Robot system and control method thereof

• US 8,761,939 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2011
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Dong Hun, Shin, Dong Min
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US13/217,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20120116588A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/258, 700/259, 700/262, 700/255, 701/23, 367/87, 367/118, 367/124, 367/128, 318/568.12, 180/167
• US Class Current: 700/259
• 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 2201/02 Docking stations; Docking operations
• 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 1/0242 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: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

A robot system and a control method thereof in which, when a robot is located in a docking region, the robot calculates a distance by emitting infrared rays and detecting ultrasonic waves oscillated from a charging station, measures a distance from the charging station and performs docking with charging station. The distance between the robot and the charging station is precisely measured, thereby performing smooth and correct docking of the robot with the charging station. Further, the robot emits infrared rays only while performing docking with the charging station and thus reduces power consumption required for infrared ray emission, and wakes up a circuit in the charging station based on the infrared rays emitted from the robot and thus reduces power consumption of the charging station.

Claims

1. A robot system comprising:

a charging station including an infrared detection unit and ultrasonic oscillation units; and

a robot including an infrared emission unit and an ultrasonic detection unit, wherein

the robot judges whether or not the robot is located in a docking region,

the robot controls driving of the infrared emission unit to emit infrared rays when it is judged that the robot is located in the docking region,

the infrared detection unit of the charging station detects the emitted infrared rays,

the ultrasonic oscillation units of the charging station oscillate ultrasonic waves in response to the detected infrared rays,

the ultrasonic detection unit of the robot detects the oscillated ultrasonic waves, and

the robot measures times taken for each of the ultrasonic waves oscillated from the ultrasonic oscillation units of the charging station to reach the ultrasonic detection unit of the robot, calculates a distance between the robot and the charging station based on the measured times, and performs docking with the charging station based on the calculated distance.

2. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein the robot judges whether or not the robot is located in the docking region based on map data stored in advance.

3. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein, to measure the times, the robot measures a time between when the infrared rays are emitted and when the ultrasonic waves are detected.

4. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein the robot further includes:

a battery unit to supply drive power;

a charge capacity detection unit to detect a charge capacity of the battery unit; and

a first controller to judge whether or not docking succeeds based on the charge capacity detected by the charge capacity detection unit and to control backward movement of the robot and control re-docking upon judging that docking fails.

5. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein:

the ultrasonic oscillation units include a first ultrasonic oscillation unit and a second ultrasonic oscillation unit; and

the first ultrasonic oscillation unit and the second ultrasonic oscillation unit are located at positions symmetrical about the infrared detection unit.

6. The robot system according to claim 5, wherein the infrared emission unit of the robot emits infrared rays having a first code corresponding to the first ultrasonic oscillation unit and emits infrared rays having a second code corresponding to the second ultrasonic oscillation unit.

7. The robot system according to claim 6, wherein the charging station further includes a controller to control driving of the first ultrasonic oscillation unit when the infrared rays having the first code are detected and to control driving of the second ultrasonic oscillation unit when the infrared rays having the second code are detected.

8. A control method comprising:

judging, by a computer, whether or not a robot is located in a predetermined docking region;

emitting infrared rays by the robot to a charging station upon judging that the robot is located in the docking region;

detecting the emitted infrared rays by the charging station;

oscillating ultrasonic waves by ultrasonic oscillation units of the charging station upon detection of the emitted infrared rays by the charging station,

detecting the oscillated ultrasonic waves by an ultrasonic detection unit of the robot;

measuring, by a computer, times taken for each of the ultrasonic waves oscillated by the ultrasonic oscillation units of the charging station to reach the ultrasonic detection unit of the robot;

calculating, by a computer, a distance between the robot and the charging station, based on the measured times; and

controlling, by a computer, movement of the robot based on the calculated distance to thereby dock the robot with the charging station.

9. The control method according to claim 8, wherein said judging whether or not the robot is located in the docking region includes judging whether or not the robot is located in the docking region based on map data stored in advance.

10. The control method according to claim 8, further comprising:

recognizing, when the charging station detects the infrared rays, a code of the detected infrared rays;

driving a first ultrasonic oscillation unit of the ultrasonic oscillation units of the charging station if the recognized code is a first code; and

driving a second ultrasonic oscillation unit of the ultrasonic oscillation units of the charging station if the recognized code is a second code.

11. The control method according to claim 10, wherein said emitting infrared rays by the robot includes:

emitting infrared rays having the first code upon judging that the robot is located in the docking region; and

emitting infrared rays having the second code if first ultrasonic waves oscillated from the first ultrasonic oscillation unit are detected.

12. The control method according to claim 11, wherein said emitting infrared rays having the second code includes emitting infrared rays having the second code if a designated time from the detection of the first ultrasonic waves elapses.

13. The control method according to claim 11, wherein said measuring times includes:

measuring a first time between when the infrared rays having the first code are emitted and when the first ultrasonic waves oscillated from the first ultrasonic oscillation unit are detected by the ultrasonic detection unit of the robot; and

measuring a second time between when the infrared rays having the second code are emitted and when second ultrasonic waves oscillated from the second ultrasonic oscillation unit are detected by the ultrasonic detection unit of the robot.

14. The control method according to claim 13, further comprising calculating a first distance corresponding to the first time and calculating a second distance corresponding to the second time.

15. The control method according to claim 14, further comprising:

judging whether or not the first distance and the second distance are equal;

calculating a distance between an infrared emission unit of the robot that emits the infrared rays and an infrared detection unit of the charging station that detects the infrared rays based on the first distance and the second distance upon judging that the first distance and the second distance are equal,

wherein said controlling controls the movement of the robot based on the calculated distance.

16. The control method according to claim 15, further comprising:

calculating a distance and an angle between the infrared emission unit and the infrared detection unit based on the first distance and the second distance upon judging that the first distance and the second distance are not equal; and

predicting a position where a distance between the ultrasonic detection unit of the robot and the first ultrasonic oscillation unit and a distance between the ultrasonic detection unit and the second ultrasonic oscillation unit become equal based on the calculated distance and angle,

wherein said controlling controls the movement of the robot to the predicted position.

17. The control method according to claim 15, wherein said controlling the movement of the robot based on the calculated distance includes:

performing docking of the robot with the charging station;

judging whether or not docking succeeds; and

performing re-docking of the robot with the charging station by controlling backward movement of the robot upon judging that docking fails.

18. The control method according to claim 17, wherein said judging whether or not docking succeeds includes:

recognizing a charge capacity of a battery unit of the robot; and

judging whether or not docking succeeds based on the recognized charge capacity.