Control method and apparatus for mowing robot, and device and storage medium

Abstract

A control method and apparatus for a mowing robot, and a device and a storage medium, which are applied to the technical field of robot control. The control method comprises: setting an operating mode of a mowing robot, the mowing robot having a first mode, a second mode and a third mode (S201); when the operating mode is the first mode, generating a first path on the basis of an outer contour boundary of a target mowing region (S202); controlling the mowing robot to operate on the basis of the first path (S203); when the operating mode is the second mode, acquiring a custom path (S204); controlling the mowing robot to travel along the custom path, so as to generate a second path (S205); controlling the mowing robot to operate on the basis of the second path (S206); and when the operating mode is the third mode, controlling the mowing robot to automatically operate on the basis of a target working region (S207). The control method can balance the safety and usability of a mowing robot, so that the mowing robot is applicable to more working scenarios.

Description

Control method, device, equipment and storage medium of lawn mowing robot Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of robot control technology, and in particular to a control method, device, electronic device and storage medium for a lawn mowing robot. Background Art

[0002] With the development of technology, a variety of robots are now available on the market to assist in completing tasks, such as lawn mowing robots. Because mowing is dangerous, lawn mowing robots must meet safety regulations and achieve intelligent operation while ensuring safe operation.

[0003] Therefore, how to improve the usability and flexibility of lawn mowing robots while meeting safety requirements is an urgent problem that needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the embodiments of the present application provide a control method, device, equipment, and storage medium for a lawn mower robot, which can improve the usability and flexibility of the lawn mower robot while meeting safety regulations. The technical solution is as follows:

[0005] In one aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a control method for a lawn mowing robot, the method comprising:

[0006] The lawn mowing robot includes: a first mode, a second mode and a third mode, wherein the safety of the second mode is higher than that of the first mode and the third mode, and the safety of the first mode is higher than that of the third mode;

[0007] Setting the operating mode of the lawn mowing robot;

[0008] When the operation mode is the first mode, generating a first path based on an outer contour boundary of a target mowing area;

[0009] controlling the lawn mowing robot to perform operation based on the first path;

[0010] When the operation mode is the second mode, obtaining a custom path;

[0011] controlling the lawn mowing robot to move along the custom path to generate a second path;

[0012] controlling the lawn mowing robot to operate based on the second path;

[0013] When the operation mode is the third mode, the lawn mowing robot is controlled to automatically operate in the target working area.

[0014] Furthermore, the setting of the operation mode of the lawn mowing robot includes:

[0015] When the clarity of the outer contour boundary of the target mowing area is greater than or equal to a clarity threshold, setting the operation mode of the mowing robot to the first mode;

[0016] When the clarity of the outer contour boundary is less than the clarity threshold, setting the operation mode of the lawn mowing robot to the second mode;

[0017] In a case where a plurality of partitions are arranged around the target mowing area, the operation mode of the mowing robot is set to the third mode.

[0018] Furthermore, when the lawn mowing machine is in the first mode, generating the first path based on the outer contour boundary of the target mowing area includes:

[0019] sending a first moving instruction to the lawn mowing robot to enable the lawn mowing robot to move along the outer contour boundary and record first moving information;

[0020] acquiring the first travel information;

[0021] The first path is generated based on the first travel information.

[0022] Furthermore, before controlling the lawn mowing robot to operate based on the first path, the method further includes:

[0023] receiving a first confirmation instruction message sent by a user;

[0024] generating a first confirmation instruction based on the first confirmation instruction information;

[0025] The controlling the lawn mowing robot to perform an operation based on the first path includes:

[0026] The first confirmation instruction is sent to the lawn mowing robot, so that the lawn mowing robot performs the operation based on the first path.

[0027] Furthermore, when the mowing robot is in the second mode, obtaining the custom path includes:

[0028] sending a second travel instruction to the lawn mowing robot to make the lawn mowing robot travel along the user's intended direction and record second travel information;

[0029] acquiring the second travel information;

[0030] generating the custom route based on the second travel information;

[0031] Get the custom path.

[0032] Furthermore, controlling the mowing robot to move along the custom path to generate the second path includes:

[0033] sending a third travel instruction to the lawn mowing robot to enable the lawn mowing robot to travel along the custom path and record third travel information;

[0034] The third travel information is acquired to generate the second path based on the third travel information.

[0035] Furthermore, before controlling the mowing robot to operate based on the second path, the method further includes:

[0036] performing a similarity comparison between the second path and the custom path to generate a comparison result;

[0037] generating a second confirmation instruction if the comparison result indicates that the similarity between the second path and the custom path is greater than a similarity threshold;

[0038] The controlling the lawn mowing robot to perform an operation based on the second path includes:

[0039] The second confirmation instruction is sent to the lawn mowing robot, so that the lawn mowing robot performs the operation based on the second path.

[0040] Furthermore, when the operation mode is the third mode, before controlling the mowing robot to automatically operate based on the target working area, the method further includes:

[0041] generating a warning message, wherein the warning message is used to remind a user that the security of the third mode is lower than that of the first mode and the second mode;

[0042] Displaying the warning information to the user;

[0043] receiving a second confirmation instruction message sent by the user;

[0044] generating a third confirmation instruction based on the second confirmation instruction information;

[0045] The controlling the mowing robot to automatically perform an operation based on the target working area includes:

[0046] The third confirmation instruction is sent to the lawn mowing robot, so that the lawn mowing robot automatically performs the operation based on the target working area.

