JP7698185B2 - Automated guided vehicle route guidance system and automated guided vehicle route guidance method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a route guidance system for an automatic guided vehicle (AGV) and a route guidance method for an automatic guided vehicle.

Automated guided vehicles (AGVs), which automatically transport specified cargo to a destination without a driver directly operating the vehicle, have been introduced and are widely used in production sites and logistics centers where products are stored and shipped. To realize a system that automatically drives such an AGV along a target driving route, a system that guides the AGV to its destination is required, and various methods of guiding the target driving route have been developed and put to practical use.

For example, the magnetic guidance method uses a magnetic sensor mounted on an automated guided vehicle to detect the magnetism of a magnetic tape attached to the floor or a permanent magnet embedded in the floor, and controls the travel speed and steering of the automated guided vehicle to enable autonomous travel following a target travel route (for example, Patent Document 1).

The optical method uses an optical sensor mounted on the AGV to detect reflected light from reflective tape attached to the floor, and controls the AGV's speed and steering, allowing it to autonomously travel along a target route.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-198424

However, when the various conventional methods described above are actually implemented, it is necessary to bury permanent magnets in the floor or attach magnetic or reflective tape along the target travel path (route), which means that when changing the route, large-scale construction work is required to re-embed the permanent magnets or re-attach the magnetic tape along the changed route, which is time-consuming, costly, and labor-intensive.

In addition, if the various conventional methods mentioned above were actually implemented, all automated guided vehicles would need to be equipped with magnetic or optical sensors in order to travel along the route, which would directly lead to a significant increase in implementation costs.

The present invention was made with these points in mind, and its main objective is to provide an automated guided vehicle route guidance system that does not require burying permanent magnets in the floor along the route or attaching magnetic or reflective tape, can easily change the route without requiring major construction work when changing the route, and can keep implementation costs relatively low.

In other words, the unmanned guided vehicle route guidance system of the present invention is an unmanned guided vehicle route guidance system that automatically drives an unmanned guided vehicle along a route, and is characterized in that a display device is installed at a predetermined location on the route, the display device displays the ID number of the unmanned guided vehicle, and further displays at least one of the following information: the display device's identification ID, running speed, traveling direction, running distance, running command, and stop command, and the unmanned guided vehicle is equipped with an imaging means capable of imaging and reading the display content, which is the information displayed on the display device, and is configured to read the display content imaged by the imaging means when driving towards the display device, and if the display content relates to the unmanned guided vehicle, to perform automatic driving in accordance with the display content.

In the case of the automated guided vehicle route guidance system according to the present invention, the display contents of the display imaged by the imaging means are read when the automated guided vehicle travels toward a display installed at a predetermined location on the route, and the automated guided vehicle automatically travels according to the display contents. Therefore, there is no need to bury permanent magnets in the floor along the route or attach magnetic tape or reflective tape. In addition, when the route is changed, the display contents of the display or the display position can be changed, so the route can be easily changed without carrying out large-scale construction work such as re-embedding permanent magnets or re-attaching magnetic tape. In addition, the display displays the ID number of the automated guided vehicle, and further displays at least one of the following information: the identification ID of the display, the running speed, the traveling direction, the running distance, the running command, and the stop command. When the display contents relate to the automated guided vehicle that has been read, the automated guided vehicle automatically travels according to the display contents. Therefore, it is possible to automatically run different running routes for each automated guided vehicle. Furthermore, in the automated guided vehicle route guidance system of the present invention, any automated guided vehicle equipped with an imaging means capable of capturing and reading the display contents of a display device can be used in the system, so the introduction costs can be kept relatively low compared to a configuration in which magnetic sensors or optical sensors are installed in all automated guided vehicles.

The automated guided vehicle route guidance system according to the present invention may include a position estimation unit that estimates the current position of the automated guided vehicle. In this case, by applying a position estimation unit that estimates the current position of the automated guided vehicle based on the position of a display device when the automated guided vehicle arrives at the display device, the position of the automated guided vehicle can be appropriately managed.

