Autonomous Work Vehicle Path Correction for Offset Implements

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Solution Overview

Problem

The working vehicle disclosed in JP 2018-116608 experiences an offset in the work trace of the working device relative to the target traveling route when the working device is offset in the vehicle width direction from the traveling vehicle.

Innovation Solution

A working vehicle equipped with a traveling vehicle that can autonomously travel along a target route, a working device attached to the vehicle, an offset acquisition unit to determine the offset amount and direction between the vehicle's center and the working device's center, and a traveling position corrector to adjust the vehicle's position to ensure the working device's center aligns with the target route.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the target traveling route is created based on the center of the traveling vehicle, then the autonomous traveling control is simplified, but the work trace of the working device becomes offset relative to the target traveling route when the working device is offset from the vehicle center

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautonomous traveling control complexityVSAvoidwork trace alignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by acquiring the offset amount between the vehicle center and the working device center before autonomous traveling begins. This offset information is stored and used during autonomous traveling to calculate the corrected target traveling route, ensuring the working device's work trace aligns with the route without adding complexity to the control system during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary element (the offset amount) that mediates between the vehicle center and the working device center. By using this intermediate parameter to adjust the target traveling route calculation, the system achieves precise work trace alignment without directly complicating the autonomous traveling control logic.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If the target traveling route is adjusted to account for the offset between the vehicle center and working device center, then the work trace alignment precision is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvework trace alignment precisionVSAvoidtraveling position correction complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the target traveling route parameters based on the offset amount. Instead of changing the physical configuration or adding complex hardware, the system adjusts the route parameters (position coordinates) to compensate for the offset, achieving precise alignment while keeping the device complexity low.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The offset acquisition and route adjustment are performed as preliminary actions before autonomous traveling begins. This preprocessing approach ensures that the main autonomous traveling control system remains simple while still achieving precise work trace alignment through pre-calculated route corrections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3903550B1Work vehicle
Publication Date: 2025.04.30 KUBOTA CORP
  • EP3903550B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3903550B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3903550B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

To provide a working vehicle configured to prevent a work trace of a working device from being offset relative to a target traveling route in a vehicle width direction even when the working device is offset relative to a traveling vehicle. A working vehicle includes a traveling vehicle configured to autonomously travel on a target traveling route, a working device attached to the traveling vehicle, an offset acquisition unit to acquire an offset amount and offset direction in a vehicle width direction between a width directional center of the traveling vehicle and a predetermined point in the working device, and a traveling position corrector to correct, based on the offset amount and the offset direction acquired by the offset acquisition unit, a traveling position of the traveling vehicle so that the predetermined point is located on the target traveling route.