Abstract:
A train like vehicle composed of a plurality of interconnected cars (e.g. about 25 cm in length) linked together with springs and cables making it flexible. The shape and tension of the unit will be altered by remote control or an autonomous response system enabling steering and ability to grab on to various shapes of tree trunks and branches. The cars will be equipped with drive wheels that will move the vehicle. The device is configured to include a rotating turret capable of turning in a 360-degree circular motion, and a turret attached to the belly of the front car that is configured to roll 180 degrees back and forth. A hinge after the turret may be provided to give it more angle and flexibility to hold a chainsaw.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/717,907, filed on Oct. 24, 2012. The entire teachings of the above application are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Technologies exist that can aid a user in cutting and pruning branches on a tree. Such conventional approaches can be dangerous to the user. While many tree limb cutting/pruning devices are handheld devices, various automatic chainsaws and other motorized devices exist to aid a user in such cutting. For example, there are pruning devices that use a chainsaw with a flexible chain bar that can wrap around the trunk of a tree. The chainsaw chains may have articulated links so that the chain can curve about one lateral axis to form an endless chain and so that it may follow the track in the chain bar. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    Conventional approaches to cutting or pruning branches typically do not enable a user to effectively cut with precision in a safe and cost effective manner. To prune branches with precision, users typically have to cut branches using handheld devices. With such handheld devices, the user often has to go up in a tree or be in a bucket truck, which can be dangerous to the user. While conventional automated approaches may not necessarily be as dangerous as handheld devices, typically such automated approaches do not enable a user to cut with precision. Further, such automated approaches generally do not have the ability to selectively cut branches in that they cannot avoid certain branches in their path, while cutting others in their path. The inability to provide selective cutting and pruning of branches using an automated cutting device prevents the cutting device from operating with selective precision. Moreover, conventional automated approaches are often harmful to the tree. 
         [0004]    Thus, it may be desirable to provide an automated remotely operated tree cutting device that is capable of operating with precision, capable of selectively cutting certain branches while circumventing branches that a user would like to keep, and capable of maintaining the health of the tree. An automated tree cutting device according to certain embodiments of the invention is capable of addressing such issues in a safe and effective manner. 
         [0005]    Aspects of the invention relate to an automated approach/tool that enables users to cut or prune tree branches without having a user go up in the tree or have to be in a bucket truck. The automated tool may be used to cut down the entire tree. The automated tool can be remotely controlled by a user, while it is in use high in the tree. Having the remote capabilities, the inventive cutting tool is capable of functioning with great control and stability without being blind to the health of the tree. The inventive tool is flexible enough to enable it to adapt and change shape in order to accommodate different kinds of trees. 
         [0006]    The inventive tool may include a remote controlled saw that may be driven up the tree by means of remote control with rechargeable battery power. In another embodiment, the inventive tool may be outfitted with a gasoline engine. It may regenerate and recharge the batteries by means of a gasoline chainsaw engine. It may also have an electric power cord. 
         [0007]    This inventive tool may include properties of a snake and properties of a wheel driven vehicle. Motors can drive the wheels. The snakelike coil tension can be controlled by motor and spring tension called the “flex actuator”. The tension created by two screws drives on cables may be controlled by a spring through levers pulling the vehicle into a coil shape position around a tree in order to hold tightly to the tree. The steering may be controlled by to two screw drive motors that would move it either left or right or up or down up the tree. The saw may be held in place by a rotating turret assembly, which will rotate around the belly of the front car. 
         [0008]    The saw portion of the tool has an inventive configuration in that the angle is configured with rotating rollers in the blade to feed it into the wood. 
         [0009]    The present invention can also provide an automated cutting device for use in trees, which can include a plurality of interconnected car units capable of being wrapped around a trunk of a subject tree in a snake/spiral coil like configuration. The plurality of interconnected car units can be arranged to navigate up a subject tree such that the interconnected car units wrap around a trunk or branch of the tree in a spiral/snake like configuration. The plurality of interconnected cars can be linked together with tension cables and can use springs and electric motor (flex) actuators to provide steering capabilities. A robotic arm can be coupled to the plurality of interconnected car units. A chainsaw with a bar can be configured to prevent a jam when the weight of a respective branch of the tree rests on it. The robotic arm can be configured to hold the chainsaw, as well as to move the chainsaw in a first direction up to about 360 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the interconnected car units, and to move the chainsaw in a second direction up to about 180 degrees parallel to the interconnected car units. A computerized remote control device can be configured to control the interconnected car units, robotic arm, and/or the chainsaw including movement control and cutting control. Branch deflecting rollers can be coupled to at least a front exterior portion of the plurality of interconnected car units. 
