Lawn mower and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention provides a mower and a control method thereof, and relates to the technical field of cleaning, a to-be-cleaned area at least comprises a first area and a second area, and the first area is a narrow area with the section width larger than or equal to a first threshold value and smaller than or equal to a second threshold value; the extension direction of the first region is perpendicular to the section width of the first region; the section width of the second region is greater than that of the first region; and walking and mowing along the mowing path in the first area, and controlling the mower to advance from the first mowing starting point to the first mowing end point along the first mowing path in the first area so as to enter the second area, then return to the second mowing starting point from the second area and advance to the second mowing end point along the second mowing path. According to the method, the slipping phenomenon caused by turning around is reduced, the mowing quality and the mowing coverage rate of the mowing machine are improved, and the trapping probability of the mowing machine is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of cleaning technology, and in particular to a lawn mower and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] With the development of intelligent cleaning technology, lawn mowers with autonomous moving and mowing functions are gradually replacing manual weeding.

[0003] When a lawn mower is moving, it may encounter areas with narrow spaces or many obstacles. When existing lawn mowers are cleaning the above areas, since the surrounding obstacles or boundaries are close to the lawn mower, they need to adjust their positions many times to achieve operations such as turning around, steering, and getting out of trouble. The lawn mower will easily slip when adjusting its position many times, making the grass in the area easily worn by the machine. Since narrow passages usually connect multiple mowing areas, the lawn mower needs to pass through the narrow area many times during repeated work, which aggravates the grass grinding problem in the area. As a result, the passing efficiency and mowing quality of the lawn mower in the narrow area are very low, and the narrow space is not conducive to the steering of the lawn mower. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present application provides a lawn mower and a control method thereof, which are used to improve the passing efficiency and mowing quality of the lawn mower in a narrow area and reduce the probability of being trapped in the narrow area.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present application provides a control method for a lawn mower, comprising: an area to be cleaned includes at least a first area and a second area, the first area is a narrow area whose segment width is greater than or equal to a first threshold value and less than or equal to a second threshold value; an extension direction of the first area is perpendicular to the segment width of the first area; and the segment width of the second area is greater than the segment width of the first area;

[0006] Walking and mowing along a mowing path in the first area, the mower is controlled to first move along the first mowing path from the first mowing starting point to the first mowing end point in the first area to enter the second area, and then return from the second area to the second mowing starting point, and move along the second mowing path to the second mowing end point; when the ratio of the walking mileage of the first mowing path to the first length of the first area is less than or equal to 1.3, the trajectory of the second mowing path and / or subsequent mowing paths in the first area is controlled to move in the guide area of ​​the first mowing path, and when the mower moves along the guide area of ​​the first mowing path, the distance deviation between the walking path of the mower and the first mowing path in the section width direction of the first area is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.5m.

[0007] The lawn mower only needs to travel along the first mowing path or the second mowing path in the first area, and will not make a U-turn to switch the mowing path at will. The lawn mower is controlled to travel back and forth in the section with as few U-turns as possible, thereby reducing the slipping phenomenon caused by U-turns, and the walking trajectory of the lawn mower in the first area that meets the preset value is recorded. The subsequent walking trajectories are guided by the walking trajectory of the preset value, thereby improving the passing efficiency of the lawn mower in narrow channels and preventing the lawn mower from adjusting the direction multiple times and being easily trapped when searching for a route in a narrow channel.

[0008] In the second aspect, the present application provides a control method for a lawn mower, wherein the area to be cleaned includes at least a first area and a second area, the first area being a narrow area with a segment width greater than or equal to a first threshold and less than or equal to a second threshold; the extension direction of the first area is perpendicular to the segment width of the first area; the segment width of the second area is greater than the segment width of the first area; the second area with the shortest distance from the first area is selected as the next mowing operation area, the starting point of the first area is used as the first mowing starting point, and the point within a preset range from the second area is the first mowing end point of the first area, the mowing path includes at least a first mowing path and a second mowing path, the first mowing path is a mowing route from the first mowing starting point to the first mowing end point, and the second mowing path is a mowing route from the second mowing starting point to the second mowing end point, and after the lawn mower mows along the first mowing path, it enters the second area and turns around to complete the second mowing path.

[0009] In this embodiment, the section width is monitored during the mowing operation of the lawn mower. When the section width is narrow and the lawn mower needs to mow back and forth in the narrow area, the lawn mower is controlled to reciprocate in the section with as few turns as possible, thereby reducing the slippage caused by the U-turn, and the steering position of the lawn mower is selected according to the positional relationship of the multiple mowing areas as a whole. By setting the U-turn position of the lawn mower in the second area, the lawn mower can be prevented from turning in the first area, thereby reducing the slippage caused by the U-turn and improving the mowing quality and mowing coverage in the first area.

[0010] Optionally, the area to be cleaned includes at least a first area and a second area, the first area is a narrow area whose segment width is greater than or equal to a first threshold value and less than or equal to a second threshold value; the extension direction of the first area is perpendicular to the segment width of the first area; the segment width of the second area is greater than the segment width of the first area;

[0011] A second unmowed area that is shortest from the first area is selected as the next mowing operation area, the starting point of the first area is used as the first mowing starting point, and the point within a preset range from the second area is used as the first mowing end point of the first area. The mowing path includes at least a first mowing path and a second mowing path. The first mowing path is a mowing route from the first mowing starting point to the first mowing end point, and the second mowing path is a mowing route from the second mowing starting point to the second mowing end point. After the mower mows along the first mowing path, it enters the second area and mows the second area according to the third mowing path. When the completion degree of the third mowing path is greater than or equal to the preset completion degree, the mower is controlled to enter the first area and return to the second mowing end point along the second mowing path within the first area.

[0012] In this embodiment, the section width of the second area is limited to reduce the possibility of the lawn mower slipping when turning around in the second area, thereby improving the mowing quality of the first area without affecting the mowing quality of the second area. On the basis that the lawn mower has reached the second area, by controlling the lawn mower to complete the mowing operation in the second area first and then return to the first area, the mowing operation of the lawn mower in the second area can be fully utilized to realize the turning operation without having to perform a separate turning operation intentionally, thereby improving the mowing quality of the second area.

[0013] In addition, the path planning of returning to the first area after completing the mowing operation in the second area can make more effective use of cutting resources, making the planning of the cleaning path more reasonable, reducing the possibility of path duplication, reducing damage to the lawn caused by repeated cleaning, and reducing the energy loss of the ineffective mowing path of the mower. At the same time, it also improves cleaning efficiency and improves the utilization rate of cleaning resources in the same time.

[0014] Optionally, the first mowing path and the second mowing path are consistent with the extending direction.

[0015] The lawn mower only needs to travel along the first mowing path or the second mowing path in the first area, and will not turn around and switch the mowing path at will; wherein the first mowing path and the second mowing path are both arranged along the extension direction of the first area, so that the direction of the section width of the first area is perpendicular to the extension direction, so as to ensure that the lawn mower can meet the passage width conditions during the travel process.

[0016] Controlling the mowing to proceed along the extension direction of the section can also improve the coverage and passing efficiency of the mower in the area, reduce the number of passes through narrow passages while improving the mowing effect in narrow passages, thereby improving the mowing quality and mowing coverage of the mower. Here, the first mowing path and the second mowing path are consistent with the extension direction, which means that the forward direction of the mower when moving is basically consistent with the current extension direction of the first area obtained, such as the forward direction and the extension direction are parallel, or the real-time angle between the two is always less than 30 degrees.

[0017] Optionally, environmental data of the first area is obtained; based on the environmental data of the first area, an extension direction of the first area is determined, and the starting point and the end point are located on both sides of the extension direction, or on one side of the extension direction; based on the environmental data of the first area, a boundary line of the first area is determined; and the main extension direction of the boundary line is used as the extension direction of the first area. The extension direction of the first area can be pre-set, for example, a user draws a set route on a map, or it can be acquired in real time, for example, after acquiring an image through an image acquisition device. In this embodiment, the environmental data of the first area is acquired through an image acquisition device, and then the extension direction of the first area is acquired. Compared with the pre-set extension direction, the setting of the extension direction is more accurate. The above-mentioned method for acquiring the extension direction is mainly determined by the boundary line of the first area. Since the boundary line is usually easier to identify in the image, it can be acquired quickly, thereby improving the efficiency of determining the extension direction.

