DEVICE AND METHOD FOR REMOTELY CONTROLLING AN INDUSTRIAL TRUCK

Abstract

A device for remotely controlling at least one industrial truck comprises a remote operating station comprising one or more operating elements that correspond to an operating station of the at least one industrial truck. The one or more operating elements are configured to be actuated. A control unit is configured to generate control signals in response to the actuation of the one or more operating elements. The control unit is further configured to transmit the control signals to the at least one industrial truck via a radio transmission path.

Claims

1. A device for remotely controlling at least one industrial truck, the device comprising: a remote operating station comprising one or more operating elements that correspond to an operating station of the at least one industrial truck, wherein the one or more operating elements are configured to be actuated; and a control unit configured to generate control signals in response to the actuation of the one or more operating elements, wherein the control unit is further configured to transmit the control signals to the at least one industrial truck via a radio transmission path.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the remote operating station further comprises a driving simulator.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the operating station of the at least one industrial truck is the remote operating station.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the at least one industrial truck is configured to be remotely controllable using an additional remote operating station.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the remote operating station comprises an operating head corresponding to the operating station of the at least one industrial truck, and wherein at least some of the operating elements are arranged on the operating head.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the remote operating station comprises a tiller corresponding to the tiller of the at least one industrial truck, wherein the tiller comprises a tiller shaft, wherein the operating head is positioned on a free end of the tiller shaft.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the operating head is a multi-functional steering wheel.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the control signals are transmitted in one of: (1) a continuous manner; or (2) in a clocked manner in order to secure the radio transmission.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to secure the radio transmission path by means of at least one of a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) and a receiver-side flow control.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to receive at least one of: (1) vehicle data; and (2) environmental data for the remote control from the at least one industrial truck, and wherein said data is used to generate the control signals and to display said data to the operator using a visualization device.

11. A system configured to remotely control at least one industrial truck, the system comprising: device for remotely controlling the at least one industrial truck, the device comprising, a remote operating station comprising one or more operating elements that are configured to be actuated, and a control unit configured to generate control signals in response to the actuation of the one or more operating elements and further configured to transmit the control signals to the at least one industrial truck via a radio transmission path; and an operating station of the at least one industrial truck that is configured to be controlled via the control signals.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising a driving simulator having the remote operating station.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the operating station of the at least one industrial truck comprises a remote operating station.

14. The system according to claim 13, the at least one industrial truck is configured to be remotely controllable using an additional remote operating station.

15. A method for remotely controlling at least one industrial truck comprising: actuating one or more operating elements; generating control signals in response to the actuation of the one or more operating elements; and transmitting the control signals to the at least one industrial truck via a radio transmission path.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the at least one industrial truck is configured to receive the control signals and generate target values for control functions from the received control signals.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Embodiments of the invention are explained below using figures. In the drawings:

[0028] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic view of an embodiment of a device for remotely controlling an industrial truck where the remote operating station is part of a driving simulator;

[0029] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic view of an embodiment of the device for remotely controlling an industrial truck, wherein the operating station of an industrial truck serves as the remote operating station; and

[0030] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of an operating head of the remote operating station that is modeled on an operating station of an industrial truck.

[0031] If not otherwise specified, the same reference numbers indicate the same objects below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the invention. The device according to the invention comprises a driving simulator 100 having an operating station 110 and a control unit 300. The operating station 110 of the driving simulator 100 comprises an operating head 120 arranged on a free end of a tiller 115. The driving simulator 100 is connected to the control unit 300 via a data line 140. The cable connection 140 may also be replaced with a cableless connection. The control unit 300 is in the present case configured as a central control system and is represented schematically by means of two computers and a screen.

[0033] The operating station 110 of the driving simulator 100 is configured as a remote operating station according to the invention and is denoted by the reference sign 110 in the following. The remote operating station 100 as well as the tiller 115 and the operating head 120 including all operating elements (not shown) arranged thereon are each modeled on the corresponding components of an industrial truck. They may be original components of an operating station. In particular, the entire remote operating station 110, for example also comprising a standing platform 125, may correspond to the operating station of an industrial truck. The driving simulator 100 is used, in principle, to train employees to operate industrial trucks. However, the driving simulator 100 may, according to this embodiment, also be used to remotely control an industrial truck 200.

[0034] The industrial truck 200 may in particular be an automatic guided vehicle (AGV) as part of a driverless transport system (DTS), and may therefore operate automatically in regular operation. In the event of a disruption, for example if an obstacle enters the travel path, the AGV 200 can be remotely controlled using the method according to the invention. An operator can use the remote operating station 110 of the driving simulator 100 for this purpose. By actuating the operating elements (not shown in FIG. 1) of the remote operating station 110, signals are transmitted via the cable connection 140 to the control unit 300, which generates control signals for the industrial truck 200 to be remotely controlled in response to these signals and transmits said control signals to the industrial truck 200 via a secured radio transmission path 310. The control unit 300 may, in principle, also be part of the driving simulator 100. The control signals in particular comprise target values for control functions of the AGV 200, in particular target values for driving functions of the AGV 200, for example steering angle and/or travel speed, or target values for work functions of the AGV 200, for example lifting, and/or moving the mast forward.

