Method and apparatus for determining operation direction, and garden operation device

Abstract

The present application belongs to the technical field of agricultural machinery. Provided are a method and apparatus for determining an operation direction, and a garden operation device. The method comprises: acquiring a satellite signal distribution of an operation area; when the satellite signal distribution meets a first preset condition, determining the long-side direction of the operation area as an operation direction; and when the satellite signal distribution does not meet the first preset condition, determining the operation direction on the basis of the satellite signal distribution. The method provided in the present application reduces the stay duration of a garden operation device in an area with poor satellite signals, thereby improving the operation efficiency of the garden operation device, also reducing operation errors or omissions caused by signal problems, and ensuring the operation quality.

Description

Method and device for determining working direction, and garden working equipment

[0001] The present application claims priority to the Chinese patent application No. 202411113739.3, filed on August 13, 2024 in the China Patent Office, and entitled "Method and device for determining working direction, and garden working equipment", the whole content of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present application belongs to the technical field of agricultural machinery, and in particular relates to a method and device for determining working direction, and garden working equipment. BACKGROUND

[0003] The garden working equipment autonomously moves in a working area and automatically performs a working task. After a user sets the working area or the garden working equipment automatically identifies the working area, the garden working equipment automatically establishes a map of the working area, plans a walking path on the map according to the working task, and then autonomously moves in the working area according to the planned walking path. A positioning device based on a satellite positioning system is arranged on the garden working equipment to provide positioning and navigation services for the movement of the garden working equipment in the working area. The satellite positioning system can be a global positioning system (GPS), a Beidou satellite navigation system, a Galileo satellite navigation system or a GLONASS satellite navigation satellite system, and the positioning device is a real-time kinematic (RTK) system.

[0004] During the operation of the garden operation equipment, the surrounding operation environment can be relatively complex and changeable, for example, sometimes in an open area without shelter, and sometimes in an area with tall buildings or vegetation shelter. For the open area without shelter, the satellite positioning signal is usually stable, and the satellite positioning information obtained based on the RTK positioning device determines the position information of the garden operation equipment, which has the advantage of small data processing amount. However, for the area with tall buildings or vegetation shelter, due to the existence of shelter, the satellite positioning signal in this area is poor in stability. At this time, if the position information is determined based on the satellite positioning information obtained by the RTK positioning device, the positioning will be inaccurate. And based on the inaccurate position information, the mower may deviate from the operation area and cause the cutter head to injure people or animals. Therefore, when the satellite signal is blocked, for example, the garden operation equipment is in a blind area, the RTK positioning is not available, the garden operation equipment needs to automatically switch to other positioning systems for positioning and subsequent operation, and after the RTK positioning is restored, the garden operation equipment automatically switches to the RTK positioning module. Since there is a cumulative error problem in the process of using other positioning systems for navigation, the garden operation equipment cannot rely on other navigation systems for a long time, that is, the time spent in the area where the satellite positioning signal is unstable needs to be reduced.

[0005] In summary, a method for reducing the time spent by the garden operation equipment in the area where the satellite positioning signal is unstable is needed to ensure the operation efficiency and operation quality. TECHNICAL PROBLEM

[0006] Therefore, the embodiments of the present application provide a method and device for determining the operation direction and a garden operation equipment, which can reduce the time spent by the garden operation equipment in the area where the satellite positioning signal is unstable, so as to ensure the operation efficiency and operation quality. TECHNICAL SOLUTION

[0007] The first aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a method for determining the operation direction, comprising:

[0008] obtaining the satellite signal distribution of the operation area;

[0009] when the satellite signal distribution meets the first preset condition, determining the long side direction of the operation area as the operation direction;

[0010] when the satellite signal distribution does not meet the first preset condition, determining the operation direction based on the satellite signal distribution.

[0011] The second aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a device for determining the operation direction, comprising:

[0012] The input module is configured to acquire a satellite signal distribution of a work area.

[0013] The first direction determination module is configured to determine a long side direction of the work area as the work direction when the satellite signal distribution meets a first preset condition.

[0014] The second direction determination module is configured to determine the work direction based on the satellite signal distribution when the satellite signal distribution does not meet the first preset condition.

[0015] A third aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a garden work equipment, comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, and the processor implements the steps of the method for determining the work direction provided by the first aspect of the embodiments of the present application when executing the computer program.

[0016] A fourth aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a computer readable storage medium, which stores a computer program, and the computer program is executable by a processor to implement the steps of the method for determining the work direction provided by the first aspect of the embodiments of the present application.

[0017] The method for determining the work direction provided by the first aspect of the embodiments of the present application acquires a satellite signal distribution of a work area, determines a long side direction of the work area as the work direction when the satellite signal distribution meets a first preset condition, and determines the work direction based on the satellite signal distribution when the satellite signal distribution does not meet the first preset condition. The method reduces the staying time of the garden work equipment in a satellite signal poor area, thereby improving the work efficiency of the garden work equipment, and reducing work errors or omissions caused by signal problems, and ensuring the work quality.

[0018] It can be understood that the beneficial effects of the second aspect to the fourth aspect can be referred to the related description in the first aspect, which will not be repeated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0019] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments or prior art description. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor.

[0020] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a method for determining a work direction according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method for determining a working direction according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0022] FIG. 3 is a diagram of a satellite signal distribution according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0023] FIG. 4 is a diagram of a satellite signal distribution according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0024] FIG. 5 is a diagram of a satellite signal distribution according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0025] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a method for determining a working direction according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0026] FIG. 7 is a diagram of a satellite signal distribution according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0027] FIG. 8 is a diagram of a satellite signal distribution according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0028] FIG. 9 is a diagram of a satellite signal distribution according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0029] FIG. 10 is a diagram of a satellite signal distribution according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0030] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of a method for determining a working direction according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0031] FIG. 12 is a diagram of a satellite signal distribution according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0032] FIG. 13 is a diagram of a satellite signal distribution according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0033] FIG. 14 is a diagram of a satellite signal distribution according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0034] FIG. 15 is a diagram of a satellite signal distribution according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0035] FIG. 16 is a diagram of a satellite signal distribution according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0036] FIG. 17 is a diagram of a satellite signal distribution according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0037] FIG. 18 is a diagram of a satellite signal distribution according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0038] FIG. 19 is a diagram of a satellite signal distribution according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0039] FIG. 20 is a diagram of a satellite signal distribution according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Fig. 21 is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Fig. 22 is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Fig. 23 is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Fig. 24 is a schematic diagram of a method for determining a working direction according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0044] Fig. 25 is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0045] Fig. 26 is a schematic diagram of satellite signal distribution according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0046] Fig. 27 is a schematic diagram of a determining device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0047] Fig. 28 is a schematic diagram of a garden working device according to an embodiment of the present application. Embodiments of the present application

[0048] In the following description, for purposes of explanation and not limitation, specific details are set forth, such as particular architectures, techniques, etc. in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present application. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present application can be practiced in other embodiments that depart from these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known methods, devices, circuits, and

[0049] It is to be understood that the terminology "includes", "has", "holds", "contains" and / or "comprising", when used in this specification and in the following claims, indicates the presence of the described features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0050] It is also to be understood that the terminology "and / or" when used in this specification and in the following claims, refers to at least one of the items, or any combination of the items, listed after the term in the various embodiments of the present application, and includes all possible combinations.

[0051] As used in the specification and the appended claims, the term "if' can be interpreted as meaning "when" or "upon" or "in response to determining" or "in response to detecting" depending on the context. Similarly, the phrase "if it is determined" or "if [the described condition or event] is detected" can be interpreted as meaning "upon determining" or "in response to determining" or "upon detecting [the described condition or event]" or "in response to detecting [the described condition or event]" depending on the context.

