Method and device for determining operation direction and garden operation equipment

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of agricultural machinery, and provides a method and a device for determining an operation direction, and garden operation equipment. The method comprises the following steps: acquiring satellite signal distribution conditions of an operation area; when the satellite signal distribution condition meets a first preset condition, determining the long side direction of the operation area as the operation direction; and when the satellite signal distribution condition does not meet a first preset condition, determining the operation direction based on the satellite signal distribution condition. According to the method provided by the invention, the stay time of the garden operation equipment in an area with poor satellite signals is reduced, so that the operation efficiency of the garden operation equipment is improved, meanwhile, operation errors or omission caused by signal problems is reduced, and the operation quality is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of agricultural machinery technology, and in particular relates to a method, device, and garden operation equipment for determining the working direction. Background Technology

[0002] The gardening equipment moves autonomously within its work area and automatically performs tasks. After the user sets the work area or the equipment automatically identifies it, it automatically creates a map of the work area and plans a path on the map according to the task. It then moves autonomously within the work area according to the planned path. The equipment is equipped with a satellite positioning system to provide positioning and navigation services for its movement within the work area. The satellite positioning system can be Global Positioning System (GPS), BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, Galileo Navigation Satellite System, or GLONASS, and the positioning device is a Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) system.

[0003] During the operation of gardening equipment, the surrounding working environment can be complex and variable, sometimes in unobstructed open areas, and sometimes in areas obstructed by tall buildings or vegetation. In unobstructed open areas, satellite positioning signals are generally stable, and determining the location of gardening equipment based on satellite positioning information obtained from RTK positioning devices has the advantage of low data processing requirements. However, in areas obstructed by tall buildings or vegetation, the stability of satellite positioning signals is poor due to the obstruction. In such cases, determining the location based on satellite positioning information obtained from RTK positioning devices will lead to inaccurate positioning. Furthermore, mowing operations based on inaccurate location information may result in the gardening equipment deviating from the working area, potentially causing injury to people or animals from the blades. Therefore, when satellite signals are blocked, such as when gardening equipment is in a blind spot and RTK positioning is unavailable, the gardening equipment needs to automatically switch to other positioning systems for positioning and to carry out subsequent operations. After RTK positioning is restored, the gardening equipment will automatically switch back to the RTK positioning module. Since there is a cumulative error problem when gardening equipment uses other positioning systems for navigation, it cannot rely on other navigation systems for a long time. That is, it is necessary to reduce the time spent in areas with unstable satellite positioning signals.

[0004] In conclusion, a method is needed to reduce the dwell time of gardening equipment in areas with unstable satellite positioning signals in order to ensure operational efficiency and quality. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the embodiments of this application provide a method, apparatus, and garden operation equipment for determining the direction of operation, which can reduce the dwell time of garden operation equipment in areas with unstable satellite positioning signals, so as to ensure operation efficiency and quality.

[0006] The first aspect of this application provides a method for determining a work direction, including:

[0007] Acquire satellite signal distribution information for the operational area;

[0008] When the satellite signal distribution meets the first preset condition, the long side direction of the work area is determined as the work direction;

[0009] When the satellite signal distribution does not meet the first preset condition, the operation direction is determined based on the satellite signal distribution.

[0010] A second aspect of this application provides a device for determining a work direction, comprising:

[0011] The input module is used to obtain the satellite signal distribution in the operating area;

[0012] The first direction determination module is used to determine the long side direction of the work area as the work direction when the satellite signal distribution meets the first preset condition;

[0013] The second direction determination module is used to determine the operation direction based on the satellite signal distribution when the satellite signal distribution does not meet the first preset condition.

[0014] A third aspect of this application provides a gardening operation device, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the steps of the method for determining the operation direction as provided in the first aspect of this application.

[0015] A fourth aspect of this application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the method for determining the work direction as provided in the first aspect of this application.

[0016] The first aspect of this application provides a method for determining the work direction by acquiring the satellite signal distribution of the work area; when the satellite signal distribution meets a first preset condition, the long side direction of the work area is determined as the work direction; when the satellite signal distribution does not meet the first preset condition, the work direction is determined based on the satellite signal distribution. This reduces the time that gardening equipment spends in areas with poor satellite signals, thereby improving the work efficiency of the gardening equipment, while also reducing work errors or omissions caused by signal problems and ensuring work quality.

[0017] It is understood that the beneficial effects of the second to fourth aspects mentioned above can be found in the relevant descriptions in the first aspect mentioned above, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining the work direction according to an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining the work direction according to another embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining the work direction according to another embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 9This is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining the work direction according to another embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 22 This is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 23 This is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 24 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining the work direction according to another embodiment of this application;

[0043] Figure 25 This is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 26 This is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 27 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a determining device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 28 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a garden operation equipment provided in one embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0047] In the following description, specific details such as particular system architectures and techniques are set forth for illustrative purposes and not for limitation, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will understand that this application may also be implemented in other embodiments without these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, apparatuses, circuits, and methods have been omitted so as not to obscure the description of this application with unnecessary detail.

[0048] It should be understood that, when used in this application specification and the appended claims, the term "comprising" indicates the presence of the described features, integrals, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components and / or a collection thereof.

[0049] It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used in this application specification and the appended claims means any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0050] As used in this application specification and the appended claims, the term "if" may be interpreted, depending on the context, as "when," "once," "in response to determination," or "in response to detection." Similarly, the phrase "if determined" or "if detected [the described condition or event]" may be interpreted, depending on the context, as meaning "once determined," "in response to determination," "once detected [the described condition or event]," or "in response to detection [the described condition or event]."

[0051] Furthermore, in the description of this application and the appended claims, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0052] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" as described in this specification mean that one or more embodiments of this application include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," "in still other embodiments," etc., appearing in different parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0053] The method for determining the working direction provided in this application embodiment can be executed by the processor of the gardening equipment when running a computer program with corresponding functions. It acquires the satellite signal distribution of the working area; when the satellite signal distribution meets a first preset condition, the long side of the working area is determined as the working direction; when the satellite signal distribution does not meet the first preset condition, the working direction is determined based on the satellite signal distribution. This reduces the time the gardening equipment spends in areas with poor satellite signals, thereby improving the working efficiency of the gardening equipment, while also reducing errors or omissions caused by signal problems and ensuring work quality.

[0054] In application, gardening equipment can be lawn mowers, grass cutters, harvesters, brush cutters, lawn mowers, weeders, rotary tillers, seeders, lawn rollers, vegetative cutters, etc. This application embodiment does not limit the specific type of gardening equipment.

[0055] Gardening equipment is equipped with RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) positioning devices. The working principle of RTK positioning relies primarily on the high-precision differential positioning technology of global positioning systems (such as GPS and BeiDou). This technology achieves centimeter-level positioning accuracy by combining observation data from a base station and a rover (i.e., the gardening equipment). Specifically, an RTK system consists of two parts: a base station and a rover. The base station is typically installed in an open location with good visibility; its precise location is known, and it continuously receives and records signals from GPS satellites. The rover is the gardening equipment itself, which is also equipped with a GPS receiver to receive satellite signals.

[0056] During operation, the base station transmits observed satellite data (including pseudorange and carrier phase observations) and its precise location information to the rover (gardening equipment) in real time via a data link (such as a radio station, 4G / 5G network, etc.). Simultaneously, the rover receives data from the base station while also observing and receiving satellite data. Subsequently, using the principle of relative positioning, the rover performs real-time differential calculations on the satellite data received from the base station and itself to eliminate common errors such as satellite orbital errors, satellite clock errors, and atmospheric delays, thereby calculating the three-dimensional coordinates and accuracy of the rover (gardening equipment).

