Worksite Mobility Platform Using Passive Landmarks for Precise Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional autonomous or semi-autonomous systems for worksites require external powered navigational equipment or GNSS for navigation, leading to complexity, high costs, and limited mobility, which hinders their effectiveness in performing tasks accurately and efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A mobility platform using passive landmarks and laser rangefinders to determine position and orientation, combined with odometry, enables precise navigation and task execution without external beacons, allowing for accurate layout marking and tool operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If external powered navigational equipment or GNSS is used for autonomous navigation, then navigation capability is achieved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the navigation function from external powered equipment and implements it using passive landmarks with laser rangefinders. The system removes the need for external beacons or GNSS receivers, achieving autonomous navigation through a simplified architecture that uses only passive reflective landmarks and onboard laser ranging capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, complex powered navigational equipment with simple, passive landmarks that require no power source. These passive landmarks can be simple reflective surfaces or markers that are inexpensive to deploy and replace, eliminating the need for maintained powered external beacons or satellite infrastructure.
2Measurement precision
If external powered navigational equipment is used, then navigation accuracy is achieved, but mobility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables the mobility platform to determine its own position and orientation using onboard laser rangefinders and passive landmarks. The platform is self-sufficient for navigation purposes, requiring no external powered infrastructure, which eliminates mobility constraints imposed by external equipment requirements.
3Measurement precision
If passive landmarks and laser rangefinders are used for navigation, then positioning accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple laser rangefinders with passive landmarks to create an integrated navigation system. By merging the ranging capability with landmark recognition and multi-sensor data fusion, the system achieves high positioning accuracy while managing complexity through unified system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The passive landmarks serve as intermediaries between the laser rangefinders and the navigation computation. These landmarks reflect laser signals back to the rangefinders, enabling precise distance measurements without requiring complex active transponders or powered beacon systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances construction productivity by enabling precise navigation and task performance in worksites with reduced human supervision, using passive landmarks and laser rangefinders for accurate positioning and orientation determination.
Implementation Method 1
a first laser rangefinder disposed on the chassis at a first location; a second laser rangefinder disposed on the chassis at a second location different than the first location
Implementation Method 2
acquire the first passive landmark with the first laser rangefinder, acquire the second passive landmark with the second laser rangefinder
Data Source
AI summary
A mobility platform is configured to execute one or more tasks in a worksite including a first passive landmark and a second passive landmark. The mobility platform may include a chassis, a drive system supporting the chassis, a first laser rangefinder disposed on the chassis at a first location, a second laser rangefinder disposed on the chassis at a second location, and at least one processor. The at least one processor may be configured to determine a position and orientation of the chassis based on a first distance measured by the first laser rangefinder between the first location and a first known landmark position, a second distance measured by the second laser rangefinder between the second location and a second known landmark position, and yaw angle information from at least one of the first and second laser rangefinders.