Computer system and method for automated mapping by robots
First Claim
1. A method for a robot to autonomously generate a digitally stored map of an environment, the method comprising:
- receiving, via an input signal to a stored program executing in the robot, an instruction to physically traverse a route within the environment, the route comprising a path through the environment, and in response to the input signal, initiating physical traversal of the robot of the route;
while traversing the route, collecting digital data from one or more sensors of the robot and digitally transforming the collected digital data to result in identifying one or more features of the environment and to generate a digitally stored initial map representing the environment that has been traversed;
in response to detecting completion of traversal of the route, initiating traversal of the environment using other than the route, and;
concurrently generating and digitally storing a digital map of valid areas of the environment;
while generating the digital map, determining that a particular area is potentially invalid based on detecting features of the environment that are not represented in stored environment data, and in response, generating and transmitting an electronic message comprising collected sensor data for the particular area and a prompt requesting information indicating whether the particular area is valid;
in response to input indicating that the particular area is valid, traversing the particular area and continuing generating the digital map, and in response to input indicating that the particular area is invalid, avoiding traversing the particular area and moving to an unmapped valid area of the environment;
repeating the preceding steps relating to generating the digital map until all valid areas of the environment have been traversed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for autonomous map generation by a robot comprising: instructing the robot to traverse a route within an environment in which the robot is deployed; while following the route, causing the robot to collect sensor data to identify features in the environment and to generate an initial map of areas in environment that have been traversed; upon completion of the route, autonomously generating a map of valid areas of the environment by moving throughout the environment while collecting sensor data; while autonomously generating the map, determining that a particular area is potentially invalid by detecting features that are previously unknown to the robot; generating and providing an electronic message to an operator of the robot comprising sensor data of the particular area and a prompt requesting information indicating whether the particular area is valid or invalid; upon receiving a response from the operator, continuing autonomously generating the map according to the response wherein if the particular area is valid, collecting sensor data from the particular area and, if the particular area is invalid, proceeding to an unmapped, valid area of the environment; determining that there are no remaining unmapped, valid areas of the environment, ending autonomously generating the map.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for a robot to autonomously generate a digitally stored map of an environment, the method comprising:
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receiving, via an input signal to a stored program executing in the robot, an instruction to physically traverse a route within the environment, the route comprising a path through the environment, and in response to the input signal, initiating physical traversal of the robot of the route; while traversing the route, collecting digital data from one or more sensors of the robot and digitally transforming the collected digital data to result in identifying one or more features of the environment and to generate a digitally stored initial map representing the environment that has been traversed; in response to detecting completion of traversal of the route, initiating traversal of the environment using other than the route, and; concurrently generating and digitally storing a digital map of valid areas of the environment; while generating the digital map, determining that a particular area is potentially invalid based on detecting features of the environment that are not represented in stored environment data, and in response, generating and transmitting an electronic message comprising collected sensor data for the particular area and a prompt requesting information indicating whether the particular area is valid; in response to input indicating that the particular area is valid, traversing the particular area and continuing generating the digital map, and in response to input indicating that the particular area is invalid, avoiding traversing the particular area and moving to an unmapped valid area of the environment; repeating the preceding steps relating to generating the digital map until all valid areas of the environment have been traversed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A robot programmed to execute a method to autonomously generate a digitally stored map of an environment, the robot comprising:
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one or more computers; one or more digital sensors that are coupled to the one or more computers and operable under program control of the one or more computers to collect signals based upon sensing the environment of the robot; a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the one or more computers and storing instructions which when executed by the one or more computers cause performing; receiving, via an input signal to a stored program executing in the robot, an instruction to physically traverse a route within the environment, the route comprising a path through the environment, and in response to the input signal, initiating physical traversal of the robot of the route; while traversing the route, collecting digital data from one or more sensors of the robot and digitally transforming the collected digital data to result in identifying one or more features of the environment and to generate a digitally stored initial map representing the environment that has been traversed; in response to detecting completion of traversal of the route, initiating traversal of the environment using other than the route, and; concurrently generating and digitally storing a digital map of valid areas of the environment; while generating the digital map, determining that a particular area is potentially invalid based on detecting features of the environment that are not represented in stored environment data of the robot, and in response, generating and transmitting an electronic message comprising collected sensor data for the particular area and a prompt requesting information indicating whether the particular area is valid; in response to input indicating that the particular area is valid, traversing the particular area and continuing generating the digital map, and in response to input indicating that the particular area is invalid, avoiding traversing the particular area and moving to an unmapped valid area of the environment; repeating the preceding steps relating to generating the digital map until all valid areas of the environment have been traversed. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification