JP2020532382A - Robot cleaning device method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of controlling the operation of an ongoing cleaning program of a robot cleaning device (100), and a robot cleaning device (100) configured to implement the method. In one aspect of the invention is provided a robotic cleaning device (100) configured to control the operation of an ongoing cleaning program. The robot cleaning device (100) comprises a propulsion system (112, 113, 115a, 115b) configured to move the robot cleaning device (100) and at least configured to power the robot cleaning device (100). Including one battery (117) and a controller (116), the controller (116) receives an instruction to suspend an ongoing cleaning program and responds to the above instruction to suspend the propulsion system (116). 112, 113, 115a, 115b) is controlled to move the robot cleaning device (100) to the charging station to recharge the robot cleaning device battery (117) and is in progress when it receives an instruction to pause. It is configured to receive further instructions to resume the cleaning program, and to resume the cleaning program that was in progress when the suspension instruction was received in response to the above further instructions.

Description

The present invention relates to a method of controlling the operation of an ongoing cleaning program of a robot cleaning device, and a robot cleaning device configured to carry out that method.

In many technical fields, it is desired to use a robot having autonomous behavior so that it can move freely in space without colliding with a possible obstacle.

In the art, a robotic vacuum cleaner is known that is equipped with a drive means in the form of a motor for moving the vacuum cleaner across the surface to be cleaned. A robotic vacuum cleaner is an intelligence in the form of a microprocessor and a path that allows a robotic vacuum cleaner to behave autonomously, for example, to be able to freely move around and clean surfaces in the form of a floor. Equip more guidance means. Therefore, these prior art robotic vacuum cleaners have the ability to vacuum more or less autonomously in rooms with objects such as tables and chairs, as well as other obstacles such as walls and stairs.

For practical reasons, there is a limit to the amount of battery power a robot vacuum cleaner can carry. As a result, this puts a limit on the size of the surface on which the robot vacuum cleaner can move before the vacuum cleaner needs to be charged.

If the battery is running out of energy but there is still area to be cleaned, the robot vacuum cleaner returns to the charging station for what is called a pit stop, and the robot vacuum is used throughout this process. The vacuum cleaner docks with the charging station to recharge the vacuum cleaner's battery.

If the user returns home while the cleaning program is in progress and does not want the vacuum cleaner to continue cleaning at that very moment, the user has two options.
1) Stop the cleaning program and send the vacuum cleaner to the charging station. Or
2) Instruct the vacuum cleaner to pause on the spot and resume later.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of controlling the operation of an ongoing cleaning program for a robot cleaning device.

This object is achieved in a first aspect of the invention by a method of controlling the operation of an ongoing cleaning program of a robot cleaning device. This method receives an instruction to suspend an ongoing cleaning program, and in response to the above instruction to suspend, moves to a charging station to recharge the battery of the robot cleaning device and pauses. Receive further instructions to resume the cleaning program that was in progress when you received the order to do, and the cleaning program that was in progress when you received the order to pause in response to the above further instructions. Including resuming.

This object is achieved in a second aspect of the invention by a robotic cleaning device configured to control the operation of an ongoing cleaning program. The robot cleaning device includes a propulsion system configured to move the robot cleaning device, at least one battery configured to power the robot cleaning device, and a controller. The controller receives an instruction to suspend the ongoing cleaning program, and in response to the above instruction to suspend, controls the propulsion system to move the robot cleaning device to the charging station and recharge the robot cleaning device's battery. Received a further order to resume the cleaning program that was in progress when it received the charge and pause order, and was in progress when it received the pause order in response to the above further order It is configured to restart the cleaning program.

A user who wants to temporarily suspend the cleaning operation of the robot cleaning device can, for example, press the pause button on the user interface at the top of the robot cleaning device or a pause command via a mobile phone application. May be sent. In the latter case, the robot cleaning device needs to be capable of wireless communication such as radio wave or infrared communication.

