Work Vehicle Route Switching for Coverage and Collision Avoidance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing work vehicle automatic traveling systems struggle to handle situations where one work vehicle departs from its pre-set travel route due to mechanical or environmental factors, leading to inefficiencies and potential collisions when multiple vehicles operate cooperatively in a work site.

Innovation Solution

A work vehicle automatic traveling system that includes an area setting unit, a host vehicle position calculating unit, a route managing unit, and a route element selecting unit, which allows for dynamic selection of travel routes based on state information and positional relationships between vehicles, enabling cooperative or independent travel to ensure efficient coverage of the work area without leaving unworked areas or causing collisions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple work vehicles carry out work travel cooperatively while maintaining pre-set work deployment positions, then work efficiency is improved and work time is shortened, but the system cannot flexibly respond when a work vehicle departs from the pre-set travel route due to mechanical or environmental factors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvework efficiencyVSAvoidflexibility to depart from pre-set route
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic route selection by enabling work vehicles to switch between cooperative travel mode (following pre-set routes) and independent travel mode (selecting own routes) based on real-time conditions. When a vehicle departs from its pre-set route, the system dynamically adjusts by having remaining vehicles recalculate and select new travel routes independently, transforming the system from static to adaptive operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs feedback mechanisms where work vehicles continuously monitor the travel status of other vehicles in the group. When a vehicle departs from its pre-set route, this information is fed back to the route selection unit, which then recalculates optimal routes for remaining vehicles based on updated conditions, ensuring the system responds appropriately to changing work environments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If work vehicles strictly follow pre-set travel routes, then collision risk is minimized, but the system limits freedom of work travel and prevents flexible response to work environment changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision avoidanceVSAvoidfreedom of work travel
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback-based route selection mechanism where vehicles continuously monitor each other's positions and travel statuses. When vehicles operate independently, the system uses real-time position feedback to dynamically adjust routes, maintaining collision avoidance through continuous monitoring while enabling flexible adaptation to work environment changes such as refueling needs or unloading requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from static route following to dynamic route selection based on real-time conditions. Vehicles can dynamically switch between maintaining pre-set routes for collision avoidance and selecting independent routes when environmental factors require flexibility, such as mechanical issues or work site changes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If a work vehicle departs from work travel due to mechanical or environmental factors, then the vehicle can address its specific needs, but the remaining work vehicle may also depart from work travel or follow its own pre-set route, reducing overall work efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to handle vehicle departureVSAvoidwork efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

When a work vehicle departs from its travel, the system receives feedback about this status change and automatically triggers a route recalculation process for remaining vehicles. This feedback mechanism ensures that remaining vehicles continue working efficiently by selecting optimal routes that account for the departed vehicle's absence, preventing unnecessary departures and maintaining high work efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary route calculation and selection mechanisms that prepare alternative routes in advance. When a vehicle departs, the system can quickly switch to pre-calculated alternative routes or rapidly generate new routes, minimizing the impact on work efficiency and ensuring continuous productive operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3557360B1Work vehicle automatic traveling system
Publication Date: 2022.08.03 KUBOTA CORP
  • EP3557360B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3557360B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3557360B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A work vehicle automatic traveling system includes a route element selecting unit that, on the basis of state information, sequentially selects a next travel route element on which a work vehicle is to travel next, from a travel route element set and a circling route element set. The route element selecting unit includes a cooperative route element selection rule, which is employed when a plurality of work vehicles carry out work travel cooperatively in an area CA to be worked, and an independent route element selection rule, which is employed when a single independent work vehicle among the work vehicles carries out work travel independently in the area CA to be worked. When the independent work vehicle is carrying out independent work travel in the area CA to be worked, and a work vehicle aside from the host vehicle is carrying out circling travel based on the circling route element or is stopped, the next travel route element is selected on the basis of the independent route element selection rule.