Adaptive signal reception

• US 10,721,860 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2018
• Issued: 07/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Husqvarna AB (HUSQVARNA)
• Original Assignee: Husqvarna AB (HUSQVARNA)
• Inventors: Liljedahl, Marcus
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Mahendra R
• Application Number:
  US16/607,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20200137951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 455420, 700258, 701 2
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/08 hand-guided by a walking operator
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/78 electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• 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: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A robotic lawnmower system, comprising a robotic lawnmower and a charging station, said charging station comprising a signal generator being configured to transmit a boundary signal (A) utilizing CDMA coding having a frame length corresponding to a full frame length through a boundary wire, wherein said signal generator is configured to transmit said boundary signal in subframes, and wherein said robotic lawnmower is configured to receive said boundary signal by detecting magnetic fields generated by the boundary signal, and wherein the robotic lawnmower is configured to determine a set of conditions; and to determine if said set of conditions correspond to a first set of conditions, and if so listen to the subframes, and to determine if said set of conditions correspond to a second set of conditions, and if so listen to the full frames.

Claims

1. A robotic lawnmower system for performing improved reception of a transmitted signal, the robotic lawn mower system comprising:

a robotic lawnmower; and

a charging station, said charging station comprising a signal generator being configured to transmit a boundary signal utilizing CDMA coding having a frame length corresponding to a full frame length through a boundary wire,

wherein said signal generator is configured to transmit said boundary signal in subframes,

wherein said robotic lawnmower is configured to receive said boundary signal by detecting magnetic fields generated by the boundary signal, and

wherein the robotic lawnmower is configured to;

determine a set of conditions,

determine if said set of conditions correspond to a first set of conditions, and if so listen to the subframes, and

determine if said set of conditions correspond to a second set of conditions, and if so listen to the full frames,

wherein the robotic lawnmower is further configured to determine that the set of conditions correspond to a third set of conditions, and in response thereto listen to the subframes and the full frame,

wherein the third set of conditions include a received high signal strength level and low signal quality level, and

wherein the set of conditions are used to determine proximity of the robotic lawnmower from the boundary cable and/or to determine noise level within a work area defined by the boundary wire.

2. The robotic lawnmower system of claim 1, wherein the first set of conditions include a received high signal quality level.

3. The robotic lawnmower system of claim 1, wherein the first set of conditions include a received high signal strength level.

4. The robotic lawnmower system of claim 1, wherein the second set of conditions include a received low signal quality level.

5. The robotic lawnmower system of claim 1, wherein the second set of conditions include a received low signal strength level.

6. The robotic lawnmower system of claim 1, wherein the signal generator is further configured to transmit the subframes in a nonorderly fashion.

19. The robotic lawnmower system of claim 1, wherein the signal generator is further configured to transmit the boundary signal to keep the robotic lawnmower inside the work area defined by the boundary wire.

20. The robotic lawnmower system of claim 1, wherein the charging station is located in the work area and is connected to the boundary wire.

7. A method for use in a robotic lawnmower system for performing improved reception of a transmitted signal, the robotic lawnmower system comprising:

a robotic lawnmower and a charging station, said charging station comprising a signal generator being configured to transmit a boundary signal utilizing CDMA coding having a frame length corresponding to a full frame length through a boundary wire, wherein said signal generator is configured to transmit said boundary signal in subframes, and wherein said robotic lawnmower is configured to receive said boundary signal by detecting magnetic fields generated by the boundary signal, and wherein the method comprises;

determining a set of conditions,

determining if said set of conditions correspond to a first set of conditions, and if so listen to the subframes, and

determining if said set of conditions correspond to a second set of conditions, and if so listen to the full frames,

wherein the robotic lawnmower is further configured to determine that the set of conditions correspond to a third set of conditions, and in response thereto listen to the subframes and the full frame,

wherein the third set of conditions include a received high signal strength level and low signal quality level, and

wherein the set of conditions are used to determine proximity of the robotic lawnmower from the boundary cable and/or to determine noise level within a work area defined by the boundary wire.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first set of conditions include a received high signal quality level.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first set of conditions include a received high signal strength level.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the second set of conditions include a received low signal quality level.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the second set of conditions include a received low signal strength level.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the signal generator is further configured to transmit the subframes in a nonorderly fashion.

13. A computer program product comprising non-transitory memory storing instructions for execution of a method for use in a robotic lawnmower system for performing improved reception of a transmitted signal, the robotic lawnmower system comprising:

a robotic lawnmower and a charging station, said charging station comprising a signal generator being configured to transmit a boundary signal utilizing CDMA coding having a frame length corresponding to a full frame length through a boundary wire, wherein said signal generator is configured to transmit said boundary signal in subframes, and wherein said robotic lawnmower is configured to receive said boundary signal by detecting magnetic fields generated by the boundary signal, and wherein the method comprises;

determining a set of conditions,

determining if said set of conditions correspond to a first set of conditions, and if so listen to the subframes, and

determining if said set of conditions correspond to a second set of conditions, and if so listen to the full frames,

wherein the robotic lawnmower is further configured to determine that the set of conditions correspond to a third set of conditions, and in response thereto listen to the subframes and the full frame,

wherein the third set of conditions include a received high signal strength level and low signal quality level, and

wherein the set of conditions are used to determine proximity of the robotic lawnmower from the boundary cable and/or to determine noise level within a work area defined by the boundary wire.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the first set of conditions include a received high signal quality level.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the first set of conditions include a received high signal strength level.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the second set of conditions include a received low signal quality level.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the second set of conditions include a received low signal strength level.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the signal generator is further configured to transmit the subframes in a nonorderly fashion.