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US 11,696,524 B2Granted
Robotic vehicle with adjustable operating area
AssigneeHusqvarna AB
InventorHåkan Wahlgren
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A robotic vehicle may include one or more functional components configured to execute lawn care function, a sensor network comprising one or more sensors configured to detect conditions proximate to the robotic vehicle, a positioning module configured to determine robotic vehicle position while the robotic vehicle traverses a parcel, and a boundary management module configured to enable the robotic vehicle to be operated within a bounded area. The bounded area may include a variable boundary, and the boundary management module may be configured to receive instructions from an operator to adjust the variable boundary.
Claims17
A robotic vehicle comprising:
- one or more functional components configured to execute a lawn care function;
- a sensor network comprising one or more sensors configured to detect conditions proximate to the robotic vehicle;
- a positioning module configured to determine a robotic vehicle position while the robotic vehicle traverses a parcel;
- and
- a boundary management module configured to enable the robotic vehicle to be operated in accordance with a selected boundary set that defines a bounded area within which the robotic vehicle operates;
- wherein the selected boundary set is one of a plurality of boundary sets that are selectable, wherein each boundary set defines a respective bounded area for that boundary set that is predefined, the plurality of boundary sets comprising at least one active boundary set and at least one inactive boundary set;
- wherein boundary management module is configured to vary the selected boundary set, which comprises being configured to:
- select a first boundary set, from the plurality of boundary sets, to be the selected boundary set for operation of the robotic vehicle in accordance with the first boundary set;
- activate a second boundary set, from the plurality of boundary sets, the second boundary set having been one of the at least one inactive boundary sets;
- and select the second boundary set to be the selected boundary set for operation of the robotic vehicle in accordance with the second boundary set, wherein the first boundary set and the second boundary define different bounded areas;
- wherein the boundary management module of the robotic vehicle is further configured to receive boundary adjustments to expand or contract a coverage of one of the first boundary set or the second boundary set to respectively increase or decrease a determined cost for operating the robotic vehicle within the one of the first boundary set or the second boundary set.
8 more elements
A method of adjusting an operating area of a robotic vehicle, the method comprising:
- storing a plurality of boundary sets, each boundary set of the plurality of boundary sets defining a respective bounded area for that boundary set that is predefined, the plurality of boundary sets comprising at least one active boundary set and at least one inactive boundary set;
- selecting a first boundary set, from the plurality of boundary sets, to be a selected boundary set for operation of the robotic vehicle within a first bounded area defined by the first boundary set;
- activating a second boundary set, from the plurality of boundary sets, the second boundary set having been one of the at least one inactive boundary sets;
- receiving an instruction to vary the selected boundary set;
- in response to receiving the instruction, selecting the second boundary set, from the plurality of boundary sets, to be the selected boundary set for operation of the robotic vehicle within a second bounded area defined by the second boundary set, the first bounded area and the second bounded area being different;
- and
- facilitating operation of the robotic vehicle in accordance with the second boundary set within the second bounded area as the selected boundary set;
- wherein the method further comprises receiving boundary adjustments to expand or contract a coverage of one of the first boundary set or the second boundary set to respectively increase or decrease a determined cost for operating the robotic vehicle within the one of the first boundary set or the second boundary set.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.