Farm field work vehicle teaching method

Abstract

Provided is a farm field work vehicle teaching method for teaching a travel route for automatically traveling in a farm field (50) to a farm field work vehicle that is provided with a traveling vehicle body and a satellite positioning unit (103) capable of detecting the position of the traveling vehicle body, the teaching method comprising a step for, when execution of a traveling teaching function for teaching the outer peripheral shape of the farm field (50) is suspended, resuming the traveling teaching function at a position other than the position at which the traveling teaching function has been suspended, thereby making it possible to improve usability.

Description

Teaching method for a field work vehicle

[0001] The present invention relates to a teaching method for a field work vehicle.

[0002] A travel route generation device for a work vehicle that enters and exits a work area partitioned by a boundary through an entrance / exit passage, the device including a start point registration unit that registers the position of the first end point on the boundary side of the entrance / exit passage as a start point, a passing point registration unit that registers the shape feature points defining the shape of the work area as passing points, a end point registration unit that registers the position of the second end point on the boundary side of the entrance / exit passage, which is opposite to the first end point, as an end point, a basic shape calculation unit that calculates the basic shape of the work area by connecting the positions of the start point, the passing points, and the end point, an entrance / exit passage information generation unit that generates entrance / exit passage information with the shape of the entrance / exit passage being a quadrilateral having two sides along the outer extension line of the basic shape with the start point and the end point as opposite vertices, and a travel route generation unit that sets the area other than the entrance / exit passage of the work area as a work target area and generates a travel route for the work vehicle to automatically travel through the work target area, is known (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-116608 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-154394

[0004] By the way, the inventor of the present invention believes that, considering various needs of users, the trend of continuously implementing convenient functions in field work vehicles and the like is accelerating more and more.

[0005] However, the inventor of the present invention noticed that the usability of the conventional teaching method for a field work vehicle is not always good when used.

[0006] More specifically, the inventor of the present invention noticed that highly accurate automatic operation is required with less manual operation.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a teaching method for a field work vehicle that can improve usability in consideration of the above-described conventional problems.

[0008] The first aspect of the present invention is a teaching method for a field work vehicle equipped with a vehicle body and a satellite positioning unit (103) capable of detecting the position of the vehicle body, for teaching a driving path for automatic driving in a field (50), characterized in that when the execution of the driving teaching function for teaching the outer perimeter shape of the field (50) is interrupted, the driving teaching function is restarted from a position different from the position where it was interrupted.

[0009] The second aspect of the present invention is a teaching method for a field work vehicle according to the first aspect of the present invention, characterized in that the position at which the interrupted driving teaching function is restarted is the position at which the driving teaching function was started.

[0010] The third aspect of the present invention is a teaching method for a field work vehicle according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, characterized in that it is equipped with a condition teaching function for understanding the soil conditions of the field (50), and the condition teaching function is executed while the driving teaching function is interrupted.

[0011] The fourth aspect of the present invention is a teaching method for a field work vehicle according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, characterized in that when the driving teaching function is restarted, the vehicle drives in the opposite direction to the driving direction that was being used until the driving teaching function was interrupted.

[0012] The first aspect of the present invention makes it possible to improve ease of use.

[0013] The second aspect of the present invention makes it possible to improve practicality in addition to the effects of the first aspect of the present invention.

[0014] The third aspect of the present invention makes it possible to further improve practicality in addition to the effects of the first or second aspect of the present invention.

[0015] The fourth aspect of the present invention makes it possible to further improve practicality in addition to the effects of the first or second aspect of the present invention.