In the present invention, an unmanned guided vehicle route guidance system is provided with a route management unit that manages the travel route of the unmanned guided vehicle, a display device processing unit that executes processing for each display device, and an unmanned guided vehicle processing unit that executes processing for each unmanned guided vehicle, and the display device is preferably configured so that the display content of the display device can be switched for each of the multiple unmanned guided vehicles by the display device processing unit. The unmanned guided vehicle route guidance system according to the present invention further includes a travel route generation unit that generates a travel route for each unmanned guided vehicle, and a display timing determination unit that determines the display content and display timing to be displayed on the display device based on the travel route generated by the travel route generation unit, and the unmanned guided vehicle processing unit includes a display content reading unit that reads the display content on the display device imaged by the imaging means, a display content identification unit that identifies the read display content, and a number determination unit that determines whether the ID number of the identified display content is related to the unmanned guided vehicle. This makes it possible to automatically travel different travel routes for each unmanned guided vehicle, and compared to a mode in which all unmanned guided vehicles can only be automatically traveled along the same route, it is possible to improve transportation efficiency and also to save energy in the unmanned guided vehicle .

In the present invention, an unmanned guided vehicle route guidance system is provided with a route management unit that manages the travel route of the unmanned guided vehicle, a display device processing unit that executes processing for each display device, and an unmanned guided vehicle processing unit that executes processing for each unmanned guided vehicle, and the display device is preferably configured so that the display content of the display device can be switched for each of the multiple unmanned guided vehicles by the display device processing unit . The unmanned guided vehicle route guidance system according to the present invention further includes a travel route generation unit that generates a travel route for each unmanned guided vehicle, and a display timing determination unit that determines the display content and display timing to be displayed on the display device based on the travel route generated by the travel route generation unit, and the unmanned guided vehicle processing unit includes a display content reading unit that reads the display content on the display device imaged by the imaging means, a display content identification unit that identifies the read display content, and a number determination unit that determines whether the ID number of the identified display content is related to the unmanned guided vehicle . This makes it possible to automatically travel different travel routes for each unmanned guided vehicle, and compared to a mode in which all unmanned guided vehicles can only be automatically traveled along the same route, it is possible to improve transportation efficiency and also to save energy in the unmanned guided vehicle.

In addition, in the present invention, if the automated guided vehicle is set to stop if it is unable to capture or read the display contents of the display device, it is possible to prevent the automated guided vehicle from becoming lost or running out of control due to an inability to capture or read the display contents of the display device, thereby realizing an automated guided vehicle route guidance system that is also excellent in terms of safety.

In addition, the unmanned guided vehicle route guidance method of the present invention is a method for automatically driving an unmanned guided vehicle along a route using a display device whose display content can be switched, and is characterized by going through the following steps: a driving route generation step for generating a driving route for the unmanned guided vehicle; a display timing determination step for determining the display content and display timing to be displayed on the display device based on the driving route generated in the driving route generation step; a display switching step for switching the display content of the display device based on the display timing determined in the display timing determination step; a display content reading step in which the unmanned guided vehicle reads the display content of the display device including the ID number of the unmanned guided vehicle; a display content identification step for identifying the read display content; and a number determination step for determining whether the display content relates to the unmanned guided vehicle based on the ID number of the identified display content .

In this way, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an automated guided vehicle route guidance system and an automated guided vehicle route guidance method that do not require burying permanent magnets in the floor along the route or attaching magnetic tape or reflective tape, and that can easily change the route without being forced to carry out large-scale construction work when changing the route , and that can keep the introduction costs relatively low. This system and method can provide an automated guided vehicle route guidance system and an automated guided vehicle route guidance method that can automatically drive each automated guided vehicle along a different driving route .

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an automated guided vehicle route guidance system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an automated guided vehicle route guidance system according to the embodiment; FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a transport area in which the automated guided vehicle route guidance system according to the embodiment has been introduced. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the entire automatic guided vehicle route guidance system according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a state of an automatic guided vehicle in the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a transportation schedule in the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of display timing in the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an operation flow of the automatic guided vehicle in the embodiment.

One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the automated guided vehicle route guidance system X according to this embodiment includes a display W installed, for example, in a predetermined area (transport area) indoors, and an automated guided vehicle Z that can automatically travel within the transport area according to the display content of the display W. This system can also be used outdoors.

The display W displays instructions to the unmanned guided vehicle Z on a specified screen W1. In this embodiment, the display W is installed on the floor in a self-supporting state using a support or the like. The screen W1 of the display W displays information such as the display number, the ID number of the unmanned guided vehicle Z, the running speed, the running direction (right turn, left turn, turn back, go straight), the running distance, and stopping. The information to be displayed may be any one of them, or a combination of several pieces of information may be displayed. In particular, the ID number of the unmanned guided vehicle Z, the running direction, or the stop instruction are preferably displayed in this embodiment. The display format may be a two-dimensional code, a character, an arrow, or the like, and different types of display formats may be displayed together (for example, a two-dimensional code and a character). When the display format includes characters, it is convenient because the display content can be understood by personnel who manage this system. The information displayed on the display W is the "display content" in this invention. Each display W is equipped with an appropriate controller and configured to control the timing of displaying the display content on the screen W1.