[0018] Optionally, determining the extension direction of the first area according to the environmental data of the first area includes:

[0019] Determining boundary lines on both sides of the first area according to the environmental data of the first area;

[0020] Draw parallel lines inwards from the boundary lines to obtain overlapping parallel lines;

[0021] The overlapping parallel lines are taken as the extension direction of the first region.

[0022] In this embodiment, the extension direction is mainly determined by drawing parallel lines inward from the boundary line, which is more in line with the extension direction of the actual area than using the boundary line directly. It is especially suitable for the case where the boundary lines on both sides are not parallel. The extension direction can be obtained by differentiating the boundary line and drawing the differentiated boundary lines on both sides inward until they overlap and become parallel lines.

[0023] Optionally, obtaining the curvature of the extension direction;

[0024] The turning point position is determined according to the curvature of the extension direction, and the first area is divided into at least two sub-areas according to the turning point position, and the extension directions of the sub-areas are determined respectively; wherein the curvature of the turning point position is greater than a preset curvature threshold. For the first area with more turning positions, since the turning process already involves the turning operation of the lawn mower, and when the curvature of the curve is large, the turning is not much different from the U-turn. Therefore, in addition to continuously moving from the starting point of the first area to the end point of the first area, the first area can also be processed in sections, and the U-turn operation is performed at the turning point. This method does not increase the slip probability of the lawn mower, and thus does not affect the mowing quality of the lawn mower.

[0025] Optionally, the lawn mower is controlled to mow along a bow-shaped path parallel to the extension direction in the sub-area, or: the lawn mower is controlled to mow along a side path parallel to the extension direction in the sub-area. The lawn mower is controlled to mow along a bow-shaped path parallel to the extension direction in the sub-area to reduce the number of U-turns in the sub-area as much as possible, thereby reducing the slip caused by the U-turn, that is, the lawn mower first mows along a path parallel to the extension direction from the starting point of the sub-area to the end point of the sub-area, and then after turning around at the end point of the sub-area, it mows along a path parallel to the extension direction to the starting point of the sub-area to form a bow-shaped path to improve the mowing quality. Different from the above-mentioned mowing method of the bow-shaped path, the side mowing method, although it also travels along a path parallel to the extension direction, does not need to turn around, thereby connecting the side paths of multiple sub-areas, further reducing the number of U-turns, thereby reducing the slip caused by U-turns, and improving the mowing quality of the lawn mower.

[0026] Optionally, the value range of the first threshold is 0.6m-0.9m, and the value range of the second threshold is 1m-1.6m.

[0027] Optionally, the value range of the first threshold is 0.6m-0.8m, and the value range of the second threshold is 1.3m-1.6m. The method of this embodiment is to limit the numerical range of the first threshold and the second threshold, which meets the passing requirements of most lawn mowers, and is also convenient for the lawn mower to directly compare whether the detected distance of the obstacle in front meets the passing conditions, thereby reducing the computational complexity of the lawn mower processor and improving the judgment efficiency. Optionally, the value range of the segment width of the first area is 0.6-1m. This range is suitable for smaller lawn mowers, and the probability of missing mowing in narrow channels is low. Optionally, the value range of the segment width of the first area is 0.6-1.6m. Using this range, the lawn mower has a higher universality for narrow channels and is more suitable for large lawn mowers. Optionally, the range of the segment width of the first area is 0.6-1.3m, which allows the mower to work flexibly in a working area with a segment width of more than 1.3m; Optionally, the range of the segment width of the first area is 0.7-1m, so that the area below 0.7m will not be mowed, thereby improving the overall mowing efficiency. Optionally, the range of the segment width of the first area is 0.7-1.3m, which is suitable for most models of mowers. Optionally, the range of the segment width of the first area is 0.7-1.6m, which can effectively take into account the purpose of reducing missed mowing areas and improving passing efficiency. Optionally, the range of the segment width of the first area is 0.9-1.3m, which increases the minimum passing size of narrow channels to reduce missed mowing while not misjudging wide areas as narrow channels, thereby ensuring the overall mowing quality. Optionally, the value range of the section width of the first area is 0.9-1.6 m, which can improve the overall mowing efficiency of the mowing area and is suitable for the operation mode of a large lawn mower.

[0028] Optionally, the lawn mower includes a chassis, a fuselage and drive wheels, the drive wheels are connected to the chassis, and the fuselage is connected to the chassis; the first threshold is β·d(0.5 / cosα+1), and the second threshold is 2β·d(0.5 / cosα+1), wherein the value range of β is 0.85-1.15, and the chassis of the lawn mower is defined as extending along the first plane. In the projection of the lawn mower on the first plane, d is the maximum width in the direction of the line connecting the drive wheels of the fuselage, and α is the angle between the line connecting the two drive wheels of the lawn mower and the line connecting the steering center of the lawn mower to the farthest end of the fuselage.

[0029] Among them, β is the correction coefficient, and the value range is 0.85-1.15. Since the boundary of the channel will expand inward when building the map, there will be a deviation from the actual channel size, and considering the positioning deviation of the sensor, the coefficient needs to be adjusted according to the above influencing factors.

[0030] The chassis of the lawn mower is defined to extend along the first plane. In the projection of the lawn mower on the first plane, d is the maximum width of the body in the direction of the line connecting the driving wheels, and α is the angle between the line connecting the two driving wheels of the lawn mower and the line connecting the steering center of the lawn mower to the farthest end of the body. The space required for a lawn mower to turn once is related to the maximum width in the direction of the line connecting the driving wheels of the body and the size of the line connecting the steering center of the drive to the farthest position of the body, and therefore is also related to the position of the steering center. When the width of the space does not meet the second threshold, it is difficult for the lawn mower to turn around in one turn, so it is now necessary to reverse and turn multiple times to adjust the posture, thereby increasing the probability of slipping and wearing the grass, and the mowing effect is not good.

[0031] For example, when the width of the space that allows the lawn mower to pass is greater than the first threshold and less than the second threshold, the lawn mower needs to turn several times to complete the U-turn operation, thereby increasing the number of times of mowing the grass. When the width is greater than the second threshold, the lawn mower has room for turning around, and the number of turns that are repeatedly adjusted during the U-turn will be reduced. Therefore, U-turns may no longer be prohibited to ensure that the lawn mower can turn around in time to make up for the mowing when it needs to turn around, and to prevent the lawn mower from going around too far before turning around, which affects the mowing efficiency of the lawn mower. Different from the fixed parameter value selection method of the above embodiment, this embodiment uses dynamic parameters related to the body size of the lawn mower as limiting conditions, so that the threshold can be adaptively adjusted according to the actual size of the lawn mower, thereby making the calculation result more accurate, and further improving the universality of the control method.

[0032] Optionally, the distance from the first mowing starting point to the first mowing end point is greater than twice the length of a body of the lawn mower in the traveling direction.

[0033] By limiting the channel length of the first area, misjudgment of obstacles in the mowing area can be prevented, and a non-narrow channel area can be identified as a narrow channel, which is not conducive to overall planning.

[0034] Optionally, when the mower is walking along the first mowing path or the second mowing path, the mower is prohibited from turning around. In this embodiment, the segment width of the first area is monitored so that before the mower enters the segment, the mower can determine whether the mower can just pass through by comparing the segment width, and when the cleaning area is passable but cannot be turned at will, the mower does not perform a U-turn operation, thereby reducing the slippage caused by the U-turn, and reducing the number of U-turns will increase the coverage of the mowing area by the mower, thereby improving the mowing quality and mowing coverage rate of the mower.

[0035] Through the above method, the first mowing path and the second mowing path are specifically limited to have opposite path directions, and are limited to switching at the mowing starting point or the mowing end point, that is, no U-turn is made on the first mowing path or the second mowing path, thereby ensuring that the lawn mower does not U-turn at least on the first mowing path and the second mowing path, thereby reducing the number of U-turns of the lawn mower in the first area, reducing the slippage caused by U-turns, and improving the mowing quality and mowing coverage rate of the lawn mower.

[0036] Optionally, after completing walking along the second mowing path, if there are multiple areas to be mowed, the mower is controlled to move to the next area to be mowed that is closest to the first area.