[0052] In addition, in the description of the present application and the appended claims, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are only used to distinguish the description and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0053] In the present application, the reference "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" and the like means that the specific features, structures or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment are included in one or more embodiments of the present application. Therefore, the statements "in one embodiment", "in some embodiments", "in other some embodiments", "in further some embodiments" and the like appearing in different places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but mean "one or more but not all embodiments", unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "include", "contain", "have" and their variants mean "include but not limited to", unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0054] The method for determining the working direction provided by the embodiments of the present application can be executed by the processor of the garden working equipment when running the computer program with corresponding functions, by acquiring the satellite signal distribution of the working area; when the satellite signal distribution meets the first preset condition, the long side direction 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. The staying time of the garden working equipment in the area with poor satellite signal is reduced, thereby improving the working efficiency of the garden working equipment, and reducing the working errors or omissions caused by signal problems, and ensuring the working quality.

[0055] In application, the garden working equipment can be a lawn trimmer, a mowing device, a harvester, a brush cutter, a grass beater, a grass digger, a rotary tiller, a seeder, a lawn roller machine, a rotary cutter and the like, and the embodiments of the present application do not make any limitation on the specific type of the garden working equipment.

[0056] The garden working equipment is provided with an RTK (Real-Time Kinematic, real-time dynamic carrier phase difference technology) positioning device. The working principle of the garden working equipment based on RTK positioning mainly relies on the high-precision differential positioning technology of the global positioning system (such as GPS, Beidou, etc.). This technology realizes centimeter-level positioning accuracy by combining the observation data of the reference station and the rover station (i.e. the garden working equipment). Specifically, the RTK system is composed of a reference station and a rover station. The reference station is usually installed in an open and well-ventilated place, and its precise position is known and continuously receives and records signals from GPS satellites. The rover station is the garden working equipment itself, which is also equipped with a GPS receiver for receiving satellite signals.

[0057] In work, the reference station transmits the observed satellite data (including pseudo-range and carrier phase observation value) and its precise position information to the rover station (garden working equipment) in real time through a data link (such as radio station, 4G / 5G network, etc.). The rover station also observes and receives satellite data while receiving reference station data. Then, the rover station uses the relative positioning principle to perform real-time differential operation on the satellite data received by the reference station and itself to eliminate satellite orbit errors, satellite clock errors, atmospheric delays and other common errors, thereby calculating the three-dimensional coordinates and accuracy of the rover station (garden working equipment).

[0058] When the garden working equipment is located in an area with good satellite signal quality, the garden working equipment can rely on the satellite data captured by the RTK positioning device for positioning. However, in areas with poor satellite signal quality, the garden working equipment cannot rely on the satellite data captured by the RTK positioning device for accurate positioning. Therefore, in order to ensure that the garden working equipment can achieve efficient and accurate navigation and control in various complex working environments, other sensing devices (such as visual sensing devices, laser radars, odometers and inertial measurement units (IMU), etc.) are also provided on the garden working equipment for positioning to ensure that the garden working equipment can achieve accurate positioning in areas with poor satellite signal quality.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 1, the method for determining the working direction provided by the embodiments of the present application is applied to the above garden working equipment, which includes the following steps S101-S103:

[0060] Step S101, acquiring the satellite signal distribution of the working area.

[0061] In the application, the lawn mower robot is taken as an example to illustrate the embodiments of the present application. For the lawn mower robot based on RTK positioning, the satellite signal strength distribution of the working area needs to be acquired from the historical map. The method for acquiring the satellite signal strength distribution from the historical map can adopt the following steps:

[0062] Step S1011, data collection: First, the historical map is called up from the lawn mower robot app (the historical map is taken as a grid map for example to illustrate the embodiments of the present application), and the historical map includes the satellite signal distribution of each grid on the map.

[0063] Step S1012, data preprocessing: After collecting the satellite signal distribution information of each position on the map, the satellite signal distribution information is preprocessed, including data cleaning, denoising, filtering, etc., to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data.

[0064] Step S1013, feature extraction: features related to satellite signal strength are extracted from the preprocessed data, such as average signal strength, maximum signal strength, signal fluctuation, minimum signal strength, etc.

[0065] Step S1014, model training: using appropriate machine learning algorithms, a model capable of predicting satellite signal strength is trained according to historical map data and satellite signal strength features.

[0066] Step S1015, prediction and generation: using the trained model, new map data is predicted to generate a satellite signal strength distribution map for each position.

[0067] Step S1016, optimization and update: according to the needs of actual application, the model is constantly optimized and updated to improve the accuracy and adaptability of the prediction.

[0068] 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.

[0069] In application, the first preset condition is set according to at least one of signal strength, signal quality, signal uniformity, signal coverage percentage, etc. For example, the first preset condition can be any one or a combination of more than one of signal strength higher than a preset strength, signal quality higher than a preset signal quality, signal uniformity higher than a preset uniformity, and signal coverage percentage greater than a preset coverage percentage.

[0070] In application, the satellite signal distribution meeting the first preset condition means that the satellite signal distribution of the work area meets the first preset condition. That is, when the satellite signal of the work area meets the first preset condition, the long side direction of the work area is determined as the work direction. This step can reduce the number of turns of the lawn mower robot, so that the lawn mower robot works as straight as possible, thereby improving the mowing efficiency and reducing the mowing errors or omissions caused by signal problems.

[0071] In application, if the satellite signal distribution conditions all do not satisfy the first preset condition, that is, all the satellite signal distribution conditions are poor, the short side direction can be taken as the operation direction, so that the staying time in the area can be reduced when the satellite signal quality is poor, the operation efficiency of the garden operation equipment is improved, the operation errors or omissions caused by signal problems are reduced, and the operation quality is ensured.

[0072] In step S103, when the satellite signal distribution conditions do not satisfy the first preset condition, the operation direction is determined based on the satellite signal distribution conditions.

[0073] In application, the satellite signal distribution conditions do not satisfy the first preset condition, that is, only part of the satellite signals in the operation area satisfy the first preset condition, at this time, the operation area has both good satellite signals and poor satellite signals. The satellite signals in these areas with poor quality are relatively weak due to the shielding of buildings, trees or other obstacles. The operation direction can be determined based on the size and other parameters of the weak satellite signal area. Through the above manner, the operation direction of the lawn mower robot is planned according to the distribution of the satellite signals, the staying time in the area can be reduced when the satellite signal quality is poor, so that the operation efficiency of the garden operation equipment is improved, the operation errors or omissions caused by signal problems are reduced, and the operation quality is ensured.

[0074] In the face of satellite signal fluctuations and instability caused by factors such as geography, climate, and building shielding, traditional methods often cannot cope. The embodiments of the present application analyze the distribution of satellite signals in the operation area as a key basis for determining the operation direction. When the signal distribution reaches the preset reference condition (i.e., the first preset condition), the long side of the area is directly taken as the operation direction; if the signal distribution does not satisfy the condition, the specific distribution characteristics of the signal are analyzed in depth, and the best operation direction is flexibly adjusted and determined.

[0075] By introducing the signal distribution evaluation mechanism, intelligent and dynamic adjustment of the operation direction is realized, the technical problem of how to accurately and intelligently determine the operation direction in different satellite signal environments is solved, the determination of the operation direction is more accurate and efficient, which helps to improve the overall efficiency and effect of the operation.

[0076] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2, step S103 includes steps S201 to S203:

[0077] In step S201, based on the satellite signal distribution conditions, the satellite signal weak area satisfying the second preset condition is obtained.

[0078] In applications, the satellite signal weak area is an area in which the received satellite signal is relatively weak due to the obstruction of buildings, trees or other obstacles. A signal strength threshold can be set, and the area below the threshold is regarded as a satellite signal weak area. By analyzing the satellite signal strength data, the area with signal strength below the threshold, i.e. the satellite signal weak area, is marked.

