Autonomous Cart Navigation Using Luminance Command Markers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomous carts face difficulties in easily and quickly handling unexpected no-entry limitations within designated areas, as current technologies require troublesome work such as embedding electronic tags or recalculating routes without efficient obstacle detection.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous cart equipped with a planar obstacle-detection region scanned by a laser beam, which outputs obstacle position and luminance information, and a control section that uses designated area map information to navigate while avoiding obstacles and following commands assigned to command members, allowing for dynamic adjustment of travel routes to avoid no-entry regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electronic tags are embedded into the floor to detect no-entry regions, then the autonomous cart can avoid dangerous regions, but the work becomes troublesome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the no-entry region detection function from the floor embedding approach and relocates it to portable command members that can be freely positioned. Instead of embedding tags into the floor structure, the system uses removable command members with detection lights that can be placed on surfaces or held by operators to dynamically define no-entry regions without permanent installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static floor-embedded tags to dynamic command members that can be moved, repositioned, and adjusted in real-time. The no-entry regions are no longer fixed to specific floor locations but can be dynamically redefined by placing command members at different positions, allowing flexible adaptation to changing operational requirements.
2Reliability
If electronic tags are embedded into the floor, then no-entry regions can be detected, but replacement and maintenance become troublesome work
Solution Approach 1:
The detection function is extracted from the permanent floor structure and transferred to portable command members. These command members can be removed, replaced, or maintained without affecting the floor or requiring specialized installation work, significantly easing maintenance operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The command members are designed as disposable or easily replaceable components rather than permanent installations. If a command member becomes damaged or obsolete, it can be simply replaced without the need for complex repair procedures or specialized tools, reducing maintenance burden.
3Measurement precision
If laser beam scanning is used to detect obstacles, then obstacle position and luminance can be accurately measured, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The laser beam scanning device serves multiple functions: it detects obstacle positions, measures obstacle luminance, identifies command members, and determines their orientations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate detection systems for each parameter, thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity while maintaining high measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple detection capabilities (position detection, luminance measurement, command member identification) into a single integrated laser scanning system. By merging these functions into one device rather than using separate sensors for each parameter, the system achieves high measurement precision without proportionally increasing complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables operators to easily and quickly manage unexpected no-entry limitations without performing cumbersome work, ensuring efficient and autonomous navigation within designated areas by using command members to redefine travel paths.
Implementation Method 1
an obstacle detecting member 11 having a planar obstacle-detection region 11AX that has a two-dimensional planar shape and is scanned with laser beam to detect an obstacle
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous cart includes an obstacle detecting member, a driving member, a storing section, and a control section. The obstacle detecting member outputs detection information including an obstacle position and obstacle luminance within a planar obstacle-detection region. The storing section stores designated area map information indicating a position of an obstacle within a designated area. At least one command member to which a command for the control section is assigned is included in the obstacle and is disposed within the designated area at a position where execution of the command is desired. The control section controls the driving member based on the designated area map information and a current position of the autonomous cart to cause the autonomous cart to autonomously travel while avoiding the obstacle within the designated area. The control section follows the command detected by the control section based on the obstacle luminance in the detection information.