Autonomous mobile robot cleaner

• US 20050166355A1
• Filed: 01/27/2005
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Tani, Takao
• Application Number:
  US11/043,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20050166355A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/319
• 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 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/281 the amount or condition of incoming dirt or dust
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2826 the condition of the floor
• 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 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0259 using magnetic or electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

An autonomous mobile robot cleaner that can thoroughly clean an area of high dust concentration. The robot cleaner includes a dust sensor to detect collected dust and a dust concentration decision means to decide degree of dust concentration in the area in which the main body of the robot cleaner moves based on an output of the dust sensor. The robot cleaner performs a basic cleaning operation while moving according to a predetermined movement procedure. When it finds an area in which the degree of dust concentration is above a given value using the dust concentration decision means during the basic cleaning operation, it additionally performs a local cleaning operation to move locally in such area after its movement in accordance with the basic cleaning operation.

Claims

1. An autonomous mobile robot cleaner having a main body, comprising:

an obstacle detection means to detect an obstacle around the main body;

a moving means to move and turn the main body;

a cleaning means to clean an area in which the main body moves;

a cleaning operation control means to control the moving means and the cleaning means based on an output of the obstacle detection means so as to clean, while moving the main body, the area in which the main body moves;

a dust sensor to detect dust collected by the cleaning means; and

a dust concentration decision means to decide degree of dust concentration in the area in which the main body moves based on an output of the dust sensor,

wherein the cleaning operation control means performs a basic cleaning operation to move the main body according to a predetermined movement procedure, and

wherein when an area exceeding a reference value in the degree of dust concentration is found using the dust concentration decision means, the cleaning operation control means performs a local cleaning operation to move the main body locally in the area exceeding the reference value in the degree of dust concentration after the cleaning operation control means moves the main body in accordance with the basic cleaning operation in the area exceeding the reference value in the degree of dust concentration.

2. The autonomous mobile robot cleaner according to claim 1,

wherein after the cleaning operation control means moves the main body in accordance with the basic cleaning operation in the area exceeding the reference value in the degree of dust concentration, the cleaning operation control means temporarily stops the basic cleaning operation, performs the local cleaning operation, and resumes the basic cleaning operation, after the local cleaning operation, subsequently from where the cleaning operation control means temporarily stops the basic cleaning operation.

3. The autonomous mobile robot cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising a memory means to store information needed to control the movement of the main body,

wherein the cleaning operation control means performs a basic cleaning operation to move the main body according to a predetermined movement procedure,

wherein when it is decided using the dust concentration decision means that the degree of dust concentration exceeds a reference value during the basic cleaning operation, the cleaning operation control means stores then position of the main body, at the time the degree of dust concentration exceeds the reference value, as a first position in the memory means,

wherein thereafter when it is decided using the dust concentration decision means that the degree of dust concentration becomes no larger than the reference value, the cleaning operation control means stores then position of the main body, at the time the degree of dust concentration becomes no larger than the reference value, as a second position in the memory means,

wherein thereafter the cleaning operation control means temporarily stops the basic cleaning operation, and performs a local cleaning operation to move the main body spirally from a mid-point between the first position and the second position in inside area of a circle with a center at the mid-point and a radius substantially half the distance between the first position and the second position so as to clean the inside area of the circle, and

wherein after the local cleaning operation, the cleaning operation control means resumes the basic cleaning operation subsequently from the second position.

4. The autonomous mobile robot cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising a human sensor for detecting an intruder, a camera for photographing the intruder, a camera illumination lamp, and a wireless communication module so as to have a security function of monitoring an intruder.