[0016] (a) Left side view of the rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention, (b) Top view of the rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention, Explanatory diagram of field shape teaching of the rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention (Part 1), Explanatory diagram of field shape teaching of the rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention (Part 2), Explanatory diagram of field shape teaching of the rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention (Part 3), Explanatory diagram of field shape teaching of the rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention (Part 4), Explanatory diagram of field shape teaching of the rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention (Part 5), Explanatory diagram of field shape teaching of the rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention (Part 6), Explanatory diagram of field shape teaching of the rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention (Part 7), (a) Explanatory diagram of operation control of the rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention (Part 1), ( b) Explanatory diagram of the operation control of the rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention (Part 2) Explanatory diagram of the operation control of the rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention (Part 3) Explanatory diagram of the operation control of the rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention (Part 4) Explanatory diagram of the operation control of the rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention (Part 5) Explanatory diagram of the operation control of the rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention (Part 6) Explanatory diagram of the operation control of the rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention (Part 7) Explanatory diagram of the operation control of the rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention (Part 8) Explanatory diagram of the operation control of the rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention (Part 9) Explanatory diagram of the operation control of the rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention (Part 10) Explanatory diagram of the operation control of the rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention (Part 11) Explanatory diagram of the operation control of the rice transplanter according to the embodiment of the present invention (Part 12)

[0017] While describing the operation of the rice transplanter (1) according to the embodiment of the present invention, a method for controlling the operation of a seedling transplanter, which is implemented by a controller or the like, will also be described.

[0018] The rice transplanter (1) of the embodiment of the present invention is a rice transplanter that manually teaches the field shape by traveling along all sides of a substantially polygonal field (50) without overlapping the sides, before creating an automatic straight-line reciprocating travel path in the substantially polygonal field (50). This is a specific example of a seedling transplanter according to the present invention.

[0019] (1) First, the configuration and operation of the rice transplanter (1) according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 1(a) and 1(b), as well as 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.

[0020] Here, Figure 1(a) is a left side view of the rice transplanter (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 1(b) is a top view of the rice transplanter (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are explanatory diagrams (one to seven) of field shape teaching for the rice transplanter (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] In field shape teaching, the process starts from a predetermined vertex (Va) of a roughly polygonal shape, follows the edges to the other predetermined vertices (Vb) of the roughly polygonal shape excluding the predetermined vertex (Va), moves to a vertex (Vc) of the roughly polygonal shape via a diagonal (D) passing through the interior of the roughly polygonal shape, and then follows the remaining edges.

[0022] Of course, such polygons can be quadrilaterals, such as trapezoids that give the shape of a so-called deformed field, or they can be n (≧5)-sided polygons. When the remaining sides are traced, the same sides or the same diagonals (D) may be traced repeatedly, and it goes without saying that it is important that all sides are eventually traced.

[0023] In field shape teaching, the process involves starting from a predetermined vertex (Va), following the edges to another predetermined vertex (Vb), returning to the predetermined vertex (Va=Vc) via the diagonal (D), and then following all remaining edges to another predetermined vertex (Vb).

[0024] Of course, the number of diagonals (D) can be one or k (≧2). Needless to say, the edges, diagonals (D), and the material supply edges (E) described later do not have to be line segments in the strict sense, and may be bent.

[0025] A roughly polygonal shape is roughly rectangular.

[0026] As shown in Figures 3 to 6, the teaching run, which sets the field work area for field work in the field (50) using automatic driving by the driving unit (101) while operating a satellite positioning unit (103) that detects the vehicle's position using navigation satellites and a work unit (102) that performs tasks such as seedling planting, is performed as a full-circumference teaching run that traces all four sides by following two sides of half the field, then following the diagonal (D) to return to the teaching start position, and then following the remaining two sides of half the field in the opposite direction. This type of teaching run differs from a teaching run that traces all four sides of a roughly rectangular field (50) in a simple circular drive. In three-sided teaching that does not follow the material supply side (E), the vehicle is stopped while a margin is safely secured to avoid obstacles such as ridges (51) before reaching the material supply side (E), so manual operation of stopping the vehicle by the remote controller (40) is necessary. Therefore, automatic driving in such three-sided teaching is not necessarily smooth. High-precision driving is achieved by full-circumference teaching driving, in which teaching of the material supply side (E) is performed in the same way as teaching of the ridges of the non-material supply side facing the material supply side (E).

