Method for operating an independently moving surface treatment device

• US 10,602,897 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2017
• Issued: 03/31/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vorwerk & Company Interholding Gesellschaft Mit Beschrã¤Nkter Haftung (Vorwerk & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Vorwerk & Company Interholding Gesellschaft Mit Beschrã¤Nkter Haftung (Vorwerk & Company KG)
• Inventors: Strang, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T
• Application Number:
  US16/323,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20190174987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 340435, 340436, 340467, 34053923, 340541, 342385, 342417, 700245, 701 23
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• 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: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

A method for operating an independently moving surface treatment device, wherein the surface treatment device can be displaced in the surroundings and, in the process, performs surface treatment tasks and wherein an obstacle detection device of the surface treatment device measures an obstacle within the surroundings. The surface treatment device remains motionless at a predefined location, in particular within a movement range of a certain object, in the surroundings during a time interval that was predefined by the user. The obstacle detection device repeatedly measures a distance to a certain object during the time interval and evaluates the measured values of the distance in respect of a temporal change, and/or wherein the obstacle detection device detects a possibly occurring collision with the object during the time interval, wherein an alarm signal is output in the case of a change beyond a predefined threshold and/or in the case of a collision.

Claims

1. A method for operating an independently moving surface treatment device (1), wherein the surface treatment device (1) can travel in an environment and perform surface treatment tasks where necessary, and wherein an obstacle detection device (2, 3) of the surface treatment device (1) measures an obstacle within the environment, wherein the surface treatment device (1) remains motionless at a defined location (4) of the environment, (6), during a user-predefined time span, wherein the obstacle detection device (2, 3) repeatedly measures a distance (a) to a certain object (6) and evaluates the measured values of the distance (a) with respect to a time rate of change during the time span and/or wherein the obstacle detection device (2, 3) detects a potentially occurring collision with the object (6) during the time span, and wherein an alarm signal is output in case of a change beyond a defined threshold value and/or in case of a collision.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a user of the surface treatment device (1) selects the object (6) in an environment map (9) displayed on a display of the surface treatment device (1) and/or on a display (7) of an external device (8), which is communicatively linked to the surface treatment device (1).

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the surface treatment device (1) is respectively moved to the defined location (4) or into a range of motion (5) of a certain object (6) in dependence on the previous selection by a control unit of the surface treatment device (1) and/or of the external device (8), and wherein the surface treatment device assumes a position and/or orientation, which allows an obstacle detection on the object (6).

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a measured change of the distance (a) beyond the threshold value or a detected collision respectively implies a motion of the object (6) and results in the output of the alarm signal.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a collision is detected by a contact sensor, an acceleration sensor, a capacitive sensor and/or an odometric sensor.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the surface treatment device (1) switches into a standby mode after it reaches the defined location (4) and is awakened by a collision with the object (6).

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the monitored object (6) is a movable window sash or a movable door leaf.

8. An independently moving surface treatment device (1), which can travel in an environment and perform surface treatment tasks where necessary, wherein the surface treatment device comprises an obstacle detection device (2, 3) for measuring an obstacle within the environment and a control unit, wherein the control unit is designed for positioning the surface treatment device (1) motionlessly at a defined location (4) of the environment, during a user-predefined time span, wherein the obstacle detection device (1) is designed for repeatedly measuring a distance (a) to a certain object (6) and evaluating the measured values of the distance (a) with respect to a time rate of change during the time span and/or for detecting a potentially occurring collision with the object (6) during the time span, as well as for outputting an alarm signal in case of a change beyond a defined threshold value and/or in case of a collision.

9. A set consisting of the independently moving surface treatment device (1) according to claim 8 and an external device (8), which is communicatively linked to the surface treatment device (1) and comprises a display (7) for displaying an environment map (9) of the surface treatment device (1), wherein the external device (8) is designed for allowing a selection of a defined location (4) within an environment map (9) displayed on the display (7) and for transmitting information on the selection to the surface treatment device (1), wherein the surface treatment device (1) is designed for moving to the defined location (4) in dependence on the selection and assuming an orientation, which allows a measurement on a certain object (6), as well as for remaining at the defined location (4) motionlessly during a user-predefined time span.

10. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured for being installed on an independently moving surface treatment device (1) and/or on an external device (8), which is communicatively linked to the surface treatment device (1), wherein the computer program product is designed for controlling the surface treatment device (1), wherein the computer program product comprises:

a program step for displaying an environment map (9) of the surface treatment device (1) on a display of the surface treatment device (1) and/or on a display (7) of the external device (8), a program step for selecting a location (4) to be monitored within the environment map (9), a program step for moving the surface treatment device (1) to the selected location (4), particularly into a range of motion (5) of a certain object (6), a program step for motionlessly positioning the surface treatment device (1) at the location (4) during a defined time span, and a program step for controlling an obstacle detection device (2, 3) of the surface treatment device (1) to repeatedly measure a distance (a) to the certain object (6) and evaluate the measured distances (a) with respect to a time rate of change and/or to detect a potentially occurring collision with the object (6).