Robot Destination Control for Obstructed Arrival Rerouting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot navigation systems fail to efficiently find and move to an alternative destination when the preset destination is obstructed, leading to potential safety hazards and disruptions in commercial environments.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a flood-fill algorithm to cluster adjacent areas around the obstructed destination, determining an obstruction area and then selecting a suitable alternative destination based on the robot's size and location, allowing for dynamic re-routing without stopping operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the robot stops its movement when the destination cannot be reached, then the robot can inform the user of the obstruction state, but safety-related accidents may occur and facility views are spoiled
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by proactively finding an alternative destination before the robot stops its operation. The obstruction area determination unit identifies blocked areas in advance, and the alternative destination determination unit pre-calculates replacement destinations, enabling the robot to continue moving without interruption and thus maintaining both safety and operational continuity
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary mechanism - the alternative destination determination unit - that mediates between the obstruction detection and robot navigation. When the original destination is blocked, this intermediary component provides a substitute destination, allowing the robot to bypass the obstruction rather than stopping, thereby resolving the contradiction between safety and operational continuity
2Measurement precision
If the robot uses a complex algorithm to find alternative destinations, then the destination can be found accurately, but excessive computational load is incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the alternative destination finding process into distinct functional modules: obstruction area determination unit, destination candidate area determination unit, and alternative destination determination unit. Each module handles a specific aspect of the problem, processing information in stages rather than using a single complex algorithm, thus reducing overall computational load while maintaining accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality by determining the alternative destination based on local environmental characteristics around the obstruction area. The destination candidate area determination unit identifies suitable areas based on local spatial relationships and robot position, rather than performing global path planning, which reduces computational complexity while providing accurate local navigation solutions
Data Source
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AI summary
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for controlling a destination of a robot, the method comprising the steps of: when information on obstruction of arrival at a first destination of a robot is acquired, determining an obstruction area associated with the arrival obstruction information by clustering adjacent areas around the first destination; determining a destination candidate area around the obstruction area with reference to a size of the robot; and determining an area in the destination candidate area, which is specified on the basis of a location of the robot, as a second destination of the robot.