Robot cleaner and method of control thereof

• US 20060195224A1
• Filed: 12/16/2005
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lim, Kwang-soo, Ko, Jang-youn, Jeung, Sam-jong, Lee, Ju-sang, Song, Jeong-gon, Kim, Ki-man
• Application Number:
  US11/304,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20060195224A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00

Abstract

A robot vacuum cleaner that comprises a driving unit moving a body on a cleaning surface; a cleaning area detecting unit detecting an area of the cleaning surface; and a central processing unit calculating a spiral cleaning travel pattern corresponding to a shape of each cleaning area based on the information detected by the cleaning area detecting unit to output a cleaning travel signal corresponding the calculated cleaning travel pattern to the driving unit. The cleaning travel pattern can be variable applied depending on a shape of each cleaning area such that the coverage ratio of the cleaning area can increase.

Claims

1. A robot vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a driving unit moving a body on a cleaning surface;

a cleaning area detecting unit detecting an area of the cleaning surface; and

a central processing unit calculating a spiral cleaning travel pattern corresponding to a shape of the cleaning area based on information from the cleaning area detecting unit and sending a cleaning travel signal to the driving unit.

2. The robot vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning travel pattern comprises a rectangular-spiral pattern.

3. The robot vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the central processing unit comprises:

a determination unit that receives a detecting signal from the cleaning area detecting unit to determine the shape of the cleaning area; and

a cleaning travel signal processing unit calculating the cleaning travel pattern corresponding the cleaning area determined by the determination unit to send a cleaning travel signal corresponding to the cleaning travel pattern to the driving unit.

4. The robot vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning travel pattern comprises an oblong-spiral pattern or a square-spiral pattern.

5. The robot vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning area detecting unit includes a detecting sensor.

6. A method of controlling a robot vacuum cleaner comprising the steps of:

detecting a cleaning area;

calculating a spiral cleaning travel pattern corresponding to the detected cleaning area; and

outputting a signal based on the calculated cleaning travel pattern to perform cleaning following the pattern.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the cleaning travel pattern comprises a rectangular-spiral pattern.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the cleaning travel pattern comprises an oblong-spiral pattern or a square-spiral pattern.

9. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of;

performing an initial cleaning before detecting the cleaning area.

10. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of determining a shape of the cleaning area and calculating the spiral cleaning travel pattern corresponding to the shape of the cleaning area.