Electronic bordering system

• US 6,300,737 B1
• Filed: 03/17/2000
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Husqvarna AB (HUSQVARNA)
• Original Assignee: Aktiebolaget Electrolux
• Inventors: Bergvall, Bengt Allan, Petersson, Ulf
• Primary Examiner(s): Nappi, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): San Martin, Edgardo
• Application Number:
  US09/508,950
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 318/580, 318/585, 318/587, 318/604, 318/607, 318/608, 318/627, 318/647, 318/653, 180/167, 180/168, 180/169, 56/102.R, 56D/IG.15
• US Class Current: 318/580
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0265 using buried wires

Abstract

An electronic bordering system for a working tool in which a border cable is placed above, under or on ground or floor, so that it separates an inner area within the border cable from an outer area. The working tool is preferably intended for attendance of ground or floor. A signal generator feeds the border cable with current, whose magnetic field affects at least one sensing unit located on the working tool, so that the sensing unit emits signals to a control unit, which in cooperation with an engine control, or a signal system for a driver, and at least one driving source directs the tool'"'"'s movement in order to prevent it from remoting from the inner area. The signal generator feeds the border cable with current containing at least two alternating-current components of different frequency, and the components are lying in a known relation of time to each other.

Claims

1. An electronic bordering system (1) for a working tool (2), in which system a border cable (3) is placed above, under or on ground or floor, so that it separates an inner area (4) within the border cable (3) from an outer area (5), which working tool is preferably intended for attendance of ground or floor and a signal generator (6) feeds the border cable with current, whose magnetic field (7) affects at least one sensing unit (8,8′

) located on the working tool (2), so that the sensing unit (8,8′

) emits signals (9) to a control unit (10), which in cooperation with an engine control (11), or a signal system for a driver, and at least one driving source (12, 13) directs the tool'"'"'s movement in order to prevent it from remoting from the inner area (4), characterized in that the signal generator feeds the border cable with current containing at least two components (14, 15) of alternating-current with different frequency, and the components (14, 15) are lying in a known time relation to each other and hereby the control unit can evaluate the difference in the signals (9) caused by the magnetic field'"'"'s different directions in the inner area (4) and the outer area (5), and the control unit can therefore emit an area signal (16), which mainly takes up one of two states depending on the position of the sensing unit (8) in relation to the border cable.

2. An electronic bordering system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the two alternating-current components'"'"' (14, 15) frequences are multiples of each other.

3. An electronic bordering system (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the two alternating-current components'"'"' (14, 15) frequences and even number multiples of each other.

4. An electronic bordering system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the alternating-current components (14, 15) are lying in an essentially permanent or fixed time relation to each other.

5. An electronic bordering system (1) according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the alternating-current components are composed of square waves.

6. An electronic bordering system (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the square waves are provided with rounded edges.

7. An electronic bordering system (1) according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that each sensing unit comprises at least one coil (19).

8. An electronic bordering system (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the coil (19) surrounds a ferrite rod (20, which is placed into the middle of the coil.

9. An electronic bordering system (1) in accordance with claim 7, characterized in that the coil (19) has a resonance frequency lying in proximity to at least one of the frequences of the alternating-current components (14, 15).

10. An electronic bordering system (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the coil (19) has a resonance frequency lying between the frequences of the alternating-current components (14, 15).

11. An electronic bordering system (1) according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the control unit (10) evaluates the signals (9) by dividing them in a frequency divider (21) into signal components (14′

, 15′

) with different frequency corresponding to the frequences of the signal components (14, 15), and the signal components are forwarded, after possible processing in a signal processing unit (22), to an evaluation unit (23) and the evaluation unit creates the area signal (16).

12. An electronic bordering system (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that one of the signals (9, 14′

, 15′

) is rectified in a rectifier (25) and forwarded to the engine control (11) as an analogue signal, a so called quality signal (26), whose signal intensity is the measure of the intensity of the ingoing signals (9) to the control unit, so that the tool can be shut-off at a too low quality signal.

13. An electronic bordering system (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that one of the signal components (14′

, 15′

) are forwarded to an amplifier (24), whose amplification thus is affected by the ingoing signals'"'"' (14′

, 15′

) intensity, and after rectifying in rectifier (25) the analogue signal (26) is brought back to the frequency divider (21), which also has a variable amplification, and compared with not having this special amplification circuit the signal (26) affects the variable amplification of the signals (14′

, 15′

), so that a considerably more constant signal intensity in these signals (14′

, 15′

) is achieved inside and near outside the inner area (4).