Traveling Ball Collector Position Correction Using Pickup Delay
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ball collectors struggle to accurately determine the position of each ball picked up from the ground, leading to errors in ball density distribution information and inefficient collection operations.
Innovation Solution
A traveling collector equipped with a receiver for GPS signals and a controller that determines the actual position of each ball picked up by calculating the movement distance or time from when the ball was collected to when it was detected by the sensor, allowing for accurate positional information storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the position of the ball collector is detected using a satellite positioning system at the time of ball detection, then the position information can be acquired, but the actual position where the ball was picked up cannot be accurately determined due to time delay and movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by recording the position of the ball collector at the moment of ball pickup using a positioning system, before the collector moves to a new location. This ensures that the position data corresponds to the actual pickup location rather than a later position, eliminating the time delay error. The controller stores this preliminary position information and uses it for accurate ball distribution mapping.
2Productivity
If the ball collector moves from the time of ball pickup to the time of ball detection, then the ball can be collected and detected, but the position information becomes inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent records the position information at the moment of ball pickup, before the ball collector moves. This preliminary position recording ensures that even though the collector moves during the ball collection and detection process, the stored position accurately reflects where the ball was originally picked up, maintaining position accuracy while preserving collection efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the position information at the moment of pickup and stores it in the controller. This positional copy is then used for mapping and analysis purposes, decoupling the position data from any subsequent movements of the ball collector, thereby maintaining accuracy independent of collector displacement.
3Loss of information
If visual sensors are used to observe ball patterns for a given period, then ball density distribution information can be created, but the actual positional information on each ball cannot be acquired
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital copy of the actual position information for each ball at the moment of pickup, storing it in the controller. This positional copy enables precise tracking of each ball's location, allowing for accurate ball density distribution analysis without relying on indirect visual observation methods that cannot provide actual positional data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces visual observation methods with a positioning system that directly measures and records the actual position of each ball at pickup. This substitution of measurement methodology provides precise quantitative position data rather than qualitative visual patterns, enabling accurate ball distribution mapping.
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
This solution enables a highly reliable and cost-effective method for determining the correct position of each ball, improving the efficiency of ball collection operations by accurately grasping ball distribution states and dense areas.
Implementation Method 1
a receiver (44) having an antenna for receiving a positioning signal (e.g., a GPS signal) from a satellite of a satellite positioning system
Data Source
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AI summary
To provide a highly reliable, cost-effective traveling collector that can determine the positions of fallen objects, such as balls, on the ground using a simple method, or determine the correct positions of fallen objects, such as balls, on the ground only by improving software and without the need for significant changes to hardware. The traveling collector 1 includes a count sensor 27 as a sensor for detecting the position of each collected ball at a position detected by a satellite positioning system, for example. A controller 50 determines a position, which is obtained by reflecting, based on the positional information on the ball collector 1 at a time point when the ball was counted by touching the count sensor 27, the movement distance La of the ball collector 1 from the time each ball was picked up from the ground by a ball collection wheel 5 till the ball was counted by touching the count sensor 27 in a direction opposite to the traveling direction of the ball collector 1 at that time, as the actual position where each ball was picked up.