Autonomous mobile robot

• US 10,564,646 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2017
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kuhara, Shunsuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Odeh, Nadeem
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kerrigan, Michael V
• Application Number:
  US15/669,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20180059681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• 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 9/2852 Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles
• 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: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0289 with means for avoiding collisions between vehicles vehicle fittings for automatically controlling speed including means for detecting potential obstacles B60K31/0008; avoiding obstacles by action on the steering system B62D; radar, sonar, lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93

Abstract

An autonomous mobile robot includes: a sensor that acquire sensing information by sensing at least one of a situation around the autonomous mobile robot and a state of the autonomous mobile robot; storage that stores a first condition; a transmitter; and a processor that, in operation, performs operations including: judging whether the sensing information satisfies the first condition; and controlling the transmitter to output a collision preventing signal to a predetermined range outside of the autonomous mobile robot when it is judged that the sensing information satisfies the first condition. The collision preventing signal is a signal that inhibits a different autonomous mobile robot from entering the predetermined range.

Claims

1. An autonomous mobile robot comprising:

a sensor that acquires sensing information by sensing at least one of a situation around the autonomous mobile robot and a state of the autonomous mobile robot;

storage that stores a first condition;

a transmitter; and

a processor that, in operation, performs operations including

judging whether the sensing information satisfies the first condition, and

controlling the transmitter to output a collision preventing signal to a predetermined range outside of the autonomous mobile robot when it is judged that the sensing information satisfies the first condition, the collision preventing signal being a signal that inhibits a different autonomous mobile robot from entering the predetermined range,

wherein the sensor includes a first sensor that performs at least one of;

detecting an obstacle, and the first condition includes at least one of

a number of obstacle detections by the first sensor for a predetermined period of time being more than a predetermined number,

while the autonomous mobile robot is moving along the obstacle detected by the first sensor, the first sensor detects another obstacle, and

the first sensor detects obstacles on right and left sides of the autonomous mobile robot in a direction of travel thereof; and

detecting a difference in a travelling surface level, and the first condition is that the first sensor detects the difference in the travelling surface level.

2. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein

the operations further include controlling the transmitter to transmit the collision preventing signal for a predetermined period.

3. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein

the storage further stores a second condition, and

the operations further include

judging whether the sensing information satisfies the second condition, and

controlling the transmitter to stop outputting the collision preventing signal when it is judged that the sensing information satisfies the second condition.

4. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein

the storage further stores a transmission power control condition, and

the operations further include controlling the transmitter so that power to transmit the collision preventing signal satisfies the transmission power control condition.

5. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 1, further comprising

a receiver that acquires moving operation information of the different autonomous mobile robot, and

the operations further include

judging based on the moving operation information, whether the different autonomous mobile robot is performing moving operation, and

in the case where it is judged that the different autonomous mobile robot is not performing the moving operation, not outputting the collision preventing signal even if it is judged that the sensing information satisfies the first condition.

6. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein

the first sensor detects a radio signal, and

the first condition is that the first sensor detects a radio signal from a charger that charges the autonomous mobile robot.

7. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein

the first sensor detects a radio signal, and

the first condition is that the first sensor detects a radio signal from a virtual wall device that defines a virtual wall.

8. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein

the first sensor detects an obstacle is entangled with the autonomous mobile robot, and

the first condition is that the first sensor detects that an obstacle is entangled on a wheel of the autonomous mobile robot.