[0079] In applications, the second preset condition can be that the size of the satellite signal weak area is greater than a preset size, which can be at least one of the length, area, side length of the satellite signal weak area. For example, the preset size can be 3m*3m, and the satellite signal weak area with each side length greater than 3m can be regarded as a satellite signal weak area satisfying the second preset condition. The preset size can also be an area of 9㎡, and the satellite signal weak area with an area greater than 9㎡ can be regarded as a satellite signal weak area satisfying the second preset condition. The preset size can be a perimeter of 12m, and the satellite signal weak area with a perimeter greater than 12m can be regarded as a satellite signal weak area satisfying the second preset condition. The second preset condition can also be that the aspect ratio of the satellite signal weak area is greater than a preset aspect ratio, for example, when the preset aspect ratio is 5, the satellite signal weak area with an aspect ratio greater than 5 is obtained. The second preset condition can also be a regular-shaped satellite signal weak area, such as a rectangle.

[0080] In step S202, the size of the satellite weak area is obtained.

[0081] In applications, the size of the satellite weak area can be the length of the side length; it can also be the area or perimeter of the satellite weak area, etc. When the satellite weak area is irregularly shaped, the size of the satellite weak area can be obtained by drawing an external rectangle of the satellite weak area, and the size of the external rectangle is taken as the size of the satellite weak area. The size of the satellite weak area can also be calculated by integral operation.

[0082] In step S203, the operation direction is determined according to the size of the satellite signal weak area.

[0083] In applications, the operation direction includes a first direction and a second direction, and the first direction and the second direction can be perpendicular or not perpendicular. In some examples, the first direction or the second direction is the coordinate axis direction of the historical map (for example, the direction indicated by the X axis is taken as the first direction, and the direction indicated by the Y axis is taken as the second direction, or the direction indicated by the X axis is taken as the second direction, and the direction indicated by the Y axis is taken as the first direction). In some examples, the first direction and the second direction are respectively the long and short side directions of the satellite signal weak area.

[0084] The embodiment of the present application is used to solve the problem that the work in the area with poor signal needs to rely on other navigation systems, thus causing accumulated error and affecting work efficiency and quality. The satellite signal weak area which has greater influence on work is obtained by acquiring the satellite signal weak area which meets the second preset condition. The optimal work direction is determined by analyzing the size of the satellite signal weak area, so as to reduce the work time in the satellite signal weak area, reduce the stay time in the satellite signal weak area, and reduce the accumulated error caused by long-term work relying on other navigation systems.

[0085] In some embodiments, step S203 includes steps S211 and S212 as follows:

[0086] In step S211, the maximum length of the satellite signal weak area in the first direction and the maximum length of the satellite signal weak area in the second direction are obtained.

[0087] In application, the maximum satellite signal weak area has the greatest influence on work among the satellite signal weak areas. The maximum satellite signal weak area is taken as the object for determining the work direction, which can maximize the reduction of computational complexity and improve work efficiency under the premise of ensuring a certain accuracy.

[0088] In application, the distribution area of the satellite signal can include multiple rows and / or multiple columns in the grid map, and each row of grids represents a row or a column. The maximum length obtained by comparing the length of each row of the satellite signal weak area in the first direction is the maximum length of a single row in the first direction. The maximum length obtained by comparing the length of each row of the satellite signal weak area in the second direction is the maximum length of a single row in the second direction.

[0089] In step S212, the direction indicated by the smaller one of the maximum length of a single row of the maximum satellite signal weak area in the first direction and the maximum length of a single row of the maximum satellite signal weak area in the second direction is determined as the work direction.

[0090] In application, as shown in FIG. 3, the area B is the maximum satellite signal weak area. When each grid is 1*1 m, the maximum length of a single row of the area B in the first direction (such as the direction shown by the x-axis) is 5 m, and the maximum length of a single row of the area B in the second direction (such as the direction shown by the Y-axis) is 12 m. At this time, the direction corresponding to 5 m, i.e., the first direction (the direction shown by the x-axis), is taken as the work direction.

[0091] The embodiment of the present application determines the direction indicated by the smaller one of the maximum length of a single row in the first direction and the maximum length of a single row in the second direction as the working direction, that is, the direction of the maximum satellite signal weak area with a shorter length is taken as the working direction, so that the mowing robot can reduce the moving distance in this direction as much as possible when passing through the area, reduce the residence time of the garden working equipment in the satellite signal weak area, thereby improving the working efficiency of the garden working equipment, reducing the working errors or omissions caused by signal problems, and ensuring the working quality.

[0092] In some embodiments, step S203 includes steps S213 and S214 as follows:

[0093] In step S213, the total length of all rows of the maximum satellite signal weak area in the first direction and the total length of all rows in the second direction are obtained.

[0094] In applications, the mowing robot will work in two main directions, including the first direction and the second direction, which can be perpendicular or not. The first direction or the second direction is the coordinate axis direction of the historical map, for example, the first direction is the direction indicated by the X axis of the historical map, and the second direction is the direction indicated by the Y axis of the historical map. When there are multiple satellite signal weak areas, the total length of all rows of the maximum satellite signal weak area in the first direction and the total length of all rows in the second direction are obtained.

[0095] In step S214, the direction indicated by the smaller one of the total length of all rows of the maximum satellite signal weak area in the first direction and the total length of all rows in the second direction is determined as the working direction.

[0096] In applications, as shown in FIG. 4, the area B is the maximum satellite signal weak area, and since the boundary of the area B in the second direction is located at the boundary of the mowing area, the total length of all rows of the area B in the first direction is L1=10*2*5=100m (since the area B is located at the boundary of the working area, if the first direction is taken as the mowing direction, it is easy to not move to the area with better satellite signal when working on the adjacent two rows, so when calculating the length of the row in the first direction, the row crossing the boundary of the working area needs to be added with an influence weight, such as multiplying the length of all rows by 2 in this application), and the total length of all rows of the area B in the second direction is L2=5*10=50m, so the second direction indicated by 50m is taken as the working direction.

[0097] In applications, for a specific case that neither region A nor region B is located 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), then it may not be accurate enough to determine the moving direction of the mowing robot (whether to move in the first direction or in the second direction) simply by relying on the total lengths. In this case, the work direction can be determined in other ways in the present application or some special means can be used to adjust the calculated value. For example, the weights of the 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 lengths of the rows and columns is equal.

[0098] In order to solve the problem that the work in the area with poor signal needs to rely on other navigation systems, thereby accumulating errors and affecting the work efficiency and quality, the embodiment of the present application uses the sum of the maximum single row length in the first direction and the sum of the maximum single row length in the second direction of all satellite signal weak areas as the basis for determining the work direction, and uses the direction indicated by the smaller one of the sums of the lengths of all rows as the work direction, thereby reducing the length of stay in the satellite signal weak area. Especially for irregular satellite signal areas, such as a single row with a large length and the rest of the rows with small lengths, an optimized work direction can be found, which has higher accuracy.

[0099] In some embodiments, step S203 includes steps S215 and S216 as follows:

[0100] Step S215: obtaining the sum of the maximum single row length in the first direction and the sum of the maximum single row length in the second direction of part or all satellite signal weak areas.

[0101] In applications, the length of each row in the first direction of each satellite signal weak area can be calculated, and the maximum value is selected as the maximum single row length of the satellite signal weak area. The sum of the maximum single row lengths in the first direction of each satellite signal weak area is obtained, and the sum of the maximum single row lengths in the second direction of all satellite signal weak areas is obtained in the same way.

