Mobile robot providing environmental mapping for household environmental control

Abstract

A mobile robot includes a processor connected to a memory and a wireless network circuit, for executing routines stored in the memory and commands generated by the routines and received via the wireless network circuit. The processor drives the mobile robot to a multiplicity of accessible two dimensional locations within a household, and commands an end effector, including at least one motorized actuator, to perform mechanical work in the household. A plurality of routines include a first routine which monitors a wireless local network and detects a presence of a network entity on the wireless local network, a second routine which receives a signal from a sensor detecting an action state of one of the network entities, the action state changeable between waiting and active, and a third routine which commands the end effector to change state of performing mechanical work based on the presence and on the action state.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A computer-implemented method for operating a cleaning robot, the method comprising:
 generating a progressively improving map of the area being cleaned;   transmitting a graphical representation of the progressively improving map or portion thereof to a user interface on a user terminal that is remote from the cleaning robot; and   localizing a location of a dock in the area being cleaned by the cleaning robot, wherein the graphical representation of the progressively improving map comprises a graphical representation of the relative position of the location of the dock in the graphical representation of the progressively improving map.   
     
     
         3 . The computer implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein generating a progressively improving map comprises generating the progressively improving map of an area within the progressively improving map being cleaned during cleaning of the area by the robot. 
     
     
         4 . The computer implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein cleaning of the area by the robot comprises multi-pass cleaning. 
     
     
         5 . The computer implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein cleaning of the area by the robot comprises a quick cleaning strategy comprising single-pass cleaning. 
     
     
         6 . The computer implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein the area within the progressively improving map increases over time. 
     
     
         7 . The computer implemented method of  claim 3 , further comprising tagging a location of a device to the progressively improving map. 
     
     
         8 . The computer implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein the device comprises a transceiver and tagging a location of the device comprises tagging the transceiver by detecting a peak signal strength of the transceiver to identify a location of the transceiver. 
     
     
         9 . The computer implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein generating a progressively improving map comprises comparing the progressively improving map with a covered area within the progressively improving map and generating a graphical representation of a comparison of the progressively improving map with the covered area. 
     
     
         10 . The computer implemented method of  claim 9 , wherein the graphical representation comprises a completion ratio of the progressively improving map. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method for operating a cleaning robot, the method comprising:
 providing at least one user-selectable cleaning strategy control element at a user terminal, the user-selectable pre-planned cleaning strategy control element having at least a deep cleaning strategy control state and a quick cleaning strategy control state, wherein:   responsive to selection of the deep cleaning strategy control state, the user terminal commands the remote cleaning robot to execute a relatively higher cumulative energy cleaning strategy; and   responsive to selection of the quick cleaning strategy control state, the user terminal commands the remote cleaning robot to execute a relatively lower cumulative energy cleaning strategy,   wherein the relatively lower cumulative energy cleaning strategy includes the remote cleaning robot concentrating its cleaning in open areas and/or in designated areas.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein the relatively higher cumulative energy cleaning strategy includes the remote cleaning robot concentrating its cleaning on edges and corners of a living space. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one user-selectable pre-planned cleaning strategy control element comprises a cleaning strategy button configured to receive user selection from a plurality of different cleaning modes, the plurality of different cleaning modes comprises at least the deep cleaning strategy control state and the quick cleaning strategy control state. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one user-selectable pre-planned cleaning strategy control element comprises a graphically displayed element for receiving a user input. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein the quick cleaning strategy control state comprises a deterministic, planned travel pattern over a cleaning area in a single-pass. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein the quick cleaning strategy control state comprises a faster forward speed as compared to a speed in the deep cleaning strategy control state. 
     
     
         17 . A computer-implemented method for operating a cleaning robot, the method comprising:
 displaying a graphical representation of a map of an area at a user terminal, the graphical representation comprising a plurality of subdivisions of the map; and   providing at least one user-selectable pre-planned cleaning strategy control element, the cleaning strategy control element being configured to receive input from the user to select an associated cleaning strategy from a plurality of cleaning strategies for one or more of the plurality of subdivisions of the map.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of subdivisions of the map comprise a room identity. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 18 , wherein the room identities comprise an area of the map, a transition line from one subdivision to another subdivision, or as localized markers within the map. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of cleaning strategies comprises a deep cleaning strategy control state and a quick cleaning strategy control state, wherein:
 responsive to selection of the deep cleaning strategy control state, the user terminal commands the remote cleaning robot to execute a relatively higher cumulative energy cleaning strategy; and   responsive to selection of the quick cleaning strategy control state, the user terminal commands the remote cleaning robot to execute a relatively lower cumulative energy cleaning strategy.   
     
     
         21 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 20 , wherein the relatively lower cumulative energy cleaning strategy includes the cleaning robot concentrating its cleaning in open areas and/or in designated areas. 
     
     
         22 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 20 , wherein the relatively higher cumulative energy cleaning strategy includes the cleaning robot concentrating its cleaning on edges and corners of a living space. 
     
     
         23 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of subdivisions of the map comprises at least a first subdivision corresponding to a first cleaning strategy and a second subdivision corresponding to a second cleaning strategy that is different from the first cleaning strategy.