D12. The switch panel is a panel including various hardware switches. The switch panel includes, for example, a light switch, a wiper switch, and a window washer switch as hardware buttons.

[0068] The display device D1 operates by receiving power from a storage battery 70. The storage battery 70 is charged with power generated by an alternator 11a (generator) of the engine 11. The power of the storage battery 70 is also supplied to electrical components 72 of the excavator 100 other than the controller 30 and the display device D1. The starter 11b of the engine 11 is driven by power from the storage battery 70 to start the engine 11.

[0069] The engine 11 is controlled by an ECU 74. The ECU 74 constantly transmits various data indicating the state of the engine 11 (for example, data indicating the coolant temperature detected by the water temperature sensor 11c) to the controller 30 via a communication network such as a CAN.

[0070] Therefore, the controller 30 can store this data in the temporary storage unit 30a and transmit it to the display device D1 when necessary.

[0071] In the following description, various data indicating the state of the engine, which is transmitted from the ECU 74 to the controller 30 via the CAN, may be referred to as "CAN data." Therefore, data indicating the coolant temperature detected by the water temperature sensor 11c is included in the CAN data. The CAN data also includes command values ​​input from the controller 30 to the ECU 74, the engine speed of the engine 11, the fuel injection amount (engine load factor), etc.

[0072] In this embodiment, the ECU 74 may be one of the status detection sensors for detecting the status of the engine 11. In this case, the CAN data is included in the detection value (output data) of the status detection sensor. In the following description, it is assumed that the detection value of the status detection sensor also includes the CAN data.

[0073] Furthermore, various data are supplied to the controller 30 as follows and stored in the temporary storage unit 30a of the controller 30. The stored data can be transmitted to the display device D1 when necessary.

[0074] First, data indicating the swash plate angle is sent from a regulator 14a of the main pump 14, which is a variable displacement hydraulic pump, to the controller 30. Data indicating the discharge pressure of the main pump 14 is also sent from a discharge pressure sensor 14b to the controller 30. An oil temperature sensor 14c is provided in the pipeline between the main pump 14 and a tank that stores the hydraulic oil to be sucked into the main pump 14, and data indicating the temperature of the hydraulic oil flowing through the pipeline is sent from the oil temperature sensor 14c to the controller 30.

[0075] Furthermore, the pilot pressure sent to the control valve unit 17 when the operation levers 26A to 26C are operated is detected by the hydraulic sensors 15a and 15b, and data indicating the detected pilot pressure is sent to the controller 30.

[0076] Furthermore, data indicating the setting state of the engine speed is constantly transmitted from the engine speed adjustment dial 75 to the controller 30 .

[0077] The shovel 100 is also capable of mutual communication with the management device 90 via a communication network 93. The shovel 100 is also capable of mutual communication with the remote control room RC via the communication network 93. The shovel 100 may also communicate with the remote control room RC via the management device 90.

[0078] The management device 90 is, for example, a computer or the like installed at the manufacturer or service center of the shovel 100, and allows specialized staff (designers, etc.) to remotely grasp the status of the shovel 100. The controller 30 can accumulate data of detected values ​​from various status detection sensors included in the shovel 100 in the temporary storage unit 30a, etc., and transmit the data to the management device 90. In this way, data acquired during the specified operation is transmitted to the management device 90 as diagnostic data.

[0079] The controller 30 may be capable of communicating with the management device 90 and the remote control room RC via the communication network 93 using the communication device T1. The specialist staff analyzes the data of the detection values ​​from the various condition detection sensors that are sent from the shovel 100 to the management device 90 and received by the receiving unit 90a of the management device 90, and determines the condition of the shovel 100.

[0080] For example, the specialized staff may diagnose whether there is a breakdown or malfunction, and if there is a breakdown or malfunction, identify the part of the breakdown or malfunction and the cause of the breakdown or malfunction, etc. This allows the parts and the like required to repair the excavator 100 to be brought in advance, thereby reducing the time spent on maintenance and repair.

[0081] The management device 90 also has a processing unit 90b. A predetermined program may be input into the processing unit 90b, and the processing unit 90b may perform arithmetic processing of detection values ​​from various condition detection sensors transmitted from the shovel 100 by the program. For example, the processing unit 90b may include an input diagnostic program, and may perform fault diagnosis or fault prediction using detection values ​​(including CAN data) from the condition detection sensors transmitted from the shovel 100 by the diagnostic program. The results of the arithmetic processing by the processing unit 90b may be displayed on a display unit 90c of the management device 90.

