US-12624527-B2 - Work machine and remote operation support device

US12624527B2US 12624527 B2US12624527 B2US 12624527B2US-12624527-B2

Abstract

A work machine includes an actuator; an operator's seat; an operation device configured to receive an input by a first operator in the operator's seat to operate the actuator; processing circuitry configured to activate the actuator according to one of an input of a remote operation from outside the work machine and an input to the operation device; and an output device configured to perform at least one of notifying the first operator that the work machine is being remotely operated when the actuator is being activated according to the input of the remote operation, and notifying the first operator that there is a possibility of the work machine being remotely operated when there is a possibility of the actuator being activated according to the input of the remote operation.

Inventors

Shoji HIRATE
Keiji Honda
Yusuke Sano

Assignees

SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20231227
Priority Date: 20221228

Claims (10)

1 . A work machine comprising: an actuator; an operator's seat; an operation device configured to receive an input of an operation to operate the actuator; processing circuitry configured to activate the actuator according to an input of a remote operation from outside the work machine or the input of the operation to the operation device; and an output device configured to perform at least one of notifying an operator in the operator's seat that the work machine is being remotely operated by a remote operator at a predetermined location outside the work machine when the actuator is being activated according to the input of the remote operation, and notifying the operator in the operator's seat that there is a possibility of the work machine being remotely operated by the remote operator at the predetermined location outside the work machine when there is a possibility of the actuator being activated according to the input of the remote operation.
2 . The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein the output device is configured to notify the operator in the operator's seat of at least one of whether or not the work machine is being remotely operated by the remote operator and whether or not there is a possibility of the work machine being remotely operated by the remote operator.
3 . The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein the output device is configured to, when the remote operator is present at the predetermined location, where the remote operator is capable of performing the input of the remote operation, notify the operator in the operator's seat that the remote operator is present at the predetermined location based on a captured image of the predetermined location.
4 . The work machine according to claim 3 , wherein the output device is configured to notify the operator in the operator's seat of whether or not the remote operator is present at the predetermined location.
5 . The work machine according to claim 4 , further comprising: a cabin in which the operator's seat is provided; and an imaging device disposed in the cabin such that a lens of the imaging device faces the operator's seat to include the operator's seat in an imaging range of the imaging device, wherein the output device is disposed in the cabin at a position visible from the operator in the operator's seat and is configured to display a current captured image of the predetermined location.
6 . A remote operation support device configured to support a remote operator outside a work machine in remotely operating the work machine, the work machine including an actuator, an operator's seat, and an operation device configured to receive an input of an operation to operate the actuator, the actuator being configured to be operated according to the input of the operation to the operation device or an input of a remote operation from the remote operator, the remote operation support device comprising: a remote operation device configured to receive the input of the remote operation to remotely operate the actuator of the work machine; a communication device configured to communicate with the work machine; and an output device configured to perform at least one of notifying the remote operator that the work machine is being operated by an operator in the operator's seat of the work machine when the actuator is being operated according to the input of the operation to the operation device, and notifying the remote operator that there is a possibility of the work machine being operated by the operator in the operator's seat of the work machine when there is a possibility of the actuator being operated according to the input of the operation to the operation device.
7 . The remote operation support device according to claim 6 , wherein the output device is configured to notify the remote operator of whether or not the work machine is being operated by the operator in the operator's seat of the work machine and whether or not there is a possibility of the work machine being operated by the operator in the operator's seat of the work machine.
8 . The remote operation support device according to claim 6 , wherein the output device is configured to, when the operator is present in the operator's seat, notify the remote operator of the presence of the operator based on a captured image of the operator's seat of the work machine.
9 . The remote operation support device according to claim 8 , wherein the output device is configured to notify the remote operator in the remote operator's seat of whether or not the operator is present in the operator's seat of the work machine.
10 . The remote operation support device according to claim 9 , further comprising: an imaging device in a remote operation room in which a remote operator's seat is provided, the imaging device being disposed such that a lens of the imaging device faces the remote operator's seat to include the remote operator's seat in an imaging range of the imaging device, wherein the output device is disposed in the remote operation room at a position visible from the remote operator in the remote operator's seat, and is configured to display a current captured image of the operator's seat of the work machine.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is based upon and claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-211228, filed on Dec. 28, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field The present disclosure relates to a work machine, and the like. 2. Description of Related Art For example, a work machine (e.g., a shovel) is known that can be operated by an operator on board the work machine and can be remotely operated by an operator outside the work machine. SUMMARY In order to achieve the above object, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a work machine is provided. The work machine includes: an actuator;an operator's seat;an operation device configured to receive an input by a first operator in the operator's seat to operate the actuator;processing circuitry configured to activate the actuator according to one of an input of a remote operation from outside the work machine and an input to the operation device; andan output device configured to perform at least one of notifying the first operator that the work machine is being remotely operated when the actuator is being activated according to the input of the remote operation, andnotifying the first operator that there is a possibility of the work machine being remotely operated when there is a possibility of the actuator being activated according to the input of the remote operation. According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a remote operation support device is provided. The remote operation support device includes: a communication device configured to communicate with a work machine in which an actuator is operated according to one of an input to an operation device provided near an operator's seat of the work machine and an input of a remote operation from outside the work machine; andan output device configured to perform at least one of notifying a third operator who performs the input of the remote operation that the work machine is being operated according to the input to the operation device when the actuator is being operated according to the input to the operation device, andnotifying the third operator that there is a possibility of the work machine being operated according to the input to the operation device when there is a possibility of the actuator being operated according to the input to the operation device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a remote operation support system. FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating an example of a shovel. FIG. 3 is a top view illustrating an example of the shovel. FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating an example of the inside of an operator's seat. FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating an example of the inside of a remote control room. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the shovel. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a remote operation support device. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration relating to an operation of the shovel in the remote operation support system. FIG. 9 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a first example of a notification process relating to an implementation status of a remote operation of the shovel. FIG. 10 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a second example of a notification process relating to an implementation status of the remote operation of the shovel. FIG. 11 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a first example of a notification process relating to an implementation status of a normal operation of the shovel. FIG. 12 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a second example of a notification process relating to an implementation status of the normal operation of the shovel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In a case where an operator in an operator's seat of a work machine and an operator outside the work machine are, for example, both able to activate the work machine, the work machine may be activated by operation by one of the operators in a situation that is unexpected by the other operator. This may result in activation of the work machine that is unexpected by the other operator, who may misunderstand that the work machine is in a serious failure or the like and may fall into a panic state, for example. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a technique for enabling one of the operators to recognize an operation status of the work machine that is performed by the other operator when an operation by the operator on board the work machine and a remote operation by the operator outside the work machine are possible. According to the above-described embodiments, a technique is provided for enabling one of the operators to recognize an operation status of a work machine by the other operator when the operation by the operator on board the work machine and the remote operation by the