The unmanned guided vehicle Z comprises a vehicle body Z1, a driving means Z2 such as tires provided on the vehicle body Z1, and an imaging means Z3 mounted on the vehicle body Z1. The unmanned guided vehicle Z autonomously travels according to the display contents by capturing and reading the display contents of a display device W installed at a specified location using the imaging means Z3. Note that in FIG. 1, the imaging range Z31 that can be captured by the imaging means Z3 is shown with a schematic pattern. Each unmanned guided vehicle Z is assigned a unique ID. Note that each unmanned guided vehicle Z is equipped with an appropriate controller and configured to control the operation of the driving means Z2 and the imaging means Z3.

As shown in FIG. 2, the automated guided vehicle route guidance system X according to this embodiment includes a transportation management unit X1, a route management unit X2, a display processing unit X3, and an automated guided vehicle processing unit X4.

The transportation management unit X1 manages the entire automated guided vehicle route guidance system X, and is primarily responsible for managing luggage (determining which luggage to transport to which location).

The route management unit X2 generates routes for the automated guided vehicles Z, and mainly generates luggage transport routes for each automated guided vehicle Z (which luggage is to be transported by which automated guided vehicle Z to which location).

The display unit processing unit X3 executes processing for each display unit W. The display content displayed on the screen W1 of each display unit W can be switched by the display unit processing unit X3, and an unmanned guided vehicle Z that has entered an intersection can be identified by an IC tag, and display content that matches the travel path (route) of the unmanned guided vehicle Z can be displayed.

The automated guided vehicle processing unit X4 executes processing for each automated guided vehicle Z. The processing contents by the automated guided vehicle processing unit X4 will be mentioned in the explanation of the operation flow of the automated guided vehicle Z described later.

The process in which the automated guided vehicle route guidance system X according to this embodiment guides the baggage transport route of the automated guided vehicle Z within a specified transport area through the processing of each of these components will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4.

In the example of the introduction of this system shown in FIG. 3, multiple bases (A, B, C, D) are determined within the transport area, and multiple display devices W are installed at predetermined points. Specifically, as shown in the figure, display device 1 is installed at base A, display device 5 is installed at base B, which faces base A in a straight line, and display devices 2, 3, and 4 are installed at the midpoint between base A and base B. In addition, if the direction in which base A and base B face each other is the vertical direction on a plane, display devices 11 and 12 are installed at bases C and D, which are arranged horizontally at a predetermined distance from base B, and display devices 6, 7, and 8 are installed at an intersection that faces base C vertically and approximately coincides horizontally with the midpoint between base A and base B, and display devices 9 and 10 are installed at an intersection that faces base D vertically and approximately coincides horizontally with the midpoint between base A and base B. The route of the automated guided vehicle Z, shown in gray in the figure, has two opposing lanes, and is set to travel only in the direction of the arrow on the route. Each display W, shown in a roughly rectangular shape in the figure, is set to display on its screen the display content that can be captured and read by the imaging means Z3 of the automated guided vehicle Z approaching in the direction of the arrow on the route, relative to the straight line portion with no cutouts at the corners (the long side of the figure showing the display W in the figure).

In the automated guided vehicle route guidance system X according to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, when operation is started, the display processing unit X3 displays "Stop" on the screen W1 of all the display units W (start-time stop display step S1), and the transportation management unit X1 creates a transportation schedule for the automated guided vehicles Z in the transportation area (transportation schedule creation step S2). In the transportation schedule creation step S2, the situation and state of each of the multiple automated guided vehicles Z prepared is grasped, and a transportation schedule is created based on that. In the example shown in FIG. 5, there are four automated guided vehicles (AGVs), of which the automated guided vehicle with ID number 2 is out of order, and the other three are available. Before and at the time of operation start, all automated guided vehicles Z are in a standby state at base A. There are three pieces of luggage to be transported, and a transportation schedule is created for transporting these pieces of luggage to the designated base by the three automated guided vehicles Z. Note that the work of loading and unloading luggage onto the automated guided vehicles Z is not taken into consideration, and the priority and time limit of transportation are not taken into consideration.

