Pool Cleaner With Optical Out-Of-Water And Debris Detection
First Claim
1. A robotic pool cleaner configured to be submerged in water and to clean an immersed surface of a pool, the robotic pool cleaner comprising:
- an intake pathway, the intake pathway of the robotic pool cleaner being configured to receive water and debris as the robotic pool cleaner traverse the immersed surface of the pool;
a processing device;
an optical sensor operatively coupled to the processing device and positioned relative to the intake pathway,wherein the processing device is programmed to determine whether a detectable level of debris is flowing through the intake pathway of the robotic pool cleaner based on an output of the optical sensor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Example embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a robotic pool cleaner and a control system of a robotic pool cleaner having an optical sensor positioned relative to an intake pathway of the robotic cleaner to monitor a flow of material through the intake pathway. An output of an optical sensor of the robotic pool cleaner can be monitored by the control system of the robotic pool cleaner to determine whether a detectable level of debris is flowing through the intake pathway. The robotic pool cleaner can perform one or more operations in response to a determination that a detectable level of debris is flowing through the intake pathway based on the output of the optical sensor.
29 Citations
66 Claims
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1. A robotic pool cleaner configured to be submerged in water and to clean an immersed surface of a pool, the robotic pool cleaner comprising:
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an intake pathway, the intake pathway of the robotic pool cleaner being configured to receive water and debris as the robotic pool cleaner traverse the immersed surface of the pool; a processing device; an optical sensor operatively coupled to the processing device and positioned relative to the intake pathway, wherein the processing device is programmed to determine whether a detectable level of debris is flowing through the intake pathway of the robotic pool cleaner based on an output of the optical sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 46)
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29. A system for controlling a robotic pool cleaner configured to be submerged in water and to clean an immersed surface of a pool, the system comprising:
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an optical sensor disposed relative to an intake pathway of the robotic pool cleaner, the intake pathway being configured to receive water and debris as the robotic pool cleaner traverses the immersed surface of the pool; a non-transitory computer-readable medium including firmware; and a processing device programmed to execute the firmware to determine whether a detectable level of debris is flowing through the intake pathway of the robotic pool cleaner based on the output of the optical sensor. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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47. A method of detecting debris flowing through an intake pathway of a robotic pool cleaner, the intake pathway being configured to receive water and debris as the robotic pool cleaner traverses an immersed surface of a pool, the method comprising:
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de-energizing a light emitter disposed proximate to the intake pathway of the robotic pool cleaner during a first measurement cycle; measuring an intensity of ambient light that is propagating through the water and is incident upon a light detector disposed proximate to the intake pathway during the first measurement cycle to generate a first output; energizing the light emitter during a second measurement cycle; measuring an intensity of ambient light and light output by the light emitter propagating through the water and is incident upon a light detector during the second measurement cycle to generate a second output; subtracting the first output from the second output to generate a differential mode output that reduces an impact of the ambient light propagating through the water in a common mode output; and determining whether a detectable level of debris is flowing through the intake pathway based on the differential mode output. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A method of controlling an operation of a robotic pool cleaner configured to be submerged in a pool, the robotic pool cleaner including an intake pathway configured to receive water and debris proximate to an immersed surface of a pool, the method comprising:
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monitoring an output of an optical sensor of the robotic pool cleaner as the robotic pool cleaner traverses the immersed surface of the pool, the optical sensor being positioned relative to the intake pathway of the robotic pool cleaner to monitor material flowing through the intake pathway; determining whether a detectable level of debris is flowing through the intake pathway of the robotic pool cleaner in response to the output of the optical sensor; and performing one or more operations in response determining whether the detectable level of debris is flowing through the intake pathway. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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Specification