Celestial navigation system for an autonomous vehicle

• US 9,529,363 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2015
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Chiappetta, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Amin, Bhavesh V
• Application Number:
  US14/966,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20160109884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/022 Recharging of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/06 Control of the cleaning action for autonomous devices; Automatic detection of the surface condition before, during or after cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2826 the condition of the floor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2836 characterised by the parts which are controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot

Abstract

A navigation control system for an autonomous vehicle comprises a transmitter and an autonomous vehicle. The transmitter comprises an emitter for emitting at least one signal, a power source for powering the emitter, a device for capturing wireless energy to charge the power source, and a printed circuit board for converting the captured wireless energy to a form for charging the power source. The autonomous vehicle operates within a working area and comprises a receiver for detecting the at least one signal emitted by the emitter, and a processor for determining a relative location of the autonomous vehicle within the working area based on the signal emitted by the emitter.

Claims

1. An autonomous robotic cleaning device comprising:

a robot body;

a drive supporting the robot body above a floor surface within a room and configured to maneuver the robot body across the floor surface;

a cleaning apparatus to clean the floor surface;

an upward-angled camera positioned on a top of the robot body and directed at least partially away from a ceiling of the room to capture visible points on wall surfaces within the room; and

a processor configured to

navigate the autonomous robotic cleaning device about the room based on a location of the autonomous robotic cleaning device relative to the points,

create a map of the room using the points while navigating the autonomous robotic cleaning device about the room to perform a cleaning operation, and

transmit data indicating how much of the cleaning operation has been completed, the data comprising data to cause a user display device to display a floor plan of the room indicating portions of the floor surface that the autonomous robotic cleaning device has traversed and portions of the floor surface that the autonomous robotic cleaning device has not traversed.

2. The autonomous robotic cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the camera is configured to capture visible points in a direction of travel of the autonomous robotic cleaning device.

3. The autonomous robotic cleaning device of claim 1, further comprising a sensor to detect obstacles within the room, wherein the processor is configured to

indicate, on the map, an entrapment area based on an output from the sensors while navigating the autonomous robotic cleaning device during a first cleaning run, and then

control the autonomous robotic cleaning device using the map to avoid the entrapment area during a second cleaning run.

4. The autonomous robotic cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to

assign a name to the room and another name to another room based on signals indicative of user registrations of the name and the other name,

determine an order to clean the room and the other room based on signals indicative of a user selection of the name and the other name, and

control the autonomous robotic cleaning device to clean the room and the other room in accordance to the order.

5. The autonomous robotic cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to navigate the autonomous robotic cleaning device to a charging station based on detection of the points.

6. The autonomous robotic cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to adjust a cleaning behavior of the autonomous robotic cleaning device in response to a signal indicative of a floor type of the floor surface.

7. The autonomous robotic cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the room is separated from another room by a doorway, the camera is configured to capture visible points corresponding to the doorway, and the processor is configured to

determine that the autonomous robotic cleaning device is at the doorway based on the points corresponding to the doorway, and then

adjust a cleaning behavior of the autonomous robotic cleaning device.

8. The autonomous robotic cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the room is adjoined to another room, the camera is configured to capture points on a wall surface of the room and points on a wall surface of the other room, and the processor is configured to

determine that the autonomous robotic cleaning device is within the room if the camera captures the points in the room, and

determine that the autonomous robotic cleaning device is within the other room if the camera captures the points in the other room.

9. The autonomous robotic cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to initiate a cleaning run at a predefined time in accordance to a user selected schedule.

10. The autonomous robotic cleaning device of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to receive the user selected schedule from the user display device.

11. A method for operating an autonomous robotic cleaning device, the method comprising:

capturing visible points on wall surfaces of a room using an upward-angled camera of the autonomous robotic cleaning device, the upward-angled camera of the autonomous robotic cleaning device being angled at least partially away from a ceiling of the room; and

navigating the autonomous robotic cleaning device within the room while localizing the autonomous robotic cleaning device with respect to the points and while cleaning a floor surface of the room;

creating a map of the room using the points while navigating the autonomous robotic cleaning device about the room; and

transmitting data indicating how much of a cleaning operation has been completed, the data comprising data to cause a user display device to display a floor plan of the room indicating portions of the floor surface that the autonomous robotic cleaning device has traversed and portions of the floor surface that the autonomous robotic cleaning device has not traversed.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein capturing the points on the wall surfaces of the room comprises capturing the points in a direction of travel of the autonomous robotic cleaning device.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

indicating, on the map, an entrapment area based on receiving an output from an obstacle detection sensor while navigating the autonomous robotic cleaning device during a first cleaning run, and then

controlling the autonomous robotic cleaning device using the map to avoid the entrapment area during a second cleaning run.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

assigning a name to the room and another name to another room based on signals indicative of user registrations of the names, and

determining an order to clean the room and the other room based on signals indicative of a user selection of the name and the other name, and

controlling the autonomous robotic cleaning device to clean the room and the other room in accordance to the order.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising navigating the autonomous robotic cleaning device to a charging station based on capturing the points.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising adjusting a cleaning behavior of the autonomous robotic cleaning device in response to a signal indicative of a floor type of the floor surface.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the room is separated from another room by a doorway, and the method further comprises:

localizing the autonomous robotic cleaning device based on capturing visible points corresponding to a door frame or window using the upward-angled camera; and

then

adjusting a cleaning behavior of the autonomous robotic cleaning device.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the room is adjoined to another room, and the method further comprises:

determining that the autonomous robotic cleaning device is within the room upon capturing, using the upward-angled camera, points on a wall surface of the room, and

determining that the autonomous robotic cleaning device is within the other room upon capturing, using the upward-angled camera, points on a wall surface of the other room.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising initiating a cleaning run at a predefined time in accordance to a user selected schedule.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising receiving the user selected schedule from the user display device.