Domestic robotic system
First Claim
1. A domestic robotic system including a robot, the robot comprising:
- a movement system, comprising a drive system and one or more moveable elements, the drive system being configured to drive said one or more moveable elements so as to move the robot over a surface;
an image obtaining device for obtaining images of the exterior environment of the robot; and
,at least one processor in electronic communication with the movement system and the image obtaining device, the at least one processor programmed to;
detect a predetermined pattern within at least one of the obtained images, the predetermined pattern being associated with a marker provided on a base station;
respond to the detection of the predetermined pattern by determining, by a first process, a first estimate of at least one of a position and an orientation of the robot, said first estimate of the at least one of the position and orientation of the robot being relative to the base station, the at least one processor and image obtaining device thereby forming at least part of a first navigation system for the robot;
determine, by a second process, an alternative estimate of said at least one of the position and orientation of the robot, the at least one processor thereby forming part of a second navigation system for the robot, wherein said alternative estimate is relative to the base station; and
perform at least one calibration of said second navigation system using said first navigation system, wherein said at least one calibration includes a base station calibration that takes place when the robot is docked at said base station;
wherein the robot further comprises a satellite navigation system receiver, the at least one processor being programmed to determine a further estimate of the position of the robot using said satellite navigation system receiver, the at least one processor and the satellite navigation system receiver forming at least part of a third navigation system for the robot; and
wherein the at least one processor is programmed to calculate a time-averaged value of the further estimate of the position of the robot when the robot is docked at said base station, the time-averaged value being stored on data storage provided by the robot and used to transform at least one of said first estimate and said second estimate of the at least one of the position and orientation of the robot into a universal co-ordinate system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A domestic robotic system including a robot, which includes a movement system for moving the robot over a surface, an image obtaining device, and a processor. The processor is programmed to detect a predetermined pattern within the images, the predetermined pattern being associated with a marker provided on a base station, respond to the detection of the predetermined pattern by determining, by a first process, an estimate of the robot'"'"'s position and/or orientation, this estimate of the robot'"'"'s position and orientation being relative to the base station, the processor and the image obtaining device thereby forming part of a first positioning system, determine, by a second process, an alternative estimate of the robot'"'"'s position and/or orientation, the processor thereby forming part of a second positioning system, and perform at least one calibration of the second positioning system using the first positioning system.
28 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A domestic robotic system including a robot, the robot comprising:
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a movement system, comprising a drive system and one or more moveable elements, the drive system being configured to drive said one or more moveable elements so as to move the robot over a surface; an image obtaining device for obtaining images of the exterior environment of the robot; and
,at least one processor in electronic communication with the movement system and the image obtaining device, the at least one processor programmed to; detect a predetermined pattern within at least one of the obtained images, the predetermined pattern being associated with a marker provided on a base station; respond to the detection of the predetermined pattern by determining, by a first process, a first estimate of at least one of a position and an orientation of the robot, said first estimate of the at least one of the position and orientation of the robot being relative to the base station, the at least one processor and image obtaining device thereby forming at least part of a first navigation system for the robot; determine, by a second process, an alternative estimate of said at least one of the position and orientation of the robot, the at least one processor thereby forming part of a second navigation system for the robot, wherein said alternative estimate is relative to the base station; and perform at least one calibration of said second navigation system using said first navigation system, wherein said at least one calibration includes a base station calibration that takes place when the robot is docked at said base station; wherein the robot further comprises a satellite navigation system receiver, the at least one processor being programmed to determine a further estimate of the position of the robot using said satellite navigation system receiver, the at least one processor and the satellite navigation system receiver forming at least part of a third navigation system for the robot; and wherein the at least one processor is programmed to calculate a time-averaged value of the further estimate of the position of the robot when the robot is docked at said base station, the time-averaged value being stored on data storage provided by the robot and used to transform at least one of said first estimate and said second estimate of the at least one of the position and orientation of the robot into a universal co-ordinate system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification