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US 12,029,156 B1Granted
System and method for autonomous lawn care
AssigneeEuchron, Inc.
InventorAndrew Simpson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods may include an unmanned lawn mower that includes a predictive model service. The predictive model service may be trained by a machine learning system and may serve to autonomously control the unmanned lawn mower. In this way, the unmanned lawn mower may navigate throughout a lawn and may cut the lawn and/or perform other lawn maintenance procedures during the navigation. The system may also include a variety of sensors and cameras to detect image data and environmental data of an area surrounding the unmanned lawn mower. The image data and the environmental data may be provided to the predictive model service in order to control the operation of the unmanned lawn mower in real-time.
Claims18
A method of operating an at least partially autonomous lawn mowing system, comprising:
- at an unmanned lawn mower operable in an autonomous mode and in a remote-operated mode:
- in the autonomous mode:
- navigating from an initial location to a mow operation start point, comprising:
- receiving navigation commands from a remote operator;
- and
- in response to receiving the navigation commands, following a first path at least partially defined by the navigation commands to move from the initial location to the mow operation start point;
- receiving a representation of an area to be mowed;
- receiving a command to initiate a mow operation of the area to be mowed;
- upon receiving the command to initiate the mow operation:
- engaging a cutting mechanism;
- receiving image data from a camera system attached to the unmanned lawn mower;
- providing the image data as an input to a predictive model service;
- receiving an output from the predictive model service, the output at least partially defining a second path within the area to be mowed;
- and
- navigating the unmanned lawn mower along the second path within the area to be mowed;
- determining that the mow operation is complete;
- and
- in response to determining that the mow operation is complete:
- disengaging the cutting mechanism;
- and
- returning to the initial location;
- transitioning from the autonomous mode to the remote-operated mode;
- and
- in the remote-operated mode:
- determining, using at least one sensor on the unmanned lawn mower, spatial information of one or more objects proximate to the unmanned lawn mower;
- determining a communications latency between the unmanned lawn mower and a computer system associated with the remote operator;
- generating, based at least in part on the spatial information and the communications latency, a predicted environment of the unmanned lawn mower;
- displaying the predicted environment to the remote operator;
- and
- receiving, at the unmanned lawn mower, an operational command from the remote operator while the predicted environment is displayed to the remote operator, the operational command configured to steer the unmanned lawn mower.
27 more elements
A method of operating an at least partially autonomous lawn mowing system, comprising:
- at an unmanned lawn mower operable in an autonomous mode and in a remote-operated mode:
- in the autonomous mode:
- navigating from an initial location to a first mow operation start point;
- receiving a first representation of a first maintenance zone, the first representation including a first cutting height;
- receiving a command to initiate a first mow operation of the first maintenance zone;
- upon receiving the command to initiate the first mow operation:
- engaging a cutting mechanism at the first cutting height;
- receiving first image data from a camera system attached to the unmanned lawn mower;
- providing the first image data as a first input to a first predictive model service;
- receiving a first output from the first predictive model service, the first output at least partially defining a first path within the first maintenance zone;
- and
- navigating the unmanned lawn mower along the first path within the first maintenance zone;
- determining that the first mow operation is complete;
- in response to determining that the first mow operation is complete:
- disengaging the cutting mechanism;
- and
- navigating to a second mow operation start point;
- receiving a second representation of a second maintenance zone, the second representation including a second cutting height different from the first cutting height;
- initiating a second mow operation of the second maintenance zone;
- upon initiating the second mow operation:
- engaging the cutting mechanism at the second cutting height;
- receiving second image data from the camera system;
- providing the second image data as a second input to a second predictive model service;
- receiving a second output from the second predictive model service, the second output at least partially defining a second path within the second maintenance zone;
- and
- navigating the unmanned lawn mower along the second path within the second maintenance zone;
- determining that the second mow operation is complete;
- and
- in response to determining that the second mow operation is complete, disengaging the cutting mechanism;
- transitioning from the autonomous mode to the remote-operated mode;
- and
- in the remote-operated mode:
- determining, using at least one sensor on the unmanned lawn mower, spatial information of one or more objects proximate to the unmanned lawn mower;
- determining a communications latency between the unmanned lawn mower and a computer system associated with a remote operator;
- generating, based at least in part on the spatial information and the communications latency, a predicted environment of the unmanned lawn mower;
- displaying the predicted environment to the remote operator;
- and
- receiving, at the unmanned lawn mower, an operational command from the remote operator while the predicted environment is displayed to the remote operator, the operational command configured to steer the unmanned lawn mower.
35 more elements
A system for maintaining an outdoor environment, the system comprising:
- an unmanned lawn mower, comprising:
- a camera system configured to receive image data of the outdoor environment;
- a steering system comprising:
- at least one wheel;
- and
- a steering motor configured to move the at least one wheel to control a direction of travel of the unmanned lawn mower;
- a drive train configured to propel the unmanned lawn mower;
- a grass-cutting blade configured to cut grass;
- and
- a controller communicatively coupled with the camera system, a gear assembly, the drive train, and the grass-cutting blade, the controller configured to:
- operate the steering system and the drive train to navigate the unmanned lawn mower from an initial location to a mow operation start point;
- cause the grass-cutting blade to move to a cutting height;
- receive a representation of an area to be mowed;
- initiate a mow operation of the area to be mowed, the mow operation comprising:
- engaging the grass-cutting blade;
- receiving the image data from the camera system;
- providing the image data as input to a predictive model service;
- receiving an output from the predictive model service, the output at least partially defining a path within the area to be mowed;
- navigating the unmanned lawn mower along the path;
- and
- upon determining that the mow operation is complete:
- disengaging the grass-cutting blade;
- and
- navigating the unmanned lawn mower to the initial location;
- and
- an articulable arm configured to remove a flagpole from the area to be mowed.
23 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.