[0037] Through the above method, the lawn mower can move to the nearest area to be mowed after passing the end point of the first area, instead of performing a time-consuming U-turn operation, so as to improve the mowing efficiency and reduce the number of U-turns to reduce the risk of slipping caused by U-turns, thereby reducing grass grinding caused by slipping and improving the mowing cleaning effect.

[0038] Optionally, when the ratio of the mileage of the first mowing path and the first length of the first area is less than or equal to 1.3, the trajectory of the second mowing path and / or subsequent mowing paths in the first area is controlled to walk in the guide area of ​​the first mowing path, and when the mower walks along the guide area of ​​the first mowing path, the distance deviation between the walking path of the mower and the first mowing path in the section width direction of the first area is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.5m.

[0039] Optionally, the distance deviation between the first mowing path and the second mowing path in the section width direction of the first area is greater than or equal to 0.1 m and less than or equal to 0.4 m. The two mowing paths are limited to be as close as possible without overlapping, so as to reduce the risk of the mower hitting the wall in the first area, so as not to deviate from the first mowing path or the second mowing path due to obstacle avoidance.

[0040] Optionally, when the segment width of the first area is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than or equal to the second threshold, the lawn mower does not turn around in the first area;

[0041] When the segment width of the mowing area is greater than the second threshold, the mower is controlled to mow back and forth in the mowing area. In this way, the mower can be limited to move in the first area so that it can turn around when the segment width is large, thereby not affecting other areas except the first area, and does not turn around when the segment width is small, thereby reducing slippage caused by turning around when the segment width is small and improving mowing quality.

[0042] Optionally, the first mowing path does not overlap with the second mowing path.

[0043] By limiting the two mowing paths to be non-overlapping, the possibility of over-cutting during the reciprocating cutting process of the mower in the first area is reduced, thereby improving the mowing quality during the reciprocating cutting process of the mower in the first area.

[0044] Optionally, when the remaining power of the lawn mower is less than a preset power, the lawn mower cancels the operation along the first mowing path and controls the lawn mower to return to the base station; the lawn mower further includes a communication device for receiving user instructions; and the method further includes:

[0045] When the lawn mower is moving along the first mowing path and the communication device receives the first user instruction, the lawn mower is controlled to turn and move along the second mowing path to approach the second mowing end point; the first user instruction is used to instruct the lawn mower to turn around. This embodiment adds a communication device on the basis of the above embodiment, so that the user can remotely control the lawn mower, so that when there is a user task request, the lawn mower can turn around and exit the first area in time to stop the current cleaning task of the first area, give priority to the user's needs, and improve the user's experience.

[0046] Optionally, a second area that is shortest from the first area is selected as the next mowing operation area, the starting point of the first area is used as the first mowing starting point, and the point within a preset range from the second area is used as the first mowing end point of the first area. The mowing path includes at least a first mowing path and a second mowing path. The first mowing path is the mowing route from the first mowing starting point to the first mowing end point, and the second mowing path is the mowing route from the second mowing starting point to the second mowing end point. After the mower mows along the first mowing path, it enters the second area and turns around to complete the second mowing path.

[0047] Optionally, a second unmowed area with the shortest distance from the first area is selected as the next mowing operation area, the starting point of the first area is used as the first mowing starting point, and the point within a preset range from the second area is used as the first mowing end point of the first area. The mowing path includes at least a first mowing path and a second mowing path. The first mowing path is a mowing route from the first mowing starting point to the first mowing end point, and the second mowing path is a mowing route from the second mowing starting point to the second mowing end point. After the mower mows along the first mowing path, it enters the second area and mows the second area according to the third mowing path. When the completion degree of the third mowing path is greater than or equal to the preset completion degree, the mower is controlled to enter the first area and return to the second mowing end point along the second mowing path in the first area.

[0048] In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a lawn mower, comprising: a body; a walking device connected to the body; a processor, and a memory communicatively connected to the processor, the processor being installed on the body; the memory storing computer execution instructions; the processor executing the computer execution instructions stored in the memory to implement a control method for the lawn mower.

[0049] The lawn mower and control method thereof provided by the present application, the area to be cleaned includes at least a first area and a second area, the first area is a narrow area whose section width is greater than or equal to a first threshold value and less than or equal to a second threshold value; the extension direction of the first area is perpendicular to the section width of the first area; the section width of the second area is greater than the section width of the first area;

[0050] Walking and mowing along a mowing path in the first area, the mower is controlled to first move along the first mowing path from the first mowing starting point to the first mowing end point in the first area to enter the second area, and then return from the second area to the second mowing starting point, and move along the second mowing path to the second mowing end point; when the ratio of the walking mileage of the first mowing path to the first length of the first area is less than or equal to 1.3, the trajectory of the second mowing path and / or subsequent mowing paths in the first area is controlled to move in the guide area of ​​the first mowing path, and when the mower moves along the guide area of ​​the first mowing path, the distance deviation between the walking path of the mower and the first mowing path in the section width direction of the first area is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.5m.

[0051] The lawn mower only needs to travel along the first mowing path or the second mowing path in the first area, and will not make a U-turn to switch the mowing path at will. The lawn mower is controlled to travel back and forth in the section with as few U-turns as possible, thereby reducing the slipping phenomenon caused by U-turns, and the walking trajectory of the lawn mower in the first area that meets the preset value is recorded. The subsequent walking trajectories are guided by the walking trajectory of the preset value, thereby improving the passing efficiency of the lawn mower in narrow channels and preventing the lawn mower from adjusting the direction multiple times and being easily trapped when searching for a route in a narrow channel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present application.

[0053] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the bottom structure of a lawn mower provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0054] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a projection structure of a portion of a lawn mower structure provided by an embodiment of the present application on a first plane;

[0055] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the control method flow of the lawn mower provided in the embodiment of the present application Figure 1 ;

[0056] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a first area and a first mowing path provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0057] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the control method flow of the lawn mower provided in the embodiment of the present application Figure 2 ;

[0058] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the area to be cleaned and the mowing path of the lawn mower provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0059] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of another area to be cleaned by a lawn mower and its mowing path provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0060] Figure 8 A schematic flow chart of a method for controlling the cleaning of an area to be cleaned by a lawn mower provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0061] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of a mowing path in a first area provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0062] Fig.10 A schematic diagram of another mowing path in the first area provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0063] The above drawings have shown clear embodiments of the present application, which will be described in more detail later. These drawings and text descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the present application in any way, but to illustrate the concept of the present application to those skilled in the art by referring to specific embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0064] Exemplary embodiments will be described in detail herein, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the drawings, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements unless otherwise indicated. The implementations described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all implementations consistent with the present application. Instead, they are merely examples of devices and methods consistent with some aspects of the present application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0065] There may be many obstacles in the area to be cleaned of the existing lawn, such as fences, walls, billboards, sculptures and other obstacles; there may also be a need for greening design of specific shapes, such as bushes, flower beds and other areas that are not cleaned at the same time as the lawn, or areas that need to be cleaned at different heights. The above factors will cause the area to be cleaned to form a narrow space area or a space area with many obstacles.

[0066] When cleaning the above-mentioned special areas to be cleaned, existing autonomous lawn mowers usually find it difficult to make large-angle turns or steering operations due to the small space. Therefore, when a turn or steering operation is required, the body angle can only be adjusted slowly little by little, causing the body to roll over the lawn at the bottom multiple times, which can easily cause the body to slip and may also damage the integrity of the lawn due to excessive friction during slipping.

[0067] Based on the above technical problems, the inventive concept of the present application is:

[0068] By detecting the segment width of the mowing area and then determining the travel path of the lawn mower according to the size of the segment width, the lawn mower can travel in a one-way driving manner to avoid U-turns when the segment width is narrow, thereby reducing lawn damage caused by multiple turning operations of the lawn mower due to insufficient U-turn width, improving the integrity of the lawn and the mowing quality of the lawn mower, aiming to solve the above technical problems of the prior art.

[0069] The specific application scenarios of this application are as follows:

[0070] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom structure of a lawn mower provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 As shown, the lawn mower 100 includes a body 110, a chassis 120 connected to the bottom of the body 110, and a cutter 130 and a driving wheel 140 arranged on the chassis 120. The chassis 120 of the lawn mower is extended along a first plane direction.

