Navigation method and system for autonomous machines with markers defining the working area

• US 6,984,952 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2004
• Issued: 01/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: F Robotics Acquisitions Ltd. (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: F Robotics Acquisitions Ltd. (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Peless, Ehud, Abramson, Shai, Dror, Gideon
• Primary Examiner(s): Masih, Karen
• Application Number:
  US10/913,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20050007057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 318/580, 318/587, 318/568.12, 318/568.16, 318/568.17, 364/424.02, 700/245
• US Class Current: 318/580
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/00 Measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, persons, animals or other moving solid bodies, e.g. using odometers, using pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• 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 1/0261 using magnetic plots
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0263 using magnetic strips
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0265 using buried wires
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

A method for automatically operating a robot, attached to a lawnmower or other unmanned machine, within an enclosed area is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: 1) providing the following elements: a proximity sensor positioned on the robot, a boundary along the perimeter of the working area and along the perimeter of each area enclosed in the working area in which the robot should not operate, the boundaries being detectable by the proximity sensor, a processing unit connected to the proximity sensor and receiving an input therefrom, a navigation unit on the robot to determine the coordinates of the robot relative to an arbitrary origin, a direction finder, and a memory to store values generated by the processing unit; and 2) causing the robot to move along each of the boundaries provided around or within the working area, to detect the boundaries and to memorize their shape, and to store in the memory values representative of the coordinates of the boundaries, thereby to generate a basic map of the working area. When the robot is to operate within the area, the method includes the steps of: (a) causing the robot to start from a starting point having known coordinates within the basic map of the working area; (b) continuously determining the coordinates of the robot by analyzing data obtained from the navigation unit and by detecting the vicinity of a boundary; and (c) correcting the actual position of the robot on the basic map by comparing the calculated and the actual coordinates of each detected boundary.

Claims

1. A method for operating a robot comprising the steps of:

defining a working area for said robot by providing a first boundary;

operating said robot in a mapping mode within said working area, to create a map of said working area;

operating said robot substantially continuously within said working area in a working mode, to work in accordance with said map by working at least a plurality of portions of said working area; and

registering each portion of said plurality of portions of said working area on said map upon working each of said portions, such that said robot operates to work said working area substantially free of repetition.

2. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

dividing said working area into at least one non-working area, by providing at least one second boundary around said at least one non-working area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said working mode includes lawnmowing.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said working mode includes lawnmowing.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said working mode is selected from the group consisting of floor cleaning, floor polishing, and vacuum cleaning.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said working mode is selected from the group consisting of floor cleaning, floor polishing, and vacuum cleaning.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said portions of said working area include segments.

8. A method of operating a robot comprising the steps of:

defining a working area for said robot by providing a first boundary;

operating said robot in a mapping mode within said working area, to create a map of said working area;

operating said robot substantially continuously within said working area in a working mode, to work in accordance with said map by working in at least one substantially continuous segment; and

registering each portion of said at least one substantially continuous segment on said map upon working each portion, such that said robot operates to work said working area substantially free of repetition.

9. The method of claim 8, additionally comprising:

dividing said working area into at least one non-working area, by providing at least one second boundary around said at least one non-working area.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said working mode includes lawnmowing.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said working mode includes lawnmowing.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said working mode is selected from the group consisting of floor cleaning, floor polishing, and vacuum cleaning.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said working mode is selected from the group consisting of floor cleaning, floor polishing, and vacuum cleaning.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein said at least one substantially continuous segment is substantially linear.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein said at least one substantially continuous segment is curved.

16. A method for operating a robot comprising the steps of:

providing said robot with memory means;

defining a working area for said robot by providing a first boundary;

operating said robot substantially continuously within said working area in a working mode by working at least a plurality of portions of said working area; and

registering the locations of said portions of said working area where said robot operated in said memory means, such that said robot operates within said working area substantially free of repetition of each of said portions of said plurality of portions after each of said portions has been worked by said robot.

17. The method of claim 16, additionally comprising:

dividing said working area into at least one non-working area, by providing at least one second boundary around said at least one non-working area.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said working mode includes lawnmowing.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said working mode includes lawnmowing.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said working mode is selected from the group consisting of floor cleaning, floor polishing, and vacuum cleaning.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein said working mode is selected from the group consisting of floor cleaning, floor polishing, and vacuum cleaning.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein said portions include segments.

23. A method for operating a robot comprising the steps of:

providing said robot with memory means;

defining a working area for said robot by providing a first boundary;

operating said robot substantially continuously within said working area in a working mode by working in a plurality of portions at least one substantially continuous segment; and

registering the locations of said portions of said at least one substantially continuous segment where said robot operated in said memory means, such that said robot operates within said working area substantially free of repetition of each worked portion of said at least one substantially continuous segment.

24. The method of claim 23, additionally comprising:

dividing said working area into at least one non-working area, by providing at least one second boundary around said at least one non-working area.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said working mode includes lawnmowing.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein said working mode includes lawnmowing.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein said working mode is selected from the group consisting of floor cleaning, floor polishing, and vacuum cleaning.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein said working mode is selected from the group consisting of floor cleaning, floor polishing, and vacuum cleaning.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein said at least one substantially continuous segment is substantially linear.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein said at least one substantially continuous segment is curved.