Work vehicles

Abstract

To accurately measure inclination of a vehicle body by using a satellite positioning system, an inertia measurement device, imaging means, and map data of a farm field, and execute growth acceleration work and replanting work for missing plants after plants are planted, by an automated operation.SOLUTION: A position and an inclination degree of a vehicle are calculated by a three-direction coordinate system with respect to the ground of the position of the vehicle calculated by a reception device of a satellite positioning system and an inertia measurement device. The calculated position and inclination degree of the vehicle are calculated by imaging means equipped to the vehicle. A deviation in the inclination degree of the work vehicle is corrected by the coordinate system and the imaging system, and the work vehicle is caused to travel while automatically changing the ground height of a work machine.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a robotic work vehicle that performs automated work in agricultural work. [Background technology]

[0002] In autonomous driving, there is a system that detects the tilt and sinking amount of the vehicle body using obstacle sensors equipped on the work equipment (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-166534 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The amount of subsidence of the work vehicle is measured and the tilt and height of the work vehicle relative to the field are calculated, but if the field is flooded or has ridges, the obstacle sensor may malfunction.

[0005] The objective of this invention is to accurately measure the inclination of the vehicle body by utilizing a satellite positioning system, an inertial measurement unit, an imaging means, and map data of the field, and to automatically perform tasks such as promoting plant growth after planting and replanting missing plants. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The first aspect of the present invention is achieved by the following technical means.

[0007] The vehicle's position and degree of inclination are calculated using a three-way coordinate system of the vehicle's position relative to the ground, calculated by the receiver of the satellite positioning system and the inertial measurement unit, and the calculated vehicle position and degree of inclination are calculated using imaging means equipped on the vehicle.The deviation in the degree of inclination of the work vehicle is corrected using both the coordinate system and the imaging system, and the work equipment's ground clearance is automatically changed while the vehicle is traveling.

[0008] The second invention is solved by the following technical means.

[0009] The work implement travels at a preset reference height above ground, but the height of the plants in the field is calculated using an imaging means mounted on the work vehicle, and the set reference height of the work implement is corrected, and the work implement travels while automatically changing its height above ground and inclination.

[0010] The third aspect of the invention is solved by the following technical means.

[0011] The system has map data for each field, and information on the height control of the work implement is registered in this map data along with the time the data was obtained.When the system travels later, the previously registered data is read and initialized, and the amount of increase in height due to the automatic change in the work implement's height above ground is registered in the map data as growth data.

[0012] The fourth aspect of the present invention is achieved by the following technical means.

[0013] The imaging means equipped on the work machine detects missing stalks in the field where no plants are growing, and the number of rotations of the electric motor for planting the planting work machine is set according to the number of missing stalks, thereby allowing the machine to replant the missing stalks. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The first aspect of the present invention makes it possible to accurately calculate the degree of inclination of the vehicle regardless of the degree of sinking of the work vehicle in the field or the state of the field.

[0015] According to the second invention, the height of the work machine can be accurately detected and the position can be automatically changed appropriately.

[0016] In the third invention, by registering the information in map data, it becomes easy to manage the growth conditions of crops and the condition of the field.

[0017] The fourth invention makes it possible to automatically handle missing stocks. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a work vehicle with its exterior removed according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of a work vehicle with its exterior removed, according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] Engine installation diagram of the present invention [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the working machine of the present invention attached thereto; [Figure 5] Side view of the working machine of the present invention attached [Figure 6] This is a flow chart showing how the present invention uses a satellite positioning system, an inertial measurement unit, and an imaging means to check the tilt deviation between the coordinate system and the imaging system, and automatically adjust the height and tilt of the work machine. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a detection failure when the work vehicle of the present invention is tilted. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing how the imaging means of the present invention calculates the plant height and corrects the work machine height. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 shows a configuration for detecting plant growth according to the present invention. [Figure 10] Flow chart for correcting satellite positioning system coordinates [Figure 11] A view of the steering wheel and its surroundings according to the present invention. [Figure 12] Operation diagram of the steering actuator of the present invention [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a work machine for dealing with missing stocks according to the present invention; [Figure 14] A diagram showing the relationship between a work machine 400 and a plant 450. [Figure 15] 4 shows a shape of a work vehicle of another type. [Figure 16]13 is a diagram showing the shape of a work vehicle of another embodiment. [Figure 17] A diagram showing a collaborative work model using drones DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The present invention will be described below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings.

