Abstract:
An automated hauling yard ( 1 ) for transporting vehicle autonomously having an incoming vehicle station ( 3 ) which is for handing over, to the hauling yard ( 1 ), vehicle ( 10 ) which has been transferred manually to the incoming vehicle station ( 3 ) by a vehicle driver, and in which station vehicle data is transferred to a supervisory computer ( 39 ) of the hauling yard ( 1 ). An unloading station ( 4 ) function based on vehicle data and serves the maintenance station ( 5 ) maintains the vehicle also as a function vehicle data. A loading station ( 6 ) loads the vehicle as a function of the vehicle data, the means ( 10 ) of transportation which has been transferred there, having a pickup station ( 7 ) which hands or of handing over the vehicle to the vehicle driver.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This application claims the priority of German Patent Document No. 103 22 765.2, filed 18 May 2003, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein, respectively.  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to an automated hauling yard, operating mode yard or a logistics center for trucks which can travel autonomously.  
           [0003]    In a hauling yard, a number of trucks are loaded and unloaded on a daily basis. Furthermore, such a hauling yard may be equipped with a workshop and with a refueling station in order to be able to refuel and maintain the trucks, and if appropriate repairs may also be carried out. Such a hauling yard usually only has a limited area of land so that the trucks on the hauling yard have to be constantly maneuvered, which is both time-consuming and also entails risks. In particular, a person giving directions is necessary for the maneuvering, particularly for reversing the truck, in order to reduce the risk of collisions between the truck and an obstacle. Furthermore, the personnel requirements for moving the trucks within the hauling yard are comparatively large, the persons giving directions also being a factor here. There is thus a need to simplify the operation of a hauling yard to a degree in order to reduced deployment of personnel.  
           [0004]    European Patent EP 0 971 276 A1 discloses a lawnmower which can travel autonomously and which is equipped with a position-determining device, for example a GPS receiver. A control device of the lawnmower includes a learning mode in which the lawnmower is operated manually. The lawnmower memorizes the path traveled. In a self-propelling mode, the lawnmower can retrace the previously learned path automatically, that is to say autonomously.  
           [0005]    European Patent EP 0 423 332 B1 discloses a vehicle which can travel autonomously and which can retrace stored reference courses. For this purpose, the vehicle is equipped with a position-sensing device which can determine the instantaneous position of the vehicle by means of time differences which arise due to different transit times of signals which are emitted synchronously by means of transmitter stations which are distributed positionally.  
           [0006]    European Patent EP 0 297 811 A2 discloses an unmanned vehicle which can follow a stored path in a factory autonomously. The vehicle orients itself by means of physical features which characterize the surroundings to the side of the path to be traveled along.  
           [0007]    German Patent DE 100 32 179 A1 discloses a control system for a vehicle which is equipped with an electronically actuable drive train. The control system include an operator control device which is fixed to the vehicle and into which a vehicle driver can input a driver request (for example accelerating, steering) into the steering system and which transforms the driver request into a movement vector. This movement vector is transferred to a control device for generating control signals transmitted to the drive train. The drive train can then process the control signals in order to implement the driver request. Such a control system can also be referred to as a drive-by-wire system or as an X-by-wire system in which the individual components of the drive train, for example steering system, brake system and drive assembly, are controlled electronically without a continuous mechanical or hydraulic connection to the respective component of the drive train, between corresponding operator control elements, for example steering wheel, joystick, accelerator pedal or brake pedal.  
           [0008]    The present invention is concerned with specifying, for a hauling yard, an operating mode yard or a logistics center, an improved embodiment which in particular requires only a reduced deployment of personnel. Furthermore, the operational reliability of the hauling yard is improved.  
