WO2025081276A1 - System and method of a semi-autonomous floor cleaning apparatus for navigation of tight spaces - Google Patents

Abstract

A system and method of a semi-autonomous floor cleaning device for navigation of tight spaces. A floor cleaning system of a semi-autonomous cleaning device capable of autonomous movement and navigation of tight spaces for cleaning floors. The semi-autonomous cleaning apparatus consists of a cleaning system, a cleaning head assembly, a rear squeegee assembly, a water handling system and a plurality of sensors. The plurality of sensors including LiDAR sensors, cliff sensors, 3D cameras and data collection cameras are configured for data collection semi-autonomous navigation, floor cleaning and movement.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD OF A SEMI-AUTONOMOUS FLOOR CLEANING APPARATUS FOR NAVIGATION OF TIGHT SPACES

Cross Reference to Related Applications

[0001] The application claims priority to and the benefit of US Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63/598415, entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD OF A SEMI-AUTONOMOUS FLOOR CLEANING APPARATUS FOR NAVIGATION OF TIGHT SPACES", filed on Nov 13, 2023 and US Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63/592141, entitled "FLOOR CLEANING APPARATUS", filed on Oct 20, 2023, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Background

[0002] The embodiments described herein relate to autonomous and semi-autonomous cleaning devices and more particularly, to a system and method for improved cleaning of indoor surfaces.

[0003] The use of autonomous and semi-autonomous cleaning devices (or cleaning robots) configured to perform a set of tasks is known. For example, semi-autonomous devices or robots can be used to clean indoor surfaces such as department stores, shopping malls, airports and office buildings.

[0004] Most auto-scrubber cleaning systems or semi-autonomous cleaning devices are "dumb" and larger. While they operate in a wide variety of environments and under a wide range of circumstances, they fail to adapt adequately to those changing circumstances in order to optimize and maximize cleaning performance.

[0005] In tight spaces, human operators still manage to maintain a close distance to edges, and high productivity. This is certainly a challenge for cleaning devices (or robots) since maintaining high speed and close edge navigation at the same time increases the requirements of the control system of the robot. By enabling the robot to better assess its location relative to the desired path it can get closer to walls, retail edges like racks, and shelves. This allows for better cleaning and opens up new markets which have more strict requirements for cleaning.

[0006] As the cleaning device navigates in tighter spaces, there is a need to reduce the overall footprint of the robot. There needs to be a newer development of the industrial design including the provisions for sensor pods, LiDARs, and 3D Cameras, and general enclosures are critical to reduce size making

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) smaller cleaning devices.

[0007] There is a need for a system to enable robots to maintain high productivity in tight spaces while also maintaining a safe speed even when getting close to edges. There is a desire to provide a semi- autonomous cleaning device with adjustable configurations to adequately adjust for tighter spaces.

Summary

[0008] A system and method of a semi-autonomous floor cleaning device for navigation of tight spaces. A floor cleaning system of a semi-autonomous cleaning apparatus capable of autonomous movement and navigation of tight spaces for cleaning floors. The semi-autonomous cleaning device consists of a cleaning system, a cleaning head assembly, a rear squeegee assembly, a water handling system and a plurality of sensors. The plurality of sensors including LiDAR sensors, cliff sensors, 3D cameras and data collection cameras are configured for data collection semi-autonomous navigation, floor cleaning and movement.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0010] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0011] FIG. 3 is a front plan view of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0012] FIG. 4 is a rear plan view of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0013] FIG. 5 is a left-side view of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0014] FIG. 6 is a right-side view of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0015] FIGURES 7A to 7C are diagrams illustrating close-up views of certain design elements of the semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0016] FIGURES 8A to 8C are diagrams illustrating exterior door design elements of the exemplary semi- autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0017] FIGURES 9A and 9B are diagrams illustrating core interior design elements of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) [0018] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the lighting on the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0019] FIG. 11 is a systems diagram of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0020] FIG. 12 is a block diagram of the robot interface of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0021] FIG. 13 is a block diagram of the chassis interface of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0022] FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating the drivetrain interface of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0023] FIG. 15 is a block diagram of the cleaning system interface of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0024] FIGURES 16A to 16D are diagrams of a cleaning subsystem of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0025] FIGURES 17A and 17B are diagrams illustrating the cleaning head design of the exemplary semi- autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0026] FIGURES 18A and 18B are diagrams illustrating the cleaning lift mechanism of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0027] FIGURES 19A to 19H are diagrams illustrating different components of the rear squeegee system of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0028] FIG. 20A to 20D are diagrams illustrating components of the water handling system of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0029] FIG. 21 is a block diagram illustrating a water handling system of the exemplary semi- autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0030] FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating external sensors of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) [0031] FIGURES 23A and 23B are diagrams illustrating LIDARs of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0032] FIGURES 24A and 24B are diagrams illustrating cliff sensors of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0033] FIGURES 25A and 25B are diagrams illustrating 3D cameras of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0034] FIG. 26 is a diagram illustrating data collection cameras on the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0035] FIGURES 27A and 27B are diagrams illustrating the front camera of the exemplary semi- autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0036] FIGURES 28A and 28B are diagrams illustrating the ceiling camera of the exemplary semi- autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0037] FIGURES 29A and 29B are diagrams illustrating the rear camera of the exemplary semi- autonomous floor cleaning device.

Detailed Description

[0038] An exemplary embodiment of an autonomous or semi-autonomous cleaning device is shown in Figures 1 - 6. FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device. According to FIG. 1, exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device 100 (otherwise known as cleaning device or cleaning robot) consists of illuminated logo 102 (e.g., Avidbots logo), eye lights 104 (i.e., lights that are shaped as eyes), cliff sensor pods 106, removable battery compartment 108, front Remote Monitoring (RM) camera 110 and data collection camera 130, forward speaker 112, debris diverter module 114, headlights 116, curved body panel 118, status light 120, side access door 122, indicator lights 124, strobe lights 126, 3D cameras 128 and Lidar sensors 132.

[0039] According to FIG. 1, cleaning device 100 is equipped with four cliff sensors pods 106 that scan 25- 30 cm (9.8-11.8") in front of the robot to detect any sudden drops in the floor. If the cleaning device 100 detects a drop of 10 cm or more below the floor surface, it will immediately stop and wait for assistance.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) [0040] According to FIG. 1, cleaning device 100 is equipped with three 3D cameras 128 (or 3D sensors) that can detect obstacles at a distance of up to 3 m (9.8 ft). 3D cameras 128 can reliably detect objects with a diameter of 10 cm and greater, unless they are below 15 cm (5.9"), transparent, highly reflective, or have a surface with a repeating pattern.

