Control apparatus for autonomously navigating utility vehicle
First Claim
1. An apparatus for controlling operation of an autonomously navigating utility vehicle equipped with a prime mover to travel about a working area delineated by a boundary wire in order to perform work autonomously, comprising:
- a position detector that detects a position of the vehicle in the working area;
an objective location identifying unit that identifies a location of an objective in the working area;
a route generating unit that generates a target return route for the vehicle to return from the position detected by the position detector to the location of the objective;
wherein to generate the target return route, the route generating unit selects, among a first set of radial lines imaginarily drawn on the working area to radiate from the position of the vehicle and a second set of radial lines imaginarily drawn on the working area to radiate from the location of the objective, a first radial line and a second radial line that result in a shortest distance from the position of the vehicle to the location of the objective, and generates the target return route by the first radial line and the second radial line;
wherein the route generating unit calculates intersection points of the first set of radial lines and the second set of radial lines on the working area, and selects a target intersection point among the calculated intersection points such that the first radial line and the second radial line result in the shortest distance from the position of the vehicle to the location of the objective when connected with each other via the target intersection point; and
a travel controlling unit that controls operation of the prime mover to make the vehicle travel along the target return route generated by the route generating unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an apparatus for controlling operation of an autonomously navigating utility vehicle equipped with a prime mover to travel about a working area delineated by a boundary wire in order to perform work autonomously, there are provided with an objective location identifying unit that identifies a location of an objective in the working area, a route generating unit that generates a target return route for the vehicle to return to the objective, and a travel controlling unit that controls operation of the prime mover to make the vehicle travel along the target return route. The route generating unit selects, among a first set of radial lines imaginarily drawn on the working area to radiate from the position of the vehicle and a second set of radial lines imaginarily drawn on the working area to radiate from the objective, a first radial line and a second radial line that result in shortest distance from the position of the vehicle to the objective and generates the target return route by the first radial line and the second radial line.
19 Citations
10 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling operation of an autonomously navigating utility vehicle equipped with a prime mover to travel about a working area delineated by a boundary wire in order to perform work autonomously, comprising:
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a position detector that detects a position of the vehicle in the working area; an objective location identifying unit that identifies a location of an objective in the working area; a route generating unit that generates a target return route for the vehicle to return from the position detected by the position detector to the location of the objective; wherein to generate the target return route, the route generating unit selects, among a first set of radial lines imaginarily drawn on the working area to radiate from the position of the vehicle and a second set of radial lines imaginarily drawn on the working area to radiate from the location of the objective, a first radial line and a second radial line that result in a shortest distance from the position of the vehicle to the location of the objective, and generates the target return route by the first radial line and the second radial line; wherein the route generating unit calculates intersection points of the first set of radial lines and the second set of radial lines on the working area, and selects a target intersection point among the calculated intersection points such that the first radial line and the second radial line result in the shortest distance from the position of the vehicle to the location of the objective when connected with each other via the target intersection point; and a travel controlling unit that controls operation of the prime mover to make the vehicle travel along the target return route generated by the route generating unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for controlling operation of an autonomously navigating utility vehicle equipped with a prime mover to travel about a working area delineated by a boundary wire in order to perform work autonomously, the method comprising:
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detecting, with a control apparatus on the vehicle, a position of the vehicle in the working area; identifying, with the control apparatus, a location of an objective in the working area; generating, with the control apparatus, a target return route for the vehicle to return from the position of the vehicle to the location of the objective; wherein generating the target return route for the vehicle comprises selecting, among a first set of radial lines imaginarily drawn on the working area to radiate from the position of the vehicle and a second set of radial lines imaginarily drawn on the working area to radiate from the location of the objective, a first radial line and a second radial line that result in a shortest distance from the position of the vehicle to the location of the objective, and generating the target return route by the first radial line and the second radial line; wherein generating the target return route for the vehicle comprises calculating intersection points of the first set of radial lines and the second set of radial lines on the working area, and selecting a target intersection point among the calculated intersection points such that the first radial line and the second radial line result in the shortest distance from the position of the vehicle to the location of the objective when connected with each other via the target intersection point; and controlling, with the control apparatus, operation of the prime mover to make the vehicle travel along the target return route. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification