CN213842180U - First signal generating device and autonomous operating system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a first signal generating device and an autonomous operating system, which can avoid the impact of large current on a power supply module. The first signal generating device comprises a second control module, a first loop conducting wire, a third switching circuit and an accumulation circuit, wherein the input end of the accumulation circuit is connected with an external power supply, the output end of the accumulation circuit is connected with the first end of the first loop conducting wire, the second end of the first loop conducting wire is connected with the input end of the third switching circuit, the output end of the third switching circuit is grounded, the control end of the third switching circuit is connected with the second control module, and the second control module is configured to control the third switching circuit to be switched on and switched off.

Description

First signal generating device and autonomous operating system

Technical Field

The invention relates to autonomous operation equipment, in particular to an intelligent mower; the present invention also relates to a docking station adapted to the autonomous working apparatus, and a first signal generating device and a second signal generating device typically disposed at the docking station. The invention also relates to an autonomous working system with the autonomous working equipment, a docking station, a first signal generating device and a second signal generating device, in particular to an intelligent mower system.

Background

It is known to perform certain tasks in an outdoor environment using autonomous operating systems, but there is room for improvement in some of the characteristics and functions of autonomous operating systems.

Disclosure of Invention

One of the technical problems to be solved by the present invention is to provide an autonomous operating device and an autonomous operating system capable of correctly acquiring remaining battery capacity information.

In order to solve the above technical problem, an autonomous working apparatus of the present invention, configured to autonomously move and perform a work within a preset area, includes a main body mechanism, a moving mechanism, a working mechanism, an energy module, a detection module, and a first control module, wherein the energy module includes an energy unit, the energy unit is configured to be connected to the detection module, and the detection module is configured to be connected to the first control module; the detection module is configured to detect a voltage of the energy unit, and the first control module is configured to control the autonomous working device to change an operation state according to a voltage signal obtained by the detection module; wherein, the detection module includes energy unit voltage acquisition circuit, energy unit voltage acquisition circuit includes buffer circuit and first sampling circuit, buffer circuit's input with the energy unit is connected, buffer circuit's output with first sampling circuit's input is connected, first sampling circuit's output ground connection, first sampling circuit's signal terminal with first control module connects.

As a specific embodiment of the present invention, the buffer circuit includes a unidirectional conductive element and a charge accumulation element; wherein the unidirectional conducting element is configured such that a discharge current of the charge accumulating element cannot flow to the input terminal of the buffer circuit. Further, the unidirectional conducting element is configured as a diode D1, the charge accumulating element is configured as a capacitor C1; wherein an anode of the diode D1 is connected to the input terminal of the snubber circuit, a cathode of the diode D1 is connected to the output terminal of the snubber circuit, a first terminal of the capacitor C1 is connected to the cathode of the diode D1, and a second terminal of the capacitor C1 is grounded.

As a specific embodiment of the present invention, the first sampling circuit includes a resistor R1, a first end of the resistor R1 is connected to the input end of the first sampling circuit, and a second end of the resistor R1 is connected to the output end of the first sampling circuit; the signal terminal of the first sampling circuit is connected to a first terminal of the resistor R1. Further, the first sampling circuit further comprises a follower and/or a first filter, and the first end of the resistor R1 is connected with the signal end of the first sampling circuit through the follower and/or the first filter. Further, the follower includes a first operational amplifier U1; the first filter comprises an RC filter. Further, the first sampling circuit includes a follower and a first filter, which are connected in series. Further, the first sampling circuit further includes a resistor R2, the resistor R1 is connected in series with the resistor R2, and a first end of the resistor R1 is connected to an input end of the first sampling circuit through the resistor R2.

As a specific embodiment of the present invention, the present invention further includes an interaction module; the control module is configured to obtain the residual capacity information of the energy source unit according to the voltage signal obtained by the detection module, and the interaction module is configured to be connected with the control module and display the residual capacity information in a user-sensible form.

In order to solve the above technical problem, an autonomous operating system of the present invention includes the above-described autonomous operating device and a docking station configured to be able to supply energy to the autonomous operating device; the control module is configured to control the autonomous operating device to return to the docking station when the voltage signal obtained by the detection module is equal to or less than a first voltage threshold.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an autonomous operating device capable of being powered on and powered off in a power-off state or a battery-depleted state.

In order to solve the above technical problem, an autonomous working apparatus of the present invention configured to autonomously move and perform work within a preset area includes a main body mechanism, a moving mechanism, a working mechanism, an energy module, and a first control module, wherein the energy module includes an energy unit and a charging connection structure, the energy unit is connected to the charging connection structure, and the autonomous working apparatus further includes a first switching circuit, a second switching circuit, and a capacitor C5; the input end of the first switch circuit is connected with the charging connection structure, the output end of the first switch circuit is connected with a power pin of the first control module, the input end of the second switch circuit is connected with the control end of the first switch circuit, the output end of the second switch circuit is grounded, and the control end of the second switch circuit is connected with the first control module; a first terminal of the capacitor C5 is connected to the control terminal of the first switch circuit, and a second terminal of the capacitor C5 is connected to ground.

As a specific embodiment of the present invention, the first switch circuit is configured to turn on between the input terminal of the first switch circuit and the output terminal of the first switch circuit when there is a voltage difference between the input terminal of the first switch circuit and the control terminal of the first switch circuit; and when no voltage difference exists between the input end of the first switch circuit and the control end of the first switch circuit, the input end of the first switch circuit and the output end of the first switch circuit are cut off. Further, the first switch circuit includes a transistor Q1. Further, a diode D2 is connected in parallel between the emitter of the transistor Q1 and the base of the transistor Q1, the anode of the diode D2 is connected to the emitter of the transistor Q1, and the cathode of the diode D2 is connected to the base of the transistor Q1.

As a specific embodiment of the present invention, the second switch circuit is configured to switch the input terminal of the second switch circuit and the output terminal of the second switch circuit on and off when a level of the control terminal of the second switch circuit changes. Further, the second switch circuit includes a transistor Q2.