[0041] According to FIG. 1, cleaning device 100 is equipped with three data collection cameras (110 and 126) that are used by the Remote Assistance team to help resolve issues remotely and by the Cleaning Plan Generation team when creating cleaning plans.

[0042] According to FIG. 1, cleaning device 100 is equipped with two lidar sensors 132 (2D laser sensors) that detect objects 18 cm (7.1") above the floor and up to 20 m (65.6 ft) away. Each laser sensor has a 270-degree field of view. Note, however, that the laser sensors cannot detect objects directly behind the device. Transparent, highly reflective objects (such as glass or chrome) and objects with less than 10% reflectivity (such as dark, non-reflective leather and some matte paints) may not be reliably detected.

[0043] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device. According to FIG. 2, cleaning device 200 is shown with recovery tank lid 202, touchscreen display 204 having a touchscreen interface, manual drive handles 206 having a manual drive interface, on / off button 208, key switch 210, e-stop button 212, rear facing speaker 214, magnetic door latch 216, 3D camera housing 218, integrated strobe light housing 220 and data collection camera 222.

[0044] According to FIG. 2, 3D camera housing 218 further comprises a 3D camera, an integrated strobe light and LED indicator. Integrated strobe light housing 220 further comprises an integrated strobe and LED indicator.

[0045] According to FIG. 2, e-stop button 212 (or emergency stop button) triggers an emergency stop (E- Stop) when pressed. Operation is immediately paused. To release from the emergency stop, twist the E- Stop button clockwise to release.

[0046] FIG. 3 is a front plan view of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device. FIG. 4 is a rear plan view of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device. FIG. 5 is a left-side view of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device. FIG. 6 is a right-side view of the exemplary semi- autonomous floor cleaning device.

Specifications

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) [0047] The autonomous or semi-autonomous cleaning device delivers consistent commercial-grade cleaning to help keep a space healthy, safe and has an attractive design. The exemplary cleaning device is optimized for retail (stores & malls), health care institutions, educational institutions, transportation (airports and transit) and warehouses (light duty), but performs well in many other environments as well.

[0048] Some features of the design include the following:

• High productivity, the most advanced autonomy, and a user-friendly design.

• High performance and productivity

• Tailored for close edge cleaning in tight spaces

• Safe & Secure - designed to I EC 61508

• Commercial-grade clean

[0049] Further specifications of the cleaning device include the following:

• Dimensions: 27" X 35" X 47" (width, length, height) or 692 mm X 893 mm X 1200mm

• Voltage: 24 Volts

• Noise Level: 63 dB(A)

• Cleaning width: 22" (560 mm) using twin pad / brush

• Close Edge Cleaning: 6" (150 mm)

• Cleaning system option: Disc

• Solution / Recovery capacity: 13 gallons / 48 liters

• Continuous runtime: 3+ hours, option for exchangeable batteries

• Downforce: 50 - 90 lb (23 - 40 kg)

• Minimum U-turn Width: 51" (1.3 m)

• Minimum Aisle Width: 35" (0.9 m)

• Battery Technology: Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP)

Exterior Components

[0050] According to the disclosure, the semi-autonomous cleaning device may comprise some or all of the following items, whether within the device or as part of the device's system:

• Mechatronic floor-cleaning robot, complete with corresponding mechanical and electrical subsystems;

• On-board firmware necessary for the operation of the hardware and for the safety control of the robot and its subsystems;

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) • On-board software necessary for the operation, command, and control of the robot;

• On-board software necessary for the autonomous navigation and cleaning of the robot; and

• External (web-based) software for remote monitoring and diagnostic of the robot.

[0051] FIGURES 7A to 7C are diagrams illustrating close-up views of certain design elements of the semi-autonomous floor cleaning device. According to FIG. 7A and 7B, some of the exterior design elements may include some or all of the following:

• Illuminated Avidbots logo

• Illuminated "eyes"

• Cliff sensor pods

• Removable battery

• Front camera

• Forward speaker

• Debris diverter

• Head lights

• Strobe lights

• 3D camera pylons

• Indicator lights

• Side access doors (to access hoses, filters, etc.)

• Status lights

• Curved body panels and split line

• Rear facing speaker

• E-stop (emergency stop) button

• Key switch

• On/off button

• Manual drive interface / handles

• Touch screen interface

• Aesthetic recovery tank lid

• 3D camera housing incorporating integrated strobe and indicator LEDs

• Magnetic door latch

[0052] According to FIG. 7A, close-up views of the 3D camera pylons 702, side access doors 704 and removable battery panel 706 are shown. Side access doors 704 enables access to the interior of the

RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) cleaning device and stores hoses and filters. Behind removable battery panel 706 is where a removable battery of the cleaning device is housed.

[0053] FIG. 7B is a diagram illustrating a user interface view from the rear of the cleaning device. According to FIG. 7B, the rear of cleaning device 700 is shown comprising drive handle 710, speed control trigger 712, power button 714, touchscreen display panel 716, key switch 718 and steering rocker switch 720.

[0054] According to FIG. 7B, drive handle710 are stationary handles where the user or operator hold onto while manually driving the robot. Squeezing the speed control trigger 712 initiates the drive wheels when the cleaning device 700 is in gear in manual mode. Furthermore, rocking the steering rocker switch 720 to the left or right changes the direction of the cleaning device 700 while manually driving it.

[0055] According to FIG. 7B, the computer of cleaning device 700 is on when the power button 714 is illuminated green. When the key switch 718 is in the ON position, cleaning device 700 can be turned on and off using the power button.

[0056] According to FIG. 7B, touchscreen display panel 716 enables the user or operator to use the control panel to select a cleaning plan, enable manual mode, map an area, adjust the robot's volume, and view the cleaning device 700 status during autonomous cleaning.

[0057] FIG. 7C is a diagram illustrating a close-up view of the battery and battery accessories. According to FIG. 7C, cleaning device 700 is shown in a front perspective view to have a battery bay door 730 which is a protective cover over the battery bay. Underneath battery bay door 730 is removeable battery 732 which can be a Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery. Battery 732 sits on top of battery cage door. Battery 732 is also connected to battery power connector 736 which connects to the battery cable to power the cleaning device 700. It is not recommended to connect a battery charger or other power supply directly to the cleaning device 700 internal power connector.

