Moving Vehicle Assembly Sequencing Using Shared Position Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle manufacturing systems face challenges in managing vehicles that lack information acquisition units for determining their position and attitude, leading to difficulties in maintaining production order and coordination during manufacturing.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle manufacturing system that includes determination and repositioning mechanisms to select and reposition vehicles equipped with information acquisition means, such as LiDAR or GPS, to ensure accurate position and attitude data is acquired, allowing for the rearrangement of production order based on the availability of these units.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If vehicles are manufactured with step-by-step assembly while continuously moving, then productivity is improved, but vehicles without information acquisition units cannot be properly positioned or coordinated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing efficiencyVSAvoidposition and attitude information availability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a server as an intermediary that collects position and attitude information from vehicles equipped with information acquisition units, and provides this information to vehicles without such units. This mediator enables vehicles lacking sensors to still obtain necessary positional data, resolving the contradiction between continuous manufacturing and information availability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a universal information sharing mechanism where the server aggregates data from various vehicles with different sensor configurations and distributes it to all vehicles. This multi-functional approach allows the system to serve both vehicles with information acquisition units and those without, maintaining coordinated manufacturing for all vehicle types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Device complexity

If vehicles without information acquisition units are allowed to participate in continuous manufacturing, then device complexity is reduced, but production order and coordination cannot be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation acquisition unit requirementVSAvoidproduction order management
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The server acts as a mediator that manages production order and coordination centrally. It receives position information from vehicles with sensors, determines appropriate positioning for vehicles without sensors, and provides guidance information to maintain proper manufacturing sequence. This eliminates the need for each vehicle to independently possess information acquisition units while maintaining operational ease.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If all vehicles are equipped with information acquisition units, then position and attitude information is reliably available, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveposition and attitude information availabilityVSAvoidinformation acquisition unit quantity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the information acquisition function across the vehicle fleet rather than requiring each vehicle to have its own complete sensor suite. Vehicles with information acquisition units share their data through the server, creating a collective sensing capability that reduces the total number of sensors needed while maintaining reliable position and attitude information for all vehicles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The server creates virtual copies of position and attitude information by aggregating data from vehicles with sensors and distributing this information to vehicles without sensors. This informational copying allows vehicles lacking physical sensors to access the same positional data, reducing the need for redundant information acquisition units across the fleet.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP4607306A1Vehicle manufacturing system, vehicle manufacturing method, and program
Publication Date: 2025.08.27 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP4607306A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4607306A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4607306A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A vehicle manufacturing system (50) includes: determination means (1125) for determining whether or not a first vehicle (1117) among a plurality of vehicles is equipped with first information acquisition means (1113) for acquiring first information indicating a position and an attitude of a vehicle behind the first vehicle (1117), the plurality of vehicles being manufactured step by step while they are continuously moving; and vehicle repositioning means (1127) for selecting and repositioning a vehicle equipped with second information acquisition means (1115) for acquiring second information indicating a position and an attitude of a vehicle in front thereof as a second vehicle (1119) following the first vehicle (1117) when the determination means (1125) determines that the first vehicle (1117) is not equipped with the first information acquisition means (1113).