Shovels, shovel support systems

Abstract

To grasp condition of a traveling surface.SOLUTION: An excavator has a lower traveling body, an upper rotating body rotatably mounted on the lower traveling body, and a detection unit disposed on the upper rotating body for detecting contact characteristics between the lower traveling body and a traveling surface during traveling.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0004] ,

[0006] , , , ,

[0007] , , ,

[0005] , , , , the above , , The contact characteristics include fluctuations in acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor, the state of the running surface includes the soil properties of the running surface, and the state determination unit is , , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to an excavator and an excavator support system.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a technique for acquiring information indicating the shape of the ground of the work target of an excavator, and predicting in advance the possibility of the excavator tipping over based on the current position and orientation of the excavator and the current posture of the attachment, etc., and restricting the movement of the excavator.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Therefore, in view of the above circumstances, an object is to grasp the state of the traveling surface.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] An excavator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a lower traveling body, an upper revolving body rotatably mounted on the lower traveling body, The upper rotating body is equipped with a detection unit that detects the contact characteristics between the lower traveling body and the traveling surface during travel, an information reference unit that refers to correspondence information relating the contact characteristics between the lower traveling body and the traveling surface to the state of the traveling surface, and a state determination unit that determines the state of the traveling surface based on the contact characteristics detected by the detection unit and the correspondence information. and an acceleration sensor, and The contact characteristics include fluctuations in acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor, the state of the running surface includes the soil properties of the running surface, and the state determination unit is determines the soil quality of the traveling surface based on the fluctuation of the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor. and the aforementioned correspondence information based on , the above It is an excavator.

[0007] An embodiment of the present invention is a shovel support system including a shovel and a shovel management device, wherein the shovel includes a lower traveling body and an upper rotating body that is rotatably mounted on the lower traveling body, The upper rotating body is equipped with a detection unit that detects the contact characteristics between the lower traveling body and the traveling surface during travel, an information reference unit that refers to correspondence information relating the contact characteristics between the lower traveling body and the traveling surface to the state of the traveling surface, and a state determination unit that determines the state of the traveling surface based on the contact characteristics detected by the detection unit and the correspondence information. It has an acceleration sensor, The contact characteristics include fluctuations in acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor, the state of the running surface includes the soil properties of the running surface, and the state determination unit is The acceleration fluctuation detected by the acceleration sensor and the aforementioned correspondence information Based The aforementioned The management device determines the soil type of the running surface and is a support system for an excavator comprising: an information holding unit that stores running surface information including the soil type of the running surface; a determination unit that determines the state of the running surface of the other excavator based on the position information received from the other excavator and the running surface information; and a state notification unit that notifies the other excavator of the result of the determination by the determination unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] It allows you to understand the conditions of the driving surface. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of a system configuration for a shovel support system. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing an example of the drive system configuration for an excavator. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of a hydraulic system configuration installed in an excavator. [Figure 4] This is a diagram illustrating the basic operation of a shovel. [Figure 5] This is the first diagram illustrating the variation in the acceleration of the shovel. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the excavator in the embodiment. [Figure 7] This is the second diagram illustrating the variation in the acceleration of the shovel. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the shovel in another embodiment. [Figure 9] This diagram illustrates the generation of map information by a management device. [Figure 10]It is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the management device. [Figure 11] It is a diagram explaining the functions of the management device. [Figure 12] It is the first flowchart explaining the operation of the management device. [Figure 13] It is the second flowchart explaining the operation of the management device.

Embodiments of the Invention

[0010] (Embodiment) Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the system configuration of the excavator support system.

[0011] The excavator support system SYS of the present embodiment includes an excavator 100, a management device 200, and a support device 300. In the following description, the excavator support system SYS will be simply referred to as the support system SYS.

[0012] In the support system SYS of the present embodiment, the excavator 100, the management device 200, and the support device 300 are connected via a network or the like.

[0013] The excavator 100 of the present embodiment determines the state of the traveling surface (ground) on which the machine itself travels based on the contact characteristics between the lower traveling body 1 and the traveling surface.

[0014] Specifically, the excavator 100 refers to information associating the contact characteristics between the lower traveling body 1 and the traveling surface with the state of the traveling surface, and determines the state of the traveling surface according to the contact characteristics between the lower traveling body 1 and the traveling surface.

[0015] Here, the contact characteristics in the present embodiment will be described. The contact characteristics include the magnitude of the vibration of the lower traveling body 1 and the contact stiffness between the lower traveling body 1 and the traveling surface.

[0016] The magnitude of vibration of the lower traveling body 1 is indicated by the fluctuation in acceleration detected by an acceleration sensor installed on the shovel 100. The contact stiffness between the lower traveling body 1 and the running surface is indicated by the stiffness of the contact area between the lower traveling body 1 and the running surface. In other words, the contact area between the lower traveling body 1 and the running surface is the contact area between the shoe plate and the running surface. Furthermore, the stiffness of the contact area between the lower traveling body 1 and the running surface indicates the hardness of the running surface.

[0017] In other words, the contact characteristics of this embodiment include the fluctuation in the acceleration of the shovel 100 and the hardness of the running surface.

[0018] In this embodiment, the condition of the running surface is determined primarily by using the fluctuation in the acceleration of the shovel 100, which is one of the contact characteristics between the lower running body 1 and the running surface. In other words, in this embodiment, the condition of the running surface is determined by referring to information that associates the fluctuation in the acceleration of the shovel 100 with the condition of the running surface. In this embodiment, the condition of the running surface may include, for example, the soil type and hardness of the running surface, the presence or absence of irregularities, etc.

[0019] Furthermore, the shovel 100 transmits to the management device 200 the running surface information, which includes the result of determining the condition of the running surface and the position information of the machine at the time the condition of the running surface was determined.

[0020] When the control device 200 receives travel surface information from the shovel 100, it uses this travel surface information to create map information. Furthermore, when the control device 200 receives location information from the shovel 100, it determines the condition of the travel surface on which the shovel 100 is traveling based on the received location information and map information, and notifies the shovel 100 of information indicating the condition of the travel surface.

[0021] The support device 300 assists, for example, the operator operating the shovel 100, and provides information to the operator by receiving various information from the management device 200, etc., and displaying it on the screen.

[0022] In the example shown in Figure 1, the support device 300 is assumed to be included in the support system SYS, but this is not limited to that. The support device 300 does not need to be included in the support system SYS.

[0023] Furthermore, although the management device 200 is implemented by a single information processing device in the example shown in Figure 1, it is not limited to this. The management device 200 may be implemented by multiple information processing devices. In other words, the functions implemented by the management device 200 may be implemented by multiple information processing devices.

[0024] The shovel 100 of this embodiment will be described below. Figure 1 shows a side view of the shovel 100.

[0025] The shovel 100 has a lower running body 1, a slewing mechanism 2, and an upper slewing body 3. In the shovel 100, the upper slewing body 3 is mounted on the lower running body 1 via the slewing mechanism 2 so as to be rotatable. The lower running body 1 also has a crawler belt 1a, which is a continuous track (track) rotated by a hydraulic motor 20 for travel. The crawler belt 1a has multiple shoe plates.

[0026] A boom 4 is attached to the upper rotating body 3. An arm 5 is attached to the tip of the boom 4, and a bucket 6, which serves as an end attachment, is attached to the tip of the arm 5.

[0027] The boom 4, arm 5, and bucket 6 constitute an excavation attachment as an example of an attachment. The boom 4 is driven by the boom cylinder 7, the arm 5 is driven by the arm cylinder 8, and the bucket 6 is driven by the bucket cylinder 9. A boom angle sensor S1 is attached to the boom 4, an arm angle sensor S2 is attached to the arm 5, and a bucket angle sensor S3 is attached to the bucket 6.