[0058] According to FIG. 7C, additional accessories including battery cart 740 and battery charger may be used with cleaning device 700. Battery cart 740 is used for safely removing and inserting battery 732.

[0059] FIGURES 8Ato 8C are diagrams illustrating exterior door design elements of the exemplary semi- autonomous floor cleaning device. FIG. 8A is a diagram that illustrates the left door view. According to FIG. 8A, cleaning device 800 is shown having left door or maintenance compartment door 802 open.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) Maintenance compartment door 802 (or left door) is a protective cover over the maintenance compartment.

[0060] According to FIG. 8A, the interior components of the maintenance compartment includes recovery tank drain hose 806, vacuum hose 804, solution tank fill port 808 and water level indicator tube 810. Recovery tank drain hose 806 drains the recovery tank. Vacuum hose 804 picks up dirty solution and debris and deposits it in the recovery tank. Water level indicator tube 810 is a clear tube that is used to monitor the fill level of the solution tank and to drain the solution tank.

[0061] According to FIG. 8A, a magnified view of the solution filter 812 and water shut-off valve 814 is also shown. Solution filter 812 filters the solution before it goes through the solution pump. Water shutoff valve 814 shuts off water so maintenance can be performed on the cleaning device 800 without emptying the solution tank.

[0062] FIG. 8B is a diagram that illustrates a top view of the cleaning device. According to FIG. 8B, the top view of cleaning device 800 primarily consists of the recovery tank compartment comprising of recovery tank cover 820, recovery tank sealing lid 822, recovery tank sealing lid clamp 824, recovery tank 826, debris basket 828, vacuum filter 830, ball float valve 832.

[0063] According to FIG. 8B, recovery tank cover 820 is the outer access lid for the recovery tank. The recovery tank sealing lid 822 seals the recovery tank for vacuum suction. The recovery tank sealing lid clamp 824 are two clamps rotate to hold the sealing lid closed.

[0064] According to FIG. 8B, recovery tank 826 holds recovered (i.e., dirty) solution picked up by the cleaning device 800 after cleaning. The debris basket 828 filters recovered water before its deposited in the recovery tank. Vacuum filter 830 filters air taken in by the vacuum. Finally, ball float valve 832 prevents debris and water from entering the vacuum chamber.

[0065] FIG. 8C is a diagram that illustrates a bottom view of the cleaning device which further illustrates the cleaning system. According to FIG. 8C, cleaning system of cleaning device 800 comprises vacuum hose 840, squeegee 842, disc pad or brush 844, splash guard 846 and debris diverter 848.

[0066] According to FIG. 8C, vacuum hose 840 picks up dirty solution and debris and deposits it in the recovery tank. Squeegee 842 directs dirty solution and debris toward the vacuum hose. Disc pad 844 spins inward to clean the floor and push dirty solution and debris toward the vacuum hose.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) [0067] According to FIG. 8C, splash guard 846 keeps cleaning solution under cleaning device 800 and prevents splashing. Finally, debris diverter 848 deflects larger debris away from cleaning device 800.

Interior Components

[0068] FIGURES 9A and 9B are diagrams illustrating core interior design elements of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device. According to FIGURES 9A and 9B, the interior elements or components of the cleaning device 900 consist of some or all of the following components:

• Vacuum chamber lid 902

• Toggle clamps 904

• Dirty water tank 906

• Clean water tank 908

• Battery bay inner door 910

• Vacuum motor 912

• Pumping station 914

• Wrap around rear squeegee 916

• Fuse panel 918

• Electrical enclosure 920

• SIM card port 922

• 3D cameras 924

• Lift-gate mechanism for outer battery door 926

• Cliff sensor arrays 928

• Dual Lidar 930

Lighting

[0069] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the lighting on the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device. According to FIG. 10, the following lighting components are provided:

• Right pylons 1002

• Left pylons 1004

• Brake LED 1006

• Logo 1008

• Eyes lights 1010

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) • Status LEDs 1012

• Headlights 1014

Systems Overview

[0070] FIG. 11 is a systems diagram of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device. According to FIG. 11, the systems diagram provides an overview of the cleaning device architecture, showing the key mechatronic components and the general interconnections between each of the key subsystems.

[0071] According to FIG. 11, the cleaning device system comprises cleaning device 1100 having some or all of the following components:

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

Robot Interface

[0072] FIG. 12 is a block diagram of the robot interface of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device. While the cleaning device is designed to be autonomous, it will nonetheless interact with the environment, and individuals, in a number of ways. FIG. 12 shows the key interfaces 1200 of the cleaning device and indicates the approximate manner in which the interaction will take place.

[0073] According to FIG. 12, the cleaning device (i.e., cleaning robot 1202) is connected to the following components or subsystems:

• Horizontal surfaces (floors) 1204

• Vertical surfaces (walls) 1206

• Unclassified obstacles 1208

• Environmental (thermal, humidity) 1210

• Communication (i.e., RF, Wifi, LTE) 1212

• Control GUI (rear panel) 1214

• Manual Control (steering / throttle) 1216

• Character interface (front display) 1218

• Emergency stop (button, guards) 1220

• Maintenance (filling and cleaning) 1222

Chassis Interface

[0074] FIG. 13 is a block diagram of the chassis interface of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device. The chassis is the main structure upon which the entire cleaning device is built; it has interfaces to most other subsystems, as well as the environment around it. FIG. 13 shows the key interfaces 1300 from the chassis 1302. Note that all interfaces are purely mechanical in nature, although the chassis is used to mount electronic components.

[0075] According to FIG. 13, the cleaning device chassis 1302 consists of the following components:

• Drivetrain 1304

• Cleaning System 1306

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) • Water Handling System 1308

• Power Distribution 1310

• External Sensors 1312

• Control GUI (rear panel) 1314

• Manual Control (steering/ throttle)

• Emergency Stop 1318

• Electronics enclosures 1320

Drivetrain Overview

[0076] FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating the drivetrain interface of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device. The cleaning device drivetrain subassembly 1400 itself is composed of five key components; the motor 1402, brake 1404, encoder 1406, drive motor controller (not shown), wheels 1408, front caster (not shown) and rear caster 1410. Encoder 1406 may be found within the motor housing of motor 1402. The front caster is needed to prevent tipping during emergency braking. Rear caster 1410 is located between the scrubbing pads and rear squeegee and holds the back of the cleaning device up during normal operation.

