Surface Treatment Robot Direction Sensing for Intuitive Remote Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional surface treatment robotic systems rely heavily on manual control and visual observation, with remote controllers lacking direction recognition, resulting in low efficiency and complex manipulation.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating direction sensors into surface treatment robots to determine reference directions, allowing remote controllers to have one-to-one correspondence with walking directions, enabling automatic adjustment of robot movement based on button presses regardless of motion state.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If visual observation and manual control are used without direction sensors, then the system structure remains simple, but the manipulation complexity increases and remote control efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveremote control efficiencyVSAvoidsystem structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The robot determines its own walking direction autonomously by using the direction sensor to acquire reference direction and the control unit to calculate direction vectors, eliminating the need for manual visual observation and manual direction adjustment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The mechanical/visual direction determination method is replaced with an electronic sensing system that uses a direction sensor to detect reference direction and a control unit to compute direction vectors, enabling automated direction control

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If direction sensors and automatic direction determination are implemented, then remote control efficiency improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveworking efficiencyVSAvoidsystem structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The direction sensor and control unit serve multiple functions: acquiring reference direction, calculating direction vectors, determining walking directions, and controlling robot movement, thereby improving working efficiency without proportionally increasing system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system establishes a feedback loop where the direction sensor continuously provides reference direction information to the control unit, which adjusts the robot's walking direction based on the calculated direction vector and remote control instructions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If one-to-one correspondence between remote controller buttons and walking directions is established using direction sensors, then manipulation simplicity improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanipulation simplicityVSAvoidcontrol system
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The robot automatically determines its walking direction based on the reference direction from the direction sensor and the button pressed, without requiring manual visual observation or complex manual control operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit acts as an intermediary that receives remote control instructions, combines them with direction sensor data to calculate direction vectors, and generates appropriate control signals for the driving unit

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 approach simplifies manipulation and significantly enhances working efficiency by allowing precise remote control of walking directions through corresponding buttons on the remote controller.

Implementation Method 1

the direction sensor is a gravity sensor through which a vertical direction is determined as the reference direction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity sensing: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP3141977B1Surface treatment robotic system
Publication Date: 2021.11.10 ECOVACS ROBOTICS CO LTD
  • EP3141977B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3141977B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A surface treatment robotic system, comprising a surface treatment robot and a remote control; the surface treatment robot comprises a control unit and a drive unit; the control unit receives remote control instructions of the remote control and controls the drive unit to execute corresponding actions; the surface treatment robot is provided with a direction sensor for determining a reference direction; the direction sensor is coupled to the control unit; and the direction sensor transmits the determined reference direction to the control unit, and the control unit determines a walking direction of the robot by referring to the reference direction and according to the remote control instructions inputted by the input terminal of the remote control. The present invention provides different direction sensors in different surface treatment robots to determine the directional references of the robot, and then to determine the walking directions of a robot, and to enable the buttons on the remote control to correspond to the walking directions; regardless of the movement state of the robot, the robot will automatically walk in the corresponding direction when any button on the remote control is pressed and released or is pressed and held, thus being easy to operate and improving working efficiency.