Robotic Lawnmower Corner Navigation Using Cutter-Overlap Turns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic lawnmowers face difficulties in navigating tight corners and maintaining intended patterns, as their navigation is often based on the position of the mower rather than the grass cutter, leading to overshots or undershots in turns.
Innovation Solution
The robotic lawnmower is configured to operate in a forwards-rearwards-forwards manner, prioritizing the grass cutter's position to maintain overlap with the intended pattern during turns, allowing it to navigate tight corners by moving forwards to a corner, reversing, and then moving forwards again while keeping the cutter centrum over the pattern.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the robotic lawnmower navigates based on its own position, then the navigation system is simple, but the grass cutter cannot properly navigate tight corners and maintain the intended pattern
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary reference frame centered on the grass cutter rather than the mower body. The navigation system uses the grass cutter's position as the mediator to align with the intended pattern, decoupling the pattern reference from the mower's mechanical center. This allows precise pattern following while maintaining relatively simple navigation logic.
2Reliability
If the robotic lawnmower moves directly through tight corners, then the navigation is efficient, but the grass cutter cannot maintain overlap with the intended pattern
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic navigation behavior where the mower adjusts its motion sequence based on corner detection. When a tight corner is detected, the system dynamically switches from direct forward motion to a multi-phase sequence (forward to corner, reverse, turn, forward again), ensuring the grass cutter maintains pattern overlap throughout the maneuver.
Solution Approach 2:
The navigation system performs preliminary corner detection and planning before executing turns. By identifying upcoming corners in advance and preparing the appropriate maneuver sequence, the system ensures smooth transitions and maintains cutting coverage without last-minute adjustments that would compromise pattern alignment.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the robotic lawnmower uses traditional forward-only navigation, then the operation is simple, but tight corners cannot be negotiated while maintaining pattern overlap
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional navigation approach by making the grass cutter the reference point instead of the mower body. This inversion allows the system to naturally adapt to tight corners by prioritizing cutter position, automatically generating appropriate reverse-and-turn sequences without complex conditional logic, thus maintaining operational simplicity while improving adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for use in a robotic lawnmower system comprising a robotic lawnmower arranged to operate in an operational area according to an intended pattern having, the robotic lawnmower comprising a grass cutter having a centrum that deviates from a rotational centrum (RX) of the robotic lawnmower, and a controller, wherein the method comprises causing the robotic lawnmower to navigate according to the intended pattern maintaining the grass cutter overlapping the intended pattern, and to navigate a turn in the intended pattern by: moving forwards to a corner in the turn, moving rearwards and then again moving forwards, all while maintaining the grass cutter overlapping the intended pattern.