NAVIGATIONAL CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A ROBOTIC DEVICE
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A navigational control system for altering movement activity of a robotic device operating in a defined working area, comprising a transmitting subsystem integrated in combination with the robotic device, the transmitting subsystem comprising means for emitting a number of directed beams, each directed beam having a predetermined emission pattern, and a receiving subsystem functioning as a base station that includes a navigation control algorithm that defines a predetermined triggering event for the navigational control system and a set of detection units positioned within the defined working area in a known spaced-apart relationship, the set of detection units being configured and operative to detect one or more of the directed beams emitted by the transmitting system; and wherein the receiving subsystem is configured and operative to process the one or more detected directed beams under the control of the navigational control algorithm to determine whether the predetermined triggering event has occurred, and, if the predetermined triggering event has occurred transmit a control signal to the robotic device, wherein reception of the control signal by the robotic device causes the robotic device to implement a prescribed conduct that alters the movement activity of the robotic device.
-
Citations
65 Claims
-
1-38. -38. (canceled)
-
39. A robotic device movement control system comprising:
-
a transmitting subsystem integrated in combination with a robotic device, the transmitting subsystem comprising directed beam emitters that can emit a number of directed beams to cover the defined working area, each directed beam having a predetermined emission pattern; and a receiving subsystem separate from the robotic device, the receiving subsystem including a navigation control algorithm that defines a predetermined triggering event for the navigational control system and a set of detection units for positioning within the defined working area;
the detection positioned in a predetermined aspectual relationship with respect to one another, the set of detection units being configured and operative to detect one or more of the directed beams emitted by the transmitting subsystem;
the receiving subsystem operative to process the one or more detected directed beams under the control of the navigational control algorithm to determine whether the predetermined triggering event has occurred, and, if the predetermined triggering event has occurred, transmit a control signal to the robotic device; andwherein the robotic device is operative to receive the control signal and, in response to receiving the control signal, implement a prescribed conduct that alters the movement activity of the robotic device.
-
-
40. A method for altering movement activity of a robotic device operating in a defined working area, comprising:
-
providing a transmitting subsystem integrated in combination with the robotic device, the transmitting subsystem comprising means for emitting a number of directed beams to cover the defined working area, each directed beam having a predetermined emission pattern; and providing a receiving subsystem separate from the robotic device, the receiving subsystem including a navigation control algorithm that defines a predetermined triggering event for the navigational control system and a set of detection units for positioning within the defined working area; positioning the detection units in a known aspectual relationship with respect to one another, the set of detection units being configured and operative to detect one or more of the directed beams emitted by the transmitting subsystem; processing, at the receiving subsystem, the one or more detected directed beams under the control of the navigational control algorithm to determine whether the predetermined triggering event has occurred, and, if the predetermined triggering event has occurred, transmitting a control signal to the robotic device; and receiving the control signal at the robotic device; in response to receiving the control signal at the robotic device, implementing a prescribed conduct that alters the movement activity of the robotic device. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
-
-
49. A method for directly altering movement activity of a robotic device operating in a defined working area, comprising:
-
providing a transmitting subsystem separate from the robotic device and comprising a distributed set of transmitting units located within the defined working area, each transmitting unit being configured and operative to emit a directed beam having a predetermined emission pattern at a unique operating frequency; and providing a receiving subsystem integrated in combination with the robotic device, that includes a navigation control algorithm that defines a predetermined triggering event for the navigational control system; detecting, at the receiving subsystem, the directed beams emitted by the transmitting subsystem; processing, at the receiving, the detected directed beams under the control of the navigational control algorithm to determine whether the predetermined triggering event has occurred, and, if the predetermined triggering event has occurred, to communicating a control signal to the robotic device; and receiving the control signal at the robotic device; in response to receiving the control signal at the robotic device, implementing a prescribed conduct that alters the movement activity of the robotic device. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
-
-
55. A robotic cleaner, comprising:
-
a chassis and an outer shell secured to the chassis; left and right main drive wheel assemblies and respective independent electric motors, independently mounted in pivotally-biased combination with the chassis for pivotal motion with respect thereto at opposed ends of the transverse diameter of the chassis, and movable between a retracted position under the weight of the robotic cleaner during operation and an extended position wherein their axes of rotation are below the bottom plane of the chassis; a navigational control system operative to monitor movement activity of the robotic cleaner within a defined working area, the monitored movement activity including at least one of a position history of the robotic cleaner and an instantaneous position of the robotic cleaner; and a transmitting subsystem including a mechanical sweeping transmitter laser, wherein the mechanical sweeping transmitter laser; is configured to transmit in the infrared range from about 750 nm to about 1.4×
10̂
4 nm;is configured to cover the defined working area by transmitting a beam substantially parallel to a surface of the defined working area; is mouted in combination with the outer shell secured to the chassis to define an overall structural envelope of a height to enable movement of the robotic cleaner under furniture; and is integrated in combination with a high point of a housing infrastructure of the robotic cleaner so that none o the structural features of the robotic cleaner interfere with the operation of the mechanical sweeping transmitter laser. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
-
Specification