System and method for determining the location of a machine

• US 8,046,103 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2007
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mtd Products Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: F Robotics Acquisitions Ltd. (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Levi, Eli, Abramson, Shai
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell; James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc; McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US11/861,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20080097645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,490 Days
• Field of Search: 700/258, 700/245, 375/149, 405/169, 405/170, 370/350, 370/503, 367/103, 367/105, 367/138, 250/559.29, 166/341, 901/46
• US Class Current: 700/258
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/06 using intensity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0265 using buried wires

Abstract

A system is employed for defining a position (location) of a receiving element inside an area surrounded by a wire loop, along the perimeter (a perimeter wire loop), of a work area or other bounded area. In particular, the system can determine whether the receiver is inside or outside the loop, and evaluate its distance from the perimeter wire.

Claims

1. A system for determining the location of a receiver with respect to a boundary, comprising:

a boundary marker for defining at least one boundary, the boundary marker for supporting at least one signal being transmitted therethrough, the at least one signal including at least one positive pulse and at least one negative pulse within a predetermined interval; and

at least one receiver system including at least one receiver for receiving the at least one signal, and at least one detector electrically coupled to the at least one receiver, the at least one detector configured for detecting peaks in the at least one signal.

2. The system of claim 1, additionally comprising:

a signal generating unit; and

wherein the boundary maker includes a perimeter wire loop in communication with the signal generating unit.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one detector configured for detecting peaks in the at least one signal is configured for detecting major peaks.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one detector configured for detecting major peaks is configured for detecting major negative peaks.

5. The system of claim 2, additionally comprising:

a robot, the robot including the at least one receiver and the at least one detector.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one detector is configured for converting the detected major negative peaks into digital data.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the robot additionally comprises:

a processor in electronic communication with the at least one detector for receiving the digital data associated with the detected major negative peaks, the processor programmed to;

determine the location of the robot with respect to the boundary marker in accordance with the digital data.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor programmed to determine the location of the robot with respect to the digital data includes being programmed to count the digital data in the form of pulses and compare the pulses to predetermined pulse counts to determine the location of the robot.

9. A method for determining the location of a robot with respect to a boundary comprising:

providing a robot including;

at least one receiver for receiving a signal transmitted from a boundary, the transmitted signal including at least one positive pulse and at least one negative pulse within a predetermined transmission interval;

at least one detector electrically coupled to the receiver for detecting peaks in the signal; and

a processor electrically coupled to the at least one detector, the processor programmed to analyze data corresponding to the detected peaks for determining the location of the robot with respect to the boundary;

detecting major peaks in the signal; and

analyzing data corresponding to the major peaks detected over a predetermined receiving interval against predetermined data to determine the location of the robot with respect to the boundary.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the major peaks include major negative peaks, the at least one detector in the robot configured for converting major negative peaks into digital data, and the method additionally comprising:

converting the detected major negative peaks into digital data corresponding to pulses; and

counting the pulses corresponding to the detected major negative peaks.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein analyzing the major negative peaks includes comparing the counted pulses corresponding to the detected major negative peaks against predetermined pulse counts to determine the location of the robot with respect to the boundary.

12. A method for determining the location of a robot with respect to a boundary comprising:

providing a robot including;

at least one receiver for receiving a signal transmitted from a boundary, the transmitted signal including at least one positive pulse and at least one negative pulse within a predetermined period and transmitted at predetermined transmission intervals; and

at least one detector electrically coupled to the receiver for detecting peaks in the signal;

detecting major peaks in the received signal corresponding to the time the signal is not being transmitted; and

analyzing data corresponding to the major peaks detected over a predetermined receiving interval against predetermined data to determine the location of the robot with respect to the boundary.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the major peaks include major negative peaks.