# US 2021/0276441 A1 · A computerized system for guiding a mobile robot to a docking station and a method of using same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0276441 A1 - Document ID: US20210276441A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/049,586 - Filed: 2019-06-23 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-28 - Applicants: Indoor Robotics Ltd. - Inventors: DORON BEN-DAVID; AMIT MORAN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210276441A1 ## CPC - B60L 53/36: by positioning the vehicle - A47L 9/2805: {Parameters or conditions being sensed} - A47L 9/2852: {Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles} - A47L 9/2873: {Docking units or charging stations (for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02)} - A47L 9/2894: {Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners} - A47L 11/4011: {Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor} - G05D 1/0225: {involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay (parking aids B62D15/027)} - G05D 1/0246: {using a video camera in combination with image processing means} - G05D 1/0282: {generated in a local control room} - A47L 2201/02: Docking stations; Docking operations - A47L 2201/022: Recharging of batteries - A47L 2201/04: Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection - B60L 2240/62: Vehicle position - B60L 2260/32: Auto pilot mode - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility - Y02T 90/12: Electric charging stations - Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract The claimed subject matter discloses a method for guiding a mobile robot moving in an area to a docking station, the method comprising determining that the mobile robot is required to move to the docking station, the docking station obtaining a location and/or position of the mobile robot, upon detection of the mobile robots location in the area, calculating a navigation path from the mobile robots location to the docking station, the mobile robot moving towards the docking station in accordance to the calculated navigation path, identifying that the mobile robot is within a predefined distance from said docking station; and generating docking commands to the mobile robot when located within the predefined distance from said docking station until the mobile robot docks into the docking station. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for guiding a mobile robot moving in an area to a docking station, the method comprising: determining that the mobile robot is required to move to the docking station; the docking station obtaining a location and/or position of the mobile robot; upon detection of the mobile robot's location in the area, calculating a navigation path from the mobile robot's location to the docking station; the mobile robot moving towards the docking station in accordance to the calculated navigation path; identifying that the mobile robot is within a predefined distance from said docking station; and generating docking commands to the mobile robot when located within the predefined distance from said docking station until the mobile robot docks into the docking station. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprises transmitting the calculated path to the mobile robot. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors are movable in the area, wherein the one or more sensors receive a command to locate the mobile robot inside the area, the one or more sensors moving in the area until locating the mobile robot. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that the mobile robot is required to move to the docking station is performed according to charging properties of the mobile robot. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein calculation of the navigation path is performed by a remote server communicating with the docking station. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the mobile robot within predefined distance from said docking station is performed according to images captured by a sensor module of the docking station. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the mobile robot within predefined distance from said docking station is performed according to images captured by a sensor module of the mobile robot. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising switching the mobile robot to an accurate command mode, in which the mobile robot only moves in response to specific commands from the docking station. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the docking station receiving signals from multiple mobile robots, at least one of the multiple mobile robots exchanges signals with the mobile robot or captures an image of the mobile robot, and further comprising calculating the mobile robot's location according to the signals received from multiple mobile robots. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the docking station receiving data collected by sensors located on the mobile robot, and further comprising calculating the mobile robot's location according to the data collected by sensors located on the mobile robot. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the docking station receives a position of the mobile robot and calculates the navigation path according to the mobile robot's location combined with the mobile robot's position. ### Claim at position 12 12-16. (canceled) ### Claim 17 A docking system for guiding a mobile robot moving in an area to a docking station, the docking station comprises: a docking station, comprising at least one charging unit, a communication module configured to exchange data with said mobile robot; and a controller module comprising a processor, a memory and a sensor module comprising one or more sensors; wherein the sensor module is configured to track the mobile robot in the area once the mobile robot is required to move towards the docking station; wherein the sensor module indicates to the docking station when the mobile robot is located within a predetermined distance from the docking station, and wherein the docking station is configured to provide docking instructions to the mobile robot for connecting the mobile robot to the at least one charging unit. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The docking system of claim 17, wherein the sensor module is further configured to calculate a recharge navigation path and send the recharge navigation path to said mobile robot. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The docking system of claim 17, wherein the controller module is configured to generate commands for docking the mobile robot to the docking station when the mobile robot is within a predefined distance from the docking station. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The docking system of claim 17, wherein at least one sensor of the sensor module is movable in response to a command from the docking station. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The docking system of claim 17, further comprising a secondary sensor module located in the area, remotely from the docking station, communicatively coupled with the docking station, wherein the docking station is configured to calculate the mobile robot's location according to information received from the secondary sensor module. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The docking system of claim 17, wherein the mobile robot is an autonomous vehicle and the area is a charging station.