Agricultural Vehicle Path Planning with Automated Turn Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for planning the path of agricultural vehicles often result in disjointed paths, requiring manual intervention to connect between planned paths, leading to inefficiencies and potential errors in crop management and yield optimization.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that automatically generates a path plan connecting predetermined points on multiple planned paths, using a vehicle control system that includes a position determining system, guidance system, and terrain compensation module to ensure precise and contiguous path planning, minimizing manual input and errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual intervention is used to connect between planned paths, then the system is simpler to implement, but productivity decreases due to required driver disengagement and manual repositioning
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and stores turn paths between all planned paths before operation begins. When the vehicle needs to transition between paths, the system retrieves and executes the pre-planned turn path, eliminating the need for manual intervention and maintaining operational continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an automated path connection module that acts as an intermediary between the vehicle controller and the planned paths. This module automatically generates and executes turn paths, serving as a mediator that eliminates the need for direct manual control while maintaining system simplicity through modular design.
2Productivity
If automated path connection is implemented, then productivity increases through continuous operation, but device complexity increases requiring additional control systems
Solution Approach 1:
The path connection module is designed to be universally applicable to any set of planned paths. It can handle transitions between any two paths in the sequence, making the system multi-functional and reducing the need for path-specific control logic, thereby managing complexity while maintaining high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is segmented into distinct functional modules: path planning, turn path generation, and execution control. This segmentation allows each module to be independently developed and tested, reducing overall system complexity while enabling automated continuous operation for improved productivity.
3Ease of operation
If disjointed paths are used, then ease of operation is improved through simpler path planning, but manufacturing precision decreases with gaps and overlaps in field operations
Solution Approach 1:
Turn paths between all planned paths are pre-calculated to ensure precise geometric connections. This preliminary calculation guarantees that transitions between paths maintain manufacturing precision by eliminating gaps and overlaps, while the automated nature of the calculation preserves ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses curved turn paths instead of sharp angular transitions to connect planned paths. These smooth curved transitions maintain field operation precision by eliminating abrupt direction changes that could cause gaps or overlaps, while still being generated through automated algorithms that preserve ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention pertain to methods and systems for planning the path of an agricultural vehicle. In one embodiment, a first point of a first planned path and a second point of a second planned path are determined. A path plan is then automatically generated connecting the first point and the second point.