ROBOTIC MOWER AREA COVERAGE SYSTEM

• US 20120029755A1
• Filed: 07/28/2010
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Johnson, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,807,925 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/26
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0265 using buried wires

Abstract

A robotic mower area coverage system includes a load sensor on the robotic mower signaling load on a cutting blade motor, a boundary sensor on the robotic mower indicating the distance from the sensor to a boundary wire, a timer on the robotic mower indicating when the robotic mower last used a specified boundary coverage, and a vehicle control unit on the robotic mower selecting the type of area coverage based on input from the load sensor, the boundary sensor and the timer, and commanding a pair of traction drive motors to drive the robotic mower using the selected type of area coverage.

Claims

1. A robotic mower area coverage system, comprising:

a load sensor on the robotic mower signaling a load on a cutting blade motor;

a boundary sensor on the robotic mower indicating the distance from the boundary sensor to a boundary wire;

a timer on the robotic mower indicating when the robotic mower last used a specified boundary coverage;

a vehicle control unit on the robotic mower selecting the type of area coverage based on inputs from the load sensor, the boundary sensor and the timer, and commanding a pair of traction drive motors to drive the robotic mower using the selected type of area coverage.

2. The robotic mower area coverage system of claim 1 wherein the types of area coverage include a wide area coverage, a local area coverage and a boundary coverage.

3. The robotic mower area coverage system of claim 1 wherein the load sensor senses current in the cutting blade motor.

4. The robotic mower area coverage system of claim 1 wherein the boundary coverage is offset a specified distance away from the boundary wire.

5. The robotic mower area coverage system of claim 1 wherein the local area coverage is a spiral path pattern.

6. A robotic mower area coverage system, comprising:

a vehicle control unit commanding a robotic mower to execute wide area coverage in a straight path and turn around when the robotic mower reaches a boundary wire, to execute local area coverage in a spiral pattern, or to use execute boundary coverage along a boundary wire;

the vehicle control unit selecting the commanded coverage using input signals from a load sensor on a cutting blade motor, a boundary wire sensor, and a timer.

7. The robotic mower area coverage system of claim 6 wherein the boundary wire sensor provides signals regarding the distance of the robotic mower to the boundary wire.

8. The robotic mower area coverage system of claim 6 wherein the vehicle control unit selects boundary coverage if boundary coverage has not been executed during a specified preceding time period.

9. The robotic mower area coverage system of claim 6 wherein the vehicle control unit selects local area coverage if the load on the cutting blade motor exceeds a specified load.

10. A robotic mower area coverage system, comprising:

a vehicle control unit commanding a robotic mower traction drive system to execute a selected area coverage from a plurality of area coverages based on signals from a boundary wire sensor, a load sensor, and a timer;

the vehicle control unit commanding the traction drive system to change from one selected area coverage to another selected area coverage while continuing to mow.

11. The robotic mower area coverage system of claim 10 wherein the boundary wire sensor generates signals indicating the distance to an outer boundary wire.

12. The robotic mower area coverage system of claim 10 wherein the load sensor indicates the load on a cutting blade motor.