EP3437538B1 - Device for working the soil - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an autonomous robot. In particular, the invention relates to a robot which is set up to work on a floor surface.

A robot is set up for the autonomous processing of a floor area. For example, the robot can be set up to drive over a floor area in a household and collect dust in the process. The collected dust is collected in a container that has to be emptied occasionally. Usually, a full container is indicated by means of a signal, for example with a warning light.

DE 10 2009 003 748 A1 relates to a vacuum cleaner robot with an optical scanning device for detecting a structured mark.

DE 10 2010 016 263 A1 proposes a base station for a vacuum cleaner robot, wherein a collecting container for dust that the robot has collected can be integrated with a charging station for charging an energy storage device. A cleaning robot is also e.g. in JP-A-2013192678 disclosed.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved technique for controlling a soil cultivation robot. The invention solves this problem by means of the subjects of the independent claims. Dependent claims reproduce preferred embodiments.

Disclosure of the invention

A robot according to the invention comprises a movement unit for driving the robot over a floor surface and a processing unit for processing the floor surface that has been traversed. A method for controlling the robot comprises steps of detecting an operating state of the machining unit; determining that the sensed operating condition is affecting processing; and controlling the movement unit in order to drive the robot to a predetermined position which is assigned to the detected operating state.

This avoids having to manually transport the robot when it requires external intervention, service or maintenance. In particular, if the robot is set up to clean the floor surface, it can be avoided that the floor surface is contaminated by the transport, for example by leaking cleaning agent, falling, previously collected dirt or the like. The predetermined position can in particular be established such that the required intervention can be carried out in an improved manner. If, for example, a collection container of the robot has to be emptied for dirt, the position in the area of a garbage can can be selected. The presence of the robot in the area of the garbage can can be a catchy and hard to miss indication to an operator of the robot about emptying the container.

It is particularly preferred that the position is different from a further position which is assigned to an operating state in which an energy store of the robot is to be refilled. The energy store is usually refilled in a so-called base station, in which, for example, an electric charger for the electrical energy store can be attached. By separating the predetermined position from the further position, the base station can also be arranged in an inaccessible place, for example below a low piece of furniture. In normal operation, the robot can reach and leave the base station without any external assistance. On the other hand, it only moves to the predetermined position when an external measure is required.

Several operating states can be predetermined, which impair the machining, and one or more predetermined positions can be assigned to each operating state.

In one embodiment, the processing unit is set up to collect dirt from the floor surface into a container, the operating state including a predetermined filling level of the container. For example, the processing unit can be set up to sweep, vacuum or otherwise clear the floor surface. The robot can also be set up to wet-clean the floor area, to trim a lawn area, in which case pieces of grass that have been cut off are collected, or to carry out other floor cultivation or floor care activities. Is preferred the robot is set up for use in a household, but can also be suitable for processing an industrial or outdoor area. If the fill level in the container exceeds a predetermined threshold value, a deteriorated effect of the processing unit can be expected. In this case, the robot can be controlled to move to a predetermined position, which is preferably selected so that the container can be easily exchanged or emptied there, for example by an operator. In addition, the position is preferably selected so that an operator can easily notice the robot.

In a further embodiment, the processing unit comprises a movable brush, the operating state comprising a lack of mobility of the brush. The brush can, for example, have a flat design and rotate in order to remove, for example, coarse dirt such as animal hair from the floor surface. The brush can pick up so many foreign bodies that its mobility is no longer guaranteed. A predetermined position that is assigned to this operating state can be, for example, a place at which a user has deposited scissors or a comb in order to clean the brush from dirt.

In particular, if the external intervention includes cleaning or removing dirt from the robot, the floor surface in the region of the predetermined position can be particularly soiled by the intervention. According to the invention, it is detected that the operating state no longer affects the floor cleaning while the robot is at the predetermined position, and then the floor surface is processed in an area around the predetermined position. For example, when emptying a dust container, some of the previously collected dust can escape or fall to the floor. If the brush becomes dirty, a foreign object removed from the brush may fall to the floor. As soon as it has been determined that the external intervention has been carried out (successfully), the floor surface in the area of the predetermined position can be processed, and in particular cleaned.

