Unloading device, control method for unloading device, and control program for unloading device

Abstract

To provide an unloading device and the like which can effectively prevent load collapse.SOLUTION: A landing device comprises: a carry-out device control unit 303 which carries out bulk loads M in a boat-house 201 to the outside of the boat-house 201 by a landing unit 9; a load shape detection unit 301 which detects the shapes of loads in the boat-house 201; a locus candidate generation unit 304 which generates a plurality of locus candidates in the boat-house 201 of the landing unit 9; a load shape prediction unit 305 which predicts the shapes of loads after the landing unit 9 is driven according to each locus candidate generated by the locus candidate generation unit 304 for the current shapes of loads detected by the load shape detection unit 301; a load shape evaluation unit 308 which evaluates a possibility of load collapse for each shape of load predicted by the load shape prediction unit 305; and a locus generation unit 309 which generates, of the plurality of locus candidates, a locus of the landing unit 9 in which the possibility of load collapse evaluated by the load shape evaluation unit 308 is equal to or less than a prescribed permissible value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an unloading device for unloading cargo from a ship. [Background technology]

[0002] Unloading equipment that unloads cargo from a ship onto land is known as unloading equipment for unloading cargo from a ship. Among such unloading equipment, those that handle bulk cargo or bulk materials such as coal or iron ore are also called unloaders. They are also sometimes called continuous unloaders or continuous ship unloaders, meaning that they continuously unload bulk materials loaded on a ship. In this specification, the abbreviation CSU may be used.

[0003] In Patent Document 1, the shape of the cargo inside the warehouse is photographed by a camera while the CSU is operating automatically, and the optimal operating pattern for each cargo shape is selected through machine learning from pre-prepared patterns, thereby preventing cargo from shifting during automatic operation of the CSU. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-79145 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In Patent Document 1, cargo collapse can be prevented if the cargo shape photographed by the camera is similar to that which has been learned by machine learning, but cargo collapse cannot be prevented if the cargo shape photographed by the camera is not similar to that which has been learned by machine learning.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide an unloading device or the like that can effectively prevent cargo from falling over. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problem, one embodiment of the unloading device of the present invention comprises an unloading device control unit that causes cargo in the warehouse to be unloaded outside the warehouse by an unloading device; a cargo shape detection unit that detects the cargo shape in the warehouse; a trajectory candidate generation unit that generates multiple trajectory candidates for the unloading device within the warehouse; a cargo shape prediction unit that predicts the cargo shape after the unloading device is operated in accordance with each trajectory candidate generated by the trajectory candidate generation unit for the current cargo shape detected by the cargo shape detection unit; a cargo shape evaluation unit that evaluates the possibility of cargo collapse for each cargo shape predicted by the cargo shape prediction unit; and a trajectory generation unit that generates a trajectory for the unloading device from among the multiple trajectory candidates for which the possibility of cargo collapse evaluated by the cargo shape evaluation unit is below a predetermined tolerance value.

[0008] In this aspect, the cargo shape after the operation of the unloading device according to multiple trajectory candidates for the current cargo shape in the warehouse is predicted, and the possibility of cargo collapse is evaluated for each of the cargo shapes. Then, a trajectory for the unloading device is generated so that the possibility of cargo collapse is within an allowable value, thereby effectively preventing cargo collapse.

[0009] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for controlling an unloading device, the method comprising: a discharge device control step for causing a discharge device to unload cargo from a cargo hold to the outside of the cargo hold, a cargo shape detection step for detecting a cargo shape in the cargo hold, a trajectory candidate generation step for generating a plurality of trajectory candidates for the discharge device in the cargo hold, a cargo shape prediction step for predicting a cargo shape after the discharge device is operated according to each trajectory candidate generated in the trajectory candidate generation step for the current cargo shape detected in the cargo shape detection step, a cargo shape evaluation step for evaluating a possibility of cargo collapse for each cargo shape predicted in the cargo shape prediction step, and a trajectory generation step for generating a trajectory for the discharge device from among the plurality of trajectory candidates, the possibility of cargo collapse evaluated in the cargo shape evaluation step being equal to or less than a predetermined tolerance value.

[0010] Any combination of the above components, and any transformation of the present invention into a method, device, system, recording medium, computer program, etc., are also valid aspects of the present invention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to effectively prevent cargo from falling over due to the unloading device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the overall configuration of the lifting device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the lifting device. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the detailed configuration of the loading section. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the appearance of a distance measuring sensor. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a top view showing an example of the arrangement of distance measurement sensors. [Figure 6] The uneven cargo shape in the hold is exaggerated. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the control system of the CSU. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing a specific example of control by the control system. [Figure 9] A specific example of the detection of the cargo shape by the cargo shape detection unit will be described. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the description or drawings, identical or equivalent components, parts, and processes are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted. The scale and shape of each part shown in the drawings are set for convenience to facilitate explanation, and should not be interpreted as limiting unless otherwise specified. The embodiments are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the present invention in any way. All features and combinations thereof described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the invention.

[0014] FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a lifting device 1 as an unloading device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The lifting device 1 is a continuous unloader or a continuous ship unloader that unloads bulk material M loaded on a ship 200 or as cargo to land. Hereinafter, the lifting device 1 will also be referred to as a CSU1. The CSU1 continuously transports bulk material M stored in a ship 201 of a ship 200 docked at a quay 101 of a wharf 102 of a port or the like to land. Examples of bulk material M include coal, coke, ore, etc. The CSU1 is operated by an operator in a main operation room 16 provided in the main body of the CSU1. The operation room for operating the CSU1 may be provided elsewhere within the CSU1 or at any location on land outside the CSU1.

[0015] The wharf 102 where the ship 200 docks constitutes land where bulk cargo M is unloaded and is made of high-strength materials such as reinforced concrete. As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 2, the wharf 102 is provided with a pair of parallel rails 3 as tracks that run along the longitudinal direction (perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 1) of the ship 200 docked and anchored at the quay 101. The rails 3 form a track along which the traveling unit 2, which serves as the mobile unit of the CSU 1, can move or run. The rails 3 enable the CSU 1 to move relative to the anchored ship 200. As shown in FIG. 2, the installation direction of the rails 3 is preferably aligned with the longitudinal direction of the anchored ship 200 or the quay 101, but may be any other direction. The rails 3 may also include curved or bent portions. When unloading cargo from the ship 200, the CSU 1 moves on the rails 3 to a position close to the opening 21 of the shiphouse 201 from which the cargo is to be unloaded. Thereafter, the traveling section 2, the swivel frame 5 (swivel section), and the lifting section 9 (unloading section or unloading device) are driven to unload the bulk goods M from the warehouse 201.

[0016] At the wharf 102, a belt conveyor 45 is provided between the pair of rails 3 as a conveyor for transporting the unloaded bulk goods M in a certain direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the installation direction of the belt conveyor 45, i.e., the transport direction, is preferably aligned with the installation direction of the rails 3, but may be set in any other direction. The belt conveyor 45 may also include curved or bent portions. The belt conveyor 45 must be provided between the pair of rails 3 at the location where the bulk goods M unloaded from the CSU 1 are received, but may be provided outside the pair of rails 3 at other locations.

[0017] The CSU 1 comprises a traveling section 2 as a moving section that can move relative to the ship 200, a swivel frame 5 that constitutes a rotating section that can rotate relative to the traveling section 2, and a lifting section 9 that is provided at the tip of the swivel frame 5 and serves as an unloading section or unloading device for unloading bulk cargo M. The swivel frame 5 is supported on the traveling section 2 so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis that is in the vertical direction (the up and down direction in Figure 1). The swivel frame 5 is provided with a boom 7 that extends laterally and intersects with the rotation axis, and a bucket elevator that constitutes the main part of the lifting section 9 is supported at the tip of the boom 7.

[0018] The lifting unit 9 maintains a vertical position regardless of the boom 7's hoisting angle (the angle of rotation around the hoisting axis perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 1) thanks to a parallel link mechanism formed between the swivel frame 5, boom 7, and parallel link 8. A counterweight 13 is attached to the rear end of the swivel frame 5, opposite the tip of the boom 7. The counterweight 13 is connected to the tip of the boom 7 via a balancing lever 12. The action of this counterweight 13 places the lifting unit 9 in a substantially unloaded state, achieving a stable load balance. Note that the main components of the swivel unit, such as the swivel frame 5, boom 7, balancing lever 12, and counterweight 13, may be collectively referred to as the main body below.