[0057] When gardening equipment is located in an area with good satellite signal quality, it can rely on satellite data captured by an RTK positioning device for positioning. However, in areas with poor satellite signal quality, the equipment cannot rely on RTK positioning data for accurate positioning. Therefore, to ensure efficient and accurate navigation and control of gardening equipment in various complex working environments, other sensing devices (such as visual sensors, lidar, odometers, and inertial measurement units (IMUs)) are also installed on the equipment for positioning, ensuring accurate positioning even in areas with poor satellite signal quality.

[0058] like Figure 1 As shown, the method for determining the working direction provided in this application embodiment, applied to the above-mentioned gardening equipment, includes the following steps S101 to S103:

[0059] Step S101: Obtain the satellite signal distribution in the work area.

[0060] In this application, a lawnmower robot is used as an example to illustrate the embodiments of this application. For lawnmower robots that use RTK for positioning, it is necessary to obtain the satellite signal strength distribution of the working area from historical maps. The method for obtaining the satellite signal strength distribution from historical maps can adopt the following steps:

[0061] Step S1011, Data Collection: First, retrieve the historical map from the lawnmower's app (the historical map is a grid map, which is used as an example to illustrate the embodiment of this application). The historical map includes the satellite signal distribution of each grid on the map.

[0062] Step S1012, Data Preprocessing: After collecting satellite signal distribution information at various locations on the map, the satellite signal distribution information is preprocessed, including data cleaning, noise reduction, and filtering, to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data.

[0063] Step S1013, Feature extraction: Extract features related to satellite signal strength from the preprocessed data, such as average signal strength, maximum signal strength, signal fluctuation, minimum signal strength, etc.

[0064] Step S1014, Training the model: Using an appropriate machine learning algorithm, a model capable of predicting satellite signal strength is trained based on historical map data and satellite signal strength characteristics.

[0065] Step S1015, Prediction and Generation: Using the trained model, predict the new map data and generate satellite signal strength distribution maps for each location.

[0066] Step S1016, Optimization and Update: Continuously optimize and update the model according to the needs of actual applications to improve the accuracy and adaptability of predictions.

[0067] Step S102: When the satellite signal distribution meets the first preset condition, the long side direction of the work area is determined as the work direction.

[0068] In application, the first preset condition is set based on at least one of signal strength, signal quality, signal uniformity, and signal coverage percentage. For example, the first preset condition can be any one or a combination of signal strength higher than preset strength, signal quality higher than preset signal quality, signal uniformity higher than preset uniformity, and signal coverage percentage greater than preset coverage percentage.

[0069] In application, "satellite signal distribution meeting the first preset condition" means that the satellite signal distribution in the work area fully meets the first preset condition. That is, when the satellite signal in the work area meets the first preset condition, the long side of the work area is determined as the work direction. This step reduces the number of turns the lawnmower robot makes, allowing it to operate as far as possible along a straight line, thereby improving mowing efficiency and reducing mowing errors or omissions caused by signal problems.

[0070] In application, if the satellite signal distribution does not meet the first preset condition, that is, the satellite signal distribution is poor, the short side direction can be used as the working direction. This can reduce the time spent in the area when the satellite signal quality is poor, improve the working efficiency of garden operation equipment, reduce the operation errors or omissions caused by signal problems, and ensure the quality of operation.

[0071] Step S103: When the satellite signal distribution does not meet the first preset condition, determine the operation direction based on the satellite signal distribution.

[0072] In application, the satellite signal distribution not meeting the first preset condition means that only a portion of the satellite signal in the work area meets the first preset condition. In this case, the work area contains both high-quality and low-quality satellite signals. These low-quality signal areas are due to weak signal reception caused by buildings, trees, or other obstacles. Determining the work direction based on the satellite signal distribution can be done by using parameters such as the size of the weak signal areas. By planning the lawnmower robot's work direction based on the satellite signal distribution in this way, the dwell time in areas with poor satellite signal quality can be reduced, thereby improving the efficiency of gardening equipment and reducing errors or omissions caused by signal problems, thus ensuring work quality.

[0073] Traditional methods often struggle to address satellite signal fluctuations and instability caused by factors such as geography, climate, and building obstruction. This application's embodiments analyze the distribution of satellite signals in the operational area as a key basis for determining the operational direction. When the signal distribution meets a preset baseline condition (i.e., the first preset condition), the longer side of the area is directly used as the operational direction; if the signal distribution does not meet this condition, the optimal operational direction is flexibly adjusted and determined through in-depth analysis of the specific signal distribution characteristics.

[0074] By introducing a signal distribution evaluation mechanism, intelligent and dynamic adjustment of the operation direction is achieved, solving the technical problem of how to accurately and intelligently determine the operation direction under different satellite signal environments. This makes the determination of the operation direction more precise and efficient, which helps to improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the operation.

[0075] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, step S103 includes the following steps S201 to S203:

[0076] Step S201: Based on the satellite signal distribution, obtain the weak satellite signal areas that meet the second preset conditions.

[0077] In applications, weak satellite signal areas are those where the received satellite signal is relatively weak due to obstruction by buildings, trees, or other obstacles. A signal strength threshold can be set, and areas below this threshold can be considered weak satellite signal areas. By analyzing satellite signal strength data, areas with signal strength below the threshold, i.e., weak satellite signal areas, can be marked.

[0078] In application, the second preset condition can be that the size of the weak satellite signal area is greater than a preset size, which can be at least one of the perimeter, area, and side length of the weak satellite signal area. For example, if the preset size is 3m*3m, then weak satellite signal areas with each side length greater than 3m can be considered as meeting the second preset condition. The preset size can also be an area of ​​9㎡, then weak satellite signal areas with an area greater than 9㎡ can be considered as meeting the second preset condition. The preset size can be a perimeter of 12m, then weak satellite signal areas with a perimeter greater than 12m can be considered as meeting the second preset condition. The second preset condition can also be that the aspect ratio of the weak satellite signal area is greater than a preset aspect ratio; for example, if the preset aspect ratio is 5, then weak satellite signal areas with an aspect ratio greater than 5 are selected. The second preset condition can also be a weak satellite signal area with a regular shape, such as a rectangle.

[0079] Step S202: Obtain the dimensions of the satellite's weak areas.

[0080] In applications, obtaining the dimensions of a satellite's weak region can involve obtaining the length of its sides, its area, or its perimeter. When the weak region is irregularly shaped, its dimensions can be obtained by constructing a circumscribed rectangle and using the dimensions of that rectangle as the dimensions of the weak region. Alternatively, the dimensions can be calculated using integration.

[0081] Step S203: Determine the direction of operation based on the size of the area with weak satellite signal.

[0082] In applications, the working direction includes a first direction and a second direction, which may or may not be perpendicular. In some instances, the first or second direction is the coordinate axis direction of a historical map (e.g., using the direction shown on the X-axis as the first direction and the direction shown on the Y-axis as the second direction, or using the direction shown on the X-axis as the second direction and the direction shown on the Y-axis as the first direction). In some instances, the first and second directions are the long and short sides of a region with weak satellite signal, respectively.

[0083] This application aims to address the problem that relying on other navigation systems for operations in areas with poor signal strength leads to cumulative errors, affecting operational efficiency and quality. By identifying satellite signal-weak areas that meet a second preset condition, areas with significant impact on operations are determined. Analyzing the size of these areas helps determine an optimal operational direction, minimizing the time spent working in these areas and reducing the cumulative errors caused by prolonged reliance on other navigation systems.

