Guiding device for guiding mobile robotic vacuum cleaner to charging base

• US 8,688,271 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Egenpower Inc.
• Original Assignee: Egenpower Inc.
• Inventors: Li, Gary, Lai, Wen-Jang
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US13/004,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20120089253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 700/246, 700/245, 700/253, 700/258, 701 1- 2, 701 22- 25, 336/84.C, 324/96, 318 16- 17, 318/480, 318/581, 398/106, 398/114
• US Class Current: 700/246
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/00 Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/022 Recharging of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• 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 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2201/0215 Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A guiding device for guiding a mobile robotic vacuum cleaner to a charging base is composed of a central sensor, a left sensor, and a right sensor. The mobile robotic vacuum cleaner is composed of a main processor and a driving system. The charging base includes an optical emitter for emitting optical signals toward a predetermined direction. The central sensor, the right sensor, and the left sensor are electrically connected with the main processor and mounted to a charging sensor set zone. In this way, the main processor can judge whether the mobile robotic device correctly moves toward the charging base according to the signals detected by the sensors and then adjustably control the moving direction of the mobile robotic vacuum cleaner via the driving system to guide the mobile robotic vacuum cleaner to accurately move toward the charging base.

Claims

1. A guiding device for guiding a mobile robotic vacuum cleaner to a charging base, the mobile robotic vacuum cleaner having a main processor and a driving system, the charging base having an optical emitter for emitting at least one optical signal toward a predetermined direction, the guiding device comprising:

a central sensor,

a left sensor, and

a right sensor,

the mobile robotic vacuum cleaner having a charging sensor set zone that faces the charging base while the mobile robotic vacuum cleaner moves to the charging base, the central, left, and right sensors being electrically connected with the main processor and mounted to the charging sensor set zone for detecting the at least one optical signal emitted by the optical emitter, the charging sensor set zone being located entirely at a front end of the mobile robotic vacuum cleaner,

whereby the main processor can judge whether the mobile robotic vacuum cleaner correctly moves toward the charging base according to the at least one optical signal detected by the sensors and then controllably allow the mobile robotic vacuum cleaner to adjust its moving direction and move forward via the driving system in such a way that the mobile robotic vacuum cleaner can be guided to correctly move toward the charging base.

2. The guiding device as defined in claim 1, wherein the charging sensor set zone is located at a top side of the front end of the mobile robotic vacuum cleaner.

3. The guiding device as defined in claim 1 further comprising a protective cover, wherein the protective cover is mounted to the charging sensor set zone and covers the sensors.

4. The guiding device as defined in claim 3, wherein the protective cover is translucidus.

5. The guiding device as defined in claim 1 further comprising a partition board set, wherein the partition board set is mounted to the charging sensor set zone for partitioning off the charging sensor set zone into a central section, a left section, and a right section;

the central sensor is located at the central section, the left sensor is located at the left section, and the right sensor is located at the right section.

6. The guiding device as defined in claim 5, wherein the central section comprises an opening facing forward;

the left section is sectorial and extends forward and leftward at the right angle;

the right section is sectorial and extends forward and rightward at the right angle.

7. The guiding device as defined in claim 1 further comprising a judgment logic, wherein the judgment logic is saved in a memory device mounted to the mobile robotic vacuum cleaner and electrically connected with the main processor, whereby the main processor can judge whether the mobile robotic vacuum cleaner correctly moves toward the charging base via the judgment logic according to the signal detected by the sensors.

8. The guiding device as defined in claim 7, wherein the judgment logic works according to the following rules:

if only the central sensor or all of the sensors detect the optical signal, it will be judged that the mobile robotic vacuum cleaner correctly moves toward the charging base;

if only the right sensor or the central and right sensors detect the optical signal, it will be judged that the mobile robotic vacuum cleaner is moving leftward forward; and

if only the left sensor or the left and central sensors detect the optical signal, it will be judged that the mobile robotic vacuum cleaner is moving rightward forward.