         [0010]    The present invention can also provide a robotic tree cutter including a string of car-like units able to move up a tree and steer around branches, and able to spiral up the outside of a tree like a snake. A chainsaw can be included with a bar that does not jam when the weight of a tree branch rests on it. A computerized remote control device can be included. A robotic arm attachment can hold the saw which can move the saw 360 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the car-like units and 180 degrees parallel. Branch deflecting rollers can be mounted on the front of the car-like units. 
         [0011]    In particular embodiments, the string of car-like units can be steered using tension cables controlled by springs and electric motor actuators called flex actuators. The steering configuration can include the flex actuators configured to control the arch of the car-like units from left to right and from up to down or all directions. The flex actuators can include motors, gears and worm drives pulling a shaft holding the cables. The string of car-like units can be arranged to spiral up a tree using a rotating motor between each car giving it the ability to twist. The car-like units can include arch-shaped boxes capable of wrapping around the tree. The car-like units can drive on wheels turned by worm drive motors. The wheels can include at least two wheels, one on each side of one or more of the car-like units, such that they are located on a front, rear position or middle position of each car-like unit. The string of car-like units can be in a snake like configuration such that it is configured to mimic the motions of a snake. The chainsaw can be configured to avoid jamming by including a chainsaw bar that has rollers embedded in it driven by flat gears in the metal. The computerized remote control device can be configured to include computer readable instructions executed by one or more processors in an electronic controller. The computer readable instructions can be configured to control the robotic tree cutter. The computer readable instructions can be configured to activate the motors and actuators on the robotic tree cutter, including the speed of the saw, the actions of the robotic arm, and the actions of the car-like units. The actions of the robotic arm and the car-like units include actions controlled by the remote control and/or by autonomous software. The autonomous software can be driven by sonar sensors mounted to at least one of the front of the front car-like unit and the top of the front car-like unit and on the rear car-like unit. The robotic arm can be configured to hold the saw and move the saw. The robotic arm can include a rotating collar that wraps around the first car-like unit, and a rotating turret that holds a hinge, all activated by electric motors and gears. The branch deflecting rollers can include at least two rollers coupled to or mounted from top to bottom on the front of the string of car-like units, such that they are arranged to turn in opposite directions in order to force the robotic tree cutter away from any obstructing branches. 
         [0012]    The present invention can also provide a tree climbing apparatus including a head segment with a centerline having a propulsion unit for engaging a tree and providing propulsion in the direction of the centerline of the head segment. A series of body segments and a tail segment can be serially connected behind the head segment. A series of segment joints can connect the head segment to a following body segment, connect subsequent body segments to each other, and connect the tail segment to a last body segment. A joint control system can resiliently position the head, body and tail segments in a generally serpentine gripping position around a tree. The propulsion unit of the head segment in combination with the joint control system can propel the true climbing apparatus up the tree with the head segment moving in the direction of the centerline of the head segment, with the body and tail segments following in a generally serpentine manner. 
         [0013]    In particular embodiments, a saw can be attached to the head segment. The propulsion unit can include drive wheels and the body and tail segments can include rollable wheels, for engaging the tree. The joints can include springs, which allow at least one of bending of the segments relative to each other, movement towards and away from each other. A spring loaded cable system can provide the segments with a generally serpentine resilient gripping ability. 
         [0014]    The present invention can also provide a method of cutting at least portions of a tree, including providing a robotic arm coupled to a plurality of interconnected cars that are interconnected using tension cables. The robotic arm can be configured to facilitate cutting a branch of a tree or the trunk of the tree. The interconnected cars can be configured with branch deflecting rollers. The interconnected cars can be configured to wrap about at least a portion of the tree such that they are wrapped around in a spiral like configuration. A remote control device can be configured to provide cutting instructions to one or more processors controlling movement and motion of the robotic arm and the interconnected cars. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    The foregoing will be apparent from the following more particular description of example embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  show an embodiment of the invention stretched out, in side and top views, as it is when it is stretched out or not in use. This shows it being similar to a train composed of cars. Here the flex actuation is relaxed and is ready to install on a tree. 
