Robotic Lawnmower and Charging and Control Systems Therefor
First Claim
1. A charging and control system for a robotic element, comprising a circuit loop, the circuit loop comprising a plurality of wire segments, including one or more boundary wire segments defining the boundary of an area within which said robotic element is permitted to move;
- wherein a charging voltage signal, for charging a power source within said robotic element, and a positioning voltage signal for assisting the robotic element in determining its current position, are both communicated over the same one or more of said plurality of wire segments;
wherein a charging station may be electrically connected to said circuit loop so as to be operable to communicate said charging voltage signal to said robotic element when positioned at said charging station.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A charging and control system for a robotic lawnmower, having a circuit loop that includes several wire segments, of which one or more are boundary wire segments that may define or demarcate the boundary of an area within which the lawnmower is permitted to move; a charging voltage signal, for charging the lawnmower'"'"'s internal battery, and a positioning voltage signal for assisting the lawnmower in determining its current position, are produced respectively by a power supply and a signal generator, which are both provided within the same housing; the two signals are both communicated from this housing over the same wire segments of the circuit loop; a charging station may then be electrically connected to the circuit loop by an end-user so that the charging voltage signal may in use of the system be communicated to the lawnmower when it is docked at the charging station, thus charging the internal battery of the lawnmower.
146 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A charging and control system for a robotic element, comprising a circuit loop, the circuit loop comprising a plurality of wire segments, including one or more boundary wire segments defining the boundary of an area within which said robotic element is permitted to move;
-
wherein a charging voltage signal, for charging a power source within said robotic element, and a positioning voltage signal for assisting the robotic element in determining its current position, are both communicated over the same one or more of said plurality of wire segments; wherein a charging station may be electrically connected to said circuit loop so as to be operable to communicate said charging voltage signal to said robotic element when positioned at said charging station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method for operating a robotic element, comprising the steps of:
-
providing a circuit loop comprising a plurality of wire segments, including one or more boundary wire segments defining the boundary of an area within which said robotic element is permitted to move; producing a charging voltage signal for charging a power source within said robotic element; producing a positioning voltage signal; communicating both said charging and said positioning voltage signals over the same one or more of said plurality of wire segments in said circuit loop; and transmitting a wireless positioning signal, corresponding to said positioning voltage signal, to said robotic element, said robotic element determining its current relative position based on said wireless positioning signal. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
-
21. A robotic system comprising:
- a robotic element having an electrically rechargeable power source;
a propulsion unit and a control unit for autonomous propelled movement of the robotic element over an area;a circuit loop comprising a plurality of wire segments, including one or more boundary wire segments defining the boundary of an area within which said robotic element is permitted to move; a charging station with which the robotic element can dock for charging of said power source; and
a base station having first connections with the charging station for the supply of charging power and second connections with the circuit loop for the supply of a positioning voltage signal to said boundary wire segments;wherein the base station comprises a user-actuable control, the base station being configured to provide a “
manual depart from charging station”
control signal or a “
manual return to charging station”
control signal in response to appropriate user actuation of said control;
wherein said control signals are conveyed over the first or second connections and wherein the robotic element is configured when docked with the charging station and on receipt of said “
manual depart from charging station”
control signal to commence forthwith autonomous movement over said area and is configured during autonomous movement over said area and on receipt of said “
manual return to charging station”
control signal to cease autonomous movement and move directly to said charging station.
- a robotic element having an electrically rechargeable power source;
Specification