Autonomous household appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Household robots used for tasks like cleaning and mowing are often heavy and costly due to additional features and sensors, making them difficult for small or elderly users to handle and move, especially when accessing different floors or areas.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous household appliance with a wire-bound coupling interface that temporarily connects to a smart device for accessing sensor information, allowing the appliance to perform tasks with enhanced functionality while maintaining a lightweight and cost-effective design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additional features and sensors are integrated into the robot, then functionality and performance are improved, but weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides functionality into two segments: core functions permanently integrated into the robot (task unit, basic sensors, processor) and additional functions temporarily provided by an external smart device (camera, microphone, advanced sensors). This segmentation allows the robot to gain enhanced functionality when needed without permanently carrying the additional weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a wireless communication interface as an intermediary between the robot and the user's smart device. This intermediary enables the robot to access additional sensors and processing power from the external device without physically integrating them, thus avoiding the weight penalty while maintaining functionality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional features and sensors are integrated into the robot, then functionality and performance are improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robot's processor and wireless interface are designed to be universal, capable of working with multiple different smart devices (smartphones, tablets, computers). This universality allows the same basic robot hardware to access a wide range of additional functions from the user's existing devices, eliminating the need to manufacture multiple specialized robot versions.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of physically copying expensive sensors and processing units into the robot, the system creates a virtual copy by establishing a wireless connection to the user's smart device which already contains these capabilities. The robot accesses functionality through data transmission rather than physical duplication, significantly reducing manufacturing costs.
3Ease of operation
If the robot is made lighter by removing features, then ease of handling is improved, but functionality is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic functionality where the robot can switch between different operational modes: basic mode using only integrated components for lightweight operation, and enhanced mode where additional functionality is activated through wireless connection to a smart device. This dynamic adaptability allows the robot to optimize between weight and functionality based on task requirements.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
An autonomous household appliance (112) configured for performing at least one household task, a household system (110), a method (130) for temporarily augmenting the functionality of an autonomous household appliance(112) and a computer program are disclosed. The autonomous household appliance(112)comprises at least one task unit (116) arranged for performing the household task, wherein the autonomous household appliance (112) further comprises an interface element (118) having at least one wire-bound coupling means(120), wherein the interface element (118) is configured for releasably and temporarily coupling the autonomous household appliance (112) to at least one smart device (114), wherein the autonomous household appliance (112) is configured for accessing at least one sensor device (122) of the at least one smart device(114) via the interface element (118) and for making use of at least one item of sensor information retrieved by the sensor device (122) when performing the household task.