[0047] Furthermore, the method further comprises:

[0048] When the operation mode is the first mode, generating a first work map based on the first path;

[0049] showing the first work map to the user;

[0050] When the operation mode is the second mode, generating a second work map based on the second path;

[0051] The second work map is displayed to the user.

[0052] Furthermore, the method further comprises:

[0053] When any one of the stop indication information, restart indication information and lift-up interrupt indication information is received, jump to the step of setting the robot's operating mode, the stop indication information is used to instruct the lawn mowing robot to stop working, the restart indication information is used to instruct the lawn mowing robot to restart, and the lift-up interrupt indication information is used to instruct the lawn mowing robot to interrupt working when the lawn mowing robot is lifted off the ground.

[0054] On the other hand, an embodiment of the present application provides a control device for a lawn mowing robot, the device comprising:

[0055] A setting module, used for setting the operation mode of the lawn mowing robot;

[0056] A first path generating module is configured to generate a first path based on an outer contour boundary of a target mowing area when the operation mode is the first mode;

[0057] A first operation module, configured to control the mowing robot to operate based on the first path;

[0058] A path acquisition module, configured to acquire a custom path when the operation mode is the second mode;

[0059] a second path generating module, configured to control the mowing robot to move along the custom path to generate a second path;

[0060] A second operation module, configured to control the mowing robot to operate based on the second path;

[0061] The third operation module is used to control the mowing robot to automatically operate based on the target working area when the operation mode is the third mode.

[0062] On the other hand, an embodiment of the present application provides a device comprising a processor and a memory; the memory stores at least one instruction, and the at least one instruction is used to be executed by the processor to implement the control method of the lawn mowing robot as described in the above aspect.

[0063] On the other hand, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, in which at least one program is stored. The at least one program is loaded and executed by a processor to implement the control method of the lawn mowing robot as described in the above aspects.

[0064] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects that can be achieved by at least one of the above technical solutions adopted in the embodiments of this specification will be specifically explained in the description of the specific implementation method part. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0065] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0066] FIG1 shows an implementation environment diagram provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0067] FIG2 shows a control flow chart of a lawn mowing robot provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0068] FIG3 shows a schematic diagram of determining an available channel range provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0069] FIG4 shows a flow chart of channel scanning provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0070] FIG5 shows a schematic diagram of a channel scanning process provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0071] FIG6 shows a schematic diagram of a process flow of automatic channel selection provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0072] FIG7 shows a structural block diagram of a control device of a channel mowing robot provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application; DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0073] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0074] The following describes the embodiments of the present application through specific examples, and those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present application from the contents disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. The present application can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and the details in this specification can also be modified or changed in various ways based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present application. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the features in the following embodiments and embodiments can be combined with each other. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without making creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0075] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," and the like in the description, claims, and drawings of the present invention are used to distinguish similar items and are not necessarily used to describe a particular order or precedence. It should be understood that the terms used in this manner are interchangeable where appropriate, such that the embodiments of the present invention described herein can be implemented in sequences other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "including," "having," and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions.

[0076] The control method for a lawn mower robot provided in the embodiments of the present application can be applied to various scenarios requiring lawn mowing operations. Those skilled in the art are well aware that the following method is often used to meet safety regulations for lawn mower robots: the lawn mower robot is placed in a charging station, the charging connection is confirmed, and the robot is started. The robot will exit the charging station and search for boundaries. When the robot recognizes the lawn boundary, the lawn mower robot rotates in place and asks the user to confirm whether it is the target mowing area. After the user confirms, the robot starts working. In addition, another method can be used: after starting, the lawn mower robot automatically searches for the target mowing area and performs operations. If no grass is detected within a certain period of time, it moves in a new direction to work. The first method detects the lawn boundary and the mowing robot works after confirmation, which is safer. However, in actual applications, the lawn boundary corresponding to the target mowing area may exist in various situations, such as the lawn boundary is not obvious or there are barriers around the boundary. The mowing method is not flexible enough and the usability is poor. The second method eliminates the user confirmation step and enhances usability. However, on the one hand, it has higher requirements for the user's site. The boundary of the target mowing area must have a flat boundary or raised obstacle (barrier) that is clearly distinguishable from the grass. On the other hand, there is some controversy as to whether this method can meet safety regulations.

[0077] Please refer to Figure 1, which shows a schematic diagram of an implementation environment provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application. The implementation environment includes a lawn mower robot 110 and a terminal device 120. Data communication between the lawn mower robot 110 and the terminal device 120 is performed via a communication network. Optionally, the communication network can be a wired network or a wireless network, and the communication network can be at least one of a local area network, a metropolitan area network, and a wide area network.

[0078] The terminal device 120 is an electronic device that has the need to control the lawn mower robot. The electronic device can be a smartphone, tablet computer, wearable device, or personal computer, etc., and this embodiment is not limited to this. In Figure 1, the terminal device 120 is used as a personal computer, smartphone, or tablet computer used by the user.

[0079] In some embodiments, the user sets the operating mode of the lawn mower robot 110 through the terminal device 120. When the operating mode is the first mode, the terminal device 120 generates a first path based on the outer contour boundary of the target mowing area, and controls the lawn mower robot 110 to operate based on the first path. Correspondingly, in the second mode, the terminal device 120 obtains a custom path, controls the lawn mower robot 120 to move along the custom path to generate a second path, and the terminal device 120 controls the lawn mower robot 110 to operate based on the second path. When the operating mode is the third mode, the terminal device 120 controls the lawn mower robot 110 to automatically operate in the target working area.

