System and method for guiding robot

• US 10,488,859 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2017
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futaihua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Futaihua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Chen, Chia-Hung, Xie, Liang, Yang, Shun-Chuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Amin, Bhavesh V
• Application Number:
  US15/595,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20170336786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 using a RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A method for guiding a robot includes controlling a wireless signal transmitting device of a charging base to transmit wireless signals, by sending a control signal to the charging base when a battery level of the robot is less than a preset level. Once an orientation of the charging base is determined according to signal strengths of wireless signals detected by at least one signal detecting device of the robot, a moving mechanism of the robot is controlled to drive the robot to move towards the orientation of the charging base.

Claims

1. A robot comprising:

at least one signal detecting device configured for detecting signal strengths of wireless signals;

a moving mechanism configured for driving the robot to move;

a storage device; and

at least one processor, wherein the storage device stores one or more programs, when executed by the at least one processor, the one or more programs cause the at least one processor to;

detect signal strengths of wireless signals transmitted by a charging base using the at least one signal detecting device, when a battery level of the robot is less than a preset level;

determine an orientation of the charging base according to the signal strengths of wireless signals;

control the moving mechanism to drive the robot to move towards the orientation of the charging base;

determine at predetermined intervals whether infrared signals exist around the robot;

control the moving mechanism to drive the robot to move according to the infrared signals when infrared signals exist around the robot;

when no infrared signals exist around the robot, determine a new orientation for the charging base each time the robot moves for a preset distance value; and

control the moving mechanism to drive the robot to move towards the new orientation of the charging base.

2. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further caused to:

control the at least one signal detecting device to rotate and arrive at different orientations;

control the at least one signal detecting device to detect signal strengths of wireless signals received from the different orientations; and

determine an orientation corresponding to one of the detected wireless signals having the greatest signal strength as the orientation of the charging base.

3. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the at least one signal detecting device are more than one signal detecting devices, the more than one signal detecting devices are configured at different orientations, wherein the at least one processor is further caused to:

obtain, from the more than one signal detecting devices, the signal strengths of wireless signals and orientations of the more than one signal detecting devices; and

determine an orientation of one of the more than one signal detecting devices that detects the greatest signal strength as the orientation of the charging base.

4. A method for guiding a robot, comprising:

detecting signal strengths of wireless signals transmitted by a charging base using at least one signal detecting device of the robot, when a battery level of the robot is less than a preset level;

determining an orientation of the charging base according to the signal strengths of wireless signals;

controlling a moving mechanism of the robot to drive the robot to move towards the orientation of the charging base;

determining at predetermined intervals whether infrared signals exist around the robot;

controlling the moving mechanism to drive the robot to move according to the infrared signals when infrared signals exist around the robot;

when no infrared signals exist around the robot, determining a new orientation for the charging base each time the robot moves for a preset distance value; and

controlling the moving mechanism to drive the robot to move towards the new orientation of the charging base.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

controlling the at least one signal detecting device to rotate and arrive at different orientations;

controlling the at least one signal detecting device to detect signal strengths of wireless signals received from the different orientations; and

determining an orientation corresponding to one of the detected wireless signals having the greatest signal strength as the orientation of the charging base.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the at least one signal detecting device comprises more than one signal detecting devices, the more than one signal detecting devices are configured at different orientations, wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining, from the more than one signal detecting devices, the signal strengths of wireless signals and orientations of the more than one signal detecting devices; and

determining an orientation of one of the more than one signal detecting devices that detects the greatest signal strength as the orientation of the charging base.

7. A non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor of a robot, causes the processor to perform a guiding method, wherein the method comprises:

detecting signal strengths of wireless signals transmitted by a charging base using at least one signal detecting device of the robot, when a battery level of the robot is less than a preset level;

determining an orientation of the charging base according to the signal strengths of wireless signals;

controlling a moving mechanism of the robot to drive the robot to move towards the orientation of the charging base;

determining at predetermined intervals whether infrared signals exist around the robot;

controlling the moving mechanism to drive the robot to move according to the infrared signals when infrared signals exist around the robot;

when no infrared signals exist around the robot, determining a new orientation for the charging base each time the robot moves for a preset distance value; and

controlling the moving mechanism to drive the robot to move towards the new orientation of the charging base.

8. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

controlling the at least one signal detecting device to rotate and arrive at different orientations;

controlling the at least one signal detecting device to detect signal strengths of wireless signals received from the different orientations; and

determining an orientation corresponding to one of the detected wireless signals having the greatest signal strength as the orientation of the charging base.

9. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 7, wherein the at least one signal detecting device comprises more than one signal detecting devices, the more than one signal detecting devices are configured at different orientations, wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining, from the more than one signal detecting devices, the signal strengths of wireless signals and orientations of the more than one signal detecting devices; and

determining an orientation of one of the more than one signal detecting devices that detects the greatest signal strength as the orientation of the charging base.