[0027] The first teaching, which starts from a predetermined vertex (Va) and follows the edges to another predetermined vertex (Vb), is distinguishable from the second teaching, which returns to a predetermined vertex (Va=Vc) via the diagonal (D) and then follows all remaining edges to another predetermined vertex (Vb). For example, the first teaching is performed in a clockwise direction, and the second teaching is performed in a counterclockwise direction, so a criterion for making such a distinction is provided. In this sense as well, the full-circumference teaching run described above differs from a teaching run that simply follows the four sides of the field (50) in a circular motion. However, the entire outer perimeter of the field, including the material supply edge (E), is reliably recognized.

[0028] In field shape teaching, when passing through the diagonal line (D), seedling planting does not occur, but field condition data is collected. This field condition data is used for fertilization, which is carried out in conjunction with seedling planting.

[0029] When the machine is running along the diagonal (D) line, the average field depth for fertilization and the average field fertility are measured. By inserting this fertilization teaching into the middle of the full-circumference teaching for running the machine, two teaching operations are performed, improving efficiency through the synchronous completion of the work.

[0030] During teaching runs along the diagonal line (D) for fertilization, as well as during teaching runs along the material supply line (E) where material replenishment is performed automatically, no work such as seedling planting is performed by the work unit (102).

[0031] In field shape teaching, when an edge is traced from a predetermined vertex (Va) to another predetermined vertex (Vb), the collection of field condition data is automatically started.

[0032] In teaching areas where seedling planting is not performed, it is possible to distinguish whether teaching travel is being performed along the diagonal (D) or along the material supply side (E). The innermost teaching travel path is determined to be the diagonal (D) teaching travel for fertilization. After the work is completed, the discrimination process for these teaching travels can be performed.

[0033] In field shape teaching, after field condition data has been collected, when all remaining edges are traced to another predetermined vertex (Vb), the field condition data is used for fertilization.

[0034] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the directions for teaching runs to set the field work area for performing field work in the field (50) using automated driving are limited to, for example, no more than four. A fifth teaching run, which is not one of the four directions for teaching runs, is determined to be a teaching run for fertilization.

[0035] The teaching run for fertilization is provided between two stages: the first teaching, which starts from a predetermined vertex (Va) and follows the edges to another predetermined vertex (Vb); and the second teaching, which returns to a predetermined vertex (Va=Vc) via the diagonal (D) and then follows all remaining edges to another predetermined vertex (Vb).

[0036] The starting position for the second teaching is the same as the starting position for the first teaching, and it is also the ending position for the teaching run for fertilization.

[0037] One of the four sides of the roughly rectangular shape is designated as the material supply side (E). In field shape teaching, seedling planting is performed when following the non-material supply sides excluding the material supply side (E), but not when following the material supply side (E).

[0038] The material supply side (E) is determined by ensuring that no work, such as seedling planting by the work unit (102), is performed on at least one of the sides of the first teaching side and the second teaching side.

[0039] Based on whether or not work by the work unit (102) is being performed in conjunction with teaching, the discrimination process in the teaching mode between the teaching run for setting the field work range for field work in the field (50) and the teaching run for fertilization is performed automatically according to the position of the teaching run path. This realizes a user-friendly specification that eliminates the need for manual switching between the two teaching runs.

[0040] The automated straight-line round-trip route is a route that travels back and forth between a material supply side (E) and a non-material supply side opposite to the material supply side (E). The stopping point before the material supply side (E) on the automated straight-line round-trip route is set at a predetermined distance from the material supply side (E).

[0041] As shown in FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b), by detecting the distance to the ridge with the ultrasonic sensor (30) added to the rice transplanter (1), which is a robot rice transplanter, the automation of the ridge alignment process can be promoted. The troublesome operation of the remote controller (40) in the ridge alignment process is likely to cause a decrease in work efficiency. Since the operation of the remote controller (40) by the operator, which was required every time the reciprocating stroke in the automatic linear reciprocating travel path ended, becomes unnecessary, the work efficiency is improved.