[0020] The work vehicle shown in FIGS. 1 to 13 is an example of the work vehicle of this embodiment.

[0021] The flow of power transmission in the present invention will be described.

[0022] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, inside the hood 110 at the front of the machine, there is a low-voltage battery 120 located in the left-right direction at the front of the machine body, a high-voltage main battery 130 located in the front-to-rear direction behind it, and an electric motor 140 located in the front-to-rear direction next to the main battery 130, which serves as a power source for operating the machine body and working equipment using the electricity from this main battery 130.

[0023] The low-voltage battery 120 is the power source for the driver's seat display 330 and the work vehicle controller 331. It is an auxiliary battery that is a controller that controls driving and work, communicates with external parties, and registers data on each operating state, and is a low-voltage battery such as a 12V battery. The low-voltage battery 120 is charged with regenerative electricity from the regenerative motor 550 using surplus power from the HST 150. The voltage of the high-voltage main battery 130 is managed by the MDU 131, which controls the electric motor 140.

[0024] The electric motor 140 is equipped with an external fan 141 at the rear end of the motor, which is linked to the motor shaft, and while the motor is operating, the wind generated by the external fan 141 cools the motor, low-voltage battery 120, and main battery 130. The heated wind is discharged to the outside through the mesh portion of the grill at the front of the hood 110 or from the front lower part of the hood. The hood 110 completely covers the electric motor 140, low-voltage battery 120, and main battery 130, making it splash-proof against rain and when washing the car, and it is also moderately dust-proof.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, the output shaft of the electric motor 140 is positioned at the rear of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction, and it supplies power to the HST 150 located behind it. The power transmission method may be to connect pulleys on each shaft with a belt, or the electric motor 140 may be directly connected to the HST shaft. In the case of belt drive, the shaft of the electric motor 140 and the input and output shafts of the HST 150 are parallel in axis, and as a power mechanism, power is transmitted in series without bending, which reduces loss and allows for a compact layout.

[0026] In Figure 3, the output shaft of the electric motor 140 is located at the rear of the vehicle body and connected to the HST 150, making it easy to achieve compatibility with engine 650 configurations. By arranging the heavy main battery 130 and electric motor 140 on the hood 110 and making them similar in weight to the engine 650, a configuration is achieved in which there is no difference in balance between the electric motor 140 specifications and the engine specifications. By removing the BMS and inverter 160 from the hood 110 and arranging them behind the seat 170, it is possible to address maintenance issues and heat buildup. Even in this configuration, the low-voltage battery 120 is charged with regenerative electricity from the regenerative motor 550 using surplus power from the HST 150.

[0027] The basic positional deviation response and automatic steering of the robotic work vehicle 100 will now be described.

[0028] The receiver 310 of the satellite positioning system and the positioning unit, which is the positioning method, are composed of a mobile station installed in a positioning satellite and a base station installed in a known location. This makes it possible to accurately obtain the position of the mobile station, i.e., the position of the work vehicle, from the position information sent from the positioning satellite to the mobile station and the correction position information sent from the base station to the mobile station.

[0029] The base station is composed of a fixed communication device, a satellite positioning system receiver 310 that receives position information from a positioning satellite, and a fixed data transmission antenna that transmits corrective position information to a mobile station.

[0030] The mobile station is made up of a mobile communication device, a mobile satellite positioning system receiving device that receives position information from positioning satellites, and a mobile data transmission antenna that receives corrective position information from the base station. The work vehicle's control unit 180 is made up of a processing unit consisting of a CPU, etc., a storage unit consisting of ROM, RAM, a hard disk drive, flash memory, etc., and a communication unit for data communication with the outside.

[0031] The receiver 310 of the satellite positioning system should be based on a method suitable for the area where work is being performed, such as a point positioning method, a GNSS method, or an RTK (interferometric positioning) method. However, if the height above ground of the receiver 310 of the satellite positioning system fluctuates due to the influence of vehicle tilt or vibration, a coordinate position different from the actual vehicle position may be measured, reducing reception accuracy and causing the vehicle to travel in a direction that deviates from a straight line. To prevent this, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 320 is provided in addition to the receiver 310 of the satellite positioning system. The inertial measurement unit (IMU) 320 causes the control unit 180 to correct the position coordinates acquired by the receiver 310 of the satellite positioning system based on the difference between the height from the ground surface to the receiver 310 of the satellite positioning system when the robotic work vehicle 100 is in an inclined attitude and the height from the ground surface to the receiver 310 of the satellite positioning system when the robotic work vehicle 100 is not inclined.

