Autonomous robot

Abstract

An autonomous robot 110 has a propulsion system of rechargeable batteries 115, a motor 116 and wheels 117. It also has charging connectors 114 and a Light Detection and Ranging, LIDAR, sensor (113). T

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to the field of robotics. Specifically, the 5 present disclosure relates to an autonomous robot. Moreover, the present disclosure relates to an autonomous robot system. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to a method for controlling an autonomous robot. BACKGROUND 10 In recent times, autonomous robots (or devices) have become increasingly prevalent and are employed worldwide to perform a variety of tasks that may be considered mundane, time-consuming, or dangerous. With an exponential increase in the level of technology, the demand for such robots that require minimal human interaction for tasks 15 such as, robot charging or refuelling, testing, and servicing has also increased. Thus, a primary goal for any robot is to operate autonomously upon being configured initially, without any need for human intervention. As the complexity of such robots increases, an increased amount of energy is required to perform their tasks and thus, management of 20 energy becomes essential for any autonomous robot carrying a mobile energy source. Generally, autonomous robots include an on-board power unit (for example, a battery) that is recharged at a docking station (also referred to as charging station, or base station), wherein the autonomous robots 25 are configured to locate and thereby navigate to the associated charging station autonomously. Conventionally, various robotic devices and associated controls, navigational systems, and other related systems exhibiting autonomous behaviour are being developed. However, the 01 08 25 types of charging stations and methods used by such robotic devices in localizing or docking with associated charging stations such as, but not limited to, radio signals, dead reckoning, ultrasonic beams, infrared beams coupled with radio signals, etc. vary greatly in both effectiveness 5 and application. One such conventional application is through laying of electric wires below a surface on which the robot operates, but these are obviously limited in application, as it is costly to install guide wires within the surface, such as, within the floor of a building or below a road surface. If installed on 10 the surface, the guide wires may be damaged by the robot itself or other traffic. Moreover, in other implementations, charging stations that utilize emitted signals require additional safeguards to ensure proper mating between the robot and base station for enabling safe and effective charging. While some implementations require mechanical locking 15 devices to prevent dislocation of the robot during charging, or other components such as raised guiding surfaces to direct the robot into contact with the station. Such additional components can increase the size of the charging station while decreasing the aesthetics, important considerations for automated robots directed at the consumer market. 20 An increase in the size of the charging station also typically makes unobtrusive placement indoors highly difficult and simultaneously decreases the available floor area such as, for cleaning. Additionally, existing charging stations generally lack the ability to protect themselves from contact with the autonomous robots during operation, increasing 25 the likelihood of damage to either the charging station or the robot, and even dislocation of the charging station. Such an unintentional collision may require human intervention to reposition the charging station and at times, require repairing of damaged components. However, such conventional autonomous robots face various problems 30 while attempting to charge via docking stations (or charging stations), 01 08 25 for example, autonomous robots often do not correctly dock on the charging station at first attempt. Such inaccuracies during docking on the charging station are attributed to a number of factors including, but not limited to, geometrical (or physical) inaccuracies in the charging station 5 affecting the autonomous navigation algorithms, lack of sufficient reference signals and / or markers at optimal distances between the autonomous robot and the charging station, fluctuations of the intensity of the reference signals and markers during the docking operation; and even low battery levels of the portable power unit (or battery) onboard 10 the autonomous robot. Therefore, in light of the foregoing discussion, there exists a need to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks and develop a truly independent autonomous robot. There is, therefore, a need for an autonomous robot and a method for controlling the autonomous robot 15 that can ensure proper mating regardless of location of the charging station. SUMMARY The aim of the present disclosure is to provide an autonomous robot and a method for controlling the autonomous robot to develop a truly 20 independent autonomous robot that can ensure proper mating regardless of location of charging stations. Another aim of the present disclosure is achieved by providing an autonomous robot system as defined in the appended independent claims to which reference is made to. Yet another aim of the present disclosure is achieved by providing a method for 25 controlling the autonomous robot as defined in the appended independent claims to which reference is made to. Advantageous features are set out in the appended dependent claims. Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words "comprise", "include", "have", and "contain" and variations of these 01 08 25 words, for example "comprising" and "comprises", mean "including but not limited to", and do not exclude other components, items, integers or steps not explicitly disclosed also to be present. Moreover, the singular encompasses the plural unless the context otherwise requires. In 5 particular, where the indefinite article is used, the specification is to be understood as contemplating plurality as well as singularity, unless the context requires otherwise. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an illustration of a block diagram of an autonomous robot 10 system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is an illustration of a schematic diagram of the autonomous robot system of FIG. 1, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIGs. 3A and 3B are illustrations of exemplary markers being scanned by 15 the processing unit of the autonomous robot via application of a sliding window, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; FIGs. 4A to 4C are illustrations of exemplary schematic diagrams depicting the autonomous robot system of FIG. 1, in accordance with one 20 or more embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 5 is a graphical illustration depicting positioning tolerance of the charging connectors of the autonomous robot with respect to the charging station, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; and 25 FIG. 6 is an illustration of a flowchart listing steps involved in a method for controlling the autonomous robot, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 01 08 25 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS The following detailed description illustrates embodiments of the present disclosure and ways in which they can be implemented. Although some modes of carrying out the present disclosure have been disclosed, those 5 skilled in the art would recognize that other embodiments for carrying out or practising the present disclosure are also possible. In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides an autonomous robot comprising a propulsion system, charging connectors, a processing unit and a Light Detection and Ranging, LIDAR, sensor, wherein 10 the propulsion system comprises a plurality of wheels, one or more motor arranged to drive at least one of the plurality of wheels and one or more batteries arranged to supply the one or more motors with current, the charging connectors are connected to the one or more batteries for providing the one or more batteries with a charging current when the 15 autonomous robot is docked in a charging station, the processing unit is configured to scan a marker arranged on the charging station thereby detecting the charging station, and in response thereto determine a relative location of the charging station relative 20 the autonomous robot, and control the propulsion system to drive the autonomous robot to the charging station. The autonomous robot of the present disclosure increases the accuracy of docking with charging stations during charging operation and allows 25 for perfect alignment of the autonomous robot with respect to the charging station for enabling efficient and high quality (or speed) charging operation. Moreover, such a docking operation enabling perfect alignment of the autonomous robot eliminates the possibility of accidents and therefore damage occurred therefrom to both the autonomous robot 30 and the charging station. Further, the marker arranged on the charging 01 08 25 station improves readability and allows the autonomous robot to accurately and efficiently determine the docking points on the charging station and simultaneously, enabling the autonomous robot to distinguish between different charging stations (and different robots). 