METHOD FOR ESTABLISHING A DESIRED AREA OF CONFINEMENT FOR AN AUTONOMOUS ROBOT AND AUTONOMOUS ROBOT IMPLEMENTING A CONTROL SYSTEM FOR EXECUTING THE SAME

• US 20120265391A1
• Filed: 04/20/2012
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futuregen Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RoboLabs, Inc.
• Inventors: Letsky, Michael Todd
• Granted Patent: US 8,706,297 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/25
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/06 Control of the cleaning action for autonomous devices; Automatic detection of the surface condition before, during or after cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0221 involving a learning process
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0259 using magnetic or electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• 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 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 using a RF signal

Abstract

A method of establishing an area of confinement and an autonomous robot for performing a task within the area of confinement. In one aspect, the invention can be a method of defining an area of confinement for an autonomous robot comprising: a) positioning the autonomous robot at a first location point P₁, the autonomous robot comprising a location tracking unit, and recording the first location point P₁ within a memory device; b) moving the autonomous robot from the first location point P₁ to a plurality of location points P_2-N and recording each of the plurality of location points P_2-N within the memory device; and c) defining, with a central processing unit, a first closed-geometry comprising the first location point P₁ and the plurality of location points P_2-N as a perimeter of the area of confinement within the memory device.

Claims

1. A method of defining an area of confinement for an autonomous robot comprising:

a) positioning the autonomous robot at a first location point P₁, the autonomous robot comprising a location tracking unit, and recording the first location point P₁ within a memory device;

b) moving the autonomous robot from the first location point P₁ to a plurality of location points P_2-N and recording each of the plurality of location points P_2-N within the memory device; and

c) defining, with a central processing unit, a first closed-geometry comprising the first location point P₁ and the plurality of location points P_2-N as a perimeter of the area of confinement within the memory device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the central processing unit automatically performs step c) upon one of the plurality of location points P_2-N being determined to be substantially coincident with the first location point P.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the central processing unit automatically performs step c) upon receiving a user-generated define closed-geometry signal.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein in steps a) and b), the central processing unit records the first location point P₁ and the plurality of location points P_2-N in the memory device in response to user-generated record location point signals.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the first location point P₁ and the plurality of location points P_2-N is a latitude-longitude coordinate.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein step c) comprises defining the closed-geometry by generating linear segments between the first location point P₁ and the plurality of location points P_2-N in successive order of recordation.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

d) positioning the autonomous robot at a first exclusion location point E₁ and recording the first exclusion location point E₁ within the memory device, wherein the first exclusion location point E₁ is located within the perimeter of the area of confinement;

e) moving the autonomous robot from the first exclusion location point E₁ to a plurality of exclusion location points and recording each of the plurality of exclusion location points E_2-N within the memory device, each of the plurality of exclusion location points E_2-N located within the perimeter of the area of confinement; and

f) defining, with the central processing unit, a second closed-geometry comprising the first exclusion location point E₁ and the plurality of exclusion location points E_2-N as a perimeter of an area of exclusion within the memory device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the central processing unit is configured to:

(1) move the autonomous robot at a first velocity when the autonomous robot is within the area of confinement and at least a first distance from the perimeter of the area of confinement; and

(2) reduce the first velocity to a second velocity when the autonomous robot is approaching the perimeter of the area of confinement and the autonomous robot is less than the first distance from the perimeter of the area of confinement.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the central processing unit is configured to:

(1) transmit to a server a perceived location of the autonomous robot within the area of confinement when the perceived location is less than a first distance from the perimeter of the area of confinement; and

(2) update in the memory device the perceived location to an actual location of the autonomous robot within the area of confinement based upon actual location data received from the server.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the memory device is housed within the autonomous robot and the autonomous robot further comprises a transceiver, the method further comprising:

transmitting, from the autonomous robot to a server, data indicative of the perimeter of the area of confinement and location of the autonomous robot within the area of confinement;

the server transmitting said data to an external device; and

displaying said data on a display of the external device to visually represent status of a work session of the autonomous robot.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said status of said work session comprises:

(1) an indication of a current location of the autonomous robot within the area of confinement;

(2) an indication of portions of the area of confinement on which work has been completed by the autonomous robot during the work session; and

(3) an indication of portions of the area of confinement on which the work has not yet been completed by the autonomous robot during the work session.

12. An autonomous robot comprising:

a housing, a control system, and a plurality of drive wheels, the control system comprising a location tracking unit, a memory device, a data receiving port for receiving signals from an external device, and a central processing unit; and

the central processing unit configured to;

(1) track location of the autonomous robot based on output generated by the location tracking unit during movement of the autonomous robot;

(2) record a plurality of location points of the autonomous robot within the memory device; and

(3) define a closed-geometry comprising the plurality of location points as a perimeter of an area of confinement within the memory device.

13. The autonomous robot of claim 12 further comprising:

a capacitive touch sensor operably coupled to the housing and to the central processing unit, the memory device storing a baseline capacitance value of the capacitive touch sensor;

wherein at least a portion of the housing is operably coupled to the capacitive touch sensor, the portion of the housing comprising an electrically conductive material;

wherein upon an object having a capacitance value contacting the portion of the housing while the autonomous robot is activated, the capacitive touch sensor detects an increase in capacitance value relative to the baseline capacitance value and transmits an increased capacitance value signal to the central processing unit; and

wherein upon receiving the increased capacitance value signal from the capacitive touch sensor, the central processing unit deactivates the autonomous robot.

14. The autonomous robot of claim 13 wherein the capacitive touch sensor is a proximity sensor such that the capacitive touch sensor transmits the increased capacitance value signal to the central processing unit upon detecting the object being located in a surrounding area of the autonomous robot.

15. The autonomous robot of claim 12 wherein the central processing unit records the plurality of location points in the memory device in response to user-generated record location point signals being transmitted from the external device to the data receiving port of the autonomous robot.

16. The autonomous robot of claim 12 wherein the central processing unit automatically defines the closed-geometry upon a first one of the plurality of location points being determined to be substantially coincident with a second one of the plurality of location points.

17. The autonomous robot of claim 12 wherein the central processing unit automatically defines the closed-geometry upon receiving a user-generated define closed-geometry signal being transmitted from the external device to the data receiving port of the autonomous robot.

18. The autonomous robot of claim 12 wherein the location tracking unit is a GPS unit and wherein each of the plurality of location points are recorded in the memory device as a latitude-longitude coordinate.

19. The autonomous robot of claim 12 further comprising a docking station comprising a hollow housing that is sized and configured to contain the autonomous robot therein, the housing having an opening through which the autonomous robot can pass into the housing, the docking station comprising a transceiver for receiving data transmitted by the autonomous robot and for transmitting the data to a server.

20. An autonomous robot comprising:

a housing and a control system, the control system comprising a memory device in operable connection with a central processing unit;

a capacitive touch sensor operably coupled to the central processing unit and to the housing, the memory device storing a baseline capacitance value of the capacitive touch sensor;

wherein at least a portion of the housing is operably coupled to the capacitive touch sensor, the portion of the housing comprising an electrically conductive material;

wherein upon an object having a capacitance value contacting the portion of the housing while the autonomous robot is activated, the capacitive touch sensor detects an increase in capacitance value relative to the baseline capacitance value and transmits an increased capacitance value signal to the central processing unit; and

wherein upon receiving the increased capacitance value signal from the capacitive touch sensor, the central processing unit deactivates the autonomous robot.