Work Region Allocation for Synchronized Multi-Machine Edge Work

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional work region setting systems for multiple work machines, such as lawnmowers, fail to ensure equal work completion times due to differences in work efficiency between straight and turning movements, leading to inaccurate work time estimation and inefficient work distribution.

Innovation Solution

A system that includes a processor to acquire map and work machine information, deciding and setting work target regions for each machine based on their efficiency, where high-efficiency machines avoid boundary edges and low-efficiency machines focus on edge work, adjusting regions dynamically to ensure balanced work distribution and completion times.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If work region is adjusted in consideration of work efficiency, then work machines can complete work in same period, but work efficiency difference between straight movement and turning movement is not considered leading to inaccurate work time estimation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvework time estimation accuracyVSAvoidwork region setting complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating work region assignment based on the local characteristics of boundary portions. Specifically, it identifies turning movement positions at boundary portions and assigns different work region widths (narrower width) at these locations compared to straight movement areas (wider width), thereby accounting for the lower work efficiency during turning movements and improving work time estimation accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If work region is assigned without considering turning movement times, then work region setting is simple, but work machines will not complete work processes in same period

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvework completion synchronizationVSAvoidwork region setting complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating work region assignment based on the local characteristics of boundary portions. Specifically, it identifies turning movement positions at boundary portions and assigns different work region widths (narrower width) at these locations compared to straight movement areas (wider width), thereby accounting for the lower work efficiency during turning movements and improving work time estimation accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing work efficiency data for different movement types (straight movement vs. turning movement) before actual work region assignment. The system预先 establishes the relationship between boundary portion shapes, turning movement positions, and work efficiency, enabling accurate work time estimation and synchronized work completion without real-time adjustments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If high efficiency machine performs edge work, then overall work efficiency increases, but edge work requires turning movements reducing work efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoverall work efficiencyVSAvoidwork efficiency consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies inversion by reversing the conventional assumption that high-efficiency machines should perform all tasks. Instead, it strategically assigns edge work (which requires turning movements and reduces efficiency) to low-efficiency machines, while high-efficiency machines focus on straight movement tasks in interior regions. This inverted assignment strategy maintains work efficiency consistency across machines.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating work region assignment based on the local characteristics of boundary portions. Specifically, it identifies turning movement positions at boundary portions and assigns different work region widths (narrower width) at these locations compared to straight movement areas (wider width), thereby accounting for the lower work efficiency during turning movements and improving work time estimation accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS20250093883A1Work region setting device, work region setting system, work region setting method, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2025.03.20 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A work region setting device includes a processor executes computer-readable instructions to perform acquiring map information about a work region and work machine information about a plurality of work machines, deciding the work target region for each of the work machines for performing the work in a work range of a work region designated based on the map information, setting the decided work target region for each work machine, and transmitting the work target region to the work machine. The work machines include a first second work machines. The deciding of the work target region includes deciding a region including an edge of a boundary line located around the work range as a second work target region of the second work machine and deciding a region of the work range inside of the second work target region as a first work target region of the first work machine.