Robot cleaner, system thereof and method for controlling same

• US 6,841,963 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2002
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kim, Kwang-su, Ko, Jang-youn, Song, Jeong-gon
• Primary Examiner(s): IP, SHIK LUEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US10/079,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20030028993A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 318/568.12, 318/587, 318/139, 901/1, 180/79.1, 153/19, 153/20, 701/220, 700/245, 700/247, 700/256, 700/258
• US Class Current: 318/568.12
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• 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: A47L 9/2873 Docking units or charging stations for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/36 Vehicles designed to transport cargo, e.g. trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0265 using buried wires
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0282 generated in a local control room
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A robot cleaner, a system thereof, and a method for controlling the same. The robot cleaner system includes a robot cleaner that performs a cleaning operation while communicating wirelessly with an external device. The robot cleaner has a plurality of proximity switches arranged in a row on a lower portion of the cleaner body. A guiding plate is disposed in the floor of the work area, the guiding plate having metal lines formed in a predetermined pattern, the metal lines being detectible by the proximity switches. Since the recognition of the location and the determination of traveling trajectory of the cleaner within a work area becomes easier, performance of the robot cleaner is enhanced, while a burden of having to process algorithms is lessened.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner for performing a cleaning operation while wirelessly communicating with an external device, comprising:

a body;

a driving portion that drives a plurality of wheels mounted on the body of the robot cleaner;

a dust collecting portion mounted on the body, for collecting dust from a floor surface within a work area;

a plurality of proximity switches arranged on a lower surface of the body facing the floor surface spaced at a predetermined distance from each other, the plurality of proximity switches being arranged and configured for detecting the existence of a metal member in a floor surface, the proximity switches facing in a direction toward the floor surface;

a memory device for storing a travel trajectory by using output signals of the proximity switches;

a controlling portion that generates the travel trajectory, stores the signals at the memory device, calculates a travel distance and a travel trajectory by using an output signal from the proximity switches during the travel of the robot cleaner, and controls the driving portion so that the driving portion performs an assigned job by using the calculated trajectory; and

a wireless communication device disposed on board the robot cleaner body for wirelessly communicating with an external device.

2. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the proximity switches comprise:

an oscillator that oscillates through a detection coil;

a wave detector that detects an amplitude of oscillation from the wave detection coil; and

an integrator that integrates and outputs a signal outputted through a wave detecting circuit.

3. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein the proximity switches are disposed in a row parallel to a line that connects the axes of those wheels opposed to each other.

4. The robot cleaner of claim 3, wherein the proximity switches are arranged in an odd number pattern such that one proximity switch is placed in the middle of the row parallel the axis connecting line and the rest of the proximity switches are placed next to the one middle proximity switch, in a symmetrical manner.

5. The robot cleaner of claim 4, wherein the number of proximity switches is five.

6. A robot cleaner system, comprising:

a robot cleaner that performs a cleaning operation while communicating wirelessly with an external device, the robot cleaner having a plurality of proximity switches arranged in a row on a lower portion of the robot cleaner;

a remote controller including a wireless relay unit for receiving and transmitting a wireless signal from and to the robot cleaner and a control unit having a memory unit; and

a guiding plate disposed in a floor of a work area, the guiding plate having metal lines formed in a predetermined pattern, the metal lines being detectable by the proximity switches.

7. The robot cleaner system of claim 6, wherein the metal lines are formed on a lower surface of the guiding plate.

8. The robot cleaner system of claim 6, wherein the proximity switches are disposed in a row parallel a line that connects the axes of symmetrically opposed wheels of the robot cleaner.

9. The robot cleaner system of claim 8, wherein the proximity switches are arranged in a row parallel to the axis connecting line in an odd number pattern, in a manner such that one proximity switch is placed in the middle of the axis connecting line and the rest of the proximity switches are placed next to and outwardly of the one middle proximity switch in a symmetrical pattern.

10. The robot cleaner system of claim 9, wherein the number of proximity switches is five.

11. The robot cleaner system of claim 6, wherein the metal lines are formed such that the width between the lines corresponds to a width of a detectible area of each proximity switch.

12. A method for controlling a robot cleaner, the robot cleaner recognizing a travel location by using a detection signal detected by a plurality of proximity switches arranged on a lower surface of the robot cleaner at a predetermined space from each other and from metal lines formed on a floor surface of a work area in a predetermined pattern, the controlling method comprising the steps of:

generating and storing a pattern map of the metal lines while moving the robot cleaner within the work area;

when inputted with an operation request signal, recognizing the location of the robot cleaner by comparing the pattern map with the detection signal detected by the proximity switches, and calculating a traveling path from the recognized location to a targeting location; and

moving the robot cleaner along the floor surface of the work area according to the calculated traveling path while utilizing the metal lines as an indicator of location, wherein odd numbers of at least three proximity switches are arranged in a row and in a symmetrical manner parallel along a line connecting the axes of wheels of the robot cleaner which are opposed to each other, and

when a detection signal is received from outermost proximity switches during the travel process, changing moving direction such that the metal line can be detected by the proximity switch arranged in the middle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein at the method of changing moving direction comprising the steps of:

when a detection signal is received from outermost proximity switches during the travel process, temporarily stopping the travel of the robot cleaner and calculating trajectory adjustment coordinates including change of direction and straightforward moving direction that are required for the metal line detection by the proximity switch arranged in the middle;

moving the robot cleaner in accordance with the trajectory adjustment coordinates; and

when the metal lines are detected by the proximity switch disposed in the middle position, thereby continuing the operation.