Environmental management systems including mobile robots and methods using same

• US 10,488,857 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2016
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Duffley, Samuel, Mammen, Jeffrey W., Halloran, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rink, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US15/174,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20160282862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/00 Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for receiving user commands for a remote cleaning robot and sending the user commands to the remote cleaning robot, the remote cleaning robot including a drive motor and a cleaning motor, includes displaying a user interface including a control area, and within the control area: a user-manipulable launch control group including a plurality of control elements, the launch control group having a deferred launch control state and an immediate launch control state; at least one user-manipulable cleaning strategy control element having a primary cleaning strategy control state and an alternative cleaning strategy control state; and a physical recall control group including a plurality of control elements, the physical recall control group having an immediate recall control state and a remote audible locator control state. The method further includes: receiving user input via the user-manipulable control elements; responsive to the user inputs, displaying simultaneously within the same control area a real-time robot state reflecting a unique combination of control states; and commanding the remote cleaning robot to actuate the drive motor and cleaning motor to clean a surface based on the received input and unique combination of control states.

Claims

1. An environmental management system for monitoring conditions in a living space of a structure, the environmental management system comprising:

at least one processor configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving stationary sensor data from a stationary sensor, the stationary sensor data indicative of one or more conditions in the living space;

receiving robot sensor data from an onboard robot sensor of a mobile robot, the robot sensor data indicative of the one or more conditions in the living space, wherein the one or more conditions in the living space are controlled by one or more automation controller devices,

evaluating the stationary sensor data and the robot sensor data to determine device usage data; and

generating a usage report and energy management plan, the energy management plan comprising at least one automated control response for operating the one or more automation controller devices based on the stationary sensor data and the robot sensor data,

wherein generating a usage report comprises using robot sensor data to monitor human occupancy behavior, and the energy management plan comprises the at least one automated control response for reducing energy consumption based on human occupancy behavior,

wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the at least one automated control response is completed based on robot sensor data.

4. The environmental management system of claim 1 further comprising:

a hub in communication with a network and configured to receive the stationary sensor data and the robot sensor data;

the environmental management system includes a remote user terminal in communication with the network; and

the environmental management system is configured to transmit robot sensor data from the mobile robot to the remote user terminal via the network.

5. The environmental management system of claim 4 wherein:

the mobile robot is configured to wirelessly communicate directly with the hub; and

the hub is configured to relay the robot sensor data to the remote user terminal via the network.

6. The environmental management system of claim 4 wherein the hub includes an integral environmental sensor.

7. The environmental management system of claim 4 wherein the hub includes an integral automation controller device.

8. The environmental management system of claim 4 wherein the hub is a networked, microprocessor controlled thermostat including an integral ambient temperature sensor and an integral HVAC controller.

9. The environmental management system of claim 1 wherein the environmental management system is configured to deploy the mobile robot to collect environmental data from the living space in response to the stationary sensor data.

10. The environmental management system of claim 9 wherein:

the stationary sensor is configured to detect the presence of an occupant in the living space; and

the environmental management system is configured to deploy the mobile robot to collect environmental data from the living space in response to the stationary sensor data indicating that an occupant is present in the living space.

11. The environmental management system of claim 10 wherein the stationary sensor includes a motion sensor.

12. The environmental management system of claim 9 wherein:

the stationary sensor is configured to detect the opening of a door or window of the living space; and

the environmental management system is configured to deploy the mobile robot to collect environmental data from the living space in response to the stationary sensor data indicating that the door or window is open.

13. The environmental management system of claim 12 wherein the stationary sensor includes a contact sensor.

14. The environmental management system of claim 9 wherein:

the robot sensor is a camera;

the environmental management system includes a remote user terminal;

the stationary sensor is configured to detect the presence of an occupant or the opening of a door or window in the living space; and

the mobile robot is operative to send an image of the living space from the camera to the remote user terminal.

15. The environmental management system of claim 1 wherein:

the environmental management system includes a remote user terminal; and

the environmental management system is configured to deploy the mobile robot to collect environmental data from the living space in response to instructions from the user via the remote user terminal.

16. The environmental management system of claim 15 wherein:

the robot sensor is a camera; and

the mobile robot is operative to send an image of the living space from the camera to the remote user terminal.

17. The environmental management system of claim 1 wherein:

the environmental management system includes a remote user terminal;

the robot sensor is an ambient temperature sensor;

the environmental management system is operative to localize the mobile robot in the living space, generate a map of the living space, register the position of the mobile robot relative to the living space, and collect a temperature data set from the ambient temperature sensor representing a temperature distribution in the living space; and

the environmental management system is operative to report the temperature distribution to the remote user terminal.

