Control method for cleaning robots

• US 8,972,060 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2013
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• 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, Leng, Yao-Shih, Hung, Shih-Che
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US13/768,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20130218341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 700/259, 901/1, 901/47
• US Class Current: 700/259
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/47 Optical

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention provides a control method of a cleaning robot with a non-omnidirectional light detector. The method includes the steps of: detecting a light beam via the non-omnidirectional light detector; stopping the cleaning robot and spinning the non-omnidirectional light detector when the non-omnidirectional light detector detects the light beam; stopping the spinning of the non-omnidirectional light detector and estimating a first spin angle when the non-omnidirectional light detector does not detect the light beam; and adjusting a moving direction of the cleaning robot according to the first spin angle.

Claims

1. A control method of a cleaning robot with a non-omnidirectional light detector, comprising:

detecting a light beam via the non-omnidirectional light detector;

stopping the cleaning robot and spinning the non-omnidirectional light detector when the non-omnidirectional light detector detects the light beam;

stopping the spinning of the non-omnidirectional light detector and estimating a first spin angle, by a processor, when the non-omnidirectional light detector does not detect the light beam; and

adjusting a moving direction of the cleaning robot according to the first spin angle.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the light beam is output by a light generating device.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

estimating a second spin angle according to the first spin angle, a first center of the non-omnidirectional light detector, a second center of the cleaning robot and a distance between the first center and the second center.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

changing the moving direction by spinning the cleaning robot according to the second spin angle.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

moving the cleaning robot to a light generating device along the light beam.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein when the cleaning robot moves along the light beam, the non-omnidirectional light detector cannot detect the light beam.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein when the non-omnidirectional light detector detects the light when moving to the light generating device along the light beam, the cleaning robot stops and adjusts the moving direction.

8. A control method for a cleaning robot with a non-omnidirectional light detector, comprising:

detecting a light beam via the non-omnidirectional light detector;

when the non-omnidirectional light detector detects a light beam at a first time, continuing the movement of the cleaning robot;

stopping the cleaning robot and spinning the non-omnidirectional light detector when the non-omnidirectional light detector does not detect the light beam;

stopping the spinning of the non-omnidirectional light detector and estimating a first spin angle, by a processor, when the non-omnidirectional light detector detects the light beam again; and

adjusting a moving direction of the cleaning robot according to the first spin angle.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

determining whether the light beam is output by a light generating device when detecting the light beam.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

estimating a second spin angle according to the first spin angle, a first center of the non-omnidirectional light detector, a second center of the cleaning robot and a distance between the first center and the second center.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

changing the moving direction by spinning the cleaning robot according to the second spin angle.

12. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

moving the cleaning robot to a light generating device along the light beam.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein when the cleaning robot moves along the light beam, the non-omnidirectional light detector cannot detect the light beam.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein when the non-omnidirectional light detector detects the light when moving to the light generating device along the light beam, the cleaning robot stops and adjusts the moving direction.

15. A cleaning robot, comprising:

a wireless signal detector to detect a first wireless signal;

a motor to move the cleaning robot; and

a controller to control the motor according to the first wireless signal, wherein when the wireless signal detector detects the first wireless signal and a strength of the first wireless signal is greater than a predetermined value, the controller determines whether the first wireless signal is output by a light generating device, and when the first wireless signal is output by a light generating device, the controller controls the wireless signal detector and the motor to let the cleaning robot move to the light generating device.

16. The cleaning robot as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a wireless signal transmitter to transmit a second wireless signal to the light generating device.

17. The cleaning robot as claimed in claim 16, wherein the wireless signal transmitter is a wireless signal reflection device to reflect the first wireless signal to the light generating device.

18. The cleaning robot as claimed in claim 15, wherein the wireless signal detector is a non-omnidirectional light detector with a mask, and the first wireless signal is a light beam.

19. The cleaning robot as claimed in claim 18, wherein when the non-omnidirectional light detector detects the light beam, the non-omnidirectional light detector is spun to detect a direction of the light generating device.

20. The cleaning robot as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a wireless device to establish a wireless connection to the light generating device, wherein when the wireless connection is established, the light generating device connects to a network.