Robot lawnmower mapping

• US 10,274,954 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2016
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Balutis, Paul C., Beaulieu, Andrew, Yamauchi, Brian, Karlson, Karl Jeffrey, Jones, Dominic Hugh
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nga X
• Application Number:
  US15/229,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20160363933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 700253, 700245, 700247, 700258
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3807 characterised by the type of data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0221 involving a learning process
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0231 using optical position detecting means position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0236 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0265 using buried wires
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 using a RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A method of mapping an area to be mowed with an autonomous mowing robot comprises receiving mapping data from a robot lawnmower, the mapping data specifying an area to be mowed and a plurality of locations of beacons positioned within the area to be mowed, and receiving at least first and second geographic coordinates for first and second reference points that are within the area and are specified in the mapping data. The mapping data is aligned to a coordinate system of a map image of the area using the first and second geographic coordinates. The map image is displayed based on aligning the mapping data to the coordinate system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

presenting, on a display, a graphical representation of a map including a representation of an area mowable by an autonomous robot lawnmower and a representation of a perimeter along a boundary of the mowable area,

presenting, on the display, an indicator representing a location of a docking station to which the autonomous robot lawnmower is dockable;

presenting, on the display, a graphical representation of a projected path to be followed by the autonomous robot lawnmower during an autonomous mowing operation performed by the autonomous robot lawnmower on the mowable area;

updating the graphical representation of the projected path presented on the display as the autonomous robot lawnmower performs the autonomous mowing operation on the mowable area; and

indicating, on the display, an autonomous mowing operation completion time estimated from an amount of energy remaining on a battery of the autonomous robot lawnmower and an amount of energy of the battery for moving the autonomous robot lawnmower to the docking station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the perimeter corresponds to a perimeter path traversed by the autonomous robot lawnmower.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising presenting a graphical representation of an instruction for moving the autonomous robot lawnmower a predefined distance along the boundary of the mowable area during a teaching operation in which the autonomous robot lawnmower is moved along the perimeter path while collecting data representing the perimeter path.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

providing an alert indicative of an unteachable state of the autonomous robot lawnmower during the teaching operation; and

presenting a graphical representation of an instruction to steer the autonomous robot lawnmower in response to the unteachable state.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein presenting the graphical representation of the map comprises aligning a coordinate system of the perimeter path and a coordinate system of the map.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the graphical representation of the map comprises overlaying the representation of the perimeter on the representation of the mowable area based on data collected by the autonomous robot lawnmower during traversal of the perimeter.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the graphical representation of the projected path comprises:

presenting a graphical representation of a path traversed by the autonomous robot lawnmower during the autonomous mowing operation; and

presenting a graphical representation of a remaining path to be traversed by the autonomous robot lawnmower during the autonomous mowing operation.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting, on the display, a plurality of indicators representing locations of beacons detectable by the autonomous robot lawnmower to localize a position of the autonomous robot lawnmower on the mowable area.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the graphical representation of the map of the mowable area comprises:

indicating a non-mowable region on the map corresponding to a region external to the boundary of the mowable area; and

indicating a mowable region on the map within the boundary of the mowable area.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising analyzing the map to classify map features for determining the boundary of the mowable region.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing transmission of a user-selected parameter defining a path to be followed by the autonomous robot lawnmower during the autonomous mowing operation, the user-selected parameter being at least one of a path orientation, a path pattern, or a region to be excluded from the autonomous mowing operation.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a graphical representation of an instruction to move the display to a location of the docking station or a beacon, the display being included in a mobile computing device configured to wirelessly communicate with the autonomous robot lawnmower.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting a geographic reference coordinate using a global positioning system receiver of a mobile computing device configured to wirelessly communicate with the autonomous robot lawnmower,

wherein presenting the indicator comprises presenting the indicator on the display of the mobile computing device based on the geographic reference coordinate.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the geographic reference coordinate corresponds to a location of a beacon or the location of the docking station, the beacon detectable by the autonomous robot lawnmower for localizing a position of the autonomous robot lawnmower on the mowable area.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving data representing the map from a remotely located server.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting a prompt for a user to enter an address corresponding to a location of the mowable area, and

causing data representing the map to be retrieved based on the entered address.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation of the map is a satellite map image.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting, on the display, a graphical representation of an instruction to indicate a suggested location proximate the mowable area to place a beacon detectable by the autonomous robot lawnmower for localizing a position of the autonomous robot lawnmower.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the autonomous mowing operation completion time is further estimated from a remaining area to be mowed of the mowable area.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the autonomous mowing operation completion time is further estimated from a speed of the autonomous robot lawnmower.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the autonomous mowing operation completion time is further estimated from an amount of overlap between rows travelled by the autonomous robot lawnmower during the autonomous mowing operation.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the autonomous mowing operation completion time is further estimated from a total amount of time required to return to the docking station, recharge the battery of the autonomous robot lawnmower, and mow a remaining area to be mowed of the mowable area.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting, on the display, an indicator representing a location of a beacon detectable by the autonomous robot lawnmower for localizing a position of the autonomous robot lawnmower on the mowable area.