9. A method used in an autonomous mobile robot, the method comprising:

acquiring sensing information by a sensor sensing at least one of a situation around the autonomous mobile robot and a state of the autonomous mobile robot;

judging whether the sensing information satisfies a first condition; and

controlling a transmitter to output a collision preventing signal to a predetermined range outside of the autonomous mobile robot when it is judged that the sensing information satisfies the first condition, the collision preventing signal being a signal that inhibits a different autonomous mobile robot from entering the predetermined range,

wherein the sensor includes a first sensor that performs at least one of;

detecting an obstacle, and the first condition includes at least one of

a number of obstacle detections by the first sensor for a predetermined period of time being more than a predetermined number,

while the autonomous mobile robot is moving along the obstacle detected by the first sensor, the first sensor detects another obstacle, and

the first sensor detects obstacles on right and left sides of the autonomous

mobile robot in a direction of travel thereof; and

detecting a difference in a travelling surface level, and the first condition is that the first sensor detects the difference in the travelling surface level.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium including a program to control an autonomous mobile robot,

the program being executed in a computer to cause the computer to execute a method comprising:

acquiring sensing information by a sensor sensing at least one of a situation around the autonomous mobile robot and a state of the autonomous mobile robot;

judging whether the sensing information satisfies a first condition; and

controlling a transmitter to output a collision preventing signal to a predetermined range outside of the autonomous mobile robot when it is judged that the sensing information satisfies the first condition, the collision preventing signal being a signal that inhibits a different autonomous mobile robot from entering the predetermined range,

wherein the sensor includes a first sensor that performs at least one of;

detecting an obstacle, and the first condition includes at least one of

a number of obstacle detections by the first sensor for a predetermined period of time being more than a predetermined number,

while the autonomous mobile robot is moving along the obstacle detected by the first sensor, the first sensor detects another obstacle, and

the first sensor detects obstacles on right and left sides of the autonomous mobile robot in a direction of travel thereof; and

detecting a difference in a travelling surface level, and the first condition is that the first sensor detects the difference in the travelling surface level.

11. An autonomous mobile robot comprising:

a sensor that acquires sensing information by sensing at least one of a situation around the autonomous mobile robot and a state of the autonomous mobile robot;

storage that stores a first condition;

a transmitter;

a processor that, in operation, performs operations including

judging whether the sensing information satisfies the first condition, and

controlling the transmitter to output a collision preventing signal to a predetermined range outside of the autonomous mobile robot when it is judged that the sensing information satisfies the first condition, the collision preventing signal being a signal that inhibits a different autonomous mobile robot from entering the predetermined range; and

a receiver that acquires moving operation information of the different autonomous mobile robot,

wherein the operations further include

judging based on the moving operation information, whether or not the different autonomous mobile robot is performing moving operation, and

in the case where it is judged that the different autonomous mobile robot is not performing the moving operation, controlling the transmitter not to output the collision preventing signal even if it is judged that the sensing information satisfies the first condition.

12. An autonomous mobile robot comprising:

a sensor that acquires sensing information by sensing at least one of a situation around the autonomous mobile robot and a state of the autonomous mobile robot;

storage that stores a first condition;

a transmitter; and

a processor that, in operation, performs operations including

judging whether the sensing information satisfies the first condition, and

controlling the transmitter to output a collision preventing signal to a predetermined range outside of the autonomous mobile robot when it is judged that the sensing information satisfies the first condition, the collision preventing signal being a signal that inhibits a different autonomous mobile robot from entering the predetermined range,

wherein

the sensor includes a first sensor that detects a radio signal, and

the first condition is that the first sensor detects a radio signal from at least one of

a charger that charges the autonomous mobile robot, and

a virtual wall device that defines a virtual wall.

13. An autonomous mobile robot comprising:

a sensor that acquires sensing information by sensing at least one of a situation around the autonomous mobile robot and a state of the autonomous mobile robot;

storage that stores a first condition;

a transmitter; and

a processor that, in operation, performs operations including

judging whether the sensing information satisfies the first condition, and

controlling the transmitter to output a collision preventing signal to a predetermined range outside of the autonomous mobile robot when it is judged that the sensing information satisfies the first condition, the collision preventing signal being a signal that inhibits a different autonomous mobile robot from entering the predetermined range,

wherein

the sensor includes a first sensor that detects an obstacle is entangled with the autonomous mobile robot, and

the first condition is that the first sensor detects that an obstacle is entangled on a wheel of the autonomous mobile robot.