Obstacle following sensor scheme for a mobile robot
First Claim
1. A method for operating a mobile robot, the method comprising the steps of:
- detecting the presence of a wall;
driving the robot, based on the detecting, to follow the wall until the wall is no longer detected; and
rotating the robot to seek the wall while determining;
whether the wall is again detected,whether the robot is in contact with the wall, andwhether the robot has turned a predetermined angle without detecting or contacting the wall,wherein detecting comprises defining a finite volume of intersection space between a signal emission region and a detection region and driving the robot comprises causing the robot to be directed back towards the wall while the wall does not occupy the intersection space.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A robot obstacle detection system including a robot housing which navigates with respect to a surface and a sensor subsystem aimed at the surface for detecting the surface. The sensor subsystem includes an emitter which emits a signal having a field of emission and a photon detector having a field of view which intersects the field of emission at a region. The subsystem detects the presence of an object proximate the mobile robot and determines a value of a signal corresponding to the object. It compares the value to a predetermined value, moves the mobile robot in response to the comparison, and updates the predetermined value upon the occurrence of an event.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for operating a mobile robot, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting the presence of a wall; driving the robot, based on the detecting, to follow the wall until the wall is no longer detected; and rotating the robot to seek the wall while determining; whether the wall is again detected, whether the robot is in contact with the wall, and whether the robot has turned a predetermined angle without detecting or contacting the wall, wherein detecting comprises defining a finite volume of intersection space between a signal emission region and a detection region and driving the robot comprises causing the robot to be directed back towards the wall while the wall does not occupy the intersection space. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for operating a mobile robot, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting the presence of a wall; driving the robot, based on the detecting, to follow the wall until the wall is no longer detected; rotating the robot to seek the wall while determining; whether the wall is again detected, whether the robot is in contact with the wall, and whether the robot has turned a predetermined angle without detecting or contacting the wall; and realigning the robot for travel along the wall in response to contacting or again detecting the wall.
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10. A method for operating a mobile robot, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting the presence of a wall; driving the robot, based on the detecting, to follow the wall until the wall is no longer detected; rotating the robot to seek the wall while determining; whether the wall is again detected, whether the robot is in contact with the wall, and whether the robot has turned a predetermined angle without detecting or contacting the wall; and terminating a wall seeking routine in response to determining that the robot has turned a predetermined angle without encountering the wall.
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11. A method for operating a mobile robot, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting the presence of a wall; driving the robot, based on the detecting, to follow the wall until the wall is no longer detected; rotating the robot to seek the wall while determining; whether the wall is again detected, whether the robot is in contact with the wall, and whether the robot has turned a predetermined angle without detecting or contacting the wall; and detecting a level of ambient light and detecting a level of robot emitted light relative to the ambient light.
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12. A method for operating a mobile robot, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting the presence of a wall; driving the robot, based on the detecting, to follow the wall until the wall is no longer detected; and rotating the robot to seek the wall while determining; whether the wall is again detected, whether the robot is in contact with the wall, and whether the robot has turned a predetermined angle without detecting or contacting the wall, wherein driving the robot comprises maintaining a range of detected signal strength as a function of the orientation of the robot with respect to the wall.
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13. A method for operating a mobile robot, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting the presence of a wall; driving the robot, based on the detecting, to follow the wall until the wall is no longer detected; rotating the robot to seek the wall while determining; whether the wall is again detected, whether the robot is in contact with the wall, and whether the robot has turned a predetermined angle without detecting or contacting the wall; and varying the radius of rotation of the robot in response to the difference between a detected signal strength and a target signal strength.
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14. A method for operating a mobile robot, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting the presence of a wall; driving the robot, based on the detecting, to follow the wall until the wall is no longer detected; rotating the robot to seek the wall while determining; whether the wall is again detected, whether the robot is in contact with the wall, and whether the robot has turned a predetermined angle without detecting or contacting the wall; and terminating a wall following routine in response to determining that the robot has rotated 360 degrees in following the wall or in seeking the wall since last detecting the wall.
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Specification