[0084] In some embodiments, step S203 includes the following steps S211 and S212:

[0085] Step S211: Obtain the maximum length of a single row in the first direction and the maximum length of a single row in the second direction of the largest weak satellite signal region.

[0086] In application, the largest satellite signal weak area has the greatest impact on operations among many satellite signal weak areas. Using the largest satellite signal weak area as the target for determining the direction of operations can minimize the amount of calculation and improve operational efficiency while ensuring a certain level of accuracy.

[0087] In applications, the distribution area of ​​satellite signals in a grid map can contain multiple rows and / or columns, with each row of grid cells representing one row or one column. The maximum length obtained by comparing the length of each row in the first direction of the weak satellite signal area is the maximum length of a single row in the first direction. Similarly, the maximum length obtained by comparing the length of each row in the second direction of the weak satellite signal area is the maximum length of a single row in the second direction.

[0088] Step S212: The direction indicated by the smaller of the maximum length of a single row in the first direction and the maximum length of a single row in the second direction, where the largest weak satellite signal area is located, is determined as the working direction.

[0089] In applications, such as Figure 3 As shown, region B is the largest area with weak satellite signal. When each grid is 1*1m, the maximum length of a single row in region B in the first direction (as shown by the x-axis) is 5m, and the maximum length of a single row in the second direction (as shown by the Y-axis) is 12m. At this time, the direction corresponding to 5m, that is, the first direction (as shown by the x-axis), is taken as the working direction.

[0090] In order to improve work efficiency, this application embodiment determines the work direction as the direction indicated by the smaller of the maximum length of a single row in the first direction and the maximum length of a single row in the second direction. That is, the direction with the shorter length of the largest satellite signal weak area is taken as the work direction. This ensures that the lawnmower robot minimizes the distance it travels in that direction when passing through the area, reducing the time the gardening equipment stays in the satellite signal weak area, thereby improving the work efficiency of the gardening equipment. At the same time, it reduces work errors or omissions caused by signal problems and ensures work quality.

[0091] In some embodiments, step S203 includes the following steps S213 and S214:

[0092] Step S213: Obtain the sum of all row lengths in the first direction and the sum of all row lengths in the second direction for the largest weak satellite signal area.

[0093] In the application, the lawnmower robot operates in two main directions: a first direction and a second direction. The first and second directions may be perpendicular or not. The first or second direction corresponds to the coordinate axes of the historical map; for example, the first direction might be the X-axis of the historical map, and the second direction might be the Y-axis. When multiple areas with weak satellite signal are present, the sum of the row lengths in the first direction and the sum of the row lengths in the second direction for the area with the largest weak signal are obtained.

[0094] Step S214: The direction indicated by the smaller of the sum of all row lengths in the first direction and the sum of all row lengths in the second direction of the largest weak satellite signal area is determined as the working direction.

[0095] In applications, such as Figure 4 As shown, region B is the largest area with weak satellite signal. Since the boundary of region B in the second direction is located at the boundary of the mowing area, the total length of all rows in region B in the first direction is L1 = 10 * 2 * 5 = 100m (since region B is located at the boundary of the work area, if the first direction is taken as the mowing direction, it is easy for the mowing direction to fail to reach the area with better satellite signal when working on adjacent rows. Therefore, when calculating the length of the rows in the first direction, it is necessary to add an influence weight to the rows that cross the boundary of the work area. In this application, the length of all rows is multiplied by 2). The total length of all rows in region B in the second direction is L2 = 5 * 10 = 50m. Therefore, the second direction indicated by 50m is taken as the work direction.

[0096] In applications, for a specific situation where neither region A nor region B lies on the boundary of the entire mowing area, if the sum of the lengths of all rows (horizontal direction) is equal to the sum of the lengths of all columns (vertical direction), simply relying on these total lengths to determine the mowing robot's direction of travel (whether it moves along the first direction or the second direction) may not be accurate enough. In this case, other methods described in this application can be used to determine the working direction, or some special means can be used to adjust the calculated values. For example, the weights of rows and columns can be adjusted according to the actual shape and size of the mowing area; randomness can also be added to the path planning algorithm to break the symmetry when the sum of the row and column lengths are equal.

[0097] To address the issue that relying on other navigation systems for operations in areas with poor signal strength leads to cumulative errors and affects operational efficiency and quality, this embodiment of the application uses the sum of all line lengths in the first and second directions of the area with the largest weak satellite signal as the criterion for determining the operational direction. The direction indicated by the smaller of the sums of all line lengths is taken as the operational direction, reducing the dwell time in areas with weak satellite signal strength. Especially for irregular satellite signal areas, such as where a single line length is large while the lengths of the other lines are small, a more optimized operational direction can be found with higher accuracy.

[0098] In some embodiments, step S203 includes the following steps S215 and S216:

[0099] Step S215: Obtain the maximum sum of the lengths of a single row in the first direction and the maximum sum of the lengths of a single row in the second direction for some or all weak satellite signal areas.

[0100] In application, the length of each row in the first direction for each satellite signal weak area can be calculated separately, and the maximum value can be selected as the maximum length of a single row for that satellite signal weak area. The maximum lengths of a single row for each satellite signal weak area in the first direction are then summed to obtain the total maximum length of a single row for all satellite signal weak areas in the first direction. Similarly, the total maximum length of a single row for all satellite signal weak areas in the second direction can be calculated.

[0101] In application, it can be decided whether to select all areas with weak satellite signals or only select a portion for calculation. When selecting only areas with weak satellite signals, the size, location, or other factors can be used to determine which areas participate in the calculation. For the selected areas with weak satellite signals, the method described above can be used to calculate the maximum sum of the lengths of a single row in the first direction and the maximum sum of the lengths of a single row in the second direction.

[0102] In applications, such as Figure 3 As shown, assume there are two areas with weak satellite signal coverage within the operational area: Area A and Area B. The maximum length of Area A in the first direction (X-axis) is calculated to be 4 meters, and its maximum length in the second direction (Y-axis) is 6 meters. The maximum length of Area B in the first direction (X-axis) is 5 meters, and its maximum length in the second direction (Y-axis) is 12 meters. If all areas with weak satellite signal coverage are selected for calculation, then: the total maximum length of a single row in the first direction is 4 + 5 = 9 meters. The total maximum length of a single row in the second direction is 6 + 12 = 18 meters.

[0103] Step S216: The direction indicated by the smaller of the sum of the maximum lengths of a single row in the first direction and the sum of the maximum lengths of a single row in the second direction for some or all of the weak satellite signal areas is determined as the working direction.

[0104] In application, continuing with the example above, since the maximum total length of a single row in the first direction is 9 meters and the maximum total length of a single row in the second direction is 18 meters, the direction indicated by 9 meters, i.e., the second direction, is determined as the working direction.

[0105] In order to avoid or reduce operations in areas with weak satellite signals as much as possible, this application embodiment uses the above method to take some larger and more representative areas with weak satellite signals, or all areas with weak satellite signals, as objects, calculate the maximum total length of a single row in the first and second directions, compare the calculated values, and select the direction indicated by the smaller one as the operation direction. This can further balance the signal influence of multiple areas, thereby finding a more optimized operation direction.

[0106] In some embodiments, step S203 includes the following steps S217 and S218:

[0107] Step S217: Obtain the sum of all line lengths in the first direction and the sum of all line lengths in the second direction for some or all weak satellite signal areas.

[0108] In application, for some or all areas with weak satellite signal, the length of each row in the first and second directions of each weak satellite signal area is calculated separately. The lengths of each row in the first direction of each weak satellite signal area are summed to obtain the total length of all rows in the first direction of some or all weak satellite signal areas. The lengths of each row in the second direction of each weak satellite signal area are summed to obtain the total length of all rows in the second direction of some or all weak satellite signal areas.

[0109] In applications, such as Figure 5As shown in the figure, there are two areas with weak satellite signals, A and B. Area A has 7 rows and 4 columns. The length of each row in the first direction is 4m, so the length of each row in the second direction is 7m. Area B has 5 rows and 10 columns. The length of each row in the first direction is 10m, so the length of each row in the second direction is 5m. Therefore, the total length of all rows in the first direction of areas A and B, TL1, is 4*7+10*2*5=147m (since area B is located at the boundary of the work area, if the first direction is taken as the mowing direction, it is easy for the mowing direction to be affected by the fact that the mowing direction is not moved to the area with better satellite signal when the mowing direction is adjacent. Therefore, when calculating the length of the rows in the first direction, the influence weight of the rows that cross the boundary of the work area needs to be increased. In this application, the length of all rows is multiplied by 2). The total length of all rows in the second direction of areas A and B, TL2, is 7*4+10*5=78m.

[0110] Step S218: The direction indicated by the smaller of the sum of all line lengths in the first direction and the sum of all line lengths in the second direction for some or all weak satellite signal areas is determined as the working direction.

[0111] Specifically, the total length of all rows in the first direction (TL1) is compared with the total length of all rows in the second direction (TL2). If TL1 is less than TL2, the first direction is selected as the working direction. If TL2 is less than TL1, the second direction is selected as the working direction. If TL1 is equal to TL2, either direction can be chosen as the working direction, or other criteria can be used to determine it.

[0112] In application, continuing with the example above, since the total length of all rows in the first direction of area A and area B is 147m, and the total length of all rows in the second direction of area A and area B is 78m, since 147m < 78m, the second direction indicated by 78m is determined as the working direction.

[0113] In applications, for a specific situation where neither region A nor region B lies on the boundary of the entire mowing area, if the sum of the lengths of all rows (horizontal direction) is equal to the sum of the lengths of all columns (vertical direction), simply relying on these total lengths to determine the mowing robot's direction of travel (whether it moves along the first direction or the second direction) may not be accurate enough. In this case, other methods described in this application can be used to determine the working direction, or some special means can be used to adjust the calculated values. For example, the weights of rows and columns can be adjusted according to the actual shape and size of the mowing area; randomness can also be added to the path planning algorithm to break the symmetry when the sum of the row and column lengths are equal.

[0114] In order to avoid or reduce operations in areas with weak satellite signals as much as possible, this application embodiment uses the above method to take some larger, more representative areas with weak satellite signals, or all areas with weak satellite signals, as objects, and calculates the sum of all row lengths in the first and second directions. This can further balance the signal influence of multiple areas. In cases where the satellite signal distribution is uneven or there are multiple areas with weak signals, especially irregular satellite signal areas where a single row length is large while the lengths of the other rows are small, a more optimized operation direction can be found.

[0115] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, after obtaining the maximum length of a single row, the sum of the maximum lengths of all rows, the sum of the maximum lengths of a single row, and the sum of the lengths of all rows in the corresponding direction, the following steps S301 to S304 are also included:

[0116] Step S301: Obtain the relative positional relationship between the satellite signal weak area and the operation area.

[0117] In applications, GIS (Geographic Information System) tools or geometric processing functions in programming languages ​​can be used to analyze the relative positional relationship between areas with weak satellite signals and the work area, such as the distance and direction relationship between the two areas. Step S302: Based on the relative positional relationship between the areas with weak satellite signals and the work area, determine whether the areas with weak satellite signals and the work area share a common boundary.

[0118] In applications, relative positional relationships can include the existence of shared boundaries. Assuming the operational area is a rectangular region, areas with weak satellite signals can be located within the operational area (i.e., no shared boundary) or intersect with it (i.e., some boundaries coincide with the operational area). Depending on whether they intersect, the shared boundary can be a single line, such as... Figure 7 As shown, there can be two, such as Figure 8 As shown, there can also be three lines, such as... Figure 9 As shown. For a rectangular area with weak satellite signal and the operational area, when there are four shared boundaries, it is assumed that the entire operational area is covered by the area with weak satellite signal. In this case, since the satellite signal is poor throughout the operational area, the direction of the shorter side can be directly used as the operational direction. However, when the satellite signal covering the entire operational area is a high-quality signal, the direction of the longer side can be directly used as the operational direction.

[0119] Step S303: If a shared boundary exists, increase the length of the row that intersects with the shared boundary.

[0120] In applications, when a shared boundary exists, the lawnmower robot may skip areas with strong satellite signals and directly enter the next row in a weak satellite signal area when working along the direction intersecting the shared boundary. Therefore, the weight of the direction intersecting the shared boundary should be increased. That is, for work rows that intersect the boundary of a weak satellite signal area, the row length should be appropriately extended. For example, if the direction where the lawnmower robot intersects the boundary of a weak satellite signal area is the first direction, the lawnmower robot may pass through the weak satellite signal area twice consecutively along the first direction. To ensure the accuracy of the calculation, the sum of the row lengths in the first direction can be multiplied by a weighting factor (e.g., 2), and then the sum of the lengths in the first and second directions after adjustment can be compared. The direction with the smaller sum of lengths can be selected as the work direction.

[0121] Step S304: If there is no shared boundary, then keep the length value of each row unchanged.

[0122] In order to ensure the rationality of the operation direction, this application embodiment increases the weight of the length value of the direction intersecting with the common boundary, which can more accurately reflect the actual operation time of the lawnmower robot in the weak signal area, thereby better planning the operation path and finding a more optimized operation direction.

[0123] In some embodiments, increasing the length value of rows that cross the common boundary includes:

[0124] The length of rows that intersect with the shared boundary is extended.

[0125] Since the areas with weak satellite signals share a common boundary with the work area, if the first direction is taken as the mowing direction, it is easy for the robot to fail to move to the area with better satellite signals when working in adjacent rows. Therefore, when calculating the length of the row in the first direction, it is necessary to add an influence weight to the row that crosses the boundary of the work area so that the mowing robot stays in the area with weak signals for a shorter time.

[0126] In applications, such as Figure 10 As shown, region A shares a boundary with the work area. The rows that intersect with this boundary extend along the X direction. When calculating the maximum length of a single row, the sum of the maximum lengths of all rows, the sum of the maximum lengths of a single row, and the sum of the lengths of all rows in region A along the X direction, the length values ​​can be extended by doubling the obtained length values. For example, if the original maximum length of a single row is 6m, it becomes 12m after the extension process.

[0127] In some embodiments, before step S201, such as Figure 11 As shown, it also includes the following steps S401 to S403:

[0128] Step S401: Based on the satellite signal distribution, identify the areas with weak satellite signals within the operating area.

[0129] In applications, RTK positioning devices can be used to collect satellite signal strength data within the operational area. A signal strength threshold is set, and areas below this threshold are considered weak satellite signal areas. The satellite signal strength data is analyzed to mark areas where the signal strength is below the threshold (e.g., 10 dBm), i.e., weak satellite signal areas.

[0130] Step S402: Determine whether adjacent weak satellite signal areas need to be merged or / and split.

