Autonomous Mobile Robot
First Claim
1. An autonomous mobile robot comprising:
- a robot body defining a forward drive direction and having forward and rearward portions with respect to the forward drive direction, the forward portion having a substantially straight forward surface bounded by corners positioned along a circumdiameter of the robot body;
a drive system supporting the robot body and configured to maneuver the robot across a floor surface;
a sonar system disposed on the robot body, the sonar system comprising an array of sonar emitters and an array of sonar receivers arranged along the length of the forward surface, each emitter disposed adjacent a receiver and emitting a sound wave, each receiver capable of receiving sound wave reflections, and each emitter and receiver pair measuring a distance from the forward surface to a wall;
an optical side ranging sensor disposed on a side of the robot body and positioned adjacent at least one corner of the forward surface; and
a control system supported by the robot body and in communication with the drive system, the sonar system, and the side ranging sensor, the control system;
determining an angle of approach of the forward surface to the wall based on sensor signals received from the array of sonar receivers;
determining a closest corner distance to the wall, the corner distance measured as a shortest distance from a corner of the front surface to the wall; and
causing the drive system to turn the robot body to avoid collision with the wall and align the forward drive direction parallel to the wall with the robot body traveling adjacent the wall at a threshold wall following distance.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A robot includes a robot body having forward and rearward portions, a sonar system, a drive system, and a control system. The sonar system is disposed on the robot body and has an array of emitters and an array of receivers arranged along a forward surface of the forward portion of the robot body. The emitters emit a sound wave and the receivers receive reflections of the sound wave. The array of emitters includes an odd number of emitters and the array of receivers includes an even number of receivers. The drive system supports the robot body and is configured to maneuver the robot across a floor surface along a path. The control system is supports by the robot body and is in communication with the drive system and the sonar system. The control system processes sensor signals received from the array of receivers.
38 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An autonomous mobile robot comprising:
-
a robot body defining a forward drive direction and having forward and rearward portions with respect to the forward drive direction, the forward portion having a substantially straight forward surface bounded by corners positioned along a circumdiameter of the robot body; a drive system supporting the robot body and configured to maneuver the robot across a floor surface; a sonar system disposed on the robot body, the sonar system comprising an array of sonar emitters and an array of sonar receivers arranged along the length of the forward surface, each emitter disposed adjacent a receiver and emitting a sound wave, each receiver capable of receiving sound wave reflections, and each emitter and receiver pair measuring a distance from the forward surface to a wall; an optical side ranging sensor disposed on a side of the robot body and positioned adjacent at least one corner of the forward surface; and a control system supported by the robot body and in communication with the drive system, the sonar system, and the side ranging sensor, the control system; determining an angle of approach of the forward surface to the wall based on sensor signals received from the array of sonar receivers; determining a closest corner distance to the wall, the corner distance measured as a shortest distance from a corner of the front surface to the wall; and causing the drive system to turn the robot body to avoid collision with the wall and align the forward drive direction parallel to the wall with the robot body traveling adjacent the wall at a threshold wall following distance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method of operating an autonomous mobile robot, the method comprising:
-
emitting sound waves from a sonar system, the sonar system comprising an array of sonar emitters and an array of sonar receivers arranged along the length of a forward surface of a forward portion of a robot body of the robot, the forward portion having a substantially straight forward surface bounded by corners positioned along a circumdiameter of the robot body, each emitter disposed adjacent a receiver and emitting a sound wave, each receiver capable of receiving sound wave reflections, and each emitter and receiver pair measuring a distance from the forward surface to a wall; determining, using a computing processor, an angle of approach of the forward surface to the wall based on sensor signals received from the array of sonar receivers; determining, using the computing processor, a closest corner distance to the wall, the corner distance measured as a shortest distance from a corner of the front surface to the wall; turning the robot body to avoid collision with the wall; and aligning the forward drive direction parallel to the wall with the robot body offset from the wall by a threshold wall following distance. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification