Mobile robot charge station return system

• US 7,615,957 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2006
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Sang-yun, Kim, Young-gie
• Primary Examiner(s): Duda; Rina I
• Application Number:
  US11/553,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20070096675A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 318/568.11, 318/568.12, 318/568.16, 318/626, 318/632
• US Class Current: 318/568.12
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed is a mobile robot charge station return system, which may return a mobile robot to a charge station exactly and rapidly according to a charge station position guidance signal emitted from the charge station. The mobile robot charge station return system includes a charge station for transmitting charge station position guidance signals to different areas in such a way that different emitting distances of the charge station position guidance signals change according to a predetermined time period; and a mobile robot for receiving the charge station position guidance signals, calculating direction and distance information, and returning to the charge station according to the calculated direction and distance information.

Claims

1. A mobile robot charge station return system comprising:

a charge station for transmitting charge station position guidance signals to different areas in such a way that different emitting distances of the charge station position guidance signals change according to a predetermined time period; and

a mobile robot for receiving the charge station position guidance signals, calculating direction and distance information, and returning to the charge station according to the calculated direction and distance information,

wherein the charge station includes;

a guidance signal transmitter including a plurality of infrared light emitting sections formed at a front of the charge station for transmitting the charge station position guidance signals to different areas, and a drive power control circuit for adjusting an amplitude of a drive power applied to the infrared light emitting sections; and

a controller for outputting a control signal to control the amplitude of the drive power with a predetermined period, and

wherein the drive power control circuit includes;

first resistors connected to one terminal of the infrared light emitting sections, which is connected to a power supply in a forward direction;

second resistors having one terminal connected to an output terminal of the controller; and

a transistor having a collector, an emitter and a base, the collector connected to another terminal of the first resistor, the emitter connected to a ground, and the base connected to another terminal of the second resistor.

2. The mobile robot charge station return system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two drive power control circuits are connected to the infrared light emitting section, and the first resistors connected to the infrared light emitting section having different resistances.

3. The mobile robot charge station return system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the smaller a resistance of the first resistor is, the farther the charge station position guide signal is transmitted.

4. The mobile robot charge station return system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile robot includes:

a traveling means for traveling the mobile robot;

a signal receiver for receiving the charge station position guidance signals outputted from the charge station; and

a microcomputer for calculating direction and distance information of the charge station using the charge station position guidance signals from the signal receiver, and for outputting a control signal to a traveling means to return the mobile robot to the charge station.

5. The mobile robot charge station return system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the microcomputer includes:

a traveling control section for controlling a drive of the traveling means;

a direction calculator for calculating direction information of the charge station based on the charge station position guidance signals outputted from the signal receiver;

a distance calculator for calculating distance information between the mobile robot and the charge station based on the charge station position guidance signals;

a charge station return processor for outputting a control signal to the traveling control section using the direction and distance information of the charge station so that the mobile robot returns to the charge station.

6. The mobile robot charge station return system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the direction calculator analyzes frequencies of the charging section position signals received by the signal receiver and judges the position of the cleaning robot relative to the charging section based on the analyzed result.

7. The mobile robot charge station return system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the distance calculator calculates a distance between the mobile robot and the charge station according to reception or non-reception of the charge station position guidance signals having different emitting distances.

8. The mobile robot charge station return system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the charge station return processor outputs a control signal to drive a signal receiver for receiving the charge station position guidance signals according to a battery charge request.

9. The mobile robot charge station return system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile robot is a cleaning robot.

10. A mobile robot charge station return system comprising:

a charge station for outputting charge station position guidance signals having different transmitting distances by adjusting an amplitude of a drive power applied to a plurality of infrared light emitting sections for transmitting charge station position guidance signals having different frequencies; and

a mobile robot for calculating direction information of the charge station using the frequencies of the charge station position guidance signals, calculating distance information with the charge station according to reception or non-reception of the charge station position guidance signals having different transmitting distances, and returning to the charge station according to the calculated direction and distance information,

wherein the charge station includes;

a drive power control circuit for controlling an amplitude of a drive power applied to the infrared light emitting sections,

the drive power control circuit including;

first resistors connected to one terminal of the infrared light emitting sections, which is connected to a power supply in a forward direction;

second resistors having one terminal connected to an output terminal of the controller; and

a transistor having a collector, an emitter and a base, the collector connected to another terminal of the first resistor, the emitter connected to a ground, and the base connected to another terminal of the second resistor.

11. The mobile robot charge station return system as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least two drive power control circuits are connected to the infrared light emitting section, and the first resistors connected to the infrared light emitting section having different resistances.

12. The mobile robot charge station return system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the smaller a resistance of the first resistor is, the farther the charge station position guide signal is transmitted.

13. The mobile robot charge station return system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the mobile robot receives the charge station position guidance signals and calculates direction and distance information of the charge station.

14. The mobile robot charge station return system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the mobile robot is a cleaning robot.