CONCURRENT OPERATION OF MULTIPLE ROBOTIC POOL CLEANERS

• US 20180044936A1
• Filed: 08/10/2016
• Published: 02/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aquatron Robotic Technology Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Aquatron Robotic Technology Ltd.
• Inventors: TOREM, Ben-Zion, ATTAR, Benjamin, SCHLOSS, Shahar
• Granted Patent: US 10,167,650 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1654 Self-propelled cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 using a RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0291 Fleet control monitoring fleets in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/127, G08G1/127

Abstract

A robotic pool cleaner includes a housing, a propulsion mechanism configured to propel the robotic pool cleaner along an interior surface of a pool, and a suction mechanism for drawing liquid from the pool into the housing. A transceiver is configured to receive a signal that is indicative of a relative location of another robotic pool cleaner. A controller is configured to control the propulsion mechanism in accordance with the indicated location of the other robotic pool cleaner

Claims

1. A robotic pool cleaner comprising:

a housing;

a propulsion mechanism configured to propel the robotic pool cleaner along an interior surface of a pool;

a suction mechanism for drawing liquid from the pool into the housing;

a transceiver configured to receive a signal that is indicative of a relative location of another robotic pool cleaner; and

a controller that is configured to control the propulsion mechanism in accordance with the indicated location of the other robotic pool cleaner.

2. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit a signal that is receivable by a transceiver of the other robotic pool cleaner.

3. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 1, wherein the signal comprises a signal selected from a group of signal types consisting of optical, acoustic and electromagnetic.

4. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 1, wherein the transceiver comprises at least one wire loop antenna.

5. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 4, wherein said at least one wire loop antenna comprises two wire loop antennas on different sides of the robotic pool cleaner, and wherein each of the two wire loop antennas is configured to generate an electromagnetic field whose polarity is opposite the electromagnetic field that is generated by the other wire loop antenna.

6. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 1, wherein the signal comprises a pulsed signal.

7. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the propulsion mechanism to change a direction or speed of motion of that robotic pool cleaner when the received signal is indicative of proximity of the other robotic pool cleaner.

8. A robotic pool cleaner comprising:

a housing;

a propulsion mechanism configured to propel the robotic pool cleaner along an interior surface of a pool;

a suction mechanism for drawing liquid from the pool into the housing;

an antenna configured to receive a signal when raised to a waterline of the pool; and

a controller configured to;

control the propulsion mechanism to move the robotic pool cleaner to the waterline such that the antenna is at the waterline;

receive via the antenna a signal that is indicative of a position of the robotic pool cleaner;

control the propulsion mechanism to cause the robotic pool cleaner to remain at the waterline until reception of the signal is complete; and

control the propulsion mechanism to cause the robotic pool cleaner to re-submerge.

9. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 8, wherein the signal comprises a navigation signal.

10. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 9, wherein the navigation signal is generated by a satellite navigation system.

11. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to operate the control the propulsion mechanism to cause that robotic pool cleaner to remain at the waterline until a position of the robotic pool cleaner is identified.

12. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to control the propulsion mechanism to propel the robotic pool cleaner in accordance with a proximity of another robotic pool cleaner that is indicated by the signal.

13. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 12, wherein the signal is a signal that is transmitted by the other robotic pool cleaner.

14. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to transmit via the antenna a signal that is receivable by the other robotic pool cleaner.

15. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 8, wherein the antenna is located in a handle of the robotic pool cleaner.

16. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 8, wherein the robotic pool cleaner is configured to operate in a predefined region of the pool, the predefined region being delimited by a region boundary, and wherein the controller is configured to control the propulsion mechanism to propel the robotic pool cleaner in accordance with a proximity of the robotic pool cleaner to the region boundary.

17. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to alter a direction or speed of motion of the robotic pool cleaner in accordance with the indicated position.

19. A system for cleaning a pool, the system comprising a plurality of robotic pool cleaners, each robotic pool cleaner of said plurality of robotic pool cleaners comprising:

a housing;

a propulsion mechanism configured to propel said each robotic pool cleaner along an interior surface of a pool;

a suction mechanism for drawing liquid from the pool into the housing;

a transceiver configured to receive a signal that is indicative of a relative location of another robotic pool cleaner of said plurality of robotic pool cleaners; and

a controller that is configured to control the propulsion mechanism in accordance with the indicated location of said another robotic pool cleaner.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the transceiver of each robotic pool cleaner is further configured to receive a signal that is transmitted by a beacon and that is indicative of a relative location of the beacon.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the controller is further configured to control the propulsion mechanism in accordance with the indicated location of the beacon.

22. A method for automatically controlling operation of a robotic pool cleaner, the robotic pool cleaner including a housing and a suction mechanism for drawing liquid from a pool into the housing, the method comprising:

controlling, by a controller, operation of a propulsion mechanism of the robotic pool cleaner to move the robotic pool cleaner along an internal surface of the pool to a waterline of the pool so that an antenna of the robotic pool cleaner is raised to the waterline;

when the antenna is at the waterline, receiving via the antenna a signal that is indicative of a position of the robotic pool cleaner;

controlling the propulsion mechanism to cause the robotic pool cleaner to remain at the waterline until reception of the signal is complete; and

controlling the propulsion mechanism to cause the robotic pool cleaner to re-submerge.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein controlling the propulsion mechanism in accordance the indicated position comprises controlling the propulsion mechanism in accordance with an indicated proximity of another robotic pool cleaner or in accordance with an indicated proximity of boundary that bounds a predefined region in which the robotic pool cleaner is configured to operate.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein controlling the propulsion mechanism in accordance the indicated position comprises altering a direction or speed of motion of the robotic pool cleaner.