Omnidirectional Line Following With Virtual Sensors and Lock Heading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing omnidirectional autonomous vehicles lack flexibility and improved piloting capabilities, particularly in navigating complex workspaces and changing orientations without requiring constant corrections.
Innovation Solution
An omnidirectional vehicle equipped with adjustable virtual sensors and steering wheels that can align with a reference line, allowing dynamic control of orientation and position, enabling flexible piloting modes such as set relative angle and lock heading, and incorporating a path following unit for precise navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional line following control is used, then the vehicle can follow predetermined paths, but the vehicle requires constant direction corrections and lacks orientation flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic piloting modes that can switch between different control strategies. The system transitions from static predetermined path following to dynamic mode selection including set relative angle mode and lock heading mode, allowing the vehicle to adapt its piloting behavior based on operational requirements and environmental conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the control parameters from simple offset correction to multiple piloting modes with different parameter sets. The system adjusts parameters such as rotation angle beta, virtual sensor positioning, and steering wheel configuration dynamically, enabling flexible adaptation to various navigation scenarios without constant manual corrections.
2Adaptability or versatility
If omnidirectional capability is provided, then the vehicle can take any orientation, but the vehicle lacks precise control for complex path navigation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces virtual sensors as intermediary elements between the physical sensors and the control system. These virtual sensors positioned at specific locations (front, rear, sides) provide intermediate reference points that simplify the complex omnidirectional control problem into manageable directional components, improving path following accuracy while maintaining full omnidirectional capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system segments the omnidirectional navigation task into distinct piloting modes (set relative angle mode, lock heading mode) and virtual sensor positions. This segmentation allows precise control for complex paths by breaking down the continuous omnidirectional control problem into discrete, manageable control scenarios.
3Adaptability or versatility
If fixed piloting mode is used, then the control system is simple, but the vehicle cannot adapt to changing workspaces and paths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal piloting system that can operate in multiple modes (set relative angle mode, lock heading mode, and path following mode) within a single control architecture. This multi-functional design allows the vehicle to adapt to different workspace configurations and path types without requiring separate control systems for each scenario.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary configuration by positioning virtual sensors at predetermined locations and pre-defining multiple piloting modes. This preliminary setup enables the vehicle to quickly adapt to changing workspaces by selecting appropriate pre-configured modes rather than requiring complex real-time control system redesign.
Data Source
AI summary
A process of piloting an omnidirectional autonomous vehicle on a virtual pathway, the omnidirectional autonomous vehicle including at least one reference line, and steering wheels configurable to drive the omnidirectional autonomous vehicle on the virtual pathway independently of its orientation.