Automatic navigation robot for rice paddies, and its management system.

Abstract

To provide an automatically navigating robot for a rice field that can achieve labor saving even when performing unmanned weeding work for a long time, does not require preparation work such as route input beforehand, and allows a plurality of machine bodies to be easily used simultaneously, and to provide a management system thereof.SOLUTION: An automatically navigating robot for a rice field is configured by including a hull that can float on a rice field, a propulsion device for causing the hull to navigate on the rice field, and an automatic steering device for automatically operating a navigation direction of the hull. The automatic steering device includes: a GPS device for identifying position coordinates of the hull; route storage means for storing past route data on the hull acquired from the GPS device; course calculation means for calculating and outputting the navigation direction so as to avoid the duplication with a past route on the basis of the past route data of the route storage means; and course control means for automatically controlling the navigation direction of the hull by the propulsion device or a rudder on the basis of the navigation direction output by the course calculation means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic navigation robot for paddy fields that automatically navigates on paddy fields to perform weeding and the like, and a management system thereof.

Background Art

[0002] In paddy fields where crops such as rice are grown, when weeds propagate in the paddy fields, they deprive the crops of water and nutrients, causing adverse effects such as quality degradation. Therefore, weeders for removing weeds have been developed. As weeders, there are various types such as walk-behind types, ride-on types, and attachment types that are mounted on rice transplanters. However, large machines are difficult to handle, and manned operations require a lot of labor, so there is a problem that the work cannot be easily performed.

[0003] Therefore, conventionally, small weeding devices that can be floated in paddy fields have also been developed (see Patent Documents 1 to 6). However, among these conventional weeding devices, the type that is remotely controlled requires constant manned operation, so long-term weeding work is difficult. In addition, the type that navigates along a preset route has a problem that the weeding unevenness tends to increase between the route and other parts because the weeding device repeatedly passes through the same route.

[0004] In addition, in the case of a weeding machine of the type that presets the above route, in order to perform weeding as evenly as possible, it is necessary to input accurate map information of the paddy field to be weeded and finely input the route into the map information. However, with this method, the preparation work takes time and it is impossible to quickly start the weeding work. In addition, when using a plurality of weeding machines in the same paddy field, it is necessary to select a route that does not cause the weeding machines to collide with each other, so the difficulty of route selection is also high.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

[0006] The present invention aims to solve the problems of the above-mentioned prior art, and in summary, it provides an automated navigation robot for rice paddies and a management system thereof that can perform weeding work unmanned for long periods of time, saving labor, and that does not require preparatory work such as route input in advance and can be easily used simultaneously by multiple units. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, the inventor has configured a vessel that can float on a rice paddy, a propulsion system for navigating the vessel on the rice paddy, and an automatic navigation system for automatically controlling the direction of the vessel's navigation. The automatic navigation system includes a GPS device for identifying the position coordinates of the vessel, a route storage means for storing past route data of the vessel obtained from the GPS device, a course calculation means for calculating and outputting a direction of navigation based on the past route data in the route storage means to avoid overlapping with past routes, and a course control means for automatically controlling the direction of navigation of the vessel using the propulsion device or rudder based on the direction of navigation output by the course calculation means (the effects will be described later).

[0008] Furthermore, in this invention, the automatic navigation system is equipped with a course reversal control means that automatically reverses the direction of navigation of the hull when the position coordinates of the hull's current location obtained from the GPS device do not change for a certain period of time compared with past route data. This makes it possible to automatically reverse the direction of navigation of the robot at the edge of a rice paddy, and eliminates the need for proximity and contact sensors.

[0009] Furthermore, in this invention, when the ship's direction of navigation is reversed by the course reversal control means, the course calculation means performs calculation output processing of the direction of navigation that avoids overlapping with past routes, thereby enabling the ship to reverse course while avoiding route overlap.

[0010] Furthermore, the present invention includes an automatic transmission means for automatically transmitting past route data to the same type of robot used simultaneously at a predetermined timing, and a receiving means for route data transmitted from the same type of robot. In addition, the route storage means of the automatic navigation system stores the past route data received from the same type of robot, and the course calculation means calculates and outputs the direction of navigation based on the past route data shared among the same type of robot, so as to avoid overlap with past routes. This allows multiple robots to share past route data and calculate the optimal route when they approach each other or after a certain period of time has elapsed.