[0080] In one possible implementation, the control module built into the mowing robot 110 can complete the setting of the mowing robot's operating mode, and generate corresponding control instructions based on the operating mode of the mowing robot 110, so as to send them to the mowing robot 110 and control the mowing robot 110 to perform mowing operations.

[0081] In other possible implementations, the server may also complete the setting of the lawn mower robot's operating mode and, based on the operating mode of the lawn mower robot 110, generate corresponding control instructions to be sent to the lawn mower robot 110 to control the lawn mower robot 110 to perform mowing operations. This embodiment is not limited to this. The above-mentioned server can be an independent physical server, or a server cluster or distributed system composed of multiple physical servers. It can also be a cloud server that provides basic cloud computing services such as cloud services, cloud databases, cloud computing, cloud functions, cloud storage, network services, cloud communications, middleware services, domain name services, security services, content delivery networks (CDNs), and big data and artificial intelligence platforms. In this implementation, the server is a server for providing lawn mower robot control services.

[0082] For the convenience of description, the following embodiments are described by using a control method of a lawn mowing robot for a terminal device.

[0083] The following describes the method of the lawn mowing robot of the present invention. FIG2 is a flow chart of a control method of a lawn mowing robot provided by an embodiment of the present invention. This specification provides the method operation steps as described in the embodiment or flow chart, but may include more or fewer operation steps based on conventional or non-creative labor. The sequence of steps listed in the embodiment is only one way of executing the steps among many steps and does not represent the only execution order. When the actual signal automatic selection device product is executed, it can be executed in sequence or in parallel (for example, in a parallel processor or multi-threaded processing environment) according to the method shown in the embodiment or the accompanying drawings. Specifically, as shown in FIG2, the above method may include:

[0084] S201: Setting the operation mode of the lawn mowing robot.

[0085] In some embodiments, the operating modes of the lawn mowing robot include: a first mode, a second mode, and a third mode. Specifically, the second mode is safer than the first mode and the third mode, and the first mode is safer than the third mode.

[0086] In one possible implementation, the user can select the operation mode according to the needs of the lawn mowing robot's working scenario; in other possible implementations, the terminal device can also control the lawn mowing robot to automatically detect the target mowing area, generate corresponding detection results, and determine which operation mode the lawn mowing robot currently selects based on the detection results, so as to achieve better mowing operation results.

[0087] S202: When the operation mode is the first mode, generate a first path based on the outer contour boundary of the target mowing area.

[0088] In some embodiments, the terminal device can identify the target mowing area through an image recognition device (such as a camera, lidar, etc.) in combination with AI recognition, and obtain the outer contour boundary of the target mowing area based on the recognition result, thereby generating a first path based on the outer contour boundary.

[0089] S203: Control the lawn mowing robot to perform an operation based on the first path.

[0090] In some embodiments, the terminal device can send a start operation instruction to the lawn mowing robot, so that the lawn mowing robot performs a mowing operation based on a first path. This mode is safer and easier to use for users.

[0091] S204: When the operation mode is the second mode, obtain a custom path.

[0092] In some embodiments, the terminal device can obtain a custom path preset by the user in advance. In a possible implementation, the user can also use the terminal device to control the mowing robot to move in the target mowing area and generate a custom path in real time.

[0093] S205: Control the mowing robot to move along the custom path to generate a second path.

[0094] In some embodiments, the terminal device sends a travel instruction to the lawn mowing robot, so that the lawn mowing robot travels along a custom path to generate a second path.

[0095] S206: Control the lawn mowing robot to perform operation based on the second path.

[0096] In some embodiments, the terminal device can send a start operation instruction to the mowing robot so that the mowing robot performs mowing operations based on the second path. This mode has the best safety and involves a customized path, so it is less user-friendly for users. It is suitable for work scenarios where the outer contour boundaries of the target mowing area are unclear, or there are precision requirements for the actual mowing area of ​​the mowing operation, and work scenarios that require better mowing effects. At the same time, this mode is also suitable for users who have needs for human-computer interaction.

[0097] S207: When the operation mode is the third mode, control the mowing robot to automatically operate in the target working area.

[0098] In some embodiments, the terminal device can send automatic operation instructions to the mowing robot, causing it to automatically operate in a target work area. This automatic operation mode may include: upon startup, the mowing robot automatically searches for the target mowing area and operates. If no grass is detected within a certain period of time, it will move to a new direction. This mode is the least secure of the three operation modes, but it is the simplest and easiest for users and is suitable for work scenarios where safety requirements are not stringent.

[0099] In an embodiment of the present application, a lawn mower robot includes: a first mode, a second mode, and a third mode; an operating mode of the lawn mower robot is set; when the operating mode is the first mode, a first path is generated based on the outer contour boundary of a target mowing area; the lawn mower robot is controlled to operate based on the first path; when the operating mode is the second mode, a custom path is obtained; the lawn mower robot is controlled to move along the custom path to generate a second path; the lawn mower robot is controlled to operate based on the second path; when the operating mode is the third mode, the lawn mower robot is controlled to automatically operate based on the target working area. The control method of the lawn mower robot provided in this application can balance the safety and ease of use of the lawn mower robot, making the lawn mower robot suitable for a wider range of work scenarios.

[0100] In some embodiments, when the operating mode of the lawn mowing robot is the first mode, the terminal device can generate a first working map based on the first path, thereby displaying the first working map to the user. Similarly, when the operating mode is the second mode, the terminal device can generate a second working map based on the second path, thereby displaying the second working map to the user.

