Robotic Work Area Boundary Adjustment from Terrain Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for defining the working area for robotic work tools, such as wireless boundaries, lack precision and accuracy, leading to rough perimeters that do not meet user requirements.
Innovation Solution
A robotic work tool system equipped with sensors and a controller that collects input data while driven around the area to establish a preliminary perimeter, which is then adjusted using a perimeter adjustment function to refine the boundary, aligning it with terrain features and smoothing irregularities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If non-physical boundaries are used to define the working area perimeter, then the installation time is reduced and the risk of broken boundaries is reduced, but the precision and accuracy of the perimeter definition deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs a preliminary teaching phase where the robotic work tool is manually driven around the working area to collect position data and establish a preliminary perimeter. This preliminary action creates a rough boundary that is then refined through automated processing, allowing the system to achieve high precision without requiring manual precision during the initial setup phase
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from multiple sources including satellite navigation devices, deduced reckoning navigation sensors, and terrain feature detection to continuously refine the perimeter definition. The robotic work tool compares its actual position against the defined perimeter and adjusts accordingly, allowing the system to compensate for inaccuracies and achieve precise boundary definition
2Ease of operation
If non-physical boundaries are used to define the working area perimeter, then the ease of operation is improved, but the manufacturing precision of the perimeter deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces physical mechanical boundary wires with a digital/perceptual system using satellite navigation, deduced reckoning navigation sensors, and terrain feature detection. This substitution makes the system easier to operate (no physical wire installation) while maintaining precision through multiple sensing modalities and automated processing
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters used to define the perimeter from physical wire coordinates to multiple independent parameters including satellite position data, inertial navigation data, and terrain feature characteristics. By using multiple parameters and cross-referencing them, the system achieves both ease of operation and high precision
3Ease of manufacture
If the robotic work tool is manually driven around the area to establish the preliminary perimeter, then the installation process is simplified, but the precision of the perimeter definition deteriorates due to user control limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The manual driving phase is designed as a preliminary action that intentionally accepts lower precision. The system collects rough position data during this phase, knowing that the data will be refined subsequently through automated processing and terrain feature detection, thus eliminating the need for high user skill during the initial setup
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary processing layer that separates the manual data collection phase from the final perimeter definition. The collected position data serves as an intermediary that is then refined through automated algorithms and terrain feature detection, allowing manual operation to be simple while the final result achieves high precision
Data Source
Figure 1~2A
Figure 2B~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A robotic work tool system (200) for defining a working area (205) in which a robotic work tool (100) is subsequently intended to operate. The robotic work tool system (200) comprises a robotic work tool (100), at least one controller (210) and at least one memory (220). The robotic work tool (100) comprises at least one sensor unit (170) configured to collect sensed input datawhile the robotic work tool (100) is driven around the working area (205) to preliminarily define a perimeter around the working area (205). The at least one controller (210) is configured to establish a preliminary working area perimeter (250). The at least one memory (220) is configured to store a perimeter adjustment function and instructions that cause the at least one controller (210) to adjust the perimeter of the working area (205) by applying the stored perimeter adjustment function to the established preliminary working area perimeter (250)and thereby produce an adjusted working area perimeter (260).The perimeter adjustment function is based on the collected sensed input data corresponding to terrain features.