Robotic Lawn Mower with Network Sensors

• US 20130041526A1
• Filed: 08/10/2012
• Published: 02/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chien Ouyang
• Original Assignee: Chien Ouyang
• Inventors: Ouyang, Chien
• Granted Patent: US 9,471,063 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/14 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0265 using buried wires
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 using a RF signal

Abstract

The smart robotic lawn mowing system utilizes the ultrasonic and RF sensors installing on the mower base and stands to define the mowing region, to track the position of the robotic lawn mower base, and to control and monitor the mowing routs. The installed sensors form a network for the system to determine the relative distances in between stands and robotic lawn mower base, and therefore the mowing is done with a controlled manner. The sensors are coupled together, and users, based on the application of the invention, can define the mowing sequences of the mowing zones, the areas of the mowing zones, and the mowing routes. The control of the mower may be wireless and users are able to monitor and modify the settings with a computer, a cell phone, and a tablet through wireless network, a wifi, and an internet.

Claims

1. An apparatus for mowing the lawn yard, comprising a robotic lawn mower base, an ultrasonic device, and a RF device built on the stands and robotic lawn mower base, to allow users to define the mowing regions, to track the position of robotic lawn mower base, and to program the mowing routes and paths;

2. The robotic lawn mower base of claim 1, comprising a plurality of ultrasonic transmitter devices to transmit ultrasonic waves toward the stands, and a RF receiver device to receive the RF signals from the stands;

3. The ultrasonic transmitter devices of claim 2, comprising a mean to transmit ultrasonic waves toward different directions to the said stands, each said stand upon the receiving of the ultrasonic wave is to calculate the time-of-flight and therefore its relative distance to the said robotic lawn more base;

4. The stands of claim 1, comprising an ultrasonic receiver device and a RF transmitter device, the ultrasonic receiver is to receive the ultrasonic wave from the robotic lawn mower base, the RF transmitter device is to transmit a RF signal toward the robotic lawn mower base, and the stands are to be populated on the ground;

5. The ultrasonic and RF devices of claim 1, on the said robotic lawn mower base and on the said stands, comprising means for measuring the time-of-flights of ultrasonic sound waves and the relative distances among said robotic lawn mower base and said stands, for determining the border of the yard lawn region, and for the tracking of the position of said robotic lawn mower;

6. The ultrasonic and RF devices of claim 1, are coupled together to comprise a mean to determine the time-of-flight and relative distance in between said stand and said robotic lawn mower base, the RF is used to define a time flag on the said stand, to transfer the information in between said stand and said robotic lawn mower;

7. The RF devices of claim 1, on the said robotic lawn mower and said stands, comprising means to synchronize the timing of the parts of the mowing system, to calibrate the time flags of the parts mowing system, and therefore to determine the relative distances among said robotic lawn mower base and said stands;

8. The robotic lawn mower base of claim 1, comprising means to determine the relative locations of said stands, by moving itself inside the lawn yard, and to determine the relative distances among the said robotic lawn mower base and said stands, based on the Triangulation;

9. The stands of claim 1, comprising a solar cell and a battery to provide the electricity needed for the operation of the said RF and said ultrasonic devices, and the said stands may couple with the applications of solar lights, and the stands may be in sleep mode while the said robotic lawn mower base is not doing the mowing work;

10. The stands of claim 1, comprising means to be fixed and floating at various locations to determine the border of the lawn yard, to determine the location of the said robotic lawn mower base, to define the mowing zones and areas, to identify the objects inside the lawn yard, to define the sequence of mowing of lawn zones, and to define the mowing patterns of the zones;

11. The mowing apparatus of claim 1, comprising means to control and to monitor the position of said robotic lawn mower base inside the lawn region, with wire and wirelessly connections, with local and remote communications, with internet and WIFI, with a gadget selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a cell phone, a tablet, a notebook computer, and a handheld mobile device;

12. The stands of claim 1, comprising means to define their addresses and IDs while transferring their RF signals toward the said robotic lawn mower base, with the methods consisting of a hardware and software approaches, and therefore to determine each relative distance in between each said stand and said robotic lawn mower base;

13. An apparatus for mowing the lawn yard, comprising a robotic lawn mower base, a light device, and an ultrasonic device;

whereas the light devices are to transmit and receive light signals, to couple with ultrasonic device, to determine the relative locations of the said robotic lawn mower base and said stands, such that the grass on the lawn yard can be mowed with a controlled manner.