[0077] FIG. 14 shows a representation of the drivetrain subsystem, with the key aspects identified. According to FIG. 14, the drive motors 1402 selected for the cleaning device could be 200 Watt motors. Ideally, they are IP55 rated to ensure the motors are able to withstand the wet environment below the robot, and ideally contain a Sin/Cos encoder, an incremental encoder, and a brake.

Cleaning System Interfaces

[0078] FIG. 15 is a block diagram of the cleaning system interface of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device. The Cleaning System 1500 is the main subsystem for propulsion, it has interfaces to many other subsystems, as well as the environment around it. FIG. 15 shows the key interfaces from the Cleaning System 1500. Note that the Cleaning System 1500 interfaces both mechanically and electrically to the cleaning device subsystems.

[0079] According to FIG. 15, the cleaning system 1500 consists of the following components:

• Cleaning System module 1502

• Horizontal Surface 1504

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) • Water & Cleaning (Floor) 1506

• Environmental (thermal, humidity) 1508

• Power distribution 1510

• Chassis subsystem 1512

• Cleaning Controller CCA 1514

Cleaning System

[0080] This cleaning system of the cleaning device incorporates all components necessary for the floor cleaning and scrubbing aspect of the robot. This includes items such as the scrubbing pads, motors, cleaning deck, cleaning deck lifting mechanism, actuators, and squeegees. FIGURES 16A to 16D are diagrams of a cleaning subsystem of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device.

[0081] According to FIG. 16A and 16B, the cleaning system 1600 consists of a cleaning head assembly 1602, a rear squeegee assembly 1604, lift mechanisms 1606 (i.e., Cleaning System, Rear Squeegee) and water handling components 1610 (i.e., Clean Water Tank 1614, Recovery Tank 1612, Water Feed System 1616). Recovery tank 1612 (or dirty water tank) is accessible by the top cover for ease of cleaning the dirty water from the recovery tank 1612, and where the vacuum hose directs dirty water picked up from the squeegee. Clean water tank 1614 sits below the recovery tank 1612 (dirty water tank). Water feed system 1616 includes water filter and water hoses.

[0082] According to the disclosure, a rotating rear squeegee is present to maximize water pickup during turning. This system also performs water deposition and recovery with such items as the water tank, the recovery tank, the water pump, the water sensors, the vacuum, fill and drain hoses, and the associated covers and interconnects.

[0083] According to FIG. 16C, the cleaning system subsystem 1610 consists of a cleaning solution fill port 1622, a recovery water drain hose 1624, rear squeegee hose 1626, water level indicator 1628 and a clean water drain 1630. According to FIG. 16C, the left side door 1632 is the everyday service door. This door 1632 is used by the operator to empty the recovery tank, fill the solution tank, and access the water filter.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) [0084] According to FIG. 16C, the location of the fill port and the drainage hose. These functions are described the further Cleaning System section. The hinge assembly may require an Allen key to mount/remove the door.

[0085] FIG. 16D is an exploded view of one of the two disk pad assemblies inside of the cleaning head in the next section. According to FIG. 16D, the disk pad assembly 1640 is connected to the cleaning device using a steel plate 1642 per disk pad, with features for the accessory detection system and is connected with a plurality of permanent magnets 1644.

Cleaning Head Design

[0086] FIGURES 17A and 17B are diagrams illustrating the cleaning head design of the exemplary semi- autonomous floor cleaning device. According to FIG. 17A, the cleaning head frame 1702 is ideally produced via a die-casting process to achieve a lower per-part cost and to guarantee high precision and quality in the final part. The splash guard 1704 will be a movable part that can translate vertically; this is to ensure that it can maintain contact with the floor as the pads wear over time and / or usage. This also allows for compatibility with both pads and disc brushes which are taller than the default pad drivers.

[0087] According to FIG. 17B, a new pad driver attachment mechanism 1710 has been developed that uses magnets 1712 to easily attach and align the pads 1714 without the user needing to have a line of sight to the pad driver. This mechanism also makes it very easy to remove the pads; the user has to simply push down on the visible side of the pad to decouple it from the driver. The number of magnets 1712 used have been increased from 3 to 6 to ensure a stronger hold. Removal of the pads 1714 is still easy with the additional magnets.

Cleaning Lift Mechanism

[0088] FIGURES 18A and 18B are diagrams illustrating the cleaning lift mechanism of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device. According to FIG. 18A, the current cleaning system is shown in fully retracted mode (left image) and fully extended mode (right image). According to FIG. 18A, the current cleaning system is designed to have a nominal ground clearance of 69 mm to be able to go over a 20% grade with a 25mm tall obstacle while the pads and rear squeegee are removed.

[0089] According to FIG. 18B, a squeegee only mode is achieved by lowering the cleaning system until the cleaning head has 20 mm of ground clearance to be able to traverse a 3% grade. A full scrubbing

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) mode is achieved when the squeegee assembly is lifted above the ground and the pads are in direct contact with the ground.

[0090] For the lift mechanism layout, the following considerations were made:

• Making sure that the actuator specs are realistic and to calculate them using a CAD Layout sketch. o Actuator thrust rating is 700N and we calculated a requirement of 675N when cleaning at the maximum downforce of 901b.

• Use the same techniques to estimate the downforce variation caused by the cleaning head moving as the pad wears out or is compressed for any reason. o The current estimate is 10kg, which would be the maximum reduction in downforce as a pad wears out fully.

• In this mechanism the actuator is only fully loaded when retracted. o In this mode, about 164 kg of force has been calculated to be acting on the static actuator, assuming a 30kg cleaning system and a 3x safety factor to account for shock loads as the robot drives over a bump.

• Due to the presence of built-in limit switches in both actuators, the placing of a retracted limit switch and for the extended limit can be avoided.

• Using an extended limit switch for floor protection and to help improve the pad wear detection would be more accurate then the built in option.

• The use of current limiting on all axes may help protect the lift and scrubbing motors.

• For the Rear Squeegee lift mechanism, it is allowed to sit below the cleaning head by the right amount to allow it to clean in "Squeegee Only Mode" and not interfere with bumps on the floor at least on a manual grade.

• The lift system was modified to make use of the actuator originally selected.

• Other embodiments may use a different amount of ground clearance, a different actuator thrust requirement, a different downforce amount or variation, or other alteration in the specifics of this embodiment.

