Agricultural V2V Path Planning With Localized Repulsion Fields

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional obstacle avoidance and path planning systems for agricultural vehicles are inflexible, require significant computing power, and struggle with dynamic obstacle motion, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle control system that classifies obstacles as dynamic or static, generates repulsive fields based on their type, and uses these fields to determine optimal paths while minimizing modeled repulsive forces, allowing for flexible operation across different contexts and reducing computational requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional obstacle avoidance systems are used, then obstacle detection is achieved, but computing power requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveobstacle detection capabilityVSAvoidcomputing power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments obstacles into two distinct categories: dynamic obstacles (other vehicles, moving objects) and static obstacles (fixed structures, terrain features). This segmentation allows the system to apply different path planning strategies and computational methods for each type, reducing the overall computational burden while maintaining reliable obstacle detection and avoidance capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If conventional path planning systems are used, then path generation is achieved, but flexibility in responding to dynamic obstacle motion is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresponse to dynamic obstacle motionVSAvoidsystem flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic path planning system that continuously updates the coverage map and recalculates paths as vehicles move. The system dynamically adjusts repulsion areas based on real-time positions of dynamic obstacles, allowing flexible response to changing conditions while maintaining ease of operation through automated updates without requiring manual reconfiguration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If repulsion areas with gradients are implemented, then obstacle avoidance is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveobstacle avoidance effectivenessVSAvoidrepulsion area gradient system

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical or geometric path planning methods with a virtual force field approach. By modeling repulsion areas as gradient fields that exert virtual forces on vehicles, the system achieves reliable obstacle avoidance through mathematical field interactions rather than complex geometric calculations, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS12032383B2Localized obstacle avoidance for optimal V2V path planning

Publication Date: 2024.07.09 BLUE LEAF I P INC

AI summary

A vehicle control system for an agricultural vehicle, including a processing circuit including a processor and memory, the memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processing circuit to receive a location of a first vehicle, update a coverage map based on the location of the first vehicle, wherein the coverage map represents a region of operation for the agricultural vehicle and the first vehicle, designate one or more areas of the coverage map as repulsion areas based on the location of the first vehicle, and generate a path from the agricultural vehicle to the first vehicle based on the one or more repulsion areas.