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

Abstract

To provide an unloading device and the like which can stably enhance the carry-out efficiency of loads in a boat-house.SOLUTION: A landing device 1 comprises: an aggregation device position detection unit 301 which detects a position of a bulldozer 400 that aggregates bulk loads M in a boat-house 201; a carry-out device control unit 306 which carries out the bulk loads M in the boat-house 201 to the outside of the boat-house 201 by a landing unit 9; a load shape detection unit 302 which detects the shapes of loads in the boat-house 201; and a locus generation unit 304 which generates a locus in the boat-house 201 of the bulldozer 400 in accordance with the position of the bulldozer 400 detected by the aggregation device position detection unit 301 and the shapes of loads detected by the load shape detection unit 302.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

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. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-160034 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] To assist the CSU in removing cargo from the shed, a bulldozer that can move around the shed is sometimes used. The bulldozer collects cargo as it moves around the shed, and the CSU can efficiently remove the collected cargo from the shed. However, because bulldozers are manually operated by an operator on board, the efficiency of collecting cargo (hereinafter referred to as collection efficiency or cargo collection efficiency), which is directly related to the CSU's removal efficiency, varies greatly depending on the operator's experience and skill.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide an unloading device etc. that can stably increase the efficiency of unloading cargo from a shipyard. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, an unloading device of one embodiment of the present invention comprises a consolidation device position detection unit that detects the position of a consolidation device that consolidates cargo within a shipyard, an unloading device control unit that causes the cargo within the shipyard to be unloaded from the shipyard by an unloading device, a cargo shape detection unit that detects the cargo shape within the shipyard, and a trajectory generation unit that generates a trajectory for the consolidation device within the shipyard in accordance with the position of the consolidation device detected by the consolidation device position detection unit and the cargo shape detected by the cargo shape detection unit.

[0007] According to this aspect, the position of a consolidation device such as a bulldozer and the shape of the cargo in the warehouse are detected, and a trajectory for the consolidation device in the warehouse is generated based on these.By operating the consolidation device according to this trajectory, the efficiency of consolidating or collecting cargo in the warehouse can be improved, and ultimately the efficiency of cargo removal by the removal device can be improved.

[0008] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for controlling an unloading device, the method comprising: a consolidation device position detection step for detecting the position of a consolidation device that consolidates cargo in a shipyard, a discharge device control step for causing a discharge device to discharge the cargo in the shipyard out of the shipyard, a cargo shape detection step for detecting the shape of the cargo in the shipyard, and a trajectory generation step for generating a trajectory of the consolidation device in the shipyard in accordance with the position of the consolidation device detected in the consolidation device position detection step and the cargo shape detected in the cargo shape detection step.

[0009] 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]

[0010] According to the present invention, the efficiency of unloading cargo from a shipyard can be stably improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [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 unloading 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] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the CSU and the bulldozer control system. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing a specific example of control by the control system. [Figure 8] A specific example of the cargo shape detection by the cargo shape detection unit will be described. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] 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.

[0013] 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.

[0014] 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.

[0015] 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.

[0016] 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.

[0017] 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.

[0018] 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.

[0019] 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.

[0020] 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.

[0021] 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.

[0022] 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).

[0023] 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.

[0024] 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.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 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.

[0027] 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 traveling section 2, the rotation of the rotating frame 5, and the raising and lowering of the boom 7 may be performed simultaneously.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] Next, a distance measurement sensor provided in the CSU 1 to improve the safety and efficiency of cargo unloading will be described.

[0033] 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 and structures within the warehouse 201, a bulldozer as a consolidation or collection device (described later), 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, the belt conveyor 45, and the like. 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.

[0034] The scraping unit 11 below the unloading unit 9 is equipped 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 within the warehouse 201, a bulldozer as a consolidation or collection device (described below), 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 degradation 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 (above the scraping unit 11) away from the location where the bucket 27 excavates the bulk goods M (below 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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).

