Lawn-mower Control Unit for Dynamic Area Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automatic lawn-mowers are inefficient in covering large areas, leading to prolonged operation times, excessive energy consumption, uneven grass height, and increased maintenance needs, as they rely on random or spiral movement patterns that do not effectively manage cutting area coverage.
Innovation Solution
A lawn-mower equipped with a control unit, memory module, GPS, and sensors that divide the cutting area into dynamic portions based on grass height and time references, allowing the mower to prioritize areas needing cutting and optimize its movement for efficient coverage, ensuring uniform grass height and reducing operational time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If random movement pattern is used, then the lawn-mower can operate autonomously, but the working time becomes excessively long for extensive areas
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting area is divided into multiple portions or zones, and the lawn-mower systematically moves from one portion to another. This segmentation transforms the single large area into manageable sections, reducing the total travel distance and time required to cover the entire area compared to random movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The lawn-mower dynamically adjusts its movement pattern based on real-time conditions such as grass height variations, battery level, and position within the cutting area. This dynamic adaptation allows the mower to optimize its path and prioritize areas needing cutting, thereby reducing overall working time while maintaining autonomous operation.
2Manufacturing precision
If spiral movement pattern is used, then the lawn-mower covers the area systematically, but the working time becomes extremely long for extensive cutting areas
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single spiral pattern covering the entire area, the cutting area is divided into multiple portions that can be processed in sequence. This segmentation allows the lawn-mower to complete each portion more efficiently and reduces the total time required compared to a continuous spiral pattern across the entire extensive area.
Solution Approach 2:
The lawn-mower employs periodic movement patterns within each portion, alternating between cutting and repositioning phases. This periodic action optimizes the coverage efficiency by ensuring systematic progression through each portion while minimizing unnecessary travel time, thereby reducing overall working time compared to continuous spiral movement.
3Area of stationary object
If the lawn-mower operates for long periods, then extensive areas can be covered, but energy consumption becomes excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The lawn-mower dynamically adjusts its operation based on battery status, cutting area conditions, and progress through different portions. This dynamic control allows the mower to optimize energy usage by prioritizing areas needing cutting, reducing idle travel, and managing power consumption efficiently, thereby covering extensive areas without excessive energy expenditure.
Solution Approach 2:
By dividing the cutting area into multiple portions, the lawn-mower can complete smaller segments more efficiently with lower cumulative energy consumption. This segmentation reduces the total travel distance and operational time required to cover the entire area compared to treating it as a single large zone, thereby reducing overall energy usage.
4Productivity
If the lawn-mower operates continuously, then the cutting area is covered, but the grass height uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lawn-mower dynamically adapts its movement and cutting operations based on real-time grass height measurements and area-specific conditions. This dynamic adjustment allows the mower to maintain consistent cutting quality across different portions and time periods, ensuring uniform grass height while preserving cutting efficiency by optimizing the sequence and timing of operations in each portion.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
Lawn-mower comprising: a frame (10); one or more blades (30) for cutting grass in a cutting area (L); movement means (20) for moving said lawn-mower (1); a first memory module (40) containing: principal parameters (M) representative of a plurality of portions (P) into which said cutting area (L) is divided; time references (T), each associated with a respective one of said portions (P) of the cutting area (L), each time reference (T) being representative of when the lawn-mower (1) has effected a cutting action in said portion (P). The lawn-mower 1 furthermore comprises a control unit (50), configured for: identifying the oldest among said time references (T); selecting the portion (P) of cutting area (L) associated with the time reference (T) identified; controlling said movement means (20) and said one or more blades (30) for moving said lawn-mower (1) into the selected portion (P) of the cutting area (L) and cutting the grass within said selected portion (P).