Navigational control system for a robotic device

• US 9,128,486 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2007
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Chiappetta, Mark J., Jones, Joseph L.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATTON, SPENCER D
• Application Number:
  US11/682,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20070179670A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,108 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/247, 700/248, 700/253, 700/258, 318/568.1, 318/568.12, 318/568.16, 318/568.17, 701/23, 701/25, 701/26, 701/24, 701/200, 701/206, 701/207, 701/208, 701/300, 15/491, 153/19, 342/127, 342/125, 901/1, 901/47, 180/167, 180/168
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1694 characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0231 using optical position detecting means position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement

Abstract

A navigational control system for altering movement activity of a robotic device operating in a defined working area, comprising a transmitting subsystem integrated in combination with the robotic device, the transmitting subsystem comprising beam emitters for emitting a number of directed beams, each directed beam having a predetermined emission pattern, and a receiving subsystem functioning as a base station that includes a navigation control algorithm that defines a predetermined triggering event for the navigational control system and a set of detection units positioned within the defined working area in a known spaced-apart relationship, the set of detection units being configured and operative to detect one or more of the directed beams emitted by the transmitting system; and wherein the receiving subsystem is configured and operative to process the one or more detected directed beams under the control of the navigational control algorithm to determine whether the predetermined triggering event has occurred, and, if the predetermined triggering event has occurred transmit a control signal to the robotic device, wherein reception of the control signal by the robotic device causes the robotic device to implement a prescribed conduct that alters the movement activity of the robotic device.

Claims

1. A robotic system comprising:

a set of positionable emitting units including a first emitting unit adjacent to an interior wall of a room and a second emitting unit adjacent an interior doorway of the room and configured to emit a beam;

a robot for movement within a defined interior working area of the room, wherein the defined interior working area is bounded in part by the interior wall;

a first transmit-receive system for transmitting from the robot to the set of positionable emitting units, the first transmit-receive system including;

a transmitting subsystem on the robot comprising an infrared (IR) beam emitter configured to emit a number of directed IR beams in a substantially planar manner about the robot into the defined working area, each directed IR beam having a predetermined emission pattern; and

a receiving subsystem on the first emitting unit and configured to detect the directed IR beams; and

a second transmit-receive system for transmitting from the set of positionable emitting units to the robot, the second transmit-receive system including;

a transmitter disposed in the first emitting unit and configured to transmit a control signal; and

an omnidirectional detector on the robot configured to receive the control signal and to detect the beam emitted by the second emitting unit;

wherein the set of positionable emitting units includes a processor and a navigation control algorithm, and wherein the navigation control algorithm defines a predetermined triggering event for the robot and the predetermined triggering event is caused by the receiving subsystem on the first emitting unit receiving one or more of the directed IR beams from the robot, wherein the processor is configured to execute the navigation control algorithm by transmitting the control signal to the robot in response to determining that the predetermined triggering event has occurred; and

wherein the robot is configured to receive the control signal from the set of positionable emitting units using the omnidirectional detector and, in response to receiving the control signal and detecting the beam emitted by the second emitting unit adjacent to the interior doorway, implement a triggered prescribed conduct that alters the movement activity of the robot by restricting the robot to one or more operations within the defined working area.

2. The robotic system of claim 1, wherein the IR beam emitter comprises a mechanical sweeping transmitter configured and operative to sweep through a 360°

azimuth while sequentially emitting to provide the number of directed IR beams.

3. The robotic system of claim 1, wherein the IR beam emitter comprises a set of transmitting units integrated in combination with the robot so that the transmitting units have a predetermined spaced-apart relationship.

4. The robotic system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined emission patterns of the directed IR beams and the number of directed IR beams are correlated so that the transmitting subsystem emulates an omnidirectional transmitting source covering the defined working area.

5. The robotic system of claim 1, wherein the IR beam emitter is configured and operative to emit the directed IR beams at a common operating frequency.

6. The robotic system of claim 5, wherein the IR beam emitter is configured to cyclically modulate the common operating frequency of the directed beams.

7. The robotic system of claim 5, wherein the IR beam emitter is configured to cycle on and off sequentially.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first emitting unit is a portable detection unit and the second emitting unit is a virtual wall unit.

9. A method performed by a robotic system, the robotic system comprising a set of positionable emitting units and a robot, the method comprising:

transmitting from the robot to the set of positionable emitting units using a first transmit-receive system, including transmitting, by a transmitting subsystem on the robot comprising an infrared (IR) beam emitter, a number of directed IR beams in a substantially planar manner about the robot into a defined working area of a room, wherein the set of positionable emitting units includes a first emitting unit adjacent to an interior wall of the room and a second emitting unit adjacent to an interior doorway of the room and configured to emit a beam, and wherein the defined interior working area is bounded in part by the interior wall;

receiving, by a receiving subsystem of the first emitting unit, the directed IR beams;

executing, by a processor disposed in one or more of the set of positionable emitting units, a navigation control algorithm, wherein the navigation control algorithm defines a predetermined triggering event for the robot and the predetermined triggering event is caused by the receiving subsystem on the first emitting unit receiving one or more of the directed IR beams from the robot;

in response to determining that the predetermined triggering event has occurred, transmitting from the set of portable detection units to the robot using a second transmit-receive system, including transmitting, by one or more transmitters disposed in the first emitting unit, a control signal to the robot; and

receiving, by an omnidirectional detector on the robot, the control signal, and in response to receiving the control signal and detecting the beam emitted by the second emitting unit using the omnidirectional detector, implementing a triggered prescribed conduct that alters the movement activity of the robot by restricting the robot to one or more operations within the defined working area.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the IR beam emitter comprises a mechanical sweeping transmitter configured and operative to sweep through a 360°

azimuth while sequentially emitting to provide the number of directed IR beams.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the IR beam emitter comprises a set of transmitting units integrated in combination with the robot so that the transmitting units have a predetermined spaced-apart relationship.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein predetermined emission patterns of the directed IR beams and the number of directed IR beams are correlated so that the transmitting subsystem emulates an omnidirectional transmitting source covering the defined working area.

13. The method of claim 9, comprising emitting the directed IR beams at a common operating frequency.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising cyclically modulating the common operating frequency of the directed beams.

15. The method of claim 13, comprising cycling the IR beam emitter on and off sequentially.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the first emitting unit is a portable detection unit and the second emitting unit is a virtual wall unit.