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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 targets such as the edge of the opening 21, the ceiling / wall / bottom of the shed 201, bulk goods M and other objects, people / structures inside the shed 201, a bulldozer as a consolidation or collection device (described later), and the scraping unit 11. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the loading unit 9 from colliding with other objects during unloading, and the bulk goods M can be unloaded efficiently.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] As shown schematically in Figure 6, towards the end of the unloading operation by the unloading unit 9, a bulldozer 400 is used to collect the bulk goods M remaining at the bottom of the warehouse 201, etc., so that the unloading unit 9 can unload them. Hereinafter, the act of the bulldozer 400 collecting the bulk goods M for the unloading unit 9 (carrying-out device) will be expressed as "aggregating (the bulk goods M)" or "collecting." The bulldozer 400 that aggregates or collects the bulk goods M (cargo) in the warehouse 201 is one aspect of an aggregation device or collection device.

[0051] Such bulldozers 400 used for so-called "dredging" the bottom of the shipyard 201 are generally manually operated by an operator. However, this not only requires the operator's human resources, but also presents a risk of collision between the bulldozer 400 and the landing unit 9, which is a large structure that can move within the shipyard 201. Another problem is that the consolidation or collection efficiency of the bulldozer 400, which is directly linked to the efficiency of the unloading unit 9's removal of bulk loads M, varies significantly depending on the operator's experience and skill. As will be described in detail below, this embodiment automatically generates a recommended trajectory for the bulldozer 400 within the shipyard 201 that prevents the bulldozer 400 from colliding with the landing unit 9 and improves the unloading efficiency of the landing unit 9. This improves the safety and efficiency of the bulldozer 400 during the unloading operation (i.e., the unloading efficiency of the landing unit 9). Furthermore, the bulldozer 400 may be automatically operated according to the automatically generated recommended trajectory, allowing for safe and efficient unloading of bulk loads M without endangering the operator.

[0052] FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram of a control system 300 for the CSU 1 (particularly the unloading unit 9) and the bulldozer 400. The control system 300 includes a collection device position detection unit 301, a cargo shape detection unit 302, a discharge device position detection unit 303, a trajectory generation unit 304, an approval reception unit 305, a discharge device control unit 306, a trajectory candidate generation unit 307, a cargo shape prediction unit 308, and a cargo shape evaluation unit 309. 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 realized by a computer in the CSU1, by a computer in the bulldozer 400, or by a computer installed outside the CSU1 and the bulldozer 400 and capable of communicating with the CSU1 and the bulldozer 400.

[0053] The consolidating device position detection unit 301, the cargo shape detection unit 302, and the carrying-out device position detection unit 303 are one or more sensors provided in the CSU 1 (including the unloading unit 9) as the carrying-out device and / or the bulldozer 400 as the consolidating device. Each sensor may be a distance measurement sensor provided in the CSU 1 and / or the bulldozer 400 to measure the distance to the measurement object (the above-mentioned distance measurement sensors 18 and 19 can be used as the distance measurement sensor of the CSU 1), an image sensor provided in the CSU 1 and / or the bulldozer 400 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 bulldozer 400 (consolidating device), the bulk load M (load), the unloading unit 9, or the scraping unit 11 (carrying-out device).

[0054] The aggregation device position detection unit 301 detects the position of the bulldozer 400 as an aggregation device within the shipyard 201. The above-mentioned distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 or an image sensor provided in the unloading unit 9 can be used as the aggregation device position detection unit 301. Alternatively, a positioning sensor using a satellite positioning system such as a GPS (Global Positioning System) provided in the bulldozer 400 itself, or a distance measuring sensor or an image sensor provided in the bulldozer 400 itself that detects its own position within the shipyard 201 by detecting the walls of the shipyard 201 or the like may be used as the aggregation device position detection unit 301.

[0055] The cargo shape detection unit 302 detects the shape of the cargo (shape of the bulk cargo M) in the warehouse 201. The aforementioned distance measuring sensors 18, 19 and image sensors provided in the unloading unit 9 can be used as the cargo shape detection unit 302. Furthermore, distance measuring sensors and image sensors provided in the bulldozer 400 itself may also be used as the cargo shape detection unit 302.

