Search

EP-4735969-A1 - METHOD TO OPERATE A FORESTRY VEHICLE, AND A FORESTRY VEHICLE SYSTEM

EP4735969A1EP 4735969 A1EP4735969 A1EP 4735969A1EP-4735969-A1

Abstract

A method to operate a forestry vehicle, wherein the method comprises: - determining (110) a position of the forestry vehicle, - receiving (120) a terrain region data set of at least a part of the surrounding terrain of the forestry vehicle, comprising a plurality of subregions wherein a terrain metric is associated with each of the plurality of subregions indicating a characteristic terrain type, - determining (130), by a control unit, an electric energy usage metric of at least two of the plurality of sub-regions, respectively, based on the corresponding terrain metric, and - calculating (140), by a control unit, a navigation route to a destination for the forestry vehicle based on the electric energy usage metrics of the at least two sub-regions and the position of the forestry vehicle

Inventors

  • ASSARSSON, Peter
  • LUNDGREN, KARL
  • NYSTRÖM, Mattias

Assignees

  • Komatsu Forest AB

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240627

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . Method (100) to operate a forestry vehicle, wherein the method comprises: determining (110) a position of the forestry vehicle, receiving (120) a terrain region data set of at least a part of the surrounding terrain of the forestry vehicle, comprising a plurality of subregions wherein a terrain metric is associated with each of the plurality of subregions indicating a characteristic terrain type, determining (130), by a control unit, an electric energy usage metric of at least two of the plurality of sub-regions, respectively, based on the corresponding terrain metric, and calculating (140), by a control unit, a navigation route to a destination for the forestry vehicle based on the electric energy usage metrics of the at least two sub-regions and the position of the forestry vehicle.
  2. 2. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the method is a method for optimizing a navigation route to at least one destination for a forestry vehicle through a forest, wherein the surrounding terrain of the forestry vehicle is a forest.
  3. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one destination comprises a plurality of harvesting positions, and wherein the method comprises calculating, by a control unit, a navigation route to the plurality of harvesting positions based on the electric energy usage metrics of the at least two sub-regions and the position of the forestry vehicle, wherein the navigation route passes through the plurality of harvesting positions in a series.
  4. 4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the terrain region data set comprises vegetation data indicating at least one of tree distribution data and tree position data in at least one of the plurality of sub-regions, and wherein calculating, by a control unit, a navigation route to a destination for the forestry vehicle is further based on the vegetation data.
  5. 5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the forestry vehicle comprises an electric motor and a first electric energy storage associated with a first storage metric indicating a first electric energy storage property and configured to provide electric energy to the electric motor, wherein calculating a navigation route is based on the first storage metric.
  6. 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein calculating the navigation route comprises determining (12) if the first storage metric fulfils a sub-region requirement, based on the electric energy usage metric of at least two of the plurality of sub-regions and the first storage metric, wherein the sub-region requirement comprises at least one of a capacity and a power density of the first electric energy storage.
  7. 7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the forestry vehicle comprises a second electric energy storage associated with a second storage metric indicating a second electric energy storage property and configured to provide electric energy to the electric motor, and wherein the method comprises: determining (150) an electric energy control scheme for adaptively providing electric energy to the electric motor from the first electric energy storage and the second electric energy storage, based on the first storage metric and the second storage metric, and at least one of the terrain region data set, the determined electric energy usage metrics of the at least two of the plurality of sub-regions, and the position of the forestry vehicle.
  8. 8. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein calculating the navigation route is based on at least one of the electric energy control scheme, the first storage metric, and the second storage metric.
  9. 9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the forestry vehicle comprises a combustion engine, an electric motor, and at least one electric energy storage associated with at least one storage metric indicating at least one electric energy storage property and configured to provide electric energy to the electric motor, wherein the combustion engine and the electric motor are configured to adaptively provide propulsion for the forestry vehicle, and wherein the method comprises: determining (160) a power control scheme for providing power to the propulsion of the forestry vehicle from at least one of the combustion engine and the electric motor, based on at least one of the terrain region data set, the at least one electric energy usage metric, the at least one storage metric, and the position of the forestry vehicle, wherein calculating the navigation route is based on the power control scheme.
  10. 10. The method according to claim 9, wherein determining a power control scheme for providing power to the propulsion of the forestry vehicle from at least one of the combustion engine and the electric motor, is based on the terrain region data set, the at least one electric energy usage metric, and the at least one storage metric, wherein the at least one storage metric comprises at least one of a capacity and a power density.
  11. 11 . The method according to anyone of claims 9 to 10, wherein determining the power control scheme comprises determining (162) a power control metric for the at least two sub-regions of the plurality of sub-regions, based on at least one of the terrain region data set, the at least one electric energy usage metric, the at least one storage metric, and the position of the forestry vehicle.
  12. 12. The method according to anyone of claims 9 to 11 , wherein determining the power control scheme comprises determining (165) sub-regions for charging the at least one electric energy storage by the combustion engine.
  13. 13. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the forestry vehicle comprises a first sensor, and wherein the method comprises: measuring (170), by the first sensor, a steering angle, a, of the forestry vehicle in relation to the surrounding terrain of the forestry vehicle, wherein calculating the navigation route is based on the steering angle.
  14. 14. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the forestry vehicle comprises a second sensor, and wherein the method comprises: measuring (180), by the second sensor, at least one terrain property of the surrounding terrain of the forestry vehicle, wherein calculating the navigation route is based on the at least one terrain property.
  15. 15. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the forestry vehicle comprises a third sensor, and wherein the method comprises: measuring (190), by the third sensor, a depth of the tracks of the forestry vehicle and generate a depth data set, wherein calculating the navigation route is based on the depth data set.
  16. 16. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the method further comprises recalculating (530), by the control unit, if at least one of the terrain property, the depth of the tracks and the steering angle fulfils a recalculation condition indicating an obstruction and/or hindrance in a subregion comprised in the calculated navigation route, to generate an updated navigation route.
  17. 17. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein calculating the navigation route is associated with at least one operating mode that prioritizes at least one of a power distribution, an energy consumption, a time duration, a vehicle condition, and a suspension utilization.
  18. 18. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method is a method for determining a navigation route to at least one log position for a forwarder through a forest, wherein the forwarder comprises a loading space configured to receive logs.
  19. 19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the method comprises receiving (500) log position data, and wherein calculating, by a control unit, a navigation route to a destination for the forwarder is further based on the log position data.
  20. 20. The method according to claim 18 or 19, wherein calculating, by a control unit, a navigation route to at least one log position for the forwarder is further based on log weight data.