In particular, when the robot is set up to drive over the floor area autonomously, the processing unit can be deactivated while driving to the predetermined position. On the one hand, this can prevent the processing unit, which may not be fully functional, soiling or damaging the floor surface, on the other hand, the journey to the predetermined position cannot interfere with a strategy for traveling over the floor area.

It is particularly preferred that the journey to the predetermined position is not counted as part of the floor area that was worked by the robot.

The predetermined position can be defined in various ways. For example, a user can manually enter the position on a map, e.g. via an app. In another embodiment, the position can be marked in that a predetermined, in particular optically detectable, mark is applied there. The robot can either detect the position of the mark as part of its usual activity or search for the assigned mark only after it has been determined that the predetermined position is to be approached.

A control device according to the invention for a robot, which comprises a movement unit for driving the robot over a floor surface, and a processing unit for processing the ground surface that has been traversed, is set up to detect an operating state of the processing unit; determine that the detected operating condition is affecting processing; and to control the processing unit in order to drive the robot to a predetermined position which is assigned to the detected operating state.

The control device can in particular comprise a programmable microcomputer or microcontroller. The control device can be set up to carry out the method described herein in whole or in part. For this purpose, the method can be in the form of a computer program product with program code means. Advantages or features of the control device can be transferred to the method and vice versa.

A robot according to the invention, in particular a cleaning robot, comprises the control device described above. As a result, the robot can be able to process the floor surface in an improved manner or to request external intervention in an improved manner, for example in order to trigger maintenance or emptying of a container in its processing unit. Using the method described above, a control device mounted on board a conventional robot can be configured so that the robot can perform the method. Additional physical elements (hardware) may not be required for this.

A system according to the invention comprises the robot described above and the predetermined, preferably contactlessly scannable mark. The mark includes several sections, at least one of which can be changed in binary in its reflective properties. The mark can in particular comprise a one- or two-dimensional sequence of sections, each section having a reflective property which can be divided into a first or a second class. For example, the sections for optical scanning can be light or dark or, for depth scanning, for example by means of ultrasound or LiDAR, open or closed in a surface.

A movable element can be provided to select the reflective property. It is particularly preferred that the movable element can be moved between two positions, so that the element is in a first position in the region of the section and in a second position outside of the section. Thereby, a binary sample at a predetermined portion can be easily controlled depending on whether the element is attached there or not. The element can, for example, be attached in a displaceable, pivotable or foldable manner. A user can easily set a predetermined identifier, which comprises a sequence of binary sample values, on the mark himself. The brand can thus be assigned to a predetermined purpose. For example, a token with a first identifier can mark a garbage can, while a token with a second identifier marks a base station of the robot. A generic brand with moveable elements can be configured to be used as the first or second brand.

The mark can thus be formed in a simple manner by a device which can be mechanically influenced in order to represent different scannable identifiers. The identifier can in particular indicate the operating state of a position at which the mark is arranged. The device can be easy to manufacture, for example from plastic or cardboard, and handling can be easy. The token can easily be attached to a predetermined position or moved to a new predetermined position.

In a continuation of the idea, the brand can also indicate another circumstance, for example a floor on which the robot is located. Depending on the scanned mark, he can then, for example, load the correct site plan of the present floor from a storage device.

The features disclosed with reference to one claim category can be applied analogously to the other claim categories.

Fig. 1

ein System mit einem Roboter in einer beispielhaften Ausführungsform;

Fig. 2

beispielhafte Ausführungsformen einer optischen Marke; und

Fig. 3

ein Ablaufdiagramm eines exemplarischen Verfahrens zum Steuern eines Roboters

darstellt.The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

Fig. 1

a system including a robot in an exemplary embodiment;

Fig. 2

exemplary embodiments of an optical mark; and

Fig. 3

a flow diagram of an exemplary method for controlling a robot

represents.

