NAVIGATION METHOD AND SYSTEM

Abstract

This invention refers to a navigation method applicable to general transport meansair, maritime or land transport , particularly whenever constant checking on the route or path is required for taking a certain action. This invention also describes a system that uses said method.

Claims

1. A navigation method that comprises determining the position of an element (P) in relation to a certain route to be traversed by a transport mean, wherein said method comprises the steps of: registering a route (R) to be traversed by the transport mean through a navigation device; identifying the position of the element (P); segmenting, through a processing tool, the route (R) to be traversed by the transport mean into a plurality of polygonal forms (10) comprising, at least, four vertexes; checking a space relation between the element (P) and the polygonal form (10) through a processing tool; output a result on the position of the element (P) in relation to the polygonal form (10); taking a certain action according to the output result on the position of the element (P) in relation to the polygonal form (10).

2. A method according to the claim 1, wherein the polygonal forms (10) are adjacent to each other.

3. The method according to the claim 1, wherein the step of segmenting the route (R) to be traversed by the transport mean into a plurality of polygonal forms (10), through a processing tool, comprises dividing the route (R) into a plurality of polygonal forms (10) adjacently placed, wherein each polygonal form comprises a limiting perimeter containing a sequence of adjacent spots.

4. The method according to the claim 1, wherein the polygonal form (10) comprises a quadrilateral with vertexes (11,121,122,22) and an internal area.

5. The method according to the claim 1, wherein the polygonal form (10) comprises a convex quadrilateral.

6. The method according to the claim 1, wherein the step of checking the space position between the element (P) and the polygonal form (10) through a processing tool comprises the steps of: dividing the polygonal form (10) through a first diagonal line that connects two opposite vertexes, to include a first triangle (1) with a first vertex (11), with a second vertex (121), with a third vertex (122) and with an internal area (T1), as well as a second triangle (2) with a first vertex (22), with a second vertex (121), with a third vertex (122) and an internal area (T2); binding the element (P) to the vertexes of the first triangle (1), to comprise a third triangle (3) with an area (T3), a fourth triangle (4) with an area (T4) and a fifth triangle (5) with an area (T5); binding the element (P) to the vertexes of the second triangle (2), to comprise a sixth triangle (6) with an area (T6), a seventh triangle (7) with an area (T7) and an eighth triangle (8) with an area (T8); calculating the area of the third triangle (T3), the area of the fourth triangle (T4), the area of the fifth triangle (T5), the area of the sixth triangle (T6), the area of the seventh triangle (T7) and the area of the eighth triangle (T8); comparing the area of the first triangle (T1) to a result of a first sum (S1) of the area of the third triangle (T3), of the area of the fourth triangle (T4) and of the area of the fifth triangle (T5); comparing the area of the second triangle to a result of a second sum (S2) of the area of the sixth triangle (T6), the area of the seventh triangle (T7) and the area of the eight triangle (T8); processing a result from the comparison between the area of the first triangle (T1) and the first sum of areas (S1), as well as the result from the comparison between the area of the second triangle (T2) and the second sum of areas (S2).

7. The method according to the claim 1, wherein the output result comprises one of the two alternatives: the element (P) is associated to the internal area of the polygonal form (10), or the element is dissociated from the internal area of the polygonal form (10).

8. A navigation system to process the position of an element (P) in relation to a certain route (R) that comprises: a navigation device; at least a processing tool including at least a tool to identify the position of, at least, an element (P) to carry out the steps of the method as defined by claim 1.

9. A system according to the claim 8, wherein the navigation device uses geographical references through satellite.

10. The system according to the claim 8, wherein the device intended to capture the position of elements comprises, at least, a tool to detect the position of a certain element (P).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] FIG. 1Illustrative scheme of the navigation method according to this invention.

[0043] FIG. 2Illustrative scheme of the navigation method according to this invention.

[0044] FIG. 3Illustrative scheme of the navigation method according to this invention.

[0045] FIG. 4Illustrative scheme of the navigation method according to this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] As seen in the FIG. 1, this invention describes a navigation method that comprises determining the position of an element P in relation to a certain route R of a transport mean by land, sea or air, being likely to be fully applied to check, in real time, if a certain route or trajectory R is duly followed. Additionally, this invention can be applied to agricultural machines, preferably in planting systems that require real-time checking of the agricultural implement's trajectory to avoid formation of overlapped planted areas (to allow performing a certain action, such as the shut-off of planting rows to avoid formation of overlapped planted areas).

[0047] Therefore, a satisfactory and accurate navigation depends on checking if a certain element P (that can be any reference spot: a real object, such as a seed previously planted in a certain land or a virtual spot) is circumscribed to the route R. So, the navigation method described herein is easily and accurately performed, to prevent the generation of a false positive. Moreover, the application of such technique is extremely advantageous, as it does not require a highly robust, large and expensive processing unit.

