Work Zone Boundary Layout for Balanced Autonomous Machine Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomously navigating work machines face inefficiencies when dividing a work area into multiple zones for optimized work distribution, as current methods do not effectively equalize workloads and minimize narrow paths and intersections, leading to increased work time and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A work zone boundary demarcation apparatus equipped with a computer that simulates work machine operations, demarcates boundaries to minimize intersections and narrow paths, re-evaluates and re-draws boundaries based on simulation results to equalize workloads, and displays the zones for improved efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the work area is divided into multiple zones without simulation and re-evaluation, then the initial boundary demarcation is quick to establish, but the work time inequality and inefficiency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary simulation of work machine operations before finalizing boundary demarcation. The simulation execution unit predicts work times and identifies potential inefficiencies in advance, allowing boundaries to be optimized before actual work begins, thus preventing work time inequality without requiring complex real-time adjustments
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where simulation results are used to re-evaluate and re-demarcate boundaries. The boundary re-demarcation unit adjusts zone boundaries based on simulation feedback about work time distribution, ensuring equitable workload allocation while maintaining a relatively simple demarcation process through iterative optimization
2Productivity
If traditional boundary demarcation methods are used, then the setup process is simple, but the number of laps and narrow paths increase leading to reduced productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The simulation execution unit performs preliminary analysis of potential boundary layouts before implementation. By simulating work machine operations in advance, the system identifies boundary configurations that minimize laps and narrow paths, achieving optimized productivity without complex manual planning
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates virtual copies of the work area and work machine operations in the simulation environment. This digital modeling allows testing and optimization of multiple boundary scenarios without physical implementation, enabling selection of the most efficient layout that reduces unnecessary laps and narrow paths
3Ease of operation
If zones are demarcated without simulation execution, then the boundary demarcation process is fast, but the workload distribution becomes unbalanced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary simulation and workload analysis before finalizing zone demarcation. By executing simulations in advance to predict work times and identify imbalances, the boundary re-demarcation unit can adjust zones to achieve balanced workload distribution before actual work begins, eliminating the need for time-consuming real-time corrections
Data Source
AI summary
A work zone boundary demarcation apparatus to demarcate boundaries that divide a work area (AR) to be serviced by at least one autonomously navigating work machine into multiple zones (ARn), equipped with a computer having at least a processor, a memory, an input-output circuit and a simulation program loaded in the memory to simulate work of the work machine in the work area; wherein the processor is configured to perform as a boundary demarcation unit that demarcates boundaries which divide the work area into multiple zones, a simulation execution unit that executes simulation of work of the work machine in the multiple zones divided by the boundaries demarcated by the boundary demarcation unit, a boundary re-demarcation unit that re-demarcates boundaries demarcated by the boundary demarcation unit based on results of the simulation executed by the simulation execution unit, and a zone display unit that displays the multiple zones divided by the boundaries re-demarcated by the boundary re-demarcation unit.