Patent ID: 7605557
Filing Date: 2009-10-20
Classification: A63F,A63H,B41J,B43L,G05B,G05D

Abstract:
1. A mobile robot for sensing and decoding a printed coding pattern on a surface, the mobile robot comprising a housing; a platform in the housing; an on-board controller mounted on the platform and configured for wireless communication with a host computer system; a differential drive system mounted on the platform and connected to the controller so that the controller can steer the platform relative to the surface; and an image sensor mounted on the platform, arranged to sense and decode the printed coding pattern, said image sensor system being connected to the controller to communicate data representing the decoded coding pattern to the host computer via the controller, wherein said printed coding pattern encodes, at each of at least a given density of points on the surface, the two-dimensional coordinates of the point and identifies the identity of the surface, wherein the on-board controller is configured to be responsive to a command from the host computer to move to a specified coordinate position on the surface, the controller further being configured to report arrival at said specified coordinate position to the host computer.