Robot Cleaner Docking Signals for Reflection-Aware Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot cleaner systems face challenges in guiding the robot cleaner to a docking position without overlapping docking signals, which can lead to undesired movement due to difficulty in distinguishing docking signals from reflected waves.
Innovation Solution
The docking station employs transmission units that adjust the delay times of high periods in docking signals to different lengths, allowing the robot cleaner to distinguish between docking guide signals and reflected waves, and includes a light emitting unit with a shading plate to reduce the spreading angle of the docking signal, enabling the robot cleaner to accurately navigate to a docking position without overlapping areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the docking station transmits docking guide signals to guide the robot cleaner, then the robot cleaner can navigate to the docking station, but the docking signals may overlap and cause difficulty in distinguishing them from reflected waves
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the docking signal into multiple segments with different delay times. The transmission unit transmits high periods with different delay times to create distinct signal patterns that can be easily distinguished from reflected waves, thereby improving detection accuracy and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic transmission of high periods with varying delay times. By transmitting signals in periodic intervals with different delay patterns, the system creates unique temporal signatures that help the robot cleaner distinguish direct docking signals from reflected waves, enhancing both measurement precision and reliability.
2Area of stationary object
If the docking signal is transmitted with a wide spreading angle to cover a larger area, then more robot cleaner positions can be covered, but the signal may overlap with reflected waves causing undesired movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different delay time characteristics to different spatial regions. The transmission unit creates localized signal patterns with specific delay time profiles in different areas, allowing the robot cleaner to distinguish docking signals from reflected waves while maintaining wide area coverage through the coordinated transmission pattern.
3Device complexity
If the robot cleaner uses conventional signal transmission without adjusted delay times, then the system is simpler, but the robot cleaner cannot distinguish docking signals from reflected waves leading to undesired movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temporal parameter (delay time) of the transmitted signal without fundamentally altering the system architecture. By adjusting the delay times of high periods in the docking signal, the system achieves improved signal distinction capability while maintaining relatively simple device 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
This solution allows the robot cleaner to quickly and accurately detect docking guide signals, preventing undesired movement and ensuring efficient navigation to the docking station by distinguishing docking signals from reflected waves, thereby improving the precision and efficiency of the docking process.
Implementation Method 1
a light emitting unit to generate the docking signal and a guide portion to guide a traveling direction of the docking signal
Implementation Method 2
a shading plate to block some of the docking guide signal so as to reduce a spreading angle of the docking guide signal
Implementation Method 3
a lens unit provided outside the light emitting unit so as to spread the docking guide signal
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
A system is described comprising a docking station having a first transmission unit to transmit a first docking signal in a first direction, the first docking signal comprising at least a first signal pulse and a second signal pulse, wherein the first signal pulse has a pulse width that has a different time length than a pulse width of the second signal pulse. The system further comprises a robot cleaner comprising a reception unit to receive the first docking signal from the docking station, and a control unit configured to determine if the received first docking signal is an unreflected wave received directly from the first transmission unit or if the received first docking signal is a reflected wave produced by reflection of the first docking signal by an obstacle, the control unit to control movement of the robot cleaner based on whether the received first docking signal is determined to be the reflected wave or the unreflected wave.