Autonomous Gate Passage for Robotic Mowers Crossing Property Barriers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous working machines, such as robotic lawn mowers, face challenges in navigating through physical property barriers like fences and walls, which hinder their ability to move freely within a work region or between different areas of a property.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of barrier passage systems that utilize machine vision systems and sensors, allowing the machines to autonomously or remotely pass through barriers by controlling gate mechanisms, such as electric actuators and controllers, enabling navigation over, under, or through obstacles like fences and walls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If autonomous working machines are designed to navigate freely within work regions, then productivity and operational efficiency are improved, but the machines cannot pass through physical property barriers such as fences and walls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary barrier passage system consisting of a gate device and actuator that mediates between the autonomous machine and physical barriers. The gate device creates a temporary opening in the barrier, allowing the machine to pass through while maintaining barrier integrity. This intermediary mechanism resolves the contradiction by enabling barrier crossing without requiring the machine to physically breach or permanently alter the barrier structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier passage system employs dynamic components including a movable gate device and an actuator that can open and close the gate. The system transitions from a static barrier to a dynamic barrier with controlled openings, allowing the machine to pass through at specific times while maintaining barrier protection at other times. This dynamic approach enables both productivity improvement and barrier adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If barrier passage systems with gate devices and actuators are implemented, then the ability to traverse barriers is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier passage system incorporates sensors that detect the approach of the autonomous machine and automatically trigger the actuator to open the gate. The system serves itself by detecting its own operational needs and responding autonomously, reducing the need for complex external control mechanisms. The machine simply needs to approach the barrier, and the system handles the passage automatically, minimizing the complexity burden on the overall system.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier passage system is designed to work with various types of barriers and different autonomous machine types. The gate device and actuator mechanism can be applied to different barrier configurations (fences, walls, hedges) and different machine types (mowers, trimmers, sprayers), reducing the need for specialized complex systems for each application. This multi-functionality approach reduces overall system complexity by using a standardized solution across multiple scenarios.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If vision systems and sensors are used for autonomous navigation, then the ability to detect and navigate barriers is improved, but the extent of automation increases system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous navigation system is segmented into separate functional components: vision sensors for barrier detection, sensors for machine position monitoring, and control logic for coordinating movement. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall system architecture. The vision system focuses solely on detection, while the control system handles navigation decisions, reducing the complexity burden of full automation by dividing functions into manageable segments.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for use with an autonomous working machine such as a robotic lawn mower. The system may allow communication (directly or indirectly) between the machine and a gate or other barrier opening to allow unattended or remotely-controlled passage of the machine through the gate. In some embodiments, the mower may include a vision system operable to detect unknown objects within an area adjacent to the gate.