Dynamic Cost Map Route Planning for Autonomous Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous devices face challenges in dynamically adjusting their route planning to account for temporary obstacles and changing environmental conditions within confined spaces, as existing systems lack effective methods to predict and respond to dynamic events like moving objects or partial blockages.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes detectors (such as cameras) to identify events and predict their development, adjusting a cost map to reflect route desirability based on factors like route length, inclination, material, and width, allowing the autonomous device to select the most suitable path by assigning weights to routes, ensuring safe navigation around obstacles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the autonomous device uses a static route planning system, then the device complexity is reduced, but the device cannot respond to dynamic events like moving objects or partial blockages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic route planning by continuously updating the cost map based on real-time events detected by detectors. The system transitions from static pre-planned routes to dynamic re-planning, where route costs are adjusted based on current environmental conditions, allowing the autonomous device to adapt to moving objects and partial blockages while maintaining manageable complexity through event-driven updates.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback mechanisms where detectors monitor the environment and provide information about events (moving objects, blockages) to the route planning system. This feedback loop enables the cost map to be continuously updated with current environmental data, allowing the autonomous device to respond adaptively to dynamic conditions without requiring overly complex predictive models.
2Measurement precision
If the system uses multiple detectors to cover all areas, then the measurement precision of events is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by placing detectors strategically at specific locations where events are most likely to occur or have the greatest impact on routing decisions. Rather than uniformly distributing detectors throughout the entire environment, the system concentrates detection resources in critical areas, achieving sufficient measurement precision for route planning while controlling overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system achieves multi-functionality by using detectors that serve multiple purposes: detecting moving objects, identifying partial blockages, and providing environmental mapping information. This universal approach allows a single detector to contribute to multiple aspects of route planning, reducing the total number of detectors needed while maintaining comprehensive event detection capability.
3Productivity
If the autonomous device selects the shortest route, then the productivity is improved, but the device may encounter obstacles blocking the route
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the cost map weights based on detected events. When obstacles or moving objects are detected, the system modifies the cost parameters of affected routes, making them less attractive to the path planning algorithm. This allows the autonomous device to balance productivity and reliability by selecting routes that are both efficient and safe, with the ability to quickly re-evaluate and switch to alternative routes when conditions change.
Data Source
AI summary
An example system includes a computing system configured to identify an event in an area between a first location and a second location and to adjust, based on the event, content of a cost map containing a representation of one or more routes between the first location and the second location. The system also includes an autonomous device configured to move between the first location and the second location based on the cost map.