[0082] The management device 90 may be a device that can communicate indirectly with the shovel 100 via a server or the like provided at the manufacturer or service center of the shovel 100. The management device 90 may also be a permanent computer installed at the manufacturer or service center, or a portable computer that can be carried by an operator, such as a so-called smartphone or tablet terminal that is a multi-function portable information terminal serving as a portable terminal.

[0083] If the management device 90 is portable, it can be carried to the inspection and repair site, and inspection and repair work can be carried out while looking at the display (display unit 90c) of the management device 90, thereby improving the efficiency of inspection and repair work.

[0084] Furthermore, when a portable terminal is used, communication with the shovel may be performed directly by short-range communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or infrared communication without using a communication network. In this case, an instruction to perform the prescribed operation is sent from the portable terminal to the shovel by operating the portable terminal, such as by screen input or voice input. In other words, an instruction to store the detection value from the status detection sensor during the execution of the prescribed operation in association with the prescribed operation is sent from the portable terminal to the shovel. Then, by sending the operation results of the prescribed operation from the shovel to the portable terminal, the operation results of the prescribed operation can be confirmed on the screen of the portable terminal.

[0085] The various state detection sensors included in the shovel 100 are sensors that detect the operation of each part of the shovel 100. The various state detection sensors include a boom angle sensor S1, an arm angle sensor S2, a bucket angle sensor S3, a vehicle body inclination sensor S4, a swing angle sensor S5, a traveling rotation sensor (right) S6A, a traveling rotation sensor (left) S6B, etc.

[0086] The boom angle sensor S1 is provided at a support (joint) of the boom 4 on the upper rotating body 3, and detects the angle (boom angle) of the boom 4 from the horizontal plane. Any angle sensor such as a rotary potentiometer may be used as the boom angle sensor S1, and the same applies to the arm angle sensor S2 and bucket angle sensor S3 described below. The detected boom angle is sent to the controller 30.

[0087] The arm angle sensor S2 is provided at a support (joint) of the arm 5 on the boom 4, and detects the angle (arm angle) of the arm 5 relative to the boom 4. The detected arm angle is transmitted to the controller 30.

[0088] The bucket angle sensor S3 is provided at a support (joint) of the arm 5 for the bucket 6, and detects the angle (bucket angle) of the bucket 6 with respect to the arm 5. The detected bucket angle is transmitted to the controller 30.

[0089] The vehicle body inclination sensor S4 is a sensor that detects the inclination angle in two axial directions (front-rear and left-right directions) of the shovel 100 relative to a horizontal plane. The vehicle body inclination sensor S4 may be, for example, a liquid-filled capacitance inclination sensor or any other inclination sensor. The detected inclination angle is transmitted to the controller 30.

[0090] The rotation angle sensor S5 detects the rotation angle of the upper rotating body 3 by the rotation mechanism 2. Any angle sensor such as a rotary encoder may be used as the rotation angle sensor S5. The detected rotation angle is transmitted to the controller 30.

[0091] The travel rotation sensor (right) S6A and the travel rotation sensor (left) S6B detect the rotation speeds of the travel hydraulic motor (right) 1A and the travel hydraulic motor (left) 1B, respectively. Any rotation sensor, such as a magnetic type, may be used as the travel rotation sensor (right) S6A and the travel rotation sensor (left) S6B. The detected rotation speeds are sent to the controller 30.

[0092] As described above, the various state detection sensors included in the excavator 100 include the regulator 14a, the discharge pressure sensor 14b, the oil temperature sensor 14c, the oil pressure sensors 15a and 15b, the engine speed adjustment dial 75, the imaging device C1, the ECU 74, etc. The detection values ​​detected by these sensors are also transmitted to the controller 30.

[0093] Therefore, the detection value of the state detection sensor of this embodiment includes operation information indicating the operation of each part of the shovel 100 and information indicating the state of the engine of the shovel 100.

[0094] The data transmitted to the controller 30 from the various state detection sensors included in the above-described excavator 100 is stored in the temporary storage unit 30a of the controller 30.

[0095] The remote control room RC of this embodiment may be provided, for example, in the same place (facility) where the management device 90 is installed. The remote control room RC is provided with an operation device and the like for remotely operating the shovel 100, and enables remote operation of the shovel 100 by transmitting an operation signal generated in the remote control room RC to the shovel 100.

