US 12,268,121 B2
Autonomous grounds maintenance machines with path planning for trap and obstacle avoidance
Jason T. Kraft, Stillwater, MN (US)
Assigned to THE TORO COMPANY, Bloomington, MN (US)
Filed by THE TORO COMPANY, Bloomington, MN (US)
Filed on Nov. 28, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/521,638.
Application 18/521,638 is a continuation of application No. 17/746,080, filed on May 17, 2022, granted, now 11,832,553.
Application 17/746,080 is a continuation of application No. 16/422,153, filed on May 24, 2019, granted, now 11,350,563, issued on Jun. 7, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/801,267, filed on Feb. 5, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/676,379, filed on May 25, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0090370 A1, Mar. 21, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A01D 34/00 (2006.01); A01D 34/64 (2006.01); A01D 34/76 (2006.01); A01D 34/81 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); A01D 101/00 (2006.01)
CPC A01D 34/008 (2013.01) [A01D 34/64 (2013.01); A01D 34/76 (2013.01); A01D 34/81 (2013.01); G05D 1/0055 (2013.01); G05D 1/0088 (2013.01); G05D 1/0212 (2013.01); A01D 2101/00 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of operation for an autonomous machine, comprising:
determining that the autonomous machine has gotten stuck in a location of a work region by an obstacle that is not detected by an obstacle-detection sensor of the autonomous machine during a teaching or training mode;
automatically create and store data that defines, at the location: an exclusion zone, the obstacle, or a grade that is too steep to traverse;
when determining a subsequent planned path after the data is stored, determining a travel path for the autonomous machine to reach a destination waypoint in the work region; and
commanding the autonomous machine to avoid the location or a condition leading to becoming stuck again on the subsequent planned path.