System and method for autonomous mopping of a floor surface
A mobile robot configured to travel across a residential floor or other surface while cleaning the surface with a cleaning pad and cleaning solvent is disclosed. The robot includes a controller for managing the movement of the robot as well as the treatment of the surface with a cleaning solvent. The movement of the robot can be characterized by a class of trajectories that achieve effective cleaning. The trajectories include sequences of steps that are repeated, the sequences including forward and backward motion and optional left and right motion along arcuate paths.
1. A mobile robot configured to clean a space, the mobile robot comprising:
a cleaning assembly;
a drive system configured to move the mobile robot; and
a navigation system comprising one or more processors for executing instructions to control the drive system in accordance with a cleaning trajectory comprising a sequence in which the drive system:
moves the mobile robot in a forward direction and a first lateral direction along a first path from a first position of the mobile robot, the first path extending from the first position to an end of the first path;
moves the mobile robot in a backward direction and a second lateral direction along a second path from the end of the first path, the second path extending from the end of the first path to an end of the second path, and the second lateral direction being opposite the first lateral direction;
moves the mobile robot in the forward direction and the second lateral direction along a third path from the end of the second path, the third path extending from the end of the second path to an end of the third path; and
moves the mobile robot in the backward direction and the first lateral direction along a fourth path from the end of the third path, the fourth path extending from the end of the third path to a second position, wherein the second position is longitudinally forward of the first position.
2. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the navigation system is further configured to control the drive system to move the mobile robot in accordance with the cleaning trajectory comprising the sequence such that the drive system:
moves the mobile robot in the first lateral direction along the first path a first distance to the right, and
move the mobile robot in the second lateral direction along the third path a second distance to the left,
wherein the first distance to the right and the second distance to the left are less than a width of the cleaning assembly.
3. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the navigation system is further configured to control the drive system to move the mobile robot in accordance with the cleaning trajectory comprising the sequence such that the drive system:
moves the mobile robot along an arcuate trajectory along each of the first path, second path, third path, and fourth path.
4. The mobile robot of claim 3 , further comprising:
a gyroscope configured to detect rotation of the mobile robot,
wherein the navigation system is configured to detect slippage of wheels of the drive system based on the rotation detected by the gyroscope.
5. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the navigation system is further configured to control the drive system to move the mobile robot in accordance with the cleaning trajectory comprising the sequence such that the drive system:
moves the mobile robot along the first path a first distance in the forward direction, and
moves the mobile robot along at least one of the second path or the fourth path a second distance in the backward direction,
wherein the first distance in the forward direction is no more than twice the second distance in the backward direction.
6. The mobile robot of claim 5 , wherein the navigation system to control the drive system to move the mobile robot in accordance with the cleaning trajectory comprising the sequence such that the first distance in the forward direction is between one to five times a width of the cleaning assembly.
7. The mobile robot of claim 5 , wherein the navigation system is further configured to control the drive system to move the mobile robot in accordance with the cleaning trajectory comprising the sequence such that the second distance in the backward direction is between one-third to four times a width of the cleaning assembly.
8. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the navigation system is further configured to control the drive system to move the mobile robot in accordance with the cleaning trajectory comprising the sequence in which the drive system moves the mobile robot along the first path, the second path, the third path, and fourth path such that the second position is forward of the first position in a direction of progression, and the direction of progression is parallel to the forward direction in the first position of the mobile robot and the second position of the mobile robot.
9. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning assembly is configured to detachably receive a cleaning sheet.
10. The mobile robot of claim 9 , wherein the cleaning sheet is a wet sheet comprising a cleaning solution.
11. The mobile robot of claim 9 , further comprising a cleaning solution dispenser configured to dispense cleaning solution from the mobile robot onto a floor surface.
12. The mobile robot of claim 9 , wherein the cleaning assembly is configured to detachably receive the cleaning sheet by detachably receiving the cleaning sheet along a forward portion of the mobile robot.
13. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the sequence is a first sequence, and
the navigation system is further configured to control the drive system to move the mobile robot in accordance with the cleaning trajectory comprising the first sequence such that the cleaning trajectory comprises a second sequence in which the drive system
moves the mobile robot in the forward direction and the first lateral direction along a fifth path from the second position of the mobile robot, the fifth path extending from the second position to an end of the fifth path;
moves the mobile robot in the backward direction and the second lateral direction along a sixth path, the sixth path extending from the end of the fifth path to an end of the sixth path;
moves the mobile robot in the forward direction and the second lateral direction along a seventh path from the end of the sixth path, the seventh path extending from the end of the sixth path to an end of the seventh path; and
moves the mobile robot in the backward direction and the first lateral direction along an eighth path from the end of the seventh path, the eighth path extending from the end of the seventh path to a third position, wherein the third position is longitudinally forward of the second position.
14. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the navigation system is further configured to control the drive system to move the mobile robot in accordance with the cleaning trajectory comprising the sequence such that the drive system:
moves the mobile robot along the first path by moving the mobile robot along a portion of a floor surface, and
moves the mobile robot along the second path by moving the mobile robot along the portion of the floor surface.
15. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the navigation system is configured to determine a position and orientation of the mobile robot, wherein the navigation system is further configured to control the drive system to move the mobile robot in accordance with the cleaning trajectory comprising the sequence until each traversable section of a floor has been traversed by the mobile robot.
16. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the navigation system is further configured to control the drive system to move the mobile robot in accordance with the cleaning trajectory comprising the sequence such that the cleaning trajectory is completed in a duration of time between 5 and 60 seconds.
17. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the navigation system is further configured to control the drive system to move the mobile robot in accordance with the cleaning trajectory comprising the sequence such that the cleaning trajectory is completed in a duration of time between 15 and 30 seconds.
18. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the navigation system is further configured to control the drive system to move the mobile robot in accordance with the cleaning trajectory comprising the sequence such that the drive system
moves the mobile robot along the first path a first distance in the forward direction, and
moves the mobile robot along the third path a second distance in the forward direction, the second distance in the forward direction being substantially equal to the first distance in the forward direction.
19. The mobile robot of claim 18 , wherein the navigation system is further configured to control the drive system to move the mobile robot in accordance with the cleaning trajectory comprising the sequence such that the drive system
moves the mobile robot along the second path a first distance in the backward direction, and
moves the mobile robot along the fourth path a second distance in the backward direction, the first distance in the backward direction being substantially equal to the second distance in the backward direction, and the first distance in the backward direction and the second distance in the backward direction being less than the first distance in the forward direction and the second distance in the forward direction.