Work machine

Abstract

This work machine comprises: a camera that captures an image around a vehicle body; a control device that detects an object on the basis of the image acquired by the camera and executes, as an operation support function, at least one of notification based on the detection result and control of a hydraulic shovel 1; and a monitor on which the notification is displayed. The control device displays, on the monitor, whether the operation support function is in an enabled state indicating that the function can be performed or in a disabled state indicating that the function cannot be performed. The control device also displays, on the monitor, an icon indicating an operation state of the operation support function together with an icon indicating a factor causing the operation state.

Description

Work machine

[0001] The present invention relates to a work machine having an operation support function.

[0002] In recent years, the electrification and informatization of work machines such as hydraulic excavators have advanced, and as the number of electronic devices installed has increased, the functions have also increased. For example, there is a work machine that has a function of detecting workers around the work machine based on information obtained from an external recognition sensor such as a camera installed on the work machine and notifying the operator. With this function, by notifying in an appropriate means or method according to the approach state of the surrounding workers and the operation state of the vehicle body, the operator can efficiently grasp the situation around the vehicle body and safely operate the work machine.

[0003] In a work machine having this type of function, there may be a state in which the function cannot be exerted due to an abnormality of the sensor or the like (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as an "invalid state" or "invalid"). Conversely, a state in which the function can be exerted may be referred to as an "effective state" or "effective"). If the operator cannot grasp the effective / invalid state of the function, the function cannot be effectively utilized in the work, and there is a concern about a decrease in work efficiency. Therefore, it is important for the operator to be able to grasp whether the function is effective or not.

[0004] In the excavator of Patent Document 1, as a function of assisting the operation by the operator, whether or not object detection, which is a prerequisite for the object detection function, is possible (that is, whether the object detection function is effective or invalid) is displayed on the display device with icons having different display modes.

[0005] International Publication No. 2018 / 008542

[0006] When icons having different display modes indicating the operation state of object detection are displayed on the display device as in the excavator of Patent Document 1, the operator can easily grasp the operation state of the object detection function, and work and surrounding confirmation can be performed in accordance with the operation state of the object detection function, and the work efficiency can be improved.

[0007] On the other hand, in recent years, some work machines have been equipped not only with notifications but also with functions that control the movement of the vehicle based on the detection results (for example, a function to brake (deceleration or stop) the vehicle). For example, by applying the brakes based on the detection results, even if the operator misses the notification, the movement of the vehicle can be restricted, making it possible to support the operator's evasive action.

[0008] As driver assistance functions that use detection results to support operators become more multi-functional, the factors that affect their performance are increasing. For example, the number of reasons for malfunctions increases due to the increase in the number of parts, the switching of the function's enabled / disabled state by the operator's settings, and the fact that the enabled / disabled state of the function may be limited by the condition of the vehicle. As described above, it is expected that the enabled / disabled state of a function will switch due to various factors, and even if the same disabled state is achieved, multiple factors may be considered.

[0009] While it is possible to determine whether the detection function is enabled or disabled in the hydraulic excavator described in Patent Document 1, it may not be possible to understand the factors or causes behind this state. As a result, the operator may not be able to take appropriate action, which can lead to a decrease in work efficiency.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of the above matters, and its purpose is to provide a work machine that can quickly grasp the enabled / disabled state of the driving assistance function and the factors causing it.

[0011] The present invention includes several means for solving the above problems, but to give one example, the present invention includes a control device that performs at least one of the following as a driving assistance function: notification based on the detection results of objects around the vehicle body and control of the work machine, and a monitor on which the notification is displayed, wherein the control device displays on the monitor whether the driving assistance function is in an active state, indicating that it is in a state in which it can perform the function, or an inactive state, indicating that it is in a state in which it cannot perform the function, and the control device displays on the monitor a combination of the operating state of the driving assistance function and the factors causing that operating state when the driving assistance function is in an inactive state.

[0012] According to the present invention, the enabled / disabled state of the driver assistance function and the cause thereof can be notified together, so both the current enabled / disabled state of the system and the cause thereof can be quickly understood.

[0013] A side view of a hydraulic excavator, an example of a work machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. A diagram showing the interior of the operator's cab 1f of the hydraulic excavator in Figure 1. A diagram showing the configuration of the operation support system provided by the work machine in Figure 1. A functional block diagram of the control device 100 in an embodiment of the present invention. A flowchart of the surrounding detection unit 102 of the control device 100. A flowchart of the support setting unit 103 of the control device 100. A diagram showing an example of the support setting screen displayed on the monitor 12 regarding the processing of the support setting unit 108 in the control device 100. A flowchart of the system state determination unit 104 of the control device 100. A flowchart of the support unit 106 of the control device 100. The support range 600 set for the hydraulic excavator 1. A first flowchart of the notification control unit 108 of the control device 100. A second flowchart of the notification control unit 108 of the control device 100. A diagram showing examples of system state icons 701-705 and system state change notification icon 706. An example of displaying icons etc. on the monitor 12. Another example of the display screen of the monitor 12. A flowchart of the operation limiting unit 107 of the control device 100. Another example of the display screen of monitor 12.

