Autonomous vacuum cleaner and autonomous vacuum cleaner network system

• US 20050204505A1
• Filed: 02/03/2005
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kashiwagi, Yoshihiro
• Application Number:
  US11/048,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20050204505A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/319
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0259 using magnetic or electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

An autonomous vacuum cleaner network system comprises an autonomous vacuum cleaner and two terminal devices connected to the autonomous vacuum cleaner via a network. Using one of the terminal devices, a user inputs reservation information. The autonomous vacuum cleaner receives the input reservation information via a wireless LAN, and stores it, and further executes a self-diagnostic program immediately before a scheduled cleaning start time. If there is abnormality in the result of the self-diagnosis, the autonomous vacuum cleaner sends the result of the self-diagnosis as maintenance information to the other terminal device which is selected and assigned by the user as an addressed device. The autonomous vacuum cleaner network system makes it possible to set reservation information of the autonomous vacuum cleaner without requiring the user to go to the place where the autonomous vacuum cleaner is placed, and makes it possible to surely inform the user whether the autonomous vacuum cleaner can operate smoothly at the scheduled cleaning start time.

Claims

1. An autonomous vacuum cleaner comprising:

obstacle detection sensors, which are provided for autonomous movement of the autonomous vacuum cleaner, and which are provided for detecting obstacles each located in a moving direction of the autonomous vacuum cleaner and for measuring distances to the obstacles;

a moving means for the autonomous movement of the autonomous vacuum cleaner while avoiding the obstacles based on a result of detection by the obstacle detection sensors;

a cleaning means for cleaning an area in which the autonomous vacuum cleaner moves;

a timer device for storing reservation information including scheduled cleaning start time and for managing time to start cleaning; and

a communication module for making wireless communication with a terminal device which is connected to the autonomous vacuum cleaner via a network and which is provided for setting the reservation information,

wherein the autonomous vacuum cleaner receives, using the communication module, the reservation information set by the terminal device, and stores the reservation information in the timer device, and further operates on the basis of the reservation information.

2. The autonomous vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, which further comprises:

a self-diagnostic means for self-diagnosing, at a predetermined time before the scheduled cleaning start time with reference to the reservation information stored in the timer device, whether the moving means and the cleaning means can operate normally; and

a diagnostic result sending means for sending, using the communication module, the result of the self-diagnosis performed by the self-diagnostic means to a further terminal device assigned in advance by a user.

3. The autonomous vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the self-diagnostic means self-diagnoses immediately before the scheduled cleaning start time.

4. The autonomous vacuum cleaner according to claim 3, which further comprises:

a human sensor for detecting human presence such as an intruder; and

a camera for photographing a situation when the human sensor responds.

5. An autonomous vacuum cleaner network system comprising an autonomous vacuum cleaner and a terminal device connected to the autonomous vacuum cleaner via a network,

the autonomous vacuum cleaner comprising:

obstacle detection sensors, which are provided for autonomous movement of the autonomous vacuum cleaner, and which are provided for detecting obstacles each located in a moving direction of the autonomous vacuum cleaner and for measuring distances to the obstacles;

a moving means for the autonomous movement of the autonomous vacuum cleaner while avoiding the obstacles based on a result of detection by the obstacle detection sensors;

a cleaning means for cleaning an area in which the autonomous vacuum cleaner moves;

a timer device for storing reservation information including scheduled cleaning start time and for managing time to start cleaning; and

a first communication module for making wireless communication with the terminal device, and

the terminal device comprising;

a second communication module for making communication with the autonomous vacuum cleaner;

a reservation information setting means for accepting setting of the reservation information of the autonomous vacuum cleaner; and

a reservation information sending means for sending, using the second communication module, the reservation information set by the reservation information setting means to the autonomous vacuum cleaner,

wherein the autonomous vacuum cleaner receives, using the first communication module, the reservation information set by the terminal device, and stores the reservation information in the timer device, and further operates on the basis of the reservation information.

6. The autonomous vacuum cleaner network system according to claim 5, wherein the autonomous vacuum cleaner further comprises:

a self-diagnostic means for self-diagnosing, at a predetermined time before the scheduled cleaning start time with reference to the reservation information stored in the timer device, whether the moving means and the cleaning means can operate normally; and

a diagnostic result sending means for sending, using the first communication module, the result of the self-diagnosis performed by the self-diagnostic means to a further terminal device assigned in advance by a user.

7. The autonomous vacuum cleaner network system according to claim 6, wherein the self-diagnostic means of the autonomous vacuum cleaner self-diagnoses immediately before the scheduled cleaning start time.

8. The autonomous vacuum cleaner network system according to claim 7, wherein the autonomous vacuum cleaner further comprises:

a human sensor for detecting human presence such as an intruder; and

a camera for photographing a situation when the human sensor responds.