[0032] The height from the ground to the receiver 310 of the satellite positioning system is calculated by measuring the tilt and other behavior of the robotic work vehicle 100 using a triaxial acceleration sensor and angular velocity sensor built into the inertial measurement unit IMU 320. In addition, a direction sensor 311 is provided to enable the control unit 180 to more reliably determine whether the vehicle's traveling direction according to the automatic straight-line driving system is correct. The correction of position coordinates at this time is as shown in SS1 to SS5 in Figure 10. This allows the vehicle's course to be determined by the measured direction, further improving the accuracy of straight-line driving.

[0033] The position information acquired by the receiver 310 of the satellite positioning system is corrected by the control unit 180 based on information detected by the inertial measurement unit IMU 320 and the direction sensor 311. The control unit 180 then compares the current position information with previously acquired position information, and if the difference between the position information exceeds an allowable range, steers the left front wheel 560 and the right front wheel 570 left and right to return the aircraft to a straight-ahead driving position.

[0034] In order to automate the steering of the left front wheel 560 and the right front wheel 570, an automatic steering device 172 is provided that rotates a steering wheel 171 shown in Fig. 11 using a steering actuator 173. The automatic steering device 172 turns the steering wheel 171 left or right to direct the vehicle toward a straight-ahead driving position by varying the amount of operation of the steering actuator 173 based on the difference between the X coordinate of the current position information calculated by the control unit 180 and the X coordinate of the reference position information previously acquired, as shown in SS6 to SS9 in Fig. 12, and when the vehicle reaches the straight-ahead driving position, stops the steering actuator 173 to stop the automatic steering 172 of the steering wheel 171.

[0035] The steering actuator 173 is composed of an electric or hydraulic motor or cylinder. With the above configuration, the steering 171 is automatically steered in accordance with the difference in the X coordinate of the calculated position information, and the machine body can be automatically aligned to a straight-ahead driving position, preventing the working position of the working device from shifting left or right, and making it less likely that areas in the field will not be worked on. This eliminates the need to manually work on areas that were not worked on later, reducing the labor required by the worker.

[0036] The vehicle position and inertial coordinates calculated by the receiver and inertial measurement unit of the satellite positioning system will now be described.

[0037] The robotic work vehicle 100 is controlled to superimpose the coordinates of the satellite positioning system's receiver 310 onto the coordinate position of its own vehicle, with east-west as the X axis and north-south as the Y axis. The system also acquires the coordinates of one side of the field, which is the start point of the robotic work vehicle 100's automatic straight-line travel, and the other side of the field, which is the end point of the automatic straight-line travel.

[0038] After first reference point A601 is acquired, second reference point B602 is acquired, and this straight line becomes the traveling direction 600. If the front and rear axles 610 of the vehicle, so-called direction lines, are inclined with respect to the driving line heading toward the traveling direction 600, a direction change is performed as shown in FIG.

[0039] The first reference point A601 and the second reference point B602 are relocated and set at predetermined positions at one end and the other end of the field, for example, the position where the work vehicle finishes driving straight and starts turning, and the position where the work vehicle starts driving straight after turning, and then the work vehicle drives straight.

[0040] As described above, when the first reference point A601 and the second reference point B602 are newly acquired, the reference line connecting the Y coordinates of the first reference point A601 and the second reference point B602 becomes the relocated and set line serving as a guide for automatic straight-line driving. The system determines whether the X coordinate of the vehicle's position coordinates during travel matches the X coordinate of the line serving as a guide for automatic straight-line driving. If they do not match, the automatic steering device 172 automatically steers the steering wheel 171 in the direction that matches, thereby achieving automatic straight-line driving. The control unit 180 compares the Y coordinate of the position coordinates acquired by the receiver 310 of the satellite positioning system with the Y coordinate of the reference line, and activates the steering actuator 173 to rotate the steering wheel 171 left and right, thereby initiating control to move the robotic work vehicle 100 to a position where it should travel straight. This automatic steering ends when the steering wheel 171 is operated to an angle that turns the traveling vehicle body within a predetermined time, or when the automatic straight-line setting member 207 is operated in the second direction. The steering angle of the steering wheel 171 is detected by a handle potentiometer 172. When the traveling vehicle body 2 reaches a location that matches the Y coordinate of the first reference point A or the second reference point B, the automatic straight-line control may be terminated and turning control may be initiated. In this embodiment, the position information of the reference line is acquired for each work process, and the position information of the target line for the next work process is determined for each work process. This minimizes the deviation of the reference line, reduces the deviation of the target line for the next work process, and also enables alignment in the automatic turning process.

