METHODS FOR REAL-TIME AND NEAR REAL-TIME INTERACTIONS WITH ROBOTS THAT SERVICE A FACILITY

• US 20090198380A1
• Filed: 01/28/2009
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seegrid Corporation
• Original Assignee: Seegrid Corporation
• Inventors: Weiss, Mitchell, Moravec, Hans Peter, Friedman, Scott Justin-Marl
• Granted Patent: US 8,892,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/259
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/009 Details of suction cleaner tools for additional purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2836 characterised by the parts which are controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2852 Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/086 Proximity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/00 Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages B25J1/00 takes precedence; programme-controlled manipulators B25J9/00 ; vehicle aspects B60, B62, e.g. remote-controlled steering for motor vehicles B62D1/24; control of position of vehicles G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0231 using optical position detecting means position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16

Abstract

In accordance with aspects of the present invention, a service robot and methods for controlling such a robot are provided. In particular, the robot is configured to sense the presence of a person and to take a next action in response to sensing the presence of the person. As examples, the robot could leave the area, await commands from the person, or enter an idle or sleep state or mode until the person leaves.

Claims

1. A method of servicing a facility with a robot that detects a living being, the method comprising:

navigating the robot through and servicing an environment using automatic self-control by the robot;

sensing a living being in the environment by the robot while navigating through the environment; and

altering the navigation and servicing in response to sensor data received from the sensing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the navigation and servicing includes performing a service pause when the robot senses a proximity of a person.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein altering the navigation and servicing further includes sensing a proximity of the person, determining a location that is least disturbing to the person, and actively moving to the location.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the location is away from the person.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the location is nearer the person.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the person is in a room and the location is out of the room.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising the robot keeping track of the service pause.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising restarting service in the environment once the sensor data indicates the person has left the environment.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the robot responding to a person pointing things out when the person enters a room in which the servicing robot is present.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing further includes using one or more of light sensing, acoustic sensing, visual sensing, motion detection, heat sensing, and electromagnetic sensing.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensors are attached to the robot.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensors are attached to the environment.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the service robot is a robotic vacuum cleaner.

14. A service robot configured to detect the presence of a living being, the service robot comprising:

a platform supporting a servicing subsystem;

a navigation controller coupled to a drive mechanism and configured to navigate the platform through an environment; and

one or more sensors configured to sense a person in the environment during navigation and servicing;

wherein the navigation controller controls the robot to alter the navigation and servicing in response to sensor data received from the one or more sensors.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the navigation controller is configured to alter the navigation and servicing by entering a service pause mode when the robot senses a proximity of a person.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the navigation controller is configured to alter the navigation and servicing by sensing a proximity of the person, determining a location that is least disturbing to the person, and actively moving to the location.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the location is away from the person.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the location is nearer the person.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the person is in a room and the location is out of the room.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the robot is configured to keep track of the service pause.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the navigation controller is further configured to restart service in the environment once the sensor data indicates the person has left the environment.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the robot is configured to respond to a person pointing things out when the person enters a room in which the servicing robot is present.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more sensors includes light sensors, and/or acoustic sensors, and/or visual sensing, and/or motion detection, and/or heat sensing, and/or electromagnetic sensors.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein the servicing robot is a robotic vacuum cleaner.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein the sensors are attached to the robot.

26. The system of claim 14, wherein the sensors are attached to the environment.

27. A service robot configured to detect the presence of a living being, the service robot comprising:

a platform supporting a servicing subsystem;

a navigation controller coupled to a drive mechanism and configured to navigate the platform through an environment; and

a communication system that communicates with one or more sensors installed in the environment configured to sense a person in the environment during navigation and servicing;

wherein the navigation controller controls the robot to alter the navigation and servicing in response to sensor data received from the one or more sensors.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the navigation controller is configured to alter the navigation and servicing by entering a service pause mode when the robot senses a proximity of a person.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the navigation controller is configured to alter the navigation and servicing by sensing a proximity of the person, determining a location that is least disturbing to the person, and actively moving to the location.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the location is away from the person.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the location is nearer the person.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the person is in a room and the location is out of the room.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein the robot is configured to keep track of the service pause.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the navigation controller is further configured to restart service in the environment once the sensor data indicates the person has left the environment.

35. The system of claim 27, wherein the robot is configured to respond to a person pointing things out when the person enters a room in which the servicing robot is present.

36. The system of claim 27, wherein the one or more sensors includes one or light sensors, acoustic sensors, visual sensors, motion detection sensors, heat sensors, and electromagnetic sensors.

37. The system of claim 27, wherein the servicing robot is a robotic vacuum cleaner.