Autonomous Fleet Positioning via Leader-Follower Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomous moving machine systems face inefficiencies in operating multiple machines due to challenges in accurately acquiring self-location, especially in dynamic environments with obstacles, leading to instability and reduced job efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous moving machine system that includes multiple moving machines equipped with sensors for self-location measurement, a reliability calculation unit, and communication for sharing reliability information, allowing for the selection and movement of machines to locations with higher reliability, thereby stabilizing self-location acquisition and improving operational efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple moving machines operate autonomously in a wide area, then job coverage and productivity are improved, but the complexity of managing self-location acquisition across all machines increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the fleet into two functional segments: leader machines equipped with absolute position acquisition devices (GPS, etc.) and follower machines that rely on relative position measurement. This segmentation allows the system to achieve wide-area coverage with high productivity while avoiding the need to equip every machine with expensive absolute positioning hardware, thus managing system complexity effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The leader machine acts as an intermediary that bridges the gap between absolute position reference and the positions of follower machines. By measuring relative positions and communicating this information, the leader enables follower machines to determine their locations without direct absolute position acquisition, resolving the contradiction between fleet-wide productivity and individual device complexity.
2Measurement precision
If dedicated machines with absolute position acquisition devices are deployed, then self-location accuracy is improved, but job efficiency decreases due to the need for specialized equipment
Solution Approach 1:
Leader machines perform multiple functions: they execute job tasks while simultaneously serving as mobile reference stations for position measurement. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated reference vehicles, allowing the same machines to contribute to both productivity and measurement precision, thus resolving the contradiction between accuracy and efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the leader machines' own position acquisition capabilities to serve the entire fleet's positioning needs. Rather than requiring external infrastructure or dedicated reference devices, the leader machines self-generate the position reference information that follower machines utilize, improving both accuracy and operational efficiency.
3Device complexity
If follower machines rely on relative position measurement, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability of self-location acquisition deteriorates in dynamic environments
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback through real-time communication between leader and follower machines. The leader continuously measures relative positions and transmits this information to followers, who update their position estimates dynamically. This continuous feedback loop maintains reliability in dynamic environments despite the simplicity of the follower machines' equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
Position measurement and information exchange occur continuously during operation, not periodically or intermittently. This continuity ensures that follower machines maintain accurate position knowledge even as the environment changes, compensating for the lack of independent absolute positioning capability through uninterrupted relative position updates.
Data Source
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AI summary
An autonomous moving machine system continuously maintaining moving machines thereof at higher reliability is provided. Each moving machine measures a self-location thereof with a sensor thereof, and autonomously moves to a target location by controlling a mover. Operations of the moving machine includes acquiring sensor information, estimating the self-location in accordance with the sensor information, calculating the reliability of the self-location, transmitting the reliability to the other moving machine. Operations of a particular moving machine further includes recording history information that associates the reliability, the self-location, and an identifier identifying each of the moving machines, selecting a moving machine to restore the reliability in accordance with the history information and moving the selected moving machine to a location where the reliability of the selected moving machine increases.