AGV Path Reservation for Collision-Free Grid Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) that dynamically determine their moving paths in movable areas face challenges in preventing collisions and efficiently managing storage, as existing methods lack effective collision prevention and storage management criteria, especially when storage capacity is exceeded.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that reserve moving nodes along a path using a computing device to prevent collisions by determining the shortest path and prioritizing node reservations based on importance, load status, and waiting time, while also managing object storage by identifying suitable storage areas and redirecting objects to alternative areas when storage is full.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If automated guided vehicles dynamically determine moving paths in movable areas, then path flexibility and efficiency are improved, but collision risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary path reservation before the AGV actually traverses the path. By reserving moving nodes in advance based on the determined path, the system ensures that other AGVs are aware of the upcoming movement and can plan accordingly, preventing collisions while maintaining dynamic path selection
Solution Approach 2:
The control device acts as an intermediary between multiple AGVs. It receives path information from AGVs, determines conflicts, and coordinates path reservations to prevent collisions, enabling multiple AGVs to operate dynamically in the same movable area without direct communication between them
2Productivity
If multiple automated guided vehicles operate in the same movable area, then system productivity is improved, but collision prevention complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each AGV independently determines its own path and sends it to the control device. The control device automatically processes path information, determines conflicts, and manages reservations without requiring complex inter-AGV communication or coordination protocols, simplifying the overall system while supporting multiple vehicles
3Reliability
If path reservation is extended further ahead to prevent collisions, then collision prevention is improved, but path blocking for other vehicles increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system reserves only the necessary portion of the path that the AGV will actually traverse, not the entire possible movement area. By calculating the specific moving nodes required for the determined path and reserving only those, the system ensures adequate collision prevention while minimizing blocking effects on other AGVs that may use different paths
Data Source
AI summary
A method performed by a computing device for controlling an automated guided vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes obtaining information on a movable area including nodes arranged in a grid pattern, obtaining information on a moving path connecting a source node and a destination node existing in the movable area, wherein the moving path includes a plurality of moving nodes, and reserving at least some of the moving nodes located between a current node and the destination node by using information on the current node occupied by an automated guided vehicle according to movement of the automated guided vehicle.