In the transportation schedule creation step S2, the baggage is assigned to each unmanned guided vehicle Z, and a delivery route (a driving route for picking up the baggage) and a delivery route are determined. In the example shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, because unmanned guided vehicle No. 2 is broken, baggage i (circled number 1 in FIG. 6) is assigned to unmanned guided vehicle No. 1, baggage ii (circled number 2 in FIG. 6) is assigned to unmanned guided vehicle No. 3, and baggage iii (circled number 3 in FIG. 6) is assigned to unmanned guided vehicle No. 4. Then, the No. of the display device W to be used (indicated as "display device No." in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6) and the respective commands and speeds are determined from the delivery route and the delivery route, and the transportation schedule shown in FIG. 6 is created by the transportation management unit X1. In this transportation schedule creation step S2, the step of determining the delivery route (a driving route for picking up the baggage) and the delivery route for each unmanned guided vehicle Z corresponds to the "driving route generation step" in this invention.

The procedure for creating a transportation schedule and the settings for automated guided vehicle No. 1 will now be explained with reference to Figure 6.

First, the delivery route of the AGV No. 1 is from base A to base B, so in FIG. 3, the display W uses No. 3 and No. 5. Then, as command number 1, the vehicle runs at speed 5 to display No. 3, and after reaching the base, the vehicle continues to run straight, so the next command is "straight ahead" and the next command speed is set to 10. Next, as command number 2, the vehicle runs at speed 10 to display No. 5, and after reaching the base, the vehicle continues to run back, so the next command is "turn back" and the next command speed is set to 5. The delivery route that the AGV No. 1 runs following the delivery route is from base B to base D, so in FIG. 3, the display W uses No. 2, No. 6, No. 9, and No. 12 in this order. As command number 3, the vehicle runs at speed 5 to display No. 2, and after reaching the base, the vehicle continues to run right, so the next command is "turn right" and the next command speed is set to 5. For command number 4, drive at speed 5 to display number 6, and after reaching it, drive straight, so the next command is "go straight" and the next command speed is set to 10. For command number 5, drive at speed 10 to display number 9, and after reaching it, drive is to turn right, so the next command is "turn right" and the next command speed is set to 5. For command number 6, drive at speed 5 to display number 12, and after reaching it, there is no drive (driving ends), so the next command is set to "complete."

The procedure and settings for creating a transportation schedule for automated guided vehicle No. 2 are as follows:

First, the route for automatic guided vehicle No. 2 is from base A to base D, so in FIG. 3, display W uses No. 3, No. 6, No. 9, No. 12, No. 10, No. 8, and No. 11. Then, for command number 1, the vehicle travels to display No. 3 at a speed of 5, and after reaching the point, the vehicle turns left, so the next command is "turn left" and the next command speed is set to 15. Next, for command number 2, the vehicle travels to display No. 6 at a speed of 15, and after reaching the point, the vehicle travels straight, so the next command is "go straight" and the next command speed is set to 10. For command number 3, the vehicle travels to display No. 9 at a speed of 10, and after reaching the point, the vehicle turns right, so the next command is "turn right" and the next command speed is set to 5. For command number 4, the vehicle travels to display No. The vehicle travels at a speed of 5 to No. 12, and after reaching the destination, it turns around, so the next command is "turn around" and the next command speed is set to 10. The delivery route that the automated guided vehicle No. 2 travels on following the out-of-service route is from base D to base C, so from FIG. 3, the display W uses No. 10, No. 8, and No. 11 in that order. For command number 5, the vehicle travels at a speed of 10 to No. 10, and after reaching the destination, it turns left, so the next command is "turn left" and the next command speed is set to 5. For command number 6, the vehicle travels at a speed of 5 to No. 8, and after reaching the destination, it turns left, so the next command is "turn left" and the next command speed is set to 5. For command number 7, the vehicle travels at a speed of 5 to No. 11, and after reaching the destination, it turns left, so the next command is "turn left" and the next command speed is set to 5.

The procedure and settings for creating a transportation schedule for automated guided vehicle No. 3 are as follows:

First, the delivery route of the automated guided vehicle No. 3 is from base A to base C, so in FIG. 3, the display W uses No. 3, No. 6, and No. 11. Then, as command number 1, the vehicle travels at speed 5 to display No. 3, and after arriving, the vehicle turns left, so the next command is "turn left" and the next command speed is set to 10. Next, as command number 2, the vehicle travels at speed 10 to display No. 6, and after arriving, the vehicle turns right, so the next command is "turn right" and the next command speed is set to 5. As command number 3, the vehicle travels at speed 5 to display No. 11, and after arriving, the vehicle turns back, so the next command is "turn back" and the next command speed is set to 5. The delivery route that the automated guided vehicle No. 3 travels following the delivery route is from base C to base A, so in FIG. 3, the display W uses No. 7, No. 4, and No. 1 in this order. For command number 4, drive at speed 5 to display number 7, and since the drive after reaching it is a left turn, the next command is "turn left" and the next command speed is set to 10. For command number 5, drive at speed 10 to display number 4, and since the drive after reaching it is a right turn, the next command is "turn right" and the next command speed is set to 5. For command number 6, drive at speed 5 to display number 1, and since there is no drive after reaching it (the drive is over), the next command is set to "complete."