[0096] In other words, the remote control room RC is a driver's cab for the excavator 100 separate from the cabin 10, and the operating device in the remote control room RC is an external operating device for the excavator 100 provided outside the excavator 100.

[0097] Next, the operator's seat installed in the cabin 10 of the excavator 100 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the area around the operator's seat in the cabin as seen from above.

[0098] A driver's seat 115 is installed inside the cabin 10. The driver's seat 115 includes a seat 102 on which the operator sits and a backrest 104. The driver's seat is a reclining seat, and the tilt angle of the backrest 104 is adjustable. Armrests 106 are arranged on both the left and right sides of the driver's seat 115. The armrests 106 are supported so that they can rotate. Therefore, in the excavator 100, when the operator leaves the driver's seat 115, the armrests 106 can be rotated rearward, allowing the operator to leave the driver's seat 115 without being obstructed by the armrests 106.

[0099] Consoles 120A and 120B are disposed on the left and right sides of driver's seat 115, respectively. Driver's seat 115 and consoles 120A, 120B are movably supported on rails 150 fixed to the floor surface of cabin 10. Therefore, the operator can move and fix driver's seat 115 and consoles 120A, 120B to their desired positions relative to operation levers 26C, 26F and the windshield of cabin 10. In addition, only driver's seat 115 can be slid forward and backward, and the position of the driver's seat relative to the positions of consoles 120A, 120B can also be adjusted.

[0100] An operating lever 26A is provided in front of the left console 120A. Similarly, an operating lever 26B is provided in front of the right console 120B. An operator seated in the driver's seat 115 operates operating lever 26A while holding operating lever 26A with his left hand, and operates operating lever 26B while holding operating lever 26B with his right hand. Each of the consoles 120A, 120B is supported rotatably, and the operator can adjust the angle of the operating levers 26A, 26B in the neutral position by adjusting the angle of the consoles 120A, 120B.

[0101] Moreover, in this embodiment, an operation switch 26a is provided on the console 120A. The operation switch 26a is an operating member for instructing the controller 30 to stop the operation of the operating elements of the shovel 100. When the operation switch 26a is pressed, the controller 30 in this embodiment causes the stop command generation unit 33 to generate a stop command for the operating elements of the shovel 100 and transmits the stop command to each operating element.

[0102] In this embodiment, by providing an operating member for instructing a stop inside the cabin 10, an operator inside the cabin 10 can immediately stop the operation of the shovel 100 even when the shovel 100 is controlled by remote operation.

[0103] Therefore, in this embodiment, even if it is difficult to grasp the situation at the work site from the remote control room RC, safety at the work site can be maintained and safety can be improved.

[0104] Operation pedals 26E and 26F are arranged on the floor in front of the driver's seat 115. An operator seated in the driver's seat 115 operates the operation pedal 26E with his left foot to drive the left-side traveling hydraulic motor 1A. Also, an operator seated in the driver's seat 115 operates the operation pedal 26F with his right foot to drive the right-side traveling hydraulic motor 1B.

[0105] An operation lever 26C extends upward from near the operation pedal 26E. An operator seated in the driver's seat 115 can drive the left-side traveling hydraulic motor 1A by gripping and operating the operation lever 26C with his / her left hand, in the same way as operating the operation pedal 26E. In addition, an operation lever 26D extends upward from near the operation pedal 26F. An operator seated in the driver's seat 115 can drive the right-side traveling hydraulic motor 1B by gripping and operating the operation lever 26D with his / her right hand, in the same way as operating the operation pedal 26F.

[0106] A display device D1 that displays information such as the working conditions and operating status of the shovel is disposed in the front right part of the cabin 10. The driver seated in the driver's seat 115 can perform work using the shovel while checking the various pieces of information displayed on the display device D1.

[0107] Furthermore, the input section D12 of the display device D1 is provided with operation switches 26b and 26c. The operation switch 26b is an operating member for switching the operation signal used to control the operating elements of the excavator 100 from an operation signal received from the remote control room RC to an operation signal generated in response to the operation of an operation device 26 provided in the cabin 10.

[0108] In other words, the operation switch 26a and the operation switch 26b in this embodiment are operation members for generating a switching instruction to switch from control of operation elements based on operation signals transmitted from the remote control room RC to control of operation elements in accordance with operation of the operation device 26 in the cabin 10.