Upon receiving the instruction to suspend the cleaning program, the robot cleaning device moves to the charging station to recharge the battery installed in the robot cleaning device. The robot cleaning device remains docked at the charging station until further instructions are given to resume the paused cleaning program.

After some time, the user instructs the robot cleaning device to resume the paused cleaning program, for example by wirelessly transmitting further instructions to the robot cleaning device via the mobile phone application described above. ..

In response to further instructions to resume the suspended cleaning program, the robot cleaning device leaves the charging station and resumes the previously suspended cleaning program.

Advantageously, the battery of the robot cleaning device is partially or fully charged during the user-initiated pause at the charging station, resuming the originally configured cleaning program.

In one embodiment, additional instructions configured to cause the robot cleaning device to resume the paused cleaning program are such that the program should be resumed immediately, or is indicated by the additional instructions. It can be specified that the suspended cleaning program should be resumed after the period of time has elapsed.

Therefore, further instructions may specify a period, after which it is envisioned that the robot cleaning device will resume the suspended cleaning program. Further commands may be sent to the robot cleaning device immediately after the pause command is sent. Therefore, after the pause command is sent, a further command follows that the paused cleaning program should be restarted after a given period, for example 30 minutes.

For example, it may be assumed that the user returns home from work daily for a 30-minute lunch, after which the robot cleaning device resumes the suspended cleaning program. This is advantageous because it can be done by a custom setting in the mobile phone application and the user does not have to remember to send further instructions to the robot cleaning device before leaving home after lunch.

In a further embodiment, the current position of the robot cleaning device is recorded in response to the pause command, and resuming the cleaning program is a cleaning program that was in progress when the pause command was received. Includes moving to the recorded robot cleaning device location to resume.

In yet another embodiment, in response to the pause command, the position of the next robot cleaning device specified by the cleaning program is recorded and restarting the cleaning program upon receiving the pause command. Includes moving to the next recorded robot cleaning device location to resume the cleaning program that was in progress.

In general, all terms used in the claims should be construed in accordance with their usual meaning in the art, unless expressly defined herein. All references to "a / an / the elements, articles, components, members, steps, etc. (elements, devices, components, means, steps, etc.)" are elements, devices, unless otherwise explicitly stated. , Components, means, steps, etc. are openly interpreted as referring to at least one example. The steps of any method disclosed herein need not be performed in the exact order in which they are disclosed, unless expressly stated otherwise.

Next, the present invention will be described as an example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Shown is a prior art scenario in which a user temporarily wants to pause the cleaning operation of a robot cleaning device. A robot cleaning device that controls the operation of an ongoing cleaning program according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. A flow chart of a method for controlling the operation of an ongoing cleaning program of a robot cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Further embodiments are shown in which the robot cleaning device returns to a different position rather than to the interrupted position when it receives a pause command. A robot cleaning device according to an exemplary embodiment is shown.

Next, the present invention will be described more completely with reference to the accompanying drawings showing specific embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed to be confined to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided as examples so that the present disclosure is thorough and complete and the scope of the invention is fully communicated to those skilled in the art. Similar numbers refer to similar elements throughout this description.

Robot cleaning devices according to the invention are battery powered and occasionally need to be recharged by returning to the charging station.

FIG. 1 shows a prior art scenario in which a user temporarily desires to suspend the cleaning operation of the robot cleaning device 100.

The dotted line indicates the path 200 through which the robot cleaning device 100 will travel as specified by the current cleaning program.

Here, the user may pause the current cleaning program, for example by pressing a pause button on the user interface at the top of the vacuum cleaner, or by sending a pause command via a mobile phone application. When instructed to the robot cleaning device 100, the robot vacuum cleaner 100
1) Stop the running cleaning program and return to the charging station 200 at position P2. Or
2) Pause at the current position P1 and restart the cleaning program as soon as the user commands the vacuum cleaner to start cleaning again.

