Autonomous Coverage Route Planning With Dual Obstacle Maps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional autonomous travel route planning methods fail to account for obstacles that may not exist during actual travel, leading to unfilled areas in the travel area, as the environmental map does not reflect real-time changes in the movement environment.
Innovation Solution
Create a first map with obstacle information and a second map without obstacles within the travel area boundary, planning a filling travel route on the second map to ensure complete coverage, and use virtual obstacle detection to predict position estimation accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If obstacle information from the environmental map is included in the travel area for route planning, then position estimation accuracy is improved, but the autonomous traveling body cannot appropriately fill the travel area when obstacles do not exist during actual travel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides map information into two separate maps: a first map containing obstacle information for position estimation, and a second map with obstacle information deleted for route planning. This segmentation allows each map to serve its specific function without interference, resolving the contradiction between position estimation accuracy and travel area coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts obstacle information from the environmental map when creating the second map used for route planning. By taking out the obstacle information that causes the contradiction, the system can plan routes that fill the entire travel area without being constrained by potentially non-existent obstacles, while the first map retains the obstacle information needed for position estimation.
2Reliability
If the filling travel route is created to avoid all obstacles in the environmental map, then collision avoidance is improved, but unfilled areas occur when obstacles do not exist during autonomous travel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments map usage by creating two distinct maps with different purposes. The second map excludes obstacle information to enable complete travel area coverage, while real-time obstacle detection during autonomous travel provides the necessary collision avoidance, separating route planning from obstacle avoidance functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary route planning on the second map that allows complete travel area coverage by excluding obstacle constraints. Obstacle avoidance is then handled during autonomous travel through real-time detection, allowing the route to be optimized for coverage while safety is ensured during execution.
3Measurement precision
If obstacle information is retained in the environmental map for position estimation, then position estimation accuracy is improved, but the route planning becomes inefficient when obstacles are temporary
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments map information into two versions: the first map with obstacle information for position estimation, and the second map without obstacle information for efficient route planning. This allows the system to maintain position estimation accuracy while avoiding time-consuming route recalculations when obstacles are temporary or may not exist during travel.
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous travel route planning method includes creating a global map including obstacle information indicating an obstacle existing in a movement environment, setting an outer peripheral boundary corresponding to an outer periphery of a travel area by associating the outer peripheral boundary with the global map, creating a route creation map in which the obstacle information existing inside the outer peripheral boundary is deleted, and creating the filling travel route to fill in the travel area included in the route creation map.