AUTONOMOUS WORKING DEVICE

• US 20140324246A1
• Filed: 07/30/2012
• Published: 10/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Biber, Peter, Petereit, Steffen, Koch, Christoph, Albert, Amos
• Granted Patent: US 9,632,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/302
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/0205 not using a model or a simulator of the controlled system
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

An autonomous working device, in particular an autonomous lawn mower, is configured to travel across a surface that is to be worked. The working device includes a processing unit configured to divide the surface that is to be worked into at least two dynamic partial surfaces to be traveled across separately by the working device.

Claims

1. An autonomous working device, comprising:

a computing unit configured to travel along a surface to be processed, the computing unit being further configured to divide the surface to be processed into at least two dynamic partial surfaces to be traveled along, wherein the partial surfaces are to be traveled along separately.

2. The autonomous working device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when a maneuver fails, the computing unit is configured to (i) record the previously traveled-along surface as a traveled-along partial surface and (ii) determine a new partial surface to be traveled along.

3. The autonomous working device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computing unit is configured to assign in each case at least one traveling along strategy to at least the two dynamic partial surfaces at least partially as a function of at least one specific feature of their shape.

4. The autonomous working device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a sensing unit configured to detect at least one sensing element that at least partially bounds the surface to be processed.

5. The autonomous working device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a locating unit configured to determine positions.

6. The autonomous working device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the computing unit is further configured to (i) produce an outline map of the surface to be processed and (ii) determine its own position within the outline map by use of the locating unit.

7. The autonomous working device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the computing unit is further configured to take into account an inaccuracy of the locating unit by a change in the partial surfaces and a resulting overlap of the partial surfaces.

13. The autonomous working device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the autonomous working device is configured as an autonomous lawnmower.

8. A method of using an autonomous working device configured to travel along a surface to be processed, the method comprising:

dividing the surface to be processed on an at least partially autonomous basis into at least two dynamic partial surfaces to be traveled along, wherein the partial surfaces are to be traveled along separately.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein an outer edge of the surface includes a sensing element, the outer edge being traveled along by the autonomous working device and combined by a computing unit of the autonomous working device to form an outline map.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein, during regular operation from a starting point, the working device follows a sensing element over a variable distance and subsequently rotates through a variable angle in the direction of the surface to be processed.

11. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

during detection of an inner sensing element by a sensing unit of the autonomous working device, the autonomous working device travels around the inner sensing element once; and

a computing unit of the autonomous working device records in a stored outline map an inner cutout bounded by the inner sensing element.

12. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

during detection of an irregular obstacle, the autonomous working device carries out a turn; and

a computing unit of the autonomous working device records the area in which the irregular obstacle is located as having been traveled along in a stored outline map.