[0019] A cylinder 15 is provided to adjust the hoisting angle of the boom 7. When the cylinder 15 is at its standard length, the hoisting angle is 0°, i.e., the boom 7 is parallel or horizontal to the ground (left and right in Figure 1). When the cylinder 15 is extended beyond its standard length, the tip of the boom 7 rises, resulting in a positive hoisting angle. When the cylinder 15 is shortened beyond its standard length, the tip of the boom 7 descends, resulting in a negative hoisting angle. The lifting unit 9 supported at the tip of the boom 7 rises while maintaining a vertical position when the hoisting angle of the boom 7 increases, and descends while maintaining a vertical position when the hoisting angle of the boom 7 decreases.

[0020] A main operation room 16 for operating the CSU 1 is provided in the main body. Specifically, the main operation room 16 is provided on the lifting unit 9 side of the revolving frame 5. An operator in the main operation room 16 can safely operate the CSU 1 while visually checking the lifting unit 9. Parameters related to the position and attitude of the CSU 1, such as the position of the traveling unit 2, the rotation angle of the revolving frame 5, and the elevation angle of the boom 7, are controlled by operating the main operation room 16. In addition, the operation of the lifting unit 9 to carry out bulk loads M can also be controlled from the main operation room 16.

[0021] The unloading section 9 includes a scraping section 11 that scrapes off bulk goods M, and a bucket elevator that serves as an elevator section that transports the scraped bulk goods M upward. The scraping section 11 is provided below the unloading section 9, and continuously excavates and scrapes off the bulk goods M in the warehouse 201 using a number of buckets 27 (see Figure 3) that are movably provided along its periphery. The scraped bulk goods M are transported upward together with the buckets 27 by the bucket elevator.

[0022] Figure 3 shows a detailed configuration of the cargo unloading section 9. The bucket elevator comprises a cylindrical elevator body 14 extending in the vertical direction, and a chain bucket 29 that moves in circles relative to the elevator body 14. The chain bucket 29 comprises a pair of roller chains 25, each of which is an endless chain, and a plurality of buckets 27, both sides of which are supported by the pair of roller chains 25. Specifically, the pair of roller chains 25 are arranged side by side in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 3(B), and each bucket 27 is attached so as to be suspended between the pair of roller chains 25.

[0023] The bucket elevator includes a drive roller 31a that guides the stretched roller chain 25, driven rollers 31b and 31c, and a diverting roller 33. The drive roller 31a is provided at the top 9a of the bucket elevator and is driven to rotate by a motor (not shown) or the like, causing the chain bucket 29 to move in a circular motion. The driven roller 31b is provided in front of the scraping unit 11 (left side in FIG. 3(B)), and the driven roller 31c is provided behind the scraping unit 11 (right side in FIG. 3(B)), and each guides the circularly moving chain bucket 29. The diverting roller 33 is a driven roller provided below the drive roller 31a, and guides the circularly moving chain bucket 29 and changes its direction of movement. An extendable cylinder 35 is provided between the driven rollers 31b and 31c. When this cylinder 35 extends or retracts, the distance between the axes of the driven rollers 31b and 31c changes, thereby changing the trajectory of the orbital motion of the chain bucket 29. The extension and retraction of the cylinder 35 may be controlled by operation of the main operation room 16, or may be controlled automatically according to a program by a computer built into the CSU 1. Since two roller chains 25 are provided, two each of the drive roller 31a, driven rollers 31b and 31c, and deflection roller 33 are also provided, and are arranged side by side in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 3(B).

[0024] The rotational drive of the drive roller 31a causes the chain bucket 29 to move in an orbit relative to the elevator body 14. For example, the chain bucket 29 moves in an orbit counterclockwise direction along the arrow W shown in Figure 3(B). At this time, the chain bucket 29 moves back and forth between the scraping unit 11 provided at the bottom of the bucket elevator and the drive roller 31a provided at the top 9a of the bucket elevator.

[0025] Each bucket 27 of the chain bucket 29 rises within the elevator body 14 with its opening facing upward. When each bucket 27 passes over the drive roller 31a at the top 9a of the bucket elevator, its direction of movement changes from upward to downward, and the opening of each bucket 27 also rotates from upward to downward. A discharge chute (not shown) is provided below the opening of each bucket 27 that has rotated downward in this manner, and the bulk goods M scraped by each bucket 27 are discharged from the discharge chute. The discharge chute discharges the bulk goods M onto a rotary feeder 37 (FIG. 1) provided on the outer periphery of the upper part of the unloading section 9.

[0026] The rotary feeder 37 rotates around a rotation axis in the extension direction of the elevator body 14, i.e., the vertical direction, and transfers the bulk goods M discharged from the discharge chute to a boom conveyor 39 of the boom 7. The boom conveyor 39 transports the bulk goods M within the boom 7 to the vicinity of the rotation axis of the rotating frame 5 and supplies them to a hopper (not shown) provided there. An internal conveyor 43 that receives the bulk goods M is provided within the running section 2 below the discharge opening of the hopper. The internal conveyor 43 transfers the bulk goods M to the aforementioned belt conveyor 45 provided on the pier 102, which serves as land.

[0027] Next, we will explain the basic unloading operation of the CSU 1 having the above configuration. In this unloading operation, the unloading section 9 and / or the CSU 1 function as a carrying-out device that carries out the bulk goods M (cargo) in the ship shed 201 to the outside of the ship shed 201.

[0028] The operator of the CSU 1 operates the CSU 1 from the main operation room 16. First, the running unit 2 travels on the rails 3 until it approaches the opening 21 of the shed 201, the cargo to be unloaded. Next, the swivel frame 5 is rotated around a vertical pivot point that overlaps the running unit 2 in a top view (as viewed from above in FIG. 1 ), and the lifting unit 9 at the tip of the boom 7 is moved above the opening 21 of the shed 201, the cargo to be unloaded. Here, to prevent the lifting unit 9 from colliding with the wharf 102 or the ship 200, it is preferable to raise and lower the boom 7 in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 1 ) and perform the running and swinging operations with the lifting unit 9 raised. Next, the boom 7 is raised and lowered in the reverse direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 1 ), and the scraping unit 11 at the tip of the lifting unit 9 is inserted into the shed 201 through the opening 21. The movement of the travel section 2, the rotation of the swivel frame 5, and the raising and lowering of the boom 7 may be performed simultaneously.

[0029] After the scraping unit 11 is inserted into the ship shed 201, the roller chain 25 is caused to make a circular motion along the arrow W. As the multiple buckets 27 attached to the roller chain 25 make a circular motion integrally with the roller chain 25, they excavate and scrape off the bulk goods M stored in the ship shed 201. The bulk goods M scraped off by each bucket 27 are transported upward in the elevator body 14 as the roller chain 25 makes a circular motion.

[0030] The scraping unit 11 changes its three-dimensional position within the shed 201 as needed to efficiently scrape bulk materials M from various locations within the shed 201. For example, if the surface of the bulk materials M becomes lower as the unloading operation progresses, the boom 7 is raised and lowered in the negative direction to lower the scraping unit 11. To scrape bulk materials M near the walls of the shed 201, the horizontal position of the scraping unit 11 may be changed by operating the traveling unit 2 and / or the swivel frame 5. The scraping unit 11 can change not only its three-dimensional position but also its posture and shape. For example, the scraping unit 11 can rotate around a rotation axis in the extension direction of the elevator body 14, i.e., the vertical direction, and its orientation can be changed as desired. Furthermore, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 3(B), the scraping unit 11 can assume an inclined or horizontally elongated shape, contracting vertically and extending horizontally. As a result, even in the case of a shipyard 201 in which the horizontal distance from the opening 21 to the wall is large, the scraping part 11 can be brought close to the wall and the bulk goods M can be scraped off efficiently.

[0031] Changes in the position, posture, and shape of the scraping unit 11 (unloading unit 9) within the shed 201 related to the unloading operation of CSU1 as described above may be performed autonomously by CSU1 using a ranging sensor or camera described below (i.e., the unloading unit 9 and / or CSU1 may be operated automatically), or may be performed manually by an operator in the main control room 16 while communicating with workers within the shed 201.

