Autonomous Utility Vehicle Return Route Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous utility vehicles face inefficiencies in returning to charging stations due to long paths and rut formation when frequently driven along the same boundary wire, leading to decreased working efficiency and increased return time.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle employs a control apparatus with an ECU that generates a working area map, identifies travel locus cells, and selects a return route by choosing cells with smaller cell numbers, allowing for a shorter and more efficient return path while preventing rut formation by varying the return route based on travel locus cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the utility vehicle returns to the charging station by driving along the boundary wire, then the vehicle can reliably locate and return to the charging station, but the return path becomes long and ruts are formed due to frequent passage along the same path
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus pre-stores multiple return routes (first return route along boundary wire, second return route through working area) before the vehicle needs to return. When the battery requires charging, the system selectively chooses from these pre-prepared routes based on current conditions, avoiding the need to calculate optimal paths in real-time and enabling faster return while preventing rut formation through route variation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between different return routes based on operational conditions. The first return route (along boundary wire) is used when reliability is prioritized, while the second return route (through working area) is selected to reduce return time and prevent rut formation. This dynamic route selection resolves the contradiction between reliable location and efficient return.
2Reliability
If the utility vehicle returns to the charging station by driving along the boundary wire, then the vehicle can reliably locate and return to the charging station, but ruts are formed due to frequent passage along the same path
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple return routes are pre-stored in the control apparatus before needed. The system prepares both the first return route (along boundary wire) and the second return route (through working area) in advance, enabling selective use of different paths to avoid repeated passage along the same route and prevent rut formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The control apparatus dynamically selects between different return routes based on operational needs. By alternating between the first return route (reliable but causes ruts) and the second return route (prevents ruts but longer path), the system maintains reliability while minimizing harmful rut formation through adaptive route variation.
3Ease of operation
If the utility vehicle uses a fixed return route along the boundary wire, then the navigation is simple and reliable, but the return path length is long and working efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus pre-stores multiple return routes including both the simple boundary wire route and more efficient routes through the working area. This preliminary preparation of multiple options allows the system to maintain navigation simplicity while selecting shorter paths to improve working efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts route selection based on efficiency requirements. While maintaining the simple boundary wire route as a baseline, the control apparatus can switch to more efficient routes through the working area when needed, thereby improving productivity without sacrificing navigation reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces the return path length, enhances operational efficiency, and prevents rut formation by dynamically altering the return route, thereby improving the vehicle's ability to return to the charging station quickly and effectively.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic sensor 51 that generates an output according to a detected magnetic field
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
In an apparatus for controlling operation of an autonomously navigating utility vehicle to travel about a working area, there are provided a cell memorizing unit (43) identifying a series of cells on which the vehicle has traveled in the work mode, assigning cell numbers successively to the series of cells, and memorizing the series of cells in association with the assigned cell numbers, the series of cells starting from the charging device to the current cell of the vehicle, a cell selecting unit (44) selecting a return locus cell from among the series of cells in the return mode, the return locus cell being adjacent to the current cell, a cell number of the return locus cell being smaller than a cell number of the current cell, and a travel controlling unit (45) controlling the vehicle to travel on the return locus cell to return to the charging device.