Celestial navigation system for an autonomous vehicle

Abstract

A navigation control system for an autonomous vehicle comprises a transmitter and an autonomous vehicle. The transmitter comprises an emitter for emitting at least one signal, a power source for powering the emitter, a device for capturing wireless energy to charge the power source, and a printed circuit board for converting the captured wireless energy to a form for charging the power source. The autonomous vehicle operates within a working area and comprises a receiver for detecting the at least one signal emitted by the emitter, and a processor for determining a relative location of the autonomous vehicle within the working area based on the signal emitted by the emitter.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method performed by a device remote from an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:
 receiving a user input specifying a task for an autonomous vehicle, wherein the task involves having the autonomous vehicle traverse an area;   sending one or more instructions to the autonomous vehicle to begin the task; and   presenting, on a display of the device, a status indicating how much of the task the autonomous vehicle has completed, wherein presenting the status comprises updating a floor plan representative of the area as the autonomous vehicle traverses the area so that one or more first portions of the floor plan indicate where the autonomous vehicle has been and one or more second portions of the floor plan indicate where the autonomous vehicle has not been.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the autonomous vehicle is a cleaning robot, and wherein the task is a cleaning task. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein presenting the status comprises presenting a percentage of the task that has been completed. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein receiving the user input comprises receiving scheduling information for scheduling the task, and wherein sending the one or more instructions to the autonomous vehicle comprises sending the one or more instructions according to the scheduling information. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein presenting the status comprises presenting the status on a screen saver when the device is not being used for controlling the autonomous vehicle or inputting data. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the task involves having the autonomous vehicle traverse a user-selected room of the area. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising communicating with a controller to provide a name for a room within the area. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the task involves having the autonomous vehicle travel to a plurality of rooms in the area in a user-selected sequence. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more first portions of the floor plan are one or more colored portions of the floor plan, and the one or more second portions of the floor plan are one or more uncolored portions of the floor plan. 
     
     
         30 . A device comprising:
 one or more input devices; and   a display,   wherein the device is configured to control a remote autonomous vehicle by performing operations comprising:
 receiving, by the one or more input devices, a user input specifying a task for the autonomous vehicle, wherein the task involves having the autonomous vehicle traverse an area; 
 sending one or more instructions to the autonomous vehicle to begin the task; and 
 presenting, on the display, a status indicating how much of the task the autonomous vehicle has completed, wherein presenting the status comprises updating a floor plan representative of the area as the autonomous vehicle traverses the area so that one or more first portions of the floor plan illustrate where the autonomous vehicle has been and one or more second portions of the floor plan illustrate where the autonomous vehicle has not been. 
   
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 30 , wherein the autonomous vehicle is a cleaning robot, and wherein the task is a cleaning task. 
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 30 , wherein presenting the status comprises presenting a percentage of the task that has been completed. 
     
     
         34 . The device of  claim 30 , wherein receiving the user input comprises receiving scheduling information for scheduling the task, and wherein sending the one or more instructions to the autonomous vehicle comprises sending the one or more instructions according to the scheduling information. 
     
     
         35 . The device of  claim 30 , wherein presenting the status comprises presenting the status on a screen saver when the device is not being used for controlling the autonomous vehicle or inputting data. 
     
     
         36 . The device of  claim 30 , wherein the task involves having the autonomous vehicle traverse a user-selected room of the area. 
     
     
         37 . The device of  claim 30 , wherein the operations comprise communicating with a controller to provide a name for a room within the area. 
     
     
         38 . The device of  claim 30 , wherein the task involves having the autonomous vehicle travel to a plurality of rooms in the area in a user-selected sequence. 
     
     
         39 . The device of  claim 30 , wherein the one or more first portions of the floor plan are one or more colored portions of the floor plan, and the one or more second portions of the floor plan are one or more uncolored portions of the floor plan. 
     
     
         40 . A method performed by a device remote from a cleaning robot, the method comprising:
 presenting, on a display of the device, a plurality of available cleaning modes for the cleaning robot;   based on a user input selecting an area rug cleaning mode from the plurality of available cleaning modes, presenting instructions to a user on the display, wherein presenting the instructions to the user comprises presenting the instructions for the user to place the cleaning robot on an area rug; and   based on a further user input confirming that the cleaning robot is ready, sending one or more instructions to the cleaning robot to enter the area rug cleaning mode.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising presenting, on the display, a confirmation that the cleaning robot will clean the area rug only. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the plurality of available cleaning modes comprises a spot clean mode, a deep clean mode, an area rug mode, and a drive now mode. 
     
     
         43 . A device comprising:
 one or more input devices; and   a display,   wherein the device is configured to control a cleaning robot by performing operations comprising:
 presenting, on the display, a plurality of available cleaning modes for the cleaning robot; 
 based on a user input selecting an area rug cleaning mode from the plurality of available cleaning modes, presenting instructions to a user on the display, wherein presenting instructions to the user comprises presenting instructions for the user to place the cleaning robot on an area rug; and 
 based on a further user input confirming that the cleaning robot is ready, sending one or more instructions to the cleaning robot to enter the area rug cleaning mode. 
   
     
     
         44 . The device of  claim 43 , the operations further comprising presenting, on the display, a confirmation that the cleaning robot will clean the area rug only.