[0101] In some embodiments, when the terminal device receives any one of a stop instruction message, a restart instruction message, and a lift-up interrupt instruction message sent by the user, the process jumps to the step of setting the robot's operating mode. Specifically, the stop instruction message is used to instruct the mowing robot to stop operating, the restart instruction message is used to instruct the mowing robot to restart, and the lift-up interrupt instruction message is used to instruct the mowing robot to interrupt operating when the mowing robot is lifted off the ground.

[0102] In some embodiments, the terminal device needs to set the operation mode of the mowing robot so that the mowing robot can perform mowing operations according to the corresponding mode settings. FIG3 shows a flowchart of setting the operation mode provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application, and the method includes the following steps.

[0103] S301: When the clarity of the outer contour boundary of the target mowing area is greater than or equal to a clarity threshold, set the operation mode of the mowing robot to a first mode.

[0104] In some embodiments, the clarity threshold is a set value, for example, the clarity threshold is 0.5, and the clarity of the outer contour boundary of the target mowing area is 0.8. It is considered that the outer contour boundary is relatively clear at this time, so the operation mode of the mowing robot is set to the first mode.

[0105] S302: When the clarity of the outer contour boundary is less than a clarity threshold, set the operation mode of the lawn mowing robot to the second mode.

[0106] In some embodiments, the clarity threshold is a set value, for example, the clarity threshold is 0.5, and the clarity of the outer contour boundary of the target mowing area is 0.2. It is considered that the outer contour boundary is relatively blurred at this time, so the operation mode of the mowing robot is set to the second mode.

[0107] S303: When a plurality of partitions are arranged around the target mowing area, the operation mode of the mowing robot is set to the third mode.

[0108] In some embodiments, a plurality of partitions are arranged around the target mowing area so that the mowing robot will not move outside the target mowing area. The safety requirements for the mowing robot are relatively low, and the terminal device can set the operation mode of the mowing robot to the third mode.

[0109] Figure 4 shows a flowchart of a first mode operation provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application. This embodiment is described by taking the method applied to a terminal device as an example, and the method includes the following steps.

[0110] S401: Send a first moving instruction to a lawn mowing robot, so that the lawn mowing robot moves along an outer contour boundary and records first moving information.

[0111] In some embodiments, the terminal device sends a first travel instruction to the lawn mower robot, so that the lawn mower robot starts from the charging base station of the lawn mower robot, moves along the outer contour boundary and records the first travel information in real time, and finally the lawn mower robot returns to the charging base station.

[0112] S402: Obtain first travel information.

[0113] In some embodiments, the first travel information is ground environment information collected in real time by the lawn mowing robot, and position information of the lawn mowing robot relative to the charging base station.

[0114] S403: Generate a first path based on the first travel information.

[0115] S404: Receive first confirmation instruction information sent by the user.

[0116] S405: Generate a first confirmation instruction based on the first confirmation instruction information.

[0117] S406: Send a first confirmation instruction to the lawn mowing robot, so that the lawn mowing robot performs the operation based on the first path.

[0118] Figure 5 shows a flow chart of a second mode operation provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application. This embodiment uses the method applied to a terminal device as an example for explanation, and the method includes the following steps.

[0119] S501: Send a second moving instruction to the lawn mowing robot to enable the lawn mowing robot to move along a user's intended direction and record second moving information.

[0120] In some embodiments, the terminal device sends a second travel instruction to the lawn mower robot, so that the lawn mower robot starts from the charging base station of the lawn mower robot, moves in the direction intended by the user and records the first travel information in real time, and finally the lawn mower robot returns to the charging base station.

[0121] S502: Obtain second travel information.

[0122] In some embodiments, the second travel information is ground environment information collected in real time by the lawn mowing robot, and position information of the lawn mowing robot relative to the charging base station.

[0123] S503: Generate a custom path based on the second travel information.

[0124] S504: Obtain a custom path.

[0125] S505: Send a third travel instruction to the lawn mowing robot, so that the lawn mowing robot travels along the custom path and records third travel information.

[0126] In some embodiments, the third travel information is ground environment information collected in real time by the lawn mowing robot, and position information of the lawn mowing robot relative to the charging base station.

[0127] S506: Acquire third travel information to generate a second path based on the third travel information.

[0128] S507: Control the lawn mowing robot to perform operation based on the second path.

[0129] In a possible implementation, before controlling the mowing robot to operate based on the second path, the following steps may be performed:

[0130] 1. Compare the second path and the custom path for similarity and generate a comparison result.

[0131] 2. If the comparison result indicates that the similarity between the second path and the custom path is greater than a similarity threshold, generate a second confirmation instruction.

[0132] Accordingly, controlling the mowing robot to perform operation based on the second path includes:

[0133] A second confirmation instruction is sent to the lawn mowing robot, so that the lawn mowing robot performs the operation based on the second path.

[0134] Figure 6 shows a flowchart of a third mode operation provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application. This embodiment uses the method applied to a terminal device as an example for explanation, and the method includes the following steps.

[0135] S601: Generate warning information.

[0136] In some embodiments, the warning information is used to remind the user that the security of the third mode is lower than that of the first mode and the second mode.

[0137] S602: Display warning information to the user.

[0138] S603: Receive second confirmation instruction information sent by the user.

[0139] S604: Generate a third confirmation instruction based on the second confirmation instruction information.

[0140] S605: Send a third confirmation instruction to the lawn mowing robot, so that the lawn mowing robot automatically performs the operation based on the target working area.