[0071] Exemplarily, the fuselage 110 may be circular, square, or other shapes, such as a special shape formed by combining a part of a circle and a part of a square. The fuselage 110 may rotate during the movement, and the center point around which the rotation is performed may be a center point selected from the fuselage 110. For example, when the shape of the fuselage 110 is circular, the center point may include the center of the circle. For another example, when the shape of the fuselage 110 is square, the center point may include the center point of the square. For another example, when the fuselage 110 is provided with two driving wheels 140, the center point may include the center point of the line connecting the two driving wheels 140 or the center point of the line connecting the rotation centers of the two driving wheels 140.

[0072] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the projection structure of a portion of the lawn mower structure provided by an embodiment of the present application on a first plane. Figure 2As shown, in the projection on the first plane, the maximum width of the line connecting the two driving wheels 140 is d, the midpoint of the line connecting the two driving wheels 140 is the steering center o of the lawn mower 100, the farthest end of the projection of the body 110 on the first plane to the steering center o is s, and the angle between the line connecting the two driving wheels 140 of the lawn mower 100 and the line connecting the steering center o of the lawn mower 100 to the farthest end s of the body 110 is α.

[0073] Since the lawn mower 100 can travel in one direction or turn around and travel in two directions when traveling, the channel width condition for not repeatedly adjusting the position when turning around in the channel is that the channel width is greater than or equal to twice the maximum turning width. Therefore, the width range of the section that the lawn mower 100 can pass through can be calculated by the projection structure schematic diagram.

[0074] For example, continue to refer to Figure 2 As shown, the minimum width that the mower 100 can pass is β·d(0.5 / cosα+1), and the minimum width that can be turned around without slipping is 2β·d(0.5 / cosα+1). Therefore, when the width is between β·d(0.5 / cosα+1)-2β·d(0.5 / cosα+1), as the width increases, the number of turns when turning around will gradually decrease. Among them, β is the passing coefficient, the value range is 0.85-1.15, d is the maximum width in the direction of the line connecting the driving wheels 140 of the machine body, and α is the angle between the line connecting the two driving wheels 140 of the mower 100 and the line connecting the steering center of the mower 100 to the farthest end of the machine body 110.

[0075] Optionally, a detection device 150 is also provided on the body 110 for detecting obstacle information on the path of the lawn mower 100. For example, when the lawn mower is traveling in a long channel area, the section width of the channel area can be obtained by the detection device 150. The section width is the transverse cross-sectional width of the channel used to determine whether the lawn mower can pass in the direction of travel.

[0076] The detection device 150 may be a radar sensor, an infrared sensor, a visual sensor, and / or an anti-collision plate or other sensors capable of detecting distances. The obstacle information acquired by the detection device 150 may be distance information, obstacle type, or boundary information determined by the detection device 150. Since the detection information itself belongs to the prior art, it will not be further described here.

[0077] The lawn mower 100 further includes a processor, which is connected to the detection device 150 . The processor is used to execute a control method for the lawn mower 100 based on a detection result of the detection device 150 .

[0078] Optionally, the lawn mower is further provided with a storage component, and the processor and the storage component can be arranged inside the lawn mower. Optionally, the storage component can be integrated with the processor, or can be two independent components of the processor.

[0079] The storage component is used to store data, for example, various software control programs, some modes and / or parameters of the lawn mower, etc. Specifically, the program may include program codes, and the program codes include computer operation instructions.

[0080] The processor may include, for example, one or more circuits or chips having control functions.

[0081] The processor is used to control the operation of the lawn mower and respond to the user's operation through various software control programs stored in the memory.

[0082] The execution subject of the embodiment of the present application can be a processor in the lawn mower, or a server corresponding to the lawn mower. The server is located in the cloud, connected to the processor of the lawn mower through the network, and sends control instructions to the lawn mower, or forwards the control instructions sent by the user through the terminal device to the lawn mower.

[0083] The following takes the processor in the lawn mower as an example, and describes in detail the technical solution of the present application and how the technical solution of the present application solves the above technical problems through specific embodiments. The following specific embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be repeated in some embodiments.

[0084] The embodiments of the present application will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0085] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the control method flow of the lawn mower provided in the embodiment of the present application Figure 1 . refer to Figure 3 As shown, the method includes:

[0086] S31 . Mowing along a mowing path in a first area, where a section width of the first area is greater than or equal to a first threshold and less than or equal to a second threshold.

[0087] S32, select the unmowed second area closest to the first area as the next mowing operation area, and the point within the preset range from the second area is the first mowing end point of the first area, and the starting point of the first area is the first mowing starting point, and control the mower to move along the mowing path between the first mowing starting point and the first mowing end point; the mowing path includes at least the first mowing path and the second mowing path, and the mower moves along the extension direction of the first area according to the first mowing path and the second mowing path, and the first mowing path and the second mowing path are consistent with the extension direction. Here, the first mowing path and the second mowing path are consistent with the extension direction, which means that the forward direction of the mower when moving is basically consistent with the current extension direction of the first area obtained, such as the forward direction and the extension direction are parallel, or the real-time angle between the two is always less than 30 degrees.

[0088] Exemplarily, when the lawn mower travels to the first area where the segment width is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than or equal to the second threshold, since the segment width is greater than the mowing coverage area during a single mowing operation, in order to improve the clean coverage of the first area, it is necessary to reciprocate cutting within the first area. Therefore, it is necessary to set a first mowing path from the starting point of the first area to the end point of the first area, and a second mowing path from the end point of the first area to the starting point of the first area, so as to ensure that the first area is completely covered and improve the clean coverage rate of the lawn mower.

[0089] Optionally, the first grass cutting start point and the second grass cutting end point coincide, and the second grass cutting start point and the first grass cutting end point coincide. Optionally, the first grass cutting start point and the second grass cutting start point are at a certain distance, and / or the second grass cutting start point and the first grass cutting end point are at a certain distance.

[0090] Optionally, the first mowing starting point and the second mowing starting point, the first mowing end point and the second mowing end point may be located within the first area, or outside the first area, or on a boundary line of the first area.

[0091] In some embodiments, since the lawn mower is provided with two mowing paths in the first area, the travel directions of the two mowing paths are relatively arranged, and the lawn mower switches between the first mowing path and the second mowing path by turning around or steering at the first mowing end point or the first mowing end point.

[0092] For example, when there are multiple areas to be mowed, the lawn mower is controlled to move to the next area to be mowed closest to the first area as the second area, so that the lawn mower enters the second area along the first mowing path in the first area, completes the U-turn operation in the second area, and then enters the first area to mow along the second mowing path.

[0093] In some embodiments, when the lawn mower moves to the starting point of the first area, the extension direction of the first area is obtained, and the lawn mower is controlled to move along a mowing path between the starting point of the first area and the end point of the first area. The mowing path is a path from the starting point of the first area to the end point of the first area. The mowing path includes at least a first mowing path and a second mowing path. The lawn mower moves along the extension direction according to the first mowing path and the second mowing path.

[0094] The segment width of the first area is greater than or equal to a first threshold and less than or equal to a second threshold.

[0095] Exemplarily, the value range of the first threshold is 0.6m-0.9m, and the value range of the second threshold is 1m-1.6m.

[0096] Optionally, the value range of the first threshold is 0.6m-0.8m, and the value range of the second threshold is 1.3m-1.6m. Optionally, the value range of the segment width of the first area is 0.6-1m, which is suitable for relatively small lawn mowers and has a low probability of missing mowing in narrow channels. Optionally, the value range of the segment width of the first area is 0.6-1.6m. With this range, the lawn mower has a higher universality for narrow channels and is more suitable for large lawn mowers. Optionally, the value range of the segment width of the first area is 0.6-1.3m, which allows the lawn mower to work flexibly in a working area with a segment width of more than 1.3m; Optionally, the value range of the segment width of the first area is 0.7-1m, so that the area below 0.7m will not enter the mowing process, thereby improving the overall mowing efficiency. Optionally, the value range of the segment width of the first area is 0.7-1.3m, which is suitable for most lawn mower models. Optionally, the range of the width of the first area is 0.7-1.6m, which can effectively take into account the purpose of reducing missed mowing areas and improving passing efficiency. Optionally, the range of the width of the first area is 0.9-1.3m, which increases the minimum passing size of narrow channels to reduce missed mowing while not misjudging wide areas as narrow channels, thereby ensuring the overall mowing quality. Optionally, the range of the width of the first area is 0.9-1.6m, which can improve the overall mowing efficiency of the mowing area and is suitable for the operation mode of large mowers.

