Ball Collector Priority Zoning to Reduce Unnecessary Traveling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional scattered object collection systems, such as autonomous ball collectors, face inefficiencies due to unnecessary traveling as they operate across entire work areas regardless of object distribution, leading to suboptimal collection efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A scattered object collection system that utilizes a virtual work area setting unit to prioritize collection operations in areas with dense object distribution, close to the storage space, by creating a ball density distribution map and setting a virtual priority work area for the collector to focus its efforts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the traveling collector operates across the entire work area, then the collection coverage is complete, but the unnecessary traveling increases and collection efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by dividing the work area into multiple local zones based on object distribution density. The virtual work area setting unit creates priority zones where objects are densely distributed, allowing the traveling collector to focus collection efforts on high-density areas first. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining complete coverage reliability while improving efficiency through localized prioritization of collection operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-establishing virtual work areas and priority zones before the traveling collector begins operation. The virtual work area setting unit uses detection information to create a map of object distribution and predetermined zones in advance, allowing the collector to follow an optimized path that minimizes unnecessary traveling while ensuring complete coverage.
2Reliability
If the traveling collector travels to all areas, then no scattered objects are left uncollected, but the traveling time and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the work area into multiple segmented zones based on object distribution characteristics. The virtual work area setting unit creates distinct priority zones, medium-priority zones, and low-priority zones. The traveling collector systematically visits these segmented zones in order of priority, ensuring complete collection while minimizing total traveling time by avoiding early visits to low-density areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-mapping the work area and identifying priority zones before collection begins. Detection units scan the area and the virtual work area setting unit creates an optimized collection path that segments the area into priority levels, allowing the collector to complete high-value collection areas first while guaranteeing eventual coverage of all zones.
3Ease of operation
If the traveling collector operates without priority zones, then the operation is simple, but the unnecessary traveling increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the virtual work area configuration adaptable and changeable. The virtual work area setting unit can dynamically adjust priority zones based on real-time detection information and collection progress. This maintains operational simplicity through automated zone management while improving efficiency by allowing the system to adapt to changing object distributions without requiring complex manual reconfiguration.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a highly reliable, cost-effective scattered object collection system that can efficiently collect scattered objects by reducing unnecessary traveling of a traveling collector. The scattered object collection system includes a traveling collector that performs a collecting operation by picking up balls B while traveling in a work area W, sets a virtual work area Z (or a virtual priority work area Za) to an area in the work area W where balls are relatively densely present and in the vicinity of the storage space of balls, and allows the traveling collector to perform a collecting operation in the virtual work area Z (or the virtual priority work area Za) with higher priority than the other areas.