Work machine control system, work machine, work machine management system, and method for controlling work machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10126753-B2
Application number	US-201515122717-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2015
Priority date	Nov 30, 2015
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

A work machine control system includes a steering device configured to operate steering wheels of a work machine, a posture detector configured to detect a first azimuth as information on an orientation of the work machine, a steering angle detector configured to detect a steering angle of the steering device, an azimuth calculation unit configured to obtain a second azimuth of the work machine by using the steering angle detected by the steering angle detector, and a vehicle control unit configured to control the steering device by using either the first azimuth or the second azimuth, wherein the first azimuth or the second azimuth is switched to be transmitted to the vehicle control unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A work machine control system comprising:
a steering device configured to operate steering wheels of a work machine;
a posture detector configured to detect a first azimuth as information on an orientation of the work machine;
a steering angle detector configured to detect a steering angle of the steering device;
an azimuth calculation unit configured to obtain a second azimuth of the work machine by using the steering angle detected by the steering angle detector;
a vehicle control unit configured to control the steering device based on at least one of the first azimuth and the second azimuth;
a position detector provided in the work machine, the position detector being configured to detect a position of the work machine; and
a correction unit configured to obtain and output an amount of correction for correcting the second azimuth by using the position of the work machine obtained by the position detector and correcting the second azimuth based on the amount of correction; and
a switch unit receiving the first azimuth and the corrected second azimuth and selecting one of the first azimuth or the corrected second azimuth to be input into the vehicle control unit in response to an operating state of the posture detector,
wherein the vehicle control unit is configured to control the steering device by using the first azimuth or the corrected second azimuth, and
wherein the vehicle control unit controls the steering device based on the corrected second azimuth when the posture detector is disabled.

2. The work machine control system according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle control unit controls the steering device in the work machine by using the first azimuth when the posture detector is enabled.

3. The work machine control system according to claim 1 , wherein the correction unit is configured to change the amount of correction based on a traveling speed of the work machine.

4. The work machine control system according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle control unit controls a braking device in the work machine to stop the work machine when the posture detector is disabled.

5. A work machine including the work machine control system according to claim 1 .

6. A system comprising:
a work machine according to claim 5 ; and
a work machine management system including a management device configured to output traveling condition information including a target traveling speed of the work machine and a target traveling course of the work machine to the work machine.

7. A method for controlling a work machine comprising:
determining whether a posture detector configured to detect a posture of a work machine is enabled; and
controlling, by a vehicle control unit, a steering device configured to operate steering wheels of the work machine by using a first azimuth as information on an orientation of the work machine detected by the posture detector when the posture detector is enabled, and controlling the steering device by using a second azimuth of the work machine acquired by using a steering angle of the steering device in the work machine when the posture detector is disabled,
wherein when the posture detector is disabled, the steering device is controlled based on the second azimuth which is corrected by using an amount of correction for correcting the second azimuth obtained by using a position of the work machine detected by a position detector provided in the work machine, and
wherein the first azimuth and the corrected second azimuth are received by a switching unit configured to input the first azimuth or the corrected second azimuth into the vehicle control unit in response to an operating state of the posture detector.

8. A work machine management system comprising:
a position detector configured to detect a position of a work machine;
a traveling speed detector configured to detect a traveling speed of the work machine;
a steering device configured to operate steering wheels of the work machine;
a posture detector configured to detect a first azimuth as information on an orientation of the work machine;
a steering angle detector configured to detect a steering angle of the steering device;
an azimuth calculation unit configured to obtain a second azimuth of the work machine by using the steering angle detected by the steering angle detector; and
a vehicle control unit configured to control the steering device based on at least one of the first azimuth and the second azimuth,
wherein the vehicle control unit controls at least one of the steering device, a drive device of the work machine, and a braking device of the work machine based on the position of the work machine detected by the position detector, the traveling speed of the work machine detected by the traveling speed detector, and the first azimuth detected by the posture detector when the posture detector is enabled, and
wherein the vehicle control unit controls the steering device based on the second azimuth corrected based on the position of the work machine detected by the position detector when the posture detector is disabled.

Assignees

• Komatsu Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ogihara Masanori
• Tojima Masanori

Classifications

• G05D1/027

  comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector (inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165) · CPC title

• F05B2270/329

  Azimuth or yaw angle · CPC title

• G05D1/0268 Primary

  using internal positioning means · CPC title

• B60T7/12

  for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger {(limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00)} · CPC title

• B62D15/021

  Determination of steering angle · CPC title