Coverage Path Planning for Complete Area Traversal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for traversing and mowing areas, such as lawn mowers, often inefficiently use time and energy and may leave aesthetically unpleasing or unresolved areas if they do not cover every portion of the region effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the decomposition of a polygonal area into a mesh, determination of a longest funneled path, and optimization of strut values to generate a coverage plan that ensures efficient and aesthetically pleasing mowing by minimizing time and energy consumption while ensuring complete coverage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a system follows a perimeter path to traverse an area, then the system can cover the boundary regions, but the time and energy consumption increases and complete coverage of all portions is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the traversal task into multiple parallel paths (first set of paths and second set of paths) that can be executed simultaneously by multiple systems. This divides the single long perimeter path into shorter concurrent segments, reducing total traversal time while ensuring complete area coverage through coordinated operation of multiple agents
2Reliability
If a system follows a perimeter path to traverse an area, then the system can cover the boundary regions, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the traversal task into multiple parallel paths executed simultaneously by multiple systems. This distributes the energy burden across multiple agents traveling shorter distances concurrently, reducing total energy consumption compared to a single system completing the entire perimeter path sequentially
Solution Approach 2:
Each individual system in the plurality performs only a portion of the total coverage task (either first paths or second paths), rather than one system attempting to complete the entire perimeter. This partial action approach reduces energy consumption per system while the collective group achieves complete coverage
3Productivity
If a naive perimeter-following path is used, then the system can traverse the area, but the traversal is inefficient in time and energy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent improves productivity by segmenting the traversal into multiple optimized parallel paths that can be executed concurrently. This segmentation allows better utilization of system resources and reduces total traversal time while maintaining complete coverage through coordinated operation of multiple systems on different path segments
4Reliability
If a single system attempts to cover the entire area, then complete coverage may be achieved, but the time and energy required increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the coverage task among multiple systems, each responsible for specific paths within the area. This parallel execution of segmented tasks increases overall traversal speed and productivity while ensuring complete coverage through the collective effort of all systems following their assigned paths
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and techniques for generating a set of connected segments for a device or system to traverse in order to reach every point of the region (a coverage plan). Nodes defining the region to be traversed define a polygon. The polygon is decomposed into a mesh and a graph of the mesh is generated. The graph may be used to determine a longest funneled path which, in turn, may be used to either optimize for a longest path or to divide the polygon for eroding sides. The longest path and/or erosions are used to define a set of segments. The segments are connected, which in some examples is done via an optimization to minimize an amount of time or energy to traverse all segments and connections. The resultant coverage plan is sent to a system configured to receive the plan and traverse the region.