[0011] Furthermore, in this invention, a management system for the automated navigation robot for paddy fields is configured, including the automated navigation robot for paddy fields and a robot management terminal connected to the automated navigation robot for paddy fields via a network. The automated navigation robot for paddy fields is equipped with an automatic transmission means that automatically transmits past route data to the robot management terminal at predetermined timings, so that the robot's route data can be checked on the robot management terminal after a certain period of time has elapsed or when it turns around.

[0012] Furthermore, in this invention, the robot management terminal is equipped with a means for receiving GPS map data of the rice paddy, a means for storing route data transmitted from the automated navigation robot for the rice paddy, and a route image output means for inputting route data into the GPS map data and outputting an image, thereby making it easy to check the robot's past route on the rice paddy. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] The present invention provides an automated paddy field navigation robot that acquires the current position coordinates of the hull using a GPS device, stores route data, and automatically calculates a course to avoid past routes based on the stored route data. Therefore, there is no need for prior route input, and weeding work can begin quickly simply by floating the robot on the paddy field and starting it up. Furthermore, because prior route input is unnecessary, it is easy to use multiple robots simultaneously in the same paddy field.

[0014] Furthermore, the automated paddy field robot of the present invention is designed to select a course that avoids past paths, allowing it to navigate evenly across the entire paddy field. Therefore, by allowing the robot to navigate for an extended period, it is possible to weed the entire paddy field evenly. Moreover, since the automated paddy field robot of the present invention can perform weeding work unmanned for extended periods, it can also reduce the labor involved in weeding paddies. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is an overall perspective view showing an automated navigation robot for rice paddies according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] These are a plan view and a bottom view showing the state in which the solar panel of the first embodiment of the present invention's automatic navigation robot for rice paddies has been removed. [Figure 3] This is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of an automated navigation robot for rice paddies and its management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a processing flow diagram showing the processing flow of an automated navigation robot for rice paddies according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5]This is a process flow diagram showing the flow of processing of the automatic navigation robot for paddy fields in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram showing a route screen output by the robot management terminal in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram showing another route screen output by the robot management terminal in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0016] Embodiments of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 6. In the figures, what is indicated by the reference sign R is an automatic navigation robot for paddy fields, what is indicated by the reference sign 1 is a hull, what is indicated by the reference sign 2 is a propulsion device, what is indicated by the reference sign 3 is an automatic steering device, what is indicated by the reference sign 4 is a battery, what is indicated by the reference sign 5 is a solar panel, and what is indicated by the reference sign 6 is a robot management terminal.

[0017] "Hardware Configuration of Automatic Navigation Robot for Paddy Fields and Its Management System" [1] Automatic Navigation Robot for Paddy Fields [1-1] Basic Configuration The hardware configuration of the automatic navigation robot R for paddy fields in this embodiment will be described based on FIGS. 1 to FIG. 3. First, in this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and FIGS. 2(a)(b), the automatic navigation robot R is composed of a hull 1 that can float on the paddy field. Further, on this hull 1, as shown in FIG. FIG. 3, a propulsion device 2 for navigating on the paddy field and an automatic steering device 3 for automatically operating the navigation direction of the hull 1 are provided. The propulsion device 2 and the automatic steering device 3 of the automatic navigation robot R are electrically connected, and the propulsion device 2 is controlled based on a signal sent from the automatic steering device 3. Also, a battery 4 is built into the hull 1 as a power source for these, and in this embodiment, the solar panel 5 is used to supply electricity.