[0032] The bucket 27 that has scraped the bulk goods M from the warehouse 201 rises inside the elevator body 14 and turns from an upward direction to a downward direction as it passes over the drive roller 31a at its top 9a. The bulk goods M that fall as the bucket 27 turns enter a discharge chute and are discharged onto the rotary feeder 37. Thereafter, the bulk goods M are transferred via the boom conveyor 39 and the internal conveyor 43 to a belt conveyor 45 provided on the wharf 102 serving as land. By repeatedly performing the above-described carrying-out operation using multiple buckets 27, the bulk goods M in the warehouse 201 are continuously unloaded.

[0033] Next, a distance measurement sensor provided in the CSU 1 to improve the safety and efficiency of cargo unloading will be described.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 1 , multiple distance measuring sensors 19 are provided on the top of the lifting section 9 to measure the distance to measurement targets below and to the sides. During the illustrated lifting operation, the measurement targets of the distance measuring sensors 19 include the edge of the opening 21, the ceiling / walls / bottom of the warehouse 201, bulk cargo M and other objects, people / structures within the warehouse 201, the bottom-drilling bulldozer, the scraping section 11, the ship 200, other parts of the CSU 1 such as the boom 7, the rotating frame 5, the running section 2, and the main control room 16, the quay 101, the wharf 102, the rails 3, and the belt conveyor 45. The multiple distance measuring sensors 19 may be disposed, for example, on the top of the cylindrical elevator body 14 so as to surround the outer periphery of the elevator body 14. Alternatively, the multiple distance measuring sensors 19 may be provided on a flange 91 that rotatably supports the top of the elevator body 14 so as to surround the outer periphery of the elevator body 14. It is preferable that the multiple distance measuring sensors 19 be installed below the connection between the lifting unit 9 and the boom 7 so that the boom 7 does not fall within the measurement range below and to the sides of the multiple distance measuring sensors 19. On the other hand, if the multiple distance measuring sensors 19 are installed above the connection between the lifting unit 9 and the boom 7, each distance measuring sensor 19 should be installed in a position that does not overlap with the boom 7 when viewed from above (when viewed from above in Figure 1). Examples of the arrangement of the multiple distance measuring sensors 19 when viewed from above will be described later. The number of distance measuring sensors 19 is arbitrary. For example, any number of distance measuring sensors 19 that measure distance mainly below the lifting unit 9 and any number of distance measuring sensors 19 that measure distance mainly to the sides of the lifting unit 9 may be installed.

[0035] The scraping unit 11 below the unloading unit 9 is provided with multiple distance measuring sensors 18 for measuring the distance to measurement targets above, to the sides, and below. During unloading as shown in the figure, the measurement targets of the distance measuring sensors 18 include the edge of the opening 21, the ceiling / walls / bottom of the warehouse 201, bulk goods M and other objects, people / structures inside the warehouse 201, a bottom-drilling bulldozer, and other parts of the CSU 1 such as the boom 7. The distance measuring sensors 18 are provided at the front (left side of FIG. 1 ) and rear (right side of FIG. 1 ) of the scraping unit 11. To avoid deterioration of measurement accuracy due to dust and other particles from the bulk goods M scraped by the bucket 27 of the scraping unit 11, the multiple distance measuring sensors 18 are preferably provided at a location (upper part of the scraping unit 11) away from the location where the bucket 27 excavates the bulk goods M (lower part of the scraping unit 11). The number of distance measuring sensors 18 is arbitrary. For example, any number of distance measuring sensors 18 that measure distances centered on the sides of the scraping unit 11 and any number of distance measuring sensors 18 that measure distances centered on the bottom of the scraping unit 11 may be provided.

[0036] 4 shows the appearance of distance measuring sensors 18, 19. Distance measuring sensors 18, 19 are laser sensors capable of measuring distances, and include a laser emitting unit (not shown) as a wave transmitting unit that transmits laser light to an object to be measured, and a laser receiving unit (not shown) as a wave receiving unit that receives the laser light reflected by the object to be measured, constituting a distance measuring unit that measures the distance to the object to be measured. A light-transmitting portion 171 that allows laser light to pass through is formed in an endless band shape around the entire periphery of the side surface of cylindrical housing 17 of distance measuring sensors 18, 19.

[0037] Multiple laser emitters are provided in positions facing the light-transmitting portion 171 inside the housing 17, and emit linear laser light to the outside of the housing 17 through the light-transmitting portion 171. The laser emitters are arranged at predetermined intervals along the direction of the axis A of the housing 17 (the vertical direction in FIG. 4), but FIG. 4 shows the laser light emitted from a single point for simplicity. As shown in the schematic diagram, the emission angles of the laser emitters differ from each other by approximately 0.1° to 3°. With this configuration, the distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 can irradiate laser light within a predetermined angular range above and below the reference plane S, which is a plane perpendicular to the axis A of the housing 17. While θ- and θ+ can be arbitrarily designed, hereinafter, we will assume that -θ- = θ+ = 15°. In this case, the distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 irradiate laser light within a ±15° range centered on the reference plane S. Furthermore, these multiple laser light emitting units are integrally provided so as to be rotatable 360° around the axis A of the housing 17. With this configuration, the distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 can irradiate laser light to all measurement targets around (to the sides of) the housing 17. It is preferable to use laser light of an invisible wavelength such as near-infrared light so as not to interfere with people inside or around the CSU 1 or ship 200.

[0038] Distance measuring sensors 18, 19 rotate multiple laser emitters together, emitting pulsed laser light at predetermined rotation angles. The pulsed laser light emitted by each laser emitter is reflected or scattered by the object to be measured, returns to distance measuring sensors 18, 19, and is received by a laser receiver provided together with each laser emitter inside housing 17. A calculation unit (not shown) of distance measuring sensors 18, 19 calculates the distance to the object to be measured based on the time between when the laser emitter emits a pulsed laser light and when the laser receiver receives the reflected pulsed laser light. This technology is also called LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging or Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging).

[0039] Although laser sensors have been used above as examples of distance measuring sensors 18 and 19, distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 may also use other types of electromagnetic waves. For example, millimeter-wave sensors using so-called millimeter waves with wavelengths of approximately 1 mm to 10 mm may be used as distance measuring sensors 18 and 19. Millimeter waves have a high frequency of approximately 30 GHz to 300 GHz, making them highly directional and treatable similarly to lasers. A millimeter-wave sensor can be configured similarly to the laser sensor shown in FIG. 4, except that the laser emitter is replaced by a millimeter-wave transmitter that transmits millimeter waves to the object, and the laser receiver is replaced by a millimeter-wave receiver that receives millimeter waves reflected from the object. Furthermore, optical sensors using light other than laser light, such as Time of Flight (ToF) image sensors, may also be used as distance measuring sensors 18 and 19. Furthermore, distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 may not necessarily include a transmitter that transmits electromagnetic waves to the object. For example, a stereo camera or the like that can measure distance by simultaneously capturing images of the object from different directions may also be used as distance measuring sensors 18 and 19.

[0040] Distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 in FIG. 4 are attached to CSU 1 in FIG. 1 in any orientation depending on the purpose of measurement. For example, distance measuring sensor 18 of scraping unit 11 is attached so that axis A in FIG. 4 is vertical and reference plane S is horizontal. In this case, distance measuring sensor 18 can measure distances within warehouse 201 centered on the side of scraping unit 11. Distance measuring sensor 18 may also be attached so that axis A in FIG. 4 is horizontal and reference plane S is vertical. In this case, distance measuring sensor 18 can measure distances to opening 21 above scraping unit 11 and bulk goods M below scraping unit 11. Note that the orientation of axis A of distance measuring sensor 18 is not limited to vertical or horizontal and may be any orientation.

[0041] The distance measuring sensor 19 on the top of the unloading section 9 is mounted so that its axis A in FIG. 4 is horizontal and its reference plane S is vertical. In this case, the distance measuring sensor 19 can measure the distance to the edge of the opening 21 of the warehouse 201 below, the bulk goods M inside the warehouse 201, and the like. Note that although the distance measuring sensor 19 can also emit laser light upward, since there are no measurement targets above, distance measurement above the sensor 19 can be disabled by covering the top of the sensor 19 with a light-blocking cover, for example. The distance measuring sensor 19 may also be mounted so that its axis A in FIG. 4 is vertical and its reference plane S is parallel to the horizontal plane. In this case, the distance measuring sensor 19 can efficiently measure the distance to a measurement target outside the warehouse 201 to the side. The direction of the axis A of the distance measuring sensor 19 is not limited to the horizontal or vertical direction and may be any direction. However, the case of the horizontal direction will be described in detail below.

