Floor processing by means of an autonomous mobile robot

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Solution Overview

Problem

Autonomous mobile robots face inefficiencies in surface processing, such as floor cleaning, due to the need for complex path planning and collision avoidance, especially when encountering unexpected obstacles or heavily soiled areas, which can disrupt systematic cleaning modes and increase complexity in navigation and path planning.

Innovation Solution

The method involves an autonomous mobile robot equipped with a dirt sensor that adjusts its speed based on dirt soiling levels, reducing speed when heavy soiling is detected, allowing for intensified cleaning without changing processing modes, and using a dirt sensor signal to modify the cleaning trajectory to ensure thorough coverage of heavily soiled areas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the robot maintains a systematic processing mode with fixed speed, then navigation and path planning remain simple, but cleaning efficiency decreases when encountering heavily soiled areas

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning efficiencyVSAvoidnavigation and path planning complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The robot dynamically adjusts its processing speed based on real-time dirt sensor readings. When heavy soiling is detected, the robot automatically reduces speed to intensify cleaning in that area, while maintaining the overall systematic processing mode. This dynamic speed adjustment resolves the contradiction by enabling adaptive cleaning efficiency without requiring complex changes to navigation or path planning algorithms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Manufacturing precision

If the robot changes processing mode to handle heavily soiled areas, then cleaning thoroughness improves, but system complexity and response time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning thoroughnessVSAvoidprocessing mode complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of changing the overall processing mode, the robot applies local quality adjustment by modifying only the speed parameter in the area of heavy soiling. The dirt sensor detects localized heavy soiling, and the robot responds by reducing speed only in that specific area while maintaining the original systematic processing mode for the rest of the floor. This resolves the contradiction by achieving thorough cleaning in critical areas without introducing complex mode-switching logic.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If the robot moves at high speed throughout the area, then productivity is high, but heavily soiled areas are not adequately cleaned

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning speedVSAvoidcleaning quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The robot employs feedback control through dirt sensors that continuously monitor the soiling level of the floor. When the sensor detects heavy soiling, it feeds this information back to the control system, which then automatically reduces speed in response. This feedback mechanism resolves the contradiction by dynamically balancing cleaning speed and quality based on actual floor conditions, ensuring high productivity in clean areas and thorough cleaning in heavily soiled areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3709853B1Floor processing by means of an autonomous mobile robot
Publication Date: 2023.08.16 ROBART GMBH
  • EP3709853B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3709853B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3709853B1 patent drawingFigure 5~5E

AI summary

An embodiment relates to a method for controlling an autonomous mobile robot, comprising the following steps: controlling the robot in a treatment mode to treat a floor surface by means of a floor treatment module of the robot, detecting, by means of a soil sensor mounted on the robot, a soil sensor signal representing the soiling of the floor surface, and modifying the speed of the robot in response to the soil sensor signal.