[0018] [1-2] Hull In this embodiment, the hull 1 is formed from a foamed resin material, but the material of the hull 1 is not particularly limited, and plastic materials or wood can also be used. In addition, as shown in Figures 2(a) and 2(b), the hull 1 has a cavity 11 in the central part of the plan view, a base plate 12 is provided at the upper and lower midpoint of this cavity 11, and a partition 13 is formed on the bottom surface to divide the left and right sides. In this embodiment, the base plate 12 of the hull 1 is configured to be detachable from the hull 1, but it can also be made integral with the hull 1. In this embodiment, one partition 13 of the hull 1 is provided in the center according to the number of screws 21 of the propulsion device 2, but if the number of screws 21 is 3 or more, multiple partitions 23 can be provided. In addition, in this embodiment, the front side is made into an arc shape so that the front and rear can be distinguished, but the front and rear can also be made into the same shape so that the front and rear cannot be distinguished.

[0019] [1-3] Propulsion device Next, regarding the propulsion system 2, as shown in Figures 2(a)(b) and 3, in this embodiment it consists of left and right propellers 21 located on the bottom surface of the hull 1, drive motors 22 for rotating each of these propellers 21, a motor control unit 23 for controlling these drive motors 22, and a transmission belt 24 that connects the drive shaft of the drive motor 22 and the driven shaft of the propeller 21 as a power transmission mechanism. As a result, the left drive motor 22a and the right drive motor 22b are driven by a control signal from the motor control unit 23, and the rotation of the drive shafts of each drive motor 22 is transmitted via the transmission belt 24 to the left propeller 21a and the driven shaft of the right propeller, making it possible to rotate the left and right propellers 21 and move the hull 1 forward on the water.

[0020] The screw 21 mentioned above is synonymous with "screw propeller," and in this embodiment a walking median screw is used, but the type of screw is not limited to this, and for example, contra-rotating propellers, variable-pitch propellers, azimuth thrusters, high-skew propellers, pump jets, surface propellers, etc. can also be used. Furthermore, as the propulsion device 2, water jets, paddle wheels, rotating brushes (details will be described later), wind power propulsion devices, etc., can also be used. The left and right directions of the screw 21 are in the left-right direction when the front of the hull 1 is considered the upper side in a plan view, and the left and right directions are reversed in the bottom view of Figure 2(b). In addition, the number, material, and size of the screws 21 can be appropriately changed according to the size and purpose of the hull 1.

[0021] In this embodiment, the drive motor 22 is a DC motor and is fixed to the base plate 12 of the hull 1. The left drive motor 22a refers to the drive motor 22 corresponding to the left propeller 21a, and the right drive motor 22b refers to the drive motor 22 corresponding to the right propeller 21b; it does not specify the left / right or up / down position of the drive motor 22. In addition, the number and type of drive motors 22 can be changed as appropriate according to the number and type of propellers 21.

[0022] The motor control unit 23 is an electronic device (microcontroller) that transmits control signals to the drive motors 22 based on a predetermined program and data sent from the automatic steering system 3 described later. In this embodiment, the motor control unit 23 is fixed to the circuit board 12 of the hull 1. In addition, the number and type of drive motors 23 can be changed as appropriate according to the number and type of drive motors 22.

[0023] The transmission belt 24 described above is a power transmission mechanism between the drive shaft of the drive motor 22 and the driven shaft of the screw 21, and can be of various types such as flat belts, V-belts, or toothed belts. Alternatively, roller chains or silent chains can be used instead of the transmission belt 24. The rotational speed and torque of the drive shaft and driven shaft can be adjusted as appropriate using pulley ratios, gear ratios, reduction gears, etc. A cover can also be attached to prevent the power transmission mechanism from being exposed on the bottom surface. Furthermore, the number and type of transmission belts can be changed as appropriate according to the number and type of drive motors 22.

[0024] [1-4] Automatic ship steering system Next, as shown in Figures 2(a) and 3, the automatic ship steering system 3 consists of a computer equipped with a main memory unit 31 (memory, etc.), a control unit 32 (CPU, etc.), an arithmetic unit 33 (CPU, etc.), an auxiliary storage unit 34 (hard disk, SSD, etc.), a GPS device 35, and a route data transmission unit 36. The auxiliary storage unit 34 of this automatic ship steering system 3 has a route data storage unit 34a, a route change program storage unit 34b, a course control program storage unit 34c, a course reversal control program storage unit 34d, and an automatic transmission control program storage unit 34e, as shown in Figure 3. These hardware components are linked by software to function as the device's storage means, arithmetic means, output means, control means, and transmission means.