           [0017]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  show an embodiment of the invention in action as it is climbing a tree with the attached chainsaw. This shows the invention in a positive flex mode where it is tightening itself around a tree trunk, ready to prune a branch. 
           [0018]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  show an embodiment of a front car that holds the chainsaw. It also shows how it holds the saw and how the motors, gears and electronics can be configured. It shows how there will plenty of space for batteries and motors in its elongated design. The drawing of an embodiment of a tail car shows the flex actuator which will drive cables against spring tension in order to flex the cars either left or right or downwards in order to wrap itself around a tree. 
           [0019]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  are schematic drawings, which show the chainsaw and the feeder roller arrangement that can help in the case that a limb or branch pinches the blade. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4C  is a schematic drawing of a screw device attached to a cable. 
           [0021]      FIGS. 4D and 4E  are perspective views of a portion of an embodiment of cars at a partial stage of assembly. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a schematic illustration of a computer network or similar digital processing environment in which embodiments of the present invention may be implemented. 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram of the internal structure of a computer of the network of  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0024]    A description of example embodiments of the invention follows. 
         [0025]    Embodiments of this automated, robotic or remote controlled saw, or tree climbing, climber, cutter or cutting device, tool or apparatus  10  ( FIGS. 1A-4B ), can be driven up a tree  12  by means of remote control with rechargeable battery power shown in the design in  FIG. 3B . With the availability of highly efficient batteries, the climber cutter device  10  can run for a certain amount of time on batteries or can be outfitted with a gasoline engine. Regeneration and recharging of the batteries can be performed with a gasoline chainsaw engine and generator. The means of power can be by rechargeable battery, and the device  10  can be fitted with rechargeable battery packs. 
         [0026]    Embodiments of the tree climbing cutting device  10  can include a series of jointed, flexible, movable, articulating, constricting or constrictable members, links, segments or cars  16 ,  14  and  18  serially connected together by pivots, hinges or joints  28  in a chain, sequence or series, in a serpentine, snake or snakelike configuration. The distance between the cars  16 ,  14  and  18  can be controlled, and/or the lontigudinal axis or centerline C of each or all of the cars, for curving, constricting and moving around a tree  12 . The cars can include a first, lead, head, front, motor, cutter, cutting or roller, member, link, segment or car  16 , a series or number of connection, connecting, support torso, body, intermediate, or roller members, links, segments or cars  14 , and a second, end, rear or tail, roller member, link segment or car  18 . 
         [0027]    The head drive car  16  can have a front drive motor  29  for driving a pair of front drive or movable members, rollers or wheels  22  about an axis D that can be laterally transverse or orthogonal to centerline C of car  16 , for driving the device  10  up and/or around a tree  12 . The front end or tip of car  16  can have a branch or obstacle deflector  32  having two wheels or rollers  32   a  that are spaced apart from each other and driven by a deflector motor drive  34  about respective axes E. The axes E can be orthogonal to both the centerline axis C of the car  16  and the rotational axes D of wheels  22 , which can help direct the car  16  laterally or to the side of obstacles such as branches  12   a,  by engaging and rolling or driving around the obstacles. 
         [0028]    The head car  16  can include a saw  20 , such as a chain saw, attached, connected to or integrated with the car  16 . The saw  20  can include an elongate saw blade  20   a  having an elongate bar  20   b , and an endless moving chain saw cutting chain  20   c , that travels around the periphery or edge of the bar  20   b . The saw blade  20   a  can be attached to a turret  42 , and chain  20   c  can be driven by a saw motor  40  that is housed within the turret  42 . The turret  42  can be connected to a rotating or rotatable collar or section  44 , that is attached, connected to, wrapping around or integrated with car  16 , such as at a center or mid section. The turret  42  can be rotated 360 degrees by a turret motor  46  about a swinging or pivoting hinge or joint around an axis A that is transverse or orthogonal to the saw blade  20   a  and centerline C. This can orient or position the saw blade  20   a  and rotate, swing, move or pivot the saw blade  20   a  while cutting branches  12 a. The rotatable section  44  can be rotated, swung, pivoted or moved 180 degrees by motor  48  about axis B, which can be on or parallel to centerline C of car  16 , and can be orthogonal to axis A. Rotating, moving, swinging or pivoting about the two axes A and B, can orient the saw blade  20   a  in the desired position to cut selected branches  12 a. Saw  20 , turret  40  and section  44 , or portions thereof, can be considered a robotic arm, and the motors can include reduction or worm gears. Further positioning can be achieved by steering car  16  on the tree  12  relative to the branch  12   a.    
