Robotic Mower Wire Navigation to Reduce Lawn Tracks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotic mowers face challenges in efficiently navigating to and from charging stations while minimizing lawn tracks and optimizing mowing efficiency, particularly when using guide or boundary wires.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for navigating robotic mowers using sensors to detect and follow wires, adjusting distance from the wire based on signal levels, and employing displacement strategies to avoid repetitive paths, combined with straight-line driving and turning to optimize navigation and reduce lawn tracks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the robotic mower follows the boundary wire to return to the charging station, then the navigation reliability is improved, but the mowing efficiency deteriorates due to longer travel paths and repeated tracks
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between boundary wire following and guide wire following modes. The robotic mower uses boundary wire following for reliable navigation when needed, but switches to guide wire following to create more direct paths and reduce travel distance, thereby improving mowing efficiency while maintaining navigation reliability through adaptive mode selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the navigation parameter from strictly following the boundary wire to using a hybrid approach with guide wires. By introducing guide wires that create shortcuts and more direct paths, the system optimizes the balance between navigation reliability and mowing efficiency, reducing the length of travel paths without sacrificing the ability to reliably return to the charging station.
2Loss of time
If the robotic mower uses a guide wire to return to the charging station, then the travel distance is reduced, but the navigation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic mower's navigation system is designed to handle multiple wire types (boundary wires and guide wires) with a single integrated system. The same sensor and control mechanisms used for boundary wire following are also used for guide wire following, making the system universal and reducing navigation complexity despite the addition of guide wire functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically detects and adapts to the available wire infrastructure. When guide wires are present, the robotic mower automatically uses them to reduce travel distance; when only boundary wires are available, it seamlessly switches to boundary wire following. This self-service capability reduces navigation complexity by eliminating the need for manual configuration or complex decision-making about which wire type to use.
3Ease of operation
If the robotic mower drives over the same locations multiple times to return to the charging station, then the navigation simplicity is maintained, but the lawn tracks increase
Solution Approach 1:
Guide wires serve as intermediaries that enable more direct paths between the robotic mower and the charging station. By introducing these intermediate navigation aids, the system can reduce the number of times the mower drives over the same locations, thereby reducing lawn tracks while maintaining navigation simplicity through the use of clearly defined wire paths.
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
Enhances navigation efficiency by reducing lawn tracks and improving mowing efficiency through precise wire following and strategic displacement, ensuring reliable return to charging stations while minimizing collision risks.
Implementation Method 1
by detecting at least one signal of the loop by means of the at least one sensor, e.g., by detecting that a direction of a vertical magnetic field component of signals of the loop has changed to the opposite direction
Data Source
AI summary
A method navigates a robotic mower (2) by means of a wire (4, 8). The robotic mower (2) comprises at least one sensor (12, 14). The method comprises controlling the robotic mower (2) to exit a parking position at a station (11), wherein in the parking position the robotic mower (2) is at least partially arranged at an inside of a loop (10) of the station (11), determining that the robotic mower (2) has moved further outside of the loop (10) by detecting at least one signal of the loop (10) by means of the at least one sensor (12, 14), detecting at least one signal of the wire (4, 8) by means of the at least one sensor (12, 14) and controlling the robotic mower (2) to straddle along the wire (4, 8).