Work site management system and work site management method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12060696-B2
Application number	US-202117792266-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2021
Priority date	Jan 16, 2020
Publication date	Aug 13, 2024
Grant date	Aug 13, 2024

Abstract

A management system includes a course data generation unit that generates course data for each of a plurality of unmanned vehicles such that loading work for the plurality of unmanned vehicles by a loader is sequentially performed on a work site where a plurality of the loaders operates; and a priority determination unit that determine a passage order at an intersection on the work site of the plurality of unmanned vehicles traveling according to the course data so as to reduce a total loading loss indicating a total of loss amounts in operation of each of the plurality of the loaders.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A work site management system comprising:
a course data generation processor unit that generates course data for each of a plurality of unmanned vehicles such that loading work for a plurality of the unmanned vehicles by a loader is sequentially performed on a work site where a plurality of the loaders operates; and
a priority determination processor unit that determines a passage order at an intersection on the work site of a plurality of the unmanned vehicles traveling according to the course data so as to reduce a total loading loss indicating a total of loss amounts in operation of each of a plurality of the loaders,
a travel margin calculation processor unit that calculates a travel margin indicating a value obtained by subtracting estimated arrival time from target arrival time for the unmanned vehicle at a loading place where the loading work is performed;
a passage pattern calculation processor unit that calculates a plurality of patterns of the passage order at the intersection;
a time loss calculation processor unit that calculates a time loss of each of a plurality of the unmanned vehicles at the intersection, for each of a plurality of the patterns;
a loading loss calculation processor unit that calculates a loading loss in the loading work for each of a plurality of the unmanned vehicles, based on the travel margin and the time loss, for each of a plurality of the patterns; and
a total loading loss calculation processor unit that calculates the total loading loss based on a plurality of the loading losses calculated by the loading loss calculation processor unit, for each of a plurality of the patterns,
wherein the priority determination processor unit determines, as the passage order, the pattern that has the total loading loss being minimum, based on a plurality of the total loading losses calculated by the total loading loss calculation processor unit.

2. The work site management system according to claim 1 , wherein next loading work is performed after preceding loading work is finished, and the target arrival time is estimated ending time of preceding loading work.

3. The work site management system according to claim 1 , further comprising
a probability distribution generation processor unit that generates a probability distribution of a required loading time, based on record data about the required loading time for one of the unmanned vehicles; and
a prediction processor unit that calculates estimated ending time of loading work based on an elapsed time from starting the loading work and the probability distribution.

4. The work site management system according to claim 1 , wherein a waiting point at which the unmanned vehicle waiting for the loading work is positioned and a loading point at which the unmanned vehicle for which the loading work is performed is positioned are set in the loading place, and the target arrival time is a target arrival time at the waiting point.

5. The work site management system according to claim 1 , wherein the estimated arrival time is calculated based on the course data.

6. The work site management system according to claim 1 , wherein the loading loss is an increased target arrival time delay of each of a plurality of the unmanned vehicles in the loading place, and the total loading loss is a total of the increased target arrival time delays of each of a plurality of the unmanned vehicles.

7. The work site management system according to claim 1 , wherein the loading loss is a production loss amount indicating the product of an increased target arrival time delay of each of a plurality of the unmanned vehicles in the loading place and a loading amount by the loader per unit time, and the total loading loss is a total of the production loss amounts of each of a plurality of the unmanned vehicles.

8. The work site management system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a position data acquisition processor unit that acquires position data of each of a plurality of the unmanned vehicles; and
an entry determination processor unit that determines whether a plurality of the unmanned vehicles enters the intersection based on the position data,
wherein when it is determined that a plurality of the unmanned vehicles enters the intersection, the total loading loss calculation processor unit starts arithmetic processing of calculating the total loading loss, for each of a plurality of the patterns.

9. The work site management system according to claim 8 , further comprising
a travel permission area setting processor unit that sets a travel permission area in front of the unmanned vehicle,
wherein the entry determination processor unit determines whether a plurality of the unmanned vehicles enters the intersection, based on a relative position between the travel permission area and the intersection.

10. A work site management method comprising:
generating course data for each of a plurality of unmanned vehicles such that loading work for a plurality of the unmanned vehicles by a loader is sequentially performed on a work site where a plurality of the loaders operates;
determining a passage order at an intersection on the work site of a plurality of the unmanned vehicles traveling according to the course data so as to reduce a total loading loss indicating a total of loss amounts in operation of each of a plurality of the loaders;
controlling travel of a plurality of the unmanned vehicles such that the unmanned vehicles pass through the intersection based on the passage order determined;
calculate a travel margin indicating a value obtained by subtracting estimated arrival time from target arrival time for the unmanned vehicle at a loading place where the loading work is performed;
calculate a plurality of patterns of the passage order at the intersection;
calculate a time loss of each of a plurality of the unmanned vehicles at the intersection, for each of a plurality of the patterns;
calculate a loading loss in the loading work for each of a plurality of the unmanned vehicles, based on the travel margin and the time loss, for each of a plurality of the patterns;
calculate the total loading loss based on a plurality of the loading losses calculated, for each of a plurality of the patterns; and
determine, as the passage order, the pattern that has the total loading loss being minimum, based on a plurality of the total loading losses calculated.

Assignees

• Komatsu Mfg Co Ltd
• Nat Univ Corp Yokohama Nat Univ

Inventors

• Maeda Yusuke
• Ogawa Yudai
• Osagawa Kenta
• Sakai Atsushi
• Matsui Yasuchika

Classifications

• G05D1/69

  Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles · CPC title

• G05D1/644

  Optimisation of travel parameters, e.g. of energy consumption, journey time or distance · CPC title

• E02F9/205 Primary

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

• E02F9/2045

  Guiding machines along a predetermined path (for graders E02F3/841; machines for construction of roads E01C19/004) · CPC title

• G05D1/0291

  Fleet control (monitoring fleets in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/127, G08G1/127) · CPC title