Figure 1 FIG. 10 shows a system 100 with an exemplary robot 105 that is configured to work on a floor surface 110. The system 100 further comprises one or more marks 115, each mark 115 being assigned to a predetermined position 120 on the floor surface 110. A first mark 115 (in Figure 1 top left) in the area of a garbage can and a second mark 115 (in Figure 1 top right) in the area of a base station 125. The base station 125 can in particular be set up for supplying energy or for refilling an energy store of the robot 105. Furthermore, the base station 125 can support communication between the robot 105 and an external device. The robot 105 is preferably set up to go to the base station 125 when it is currently not performing its predetermined activity of working the floor area 110. The base station 125 can be arranged in an inaccessible area, for example below a piece of furniture or in a narrow niche.

The robot 105 is preferably set up to travel over the floor area 110 autonomously. Environment sensors and map memories required for this can essentially correspond to the state of the art and are not considered separately here.

The robot 105 preferably comprises a movement unit 130 and a processing unit 135. The movement unit 130 is set up to drive the robot 105 controllably over the floor surface 110 and in the embodiment shown comprises only two wheels 140 with associated drive motors 145 a longitudinal and transverse control of the robot 105 should already be made possible. However, other structures are also possible. The processing unit 135 is set up to process the floor surface 110. In particular, the processing should take place while the floor surface 110 is being traversed. The robot 105 can include, for example, a cleaning robot, the processing unit 135 as exemplified in FIG Figure 1 shown, a suction device 150, which is configured to collect dirt 155 from the floor surface 110 and to collect it in a container 160. For cleaning, one or more movable brushes 165 can also be provided, which are set up, for example, to move or absorb coarse dirt 155 in the direction of the suction device 150. Other devices are also possible.

The robot 105 can preferably be controlled by means of a control device 170. A plurality of control devices 170 can also be provided, which are assigned to the individual subtasks of controlling the robot 105. The elements of the robot 105 are preferably operated by means of energy from an energy store 175. The control device 170 is preferably also connected to at least one scanning device, in particular an environment sensor 180 for scanning an environment of the robot 105 and more preferably a mark 115, and optionally a storage device 185 in which information, in particular for the navigation of the robot 105, can be stored.

It is proposed that the control device 170 is set up to determine an operating state of the processing unit 135 and, if the operating state indicates that the processing of the floor surface 110 by means of the processing unit 135 is impaired in a predetermined manner, to control the movement unit 130, to approach an assigned position 120 that corresponds to the specific operating state assigned. A characteristic mark 115, which can be detected by means of the environment sensor 180, is preferably attached to the position 120. It is particularly preferred that different positions 120 are assigned to different operating states. In particular, a first position 120, which is activated when a first operating state of the robot 105 indicates that the energy store 175 is to be filled, can be different from a second position 120, which is activated when the operating state indicates that the container 160 is full or one of the brushes 165 is jammed.

Figure 2 FIG. 10 shows exemplary embodiments of a marker 115 for scanning by means of the environment sensor 180 of the robot 105 from FIG Figure 1 . The mark 115 can preferably be scanned without contact, for example optically, by means of radar, lidar or ultrasound. The mark 115 can preferably be configured mechanically to represent different identifiers. An identifier preferably comprises a sequence (data word) of binary values (bits), each bit being able to be expressed by a reflex property. Each bit is assigned to a geometric section, the arrangement of the sections determining the position of the bits in the data word. It is preferred that the same mark 115 can be configured to implement or represent different identifiers. In the representation of Figure 1 the mark 115 is shown in three different configurations 115.1, 115.2 and 115.3.

