Sensor-Guided Pile Manipulation for Autonomous Installation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current pile driving operations require manual labor, leading to high costs, limited operating hours, increased human error, and inefficiencies due to reliance on skilled operators, restricting work to daytime hours.

Innovation Solution

An autonomous off-road vehicle (AOV) system that autonomously navigates, loads, and drives piles into the ground, utilizing a pile plan map for path planning, basket assembly, and quality control, with integrated sensors for obstacle detection and pile attribute monitoring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If manual operation is used for pile driving, then operational flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but labor costs increase and productivity is limited to daytime hours

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperating hoursVSAvoidmanual operation requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The autonomous pile driver performs all operations independently including navigation to pile locations, loading piles onto the driving tool, positioning, and driving the piles into the ground. The system autonomously updates obstacle maps after each pile installation, enabling continuous operation without human intervention during daytime and nighttime hours.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical system requiring a skilled operator with an autonomous vehicle system that uses sensors, processors, and automated mechanisms. The autonomous vehicle uses sensors to detect obstacles and navigate, automated loading mechanisms to load piles, and controlled driving tools to install piles, eliminating the need for manual operation while maintaining operational flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If manual operation is used for pile driving, then adaptability to different conditions is maintained, but human error increases and quality control decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequality controlVSAvoidmanual operation requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The autonomous pile driver continuously monitors its environment using sensors and updates an obstacle map after each pile installation. This feedback mechanism allows the system to detect and respond to changes in the work area, ensuring accurate positioning and avoiding collisions. The system can detect pile attributes and adjust its operations to maintain quality control standards.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces human operators with an autonomous system that uses sensors and automated control to perform pile driving operations. The system objectively measures and monitors pile installation parameters, eliminating human error while maintaining adaptability to different working conditions through automated decision-making algorithms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If manual operation is used for pile driving, then operational flexibility is maintained, but labor costs and project duration increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproject completion speedVSAvoidskilled operator requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The autonomous pile driver operates continuously without interruption between daytime and nighttime hours. The system can navigate to pile locations, load piles, and drive them into the ground without the breaks or shifts required by manual operation. This continuous operation significantly increases productivity and reduces project completion time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The autonomous system performs all operations independently including navigation, loading, positioning, and driving piles. The system autonomously updates obstacle maps and adapts to changing conditions without requiring skilled operators, enabling continuous high-speed operation that completes projects faster than manual methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Productivity

If autonomous operation is implemented, then productivity and operating hours are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improve24/7 operation capabilityVSAvoidautonomous system components

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The autonomous vehicle is designed as a multi-functional system that performs navigation, obstacle detection, pile loading, positioning, and pile driving operations. By integrating these functions into a single platform, the system achieves 24/7 operation capability while managing complexity through unified design rather than separate specialized machines for each function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20250297444A1Pile manipulation for autonomous pile driver vehicle

Publication Date: 2025.09.25 BUILT ROBOTICS INC

AI summary

An autonomous pile driving system identifies using a pile plan map a target location to install a pile. The system autonomously navigates towards the target location. The system autonomously detects using an object sensor system an orientation and location of the pile located within a threshold distance of the system. The system autonomously positions a tool of the autonomous pile driving system based on the detected orientation and location of the pile. The system autonomously picks up the pile using the positioned tool of the autonomous pile driving system. The system autonomously positions the pile based on the target location. The system autonomously drives the pile into ground at the target location.