An autonomous mobile apparatus that autonomously docks with a docking station, includes a main body including at least one connection unit connected to the docking station, a drive unit configured to move the main body, and a processor configured to control the drive unit, wherein the processor controls operation of the drive unit in a first mode for causing the main body to move in proximity to the docking station and a second mode for bringing the connection unit into contact with the docking unit of the docking station.

Autonomous carriers or totes that include vacuum units are provided. As the totes move or are moved through a warehouse carrying products, they collect debris. The debris can be analyzed at the tote, and actions can be performed based upon the analysis.

A method docks an autonomous mobile green area maintenance robot to a docking station. An electrical conductor arrangement runs in the region of the docking station, wherein the conductor arrangement is designed such that a periodic current flows through the conductor arrangement, wherein the current generates a periodic magnetic field. The green area maintenance robot has two magnetic field sensors, wherein the two magnetic field sensors are designed such that the magnetic field respectively causes a periodic sensor signal in the magnetic field sensors. The method has the steps of: determining a phase shift between the two sensor signals or signals based on the sensor signals, and controlling movement of the green area maintenance robot for docking on the basis of the determined phase shift.

The invention comprises a method and a system for conveying a mobile robot in an elevator involving the monitoring of elevator operating components and of persons surrounding the elevator and operating the elevator by selecting a floor to which the mobile robot is to move. In one aspect an inertial sensor is used to learn or determine the number of floors. The robot may also have methods implemented to assess the floor space inside the elevator or to position itself in front of the elevator in such a way that it can, for example, monitor the operation of elevator operating components without being perceived as an obstacle from the elevator users' perspective.

The technology relates to autonomous vehicles having hitched or towed trailers for transporting cargo and other items between locations. Aspects of the technology provide a smart hitch connection between the fifth-wheel of a tractor unit and the kingpin of a trailer. This avoids requiring a person to make physical pneumatic and electrical connections between the fifth-wheel and kingpin using external hoses and cables. Instead, the necessary connections are made internally, autonomously. For instance, the fifth-wheel may provide air pressure via one or more slots arranged on a connection surface, and the trailer is configured to receive the air pressure through one or more openings on a contact surface of the kingpin. An electrical connection section of the fifth-wheel may also provide electrical signals and/or power to an electrical contact interface of the kingpin. Rotational information about relative alignment of the trailer to the tractor unit may also be provided.

An automatic guiding method for a self-propelled apparatus (10) is provided. The self-propelled apparatus (10) turns and irradiates when a signal light emitted by a charging dock (20) is sensed by a flank sensor (103), and changes its turn direction when another different signal light from the charging dock (20) is sensed by a forward sensor (102). The charging dock (20) switches to emit another signal light different from the signal light currently emitted when each time is triggered by the signal light emitted by the self-propelled apparatus (10). Repeatedly execute the above actions and make the self-propelled apparatus approach the light-emitting unit (202) until the self-propelled apparatus (10) reaches a charging position. It can accurately guide the self-propelled apparatus (10) to the charging position by arranging only two sensors on the self-propelled apparatus.

A robot cleaner includes a body to travel on a floor; an obstacle sensing unit to sense an obstacle approaching the body; an auxiliary cleaning unit pivotably mounted to a bottom of the body, to be extendable and retractable; and a control unit to control extension or retraction of the auxiliary cleaning unit based on a pivot angle formed by the auxiliary cleaning unit with respect to a travel direction of the body when the obstacle is sensed.

An apparatus for guiding an autonomous vehicle towards a docking station including an autonomous vehicle with a camera-based sensing system, a drive system for driving the autonomous vehicle, and a control system for controlling the drive system. The apparatus includes a docking station including a first fiducial marker and a second fiducial marker, wherein the second fiducial marker is positioned on the docking station to define a predetermined relative spacing with the first fiducial marker, wherein the control system is operable to receive an image provided by the camera-based sensing system, the image including a representation of the first and second fiducial markers, and to control the drive system so as to guide the autonomous vehicle towards the base station based on a difference between the representation of the first and second fiducial markers in the received image and the predetermined relative spacing between the first and second fiducial markers.

A method for operating a vehicle, whereby the vehicle, parked at a parking position in a parking facility, is guided autonomously from the parking position to a loading station and parked autonomously at the loading station, so that the vehicle can be loaded at the loading station. Also described is a related vehicle and computer program.

An assist method for coupling a motor vehicle to a trailer, wherein the motor vehicle includes a trailer coupling, at least one camera, a display, and an electronic unit, and wherein the trailer includes a tow bar for the trailer coupling. The assist method captures a first image of at least one tow bar of a trailer by the camera, displays the first image on the display, selects a first region in the first image in which the tow bar is located, enlarges the selected first region to produce a second image, displays the second image on the display, selects a second region in the second image in which the tow bar is located, and determines a trajectory of the motor vehicle for coupling the trailer assuming that the tow bar is located in the second region.