As a specific embodiment of the present invention, the first switch circuit is connected to a power pin of the first control module through a second sampling circuit and/or a first power module. Furthermore, the input end of the second sampling circuit is connected with the output end of the first switch circuit, the output end of the second sampling circuit is connected with the input end of the first power module, the signal end of the second sampling circuit is connected with the first control module, and the output end of the first power module is connected with the power pin of the first control module. Further, the second sampling circuit includes a diode D3; the anode of the diode D3 is connected to the input terminal of the second sampling circuit, the cathode of the diode D3 is connected to the output terminal of the second sampling circuit, and the cathode of the diode D3 is further connected to the signal terminal of the second sampling circuit. Further, the first power module is configured as a DC/DC buck module.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a docking station and an autonomous operating system capable of detecting a docking status and a charging status.

To solve the above technical problem, a docking station of the present invention is configured to include a second control module and a power supply connection structure, the power supply connection structure is configured to be dockable with a charging connection structure of the autonomous working apparatus, so as to form a main power supply loop between the stop station and the autonomous operating equipment, wherein the main power supply loop comprises a power supply connection structure anode, a charging connection structure anode, a detection circuit, a charging connection structure cathode, a power supply connection structure cathode, a third sampling circuit and a fourth sampling circuit, wherein the power supply connection structure positive electrode is configured to interface with the charging connection structure positive electrode, the negative pole of the power supply connection structure is configured to be in butt joint with the negative pole of the charging connection structure, and a detection circuit and a charging circuit which are connected in parallel are arranged between the positive pole of the charging connection structure and the negative pole of the charging connection structure; the input end of the third sampling circuit is connected with the negative electrode of the power supply connection structure, the output end of the third sampling circuit is grounded, and the signal end of the third sampling circuit is connected with the second control module; the third sampling circuit includes a voltage-dropping unit, and the third sampling circuit is configured to detect a voltage drop of the voltage-dropping unit.

As a specific embodiment of the present invention, the third sampling circuit further includes a second filter configured to connect the input terminal of the third sampling circuit and the signal terminal of the third sampling circuit.

As a specific embodiment of the present invention, the detection circuit further includes a fourth sampling circuit, and the fourth sampling circuit is configured to detect the current of the main power supply loop. Furthermore, the input end of the fourth sampling circuit is connected with the output end of the third sampling circuit, the output end of the fourth sampling circuit is grounded, and the control end of the fourth sampling circuit is connected with the second control module. Further, the fourth sampling circuit comprises a current sampling resistor R12, a first end of the current sampling resistor R12 is connected with an input end of the fourth sampling circuit, and a second end of the current sampling resistor R12 is connected with an output end of the fourth sampling circuit. Further, the fourth sampling circuit further comprises a third filter and/or a second amplifier configured to connect the first end of the current sampling resistor R12 with the signal end of the fourth sampling circuit.

As a specific embodiment of the present invention, the voltage dropping unit includes a diode D5, an anode of the diode D5 is connected to the input terminal of the third sampling circuit, and a cathode of the diode D5 is connected to the output terminal of the third sampling circuit. Further, the voltage reduction unit further includes a switching element configured in parallel with the diode D5, and the second control module controls turning on and off of the switching element. Further, the second control module is configured to control the switching element to conduct when the current of the main power supply loop reaches a first current threshold. Further, the switching element is configured as a field effect transistor Q3, a drain of the field effect transistor Q3 is connected to an anode of the diode D5, a source of the field effect transistor Q3 is connected to a cathode of the diode D5, and a gate of the field effect transistor Q3 is connected to a control terminal of the third sampling circuit.

In order to solve the above technical problem, the present invention provides an autonomous operating system, including an autonomous operating device and a docking station, wherein the autonomous operating device is configured to include a charging connection structure, the docking station is configured to include a second control module and a power supply connection structure, the power supply connection structure is configured to be capable of docking with the charging connection structure to form a main power supply loop between the docking station and the autonomous operating device, and the main power supply loop includes a power supply connection structure positive electrode, a charging connection structure positive electrode, a detection circuit, a charging connection structure negative electrode, a power supply connection structure negative electrode, a third sampling circuit, and a fourth sampling circuit, wherein the power supply connection structure positive electrode is configured to dock with the charging connection structure positive electrode, and the power supply connection structure negative electrode is configured to dock with the charging connection structure negative electrode, a detection circuit and a charging circuit which are connected in parallel are arranged between the positive electrode of the charging connection structure and the negative electrode of the charging connection structure; the input end of the third sampling circuit is connected with the negative electrode of the power supply connection structure, the output end of the third sampling circuit is grounded, and the signal end of the third sampling circuit is connected with the second control module; the third sampling circuit includes a voltage-dropping unit, and the third sampling circuit is configured to detect a voltage drop of the voltage-dropping unit.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a signal generating device and an autonomous operating system for preventing a large current from impacting a power supply module.

In order to solve the above technical problem, the present invention provides a first signal generating device, configured to include a second control module, a first loop conductor, a third switch circuit, and an accumulation circuit, wherein an input end of the accumulation circuit is connected to an external power supply, an output end of the accumulation circuit is connected to a first end of the first loop conductor, a second end of the first loop conductor is connected to an input end of the third switch circuit, an output end of the third switch circuit is grounded, a control end of the third switch circuit is connected to the second control module, and the second control module is configured to control on and off of the third switch circuit.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the storage circuit further includes a second power module, the storage circuit is connected to the external power supply through the second power module, an input terminal of the second power module is connected to the external power supply, and an output terminal of the second power module is connected to an input terminal of the storage circuit. Further, the second power module is configured for voltage reduction and current limiting. Further, the second power module includes a buck integrated circuit unit configured for buck and current limiting and a diode buck unit configured for buck. Further, the diode step-down unit includes one or at least two diodes connected in series.

As a specific embodiment of the present invention, the third switching circuit includes a triode or a field effect transistor; the second control module is configured to periodically control the fourth switch circuit to be turned on and off, so that pulse current is generated in the first loop conductor.

As a specific embodiment of the present invention, the accumulation circuit includes a capacitor bank including one or at least two capacitors connected in parallel; the first end of the capacitor bank is connected with the input end of the accumulation circuit, the first end of the capacitor bank is connected with the output end of the accumulation circuit, and the second end of the capacitor bank is grounded. Further, the capacitor bank comprises one or at least two solid electrolytic capacitors and/or polymer electrolytic capacitors connected in parallel.

In order to solve the above technical problem, the present invention provides an autonomous operating system, including an autonomous operating device and the first signal generating device.