[0041] The reference line may shift over time or due to the influence of clouds, etc., so by obtaining a new reference line for each work process as described above, it is possible to minimize the shift in the reference line, which also reduces the shift in the target line for the next planting work process and enables row alignment during the automatic turning process.

[0042] The control of the present invention for correcting deviations in the degree of inclination of the work vehicle using both the coordinate system and the imaging system will be described with reference to FIG.

[0043] The work vehicle's position can be confirmed using information SS1 from the receiver of the GNSS (global navigation satellite system) satellite positioning system described above. The data input from the satellite positioning system receiver includes the coordinate position SS3 and the tilt of the coordinate system SS4, and the information such as speed from the satellite and the speed data of the work vehicle are used to enable autonomous driving.

[0044] The vehicle is equipped with an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 320, which can detect the vehicle's tilt (SS2). The IMU 320 is composed of a three-axis gyroscope and a three-directional acceleration sensor, and by measuring angular velocity and acceleration in three-dimensional space, it is possible to calculate the vehicle's tilt and yaw rate, as well as the attitude angles (roll angle, pitch angle) and azimuth angle. Data from this inertial measurement unit is used to perform corrections SS5 for the coordinate system position and tilt, and to calculate more accurate coordinate system position SS6 and coordinate system tilt SS7.

[0045] The work vehicle is also equipped with imaging means, which obtains imaging data SS8. The imaging means are 410, 411, 412, and 413, as shown in Figure 4. Imaging means (for plant position) 410 is primarily deployed to measure the relative positions of plants. Imaging means (for plant height) 411 primarily functions to calculate the height of plants visible ahead by capturing images. Imaging means (right for vehicle tilt) 412 and imaging means (left for vehicle tilt) 413 capture images of the left and right ahead. The balance of images 412 and 413 relative to the image of 411 makes it possible to calculate the tilt of the work vehicle. The imaging means 411 to 413 can also be used as obstacle sensors. The imaging means may be a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging, Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) or a CCD camera, and is a device capable of determining the shape, size, and distance to an object. The vehicle's tilt can be calculated from the position of each image and the distance between the captured objects.

[0046] Reference image data is pre-registered in the work vehicle SS9, and comparing this image with a newly captured image makes it possible to confirm the position of the work vehicle SS10. When confirming the position, the vehicle's vertical position is mainly calculated based on position adjustments using images in the east-west and north-south directions, and the position SS11 of the image system and the tilt SS12 of the image system are used to correct the satellite positioning system.

[0047] The coordinate system position calculation SS6 is compared with the imaging system position calculation SS11 at SS13, and is used as a correction standard for the tilt of the work vehicle.

[0048] The coordinate system tilt calculation SS7 is compared with the imaging system tilt calculation SS12, and a tilt deviation calculation SS14 is performed to determine the tilt of the work vehicle.

[0049] The initial response to the tilt deviation is completed by the above control, and then tilt deviation verification response SS15 is performed while work is being carried out for a while. After calculating the tilt of the work vehicle SS16, the tilt of the work machine is calculated SS17 so that the work machine is level.

[0050] The work vehicle performs work while performing work implement tilt control SS18, vehicle tilt control SS19, and travel speed control SS20.

[0051] As will be described later, the work machine of this invention rotates while stroking the plant leaves, and this is due to the traveling speed and the frictional resistance of the plant leaves. Therefore, the load on the work machine is calculated by detecting the rotation speed of the rotating belt and calculating the slip ratio from the traveling speed, and it is determined whether this load state is within the appropriate range SS21. When the load is heavy, the tilt SS16 of the work vehicle is often not calculated correctly, and this can be addressed by re-controlling the position and tilt of the work machine.

[0052] An example of use of the working machine of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0053] In a work vehicle for normal tillage or pest control, this can be accommodated by changing the position of the work implement 400 or the inclination of the work implement in accordance with the inclination of the vehicle body. However, the conditions of use of the work vehicle of the present invention are different, and the work implement corresponds to the height 420 of the plant from the ground at the stage when the plant 450 has grown. Since the growth state of the plant 450 is not uniform, it is not a fixed height. Furthermore, since the work implement portion of the work vehicle operates within a fixed width 430, it is necessary to position the work implement in accordance with the average height position and inclination of the plant.

