Autonomous vehicle

Abstract

To provide an automatic travel body capable of preventing interference with a shutter regardless of the presence of a system controller.SOLUTION: In an automatic travel body 10 having a vehicle body, a travel driving source which is loaded on the vehicle body, an in-vehicle controller 26 which controls the travel driving source, and an overhead obstacle detection sensor which is connected to the in-vehicle controller 26 and detects an obstacle in height of an upper part of the vehicle body, the in-vehicle controller 26 recognizes a detection state of the overhead obstacle detection sensor, then determines the presence of the setting of an activation range in which the overhead obstacle detection sensor is activated, and controls the travel driving source to stop the travel when it is determined that the setting of the activation range is not performed and the overhead obstacle detection sensor continues the detection state for a predetermined period or longer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an autonomous vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] As a related prior art of an autonomous vehicle, for example, an automated guided vehicle system disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known. In the automated guided vehicle system disclosed in Patent Document 1, the travel path of the automated guided vehicle is divided into points, and exclusive control areas such as intersections, auto shutters, and single-track sections are provided. When the automated guided vehicle travels to the next point, it requests blocking from the system controller. If the point has not been blocked, the system controller gives permission to travel and blocks the point. In the exclusive control area, it is confirmed that the vehicle is in a travelable state and permission to travel is given.

[0003] According to the automated guided vehicle system disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is possible to assign the right of passage of a point to an automated guided vehicle by blocking and transfer the right of passage to another automated guided vehicle by releasing the blocking. Therefore, it is said that by simple control of blocking and its release, the travel path can be divided into point units and travel control can be performed while preventing collisions between automated guided vehicles. For example, when the auto shutter is open, the automated guided vehicle travels, and when the auto shutter is closed, the automated guided vehicle waits.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, the automated guided vehicle (AGV) system disclosed in Patent Document 1 requires a system controller to control the movement of the AGV on the travel path. Incidentally, it is conceivable to prevent interference with the shutter by equipping the automated guided vehicle with a shutter detection sensor that detects the open / closed state of the shutter, regardless of whether or not there is a system controller. In this case, even if the shutter detection sensor detects an obstacle other than the shutter, the automated guided vehicle will stop, so by pre-setting the effective range of the shutter detection sensor, it is possible to prevent the automated guided vehicle from stopping outside the effective range, but it is necessary to correctly set this effective range.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and the object of this invention is to provide an automated vehicle that can prevent interference with overhead obstacles regardless of the presence or absence of a system controller. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides an automated vehicle comprising a vehicle body, a driving power source mounted on the vehicle body, an on-board controller for controlling the driving power source, and an upper obstacle detection sensor connected to the on-board controller for detecting obstacles at the height of the upper part of the vehicle body, wherein the on-board controller, after recognizing the operating state of the upper obstacle detection sensor, determines whether or not an activation range for which the upper obstacle detection sensor is activated has been set, and if it is determined that the activation range has not been set and the operating state of the upper obstacle detection sensor remains in the detection state for a predetermined time or longer, controls the driving power source to stop driving.

[0008] In this invention, the on-board controller recognizes the detection state of the upper obstacle detection sensor and then determines whether or not an activation range for which the upper obstacle detection sensor is activated has been set. If it is determined that no activation range has been set, and the upper obstacle detection sensor continues to detect an obstacle for a predetermined time or longer, the on-board controller controls the drive source to stop the vehicle from moving. Therefore, interference with an upper obstacle can be prevented regardless of whether or not a system controller is present. Furthermore, since the system determines whether or not an activation range for which the upper obstacle detection sensor is activated has been set, interference with an upper obstacle can be prevented even if there is an error in the pre-set activation range or if no activation range has been set. In addition, if the upper obstacle detection sensor does not continue to detect an obstacle for a predetermined time or longer, the vehicle will not stop moving, thus avoiding unnecessary stops.

