Docking device and mobile robot system

{
  "publication_number": "US12102283B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Docking device and mobile robot system",
  "abstract": "The present disclosure discloses a docking device including a charging terminal, a power supply unit for supplying power to the charging terminal, a communication module for exchanging data with a mobile robot, a voice recognition module for collecting a voice and extracting a voice command from the collected voice, and a charging-station controller for controlling the communication module to transmit the voice command extracted from the voice recognition module to the mobile robot.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A docking device, comprising: a charging terminal; a power supply unit configured to supply power to the charging terminal; a communication module configured to exchange data with a mobile robot; a voice recognition module configured to collect a voice and extracting a voice command from the collected voice; and a charging-station controller configured to control the communication module, wherein the charging-station controller is configured to transmit the voice command extracted from the voice recognition module to the mobile robot, wherein the charging-station controller classifies the voice command extracted from the voice recognition module into an executable voice command being executable by the mobile robot and an inexecutable voice command being not executable by the mobile robot, and wherein the charging-stand controller controls the communication module to transmit the inexecutable voice command to at least one of a server and a home appliance other than the mobile robot.",
    "2. The docking device of claim 1, wherein the voice recognition module comprises: a voice input unit configured to collect the voice; a voice recognition unit configured to extract a text from the collected voice; and a command recognition unit configured to extract the voice command for the mobile robot from the extracted text.",
    "3. The docking device of claim 2, wherein the voice recognition unit includes a microphone.",
    "4. The docking device of claim 3, wherein the microphone includes two microphones spaced apart from each other.",
    "5. The docking device of claim 3, further comprising: a base where the charging terminal is disposed; a charging-station body being connected to an end of the base, accommodating the power supply unit, and having a voice inlet hole through which the voice flows, wherein the microphone is accommodated in the charging-station body.",
    "6. The docking device of claim 5, wherein the charging-station body comprises an upper surface disposed higher than the base and a side surface connecting the upper surface and the base, and wherein the voice inlet hole is formed at the upper surface.",
    "7. The docking device of claim 6, further comprising an adhesive member disposed to surround the voice inlet hole and adhering the upper surface and the microphone.",
    "8. The docking device of claim 6, wherein the microphone is disposed lower than the upper surface.",
    "9. The docking device of claim 1, wherein the charging-stand controller controls the communication module to transmit the executable voice command to the mobile robot.",
    "10. The docking device of claim 1, wherein, when the voice command extracted from the voice recognition module is a voice command executable by the mobile robot and the home appliance other than the mobile robot, the charging-stand controller controls the communication module to transmit the voice command only to the mobile robot.",
    "11. The docking device of claim 1, further comprising: a docking detection unit configured to detect a docking of the mobile robot; and a guide signal transmitter configured to transmit a guide signal for guiding the mobile robot.",
    "12. A mobile robot system, comprising: a mobile robot including a main body and a driving unit for moving the main body; and a docking device configured to charge a battery of the mobile robot, extract a voice command from a voice, and being connected to the mobile robot by a wireless communication method, wherein the docking device transmits the extracted voice command to the mobile robot, wherein the mobile robot operates according to the voice command transmitted from the docking device, wherein the docking device classifies the extracted voice command into an executable voice command being executable by the mobile robot and an inexecutable voice command being not executable by the mobile robot, and wherein the docking device controls a communication module to transmit the inexecutable voice command to at least one of a server and a home appliance other than the mobile robot.",
    "13. The mobile robot system of claim 12, wherein the docking device comprises: a charging terminal; a power supply unit configured to supply power to the charging terminal; the communication module configured to exchange data with the mobile robot; a voice recognition module configured to collect the voice and extracting the voice command from the collected voice; and a charging-station controller configured to control the communication module to transmit the voice command extracted from the voice recognition module to the mobile robot.",
    "14. The mobile robot system of claim 12, wherein the mobile robot further comprises an output unit configured to output information, wherein, when the mobile robot cannot operate according to the voice command transmitted from the docking device, the mobile robot system outputs information that the voice command is inexecutable through the output unit."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to a docking device and a mobile robot system, and more particularly, to a docking device and a mobile robot system capable of collecting a voice of a user at the docking device.\n\nRobots have been developed for industrial use and have been in charge of part of factory automation. In recent years, as an application field of a robot has been further expanded, a medical robot, an aerospace robot, or so on has been developed, and a home robot that is used in general home is also being made. Among these robots, a robot capable of driving or traveling by itself is called a mobile robot. A representative example of a mobile robot used at home is a robot cleaner.\n\nVarious techniques for detecting or sensing a user and an environment at a periphery of a robot cleaner through various sensors provided in the robot cleaner are known. In addition, techniques are known in which a robot cleaner learns a driving area or a traveling area and generates a map by itself and grasps a current location on the map. A robot cleaner of cleaning the driving area while driving or traveling the driving area in a preset manner is known.\n\nIn order to determine or judges a distance between a robot cleaner and an obstacle or a wall and generate a map on a periphery of the robot cleaner, the conventional robot cleaner uses an optical sensor that easily determines the distance, easily grasps the terrain feature, and easily grasps the image of the obstacle.\n\nIn addition, in the prior art (Korean Patent Laid-open Publication No.",
  "cpc": [
    "A47L 9/2873",
    "A47L 11/4011",
    "A47L 11/4061",
    "A47L 2201/02",
    "A47L 2201/022",
    "A47L 2201/04",
    "A47L 9/2805",
    "A47L 9/2852",
    "A47L 9/2857",
    "A47L 9/2894",
    "B25J 11/0085",
    "B25J 9/0003",
    "B25J 9/1664",
    "G05D 1/0016",
    "G05D 1/0022",
    "G10L 15/22",
    "G10L 15/26",
    "G10L 15/28",
    "G10L 2015/223"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A47L 9/28",
    "G10L 15/22"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "LG Electronics Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Wonchul JO",
    "Ilsoo Cho"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-07-07",
  "publication_date": "2024-10-01",
  "grant_date": "2024-10-01",
  "priority_date": "2019-07-08",
  "application_number": "US-202017625222-A",
  "family_id": "74113983",
  "cited_by_count": 3,
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}