Cleaning Robot Floor Edge Detection for Area Confinement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous cleaning robots often unintentionally wander from one room or area to another while vacuuming, failing to satisfactorily complete cleaning within a selected area, such as an area rug, due to difficulty maneuvering and recognizing floor surface changes.
Innovation Solution
The robot is equipped with sensors and a controller that emit signals towards the floor surface, allowing it to detect changes in floor type, elevation, and reflectivity, enabling it to alter its direction and remain within a designated area by comparing reflected signals to baseline data, thus confining its movement to a selected area without external barriers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the robot uses sensors and signal generators to detect floor surface changes and confine movement to a selected area, then cleaning precision within the designated area is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robot integrates multiple functions into a single system: the signal generator and sensor array serve both for navigation and for detecting floor surface changes, while the controller simultaneously manages drive system control, cleaning operations, and boundary detection. This multi-functionality approach improves cleaning precision within designated areas without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces signal generators and sensors as intermediary components between the robot and the floor surface. These intermediaries detect floor type, elevation, and reflectivity changes, providing the controller with data to confine movement to selected areas. This intermediary layer enables precise area confinement without requiring direct mechanical interaction with boundaries.
2Productivity
If the robot confines its movement to a limited area using sensor detection, then cleaning efficiency within the selected area is improved, but the robot's ability to maneuver onto area rugs with height differences or slippage issues deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The robot performs preliminary detection of floor surface characteristics using sensors before attempting to maneuver onto area rugs. By detecting elevation changes, reflectivity variations, and floor type in advance, the robot can plan its approach to rugs with height differences or slippage issues, improving both cleaning efficiency within designated areas and maneuverability onto challenging surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot employs dynamic control of its drive system based on real-time sensor feedback. When the sensor detects an area rug boundary or challenging surface condition, the controller dynamically adjusts the drive system to alter direction and avoid crossing edges, while still enabling the robot to maneuver onto rugs when appropriate. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between area confinement and maneuverability.
3Measurement precision
If the robot uses multiple sensor pairs disposed at different locations to detect floor edges, then the precision of edge detection is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the detection system into multiple sensor pairs disposed at different locations around the robot periphery. Each sensor pair independently detects floor edges in its specific direction, providing segmented coverage of the surrounding area. This segmentation improves edge detection precision without requiring a single complex omnidirectional sensor system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple simple sensor pairs into a unified detection system controlled by a single controller. By merging the data from multiple locations and integrating it with the drive system control, the robot achieves comprehensive edge detection and area confinement functionality. This merging approach improves measurement precision while managing device complexity through integrated control architecture.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The robot effectively cleans a selected area by proactively adjusting its path to avoid floor surface edges, ensuring thorough cleaning of the intended area while avoiding adjacent surfaces, thereby improving cleaning efficiency and user control over cleaning zones.
Implementation Method 1
a signal generator carried by the chassis and arranged to direct a signal toward the floor surface; a sensor carried by the chassis and responsive to a reflection of the directed signal from the floor surface
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning robot includes a chassis, a drive system connected to the chassis and configured to drive the robot, a signal generator and sensor carried by the chassis, and a controller in communication with the drive system and the sensor. The signal generator directs a signal toward the floor surface. The sensor is responsive to reflected signals from the floor surface. The controller controls the drive system to alter direction of the robot responsive to a reflected signal indicating an edge of the floor surface.