Transferable intelligent control device
An integrated intelligent system includes a first intelligent electronic device, a second intelligent electronic device, a transferable intelligent control device (TICD) and a cross product bus. The first intelligent electronic device performs a first function and the second intelligent electronic device performs a second function. The cross product bus couples the first intelligent electronic device to the transferable intelligent control device. The TICD partially controls behaviors of the intelligent electronic device by sending commands over the cross product bus to the first intelligent electronic device and the TICD partially controls behaviors of the second intelligent electronic device to perform the second function. The TICD is first attached to the first intelligent electronic device to partially control the behaviors of the first electronic device, then detached from the first electronic device, and then attached to the second intelligent electronic device to perform the second function.
1. A method of controlling a transferable intelligent control device and a mobile robot, the method comprising:
in the transferable intelligent control device (TICD), having a first complement of sensors configured to detect an environment and a cross-product communications module,
recording information regarding locations where the mobile robot is expected to travel and tracking the locations via a localization system of the TICD as the TICD is transported through the environment,
building maps for the tracked locations within the environment,
learning a layout and location of rooms within the environment,
storing the maps, layout and location of rooms within the environment in a memory addressable via the cross-product communications module or a wireless communications module, and
causing pertinent resources to be transferred, the pertinent resources including the maps, layout and location of rooms within the environment, via the cross-product communications module to the mobile robot having a compatible cross-product communications module; and
in the mobile robot, having an embedded intelligent control device with a second complement of sensors at least in part different from the first complement of sensors in the transferable intelligent control device,
using the maps, layout, and location of rooms to drive the mobile robot to navigate through the environment.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first complement of sensors and the second complement of sensors includes a camera coupled to a vision recognition system, wherein the vision recognition system recognizes at least one of objects or visual patterns.
3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:
in the mobile robot, executing vision recognition to recognize what room the mobile robot is in, then executing navigation control to control the mobile robot to go to a specific location within the environment.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the environment is a house, and the mobile robot is a mobile cleaning robot, the method further comprising determining a course to take in navigating from one point to another point based on time, and attempting to complete a specific task.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the first complement of sensors includes a camera capable of communication with a graphics-enhanced processor, a positioning sensor, and a wireless communications module, and
the second complement of sensors includes a sensor for detecting obstacles, a sensor for measuring a distance travelled by the mobile robot, and a wireless receiver.
6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the positioning sensor detects signals from devices that are emitting positioning signals.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the recording is conducted by the TICD as the TICD is held by a person, and the recording comprises:
recording where the mobile robot is expected to travel and tracking the locations via the TICD localization system as the TICD is walked by the person through the environment.
8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the TICD includes a power source, the method further comprising:
powering communication with the cross-product communications module.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile robot comprises a platform, the platform comprising hardware and software compatible with operating TICD software architecture and modules.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the TICD is a handheld device.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the TICD comprises sensors for detecting objects and a display screen, the method further comprising showing a representation of detected objects on the TICD display screen in real time.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein recording information regarding locations where the mobile robot is expected to travel is performed while the TICD is not disposed on the mobile robot, wherein the TICD is a handheld device configured to be used to play games using games on the TICD with the use of TICD sensors, a TICD display, and a TICD communication system, and wherein the TICD is configured to detect objects, the method further comprising:
recording where the mobile robot is expected to travel and tracking the locations via the localization system as the handheld TICD is walked by a person through the environment; and
showing a representation of detected objects on the TICD display in real time.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein storing the maps, layout and location of rooms within the environment further comprises storing pertinent resources in a global functions and behavior module within the TICD.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the pertinent resources can be downloaded or transferred from the global function and behavior module in the TICD to another device or TICD.
15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
recording is conducted by the TICD as the TICD is transported through the environment disposed on the mobile robot,
recording where the mobile robot is expected to travel and tracking the locations via its localization system is conducted as the TICD is walked through an environment.
16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising:
in the TICD, connecting via the cross-product communications module to the mobile robot having the compatible cross-product communications module, wherein the TICD assumes control over navigation and movement of the mobile robot.
17. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising:
in the TICD, executing commands to cause the mobile robot to explore the environment in which it is located, and while the TICD is operating disposed on the mobile robot, building maps for tracked locations using a combination of information gathered from both the first sensor complement and the second sensor complement.
18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the cross product communications module is a cross-product electrical bus, the method further comprising:
in the TICD, connecting to the mobile robot via the cross-product electrical bus while the TICD is operating disposed on the mobile robot.
19. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the cross product communications module is wireless, the method further comprising:
in the TICD, connecting to the mobile robot via the wireless cross-product communications module while the TICD is operating disposed on the mobile robot.
20. The method according to claim 15 mobile robot is a cleaning robot, the method further comprising
directing the mobile robot to utilize systematic or random cleaning patterns as directed by the user and to keep track of areas cleaned.
21. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the mobile robot is a cleaning robot, the method further comprising
identifying where dirt or high traffic areas exist.
22. A method comprising:
in a transferable intelligent control device (TICD), having a first complement of sensors,
configured to detect an environment, and a cross-product communications module,
enabling recording of information regarding locations where a mobile robot is expected to travel via a localization system of the TICD as the TICD is transported through the environment,
enabling building of maps for the locations within the environment and enabling learning a layout and location of rooms within the environment,
wherein the maps, layout and location of rooms within the environment are stored in a memory addressable via the cross-product communications module or a wireless communications module, and
enabling the maps, layout and location of rooms within the environment to be wirelessly transferred to the mobile robot; and
enabling the mobile robot, having an embedded intelligent control device with a second complement of sensors at least in part different from the first complement of sensors in the transferable intelligent control device, to use the maps, layout, and location of rooms to drive the mobile robot to navigate through the environment.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the TICD comprises sensors for detecting objects and a display screen, the method further comprising showing a representation of detected objects on the TICD display screen in real time.
24. The method of claim 22 , wherein recording information regarding locations where the mobile robot is expected to travel is performed while the TICD is not disposed on the mobile robot, wherein the TICD is a handheld device configured to be used to play games using games on the TICD with the use of TICD sensors, a TICD display, and a TICD communication system, and wherein the TICD is configured to detect objects, the method further comprising:
recording where the mobile robot is expected to travel and tracking the locations via the localization system as the handheld TICD is walked by a person through the environment; and
showing a representation of detected objects on the TICD display in real time.