Self-propelled cleaner

• US 20050273226A1
• Filed: 04/14/2005
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Tani, Takao
• Application Number:
  US11/106,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20050273226A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• 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 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• 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 1/0268 using internal positioning means

Abstract

With the conventional arts, a self-propelled cleaner can travel along a predetermined travel route but cannot guide and/or inform the occupant for evacuation. The present invention allows a self-propelled cleaner to generate geographical information while traveling in the room, using the detection results of passive sensors for AF and the like, and when a fire is detected by a smoke sensor and/or a temperature sensor, travel to a predetermined guided occupant calling position with the highest priority, shout a guidance messages there, and guide the occupant to a evacuation gate along an evacuation route. It is possible to set a plurality of guided occupant calling positions with priority assigned to each position, and move the self-propelled cleaner to the next guided occupant calling position if there is no response at the first guided occupant calling position.

Claims

1. A self-propelled cleaner having a body equipped with a cleaning mechanism and a drive mechanism having a plurality of drive wheels disposed at the left and right sides of said body and capable of being controlled to rotate individually so as to enable steering and driving said cleaner, said cleaner comprising:

a mapping processor that obtains and stores in memory geographical information on a room to be cleaned while said cleaner is traveling in the room for cleaning and also obtains positional information from a marker installed at a predetermined location in the room and outputting predetermined positional information, and then adds said positional information to said geographical information;

a fire detector capable of detecting a fire in said room;

a guidance processor that allows setting a plurality of guided occupant calling positions with priority assigned, pinpointing the location of a fire, when said fire detector detected a fire, by consulting the geographical information stored in said mapping processor, and outputting a travel route from said guided occupant calling position to the evacuation gate, circumventing said location of the fire;

a communicator that provides the occupant with the information about guidance as an alarm;

an occupant reaction detector that acquires an reaction of the occupant; and

a guide travel control processor that, when said fire detector detected a fire, moves the self-propelled cleaner to said guided occupant calling position and causes said communicator to inform the occupant of the fire, and at the same time moves the self-propelled cleaner from said guided occupant calling position to the evacuation gate along the travel route obtained from said guidance processor, wherein if no reaction is available from said occupant reaction detector at said guided occupant calling position, the self-propelled cleaner travels to the next guided occupant calling position and informs the occupant of the fire.

2. A self-propelled cleaner having a body equipped with a cleaning mechanism and a drive mechanism capable of steering and driving said cleaner, said cleaner further comprising:

a mapping processor that stores in memory geographical information on a room to be cleaned;

a guidance processor that allows setting of a guided occupant calling position and an evacuation gate in said geographical information, and outputting a travel route between said guided occupant calling position and said evacuation gate;

a fire detector capable of detecting a fire in said room;

a communicator that informs the occupant of guidance information as an alarm; and

a guide travel control processor that, when said fire detector detected a fire, moves the self-propelled cleaner from the guided occupant calling position to the evacuation gate along a route obtained from said guidance processor, while causing said communicator to inform the occupant of the fire.

3. A self-propelled cleaner of claim 2, wherein

said mapping processor obtains positional information from a marker, which is installed at a predetermined location and outputs said predetermined positional information, and adds that information to said geographical information.

4. A self-propelled cleaner of claim 2 further comprising an occupant reaction detector, wherein said guide travel control processor does not start a guidance until a reaction the occupant is available from said occupant reaction detector.

5. A self-propelled cleaner of claim 4 further comprising a camera device to take surrounding images and a wireless transmitter to transmit image data to the outside wirelessly, wherein said guide travel control processor takes surrounding images and transmits the image data wirelessly to the outside via said wireless transmitter, if no reaction is available from said occupant reaction detector.

6. A self-propelled cleaner of claim 4, wherein the self-propelled cleaner moves to said evacuation gate if no reaction is available from said occupant reaction detector, and causes said communicator to inform the occupant of the location of the evacuation gate at said evacuation gate.

7. A self-propelled cleaner of claim 4, wherein said guidance processor stores a plurality of said guided occupant calling positions with priority assigned, and said guide travel control processor moves the self-propelled cleaner to the next guided occupant calling position to inform the occupant of the fire, if no reaction is available from said occupant reaction detector.

8. A self-propelled cleaner of claim 2, wherein said guidance processor can pinpoint the location of a fire, when said fire detector detected the fire, by consulting the geographical information stored in said mapping processor, and output a travel route from the guided occupant calling position to the evacuation gate, circumventing said location of the fire.