[0102] In applications, it can be decided whether to select all satellite signal weak areas or only part of the areas for calculation. When selecting part of the satellite signal weak areas, it can be decided which areas to participate in the calculation according to their size, position or other factors. For the part of the satellite signal weak areas participating in the calculation, the sum of the maximum single row length in the first direction and the sum of the maximum single row length in the second direction of the part of the satellite signal weak areas can be calculated by using the above method.

[0103] In the application, as shown in FIG. 3, it is assumed that there are two satellite signal weak areas in the work area: area A and area B. The maximum length of area A in the first direction (X-axis direction) is calculated as 4 meters, and the maximum length in the second direction (Y-axis direction) is calculated as 6 meters. The maximum length of area B in the first direction (X-axis direction) is calculated as 5 meters, and the maximum length in the second direction (Y-axis direction) is calculated as 12 meters. If all satellite signal weak areas are selected for calculation, then the maximum length sum of a single row in the first direction is 4+5=9 meters, and the maximum length sum of a single row in the second direction is 6+12=18 meters.

[0104] In step S216, the direction indicated by the smaller one of the maximum length sum of a single row in the first direction and the maximum length sum of a single row in the second direction of the part or all satellite signal weak areas is determined as the work direction.

[0105] In the application, the above example is continued to be used for illustration. Since the maximum length sum of a single row in the first direction is 9 meters, and the maximum length sum 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 work direction.

[0106] In order to avoid or reduce work in the satellite signal weak area as much as possible, the embodiments of the present application calculate the maximum length sum of a single row in the first direction and the second direction by taking part or all of the more representative satellite signal weak areas with larger area as the object, compare the calculated values, and select the direction indicated by the smaller one as the work direction, so that the signal influence of multiple areas can be further balanced, and a more optimized work direction can be found.

[0107] In some embodiments, step S203 includes steps S217 and S218 as follows:

[0108] In step S217, the total length sum of all rows in the first direction and the total length sum of all rows in the second direction of the part or all satellite signal weak areas are obtained.

[0109] In the application, for the part or all satellite signal weak areas, the length of each row in the first direction and the second direction of each satellite signal weak area is calculated respectively. The length of each row in the first direction of each satellite signal weak area is added to obtain the total length sum of all rows in the first direction of the part or all satellite signal weak areas. The length of each row in the second direction of each satellite signal weak area is added to obtain the total length sum of all rows in the second direction of the part or all satellite signal weak areas.

[0110] In the application, as shown in FIG. 5, there are two satellite signal weak areas A and B in total, for area A, there are 7 rows and 4 columns, each row in the first direction has a length of 4m, so each row in the second direction has a length of 7m; for area B, there are 5 rows and 10 columns, each row in the first direction has a length of 10m, so each row in the second direction has a length of 5m, so the total length of all rows in the first direction of area A and area B is TL1 = 4*7 + 10*2*5 = 147m (since area B is located at the boundary of the mowing area, if the first direction is taken as the mowing direction, it is easy to move to the area with better satellite signal when mowing the adjacent two rows, so when calculating the length of the row in the first direction, the row crossing the boundary of the mowing area needs to be added with an influence weight, such as multiplying the length of all rows by 2 in this application), the total length of all rows in the second direction of area A and area B is TL2 = 7*4 + 10*5 = 78m.

[0111] Step S218, the direction indicated by the smaller one of the total length of all rows in the first direction and the total length of all rows in the second direction of the part or all satellite signal weak areas is determined as the mowing direction.

[0112] 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 mowing direction. If TL2 is less than TL1, the second direction is selected as the mowing direction. If TL1 is equal to TL2, one direction can be selected as the mowing direction optionally, or other criteria are used to decide.

[0113] In the application, the above example is continued to be used for illustration, 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 mowing direction.

[0114] In the application, for a specific case that neither area A nor area B is located at the boundary of the entire mowing area, if the total length of all rows (horizontal direction) is equal to the total length of all columns (vertical direction), then simply relying on these total lengths to decide the walking direction of the mowing robot (whether to move in the first direction or in the second direction) can not be accurate enough. In this case, other ways in the application can be used to determine the mowing direction or some special means can be used to adjust the calculation value. For example, the weight of the row and column can be adjusted according to the actual shape and size of the mowing area; randomness can also be added in the path planning algorithm to break the symmetry when the total length of the row and column is equal.

[0115] In order to avoid or reduce the work in the satellite signal weak area as much as possible, the embodiment of the present application takes part of the larger representative satellite signal weak area or all of the satellite signal weak area as the object, calculates the total length of all rows in the first direction and the second direction, and further balances the signal influence of multiple areas. For the case of uneven satellite signal distribution or multiple satellite signal weak areas, especially for the irregular satellite signal area with a single row length being large and the rest row lengths being small, an optimized work direction can be found.

[0116] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 6, after obtaining the maximum length of a single row, the total length of all rows, the total length of the maximum length of a single row, and the total length of all rows in the corresponding direction, the following steps S301 to S304 are further included.

[0117] In step S301, the relative position relationship between the satellite signal weak area and the work area is obtained.

[0118] In application, the GIS (Geographic Information System) tool or the geometric processing function in the programming language can be used to analyze the relative position relationship between the satellite signal weak area and the work area, such as the distance and direction relationship between the two areas. In step S302, based on the relative position relationship between the satellite signal weak area and the work area, it is determined whether the satellite signal weak area and the work area have a common boundary.

[0119] In application, the relative position relationship can include whether there is a common boundary. Assuming that the work area is a rectangular area, the satellite signal weak area can be located inside the work area (i.e., there is no common boundary) or intersected (i.e., part of the boundary coincides with the work area). According to the intersection condition, the common boundary can be one, as shown in FIG. 7, two, as shown in FIG. 8, or three, as shown in FIG. 9. For the rectangular satellite signal weak area and the work area, when there are four common boundaries, it is considered that the entire work area is covered by the satellite signal weak area. At this time, since the satellite signal of the entire work area is poor, the short side direction can be directly taken as the work direction. When the satellite signal covering the entire work area is a high-quality signal, the long side direction can be directly taken as the work direction.

[0120] In step S303, if there is a common boundary, the length value of the row having an intersection point with the common boundary is increased.

[0121] In the application, when there is a common boundary, the mowing robot may directly enter the next row for work in the satellite signal weak area without passing through the area with strong signal, so the weight of the direction intersecting with the common boundary should be increased. That is, the length of the work row intersecting with the boundary of the satellite signal weak area is appropriately extended. For example, if the direction intersecting with the boundary of the satellite signal weak area is the first direction, the mowing robot may pass through the satellite signal weak area twice when working in the first direction. In order to ensure the accuracy of the calculation, the length sum of the row in the first direction can be multiplied by a weight factor (such as 2), and then the length sum of the adjusted first direction and the second direction is compared, and the direction with the smaller length sum is selected as the working direction.

[0122] In step S304, if there is no common boundary, the length value of each row is kept unchanged.

[0123] In order to ensure the rationality of the working direction, the embodiment of the application increases the weight of the length value of the direction intersecting with the common boundary, which can more accurately reflect the actual working time of the mowing robot in the satellite signal weak area, so as to better plan the working path and find a more optimized working direction.

[0124] In some embodiments, increasing the length value of the row passing through the common boundary includes:

[0125] The length value of the row intersecting with the common boundary is extended.

[0126] Since the satellite signal weak area and the working area have a common boundary, if the first direction is taken as the mowing direction, it is easy for the mowing robot to not move to the satellite signal good area when working in the adjacent two rows. Therefore, when calculating the length of the row in the first direction, the influence weight of the row passing through the boundary of the working area should be increased, so that the mowing robot stays in the satellite signal weak area for a shorter time.

