AGV Path Graph Analysis for Travel Blocking Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for detecting travel blocking situations in automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are time-consuming and unreliable, often failing to identify all possible scenarios, leading to potential deadlocks that can occur after years of operation.
Innovation Solution
A method that systematically analyzes predefined travel paths by parsing nodes and edges, identifying relevant states, and determining travel restrictions to efficiently and reliably identify travel blocking situations, including unescapable and route-dependent deadlocks, using a data processing system and computer-readable instructions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If simulation of the running system is used to detect travel blocking situations, then the detection can be performed on actual system behavior, but the process is time-consuming and cannot guarantee identification of all possible scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing static analysis of the path graph and travel rules before the AGV system operates. The system pre-identifies all potential travel blocking situations by analyzing the predefined paths, nodes, edges, and travel rules in advance, rather than waiting to detect them during actual system operation. This allows complete scenario verification without time-consuming simulations during runtime.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual model (copy) of the AGV system consisting of a path graph with nodes, edges, and travel rules. This virtual representation allows the system to analyze and detect travel blocking situations in the model without needing to simulate actual physical AGV movements. The copy enables complete scenario analysis while avoiding the time costs of physical or detailed operational simulations.
2Reliability
If simulation methods are used to identify travel blocking situations, then actual system behavior can be observed, but the method is unreliable and may miss potential deadlocks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical simulation approach with a logical-analytical method. Instead of simulating physical AGV movements and observing system behavior, the system uses algorithmic analysis of the path graph structure and travel rules to deterministically identify travel blocking situations. This substitution improves reliability by ensuring all scenarios are systematically covered while reducing the complexity of implementing and maintaining simulation infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically analyzing its own path graph and travel rules to identify potential travel blocking situations. The method uses the predefined system parameters (nodes, edges, travel rules) to generate and evaluate all possible state combinations, enabling the system to detect its own potential deadlocks without external simulation tools or manual analysis.
3Reliability
If all possible travel scenarios are systematically analyzed, then complete identification of travel blocking situations is achieved, but the analysis complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by breaking down the travel path into discrete components: nodes, edges, and travel rules. The system analyzes each component and their combinations systematically, evaluating all possible state combinations of occupied and unoccupied nodes. This segmentation enables complete scenario analysis while managing complexity through structured, modular processing of path elements.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for identifying at least one travel blocking situation in a predefined set of travel paths for automated guided vehicles, AGV, the travel paths being defined by nodes and edges. The method comprises parsing at least a subset of the nodes of the predefined set of travel paths, identifying, in the parsed set of nodes, at least one travel rule associated with an outgoing edge from a parsed node, determining, for each identified travel rule, at least one node that, if occupied, triggers a travel restriction for an outgoing edge from the parsed node, forming a relevant state for each combination of a parsed node and at least one node determined to trigger a travel restriction associated with an outgoing edge of the parsed node, determining that a relevant state represents a travel blocking situation if each of the nodes forming the relevant state is connected to at least one outgoing edge that due to a triggered travel restriction, is unavailable for leaving the node.