System comprising an autonomous mobile device and a base station communicating via a boundary wire

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020221633-A1
Application number	US-201916697413-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 27, 2019
Priority date	Jan 15, 2019
Publication date	Jul 16, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system comprising an autonomous mobile device and a base station connected to a boundary wire is configured to transmit information from the base station to the autonomous mobile device. The base station is configured to generate a radio signal to be emitted by the boundary wire, wherein the autonomous mobile device is configured to autonomously drive within a working area based on the signal emitted by the boundary wire. The base station on the other hand is configured to encode data and/or commands into the radio signal which is then emitted by the boundary wire. The autonomous mobile device receive the emitted radio signal and is configured to decode the encoded data and/or commands in order to retrieve the original information.

First claim

1 . A system comprising an autonomous mobile device and a base station connected to a boundary wire and configured to generate a radio signal to be emitted by the boundary wire, wherein the autonomous mobile device is configured to autonomously drive within a working area based on the signal emitted by the boundary wire,
wherein the base station is configured to encode data or commands into the radio signal and the autonomous mobile device is configured to decode the encoded data or commands.

2 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein
the frequency of the radio signal on the boundary wire is adapted to the length of the boundary wire.

3 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein
transmission power output of the radio signal is adapted according to a maximal receiving distance of the autonomous mobile device or according to legal norms and regulations concerning allowed signal power.

4 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein
the autonomous mobile device is configured to directly convert decoded commands into control commands for controlling at least one of the driving direction, driving speed and operation of a working tool of the autonomous mobile device.

5 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein
the autonomous mobile device is configured to set parameters for future operation of the autonomous mobile device based on data encoded by the base station and decoded by the autonomous mobile device.

6 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein
the autonomous mobile device is a lawnmower, vacuum cleaner, garden robot or a storage robot.

7 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein
the protocol used implements at least one of a checksum, a hash value, a sender ID, a receiver ID or data packet length.

8 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein
the communication protocol is User Datagram Protocol (UDP), Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) or Broadcast Trivial File Transfer Protocol (BTFTP), Saratoga Protocol or Licklider Transmission Protocol (LTP).

9 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein
the autonomous mobile device is configured to inject a signal into the wire for establishing a communication back channel.

10 . The system according to claim 9 , wherein
the system comprises a plurality of autonomous mobile devices each one configured to decode commands or data encoded into the emitted radio signal, or configured to inject a signal into the wire.

11 . The system according to claim 10 , wherein
the system is configured to determine operating times or working areas for at least two autonomous mobile devices of the plurality of autonomous mobile devices.

12 . The system according to claim 9 , wherein
each of the autonomous mobile devices is associated a unique address.

13 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein
the base station is connected to the internet or local network by wire or wirelessly and relays information between internet or local network and the autonomous mobile device(s) or between a user terminal connected to the local network and the autonomous mobile device(s).

14 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein
the base station or autonomous mobile device(s) is/are configured to encrypt or sign the transmitted data or command using a cryptographic algorithm.

15 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein
commands that can be encoded by the base station and decoded and executed by the autonomous mobile device comprise at least one of the following: return to base station, stop mowing, stop moving, move to coordinate XY, move to zone A, move to Wi-Fi range of house network, adjust mowing height.

16 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein
the data that is encoded by the base station comprises information on at least one of: working times, navigation points, weather information, device configuration, work parameters, map data, software update.

Assignees

• Honda Res Inst Europe Gmbh

Inventors

• Einecke Nils
• Rebhan Sven

Classifications

• A01D34/008 Primary

  for automated or remotely controlled operation · CPC title

• G08C17/02

  using a radio link · CPC title

• G05D1/0265 Primary

  using buried wires · CPC title

• G05D1/0225

  involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay (parking aids B62D15/027) · CPC title

• G05D2201/0208

  Physics · mapped topic