5 In a second aspect, the present disclosure provides an autonomous robot system comprising an autonomous robot according to any preceding claim and a charging station, wherein the marker is made of a retro-reflective tape covered by a non-reflective tape. The autonomous robot system provides an increased accuracy of docking 10 for the autonomous robot on account of the specific implementation of a retro-reflective tape upon which a non-reflective material is inserted to constitute a machine-readable pattern. Moreover, such an implementation also provides improved readability of the marker and prevents glare effects such that the markers may be read even in dark 15 or poorly lit environments. In a third aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for controlling an autonomous robot comprising a propulsion system, charging connectors, and a LIDAR, sensor, wherein the propulsion system comprises a plurality of wheels, one or more 20 motor arranged to drive at least one of the plurality of wheels and one or more batteries arranged to supply the one or more motors with current, the charging connectors are connected to the one or more batteries for providing the one or more batteries with a charging current when the autonomous robot is docked in a charging station, and 25 wherein the method comprises scanning a marker arranged on the charging station thereby detecting the charging station, and in response thereto determining a location of the charging station relative the autonomous robot, and 01 08 25 controlling the propulsion system to drive the autonomous robot to the charging station. The method for controlling the autonomous robot in synergistic combination with the autonomous robot enables accurate docking thereof 5 at associated charging stations via detection of markers arranged thereon through the use of LIDAR, sensors. Specifically, implementation of LIDAR sensors in the autonomous robot allows accurate detection of the markers arranged on the charging station even in poorly lit or dark conditions. Such accurate detection of the markers thereby enables the autonomous 10 robot to efficiently and precisely determine the location of the charging station with respect to the autonomous robot in order to allow safe and accurate manoeuvring of the autonomous robot towards the charging station to be accurately docked for enabling efficient and faster charging thereof while preventing any accidents from occurring during operation. 15 In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides an autonomous robot comprising a propulsion system, charging connectors, a processing unit and a Light Detection and Ranging, LIDAR, sensor. The term "autonomous robot" refers to artificially intelligent machines configured to perform one or more tasks and operate in a given environment 20 autonomously i.e., without external control or supervision. For example, the autonomous robot may be an inventory transportation bot, an automatic guided vehicle (AGV), an autonomous cleaning bot, and the like. Notably, for the sake of simplicity and clarity, the autonomous robot of the present disclosure is described in exemplary embodiments in the 25 present text as a domestic autonomous robot with indoor navigation. However, it will be appreciated that the autonomous robot may be interchanged with other types of autonomous robots having outdoor navigation such as, autonomous cars, aerial robots, other domestic robots, and the like, without any limitations. I. Alternatively stated, both 30 indoor and outdoor autonomous robots are interchangeably implemented 01 08 25 along with all embodiments and combination of embodiments of the present disclosure. The specific structure, dimensions, materials used, and the like of the autonomous robot are varied based on the operational and cost constraints of the implementation and are not to be limiting of 5 the present invention unless so specified in the claims. The autonomous robot of the present disclosure comprises the propulsion system operable to propel the autonomous robot through synergistic combination with other propulsive components (such as, motors, regulators, wheels, power source, etc.), the LIDAR, sensor, and the 10 processing unit. The term "propulsion system" as used herein refers to a combination of at least one of hardware, software, and firmware components configured to propel or move the autonomous robot. Specifically, the propulsion system comprises a plurality of wheels, one or more motor arranged to drive at least one of the plurality of wheels 15 and one or more battery arranged to supply the one or more motors with current. The propulsion system comprises various components that may include any combination of motors, controllers, regulators, wheels, drive shafts, or gear arrangements, other propulsive components as desired, based on the cost constraints or intended application of the autonomous 20 robot, all of which are well known in the art. Herein, the propulsion system is configured to utilize the power supplied from the one or more batteries to drive at least one of the plurality of wheels via the one or more motors. Specifically, the one or more motors are mechanically coupled with at least one of the plurality of wheels and 25 upon being supplied with current from the one or more batteries, at least one of the plurality of wheels is rotated via the motor i.e., at a time, at least one of the plurality of wheels is functioning such as, while turning, only a single wheel of the plurality of wheels is rotated, via one of the one or more motors, to change the orientation of the autonomous robot 30 and whereas, during translation, at least two wheels are simultaneously 01 08 25 rotated to move the autonomous robot in a preferred direction via the one or more motors. It will be appreciated that although the propulsion system of the indoor autonomous robot as explained herein includes an electrical power supply, i.e., the one or more battery, the electrical 5 propulsion system may be replaced by either a hydraulic propulsion system or a pneumatic propulsion system without any limitations to the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the plurality of wheels of the autonomous robot comprises two sets of two wheels each located on opposite sides of a 10 chassis of the autonomous robot. The chassis of the autonomous robot is shaped and formed using conventional materials such as, metals, alloys, or plastics, and not explained herein due to brevity of the present disclosure. Optionally, the plurality of wheels may be tracked wheels, and in one particular embodiment the plurality of wheels have a radius in the 15 range of 6 to 24 cm. It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that the number and size of the plurality of wheels in the autonomous robot may be varied based on the implementation without any limitations to the present disclosure. Further, in some embodiments the plurality of wheels may be circular, or ovular. Alternatively, the wheels may be small 20 spherical protrusions protruding from the bottom of the autonomous robot. Moreover, alternatively, the wheels may be robotic legs configured to facilitate movement of the autonomous robot. Thus, the plurality of wheels can take on any desired structure as required based on the implementation in order to move the autonomous robot in a 25 desired / instructed direction. Furthermore, although two sets of wheels are illustrated in the exemplified embodiment, more than two sets of wheels are possible in other embodiments, such as three wheels, four wheels, five wheels, six wheels, seven wheels, eight wheels or the like. The propulsion system of the autonomous robot further comprises one or 30 more motor arranged to drive at least one of the plurality of wheels. The type of motor used herein may be selected from at least one of, but not 01 08 25 limited to, a servo motor, a DC motor, a linear motor, stepper motor, and a spindle motor, wherein each motor of the one or more motor may be utilized to drive at least one of the plurality of wheels of the autonomous robot. Optionally, the propulsion system comprises one or more left wheel 5 motor controller, one or more right wheel motor controller, one or more left wheel motor and one or more right wheel motor. These aforementioned controllers and motors, along with the plurality of wheels, facilitate movement of the autonomous robot upon being supplied with current from a power source as will be describe in detail 10 later. As noted above, the propulsion system is operably coupled to the processing unit and controls, among other things, the movement of the autonomous robot. The autonomous robot of the present disclosure further comprises the one or more battery i.e., a rechargeable power source, such as, a 9 Volts 15 (V) or 12V on-board battery, arranged to supply the one or more motors with current. Alternatively stated, the one or more battery is utilized to power to the autonomous robot and components thereof, in particular to the one or more motors of the propulsion system. Optionally, the autonomous robot may comprise a power board that is connected to the 20 one or more battery and configured to provide the required current to separate components within the autonomous robot. It will be appreciated by the person skilled in the art that the autonomous robot may comprise various other components that are not described herein as they are not relevant to the present disclosure and are well known in the 25 art. In an embodiment, the one or more battery includes a 24-volt battery. In another embodiment, the one or more battery includes a 48V battery. Specifically, the one or more battery is configured to provide power to the regulator along with the motor controllers of the propulsion system, the processing unit, and any other components of the 30 autonomous robot as described herein below to facilitate charging of the autonomous robot as discussed herein the present disclosure. 