Navigating a robotic mower along a wire
A method navigates a robotic mower ( 2 ) by means of a wire ( 4, 8 ). The robotic mower ( 2 ) comprises at least one sensor ( 12, 14 ). The method comprises controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to exit a parking position at a station ( 11 ), wherein in the parking position the robotic mower ( 2 ) is at least partially arranged at an inside of a loop ( 10 ) of the station ( 11 ), determining that the robotic mower ( 2 ) has moved further outside of the loop ( 10 ) by detecting at least one signal of the loop ( 10 ) by means of the at least one sensor ( 12, 14 ), detecting at least one signal of the wire ( 4, 8 ) by means of the at least one sensor ( 12, 14 ) and controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to straddle along the wire ( 4, 8 ).
1 . A method for navigating a robotic mower ( 2 ) by a wire ( 4 , 8 ), said robotic mower ( 2 ) comprising at least one sensor ( 12 ; 14 ), the method comprising:
controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to exit a parking position at a station ( 11 ), wherein in the parking position the robotic mower ( 2 ) is at least partially arranged at an inside of a loop ( 10 ) of the station ( 11 ),
determining that the robotic mower ( 2 ) has moved further outside of the loop ( 10 ) by detecting at least one signal of the loop ( 10 ) by the at least one sensor ( 12 , 14 ),
detecting at least one signal of the wire ( 4 , 8 ) by the at least one sensor ( 12 , 14 ) and
controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to straddle along the wire ( 4 , 8 ).
2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to increase the distance between the robotic mower ( 2 ) and the wire ( 4 , 8 ) so that the robotic mower ( 2 ) is displaced from the wire ( 4 , 8 ) by a displacement distance,
measuring, by the at least one sensor ( 12 , 14 ), a signal level of at least one signal from the wire ( 4 , 8 ), and
controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to follow the wire ( 4 , 8 ) based on the measured signal level.
3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the displacement distance is randomly determined between a minimum displacement distance and a maximum displacement distance.
4 . The method according to claim 3 , further comprising controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to return to the station ( 11 ).
5 . The method according to claim 3 , further comprising controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to return to the station ( 11 ), and controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to follow the wire ( 4 , 8 ) in the minimum distance when returning to the station ( 11 ).
6 . The method according to claim 5 , further comprising, in response to determining that the robotic mower ( 2 ) has moved further outside of the loop ( 10 ), controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to drive along a straight line for a random distance.
7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the wire ( 4 ) is a boundary wire delimiting an area (A).
8 . The method according to claim 7 , further comprising, after controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to drive along a straight line for a random distance, controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to turn by an angle, measuring, by the at least one sensor ( 12 , 14 ), a signal level of at least one signal from the loop ( 10 ), and controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to follow the loop ( 10 ) based on the measured signal level until detecting at least one signal from the boundary wire ( 4 ).
9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the wire ( 4 ) is a boundary wire delimiting an area (A), further comprising, before controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to increase the distance between the robotic mower ( 2 ) and the boundary wire ( 4 ) by driving a displacement distance, controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to straddle along the boundary wire ( 4 ) in a first direction until detecting a straight section of the boundary wire ( 4 ), and, in response to detecting the straight section, controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to straddle along the boundary wire ( 4 ) in a second direction opposite the first direction before.
10 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the wire ( 8 ) is a guide wire arranged within an area (A) delimited by a boundary wire ( 4 ).
11 . The method according to claim 10 , further comprising turning the robotic mower ( 2 ) and determining the orientation of the robotic mower ( 2 ) relative to the guide wire ( 8 ) using at least one signal measured by each of two sensors ( 12 , 14 ) of the robotic mower ( 2 ).
12 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising, before controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to increase the distance between the robotic mower ( 2 ) and the guide wire ( 8 ) by driving a displacement distance, controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to straddle along the guide wire ( 8 ) for a predetermined time or over a predetermined distance.
13 . The method according to claim 12 , further comprising measuring a distance driven by the robotic mower ( 2 ), and controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to abort following the wire ( 4 , 8 ) when the driven distance equals a preconfigured distance and/or when a driving time equals a preconfigured time.
14 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising, in response to the driven distance equaling the preconfigured distance and/or the driving time equaling the preconfigured time, controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to mow within the area (A).
15 . A method for navigating a robotic mower ( 2 ) by a boundary wire ( 4 ) delimiting an area (A) and a loop ( 10 ) being at least partially arranged within the area (A), said robotic mower ( 2 ) comprising a first sensor ( 14 ) and a second sensor ( 14 ), the method comprising:
controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to follow the boundary wire ( 4 ) in a displacement distance using at least one of the sensors ( 12 , 14 ),
in response to detecting, by the first sensor ( 14 ), that the first sensor ( 14 ) is arranged at an inside of the loop ( 10 ), straddling along the loop ( 10 ) using the second sensor ( 12 );
when exiting, controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to exit a parking position at a station ( 11 ), wherein in the parking position the robotic mower ( 2 ) is at least partially arranged at an inside of a loop ( 10 ) of the station ( 11 ),
determining that the robotic mower ( 2 ) has moved further outside of the loop ( 10 ) by detecting at least one signal of the loop ( 10 ) by the at least one sensor ( 12 , 14 ),
detecting at least one signal of the boundary wire ( 4 ) by the at least one sensor ( 12 , 14 ) and
controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to straddle along the boundary wire ( 4 ).
