IP Library Granted Patent US 12,560,940
Granted Patent B2
US 12,560,940 · App. 18/236,064 · Granted Feb 24, 2026

Robot device operating in mode corresponding to position of robot device and control method thereof

Inventors: Hyomuk Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Woojeong Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Jewoong Ryu (Suwon-si, KR); Aron Baik (Suwon-si, KR); Mideum Choi (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
G05D1/0274G05D1/246G10L15/22G10L2015/223
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,560,940
App. No.
18/236,064
Granted
Feb 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a robot device and method of controlling same, wherein the robot device includes: at least one sensor; at least one memory configured to store at least one instruction; and at least one processor configured to execute the at least one instruction to: based on the robot device being positioned at a first position, control the robot device in a first mode corresponding to the first position, identify, based on sensing data obtained by the at least one sensor, a first event of picking up the robot device by a user and a second event of placing the robot device, and based on an identification that a position of the robot device is changed from the first position to a second position based on new sensing data obtained by the at least one sensor after the first event and the second event sequentially occur, control the robot device in a second mode corresponding to the second position.

Claims (66)

1 . A robot device comprising:

at least one sensor;

at least one memory configured to store at least one instruction; and

at least one processor configured to execute the at least one instruction,

wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, causes the robot device to:

based on the robot device being positioned at a first position, control the robot device in a first mode corresponding to the first position,

identify, based on sensing data obtained by the at least one sensor, a first event of picking up the robot device by a user and a second event of placing the robot device on a surface, and

based on an identification that a position of the robot device is changed from the first position to a second position based on new sensing data obtained by the at least one sensor after the first event and the second event sequentially occur, control the robot device in a second mode corresponding to the second position,

wherein the second mode is different from the first mode,

wherein the at least one memory stores map information corresponding to a space where the robot device is positioned,

wherein the second mode comprises a plurality of functions, and

wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further causes the robot device to:

identify whether the robot device is able to move on the surface, based on information regarding the surface included in the map information,

based on identifying that the robot device is able to move on the surface, execute at least one function requiring movement of the robot device among the plurality of functions of the second mode, and

based on identifying that the robot device is unable to move on the surface, execute at least one function that does not require movement of the robot device among the plurality of functions of the second mode.

2 . The robot device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further causes the robot device to, based on the first event occurring, output a feedback indicating occurrence of the first event.

3 . The robot device of claim 1 , wherein the first position is included in a floor space of the space where the robot device is positioned, the second position is included in a flat space on an object positioned in the space, and the flat space is positioned relatively higher than the floor space.

4 . The robot device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the at least one processor, further causes the robot device to, based on the map information not including information regarding the surface, obtain information regarding the surface by controlling the at least one sensor to execute a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) function.

5 . The robot device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a speech recognition sensor, and

wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the at least one processor, is further causes the robot device to:

identify, based on a signal being received through the speech recognition sensor, a position from which the signal is received,

identify whether the robot device is able to move to the identified position from the second position based on the map information, and

based on identifying that the robot device is unable to move to the identified position from the second position, output a feedback requesting occurrence of an event of picking up the robot device and placing the robot device at the first position.

6 . The robot device of claim 5 , wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the at least one processor, further causes the robot device to:

based on the position of the robot device changing from the second position to the first position, identify a movement path for moving to the identified position based on the map information.

7 . The robot device of claim 1 , wherein the robot device travels at a relatively higher speed in the second mode than the robot device travels in the first mode.

8 . The robot device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a gyro sensor, a camera sensor, a cliff sensor, a pressure sensor, an infrared sensor, or an ultrasonic sensor.

9 . A method of controlling a robot device, the method comprising:

based on the robot device being positioned at a first position, controlling the robot device in a first mode corresponding to the first position;

identifying, based on sensing data obtained by at least one sensor, a first event of picking up the robot device by a user and a second event of placing the robot device on a surface; and

based on an identification that a position of the robot device is changed from the first position to a second position based on new sensing data obtained by the at least one sensor after the first event and the second event sequentially occur, controlling the robot device in a second mode corresponding to the second position,

wherein the second mode is different from the first mode,

wherein the robot device comprises at least one memory storing map information corresponding to a space where the robot device is positioned,

wherein the second mode comprises a plurality of functions, and

wherein the controlling the robot device in the second mode further comprises:

identifying whether the robot device is able to move on the surface based on information regarding the surface included in the map information;

based on identifying that the robot device is able to move on the surface, executing at least one function requiring movement of the robot device among the plurality of functions of the second mode; and

based on identifying that the robot device is unable to move on the surface, executing at least one function that does not require movement of the robot device among the plurality of functions of the second mode.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising, based on the first event occurring, outputting a feedback indicating occurrence of the first event.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the first position is included in a floor space of the space where the robot device is positioned, the second position is included in a flat space on an object positioned in the space, and the flat space is positioned relatively higher than the floor space.

