ROBOT CLEANER SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD OF THE SAME

• US 20170079497A1
• Filed: 08/26/2016
• Published: 03/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: KIM, Sangyun, Kim, Younggie
• Granted Patent: US 10,052,004 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4008 Arrangements of switches, indicators or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• 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 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0033 by having the operator tracking the vehicle either by direct line of sight or via one or more cameras located remotely from the vehicle
• 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: G06T 2207/30204 Marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

A robot cleaner system may include a robot cleaner that may be automatically driven while performing a cleaning operation, a recharging base that receives the robot cleaner, and a remote control device that remotely controls the robot cleaner. The remote control device may also generate mapping information between an actual region and a virtual region based on image information generated by a camera provided on the robot cleaner, and/or image information generated by a camera on the recharging base.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a robot cleaner system comprising a robot cleaner and an external device having a camera and a display, the method comprising:

generating image information on the robot cleaner and a region near the robot cleaner using the camera;

mapping an actual region where the robot cleaner is located to a virtual region displayed on the display based on the image information; and

performing a location-based service of the robot cleaner through the virtual region displayed on the display.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing the robot cleaner based on the image information.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising activating recognition means provided on the robot cleaner.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the recognition means comprises a light image and activating the recognition means comprises activating a light source of the robot cleaner to form the light image on the robot cleaner.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising storing information on a recognition mark in a memory of the external device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein sensing the robot cleaner comprises:

improving the image quality of the image information;

sensing a recognition mark of the robot cleaner from an image of the image information;

determining whether the sensed recognition mark is available; and

recognizing an object having the recognition mark as the robot cleaner.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein sensing the recognition mark comprising checking a shape, a pattern or a specific color of the recognition mark.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein improving the image quality comprises performing image brightness control, noise rejection and color correction.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

comparing information on an actual shape of the recognition mark with a relative shape figured out by the image information; and

generating the location information of the robot cleaner based on the result of the comparison.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the shape of the robot cleaner in a terminal controller of the external device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising sensing the robot cleaner,

wherein sensing the robot cleaner comprises:

improving the image quality of the image information;

sensing a shape of the robot cleaner;

determining whether the sensed shape of the robot cleaner is an effective one; and

recognizing the robot cleaner.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

comparing information on an actual shape of the robot cleaner with a relative shape figured out by the image information; and

generating the location information of the robot cleaner based on the result of the comparison.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying location information of the robot cleaner on the display provided in the external device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling driving of the robot cleaner,

wherein the controlling driving comprises:

receiving a control signal of the robot cleaner, and

transmitting the control signal from a second wireless communications unit of the external device to a first wireless communications device of the robot cleaner, wherein the robot cleaner is driven in accordance with the control signal.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising generating the control signal by applying a touch input to the display.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the image information.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a location-based service comprises setting a cleaning region of the robot cleaner via touch input, and

wherein setting the cleaning region comprises designating a virtual region (A) on the screen of the display, mapping the virtual region with an actual region and transmitting an actual motion coordinate to the robot cleaner.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a location-based service comprises setting a passage of the robot cleaner by touch input via the image of the room output on the display.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a location-based service comprises setting a do-not-clean region by touch input by designating a no-cleaning line on the screen of the display to set an outer region with respect to partitioning lines on the room corresponding to the no-cleaning line as the do-not-clean region.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a location-based service comprises a user inputting a present mention to a microphone of the external device and the robot cleaner moving to the location of the external device.