Pre-computed Path Segments for Mobile Automation Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing path generation mechanisms for mobile automation apparatuses in complex environments face challenges in balancing computational complexity, efficiency, and kinematic feasibility, leading to increased time required for path generation and deployment.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a navigational controller that stores pre-computed path segments for pairs of poses with predetermined orientations, generates a coarse path, and combines selected path segments to create a final navigational path, optimizing metrics and constraints while ensuring kinematic feasibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If pre-computed path segments are stored and combined to generate final paths, then computational complexity is reduced and path generation time is decreased, but the device complexity increases due to memory storage requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-computes and stores path segments for common pose pairs in memory before runtime. This preliminary action allows the system to quickly assemble final paths by combining pre-existing segments rather than computing paths from scratch, directly reducing path generation time while managing complexity through organized storage structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the path generation problem into segments by storing pre-computed path segments for specific pose pairs. The final path is constructed by selecting and combining relevant segments, which reduces computational complexity compared to generating complete paths de novo, while the memory structure organizes these segments efficiently.
2Reliability
If more detailed and efficient paths are generated, then kinematic feasibility and path efficiency are improved, but computational complexity increases and path generation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-computes path segments that are guaranteed to be kinematically feasible for specific pose pairs and stores them in memory. When generating a final path, the system combines these pre-validated segments, ensuring kinematic feasibility without performing complex real-time calculations, thus maintaining reliability while reducing computation time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different levels of computational detail to different parts of the path generation process. Pre-computed segments handle local path details with high precision and kinematic feasibility, while the overall path assembly uses a simpler combination approach. This local quality differentiation maintains reliability where needed while reducing overall computational complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A computing device for generating a navigational path for a mobile automation apparatus includes: a memory storing, for each of a plurality of pairs of poses having predetermined orientations, a group of pre-computed path segments, each path segment traversing the pair of poses and corresponding to one of a set of entry poses and one of a set of exit poses; a navigational controller configured to: obtain a coarse path defined by a sequence of guide poses each having one of the predetermined orientations, the coarse path having a start location and an end location; for each successive pair of the guide poses, retrieve a selected one of the path segments from memory based on orientations of (i) the pair of guide poses, (ii) a preceding guide pose, and (iii) a following guide pose; and generate a final path for navigation by the apparatus by combining the selected path segments.