Path planning method

Abstract

The invention provides a path planning method, which is used for a flexible flat cable, and comprises the following steps: obtaining a model file of an electronic device comprising a first connector and a second connector; loading the electronic device to a three-dimensional space capable of accommodating the electronic device, and dividing the three-dimensional space into a plurality of grids; determining a plurality of barrier grids including the electronic device from the plurality of grids; and determining a flat cable routing path from the first connector to the second connector according to the plurality of barrier grids. According to the method, the labor cost can be reduced, and the overall program design efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a path planning method, and in particular to a path planning method which can avoid obstacles and has the shortest path and the least number of bends. Background Art

[0002] Flexible flat cable (FFC) can be used as a medium for power or signal transmission. Due to its advantages of softness, bendability, thin thickness, small size, simple connection, and easy disassembly, it has been widely used in various electronic products. Flexible flat cables are often used to connect circuit signals between circuit boards. For example, the connection between the keyboard and the circuit board in a laptop or the circuit connection between the touch panel and the circuit board. Generally speaking, when designing a circuit, the flat cable configuration route will be designed between the two connection points of the flexible flat cable. At this time, the circuit design engineer usually needs to use his eyes to perform interference inspection to determine whether the flexible flat cable interferes with other structures or whether the flexible flat cable can be correctly configured in the limited space of the circuit board. Therefore, the quality of the design often depends on the engineer's carefulness. At the same time, since the design operation process is cumbersome and repetitive, it also tests the engineer's patience. However, if the circuit design engineer needs to manually determine the configuration route of the flexible flat cable during the circuit design time, it will consume too much manpower cost and reduce the efficiency of the overall design process. In view of this, the existing technology really needs to be improved. Summary of the invention

[0003] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a path planning method that can avoid obstacles and has the shortest path and the least number of turns to solve the above problems.

[0004] The present invention provides a path planning method for a flexible flat cable, comprising: obtaining a model file of an electronic device including a first connector and a second connector; loading the electronic device into a three-dimensional space that can accommodate the electronic device and dividing the three-dimensional space into a plurality of grids; determining a plurality of obstacle grids containing the electronic device from the plurality of grids; and determining a flat cable routing path from the first connector to the second connector based on the plurality of obstacle grids. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of a process of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0006] Figure 2 FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a model file of an electronic device including a first connector and a second connector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0007] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram showing that the space where the electronic device is located is divided into a plurality of grids in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0008] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of an obstacle grid in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] Figure 5 FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of another process of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of a flat cable routing path from a first connector to a second connector in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of the flexible flat cable along the flat cable routing path in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] Component number description

[0013] 10,50 Process

[0014] A1, A2 components

[0015] BB Bounding Box

[0016] C1 First Connector

[0017] C2 Second Company Machine

[0018] E Electronic Devices

[0019] FFC Flexible Flat Cable

[0020] M Grid

[0021] OM Obstacle Grid

[0022] P Flat cable routing

[0023] S Space

[0024] S100, S102, S104, S106, S108, S110, steps

[0025] S500, S502, S504, S506, S508, S510 DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Certain words are used in the specification and subsequent patent applications to refer to specific components. Those with ordinary knowledge in the field should understand that manufacturers may use different terms to refer to the same component. This specification and subsequent patent applications do not use differences in names as a way to distinguish components, but use differences in the functions of components as the basis for distinction. The "include" or "comprising" mentioned throughout the specification and subsequent patent applications is an open-ended term and should be interpreted as "including but not limited to". In addition, the term "coupled" herein includes any direct and indirect electrical connection means. Therefore, if the text describes a first device coupled to a second device, it means that the first device can be directly electrically connected to the second device, or indirectly electrically connected to the second device through other devices or connection means.

