权利要求：
CLAIMS
What is claimed is:
1. A tidying robot system comprising: a robot including: a chassis; a robot vacuum system including a vacuum generating assembly and a dirt collector; a scoop; pusher pad arms with pusher pads; a robot charge connector; at least one wheel or one track for mobility of the robot; a battery; a processor; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, allow operation and control of the robot; a base station with a base station charge connector configured to couple with the robot charge connector; a robotic control system in at least one of the robot and a cloud server; and logic, to: receive a starting location, a target cleaning area, attributes of the target cleaning area, and obstructions in a path of the robot navigating in the target cleaning area; determine a tidying strategy including a vacuuming strategy and an obstruction handling strategy; execute the tidying strategy to at least one of vacuum the target cleaning area, move an obstruction, and avoid the obstruction, wherein the obstruction includes at least one of a tidyable object and a moveable object; on condition the obstruction can be picked up: determine a pickup strategy and execute the pickup strategy; capture the obstruction with the pusher pads; and place the obstruction in the scoop; on condition the obstruction can be relocated but cannot be picked up;
push the obstruction to a different location using at least one of the pusher pads, the scoop, and the chassis; and on condition the obstruction cannot be relocated and cannot be picked up; avoid the obstruction by altering the path of the robot around the obstruction; and determine if the dirt collector is full; on condition the dirt collector is full: navigate to the base station; and on condition the dirt collector is not full: continue executing the tidying strategy.
2. The tidying robotic system of claim 1, wherein the vacuum generating assembly comprises: a vacuum compartment including: a vacuum compartment intake port configured to allow a cleaning airflow into the vacuum compartment; a rotating brush configured to impel dirt and dust into the vacuum compartment; the dirt collector in fluid communication with the vacuum compartment intake port; a dirt release latch configured to selectively allow access to the dirt collector from outside of the chassis; a vacuum compartment filter in fluid communication with the dirt collector; a vacuum compartment fan in fluid communication with the vacuum compartment filter; a vacuum compartment motor driving the vacuum compartment fan; and a vacuum compartment exhaust port in fluid communication with the vacuum compartment fan and configured to allow the cleaning airflow out of the vacuum compartment.
3. The tidying robotic system of claim 1, the base station further comprising: a vacuum emptying system, including: a vacuum emptying system intake port configured to allow a vacuum emptying airflow into the vacuum emptying system;
a vacuum emptying system filter bag in fluid communication with the vacuum emptying system intake port; a vacuum emptying system fan in fluid communication with the vacuum emptying system filter bag; a vacuum emptying system motor driving the vacuum emptying system fan; and a vacuum emptying system exhaust port in fluid communication with the vacuum emptying system fan and configured to allow the vacuum emptying airflow out of the vacuum emptying system.
4. The tidying robotic system of claim 3, the base station further comprising an object collection bin configured to accept obstructions deposited by the scoop into the object collection bin; and the logic further comprising: execute a drop strategy including transferring the obstructions in the scoop into the object collection bin.
5. The tidying robotic system of claim 3, wherein an object collection bin is located on top of the base station.
6. The tidying robotic system of claim 1, further comprising an object collection bin configured to accept obstructions deposited by the scoop into the object collection bin; and the logic further comprising: on condition the scoop is full: navigate to the object collection bin; execute a drop strategy including transferring the obstructions in the scoop into the object collection bin; and continue executing the tidying strategy.
7. The tidying robotic system of claim 1, wherein the logic for the vacuuming strategy includes at least one of: choose a vacuum cleaning pattern for the target cleaning area; identify the obstructions in the target cleaning area; determine how to handle the obstruction in the path of the robot, including at least one of:
move the obstruction; and avoid the obstruction; vacuum the target cleaning area if the robot has adequate battery power; and return to the base station if at least one of the robot does not have adequate battery power and the vacuuming of the target cleaning area is completed.
8. The tidying robotic system of claim 7, the logic for the vacuuming strategy further comprising at least one of: move the obstruction to a portion of the target cleaning area that has been vacuumed; and move the obstruction aside, in close proximity to the path, so that the obstruction will not obstruct the robot continuing along the path.
9. The tidying robotic system of claim 7, the logic for the vacuuming strategy further comprising: execute an immediate removal strategy, including: execute the pickup strategy to place the obstruction in the scoop; navigate, immediately, to a target storage bin; place the obstruction into the target storage bin; navigate to the position the obstruction was placed into the scoop; and resume vacuuming the target cleaning area; execute an in-situ removal strategy, including: execute the pickup strategy to place the obstruction in the scoop; continue vacuuming the target cleaning area; on condition a location of the robot is near the target storage bin: navigate to the target storage bin; place the obstruction in the target storage bin; and continue vacuuming, from a location of the target storage bin, the target cleaning area.
10. The tidying robotic system of claim 1, wherein the logic for the pickup strategy includes: an approach path for the robot to the obstruction; a grabbing height for initial contact with the obstruction; a grabbing pattern for movement of the pusher pads while capturing the obstruction; and
a carrying position of the pusher pads and the scoop that secures the obstruction in a containment area on the robot for transport, the containment area including at least two of the pusher pad arms, the pusher pads, and the scoop; execute the pickup strategy, including: extend the pusher pads out and forward with respect to the pusher pad arms and raising the pusher pads to the grabbing height; approach the obstruction via the approach path, coming to a stop when the obstruction is positioned between the pusher pads; execute the grabbing pattern to allow capture of the obstruction within the containment area; and confirm the obstruction is within the containment area; on condition that the obstruction is within the containment area: exert pressure on the obstruction with the pusher pads to hold the obstruction stationary in the containment area; and raise at least one of the scoop and the pusher pads, holding the obstruction, to the carrying position; on condition that the obstruction is not within the containment area: alter the pickup strategy with at least one of a different reinforcement learning based strategy, a different rules based strategy, and relying upon different observations, current object state, and sensor data; and execute the altered pickup strategy.
11. A method comprising: receiving, at a robot of a tidying robot system, a starting location, a target cleaning area, attributes of the target cleaning area, and obstructions in a path of the robot navigating in the target cleaning area, wherein the robot is configured with a chassis, a scoop, pusher pad arms with pusher pads, a robot charge connector, at least one wheel or one track for mobility of the robot, a battery, a robot vacuum system including a vacuum generating assembly and a dirt collector, a processor, and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, allow operation and control of the robot, and
wherein the robot is in communication with a robotic control system in at least one of the robot and a cloud server; determining a tidying strategy including a vacuuming strategy and an obstruction handling strategy; executing, by the robot, the tidying strategy by at least one of: vacuuming the target cleaning area; moving an obstruction; and avoiding the obstruction, wherein the obstruction includes at least one of a tidyable object and a moveable object; on condition the obstruction can be picked up: determining a pickup strategy and execute the pickup strategy; capturing the obstruction with the pusher pads; and placing the obstruction in the scoop; on condition the obstruction can be relocated but cannot be picked up; pushing the obstruction to a different location using at least one of the pusher pads, the scoop, and the chassis; and on condition the obstruction cannot be relocated and cannot be picked up; avoiding the obstruction by altering the path of the robot around the obstruction; and determining if the dirt collector is full; on condition the dirt collector is full: navigating to a base station having a base station charge connector configured to couple with the robot charge connector; and on condition the dirt collector is not full: continuing to execute the tidying strategy.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the vacuum generating assembly comprises: a vacuum compartment including: a vacuum compartment intake port configured to allow a cleaning airflow into the vacuum compartment; a rotating brush configured to impel dirt and dust into the vacuum compartment; the dirt collector in fluid communication with the vacuum compartment intake port;
a dirt release latch configured to selectively allow access to the dirt collector from outside of the chassis; a vacuum compartment filter in fluid communication with the dirt collector; a vacuum compartment fan in fluid communication with the vacuum compartment filter; a vacuum compartment motor driving the vacuum compartment fan; and a vacuum compartment exhaust port in fluid communication with the vacuum compartment fan and configured to allow the cleaning airflow out of the vacuum compartment.
