Mobile robot and method of tracking mobile robot

Abstract

A mobile robot includes a mobile robot body, a drawing unit provided at the mobile robot body and including a marker configured to draw a travel locus of the mobile robot on a travel plane, and a detector provided at the mobile robot body and configured to detect the travel locus drawn by the drawing unit. The mobile robot travels along the travel locus detected by the detector.

1 . A mobile robot comprising:
 a mobile robot body;   a drawing unit provided at the mobile robot body and including a marker configured to draw a travel locus of the mobile robot on a travel plane;   a detector provided at the mobile robot body and configured to detect the travel locus drawn by the drawing unit;   a travel driving unit configured to drive to move the mobile robot body; and   a drive controller configured to drive control the travel driving unit such that the mobile robot body travels along the travel locus detected by the detector.   
     
     
         2 . The mobile robot according to  claim 1 , wherein the drawing unit and the detector are disposed in series in the mobile robot body in a travel direction of the mobile robot and the drawing unit is positioned ahead of the detector. 
     
     
         3 . The mobile robot according to  claim 1 , further comprising an eraser provided at the mobile robot body and configured to erase the travel locus drawn on the travel plane by the drawing unit. 
     
     
         4 . The mobile robot according to  claim 2 , further comprising an eraser provided at the mobile robot body and configured to erase the travel locus drawn on the travel plane by the drawing unit. 
     
     
         5 . The mobile robot according to  claim 3 , further comprising
 a determiner provided at the mobile robot body and configured to determine whether or not the mobile robot is at an end of a line in accordance with information on whether or not there is any mobile robot behind the mobile robot body,   wherein when the determiner determines that the mobile robot is at the end of the line, the erasers erases the travel locus drawn on the travel plane by the drawing unit.   
     
     
         6 . The mobile robot according to  claim 1 ,
 assuming that the drawing unit including the marker is referred to as a first drawing unit,   the mobile robot further comprising:   a second drawing unit provided at the mobile robot body and including a particle discharge mechanism configured to scatter particles to draw the travel locus of the mobile robot on the travel plane; and   a travel plane determiner provided at the mobile robot body and configured to detect and determine a type of the travel plane,   wherein the first drawing unit or the second drawing unit is selectively driven in accordance with a result of determination by the travel plane determiner.   
     
     
         7 . The mobile robot according to  claim 2 ,
 assuming that the drawing unit including the marker is referred to as a first drawing unit,   the mobile robot further comprising:   a second drawing unit provided at the mobile robot body and including a particle discharge mechanism configured to scatter particles to draw the travel locus of the mobile robot on the travel plane; and   a travel plane determiner provided at the mobile robot body and configured to detect and determine a type of the travel plane,   wherein the first drawing unit or the second drawing unit is selectively driven in accordance with a result of determination by the travel plane determiner.   
     
     
         8 . The mobile robot according to  claim 3 ,
 assuming that the drawing unit including the marker is referred to as a first drawing unit,   the mobile robot further comprising:   a second drawing unit provided at the mobile robot body and including a particle discharge mechanism configured to scatter particles to draw the travel locus of the mobile robot on the travel plane; and   a travel plane determiner provided at the mobile robot body and configured to detect and determine a type of the travel plane,   wherein the first drawing unit or the second drawing unit is selectively driven in accordance with a result of determination by the travel plane determiner.   
     
     
         9 . The mobile robot according to  claim 5 ,
 assuming that the drawing unit including the marker is referred to as a first drawing unit,   the mobile robot further comprising:   a second drawing unit provided at the mobile robot body and including a particle discharge mechanism configured to scatter particles to draw the travel locus of the mobile robot on the travel plane; and   a travel plane determiner provided at the mobile robot body and configured to detect and determine a type of the travel plane,   wherein the first drawing unit or the second drawing unit is selectively driven in accordance with a result of determination by the travel plane determiner.   
     
