Autonomous Snow Removal Navigation Using Marker-Defined Work Regions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomous snow removing machines struggle with accuracy in navigating regions with low GPS accuracy, limiting their ability to perform snow removal effectively.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous snow removing machine equipped with a region setting unit that uses markers on poles to define snow removal and collection regions, a control unit to maintain travel within these regions, and a communication unit for user interaction, allowing precise snow removal and collection operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If GPS-based navigation is used for autonomous snow removal, then the machine can operate autonomously, but navigation accuracy deteriorates in regions with low GPS accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces markers as intermediary objects placed in the environment to serve as reference points for the vision system. These markers act as a mediator between the autonomous machine and the physical space, enabling precise location identification and navigation without relying on GPS signals. The markers provide visual cues that the machine's camera can detect and use for accurate positioning and path following.
2Measurement precision
If markers are used to define work regions, then navigation accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses visual markers that can be photographed and processed by the machine's vision system. Instead of requiring complex direct measurement devices, the system captures images of markers and processes them to determine position and navigation information. This copying approach simplifies the onboard equipment while maintaining high precision through external marker infrastructure.
3Productivity
If the machine collects snow in a designated region, then snow removal efficiency is improved, but the machine may deviate from the intended work area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a vision-based feedback system that continuously monitors the machine's position relative to markers defining work area boundaries. The system processes visual information from cameras to detect marker positions and provides feedback control to the navigation system, enabling the machine to automatically adjust its path and maintain accurate boundary adherence while performing snow collection operations.
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous snow removing machine includes: traveling apparatuses; a snow removal work unit; a region setting unit that sets a snow removal work region in which snow removal is performed by the snow removal work unit; and a control unit that controls the traveling apparatuses such that the traveling apparatuses do not deviate from the snow removal work region set by the region setting unit. As a result, the snow removal work can be performed while causing the autonomous snow removing machine to autonomously travel by controlling the traveling apparatuses in the snow removal work region set by the region setting unit.