Traveling Vehicle Entry Control for Congested Area Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
In traveling vehicle systems, entry permission requests can lead to vehicles stopping just short of an area due to reversed order of requests and timing issues, causing reduced utilization rates as multiple vehicles become stuck on the entry route.
Innovation Solution
A controller determines if the remaining number of vehicles is below a threshold, temporarily holding entry permission requests and granting access to the first vehicle at the entry region, ensuring smooth entry by prioritizing the earliest arrival regardless of request order.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If entry permission is granted to traveling vehicles in the order of request receipt, then the control system is simple to operate, but the utilization rate of traveling vehicles decreases due to vehicles stopping and waiting on entry routes
Solution Approach 1:
The controller preliminarily determines whether the remaining number of vehicles is equal to or less than a predetermined number before granting entry permission. This preliminary assessment allows the system to switch between different permission granting modes (first-come-first-served vs. first-to-arrive), preventing vehicles from stopping on entry routes while maintaining operational simplicity through automated decision-making.
Solution Approach 2:
The entry permission granting method dynamically changes based on the remaining number of vehicles in the area. When the remaining number is small (indicating high congestion risk), the system grants permission based on arrival order at entry region. When the remaining number is large, the system reverts to granting permission based on request receipt order. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between operational simplicity and vehicle utilization.
2Device complexity
If the controller grants entry permission based on request timing, then the control logic is straightforward, but multiple vehicles may become stuck on the entry route reducing system efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs a preliminary determination of the remaining vehicle count before executing the entry permission granting logic. This preliminary action enables the system to select the appropriate permission granting strategy in advance, avoiding the need for complex real-time decision-making while preventing vehicle congestion on entry routes.
Solution Approach 2:
The remaining number of vehicles serves as an intermediary parameter that mediates between the simple request-based permission system and the more efficient arrival-based system. By using this intermediary metric, the controller can smoothly transition between different control strategies without requiring complex integrated logic, thus maintaining control simplicity while improving system efficiency.
3Measurement precision
If the controller monitors and responds to entry permission requests in real-time, then the response accuracy is high, but the communication overhead and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs partial monitoring by only actively tracking vehicle positions and granting permission based on arrival order when the remaining number of vehicles is equal to or less than the predetermined number. When the remaining number exceeds this threshold, the controller uses the simpler request-based approach. This partial application of intensive monitoring reduces communication overhead and processing time while maintaining high response accuracy when it is most needed.
Data Source
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AI summary
[Problem] To prevent a reduction in the utilization rate of traveling vehicles by performing smooth entry of the traveling vehicles to an area. [Means to Solve Problem] A traveling vehicle system SYS comprises: a determiner 44 that determines, upon receiving from the traveling vehicle V an entry permission request for the area CA under control, whether or not the remaining number Nr of vehicles to the maximum number N1 of vehicles allowed to enter the area CA is equal to or less than a threshold value Ns; and an entry permitter 45 that temporarily holds the entry permission request from the traveling vehicle V if the determiner 44 determines the threshold value Ns as not having been exceeded and upon arrival of the traveling vehicle V at an entry region EA for the area CA, grants the traveling vehicle V permission to enter the area CA if the sum of the number of traveling vehicles V present within the area CA and the number of traveling vehicles V already permitted to enter the area CA is less than the maximum number N1 of vehicles, but does not grant entry permission if the sum has reached the maximum number N1 of vehicles.