01 08 25 However, the invention is not to be so limited in all embodiments and the battery (or power source) may be any other type of battery, or may be solar powered, AC powered, or the like. The autonomous robot of the present disclosure further comprises a Light 5 Detection and Ranging, LIDAR, sensor, configured to remotely sense the nearby environment conditions via application of laser towards intended target (or location), such as, detection of nearby objects, computation of distances to such objects, orientation of such objects, path available for movement, surface conditions of operational area, and the like, required 10 for enabling safe manoeuvring of the autonomous robot towards an intended or desired location. For example, the LIDAR sensor may be a 2-D LIDAR scanner, a 3-D LIDAR scanner. Specifically, the LIDAR sensor is operable to scan markers (such as, QR codes, April Tags) in order to retrieve information encoded within the scanned markers and thereby 15 transmit the sensed information to the processing unit for enabling processing thereof. Upon receiving the sensed information from the LIDAR sensor, the processing unit is configured to further process the received information via conventional navigational algorithms and / or software's in order to generate command signals for the propulsion 20 system, as a response, to move or propel the autonomous robot towards the target location such as, towards a charging station or a docking station, safely. Each sensor of the one or more LIDAR sensors installed on-board the autonomous robot is configured to, when switched on, emit a respective docking signal within the surrounding environment allowing 25 the processing unit to compute the distance and orientation of the autonomous robot relative to the charging station such that the processing unit may generate command signals for the propulsion system to drive the autonomous robot towards the charging station and connect therewith. It will be appreciated that other types of sensors may also be 30 utilized apart from the LIDAR sensor such as, but not limited to, a light sensor, such as a laser scanner, an infrared proximity sensor, such as, a 01 08 25 passive infrared (PIR) sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a video camera, and the like. Beneficially, the implementation of the LiDAR sensor eliminates the need for adjusting lighting conditions (for example, by adding external lighting) and other similar problems faced via conventional 5 camera-based systems and enables effective navigation of the autonomous robot. In an embodiment, the LIDAR sensor has an angular field of view (FOV) exceeding 180 degrees. Beneficially, such an implementation of the LIDAR sensor enables the autonomous robot to detect markers and / or 10 the charging stations that are not situated in-front of the autonomous robot i.e., located on either side of the autonomous robot. Moreover, such an implementation reduces the amount of data processed at a given time (in comparison to 360 degrees FOV) and thereby improves the computational speed of the processing unit. In another embodiment, the 15 LIDAR sensor has an angular field of view (FOV) of 360 degrees. Such an implementation of the LIDAR sensor enables complete detection and scanning of the environment and ensures that each available marker is able to be scanned by the autonomous robot while simultaneously monitoring the nearby environment conditions. 20 The autonomous robot of the present disclosure further comprises charging connectors connected to the one or more battery for providing the one or more batteries with a charging current when the autonomous robot is docked in a charging station. The term "charging connectors" as used herein refers to electrical contacts or elements configured to connect 25 with energy sources (such as, charging stations) to enable the charging operation therefrom. For example, the charging connectors include electrical contacts like circular connectors, push-pull connectors, flanged connectors, etc., and electrical elements like inductive coils, transformers, etc. Typically, usage of the autonomous robot results in the 30 consumption of power and hence the lowering of power levels associated 01 08 25 with the one or more batteries, which may be determined through one or more battery level sensors operable to determine the state of charge (SOC) of the one or more batteries. On account of such lowering of battery levels of the one or more batteries, the autonomous robot 5 requires charging from an energy source, for which the charging connectors provide the interface required for charging. However, conventional charging systems face inaccuracies during docking of the autonomous robots and thereby incur significant inefficiencies during charging operation. Typically, to overcome the aforementioned problem, 10 the autonomous robot of the present disclosure is configured with customized charging connectors (or electrical contacts) that provide an electrical connection with corresponding electrical contacts on the charging station when the autonomous robot docks on the charging station. 15 The arrangement of the connectors on the autonomous robot, or the charging station, could be generalized to any suitable placement of the mating connectors (or coils). For example, the charging connectors may be mounted on a vertical surface on the charging station and / or the autonomous robot. Beneficially, the charging connectors as described 20 above allow accommodating a wide range of lateral and angular misalignments between the autonomous robot and the charging station upon being docked thereon. Generally, the charging connectors on the autonomous robot mirror those present on the charging station, regardless of their location or orientation. In certain embodiments, the 25 charging connectors may be larger on either the charging station or the autonomous robot, to allow wider compliance in making contact and enabling efficient charging of the autonomous robot. In an embodiment, the charging connectors are arranged for wireless charging, wherein the charging connectors of the autonomous robot are 30 induction coils similar to the charging station. The wireless charging 01 08 25 operation is initiated when the charging connectors of the autonomous robot are either in contact, or in close proximity, to the charging connectors of the charging station. Herein, the distance between the charging connectors i.e., the inductive coils, may be varied based on the 5 implementation in a predefined range of 15mm to 40mm to enable an optimal charging operation, wherein a displacement (from the mid-point of the respective coil) of up to 40mm is allowed. The charging operation may be enabled at other distances as well, however, for the optimal charging operation of the autonomous robot i.e., with maximum charging 10 current, the given predefined range is utilized. Beneficially, such an implementation allows optimal charging operation despite imperfect alignment of the autonomous robot with respect to the charging station as required by conventional systems and devices. In an embodiment, the charging connectors are arranged at a lower edge 15 of the autonomous robot. Specifically, the charging connectors are arranged along the lower edge of the autonomous robot, or within a distance of 10cm from the lower edge of the autonomous robot. In another embodiment, the charging connectors are arranged on an underside of the autonomous robot. The charging connectors of the 20 autonomous robot are arranged on an underside or along a lower edge of the autonomous robot to beneficially utilize the weight of the said robot while docking to achieve a proper mating with charging connectors of the charging station. Beneficially, arrangement of the charging connectors on the underside of the autonomous robot enables utilization of the space 25 beneath the autonomous robot i.e., generally left unused and simultaneously, prevents potential electrical shocks to users that are experienced in conventional charging systems and autonomous robots. The "charging station" refers to an allocated electrical station configured to derive electric power from a connected electrical power distribution 30 grid to provide charging current to the autonomous robot upon being 01 08 25 docked thereon. The charging station comprises an electric circuit configured to provide supply voltage (or current) for charging the autonomous robot upon being docked at the charging station, wherein the charging current is retrieved from an electrical power distribution 5 network or any other external power source. The charging station may comprise a variety of shapes or sizes, providing sufficient space for the desired components and systems, as described in the present disclosure. It is to be understood that any reference to a charging station throughout this disclosure includes dedicated purpose-built charging points and 10 charging connectors, regular electric sockets, and any other suitable means for charging the autonomous robot. In an embodiment, the charging station comprises a base plate upon which the charging connectors are arranged, wherein the base plate of the charging station is configured parallel to the ground surface on which 15 the charging station and arranged at a low-height based on the available space beneath the autonomous robot. Beneficially, the placement of the charging connectors on the base plate allows the weight of the autonomous robot to ensure proper and reliable mating of the charging connectors and thereby improving the charging operation. Optionally, the 20 base plate may not be parallel to the ground surface and may have a slight upwards or downwards angle directed to comfortably accommodate the charging connectors of the autonomous and the charging connectors of the charging station arranged on the base plate beneath the space available in the autonomous robot. Conventionally, the charging 25 connectors of autonomous robots are arranged on at least one side (i.e., perpendicular to the ground surface) of the autonomous robot and similarly charging connectors of the corresponding charging station are also arranged on a vertical surface. However, such a configuration of the charging connectors on the charging station often leads to improper 30 docking and also increases the physical footprint or area occupied by the charging station and thus, to overcome the aforementioned problem, the 01 08 25 charging connectors are arranged on a base plate of the charging station and the corresponding charging connectors of the autonomous robot are arranged on an underside of the autonomous robot. In some embodiments, the angle of the base plate with respect to the ground 5 surface may be varied, for example, minimizing the angle of rise of the base plate, the autonomous robot is enabled to easily and accurately dock with the charging station. Notably, the charging connectors are located on a top surface of the base