Robot Confinement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017097641-A1
Application number	US-201615379835-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 15, 2016
Priority date	Jan 24, 2001
Publication date	Apr 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of confining a robot in a work space includes providing a portable barrier signal transmitting device including a primary emitter emitting a confinement beam primarily along an axis defining a directed barrier. A mobile robot including a detector, a drive motor and a control unit controlling the drive motor is caused to avoid the directed barrier upon detection by the detector on the robot. The detector on the robot has an omnidirectional field of view parallel to the plane of movement of the robot. The detector receives confinement light beams substantially in a plane at the height of the field of view while blocking or rejecting confinement light beams substantially above or substantially below the plane at the height of the field of view.

First claim

1 - 12 . (canceled)

13 . A robot system comprising:
a portable barrier signal device comprising an emitter configured to emit an optical confinement signal primarily along an axis forming a directed barrier; and a mobile robot comprising
at least two wheels,
two motors, each motor being configured to a wheel of the at least two wheels for moving the mobile robot on a surface,
a cleaner configured to clean the surface as the mobile robot moves on the surface,
a detector configured to detect the directed barrier formed by the emitted optical confinement signal, and
a control unit configured to
determine whether the detector detects the directed barrier, and,
upon determining that the detector detects the directed barrier, initiate one or more operations such that the robot avoids the directed barrier.

14 . The robot confinement system of claim 13 , wherein the control unit is configured to,
upon determining that the detector detects the directed barrier, initiate one or more motor operations to turn the robot until the directed barrier is undetectable by the detector, and initiate one or more motor operations to turn the robot in a chosen direction at least a predetermined amount after the directed barrier becomes undetectable by the detector.

15 . The robot confinement system of claim 13 , wherein the control unit is configured to, upon determining that the detector detects the directed barrier, initiate one or more motor operations to reverse a direction of travel of the robot.

16 . The robot confinement system of claim 13 , wherein the control unit is configured to, upon determining that the detector detects the directed barrier, initiate one or more motor operations to turn the robot away from the directed barrier.

17 . The robot confinement system of claim 13 , the control unit is configured to, upon determining that the detector detects the directed barrier, initiate one or more motor operations to alternately approach and avoid the directed barrier.

18 . The robot confinement system of claim 13 , wherein the control unit is configured to, upon determining that the detector detects the directed barrier, initiate one or more motor operations to turn the robot until the directed barrier is undetectable by the detector.

19 . The robot confinement system of claim 13 , wherein the control unit is configured to, upon determining that the detector detects the directed barrier, initiate one or more motor operations to turn the robot in one direction at least twice before a final turning direction is chosen randomly.

20 . The robot confinement system of claim 13 , wherein the control unit is configured to initiate one or more motor operations based upon detecting gradient levels of the directed barrier at a plurality of orientations.

21 . The robot confinement system of claim 20 , wherein the control unit is configured to initiate one or more motor operations to turn in a chosen direction corresponding to an orientation of a minimum gradient level of the gradient levels.

22 . The robot confinement system of claim 13 , wherein:
the emitter of the portable barrier signal device is configured to emit a collimated optical confinement signal to form the directed barrier, and the portable barrier signal device further comprises another emitter configured to emit an omnidirectional optical signal, and the robot comprises another detector to detect the omnidirectional optical signal, and the control unit is configured to
determine whether the other detector detects the omnidirectional optical signal, and,
upon determining that the other detector detects the omnidirectional optical signal, initiate one or more motor operations such that the robot avoids the directed barrier.

23 . The robot confinement system of claim 22 , wherein the portable barrier signal device further comprises an optical detector configured to detect a reflected portion of the emitted optical confinement signal, wherein the emitter of the portable barrier signal device is configured to emit another optical confinement signal upon failure of the optical detector to detect the emitted optical confinement signal.

24 . The robot confinement system of claim 13 , wherein:
the detector having an omnidirectional field of view such that the detector detects the directed barrier regardless of an orientation of the robot relative to the axis defining the directed barrier, and the control unit is configured to initiate one or more motor operations to move the robot until the optical confinement signal is undetectable by the detector.

25 . The robot confinement system of claim 24 , wherein:
the detector is configured to receive the optical confinement signal along a plane parallel to the surface and at a height of the omnidirectional field of view, and the mobile robot includes an optical blocking device to block or reject optical signals substantially above or substantially below a plane at a height of the omnidirectional field of view.

26 . The robot confinement system of claim 25 , wherein the control unit is configured to initiate one or more motor operations to turn the robot, upon the optical confinement signal becoming undetectable, by an amount to prevent the robot from re-encountering the optical confinement signal.

27 . The robot confinement system of claim 13 , wherein the control unit is configured to control initiate one or more motor operations to cause the robot to follow an obstacle defined by the directed barrier by keeping the directed barrier to one side of the robot.

28 . The robot confinement system of claim 13 , wherein the control unit is configured to initiate one or more motor operations to turn the robot successively in one direction, then in a randomly determined direction.

29 . The robot confinement system of claim 13 , wherein the control unit is configured to initiate one or more motor operations to rotate the robot until the optical confinement signal is undetectable by the detector.

30 . The robot confinement system of claim 13 , wherein the control unit is configured to initiate one or more motor operations to move the robot away from the optical confinement signal over a predetermined distance or for a predetermined time.

31 . The robot confinement system of claim 13 , wherein:
the directed barrier formed by the emitted optical confinement signal emitted by the emitter is an infrared signal, and the control unit is configured to initiate one or more motor operations such that the robot avoids the directed barrier when the detector detects a detectable infrared radiation level.

32 . The robot confinement system of claim 31 , wherein the control unit is configured to initiate one or more motor operations to cause the robot to rotate until the infrared signal is undetectable by the detector.

33 . The robot confinement system of claim 32 , wherein the control unit is configured to initiate one or more motor operations to turn the robot an additional distance upon the infrared signal becoming undetectable.

Assignees

• Irobot Corp

Inventors

• Jones Joseph L
• Mass Philip R

Classifications

• G05D1/0234

  using optical markers or beacons (optical beacons per se G01S1/70) · CPC title

• G05D1/0272

  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 title

• G05D1/0242

  using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals · CPC title

• A47L9/009 Primary

  Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles · CPC title

• G05D1/028 Primary

  using a RF signal · CPC title