Autonomous Tractor Return Route for Easy Field-Edge Boarding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Operators face inconvenience in accessing working vehicles in agricultural fields as the work end position is often inside the field, requiring deep entry to board the vehicle after unmanned travel is completed.

Innovation Solution

A working vehicle equipped with a controller for autonomous travel and a remote controller to guide the vehicle along a pre-set remote control traveling route from an end stop position to the agricultural field's end, allowing easy access without deep field entry, with features like predetermined speed limits and safety clearances to prevent deviation and ensure safe operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the work end position is set inside the agricultural field (as in prior art), then the autonomous work route can be completed efficiently, but the operator has to enter deeply into the agricultural field to board the vehicle

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautonomous work efficiencyVSAvoidoperator accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-sets a remote control traveling route that extends from the end stop position inside the field to the end of the field. This preliminary route configuration allows the vehicle to automatically travel to an accessible position without operator intervention, resolving the contradiction by preparing the access path in advance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The remote control traveling route acts as an intermediary mechanism between the autonomous work route endpoint and the field boundary. This intermediate route enables the vehicle to bridge the gap between where it completes work and where the operator can access it, eliminating the need for deep field entry.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the vehicle travels autonomously at high speed, then work efficiency is improved, but safety control becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraveling speedVSAvoidsafety control
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the vehicle's operating mode based on the travel phase. During autonomous work travel, the vehicle operates at high speed for efficiency. During remote control traveling to the endpoint, the system switches to manual control with inherent safety monitoring, allowing speed adaptation to contextual requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The remote control mechanism provides real-time feedback to the operator during the final travel phase. This feedback loop allows the operator to monitor and control the vehicle's movement, ensuring safety while maintaining reasonable travel speed to the endpoint.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3932164B1Working vehicle
Publication Date: 2023.04.12 ISEKI & CO LTD
  • EP3932164B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3932164B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3932164B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A challenge of the present invention is to enable an operator (53) staying on a border to get on a tractor easily without having to enter deep into an agricultural field (50). A working vehicle (1) includes: a controller (40) that is configured to cause a traveling body (2) to travel autonomously along an autonomous work route (R1) set in an agricultural field (50); and a remote controller (100) that is configured to send an instruction to the controller (40), and is characterized in that, while receiving a traveling instruction from the remote controller (100), the controller (40) causes the traveling body (2) to travel through remote control along a remote control traveling route (R2) previously set from an end stop position (50b) of the autonomous work route (R1) toward an end (50a) of the agricultural field (50).