[0028] The boom angle sensor S1 is configured to detect the rotation angle of the boom 4. In this embodiment, the boom angle sensor S1 is an acceleration sensor and can detect the rotation angle of the boom 4 relative to the upper slewing body 3 (hereinafter referred to as "boom angle"). The boom angle is smallest when the boom 4 is lowered to its lowest position, and increases as the boom 4 is raised.

[0029] The arm angle sensor S2 is configured to detect the rotation angle of the arm 5. In this embodiment, the arm angle sensor S2 is an acceleration sensor and can detect the rotation angle of the arm 5 relative to the boom 4 (hereinafter referred to as "arm angle"). The arm angle is smallest when the arm 5 is closed to its shortest extent, and increases as the arm 5 is opened.

[0030] The bucket angle sensor S3 is configured to detect the rotation angle of the bucket 6. In this embodiment, the bucket angle sensor S3 is an acceleration sensor and can detect the rotation angle of the bucket 6 relative to the arm 5 (hereinafter referred to as the "bucket angle"). The bucket angle is smallest when the bucket 6 is closed to its fullest extent, and increases as the bucket 6 is opened.

[0031] The boom angle sensor S1, arm angle sensor S2, and bucket angle sensor S3 may each be a potentiometer using a variable resistor, a stroke sensor for detecting the stroke amount of the corresponding hydraulic cylinder, a rotary encoder for detecting the rotation angle around the connecting pin, a gyro sensor, or a combination of an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor.

[0032] The boom cylinder 7 is equipped with a boom rod pressure sensor S7R and a boom bottom pressure sensor S7B. The arm cylinder 8 is equipped with an arm rod pressure sensor S8R and an arm bottom pressure sensor S8B. The bucket cylinder 9 is equipped with a bucket rod pressure sensor S9R and a bucket bottom pressure sensor S9B. The boom rod pressure sensor S7R, boom bottom pressure sensor S7B, arm rod pressure sensor S8R, arm bottom pressure sensor S8B, bucket rod pressure sensor S9R, and bucket bottom pressure sensor S9B are collectively referred to as "cylinder pressure sensors".

[0033] The boom rod pressure sensor S7R detects the pressure in the rod-side oil chamber of the boom cylinder 7 (hereinafter referred to as "boom rod pressure"), and the boom bottom pressure sensor S7B detects the pressure in the bottom-side oil chamber of the boom cylinder 7 (hereinafter referred to as "boom bottom pressure"). The arm rod pressure sensor S8R detects the pressure in the rod-side oil chamber of the arm cylinder 8 (hereinafter referred to as "arm rod pressure"), and the arm bottom pressure sensor S8B detects the pressure in the bottom-side oil chamber of the arm cylinder 8 (hereinafter referred to as "arm bottom pressure").

[0034] The bucket rod pressure sensor S9R detects the pressure in the rod-side oil chamber of the bucket cylinder 9 (hereinafter referred to as "bucket rod pressure"), and the bucket bottom pressure sensor S9B detects the pressure in the bottom-side oil chamber of the bucket cylinder 9 (hereinafter referred to as "bucket bottom pressure").

[0035] The upper rotating body 3 is equipped with a cabin 10, which serves as the driver's cab, and is also fitted with a power source such as an engine 11 as the prime mover. The upper rotating body 3 is also fitted with a controller 30 (control unit), a display device 40, an input device 42, an audio output device 43, a storage device 47, a positioning device P1, an aircraft tilt sensor S4, a rotational velocity sensor S5, an imaging device S6, and a communication device T1. In this embodiment, an example using an engine 11 as the prime mover is shown, but an electric motor may also be used as the prime mover. In this case, the main pump 14 may be driven by an electric motor powered by electricity from a power storage device. A fuel cell, lithium-ion battery, etc. may be used as the power storage device. A combination of two or more prime movers, such as an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, may also be used.

[0036] The controller 30 functions as a main control unit that controls the drive of the shovel 100. In this embodiment, the controller 30 is composed of a computer including a CPU, RAM, and ROM. Various functions of the controller 30 are realized, for example, by the CPU executing a program stored in ROM. These functions may include, for example, at least one of a machine guidance function that guides the operator's manual operation of the shovel 100, and a machine control function that automatically assists the operator's manual operation of the shovel 100.

[0037] The display device 40 is configured to display various types of information. The display device 40 may be connected to the controller 30 via a communication network such as CAN, or it may be connected to the controller 30 via a dedicated line.

[0038] The input device 42 is configured to allow the operator to input various types of information to the controller 30. The input device 42 includes at least one of the following: a touch panel, a knob switch, and a membrane switch, all of which are installed inside the cabin 10.

[0039] The audio output device 43 is configured to output sound. The audio output device 43 may be, for example, an in-vehicle speaker connected to the controller 30, or an alarm device such as a buzzer. In this embodiment, the audio output device 43 is configured to output various information as sound in response to an audio output command from the controller 30.

[0040] The storage device 47 is configured to store various types of information. The storage device 47 is, for example, a non-volatile storage medium such as a semiconductor memory. The storage device 47 may store information output by various devices during the operation of the shovel 100, or it may store information acquired via various devices before the operation of the shovel 100 begins.

[0041] Furthermore, the memory device 47 may pre-store correspondence information 61 (see Figure 6), which associates the range of acceleration fluctuations with the state of the running surface. Details of the correspondence information 61 will be described later.

[0042] The storage device 47 may store data relating to the target construction surface, for example, obtained via a communication device T1. The target construction surface may be set by the operator of the shovel 100, or by the construction manager or the like.

[0043] The positioning device P1 is configured to measure the position of the upper rotating body 3. In other words, the positioning device P1 acquires the position information of the shovel 100. The positioning device P1 may also be configured to measure the orientation of the upper rotating body 3.

[0044] In this embodiment, the positioning device P1 is, for example, a GNSS compass, which detects the position and orientation of the upper rotating body 3 and outputs the detected values ​​to the controller 30. Therefore, the positioning device P1 can also function as an orientation detection device that detects the orientation of the upper rotating body 3. The positioning device P1 may also be an orientation sensor attached to the upper rotating body 3.

[0045] The machine body tilt sensor S4 is configured to detect the tilt of the upper rotating body 3. In this embodiment, the machine body tilt sensor S4 is an acceleration sensor that detects the longitudinal tilt angle of the upper rotating body 3 around the longitudinal axis and the lateral tilt angle around the lateral axis with respect to a virtual horizontal plane. The longitudinal axis and lateral axis of the upper rotating body 3 are orthogonal to each other at the shovel center point, which is a point on the rotation axis of the shovel 100.

[0046] The rotational angular velocity sensor S5 is configured to detect the rotational angular velocity of the upper rotating body 3. The rotational angular velocity sensor S5 may also be configured to detect or calculate the rotation angle of the upper rotating body 3. In this embodiment, the rotational angular velocity sensor S5 is a gyro sensor. The rotational angular velocity sensor S5 may also be a resolver, rotary encoder, acceleration sensor, etc.

[0047] The imaging device S6 is an example of a spatial recognition device and is configured to acquire images of the area around the shovel 100. In this embodiment, the imaging device S6 includes a front camera S6F for imaging the space in front of the shovel 100, a left camera S6L for imaging the space to the left of the shovel 100, a right camera S6R for imaging the space to the right of the shovel 100, and a rear camera S6B for imaging the space behind the shovel 100.

[0048] The imaging device S6 is, for example, a monocular camera having an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS, and outputs the captured image to the display device 40. The imaging device S6 may also be a stereo camera, a depth image camera, etc. Furthermore, the imaging device S6 may be replaced with other spatial recognition devices such as a 3D depth image sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a millimeter-wave radar, a LiDAR or an infrared sensor, or it may be replaced with a combination of other spatial recognition devices and a camera.