[0056] The carry-out device position detection unit 303 detects the position of the unloading unit 9 as a carry-out device within the warehouse 201, specifically the position of the leading end and trailing end of the scraping unit 11 that scrapes off the bulk goods M in the unloading unit 9. The above-mentioned distance measuring sensors 18, 19 and image sensors provided in the unloading unit 9 itself can be used as the carry-out device position detection unit 303. Furthermore, a distance measuring sensor or image sensor provided in the bulldozer 400 may also be used as the carry-out device position detection unit 303. Note that if the carry-out device control unit 306 that controls the unloading unit 9 can recognize the position of the unloading unit 9 within the warehouse 201, the carry-out device position detection unit 303 does not need to be provided.

[0057] The trajectory generating unit 304 generates a trajectory for the bulldozer 400 within the shipyard 201 in accordance with the position of the bulldozer 400 detected by the consolidating device position detecting unit 301, the shape of the cargo detected by the cargo shape detecting unit 302, and the position of the unloading unit 9 detected by the carry-out device position detecting unit 303. Specifically, the trajectory generating unit 304 automatically generates a recommended trajectory for the bulldozer 400 within the shipyard 201, based on the positions of the bulldozer 400 and the scraping unit 11 and the position and shape of the bulk cargo M, so that the bulldozer 400 will not collide with the scraping unit 11 of the unloading unit 9 and the bulldozer 400 can efficiently collect the bulk cargo M for the scraping unit 11. This improves the safety and efficiency of the bulldozer 400 during the cargo consolidation work (i.e., the carry-out efficiency of the unloading unit 9). In addition, in order to reliably avoid collision between the bulldozer 400 and the scraping unit 11, it is preferable that the trajectory generating unit 304 obtains and takes into consideration trajectory information and operating information of the unloading unit 9 from the unloading device control unit 306 when generating a recommended trajectory for the bulldozer 400.

[0058] The bulldozer 400 may be automatically driven according to the trajectory generated by the trajectory generating unit 304. Alternatively, the recommended trajectory generated by the trajectory generating unit 304 may be displayed for an operator on board the manned bulldozer 400 on a display screen in the control room of the bulldozer 400 or on a display screen of a mobile terminal used by the operator, and the operator may manually operate the bulldozer 400 according to the recommended trajectory.

[0059] The control system 300 may include an approval receiving unit 305 that receives approval for the trajectory generated by the trajectory generating unit 304. For example, the operator of the bulldozer 400, an operator in the main operation room 16 of the CSU 1, an administrator of the control system 300, or the like has the authority to approve the trajectory generated by the trajectory generating unit 304 and can input approval or rejection to the approval receiving unit 305. When the approval receiving unit 305 is provided, the bulldozer 400 may be automatically driven according to the trajectory approved by the approval receiving unit 305, or the operator who is presented with the trajectory approved by the approval receiving unit 305 may manually operate the bulldozer 400.

[0060] The carrying-out device control unit 306 causes the unloading unit 9, which serves as a carrying-out device, to carry out the bulk goods M in the shipyard 201 to the outside of the shipyard 201. The carrying-out device control unit 306 moves the unloading unit 9 within the shipyard 201 so as not to interfere with the trajectory of the bulldozer 400 generated by the trajectory generation unit 304 (in the case where the approval receiving unit 305 is provided, the trajectory of the bulldozer 400 approved by the approval receiving unit 305). At this time, the carry-out device control unit 306 may automatically generate a recommended trajectory for the scraping unit 11 in the shipyard 201, which will prevent the scraping unit 11 of the unloading unit 9 from colliding with the bulldozer 400 and will increase the efficiency of the scraping unit 11 in carrying out the bulk material M removal, based on the trajectory of the bulldozer 400 generated by the trajectory generation unit 304, the positions of the bulldozer 400 and the scraping unit 11 detected by the aggregation device position detection unit 301, the cargo shape detection unit 302, and the carry-out device position detection unit 303, and the position and shape of the bulk material M. The scraping unit 11 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 is presented with the recommended trajectory or the trajectory of the bulldozer 400 generated by the trajectory generation unit 304.

[0061] The trajectory candidate generation unit 307, the cargo shape prediction unit 308, and the cargo shape evaluation unit 309 enable more precise generation of the trajectory of the bulldozer 400 (and the unloading unit 9).

