IP Library Granted Patent US 10,681,864
Granted Patent B2
US 10,681,864 · App. 16/004,409 · Granted Jun 16, 2020

Charging station with a data connection for a ground working system

Inventors: Sebastian Matt (Kufstein, AT); Samuel Zoettl (Birgitz, AT); Klaus Melser (Langkampfen, AT); Peter Ritzer (Ebbs, AT)
Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG
A01D34/008A01D34/64A01D69/02B60L53/12B60L53/14B60L53/60G05D1/0022G05D1/0225G05D1/0259G05D1/0287A01D2101/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,681,864
App. No.
16/004,409
Granted
Jun 16, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A ground working system has at least one self-driving ground working device with a drive, a control unit and an in-device battery for supplying energy to the ground working device. An operating region (A), within which the ground working device travels automatically along a traveling path (W), is determined by an edge boundary. At least one charging station for charging the battery of the ground working device via an electrical energy-transferring charging connection is provided. The charging connection is also configured as a data connection for the transmission of data packets.

Claims (45)

1. A ground working system comprising:

at least one self-driving ground working device having a drive, a control unit and an in-device battery for supplying energy to said at least one self-driving ground working device, wherein an operating region (A) of said at least one self-driving ground working device is determined by an edge boundary;

said at least one self-driving ground working device being configured to travel automatically within said operating region (A) along a traveling path (W);

a charging station for charging said in-device battery of said at least one self-driving ground working device via an electrical energy-transferring charging connection; and,

said charging connection also being configured as a data connection for the transmission of data packets.

2. The ground working system of claim 1 , wherein said data connection is a bidirectional data connection.

3. The ground working system of claim 1 , wherein said charging station is connected to a central server.

4. The ground working system of claim 1 further comprising:

a central server;

said charging station being connected to said central server; and,

said central server being configured to process data packets to be transmitted from said charging station to said at least one self-driving ground working device.

5. The ground working system of claim 1 , wherein said at least one self-driving ground working device is connected to a central server.

6. The ground working system of claim 1 further comprising:

a central server;

said at least one self-driving ground working device being configured to connect to said central server; and,

said central server being configured to process data packets transmitted from said at least one self-driving ground working device to said charging station.

7. The ground working system of claim 1 , wherein:

said charging station transmits data packets to said at least one self-driving ground working device; and,

said control unit of said at least one self-driving ground working device is configured to process the data packets.

8. The ground working system of claim 1 , wherein said at least one self-driving ground working device is configured to transmit data packets to said charging station.

9. The ground working system of claim 1 , wherein said charging connection is a contactless charging connection.

10. The ground working system of claim 1 , wherein said charging connection is configured as a plug connection.

11. The ground working system of claim 10 , wherein said plug connection has a contact tab and a contact socket.

12. The ground working system of claim 10 further comprising:

a contact tab disposed on said at least one charging station; and,

a contact socket disposed on said at least one self-driving ground working device.

13. The ground working system of claim 1 , wherein:

said charging connection includes electrical power contacts; and,

said data connection is established via said power contacts.

14. The ground working system of claim 1 further comprising a boundary wire forming said edge boundary.

15. The ground working system of claim 14 , wherein said boundary wire is laid as a wire loop.

16. The ground working system of claim 14 further comprising:

a base station electrically connected to said boundary wire and configured to transmit a wire signal on said boundary wire;

said at least one self-driving ground working device having a reception coil;

wherein said wire signal transmitted on said boundary wire induces a reception signal in said reception coil of said at least one self-driving ground working device; and,

said control unit is configured to process said reception signal and to use said reception signal for controlling said at least one self-driving ground working device on said traveling path (W).

17. The ground working system of claim 1 , wherein said charging station is configured as a base station.

18. The ground working system of claim 1 , wherein a multiplicity of autonomously operating ones of said self-driving ground working device are arranged in said operating region (A).

19. The ground working system of claim 1 , wherein said at least one self-driving ground working device is a self-driving lawnmower.

20. The ground working system of claim 1 , wherein:

said charging station includes operating software; and,

one of said data packets transmitted from said at least one self-driving ground working device via the data connection updates said operating software of said charging station.

21. The ground working system of claim 1 , wherein:

said at least one self-driving ground working device includes operating software; and,

one of said data packets transmitted from said charging station via said data connection updates said operating software of said at least one self-driving ground working device.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 8, 2019
From: VIKING GMBH
To: ANDREAS STIHL AG & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 048550/0460 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 6, 2019
From: MATT, SEBASTIAN; ZOETTL, SAMUEL; MELSER, KLAUS; RITZER, PETER
To: VIKING GMBH
Reel/Frame 048519/0371 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 17400035 · Jun 9, 2017 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180352734A1 · Dec 13, 2018
Cited By (14)
US 12,296,694 US 12,369,509 US 12,425,197 US 12,443,180 US 12,472,611 US 12,510,892 US 12,564,130 US 12,642,408 US 12,653,097 US 12,677,737 US 12,690,518 US 12,691,778 US 12,696,838 US 12,714,019