Robot management systems for determining docking station pose including mobile robots and methods using same

摘要

A mobile robot system is provided that includes a docking station having at least two pose-defining fiducial markers. The pose-defining fiducial markers have a predetermined spatial relationship with respect to one another and/or to a reference point on the docking station such that a docking path to the base station can be determined from one or more observations of the at least two pose-defining fiducial markers. A mobile robot in the system includes a pose sensor assembly. A controller is located on the chassis and is configured to analyze an output signal from the pose sensor assembly. The controller is configured to determine a docking station pose, to locate the docking station pose on a map of a surface traversed by the mobile robot and to path plan a docking trajectory.

主权项

1. A mobile robot system comprising:
a docking station including at least two pose-defining fiducial markers, the at least two pose-defining fiducial markers having a predetermined spatial relationship with respect to one another and/or to a reference point on the docking station such that a docking path to the base station can be determined from one or more observations of the at least two pose-defining fiducial markers; a mobile robot including:
a chassis,a motorized drive connected to the chassis for moving the mobile robot to a docked position, anda pose sensor assembly comprising a sensor configured to output a signal in response to the at least two pose-defining fiducial markers in a pose sensor field of view; a controller configured to analyze the output signal from the pose sensor assembly, the controller having the predetermined spatial relationship of the at least two pose-defining fiducial markers stored in a controller memory, wherein the controller is configured to determine a docking station pose that is based on the spatial relationship of the pose-defining fiducial markers and the signals from the pose sensor assembly, and to locate the docking station pose on a map of a surface traversed by the mobile robot, wherein the docking station pose comprises a position defined by location coordinates on the map and an angular orientation of the docking station on the map, and the docking station pose defines a docking lane on the map comprising outside edges and a central axis that is aligned with a central axis of the docking port, and the controller is configured to store the pose of the docking station on the map of the surface traversed by the mobile robot; and the controller is further configured to path plan a docking trajectory including a curve having a terminal portion aligned with the central axis of the docking lane of the docking station, based on a current robot position on the map of the surface and the docking station pose including the outside edges and the central axis of the docking lane and to provide instructions to the motorized drive to move the mobile robot along the curve of the docking trajectory and into a docking lane within the outside edges and along the central axis of the docking lane of the docking station.