[0097] Exemplary methods of obtaining the extension direction include:

[0098] Method 1:

[0099] Acquiring environmental data of the first area;

[0100] Determining a boundary line of the first area according to the environmental data of the first area;

[0101] The main extension direction of the boundary line is used as the extension direction of the first area.

[0102] Exemplarily, methods for acquiring environmental data of the first area include but are not limited to indirectly obtaining the outline of the first area through a detection device set on the fuselage, or directly collecting the environmental data of the first area through a camera set on the fuselage, or acquiring an image through a third-party terminal connected to the lawn mower and then forwarding it to the lawn mower to obtain the environmental data of the first area.

[0103] You can select a boundary line on any side and translate the boundary line to the middle of the environmental data of the first area as the main extension direction.

[0104] Method 2:

[0105] Acquiring environmental data of the first area;

[0106] Determining boundary lines on both sides of the first area according to the environmental data of the first area;

[0107] Draw parallel lines inward from the boundary lines on both sides until the parallel lines on both sides overlap to obtain overlapping parallel lines;

[0108] The overlapping parallel lines are used as the extension direction of the first region.

[0109] Exemplarily, methods for acquiring environmental data of the first area include but are not limited to indirectly obtaining the outline of the first area through a detection device set on the fuselage, or directly collecting the environmental data of the first area through a camera set on the fuselage, or acquiring an image through a third-party terminal connected to the lawn mower and then forwarding it to the lawn mower to obtain the environmental data of the first area.

[0110] Among them, when drawing parallel lines inward, the length of the parallel lines is usually set shorter, but the parallel lines are connected end to end to eventually form continuous overlapping parallel lines.

[0111] Since the overlapping parallel lines are nearly parallel to the boundary lines on both sides of the first area, traveling along the overlapping parallel lines can reduce the probability of contact between the fuselage and the boundary, and thus can be used as the extension direction of the first area.

[0112] The first mowing path is a path along which the mower moves in a direction away from a starting point of the first area, and the second mowing path is a path along which the mower moves in a direction close to a starting point of the first area.

[0113] Exemplarily, the first mowing path and the second mowing path do not overlap, thereby reducing repeated mowing of the lawn by the mower due to overlapping mowing paths, thereby reducing the mowing quality of the lawn.

[0114] Optionally, the distance deviation between the first mowing path and the second mowing path in the section width direction of the first area is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.5m, or the distance deviation between the first mowing path and the second mowing path in the section width direction of the first area is greater than or equal to 0.1m and less than or equal to 0.4m.

[0115] Based on the above embodiment, switching from the first mowing path to the second mowing path requires controlling the lawn mower to turn around. Therefore, the mowing path includes not only the first mowing path and the second mowing path, but also a turning position. The turning position can be set in the first area or outside the first area.

[0116] In some embodiments, when the segment width of the first area is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than or equal to the second threshold, the U-turn position is set outside the first area, and the lawn mower is controlled not to turn around in the first area.

[0117] For example, when the area to be cleaned also includes a second area, the lawn mower is controlled to move along the first mowing path in the first area to the second area; wherein the section width of the second area is greater than or equal to a second threshold.

[0118] When the lawn mower completes the second mowing path, the lawn mower is controlled to turn around at the turning position in the second area to return to the first area, and travels along the second mowing path in the first area to the starting point of the first area.

[0119] Optionally, when there are multiple areas to be mowed, the lawn mower is controlled to move to the next area to be mowed that is closest to the first area.

[0120] In some other embodiments, when the section width of the first area is greater than the second threshold, the U-turn position is set within the first area, and the lawn mower is controlled to reciprocate and mow within the first area.

[0121] For example, the distance is set within a third threshold from the end point of the first area.

[0122] In some other embodiments, although the U-turn position is set in the first area, there may be multiple U-turn positions.

[0123] For example, when the extension direction of the first area is a curve, the curvature of the curve may be acquired first.

[0124] The inflection point position is determined according to the curvature of the extension direction, and the first area is divided into at least two sub-areas according to the inflection point position, and the extension directions of the sub-areas are determined respectively; wherein the curvature of the inflection point position is greater than a preset curvature threshold.

[0125] Optionally, the lawn mower is controlled to mow the grass in the sub-area along a bow-shaped path parallel to the extension direction, or to mow the grass along an edge path parallel to the extension direction.

[0126] For example, Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of a mowing path in the first area provided in an embodiment of the present application. The starting point of the first area is A, the end point of the first area is B, the dotted line connecting A and B is the extension direction of the first area, and the mower is provided with a continuous first mowing path 402 and a second mowing path 404 along the extension direction.

[0127] In this embodiment, the U-turn position can be set at a position between the starting point A of the first area and the end point B of the first area, or can be set at the end point B of the first area, or can not be set at a position between the starting point A of the first area and the end point B of the first area. The specific setting position is determined based on the first mowing end point and the section width of the first area.

[0128] Exemplarily, if the segment width of the first area is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than or equal to the second threshold, the unmowed second area closest to the first area is selected as the next mowing operation area, and the point within a preset range from the second area is the first mowing end point of the first area, and the starting point of the first area is used as the first mowing starting point, and the mower is controlled to move along the mowing path between the mowing starting point and the mowing end point.

[0129] The mowing path includes at least a first mowing path and a second mowing path, and the mower moves along the extension direction of the first area according to the first mowing path and the second mowing path.

[0130] Fig.10 Another mowing path schematic diagram in the first area provided in an embodiment of the present application. The starting point of the first area is A, the end point of the first area is B, the dotted line connecting A and B is the extension direction of the first area, and the position where the curvature of the dotted line is greater than the preset curvature threshold is the U-turn position, thereby forming multiple mowing paths in the first area, each mowing path includes a first mowing path 402, a U-turn position, and a second mowing path 404.

[0131] When the lawn mower moves to the starting point of the first area, the lawn mower is controlled to move along the first mowing path in the first area to the end point of the first area, and the lawn mower obtains the section width of the first area in real time; the section width of the starting point of the first area is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than or equal to the second threshold; when moving along the first mowing path, the lawn mower is prohibited from turning around to approach the starting point of the first area.

[0132] Exemplarily, the first area is a narrow channel area, and the lawn mower travels to the starting point of the first area, that is, to the entrance of the narrow channel.

[0133] In a narrow channel, the route of the lawn mower will be affected by the width of the channel. By obtaining the section width in front of the travel direction in real time, the lawn mower can be assisted in making decisions on whether it can pass or turn around.

[0134] The minimum width value that allows the lawn mower to pass through is defined as the first threshold value, and the minimum width that allows the lawn mower to turn around is defined as the second threshold value.

[0135] If the segment width at the starting point of the first area is smaller than the first threshold, the lawn mower cannot pass through and thus will not continue to enter the first area.

[0136] If the section width of the starting point of the first area is greater than the second threshold value, the U-turn operation of the lawn mower is not restricted, and thus this situation is not limited, and the normal lawn mowing task can be performed.

[0137] If the segment width at the starting point of the first area is greater than or equal to the first threshold value and less than or equal to the second threshold value, the segment width at the starting point meets the definition of the narrow channel, and the path of the mower needs to be planned to avoid the mower from turning or turning around multiple times and causing damage to the lawn in the channel. Therefore, it is limited to move along the first mowing path that does not allow turning around from the starting point, thereby reducing the adverse effects of turning around on the lawn.

[0138] The method of not allowing U-turn is to control the direction of the lawn mower to not approach the starting point of the first area, rather than restricting the turning direction of the lawn mower.

[0139] It should be understood that as long as the section width detected ahead always satisfies the limiting condition, the first mowing path is always followed.

