Self-propelled electronic device and travel method for said self-propelled electronic device

• US 10,376,122 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2016
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tsuboi, Masanori, Senoo, Toshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Paul, Antony M
• Application Number:
  US15/552,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20180035860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 31856812, 31856816, 318560, 31840001, 318700, 318701, 318727, 318799, 318800, 318430, 700245, 700250, 700253, 701 23, 701 26, 152462
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/28 Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2852 Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area

Abstract

A self-propelled electronic device comprising: a housing; drive wheels that enable the housing to travel; a travel control unit that controls travel of the housing; and a periphery detection sensor that detects a region around the housing where the device is unable to travel, wherein the drive wheels include a left drive wheel and a right drive wheel which are independently driven, and the travel control unit: causes the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel to move backward in such a manner that an amount of rotation of the left drive wheel is smaller than an amount of rotation of the right drive wheel, when the periphery detection sensor detects that there is a region where the device is unable to travel at front left of the housing; and causes the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel to move backward in such a manner that an amount of rotation of the right drive wheel is smaller than an amount of rotation of the left drive wheel when the periphery detection sensor detects that there is a region where the device is unable to travel at front right of the housing.

Claims

1. A self-propelled electronic device comprising:

a housing;

drive wheels that enable the housing to travel;

a travel control unit that controls travel of the housing; and

a periphery detection sensor that detects a region around the housing where the device is unable to travel,

wherein the drive wheels include a left drive wheel and a right drive wheel which are independently driven, and

wherein the travel control unit;

causes the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel to move backward in such a manner that an amount of rotation of the left drive wheel is smaller than an amount of rotation of the right drive wheel, when the periphery detection sensor detects that there is a region where the device is unable to travel at front left of the housing; and

causes the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel to move backward in such a manner that an amount of rotation of the right drive wheel is smaller than an amount of rotation of the left drive wheel when the periphery detection sensor detects that there is a region where the device is unable to travel at front right of the housing.

2. The self-propelled electronic device according to claim 1, when the periphery detection sensor detects that there is a region where the device is unable to travel at front left of the housing, the travel control unit causes the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel to move backward in such a manner that an amount of rotation of the left drive wheel becomes zero, and when the periphery detection sensor detects that there is a region where the device is unable to travel at front right of the housing, the travel control unit causes the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel to move backward in such a manner that an amount of rotation of the right drive wheel becomes zero.

3. The self-propelled electronic device according to claim 1, the travel control unit causes the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel to move forward in such a manner that an amount of rotation of the right drive wheel is smaller than an amount of rotation of the left drive wheel, when the periphery detection sensor detects that there is a region where the device is unable to travel at rear left of the housing, and the travel control unit causes the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel to move forward in such a manner that an amount of rotation of the right drive wheel is smaller than an amount of rotation of the left drive wheel, when the periphery detection sensor detects that there is a region where the device is unable to travel at rear right of the housing.

4. The self-propelled electronic device according to claim 3, when the periphery detection sensor detects that there is a region where the device is unable to travel at rear left of the housing, the travel control unit causes the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel to move forward in such a manner that an amount of rotation of the right drive wheel becomes zero, and when the periphery detection sensor detects that there is a region where the device is unable to travel at rear right of the housing, the travel control unit causes the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel to move forward in such a manner that an amount of rotation of the right drive wheel becomes zero.

5. The self-propelled electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a notification unit for providing notification regarding predetermined information,

wherein the travel control unit stops the operation of the housing and the notification unit provides error information, when the number of times of a back-and-forth reciprocating movement of the housing reaches a predetermined number of times or more or when the number of times of a back-and-forth reciprocating movement of the housing reaches a predetermined number of times or more within a predetermined time.

6. The self-propelled electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a notification unit for providing notification regarding predetermined information,

wherein the travel control unit causes the housing to change a direction at a predetermined angle, when the number of times of a back-and-forth reciprocating movement of the housing reaches a predetermined number of times or more, or when the number of times of a back-and-forth reciprocating movement of the housing reaches a predetermined number of times or more within a predetermined time.

7. A travel method for a self-propelled electronic device that causes a housing to travel using a left drive wheel and a right drive wheel which are independently driven, while avoiding a region around the device where the device is unable to travel,

the method comprising:

causing the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel to move backward in such a manner that an amount of rotation of the left drive wheel is smaller than an amount of rotation of the right drive wheel, when a region where the device is unable to travel is detected at front left of the housing; and

causing the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel to move backward in such a manner that an amount of rotation of the right drive wheel is smaller than an amount of rotation of the left drive wheel, when a region where the device is unable to travel is detected at front right of the housing.