Method of generating a three-dimensional map of a lawn and its use to improve mowing efficiency

• US 10,820,494 B1
• Filed: 12/21/2018
• Issued: 11/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Brown, Alyn G., Dunten, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wallace, Donald J
• Application Number:
  US16/229,230
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/006 Control or measuring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A method is provided for generating a three-dimensional geographical map of a lawn using a mower equipped with sensors for monitoring geographic location, pitch and roll, comprising the steps of: periodically acquiring position, pitch and roll data as the lawn is mowed; transmitting the geographic location, pitch and roll data to a computer processor; and processing the geographic location, pitch and roll data to generate the map. The method is useful for enhancing mowing efficiency and managing the activities of a fleet of mower units.

Claims

1. A system for use with a plurality of lawn mowers of different types, the system comprising:

a remote processor in wireless communication with the plurality of mowers, wherein the remote processor is configured to;

acquire geographic location data of the plurality of mowers as the plurality of mowers travel according to a first schedule;

acquire sensor data from the plurality of mowers, the sensor data comprising pitch data and roll data of the plurality of mowers;

generate one or more maps based on the geographic location data, the pitch data, and the roll data acquired from the plurality of mowers;

determine, at least partially based on the one or more maps, an operational efficiency of the plurality of mowers that are operating according to the first schedule; and

determine, at least partially based on the one or more maps, a second schedule for the plurality of mowers that increases the operational efficiency of the plurality of mowers relative to the first schedule.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote processor is configured to acquire the geographic location data and the sensor data to determine relative positions, orientations, and motions of the plurality of mowers.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more maps generated by the remote processor is a three-dimensional contour map.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein, to increase the operational efficiency of the plurality of mowers, the remote processor is configured to determine the second schedule to reduce at least one of a project time and energy consumption.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein, to increase the operational efficiency of the plurality of mowers, the remote processor is configured to determine at least one of mower types and mower paths for the second schedule.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote processor is configured to determine the operational efficiency of the plurality of mowers at least partially based on the sensor data.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the sensor data of the plurality of mowers further includes data selected from a group consisting of speed, velocity, acceleration, power usage, fuel usage, wheel speed, revolutions per minute, engine speed, and combinations thereof.

8. A system for use with a plurality of lawn mowers, the system comprising:

a remote processor in wireless communication with a plurality of portable devices, wherein each of the plurality of portable devices is physically connected to one of the plurality of mowers, wherein the remote processor is configured to;

acquire geographic location data collected by GPS receivers of the plurality of portable devices as the plurality of mowers travel according to a first schedule;

acquire sensor data from the plurality of portable devices, the sensor data comprising pitch data and roll data collected by one or more sensors of the plurality of portable devices;

generate one or more maps based on the geographic location data and the sensor data acquired from the plurality of portable devices;

determine, based at least in part on the one or more maps, an operational efficiency of the plurality of mowers that are operating according to the first schedule; and

determine, based at least in part on the one or more maps, a second schedule for the plurality of mowers that increases the operational efficiency of the plurality of mowers relative to the first schedule.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the remote processor is further configured to transmit at least one of the one or more maps to at least one of the plurality of portable devices to enable the at least one of the plurality of portable devices to present the one or more maps.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the remote processor is configured to acquire the geographic location data and the sensor data to determine relative positions, orientations, and motions of the plurality of mowers.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the one or more maps generated by the remote processor is a three-dimensional contour map.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein, to increase the operational efficiency of the plurality of mowers, the remote processor is configured to determine the second schedule to reduce at least one of a project time and energy consumption.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein, to increase the operational efficiency of the plurality of mowers, the remote processor is configured to determine at least one of mower types and mower paths for the second schedule.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the remote processor is configured to determine the operational efficiency of the plurality of mowers at least partially based on the sensor data.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the sensor data of the plurality of mowers acquired via the plurality of portable devices further includes data selected from a group consisting of speed, velocity, acceleration, power usage, fuel usage, wheel speed, revolutions per minute, engine speed, and combinations thereof.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more sensors of the plurality of portable devices comprise at least one accelerometer in each of the plurality of portable devices.

17. A method for a remote processor used for controlling a plurality of lawn mowers, the method comprising:

communicatively coupling with a plurality of portable devices, wherein each of the plurality of portable devices is physically connected to one of the plurality of mowers;

acquiring, from the plurality of portable devices, geographic location data collected by GPS receivers of the plurality of portable devices as the plurality of mowers travel according to a first schedule;

acquiring sensor data from the plurality of portable devices, the sensor data comprising pitch data and roll data collected by one or more sensors of the plurality of portable devices;

generating one or more maps based on the geographic location data and the sensor data acquired from the plurality of portable devices; and

determining, based at least in part on the one or more maps, an operational efficiency of the plurality of mowers that are operating according to the first schedule; and

determining, based at least in part on the one or more maps, a second schedule for the plurality of mowers that increases the operational efficiency of the plurality of mowers relative to the first schedule.

18. The method of claim 17, further including transmitting at least one of the one or more maps to at least one of the plurality of portable devices to enable the at least one of the plurality of portable devices to present the one or more maps.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of the one or more maps is a three-dimensional contour map.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the second schedule to increase the operational efficiency of the plurality of mowers includes determining at least one of mower types and mower paths for the second schedule to reduce at least one of a project time and energy consumption.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the operational efficiency of the plurality of mowers is further determined at least partially based on the sensor data, wherein the sensor data further includes data selected from a group consisting of speed, velocity, acceleration, power usage, fuel usage, wheel speed, revolutions per minute, engine speed, and combinations thereof.