Autonomous Indoor Navigation With Multi-Sensor Path Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomous navigation systems for indoor spaces are costly and inefficient due to the need for dedicated sensors for position, orientation, and path correction, leading to deviations from the desired path and increased risk of collisions, especially in time-varying environments with obstacles and uneven surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a plurality of absolute position sensors such as UWB, Bluetooth, and Zigbee to determine instantaneous absolute position and orientation, allowing for a multi-stage navigation process with real-time course corrections and optimal path selection, reducing the reliance on expensive dedicated sensors and enhancing navigation stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If dedicated sensors for position, orientation, and path correction are used, then navigation accuracy is improved, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple positioning sensors (UWB, Bluetooth, Zigbee) into a unified positioning system that collectively provides accurate position and orientation data. Instead of using separate dedicated sensors for each function, the system merges these wireless positioning technologies to jointly determine the autonomous entity's location and orientation, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless positioning sensors serve multiple functions: they provide both position information and orientation information, and enable real-time path correction. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated sensors for each measurement type, reducing system complexity while maintaining high measurement accuracy for navigation.
2Reliability
If multiple dedicated sensors are deployed for accurate navigation, then navigation reliability is improved, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple wireless positioning technologies (UWB, Bluetooth, Zigbee) into a single integrated positioning system. This combination provides redundant measurement capabilities that enhance navigation reliability through cross-validation of position and orientation data, while avoiding the need for multiple separate sensor systems that would increase cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs relatively low-cost wireless positioning sensors (UWB, Bluetooth, Zigbee) instead of expensive dedicated navigation sensors. These sensors provide sufficient accuracy for navigation when used in combination, offering a cost-effective solution that maintains reliability through their collective positioning capability rather than relying on individual expensive sensors.
3Manufacturing precision
If real-time position and orientation correction is implemented, then path deviation is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously receives real-time position and orientation data from the wireless positioning sensors and compares it with the desired navigation path. Based on this feedback, the control unit automatically calculates and applies correction commands to steer the autonomous entity back onto the intended path, achieving high path following accuracy through continuous closed-loop control.
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous entity performs self-correction of its navigation path using the position and orientation data from the wireless positioning sensors. The control unit autonomously processes the sensor data, determines deviations from the desired path, and generates steering commands without external intervention, reducing the need for complex external control systems while maintaining high path following accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system are provided for navigating an autonomous entity by using positioning sensors. Using the location information provided by the positing sensing unit, the absolute position unit and the absolute orientation unit provide an instantaneous absolute position and an absolute orientation. The navigation unit navigates between two points using a combination of line segments, each line segment using a multi-stage navigation processes that include ramping-up a speed of the entity, performing a course correction on the entity to orient the entity along a predetermined path, performing a stabilization of navigation of the entity for aligning the entity within a deviation limit from the predetermined path and ramping-down the speed of the entity and stopping navigation upon the entity reaching a predetermined limit from a target location. Drive wheel control unit translates the correction control signal from the navigation units to differential speeds applied on the drive wheels.