Patent attributes
A software product and methods determine a field coverage method for a nonholonomic robot to process a field using parallel lanes. A cellular decomposition algorithm divides the field into a plurality of cells, each having a plurality of parallel lanes. Permutations of lane processing orders are determined for each cell, based upon a minimum turning radius of the robot. A cell graph is generated to determine a shortest path for single-time processing each lane in each cell without violating the minimum turning radius of the robot. A step list defining movement of the nonholonomic robot along each lane in each cell of the shortest path through the cell graph is generated, and transits between the lanes, and laps around the field and any obstacles are added. A path program to control the nonholonomic robot to process the field is generated based upon the step list.