[0027] The embodiment of the present invention can be applied to the manufacturing design process of the circuit board in the computer-aided design (CAD) stage. Through the embodiment of the present invention, a flat cable routing path can be designed for the flexible flat cable during the design process for setting. Figure 1 , Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a process 10 of an embodiment of the present invention. The process 10 is used to design and plan a flat cable routing path of a flexible flat cable. The process 10 includes the following steps:

[0028] Step S100: Start.

[0029] Step S102: Obtain a model file of an electronic device including a first connector and a second connector.

[0030] Step S104: Load the electronic device into a three-dimensional space that can accommodate the electronic device and divide the three-dimensional space into a plurality of grids.

[0031] Step S106: Determine a plurality of obstacle grids including the electronic device from the plurality of grids.

[0032] Step S108: Determine a flat cable routing path from the first connector to the second connector according to a plurality of obstacle grids.

[0033] Step S110: End.

[0034] According to process 10, in step S102, the embodiment of the present invention can obtain a model file of an electronic device including a first connector and a second connector. The model file of the electronic device including the first connector and the second connector can be generated by computer-aided design software or other tool software. The computer-aided design software can be AutoCAD, Pro / Engineer, SolidWorks, but is not limited thereto. For example, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a model file of an electronic device E including a first connector C1 and a second connector C2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 As shown, the first connector C1 and the second connector C2 are respectively arranged at two different positions on the electronic device E. The electronic device E may be a circuit board, an electronic component, a housing or a combination thereof. Alternatively, the electronic device E may be a combination of multiple circuit boards, electronic components and / or housings. The first connector C1 and the second connector C2 can be used to connect a flexible flat cable. For example, the first end of the flexible flat cable is coupled to the first connector C1, and the second end of the flexible flat cable is coupled to the second connector C2 to transmit related signals. During the circuit design process, a flat cable routing path from the first connector C1 to the second connector C2 can be designed for the flexible flat cable through the embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] In step S104, the electronic device including the first connector and the second connector may be loaded into a three-dimensional space that can accommodate the electronic device. Figure 3 As shown, the electronic device is loaded into a three-dimensional space S. The three-dimensional space S can accommodate the electronic device E. The three-dimensional space S may include a range defined by a bounding box BB. The bounding box BB may define the boundary range of the three-dimensional space S. The bounding box BB may be the smallest polyhedron that can surround the electronic device E. The bounding box BB may be generated based on the coordinate positions of the first connector C1 and the second connector C2 in a Cartesian coordinate system. In step S104, after the electronic device including the first connector and the second connector is loaded into the three-dimensional space, the three-dimensional space may be divided into a plurality of grids to grid the three-dimensional space. For example, the grid may be a three-dimensional grid. The grid may be a polygonal grid. For example, as Figure 3 As shown, the three-dimensional space S can be divided into a plurality of grids M. For ease of explanation, Figure 3 Only a portion of the plurality of grids is shown. In one embodiment, a finite element analysis method may be used to divide the space S into a plurality of grids M, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0036] In step S106, a plurality of obstacle grids including the electronic device can be determined from the plurality of grids. Among the plurality of grids in the three-dimensional space, any grid that includes at least a portion of the electronic device is an obstacle grid. In other words, the position of the electronic device including the first connector and the second connector can be detected, and the grid where the electronic device is located can be determined as an obstacle grid. For example, a ray scan method can be used to emit a plurality of rays at a specific density in a boundary box of the three-dimensional space to form a ray array. The ray is a straight line, and the ray passes through the space and passes through obstacles (such as Figure 3 The electronic device E includes a first connector C1 and a second connector C2). Since the obstacle and the space belong to different media, when the ray passes through two different media, the spatial coordinates of the junction of the two media will be recorded and the obstacle grid will be detected. Figure 4 As shown, taking the components A1 and A2 on the electronic device E as an example, the locations of the components A1 and A2 can be detected, and the grid where the electronic device is located is determined as the obstacle grid OM. Figure 4 In the right half of , the solid dots represent the obstacle grid OM.

