Robot cleaner and method for controlling the same
First Claim
1. A robot cleaner to divide an area to be cleaned into a plurality, of sub-areas, adjacent sub-areas having a boundary, formed there between, each boundary having at least one connection point located thereon, and to perform cleaning per a unit area, wherein the unit area is one of the plurality of sub-areas, the robot cleaner comprising:
- a driving unit to drive at least one wheel to move the robot cleaner;
a storage unit to store connection points between a plurality of the sub-areas one and at least one travel path within a plurality of the sub-areas respectively, wherein the at least one travel path is generated by connecting the respective connection points; and
a control unit to control the driving unit so as to move the robot cleaner along a full path from a current position to a target sub-area, wherein the control unit is configured to;
divide the area into the plurality of the sub-areas calculate the full path based on a first path from the current position to one of the connection points of the sub area to which the current position belongs and a second path connecting the at least one travel path, wherein the full path is formed by adding the first path to the second path.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are a robot cleaner and a method for controlling the same. The robot cleaner and method of the present invention involve dividing the whole area to be cleaned into sub-areas, and easily calculating a full path using travel paths in the sub-areas and connection points between sub-areas, and in the event the whole area to be cleaned is extended or an area which has not been cleaned is found, do not involve regenerating the whole map for cleaning, but rather easily updating the full path using the pre-stored travel path in the sub-areas and the connection points between sub-areas.
11 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A robot cleaner to divide an area to be cleaned into a plurality, of sub-areas, adjacent sub-areas having a boundary, formed there between, each boundary having at least one connection point located thereon, and to perform cleaning per a unit area, wherein the unit area is one of the plurality of sub-areas, the robot cleaner comprising:
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a driving unit to drive at least one wheel to move the robot cleaner; a storage unit to store connection points between a plurality of the sub-areas one and at least one travel path within a plurality of the sub-areas respectively, wherein the at least one travel path is generated by connecting the respective connection points; and a control unit to control the driving unit so as to move the robot cleaner along a full path from a current position to a target sub-area, wherein the control unit is configured to; divide the area into the plurality of the sub-areas calculate the full path based on a first path from the current position to one of the connection points of the sub area to which the current position belongs and a second path connecting the at least one travel path, wherein the full path is formed by adding the first path to the second path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for controlling a robot cleaner to divide an area to be cleaned into a plurality, of sub-areas, adjacent sub-areas having a boundary, formed there between, each boundary having at least one connection point located thereon, and to perform cleaning per a unit area, wherein the unit area is one of the plurality of sub-areas, the method comprising:
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searching for the area to be cleaned; dividing the area to be cleaned into a plurality of the sub-areas; generating the connection points; generating at least one travel path within a plurality of the sub-areas respectively, wherein the at least one travel path is generated by connecting the respective connection points; storing sub-area information including at least one of the connection points and at least one travel paths; calculating a full path based on a first path from a current position to one of the at least one connection points of the sub-area to which the current position belongs and a second path connecting the at least one travel path, wherein the full path is formed by adding the first path to the second path; and controlling a driving unit to drive at least one wheel to move the robot cleaner along the full path from the current position to a target sub-area. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification