Robotic work tool grass detection and directional operation systems and methods
A robotic work tool system comprising a robotic work tool arranged to operate in an operational area at least partially covered with grass, wherein the operational area is bounded by a rudimentary boundary, and the robotic work tool comprising a grass sensor and a controller is configured to receive sensor input from the grass sensors, determine a position of the robotic work tool, determine that the robotic work tool is on grass, and then determine that the position is outside a maximum distance of the rudimentary boundary and then change direction of operation or determine that the position is inside the maximum distance of the rudimentary boundary and then keep operating.
1 . A robotic work tool system comprising a controller, a robotic work tool arranged to operate in an operational area at least partially covered with grass and bounded by a rudimentary boundary, and a server with a memory operable to store information including one or more operational area maps, wherein the controller is operably connected to the server, the robotic work tool, and at least one grass sensor disposed at a height and configured to detect grass near the robotic work tool within a field of view, further wherein the controller is configured to
receive sensor input from the at least one grass sensors,
determine a position of the robotic work tool,
determine that the robotic work tool is on grass and not at an edge of the grass, and then
determine that the position is beyond at least one maximum distance outside of the rudimentary boundary and then change direction of operation or
determine that the position is within the maximum distance outside of the rudimentary boundary and then keep operating.
2 . The robotic work tool system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the robotic work tool is at a grass edge and then change direction of operation.
3 . The robotic work tool system according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the position is within a maximum distance internal to the rudimentary boundary and then keep operating or determine that the position is beyond the maximum distance internal to the rudimentary boundary and then change direction of operation.
4 . The robotic work tool system according to claim 1 , wherein the robotic work tool further comprises a satellite navigation sensor operably connected to the controller and wherein the controller is configured to determine the position of the robotic work tool based on the satellite navigation sensor.
5 . The robotic work tool system according to claim 1 , wherein the robotic work tool further comprises a visual navigation sensor operably connected to the controller and wherein the controller is configured to determine the position of the robotic work tool based on the visual navigation sensor.
6 . The robotic work tool system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the position of the robotic work tool based on a map application, and wherein the rudimentary boundary is indicated in said map application.
7 . The robotic work tool system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive the rudimentary boundary as one or more geometric shapes from the server.
8 . The robotic work tool system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one maximum distance outside of the rudimentary boundary at a nearest point along the rudimentary boundary comprises an outward displacement from the rudimentary boundary at said nearest point in a vector perpendicular to the axis tangential to the rudimentary boundary at said nearest point.
9 . The robotic work tool system according to claim 8 , wherein the maximum distance is the same for all points along the rudimentary boundary.
10 . The robotic work tool system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to change the direction of operation by turning.
11 . The robotic work tool system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to change the direction of operation by reversing.
12 . The robotic work tool system according to claim 1 , wherein the robotic work tool comprises a robotic lawnmower.
13 . A method for using a robotic work tool system comprising a controller operably connected to a robotic work tool arranged to operate in an operational area at least partially covered with grass and bounded by a rudimentary boundary, the controller further operably connected to a server with a memory operable to store information including one or more operational area maps, and at least one grass sensor disposed at a height and configured to detect grass near the robotic work tool within a field of view, wherein the method comprises
receiving sensor input from the at least one grass sensors,
determining a position of the robotic work tool,
determining that the robotic work tool is on grass and not at an edge of the grass, and then
determining that the position is beyond at least one maximum distance outside of the rudimentary boundary and then changing direction of operation or
determining that the position is within the maximum distance outside of the rudimentary boundary and then keeping operating.
14 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium carrying computer instructions that when loaded into and executed by a controller of a robotic work tool enables the robotic work tool to implement the method according to claim 13 .
15 . The robotic work tool system according to claim 8 , wherein maximum distances are different for at least two points along the rudimentary boundary.
16 . The robotic work tool system according to claim 1 , further configured wherein receiving sensor input and/or determining that the robotic work tool is on grass comprises at least one camera, stereo camera, red-green-blue camera, infrared sensor, sematic segmentation, normalized difference vegetation index, or any combination thereof.