AUTONOMOUS COVERAGE ROBOT SENSING

• US 20120265346A1
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Gilbert, Duane L. Jr., Williams, Marcus R., Okerholm, Andrea M., Kristant, Elaine H., Longo, Sheila A., Kee, Daniel E., Strauss, Marc D.
• Application Number:
  US13/537,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20120265346A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/259
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/125 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/145 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/161 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/201 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/282 having rotary tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/292 having rotary tools A47L11/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/30 by suction
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/302 having rotary tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/34 Machines for treating carpets in position by liquid, foam, or vapour, e.g. by steam
• 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 11/4025 Means for emptying
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• 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 11/4066 Propulsion of the whole machine
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/408 Means for supplying cleaning or surface treating agents
• 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 9/00 Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
• 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 9/2805 : Parameters or conditions being sensed
• 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 2220/44 : Wheel Hub motors, i.e. integrated in the wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 : Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 : Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 : Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 : by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 : Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/145 : Structure borne vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 : characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 : Conductive energy transfer
• 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 1/0242 : 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: 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

Abstract

An autonomous coverage robot detection system includes an emitter configured to emit a directed beam, a detector configured to detect the directed beam and a controller configured to direct the robot in response to a signal detected by the detector. In some examples, the detection system detects a stasis condition of the robot. In some examples, the detection system detects a wall and can follow the wall in response to the detected signal.

Claims

1-19. -19. (canceled)

20. An autonomous robot comprising:

a body configured to move over a surface;

two driven wheels carried by the body and defining a transverse axis, with each wheel carried on a respective side of the body;

a stasis sensor carried by the body and responsive to inertia of the body; and

a controller configured to change the rotation speed and direction of each wheel to rotate the body, the controller in electrical communication with the stasis sensor and configured to determine a stasis condition based at least in part on the inertia sensed by the stasis sensor in response to the changed speed and direction of the wheels.

21. The autonomous robot of claim 20, wherein the stasis sensor is in non-load bearing contact with the surface.

22. The autonomous robot of claim 20, wherein the stasis sensor is substantially aligned along the transverse axis.

23. The autonomous robot of claim 20, further comprising a wetting element forward of the two driven wheels as the robot moves forward along a fore-aft axis.

24. The autonomous robot of claim 23, wherein the wetting element is configured to spread a cleaning liquid on the surface during rotation of the body.

25. The autonomous robot of claim 20, wherein the controller is further configured to change the rotation speed and direction of each wheel to rotate the body back and forth.

26. The autonomous robot of claim 20, wherein, in response to the change in the rotation speed and direction of each wheel to rotate the body, the controller is further configured to interpret an uninterrupted signal from the stasis sensor as a stasis condition.

27. The autonomous robot of claim 20, further comprising a second stasis sensor carried by the body, wherein the controller is in electrical communication with the second stasis sensor, and the controller is further configured to determine a stasis condition based at least in part on the inertia sensed by the second stasis sensor in response to the changed speed and direction of the wheels.

28. The autonomous robot of claim 20, further configured to transition from determining a stasis condition based on the stasis sensor to determining a stasis condition based the second stasis sensor.

29. The autonomous robot of claim 20, further comprising a second stasis sensor carried by the body, wherein the controller is in electrical communication with the second stasis sensor, and the controller is further configured to evaluate simultaneously inputs from the stasis sensor and the second stasis sensor.

30. A method of detecting stasis of an autonomous robot, the method comprising:

changing the direction and speed of two driven wheels carried by a body of an autonomous robot;

sensing inertia of the body in response to the change in direction and speed of the two driven wheels; and

determining a stasis condition of the autonomous robot based at least in part on the sensed inertia of the body.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising changing the rotation speed and direction of each wheel to rotate the body back and forth.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein determining the stasis condition of the autonomous robot based at least in part on the sensed inertia of the body comprises evaluating inputs from a first stasis sensor and a second stasis sensor.