Computerized learning landscaping apparatus and methods

• US 9,426,946 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2014
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brain Corporation
• Original Assignee: Brain Corporation
• Inventors: Fisher, Dimitry
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US14/558,403
• Publication Number:
  US 20160150739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/247, 700/253, 700/254, 700/255, 700/258, 700/259, 700/262, 901/1, 901/3, 901/9, 901/47, 318/568.11, 318/568.12, 318/568.17, 318/580, 318/581, 318/587, 701/1, 701/23, 701/20, 701/22, 701/25, 701/26, 701/28, 701/408, 701/410, 701/523, 701/532, 180/167, 180/168, 180/169, 180/170, 180/252
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 3/0435 Machines specially adapted for shaping plants, e.g. topiaries
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0221 involving a learning process
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for shaping of lawns and hedges into desired 3D patterns or shapes. The apparatus consists of a bStem and/or other computational device comprising storage, a motorized platform, and trimmer end effectors. The computational device instructs the end effectors to extend or retract as the platform moves along at a steady pace, thus producing a target pattern (e.g., a company logo) in a hedge, lawn, a wall or a ground-cover of any material suitable for such shaping. The apparatus may be configured to operate autonomously based on a pre-loaded pattern file. Software (e.g., such as BrainOS) may be used to provide real-time feedback to trimmers regarding the process and the results, and possibly to train the inverse model accordingly. The apparatus may learn to minimize predicted or current mismatches between the desired pattern and the one being produced. Users compete for the best designs.

Claims

1. A computerized motorized robotic apparatus, comprising:

a platform comprising a propulsion component;

a shaping component comprising a plurality of end effectors, where at least one individual end effector is operable to extend and retract; and

a controller component configured to;

operate the propulsion component to navigate the platform along a trajectory proximate a landscaping arrangement; and

operate the plurality of end effectors to produce a three dimensional pattern in the landscaping arrangement.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, where the landscaping arrangement comprises at least one of a grass lawn or a living hedge.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, where:

the three dimensional pattern is produced by the removal of at least a portion of foliage of the grass lawn or the living hedge.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

an analysis component configured to determine a parameter associated with the removed foliage, the parameter being selected from the group consisting of weight, color, and moisture content.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

an analysis component configured to determine a parameter associated with the removed foliage, the parameter being selected from the group consisting of presence of pesticides, herbicides and parasites.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, where the landscaping arrangement is selected from the group consisting of a soil patch, sand patch, a grass lawn, and a living hedge.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, where:

the controller component comprises a non-volatile memory; and

the three dimensional pattern is produced based on a design file stored in the non-volatile memory, the design file comprising a plurality of instructions.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, where the design file comprises:

a first plurality of instructions configured to cause the propulsion component to navigate the platform along the trajectory; and

a second plurality of instructions configured to extend and retract the plurality of end effectors in a first dimension of the three dimensional pattern.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, where the navigation of the platform along the trajectory is configured to produce a second dimension of the three dimensional pattern.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, where the three dimensional pattern is a human readable text message.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, where the three dimensional pattern is configured to represent a graphic mark, emblem, or symbol related to an entity.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a remote communications interface coupled to the controller, the remote communications configured to receive one or more instructions from a remote operator, the instructions configured to effectuate trajectory navigation and pattern production.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, where:

the apparatus comprises an aerial vehicle;

individual ones of the plurality of end effectors comprise a rotating blade; and

the rotating blade is configured to effectuate production of the pattern.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor component configured to determine a distance between individual ones of the plurality of end effectors and the landscaping arrangement; and

where the controller is configured to determine a deviation between the three dimensional pattern and a target pattern.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, where:

the controller is configured to operate a learning process configured to be adjusted based on the deviation; and

the adjustment is configured to reduce a subsequent deviation during a subsequent production of the target pattern.

16. Autonomous apparatus for removal of vegetation, the apparatus comprising:

a motorized platform configured to displace the apparatus in at least two dimensions on a plane;

a shaping component comprising an actuator coupled to a vegetation removing component;

a nonvolatile memory configured to store information related to a target as well as store a plurality of computer-executable instructions;

a sensor component configured to detect vegetation obstructing the target; and

a processing component configured to execute the plurality of instructions, the instruction execution configured to cause the removal of vegetation thereby exposing the target, the vegetation removal being characterized by an absence of additional instructions being provided by a human operator.

17. A method of producing an advertisement from a living hedge, the method comprising:

providing a design file of the advertisement on a nonvolatile computer readable medium;

operating a computerized motorized robotic apparatus, comprising one or more trimmer elements in accordance with the design file;

displacing the apparatus along at least a first dimension; and

removing a portion of the living hedge along a second dimension thereby producing a two dimensional pattern in the living hedge.

18. The method of claim 17, where the act of removing along the second dimension comprises removing the portion of the living hedge along the second dimension and displacing the apparatus along the first dimension, the first dimension being substantially orthogonal to the second dimension.

19. The method of claim 17, where operating the computerized motorized robotic apparatus comprises displacing the apparatus along a third dimension, the third dimension being substantially orthogonal to the first dimension.

20. The method of claim 17, where operating the computerized motorized robotic apparatus comprises removing a portion of the living hedge along a third dimension, the third dimension being substantially orthogonal to the second dimension.