[0062] The trajectory candidate generation unit 307 generates multiple trajectory candidates for the bulldozer 400 within the warehouse 201 based on the position of the bulldozer 400 detected by the aggregation device position detection unit 301, the cargo shape detected by the cargo shape detection unit 302, the position of the unloading unit 9 detected by the unloading device position detection unit 303, and the trajectory information and operation information of the unloading unit 9 provided by the unloading device control unit 306.

[0063] The cargo shape prediction unit 308 predicts the cargo shape after the bulldozer 400 is operated according to each trajectory candidate generated by the trajectory candidate generation unit 307. Note that since the cargo shape also changes depending on the unloading unit 9 that unloads the bulk material M while the bulldozer 400 is operating, it is preferable that the cargo shape prediction unit 308 predicts the cargo shape taking into consideration the trajectory information and operation information of the unloading unit 9 provided by the unloading device control unit 306.

[0064] The cargo shape evaluation unit 309 evaluates the ease of unloading by the unloading unit 9 for each cargo shape predicted by the cargo shape prediction unit 308. Note that the cargo shape evaluation unit 309 may also evaluate the ease of unloading by the unloading unit 9 for the current cargo shape detected by the cargo shape detection unit 302. Specific examples of evaluation by the cargo shape evaluation unit 309 will be described later.

[0065] The trajectory generating unit 304 may generate a trajectory for the bulldozer 400 within the warehouse 201 in accordance with the evaluation by the cargo shape evaluating unit 309. For example, the trajectory generating unit 304 may generate a trajectory that has received the highest evaluation by the cargo shape evaluating unit 309 from among the multiple trajectory candidates generated by the trajectory candidate generating unit 307.

[0066] Next, a specific example of control by the control system 300 will be described with reference to the flowchart in Figure 7. "S" in the flowchart denotes a step or process. In the example in Figure 7, the entire CSU 1 or the unloading unit 9 as the carrying-out device, and the bulldozer 400 as the consolidation device are both automatically operated. As described above, the trajectory of the unloading unit 9 is generated by the carrying-out device control unit 306, and the trajectory of the bulldozer 400 is generated by the trajectory generation unit 304.

[0067] 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 sensors 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 306 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 303. 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 scraping unit 11 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 (for example, three-dimensional coordinates) and attitude (for example, a rotation angle around a three-dimensional coordinate axis) of one or more representative points (for example, the leading end or trailing end) of the scraping part 11.

[0068] In S2, the position / orientation x of the bulldozer 400 at time k in the shipyard coordinate system b k is detected by the aggregation device position detection unit 301. The subscript "b" means the bulldozer 400. x b k As described above with respect to the aggregation device position detection unit 301, the distance is measured by the distance measuring sensors 18, 19 and image sensors provided in the unloading unit 9, and distance measuring sensors, image sensors, positioning sensors, etc. provided in the bulldozer 400 itself. When the bulldozer 400 is detected by the distance measuring sensors 18, 19 and image sensors provided in the unloading unit 9, the detection accuracy of the bulldozer 400 can be improved by providing the bulldozer 400 with reflectors that reflect laser light from the distance measuring sensors 18, 19 and markers that are easily detected by the image sensors. b kis a vector representing the position (e.g., three-dimensional coordinates) and attitude (e.g., a rotation angle around a three-dimensional coordinate axis) of one or more representative points (e.g., the center of the bulldozer 400 or the tip of the blade) of the bulldozer 400. If the bottom of the shed 201 in which the bulldozer 400 moves is substantially flat, each representative point of the bulldozer 400 can be represented by a total of three parameters: two parameters representing the position in a two-dimensional coordinate system within that plane, and one parameter representing the rotation angle (attitude) around the normal to that plane.

