Autonomous Farm Machine Road Crossing With Temporary Traffic Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous work machines face challenges in efficiently and safely transitioning between off-road and on-road locations due to complex traffic conditions and regulatory compliance, leading to inefficiencies and potential downtime.
Innovation Solution
A temporary traffic control system with wireless communication-enabled traffic control devices and an on-road traffic coordination controller manages the transition of autonomous work machines by coordinating signal changes and reconfiguring the machines for safe on-road transport, using adaptable wireless communication technologies and transport reconfiguration routines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If autonomous work machines travel on public roads between off-road locations, then operational versatility and productivity are improved, but safety risks and regulatory compliance challenges increase
Solution Approach 1:
A temporary traffic control system acts as an intermediary between autonomous work machines and public road traffic. The system includes traffic control devices positioned at road entrances/exits from off-road locations, which coordinate machine movements with public traffic signals. This mediator enables safe road transit by managing traffic flow and providing controlled access, resolving the contradiction between productivity improvement through road travel and safety maintenance.
2Reliability
If autonomous work machines are reconfigured for transport mode, then on-road safety and compliance are improved, but machine complexity and reconfiguration time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous work machine performs preliminary actions by automatically reconfiguring to transport mode before entering public roads. The machine's control system pre-adjusts operational parameters, activates transport indicators, and modifies operational characteristics to comply with road safety requirements. This preliminary reconfiguration ensures safety compliance is established before road transit begins, resolving the contradiction between safety improvement and complexity increase through automated pre-preparation.
3Productivity
If traffic control devices coordinate signal changes for autonomous machines, then road transit efficiency is improved, but system complexity and communication requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The temporary traffic control system is designed with multi-functionality to handle diverse scenarios: coordinating autonomous machine transit, managing public traffic flow, providing directional guidance, and communicating with various machine types. The traffic control devices can adapt their signaling and communication protocols based on the specific needs of different autonomous work machines and traffic conditions. This universal design enables efficient coordination across multiple functions without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for controlling an autonomous work machine includes receiving from the autonomous work machine an indication of an intention for the autonomous work machine to travel on a road. An instruction is sent to a traffic control device that is a component of a temporary traffic control system. The instruction causes the traffic control device to initiate a signal change. An indication is provided to the autonomous work machine that the road is clear to cross from a first off-road work location to a second off-road work location.