Robotic Mowing of Separated Lawn Areas

• US 20170079202A1
• Filed: 12/01/2016
• Published: 03/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Balutis, Paul C., Beaulieu, Andrew, YAMAUCHI, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 9,826,678 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0081 with master teach-in means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1674 characterised by safety, monitoring, diagnostic
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0221 involving a learning process
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0265 using buried wires
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A method of mowing multiple areas includes training a robotic mower to mow at least two areas separated by a space, including moving the robotic mower about the areas while storing data indicative of location of boundaries of each area relative to boundary markers, training the robotic mower to move across the space separating the areas, and initiating a mowing operation. Training the robotic mower to move across the space separating the areas includes moving the robotic mower to a traversal launch point of a first of the areas and moving the robotic mower to a traversal landing point of a second of the areas. The mowing operation causes the robotic mower to move to the traversal launch point, move from the traversal launch point across the space to the traversal landing point, and then mow the second of the areas.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A method of mowing multiple areas, the method comprising:

training an autonomous lawnmowing robot to mow the multiple areas by generating data indicative of a first boundary of a first of the multiple areas and a second boundary of a second of the multiple areas;

training the robot to bypass the first of the multiple areas by generating data indicative of a user-selected bypass route through the first of the multiple areas; and

initiating a mowing operation in which the robot autonomously;

disables a mowing function;

subsequent to disabling the mowing function, travels to the second of the multiple areas by following the bypass route without mowing the first area; and

subsequent to traveling to the second of the multiple areas, activates the mowing function to mow the second area.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first of the multiple areas and the second of the multiple areas are separated by a space, and, during the mowing operation, the robot travels to the second of the multiple areas by traversing the space without mowing the space.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising training the robot to traverse the space by generating data indicative of a user-selected traversal route through the space.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein training the robot to mow the multiple areas comprises

generating the data indicative of the first boundary while the robot is manually navigated along the first boundary, and

generating data indicative of the second boundary while the robot is manually navigated along the second boundary.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the data indicative of the first boundary are generated based on a user selection of the first boundary, and

the data indicative of the second boundary are generated based on a user selection of the second boundary.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising wirelessly receiving, from a mobile computing device, the user selection of the first boundary and the user selection of the second boundary.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein training the robot to mow the multiple areas comprises receiving a user selection of a movement pattern to cover the first of the multiple areas and a user selection of a movement pattern to cover a second of the multiple areas.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein training the robot to bypass the first of the multiple areas comprises receiving data representing an automatically selected bypass route through the first of the multiple areas before generating the data indicative of the bypass route.

10. The method of claim 2, further comprising wirelessly receiving, from a mobile computing device, the user selection of the bypass route, wherein the user selection of the bypass route overrides an automatically selected bypass route through the first of the multiple areas.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

wirelessly receiving the user selection of the bypass route comprises wirelessly receiving a plurality of user-selected points defining the bypass route, the user-selected points including a bypass launch point defining a start of the bypass route and a bypass landing point defining an end of the bypass route, and

generating the data indicative of the bypass route is based on the received user-selected points.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the bypass launch point corresponds to a location of a charging dock operable to charge a power source of the robot.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein wirelessly receiving the user selection of the bypass route comprises receiving a user instruction to store a current position of the robot.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein training the robot to bypass the first of the multiple areas comprises generating the data indicative of a bypass route through a first of the multiple areas while the robot is manually navigated through the bypass route.

15. A method of controlling an autonomous lawnmowing robot to mow multiple areas, the method comprising:

initiating a training mode in which a user navigates the robot along a first boundary of a first of the multiple areas and along a second boundary of a second of the multiple areas; and

transmitting, to the robot, data indicative of a user selection of a bypass route through the first of the multiple areas to train the robot to bypass the first of the multiple areas such that, during a mowing operation, the robot autonomously;

disables a mowing function;

subsequent to disabling the mowing function, travels to the second of the multiple areas by following the bypass route without mowing the first area; and

subsequent to traveling to the second of the multiple areas, activates the mowing function to mow the second area.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising transmitting, to the robot, an instruction to initiate the mowing operation.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first of the multiple areas and the second of the multiple areas are separated by a space, and, during the mowing operation, the robot travels to the second of the multiple areas by traversing the space without mowing the space.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein transmitting the data indicative of the user selection of the bypass route comprises transmitting a plurality of user-selected points defining the bypass route, wherein the user-selected points include a bypass launch point defining a start of the bypass route and a bypass landing point defining an end of the bypass route.

19. A method of controlling an autonomous lawnmowing robot to mow multiple areas, the method comprising:

navigating the robot along a first boundary of a first of the multiple areas;

navigating the robot along a second boundary of a second of the multiple areas to train the robot to mow the multiple areas;

selecting a bypass route through the first of the multiple areas to train the robot to bypass the first of the multiple areas;

initiating a mowing operation in which the robot autonomously;

disables a mowing function;

subsequent to disabling the mowing function, travels to the second of the multiple areas by following the bypass route without mowing the first area; and

subsequent to traveling to the second of the multiple areas, activates the mowing function to mow the second area.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first of the multiple areas and the second of the multiple areas are separated by a space, and, during the mowing operation, the robot travels to the second of the multiple areas by traversing the space without mowing the space.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein selecting the bypass route comprises:

operating a mobile computing device to select a plurality of user-selected points defining the bypass route, wherein the user-selected points include a bypass launch point defining a start of the bypass route and a bypass landing point defining an end of the bypass route, and

causing the mobile computing device to transmit the user-selected points to the robot to train the robot to bypass the first of the multiple areas.