Field Route Planning From Partial Boundary Mapping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Agricultural machines face challenges in efficiently processing fields with unknown dimensions, as they lack the necessary information to plan effective routes, leading to inefficient field cultivation and potential damage to crops.

Innovation Solution

A method for route planning that involves manually traversing a primary area to determine position data, defining a secondary boundary, and automatically generating a driving route for the secondary area, along with control data for the agricultural machine, taking into account the machine's geometry and optimization criteria to optimize the route.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If route planning is performed for a field with unknown dimensions, then the agricultural machine can process the field, but the machine lacks necessary information for effective route planning leading to inefficient field cultivation

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveAbility to process fields with unknown dimensionsVSAvoidField processing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary exploration by manually traversing a primary area to collect position data and determine field boundaries before automatic route planning can be executed. This preliminary boundary determination enables subsequent automated route optimization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A computer system acts as an intermediary between the agricultural machine and the field processing operation. The computer system receives position data, determines boundaries, plans routes, and generates control data, bridging the gap between unknown field conditions and optimized processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the headland is cultivated first to avoid driving over uncultivated crops, then crop damage is prevented, but the processing sequence becomes more complex requiring precise route planning

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveCrop damage from unnecessary drivingVSAvoidRoute planning complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The field is segmented into distinct zones: a primary area for manual exploration and boundary determination, a secondary area for automated processing, and a headland for turning operations. This segmentation enables optimized route planning that processes the headland first while maintaining systematic coverage of remaining areas

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The route planning system dynamically adapts to the determined field boundaries and generates optimized control data that automatically sequences operations to process the headland before inner areas, adjusting the processing sequence based on the specific field geometry

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Measurement precision

If manual traversal is performed to determine position data and boundaries, then accurate field mapping is achieved, but the initial processing time is increased

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveBoundary determination accuracyVSAvoidInitial field exploration time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of requiring complete automated boundary detection, the system performs partial manual traversal of a primary area to gather sufficient position data for boundary determination. This partial action provides adequate information for subsequent automated route planning without requiring exhaustive exploration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP4492181A1Method for planning driving routes
Publication Date: 2025.01.15 MASCHINENFABRIK BERNARD KRONE GMBH & CO KG
  • EP4492181A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4492181A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4492181A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for route planning for field cultivation in which an agricultural machine (10) cultivates a cultivation area (20). To enable efficient agricultural cultivation of an unknown cultivation area, the invention provides that: - a primary area (23) of the cultivation area (20) is traversed manually by the agricultural machine, whereby position data of the agricultural machine (10) are automatically determined (S100); - based on the position data, a primary boundary (G1) surrounding the primary area (23) is automatically determined, at least partially (S110); - a secondary outer boundary (A2) of a secondary area (24) arranged outside the primary area (23) is defined (S130, S160), which meets the primary boundary (G1) at two connection points (PA).wherein a part of the primary boundary (G1) lying between the connection points (PA) forms an inner boundary (I) between the primary area (23) and the secondary area (24), which together with the secondary outer boundary (A2) completely surrounds the secondary area (24), - a driving route (F1-F3) for processing at least the secondary area (24) is automatically determined (S190), and - control data (D) for controlling the agricultural machine (10) during field processing are automatically generated (S210), wherein the control data (D) represent a determined driving route (F1-F3).