[0069] In S3, the cargo shape detection unit 302 detects the cargo shape (shape of the bulk cargo M) in the warehouse 201. Figure 8 shows a specific example of cargo shape detection by the cargo shape detection unit 302. A two-dimensional coordinate system with X and Y axes is set on a plane that approximates the bottom of the warehouse 201, and the bottom of the warehouse 201 is divided into a grid along the X and Y axes. In the example of Figure 8, the bottom of the warehouse 201 is divided into a total of 450 sections, with 30 sections along the X axis and 15 sections along the Y axis. The cargo shape detection unit 302 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 Figure 8) is expressed as h i k The cargo shape detection unit 302 detects the shape of the cargo by 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 302 cannot measure the height of the bulk cargo M in some sections due to objects or people in the warehouse 201 including the bulldozer 400 and the unloading unit 9, the height of the bulk cargo M in that section may be estimated by an interpolation technique such as Semantic Scene Completion.

[0070] In S4, it is determined whether the load (bulk load M) is sufficiently small. Specifically, the height h of the bulk load M in each section detected in S3 is i k The sum of (Σ i h i k =h1 k +h2 k +…+h450 k ) is equal to or less than a predetermined carry-out completion threshold. If the answer is Yes in S4, the automatic operation of the unloading unit 9 and the bulldozer 400 is stopped, and the carry-out of the bulk goods M by the scraping unit 11 with the assistance of the bulldozer 400 is completed. If the answer is No in S4, the process proceeds to the next step S5.

[0071] In S5, the trajectory candidate generation unit 307, the cargo shape prediction unit 308, the cargo shape evaluation unit 309, the trajectory generation unit 304, and the carrying-out device control unit 306 calculate the trajectory (position / posture) x of the bulldozer 400 from future time k+1 to H. b k+1:H and the trajectory (position / attitude) x of the unloading unit 9 from future time k+1 to H. c k+1:H The details of S5 will be described later. In S6, the trajectory x of the bulldozer 400 generated by the trajectory generating unit 304 in S5 is generated. b k+1:H The bulldozer 400 is automatically driven (trajectory tracking control) according to the trajectory x of the unloading unit 9 generated by the unloading device control unit 306 in S5. c k+1:H The unloading section 9 is automatically operated (trajectory tracking control) according to the above. After S6, the process returns to S1, and the series of processes from S1 to S6 are repeated intermittently or continuously until a Yes is determined in S4 (unloading of the bulk goods M is completed).

[0072] Next, the details of S5 will be described. In S5, the trajectory x of the bulldozer 400 from the future time k+1 to H is calculated. b k+1:H and the trajectory x of the unloading section 9 from future time k+1 to H c k+1:H Here, the control state y of the unloading unit 9 or the CSU 1 at time k, such as the scraping speed of the scraping unit 11, is generated. c k and the control state y of the bulldozer 400 at time k, such as the vertical position of the blade of the bulldozer 400. b k The future time H that defines the range of prediction or generation of the trajectory and control state is also referred to as the prediction horizon H below. ck 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 the trajectory x of bulldozer 400 at time k b k and the control state y b k The combination of the state z of the bulldozer 400 at time k b k =(x b k ,y b k ) and place it as

[0073] Based on these, the state z of the unloading unit 9 at the current time k = 0 c 0 , the state z of bulldozer 400 at the current time k=0 b 0 , the cargo shape h at the current time k=0 0 The set (z c 0 ,z b 0 ,h 0 ) from the state of the unloading unit 9 and the bulldozer 400 at future times 1 to H (z c 1:H ,z b 1:H Consider a function g that generates (z c 1:H ,z b 1:H )=g(z c 0 ,z b 0 ,h 0 ) In order to take into account the speed and acceleration of the unloading unit 9 and the bulldozer 400, the function g includes the state (z c -L:0 ,z b -L:0 ) is preferably input. L is, for example, 1. In this case, the function g is (z c1:H ,z b 1:H )=g(z c -L:0 ,z b -L:0 ,h 0 The purpose of the trajectory generation process in S5 is to generate a trajectory (z c 1:H ,z b 1:H )

[0074] (z c 1:H ,z b 1:H )=g(z c -L:0 ,z b -L:0 ,h 0 ) z, which is the input to the function g on the right side c -L:0 ,z b -L:0 ,h 0 are detected by the output device position detection unit 303 (and / or the output device control unit 306), the consolidation device position detection unit 301, and the cargo shape detection unit 302, respectively. c -L:0 ,z b -L:0 ,h 0 ), the trajectory candidate generation unit 307 generates a plurality of trajectory candidates z b 1:H Also, the same parameters (z c -L:0 ,z b -L:0 ,h 0 ), the unloading device control unit 306 acquires the plurality of trajectory candidates z c 1:H In this way, a plurality of trajectory candidates (z c 1:H ,z b1:H ) is generated by the unloading device control unit 306 and the trajectory candidate generation unit 307.

