Vehicle Position Estimation Using Conveyor Velocity Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a technology that can accurately estimate the position of a vehicle capable of autonomous or remote-controlled travel, particularly when it is moving on a conveyor that is in motion.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a vehicle velocity acquisition unit, a conveyance velocity acquisition unit, and an estimation unit that uses the acquired vehicle and conveyor velocities to estimate the position of the vehicle, potentially incorporating detection results from external sensors for enhanced accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the vehicle position is estimated using only vehicle velocity and external sensor detection results, then the position estimation is simple, but the position estimation accuracy deteriorates when the vehicle is on a moving conveyor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a conveyor velocity acquisition unit as an intermediary component that measures the conveyor's movement and provides this information to the estimation unit. This mediator allows the system to compensate for conveyor movement effects without requiring complete redesign of the estimation system, thereby improving position estimation accuracy while adding minimal complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter set used for position estimation by incorporating conveyor velocity as an additional parameter. The estimation unit processes multiple parameters (vehicle velocity, conveyor velocity, and external sensor detection results) to calculate accurate position, improving measurement precision through parameter expansion rather than system restructuring.
2Productivity
If the vehicle travels autonomously on a moving conveyor, then the productivity increases, but the position estimation accuracy deteriorates due to conveyor movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the conveyor velocity acquisition unit continuously monitors conveyor movement and feeds this information back to the estimation unit. The estimation unit then adjusts position calculations based on this feedback, maintaining high position estimation accuracy even while the vehicle travels autonomously on a moving conveyor, thus preserving both productivity and measurement precision.
3Measurement precision
If the position information from external sensors is used without correction, then the system operation is simple, but the position accuracy deteriorates when the vehicle is on a moving conveyor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the estimation unit pre-process external sensor detection results through correction calculations before using them for position estimation. The unit calculates corrected position information by compensating for conveyor movement effects in advance, ensuring high accuracy while maintaining operational simplicity through automated correction rather than manual intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
A device includes: a vehicle velocity acquisition unit configured to acquire a vehicle velocity of a vehicle capable of traveling by unmanned driving; a conveyance velocity acquisition unit configured to acquire a conveyance velocity of a conveyor which the vehicle is on; and an estimation unit configured to estimate a position of the vehicle using the acquired vehicle velocity and the acquired conveyance velocity.