Self-moving robot movement boundary delimiting method

• US 10,520,950 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2015
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecovacs Robotics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Ecovacs Robotics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Tang, Jinju
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peche, Jorge O
• Application Number:
  US15/514,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20170248956A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,558 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1664 characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0221 involving a learning process
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 using a RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/249 from positioning sensors located off-board the vehicle, e.g. from cameras

Abstract

In a self-moving robot movement boundary delimiting method, in step 100: setting up three or more base stations in a movement area of a self-moving robot, and establishing a coordinate system; in step 200: artificially planning a movement path in the movement area of the self-moving robot, gathering sample points on the path, and determining the coordinates of the sample points in the coordinate system; and in step 300: delimiting a boundary according to the coordinates of the gathered sample points, and setting the self-moving robot to work inside or outside the boundary. The present invention achieves a regional division by distance measurement and positioning based on stationary base stations, thus improving accuracy and convenience compared to the prior art.

Claims

1. A self-moving robot movement boundary delimiting method, comprising:

setting up three or more base stations in a movement area of a self-moving robot, to establish a coordinate system according to relative locations between the three or more base stations;

obtaining sample points along a desired boundary in the movement area by moving a positioning device coupling with the self-moving robot along the desired boundary, and determining coordinates of the sample points in the coordinate system; and

delimiting a movement boundary according to the coordinates of the obtained sample points, and setting the self-moving robot to work inside or outside the movement boundary.

2. The self-moving robot movement boundary delimiting method of claim 1, wherein,

the coordinate system is established by using one of the base stations as an origin, and calculating distances between the respective base stations by measuring signal transmission time between the respective base stations, whereby determining the coordinates of the respective base stations in the coordinate system.

3. The self-moving robot movement boundary delimiting method of claim 2, wherein,

the coordinate system is a plane coordinate system established using three base stations, and a plane in which the plane coordinate system is located is coplanar with the movement area of the self-moving robot.

4. The self-moving robot movement boundary delimiting method of claim 1, wherein,

the determining the coordinates of the sample points in the coordinate system specifically comprises:

calculating the coordinates of the sample points in the coordinate system by measuring signal transmission time between the self-moving robot and the respective base stations,

according to Geometric Positioning method, Least Squares method or Time Difference Of Arrival method.

5. The self-moving robot movement boundary delimiting method of claim 4, wherein,

the coordinate system is a plane coordinate system established using three base stations, and a plane in which the plane coordinate system is located is coplanar with the movement area of the self-moving robot.

6. The self-moving robot movement boundary delimiting method of claim 1, wherein,

the positioning device is provided on the self-moving robot, and the moving the positioning device coupling with the self-moving robot along the desired boundary specifically comprises:

controlling the self-moving robot to move by a user via an interactive device;

or

moving the positioning device along the desired boundary after the positioning device is detached from the self-moving robot by a user;

or

moving the self-moving robot along the desired boundary while the self-moving robot is held by a user.

7. The self-moving robot movement boundary delimiting method of claim 6, wherein, the coordinate system is a plane coordinate system established using three base stations, and a plane in which the plane coordinate system is located is coplanar with the movement area of the self-moving robot.

8. The self-moving robot movement boundary delimiting method of claim 1, wherein,

the sample points are obtained at a preset time interval performed automatically by the self-moving robot or obtained at a random interval controlled by a user.

9. The self-moving robot movement boundary delimiting method of claim 8, wherein,

the coordinate system is a plane coordinate system established using three base stations, and a plane in which the plane coordinate system is located is coplanar with the movement area of the self-moving robot.

10. The self-moving robot movement boundary delimiting method of claim 1, wherein,

the coordinate system is a plane coordinate system established using three base stations, and a plane in which the plane coordinate system is located is coplanar with the movement area of the self-moving robot.

11. The self-moving robot movement boundary delimiting method of claim 10, wherein,

the movement boundary is an open or closed line formed by the sample points.