[0109] The operation switch 26c is an operating member for switching the operation signal used to control the operating elements of the shovel 100 from an operation signal generated by the operation device 26 provided in the cabin 10 to an operation signal received from the remote control room RC.

[0110] When the operation switch 26c is operated, the controller 30 causes the switching unit 31 to stop acquiring the operation signal generated by the operation device 26 provided in the cabin 10. Then, the controller 30 controls the excavator 100 based on the operation signal from the remote control room RC.

[0111] In this embodiment, by providing such an operating member, the operation of the shovel 100 can be switched from operation inside the cabin 10 to remote operation at any timing at the discretion of the operator inside the cabin 10.

[0112] Specifically, for example, while an operator in cabin 10 is operating shovel 100 to perform work, the operator in cabin 10 may encounter a situation that is difficult for the operator to operate. In this embodiment, in such a case, the operator can operate operation switch 26b to entrust the operation of shovel 100 to a highly skilled operator waiting in remote control room RC.

[0113] Therefore, in this embodiment, the operator in the cabin 10 does not need to perform highly difficult operations, and even an operator who is not skilled in operating techniques can perform the work safely.

[0114] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an expert with high operating skills only needs to perform operations that are difficult for the operator in the cabin 10. For this reason, in this embodiment, highly difficult operations are specialized for the expert in the remote control room RC, and the expert can be responsible for multiple work sites at the same time.

[0115] Specifically, for example, at one work site, an expert remotely performs a highly difficult operation that would be difficult for an operator in the cabin 10 to handle, and then at another work site, an expert remotely performs a highly difficult operation that would be difficult for an operator in the cabin 10 to handle.

[0116] In this way, in this embodiment, it is possible to have skilled workers remotely perform only operations with a high degree of difficulty at multiple work sites, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0117] When the operation switch 26c is operated, the controller 30 stops receiving an operation signal from the remote control room RC by the switching unit 31. Then, the controller 30 controls the excavator 100 based on an operation signal generated by the operation device 26 provided in the cabin 10.

[0118] In this embodiment, by providing such an operating member, the operation of the shovel 100 can be switched from remote control to operation inside the cabin 10 at any timing at the discretion of the operator inside the cabin 10.

[0119] In the following description, pressing the operation switch 26a or pressing the operation switch 26c may be expressed as issuing a switch instruction to switch the operation of the excavator 100 from remote control to operation inside the cabin 10.

[0120] Specifically, for example, when a situation arises in which the operating skills of the operator in the cabin 10 can handle the situation, the operator in the cabin 10 may operate the operation switch 26c to switch the operation of the shovel 100 from remote control to operator operation.

[0121] Furthermore, for example, when the operator in the cabin 10 determines that it is difficult to grasp the situation at the work site through remote operation, the operation switch 26c may be operated.

[0122] In this embodiment, the operation of the shovel 100 can be switched to operation inside the cabin 10 at the discretion of the operator working at the work site. In other words, according to this embodiment, the operation of the shovel 100 can be switched from remote control to operation inside the cabin 10 depending on the situation at the work site, thereby improving safety.

[0123] Note that, for example, when operation switch 26a is operated, the controller 30 of this embodiment may transmit a notification to the remote control room RC or the management device 90 indicating that the operation of the shovel 100 has been stopped. Furthermore, when operation switch 26b is operated, the controller 30 may transmit a notification indicating a request for remote operation to the remote control room RC or the management device 90. Furthermore, when operation switch 26c is operated, the controller 30 may transmit a notification to the remote control room RC or the management device 90 indicating that operation has been switched to operation inside the cabin 10.

[0124] In this embodiment, the arrangement of the operation switches 26a, 26b, and 26c is not limited to the positions shown in FIG.

[0125] Furthermore, a gate lock lever 140 is provided on the left side of the driver's seat 115 (i.e., the side where the cabin door is located). By pulling up the gate lock lever 140, the engine 11 is permitted to start, and the shovel can be operated. By pulling down the gate lock lever 140, the operating parts including the engine 11 cannot be started. Therefore, unless the operator is seated in the driver's seat and has pulled up the gate lock lever 140, the shovel cannot be operated, and safety is maintained.

