Area coverage with an autonomous robot

• US 7,349,759 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mtd Products Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: F Robotics Acquisitions Ltd. (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Abramson, Shai, Peleg, Ilan, Peless, Ehud, Friedman, Ronen
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc; McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US11/644,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20070150109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700253-255, 700/258, 700/262, 318/250, 318/581, 318/587, 318/568.12, 701/1, 701/50, 701/213
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• 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 1/0236 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0261 using magnetic plots
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0265 using buried wires
• 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

Abstract

A robotic system for systematically moving about an area to be covered. The system includes at least one boundary marker (48) located along the outer edge of the area to be covered, a robot (40) with a navigation system (41) that navigates the robot (40) in generally straight, parallel lines from an initial location and turns the robot (40) when the robot (40) encounters one of the boundary markers (48), thereby to systematically move about the area to be covered. The sensor unit (43) senses proximity to one of the at least one boundary marker (48).

Claims

1. A robot comprising:

a movement system for moving the robot over a surface;

at least one obstacle detection sensor; and

,

a unit in communication with the movement system and the at least one obstacle detection sensor, the unit configured for causing the movement system to move the robot in accordance with a first scanning pattern, and move the robot in accordance with a second scanning pattern while following an obstacle along a path corresponding to at least a portion of the periphery of the obstacle in response to the at least one obstacle detection sensor detecting the obstacle.

2. The robot of claim 1, wherein the first scanning pattern is the same as the second scanning pattern.

3. The robot of claim 1, wherein the first scanning pattern is different from the second scanning pattern.

4. The robot of claim 2, wherein the first scanning pattern and the second scanning pattern include the robot traveling in substantially straight parallel lines.

5. The robot of claim 4, wherein the substantially straight parallel lines are substantially free of repetition.

6. A robot comprising:

a movement system for moving the robot over a surface;

at least one obstacle detection sensor; and

,

a unit in communication with the movement system and the at least one obstacle detection sensor, the unit configured for causing the movement system to move the robot in accordance with a predetermined scanning pattern, while following an obstacle along a path corresponding to at least a portion of the periphery of the obstacle in response to the at least one obstacle detection sensor detecting the obstacle.

7. The robot of claim 6, wherein the predetermined scanning pattern includes the robot traveling in substantially straight parallel lines.

8. The robot of claim 7, wherein the substantially straight parallel lines are substantially free of repetition.