         [0029]    Operation of device  10  and its motors can be controlled by electronics  50  housed within the housing  16   a  of car  16 . The electronics  50  can include a transmitter and/or receiver  52  for allowing the operator to control or monitor device  10 . The transmitter and/or receiver  52  can be connected to a remote control or monitor  80  by a cable or by wireless. A battery  54  can be housed within the housing  16   a  of car  16  for providing power to some or all of the motors and electrical components in car  16  and/or device  10 . 
         [0030]    A number of cars  14  can be movably connected between the head car  16  and the tail car  18  by joints  28 . Each joint between cars  16 ,  14  and  18  can include a spring member  28   a , such as a coil spring, which can compress, stretch, and/or bend, for allowing the distances between the cars  16 ,  14  and  18  to be varied towards or away from each other, and/or the orientation (such as pivoting, bending or curving) relative to each other. A series of control cables  30  can extend from the tail car  18 , through the intermediate cars  14  and to the head car  16 , for steering, controlling, loosening, bending, tightening or constricting the cars  16 ,  14  and  18  on or around a tree  12 . Some embodiments can have four cables  30  surrounding spring member  28   a , above, below and on two opposite sides. In some embodiments, each joint  28  can have a hinge joint  28   b  between each car  16 ,  14  and  18 , which can provide bending at predictable locations between the cars. The hinge joints  28   b  can include a ball joint for bending or pivoting at all various multiple angles, or can include more restrictive joints that limit bending to certain desired directions, axes or planes. Hinge joint  28   b  can be adjacent to spring member  28   a , or can be position coaxially within spring member  28   a . Hinge member  28   b  can have a sliding joint for accommodating changes in distances between the cars  16 ,  14  and  18 . 
         [0031]    Each car  14  can have a housing  14   a  with a pair of movable members, rollers or wheels  24  rotatable about an axis D, mounted thereto, for rotatably engaging the tree  12 , which can provide the device  10  with forward locomotion, as well as constrictional hugging, holding, gripping, or frictional gripping or retainment, to prevent the device  10  from sliding down a tree trunk. The more cars  14  that are used with device  10 , the more resistance to slipping down a tree  12 , or higher or increased gripping can be obtained. The housings  14   a,    16   a  and  18   a  of cars  14 ,  16  and  18  can have arched or curved belly or bottom surfaces for curving around a tree  12 . The back surfaces can also be curved. In one embodiment, device  10  can have nine intermediate cars  14 . Other embodiments can have more than nine or less, depending upon the application at hand, and the size of the tree  12 . Some or all of the cars  14  can be driven, as in car  16 , or can be idlers. 
         [0032]    The tail car  18  can have a housing  18   a  to which a pair of movable members, rollers or wheels  26  can be rotatably mounted about an axis D. The housing  18   a  can also contain a flex actuator  58  and a battery  54  for providing power to the flex actuator  58 , if needed. Referring to  FIG. 4C , the flex actuator  58  can have an actuator such as a screw device or drive  60  that can be driven by a motor  62  for extending or retracting each cable  30  via a lever  64  that pivots about axis  64   a  and a spring  66  connected therebetween. The screw device  60  and/or motor  62  can include gears and/or worm drives. Two screw devices  60  can be adjusted to adjust certain cables  30  to tighten or wrap the cars  16 ,  14  and  18  around the tree  12 , and two other screw devices  60  can be adjusted to adjust certain cables  30  to turn the cars  16 ,  14  and  18  left or right. Adjusting the cables  30  with the flex actuator  58  can tighten the cars  16 ,  14  and  18  around the tree trunk in a generally spiral, coil, helical or serpentine configuration, for suitable snake or serpentine constrictional gripping, hugging, holding and/or frictional gripping. The springs  66  can allow the cables  30  to have resilient give, to elastically or resiliently conform or stretch to variations in tree surface shapes to allow resilient or elastic gripping around the tree  12  and/or aid in locomotion. In some embodiments, the shaft of the screw device  60  can be coupled to spring  66  without lever  64  therebetween. The flex actuator  58  can have other suitable designs, including the use of spools, pulleys, rotary actuators, pistons, solenoids, etc. In some embodiments, tail car  18  can also have a motor drive for driving wheels  26  for added driving capability , and some or all cars  14  can also have drive wheels driven by a motor. The motor drives can include worm drives. In other embodiments, more than one flex actuator  58  can be used to tighten the cars  16 ,  14  and  18 , for providing different constriction or bending characteristics at different or separate longitudinal sections. 
