Swarm Management System for Coordinated Multi-Robot Floor Cleaning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for cleaning a floor, such as using a dust pan, vacuum, and mop, are time-consuming, physically straining, and inefficient when multiple cleaners operate independently without coordination.

Innovation Solution

A swarm management system that coordinates multiple entities, such as robotic vacuum cleaners, to work together to complete cleaning tasks efficiently by dividing and managing the cleaning of a floor through communication and task assignment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple cleaners operate independently to clean a floor, then the cleaning task can be completed faster, but the cleaners may overlap and clean the same area multiple times or leave areas uncleaned

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning speedVSAvoidcleaning coverage accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple independent cleaners into a coordinated swarm that shares information and coordinates their actions. The cleaners communicate with each other to divide the cleaning space, ensuring that each area is cleaned exactly once while maintaining high productivity through parallel operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Manufacturing precision

If a user manually manages multiple cleaning tasks using different tools, then thorough cleaning can be achieved, but it requires considerable time and physical effort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning thoroughnessVSAvoidtime required

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning system performs itself through autonomous robotic cleaners that navigate and clean floors without human intervention. The swarm automatically coordinates their actions, divides cleaning tasks, and completes thorough cleaning of entire floors in a fraction of the time required for manual cleaning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical cleaning system with an automated robotic system. The robotic cleaners use sensors, processors, and communication systems to autonomously perform cleaning tasks, substituting human physical effort with automated mechanical and electronic systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If multiple cleaners work simultaneously on the same floor, then cleaning efficiency increases, but coordination complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning efficiencyVSAvoidcoordination complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the cleaning space into distinct regions that are assigned to different cleaners in the swarm. Each cleaner is responsible for a specific segment, and the segmentation is dynamically adjusted based on real-time conditions, allowing efficient parallel cleaning while simplifying coordination through spatial division.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20250199946A1Swarm management

Publication Date: 2025.06.19 HEREFORD ZONE HLDG LLC

AI summary

Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with swarm management are described. One example system comprises a communication component configured to establish a communication link with at least one element, where the at least one element is part of a swarm. The example system also comprises a management component configured to manage performance of a task list by the swarm through the communication link.