[0131] In applications, to determine whether adjacent weak satellite signal areas should be considered a single entity or require further subdivision, the distance or connectivity between these areas can be analyzed. For example, based on signal quality trends, it can be determined whether adjacent areas should be considered continuous weak areas. The influence of terrain and physical obstacles can also be considered to determine whether adjacent weak areas need to be merged or split. If two adjacent weak signal areas are very close and have similar signal distribution, they may need to be merged into a larger area. If two adjacent areas are close but have a significant signal improvement area in between, they may need to be split into independent areas. Furthermore, the distance between adjacent weak satellite signal areas can also be used to determine whether merging and / or splitting is necessary.

[0132] Step S403: If adjacent weak satellite signal areas need to be merged or / and split, then the adjacent weak satellite signal areas are merged or / or split.

[0133] In applications, if it is decided to merge adjacent areas with weak satellite signals, these areas can be merged into a larger area by merging them along a specified direction. If it is decided to split a large area with weak satellite signals, it can be split into several smaller areas based on its shape and size.

[0134] To achieve a balance between computational efficiency and accuracy, this embodiment of the application merges some adjacent weak satellite signal regions. This reduces the number of weak regions that need to be considered when calculating the working direction, thereby simplifying the length calculation process and improving computational efficiency. Splitting larger weak satellite signal regions can more accurately reflect the actual working path of the lawnmower robot within these regions, thus refining the length calculation process and ensuring accuracy. By reasonably merging or splitting weak signal regions, a balance can be achieved between computational efficiency and accuracy, simplifying subsequent processing steps and ensuring more accurate and efficient path planning.

[0135] In some embodiments, step S402 includes the following steps S411 to S413:

[0136] Step S411: Obtain the first maximum and first minimum intervals of adjacent weak satellite signal regions in the first direction, and / or the second maximum and second minimum intervals in the second direction.

[0137] In the application, two reference directions are defined, such as a first direction and a second direction. For each pair of adjacent weak satellite signal areas, the maximum and minimum intervals between them are calculated in the first direction, and / or for each pair of adjacent weak satellite signal areas, the maximum and minimum intervals between them are calculated in the second direction. The distance between adjacent weak satellite signal areas can be obtained using distance measurement tools in GIS software, or an algorithm can be used to calculate the distance between the boundaries of two areas, and the maximum and minimum values ​​are taken as the first maximum and first minimum intervals in the first direction, and the second maximum and second minimum intervals in the second direction, respectively.

[0138] Assume there are two adjacent areas with weak satellite signal within the operational area: Area A and Area B. In the first direction, the maximum distance between Area A and Area B is 10 meters, and the minimum distance is 11 meters. In the second direction, the maximum distance between Area A and Area B is 8 meters, and the minimum distance is 10 meters.

[0139] Step S412: If at least one of the first maximum interval and the second maximum interval is less than the first preset value, it is determined that adjacent weak satellite signal areas need to be merged.

[0140] In application, the first preset value is a standard used to determine whether the maximum interval between two adjacent weak satellite signal areas is small enough to be considered as one area. It can be determined based on experimental data and field tests to ensure the rationality of merging. If at least one of the first maximum interval or the second maximum interval is less than the first preset value, it is considered that the adjacent weak satellite signal areas need to be merged.

[0141] Continuing with the example above, assuming the first preset value is 9 meters, since the first maximum interval between area A and area B in the first direction is 10 meters and the second maximum interval in the second direction is 8 meters, and the second maximum interval (8 meters) is less than the first preset value (9 meters), it is determined that area A and area B need to be merged.

[0142] Step S413: If both the first minimum interval and the second minimum interval are greater than or equal to the first preset value, it is determined that there is no need to merge adjacent weak satellite signal areas.

[0143] Continuing with the example above, assuming the first preset value is 9 meters, since the first minimum interval in the first direction is 11 meters and the second minimum interval in the second direction is 10 meters, and since both the first minimum interval in the first direction and the second minimum interval in the second direction are greater than 9 meters, it is determined that there is no need to merge region A and region B.

[0144] To improve computational efficiency, this embodiment assesses the connectivity between adjacent weak satellite signal regions by calculating their maximum and minimum intervals. If the maximum interval is less than a first preset value, these regions are considered to be merged; otherwise, they remain independent. This method allows for faster determination of whether adjacent regions should be merged, improving computational efficiency. Furthermore, by setting the first preset value, the merging criteria can be flexibly adjusted, making merging decisions more reasonable and thus more accurately avoiding the influence of weak satellite signal regions in path planning. Lawn-mowing robots or other automated equipment can more reasonably merge adjacent regions, achieving a balance between computational efficiency and accuracy, simplifying subsequent processing steps, and ensuring more accurate and efficient path planning.

[0145] In some embodiments, step S402 includes the following steps S414 to S416:

[0146] Step S414: Obtain the sum of the intervals of all rows in the first direction and / or the sum of the intervals of all rows in the second direction for adjacent weak satellite signal areas.

[0147] In the application, for each pair of adjacent weak satellite signal regions, the sum of the intervals of all rows between them is calculated in a first direction, and / or for each pair of adjacent weak satellite signal regions, the sum of the intervals of all rows between them is calculated in a second direction.

[0148] In some applications, when adjacent weak satellite signal regions are offset in the first direction (e.g., the X direction) but not offset in the second direction (e.g., the Y direction), the maximum interval in the Y direction or the sum of the intervals of all rows between adjacent weak satellite signal regions in the Y direction can be obtained. If it is less than or equal to a second preset value, it is determined that the adjacent weak satellite signal regions need to be merged.

[0149] like Figure 12 As shown, assume there are two adjacent areas with weak satellite signals within the operational area: Area A and Area B. In the first direction, both Area A and Area B have 5 rows, with a 3-meter interval between rows 1-5. Therefore, the sum of the intervals of all rows in the first direction is 3 * 5 = 15 meters. Since Area A and Area B are staggered along the first direction, the intervals of all rows in the second direction are not considered; only the first direction is included in the calculation.

[0150] Step S415: If at least one of the sum of the intervals of all rows in the first direction and the sum of the intervals of all rows in the second direction is less than a second preset value, it is determined that adjacent weak satellite signal areas need to be merged.

[0151] In application, the sum of the intervals of all rows in the first direction is compared with a second preset value, and the sum of the intervals of all rows in the second direction is compared with the second preset value. If at least one of the sum of the intervals of all rows in the first direction and the sum of the intervals of all rows in the second direction is less than the second preset value, it is considered that adjacent weak satellite signal areas need to be merged.

[0152] Continuing with the previous example, the sum of the intervals of all rows in the first direction is 15 meters. Assuming the second preset value is 20 meters, since the sum of the intervals of all rows in the first direction (15 meters) is less than the second preset value (20 meters), it is determined that region A and region B need to be merged. Figure 13 As shown, the merged region forms region A+B.

[0153] Step S416: If the sum of the intervals of all rows in the first direction and the sum of the intervals of all rows in the second direction are both greater than or equal to the second preset value, then it is determined that there is no need to merge the adjacent weak satellite signal areas.

[0154] In application, the sum of the intervals of all rows in the first direction is compared with a second preset value, and the sum of the intervals of all rows in the second direction is compared with a second preset value. If the sum of the intervals of all rows in the first direction and the sum of the intervals of all rows in the second direction are both greater than or equal to the second preset value, then it is considered that there is no need to merge adjacent weak satellite signal areas.

[0155] Continuing with the previous example, assuming the second preset value is 10 meters, the sum of the intervals of all rows in the first direction is 15 meters, which is greater than the second preset value. Therefore, we determine that there is no need to merge region A and region B.