[0140] For example, Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a first area and a first mowing path provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 4 As shown, when the first area 401 is a zigzag channel that requires multiple turns, the lawn mower detects that the width of the section in front always meets the width range of the narrow channel, and thus controls the lawn mower to always move forward along the first mowing path 402. The first mowing path 402 is not a straight path, but a path that changes with the shape of the channel. The path may turn more than 180 degrees, but the direction of the turn is not towards the starting point A of the first area 401, but towards the end point B of the first area 401.

[0141] When the segment width of the first area meets the first condition of the end point of the first area, the lawn mower is controlled to pass through the end point of the first area; the first condition of the end point of the first area is that the segment width of the end point of the first area is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than or equal to the second threshold, and the segment width of the end point of the first area on the side away from the starting point of the first area is greater than or equal to the first threshold.

[0142] For example, when the lawn mower reaches the end point of the first area along the first mowing path, it is necessary to detect the section width of the end point position. When the section width on the other side of the end point is greater than or equal to the first threshold, it indicates that the lawn mower can pass the end point smoothly and enter the other side area. Therefore, the lawn mower can be controlled to pass the end point of the first area, thereby completing the cleaning task of the first area.

[0143] If the segment width on the other side of the end point is less than the first threshold, it means that the lawn mower can only move to the end point but cannot pass through the end point. At this time, the first mowing path is ended and the operation of turning to exit the channel is executed.

[0144] The method provided in this embodiment starts from the starting point of the first area, detects the section width in real time, and compares the detected section width with a threshold value related to the body size of the lawn mower, so that the lawn mower can be controlled not to turn around when the section width meets a certain range, thereby reducing the turning operation of the lawn mower before reaching the end point of the first area, thereby reducing the probability of the lawn mower slipping in the first area, thereby reducing the damage to the lawn in the first area caused by the lawn mower, and improving the cleaning quality of the lawn by the lawn mower.

[0145] The control logic of the lawn mower of the present application is described in detail below in conjunction with several specific embodiments.

[0146] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the control method flow of the lawn mower provided in the embodiment of the present application Figure 2 . refer to Figure 5 As shown, the method includes:

[0147] S501, obtaining location information of the lawn mower until the current location information is at the starting point of the first area.

[0148] Optionally, since the lawn mower may return to the starting point after reaching the end point when traveling in the channel formed by the first area, and the distance traveled by the lawn mower for turning around is at least twice the length of the body, if the channel length is short and not enough for the lawn mower to completely turn around in the channel, the channel may not be defined as the first area, and there is no need to execute the control method in this embodiment.

[0149] For example, when the channel length is twice the length of the fuselage, the lawn mower can be controlled to enter the mowing area and then retreat to complete the cleaning operation. Since the distance is short, the retreat is easy to control and it is not easy to yaw or become uncontrolled.

[0150] In another embodiment, whether the lawn mower has reached the first area is not determined by real-time detection, but by obtaining a mowing area map of the lawn mower, in which boundary information is marked, and according to the spacing of the boundary information, the first area that meets the first area restriction condition can be obtained. According to the position of the lawn mower in the mowing area map, it is determined whether the lawn mower is at the starting point of the first area.

[0151] Among them, the first area restriction condition is: the segment width of the starting point of the first area is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than or equal to the second threshold; the segment width of the end point of the first area is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than or equal to the second threshold, and the segment width of the end point of the first area away from the starting point of the first area is greater than or equal to the first threshold, and the width of each segment between the starting point of the first area and the end point of the first area is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than or equal to the second threshold.

[0152] S502: Control the lawn mower to obtain the section width of the starting point of the first area in real time.

[0153] Exemplarily, the lawn mower starts from the starting point of the first area, detects obstacle information in front of the travel direction, and obtains the width between the obstacles and the distance information between the lawn mower and the obstacle based on the detected obstacle information, and obtains the section width based on the width between the obstacles and the distance information between the lawn mower and the obstacle. The section width is the section width within a certain distance range in front of the lawn mower.

[0154] Optionally, since the actual channel may be non-linear or the channel spacing may be unequal, the segment width can be selected to be within a certain length range with the same or similar channel spacing, that is, the first area can be divided into multiple segments, each segment corresponding to a segment width, thereby facilitating the lawn mower to plan the path based on the segment width.

[0155] S503, determine whether the segment width is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than or equal to the second threshold; if so, execute S504, if not, execute S513.

[0156] The first area includes a first area starting point and a first area end point, and the section width acquired by the lawn mower is obstacle spacing information within a distance ahead in the direction of travel starting from the current position of the lawn mower.

[0157] Exemplarily, the first threshold and the second threshold may be preset fixed values.

[0158] For example, the value range of the first threshold is 0.7m-0.9m, and the value range of the second threshold is 1.3m-1.6m.

[0159] Another possible implementation is that the first threshold and the second threshold are values ​​related to the structure of the lawn mower, so the formula related to the first threshold and the second threshold can be obtained by limiting the structure of the lawn mower. Since the first threshold is the minimum width that the lawn mower can pass through, and the second threshold is the minimum width required for the lawn mower to turn around once without slipping, therefore, if the size of the body remains unchanged, it can be considered that the second threshold is twice the first threshold.

[0160] For example, the first threshold is β·d(0.5 / cosα+1), and the second threshold is 2β·d(0.5 / cosα+1).

[0161] Among them, the value range of β is 0.85-1.15, which defines that the chassis of the lawn mower extends along the first plane. In the projection of the lawn mower on the first plane, d is the maximum width in the direction of the driving wheel connection line of the fuselage, and α is the angle between the connection line of the two driving wheels of the lawn mower and the connection line from the steering center of the lawn mower to the farthest end of the fuselage.

[0162] S504: Control the lawn mower to move along the first mowing path in the first area to an end point of the first area.

[0163] When the lawn mower is moving along the first mowing path, it is prohibited to turn around to approach the starting point of the first area.

[0164] Exemplarily, since the segment width of the first area is limited to the range between the first threshold and the second threshold, and the first threshold is a width that the lawn mower can pass through without turning, and the second threshold is a width that the lawn mower can just turn around without slipping, the lawn mower never turns around in the first area, and the possibility of slipping in the first area can be minimized, that is, the lawn mower is controlled to travel along the first mowing path without turning around.

[0165] S505: Control the lawn mower to obtain the section width of the end point of the first area in real time.

[0166] Because when the lawn mower is moving along the first mowing path in the first area, it cannot be determined that the entire first area is within the range greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than or equal to the second threshold, and it is possible that only some sections meet the conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to obtain the section width in real time through detection to reduce the possibility of the lawn mower getting stuck due to some sections not meeting the conditions during the moving process.

[0167] S506: Determine whether the segment width of the first area is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than or equal to the second threshold; if so, execute S507; if not, execute S509.

[0168] Specifically, if the position less than the first threshold is reached when the lawn mower is halfway through the first area, it indicates that the lawn mower cannot continue to move forward, and the position less than the first threshold is the end point of the first area. If both are greater than or equal to the first threshold, the lawn mower will continue to move to the other end of the first area farthest from the starting point, that is, the end point of the first area.

[0169] After determining the end point of the first area, it is also necessary to determine whether the front section after the end point of the first area is suitable for the lawn mower to pass through, that is, to obtain the section width on the side of the end point of the first area away from the starting point of the first area.

[0170] S507, determining whether the width of the segment on the side where the end point of the first area is away from the starting point of the first area is greater than or equal to a first threshold; if so, executing S508, if not, executing S509.

[0171] S508: Control the lawn mower to pass through the first area end point.

[0172] Specifically, when it is determined that the lawn mower is still allowed to pass in front of the end point of the first area, the lawn mower can be controlled to continue moving forward through the end point of the first area, so that it will not make a U-turn in the first area, thereby avoiding the risk of slipping caused by the U-turn and improving the mowing and cleaning quality of the lawn in the first area.

[0173] S509, determine whether the segment width of the end point of the first area is less than the first threshold; if so, execute S510, if not, execute S511.

[0174] If the width of the section on the side where the end point of the first area is away from the starting point of the first area is greater than or equal to the first threshold, it means that the lawn mower can continue to move forward at the end point and will not turn around in the first area, thereby reducing the probability of the lawn mower slipping in the first area.

[0175] If the width of the section on the side where the end point of the first area is away from the starting point of the first area is less than the first threshold, it means that the lawn mower cannot continue to move forward at the end point and needs to turn around and return to the starting point of the first area. Therefore, the U-turn operation is performed at the position where it cannot continue to move forward, thereby minimizing the possibility of slipping caused by the U-turn.

