Control device, control system, and control method

Abstract

Provided are a control apparatus, a control system, and a control method for controlling a work machine which reduce inadvertent contact during operation of the work machine and inhibit a decrease in operating rate. A control apparatus for controlling a work machine having a movable part includes: an acquisition means of acquiring state information indicating a posture of the work machine, action information indicating an action of the work machine, and surrounding information indicating an arrangement of a surrounding object around the work machine; a specification means of specifying, based on the state information and the action information, a safe distance that is set between the movable part and the surrounding object; and an action control means of controlling an action of the work machine in accordance with the safe distance and the surrounding information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A control apparatus for controlling a work machine, said control apparatus comprising at least one processor, the at least one processor carrying out:
 an acquisition process of acquiring state information, action information, and surrounding information, the state information indicating a posture of the work machine, the action information indicating an action of the work machine, and the surrounding information indicating an arrangement of a surrounding object around the work machine;   a specification process of specifying, based on the state information and the action information, a safe distance that is set between a movable part of the work machine and the surrounding object; and   an action control process of controlling an action of the work machine in accordance with the safe distance and the surrounding information.   
     
     
         2 . The control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the action information is information indicating a dynamic characteristic of the work machine.   
     
     
         3 . The control apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the dynamic characteristic includes at least one of a speed and acceleration of the movable part.   
     
     
         4 . The control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 in the specification process, the at least one processor sets an ellipsoid having axial radii corresponding to respective components of a speed vector of the movable part, and specifies the safe distance as a radius of the ellipsoid.   
     
     
         5 . The control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one processor further carries out a surrounding information generation process of generating, as the surrounding information, a three-dimensional map that includes the work machine based on a detection value by a distance sensor.   
     
     
         6 . The control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 in a case where a distance between the object indicated in the surrounding information and the movable part is less than the safe distance, the at least one processor controls, in the action control process, the movable part to avoid the object.   
     
     
         7 . A control system for controlling a work machine, said control system comprising a control apparatus and a first sensor that acquires state information indicating a posture of the work machine,
 the control apparatus including at least one processor, the at least one processor carrying out:   a specification process of specifying, based on the state information and action information indicating an action of the work machine, a safe distance that is set between a movable part of the work machine and a surrounding object; and   an action control process of controlling an action of the work machine in accordance with the safe distance and surrounding information indicating an arrangement of the surrounding object around the work machine.   
     
     
         8 . The control system according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the action information is information indicating a dynamic characteristic of the work machine.   
     
     
         9 . The control system according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 the dynamic characteristic includes at least one of a speed and acceleration of the movable part.   
     
     
         10 . The control system according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 in the specification process, the at least one processor sets an ellipsoid having axial radii corresponding to respective components of a speed vector of the movable part, and specifies the safe distance as a radius of the ellipsoid.   
     
     
         11 . The control system according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a second sensor for acquiring the surrounding information,   the at least one processor further carrying out a surrounding information generation process of generating a three-dimensional map that includes the work machine based on a detection value by the second sensor.   
     
     
         12 . The control system according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 in a case where a distance between the object indicated in the surrounding information and the movable part is less than the safe distance, the at least one processor controls, in the action control process, the movable part to avoid the object.   
     
     
         13 . A control method for controlling a work machine, said control method comprising:
 acquiring state information, action information, and surrounding information by at least one processor, the state information indicating a posture of the work machine, the action information indicating an action of the work machine, and the surrounding information indicating an arrangement of a surrounding object around the work machine;   specifying, by the at least one processor and based on the state information and the action information, a safe distance that is set between a movable part of the work machine and the surrounding object; and   controlling, by the at least one processor, an action of the work machine in accordance with the safe distance and the surrounding information.   
     
     
         14 . The control method according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the action information is information indicating a dynamic characteristic of the work machine.   
     
     
         15 . The control method according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 the dynamic characteristic includes at least one of a speed and acceleration of the movable part.   
     
     
         16 . The control method according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the specifying of the safe distance includes   setting an ellipsoid having axial radii corresponding to respective components of a speed vector of the movable part, and   specifying the safe distance as a radius of the ellipsoid.   
     
     
         17 . The control method according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the acquiring of the surrounding information includes generating, as the surrounding information, a three-dimensional map that includes the work machine based on a detection value by a distance sensor.   
     
     
         18 . The control method according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 in a case where a distance between the object indicated in the surrounding information and the movable part is less than the safe distance, the controlling of the action of the work machine includes controlling the movable part to avoid the object.   
     
     
         19 . A computer-readable non-transitory tangible storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to carry out the acquisition process, the specification process, and the action control process which are recited in  claim 1 .