[0009] Furthermore, in the above-described automated vehicle, the onboard controller may be configured to change the operating state of the upper obstacle detection sensor from an undetected state to a detected state when it is determined that the activation range has not been set and the operating state of the upper obstacle detection sensor has been in a detected state for a predetermined period of time or longer, and to control the driving power source to stop driving by determining that the operating state of the upper obstacle detection sensor is in a detected state. In this case, if it is determined that the activation range has not been set, and the operating state of the upper obstacle detection sensor remains in the detection state for a predetermined period of time or longer, the operating state of the upper obstacle detection sensor is changed from the undetected state to the detected state. Therefore, even if there is an error in the pre-set activation range or the activation range is not set, the in-vehicle controller can determine that the operating state of the upper obstacle detection sensor is the detected state, and interference with an upper obstacle can be reliably prevented.

[0010] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned autonomous vehicle, a warning device that issues warnings may be mounted on the vehicle body, and the on-board controller may be configured to activate the warning device after changing the operating state of the upper obstacle detection sensor from an undetected state to a detected state. In this case, the in-vehicle controller can recognize that there is an abnormality in the activation range setting by changing the operating state of the upper obstacle detection sensor from undetected to detected, and can notify those around that there is an abnormality in the activation range setting by activating a warning device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an automated vehicle that can prevent interference with the shutter regardless of whether or not a system controller is present. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a side view of a small towing vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of a small towing vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of a small towing vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram showing the route taken by a small towing vehicle. [Figure 5] This flowchart shows the procedure for preventing interference between a small towing vehicle and the shutter. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Hereinafter, a small towing vehicle as an autonomous vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The small towing vehicle of this embodiment is an autonomous towing vehicle that creates an environmental map while estimating its own position and driving autonomously. However, the small towing vehicle of this embodiment is an unmanned small towing vehicle equipped with a driver's seat so that it can also be operated by a person. The directions "front and back," "left and right," and "up and down" are determined based on the driver's seat of the small towing vehicle.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, the front of the vehicle body 11 of the small towing vehicle 10 is equipped with steering wheels 12 as the front wheels, and the rear of the vehicle body 11 is equipped with drive wheels 13 as the rear wheels. A driver's seat 14 is located near the center of the vehicle body 11. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the driver's seat 14 is equipped with a standing-type driver's seat 15 and a steering lever 16 to enable manned operation.

[0015] A battery room (not shown) is located behind the driver's seat 14 in the vehicle body 11. The battery room is a space that can accommodate a battery 17. The area above the battery room is covered by an openable / closable cover 18 provided on the vehicle body 11. As shown in Figure 1, a drawbar device 19 for connecting a towed vehicle (not shown), such as a trolley, is provided at the rear of the vehicle body 11. By operating the drawbar device 19, the transport trolley, which is the towed vehicle, is connected to or disconnected from the small towing vehicle 10.

[0016] As shown in Figure 3, the small towing vehicle 10 includes a drive unit 20 as a driving source that generates driving force to drive the drive wheels 13, and a steering unit 21 for steering the steering wheels 12. The drive unit 20 includes a drive motor 22 for driving to rotate the drive wheels 13, and a motor driver 23 that drives the drive motor 22. The steering unit 21 includes a drive motor 24 for steering to drive the steering wheels 12, and a motor driver 25 that drives the drive motor 24.

[0017] The vehicle body 11 is equipped with an on-board controller 26 that controls motor drivers 23 and 25. Motor driver 23 controls the rotational speed of drive motor 22 in response to commands from the on-board controller 26. Therefore, the on-board controller 26 controls the acceleration and deceleration (braking) of the small towing vehicle 10 by controlling the traction drive unit 20. In addition, motor driver 25 controls the amount of rotation of drive motor 24 in response to commands from the on-board controller 26.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 3, the in-vehicle controller 26 includes a CPU 27 and a storage unit 28 composed of a RAM, a ROM, and the like. The in-vehicle controller 26 may include dedicated hardware for executing at least some of various processes, for example, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The in-vehicle controller 26 can be configured as a circuit including one or more processors that operate according to a computer program, one or more dedicated hardware circuits such as an ASIC, or a combination thereof.

