Crop-Row Navigation Using Rectangle-Based Deviation Calculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing work vehicle technologies struggle to accurately identify and maintain position and direction between crop rows, especially in fields without clear ridges or with bending crop rows, as they rely on straight ridge detection and do not account for changing slopes.
Innovation Solution
A work vehicle equipped with a distance sensor, rectangle identification unit, target setting unit, position deviation calculation unit, and direction deviation calculation unit, which estimates crop rows, sets a target travel route, and corrects position and direction to navigate between crop rows regardless of field conditions, including bending rows.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are mounted in the work vehicle to detect multiple parameters, then measurement capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by enabling a single sensor to detect multiple parameters through signal processing techniques. The sensor signals are processed to extract both position information and orientation information, allowing one sensor to perform the function of multiple sensors would traditionally be needed, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining measurement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of sensor data through signal processing. Instead of physically mounting multiple sensors, the system processes the signal from a single sensor to generate multiple parameter outputs, effectively copying the measurement capability through computational methods rather than physical duplication.
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are mounted to detect position and orientation separately, then measurement precision is improved, but the number of sensors and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes a single sensor universal by enabling it to detect both position and orientation parameters through sophisticated signal processing. The sensor signal is processed to simultaneously extract multiple parameter types, eliminating the need for separate sensors for each parameter and reducing the total quantity of sensors required.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the detection functions for position and orientation into a single sensor system. By combining the signal processing pathways for multiple parameters within a single sensor framework, the system achieves comprehensive measurement capability without proportionally increasing the number of sensors.
3Measurement precision
If separate detection of position and orientation is performed, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the detection processes for position and orientation into a unified signal processing framework. Rather than implementing separate detection systems, the system processes sensor signals through integrated algorithms that simultaneously extract both parameter types, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal detection process that handles both position and orientation through a single processing pipeline. The signal processing system is designed to extract multiple parameter types from a single sensor input, eliminating the need for separate detection mechanisms and reducing device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A work vehicle 1 includes a distance sensor 13 configured to acquire information on a distance from the work vehicle to each of a plurality of objects present in a field, a rectangle identification unit 41 configured to estimate a plurality of crop rows on the basis of the distance information and identify a rectangle whose opposite sides are adjacent crop rows of the estimated crop rows, a target setting unit 42 configured to set a target travel route of the work vehicle between the adjacent crop rows on the basis of the rectangle identified by the rectangle identification unit 41, and a position deviation calculation unit 43A configured to estimate a current position of the work vehicle between the adjacent crop rows on the basis of the rectangle identified by the rectangle identification unit 41 and calculate a deviation amount of the current position from the target travel route.