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US 8,634,958 B1Granted
Celestial navigation system for an autonomous robot
AssigneeiRobot Corporation
InventorsMark J. Chiappetta, James Paul Frankel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An autonomous robot system including a transmitter disposed within a working area and a mobile robot operating within the working area. The transmitter includes an emitter for emitting at least one signal onto a remote surface above the working area. The mobile robot includes a robot body, a drive system configured to maneuver the robot over a surface within the working area, and a navigation system in communication with the drive system. The navigation system includes a receiver responsive to the emitted signal as reflected off of the remote surface and a processor connected to the receiver and configured to determine a relative location of the robot within the working area based on input from the receiver.
Claims30
An autonomous robot system, comprising:
- a transmitter disposed within a working area and comprising first and second emitters for emitting respective first and second signals to reflect as first and second reflected signals modulated differently from one another and reflecting at spaced apart positions upon a remote surface above the working area;
- and
- a mobile robot, comprising:
- drive components that move the robot within the working area, and
- a receiver installed at a top surface of the mobile robot, the receiver including a plurality of independent photodiodes arranged to face in different directions and each responsive to the first and second reflected signals from a remote surface above the working area, and
- a processor connected to the receiver and configured to determine a first angle associated with the first reflected signal, by comparing signals from the plurality of independent photodiodes in response to the first reflected signal, to determine a second angle associated with the second reflected signal, by comparing signals from the plurality of independent photodiodes in response to the second reflected signal, and determine a location of the robot within the working area relative to the reflected signals, based on at least the first and second determined angles,
- wherein the plurality of independent photodiodes are angularly spaced to face in different directions about the receiver so as to detect one or both of the reflected signals in various positions within the working area.
4 more elements
A navigational control system comprising:
- a transmitter disposed within a working area and comprising a stationary emitter configured to direct first and second signals, modulated to be different from one another, onto a remote surface above the working area, such that the first and second signals are reflected from spaced apart positions on the remote surface;
- and
- a mobile robot operating with the working area, the mobile robot comprising a receiving subsystem comprising:
- a receiver installed at a top surface of the mobile robot and directed generally upward, the receiver including a plurality of discrete photodiodes arranged to face in different directions and configured to generate respective response signals responsive to the reflected signals;
- and
- a processor connected to the receiver and configured to determine a first angle associated with the first reflected signal, from relative amplitudes of the response signals from the photodiodes in response to the first signal as reflected off of the remote surface, to determine a second angle associated with the second reflected signal, from relative amplitudes of the response signals from the photodiodes in response to the second signal as reflected off of the remote surface, and to determine a location of the robot within the working area relative to the reflected signals, based on at least the first and second determined angles;
- wherein the photodiodes are angularly spaced to face in different directions about the receiver so as to detect one or both of the reflected signals in various positions within the working area.
4 more elements
A method of control for a mobile robot operating within a working area, the method comprising:
- transmitting directed first and second signals, modulated to be different from one another, onto a remote surface above the working area, such that the first and second signals are reflected from spaced apart positions on the remote surface;
- detecting the first and second signals as reflected off of the remote surface using an upwardly directed receiver of the mobile robot, the receiver including a plurality of discrete photodiodes arranged to face in different directions and configured to generate respective response signals responsive to the reflected signals;
- determining a first angle associated with the first reflected signal, from relative amplitudes of the response signals from the photodiodes in response to the first signal as reflected off of the remote surface;
- determining a second angle associated with the second reflected signal, from relative amplitudes of the response signals from the photodiodes in response to the second signal as reflected off of the remote surface;
- and
- determining a location of the robot in the working area relative to the reflected signals, based on at least the first and second determined angles;
- wherein the photodiodes are angularly spaced to face in different directions about the receiver so as to detect one or both of the reflected signals in various positions within the working area.
4 more elements
A method of control of a mobile robot system, the method comprising:
- transmitting directed first and second signals, modulated to be different from one another, onto a remote surface above the working area, such that the first and second signals are reflected from spaced apart positions on the remote surface;
- detecting the first and second signals as reflected off of the remote surface using an upwardly directed receiver of the mobile robot, the receiver including a plurality of discrete photodiodes arranged to face in different directions and configured to generate respective response signals responsive to the reflected signals;
- determining a location of the robot in the working area relative to the first and second reflected signals;
- directing a movement of the robot within the working area, the movement based at least in part upon the determined location of the robot relative to the first and second reflected signals within the working area;
- storing the location of the robot relative to the first and second reflected signals in memory;
- comparing the location of the robot relative to the first and second reflected signals to a stored location;
- creating a map of the working area based on the locations of the robot relative to the first and second reflected signals as the robot maneuvers about the working area.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.