Mobile Robot Working Map Update Through Multi-Map Merging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mobile robots, especially home service robots, face challenges in maintaining accurate and comprehensive environment maps due to low localization accuracy and reliability, leading to incomplete reflection of workplace layouts, which affects their path planning and task execution.

Innovation Solution

A method for updating the working map of a mobile robot by merging multiple detected environment maps to create a more comprehensive environment layout map, involving filtering and weighting processing to enhance map accuracy and detail, and incorporating anomaly recovery mechanisms to ensure accurate object distribution information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the mobile robot re-constructs an environment layout map each time it works, then the impact of single localization anomaly on path planning is reduced, but the map cannot comprehensively reflect the detailed object layout in the workplace

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocalization reliabilityVSAvoidenvironment layout information

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary mapping actions by continuously detecting and storing environment maps during robot movement. Multiple detected environment maps are accumulated and merged beforehand, so that when path planning is needed, a comprehensive map is already available, eliminating the need to re-construct the map each time while maintaining reliability through anomaly detection mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system merges multiple detected environment maps into a single comprehensive environment layout map. By combining information from multiple detection instances, the system achieves both comprehensive coverage of the workplace layout and reliability through redundancy, resolving the contradiction between map completeness and localization reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Productivity

If the mobile robot stores an environment layout map, then path planning efficiency is improved, but localization accuracy and reliability deteriorate due to consumer-level sensors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepath planning efficiencyVSAvoidlocalization accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously detecting the environment during robot movement and comparing new detections with the stored environment layout map. This feedback loop allows the system to maintain an accurate map while using consumer-level sensors, as the continuous detection and comparison process compensates for sensor limitations and improves localization accuracy over time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of performing discrete mapping operations, the system continuously detects and updates the environment layout map during robot movement. This continuous action ensures that the map remains current and accurate, allowing efficient path planning while compensating for sensor limitations through ongoing detection and refinement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Device complexity

If the mobile robot uses consumer-level sensors without external auxiliary localization devices, then device complexity is reduced, but both localization accuracy and reliability are not high

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensor system complexityVSAvoidlocalization accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system makes the robot self-sufficient by using its own consumer-level sensors to detect and build the environment layout map without external auxiliary devices. The robot serves its own localization and mapping needs through continuous environmental detection and map merging, eliminating the need for complex external infrastructure while maintaining acceptable localization accuracy through software-based compensation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3974778B1Method and apparatus for updating working map of mobile robot, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2023.10.25 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD

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AI summary

This application provides a method and an apparatus (5000) for updating a working map of a mobile robot (7000), and a storage medium in the field of intelligent control technologies. The method includes: determining a plurality of detected environment maps based on object distribution information detected by the mobile robot (7000) in a moving process; merging the plurality of detected environment maps to obtain a merged environment map; and then performing weighting processing on the merged environment map and an environment layout map currently stored in the mobile robot (7000), to obtain an updated environment layout map. The environment layout map stored in the mobile robot (7000) is updated by using the plurality of detected maps obtained by the mobile robot (7000) during working, so that the updated environment layout map can reflect a more detailed environment layout. This helps the mobile robot (7000) subsequently better execute a working task.