Cleaning Robot Direction Control Using Ultrasonic Signal Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cleaning robots lack efficient navigation and control systems to optimize their cleaning routes and avoid obstacles, leading to potential collisions and reduced cleaning efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A direction device that uses a combination of ultrasonic waves and wireless signals to control the cleaning robot's route, allowing it to navigate autonomously and avoid obstacles while also serving as a charging station, virtual wall, or light house, using a receiving unit, emitting unit, and control unit to emit and receive encoded signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the cleaning robot uses autonomous navigation without direction control, then it can operate independently, but it cannot efficiently avoid obstacles or optimize cleaning routes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a direction device as an intermediary between the cleaning robot and the environment. This device receives encoded ultrasonic waves from the robot, processes the information, and emits wireless direction signals to guide the robot's movement, enabling efficient navigation and obstacle avoidance without requiring complex onboard sensors in the robot itself
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical navigation systems with acoustic field-based communication. The direction device uses ultrasonic waves for information exchange and wireless signals for direction control, eliminating the need for complex mechanical sensors and processors in the cleaning robot while achieving reliable autonomous navigation
2Measurement precision
If the direction device continuously emits wireless signals, then the robot can maintain accurate navigation, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The direction device emits wireless direction signals periodically or on-demand rather than continuously. The control unit activates the emitting unit only when the receiving unit detects encoded ultrasonic waves from the robot, creating a periodic communication cycle that maintains navigation accuracy while significantly reducing power consumption compared to continuous signal emission
3Adaptability or versatility
If the cleaning robot uses simple movement control, then the device complexity is low, but it cannot optimize cleaning routes or avoid obstacles effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The navigation system is segmented into two independent parts: a simple cleaning robot that emits encoded ultrasonic waves and a separate direction device that performs complex signal processing and direction control. This segmentation allows the robot to remain simple while the external direction device provides advanced route optimization and obstacle avoidance capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The direction device acts as an external intermediary that handles all complex navigation computations and decision-making. The robot itself remains simple, relying on the direction device to process encoded ultrasonic waves and generate appropriate direction signals, thereby achieving high adaptability without increasing onboard robot complexity
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
The system enhances cleaning efficiency by allowing the robot to accurately navigate and avoid obstacles, reduces power consumption by only emitting signals when necessary, and provides a method for charging and route control, ensuring continuous operation and improved cleaning performance.
Implementation Method 1
The receiving unit receives an encoded ultrasonic wave emitted by the cleaning robot
Implementation Method 2
The emitting unit emits at least one wireless signal
Data Source
AI summary
A direction device controlling a traveling route of a cleaning robot and including a receiving unit, an emitting unit and a control unit is disclosed. The receiving unit receives an encoded ultrasonic wave emitted by the cleaning robot. The emitting unit emits at least one wireless signal. The control unit activates the emitting unit to emit a first direction wireless signal when the receiving unit receives the encoded ultrasonic wave. The cleaning robot passes according to the first direction wireless signal.