[0048] Thus, the FIG. 1 describes a navigation method that comprises determining the position of an element P in relation to a certain route of a transport mean, wherein said method comprises the steps of: [0049] registering the route R of the transport mean through a navigation device; [0050] identifying the position of the element P; [0051] segmenting the route D into a plurality of polygonal forms 10 comprising, at least, four vertexes through a processing tool; [0052] checking the space relation between the element P and the polygonal form 10 through a processing tool; [0053] output a result as to the position of an element P in relation to the polygonal form 10; [0054] performing a certain action according to the result of the position of the element P in relation to the polygonal form 10.

[0055] In this case, the route R can be registered through a GPS or any other navigation unit that uses any other referential geolocation form.

[0056] Additionally, in this case, an element P is understood as any reference spot, either virtual or real. A real reference spot can be, for instance, a seed planted at a certain position, in a certain land reserved to vegetable crops.

[0057] In a first alternative embodiment, this invention describes a navigation method wherein the polygonal forms are adjacently placed. Preferably, the polygonal forms 10 are placed side by side, to form a continuous set describing the trajectory or route R to be traversed by the relevant transport mean.

[0058] In a second alternative embodiment, this invention describes a navigation method wherein the step of segmenting the route R into a plurality of polygonal forms 10 through a processing tool comprises dividing the route R into a plurality of polygonal forms 10 adjacently placed, wherein each polygonal form comprises a limiting perimeter containing a sequence of adjacent spots.

[0059] In a third alternative embodiment, this invention describes a navigation method wherein the polygonal form 10 preferably comprises a quadrilateral with vertexes 11, 121, 122, 22 and an internal area. Nevertheless, said polygonal 10 should not be limited to a quadrilateral, but could be any polygonal form likely to be reduced to, at least, a regular triangle.

[0060] Additionally, in a fourth alternative embodiment, this invention describes a navigation method, wherein the polygonal form 10 preferably comprises a convex quadrilateral.

[0061] In a fifth alternative embodiment, this invention describes a navigation method wherein the step of checking the space relation between the element P and the polygonal form 10 through a processing tool comprises the steps of: [0062] dividing the polygonal form 10 through a first diagonal line that binds two opposite vertexes, so as to include a first triangle 1 with a first vertex 11, a second vertex 121, a third vertex 122 and an area T1, as well as a second triangle 2 with a first vertex 22, a second vertex 121, a third vertex 122 and an area T2; [0063] binding the element P to the vertexes of the first triangle 1, to comprise a third triangle 3 with an area T3, a fourth triangle 4 with an area T4 and a fifth triangle 5 with an area T5; [0064] binding the element P to the vertexes of the second triangle 2, to comprise a sixth triangle 6 with an area T6, a seventh triangle 7 with an area T7, and an eight triangle 8 with an area T8; [0065] calculating the area of the third triangle T3, the area of the fourth triangle T4, the area of the fifth triangle T5, the area of the sixth triangle T6, the area of the seventh triangle T7 and the area of the eight triangle T8; [0066] comparing the area of the first triangle T1 to the result from the first sum S1 of the area of the third triangle T3, of the area of the fourth triangle T4 and of the area of the fifth triangle T5; [0067] comparing the area of the second triangle to the result from the second sum S2 of the area of the sixth triangle T6, of the area of the seventh triangle T7 and of the area of the eight triangle T8; [0068] processing the result from the comparison between the area of the first triangle T1 and the first sum of areas S1, and the result from the comparison between the area of the second triangle T2 and the second sum of areas S2.

[0069] There can be a coincidence between at least a triangle obtained from the connection of element P to the vertexes of the first triangle and at least a triangle obtained from the connection of element P to the vertexes of the second triangle 2.

[0070] In a sixth alternative embodiment, this invention describes a navigation method wherein the output result comprises one of the two alternatives: the element P can be associated to the internal area of the polygonal form 10, or the element P can be dissociated from the internal area of the polygonal form 10.

[0071] Upon output of the result, this invention allows taking a certain subsequent action, that can vary from the rectification of the navigation route (if the element is outside the polygonal form 10) to the shut-off of a planting row (if the element is inside the polygonal form 10).

[0072] Additionally, this invention describes a navigation system that processes the position of an element P in relation to a certain route, wherein the system comprises: [0073] a navigation device; [0074] at least a mean to identify the position of elements; [0075] at least a processing tool.

[0076] In a first alternative embodiment, this invention describes a system wherein the navigation device preferably uses geographical references through satellite. Nevertheless, the navigation device can use any other kind of reference.

[0077] In a second alternative embodiment, this invention describes a system wherein the device for capturing the element position comprises, at least, a tool to detect the position of a certain element P.

[0078] So, this invention solves any inconveniences presented by the inaccurate techniques from prior art, by using a simple, quick and accurate solution to allow taking a certain action from such information.