Guide-Type Virtual Wall System

• US 20180004212A1
• Filed: 11/06/2015
• Published: 01/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ecovacs Robotics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Ecovacs Robotics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: TANG, Jinju
• Application Number:
  US15/524,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20180004212A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• 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 11/4066 Propulsion of the whole machine
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/02 Control of position or course in two dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0214 in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93
• 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 1/028 using a RF signal

Abstract

A guide-type virtual wall system is provided. The system comprises a beacon (11, 44) and a robot (12), wherein a transmission module of the beacon (11, 44) directionally transmits a first signal, and an area covered by the first signal defines a beacon signal area (13). The robot (12) comprises a beacon signal receiving module corresponding to the beacon signal transmission module. When the robot (12) enters the beacon signal area (13) and the beacon signal receiving module detects the first signal, the robot (12) advances towards the direction of the beacon (11, 44) until it detects a second signal, and then the robot (12) crosses over or exits from the beacon signal area (13). The system can restrict the robot (12) from entering a certain area, wherein the area where a virtual wall is located is not missed, and the robot (12) is also enabled to cross over the virtual wall to enter the restricted area when required.

Claims

1. A guide-type virtual wall system comprising a beacon (11) and a robot (12), a transmission module of the beacon (11) directionally transmitting a first signal, an area covered by the first signal defining a beacon signal area (13), and the robot (12) comprising a beacon signal receiving module corresponding to the beacon signal transmission module, characterized in that,

when the robot (12) enters the beacon signal area (13) and the beacon signal receiving module detects the first signal, the robot (12) advances towards the direction of the beacon (11) until it detects a second signal, and then the robot (12) crosses over or exits from the beacon signal area (13).

2. A guide-type virtual wall system according to claim 1, characterized in that, the beacon signal transmission module is provided with a plurality of sub-signal transmission modules, and each of the sub-signal transmission modules transmits a sub-signal in a direction different from each other.

3. A guide-type virtual wall system according to claim 2, characterized in that, the first signal or the second signal is provided with certain encoded information, and when the robot detects the second signal, the robot determines whether to cross over or exit from the beacon signal area based on the encoded information.

4. A guide-type virtual wall system according to claim 3, characterized in that, the plurality of sub-signals are provided with different encoded information.

5. A guide-type virtual wall system according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the robot detects the second signal, the robot exits from the beacon signal area.

6. A guide-type virtual wall system according to claim 1, characterized in that, the robot (12) further comprises an obstacle detecting module, and the second signal is generated when the robot (12) detects an obstacle.

7. A guide-type virtual wall system according to claim 6, characterized in that, the obstacle detecting module is an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor or a travel switch.

8. A guide-type virtual wall system according to claim 1, characterized in that, the guide-type virtual wall system further comprises a second signal generator provided on one side close to the beacon or provided on the beacon, and the robot (12) is provided with a corresponding second signal sensor, the second signal being generated by the second signal generator.

9. A guide-type virtual wall system according to claim 8, characterized in that, an area covered by the signal generated by the second signal generator defines a second signal area, and the beacon is provided within the second signal area.

10. A guide-type virtual wall system according to claim 9, characterized in that, the second signal generator is a passive device or an active device.

11. A guide-type virtual wall system according to claim 10, characterized in that, the passive device is an electronic tag, a magnetic stripe or a color card, and the active device is an infrared transmitter, an ultrasonic transmitter, or a radio wave transmitter.

12. A guide-type virtual wall system according to claim 1, characterized in that, the beacon signal transmission module is an infrared transmission module or an ultrasonic transmission module.

13. A guide-type virtual wall system according to claim 12, characterized in that, the infrared transmission module or the ultrasonic transmission module comprises one or more emission sources.

14. A guide-type virtual wall system according to claim 1, characterized in that, the robot is a floor cleaning robot, an air purification robot or a monitoring robot.

16. A guide-type virtual wall system according to claim 2, characterized in that, the robot (12) further comprises an obstacle detecting module, and the second signal is generated when the robot (12) detects an obstacle.

17. A guide-type virtual wall system according to claim 3, characterized in that, the robot (12) further comprises an obstacle detecting module, and the second signal is generated when the robot (12) detects an obstacle.

18. A guide-type virtual wall system according to claim 4, characterized in that, the robot (12) further comprises an obstacle detecting module, and the second signal is generated when the robot (12) detects an obstacle.

19. A guide-type virtual wall system according to claim 5, characterized in that, the robot (12) further comprises an obstacle detecting module, and the second signal is generated when the robot (12) detects an obstacle.

20. A guide-type virtual wall system according to claim 2, characterized in that, the guide-type virtual wall system further comprises a second signal generator provided on one side close to the beacon or provided on the beacon, and the robot (12) is provided with a corresponding second signal sensor, the second signal being generated by the second signal generator.

21. A guide-type virtual wall system according to claim 3, characterized in that, the guide-type virtual wall system further comprises a second signal generator provided on one side close to the beacon or provided on the beacon, and the robot (12) is provided with a corresponding second signal sensor, the second signal being generated by the second signal generator.

22. A guide-type virtual wall system according to claim 4, characterized in that, the guide-type virtual wall system further comprises a second signal generator provided on one side close to the beacon or provided on the beacon, and the robot (12) is provided with a corresponding second signal sensor, the second signal being generated by the second signal generator.

23. A guide-type virtual wall system according to claim 5, characterized in that, the guide-type virtual wall system further comprises a second signal generator provided on one side close to the beacon or provided on the beacon, and the robot (12) is provided with a corresponding second signal sensor, the second signal being generated by the second signal generator.

15. A guide-type virtual wall system comprising a beacon (11) and a robot (12), a transmission module of the beacon (11) directionally transmitting a first signal, an area covered by the first signal defining a beacon signal area (13), and the robot (12) comprising a beacon signal receiving module corresponding to the beacon signal transmission module, characterized in that,

when the robot (12) enters the beacon signal area (13) and the beacon signal receiving module detects the first signal, the robot (12) advances towards or away from the direction of the beacon (11) until it detects a second signal, and then the robot (12) crosses over or exits from the beacon signal area (13), the second signal being generated when the robot (12) walks for a certain distance or when the robot (12) detects an obstacle.