Patent ID: 11953907
Assignee: NILFISK A/S
Field: Control (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 14:
15. An autonomous mobile surface treatment vehicle for driving on a surface, the surface treatment vehicle comprising:
an autonomy system arranged to output speed and direction control signals for navigating the surface treatment vehicle according to a map or intended route;
a sensor system arranged to sense speed and direction of the surface treatment vehicle and to output speed and direction estimate signals accordingly, the sensor system further comprising a scanning sensor arranged to scan a scan area around the surface treatment vehicle for determining a position of an obstacle within the scan area and to generate a detection signal accordingly;
a safety system arranged to receive the speed and direction estimate signals and to select a safety zone relative to the surface treatment vehicle accordingly in response to a safety zone selection algorithm, and wherein the safety system is arranged to receive the detection signal, and to generate a safety stop signal in case the detection signal indicates an obstacle within the safety zone;
a controllable propulsion motor or motors for controlling drive speed of the surface treatment vehicle;
a controllable steering mechanism for controlling drive direction of the surface treatment vehicle; and
a controller arranged to receive speed and direction control signals, and to control the propulsion motor or motors and the steering mechanism for driving the surface treatment vehicle at speed and direction in response to the speed and direction control signals, wherein the controller is further arranged to control the propulsion motor or motors and/or a brake to bring the surface treatment vehicle to a stop in case a safety stop signal is received,
wherein the safety system is arranged to switch from a first mode of operation where a first safety zone selection algorithm is executed as the safety zone selection algorithm to a second mode of operation, where a second safety zone selection algorithm is executed, and wherein the first and second safety zone selection algorithms select the safety zone in different ways;
the surface treatment vehicle being a cleaning vehicle and comprising at least one cleaning mechanism with a function selected from the group consisting of: sweeping; scrubbing; wet or dry pickup; polishing; application of wax, sealing products, and powder-based detergents; and shampooing.