A control system for a mobile robot ( 10 ) is provided to effectively cover a given area by operating in a plurality of modes, including an obstacle following mode ( 51 ) and a random bounce mode ( 49 ). In other embodiments, spot coverage, such as spiraling ( 45 ), or other modes are also used to increase effectiveness. In addition, a behavior based architecture is used to implement the control system, and various escape behaviors are used to ensure full coverage.

Method and system for multi-mode coverage for an autonomous robot

An autonomous floor-cleaning robot comprising a housing infrastructure including a chassis, a power subsystem; for providing the energy to power the autonomous floor-cleaning robot, a motive subsystem operative to propel the autonomous floor-cleaning robot for cleaning operations, a command and control subsystem operative to control the autonomous floor-cleaning robot to effect cleaning operations, and a self-adjusting cleaning head subsystem that includes a deck mounted in pivotal combination with the chassis, a brush assembly mounted in combination with the deck and powered by the motive subsystem to sweep up particulates during cleaning operations, a vacuum assembly disposed in combination with the deck and powered by the motive subsystem to ingest particulates during cleaning operations, and a deck adjusting subassembly mounted in combination with the motive subsystem for the brush assembly, the deck, and the chassis that is automatically operative in response to an increase in brush torque in said brush assembly to pivot the deck with respect to said chassis. The autonomous floor-cleaning robot also includes a side brush assembly mounted in combination with the chassis and powered by the motive subsystem to entrain particulates outside the periphery of the housing infrastructure and to direct such particulates towards the self-adjusting cleaning head subsystem.

Autonomous floor-cleaning robot

An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a transport drive and control system arranged for autonomous movement of the robot over a floor for performing cleaning operations. The robot chassis carries a first cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arranged to suction loose particulates up from the cleaning surface and a second cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arraigned to apply a cleaning fluid onto the surface and to thereafter collect the cleaning fluid up from the surface after it has been used to clean the surface. The robot chassis carries a supply of cleaning fluid and a waste container for storing waste materials collected up from the cleaning surface.

Autonomous surface cleaning robot for wet and dry cleaning

An autonomous cleaning apparatus includes a chassis, a drive system disposed on the chassis and operable to enable movement of the cleaning apparatus, and a controller in communication with the drive system. The controller includes a processor operable to control the drive system to steer movement of the cleaning apparatus. The autonomous cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning head system disposed on the chassis and a sensor system in communication with the controller. The sensor system includes a debris sensor for generating a debris signal, a bump sensor for generating a bump signal, and an obstacle following sensor disposed on a side of the autonomous cleaning apparatus for generating an obstacle signal. The processor executes a prioritized arbitration scheme to identify and implement one or more dominant behavioral modes based upon at least one signal received from the sensor system.

Navigational control system for a robotic device

A method for energy management in a robotic device includes providing a base station for mating with the robotic device, determining a quantity of energy stored in an energy storage unit of the robotic device, and performing a predetermined task based at least in part on the quantity of energy stored. Also disclosed are systems for emitting avoidance signals to prevent inadvertent contact between the robot and the base station, and systems for emitting homing signals to allow the robotic device to accurately dock with the base station.

Autonomous robot auto-docking and energy management systems and methods

An apparatus for determining relative positioning of first and second objects being relatively movable may include a laser source carried by the first object for generating a source laser beam toward the second object, and a target optical element carried by the second object for generating a first reflected beam and a second diverging reflected beam from the source laser beam. Furthermore, a detector may be carried by the first object for detecting the first reflected beam and the second diverging reflected beam. A controller may also be connected to the detector for determining a range between the detector and target optical element based upon a size of the second diverging reflected beam. The controller may also determine at least one other positional degree of freedom quantity (e.g., lateral/vertical displacement, pitch angle, yaw angle, and/or roll angle) based upon the first reflected beam and the second diverging reflected beam.

Apparatus for determining relative positioning of objects and related methods

A system for conveying a signal by optical fiber may include a converter for converting a radio frequency signal to an optical frequency signal, the converter having an interferometer modulator for providing a carrier suppressed optical frequency signal having a sideband modulated by the radio frequency signal, an optical amplifier for amplifying the modulated sideband before transmission on an optical fiber by an amount that is greater than or approximates the transmission loss in the system, a local oscillator, a coupler, and detector for converting (superheterodyning) the modulated sideband from the optical fiber to a predetermined intermediate radio frequency.

Double side band, carrier suppressed modulated coherent fiber optic link

A method of linearizing a voltage controlled oscillator wherein a control signal is shaped into ramp form by a memory and transmitted to the control input terminal of a voltage controlled oscillator to be linearized thereby causing the oscillator to generate a chirp. Nonlinearities in the chirp are detected and the memory reprogrammed so as to diminish detected nonlinearities by reshaping the ramp control signal. A system for linearizing a voltage controlled oscillator is also disclosed having a random access digital control memory coupled with the voltage control terminal of a voltage controlled oscillator to be linearized, a power divider coupled with the output terminal of the oscillator, a mixer coupled with the power divider by two conductive lines of differing time delays, and an x-y axis signal display coupled with the mixer, whereby the memory may be programmed to input a ramp control signal to the oscillator and difference frequency signal detected in the chirp output signal generated by the oscillator and compared with a reference frequency signal on the display to detect nonlinearities in the chirp which may be substantially reduced by reprogramming of the control memory.

Method and means for linearizing a voltage controlled oscillator sweep generator

An optical microresonator is formed as a microcylinder and a resonant waveguide on the microcylinder and having a plurality of spaced resonant elements such as circumferential ridges for optically coupling light from an optical source waveguide onto the microcylinder. The resonant elements have a spacing, height and angle to impart a desire polarization and bring in the polarization states into degenerancy. A coating could also be formed over the resonant waveguide and operative with the resonant waveguide and of a refractive index to bring any polarization states into degenerancy.

Optical microresonator with resonant waveguide imparting polarization

A coupled waveguide optical microresonator is formed from a plurality of microcylinders coupled together. Each microcylinder includes a resonant waveguide. At least one of the microcylinders is adapted to be positioned adjacent an optical source waveguide for optically coupling light from an optical source waveguide onto the resonant waveguide on the microcylinder. The microcylinders are coupled together at the resonant waveguides, which are mutually coupled. Any coupled fields add coherently with each other.

Robert Morris Montgomery

Papers

Apparatus for determining relative positioning of objects and related methods

Double side band, carrier suppressed modulated coherent fiber optic link

Method and means for linearizing a voltage controlled oscillator sweep generator

Optical microresonator with resonant waveguide imparting polarization

Coupled waveguide optical microresonator