Mobile Measurement Vehicles With Temporary Spatial Reference Cells

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing manufacturing environments lack flexibility and scalability in quality control, requiring complex re-programming and manual intervention for modifications, with mobile vehicles lacking high spatial accuracy and adaptability.

Innovation Solution

A system of intelligent mobile vehicles with spatial localization, autonomous navigation, and edge computing capabilities, establishing temporary spatial reference cells for precise tasks, and utilizing machine learning for adaptive workflows and decentralized decision-making.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If fixed measurement protocols with static platforms are used, then measurement accuracy is maintained, but system flexibility and adaptability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement accuracyVSAvoidsystem flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms static measurement platforms into dynamic mobile vehicles that can autonomously navigate to different measurement locations. The mobile vehicle includes propulsion units, spatial localization systems, and can adapt its position and orientation dynamically, resolving the contradiction between maintaining measurement precision and improving system flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The mobile vehicle is equipped with autonomous navigation capabilities, local computation units with edge analytics, and self-localization systems that enable it to independently determine its position, plan routes, and execute measurement tasks without continuous human intervention, thereby maintaining accuracy while enhancing adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If mobile vehicles with simple autonomous navigation are used, then operational simplicity is improved, but spatial accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational simplicityVSAvoidspatial accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple subsystems into an integrated mobile vehicle: spatial localization systems (laser trackers, scanners), autonomous navigation units, and edge computation capabilities work together synergistically to achieve both operational simplicity and high spatial accuracy simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The mobile vehicle acts as an intermediary between the manufacturing environment and the measurement system, equipped with spatial reference cells that mediate between the vehicle's autonomous navigation and the precise measurement requirements, enabling both ease of operation and measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If complex re-programming and manual intervention are required for modifications, then system reliability is maintained, but device complexity and ease of operation worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoidre-programming complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mobile vehicle incorporates self-learning capabilities through machine learning algorithms and artificial intelligence that enable it to autonomously adapt to process modifications and environmental changes without requiring complex re-programming, maintaining reliability while reducing operational complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements continuous feedback loops where the mobile vehicle collects data from sensors, processes it through edge analytics and machine learning models, and automatically adjusts its navigation and measurement parameters, enabling adaptive operation without manual re-programming while maintaining system reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3803772B1Mobile vehicles in manufacturing
Publication Date: 2025.10.01 HEXAGON INNOVATION HUB GMBH
  • EP3803772B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3803772B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~4b
  • EP3803772B1 patent drawingFigure 5a~5b

AI summary

The invention relates to a system comprising at least one mobile vehicle (5) configured to move autonomously in a smart factory environment (1) at which a work piece (2) is processed. The mobile vehicle (5) comprises a spatial localization system (31), an autonomous navigation and propulsion unit (32), a local edge computation unit for a local data analysis at the mobile vehicle by intelligent, dynamically deployable edge analytics software agents, and a communication interface providing a data link to other mobile vehicles and/or to a fog- and/or cloud- computation and storage system. The system utilizes an automatic deployment of a workflow for the processing of the work- piece, which workflow comprises at least one current task. A mobile measurement vehicle (5m) with a spatial measurement sensor unit (15) is configured to establish a temporary instance of a local spatial reference cell (20) for a subset of at least one of the multiple mobile vehicles (5) and the work piece (2). The temporary instance of the spatial reference cell (20) is therein established temporally for a limited time of a duration of the current task and is established with an individual level of spatial accuracy and individual limited local range, which individual level is dynamically defined by an accuracy requirement of the current task.