Robotic system

• US 6,941,199 B1
• Filed: 07/16/1999
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Graydon, Andrew Russell, Coates, David, Jamieson, David McCrory, Mancel, Claude Paul, Bottomley, Ian, Stoddart, Barry
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US09/743,933
• Time in Patent Office: 2,244 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/23, 701/27, 701/301, 318/568.12, 318/580, 318/587, 706/904, 706/905, 901/1, 180/167, 180/168, 180/169, 153/19, 153/20
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2036 Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/46 Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0015 Prevention of collisions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0084 relating to control modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0221 involving a learning process
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A self-propelled robot is disclosed for movement over a surface to be treated. The robot has a power supply and a pair of wheels driven by motors for moving the robot over the surface. A mechanism is provided for controllably depositing a fluent material on to the surface. Navigation sensors provide signals for enabling the robot to navigate over the surface and one or more detectors detect the presence of the material on the surface and provide signals indicative of its presence. A control system receives the signals from the sensors and detectors and controls the motors and the depositing mechanism in dependence upon the signals received from the sensors and detectors.

Claims

1. A self-propelled robot configured for movement over a trackless surface to be treated, the robot comprising:

a power supply;

a traction mechanism configured to receive power from the power supply and move the robot over a trackless surface;

a dispense mechanism adapted to controllably deposit a fluent material onto the trackless surface;

a plurality of navigation sensors providing signals for enabling the robot to navigate over the trackless surface and around obstacles thereon;

one or more deposition detectors adapted to detect the presence of the fluent material on the trackless surface and provide signals indicative thereof; and

a control system configured to receive the signals from the navigation sensors and the one or more deposition detectors and operably dependent upon the signals to control the traction and dispense mechanisms.

2. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the navigation sensors include collision sensors comprising at least one lateral deplacement sensor arranged on a peripheral sensor ring to provide 360°

collision detection, one or more vertical displacement sensors, or both.

3. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the detectors comprise one or more detection sensors arranged to detect an edge portion of a previously deposited product.

4. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the deposition detectors include one or more radiation sources, radiation detectors, moisture detectors, reflectivity meters or conductivity meters.

5. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the control system comprises a hierarchical architecture and includes one or more microprocessor controllers or microcontrollers for controlling higher-level functions and providing higher-level instructions;

and a plurality of lower-level function modules adapted to receive signals from the navigation sensors and deposition detectors and having processors to provide control signals in response thereto.

6. The robot according to claim 5, wherein signals associated with the traction and dispense mechanisms are issued to a traction mechanism controller and to a dispense mechanism controller, via a manifold, and configured to receive signal inputs from the microprocessors or microcontrollers and from the lower-level function modules.

7. The robot according to claim 5, wherein the lower-level function module processors include neural network functionality to provide behavioral characteristics appropriate to a chosen task of the robot, wherein the behavioral characteristics provided by the processors are moderated by a group of generic moderators providing arbitration between control instructions from the various processors.

8. The robot according to claim 7, wherein the lower-level function modules comprise analog neural networks which provide functions comprising edge follow and dispense control, cliff sensing, collision detection, speed reduction and random movement.

9. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the traction mechanism comprises left and right, coaxially disposed drive wheels having corresponding motors.

10. A method comprising controllably depositing a fluent material onto floors, carpets and other floor coverings using the robot as set forth in claim 1, wherein the robot is autonomous, self-propelled, deposition-sensing and deposition rate-controlling.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the deposited material comprises a carpet cleaning composition, an odorization or deodorization composition, a dust mite control composition, an anti-microbial composition, a hard surface cleaning composition, or mixtures thereof, which can be applied simultaneously or successively.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the deposited material includes a marker, the presence of which can be detected to provide detection of the extent of treatment of the deposited material.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the robot navigates over the trackless surface along an unpredetermined path.

14. A self-propelled robot configured for movement over a trackless surface to be treated, the robot comprising:

a power supply;

a traction mechanism configured to receive power from the power supply and move the robot over a trackless surface;

a dispense mechanism adapted to controllably deposit a fluent material onto the trackless surface;

a plurality of navigation sensors providing signals for enabling the robot to navigate over the trackless surface;

one or more deposition detectors adapted to detect the presence of the fluent material on the trackless surface and provide signals indicative thereof; and

a control system configured to receive the signals from the navigation sensors and the one or more deposition detectors and operably dependent upon the signals to control the traction and dispense mechanisms, wherein the control system comprises a hierarchical architecture and includes one or more microprocessor controllers or microcontrollers for controlling higher-level functions and providing higher-level instructions; and

a plurality of lower-level function modules adapted to receive signals from the navigation sensors and deposition detectors and having processors to provide control signals in response thereto, wherein higher-level functions comprise robot impact recognition, room size estimation, clutter level determination and battery monitoring.