IP Library Granted Patent US 11,221,630
Granted Patent B2
US 11,221,630 · App. 16/469,648 · Granted Jan 11, 2022

Work vehicle

Inventors: Keishiro Nishi (Sakai, JP); Atsushi Shinkai (Sakai, JP); Tomofumi Fukunaga (Sakai, JP); Takahiro Nakatsuka (Sakai, JP)
Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
G05D1/0276G05D1/0231G05D1/0287B62D25/06B62D49/06G05D2201/0201
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,221,630
App. No.
16/469,648
Granted
Jan 11, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An objective is to appropriately position a communication module that carries out wireless communication to exchange information regarding cooperative travel with another vehicle, in order to simplify the measures that are to be taken to avoid thermal damage, and prevent antenna cables from being damaged, for example. A work vehicle includes: a cabin 4 in which a boarding space is formed; and an electronic control system for automatic driving through which a vehicle body is automatically driven. The electronic control system includes a positioning unit that measures the position and orientation of the vehicle body, and a cooperation control unit that causes the vehicle body to automatically travel in cooperation with another vehicle. The cabin 4 is provided with a roof 62 that provides a storage space 62 A that is surrounded by an inner roof 101 and an outer roof 102 . The cooperation control unit includes a communication module 71 that wirelessly communicates with another vehicle to exchange information regarding cooperative travel with the other vehicle, including vehicle body position information. Antennas of the communication module 71 are provided on an upper end portion of the cabin 4 , and a communication information processing apparatus 122 of the communication module 71 is provided in the storage space 62 A.

Claims (53)

1. A work vehicle comprising:

a cabin which is provided beneath an inner roof in a height direction along a height of the work vehicle and in which a boarding space is formed; and

an electronic control system for automatic driving through which a vehicle body is automatically driven,

wherein the electronic control system includes a positioning unit that measures the position and orientation of the vehicle body, and a cooperation control unit that causes the vehicle body to automatically travel in cooperation with another vehicle,

the cabin is provided with a roof that provides a storage space that is provided above the inner roof and below an outer roof in the height direction,

the cooperation control unit includes a communication module that wirelessly communicates with another vehicle to exchange information regarding cooperative travel with the other vehicle, including vehicle body position information, and

a first antenna for in-vehicle information communication, a second antenna for image information communication, a third antenna for search information communication, and a fourth antenna for radio reception are provided on an upper end portion of the cabin, and a communication information processing apparatus of the communication module is provided in the storage space.

2. The work vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an in-vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires in-vehicle information including a vehicle speed; and a monitoring unit that monitors the surroundings of the vehicle body,

wherein the first antenna for in-vehicle information communication is provided through which in-vehicle information acquired by the in-vehicle information acquisition unit is communicated as information regarding cooperative travel with another vehicle, and antennas for monitored information communication are provided through which monitored information monitored by the monitoring unit is communicated as information regarding cooperative travel with another vehicle.

3. The work vehicle according to claim 2 ,

wherein the monitoring unit includes monitoring cameras that capture images of the surroundings of the vehicle body, and an image processing apparatus that processes the images captured by the monitoring cameras, and

the image processing apparatus is provided in the storage space.

4. The work vehicle according to claim 3 ,

wherein the monitoring unit includes, as the monitoring cameras, a front monitoring camera that captures an image of objects that are located forward of the vehicle body, a right monitoring camera that captures an image of objects that are located to the right of the vehicle body, a left monitoring camera that captures images of objects that are located to the left of the vehicle body, and a rear monitoring camera that captures an image of objects that are located rearward of the vehicle body,

the front monitoring camera is provided at a front end of the upper end portion of the cabin, at a central position in a left-right direction,

the right monitoring camera is provided at a right end of the upper end portion of the cabin,

the left monitoring camera is provided at a left end of the upper end portion of the cabin, and

the rear monitoring camera is provided at a rear end of the upper end portion of the cabin, at a central position in the left-right direction.

5. The work vehicle according to claim 4 ,

wherein the monitoring cameras are each provided on the upper end portion of the cabin with an angle adjuster being interposed therebetween, the angle adjuster changing the installation angle of the monitoring camera in a top-bottom direction.

6. The work vehicle according to claim 3 ,

wherein the monitoring unit includes lights that illuminate areas that are to be captured by the monitoring cameras.

7. The work vehicle according to claim 3 ,

wherein the monitoring unit includes an obstacle searcher that searches for an obstacle and a search information processing apparatus that performs determination processing to determine whether or not an obstacle has approached based on search information from the obstacle searcher, and

the search information processing apparatus is provided in the storage space.

8. The work vehicle according to claim 7 ,

wherein the cabin includes a roof frame that has a substantially rectangular shape in plan view and detachably supports the outer roof, and a cross member that is detachably installed so as to span between left and right end portions of the roof frame, and

the cross member includes a supporting member that supports the communication information processing apparatus, the image processing apparatus, and the search information processing apparatus in the storage space.

9. The work vehicle according to claim 7 ,

wherein the antennas for monitored information communication include the second antenna for image information communication through which information from the image processing apparatus is communicated, and the third antenna for search information communication through which information from the search information processing apparatus is communicated.

10. The work vehicle according to claim 7 , further comprising:

a contact avoidance control unit that outputs an emergency stop instruction to the cooperation control unit upon detecting that an obstacle has approached based on the result of determination performed by the search information processing apparatus,

wherein the cooperation control unit communicates with another vehicle to exchange the emergency stop instruction via the communication module as information regarding cooperative travel with the other vehicle, and performs emergency stop control to cause the vehicle body to make an emergency stop based on the emergency stop instruction.

11. The work vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a display apparatus in the boarding space, the display apparatus displaying information regarding another vehicle received by the communication module.

12. A work vehicle comprising:

a cabin in which a boarding space is formed;

an electronic control system for automatic driving through which a vehicle body is automatically driven;

an in-vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires in-vehicle information including a vehicle speed; and

a monitoring unit that monitors the surroundings of the vehicle body,

wherein the electronic control system includes a positioning unit that measures the position and orientation of the vehicle body, and a cooperation control unit that causes the vehicle body to automatically travel in cooperation with another vehicle,

wherein the cabin is provided with a roof that provides a storage space that is surrounded by an inner roof and an outer roof,

wherein the cooperation control unit includes a communication module that wirelessly communicates with another vehicle to exchange information regarding cooperative travel with the other vehicle, including vehicle body position information,

wherein a first antenna for in-vehicle information communication, a second antenna for image information communication, a third antenna for search information communication, and a fourth antenna for radio reception are provided on an upper end portion of the cabin, and a communication information processing apparatus of the communication module is provided in the storage space,

wherein the first antenna for in-vehicle information communication is provided through which in-vehicle information acquired by the in-vehicle information acquisition unit is communicated as information regarding cooperative travel with another vehicle, and antennas for monitored information communication, including the second antenna and the third antenna, are provided through which monitored information monitored by the monitoring unit is communicated as information regarding cooperative travel with another vehicle,

wherein the monitoring unit includes monitoring cameras that capture images of the surroundings of the vehicle body, and an image processing apparatus that processes the images captured by the monitoring cameras,

wherein the image processing apparatus is provided in the storage space,

wherein the monitoring unit includes, as the monitoring cameras, a front monitoring camera that captures an image of objects that are located forward of the vehicle body, a right monitoring camera that captures an image of objects that are located to the right of the vehicle body, a left monitoring camera that captures images of objects that are located to the left of the vehicle body, and a rear monitoring camera that captures an image of objects that are located rearward of the vehicle body,

wherein the front monitoring camera is provided at a front end of the upper end portion of the cabin, at a central position in a left-right direction,

wherein the right monitoring camera is provided at a right end of the upper end portion of the cabin,

wherein the left monitoring camera is provided at a left end of the upper end portion of the cabin, and

wherein the rear monitoring camera is provided at a rear end of the upper end portion of the cabin, at a central position in the left-right direction.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 16, 2020
From: NISHI, KEISHIRO; SHINKAI, ATSUSHI; FUKUNAGA, TOMOFUMI; NAKATSUKA, TAKAHIRO
To: KUBOTA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 051529/0164 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP JP2017-008349 · Jan 20, 2017 · national
JP JP2017-008350 · Jan 20, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190317521A1 · Oct 17, 2019
Cited By (2)
US 1,086,973 US 12,631,764