[0042] By providing distance measuring sensors 18, 19 as described above in the loading unit 9, it is possible to accurately grasp the positions of various measurement objects such as the edge of the opening 21, the ceiling / walls / bottom of the shed 201, bulk goods M and other objects, people / structures inside the shed 201, a bulldozer for raking the bottom, and the scraping unit 11. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the loading unit 9 from colliding with other objects during loading, and the bulk goods M can be loaded efficiently.

[0043] FIG. 5 shows an example of the arrangement of distance measurement sensors 19 from a top view. Three distance measurement sensors 191, 192, and 193 are arranged as distance measurement sensors 19, surrounding the outer periphery of flange portion 91 or elevator body 14. Distance measurement sensor 191 is arranged so that axis A in FIG. 4 is in the left-right direction in FIG. 5 and reference plane S1 corresponding to reference plane S in FIG. 4 is in the up-down direction in FIG. 5. Distance measurement sensor 191 measures distance by emitting laser light within a range of ±15° around reference plane S1. Distance measurement sensors 192 and 193 are arranged so that axis A in FIG. 4 is in the up-down direction in FIG. 5 and reference planes S2 and S3 corresponding to reference plane S in FIG. 4 are in the left-right direction in FIG. 5. Distance measurement sensors 192 and 193 measure distance by emitting laser light within a range of ±15° around reference planes S2 and S3. The reference planes S2 and S3 of the distance measuring sensors 192 and 193 are different planes parallel to each other and perpendicular to the reference plane S1 of the distance measuring sensor 191.

[0044] The CSU 1 unloads bulk cargo M from the ship shed 201 with the basic position shown in Figure 5 as the basic position for unloading. In this basic position, the running unit 2 is positioned away from the front of the ship shed 201, and the rotating frame 5 and boom 7 are in a rotating position that forms an acute angle with the rail 3 that forms the track of the running unit 2. At this time, the unloading unit 9 is located above the ship shed 201 of the ship 200, and the scraping unit 11 at its bottom is inserted into the ship shed 201 through the opening 21.

[0045] The opening 21 of the shipyard 201 is often rectangular and elongated in the direction of travel of the ship 200 (the left-right direction in FIG. 5). In this case, the upper edge E11 and the lower edge E12 of the opening 21 can be detected by a distance measurement sensor 191 that emits laser light parallel to the short sides of the opening 21 (the sides in the vertical direction in FIG. 5). Note that the points shown at the centers of the edges E11 and E12 represent the positions where the laser light on the reference plane S1 of the distance measurement sensor 191 hits the edge of the opening 21, and the rectangle surrounding it schematically represents the range where the laser light irradiated within a range of ±15° around the reference plane S1 hits the edge of the opening 21. Hereinafter, the same notation will be used for the distance measurement sensors 192 and 193.

[0046] Similarly, distance measurement sensors 192 and 193, which emit laser light parallel to the long sides of opening 21 (the left-right sides in FIG. 5), can detect edges E21 and E31 on the left side and edges E22 and E32 on the right side of opening 21. Using two distance measurement sensors 192 and 193 enables highly accurate distance measurement even in the long direction, which is more difficult to measure than in the short direction. In this way, the arrangement of distance measurement sensors 191, 192, and 193 in FIG. 5 is suitable for detecting the edges of opening 21 that has a shape that is long in one direction, such as a rectangle.

[0047] Furthermore, even if the CSU1 is not in the basic position shown in Figure 5, if the loading section 9 is within the opening 21 when viewed from above, the three ranging sensors 191, 192, and 193 can acquire six ranging point groups on the edge of the opening 21 corresponding to E11, E12, E21, E22, E31, and E32, and the position of the opening 21 can be accurately determined.

[0048] 5 , the basic position of the CSU 1 during unloading may be, for example, a position in which the travel unit 2 is located in front of the shipyard 201 and the swivel frame 5 and boom 7 are perpendicular to the rail 3. In this case, the extension direction of the boom 7 coincides with the direction of the short side of the opening 21, so that the reference plane S1 of the distance measuring sensor 191 is parallel to the extension direction of the boom 7, and the reference planes S2 and S3 of the distance measuring sensors 192 and 193 are perpendicular to the extension direction of the boom 7. If the distance measuring sensors 191, 192, and 193 are rotatable integrally around the axis of the cylindrical elevator body 14, it is possible to easily arrange the distance measuring sensors 191, 192, and 193 appropriately for the elongated opening 21, depending on the change in the basic position of the CSU 1 during unloading.

[0049] The number and arrangement of the distance measuring sensors 19 described above are merely examples, and any number and arrangement can be adopted. The number of distance measuring sensors 19 is preferably at least two in order to efficiently measure the shape of the opening 21 surrounding the lifting section 9 when viewed from above. More preferably, it is three or more. Multiple distance measuring sensors 19 may be arranged at equal intervals along the outer periphery of the flange 91 or the elevator body 14. In this case, the installation orientation of each distance measuring sensor 19 is arbitrary; for example, each distance measuring sensor 19 is installed so that its reference surface S is in contact with the outer periphery of the flange 91 or the elevator body 14. Such a symmetrical arrangement allows the shape of the opening 21 to be measured stably regardless of the orientation of the CSU 1 during lifting.

[0050] By controlling each movable part of the CSU 1, i.e., the movable traveling part 2, the swivelable swivel frame 5, the raiseable boom 7, the rotatable and deformable scraping part 11, etc., according to the distance to the measurement object inside or outside the shed 201 measured by the distance measuring sensors 18, 19 as described above, it is possible to prevent the lifting part 9 from colliding with other objects inside or outside the shed 201 during unloading, and to efficiently unload the bulk goods M. Note that in addition to or instead of the distance measuring sensors 18, 19, objects inside or outside the shed 201 may be detected by an image sensor or camera that photographs the measurement object.

[0051] As shown in an exaggerated manner in Figure 6, the shape of the cargo in the shed 201 is not flat, and the height of the bulk cargo M can vary greatly depending on the location. Furthermore, the shape of the cargo in the shed 201 changes from moment to moment as the scraping section 11 of the unloading section 9 sequentially scrapes off the bulk cargo M from each location. Typically, the bulk cargo M tends to pile up higher near the walls and corners of the shed 201, where it is difficult for the scraping section 11 to scrape off the bulk cargo M, than in other locations. Furthermore, since the height of the bulk cargo M in the area where the scraping section 11 is scraping off the bulk cargo M decreases by the amount scraped off, there is a possibility that an excessive difference in height of the bulk cargo M may occur between the area and the surrounding area. If the bulk cargo M piled up around the scraping section 11 collapses (cargo collapse), excessive load is placed on the scraping section 11 where the bulk cargo M is about to collapse or on the entire unloading section 9, which may force the CSU 1 to stop operating.

[0052] As will be described in detail below, according to this embodiment, the cargo shape after the unloading unit 9 operates according to a plurality of trajectory candidates for the current cargo shape in the warehouse 201 (for example, the height distribution of the bulk cargo M) is predicted, and the possibility of cargo collapse is evaluated for each of the cargo shapes. Then, a trajectory for the unloading unit 9 is generated such that the possibility of cargo collapse is within an allowable value, thereby effectively preventing cargo collapse.

[0053] FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of a control system 300 for the CSU 1 (particularly the unloading unit 9). The control system 300 includes a cargo shape detection unit 301, a discharge device position detection unit 302, a discharge device control unit 303, a trajectory candidate generation unit 304, a cargo shape prediction unit 305, a prediction model storage unit 306, a prediction model adoption unit 307, a cargo shape evaluation unit 308, a trajectory generation unit 309, an approval reception unit 310, a cargo shape prediction presentation unit 311, a cargo collapse possibility presentation unit 312, a discharge stop unit 313, and an alarm unit 314. These functional blocks are realized by the cooperation of hardware resources, such as a central processing unit (CPU), memory, input devices, output devices, and peripheral devices connected to the computer, and software executed using these resources. Regardless of the type of computer or its installation location, each of the above functional blocks may be realized by the hardware resources of a single computer or by combining hardware resources distributed across multiple computers. In particular, in this embodiment, some or all of the functional blocks of the control system 300 may be implemented by a computer in the CSU1, or may be implemented by a computer installed outside the CSU1 and capable of communicating with the CSU1.