As a specific embodiment of the present invention, the docking station is provided with a second signal generating device, the second signal generating device includes a second loop conductor, and the second loop conductor is configured to at least define an outer boundary of a working area range of the autonomous operating device, and the docking station is further provided with the first signal generating device, wherein a projection of an area surrounded by the first loop conductor on a working surface does not exceed a projection of the docking station on the working surface.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a signal generating device and an autonomous operating system capable of accurately identifying a wire break.

In order to solve the above technical problem, the present invention provides a second signal generating apparatus, configured to include a second control module, a second loop conductor, a fourth switch circuit, and a fifth sampling circuit, where the fifth sampling circuit is configured to detect a characteristic value of a current flowing through the second loop conductor; a first end of the second loop wire is connected with an external power supply, a second end of the second loop wire is connected with an input end of the fourth switching circuit, a control end of the fourth switching circuit is connected with the second control module, an output end of the fourth switching circuit is connected with an input end of the fifth sampling circuit, a signal end of the fifth sampling circuit is connected with the second control module, and an output end of the fifth sampling circuit is grounded; the second control module is configured to control turning on and off of the fourth switching circuit.

As a specific embodiment of the present invention, the fifth sampling circuit includes a current sampling resistor R20, a first end of the current sampling resistor R20 is connected to the input end of the fifth sampling circuit, and a second end of the current sampling resistor R20 is grounded. Further, the current sampling resistor R20 is configured to be composed of at least two resistors in parallel. Further, the fifth sampling circuit further comprises a filter unit, an input end of the filter unit is connected with the first end of the current sampling resistor R20, and an output end of the filter unit is connected with the second control module; wherein the filter unit includes an RC filter connected in parallel with the diode D10 and a diode D10. Further, the fifth sampling circuit further comprises an amplifier U3, and the first end of the current sampling resistor R20 is connected to the input end of the filter unit through the amplifier U3. Further, the fifth sampling circuit further comprises a fourth filter, and the first end of the current sampling resistor R20 is connected to the input end of the amplifier U3 through the fourth filter.

As a specific embodiment of the present invention, the fourth switching circuit includes a triode or a field effect transistor; the second control module is configured to periodically control the fourth switch circuit to be turned on and off, so that a pulse current is generated in the second loop conductor.

As a specific embodiment of the present invention, the sampling circuit further includes a clamping circuit, and the clamping circuit is configured to be connected to the input terminal of the fifth sampling circuit, and is configured to clamp the input terminal of the fifth sampling circuit at a preset voltage value.

In order to solve the above technical problem, the present invention provides an autonomous operating system, which includes an autonomous operating device and the second signal generating device.

As a specific embodiment of the present invention, the power supply further comprises an alarm module configured to send an alarm signal when the characteristic value of the current flowing through the second loop conductor is smaller than a second current threshold value.

The technical effects that the present invention can achieve are explained in detail in the detailed description section.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an autonomous operating system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram of an autonomous operating system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a buffer circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a first sampling circuit according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a first switching circuit and a second switching circuit in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of a second sampling circuit in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of a third sampling circuit according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a fourth sampling circuit in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a second power module and an accumulation circuit in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of a fifth sampling circuit according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 11 is a schematic diagram of a remaining power detection value of an energy unit according to an embodiment of the present invention and a remaining power detection value of an energy unit in the prior art.

Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram of a variation curve of the voltage value collected under the normal condition of the second loop conductor in an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram of a variation curve of the collected voltage value under the condition of the broken second loop conductor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments shown in the drawings. These embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention, and structural, methodological, or functional changes made by those skilled in the art according to these embodiments are included in the scope of the present invention.

It is to be understood that the terms "first," "second," and the like in the description of the embodiments of the present invention are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicit indication of the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.

In the embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise explicitly stated or limited, the terms "connected" and "connected" should be interpreted broadly, e.g., as a fixed connection, a movable connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium; either as communication within the two elements or as an interactive relationship of the two elements. The specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood by those skilled in the art according to specific situations.

In particular embodiments of the invention, unless expressly stated or limited otherwise, the first feature "on" or "under" the second feature may comprise the first and second features being in direct contact, or the first and second features being in contact, not directly, but via another feature therebetween.

In particular embodiments of the present invention, the term "plurality" means two or more unless explicitly stated or limited otherwise.

Referring to fig. 1, the present embodiment provides an autonomous operating system 1 including an autonomous operating device 100, a docking station 900, and a boundary.

The autonomous working apparatus 100 is, in particular, a robot which autonomously moves within a predetermined area and performs a specific work, typically, an intelligent sweeper/cleaner which performs a cleaning work, or an intelligent mower which performs a mowing work, or the like. The specific job is particularly a job for processing the work surface and changing the state of the work surface. The present invention will be described in detail with reference to an intelligent lawn mower as an example. The autonomous working apparatus 100 can autonomously walk on the surface of a working area, and can autonomously perform mowing work on the ground particularly as an intelligent mower. The autonomous operating device 100 includes at least a main body mechanism, a moving mechanism, a working mechanism, an energy module, a detection module, an interaction module, a control module, and the like.

The main body mechanism generally includes a chassis and a housing, and the chassis is used for installing and accommodating functional mechanisms and functional modules such as a moving mechanism, a working mechanism, an energy module, a detection module, an interaction module, and a control module. The housing is typically configured to at least partially enclose the chassis, primarily to enhance the aesthetics and visibility of the autonomous working apparatus 100. In this embodiment, the housing is configured to be repositionable with respect to the chassis for translation and/or rotation under an external force, and further functions to sense an impact, lift, etc. event in conjunction with a suitable sensing module, such as a hall sensor, for example.

