Autonomous Transport Vehicle Following a Lead Convoy Through Complex Segments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous and semi-autonomous transport vehicles are limited in their ability to navigate through complex environmental situations and cannot efficiently transport shipments over longer distances due to their reliance on human intervention in such scenarios.
Innovation Solution
A control device for autonomous and semi-autonomous transport vehicles that uses communication technologies like RFID, NFC, Bluetooth, and vehicle interfaces to communicate with remote devices and other vehicles, allowing the transport vehicle to follow a lead vehicle or transport column, thereby navigating through complex environments autonomously.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If autonomous transport vehicles navigate independently through complex environmental situations, then they maintain operational independence and route flexibility, but they experience reduced speed and increased waiting time until situations resolve or human intervention occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a lead vehicle as an intermediary that navigates complex environmental situations while autonomous transport vehicles follow the predetermined route. The following vehicles receive route information from the lead vehicle via communication means, allowing them to maintain autonomous operation without directly encountering navigation decisions in complex situations. This resolves the contradiction by enabling faster transport through the lead vehicle's expertise while maintaining the autonomous nature of following vehicles.
2Productivity
If autonomous transport vehicles operate independently, then they maintain system simplicity and direct control, but they are limited to narrow system limits and cannot efficiently transport over longer distances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple autonomous transport vehicles into a convoy structure that follows a lead vehicle. The following vehicles share common route segments with the lead vehicle, allowing them to benefit from its navigation expertise while maintaining their own autonomous operation. This combining approach increases overall transport efficiency and distance capability without requiring each individual vehicle to have complex human intervention systems.
3Reliability
If autonomous transport vehicles wait for complex environmental situations to resolve, then they ensure safe operation, but they experience loss of time and reduced productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The lead vehicle performs preliminary navigation through complex environmental situations, determining a safe predetermined route in advance. Following autonomous vehicles then follow this established route without needing to independently analyze and wait for situations to resolve. This preliminary action by the lead vehicle ensures safe operation for all vehicles while eliminating waiting time, as following vehicles can immediately traverse the pre-validated route.
Data Source
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AI summary
It is disclosed, among other things, a method performed by an autonomous and/or semi-autonomous transport vehicle (3) and/or a control device (1) for an autonomous and/or semi-autonomous transport vehicle, the method comprising: - obtaining (301) transport information for a transport order, wherein the transport information represents at least one destination position (27) associated with the transport order; - obtaining (302) transport convoy information, wherein the transport convoy information represents at least one identifier of a transport convoy (4), and wherein a planned route (23) of the transport convoy (4) and a transport route (22) between the current position of the transport vehicle and the destination position (27) associated with the transport order comprise a common route segment (24); - acquiring (303) and/or causing (303) the acquiring of a first environmental parameter;- Detect (304) the transport column (4) at least partially based on the detected first environmental parameter and the obtained transport column information; and - when the transport column (4) is detected, follow (306) the transport column (4) with the transport vehicle (3) and/or cause (306) the transport vehicle (3) to follow the transport column (4).;