Robot cleaner and remote monitoring system using the same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A robot cleaner, comprising:
- at least one monitoring camera to generate a monitoring image of a cleaning area;
an upward camera provided at an upper portion of the robot cleaner to capture an upper part and output an upper image;
a controller to provide a cleaning map based on the upper image, and the controller to drive a robot cleaner; and
a communicator to transmit the monitoring image and the cleaning map to an external device and to receive, from the external device, a control command for a specific location or area on the cleaning map,wherein the controller determines at least one characteristic point according to certain criteria, using the upper images captured at a first time and a second time through the upward camera during movement, and a movement ratio of the at least one characteristic point based on the movement of the robot cleaner is greater than a predetermined value, and a calculated height of the characteristic point is higher than a reference height, and wherein the controller generates the cleaning map using the determined characteristic point.
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Abstract
A robot cleaner has a camera to generate an image of a cleaning area, a controller to prepare a cleaning map based on the image and to drive a robot cleaner, and a communicator to transmit the image and cleaning map to an external device and to receive a control command from the external device. The image and map may be transmitted over a local or wide area network, and the external device may be a computer, television, smart phone, portable phone, or other type of wireless access device.
83 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A robot cleaner, comprising:
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at least one monitoring camera to generate a monitoring image of a cleaning area; an upward camera provided at an upper portion of the robot cleaner to capture an upper part and output an upper image; a controller to provide a cleaning map based on the upper image, and the controller to drive a robot cleaner; and a communicator to transmit the monitoring image and the cleaning map to an external device and to receive, from the external device, a control command for a specific location or area on the cleaning map, wherein the controller determines at least one characteristic point according to certain criteria, using the upper images captured at a first time and a second time through the upward camera during movement, and a movement ratio of the at least one characteristic point based on the movement of the robot cleaner is greater than a predetermined value, and a calculated height of the characteristic point is higher than a reference height, and wherein the controller generates the cleaning map using the determined characteristic point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system, comprising:
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a robot cleaner to generate a monitoring image of a cleaning area, wherein the robot cleaner includes an upward camera provided at an upper portion of the robot cleaner to capture an upper part and provide an upper image, and the robot cleaner to prepare a cleaning map based on the upper image; and a wireless terminal to receive the monitoring image and the cleaning map from the robot cleaner and to transmit, to the robot cleaner, a control command for a specific location or area on the cleaning map, wherein the robot cleaner includes; a controller to generate the cleaning map from the upper image and to drive the robot cleaner; and a communicator to transmit the monitoring image and the cleaning map to the wireless terminal and to receive the control command from the wireless terminal, wherein the controller determines at least one characteristic point according to certain criteria, using the upper images captured at a first time and a second time through the upward camera during movement of the robot cleaner, and a movement ratio of the characteristic point based on the movement of the robot cleaner is greater than a predetermined value, and a calculated height of the characteristic point is higher than a reference height, and wherein the controller prepares the cleaning map using the determined characteristic point. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method comprising:
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capturing an upper part and providing an upper image by a upward camera provided at an upper portion of a robot cleaner; generating a monitoring image of a cleaning area to be cleaned by at least one monitoring camera of the robot cleaner; preparing, by a controller of the robot cleaner, a cleaning map based on the upper image; transmitting, by a communicator of the robot cleaner, the monitoring image and the cleaning map to a wireless terminal over a communication link; and receiving, by the communicator of the robot cleaner and from the wireless terminal, a control command for a specific location or area on the cleaning map, wherein preparing the cleaning map includes determining at least one characteristic point according to certain criteria, using the upper images captured at a first time and a second time through the upward camera during movement, and a movement ratio of the characteristic point based on the movement of the robot cleaner is greater than a predetermined value, and a calculated height of the characteristic point is higher than a reference height, and wherein preparing the cleaning map includes providing the cleaning map using the determined characteristic point.
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Specification