plate, allowing them to contact corresponding charging connectors on the underside of the autonomous robot and 10 beneficially provides a reliable and secure connection required for optimal charging. Optionally, the charging connectors of the charging station or the autonomous robot may be either fixed or removable. In an embodiment, the processing unit is further configured to determine a location for the charging station based on a map application and in 15 response thereto, determine a location of the autonomous robot. Typically, for visual representation of the working environment along with the autonomous robot and the associated charging station, the map application (customized or conventional) is utilized, for which the processing unit is configured to determine the location of the autonomous 20 robot, wherein the location of the charging station may be determined relative to the autonomous robot, or as an absolute location of the charging station with respect to GPS earth coordinates, or customized coordinates based on the working environment. Optionally, the location of the charging station may be retrieved via scanning of the marker 25 arranged thereon, wherein the location of the associated charging may be pre-encoded on the marker. Such an implementation allows for easier human supervision and ensuring that no issues, or errors, are experienced within the working environment. In an exemplary embodiment, two charging connectors (i.e., a positive 30 and negative contact) are utilized to properly detect a completed circuit 01 08 25 when the autonomous robot docks with the charging station i.e., on the base plate of the charging station. In other embodiments, however, a single contact, or more than two contacts, may be utilized without any limitations to the present disclosure. Notably, an additional charging 5 connector may be provided for redundancy in the event that one of the charging connectors may be damaged, dirty, or obstructed. Beneficially, such a configuration allows the autonomous robot to selfdock and recharge itself effectively and efficiently, despite such occurrences. Other embodiments utilize two contacts to charge the one 10 or more battery and additional contacts to transmit data and information between the autonomous robot and the charging station or other nearby autonomous robots. The processing unit is configured to scan a marker arranged on the charging station thereby detecting the charging station, and in response 15 thereto determine a relative location of the charging station relative the autonomous robot. In operation, the processing unit is configured to transmit a command signal to the LIDAR, sensor for scanning the marker arranged on the charging station for detection of the associated charging station (i.e., specifically configured for the given autonomous robot) as 20 mentioned earlier. Specifically, upon receiving the command signal, the autonomous robot illuminates the intended target i.e., the marker or the charging station via laser, or any secondary lighting device (such as, light emitting diodes) and thereby scans the intended target via the LIDAR sensor. Preferably, for optimized detection and accuracy, the autonomous 25 robot is configured to scan the markers from a distance of less than or equal to 3 metres (m). However, it will be appreciated that the autonomous robot is operable to scan markers from longer distances such as, 5m, 10m, 20m, and so forth, without any limitations. In an exemplary working scenario of a manufacturing complex, wherein multiple charging 30 stations and autonomous robots are utilized, each of the charging stations are designated with respective markers arranged thereon, and when a 01 08 25 requirement of charging of a given autonomous robot is developed, the processing unit, via the LIDAR, sensor, is configured to scan the marker arranged on the charging station to identify whether the scanned marker corresponds to the correct charging station for the given autonomous 5 robot or not. Further, in response to detection of the associated charging station, the processing unit is further configured to determine the relative location of the detected charging station with respect to the autonomous robot for enabling the processing unit to transmit command signals to the propulsion system for manoeuvring the autonomous robot to the charging 10 station based on the determined relative location for enabling the charging operation. Optionally, the processing unit is further configured to normalise the intensity of the LIDAR scan data in a range of 0 to 1 for further processing thereof, wherein the scanned LIDAR data is processed to identify each marker in the nearby environment and thereby extract 15 all the scan data points of the marker. The term "marker" as used herein refers to fiducial LIDAR-based markers formed using sequence of bits, wherein each bit may contain multiple laser beams of either a high intensity, or a low intensity. The marker is operable to act as an identifier for the charging station upon which 20 machine-readable code may be encoded to be scanned via the autonomous robot. Such markers with known geometric dimensions and orientation provide a means of estimating LIDAR pose data and enables mapping of the working environment accurately and efficiently. The markers are utilized to provide identities to the charging station and 25 simultaneously, via the encoded machine-readable data, enable the autonomous robot to determine the location of the charging station and the location of the charging connectors arranged thereon. Optionally, the encoded data includes the location of the charging station, the identity of the charging station, the location and alignment of the charging 30 connectors arranged thereon, and the like. The marker may be formed using a reflective tape, or a non-reflective tape, or a combination of both, 01 08 25 upon which information may be encoded as machine readable code, for example, quick response (QR) code, April Tags, etc. Such an implementation of the markers on the charging station enables the autonomous robot to accurately identify and locate the associated 5 charging station as well as to determine the location and alignment of the charging connectors for allowing accurate docking of the autonomous robot. It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that the location of the markers on the charging station does not affect the accuracy of detection on account of the versatility of LIDAR, sensors and thus, may 10 be varied as per requirement without any limitations. In an embodiment, the markers are formed using a reflective tape upon which a non-reflective tape is inserted to generate machine-readable patterns or codes readable via the LIDAR sensor of the autonomous robot. For example, the reflective tape may be a retro-reflective tape 15 such as, retro-reflective tapes made from materials such as, glass, or plastic, , etc., upon which a non-reflective tape such as, but not limited to, transparent glossy vinyl, fabric tape, etc., is placed for enabling encoding of information thereon related to the associated charging station as machine-readable code. The non-reflective tape may be 20 formed using at least one of, but not limited to, rubber, non-reflecting glass, fabrics, plastic, non-metals, or painted or coated surfaces, matte finish materials, and the like. Beneficially, the placement of the non-reflective material over the reflective tape improves the readability of the markers via the LIDAR sensors and allows accurate determination of the 25 exact location of the markers and thus, the associated charging connectors (or docking points). In another embodiment, the marker is formed using a retro-reflective tape. In yet another embodiment, the marker is formed using one or more retro-reflective tapes upon which one or more non-reflective tapes may be inserted to generate machine-30 readable patterns or codes readable via the LIDAR sensor of the autonomous robot. 01 08 25 In an embodiment, the marker comprises a plurality of frames, wherein each frame is of high-intensity or low-intensity, and wherein the frames thus constitute a visual pattern indicating an identity of the charging station. As aforementioned, the marker is formed using a reflective tape 5 upon which non-reflective material is placed and thereby forming high intensity frames (i.e., on the reflective tape) and low intensity frames (i.e., on the non-reflective material) and thus, constitutes the visual pattern (LIDAR, intensity pattern) readable via the LIDAR sensor of the autonomous robot. Herein, the high intensity frame is indicative of the 10 high retro-reflective nature of the frame, whereas the low intensity frame is indicative of the low retro-reflective nature of the frame, that would affect the formation of the visual pattern recorded as a return strength parameter. The width of each frame may be similar or different based on the intended application of the marker and typically ranges between 15 0.01m to 0.05m. Beneficially, the constituted visual pattern on the marker enables identification and location of the marker and thereby enables detection and location of the associated charging station, such that the autonomous robot may be accurately docked on the charging station where the detected marker is arranged. 