[0049] The front camera S6F is mounted, for example, on the ceiling of the cabin 10, i.e., inside the cabin 10. However, the front camera S6F may also be mounted on the roof of the cabin 10, the side of the boom 4, or other external locations within the cabin 10. The left camera S6L is mounted on the upper left end of the upper surface of the upper slewing body 3, the right camera S6R is mounted on the upper right end of the upper surface of the upper slewing body 3, and the rear camera S6B is mounted on the upper rear end of the upper surface of the upper slewing body 3.

[0050] The spatial recognition device may be configured to detect objects present around the shovel 100. These objects may include, for example, terrain features (such as slopes or holes), power lines, utility poles, people, animals, vehicles, construction machinery, buildings, walls, helmets, safety vests, work clothes, or specific marks on helmets. The spatial recognition device 70 may be configured to identify at least one of the following: the type of object, its location, and its shape (such as the topography of the ground surface). The spatial recognition device may also be configured to distinguish between people and other objects. The spatial recognition device may be configured to calculate the distance from the spatial recognition device or the shovel 100 to the object recognized by the spatial recognition device.

[0051] The controller 30 of this embodiment acquires driving data including values ​​output from the various sensors described above, and information output from the spatial recognition device including the positioning device P1 and the imaging device S6. The data is stored in the storage device 47. In other words, the driving data of this embodiment includes values ​​from various sensors, position information indicating the position of the shovel 100, and image data captured by the imaging device S6.

[0052] The communication device T1 is configured to control communication with external equipment located outside the excavator 100. Specifically, the communication device T1 may transmit travel data acquired by the controller 30 to the management device 200. In this embodiment, the communication device T1 controls communication with external equipment via a satellite communication network, a mobile phone communication network, or the internet. The external equipment may be, for example, a management device 200 such as a server installed in an external facility, or a support device 300 such as a smartphone carried by a worker around the excavator 100.

[0053] The external equipment is configured to manage construction information relating to one or more excavators 100. The construction information includes, for example, information relating to at least one of the excavators 100, such as operating time, fuel consumption, and work volume. The work volume is, for example, the amount of soil excavated and the amount of soil loaded onto the dump truck.

[0054] The shovel 100 may be configured to transmit construction information about the shovel 100 to an external device at predetermined time intervals via the communication device T1. With this configuration, workers or managers outside the shovel 100 can view various information, including construction information, through a display device such as a monitor connected to the management device 200 or support device 300.

[0055] The external device may be a communication device mounted on a dump truck equipped with a load weight measuring device, or it may be a communication device connected to a weighbridge that measures the weight of the dump truck. In this case, the shovel 100 can obtain the weight of the soil, etc., loaded on the dump truck's bed based on information from the dump truck or weighbridge.

[0056] Next, the configuration of the drive system of the shovel 100 will be described with reference to Figure 2. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the shovel's drive system. In Figure 2, the mechanical power system, high-pressure hydraulic line, pilot line, and electrical control system are indicated by double lines, thick solid lines, dashed lines, and dotted lines, respectively.

[0057] As shown in Figure 2, the drive system of the shovel 100 mainly includes an engine 11, a regulator 13, a main pump 14, a pilot pump 15, a control valve 17, an operating device 26, a discharge pressure sensor 28, an operating pressure sensor 29, a controller 30, a proportional valve 31, a work mode selection dial 32, etc.

[0058] The engine 11 is the power source for the shovel. In this embodiment, the engine 11 is, for example, a diesel engine that operates to maintain a predetermined rotational speed. The output shaft of the engine 11 is connected to the input shafts of the main pump 14 and the pilot pump 15.

[0059] The main pump 14 supplies hydraulic fluid to the control valve 17 via a high-pressure hydraulic line. In this embodiment, the main pump 14 is a swashplate type variable displacement hydraulic pump.

[0060] The regulator 13 controls the discharge rate of the main pump 14. In this embodiment, the regulator 13 controls the discharge rate of the main pump 14 by adjusting the swash plate tilt angle of the main pump 14 in response to a control command from the controller 30.

[0061] The pilot pump 15 supplies hydraulic fluid to various hydraulic control devices, including the operating device 26 and the proportional valve 31, via the pilot line. In this embodiment, the pilot pump 15 is a fixed-displacement hydraulic pump.

[0062] The control valve 17 is a hydraulic control device that controls the hydraulic system in the excavator. The control valve 17 includes control valves 171 to 176 and a bleed valve 177. The control valve 17 can selectively supply the hydraulic fluid discharged by the main pump 14 to one or more hydraulic actuators through the control valves 171 to 176.

[0063] Control valves 171-176 control the flow rate of hydraulic fluid from the main pump 14 to the hydraulic actuator, and the flow rate of hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic actuator to the hydraulic fluid tank. The hydraulic actuator includes a boom cylinder 7, an arm cylinder 8, a bucket cylinder 9, a hydraulic motor 20L for left-side travel, a hydraulic motor 20R for right-side travel, and a hydraulic motor 2A for slewing.

[0064] The bleed valve 177 controls the flow rate of hydraulic fluid (hereinafter referred to as "bleed flow rate") of the hydraulic fluid discharged by the main pump 14 that flows to the hydraulic fluid tank without passing through the hydraulic actuator. The bleed valve 177 may be installed outside the control valve 17.

[0065] The operating device 26 is a device used by an operator to operate the hydraulic actuator. In this embodiment, the operating device 26 supplies hydraulic fluid discharged by the pilot pump 15 to the pilot port of the control valve corresponding to each hydraulic actuator via a pilot line. The pressure of the hydraulic fluid supplied to each pilot port (pilot pressure) is corresponding to the operating direction and amount of the lever or pedal (not shown) of the operating device 26 corresponding to each hydraulic actuator.

[0066] The discharge pressure sensor 28 detects the discharge pressure of the main pump 14. In this embodiment, the discharge pressure sensor 28 outputs the detected value to the controller 30.

[0067] The operating pressure sensor 29 detects the operator's actions using the operating device 26. In this embodiment, the operating pressure sensor 29 detects the operating direction and amount of the lever or pedal of the operating device 26 corresponding to each hydraulic actuator in the form of pressure (operating pressure), and outputs the detected value to the controller 30. The operation of the operating device 26 may also be detected using other sensors besides the operating pressure sensor.

[0068] The controller 30 is a control unit that controls the entire shovel 100. Details of the functions of the controller 30 in this embodiment will be described later.

[0069] The proportional valve 31 operates in response to control commands output by the controller 30. In this embodiment, the proportional valve 31 is a solenoid valve that adjusts the secondary pressure introduced from the pilot pump 15 to the pilot port of the bleed valve 177 in the control valve 17 in response to a current command output by the controller 30. The proportional valve 31 operates such that, for example, the larger the current command, the larger the secondary pressure introduced to the pilot port of the bleed valve 177.

[0070] The work mode selection dial 32 is a dial used by the operator to select a work mode (driving mode), allowing switching between multiple different work modes. In addition, data indicating the engine speed setting and acceleration / deceleration characteristic setting status according to the work mode is constantly transmitted from the work mode selection dial 32 to the controller 30.

[0071] The work mode selection dial 32 allows switching between multiple work modes, including SP mode, H mode, A mode, and IDLE mode. In other words, the work mode selection dial 32 in this embodiment can switch the setting conditions of the shovel 100.

[0072] Note that SP mode is an example of the first mode, and H mode is an example of the second mode. Figure 2 shows the state when SP mode is selected using the work mode selection dial 32.

[0073] SP mode is selected when prioritizing workload, utilizing the highest engine speed and the best acceleration / deceleration characteristics. H mode is selected when balancing workload and fuel efficiency, utilizing the second highest engine speed and the second best acceleration / deceleration characteristics.

