Combine Field Boundary Mapping for Undetectable Obstacle Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing work vehicles rely on cameras and obstacle sensors for obstacle detection, but cannot handle obstacles that are undetectable by these systems.
Innovation Solution
A work vehicle equipped with a positioning unit to trace a swept path, an initial external shape generation unit to create an initial field shape, an obstacle identification unit to identify and set an autonomous travel area, and a corrected external shape generation unit to exclude obstacles, allowing manual and autonomous travel adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If camera or obstacle sensor is used for obstacle detection, then obstacle detection capability is improved, but undetectable obstacles cannot be handled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mediator (the operator) who manually drives the vehicle along the outer edge of the field to trace the swept path. This intermediary approach allows detection of obstacles that are invisible to cameras and sensors, as the operator can sense and avoid undetectable obstacles while tracing the boundary, thereby resolving the contradiction between detection capability and reliability.
2Extent of automation
If automated driving ECU sets travel course based on detected obstacles, then autonomous navigation is improved, but inability to handle undetectable obstacles reduces safety
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by having the operator manually trace the swept path along the field outer edge before autonomous navigation begins. This preliminary manual tracing identifies and marks obstacles (including undetectable ones) in advance, allowing the automated driving ECU to later navigate safely around them without real-time detection, thus resolving the contradiction between automation extent and safety.
Data Source
AI summary
A combine (work vehicle) is provided with: a positioning unit that obtains a measurement point indicating a position of a vehicle body; an initial external shape generating unit that generates an initial external shape of an agricultural field on the basis of a travel trajectory of the vehicle body constituted of a plurality of measurement points obtained when the vehicle body was manually driven along an external edge of the agricultural field; and an obstacle identification unit that identifies an obstacle for travel on the basis of the travel trajectory and generates an obstacle area including the identified obstacle.