[0014] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0015] Figure 1 is a side view of a hydraulic excavator, which is an example of a work machine according to this embodiment. Here, a hydraulic excavator with a bucket 1c is shown as an example of an attachment to the front work device 1A, but it can be changed to other attachments such as a grapple, breaker, crusher, or sieve bucket. In the following description, when there are multiple identical or similar components, an alphabet letter may be added to the end of the reference numeral, but the alphabet letter may be omitted and the multiple components may be referred to collectively. For example, when there are three identical pumps 19a, 19b, and 19c, they may be referred to collectively as pump 19.

[0016] The hydraulic excavator 1 comprises a multi-jointed front work equipment 1A consisting of a boom 1a, an arm 1b, and a bucket 1c, each of which rotates around its base end, and a vehicle body 1B consisting of an upper slewing body 1d and a lower traveling body 1e. A driver's cab 1f is provided at the front of the upper slewing body 1d.

[0017] The base end of the boom 1a of the front work implement 1A is supported at the front of the upper slewing body 1d. The boom 1a, arm 1b, bucket 1c, upper slewing body 1d, and lower travel body 1e are driven by the boom cylinder 2a, arm cylinder 2b, bucket cylinder 2c, slewing motor 3d, and left and right travel motors 3e and 3f actuators, respectively.

[0018] The upper slewing body 1d is equipped with an engine 4 (see Figure 3), a pump 5 driven by the engine 4 (see Figure 3), and a valve 6 (see Figure 3) through which the hydraulic fluid discharged from the pump 5 flows. The valve 6 controls the flow rate and direction of the hydraulic fluid by operations input to operating levers 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d (see Figure 2), which are operating devices located in the operator's cab 1f, and can operate the actuators 2a to 3f. Furthermore, angle sensors (e.g., IMUs) 8a, 8b, and 8c are attached to the boom 1a, arm 1b, and bucket 1c to detect the rotation angle of each part. The upper rotating body 1d is equipped with two GNSS antennas 9a and 9b and a receiver (not shown) for receiving positioning signals from multiple positioning satellites and calculating the position and direction (orientation) of the hydraulic excavator 1. In addition, multiple cameras 10a, 10b, and 10c for photographing the area around the hydraulic excavator 1 (vehicle body 1B) are mounted on at least the left side, rear, and right side of the upper rotating body 1d.

[0019] Figure 2 shows the interior of the driver's cab 1f. The driver's cab 1f is equipped with operating levers 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7, a shut-off lever 17 that locks the operation input to actuators 1, 2, and 3 via the operating lever 7, a speaker 11 for conveying information to the operator by sound, and a monitor (display) 12 as a display device for displaying information. In this embodiment, the monitor 12 is a touch panel monitor equipped with a touch panel 15 as an input device.

[0020] Figure 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of a driver assistance system provided in a work machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. The driver assistance system according to this embodiment includes two GNSS antennas 9a, 9b and a receiver (not shown), a plurality of angle sensors 8a, 8b, 8c attached to the work device 1A, a plurality of cameras 10a, 10b, 10c, a control device (control device) 100 that detects objects around the vehicle body 1B based on images acquired by the plurality of cameras 10a, 10b, 10c and performs at least one of the following functions as a driver assistance function: notification based on the detection result and operation control of the hydraulic excavator 1, a speaker 11, touch panel monitors 12, 15 that display notifications based on object detection by the control device 100 and allow operator input, and a valve 6 that can control the operation of the hydraulic excavator 1 by controlling the hydraulic fluid supplied to each actuator 2, 3 based on a signal output from the main C / U 50 based on object detection.

[0021] As described above, the driver assistance system mounted on the hydraulic excavator 1 (working machine) of this embodiment performs a "driver assistance function." This function performs at least one of (1) notification and (2) operation control of the hydraulic excavator 1 based on the detection results of objects around the hydraulic excavator 1. Notification in (1) includes notification to the operator via the monitor 12, and operation control of the hydraulic excavator 1 in (2) includes limiting the operation of the work device 30, the upper slewing body 1d and the lower traveling body 1e.

[0022] The control device (also referred to as a control unit) 100 of the hydraulic excavator 1 according to this embodiment includes a main control unit (C / U) 50, a GNSS C / U 40 that processes information from GNSS antennas 9a and 9b, and a notification C / U 60 that controls various notifications to the operator. Each C / U includes at least a processor and memory, and the processing of each C / U is executed by executing a program stored in the memory or the like on the processor. The main C / U 50 controls the basic systems of the hydraulic excavator 1, such as the engine 4 and the pump 5, and also controls the electrical startup of the hydraulic excavator 1 and the starting of the engine 4, which is the prime mover. The main C / U 50 also acquires operation inputs for the operating levers 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d, and whether the shut-off lever 17 is in a locked or unlocked state, and when the shut-off lever 17 is in an unlocked state, it controls the engine 4, pump 5, and valve 6 in accordance with the operation of the operating levers 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d, thereby realizing the control of various actuators 1, 2, and 3. The main C / U 50 is also connected to the communication terminal 16, enabling communication with various terminals and servers outside the hydraulic excavator 1. The notification C / U 60 calculates display information for the monitor 12 and sound information from the speaker 11 based on the processing status of the main C / U 50, and sends signals to the monitor 12 and speaker 11. Furthermore, various setting signals corresponding to the input from the touch panel 15 are sent to the main C / U 50.

