CLEANING ROBOT AND REMOTE CONTROLLER INCLUDED THEREIN

• US 20160274579A1
• Filed: 02/27/2015
• Published: 09/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Jin Hee, LEE, Won Min, JUNG, Gwang Jin, LEE, Byoung-In, JUNG, Hyun-Soo, SO, Jea Yun, CHOI, Sang Hwa, KIM, Shin, YOON, Sang Sik
• Granted Patent: US 10,025,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like
• 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 9/2852 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 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0033 by having the operator tracking the vehicle either by direct line of sight or via one or more cameras located remotely from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/2235 involving the operator tracking the vehicle by direct line of sight
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/2285 using voice or gesture commands
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/229 Command input data, e.g. waypoints
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/2295 defining restricted zones, e.g. no-flight zones or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/2297 positional data taught by the user, e.g. paths G05D1/2295 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/243 Means capturing signals occurring naturally from the environment, e.g. ambient optical, acoustic, gravitational or magnetic signals using passive navigation aids external to the vehicle G05D1/244; using signals from positioning sensors located off-board the vehicle G05D1/249
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/622 Obstacle avoidance predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision of road vehicles B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/686 Maintaining a relative position with respect to moving targets, e.g. following animals or humans for pointing payloads towards targets G05D1/689; involving controlling the position or course of two or more vehicles G05D1/69
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2105/10 for cleaning, vacuuming or polishing
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2107/40 Indoor domestic environment
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2109/10 : Land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2111/10 : Optical signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2111/14 : Non-visible signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2111/20 : Acoustic signals, e.g. ultrasonic signals

Abstract

A cleaning robot includes a navigator to move a main body, a remote controller to output a modulated infrared ray in accordance with a control command of a user and to form a light spot, a light receiver to receive the infrared ray from the remote controller, and a controller to control the navigator such that the main body tracks the light spot when the modulated infrared ray is received in accordance with the control command. Because the cleaning robot tracks a position indicated by the remote controller, a user may conveniently move the cleaning robot.

Claims

1. A cleaning robot comprising:

a main body;

a navigator configured to move the main body of the cleaning robot;

a light receiver configured to receive a modulated infrared ray output from a remote controller, the remote controller being configured to output, in accordance with a control command of a user, the modulated infrared ray and to output visible light to thereby form a light spot; and

a controller configured to control the navigator such that the main body tracks the light spot when the modulated infrared ray is received.

2. The cleaning robot according to claim 1, wherein the remote controller comprises:

a user interface configured to receive the control command; and

an optical transmitter configured to modulate the infrared ray in accordance with the received control command, the modulated infrared ray output by the remote controller.

3. The cleaning robot according to claim 2, wherein the optical transmitter comprises:

an infrared ray modulator configured to generate a modulation signal in accordance with the received control command,

an infrared ray transmitter configured to transmit the modulated infrared ray in accordance with the generated modulation signal; and

a visible light transmitter configured to transmit the visible light to form the light spot.

4. The cleaning robot according to claim 1, wherein the light receiver comprises:

a plurality of infrared ray receivers configured to receive the modulated infrared ray; and

an infrared ray demodulator configured to acquire the control command by demodulating the received modulated infrared ray.

5. The cleaning robot according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of infrared ray receivers comprise:

a first infrared ray receiver disposed in a front of the main body; and

at least two infrared ray receivers disposed along an outer edge of the main body.

6. The cleaning robot according to claim 5, wherein

at least one of the plurality of infrared ray receivers receives the modulated infrared ray, and

the controller determines a position of the light spot in accordance with the at least one of the infrared ray receiver that receives the modulated infrared ray among the plurality of infrared ray receivers.

7. The cleaning robot according to claim 6, wherein the controller moves the main body such that the first infrared ray receiver receives the modulated infrared ray.

8. The cleaning robot according to claim 7, wherein the controller rotates the main body such that the first infrared ray receiver receives the modulated infrared ray and moves the main body in a straight line toward the light spot.

9. The cleaning robot according to claim 7, wherein the controller moves the main body in a curve such that the first infrared ray receiver receives the modulated infrared ray.

10. The cleaning robot according to claim 1, wherein, when a drag command is received from the remote controller while moving along an automatic cleaning path, the controller controls the navigator such that the main body moves along a movement path of the light spot.

11. The cleaning robot according to claim 10, wherein, when the reception of the drag command stops, the controller stops the movement of the main body and controls the navigator such that the main body returns to the automatic cleaning path.

12. The cleaning robot according to claim 1, wherein, when a path save command is received, the controller controls the main body to move along a movement path of the light spot and stores a movement path of the main body.

13. The cleaning robot according to claim 12, wherein, when an automatic cleaning command is received, the controller controls the navigator such that the main body moves along the stored movement path of the main body.

14. The cleaning robot according to claim 12, wherein, when an intensive cleaning command is received, the controller controls the navigator such that the main body moves within the stored movement path of the main body.

15. The cleaning robot according to claim 12, wherein, when an entry forbiddance command is received, the controller controls the navigator such that the main body remains outside the stored movement path of the main body.

16. A cleaning robot comprising:

a plurality of signal receivers configured to receive at least one of an infrared signal and an ultrasonic signal output from a remote controller of the cleaning robot; and

a controller configured to calculate a distance from the remote controller to the cleaning robot and a direction of the remote controller relative to the cleaning robot using the received at least one of the infrared signal and the ultrasonic signal.

17. The cleaning robot according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of signal receivers comprise a plurality of light receivers configured to receive the infrared signal output from the remote controller, and a plurality of sonic wave receivers configured to receive the ultrasonic signal output from the remote controller.

18. The cleaning robot according to claim 16, wherein

the received at least one of the infrared signal and the ultrasonic signal includes the infrared signal and the ultrasonic signal, and

the controller calculates the distance from the remote controller to the cleaning robot based on a difference between a time at which the infrared signal is received and a time at which the ultrasonic signal is received.

19. The cleaning robot according to claim 16, wherein:

the received at least one of the infrared signal and the ultrasonic signal includes the infrared signal, and

the infrared signal includes a plurality of infrared signals having different characteristics corresponding to different predetermined distances, respectively; and

the controller calculates the distance from the remote controller to the cleaning robot based on the characteristics of the received infrared signals.

20. The cleaning robot according to claim 16, wherein

the received at least one of the infrared signal and the ultrasonic signal includes the infrared signal and the ultrasonic signal, and

the ultrasonic signal includes a plurality of ultrasonic signals, and

the controller calculates the direction of the remote controller relative to the cleaning robot in accordance with at least one of an intensity of each of the plurality of ultrasonic signals, a reception time of each of the plurality of ultrasonic signals, and a position of a signal receiver among the plurality of signal receivers that has received the infrared signal.

21-56. -56. (canceled)