[0141] The manner in which the above-mentioned lawn mowing robot automatically performs the operation can be referred to S207 and will not be described in detail here.

[0142] In a possible implementation scenario, as shown in Figure 7, Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a control process of a lawn mowing robot provided by an exemplary embodiment.

[0143] The lawn mower robot has a built-in control module to execute the above-mentioned control method of the lawn mower robot. The lawn mower robot has a display screen for displaying a human-computer interaction interface, which includes a power button, an OK button, and a HOME button.

[0144] Press and hold the robot's power button (Turn on / off) to power on. The display prompts you to enter a password. S1: The user enters the password and presses OK to confirm. S2: The password is correct. If the password is incorrect or the timeout expires, an error message is displayed in S11. If the password is correct, the robot enters the Function Confirm (FC) mode selection screen. S3: The user is prompted to confirm the mode setting and proceed to the boundary initialization module. On S3, if the user presses OK to confirm (S4), the robot enters the Function 1 (F1, first mode) confirmation screen in S5. If the user presses any button other than OK or HOME or the timeout expires, the robot returns to S3. On S5, if the user presses OK to confirm in S12, the robot performs boundary initialization according to the first mode in S13. After the robot completes a complete path along the outer contour of the target mowing area, the display prompts the user for confirmation in S14. If the user presses the OK button to confirm, the robot begins normal operation within the work area in S19. If the user presses any other button or the timeout expires without any action, the process returns to S3. In S5, if the user presses the HOME button in S6, the process enters the F2 (second mode) confirmation screen in S7. If the user presses any button other than OK or HOME or the timeout expires without any action, the process returns to S3. In S7, if the user presses the OK button in S15 to confirm, the robot initializes in the second mode in S16. After the robot completes a boundary walk with user intervention, the user is prompted for confirmation on the display in S17. If the user presses the OK button to confirm, the process returns to S13. If the user presses any other button or the timeout expires without any action, the process returns to S3. In S7, if the user presses the HOME button in S8, the process enters the F3 (third mode) confirmation screen in S9. If the user presses any button other than OK or HOME or the timeout expires without any action, the process returns to S3. On the S9 interface, if the user presses the OK button in S18 to confirm, the system enters the third mode, and the robot begins working directly in the work area in S19. On the S9 interface, if the user presses the HOME button in S10, the system enters S5. If the user presses any other button or the system times out without any operation, the system returns to S3.

[0145] An exemplary embodiment of the present application provides a control device for a lawn mowing robot, the device comprising:

[0146] A setting module is used to set the operation mode of the mowing robot;

[0147] A first path generating module is configured to generate a first path based on an outer contour boundary of a target mowing area when the operation mode is the first mode;

[0148] A first operation module, configured to control the mowing robot to operate based on a first path;

[0149] A path acquisition module, used for acquiring a custom path when the operation mode is the second mode;

[0150] a second path generating module, configured to control the mowing robot to move along a custom path to generate a second path;

[0151] A second operation module is used to control the mowing robot to operate based on a second path;

[0152] The third operation module is used to control the mowing robot to automatically operate based on the target working area when the operation mode is the third mode.

[0153] Optionally, the settings module is also used to:

[0154] When the clarity of the outer contour boundary of the target mowing area is greater than or equal to a clarity threshold, setting the operation mode of the mowing robot to the first mode;

[0155] When the clarity of the outer contour boundary is less than a clarity threshold, setting the operation mode of the mowing robot to the second mode;

[0156] When a plurality of partitions are arranged around the target mowing area, the operation mode of the mowing robot is set to the third mode.

[0157] Optionally, the first path generation module is further configured to:

[0158] Sending a first moving instruction to the lawn mowing robot to make the lawn mowing robot move along the outer contour boundary and record first moving information;

[0159] Get first travel information;

[0160] A first route is generated based on the first travel information.

[0161] Optionally, the control device of the lawn mowing robot further includes: a first instruction generating module, configured to:

[0162] receiving a first confirmation instruction message sent by a user;

[0163] generating a first confirmation instruction based on the first confirmation instruction information;

[0164] Accordingly, the first operation module is further used to:

[0165] A first confirmation instruction is sent to the lawn mowing robot, so that the lawn mowing robot performs an operation based on the first path.

[0166] Optionally, the path acquisition module is also used to:

[0167] sending a second travel instruction to the lawn mowing robot to make the lawn mowing robot travel in the user's intended direction and record second travel information;

[0168] Obtaining second travel information;

[0169] generating a custom path based on the second travel information;

[0170] Get a custom path.

[0171] Optionally, the second path generation module is further configured to:

[0172] sending a third travel instruction to the lawn mowing robot to enable the lawn mowing robot to travel along the custom path and record third travel information;

[0173] Get third travel information;

[0174] A second route is generated based on the third travel information.

[0175] Optionally, the control device of the lawn mowing robot further includes: a second instruction generating module, configured to:

[0176] Performing a similarity comparison between the second path and the custom path to generate a comparison result;

[0177] generating a second confirmation instruction if the comparison result indicates that the similarity between the second path and the custom path is greater than a similarity threshold;

[0178] Accordingly, the second operation module is further used to:

[0179] A second confirmation instruction is sent to the lawn mowing robot, so that the lawn mowing robot performs the operation based on the second path.

