Methods for real-time and near real-time interactions with robots that service a facility

• US 8,892,256 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2009
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seegrid Corporation
• Original Assignee: Seegrid Corporation
• Inventors: Friedman, Scott Justin-Marl, Moravec, Hans Peter, Weiss, Mitchell
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards, Jerrah
• Application Number:
  US12/361,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20090198380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,120 Days
• Field of Search: 700/345, 700/250, 700/253, 700/255, 700/257, 700/258, 700/259, 701/23, 701 25- 28, 901/1, 318/568.12
• US Class Current: 700/255
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/009 Details of suction cleaner tools for additional purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2836 characterised by the parts which are controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2852 Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/086 Proximity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/00 Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages B25J1/00 takes precedence; programme-controlled manipulators B25J9/00 ; vehicle aspects B60, B62, e.g. remote-controlled steering for motor vehicles B62D1/24; control of position of vehicles G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0231 using optical position detecting means position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16

Abstract

In accordance with aspects of the present invention, a service robot and methods for controlling such a robot are provided. In particular, the robot is configured to sense the presence of a person and to take a next action in response to sensing the presence of the person. As examples, the robot could leave the area, await commands from the person, or enter an idle or sleep state or mode until the person leaves.

Claims

1. A method of servicing a facility with a robot that detects a living being, the method comprising:

navigating the robot to a first area within an environment using automatic self-control by the robot;

automatically commencing a first service of a first room by the robot;

sensing a living being in the first room by the robot while providing the first service; and

performing at least one form of service pause of the first service in response to sensor data received from the sensing, the at least one form of service pause including the robot self-navigating to a second area, outside of the first room, to perform a second service of the second area and then returning to the first room to restart the first service of the first room.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one form of service pause further includes stopping performance of the first service when the robot senses a proximity of a person.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the stopping of the performance of the first service further includes sensing a proximity of the person, determining a location that is least disturbing to the person, and actively moving to the location.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the location is away from the person.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the location is nearer the person.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the person is in the first room and the location is out of the first room.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising the robot recording in memory the service pause, including recording the robot'"'"'s current location.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising restarting the first service in the first room once the sensor data indicates the person has left the first room.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the robot responding to a gesture or verbal command from a person in a room in which the robot is present.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing further includes using one or more of light sensing, acoustic sensing, visual sensing, motion detection, heat sensing, and electromagnetic sensing.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing is performed by one or more sensors attached to the robot.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing is performed by one or more sensors in the environment.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the robot is a robotic vacuum cleaner.

14. A service robot configured to detect the presence of a living being, the service robot comprising:

a platform supporting a servicing subsystem;

the servicing subsystem coupled to a drive mechanism and configured to navigate the platform to a first room within an environment and to commence a first service of the first room; and

one or more sensors configured to sense a person in the first room during the first service;

wherein the servicing subsystem controls the service robot to perform at least one form of service pause in response to sensor data received from the one or more sensors, the at least one form of service pause including the service robot self-navigating to a second area, outside of the first room, to perform a second service of the second area and then returning to the first room to restart the first service of the first room.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the servicing subsystem is further configured to cause a stoppage in the first service, as a form of service pause, when the service robot senses a proximity of a person.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the servicing subsystem is further configured, as part of the stoppage in the first service, to determine a location that is least disturbing to the person, and automatically move the service robot to the location.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the location is away from the person.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the location is nearer the person.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the person is in the first room and the location is out of the first room.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the service robot is configured to record in a memory the service pause, including recordation of the service robot'"'"'s current location.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the servicing subsystem is further configured to restart the first service in the first room once the sensor data indicates the person has left the first room.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the service robot is configured to respond to a gesture or verbal command from a person in a room in which the service robot is present.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more sensors includes light sensors, and/or acoustic sensors, and/or visual sensing, and/or motion detection, and/or heat sensing, and/or electromagnetic sensors.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein the service robot is a robotic vacuum cleaner.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein one or more of the sensors are attached to the service robot.

26. The system of claim 14, wherein one or more of the sensors are attached to the environment.

27. A service robot configured to detect the presence of a living being, the service robot comprising:

a platform supporting a servicing subsystem;

the servicing subsystem coupled to a drive mechanism and configured to navigate the platform to a first room within an environment; and

a communication system configured to communicate with one or more sensors installed in the environment that are configured to sense a person in the first room during performance of a first service of the first room;

wherein the servicing subsystem controls the service robot to perform at least one form of service pause in response to sensor data received from the one or more sensors, the at least one form of service pause including the service robot self-navigating to a second area, outside of the first room, to perform a second service of the second area and then returning to the first room to restart the first service of the first room.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the servicing subsystem is further configured to cause a stoppage in the first service, as a form of service pause, when the service robot senses a proximity of a person.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the servicing subsystem is further configured, as part of the work stoppage in the first service, to determine a location that is least disturbing to the person, and automatically move the service robot to the location.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the location is away from the person.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the location is nearer the person.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the person is in the first room and the location is out of the first room.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein the service robot is configured to record in a memory the service pause, including recordation of the service robot'"'"'s current location.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the servicing subsystem is further configured to restart the first service in the first room once the sensor data indicates the person has left the first room.

35. The system of claim 27, wherein the service robot is configured to respond to a gesture or verbal command from a person in a room in which the service robot is present.

36. The system of claim 27, wherein the one or more sensors includes one or more light sensors, acoustic sensors, visual sensors, motion detection sensors, heat sensors, and electromagnetic sensors.

37. The system of claim 27, wherein the service robot is a robotic vacuum cleaner.