Robotic vacuum with removable portable vacuum and semi-automated environment mapping

A self-propelled robotic vacuum (10), including:

• a self-propelled controller (12), including:
• a vacuum source (36, 38);
• a dirt receptacle (32) in fluidic communication with the vacuum source;
• a controller processor (74) providing mapping, localization, planning, and master control functions;
• a power cord dispense/retract assembly (172) for connection to a standard utility power receptacle;
• and
• a power distribution (70) for distributing power from the power cord dispense/retract assembly;
• a self-propelled cleaning head (14) in communication with the controller, including;
• a suction inlet (24) in fluidic communication with the dirt receptacle;
• and
• a cleaning processor (90) providing slave control functions;
• and
• an interconnecting hose (16) connecting the cleaning head to the controller and providing a suction airflow path from the suction inlet to the dirt receptacle;
• wherein the controller and cleaning head cooperatively traverse a surface area in tandem when the interconnecting hose is connected between the cleaning head and the controller.

A method of semi-automated environment mapping in a self-propelled robotic vacuum (10), the robotic vacuum including a self-propelled controller (12), a self-propelled cleaning head (14) in communication with the controller, and a hose (16) providing an airflow path from the cleaning head to the controller, a remote control (18) in operative communication with the controller, wherein the controller and cleaning head cooperatively traverse a surface area in tandem when the hose is connected between the cleaning head and the controller, the method including the steps:

• a) driving the robotic vacuum across a surface area of an environment to be mapped using the remote control;
• b) detecting characteristics of the environment, including existing obstacles, using localization sensors (78);
• c) mapping the environment from the detected characteristics and storing an environment map in a controller processor (74);
• and
• d) determining a route for the robotic vacuum to traverse in order to clean the surface area based on the environment map.

An autonomous robotic vacuum (10), including:

• a self-propelled controller (12) providing mapping, localization, planning, and master control functions, including:
• a transport module (22);
• and
• a portable vacuum (20) removably secured to the transport module, the portable vacuum;
• a self-propelled cleaning head (14) in communication with the controller;
• and
• an interconnecting hose (16) connecting the cleaning head to the controller and providing a suction airflow path from the cleaning head to the controller;
• wherein the controller and cleaning head cooperatively traverse a surface area in tandem when the interconnecting hose is connected between the cleaning head and the controller.