Portable Position Detection Device for Mobile Body Guidance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile body systems, such as automated guided vehicles and autonomous robots, require costly upgrades and limited versatility when trying to induce a vehicle to a target area without pre-installed drive control systems, especially in manually operated vehicles like nursing walkers and forklifts, as they are optimized for autonomous navigation and lack flexibility in route changes.
Innovation Solution
A mobile body equipped with a position detection device that includes input means, a distance sensor, position identification, relative position calculation, and absolute position calculation capabilities, which outputs control commands to travel control means to guide the mobile body to a target area, allowing for versatile attachment to various types of mobile objects without the need for pre-installed guide lines or markers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If automated guided vehicle travels along guideline for travel route guidance, then route detection accuracy is improved, but route change complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the route guidance function from the physical guideline infrastructure and relocates it to a portable guidance device that can be easily moved and repositioned. This separates the guidance function from fixed infrastructure, allowing route changes without re-drawing guidelines.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a guidance device as an intermediary between the vehicle and the route information. This device displays route guidance information and can be easily repositioned to indicate route changes, serving as a flexible mediator that eliminates the need for permanent guideline installations.
2Extent of automation
If mobile body system is optimized for autonomous navigation, then autonomous movement capability is improved, but versatility to manually operated vehicles deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a guidance device that serves multiple functions and can be applied to different types of mobile bodies including both autonomous vehicles and manually operated vehicles. The device provides route guidance information that can be used by autonomous control systems or displayed to manual operators, making it universally applicable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent separates the guidance information display function from the vehicle control function. The guidance device independently displays route information without being tightly coupled to specific vehicle control systems, allowing it to be adapted to both autonomous and manual operation modes.
3Reliability
If pre-installed guide lines are used for route guidance, then route detection reliability is improved, but infrastructure modification cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical guideline infrastructure with a portable guidance device that displays route information. Instead of installing permanent magnetic or visual guidelines in the environment, the system uses a portable device that can be moved to display the same route guidance information, eliminating infrastructure modification costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a portable, movable guidance device that can be easily repositioned rather than investing in permanent infrastructure. This approach uses simpler, cheaper components that can be relocated as needed, avoiding the high costs associated with installing and modifying permanent guideline systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the autonomous induction of mobile bodies to a target area by outputting control commands based on position and angle calculations, enhancing versatility and reducing the need for costly upgrades, as it can be applied to both autonomous and manually operated vehicles, allowing for easy route changes without altering infrastructure.
Implementation Method 1
a distance sensor that measures a distance from the mobile body to an ambient environment
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile apparatus includes a position detection device, and an autonomous mobile body. The position detection device includes input means for inputting route data, a distance sensor, map data, position identification means, and relative route calculation means for calculating a relative position and a relative angle to a position of the target point from the position data and the route data of the mobile body. The autonomous mobile body includes a controller that controls an autonomous travel of the autonomous mobile body itself by using the relative position and the relative angle received from the position detection device as control signals.