12 . The method of claim 9 ,

wherein the controlling of the robot device in the second mode further comprises, based on the map information not including information regarding the surface, obtaining information regarding the surface by controlling the at least one sensor to execute a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) function.

13 . The method of claim 9 ,

further comprising:

identifying, based on a signal being received through a speech recognition sensor of the robot device, a position from which the signal is received;

identifying whether the robot device is able to move to the identified position from the second position based on the map information; and

based on identifying that the robot device is unable to move to the identified position from the second position, outputting a feedback requesting occurrence of an event of picking up the robot device and placing the robot device at the first position.

14 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by at least one processor cause the at least one processor to individually or collectively execute a method of controlling a robot device, the method comprising:

based on the robot device being positioned at a first position, controlling the robot device in a first mode corresponding to the first position;

identifying, based on sensing data obtained by at least one sensor, a first event comprising picking up the robot device by a user and a second event comprising placing the robot device on a surface; and

based on an identification that a position of the robot device is changed from the first position to a second position based on new sensing data obtained by the at least one sensor after the first event and the second event sequentially occur, controlling the robot device in a second mode corresponding to the second position,

wherein the second mode is different from the first mode,

wherein the robot device comprises at least one memory storing map information corresponding to a space where the robot device is positioned,

wherein the second mode comprises a plurality of functions, and

wherein the controlling the robot device in the second mode further comprises:

identifying whether the robot device is able to move on the surface based on information regarding the surface included in the map information;

based on identifying that the robot device is able to move on the surface, executing at least one function requiring movement of the robot device among the plurality of functions of the second mode; and

based on identifying that the robot device is unable to move on the surface, executing at least one function that does not require movement of the robot device among the plurality of functions of the second mode.

15 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the first position is included in a floor space of the space where the robot device is positioned, the second position is included in a flat space on an object positioned in the space, and the flat space is positioned relatively higher than the floor space.

16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 ,

wherein the controlling of the robot device in the second mode further comprises based on the map information not including information regarding the surface, obtaining information regarding the surface by controlling the at least one sensor to execute a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) function.

17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 ,

wherein the method further comprises:

identifying, based on a signal being received through a speech recognition sensor of the robot device, a position from which the signal is received;

identifying whether the robot device is able to move to the identified position from the second position based on the map information; and

based on identifying that the robot device is unable to move to the identified position from the second position, outputting a feedback requesting occurrence of an event of picking up the robot device and placing the robot device at the first position.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: KIM, HYOMUK; KIM, WOOJEONG; RYU, JEWOONG; BAIK, ARON; CHOI, MIDEUM
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 064650/0782 →
Priority Claims (2)
KR 10-2022-0093540 · Jul 27, 2022 · national
KR 10-2022-0165834 · Dec 1, 2022 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTKR2023010410 · Jul 19, 2023
Related Publication 20240036585A1 · Feb 1, 2024
References Cited (37)
US 6374157B1 · Takamura · 2002 [cited by examiner]
US 9456725B2 · Kim et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9798328B2 · Vicenti · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 10152057B2 · Kawamura et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10383497B2 · Han et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10391636B2 · Breazeal · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10969790B2 · Maeda · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11099554B2 · Lindhé et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11620097B2 · Kaneko et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20170153638A1 · Kawamura · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20200047337A1 · Williams et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210031378A1 · Koyama · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220019213A1 · Haghighat Kashani · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220055224A1 · Michaelian et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220083302A1 · Kaneko et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220157305A1 · Sakurai et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220291665A1 · Sato · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20230058513A1 · Lee et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20230195401A1 · Kaneko et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
EP 1155787B1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
EP 4024154A1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017102538A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP 202251982A · 2022 [cited by applicant]
KR 20010025103A · 2001 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020070027840A · 2007 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020120055891A · 2012 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020130020259A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020210044463A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020210082116A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
KR 102303546B1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
WO 2019173321A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
Davide Bacciu et al., “Learning Context-Aware Mobile Robot Navigation in Home Environments”, 2014, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
Satoshi Tsuji et al., “Omnidirectional Proximity Sensor System for Drones Using Optical Time-of-Flight Sensors”, IEEJ Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Sep. 2021, vol. 17, Issue 1, pp. 19-25, DOI: 1… [cited by applicant]
Tobias Low et al., “Ground-Plane Classification for Robot Navigation: Combining Multiple Cues Toward a Visual-Based Learning System”, 2010 11th International Conference on Control Automation Robotics & Vision, Dec. 2010… [cited by applicant]
International Search Report (PCT/ISA/210) issued by the International Searching Authority on Nov. 7, 2023 in International Application No. PCT/KR2023/010410. [cited by applicant]
Written Opinion (PCT/ISA/237) issued by the International Searching Authority on Nov. 7, 2023 in International Application No. PCT/KR2023/010410. [cited by applicant]
Communication issued on Apr. 7, 2025 by the European Patent Office in European Patent Application No. 23846903.5. [cited by applicant]