Autonomous Route Segmentation for Faster Path Correction

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing autonomous traveling devices require operators to re-record the entire traveling route to correct parts of the taught route, which lowers work efficiency for generating traveling routes.

Innovation Solution

An autonomous traveling system that divides the traveling route into individual routes, allowing operators to select and connect them to generate a new route, with the ability to replace specific sections without re-recording the entire route, using a reception unit, registration unit, obtaining unit, setting unit, and generation unit to improve route generation efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the operator re-records the entire traveling route to correct a part of the taught route, then the route correction is achieved, but the work efficiency for generating the traveling route is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroute correction capabilityVSAvoidwork efficiency for generating traveling route
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The traveling route is divided into multiple individual traveling routes that can be independently selected and combined. This segmentation allows the operator to modify only the specific portion needing correction by replacing individual route segments rather than re-recording the entire route, thereby maintaining route correction capability while significantly improving work efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If the entire traveling route is re-recorded to make partial changes, then the route modification is achieved, but the time required for route generation is increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroute modification flexibilityVSAvoidtime for route generation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the traveling route into individual routes stored in the storage unit, the system enables flexible modification of specific route portions. The operator can select and combine individual routes to create modified traveling routes without re-recording everything, thus achieving route modification flexibility while reducing the time required for route generation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple individual traveling routes are pre-recorded and stored in the storage unit during the teaching phase. This preliminary action allows the operator to quickly assemble modified routes by selecting from pre-existing segments rather than re-recording from scratch, thereby reducing the time required for route generation while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If the traveling route is divided into individual routes and connected, then the work efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvework efficiency for route generationVSAvoidsystem complexity for route management
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The autonomous traveling device itself performs the route assembly and connection operations automatically. The control unit selects individual routes from storage, determines connection points, and generates the combined traveling route without requiring external assistance. This self-service approach improves work efficiency while the complexity is contained within the device rather than requiring additional external systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3832418B1Autonomous traveling system, autonomous traveling method, and autonomous traveling program
Publication Date: 2024.08.28 OMRON CORP
  • EP3832418B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3832418B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3832418B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An autonomous driving system, an autonomous driving method, and an autonomous traveling program improve the work efficiency of an operator for generating a traveling route of an autonomous traveling device. A cleaner (10) includes a reception unit (412) that receives a teaching operation performed by an operator, a registration unit (413) that registers, with a storage (50), an individual traveling route corresponding to the teaching operation, an obtaining unit (414) that obtains, from a plurality of the individual traveling routes registered with the storage (50), a plurality of individual traveling routes selected by the operator, a setting unit (415) that sets an order of the obtained plurality of individual traveling routes, and a generation unit (416) that generates the traveling route based on the obtained plurality of individual traveling routes and the set order of the plurality of individual traveling routes.