Rear Squeegee System

[0091] FIGURES 19A to 19I are diagrams illustrating different components of the rear squeegee system of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device. FIG. 19A is a perspective view and top plan view of the rear squeegee system.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) [0092] FIG. 19B is a diagram illustrating components of the rear squeegee assembly. According to FIG. 19B, rear squeegee system 1900 (or rear squeegee assembly) Side caster wheel adjustment knob 1902, inner squeegee 1904, bracket wing nut 1906, outer squeegee 1908, bracket pin 1910, center caster wheel locking knob 1912, vacuum hose 1914, clamping plate thumbscrew 1916 and clamping plate 1918.

[0093] According to FIG. 19B, the rear squeegee's shape is constrained by the need to provide full coverage around the cleaning head during all possible maneuvers in both manual and autonomous mode, while also providing sufficient clearance for the rear caster. As a result, the squeegee may comprise a combination of a rear squeegee and side squeegees.

[0094] FIG. 19C is a diagram illustrating squeegee lift mechanism components. According to FIG. 19C, the squeegee lift mechanism 1920 components consist of a wishbone bracket 1922, a downforce spring 1924, a squeegee yoke 1926, a squeegee top brace 1928 and a spring adapter 1930. According to FIG. 19C, the squeegee is mounted onto the cleaning device via the wishbone bracket 1922 which is spring loaded so that it always wants to push the squeegee into the ground with a predetermined force (i.e., controlled by selection of the downforce compression spring used).

[0095] According to FIG. 19C, as the wishbone bracket 1922 pushes the squeegee into the ground, the three casters are used to raise the squeegee until it has been levelled. This lift mechanism 1920 for the rear squeegee is completely passive and does not require additional controls. The squeegee maintains contact with the ground throughout all the cleaning head scrubbing levels and squeegee only mode, and only lifts off the ground when the cleaning head is fully retracted.

[0096] The current downforce spring provides different levels of downforce at the various cleaning head heights, as shown in the table in FIG. 19D which illustrates the downforce on the squeegee at various levels. According to FIG. 19D, the downforce for squeegee only is 77 Ibf (pound force), the downforce for middle position is 108 Ibf and the downforce fully lowered is 125 Ibf.

[0097] The entire assembly of wishbone bracket, downforce spring and rear squeegee is attached to the cleaning head via the squeegee yoke which allows rotation of the assembly within a controlled range of ±23° (i.e., a rubber bumper is used as the hard stop limiter in this application). This is shown in FIG. 19E with the squeegee position fully retracted and fully extended.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) [0098] FIG. 19F is a diagram illustrating the rear squeegee 1940 core casting made of a die-cast metal. According to FIG. 19F, the leveling process of the rear squeegee 1940 involves the use of three casters: lx swiveling caster at the rear and 2x skate wheels on each side (i.e., selected to minimize width of the squeegee/robot). The rear caster height is adjusted by loosening the knob, turning the caster until it is at the correct height, and then tightening the knob to lock this position. The side casters are levelled by turning the spring-loaded ergonomic knobs which changes the pitch of the wheel's bracket which in turn adjusts the height of the wheels. Leveling for this squeegee is intended to be a visual exercise (i.e., the user must adjust the level on each wheel until the outer squeegee blade is in the ideal shape for water pick up).

[0099] The main component of the rear squeegee 1940 is the frame which is manufactured by diecasting to ensure high precision and quality and low per-part cost. The squeegee frame is made wider to prevent interference with the splash guard. However, side casters and their brackets were slimmed down as much as possible to compensate for this change.

[00100] All of the squeegee's functional components are made of sheet metal or machined parts that assemble onto this casting, including the plate that holds the squeegee blades, the caster brackets, the wing clamp brackets and the clamp mechanism indexer. The purpose of decoupling all the functional components of the squeegee from the die-cast frame is to reduce risk associated with the expensive, tooled frame. This allows design changes to be made by simply modifying sheet metal components if testing proves that the changes are necessary for optimal performance. The machined clamp indexer requires more user experience testing and can be easily integrated into the tooling once validated.

[00101] This squeegee design can be seen in 3 sections: the rear arc and the two wings on either side. The rear arc operates as a regular rear squeegee, while the wings operate as side squeegees.

Controlling the shape of the squeegee blades at the wings can improve water pick up performance. As such, sheet metal brackets are used to force the wings section of both squeegee blades into a flared-out shape as shown in FIG. 19G. FIG. 19G is a diagram of a flared out shape wing section 1950.

[00102] The squeegee clamping mechanism involves a sheet metal plate with tabs that hold the inner and outer squeegee blades. This plate will be attached to 2x spring loaded handles which, in operational mode, will be held up by the indexer so that the spring applies a preload onto the plate holding the squeegees. The process of replacing the squeegee blades is as follows:

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) 1) Remove side wing clamps on both sides by undoing thumb screws.

2) Twist the wingnut handles until they fall into the valley in the indexer (this also drops the squeegee blades so that they stick out of the frame).

3) Squeegee blades can now be peeled off of the tabs.

4) Install the new squeegee blades by inserting each tab in the respective slot in the squeegee blade.

5) Pull the wingnut handles up and twist them until they are locked in position on the indexer.

6) Install the side wing clamps by lining them up with the threaded studs and tightening the thumbnut into the threaded standoff.

[00103] FIG. 19H is a diagram illustrating the rear squeegee mounting mechanism 1960.

According to FIG. 19H, the squeegee is attached to the wishbone bracket via a clevis pin and cotter pin combination on each side. Therefore, removing/installing the squeegee from/onto the robot is a very simple and toolless operation.

Water Handling System

[00104] FIG. 20A to 20D are diagrams illustrating components of the water handling system of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device. FIG. 20A illustrates the clean water tank (left image) and the recovery water tank (right image).

[00105] According to FIG. 20A, the layout of the tanks was determined by maximizing internal volume while allowing easy accessibility into the recovery tank for maintenance and cleaning. As a result, the return tank is placed at the top and has been designed with as wide an opening as possible to allow users to easily reach within the tank with cleaning tools. The clean water tank is placed at the bottom and has been designed to consume all available volume around the return tank and battery pack. Both tanks may be produced using a roto-molding process.

[00106] The vacuum hose, return water drain hose, clean water drain hose and clean water fill port are all placed on the left side of the robot and can all be accessed by opening the left side door. This is opposite to all the electronics which are placed on the right side of the robot.