[0023] Figure 4 is a functional block diagram of the control device 100 in this embodiment. The control device 100 can function as a touch operation acquisition unit 101, an ambient detection unit 102, a support setting unit 103, a system state determination unit 104, a vehicle body state acquisition unit 105, a support unit 106, an operation restriction unit 107, and a notification control unit 108, as various programs are executed by the processors of each C / U 40, 50, and 60. Each block will be described below.

[0024] (Touch operation acquisition unit 101) The touch operation acquisition unit 101 (control device 100) acquires touch operation inputs entered into the touch panel 15 and outputs the acquired operation details to the support setting unit 103.

[0025] (Surrounding detection unit 102) The surrounding detection unit 102 (control device 100) detects objects around the vehicle body 1B based on detection data from the object recognition sensor (camera) 10 mounted on the hydraulic excavator 1. In this embodiment, objects around the vehicle body 1B are detected from video (image data) acquired from cameras 10a, 10b, and 10c, but other object recognition sensors, such as ultrasonic sensors, infrared sensors, millimeter-wave radar, and LiDAR, can also be used.

[0026] Figure 5 is a flowchart of the processes performed by the surrounding detection unit 102. In step S300, it is diagnosed whether the object detection process using the camera 10 is being performed correctly. This diagnosis can be performed, for example, by checking whether there are signal inputs (data inputs) from all cameras 10, and whether the results of the object detection process based on the data from the cameras 10 are being updated periodically. If the detection process is not being performed correctly, it is determined that there is an abnormality in the driver assistance system and the process proceeds to step S305.

[0027] In step S305, the surrounding detection unit 102 outputs an "abnormal state" indicating that an abnormality has occurred in the driver assistance function (driver assistance system) as the operating status of the driver assistance function, and terminates the flow.

[0028] If the detection process is performed successfully in step S300, the process proceeds to step S301. In step S301, the surrounding detection unit 102 acquires video footage for detection from cameras 10a, 10b, and 10c, and the process proceeds to step S302.

[0029] In step S302, the surrounding detection unit 102 detects an object from the acquired camera image. A known method is used for object detection using the image. After completing the object detection process in step S302, the process proceeds to step S303.

[0030] In step S303, the detection process is processed in a "normal state" (i.e., no abnormality occurred in this case), and the detection result is output, and the flow ends.

[0031] (Support setting unit 103) The support setting unit 103 sets the driving support function in response to the touch operation input acquired by the touch operation acquisition unit 101. In this embodiment, the operator can switch the driving support function to either a "temporarily disabled state (also referred to as temporary disabled or primary disabled state)" or an "enabled state (also referred to as enabled)" by operating the touch panel 15.

[0032] The operating states of the driver assistance function according to this embodiment are as follows: (a) "Enabled state (Enabled)" indicating that the driver assistance function is in a state where it can be performed, and (b) "Disabled state (Disabled)" indicating that the driver assistance function is in a state where it cannot be performed. Each operating state may be associated with a cause. Temporary disabling is one of the causes of the disabled state, and is caused by intentionally and temporarily disabling the driver assistance function.

[0033] Figure 6 is a flowchart of the support setting unit 103. In step S400, the support setting unit 103 determines whether there has been a touch operation input (i.e., an operator operation input). If there is no touch operation input, the flow ends. If there is a touch operation input, the process proceeds to step S401.

[0034] In step S401, the support setting unit 103 determines whether the operator has entered the setting "temporarily disabled". If "temporarily disabled" is set, the process proceeds to step S402. In step S402, "temporarily disabled" is output to the system status determination unit 104, and the process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S401 that the "temporarily disabled" setting has not been made, the process proceeds to step S403. In step S403, "enabled" is output to the system status determination unit 104, and the process ends.

[0035] Figure 7 shows an example of the support setting screen displayed on the monitor 12 regarding the processing of the support setting unit 108 in this embodiment. In the monitor display 400 in this figure, an image is displayed in the liquid crystal area 12A of the monitor 12. The liquid crystal area 12A is also the area where a touch panel that can be operated by touch is installed. The liquid crystal area 12A displays the setting screen title 401 and the setting item names for the driving support function, namely Enable 402 and Temporarily Disable 403, with radio buttons 404 and 405 positioned to the right of each setting item name. In the figure, radio button 404 is blacked out to indicate that it is selected, indicating that "Enable" is selected as the driving support function, and radio button 405 is whited out to indicate that it is not selected, indicating that "Temporarily Disable" is not selected as the driving support function. On this screen, if you select the Enable setting 402 or the Temporarily Disable setting 403 with a radio button and then press the Confirm button 407, the setting will be applied. If you select the Cancel button 406, the settings on the screen will be discarded.

[0036] (Vehicle body status acquisition unit 105) The vehicle body status acquisition unit 105 performs a process to acquire data related to the state of the hydraulic excavator 1 (working machine). In this embodiment, it acquires hydraulic oil temperature data (oil temperature data) output from a temperature sensor (not shown) installed in the hydraulic oil tank or the like, tilt angle data of the hydraulic excavator 1 (working machine) output from a tilt angle sensor (e.g., IMU) mounted on the upper rotating body 1d, and the startup status of the driving support system (whether it is running or running) output from, for example, the main C / U 50. Alternatively, the internal temperature of the control device output from a temperature sensor installed in the control device 100 may be acquired, and it may be determined that an abnormality has occurred if the internal temperature of the control device exceeds a predetermined value.

