AUTONOMOUS MOBILE ROBOT

• US 20090062958A1
• Filed: 09/02/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aaron C. Morris, Warren C. Whittaker, William L. Whittaker
• Original Assignee: Aaron C. Morris, Warren C. Whittaker, William L. Whittaker
• Inventors: Morris, Aaron C., Whittaker, Warren C., Whittaker, William L.
• Application Number:
  US12/203,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20090062958A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/252
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

An autonomous mobile robot. The robot includes a computing device and a modeling module. The modeling module is communicably connected to the computing device, and is configured for autonomously generating a model for each navigation mode of the robot.

Claims

1. An autonomous mobile robot, comprising:

a computing device; and

a modeling module communicably connected to the computing device, wherein the modeling module is configured for autonomously generating a model for each navigation mode of the robot.

2. The robot of claim 1, further comprising a status module communicably connected to the computing device, wherein the status module is configured for:

determining a status for computational processes performed by the computing device;

comparing each determined status to a corresponding expected status; and

deeming an operational state of the robot to be abnormal when at least one determined status is different from the corresponding expected status.

3. The robot of claim 2, further comprising a logging module communicably connected to the computing device, wherein the logging module is configured for storing data acquired by the status module.

4. The robot of claim 1, further comprising a process planner module communicably connected to the computing device, wherein the process planner module is configured for determining a sequence of computational processes which when executed change an operating state of the robot from a first state to a second state.

5. The robot of claim 1, further comprising a light detection and ranging system communicably connected to the computing device.

6. The robot of claim 5, wherein the light detection and ranging system comprises a rotatable two-dimensional scanner.

7. The robot of claim 1, further comprising a perception module communicably connected to the computing device, wherein the perception module is configured for identifying an obstacle based on data acquired by a light detection and ranging system communicably connected to the computing device.

8. The robot of claim 1, further comprising a localization module communicably connected to the computing device, wherein the localization module is configured for localizing the robot to a map.

9. The robot of claim 1, further comprising a path planner module communicably connected to the computing device, wherein the path planner module is configured for planning a path to be navigated by the robot.

10. The robot of claim 1, further comprising a sensing device communicably connected to the computing device.

11. The robot of claim 1, further comprising a mapping module communicably connected to the computing device, wherein the mapping module is configured for generating a map based on data acquired by a light detection and ranging system communicably connected to the computing device.

12. A method for modeling a navigation mode of an autonomous mobile robot, the method comprising:

determining a status of each computational process associated with the navigation mode;

logging data associated with each determined status; and

automatically generating a model of the navigation mode based on the determined status of each computational process.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the status of each computational process comprises determining:

which computational processes are in an on state at a point in time; and

which computational processes are in an off state at the point in time.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein automatically generating the model comprises automatically generating a map of the computational processes.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein automatically generating the map comprises automatically generating a look-up table.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining a status of each computational process associated with at least one additional navigation mode; and

automatically generating a model of the at least one additional navigation mode based on the determined status of each computational process associated with the at least one additional navigation mode.

17. A method for navigating a subterranean space, the method comprising:

receiving a map at the autonomous mobile robot;

receiving a sequence of points the autonomous mobile robot is to visit;

planning a path from a starting point to an ending point;

receiving an initiation instruction to navigate in a first navigational mode;

navigating in the first navigational mode from the starting point toward the ending point;

determining a status of computational processes during the navigating;

comparing each determined status to a corresponding expected status;

selecting a second navigation mode when the determined status of at least one of the computational processes differs from the expected status;

determining a sequence of computational processes to place the autonomous mobile robot in the second navigation mode;

planning a new path to the ending point; and

navigating in the second navigation mode to the ending point.

18. A method for exploring a subterranean space, the method comprising:

receiving an exploration objective;

exploring the subterranean space by navigating in a first navigational mode;

determining a status of computational processes during the navigating;

comparing each determined status to a corresponding expected status; and

returning to a starting point when the determined status of at least one of the computational processes differs from the expected status.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

selecting a second navigation mode when the determined status of the at least one of the computational processes differs from the expected state after the robot has started to return to the starting point;

determining a sequence of computational processes to place the autonomous mobile robot in the second navigational mode;

planning a new path to the starting point; and

navigating in the second navigation mode to the starting point.