Multifunctional mobile appliance

• US 6,338,013 B1
• Filed: 07/12/1999
• Issued: 01/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MC Robotics
• Original Assignee: Bryan John Ruffner
• Inventors: Ruffner, Bryan John
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US09/351,510
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/207, 701/213, 701/2, 701/25, 701/23, 701/24, 701/28, 700/245, 561/53, 56/102
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 42/00 Mowers convertible to apparatus for purposes other than mowing; Mowers capable of performing operations other than mowing mowers combined with apparatus performing additional operations while mowing A01D43/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2036 Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/46 Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/465 Slip
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 relating to electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/106 for maintaining or recovering the adhesion of the drive wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

The invention is a multifunctional, mobile appliance capable of performing a variety of tasks safely, quietly, without pollution, and out of sight of its owner. Such tasks might include lawn mowing, fertilizing, and edging, floor vacuuming, waxing, and polishing, or rug shampooing. In its preferred implementation, the mobile unit 1 would obtain precise real time and position information using the Real Time Kinematic Global Positioning System. The user initially guides the appliance around the work-area perimeters. The device then uses this information to determine the full working area. Proximity detectors and impact sensors help the appliance avoid unexpected obstacles. The device is quiet enough to perform its task in the middle of the night while its owner is asleep, but can be programmed to work continuously or during any user-specified time interval. The small turning radius of the appliance allows it to follow intricate perimeters. In the instance of a mowing application, the cutting blades are surrounded by a cage that allows grass to enter, but excludes sticks, stones, fingers or toes. The mowing blade assembly can trim over the top of yard edging. The battery-powered device can recharge itself and a wireless link enables the appliance to communicate with its user and a user support network via the World Wide Web.

Claims

1. A multifunctional mobile appliance comprising

a carriage,

means for providing energy for said carriage,

means for moving said carriage,

receiver means for receiving satellite navigation signals adapted to control the movement of said carriage by said moving means,

memory means for receiving and storing location information signals relative to an area over which said carriage is adapted to be moved,

means for comparing the satellite navigation signals of said receiver means and the location information signals of said memory means and generating a carriage control signal therefrom,

means for controlling the movement of said carriage in response to said carriage control signal to effect movement of said carriage by said moving means along the area,

means for performing a task over the area during the movement of said carriage,

means for controlling the operation of said task performing means,

means for energy distribution,

means for sensing the need for more energy to satisfy the requirements of said task performing means,

said carriage movement controlling means being responsive to said sensing means for moving said carriage to said energy distribution means,

means for transferring energy from said energy distribution means to said carriage energy providing means, and

means for controlling the transfer of energy from said energy distribution means to said carriage energy providing means.

2. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein

said receiver means includes RTK-GPS means for effecting precise movement of said carriage over said area.

3. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein

said receiver means includes RTK-GPS means for effecting precise movement of said carriage over said area, and

said RTK-GPS means includes means for receiving signals from GLONASS satellites.

4. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 1 further comprising

a fixed station,

second receiver means at said fixed station for receiving satellite navigation signals,

means at said fixed station for extracting error navigation signals from the received satellite navigation signals,

means for transmitting the extracted error navigation signals to said carriage movement controlling means, and

said carriage movement controlling means including means for correcting said carriage control signal based upon said error signal to thereby refine the accuracy of said carriage control signal prior to effecting the movement of said carriage thereby.

5. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 1 further comprising

a fixed station,

second receiver means at said fixed station for receiving satellite navigation signals,

said receiver means including RTK-GPS means for effecting precise movement of said carriage over said area,

means at said fixed station for extracting error navigation signals from the received satellite navigation signals,

means for transmitting the extracted error navigation signals to said carriage movement controlling means, and

said carriage movement controlling means including means for correcting said carriage control signal based upon said error signal to thereby refine the accuracy of said carriage control signal prior to effecting the movement of said carriage thereby.

6. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 1 further comprising

a fixed station,

second receiver means at said fixed station for receiving satellite navigation signals,

said receiver means including RTK-GPS means for effecting precise movement of said carriage over said area,

said RTK-GPS means including means for receiving signals from GLONASS satellites,

means at said fixed station for extracting error navigation signals from the received satellite navigation signals,

means for transmitting the extracted error navigation signals to said carriage movement controlling means, and

said carriage movement controlling means including means for correcting said carriage control signal based upon said error signal to thereby refine the accuracy of said carriage control signal prior to effecting the movement of said carriage thereby.

7. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 1 further comprising

means for inertially navigating said carriage, and

said carriage movement control means being responsive to said inertial navigating means.

8. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 1 further comprising

means for remotely controlling said carriage movement controlling means and said task controlling means.

9. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein

said means for providing energy includes converting sunlight into electrical energy.

10. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein

said means for providing energy includes a battery.

11. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein

said energy transferring means includes one of inductive coupling and conductive coupling.

12. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein

said energy distribution means includes a public power utility.

13. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein

said location information signals stored in said memory means include data defining at least one perimeter of the area over which the carriage is adapted to be moved.

14. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein

said task performing means extends outside of at least one side of said carriage for performing the task thereof substantially at a perimeter of the area over which the carriage is adapted to be moved.

15. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein

said task performing means includes means for moving said task performing means in response to one of striking an obstacle and overloading of said task performing means.

16. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein

said task performing means is a mower.

17. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein

said task performing means is one of a vacuum, a sander, and a polisher.

18. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein

said moving means includes two independently driven wheels and a pivoting wheel.

19. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein

said moving means includes a stepper motor.

20. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 1 wherein

said task performing means includes a brushless DC motor.

21. A multifunctional mobile appliance comprising

a carriage,

means for providing energy for said carriage,

means for moving said carriage,

receiver means for receiving satellite navigation signals adapted to control the movement of said carriage by said moving means,

memory means for receiving and storing location information signals relative to an area over which said carriage is adapted to be moved,

means for comparing the satellite navigation signals of said receiver means and the location information signals of said memory means and generating a carriage control signal therefrom,

means for controlling the movement of said carriage in response to said carriage control signal to effect movement of said carriage by said moving means along the area,

means for performing a task over the area during the movement of said carriage,

means for controlling the operation of said task performing means,

means for inertially navigating said carriage,

said inertial navigating means including one of a wheel rotation encoder and an accelerometer, and

said carriage movement control means being responsive to said inertial navigating means.

22. A multifunctional mobile appliance comprising

a carriage,

means for providing energy for said carriage,

means for moving said carriage,

receiver means for receiving satellite navigation signals adapted to control the movement of said carriage by said moving means,

memory means for receiving and storing location information signals relative to an area over which said carriage is adapted to be moved,

means for comparing the satellite navigation signals of said receiver means and the location information signals of said memory means and generating a carriage control signal therefrom,

means for controlling the movement of said carriage in response to said carriage control signal to effect movement of said carriage by said moving means along the area,

means for performing a task over the area during the movement of said carriage,

means for controlling the operation of said task performing means,

means for inertially navigating said carriage,

said inertial navigating means including one of a gyroscope and a magnetometer, and

said carriage movement control means being responsive to said inertial navigating means.

23. A multifunctional mobile appliance comprising

a carriage,

means for providing energy for said carriage,

means for moving said carriage,

receiver means for receiving satellite navigation signals adapted to control the movement of said carriage by said moving means,

memory means for receiving and storing location information signals relative to an area over which said carriage is adapted to be moved,

means for comparing the satellite navigation signals of said receiver means and the location information signals of said memory means and generating a carriage control signal therefrom,

means for controlling the movement of said carriage in response to said carriage control signal to effect movement of said carriage by said moving means along the area,

means for performing a task over the area during the movement of said carriage,

means for controlling the operation of said task performing means,

means for detecting less than optimal operating conditions within the area over which the carriage is adapted to be moved, and

means for adapting the movement of said carriage toward minimizing the degradation in performance caused by said less than optimal conditions.

24. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 23 wherein

said detecting means including one of an ultrasonic transducer, a radar means, and a lidar means.

25. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 23 wherein

said detecting means including image-processing software and one of a visible imaging means and an infrared imaging means.

26. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 23 wherein

said detecting means including one of an inductive transducer, a capacitive transducer, and a wheel rotation sensor.

27. A multifunctional mobile appliance comprising

a carriage,

means for providing energy for said carriage,

means for moving said carriage,

receiver means for receiving satellite navigation signals adapted to control the movement of said carriage by said moving means,

memory means for receiving and storing location information signals relative to an area over which said carriage is adapted to be moved,

means for comparing the satellite navigation signals of said receiver means and the location information signals of said memory means and generating a carriage control signal therefrom,

means for controlling the movement of said carriage in response to said carriage control signal to effect movement of said carriage by said moving means along the area,

means for performing a task over the area during the movement of said carriage,

means for controlling the operation of said task performing means,

means for remotely controlling said carriage movement controlling means and said task controlling means, and

said remotely controlling means is responsive to one of spread-spectrum signals and frequency-hopping signals.

28. A multifunctional mobile appliance comprising

a carriage,

means for providing energy for said carriage,

means for moving said carriage,

receiver means for receiving satellite navigation signals adapted to control the movement of said carriage by said moving means,

memory means for receiving and storing location information signals relative to an area over which said carriage is adapted to be moved,

means for comparing the satellite navigation signals of said receiver means and the location information signals of said memory means and generating a carriage control signal therefrom,

means for controlling the movement of said carriage in response to said carriage control signal to effect movement of said carriage by said moving means along the area,

means for performing a task over the area during the movement of said carriage,

means for controlling the operation of said task performing means,

means for remotely controlling said carriage movement controlling means and said task controlling means, and

said remotely controlling means is responsive to signals carried over public utilities.

29. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 28 wherein said public utilities include one of the Internet and the World Wide Web.

30. A multifunctional mobile appliance comprising

a carriage,

means for providing energy for said carriage,

means for moving said carriage,

receiver means for receiving satellite navigation signals adapted to control the movement of said carriage by said moving means,

memory means for receiving and storing location information signals relative to an area over which said carriage is adapted to be moved,

means for comparing the satellite navigation signals of said receiver means and the location information signals of said memory means and generating a carriage control signal therefrom,

means for controlling the movement of said carriage in response to said carriage control signal to effect movement of said carriage by said moving means along the area,

means for performing a task over the area during the movement of said carriage,

means for controlling the operation of said task performing means,

means for dispensing material,

means for sensing the need for additional material to satisfy the requirements of said task performing means,

said carriage movement controlling means being responsive to said sensing means for moving said carriage to said material dispensing means,

means for transferring the material from said material dispensing means to said carriage task performing means, and

said task controlling means being responsive to said sensing means for the collection of material from said material dispensing means.

31. A multifunctional mobile appliance comprising

a carriage,

means for providing energy for said carriage,

means for moving said carriage,

receiver means for receiving satellite navigation signals adapted to control the movement of said carriage by said moving means,

memory means for receiving and storing location information signals relative to an area over which said carriage is adapted to be moved,

means for comparing the satellite navigation signals of said receiver means and the location information signals of said memory means and generating a carriage control signal therefrom,

means for controlling the movement of said carriage in response to said carriage control signal to effect movement of said carriage by said moving means along the area,

means for performing a task over the area during the movement of said carriage,

means for controlling the operation of said task performing means,

means for collecting waste,

means for sensing the need for the removal of waste from said carriage to satisfy the requirements of said task performing means,

said carriage movement controlling means being responsive to said sensing means for moving said carriage to said waste collecting means,

means for transferring the waste from said carriage to said waste collecting means, and

said task controlling means being responsive to said sensing means for the discharge of the waste into said waste collecting means.

32. A multifunctional mobile appliance comprising

a carriage,

means for providing energy for said carriage,

means for moving said carriage,

receiver means for receiving satellite navigation signals adapted to control the movement of said carriage by said moving means,

memory means for receiving and storing location information signals relative to an area over which said carriage is adapted to be moved,

means for comparing the satellite navigation signals of said receiver means and the location information signals of said memory means and generating a carriage control signal therefrom,

means for controlling the movement of said carriage in response to said carriage control signal to effect movement of said carriage by said moving means along the area,

means for performing a task over the area during the movement of said carriage,

means for controlling the operation of said task performing means,

means for teaching said movement controlling means said location information signals, and

said teaching means including one of a membrane switch and speech generation for a user interface.

33. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 32 wherein

said location information signals include data defining at least one perimeter of said area over which the carriage is adapted to be moved.

34. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 32 wherein

said location information signals include data defining at least one perimeter of said area over which the carriage is adapted to be moved taught by said teaching means in the absence of physically guiding said carriage relative to said perimeter.

35. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 32 wherein

said location information signals include data defining at least one perimeter of said area over which the carriage is adapted to be moved taught by said teaching means through the physical guiding of said carriage relative to said perimeter.

36. A multifunctional mobile appliance comprising

a carriage,

means for providing energy for said carriage,

means for moving said carriage,

receiver means for receiving satellite navigation signals adapted to control the movement of said carriage by said moving means,

memory means for receiving and storing location information signals relative to an area over which said carriage is adapted to be moved,

means for comparing the satellite navigation signals of said receiver means and the location information signals of said memory means and generating a carriage control signal therefrom,

means for controlling the movement of said carriage in response to said carriage control signal to effect movement of said carriage by said moving means along the area,

means for performing a task over the area during the movement of said carriage,

means for controlling the operation of said task performing means,

second means for performing a second task differing from the first task over the area during movement of said carriage, and

means for effecting selective operation of said first and second task performing means.

37. A multifunctional mobile appliance comprising

a carriage,

means for providing energy for said carriage,

means for moving said carriage,

receiver means for receiving satellite navigation signals adapted to control the movement of said carriage by said moving means,

memory means for receiving and storing location information signals relative to an area over which said carriage is adapted to be moved,

means for comparing the satellite navigation signals of said receiver means and the location information signals of said memory means and generating a carriage control signal therefrom,

means for controlling the movement of said carriage in response to said carriage control signal to effect movement of said carriage by said moving means along the area,

means for performing a task over the area during the movement of said carriage,

means for controlling the operation of said task performing means,

second means for performing a second task differing from the first task over the area during movement of said carriage, and

means for automating the substitution of one of said task performing means for another of said task performing means.