[0019] The storage unit 28 stores program codes or instructions configured to cause the CPU 27 to execute processes. In the storage unit 28, various programs for controlling the small towing vehicle 10 are stored, and in addition, an environmental map regarding the movement space for moving the small towing vehicle 10 is stored. The environmental map is a map created while the small towing vehicle 10 moves in the movement space. The technology for simultaneously estimating the self-position of the small towing vehicle 10 and constructing the environmental map is called SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping). The storage unit 28, that is, the computer-readable medium, includes anything accessible by a general-purpose or dedicated computer.

[0020] By the way, an obstacle detection sensor 29 is provided near the road surface F at the front part of the vehicle body 11. The obstacle detection sensor 29 is a sensor that detects obstacles in front of the vehicle body 11 at a height close to the road surface F. The obstacle detection sensor 29 is provided on the vehicle body 11 so as to be at a predetermined height (200 mm) or less from the road surface F. The obstacle detection sensor 29 is a laser distance measurement sensor that irradiates laser light and has a light projecting unit (not shown) and a light receiving unit (not shown). When an obstacle (person, article, etc.) exists on the traveling path of the small towing vehicle 10, the obstacle detection sensor 29 detects the obstacle and transmits a signal indicating that the obstacle has been detected to the in-vehicle controller 26.

[0021] The obstacle detection sensor 29 scans a laser beam over a preset obstacle detection area. The optical axis of the laser beam emitted from the obstacle detection sensor 29 extends substantially horizontally when the vehicle body 11 is in a horizontal state, and inclines according to the inclination of the vehicle body 11 in the front and rear directions. The obstacle detection area (not shown) set by the obstacle detection sensor 29 is a rectangular area. The left - right width of the obstacle detection area is approximately the same as the larger of the widths of the small towing vehicle 10 or a towed trolley (not shown) towed by the small towing vehicle 10. The obstacle detection sensor 29 is connected to the vehicle - mounted controller 26.

[0022] The obstacle detection area is divided into three areas: a protection area, a stop area, and a deceleration area. The protection area is the area closest to the vehicle body 11 in the obstacle detection area, and when an obstacle is detected, it is the area where the small towing vehicle 10 stops abnormally. That is, when an obstacle is detected in the protection area, the vehicle - mounted controller 26 determines that it is abnormal and stops the small towing vehicle 10 abnormally. If the abnormal state of the small towing vehicle 10 is not released after the abnormal stop, the small towing vehicle 10 cannot resume autonomous driving.

[0023] The stop area is an area set in front of the protection area, and when an obstacle is detected, it is the area where the small towing vehicle 10 stops normally. That is, when an obstacle is detected in the stop area, the vehicle - mounted controller 26 determines that it is not abnormal and stops the small towing vehicle 10. When the obstacle is removed after the stop, the small towing vehicle 10 can resume autonomous driving.

[0024] The deceleration area is an area set in front of the stop area, and it is the area farthest from the vehicle body 11 in the obstacle detection area, corresponding to the foremost area. The deceleration area is the area where the small towing vehicle 10 is braked and decelerated when an obstacle is detected. That is, when an obstacle is detected in the deceleration area, the vehicle - mounted controller 26 determines that deceleration is necessary and brakes the small towing vehicle 10 to decelerate it. When the obstacle is removed from the deceleration area during deceleration, the small towing vehicle 10 can increase its speed.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, a portal frame 30 is provided near the front of the vehicle body 11, having a pair of left and right support columns 31 and a horizontal member 32 that is horizontally mounted on the tops of the support columns 31. An environmental sensor 33 is provided at the front of the portal frame 30. The environmental sensor 33 is a sensor that detects the surroundings including the front of the vehicle body 11, and is, for example, a 3D-LiDAR. The environmental sensor 33 is connected to an on-board controller 26. The on-board controller 26 generates an environmental map while estimating the self-position of the small towing vehicle 10 based on the point cloud detected by the environmental sensor 33.

