AUTONOMOUS ROBOT APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME

• US 20140180478A1
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futuregen Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RoboLabs, Inc.
• Inventors: LETSKY, Michael Todd
• Granted Patent: US 10,113,280 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/258
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 5/00 Removing snow or ice from roads or like surfaces; Grading or roughening snow or ice by applying de-icing agents E01H10/00; obstruction removers on vehicles B60R19/00; sand, gravel or salt spreaders E01C19/20
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 5/098 about horizontal or substantially horizontal axises perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the direction of clearing
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

An autonomous robot apparatus that is activated to perform a work routine upon detecting the accumulation of precipitation. In one aspect, the invention can be an autonomous robot apparatus comprising: a chassis; a plurality of wheels mounted to the chassis; a drive system mounted to the chassis and operably coupled to the plurality of wheels; a control module operably coupled to the drive system; a precipitation sensing module comprising an accumulation level sensor configured to generate and transmit, to the control module, a first signal upon a predetermined initial accumulation level being detected; and the control module configured to activate the autonomous robot apparatus to perform a first instance of a work routine upon receipt of the first signal.

Claims

1. An autonomous robot apparatus comprising:

a chassis;

a plurality of wheels mounted to the chassis;

a drive system mounted to the chassis and operably coupled to the plurality of wheels;

a control module operably coupled to the drive system;

a precipitation sensing module comprising art accumulation level sensor configured to generate and transmit, to the control module, a first signal upon a predetermined initial accumulation level being detected; and

the control module configured to activate the autonomous robot apparatus to perform a first instance of a work routine upon receipt of the first signal.

2. The autonomous robot apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control module comprises a central processing unit and a memory device, the memory device storing instructions for the autonomous robot apparatus to perform the work routine.

3. The autonomous robot apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

the precipitation sensing module further configured to generate and transmit, to the control module, a second signal upon a predetermined secondary accumulation level being detected; and

the control module further configured to cause the autonomous robot apparatus to perform a second instance of the work routine, after completion of the first instance of the work routine, upon receipt of the second signal.

4. The autonomous robot apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a proximity sensor configured to detect presence of an undesired object and, upon detection of the undesired object, generate and transmit a detection signal to the control module; and

wherein the control module is further configured to prohibit the activation of the autonomous robot apparatus if the detection signal is received.

5. The autonomous robot apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a snow-removal sub-system mounted to the chassis, the snow-removal sub-system operably coupled to the control module.

6. The autonomous robot apparatus of claim 5 wherein the snow-removal sub-system comprises a directing device configured to output extracted snow in a desired direction relative to the chassis.

7. The autonomous robot apparatus of claim 6 wherein the directing device is alterable between at least:

(1) a first state in which the extracted snow is outputted in a first desired direction relative to the chassis; and

(2) a second state in which the extracted snow is outputted in a second desired direction relative to the chassis, the second desired direction being different than the first desired direction.

8. The autonomous robot apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

a location and orientation identification (LOI) module configured to determine the location and orientation of the chassis, the LOI module operably coupled to the control module;

the control module further configured to select and switch between a desired one of the first state and the second state for the directing device based on a determination of the LOI module.

9. The autonomous robot apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a docking station; and

wherein the precipitation sensing module is mounted to the docking station, the accumulation level sensor comprising a plurality of sensors mounted at different vertical heights.

10. The autonomous robot apparatus of claim 9 wherein the precipitation sensing module comprises an accumulation cavity, the plurality of sensors mounted on a wall of the accumulation cavity, and wherein a floor of the accumulation cavity comprises at least one drainage aperture.

11. The autonomous robot apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a heating sub-system mounted to the chassis, the heating sub-system configured to generate and direct thermal energy to a position below the chassis.

12. A. method of controlling an autonomous robot comprising a chassis, a plurality of wheels mounted to the chassis, a drive system mounted to the chassis and operably coupled to the plurality of wheels and a control module operably coupled to the drive system, the method comprising:

a) detecting, with an accumulation level sensor, precipitation accumulation levels;

b) upon a predetermined initial accumulation level being detected by the accumulation level sensor, generating and transmitting to the control module a first signal; and

c) upon the control module receiving the first signal, activating the autonomous robot to perform a first instance of a work routine.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein step b) further comprises wirelessly transmitting the first signal to the control module from a precipitation sensing module that comprises the accumulation level sensor.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the precipitation sensing module is mounted to a docking station.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the control module comprises a central processing unit and a memory device, the memory device storing instructions for the autonomous robot to perform the work routine.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

d) continuing to detect precipitation accumulation levels while the autonomous robot is performing the first instance of the work routine;

e) upon a predetermined secondary accumulation level being detected by the accumulation level sensor, generating and transmitting to the control module a second signal; and

f) upon the control module receiving the second signal activating the autonomous robot to perform a second instance of the work routine.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein if the second signal is received by the control module prior to completion of the first instance of the work routine, the control module logs instruction to perform the second instance of the work routine subsequent to completion of the first instance of the work routine.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the autonomous robot further comprises a proximity sensor configured to defect presence of an undesired object adjacent the chassis, and wherein step c) further comprises prohibiting activation of the autonomous robot if a detection signal is received from the proximity sensor.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein step c) further comprises resuming activation of the autonomous robot upon a detection signal not being received from the proximity sensor.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the autonomous robot comprises a snow-removal sub-system mounted to the chassis, the snow-removal sub-system operably coupled to the control module, a location and orientation identification (LOI) module configured to determine the location and orientation of the chassis, the LOI module operably coupled to the control module, the method further comprising:

the LOI module transmitting to the control module information indicative of the chassis'"'"' location and orientation; and

the control module selecting and switching between a desired one of a first state and a second state for a directing device of the snow-removal sub-system, wherein in the first state, the extracted snow is outputted in a first desired direction relative to the chassis and wherein in the second state the extracted snow is outputted in a second desired direction relative to the chassis, the second desired direction being different than the first desired direction.