Work vehicle and automatic stop system of work vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10407873-B2
Application number	US-201715810216-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2017
Priority date	Mar 28, 2017
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

A work vehicle according to an embodiment includes: (i) a travelling vehicle body that includes a power source to a work part and a travel part; (ii) a communication unit that is able to transmit and receive signals to and from a portable communication terminal; and (iii) a control unit that is able to control the travel part on the basis of a signal transmitted from the portable communication terminal and received by the communication unit. A plurality of communication systems is provided between the communication unit and the portable communication terminal. The communication systems include a first communication system that is able to transmit a first signal from a portable communication terminal, and a second communication system that has a smaller communication area than that of the first communication system and is able to receive a second signal indicating that the portable communication terminal exists in a predetermined area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A work vehicle comprising:
a travelling vehicle body that includes a power source to a work part and a travel part; and
a processor that is mounted on the travelling vehicle body, wherein
the processor is programmed to:
directly receive signals from a portable communication terminal carried by a worker via a plurality of communication channels, the plurality of communication channels including (i) a first communication channel and (ii) a second communication channel having a communicable area that is smaller than a communicable area of the first communication channel; and
control the travel part based on a received signal transmitted from the portable communication terminal, wherein
the first communication channel is a communication channel via which the processor receives a signal for operating the travel part, the signal for operating the travel part being transmitted, in response to an input of the worker, from the portable communication terminal, and
the second communication channel is a communication channel via which the processor receives a detection signal automatically transmitted from the portable communication terminal, the detection signal indicating that the portable communication terminal exists within the communicable area of the second communication channel.

2. The work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
a short-distance radio communication standard is employed for the second communication channel, and
the processor is further programmed to stop a travel of the travelling vehicle body when receiving the detection signal during the travel of the travelling vehicle body.

3. The work vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein
the processor is further programmed to stop a drive of a Power-Take-Odd (PTO) shaft that extracts a power to the work part from the power source, when receiving the detection signal.

4. The work vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein
a communication standard, which has a larger communication area than that of the short-distance radio communication standard, is employed for the first communication channel, and
the processor is further programmed to stop the travel of the travelling vehicle body when receiving the signal for operating the travel part during the travel of the travelling vehicle body.

5. An automatic stop system of a work vehicle, the system comprising:
a travelling vehicle body that includes a power source to a work part and a travel part;
a portable communication terminal;
a processor that is mounted on the travelling vehicle body, wherein
the processor is programmed to
directly receive signals the portable communication terminal carried by a worker via a plurality of communication channels, the plurality of communication channels including (i) a first communication channel and (ii a second communication channel having a communicable area that is smaller than a communicable area of the first communication channel; and
control the travel part based on a received signal transmitted from the portable communication terminal, wherein

the first communication channel is a communication channel via which the processor receives a signal for stopping the travel part, the signal for stopping the travel part being transmitted, in response to an input of the worker, from the portable communication terminal, and
the second communication channel is a communication channel via which processor receives a detection signal automatically transmitted from the portable communication terminal, the detection signal indicating that the portable communication terminal exists within the communicable area of the second communication channel, and
the processor is further programmed to
when receiving any one of (i) the signal for stopping the travel part and (ii) the detection signal, cause the travelling vehicle body to stop.

6. The work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the processor is further programmed to:
receive, via the first communication channel, a signal for stopping the travel part, the signal for stopping the travel part being transmitted, in response to an input of the worker, from the portable communication terminal; and
when receiving any one of (i) the signal for stopping the ravel part and (ii) the detection signal, cause the travelling vehicle body to stop.

7. The work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the processor is further programmed to:
communicate, via a third communication channel, with a remote controller that causes the travelling vehicle body to advance, reverse, or stop; and
when determining that there presents no detection signal transmitted via the second communication channel, execute a process that is based on an operation transmitted from the remote controller via the third communication channel.

8. The work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the processor is further programmed to:
execute a process for stopping a Power-Take-Off (PTO) shaft after having caused the travelling vehicle body to stop.

Assignees

• Iseki Agricult Mach

Inventors

• Ono Koki

Classifications

• E02F9/205 Primary

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

• B60T7/22

  initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle {, or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle} · CPC title

• G08G1/166

  for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes · CPC title

• G05D1/0055 Primary

  with safety arrangements · CPC title

• G05D1/0022

  characterised by the communication link (data switching networks in general H04L12/00) · CPC title