[0026] A shutter detection sensor 34, which acts as an upper obstacle detection sensor, is provided on the horizontal member 32 so as to be located below the environmental sensor 33. The shutter detection sensor 34 is a sensor that detects the shutter so that the on-board controller 26 can determine the open or closed state of the shutter. The shutter is a known shutter S, for example, as shown in Figure 4, which is provided to open and close entrances G1 and G2 of a factory, and may be an automatically opening or closing shutter or a manually opening or closing shutter.

[0027] The shutter detection sensor 34 in this embodiment is a two-dimensional laser-type distance measuring sensor that emits laser light forward and has a light-emitting unit (not shown) and a light-receiving unit (not shown). The detectable area of ​​the shutter detection sensor 34 is, for example, the area from the front of the vehicle body 11 to about 2m in front, and the width of the detectable area is about the width of the vehicle body 11. In this embodiment, the laser light of the shutter detection sensor 34 is emitted upward at a preset elevation angle so as not to interfere with the scanning range of the environmental sensor 33. The detectable area of ​​the shutter detection sensor 34 in the front-rear direction may be changed according to the speed of the vehicle body 11, the mounting angle of the shutter detection sensor 34, etc. Also, the width of the shutter detection sensor 34 should be about the same as the width of the vehicle body or the width of the towing trolley, whichever is greater, considering shutters that open to the left and right. As shown in Figure 4, when the shutter S of the entrance / exit G2 is closed, the shutter detection sensor 34 detects the shutter S and transmits the signal indicating the detection of the shutter S to the on-board controller 26. As shown in Figure 4, when the shutter S of the entrance / exit G1 is open, the shutter detection sensor 34 does not detect the shutter S.

[0028] The on-board controller 26 is connected to the warning device 36. The warning device 36 is mounted on the vehicle body 11 and emits a warning sound and illuminates a lamp. The warning device 36 is controlled by the on-board controller 26 to emit a warning when the shutter detection sensor 34 detects the shutter S. Similarly, the warning device 36 emits a warning when the obstacle detection sensor 29 detects an obstacle.

[0029] By the way, in Figure 4, a travel path R for the small towing vehicle 10 is set, passing through entrances G1 and G2, each equipped with a shutter S. In this case, the on-board controller 26 is pre-set to enable the shutter detection sensor 34 corresponding to entrances G1 and G2. The enable range of the shutter detection sensor 34 is set to allow the on-board controller 26 to recognize an obstacle such as a shutter when the shutter detection sensor 34 detects such an obstacle. By setting the enable range, it is possible to prevent the small towing vehicle 10 from stopping due to false detection by the shutter detection sensor 34 outside the enable range.

[0030] The activation range is set, for example, as shown in Figure 4, with activation range E1 set before entrance / exit G1 on the travel path R, and activation range E2 set at entrance / exit G2 on the travel path R. In other words, activation ranges E1 and E2 are the ranges in which the on-board controller 26 can recognize the shutter by the operation of the shutter detection sensor 34, which is set before the small towing vehicle 10 passes through the shutter S. Furthermore, if the small towing vehicle 10 returns via entrance / exit G1 after passing through entrance / exit G2 on the travel path R, an additional activation range is set corresponding to the return trip. Thus, the activation range is set according to the number of entrances / exits that the small towing vehicle 10 passes through.

[0031] By setting the activation ranges E1 and E2 for the shutter detection sensor 34, even if the shutter detection sensor 34 detects an obstacle outside the activation range on the driving path R, the on-board controller 26 will not recognize it as an obstacle. Incidentally, outside the activation ranges E1 and E2 on the driving path R, the shutter detection sensor 34 can detect obstacles other than shutters, but the on-board controller 26 will not recognize the obstacle detected by the shutter detection sensor 34 as an obstacle unless certain conditions are met. In other words, the shutter detection sensor 34 operates even outside the activation ranges E1 and E2 on the driving path R, but the on-board controller 26 will not recognize the obstacle detected by the shutter detection sensor 34 depending on the conditions. Note that outside the activation range of the shutter detection sensor 34 on the driving path R, the obstacle detection sensor 29 will detect obstacles.

