Autonomous Mower Fleet Control for Real-Time Diagnostics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial lawn mowing operations lack real-time diagnostics and efficient management of mowers, grass conditions, and environmental factors, leading to inefficiencies and manual intervention for maintenance and service needs.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous landscaping system that includes a fleet of mowers equipped with sensors and a server for data analytics, enabling real-time environmental mapping, mower diagnostics, and optimized mowing patterns, facilitating autonomous or semi-autonomous operation and fleet management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional manual lawn mowing operations are used, then operational flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but productivity is low and loss of time is high due to manual diagnostics and intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous mower performs self-diagnosis and self-monitoring through integrated sensors and processors that continuously assess mower performance, grass conditions, and environmental factors without requiring manual intervention. The system automatically identifies maintenance needs and operational adjustments, eliminating the need for operators to perform diagnostics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operations with an autonomous system using sensors, processors, and automated control mechanisms. The mower autonomously navigates, mows, and monitors its own status, substituting human operators and manual diagnostic procedures with electronic sensing and computational analysis systems.
2Productivity
If autonomous mowers with sensors and data analytics are deployed, then productivity and operational efficiency are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous mower system is divided into distinct functional modules: navigation sensors, mowing mechanisms, diagnostic sensors, communication systems, and control processors. Each module performs a specific function and can be independently managed or replaced, reducing overall system complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous mower is designed as a multi-functional platform that performs mowing, environmental monitoring, grass condition analysis, self-diagnosis, and fleet communication simultaneously. This consolidates multiple operations into a single device, improving productivity while managing complexity through integrated design.
3Measurement precision
If real-time sensor data collection and analysis are implemented, then measurement precision and diagnostic capability are improved, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system operates periodically rather than continuously, collecting data at intervals sufficient to monitor grass conditions and mower status accurately. The processor analyzes data in batches during designated periods, reducing energy consumption while maintaining measurement precision for diagnostic purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system selectively activates sensors and processing based on operational context, powering only the necessary sensing and analysis functions during specific phases of operation. This partial action approach maintains adequate measurement precision for critical parameters while minimizing overall energy consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for operating a landscaping device is disclosed. The method includes receiving by a landscaping device controller a task assignment for a landscaping task to be performed at a job site. Also, receiving at the landscaping device a task pattern for operation of the landscaping task, where the task pattern comprises a plurality of waypoints at the job site and one or more control signals for operation of the landscaping device. The method further includes controlling one or more motors based on the one or more control signals to complete the landscaping task.