Abstract:
A floor-cleaning system comprised of a mobile robot having compartments to hold modules corresponding to various functions and a base station storing extra modules. The mobile robot runs until one or more modules is expended, at which point the robot navigates to the base station, ejects expended modules, and loads new modules. The robot continues operation with a minimum amount of downtime and a reduced need for human intervention. The base station may be supplied with numerous ready modules so that a human administrator only needs to replenish, replace or empty the modules periodically.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/114,569, filed Feb. 10, 2015 by the present inventor. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to automated floor-cleaning systems. 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0003]    The following is a tabulation of some prior art that presently appears relevant: 
       U.S. Patent Documents 
       [0004]      
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Pat. No. 
                 Kind Code 
                 Issue Date 
                 Patentee 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 4,829,840 
                 A 
                 May 16, 1989 
                 FANUC LTD., et al. 
               
               
                 7,013,527 
                 B2 
                 Mar. 21, 2006 
                 Diversey Inc 
               
               
                 6,741,054 
                 B2 
                 May 25, 2004 
                 Vision Robotics Corp 
               
               
                 7,937,800 
                 B2 
                 May 10, 2011 
                 Jason Yan 
               
               
                 8,671,507 
                 B2 
                 Jun. 28, 2010 
                 iRobot Corp 
               
               
                 6,883,201 
                 B2 
                 Apr. 26, 2005 
                 iRobot Corp 
               
               
                 7,474,941 
                 B2 
                 Jan. 6, 2009 
                 Samsung Electronics Co Ltd 
               
               
                 8,209,053 
                 B2 
                 Jun. 26, 2012 
                 Samsung Electronics Co Ltd 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0005]    Robotic appliances have become increasingly popular for cleaning residential homes. Vacuuming and mopping robots are frequently used to clean floors. These devices, however, are not widely used in commercial settings. One reason for this is that robotic appliances often require servicing (emptying of debris, replacement of cleaning liquid) too frequently to be practical for cleaning very large areas. A need exists for a method to allow a mobile robotic cleaning device to operate for longer periods of time and cover larger spaces without requiring frequent maintenance. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is a goal of the present invention to provide a robotic floor-cleaning system that requires a minimal amount of maintenance. 
         [0007]    It is a goal of the present invention to provide a robotic floor-cleaning system that can operate for extended periods of time and cover large amounts of surface area with a minimum of stoppages. 
         [0008]    It is a goal of the present invention to provide a robotic floor-cleaning system that can effectively service large scale or commercial locations. 
         [0009]    The present invention achieves the aforementioned goals through a modular robotic floor-cleaning system. A mobile cleaning robot has modules for each of its functions that use resources or collect materials. For example, a vacuuming module, a mopping module, a polishing module, and battery module may be provided. A separate base station stores new modules, so that when modules are expended, they may be exchanged for new modules. For example, once the vacuuming dustbin module is full, the robot returns to the base station and exchanges the full dustbin module for an empty dustbin module. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1A  illustrates an overhead view of a floor-cleaning robot embodying features of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1B  illustrates an overhead view of a base station containing extra modules embodying features of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates an overhead view of a base station containing extra modules and a repository for storing used modules embodying features of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates the process of a floor-cleaning robot exchanging a used module for a new module embodying features of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  illustrates a floor-cleaning robot loading a new module from a base station embodying features of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    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. 
         [0016]    Generally, the present invention relates to a modular robotic floor-cleaning system suitable for cleaning large spaces. 
         [0017]    A floor-cleaning robot has modules for each of its functions that collect or consume resources. The modules may be ejected and replaced as necessary. A synchronized base station stores new modules and, in some embodiments, may also contain a repository for used modules. Periodically, the robot returns to the base station, ejects expended modules, and loads new modules. In some embodiments, exchange of modules may be triggered by sensors that detect when a module has been expended. In some embodiments, exchange of modules may simply occur at predetermined intervals based on the run time of the system. The system can thus continue working without waiting for human assistance in emptying, cleaning, or refilling modules. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 1A , an overhead view of a floor-cleaning robot  100  is illustrated. In the example shown, the robot has four modules  101 . It should be noted that any number of modules may be provided without departing from the scope of the invention; the example shown is meant to be illustrative, rather than restrictive. Modules may have different functions related to the system capabilities. For example, a floor-cleaning robot may contain a dustbin module where vacuumed debris is stored, a cleaning fluid tank module where cleaning fluid for mopping the floor is stored, a water tank module where water for steaming the floor is stored, a polishing module where wax or another polishing agent for polishing a floor is stored, and a battery module where a battery for supplying power to the system is stored. Other types of modules may be provided without limitation; these examples are meant to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Modules may be devised to serve the particular capabilities of floor-cleaning system in question. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 1B , a base station  102  storing extra unused modules  103  is illustrated. A base station is not limited in size and may contain any number of modules without limitation. 
         [0020]    In some embodiments, the base station further comprises a repository for storing ejected/expended modules. Referring to  FIG. 2 , a base station  202  is illustrated. The base station comprises extra unused modules  203  and also has an area where used modules may be received. Used modules may be ejected into the empty slots  204 . 
         [0021]    The floor-cleaning robot carries out operation as normal until it reaches any of a predetermined time limit, a predetermined stopping point, or a sensed state. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the process of exchanging modules during operation is illustrated. In a first step  300 , the floor-cleaning robot operates using the modules positioned within the body of the device. In a next step  301 , the system determines whether any module has been expended. In some embodiments, sensors positioned within modules detect when a module is expended. In a vacuum dustbin module, a sensor may detect when the module is full. In cleaning fluid tank modules, water tank modules, and polishing modules, a sensor may detect when the module is empty. In a battery module, a voltmeter may detect when the battery is discharged. In some embodiments, a timer indicates that modules are expended after a predetermined amount of running time. In some embodiments, a user may provide input instructing the system that a module is expended. If no modules are expended, the device continues work normally. Upon detection that one or more modules has been expended, the method proceeds to a next step  302  to navigate to the base station. In some embodiments, the system may be provided with mapping technology by which the robot may localize itself and the base station within a map of the environment and navigate to the base station. In some embodiments, the floor-cleaning robot uses sensors to detect and navigate to the base station. The specific methods for navigating to the base station are not part of the scope of the invention, so a detailed description thereof is not provided. In a next step  303 , the expended module or modules are ejected from the robot. Numerous methods for ejecting units from devices exist and are used across many fields; any available method may be used to eject the module from the robot. Specific methods for ejecting modules from the robot are not part of the scope of the invention, therefore a detailed description thereof is not provided. In a next step  304 , a new module to replace the ejected module is loaded from the base station into the floor-cleaning robot. Numerous methods for loading units into devices exist and are used across many fields; any available method may be used to load the module into the robot. Specific methods for loading modules into the robot are not part of the scope of the invention, therefore a detailed description thereof is not provided. The system then continues operation as normal. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the loading of a module from a base station into a robot is illustrated. The robot  400  contains three modules  401  and has one open slot  402 . The robot aligns the open slot  402  with the module  403  in the base station  405  that is to be loaded into the open slot. Any method for aligning the robot with the target may be used. Methods for alignment are widely used in the field and are not part of the scope of the invention, therefore a detailed description thereof is not provided. Once the slot is correctly aligned, the new module  403  may be loaded from the base station into the robot. The module is moved in a direction  404  into the slot  402 . When the module is fully loaded into the slot, the robot may continue operation as normal. 
         [0024]    In some embodiments, a single base station may serve groups of floor-cleaning robots. A base station containing modules for all the floor-cleaning robots in a group may be positioned in a central location where all the robots in the group may access it to load new modules as needed.