Route Planning Using Task Complexity Tolerance Maps

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for route planning in unstable communication environments, such as those involving mobile robots, often result in collisions or inefficiencies due to communication failures, as they either restrict movement or require significant control that cannot be reliably maintained.

Innovation Solution

A method that generates a task complexity tolerance map and performs route planning to accommodate constraints based on this map, allowing for efficient and safe task execution by adjusting the number of robots, their speed, and task order in areas with unstable communication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a method of limiting moving range based on communication environment is used, then safety is improved, but task execution capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidtask execution capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating a task complexity tolerance map that assigns different complexity levels to different spatial locations based on communication environment quality. This allows the system to permit simpler tasks in areas with poor communication while maintaining safety, rather than uniformly restricting all movements in those areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamics by making the task complexity tolerance values in the map time-dependent and adaptable. The map generation unit can update the tolerance values based on changing communication conditions, allowing the system to dynamically adjust task allocation and route planning to match current environmental capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If route planning is performed without considering task complexity tolerance, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroute planning efficiencyVSAvoidtask execution reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing task complexity tolerance values in the map for various locations before actual task execution. This allows the route planning unit to quickly reference pre-computed tolerance data during route planning, avoiding the need for complex real-time calculations while ensuring reliable task allocation decisions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If mobile bodies are sent as radio wave relay bases, then communication reliability is improved, but task execution capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidtask execution capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by designing mobile bodies that can simultaneously perform multiple functions: they can execute tasks normally while also serving as mobile relay bases to improve communication reliability in their vicinity. The system dynamically determines which mobile bodies serve dual purposes based on the task complexity tolerance map and current communication conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4471526B1Information processing device, information processing method, and program
Publication Date: 2026.04.08 SONY GROUP CORP
  • EP4471526B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4471526B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4471526B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An information processing apparatus (1) includes a map generation unit (15) and a route planning unit (14). The map generation unit (15) calculates allowable complexity of a task as task complexity tolerance and generates a task complexity tolerance map indicating a distribution of the task complexity tolerance. The route planning unit (14) performs route planning for a mobile body (MB) to satisfy constraints based on the task complexity tolerance map.