UWB Tag-Following Cart Positioning for Collision-Safe Tracking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing carts struggle with precise calculation of user position for following operations, leading to potential inaccuracies and collisions.
Innovation Solution
The cart employs a configuration with a first and second UWB anchor with different front-rear positions to receive beacon signals from a UWB tag, allowing precise calculation of user position and determining whether the user is in a following operation permitted or prohibited area, and adjusting the following operation accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a single UWB anchor is used to calculate user position, then the device complexity is low, but the position calculation precision is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the positioning function into multiple segments by deploying two UWB anchors at different front-rear positions. Each anchor independently receives beacon signals and contributes to the overall position calculation, with the control device synthesizing data from both anchors to achieve high-precision positioning without requiring a single complex anchor system
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a spatial dimension by positioning anchors at different front-rear locations rather than using a single anchor. This dimensional separation allows the system to calculate user position with higher precision by comparing signal characteristics from multiple spatial points, effectively transforming a 2D positioning problem into a 3D spatial measurement system
2Reliability
If the cart follows the user without position verification, then the following operation responsiveness is high, but collision safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The control device performs preliminary position verification by continuously calculating the user's position relative to the cart before executing following operations. The system determines whether the user is in a permitted area based on position data from both anchors, and only then proceeds with the following operation, ensuring safety checks are completed in advance
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback by monitoring the user's position calculated from beacon signals received by both anchors. The control device adjusts the following operation based on real-time position information, stopping or resuming operations depending on whether the user remains in the permitted area, creating a closed-loop safety control mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
A cart may include a body unit, a ground contact unit supported by the body unit, a prime mover configured to drive the ground contact unit, a first UWB anchor including a first antenna and a second antenna and configured to receive a beacon signal from a UWB tag, a second UWB anchor configured to receive the beacon signal from the UWB tag, and a control device configured to execute a following operation of causing the cart to follow the UWB tag by driving the prime mover. The control device may be configured to calculate a first distance which is a distance between the first UWB anchor and the UWB tag and a first tag angle which is an angle of the UWB tag relative to the first UWB anchor by using the beacon signal received by the first antenna and the beacon signal received by the second antenna.