[0126] In this embodiment, a camera C1 is attached above the driver's seat in the cabin 10. The camera C1 is positioned so as to be able to photograph the operation levers 26A, 26B, 26C, and 26D and the operation pedals 26E and 26F from above.

[0127] The camera C1 may be an imaging device such as a video camera that captures moving images, or may be an imaging device that continuously captures still images at regular short intervals. The images captured by the camera C1 are sent to the controller 30 and used in the engine speed control process described below.

[0128] The engine speed control process according to this embodiment is a process for controlling the speed of the engine 11 based on a determination of whether or not the hands or feet (moving parts of the operator) of the excavator are in a state to operate the operating lever or operating pedal (operating member).

[0129] Next, the remote control room RC of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is a first diagram illustrating an example of the remote control room, and Fig. 6 is a second diagram illustrating an example of the remote control room.

[0130] The remote control room RC is equipped with a remote controller 40, a sound output device A2, an indoor imaging device C2, a display device D2, a communication device T2, etc. The remote control room RC also is equipped with a driver's seat DS where an operator OP who remotely operates the excavator 100 sits.

[0131] The remote controller 40 is a computing device that executes various calculations. In this embodiment, the remote controller 40 is configured with a microcomputer including a CPU and memory, similar to the controller 30. The various functions of the remote controller 40 are realized by the CPU executing programs stored in the memory.

[0132] The sound output device A2 is configured to output sound. In this embodiment, the sound output device A2 is a speaker and is configured to play back the sound collected by the sound collection device A1 attached to the shovel 100.

[0133] The indoor imaging device C2 is configured to capture an image of the inside of the remote control room RC. In this embodiment, the indoor imaging device C2 is a camera installed inside the remote control room RC, and is configured to capture an image of the operator OP seated in the driver's seat DS.

[0134] The communication device T2 is configured to control wireless communication with the communication device T1 attached to the shovel 100. In this embodiment, the communication device T1 and the communication device T2 are configured to transmit and receive information via a fifth generation mobile communication line (5G line), an LTE line, a satellite line, or the like.

[0135] In this embodiment, the driver's seat DS has a structure similar to that of a driver's seat installed in the cabin of a normal excavator. Specifically, a left console box 120L is disposed on the left side of the driver's seat DS, and a right console box 120R is disposed on the right side of the driver's seat DS.

[0136] A left operation lever is disposed at the front end of the top surface of the left console box 120L, and a right operation lever is disposed at the front end of the top surface of the right console box 120R. In addition, a travel lever and a travel pedal are disposed in front of the driver's seat DS.

[0137] Furthermore, an engine speed adjustment dial 75A is disposed in the center of the top surface of the right console box 120R. Also, an operation switch 27a and an operation switch 27b are disposed on the top surface of the right console box 120R.

[0138] In this embodiment, a remote control lever 27c is provided near the right console box 120R.

[0139] The left and right operating levers, the travel lever, the travel pedal, the remote control lever 27c, the engine speed adjustment dial 75A, and the operating switches 27a and 27b are all included in the operating device 27.

[0140] The engine speed adjustment dial 75A is a dial for adjusting the speed of the engine 11, and is configured to be able to switch the engine speed between four levels, for example.

[0141] Specifically, the engine speed adjustment dial 75A is configured to be able to switch the engine speed among four modes: SP mode, H mode, A mode, and idling mode. The engine speed adjustment dial 75A transmits data relating to the setting of the engine speed to the controller 30.

[0142] The operation switch 27a is an operation member for issuing a stop command to the remote controller 40. When the operation switch 27a is pressed, the remote controller 40 of this embodiment generates an operation signal indicating a stop command for the operating elements of the shovel 100 and transmits the operation signal to the shovel 100.

[0143] When the controller 30 of the shovel 100 receives this operation signal, the stop command generating unit 33 generates a stop command and transmits the stop command to each operating element of the shovel 100.

[0144] In this embodiment, by providing an operating member for issuing a stop command within the remote control room RC, the operator of the remote control room RC can immediately stop the operation of the shovel 100, even if the shovel 100 is operating autonomously, for example.

[0145] Therefore, in this embodiment, even if the operation of the shovel 100 under autonomous driving is not suitable for the conditions at the work site, for example, safety at the work site can be maintained and safety can be improved.

[0146] The operation switch 27b is an operating member for switching the operation signal used to control the shovel 100 from an operation signal generated in the remote control room RC to an operation signal generated by the operation device 26 provided in the cabin 10.

