Robot cleaner, system employing the same and method for re-connecting to external recharging device

• US 20020153185A1
• Filed: 04/05/2002
• Published: 10/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ko, Jang-Youn, Song, Jeong-gon, Kim, Kwang-su
• Granted Patent: US 6,957,712 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/167
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/022 Recharging of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• 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: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2873 Docking units or charging stations for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• 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 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• 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: G05D 1/0282 generated in a local control room

Abstract

A robot cleaner capable of returning to an external recharging device. The robot cleaner includes a driving portion for driving a plurality of wheels, at least one camera installed on a body of the robot cleaner, the camera for photographing external surroundings, and a controller for photographing an image through a camera for recognition of a connection position where the external recharging device is connected with the robot cleaner and stores the photographed image, and controls the driving portion so that the robot cleaner can move from the external recharging device to a destination when an operation start signal is received in the robot cleaner connected to the external recharging device, and for tracing a path to the connection position of the external recharging device and the robot cleaner during a robot cleaner'"'"'s return to the external recharging device while comparing a current image currently taken by the camera with a stored image of the connection position of the robot cleaner and the external recharging device. Returning of the robot cleaner is carried out when the robot cleaner, separated from the external recharging device, completes its job or needs a recharging, by using the previously stored image and an image currently taken by the camera. Accordingly, an error in the location process, mainly caused due to external interference signals, is decreased, and errors in tracing a path and connecting to the external recharging device can also be decreased.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner for performing a job while wirelessly communicating with an external device, comprising:

a driving portion for driving a plurality of wheels;

at least one camera installed on a body of the robot cleaner, the camera for photographing external surroundings; and

a controller for photographing an image through the camera for a recognition of a connection position where an external recharging device is connected with the robot cleaner and storing the photographed image,

wherein the controller is used for controlling the driving portion so that the robot cleaner can move from the external recharging device to a destination when an operation start signal is received in the robot cleaner connected to the external recharging device,

wherein the controller is used for tracing a path to the connection position of the external recharging device and the robot cleaner during a robot cleaner'"'"'s return to the external recharging device while comparing a current image currently taken by the camera with a stored image of the connection position of the robot cleaner and the external recharging device.

2. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the camera comprises an upper camera mounted on the body of the robot cleaner to photograph an object vertically above the robot cleaner with respect to a running direction, and

the controller receives an image above the external recharging device from the upper camera on the robot cleaner that is connected to the external recharging device, to photograph the image and store the received image as the image of the connection position, and traces a path to the external recharging device when the robot cleaner returns to the external recharging device by comparing the image taken by the upper camera with the stored image of the connection position.

3. The robot cleaner of claim 1, further comprising:

a power level detect portion for detecting the power level of a battery that is mounted on the body in a removable manner with respect to the external recharging device,

wherein the controller stops the job upon receipt of a recharging request signal from the power level detect portion, and controls the driving portion so that the robot cleaner can return to the external recharging device.

4. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the driving portion so that the robot cleaner can return to the external recharging device when the robot cleaner completes a cleaning job.

5. The robot cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a front camera mounted on the body of the robot cleaner to photograph an image in front of the robot cleaner in a running direction,

wherein the controller receives the image in front of the external recharging device taken by the front camera and stores the received image as an image of connection position of the robot cleaner and the external recharging device, and traces a path to the external recharging device by comparing the image taken by the front camera with the stored image of the connection position of the robot cleaner and the external recharging device when the robot cleaner returns to the external recharging device.

6. A robot cleaner system, comprising:

a robot cleaner having a driving portion formed of a plurality of wheels and at least one camera mounted on a body of the robot cleaner to photograph external surroundings; and

a remote controller wirelessly communicating with a robot cleaner,

the remote controller is used for receiving an image from the camera for a recognition of a connection position of the robot cleaner and an external recharging device and storing the received image,

the remote controller is used for controlling the driving portion so that the robot cleaner can move to a destination from the external recharging device when an operation start signal is received in the robot cleaner connected to the external recharging device,

the remote controller is used for controlling the robot cleaner so that the robot cleaner can connect to the external recharging device by comparing a current image taken by the camera with a stored image of the connection position of the robot cleaner and the external recharging device.

7. The robot cleaner system of claim 6, further comprising an upper camera mounted on the body of the robot cleaner to photograph an image vertically above the robot cleaner with respect to a running direction,

wherein the remote controller receives from the upper camera the image above the external recharging device taken when the robot cleaner is connected to the external recharging device, and stores the received image as the image of the connection position for recharging.

8. The robot cleaner system of claim 6, further comprising a power level detect portion for detecting a power level of a battery that is mounted on the robot cleaner in a removable manner with respect to the external recharging device,

wherein the remote controller stops the robot cleaner upon receipt of a recharging request signal generated at the power level detect portion and transmitted from the robot cleaner, and controls the driving portion so that the robot cleaner can return to the external recharging device.

9. The robot cleaner system of claim 6, wherein the remote controller controls the robot cleaner when the robot cleaner completes a cleaning job so that the robot cleaner can return to the external recharging device.

10. An external recharging device for recharging a robot cleaner, the robot cleaner wirelessly communicating with the external recharging device while performing a cleaning operation, the robot cleaner having a camera for photographing external surroundings, the external recharging device comprising:

a body, on which a power supply terminal is installed for a connection with a recharging terminal of a battery of the robot cleaner;

a guide member formed on the body so as to be photographed by the camera of the robot cleaner; and

a recharging position guiding mark formed on the guide member so as to be photographed by the camera of the robot cleaner.

11. The external recharging device of claim 10, wherein the body comprises a seating portion in which a groove is formed to receive a part of wheels of the robot cleaner being in a position where a recharging terminal of the robot cleaner is connected to the power supply terminal.

12. The external recharging device of claim 11, wherein the guide member is formed from the seating portion to a predetermined height approximately parallel to the seating portion, and has the recharging position guiding mark formed on a bottom surface thereof.

13. The external recharging device of claim 12, further comprising a guide wall extending from the seating portion to a predetermined height, for one of an advance or withdrawal of the robot cleaner,

wherein the guide member and the recharging position guiding mark are extended by a predetermined length corresponding to a distance from the guide wall to the seating portion for a photographing by the camera of the robot cleaner.

14. The external recharging device of claim 13, wherein the recharging position guiding mark is extended in a linear pattern by a predetermined length.

15. The external recharging device of claim 11, wherein the guide member is formed on the body in a vertical relation to the body by a predetermined height, and

the recharging position guiding mark is formed on the guide member, in a position where the guiding mark can be photographed by a front camera of the robot cleaner.

16. The external recharging device of claim 15, wherein the guide member is formed in a position facing the front camera of the robot cleaner as seated on the seating portion of the robot cleaner.

17. The external recharging device of claim 15, wherein the recharging position guiding mark is formed in a circular shape.

19. The returning method of claim 18 further comprising the step of storing an image above the external recharging device for recognition of a recharging position.

20. The returning method of claim 18 further comprising the step of storing an image in front of the external recharging device for a recognition of recharging position.

18. A method of a robot cleaner for returning to an external recharging device, comprising the steps of:

a. receiving an operation-start signal by the robot cleaner connected to the external recharging device;

b. photographing through a camera of the robot cleaner an image for a recognition of recharging position, for the robot cleaner to recognize a connection position where the robot cleaner is connected to the external recharging device;

c. performing an assigned job by running the robot cleaner; and

d. tracing a path to the external recharging device by comparing a current image currently taken by the camera with the stored image for the recognition of recharging position, and returning the robot cleaner to the external recharging device when one of the robot cleaner needs a recharging or when the assigned job is completed,