           [0009]    The invention is based on the concept of configuring the hauling yard for dispatching trucks or else buses which can travel autonomously, including different stations to which the trucks can be moved autonomously within the hauling yard. In the present context, “autonomous” travel operating mode is understood to mean a travel operating mode in which there is no need for a vehicle driver to be present in the truck. The operator control elements which are present in the cockpit for operating the truck manually, for example steering wheel, accelerator pedal, brake pedal or gear shift, are not activated during autonomous travel operating mode. In the hauling yard according to the invention, the vehicle driver delivers his truck to the hauling yard at an incoming vehicle station. From this point onward, the truck is then only moved autonomously from station to station. It is clear here that within the individual stations the truck can perfectly well also still be operated manually. After the truck has passed through an unloading station, a maintenance station and a loading station, it is made available for the next journey in an outgoing vehicle station where it can be picked up again by the same vehicle driver or by another vehicle driver. Because the trucks can travel autonomously within the hauling yard, there is no need for vehicle drivers in order to transfer the trucks manually from one station to the next. To this extent it is possible to achieve a saving in personnel. Furthermore, the autonomous travel operating mode can readily be configured in such a way that the transfer of the truck from one station to the next takes place essentially automatically so that personnel are only necessary to supervise orderly processing.  
           [0010]    According to advantageous embodiments, the hauling yard can also be equipped with an automatic refueling station and/or with an automatic wash station in order to refuel and wash the respective truck when necessary.  
           [0011]    According to one particularly advantageous embodiment, a truck which is suitable for the hauling yard according to the invention, that is to say a truck which can travel autonomously, is equipped with an electronically actuable drive train and with a control system which operates according to the drive-by-wire principle or else according to the X-by-wire principle, and is described, for example, in German Patent DE 100 32 179 A1 which is incorporated herein by reference. The control system which is known per se includes a manual operator control device which is fixed to the vehicle and is supplemented according to the invention by at least one autonomous operator control device by means of which a driver request can be input for the autonomous vehicle operating mode and which generates, from the driver request, a standardized movement vector which can be processed by the control device of the drive train. This is accomplished by a drive train interface by means of which both the manual operator control device which is present in any case and the at least one additional autonomous operator control device are coupled to the control device. The present invention thus makes use of the fact that trucks which have an electronically actuable drive train are particularly suitable for use in an autonomous operating mode since all that is necessary is to use a suitable autonomous operator control device to generate essentially the same standardized movement vector which is also generated by the vehicle driver in the manual operating mode by means of the operator control device mounted in the vehicle. This movement vector which is generated by the autonomous operator control device then has to be suitably fed to the control device of the control system, which control device then passes it on—in the same way as a movement vector generated by the manual operator control device—to the drive train for processing. It is possible to dispense with additional actuator elements for activating the operator control elements which are mounted on the vehicle. The expenditure on implementing such autonomous operator control devices is accordingly comparatively small since only one suitable interface, specifically the drive train interface, has to be provided.  
           [0012]    The features which are mentioned above and the features which are to be explained below can be used not only in the respectively specified combination but also in other combinations or in isolation, without departing from the scope of the present invention.  
           [0013]    Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in more detail in the following description, identical reference symbols referring to identical or functionally identical or similar components. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a hauling yard according to the invention, in a highly simplified basic illustration,  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 shows a schematic, circuit-diagram-like basic illustration of a control system of a truck which is suitable for the hauling yard. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0016]    According to FIG. 1, a hauling yard  1  according to the invention has an area of land  2  which is expediently closed off from the outside. On this area of land  2 , the hauling yard  1  including at least one incoming vehicle station  3 , at least one unloading station  4 , at least one maintenance station  5 , at least one loading station  6  and at least one pickup station  7 . The specific embodiment shown here also includes a refueling station  40  and a wash station  8 . Furthermore, a remote control center  9  is provided. The hauling yard  1  is automated and is provided for use with trucks  10  which can travel autonomously. The trucks  10  can be single-element trucks  10  without a trailer or tracks  10  composed of a traction engine and trailer, in particular semitrailer vehicles  10 . In the illustration according to FIG. 1, the trucks  10  which are loaded with a payload  11  are designated by an X, while the trucks  10  without loads are presented without such an X.  