[0025] The GPS device 35, as shown in Figure 3, is equipped with a position coordinate receiving unit 35a and a map data receiving unit 35b, and is configured to communicate wirelessly with the outside. The route data transmission unit 36 ​​is also configured to communicate wirelessly with the robot management terminal 6 and other automated navigation robots R, which will be described later. The automated navigation system 3 may also be equipped with a route data receiving unit (not shown) for receiving route data transmitted from other automated navigation robots R.

[0026] [1-5] Battery Next, the battery 4 is a power source for supplying electricity to the propulsion system 2 and the automatic navigation system 3. In this embodiment, the battery 4 is fixed to the circuit board 12 of the hull 1 and electrically connected to the propulsion system 2 and the automatic navigation system 3. In this embodiment, the battery 4 is also electrically connected to the solar panel 3, which will be described later. The type and number of batteries 4 can be appropriately changed depending on the operating time of the drive motor 22, the continuous operating time of the automatic navigation robot R, and the energy storage capacity.

[0027] [1-6] Solar panels Next, the solar panel 5 is a device for supplying electricity generated by sunlight to the battery 4. In this embodiment, the solar panel 5 is attached to the upper opening of the cavity 11 of the hull 1 so as to cover it, but the mounting position of the solar panel 5 is not limited to this and can be placed in any position according to the shape of the hull 1. Furthermore, with this solar panel 5, the autonomous navigation robot R can be operated continuously during the day without charging the battery 4, and it is also possible to operate it at night using the electricity generated during the day.

[0028] [2] Robot management terminal Next, the hardware configuration of the management system for the paddy field automated navigation robot R described above will be explained. In this embodiment, the automated navigation robot R is connected to a robot management terminal 6 via a network to constitute a management system for the paddy field automated navigation robot. As shown in Figure 3, the robot management terminal 6 is a computer terminal equipped with a main memory unit 61 (memory, etc.), an arithmetic unit 62 (CPU, etc.), a control unit 63 (CPU, etc.), an auxiliary memory unit 64 (hard disk, SSD, etc.), and further equipped with an input unit 65 (input means) and a display unit 16 (output means). As the computer terminal, a desktop PC, notebook PC, tablet, smartphone, PDA, etc. with communication functions can be used. These hardware components are then linked by software to function as the device's memory, input, and output means.

[0029] The auxiliary storage unit 64, as shown in Figure 3, includes at least a route data storage unit 64a and a route image generation program storage unit 64b. Furthermore, the robot management terminal 6 can be configured to receive map data from an external source via a network by providing a map data receiving unit, and a map data storage unit can also be provided in the auxiliary storage unit 64 as needed.

[0030] In this embodiment, the robot management terminal 6 is configured from a single computer terminal, but it is also possible to implement the functionality by having multiple computers cooperate using a distributed system such as a server-client system or a cloud system, and external hardware (such as a web server or DB server) can be used as part of the functionality of the robot management terminal 6.

[0031] "Software configuration for an automated navigation robot for rice paddies and its management system" [1] Route memory means The software configuration of the automated navigation robot for rice paddies and its management system will be explained according to the processing flow in Figure 4. First, in step (1) Route data storage processing in Figure 4, the propulsion device 2 of the automated navigation robot R is started and navigation begins. Then, based on the coordinate data of the current location acquired by the position coordinate receiving unit 35a of the GPS device 35 of the automatic steering device 3, the past route data of the automated navigation robot R is stored in the route data storage unit 34a. This makes it possible to refer to the past route data of the automated navigation robot R in step (2) Route data reading in Figure 4.

[0032] [2] Course calculation means Next, in step (3) of the course direction calculation process in Figure 4, the navigation direction is calculated and output based on the past route data read in (2) above, in order to avoid overlapping with past routes. At this time, there are no particular limitations on the algorithm of the route change program for calculating the navigation direction, but examples include selecting a course with little overlap or intersection with past routes, selecting a course towards an area that has never been traversed before in the past route data over rice paddies, or selecting a course in a different direction from past routes.

