Agricultural Implement Travel Path Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural production is inefficient due to physical obstacles, such as natural and man-made structures, which force farmers to redirect equipment, leading to wasted time and energy, and make it challenging to determine optimized travel paths across fields.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method to optimize the travel path of agricultural implements by identifying field and obstacle dimensions, calculating available farmable areas, selecting suitable implements, and determining potential travel paths based on predetermined factors to minimize inefficiencies and resource waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If farmers redirect implements around obstacles, then obstacles are avoided, but travel distance increases and resource waste occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of field obstacles and pre-calculates optimized travel paths before agricultural operations begin. By determining the most efficient routes around obstacles in advance, the system eliminates the need for farmers to make suboptimal redirection decisions during actual field operations, thereby reducing time waste while maintaining reliable obstacle avoidance.
2Reliability
If farmers manually determine travel paths around obstacles, then obstacles are avoided, but productivity decreases due to inefficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual path determination with an automated computer-based optimization system. The computer calculates optimal travel paths around obstacles using algorithms that consider field geometry, obstacle locations, and implement characteristics. This substitution of mechanical/manual path planning with automated computational analysis dramatically improves productivity by eliminating the inefficiencies inherent in manual obstacle navigation while maintaining reliable avoidance capabilities.
3Use of energy by moving object
If straight uninterrupted rows are used, then energy efficiency is maximized, but obstacles cannot be avoided
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes travel path parameters by calculating optimized routes that adapt to obstacle locations and field geometry. Rather than using fixed straight rows or arbitrary manual paths, the system computes parameter-optimized trajectories that minimize energy consumption while ensuring reliable obstacle avoidance. The optimization considers implement width, overlap requirements, and field boundaries to determine the most energy-efficient path parameters.
4Reliability
If complex manual planning is used to navigate obstacles, then obstacle avoidance is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex manual path planning processes with automated computer-based calculations. The computer program automatically processes field data, identifies obstacles, and computes optimized travel paths without requiring farmers to manually analyze complex geometric relationships. This substitution simplifies the operational complexity for farmers while maintaining reliable obstacle avoidance through sophisticated automated algorithms.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for identifying and addressing inefficiencies in agricultural production activities caused by physical obstacles in the target field. A method and system is disclosed for determining an optimized travel path for an agricultural implement, specifically in the presence of an obstacle or obstruction such as an access road, oil well or public utility infrastructure. The method may further comprise means for determining the impact of such obstacle or obstruction on production from the agricultural land, as well as means for determining an optimized implement type and configuration. One or more travel path plans may be generated for selection of one by an agricultural producer. The method may also comprise means for determining an optimized location or position within a plot of land for an obstacle or obstruction that has not yet been constructed, as a way to reduce or alleviate the negative impact of such obstacle or obstruction on production from the plot of land.