         [0033]    The device  10  can have similar properties of a snake and properties of a wheel driven vehicle where motors can drive the wheels. The snakelike coil tension can be controlled by motor and spring tension called the “flex actuator”  58 . For example, the cars  16 ,  14  and  18  of device  10  can be constricted or tightened around a tree  12  in a generally spiral, helical, coil, snake or serpentine configuration as shown in  FIG. 2A , by the flex actuator  58  to provide constrictional gripping, hugging, holding or frictional gripping. The drive wheels  22  of the head car  16  can guide, drive and/or pull the trailing cars  14  and  18  around and up the tree  12  in a helical, coil, spiral, snake or serpentine path, moving forwardly in the direction of centerline C of the cars  16 ,  14  and  18 , as indicated by the arrows. Selected cars  14  and  18  can also be driven, if desired. In some cases, the flex actuator  58  can be cyclically operated to cyclically loosen and constrict or tighten the cars  16 ,  14  and  18 , or selected cars thereof, to enhance climbing up the tree  12  while head car  16  drives. Climbing onto branches  12   a  can also be accomplished in a similar manner. The cables  30  can be adjusted to tighten or orient the cars  16 ,  14  and  18  as required to adjust to tree conditions. Spring members  28   a  can also provide resilient adjustment or compensation while on the tree  12 . In some embodiments, some or all of cars  16 ,  14  and  18  can have the wheels omitted, and merely provide constrictional hugging, holding or gripping, frictional gripping and/or sliding segments. In such an embodiment, the cars  16 ,  14  and  18  can have hairs, ridges, scales, structures or surfaces  55  ( FIG. 3B ), that allow forward movement but resist or prevent backward movement. Such surfaces  55  can also be included in addition to wheels on cars  16 ,  14  and  18 . In some embodiments, all the cars  16 ,  14  and  18 , or selected cars thereof, can be driven. The head car  16  can be actuated or driven first, and the following driven cars  14  and  18  can be actuated or driven subsequently, and sequentially in short pulses, starting and stopping, to drive device  10  around and up the tree  12  in serial start/stop sequence. The joints  28  between each car can be allowed to expand and contract in the start/stop sequence to allow moving cars to be moved relative to the proceeding and following stopped cars. In some embodiments, some of or all of the cars can brake their respective wheels if desired. In some embodiments, the head car  16  can be the head driven car, and undriven cars, segments or members can be in front of car  16 , such as to hold or position saws, tools, cameras, sensors, etc. When climbing down the tree  12 , the device  10  can operate in reverse, traveling tail car  18  first, or can drive down head car  16  first. 
         [0034]    The saw  20  can include an inventive configuration in that the angle of the saw  20  might not always be conventionally correct or it may jam so the saw  20  can have rotating rollers  56  in the blade  20   a  to feed it into the wood. The rollers  56  can be embedded or positioned in or on the bar  20   b  of the saw blade  20   a  and extend from opposite faces, each in two parallel lines or rows to prevent the saw blade  20   a  from being pinched by a branch  12  and stalling the movement of chain  20   c . The rollers  56  can be a series of rollers and can be driven by motor  40 , with flat gears  23  in the metal of the bar  20   b , or can be idler rollers. 
         [0035]    The device  10  can be configured to attach to any size or shape of tree  12  and be able to climb it without damaging it. It can be configured to run on batteries or gasoline. Some embodiments can hold other tools other than a chainsaw. 
         [0036]    The device  10  can attach a rope (or other suitable system) to the top of the tree to provide a failsafe measure in the event it dislodges from the tree. Example possibilities can include one or more robotic arms  36  ( FIG. 3B ) that can tie a knot around the tree  12 , putting an anchor in the tree  12  using small detonator, or having the device  10  hold an anchor rope that could be shot down to the ground. 
