An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis, a drive system configured to maneuver the robot, and a cleaning assembly. The cleaning assembly includes a cleaning assembly housing and at least one driven sweeper brush. The robot includes a controller and a removable sweeper bin configured to receive debris agitated by the driven sweeper brush. The sweeper bin includes an emitter disposed on an interior surface of the bin and a receiver disposed remotely from the emitter on the interior surface of the bin and configured to receive an emitter signal. The emitter and the receiver are disposed such that a threshold level of accumulation of debris in the sweeper bin blocks the receiver from receiving emitter emissions. The robot includes a bin controller disposed in the sweeper bin and monitoring a detector signal and initiating a bin full routine upon determining a bin debris accumulation level requiring service.

In one example, a location indicator device can include a location identifier to identify an area that is proximate to the location indicator device, and a transmitter to: send the identified area to an autonomous robotic device, and send instructions to the autonomous robotic device to alter a direction from a different area to the identified area.

A cleaning method includes controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to fly to a region of a wall body according to a path to be cleaned, and, in response to detecting a cleaning prohibition identifier associated with the region, recognizing the region as a cleaning prohibition region and controlling the UAV to fly over the cleaning prohibition region without cleaning the cleaning prohibition region.

A docking method executable by a mobile device is provided. The docking method includes obtaining a stored target location of a docking station, and navigating to the target location. The docking method also includes: during the navigation and/or at the target location, based on a determination that a guidance signal is not detected, performing a regional search. The docking method also includes: during the navigation, or at the target location, or during the regional search, based on a determination that the guidance signal is detected, moving, under the guidance of the guidance signal, to the docking station. Performing the regional search includes determining a basic search zone, searching for the guidance signal while moving along boundaries of the basic search zone, and based on a determination that the guidance signal has not been detected when a termination condition is satisfied, terminating the regional search.

The present invention provides unique portable or stationary hose retraction systems in a single compact unit having an elongated hose, a chamber or plenum for storing the hose, a primary vacuum source for creating suction in the hose, and a secondary vacuum source for retracting the hose into the chamber. Embodiments may include one or more switches located at a distal end of the hose for controlling the primary and secondary vacuum sources. Other embodiments include a movable robotic unit with a proximity generating signal at the distal end of the hose, whereby the robotic unit may withdraw the hose as needed during use, and the secondary vacuum source may retract slack in the hose during use, or may retract the entire hose and the robotic unit after use.

A method for operating an automatically moving floor treatment appliance, wherein at least one floor treatment activity to be performed by the floor treatment appliance in a surrounding area is pre-planned for performance in a first time window having a defined start time and a defined time period. In the event that the first time window is not sufficient, at least a second time window is pre-planned, in which the floor treatment appliance continues the floor treatment activity. The floor treatment activity not completed upon the expiration of the first time window is stopped at the end of the defined time period of the first time window and is continued upon reaching a start time predefined for the second time window. The floor treatment plan specifies a cyclically successive floor treatment of several surrounding area subregions of the surrounding area according to a defined sequence of the surrounding area subregions.

An automatic battery replacement apparatus, a moving platform, and a rechargeable battery are provided. The moving platform includes a movable carrier and the rechargeable battery assembled in the movable carrier. The movable carrier includes a carrying body and a moving component that is assembled to the carrying body. The carrying body has a power supply slot recessed in an outer surface thereof, and an inner lateral wall of the power supply slot is in a shape of an arc having a central angle that is less than or equal to 180 degrees. The moving component is configured to move on a working surface. The rechargeable battery has a matching structure configured to be engaged with a driving gear. The rechargeable battery is configured to be rotated along the inner lateral wall of the power supply slot by having the matching structure engaged with the driving gear.

A method of managing a plurality of washrooms in a facility for servicing by service personnel and, more particularly, for establishing servicing operations which provide for service of at least selected of the dispensers before their consumable product supply falls below a pre-selected refill value.

An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis, a drive system configured to maneuver the robot, and a cleaning assembly. The cleaning assembly includes a cleaning assembly housing and at least one driven sweeper brush. The robot includes a controller and a removable sweeper bin configured to receive debris agitated by the driven sweeper brush. The sweeper bin includes an emitter disposed on an interior surface of the bin and a receiver disposed remotely from the emitter on the interior surface of the bin and configured to receive an emitter signal. The emitter and the receiver are disposed such that a threshold level of accumulation of debris in the sweeper bin blocks the receiver from receiving emitter emissions. The robot includes a bin controller disposed in the sweeper bin and monitoring a detector signal and initiating a bin full routine upon determining a bin debris accumulation level requiring service.

A method of controlling a cleaning robot includes: acquiring a marked position of a charging station in a map; controlling the cleaning robot to travel to a front position of the marked position and identifying the charging station; when the charging station is not identified, generating a finding path based on the marked position; and controlling the cleaning robot to travel in accordance with the finding path and identifying the charging station in a traveling process.