         [0017]    Trucks  10  which can be processed in the hauling yard  1  according to the invention are configured as trucks which can travel autonomously. According to FIG. 2, such trucks  10  are preferably equipped with a control system  13  which comprises an electronically actuable drive train  12 . This drive train  12  has, for example, a drive assembly  14 , a transmission  15  which is coupled to it, a steering system  16 , a brake system  17  and here, by way of example, also a ride control device  18 . The control system  13  includes a manual operator control device  19  which is permanently installed in the respective truck  10  and which has operator control elements  20 . The operator control elements  20  can be activated manually by a vehicle driver and are assigned to the individual components  14  to  18  of the drive train  12 . In particular, the operator control elements  20  include an accelerator pedal  20   14 , a gear shift  20   15 , a steering wheel or a joystick  20   16 , a brake pedal  20   17  and a control element  20   18  for activating the ride control device  18 . The vehicle driver can use the manual operator control device  19  to input into the control system  13  a driver request FW which is symbolized by an arrow. The manual operator control device  19  generates a movement vector BV at its output end from the input-end driver request FW and is connected at the output end to a drive train interface  21 . In addition, a control device  22  of the control system  13  is connected to this drive train interface  21 . This control device  22  can generate control signals SS which originate from the incoming movement vector BV, and feed these signals SS to the drive train  12  or its components  14  to  18 . The drive train  12  and its components  14  to  18  can then process the control signals SS, as a result of which the original driver request FW is implemented.  
         [0018]    According to the invention, this control system  13  is expanded by at least one autonomous operator control device  23 . In the embodiment shown here, by way of example, two such autonomous operator control devices  23  are provided: specifically a first autonomous operator control device  23   I  and a second autonomous operator control device  23   II . Likewise, further autonomous operator control devices  23  may be provided.  
         [0019]    Each autonomous operator control device  23  is connected to the drive train interface  21  and is also configured in such a way that it can be used to input driver requests FW for the autonomous operating mode of the truck  10 , the autonomous operator control device  23  also generates movement vectors BV from the driver requests FW. The movement vectors BV are standardized for this purpose. For example, the movement vector BV is a standardized bus protocol, in particular a CAN bus protocol. Since the movement vectors BV are standardized, in the autonomous operating state of the truck  10 , the control device  22  can also convert the movement vectors BV—generated by the respective autonomous operator control device  23 —into control signals which are then processed accordingly by the drive train  12 .  
         [0020]    The first autonomous operator control device  23   I  is essentially a remote control device  24  which is also equipped with suitable operator control elements  25  which are correspondingly assigned to the individual components  14  to  18  of the drive train  12 . The remote control device  24  is arranged remotely from the truck  10  and as a result, permits the autonomous operating mode of the truck  10  since vehicle driver is not required in the truck  10 . The remote control device  24  generates again the standardized movement vector BV from the ingoing driver request FW and is connected to the drive train interface  21  via a transceiver arrangement  26 . The transceiver arrangement  26  includes a transceiver unit  27  which is fixed to the vehicle and is connected to the drive train interface  21 , as well as a transceiver unit  28  which is remote from the vehicle and is connected to the remote control device  24 . The transceiver arrangement  26  expediently operates in a wire free fashion by means of electromagnetic waves. Correspondingly, in order to transmit the movement vector BV between the units  27 ,  28  of the transceiver arrangement  26 , the latter is firstly converted into a remote control signal FS and converted back into the movement vector BV again after the remote transmission.  
         [0021]    The remote control device  24  is arranged together with the transceiver unit  28 , remote from the vehicle, in the remote control center  9  at the hauling yard  1 . As is apparent from FIG. 1, the remote control center  9  can have a plurality of such remote control devices  24  or a plurality of such autonomous operator control devices  23 . The remote control devices  24  of the remote control center  9  are expediently connected here to a common transceiver unit  28  which is remote from the vehicle.  
