Robot cleaner and control method thereof

• US 9,226,635 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2013
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Shin, Song, Jeong Gon, Lee, Ju Sang, Hong, Jun Pyo
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Calvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHNEIDER, PAULA LYNN
• Application Number:
  US14/049,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20140100736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 701/26
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface

Abstract

A control method of a robot cleaner for traveling to clean includes checking information about a predetermined traveling pattern; determining a traveling trajectory based on a traveling speed; generating a traveling pattern based on the determined traveling trajectory and the information about the predetermined traveling pattern, wherein the traveling pattern includes a first straight path, a first rotation path connected to the first straight path and for rotation in a first direction, a second straight path connected to the first rotation path, and a second rotation path connected to the second straight path and for rotation in a second direction; and repeatedly traveling along the generated traveling pattern at regular intervals. Therefore, since the robot cleaner performs cleaning without scattering dust, the efficiency of cleaning may be improved.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner comprising:

a main body;

a traveling unit moving the main body; and

a controller controlling the traveling unit such that the robot cleaner travels from a first straight path to a first rotation path having a first rotation direction, from the first rotation path to a second straight path intersecting the first straight path, from the second straight path to a second rotation path having a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction of the first rotation path, and from the second rotation path to a third straight path intersecting the second straight path.

2. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the traveling unit such that the robot cleaner repeatedly travels along a traveling pattern in which the first straight path, the first rotation path, the second straight path, and the second rotation path are sequentially connected to each other.

3. The robot cleaner according to claim 2, further comprising:

an input unit receiving a selection of a cleaning mode among a plurality of cleaning modes; and

a storage unit storing size information about a plurality of traveling patterns respectively corresponding to the plurality of cleaning modes,

wherein the controller checks size information about a traveling pattern corresponding to the selected cleaning mode, generates the traveling pattern based on the size information about the traveling pattern, and controls driving of the traveling unit based on the generated traveling pattern.

4. The robot cleaner according to claim 3, wherein the size information about the traveling pattern includes a pattern length of the traveling pattern, and a pitch length between a plurality of pitch points of neighboring traveling patterns.

5. The robot cleaner according to claim 2, further comprising an obstacle detector detecting an obstacle, wherein the controller determines a distance to the obstacle based on an obstacle detection signal, and regenerates a traveling pattern based on the determined distance to the obstacle.

6. The robot cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the controller measures a traveling distance when the robot cleaner repeatedly travels along the traveling pattern, compares the measured traveling distance to a first distance, and controls the traveling unit to reverse the robot cleaner by a second distance when the measured traveling distance is greater than the first distance.

7. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising:

a brush unit; and

a torque detector detecting a torque applied to the brush unit,

wherein the controller controls the traveling unit to reverse the robot cleaner by a predetermined distance when the detected torque is greater than a predetermined reference value.

8. The robot cleaner according to claim 7, further comprising:

a main brush installed in the brush unit; and

a blade positioned at a predetermined angle with respect to a rotating shaft of the main brush.

9. A robot cleaner comprising:

a main body;

a traveling unit moving the main body; and

a controller controlling the traveling unit such that the robot cleaner travels along a traveling pattern including a first straight path extending in a first direction, and a second straight path extending from an end point of the first straight path in a second direction making a first angle with the first straight path, the first angle being greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees.

10. The robot cleaner according to claim 9, wherein neighboring traveling patterns make the first angle with each other.

11. The robot cleaner according to claim 10, wherein the controller controls the traveling unit such that the robot cleaner repeatedly travels along the traveling pattern, in such a manner to rotate the traveling unit to a second angle at a point at which a first traveling has been completed to move the robot cleaner along a straight line by a predetermined distance in an opposite direction, and then to perform a second traveling along the traveling pattern.

12. The robot cleaner according to claim 9, further comprising:

an input unit receiving a selection of a cleaning mode among a plurality of cleaning modes; and

a storage unit storing size information about a plurality of traveling patterns respectively corresponding to the plurality of cleaning modes,

wherein the controller checks the size information about a traveling pattern corresponding to the selected cleaning mode, generates a traveling pattern based on the size information about the traveling pattern, and controls driving of the traveling unit based on the generated traveling pattern.

13. The robot cleaner according to claim 12, wherein the size information about the traveling pattern includes a pattern length of the traveling pattern, and a pitch length between pitch points of neighboring traveling patterns.

14. The robot cleaner according to claim 9, further comprising an obstacle detector detecting an obstacle, wherein the controller determines a distance to the obstacle based on an obstacle detection signal, and regenerates a traveling pattern based on the determined distance to the obstacle.

15. The robot cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the controller measures a traveling distance when the robot cleaner repeatedly travels along the traveling pattern, compares the measured traveling distance to a first distance, and controls the traveling unit to reverse the robot cleaner by a second distance when the measured traveling distance is greater than the first distance.

