Autonomous Ball Collection Using Density-Based Route Prioritization

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional scattered object collection systems, such as golf ball collectors, inefficiently traverse areas without considering actual ball distribution, leading to high energy consumption and increased costs due to unnecessary travel and low ball supply efficiency.

Innovation Solution

An autonomous collector system that uses positional information from GPS and sensors to identify the exact location of collected objects, creating a density map to prioritize high-density areas for collection, reducing unnecessary travel and optimizing collection efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If the autonomous collector travels all over the work area to collect scattered objects, then the collection coverage is improved, but the energy consumption increases and collection efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvework area coverageVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of scattered object distribution before the collection operation begins. The detection unit scans the work area to identify object locations and densities in advance, creating a distribution map that guides the subsequent collection path planning, thereby avoiding unnecessary travel to empty areas

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously updates the scattered object distribution information based on detection unit feedback during operation. The collection path is dynamically adjusted according to real-time detection data, allowing the collector to adapt to changing object distributions and optimize its route continuously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Area of stationary object

If the autonomous collector travels all over the work area to collect scattered objects, then the collection coverage is improved, but the collection efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvework area coverageVSAvoidcollection efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of scattered object distribution before the collection operation begins. The detection unit scans the work area to identify object locations and densities in advance, creating a distribution map that guides the subsequent collection path planning, thereby avoiding unnecessary travel to empty areas

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously updates the scattered object distribution information based on detection unit feedback during operation. The collection path is dynamically adjusted according to real-time detection data, allowing the collector to adapt to changing object distributions and optimize its route continuously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the number of balls in stock is increased to meet customer demands, then the ball supply reliability is improved, but the storage cost and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveball supply reliabilityVSAvoidnumber of balls in stock

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The autonomous collector operates independently to continuously replenish the ball supply in the hitting bay. The system autonomously navigates, detects ball locations, collects scattered balls, and returns them to the storage area, eliminating the need for manual restocking and large inventory buffers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4108303B1Scattered-object collection system

Publication Date: 2025.07.30 YAMABIKO CORP

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AI summary

Provided is a highly reliable, cost-effective scattered object collection system that can determine the correct position of each scattered object on the ground, such as a ball, and efficiently collect scattered objects by reducing unnecessary traveling of an autonomous collector. The scattered object collection system includes an autonomous collector 1 that performs a collecting operation by picking up balls B while traveling in a work area W and a collector management unit 80 that manages the autonomous collector 1. The collector management unit 80 acquires positional information on the autonomous collector 1, identifies an actual position where each ball B was picked up in the work area W using the acquired positional information, and allows the autonomous collector 1 to perform a collecting operation in a place having a high density of balls B with higher priority than a place having a low density of balls B using the identified actual positional information on each ball B.