Virtual Boundary Offset Control for Collision-Safe Robotic Mowers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic lawn mowers without boundary lines face high collision risks due to unreliable virtual boundaries established by portable devices, particularly in shadow areas and user-controlled deviations.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for determining a working boundary by adjusting initial virtual boundaries using an adjustment vector, ensuring a safe distance between the operating equipment and boundaries, and incorporating shadow area compensation vectors to enhance boundary reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If portable devices are used to establish virtual boundaries by moving along the lawn perimeter, then the convenience of boundary establishment is improved, but the reliability of the virtual boundaries deteriorates due to collision risks with surrounding objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by establishing a reference boundary using a portable device first, then uses this reference to calculate and determine the actual working boundary for the automatic lawn mower. The adjustment vector is pre-calculated based on the difference between the reference boundary and the expected working boundary, allowing the mower to operate safely without collisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism - the adjustment vector - that mediates between the reference boundary (established by portable device) and the actual working boundary (needed by automatic mower). This adjustment vector compensates for positional deviations and ensures the mower maintains a safe distance from obstacles while following the boundary.
2Productivity
If the virtual boundary is established close to the actual boundary for better coverage, then the productivity is improved, but the collision risk increases due to insufficient safety margin
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the boundary adjustment adaptive to different locations. The adjustment vector is calculated based on local geometric relationships between the reference boundary and actual boundary at each segment, allowing the system to optimize both coverage and safety margins locally rather than using a uniform offset throughout.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of boundary position dynamically by using adjustment vectors that modify the reference boundary coordinates. The adjustment magnitude and direction are varied based on local conditions, enabling the working boundary to be optimized for both productivity (maximal coverage) and safety (adequate collision margin) at different locations.
Data Source
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AI summary
This application relates to a method, device, and storage medium for determining a working boundary of an operating equipment. The method includes: obtaining an initial virtual boundary of an operating area; obtaining an adjustment vector; adjusting a portion of the initial virtual boundary that meets a preset condition at least according to the adjustment vector; determining the working boundary of the operating equipment according to the adjusted initial virtual boundary. Using this method facilitates establishing highly reliable working boundaries for an operating equipment without a boundary line, thereby effectively mitigating the problem that a collision is prone to occur during boundary-following process of the operating equipment.