Robot Path Planning With Continuous Turning Angles
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for precisely recognizing the outer shape of a moving robot and planning its path to prevent collisions with obstacles require extensive computation, hindering smooth movement, especially when the robot's shape is complex or when it grips objects.
Innovation Solution
A movement planning apparatus that uses a two-stage determination process to plan paths and turning angles, utilizing an environmental map with layered spatial layers and Minkowski differences to define no-entry areas, allowing for efficient computation and flexible autonomous movement by handling turning angles similarly to planar movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the conventional method of precisely recognizing the overall outer shape of the moving robot and determining the moving path and turning angle is used, then collision prevention is improved, but the computation time increases enormously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the path planning problem into two independent stages: (1) searching for a moving path that connects departure and destination points while avoiding no-entry areas, and (2) determining turning angles along the searched path. This segmentation allows each stage to be solved separately with reduced computational complexity, rather than searching for path and orientation simultaneously in the conventional approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary path searching before determining turning angles. By first identifying a valid moving path through the environmental map and no-entry areas, the system establishes a foundation that constrains subsequent turning angle calculations to only those relevant to the selected path, significantly reducing the overall search space and computation time.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the moving robot grips a conveyance object that is projected, then the robot's effective shape changes, but the conventional recognition methods become even more computationally intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts the robot's effective shape model based on whether it is gripping a projected conveyance object. The environmental map and no-entry area calculations are updated to reflect the combined shape of the robot and gripped object, allowing the system to adapt to different operational states without requiring separate complex recognition algorithms for each configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
A movement planning apparatus includes: an acquiring unit configured to acquire an environmental map in which a no-entry area is indicated for each of turning angles that a moving robot may have; and a planning unit configured to search for a moving path that allows at least one search branch to be extended from a departure point to a destination point based on the environmental map without making a change in the turning angle become discontinuous and without passing the no-entry area, and determine the turning angle on the moving path to the destination point based on a predetermined condition.