Robot Mower Communications Standard

Describes message format used to externally control a robot mower (e.g. Ardumower-based).

Requirements

• Serial interface (or serial USB)
• ...

Message format

Not defined yet (ideas: NMEA 0183, SAE J1939, ...)

Messages

System control

• Get implemented message types:
  • application control
  • actor and sensor control
  • propriertary

Application control

• $RMMOW: Set mowing state (start mowing, stop mowing, go to docking station)
• $RMSTA: Robot state event (robot state, errors, battery)
• $RMSEN: Robot sensor event (sensor values, sensor trigger counters)
• $RMCFG: Robot mower configuration (available sensors)

Set mowing state (start,stop,dock)

$RMMOW,s<cr><lf>

• s: stop mowing (0), start mowing (1), go to docking station (2)

Robot state event (robot state, errors, battery)

$RMSTA,s,e,b,h,d<cr><lf>

• s: stopped (0), mowing (1), busy (2)
• e: error
• b: battery percent
• h: absolute compass heading in degree
• d: moved distance in meter since last event

Robot sensor event (sensor values, sensor trigger counters)

$RMSEN,bl,br,bc,pfl,pfr,pfc,prl,prr,prc,ih,ip,ir,ga,go<cr><lf>

• bl: bumperLeft
• br: bumperRight
• bc: bumperCenter
• pfl: perimeterFrontLeft
• pfr: perimeterFrontRight
• pfc: perimeterFrontCenter
• prl: perimeterRearLeft
• prr: perimeterRearRight
• prc: perimeterRearCenter
• ih: IMUcompassHeading
• ip: IMUpitch
• pr: IMUroll
• ga: GPSlatitude
• go: GPSlongitude

Robot mower configuration (type of sensors)

$RMCFG,d,pfl,pfr,pfc,prl,prr,prc,ih,ip,o,g

• d: Docking station available (1/0)
• pfl: perimeterFrontLeft available (1/0)
• pfr: perimeterFrontRight available (1/0)
• pfc: perimeterFrontCenter available (1/0)
• prl: perimeterRearLeft available (1/0)
• prr: perimeterRearRight available (1/0)
• prc: perimeterRearCenter available (1/0)
• ih: IMU compass available (1/0)
• ip: IMU pitch/roll available (1/0)
• o: Odometry available (1/0)
• g: GPS available (1/0)

Actor and sensor control

• $RMMOV: Rotate by x degrees and move with speed y RPM until sensor trigger
• $RMMOV: Keep ongoing action (mower communications saftety)

Rotate and move

$RMMOV,d,r<cr><lf>

• d: rotate degrees
• r: move rpm

Keep ongoing action

$RMCOA<cr><lf>

Proprietary

• Any proprietary messages not defined by this protocol