ROBOT CLEANER, REMOTE CONTROLLING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF THE SAME

• US 20120259481A1
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Published: 10/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: KIM, Yiebin
• Application Number:
  US13/435,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20120259481A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• 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

Disclosed are a robot cleaner, and remote controlling system and method of the robot cleaner. A cleaning map may be created by searching for a region to be cleaned, and a contaminant degree map may be created by detecting a contamination material and a contaminant degree according to each position within the cleaning region. The cleaning map and the contaminant degree map with respect to the cleaning region may be received at a remote place through the terminal device. This may allow a user to easily check information on a cleaning state, a contamination state, etc. of the cleaning region, and to control the robot cleaner based on the checked information.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner, comprising:

a contaminant degree detection unit configured to detect a contaminant degree of a region to be cleaned; and

a controller configured to create a cleaning map by searching for the cleaning region, and configured to create a contaminant degree map from the cleaning map based on the contaminant degree.

2. The robot cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a communication unit configured to transmit the contaminant degree map to an external device.

3. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the contaminant degree detection unit includes an air detection sensor configured to detect dust or specific materials included in the air at the periphery of the cleaning region.

4. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the contaminant degree detection unit include a bottom detection sensor configured to detect dust or specific materials on the bottom of the cleaning region.

5. The robot cleaner of claim 1, further comprising an obstacle detection unit having one or more sensors, and configured to detect an obstacle on the cleaning region.

6. The robot cleaner of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to create the cleaning map or the contaminant degree map based on information on the obstacle detected by the obstacle detection unit, or is configured to correct the created cleaning map or contaminant degree map.

7. The robot cleaner of claim 6, further comprising a position recognition unit having one or more sensors, and configured to recognize a position of the robot cleaner.

8. The robot cleaner of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to create the cleaning map or the contaminant degree map through combination of information on the obstacle detected by the obstacle detection unit and information on the position recognized by the position recognition unit, or is configured to correct the created cleaning map or contaminant degree map.

9. The robot cleaner of claim 1, further comprising an output unit configured to display, on a screen, the contaminant degree detected by the contaminant degree detection unit, or the contaminant degree map created by the controller.

10. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the controller compares the contaminant degree with a preset reference value, and generates an alarm signal according to a comparison result.

11. A remote controlling system of a robot cleaner, the system comprising:

a robot cleaner configured to create a cleaning map with respect to a cleaning region to be cleaned by searching for the cleaning region, and configured to create a contaminant degree map from the cleaning map by detecting a contaminant degree of the cleaning region; and

a terminal device configured to control the robot cleaner by receiving the contaminant degree map from the robot cleaner, and by generating a control command with respect to the robot cleaner.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the robot cleaner includes:

a contaminant degree detection unit configured to detect a contaminant degree of a region to be cleaned;

a controller configured to create a cleaning map and a contaminant degree map; and

a communication unit configured to transmit the contaminant degree map to the terminal device, and to receive a control command from the terminal device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the contaminant degree detection unit includes:

a bottom detection sensor configured to detect dust or specific materials on the bottom of the cleaning region, or

an air detection sensor configured to detect dust or specific materials in the air at the periphery of the cleaning region.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the robot cleaner further includes an obstacle detection unit having one or more sensors, and configured to detect an obstacle on the cleaning region, and

wherein the controller is configured to create the cleaning map or the contaminant degree map based on information on the obstacle detected by the obstacle detection unit, or is configured to correct the created cleaning map or contaminant degree map.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the robot cleaner further includes an a position recognition unit having one or more sensors, and configured to recognize a position of the robot cleaner, and

wherein the controller is configured to create the cleaning map or the contaminant degree map through combination of information on the obstacle detected by the obstacle detection unit and information on the position recognized by the position recognition unit, or is configured to correct the created cleaning map or contaminant degree map.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the terminal device includes:

a control module configured to create the control command by executing a remote control program;

a communication module configured to receive the contaminant degree map from the robot cleaner, and to transmit the control command to the robot cleaner; and

a user interface module configured to display the contaminant degree map, and to receive the control command.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the terminal device further includes a storage module configured to store therein the remote control program, and data received from the robot cleaner.

18. A remote controlling method of a robot cleaner in a remote controlling system of a robot cleaner including a robot cleaner which performs a cleaning operation with autonomously running within a cleaning region, and a terminal device which transceives data with the robot cleaner and remote-controls the robot cleaner, the method comprising:

creating a cleaning map with respect to the cleaning region by the robot cleaner;

to detecting a contaminant degree of the cleaning region by the robot cleaner;

creating a contaminant degree map from the cleaning map based on the contaminant degree by the robot cleaner; and

transmitting the contaminant degree map to the terminal device by the robot cleaner.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising displaying the contaminant degree map on a screen by the terminal device.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

creating a control command with respect to the robot cleaner by the terminal device; and

transmitting the control command to the robot cleaner by the terminal device.