[0176] S510: Continue to control the lawn mower to move along the first mowing path in the first area, and obtain the distance from the lawn mower to the end point of the first area.

[0177] Specifically, since the lawn mower needs a certain turning distance to turn around, when it needs to turn around, it cannot reach a position less than the first threshold and then turn around, but needs to turn around before reaching the position. Moreover, turning around requires the lawn mower to turn around the rotation center of the body. Therefore, before turning around, it is necessary to obtain whether the distance from the lawn mower body to the position where the U-turn is required meets the required turning distance.

[0178] S511, determining whether the distance from the lawn mower to the end point of the first area is less than or equal to a third threshold; if so, executing S512, if not, continuing to execute S510.

[0179] Whether the distance from the lawn mower to the end point of the first area is less than or equal to a third threshold is the turning position of the lawn mower. The third threshold is twice the length of the lawn mower body in the direction of travel.

[0180] When the distance from the lawn mower to the end point of the first area reaches the third threshold, the U-turn operation is performed. If it does not reach the third threshold, the first area will not be cleaned properly, so it is necessary to at least reach the third threshold. When it exceeds the third threshold, it may be necessary to adjust the steering multiple times, increasing the risk of slipping, but it will not affect the cleaning coverage of the channel. Therefore, the steering position for the U-turn can be set at a position where the distance between the lawn mower and the end point of the first area is less than or equal to the third threshold.

[0181] S512: After the lawn mower moves along the first mowing path in the first area to a turning position, the lawn mower turns around to approach a starting point of the first area.

[0182] S513, determine whether the segment width is less than a first threshold; if so, execute S514, if not, perform a regular cleaning operation on the area.

[0183] Exemplarily, when the area width is not less than the first threshold, since the area width is not within the range between the first threshold and the second threshold, it is determined that the area width is greater than the second threshold. At this time, it can be confirmed that the area is a non-narrow channel area where the lawn mower can turn around without slipping, and the lawn mower can be controlled to perform conventional cleaning operations, such as a bow-shaped mowing route.

[0184] S514: Control the lawn mower not to enter.

[0185] Optionally, when the lawn mower does not enter, the position of the starting point of the first area can also be marked as an obstacle point, so that the lawn mower can perform an obstacle avoidance operation according to the indication of the obstacle point.

[0186] The method provided in this embodiment determines whether the body size of the lawn mower meets the passing requirements by making a real-time judgment on the section width in the first area during the movement of the lawn mower. If so, the lawn mower is controlled to move in one direction from the starting point to the end point of the first area. If not, the lawn mower only turns around once before the impassable position, thereby minimizing the slipping damage to the lawn in the first area with a smaller channel spacing due to the U-turn of the lawn mower, thereby improving the cleaning quality of the first area.

[0187] It should be noted that the implementation of the above embodiment describes the control method of the lawn mower moving in the first area. When the end of the first area is connected to other areas to be cleaned, for example, when it is connected to an area with a section width greater than the second threshold, or when it is connected to the first area after at least one area with a section width greater than the second threshold must be passed, the following control method can be used:

[0188] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the area to be cleaned and the mowing path of the lawn mower provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 7 A schematic diagram of another area to be cleaned by a lawn mower and its mowing path provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 8 This is a flow chart of a method for controlling the cleaning of a lawn mower to be cleaned area provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, when the other area to be cleaned connected to the end point of the first area 401 is the second area 403 that can be cleaned conventionally, and the lawn mower is at the end point of the first area 401, the following control method is adopted:

[0189] S81: Control the lawn mower to mow along a third mowing path in the second area, and obtain a completion degree of the third mowing path.

[0190] The section width of the second area is greater than the second threshold value, that is, the lawn mower can turn around in the second area without slipping; when traveling along the third mowing path, the lawn mower is prohibited from entering the first area.

[0191] For example, the third mowing path is a bow-shaped mowing path, and the mower performs the mowing task along the bow-shaped mowing path in the second area and will not leave the second area at will during the mowing process. However, when the mowing task is about to be or has been completed in the second area, the position of the mower is no longer limited. Therefore, when mowing in the second area, it is necessary to obtain the current task completion degree of the mower in real time.

[0192] S82: Determine whether the completion degree of the third mowing path is greater than or equal to a preset completion degree; if so, execute S83; if not, continue to execute S81.

[0193] The preset completion degree here can be the situation that the lawn mower has completely completed the mowing task of the second area, or it can be the situation that the lawn mower has completed most of the mowing task of the second area. For example, when executing the mowing task of the second area and reaching the end of the first area before the last turn of the bow-shaped path, although the task of the second area has not been completely completed, it has reached the end of the first area. It is not necessary to continue to complete the remaining tasks, but to execute the unfinished tasks in the first area. When returning from the first area, the uncleaned area can be mowed again to reduce the number of times the lawn mower repeatedly cleans the lawn and reduce the risk of slipping during repeated cleaning.

[0194] S83: Control the lawn mower to enter the first area, and mow along the second mowing path in the first area.

[0195] When the lawn mower moves along the second mowing path, it is prohibited to turn around to approach the end point of the first area, that is, the second mowing path is a one-way path in the opposite direction to the first mowing path.

[0196] Optionally, the lawn mower approaches the first mowing path and the second mowing path in the first area in opposite directions, and the distance between the paths on the same section cross section is small, for example, the deviation between the two is smaller than a fourth threshold.

[0197] Exemplarily, the fourth threshold value ranges from 0.1m to 0.5m. With respect to the passable size of the lawn mower, this threshold range allows the lawn mower to be as close as possible when executing the first mowing path and the second mowing path, thereby reducing the risk of slipping of the driving wheels on both sides of the lawn mower due to different lawn heights due to the limitation of the mowing width range in the channel.

[0198] Optionally, mowing is performed along a mowing path in the first area, the mowing path including at least a first mowing path and a second mowing path, and the mower is controlled to first move along the first mowing path from the first mowing starting point to the first mowing end point in the first area to enter the second area, and then return from the second area to the second mowing starting point, and move along the second mowing path to the second mowing end point; when the ratio of the walking mileage of the first mowing path to the first length of the first area is less than or equal to 1.3, the second mowing path is controlled to be within a guide area of ​​the first mowing path, and the guide area of ​​the first mowing path refers to an area where the distance deviation from the first mowing path in the section width direction of the first area is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.5m.

[0199] Optionally, the first grass cutting start point and the second grass cutting end point coincide, and the second grass cutting start point and the first grass cutting end point coincide. Optionally, the first grass cutting start point and the second grass cutting start point are at a certain distance, and / or the second grass cutting start point and the first grass cutting end point are at a certain distance.

[0200] Optionally, the first mowing starting point and the second mowing starting point, the first mowing end point and the second mowing end point may be located within the first area, or outside the first area, or on a boundary line of the first area.

[0201] Optionally, the lawn mower also monitors the remaining power in real time during the travel process, so that the operation along the first mowing path can be cancelled when the power is low.

[0202] The remaining power controls the lawn mower to exit the first area.

[0203] For example, at the starting point of the first area, or while moving in the first area, when the lawn mower detects that the remaining power is less than the fifth threshold, the lawn mower is controlled to cancel the task of continuing to move along the first mowing path, turn around and return to the starting point of the first area and exit the first area, so that when the remaining power drops to the point where it needs to be returned for charging, it can return in time or be recycled by the user in time without being stuck in the first area.

[0204] It should be understood that the priority of controlling the lawn mower with the remaining power is higher than the priority of the lawn mower traveling along the first mowing path in the first area.

[0205] In some embodiments, the lawn mower is further provided with a communication device for receiving user instructions.

[0206] For example, when the lawn mower is performing a moving task on a first mowing path, the user needs to call the lawn mower to perform other tasks. The user can submit a call application on the user terminal so that the server corresponding to the lawn mower sends a first user instruction to the communication device of the lawn mower according to the call application. The first user instruction includes controlling the lawn mower to turn around and exit the control process of the first area.

[0207] After receiving the first user instruction, the communication device forwards it to the processor of the lawn mower, so that the processor controls the lawn mower that is executing the first mowing path to stop the current task based on the first user instruction, and executes the exit from the first area operation related to the first user instruction, that is, controls the lawn mower to turn to approach the starting point of the first area.