In the first scenario, the vacuum cleaner starts with a new cleaning program from the charging station when ordered, and in the second scenario, before the vacuum cleaner receives an instruction to resume the suspended cleaning program. The vacuum cleaner's battery can drain, thus limiting cleaning time.

Further referring to the flow charts shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a method of controlling the operation of an ongoing cleaning program of the robot cleaning device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 3 shows a robot cleaning device 100 performing a cleaning program, through which route 200 is a route to be traveled to clean a designated surface defined by the cleaning program. , The robot cleaning device 100 will move as specified by the current cleaning program.

Here, when the robot is at the position P1, the user temporarily stops the cleaning operation of the robot cleaning device 100. Thus, the robot cleaning device 100 may perform in step S101, for example, by the user pressing a pause button on the user interface at the top of the robot or by transmitting a pause command via a mobile phone application. Receive an order to suspend the current cleaning program. In the latter case, the robot cleaning device 100 needs to be capable of wireless communication such as radio wave or infrared communication.

In an alternative embodiment, in step S101, the controller 116 of the robot cleaning device 100 decides to suspend by receiving an indication from the battery 117 that the power of the battery 117 is low, for example. Do.

Upon receiving a command to suspend the cleaning program from the user or from the battery 117 indicating low power, the robot cleaning device 100 moves to the charging station 300 in step S102 to recharge the battery equipped in the robot cleaning device. Charge.

The robot cleaning device 100 remains docked at the charging station 300 until further command is given to resume the cleaning program paused in step S101.

After a while, the user instructs the robot cleaning device 100 to restart the paused cleaning program, for example, by wirelessly transmitting a further command to the robot cleaning device 100 in step S103.

In one embodiment, it is envisioned that the additional instructions described above specify a period of time, after which the robot cleaning device 100 resumes the suspended cleaning program. Further commands may be sent to the robot cleaning device immediately after the pause command is sent in step S101. Therefore, after the pause command is sent in step S101, a further command follows that the paused cleaning program should be restarted after a given period, for example 30 minutes.

For example, it may be assumed that the user returns home from work daily for a 30-minute lunch, after which the robot cleaning device 100 resumes the suspended cleaning program. This is advantageous as it may be done by a custom setting in the mobile phone application and the user does not have to remember to send further instructions to the robot cleaning device 100 before leaving the house after lunch. ..

In any case, in response to further instructions to resume the paused cleaning program, the robot cleaning device 100 leaves the charging station at position P2 and is positioned to continue the previously suspended cleaning program in step S104. Return to P1 and therefore resume movement along path 200.

Advantageously, the battery of the robot cleaning device 100 is partially or completely charged during the user-initiated pause at the charging station 300, and the originally set cleaning program is resumed.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2, when the pause command is received in step S101, the robot cleaning device records the current position, and as a result, the cleaning program that was in operation when the pause command was received in step S104. It is assumed that the robot cleaning device can be moved to the recorded robot cleaning device position in order to resume.

FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment in which the robot cleaning device does not return to the interrupted position but returns to a different position when it receives the pause command.

Once again, when the robot is at position P1, the user temporarily stops the cleaning operation of the robot cleaning device 100. Therefore, the robot cleaning device 100 receives an instruction to suspend the current cleaning program in step S101.

Upon receiving the instruction to suspend the cleaning program, the robot cleaning device 100 moves to the charging station 300 in step S102 to recharge the battery mounted on the robot cleaning device.

In contrast to the embodiments described above, the robot cleaning device 100 does not record its current position, concludes that cleaning of the current room is complete (or nearly complete), and continues cleaning the adjacent room 400. .. Therefore, the robot cleaning device 100 records the next position to resume cleaning as defined by the suspended cleaning program.

The robot cleaning device 100 remains docked at the charging station 300 until further command is given to resume the cleaning program paused in step S101.

