Obstacle Following Sensor Scheme for a mobile robot

• US 20080015738A1
• Filed: 08/06/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Cross, Matthew, Jones, Joseph, Ozick, Daniel, Casey, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,788,092 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/258
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93

Abstract

A robot obstacle detection system including a robot housing which navigates with respect to a surface and a sensor subsystem aimed at the surface for detecting the surface. The sensor subsystem includes an emitter which emits a signal having a field of emission and a photon detector having a field of view which intersects the field of emission at a region. The subsystem detects the presence of an object proximate the mobile robot and determines a value of a signal corresponding to the object. It compares the value to a predetermined value, moves the mobile robot in response to the comparison, and updates the predetermined value upon the occurrence of an event.

Claims

1-33. -33. (canceled)

34. A robot comprising:

a robot housing defining an arcuate forward portion;

a drive system housed by the robot housing and configured to maneuver the robot with respect to a surface;

at least two sensor components housed in the forward portion of the robot housing substantially near a forward edge and spaced from each other, each sensor component aimed downwardly and comprising an optical emitter and a photon detector configured to receive emitter emissions reflected off the surface; and

a circuit in communication with the detector and the drive system for redirecting the robot when the photon detector ceases to detect the surface.

35. The robot of claim 34, wherein the optical emitter emits a directed beam having a defined field of emission and the photon detector has a defined field of view intersecting the field of emission of the emitter at a volume of intersection space below the robot housing, the circuit redirecting the robot when the surface does not occupy the volume of intersection space to avoid obstacles.

36. The robot of claim 35 further comprising an emitter collimator about the emitter for directing the emission beam and a detector collimator about the photon detector to define the field of view, the emitter collimator and the detector collimator being angled with respect to the surface to define a finite volume of intersection space.

37. The robot of claim 34, wherein the volume of intersection space substantially defines a cone shape.

38. The robot of claim 34, wherein the sensor components are evenly dispersed about the forward edge of the forward portion of the robot housing.

39. The robot of claim 34 further comprising at least two edge cleaning heads carried on opposite sides of the housing and driven about a non-horizontal axis, each edge cleaning head extending beyond a lateral extent of the housing to engage the surface while the robot is maneuvered across the surface.

40. An autonomous coverage robot comprising:

a chassis;

a drive system mounted on the chassis and configured to maneuver the robot;

first and second edge cleaning heads carried on opposite sides of the chassis and driven about a non-horizontal axis, each edge cleaning head extending beyond a lateral extent of the chassis to engage a floor surface while the robot is maneuvered across the floor.