Mower fleet management device, method, and system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021365044-A1
Application number	US-202117326308-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 20, 2021
Priority date	May 22, 2020
Publication date	Nov 25, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

The mower fleet management device is configured to control a plurality of mowers to work in collaboration. Each of the mowers includes an on-board communication module and an on-board positioning and navigation module. The mower fleet management device includes: a map loading module configured to acquire a map of a working land parcel; a control terminal communication module configured to wirelessly communicate with the on-board communication modules to acquire status information of the mowers; and a working region assigning module configured to assign a working region to each of the mowers according to the status information and the map. The on-board positioning and navigation module of each of the mowers guides the mower to work in the corresponding working region according to the assigned working region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A mower fleet management device configured to control a plurality of mowers to work in collaboration, each of the plurality of mowers comprising an on-board communication module, and an on-board positioning and navigation module, wherein the mower fleet management device comprises:
a map loading module configured to acquire a map of a working land for use by the on-board positioning and navigation modules; a control terminal communication module configured to wirelessly communicate with the on-board communication modules to acquire status information of the plurality of mowers or transmit a control command to the plurality of mowers, wherein the status information comprises at least one of charge amount of battery, speed and mowing widths of the plurality of mowers; and a working region assigning module configured to assign a working region to each of the plurality of mowers according to the status information and the map; wherein the on-board positioning and navigation module of each of the plurality of mowers guides the mower to work in the corresponding working region according to the assigned working region.

2 . The mower fleet management device according to claim 1 , wherein the map loading module comprises a position collection unit and a map generation unit, wherein the position collection unit is configured to collect coordinate information of the working land, and the map generation unit is configured to generate a boundary curve of the working land according to the coordinate information and fit the boundary curve to generate the map of the working land.

3 . The mower fleet management device according to claim 2 , wherein the coordinate information of the working land comprises coordinate information of a boundary of the working land and coordinate information of a boundary of an obstacle located in the working land.

4 . The mower fleet management device according to claim 2 , wherein the map generation unit is configured to: determine whether the boundary curve is a closed loop; and if so, fit the boundary curve to generate the map of the working land; or if not, transmit a prompt message to remind a worker to complete collection of position information of the working land.

5 . The mower fleet management device according to claim 2 , wherein the working region assigning module comprises an working area estimation unit and a path generation unit, wherein the working area estimation unit is configured to estimate the working area of each of the mowers according to the status information, and the path generation unit is configured to generate a working path according to the estimated working area and the map of the working land.

6 . The mower fleet management device according to claim 5 , wherein when the sum of the estimated working areas of all of the mowers is less than the area of the working land, the working region assigning module transmits a prompt message.

7 . The mower fleet management device according to claim 6 , further comprising an interaction module, wherein when the sum of the estimated working areas of all of the mowers is less than the area of the working land, according to a user's input to the interaction module, the control terminal communication module is controlled to establish communication with an on-board communication module of a mower outside the fleet to add the mower outside the fleet to the fleet.

8 . The mower fleet management device according to claim 6 , further comprising an interaction module, wherein when the sum of the estimated working areas of all of the mowers is less than the area of the working land, from the map of the working land through the interaction module, a preferential region of the working land is selected, and the mower fleet management device controls a mower fleet to work in the preferential region of the working land.

9 . The mower fleet management device according to claim 1 , further comprising a control terminal monitoring module to monitor operation information of each of the mowers, wherein when any of the mowers malfunctions, the mower fleet management device transmits a prompt message.

10 . The mower fleet management device according to claim 9 , wherein a safety distance is set between two of the mowers that have partially overlapping mowing regions, so that when a front mower of the two mowers malfunctions and stops operation, a rear mower of the two mowers is capable of decelerating and stopping within the safety distance to avoid a collision as a result of the two being too close.

11 . A mower fleet management method for controlling a plurality of mowers to work in collaboration, the method comprising:
acquiring a map of a working land and status information of the plurality of mowers, wherein the status information comprises at least one of charge amount of battery, speed and mowing widths of the plurality of mowers; and assigning a working region to each of the mowers according to the status information and the map and guiding each of the mowers to work in the corresponding working region.

12 . The mower fleet management method according to claim 11 , the method further comprising:
acquiring coordinate information of the working land; generating a boundary curve of the working land according to the coordinate information; and fitting the boundary curve to generate the map of the working land.

13 . The mower fleet management method according to claim 12 , the method further comprising:
acquiring coordinate information of a boundary of the working land; and acquiring coordinate information of a boundary of an obstacle in the working land.

14 . The mower fleet management method according to claim 12 , the method further comprising: determining whether the boundary curve is a closed loop; and if so, fitting the boundary curve to generate the map of the working land; or if not, acquiring coordinate information of the working land.

15 . The mower fleet management method according to claim 11 , the method further comprising:
evaluating working area of each of the plurality of mowers according to the status information of each of the plurality of mowers; and generating a working path of each of the plurality of mowers according to the estimated working area of each of the plurality of mowers and the map of the working land.

16 . The mower fleet management method according to claim 15 , the method further comprising:
estimating the working area of each of the plurality of mowers; determining whether a sum of the estimated working areas of all of the plurality of mowers is not less than an area of the working land; and if so, generating a working path of each of the plurality of mowers according to the estimated working area of each of the plurality of mowers and the map of the working land; or determining whether a mower outside the fleet is needed to be added; and if so, adding the mower outside the fleet to a current fleet and evaluating working area of each of the plurality of mowers according to the status information of each of the plurality of mowers.

17 . The mower fleet management method according to claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises: selecting, by a user, a preferential region of the working land parcel from the map of the working land parcel.

18 . The mower fleet management method according to claim 11 , wherein the mower fleet management method further comprises: monitoring operation information of each of the plurality of mowers and controlling the mower to perform an operation corresponding to

Assignees

• Globe Jiangsu Co Ltd

Inventors

• Xue Jiafu
• Ding Shiyuan
• Wang Jing
• Wei Qunli
• Chen Hui
• Shi Dongdong

Classifications

• G05D1/0289 Primary

  with means for avoiding collisions between vehicles (vehicle fittings for automatically controlling speed including means for detecting potential obstacles B60K31/0008; avoiding obstacles by action on the steering system B62D; radar, sonar, lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93) · CPC title

• G05D1/0027

  involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling (fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00) · CPC title

• G05D1/0022

  characterised by the communication link (data switching networks in general H04L12/00) · CPC title

• A01D34/008 Primary

  for automated or remotely controlled operation · CPC title

• G01C21/3826

  Terrain data · CPC title