Scheduling system for autonomous robots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomous cleaning robots lack user-friendly scheduling capabilities, requiring manual initiation of cleaning missions and lacking flexibility in area-specific and time-specific cleaning operations.
Innovation Solution
A mobile application allows users to create and manage custom cleaning schedules for autonomous cleaning robots, including room-by-room, day-specific, and recurring missions, with integrated conflict checking and coordination between multiple robots.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual initiation of cleaning missions is required, then the system is simpler to implement, but user convenience and automation are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning robot autonomously executes cleaning missions based on pre-configured schedules without requiring manual initiation. The system automatically triggers cleaning operations according to scheduled times, areas, and parameters, enabling the device to serve itself and reducing the need for continuous user intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
Users configure cleaning schedules in advance with specific parameters (times, areas, frequency) before the actual cleaning missions occur. The system stores these pre-defined schedules and automatically retrieves and executes them at the appropriate times, eliminating the need for manual initiation at the moment of cleaning.
2Adaptability or versatility
If cleaning operations are performed without area-specific scheduling, then the system is simpler, but cleaning flexibility and precision are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system divides the environment into distinct areas or rooms and allows users to create separate cleaning schedules for each area. Users can specify different cleaning parameters (frequency, time, thoroughness) for different segments of the environment, enabling precise control over where and how cleaning occurs without requiring a single complex global schedule.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows different cleaning schedules and parameters to be applied to different areas of the environment. Each area can have its own specific cleaning characteristics (e.g., high-traffic areas cleaned more frequently, sensitive areas cleaned with gentler parameters), enabling localized optimization of cleaning operations.
3Productivity
If cleaning missions are executed without coordination between multiple robots, then individual robot operation is simpler, but overall cleaning efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system coordinates multiple cleaning robots by merging their operations under a unified scheduling framework. The central system assigns and coordinates cleaning missions across multiple robots, allowing them to work collaboratively on different areas or workloads, thereby increasing overall cleaning throughput and efficiency without requiring complex peer-to-peer communication between robots.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of operating an autonomous cleaning robot includes receiving, at a handheld computing device, a first input representing a first set of cleaning schedule parameters for a first cleaning schedule for the autonomous cleaning robot, the first cleaning schedule corresponding to a first area. The method includes presenting, on a display of the handheld computing device, the first cleaning schedule. The method includes receiving, at the handheld computing device, a second input representing a second set of cleaning schedule parameters for a second cleaning schedule for the autonomous cleaning robot, the second cleaning schedule corresponding to a second area different from the first area. The method includes presenting, on the display, the first and second cleaning schedules, and initiating a transmission to the autonomous cleaning robot, based on the first or second cleaning schedules, the transmission including data for causing the robot to initiate a cleaning mission.