[0180] Optionally, the control device of the lawn mowing robot further includes: a warning module, which is used to:

[0181] Generate a warning message, the warning message is used to remind the user that the security of the third mode is lower than the security of the first mode and the second mode;

[0182] Display warning information to users;

[0183] Optionally, the control device of the lawn mowing robot further includes: a third instruction generating module, configured to:

[0184] receiving a second confirmation instruction message sent by the user;

[0185] generating a third confirmation instruction based on the second confirmation instruction information;

[0186] Accordingly, the third operation module is also used to:

[0187] A third confirmation instruction is sent to the lawn mowing robot, so that the lawn mowing robot automatically performs the operation based on the target working area.

[0188] Optionally, the control device of the lawn mowing robot further includes: a map display module, which is used to:

[0189] When the operation mode is the first mode, generating a first work map based on the first path;

[0190] Showing the first working map to the user;

[0191] When the operation mode is the second mode, generating a second work map based on the second path;

[0192] The second working map is displayed to the user.

[0193] Optionally, the control device of the lawn mowing robot further includes a jump module, which is used to:

[0194] When any of the stop indication information, restart indication information, and lift-up interrupt indication information is received, jump to the step of setting the robot's operating mode. The stop indication information is used to instruct the lawn mowing robot to stop working, the restart indication information is used to instruct the lawn mowing robot to restart, and the lift-up interrupt indication information is used to instruct the lawn mowing robot to interrupt working when the lawn mowing robot is lifted off the ground.

[0195] In summary, the lawn mower robot in the embodiment of the present application includes: a first mode, a second mode, and a third mode, wherein the second mode is safer than the first and third modes, and the first mode is safer than the third mode. The three modes correspond to different operating modes of the lawn mower robot, and can be flexibly adjusted according to safety requirements and usage requirements by setting the operating mode of the lawn mower robot. When the operating mode is the first mode, a first path is generated based on the outer contour boundary of the target mowing area, and the lawn mower robot is controlled to operate based on the first path. When the operating mode is the second mode, a custom path is obtained and the lawn mower robot is controlled to move along the custom path to generate a second path. The lawn mower robot is controlled to operate based on the second path, increasing human-machine interaction and making the lawn mower robot suitable for more work scenarios. When the operating mode is the third mode, the lawn mower robot is controlled to automatically operate in the target work area. This mode has the lowest safety but higher usability. Utilizing the method of the present application, the lawn mower robot can meet safety requirements while improving its usability and flexibility, making it applicable to more work scenarios.

[0196] Furthermore, based on the target mowing area, it is determined which mode the mowing robot should be set to, and the clarity of the outer contour boundary of the target mowing area is compared with the clarity threshold, and the operating mode of the mowing robot is set to the first mode or the second mode. In the case that the target mowing area is surrounded by multiple partitions, the operating mode of the mowing robot is set to the third mode. The corresponding mode is flexibly selected according to the actual situation of the grass in the target mowing area, thereby improving the usability of the mowing robot.

[0197] It should be noted that the apparatus provided in the above embodiments is merely exemplified by the division of the above functional modules. In actual applications, the above functions can be distributed among different functional modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the apparatus can be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. In addition, the apparatus and method embodiments provided in the above embodiments are based on the same concept. The implementation process is detailed in the method embodiments and will not be repeated here.

[0198] An embodiment of the present invention further provides an autonomous operation system, including autonomous operation equipment, a docking station, and a boundary.

[0199] The autonomous operating equipment is especially an autonomous operating equipment that can move autonomously within a preset area and perform specific operations, such as a smart sweeper / vacuum cleaner that performs cleaning operations, or a lawn mower robot 110 that performs mowing operations. Among them, the specific operation especially refers to an operation that processes the working surface and changes the state of the working surface. The present invention is described in detail using the lawn mower robot 110 as an example. The autonomous operating equipment can autonomously walk on the surface of the working area, and in particular, as a lawn mower robot 110, it can autonomously perform mowing operations on the ground. The autonomous operating equipment includes at least a main body mechanism, a moving mechanism, a working mechanism, an energy module, a detection module, an interaction module, a control module, etc. The control module is used to execute the aforementioned control method.

[0200] The main body typically includes a chassis and a housing. The chassis is used to mount and accommodate functional mechanisms and modules such as the mobile mechanism, working mechanism, energy module, detection module, interaction module, and control module. The housing is typically configured to at least partially cover the chassis, primarily serving to enhance the aesthetics and recognizability of the autonomous operating device. In this embodiment, the housing is configured to be repositionable relative to the chassis in translation and / or rotation under the action of an external force. In conjunction with an appropriate detection module, such as, for example, a Hall effect sensor, it can further serve to sense events such as collisions and lifts.

[0201] The mobile mechanism is configured to support the main body mechanism on the ground and drive the main body mechanism to move on the ground, and generally includes a wheeled mobile mechanism, a crawler or semi-crawler mobile mechanism, and a walking mobile mechanism. In the present embodiment, the mobile mechanism is a wheeled mobile mechanism, comprising at least one drive wheel and at least one travel prime mover. The travel prime mover is preferably an electric motor, and in other embodiments, it may also be an internal combustion engine or a machine that uses other types of energy to generate power. In the present embodiment, a left drive wheel, a left travel prime mover that drives the left drive wheel, a right drive wheel, and a right travel prime mover that drives the right drive wheel are preferably provided. In the present embodiment, the straight-line travel of the autonomous operating equipment is achieved by the left and right drive wheels rotating in the same direction and at the same speed, and the steering travel is achieved by the left and right drive wheels rotating in the same direction and at a different speed or in opposite directions. In other embodiments, the mobile mechanism may further include a steering mechanism independent of the drive wheels and a steering prime mover independent of the travel prime mover. In this embodiment, the moving mechanism further includes at least one driven wheel, which is typically configured as a universal wheel. The driving wheel and the driven wheel are respectively located at the front and rear ends of the autonomous operating equipment.

