Robot cleaner

• US 9,923,389 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2015
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kwon, Yunmi, Choi, Haemin, Kim, Kanguk, Kim, Hyoungrock
• Primary Examiner(s): Bendidi, Rachid
• Application Number:
  US14/849,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20150375395A1
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/022 Recharging of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2873 Docking units or charging stations for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/30 End effector

Abstract

A robot cleaner including a driving unit configured to move the robot cleaner; a charging unit disposed on an upper surface of the robot cleaner, and configured to wirelessly charge a mobile terminal; and a control unit configured to control the driving unit to move the robot cleaner to a position of the mobile terminal corresponding to a sensed preset signal, control the robot cleaner to execute a wireless charging of the mobile terminal placed on the charging unit according to a charging command, and output a feedback signal when the wireless charging of the mobile terminal is completed.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner, comprising:

a driving unit having a wheel motor for driving one or more wheels installed at a lower part of the robot cleaner and configured to move the robot cleaner;

a charging unit having a wireless charging pad for wirelessly charging a mobile terminal and a sensor for sensing whether the mobile terminal is positioned on the wireless charging pad, and configured to wirelessly charge the mobile terminal;

a cleaning unit having a suction motor for sucking air and a dust collecting mechanism, and configured to suck dust or foreign materials on a cleaning region or a set region; and

a controller configured to;

control the driving unit to move the robot cleaner to a position of the mobile terminal corresponding to a sensed preset signal, and

in response to sensing a contacted state of the mobile terminal on the wireless charging pad, control the robot cleaner to execute the wireless charging of the mobile terminal placed on the wireless charging pad according to a charging command,

wherein when the contacted state of the mobile terminal on the wireless charging pad is not sensed for a preset time or the contacted state of the mobile terminal is released after the robot cleaner has moved to the position of the mobile terminal, the controller controls the driving unit to move the robot cleaner back from the position of the mobile terminal to the cleaning region to execute a cleaning operation, and

wherein the controller is further configured to;

output information indicating an expected charging amount, based on schedule information from the mobile terminal or the robot cleaner and an expected charging completion time.

2. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

stop driving the cleaning unit when the preset signal is sensed,

control the driving unit to move the robot cleaner to the position of the mobile terminal, and

output a feedback signal when the wireless charging of the mobile terminal is completed.

3. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to activate a mode for voice recognition, and

wherein when a user'"'"'s voice signal calling the robot cleaner is sensed, the controller controls the driving unit to move the robot cleaner to a position of the user corresponding to the voice signal.

4. The robot cleaner of claim 3, further comprising:

a camera configured to capture an image of the mobile terminal or a facial region of a user using the mobile terminal,

wherein the controller is further configured to;

register the mobile terminal by using the recognized user'"'"'s voice and the captured image, and

execute the wireless charging of the registered mobile terminal according to a charging command from the user.

5. The robot cleaner of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to:

search a position of the registered mobile terminal when the voice of the user is sensed, and

output a feedback voice if the registered mobile terminal is not searched for a preset time.

6. The robot cleaner of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication processor configured to execute a wireless communication with the mobile terminal,

wherein the controller is further configured to;

determine whether the mobile terminal needs to be charged, by checking a remaining amount of a battery of the mobile terminal, through the wireless communication, and

output information indicating the mobile terminal needs to be charged based on the determination by the controller.

7. The robot cleaner of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to control the driving unit to move the robot cleaner to the position of the mobile terminal, based on the determination by the controller.

8. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the charging unit is divided into a plurality of regions where different wireless charging types are executable, and

wherein when the mobile terminal is placed on the charging unit, the controller is further configured to compare a charging type of the mobile terminal with a charging type corresponding to the position of the mobile terminal, and adjust the position of the mobile terminal so the mobile terminal is positioned on a region corresponding to the charging type thereof.

9. The robot cleaner of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the position of the mobile terminal so the mobile terminal placed on the charging unit moves to another region, by using a sliding mechanism provided at a lower part of the charging unit, or a folding mechanism provided at a lower part of the robot cleaner.

10. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine charging priorities of the robot cleaner and the mobile terminal, based on a preset reference, and

selectively charge one of the robot cleaner and the mobile terminal according to the determined charging priorities.

11. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to output a signal indicating an occurrence of an event on the mobile terminal.

12. The robot cleaner of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to output light using an optical output unit to indicate the occurrence of the event.

13. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the driving unit to move the robot cleaner to a corresponding position of a time point when the mobile terminal was positioned on the wireless charging pad, when the wireless charging of the mobile terminal is completed.

14. The robot cleaner of claim 13, wherein when a user'"'"'s motion is sensed after the robot cleaner has moved to the corresponding position of a time point when the mobile terminal was positioned on the wireless charging pad according to the completion of the wireless charging of the mobile terminal, the controller is further configured to output a signal indicating the completion of the charging of the mobile terminal, while the robot cleaner moves along the sensed user'"'"'s motion.

15. The robot cleaner of claim 14, wherein when the robot cleaner has moved to the corresponding position of a time point when the mobile terminal was positioned on the wireless charging pad according to the completion of the wireless charging of the mobile terminal, the controller is further configured to separate the mobile terminal placed on the wireless charging pad, by using a sliding mechanism provided at a lower part of the charging unit, or a folding mechanism provided at a lower part of the robot cleaner.

16. The robot cleaner of claim 1, further comprising:

stop driving the cleaning unit of the robot cleaner when the preset signal is sensed;

moving the robot cleaner to the position of the mobile terminal; and

outputting a feedback signal when the wireless charging of the mobile terminal is completed.

17. A method of controlling a robot cleaner including a driving unit having a wheel motor for driving one or more wheels installed at a lower part of the robot cleaner and configured to move the robot cleaner;

a charging unit having a wireless charging pad for wirelessly charging a mobile terminal; and

a sensor for sensing whether the mobile terminal is positioned on the wireless charging pad, and configured to wirelessly charge the mobile terminal; and

a cleaning unit having a suction motor for sucking air and a dust collecting mechanism, and configured to suck dust or foreign materials on a cleaning region or a set region; and

a controller, the method comprising;

moving, via the controller controlling the driving unit, the robot cleaner to a position of the mobile terminal corresponding to a sensed preset signal;

sensing, via the sensor, that the mobile terminal is contacted on the wireless charging pad of the charging unit of the robot cleaner; and

executing, via the controller controlling the charging unit, the wireless charging of the mobile terminal positioned on the wireless charging pad,

wherein when the contacted state of the mobile terminal on the wireless charging pad is not sensed for a preset time or the contacted state of the mobile terminal is released after the robot cleaner has moved to the position of the mobile terminal, moving, via the controller controlling the driving unit, the robot cleaner back from the position of the mobile terminal to the cleaning region to execute the cleaning operation, and

wherein the method further comprises;

outputting information indicating an expected charging amount, based on schedule information from the mobile terminal or the robot cleaner and an expected charging completion time.