In the embodiment shown, the mark 115 comprises a surface 205, which is preferably straight or flat. The surface 205 is divided into several sections 210, each section 210 being assigned a reflex property for a signal which can be scanned by means of the environment sensor 180. This signal can include light, a radar signal or an ultrasonic signal, for example. At least one movable element 215 is preferably provided, which can be moved into at least a first position in which it is located in a section 210, and a second position in which it is located outside of this section 210. The element 215 can for example comprise a slide, a flap or a rotatable screen. If the element 215 is located in the section 210, the described signal can be reflected into the area of the environment sensor 180. If the element 215 is in the second position, little or no signal reflection is to be expected from the area of the assigned section 210. In the illustrated embodiment includes the mark 115 has a hollow body 220 which adjoins the surface 205. The hollow body 220 can prevent the signal from reaching the surroundings sensor 180 from behind through a section 210, for example.

A plurality of sections 210 can form a two- or three-dimensional binary pattern, which can be detected in the manner of a 2D or 3D barcode (QR code) by means of the environment sensor 180. This allows the data word configured by the positions of the elements on sections 210 to be scanned. This data word can be assigned to a predetermined operating state of the robot 105. The location at which the marker 115 is set up is the position of the marker 115 and the position 120 to which the robot 105 goes in the predetermined operating state.

In one embodiment, the marker 115 is configured such that a plurality of elements 215 can be moved simultaneously in adjacent sections 210, so that a plurality of predetermined identifiers can be represented in a simple manner. For example, each identifier can be assigned a predetermined operating state which the robot 105 assumes when it visits a position 120 to which the corresponding identifier is attached. The elements 215 can be marked in such a way that the operating state to which the position of the elements 215 indicates can be read or recognized by a user, for example as an imprint.

Figure 3 FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of an exemplary method 300 for controlling a robot 105, in particular of the type Figure 1 . The method 300 is set up in particular to run on the control device 170. In one embodiment, the illustrated method 300 is part of a higher-level navigation or working method. The illustrated method 300 can for example be run through periodically, for example every minute or for example every approx. 10 to 20 seconds. The method 300 can also interrupt or modify the superordinate method.

The method 300 begins in a step 305. In a step 310, an operating state of the processing unit 135 can be determined. The operating state can be examined in a step 315, in particular with regard to whether the specific operating state indicates that the processing of the floor surface 110 by means of the processing unit 135 is impaired. If this is not the case, then the method 300 end in a step 320 or return control to the higher-level method.

Otherwise, if impairment is to be expected, a measure can be taken to enable the processing unit 135 to continue processing the floor surface 110. This is associated with a travel of the robot 105 to a predetermined position 120. Optionally, it can be checked at this point in a step 325 whether the energy store 175 should also be charged. In this case, in a step 330 the robot 105 can be driven to the predetermined position 120 of a base station 125 and in a step 335 the energy store 175 can be charged. However, steps 325 to 335 can also be carried out at other points in method 300, in particular always immediately before step 320.

In a step 340, a position 120 is determined which is assigned to the specific operating state of the processing unit 135. The position 120 can be identified by a mark 115 which represents a predetermined identifier. It is assumed that the robot 105 knows the position 120 with respect to its own position, for example because it has already passed the corresponding mark 115 when driving over the floor surface 110 and has scanned it using the environment sensor 180. Otherwise, the robot 105 can start a search process at this point in order to locate the position 120.

In a step 345, the robot 105 can be controlled to drive to the predetermined position 120. The robot 105 can wait there for a necessary service intervention to take place. In one embodiment, only the occurrence of such an intervention is checked in a step 350, in a preferred embodiment it is additionally checked whether - as a result of the intervention - the operating state of the processing unit 135 has changed, namely in such a way that it is no longer impaired the functionality or performance of the processing unit 135 indicates. If this is the case, the method 300 can end in step 320.

