Spray Vehicle Path Planning for Multi-Row Orchard Coverage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated driving systems for spraying work vehicles struggle to efficiently cover spray target objects arranged in multiple rows, such as fruit trees or tea trees, as they require the vehicle to straddle each row, reducing work efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An automated driving system with a target path generation unit that generates paths incorporating both four-direction and direction-limited spraying patterns, allowing the vehicle to efficiently cover multiple rows of trees by adjusting the spraying directions of left and right liquid spray parts to accommodate the passage of trees between them.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the work vehicle straddles each spray target row to spray chemicals on all spray target objects during automated driving, then the spraying coverage is improved, but the work efficiency deteriorates due to the need to perform automated driving while straddling each row individually
Solution Approach 1:
The spray device is divided into multiple spray units (left spray unit and right spray unit) that can independently control spraying directions. This segmentation allows different parts of the spray device to perform different functions - one side sprays laterally while the other sprays forward, enabling efficient coverage of multiple rows simultaneously without requiring the vehicle to straddle each row individually
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces multi-directional spraying capability by enabling spray units to spray in different directions (lateral and forward directions). This dimensional change in spraying pattern allows the vehicle to cover multiple rows in parallel by spraying laterally to adjacent rows while moving forward, rather than only spraying directly beneath the vehicle
2Adaptability or versatility
If the work vehicle is equipped with liquid spray parts arranged with an interval to allow spray target objects to pass between them, then the adaptability to different row configurations is improved, but the spraying effectiveness may deteriorate without proper spraying pattern control
Solution Approach 1:
The spray control unit dynamically adjusts the spraying patterns of different spray units based on the vehicle's position and the target row configuration. The system switches between four-direction spraying pattern (both left and right spray units spray laterally) and direction-limited spraying pattern (spray units spray only in specific directions), ensuring effective coverage while adapting to different operational scenarios
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the spraying parameters (spraying directions and patterns) based on the operational context. By switching between different spraying patterns (four-direction vs. direction-limited), the system optimizes spraying effectiveness for different row configurations and vehicle positions while maintaining the flexible gate-shaped structure
Data Source
AI summary
This automated travel system for spraying work has a target path generation unit for generating a target path for a spraying work. A work vehicle is provided with left and right liquid spraying units which have spraying patterns including: a four-direction spraying pattern in which each of the left and right liquid spraying units sprays a liquid to both the left and right directions; and a direction-restricted spraying pattern in which the number of spraying directions of the left and right liquid spraying units is restricted to 3 or less. The target path generation unit generates the target path P in a path setting to incorporate a four-direction spraying path for which the four-direction spraying pattern is set as a spraying pattern and direction-restricted spraying paths for which the direction-restricted spraying pattern is set as a spraying pattern.