[0032] The activation ranges E1 and E2 for which the shutter detection sensor 34 operates are set manually by an operator or other person. Therefore, there is a risk that the activation ranges E1 and E2 may be set incorrectly, or that the activation ranges may not be set at all due to forgetting or other reasons. In this case, the shutter detection sensor 34 will not operate in the activation ranges E1 and E2, and as a result, the small towing vehicle 10 may interfere with the shutter S.

[0033] In this embodiment, even if there is an error in setting the activation range of the shutter detection sensor 34, or if the activation range is not set at all, the on-board controller 26 performs control to avoid interference between the small towing vehicle 10 and the shutter S. When the small towing vehicle 10 is traveling based on the operation data, the on-board controller 26 performs control of a flow consisting of a series of steps shown in Figure 5. The operation data is data necessary to set the program for the automatic driving of the small towing vehicle 10, and is manually set in advance on the on-board controller 26. Specifically, the travel route and the activation range within the travel route are set based on the operation data.

[0034] As shown in Figure 5, the in-vehicle controller 26 first acquires the operating state (detection state or non-detection state) of the shutter detection sensor 34 (step S01). If the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 is the detection state, the in-vehicle controller 26 recognizes it as the detection state. If the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 is the non-detection state, the in-vehicle controller 26 recognizes it as the non-detection state. The detection state is a state in which the shutter detection sensor 34 has detected an obstacle including the shutter S. The non-detection state is a state in which the shutter detection sensor 34 has not detected an obstacle including the shutter S.

[0035] Next, the on-board controller 26 determines whether the shutter detection sensor 34 is enabled or disabled (step S02). When the small towing vehicle 10 reaches, for example, the activation range E1, the on-board controller 26 determines that the shutter detection sensor 34 is enabled. If the activation range E1 in the operation data is not set correctly, or if the activation range E1 is not set in the operation data, the on-board controller 26 determines that it is disabled.

[0036] If the shutter detection sensor 34 is determined to be inactive, the in-vehicle controller 26 changes the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 to an undetected state (step S03). Incidentally, although the in-vehicle controller 26 recognizes the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 as either detected or undetected in step S01, in step S03, even if it was in an undetected state in step S01, it changes it back to an undetected state.

[0037] Next, the in-vehicle controller 26 determines whether a certain period of time has elapsed since the shutter detection sensor 34 was in the detection state during autonomous driving (step S04). The certain period of time is set in the in-vehicle controller 26 and is set to, for example, less than 1 second. Incidentally, the in-vehicle controller 26 is equipped with a timer function that can measure this certain period of time. If the shutter detection sensor 34 is in the detection state for a certain period of time even though the shutter detection sensor 34 is not activated, it means that the shutter detection sensor 34 has detected an obstacle including a shutter. Therefore, if the in-vehicle controller 26 determines that a certain period of time has elapsed since the shutter detection sensor 34 was in the detection state during autonomous driving, it changes the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 from the undetected state to the detected state (step S05).

[0038] In step S03, the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 is changed to an undetected state, and then in step S05, the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 is changed from an undetected state to a detected state. As a result, the on-board controller 26 recognizes that there is an abnormality in the setting of the activation range of the shutter detection sensor 34. Therefore, the on-board controller 26 activates the warning device 36 (step S06). The activation of the warning device 36 causes a lamp to light up and a warning sound to be emitted, notifying the surroundings of the abnormality of the small towing vehicle 10.

[0039] Next, the on-board controller 26 determines whether the shutter detection sensor 34 is operating in a detection state or not (step S07). If it is determined that the shutter detection sensor 34 is operating in a detection state, the on-board controller 26 controls the drive unit 20 to stop the small towing vehicle 10 from moving (step S08). If it is determined that the shutter detection sensor 34 is operating in a non-detection state, the on-board controller 26 returns to step S01. In this case, the small towing vehicle 10 continues to move.

