Robot cleaner system and control method of the same

• US 10,327,617 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2016
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Sangyun, Kim, Younggie
• Primary Examiner(s): Scruggs, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US15/248,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20170079496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4008 Arrangements of switches, indicators or the like
• 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 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• 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: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0033 by having the operator tracking the vehicle either by direct line of sight or via one or more cameras located remotely from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30204 Marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

A robot cleaner system may include a robot cleaner that may be automatically driven while performing a cleaning operation, a recharging base that receives the robot cleaner, and a remote control device that remotely controls the robot cleaner. The remote control device may also generate mapping information between an actual region and a virtual region based on image information generated by a camera provided on the robot cleaner, and/or image information generated by a camera on the recharging base.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner configured to perform cleaning and drive automatically, wherein the robot cleaner comprises:

a cleaner case that defines an external appearance of the robot cleaner;

a suction device provided in the cleaner case;

a suction nozzle configured to suck dust on a floor via driving of the suction device;

a dust collector configured to collect foreign matters from sucked air;

recognition means recognizable by a camera of an external device; and

a light source arranged to be activated in accordance with a control signal of the external device, and

wherein the recognition means includes a light image that is generated or removed by selective activation of the light source.

2. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the light image is configured to provide a light toward an outside of the cleaner case from an inside of the cleaner case of the robot cleaner.

3. The robot cleaner of claim 2, wherein an outer wall of the cleaner case comprises a color layer and a reflective layer, and wherein the light source is provided under the reflective layer.

4. The robot cleaner of claim 3, wherein the reflective layer is arranged to not provide light from outside the robot cleaner to an inner portion of the outer wall and transmit the light image from the light source through the outer wall.

5. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the light source is activated when an application for controlling the robot cleaner is implemented on the external device.

6. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of LEDs arranged to form the light image in a predetermined region of the robot cleaner.

7. The robot cleaner of claim 6, wherein the plurality of LEDs are configured to form a circular or polygonal-shaped light image.

8. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein a location of the recognition means is variable and a total number of recognition means is variable.

9. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein an upper surface of the cleaner case is curved and the recognition means is provided in left upper and lower portions of the upper surface and right upper and lower portions of the upper surface.

10. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the robot cleaner comprises a plurality of the recognition means recognizable by the camera of the external device.

11. The robot cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a first wireless communications device configured to communicate with the external device, wherein the first wireless communications device is configured to receive a control signal from a second wireless communications device of the external device such that the robot cleaner can be driven in accordance with the control signal.

12. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the recognition means is configured for mapping an actual region where the robot cleaner is located to a virtual region displayed on a display of the external device.

13. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the robot cleaner is to be remotely controlled by the external device.