Autonomous coverage robot navigation system

• US 20070244610A1
• Filed: 12/04/2006
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Halloran, Michael, Won, Chikyung, Sandin, Paul, Ozick, Daniel, Mammen, Jeffrey, Okerholm, Andrea
• Granted Patent: US 9,144,360 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/40 Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4027 Filtering or separating contaminants or debris
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4072 Arrangement of castors or wheels
• 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 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0411 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0466 Rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0488 Combinations or arrangements of several tools, e.g. edge cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/12 Dry filters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1409 Rigid filtering receptacles dust collecting receptacles for cyclones A47L9/1683
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2826 the condition of the floor
• 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 9/2894 : Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/30 : Arrangement of illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0085 : Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/006 : by means of a wireless system for controlling one or several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 : mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 : Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1666 : Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1694 : characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 : to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2036 : Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 : Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 : by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 : by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 : Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 : characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 : Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 : Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/38 : adjustably or movably mounted, e.g. horizontally displaceable for securing a space between parked vehicles adjustably mounted for compensating manufacturing tolerances B60R19/24, B60R19/26
• 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 1/0227 : using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 : using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 : using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 : using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 : comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 : using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 : using a RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/02 : Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/06 : Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/16 : in which the return channel carries supervisory signals, e.g. repetition request signals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 : Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/50 : Miscellaneous

Abstract

An autonomous mobile robot system for bounded areas including a navigation beacon and an autonomous coverage robot. The navigation beacon has a gateway beacon emitter arranged to transmit a gateway marking emission with the navigation beacon disposed within a gateway between the first bounded area and an adjacent second bounded area. The autonomous coverage robot includes a beacon emission sensor responsive to the beacon emission, and a drive system configured to maneuver the robot about the first bounded area in a cleaning mode in which the robot is redirected in response to detecting the gateway marking emission. The drive system is also configured to maneuver the robot through the gateway into the second bounded area in a migration mode.

Claims

1. An autonomous coverage robot comprising:

a chassis defining a forward drive direction;

a controller carried by the chassis;

an omni-directional receiver carried by the chassis; and

a directional receiver disposed on a forward portion of the chassis and responsive to an emission incident on the forward portion of the chassis from the drive direction, the directional receiver comprising;

a mounting receptacle defining first and second apertures substantially aligned with the drive direction; and

first and second component receivers housed in the receptacle and positioned to be responsive to the emission received through the first and second apertures, respectively, the component receivers each configured to generate a respective signal in response to the emission;

wherein the controller is configured to determine a direction of the emission in relation to the drive direction based on the signals generated by the component receivers.

2. The robot of claim 1 wherein the first and second component receivers of the directional receiver are positioned to form an angle of between about 1 and 15 degrees therebetween.

3. The robot of claim 1 wherein the first and second component receivers of the directional receiver are collimated to focus at a point between about 3 and 5 meters from the robot.

4. The robot of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to maneuver the robot to detect an emission with the omni-directional receiver, and in response to detecting the emission, to orient the chassis to align the robot drive direction with a determined direction of the detected emission based on the signals generated by the component receivers of the directional receiver.

5. The robot of claim 1 wherein the controller, in response to a detected emission with the directional receiver, orients the chassis to align the robot drive direction with the determined emission direction based on the signals generated by the component receivers of the directional receiver.

6. The robot of claim 1 wherein the omni-directional receiver comprises:

a housing having an upper portion and defining an inner cavity, the upper portion allowing a transmission of an emission into the inner cavity;

a conical reflector disposed on an upper surface of the cavity to reflect emissions incident on the upper portion of the housing down into the cavity; and

an emission receiver disposed in the cavity below the conical reflector.

7. The robot of claim 1 wherein the receivers are configured to receive transmissions of infrared light.

8. The robot of claim 1 further comprising:

a floor cleaning assembly carried by the chassis;

a cleaning bin carried by the chassis and arranged to collect debris removed from a floor by the cleaning assembly; and

a bin sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of the cleaning bin reaching a threshold filling that causes the controller to initiate a docking sequence.