[0037] (System state determination unit 104) The system state determination unit 104 is the part that performs processing to determine which state the operating state of the driver assistance system corresponds to.

[0038] Figure 8 is a flowchart of the system state determination unit 104. In step S500, the system state determination unit 104 determines whether "enabled setting" has been input from the support setting unit 103, that is, whether the operating state of the driving support function is enabled. If the enabled setting has not been input (F), the process proceeds to step S506. In step S506, the system state determination unit 104 outputs to the support unit 106 that the operating state of the driving support function is "disabled" and the cause of the disabled state is "primary disabled," and the process ends. If it is determined in step S500 that the enabled setting has been input (T), the process proceeds to step S501.

[0039] In step S501, the system state determination unit 104 determines from the output of the vehicle state acquisition unit 105 whether the driver assistance system has been started or not. If it is determined that the driver assistance system has not been started, i.e., is in the process of starting up (F), in step S507, it outputs to the support unit 106 that the operating state of the driver assistance function is "disabled" and the reason for the disabled state is "system starting up", and terminates the flow. If it is determined in step 501 that the driver assistance system has been started (T), the process proceeds to step S502.

[0040] In step S502, the system state determination unit 104 determines from the output of the object detection unit 102 whether the detection process is in a "normal state". If it is determined that the detection state is not in a normal state (F), the process proceeds to step S508. In step S508, the system state is output as "abnormal state" and the process ends. If it is determined in step S502 that the detection state is in a normal state (T), the process proceeds to step S503.

[0041] In step S503, the system state determination unit 104 determines whether the inclination angle of the vehicle body 1B is less than or equal to a predetermined angle based on the inclination angle data of the hydraulic excavator 1 acquired by the vehicle body state acquisition unit 105. If it is greater than the predetermined inclination angle (F), the process proceeds to step S509. In step S509, it is output to the support unit 106 that the operating state of the driving support function is "invalid state", and the cause of the invalid state is the "inclination angle" of the hydraulic excavator 1, and the flow ends. If the inclination angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 is less than or equal to the predetermined angle in step S503 (T), the process proceeds to step S504.

[0042] In step S504, the system state determination unit 104 determines whether the temperature of the hydraulic oil of the hydraulic excavator 1 acquired by the vehicle body state acquisition unit 105 is less than or equal to a predetermined temperature. If it is greater than the predetermined temperature (F), the process proceeds to step S510. In step S510, it is output to the support unit 106 that the operating state of the driving support function is "invalid state", and the cause of the invalid state is the "hydraulic oil temperature" of the hydraulic excavator 1, and the flow ends. If the hydraulic oil temperature is less than or equal to the predetermined temperature in step S504 (T), the process proceeds to step S505. In step S505, it is output to the support unit 106 that the operating state of the driving support function is "valid state", and the flow ends.

[0043] (Support unit 106) The support unit 106 performs a process of determining whether to execute only notification or both notification and operation restriction as a driving support function according to the position of the detected object, and outputting an execution instruction therefor.

[0044] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the support unit 106. In step S600, the support unit 106 determines whether the operating state of the driving support system (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the system state) is in the "valid state". If it is not in the valid state (F), the process proceeds to step S604, and the system state (for example, primary invalid state, invalid state, etc.) output from the system state determination unit 104 is output, and the flow ends. If it is determined in step S600 that the system is in the valid state (T), the process proceeds to step S601.

[0045] In addition to determining whether the above system state is the "valid state" in step S600, conditions such as whether there is an output of "abnormal state" from the system state determination unit 104 (that is, whether an abnormality has occurred), whether the functions necessary for the normal operation of the driving support system have been activated, whether the object detection result is periodically output, whether the predetermined process related to driving support has been completed at the specified cycle, and whether the temperature of the control device 100 has exceeded the predetermined value may be added.

[0046] In step S601, it is determined whether an object is detected around the hydraulic excavator 1 based on the detection result of the surrounding detection unit 102. If it is determined in step S601 that no object is detected (F), the process proceeds to step S604, and the system state output from the system state determination unit 104 is output and the flow ends. If it is determined in step S601 that an object is detected around the working machine (T), the process proceeds to step 602.

[0047] In step S602, it is determined whether the object detected in S601 is located within the operation restriction range set around the hydraulic excavator 1. The "operation restriction range" is the range within which the operation of the hydraulic excavator 1, which is one of the driving support functions, is restricted when an object is detected within that range, and is usually set around the hydraulic excavator 1. If the detected object is within the operation restriction range (T), the process proceeds to step S603.

[0048] In step S603, the support unit 106 outputs execution instructions for both notification and operation restriction as driving support functions, and the process proceeds to step S604. The execution instruction for notification is output to the notification control unit 108, and the execution instruction for operation restriction is output to the operation control unit 107. In step S604, the system state output from the system state determination unit 104 is output and the flow ends. If it is determined in step S602 that the detected object in S601 is not located within the operation restriction range (F), the process proceeds to step S605.