The above-mentioned transportation schedule is created and set for each available automated guided vehicle Z. Here, since the routes connecting certain bases are usually fixed, the display W to be used for each route and the display contents of the display W (next command and speed) can be defined in advance and set automatically. In this way, in this embodiment, the route management unit X2 functions as a "travel route generation unit" that generates a travel route for each automated guided vehicle Z.

Next, in the automated guided vehicle route guidance system X according to this embodiment, the route management unit X2 creates the display timing of the display W based on the created transportation schedule (display timing creation step S3). In the display timing creation step S3, the display timing is set in order starting from display No. 1. If the created transportation schedule is as shown in FIG. 6, first search for display No. 1 (display No. 1 in the figure), and set (list) the vehicle number (ID number), command number, speed, next command, and next command speed of the automated guided vehicle Z associated with the hit display No. 1. Since there is only one display No. 1 in the created transportation schedule, next search for display No. 2 (display No. 2 in FIG. 6) and set the vehicle number (ID number), command number, speed, next command, and next command speed of the automated guided vehicle Z associated with the hit display No. 2. Thereafter, the same procedure is used to search and list up the display W up to the final number. Note that, if the display No. If there are multiple displays with the same (display number), the one with the smaller command number is given priority, and if the command numbers are the same, the one with the smaller car number of the unmanned guided vehicle Z is given priority. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the distances between the displays W are all the same, so the timing for switching the display content of the display W is every n minutes. If the distances between the displays W are different, the timing for switching the display of the display W can also be scheduled appropriately according to the distance. In this way, in this embodiment, the route management unit X2 functions as a "display timing determination unit" that determines the display content and display timing to be displayed on each display W based on the travel route generated for each unmanned guided vehicle Z. In addition, the display timing creation step S3 corresponds to the "display timing determination step" in the present invention that determines the display content and display timing to be displayed on the display W based on the travel route generated for each unmanned guided vehicle Z.

Next, in the automated guided vehicle route guidance system X according to this embodiment, the display processor X3 performs a process of displaying each display W based on the display timing of the display W created (display step S4, see FIG. 4). In display step S4, triggered by the process of the automated guided vehicle processor X4 outputting a "start" command to all automated guided vehicles Z (automated guided vehicle start command step S5), i.e., upon receiving an "automated guided vehicle start command", the first line items for each display No. (display No. in the figure) from the display timing list in FIG. 7, that is, the vehicle number (ID number) of the automated guided vehicle Z, the command number, speed, next command, next command speed, and "running" are displayed on the corresponding display W. Therefore, for example, the display No. 1 displays the vehicle number (ID number) of the automated guided vehicle Z, "4", the command number, "6", the speed, "5", the next command, "complete", the next command speed "-", and "running" as display contents. Based on the display timing list in FIG. 7, the display No. It can be determined that 3, 6, 9, 11, and 12 have multiple lines (multiple hits were found when the display timing list was created). The screen W1 of these display device numbers (display device numbers in FIG. 7) 3, 6, 9, 11, and 12 displays the first line item of each display device W in the display timing list and "run". Therefore, for example, display device No. 3 displays the following as display contents: the automated guided vehicle car number (ID number) "1", the command number "1", the speed "5", the next command "go straight", the next command speed "10", and "run".

Following this AGV start command step S5, the AGV route guidance system X according to this embodiment refers to the display timing schedule created in the display timing creation step S3 and determines whether all displays are incomplete (transport incomplete determination step S6). If it is determined that transport is incomplete (transport incomplete determination step S6; Y), when the AGV Z arrives for each display device number, the display device processing unit X3 performs a process to display the next line of the display device number (display device NO in the figure) in the display timing list of FIG. 7 together with "travel" on the display device W (next command switching display step S7). Note that in this embodiment, the display is switched every n minutes, but the display switching timing can be set appropriately. Therefore, for example, when the AGV No. 1 approaches display device No. 3, the display device No. 3 displays the display device number in the display timing list of FIG. 7 as the display content related to the next command. The items in the second line of 3 are displayed: the vehicle number (ID number) of AGV Z "3", the command number "1", the speed "5", the next command "turn left", the next command speed "15", and "run".

