Automatic billing system for a lawn mowing service using GPS

• US 20030236723A1
• Filed: 06/25/2002
• Published: 12/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Original Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Inventors: Angott, Paul G.
• Application Number:
  US10/179,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20030236723A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A global positioning satellite receiver (14) is disposed on a lawnmower (10) for determining the geographical location of the lawn (12) by communicating with one or more satellites (16). A programmer (18) stores an account code and address for the lawn (12) location. A location transmitter (20) is disposed on the lawnmower (10) for transmitting the location from the lawnmower (10) to the programmer (18). The combination is characterized by including a statement generator (22) driven by the programmer (18) for generating a billing statement in response to a predetermined number of cuttings of the lawn (12). The billing statement is sent via mail, regular or email.

Claims

1. A method of mowing a lawn (12) and billing therefor comprising the steps of;

cutting a lawn (12) with a lawnmower 10,

communicating with a positioning system (16) from a transceiver (14, 20) on the lawnmower (10) to determine the geographical location of the lawn (12),

transmitting the location from the transceiver (14, 20) to a programmer (18),

assigning an account code to the location,

assigning a billing address for the location,

transmitting from the transceiver (14, 20) to the programmer (18) upon each occurrence of cutting the lawn (12) with the lawnmower (10),

generating (22) a billing statement in response to a predetermined number of cuttings of the lawn (12), and

sending the billing statement to the billing address.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 including cutting a plurality of lawns (12) with the same lawnmower (10), transmitting from the transceiver (14, 20) to the programmer (18) upon each occurrence of the cutting of each lawn (12), generating (22) a separate billing statement for each lawn (12) in response the cutting of each lawn (12), and sending the billing statements to the respective billing addresses.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 including cutting a plurality of lawns (12) with a plurality of lawnmowers (10), transmitting from the transceiver (14, 20) of each lawnmower (10) to the programmer (18) upon each occurrence of cutting each lawn (12), generating (22) a separate billing statement for each lawn (12) in response to the cutting of each lawn (12), and sending the billing statements to the respective billing addresses.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 including programming (18) a cutting pattern for the lawn (12).

5. A method as set forth in claim 3 including generating an alarm (24) in response to the lawnmower (10) deviating from the pattern.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 recording (26) the period of time for mowing the lawn (12).

7. A method comprising the steps of;

traversing a geographical plot (12) with a machine (10),

determining the geographical location of the plot (12),

transmitting the location from the transceiver (14, 20) to a programmer (18),

assigning an account code to the location,

assigning a billing address for the location,

transmitting from the transceiver (14, 20) to the programmer (18) upon each occurrence of traversing the plot (12) with the machine (10),

generating (22) a billing statement in response to a predetermined number of traverses of the plot (12), and

sending the billing statement to the billing address.

8. An assembly for mowing a lawn (12) and billing therefor comprising;

a lawnmower (10) for cutting a lawn (12),

a positioning receiver (14) on the lawnmower (10) for determining the geographical location of the lawn (12),

a programmer (18) for storing an account code and address for the lawn (12) location,

a transmitter (20) for transmitting the location from the lawnmower (10) to the programmer (18), and

a statement generator (22) for generating a billing statement in response to a predetermined number of cuttings of the lawn (12).

9. An assembly for traversing a plot (12) and billing therefor comprising;

a machine (10) for traversing the plot (12),

a positioning receiver (14) on the machine (10) for determining the geographical location of the plot (12),

a programmer (18) for storing an account code and address for the plot (12) location,

a transmitter (20) for transmitting the location from the machine (10) to the programmer (18), and

a statement generator (22) for generating a billing statement in response to a predetermined number of traverses of the lawn (12).

10. An assembly as set forth in claim 9 including a timer (26) for timing the period of traversing the plot (12).