[0054] The cargo shape detection unit 301 and the discharge device position detection unit 302 are one or more sensors provided in the CSU 1 (including the unloading unit 9) as a discharge device. Each sensor may be a distance measurement sensor provided in the CSU 1 to measure the distance to the measurement object, an image sensor provided in the CSU 1 to photograph the measurement object, or any other sensor capable of detecting the measurement object. As will be described below, the main measurement objects in the illustrated example are the bulk goods M (cargo), the unloading unit 9, or the scraping unit 11 (discharge device).

[0055] The cargo shape detection unit 301 detects the shape of the cargo (shape of the bulk goods M) in the warehouse 201. The cargo shape detection unit 301 can be the aforementioned distance measuring sensors 18, 19 or an image sensor provided in the unloading unit 9. The carry-out device position detection unit 302 detects the position of the unloading unit 9 as a carry-out device in the warehouse 201, specifically the position of the front or rear end of the scraping unit 11 that scrapes off the bulk goods M in the unloading unit 9. The carry-out device position detection unit 302 can be the aforementioned distance measuring sensors 18, 19 or an image sensor provided in the unloading unit 9 itself. Note that if the carry-out device control unit 303 that controls the unloading unit 9 can recognize the position of the unloading unit 9 in the warehouse 201, the carry-out device position detection unit 302 does not need to be provided.

[0056] The trajectory candidate generation unit 304 generates multiple trajectory candidates within the warehouse 201 of the unloading unit 9 based on the cargo shape detected by the cargo shape detection unit 301, the position of the unloading unit 9 detected by the unloading device position detection unit 302, and operating information of the unloading unit 9 provided by the unloading device control unit 303.

[0057] The cargo shape prediction unit 305 predicts the cargo shape after the unloading unit 9 is operated according to each trajectory candidate generated by the trajectory candidate generation unit 304, based on the current cargo shape detected by the cargo shape detection unit 301. Note that the cargo shape changes not only depending on the trajectory of the unloading unit 9 but also on operational information such as the scraping speed of the scraping unit 11, so it is preferable that the cargo shape prediction unit 305 predicts the cargo shape taking into account the operational information of the unloading unit 9 provided by the discharge device control unit 303.

[0058] The cargo shape prediction unit 305 may predict the cargo shape using multiple prediction models stored in the prediction model storage unit 306. Each prediction model differs depending on the characteristics of the cargo. For example, different prediction models are prepared in advance and stored in the prediction model storage unit 306 depending on the cargo properties such as the material and physical properties of the bulk cargo M, and the state of the cargo such as the moisture content of the bulk cargo M and the viscosity associated therewith.

[0059] The prediction model adoption unit 307 compares the cargo shape detected by the cargo shape detection unit 301 after the unloading unit 9 operates according to a trajectory generated by the trajectory generation unit 309 (one trajectory finally adopted from the multiple trajectory candidates generated by the trajectory candidate generation unit 304), which will be described later, with multiple cargo shapes based on multiple prediction models predicted by the cargo shape prediction unit 305, and adopts the prediction model with the smallest deviation. As a result, the prediction model that best suits the properties of the current cargo (bulk cargo M) is selected from the prediction model storage unit 306, allowing for highly accurate evaluation by the cargo shape evaluation unit 308 (described later) and trajectory generation by the trajectory generation unit 309. Note that it is expected that the properties of the bulk cargo M, such as the moisture content, may differ between the upper and lower parts of the bulk cargo M, for example. Therefore, different prediction models may be adopted by the prediction model adoption unit 307 depending on the position of the unloading unit 9 and the progress of the unloading operation.

[0060] The cargo shape evaluation unit 308 evaluates the possibility of collapse of the bulk cargo M for each cargo shape predicted by the cargo shape prediction unit 305 (if the prediction model storage unit 306 and the prediction model adoption unit 307 are provided, each cargo shape predicted based on the prediction model adopted by the prediction model adoption unit 307). For example, the cargo shape evaluation unit 308 evaluates the flatness of each cargo shape predicted by the cargo shape prediction unit 305 using the standard deviation of the bulk cargo M, etc. It can be said that a cargo shape with high flatness has a low possibility of collapse, and a cargo shape with low flatness has a high possibility of collapse. Specific examples of evaluation by the cargo shape evaluation unit 308 will be described later.

[0061] The trajectory generating unit 309 generates a trajectory for the unloading unit 9 from among the multiple trajectory candidates generated by the trajectory candidate generating unit 304, for which the possibility of cargo collapse evaluated by the cargo shape evaluating unit 308 is equal to or less than a predetermined tolerance. For example, the trajectory generating unit 309 may generate a trajectory for the unloading unit 9 from among the multiple trajectory candidates generated by the trajectory candidate generating unit 304, for which the possibility of cargo collapse evaluated by the cargo shape evaluating unit 308 is lowest. Alternatively, the trajectory generating unit 309 may select a trajectory candidate for which the possibility of cargo collapse evaluated by the cargo shape evaluating unit 308 is equal to or less than a predetermined tolerance and which has also been highly evaluated in other evaluation perspectives, which will be described later. When the cargo shape evaluating unit 308 evaluates the flatness of the cargo shape, the trajectory generating unit 309 selects a trajectory candidate for which the flatness is equal to or greater than a predetermined tolerance (for example, the standard deviation of the bulk load M is equal to or less than a predetermined tolerance). Specific examples of trajectory generation by the trajectory generating unit 309 will be described later.

[0062] The control system 300 may include an approval receiving unit 310 that receives approval for the trajectory of the unloading unit 9 generated by the trajectory generating unit 309. For example, an operator in the main operation room 16 of the CSU 1 or an administrator of the control system 300 has the authority to approve the trajectory generated by the trajectory generating unit 309 and can input approval or rejection to the approval receiving unit 310.

[0063] The carry-out device control unit 303 causes the unloading unit 9, which serves as a carry-out device, to unload the bulk cargo M from the shipyard 201 to the outside of the shipyard 201. The carry-out device control unit 303 drives the unloading unit 9 according to the recommended trajectory for the unloading unit 9 generated by the trajectory generation unit 309 (if an approval receiving unit 310 is provided, the trajectory for the unloading unit 9 approved by the approval receiving unit 310). The unloading unit 9 may be automatically operated according to the recommended trajectory, or may be manually operated by an operator in the main operation room 16 or the like who has been presented with the recommended trajectory.

[0064] The cargo shape prediction presentation unit 311, cargo collapse possibility presentation unit 312, discharge stop unit 313, and notification unit 314 provide auxiliary functions related to the trajectory of the unloading unit 9 generated by the trajectory generation unit 309 and / or the evaluation of the cargo shape by the cargo shape evaluation unit 308.

[0065] The cargo shape prediction presentation unit 311 presents to the operator of the CSU 1, etc., the prediction by the cargo shape prediction unit 305 of the cargo shape after the unloading unit 9 is operated according to the trajectory generated by the trajectory generation unit 309. The cargo shape prediction presentation unit 311 may also present to the operator of the CSU 1, etc., the prediction by the cargo shape prediction unit 305 of the cargo shape after the unloading unit 9 is operated according to each trajectory candidate generated by the trajectory candidate generation unit 304. In this case, the operator of the CSU 1, etc., can select the optimal trajectory for the unloading unit 9 by himself or herself while checking the cargo shape prediction for each trajectory candidate.

[0066] The cargo shift possibility presentation unit 312 presents to the operator of the CSU 1 the possibility of cargo shift as determined by the cargo shape evaluation unit 308 after the unloading unit 9 has been operated according to the trajectory generated by the trajectory generation unit 309. The cargo shift possibility presentation unit 312 may also present to the operator of the CSU 1 the possibility of cargo shift as determined by the cargo shape evaluation unit 308 after the unloading unit 9 has been operated according to each trajectory candidate generated by the trajectory candidate generation unit 304. In this case, the operator of the CSU 1 can select the optimal trajectory for the unloading unit 9 by himself or herself while checking the possibility of cargo shift for each trajectory candidate.

[0067] The discharge stop unit 313 stops the control of the unloading unit 9 by the discharge device control unit 303 when the possibility of cargo collapse evaluated by the cargo shape evaluation unit 308 for the multiple trajectory candidates generated by the trajectory candidate generation unit 304 is higher than an allowable value. The notification unit 314 notifies the operator of the CSU 1 or the like that there is a high possibility of cargo collapse when the possibility of cargo collapse evaluated by the cargo shape evaluation unit 308 for the multiple trajectory candidates generated by the trajectory candidate generation unit 304 is higher than an allowable value.