         [0022]    According to FIG. 2, the second autonomous operator control device  23   II  can have at least one path-calculating device  29  and at least one orientation and position-determining device  30  which is connected thereto. The orientation and position-determining device  30  is configured in such a way that it can determine, for example, the orientation and position of the respective truck  10 . “Position” is understood here to be the geographical location of the truck  10 , while “orientation” specifies the orientation of the longitudinal axis of the truck  10  with respect to a coordinate system which is fixed to the earth, expediently the compass directions. Alternatively, an embodiment is also possible in which the device  30  for determining the orientation and position is configured in such a way that it determines only the relative orientation and position of the truck  10  with respect to the next traveled to station of the hauling yard  1 . The device  30  for determining the orientation and position can transmit the determined orientation and position of the path-calculating device  29 , which then generates movement vectors BV which are updated continuously as a function of the current orientation and position of the truck  10 . That is, the sequence of movement vectors BV. The movement vectors BV which are generated by the path-calculating device  29  guide the truck  10  to the next station of the hauling yard  1  to be traveled to when they are processed by the drive train  12 .  
         [0023]    In the illustrated embodiment, the path-calculating device  29  is installed permanently in the truck  10 . In another embodiment the path-calculating device  29  can be arranged outside the truck, in particular in the remote control center  9  of the hauling yard  1 . The path-calculating device  29  which is removed from the truck  10  can then communicate with the drive train interface  21  via a transceiver arrangement.  
         [0024]    With the architecture of the illustrated control system  13 , the device  30  for determining the orientation and position is connected directly to the path-calculating device  29 . It is also possible for the path-calculating device  29  and device  30  to determine the orientation and position for both connection to the drive train interface  21  and communication with one another. The drive train interface  21  then forms a star point.  
         [0025]    The device  30  for determining the orientation and position is also permanently installed in the truck  10 . Alternatively, there may also be provision for the device  30  for determining the orientation and position also to be arranged—depending on the functional principle—outside the truck  10 , in which case a transceiver arrangement may also be provided for communication with the drive train interface  21 . For example, the device  30  for determining the orientation and position can then be composed of a sensor system which operates with a plurality of sensors which are distributed on the area of land  2  of the hauling yard  1 , which sensors permit the orientation and position of the trucks  10  which are moved on the area of land  2  to be determined. In particular, the sensor system can operate according to the radar principle.  
         [0026]    A device  30 —fixed to the vehicle—for determining the orientation and position can operate, for example, with a satellite navigation receiver  31  which is mounted on the truck  10 . The satellite navigation receiver  31  is expediently a GPS receiver. A higher degree of accuracy for the determination of position can be obtained using a DGPS (differential GPS) receiver which interacts with a terrestrial DGPS reference station  32  which, according to FIG. 1, is expediently arranged at the hauling yard  1 . In order to determine the orientation of the truck  10  it can be equipped with at least one compass which can be read out. The method of operation of such an orientation- and position-determining device  30  is explained in more detail in German Reference DE 100 31 244 A1, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0027]    In one alternative embodiment, the orientation- and position-determining device can have an image-recognition device  33  which operates with at least one camera  34 . Camera images are generated using the cameras  34  and then compared with stored images of the hauling yard  1 . From this comparison it is then possible to determine the current orientation and position of the truck  10  within the hauling yard  1 . In the process, the image-recognition device  33  and/or the cameras  34  can be mounted, as here, on the truck  10 . It is also possible to arrange such an image-recognition device  33  with cameras  34  in a fixed fashion at the hauling yard  1 , for example in the remote control center  9 .  
         [0028]    In another alternative, the orientation- and position-determining device  30  can have a lane-detection device  35  which also operates with at least one camera  36 . The lane-detection device  35  and its cameras  36  are permanently installed on trucks  10  and interact with driving path marks which correspond essentially to the lane lines  37  shown in FIG. 1. The lane-detection device  35  can detect the driving path marks and—if a plurality of different driving path marks are provided—possibly distinguish them from one another. On the basis of these driving path marks, the lane-detection device  35  can determine the current orientation- and position-determining device  30  of the truck  10  in such a way that the path-calculation device  29  can calculate movement vectors BV which, during their processing in the drive train  12 , cause the respective truck  10  to follow the respective driving path mark and thus pass from one station to the next.  