The moving mechanism is configured to support the main body mechanism on the ground and drive the main body mechanism to move on the ground, and generally includes a wheel type moving mechanism, a crawler type or semi-crawler type moving mechanism, a walking type moving mechanism, and the like. In this embodiment, the moving mechanism is a wheeled moving mechanism, comprising at least one driving wheel and at least one walking prime mover. The travel prime mover is preferably an electric motor, and in other embodiments may be an internal combustion engine or a machine that uses another type of energy source to generate power. In the present embodiment, it is preferable to provide a left driving wheel, a left traveling prime mover driving the left driving wheel, a right driving wheel, and a right traveling prime mover driving the right driving wheel. In this embodiment, the straight travel of the autonomous working machine is realized by the equidirectional and constant-speed rotation of the left and right drive wheels, and the steering travel is realized by the equidirectional differential or opposite-direction rotation of the left and right drive wheels. In other embodiments, the movement mechanism may further comprise a steering mechanism independent of the drive wheel and a steering prime mover independent of the walking prime mover. In this implementation, the movement mechanism further comprises at least one driven wheel, typically configured as a universal wheel, the driving wheel and the driven wheel being located at the front and rear ends of the autonomous working apparatus, respectively.

The work mechanism is configured for performing a specific work task and includes a work piece and a work prime mover for driving the work piece in operation. Illustratively, for an intelligent sweeper/cleaner, the workpiece includes a roller brush, a dust collection pipe, a dust collection chamber, and the like; for an intelligent mower, the working member comprises a cutting blade or a cutting cutter disc, and further comprises other components for optimizing or adjusting the mowing effect, such as a height adjusting mechanism for adjusting the mowing height. The working prime mover is preferably an electric motor, and in other embodiments may be an internal combustion engine or a machine that uses another type of energy source to generate power. In other embodiments, the working prime mover and the walking prime mover are configured as the same prime mover.

The energy module is configured to provide energy for various operations of the autonomous operating device. In this embodiment, the energy module comprises an energy unit 12 and a charging connection structure. Among these, the energy unit 12 is preferably a battery, and more preferably a rechargeable battery. The charging connection structure is configured to be able to supplement energy to the energy unit 121 when it is applied with a preset voltage, and preferably, the charging connection structure is a charging electrode that may be exposed outside the autonomous operating device. In other embodiments, the energy module comprises an internal combustion engine.

The detection module is configured as at least one sensor that senses an environmental parameter of the autonomous working apparatus 100 or an operating parameter of the autonomous working apparatus itself. Typically, the detection module may comprise sensors associated with the definition of the working area, of various types, for example magnetic induction, impact, ultrasound, infrared, radio, etc., the type of sensor being adapted to the position and number of the corresponding signal generating means. The detection module may also include positioning navigation related sensors such as GPS positioning devices, laser positioning devices, electronic compasses, acceleration sensors, odometers, angle sensors, geomagnetic sensors, and the like. The detection module may also include sensors related to its own operational safety, such as obstacle sensors, lift sensors, battery pack temperature sensors, etc. The detection module may also include sensors associated with the external environment, such as an ambient temperature sensor, an ambient humidity sensor, a light sensor, a rain sensor, and the like.

The interactive module is configured at least for receiving control instruction information input by a user, emitting information required to be perceived by the user, communicating with other systems or devices to transmit and receive information, and the like. In the present embodiment, the interactive module includes an input device provided on the autonomous working apparatus 100 for receiving control instruction information input by a user, typically, such as a control panel, an emergency stop key, and the like; the interactive module further includes a display screen, an indicator light, and/or a buzzer provided on the autonomous working apparatus 100, and allows a user to perceive information by emitting light or sound. In other embodiments, the interactive module includes a communication module provided on the autonomous working apparatus 100 and a terminal device, such as a mobile phone, a computer, a web server, etc., independent of the autonomous working apparatus 100, and control instruction information or other information of the user may be input on the terminal device and reach the autonomous working apparatus 100 via the wired or wireless communication module.

The control module typically includes at least one processor and at least one non-volatile memory, in which a pre-written computer program or set of instructions is stored, according to which the processor controls the execution of movements, work, etc. of the autonomous working apparatus 100. Further, the control module may also be capable of controlling and adjusting the respective behavior of the autonomous working apparatus 100, modifying parameters in the memory, etc. according to the signal of the detection module and/or user control instructions.

The boundary is used to define a working area of the robotic system, and generally includes an outer boundary and an inner boundary. The autonomous working apparatus 100 is restricted to move and work within the outer boundary, outside the inner boundary, or between the outer boundary and the inner boundary. The boundary may be solid, typically such as a wall, fence, railing, etc.; the boundary may also be virtual, typically as a virtual boundary signal emitted by boundary signal generating means, typically an electromagnetic or optical signal, or a virtual boundary set in an electronic map, illustratively formed by two-dimensional or three-dimensional coordinates, for an autonomous working apparatus 100 provided with positioning means, such as a GPS or the like. In this embodiment, the boundary is configured as a closed energized conductor that is electrically connected to a boundary signal generating device, which is typically disposed within the docking station 900.

The docking station 900 is generally configured on or within a boundary for the autonomous working apparatus 100 to be docked, and in particular, is capable of supplying energy to the autonomous working apparatus 100 docked at the docking station.

It is known to monitor the energy level of the energy unit 12 of the autonomous working apparatus 100 in real time. The power supply unit 12 is generally configured as a rechargeable battery, and the remaining capacity of the rechargeable battery is estimated by detecting the terminal voltage of the rechargeable battery to ensure that there is enough remaining capacity for the autonomous working apparatus 100 to return to the docking station 900 for charging. In the prior art, due to the complexity of the outdoor environment, the loads of the walking prime mover and the working prime mover may suddenly increase in a short time, typically, the walking mechanism gets stuck or the working mechanism is locked, which causes the terminal voltage of the energy unit 12 to decrease in a short time, and when the large load is removed, the terminal voltage of the energy unit 12 will return to normal. If the terminal voltage drops below the first voltage threshold, the return operation of the autonomous operating device 100 may be improperly triggered. In order to compensate for the above defects, compensation is usually performed according to parameters such as discharge current, motor speed, and the like, but a compensation algorithm is usually relatively complex. In order to solve the above technical problem, referring to fig. 2 to 4, an embodiment of the present invention provides an autonomous working apparatus 100 configured to autonomously move and perform a work in a preset area, including a main body mechanism, a moving mechanism, a working mechanism, an energy module, a detection module, and a first control module 11, wherein the energy module includes an energy unit 12, the energy unit 12 is configured to be connected to the detection module, and the detection module is configured to be connected to the first control module 11; the detection module is configured to detect the voltage of the energy unit 12, and the first control module 11 is configured to control the autonomous working apparatus 100 to change the operation state according to the voltage signal obtained by the detection module; wherein, the detection module includes energy unit voltage acquisition circuit, energy unit voltage acquisition circuit includes buffer circuit 131 and first sampling circuit 132, buffer circuit's input 131i with energy unit 12 is connected, buffer circuit's output 131o with first sampling circuit's input 132i is connected, first sampling circuit's output 132o ground connection, first sampling circuit's signal end 132s with first control module's pin PA5 is connected. The buffer circuit 131 is configured to enable the voltage value obtained by the first sampling circuit 132 to substantially reflect the open-circuit voltage of the energy unit 12, which does not change with sudden changes of the load, so that when the voltage value is used to estimate the remaining power, parameters such as the discharge current and the motor speed are not concerned, thereby simplifying the calculation, improving the accuracy and reducing the cost. Specifically, referring to fig. 11, where the X-axis represents time, the Y-axis represents remaining power, a smooth curve L1 is a curve of the remaining power detected by sampling the technical solution of the present invention, a broken line L2 is a curve of the remaining power detected by the prior art, and a broken line L3 is a threshold of the remaining power.