13. The method of claim 11, the base station further comprising: a vacuum emptying system, including: a vacuum emptying system intake port configured to allow a vacuum emptying airflow into the vacuum emptying system; a vacuum emptying system filter bag in fluid communication with the vacuum emptying system intake port; a vacuum emptying system fan in fluid communication with the vacuum emptying system filter bag; a vacuum emptying system motor driving the vacuum emptying system fan; and a vacuum emptying system exhaust port in fluid communication with the vacuum emptying system fan and configured to allow the vacuum emptying airflow out of the vacuum emptying system.
14. The method of claim 13, the base station further comprising an object collection bin configured to accept obstructions deposited by the scoop into the object collection bin; and the method further comprising: executing a drop strategy including transferring the obstructions in the scoop into the object collection bin.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein an object collection bin is located on top of the base station.
16. The method of claim 11, further comprising: on condition the scoop is full:
navigating to an object collection bin configured to accept obstructions deposited by the scoop into the object collection bin; executing a drop strategy including transferring the obstructions in the scoop into the object collection bin; and continue executing the tidying strategy.
17. The method of claim 11, wherein the vacuuming strategy includes at least one of: choosing a vacuum cleaning pattern for the target cleaning area; identifying the obstructions in the target cleaning area; determining how to handle the obstruction in the path of the robot, including at least one of: moving the obstruction; and avoiding the obstruction; vacuuming the target cleaning area if the robot has adequate battery power; and returning to the base station if at least one of the robot does not have adequate battery power and the vacuuming of the target cleaning area is completed.
18. The method of claim 17, the vacuuming strategy further comprising at least one of: moving the obstruction to a portion of the target cleaning area that has been vacuumed; and moving the obstruction aside, in close proximity to the path, so that the obstruction will not obstruct the robot continuing along the path.
19. The method of claim 17, the vacuuming strategy further comprising: executing an immediate removal strategy, including: executing the pickup strategy to place the obstruction in the scoop; navigating, immediately, to a target storage bin; placing the obstruction into the target storage bin; navigating to the position the obstruction was placed into the scoop; and resuming vacuuming the target cleaning area; executing an in-situ removal strategy, including: executing the pickup strategy to place the obstruction in the scoop; continue vacuuming the target cleaning area; on condition a location of the robot is near the target storage bin:
navigating to the target storage bin; placing the obstruction in the target storage bin; and continue vacuuming, from a location of the target storage bin, the target cleaning area.
20. The method of claim 11, wherein the pickup strategy includes: an approach path for the robot to the obstruction; a grabbing height for initial contact with the obstruction; a grabbing pattern for movement of the pusher pads while capturing the obstruction; and a carrying position of the pusher pads and the scoop that secures the obstruction in a containment area on the robot for transport, the containment area including at least two of the pusher pad arms, the pusher pads, and the scoop; and executing the pickup strategy, includes: extending the pusher pads out and forward with respect to the pusher pad arms and raising the pusher pads to the grabbing height; approaching the obstruction via the approach path, coming to a stop when the obstruction is positioned between the pusher pads; executing the grabbing pattern to allow capture of the obstruction within the containment area; and confirming the obstruction is within the containment area; on condition that the obstruction is within the containment area: exerting pressure on the obstruction with the pusher pads to hold the obstruction stationary in the containment area; and raising at least one of the scoop and the pusher pads, holding the obstruction, to the carrying position; on condition that the obstruction is not within the containment area: altering the pickup strategy with at least one of a different reinforcement learning based strategy, a different rules based strategy, and relying upon different observations, current object state, and sensor data; and executing the altered pickup strategy.