[0202] The working mechanism is constructed to perform specific work tasks, including a working part and a working prime mover that drives the working part. For example, for an intelligent sweeper / vacuum cleaner, the working part includes a roller brush, a suction pipe, a dust collection chamber, etc.; for a lawn mower robot 110, the working part includes a cutting blade or a cutting disc, and further includes other components such as a height adjustment mechanism for adjusting the mowing height to optimize or adjust the mowing effect. The working prime mover is preferably an electric motor, and in other embodiments it can also be an internal combustion engine or a machine that uses other types of energy to generate power. In some other embodiments, the working prime mover and the walking prime mover 110 are constructed as the same prime mover.

[0203] The energy module is configured to provide energy for various operations of the autonomous operating device. In this embodiment, the energy module includes a battery and a charging connection structure, wherein the battery is preferably a rechargeable battery and the charging connection structure is preferably a charging electrode that can be exposed outside the autonomous operating device.

[0204] The detection module is constructed as at least one sensor that senses the environmental parameters of the autonomous operating equipment or its own working parameters. Typically, the detection module may include sensors related to the definition of the working area, such as magnetic induction, collision, ultrasonic, infrared, radio and other types, and the sensor type is adapted to the position and quantity of the corresponding signal generating device. The detection module may also include sensors related to positioning and navigation, such as GPS positioning devices, laser positioning devices, electronic compasses, acceleration sensors, odometers, angle sensors, geomagnetic sensors, etc. The detection module may also include sensors related to its own working safety, such as obstacle sensors, lifting sensors, battery pack temperature sensors, etc. The detection module may also include sensors related to the external environment, such as ambient temperature sensors, ambient humidity sensors, light sensors, rain sensors, etc.

[0205] The interaction module is constructed to at least receive control command information input by the user, send information that needs to be perceived by the user, communicate with other systems or devices to send and receive information, etc. In this embodiment, the interaction module includes a communication module provided on the autonomous operating equipment and a terminal device independent of the autonomous operating equipment, such as a mobile phone, a computer, a network server, etc. The user's control command information or other information can be input on the terminal device and reach the autonomous operating equipment via a wired or wireless communication module. The terminal device can also receive information sent from the autonomous operating equipment. In other embodiments, the interaction module includes an input device provided on the autonomous operating equipment for receiving control command information input by the user, typically such as a control panel, an emergency stop button, etc.; the interaction module may also include a display screen, an indicator light and / or a buzzer provided on the autonomous operating equipment, which enables the user to perceive information by emitting light or sound.

[0206] The control module typically includes at least one processor and at least one non-volatile memory. The memory stores a pre-written computer program or instruction set. The processor controls the movement, operation, and other actions of the autonomous operating device according to the program or instruction set. Furthermore, the control module can control and adjust the behavior of the autonomous operating device and modify parameters stored in the memory based on signals from the detection module and / or user control instructions.

[0207] The boundary defines the operating area of ​​the autonomous working equipment system, and the autonomous working equipment is confined to move and operate within the boundary. The docking station is typically constructed on or within the boundary for the autonomous working equipment to dock, and in particular, is capable of supplying energy to the autonomous working equipment docked at the docking station. In some embodiments, the autonomous working system may not include a docking station.

[0208] Please refer to Figure 9, which shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal device provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application. Specifically, the terminal device includes a central processing unit (CPU), a system memory including random access memory and read-only memory, and a system bus connecting the system memory and the CPU. The terminal device also includes a basic input / output system (I / O system) that facilitates information transmission between various components within the terminal device, and a mass storage device for storing an operating system, application programs, and other program modules.

[0209] The basic input / output system includes a display for displaying information and input devices such as a mouse and keyboard for user input. The display and input devices are connected to the central processing unit via an input / output controller connected to the system bus. The basic input / output system may also include an input / output controller for receiving and processing input from a variety of other devices such as a keyboard, mouse, or electronic stylus. Similarly, the input / output controller also provides output to a display screen, printer, or other types of output devices.

[0210] The mass storage device is connected to the central processing unit via a mass storage controller connected to the system bus. The mass storage device and its associated computer-readable medium provide non-volatile storage for the terminal device. In other words, the mass storage device may include a computer-readable medium such as a hard disk or a drive.

[0211] Without loss of generality, the computer-readable medium may include computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Computer storage media include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory or other solid-state storage technologies, compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices. Of course, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the computer storage media are not limited to the aforementioned types. The above-mentioned system memory and mass storage devices may be collectively referred to as memory.

[0212] The memory stores one or more programs, and the one or more programs are configured to be executed by one or more central processing units. The one or more programs contain instructions for implementing the above-mentioned method. The central processing unit executes the one or more programs to implement the control method of the lawn mowing robot provided by each of the above-mentioned method embodiments.

[0213] According to various embodiments of the present application, the terminal device may also be connected to a remote computer on a network via a network such as the Internet. That is, the terminal device may be connected to a network via a network interface unit connected to the system bus, or the terminal device may be connected to other types of networks or remote computer systems using a network interface unit.

[0214] An embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium, in which at least one instruction is stored. The at least one instruction is loaded and executed by a processor to implement the control method of the lawn mowing robot described in the above embodiment.

[0215] Optionally, the computer-readable storage medium may include: ROM, RAM, solid state drives (SSDs), or optical disks, etc. Among them, RAM may include resistance random access memory (ReRAM) and dynamic random access memory (DRAM).