18. The environmental management system of claim 1 wherein the robot sensor is operative to detect an open door or window of the living space.

19. The environmental management system of claim 1 wherein the robot sensor is operative to detect an occupant in the living space.

20. The environmental management system of claim 1 wherein the robot sensor is a microphone.

21. The environmental management system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the automation controller devices includes an automatic latch or lock device.

22. The environmental management system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate an energy management plan comprising a recommended plan for operating or deploying energy management equipment.

23. The environmental management system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate an energy management plan in response to device usage data comprising on/off status data of the device(s).

24. The environmental management system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the automation controller devices includes a device operative to open and close a window cover, a thermostat to control an HVAC system, an automatic latch or lock device, or a switch device to actuate/deactuate a light.

25. The environmental management system of claim 1, wherein the usage report comprises a pattern of device usage, and the energy management plan comprises a plan for operating or deploying energy management equipment based on the pattern of device usage.

26. The environmental management system of claim 1, wherein the at least one automated control response comprises turning off a light, and the processor is further configured to determine whether the at least one automated control response is completed based on whether the robot sensor data indicates that the light is off.

27. The environmental management system of claim 1, wherein the at least one automated controller response comprises automatically actuating a controller to close or open a window shade, and the processor is further configured to determine whether the at least one automated control response is completed based on whether the robot sensor data indicates that the window shade is closed or opened.

2. A method for monitoring conditions in a living space of a structure, the method comprising:

receiving stationary sensor data from a stationary sensor, the stationary sensor data indicative of one or more conditions in the living space;

receiving robot sensor data from an onboard robot sensor of a mobile robot, the robot sensor data indicative of the one or more conditions in the living space, wherein the one or more conditions in the living space are controlled by automation controller devices;

evaluating the stationary sensor data and the robot sensor data to determine device usage;

generating a usage report and energy management plan, the energy management plan comprising at least one automated control response for operating the one or more automation controller devices based on the stationary sensor data and the robot sensor data, and

determining whether the at least one automated control response is completed based on robot sensor data;

wherein generating a usage report comprises using robot sensor data to monitor human occupancy behavior, and the energy management plan comprises at least one automated control response for reducing energy consumption based on human occupancy behavior.

28. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

localizing the mobile robot in the living space,

generating a map of the living space,

registering the position of the mobile robot relative to the living space, and

collecting a temperature data set from an ambient temperature sensor representing a temperature distribution in the living space from the robot sensor, the robot sensor comprising an ambient temperature sensor; and

reporting the temperature distribution to a remote user terminal.

29. The method of claim 2 further comprising deploying the mobile robot to collect environmental data from the living space in response to the stationary sensor data.

30. The method of claim 2 further comprising generating an energy management plan in response to device usage data comprising on/off status data of the automated controller device(s).

3. A system for monitoring and controlling mobile robot status in a living space of a structure, comprising:

at least one processor configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving robot sensor data from an onboard sensor of a mobile robot to monitor the robot sensor data indicative of one or more conditions in the living space, wherein the one or more conditions in the living space are controlled by automation controller devices;

controlling the mobile robot by providing one or more selectable scheduling parameters or action commands;

monitoring a state of the mobile robot by providing a display of area coverage completion;

evaluating the robot sensor data to determine device usage data; and

generating a usage report and energy management plan, the energy management plan comprising at least one automated control response for operating the one or more automation controller devices based on the stationary sensor data and the robot sensor data,

wherein generating a usage report comprises using robot sensor data to monitor human occupancy behavior, and the energy management plan comprises at least one automated control response for reducing energy consumption based on human occupancy behavior, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the at least one automated control response is completed based on robot sensor data.

31. The system of claim 3 wherein the robot sensor is an ambient temperature sensor;

the at least one processor being further configured to localize the mobile robot in the living space, generate a map of the living space, register the position of the mobile robot relative to the living space, and collect a temperature data set from the ambient temperature sensor representing a temperature distribution in the living space; and

to report the temperature distribution to a remote user terminal.

32. The system of claim 3 wherein the processor is further configured to deploy the mobile robot to collect environmental data from the living space in response to the stationary sensor data.

33. The system of claim 3 wherein the processor is further configured to generate an energy management plan in response to device usage data comprising on/off status data of the automated controller device(s).