Collective Conveyance Control for Stable Center-of-Gravity Transport

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing transport systems face instability due to changes in the center of gravity when transporting multiple energy storage devices, either by unmanned aircraft or movable bodies, leading to potential posture issues.

Innovation Solution

A transport system that identifies and stabilizes the relative positions of multiple first moving bodies within a first assembly, allowing them to be transported together by a smaller number of second moving bodies, such as drones, by calculating and optimizing the center of gravity information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If multiple conveyance devices are managed by a single management device, then centralized control is achieved, but communication load increases and communication may be lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecentralized controlVSAvoidcommunication load
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the management function into two segments: a management device that sets work information and multiple conveyance devices that execute and store information locally. Each conveyance device maintains its own work information independently, eliminating the need for continuous centralized communication while preserving controlled autonomy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The management device performs preliminary action by setting and transmitting work information to conveyance devices before execution. Conveyance devices store this information locally in advance, enabling them to operate independently without requiring real-time communication during execution, thus reducing communication load.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If work information is changed during conveyance, then flexibility is improved, but information accuracy may be lost due to communication issues

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvework information flexibilityVSAvoidinformation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Conveyance devices store work information locally in advance before execution. This preliminary storage ensures that the original information is preserved accurately without requiring continuous communication updates, maintaining information accuracy while allowing flexibility in execution timing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where conveyance devices report their status and received work information back to the management device. This feedback loop ensures information accuracy is maintained while allowing flexible updates when communication is available, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4407551B1Conveyance system, information processing device, conveyance method, conveyance program, and storage medium
Publication Date: 2025.12.24 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP4407551B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4407551B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4407551B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This conveyance system (1) comprises: a plurality of first movable bodies (10) capable of autonomous movement; and a second movable body (20) which conveys the plurality of first movable bodies (10) as a first collective body (60) in which relative positions between the first movable bodies are specified.