[0147] When the operation switch 27b is operated, the remote controller 40 may transmit to the shovel 100 an operation signal including a request to switch to operation by the operation device 26 in the cabin 10. The controller 30 of the shovel 100 may receive this operation signal and, by the switching unit 31, stop receiving the operation signal from the remote control room RC, and control the operating elements of the shovel 100 by an operation signal corresponding to the operation in the cabin 10.

[0148] In this embodiment, by having an operating member that switches from remote control to operation within the cabin 10, the operation of the shovel 100 can be switched from remote control to operation within the cabin 10 at the discretion of the operator in the remote control room RC.

[0149] Therefore, for example, when an operator in the remote control room RC has completed a highly difficult operation and is faced with monotonous work to be performed, he or she can press the operation switch 27b to terminate the remote operation of the shovel 100 that was being remotely operated, and perform remote operation of another shovel 100.

[0150] Therefore, in this embodiment, by assigning an expert in operating the shovel 100 to be the operator in the remote control room RC, the expert can be specialized in more difficult operations, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0151] The remote control lever 27c is an operating member for switching the operation signal used to control the excavator 100 from an operation signal generated by the autonomous control unit 32 to an operation signal generated in the remote control room RC.

[0152] In this embodiment, when the remote control lever 27c is tilted in the remote control room RC while the shovel 100 is operating autonomously, the remote controller 40 may transmit a control request to the shovel 100 by remote operation.

[0153] Then, when the controller 30 receives this control request, the switching unit 31 stops the generation of the operation signal by the autonomous control unit 32, and controls the operating elements of the shovel 100 using the operation signal received from the remote control room RC.

[0154] In this embodiment, by having an operating member for switching from autonomous operation to remote operation, the shovel 100 can be switched from autonomous operation to remote operation, for example, when an operator in the remote control room RC determines that operation using the autonomous operation function is difficult based on the situation at the work site.

[0155] Therefore, in this embodiment, the excavator 100 can be made to perform simple tasks autonomously, and only highly difficult operations can be performed by the operator in the remote control room RC, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0156] In the following description, pressing the operation switch 27a and tilting the remote control lever 27c may be expressed as issuing a switching instruction to switch the operation of the shovel 100 from autonomous operation to remote control.

[0157] The SP mode is a rotation speed mode selected when the operator OP wants to prioritize work volume, and uses the highest engine rotation speed. The H mode is a rotation speed mode selected when the operator OP wants to balance work volume and fuel efficiency, and uses the second highest engine rotation speed. The A mode is a rotation speed mode selected when the operator OP wants to operate the excavator at low noise while prioritizing fuel efficiency, and uses the third highest engine rotation speed. The idling mode is a rotation speed mode selected when the operator OP wants to idle the engine, and uses the lowest engine rotation speed. The engine 11 is controlled to a constant engine speed at the rotation speed mode selected via the engine speed adjustment dial 75A.

[0158] The operating device 27 is provided with an operation sensor 29 for detecting the operation of the operating device 27. The operation sensor 29 is, for example, an inclination sensor that detects the inclination angle of the operating lever, or an angle sensor that detects the swing angle of the operating lever around the swing axis. The operation sensor 29 may be composed of other sensors such as a pressure sensor, a current sensor, a voltage sensor, or a distance sensor.

[0159] The operation sensor 29 outputs information relating to the detected operation content of the operation device 27 to the remote controller 40. The remote controller 40 generates an operation signal based on the received information, and transmits the generated operation signal to the shovel 100.

[0160] The operation sensor 29 may be configured to generate an operation signal. In this case, the operation sensor 29 may output the operation signal to the communication device T2 without passing through the remote controller 40.

[0161] The display device D2 is configured to display information relating to the situation around the shovel 100. In this embodiment, the display device D2 is a multi-display made up of nine monitors arranged in three rows and three columns, and is configured to be able to display the state of the space in front of, to the left of, and to the right of the shovel 100. Each monitor is a liquid crystal monitor, an organic EL monitor, or the like. However, the display device D2 may be made up of one or more curved monitors, or may be made up of a projector.

