WALL FOLLOWING ROBOT
First Claim
1. A robot comprising:
- a body that is movable relative to a wall surface;
a bumper mounted on the body, the bumper being movable relative to the body within a range defined by an uncompressed position of the bumper and a compressed position of the bumper;
a sensor to produce a signal in response to movement of the bumper relative to the body; and
a controller to cause the robot to execute a wall following behavior in which the controller controls movement of the body to cause the body to track the wall surface while, based on the signal, causing the bumper to contact the wall surface at an angle such that the bumper is in a partially compressed position within the range between the uncompressed position and the compressed position.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An example robot includes a body that is movable relative to a surface, a bumper mounted on the body to enable movement of the bumper relative to the body, a sensor to produce a signal in response to the movement of the bumper relative to the body caused by contact between the bumper and the surface, and a controller to control movement of the body to cause the body to track the surface based on a value. The bumper is movable between an uncompressed position relative to the body and a compressed position relative to the body. The signal varies linearly with the movement of the bumper relative to the body. The value is based on the signal and indicates that the bumper in a partially compressed position has a compression range between the uncompressed position and the compressed position.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A robot comprising:
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a body that is movable relative to a wall surface; a bumper mounted on the body, the bumper being movable relative to the body within a range defined by an uncompressed position of the bumper and a compressed position of the bumper; a sensor to produce a signal in response to movement of the bumper relative to the body; and a controller to cause the robot to execute a wall following behavior in which the controller controls movement of the body to cause the body to track the wall surface while, based on the signal, causing the bumper to contact the wall surface at an angle such that the bumper is in a partially compressed position within the range between the uncompressed position and the compressed position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. (canceled)
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18. A robot comprising:
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a body that is movable relative to a wall surface; a bumper mounted on the body; linear sensors to produce signals in response to movement of the bumper relative to the body caused by contact between the bumper and the wall surface over a period of time, the signals varying linearly with movement of the bumper; and a controller to cause the robot to execute a wall following behavior in which the controller controls movement of the body to track the wall surface while maintaining a difference between the signals at least during the period of time. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of controlling a robot, comprising:
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detecting, based on at least one signal that varies linearly with an amount of force between the robot and a wall surface, a level of contact between the robot and the wall surface; and
,based on a threshold being exceeded by a value of the at least one signal, maintaining an angle between the wall surface and the robot during a wall following behavior. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification