Work Machine Display for Adding and Shifting Virtual Walls

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing work machines face efficiency deterioration when entering avoidance areas due to the lack of easy methods to set or modify virtual walls at work sites.

Innovation Solution

A display system for work machines that includes a construction data storage unit for existing virtual walls, a virtual wall setting unit to add new virtual walls, and a display control unit to visualize both types of walls on a display device, allowing operators to easily set and modify virtual walls.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a virtual wall is set at a work site to restrict entry of a work machine, then the work machine can be prevented from entering avoidance areas, but it becomes difficult to add new virtual walls to existing virtual walls

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of entering avoidance areaVSAvoidease of setting virtual wall

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The virtual wall setting function is segmented into two distinct modes: adding a new virtual wall and shifting an existing virtual wall. This segmentation allows the system to handle different operational needs through dedicated interfaces, making the complex function of modifying virtual walls easier to operate while maintaining reliability in preventing entry into avoidance areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the virtual wall setting function is made more flexible to allow easy addition of new virtual walls, then the ease of operation improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of setting virtual wallVSAvoidcomplexity of virtual wall management system

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adapts its interface based on the current state of virtual walls. When virtual walls exist, the system offers both 'add new' and 'shift existing' options; when no virtual walls exist, only the 'add new' option is presented. This dynamic behavior provides operational flexibility without requiring a permanently complex system architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Loss of information

If multiple virtual walls are displayed simultaneously to show both existing and new virtual walls, then the information completeness improves, but the display complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation completeness of virtual wall displayVSAvoidcomplexity of display control system

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The display control unit uses color differentiation to distinguish between existing virtual walls and newly added virtual walls. This visual encoding method allows multiple virtual walls to be displayed simultaneously with complete information while maintaining simple display logic, avoiding the need for complex multi-layered display controls.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

Data Source

PatentUS20250207367A1Display system of work machine, work machine, and display method of work machine

Publication Date: 2025.06.26 KOMATSU LTD

AI summary

A display system of a work machine includes a construction data storage unit that stores an existing virtual wall indicating a virtual wall set at a work site of the work machine, the virtual wall restricting entry of the work machine; a virtual wall setting unit that sets a new virtual wall indicating a virtual wall to be newly added; and a display control unit that causes a display device to display each of the existing virtual wall and the new virtual wall.