[0162] The display device D2 may be a display device that can be worn by the operator OP. For example, the display device D1 may be a head-mounted display configured to be able to send and receive information to and from the remote controller 40 via wireless communication. The head-mounted display may be connected to the remote controller 40 by wire. The head-mounted display may be a transparent head-mounted display or a non-transparent head-mounted display. The head-mounted display may be a monocular head-mounted display or a binocular head-mounted display.

[0163] The display device D2 is configured to display an image that enables the operator OP in the remote control room RC to visually recognize the surroundings of the shovel 100. In other words, the display device D1 displays an image so that the operator can confirm the situation around the shovel 100 as if he or she were inside the cabin 10 of the shovel 100, even though he or she is in the remote control room RC.

[0164] In this embodiment, the display device D2 is a multi-display consisting of nine monitors arranged in three rows and three columns, as shown in Fig. 6. Specifically, the display device D2 includes a center monitor D2a, an upper monitor D2b, a lower monitor D2c, a left monitor D2d, a right monitor D2e, an upper-left monitor D2f, an upper-right monitor D2g, a lower-left monitor D2h, and a lower-right monitor D2i.

[0165] The central monitor D2a is configured to display an image capturing the situation of the space in the central range. The upper monitor D2b is configured to display an image capturing the situation of the space represented by the upper range. The lower monitor D2c is configured to display an image capturing the situation of the space represented by the lower range. The left monitor D2d is configured to display an image capturing the situation of the space represented by the left range. The right monitor D2e is configured to display an image capturing the situation of the space represented by the right range. The same is true for the upper left monitor D2f, the upper right monitor D2g, the lower left monitor D2h, and the lower right monitor D2i.

[0166] However, the display device D2 may be a multi-display consisting of, for example, six monitors arranged in two rows and three columns. In this case, the range in which an image is displayed on the display device D2 may be divided into six ranges corresponding to the six monitors. Alternatively, the display device D2 may be a multi-display consisting of five monitors: a center monitor, an upper monitor, a left monitor, a lower monitor, and a right monitor. In this case, the display of images capturing the respective situations of the upper left range, the upper right range, the lower left range, and the lower right range may be omitted. Alternatively, the display device D2 may be a multi-display in which multiple monitors are arranged in any other arrangement.

[0167] In the above-described embodiment, the display device D2 is installed in front, left front, and right front of the operator OP, but it may be installed in a rectangular or cylindrical shape so as to surround the operator OP. That is, the display device D2 may include a monitor installed behind the operator OP. Alternatively, the display device D2 may be installed in a hemispherical shape so as to surround the operator OP. That is, the display device D2 may include a monitor installed directly above the operator OP.

[0168] Next, the operation of the shovel 100 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Figure 7 is a first flowchart illustrating the operation of the shovel. Figure 7 shows the operation of the shovel 100 when switching from remote control of the shovel 100 to operation inside the cabin 10.

[0169] The excavator 100 receives an operation signal from the remote control room RC, and the controller 30 controls the operating element (hydraulic actuator) based on the received operation signal (step S701).

[0170] Next, the controller 30 determines whether or not a switching instruction to switch the operation of the shovel 100 from remote operation to operation inside the cabin 10 has been received (step S702). If the switching instruction has not been received, the controller 30 returns to step S701.

[0171] In step S702, if a switching instruction is received, the controller 30 switches the operation of the excavator 100 from remote operation to operation inside the cabin 10 (step S703), and ends the processing.

[0172] Specifically, when the controller 30 receives a switching instruction by pressing the operation switch 26a, the stop command generation unit 33 generates a stop command and transmits the stop command to the operating elements of the shovel 100. At this time, the switching unit 31 may stop receiving operation signals from the remote control room RC. In other words, the switching unit 31 may cut off communication between the remote control room RC and the shovel 100.

[0173] In addition, when the controller 30 receives a switching instruction by pressing the operation switch 26c, the switching unit 31 stops receiving operation signals from the remote control room RC and controls the shovel 100 based on operation signals generated by the operation device 26 in the cabin 10.

[0174] Fig. 8 is a second flowchart illustrating the operation of the shovel 100. Fig. 8 shows the operation of the shovel 100 when switching from autonomous operation to remote control.

[0175] The shovel 100 performs autonomous operation in response to an operation signal generated by the autonomous control unit 32 of the controller 30 (step S801).

[0176] Next, the controller 30 determines whether or not a switching instruction to switch the operation of the shovel 100 from autonomous operation to remote operation has been received (step S802). If the switching instruction has not been received, the controller 30 returns to step S801.