[0216] The present invention provides a computer program product or computer program, which includes computer instructions stored in a computer-readable storage medium. A processor of a computer device reads the computer instructions from the computer-readable storage medium and executes the computer instructions, causing the computer device to perform the control method of the lawn mowing robot described in the above embodiment.

[0217] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps to implement the above embodiments may be accomplished by hardware, or by a program to instruct the relevant hardware, and the program may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, which may be a read-only memory, a disk, or an optical disk, etc.

[0218] In this specification, the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. In particular, for the embodiments described later, the description is relatively simple, and the relevant parts can be referred to the partial description of the previous embodiments.

[0219] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present application should be included in the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A control method for a lawn mowing robot, characterized in that: The method comprises: The lawn mowing robot includes: a first mode, a second mode and a third mode; Setting the operating mode of the lawn mowing robot; When the operation mode is the first mode, generating a first path based on an outer contour boundary of a target mowing area; controlling the lawn mowing robot to perform operation based on the first path; When the operation mode is the second mode, obtaining a custom path; controlling the lawn mowing robot to move along the custom path to generate a second path; controlling the lawn mowing robot to operate based on the second path; When the operation mode is the third mode, the lawn mowing robot is controlled to automatically operate in the target working area.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The setting of the operation mode of the lawn mowing robot includes: When the clarity of the outer contour boundary of the target mowing area is greater than or equal to a clarity threshold, setting the operation mode of the mowing robot to the first mode; When the clarity of the outer contour boundary is less than the clarity threshold, setting the operation mode of the lawn mowing robot to the second mode; In a case where a plurality of partitions are arranged around the target mowing area, the operation mode of the mowing robot is set to the third mode.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that When the lawn mowing machine is in the first mode, generating the first path based on the outer contour boundary of the target mowing area includes: sending a first moving instruction to the lawn mowing robot to enable the lawn mowing robot to move along the outer contour boundary and record first moving information; acquiring the first travel information; The first path is generated based on the first travel information.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein Before controlling the lawn mowing robot to operate based on the first path, the method further includes: receiving a first confirmation instruction message sent by a user; generating a first confirmation instruction based on the first confirmation instruction information; The controlling the lawn mowing robot to perform an operation based on the first path includes: The first confirmation instruction is sent to the lawn mowing robot, so that the lawn mowing robot performs the operation based on the first path.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein When the lawn mowing robot is in the second mode, obtaining the custom path includes: sending a second travel instruction to the lawn mowing robot to make the lawn mowing robot travel in the user's intended direction and record second travel information; acquiring the second travel information; generating the custom route based on the second travel information; Get the custom path.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The controlling the lawn mowing robot to move along the custom path to generate the second path includes: sending a third travel instruction to the lawn mowing robot to enable the lawn mowing robot to travel along the custom path and record third travel information; The third travel information is acquired to generate the second path based on the third travel information.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that Before controlling the mowing robot to operate based on the second path, the method further includes: performing a similarity comparison between the second path and the custom path to generate a comparison result; generating a second confirmation instruction if the comparison result indicates that the similarity between the second path and the custom path is greater than a similarity threshold; The controlling the lawn mowing robot to perform an operation based on the second path includes: The second confirmation instruction is sent to the lawn mowing robot, so that the lawn mowing robot performs the operation based on the second path.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: When the operation mode is the third mode, before controlling the mowing robot to automatically operate based on the target working area, the method further includes: generating a warning message, wherein the warning message is used to remind a user that the security of the third mode is lower than that of the first mode and the second mode; Displaying the warning information to the user; receiving a second confirmation instruction message sent by the user; generating a third confirmation instruction based on the second confirmation instruction information; The controlling the mowing robot to automatically perform an operation based on the target working area includes: The third confirmation instruction is sent to the lawn mowing robot, so that the lawn mowing robot automatically operates in the target working area.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The method further comprises: When the operation mode is the first mode, generating a first work map based on the first path; showing the first work map to the user; When the operation mode is the second mode, generating a second work map based on the second path; The second work map is displayed to the user.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The method further comprises: When any one of the stop indication information, restart indication information and lift-up interrupt indication information is received, jump to the step of setting the robot's operating mode, the stop indication information is used to instruct the lawn mowing robot to stop working, the restart indication information is used to instruct the lawn mowing robot to restart, and the lift-up interrupt indication information is used to instruct the lawn mowing robot to interrupt working when the lawn mowing robot is lifted off the ground.

11. A control device for a lawn mowing robot, characterized in that: The device comprises: A setting module, used for setting the operation mode of the lawn mowing robot; A first path generating module is configured to generate a first path based on an outer contour boundary of a target mowing area when the operation mode is the first mode; A first operation module, configured to control the mowing robot to operate based on the first path; A path acquisition module, configured to acquire a custom path when the operation mode is the second mode; a second path generating module, configured to control the mowing robot to move along the custom path to generate a second path; A second operation module, configured to control the mowing robot to operate based on the second path; The third operation module is used to control the mowing robot to automatically operate based on the target working area when the operation mode is the third mode.

12. A device, characterized in that include: A processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores at least one instruction, at least one program, a code set, or an instruction set, and the at least one instruction, the at least one program, the code set, or the instruction set is loaded and executed by the processor to implement the control method of the lawn mowing robot according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

13. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that The readable storage medium stores at least one instruction, and the at least one instruction is loaded and executed by the processor to implement the control method of the lawn mowing robot according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

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