Light indicator system for an autonomous mobile robot

• US 10,272,828 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2016
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: White, Cory, Schriesheim, Benjamin H., Lewis, Oliver, Hickey, Stephen A., Jang, Stuart R., Dooley, Michael J
• Primary Examiner(s): Carlson, Marc
• Application Number:
  US15/238,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20180050634A1
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• 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: A47L 2201/06 Control of the cleaning action for autonomous devices; Automatic detection of the surface condition before, during or after cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0085 adapted for special purposes not related to cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/106 Dust removal
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/19 Means for monitoring filtering operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2826 the condition of the floor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2836 characterised by the parts which are controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2852 Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2889 Safety or protection devices or systems, e.g. for prevention of motor over-heating or for protection of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/30 Arrangement of illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/00 Programme-controlled manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/50 for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/507 specific to autonomous vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/543 for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 : characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 : characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 : using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot

Abstract

An autonomous mobile robot includes a body, a drive supporting the body above a floor surface, a light-propagating plate positioned on the body and having a periphery defining a continuous loop, light sources each being positioned to direct light through a portion of the plate to a portion of the continuous loop, and a controller to selectively operate the light sources to provide a visual indicator of a status or service condition of the autonomous mobile robot. The drive is configured to maneuver the mobile robot about the floor surface.

Claims

1. An autonomous mobile robot comprising:

a body;

a drive supporting the body above a floor surface, the drive being configured to maneuver the autonomous mobile robot about the floor surface;

a light-propagating plate positioned on the body, the plate having a lateral surface defining a continuous loop;

light sources each being positioned to direct light through a portion of the plate and through the lateral surface to the continuous loop; and

a controller to selectively operate the light sources to provide a visual indicator of a status or service condition of the autonomous mobile robot.

2. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the plate is configured to direct light emitted by the light sources through the lateral surface onto a top surface of the body.

3. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to selectively operate the light sources to generate a pattern of illumination by at least one of

sequentially operating two or more of the light sources,

simultaneously operating a subset of the light sources, or

intermittently operating one or more of the light sources.

4. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the body defines an outer perimeter having a shape corresponding to at least a portion of a shape of the continuous loop.

5. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate the light sources to emit light in one color selected from multiple colors.

6. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the light sources are radially mounted to a board recessed within the plate, each light source being independently operable to emit light that propagates through the plate in a direction dependent on an orientation of the light source.

7. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate one or more of the light sources having emissions proximate a component associated with the status or the service condition.

8. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 7, wherein the autonomous mobile robot is a robotic vacuum cleaner, and the component of the robotic vacuum cleaner is selected from the group consisting of a drive wheel, a roller, a battery, a bumper, a caster wheel, a cliff sensor, a camera, and a debris bin.

9. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

initiate wireless communication with a remote device, and

operate the light sources to generate a pattern of illumination corresponding to a pattern displayed on a display of the remote device.

10. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate the light sources to illuminate a portion of the continuous loop, a length of the illuminated portion relative to an overall length of the continuous loop indicative of a duration of an operation performed by the autonomous mobile robot.

11. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate the light sources to illuminate a portion of the continuous loop, a length of the illuminated portion relative to an overall length of the continuous loop indicative of a remaining length of time of an operation performed by the autonomous mobile robot.

12. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate the light sources to generate a pattern of illumination corresponding to a pattern of movement of the body across the floor surface.

13. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to

operate the drive to move the body in a spiral pattern of movement, and

operate the light sources to generate a sequence of illumination synchronized with the spiral pattern of movement.

14. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate the light sources to illuminate a portion of the continuous loop in response to (i) receiving a user input requesting a notification of a remaining charge on a power source of the autonomous mobile robot or (ii) receiving a signal indicative of an operation of a docking station at which the autonomous mobile robot is docked,

wherein a length of the illuminated portion relative to an overall length of the continuous loop is indicative of an amount of the remaining charge on the power source of the autonomous mobile robot.

15. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the body is movable within a predefined area, and the controller is configured to

illuminate the light sources when the body moves to a position proximate an edge of the predefined area,

detect a beam of light defining the edge of the predefined area when the body moves to the position proximate the edge of the predefined area, and

operate the light sources in response to detecting the beam of light.

16. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

receive a signal indicative of contact between the body and an obstacle, and

operate the light sources to generate a pattern of illumination in response to receiving the signal indicative of the contact, a location of the pattern of illumination corresponding to a location of the contact.

17. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to

receive signals indicative of contact events corresponding to contact between the body and one or more obstacles, and

operate the light sources to illuminate a portion of the continuous loop in response to receiving the signals, a length of the illuminated portion relative to an overall length of the continuous loop indicative of an extent of the contact events across a bumper of the autonomous mobile robot.

18. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 1, further comprising:

an optical sensor on a top surface of the body, the optical sensor being angled upward to detect features on a wall surface of an environment,

wherein the controller is configured to;

cause the body to move along a floor surface in the environment based on signals received from the optical sensor, and

operate the light sources such that at least a light source most proximate to the optical sensor is not activated while the body moves along the floor surface.

19. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the light sources comprise four to twelve light emitting diodes.

20. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 1, further comprising a camera mounted above the body, the camera configured to capture images of a home,

wherein the drive is operable to autonomously navigate the autonomous mobile robot about the floor surface while the camera captures images of the home, and

wherein the controller is configured to operate the drive to cause the autonomous mobile robot to follow a preplanned path across the floor surface, while operating the light sources to illuminate a portion of the continuous loop, a length of the illuminated portion relative to an overall length of the continuous loop indicative of an amount of the preplanned path completed by the autonomous mobile robot.

21. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the light sources are each positioned to direct light laterally through the portion of the plate and outward through the lateral surface to the continuous loop.

22. An autonomous mobile robot comprising:

a body;

a drive supporting the body above a floor surface, the drive being configured to maneuver the autonomous mobile robot about the floor surface;

a light pipe having an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer surface of the light pipe defining a continuous loop on a recessed portion of a top surface of the body;

an optical sensor mounted under the top surface of the body, the optical sensor being directed toward the light pipe and being angled upward to detect features on a wall surface; and

light sources positioned within the light pipe, the light sources being configured to direct light laterally outward through the inner surface of the light pipe, through the outer surface of the light pipe, and onto the recessed portion of the top surface of the body.

23. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 22, wherein the body has a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion being substantially rectangular and the rear portion being substantially semi-circular.

24. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 22, further comprising:

a cleaning assembly mounted in the body to ingest debris on the floor surface,

a debris bin positioned within the body and beneath the top surface of the body, and

a bin cover attached to the light pipe and configured to cover the debris bin.

25. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 24, further comprising:

a power source housed in the body to provide power to the light sources,

wherein the light pipe houses the light sources and is fixed to the bin cover, and the bin cover is hingedly attached to the body.

26. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 24, further comprising a first electrical contact disposed on the bin cover and connected to the light sources and a second electrical contact disposed on the body and connected to a power source, wherein the bin cover is movable between a first position in which the first electrical contact is electrically connected to the second electrical contact and a second position in which the first electrical contact is electrically disconnected from the second electrical contact.

27. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 26, further comprising a controller configured to:

detect when the first electrical contact is electrically connected to the second electrical contact, and

operate the cleaning assembly and the light sources only when the first electrical contact is electrically connected to the second electrical contact.

28. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 22, wherein the body defines an outer perimeter having a shape corresponding to at least a portion of a shape of the continuous loop.

29. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 22, wherein the light sources are each positioned to direct light laterally through the inner surface of the light pipe, through the outer surface of the light pipe, and onto the recessed portion of the top surface of the body.