Description

METHOD TO OPERATE A FORESTRY VEHICLE, AND A FORESTRY VEHICLE SYSTEM Field of the invention The present invention relates to a method to operate a forestry vehicle, and a forestry vehicle system for operating a forestry vehicle. Technical background Different types of vehicles are frequently used within different areas to conduct work and moving equipment, products, objects etc. One example is within the forest industry where powerful vehicles are used for harvesting and transporting/moving felled trees from the forest. A harvester and a forwarder are examples of common forestry vehicles, typically operating at least partially in sync, where the forwarder is to transport felled trees harvested by the harvester to be further processed in e.g. a saw or pulp mill. Operating such forestry vehicles through e.g. a terrain of a forest work site is often performed manually by an operator. In some instances, a path for the harvester and/or the forwarder is determined beforehand, to appoint an efficient path for the forestry vehicles to follow in terms of e.g. reduction of time and/or distance. Such approach often requires a skilled operator and may be error-prone due to e.g. the human factor. Hinders along the chosen path such as large rocks, high water levels, and unsteady terrain put hardship on the skilled operator and forcing them to re-navigate the chosen path. Consequently, this may result in a reduced efficiency of the forestry vehicle. Therefore, there is still a need for a further improved method for operating a forestry vehicle according to a navigation route in an efficient manner regarding e.g. time and distance. It would be advantageous to achieve a method that at least is alleviating some of the above-mentioned drawbacks. To better address one or more of these concerns a method for operating a forestry vehicle is presented, as well as a forestry vehicle system for operating a forestry vehicle. Preferred embodiments of the method and system are defined in the dependent claims. Hence, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method to operate a forestry vehicle, wherein the method comprises: - determining a position of the forestry vehicle, - receiving a terrain region data set of at least a part of the surrounding terrain of the forestry vehicle, comprising a plurality of sub-regions wherein a terrain metric is associated with each of the plurality of sub-regions indicating a characteristic terrain type, - determining, by a control unit, an electric energy usage metric of at least two of the plurality of sub-regions, respectively, based on the corresponding terrain metric, and - calculating, by a control unit, a navigation route to a destination for the forestry vehicle based on the electric energy usage metrics of the at least two sub-regions and the position of the forestry vehicle. It will be appreciated that the method to operate a forestry vehicle comprises calculating, by a control unit, a navigation route to a destination for the forestry vehicle based on electric energy usage metrics of at least two sub-regions of a received terrain region data set of the surrounding terrain of the forestry vehicle, and the position of the forestry vehicle. The determined electric energy usage metrics of the at least two sub-regions based on corresponding terrain metric may for example indicate a required minimum level of electric energy provided by the forestry vehicle. The terrain metrics are associated with a corresponding sub-region indicating a characteristic terrain type. A characteristic terrain type may for example comprise an elevation, a slope, an obstruction, and/or a composition of the corresponding sub-region of the terrain region data set. The method according to the first aspect of the present invention is favorable as the navigation route may therefore be calculated based on the electric energy usage metrics so as to optimize the navigation route in regard to one or more of e.g. operating time, energy consumption, wear on the forestry vehicle, etc. For example, the (optimal) navigation route may exclude routes which would entail unstable terrain, and/or slopes too steep for the forestry vehicle to maneuver at all, or in a time and/or energy efficient manner. In a further example, the navigation route may be chosen to minimize the operating time, such as time to destination, while considering the energy consumption, such that the forestry vehicle may reach its destination. In a further example, the navigation route may be chosen to provide a compromise solution taking into consideration operating time, energy consumption and wear of the forestry vehicle. It will be further appreciated that calculating the navigation route is performed by a control unit to e.g. be provided to an operator of the forestry vehicle. This simplifies the operating and navigating of the forestry vehicle for an operator, as well as providing a safer working environment for the operator