Method for creating an environment map and mobile, self-moving appliance
A method creates an environment map of a surrounding region for the operation of a mobile, self-moving appliance, in particular a floor cleaning appliance such as a vacuum cleaning and/or sweeping and/or mopping robot. The method includes: detecting the region around the appliance with at least one first sensor, to create a first horizontal plane of the environment map; detecting the region around the appliance with at least one second sensor, to create a second horizontal plane of the environment map, which is different from the first horizontal plane; and planning a movement path of the appliance based on the first and second planes of the environment map, in order in particular to achieve the maximum floor processing possible in the surrounding region.
1 . A method for creating an environment map of a surrounding region for an operation of a mobile, self-moving appliance, which comprises the steps of:
detecting a region around the mobile, self-moving appliance with at least one first sensor including a lidar sensor, to create a first horizontal plane of the environment map, the first horizontal plane containing obstacles which cannot be passed by an appliance body of the mobile, self-moving appliance, the first horizontal plane being above the upper face of the appliance body of the mobile, self-moving appliance;
inputting all measurement results of the lidar sensor into the first horizontal plane;
detecting the region around the mobile, self-moving appliance with at least one second sensor including a lidar bumper, to create a second horizontal plane of the environment map, which is different from the first horizontal plane and above the first horizontal plane at a topmost level of the first sensor, the second horizontal plane including only measurement values detected by the lidar bumper for providing clear differentiation of which obstacles occur at which level, the second horizontal plane containing obstacles, which cannot be passed by the at least one second sensor, wherein the obstacles of the second horizontal plane can be passed by the appliance body; and
planning a movement path of the mobile, self-moving appliance based on separate evaluations of the first and second horizontal planes of the environment map by checking every point to be crossed on one of a plurality of planned trajectories in both the first and second horizontal planes of the environment map for a movement path by checking in the first horizontal plane whether the appliance body can pass or move below obstacles and by checking in the second horizontal plane whether the lidar sensor can pass or move below the obstacles;
carrying out the evaluations separately and linked with an “AND” criterion for programming purposes in order to make the movement path collision-free, and in order to achieve a maximum floor processing possible in the surrounding region.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein paths below the obstacles below which movement is possible are at least partially integrated in the movement path.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first horizontal plane and the second horizontal plane are at different levels above a floor.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the movement path is a collision-free path.
5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the movement path is planned such that the appliance body can move below the obstacles of the second horizontal plane.
6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein for movement below, the movement path of the appliance corresponds to a sawtooth pattern.
7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one first sensor is on the appliance body of the mobile, self-moving appliance and/or a bumper on the appliance body, and the at least one second sensor includes an optical sensor on the lidar sensor.
8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mobile, self-moving appliance is a floor cleaning appliance or a vacuum cleaning and/or sweeping and/or mopping robot.
9 . A mobile, self-moving appliance, comprising:
an appliance body;
a first sensor including a lidar sensor disposed on said appliance body for detecting a first horizontal plane of a surrounding region, the first horizontal plane containing obstacles which cannot be passed by said appliance body, the first horizontal plane being above the upper face of the appliance body of the mobile, self-moving appliance;
said lidar sensor inputting all measurement results into the first horizontal plane;
a second sensor including a lidar bumper, said second sensor disposed on said first sensor and/or on said appliance body for detecting a second horizontal plane of the surrounding region, which is different from the first horizontal plane and above the first horizontal plane at a topmost level of the first sensor, the second horizontal plane including only measurement values detected by said lidar bumper for providing clear differentiation of which obstacles occur at which level, the second horizontal plane containing obstacles, which cannot be passed by said at least one second sensor, wherein the obstacles of the second horizontal plane can be passed by said appliance body; and
an evaluation unit for creating an environment map based on separate evaluations of the first horizontal plane and the second horizontal plane by checking every point to be crossed on one of a plurality of planned trajectories in both the first and second horizontal planes of the environment map for a movement path by checking in the first horizontal plane whether said appliance body can pass or move below obstacles and by checking in the second horizontal plane whether said lidar sensor can pass or move below the obstacles, the evaluations being carried out separately and linked with an “AND” criterion for programming purposes in order to make the movement path collision-free with maximum possible floor processing in the surrounding region.
10 . The mobile, self-moving appliance according to claim 9 , wherein the mobile, self-moving appliance is a floor cleaning appliance for an autonomous processing of floor surfaces.
11 . The mobile, self-moving appliance according to claim 10 , wherein the floor cleaning appliance is a vacuum cleaning and/or sweeping and/or mopping robot.