[0068] Next, a specific example of control by the control system 300 will be described with reference to the flowchart in Figure 8. In the flowchart, "S" denotes a step or process. In the example in Figure 8, the entire CSU 1 or the unloading unit 9 serving as the unloading device is automatically operated. As described above, the trajectory of the unloading unit 9 is generated by the trajectory generation unit 309, and the unloading device control unit 303 automatically operates the entire CSU 1 or the unloading unit 9.

[0069] In S1, the relative position of the unloading unit 9 or scraping unit 11 of the CSU1 and the warehouse 201 is detected. Specifically, the relative position between the position of the opening 21 of the warehouse 201 detected by the distance measuring sensors 18, 19 and image sensor provided in the unloading unit 9 and the position of the unloading unit 9 or scraping unit 11 recognized and controlled by the carry-out device control unit 303 is detected. Note that the position of the unloading unit 9 or scraping unit 11 may be detected by the carry-out device position detection unit 302. The following description is given in a three-dimensional coordinate system (also called the warehouse coordinate system) with an arbitrary reference point fixed to the warehouse 201 as the origin. The position / posture of the unloading unit 9 at time k in the warehouse coordinate system detected in S1 is expressed as x c k The subscript "c" means CSU1. x c k is a vector representing the position (e.g., three-dimensional coordinates) and attitude (e.g., rotation angle around a three-dimensional coordinate axis) of one or more representative points of the unloading unit 9 (e.g., the front or rear end of the scraping unit 11).

[0070] In S2, the cargo shape detection unit 301 detects the cargo shape (shape or height distribution of bulk cargo M) in the warehouse 201. Figure 9 shows a specific example of cargo shape detection by the cargo shape detection unit 301. A two-dimensional coordinate system with X and Y axes is set on a plane that approximates the surface or bottom surface of the warehouse 201, and the surface of the warehouse 201 is partitioned in a grid pattern along the X and Y axes.

[0071] In the example of FIG. 9, the bottom of the warehouse 201 is divided into a total of 450 sections by 30 sections along the X axis and 15 sections along the Y axis. The cargo shape detection unit 301 detects the height of the bulk cargo M in each section. The height of the bulk cargo M at time k in the ith section (i=1 to 450 in the example of FIG. 9) is expressed as h i k The cargo shape detection unit 301 is expressed as h1 k ~h 450 k The cargo shape h at time k as a whole or set of k In addition, if the cargo shape detection unit 301 cannot measure the height of the bulk cargo M in some sections due to objects or people in the warehouse 201 including the unloading section 9, the height of the bulk cargo M in that section may be estimated using an interpolation technique such as Semantic Scene Completion.

[0072] FIG. 9 schematically shows a portion of the preset basic trajectory R or orbital trajectory of the unloading unit 9. In principle, the unloading unit 9 is driven by the discharge device control unit 303 to orbit or circulate within the warehouse 201 along the basic trajectory R. However, when there is a high possibility of a load shift, the trajectory generation unit 309 recommends a correction trajectory to take a peripheral trajectory that deviates from the basic trajectory R, ​​thereby preventing a large-scale load shift that could result in a shutdown of the CSU 1. Note that, as long as the height of the bulk goods M piled up around the scraping unit 11 of the unloading unit 9 is relatively small, even if a load shift occurs, the load on the scraping unit 11 and the unloading unit 9 is small. Therefore, the trajectory generation unit 309 may be caused to generate a correction trajectory that actively causes such small load shifts, thereby preventing a large-scale load shift.

[0073] In S3, the trajectory candidate generation unit 304 calculates the cargo shape h detected in S2. k , the position x of the unloading unit 9 detected by S1 c kIn S4, the cargo shape evaluation unit 308 evaluates the possibility of collapse of the bulk goods M for each cargo shape predicted by the cargo shape prediction unit 305 with respect to the multiple trajectory candidates generated in S3. At this time, the load state φ of the cargo unloading unit 9 is also predicted and evaluated, as described below. Details of S3 and S4 will be described later.

[0074] In S5, the trajectory generation unit 309 selects a trajectory of the unloading unit 9 from among the multiple trajectory candidates generated in S3, for which the possibility of cargo collapse evaluated in S4 is equal to or less than a predetermined tolerance. For example, a trajectory candidate for which the possibility of cargo collapse evaluated in S4 is equal to or less than a predetermined tolerance and which has also been highly evaluated in other evaluation perspectives, which will be described later, is selected in S5. The trajectory (position / posture) of the unloading unit 9 selected in S5 from future time k+1 to H is expressed as x c k+1:H (x c k+1 ~x c H In the following, the trajectory x of the loading section 9 is expressed as c k+1:H The future time H that defines the range of prediction or generation is also called the prediction horizon H. Details of S5 will be described later.

[0075] In S6, the track x of the loading section 9 where the possibility of the load collapse is below a predetermined allowable value in S5 is c k+1:H If the determination in S6 is Yes, that is, if the determination in S5 is Yes, the recommended trajectory x of the unloading section 9 is found to be within the predetermined tolerance. c k+1:H If is selected, proceed to S7, and the recommended trajectory x c k+1:H In accordance with this, the unloading device control section 303 automatically operates (trajectory tracking control) the unloading section 9 from time k+1 to H. After S7, the process returns to S1, and a series of processes from S1 to S7 are repeated intermittently or continuously. If the result of S6 is No, that is, if the possibility of cargo collapse is within a predetermined allowable value in S5, the unloading section 9 is moved to the trajectory x c k+1:HIf no selection is made, the process proceeds to S8, in which the discharge stop unit 313 stops the control of the unloading unit 9 by the discharge device control unit 303, and the notification unit 314 notifies the operator of CSU1, etc., that there is a high possibility of cargo collapse.

[0076] Next, the details of S3 to S5 will be explained. In S3 to S5, the trajectory x of the unloading unit 9 from future time k+1 to H is calculated. c k+1:H is generated, but here, the control state y of the unloading unit 9 or the CSU 1, such as the scraping speed of the scraping unit 11, is c k The trajectory x of the unloading section 9 at time k is also taken into consideration. c k and the control state y c k The combination of the above is the state z of the unloading section 9 at time k. c k =(x c k ,y c k ) and place it as

[0077] Based on the above, the state z of the unloading unit 9 at the current time k = 0 c 0 , the cargo shape h at the current time k=0 0 The set (z c 0 ,h 0 ) from the state z of the unloading unit 9 at future time 1 to H c 1:H Consider a function g that generates z c 1:H =g(z c 0 ,h 0 ) In order to take into account the speed and acceleration of the unloading unit 9, the function g includes the state z of the unloading unit 9 from time -L, which is slightly before the current time 0, to the current time 0. c -L:0 It is preferable to input L as the function g. c 1:H =g(z c -L:0 ,h 0The purpose of the trajectory generation process of S3 to S5 is to generate a trajectory z of the unloading unit 9 at future times 1 to H that will not cause a large-scale collapse of the load and will maximize the efficiency of the scraping unit 11 in carrying out the bulk load M. c 1:H The goal is to find the optimal function g that gives

[0078] z c 1:H =g(z c -L:0 ,h 0 ) z, which is the input to the function g on the right side c -L:0 ,h 0 are detected by the discharge device position detection unit 302 (and / or the discharge device control unit 303) and the cargo shape detection unit 301, respectively. c -L:0 ,h 0 ), the trajectory candidate generation unit 304 generates a plurality of trajectory candidates z c 1:H Generate.

[0079] The cargo shape prediction unit 305 calculates each of the generated trajectory candidates z c 1:H The cargo shape h at future times 1 to H after the unloading unit 9 is operated according to 1 ~h H and the load state φ of the lifting section 9 1 ~φ H Here, the cargo shape h at time k is predicted. k and load state φ k is the cargo shape h at the previous time k-1 k-1 and load state φ k-1 and the state z of the unloading section 9 at time k c k Based on (h k ,φ k )=f(h k-1 ,φ k-1 ,z c k) where the function f is prepared in advance by machine learning using a neural network or the like. The data used for machine learning may be data from the actual environment collected by an operator during manual operation, or data collected through simulation. Such input / output machine learning is generally known to work well even with a small amount of data prepared for learning. The cargo shape prediction unit 305 calculates the trajectory of each candidate trajectory z c 1:H , the cargo shape h at the current time detected by the cargo shape detection unit 301 0 , the load state φ at the current time acquired from a load sensor such as a load sensor provided in the scraping unit 11 or the unloading unit 9 0 are input to the function f in sequence, and (h 1 ,φ 1 )=f(h 0 ,φ 0 ,z c 1 ), (h 2 ,φ 2 )=f(h 1 ,φ 1 ,z c 2 ), …, (h H ,φ H )=f(h H-1 ,φ H-1 ,z c H ) for each cargo shape h at each future time 1 to H 1 ~h H and the load state φ of the lifting section 9 1 ~φ H orbit candidate z c 1:H Predict every.

