Autonomous working system, autonomous vehicle and steering method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11188087-B2
Application number	US-201716090125-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2017
Priority date	Mar 30, 2016
Publication date	Nov 30, 2021
Grant date	Nov 30, 2021

Abstract

The present invention provides an autonomous vehicle, comprising: a housing; a driving module, mounted on the housing; a limit detecting module, mounted on the housing and detecting a distance between the autonomous vehicle and a limit; an energy module, mounted on the housing and providing energy for the autonomous vehicle; a control module, electrically connected to the driving module and the limit detecting module, the control module enables to the driving module to execute steering according to a signal representing an angle relationship between the autonomous vehicle and the limit and sent by the limit detecting module, such that an acute angle or right angle is always formed between the central axis of the autonomous vehicle and one lateral side of the limit when the steering is finished, and an acute angle or right angle is formed between the central axis of the autonomous vehicle and another lateral side of the limit when the steering begins; and if judging that the driving of the autonomous vehicle meets a preset condition, then the control module reduces an upper limit of an angle value range of an acute angle or right angle formed between the central axis of the autonomous vehicle and one lateral side of the limit when the steering is finished. The efficiency of passing by a narrow passage is higher.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An autonomous vehicle, configured to walk and work in a working area defined by a limit and comprising:
a housing, having a longitudinal central axis;
a driving module, mounted on said housing, said driving module driving the autonomous vehicle to walk and steer, and comprising a wheel set and a driving motor driving the wheel set to walk;
a limit detecting module, detecting a location relationship between the autonomous vehicle and said limit;
an energy module, mounted on said housing and providing energy for the autonomous vehicle;
a control module, electrically connected to said driving module and said limit detecting module, wherein after being driven to said limit and reaching a preset location relationship, the autonomous vehicle is steered to be driven away from said limit, and said limit is divided into two lateral sides by an intersection point with the longitudinal central axis in the preset location relationship,
wherein said control module enables said driving module to execute steering according to a signal representing an angle relationship between the autonomous vehicle and said limit and sent by said limit detecting module, such that an acute angle or right angle is always formed between the longitudinal central axis of the autonomous vehicle and a lateral side of said limit when the steering is finished, and an acute angle or right angle is formed between another lateral side of said limit and the longitudinal central axis of the autonomous vehicle when the steering begins; said driving module drives the autonomous vehicle to rotate to a direction in which an acute angle or right angle between the longitudinal central axis and said limit is reduced; and
when said control module judges that driving of the autonomous vehicle meets a preset condition, then an upper limit of an angle value range of the acute angle or right angle formed between the longitudinal central axis of the autonomous vehicle and the lateral side of said limit when the steering is finished is reduced.

2. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein when said control module judges that the driving of the autonomous vehicle does not meet the preset condition, then an angle value of the acute angle or right angle formed between the longitudinal central axis of the autonomous vehicle and the lateral side of said limit when the steering is finished is set to be in a preceding range before the preset condition is met.

3. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein when said control module judges that the driving of the autonomous vehicle meets the preset condition, then the upper limit of the angle value range of the acute angle or right angle formed between the longitudinal central axis of the autonomous vehicle and the lateral side of said limit when the steering is finished is controlled within 45-75 degrees.

4. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein before the driving of the autonomous vehicle meets the preset condition, the upper limit of the angle value range of the acute angle or right angle formed between the longitudinal central axis of the autonomous vehicle and the lateral side of said limit when the steering is finished is within 75-90 degrees.

5. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein said control module judges that the driving of the autonomous vehicle meets the preset condition according to a fact that steering times of the autonomous vehicle in preset time reach a preset value.

6. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein the preset time is 1 min, and the preset value of the steering times is any value of 5-20.

7. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein said control module judges that the driving of the autonomous vehicle meets the preset condition according to a fact that a driving distance of the autonomous vehicle along said limit from a start position reaches a preset value.

8. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 7 , wherein the autonomous vehicle further comprises a working module, and said control module enables said working module to execute working when judging that the driving of the autonomous vehicle meets the preset condition.

9. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein said limit detecting module comprises border sensing elements respectively located on both sides of the longitudinal central axis of said housing.

10. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the border sensing elements are symmetrically disposed relative to said longitudinal central axis and are located on a front part of said housing.

11. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the preset location relationship is that one of the border sensing elements is away from said limit by a preset distance.

12. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the preset location relationship is that one of the border sensing elements reaches out of said limit.

13. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the angle relationship is that an included angle formed between the longitudinal central axis and lateral sides at both sides of an intersection point of the longitudinal central axis and said limit is an acute angle, right angle or blunt angle.

14. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein said limit detecting module comprises border sensing elements respectively located on both sides of the longitudinal central axis of said housing, when said border sensing element at one side sends a signal that said border sensing element is away from said limit by a preset distance to said control module at first, then said control module judges that an acute angle is formed between said limit located on said one side of the longitudinal central axis and the longitudinal central axis.

15. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein said limit detecting module comprises border sensing elements respectively located on both sides of the longitudinal central axis of said housing, when said border sensing element at one side sends a signal that said border sensing element reaches out of said limit to said control module at first, then said control module judges that an acute angle is formed between said limit located on said one side of the longitudinal central axis and the longitudinal central axis.

16. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the autonomous vehicle is a robot mower, and also comprises a cutting module located below said housing and a cutting motor driving said cutting module for cutting.

Assignees

• Positec Power Tools Suzhou Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zha Xiahong
• Zhao Fengli
• Lan Bincai

Classifications

• A47L2201/022

  Recharging of batteries · CPC title

• A47L2201/024

  Emptying dust or waste liquid containers · CPC title

• A47L2201/04

  Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection · CPC title

• A01D34/008

  for automated or remotely controlled operation · CPC title

• A47L11/4061

  Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated · CPC title