Note that if it is determined in the transportation incomplete determination step S6 that the transportation is not incomplete (transport incomplete determination step S6; N), that is, if it is determined that the transportation is complete, the process ends.

In addition, in the next command switching display step S7, if there is no "next line" for the display unit number (display unit number in the figure) in the display timing list in FIG. 7, "Stop" is displayed (omitted in the flowchart in FIG. 4). The above-mentioned display step S4 and next command switching display step S7 correspond to the "display switching step" in this invention, which switches the display content for each display unit W based on the display timing. In addition, the start-time stop display step S1 and the step of displaying "Stop" following the next command switching display step S7 also correspond to the "display switching step" in this invention.

The above process is repeated until all rows of the display timing list have been run for all display devices W, that is, the process ends when it is determined in transport incomplete determination step S6 that transport is not incomplete (transport is completed) (transport incomplete determination step S6; N).

Next, the operation flow of the automated guided vehicle Z in the route guidance system X for the automated guided vehicle Z according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 8. Note that this processing may be performed by the automated guided vehicle processing unit X4.

After the above-mentioned automatic guided vehicle start command step S5 (see FIG. 4), first, the automatic guided vehicle Z receives a travel start command via the automatic guided vehicle processing unit X4 and starts traveling toward the destination of the load (travel start step S11). Note that a display W may be installed at the travel start point, and the travel start command may be transmitted to the automatic guided vehicle Z via this display W. Next, the distance between the display W and the automatic guided vehicle Z is estimated from the image using the imaging means Z3 mounted on the automatic guided vehicle Z, and it is determined whether or not the automatic guided vehicle Z has approached to a predetermined distance. If the automatic guided vehicle Z has approached to the predetermined distance, it is determined that the automatic guided vehicle Z has arrived at the display W (display arrival confirmation step S12). The arrival judgment may be, for example, that the imaging means Z3 recognizes the display of the display W and thus determines that the automatic guided vehicle Z has arrived. Next, the display content of the display W that has arrived is identified (display content identification step S13). The process of identifying the display content of the display W is a process of imaging and reading the display content of the display W by the imaging means Z3, and corresponds to the "display content reading step" in this invention. When the display content of the display device W is specified, it is possible to align the vehicle at that location (to confirm which display device W the unmanned guided vehicle Z is located around). Furthermore, the unmanned guided vehicle processing unit X4 can also have a position estimation unit (not shown). When the unmanned guided vehicle Z arrives at the display device W, the position estimation unit estimates the current position of the unmanned guided vehicle Z from the position of the display device W, and it is also possible to manage the position of the unmanned guided vehicle Z using such a position estimation unit. The position estimation unit may be included in the unmanned guided vehicle Z, or may be included in the display device processing unit X3, the route management unit X2, or the transportation management unit X1. Following the display content identification step S13, it is determined whether the command number and ID number of the display content of the identified (confirmed) display device W are related to the unmanned guided vehicle Z (number determination step S14), and if it is determined that the command number and ID number are related to the unmanned guided vehicle Z (number determination step S14; Y), it is determined whether "travel" is displayed on the display device W (travel display determination step S15), and if it is displayed (travel display determination step S15; Y), the direction is changed based on the display content of the display device W and travels at the instructed travel speed (travel step S16). Next, when the vehicle arrives at the next display device W, it returns to the display device arrival determination step S12 and continues the above-mentioned processing.

If it is determined in the number determination step S14 that the command number and ID number do not relate to the automated guided vehicle Z (number determination step S14; N), an abnormality is notified (abnormality notification step S20), and if the automated guided vehicle Z is in operation, it is stopped (stop step S21), and the process ends. If an abnormality occurs in the automated guided vehicle Z during the processing from the travel start step S11 to the travel step S16 described above, the abnormality may also be notified and the operation may be stopped.

In addition, if it is determined in the driving display determination step S15 that "driving" is not displayed on the display W (driving display determination step S15; N), it will be stopped if it is operating (stop step S21) and will be "ended."

In the automated guided vehicle route guidance system X according to this embodiment, the above operation flow for the automated guided vehicle Z is performed for each automated guided vehicle Z.