     
         10 . A method of tracking a mobile robot when a plurality of mobile robots, each configured identically to the mobile robot according to  claim 1 , executes tracking travel in a single line, the method comprising:
 determining whether each of the mobile robots is at a forefront of the line;   in a first case where the mobile robot is at the forefront of the line, moving the mobile robot at the forefront of the line while drawing the travel locus on the travel plane by the drawing unit; and   in a second case where the mobile robot is not at the forefront of the line but is tracking, detecting the travel locus drawn on the travel plane by the detector in the tracking mobile robot; and tracking the detected travel locus by the tracking mobile robot to execute tracking travel.   
     
     
         11 . A method of tracking a mobile robot when a plurality of mobile robots, each configured identically to the mobile robot according to  claim 2 , executes tracking travel in a single line, the method comprising:
 determining whether each of the mobile robots is at a forefront of the line;   in a first case where the mobile robot is at the forefront of the line, moving the mobile robot at the forefront of the line while drawing the travel locus on the travel plane by the drawing unit; and   in a second case where the mobile robot is not at the forefront of the line but is tracking, detecting the travel locus drawn on the travel plane by the detector in the tracking mobile robot; and tracking the detected travel locus by the tracking mobile robot to execute tracking travel.   
     
     
         12 . A method of tracking a mobile robot when a plurality of mobile robots, each configured identically to the mobile robot according to  claim 3 , executes tracking travel in a single line, the method comprising:
 determining whether each of the mobile robots is at a forefront of the line;   in a first case where the mobile robot is at the forefront of the line, moving the mobile robot at the forefront of the line while drawing the travel locus on the travel plane by the drawing unit; and   in a second case where the mobile robot is not at the forefront of the line but is tracking, detecting the travel locus drawn on the travel plane by the detector in the tracking mobile robot; and tracking the detected travel locus by the tracking mobile robot to execute tracking travel.   
     
     
         13 . A method of tracking a mobile robot when a plurality of mobile robots, each configured identically to the mobile robot according to  claim 5 , executes tracking travel in a single line, the method comprising:
 determining whether each of the mobile robots is at a forefront of the line;   in a first case where the mobile robot is at the forefront of the line, moving the mobile robot at the forefront of the line while drawing the travel locus on the travel plane by the drawing unit; and   in a second case where the mobile robot is not at the forefront of the line but is tracking, detecting the travel locus drawn on the travel plane by the detector in the tracking mobile robot; and tracking the detected travel locus by the tracking mobile robot to execute tracking travel.   
     
     
         14 . A method of tracking a mobile robot when a plurality of mobile robots, each configured identically to the mobile robot according to  claim 6 , executes tracking travel in a single line, the method comprising:
 determining whether each of the mobile robots is at a forefront of the line;   in a first case where the mobile robot is at the forefront of the line, moving the mobile robot at the forefront of the line while drawing the travel locus on the travel plane by the drawing unit; and   in a second case where the mobile robot is not at the forefront of the line but is tracking, detecting the travel locus drawn on the travel plane by the detector in the tracking mobile robot; and tracking the detected travel locus by the tracking mobile robot to execute tracking travel.   
     
