Autonomous Mower Transfer Paths to Prevent Lawn Rutting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for generating transfer paths for autonomous mobile mowing apparatuses result in repetitive paths that cause ruts on lawns, affecting their aesthetics.

Innovation Solution

A method that determines a traveling start point and end point, identifies to-be-traversed regions, performs shortest path searches within these regions, adds randomly determined points outside the initial paths to create stochastic second intra-regional paths, and generates a random transfer path for the autonomous mobile mowing apparatus.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If path search based on the shortest path planning method is used to generate transfer paths, then the transfer efficiency is improved, but the same transfer path is repeatedly used causing ruts on the lawn which affects aesthetics

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransfer efficiencyVSAvoidlawn aesthetics
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the transfer path variable and adaptive rather than fixed. The system dynamically selects different transfer paths based on historical data and environmental conditions, allowing the mowing apparatus to adapt its routing decisions to avoid repeatedly traversing the same locations, thereby preventing rut formation while maintaining efficient transfer between work regions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of path selection from a static shortest-path criterion to a dynamic multi-factor decision process. By introducing factors such as historical traversal frequency, terrain characteristics, and environmental conditions into the path selection algorithm, the system modifies the path parameters to balance transfer efficiency with lawn aesthetic preservation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a random path is generated to avoid ruts on the lawn, then the lawn aesthetics is improved, but the transfer time and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelawn aestheticsVSAvoidtransfer time
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by selectively introducing randomness only in specific scenarios rather than always taking completely random paths. The system uses randomization primarily when the shortest path has been traversed frequently, while still preferring optimized paths when appropriate, thereby partially applying randomness to achieve aesthetic improvement without excessive time loss in all transfer operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates multiple candidate transfer paths by generating variations of the shortest path, including alternative routes with similar efficiency characteristics. By having multiple pre-computed path options that copy the efficiency of the shortest path while differing in spatial routing, the system can select among them to avoid ruts without significant time penalty

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP4312101B1Method for generating transfer path, electronic device, computer storage medium and computer program product
Publication Date: 2025.02.19 WILLAND (BEIJING) TECH CO LTD
  • EP4312101B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4312101B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP4312101B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

A method for generating a transfer path, an electronic device, and a computer storage medium are provided. The method includes: determining (102) at least one to-be-traversed region through which an autonomous mobile mowing apparatus passes when moving from a start point to an end point; performing (103), for each of the to-be-traversed region, path search targeted for the shortest traveling path in the to-be-traversed region when the autonomous mobile mowing apparatus moves from the start point to the end point, to determine a first intra-regional path corresponding to the to-be-traversed region; acquiring (104) a second intra-regional path corresponding to at least one of the first intra-regional path, where the second intra-regional path is obtained by adding at least one to-be-traversed point to the corresponding first intra-regional path, the to-be-traversed point is randomly determined in the to-be-traversed region corresponding to the first intra-regional path, and the to-be-traversed point is located outside the first intra-regional path; and generating (105) a random transfer path including each of the second intra-regional path for use as a transfer path of the autonomous mobile mowing apparatus from the start point to the end point.