In this way, according to the automated guided vehicle route guidance system X of this embodiment, a display W is installed at a predetermined location on the route, and the automated guided vehicle Z equipped with an imaging means Z3 capable of imaging and reading the display content, which is the information displayed on the display W, is configured to read the display content of the display W imaged by the imaging means Z3 when traveling toward the display W, thereby performing automatic traveling according to the display content. Therefore, there is no need to bury permanent magnets in the floor along the route or attach magnetic tape or reflective tape, and the automated guided vehicle Z can be automatically traveled along the route. In addition, according to the automated guided vehicle route guidance system X of this embodiment, even if the route is changed, it can be handled by changing the display content of the display W or changing the installation position of the display W, so that the route can be easily changed without being forced to carry out large-scale construction work such as re-embedding permanent magnets or re-attaching magnetic tape. In addition, according to the unmanned guided vehicle route guidance system X of this embodiment, by equipping the unmanned guided vehicle Z with an imaging means Z3 capable of capturing and reading the display contents of the display device W, the unmanned guided vehicle Z can be made to travel autonomously along the route. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which magnetic sensors or optical sensors are installed in all unmanned guided vehicles Z, it is possible to keep the introduction costs relatively low, and high machine specifications are not required for the unmanned guided vehicle Z, and the camera used as the imaging means Z3 can have a low pixel count, which is advantageous in terms of cost. Furthermore, if a magnetic guidance system or optical system is used as a system for automatically driving the unmanned guided vehicle Z along a target driving route, the traveling speed of the unmanned guided vehicle must be set to a slow speed (e.g., 2 to 4 kilometers per hour) to ensure continuous detection processing by the magnetic sensor or optical sensor. However, with the unmanned guided vehicle route guidance system X of this embodiment, the imaging and reading processing by the imaging means Z3 is an intermittent process, so there is no need to consider continuous detection processing by the magnetic sensor or optical sensor. Compared to when the magnetic guidance system or optical system is used, the traveling speed of the unmanned guided vehicle Z can be set faster, which contributes to improving the efficiency of the transportation processing.

In addition, according to the automated guided vehicle route guidance system X of this embodiment, when the display content of the display device W is identified or recognized, it is possible to align the vehicle at that point. Therefore, compared to a mode in which the automated guided vehicle Z is connected to a server and instructions are sent from the server to the automated guided vehicle Z, or a mode in which a gyro sensor is provided in the automated guided vehicle Z and the vehicle travels autonomously while aligning its own position, it is not necessary to equip the automated guided vehicle Z with a GPS function or a gyro sensor, and a route guidance system in which errors are less likely to accumulate can be realized.

As an automated driving system for the automated guided vehicle Z, there is also a known automated driving system that uses the LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging, Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) method, which emits laser light, measures the time it takes for it to bounce back after hitting an object, and measures the distance and direction to the object, but this requires a high-resolution map with three-dimensional information. On the other hand, the automated guided vehicle route guidance system X according to this embodiment is easy to introduce because it does not require such a high-precision 3D map.

Furthermore, according to the automated guided vehicle route guidance system X of this embodiment, the display content of the display device can be switched for each automated guided vehicle Z, making it possible for each automated guided vehicle Z to automatically travel along a different route. Compared to a configuration in which all automated guided vehicles Z can only automatically travel along the same route, this improves transportation efficiency and also leads to energy savings in the automated guided vehicles Z.

In addition, according to the automated guided vehicle route guidance system X of this embodiment, the automated guided vehicle Z is set to stop if it is unable to capture or read the display contents of the display device. This makes it possible to prevent the automated guided vehicle Z from getting lost or running out of control due to an inability to capture or read the display contents of the display device, thereby realizing a route guidance system that is also excellent in terms of safety.

In addition, according to the automated guided vehicle route guidance system X of this embodiment, the automated guided vehicle Z travels according to the display on the display W, so the automated guided vehicle Z can travel automatically without communicating with other devices or systems while traveling. This makes it possible for the automated guided vehicle Z to travel automatically within the facility (both indoors and outdoors) where automated transportation is desired, without the need to prepare a communication infrastructure for the automated guided vehicle Z.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment. For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the unmanned guided vehicle Z or the unmanned guided vehicle processing unit X4 may determine whether an abnormality (delay, accident, trouble with the unmanned guided vehicle reading the display W, failure of the unmanned guided vehicle Z, etc.) has occurred in the unmanned guided vehicle Z, and if it is determined that an abnormality has occurred, it may determine whether or not it is impossible to continue operation. If it is determined that it is impossible to continue operation, "Stop" is displayed on the screens of all the display units W, and transportation is terminated, so that the unmanned guided vehicle Z can be safely stopped. In addition, a failure or abnormality in the display unit W may be determined by the display unit W or the display unit processing unit X3, etc., and "Stop" may be displayed on the screens of all the display units W.

In addition, in this embodiment, the display processing unit X3 switches the display on the display W, but a display schedule may be transmitted to the display W in advance, and each display W may switch the display according to the display schedule.