[0037] In step S108, a flat cable routing path from the first connector to the second connector can be determined based on a plurality of obstacle grids. More specifically, the grid including the first connector (i.e., the grid where the first connector is located) can be set as the starting point of the flat cable routing path, and the grid including the second connector (i.e., the grid where the second connector is located) can be set as the end point of the flat cable routing path. Next, a plurality of target grids are determined from a plurality of grids based on a plurality of obstacle grids to form a flat cable routing path for the flexible flat cable. The determination method for determining a plurality of target grids based on a plurality of obstacle grids to form a flat cable routing path can be summarized as a process 50. Please refer to reference 50. Figure 5 . Figure 5 FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of process 50 in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 The process 50 in can be applied to Figure 1The embodiment shown in . According to process 50, for each grid used to form a flat cable routing path, a corresponding grid can be selected from its adjacent grids as the next grid to form the flat cable routing path. In step S502, a target grid determined to form a flat cable routing path can be set as the current target grid, and the grid scores of all adjacent grids adjacent to the current target grid can be calculated based on a plurality of obstacle grids. For example, the grid including the first connector can be set as a target grid to form a flat cable routing path and the starting point of the flat cable routing path. And, the grid including the second connector can be set as a target grid to form a flat cable routing path and the ending point of the flat cable routing path. In this case, the grid including the first connector can be used as the starting point, the grid including the first connector can be set as the current target grid and the grid scores of its adjacent grids can be calculated.

[0038] In step S502, for each adjacent grid adjacent to the current target grid, the grid score of the adjacent grid can be calculated according to at least one of the obstacle grid, the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid containing the second connector (i.e., the end point of the flat cable routing path), the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid containing the first connector (i.e., the starting point of the flat cable routing path), and the number of bends. In one embodiment, since the obstacle grid has been detected in step S106, the grid score of the obstacle grid can be directly set to the lowest score, for example, the grid score of the obstacle grid is set to 0. In this way, the obstacle grid will not be selected when the subsequent target grid is selected, so that the obstacle grid can be avoided when the flat cable routing path is planned. In other words, the flat cable routing path does not include the obstacle grid. Therefore, it can be first determined whether the adjacent grid adjacent to the current target grid is an obstacle grid. If it is determined that the adjacent grid to the current target grid is an obstacle grid, the grid score of the adjacent grid can be directly set to the minimum score (for example, the grid score of the adjacent grid is set to 0) without further calculation of the subsequent grid scores.

[0039] In step S502, for each adjacent grid adjacent to the current target grid, if the adjacent grid is an obstacle grid, the grid score of the adjacent grid is directly set to the lowest score. If the adjacent grid is not an obstacle grid, at least one of the first score determined according to the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid containing the second connector, the second score determined according to the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid containing the first connector, and the third score determined according to the number of bends can be summed to generate the grid score of the adjacent grid. In one embodiment, for each adjacent grid adjacent to the current target grid, a first score of the adjacent grid can be determined according to the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid containing the second connector (i.e., the end point of the flat cable routing path). The distance between the adjacent grid and the grid containing the second connector is inversely proportional to the first score. That is, the shorter the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid containing the second connector, the higher the first score. The longer the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid containing the second connector, the lower the first score. In one embodiment, for each adjacent grid adjacent to the current target grid, a second score of the adjacent grid can be determined according to the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid containing the first connector (i.e., the starting point of the flat cable routing path). The distance between the adjacent grid and the grid containing the first connector is inversely proportional to the second score. In other words, the shorter the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid containing the first connector, the higher the second score. The longer the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid containing the first connector, the lower the second score. In one embodiment, for each adjacent grid adjacent to the current target grid, a third score of the adjacent grid can be determined according to the number of bends. The number of bends can be the number of bends from the grid containing the first connector (i.e., the starting point of the flat cable routing path) to the adjacent grid. The number of bends is inversely proportional to the third score. In other words, the fewer the number of bends, the higher the third score. The more the number of bends, the lower the third score.

[0040] In one embodiment, at least one of a first score determined according to the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid including the second connector, a second score determined according to the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid including the first connector, and a third score determined according to the number of bends may be weighted to calculate the grid score of the adjacent grid. For example, the first score is multiplied by a first weight to generate a first weighted score. The second score is multiplied by a second weight to generate a second weighted score. The third score may be multiplied by a third weight to generate a third weighted score. For example, the first weight may be greater than the second weight and the third weight, and the second weight may be greater than the third weight, but is not limited thereto. Then, at least one of the calculated first weighted score, the second weighted score, and the third weighted score is summed to generate the grid score of the adjacent grid.

[0041] In step S504, since the grid with a higher grid score is the more ideal path. The grid with the highest score can be selected from all adjacent grids adjacent to the target grid as the next target grid, as one of the multiple target grids that form the flat cable routing path. In step S506, after selecting the next target grid from the adjacent grids of the current target grid, it can be determined whether the selected next target grid is the end point of the flat cable routing path (i.e., the grid containing the second connector). When it is determined that the selected next target grid is not the end point of the flat cable routing path (i.e., the grid containing the second connector), step S508 is executed. In step S508, the selected next target grid is set as the current target grid and step S502 is executed. Then, the next target grid is found by executing steps S502 and S504. In this way, the subsequent target grids can be determined sequentially starting from the grid containing the first connector.

[0042] In step S506, when it is determined that the next target grid selected is the end point of the flat cable routing path (i.e., the grid including the second connector), it means that all target grids that can be used to form the flat cable routing path have been judged. All target grids are connected in series in sequence to form a flat cable routing path. In this way, through the aforementioned process of the embodiment of the present invention, the present invention can plan the flat cable routing path from the first connector to the second connector without manual interference checking, so as to set up a flexible flat cable, so that the flexible flat cable can be coupled to the first connector and the second connector for signal transmission. For example, Figure 6 As shown, the embodiment of the present invention provides a flat cable routing path P from the first connector C1 to the second connector C2 that can avoid obstacles, has the shortest path and the least number of bends. Figure 7 As shown, after the flat cable routing path P from the first connector C1 to the second connector C2 is planned, the structure of the flexible flat cable FFC can be arranged along the flat cable routing path P.

[0043] In addition, in step S108, after the obstacle grid is determined through the process of step S106, the embodiment of the present invention can also use the A star algorithm to determine a plurality of target grids from a plurality of grids according to a plurality of obstacle grids to form a flat cable routing path.

[0044] A person skilled in the art may combine, modify or change the above-described embodiments according to the spirit of the embodiments of the present invention, but is not limited thereto. All of the above statements, steps, and / or processes (including recommended steps) may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware (i.e., a combination of hardware devices and computer instructions, where the data in the hardware devices are read-only software data), electronic systems, or a combination of the above devices. The hardware may include analog, digital and hybrid circuits (i.e., microcircuits, microchips or silicon chips). For example, the hardware may be an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmable logic component, a coupled hardware component, or a combination of the above hardware. In other embodiments, the hardware may include a general purpose processor, a microprocessor, a controller, a digital signal processor (DSP), or a combination of the above hardware. The software may be a combination of program codes, a combination of instructions and / or a combination of functions (functionality), which is stored in a storage device, such as a computer readable recording medium or a non-transitory computer-readable medium. For example, a computer-readable recording medium may include a read-only memory (ROM), a flash memory (Flash Memory), a random-access memory (RAM), a subscriber identity module (SIM), a hard disk, a floppy disk, or a CD-ROM / DVD-ROM / BD-ROM, but is not limited thereto. An embodiment of the present invention may include an electronic system, the electronic system including a processing circuit and a storage device. The process steps and embodiments of the embodiments of the present invention may be compiled into a program code or instruction form and stored in the storage device of the electronic device. The processing circuit of the electronic system can be used to read and execute the program code or instruction stored in the storage device to implement all the aforementioned steps and functions.

