Forklift Speed Limiting by Expected Trajectory and Object Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial vehicles face reduced operability due to frequent adjustments in accelerator operation when navigating through environments with multiple objects, such as people and obstacles, which can lead to decreased efficiency and increased risk of accidents.
Innovation Solution
An industrial vehicle equipped with an object detector, expected trajectory derivation unit, and vehicle speed upper limit setting unit that automatically adjusts speed limits based on detected objects within the expected trajectory, allowing the vehicle to maintain a safe speed without operator intervention, thereby enhancing operability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the operator manually adjusts the accelerator operation amount to lower vehicle speed when approaching objects, then safety is improved, but operability deteriorates due to frequent adjustments required in crowded environments
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle speed upper limit setting unit automatically sets speed limits based on detected objects and expected trajectories without requiring operator intervention. The system monitors the traveling environment continuously and autonomously adjusts the vehicle speed upper limit, allowing the vehicle to serve itself in safety-critical speed control functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The object detector provides real-time feedback about detected objects to the vehicle speed upper limit setting unit, which then adjusts the speed limit accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables the system to respond dynamically to changing environmental conditions, maintaining safety while reducing manual operator adjustments.
2Reliability
If the vehicle speed upper limit is set low when objects are detected within the expected trajectory, then safety is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to reduced vehicle speed
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle speed upper limit is set differently based on the local spatial relationship between the vehicle and detected objects. When objects are within the expected trajectory, a lower speed limit is applied in that specific directional sector, while other directions may allow higher speeds. This localized speed restriction maintains safety where needed without unnecessarily reducing overall vehicle productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle speed upper limit is dynamically adjusted based on real-time detection results and trajectory predictions. The system continuously updates the speed limit as objects enter or leave the expected trajectory, allowing the vehicle to operate at higher speeds when safe and reduce speeds only when necessary, thereby balancing safety and productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A forklift truck includes a main controller, a driving motor, a drive controller, and an object detector. The drive controller controls the driving motor. The object detector detects the position of an object being present in the backward direction of the forklift truck. The main controller derives an expected trajectory of the forklift truck. The main controller imposes a speed limit on the forklift truck by setting a vehicle speed upper limit when the object detected by the object detector is located within the expected trajectory and the forklift truck is traveling in the direction of approaching the object. The main controller gives commands to the drive controller to prevent the vehicle speed of the forklift truck from exceeding the vehicle speed upper limit.