Platoon Travel Control for Pivot Turns at Dead Ends
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing platoon travel systems require moving objects to retreat when navigating from places where U-turns are not possible, such as dead ends, which can cause user discomfort and inefficiency, as they need to maintain a platoon relationship while checking the rear and adjusting their route.
Innovation Solution
A platoon travel system with a control device that includes a range sensor, drive wheels, and a communication system, allowing moving objects to maintain a platoon relationship without retreating by adjusting their inter-moving-object distance and travel speed, enabling them to perform a pivot turn at a stop place where a U-turn is not possible.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If moving objects retreat to navigate from places where U-turns are not possible, then they can exit dead ends, but user comfort deteriorates and operational efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of retreating backward to navigate dead ends, the platoon performs a 180-degree pivot turn in place to reverse its facing direction. This inversion of the traditional retreat approach allows the platoon to exit dead ends while maintaining forward motion, thereby preserving user comfort and operational efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device determines in advance whether a stop place has sufficient pivot turn space before allowing the platoon to stop. By performing this preliminary assessment, the system ensures that the platoon can execute pivot turns without requiring backward retreat, thus maintaining user comfort while enabling dead end navigation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If moving objects retreat to navigate from places where U-turns are not possible, then they can exit dead ends, but productivity deteriorates due to increased time and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot turn approach replaces the time-consuming retreat maneuver with a more efficient in-place rotation. By inverting the navigation strategy from backward retreat to forward pivot, the system reduces operational time and maintains higher productivity while still enabling dead end exit.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device autonomously determines pivot turn feasibility and executes the pivot maneuver without requiring external intervention or complex route recalculation. This self-service capability streamlines the dead end navigation process, reducing operational complexity and maintaining productivity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If moving objects maintain platoon relationship during retreat, then group cohesion is preserved, but device complexity increases due to additional sensing and control requirements
Solution Approach 1:
By replacing retreat with pivot turn, the system eliminates the need for complex rear-facing sensing and control mechanisms required to maintain platoon formation during backward motion. The pivot approach simplifies the control system while still preserving platoon cohesion through coordinated group rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
The range sensor and control device perform multiple functions: they detect both forward and rear obstacles during normal operation, and also determine pivot turn feasibility at stop places. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized sensors while maintaining platoon relationship stability.
4Adaptability or versatility
If moving objects increase inter-moving-object distance to enable pivot turns, then turn space is secured, but platoon compactness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control device determines in advance whether the stop place has sufficient pivot turn space by assessing the inter-moving-object distance. By performing this preliminary check, the system ensures that platoon members are positioned at appropriate distances to enable pivot turns without unnecessarily increasing spacing during normal platoon operation, thus maintaining compactness when not turning.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A platoon travel system that allows a plurality of moving objects to perform a platoon travel includes a plurality of moving objects capable of performing a pivot turn and a control device that controls travels of the plurality of moving objects. When stopping a platoon of the plurality of moving objects, the control device stops each of the moving objects in a state where each of the plurality of moving objects has a predetermined inter-moving-object distance from an adjacent moving object among the plurality of moving objects. The predetermined inter-moving-object distance is a distance allowing the moving object to perform a pivot turn of 180 degrees.