Method for controlling cleaning device

• US 8,223,029 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2009
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Chung, Yu-Liang, Liu, Chun-Hsien, Wang, Chun-Chieh, Wang, Chun-Sheng, Chen, Long-Der, Meng-Chun, Chen
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Terrell, Emily C
• Application Number:
  US12/649,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20110115638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/635
• 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 9/2815 using optical detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2842 Suction motors or blowers

Abstract

A method for controlling a cleaning device is presented, which includes the following steps. A cleaning device includes a control unit, a fan module, an optical emitter, and an optical sensor. The optical emitter and the optical sensor are located in an air inlet of the fan module. The control unit is preset with a first impedance value (Z1), a second impedance value (Z2), and a threshold, where 0<Z1<Z2. Then, the control unit reads an impedance value (Z) of the fan module. If Z1<Z<Z2, the control unit drives the fan module. If Z2<Z, the control unit reads a detected value of the optical sensor. If the detected value exceeds the threshold, the control unit drives the fan module, so as to increase a suction force of the fan module. If the detected value is smaller than the threshold, the control unit turns off the fan module.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a cleaning device, comprising:

providing a cleaning device which comprises a control unit, a fan module, an optical emitter and an optical sensor, wherein the fan module and the optical sensor are respectively electrically connected to the control unit, the optical emitter and the optical sensor are located in an air inlet of the fan module, the optical sensor receives a light ray emitted by the optical emitter and detects an intensity of the received light ray, and the control unit is preset with a first impedance value (Z1), a second impedance value (Z2) and a threshold, where 0<

Z1<

Z2; and

reading an impedance value (Z) of the fan module by the control unit and comparing the impedance value with the first impedance value and the second impedance value, wherein

if Z1<

Z<

Z2, the control unit drives the fan module to generate a first pressure difference; and

if Z2<

Z, the control unit reads the intensity of the received light ray detected by the optical sensor, where the control unit drives the fan module to generate a second pressure difference greater than the first pressure difference if the light ray intensity exceeds the threshold, and the control unit turns off the fan module if the light ray intensity is smaller than the threshold.

2. The method for controlling the cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein if Z<

Z1, the control unit turns off the fan module.

3. The method for controlling the cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the fan module comprises a current detection device, a motor and a fan, the fan is connected to the motor, the current detection device is electrically connected to the motor and the control unit, and the step of reading the impedance value (Z) of the fan module by the control unit further comprises:

detecting a current value of the motor by the current detection device and transmitting the current value to the control unit; and

converting the current value to the impedance value of the motor by the control unit.

4. A method for controlling a cleaning device, comprising:

providing a cleaning device which comprises a control unit, a fan module, an optical emitter and an optical sensor, wherein the fan module and the optical sensor are respectively electrically connected to the control unit, the optical emitter and the optical sensor are located in an air inlet of the fan module, the optical sensor receives a light ray emitted by the optical emitter and detects an intensity of the received light ray, and the control unit is preset with a first impedance value (Z1), a second impedance value (Z2), a third impedance value (Z3) and a threshold, where 0<

Z1<

Z2<

Z3; and

reading an impedance value (Z) of the fan module by the control unit and comparing the impedance value with the first impedance value, the second impedance value and the third impedance value, wherein if Z1<

Z<

Z2, the control unit drives the fan module to generate a first pressure difference;

if Z2<

Z<

Z3, the control unit reads the intensity of the received light ray detected by the optical sensor, where the control unit drives the fan module to generate a second pressure difference greater than the first pressure difference if the light ray intensity exceeds the threshold, and the control unit turns off the fan module if the light ray intensity is smaller than the threshold; and

if Z3<

Z, the control unit turns off the fan module.

5. The method for controlling the cleaning device according to claim 4, wherein the control unit is preset with a fourth impedance value (Z4), where 0<

Z4<

Z1<

Z2<

Z3, and the method further comprises;

turning off the fan module by the control unit if Z<

Z4.

6. The method for controlling the cleaning device according to claim 5, further comprising:

emitting a warning signal by the control unit if Z4<

Z<

Z1.

7. The method for controlling the cleaning device according to claim 6, wherein the warning signal is a sound or another light ray.

8. The method for controlling the cleaning device according to claim 4, wherein the fan module comprises a current detection device, a motor and a fan, the fan is connected to the motor, the current detection device is electrically connected to the motor and the control unit, and the step of reading the impedance value (Z) of the fan module by the control unit further comprises:

detecting a current value of the motor by the current detection device and transmitting the current value to the control unit; and

converting the current value to the impedance value of the motor by the control unit.