Mobile robot steering method and control device
First Claim
1. A mobile robot steering method in which a mobile robot, equipped with sensors on both sides of said robot for detecting a boundary of an given area to be covered, is controlled to run throughout said area, said method comprising the steps of:
- conducting a spiral running motion which starts from any desired location in said area, wherein said spiral running motion has a radius which is gradually increased by a predetermined quantity;
when a distance between said robot and said boundary of said area, detected by said sensors, is smaller than a predetermined distance, discontinuing said spiral running motion, conducting a turning motion from a forward direction through a predetermined angle to part from said boundary of said area, and then conducting a forward running motion;
thereafter repeating, a similar turning and a similar forward running motion whenever detecting said boundary of said area; and
resuming said spiral running motion at a first location spaced by a predetermined distance of a last forward running from a second location where a last turning motion conducted, when said turning motion has been repeated a predetermined number of times.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A robot is provided to run so that a trace of the robot efficiently covers a given area according to the detection of a boundary of the area. A spiral pattern running, wherein a radius of the spiral is gradually increased, is started at a desired location in the area and is paused upon the detection of a boundary wall by sensors. Then, a random pattern running, which includes turning to depart from the wall and running forward, is conducted. After the turning has been repeated a predetermined number of times through simulations, the spiral pattern running is resumed at a location spaced from the last turning spot by a predetermined distance or a predetermined length of running time.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A mobile robot steering method in which a mobile robot, equipped with sensors on both sides of said robot for detecting a boundary of an given area to be covered, is controlled to run throughout said area, said method comprising the steps of:
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conducting a spiral running motion which starts from any desired location in said area, wherein said spiral running motion has a radius which is gradually increased by a predetermined quantity; when a distance between said robot and said boundary of said area, detected by said sensors, is smaller than a predetermined distance, discontinuing said spiral running motion, conducting a turning motion from a forward direction through a predetermined angle to part from said boundary of said area, and then conducting a forward running motion; thereafter repeating, a similar turning and a similar forward running motion whenever detecting said boundary of said area; and resuming said spiral running motion at a first location spaced by a predetermined distance of a last forward running from a second location where a last turning motion conducted, when said turning motion has been repeated a predetermined number of times. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A control device for a mobile robot in which a direction of running is determined by a direction of rotation and a speed of rotation of both left and right wheels of said robot, said control device comprising:
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at least one of right side obstacle sensors mounted on a right front of a main body of said robot; at least one of left side obstacle sensors mounted on a left front of said main body; means for calculating a distance from said robot to an obstacle sensed by each of said right side and left side obstacle sensors; means for exclusively generating at least two sets of run parameters based upon at least two distances calculated according to sensor outputs from at least one of each right side and left side obstacle sensors, wherein said run parameters include speed of each wheel; and means for determining a direction and a speed of rotation of each of said left and right wheels based upon a run parameter selected from said at least two sets of run parameters according to a priority rule predetermined for preventing collision against said obstacle. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A mobile robot steering method in which a mobile robot equipped with sensors for detecting a boundary of a given area to be covered is controlled to run throughout substantially an entirety of said area, said method comprising the steps of:
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conducting alternately spiral pattern running motions which start from at some locations in said area, wherein each radius of said spiral pattern running motions is gradually increased and random pattern running motions which are in response to a detection of said boundary of said area by said sensors, allow turning through a predetermined angle in a direction of departing from said boundary; and then running forward, in which a shift from said spiral pattern running motions to said random pattern running motions is carried out when said sensors detect that said robot comes close to a first predetermined distance from said boundary during said spiral pattern running motions and a shift from said random pattern running motions to said spiral pattern running motions is carried out when said robot has run a second predetermined distance from a last turning after said random pattern running motions have been repeated a predetermined number of times. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A control device for a mobile robot in which a direction of running is determined by a direction of rotation and a speed of rotation of both left and right wheels of said robot, said control device comprising:
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at least one of right side obstacle sensors mounted on a right front of a main body of said robot; at least one of left side obstacle sensors mounted on a left front of said main body; means for calculating a distance from said robot to an obstacle sensed by each of said right side and left side obstacle sensors; means for generating at least two sets of run parameters based upon at least two distances calculated according to sensor outputs from at least one of each right side and left side obstacle sensors, wherein said run parameters include speed of each wheel; and means for determining a direction and a speed of rotation of each of said left and right wheels based upon a run parameter selected from said at least two sets of run parameters according to a priority rule predetermined for preventing collision against said obstacle, said priority rule being a prioritization order from highest to lowest priority of different movement types of said mobile robot. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification