Moving robot and controlling method for the moving robot
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robot cleaners often fall into cliffs or get trapped in spaces with different floor heights due to inadequate detection of obstacles and cliffs, leading to inefficient cleaning and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
The robot cleaner acquires images of its surroundings, detects obstacles and floor surfaces, calculates the height and depth of obstacles, and decides whether to climb or avoid them based on reference heights and depths, allowing for safe navigation and efficient cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a cliff sensor is provided at the bottom of the main body to detect cliffs, then the robot cleaner can detect the existence of a cliff, but the robot cleaner must be close to the cliff or have its body positioned on the cliff to recognize it, causing it to often fall into the cliff
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from bottom-mounted cliff detection (vertical dimension only) to front-facing obstacle detection (horizontal and vertical dimensions). By detecting obstacles before the robot reaches the cliff edge and calculating their height, the system can identify cliffs at a distance and avoid them, preventing falls rather than just detecting them when already in danger.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary obstacle detection and height calculation before the robot cleaner reaches the cliff edge. By identifying potential cliffs in advance through obstacle height measurement and comparing it with the robot's body height, the system can take preventive action (avoidance) before the dangerous situation occurs, rather than reacting after the robot is already close to or on the cliff.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the robot cleaner climbs a chassis recognized as a low obstacle, then it can traverse the obstacle, but the robot cleaner may fall to the floor of the veranda while traveling, especially when the veranda floor is lower than the room floor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary detection of obstacles and calculates their heights before the robot attempts to traverse them. By measuring obstacle height and comparing it with the robot's body height, the system can identify potentially dangerous obstacles (like chassis leading to lower floors) in advance and avoid them, preventing falls during traversal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces obstacle height calculation as an intermediary step between obstacle detection and traversal decision-making. This intermediate calculation compares obstacle height with robot body height to determine whether the obstacle is safe to traverse, acting as a mediator that filters out dangerous obstacles before the robot attempts to climb them.
3Device complexity
If the robot cleaner uses only obstacle height detection to decide whether to climb, then the navigation decision is simple, but the robot cleaner cannot distinguish between safe obstacles and dangerous cliffs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the detection parameter from simple obstacle presence to obstacle height measurement. By calculating the height of detected obstacles and comparing it with the robot's body height as a threshold parameter, the system can distinguish between safe obstacles (height < robot body height) and dangerous cliffs (height >= robot body height), improving detection precision while maintaining relatively simple navigation logic.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the robot cleaner to safely traverse obstacles, preventing falls and ensuring complete cleaning by considering both obstacle height and floor depth, thus improving navigation and cleaning efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an image acquisition unit for acquiring an image of a front of the moving robot; a controller for analyzing the image acquired by the image acquisition unit
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5b
AI summary
The present disclosure analyzes the image around the main body, detects the depth of the floor surface and the height of the floor surface beyond the obstacle, and determines whether to climb the obstacle.