[0042] The two ultrasonic sensors (30) are attached above the front bumper (20) and inside the GNSS antenna stand of the satellite positioning unit (103). Not only can the dead space existing between the front bumper (20) and the satellite positioning unit (103) be effectively utilized, but a meaningful sensor mounting height can be provided to reliably detect obstacles (51) such as ridges. Moreover, since the ultrasonic sensors (30) are protected by the front bumper (20) and the satellite positioning unit (103), sensor damage is less likely to occur (see FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b)).

[0043] Based on the detection by the ultrasonic sensor (30) for detecting the distance to the obstacle (51) existing in the front, when it is determined that the distance to the obstacle (51) exceeds the first threshold at the stop point, the forward movement is automatically started at the first vehicle speed.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 10, the two ultrasonic sensors (30) are arranged so that the sensor detection angle in the left - right direction of the vehicle body substantially coincides with the width of the rice transplanter (1). The occurrence of a vehicle body collision with an obstacle (51) such as a utility pole that may exist near the ridge can be suppressed.

[0045] Based on the detection by the ultrasonic sensor (30), when it is determined that the distance to the obstacle (51) subsequently falls below the second threshold, which is smaller than the first threshold, the forward movement is automatically continued at a second vehicle speed, which is smaller than the first vehicle speed.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 11, when the automatic ridging operation is being performed, control is carried out to change the ridging vehicle speed from a first vehicle speed such as a so-called second speed to a second vehicle speed such as a so-called first speed at a timing when the detection distance of the ultrasonic sensor (30) substantially coincides with approximately 1000 millimeters. The occurrence of a vehicle body collision with an obstacle (51) such as a ridge or a utility pole can be suppressed.

[0047] Based on the detection by the ultrasonic sensor (30), when it is determined that the distance to the obstacle (51) further falls below a third threshold value smaller than a second threshold value thereafter, the forward movement is automatically stopped.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 12, control is carried out to change the ridging vehicle speed to zero at a timing when the detection distance of the ultrasonic sensor (30) substantially coincides with approximately 50 millimeters. The occurrence of a vehicle body collision with an obstacle (51) such as a ridge or a utility pole can be more reliably suppressed.

[0049] After the vehicle body stops by the control that changes the ridging vehicle speed to zero, the transition to the next reciprocating stroke is automatically carried out. Since the operation of the remote controller (40) becomes unnecessary, the working efficiency is improved.

[0050] Based on the manual operation by the remote controller (40) for the operator to perform a manual operation, when it is determined that material replenishment in the material replenishment side (E) is not required, the transition to the turning operation is automatically started. However, when it is determined that material replenishment in the material replenishment side (E) is required, the forward movement continues to be stopped.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 13, a replenishment button (201) for material replenishment is provided on the remote controller (40). By pressing the replenishment button (201) during the period from the start of the previous reciprocating stroke to the stop of the automatic ridging process, after the stop of the ridging process, the transition to the next reciprocating stroke that is automatically carried out can be canceled. Since material replenishment can be timely carried out as needed, the usability is improved.

[0052] As shown in Figure 14, after material replenishment is performed, pressing the start button (202) on the remote controller (40) automatically initiates the transition to the next round trip. If material replenishment is not required, automatic operation continues as is. However, if material replenishment is required, the vehicle can be stopped at the edge of the field and operation can be appropriately resumed thereafter.

[0053] As shown in Figure 15, the location information of the point where the automatic ridge-making process is completed is stored. In the so-called final process on the side of the material supply edge (E) where the ridge-making is performed, it is preferable that the seedling planting work is performed automatically without manual operation. By generating the travel path for the final process at the edge of the ridge based on the teaching start point, teaching end point, and automatic ridge-making end point, it is possible to achieve almost fully automated seedling planting in the final process. Collisions with obstacles (51) such as utility poles can also be almost completely avoided.