In the present embodiment, referring to fig. 3, the buffer circuit 131 includes a unidirectional conductive element and a charge accumulation element; wherein the unidirectional conducting element is configured such that the discharging current of the charge accumulation element cannot flow to the input end 132i of the buffer circuit, ensuring unidirectional charging of the charge accumulation element by the energy unit 12. In particular, the unidirectional conducting element is configured as a diode D1. The charge accumulation element is configured as a capacitor C1; wherein the anode of the diode D1 is connected to the input terminal 131i of the buffer circuit, the cathode of the diode D1 is connected to the output terminal 131o of the buffer circuit, the first terminal of the capacitor C1 is connected to the cathode of the diode D1, and the second terminal of the capacitor C1 is grounded. The capacitance value of the capacitor C1 is preferably 20 muF to 100 muF.

In the present embodiment, referring to fig. 4, the first sampling circuit 132 includes a resistor R1, a first end of the resistor R1 is connected to the input end 132i of the first sampling circuit, and a second end of the resistor R1 is connected to the output end 132o of the first sampling circuit; the signal terminal 132s of the first sampling circuit is connected to a first terminal of the resistor R1. The first sampling circuit 132 further comprises a follower and/or a first filter, through which a first end of the resistor R1 is connected to the signal terminal 132s of the first sampling circuit. Specifically, the follower comprises a first operational amplifier U1 for reducing the internal resistance of the signal source and making the sampling voltage more accurate. The first filter comprises an RC filter. Preferably, the first sampling circuit 132 includes a follower and a first filter, and the follower and the first filter are connected in series. In this embodiment, the first sampling circuit 132 further includes a resistor R2, the resistor R1 is connected in series with the resistor R2, and a first end of the resistor R1 is connected to the input terminal 132i of the first sampling circuit through the resistor R2. Preferably, the ratio of the resistance value of the resistor R2 to the resistance value of the resistor R1 is determined as appropriate for the AD sampling range. Specifically, the resistor R1 is configured as a kilo-ohm to a hundred-kilo-ohm resistance, and the resistor R2 is configured as a mega-ohm resistance.

In the present embodiment, the autonomous working apparatus 100 further includes an interaction module 13. The control module 11 is configured to obtain the remaining power information of the energy unit 12 according to the voltage signal obtained by the detection module, and the interaction module 13 is configured to be connected to a pin PA4 of the control module 11 and to display the remaining power information in a user-sensible format. The remaining power information may be calculated as appropriate physical quantities such as a power value in coulombs, a voltage value in volts, and a battery capacity value in amperes ∙ or milliamperes ∙, according to actual needs. In the present embodiment, the control module 11 is configured to control the autonomous operating device 100 to return to the docking station 900 for charging when the voltage signal obtained by the detection module is equal to or less than a first voltage threshold.

During use of the autonomous operating system, it may occur that the autonomous operating device 100 is not yet charged back to the docking station 900 when the energy unit 12 is exhausted. Since charging the energy unit 12 requires control from the first control module 11 on the autonomous working apparatus 100, when the energy unit 12 is exhausted, the first control module 11 cannot normally operate, which results in abnormal charging. To solve the above problems, referring to fig. 1, 2, 5 and 6, an embodiment of the present invention provides an autonomous working apparatus 100 configured to autonomously move and perform a work in a preset area, including a main body mechanism, a moving mechanism, a working mechanism, an energy module and a first control module 11, wherein the energy module includes an energy unit 12 and a charging connection structure X +, the energy unit 12 is connected to the charging connection structure X +, and the autonomous working apparatus 100 further includes a first switching circuit 141, a second switching circuit 142 and a capacitor C5; wherein, the input terminal 141i of the first switch circuit is connected to the charging connection structure X +, the output terminal 141o of the first switch circuit is connected to the power supply pin PA1 of the first control module 11, the input terminal 142i of the second switch circuit is connected to the control terminal 141c of the first switch circuit, the output terminal 142c of the second switch circuit is grounded, and the control terminal 141c of the second switch circuit is connected to the control pin PA3 of the first control module 11; the first terminal of the capacitor C5 is connected to the control terminal 141C of the first switch circuit, and the second terminal of the capacitor C5 is grounded, i.e., the capacitor C5 is connected in parallel between the input terminal 142i of the second switch circuit and the ground terminal, and the capacitor C5 is connected in parallel to the input-output circuit of the second switch circuit 142. By adopting the above scheme, when the power supply system is in a shutdown state or the first control module 11 cannot obtain the electric energy required by normal operation from the energy unit 12 due to exhaustion of the energy unit 12, the first control module 11 can be automatically powered up only by butting the charging connection structure X +, X-of the autonomous operating device 11 with the power supply connection structure Y +, Y-, so as to charge the energy unit 12.

