Yard Vehicle Obstacle Positioning and Proximity Alerts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Riding yard maintenance vehicles lack effective systems for tracking and avoiding obstacles during operations, making it tedious and difficult for operators to monitor and record obstacle locations, which can lead to potential damage or inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A riding yard maintenance vehicle equipped with an onboard positioning module that tracks and records vehicle position information, detects obstacles using sensors, and generates notifications to the operator when approaching known obstacle locations, enabling proactive avoidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual monitoring of obstacle locations is used, then the system remains simple, but it is tedious and difficult for operators to track and record obstacle locations
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic self-monitoring of obstacle locations through GPS tracking and sensor detection, eliminating the need for manual recording by the operator. The vehicle autonomously tracks its position and detects obstacles, storing this information without requiring operator intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical process of monitoring and recording obstacles is replaced with an electronic system comprising GPS receivers, sensors, and processing circuitry that automatically detect, track, and record obstacle locations.
2Reliability
If no obstacle tracking system is used, then the vehicle structure remains simple, but obstacles cannot be effectively avoided leading to potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection and recording of obstacle locations before the vehicle reaches them. By using GPS tracking and sensors to identify and store obstacle positions in advance, the system enables proactive avoidance rather than reactive response.
Solution Approach 2:
The processing circuitry continuously compares the vehicle's current GPS position with stored obstacle locations and provides feedback to alert the operator when approaching an obstacle, enabling timely avoidance actions.
3Productivity
If real-time obstacle detection and notification is implemented, then safety and efficiency improve, but the system requires complex processing circuitry and sensors
Solution Approach 1:
The GPS receiver and processing circuitry serve multiple functions: tracking vehicle position for route monitoring, detecting obstacle locations, storing spatial data, and generating avoidance notifications. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The processing circuitry acts as an intermediary that receives data from GPS receivers and sensors, processes this information, and generates notifications to the operator, thereby integrating multiple components into a cohesive system.
Data Source
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AI summary
A riding yard maintenance vehicle may include a positioning module (150). The positioning module (150) may include processing circuitry (210) configured to receive information indicative of vehicle position of the riding yard maintenance vehicle (600), receive an indication of a triggering event that indicates a presence of an obstacle proximate to the riding yard maintenance vehicle (610), and cause recordation of an obstacle identifier in association with the vehicle position responsive to receipt of the indication (620).