[0040] In step S02, if the shutter detection sensor 34 is determined to be active in the operation data, the onboard controller 26 determines in step S07 whether the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 is in a detection state. If the activation range is set correctly, the flow will move from step S02 to step S07. Also, in step S04, if the shutter detection sensor 34 is determined to have not been in a "detection" state for a certain period of time during autonomous driving, the onboard controller 26 determines in step S07 whether the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 is in a detection state. Then, in step S07, the onboard controller 26 determines that it is in an undetected state. In this way, by the onboard controller 26 controlling a series of steps S01 to S08, interference between the small towing vehicle 10 and the shutter is prevented even if there is an error in setting the activation range of the shutter detection sensor 34 or if the activation range is not set at all.

[0041] Next, the driving of the miniature towing vehicle 10 in this embodiment will be described. The miniature towing vehicle 10 travels along a preset driving path R. The miniature towing vehicle 10 travels by controlling the driving drive unit 20 and the steering unit 21 via the onboard controller 26. In this embodiment, the environmental sensor 33 constructs an environmental map while estimating the self-position of the traveling miniature towing vehicle 10. When the miniature towing vehicle 10 is traveling, the obstacle detection sensor 29 mounted on the front road surface side of the vehicle body 11 scans the front of the vehicle body 11 with a laser beam. When an obstacle is present on the driving path R, the obstacle detection sensor 29 detects the obstacle, and the onboard controller 26 controls the driving drive unit 20 and the steering unit 21 to stop or avoid the obstacle.

[0042] While the small towing vehicle 10 is in motion, the shutter detection sensor 34 scans the laser beam forward. The onboard controller 26 acquires the operating status of the shutter detection sensor 34 when the small towing vehicle 10 is traveling toward the entrance / exit G1, for example, as shown in Figure 4. If the shutter detection sensor 34 has not detected an obstacle, the operating status of the shutter detection sensor 34 is in the undetected state. The onboard controller 26 then determines whether the shutter detection sensor 34 is active or not.

[0043] For example, if the small towing vehicle 10 has not reached the activation range E1, the on-board controller 26 determines that it is not active. In this case, if the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 is in the undetected state, the on-board controller 26 changes the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 to the undetected state, but this is a change by overwriting from one undetected state to another. Next, the on-board controller 26 determines whether a certain amount of time has elapsed since the shutter detection sensor 34 was in the detection state. In the case shown in Figure 4, since there are no obstacles, it is determined that a certain amount of time has not elapsed since the shutter detection sensor 34 was in the detection state.

[0044] On the other hand, if the small towing vehicle 10 reaches the activation range E1 and the activation range E1 in the operation data is correctly set, the on-board controller 26 determines that the shutter detection sensor 34 is active. In this case, the on-board controller 26 then determines whether the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 is in the detection state.

[0045] In the case of Figure 4, the shutter S of entrance / exit G1 is open, so the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 is determined to be undetected. Therefore, the small towing vehicle 10 continues to travel without stopping and heads towards entrance / exit G2. Having passed through entrance / exit G1, the small towing vehicle 10 leaves the active range E1. When it leaves the active range E1, if there are no obstacles in the travel path R, the onboard controller 26 maintains the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 in the undetected state.

[0046] The small towing vehicle 10 continues to travel along the route R and reaches the activation range E2. If the activation range E2 in the operation data is correctly set, the onboard controller 26 determines that the shutter detection sensor 34 is active. In this case, the onboard controller 26 then determines whether the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 is in the detection state. In the case of Figure 4, the shutter S of the entrance / exit G2 is closed, so the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 is determined to be in the detection state. The small towing vehicle 10 stops traveling in the activation range E2 and waits.

[0047] In the case of an automatically opening and closing shutter S that detects the small towing vehicle 10 and opens automatically, when the shutter S opens after detecting the small towing vehicle 10, the on-board controller 26 sets the operating status of the shutter detection sensor 34 to an undetected state. Therefore, it controls the small towing vehicle 10 to resume its movement, and the small towing vehicle 10 passes through the entrance / exit G2. In the case of a manually opening and closing shutter device, the small towing vehicle 10 stops moving and waits in the active range E2 unless the shutter S is opened.

