Methods, systems, and devices for mapping wireless communication signals for mobile robot guidance

• US 10,664,502 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2017
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Chambers, Paul, Kearns, Justin H., Taka, Orjeta, Dooley, Michael J., Romanov, Nikolai, Hall, Gary Ellis
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewandroski, Sara J
• Application Number:
  US15/588,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20180321687A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0285 using signals transmitted via a public communication network, e.g. GSM network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A method of operating a computing device includes receiving occupancy data for an operating environment of a mobile robot based on localization data detected by at least one localization sensor of the mobile robot responsive to navigation thereof in the operating environment, and receiving signal coverage data for the operating environment based on wireless communication signals acquired by at least one wireless receiver of the mobile robot responsive to navigation thereof in the operating environment. The wireless communication signals are transmitted by at least one electronic device that is local to the operating environment. The method further includes generating a map indicating coverage patterns of the wireless communication signals at respective locations in the operating environment by correlating the occupancy data and the signal coverage data. Related methods, mobile robots, and user terminals are also discussed.

Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile robot, comprising:

performing, by a processor of the mobile robot, operations comprising;

operating a drive to navigate the mobile robot in an operating environment;

detecting, via at least one localization sensor of the mobile robot, localization data responsive to operating the drive to navigate the mobile robot in the operating environment;

acquiring, via at least one wireless receiver of the mobile robot, wireless network communication signals responsive to operating the drive to navigate the mobile robot in the operating environment, wherein the wireless network communication signals are transmitted by at least one network-enabled electronic device that is local to the operating environment;

determining a location of the mobile robot in the operating environment based on correlation of the localization data detected by the at least one localization sensor with a coverage pattern of signal strength of the wireless network communication signals acquired by the at least one wireless receiver, wherein the determining the location of the mobile robot comprises;

comparing (1) respective signal strengths of the wireless network communication signals acquired responsive to a repositioning of the mobile robot in the operating environment with (2) respective signal strengths of the wireless network communication signals acquired responsive to operating the drive; and

using the localization data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting the repositioning of the mobile robot in the operating environment, wherein the repositioning is independent of and subsequent to operating the drive.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network communication signals are transmitted by at least one network-enabled electronic device that comprises an IoT device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network communication signals include a Wi-Fi signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network communication signals include a Bluetooth signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network communication signals include a ZigBee signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network communication signals include a Z-wave signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network communication signals include an optical signal.

9. A method of operating a mobile robot, comprising:

performing, by a processor of the mobile robot, operations comprising;

operating a drive to navigate the mobile robot in an operating environment;

detecting, via at least one localization sensor of the mobile robot, localization data responsive to operating the drive to navigate the mobile robot in the operating environment, wherein the at least one localization sensor comprises a camera, wherein the localization data comprises visual localization data detected by the camera at at least one of different timestamped times of day or under different lighting conditions;

acquiring, via at least one wireless receiver of the mobile robot, wireless network communication signals responsive to operating the drive to navigate the mobile robot in the operating environment, wherein the wireless network communication signals are transmitted by at least one network-enabled electronic device that is local to the operating environment;

determining a location of the mobile robot in the operating environment based on correlation of the localization data detected by the at least one localization sensor with a coverage pattern of signal strength of the wireless network communication signals acquired by the at least one wireless receiver; and

merging respective occupancy maps generated from the visual localization data detected at at least one of the timestamped different times of day or in the different lighting conditions using the location of the at least one network-enabled electronic device as an anchor point.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one wireless receiver is mounted on or coupled to a mast of the mobile robot, and wherein acquiring the wireless network communication signals is responsive to operating the mast to vary a height of the at least one wireless receiver at respective locations in the operating environment.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one electronic device comprises first and second network-enabled electronic devices, and wherein the operations further comprise:

monitoring, via the wireless receiver, a plurality of communication protocols;

identifying that the first and second network-enabled electronic devices are configured to communicate using different communication protocols based on the wireless network communication signals acquired therefrom via the at least one wireless receiver responsive to the monitoring; and

transmitting, via a wireless transmitter of the mobile robot, information detected about one of the first and second network-enabled electronic devices to another of the first and second network-enabled electronic devices via the respective one of the different communication protocols.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting a repositioning of the mobile robot in the operating environment, wherein the repositioning is independent of and subsequent to operating the drive,

wherein determining the location of the mobile robot comprises;

comparing respective signal strengths of the wireless network communication signals acquired responsive to the repositioning with respective signal strengths of the wireless network communication signals acquired responsive to operating the drive; and

using the localization data.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a location of the at least one network-enabled electronic device in the operating environment based on respective signal strengths of the wireless network communication signals acquired by the at least one wireless receiver at respective locations in the operating environment,

