Robot cleaner and location identification method thereof
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robot cleaners without LiDAR sensors face difficulties in identifying their location and the location of charging stations, leading to challenges in cleaning remaining areas and returning to the charging station.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a combination of wireless communication modules, such as UWB and Bluetooth, and a processor to identify the robot cleaner's location by detecting nearby electronic devices capable of UWB and wireless communication, calculating distances, and determining the charging station's location using trilateration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a robot cleaner does not include a LiDAR sensor, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision of location identification deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces electronic devices (smartphones, tablets, or computers) as intermediary devices that perform the complex location identification calculations. The robot cleaner only needs simple wireless communication modules to communicate with these intermediary devices, which then use trilateration algorithms to determine the robot's position. This transfers the computational complexity from the robot to the intermediary electronic devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses common electronic devices (smartphones, tablets, computers) that users already possess for other purposes. These universal devices serve dual functions: their primary functions for communication and entertainment, and as location identification systems for the robot cleaner. This eliminates the need for specialized expensive sensors while leveraging existing multi-functional devices.
2Measurement precision
If the robot cleaner uses multiple communication modules for location identification, then the measurement precision improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses wireless communication modules as intermediaries to transfer distance information between the robot cleaner and electronic devices. Instead of complex direct sensing, the system uses simple wireless signals to convey position data, which is then processed by intermediary algorithms performing trilateration to achieve precise location identification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical or optical sensing systems (like LiDAR) with electromagnetic wave-based wireless communication systems. The location identification is achieved through signal transmission and reception rather than mechanical scanning or optical measurement, simplifying the physical system while maintaining or improving precision through computational methods.
3Ease of operation
If the robot cleaner is caught or stuck in an obstacle, then the productivity is reduced, but the ease of operation improves when a user can easily move the robot cleaner
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous location identification and tracking, providing real-time feedback about the robot's position to the user through the electronic device interface. This feedback mechanism allows users to understand the robot's status and intervene when necessary, balancing autonomous operation with user control to maintain both productivity and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot cleaner autonomously navigates and performs cleaning tasks without continuous user intervention, maintaining high productivity. When obstacles are encountered, the system's location identification capabilities enable it to detect and report its status, allowing users to intervene only when necessary, thus maintaining self-service operation while preserving ease of operation when manual intervention is needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A robot cleaner is disclosed. The robot cleaner comprises: a wireless communication module comprising wireless communication circuitry; a UWB communication module comprising UWB communication circuitry; and at least one processor, comprising processing circuitry, individually and/or collectively, configured to: identify whether at least one electronic device capable of UWB communication and at least one electronic device capable of wireless communication are present in a space where the robot cleaner is located, and based on the presence of a first electronic device capable of UWB communication and a second electronic device capable of wireless communication being identified, identify a first distance between the first electronic device and the robot cleaner using the UWB communication module, identify a second distance between the second electronic device and the robot cleaner using the wireless communication module, identify a third distance between a charging station, located in the space and capable of UWB communication, and the robot cleaner using the UWB communication module, and identify the location of the robot cleaner based on the first distance, the second distance, the third distance, the location of the first electronic device, the location of the second electronic device, and the location of the charging station, wherein wireless communication includes a communication scheme different from UWB communication.