Autonomous travel path planning method

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Solution Overview

Problem

Autonomous traveling bodies with rectangular shapes can deviate outward from the peripheral boundary of the travel area during grid-based path planning, especially when orientation changes, leading to unfilled areas near the outer periphery.

Innovation Solution

Create inner rounding paths to cover the deviation width and plan a travel path that includes outer and inner rounding paths, ensuring the autonomous traveling body stays within the travel area boundaries, with the option of overlapping or independent inner paths, and set the end position of the filling travel path near the start position to prevent deviation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If grid-based filling travel path planning is used, then the autonomous traveling body can systematically cover the travel area, but the body deviates outward from the peripheral boundary when orientation changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystematic coverage of travel areaVSAvoidposition accuracy relative to boundary
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the travel area into multiple grid cells and processes them in a systematic sequence. By segmenting the overall travel area into discrete units, the system achieves comprehensive coverage while managing boundary deviations through controlled transitions between cells

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary actions by creating outer rounding paths that anticipate and compensate for expected deviations before they occur. The system pre-calculates adjusted paths that account for the body's orientation changes, ensuring boundary compliance before actual travel deviations can happen

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If the filling travel target area is reduced to prevent deviation, then the body stays within boundaries, but unfilled areas are generated near the outer periphery

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveposition accuracy relative to boundaryVSAvoidcoverage completeness
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges two path planning approaches: outer rounding paths that follow the boundary and inner grid-based filling paths that systematically cover the area. By combining these complementary path types, the system achieves both boundary compliance and complete area coverage without leaving unfilled regions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary buffering zone between the boundary and the filling travel target area. This intermediate region allows the body to operate within boundaries while still achieving complete coverage of the effective travel area through coordinated outer and inner path execution

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4242770B1Autonomous travel path planning method
Publication Date: 2025.07.09 MURATA MASCH LTD
  • EP4242770B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4242770B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4242770B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In a grid-based autonomous travel path planning, it is aimed to prevent an autonomous traveling body from deviating outward from a peripheral boundary of a travel area. The autonomous travel path planning method, which is a method for planning a path for an autonomous traveling device (100) to autonomously travel, includes the steps of obtaining a travel area to perform filling travel in a global map (GM), (S32) calculating deviation width (DW) of a main body (B) of the autonomous traveling device (100) when it changes its direction, based on size of the autonomous traveling device (100), turning radius thereof, turning movement distance, and grid (GR) size, (S34) creating an inner rounding path (23) corresponding to at least a part of the deviation width (DW), and (S35) creating a filling travel path (25) so as to fill a second grid area (GA2).