9. An autonomous mobile robot system for bounded areas, the system comprising:

a navigation beacon with a gateway beacon emitter arranged to transmit a gateway marking emission with the navigation beacon disposed within a gateway between a first bounded area and an adjacent second bounded area; and

an autonomous coverage robot comprising;

a beacon emission sensor responsive to the gateway marking emission; and

a drive system configured to maneuver the robot about the first bounded area in a cleaning mode in which the robot is redirected in response to detecting the gateway marking emission;

wherein the drive system is also configured to maneuver the robot through the gateway into the second bounded area in a migration mode.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the robot remains in the first bounded area upon the robot redirection in response to detecting the gateway marking emission in the cleaning mode.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the drive system is configured to maneuver the robot about the first bounded area in the cleaning mode for a preset time interval, and to automatically initiate the migration mode at expiration of the time interval.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the drive system is configured to maneuver the robot across the gateway marking emission in the migration mode.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the drive system is configured to maneuver the robot about the first bounded area in the cleaning mode until a preset number of encounters of the gateway marking emission have been detected, and then to automatically initiate the migration mode.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the robot further comprises a transmitter that signals the beacon to disrupt transmission of the gateway emission in the migration mode.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the gateway marking emission comprises infrared light.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein the beacon emission sensor is configured to detect transmissions of infrared light.

17. The system of claim 9 wherein the navigation beacon further comprises a vectoring beacon emitter arranged to transmit a directed vectoring emission into the first bounded area with the beacon disposed within the gateway, and wherein the robot drive system is configured to direct the robot toward the beacon upon encountering the vectoring emission in the migration mode.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the directed vectoring emission comprises infrared light.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the robot in the migration mode discerns a position of the navigation beacon in response to detection of the directed vectoring emission and aligns a drive direction defined by the robot in relation to an emission path defined by the directed vectoring emission.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the robot advances along the emission path to reach and traverse the gateway.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the robot wirelessly communicates with the navigation beacon to deactivate the directed vectoring emission while in the cleaning mode and activate the directed vectoring emission while in the migration mode.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the navigation beacon is configured to communicate schedule information with the robot.

23. The system of claim 17 wherein the navigation beacon transmits the directed vectoring emission at an angle of between about 45-90 degrees to the cross-gateway direction.

24. The system of claim 17 wherein the robot remotely activates the directed vectoring emission of the navigation beacon and deactivates the gateway emission upon initiating the migration mode.

25. The system of claim 17 wherein the robot remotely deactivates the directed vectoring emission of the navigation beacon and activates the gateway emission upon terminating the migration mode.

26. The system of claim 17 wherein the robot remotely activates and deactivates the emissions of the navigation beacon with a radiofrequency communication.

27. The system of claim 9 wherein the navigation beacon transmits a proximity emission laterally about the beacon, wherein the robot avoids cleaning and migration within the proximity emission.

28. The system of claim 9 further comprising a base station located in one of the bounded areas, the base station comprising:

a base defining a docking direction from which the robot may properly dock; and

a robot charger housed in the base.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the base station further comprises:

an omni-directional beam emitter mounted on the base and configured to project a proximity beam laterally around the docking station; and

two navigational field emitters housed in the base and arranged to emit respective, laterally bounded and overlapping fields of emissions of signal beams, respectively;

wherein one of the emitted fields defines a lateral field edge aligned with the docking direction and overlapped by the other of the fields.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the two navigational field emitters of the base station are positioned to form an angle of overlap of about 6 degrees and each emitter'"'"'s aperture angle is between about 20 and 30 degrees.

31. The system of claim 28 wherein the fields of emissions of the two navigational field emitters of the base station comprise infrared light.

32. The system of claim 9 wherein the robot includes a floor cleaning system that removes debris from the floor as the robot is maneuvered.

33-59. -59. (canceled)