Mobile Robot Transit-Point Navigation Around Boundaries and Obstacles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing moving robots face challenges in efficiently navigating to a target point within a designated area, particularly outdoors, due to obstacles and boundary line complexities, which can lead to prolonged movement times and potential wheel grooving issues.

Innovation Solution

A moving robot system that sets transit points along a movement path based on a map, using a controller to avoid obstacles and boundary lines, and adjusts the path as needed to ensure efficient and accurate navigation to the target point.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the robot travels along the boundary line to reach a target point, then the robot can avoid obstacles and stay within the designated area, but the movement time is lengthened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobstacle avoidanceVSAvoidmovement time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the boundary line into multiple segments and identifies feature points at specific locations along these segments. The robot uses these feature points as reference markers to establish its position and orientation relative to the boundary, allowing it to navigate more efficiently without continuously tracking the entire boundary line.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent pre-processes the boundary line information to extract feature points and their coordinates before the robot begins navigation. This preliminary preparation of path information allows the robot to make faster navigation decisions during actual movement, reducing real-time computation time while maintaining reliable obstacle avoidance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If the robot repeatedly moves through a specific area along the boundary line, then the robot can maintain accurate positioning, but wheel grooves may form on the ground

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidwheel grooving
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamic path adjustment by allowing the robot to deviate from the boundary line when approaching the target point. The control method calculates an optimal approach path that minimizes boundary line travel while maintaining positioning accuracy through periodic reference to feature points, thereby reducing wheel grooving in high-traffic areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If the robot moves efficiently to reach a target point, then the travel distance and time are reduced, but the robot may invade the boundary line or collide with obstacles

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetravel efficiencyVSAvoidboundary adherence
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the robot continuously monitors its position relative to the boundary line and feature points during movement. Based on this feedback, the control method dynamically adjusts the navigation path to ensure the robot remains within the designated area while maintaining efficient travel to the target point.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3782774B1Mobile robot
Publication Date: 2023.11.08 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3782774B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3782774B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3782774B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a moving robot and a control method of a moving robot. The moving robot moves to a target point by setting at least one transit point in a movement path along which the moving robot starts from a current point to move a target point based on a map. Accordingly, the movement path can be easily set according a position of a boundary line or an obstacle, the movement path can be set to a shortest distance, and thus, the moving robot can rapidly move to the target point. Moreover, even when a position error is generated while the moving robot moves, the position error can be easily corrected, and even when the moving robot cannot travel due to an obstacle, the transit point is changed so that the moving robot can easily move.