20 In another embodiment, each frame is of a fixed width and wherein the LIDAR sensor has a scanning time period and an angular scanning speed, wherein the width of a frame is equal to or greater than a scanning distance, wherein the scanning distance equals the angular scanning speed * scanning time period * 2n * D * N, wherein D is greater or equal 25 to 3 meters and wherein N is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or higher. Typically, the LIDAR sensors are configured for measuring spectral information associated with the markers, such as the laser return intensity (LRI), on account of the interaction between the wavelength of the transmitted pulse from the LIDAR sensor and the targeted marker or frame. Moreover, the LIDAR 30 sensor further requires temporal information in addition to spatial and spectral information to accurately determine the location and identity of 01 08 25 the marker and / or charging station. Herein, repeated LIDAR, may be utilized to collect temporal data associated with the marker. Such an implementation beneficially enables the LIDAR to read machine-readable codes (such as, bar codes, or April tags) from a distance of at least 3m 5 with absolute accuracy. Moreover, to improve the accuracy of detection and location of the markers via the autonomous robot, the width of each frame of the marker is fixed based on the implementation, wherein the width of each frame is equal to, or greater than, the scanning distance and ranges from 0.5 millimetre (mm) to 1mm, 1mm to 2mm, 2mm to 10 5mm, 5mm to 10mm, 10mm to 20 millimetres, 20 mm to 50mm, 50mm to 100mm, for optimized recognition of the markers at a distance of at least 3m. Such a configuration of the markers provides sufficient LIDAR readings required for accurate and reliable detection of the markers or the charging stations. The term "scanning distance" refers to the total 15 distance scanned by the LIDAR during the scanning time period while rotating at the angular scanning speed. Herein, the scanning time period and the angular scanning speed may be varied to change the scanning distance for improved detection accuracy. Specifically, the scanning distance is determined as: S.D. = angular scanning speed (s) * scanning 20 time period (t) * 2n * D * N, wherein 'D' refers to the distance of the LIDAR sensor from the marker and is greater than or equal to 3m and wherein, 'N' refers to number of scans performed during the scanning time period and is directly proportional to the detection accuracy of each frame or marker. 25 In another embodiment, the processing unit is further configured to determine a distance to the charging station based on the width of a frame, by counting the number of scans in one frame. Typically, since the angular scanning speed and the scanning time period are known, the processing unit is enabled to determine the distance of the charging 30 station from the autonomous robot based on the number of scans executed in each frame. Optionally, the processing unit is enabled to 01 08 25 determine the distance of the charging station from the autonomous robot based on the on elapsed time between the emission of the laser pulse and receival of the reflected pulse. Such a computation of the distance of the charging station based on the width of the frame of the 5 marker provides improved detection accuracy to the autonomous robot and also minimizes inaccuracies during computation. In an embodiment, the processing unit is configured to scan the marker by receiving light scan data from the LIDAR, sensor, wherein the light scan data comprises a plurality of scan data points, each scan data point 10 indicating a high-intensity reading or a low-intensity reading of the marker. The processing unit is further configured to detect a first scan data point indicating a first high-intensity reading, and in response thereto grouping the following scan data points into bit groups based on the distance between the scan data points, each bit group comprising one 15 or more scan data points corresponding to a frame in the marker. Typically, upon detecting the first scan data point indicative of the first high-intensity reading, the processing unit is configured to group following scan data points (i.e., after the first data point) based on the distance therebetween. For example, one or more scanned data points 20 that are located within a distance of 0.05m may be grouped together as a bit group, wherein each bit group corresponds to a given frame in the marker. Optionally, the processing unit is further configured to detect a second scan data point indicating a first low-intensity reading, and in response thereto grouping the following scan data points into bit groups 25 based on the distance between the scan data points, each bit group comprising one or more scan data points corresponding to a frame in the marker. In operation, the detection of the marker is done by processing the intensities of the laser scan data received from the LIDAR sensor. Typically, the processing unit detects a first high intensity point of the 30 marker, and thereby calculates the distance between each consecutive point in the LIDAR scan data to keep track of the accumulated distance 01 08 25 with respect to high intensity points and the total accumulated distance. Optionally, the length of each bit in the marker is in a range of 0.01m to 0.2m, and in a preferred embodiment, the length of each bit is equal to 0.05m. Correspondingly, if a current length of the marker exceeds the 5 expected length of the current bit, the processing unit is configured to calculate the ratio of distance accumulated with respect to high intensity points and the total distance, and thereby determines whether a given bit is a high intensity bit, or a low intensity bit. Optionally, the number of bits in a given bit groups range from 2 to 10, and in a preferred 10 embodiment, is equal to 6. Herein, upon grouping the scanned data points into bit groups, the processing unit is further configured to determine a ratio of scan data points indicating a high-intensity reading and scan data points a low-intensity reading in each bit group, and determining that the frame corresponding to the bit group is of high- 15 intensity when the ratio exceeds a threshold ratio level that may be predefined based on the implementation. Moreover, the processing unit is configured to determine the ratio of scan data points indicating a high-intensity reading and scan data points indicating a low-intensity reading in each bit group and thereby compare the computed ratio against the 20 predefined threshold ratio level. Optionally, the threshold ratio level associated with high intensity data point ranges from 0.3 to 0.7 (i.e., based on normalized intensity data), and in a preferred embodiment, the threshold ration level is 0.4. Upon comparison, if the computed ratio of the associated bit group is determined higher than the threshold ratio 25 level, the corresponding bit-group is classified as a high intensity bit-group and vice versa. The "relative location" as used herein refers to at least one of an orientation (or direction) or a distance of the charging station relative to the autonomous robot. Optionally, the relative location may be an 30 absolute location such as, global positioning system (GPS) coordinates, or custom coordinates, based on the working environment using a 01 08 25 dedicated mapping application, of the charging station. The relative location of the charging station is determined to enable the autonomous robot to manoeuvre towards the charging station upon requirement. For example, the relative location may be a direction in which the 5 autonomous robot is required to move while considering the front of the autonomous robot as North direction or 0 degree. In another example, the relative location may be a distance of the charging station from the autonomous robot in terms of metres, or centimetres. In yet another example, the relative location may be indicative of the absolute location 10 of the charging station, for example, GPS coordinates providing location on earth's surface, or custom coordinates based on the operational area. Beneficially, the relative location of the charging station determined via the markers enables the processing unit to determine command signals (or traction commands) to be sent to the propulsion system for safe 15 manoeuvring of the autonomous robot towards the charging station and simultaneously enabling accurate docking of the autonomous robot thereon. The processing unit is further configured to control the propulsion system to drive the autonomous robot to the charging station. Using the 20 combination of the components of the autonomous robot (i.e., the LIDAR, sensor, the processing unit, the propulsion system) along with the markers arranged on the charging stations, the processing unit upon determining the position and orientation of the charging station relative to the autonomous robot, or relative to a boundary (i.e., a perimeter or 25 a pre-defined boundary as discussed above) is configured to control the propulsion system to automatically drive the autonomous robot, via the propulsion system, to the charging station for docking thereon and thereby enabling the efficient charging operation. In an embodiment, the processing unit is configured to iteratively 30 compute the relative location of the charging station with respect to the 01 08 25 autonomous robot i.e., to compute a distance and an orientation between the charging station and the autonomous robot while approaching the charging station, as it will be described in greater detail hereinafter. Furthermore, the processing unit is configured to, on the basis of the 5 distance and orientation of the autonomous robot with respect to the charging station, generate traction commands for the propulsion system that are required for driving the autonomous robot towards the charging station until it docks on the charging station. It will be appreciated that the frequency of iteration may be varied interchangeably 10 based on the energy and cost constraints of the autonomous robot. In an embodiment, the processing unit is further configured to apply a sliding time window to the scan of the marker, wherein a length of the sliding time window corresponds to a length of the marker. Upon applying the sliding time window to the scan of the marker, the processing unit is 15 further configured to set a start of the sliding time window to be at the first data scan point. Typically, the detection of the marker is done by processing the intensities of the laser scan data received from the LIDAR, sensor via a dynamic sliding window, wherein the size of the sliding window may be set equal to, or lesser than, the total length of the 20 marker. In operation, the processing unit detects a first high intensity point of the marker, and thereby initiates the dynamic window search iteratively, wherein each iteration may be executed based on a specified time interval. Notably, the time interval may be determined based on the operational conditions of the LIDAR sensor such as, but not limited to, 25 scanning speed, scanning time, and the like. In each iteration of the sliding time window, the processing unit is configured to calculate the distance between each consecutive point in the LIDAR scan data, and thereby keep track of the accumulated distance (or time) with respect to high intensity points and the total accumulated distance (or time). 