[0048] Now, let's consider, for example, the case where the activation range E2 in the operation data is not set correctly. Possible reasons why the activation range E2 is not set correctly include, for example, an error in the activation range setting due to the shutter detection sensor 34, or the activation range E2 not being set at all.

[0049] In Figure 4, the small towing vehicle 10, having passed through entrance / exit G1, reaches the activation range E2 with the shutter detection sensor 34 in an undetected state. However, because the activation range E2 in the operation data is not correctly set, the onboard controller 26 determines that the shutter detection sensor 34 is not active in the operation data even when the small towing vehicle 10 reaches the activation range E2. On the other hand, in the small towing vehicle 10 that has reached the activation range E2, the shutter detection sensor 34 detects the shutter S as an obstacle. After a certain period of time has elapsed in the detection state of the shutter detection sensor 34, the onboard controller 26 switches the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 from undetected to detected. At this time, the onboard controller 26 recognizes that there is an abnormality in the setting of the activation range E2 and activates the warning device 36. Furthermore, the onboard controller 26 determines that the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 is in the detection state and controls the small towing vehicle 10 to stop moving.

[0050] In the example in Figure 4, if the activation range E2 in the operation data is not set correctly and the shutter S of the entrance / exit G1 is open, the on-board controller 26 determines that the shutter detection sensor 34 is not active in the operation data. Also, when the small towing vehicle 10 reaches the activation range E2, the shutter detection sensor 34 does not detect the shutter S, so the on-board controller 26 determines that the shutter detection sensor 34 has not been in a detection state for a certain period of time. Furthermore, since the on-board controller 26 determines that the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 is in an undetected state, the small towing vehicle 10 continues to travel without stopping and passes through the entrance / exit G2.

[0051] Thus, even if the activation range E2 in the operation data is not set correctly, the onboard controller 26 stops the small towing vehicle 10 from moving if the shutter detection sensor 34 detects that the shutter S is closed, thereby preventing interference between the small towing vehicle 10 and the shutter of the entrance / exit G2. If the shutter detection sensor 34 detects that the shutter S is open, the onboard controller 26 continues the small towing vehicle 10 from moving.

[0052] The small towing vehicle 10 according to this embodiment provides the following effects. (1) After recognizing the detection state of the shutter detection sensor 34, the on-board controller 26 determines whether or not an activation range for which the shutter detection sensor 34 is activated has been set. If it is determined that no activation range has been set, and the shutter detection sensor 34 continues to detect for a predetermined time or longer, the on-board controller 26 controls the driving drive unit 20 to stop the vehicle from moving. Therefore, interference with the shutter S as an overhead obstacle can be prevented regardless of whether or not a system controller is present. In addition, since it determines whether or not an activation range for which the shutter detection sensor 34 is activated has been set, interference with the shutter S can be prevented even if there is an error in the preset activation range or if no activation range is set. In other words, interference between the small towing vehicle 10 and the shutter S can be prevented regardless of whether or not a system controller is present. Furthermore, if the detection state of the shutter detection sensor 34 does not continue for a predetermined time or longer, the vehicle will not stop moving, thus avoiding unnecessary stops.

[0053] (2) When the onboard controller 26 determines that no activation range has been set and the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 has been in the detection state for a predetermined time or longer, it changes the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 from the undetected state to the detected state. By determining that the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 is the detected state, the onboard controller 26 controls the driving drive unit 20 to stop driving. Therefore, even if there is an error in the preset activation range or the activation range is not set, the onboard controller 26 can determine that the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 is the detected state and reliably prevent interference with the shutter S.

[0054] (3) A warning device 36 is mounted on the vehicle body 11, and the onboard controller 26 activates the warning device 36 after changing the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 from an undetected state to a detected state. As a result, the onboard controller 26 can recognize that there is an abnormality in the setting of the activation range by changing the operating state of the shutter detection sensor 34 from an undetected state to a detected state. Furthermore, by activating the warning device 36, it is possible to notify those around that there is an abnormality in the setting of the activation range.

