Method for operating a self-traveling robot

• US 10,828,783 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2018
• Issued: 11/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vorwerk & Company Interholding Gesellschaft Mit Beschrã¤Nkter Haftung (Vorwerk & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Vorwerk & Company Interholding Gesellschaft Mit Beschrã¤Nkter Haftung (Vorwerk & Company KG)
• Inventors: Hillen, Lorenz
• Primary Examiner(s): Figueroa, Jaime
• Application Number:
  US16/034,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20190015990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 700245, 700253
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0085 Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/162 Mobile manipulator, movable base with manipulator arm mounted on it
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45098 Vacuum cleaning robot
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes

Abstract

A method for operating a self-traveling robot, wherein a control command for initiating a service mode is transmitted to the robot, and wherein a service is made available for the robot in the service mode. In order to reliably and comfortably switch the robot into a service mode, an optical code containing the control command is displayed on an external terminal, wherein the optical code is detected by an image acquisition device of the robot, and wherein a control device of the robot extracts the control command from the optical code and initiates the corresponding service mode.

Claims

1. A method for operating a self-traveling robot, comprising the following steps:

displaying an optical code on an external terminal, the optical code containing a control command for initiating a service mode of the robot,

detecting the optical code with an image acquisition device of the robot,

extracting with a control device of the robot the control command from the optical code,

initiating the corresponding service mode with the control device, and

making available a service for the robot in the service mode,

wherein the robot can be operated in a working mode and in the service mode, and wherein the robot can be switched from the working mode into the service mode with a defined command contained in the optical code,

further comprising the steps of transmitting an identifier from the external terminal to the robot in the optical code, wherein the identifier comprises a digital signature that makes it possible to verify if the optical code is valid for the robot, comparing the transmitted identifier with a defined identifier stored in a memory of the robot or an external service device that is communicatively linked to the robot, and releasing the service mode only if the transmitted identifier corresponds to the defined identifier.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a command for generating the optical code is transmitted to the external terminal in order to initiate the service mode.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the service mode includes the robot transmitting an activity protocol to an external service device and/or the external terminal or requesting a software update from an external service device.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of generating with the external terminal an identifier that is only valid for a predefined time period, wherein the identifier is integrated into the optical code displayed on the external terminal and transmitted to an external service device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the robot transmits an activity protocol and the identifier transmitted by the external terminal to the external service device, wherein the external service device checks if the identifier is valid and transmits the activity protocol to the external terminal if the identifier is determined to be valid.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the robot transmits a request for an update of software installed on the robot and an identifier transmitted by the external terminal to the external service device, wherein the external service device checks if the identifier is valid and transmits the software update to the robot if the identifier is determined to be valid.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of concluding the service mode in a time-controlled fashion by restarting the robot or by receiving an optical code containing a corresponding control command.

8. A self-traveling robot, comprising:

an image acquisition device configured for detecting an optical code displayed on an external terminal, the optical code containing a control command for initiating a service mode of the robot; and

a control device configured for extracting the control command from the optical code, and initiating the corresponding service mode with the control device;

wherein the robot is configured to be operated in a working mode and in the service mode, and wherein the robot is configured to be switched from the working mode into the service mode with a defined command contained in the optical code

wherein the robot is further configured to transmit an identifier from the external terminal to the robot in the optical code, wherein the identifier comprises a digital signature that makes it possible to verify if the optical code is valid for the robot, and compare the transmitted identifier with a defined identifier stored in a memory of the robot or an external service device that is communicatively linked to the robot, and release the service mode only if the transmitted identifier corresponds to the defined identifier.

9. A system comprising the self-traveling robot according to claim 8 and an external terminal configured for generating and displaying the optical code.