Robotic vehicle grass structure detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10310510-B2
Application number	US-201515538002-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 20, 2015
Priority date	Dec 22, 2014
Publication date	Jun 4, 2019
Grant date	Jun 4, 2019

Abstract

A robotic vehicle may be configured to incorporate multiple sensors to make the robotic vehicle capable of detecting grass by measuring edge data and/or frequency data. In this regard, in some cases, the robotic vehicle may include an onboard positioning module, a detection module, and a mapping module that may work together to give the robotic vehicle a comprehensive understanding of its current location and of the features or objects located in its environment. Moreover, the robotic vehicle may include sensors that enable the modules to collect and process data that can be used to identify grass on a parcel on which the robotic vehicle operates.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A method comprising:
receiving image data and corresponding position data captured by a robotic vehicle traversing a parcel;
comparing the image data with parameters known to identify grass; and
classifying the image data as grass when the image data meets the structural parameters indicative of grass,
wherein comparing the image data with structural parameters indicative of grass comprises:
transforming the image data from the spatial domain to the frequency domain;
performing low pass or high pass filtering on the image data; and
transforming the image data back into the spatial domain.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the image data with structural parameters indicative of grass comprises:
measuring at least one of vertical or horizontal edges in the image data;
filtering out the edges that are shorter than a predetermined length known to identify grass; and
identifying the edges that are longer than a predetermined length known to identify grass as not belonging to grass.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the image data with structural parameters indicative of grass comprises:
extracting edge features extending in a first direction;
extracting edge features extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
determining distances between edges in each of the first direction and the second direction; and
making a decision as to grass structure detection.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first direction is horizontal and the second direction is vertical.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the robotic vehicle comprises:
a sensor network comprising one or more sensors configured to detect conditions proximate to the robotic vehicle; and
a detection module configured to detect objects proximate to the robotic vehicle using contact-less detection.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the sensor network comprises at least one of an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a real time kinematic (RTK)—GPS receiver, a grass detector, or a 2.5D sensor.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the detection module is configured to receive grass detection information from at least one of the grass detector or 2.5D sensor.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the sensor network further comprises a camera.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the camera provides images of objects to the detection module to compare the images with parameters known to identify grass.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the robotic vehicle further comprises:
a mapping module configured to generate a map regarding a parcel on which the robotic vehicle operates;
a positioning module configured to determine robotic vehicle position; and
one or more functional components configured to execute a lawn care function.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating the map of the parcel based on data received; and
enabling an operator to interact with the map to view one or more content items associated with respective positions.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein generating the map of the parcel comprises incorporating input from multiple sensors of the sensor network to determine current position of the robotic vehicle and grass detection information at the current position of the robotic vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the map comprises zones of the parcel in which each of the zones is defined by a corresponding geographic description and corresponding grass detection information.

14. A robotic vehicle, comprising:
a sensor network comprising one or more sensors configured to detect conditions proximate to the robotic vehicle;
a detection module configured to detect objects proximate to the robotic vehicle using contact-less detection, and
processing circuitry configured for:
receiving image data and corresponding position data captured by a robotic vehicle traversing a parcel;
comparing the image data with parameters known to identify grass; and
classifying the image data as grass when the image data meets the parameters known to identify grass,
wherein comparing the image data with parameters known to identify grass comprises:
transforming the image data from the spatial domain to the frequency domain;
performing low pass or high pass filtering on the image data; and
transforming the image data back into the spatial domain.

15. The robotic vehicle of claim 14 , wherein comparing the image data with parameters known to identify grass comprises:
measuring at least one of vertical or horizontal edges in the image data;
filtering out the edges that are shorter than a predetermined length known to identify grass; and
identifying the edges that are longer than a predetermined length known to identify grass as not belonging to grass.

16. The robotic vehicle of claim 15 , wherein comparing the image data with structural parameters indicative of grass comprises:
extracting edge features extending in a first direction;
extracting edge features extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
determining distances between edges in each of the first direction and the second direction; and
making a decision as to grass structure detection.

17. The robotic vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the first direction is horizontal and the second direction is vertical.

18. The robotic vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the sensor network comprises at least one of an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a real time kinematic (RTK)—GPS receiver, a grass detector, or a 2.5D sensor.

19. The robotic vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the detection module is configured to receive grass detection information from at least one of the grass detector or 2.5D sensor.

20. The robotic vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the sensor network further comprises a camera.

Assignees

• Husqvarna Ab

Inventors

• Mannefred Björn
• Grufman Stefan
• Mattsson Anders

Classifications

• A01D34/008

  for automated or remotely controlled operation · CPC title

• A01B69/008

  automatic · CPC title

• G06K9/00791

  Physics · mapped topic

• G05D1/0274

  using mapping information stored in a memory device (navigation using map-matching G01C21/30) · CPC title

• G05D2201/0208

  Physics · mapped topic