[0156] To achieve a balance between computational efficiency and accuracy, this embodiment assesses the connectivity between adjacent weak satellite signal regions by calculating the sum of the intervals across all rows. If the total sum of intervals is less than a second preset value, these regions are considered to be merged; otherwise, they remain independent. This method more comprehensively reflects the actual connection between two regions, avoiding potential errors when making decisions solely based on maximum or minimum intervals. Furthermore, by setting the second preset value, the merging criteria can be flexibly adjusted, making merging decisions more reasonable. This allows for more accurate avoidance of the influence of weak satellite signal regions in path planning, enabling lawnmowers or other automated equipment to merge adjacent regions more effectively. This achieves a balance between computational efficiency and accuracy, simplifies subsequent processing steps, and ensures more accurate and efficient path planning.

[0157] In some embodiments, such as Figure 14 As shown, when adjacent weak satellite signal regions are not separated in the first direction (e.g., X direction) and the second direction (e.g., Y direction), the maximum interval in the Y direction or the sum of the intervals of all rows can be obtained. If it is less than or equal to a second preset value, then the two regions are merged in the Y direction, as shown. Figure 15 As shown. It can also obtain the maximum X-direction interval between adjacent weak satellite signal areas or the sum of intervals across all rows. If it is less than or equal to a second preset value, then these two adjacent areas are merged in the X-direction, as shown. Figure 16 As shown. If both the X and Y directions are less than or equal to the second preset value, then these two regions will be merged simultaneously in the X and Y directions, as shown. Figure 17 At this point, the merged region of regions A and B forms an enclosing trend. It is necessary to merge the enclosed central region with regions A and B to form a complete region, such as... Figure 18 As shown.

[0158] In some embodiments, such as Figure 19 As shown, if adjacent weak satellite signal areas are offset in both the first direction (e.g., the X direction) and the second direction (e.g., the Y direction), they will not be merged.

[0159] In some embodiments, step S402 includes the following steps S417 to S419:

[0160] Step S417: Determine whether the area with weak satellite signal forms an enclosed area.

[0161] In applications, spatial analysis tools in GIS software can be used to check whether the boundaries of areas with weak satellite signals form a closed ring structure, or algorithms can be used to calculate the boundary points of areas with weak satellite signals to determine whether these boundary points can form a closed polygon.

[0162] In step S418, if an enclosed area is formed, it is determined that the area within the enclosed area needs to be merged with the area with weak satellite signal.

[0163] In applications, when areas with weak satellite signals form an enclosed region, it means that there is a strong correlation between these areas, and they should be treated as a whole.

[0164] like Figure 20As shown, assume there are three areas with weak satellite signals within the operational area: Area A, Area B, Area C, and Area D. Areas A, B, C, and D are located at different positions within the operational area. Area A and B are adjacent, Area B and C are adjacent, and Area C and D are adjacent. Area C and A are not directly adjacent, but they are connected through Area D, thus forming an enclosed area. These four weak satellite signal areas form an enclosed area. The area within this enclosed area is then merged with the weak satellite signal areas (i.e., the outer area) to form a complete area, as shown below. Figure 21 As shown. When determining whether a weak satellite signal area forms an enclosed area, if the weak satellite signal area itself does not form an enclosed area, but merges to form an enclosed area, it is also considered that the weak satellite signal area has formed an enclosed area.

[0165] In step S419, if no enclosed area is formed, it is determined that there is no need to merge the area within the enclosed area with the area with weak satellite signal.

[0166] To improve computational efficiency and reduce computational load, this embodiment of the application determines whether a weak satellite signal area forms an enclosed region. It then merges the regions within the enclosed region with the weak satellite signal area, reducing the number of weak satellite signal areas that need to be processed. This reduces the factors that need to be considered when calculating the work path, lowers the overall computational load, and improves computational efficiency. The merged enclosed region can be considered as a whole, simplifying the path planning process and reducing the number of small areas that require separate path planning. Merging enclosed regions helps reduce the number of turns the lawnmower robot makes during operation. By merging, a larger and more continuous work area can be created, thereby reducing the frequent switching of the lawnmower robot between different weak areas, reducing the number of turns, providing a smoother work path, and improving the continuity of the operation.

[0167] In some embodiments, step S402 includes the following steps S420 to S422:

[0168] Step S420: Determine whether the size of the weak satellite signal area is greater than or equal to a third preset value.

[0169] In applications, the total area and length of the long or short side of a region with weak satellite signal can be measured. Measurement tools in GIS software or custom algorithms can be used to calculate the size of the region.

[0170] Step S421: If the size of the weak satellite signal region is greater than or equal to the third preset value, it is determined that the weak satellite signal region needs to be divided into multiple weak satellite signal sub-regions.

[0171] In application, when the third preset value is that the length of both the long side and the short side must be greater than or equal to the set length, such as when the third preset value is 10 meters, it is determined that the weak satellite signal area needs to be divided into multiple weak satellite signal sub-areas.

[0172] Step S422: If the size of the weak satellite signal area is less than the third preset value, it is determined that there is no need to split the weak satellite signal area.

[0173] In applications, the area can be divided according to specific rules, such as the principle of equal area. When the area with weak satellite signal is too large, it can be divided into smaller sub-regions to more accurately manage and plan the operation path and avoid unnecessary path adjustments.

[0174] For example, when dividing according to the principle of equal area, such as Figure 22 As shown, if the original weak satellite signal region C has dimensions of 16 meters × 10 meters, and a total area of ​​160 square meters, it can be divided into two sub-regions A and B along its longer side (16 meters), as follows: Figure 23 As shown, each sub-region measures 8 meters by 10 meters, with a total area of ​​80 square meters. This ensures that the size of each sub-region is smaller than the third preset value (12 meters), while maintaining the total area. For original satellite signal-weak areas that, even after being divided into two sub-regions, still do not meet the requirement that the size of each sub-region is smaller than the third preset value (12 meters), the goal can be to divide the area into three, four, or even more sub-regions, with the goal of ensuring that the size of each sub-region is smaller than the third preset value.

[0175] To optimize the work direction and improve work efficiency, this embodiment of the application considers the distribution of satellite signals before the lawnmower robot or other automated equipment begins operation. It determines whether to subdivide areas based on the size of areas with weak satellite signals, ensuring that the subdivided areas meet size requirements while maintaining the integrity of the work area. This method simplifies work path planning, improves work efficiency and quality, and reduces energy consumption.

[0176] In some embodiments, such as Figure 24 As shown, before step S201, the following steps S501 to S503 are also included:

[0177] Step S501: Based on the satellite signal distribution, identify the areas with weak satellite signals within the operating area.

[0178] Step S502: Determine whether the area with weak satellite signal needs to be expanded.

[0179] In application, weak satellite signal regions near the edge of the work area can be identified, and their shape and size can be analyzed. If a weak satellite signal region is close to the edge of the work area or has an irregular shape, its expansion can be considered. Additionally, if the boundary of a weak satellite signal region is less than a preset distance from the boundary of the work area, its boundary can be expanded to the boundary of the work area. If the weak satellite signal region is large enough, located in the center of the work area, and its boundary is greater than or equal to a preset distance from the boundary of the work area, expansion is not necessary.

[0180] For example, such as Figure 25 As shown, if the preset distance is set to no more than 1m, the boundaries of areas A and C are equal to the boundary of the work area, so they need to be expanded. However, since the distance between area B and the boundary of the work area is greater than the preset distance, no expansion is needed.