         [0029]    When the movement vectors BV are determined, the path-calculation device  29  can expediently take into account ambient conditions in the surroundings of the respective truck  10 . In this way, collisions between the truck  10  and an obstacle can be avoided. For example, these ambient conditions of the path-calculation device  29  may be made available in a stored form. The ambient conditions of one or more hauling yards  1  are then stored in a corresponding memory so that, given knowledge of the current orientation and position of the truck  10 , the path-calculation device  29  can reliably drive around fixed and known obstacles of the respective hauling yard  1 . It is expedient here to equip the path-calculation device  29  additionally with a sensor system  41  which comprises a plurality of sensors  38 . Using the sensor system  41  it is possible to determine critical distances between the truck  10  and obstacles and take them into account during the calculation of the movement vectors BV. It is basically possible here to mount such distance sensors  38  directly on the truck  10 . Alternatively, the distance sensors  38  can also be mounted at critical locations in the hauling yard  1 , which is advantageous in particular if the path-calculation device  29  is mounted in any case at the hauling yard  1 . It is also possible for the sensors  38  which are mounted at the hauling yard  1  to communicate via a corresponding transceiver arrangement, for example again via the drive train interface  21 , with the path-calculation device  29  which is mounted fixed to the vehicle.  
         [0030]    Furthermore, it is expedient if the path-calculation device  29  takes into account the vehicle dynamics during the determination of the movement vector BV in order to prevent the vehicle  10  from tipping over. Likewise, the speed of the vehicle should be limited to a relatively small value in order to keep the risk of damage as low as possible.  
         [0031]    The automated hauling yard  1  according to the invention operates as follows:  
         [0032]    The vehicle driver manually drives the truck  10 , laden with an “old” payload, to the hauling yard  1  as destination for the old payload, by using the manual operator control device  19  fixed to the vehicle (FIG. 2). The vehicle driver transfers the truck  10  manually to the incoming vehicle station  3 . There, the truck  10  is handed over by the vehicle driver to the hauling yard  1 . In the process, the vehicle data is transferred manually or by means of a suitable data carrier, or transferred telemetrically to a supervisory computer  39  of the hauling yard  1 . This vehicle data contains, in particular, a vehicle identification code and a payload identification code. After the vehicle driver has handed over his truck  10  to the hauling yard  1 , only an autonomous driving mode of the truck  10  generally then takes place between the individual stations of the hauling yard. At first, the truck  10  is transferred autonomously from the incoming vehicle station  3  to the unloading station  4 . There, the truck  10  is unloaded, in a preferably automated fashion, using the payload identification code. The payload of the truck  10  is generally one or more containers which can be unloaded particularly easily.  
         [0033]    After the truck  10  has been unloaded, it is transferred autonomously to the maintenance station  5 . There may be provision here for the truck  10  also to be taken, according to requirements, to the wash station  8  and/or the refueling station  40  before the maintenance station  5 . The necessity to refuel and wash a vehicle can already also be included in the vehicle data when the truck  10  is handed in. Accordingly, the washing and the refueling of the vehicle  10  can also be carried out as a function of the vehicle data. The truck  10  is therefore unloaded as a function of the vehicle data which includes data about the old payload.  
         [0034]    The washing system  8  expediently operates completely automatically. The refueling station  40  can also be automated to a greater or lesser extent.  
         [0035]    In the maintenance station  5 , routine inspection of the track  10  is carried out, in particular in order to check worn parts. In the process, different electronic diagnostic systems may be applied in order to determine the respective maintenance requirements of the truck  10 . In particular there may be provision for automatic and telemetric exchange of data to be carried out between the maintenance station  5  and the respective truck  10  in order to determine the maintenance requirements. Correspondingly, the maintenance is also carried out as a function of the vehicle data. As far as possible, the maintenance is also automated at the maintenance station  5 .  