[0127] In the application, as shown in FIG. 10, the area A has a common boundary with the working area, and the row intersecting with the common boundary is extended in the X direction. When calculating the maximum length of the single row, the total length sum of all rows, the total length sum of single rows, and the total length sum of all rows in the X direction of the area A, the length value can be extended by doubling the obtained length value. For example, the maximum length of the single row is originally 6m, and after the extension processing, it becomes 12m.

[0128] In some embodiments, before step S201, as shown in FIG. 11, the method further includes steps S401 to S403:

[0129] In step S401, based on the satellite signal distribution, the satellite signal weak area existing in the working area is obtained.

[0130] In applications, the RTK positioning device can be used to collect satellite signal strength data in the working area. A signal strength threshold is set, and the area below the threshold is considered as a satellite signal weak area. The satellite signal strength data is analyzed to mark the area with signal strength below the threshold, i.e. the satellite signal weak area.

[0131] Step S402, determine whether the adjacent satellite signal weak areas need to be merged or / and split.

[0132] In applications, in order to determine whether the adjacent satellite signal weak areas should be considered as a whole or need to be further subdivided, the distance or connectivity between the signal weak areas can be analyzed. For example, according to the trend of signal quality change, it is determined whether the adjacent areas should be considered as continuous weak areas, and the influence of terrain and physical obstacles is also considered to determine whether the adjacent weak areas need to be merged or split. For example, if two adjacent signal weak areas are very close and the signal distribution is similar, they may need to be merged into a larger area. Although two adjacent areas are close, there is a significant signal improvement area in between, so they may need to be split into independent areas. In addition, the distance between the adjacent satellite signal weak areas can also be used to determine whether they need to be merged or / and split.

[0133] Step S403, if the adjacent satellite signal weak areas need to be merged or / and split, then merge or / and split the adjacent satellite signal weak areas.

[0134] In applications, if it is decided to merge the adjacent satellite signal weak areas, these areas can be merged into a larger area by merging in a specified direction. If it is decided to split a larger satellite signal weak area, it can be split into several smaller areas according to its shape and size.

[0135] In order to balance the calculation efficiency and accuracy, the embodiments of the present application can reduce the number of weak areas that need to be considered when calculating the working direction by merging some adjacent satellite signal weak areas, thereby simplifying the length calculation process and improving the calculation efficiency. Splitting larger satellite signal weak areas can more accurately reflect the actual working path of the mower robot in the signal weak area, thereby refining the length calculation process and ensuring the calculation accuracy. By reasonably merging or splitting the signal weak areas, a balance between calculation efficiency and accuracy can be achieved, the subsequent processing steps can be simplified, and the path planning can be more accurate and efficient.

[0136] In some embodiments, step S402 includes steps S411 to S413:

[0137] Step S411, obtaining a first maximum interval and a first minimum interval in the first direction, and / or a second maximum interval and a second minimum interval in the second direction between the adjacent satellite signal weak areas.

[0138] In application, two reference directions are set, such as the first direction and the second direction. For each pair of adjacent satellite signal weak areas, the maximum interval and the minimum interval between them are calculated in the first direction, and / or for each pair of adjacent satellite signal weak areas, the maximum interval and the minimum interval between them are calculated in the second direction. The interval distance between the adjacent satellite signal weak areas can be obtained by using the distance measurement tool in the GIS software, or the distance between the boundaries of the two areas is calculated by using an algorithm, and the maximum value and the minimum value are taken as the first maximum interval and the first minimum interval in the first direction, and the second maximum interval and the second minimum interval in the second direction, respectively.

[0139] Suppose there are two adjacent satellite signal weak areas in the work area: area A and area B. In the first direction, the maximum interval between area A and area B is 10 meters, and the minimum interval is 11 meters. In the second direction, the maximum interval between area A and area B is 8 meters, and the minimum interval is 10 meters.

[0140] Step S412, 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 the adjacent satellite signal weak areas need to be merged.

[0141] In application, the first preset value is a standard for judging whether the maximum interval between two adjacent satellite signal weak areas is small enough to be considered as one area, which 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 satellite signal weak areas need to be merged.

[0142] Continuing to use the above example for illustration, suppose the first preset value is 9 meters, since the first maximum interval of area A and area B in the first direction is 10 meters, and the second maximum interval in the second direction is 8 meters, the second maximum interval (8 meters) is less than the first preset value (9 meters), so it is determined that area A and area B need to be merged.

[0143] Step S413, if the first minimum interval and the second minimum interval are both greater than or equal to the first preset value, it is determined that the adjacent satellite signal weak areas do not need to be merged.

[0144] Continuing with the above example, assume that the first preset value is 9 meters, and due to the first minimum interval of 11 meters in the first direction and the second minimum interval of 10 meters in the second direction, both of which are greater than 9 m, it is determined that there is no need to merge region A and region B.

[0145] To improve computational efficiency, the embodiments of the present application evaluate the degree of closeness between adjacent satellite signal weak regions by calculating the maximum interval and the minimum interval between these regions. If the maximum interval is less than the first preset value, it is considered that these regions should be merged, otherwise they remain independent. In this way, the present method can more quickly determine whether adjacent regions should be merged, improving computational efficiency. In addition, by setting the first preset value, the merging criteria can be flexibly adjusted, making the merging decision more reasonable, so that the influence of satellite signal weak regions can be more accurately avoided in path planning. The lawn mowing robot or other automated equipment can more reasonably merge adjacent regions, achieving a balance between computational efficiency and computational accuracy, simplifying subsequent processing steps, and ensuring more accurate and efficient path planning.

[0146] In some embodiments, step S402 includes steps S414-S416 as follows:

[0147] Step S414: Obtain the sum of intervals of all rows in the first direction and / or the sum of intervals of all rows in the second direction between adjacent satellite signal weak regions.

[0148] In applications, for each pair of adjacent satellite signal weak regions, the sum of intervals of all rows between them is calculated in the first direction, and / or for each pair of adjacent satellite signal weak regions, the sum of intervals of all rows between them is calculated in the second direction.

[0149] In some applications, when adjacent satellite signal weak regions are staggered in the first direction (e.g., X direction) but not in the second direction (e.g., Y direction), the maximum interval in the Y direction or the sum of intervals of all rows between adjacent satellite signal weak regions in the Y direction can be obtained, and if it is less than or equal to the second preset value, it is determined that adjacent satellite signal weak regions need to be merged.

[0150] As shown in FIG. 12, assume that there are two adjacent satellite signal weak regions in the work area: region A and region B. In the first direction, region A and region B both have 5 rows, and the intervals of rows 1-5 are all 3 meters. The sum of intervals of all rows in the first direction is 3*5 = 15 meters. At this time, region A and region B are staggered in the first direction, and the intervals of all rows in the second direction are not considered, only the first direction is included in the calculation.

[0151] 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 the second preset value, it is determined that the adjacent satellite signal weak areas need to be merged.

[0152] In application, the sum of the intervals of all rows in the first direction is compared with the second preset value, the sum of the intervals of all rows in the second direction is compared with the second preset value, and 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 the adjacent satellite signal weak areas need to be merged.

[0153] Continuing to use the previous example for illustration, the sum of the intervals of all rows in the first direction is 15 meters. Assuming that 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 the areas A and B need to be merged, as shown in FIG. 13, and after merging, the area A+B is formed.

[0154] 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, it is determined that the adjacent satellite signal weak areas do not need to be merged.

[0155] In application, the sum of the intervals of all rows in the first direction is compared with the second preset value, the sum of the intervals of all rows in the second direction is compared with the second preset value, and 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 the adjacent satellite signal weak areas need to be merged.

[0156] Continuing to use the previous example for illustration, assuming that 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, we determine that the areas A and B do not need to be merged.

