Autonomous lawn mower using perimeter cable with electrical signal

• US 9,173,343 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2012
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fabrizio Bernini
• Original Assignee: Fabrizio Bernini
• Inventors: Bernini, Fabrizio
• Primary Examiner(s): TORRES, ALICIA M
• Application Number:
  US13/482,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20130199144A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50, 56/102.R, 56/102.A, 56/102.D, 56/102.F
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/35 Means for automatic or assisted adjustment of the relative position of charging devices and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0265 using buried wires
• 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 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

An apparatus for cutting grass comprising: a lawn mower equipped with wheels and one or more blades for cutting grass; a perimeter cable delimiting a cutting area; a management device for generating an electrical signal (ES) in the cable; a recharging base. The lawn mower further comprises a control unit equipped with: sensor to detect the electrical signal (ES); a memory to store a maximum value (Vmax) and a minimum value (Vmin); a calculation module to determine, for intensity of detection, a target value (Tv) that is non-null and comprised between the maximum (Vmax) and minimum value (Vmin), the target value (Tv) being different from a preceding target value; an operative module to command the wheels so as to move the lawn mower in such a manner that the sensor detects the electrical signal (ES) at an intensity equal to the target value (Tv).

Claims

1. An apparatus for cutting grass comprising:

a lawn mower equipped with;

movement means for movement of said lawn mower at least inside a cutting area (S);

one or more blades for cutting grass in said cutting area (S);

a perimeter cable, delimiting said cutting area (S);

a management device for generating an electrical signal (ES) and for propagating the latter in said cable; and

a recharging base for said lawn mower positioned along said perimeter cable;

wherein said lawn mower further comprises a control unit equipped with;

sensor means for detecting said electrical signal (ES) and for detecting, while said lawn mower is in operation, a maximum value (Vmax) and a minimum value (Vmin) for an intensity of said electrical signal (ES) being detected;

wherein said maximum value (Vmax) and minimum value (Vmin) relate to the intensity of the electrical signal (ES) detected by the sensor means;

a memory for storing said maximum value (Vmax) and said minimum value (Vmin) for an intensity of detection of said electrical signal (ES), said maximum and minimum values (Vmax, Vmin) being respectively representative of a minimum distance (Dmin) and a maximum distance (Dmax) of said lawn mower from said perimeter cable;

a calculation module configured to determine, for said intensity of detection, a target value (Tv) that is non-null and comprised between said maximum value (Vmax) and said minimum value (Vmin), said target value (Tv) being representative of a target distance (Td) of said lawn mower with respect to said perimeter cable, said target value (Tv) being substantially different from a preceding target value determined for said intensity of detection; and

an operative module including a comparison module, wherein said operative module is configured for combining the information coming from the sensor means and from the calculation module;

wherein said comparison module is configured to compare the target value (Tv), obtained by said calculation module, with the intensity of the electrical signal (ES) being detected by the sensor means;

wherein said operative module is configured for sending appropriate command signals to the movement means so that, during movement of the lawn mower, the intensity of the electrical signal (ES) detected by the sensor means is substantially equal to the target value (Tv), keeping said lawn mower at a distance, with respect to said perimeter cable, that is substantially equal to said target distance (Td) during movement of said lawn mower towards said recharging base.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said calculation module is configured to determine said target value (Tv) randomly.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said calculation module is configured to determine said target value (Tv) based on a predetermined sequence of values.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said preceding target value is a target value utilized for a preceding re-entry of said lawn mower in said recharging base.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said operative module comprises:

a comparison module configured to compare said target value (Tv) with the intensity with which said electrical signal (ES) is detected by said sensor means; and

a command module associated with said comparison module and configured to;

command said movement means in such a manner that said lawn mower turns in a certain direction in the case where said detected intensity is lower than said target value (Tv); and

command said movement means in such a manner that said lawn mower turns in a direction differing from said certain direction, for example rightward, in the case where said detected intensity is greater than said target value (Tv).

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said comparison module is configured to carry out said comparison repeatedly.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the turns commanded by said command module have a radius of curvature greater than 0.70 meter and/or define angles of less than 90°

.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lawn mower further comprises:

a power supply unit; and

a monitoring circuit for monitoring said power supply unit and generating an alert signal (AS) when the charge of said power supply unit drops below a preset threshold; and

said control unit being associated with said monitoring circuit so that said calculation module and said operative module can be activated as a function of said alert signal (AS).

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said perimeter cable has at least one portion (P) having a predetermined conformation, said control unit further comprising:

a recognition module configured to;

determine, based on said electrical signal (ES) being propagated in said portion (P), main data (MD) representative of the conformation of said portion (P) of the cable;

compare said main data (MD) with previously stored reference data (Ref) representative of a reference conformation; and

generate a notification signal (NS) in the case of correspondence between said main data (MD) and said reference data (Ref); and

an auxiliary module associated with said recognition module and configured to;

receive said notification signal (NS); and

command said movement means following said reception, in such a manner that said lawn mower moves so as to encounter said cable once again and then moves along said cable, at a substantially zero distance from said cable.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said portion (P) has a conformation that is concave with respect to the perimeter defined by said cable.

11. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said comparison module is configured to carry out said comparisons at an interval within a range of 1 s to 3 s.