[0054] In this case, when controlling the tilt of the entire work machine, the positional relationship of the vehicle is important, and in particular, emphasis is placed on movement on the Z axis in the vertical direction, as well as on the two-dimensional directions of X and Y on a plane.

[0055] Here are some insufficient points in position control of the work vehicle alone. One method of controlling the height of the work machine is to use a distance sensor to measure the distance from a specific part of the machine to an object. However, the object may be a plant, soil, or the surface of water, making accurate measurement difficult. Furthermore, because muddy soil has a highly uneven surface, it can be difficult to even detect using methods such as ultrasonic waves, infrared rays, or lasers.

[0056] Figure 7 shows this. The distance A from the floor of the machine to the field is measured using ultrasound, infrared, laser, etc. The distance C between the implement and the field is the important dimension, but because it is not possible to install a sensor at the bottom end of the rotating implement, the control standard becomes dimension B. However, in this case, if the detection of dimension A is sufficient, dimension C can be controlled without error, but if the accuracy of dimension A is not correct, dimension C will not be appropriately controlled.

[0057] The right image in Figure 7 shows the work vehicle tilted at an angle of D degrees, but the distance from the floor of the machine to the field is A', and if the same dimension B control is used, what was dimension C becomes dimension C', indicating that it cannot be controlled properly.

[0058] Therefore, as in the present invention, it is effective to detect the height of the work implement, which is not affected by the field conditions or the crop, by detecting the position of the work vehicle using a satellite positioning system.

[0059] The system not only detects the position of crop leaves in the field using the satellite positioning system's receiver 310 and measures the vehicle's tilt using the inertial measurement unit IMU 320, but also uses the vehicle's onboard imaging devices 410, 411, 412, and 413 for correction. Using pre-registered images, it is confirmed that the horizontal position and vehicle horizontal position are within a specified range. Furthermore, the horizontal position on the ground and the average position of the tips of the crop leaves are calculated using images, and the aforementioned corrections are made accordingly. This control corresponds to SS8 to SS10 in Figure 6.

[0060] This invention makes it possible to address the problem of difficulty in detecting dimension A when the field is covered in water.

[0061] The working machine for promoting plant growth according to the present invention will be described.

[0062] Plants may grow better when given external stimuli than when they grow without stress. In the present invention, the average height of plant 450 is calculated using imaging means 410, 411, 412, and 413, as shown in Figure 4. The position of roller 400 is determined from the calculated height, and roller 400 moves to press against the tip of plant 450, squeezing plant 450 to apply stress and promote growth.

[0063] These attempts are aimed at promoting pesticide-free cultivation. By subjecting plants to stress, the method aims to stimulate their growth and reduce reliance on fertilizers and chemicals as much as possible.

[0064] The roller 400, which is installed in the lower center of the vehicle body, is thought to be suitable for plants 450, especially seedlings. The roller 400 is configured to stimulate the seedlings as it passes over them, and the roller 400 is activated by the force of the vehicle body moving.

[0065] The shape of the roller 400 may be cylindrical, but is preferably spherical, as shown in Figure 14 of this description. When the sphere is stepped on as in (a), the plants can use the curved surface of the sphere to escape, preventing unnecessary damage to the plants. In (b), the sphere passes through the plants, but in (b1), it stimulates the surface of the plants by rubbing it, and in (b2), the plants are slightly stepped on, showing that different stimulation methods can be applied by removing the sphere.

[0066] The width of the roller, which is the working width, can be adjusted by the length of the bolt 480 that connects the semicircular spheres as shown in (c). The configuration of sandwiching the spacer 490 between the bolt 480 makes it easy to determine the adjustment dimensions, but above all, if the spacer 490 is cylindrical, it will cause less damage to the plant than the threads of a bolt, and it can stimulate the plant without damaging its leaves. By changing the width of this hemisphere, it is possible to change the degree of stimulation to the plant. The more the spacer is inserted and the wider the hemisphere, the greater the stimulation. Furthermore, it is desirable for the rotating roller to be made of a resin with high hardness.