[0157] In order to balance the calculation efficiency and calculation accuracy, the embodiment of the application evaluates the close degree between adjacent satellite signal weak areas by calculating the sum of the intervals of all rows, if the total interval sum is less than the second preset value, it is considered that these areas should be merged, otherwise they remain independent. This method can more comprehensively reflect the actual connection between the two areas, avoiding the errors that may occur when only the maximum or minimum interval is used to make decisions. In addition, by setting the second preset value, the merging standard can be flexibly adjusted, making the merging decision more reasonable, so that the lawn mower robot or other automated equipment can more reasonably merge adjacent areas, balance the calculation efficiency and calculation accuracy, simplify the subsequent processing steps, and ensure more accurate and efficient path planning.

[0158] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 14, when adjacent weak satellite signal regions are not separated in either the first direction (e.g., the X direction) or the second direction (e.g., the 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, the two regions are merged in the Y direction, as shown in Figure 15. Alternatively, the maximum interval in the X direction or the sum of the intervals of all rows between adjacent weak satellite signal regions can be obtained. If it is less than or equal to a second preset value, the two adjacent regions are merged in the X direction, as shown in Figure 16. If both the X and Y directions are less than or equal to the second preset value, the two regions are merged simultaneously in both the X and Y directions, as shown in Figure 17. In this case, the merged region A and B forms an enclosing trend, and the enclosed middle region needs to be merged with regions A and B to form a complete region, as shown in Figure 18.

[0159] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG19, when adjacent weak satellite signal regions are staggered in both the first direction (e.g., the X direction) and the second direction (e.g., the Y direction), they are not merged.

[0160] In some embodiments, step S402 includes the following steps S417 to S419:

[0161] Step S417: Determine whether the area with weak satellite signal forms an enclosed area.

[0162] 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.

[0163] 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.

[0164] 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.

[0165] As shown in FIG. 20, it is assumed that there are three satellite signal weak areas in the working area: area A, area B, area C and area D. Area A, area B, area C and area D are distributed at different positions of the working area, area A and area B are adjacent, area B and area C are adjacent, area C and area D are adjacent, and area C and area A are not directly adjacent, but they are connected through area D, thereby forming an enclosed area. When the four satellite signal weak areas form an enclosed area, the area in the enclosed area and the satellite signal weak area (i.e., the peripheral area) are merged to form a complete area, as shown in FIG. 21. When judging whether the satellite signal weak areas form an enclosed area, if the satellite signal weak areas themselves do not form an enclosed area, but form an enclosed area after merging, it is also considered that the satellite signal weak areas form an enclosed area.

[0166] In step S419, if an enclosed area is not formed, it is determined that the area in the enclosed area and the satellite signal weak area do not need to be merged.

[0167] In order to improve the calculation efficiency and reduce the operation load, the embodiments of the present application judge whether the satellite signal weak areas form an enclosed area, and merge the area in the enclosed area and the satellite signal weak area, thereby reducing the number of satellite signal weak areas that need to be processed, reducing the factors that need to be considered when calculating the working path, reducing the overall operation amount, and improving the calculation efficiency. The merged enclosed area can be considered as a whole, which simplifies the path planning process and reduces the number of small areas that need to be planned separately. Merging the enclosed area helps to reduce the number of turns of the lawn mowing robot during the working process. Through merging, a larger and more continuous working area can be created, thereby reducing the frequent conversion of the lawn mowing robot between different weak areas, reducing the number of turns, providing a more smooth working path, and improving the continuity of the work.

[0168] In some embodiments, step S402 includes steps S420 to S422 as follows:

[0169] In step S420, it is judged whether the size of the satellite signal weak area is greater than or equal to a third preset value.

[0170] In application, the total area, the length of the long side or the short side of the satellite signal weak area can be measured, and the size of the area can be calculated using the measurement tool in the GIS software or a custom algorithm.

[0171] In step S421, if the size of the satellite signal weak area is greater than or equal to the third preset value, it is determined that the satellite signal weak area needs to be divided into multiple satellite signal weak sub-areas.

[0172] In the application, when the third preset value is that the length of the long side and the length of the short side both need to be greater than or equal to a set length, for example, the third preset value is 10 meters, and the length of the long side and the length of the short side are both greater than or equal to 10 meters, it is determined that the satellite signal weak area needs to be split into multiple satellite signal weak sub-areas.

[0173] Step S422, if the size of the satellite signal weak area is less than the third preset value, it is determined that the satellite signal weak area does not need to be split.

[0174] In the application, the splitting can be performed according to specific rules, such as splitting according to the principle of equal area. When the satellite signal weak area is too large, it is split into smaller sub-areas, so as to more accurately manage and plan the operation path and avoid unnecessary path adjustment.

[0175] For example, when splitting according to the principle of equal area, as shown in FIG. 22, if the size of the original satellite signal weak area C is 16 meters x 10 meters, the total area is 160 square meters. The original satellite signal weak area can be split into two sub-areas A and B along the long side (16 meters) direction, as shown in FIG. 23. The size of each sub-area is 8 meters x 10 meters, and the total area is 80 square meters. In this way, the size of each sub-area is less than the third preset value (12 meters), and the total area remains unchanged. For the original satellite signal weak area which is split into two sub-areas and still cannot meet the requirement that the size of each sub-area is less than the third preset value (12 meters), the size of each sub-area can be less than the third preset value as the target, and three, four or even more sub-areas can be split.

[0176] In order to optimize the operation direction and improve the operation efficiency, the embodiments of the application consider the distribution of satellite signals before the operation of the lawn mower robot or other automated equipment, and decide whether the satellite signal weak areas need to be split according to the size of the satellite signal weak areas, so as to ensure that the split sub-areas meet the size requirement and maintain the integrity of the operation area. This method can simplify the operation path planning, improve the efficiency and quality of the operation, and reduce energy consumption.

[0177] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 24, before step S201, the following steps S501 to S503 are further included:

[0178] Step S501, based on the distribution of satellite signals, obtaining the satellite signal weak areas existing in the operation area.

[0179] Step S502, determining whether the satellite signal weak area needs to be expanded.

[0180] In the application, the satellite signal weak areas close to the edge of the work area can be determined, and the shape and size of the satellite signal weak areas can be analyzed. If the satellite signal weak areas are close to the edge of the work area or have irregular shapes, they can be considered for expansion. In addition, if the distance between the boundary of the satellite signal weak area and the boundary of the work area is less than a preset distance, the boundary of the satellite signal weak area can also be expanded to the boundary of the work area. If the satellite signal weak area is large enough, located in the center of the work area, and the distance between the boundary of the satellite signal weak area and the boundary of the work area is greater than or equal to the preset distance, expansion can not be needed.

[0181] For example, as shown in FIG. 25, if the preset distance is set to be no more than 1 m, since the distance between the boundary of area A and the boundary of the work area is equal to the preset distance, expansion is needed, and since the distance between area B and the boundary of the work area is greater than the preset distance, expansion is not needed.

[0182] In step S503, if the satellite signal weak area needs to be expanded, the satellite signal weak area is subjected to expansion processing.

[0183] In the application, for the areas that need to be expanded, the expansion processing can ensure that the work equipment is more accurate and reliable when working in these areas. The method of expansion processing can be to expand the boundary of the satellite signal weak area outward according to a set rule, such as expanding the boundary outward by a specified length, or expanding the boundary to a nearby area or boundary, etc.

[0184] As shown in FIG. 26, it is a schematic diagram after expansion of area A and area C in the first direction. At this time, the boundary of area A in the expansion direction coincides with the boundary of the work area, and the boundary of area C in the expansion direction coincides with the boundary of the work area.

