Autonomous mobile robot, method for docking autonomous mobile robot, control device and smart cleaning system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous mobile robots often fail to detect charging stations due to distant starting positions or isolation zones, leading to manual placement and poor user experience.
Innovation Solution
The robot builds a simultaneous map of its environment and navigates towards a non-clutter region to increase the chances of receiving a signal from the charging station, using a control system to determine coverage regions and move towards open areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the robot uses conventional signal-based docking method, then the docking process is simple, but the robot cannot find the charging station when starting position is far away or isolated
Solution Approach 1:
The robot performs preliminary exploration and mapping of the environment before docking is needed. By building a simultaneous map during normal operation, the robot prepares advance knowledge of the charging station location and surrounding environment, enabling reliable docking even when signal coverage is unavailable at the starting position
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary exploration phase that bridges the gap between signal-based docking and physical docking. The robot uses the simultaneous map as an intermediary representation to navigate to the charging station when direct signal reception is not possible, resolving the contradiction between simple signal-based methods and reliable docking in isolated areas
2Reliability
If the robot manually places the charging station near the robot, then the robot can be charged, but the operation becomes complex and user experience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The robot performs self-service by autonomously navigating to the charging station using the simultaneous map when signal-based docking is unavailable. The system automatically determines the charging station location from the map and executes navigation without requiring manual intervention, maintaining both charging availability and operational simplicity
3Reliability
If the robot stays in the current position waiting for signal, then energy consumption is low, but the robot cannot dock for charging when out of coverage region
Solution Approach 1:
The docking strategy dynamically adapts based on signal reception status. When the robot is within signal coverage, it uses low-energy signal-based docking. When out of coverage, it transitions to map-based navigation only when necessary, optimizing the balance between docking success rate and energy consumption by making the docking approach conditional rather than fixed
Data Source
AI summary
In some examples, a robot includes: a machine body; a driving system, configured to drive the machine body and elements disposed in the machine body to move across a surface; a signal receiver, configured to receive a signal from a charging station; a control system, disposed in the machine body, and configured to build a simultaneous map of an environment in which the robot locates, and navigate the robot based on the simultaneous map; wherein, in a process of docking the robot, the signal receiver determines whether the robot is in a coverage region of the signal from the charging station; in response to determining that the robot is not in the coverage region of the signal from the charging station, the control system controls the driving system to drive the robot to move toward an open region based on the simultaneous map.