[0049] In step S605, it is determined whether the object detected in S601 is located within the notification range set around the hydraulic excavator 1. The "notification range" is the range within which, if an object is detected, a notification (for example, a notification to the monitor 12), which is one of the driving support functions, is made. It is usually set to be wider than the operating restriction range (for example, outside the operating restriction range with respect to the hydraulic excavator 1). If the detected object is within the notification range (T), the process proceeds to step S606.

[0050] In step S606, the support unit 106 outputs an execution instruction for notification only as a driving support function to the notification control unit 108, and proceeds to step S604. In step S604, the system state output from the system state determination unit 104 is output, and the flow ends. In step S605, if it is determined that the detected object is not located within the notification range (F), the process proceeds to step S604. In step S604, the system state output from the system state determination unit 104 is output, and the flow ends.

[0051] Figure 10 shows the support range 600 set for the hydraulic excavator 1 in this embodiment. The support range 600 consists of three areas: an object detection range (areas 601, 602, 603) where object detection takes place, a notification range (areas 602, 603) where notification is given when an object is detected, and an operation restriction range (area 603) where operation is restricted when an object is detected. In other words, the support range 600 consists of three main areas: Area 601 (601a, 601b, 601c), the outermost area as viewed from the hydraulic excavator 1, is an object detection range where only object detection by the object detection unit 102 takes place, and no operation support (notification and operation control) is provided in this area. Area 602 is an area where object detection takes place and only notification is provided as operation support, and Area 603 is an area where object detection takes place and both notification and operation restriction are provided as operation support. Each of the areas 601, 602, and 603 is divided into three areas: to the left, rear, and right of the hydraulic excavator 1. In Figure 10, the left area is labeled with a lowercase 'a', the rear area with a lowercase 'b', and the right area with a lowercase 'c'.

[0052] (Notification Control Unit 108) The notification control unit 108 outputs an object detection notification to the monitor 12, etc., based on the execution instruction of the notification from the support unit 106, and also performs processing to display information related to the system status, such as icons, on the monitor 12 according to the operating status (system status) of the driving support system. In particular, the processing of the notification control unit 108 is characterized by displaying on the monitor 12 a combination of first information regarding the operating status of the driving support function (driving support system) and second information regarding the factors causing that operating status. More specifically, it displays on the monitor 12 a combination of a first icon indicating the first information and a second icon indicating the second information.

[0053] Figure 11 is the first flowchart of the notification control unit 108.

[0054] In step S700, the notification control unit 108 determines whether or not there is an instruction to execute a notification as an output from the support unit 106. If there is no instruction to execute a notification, the process proceeds to step S702. If there is an instruction to execute a notification, the system executes a notification according to the object detection result. In this embodiment, the notification is displayed on the monitor 12 and sounds a buzzer. After the notification is executed in step S701, the process proceeds to step S702.

[0055] In step S702, the notification control unit 108 determines whether the system state is "disabled due to system startup". If it is determined to be disabled due to system startup, the process proceeds to step S707. In step S707, a disabled state icon due to system startup (not shown) is displayed on the monitor 12 and the flow ends. If it is determined in step S702 that the system state is not "disabled due to system startup", the process proceeds to step S703.

[0056] In step S703, it is determined whether the system state is "disabled due to temporary disablement (temporarily disabled state)". If it is determined to be disabled due to temporary disablement, the process proceeds to step S708. In step S708, the temporary disabled state icon 703 (see Figure 13) is displayed on the monitor 12 and the flow ends. If it is determined in step S703 that the system is not in a temporarily disabled state, the process proceeds to step S704.

[0057] In step S704, it is determined whether the system is in an invalid state due to an abnormal condition (S305 in Figure 5). If it is determined in step S704 that the system is in an invalid state due to an abnormal condition, the process proceeds to step S709. In step S709, the invalid state icon 702 (see display screen 700F in Figures 13 and 17) and the abnormality notification icon 717 (see display screen 700F in Figures 13 and 17) are displayed on the monitor 12, and the process ends. If it is determined in step S704 that the system is not in an invalid state due to an abnormal condition, the process proceeds to step 705.

[0058] In step 705, the notification control unit 108 determines whether the system state is "inactive due to tilt". If it is determined in step 705 that the system state is inactive due to tilt, the process proceeds to step S710. In step S710, the inactive due to tilt icon 705 (see Figure 13) is displayed on the monitor 12 and the process ends. If it is determined in step S705 that the system state is not inactive due to tilt, the process proceeds to step S706.

[0059] In step S706, the notification control unit 108 determines whether the system state is "inactive due to hydraulic oil temperature". If it is determined in step S706 that the system state is inactive due to hydraulic oil temperature, the process proceeds to step S711. In step S711, the disabled state icon 704 (see Figure 13) is displayed on the monitor 12, and the process ends. If it is determined in step 706 that the system state is not inactive due to hydraulic oil temperature, the process proceeds to step S712. In step S712, the enabled state icon 701 (see Figure 13) is displayed on the monitor 12, and the process ends.

[0060] Figure 12 is a second flowchart of the notification control unit 108. In step S711, the notification control unit 108 determines whether the icon indicating the system state (referred to as the "system state icon") has changed as a result of the processing in the first flowchart. If it is determined that the system state icon has changed, the process proceeds to step S712. In step S712, the notification control unit 108 displays an icon (system state change notification icon) 706 (see Figure 13) on the monitor 12 to indicate that the system state has changed, and terminates the flow.