[00107] Both tanks also feature an Electronic Water level sensor in the form of a digital float switch. The switch is installed at the bottom near the drain hose on the clean water tank so it can

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) measure when the clean water tank is empty. The switch is installed in the front at the fill line on the return water tank so that it can measure when the tank is full.

[00108] FIG. 20B is a diagram that illustrates components of the recovery water tank 2000. According to FIG. 20B, the recovery water tank 2000 consists of an inline dust filter 2002, air lock with ball 2004, in-tank debris basket 2006, inlet to vacuum 2008 and inlet from squeegee 2010.

[00109] According to FIG. 20B, the recovery tank 2000 holds all the components needed to create the necessary vacuum suction while keeping everything safe and unclogged. This is achieved by placing inline components that filter various elements as air flow travels from the squeegee to the vacuum.

[00110] The air flow is as follows:

1. Air and recovery water is sucked from the squeegee's vacuum cavity and directed into the return tank via the vacuum hose towards the tank inlet. This inlet is angled upwards towards the user and can be easily seen and accessed when the lid is open

2. Upon entry into the return tank, this air + water mixture first encounters the in-tank debris basket where any large debris (anything that makes it past the debris diverter) is deposited

3. Return water that filters through the in-tank debris basket is dropped into the return tank while air is pulled towards the air lock

4. The air lock is positioned as a means of preventing any sloshing water from getting into the vacuum. Any time water level gets high enough, the ball inside this air lock floats up to the opening and blocks it, triggering a vacuum blockage error. The mesh enclosure of the air lock also acts as a redundant filter for large particles that may have leaked through the debris basket. This feature "blocked hose detection" is implemented in the firmware.

5. The tank lid creates a small enclosure between the opening of the air lock and the inline dust filter. This acts as a finer particle filter to prevent dust from getting into the vacuum and causing damage. The filter is easily replaceable by removing the tank lid.

6. The opening beneath the dust filter is connected to the vacuum inlet via a hose. Filtered air makes its way towards the vacuum through this hose and exits via the vacuum exhaust which is sandwiched between the tanks and lined with a foam tube to muffle as much sound as possible.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) [00111] According to FIG. 20B, the latest released design of this recovery tank 2000 can hold 45 liters after accounting for any sloshing water and matching the water level of 14.5 degrees measured from horizontal. True final volume will be determined by using the rotomolded tank.

[00112] FIG. 20C is a diagram that illustrates components of the main clean tank. According to FIG. 20C, the main clean tank 2020 consists of a drain port 2022, a drain hose / level indicator 2024 with volume level markings 2026 (e.g., represented by a sticker), a fill port with cap 2028 and a breather valve 2030.

[00113] According to FIG. 20C, the clean water tank 2020 is designed to fill the space under and around the return water tank and has been shaped to allow space for various chassis, side electrical enclosure (SEE) and manual drive interface (MDI) components. This clean water tank 2020 features a fill port on the left side of the cleaning device which can be accessed by opening the left side service door.

[00114] According to FIG. 20C, the clean water tank 2020 drain hose is also on the left side and can be accessed by opening the service door. A clear hose is being used for this purpose since it doubles as a water level indicator. A sticker with volume markings will be placed on the tank behind this hose to make it easy forthe user to check water level. Since the fill port and this level indicator are both on the same side, it will be easy for the operator to check water level as they are filling the tank. Replacing the hose as part of planned maintenance will also be very easy due to the ease of accessibility.

[00115] According to FIG. 20C, a breather valve has been placed strategically at the top of the tank to prevent air from getting trapped when the tank is being filled. The latest released design of this clean tank can hold 42 liters. In another embodiment, the tank may have a different capacity.

[00116] FIG. 20D is a diagram illustrating the water pump assembly 2040 located below the other main clean tank components. According to FIG. 20D, the water pump, filter, solenoid and valves and connections are all assembled onto a single bracket that is assembled to the chassis on the left side of the robot. Therefore, these components can all be easily accessed by opening the left side service door for regular inspection and maintenance.

[00117] FIG. 21 is a block diagram illustrating a water handling system of the exemplary semi- autonomous floor cleaning device. According to FIG. 21, components of the water handling system 2100 include the following system, sub-systems and components:

CTiDo T rnTi r au r n c \

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

External Sensors

[00118] FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating external sensors of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device. According to FIG. 22, the external sensors subsystem 2200 incorporates all sensors required for navigation and safety considerations. This includes items such as the navigation/ safety LiDAR, the cliff detection time-of-flight sensors and 3D stereo cameras, as well as the sensors used in the supplemental "Data Gathering" activities for autonomous navigation. This subsystem does not include the sensors required for nominal health and telemetry monitoring, such as encoders, IMU and position sensors; those items are included in the respective subsystems that may be required for operation.

LiDARs

[00119] FIGURES 23A and 23B are diagrams illustrating LIDARs of the exemplary semi- autonomous floor cleaning device. According to FIG. 23A, the safety and navigation systems are using dual LiDARs 2302 mounted such that the LiDAR plane is about 180mm above the floor. The field of view 2304 of the dual LiDARs 2302 are shown in the right image of FIG. 23A.

[00120] FIG. 23B is a table illustrating the mounting dimensions forthe LiDAR sensors. According to FIG. 23B, the LiDARs are mounted such that the center of the scan is at the locations noted in the table, relative to the ground directly beneath the center of the drive wheel axle. In another embodiment, the center of the scan may be at different locations.

Cliff Sensors

[00121] FIGURES 24A and 24B are diagrams illustrating cliff sensors. According to FIG. 24A, cliff sensors 2402 are shown on the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device. The cliff sensors 2402 are oriented to detect any voids and bring the robot to a stop before entering the void. Four cliff sensors are located at the front of the cleaning device. The fields of view and the ground views 2404 are shown in FIG. 24B.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) 3D Cameras

[00122] FIGURES 25A and 25B are diagrams illustrating 3D cameras. According to FIG. 25A, the 3D cameras 2502 are shown in the left image and the fields of view 2504 is shown in the right image. According to FIG. 25A, each 3D camera 2502 is mounted with the baseline vertical to maximize the view of the floor around the base of the robot while maintaining view at the height of the robot. Three 3D cameras 2502 have been placed around the cleaning device to monitor the device's spatial awareness.

[00123] The pose of each camera is listed in table FIG. 25B. According to Fig. 25B, measurements are relative to the ground directly beneath the center of the drive axle, and to the center, back of the camera's enclosure.

