Abstract:
The present disclosure provides a robot-repelling system comprising a repelling device and robots equipped with signal receivers and a method of use thereof. The portable robot-repelling device defines a virtual boundary for the robots in its vicinity through wireless signal transmissions such as radio frequencies, light, sonar etc. The device may take the form of an accessory and be worn by or attached to a human or animal, causing compatible robots in the vicinity to turn away from the virtual boundary whenever it is encountered.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 62113495, filed Feb. 8, 2015 by the present inventor. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present application relates generally to robotic devices, and in particular to robotic devices with a means for receiving wireless signals from an outside source. 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0003]    The following is a tabulation of some prior art that presently appears relevant: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 U.S. Patent Documents 
               
             
          
           
               
                 Patent Number 
                 Kind Code 
                 Issue Date 
                 Patentee 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 8,996,171 
                 B2 
                 2015 Mar. 31 
                 Deere and Co 
               
               
                 8,686,679 
                 B2 
                 2014 Apr. 1 
                 iRobot Corp 
               
               
                 7,196,487 
                 B2 
                 2007 Mar. 27 
                 iRobot Corp 
               
               
                 6,690,134 
                 B1 
                 2004 Feb. 10 
                 iRobot Corp 
               
               
                 8,659,245 
                 B2 
                 2014 Feb. 25 
                 iRobot Corp 
               
               
                 8,368,339 
                 B2 
                 2013 Feb. 5 
                 iRobot Corp 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 U.S. Patent Application Publications 
               
             
          
           
               
                 Publication Nr 
                 Kind Code 
                 Publ. Date 
                 Applicant 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 20080084174 
                 A1 
                 2008 Apr. 10 
                 iRobot Corp 
               