[0075] The cargo shape prediction unit 308 calculates each of the generated trajectory candidates (z c 1:H ,z b 1:H ) the cargo shape h at future times 1 to H after the unloading unit 9 and the bulldozer 400 are operated according to 1 ~h H Here, the cargo shape h at time k is predicted. k is the cargo shape h at the previous time k-1 k-1 and the state of the unloading unit 9 and the bulldozer 400 at time k (z c k ,z b k ) based on h k =f(h k-1 ,z c k ,z b 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 by simulation. The cargo shape prediction unit 308 calculates the trajectory candidate (z c 1:H ,z b 1:H ) and the cargo shape h at the current time detected by the cargo shape detection unit 302 0 Enter the following into the function f, and 1 =f(h 0 ,z c 1 ,z b 1 ), h 2 =f(h 1 ,z c 2 ,z b 2 ), …, h H =f(h H-1 ,z c H ,z b H ) for each cargo shape h at each future time 1 to H1 ~h H orbital candidates (z c 1:H ,z b 1:H ) to predict.

[0076] As mentioned above, multiple orbital candidates (z c 1:H ,z b 1:H ) for the initial state of the unloading unit 9, bulldozer 400, and bulk load M at the current time 0 (z c -L:0 ,z b -L:0 ,h 0 ) from the state of the unloading unit 9, bulldozer 400, and bulk load M at future times 1 to H (h 1:H ,z c 1:H ,z b 1:H ) to (h 1:H ,z c 1:H ,z b 1:H |z c -L:0 ,z b -L:0 ,h 0 ) is given. The cargo shape evaluation unit 309 uses an evaluation function J(h 1:H ,z c 1:H ,z b 1:H |z c -L:0 ,z b -L:0 ,h 0 ) and the constraints b(h 1:H ,z c 1:H ,z b 1:H |z c -L:0 ,z b -L:0 ,h 0 ) for each orbit candidate (z c1:H ,z b 1:H The evaluation function J and the constraint b will be explained later.

[0077] The cargo shape evaluation unit 309 evaluates the evaluation function J and the constraint condition b to determine the multiple trajectory candidates (z c 1:H ,z b 1:H The evaluation of z can be treated as a constrained nonlinear optimization problem expressed by the following formula. For 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 c 1:H ,z b 1:H ) is adopted by the trajectory generation unit 304 and used for automatic operation of the unloading unit 9 and the bulldozer 400.

number

[0078] The evaluation function J is a set of functions r designed to correspond to different evaluation points. l (h 1:H ,z c 1:H ,z b 1:H |z c -L:0 ,z b -L:0 ,h 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 ,z c 1:H ,z b 1:H |z c -L:0 ,z b -L:0 ,h 0 ) below, the function r l Here are some specific examples:

[0079] The first function r1 relates to the total amount of cargo (bulk cargo M). Specifically, r1(h 1:H ,z c 1:H ,z b 1:H |z c -L:0 ,z b -L:0 ,h 0 )=Σ i h i H This r1 represents the total amount of bulk goods M in the prediction horizon H, so it can be said that the higher the evaluation (the smaller the value of r1), the higher the efficiency of the removal of bulk goods M by the scraping unit 11. In addition, an evaluation function may be provided that limits the fluctuations in the removal speed of bulk goods M by the scraping unit 11 (the amount of bulk goods M removed per unit time) over future times 1 to H so that they do not become excessive (the smaller the fluctuations in the removal speed, the higher the evaluation).