16. The robot cleaner according to claim 9, further comprising:

a brush unit; and

a torque detector detecting a torque applied to the brush,

wherein the controller controls the traveling unit to reverse the robot cleaner by a predetermined distance when the detected torque is greater than a predetermined reference value.

17. A robot cleaner comprising:

a main body;

a traveling unit moving the main body; and

a controller controlling the traveling unit such that the robot cleaner repeatedly travels along “

Figure 8”

-shaped traveling patterns successively arranged at regular intervals.

18. A control method of a robot cleaner, comprising:

checking information about a predetermined traveling pattern;

determining a traveling trajectory based on a traveling speed;

generating a traveling pattern based on the determined traveling trajectory and the information about the predetermined traveling pattern, wherein the traveling pattern includes a first straight path, a first rotation path having a first rotation direction and connected to the first straight path, a second straight path connected to the first rotation path and intersecting the first straight path, a second rotation path connected to the second straight path and having a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction, and a third straight path connected to the second rotation path and intersecting the second straight path; and

controlling the robot cleaner to travel along the generated traveling pattern.

19. The control method according to claim 18, wherein the traveling along the generated traveling pattern comprises repeatedly traveling along a traveling pattern in which the first straight path, the first rotation path, the second straight path, and the second rotation path are sequentially connected to each other.

20. The control method according to claim 19, further comprising:

detecting an obstacle; and

determining a distance to the obstacle, and regenerating a traveling pattern based on the determined distance to the obstacle.

21. The control method according to claim 20, wherein the regenerating of the traveling pattern comprises generating a rotation path before a collision with the obstacle.

22. The control method according to claim 18, wherein the generating of the traveling pattern further comprises:

checking a cleaning mode selected through an input unit;

checking size information about a traveling pattern corresponding to the selected cleaning mode; and

generating the traveling pattern based on the size information about the traveling pattern.

23. The control method according to claim 18, further comprising:

measuring a traveling distance;

comparing the traveling distance to a first distance; and

reversing the robot cleaner by a second distance when the measured traveling distance is greater than the first distance.

24. The control method according to claim 18, further comprising:

detecting a torque applied to a brush unit; and

reversing the robot cleaner by a predetermined distance when the detected torque is greater than a predetermined reference value.

25. A control method of a robot cleaner, comprising:

checking information about a predetermined traveling pattern;

determining a traveling trajectory based on a traveling speed;

generating a traveling pattern based on the determined traveling trajectory and the information about the predetermined traveling pattern, wherein the traveling pattern includes a first straight path extending in a first direction and a second straight path extending from an end point of the first straight path in a second direction making a first angle with the first straight path, the first angle being greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees; and

repeatedly traveling along the generated traveling pattern at regular intervals while maintaining the first angle between two traveling patterns.

26. The control method according to claim 25, further comprising:

performing first traveling of repeatedly traveling along the traveling pattern;

rotating the robot cleaner to a second angle at a point at which the first traveling has been completed, and moving the robot cleaner along a straight line by a predetermined distance in an opposite direction of the traveling direction; and

performing second traveling of traveling about a cell along the traveling pattern, starting from a point at which the moving along a straight line has been completed.

27. The control method according to claim 25, wherein the generating of the traveling pattern further comprises:

checking a cleaning mode selected through an input unit; and

adjusting at least one of a pattern length and a pitch length based on pattern information corresponding to the selected cleaning mode.

28. The control method according to claim 25, wherein the generating of the traveling pattern further comprises:

detecting an obstacle; and

determining a distance to the obstacle to adjust a pattern length of the traveling pattern.

29. A control method of a robot cleaner, comprising:

generating a traveling pattern, wherein the traveling pattern includes a first straight path, a first rotation path having a first rotation direction and connected to the first straight path, a second straight path connected to the first rotation path and intersecting the first straight path, a second rotation path connected to the second straight path and having a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction, and a third straight path connected to the second rotation path and intersecting the second straight path; and

controlling the robot cleaner to travel along the generated traveling pattern.

30. The control method according to claim 29, further comprising:

detecting an obstacle; and

determining a distance to the obstacle, and regenerating a traveling pattern based on the determined distance to the obstacle.

31. The control method according to claim 29, wherein the generating of the traveling pattern further comprises:

checking a cleaning mode selected through an input unit;

checking size information about a traveling pattern corresponding to the selected cleaning mode; and

generating the traveling pattern based on the size information about the traveling pattern.

32. The control method according to claim 29, further comprising:

measuring a traveling distance;

comparing the traveling distance to a first distance; and

reversing the robot cleaner by a second distance when the measured traveling distance is greater than the first distance.

33. The control method according to claim 29, further comprising:

detecting a torque applied to a brush unit; and

reversing the robot cleaner by a predetermined distance when the detected torque is greater than a predetermined reference value.