WORKING APPARATUS FOR A LIMITED AREA

• US 20150032320A1
• Filed: 06/27/2014
• Published: 01/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fabrizio Bernini
• Original Assignee: Fabrizio Bernini
• Inventors: BERNINI, Fabrizio
• Granted Patent: US 9,081,386 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/42 with use of more than one motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1654 Self-propelled cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0259 using magnetic or electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0261 using magnetic plots
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

It is described a working apparatus for a limited working area, comprising a base station configured to generate a magnetic field and a self-propelling robot. The self-propelling robot comprises means for moving the self-propelling robot in the working area, a gyroscope, a magnetic field sensor and a processing unit configured to control the movement of the self-propelling robot. The processing unit comprises a magnetic field search module configured to move the self-propelling robot so as to search for the set of contiguous magnetic field lines of force inside the working area according to a defined search path, and comprises a magnetic field tracking module configured to move the self-propelling robot to track at least a portion of the set of found contiguous lines of force by means of a plurality of maneuvers of crossing the set of found contiguous lines of force until reaching the base station.

Claims

1. Working apparatus for a limited working area, the apparatus comprising:

a base station configured to generate a magnetic field extending at least in part over the working area;

a self-propelling robot having a normal operating mode wherein it performs a working cycle in the working area and a base return mode wherein it returns automatically to the base station, the self-propelling robot comprising;

means for moving the self-propelling robot in the working area, as a function of a movement driving signal;

a gyroscope configured to generate an angular velocity signal indicating the measure of the angular velocity of the self-propelling robot around an axis substantially vertical with respect to the plane of the working area;

a magnetic field sensor configured to generate a detection signal indicating a right or left position of the self-propelling robot with respect to a set of contiguous magnetic field lines of force;

a processing unit configured to control the movement of the self-propelling robot inside the working area, the processing unit comprising;

a magnetic field search module configured, during a magnetic field search phase of the base return mode, to generate, as a function of the values of the detection signal and of a traveled distance signal indicating the estimation of the distance traveled by the self-propelling robot, the movement driving signal for moving the self-propelling robot inside the working area to search for the set of contiguous magnetic field lines of force inside the working area according to a defined search path;

a magnetic field tracking module configured, during a magnetic field tracking phase of the base return mode subsequent to the magnetic field search phase, to generate, as a function of the values of the detection signal, of the angular velocity signal and of the traveled distance signal, the movement driving signal for moving the self-propelling robot inside the working area to track at least a portion of the set of found contiguous lines of force by means of a plurality of maneuvers of crossing the set of found contiguous lines of force until reaching the base station.

2. Working apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit further comprises a traveled distance measurement module configured to generate, as a function of values of parameters associated with the moving means, the traveled distance signal indicating the estimation of the distance traveled by the self-propelling robot,

wherein the magnetic field search module is configured to:

generate the movement driving signal for moving the self-propelling robot inside the working area according to the defined search path;

receive the detection signal indicating the right or left position of the self-propelling robot with respect to the set of contiguous magnetic field lines of force and activate the tracking phase;

receive the detection signal indicating the absence of the magnetic field and the traveled distance signal indicating the conclusion of the search path and activate the normal operating mode and subsequently activate the search phase.

3. Working apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit further comprises:

a yaw management module configured to;

generate, as a function of the value of the angular velocity signal, a yaw signal indicating the present value of the yaw angle of the self-propelling robot;

calculate a difference of the yaw angle equal to the difference between the value of the final yaw angle and the value of the starting yaw angle;

a memory configured to store;

a starting yaw value indicating the yaw angle at the beginning of the magnetic field search phase;

a value of yaw angle minimum difference equal to the minimum difference of the yaw angle expected at the end of a maneuver of crossing the set of contiguous lines of force;

wherein the magnetic field tracking module is configured to;

receive the detection signal indicating the left position of the self-propelling robot with respect to the set of contiguous lines of force;

generate the movement driving signal for moving the self-propelling robot along a defined straight segment;

receive the traveled distance signal indicating the value of the defined straight segment and generate the movement driving signal for performing a turn to the right of the self-propelling robot;

detect that the value of the yaw angle actual difference is greater than the value of the yaw angle minimum difference, receive the detection signal indicating the left position of the self-propelling robot with respect to the set of found contiguous lines of force and generate the movement driving signal to continue to perform the turn to the right of the self-propelling robot;

detect that the value of the yaw angle actual difference is greater than the value of yaw angle minimum difference, receive the detection signal indicating the right position of the self-propelling robot with respect to the set of found contiguous lines of force and generate the movement driving signal for moving the self-propelling robot along the defined straight segment.

4. Working apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the magnetic field tracking module is configured to detect that the value of the yaw angle actual difference is greater than the value of the yaw angle minimum difference, receive the detection signal indicating the absence of the magnetic field and generate the movement driving signal for performing a 180 degree rotation of the self-propelling robot, and activate the magnetic field search phase.

5. Working apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the magnetic field tracking module is configured to:

detect that the value of the yaw angle actual difference is smaller than the value of the yaw angle minimum difference, detect that the present value of the yaw angle is greater than the starting yaw value, generate the movement driving signal for performing a back-rotation of the self-propelling robot to the right of 90 degrees and activate the magnetic field search phase;

detect that the value of the yaw angle actual difference is smaller than the value of the yaw angle minimum difference, detect that the present value of the yaw angle is smaller than the starting yaw value, generate the movement driving signal for performing a back-rotation of the self-propelling robot to the left of 90 degrees and activate the magnetic field search phase.

6. Working apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic field sensor is implemented with two coils having a mutual orientation of about 90 degrees and having a position that is horizontal with respect to the plane defined by the working area, wherein the detection signal is the phase and amplitude difference between the electromotive forces induced at the ends of the two coils.

7. Working apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base station is configured to generate the magnetic field over a portion of the working area.

8. Working apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the self-propelling robot is, alternatively:

a lawn-mower robot;

a robot for cleaning a swimming-pool;

a vacuum-cleaner robot;

a floor-washing robot.

9. Working apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the self-propelling robot comprises a rechargeable battery and wherein the battery is charged by means of an inductive coupling between a magnetic field generator and the magnetic field sensor, when the self-propelling robot is located inside the base station in a stand-by mode.

10. Working apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base station is positioned in a point along the perimeter of the working area.

11. Method for controlling the return to a base station of a self-propelling robot, comprising the steps of:

a) generating a magnetic field extending at least in part over a limited working area;

b) activating a base return mode;

c) moving the self-propelling robot inside the working area to search for a set of contiguous lines of force of the magnetic field inside the working area according to a defined search path;

d) moving the self-propelling robot inside the working area to track at least a portion of the set of found contiguous lines of force by means of a plurality of maneuvers of crossing the set of found contiguous lines of force until reaching the base station.

12. Computer readable medium having a program recorded thereon, said computer readable medium comprising computer code means adapted to perform the steps b), c), d) of the method according to claim 11, when said program is run on a computer.