Mobile Robot Occupancy Detection and Adaptive Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
There are unmet challenges in integrating the rich and autonomous behavior of household mobile robots with the core concepts of 'Internet of Things' connectivity, particularly in sensing and responding to environmental conditions and occupant presence within a household.
Innovation Solution
A mobile robot equipped with a microprocessor, wireless network circuit, driven wheels, and a cleaning head with motorized actuators, capable of executing routines to monitor a wireless local network, detect presence and action states of network entities, and adjust its cleaning operations based on the presence of mobile devices and environmental sensors, ensuring efficient cleaning and environmental monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the mobile robot continuously performs cleaning operations, then cleaning productivity is improved, but it may interfere with occupant activities such as phone calls
Solution Approach 1:
The robot uses sensors to detect occupancy status and phone call states, receiving feedback about the environment and adjusting its cleaning operations accordingly. When phone calls are detected, the robot pauses or relocates to avoid interference, demonstrating feedback-based adaptive control
Solution Approach 2:
The robot dynamically adjusts its cleaning behavior based on real-time conditions. It can pause, resume, or relocate cleaning operations depending on detected occupancy and phone call states, making the system flexible and adaptive rather than rigid and continuous
2Adaptability or versatility
If the mobile robot integrates multiple sensors and network connectivity for autonomous decision-making, then adaptability to environmental conditions is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robot integrates multiple sensors (occupancy sensors, phone call state sensors, environmental sensors) and network connectivity into a single platform that performs both cleaning and environmental monitoring functions, making the device multi-functional and reducing the need for separate systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines cleaning operations with environmental monitoring and occupancy detection into a single integrated system. The robot merges multiple functions (cleaning, sensing, communication, decision-making) into one autonomous platform, simplifying the overall household system architecture
3Extent of automation
If the mobile robot monitors wireless network for presence state of network entities, then responsiveness to occupant presence is improved, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robot uses its existing wireless communication hardware (designed for control and status reporting) to also detect occupancy and phone call states, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating the need for separate dedicated detection systems
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless network circuit serves multiple functions: controlling cleaning operations, reporting status, and detecting occupancy/presence states. This multi-functionality reduces overall energy consumption compared to having separate dedicated systems for each function
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile robot includes a microprocessor connected to a memory and a wireless network circuit, for executing routines stored in the memory and commands generated by the routines and received via the wireless network circuit. The microprocessor drives the mobile robot to a multiplicity of accessible two dimensional locations within a household, and commands an end effector, including at least one motorized actuator, to perform mechanical work in the household. A plurality of routines include a first routine which monitors a wireless local network and detects a presence of a network entity on the wireless local network, a second routine which receives a signal from a sensor detecting an action state of one of the network entities, the action state changeable between waiting and active, and a third routine which commands the end effector to change state of performing mechanical work based on the presence and on the action state.