Self-Traveling Robot Map Offloading for Extended Navigation Range
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Solution Overview
Problem
Self-traveling robots are limited by their local memory capacity, which restricts their operational range due to the inability to store extensive environment maps, forcing them to navigate in sections rather than freely within environments.
Innovation Solution
The method involves transferring unused environment maps or map sections to an external memory unit, allowing flexible storage adaptation based on current navigation needs, enabling the robot to store only necessary maps locally and offloading unnecessary data to an external unit, such as a cloud server, to conserve local memory and expand operational range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If environment maps are stored in the local memory of the robot, then the robot can navigate within recorded sections of the environment, but the limited storage capacity restricts the robot's operational range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the storage dimension from local robot memory to external cloud-based storage, enabling environment maps to be stored outside the physical constraints of the robot. This dimensional shift allows the robot to access environment maps beyond its local storage capacity, thereby expanding its operational range without compromising navigation reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary between the robot and environment maps. The server stores environment maps and provides them to the robot as needed, acting as a mediator that decouples the storage capacity constraints from the robot's navigation capabilities. This allows the robot to navigate in previously unrecorded sections by retrieving relevant environment maps from the server
2Adaptability or versatility
If the robot stores multiple environment maps in local memory, then it can operate in larger environments, but the storage capacity is insufficient for extensive environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the storage function from the robot's local memory to an external server. By taking out the environment map storage from the robot system, the patent enables the robot to access a virtually unlimited number of environment maps without being constrained by its limited local storage capacity, thereby increasing environment coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The server provides a universal storage solution that serves multiple robots and multiple environment maps simultaneously. This multi-functional approach allows a single external storage system to support numerous robots operating in various environments, eliminating the need for each robot to have large local storage capacity
3Area of stationary object
If the robot is equipped with large local memory, then it can store extensive environment maps, but the cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses digital copying of environment maps between the server and the robot's local memory. Instead of requiring large permanent storage in the robot, the system creates and transfers copies of only the necessary environment maps to the robot's local memory for navigation, then discards them after use. This copying approach enables large operational range without requiring large local storage capacity or increasing device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A method for operating a self-traveling robot, wherein an environment map of an environment of the robot is generated based on measuring data recorded within the environment, wherein a position of the robot within the environment is estimated, and wherein the robot travels within the environment based on the environment map and its known position. In order to extend the maximum range of the robot within the environment, an environment map, which is currently not needed for the navigation of the robot, is detected and transmitted to an external memory unit.