Interactive Coverage Path Planning for Non-Convex Field Areas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Complexity in coverage path planning for areas with non-convex shapes leads to impractical computation time and requires expertise, making it difficult for non-experts to plan efficient paths within practical time limits, especially in applications like agricultural vehicle routing where minimizing traversals and soil compaction are concerns.
Innovation Solution
A method using a computing arrangement to divide areas into cells, allowing user-input for merging, dividing, and reordering cells, and iteratively generating feasible boustrophedon paths, with user interaction to optimize path lengths and vehicle allocation, displayed on a touch screen for intuitive adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If optimal coverage path planning is performed for complex non-convex areas, then path optimality is improved, but computation time becomes impractical (years of computation)
Solution Approach 1:
The complex area is divided into multiple convex sub-areas, and the coverage path planning is performed separately for each sub-area. This segmentation reduces the computational complexity from intractable for the entire complex area to manageable levels for individual convex sub-areas, while still achieving near-optimal overall coverage paths by optimizing each segment independently.
2Manufacturing precision
If expert knowledge is used to assign cost functions for optimal path planning, then path quality is improved, but system complexity and expertise requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines cost functions and performs path optimization without requiring expert intervention. The computing device self-service by algorithmically assigning appropriate cost functions based on the area characteristics and automatically generating optimized coverage paths, thereby eliminating the need for highly skilled path planning experts while maintaining high path quality.
3Manufacturing precision
If repeated traversals are performed for complete area coverage, then coverage completeness is improved, but soil compaction and vehicle bogging increase
Solution Approach 1:
The coverage path planning dynamically adjusts the traversal sequence and path selection based on area characteristics, vehicle position, and coverage status. By using dynamic cost functions that consider traversal history and area properties, the system optimizes paths to minimize repeated traversals over the same ground, thereby reducing soil compaction and vehicle bogging while ensuring complete coverage.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of planning a coverage path to cover an area. The method includes a computing arrangement iteratively receiving, generating and displaying. The computing arrangement is configured to receive a range acceptable user-inputs. The receiving includes receiving user-input within the range of acceptable user-inputs. The generating includes generating a feasible coverage path based on the user-input. The displaying includes displaying at least some detail of the feasible coverage path.