[0055] (4) Since the shutter detection sensor 34 is provided on the upper part of the gate-shaped frame 30, the shutter detection sensor 34 can detect the shutter S even when it is in a half-open state and not fully open. Therefore, even if the shutter S is in a state where it cannot be detected by the obstacle detection sensor 29 provided on the lower part of the vehicle body 11, interference between the small towing vehicle 10 and the shutter S can be prevented.

[0056] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. For example, the following modifications may be made.

[0057] ○ In the above embodiment, the drive wheels were driven by a drive system powered by a battery, but this is not limited to that. The drive source for an autonomous vehicle may be, for example, an engine. Alternatively, a fuel cell power generator may be mounted on the vehicle body instead of a battery. ○ In the above embodiment, a small towing vehicle was used as an example of an autonomous vehicle, but it is not limited to this. Any autonomous industrial vehicle capable of autonomous driving may be used as an autonomous vehicle, such as an autonomous forklift, an automated guided vehicle, or an unmanned towing tractor. Furthermore, the present invention is applicable not only to autonomous vehicles capable of autonomous driving using SLAM, but also to autonomous vehicles capable of autonomous driving using guidance systems that utilize magnetic tape or electronic tags. In addition, an autonomous vehicle may be an autonomous vehicle that combines environmental sensors with magnetic tape or electronic tags. ○ In the above embodiment, the in-vehicle controller is assumed to know the location of the road surface within the activation range of the overhead obstacle detection sensor based on a pre-stored environmental map, but this is not limited to this. For example, a two-dimensional code such as a QR code (registered trademark) or an RFID tag can be placed on the road surface corresponding to the activation range, and a reader mounted on the autonomous vehicle can read the two-dimensional code or RFID tag. This allows the in-vehicle controller to know the location of the activation range. ○ In the above embodiment, the upper obstacle detection sensor is provided on a gantry frame, but this is not the only option. For example, the upper obstacle detection sensor may be provided on the upper part of the vehicle body without providing a gantry frame. ○ In the above embodiment, an example was described in which a shutter is provided at the entrance / exit through which the automated vehicle passes, but the invention is not limited to this. The entrance / exit may not be a shutter that moves up and down, but may be a sliding door or sliding gate that slides from side to side, or it may be an opening and closing door that opens and closes using a hinge as a pivot point. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 10. Small towing vehicle (autonomous vehicle) 11 Car body 14. Driver's seat 19 Drawbar device 20. Driving system (driving power source) 21 Steering gear 22 Drive motor 23 Motor driver (for driving) 24 Steering motor 25 Motor driver (for steering) 26. In-vehicle controller 29 Obstacle detection sensor 30 gantry frame 33 Environmental Sensors 34. Shutter detection sensor (upward obstacle detection sensor) 36 Alarm F road surface G1, G2 entrance / exit R Route S Shutter

Claims

1. The car body and, The vehicle body is equipped with a drive source, An onboard controller that controls the aforementioned drive source, An automated driving vehicle having an overhead obstacle detection sensor connected to the in-vehicle controller for detecting obstacles at the height of the upper part of the vehicle body, The onboard controller, after recognizing the operating state of the upper obstacle detection sensor, determines whether or not an activation range for which the upper obstacle detection sensor is activated has been set, and if it is determined that the activation range has not been set and the operating state of the upper obstacle detection sensor remains in the detection state for a predetermined time or longer, controls the driving power source to stop driving.

2. The onboard controller, when it is determined that the activation range has not been set and the operating state of the upper obstacle detection sensor has been in a detection state for a predetermined time or longer, changes the operating state of the upper obstacle detection sensor from an undetected state to a detected state, and by determining that the operating state of the upper obstacle detection sensor is in a detected state, controls the driving drive source to stop driving, as described in claim 1.

3. A warning device that emits a warning is mounted on the vehicle body. The automated vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that the onboard controller activates the warning device after changing the operating state of the upper obstacle detection sensor from an undetected state to a detected state.

Images