16 . The method according to claim 15 , further comprising detecting, by the first sensor ( 14 ), a further wire section ( 4 a ).
17 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising, in response to detecting the further wire section ( 4 a ), controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to drive straight forward for a pre-configured time and/or a pre-configured distance.
18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the further wire section ( 4 a ) is a part of the boundary wire ( 4 ).
19 . The method according to claim 18 , further comprising controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to follow the further wire section ( 4 a ) to assume a parking position in which a battery ( 18 ) of the robotic mower ( 2 ) is charged by the station ( 11 ).
20 . A method for navigating a robotic mower ( 2 ) by a wire ( 4 , 8 ), said robotic mower ( 2 ) comprising at least one sensor ( 12 ; 14 ), the method comprising:
controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to exit a parking position at a station ( 11 ), wherein in the parking position the robotic mower ( 2 ) is at least partially arranged at an inside of a loop ( 10 ) of the station ( 11 ),
determining that the robotic mower ( 2 ) has moved further outside of the loop ( 10 ) by detecting at least one signal of the loop ( 10 ) by the at least one sensor ( 12 , 14 ),
detecting at least one signal of the wire ( 4 , 8 ) by the at least one sensor ( 12 , 14 ),
controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to straddle along the wire ( 4 , 8 ),
controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to increase the distance between the robotic mower ( 2 ) and the wire ( 4 , 8 ) so that the robotic mower ( 2 ) is displaced from the wire ( 4 , 8 ) by a displacement distance,
measuring, by the at least one sensor ( 12 , 14 ), a signal level of at least one signal from the wire ( 4 , 8 ), and
controlling the robotic mower ( 2 ) to follow the wire ( 4 , 8 ) based on the measured signal level.
21 . A robotic mower ( 2 ) for navigating by a wire ( 4 , 8 ) and comprising at least one sensor ( 12 , 14 ) and a control unit ( 22 ), wherein,
the control unit ( 22 ) is configured to control the robotic mower ( 2 ) to exit a parking position at a station ( 11 ), in the parking position the robotic mower ( 2 ) is at least partially arranged at an inside of a loop ( 10 ) of the station ( 11 ),
the at least one sensor ( 12 , 14 ) is configured to determine that the robotic mower ( 2 ) is at least substantially arranged outside of the loop ( 10 ) by detecting at least one signal of the loop ( 10 ),
the at least one sensor ( 12 , 14 ) is configured to detect at least one signal of the wire ( 4 , 8 ) and
the control unit ( 22 ) is configured to control the robotic mower ( 2 ) to straddle along the wire ( 4 , 8 ).
22 . A robotic mower ( 2 ) for navigating by a boundary wire ( 4 ) delimiting an area (A) and a loop ( 10 ) being at least partially arranged within the area (A), the robotic mower ( 2 ) comprising a first sensor ( 14 ), a second sensor ( 14 ), and a control unit ( 22 ), wherein,
the control unit ( 22 ) is configured to control the robotic mower ( 2 ) to follow the boundary wire ( 4 ) in a displacement distance using at least one of the sensors ( 12 , 14 ), and
the first sensor ( 14 ) is configured to detect that the first sensor ( 14 ) is arranged at an inside of the loop ( 10 ), then the control unit ( 22 ) is configured to control the robotic mower ( 2 ) to straddle along the loop ( 10 ) using the second sensor ( 12 );
when exiting, the control unit ( 22 ) is configured to control the robotic mower ( 2 ) to exit a parking position at a station ( 11 ), wherein in the parking position the robotic mower ( 2 ) is at least partially arranged at an inside of the loop ( 10 ) of the station ( 11 ),
at least one sensor ( 12 , 14 ) is configured to determine that the robotic mower ( 2 ) has moved further outside of the loop ( 10 ) by detecting at least one signal of the loop ( 10 ),
at least one sensor ( 12 , 14 ) is configured to detect at least one signal of the wire ( 4 ), and
the control unit ( 22 ) is configured to control the robotic mower ( 2 ) to straddle along the wire ( 4 ).
23 . A robotic mower ( 2 ) for navigating by a wire ( 4 , 8 ) and comprising at least one sensor ( 12 , 14 ) and a control unit ( 22 ), wherein,
the control unit ( 22 ) is configured to control the robotic mower ( 2 ) to exit a parking position at a station ( 11 ), wherein in the parking position the robotic mower ( 2 ) is at least partially arranged at an inside of a loop ( 10 ) of the station ( 11 ),
the at least one sensor ( 12 , 14 ) is configured to determine that the robotic mower ( 2 ) has moved further outside of the loop ( 10 ) by detecting at least one signal of the loop ( 10 ),
the at least one sensor ( 12 , 14 ) is configured to detect at least one signal of the wire ( 4 , 8 ),
the control unit ( 22 ) is configured to control the robotic mower ( 2 ) to straddle along the wire ( 4 , 8 ),
the control unit ( 22 ) is configured to control the robotic mower ( 2 ) to increase the distance between the robotic mower ( 2 ) and the wire ( 4 , 8 ) so that the robotic mower ( 2 ) is displaced from the wire ( 4 , 8 ) by a displacement distance,
the at least one sensor ( 12 , 14 ) is configured to measure a signal level of at least one signal from the wire ( 4 , 8 ), and
the control unit ( 22 ) is configured to control the robotic mower ( 2 ) to follow the wire ( 4 , 8 ) based on the measured signal level.