[0208] It should be understood that the priority of controlling the lawn mower by user instructions is higher than the priority of the lawn mower moving along the first mowing path in the first area, and is higher than the priority of controlling the lawn mower by the remaining power. However, when the remaining power is low, a low battery reminder can be sent to the user while executing the user instructions.

[0209] The present application also provides a lawn mower, which comprises:

[0210] A processor, and a memory communicatively connected to the processor;

[0211] The memory stores computer executable instructions;

[0212] The processor executes the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory to implement a control method for a lawn mower.

[0213] The specific implementation process of the processor can be found in the above method embodiment, and its implementation principle and technical effect are similar, so this embodiment will not be repeated here.

[0214] In the above embodiments, it should be understood that the processor may be a central processing unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSP), application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), etc. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the method disclosed in the invention may be directly implemented as being executed by a hardware processor, or may be executed by a combination of hardware and software modules in the processor.

[0215] The memory may include a high-speed RAM memory, and may also include a non-volatile storage NVM, such as at least one disk storage.

[0216] The bus may be an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, or an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, etc. The bus may be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of representation, the bus in the drawings of the present application is not limited to only one bus or one type of bus.

[0217] The above describes the solutions provided by the embodiments of the present invention with respect to the functions implemented by the electronic device and the main control device.

[0218] It is understandable that, in order to realize the above functions, the electronic device or the main control device includes the corresponding hardware structure and / or software module for executing each function.

[0219] In combination with the units and algorithm steps of each example described in the embodiment disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention, the embodiment of the present invention can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in the form of hardware or computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to exceed the scope of the technical solution of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0220] The present application also provides a computer program product, comprising a computer program, which implements a control method for a lawn mower when executed by a processor.

[0221] The computer program product provided in this embodiment can execute the control method of the lawn mower in the above embodiment. Its implementation principle and technical effect are similar, and this embodiment will not be repeated here.

[0222] The present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, in which computer-executable instructions are stored. When a processor executes the computer-executable instructions, the above lawn mower control method is implemented.

[0223] The computer-readable storage medium provided in this embodiment can execute the control method of the lawn mower in the above embodiment, and its implementation principle and technical effect are similar, which will not be described in detail in this embodiment.

[0224] The computer-readable storage medium mentioned above can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device or a combination thereof, such as static random access memory (SRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic memory, flash memory, magnetic disk or optical disk. The readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a general or special-purpose computer.

[0225] An exemplary readable storage medium is coupled to a processor so that the processor can read information from the readable storage medium and write information to the readable storage medium. Of course, the readable storage medium can also be a component of the processor. The processor and the readable storage medium can be located in an application specific integrated circuit (Application Specific Integrated Circuits, referred to as: ASIC). Of course, the processor and the readable storage medium can also exist as discrete components in an electronic device or a main control device.

[0226] Those skilled in the art can understand that all or part of the steps of implementing the above-mentioned method embodiments can be completed by hardware related to program instructions. The aforementioned program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When the program is executed, the steps of the above-mentioned method embodiments are executed; and the aforementioned storage medium includes: ROM, RAM, disk or optical disk and other media that can store program codes.

[0227] It should be noted that the user information (including but not limited to user device information, user personal information, etc.) and data (including but not limited to data used for analysis, stored data, displayed data, etc.) involved in this application are all information and data authorized by the user or fully authorized by all parties, and the collection, use and processing of relevant data must comply with relevant laws, regulations and standards, and provide corresponding operation openings for users to choose to authorize or refuse.

[0228] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a lawn mower, characterized in that: The method comprises: The area to be cleaned includes at least a first area and a second area, the first area is a narrow area whose segment width is greater than or equal to a first threshold value and less than or equal to a second threshold value; the extension direction of the first area is perpendicular to the segment width of the first area; the segment width of the second area is greater than the segment width of the first area; Walking and mowing along a mowing path in a first area, the mowing path includes at least a first mowing path and a second mowing path, controlling the mower to firstly move along the first mowing path from a first mowing starting point to a first mowing end point in the first area to enter the second area, and then returning from the second area to a second mowing starting point, and moving along the second mowing path to the second mowing end point; when a ratio of a walking mileage of the first mowing path to a first length of the first area is less than or equal to 1.3, controlling the second mowing path to be within a guide area of ​​the first mowing path, the guide area of ​​the first mowing path being an area where a distance deviation from the first mowing path in a section width direction of the first area is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.5 m.

2. A method for controlling a lawn mower, characterized in that: The method comprises: The area to be cleaned includes at least a first area and a second area, the first area is a narrow area whose segment width is greater than or equal to a first threshold value and less than or equal to a second threshold value; the extension direction of the first area is perpendicular to the segment width of the first area; the segment width of the second area is greater than the segment width of the first area; Walking and mowing along a mowing path in a first area, selecting a second area shortest from the first area as the next mowing operation area, the starting point of the first area as the first mowing starting point, and the point within a preset range from the second area as the first mowing end point of the first area, the mowing path at least includes a first mowing path and a second mowing path, the first mowing path is a mowing route from the first mowing starting point to the first mowing end point, the second mowing path is a mowing route from the second mowing starting point to the second mowing end point, and after mowing along the first mowing path, the mower enters the second area and turns around to complete the second mowing path.

3. A method for controlling a lawn mower, characterized in that: The method comprises: The area to be cleaned includes at least a first area and a second area, the first area is a narrow area whose segment width is greater than or equal to a first threshold value and less than or equal to a second threshold value; the extension direction of the first area is perpendicular to the segment width of the first area; the segment width of the second area is greater than the segment width of the first area; The lawn mower walks and mows along a mowing path in a first area, selects a second unmowed area that is shortest from the first area as the next mowing operation area, the starting point of the first area is used as the first mowing starting point, and the point within a preset range from the second area is used as the first mowing end point of the first area, the mowing path includes at least a first mowing path and a second mowing path, the first mowing path is a mowing route from the first mowing starting point to the first mowing end point, and the second mowing path is a mowing route from the second mowing starting point to the second mowing end point, after the lawn mower mows along the first mowing path, it enters the second area and mows the second area according to the third mowing path, and then controls the lawn mower to walk to the second mowing starting point, and returns to the second mowing end point along the second mowing path within the first area.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that: The first mowing path and the second mowing path are consistent with the extending direction.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that include: Acquire environmental data of the first area; determine an extension direction of the first area based on the environmental data of the first area, wherein the starting point and the end point are located on both sides of the extension direction, or on one side of the extension direction; determine a boundary line of the first area based on the environmental data of the first area; and use the main extension direction of the boundary line as the extension direction of the first area.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The step of determining the extension direction of the first area according to the environmental data of the first area includes: Determining boundary lines on both sides of the first area according to the environmental data of the first area; Draw parallel lines inwards from the boundary lines to obtain overlapping parallel lines; The overlapping parallel lines are used as the extension direction of the first region.

7. The method according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that: The method further comprises: Acquiring the curvature of the extending direction; The inflection point position is determined according to the curvature of the extension direction, and the first area is divided into at least two sub-areas according to the inflection point position, and the extension directions of the sub-areas are determined respectively; wherein the curvature of the inflection point position is greater than a preset curvature threshold.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that The method further comprises: The lawn mower is controlled to mow grass in the sub-area along a bow-shaped path parallel to the extension direction, or the lawn mower is controlled to mow grass in the sub-area along a side path parallel to the extension direction.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that: The value range of the first threshold is 0.6m-0.9m, and the value range of the second threshold is 1m-1.6m.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that: The lawn mower comprises a chassis, a body and driving wheels, wherein the driving wheels are connected to the chassis, and the body is connected to the chassis; the first threshold is β·d(0.5 / cosα+1), and the second threshold is 2β·d(0.5 / cosα+1), wherein the value range of β is 0.85-1.15, and defines that the chassis of the lawn mower extends along a first plane, and in the projection of the lawn mower on the first plane, d is the maximum width of the body in the direction of the line connecting the driving wheels, and α is the angle between the line connecting the two driving wheels of the lawn mower and the line connecting the steering center of the lawn mower to the farthest end of the body.

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