CLEANING SYSTEMS AND CONTROL METHODS THEREOF

• US 20120291810A1
• Filed: 03/14/2012
• Published: 11/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MSI Computer Company Limited (Micro-Star International Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: MSI Computer Company Limited (Micro-Star International Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Teng, You-Wei, CHEN, Shui-Shih
• Application Number:
  US13/419,682
• Publication Number:
  US 20120291810A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/18
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70

Abstract

A cleaning system is provided. The cleaning system includes at least one sign object and a cleaning robot. The cleaning robot detects and records a position of the sign object to generate a recorded result. The cleaning robot has a locking function. When the locking function has been activated, the cleaning robot performs a cleaning operation according to the recorded result. When the locking function has been activated and the sign object has been removed, the cleaning robot is capable of performing the cleaning operation according to the position of the sign object before it was removed.

Claims

1. A cleaning system comprising:

at least one sign object; and

a cleaning robot for detecting and recording a position of the sign object to generate a recorded result and having a locking function,

wherein when the locking function has been activated, the cleaning robot performs a cleaning operation according to the recorded result, and

wherein when the locking function has been activated and the sign object has been removed, the cleaning robot is capable of performing the cleaning operation according to the position of the sign object before it was removed.

2. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cleaning robot defines a specific area according to the recorded result.

3. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cleaning robot performs the cleaning operation in the specific area.

4. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sign object is at a center of the specific area.

5. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cleaning robot performs the cleaning operation on an outside of the specific area.

6. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 2,

wherein the cleaning robot has a determination function,

wherein when the determination function has been activated, the cleaning robot starts to determine the position of the sign object to generate a determination result, and

when the determination result is different from the recorded result, the cleaning robot updates the recorded result according to the determination result.

7. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 6, wherein when the locking function has been activated and the determination function has not been activated, if the position of the sign object has been changed and the sign object with the changed position is placed in the specific area, the cleaning robot regards the sign object as a block.

8. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cleaning robot has an erasing function, and when the erasing function has not been activated, the recorded result is erased.

9. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cleaning robot has an editing function, and when the editing function has been activated, the recorded result is edited.

10. The cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a surface of the sign object has a specific pattern, and when a light ray illuminates the specific pattern, reflected light is generated, and the cleaning robot obtains the position of the sign object according to the reflected light.

11. A control method for a cleaning robot with a locking function comprising:

detecting and recording a position of a sign object to generate a recorded result;

when the locking function has been activated, the cleaning robot performing a cleaning operation according to the recorded result; and

when the locking function has been activated and the sign object has been removed, the cleaning robot performing the cleaning operation according to the position of the sign object before it was removed.

12. The control method as claimed in claim 11 further comprising:

defining a specific area according to the recorded result.

13. The control method as claimed in claim 12 further comprising:

controlling the cleaning robot to perform the cleaning operation in the specific area.

14. The control method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the sign object is at a center of the specific area.

15. The control method as claimed in claim 12 further comprising:

controlling the cleaning robot to perform the cleaning operation on an outside of the specific area.

16. The control method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the cleaning robot has a determination function, and the control method comprises:

when the determination function has been activated, the cleaning robot determining the position of the sign object to generate a determination result, and

when the determination result is different from the recorded result, the cleaning robot updating the recorded result according to the determination result.

17. The control method as claimed in claim 16, wherein when the locking function has been activated and the determination function has not been activated, if the position of the sign object has been changed and the sign object with the changed position is placed in the specific area, the cleaning robot regards the sign object as a block.

18. The control method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the cleaning robot has an erasing function, and the control method comprises:

when the erasing function has not been activated, erasing the recorded result.

19. The control method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the cleaning robot has an editing function, and the control method comprises:

when the editing function has been activated, editing the recorded result.

20. The control method as claimed in claim 11, wherein a surface of the sign object has a specific pattern, and when a light ray illuminates the specific pattern, reflected light is generated, and the cleaning robot obtains the position of the sign object according to the reflected light.