Lawn mower robot, system of lawn mower robot and control method of lawn mower robot system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11178811-B2
Application number	US-201916531222-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2019
Priority date	Aug 3, 2018
Publication date	Nov 23, 2021
Grant date	Nov 23, 2021

Abstract

A lawn mower robot has a main body, and a driving unit configured to move the main body. The lawn mower robot also has a receiver configured to receive a signal transmitted from at least one transmission device in a travel area. The lawn more robot also has a controller. The controller controls the driving unit based on a result and a prestored area map. The result is based on the signal received by the receiver, and the area map includes an arrangement position of the at least one transmission device. The controller detects a position change of the at least one transmission device based on the result and updates the area map by determining a present position of the at least one transmission device in the area map according to the position change.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lawn mower robot comprising:
a main body;
a driving unit configured to move the main body;
a receiver configured to receive a signal transmitted from at least one transmission device in a travel area; and
a controller configured to:
control the driving unit based on a result and a prestored area map so that the main body travels in the travel area, wherein the result is based on the signal received by the receiver, and the area map includes an arrangement position of the at least one transmission device,
detect a position change of the at least one transmission device based on the result, and
update the area map by determining a present position of the at least one transmission device in the area map according to the position change,

wherein the controller is further configured to
detect the position change of the at least one transmission device based on the result and previous detection history at a reception position of the signal, and
determine the present position of the at least one transmission device based on the result to thereby reflect the present position of the at least one transmission device in the area map.

2. The lawn mower robot of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to
determine a reception sensitivity of the signal based on the result, and
detect the position change of the at least one transmission device according to a comparison of the reception sensitivity with analysis history included in the previous detection history.

3. The lawn mower robot of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to detect the position change of the at least one transmission device when the reception sensitivity is different from the analysis history.

4. The lawn mower robot of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to
measure a distance between two or more transmission devices based on the result, and
detect the position change of the at least one transmission device according to a comparison of the distance with measurement history included in the previous detection history.

5. The lawn mower robot of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to detect the position change of the at least one transmission device when the distance is different from the measurement history.

6. The lawn mower robot of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to
detect a posture state of the at least one transmission device based on the result by extracting posture information of the at least one transmission device included in the signal, and
detect the position change of the at least one transmission device according to a comparison of the posture state with posture detection history included in the previous detection history.

7. The lawn mower robot of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to detect the position change of the at least one transmission device when the posture state is different from the posture detection history.

8. The lawn mower robot of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to
determine the present position of the at least one transmission device based on the result and
detect the position change of the at least one transmission device according to a comparison of the present position with the area map to thereby reflect the present position of the at least one transmission device in the area map.

9. The lawn mower robot of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to
determine a reception sensitivity of the signal based on the result, and
determine the present position of the at least one transmission device based on the reception sensitivity.

10. The lawn mower robot of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to
measure a distance between two or more transmission devices based on the result, and
determine the present position of the at least one transmission device based on the distance.

11. The lawn mower robot of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to determine at least one of (i) whether the present position of the at least one transmission device is appropriate and (ii) an appropriate position of the at least one transmission device, based on the result.

12. A lawn mower robot comprising:
a main body;
a driving unit configured to move the main body;
a communication unit configured to communicate with a communication device configured to receive a signal transmitted from at least one transmission device provided in a travel area, and thus, receive a reception result; and
a controller configured to
control the driving unit based on the reception result and a prestored area map which includes an arrangement position of the at least one transmission device,
determine a present position of the at least one transmission device based on the reception result,
detect a position change of the at least one transmission device based on a comparison of the present position with the area map, and
update the area map with the present position of the at least one transmission device,

wherein the controller is further configured to
detect the position change of the at least one transmission device based on the result and previous detection history at a reception position of the signal, and
determine the present position of the at least one transmission device based on the result to thereby reflect the present position of the at least one transmission device in the area map.

13. A lawn mower robot system comprising:
a lawn mower robot;
a plurality of transmission devices that are provided in a travel area and that are configured to transmit first and second signals for determining position information; and
a communication device configured to receive the second signals and deliver a result of reception to the lawn mower robot,
wherein the lawn mower robot is configured to:
receive the first signal,
receive the result of reception of the second signal delivered from the communication device,
perform a set operation while traveling in the travel area based on at least one of (i) a first reception result of the first signal and (ii) the result of reception of the second signal, and based on a prestored area map which includes arrangement positions of the plurality of transmission devices,
detect position changes of the plurality of transmission devices based on at least one of (i) the first reception result and (ii) the result of reception of the second signal, and
determine present positions of the plurality of transmission devices in the area map according to the position changes,

wherein the lawn mower robot is further configured to:
detect the position changes of the plurality of transmission devices based on the first reception result and previous detection history at a reception position of the first signal, and
determine the present positions of the plurality of transmission devices based on at least one of (i) the first reception result and (ii) the result of reception of the second signal, and thereby reflect the present positions of the plurality of transmission devices in the area map.

14. The lawn mower robot system of claim 13 , wherein
the first signal is an ultra-wideband (UWB) signal of which reception result varies depending on a reception position, and
the second signal is a global positioning system (GPS) signal.

15. The lawn mower robot system of claim 13 , wherein the lawn mower robot is configured to
determine the present positions of the plurality of transmission devices based on at least one of (i) the first reception result and (ii) the result of reception of the second signal, and
detect the position changes of the plurality of t

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Ko Kyoungsuk
• Lee Sungwook
• Lee Hyungsub
• Choi Koh

Classifications

• B25J9/1602

  characterised by the control system, structure, architecture · CPC title

• B25J13/08

  by means of sensing devices, e.g. viewing or touching devices · CPC title

• A01D34/008 Primary

  for automated or remotely controlled operation · CPC title

• B25J9/1666

  Avoiding collision or forbidden zones · CPC title

• B25J9/1692

  Calibration of manipulator · CPC title