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Autonomous mobile robot and method for operating the same

  • US 9,599,987 B2
  • Filed: 06/28/2013
  • Issued: 03/21/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An autonomous mobile robot, comprising:

  • a drive system;

    at least one perceptor for detecting obstructive objects;

    a controller that is operably connected to both the drive system and the least one perceptor, said controller being configured to control the drive system in order to move the robot across a floor area in accordance with a floor covering strategy that includes;

    based on a topological map of the floor area, designating a location of a current cell, wherein the current cell includes a functional unit of the floor area being covered by the robot, and wherein said current cell is spatially bounded by a primary boundary;

    from an entry point at the primary boundary of said current cell;

    executing an initial double stroke into the current cell that includes both a forward stroke for a forward movement, and a backward stroke for a backward movement of the robot;

    designating a forking point disposed within said current cell, and from said forking point executing a number of additional double strokes within the current cell that are angularly distributed;

    during execution of the initial double stroke and the additional double strokes, mapping obstructive objects within the current cell onto an obstacle map by said at least one perceptor;

    from said obstacle map, determining a secondary boundary associated with the current cell, wherein said secondary boundary encloses at least part of an area of the current cell covered by the executed initial double stroke and the additional double strokes, and distinguishes between first portions of the secondary boundary at which an obstructive object is located, and second portions of the secondary boundary at which no obstructive object is located; and

    adding the determined secondary boundary of the current cell to the topological map of the floor area.

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