Robotic equipment including a mobile robot, method for recharging a battery of such mobile robot, and mobile robot docking station

1. A method for recharging the battery of a mobile robot in an environment, using a docking station located in the environment, the method comprising:

moving the mobile robot to the docking station;

emitting a wireless beacon signal from the docking station;

upon detection of the beacon signal by the mobile robot, making the mobile robot communicate with the docking station such that the docking station retrieves information concerning the mobile robot; and

initiating the recharging of the battery of the mobile robot in a manner that is dependent on the retrieved information concerning the mobile robot.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information retrieved by the docking station concerning the mobile robot comprises an identifier of the mobile robot, the charging beginning if the mobile robot identifier included in the retrieved information corresponds to an identifier in a list of authorized robots stored in the docking station.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the charge power is selected based on the information retrieved by the docking station concerning the mobile robot.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

in response to detection of the beacon signal by the mobile robot, presenting a voltage at an electric power receiving interface comprised in the mobile robot for recharging the battery;

in response to detection of the voltage at an electric power delivery interface comprised in the docking station, transmitting an identification request from the docking station to the mobile robot; and

transmitting information concerning the mobile robot to the docking station in response to the identification request.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the beacon signal carries an identifier of the docking station, and wherein the mobile robot is prevented from transmitting information concerning the mobile robot when the docking station identifier received in the detected beacon signal does not match any identifier in a list of authorized docking stations stored in the mobile robot.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, while recharging the battery of the mobile robot:

monitoring parameters among at least a battery voltage of the mobile robot, a charge current delivered to the mobile robot, and a temperature of a charging circuit of the docking station; and

stopping the charge power when the recharging conditions are no longer met.

7. A robotic equipment comprising:

at least one mobile robot, the mobile robot comprising:

a battery;

a motor system powered by the battery to move the mobile robot within an environment;

an electric power receiving interface for recharging the battery; and

a first communication interface; and

at least one docking station to be placed in the environment, the docking station comprising:

a parking area for receiving at least one mobile robot;

a source of electric power;

an electric power delivery interface for cooperating with the electric power receiving interface of a mobile robot received in the parking area and charging the battery of said mobile robot from the source of electric power;

a source of wireless beacon signal for transmitting a beacon signal around the docking station;

a second communication interface for cooperating with the first communication interface of the mobile robot and retrieving information concerning the mobile robot received in the parking area after emission of the beacon signal by the source of the beacon signal; and

a recharging controller for recharging the battery of the mobile robot received in the parking area in a manner that is dependent on the information concerning the mobile robot received via the second communication interface.

8. A mobile robot docking station comprising:

a parking area for receiving at least one mobile robot in an environment where the docking station is placed;

a source of electric power;

an electric power delivery interface coupled to the source of electric power in order to recharge a battery of a mobile robot received in the parking area;

a source of wireless beacon signal for transmitting a beacon signal around the docking station;

a communication interface for communicating with the mobile robot received in the parking area in order to retrieve information concerning said mobile robot after transmission of the beacon signal by the source of the beacon signal; and

a recharging controller for recharging the battery of the mobile robot received in the parking area in a manner that is dependent on the information concerning said mobile robot retrieved via the communication interface.

9. A mobile robot comprising:

a battery;

a motor system powered by the battery to move the mobile robot within an environment;

an electric power receiving interface for recharging the battery, the power coming from a docking station located in the environment;

a wireless beacon signal detector for detecting a beacon from the docking station;

an interface for communicating with the docking station; and

a controller configured to:

in response to detection of the beacon signal, present a voltage at the electric power receiving interface; and

in response to receiving an identification request via the interface for communicating with the docking station after presenting a voltage to the electric power receiving interface, transmitting identification information concerning the mobile robot to the docking station.

10. The mobile robot of claim 9 , wherein the beacon signal carries an identifier of the docking station, the controller is configured not to transmit the mobile robot identification information when the docking station identifier received in the detected beacon signal does not match any identifier in a list of authorized docking stations stored in the mobile robot.