Mobile Cleaning Robot Privacy Mode for Camera Control in Private Areas
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of cameras in autonomous mobile cleaning robots raises privacy concerns for users, as they may feel uncomfortable with image capture in private areas, and there is a risk of unauthorized access to image streams.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a privacy mode that allows users to disable or restrict the image stream in specific locations or schedules, enabling the robot to navigate and perform cleaning operations using alternative sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a camera is used for obstacle detection and navigation in an autonomous mobile robot, then the robot's operational capability is improved, but user privacy is compromised due to potential image capture in private areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of the camera system by enabling users to define privacy zones and schedules, allowing the camera to be automatically disabled or have its stream restricted when the robot enters specified locations or during scheduled times. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by adapting camera operation to contextual privacy requirements while maintaining navigation functionality through alternative sensors when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the operating environment into privacy zones and non-privacy zones, allowing different camera operation modes in different spatial contexts. By dividing the environment and applying different privacy rules to different segments, the system can maintain high operational capability in public areas while protecting privacy in private areas, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and privacy
Data Source
AI summary
A method of operating a mobile cleaning robot can include receiving a privacy mode setting from a user interface, where the privacy mode setting is based on a user selection between at least two different privacy mode settings for determining whether to operate the mobile cleaning robot in an image-capture-restricted mode. An image stream of an image capture device of the mobile cleaning robot is permitted in an absence of a user-selection of a more restrictive one of the privacy settings. At least a portion of the image stream is restricted or disabled based at least in part on a user-selection of a more restrictive one of the privacy settings.