Data Collection Cameras

[00124] FIG. 26 is a diagram illustrating data collection cameras on the exemplary semi- autonomous floor cleaning device. According to FIG. 26, the cleaning device is equipped with three 2D data collection cameras 2602, consisting of the following:

• lx camera located on the front of the robot

• lx camera, vertically oriented on the top of the robot (looking at the ceiling)

• lx camera, rear-mounted, looking behind the robot

Front Camera

[00125] FIG. 27A is a diagram illustrating the front camera on the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device. According to FIG. 27A, the front camera 2702 is configured for a resolution of 640 x 480 streaming at a rate of 30 Hz. The image stream is throttled to 1 Hz for remote viewing, but the higher rate topic is still available for use for calibration. The front camera 2702 can be identified using its unique vendor and model id, and so no special serial number programming is required. In another embodiment, a serial number programming and calibration correlation system may be used.

[00126] The front camera 2702 specification is as follows:

• 960P resolution 1280 x 960P USB Camera Module

• Wide angle fisheye USB Camera module

• Android & Linux system support Camera USB

• CMOS Camera Module USB with Micron AR0130 960P sensor

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) • High speed USB 2.0 UVC USB PC camera

• O.OlLux Low illumination USB webcam

• ideal for any lighting condition

[00127] According to FIG. 27A, the front camera 2702 is mounted towards the bottom of the robot, parallel to the floor. This provides the robot with different FOV compared to Neo's front-facing RM camera. The camera is mounted to the plastic components. The nominal dimensions of the front camera are shown in FIG. 27B. In another embodiment, other dimensions may be used.

Ceiling Camera

[00128] FIG. 28A is a diagram illustrating the ceiling camera of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device. According to FIG. 28A, the ceiling camera 2802 is configured with a resolution of 1280 x 800 at a rate of 10 Hz. The ceiling camera 2802 can be identified using its unique vendor and model id, and so no special serial number programming is required for use on Switch. The ceiling camera is mounted to the top of the robot frame, towards the front. The top of the camera frame is aligned towards the front of the robot.

[00129] According to the disclosure, the ceiling camera comprises standard components known to a person skilled in the art with or without microphones. Nominal positions of ceiling camera are shown in FIG. 28B. In another embodiment, other positions may be used.

Rear Camera

[00130] FIG. 29A is a diagram illustrating the rear camera of the exemplary semi-autonomous floor cleaning device. According to FIG. 29A, the rear camera 2902 is configured for a resolution of 640x480 streaming at a rate of 30 Hz. The image stream is throttled to 1 Hz for remote viewing , but the higher rate topic is still available for use for calibration. The rear camera 2902 can be identified using its unique vendor and model id, and so no special serial number programming is required. In another embodiment, a serial number programming and calibration correlation system may be used.

[00131] According to FIG. 29A, the rear camera 2902 consists of a camera component that is known to a person skilled in the art. The rear camera 2902 may be equipped with a light sensor, 5 IR LEDs and an automatic IR cut filter. When low light conditions are detected, the IR cut filter disengages and the IR LEDs turn on.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) [00132] According to FIG. 29A, the rear camera 2902 will be mounted behind an IR transparent window to allow the IR LEDs to illuminate the scene. The main camera lens will have an unobstructed view through a hole in the window. Nominal positions of the rear camera are shown in FIG. 29B.

[00133] According to the disclosure, a semi-autonomous cleaning apparatus for cleaning floor surfaces is disclosed. The semi-autonomous cleaning apparatus comprises a computer processor, a frame supporting at least one storage tank, a drive system supported by the frame and configured to move the frame along a floor surface, a plurality of sensors capable of computing and guiding the path and direction of the cleaning apparatus, a cleaning assembly (or cleaning subsystem) coupled to the frame.

[00134] According to the disclosure, the cleaning assembly further comprises a cleaning subassembly lift mechanism frame, a pair of cleaning head motors attached to the cleaning subassembly, a pair of scrubbing pads removably attached to the cleaning head motors, a rear squeegee vacuum assembly, a lifting mechanism, a wishbone bracket assembly configured to attach and lift and lower the rear squeegee vacuum assembly and a water handling system configured to manage clean and dirty water to be stored in the at least one storage tank.

[00135] According to the disclosure, the plurality of sensors is configured to provide perception data in real-time to the drive system to operate the cleaning apparatus in autonomous mode (without human intervention). The cleaning assembly is configured to transfer debris from the ground to the storage tank as the drive system moves the cleaning apparatus along the ground surface. The cleaning apparatus is enabled to be configurable to operate in a squeegee only mode wherein the rear squeegee vacuum assembly is lifted and a scrubbing mode wherein the rear squeegee vacuum assembly is raised.

[00136] According to the disclosure, the cleaning pad head of the cleaning apparatus further comprises replaceable scrubber pads. The cleaning pad head is magnetically attached using a plurality of permanent magnets. The cleaning pad head is attached using an adapter, the adapter further comprising a steel plate and an accessory detection system.

[00137] According to the disclosure, the cleaning apparatus is configured to operate in autonomous mode without human intervention. The cleaning apparatus further comprises a plurality of modes of operation including squeegee only mode, middle position mode, fully lower scrubbing position mode.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) [00138] According to the disclosure, the wishbone bracket assembly of the cleaning apparatus further comprises a wishbone bracket frame, a squeegee yoke, a downforce spring, a spring adapter and a squeegee top brace.

[00139] According to the disclosure, the storage volume tank of the cleaning apparatus further comprises a clean water tank and a recovery water tank. The water handling system further comprises a recovery water tank, a clean water tank, a water pump assembly and a plurality of hoses to connect the recovery water tank, the clean water tank and the water tank assembly.

[00140] According to the disclosure, the recovery water tank further comprises an inline dust filter, an air lock ball, a vacuum hose inlet, a squeegee hose inlet and a debris basket. The clean water tank further comprises a drain port, a drain hose level indicator, a volume level markings, a fill port and cap and a breather valve.

[00141] According to the disclosure, the plurality of sensors of the cleaning apparatus further comprising external sensors, Cliff sensors, dual LIDAR sensors, front camera, rear camera, 3D cameras and one or more ceiling-facing cameras.

[00142] According to the disclosure, a semi-autonomous cleaning apparatus is disclosed for cleaning surfaces. The cleaning apparatus further comprises a frame supporting at least one storage tank, a drive system supported by the frame and configured to move the frame along a surface, a sensing system comprising a plurality of sensors and an electronics system supported by the frame and including at least a memory and a processor, the processor being configured to execute a set of instructions stored in the memory and receiving input from the sensing system.