[0074] Mode A is selected when you want to operate the shovel with low noise, as it smooths the acceleration and deceleration characteristics of the hydraulic actuator corresponding to the lever operation, improving precise operation and safety. It utilizes the third highest engine speed and the third highest acceleration / deceleration characteristics. Mode IDLE is selected when you want to keep the engine idling. It utilizes the lowest engine speed and the lowest acceleration / deceleration characteristics.

[0075] The engine 11 is controlled to maintain a constant rotational speed according to the engine speed of the work mode set by the work mode selection dial 32. Furthermore, the opening of the bleed valve 177 is controlled based on the bleed valve opening characteristics of the work mode set by the work mode selection dial 32. The bleed valve opening characteristics will be described later.

[0076] In this embodiment, each of the above-described work modes is expressed as a setting condition for the shovel 100, and information indicating the setting conditions is sometimes expressed as setting condition information. Setting condition information is information that associates a specified item with the value of that item. The specified item is, for example, an item indicating the state of the engine speed corresponding to each work mode, or an item indicating the state of the acceleration and deceleration characteristics. Therefore, the setting condition information in this embodiment includes an item and its value indicating the state of the engine speed corresponding to each work mode, and an item and its value indicating the state of the acceleration and deceleration characteristics.

[0077] In the configuration diagram of Figure 2, ECO mode is set as one of the modes selected by the work mode selection dial 32, but an ECO mode switch may be provided separately from the work mode selection dial 32. In this case, the engine speed corresponding to each mode selected using the work mode selection dial 32 may be adjusted, and when the ECO mode switch is turned ON, the acceleration and deceleration characteristics corresponding to each mode of the work mode selection dial 32 may be changed gradually.

[0078] Alternatively, the operating mode may be changed by voice input. In this case, the excavator is equipped with a voice input device that inputs the operator's voice to the controller 30. The controller 30 is also equipped with a voice identification unit that identifies the voice input from the voice input device.

[0079] In this way, the work mode is selected by a mode selection unit such as the work mode selection dial 32, the ECO mode switch, or the voice identification unit.

[0080] Next, the functions of the controller 30 in this embodiment will be described. The controller 30 in this embodiment includes an information reference unit 301, a state determination unit 302, an information collection unit 303, and a communication unit 304.

[0081] The information reference unit 301 refers to the correspondence information 61 stored in the storage device 47. The state determination unit 302 determines the state of the running surface (ground) on which the shovel 100 travels. In other words, the state determination unit 302 is an example of a detection unit that detects the contact characteristics between the lower traveling body 1 and the running surface while it is traveling.

[0082] Specifically, the state determination unit 302 of this embodiment identifies the state of the running surface corresponding to the absolute value of the amplitude of the acceleration of the machine during running detected by the machine tilt sensor S4, etc., in the correspondence information 61, and uses the identified state of the running surface as the determination result.

[0083] In other words, the state of the running surface determined by the state determination unit 302 can be said to be the state of the running surface of the lower running body 1 determined using the contact characteristics detected by the detection unit.

[0084] Furthermore, since the attachment does not normally rotate or turn during driving, the detected values ​​of angle sensors S1-S3 or rotational velocity sensor S5, which measure the angle of the attachment, may be used.

[0085] The information gathering unit 303 collects location information indicating the position of the shovel 100, the determination result from the state determination unit 302, and travel surface information that associates the working mode of the shovel 100. The travel surface information is stored in the storage device 47 or the like.

[0086] The communication unit 304 transmits and receives information between the shovel 100 and external devices. Specifically, the communication unit 304 transmits the travel surface information collected by the information collection unit 303 to the management device 200.

[0087] Next, with reference to Figure 3, the hydraulic system installed in the excavator 100 will be described. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the hydraulic system installed in the excavator. In the hydraulic system in Figure 3, hydraulic fluid is circulated from the main pumps 14L and 14R, driven by the engine 11, through the center bypass lines 40L and 40R, and the parallel lines 42L and 42R to the hydraulic fluid tank. The main pumps 14L and 14R correspond to the main pump 14 in Figure 3.

[0088] The center bypass pipeline 40L is a hydraulic fluid line that passes through control valves 171L to 175L located within the control valve 17. The center bypass pipeline 40R is a hydraulic fluid line that passes through control valves 171R to 175R located within the control valve 17.

[0089] The control valve 171L is a spool valve that supplies the hydraulic fluid discharged by the main pump 14L to the left-side travel hydraulic motor 20L, and also switches the flow of hydraulic fluid to discharge the hydraulic fluid discharged by the left-side travel hydraulic motor 20L to the hydraulic fluid tank.

[0090] The control valve 171R is a spool valve that acts as a straight-line travel valve. The control valve 171R switches the flow of hydraulic fluid from the main pump 14L to supply hydraulic fluid to the left-side travel hydraulic motor 20L and the right-side travel hydraulic motor 20R, respectively, in order to improve the straight-line movement of the lower travel body 1.

[0091] Specifically, when the travel hydraulic motor 20 and any other hydraulic actuator are operated simultaneously, the control valve 171R is switched so that the main pump 14L can supply hydraulic fluid to both the left travel hydraulic motor 20L and the right travel hydraulic motor 20R. When none of the other hydraulic actuators are operated, the control valve 171R is switched so that the main pump 14L can supply hydraulic fluid to the left travel hydraulic motor 20L, and the main pump 14R can supply hydraulic fluid to the right travel hydraulic motor 20R.

[0092] The control valve 172L is a spool valve that supplies the hydraulic fluid discharged by the main pump 14L to an optional hydraulic actuator and switches the flow of hydraulic fluid to discharge the hydraulic fluid discharged by the optional hydraulic actuator to the hydraulic fluid tank. The optional hydraulic actuator is, for example, a grapple opening and closing cylinder.

[0093] The control valve 172R is a spool valve that supplies the hydraulic fluid discharged by the main pump 14R to the right-side travel hydraulic motor 20R, and also switches the flow of hydraulic fluid to discharge the hydraulic fluid discharged by the right-side travel hydraulic motor 20R to the hydraulic fluid tank.

[0094] The control valve 173L is a spool valve that supplies the hydraulic fluid discharged by the main pump 14L to the swing hydraulic motor 2A, and also switches the flow of the hydraulic fluid discharged by the swing hydraulic motor 2A to the hydraulic fluid tank.

[0095] The control valve 173R is a spool valve that supplies the hydraulic fluid discharged by the main pump 14R to the end attachment cylinder 9 and discharges the hydraulic fluid in the end attachment cylinder 9 to the hydraulic fluid tank.

[0096] Control valves 174L and 174R are spool valves that supply the hydraulic fluid discharged by the main pumps 14L and 14R to the boom cylinder 7, and also switch the flow of hydraulic fluid in order to discharge the hydraulic fluid in the boom cylinder 7 to the hydraulic fluid tank. In this embodiment, control valve 174L operates only when the boom 4 is raised, and does not operate when the boom 4 is lowered.

[0097] Control valves 175L and 175R are spool valves that supply the hydraulic fluid discharged by the main pumps 14L and 14R to the arm cylinder 8, and also switch the flow of hydraulic fluid in order to discharge the hydraulic fluid in the arm cylinder 8 to the hydraulic fluid tank.

[0098] Parallel pipeline 42L is a hydraulic fluid line running parallel to center bypass pipeline 40L. Parallel pipeline 42L can supply hydraulic fluid to a further downstream control valve if the flow of hydraulic fluid through center bypass pipeline 40L is restricted or blocked by any of the control valves 171L to 174L. Parallel pipeline 42R is a hydraulic fluid line running parallel to center bypass pipeline 40R. Parallel pipeline 42R can supply hydraulic fluid to a further downstream control valve if the flow of hydraulic fluid through center bypass pipeline 40R is restricted or blocked by any of the control valves 172R to 174R.