30 Correspondingly, if a current length (or time) of the marker exceeds the expected length (or time) of the current bit, the processing unit is 01 08 25 configured to calculate the ratio of distance accumulated with respect to high intensity points and the total distance accumulated, and thereby determine whether a given bit is a high intensity bit, or a low intensity bit based on a comparison with the threshold ratio level. Typically, if the 5 determined ratio of the distance accumulated with respect to high intensity points and the total distance accumulated is greater than the threshold ratio level, the given bit is determined as a high intensity bit and if determined lesser than the threshold ratio level, the given bit is determined as low intensity bit. Such an implementation of the sliding 10 window improves the accuracy of detection of the markers via the autonomous robot and thereby enables accurate docking on the charging station. Moreover, if a complete marker is detected within the sliding time window, the processing unit is configured to store raw points of the marker, the corresponding bit data, to generate a vector of detected 15 markers for further utilization. In another embodiment, the processing unit is further configured to determine a best fit for a line indicating an alignment of the data scan points within the sliding window, and determine an alignment (A) of the autonomous robot in relation to the marker based on the line indicating 20 an alignment of the data scan points. Typically, the processing unit employs predefined libraries to fit a line through the plurality of scan data points detected in the laser scan data, wherein the best fit for the line is indicative of the orientation of the charging station i.e., either absolute, or relative to the autonomous robot. Moreover, the best fit line enables 25 the processing unit to determine an alignment of the scanned data points within the sliding time window. Correspondingly, the processing unit is further configured to determine the alignment of the autonomous robot based on the previously determined best fit line such that during docking operation, a perfect alignment of the autonomous robot with respect to 30 the charging station is achieved to ensure proper mating of the charging connectors during charging operation. Optionally, the determined 01 08 25 alignment is perpendicular to the determined best fit line, however, it will be appreciated that although the autonomous robot is configured to achieve a perfect alignment for improved charging operation, the autonomous robot is configured with tolerance of around 0 degree to 10 5 degrees, such that even in imperfect conditions, the charging operation is not hindered. In an embodiment, the processing unit is further configured to determine an identity of the charging station. Typically, based on the scanned marker comprising machine-readable code encoded with information 10 associated with the charging station, the processing unit is further configured to determine whether the charging station is an approved charging station based on the determined identity of the charging station, and if so, control the propulsion system so that the charging connectors connect with charging connectors of the charging station. In an 15 exemplary working scenario of a manufacturing complex, wherein multiple charging stations and autonomous robots are utilized, each of the charging stations are designated with respective markers arranged thereon, and when a requirement of charging of a given autonomous robot is developed, the processing unit, via the LIDAR, sensor, is 20 configured to scan the marker arranged on the charging station to identify whether the scanned marker corresponds to the approved (or associated) charging station for the given autonomous robot or not. Further, in response to a positive detection of the associated charging station, the processing unit is further configured to control the propulsion system by 25 transmitting command signals for manoeuvring the autonomous robot to the approved charging station such that the charging connectors connect with charging connectors of the associated charging station. Beneficially, such an implementation prevents the autonomous robot from docking at an un-approved or non-associated charging station which may not be 30 configured to accommodate the given autonomous robot and thus, 01 08 25 preventing any accidents from happening on account of incompatibility issues. In an embodiment, the processing unit is further configured to determine a location of the marker, wherein the location of the marker is 5 predetermined with relation to charging connectors of the charging station, and control the propulsion system so that the charging connectors connect with charging connectors of the charging station. Typically, the processing unit is further configured to determine the location i.e., a secondary relative location, of the marker with respect to 10 the charging connectors of the charging station such that the autonomous robot is enabled to identify the location of the charging connectors via merely detecting the markers and thus, accommodating the docking or charging operation in a safe and accurate manner while preventing any damage to the autonomous robot, or the charging station, or components 15 of either the autonomous robot or the charging station, due to possible incompatibility issues during contact. In another embodiment, the processing unit is further configured to determine a mid-point of the marker, determine an alignment (A) of the autonomous robot in relation to the marker based on a comparison of a 20 mid-point of the LIDAR, sensor and the mid-point of the marker, and to control the propulsion system so that the charging connectors connect with charging connectors of the charging station based on the alignment (A). Typically, upon detecting the marker arranged on the charging station, the processing unit is configured to determine the mid-point of 25 the marker and determine an alignment of the autonomous robot with respect to the marker via comparison of the mid-point of the LIDAR sensor against the mid-point of the marker. Typically, the mid-point of the marker may be aligned with respect to the mid-point of the autonomous robot. Optionally, the processing unit is further configured 30 to determine an alignment of the autonomous robot with respect to the 01 08 25 marker via comparison of the midpoint of the autonomous robot against the mid-point of the marker. Such a comparison ensures that the autonomous robot is perfectly aligned with respect to the charging station and enables proper mating of the charging connectors for an efficient 5 charging operation of the autonomous robot. The present disclosure also relates to an autonomous robot system as described above. Various embodiments and variants disclosed above, with respect to the aforementioned autonomous robot, apply mutatis mutandis to the autonomous robot system. The second aspect of the 10 present disclosure provides the autonomous robot system comprising the autonomous robot of the first aspect and a charging station configured to efficiently charge the autonomous robot, wherein a marker arranged on the charging station is made of a retro-reflective tape covered by a non-reflective tape and is configured to enable detection and location of the 15 charging station with respect to the autonomous robot to ensure safe and accurate docking of the autonomous robot with the charging station. Beneficially, such an implementation of the marker via the retro-reflective tape along with the covering of the non-reflective material (such as, transparent glossy vinyl) reduces the glare effect on account of incident 20 light (or laser) and improves the readability of the marker via the LIDAR, sensor of the autonomous robot. The present disclosure also relates to the method for controlling an autonomous robot as described above. Various embodiments and variants disclosed above, with respect to the aforementioned 25 autonomous robot, apply mutatis mutandis to the method for controlling an autonomous robot. 01 08 25 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to FIG. 1, illustrated is a block diagram of an autonomous robot system 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the autonomous robot system 100 comprises the autonomous 5 robot 110 and a charging station 120 configured to efficiently charge the autonomous robot 110, wherein a marker 123 arranged on the charging station 120 is made of retro- reflective tape covered by transparent glossy vinyl and is configured to enable detection and location of the charging station 120 with respect to the autonomous robot 110 to ensure 10 safe and accurate docking with the charging station 120. Referring to FIG. 2, illustrated is a schematic diagram of the autonomous robot system 100 of FIG. 1, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown, the autonomous robot system 100 comprises the autonomous robot 110 and a charging station 120. 15 Further, as shown, the autonomous robot 110 comprises the propulsion system 115, 116, 117, wherein the propulsion system 115, 116, 117 comprises a plurality of wheels 117, one or more motor 116 arranged to drive at least one of the plurality of wheels 117 and one or more battery 115 arranged to supply the one or more motors 116 with current. 