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

• US 10,653,283 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2016
• Issued: 05/19/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• 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, Matsumoto, Masashi, Senoo, Toshihiro, Yoshimura, Fumio
• Primary Examiner(s): Dhakal, Bickey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Laughlin, Charles S
• Application Number:
  US15/552,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20180049613A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,540 Days
• Field of Search: 31856811, 31856821, 318150, 318161, 318 10, 318146, 318715
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/06 Control of the cleaning action for autonomous devices; Automatic detection of the surface condition before, during or after cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• 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 9/2815 using optical detectors
• 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: B25J 11/0085 Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/02 Control of position or course in two dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A self-propelled electronic device comprising: a housing; a drive wheel that enables the housing to travel; a wheel drop sensor that detects loss of contact of the drive wheel with a floor surface; and a travel control unit that controls travel of the housing, wherein, when the wheel drop sensor detects loss of contact of the drive wheel with the floor surface, the travel control unit continues travel of the housing for a predetermined continuous travel time, and if the wheel drop sensor still detects loss of contact of the drive wheel with the floor surface after the continuous travel time has elapsed, the travel control unit stops the rotation of the drive wheel, and then, rotates the drive wheel in a direction opposite to the direction of the rotation for a predetermined reverse travel time, to cause the housing to travel in a reverse direction.

Claims

1. A self-propelled electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a drive wheel that enables the housing to travel;

a wheel drop sensor that detects loss of contact of the drive wheel with a floor surface; and

a travel control unit that controls travel of the housing,

wherein, when the drive wheel is in contact with the ground, the drive wheel pivots upward relative to the housing and when the drive wheel is separated from the ground, the drive wheel pivots downward relative to the housing,

wherein, if the drive wheel pivots downward relative to the housing, it can be determined that the wheel drop sensor detects loss of contact of the drive wheel with the floor surface,

wherein, when the wheel drop sensor detects loss of contact of the drive wheel with the floor surface, the travel control unit continues travel of the housing for a predetermined continuous travel time, and if the wheel drop sensor still detects loss of contact of the drive wheel with the floor surface after the continuous travel time has elapsed, the travel control unit stops the rotation of the drive wheel, and then, rotates the drive wheel in a direction opposite to the direction of the rotation for a predetermined reverse travel time, to cause the housing to travel in a reverse direction, and

wherein the drive wheel includes a left drive wheel and a right drive wheel which are independently driven, and when the wheel drop sensor detects loss of contact of one of the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel, the travel control unit rotates the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel in the opposite direction such that when the wheel drop sensor detects contact of both of the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel, the rotational speed of the drive wheel which is not detected to have loss of contact is lower than the rotational speed of the drive wheel which is detected to have loss of contact.

2. The self-propelled electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit that provides notification regarding predetermined information,

wherein, when the loss of contact of the drive wheel with the floor surface is still detected after the lapse of the reverse travel time, the travel control unit stops the drive wheel, and the notification unit provides error information.

3. The self-propelled electronic device according to claim 1, the continuous travel time is equal to or longer than a time from when the drive wheel loses contact with the floor surface due to collision between the drive wheel and a level difference having the maximum height the housing is able to climb over till the drive wheel is again in contact with the floor surface, when the housing attempts to climb over the level difference from front.

4. The self-propelled electronic device according to claim 1, the reverse travel time is equal to or longer than a minimum time necessary for escape from a loss-of-contact state of the drive wheel after the rotation of the drive wheel is stopped.

5. A self-propelled electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a drive wheel that enables the housing to travel;

a wheel drop sensor that detects loss of contact of the drive wheel with a floor surface; and

a travel control unit that controls travel of the housing,

wherein, when the drive wheel is in contact with the ground, the drive wheel pivots upward relative to the housing and when the drive wheel is separated from the ground, the drive wheel pivots downward relative to the housing,

wherein, if the drive wheel pivots downward relative to the housing, it can be determined that the wheel drop sensor detects loss of contact of the drive wheel with a floor surface,

wherein, when the wheel drop sensor detects loss of contact of the drive wheel with the floor surface, the travel control unit continues travel of the housing for a predetermined continuous travel time, and if the wheel drop sensor still detects loss of contact of the drive wheel with the floor surface after the continuous travel time has elapsed, the travel control unit stops the rotation of the drive wheel, and then, rotates the drive wheel in a direction opposite to the direction of the rotation for a predetermined reverse travel time, to cause the housing to travel in a reverse direction, and

wherein the drive wheel includes a left drive wheel and a right drive wheel which are independently driven, and when the wheel drop sensor detects loss of contact of both the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel with the floor surface, the travel control unit rotates the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel in the opposite direction such that when the wheel drop sensor detects contact of both of the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel, the rotational speed of the drive wheel which is detected earlier to have loss of contact is lower than the drive wheel which is detected later to have loss of contact.

6. The self-propelled electronic device according to claim 5, further comprising a notification unit that provides notification regarding predetermined information,

wherein, when the loss of contact of the drive wheel with the floor surface is still detected after the lapse of the reverse travel time, the travel control unit stops the drive wheel, and the notification unit provides error information.

7. The self-propelled electronic device according to claim 5, the continuous travel time is equal to or longer than a time from when the drive wheel loses contact with the floor surface due to collision between the drive wheel and a level difference having the maximum height the housing is able to climb over till the drive wheel is again in contact with the floor surface, when the housing attempts to climb over the level difference from front.

8. The self-propelled electronic device according to claim 5, the reverse travel time is equal to or longer than a minimum time necessary for escape from a loss-of-contact state of the drive wheel after the rotation of the drive wheel is stopped.