[0099] Pump regulators 13L and 13R control the discharge volume of main pumps 14L and 14R by adjusting the swash plate tilt angle of main pumps 14L and 14R in accordance with the discharge pressure of main pumps 14L and 14R. Pump regulators 13L and 13R correspond to pump regulator 13 in Figure 3. Pump regulators 13L and 13R reduce the discharge volume by adjusting the swash plate tilt angle of main pumps 14L and 14R when the discharge pressure of main pumps 14L and 14R increases. This is to ensure that the absorption horsepower of main pump 14, which is expressed as the product of discharge pressure and discharge volume, does not exceed the output horsepower of engine 11.

[0100] The left travel control device 26L and the right travel control device 26R are examples of the control device 26. In this embodiment, they are composed of a travel control lever and a travel control pedal.

[0101] The left-hand travel control device 26L is used to operate the left-hand travel hydraulic motor 20L. The left-hand travel control device 26L uses the hydraulic fluid discharged by the pilot pump 15 to apply pilot pressure to the pilot port of the control valve 171L according to the amount of operation. Specifically, when the left-hand travel control device 26L is operated in the forward direction, it applies pilot pressure to the left pilot port of the control valve 171L, and when it is operated in the reverse direction, it applies pilot pressure to the right pilot port of the control valve 171L.

[0102] The right-hand travel control device 26R is used to operate the right-hand travel hydraulic motor 20R. The right-hand travel control device 26R uses the hydraulic fluid discharged by the pilot pump 15 to apply pilot pressure to the pilot port of the control valve 172R according to the amount of operation. Specifically, when the right-hand travel control device 26R is operated in the forward direction, it applies pilot pressure to the right pilot port of the control valve 172R, and when it is operated in the reverse direction, it applies pilot pressure to the left pilot port of the control valve 172R.

[0103] The solenoid valve 27 connects the pilot pump 15 and the motor regulator 50 when it receives a communication command from the controller 30. In this case, the motor regulator 50 operates in a forced fixed mode. On the other hand, the solenoid valve 27 disconnects the connection between the pilot pump 15 and the motor regulator 50 when it does not receive a communication command from the controller 30. In this case, the motor regulator 50 operates in a variable mode.

[0104] The pressure reducing valve 33 controls the stroke amount (travel amount) of the spools of the control valves 171L and 172R, respectively, in response to commands from the controller 30. In this embodiment, the pressure reducing valve 33 is not necessarily required when flow rate reduction processing is performed by the travel hydraulic motor 20, main pump 14, engine 11, etc.

[0105] Discharge pressure sensors 28L and 28R are examples of the discharge pressure sensor 28 shown in Figure 3. Discharge pressure sensor 28L detects the discharge pressure of the main pump 14L and outputs the detected value to the controller 30. Discharge pressure sensor 28R detects the discharge pressure of the main pump 14R and outputs the detected value to the controller 30.

[0106] The operating pressure sensors 29L and 29R are examples of the operating pressure sensors 29 shown in Figure 3. The operating pressure sensor 29L detects the operator's operation on the left travel control device 26L in the form of pressure and outputs the detected value to the controller 30. The operating pressure sensor 29R detects the operator's operation on the right travel control device 26R in the form of pressure and outputs the detected value to the controller 30. The operation content includes, for example, the direction of operation and the amount of operation (operation angle).

[0107] The boom operation lever, arm operation lever, bucket operation lever, and slewing operation lever (none of which are shown) are operating devices for controlling the up and down movement of the boom 4, the opening and closing of the arm 5, the opening and closing of the end attachment 6, and the slewing of the upper slewing body 3, respectively. Similar to the left travel operation device 26L, these operating devices utilize the hydraulic fluid discharged by the pilot pump 15 to apply pilot pressure corresponding to the lever operation amount to either the left or right pilot port of the control valve corresponding to each hydraulic actuator.

[0108] Furthermore, the operator's actions for each of these operating devices are detected in the form of pressure by the corresponding operating pressure sensor, similar to the operating pressure sensor 29L, and the detected value is output to the controller 30.

[0109] Furthermore, the operating devices 26 (left travel operating device 26L, right travel operating device 26R, left travel lever 26DL, and right travel lever 26DR, etc.) may be electric, which outputs an electrical signal (hereinafter referred to as "operation signal"), rather than hydraulic pilot type which outputs pilot pressure. In this case, the electrical signal (operation signal) from the operating devices 26 is input to the controller 30, and the controller 30 controls each control valve 171 to 175 in the control valve 17 according to the input electrical signal, thereby realizing the operation of various hydraulic actuators according to the operation content of the operating devices 26.

[0110] For example, the control valves 171 to 175 within the control valve 17 may be electromagnetic solenoid spool valves driven by commands from the controller 30. Alternatively, a hydraulic control valve (hereinafter referred to as the "operating control valve") that operates in response to an electrical signal from the controller 30 may be placed between the pilot pump 15 and the pilot ports of each of the control valves 171 to 175. The operating control valve may be, for example, a proportional valve.

[0111] In this case, when manual operation is performed using the electric operating device 26, the controller 30 controls the operating control valves by an electrical signal corresponding to the amount of operation (for example, the amount of lever operation), thereby increasing or decreasing the pilot pressure and operating each of the control valves 171 to 175 in accordance with the operation performed on the operating device 26.

[0112] Furthermore, in the hydraulic system shown in Figure 3, the center bypass pipelines 40L and 40R are equipped with negative control throttles 18L and 18R between the control valves 175L and 175R, respectively, located at the furthest downstream, and the hydraulic fluid tank. The flow of hydraulic fluid generates a control pressure (hereinafter referred to as "negative control pressure") for controlling the pump regulators 13L and 13R via the negative control throttles 18L and 18R. Negative control pressure sensors 19L and 19R are sensors that detect the negative control pressure generated upstream of the negative control throttles 18L and 18R. The negative control pressure sensors 19L and 19R output the detected value to the controller 30. The controller 30 outputs commands to the pump regulators 13L and 13R according to the negative control pressure. Specifically, pump regulators 13L and 13R reduce the discharge rate of main pumps 14L and 14R as the negative control pressure increases, and increase the discharge rate of main pumps 14L and 14R as the negative control pressure decreases.

[0113] This configuration allows the hydraulic system in Figure 3 to suppress wasted energy consumption in the main pumps 14L and 14R when none of the hydraulic actuators are being operated. Wasted energy consumption includes pumping losses caused by the hydraulic fluid discharged by the main pumps 14L and 14R in the center bypass pipelines 40L and 40R. When a hydraulic actuator is being operated, the system ensures that the main pumps 14L and 14R reliably supply sufficient hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic actuator being operated.

[0114] Next, with reference to Figures 4 and 5, the general operation of the shovel 100 in this embodiment will be described. Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the general operation of the shovel.

[0115] In the example shown in Figure 4, the soil on the running surface R1 is soil and sand, which is relatively soft and imparts little impact to the shovel 100 during travel. On the other hand, the soil on the running surface R2 is gravel, and the impact on the shovel 100 during travel is greater compared to that on soil.

[0116] Therefore, the vibration of Shovel 100 when it is traveling on travel surface R1 is smaller than the vibration of Shovel 100 when it is traveling on travel surface R2.

[0117] Therefore, the acceleration fluctuation output from the acceleration sensor of the shovel 100 is greater when traveling on the travel surface R2 than when traveling on the travel surface R1. In this embodiment, the acceleration fluctuation is the amplitude value of the waveform output from the acceleration sensor. In other words, the acceleration fluctuation in this embodiment is the amplitude value of the waveform that indicates acceleration.