In the present embodiment, referring to fig. 5, the first switch circuit 141 is configured to turn on between the input terminal 141i of the first switch circuit and the output terminal 141o of the first switch circuit when there is a voltage difference between the input terminal 141i of the first switch circuit and the control terminal 141c of the first switch circuit; when there is no voltage difference between the input terminal 141i of the first switching circuit and the control terminal 141c of the first switching circuit, the input terminal 141i of the first switching circuit and the output terminal 141o of the first switching circuit are turned off. Preferably, the first switching circuit 141 includes a transistor Q1. A diode D2 is connected in parallel between the emitter of the triode Q1 and the base of the triode Q1, the anode of the diode D2 is connected with the emitter of the triode Q1, and the cathode of the diode D2 is connected with the base of the triode Q1. With further reference to fig. 5, the second switch circuit 142 is configured to switch the input terminal 142i of the second switch circuit and the output terminal 142o of the second switch circuit on and off when the level of the control terminal 142c of the second switch circuit changes. Preferably, the second switch circuit 142 includes a transistor Q2.

In this embodiment, the first switch circuit 141 is connected to the power supply pin PA1 of the first control module 11 through the second sampling circuit 143 and/or the first power supply module 144. An input end 143i of the second sampling circuit is connected to an output end 141o of the first switch circuit, an output end 143o of the second sampling circuit is connected to an input end 144i of the first power module 144, a signal end 143s of the second sampling circuit is connected to the first control module 11, and an output end 144o of the first power module is connected to a power supply pin PA1 of the first control module 11. The second sampling circuit 143 includes a diode D3; the anode of the diode D3 is connected to the input terminal 143i of the second sampling circuit, the cathode of the diode D3 is connected to the output terminal 143o of the second sampling circuit, and the cathode of the diode D3 is further connected to the signal terminal 143s of the second sampling circuit. Preferably, the first power module 144 is configured as a DC/DC buck module.

With the above technical solution, at a moment when the autonomous operating device 100 is coupled to the docking station 900, the capacitor C5 is charged, so that a voltage difference is generated between the input terminal and the output terminal of the first switch circuit 141, and the first switch circuit 141 is turned on, so that the first control module 11 is powered on. After the first control module 11 is powered on, the control terminal of the second switch circuit 142 is locked to a high level through the control pin PA3, and then the second switch circuit 142 is continuously turned on, so as to ensure that the first switch circuit 141 is turned on, and the capacitor C5 discharges, thereby completing the whole power-on and power-on process.

In the related art, there are cases where the docking station 900 performs different preset behaviors according to whether the autonomous working apparatus 100 is docked thereto, whether it is being charged at the time of docking. For example, when the autonomous working apparatus 100 is docked with the docking station 900, the docking station 900 may turn off other functions than the charging function to reduce system power consumption. In order to recognize the docking state by the docking station 900, communication needs to be provided between the docking station 900 and the autonomous operating device 100, which increases the cost of software and hardware. In order to solve the above technical problem, referring to fig. 1, 2, 7 and 8, an embodiment of the present invention provides an autonomous operating system, including an autonomous operating device 100 and a docking station 900, where the autonomous operating device 100 is configured to include a charging connection structure X +, X-, and the docking station 900 is configured to include a second control module 91 and a power supply connection structure Y +, Y-, and the power supply connection structure Y +, Y-is configured to be capable of docking with the charging connection structure X +, X-, so as to form a main power supply loop between the docking station 900 and the autonomous operating device 100, where the main power supply loop includes a power supply connection structure positive electrode Y +, a charging connection structure positive electrode X +, a detection circuit, a charging connection structure negative electrode X-, and a power supply connection structure negative electrode Y-, and, The third sampling circuit 921 and the fourth sampling circuit 922, wherein the power supply connection structure positive electrode Y + is configured to be in butt joint with the charging connection structure positive electrode X +, the power supply connection structure negative electrode Y-is configured to be in butt joint with the charging connection structure negative electrode X-, and a detection circuit and a charging circuit which are connected in parallel are arranged between the charging connection structure positive electrode X + and the charging connection structure negative electrode X-; an input end 921i of the third sampling circuit is connected with the negative electrode Y-of the power supply connection structure, an output end 921i of the third sampling circuit is grounded, an output end 921o of the third sampling circuit is grounded, and a signal end 921s of the third sampling circuit is connected with a pin PB2 of the second control module 91; the third sampling circuit 921 includes a voltage dropping unit, and the third sampling circuit 921 is configured to detect a voltage drop of the voltage dropping unit. With the above-described technical solution, even when communication between the autonomous working apparatus 100 and the docking station 900 is not configured, it is possible for the docking station 900 to recognize whether or not the autonomous working apparatus 100 is docked therewith, and whether or not charging is being performed on the autonomous working apparatus 100.

In this embodiment, referring to fig. 7, the third sampling circuit 921 further includes a second filter configured to connect the input terminal 921i of the third sampling circuit and the signal terminal 921s of the third sampling circuit. Preferably, the second filter is configured as an RC filter.

In this embodiment, referring to fig. 8, the detection loop further includes a fourth sampling circuit 922, and the fourth sampling circuit 922 is configured to detect the current of the main power supply loop. An input end 922i of the fourth sampling circuit is connected to an output end 921o of the third sampling circuit, an output end 922o of the fourth sampling circuit is grounded, and a control end 922c of the fourth sampling circuit is connected to a pin PB4 of the second control module 91. Further, the fourth sampling circuit 922 includes a current sampling resistor R12, a first end of the current sampling resistor R12 is connected to the input terminal 922i of the fourth sampling circuit, and a second end of the current sampling resistor R12 is connected to the output terminal 922o of the fourth sampling circuit. The fourth sampling circuit 922 also includes a third filter and/or a second amplifier configured to connect the first end of the current sampling resistor R12 with the signal terminal 922s of the fourth sampling circuit. Wherein the third filter is configured as an RC filter and the second amplifier comprises amplifier U2.

In this embodiment, referring to fig. 7 again, the voltage dropping unit includes a diode D5, an anode of the diode D5 is connected to the input terminal 921i of the third sampling circuit, and a cathode of the diode D5 is connected to the output terminal 921o of the third sampling circuit. Further, the voltage dropping unit further includes a switching element Q3, the switching element Q3 is configured in parallel with the diode D5, and the second control module 91 controls the switching element Q3 to be turned on and off. In this embodiment, when the switching element Q3 is turned on, the diode D5 is shorted. The second control module 91 is configured to control the switching element Q3 to conduct when the current of the main supply loop reaches a first current threshold. The first current threshold is configured to reflect a normal charging current, typically the first current threshold is equal to or slightly less than the normal charging current. Specifically, the switching element Q3 is configured as a field effect transistor Q3, the drain of the field effect transistor Q3 is connected to the anode of the diode D5, the source of the field effect transistor Q3 is connected to the cathode of the diode D5, the gate of the field effect transistor Q3 is connected to the control terminal 921c of the third sampling circuit, and the control terminal 921c of the third sampling circuit is connected to the control pin PA3 of the second control module 91.