wherein determining the location of the mobile robot is relative to the location of the at least one network-enabled electronic device in the operating environment.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

operating the drive to navigate the mobile robot to the location of the at least one electronic device in the operating environment responsive to activation of a sensor associated therewith;

capturing, via the at least one localization sensor, at least one of audio or visual information at the location of the at least one electronic device responsive to operating the drive to navigate the mobile robot thereto; and

transmitting, via a wireless transmitter of the mobile robot, the at least one of captured audio or visual information to a remote device.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one network-enabled electronic device comprises first and second network-enabled electronic devices, and wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying that the first and second network-enabled electronic devices are beyond wireless communication range of each other based on respective signal strengths of the wireless network communication signals acquired therefrom via the at least one wireless receiver responsive to operating the drive; and

transmitting, via a wireless transmitter of the mobile robot, information detected about one of the first and second network-enabled electronic devices to another of the first and second network-enabled electronic devices.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the information indicates interfering communications of the first and second network-enabled electronic devices based on the wireless network communication signals acquired therefrom, and wherein the operations further comprise:

transmitting, via a wireless transmitter of the mobile robot, an instruction to at least one of the first and second network-enabled electronic devices to alter a communication channel thereof.

17. A method of operating a user terminal communicatively coupled to at least one mobile robot, comprising:

performing, by a processor of the user terminal, operations comprising;

determining a location of at least one mobile robot in an operating environment based on correlation of localization data detected by at least one localization sensor of the at least one mobile robot with a coverage pattern of signal strength of wireless network communication signals acquired by a wireless receiver of the at least one mobile robot in the operating environment responsive to navigation of the at least one mobile robot in the operating environment, wherein the wireless network communication signals are transmitted by at least one network-enabled electronic device that is local to the operating environment, wherein the at least one localization sensor comprises a camera, wherein the localization data comprises visual localization data detected by the camera at at least one of different tunestamped. times of day or under different lighting conditions;

receiving, via a receiver of the user terminal, map information including the determined location of the at least one mobile robot;

merging respective occupancy maps generated from the visual localization data detected at at least one of the timestamp d different times of day or in the different lighting conditions using the location of the at least one network-enabled electronic device as an anchor point; and

displaying, via a user interface of he user terminal, one or more visual representations of the map information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more visual representations comprise:

an occupancy map indicating physical characteristics of the operating environment including obstacles detected by the localization sensor of the at least one mobile robot in the operating environment; and

/or

a signal coverage map indicating electrical characteristics of the operating environment including respective signal strengths of the wireless network communication signals acquired by the wireless receiver of the at least one mobile robot at respective locations in the operating environment.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the signal coverage map comprises a 2-dimensional representation indicating the respective signal strengths of the wireless network communication signals by colors and/or brightness levels that vary at the respective locations in the operating environment, and/or a 3-dimensional topological representation indicating the respective signal strengths of the wireless network communication signals at the respective locations in the operating environment relative to an axis and changes in slope of the respective signal strengths between the respective locations.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the occupancy map further indicates a location of the at least one network-enabled electronic device in the operating environment.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the occupancy map indicates the location. of the at least one network-enabled electronic device with a graphical representation of a signal emitted therefrom, and wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving an indication of a current location of the at least one mobile robot in the operating environment,

wherein the graphical representation of the signal is varied based on a proximity of the current location of the mobile robot to the location of the at least one network-enabled electronic device.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the occupancy map indicates the location of the at least one network-enabled electronic device with a graphical representation of a signal emitted therefrom, and wherein the graphical representation is varied in color, brightness level, and/or distance between displayed bands or rings.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the occupancy map further indicates an identity comprising at least one of a type, manufacturer, or model of the at least one electronic device.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the operations further comprise:

displaying, via the user interface of the user terminal, an indication of one or more suggested positions in the operating environment for repositioning of the at least one network- enabled electronic device, based on the wireless network communication signals acquired by the wireless receiver of the at least one mobile robot.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the operations further comprise:

displaying, via the user interface of the user terminal, an indication of one or more suggested frequencies or channels for communication by the at least one network--enabled electronic device, based on signal interference indicated by the wireless network communication signals acquired by the wireless receiver of the at least one mobile robot.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more visual representations of the map information indicates areas in the operating environment in which signal coverage by the wireless network communication signals is weak or absent, and wherein the operations further comprise:

displaying, via the user interface, a suggestion improve ent of the signal coverage.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the at least one network-enabled electronic device comprises a wireless router device, and wherein the suggestion comprises an incentive for purchase of a new wireless router device.