[0033] [3] Course control means Next, in step (4) of the drive motor control process in Figure 3, based on the navigation direction (course data) calculated and output in (3) above, a signal is sent to the drive motor control unit 23 to adjust the rotation speed of the left and right propellers 21, thereby automatically controlling the navigation direction of the hull 1 by the propulsion device 2. For example, by increasing the output of the left drive motor 22a (or the right drive motor 22b) and increasing the rotation speed of the left propeller 21a (or the right propeller 21b), the navigation direction of the hull 1 can be turned to the left (or right). This allows the automatic navigation robot R to navigate evenly across the entire paddy field, eliminating unevenness in navigation frequency over the paddy field. The above course control program can be appropriately modified according to the type of propulsion device 2.

[0034] [4] Course reversal control means Furthermore, in steps (5) Obstacle position data storage processing and (6) Course reversal control means in Figure 4, when the automated navigation robot R approaches or comes into contact with an obstacle (such as a paddy field ridge or fence), its position is stored as obstacle position data, and the navigation direction of the hull 1 is automatically reversed (the order may be reversed). The course reversal control program of this embodiment determines that contact with an obstacle has been made when the current position coordinates of the hull 1 obtained from the GPS device 35 do not change for a certain period of time compared with past route data. In addition to this, the hull 1 can also be reversed when it approaches the position coordinates of a ridge based on paddy field map data that has been input or received in advance. This makes it possible to automatically reverse the automated navigation robot R at the edge of a paddy field without using proximity / contact sensors. However, the use of proximity / contact sensors is not excluded, and control can also be performed by combining these sensors with the course reversal control program.

[0035] Furthermore, the above-mentioned obstacle position data can be stored in an auxiliary storage unit and read out during the course direction calculation process to perform course calculations in a way that avoids obstacles. After the course reversal control means reverses the direction of navigation of the hull 1, the process returns to step (1) in Figure 3, and then proceeds to steps (2) and (3) to perform the course calculation output processing of the direction of navigation that avoids overlap with past paths by the course calculation means. In this way, after controlling the reversal of the hull 1, the course of the hull 1 can be controlled so as not to overlap with past paths.

[0036] [5] Regarding the means of automatic transmission to other robots In this embodiment, when multiple automated navigation robots R are operating simultaneously on the same paddy field, past route data can be automatically transmitted to the same type of robots being used simultaneously at a predetermined timing. This automatic transmission program can, for example, transmit and receive route data when the automated navigation robots R approach each other, as shown in step (7) of the route data transmission process in Figure 5. Alternatively, all robots operating on the same paddy field can transmit and receive data to each other and share route data after a certain period of time has elapsed. The approach of the automated navigation robots R can be determined based on the current position coordinates obtained by the GPS device 35, or it can be done using proximity / contact sensors. This transmission and reception of route data is performed using the route data transmission unit 36 ​​and the receiving unit of the automated navigation device 3, and the received past route data is stored in the route data storage unit 34a. This allows multiple robots operating on the same paddy field to share past route data, and furthermore, the course calculation means calculates and outputs the direction of navigation based on the shared route data in a way that avoids overlapping with past routes, thereby calculating an optimal route that does not overlap with the routes of other robots. It is also possible to share the above-mentioned obstacle position data along with the route data.

[0037] [6] Regarding the means of automatic transmission to the robot management terminal Furthermore, in step (7) of the route data transmission process in Figure 4, the automated navigation robot R automatically transmits past route data to the robot management terminal 6 when a certain amount of time has elapsed during navigation. The automatic transmission process to the robot management terminal 6 can also be performed when the ship 1 reverses its course. The transmission and reception of this route data is performed using the route data transmission unit 36 ​​of the automated navigation system 3 and the route data receiving unit 67 of the robot management terminal, and the received past route data is stored in the route data storage unit 64a. This allows the robot management terminal 6 to check the route data of the automated navigation robot 6 when a certain amount of time has elapsed or when the course is reversed. In this embodiment, the obstacle position data is also automatically transmitted along with the route data.