With the above technical solution, when the second control module 91 detects a voltage drop in the diode D5 through the third sampling circuit 921 or the fourth sampling circuit 922 detects a current in the main power supply loop, it is determined that the autonomous operating device 100 and the docking station 900 are in a docking state. When the second control module 91 detects that a large current exists in the main power supply circuit through the fourth sampling circuit 922, it is determined that the autonomous working apparatus 100 is charging, at this time, the second control module 91 may control the conduction of the fet Q3 through the control pin PB3, and since the internal resistance and power consumption of the fet Q3 are both small, it may be considered that the diode D5 is short-circuited, thereby reducing the system power consumption.

In some autonomous operating systems, the docking station 900 is provided with a first signal generating device comprising a control module and a first loop conductor 933, and a second signal generating device comprising a control module and a second loop conductor 941. Typically, the control module of the first signal generating device and the control module of the second signal generating device are configured to share the second control module 91, which second control module 91 is further configured to control other functions of the docking station 900 at the same time. In some embodiments, the second control module 91 is formed by a single, independent chip; in some embodiments, the second control module 91 is constructed of at least two chips. Referring to fig. 1, first loop conductor 933 is configured such that the projection of its enclosed area on the work surface does not exceed the projection of docking station 900 on the work surface, and its function is to sense the electromagnetic signal emitted by first loop conductor 933 when autonomous working apparatus 100 approaches docking station 900, and then to make autonomous working apparatus 100 perform a responsive action, such as lowering the walking speed, according to the signal. The second loop wire 941 is configured to define at least the outer boundary of the range of the working area of the autonomous working apparatus 100, that is, the autonomous working apparatus 100 is restricted from walking within the closed area surrounded by the second loop wire 941.

Since the first loop wire 933 has a small enclosed area, it is required to have a large current intensity of the pulse current in the first loop wire 933 when a sufficiently strong electromagnetic signal is to be emitted. However, the external power supply 901 (especially its AC/DC power adapter) and the DC/DC module inside the circuit are damaged by excessive current. In order to solve the above technical problem, referring to fig. 1, 2 and 9, an embodiment of the present invention provides a first signal generating apparatus, configured to include a second control module 91, a first loop conductor 933, a third switch 934, and an accumulation circuit 932, wherein an input end 932i of the accumulation circuit is connected to an external power supply 901, an output end 932o of the accumulation circuit is connected to a first end of the first loop conductor 933, a second end of the first loop conductor 933 is connected to an input end 934i of the third switch, an output end 934o of the third switch is grounded, a control end 934c of the third switch is connected to a control pin PB8 of the second control module 91, and the second control module 91 is configured to control on and off of the third switch 934. By adopting the above technical scheme, when the third switch circuit 934 is turned off, the external power supply 901 can charge the accumulation circuit 932 with a small current; when the third switch circuit 934 is turned on, the accumulation circuit 932 discharges a large current, and a current pulse with a large current intensity is formed in the first loop lead 933, so that the external power supply 901 is prevented from being impacted by the large current.

In the present embodiment, the first signal generating apparatus further includes a second power module 931, the accumulation circuit 932 is connected to the external power source 901 through the second power module 931, an input terminal 931i of the second power module is connected to the external power source 901, and an output terminal 931o of the second power module is connected to the input terminal 932i of the accumulation circuit. In particular, the second power module 931 is configured for voltage reduction and current limiting. Preferably, the second power module 931 includes a buck integrated circuit unit 9311 and a diode buck unit 9312, where the buck integrated circuit unit 9311 is configured to buck and limit current, and in this embodiment, an RT7272BGSP chip is used for example. The diode step-down unit 9312 is configured for step-down, and includes one or at least two diodes connected in series, and in this embodiment exemplarily includes a diode D6, a diode D7, a diode D8 and a diode D9 connected in series, which are preferably rectifier diodes, and on the one hand, can play a role of further step-down, and on the other hand, can prevent a large current discharge of the accumulation circuit 932 from reversely impacting the second power module 931 and the external power supply 901.

In this embodiment, the third switch circuit 934 includes a triode or a field effect transistor; the second control module 91 is configured to periodically control the fourth switching circuit 942 to turn on and off, so as to generate a pulse current in the first loop conductor 933.

In this embodiment, the accumulation circuit 932 includes a capacitor bank including one or at least two capacitors connected in parallel; a first end of the capacitor bank is connected to an input end 932i of the accumulation circuit, a first end of the capacitor bank is connected to an output end 932o of the accumulation circuit, and a second end of the capacitor bank is grounded. In the present embodiment, the capacitor bank exemplarily includes a capacitor C16, a capacitor C17, a capacitor C18 and a capacitor C19 connected in parallel, and these capacitors are preferably solid electrolytic capacitors or polymer electrolytic capacitors, which have advantages of small internal resistance, high temperature resistance, large ripple current resistance, long life, and the like.