[0080] As mentioned above, multiple orbit candidates z c 1:H Regarding the initial state of the unloading section 9 and the bulk load M at the current time 0 (z c -L:0 ,h 0 ,φ 0 ) from the state of the unloading section 9 and the bulk load M at future times 1 to H (h 1:H ,φ 1:H ,z c 1:H ) to (h1:H ,φ 1:H ,z c 1:H |z c -L:0 ,h 0 ,φ 0 ) is given. The cargo shape evaluation unit 308 uses an evaluation function J(h 1:H ,φ 1:H ,z c 1:H |z c -L:0 ,h 0 ,φ 0 ) and the constraints b(h 1:H ,φ 1:H ,z c 1:H |z c -L:0 ,h 0 ,φ 0 ) for each orbit candidate z c 1:H The evaluation function J and the constraint condition b will be described later. Note that, in Patent Document 1, such mechanical and / or non-mechanical constraints are not taken into consideration, so there is a risk that a physically unrealistic trajectory or a trajectory that causes the unloading unit 9 to collide with the wall of the shipyard 201 may be output.

[0081] The cargo shape evaluation unit 308 evaluates the evaluation function J and the constraints b to determine the multiple trajectory candidates z c 1:H The evaluation of can be treated as a constrained nonlinear optimization problem expressed by the following formula. In the evaluation, the primal-dual interior point method, SQP (Sequential Quadratic Programming), random shooting, etc. may be used. As a result, the trajectory candidate z that received the highest overall evaluation is c 1:H is adopted by the trajectory generation unit 309 and used for automatic operation of the unloading unit 9.

number

[0082] The evaluation function J is a set of functions r designed to correspond to different evaluation points. l (h 1:H ,φ 1:H ,z c 1:H |z c -L:0 ,h 0 ,φ 0 ) with weight α l It can be configured as the sum of appropriately weighted values. That is, J=Σ l α l r l (h 1:H ,φ 1:H ,z c 1:H |z c -L:0 ,h 0 ,φ 0 ) below, the function r l A particularly important evaluation point in this embodiment is that the load is unlikely to collapse and / or that the scraping unit 11 or the lifting unit 9 is not overloaded by the load collapse. The function r l gives a high evaluation to a candidate trajectory for the unloading unit 9 that does not form a steep and high slope of the bulk load M that may cause a large-scale load collapse. Then, each function r l is designed and an appropriate weight α l will be granted.

[0083] The first function r1 relates to the avoidance of collapse of the bulk load M. For example, to prevent the formation of a steep slope of the bulk load M, r1(h H )=max i (w i H R i H ) where R i k is R i k =√((∂h i k / ∂X) 2+(∂h i k / ∂Y) 2 ) and represents the magnitude (absolute value) of the gradient of the bulk load M at time k in the i-th section of the warehouse 201 in FIG. 9. When obtaining this gradient, i k It is also possible to treat the image as a Laplacian filter, a Sobel filter, or other image processing filters. i k is the orbit candidate z c 1:H is the weight for limiting the evaluation target to the section near trajectory candidate z c 1:H The closer to the upper unloading section 9, the larger the value is set. For example, c 1:H In the area near i k =1, and for other sections, i k Set =0.

[0084] Thus, the first function r1(h H )=max i (w i H R i H ) is the cargo shape h in the warehouse 201 at the prediction horizon H. H Regarding the vicinity of the unloading section 9 (i.e., the trajectory candidate z c H Gradient R in the neighborhood of i H This gives the maximum value of r1 (gradient R i H The smaller the value of r1, the lower the possibility that a steep slope of the bulk load M will be formed near the unloading section 9. Therefore, by setting the weight α1 etc. so that the evaluation by the first function r1 becomes higher as the value of r1 becomes smaller, a trajectory candidate z that can effectively prevent the formation of a steep slope of the bulk load M near the unloading section 9 and the occurrence of a large-scale load collapse can be obtained. c 1:H is given a high rating and selected by the trajectory generation unit 309.

[0085] The second function r2 is the load state φ of the unloading section 9. k When a large-scale collapse of cargo occurs near the unloading section 9, an excessive load is placed on the scraping section 11 where the bulk goods M are about to collapse or on the entire unloading section 9. On the other hand, in order to increase the efficiency of the scraping section 11 in carrying out the bulk goods M, it is preferable for the scraping section 11 to continue scraping off as constant an amount of bulk goods M as possible (the carrying speed of the bulk goods M is as constant as possible), and in this case the load on the scraping section 11 is approximately constant.

[0086] Considering these two points, the second function r2 can be expressed as, for example, r2(φ 0:H )=Σ k |φ k -c| 2 Here, "c" is defined as the load state φ of the lifting section 9. k This r2 is a constant target value of the load state φ of the unloading unit 9 at each time k (= 0 to H). k The smaller the value, the lower the load state φ k becomes closer to the target value c. Therefore, by setting the weight α2 etc. so that the evaluation by the second function r2 becomes higher as the value of r2 becomes smaller, the load state φ k Orbit candidate z is close to the target value c c 1:H is given a high rating and selected by the trajectory generation unit 309.

[0087] The third function r3 relates to the deviation of the unloading unit 9 from the basic trajectory R (FIG. 9). As described above, the unloading unit 9 is driven to circle the shed 201 along the basic trajectory R in principle. c 1:H It is preferable that the deviation from the basic orbit R of the vector R is as small as possible. For this purpose, the third function r3 is, for example, r3(x c -L:H )=Σ k |l k -c| 2 Here, "l k ” is the trajectory candidate x at time k c kand the distance from the basic trajectory R, ​​and "c" is its constant target value (for example, c = 0). This r3 is the deviation l from the basic trajectory R at each time k (= 0 to H). k The smaller the value, the greater the distance l from time 0 to H. k is closer to the target value c. Therefore, by setting the weight α3 etc. so that the evaluation by the third function r3 becomes higher as the value of r3 becomes smaller, the distance l from the basic trajectory R becomes k Orbit candidate z is close to the target value c c 1:H is given a high rating and selected by the trajectory generation unit 309.

[0088] The fourth function r4 relates to the acceleration and deceleration of the unloading unit 9. It is preferable that the acceleration and deceleration of the unloading unit 9 be small, and the absolute value of the acceleration of the unloading unit 9 is evaluated by r4. Specifically, the trajectory x of the unloading unit 9 at each time point -L to H is c -L:H The acceleration a of the lifting part 9 at each time -L+1 to H-1 obtained by differentiating twice with respect to time c -L+1:H-1 Among them, the acceleration a of the unloading section 9 after the current time 0 c 0:H-1 The absolute value of (a c 0:H-1 ) T (a c 0:H-1 ) is defined as r4. The higher the evaluation of r4 (the smaller the value of r4), the less acceleration / deceleration the unloading unit 9 undergoes. In addition, an evaluation function may be provided that limits the curvature of the trajectory of the unloading unit 9 so that it does not become excessive (the smaller the curvature, the higher the evaluation). Similarly, an evaluation function may be provided that limits the fluctuation in the movement speed of the unloading unit 9 over future times 1 to H so that it does not become excessive (the smaller the fluctuation in the movement speed, the higher the evaluation).

