SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AND MONITORING OPERATION OF AN AUTONOMOUS ROBOT

• US 20160057925A1
• Filed: 11/06/2015
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futuregen Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RoboLabs, Inc.
• Inventors: Letsky, Michael Todd
• Granted Patent: US 10,485,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/06 Control of the cleaning action for autonomous devices; Automatic detection of the surface condition before, during or after cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0221 involving a learning process
• 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 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0259 using magnetic or electromagnetic means
• 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: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 using a RF signal

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring and controlling operation of an autonomous robot. In one aspect, the autonomous robot is a lawnmower and the system comprises: an autonomous robot lawnmower comprising a housing, a transceiver, and a central processing unit; an external device in operable communication with the autonomous robot lawnmower, the external device having a transceiver for sending signals to the autonomous robot lawnmower and a display; and wherein in response to user input, the external device is configured to modify settings related to operation of the autonomous robot lawnmower.

Claims

1. A system for controlling operation of an autonomous robot lawnmower comprising:

an autonomous robot lawnmower comprising a housing, a transceiver, and a central processing unit;

an external device in operable communication with the autonomous robot lawnmower, the external device having a transceiver for sending signals to the autonomous robot lawnmower and a display; and

wherein in response to user input, the external device is configured to modify settings related to operation of the autonomous robot lawnmower.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the external device is a smart phone, a tablet, or a personal computer.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the settings related to operation of the autonomous robot lawnmower include at least one of a mowing schedule, mowing zones, and a mowing pattern.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the autonomous robot lawnmower further comprises a battery operably coupled to the central processing unit, and further comprising a docking station for charging the battery of the autonomous robot lawnmower, and wherein upon a power level of the battery of the autonomous robot lawnmower being below a predetermined lower threshold, the autonomous robot lawnmower automatically maneuvering to the docking station for charging.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the autonomous robot apparatus further comprises a power source and a charging sensor operably coupled to the central processing unit for detecting a power level of the power source, and wherein, during operation of the autonomous robot lawnmower to complete a work session, the central processing unit is configured to direct the autonomous robot lawnmower to a charging station for recharging upon detecting that the power level is below a predetermined threshold.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein upon the power source being recharged, the central processing unit is configured to direct the autonomous robot lawnmower to continue the work session from a location that it was operating just prior to being directed to the charging station.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the autonomous robot lawnmower further comprises a rain sensor operably coupled to the central processing unit and configured to detect current or impending rain, and wherein the central processing unit is configured to make a determination regarding whether or not to start or continue a work session based on the detection made by the rain sensor.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a server operably coupled to the central processing unit, the server configured to transmit a weather forecast to the central processing unit, the central processing unit configured to determine whether to initiate operation of the autonomous robot lawnmower based on the weather forecast.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the central processing unit is configured to stop operation upon detection of undesirable weather.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein in response to user input, the external device is configured to control movement of the autonomous robot lawnmower.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein operation of the autonomous robot lawnmower is prevented until a personal identification number (PIN) code is transmitted to the central processing unit.

12. A system for monitoring operation of an autonomous robot comprising:

a server;

an external device having a display and a transceiver for receiving data from the server;

an autonomous robot comprising a housing, a control system comprising a location tracking unit, a transceiver for transmitting signals to the server, and a central processing unit;

the central processing unit configured to transmit, via the transceiver of the autonomous robot, data indicative of a location of the autonomous robot within an area of confinement to the server based on output generated by the location tracking unit, wherein the data is transmitted while the autonomous robot is performing a task within the area of confinement;

the server configured to transmit the data indicative of the location of the autonomous robot within the area of confinement to the external device; and

wherein upon receipt of the data indicative of the location of the autonomous robot within the area of confinement by the external device, a visual representation of a status of a work session of the autonomous robot at a point in time T1 during the work session is displayed on the display of the external device.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the status of the work session comprises:

(1) an indication of a current location of the autonomous robot within the area of confinement at the point in time T1 during the work session;

(2) an indication of first portions of the area of confinement on which the task has been completed by the autonomous robot at the point in time T1 during the work session; and

(3) an indication of second portions of the area of confinement on which the task has not yet been completed by the autonomous robot at the point in time T1 during the work session.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the indication of the first portions of the area of confinement on which the task has been completed at the point in time T1 during the work session and the indication of the second portions of the area of confinement on which the task has not yet been completed at the point in time T1 during the work session are displayed in a contrasting manner on the display of the external device.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the task is cutting grass and wherein the central processing unit is configured to detect, via a current sensor, a thickness of the grass by comparing a current value received by the current sensor to a threshold current value.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

the central processing unit further configured to transmit, from the transceiver of the autonomous robot to the server, data indicative of the thickness of the grass at various locations within the area of confinement;

the server configured to transmit said data indicative of the thickness of the grass at various locations within the area of confinement to the external device; and

wherein said data indicative of the thickness of the grass at various locations within the area of confinement is displayed on the display of the external device to visually represent the thickness of the grass at various locations within the area of confinement.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the server maintains a real-time log of the work session and wherein the data indicative of the location of the autonomous robot within the area of confinement is transmitted from the server to the external device at predetermined time intervals during the work session.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein the central processing unit is configured to define a perimeter of the area of confinement by:

(1) tracking the location of the autonomous robot based on output generated by the location tracking unit during movement of the autonomous robot;

(2) recording a first location point of the autonomous robot within a memory device of the autonomous robot;

(3) automatically recording a plurality of additional discrete location points of the autonomous robot within the memory device while the autonomous robot maneuvers along the perimeter of the area of confinement; and

(4) defining a closed-geometry comprising the first location point and the plurality of additional discrete location points as the perimeter of the area of confinement within the memory device.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein the central processing unit is further configured to:

move the autonomous robot at a first velocity when the autonomous robot is within the area of confinement and at least a first distance from a perimeter of the area of confinement; and

reduce the first velocity to a second velocity when the autonomous robot is approaching the perimeter of the area of confinement and the autonomous robot is less than the first distance from the perimeter of the area of confinement.

20. The system of claim 12 wherein the autonomous robot further comprises a vision system operably coupled to the central processing unit, and wherein upon the vision system detecting an actual obstacle, a location of the actual obstacle is stored in a memory device of the autonomous robot.