     
         15 . The method of tracking a mobile robot according to  claim 10 , when a plurality of mobile robots executes tracking travel in a single line,
 each of the mobile robots comprises:
 a mobile robot body; 
 a drawing unit provided at the mobile robot body and including a marker configured to draw a travel locus of the mobile robot on a travel plane; 
 a detector provided at the mobile robot body and configured to detect the travel locus drawn by the drawing unit; 
 a travel driving unit configured to drive to move the mobile robot body; and 
 a drive controller configured to drive control the travel driving unit such that the mobile robot body travels along the travel locus detected by the detector, 
 wherein the drawing unit and the detector are disposed in series in the mobile robot body in a travel direction of the mobile robot and the drawing unit is positioned ahead of the detector, 
 further comprising an eraser provided at the mobile robot body and configured to erase the travel locus drawn on the travel plane by the drawing unit, and a determiner provided at the mobile robot body and configured to determine whether or not the mobile robot is at an end of a line in accordance with information on whether or not there is any mobile robot behind the mobile robot body, 
 wherein when the determiner determines that the mobile robot is at the end of the line, the erasers erases the travel locus drawn on the travel plane by the drawing unit, 
   the method comprising:
 determining whether each of the mobile robots is at a forefront of the line; 
 in a first case where the mobile robot is at the forefront of the line, moving the mobile robot at the forefront of the line while drawing the travel locus on the travel plane by the drawing unit; and 
 in a second case where the mobile robot is not at the forefront of the line but is tracking, tracking while detecting the travel locus by the detector in the tracking mobile robot; and determining by the determiner provided at the mobile robot body whether the mobile robot is at an end of the line, and when the determiner determines that the mobile robot is at the end of the line, executing tracking travel while erasing the travel locus by the eraser in the mobile robot at the end of the line. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of tracking a mobile robot according to  claim 11 , when a plurality of mobile robots, executes tracking travel in a single line,
 each of the mobile robots comprises:
 a mobile robot body; 
 a drawing unit provided at the mobile robot body and including a marker configured to draw a travel locus of the mobile robot on a travel plane; 
 a detector provided at the mobile robot body and configured to detect the travel locus drawn by the drawing unit; 
 a travel driving unit configured to drive to move the mobile robot body; and 
 a drive controller configured to drive control the travel driving unit such that the mobile robot body travels along the travel locus detected by the detector, 
 wherein the drawing unit and the detector are disposed in series in the mobile robot body in a travel direction of the mobile robot and the drawing unit is positioned ahead of the detector, 
 further comprising an eraser provided at the mobile robot body and configured to erase the travel locus drawn on the travel plane by the drawing unit, and a determiner provided at the mobile robot body and configured to determine whether or not the mobile robot is at an end of a line in accordance with information on whether or not there is any mobile robot behind the mobile robot body, 
 wherein when the determiner determines that the mobile robot is at the end of the line, the erasers erases the travel locus drawn on the travel plane by the drawing unit, 
   the method comprising:
 determining whether each of the mobile robots is at a forefront of the line; 
 in a first case where the mobile robot is at the forefront of the line, moving the mobile robot at the forefront of the line while drawing the travel locus on the travel plane by the drawing unit; and 
 in a second case where the mobile robot is not at the forefront of the line but is tracking, tracking while detecting the travel locus by the detector in the tracking mobile robot; and determining by the determiner provided at the mobile robot body whether the mobile robot is at an end of the line, and when the determiner determines that the mobile robot is at the end of the line, executing tracking travel while erasing the travel locus by the eraser in the mobile robot at the end of the line. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of tracking a mobile robot according to  claim 12 , when a plurality of mobile robots,
 each of the mobile robots comprises:
 a mobile robot body; 
 a drawing unit provided at the mobile robot body and including a marker configured to draw a travel locus of the mobile robot on a travel plane; 
 a detector provided at the mobile robot body and configured to detect the travel locus drawn by the drawing unit; 
 a travel driving unit configured to drive to move the mobile robot body; and 
 a drive controller configured to drive control the travel driving unit such that the mobile robot body travels along the travel locus detected by the detector, 
 wherein the drawing unit and the detector are disposed in series in the mobile robot body in a travel direction of the mobile robot and the drawing unit is positioned ahead of the detector, 
 further comprising an eraser provided at the mobile robot body and configured to erase the travel locus drawn on the travel plane by the drawing unit, and a determiner provided at the mobile robot body and configured to determine whether or not the mobile robot is at an end of a line in accordance with information on whether or not there is any mobile robot behind the mobile robot body, 