[00143] According to the disclosure, the electronics system of the cleaning apparatus is further configured to compute the presence of obstacles or hazards in the environment in any of the possible directions of travel and is further configured to utilize the information regarding obstacles or hazards in the environment to direct the motion of the cleaning apparatus to avoid the obstacles or hazards in the environment when operating in autonomous mode. The sensing system further comprises one or more ceiling-facing cameras or sensors.

[00144] The functions described herein may be stored as one or more instructions on a processor- readable or computer-readable medium. The term "computer-readable medium" refers to any medium

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) that can be accessed by a computer or processor. By way of example, and not limitation, such a medium may comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can store program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer. It should be noted that a computer-readable medium may be tangible and non-transitory. As used herein, the term "code" may refer to software, instructions, code or data that is/are executable by a computing device or processor. A "module" can be considered as a processor executing computer-readable code.

[00145] A processor as described herein can be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor can be a controller, or microcontroller, combinations of the same, or the like. A processor can also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. Although described herein primarily with respect to digital technology, a processor may also include primarily analog components. For example, any of the signal processing algorithms described herein may be implemented in analog circuitry. In some embodiments, a processor can be a graphics processing unit (GPU). The parallel processing capabilities of GPUs can reduce the amount of time for training and using neural networks (and other machine learning models) compared to central processing units (CPUs). In some embodiments, a processor can be an ASIC including dedicated machine learning circuitry custom-built for model training and / or model inference.

[00146] The disclosed or illustrated tasks can be distributed across multiple processors or computing devices of a computer system, including computing devices that are geographically distributed.

[00147] The methods disclosed herein comprise one or more steps or actions for achieving the described method. The method steps and/or actions may be interchanged with one another without departing from the scope of the claims. In other words, unless a specific order of steps or actions is required for proper operation of the method that is being described, the order and/or use of specific steps and/or actions may be modified without departing from the scope of the claims.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) [00148] As used herein, the term "plurality" denotes two or more. For example, a plurality of components indicates two or more components. The term "determining" encompasses a wide variety of actions and can include calculating, computing, processing, deriving, investigating, looking up (e.g., looking up in a table, a database or another data structure), ascertaining and the like. Also, "determining" can include receiving (e.g., receiving information), accessing (e.g., accessing data in a memory) and the like. Also, "determining" can include resolving, selecting, choosing, establishing and the like.

[00149] The phrase "based on" does not mean "based only on," unless expressly specified otherwise. In other words, the phrase "based on" describes both "based only on" and "based at least on."

[00150] While the foregoing written description of the system enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The system should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the system. Thus, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the implementations shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

Claims

Claims What is claimed:

1. A semi-autonomous cleaning apparatus for cleaning floor surfaces comprising: a computer processor; a frame supporting at least one storage tank; a drive system supported by the frame and configured to move the frame along a floor surface; a plurality of sensors capable of computing and guiding the path and direction of the cleaning apparatus; a cleaning assembly coupled to the frame, the cleaning assembly further comprising: a cleaning subassembly lift mechanism frame; a pair of cleaning head motors attached to the cleaning subassembly; a pair of scrubbing pads removably attached to the cleaning head motors; a rear squeegee vacuum assembly; a lifting mechanism; a wishbone bracket assembly configured to attach and lift and lower the rear squeegee vacuum assembly; and a water handling system configured to manage clean and dirty water to be stored in the at least one storage tank; wherein the plurality of sensors is configured to provide perception data in real-time to the drive system to operate the cleaning apparatus in autonomous mode (without human intervention); wherein the cleaning assembly is configured to transfer debris from the ground to the storage tank as the drive system moves the cleaning apparatus along the ground surface; wherein the cleaning apparatus is enabled to be configurable to operate in a squeegee only mode wherein the rear squeegee vacuum assembly is lifted and a scrubbing mode wherein the rear squeegee vacuum assembly is raised.

2. The cleaning apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the cleaning pad head further comprises replaceable scrubber pads.

3. The cleaning apparatus of Claim 2 wherein the cleaning pad head is magnetically attached using a plurality of permanent magnets.

4. The cleaning apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the cleaning pad head is attached using an adapter, the adapter further comprising a steel plate and an accessory detection system.

5. The cleaning apparatus of Claim 1 is configured to operate in autonomous mode without human intervention.

6. The cleaning apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the wishbone bracket assembly further comprises: a wishbone bracket frame; a squeegee yoke; a downforce spring; a spring adapter; and a squeegee top brace.

7. The cleaning apparatus of Claim 1 is further comprises a plurality of modes of operation including squeegee only mode, middle position mode, fully lower scrubbing position mode.

8. The cleaning apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the storage volume tank further comprises a clean water tank and a recovery water tank.

9. The cleaning apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the water handling system further comprises a recovery water tank; a clean water tank; a water pump assembly; and a plurality of hoses to connect the recovery water tank, the clean water tank and the water tank assembly.

10. The cleaning apparatus of Claim 9 wherein the recovery water tank further comprises: an inline dust filter; an air lock ball; a vacuum hose inlet; a squeegee hose inlet; and a debris basket.

11. The cleaning apparatus of Claim 10 wherein the clean water tank further comprises: a drain port; a drain hose level indicator; a volume level markings; a fill port and cap; and a breather valve.

12. The cleaning apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors further comprising external sensors, Cliff sensors, dual LIDAR sensors, front camera, rear camera, 3D cameras and one or more ceiling-facing cameras.

13. A semi-autonomous cleaning apparatus for cleaning surfaces comprising: a frame supporting at least one storage tank; a drive system supported by the frame and configured to move the frame along a surface; a sensing system comprising a plurality of sensors; and an electronics system supported by the frame and including at least a memory and a processor. the processor being configured to execute a set of instructions stored in the memory and receiving input from the sensing system; wherein the electronics system is further configured to compute the presence of obstacles or hazards in the environment in any of the possible directions of travel and is further configured to utilize the information regarding obstacles or hazards in the environment to direct the motion of the cleaning apparatus to avoid the obstacles or hazards in the environment when operating in autonomous mode; wherein the sensing system further comprises one or more ceiling-facing cameras or sensors.

14. The cleaning apparatus of Claim 13 wherein the plurality of sensors further comprising external sensors, Cliff sensors, dual LIDAR sensors, front camera, rear camera, 3D cameras and one or more ceiling-facing cameras.