Traveling Vehicle Controller Abnormality Detection Diverging Section
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional traveling vehicle systems experience traffic congestion when abnormalities occur downstream of diverging sections, leading to inefficiencies in vehicle travel.
Innovation Solution
A traveling vehicle system with a controller that detects abnormalities downstream of diverging sections, allowing or denying entry to subsequent vehicles based on detected conditions, thereby preventing congestion and optimizing travel efficiency without requiring additional sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional traveling controls are performed at diverging sections and merging sections to improve traveling efficiency, then traveling efficiency of traveling vehicles is improved, but when abnormalities occur downstream of diverging sections, traffic congestion develops and areas of congestion widen
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs preliminary determination of whether subsequent traveling vehicles are allowed to enter the second track before they actually reach the diverging section. When an abnormality is detected downstream, the controller proactively prevents additional vehicles from entering the affected track, thereby preventing congestion from developing in the first place rather than reacting after congestion occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the controller continuously monitors the downstream track for abnormalities and uses this information to dynamically adjust entry permissions at the diverging section. When an abnormality is detected, the controller receives feedback about the congestion risk and responds by controlling subsequent vehicles' entry, creating a closed-loop control system that adapts to real-time conditions.
2Reliability
If determination is made for every subsequent vehicle whether it is allowed to enter the second track when abnormality is detected, then congestion area is prevented from widening, but traveling efficiency decreases due to increased control complexity
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of determining entry permission for every single subsequent vehicle individually, the controller applies partial action by granting entry permission to a predetermined number of subsequent traveling vehicles even when an abnormality is detected. This approach balances congestion prevention with maintaining traveling efficiency, as it allows some vehicles to proceed while still limiting the overall congestion that develops.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of entry permission from a binary allow/deny decision to a quantified approach where a specific number of vehicles are permitted to enter. This parameter change enables flexible control that can adapt to the severity of the abnormality while maintaining efficient vehicle flow, avoiding the need for complex individual assessments of each vehicle.
Data Source
AI summary
A traveling vehicle system includes a track network including tracks, a plurality of traveling vehicles, and a traveling vehicle controller. The controller is programmed and configured to include an abnormality detecting unit configured to detect an abnormality in a track on the downstream side of a diverging section including at least the track; and an entry determining unit configured to, in a case that a traveling vehicle that has just passed through the diverging section enters the track and a traveling vehicle that has immediately thereafter passed through the diverging section is about to consecutively enter the track, when the abnormality detecting unit has detected no abnormality, skip determination of whether the traveling vehicle is allowed to enter the track and, when the abnormality detecting unit has detected an abnormality, determine whether the traveling vehicle is allowed to enter the track.