Robot cleaner and control method thereof

• US 9,844,876 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2015
• Issued: 12/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Chung, Woo Ram, Joo, Jae Man, Kim, Dong Won, Lee, Jun Hwa, Hong, Jun Pyo, Jung, Jae Young, Yoo, Kyung Hwan, Jang, Hwi Chan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cass, Jean-Paul
• Application Number:
  US14/692,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20150224645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 700253
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/00 Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages B25J1/00 takes precedence; programme-controlled manipulators B25J9/00 ; vehicle aspects B60, B62, e.g. remote-controlled steering for motor vehicles B62D1/24; control of position of vehicles G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1664 characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a robot cleaner having an improved travel pattern and a control method thereof. The robot cleaner performs cleaning using zigzag travel as a basic cleaning traveling manner, and then performs cleaning using random travel as a finishing cleaning traveling manner so as to clean areas skipped during the zigzag travel. The robot cleaner performs the zigzag travel while maintaining a designated interval with a travel route proceeding to a wall regardless of a direction proceeding to the wall, and employs an improved zigzag travel method to maintain a zigzag travel pattern, if the robot cleaner senses an obstacle during the zigzag travel.

Claims

1. A control method for cleaning an area using a robot cleaner, the robot cleaner including a controller to perform the cleaning of the area, the control method comprising:

moving the robot cleaner in a first travel pattern, the first travel pattern includes;

a first travel path enabling the robot cleaner to proceed from one point in the area toward a designated wall;

a second travel path parallel to the first travel path enabling the robot cleaner to move a predetermined distance from the designated wall;

a third travel path enabling the robot cleaner to change a direction after one or more of the first travel path and the second travel path and then to travel until the robot cleaner is separated from the one or more of the first travel path and the second travel path by designated intervals,

wherein a route of the first travel path and a route of the second travel path respectively maintain the designated intervals;

a fourth travel path enabling the robot cleaner to change the direction after the first travel path and then to move alongside the designated wall;

in response to determining that the robot cleaner encountered an obstacle while moving the robot cleaner in one of the first travel path and the second travel path, moving the robot cleaner alongside of the obstacle in an obstacle contour following path;

obtaining a separation distance of the robot cleaner in the obstacle contour following path in a perpendicular direction from a projection of one of the first travel path and the second travel path;

in response to the separation distance reaching the designated intervals, moving the robot cleaner in the other of the first travel path and the second travel path; and

in response to the separation distance reaching zero, moving the robot cleaner in the one of the first travel path and the second travel path; and

in response to determining that a forward direction of the robot cleaner is within a designated angle range based on a direction of one of the first travel path and the second travel path while moving the robot cleaner alongside of the obstacle, moving the robot cleaner in the one of the first travel path and the second travel path.

2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance of the designated intervals between the route of the first travel path and the route of the second travel path includes:

moving the robot cleaner in the route of the second travel path maintaining a first designated interval with the route of the first travel path; and

moving the robot cleaner in the route of the first travel path maintaining a second designated interval with the route of the second travel path.

3. The control method according to claim 1,

further comprising:

obtaining a separation distance of the robot cleaner from the route of the first travel path while moving the robot cleaner alongside of the obstacle; and

in response to the separation distance being more than the first designated interval, moving the robot cleaner in the second travel path.

4. The control method according to claim 1,

further comprising:

obtaining a separation distance of the robot cleaner from the route of the second travel path while moving the robot cleaner alongside of the obstacle; and

in response to the separation distance being more than the second designated interval, moving the robot cleaner in the first travel path.

5. The control method according to claim 1,

further comprising:

in response to determining that a sum total of a distance of the second travel path and a travel distance of the robot cleaner in a direction of the second travel path during movement of the robot cleaner alongside of the obstacle is more than a second predetermined distance, moving the robot cleaner in the third travel path.

6. The control method according to claim 1

further comprising:

in response to determining that the robot cleaner encountered the obstacle during the third travel path, moving the robot cleaner alongside of the obstacle; and

in response to determining that a sum total of a distance of the third travel path and a travel distance of the robot cleaner in a direction of the third travel path during movement of the robot cleaner alongside of the obstacle is more than the second designated interval, moving the robot cleaner in the first travel path.

7. The control method according to claim 1,

further comprising:

in response to determining that one or more of a forward direction of the robot cleaner is within the designated angle range based on a direction of the second travel path and the third travel path and a distance traveled alongside of the obstacle is more than a second designated distance, changing a direction of the robot cleaner and then moving the robot cleaner alongside of the obstacle in the changed direction.

8. A robot cleaner to clean an area comprising:

a main body which forms an external appearance of the robot cleaner;

driving wheels installed on the main body; and

a control unit to control the driving wheels to enable the main body to move rectilinearly or be rotated, wherein;

the control unit controls the robot cleaner to move in a first travel pattern, the first travel pattern includes;

a first travel path to enable the robot cleaner to proceed from one point in the area toward a designated wall;

a second travel path parallel to the first travel path to enable the robot cleaner to move a distance from the designated wall;

a third travel path enabling the robot cleaner to change a direction after the first travel path or the second travel path and then to travel until the robot cleaner is separated from the first travel path or the second travel path by designated intervals; and

a fourth travel path enabling the robot cleaner to change the direction after the first travel path and then to move alongside the designated wall,

wherein a route of the first travel path and a route of the second travel path respectively maintain the designated intervals;

in response to determining that the robot cleaner encountered an obstacle while moving the robot cleaner in one of the first travel path and the second travel path, the control unit controls the robot cleaner to move alongside of the obstacle in an obstacle contour following path to obtain a separation distance of the robot cleaner in the obstacle contour following path in a perpendicular direction from a projection of one of the first travel path and the second travel path, to move the robot cleaner in the other of the first travel path and the second travel path, when the separation distance reaches the designated intervals, and to move the robot cleaner in the one of the first travel path and the second travel path, when the separation distance reaches zero; and

in response to determining that a forward direction of the robot cleaner is within a designated angle range based on a direction of one of the first travel path and the second travel path while moving the robot cleaner alongside of the obstacle, moving the robot cleaner in the one of the first travel path and the second travel path.

9. At least one non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable instructions that when executed control at least one processor to

move a robot cleaner in a first travel pattern, the first travel pattern including:

a first travel path enabling the robot cleaner to proceed from one point in the area toward a designated wall;

a second travel path parallel to the first travel path enabling the robot cleaner to move a distance from the designated wall;

a third travel path enabling the robot cleaner to change a direction after the first travel path or the second travel path and then to travel until the robot cleaner is separated from the first travel path or the second travel path by designated intervals,

a fourth travel path enabling the robot cleaner to change the direction after the first travel path and then to move alongside the designated wall;

wherein a route of the first travel path and a route of the second travel path respectively maintain the designated intervals;

in response to determining that the robot cleaner encountered an obstacle while moving the robot cleaner in one of the first travel path and the second travel path, move the robot cleaner alongside of the obstacle in an obstacle contour following path;

obtain a separation distance of the robot cleaner in the obstacle contour following path in a perpendicular direction from a projection of one of the first travel path and the second travel path;

in response to the separation distance reaching the designated intervals, move the robot cleaner in the other of the first travel path and the second travel path;

in response to the separation distance reaching zero, move the robot cleaner in the one of the first travel path and the second travel path; and

in response to determining that a forward direction of the robot cleaner is within a designated angle range based on a direction of one of the first travel path and the second travel path while moving the robot cleaner alongside of the obstacle, moving the robot cleaner in the one of the first travel path and the second travel path.

10. The robot cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the control unit instructs the robot cleaner to perform a second travel pattern to finish cleaning the area.