Robot Cleaner Teach-In Control for Virtual Area Demarcation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cleaning robots are inefficient and costly due to the need for complex sensors and software to navigate and adapt to changing environments, and existing boundary-setting methods are cumbersome and expensive, limiting their effectiveness and flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A teach-in device that emits data signals to a cleaning robot, allowing intuitive and interactive programming by scanning the ground with a bottom sensor, enabling flexible area demarcation and obstacle detection, and allowing the robot to adjust its cleaning path without the need for multiple beacons or physical barriers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If complex sensors and software are integrated in the cleaning robot to enable autonomous navigation and adaptation to changing environments, then the cleaning robot can recognize and adapt to obstacles and area changes, but the computing power required becomes very expensive and the size of the cleaning robot increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a teach-in device as an intermediary that performs the complex task of area mapping and obstacle detection externally. The device scans the environment and transmits processed area data to the cleaning robot via data bus, allowing the robot to navigate without requiring complex onboard sensors and software for these functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of equipping the robot with complex physical sensors and processing units with an information-based approach. A teach-in device performs the sensing and processing externally, then communicates the results to the robot through data transmission, substituting mechanical complexity with informational exchange.
2Ease of operation
If conventional boundary-setting methods such as magnetic strips or infrared lighthouses are used to limit areas, then areas that should not be approached can be demarcated, but the methods are labor-consuming, cumbersome and expensive in acquisition and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The teach-in device performs automatic scanning and mapping of the cleaning area without requiring manual setup of physical barriers. The device autonomously navigates the area, collects data, and processes it to create a digital map, eliminating the need for labor-intensive placement and configuration of traditional boundary markers.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using physical copies of boundaries in the form of magnetic strips or infrared lighthouses, the system creates a digital copy or representation of the cleaning area through scanning and mapping. This digital map is then used by the cleaning robot for navigation, replacing physical boundary markers with virtual boundaries.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the cleaning robot is equipped with complex software and sensors to ensure adaptability, then the cleaning robot can handle unknown obstacles, but the size of the cleaning robot increases which limits its ability to approach all areas
Solution Approach 1:
The teach-in device acts as an external intermediary that performs the complex sensing and processing functions separately from the cleaning robot. This allows the robot to remain compact while still achieving adaptive navigation through information provided by the external device.
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates the sensing and processing functions from the cleaning robot by moving them to an external teach-in device. This dimensional separation allows the robot to maintain a compact form factor while still accessing the computational and sensing capabilities needed for adaptive navigation through external support.
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 efficient and cost-effective programming and control of cleaning robots, allowing them to adapt to changing environments and navigate around obstacles with increased flexibility, reducing the need for complex sensors and software, and eliminating the need for labor-intensive boundary setup.
Implementation Method 1
the optical signals are infrared
Implementation Method 2
or laser beams
Implementation Method 3
bottom sensor configured to activate the signaling device or change its condition when the bottom sensor touches a contact to the ground
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a teach-in device (1) for a cleaning robot (10), the teach-in device (1) comprising: a housing (2), a signaling device (3) arranged in the housing (2). and is set up to emit predetermined data signals (4), which can be received by a receiving device (11) of a cleaning robot (10), and a control device (5), which is arranged and set up in the housing (2), the predetermined set data signals (4) of the signaling device (3), characterized in that the teach-in device (1) comprises a floor sensor (6) which is set up to activate or change a state of the signaling device (3), when the floor sensor (6) touches the floor. The invention also relates to a teach-in system with the teach-in device (1) and a cleaning robot (10) and a method for controlling the cleaning robot (10) using the teach-in device (1). With the invention, the user can program a cleaning robot (10) intuitively and interactively in a simple manner.