Travel Working Machine Automatic Travel Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing travel working machines face inefficiencies when transitioning from automatic to manual travel, as they often unnecessarily stop the machine body and engine due to minor changes in speed or steering, leading to unsuitable control based on the machine's status.
Innovation Solution
A travel working machine equipped with an automatic travel management section that uses machine body status information to determine when to forbid automatic travel, allowing for selective control commands such as stopping the engine or machine body, continuing travel, or returning to automatic travel, based on detected operational changes and anomalies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the machine body stops every time the speed is changed or the steering angle is modified even slightly during transition from automatic to manual travel, then the control is conservative and safe, but the productivity and operational efficiency deteriorate due to unnecessary stops
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the control parameter from binary (stop/continue) to a spectrum of options (stop both, stop machine body only, stop engine only, continue travel) based on the detected machine body status. This allows selective application of stoppage actions only when truly necessary, resolving the contradiction between safety and efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The control response is localized to the specific status condition detected. Different control actions are applied based on the specific anomaly or status (e.g., steering angle deviation, speed change, manipulation lever operation), rather than applying a universal stop command. This enables differentiated responses that maintain safety where needed while preserving continuity where appropriate.
2Measurement precision
If the machine body stops during transition from automatic to manual travel to ensure proper control, then the control accuracy is improved, but the loss of time increases due to frequent stoppages
Solution Approach 1:
The control system transitions from a static, predetermined stop command to a dynamic, condition-based control strategy. The machine body status detecting unit continuously monitors parameters, and the automatic travel management section dynamically selects control commands based on real-time status, enabling accurate control only when necessary and maintaining time efficiency otherwise.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by detecting machine body status (steering angle, speed, manipulation lever position) and using this information to determine the appropriate control command. This closed-loop approach ensures control accuracy is achieved through informed decision-making rather than blanket stoppage, reducing unnecessary time loss.
3Productivity
If the automatic travel control unit continues automatic travel after being forbidden, then the productivity is maintained, but the reliability deteriorates due to potential safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
The control command is segmented into multiple independent options (stop engine, stop machine body, continue travel, return to automatic travel) rather than a single binary decision. This segmentation allows the system to address safety concerns selectively while maintaining productivity where safe, resolving the contradiction between these two parameters.
Data Source
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AI summary
A travel working machine includes: an automatic travel control unit (61) configured to implement automatic travel based on automatic travel information necessary for automatic travel; a manual travel control unit (52) configured to implement manual travel based on an operation signal from a manual travel operating unit (9); a machine body status detecting unit (51 configured to output machine body status information indicating a machine body status based on the operation signal and a detection signal received from a status detecting device (8); and an automatic travel management section (7) configured to determine forbiddance of automatic travel by the automatic travel control unit (61) and permission of the automatic travel based on the machine body status information, and output a control command in automatic travel forbiddance, for deciding control of the machine body after a command to forbid the automatic travel has been issued, based on the machine body status information.