[0118] Furthermore, it is preferable that the acceleration sensor of the shovel 100 is provided on the upper rotating body 3, and a machine tilt sensor S4 or the like may be used.

[0119] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the running surface containing irregularities where the height difference is smaller than the height of the crawler belt 1a is considered to be subject to determination by the state determination unit 302.

[0120] The following describes the fluctuations in acceleration of the shovel 100 with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 shows the vertical acceleration of the shovel 100 as an example of the acceleration detected while the shovel 100 is traveling. Figure 5 is the first diagram illustrating the fluctuations in acceleration. Figure 5(A) shows an example of the fluctuations in vertical acceleration when the shovel 100 is traveling on the travel surface R1. Figure 5(B) shows an example of the fluctuations in vertical acceleration when the shovel 100 is traveling on the travel surface R2.

[0121] As can be seen from Figure 5, the time interval over which the vertical acceleration changes when the shovel 100 is traveling on the travel surface R2 is smaller than the time interval over which the vertical acceleration changes when the shovel 100 is traveling on the travel surface R1.

[0122] In other words, the interval between changes in vertical acceleration while Shovel 100 is traveling on the travel surface R2 is shorter than the interval between changes in vertical acceleration while Shovel 100 is traveling on the travel surface R1.

[0123] Furthermore, the amplitude (absolute value) of acceleration when Shovel 100 is traveling on the travel surface R2 is greater than the amplitude (absolute value) of acceleration when Shovel 100 is traveling on the travel surface R1.

[0124] Here, the soil on the running surface R1 may be soft enough that the running surface is leveled by the weight of the shovel 100. Also, the gravel on the running surface R2 may be coarse enough that irregularities smaller than the thickness of the crawler belt 1a are created on the running surface.

[0125] It should be noted that the acceleration waveform of the Shovel 100 is not limited to soft soil surfaces such as sand and gravel. For example, even if the running surface is a hard surface such as concrete, if it is flat (smooth) with few gravel or irregularities, the acceleration waveform may also be as shown in Figure 5(A). In this case, although the shaking is usually small, it can be seen that vibrations occur intermittently due to steps and other factors.

[0126] Furthermore, it is expected that the acceleration fluctuations of the shovel 100 will be small, as shown in Figure 5(A), even if there are some irregularities or soil particles present, when the running surface is made of soft soil.

[0127] Furthermore, the running surface on which the acceleration waveform is as shown in Figure 5(B) is not limited to running surfaces with hard irregularities such as gravel. For example, even if the soil is sandy, if it contains a lot of moisture and the weight of the shovel 100 cannot flatten the running surface, the fluctuation in the acceleration of the shovel 100 is expected to become as large as shown in Figure 5(B).

[0128] In this embodiment, the state of unevenness on the running surface can be estimated based on the time interval of acceleration changes, and the hardness of the running surface can be estimated based on the peak value of the acceleration changes.

[0129] In the state shown in Figure 5(A), the shaking of the excavator 100 is small, which suppresses the progression of deterioration of the excavator 100 and reduces the degree of operator fatigue. In contrast, in the state shown in Figure 5(B), the excavator 100 is shaken violently. As a result, when the shoe plate constituting the crawler belt 1a of the lower traveling body 1 makes contact with the traveling surface, it may strike the traveling surface, potentially affecting the progression of structural deterioration. In addition, the degree of fatigue of the operator operating the excavator 100 will also increase.

[0130] Thus, in this embodiment, by understanding the soil conditions on the running surface of the shovel 100, it can be used to estimate the degree of damage to the shovel 100 and the degree of fatigue of the operator of the shovel 100.

[0131] The correspondence information 61 of this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figure 6. Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of correspondence information.

[0132] In this embodiment, the correspondence information 61 associates the range of acceleration amplitude values ​​with the soil type. The correspondence information 61 in this embodiment may be determined in advance, for example, by simulation to determine the correspondence between the contact characteristics of the shovel 100 (range of acceleration amplitude values) and the condition of the running surface (soil type). The correspondence information 61 may be generated in advance and stored in the storage device 47 of the shovel 100. Alternatively, the correspondence information 61 may be stored in the management device 200.

[0133] In the example in Figure 6, if the acceleration amplitude is less than TH1, it indicates that the soil type of the running surface is soil and sand, and if it is TH1 or greater, it indicates that the soil type of the running surface is gravel.

[0134] The correspondence information 61 may, for example, be provided for each hardness of the running surface. The amplitude value of the acceleration of the shovel 100 differs depending on the rigidity (hardness of the running surface) of the contact area between the shoe plate of the shovel 100 and the running surface.

[0135] Therefore, in this embodiment, multiple types of correspondence information 61 may be provided according to the hardness of the running surface. In this case, the hardness of the running surface may be indicated as a value detected by an acceleration sensor.

[0136] The relationship between the acceleration sensor's detected value and the hardness of the running surface may be determined in advance through simulations or other means to correlate the rigidity of the contact area between the shoe plate of the shovel 100 and the running surface with the acceleration sensor's detected value.

[0137] Next, the operation of the shovel 100 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 7. In this embodiment, the process shown in Figure 7 may be executed at predetermined intervals while the shovel 100 is in motion.

[0138] In this embodiment, the excavator 100 detects acceleration using a machine tilt sensor S4 or the like (step S701). In other words, the controller 30 acquires the acceleration detected by the machine tilt sensor S4 or the like for a certain period of time using a state determination unit 302. This certain period is, for example, 5 seconds.

[0139] Next, the controller 30 refers to the correspondence information 61 using the information reference unit 301 (step S702).

[0140] Next, the controller 30 determines the state of the running surface using the state determination unit 302 (step S703). Specifically, the state determination unit 302 obtains the amplitude values ​​of acceleration acquired over a certain period of time. For example, the state determination unit 302 may obtain the minimum and maximum values ​​of the acceleration amplitude values ​​acquired over a certain period of time as the acceleration amplitude values. Alternatively, the state determination unit 302 may obtain the average value of the acceleration amplitude values ​​acquired over a certain period of time.

[0141] The state determination unit 302 then identifies the soil type corresponding to the acceleration amplitude value in the correspondence information 61, and uses the identified soil type as the determination result for the state of the running surface.

[0142] Next, the controller 30 collects and stores the travel surface information using the information collection unit 303 (step S704). Specifically, the information collection unit 303 generates travel surface information by associating the travel surface condition determination result by the condition determination unit 302 with position information indicating the current position of the shovel 100, and stores it in the storage device 47 or the like. At this time, the controller 30 may transmit the travel surface information to the management device 200 via the communication device T1.

[0143] Here, the position information indicating the current position of the shovel 100 can be said to be the position information indicating the position when the contact characteristics of the running surface of the lower traveling body 1 are detected by the detection unit (state determination unit 302).

[0144] In this embodiment, the state of the running surface on which the shovel 100 is traveling is determined in accordance with the fluctuations in the acceleration of the shovel 100.

[0145] Furthermore, if the shovel 100 has multiple correspondence information 61 according to the hardness of the running surface, the information reference unit 301 may identify the correspondence information 61 to be referenced by selecting the acceleration at any timing within a certain period of time during which acceleration is acquired as the acceleration corresponding to the hardness of the running surface.

[0146] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a combination of values ​​output from each of the multiple acceleration sensors provided on the shovel 100 may be used as the acceleration for identifying the correspondence information 61. Specifically, for example, the correspondence information 61 to be referenced may be identified by a combination of a detected value output from the machine tilt sensor S4 and a detected value output from an acceleration sensor provided in a different location from the machine tilt sensor S4.

