In an apparatus for controlling operation of a utility vehicle that runs a working area to perform work by a work unit, there provided with a set mowing height inputting unit configured to input a mowing height of lawn mowing work set by a user, a desired mowing height setting unit configured to set a desired mowing height based on the set mowing height inputted by the set mowing height inputting unit, and a mowing height regulating unit configured to regulate height from ground surface of the work unit based on the desired mowing height set by the desired mowing height setting unit.

In an apparatus for controlling operation of an autonomously navigating utility vehicle equipped with a prime mover to travel about a working area delineated by a boundary wire in order to perform work autonomously, there are provided with an objective location identifying unit that identifies a location of an objective in the working area, a route generating unit that generates a target return route for the vehicle to return to the objective, and a travel controlling unit that controls operation of the prime mover to make the vehicle travel along the target return route. The route generating unit selects, among a first set of radial lines imaginarily drawn on the working area to radiate from the position of the vehicle and a second set of radial lines imaginarily drawn on the working area to radiate from the objective, a first radial line and a second radial line that result in shortest distance from the position of the vehicle to the objective and generates the target return route by the first radial line and the second radial line.

A method for autonomous mower navigation includes receiving a return-to-zero encoded signal including a pseudo-random sequence, transforming the received signal to a non-return-to-zero representation, digitally sampling the non-return-to-zero signal representation in a time domain, filtering the sampled signal utilizing a reference data array based on the return-to-zero encoded signal to produce a filter output, and determining a location of the autonomous mower relative to a defined work area based on an evaluation of the filter output.

A robotic mower area coverage system includes a load sensor on the robotic mower signaling load on a cutting blade motor, a boundary sensor on the robotic mower indicating the distance from the sensor to a boundary wire, a timer on the robotic mower indicating when the robotic mower last used a specified boundary coverage, and a vehicle control unit on the robotic mower selecting the type of area coverage based on input from the load sensor, the boundary sensor and the timer, and commanding a pair of traction drive motors to drive the robotic mower using the selected type of area coverage.

A robot lawnmower includes a body and a drive system carried by the body and configured to maneuver the robot across a lawn. The robot also includes a grass cutter and a swath edge detector, both carried by the body. The swath edge detector is configured to detect a swath edge between cut and uncut grass while the drive system maneuvers the robot across the lawn while following a detected swath edge. The swath edge detector includes a calibrator that monitors uncut grass for calibration of the swath edge detector. In some examples, the calibrator comprises a second swath edge detector.

A robotic medical assistant vehicle and interface (R-MAVI) is disclosed. The robotic medical assistant vehicle and interface helps contain viruses by reducing human interaction. The robotic medical assistant vehicle and interface combines robotics with medicine to achieve the safest and most efficient reception, transportation and initial assessment of a patient.

A method and a system for docking a robotic mower with a charging station, the system including a boundary wire and a charging station loop wherein the boundary wire makes a loop in the charging station that is narrower than and crosses the charging station loop. A return signal is received from a control unit commanding the robotic mower to return to the charging station. In response thereto, the robotic mower is controlled to follow the boundary wire until the charging station loop is detected. The robotic mower then follows the charging station loop until a crossing between the charging station loop and the boundary wire loop is detected. Thereafter, the robotic mower is controlled to follow the charging station loop a first distance, and then continuing to drive the robotic mower in a direction straight forward for a second distance. When the robotic mower has moved the second distance it is turned a predefined angle towards the charging station and controlled to follow the boundary wire loop until a charging position is reached.

Disclosed in the present invention is an autonomous vehicle (1), which comprises an housing (21), an driving module mounted on the housing (21), an borderline detecting module mounted on the housing for detecting the distance between the autonomous vehicle (1) and the borderline (3), an energy module mounted on the housing for providing energy for the autonomous vehicle, and an control module electrically connected with the driving module and the borderline detecting module. The control module controls the driving module to perform steering based on the signal representing the angle relationship between the autonomous vehicle (1) and the borderline (3) transmitted from the borderline detecting module, so that the axis (33) of the autonomous vehicle (1) always forms an acute angle or an right angle with one side of the borderline (3) while steering is completed, but another side of the borderline (3) forms an acute angle or an right angle with the core axis (33) of the autonomous vehicle (1) when the turning begins. The turning has directivity, so that the autonomous vehicle more easily goes out from the narrow area and the efficiency of area covering is higher; moving is kept during the turning, so that the energy is saved, and the working efficiency is improved.

A control method includes a first turning step and a second turning step. The first turning step includes controlling a plurality of drive wheels to make a mover turn around a position where a first detection range overlaps with a trajectory, until a second sensor senses, in a state where the first detection range overlaps with the trajectory, a state where the trajectory is present at a first target position within a second detection range. The second turning step includes controlling, after the first turning step has been performed, the plurality of drive wheels to make the mover turn around the first target position until the third sensor senses a state where the trajectory is present at a second target position within a third detection range.

A robotic work tool system (200) comprising a robotic work tool (100) comprising at least one body part (140, 140-1, 140-2, 140-3) and at least one navigation sensor (170, 175) being configured to receive a control signal (225, 235), wherein at least one of the at least one navigation sensor (170, 175) is arranged on the at least one body part (140, 140-1, 140-2, 140-3). The robotic work tool (100) being configured to determine that said control signal (225, 235) is not reliably received and in response thereto rotate at least one of the at least one body part (140, 140-1, 140-2, 140-3) comprising at least one of the at least one navigation sensor (170, 175) in a first direction to attempt to regain reliable reception of the control signal (225, 235).