[0054] As shown in Figure 16, when automatic driving is in progress, after a stop control is performed at a point where the distance to the ridge is approximately 3000 millimeters, the distance to the ridge is detected by an ultrasonic sensor (30), and if the detected distance is approximately 2000 millimeters or more, forward movement at second speed is automatically started. Ridge digging using a remote controller (40) is often difficult for beginners. A user-friendly specification is realized that allows ridge digging to be started without operation of the remote controller (40).

[0055] As shown in Figure 17, when the distance to the ridge detected by the ultrasonic sensor (30) is 1000 millimeters, the vehicle switches from moving in second speed to moving in first speed, and automatic ridge-climbing continues. Since first speed is a lower vehicle speed than second speed, the vehicle can be stopped immediately when the distance to the ridge becomes even smaller.

[0056] As shown in Figure 18, the automatic levee preparation is stopped when the distance to the levee detected by the ultrasonic sensor (30) is 50 millimeters.

[0057] If the replenishment button (201) is not pressed before the automatic ridging stops, the transition to the next round trip is performed automatically. If the replenishment button (201) is not pressed before the automatic ridging stops, the transition to the next round trip after ridging occurs without pressing the start button (202), thus improving usability (see Figure 18).

[0058] If the replenishment button (201) is pressed before the automatic furrowing stops, the transition to the next round trip will not occur automatically, and the temporary vehicle stop will continue. The user can replenish materials at an appropriate time according to their judgment (see Figure 18).

[0059] After supplies are replenished, the transition to the next round trip is initiated by pressing the start button (202) (see Figure 18).

[0060] When map data is acquired and an automatic travel path for the rice transplanter (1) is generated, an area acquisition function is implemented in the rice transplanter (1) as a work machine that performs automatic travel using a satellite positioning unit (103) that acquires position information from satellites. This function offsets the work area of ​​the image data from obstacles (51) such as buildings outside the field (50). When automatic travel is performed, interference with obstacles (51) associated with so-called back turns can be suppressed.

[0061] If an obstacle (51) is recognized as a building or the like, the work area is automatically generated with a predetermined offset amount.

[0062] The front bumper (20) is positioned to protrude forward compared to the front wheels (10). When an obstacle (51) is lower than the front bumper (20), the forward movement is automatically stopped when the front bumper (20) is above the obstacle (51) below.

[0063] A wall-like boundary (301) of a certain height may be provided along a work area offset from an obstacle (51). Since the amount of the front bumper (20) protruding from the front of the vehicle body is usually not the same as the amount of the front wheel (10) protruding from the front of the vehicle body, it is controlled whether or not it is possible to perform furrowing in such a way that the front bumper (20) partially exceeds the boundary (301).

[0064] It is often desirable that the height setting of the boundary (301) be divided into stages. For example, the height at which interference with the bumper portion of the front bumper (20) is likely to occur can be distinguished from the height at which interference with the seedling planting portion of the work unit (102) is likely to occur, thereby improving practicality.

[0065] A work area determination function is implemented to automatically set an automated driving path that minimizes wall interference by taking into account the wall setting height of the boundary (301). By considering various heights, such as the height at which interference with the bumper portion of the front bumper (20) is likely to occur, and the height at which interference with the seedling planting portion of the work unit (102) is likely to occur, a safe path can be set.

Claims

1. A teaching method for a field work vehicle equipped with a vehicle body and a satellite positioning unit (103) capable of detecting the position of the vehicle body, for teaching a driving path for automatic driving in a field (50), characterized in that when the execution of the driving teaching function for teaching the outer perimeter shape of the field (50) is interrupted, the driving teaching function is restarted from a position different from the position where it was interrupted.

2. The teaching method for a field work vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the position at which the interrupted driving teaching function is restarted is the position at which the driving teaching function was started.

3. A teaching method for a field work vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is equipped with a condition teaching function for understanding the soil conditions of the field (50), and the condition teaching function is executed while the driving teaching function is interrupted.

4. The teaching method for a field work vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that when the driving teaching function is restarted, the vehicle drives in the opposite direction to the driving direction that was being used until the driving teaching function was interrupted.

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