Optionally, however, the floor surface 110 in the area of the predetermined position 120 at which the robot 105 is located can be processed beforehand in a step 355. In addition For example, a predetermined area around the predetermined position 120 can be traversed by the robot 105, the floor surface 110 being processed by the processing unit 135. For example, if the robot 105 is at the in Figure 1 In the predetermined position 120 shown at the top left, in order to allow the container 160 to be emptied by a user, some of the previously collected dirt 155 may fall in an uncontrolled manner onto the floor surface 110 during this emptying. The precautionary driving down and - in this case - cleaning of the floor surface 110 in this area can prevent the dirt 155 from spreading further.

Reference number

100

system

105

robot

110

Floor area

115

brand

120

predetermined position

125

Base station

130

Motion unit

135

Machining unit

140

wheel

145

engine

150

Suction device

155

dirt

160

container

165

movable brush

170

Control device

175

Energy storage

180

Environment sensor / scanning device

185

Storage device

205

surface

210

section

215

element

220

Hollow body

300

procedure

305

begin

310

Determine the operating status of the machining unit

315

Processing impaired?

320

end

325

Charge energy storage?

330

Drive to the base station

335

Charge

340

Determine assigned position

345

Driving to the position

350

Has the operating status changed?

355

Work the soil in the area of the position

Claims (11)

1. Method (300) for controlling a robot (105), in particular a cleaning robot, which comprises a motion control unit (130) for moving the robot (105) across a floor surface (110), and a processing unit (135) for processing the travelled floor surface (110), wherein the method (300) comprises the following steps:

   - detecting (310) an operating state of the processing unit (135);

   - determining (315) that the detected operating state negatively affects the processing; and

   - controlling (345) the motion control unit (130), in order to move the robot (105) to a predetermined position (120) which is assigned to the detected operating state, wherein the position is located in particular in a region of a rubbish bin,

   characterised by the steps

   - detecting (350) that the operating state no longer negatively affects the floor cleaning while the robot (105) is located at the predetermined position (120), and

   - then processing (355) the floor surface (110) in a region about the predetermined position (120).
2. Method (300) according to claim 1, wherein the position (120) differs from a further position (120), which is assigned to an operating state, in which an energy store (175) of the robot (105) is to be refilled.
3. Method (300) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the processing unit (135) is designed to collect dirt (155) from the floor surface (110) in a container (160) and the operating state comprises a predetermined fill level of the container (160).
4. Method (300) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the processing unit (135) comprises a movable brush (165) and the operating state comprises a deficient mobility of the brush (165).
5. Method (300) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a deactivation of the processing unit (135) during the journey to the predetermined position (120).
6. Method (300) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the position (120) is carried out by means of optical detection of a predetermined marker (115) attached to the position (120), wherein the marker is arranged in particular on a rubbish bin.
7. Control device (170) for a robot (105), which comprises a motion control unit (130) for moving the robot (105) across a floor surface (110), and a processing unit (135) for processing the travelled floor surface (110), wherein the control device (170) is designed:

   - to detect an operating state of the processing unit (135);

   - to determine that the detected operating state negatively affects the processing; and

   - to control the motion control unit (130), in order to move the robot (105) to a predetermined position (120) which is assigned to the detected operating state,

   characterised in that the control device (180) is additionally designed

   - to detect (350) that the operating state no longer negatively affects the floor cleaning while the robot (105) is at the predetermined position (120), and

   - then to trigger a processing (355) of the floor surface (110) in a region about the predetermined position (120).
8. Robot (105), in particular cleaning robot, with a control device (170) according to claim 7.
9. Robot (105) according to claim 8, further comprising a scanning facilty (180) for optically detecting a predetermined marker (115), wherein the marker (115) is assigned to the position (120).
10. System (100) comprising a robot (105) according to claim 9, and the marker (115), wherein the marker (115) comprises a number of sections (210), of which at least one can be changed in a binary manner in terms of its reflex properties.
11. System (100) according to claim 10, wherein a movable element (215) is provided with two positions so that the element (215) is located in a first position in the region of the section (210) and in a second position outside of the section (210).

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