[0038] [7] Means for generating and outputting route images for robot management terminals The robot management terminal 6, as described above, can input route data (and obstacle location data) received from the automated navigation robot R into the GPS map data of the rice paddy received by the map data receiving unit using a route image generation program, and output this as a route screen D image to the display unit 66. As a result, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the robot's past route history on the rice paddy can be easily confirmed on the route screen D. In this embodiment, the route traveled is drawn as a line, and the position of the reversed hull 1 is displayed as a dot. When multiple automated navigation robots R are used simultaneously, route data and obstacle location data can also be transmitted from the robot management terminal 6 to each robot to share this information.

[0039] "Other examples of changes" [1] Means for controlling the course using a rudder In this embodiment, the course is controlled by the screw 21 of the propulsion device 2, but it is not necessarily required to control the course using the screw 21. The course can also be controlled by providing a rudder on the autonomous navigation robot R and changing the angle of this rudder. The type of rudder is not particularly limited, and for example, a conventional rudder, a suspended rudder, a balanced rudder, a Schilling rudder, a Beck twin rudder, etc., can be used.

[0040] [2] Rotating brushes used in the propulsion system In this embodiment, a screw 21 is used for the propulsion device 2, but the propulsion device 2 can also be made to function by installing a rotating brush for weeding, such as those described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-162492 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-152775, in the center, left and right, or front and rear of the hull 1 and rotating it. The rotating brush for weeding is equipped with bristles made of nylon or the like around a rotating shaft, and these bristles scrape the water when they rotate, causing weeds growing in the rice paddy to become entangled and removed. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0041] 1. Hull 11 Cavity 12 circuit boards 13 Partition section 2 Propulsion device 21 Screw 21a Left-side screw 21b Right-side screw 22 Drive motor 22a Left-side drive motor 22b Right-side drive motor 23 Motor Control Unit 24 Power transmission belts 3. Automatic ship steering system 31 Main memory 32 Control Unit 33 Arithmetic section 34 Auxiliary storage section 35 GPS device 36 Route data transmission unit 4 batteries 5 Solar Panels 6. Robot management terminal 61 Main memory 62 Control Unit 63 Arithmetic section 64 Auxiliary storage 65 Input section 66 Display section 67 Route data receiving unit R Autonomous Navigation Robot D Route screen

Claims

1. It comprises a hull capable of floating on a rice paddy, a propulsion system for navigating the hull on the rice paddy, and an automatic steering system for automatically controlling the direction of the hull's navigation. The aforementioned automatic ship handling system comprises a GPS device for identifying the position coordinates of the ship, a route storage means for storing past route data of the ship obtained from the GPS device, a course calculation means for calculating and outputting a direction of navigation based on the past route data in the route storage means so as to avoid overlapping with past routes, and a course control means for automatically controlling the direction of navigation of the ship by the propulsion system or rudder based on the direction of navigation output by the course calculation means, An automatic navigation robot for rice paddies, comprising an automatic transmission means for automatically transmitting past route data to similar robots used simultaneously at predetermined timings, and a means for receiving route data transmitted from the same robots, wherein the route memory means of the automatic navigation system stores past route data received from the same robots, and a course calculation means calculates and outputs the direction of navigation based on the past route data shared among the same robots, so as to avoid overlapping with past routes.

2. The paddy field automatic navigation robot according to claim 1, further comprising a course reversal control means for automatically reversing the direction of navigation of the vessel when the position coordinates of the vessel's current location obtained from the GPS device do not change for a certain period of time compared with past route data.

3. The automatic navigation robot for rice paddies according to claim 2, wherein when the direction of navigation of the hull is reversed by the course reversal control means, the course calculation means performs calculation output processing of a navigation direction that avoids overlap with past paths.

4. A management system for an automated navigation robot for paddy fields, comprising an automated navigation robot for paddy fields as described in claim 1, and a robot management terminal connected to the automated navigation robot for paddy fields via a network, wherein the automated navigation robot for paddy fields is provided with an automatic transmission means for automatically transmitting past route data to the robot management terminal at a predetermined timing.

5. The management system for an automated navigation robot for rice paddies according to claim 4, wherein the robot management terminal comprises means for receiving GPS map data of rice paddies, means for storing route data transmitted from the automated navigation robot for rice paddies, and means for outputting route images by inputting route data into GPS map data and outputting an image.

Images