Automatic Lawn Mower Sensor Layout for 360° Obstacle Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automatic lawn mowers face challenges in identifying obstacles effectively, particularly in commercial settings where speed increases the need for timely and accurate detection to ensure safety and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a combination of sensors, including ultrasonic sensors, lidar, and depth cameras, arranged in specific configurations to provide comprehensive 360-degree detection, with overlapping and non-overlapping detection ranges to cover all angles and distances, ensuring timely and accurate obstacle detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the automatic lawn mower travels faster to improve cutting efficiency, then productivity increases, but the ability to identify obstacles in a timely and accurate manner deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The obstacle detection system is segmented into multiple sensors positioned at different locations and orientations around the lawn mower. This includes sensors on the front, rear, left, and right sides, each detecting obstacles in their respective zones. The segmentation allows the system to maintain reliable obstacle detection across the entire working area even at higher speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends obstacle detection from a single-plane view to a three-dimensional spatial coverage by positioning sensors at multiple heights and angles. Sensors are arranged to detect obstacles at different distances and elevations, creating comprehensive volumetric coverage that enables timely detection regardless of the mower's speed.
2Measurement precision
If sensors are arranged to cover all angles in the moving direction, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is designed with multi-functionality where each sensor serves multiple purposes. Sensors are positioned to simultaneously detect obstacles in the moving direction, lateral directions, and at various distances. This universal arrangement achieves comprehensive angular coverage without proportionally increasing system complexity, as each sensor contributes to multiple detection zones.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enables the automatic lawn mower to detect obstacles of varying heights and distances, enhancing safety and cutting efficiency by ensuring timely detection and avoiding collisions, while also maintaining robustness through dual-channel detection capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of first sensors, where the first sensors are arranged around the frame body in a manner in which a detection direction thereof is inclined upward by a first preset angle relative to a horizontal reference plane
Implementation Method 2
a second sensor, arranged in a manner in which a detection direction thereof is toward a front end of the frame body and is inclined downward by a second preset angle relative to the horizontal reference plane
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic lawn mower including: a frame body; a movement module; a cutting module; a controller; a plurality of sensors, configured to detect an obstacle in an environment, where the plurality of sensors include: a plurality of first sensors, where the first sensors are arranged around the frame body in a manner in which a detection direction thereof is inclined upward by a first preset angle relative to a horizontal reference plane; and a second sensor, arranged in a manner in which a detection direction thereof is toward a front end of the frame body and is inclined downward by a second preset angle relative to the horizontal reference plane, where poses of first sensors and second sensor are combined, so that a sum of detection ranges of the plurality of sensors covers all angles in a direction parallel to the horizontal reference plane, thereby avoiding the obstacles.