Excavation Vehicle Site Mapping for Autonomous Dig Routines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current excavation methods rely heavily on manual operators, leading to high costs, extended project durations, and increased risk of human error due to labor shortages and the inability to operate excavation vehicles at night.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous or semi-autonomous excavation system equipped with sensors that navigate and control excavation vehicles to execute excavation routines, generating digital terrain models and target tool paths for precise earth removal without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual operators are used to operate excavation vehicles, then the vehicles can be controlled with simple systems, but labor costs increase and project duration extends
Solution Approach 1:
The excavation vehicle is equipped with a sensor assembly and control system that enable it to autonomously navigate and perform excavation tasks without continuous human intervention. The system self-monitors its position, orientation, and operational status, and automatically adjusts its actions based on sensor feedback and stored excavation plans, thereby eliminating the need for manual operators and reducing project duration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical control system reliant on human operators with an automated control system that uses sensor assemblies (optical, acoustic, or electromagnetic sensors) to perceive the environment and execute excavation tasks. This substitution of mechanical/human control with automated sensing and control systems increases productivity while reducing time loss.
2Reliability
If manual operators are required during the entire excavation, then operational control is maintained, but labor costs increase and skilled labor shortages occur
Solution Approach 1:
The excavation vehicle autonomously monitors its own operational status through the sensor assembly, which continuously collects data on position, orientation, and environmental conditions. The control system processes this data and automatically adjusts operations to maintain reliability without requiring skilled human operators, thereby resolving the contradiction between operational control and labor availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor assembly provides continuous feedback to the control system about the vehicle's state and surrounding conditions. This feedback loop enables the automated system to maintain operational control by detecting deviations from desired performance and automatically correcting them, replacing the need for manual monitoring while ensuring reliability.
3Device complexity
If excavation is performed only during the day, then operational simplicity is maintained, but project duration extends
Solution Approach 1:
The replacement of human operators with an automated control system eliminates the constraint of daylight operation. The sensor assembly and control system can continuously perceive and execute excavation tasks regardless of lighting conditions, enabling 24/7 operation and reducing excavation duration without significantly increasing operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated excavation system enables continuous operation without interruption by daylight cycles. The sensor assembly continuously monitors environmental conditions and the control system continuously executes excavation tasks, maintaining useful action throughout day and night, thereby reducing overall project duration while keeping the system relatively simple.
4Device complexity
If manual operators are used, then system complexity remains low, but human error risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor assembly continuously provides feedback to the control system about operational status and environmental conditions. This real-time feedback enables the automated system to detect and correct errors automatically, significantly reducing the error rate compared to manual operation while adding only moderate system complexity through the integration of sensors and control logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The excavation vehicle autonomously monitors and adjusts its own operations through the sensor assembly and control system. This self-service capability eliminates human error by replacing manual decision-making with automated control that consistently executes excavation tasks according to stored plans, improving reliability with moderate increases in system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
This description provides an autonomous or semi-autonomous excavation vehicle that is capable of navigating through a dig site and carrying out an excavation routine using a system of sensors physically mounted to the excavation vehicle. The sensors collects any one or more of spatial, imaging, measurement, and location data representing the status of the excavation vehicle and its surrounding environment. Based on the collected data, the excavation vehicle executes instructions to carry out an excavation routine. The excavation vehicle is also able to carry out numerous other tasks, such as checking the volume of excavated earth in an excavation tool, and helping prepare a digital terrain model of the site as part of a process for creating the excavation routine.