Robotic Cleaning Device Map-Based Navigation for Obstacle Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic vacuum cleaners often make errors in navigating around obstacles, leading to inefficient cleaning paths and potential collisions, as their obstacle detection capabilities are not always reliable.
Innovation Solution
A robotic cleaning device that stores a representation or map of the cleaning area, allowing it to localize itself and move accordingly based on this map, taking into account user advice and optimizing cleaning routes to avoid obstacles and recharge efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If robotic vacuum cleaners use obstacle detection sensors to navigate, then they can avoid objects in their vicinity, but they make occasional errors and bump into objects that they should stay away from
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary mapping of the environment before cleaning operations. By creating a map of the area first, the robot has advance knowledge of obstacles and can plan cleaning paths that avoid them, rather than relying solely on real-time obstacle detection during cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a computer-generated map as an intermediary representation between the robot's sensors and its navigation decisions. This map serves as a mediator that consolidates environmental information and provides a simplified model for path planning, reducing the complexity of real-time obstacle avoidance.
2Productivity
If robotic vacuum cleaners use real-time obstacle detection, then they can navigate around objects, but they create inefficient cleaning paths and make navigation errors
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates an environmental map before cleaning operations begin. This preliminary action allows the robot to plan efficient cleaning paths in advance, knowing the locations of all obstacles beforehand, rather than reacting to them during cleaning which creates inefficient paths and potential errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the environmental map to continuously guide cleaning operations. By comparing the current position and cleaning progress against the pre-created map, the robot can adjust its path to maintain both efficiency and accuracy, ensuring complete coverage while avoiding obstacles.
3Ease of operation
If robotic cleaning devices clean without prior area information, then they can operate autonomously, but they cannot plan optimal paths or minimize transport time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary mapping of the cleaning area before actual cleaning operations. This advance preparation enables the robot to calculate optimal cleaning paths and minimize transport time between cleaning zones, while still maintaining full autonomous operation throughout the process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts cleaning paths based on the pre-created environmental map. While maintaining autonomous operation, the robot can optimize its movement patterns in real-time by referencing the map information, thereby reducing transport time and improving overall cleaning efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of controlling movement of a robotic cleaning device over an area to be cleaned. The method includes storing at least one representation of the area over which the robotic cleaning device is to move, receiving an instruction to execute a cleaning program, localizing, in response to the instruction, the robotic cleaning device relative to the stored representation, and moving over the area to be cleaned as stipulated by the cleaning program by taking into account the stored representation.