Robot Confinement

• US 20170097641A1
• Filed: 12/15/2016
• Published: 04/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, Joseph L., Mass, Philip R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,958,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• 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 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• 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 1/028 using a RF signal

Abstract

A method of confining a robot in a work space includes providing a portable barrier signal transmitting device including a primary emitter emitting a confinement beam primarily along an axis defining a directed barrier. A mobile robot including a detector, a drive motor and a control unit controlling the drive motor is caused to avoid the directed barrier upon detection by the detector on the robot. The detector on the robot has an omnidirectional field of view parallel to the plane of movement of the robot. The detector receives confinement light beams substantially in a plane at the height of the field of view while blocking or rejecting confinement light beams substantially above or substantially below the plane at the height of the field of view.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. A robot system comprising:

a portable barrier signal device comprising an emitter configured to emit an optical confinement signal primarily along an axis forming a directed barrier; and

a mobile robot comprising

at least two wheels,

two motors, each motor being configured to a wheel of the at least two wheels for moving the mobile robot on a surface,

a cleaner configured to clean the surface as the mobile robot moves on the surface,

a detector configured to detect the directed barrier formed by the emitted optical confinement signal, and

a control unit configured to

determine whether the detector detects the directed barrier, and,

upon determining that the detector detects the directed barrier, initiate one or more operations such that the robot avoids the directed barrier.

14. The robot confinement system of claim 13, wherein the control unit is configured to,

upon determining that the detector detects the directed barrier, initiate one or more motor operations to turn the robot until the directed barrier is undetectable by the detector, and

initiate one or more motor operations to turn the robot in a chosen direction at least a predetermined amount after the directed barrier becomes undetectable by the detector.

15. The robot confinement system of claim 13, wherein the control unit is configured to, upon determining that the detector detects the directed barrier, initiate one or more motor operations to reverse a direction of travel of the robot.

16. The robot confinement system of claim 13, wherein the control unit is configured to, upon determining that the detector detects the directed barrier, initiate one or more motor operations to turn the robot away from the directed barrier.

17. The robot confinement system of claim 13, the control unit is configured to, upon determining that the detector detects the directed barrier, initiate one or more motor operations to alternately approach and avoid the directed barrier.

18. The robot confinement system of claim 13, wherein the control unit is configured to, upon determining that the detector detects the directed barrier, initiate one or more motor operations to turn the robot until the directed barrier is undetectable by the detector.

19. The robot confinement system of claim 13, wherein the control unit is configured to, upon determining that the detector detects the directed barrier, initiate one or more motor operations to turn the robot in one direction at least twice before a final turning direction is chosen randomly.

20. The robot confinement system of claim 13, wherein the control unit is configured to initiate one or more motor operations based upon detecting gradient levels of the directed barrier at a plurality of orientations.

21. The robot confinement system of claim 20, wherein the control unit is configured to initiate one or more motor operations to turn in a chosen direction corresponding to an orientation of a minimum gradient level of the gradient levels.

22. The robot confinement system of claim 13, wherein:

the emitter of the portable barrier signal device is configured to emit a collimated optical confinement signal to form the directed barrier, and the portable barrier signal device further comprises another emitter configured to emit an omnidirectional optical signal, and

the robot comprises another detector to detect the omnidirectional optical signal, and the control unit is configured to

determine whether the other detector detects the omnidirectional optical signal, and,

upon determining that the other detector detects the omnidirectional optical signal, initiate one or more motor operations such that the robot avoids the directed barrier.

23. The robot confinement system of claim 22, wherein the portable barrier signal device further comprises an optical detector configured to detect a reflected portion of the emitted optical confinement signal, wherein the emitter of the portable barrier signal device is configured to emit another optical confinement signal upon failure of the optical detector to detect the emitted optical confinement signal.

24. The robot confinement system of claim 13, wherein:

the detector having an omnidirectional field of view such that the detector detects the directed barrier regardless of an orientation of the robot relative to the axis defining the directed barrier, and

the control unit is configured to initiate one or more motor operations to move the robot until the optical confinement signal is undetectable by the detector.

25. The robot confinement system of claim 24, wherein:

the detector is configured to receive the optical confinement signal along a plane parallel to the surface and at a height of the omnidirectional field of view, and

the mobile robot includes an optical blocking device to block or reject optical signals substantially above or substantially below a plane at a height of the omnidirectional field of view.

26. The robot confinement system of claim 25, wherein the control unit is configured to initiate one or more motor operations to turn the robot, upon the optical confinement signal becoming undetectable, by an amount to prevent the robot from re-encountering the optical confinement signal.

27. The robot confinement system of claim 13, wherein the control unit is configured to control initiate one or more motor operations to cause the robot to follow an obstacle defined by the directed barrier by keeping the directed barrier to one side of the robot.

28. The robot confinement system of claim 13, wherein the control unit is configured to initiate one or more motor operations to turn the robot successively in one direction, then in a randomly determined direction.

29. The robot confinement system of claim 13, wherein the control unit is configured to initiate one or more motor operations to rotate the robot until the optical confinement signal is undetectable by the detector.

30. The robot confinement system of claim 13, wherein the control unit is configured to initiate one or more motor operations to move the robot away from the optical confinement signal over a predetermined distance or for a predetermined time.

31. The robot confinement system of claim 13, wherein:

the directed barrier formed by the emitted optical confinement signal emitted by the emitter is an infrared signal, and

the control unit is configured to initiate one or more motor operations such that the robot avoids the directed barrier when the detector detects a detectable infrared radiation level.

32. The robot confinement system of claim 31, wherein the control unit is configured to initiate one or more motor operations to cause the robot to rotate until the infrared signal is undetectable by the detector.

33. The robot confinement system of claim 32, wherein the control unit is configured to initiate one or more motor operations to turn the robot an additional distance upon the infrared signal becoming undetectable.