Also, an IC tag may be attached to the unmanned guided vehicle Z, and the display W may read the IC tag to determine whether the unmanned guided vehicle Z has arrived at the display W. The unmanned guided vehicle Z may read the display contents of the display W, run (or stop) according to the display contents, and then notify the display W that the display contents have been executed. In this case, the display W that has received the notification displays the next display contents. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example has been given of a mode in which the display W is notified that the unmanned guided vehicle Z has arrived at the display W, but the unmanned guided vehicle Z may be notified to any of the unmanned guided vehicle processing unit X4, the display processing unit X3, the route management unit X2, or the transportation management unit X1 that the unmanned guided vehicle Z has arrived at the display W.

The operation of the automated guided vehicle and the timing of the display on the display device may also be managed by time or duration.

The display content of the display device may be identifiable by the pattern in which the display device lights up. In this case, a traffic light or a device similar to a traffic light may be used as the display device.

In the automated guided vehicle route guidance system and automated guided vehicle route guidance method of the present invention, the number of automated guided vehicles and display devices used can be appropriately changed and selected depending on the site where the system is installed (whether indoors or outdoors), and the transport route (deadline route, delivery route) can also be appropriately changed and selected.

In addition, the automated guided vehicle route guidance system and automated guided vehicle route guidance method according to the present invention can be applied to any type of automated guided vehicle that has the function of transporting items other than people, such as cargo, including loading types, towing types, and forklift types defined in JIS (JIS D6801:2019).

The specific configurations and processing contents of each part are not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

W: display device X: automated guided vehicle route guidance system Z: automated guided vehicle Z3: imaging means

Claims (6)

An automated guided vehicle route guidance system for automatically driving an automated guided vehicle along a route, comprising:
A display device is installed at a predetermined location on the route,
The display device displays an ID number of the automated guided vehicle, and further displays at least one of an identification ID of the display device, a running speed, a traveling direction, a running distance, a running command, and a stop command,
The unmanned guided vehicle is equipped with an imaging means capable of capturing and reading the display content, which is the information displayed on the display device, and is configured to read the display content captured by the imaging means as the unmanned guided vehicle travels toward the display device, and if the display content relates to the unmanned guided vehicle, to perform automatic driving in accordance with the display content. The automated guided vehicle route guidance system according to claim 1, further comprising a position estimation unit that estimates the current position of the automated guided vehicle based on the position of the display device when the automated guided vehicle arrives at the display device. a route management unit that manages a travel route of the automated guided vehicle, a display device processing unit that executes processing for each of the display devices, and an automated guided vehicle processing unit that executes processing for each of the automated guided vehicles,
The display device is configured so that the display content of the display device can be switched for each of the plurality of automatic guided vehicles by the display device processing unit,
moreover,
a travel route generation unit that generates a travel route for each of the automatic guided vehicles in the route management unit;
a display timing determination unit that determines display contents and display timings to be displayed on the display device based on the travel route generated by the travel route generation unit;
The automated guided vehicle route guidance system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the automated guided vehicle processing unit comprises a display content reading unit that reads the display content on the display unit imaged by the imaging means, a display content identification unit that identifies the read display content, and a number determination unit that determines whether the ID number among the identified display content relates to the automated guided vehicle . 4. The automated guided vehicle route guidance system according to claim 1, wherein the automated guided vehicle is set to stop when the content displayed on the display device cannot be imaged or read. A method for guiding an automated guided vehicle along a route, using a display device capable of switching display content, the method comprising:
A travel route generation step of generating a travel route for the automated guided vehicle;
a display timing determination step of determining display contents and display timings to be displayed on the display device based on the travel route;
a display switching step of switching display contents of the display device based on the display timing;
a display content reading step in which the automatic guided vehicle reads the display content of the display device, including the ID number of the automatic guided vehicle;
a display content specifying step of specifying the read display content;
and a number determination step of determining whether or not the display content identified relates to the automated guided vehicle based on the ID number of the display content identified. An automated guided vehicle route guidance system for automatically driving an automated guided vehicle along a route, comprising:
A unique ID is assigned to each of the automated guided vehicles,
A display device that displays information including an ID of the automated guided vehicle is installed at a predetermined location on the route;
The unmanned guided vehicle is equipped with an imaging means capable of capturing and reading the display content, which is the information displayed on the display device, and is configured to read the display content captured by the imaging means as the unmanned guided vehicle travels toward the display device, and if the display content relates to the unmanned guided vehicle, to perform automatic driving in accordance with the display content.

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