Work area zone boundary demarcation apparatus of autonomously navigating work machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021397765-A1
Application number	US-201817287677-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 7, 2018
Priority date	Nov 7, 2018
Publication date	Dec 23, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

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.

First claim

1 . A work zone boundary demarcation apparatus to demarcate boundaries that divide a work area to be serviced by at least one autonomously navigating work machine into multiple zones, comprising:
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.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further including:
a work instruction unit that instructs the work machine to perform work in the multiple zones divided by the boundaries re-demarcated by the boundary re-demarcation unit.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the simulation execution unit re-executes simulation of work of the work machine in the multiple zones divided by the boundaries re-demarcated by the boundary re-demarcation unit.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when workloads of the multiple zones divided by the boundaries demarcated by the boundary demarcation unit are determined from the results of the simulation executed by the simulation execution unit not to be equal, the boundary re-demarcation unit re-demarcates the boundaries demarcated by the boundary demarcation unit and the simulation execution unit re-executes simulation of work of the work machine in the multiple zones divided by the re-demarcated boundaries.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the boundary demarcation unit ascertains an unserviceable region in the work area and demarcates boundaries that divide the work area into multiple zones taking the ascertained unserviceable region into account.

6 . The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein when the boundary demarcation unit demarcates boundaries dividing the work area into multiple zones taking the unserviceable region into account, the simulation execution unit re-executes simulation of work of the work machine in the multiple zones divided by the re-demarcated boundaries.

7 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the boundary demarcation unit updates data regarding the work area at predetermined intervals, and after data regarding the work area is updated by the boundary demarcation unit, the simulation execution unit re-executes simulation of work of the work machine in the multiple zones divided by the boundaries demarcated based on the updated data.

8 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when it is determined from the results of simulation executed by the simulation execution unit that an unserviced region remains in any of the multiple zones, the boundary re-demarcation unit re-demarcates the boundaries demarcated by the boundary demarcation unit so as to include the unserviced region in an area adjacent to the unserviced region and the simulation execution unit re-executes simulation of work of the work machine in the multiple zones divided by the re-demarcated boundaries.

9 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further including:
a display connected to the computer and the boundary demarcation unit displays the demarcated boundaries on the display.

10 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further including:
a display connected to the computer; and the simulation execution unit displays work time of the work machine on the display at the time of executing simulation of work time of the work machine in the multiple zones divided by the boundaries demarcated by the boundary demarcation unit.

11 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when executing simulation of work of the work machine in the multiple zones divided by the boundaries demarcated by the boundary demarcation unit, the simulation execution unit includes in simulation travel time of the work machine up to arrival at the zone.

12 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the boundary demarcation unit demarcates the boundaries dividing the work area into multiple zones so as to minimize intersections between the boundaries.

13 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when the boundary can be defined by any among a number of straight line segments, the boundary demarcation unit demarcates the boundary dividing the work area into multiple zones using the longest line segment among the multiple line segments.

14 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the boundary demarcation unit demarcates the boundaries dividing the work area into multiple zones so as to minimize area of a narrow path of the work area.

15 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the work machine is equipped with a computer comprising at least a processor, memory and input/output circuit, and the zone display unit instructs the processor of the computer of the work machine via the input/output circuit to display the multiple zones divided based on boundaries re-demarcated by the boundary re-demarcation unit.

16 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the work machine is driven by drive units to be capable of autonomous navigation in the work area, and is equipped with a computer comprising a processor, memory and input/output circuit, and wherein the memory is loaded with a simulation program that simulates work of the work machine in the work area and wherein the processor is configured to perform as the boundary demarcation unit, simulation execution unit, boundary re-demarcation unit and work instruction unit.

17 . A work zone boundary demarcation method to demarcate boundaries that divide a work area to be serviced by at least one autonomously navigating work machine into multiple zones, comprising the steps of:
demarcating boundaries which divide the work area into multiple zones, executing simulation of work of the work machine in the multiple zones divided by the boundaries demarcated by the boundary demarcation step, re-demarcating boundaries demarcated by the boundary demarcation step based on results of the simulation executed by the simulation execution step, and displaying the multiple zones divided by the boundaries re-demarcated by the boundary re-demarcation step.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , further including the step of:
instructing the work machine to perform work in the multiple zones divided by the boundaries re-demarcated by the boundary re-demarcation step.

19 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the simulation execution step re-executes simulation of work of the work machine in the multiple zones divided by the boundaries re-demarcated by the boundary re-demarcation step.

20 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein when workloads of the multiple zones divided by the boundaries demarcated by the boundary demarcation step are determined from the results of the simulation executed by the simulation execution step not to be equal, the boundary re-demarcation step re-demarcates the boundaries demarcated by the boundary demarcation step and the simulation execution step re-executes sim

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shimamura Hideaki

Classifications

• G06N3/08

  Learning methods · CPC title

• G05D1/246

  using environment maps, e.g. simultaneous localisation and mapping [SLAM] · CPC title

• G05D1/225

  operated by off-board computers · CPC title

• G05D1/648

  Performing a task within a working area or space, e.g. cleaning · CPC title

• G06F30/20 Primary

  Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30) · CPC title