[0185] In order to ensure the accuracy of the calculation and reduce the amount of calculation, the embodiments of the present application expand the satellite signal weak area in some special cases, which can make the calculation of the satellite signal weak area that meets the above expansion condition more simple, thereby reducing the amount of calculation. Planning the work direction based on the expanded area is more in line with the actual work situation of the mowing robot, thereby improving the work efficiency.

[0186] In some embodiments, step S502 includes steps S511 to S513 as follows:

[0187] In step S511, a third maximum interval of the satellite signal weak area and the boundary of the work area in the first direction, and / or a fourth maximum interval in the second direction are obtained.

[0188] In application, the first direction and the second direction refer to two orthogonal directions relative to the boundary between the satellite signal weak area and the working area. 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 position relationship between the boundary of the satellite signal weak area and the boundary of the working area.

[0189] 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 satellite signal weak area is extended towards the first direction or the second direction so as to coincide with the boundary of the working area.

[0190] In application, in application, if any one of the third maximum interval or the fourth maximum interval is less than the fourth preset value, it is considered that the boundary between the satellite signal weak area and the working area is too close, at this time, although there is no common boundary between the boundary of the satellite signal weak area and the boundary of the working area, the mower robot still needs to pass through the satellite signal weak area when it turns around, therefore, in order to ensure the rationality of path planning, it should be considered as existing common boundary processing. At this time, the boundary of the satellite signal weak area can be expanded to coincide with the boundary of the working area. By comparing the third maximum interval and the fourth maximum interval with the fourth preset value, if at least one interval is less than the fourth preset value, the satellite signal weak area needs to be expanded. The boundary of the satellite signal weak area is extended towards the first direction or the second direction until it coincides with the boundary of the working area.

[0191] For example, as shown in FIG. 25, the boundary of the satellite signal weak area A and the boundary of the working area have a maximum interval of 1 meter in the first direction and a maximum interval of 2 meters in the second direction. The boundary of the satellite signal weak area B and the boundary of the working area have a maximum interval of 3 meters in the first direction and a maximum interval of 3 meters in the second direction. The satellite signal weak area C has a maximum interval of 1 meter in the first direction and a maximum interval of 4 meters in the second direction.

[0192] As shown in FIG. 25, if the fourth preset value is 2 meters, since the maximum interval of the satellite signal weak area C in the first direction (1 meter) is less than the fourth preset value (2 meters), the boundary of the satellite signal weak area C needs to be extended towards a direction to coincide with the boundary of the working area. The maximum interval of the satellite signal weak area A and the boundary of the working area in the first direction (1 meter) and the maximum interval in the second direction (2 meters) are both less than the fourth preset value (2 meters), after expanding along the first direction and the second direction, the first direction and the second direction both coincide with the boundary of the working area, forming a common boundary.

[0193] Step S513, if the third maximum interval and the fourth maximum interval are both greater than the fourth preset value, it is determined that the satellite signal weak area does not need to be expanded.

[0194] In the application, the third maximum interval and the fourth maximum interval are compared with the fourth preset value, and if both intervals are greater than the fourth preset value, it is determined that the satellite signal weak area does not need to be expanded.

[0195] Continuing to use the previous example for illustration, as shown in FIG. 26, the boundary of the satellite signal weak area B has a maximum interval of 3 meters in the first direction and a maximum interval of 3 meters in the second direction with the boundary of the work area, both of which are greater than the fourth preset value (2 meters), so it is determined that the satellite signal weak area B does not need to be expanded.

[0196] In order to ensure the accuracy of the work direction planning, in the case that the boundary of the satellite signal weak area is too close to the boundary of the work area, the boundary of the satellite signal weak area is expanded to coincide with the boundary of the work area, so that the case that the satellite signal weak area and the work area do not have a common boundary but the lawn mower robot still needs to pass through the satellite signal weak area when turning around is covered, and the accuracy of the work direction planning is ensured.

[0197] In some embodiments, the satellite signal weak area is expanded, including:

[0198] The satellite signal weak area is circumscribed by a rectangle.

[0199] The embodiment of the application also provides a work direction determination device for executing the steps in the work direction determination method embodiment. The work direction determination device can be a virtual appliance in the garden working equipment, run by the processor of the garden working equipment, or can be the garden working equipment itself.

[0200] As shown in FIG. 27, the work direction determination device 100 provided by the embodiment of the application includes:

[0201] The input module 101 is configured to obtain the satellite signal distribution of the work area.

[0202] The first direction determination module 102 is configured to determine the long side direction of the work area as the work direction when the satellite signal distribution meets the first preset condition.

[0203] The second direction determination module 103 is configured to determine the work direction based on the satellite signal distribution when the satellite signal distribution does not meet the first preset condition.

[0204] In application, each module in the determination apparatus of the working direction can be a software program module, can be realized by different logic circuits integrated in the processor, and can also be realized by multiple distributed processors.

[0205] As shown in FIG. 28, the embodiment of the present application further provides a garden working device 200, which comprises at least one processor 201 (only one processor is shown in FIG. 28), a memory 202, and a computer program 203 stored in the memory 202 and capable of running on the at least one processor 201, wherein the processor 201 implements the steps in each of the above method embodiments when executing the computer program 203.

[0206] In application, the garden working device can comprise, but is not limited to, a processor and a memory. Those skilled in the art can understand that FIG. 28 is only an example of the garden working device, and does not constitute a limitation on the garden working device, and can comprise more or fewer components than those shown in the figure, or combine certain components, or different components, for example, can also comprise an input / output device, a network access device, etc.

[0207] In application, the processor can be a central processing unit (CPU), and can also be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSP), application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or can also be any conventional processor.

[0208] In application, the memory can be an internal storage unit of the garden working device in some embodiments, for example, a hard disk or a memory of the garden working device. The memory can also be an external storage device of the garden working device in other embodiments, for example, a plug-in hard disk, a smart media card (SMC), a secure digital (SD) card, a flash card, etc. Further, the memory can comprise both the internal storage unit and the external storage device of the garden working device. The memory is used to store an operating system, application programs, a boot loader, data, and other programs, for example, program codes of the computer program, etc. The memory can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or will be output.

[0209] It should be noted that the information interaction between the above devices / units, execution process, etc. is based on the same concept as the method embodiments of the present application, and the specific functions and technical effects brought about can be referred to the method embodiments part, which will not be repeated here.

[0210] Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the convenience and brevity of description, only the above-mentioned division of each functional unit and module is used to describe the content of the embodiments, and in actual application, the above-mentioned functions can be completed by different functional units and modules according to needs, that is, the internal structure of the device is divided into different functional units or modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. Each functional unit and module in the embodiments can be integrated in one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically, or two or more units can be integrated in one unit. The integrated unit can be realized in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional unit. In addition, the specific name of each functional unit and module is only for convenient distinction, and does not limit the protection scope of the present application. The specific working process of the unit and module in the system can refer to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0211] The embodiments of the present application also provide a network device, which comprises at least one processor, a memory, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the at least one processor, and the processor implements the steps in the above-mentioned various method embodiments when executing the computer program.

[0212] The embodiments of the present application also provide a computer readable storage medium, which stores a computer program, and the computer program is executed by a processor to implement the steps in the above-mentioned various method embodiments.

[0213] The embodiments of the present application provide a computer program product, which, when running on a garden working equipment, enables the garden working equipment to implement the steps in the above-mentioned various method embodiments.

[0214] The integrated unit, if implemented in the form of a software function unit and sold or used as an independent product, can be stored in a computer readable storage medium. Based on such understanding, all or part of the processes in the above-mentioned embodiment methods can be completed by a computer program instructing related hardware, and the computer program can be stored in a computer readable storage medium. The computer program can implement the steps of each method embodiment when executed by a processor. The computer program includes computer program code, which can be in the form of source code, object code, executable files, or some intermediate forms. The computer readable medium can at least include any entity or device capable of carrying the computer program code to the device / garden working equipment, recording medium, computer memory, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), electrical carrier signal, telecommunication signal, and software distribution medium. For example, U disk, mobile hard disk, magnetic disk or optical disk, etc. In some jurisdictions, according to legislation and patent practice, the computer readable medium can not be an electrical carrier signal and a telecommunication signal.