         [0037]    The wheels  22 ,  24  and  26  on the cars  14 ,  16  and  18  can preferably be rubber or a similar composition in order to grip the trees  12 . Wheels  22  of car  16  can be driven in order to steer the car  16  around tree  12 . In some embodiments, the wheels or drive wheels can be made of suitable metals or alloys, including steel, titanium, aluminum, etc., or alloys thereof. In addition, the wheels can be made of further suitable materials, including plastics, polymers, composites, etc. 
         [0038]    The deflector rollers  32   a  can be used on the front of car  16  in one exemplary embodiment. The deflector rollers  32   a  can help enable the device  10  to circumvent branches. A sensor, software and robotic movement may be used in another embodiment. The position of the wheels may vary depending on the way that the vehicle is applied. 
         [0039]    This design may also use a helix shape. The helix shape can be used in order to have device  10  climb the tree  12  while holding the saw  20 ; rather than having a saw that can take a helix shape. In some embodiments, a helical saw can be used if desired. 
         [0040]    Conventional technologies that provide automated pruning and/or cutting functions are not as easy to install to the tree in contrast to the present invention. Unlike certain embodiments of the present invention, the automated conventional technologies typically have to encompass the entire tree trunk. They are unable to circumvent branches that a user may want to leave in place, while cutting others, and they cannot adapt to extremely large, very small or misshapen trees. 
         [0041]    Aspects of the inventive tool may also be fitted with a camera  38  ( FIG. 3B ) so the operator can see the work and the path that the device  10  is performing. The device  10  may be given some autonomous actions. It can be programmed to drive up the tree  12  while the operator simply picks what branches they want trimmed while the device  10  steers itself around branches. The device  10  may be able to learn angles and directions that the saw  20  would need to be held. Sensors such as sonar sensors  25 , can be mounted to the front, or top of car  16 , or to car  18  for providing guidance to device  10 . 
         [0042]    In some embodiments, referring to  FIGS. 4D and 4E , the housing  1   a  of cars  14  can have two side walls, plates or members  74  and two end walls, plates or members  72 . The spring members  28   a  can be connected between angled brackets  70  on the end walls  72 , which can promote a curved orientation of the cars  14  relative to each other. Axles  76  can extend through the side walls  74  and can be supported by bearings  78 . Wheels  24  can be mounted to the axles  76 . Electrical power and/or control cables  80  can extend through the connected cars  14  and around or through the spring members  28   a.    
         [0043]    In some embodiments, each car  14  can include a motor drive  75  for driving the wheels  24  of each car  14 , and/or include a rotating motor or motor drive positioned or acting between each car  14  for providing the ability to twist. In other embodiments, some selected cars  14  can include a motor drive  75 . Some or all selected cars  14  can also include batteries. 
         [0044]      FIG. 5  illustrates a computer network or similar digital processing environment  2000  in which components of the robotic tree cutter (the inventive tool) of the present invention may be implemented. Client computer(s)/devices  2050  and server computer(s)  2060  can provide processing, storage, and input/output devices executing application programs and the like. Client computer(s)/devices  2050  can also be linked through communications network  2070  to other computing devices, including other client devices/processes  2050  and server computer(s)  2060 . Communications network  2070  can be part of a remote access network, a global network (e.g., the Internet), a worldwide collection of computers, Local area or Wide area networks, and gateways that currently use respective protocols (TCP/IP, Bluetooth, etc.) to communicate with one another. Other electronic device/computer network architectures are suitable. 
         [0045]      FIG. 6  is a diagram of the internal structure of a computer (e.g., client processor/device  2050  or server computers  2060 ) in the computer system of  FIG. 5 . Each computer  2050 ,  2060  can contain system bus  2179 , where a bus is a set of hardware lines used for data transfer among the components of a computer or processing system. Bus  2179  is essentially a shared conduit that connects different elements of a computer system (e.g., processor, disk storage, memory, input/output ports, network ports, etc.) that enables the transfer of information between the elements. Attached to system bus  2179  is an Input/Output (I/O) device interface  2182  for connecting various input and output devices (e.g., keyboard, mouse, displays, printers, speakers, etc.) to the computer  2050 ,  2060 . Network interface  2186  allows the computer to connect to various other devices attached to a network (e.g., network  2070  of  FIG. 5 ). Memory  2190  provides volatile storage for computer software instructions  2192  and data  2194  used to implement an embodiment of the present invention (e.g., remote control instructions, cutting instructions, sensor feed back). Disk storage  2195  provides non-volatile storage for computer software instructions  2192  and data  2194  used to implement an embodiment of the present invention. Central processor unit  2184  can also be attached to system bus  2179  and provide for the execution of computer instructions. In some embodiments, the remote control  80  can be an input/output device. 
