Autonomous Cargo Handling Alignment Using Previous Position Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional loading systems require installation of rails and trolley lines, making it difficult for autonomous moving bodies to accurately align and arrange cargo handling devices without gaps, due to estimation errors in self-location.
Innovation Solution
A control device for a moving body that estimates its self-location and supports cargo handling devices, allowing it to align and arrange multiple devices by acquiring the position of a previous device and determining the placement of the next device based on this information, thereby minimizing the gap between them.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a moving body capable of autonomous traveling is used to convey cargo handling devices, then the need for installation of rails or trolley lines is eliminated, but it is difficult to stop the moving body at a targeted position with high accuracy due to self-location estimation errors
Solution Approach 1:
The control device acquires actual position information of placed cargo handling devices and uses this feedback to determine the placement position of subsequent devices. This closed-loop feedback mechanism compensates for self-location estimation errors by continuously adjusting based on actual positions, thereby maintaining high positioning accuracy without requiring fixed infrastructure like rails.
Solution Approach 2:
The system places the first cargo handling device at a predetermined position as a reference point before placing subsequent devices. This preliminary action establishes a known reference that subsequent placements can reference, allowing the moving body to accumulate position information and maintain accurate placement even with estimation errors in autonomous navigation.
2Reliability
If the target position is set to secure interval between adjacent cargo handling devices, then interference between devices is suppressed, but the cargo handling devices cannot be arranged at the arrangement location without a gap
Solution Approach 1:
The system initially sets target positions with sufficient intervals to prevent interference, then progressively reduces the intervals for subsequent devices based on accumulated position information. This partial adjustment approach allows the system to maintain safety margins while gradually achieving tighter arrangement, optimizing both reliability and arrangement density.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device dynamically adjusts the interval parameter between adjacent cargo handling devices based on actual position feedback. By changing the interval parameter from a fixed conservative value to a variable value that adapts to actual placement accuracy, the system can achieve tighter arrangements while maintaining interference suppression.
3Productivity
If multiple cargo handling devices are arranged at an arrangement location, then space utilization is improved, but self-location estimation errors cause gaps between devices
Solution Approach 1:
The control device continuously acquires actual position information of each placed cargo handling device and uses this feedback to determine the optimal placement position for subsequent devices. This feedback mechanism compensates for self-location estimation errors by adjusting each subsequent placement based on the actual positions of previously placed devices, thereby achieving tight arrangements with minimal gaps and high space utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
A control device for a moving body according to the present disclosure is a control device for a moving body capable of recognizing and supporting a cargo handling device on which a package is placed and moving while estimating a self-location, and the control device is configured to, when causing the moving body to align and arrange multiple cargo handling devices at an arrangement location, acquire a position of a previous cargo handling device placed in advance at the arrangement location and control the moving body to place a next cargo handling device at a position determined based on the acquired position of the previous cargo handling device. Accordingly, it is possible to align and arrange multiple cargo handling devices at an arrangement location so that a gap is as small as possible by using a moving body capable of moving while estimating a self-location.