Environmental management systems including mobile robots and methods using same
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of rich and autonomous behavior of household mobile robots with Internet of Things connectivity remains unmet, as existing technologies struggle to effectively manage and control these robots remotely, especially in unpredictable and variable environments.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system for receiving and sending user commands to remote cleaning robots, featuring a user interface with control elements for launch, cleaning strategies, and recall functions, allowing real-time monitoring and control of the robot's state, including scheduling and remediation options, to manage the robot's autonomous operations effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If household mobile robots are integrated with Internet of Things connectivity to enable remote monitoring and control, then the robot's autonomy and ability to operate in unpredictable environments is improved, but the device complexity and difficulty of managing control interfaces increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control interface is segmented into multiple functional zones (launch control group, cleaning strategy controls, physical recall control group, scheduling controls) that can be independently configured and accessed. This allows the complex robot control system to be divided into manageable, context-specific control modules that reduce the perceived complexity for users while maintaining full robot autonomy capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The user interface dynamically adapts its presentation and available controls based on the robot's current state and operational context. The interface can transform between different control modes (e.g., from autonomous operation controls to manual intervention controls) depending on real-time robot status, thereby managing complexity by only presenting relevant controls at any given moment while preserving full robot adaptability.
2Ease of operation
If a comprehensive user interface with multiple control elements is provided for remote robot control, then the ease of operation is improved, but the loss of information and difficulty of monitoring robot state in real-time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements real-time feedback mechanisms that continuously update the user interface with the robot's current state, sensor data, and operational status. This feedback loop ensures that users have access to accurate, up-to-date information about the robot while maintaining an intuitive control interface, thereby preventing information loss despite the complexity of remote operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple cleaning strategies and scheduling options are implemented, then the adaptability to different cleaning needs is improved, but the device complexity and difficulty of managing options increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different cleaning strategies are applied to different spatial zones or areas based on specific local requirements. The system allows users to define different cleaning parameters (e.g., thoroughness, speed, pattern) for different regions of the environment, thereby providing high adaptability to local cleaning needs while managing overall system complexity through localized control rather than global reconfiguration.
4Ease of operation
If real-time monitoring and control capabilities are enhanced, then the ease of operation is improved, but the use of energy and computational resources increases
Solution Approach 1:
The real-time monitoring system uses periodic updates rather than continuous data transmission, sending robot state information at optimized intervals based on operational context. This approach maintains effective real-time monitoring capability for users while significantly reducing the energy and computational resources required compared to continuous monitoring, thereby resolving the contradiction between monitoring enhancement and energy consumption.
Data Source
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AI summary
A computer-implemented method for receiving user commands for a remote cleaning robot and sending the user commands to the remote cleaning robot, the remote cleaning robot including a drive motor and a cleaning motor, includes displaying a user interface including a control area, and within the control area: a user-manipulable launch control group including a plurality of control elements, the launch control group having a deferred launch control state and an immediate launch control state; at least one user-manipulable cleaning strategy control element having a primary cleaning strategy control state and an alternative cleaning strategy control state; and a physical recall control group including a plurality of control elements, the physical recall control group having an immediate recall control state and a remote audible locator control state. The method further includes: receiving user input via the user-manipulable control elements; responsive to the user inputs, displaying simultaneously within the same control area a real-time robot state reflecting a unique combination of control states; and commanding the remote cleaning robot to actuate the drive motor and cleaning motor to clean a surface based on the received input and unique combination of control states.