[0067] The height and inclination of the work implement 400 of the work vehicle can be adjusted by extending and retracting the hydraulic cylinder 460 shown in Fig. 5 and tilting the movable stay 470. The work implement may be located in front or behind the work vehicle, but correction based on the vehicle speed is determined by the position where the work implement is deployed so that the work implement operates taking advantage of the timing of the image captured by the imaging means, work implement position, and vehicle speed.

[0068] The automatic change of the height above ground of the work implement according to the present invention will now be described.

[0069] The height of the leaves of the plant 450 is detected by imaging means 410, 411, 412, and 413 installed on the work vehicle. In the CCD camera system, the position and height of the plant leaves photographed by the imaging means are registered in advance. The height of the crop leaves is calculated by comparing this registered data with the image photographed this time. Furthermore, when LIDAR is used, the plant height can be calculated from the distance interval between the tip of the plant leaf and the field by imaging.

[0070] Since there may be multiple leaves, the image is analyzed by dots and judged based on the image area. For example, green dots are detected as the reference, and the number of green dots is counted from the top of the screen. The position exceeding a certain number of dots is calculated as the average tip position of the plant leaf. In this way, the height of food leaves can be detected using the imaging means.

[0071] The automatic change of the work implement's height above ground will be explained with reference to Figure 8. First, the basic position of the work implement is determined by traveling at a preset reference height SS30, and image data SS31 is acquired from the imaging means equipped on the work vehicle. This data is used for plant image analysis SS32 and work vehicle position confirmation SS35. The work vehicle has registered image data SS34, and its position can be detected by comparing it with this registered data. As a control, the system calculates the position of the imaging system SS36 to calculate the inclination of the work implement SS39, and then calculates the plant height SS33 to calculate the work implement position and inclination SS40. Note that in order to appropriately correct the work implement position and inclination, the control routines starting from SS41 and plant image analysis SS32 are repeatedly performed.

[0072] The use of map data in the present invention will now be described.

[0073] In the field, several areas are decided in advance, and the sections are explained using map data that divides them.

[0074] FIG. 9 shows the area of ​​map α within the field. In this area, the planting rows of plants are divided into rows A, B, and C. The work vehicle detects the height of the plant 450 using the satellite positioning system receiver, inertial measurement unit, imaging means, and work implement load SS21, and determines the height of the work implement 400. In this case, the height of the plant in row A of map α is measured to be 200 mm. This measurement value is registered as map data.

[0075] Although the field is divided into large sections, the smaller areas within them are treated as dots on the map, and the measurement data mentioned above is registered as this dot information data. This allows for a map with a large area to be displayed, and the registered data can be read out by touching the display.

[0076] In the present embodiment, after the growth adjustment, the height of the plant in column A of the map α described above is 320 mm. This data is registered in chronological order in the map data. By registering plant height data for each time period, the difference in height can be calculated as the degree of growth. In the present embodiment, the difference between 320 mm and 200 mm, or 120 mm, becomes the growth data. Since the time of measurement is also entered for the data, the growth of the plant over time can be determined.

[0077] While map data includes fertilization maps that register the amount of fertilizer applied and growth data maps based on color using drones, this invention differs in that it uses actual measurements with a work machine, registers the data in chronological order, and uses the differences as growth data. Since information is overlaid on top of dot information in chronological order, it is possible to create detailed distribution maps of plant height standards and distribution maps of growth standards in chronological order. While it is difficult to quantify color differences in growth data maps based on color using drones, this invention uses numerical values ​​of plant height, which can be easily and reliably evaluated, and is believed to have a significant effect on growth.

[0078] Furthermore, by combining map data for each area and overlaying time-based maps, a field map of growth data is created.

[0079] The automatic transplanter for the present invention, which corresponds to the missing plant, will be explained with reference to FIG.

[0080] The imaging means 410, 411, 412, and 413 detect areas where plants 450 are missing. Plants 450 must be growing at predetermined intervals, but it is possible that some plants may not have been planted or may have withered due to poor growth after planting.

[0081] The timing for planting at the missing stalk position is calculated from the position detected by the imaging means, the position of the planting work machine 490 provided at the rear, and the vehicle speed, and when the specified position is reached, the planting work is carried out using the planting rod 491 at the tip of the planting work machine 490.

[0082] Normally, one stalk is missing, and the control is to drive the motor of the planting rod 491 for only one stalk. However, if two stalks are missing in succession, this can be handled by rotating the motor equivalent to two stalks. It is also convenient when stalks are missing intermittently, and since the planting part is an electric motor, this can be easily handled by operating it intermittently.

