Robotic vehicle with adjustable operating area

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018139896-A1
Application number	US-201515537666-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 15, 2015
Priority date	Dec 23, 2014
Publication date	May 24, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A robotic vehicle may include 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 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.

First claim

1 . 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 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, wherein the bounded area comprises a variable boundary, and wherein the boundary management module is configured to receive instructions from an operator to adjust the variable boundary.

2 . The robotic vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the variable boundary comprises a selected boundary set from a list of active boundary sets.

3 . The robotic vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the variable boundary comprises at least one active boundary set from a list of boundary sets including at least one inactive boundary set.

4 . The robotic vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the boundary sets comprise respective sets of position or coordinate locations defining a corresponding variable boundary location.

5 . The robotic vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are received locally via a user interface of the robotic vehicle.

6 . The robotic vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are received remotely relative to the robotic vehicle.

7 . The robotic vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the instructions are received from the operator via an electronic device configured to communicate with the robotic vehicle.

8 . The robotic vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the instructions are received from an account manager configured to communicate with the robotic vehicle.

9 . The robotic vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the account manager is configured to activate at least one boundary set stored at the robotic vehicle.

10 . The robotic vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the account manager is configured to transfer at least one boundary set to the robotic vehicle.

11 . The robotic vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the account manager is configured to provide the operator with an indication of a cost associated with at least one boundary set and a cost associated with expanding or contracting coverage relative to the at least one boundary set.

12 . The robotic vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the account manager is configured to define one or more boundary modifications based on time or date.

13 . The robotic vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the boundary management module is configured to display the variable boundary on a map view.

14 . The robotic vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the boundary management module is configured to display an area available for coverage may as a difference between a coverage available for an operator selected plan and a currently selected boundary set.

15 . The robotic vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the boundary management module is configured to adjust the variable boundary based on adjusting a status provided for each of a plurality of boundary sets.

16 . A method of adjusting an operating area of a robotic vehicle, the method comprising:
storing at least one boundary set defining a bounded area, the bounded area comprising a variable boundary; receiving an instruction to modify the variable boundary; adjusting the variable boundary based on the instruction to define a changed bounded area; and facilitating operation of the robotic vehicle with the changed bounded area.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein receiving the instruction comprises receiving an indication of at least one selected boundary set from a list of active boundary sets.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein receiving the instruction comprises receiving an indication of at least one active boundary set from a list of boundary sets including at least one inactive boundary set,
wherein the boundary sets comprise respective sets of position of coordinate locations defining a corresponding variable boundary location.

19 . (canceled)

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein receiving the instruction comprises receiving the instruction locally via a user interface of the robotic vehicle, or receiving the instruction from a source remotely located relative to the robotic vehicle.

21 - 29 . (canceled)

30 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the variable boundary based on adjusting a status provided for each of a plurality of boundary sets.

Assignees

• Husqvarna Ab

Inventors

• Wahlgren Håkan

Classifications

• A01D34/006

  Control or measuring arrangements · CPC title

• A01D34/008 Primary

  for automated or remotely controlled operation · CPC title

• G05D1/0278

  using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS · CPC title

• G05D2201/0208

  Physics · mapped topic

• G05D1/0214

  in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas (monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13) · CPC title