[0080] The second function r2 relates to the concentration state of the cargo (bulk cargo M). For example, if the bulk cargo M is concentrated in the center of the warehouse 201, it can be efficiently scraped by the scraping unit 11. Therefore, a relatively large weight w i Set r2=(h 1:H ,z c 1:H ,z b 1:H |z c -L:0 ,z b -L:0 ,h 0 )=Σ i w i h i H The higher the evaluation of r2 (the larger the value of r2), the higher the concentration of bulk cargo M in the center of the warehouse 201.

[0081] The third function r3 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 r3. Specifically, the trajectory x of the unloading unit 9 at each time point -L to -H isc -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 r3. The higher the evaluation of r3 (the smaller the value of r3), 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).

[0082] The fourth function r4 relates to the acceleration and deceleration of the bulldozer 400. It is preferable that the acceleration and deceleration of the bulldozer 400 be small, and the absolute value of the acceleration of the bulldozer 400 is evaluated by r4. Specifically, the trajectory x of the bulldozer 400 at each time point -L to -H is b -L:H The acceleration a of bulldozer 400 at each time -L+1 to H-1 is obtained by differentiating twice with respect to time. b -L+1:H-1 Among them, the acceleration a of bulldozer 400 since the current time 0 b 0:H-1 The absolute value of (a b 0:H-1 ) T (a b 0:H-1 ) is defined as r4. The higher the evaluation of r4 (the smaller the value of r4), the less acceleration / deceleration the bulldozer 400 undergoes. Also, an evaluation function may be provided that limits the curvature of the trajectory of the bulldozer 400 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 bulldozer 400 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).

[0083] Next, the constraint b(h1:H ,z c 1:H ,z b 1:H |z c -L:0 ,z b -L:0 ,h 0 )Here are some specific examples:

[0084] The first 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 in 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 V c When the following is limited, the trajectory x of the unloading section 9 at each time -L to H 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 V c Specifically, 0≦V c -|v c 1:H-1 In addition, when the unloading unit 9 is within a predetermined distance from a structure such as the bulldozer 400 or the wall of the shipyard 201, the upper limit V c Similarly, upper and lower limits can be set for other motion parameters of the unloading unit 9.

[0085] The second constraint relates to the motion of the bulldozer 400. The trajectory or state z of the bulldozer 400 b 1:H must not involve motion parameters (speed, acceleration, angular velocity, angular acceleration, curvature, etc.) that are physically impossible for the bulldozer 400 to realize. Therefore, upper and lower limits for each of these motion parameters are set as constraints. For example, if the absolute value (speed) of the speed of the bulldozer 400 is limited to an upper limit Vb When the following is limited, the trajectory x of the bulldozer 400 at each time -L~H b -L:H The velocity v of bulldozer 400 at each time -L+1 to H-1 is obtained by differentiating with respect to time. b -L+1:H-1 Of these, the speed of bulldozer 400 after time 1 is v b 1:H-1 The absolute value of V b Specifically, 0≦V b -|v b 1:H-1 In addition, when the bulldozer 400 is within a predetermined distance from structures such as the wall of the loading section 9 or the shipyard 201, an upper limit V b Similarly, upper and lower limits can be set for other motion parameters of the bulldozer 400.

[0086] The third constraint condition relates to avoiding contact between the bulldozer 400 and the lifting unit 9. For example, 0≦|x c 1:H-1 -x b 1:H-1 |-X cb By setting the constraints expressed by the inequality, the minimum approach distance X cb Similarly, a constraint can be set to ensure that the bulldozer 400 and the loading / unloading unit 9 do not come closer than a predetermined minimum distance to structures such as the walls of the shipyard 201.

[0087] The fourth constraint condition relates to the stability of the bulldozer 400. For example, a constraint condition is set to prevent the bulldozer 400 from becoming unstable due to running over an inclined bulk load M. Specifically, when the position x b 1:H-1 The inclination of the bulk cargo M at the load shape h detected by the cargo shape detection unit 302 is 1:H-1 and a constraint is set to limit the calculated value to a predetermined upper limit of the gradient.

[0088] 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.

[0089] 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.

