Moving Robot Optical Navigation Using Probability-Based Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cleaning robots require manual user intervention to navigate to specific positions within a cleaning space, making it difficult for the user to direct the robot to clean areas that are hard to reach, such as under furniture, and the robot can be challenging to control when it is not easily locatable.
Innovation Solution
A moving robot equipped with a light reception unit and a control unit that uses a probability-based filtering method to determine its traveling direction based on optical signals from a remote device, allowing it to autonomously navigate to indicated positions while avoiding obstacles, using a combination of sampling, weight assignment, and resampling techniques to refine its direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional cleaning robot is controlled using a remote device, then the robot can be directed to specific positions, but the user cannot easily locate the robot when it is cleaning hard-to-reach areas such as under furniture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies visual signaling by emitting light from the robot body to indicate its position and state. The light emission unit displays different colors or patterns to communicate robot status (cleaning, charging, error) and position information to the user, making the robot locatable even in hard-to-reach areas without requiring direct visual contact or complex tracking systems
2Extent of automation
If the robot uses optical signals for navigation, then it can autonomously follow directions, but it may collide with obstacles in complex environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the navigation function into separate modules: an optical signal reception unit for receiving direction signals, a light reception unit for tracking the position indicated by remote device, and a traveling unit for movement. This segmentation allows each module to specialize in one function, improving overall reliability by isolating failure points and enabling independent optimization of each subsystem
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit continuously monitors the robot's position relative to the indicated position and adjusts the traveling direction in real-time. The system uses feedback from the light reception unit to correct navigation errors and avoid obstacles, ensuring reliable autonomous navigation even in complex environments with furniture and obstacles
3Measurement precision
If the robot uses probability-based filtering to determine traveling direction, then it can accurately follow optical signals, but the computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical or algorithmic direction-finding systems with a simplified optical reception and filtering approach. The control unit uses probability-based filtering to process signals from the light reception unit, determining traveling direction through statistical analysis rather than complex computational geometry or multiple sensor arrays, reducing device complexity while maintaining accuracy
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
Enables the robot to accurately follow optical signals and avoid collisions, allowing for efficient and user-friendly operation, even in complex environments like those with furniture, by determining its direction through a probabilistic filtering method.
Implementation Method 1
a light reception unit that receives light
Data Source
AI summary
A robot that moves to a position indicated by a remote device, and a method for controlling the moving robot. The moving robot according to an embodiment includes a traveling unit that moves a main body, a light reception unit that receives light, and a control unit that determines a traveling direction of the moving robot by filtering the light received from the light reception unit in accordance with a probability-based filtering method, and controls the traveling unit so that the main body travels in the traveling direction.