[0147] In addition, in this embodiment, the travel surface information, including the result of determining the state of the travel surface and the position information of the shovel 100 at the time the travel surface state was determined, is collected and stored.

[0148] Therefore, in this embodiment, for example, when driving over an area that has already been driven over, information indicating the state of the driving surface based on the driving surface information may be displayed on the display device 40.

[0149] In this way, the operator of the shovel 100 can be made aware of the condition of the running surface, and the operator can be encouraged to take measures to ensure safety during work according to the condition of the running surface.

[0150] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the travel surface information may be shared with other excavators 100. Specifically, excavator 100 may transmit the travel surface information to other excavators 100 present at the same work site. Also, when excavator 100 receives travel surface information from another excavator 100, it may store the received travel surface information in the storage device 47.

[0151] Thus, in this embodiment, by retaining travel surface information collected by other excavators 100, the operator can understand the condition of the travel surface even in areas where the excavator 100 has never traveled, thereby improving work safety.

[0152] The following describes the variation in acceleration of the shovel 100 when this embodiment is applied, with reference to Figure 8. Figure 8 is a second diagram illustrating the variation in acceleration of the shovel.

[0153] In the example shown in Figure 8, the waveform of the acceleration of the shovel 100 acquired between timing T0 and timing T2 is displayed.

[0154] In this case, the amplitude value is greater than or equal to TH1 between timing T0 and timing T1, and the amplitude value is less than TH1 between timing T1 and timing T2.

[0155] From this, it can be seen that the condition of the surface (soil type) on which Shovel 100 traveled between timing T0 and timing T1 was gravel, and the condition of the surface (soil type) on which it traveled between timing T1 and timing T2 was soil. In this way, the hardness of the travel surface can be estimated based on the peak value of the acceleration change.

[0156] In this embodiment, when determining the condition of the running surface, both the image data captured by the imaging device S6 and the acceleration amplitude value may be used.

[0157] Specifically, the state determination unit 302 determines, for example, that if the acceleration amplitude value is TH1 or greater, and the image of the running surface shown by the image data is soil, then the state of the running surface is determined to be soil with irregularities that cannot be leveled by the weight of the shovel 100.

[0158] The state determination unit 302 may determine the state of the running surface based on the color of the running surface image indicated by the image data. Specifically, for example, if the running surface image is brownish in color, the state determination unit 302 may determine that the soil type of the running surface is soil, and if the running surface image is light gray, it may determine that the soil type of the running surface is gravel or concrete. Furthermore, if the running surface image is dark gray, the state determination unit 302 may determine that the soil type of the running surface is asphalt.

[0159] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the state determination unit 302 may be set to prioritize either the soil type determination result based on image data or the soil type determination result based on the contact characteristics between the lower traveling body 1 and the traveling surface.

[0160] Furthermore, in this embodiment, for example, if the acceleration waveform has an overall undulation, it may be determined that there are gentle undulations on the running surface.

[0161] In this example, the image data is image data of the running surface captured by the imaging device S6, but it is not limited to this. The image data can be any image data of the running surface, and may be image data captured by an imaging device installed outside the shovel 100.

[0162] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the state determination unit 302 determines the state of the running surface by referring to the correspondence information 61, but it is not limited to this. The state determination unit 302 may, for example, use a model that has learned the correspondence between running data and the state of the running surface by machine learning or the like. In this case, the state determination unit 302 should input the running data back and obtain information indicating the state of the running surface according to the acceleration fluctuations and image data contained in the running data.

[0163] Using such a model, the accuracy of the determination can be improved by repeating the process of determining the condition of the running surface as the number of times the determination is performed increases.

[0164] (Other embodiments) Further embodiments are described below. In this embodiment, the management device 200 generates map information using the travel surface information received from the shovel 100.

[0165] Figure 9 illustrates the generation of map information by the management device. In this embodiment, the management device 200 generates map information by associating the map information with the travel surface information received from the shovel 100.

[0166] Figure 9 shows an example where an image of a riverbed, including the work area where work is performed by a shovel 100, taken from above, is displayed on a display device such as a management device 200.

[0167] The image displayed on the display device is an image of a riverbed that includes an area 91 where the soil of the driving surface is gravel and an area 92 where the soil of the driving surface is soil, and also includes images of the river 94, the embankment 95, and the road 96 on the embankment.

[0168] Area 91 includes a work area 93 where the shovel 100 performs its work. In this work area 93, for example, work such as burying a waterway to supply water to a river may be carried out. Area 92 includes, for example, a materials storage area 92a.

[0169] When the shovel 100 is traveling within the area 91, the control device 200 receives from the shovel 100 the position information of the shovel 100 and travel surface information, which includes information indicating that the soil type of the travel surface is gravel.

[0170] Furthermore, when the shovel 100 is traveling within the area 92, the control device 200 receives from the shovel 100 the position information of the shovel 100 and travel surface information including information indicating that the soil type of the travel surface is soil and sand.

[0171] When the management device 200 receives running surface information, which includes location information and the result of determining the state of the running surface, it generates map information that associates this running surface information with map information identified from the location information.

[0172] The hardware configuration of the management device 200 of this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figure 10. Figure 10 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the management device.

[0173] The management device 200 in this embodiment is a computer that includes an input device 201, an output device 202, a drive device 203, an auxiliary storage device 204, a memory device 205, an arithmetic processing unit 206, and an interface device 207, all of which are interconnected via bus B.

[0174] The input device 201 is a device for inputting various types of information and can be implemented as, for example, a touch panel or a keyboard. The output device 202 is for outputting various types of information and can be implemented as, for example, a display. The interface device 207 is used to connect to a network.

[0175] The map generation program, implemented by the components described later, is at least part of the various programs that control the management device 200. The map generation program is provided, for example, by distribution of the storage medium 208 or by downloading it from a network. The storage medium 208 on which the map generation program is recorded can be of various types, such as storage media that record information optically, electrically, or magnetically, or semiconductor memories that record information electrically, such as ROM or flash memory.

[0176] Furthermore, when the storage medium 208 containing the map generation program is set in the drive device 203, the map generation program is installed from the storage medium 208 to the auxiliary storage device 204 via the drive device 203. Map generation programs downloaded from the network are installed to the auxiliary storage device 204 via the interface device 207.

[0177] The auxiliary storage device 204 stores the map generation program installed on the management device 200, as well as map information generated by executing the map generation program, and various necessary files and data from the management device 200. The memory device 205 reads the map generation program from the auxiliary storage device 204 and stores it when the management device 200 starts up. The arithmetic processing unit 206 then performs various processes as described later, according to the map generation program stored in the memory device 205.

[0178] Next, the functions of the management device 200 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 11. Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating the functions of the management device.

[0179] The management device 200 of this embodiment includes a communication control unit 210, a map information generation unit 220, a map information holding unit 230, a driving area determination unit 240, and a status notification unit 250.

[0180] The communication control unit 210 controls the transmission and reception of information with external devices, including the shovel 100.

[0181] The map information generation unit 220 generates map information using the travel surface information received by the communication control unit 210 from the shovel 100. Specifically, the map information generation unit 220 identifies map information for an area containing location information based on the location information included in the travel surface information. The map information may be obtained, for example, from an external server on a network.

[0182] Next, the map information generation unit 220 associates the acquired map information with the driving surface information to create map information.

[0183] Furthermore, the map information generation unit 220 of this embodiment may, for example, identify map information based on the region indicated by each position information contained in the driving surface information received multiple times over a certain period.

[0184] The map information holding unit 230 holds the map information 231 generated by the map information generation unit 220. The map information 231 is information that associates driving surface information 231a with map information 231b. In other words, the map information 231 is information that includes information indicating the state of the driving surface in the area indicated by the map information.