[0177] In step S802, if a switching instruction is received, the controller 30 switches the operation of the shovel 100 from autonomous operation to remote control (step S803), and ends the processing.

[0178] Specifically, when the controller 30 receives a switching instruction by pressing the operation switch 27a, the stop command generation unit 33 generates a stop command and transmits the stop command to the operating element (hydraulic actuator) of the shovel 100. At this time, the autonomous control unit 32 may stop generating an operation signal according to the operation content of the shovel 100 determined by the autonomous control unit 32.

[0179] In addition, when the controller 30 receives a switching instruction by tilting the remote control lever 27c, the switching unit 31 stops the generation of the operation signal by the autonomous control unit 32, and controls the operating elements of the shovel 100 based on the operation signal from the remote control room RC.

[0180] Next, another example of the management system SYS for the excavator 100 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing another example of the management system for the excavator.

[0181] The management system SYS1 for the shovel 100 shown in Figure 9 includes a shovel 100a, a shovel 100b, a remote control room RCa for the shovel 100a, a remote control room RCb for the shovel 100b, an imaging device C3 as an information processing device installed at the work site, and a management device 90.

[0182] In the management system SYS1, a management device 90 manages communications between a plurality of excavators 100 and a plurality of remote control rooms RC corresponding to the respective excavators 100.

[0183] 9, the remote control rooms RCa and RCb are included for the multiple shovels 100a and 100b, respectively, but this is not limiting. In the management system SYS1, the management device 90 may remotely control the multiple shovels 100 from one remote control room RC.

[0184] In addition, in this embodiment, the management device 90 may transmit image data acquired by the imaging device C3 to the remote control rooms RCa and RCb, and in the remote control rooms RCa and RCb, the image data received from the management device 90 may be displayed on the display device D2.

[0185] In this embodiment, the shovel 100 has been described as an example of a construction machine, but the construction machine is not limited to the shovel 100. This embodiment can be applied to any construction machine other than the shovel 100 as long as it is a construction machine that can be remotely controlled.

[0186] The present embodiment has been described above with reference to specific examples. However, the present invention is not limited to these specific examples. Design modifications to these specific examples made by a person skilled in the art are also included within the scope of the present invention as long as they comprise the features of the present invention. The elements of each of the above-described specific examples, as well as their arrangement, conditions, shape, etc., are not limited to those exemplified and may be modified as appropriate. The elements of each of the above-described specific examples may be combined as appropriate as long as no technical contradictions arise. [Explanation of symbols]

[0187] 1 Undercarriage 2. Swivel mechanism 3 Upper rotating body 10 Cabins 11 Engine 30 Controllers 31 Switching section 32 Autonomous control unit 33 Stop command generation section 90 Management device 100 Shovel

Claims

1. a driver's cab with an operating device provided therein; a control device that, during control of an operation element based on operation of an external operation device provided outside the driver's cab, receives a switch instruction to control of the operation element based on operation of the operation device, and switches control of the operation element to control based on operation of the operation device, the switching instruction includes a switching instruction generated based on an operation of the external operation device and a switching instruction generated based on an operation of the operation device, The control device When the switching instruction is generated based on the operation of the operation device, a notification indicating the switching including a request for change to control of the operation element based on the operation of the external operation device is sent to an external control device that controls the external operation device; When the switching instruction is generated based on the operation of the external operation device, the shovel receives a notification indicating the switching, including a request for change to control of an operating element based on the operation of the operation device, from an external control device that controls the external operation device.

2. A management system for a shovel including a shovel and an external operation device provided outside the shovel, The shovel is a driver's cab with an operating device provided therein; a control device that receives an instruction to switch to control of the operation element based on an operation signal received from the external operation device while the operation element is being controlled based on the operation signal received from the external operation device, and switches the control of the operation element to control based on the operation of the operation device; the switching instruction includes a switching instruction generated based on an operation of the external operation device and a switching instruction generated based on an operation of the operation device, The control device When the switching instruction is generated based on the operation of the operation device, a notification indicating the switching including a request for change to control of the operation element based on the operation of the external operation device is sent to an external control device that controls the external operation device; a management system for a shovel, wherein when the switching instruction is generated based on the operation of the external operation device, a notification indicating the switching including a request for change to control of an operating element based on the operation of the operation device is received from an external control device that controls the external operation device.

Images