20 Furthermore, the autonomous robot 110 comprises a processing unit 111, charging connectors 114, and a Light Detection and Ranging, LIDAR, sensor 113. Moreover, the charging station 120 comprises a marker 123 arranged on the charging station 120, wherein optionally, the marker 123 comprises a plurality of frames 123A, 123B, wherein each frame 123A, 25 123B is of high-intensity or low-intensity, and wherein the frames 123A, 123B thus constitute a visual pattern indicating an identity of the charging station 120. Referring to FIGs. 3A and 3B, illustrated are exemplary markers 123 being scanned by the processing unit 111 of the autonomous robot 110 30 via application of a sliding window 118, in accordance with one or more 01 08 25 embodiments of the present disclosure. Herein, the processing unit 111 is configured to receive light scan data from the LIDAR, sensor 113, wherein the light scan data comprises a plurality of scan data points 125, each scan data point 125 indicating a high-intensity reading or a low- 5 intensity reading of the marker 123. Further, the processing unit 111 is configured to detect a first scan data point 125A indicating a first high-intensity reading, and in response thereto group the following scan data points 125A into bit groups 127 based on the distance between the scan data points 125A, each bit group 127 comprising one or more scan data 10 points 125A, 125B corresponding to a frame 123A, 123B in the marker 123. Referring to FIG. 3A, illustrated is an exemplary marker 123 being scanned by the processing unit 111 of the autonomous robot 110 via application of a sliding window 118, wherein the length of the sliding window is lesser than the length of the marker 123. Beneficially, such an 15 implementation of the sliding window 118 improves the processing granularity and thereby improves the computational accuracy of the processing unit 111 of the autonomous robot 110. Referring to FIG. 3B, illustrated is an exemplary marker 123 being scanned by the processing unit 111 of the autonomous robot 110 via application of a sliding window 20 118, wherein the length of the sliding window is equal to the length of the marker 123. Beneficially, such an implementation of the sliding window 118 increases the amount of data being processed at an instance and thereby improves the computational speed of the processing unit 111 of the autonomous robot 110. 25 Referring to FIGs. 4A to 4C, illustrated are exemplary schematic diagrams depicting the autonomous robot system of FIG. 1, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Herein, illustrated are the scanning operation, the alignment operation, and the docking operation of the autonomous robot 110 of the autonomous robot system. 30 As shown in FIGs. 4A to 4C, illustrated is the autonomous robot system 100 comprising an autonomous robot 110 and a charging station 120, 01 08 25 wherein the marker 123 arranged on the charging station 120 is made of 3M reflective tape covered by transparent glossy vinyl. Referring to FIG. 4A, illustrated is an exemplary schematic diagram of the autonomous robot system 100 depicting scanning operation of the 5 marker 123 via the LIDAR sensor 113 of the autonomous robot 110, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the autonomous robot 110 is at an arbitrary position from where the processing unit 111 is configured to initiate the scanning operation via the LIDAR sensor 113. Specifically, as shown, when in the field of view of 10 the autonomous robot 110, the processing unit 111 is configured to scan the marker 123 arranged on the charging station 120 via the LIDAR sensor 113, thereby detecting the charging station 120, and in response thereto, the processing unit 111 is further configured to determine a relative location of the charging station 120 relative to the autonomous 15 robot 110, and control the propulsion system 115, 116, 117 so as to drive the autonomous robot 110 to the charging station 120. Optionally, the processing unit 111 is configured to determine a location of the marker 123, wherein the location of the marker 123 is predetermined with relation to charging connectors (124) of the charging station (120), and 20 upon determination of the location of the marker 123, the processing unit 111 is further configured to control the propulsion system 115, 116, 117 via command signals such that the charging connectors 114 connect with charging connectors 124 of the charging station 120. Referring to FIG. 4B, illustrated is an exemplary schematic diagram of 25 the autonomous robot system 100 depicting alignment operation of the autonomous robot 110, via the LIDAR sensor 113, with respect to the charging station 120, in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. The processing unit is further configured to determine a best fit for a line indicating an alignment of the data scan points within 30 the sliding window 118, and determine an alignment A of the autonomous robot 110 in relation to the marker 123 based on the line indicating an 01 08 25 alignment of the data scan points. Typically, the processing unit 111 employs predefined libraries to fit a line through the plurality of scan data points detected in the laser scan data, wherein the best fit for the line is indicative of the orientation of the charging station 120 i.e., either 5 absolute, or relative to the autonomous robot 110. As shown, the processing unit 111 is further configured to determine the alignment A of the autonomous robot 110 based on the previously determined best fit line such that during docking operation, a perfect alignment of the autonomous robot 110 with respect to the charging station 120 is 10 achieved to ensure proper mating of the charging connectors 114, 124 during charging operation. Optionally, the determined alignment is perpendicular to the determined best fit line, however, it will be appreciated that although the autonomous robot is configured to achieve a perfect alignment for improved charging operation, the autonomous 15 robot is configured with tolerance of around 0 degree to 10 degrees, such that even in imperfect conditions, such as in poorly lit environments, the charging operation is not hindered. Referring to FIG. 4C, illustrated is an exemplary schematic diagram of the autonomous robot system 100 depicting docking operation of the 20 autonomous robot 110, via the LIDAR sensor 113, with respect to the charging station 120, in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the processing unit 111 is configured to scan a marker 123 arranged on the charging station 120 thereby detecting the charging station 120, and in response thereto, the 25 processing unit is further configured to determine a relative location of the charging station 120 relative to the autonomous robot 110. Using the combination of the components of the autonomous robot 110 i.e., the LIDAR sensor 113, the processing unit 111, the propulsion system 115, 116, 117 along with the marker 123 arranged on the charging station 30 120, the processing unit 111 is configured to commence the docking operation upon determining the position and orientation of the charging 01 08 25 station 120 relative to the autonomous robot 110, or relative to a boundary (i.e., a perimeter or a pre-defined boundary as discussed above). Upon said determination, the processing unit 111 is configured to control the propulsion system 115, 116, 117 to automatically drive the 5 autonomous robot, via the propulsion system 115, 116, 117, to the charging station for docking thereon. Specifically, as shown, the underside of the autonomous robot 110 is configured to accommodate a base plate B of the charging station 120 upon which the charging connectors 124 are arranged and upon reaching the desired location, the 10 charging connectors 114 of the autonomous robot are mated with the charging connectors 124 of the charging station arranged on the base plate B to commence the charging operation upon being docked, wherein the charging may be wired, or wireless. Referring to FIG. 5, illustrated is a graphical representation depicting 15 positioning tolerance of charging connectors of the autonomous robot with respect to the charging station, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Herein, two different nominal voltages i.e., 24V DC and 48V DC, are utilized to identify the positional tolerance. The x-axis represents the allowable displacement from a mid-20 point of the charging connector. The y-axis represents the distance between the charging connectors. The graph is classified into four regions namely, A, B, C, and D. As shown, in region A, an optimal current (or maximum output current) of 60A is achieved for both 24V and 48V DC voltages, wherein the tolerable distance for optimal charging between the 25 charging connectors is between 15mm to 40mm and the allowable displacement is correspondingly varied between 20mm to 40mm. The region A (depicted as a dotted square grid) represents the maximum tolerance afforded to the autonomous robot for optimal charging operation via the charging station. Notably, such a high positional 30 tolerance of the autonomous robot with respect to the charging station while allowing optimal charging eliminates the conventional problems 08 25 associated with mating of charging connectors and thereby, makes the entire charging operation faster and efficient. Further shown, in region B (depicted as a lined diamond grid), a reduced output current i.e., lesser than 60A, is achieved, and in region C (depicted as a dotted region), no 5 charging operation was allowed. Moreover, in region D (depicted as a blank region), an optimal current was achieved for 24V DC, but not for 48V DC. Referring to FIG. 6, illustrated is a flowchart listing steps involved in a method for controlling the autonomous robot of FIG. 1, in accordance 10 with an embodiment of the present disclosure. At step 602, the method 600 comprises scanning a marker 123 arranged on the charging station 120 thereby detecting the charging station 120, and in response thereto, at step 604, the method 600 further comprises determining a location of the charging station 120 relative the autonomous robot 110, and at step 15 606, the method 600 further comprises controlling the propulsion system 115, 116, 117 so as to drive the autonomous robot 110 to the charging station 120. 01 08 25

