Multi-Vehicle Swath Coordination for Collision-Free Field Operations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural operations face inefficiencies in coordinating multiple machines, leading to increased costs, downtime, and reduced yield due to challenges in dynamically adjusting routes and avoiding collisions, especially when machines need to be taken offline for refilling or servicing.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for coordinating multiple agricultural machines that dynamically determine next swaths and travel paths in real-time, adjust speeds and paths to avoid collisions, and resolve conflicts among machines, using a networked control system with operational managers, swath selectors, and guidance managers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple smaller machines are used instead of a single larger machine, then capacity increases and soil compaction reduces, but coordination complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the field operation into multiple independent smaller machines (segmentation of the workforce) that can operate autonomously. Each machine is equipped with its own controller and sensors, allowing independent operation while contributing to the overall field coverage goal. This segmentation increases capacity and reduces soil compaction while the coordination system manages the complexity through automated routing and conflict resolution algorithms.
2Ease of repair
If a machine is taken offline for refilling or servicing, then maintenance can be performed, but field operation capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The coordination system dynamically adjusts machine assignments and route distribution in real-time based on machine availability. When a machine is taken offline for refilling or servicing, the system automatically redistributes its assigned swaths and routes to remaining active machines, ensuring continuous field operation. This dynamic reassignment minimizes the impact on overall productivity while allowing necessary maintenance activities.
3Ease of operation
If pre-planned routes are used for vehicles, then initial coordination is simplified, but adaptability to machine availability changes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The coordination system continuously monitors machine status, location, and availability through feedback from sensors and controllers. Based on this real-time feedback, the system dynamically adjusts route assignments and swath allocations. When machines are taken offline or new machines become available, the feedback loop triggers automatic recalculation and redistribution of work routes, maintaining both operational simplicity and high adaptability to changing conditions.
4Ease of operation
If machines operate independently without coordination, then individual machine operation is simplified, but collision risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces a central coordination intermediary that manages interactions between independently operating machines. This intermediary controller receives data from all machines, calculates optimal routes and swath assignments, and distributes coordination instructions to prevent conflicts and collisions. Individual machines maintain operational simplicity by following assigned routes, while the intermediary ensures overall system reliability through continuous conflict detection and resolution.
Data Source
AI summary
Control systems and methods for coordinating multiple agricultural machines for operation on an agricultural field are provided. Each machine may receive field data for an agricultural field that optionally includes a plurality of pre-defined swaths. Each machine may receive state data from other machine(s). The state data for the other machine(s) may include a next swath and a current swath. Each machine may, after an indication of a start of its current swath, determine a next swath based on open swaths and the state data for the other machine(s). A next swath may also be determined using vehicle kinematic data, and conflicts between machines may be resolved.