Cleaning robot and control method thereof

• US 8,788,133 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2012
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MSI Computer Company Limited (Micro-Star International Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: MSI Computer Company Limited (Micro-Star International Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hung, Shih-Che, Leng, Yao-Shih
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US13/727,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20130231819A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/25, 701/256, 701/300, 134/1.2, 134/1.3, 134/25.4, 134/10.2, 134/61, 134/66, 134/95.2, 134/102.2, 134/902, 134/18, 134/21, 451/5, 451/8, 451/41, 451/67, 451/285, 451/287, 451/288, 451/339, 451/340.1, 700/245, 700/246, 700/249, 700/250, 700/256, 700/259, 414/217, 414/805, 414/935, 414/936, 414/937, 414/938, 414/939, 318/568.1, 318/568.12, 318/581, 318/587, 204/298.25, 204/298.35, 348/618, 348/689, 348/906, 156/345.34, 156/357.51, 156/345.32, 294/50, 295/57, 153/19, 153/83, 901/1, 901/46, 901/47, 118/715, 118/719, 239/708
• US Class Current: 701/23
• 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 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A cleaning robot cleaning a specific region and including a movement module, a sound wave module, a cleaning module and a controlling module is provided. The movement module includes a plurality of wheels. The sound wave module emits a sound wave and receives a plurality of reflected waves. The cleaning module performs a cleaning function. The controlling module generates a contour according to the reflected waves and controls at least one of the movement module and the cleaning module according to the contour.

Claims

1. A cleaning robot cleaning a specific region, comprising:

a movement module comprising a plurality of wheels;

a sonar module emitting a sonar and receiving a plurality of reflected waves;

a cleaning module performing a cleaning function; and

a controlling module generating a contour according to the reflected waves and controlling at least one of the movement module and the cleaning module according to the contour.

2. The cleaning robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sonar module comprises:

an acoustic wave emitter emitting the sonar; and

an acoustic wave receiver receiving the reflected waves.

3. The cleaning robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reflected waves are generated from at least one object.

4. The cleaning robot as claimed in claim 3, wherein the controlling module determines a physical characteristic between the cleaning robot and the object according to the contour and controls at least one of the movement module and the cleaning module according to the physical characteristic.

5. The cleaning robot as claimed in claim 3, wherein the controlling module determines a kind of the object according to the contour and controls at least one of the movement module and the cleaning module according to the kind of the object.

6. The cleaning robot as claimed in claim 3, wherein the controlling module determines a material of the specific region according to the contour and controls at least one of the movement module and the cleaning module according to the material of the specific region.

7. The cleaning robot as claimed in claim 3, wherein the controlling module determines raised areas and recessed areas of the specific region according to the contour and controls at least one of the movement module and the cleaning module according to the raised areas and the recessed areas of the specific region.

8. The cleaning robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controlling module controls at least one of the movement module and the cleaning module according to a slope of the contour or a curvature of the contour.

9. The cleaning robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controlling module controls at least of one of the speed of the wheels and turning direction of the wheels according to the contour.

10. The cleaning robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controlling module controls a cleaning function of the cleaning module according to the contour.

11. The cleaning robot as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a audio sound and light module providing at least one of a sound effect and a light effect, wherein the controlling module controls the audio sound and light module to adjust at least one of the sound effect and the light effect according to the contour.

12. The cleaning robot as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a detection module detecting an environment to generate a detection result, wherein the controlling module activates the detection module according to the contour and controls at least one of the movement module, the cleaning module and the audio sound and light module according to the detection result.

13. The control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein after the controlling module generates the contour, the cleaning robot utilizes optic signals or magnetic signals to communicate with an object, and the object is one of a docking station, a remote control, a virtual wall, a person or an apparatus.

14. A control method for a cleaning robot cleaning a specific region, comprising:

controlling the cleaning robot to move;

emitting a sonar;

receiving a plurality of reflected waves;

generating a contour according to the reflected waves; and

controlling at least one of a traveling path and a cleaning function of the cleaning robot according to the contour.

15. The control method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the reflected waves are generated by at least one object.

16. The control method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

according to the contour, determining a physical characteristic between the cleaning robot and the object, wherein the at least one of the movement module and the cleaning module is controlled according to the physical characteristic.

17. The control method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

according to the contour, determining a kind of the object, wherein the at least one of the movement module and the cleaning module is controlled according to the kind of the object.

18. The control method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

according to the contour, determining a material of the specific region, wherein the at least one of the movement module and the cleaning module is controlled according to the material of the specific region.

19. The control method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

according to the contour, determining raised areas and recessed areas of the specific region, wherein the at least one of the movement module and the cleaning module is controlled according to the raised areas and the recessed areas of the specific region.

20. The control method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the controlling module controls at least one of the movement module and the cleaning module according to a slope of the contour or a curvature of the contour.