[0181] Step S503: If the weak satellite signal area needs to be expanded, then the weak satellite signal area is expanded.

[0182] In applications, for areas requiring expansion, expansion processing can ensure that operating equipment performs more accurately and reliably in these areas. Expansion processing methods can include extending the boundaries of areas with weak satellite signals outward according to predefined rules, such as extending the boundary by a specified length or extending it to adjacent areas or boundaries.

[0183] like Figure 26 The diagram shows the expansion of regions A and C in the first direction. At this point, the boundary of region A in the expansion direction coincides with the boundary of the work area, and the boundary of region C in the expansion direction coincides with the boundary of the work area.

[0184] To ensure calculation accuracy and reduce computational load, this application's embodiments extend the satellite signal-weak areas in certain special cases. This simplifies the calculation of satellite signal-weak areas that meet the aforementioned extension conditions, thereby reducing computational load. Planning the operation direction based on the extended area better aligns with the actual operating conditions of the lawnmower robot, thus improving operational efficiency.

[0185] In some embodiments, step S502 includes the following steps S511 to S513:

[0186] Step S511: Obtain the third maximum interval of the boundary between the weak satellite signal area and the working area in the first direction, and / or the fourth maximum interval in the second direction.

[0187] In application, the first and second directions refer to two orthogonal directions relative to the boundary of the operational area and the satellite signal-weak region. The third maximum interval is the maximum distance in the first direction, and the fourth maximum interval is the maximum distance in the second direction. These intervals are used to determine the relative positional relationship between the satellite signal-weak region and the operational area boundary.

[0188] In step S512, if at least one of the third maximum interval and the fourth maximum interval is less than the fourth preset value, the boundary of the weak satellite signal area is extended in the first direction or the second direction so that the boundary of the weak satellite signal area coincides with the boundary of the working area.

[0189] In application, if either the third or fourth maximum interval is less than the fourth preset value, the weak satellite signal area is considered too close to the boundary of the work area. Although there is no shared boundary between the weak satellite signal area and the work area, the lawnmower robot still needs to pass through this weak satellite signal area when turning around. Therefore, to ensure the rationality of path planning, it should be treated as having a shared boundary. This can be achieved by expanding the boundary of the weak satellite signal area to make it coincide with the boundary of the work area. By comparing the third and fourth maximum intervals with the fourth preset value, if at least one interval is less than the fourth preset value, the weak satellite signal area needs to be expanded. The boundary of the weak satellite signal area is expanded in the first or second direction until it coincides with the boundary of the work area.

[0190] For example, such as Figure 25 As shown, the boundary of satellite signal weak area A has a maximum distance of 1 meter from the boundary of the work area in the first direction and a maximum distance of 2 meters in the second direction. The boundary of satellite signal weak area B has a maximum distance of 3 meters from the boundary of the work area in the first direction and a maximum distance of 3 meters in the second direction. The boundary of satellite signal weak area C has a maximum distance of 1 meter from the boundary of the work area in the first direction and a maximum distance of 4 meters in the second direction.

[0191] like Figure 25 As shown, if the fourth preset value is 2 meters, since the maximum interval (1 meter) of the weak satellite signal area C in the first direction is less than the fourth preset value (2 meters), it is necessary to extend the boundary of the weak satellite signal area C in one direction so that it coincides with the boundary of the work area. The maximum interval (1 meter) in the first direction and the maximum interval (2 meters) in the second direction between the weak satellite signal area A and the boundary of the work area are both less than the fourth preset value (2 meters). After extending it along the first and second directions, both the first and second directions coincide with the boundary of the work area, forming a shared boundary.

[0192] Step S513: If both the third maximum interval and the fourth maximum interval are greater than the fourth preset value, then it is determined that the weak satellite signal area does not need to be expanded.

[0193] In application, the third and fourth maximum intervals are compared with the fourth preset value. If both intervals are greater than the fourth preset value, it is determined that the weak satellite signal area does not need to be expanded.

[0194] Continuing with the previous example, such as Figure 26 As shown, the boundary of the weak satellite signal area B and the boundary of the working area have a maximum distance of 3 meters in the first direction and a maximum distance of 3 meters in the second direction, both of which are greater than the fourth preset value (2 meters). Therefore, it is determined that the weak satellite signal area B does not need to be expanded.

[0195] To ensure the accuracy of the work direction planning, in cases where the boundary of the weak satellite signal area is too close to the boundary of the work area, the boundary of the weak satellite signal area is extended so that it coincides with the boundary of the work area. This covers situations where the boundary of the weak satellite signal area and the boundary of the work area do not share a common boundary, but the lawnmower still needs to pass through the weak satellite signal area when turning around, thus ensuring the accuracy of the work direction planning.

[0196] In some embodiments, extending the satellite signal weak areas includes:

[0197] Draw the circumscribed rectangle of the area with weak satellite signal.

[0198] This application also provides a device for determining the work direction, used to execute the steps in the above-described method embodiments for determining the work direction. The device for determining the work direction can be a virtual appliance within the gardening equipment, run by the processor of the gardening equipment, or it can be the gardening equipment itself.

[0199] like Figure 27 As shown, the work direction determination device 100 provided in this application embodiment includes:

[0200] Input module 101 is used to acquire the satellite signal distribution in the operating area;

[0201] The first direction determination module 102 is used to determine the long side direction of the work area as the work direction when the satellite signal distribution meets the first preset condition;

[0202] The second direction determination module 103 is used to determine the operation direction based on the satellite signal distribution when the satellite signal distribution does not meet the first preset condition.

[0203] In applications, the modules in the device for determining the working direction can be software program modules, or they can be implemented through different logic circuits integrated in the processor, or they can be implemented through multiple distributed processors.

[0204] like Figure 28 As shown, this application embodiment also provides a gardening operation device 200, including: at least one processor 201 ( Figure 28 The diagram shows only one processor, memory 202, and computer program 203 stored in memory 202 and executable on at least one processor 201. When processor 201 executes computer program 203, it implements the steps in the various method embodiments described above.

[0205] In applications, gardening equipment may include, but is not limited to, processors and memory. Those skilled in the art will understand that... Figure 28 This is merely an example of gardening equipment and does not constitute a limitation on gardening equipment. It may include more or fewer parts than shown in the illustration, or a combination of certain parts, or different parts. For example, it may also include input / output devices, network access devices, etc.

[0206] In applications, the processor can be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), but it can also be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0207] In applications, the memory may be an internal storage unit of the gardening equipment in some embodiments, such as the hard drive or RAM of the gardening equipment. In other embodiments, the memory may be an external storage device of the gardening equipment, such as a plug-in hard drive, Smart Media Card (SMC), Secure Digital (SD) card, or Flash Card equipped on the gardening equipment. Furthermore, the memory may include both internal and external storage units of the gardening equipment. The memory is used to store the operating system, applications, boot loader, data, and other programs, such as the program code of a computer program. The memory can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or will be output.

[0208] It should be noted that the information interaction and execution process between the above-mentioned devices / units are based on the same concept as the method embodiments of this application. For details on their specific functions and technical effects, please refer to the method embodiments section, and they will not be repeated here.

[0209] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the description of the embodiments is based solely on the division of the above-described functional units and modules. In practical applications, the functions described above can be assigned to different functional units and modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional units or modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The functional units and modules in the embodiments can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit. Furthermore, the specific names of the functional units and modules are only for easy differentiation and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. The specific working process of the units and modules in the above system can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0210] This application also provides a network device, which includes: at least one processor, a memory, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the at least one processor. When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the steps in the above-described method embodiments.

