Construction machine control system, construction machine, construction machine management system, and construction machine control method and program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10026308-B2
Application number	US-201515122729-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2015
Priority date	Oct 30, 2015
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

A construction machine control system for a construction machine that travels along a travel route, includes: a position detection unit that detects a position of the construction machine; a non-contact sensor that detects a position of an object around the construction machine; and a measurement output unit that detects a position of a vertical projection that protrudes vertically from a detection result of the position detection unit and a detection result of the non-contact sensor and stores the detected position of the vertical projection in a map information storage unit as map information, wherein the measurement output unit determines whether the construction machine is in a state that decreases accuracy of the map information, and when it is determined that the construction machine is in the state that decreases the accuracy of the map information, the measurement output unit stops storing the map information.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A construction machine used in a mine control system for a construction machine that travels along a travel route in a mine, comprising:
a position detection unit that detects a position of the construction machine;
a non-contact sensor that detects a position of a vertical projection that protrudes vertically from a surface of the travel route and that is around the construction machine; and
a measurement output unit that detects the position of the construction machine detected by the position detection unit and the position of the vertical projection detected by the non-contact sensor, and stores the detected position of the vertical projection in a map information storage unit as map information, wherein
the measurement output unit determines whether the position detection unit provides a position with low accuracy because the construction machine is in the stopped state or because an error in position exceeds a predetermined error, and
when it is determined that the position detection unit is indicating a position with low accuracy, the measurement output unit stops storing the map information.

2. The construction machine used in the mine control system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a route position storage unit that stores information that designates the travel route in the mine;
a determination unit that determines whether an error in the position detected by the position detection unit is equal to or smaller than a predetermined error; and
a travel control unit that allows the construction machine to travel along the travel route in the mine stored in the route position storage unit based on the position of the construction machine detected by the position detection unit when the determination unit determines that the error in the position detected by the position detection unit is equal to or smaller than the predetermined error.

3. The construction machine used in the mine control system according to claim 2 , wherein
the measurement output unit compares the detection result of the non-contact sensor and the map information of the travel route in the mine stored by the map information storage unit to calculate the position of the construction machine when the determination unit determines that the error in the position detected by the position detection unit exceeds the predetermined error, and
the travel control unit allows the construction machine to travel along the travel route in the mine stored in the route position storage unit based on the position of the construction machine calculated by the measurement output unit.

4. The construction machine used in the mine control system according to claim 3 , wherein
the measurement output unit stops calculating the position of the construction machine when it is determined that the position detection unit is indicating a position with low accuracy.

5. The construction machine used in the mine control system according to claim 2 , wherein
when the determination unit determines that the error in the position detected by the position detection unit is equal to or smaller than the predetermined error, the measurement output unit compares the detection result of the non-contact sensor and the map information stored by the map information storage unit to calculate the position of the construction machine and determines whether it is appropriate to allow the construction machine to travel along the travel route in the mine based on the position of the construction machine calculated by the measurement output unit.

6. The construction machine used in the mine control system according to claim 5 , wherein
when the determination unit determines that the error in the position detected by the position detection unit is equal to or smaller than the predetermined error, the measurement output unit detects and stores a distance between the position detected by the position detection unit and the position of the construction machine obtained by comparing the detection result of the non-contact sensor and the map information stored by the map information storage unit.

7. The construction machine used in the mine control system according to claim 1 ; wherein
a vehicle body travels along the travel route provided in the mine.

8. The construction machine used in the mine control system according to claim 7 ; wherein
a management device that is disposed in a control facility is provided in the mine and transmits information that designates a travel route provided in the mine to the construction machine used in the mine control system of the construction machine.

9. The construction machine used in the mine control system according to claim 3 , wherein
when the determination unit determines that the error in the position detected by the position detection unit is equal to or smaller than the predetermined error, the measurement output unit compares the detection result of the non-contact sensor and the map information stored by the map information storage unit to calculate the position of the construction machine and determines whether it is appropriate to allow the construction machine to travel along the travel route in the mine based on the position of the construction machine calculated by the position measurement unit.

10. A construction machine used in a mine control method for a construction machine used in a mine that travels along a travel route in the mine, comprising:
detecting a position of the construction machine from a position detection unit;
detecting a position of a vertical projection that protrudes vertically from a surface of the travel route around the construction machine from a non-contact sensor when the construction machine travels along the travel route in the mine;
storing the detected position of the vertical projection as map information of the travel route in the mine; and
stopping storing the map information of the travel route in the mine when the construction machine is in a stopped state or when the position detection unit provides an error in position that exceeds a predetermined error.

11. A computer program product having a non-transitory computer readable medium including programmed instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer provided in a construction machine used in a mine that travels along a travel route in the mine, cause the computer to perform:
determining the position of the construction machine in the mine from a position detection unit;
detecting the position of a vertical projection that protrudes vertically from a surface of the travel route around the construction machine from a detection result of a non-contact sensor;
storing the detected position of the vertical projection in a map information storage unit as the map information of the travel route in the mine; and
stopping storing the map information of the travel route in the mine when it is determined that the construction machine is in a stopped state or when the position detection unit provides a position with low accuracy that exceeds a predetermined error.

12. The construction machine used in the mine control system according to claim 9 , wherein
when the determination unit determines that the error in the position detected by the position detection unit is equal to or smaller than the predetermined error, the measurement output unit calculates and stores a distance between the position detected by the position detection unit and the position of the construction machine obtained by comparing the detection result of the non-contact sensor and the map information stored by the map information storage unit.

Assignees

• Komatsu Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sakai Atsushi
• Ryuman Mitsuhiro
• Tojima Masanori
• Nishijima Akiharu

Classifications

• G01S19/396

  Determining accuracy or reliability of position or pseudorange measurements · CPC title

• G01S13/865

  Combination of radar systems with lidar systems · CPC title

• G01S2013/93275

  in the bumper area · CPC title

• E02F9/205 Primary

  Remotely operated machines, e.g. unmanned vehicles (E02F3/8866 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01S17/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title