[0185] Furthermore, in addition to the driving surface information 231a and map information 231b, the map information 231 of this embodiment may also include information indicating the soil type of the region shown in the map information, information indicating the shape of the driving surface and whether or not it has a slope, etc.

[0186] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the management device 200 generates and stores map information that associates map information with driving surface information, but it is not limited to this. The management device 200 may also store driving surface information as map information.

[0187] The travel area determination unit 240 determines the state of the travel surface in the area where the excavator 100, which transmitted the location information, is traveling, based on the location information received from the excavator 100 and the map information. The state notification unit 250 transmits the determination result of the travel area determination unit 240 to the excavator 100.

[0188] Next, the operation of the management device 200 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 12 and 13. Figure 12 is a first flowchart illustrating the operation of the management device. Figure 12 shows the process by which the management device 200 generates map information.

[0189] In this embodiment, the management device 200 receives travel surface information from the shovel 100 via the communication control unit 210 (step S1201). Subsequently, the management device 200 acquires map information for the area corresponding to the position information included in the travel surface information via the map information generation unit 220 (step S1202). Note that the map information may be acquired from an external server on the network via the communication control unit 210.

[0190] Next, the map information generation unit 220 generates map information that associates the map information acquired in step S1202 with the driving surface information (step S1203). Subsequently, the management device 200 has the map information holding unit 230 hold the generated map information 231 (step S1204), and terminates the process.

[0191] Figure 13 is a second flowchart illustrating the operation of the control device. Figure 13 shows the process by which the control device 200 determines the condition of the running surface of the shovel 100 and notifies the shovel 100.

[0192] In this embodiment, the management device 200 receives location information from the shovel 100 via the communication control unit 210 (step S1301).

[0193] Next, the management device 200, using the driving area determination unit 240, refers to the map information 231 held in the map information holding unit 230 (step S1302) and determines the state of the driving surface in the area indicated by the location information (step S1303).

[0194] Specifically, for example, the travel area determination unit 240 identifies map information, including map information that includes the location indicated by the location information, from the map information 231 held in the map information holding unit 230. Then, the travel area determination unit 240 sets the state of the travel surface indicated by the travel surface information included in the identified map information as the state of the travel surface of the shovel 100 that received the location information.

[0195] Next, the management device 200, via the status notification unit 250, transmits information indicating the condition of the running surface to the excavator 100 that has received the location information (step S1304), and then terminates the process.

[0196] Thus, in this embodiment, the shovel 100 only needs to transmit position information to the management device 200 and does not need to determine the condition of the running surface itself. Therefore, in this embodiment, the processing load on the controller 30 of the shovel 100 can be reduced.

[0197] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since map information is stored in the management device 200, the map information can be shared among multiple excavators 100. In addition, according to this embodiment, even in areas that have not been traveled before, the operator of the excavator 100 can understand the condition of the travel surface.

[0198] In this embodiment, the determination result of the running surface condition by the control device 200 is transmitted to the shovel 100, but this is not limited to this. The determination result of the running surface condition transmitted from the control device 200 may also be transmitted to the support device 300. The support device 300 may display the determination result of the running surface condition received from the control device 200 on its display unit.

[0199] The support device 300 displays information received from the management device 200 on its display unit, thereby notifying workers other than the operator of the shovel 100 at the work site of the condition of the running surface. Furthermore, in this embodiment, by displaying information indicating the condition of the running surface on the support device 300, the safety of the work site where the shovel 100 is working can be grasped by the work site manager, etc. In addition, in this embodiment, even if the soil type changes as construction progresses at work sites such as road construction or residential land development, the manager can easily grasp the changes in soil type.

[0200] Furthermore, in this embodiment, for example, when information identifying the location of the work site is input to the support device 300 and transmitted to the management device 200, the management device 200 may refer to the map information 231 and transmit map information of the area corresponding to the work site to the support device 300.

[0201] The support device 300 displays the map information received from the management device 200. In this case, the map information may be displayed differently for areas where the driving surface is soil and areas where the driving surface is gravel, for example, as shown in Figure 9, within the area representing the entire work site. Furthermore, information indicating the soil type for each area may be displayed on the map information. Specifically, for example, "gravel" may be displayed in area 91 and "soil" may be displayed in area 92.

[0202] In other words, the support device 300 only needs to display map information that distinguishes and shows areas with different conditions on the driving surface at the work site.

[0203] In this way, by displaying map information on the support device 300, workers performing tasks at the work site can visually grasp the condition of the entire work site's surface.

[0204] Furthermore, information indicating the condition of the running surface of the shovel 100 may be transmitted, for example, to a remote control room for remotely operating the shovel 100. In this case, a controller installed in the remote control room may display the information indicating the condition of the running surface on a display device installed in the remote control room.

[0205] The embodiments have been described above with reference to specific examples. However, the present invention is not limited to these specific examples. Modifications made to these specific examples by those skilled in the art are also included within the scope of the present invention, as long as they retain the features of the present invention. The elements, their arrangement, conditions, and shapes, etc., of each of the aforementioned specific examples are not limited to those illustrated and can be modified as appropriate. The elements of each of the aforementioned specific examples may be combined as appropriate, as long as no technical inconsistencies arise. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0206] 30 controllers 100 Shovel 200 Management device 210 Communication Control Unit 220 Map Information Generation Unit 230 Map information storage unit 240 Driving area determination unit 250 Status notification unit 250 300 Support equipment 301 Information reference section 302 State determination unit 303 Information Gathering Department 304 Communications Department

Claims

1. Lower running body and An upper slewing body is mounted on the lower traveling body so as to be rotatable, A detection unit is provided on the upper rotating body to detect the contact characteristics between the lower traveling body and the traveling surface during travel, An information reference unit that references correspondence information relating the contact characteristics between the lower traveling body and the traveling surface and the state of the traveling surface, A state determination unit determines the state of the running surface based on the contact characteristics detected by the detection unit and the correspondence information, It has an acceleration sensor, The aforementioned contact characteristics are This includes the acceleration fluctuation detected by the acceleration sensor, The condition of the running surface includes the soil type of the running surface. The state determination unit, A shovel that determines the soil type of the running surface based on the acceleration fluctuation detected by the acceleration sensor and the correspondence information.

2. A shovel support system including a shovel and a shovel control device, The aforementioned shovel is, Lower running body and An upper slewing body is mounted on the lower traveling body so as to be rotatable, A detection unit is provided on the upper rotating body to detect the contact characteristics between the lower traveling body and the traveling surface during travel, An information reference unit that references correspondence information relating the contact characteristics between the lower traveling body and the traveling surface and the state of the traveling surface, A state determination unit determines the state of the running surface based on the contact characteristics detected by the detection unit and the correspondence information, It has an acceleration sensor, The contact characteristics include the acceleration fluctuation detected by the acceleration sensor, The condition of the running surface includes the soil type of the running surface. The state determination unit determines the soil type of the running surface based on the acceleration fluctuation detected by the acceleration sensor and the correspondence information. The aforementioned control device is An information holding unit that stores running surface information including the soil type of the running surface, A determination unit that determines the state of the running surface of the other excavator based on the position information received from the other excavator and the running surface information, A support system for an excavator, comprising: a status notification unit that notifies the other excavator of the result of the determination by the determination unit.

3. The excavator according to claim 1, further comprising: a communication unit that acquires position information indicating the position when the contact characteristics are detected by the detection unit, and transmits to an external device running surface information that associates the position information, the contact characteristics detected by the detection unit, and information indicating the state of the running surface of the lower running body determined by the state determination unit.

4. The state determination unit, Furthermore, the excavator according to claim 1, wherein the state of the running surface is determined using image data captured from the running surface.

5. The state determination unit, Furthermore, the excavator support system according to claim 2 further determines the state of the running surface using image data captured from the running surface.

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