               
                 20150006015 
                 A1 
                 2015 Jan. 1 
                 iRobot Corp 
               
               
                 20040244138 
                 A1 
                 2004 Dec. 9 
                 Sharper Image Corp 
               
               
                 20150234385 
                 A1 
                 2014 Aug. 20 
                 iRobot Corp 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0004]    The invention relates to a method and system for repelling robots. As robots become more and more widely used, the frequency of encounters between humans and robots increases. In some cases, it is beneficial for robots to keep a certain distance from humans or other moving beings, like pets. A collision between certain robots and humans or animals might be dangerous in some cases. For example, a robotic lawn mower, which has blades, could injure a person or animal that it collides with. Some people may not feel safe around robots despite all the safety features provisioned by the manufacturer. Some people may not feel their pets and children are safe around their robots. 
         [0005]    There have been many systems proposed in the prior art for confining a robot. These systems are not often portable and are used essentially to confine the robot in a specific physical space for the purpose of performing work. This is normally achieved through providing navigation and orientation for the robot such that the robot either travels along a predetermined path and/or monitors its current location against a map stored in memory. These systems are not efficient when dealing with a mobile boundary for example an animal or a human being that would move and change location. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present disclosure provides a robot repelling system comprising a repelling device and a robot. The repelling device comprises: a signal emitter that is activated by an input device placed in a housing wherein the emitter emits a signal; the robot comprises: a signal receiver, a motor to move the robot in a movement path, a control unit controlling the movement path, wherein the robot is configured to change direction upon reaching a minimum allowable distance from the repelling device. In one embodiment the minimum allowable distance is set by a predetermined range of the signal and the robot alters the movement path upon detecting the signal. In an alternative embodiment the minimum allowable distance is transmitted to the robot by an information packet carried by the signal. 
         [0007]    Accordingly, the present invention has several objects and advantages. 
         [0008]    It is a goal of the present invention to provide a method for defining a virtual boundary for robots that keeps robots from approaching humans or other animals beyond a certain distance. 
         [0009]    It is a goal of the present invention to provide a boundary that is portable and may be carried, attached to, or worn by the user. 
         [0010]    It is a goal of the present invention to provide a method for decreasing or eliminating the possibility of collisions by robots into humans or animals. 
         [0011]    It is a goal of the present invention to provide a method to ensure the safety of individuals or animals in the vicinity of a robotic device. 
         [0012]    While the embodiments explained in the detailed description section are for autonomous devices, a person skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention can be used in any number of robotic applications where a minimum distance between a robot and a mobile or stationary object is needed such as: different types of indoor and outdoor autonomous robotic devices as well as systems equipped with navigation systems. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    Non-limiting and non-exhaustive features of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures. 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of the robot-repelling system according to the invention wherein the minimum allowable distance between the repelling device and the robot is set by adjusting the signal range. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  illustrates an alternative embodiment of the robot-repelling system according to the invention in which the minimum allowable distance between the signal emitter and the robot is set by an information packet carried by the signal. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a flow-chart illustration of the robot repelling method of an embodiment of the invention wherein the signal range sets the minimum allowable distance between the repelling device and the robot; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a flow-chart illustration of the robot repelling method algorithm of an embodiment of the invention wherein the minimum allowable distance is set by an information packet carried by the signal. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  illustrates a robot comprising a signal receiver, a control unit, and a motor embodying features of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to a few embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps and/or structures have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the present invention 
         [0020]    Various embodiments are described herein below, including methods. It should be kept in mind that the invention might also cover articles of manufacture that includes a computer readable medium on which computer-readable instructions for carrying out embodiments of the inventive technique are stored. The computer readable medium may include, for example, semiconductor, magnetic, opto-magnetic, optical, or other forms of computer readable medium for storing computer readable code. Further, the invention may also cover apparatuses for practicing embodiments of the invention. Such apparatus may include circuits, dedicated and/or programmable, to carry out tasks pertaining to embodiments of the invention. Examples of such apparatus include a general-purpose computer and/or a dedicated computing device when appropriately programmed and may include a combination of a computer/computing device and dedicated/programmable circuits adapted for the various tasks pertaining to embodiments of the invention. The disclosure described herein is directed generally to one or more methods and/or systems that generate a minimum allowable distance for restricting robotic devices from approaching a repelling device. 
         [0021]    As understood herein, the term “robot” or “robotic device” may be defined generally to include one or more devices having communication, mobility, and/or processing elements. For example, a robot or robotic device may comprise a casing or shell, a chassis including a set of wheels, a motor to drive wheels, a receiver that acquires signals transmitted from, for example, a transmitting beacon, a processor, and/or controller that processes and/or controls motor and other robotic operations, network or wireless communications, power management, etc. 
         [0022]    As understood herein, the term “emitter” may be defined generally to include one or more devices having ability to send out a signal and includes any kind of transmitters and transceivers. Preferably the emitters provided are portable and self-powered. The emitters could be omnidirectional and emit signals either continuously or at predefined intervals. 
         [0023]    The term “signal” used herein, may refer to radio frequencies, sonar, light, infra red, ultraviolet, laser or any other type of wireless signal. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the robot repelling system used to keep a robot from approaching too close to a pet is illustrated. Room  100  is shown containing a robot  101  and a pet  102 . A signal emitter  103  is positioned in a housing  104  which may be attached to the pet. The signal emitter emits signals  105  detectable by the signal receiver  106  positioned on the robot when the robot is within the a range  107  of the signals. An input device  108  may be used to turn on the signal emitter. When the signal emitter is turned on, if the robot enters the area of the signal range  107 , it will detect the signals  105  by the signal receiver  106 . Upon detection of the signals, the robot is configured to alter its movement path  109  so that the signals are no longer detectable by the signal receiver  106 . 
         [0025]    In some embodiments, the housing  104  may contain a plurality of signal emitters, each signal emitter having a different signal range. A user can adjust the allowable distance between the robot and the repelling device by choosing the signal emitter with the desired range through the input device. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , an alternative embodiment of the robot repelling system is illustrated. In this embodiment, a minimum allowable distance between the signal emitter  103  and the robot  101  is predetermined and included in a packet of information carried by the signals  211 . Room  100  is shown containing the robot  101 , including the signal receiver  106 , and the pet  102 . The signal emitter  103  is positioned in the housing  104  attached to the pet. In this embodiment, the robot further comprises a means  210  for determining a distance  210  to the signal emitter. The signal emitter  103  sends signals  211  which carry a packet of information (not shown) identifying the minimum allowable distance between the signal emitter  103  and the distance determining tool  210 . A user may turn on the signal emitter  103  via the input device  105  which causes the signal emitter  103  to begin sending signals  211  containing the minimum allowable distance between the distance determining tool  210  and the signal emitter. The receiver  106  receives the signal containing the minimum allowable distance between the distance determining tool and the signal emitter. Using the distance determining tool  210 , the system determines the distance  211  to the signal emitter  103 . If the distance  211  is smaller than or equal to the minimum allowable distance indicated by the signal, the robot is caused to alter its movement path until the distance  211  is greater than the minimum allowable distance between the distance determining tool and the signal emitter. 
         [0027]    It shall be appreciated by one skilled in the art that in other embodiments any number of of known input devices may be used, such as keypads, toggle devices, voice activated switches, timers, control systems, optical sensors, wireless switches connected to applications, software applications or any other wireless control device, etc. Also, the means for measuring distance between the distance determining tool  210  and the signal emitter  103  can be any available non contact measuring system, such as electronic distance meters, ultrasonic ranging modules (sonar, echo sounding), radar distance measurement devices, laser rangefinders, lidar, etc. 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , a flow-chart of the control logic of the robot repelling method is illustrated. In some embodiments, the minimum allowable distance between the signal emitter and the compatible robot is determined by the range of the signal. In a first step  300 , the receiver searches for the signal. If the signal is not detected, the robot continues its movement path and continues to search for the signal. If the signal is detected, the method proceeds to a step  301  in which the robot alters its movement path such that it returns to an area where the signal is no longer received. Various movement patterns for returning to an area where the signal is no longer received are possible; the robot may use any available method for altering the movement path. The method then proceeds back to step  300 . 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , a flow-chart of another embodiment of the invention is illustrated. As described previously, in some embodiments, the minimum allowable distance between the robot (or a component thereof) and the signal emitter is determined by an information packet carried by the signal. In a first step  400 , the receiver searches for the signal. If the signal is not detected, the robot continues its movement path and continues to search for the signal. If the signal is detected, the method proceeds to a step  401 , in which the system receives the minimum allowable distance A between the robot (or a component thereof) and the signal emitter. In a next step  402 , the robot determines a distance B to the repelling device. In a next step  403 , the method compares values B and A. If B is less than or equal to A, the method proceeds to a step  404  in which the robot changes its movement path such that it moves away from the signal emitter until such a point that B is greater than A. If B is greater than A, the method returns to step  402 . 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , an overhead view of a robot  101  is illustrated. The robot comprises, at minimum, a signal receiver  106 , a motor  500 , and controller unit  501 . 
         [0031]    A person skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention can be used in any number of robotic applications where a minimum distance between a robot and a mobile or stationary object is needed, such as different types of autonomous robotic devices as well as systems with a navigation system.