38. A multifunctional mobile appliance comprising

a carriage,

means for providing energy for said carriage,

means for moving said carriage,

receiver means for receiving satellite navigation signals adapted to control the movement of said carriage by said moving means,

memory means for receiving and storing location information signals relative to an area over which said carriage is adapted to be moved,

means for comparing the satellite navigation signals of said receiver means and the location information signals of said memory means and generating a carriage control signal therefrom,

means for controlling the movement of said carriage in response to said carriage control signal to effect movement of said carriage by said moving means along the area,

means for performing a task over the area during the movement of said carriage,

means for controlling the operation of said task performing means,

said task controlling means being responsive to information provided by one of a user and a user support service toward varying one of the quantity and quality of the task performed by said task performing means in different portions of the area over which work is adapted to be performed.

39. A multifunctional mobile appliance comprising

a carriage,

means for providing energy for said carriage,

means for moving said carriage,

receiver means for receiving satellite navigation signals adapted to control the movement of said carriage by said moving means,

memory means for receiving and storing location information signals relative to an area over which said carriage is adapted to be moved,

means for comparing the satellite navigation signals of said receiver means and the location information signals of said memory means and generating a carriage control signal therefrom,

means for controlling the movement of said carriage in response to said carriage control signal to effect movement of said carriage by said moving means along the area,

means for performing a task over the area during the movement of said carriage,

said task performing means including

a rotating blade assembly,

filtration means surrounding said blade assembly,

said filtration means preventing contact between said blade assembly and objects whose dimensions are substantially equal to the diameter of a finger, and

means for controlling the operation of said task performing means.

40. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 39 wherein

said filtration means includes thin, closely-spaced, substantially vertical members of stiff but resilient material.

41. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 39 wherein

said blade assembly rotates around a horizontal axis, and

said filtration means includes thin, closely-spaced, substantially vertical members of stiff but resilient material.

42. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 39 wherein

said filtration means includes thin, closely-spaced, substantially vertical members of stiff but resilient material, and

said blade assembly includes blades uniformly mounted around a rotating central shaft thereby generating a substantially cylindrical cutting surface.

43. The multifunctional mobile appliance as defined in claim 39 wherein

said filtration means includes thin, closely-spaced, substantially vertical members of stiff but resilient material, and

said rotating blade assembly includes one of blades and abrasive materials mounted on a leading substantially helical edge thereby generating a cylindrical cutting surface.

44. A method of controlling a mobile appliance comprising the steps of

receiving satellite navigation signals adapted to control the movement of the mobile appliance,

receiving and storing location information signals relative to an area inside a building over which the mobile appliance is adapted to be moved,

comparing said satellite navigation signals and said location information signals and generating a mobile appliance control signal therefrom,

controlling the movement of the mobile appliance in response to said mobile appliance control signal to effect movement of the mobile appliance along said area, and

controlling the performance of a task over said area during the movement of said mobile appliance.

45. The method as defined in claim 44 further comprising the step of

comparing the received satellite navigation signals with inertial navigation information toward enabling the selection of the best satellite navigation signals from a plurality of received satellite navigation signals to thereby refine the accuracy of said mobile appliance control signal prior to effecting the movement of the mobile appliance thereby.

46. The method as defined in claim 44 further comprising the steps of

receiving satellite navigation signals at a fixed reference location,

extracting error navigation signals from the received satellite navigation signals,

transmitting the extracted error navigation signals to the mobile appliance, and

correcting said mobile appliance control signal based upon said error signal to thereby refine the accuracy of said mobile appliance control signal prior to effecting the movement of the mobile appliance thereby.

47. The method as defined in claim 44 further comprising the steps of

receiving satellite navigation signals at a fixed reference location,

processing said received navigation signals using RTK-GPS algorithms for effecting precise movement of the mobile appliance over said area,

extracting error navigation signals from the received satellite navigation signals,

transmitting the extracted error navigation signals to the mobile appliance, and

correcting said mobile appliance control signal based upon said error signal to thereby refine the accuracy of said mobile appliance control signal prior to effecting the movement of the mobile appliance thereby.

48. The method as defined in claim 44 further comprising the step of receiving said satellite navigation signals through a choke ring antenna toward enabling the elimination of signal multipath.

49. The method as defined in claim 44 further comprising the step of filtering out multipath from said satellite navigation signals through the application of digital signal processing algorithms.

50. The method as defined in claim 44 further comprising the step of passing said satellite navigation signals through automatic gain control circuitry toward compensating for building structure signal attenuation.