Claims

1. Autonomous robot (110) comprising a propulsion system (115, 116, 117), charging connectors (114), a processing unit (111) and a Light Detection and Ranging, LIDAR, sensor (113), whereinthe propulsion system comprises a plurality of wheels (117), one or more motor (116) arranged to drive at least one of the plurality of wheels (117) and one or more batteries (115) arranged to supply the one or more motors (116) with current,the charging connectors (114) are connected to the one or more batteries (115) for providing the one or more batteries (115) with a charging current when the autonomous robot (110) is docked in a charging station (120),the processing unit (111) is configured totransmit a command signal to the LIDAR sensor (113) to scan a marker (123) arranged on the charging station (120), wherein the marker (123) is operable to act as an identifier for the charging station, and wherein a location of the charging station (120) is pre-encoded on the marker (123),determine, using the scan of the marker (123), the relative location of the charging station (120) relative to the autonomous robot (110), andcontrol the propulsion system (115, 116, 117) to drive the autonomous robot (110) to the charging station (120).

2. The autonomous robot (110) according to claim 1, wherein the marker (123) comprises a retro-reflective tape and a non-reflective tape, wherein the non-reflective tape comprises machine-readable codes that are readable via the LIDAR sensor (113).

3. The autonomous robot (110) according to claim 2, wherein the non-reflective tape is formed using at least one of: rubber, non-reflecting glass,01 08 25fabrics, plastic, non-metals, painted surfaces, coated surfaces, and matte finish materials and wherein the marker (123) is made of retro-reflective tape covered by transparent glossy vinyl.

4. The autonomous robot (110) according to claim 1, wherein the LIDAR, sensor (113) is a 3-D LIDAR scanner and the marker (123) is a 3-D object.

5. The autonomous robot (110) according to claim 4, wherein the LIDAR sensor (113) has an angular field of view (FOV) exceeding 180 degrees.

6. The autonomous robot (110) according to claim 5, wherein the LIDAR sensor (113) has an angular field of view (FOV) of 360 degrees.

7. The autonomous robot (110) according to claim 1, wherein the marker (123) comprises a plurality of frames (123A, 123B), wherein each frame (123A, 123B) is of high-intensity or low-intensity, and wherein the frames (123A, 123B) thus constitute a visual pattern indicating an identity of the charging station (120).

8. The autonomous robot (110) according to claim 7, wherein each frame is of a fixed width and wherein the LIDAR sensor (113) has a scanning time period and an angular scanning speed, wherein the width of a frame is equal to or greater than a scanning distance, wherein the scanning distance equals the angular scanning speed * scanning time period * 2pi * D*N, wherein D is greater or equal to 3 meters, and wherein N is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or higher.

9. The autonomous robot (110) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the processing unit (111) is further configured to determine a distance to the charging station based on the width of a frame, by counting the number of scans in one frame.01 08 2510. The autonomous robot (110) according to any preceding claim, wherein the processing unit (111) is configured to scan the marker (123) byreceiving light scan data from the LIDAR, sensor (113), wherein the light scan data comprises a plurality of scan data points (125), each scan data point (125A, 125B) indicating a high-intensity reading or a low-intensity reading of the marker (123),detecting a first scan data point (125A) indicating a first high-intensity reading, and in response theretogrouping the following scan data points (125A, 125B) into bit groups (127A, 127B) based on the distance between the scan data points (125A), each bit group (127A, 127B) comprising one or more scan data points corresponding to a frame (123A, 123B) in the marker (123),determining a ratio of scan data points (125A) indicating a high-intensity reading and scan data points (125B) indicating a low-intensity reading in each bit group (127), anddetermining that the frame (123A) corresponding to the bit group (127A) is of high-intensity when the ratio exceeds a threshold ratio level.

11. The autonomous robot (110) according to claim 10, wherein the processing unit (111) is further configured toapply a sliding time window to the scan of the marker (123), wherein a length of the sliding time window corresponds to a length of the marker (123) and to set a start of the sliding time window to be at the first data scan point.

12. The autonomous robot (110) according to claim 11, wherein the processing unit (111) is further configured todetermine a best fit for a line indicating an alignment of the data scan points within the sliding window (118), and determine an alignment (A) of the autonomous robot (110) in relation to the marker (123) based on the line indicating an alignment of the data scan points (125).01 08 2513. The autonomous robot (110) according to any preceding claim, wherein the processing unit (111) is further configured todetermine an identity of the charging station (120),determine whether the charging station (120) is an approved charging station (120) based on the determined identity of the charging station (120), and if so,control the propulsion system so that the charging connectors (114) connect with charging connectors (124) of the charging station (120).

14. The autonomous robot (110) according to any preceding claim, wherein the processing unit (111) is further configured todetermine a location of the marker (123), wherein the location of the marker (123) is predetermined with relation to charging connectors (124) of the charging station (120), andcontrol the propulsion system (115, 116, 117) so that the charging connectors (114) connect with charging connectors (124) of the charging station (120)15. The autonomous robot (110) according to any preceding claim, wherein the processing unit (111) is further configured todetermine a mid-point of the marker (123),determine an alignment (A) of the autonomous robot (110) in relation to the marker (123) based on a comparison of a mid-point of the LIDAR, sensor (113) and the mid-point of the marker (123), and tocontrol the propulsion system so that the charging connectors (114) connect with charging connectors (124) of the charging station (120) based on the alignment (A).

16. The autonomous robot (110) according to any preceding claim, wherein the charging connectors (114) are arranged at a lower edge of the autonomous robot (110).01 08 2517. The autonomous robot (110) according to any preceding claim, wherein the charging connectors (114) are arranged on an underside of the autonomous robot (110).

18. The autonomous robot (110) according to any preceding claim, wherein the charging connectors are arranged for wireless charging.

19. The autonomous robot (110) according to any preceding claim, wherein the processing unit (111) is further configured to determine a location for the charging station based on a map application and in response thereto, determine a location of the autonomous robot (110).

20. A method (500) for controlling an autonomous robot (110) comprising a propulsion system (115, 116, 117), charging connectors (114), and a LIDAR, sensor (113), whereinthe propulsion system comprises a plurality of wheels (117), one or more motor (116) arranged to drive at least one of the plurality of wheels (117) and one or more batteries (115) arranged to supply the one or more motors (116) with current,the charging connectors (114) are connected to the one or more batteries (115) for providing the one or more batteries (115) with a charging current when the autonomous robot (110) is docked in a charging station (120), andwherein the method (500) comprisestransmitting a command signal to the LIDAR sensor (113) to scan a marker (123) arranged on the charging station (120), wherein the marker is operable to act as an identifier for the charging station, and wherein a location of the charging station (120) is pre-encoded on the marker (123), determining, using the scan of the marker (123), the location of the charging station (120) relative to the autonomous robot (110), andcontrolling the propulsion system (115, 116, 117) to drive the autonomous robot (110) to the charging station (120).A

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