Reforestation Planning by Terrain Gradient for Machine Harvest Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Forestry machines face the risk of slipping or falling on steep terrain, and reforestation plans need to consider future maintenance and harvest operations, such as thinning, which are essential for long-term forest management.
Innovation Solution
A reforestation planning device that classifies terrain into areas with gradients less than a threshold value, generating a plan for planting and specifying a reforestation area and traveling route using autonomous machines, including a data acquisition unit, area specification unit, and reforestation instruction unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If reforestation is performed on steep terrain to maximize the reforestation area, then the reforestation area increases, but the reliability of future harvest operations deteriorates due to the risk of forestry machines slipping or falling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by determining the gradient of the target area before reforestation and using this information to plan future harvest operations. The system calculates terrain gradients in advance and uses them to determine whether the area is suitable for both reforestation and future mechanical harvest, preventing reliability issues before they occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of gradient threshold to resolve the contradiction. By setting a maximum gradient threshold (e.g., 30 degrees or less), the system identifies areas that are suitable for both reforestation and future mechanical harvest operations, ensuring that the terrain is gentle enough for machine operations while still maximizing the usable reforestation area.
2Device complexity
If reforestation is performed without considering future harvest requirements, then the reforestation process is simplified, but the adaptability of the forest management system deteriorates due to inability to perform mechanical harvest
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary gradient analysis and harvestability assessment before reforestation. By determining the gradient and evaluating future harvest potential in advance, the system ensures that reforestation areas are selected to accommodate future mechanical operations, thereby improving adaptability without significantly increasing operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies universality by creating a reforestation planning system that serves multiple functions: it determines suitable areas for reforestation, assesses future harvest potential, and ensures compatibility with mechanical operations. This multi-functional approach enhances adaptability while maintaining reasonable system complexity.
3Reliability
If the gradient threshold for reforestation is set low to ensure gentle terrain, then the reliability of harvest operations improves, but the area available for reforestation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the gradient threshold parameter to balance reliability and area. By setting the threshold at 30 degrees or less, the system identifies the optimal range that ensures mechanical harvest reliability while maximizing the available reforestation area. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction by finding the best compromise value.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary gradient analysis across the entire target area and identifies regions that meet the gradient criterion before finalizing the reforestation plan. This advance identification ensures that the maximum possible area meeting the reliability requirement is selected for reforestation.
Data Source
AI summary
A data acquisition unit acquires terrain data representing a terrain of a target area. An area specification unit specifies a first area having a gradient less than a first gradient threshold value from the target area based on the terrain data. A reforestation instruction unit transmits a first reforestation instruction signal for instructing planting of a plant body in the first area.