[0061] If it is determined in step S711 that the system status icon has not changed, the process proceeds to step S713. In step S713, the notification control unit 108 determines whether the system status change notification icon has been displayed for a predetermined time or longer. If it is determined in step 713 that the system status change notification icon has been displayed for a predetermined time or longer, the process proceeds to step S714.

[0062] In step S714, the notification control unit 108 changes the system state change notification icon 706 to hidden and terminates the flow. If it is determined in step 713 that the system state change notification icon has not been displayed for a predetermined time or longer, the flow is terminated as is.

[0063] Figure 13 shows examples of system status icons 701-705 and system status change notification icon 706 in this embodiment. The upper row of the figure, from left to right, shows the enabled status icon 701, the disabled status icon 702, and the disabled status icon 703 due to temporary disablement. The lower row, from left to right, shows the disabled status icon 704 due to hydraulic oil temperature, the disabled status icon 705 due to inclination, the system status change notification icon 706, and the abnormality notification icon 717.

[0064] The enabled status icon 701 is an icon (first icon) that indicates the operating status of the driver assistance function is enabled. The disabled status icon 702 is an icon (first icon) that indicates the operating status of the driver assistance function is disabled.

[0065] The system status change notification icon 706 is a third icon used to notify users of changes in the operating status of a driver assistance function (for example, from enabled to disabled, or from disabled to enabled) or changes in the factors affecting the operating status of a driver assistance function.

[0066] The abnormality notification icon 717 is a fourth icon used to notify the system of an abnormality in the driving assistance function when the control device 100 (for example, the ambient detection unit 102) determines that an abnormality has occurred. The determination of an abnormality related to the abnormality notification icon 717 can be performed, for example, by the flow chart in Figure 5.

[0067] The temporary disabled state icon 703 comprises a disabled state icon (first icon) 702 indicating that the operating state of the driver assistance function is disabled, and a temporary disabled label (second icon) 703b indicating that the cause of the disabled state is that the driver assistance function has been intentionally and temporarily rendered inoperable. Similarly, the disabled state icon 704 due to hydraulic oil temperature comprises a disabled state icon (first icon) 702 indicating that the operating state of the driver assistance function is disabled, and a hydraulic oil temperature label (second icon) 704b indicating that the disabled state is due to the hydraulic oil temperature. The disabled state icon 705 due to tilt consists of a disabled state icon 702 indicating that the operating state of the driver assistance function is disabled, and a tilt label 705b indicating that the disabled state is due to the tilt.

[0068] Furthermore, as shown in the example in Figure 13, from the viewpoint of making it possible to grasp two pieces of information at a glance—the operating state of the driver assistance function (first information) and its causes (second information)—it is preferable to display the first icons 701 and 702 and the second icons 703b, 704b, and 705b overlapping, if possible. However, as shown in the display screen 700E in Figure 17, the first icon 702 and the second icon 705b may be displayed separately, but it is preferable that the distance between the two icons be as small as possible. In addition, it is preferable that the second icons, which show the causes of an operating state that are relatively less important than the operating state shown by the first icon, be smaller than the first icon. This is because the operating state of the driver assistance function shown by the first icon should be grasped first, and the causes of that operating state shown by the second icon are merely supplementary information.

[0069] Figure 14 shows an example of the display of icons on the monitor 12 in this embodiment. The display screen 700A shows a system state change notification icon 706, an active state icon 701, a surrounding image 707, and object detection notification bars 710a, 710b, and 710c. Other system state icons 702 to 705 can also be displayed in rotation at the location where the active state icon 701 is displayed.

[0070] The surrounding image 707 displays projected images 709a, 709b, and 709c, which are projections of images from three cameras 10a, 10b, and 10c from an aerial view, around a shovel icon 708 that resembles shovel 1. Object detection notification bars 710a, 710b, and 710c are displayed around the projected images 709a, 709b, and 709c. The object detection notification bars 710a, 710b, and 710c light up when a notification instruction is executed in step S701 of Figure 11. In other words, when an object is detected, the corresponding object detection notification bars 710a, 710b, and 710c light up.

[0071] Figure 15 shows another example of the display screen of monitor 12.

[0072] Display screen 700B shows an example where the system status is enabled (normal) and an object has been detected behind the shovel 1. The enabled status icon 701, which indicates that the system status is normal, is lit, and the object detection notification bar 710b, which indicates that an object has been detected behind the shovel, is lit.

[0073] Display screen 700C shows an example of a disabled state due to temporary disabling (temporarily disabled state). Because the system status is temporarily disabled, no objects can be detected, and the temporary disabled state icon 703 is displayed in place of the enabled state icon 701 that was displayed on display screen 700B.

[0074] Display screen 700D shows an example of how the system status icon changes. Display screen 700D shows the disabled status icon 704 due to the hydraulic oil temperature, and the system status change notification icon 706 that is displayed when the system status icon changes.

[0075] (Motion control unit 107) The motion control unit 107 outputs control signals to the actuators 2a to 3f that are to be controlled, based on the execution instruction for motion control (motion restriction) from the support unit 106.