         [0036]    After the maintenance, the truck  10  is taken to the loading station  6  which provides the truck  10  with a “new” payload as a function of the respective truck  10 . The loading station  6  also operates in a largely automated fashion. After the loading operation, the truck  10  is ready for a new run to a new destination and is firstly transferred autonomously from the loading station  6  to the outgoing vehicle station  7 . There, the truck  10  which has been prepared is taken over again by the original vehicle driver or by another vehicle driver and driven away manually.  
         [0037]    As a result of the use of autonomous operator control devices  23  which make it possible to control the trucks  10  remotely, in particular from the remote control center  9 , it is possible to supervise and process correctly a relatively large number of trucks  10  simultaneously with a minimum deployment of personnel. The risk of damage to the trucks  10  or to the buildings of the hauling yard  1  and the risk of injury by vehicle drivers and people giving directions and other auxiliary personnel is thus considerably reduced.  
         [0038]    As explained, the individual stations of the hauling yard  1  always process the respective trucks  10  as a function of the associated vehicle data, as a result of which vehicle-specific processing is carried out. In particular, the loading and unloading stations  4 ,  6  detect the size of the payload and the range of the respective truck by means of the vehicle data. For this purpose, the individual stations are connected to the supervisory computer  39 .  
         [0039]    The supervisory computer  39  forms a coordinating central control point of the hauling yard  1  according to the invention. It actuates the respective truck  10 , for example by means of radio, and can issue all the necessary instructions to the automated wash station  8  and to the automated refueling station  40 , and administers the handling of containers in the loading station  4  and the unloading station  6 .  
         [0040]    The wash station  8 , which operates in an automated fashion, may be a standard washing system which vehicles can also travel through in a manual conventional fashion. The signals, for example start, stop and travel speed, which are issued as commands to the respective vehicle driver by means of a traffic light when the vehicles travel through manually, are passed on to the supervisory computer  39  by means of a field bus system in the autonomous operating mode. In the autonomous operating mode, the supervisory computer  39  then guides the truck  10  through the wash station  8  instead of the vehicle driver.  
         [0041]    In the refueling station  40 , which is equipped in an automated fashion, the respective truck  10  is refueled, for example, by a robot. Such a robot can be activated by the supervisory computer  39  by means of simple commands, for example “truck present” and “fill up”. The refueling station  40  signals, for example, the quantity of fuel delivered, back to the control computer  39 .  
         [0042]    The truck  10 , which travels autonomously, receives the respective instructions (movement vectors BV) from the supervisory computer  39 , for example via the transceiver unit  27  which is fixed to the vehicle, and can also provide the supervisory computer  39  with information about the current state of the vehicle (for example speed and position). The autonomous operator control device  23  calculates the respectively necessary movement vector BV from the incoming data which represents the respective driver request FW, and from the vehicle position and vehicle orientation which are supplied in particular by the GPS receiver  31 . The movement vector BV is then transferred to the drive train  12  via the drive train interface  21 , and to the control device  22 .  
         [0043]    In one specific embodiment, a reversing device, which, during the reversing of the truck  10 , modifies the movement vector BV in such a way that the truck  10  travels backwards along the desired path without the train  10  jackknifing, can preferably be connected between the prescription level formed by the respective operator control device  19  or  23  and the execution level formed by the control device  22  in the case of a train  10 .  
         [0044]    The control device  22  which is provided for activating the drive train  12  causes the driver request FW to be implemented by processing the movement vectors BV. Moreover, this control device  22  can also actuate a container control device (not shown here) with which, for example, supports of the container can be extended and retracted automatically. Such a container control device is described for example, in German Patent DE 195 26 702 C2, whose contents are incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0045]    The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.