[0035] Since the remote operating station 110 according to the invention with its operating elements and in particular the operating head 120 corresponds to the operating station of an industrial truck, the remote control of the industrial truck 200 is particularly simple and intuitive using the remote operating station 110 according to the invention. The remote operating station 110 according to the invention may in particular correspond to an operating station 210 of the industrial truck 200 to be remotely controlled, wherein the operating head 120 in particular corresponds to an operating head 220 of the industrial truck 200. This makes remote control of the industrial truck 200 particularly intuitive. Moreover, this embodiment allows for the use of a potentially already present driving simulator for remotely controlling industrial trucks.

[0036] A second embodiment of the invention can be seen in FIG. 2, wherein the remote operating station 110 is in this case implemented by the operating station of an industrial truck 130. The industrial truck 130 is in principle ready to operate and is manually controlled by an operator via the operating station of the industrial truck 130 during regular operation. In said regular operation, i.e. in the case of manual, local control of the industrial truck 130 itself, the operating station 110 is set to “local” via a switching element 135, as shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 again shows the control unit 300 as well as the industrial truck 200 to be remotely controlled. The industrial truck 200 to be remotely controlled, also an AGV in this case, is shown in a plan view in a shelving aisle, wherein shelves 400 with pallets 410 are arranged on both sides of the industrial truck 200. During regular operation of the DTS comprising the AGV 200, the AGV 200 automatically transports the pallets 410 between the shelves 400 and another location.

[0037] If a disruption occurs in the DTS, for example because there is a pallet 411 in the travel path of the AGV 200, the automatic control system of the AGV 200 may potentially be overwhelmed, because this is a non-implemented situation. In this case, manual intervention may be necessary. For this purpose, according to the invention, the operator of the industrial truck 130 can put the operating station 110 of their industrial truck into the remote state using the switch 135, in which remote state the operating station 110 serves as a remote operating station for remotely controlling the AGV 200. Control commands given by the operating elements (not shown) of the operating station 110 are transmitted via a radio connection 150 to the central control unit 300, which translates said control commands into target values for the AGV 200 to be remotely controlled and transmits same to the AGV 200 via the radio link. As such, the industrial truck 200 can be remotely controlled in a simple manner by means of an industrial truck 130 that is already present. Furthermore, the radio connection 150 between the industrial truck 130 and the control unit 300 is preferably secured, for example encrypted.

[0038] In both embodiments, the target values for the control functions of the industrial truck 200 to be remotely controlled can also be generated at the remote operating station 110 or at the industrial truck 200 to be remotely controlled itself, instead of at the central control unit 300.

[0039] An example for the operating head 120 of the remote operating station 110 corresponding to an operating head of an industrial truck is shown in FIG. 3. The operating head 120 comprises a horn 12 that extends along a longitudinal axis L and that has support portions 14 extending from the longitudinal axis L on opposite sides of the horn 12, and said operating head also comprises handles that are connected to the horn 12 and that comprise gripping portions 16 arranged in each case opposite the support portions 14. The opposing support portions 14 and gripping portions 16 are in each case spaced apart from one another by means of a handle opening 18. The support portions 14 each comprise buttons 7a for sounding the horn as well as rockers 7b that can be titled about axes 8 for raising and lowering a load-carrying means. A stop button 5 and a locking rocker 6 for setting a permanent creep speed are also arranged on the horn 12. Driver gearshift handles 4 that can be rotated in each case about an axis that points from the horn 12 towards the respective gripping portions 16 are arranged on opposite ends of the horn 12 on the sides of a free end.

[0040] The operating elements 7a, 7b, 4, 5, 6 all correspond to the operating elements of an industrial truck, in particular the operating elements on the operating station of the industrial truck to be remotely controlled. The operating elements therefore allow for particularly simple and intuitive remote control.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0041] 4 Operating element [0042] 5 Stop button [0043] 6 Locking rockers [0044] 7a Button [0045] 7b Rockers [0046] 8 Axes [0047] 12 Horn [0048] 14 Support portion [0049] 16 Gripping portion [0050] 18 Handle opening [0051] 100 Driving simulator [0052] 110 Operating station/Remote operating station [0053] 115 Tiller [0054] 120 Operating head [0055] 125 Standing platform [0056] 130 Industrial truck [0057] 135 Switch [0058] 140 Cable connection [0059] 150 Radio connection [0060] 200 Industrial truck/AGV [0061] 220 Operating head [0062] 300 Control unit [0063] 310 Radio transmission path [0064] 400 Shelves [0065] 410 Pallets [0066] 411 Pallet [0067] L Longitudinal axis