System and method for returning robot cleaner to charger

• US 20070050086A1
• Filed: 07/14/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lim, Kwang-soo, Ko, Jang-youn, Jeung, Sam-jong, Lee, Ju-sang, Song, Jeong-gon
• Granted Patent: US 7,729,803 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals

Abstract

A system for returning a robot to a charger includes: a homing signal transmitter, including at least first, second, and third signal transmitters, each adapted to be provided at a front side of the charger and to respectively transmit signals which are different from each other in at least one of a code and a transmission distance, and a fourth signal transmitter, adapted to be provided on at least one lateral side of the charger and to transmit a signal which is different from the signals of the first, second, and third transmitters in code; a homing signal receiver provided at the robot and to receive at least one signal transmitted from the homing signal transmitter; and a controller adapted to identify the at least one signal and to control the robot to return to the charger based at least in part on the at least one signal.

Claims

1. A system for returning a robot to a charger, the system comprising:

a homing signal transmitter, including at least first, second, and third signal transmitters, each adapted to be provided at a front side of the charger and to respectively transmit signals which are different from each other in at least one of a code and a transmission distance, and a fourth signal transmitter, adapted to be provided on at least one lateral side of the charger and to transmit a signal which is different from the signals of the first, second, and third transmitters in code;

a homing signal receiver adapted to be provided at the robot and to receive at least one signal transmitted from the homing signal transmitter; and

a controller adapted to identify the at least one signal and to control the robot to return to the charger based at least in part on the at least one signal.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first signal transmitter has a first transmission distance that is greater than a second transmission distance of the second signal transmitter.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second transmission distance is greater than a third transmission distance of the third signal transmitter.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal transmission distances of the first, second, and third signal transmitters are in a range of about 14 to about 20 m, about 10 to about 13 m, and about 1 to about 2 m, respectively.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third signal transmitters each have different signal transmission angles.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first signal transmitter has a first transmission angle that is greater than a second transmission angle of the second signal transmitter.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second transmission angle is greater than a third transmission angle of the third signal transmitter.

8. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the signal transmission angles of the first, second, and third signal transmitters are in a range of about 120°

to about 170°

, about 30°

to about 60°

, and about 10°

to about 20°

, respectively.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second signal transmitters are vertically arranged at the charger.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the third signal transmitter includes at least two transmitters adapted to be symmetrically positioned at lateral sides of the charger.

11. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third signal transmitter includes at least two transmitters adapted to be symmetrically positioned at lateral sides of the charger.

12. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third signal transmitters includes an infrared light emission device.

13. A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a detector provided at the robot adapted to generate at least one infrared signal and to detect a corresponding infrared signal from the charger,

wherein the controller includes a distance and angle calculator configured to calculate at least one of a distance and an angle between the robot and the charger using the corresponding infrared signal detected by the detector.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

the detector includes at least first and second distance detection sensors, and

the distance and angle calculator is adapted to calculate at least one of the distance and the angle between the robot and the charger using signals detected by at least one of the first and the second distance detection sensors.

15. A method for returning a robot to a charger, the method comprising:

detecting a return command signal at the robot;

receiving at least one infrared signal from the charger;

locating the charger based at least in part on the at least one infrared signal; and

docking at the charger, thereby enabling the robot to charge.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least one infrared signal includes at least a first, a second, and a third infrared signal.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the locating includes:

traveling to locate the at least one infrared signal; and

searching for the third infrared signal after the traveling.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the searching includes traveling a predetermined interval while searching.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the traveling a predetermined interval while searching is performed iteratively until the third infrared signal is detected.