Satellite Signal Shadow Mapping for Autonomous Work Vehicle Routing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing satellite navigation systems for work vehicles face challenges in maintaining accurate automatic travel due to radio wave sensitivity reductions caused by obstacles like mountains and forests, as they only store position and time of occurrence without identifying the cause, leading to inefficient route planning.

Innovation Solution

A satellite radio wave sensitivity distribution management system that generates sensitivity reduction event information including satellite identification data, allowing for the determination of obstacles and creation of work site maps with sensitivity reduction areas and time zones, enabling the generation of optimized traveling routes to avoid these areas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If satellite navigation is used for automatic traveling, then automatic traveling along a set route is enabled, but radio wave sensitivity reduction caused by mountains and forests makes accurate positioning difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic travelingVSAvoidpositioning accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by storing sensitivity reduction event information including satellite identification data, occurrence location, and time before automatic traveling begins. This allows the route generation to proactively avoid areas where radio wave sensitivity reduction is likely to occur, rather than reacting to positioning failures after they happen.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces sensitivity reduction event information as an intermediary element between the satellite navigation system and the automatic traveling control. This intermediary data layer provides contextual information about radio wave interference patterns, enabling the system to compensate for positioning inaccuracies caused by geographical obstacles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If only position and time of radio wave disturbance are stored, then history information is available, but the cause of disturbance cannot be determined and routes cannot be optimized to avoid sensitivity reduction areas

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehistory informationVSAvoidtraveling efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the parameters of stored information by including satellite identification data (satellite ID, elevation angle, azimuth angle) in addition to position and time. This enriched parameter set enables the system to identify patterns of radio wave interference related to specific satellites and geographical features, allowing for more effective route optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system establishes a feedback loop where sensitivity reduction event information is continuously collected, stored, and used to generate improved traveling routes. The accumulated data about satellite identification, location, and timing of sensitivity reductions provides feedback that enables progressive optimization of automatic traveling paths to avoid problematic areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If sensitivity reduction areas are avoided by time and position only, then some positioning failures are prevented, but sensitivity reduction can occur at different positions at different times due to satellite positioning and geographical situation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning reliabilityVSAvoidroute flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system adds another dimension to route planning by incorporating satellite identification data and geographical context into the sensitivity reduction event information. This transforms the problem from simple 2D spatial avoidance to a multi-dimensional approach that considers satellite position, elevation angles, azimuth angles, and geographical features, enabling more accurate prediction of sensitivity reduction areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies dynamics by recognizing that sensitivity reduction areas change over time due to satellite movement and geographical factors. The route generation dynamically adjusts traveling paths based on stored sensitivity reduction event information that captures the temporal and spatial characteristics of interference patterns, allowing the system to adapt routes to avoiding sensitivity reduction areas at different times and positions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3581965B1Satellite-radio-wave-sensitivity distribution management system and method for work vehicle
Publication Date: 2023.11.08 KUBOTA CORP
  • EP3581965B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3581965B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3581965B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

There is a need for managing radio wave sensitivity reduction area dependent on a satellite positioning and/or geographical situation, with presuming temporal change of area where radio wave sensitivity reduction occurs. A satellite radio wave sensitivity distribution management system for a work vehicle that travels automatically in a work site by satellite navigation technology includes a satellite positioning module 7 that outputs satellite position data and reception sensitivity based on satellite information from a satellite, a sensitivity reduction event detection section 41 that detects occurrence of a sensitivity reduction event, a sensitivity reduction event information generation section 42 that generates sensitivity reduction event information including an occurrence location of the sensitivity reduction event, an occurrence time of the sensitivity reduction event, and satellite identification data, a sensitivity reduction event information storage section 91, a reception obstacle determination section 92 that determines a reception obstacle as the cause of the sensitivity reduction event, and a sensitivity reduction management section 93 that manages a sensitivity reduction area and a sensitivity reduction time zone.