Route making system for a mobile robot

• US 5,696,675 A
• Filed: 06/29/1995
• Issued: 12/09/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Moneual Incorporated (Hong-Seok Park, MBA)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Kyoko, Kawakami, Yuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US08/496,519
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424.027, 364/424.029, 364/460, 364/461, 364/423.098, 180/167, 180/168, 180/169, 318/587
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• 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

Abstract

A route making system calculates a route for a mobile robot based on input area information including an attribute of each area. The mobile robot travels along the calculated route and carries out work proper for the attribute of each area while traveling. A mobile robot control system controls traveling and work of a mobile robot based on input area information. The mobile robot carries out work proper for the attribute of each area.

Claims

1. A route making system for a mobile robot having a body member and a working member, and the mobile robot travels along a route on a floor and carries out work proper for an attribute of each area on the floor while traveling, wherein the attribute indicates the areas which can be accessed by both the working member and the body member, by only the working member, and by neither the working member nor the body member, comprising:

an input device which inputs area information including the attribute of each area;

a calculator which calculates a route for the mobile robot based on the input area information;

and wherein the mobile robot travels along the route and carries out work proper for the attribute of each area while traveling.

2. A route making system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a controller which controls traveling and work of the mobile robot based on the route and the area information, so that the mobile robot carries out work proper for the attribute of each area while traveling.

3. A route making system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an area information memory which stores the input area information.

4. A route making system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a route memory which stores the route.

5. A route making system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the route making system is built in the mobile robot.

6. A route making system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the working member is projected from the body member.

7. A route making system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the working member moves with respect to the body member, and the calculator further calculates a movement pattern of the working member based on the input area information.

8. A route making system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the route making system comprises the mobile robot and a control terminal, the control terminal is separate from the mobile robot, the control terminal includes the input device and the calculator, said control terminal having a transmitter which transmits the route to the mobile robot.

9. A route making system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the calculator divides the area into plural blocks based on the attribute and calculates a route for each block.

10. A route making system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising

a manual input device which inputs to the calculator a route manually by an operator, wherein the mobile robot travels along the manually input route.

11. A route making system for a mobile robot having a body member and a working member, and the mobile robot travels along a route on a floor and carries out work proper for an attribute of each area on the floor while traveling, wherein the attribute indicates the areas which can be accessed by both the working member and the body member, by only the working member, and by neither the working member nor the body member, comprising:

a calculator which calculates a route for the mobile robot based on a predetermined area information including the attribute of each area;

and wherein the mobile robot travels along the route and carries out work proper for the attribute of each area while traveling.

12. A route making system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a controller which controls traveling and work of the mobile robot based on the route and the area information, so that the mobile robot carries out work proper for the attribute of each area while traveling.

13. A route making system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a route memory which stores the route.

14. A route making system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the route making system is built in the mobile robot.

15. A route making system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the working member is projected from the body member.

16. A route making system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the working member moves with respect to the body member, and the calculator further calculates a movement pattern of the working member based on the input area information.

17. A route making system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the route making system comprises the mobile robot and a control terminal, the control terminal is separate from the mobile robot, the control terminal includes the calculator, said control terminal having a transmitter which transmits the route to the mobile robot.

18. A route making system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the calculator divides the area into plural blocks based on the attribute and calculates a route for each block.

19. A route making system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising

a manual input device which inputs to the calculator a route manually by an operator, wherein the mobile robot travels along the manually input route.

20. A mobile robot control system which controls a mobile robot having a body member and a working member, and the mobile robot carries out work proper for an attribute of each area on the floor, wherein the attribute indicates the areas which can be accessed by both the working member and the body member, by only the working member, and by neither the working member nor the body member, comprising:

an input device which inputs area information including the attribute of each area;

a controller which controls traveling and work of the mobile robot based on the input area information, so that the mobile robot carries out work proper for the attribute of each area.

21. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 20, further comprising,

an area information memory which stores the input area information.

22. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the mobile robot control system is built in the mobile robot.

23. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the working member is projected from the body member.

24. A mobile robot control system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the mobile robot control system comprises the mobile robot and a control terminal, the control terminal is separate from the mobile robot, the control terminal includes the input device and the controller.