[0045] In summary, the embodiment of the present invention can plan a flat cable routing path from the first connector to the second connector without manual interference checking for setting a flexible flat cable, so that the flexible flat cable can be coupled to the first connector and the second connector for signal transmission. At the same time, the path planning method of the embodiment of the present invention provides a flat cable routing path from the first connector to the second connector that can avoid obstacles, has the shortest path, and has the least number of bends.

[0046] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. All equivalent changes and modifications made according to the scope of the patent application of the present invention should fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A path planning method, characterized in that: For a flexible flat cable, comprising: Obtaining a model file of an electronic device including a first connector and a second connector; Loading the electronic device into a three-dimensional space capable of accommodating the electronic device and dividing the three-dimensional space into a plurality of grids; Determining a plurality of obstacle grids including the electronic device from the plurality of grids; and A flat cable routing path from the first connector to the second connector is determined according to the plurality of obstacle grids.

2. The path planning method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step of determining the flat cable routing path from the first connector to the second connector according to the plurality of obstacle grids comprises: Setting the grid including the first connector as the starting point of the flat cable routing path and setting the grid including the second connector as the ending point of the flat cable routing path; and A plurality of target grids are determined from the plurality of grids according to the plurality of obstacle grids to form the flat cable routing path.

3. The path planning method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The step of determining a plurality of target grids from the plurality of grids according to the plurality of obstacle grids to form the flat cable routing path comprises: For each target grid forming the flat cable routing path, calculating grid scores of grids adjacent to the target grid according to the plurality of obstacle grids; and The grid with the highest score is selected from the grids adjacent to the target grid as the next target grid to form the flat cable routing path.

4. The path planning method according to claim 3, characterized in that: Also includes: The grid including the first connector is set as the target grid for forming the flat cable routing path, and the grid including the first connector is used as the starting point of the flat cable routing path.

5. The path planning method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The step of calculating the grid scores of grids adjacent to each target grid forming the flat cable routing path according to the plurality of obstacle grids comprises: For each adjacent grid adjacent to the target grid, a grid score of the adjacent grid is calculated based on at least one of the plurality of obstacle grids, the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid including the second connector, the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid including the first connector, and the number of bends.

6. The path planning method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The step of calculating the grid score of each adjacent grid adjacent to the target grid according to at least one of the plurality of obstacle grids, the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid including the second connector, the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid including the first connector, and the number of bends includes: setting the grid score of the adjacent grid to the lowest score when the adjacent grid is determined to be an obstacle grid.

7. The path planning method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The step of calculating the grid score of each adjacent grid adjacent to the target grid according to at least one of the plurality of obstacle grids, the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid including the second connector, the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid including the first connector, and a bending number comprises: Determining a first score of the adjacent grid according to the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid including the second connector, wherein the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid including the second connector is inversely proportional to the first score; Determining a second fraction of the adjacent grid according to the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid including the first connector, wherein the distance between the adjacent grid and the grid including the first connector is inversely proportional to the second fraction; Determining a third score of adjacent grids according to the number of bends, wherein the number of bends is inversely proportional to the third score; and A weighted calculation is performed according to at least one of the first score, the second score, and the third score to calculate a grid score of the adjacent grid.

8. The path planning method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The step of performing weighted calculation according to at least one of the first score, the second score, and the third score to calculate the grid score of the adjacent grid comprises: multiplying the first score by a first weight to generate a first weighted score, multiplying the second score by a second weight to generate a second weighted score, and multiplying the third score by a third weight to generate a third weighted score; and summing at least one of the calculated first weighted score, the second weighted score, and the third weighted score to generate a grid score of the adjacent grid; The first weight is greater than the second weight and the third weight, and the second weight is greater than the third weight.

9. The path planning method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flat cable routing path does not include the plurality of obstacle grids.

10. The path planning method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible flat cable is arranged along the flat cable routing path, and a first end of the flexible flat cable is coupled to the first connector and a second end of the flexible flat cable is coupled to the second connector.

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