After the user commands the robot cleaning device 100 to resume the paused cleaning program in step S103 (or when the set pause period has expired), the robot cleaning device 100 takes the charging station at position P2. Leave and head to the next room 400 to be cleaned, which corresponds to the previously recorded "next position" when the pause order was received.

Once again, the battery of the robot cleaning device 100 is advantageously partially or fully charged during the user-initiated pause at charging station 300, resuming the originally set cleaning program.

Although it is assumed that the present invention can be carried out by various suitable robot cleaning devices having sufficient processing intelligence, FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the robot cleaning device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Shown. That is, the bottom side of the robot cleaning device is shown. The arrows indicate the forward direction of the robot cleaning device 100 shown in the form of a robot vacuum cleaner.

The robot cleaning device 100 includes a propulsion system including driving means in the form of two electric wheel motors 115a, 115b for enabling the movement of the driving wheels 112, 113 so that the cleaning device can be moved on the surface to be cleaned. A main body 111 for accommodating the components of the above is provided. The wheel motors 115a, 115b have the ability to control the robot cleaning device 100 to rotate its respective drive wheels 112, 113 independently of each other in order to move it across the surface to be cleaned. Many different drive wheel arrangements and various wheel motor arrangements can be envisioned. It should be noted that the robot cleaning device can have any suitable shape, such as a device with a more traditional circular body or a triangular body. As an alternative example, a track propulsion system or even a hovercraft propulsion system may be used. The propulsion system may be further configured to cause the robot cleaning device 100 to perform any one or more of yaw, pitch, translation or roll movements.

A controller 116, such as a microprocessor, is an obstacle detection device for detecting obstacles in the form of walls, floor lamps, and table legs that the robot cleaning device must avoid traveling on the wheel motors 115a, 115b (FIG. The drive wheels 112, 113 are controlled to rotate as required in consideration of the information received from (not shown in 5). The obstacle detection device is implemented using, for example, a 3D camera for detecting an obstacle and communicating information about an arbitrary detected obstacle to the microprocessor 116, a camera combined with a laser, a laser scanner, and the like. It can be embodied in the form of a 3D sensor system that registers the surrounding conditions of the obstacle detection device. The microprocessor 116 communicates with the wheel motors 115a, 115b and, according to the information provided by the obstacle detection device, allows the robot cleaning device 100 to move across the surface to be cleaned as desired. Control the movement of the.

Further, the robot cleaning device 100 is equipped with one or more batteries 117 for supplying power to different components included in the cleaning device 100. One or more batteries 117 are charged via a charging station to which the robot cleaning device 100 docks. The one or more batteries 117 are further communicably connected to the controller 116 to signal when the power is low (or fully charged).

Further, the main body 111 of the robot vacuum cleaner 100 transports dust to a dust collecting bag or a cyclone mechanism (not shown) housed in the main body through an opening 118 in the bottom side of the main body 111. The suction fan 120 is provided to generate the air flow of the above. The suction fan 120 is driven by a fan motor 121 communicatively connected to the controller 116. The fan motor 121 receives a command from the controller 116 to control the suction fan 120. The body 111 may further be configured with one or more rotating side brushes 114 adjacent to the opening 118.

Further referring to FIG. 5, the controller / processing unit 116 embodied in the form of one or more microprocessors is suitable associated with the microprocessor, such as random access memory (RAM), flash memory or hard disk drive. It is configured to execute the computer program 125 downloaded to the storage medium 126. The controller 116 is configured to implement the methods according to embodiments of the present invention when an appropriate computer program 125, including computer executable instructions, is downloaded to the storage medium 126 and executed by the controller 116. The storage medium 126 may also be a computer program product that includes a computer program 125. Alternatively, the computer program 125 may be transferred to the storage medium 126 using a suitable computer program product such as a digital versatile disc (DVD), compact disc (CD) or memory stick. As a further alternative, the computer program 125 may be downloaded to the storage medium 126 via a wired or wireless network. Alternatively, the controller 116 may be embodied in the form of a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a composite programmable logic device (CPLD), or the like.

