Determination of task area boundaries during driver-assisted construction vehicle operation

A method for using a vehicle to ascertain boundaries of a task area, the method comprising:

• receiving a first input from an operator of the vehicle in a construction environment while the vehicle is at a first start position;
• recording a position of the vehicle as the vehicle moves from the first start position;
• receiving a second input from the operator;
• recording a first end position, based on receiving the second input from the operator;
• mapping a first path of the vehicle based on the first start position, the first end position, and recording the position of the vehicle as the vehicle moves from the first start position to the first end position;
• predicting a second path, based on a shape of the first path, wherein the second path has a second start position and a second end position;
• automatically steering the vehicle along the second path;
• mapping a third path, the third path being defined by a third start position and a third end position, wherein there are a plurality of paths between the first path and the third path;
• ascertaining the boundaries of the task area in the construction environment based on:
• a first boundary of the task area defined by the first path;
• a second boundary of the task area defined by the first end position, the second end position, and the third end position;
• a third boundary of the task area defined by the third path;
• and
• a fourth boundary of the task area defined by the first start position, the second start position, and the third start position;
• and
• optimizing the plurality of paths, wherein optimizing the plurality of paths includes lane overlap optimization or optimization of a number of passes by a construction vehicle.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, perform the following steps:

• receiving a first input from an operator of a vehicle while the vehicle is at a first start position;
• recording a position of the vehicle as the vehicle moves from the first start position;
• receiving a second input from the operator;
• recording a first end position, based on receiving the second input from the operator;
• mapping a first path of the vehicle based on the first start position, the first end position, and recording the position of the vehicle as the vehicle moves from the first start position to the first end position;
• predicting a second path, based on a shape of the first path, wherein the second path has a second start position and a second end position;
• and automatically steering the vehicle along the second path;
• mapping a third path, the third path being defined by a third start position and a third end position, wherein there are a plurality of paths between the first path and the third path;
• ascertaining boundaries of a task area based on:
• a first boundary of the task area defined by the first path;
• a second boundary of the task area defined by the first end position, the second end position, and the third end position;
• a third boundary of the task area defined by the third path;
• and a fourth boundary of the task area defined by the first start position, the second start position, and the third start position;
• identifying an obstacle between adjacent paths of the plurality of paths;
• and transmitting a location of the obstacle to another vehicle.