[0083] If the planting rod 491 is not an independent motor but is linked to one of the power sources, it is difficult to set the specified number of rotations for planting, and this is the effect that can be obtained by providing an independent motor.

[0084] Another embodiment of the present invention will now be described.

[0085] Figure 15 shows a smaller version of the work vehicle in Figure 4. It is a small vehicle with no seats, as it is unmanned. It is equipped with a spherical work implement 400 on the rear wheels. The work implement configuration is the same as in Figure 4, but in Figure 15 it is completely in contact with the field or plants. Therefore, the height of the work implement 400 is not adjusted. Steering left and right and reverse are also possible depending on the direction and difference in rotation of the two front wheels.

[0086] Since the majority of the weight of the work machine comes from the battery and electric motor, the load on the rear wheels is small, and even if the rear wheels are stepped on with this load, no damage will occur.

[0087] The configuration of an unmanned small single-row rice transplanter that plants only the stubble areas is shown in Figure 16. Since it is unmanned, it is a small vehicle with no seats. The planting section is located at the bottom center of the vehicle body, and a seedling tank large enough to hold one mat of seedlings is located in the center of the vehicle body. In addition, imaging devices 410 and 414 are installed at the front and rear of the vehicle body to monitor the field.

[0088] A planting work machine 490 and a planting rod 491 are placed in the center, so both the results before and after planting can be recorded, and the recorded images can be viewed on a mobile device.

[0089] Furthermore, with the small single-row rice transplanter, by inputting the amount of seedlings remaining before the final planting process and the length of the field, it is possible to calculate the spacing between rows of seedlings to use up all the seedlings, and it is also possible to control the motor to operate in such a way that the spacing between rows is achieved. This means that it can be used not only to deal with missing rows, but also for planting rice along the edges of fields.

[0090] Figure 17 explains the collaborative work using drones to deal with stock shortages.

[0091] A drone 510 is used to investigate areas of the field that are missing stalks. In (a), A, B, and C are determined to be missing stalks, and the data is transferred to a mobile device as in (b), from which work conditions can be set for each missing stalk. (b) shows the screen settings for point A. When a missing stalk is specified on the mobile device, the information is sent to the work vehicle, and planting work is carried out in the specified missing stalk.

[0092] In this method, when the work vehicle moves to the designated position, the accuracy of the imaging means is increased and the investigation of missing stocks is focused. Cooperative work is carried out by taking measures such as increasing the resolution of the imaging means from the standard to higher accuracy or slowing down the speed of the work vehicle to increase the accuracy of the imaging. [Explanation of symbols]

[0093] 100 Work Vehicles 310 Satellite positioning system receiver 320 Inertial Measurement Unit IMU 400 Work Equipment 410 Imaging means (for plant location) 411 Imaging means (for plant height) 412 Imaging means (right for vehicle tilt) 413 Imaging means (for vehicle tilt left) 420 Plant height above ground 440 Height position (Z axis) 450 plants SS14 Calculation of tilt deviation between coordinate system and imaging system SS40 Work equipment position and inclination calculation 490 Planting machine

Claims

1. A work vehicle that has the function of calculating the vehicle's position and degree of inclination using a satellite positioning system receiver and an inertial measurement unit in a three-way coordinate system relative to the ground of the vehicle's position, and using imaging means equipped on the vehicle to calculate the calculated vehicle position and degree of inclination, correcting any discrepancy in the degree of inclination of the work vehicle using both the coordinate system and the imaging system, and running while automatically changing the ground clearance of the work equipment.

2. 2. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the work implement travels at a predetermined reference height above ground, but the work vehicle has a function of calculating the height of plants in the field using an imaging means equipped on the work vehicle, correcting the set reference height of the work implement, and automatically changing the work implement's height above ground and inclination while traveling.

3. A work vehicle as described in claims 1 and 2, which has map data for each field, and in which information on height control of the work implement is registered together with the time the data was obtained, and which reads out previously registered data during subsequent travel and initializes it, and which registers the amount of increase in height due to automatic changes in the ground clearance of the work implement in the map data as growth data.

4. 2. The work vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a function of detecting missing stalks in a field where no plants are growing using an imaging means mounted on the work machine, setting the number of rotations of the electric motor for planting of the planting work machine according to the number of missing stalks, and planting additional stalks in the missing stalks.

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