The present invention has been mainly described above with reference to several embodiments. However, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, as defined by the appended claims, embodiments other than those disclosed above may be equivalent within the scope of the invention.

Claims (14)

A method of controlling the operation of an ongoing cleaning program of the robot cleaning device (100).
A step (S101) of receiving an instruction to suspend the cleaning program in progress, and
In response to the pause command, a step (S102) of moving to the charging station (300) and recharging the battery (117) of the robot cleaning device is performed.
In the step (S103) of receiving a further command to restart the cleaning program that was in progress when the stop command was received,
A method comprising, in response to the further instruction, resuming the cleaning program that was in progress upon receiving the suspend instruction (S104). The method of claim 1, wherein the pause command is received from the battery (117), which exhibits low power. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the suspend instruction is received from the user. The step (S104), further comprising recording the position of the current robot cleaning device in response to the pause command, and resuming the cleaning program.
10. One of claims 1-3, comprising moving to the position of the recorded robot cleaning device in order to resume the cleaning program that was in progress upon receiving the suspend command. The method described. The step of resuming the cleaning program further comprises recording the position of the next robot cleaning device defined by the cleaning program in response to the pause command.
Any one of claims 1-4, comprising the step of moving to the next recorded position of the robot cleaning device in order to resume the cleaning program that was in progress upon receiving the suspend command. The method described in the section. The additional command causes the robot cleaning device (100) to resume the suspended cleaning program as soon as it receives the further command, or for a set period of time indicated by the further command. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the suspended cleaning program is restarted after the lapse of time. A robotic cleaning device (100) configured to control the operation of an ongoing cleaning program.
Propulsion systems (112, 113, 115a, 115b) configured to move the robot cleaning device (100) and
With at least one battery (117) configured to power the robot cleaning device (100).
The controller (116)
Received an order to suspend the cleaning program in progress
In response to the pause command, the propulsion system (112, 113, 115a, 115b) is controlled to move the robot cleaning device (100) to the charging station, and the robot cleaning device battery (117) is moved. Recharge and
Upon receiving a further order to resume the cleaning program that was in progress upon receiving the suspend order,
A robot cleaning device (100), including a controller (116) configured to resume the cleaning program that was in progress upon receiving the suspend instruction in response to the further instruction. .. The robot cleaning device (100) according to claim 7, wherein the pause command is received from the battery (117) indicating low power. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the pause command is received from the user via the robot cleaning device user interface. The controller (116)
Further configured to record the current position of the robot cleaning device in response to the pause command, upon resuming the cleaning program.
The robot cleaning device (100) was recorded in order to control the propulsion system (112, 113, 115a, 115b) to resume the cleaning program that was in progress upon receiving the pause command. The robot cleaning device (100) according to any one of claims 7 to 9, further configured to move to a robot cleaning device position. The controller (116)
Further configured to record the position of the next robotic cleaning device specified by the cleaning program in response to the pause command, upon resuming the cleaning program.
The robot cleaning device (100) was recorded in order to control the propulsion system (112, 113, 115a, 115b) to resume the cleaning program that was in progress upon receiving the pause command. The robot cleaning device (100) according to any one of claims 7 to 10, further configured to move to the next robot cleaning device position. The additional command causes the robot cleaning device (100) to resume the paused cleaning program as soon as it receives the further command, or for a set period of time indicated by the further command. The robot cleaning device (100) according to any one of claims 7 to 11, which is configured to restart the suspended cleaning program after the lapse of time. The step according to any one of claims 1 to 6, when a computer-executable instruction is executed on the controller (116) included in the robot cleaning device (100). A computer program (125) comprising said computer-executable instructions for carrying out. A computer program product including a computer-readable medium, wherein the computer-readable medium (126) has the computer program (125) according to claim 13 incorporated therein.

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