Robot system
A power-saving robot system includes at least one peripheral device and a mobile robot. The peripheral device includes a controller having an active mode and a hibernation mode, and a wireless communication component capable of activation in the hibernation mode. A controller of the robot has an activating routine that communicates with and temporarily activates the peripheral device, via wireless communication, from the hibernation mode. In another aspect a robot system includes a network data bridge and a mobile robot. The network data bridge includes a broadband network interface, a wireless command interface, and a data bridge component. The data bridge component extracts serial commands received via the broadband network interface from an internet protocol, applies a command protocol thereto, and broadcasts the serial commands via the wireless interface. The mobile robot includes a wireless command communication component that receives the serial commands transmitted from the network data bridge.
1. An autonomous mobile cleaning robot comprising:
a drive system to move the mobile cleaning robot about an environment;
a wireless communication component configured to detect wireless signals emitted by a plurality of devices in the environment; and
a controller configured to
determine a location of the mobile cleaning robot by measuring strengths of the detected wireless signals to determine distances between the mobile cleaning robot and the plurality of devices, and
control the drive system to navigate the mobile cleaning robot about the environment based at least in part on the determined location and the measured strengths of the detected wireless signals while the mobile cleaning robot performs a vacuuming, brushing, or mopping operation.
2. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 1 , wherein configurations of the controller to control the drive system to navigate the mobile cleaning robot about the environment based at least in part on the determined location and the measured strengths of the detected wireless signals comprise configurations to prohibit movement of the mobile cleaning robot into an area of the environment based on the detected wireless signals.
3. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 1 , wherein configurations of the controller to control the drive system to navigate the mobile cleaning robot about the environment based at least in part on the determined location and the measured strengths of the detected wireless signals comprise configurations to guide movement of the mobile cleaning robot into an area of the environment based on the detected wireless signals.
4. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to
detect a loss of communication between the wireless communication component and one of the plurality of devices, and
provide a user indication indicative of the loss of communication.
5. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 1 , wherein the wireless signals comprise electromagnetic signals having a radio frequency.
6. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to wirelessly communicate, using the wireless communication component, with a peripheral device in the environment and operate the wireless communication component to cause the peripheral device to activate.
7. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 6 , wherein configurations of the controller to operate the wireless communication component to cause the peripheral device to activate comprise configurations to operate the wireless communication component to cause the peripheral device to activate in accordance with a schedule.
8. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 6 , wherein configurations of the controller to operate the wireless communication component to cause the peripheral device to activate comprise configurations to operate the wireless communication component to cause the peripheral device to activate when the peripheral device is within a line of sight of the mobile cleaning robot.
9. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 6 , wherein configurations of the controller to operate the wireless communication component to cause the peripheral device to activate comprise configurations to operate the wireless communication component to cause the peripheral device to activate from a hibernation state.
10. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 6 , wherein configurations of the controller to operate the wireless communication component to cause the peripheral device to activate comprise configurations to cause the peripheral device to activate in response to receiving, by the wireless communication component, a query from the peripheral device.
11. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 6 , wherein the peripheral device corresponds to one of the plurality of devices.
12. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of devices comprises a base station to which the mobile cleaning robot docks to recharge a battery of the mobile cleaning robot.
13. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 11 , wherein the wireless communication component is further configured to receive identification information of one of the plurality of devices by detecting a corresponding wireless signal emitted by the one of the plurality of devices.
14. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 13 , wherein the corresponding wireless signal corresponds to a broadcast signal emitted by the one of the plurality of devices.
15. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication component is further configured to transmit, to one of the plurality of devices, a wireless signal indicative of identification information of the mobile cleaning robot.
16. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication component is further configured to receive a control signal from one of the plurality of devices, and the controller is configured to control the drive system to move the mobile cleaning robot in accordance with the control signal.
17. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 1 , wherein the drive system is further configured to move the mobile cleaning robot through a home while the wireless communication component detects the wireless signals from the plurality of devices in the home.
18. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 1 , wherein:
the wireless communication component is further configured to wirelessly communicate with a network and receive a command from a remote user device through the network, and
the controller is further configured to control the drive system to move the mobile cleaning robot in accordance with the command.
19. The mobile cleaning robot of claim 1 , wherein configurations of the controller to control the drive system to navigate the mobile cleaning robot about the environment based at least in part on the determined location and the measured strengths of the detected wireless signals comprise configurations to navigate the mobile cleaning robot along a path to a room in the environment based the detected wireless signals.