Control method for cleaning robots

• US 9,687,130 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2013
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2012
• 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, Teng, You-Wei, Leng, Yao-Shih
• Primary Examiner(s): Amin, Bhavesh V
• Application Number:
  US13/768,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20130218344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,593 Days
• 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 2201/00 Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention provides a control method of a cleaning robot. The method includes steps of moving the cleaning robot according to a first direction; keeping moving the cleaning robot according to the first direction when a light detector of the cleaning robot detects a light beam; moving the cleaning robot for a predetermined distance and then stopping the cleaning robot when the light detector does not detect the light beam; and moving the cleaning robot in a second direction.

Claims

1. A control method of a cleaning robot, executed by a controller embedded in the cleaning robot, comprising:

moving the cleaning robot according to a first direction before a light detector of the cleaning robot detects a light beam;

receiving a first trigger signal transmitted from the light detector and keeping moving the cleaning robot according to the first direction when the light detector of the cleaning robot detects the light beam;

receiving a second trigger signal transmitted from the light detector, moving the cleaning robot for a predetermined distance along the first direction to let the light detector of the cleaning robot pass through the light beam and then stopping the cleaning robot when the light detector does not detect the light beam; and

moving the cleaning robot in a second direction to leave a restricted area labeled by the light beam, wherein when the cleaning robot moves in the second direction and the light detector detects the light beam, the light detector transmits a third trigger signal to the controller, and when the light detector does not detect the light beam, the light detector transmits a fourth trigger signal to the controller, and the controller determines whether the cleaning robot has left the restricted area according to the third trigger signal and the fourth trigger signal.

2. The control method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the light beam is output by a light generating device; and

moving the cleaning robot in the first direction when the light beam is not output by the light generating device.

3. The control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second direction is an opposite direction of the first direction.

4. The control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance is determined according to a moving speed and a breaking time of the cleaning robot.

5. A cleaning robot, comprising:

a controller to control the cleaning robot to move in a first direction; and

a light detector coupled to the controller to detect a light beam, wherein when detecting the light beam output by a light generating device, the light detector transmits a first trigger signal to the controller, and the controller controls the cleaning robot to keep moving along the first direction until the light detector of the cleaning robot passes through the light beam, when the light detector does not detect the light beam, the light detector transmits a second trigger signal to the controller, and the controller controls the cleaning robot to stop after moving a distance and leaves a restricted area labeled by the light beam in a second direction,

wherein before the light detector detects the light beam, the controller controls the cleaning robot to move in the first direction, and

wherein when the cleaning robot moves in the second direction and the light detector detects the light beam, the light detector transmits a third trigger signal to the controller, and when the light detector does not detect the light beam, the light detector transmits a fourth trigger signal to the controller, and the controller determines whether the cleaning robot has left the restricted area according to the third trigger signal and the fourth trigger signal.

6. The cleaning robot as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second direction is an opposite direction of the first direction.

7. The cleaning robot as claimed in claim 5, wherein the distance is determined according to a moving speed and a breaking time of the cleaning robot.

8. The cleaning robot as claimed in claim 5, wherein the light detector is a non-omnidirectional light detector.

9. The cleaning robot as claimed in claim 5, wherein when the cleaning robot leaves the restricted area, the cleaning robot moves to the light generating device along the light beam.

10. A control method of a cleaning robot, which comprises a controller and a light detector, the method comprising:

moving the cleaning robot according to a first direction before the light detector of the cleaning robot detects a light beam;

providing a first trigger signal to the controller and keeping moving the cleaning robot according to the first direction when the light detector of the cleaning robot detects the light beam;

providing a second trigger signal to the controller, moving the cleaning robot for a predetermined distance to let the light detector of the cleaning robot passing through the light beam to leave a restricted area labeled by the light beam and then stopping the cleaning robot when the light detector does not detect the light beam, wherein a first square wave signal is generated when the cleaning robot is stopped;

moving the cleaning robot in a second direction to enter an un-cleaned area;

when the cleaning robot moves in the second direction and the light detector detects the light beam, the light detector transmits a third trigger signal to the controller and the controller controls the cleaning robot to keep moving along the second direction; and

when the light detector fails to detect the light beam during a moving along the second direction, the light detector transmits a fourth trigger signal to the controller and a second square wave signal is generated to inform the controller that the cleaning robot has left the restricted area.