MOVING ROBOT AND OPERATING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20100234998A1
• Filed: 09/06/2007
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Sang Yun
• Granted Patent: US 8,560,120 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/259
• 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 9/2842 Suction motors or blowers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2852 Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2889 Safety or protection devices or systems, e.g. for prevention of motor over-heating or for protection of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0223 involving speed control of the vehicle vehicle fittings for automatically controlling, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2201/0203 Cleaning or polishing vehicle

Abstract

A moving robot and its operation method are disclosed. The moving robot includes a moving body/object sensing unit that senses a movement of a human body within a certain distance, a traveling unit that controls a traveling speed and direction, and a controller that outputs a control signal for controlling the traveling speed according to pre-set data to the traveling unit. In a state that the moving robot performs a cleaning operation while moving its locations, when a movement of a human body is sensed by the moving body/object sensing unit, the traveling speed is reduced to allow the user to easily control the external operation, and the efficiency can be increased by utilizing the moving body/object sensing unit for operations of different modes.

Claims

1. A moving robot comprising:

a traveling unit that controls a traveling speed and direction by controlling driving of a motor connected with movable wheels;

a dust suction unit that sucks dust along with air according to a rotational operation of a fan motor that generates a suction force;

an obstacle sensor that senses an obstacle within a certain distance;

an output unit that outputs input data and operation state data;

a moving body/object sensing unit that senses a movement of an object located within a certain distance; and

a controller that outputs a control signal for controlling an operation,

wherein when a movement of a certain object is sensed by the moving body/object sensing unit while the moving robot is traveling, the controller outputs a control signal to control the traveling speed according to pre-set data to the traveling unit.

2. The moving robot of claim 1, wherein the moving body/object sensing unit comprises a pyroelectric infrared (PIR) sensor that senses a movement of the object that radiates a certain amount of infrared rays.

3. The moving robot of claim 1, wherein when the movement of the object is sensed by the moving body/object sensing unit while the moving robot is operated, the controller outputs a control signal for reducing the traveling speed of the moving robot to a pre-set speed to the traveling unit.

4. The moving robot of claim 3, wherein when a control command is not inputted from an external source during a certain time period after the traveling speed of the moving robot is reduced, the controller outputs a control signal for recovering the traveling speed of the moving robot to the previous state to the traveling unit.

5. The moving robot of claim 1, wherein when a movement of a certain object is sensed by the moving body/object sensing unit during an operation in a power saving mode, the controller controls such that the power saving mode is released and the operation mode is changed to an input standby mode.

6. The moving robot of claim 1, wherein when the movement of the certain object is sensed by the moving body/object sensing unit during an operation in a security mode, the controller outputs a pre-set warning signal.

7. The moving robot of claim 6, wherein the output unit outputs the warning signal in the format of at least one of a warning message and a warning sound in response to the control signal from the controller.

8. The moving robot of claim 6, further comprising

a camera that captures video according to a setting when the warning signal is outputted.

9. A method for operating a moving robot, comprising:

performing a pre-set operation while the moving robot is moving in its locations;

sensing a movement of an object within a certain distance; and

reducing a traveling speed.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

increasing the traveling speed and re-performing a previous operation, when a control command is not inputted from the exterior during a certain time period after the traveling speed is reduced.

11. A method for operating a moving robot, comprising:

setting a power saving mode;

sensing a movement of an object within a certain distance; and

releasing the power saving mode and changing to an input standby mode.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein when a pre-set operation is completed or when a command is not inputted for more than a certain time period, the power saving mode is set.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

re-setting the power saving mode, when a command is not inputted from the exterior during the certain time period after changing to the input standby mode.

14. A method for operating a moving robot, comprising:

setting a security mode;

sensing an operation of an object within a certain distance; and

outputting a pre-set warning signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the warning signal is outputted in the format of at least one of a warning message and a warning sound.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

operating a camera to capture an image or video in the direction in which the movement of the object is sensed, when the warning signal is outputted.