Autonomous Work Surface Maintenance Using Adaptive Travel Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous machines at worksites, such as wheel loaders, encounter work surface imperfections like ditches and potholes, leading to inefficient travel paths and increased time and resources required for tasks, as existing systems do not enable them to maintain a substantially flat surface.
Innovation Solution
A system and method where a controller receives worksite plans and sensor information to identify imperfections, determining alternative travel paths and work tool positions to allow machines to traverse these paths efficiently, thereby maintaining a flat surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If autonomous machines follow pre-planned travel paths, then task execution is efficient, but they encounter work surface imperfections causing delays and potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary scanning of the work surface ahead of the machine's intended path to identify imperfections before the machine reaches them. This allows the control system to proactively adjust the travel path or slow down the machine before it encounters ditches, potholes, or other hazards, preventing damage while maintaining efficient task execution
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously receives feedback from sensors (cameras, LIDAR, depth sensors) about the work surface conditions and feeds this information back to the control system. The control system dynamically adjusts the machine's travel path and speed in real-time based on this feedback, allowing the machine to navigate around imperfections while maintaining overall task efficiency
2Reliability
If manually-controlled machines take corrective action to smooth work surface imperfections, then the surface becomes flatter for safer travel, but semi-autonomous or fully-autonomous machines cannot perform such maintenance tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous machine is equipped with a work tool that can perform maintenance functions on the work surface itself. When imperfections are detected, the control system automatically commands the work tool to smooth or fill the imperfections, allowing the machine to service the environment it operates in without human intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The machine is designed with multi-functionality, combining both travel/transport capabilities and work surface maintenance capabilities in a single system. The work tool can operate in multiple modes: transporting material, smoothing the surface, and filling imperfections, allowing the machine to adapt its function based on real-time conditions
3Reliability
If machines traverse indirect travel paths to avoid imperfections, then machine damage is reduced, but time and resources required to perform tasks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system scans and identifies work surface imperfections before the machine reaches them, allowing proactive path adjustment. By knowing about imperfections in advance, the machine can take the most efficient route around them rather than reacting to them when encountered, minimizing time loss
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the potential harm of encountering imperfections into a benefit by using the work tool to smooth or fill them during normal operation. This transforms obstacles that would require path deviations into opportunities for surface maintenance, actually improving overall efficiency by eliminating future problems
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes receiving a worksite plan to be executed by a machine at a worksite, and determining first travel parameters of the machine. Such first travel parameters include a first travel path along a work surface, and first work tool positions. The method also includes controlling the machine to traverse at least part of the first travel path, receiving sensor information associated with the work surface, and identifying an imperfection of the work surface located along the first travel path. The method further includes determining second travel parameters of the machine. Such second travel parameters including a second travel path along the work surface, and second work tool positions. The method also includes controlling the machine to traverse at least part of the second travel path while positioning the work tool according to at least one of the second work tool positions.