Charging method, device and storage medium for cleaning robot

• US 10,696,171 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2018
• Issued: 06/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Inventors: Xia, Yongfeng, Wu, Ke
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M
• Application Number:
  US15/957,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20180304758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0085 Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1679 characterised by the tasks executed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/60 Navigation input
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0217 in accordance with energy consumption, time reduction or distance reduction criteria
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a charging method and a charging apparatus of a cleaning robot. With the method, position information of a plurality of charging ports available for the cleaning robot is obtained; when it is determined that the cleaning robot needs to be charged, current position information of the cleaning robot is obtained; a closest charging port from the plurality of charging ports which is the closest to a current position of the cleaning robot is determined according to the position information of the plurality of charging ports and the current position information of the cleaning robot; and the cleaning robot is controlled to move to the closest charging port according to the position information of the closest charging port. With the technical solution, the cleaning robot may be charged nearby, thereby reducing power consumption of the cleaning robot.

Claims

1. A charging method for a cleaning robot, comprising:

obtaining position information of a plurality of charging ports available for the cleaning robot;

determining that the cleaning robot needs to be charged;

obtaining current position information of the cleaning robot;

determining a closest charging port from the plurality of charging ports which is the closest to a current position of the cleaning robot according to the position information of the plurality of charging ports and the current position information of the cleaning robot; and

controlling the cleaning robot to move to the closest charging port to charge according to the position information of the closest charging port;

wherein determining that the cleaning robot needs to be charged comprises;

determining that the cleaning robot needs to be charged when a remaining electric quantity of the cleaning robot is less than a preset value, wherein the preset value is set as an electric quantity which covers highest power consumption for the cleaning robot to move from the closest charging port to a farthest position when the cleaning robot performs a cleaning operation at the same time.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining a first cleaning route starting from the closest charging port when charging the cleaning robot at the closest charging port is completed;

controlling the cleaning robot to work along the first cleaning route.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining a second cleaning route starting from the closest charging port and directed to a target area which has not been cleaned by the cleaning robot, when charging the cleaning robot at the closest charging port is completed;

controlling the cleaning robot to work along the second cleaning route to clean the target area.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, determining that the cleaning robot needs to be charged comprises:

determining that the cleaning robot needs to be charged when the cleaning robot finishes a cleaning task.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, determining a closest charging port from the plurality of charging ports which is the closest to the current position of the cleaning robot according to the position information of the plurality of charging ports and the current position information of the cleaning robot comprises:

calculating, on a current cleaning route, respective paths to the plurality of charging ports from a current position of the cleaning robot based on the position information of the plurality of charging ports and the current position information of the cleaning robot;

determining a closest charging port corresponding to a shortest path among the respective paths to the plurality of charging ports.

6. A charging device for a cleaning robot, comprising:

a processor;

a memory for storing instructions executable by the processor;

wherein, the processor is configured to perform the acts of;

obtaining position information of a plurality of charging ports available for the cleaning robot;

determining that the cleaning robot needs to be charged;

obtaining current position information of the cleaning robot;

determining a closest charging port from the plurality of charging ports which is the closest to a current position of the cleaning robot according to the position information of the plurality of charging ports and the current position information of the cleaning robot; and

controlling the cleaning robot to move to the closest charging port to charge according to the position information of the closest charging port;

wherein determining that the cleaning robot needs to be charged comprises;

determining that the cleaning robot needs to be charged when a remaining electric quantity of the cleaning robot is less than a preset value, wherein the preset value is set as an electric quantity which covers highest power consumption for the cleaning robot to move from the closest charging port to a farthest position when the cleaning robot performs a cleaning operation at the same time.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to perform acts of:

determining a first cleaning route starting from the closest charging port when charging the cleaning robot at the closest charging port and is completed;

controlling the cleaning robot to work along the first cleaning route.

8. The device according to claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to perform acts of:

determining a second cleaning route starting from the closest charging port and directed to a target area which has not been cleaned by the cleaning robot, when charging the cleaning robot at the closest charging port is completed;

controlling the cleaning robot to work along the second cleaning route to clean the target area.

9. The device according to claim 6, wherein, determining that the cleaning robot needs to be charged comprises:

determining that the cleaning robot needs to be charged when the cleaning robot finishes a cleaning task.

10. The device according to claim 6, wherein, determining a closest charging port from the plurality of charging ports which is the closest to the current position of the cleaning robot according to the position information of the plurality of charging ports and the current position information of the cleaning robot comprises:

calculating, on a current cleaning route, respective paths to the plurality of charging ports from a current position of the cleaning robot based on the position information of the plurality of charging ports and the current position information of the cleaning robot;

determining a closest charging port corresponding to a shortest path among the respective paths to the plurality of charging ports.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, stored with computer programs that are applied to a cleaning robot and when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method, which includes:

obtaining position information of a plurality of charging ports available for the cleaning robot;

determining that the cleaning robot needs to be charged;

obtaining current position information of the cleaning robot;

determining a closest charging port from the plurality of charging ports which is the closest to a current position of the cleaning robot according to the position information of the plurality of charging ports and the current position information of the cleaning robot; and

controlling the cleaning robot to move to the closest charging port to charge according to the position information of the closest charging port;

wherein determining that the cleaning robot needs to be charged comprises;

determining that the cleaning robot needs to be charged when a remaining electric quantity of the cleaning robot is less than a preset value, wherein the preset value is set as an electric quantity which covers highest power consumption for the cleaning robot to move from the closest charging port to a farthest position when the cleaning robot performs a cleaning operation at the same time.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

determining a first cleaning route starting from the closest charging port when charging the cleaning robot at the closest charging port is completed;

controlling the cleaning robot to work along the first cleaning route.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

determining a second cleaning route starting from the closest charging port and directed to a target area which has not been cleaned by the cleaning robot, when charging the cleaning robot at the closest charging port is completed;

controlling the cleaning robot to work along the second cleaning route to clean the target area.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein, determining that the cleaning robot needs to be charged comprises:

determining that the cleaning robot needs to be charged when the cleaning robot finishes a cleaning task.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein, determining a closest charging port from the plurality of charging ports which is closest to the current position of the cleaning robot according to the position information of the plurality of charging ports and the current position information of the cleaning robot comprises:

calculating, on a current cleaning route, respective paths to the plurality of charging ports from a current position of the cleaning robot based on the position information of the plurality of charging ports and the current position information of the cleaning robot;

determining a closest charging port corresponding to a shortest path among the respective paths to the plurality of charging ports.