Unmanned autonomous operating system

• US 8,818,602 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2013
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yamamura, Makoto, Kawakami, Toshiaki, Eguchi, Junichi, Nishimura, Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): CAMBY, RICHARD M
• Application Number:
  US13/889,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20130317680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/23, 701/24, 701/36, 701/300, 701/301, 701/408, 180/168, 180/169, 56/102.F, 56/102.R, 318/580, 318/587
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0265 using buried wires
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058

Abstract

In an unmanned autonomous operating system having a station provided with a signal generator for supplying an area signal in electric pulse current to an area wire that defines an operating area, and an unmanned autonomous vehicle having magnetic sensors for detecting a magnetic field generated by the area wire and a microcomputer programmed to recognize the operating area from the detected magnetic field, a selection mechanism is installed at the station that outputs one of area signals from the signal generator in response to a selection of a user, one of the area signals generated from the signal generator is registered, and the operating area is recognized based on the registered area signal.

Claims

1. An unmanned autonomous operating system having a station and an unmanned autonomous vehicle, the station having a signal generator for supplying an area signal in electric pulse current to an area wire that defines an operating area, the vehicle having an operating machine, prime movers for driving wheels, magnetic sensors for detecting a magnetic field generated by the area wire and a microcomputer programmed to recognize the operating area from the detected magnetic field and control to run about in the operating area to perform an operation using the operating machine, comprising:

a selection mechanism installed at the station and adapted to allow one of a plurality of the area signals to be outputted from the signal generator in response to a selection of a user; and

the microcomputer is configured to function as;

an area signal register that registers the one of the area signals outputted from the signal generator through the selection mechanism as a registered area signal; and

an operating area recognizer that recognizes the operating area based on the registered area signal.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the selection mechanism has a plurality of output terminals, one of which outputs the one of area signals in response to a selection of the user.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the area signal register urges the user to register the one of the area signals prior to the recognition of the operating area.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the area signal register registers the one of the area signals prior to the recognition of the operating area.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the operating area recognizer determines possibility of interference of the area signal with that of adjacent operating area and if the possibility exists, urges the user to change the registered area signal.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of the area signals comprises electric pulse currents different in pulse recurrence time.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the operating area recognizer recognizes the operating area when a user identification code is inputted.

8. The system according to claim 2, wherein the selection mechanism has an output terminal that is connectable to one of the output terminals by the user such that the user selects one of the area signals.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle has electric motors adapted to be supplied with power from a battery.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the prime movers comprises electric motors to be supplied with power from a battery.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the operating machine comprises a lawn mower.

12. An unmanned autonomous operating system having a station and an unmanned autonomous vehicle, the station having a signal generator for supplying an area signal in electric pulse current to an area wire that defines an operating area, the vehicle having an operating machine, prime movers for driving wheels, magnetic sensors for detecting a magnetic field generated by the area wire, an electronic control unit that recognizes the operating area from the detected magnetic field and controls to run about in the operating area to perform an operation using the operating machine, comprising:

a selection mechanism installed at the station and adapted to allow one of a plurality of the area signals to be outputted from the signal generator in response to a selection of a user; and

the vehicle is provided with;

an area signal registering means for registering the one of the area signals outputted from the signal generator through the selection mechanism as a registered signal; and

an operating area recognizing means for recognizing the operating area based on the registered area signal.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the selection mechanism has a plurality of output terminals, one of which outputs the one of area signals in response to a selection of the user.

14. A method for controlling an unmanned autonomous operating system having a station and an unmanned autonomous vehicle, the station having a signal generator for supplying an area signal in electric pulse current to an area wire that defines an operating area, the vehicle having an operating machine, prime movers for driving wheels, magnetic sensors for detecting a magnetic field generated by the area wire and a microcomputer programmed to recognize the operating area from the detected magnetic field and control to run about in the operating area to perform an operation using the operating machine, comprising the steps of:

registering the one of the area signals outputted from the signal generator through a selection mechanism installed at the station and adapted to allow one of a plurality of the area signals to be outputted from the signal generator in response to a selection of a user; and

recognizing the operating area based on the registered area signal.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the selection mechanism has a plurality of output terminals, one of which outputs the one of area signals in response to a selection of the user.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the area signal register urges the user to register the one of the area signals prior to the recognition of the operating area.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of area signal registering registers the one of the area signals prior to the recognition of the operating area.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of operating area recognizing determines possibility of interference of the area signal with that of adjacent operating area and if the possibility exists, urges the user to change the registered area signal.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of the area signals comprises electric pulse currents different in pulse recurrence time.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of operating area recognizing recognizes the operating area when a user identification code is inputted.