         [0046]    In one embodiment, the processor routines  2192  and data  2194  are a computer program product, including a computer readable medium (e.g., a removable storage medium, such as one or more DVD-ROM&#39;s, CD-ROM&#39;s, diskettes, tapes, hard drives, etc.) that provides at least a portion of the software instructions for the invention system. Computer program product can be installed by any suitable software installation procedure, as is well known in the art. In another embodiment, at least a portion of the software instructions may also be downloaded over a cable, communication and/or wireless connection. In other embodiments, the invention programs are a computer program propagated signal product embodied on a propagated signal on a propagation medium  107  (e.g., a radio wave, an infrared wave, a laser wave, a sound wave, or an electrical wave propagated over a global network, such as the Internet, or other network(s)). Such carrier medium or signals provide at least a portion of the software instructions for the present invention routines/program  2192 . 
         [0047]    In alternate embodiments, the propagated signal is an analog carrier wave or digital signal carried on the propagated medium. For example, the propagated signal may be a digitized signal propagated over a global network (e.g., the Internet), a telecommunications network, or other network. In one embodiment, the propagated signal is a signal that is transmitted over the propagation medium over a period of time, such as the instructions for a software application sent in packets over a network over a period of milliseconds, seconds, minutes, or longer. In another embodiment, the computer readable medium of computer program product is a propagation medium that the computer system may receive and read, such as by receiving the propagation medium and identifying a propagated signal embodied in the propagation medium, as described above for computer program propagated signal product. 
         [0048]    Generally speaking, the term “carrier medium” or transient carrier encompasses the foregoing transient signals, propagated signals, propagated medium, storage medium and the like. 
         [0049]    While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims 
         [0050]    For example, while aspects of the invention, such as the robotic arm are described such that the saw can be configured to move/rotate in 360 degrees longitude to the interconnected car-like unit and 180 parallel to the interconnected car-like unit, other degrees of motion may be used. Further, while the interconnected car-like unit is preferably about 25 cm in length, any length may be used in implementation such that it facilitates adequate wrapping around the tree. Various features described can be omitted or combined together. In some embodiments, the cars can have other suitable drive devices and can include tractor belts or walking legs or members. 
         [0051]    Further, the remote control features of the present invention may be implemented in a variety of computer architectures known to those of ordinary skill. The computer network of  FIGS. 5 and 6  are for purposes of illustration and not limitation of the present invention. 
         [0052]    The invention can take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment containing both hardware and software elements. In one preferred embodiment, the invention is implemented in software, which includes but is not limited to firmware, resident software, microcode, etc. 
         [0053]    Furthermore, the invention can take the form of a computer program product accessible from a computer-usable or computer-readable medium providing program code for use by or in connection with a computer or any instruction execution system. For the purposes of this description, a computer-usable or computer readable medium can be any apparatus that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. 
         [0054]    The medium can be an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system (or apparatus or device) or a propagation medium. Examples of a computer-readable medium include a semiconductor or solid state memory, magnetic tape, a removable computer diskette, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a rigid magnetic disk and an optical disk. Some examples of optical disks include compact disk-read only memory (CD-ROM), compact disk-read/write (CD-R/W) and DVD. 
         [0055]    A data processing system suitable for storing and/or executing program code will include at least one processor coupled directly or indirectly to memory elements through a system bus. The memory elements can include local memory employed during actual execution of the program code, bulk storage, and cache memories, which provide temporary storage of at least some program code in order to reduce the number of times code are retrieved from bulk storage during execution. 
         [0056]    Input/output or I/O devices (including but not limited to keyboards, displays, pointing devices, etc.) can be coupled to the system either directly or through intervening I/O controllers. 
         [0057]    Network adapters may also be coupled to the system to enable the data processing system to become coupled to other data processing systems or remote printers or storage devices through intervening private or public networks. Modems, cable modem and Ethernet cards are just a few of the currently available types of network adapters.