For the second loop wire 941, there is a method for detecting a broken wire (e.g. cut by the autonomous operating device 100) in the prior art, typically as in the technical solution disclosed in patent document CN101949988A, and referring to fig. 3 in particular, when the broken wire is not broken, the triode is turned on, and the read level is low, and the normal state can be indicated by an interaction module (e.g. an indicator light); and when the line is broken, the triode is cut off, the read level is not high, and the interaction module can indicate abnormity. However, the scheme is often applied to an intelligent mower in an outdoor environment, and has the following problems: first, if two broken ends of the broken point of the second loop wire 941 are relatively close and the broken point is in moist soil, the resistance between the two broken ends may be only thousands of ohms, and in this case, the triode may be turned on, which may result in failure to correctly indicate an abnormality; secondly, after disconnection, the underground conductor can conduct mains supply interference, so that the triode is switched between a conducting state and a cut-off state at a certain frequency (typically 50Hz or 60 Hz), and further the abnormal condition cannot be correctly indicated; third, if the second loop conductor 941 is thinner or longer, the impedance of the conductor is too high, which results in the signal pulse current not reaching the designed amplitude requirement, and this cannot be recognized by the prior art method. To solve the above problem, referring to fig. 2 and 10, the present invention provides in an embodiment a second signal generating device configured to include a second control module 91, a second loop wire 941, a fourth switching circuit 942, and a fifth sampling circuit 943 configured to detect a characteristic value of a current flowing through the second loop wire 941; wherein a first end of the second loop wire 941 is connected to the external power source 901, a second end of the second loop wire 941 is connected to the input end 942i of the fourth switch circuit, the control end 942c of the fourth switch circuit is connected to the second control module 91, the output end 942o of the fourth switch circuit is connected to the input end 943i of the fifth sampling circuit, the signal end 943s of the fifth sampling circuit is connected to the second control module 91, and the output end 943o of the fifth sampling circuit is grounded; the second control module 91 is configured to control the fourth switching circuit 942 to be turned on and off. By directly measuring the current in the second loop wire 941 by using the above technical scheme, many problems in the prior art can be solved.

In this embodiment, the fifth sampling circuit 943 includes a current sampling resistor R20, a first end of the current sampling resistor R20 is connected to the input 943i of the fifth sampling circuit, and a second end of the current sampling resistor R20 is connected to ground. Preferably, the current sampling resistor R20 is configured to be composed of at least two resistors connected in parallel. The fifth sampling circuit 943 further includes a filter unit, an input terminal of the filter unit is connected to the first terminal of the current sampling resistor R20, and an output terminal of the filter unit is connected to the second control module 91; wherein the filter unit includes an RC filter connected in parallel with the diode D10 and a diode D10. For AD sampling convenience, the fifth sampling circuit 943 further includes an amplifier U3, and the first end of the current sampling resistor R20 is connected to the input terminal of the filter unit through the amplifier U3. Further, the fifth sampling circuit 943 further includes a fourth filter, and the first end of the current sampling resistor R20 is connected to the input end of the amplifier U3 through the fourth filter. In this embodiment, the fourth switch circuit 942 includes a transistor or a field effect transistor; the second control module 91 is configured to periodically control the fourth switching circuit 942 to be turned on and off to generate a pulse current in the second loop wire 941. Further, the second signal generating device further comprises a clamping circuit 944, which is configured to be connected to the input 943i of the fifth sampling circuit for clamping the input 943i of the fifth sampling circuit to a preset voltage value. In the above solution, the second loop wire 941 carries a pulse current, and the diode D10 charges the capacitor C21 for filtering, so that the change of the sampled voltage value tends to be smooth (refer to fig. 12, where the X axis is time and the Y axis is voltage value), and the smaller the resistance value of the resistor R24, the faster the voltage drop, and the more prominent the sawtooth wave of the curve in fig. 12. The specification of the resistor R24 can be selected by those skilled in the art based on the practical teaching of the present invention. In this embodiment, the principle of selecting the resistor R24 is that the second control module 91 can make a determination within 1-2 seconds after the second loop conductor 941 is disconnected, and the curve segment L4 in FIG. 13 exemplarily shows the variation of the sampled voltage value when the second loop conductor 941 is disconnected. With the above technical solution, the resistance of the second loop conductor 941 can be further determined according to the current in the second loop conductor 941, and when the second loop conductor 941 used by a user is too long or the resistance of the conductor joint is too large, an alarm signal is sent out through the interaction module. In particular, the interaction module comprises an alarm module, which is further configured to emit a sound signal and/or a light signal, and also configured to send an alarm message to the mobile terminal (e.g. a mobile phone).

It should be understood that although the present description refers to embodiments, not every embodiment contains only a single technical solution, and such description is for clarity only, and those skilled in the art should make the description as a whole, and the technical solutions in the embodiments can also be combined appropriately to form other embodiments understood by those skilled in the art.

The above-listed detailed description is only a specific description of a possible embodiment of the present invention, and they are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, and equivalent embodiments or modifications made without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention should be included in the scope of the present invention.

Claims (10)

1. A first signal generating device is configured to comprise a second control module, a first loop conducting wire and a third switching circuit, and is characterized by further comprising an accumulation circuit, wherein the input end of the accumulation circuit is connected with an external power supply, the output end of the accumulation circuit is connected with the first end of the first loop conducting wire, the second end of the first loop conducting wire is connected with the input end of the third switching circuit, the output end of the third switching circuit is grounded, the control end of the third switching circuit is connected with the second control module, and the second control module is configured to control the third switching circuit to be turned on and off.

2. The first signal generating device according to claim 1, further comprising a second power module, wherein the accumulation circuit is connected to the external power source through the second power module, an input terminal of the second power module is connected to the external power source, and an output terminal of the second power module is connected to an input terminal of the accumulation circuit.

3. The first signal generating device of claim 2, wherein the second power module is configured for voltage reduction and current limiting.

4. The first signal generating device of claim 3, wherein the second power module comprises a buck integrated circuit cell configured for buck and current limiting and a diode buck cell configured for buck.

5. The first signal generating apparatus of claim 4, wherein the diode step-down unit comprises one or at least two diodes connected in series.

6. The first signal generating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third switching circuit comprises a triode or a field effect transistor; the second control module is configured to periodically control the third switching circuit to be turned on and off, so that pulse current is generated in the first loop conductor.

7. A first signal generating device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the accumulation circuit comprises a capacitor bank comprising one or at least two capacitors connected in parallel; the first end of the capacitor bank is connected with the input end of the accumulation circuit, the first end of the capacitor bank is connected with the output end of the accumulation circuit, and the second end of the capacitor bank is grounded.

8. The first signal generating device according to claim 7, wherein the capacitor bank comprises one or at least two solid electrolytic capacitors and/or polymer electrolytic capacitors connected in parallel.

9. An autonomous operating system comprising an autonomous operating device and the first signal generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. An autonomous operating system comprising an autonomous operating machine and a docking station, said docking station being provided with second signal generating means comprising a second loop conductor arranged to define at least an outer boundary of a working area of said autonomous operating machine, characterized in that said docking station is further provided with a first signal generating means according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein a projection of an area enclosed by said first loop conductor onto a working surface does not exceed a projection of said docking station onto said working surface.

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