Golf Cart Path Control for Fairway Traffic Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current self-driving technologies are not applicable to golf carts for driving within golf courses due to the fragility of fairways and the inability to effectively distribute golf carts over multiple paths, with existing systems limiting golf carts to asphalt roads outside the fairway and rough.

Innovation Solution

A self-driving golf-cart driving path central controlling device that determines and manages driving paths in a central control manner, using a numbering unit, remainder calculating unit, and assigning unit to distribute golf carts evenly across paths, and a wireless transmitting unit to communicate individual paths to each golf cart, allowing them to drive on fairways and roughs while avoiding damaged areas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If golf carts are allowed to drive on fairways, then service coverage and convenience are improved, but the fairway turf becomes damaged due to repeated driving

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice coverageVSAvoidturf damage
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The fairway is divided into multiple driving paths (first driving path, second driving path, etc.) that are segmented across different days. The path selection changes based on the day of the week, distributing cart traffic across multiple segments of the fairway rather than concentrating all traffic on a single path, thereby preventing localized turf damage while maintaining service coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements periodic rotation of driving paths based on the day of the week. Different driving paths are activated on different days (e.g., first path on Monday, second path on Tuesday), creating a periodic pattern that distributes wear across multiple fairway areas over time, allowing turf recovery periods while maintaining continuous service.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If multiple driving paths are provided for golf carts, then turf damage is reduced through distribution, but system complexity increases due to path management

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveturf damageVSAvoidpath management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The central controlling device automatically determines and assigns driving paths based on the golf cart's identification information and the current day of the week. The system self-manages the path rotation logic without requiring manual intervention, automatically updating path assignments as days progress, thereby reducing the operational complexity of managing multiple driving paths.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the driving path parameter based on the day of the week. By using the day of the week as a variable parameter, the system automatically selects different paths (first path, second path, etc.) without complex decision logic, simplifying path management through a straightforward parameter-based selection mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If self-driving technology is applied to golf carts, then operational efficiency is improved, but the system becomes more complex requiring central control infrastructure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational efficiencyVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The central controlling device serves multiple functions: it manages driving path assignments, tracks golf cart locations, determines optimal paths based on day of the week, and communicates with multiple golf carts. This multi-functional approach consolidates what could be multiple separate systems into a single universal control platform, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining operational efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3731054B1Self-driving-golf-cart driving path central controlling device
Publication Date: 2022.10.05 SUNRISE RESORT INC
  • EP3731054B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3731054B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3731054B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is a self-driving-golf-cart driving path central controlling device comprising a self-driving-golf-cart driving path determining module, a self-driving-golf-cart driving path excluding module and a central controlling module, the self-driving-golf-cart driving path central controlling device determines, from a plurality of self-driving-golf-cart driving paths, an individual self-driving-golf-cart driving path for each self-driving-golf-cart and controls each self-driving-golf-cart to drive, in a self-driving manner, on the individual self-driving-golf-cart driving path which is determined for said each self-driving golf-cart.