Intelligent grounds management system integrating robotic rover

• US 9,804,604 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2014
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Husqvarna AB (HUSQVARNA)
• Original Assignee: Husqvarna AB (HUSQVARNA)
• Inventors: Mattsson, Anders, Willgert, Mikael, Larsn, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Tyler J
• Application Number:
  US14/912,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20160195876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23- 25, 701 50
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/00 Watering gardens, fields, sports grounds or the like special apparatus or adaptations for fertilising-liquids A01C23/00; nozzles or outlets, spraying apparatus B05B
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/09 Watering arrangements making use of movable installations on wheels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0265 using buried wires
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A system may include sensor equipment, task performance equipment, a yard maintenance manager and a robot. The sensor equipment may include one or more sensors disposed on a parcel of land. The task performance equipment may be configured to perform a task on the parcel. The task may be associated with generating a result that is enabled to be monitored via the sensor equipment. The yard maintenance manager may be configured to interface with the sensor equipment and the task performance equipment to compare measured conditions with desirable conditions to direct operation of the task performance equipment. The robot may be configured to work the parcel and perform at least one of acting as one of the one or more sensors, acting as a device of the task performance equipment, or interacting with the sensor equipment or the task performance equipment.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

sensor equipment including one or more sensors disposed on a parcel of land;

task performance equipment configured to perform a task on the parcel, the task being associated with generating a result that is enabled to be monitored via the sensor equipment;

a yard maintenance manager configured to interface with the sensor equipment and the task performance equipment to compare measured conditions with predefined conditions to direct operation of the task performance equipment; and

a robot configured to work the parcel, wherein the robot performs at least one of;

acting as one of the one or more sensors,

acting as a device of the task performance equipment, or

interacting with the sensor equipment or the task performance equipment,

wherein the yard maintenance manager comprises processing circuitry configured to store map data descriptive of zones of the parcel such that each of the zones is defined by a corresponding geographic description relative to the map data,

wherein each of the zones is associated with plant data corresponding to at least one plant within a respective one of the zones,

wherein the plant data defines desirable parameters for growth of the at least one plant, and

wherein the sensor equipment receives power and is powered from the robot responsive to the robot passing within a predetermined distance of respective devices of the sensor equipment.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor equipment communicates with the robot responsive to the robot passing within a predetermined distance of respective devices of the sensor equipment.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the robot operates relative to a boundary defined by boundary wire.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the boundary wire is used to power at least one sensor of the sensor equipment.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the robot is configured to detect information indicative of locations of assets among the sensor equipment or the task performance equipment and communicate the detected information to the yard maintenance manager to enable the yard maintenance manager to determine locations of the assets relative to the parcel.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the robot is configured to carry at least one sensor of the sensor equipment.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the robot is configured as a device of the task performance equipment.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the robot is configured to interact with the sensor equipment or the task performance equipment via mechanical interaction.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the robot is configured to interact with the sensor equipment or the task performance equipment via electrical interaction.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the yard maintenance manager compares the measured conditions from the at least one sensor of a particular zone to the plant data associated with the particular zone to determine whether to control the task performance equipment relative to the particular zone to alter conditions therein.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the yard maintenance manager communicates with an operator via a remote terminal to suggest operator interaction with the task performance equipment.

12. A method comprising:

receiving sensor data from sensor equipment including one or more sensors disposed on a parcel of land;

determining current conditions on the parcel based on the sensor data;

comparing the current conditions to desirable conditions associated with vegetation planted on the parcel of land;

providing at least one instruction relative to operation of task performance equipment configured to perform a task on the parcel, the task being associated with generating a result that is enabled to be monitored via the sensor equipment; and

employing a robot to work the parcel, wherein the robot performs at least one of;

acting as a sensor of the sensor equipment,

acting as a device of the task performance equipment, or

interacting with the sensor equipment or the task performance equipment,

wherein the yard maintenance manager comprises processing circuitry configured to store map data descriptive of zones of the parcel such that each of the zones is defined by a corresponding geographic description relative to the map data,

wherein each of the zones is associated with plant data corresponding to at least one plant within a respective one of the zones,

wherein the plant data defines desirable parameters for growth of the at least one plant, and

wherein the robot is configured to interact with another device of the sensor equipment or another device of the task performance equipment via mechanical interaction to actuate a component of the other device of the sensor equipment or the other device of the task performance equipment.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein employing the robot further comprises employing the robot to power the sensor equipment responsive to the robot passing within a predetermined distance of respective devices of the sensor equipment.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein employing the robot further comprises employing the robot to communicate with the sensor equipment responsive to the robot passing within a predetermined distance of respective devices of the sensor equipment.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein employing the robot comprises employing the robot relative to a boundary defined by boundary wire.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the boundary wire is used to power at least one sensor of the sensor equipment.

17. A system comprising:

sensor equipment including one or more sensors disposed on a parcel of land;

a yard maintenance manager configured to interface with the sensor equipment to monitor growing conditions on the parcel; and

a robot configured to work the parcel, wherein the robot performs at least one of;

acting as one of the one or more sensors, or

interacting with another of the one or more sensors of the sensor equipment to facilitate monitoring the growing conditions,

wherein the yard maintenance manager comprises processing circuitry configured to store map data descriptive of a plurality of zones of the parcel,

wherein the robot is configured to operate in the zones to communicate with task performance equipment in the zones and the other of the one or more sensors via a low power communication system and communicate with the yard maintenance manager via a high power communication system.