[0089] Next, the constraint b(h 1:H ,φ 1:H ,z c 1:H |z c -L:0 ,h 0 ,φ 0 )Here are some specific examples:

[0090] The first constraint condition relates to the upper limit of the load on the unloading unit 9. As described above, the load state φ at time k k is the cargo shape h before the previous time k-1. 0:k-1 and load state φ 0:k-1 and the state z of the unloading section 9 at time k c k The load state φ at each time k (=1 to H) is predicted by the function f based on the above. k In order to limit the value of φ to the upper limit c, 0≦c-φ k This sets the constraints expressed by the inequality: k The trajectory of the lifting unit 9 that makes the upper limit value c or less is selected by the trajectory generating unit 309. For example, when the scraping unit 11 of the lifting unit 9 scrapes off bulk material M on an adjacent high slope, if the scraping unit 11 is inserted sideways or downwards with respect to the slope, the bulk material M that collapses from above will cause the load state φ k It is also assumed that the upper limit value c may be exceeded. In such a case, by imposing the first constraint, the trajectory generating unit 309 selects a trajectory that can reduce the amount of bulk material M that falls onto the scraping unit 11, for example, by inserting the scraping unit 11 obliquely upward relative to the slope.

[0091] The second constraint relates to the motion of the landing unit 9. The trajectory or state z of the landing unit 9 c 1:H must not involve motion parameters (speed, acceleration, angular velocity, angular acceleration, curvature, etc.) that are physically impossible to realize at the unloading unit 9. Therefore, upper and lower limits are set for each of these motion parameters as constraints. For example, if the absolute value (speed) of the velocity of the unloading unit 9 is limited to an upper limit c or less, the trajectory x of the unloading unit 9 at each time -L to -H is c -L:H The velocity v of the unloading section 9 at each time -L+1 to H-1 obtained by differentiating with respect to time c -L+1:H-1 Of these, the velocity v of the unloading section 9 after time 1 c 1:H-1 The absolute value of is limited to an upper limit c. Specifically, 0≦c−|v c1:H-1 A constraint condition expressed by the inequality | is set. Note that when the unloading unit 9 is within a predetermined distance from a structure such as the wall of the shipyard 201, the upper limit c may be lowered to avoid collision. Similarly, upper and lower limits can be set for the other motion parameters of the unloading unit 9.

[0092] The third constraint condition relates to avoiding contact between the unloading unit 9 and the wall of the warehouse 201. For example, the trajectory candidate x of the unloading unit 9 at time k (=1 to H) is c k and the distance between the walls of the shipyard 201, etc. is d k Assuming that 0≦d k By setting a constraint condition expressed by the inequality of -c, it is possible to ensure that the unloading section 9 and the wall of the warehouse 201 are not closer than the minimum approach distance c.

[0093] The present invention has been described above based on the embodiments. The embodiments are merely examples, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible in the combination of the respective components and treatment processes, and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present invention.

[0094] The present invention is not limited to the bucket elevator type continuous unloader described in the embodiment, but can also be applied to a spiral type continuous unloader or a continuous unloader equipped with an air conveying mechanism.

[0095] The functional configuration of each device described in the embodiments can be realized by hardware resources, software resources, or a combination of hardware and software resources. Examples of hardware resources include processors, ROMs, RAMs, and other LSIs. Examples of software resources include operating systems, applications, and other programs. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 1 Cargo unloading unit (CSU), 9 cargo unloading unit, 11 scraping unit, 18 distance measurement sensor, 19 distance measurement sensor, 201 shipyard, 300 control system, 301 cargo shape detection unit, 302 unloading device position detection unit, 303 unloading device control unit, 304 trajectory candidate generation unit, 305 cargo shape prediction unit, 306 prediction model storage unit, 307 prediction model adoption unit, 308 cargo shape evaluation unit, 309 trajectory generation unit, 310 approval reception unit, 311 cargo shape prediction presentation unit, 312 cargo collapse possibility presentation unit, 313 unloading stop unit, 314 notification unit.

Claims

1. a carrying-out device control unit that causes the carrying-out device to carry out the cargo in the shed to the outside of the shed; a cargo shape detection unit that detects the shape of cargo in the warehouse; a trajectory candidate generation unit that generates a plurality of trajectory candidates within the warehouse of the carrying-out device; a cargo shape prediction unit that predicts a cargo shape after the carrying-out device is operated in accordance with each of the trajectory candidates generated by the trajectory candidate generation unit, for the current cargo shape detected by the cargo shape detection unit; a cargo shape evaluation unit that evaluates the possibility of cargo collapse for each cargo shape predicted by the cargo shape prediction unit; a trajectory generating unit that generates a trajectory of the carrying-out device from the plurality of trajectory candidates, the trajectory of which the possibility of cargo collapse evaluated by the cargo shape evaluating unit is within a predetermined allowable value; An unloading device comprising:

2. The unloading device according to claim 1 , wherein the trajectory generating unit generates a trajectory for the unloading device that has the lowest possibility of cargo collapse evaluated by the cargo shape evaluating unit from among the plurality of trajectory candidates.

3. the cargo shape evaluation unit evaluates the flatness of each cargo shape predicted by the cargo shape prediction unit, the trajectory generation unit generates a trajectory of the carry-out device from the plurality of trajectory candidates, the trajectory of which flatness evaluated by the cargo shape evaluation unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined tolerance. An unloading device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the cargo shape prediction unit predicts the cargo shape using a plurality of prediction models that differ depending on the properties of the cargo; a prediction model adoption unit that compares the cargo shape detected by the cargo shape detection unit after the discharge device is operated according to the trajectory generated by the trajectory generation unit with a plurality of cargo shapes predicted by the cargo shape prediction unit based on the plurality of prediction models, and adopts the prediction model with the smallest deviation; An unloading device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The unloading device according to claim 1 , wherein the carrying-out device is automatically driven according to the trajectory generated by the trajectory generating unit.

6. further comprising an approval receiving unit that receives approval for the trajectory generated by the trajectory generating unit, The carry-out device is automatically operated according to a trajectory related to the approval received by the approval receiving unit.

6. An unloading device according to claim 5.

7. An unloading device as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a cargo shape prediction presentation unit that presents a prediction by the cargo shape prediction unit of the cargo shape after the unloading device is operated according to the trajectory generated by the trajectory generation unit.

8. An unloading device as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a cargo collapse possibility presentation unit that presents the possibility of cargo collapse by the cargo shape evaluation unit after the unloading device is operated according to the trajectory generated by the trajectory generation unit.

9. An unloading device as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising an unloading stop unit that stops control of the unloading device by the unloading device control unit when the possibility of cargo collapse evaluated by the cargo shape evaluation unit for the multiple trajectory candidates is higher than the allowable value.

10. An unloading device as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising an alarm unit that notifies that there is a high possibility of cargo collapse if the possibility of cargo collapse evaluated by the cargo shape evaluation unit for the multiple trajectory candidates is all higher than the allowable value.

11. The unloading device according to claim 1 , wherein the cargo shape detection unit is a sensor provided in the carrying-out device.

12. The unloading device according to claim 11, wherein the sensor is a distance measuring sensor that measures the distance to an object to be measured.

13. The unloading device according to claim 11 , wherein the sensor is an image sensor that captures an image of an object to be measured.

14. a carrying-out device control step of carrying out the cargo in the warehouse to the outside of the warehouse by the carrying-out device; a cargo shape detection step of detecting a cargo shape in a cargo hold; a trajectory candidate generation step of generating a plurality of trajectory candidates within the warehouse of the unloading device; a cargo shape prediction step of predicting a cargo shape after the unloading device is operated according to each of the trajectory candidates generated by the trajectory candidate generation step, for the current cargo shape detected by the cargo shape detection step; a cargo shape evaluation step of evaluating a possibility of cargo collapse for each cargo shape predicted by the cargo shape prediction step; a trajectory generation step of generating a trajectory of the carrying-out device from the plurality of trajectory candidates, the trajectory of which the possibility of cargo collapse evaluated in the cargo shape evaluation step is equal to or less than a predetermined allowable value; A method for controlling an unloading device comprising:

15. a carrying-out device control step of carrying out the cargo in the warehouse to the outside of the warehouse by the carrying-out device; a cargo shape detection step of detecting a cargo shape in a cargo hold; a trajectory candidate generation step of generating a plurality of trajectory candidates within the warehouse of the unloading device; a cargo shape prediction step of predicting a cargo shape after the unloading device is operated according to each of the trajectory candidates generated by the trajectory candidate generation step, for the current cargo shape detected by the cargo shape detection step; a cargo shape evaluation step of evaluating a possibility of cargo collapse for each cargo shape predicted by the cargo shape prediction step; a trajectory generation step of generating a trajectory of the carrying-out device from the plurality of trajectory candidates, the trajectory of which the possibility of cargo collapse evaluated in the cargo shape evaluation step is equal to or less than a predetermined allowable value; A control program for the unloading device that causes a computer to execute the above.

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