[0090] 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]

[0091] 1 Cargo unloading unit (CSU), 9 cargo unloading unit, 11 scraping unit, 18 distance measurement sensor, 19 distance measurement sensor, 201 warehouse, 300 control system, 301 aggregation device position detection unit, 302 cargo shape detection unit, 303 carry-out device position detection unit, 304 trajectory generation unit, 305 approval reception unit, 306 carry-out device control unit, 307 trajectory candidate generation unit, 308 cargo shape prediction unit, 309 cargo shape evaluation unit, 400 bulldozer.

Claims

1. a consolidation device position detection unit that detects the position of a consolidation device that consolidates cargo in a shipyard; 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 generating unit that generates a trajectory of the aggregation device in the warehouse in accordance with the position of the aggregation device detected by the aggregation device position detecting unit and the cargo shape detected by the cargo shape detecting unit; Equipped with a cargo shape evaluation unit that evaluates the ease of carrying out the cargo shape detected by the cargo shape detection unit using the carrying-out device; The trajectory generation unit is an unloading device that generates a trajectory within the warehouse of the aggregation device based on the evaluation by the cargo shape evaluation unit in addition to the position of the aggregation device.

2. Further provided is a carry-out device position detection unit that detects the position of the carry-out device in the shipyard, The trajectory generation unit generates a trajectory in the warehouse of the aggregation device according to the position of the carrying-out device detected by the carrying-out device position detection unit in addition to the position of the aggregation device and the cargo shape.

2. The unloading device of claim 1.

3. The unloading device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the consolidation device is automatically driven according to the trajectory generated by the trajectory generation unit.

4. further comprising an approval receiving unit that receives approval for the trajectory generated by the trajectory generating unit, The aggregation device is automatically driven according to a trajectory related to the approval received by the approval receiving unit.

4. An unloading device according to claim 3.

5. The unloading device according to claim 1 , wherein the unloading device control unit moves the unloading device within the warehouse so as not to interfere with the trajectory of the aggregation device generated by the trajectory generation unit.

6. a trajectory candidate generation unit that generates a plurality of trajectory candidates within the warehouse of the aggregation device according to the position of the aggregation device detected by the aggregation device position detection unit and the cargo shape detected by the cargo shape detection unit; a cargo shape prediction unit that predicts a cargo shape after the aggregation device is operated according to each of the trajectory candidates; a cargo shape evaluation unit that evaluates the ease of carrying out by the carrying-out device for each cargo shape predicted by the cargo shape prediction unit; Further provided with the trajectory generation unit generates a trajectory that is most highly evaluated by the cargo shape evaluation unit from among the plurality of trajectory candidates. An unloading device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The unloading device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the consolidating device position detection unit and the cargo shape detection unit is a sensor provided in the carrying-out device.

8. The unloading device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the collecting device position detection unit and the cargo shape detection unit is a sensor provided in the collecting device.

9. The unloading device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the sensor is a distance measuring sensor that measures the distance to an object to be measured.

10. The unloading device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the sensor is an image sensor that photographs an object to be measured.

11. a consolidation device position detection step of detecting a position of a consolidation device that consolidates cargo in a shipyard; 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 generating step of generating a trajectory of the aggregating device in the warehouse according to the position of the aggregating device detected by the aggregating device position detecting step and the cargo shape detected by the cargo shape detecting step; Equipped with a cargo shape evaluation step of evaluating ease of carrying out the cargo shape detected by the cargo shape detection step by the carrying-out device; The trajectory generation step is a control method for an unloading device that generates a trajectory within the warehouse of the aggregation device based on the evaluation by the cargo shape evaluation step in addition to the position of the aggregation device.

12. a consolidation device position detection step of detecting a position of a consolidation device that consolidates cargo in a shipyard; 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 generating step of generating a trajectory of the aggregating device in the warehouse according to the position of the aggregating device detected by the aggregating device position detecting step and the cargo shape detected by the cargo shape detecting step; on the computer, a cargo shape evaluation step of evaluating ease of unloading by the unloading device for the cargo shape detected by the cargo shape detection step; The trajectory generation step is a control program for an unloading device that generates a trajectory within the warehouse of the aggregation device based on the evaluation by the cargo shape evaluation step in addition to the position of the aggregation device.

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