[0076] Figure 16 shows a flowchart of the operation limiting unit 107. In step S800, the operation limiting unit 107 checks whether the shut-off lever is in the locked state or not. If it is in the locked state, the operation limiting unit 107 cuts off the output to the actuator from the inputs of the operating levers 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d. This disables the control of the actuator by the operating lever 7. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S800 that it is not in the locked state, the process proceeds to step S802.

[0077] In step S802, the operation restriction unit 107 determines whether or not there is an instruction to execute operation restriction. If it is determined in step S802 that there is an instruction to execute operation restriction, the process proceeds to step S803. In step S803, the output to the actuators corresponding to the inputs from the operating levers 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d is restricted. In this embodiment, the output restriction is achieved by blocking the output to the actuators 2a, 2b, 2c, 3d, 3e, and 3f corresponding to the inputs from the operating levers 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d, thereby stopping the operation of the actuators 2a, 2b, 2c, 3d, 3e, and 3f or preventing them from starting. If it is determined in step S802 that there is no instruction to execute operation restriction, the process proceeds to step S804. In step S804, the output to the corresponding actuators 2a, 2b, 2c, 3d, 3e, and 3f is executed according to the inputs from the operating levers 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d.

[0078] In the above embodiment, two operating states of the driver assistance function were given as examples: an enabled state and an disabled state. However, a "notification enabled state" indicating that notifications are enabled but control of the hydraulic excavator 1 (working machine) is disabled may be added to these two. Factors contributing to this operating state may include, for example, at least one of the following: a setting made by the driver assistance function (for example, the operator intentionally setting it to enable only notifications), the tilt angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 (working machine) (notifications are permitted even if the tilt angle is greater than a predetermined temperature), and the hydraulic oil temperature of the hydraulic excavator 1 (working machine) (notifications are permitted even if the hydraulic oil temperature is greater than a predetermined temperature). The notification enabled state can be considered as one form of the enabled state, and is also displayed by combining the first icon 701 with its contributing factors as second icons 703b, 704b, and 705b.

[0079] (Effects) The work machine according to this embodiment described above has the following features.

[0080] (1) A hydraulic excavator 1 comprising a control device 100 that performs at least one of the following as a driving support function: notification based on the detection results of objects around the vehicle body and control of the hydraulic excavator 1 (working machine), and a monitor 12 on which the notification is displayed, wherein the control device 100 displays on the monitor 12 whether the driving support function is in an active state, indicating that it is in a state in which it can perform its function, or an inactive state, indicating that it is in a state in which it cannot perform its function, and the control device 100 displays on the monitor 12 a combination of the operating state of the driving support function and the factors that cause the operating state.

[0081] With this configuration, as shown in Figures 13 and 15, the operating status of the driver assistance functions (notifications and machine control) can be combined with the factors causing that operating status, which can then be displayed on the monitor 12. This makes it easy for the operator to understand why the driver assistance functions are limited. Therefore, when the operator wants to improve the operating status, they can clearly identify the factors that need to be addressed, thereby improving both the efficiency of addressing the issue and the overall work efficiency.

[0082] (2) In the work machine described in (1) above, preferably the control device 100 displays on the monitor 12 a combination of first icons 701 and 702 indicating the operating status of the driving support function and second icons 703b, 704b, and 705b indicating the factors causing the operating status.

[0083] By displaying these two types of icons in combination, operators can easily understand the relationship between the system state and its causes.

[0084] (3) In the work machine described in (2) above, preferably the control device 100 displays the first icons 701, 702 and the second icons 703b, 704b, 705b superimposed on the monitor 12.

[0085] By displaying two types of icons on top of each other in this way, the display area for the two icons on the screen can be reduced, allowing the remaining display area to be effectively used for other displays.

[0086] (4) In any one of the work machines described in (2)-(3) above, preferably the second icons 703b, 704b, and 705b are smaller than the first icons 701 and 702.

[0087] By displaying the second icon relatively smaller than the first icon in this way, the first icon, which indicates the operating status of the driver assistance function, can be made more prominent, thereby accurately notifying the operator of the current operating status.

[0088] (5) In any one of the work machines described in (1) to (4) above, the factors that may be displayed on the monitor 12 as the operating status of the driving support function include at least one of the tilt angle of the hydraulic excavator 1, the operating oil temperature of the hydraulic excavator 1, and the fact that the driving support function is activated.

[0089] By displaying the causes of the invalid state on the monitor 12 in this way, the causes of the invalid state can be quickly identified, and countermeasures can be taken promptly.

[0090] (6) In any one of the work machines described in (1) to (5) above, the operating status of the driving support function displayed on the monitor 12 by the control device 100 includes a notification enabled state that indicates that the notification is enabled but the control of the work machine is disabled, and the factors that may be displayed on the monitor 12 for the notification enabled state include at least one of the following: the setting of the driving support function, the tilt angle of the hydraulic excavator 1, and the operating oil temperature of the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0091] Thus, in this embodiment, the cause can be shown not only when both the notification and control of the driving assistance function are disabled, but also when the notification, which is part of the driving assistance function, is enabled. In this case, even if the operator intentionally allows only the notification, or if the tilt angle is greater than a predetermined angle, or if the hydraulic fluid temperature is higher than a predetermined temperature, the object detection notification will be executed, thus preventing objects from being missed.