[0211] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps described in the various method embodiments above.

[0212] This application provides a computer program product that, when run on a gardening work equipment, enables the gardening work equipment to perform the steps described in the above-described method embodiments.

[0213] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments of this application can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed by a processor, it can implement the steps of the various method embodiments described above. The computer program includes computer program code, which can be in the form of source code, object code, executable files, or certain intermediate forms. A computer-readable medium can include at least: any entity or device capable of carrying computer program code to a device / gardening equipment, a recording medium, a computer memory, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an electrical carrier signal, a telecommunication signal, and a software distribution medium. Examples include USB flash drives, portable hard drives, magnetic disks, or optical disks. In some jurisdictions, according to legislation and patent practice, computer-readable media cannot be electrical carrier signals or telecommunication signals.

[0214] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts that are not described in detail or recorded in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0215] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software 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 beyond the scope of this application.

[0216] In the embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus / network devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus / network device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of modules or units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0217] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0218] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and should all be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A method for determining the direction of a work operation, characterized in that, include: Acquire satellite signal distribution information for the operational area; When the satellite signal distribution meets the first preset condition, the long side direction of the work area is determined as the work direction; When the satellite signal distribution does not meet the first preset condition, the operation direction is determined based on the satellite signal distribution.

2. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Determining the operation direction based on the satellite signal distribution includes: Based on the satellite signal distribution, obtain the satellite signal weak areas that meet the second preset conditions; Obtain the dimensions of the satellite's vulnerable area; The direction of the operation is determined based on the size of the area where the satellite signal is weak.

3. The method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Determining the operational direction based on the size of the weak satellite signal area includes: Obtain the maximum length of a single row in the first direction and the maximum length of a single row in the second direction for the largest weak satellite signal area; The direction indicated by the smaller of the maximum length of a single row in the first direction and the maximum length of a single row in the second direction, where the largest weak satellite signal region is located, is determined as the working direction.

4. The method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Determining the operational direction based on the size of the weak satellite signal area includes: Obtain the sum of all row lengths in the first direction and the sum of all row lengths in the second direction for the largest weak satellite signal area; The direction indicated by the smaller of the sum of all row lengths in the first direction and the sum of all row lengths in the second direction of the largest weak satellite signal region is determined as the working direction.

5. The method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Determining the operational direction based on the size of the weak satellite signal area includes: Obtain the sum of the maximum length of a single row in the first direction and the sum of the maximum length of a single row in the second direction for some or all weak satellite signal areas; The direction indicated by the smaller of the sum of the maximum lengths of a single row in the first direction and the sum of the maximum lengths of a single row in the second direction for the portion or all of the weak satellite signal areas is determined as the working direction.

6. The method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Determining the operational direction based on the size of the weak satellite signal area includes: Obtain the sum of all line lengths in the first direction and the sum of all line lengths in the second direction for some or all areas with weak satellite signals; The direction indicated by the smaller of the sum of all row lengths in the first direction and the sum of all row lengths in the second direction for the portion or all of the weak satellite signal areas is determined as the working direction.

7. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that, After obtaining the maximum length of a single row, the sum of the maximum lengths of all rows, the sum of the maximum lengths of a single row, and the sum of the lengths of all rows in the corresponding direction, the method further includes: Obtain the relative positional relationship between the satellite signal-weak area and the operational area; Based on the relative positional relationship between the satellite signal weak area and the work area, it is determined whether the satellite signal weak area and the work area share a common boundary; If the shared boundary exists, then increase the length value of the row that intersects with the shared boundary; If no shared boundary exists, the length values ​​of each row remain unchanged.

8. The method as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The increase in the length value of rows crossing the common boundary includes: The length of rows that intersect with the shared boundary is extended.

9. The method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Before obtaining the weak satellite signal region that meets the second preset condition based on the satellite signal distribution, the method further includes: Based on the satellite signal distribution, identify the areas with weak satellite signals within the operational area; Determine whether adjacent weak satellite signal areas need to be merged or / and split; If adjacent weak satellite signal areas need to be merged or / and split, then the adjacent weak satellite signal areas will be merged or / or split.

10. The method as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The determination of whether adjacent weak satellite signal regions need to be merged or / and split includes: Obtain the first maximum and first minimum intervals of adjacent weak satellite signal regions in a first direction, and / or the second maximum and second minimum intervals in a second direction; If at least one of the first maximum interval and the second maximum interval is less than a first preset value, it is determined that adjacent weak satellite signal areas need to be merged. If both the first minimum interval and the second minimum interval are greater than or equal to the first preset value, it is determined that there is no need to merge the adjacent weak satellite signal areas.

11. The method as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The determination of whether adjacent weak satellite signal regions need to be merged or / and split includes: Obtain the sum of the intervals of all rows in the first direction and / or the sum of the intervals of all rows in the second direction for adjacent weak satellite signal regions; If at least one of the sum of the intervals of all rows in the first direction and the sum of the intervals of all rows in the second direction is less than a second preset value, it is determined that adjacent weak satellite signal areas need to be merged. If the sum of the intervals of all rows in the first direction and the sum of the intervals of all rows in the second direction are both greater than or equal to a second preset value, then it is determined that there is no need to merge the adjacent weak satellite signal areas.

12. The method as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The determination of whether adjacent weak satellite signal regions need to be merged or / and split includes: Determine whether the weak satellite signal area forms an enclosed region; If an enclosed area is formed, it is determined that the area within the enclosed area needs to be merged with the area with weak satellite signal. If no enclosed area is formed, it is determined that there is no need to merge the area within the enclosed area with the area with weak satellite signal.

13. The method as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The determination of whether adjacent weak satellite signal regions need to be merged or / and split includes: Determine whether the size of the weak satellite signal region is greater than or equal to a third preset value; If the size of the weak satellite signal region is greater than or equal to a third preset value, it is determined that the weak satellite signal region needs to be divided into multiple weak satellite signal sub-regions. If the size of the weak satellite signal region is smaller than a third preset value, it is determined that there is no need to split the weak satellite signal region.

14. The method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Before acquiring the weak satellite signal region that meets the second preset condition, the method further includes: Based on the satellite signal distribution, identify the areas with weak satellite signals within the operational area; Determine whether the area with weak satellite signal needs to be expanded; If the weak satellite signal area needs to be expanded, then the weak satellite signal area will be expanded.

15. The method as described in claim 14, characterized in that, The determination of whether the weak satellite signal area needs to be expanded includes: Obtain the third maximum interval in the first direction and / or the fourth maximum interval in the second direction between the boundary of the weak satellite signal area and the operation area; If at least one of the third maximum interval and the fourth maximum interval is less than a fourth preset value, the boundary of the weak satellite signal area will be extended in the first direction or the second direction so that the boundary of the weak satellite signal area coincides with the boundary of the working area. If both the third maximum interval and the fourth maximum interval are greater than the fourth preset value, then it is determined that the weak satellite signal area does not need to be expanded.

16. The method as described in claim 14, characterized in that, The process of expanding the weak satellite signal area includes: Construct the circumscribed rectangle of the region where the satellite signal is weak.

17. A device for determining the direction of work, characterized in that, include: The input module is used to obtain the satellite signal distribution in the operating area; The first direction determination module is used to determine the long side direction of the work area as the work direction when the satellite signal distribution meets the first preset condition; The second direction determination module is used to determine the operation direction based on the satellite signal distribution when the satellite signal distribution does not meet the first preset condition.

18. A gardening operation device, comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, characterized in that, When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the steps of the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 16.

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