[0215] In the above embodiments, the description of each embodiment has its own focus, and the parts not described or recorded in detail in a certain embodiment can be referred to the related description of other embodiments.

[0216] Those of ordinary skill in the art can realize that the units and algorithm steps of each example described in combination with the embodiments disclosed herein can be realized in electronic hardware or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether the functions are performed 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 the present application.

[0217] In the embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus / network device and method can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus / network device embodiments described above are only schematic. The division of the modules or units is only a logical function division, and there can be another division in actual implementation. For example, a plurality of units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. In addition, the displayed or discussed mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection can be indirect coupling or communication connection through some interface, device or unit, and can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0218] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components displayed as units may or may not be physical units, that is, may be located in one place, or may also be distributed to multiple network units. Part or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of the embodiment scheme according to actual needs.

[0219] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, but not limit them; although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that the technical solutions recorded in the foregoing embodiments can still be modified, or some technical features can be replaced by equivalents; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and should be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A method of determining a work direction, characterized by, The method comprises the following steps: acquiring a satellite signal distribution of a work area; when the satellite signal distribution meets a first preset condition, determining a long side direction of the work area as the work direction; when the satellite signal distribution does not meet the first preset condition, determining the work direction based on the satellite signal distribution.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The step of determining the work direction based on the satellite signal distribution comprises the following steps: acquiring a satellite signal weak area meeting a second preset condition based on the satellite signal distribution; acquiring a size of the satellite signal weak area; determining the work direction according to the size of the satellite signal weak area.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, The step of determining the work direction according to the size of the satellite signal weak area comprises the following steps: acquiring a single row maximum length of a largest satellite signal weak area in a first direction and a single row maximum length of the largest satellite signal weak area in a second direction; determining a direction indicated by a smaller one of the single row maximum length of the largest satellite signal weak area in the first direction and the single row maximum length of the largest satellite signal weak area in the second direction as the work direction.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein, The step of determining the work direction according to the size of the satellite signal weak area comprises the following steps: acquiring a total length of all rows of the largest satellite signal weak area in the first direction and a total length of all rows of the largest satellite signal weak area in the second direction; determining a direction indicated by a smaller one of the total length of all rows of the largest satellite signal weak area in the first direction and the total length of all rows of the largest satellite signal weak area in the second direction as the work direction.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein, The step of determining the work direction according to the size of the satellite signal weak area comprises the following steps: acquiring a total single row maximum length of part or all satellite signal weak areas in the first direction and a total single row maximum length of the part or all satellite signal weak areas in the second direction; determining a direction indicated by a smaller one of the total single row maximum length of the part or all satellite signal weak areas in the first direction and the total single row maximum length of the part or all satellite signal weak areas in the second direction as the work direction.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein, The step of determining the work direction according to the size of the satellite signal weak area comprises the following steps: acquiring a total length of all rows of part or all satellite signal weak areas in the first direction and a total length of all rows of the part or all satellite signal weak areas in the second direction; determining a direction indicated by a smaller one of the total length of all rows of the part or all satellite signal weak areas in the first direction and the total length of all rows of the part or all satellite signal weak areas in the second direction as the work direction.

7. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that, After acquiring the single row maximum length, the total length of all rows, the total single row maximum length, and the total length of all rows in the corresponding direction, the method further comprises the following steps: acquiring a relative position relationship between the satellite signal weak area and the work area; judging whether the satellite signal weak area and the work area have a common boundary based on the relative position relationship between the satellite signal weak area and the work area; if the common boundary exists, increasing a length value of a row intersecting the common boundary; if the common boundary does not exist, keeping the length value of each row unchanged.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, The step of increasing the length value of the row intersecting the common boundary comprises the following step: prolonging the length value of the row intersecting the common boundary.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein, Before the acquiring the satellite signal weak area satisfying the second preset condition based on the satellite signal distribution, the method further comprises: acquiring the satellite signal weak area existing in the working area based on the satellite signal distribution; judging whether the adjacent satellite signal weak areas need to be merged or / and split; if the adjacent satellite signal weak areas need to be merged or / and split, merging or / and splitting the adjacent satellite signal weak areas.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, The judging whether the adjacent satellite signal weak areas need to be merged or / and split comprises: acquiring the first maximum interval and the first minimum interval of the adjacent satellite signal weak areas in a first direction, and / or the second maximum interval and the second minimum interval of the adjacent satellite signal weak areas 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 the adjacent satellite signal weak areas need to be merged; if the first minimum interval and the second minimum interval are both greater than or equal to the first preset value, it is determined that the adjacent satellite signal weak areas do not need to be merged.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein, The judging whether the adjacent satellite signal weak areas need to be merged or / and split comprises: acquiring the sum of intervals of all rows of the adjacent satellite signal weak areas in a first direction, and / or the sum of intervals of all rows of the adjacent satellite signal weak areas in a second direction; if at least one of the sum of intervals of all rows in the first direction and the sum of intervals of all rows in the second direction is less than a second preset value, it is determined that the adjacent satellite signal weak areas need to be merged; if the sum of intervals of all rows in the first direction and the sum of intervals of all rows in the second direction are both greater than or equal to the second preset value, it is determined that the adjacent satellite signal weak areas do not need to be merged.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein, The judging whether the adjacent satellite signal weak areas need to be merged or / and split comprises: judging whether the satellite signal weak areas form a closed area; if a closed area is formed, it is determined that the area in the closed area needs to be merged with the satellite signal weak areas; if a closed area is not formed, it is determined that the area in the closed area does not need to be merged with the satellite signal weak areas.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein, The judging whether the adjacent satellite signal weak areas need to be merged or / and split comprises: judging whether the size of the satellite signal weak area is greater than or equal to a third preset value; if the size of the satellite signal weak area is greater than or equal to the third preset value, it is determined that the satellite signal weak area needs to be split into multiple satellite signal weak sub-areas; if the size of the satellite signal weak area is less than the third preset value, it is determined that the satellite signal weak area does not need to be split.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein, Before the acquiring the satellite signal weak area satisfying the second preset condition, the method further comprises: acquiring the satellite signal weak area existing in the working area based on the satellite signal distribution; judging whether the satellite signal weak area needs to be expanded; if the satellite signal weak area needs to be expanded, expanding the satellite signal weak area.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, The judging whether the satellite signal weak area needs to be expanded comprises: acquiring a third maximum interval of the boundary of the satellite signal weak area and the boundary of the operation area in a first direction, and / or a fourth maximum interval in a second direction; if at least one of the third maximum interval and the fourth maximum interval is less than a fourth preset value, expanding the boundary of the satellite signal weak area towards the first direction or the second direction, so that the boundary of the satellite signal weak area coincides with the boundary of the operation area; if both the third maximum interval and the fourth maximum interval are greater than the fourth preset value, determining that the satellite signal weak area does not need to be expanded.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein, The expanding processing on the satellite signal weak area comprises: circumscribing a rectangle for the satellite signal weak area.

17. A work direction determining device, characterized by comprises: an input module configured to acquire a satellite signal distribution of an operation area; a first direction determination module configured to determine a long side direction of the operation area as the operation direction when the satellite signal distribution meets a first preset condition; a second direction determination module configured 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 garden work equipment comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, characterized in that, The processor, when executing the computer program, implements the steps of the method in any one of claims 1 to 16.

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