[0092] (7) In any one of the work machines described in (1) to (6) above, the control device 100 shall further display a third icon (system state change notification icon 706) on the monitor 12 to notify the occurrence of a change in the operating state of the driving support function or the factors causing the said operating state.

[0093] Figure 17 shows an example of the display screen of monitor 12. In the display screen 700F of Figure 17, a third icon (system state change notification icon 706) is displayed, and the previous display screen may have displayed, for example, an enabled state icon 701 instead of the disabled state icon 702. Displaying the third icon (system state change notification icon 706) as shown in this screen helps to prevent the operator from overlooking changes in the operating state or factors of the driver assistance function (for example, when it changes from an enabled state to a disabled state).

[0094] (8) In any one of the work machines described in (1) to (7) above, the control device 100 determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the driving assistance function, and when it determines that an abnormality has occurred in the driving assistance function, it displays a fourth icon (abnormality notification icon 717) that notifies the occurrence of the abnormality and a second icon, an invalid state icon 702, that indicates that the driving assistance function is in an invalid state, on the monitor 12.

[0095] In the display screen 700F shown in Figure 17, the fourth icon (anomaly notification icon 717) and the disabled status icon 702 (second icon) are displayed. Displaying the fourth icon (anomaly notification icon 717) as shown in this figure helps to prevent the operator from overlooking an anomaly in the driver assistance function.

[0096] (Other) The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and includes various modifications that do not depart from the spirit of the invention. For example, the present invention is not limited to having all the configurations described in the embodiments described above, and includes those in which some of the configurations have been omitted. Furthermore, it is possible to add or replace a part of the configuration of one embodiment with a configuration of another embodiment.

[0097] Furthermore, some or all of the configurations, functions, and execution processes related to the control device 100 described above may be implemented in hardware (for example, by designing the logic for executing each function using an integrated circuit). Also, the configurations related to the control device 100 described above may be a program (software) that is read and executed by an arithmetic processing unit (for example, a CPU) to realize each function related to the configuration of the control device 100. The information related to the program can be stored in, for example, semiconductor memory (flash memory, SSD, etc.), magnetic storage device (hard disk drive, etc.), and recording medium (magnetic disk, optical disk, etc.).

[0098] Furthermore, in the descriptions of each embodiment above, the control lines and information lines shown are those deemed necessary for the description of that embodiment, but this does not necessarily mean that all control lines and information lines related to the product are shown. In reality, it is safe to assume that almost all components are interconnected.

[0099] 1...Hydraulic excavator, 1B...Upper rotating body, 1A...Working device, 1f...Cab, 1a...Boom, 1b...Arm, 1c...Bucket, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d...Operating levers, 8a, 8b, 8c...Angle sensors, 9a, 9b...GNSS antennas, 10a-10c...Camera, 11...Speaker, 12...Monitor, 15...Touch panel, 100...Control device, 101...Touch operation acquisition unit, 102...Surrounding detection unit, 103...Support setting unit, 104...System state determination unit, 105...Vehicle body state acquisition unit, 106...Support unit, 107...Operation restriction unit, 108...Notification restriction unit, 701...Active state icon, 702...Inactive state icon, 703...Temporarily inactive state icon, 704...Inactive state icon due to hydraulic oil temperature, 705...Inactive state icon due to tilt, 706...System state change notification icon, 707...Anomaly notification icon

Claims

1. A work machine comprising a control device that performs at least one of the following as a driving assistance function: notification based on the detection results of objects around the vehicle body and control of a work machine, and a monitor on which the notification is displayed, wherein the control device displays on the monitor whether the driving assistance function is in an active state, indicating that it is in a state in which it can perform the function, or an inactive state, indicating that it is in a state in which it cannot perform the function, and the control device is characterized in that, when the driving assistance function is in an inactive state, it displays on the monitor a combination of the operating state of the driving assistance function and the factors causing that operating state.

2. The work machine according to claim 1, wherein the control device displays on the monitor a combination of a first icon indicating the operating status of the driving support function and a second icon indicating the factors causing the operating status.

3. The work machine according to claim 2, wherein the control device displays the first icon and the second icon superimposed on the monitor.

4. The work machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the second icon is smaller than the first icon.

5. The work machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the factors of the invalid state that can be displayed on the monitor include at least one of the tilt angle of the work machine, the operating oil temperature of the work machine, and the fact that the operation support function is activated.

6. A work machine according to claim 1, wherein the operating status of the driving support function displayed on the monitor by the control device includes a notification enabled state indicating that the notification is enabled but the control of the work machine is disabled, and the factors that may be displayed on the monitor include at least one of the setting of the driving support function, the tilt angle of the work machine, and the working oil temperature of the work machine.

7. The work machine according to claim 1, wherein the control device further displays a third icon on the monitor to notify the occurrence of a change in the operating state of the driving support function or the factors causing the operating state.

8. The work machine according to claim 2, wherein the control device determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the driving support function, and when it determines that an abnormality has occurred in the driving support function, it displays on the monitor a fourth icon that notifies the occurrence of the abnormality and a second icon that indicates that the driving support function is in the disabled state.

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