CLEANING SYSTEM

• US 20120259465A1
• Filed: 05/24/2011
• Published: 10/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Teng, You-Wei, CHEN, Shui-Shih
• Application Number:
  US13/114,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20120259465A1
• 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 9/2852 Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/74 Systems using reradiation of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. IFF, i.e. identification of friend or foe
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/87 Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70

Abstract

A cleaning system including a first virtual wall, a second virtual wall and a cleaning robot is disclosed. The first virtual wall includes a first specific pattern. When a light emits the first specific pattern, a first specific reflected light is generated. The second virtual wall includes a second specific pattern. When the light emits the second specific pattern, a second specific reflected light is generated. The cleaning robot, based on the first and the second specific reflected lights, obtains and records positions of the first and the second virtual walls. The cleaning robot defines a first virtual line according to the recorded positions. A traveling path of the cleaning robot is limited by the first virtual line.

Claims

1. A cleaning system, comprising:

a first virtual wall comprising a first specific pattern, wherein when a light emits the first specific pattern, a first specific reflected light is generated;

a second virtual wall comprising a second specific pattern, wherein when the light emits the second specific pattern, a second specific reflected light is generated; and

a cleaning robot receiving the first and the second specific reflected lights and basing on the first and the second specific reflected lights to obtain and record positions of the first and the second virtual walls, wherein, the cleaning robot defines a first virtual line according to the recorded positions, and a traveling path of the cleaning robot is limited by the first virtual line.

2. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first specific pattern is the same as the second specific pattern.

3. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first specific pattern is different from the second specific pattern.

4. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a third virtual wall comprising a third specific pattern, wherein when the light emits the third specific pattern, a third reflected light is generated, and the third specific pattern is different from the first and the second specific patterns,

wherein each of the first, the second and the third specific reflected lights comprises an encoding value, and the cleaning robot, based on the encoding values, defines the first virtual wall between the first and the second virtual walls, defines a second virtual wall between the second and the third virtual walls, and defines a third virtual wall between the third and the first virtual walls.

5. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 4, wherein a cleaning region is defined among the first, the second and the third virtual lines, and the cleaning robot operates in the cleaning region.

6. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first virtual wall is a cube, and the first specific pattern is repeatedly printed on the entire surface of the cube.

7. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the first and the second virtual walls does not emit a light or generate a magnetic field.

8. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cleaning robot comprises:

a light emitter emitting the light; and

a light receiver receiving the first and the second specific reflected lights.

9. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the light is a laser.