 wherein when the determiner determines that the mobile robot is at the end of the line, the erasers erases the travel locus drawn on the travel plane by the drawing unit, 
   the method comprising:
 determining whether each of the mobile robots is at a forefront of the line; 
 in a first case where the mobile robot is at the forefront of the line, moving the mobile robot at the forefront of the line while drawing the travel locus on the travel plane by the drawing unit; and 
 in a second case where the mobile robot is not at the forefront of the line but is tracking, tracking while detecting the travel locus by the detector in the tracking mobile robot; and determining by the determiner provided at the mobile robot body whether the mobile robot is at an end of the line, and when the determiner determines that the mobile robot is at the end of the line, executing tracking travel while erasing the travel locus by the eraser in the mobile robot at the end of the line. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of tracking a mobile robot according to  claim 13 , when a plurality of mobile robots, executes tracking travel in a single line,
 each of the mobile robots comprises:
 a mobile robot body; 
 a drawing unit provided at the mobile robot body and including a marker configured to draw a travel locus of the mobile robot on a travel plane; 
 a detector provided at the mobile robot body and configured to detect the travel locus drawn by the drawing unit; 
 a travel driving unit configured to drive to move the mobile robot body; and 
 a drive controller configured to drive control the travel driving unit such that the mobile robot body travels along the travel locus detected by the detector, 
 wherein the drawing unit and the detector are disposed in series in the mobile robot body in a travel direction of the mobile robot and the drawing unit is positioned ahead of the detector, 
 further comprising an eraser provided at the mobile robot body and configured to erase the travel locus drawn on the travel plane by the drawing unit, and a determiner provided at the mobile robot body and configured to determine whether or not the mobile robot is at an end of a line in accordance with information on whether or not there is any mobile robot behind the mobile robot body, 
 wherein when the determiner determines that the mobile robot is at the end of the line, the erasers erases the travel locus drawn on the travel plane by the drawing unit, 
   the method comprising:
 determining whether each of the mobile robots is at a forefront of the line; 
 in a first case where the mobile robot is at the forefront of the line, moving the mobile robot at the forefront of the line while drawing the travel locus on the travel plane by the drawing unit; and 
 in a second case where the mobile robot is not at the forefront of the line but is tracking, tracking while detecting the travel locus by the detector in the tracking mobile robot; and determining by the determiner provided at the mobile robot body whether the mobile robot is at an end of the line, and when the determiner determines that the mobile robot is at the end of the line, executing tracking travel while erasing the travel locus by the eraser in the mobile robot at the end of the line. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of tracking a mobile robot according to  claim 14 , when a plurality of mobile robots, executes tracking travel in a single line,
 each of the mobile robots comprises:
 a mobile robot body; 
 a drawing unit provided at the mobile robot body and including a marker configured to draw a travel locus of the mobile robot on a travel plane; 
 a detector provided at the mobile robot body and configured to detect the travel locus drawn by the drawing unit; 
 a travel driving unit configured to drive to move the mobile robot body; and 
 a drive controller configured to drive control the travel driving unit such that the mobile robot body travels along the travel locus detected by the detector, 
 wherein the drawing unit and the detector are disposed in series in the mobile robot body in a travel direction of the mobile robot and the drawing unit is positioned ahead of the detector, 
 further comprising an eraser provided at the mobile robot body and configured to erase the travel locus drawn on the travel plane by the drawing unit, and a determiner provided at the mobile robot body and configured to determine whether or not the mobile robot is at an end of a line in accordance with information on whether or not there is any mobile robot behind the mobile robot body, 
 wherein when the determiner determines that the mobile robot is at the end of the line, the erasers erases the travel locus drawn on the travel plane by the drawing unit, 
   the method comprising:
 determining whether each of the mobile robots is at a forefront of the line; 
 in a first case where the mobile robot is at the forefront of the line, moving the mobile robot at the forefront of the line while drawing the travel locus on the travel plane by the drawing unit; and 
 in a second case where the mobile robot is not at the forefront of the line but is tracking, tracking while detecting the travel locus by the detector in the tracking mobile robot; and determining by the determiner provided at the mobile robot body whether the mobile robot is at an end of the line, and when the determiner determines that the mobile robot is at the end of the line, executing tracking travel while erasing the travel locus by the eraser in the mobile robot at the end of the line.