Control of autonomous mobile robots

Abstract

An autonomous mobile robot includes a drive system to support the robot above a surface, a sensor system configured to generate a signal indicative of a location of the robot on the surface, and a controller operably connected to the drive system and the sensor system. The drive system is operable to navigate the robot about the surface. The controller is configured to execute instructions to perform operations including establishing a behavior control zone on the surface, controlling the drive system, in response to establishing the behavior control zone on the surface, to maneuver the robot to a location of the behavior control zone on the surface, and maneuvering, using the drive system, the robot about the surface and initiating a behavior in response to determining, based on the signal indicative of the location of the robot, that the robot is proximate the behavior control zone.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An autonomous mobile robot comprising:
 a drive system configured to navigate the robot about a surface;   a sensor system configured to generate a signal indicative of a location of the robot on the surface;   a controller operably connected to the drive system and the sensor system, the controller configured to execute instructions to perform operations comprising:
 receiving information indicative of a behavior control zone on the surface; 
 maneuvering the robot about the surface using the drive system; 
 identifying, based on at least the signal indicative of the location of the robot and the information indicative of the behavior control zone, that the robot is positioned at a buffer zone around the behavior control zone during the maneuvering; and 
 initiating a behavior in response to identifying that the robot is positioned at the buffer zone. 
   
     
     
         3 . The robot of  claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise selecting a size of the buffer zone. 
     
     
         4 . The robot of  claim 3 , wherein selecting the size of the buffer zone comprises selecting the size of the buffer zone during the maneuvering. 
     
     
         5 . The robot of  claim 4 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 estimating a location of the robot based on at least the signal generated by the sensor system during the maneuvering; and   computing an uncertainty associated with the estimated location of the robot,   wherein selecting the size during the maneuvering comprises selecting the size based on at least the uncertainty associated with the estimated location of the robot.   
     
     
         6 . The robot of  claim 3 , wherein selecting the size of the buffer zone comprises selecting the size based on at least an uncertainty associated with an estimation of the location of the robot. 
     
     
         7 . The robot of  claim 6 , wherein the selected size of the buffer zone is proportional to the uncertainty associated with the estimation of the location of the robot. 
     
     
         8 . The robot of  claim 3 , wherein selecting the size of the buffer zone comprises:
 receiving a signal corresponding to a user selection for the size of the buffer zone, and   selecting the size of the buffer zone based on at least the received signal.   
     
     
         9 . The robot of  claim 2 , wherein the behavior comprises:
 avoiding entering the behavior control zone;   adjusting a movement speed of the robot; or   adjusting a movement direction of the robot.   
     
     
         10 . The robot of  claim 2 , further comprising a vacuum system to clean the surface, and wherein the behavior comprises adjusting a vacuum power delivered to the vacuum system. 
     
     
         11 . The robot of  claim 2 , further comprising a light indicator system, wherein the controller is operably connected to the light indicator system, and the operations comprise activating the light indicator system in response to the robot being proximate the behavior control zone. 
     
     
         12 . The robot of  claim 11 , wherein activating the light indicator system in response to the robot being proximate the behavior control zone comprises operating the light indicator system to indicate a direction of the behavior control zone relative to the location of the robot. 
     
     
         13 . The robot of  claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 transmitting mapping data to cause a mobile device to present a map of the surface; and   receiving from the mobile device a user instruction to establish the behavior control zone.   
     
     
         14 . The robot of  claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving from the mobile device a user instruction to establish the buffer zone.   
     
     
         15 . The robot of  claim 2 , wherein the information indicative of the behavior control zone on the surface corresponds to a user selection and is received prior to the maneuvering; and wherein the buffer zone is established by the robot during the maneuvering. 
     
     
         16 . The robot of  claim 2 , wherein the buffer zone comprises a perimeter offset outwardly from a perimeter of the behavior control zone. 
     
     
         17 . The robot of  claim 2 , wherein the buffer zone corresponds to a region having a fixed size. 
     
     
         18 . The robot of  claim 2 , wherein the buffer zone corresponds to a region having a variable size. 
     
     
         19 . A method comprising:
 presenting, on a display, a map including a representation of a perimeter of a surface in an environment;   receiving one or more user instructions, wherein the one or more user instructions comprise a user instruction to establish a behavior control zone on the surface; and   transmitting, to an autonomous mobile robot, data indicative of the behavior control zone to cause the robot to initiate a behavior in response to a determination that the robot is positioned at a buffer zone around the behavior control zone.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein receiving the one or more user instructions comprises receiving a user instruction to establish the buffer zone around the behavior control zone. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein receiving the one or more user instructions comprises receiving a user selection for a size of the buffer zone. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein receiving the one or more user instructions comprises receiving an indication to establish the buffer zone with a fixed size. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein receiving the one or more user instructions comprises receiving an indication to establish the buffer zone with a variable size.