Robot cleaner, controlling method of the same, and robot cleaning system

• US 9,226,632 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2015
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Cho, Ilsoo, Kwon, Taebum, Choe, Suuk
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Tyler J
• Application Number:
  US14/613,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20150148959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 336 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/2, 701/22, 701 23- 28, 701/36, 701/400, 701/450, 700/3, 700/9, 700 13- 22, 700 28- 30, 700 56- 66, 700245-262, 700/302, 700/303, 700/304, 700/306, 15/3, 153/19, 901/1, 134/18
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• 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 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0085 Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0221 involving a learning process
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

Disclosed are a robot cleaner, a controlling method of the same, and a robot cleaning system. The robot cleaner can perform a cleaning operation with respect to only a user'"'"'s desired region, in a repeated and concentrated manner. Further, as the robot cleaner runs on a user'"'"'s desired region in a manual manner, a designated region can be precisely set. Further, as the robot cleaner performs a cleaning operation by setting a user'"'"'s desired region, only a simple configuration is added to a terminal device such as a remote control unit. Accordingly, additional costs can be reduced, and a malfunction can be prevented.

Claims

1. A autonomous robot, comprising:

a driving unit configured to move the autonomous robot; and

a control unit comprising a region setting module configured to set a designated region within a cleaning region according to a designated region setting command inputted by a user, and configured to perform a cleaning operation with respect to the designated region according to a cleaning command, the designated region setting command being transmitted from a terminal device that is separated from the autonomous robot,

wherein the designated region is formed based on a running path of the autonomous robot, the running path being generated based on sequential changing moving directions of the running autonomous robot according to a user input.

2. The autonomous robot of claim 1, wherein the control unit stops performing a current command upon receiving the designated region setting command, and then sets the designated region according to a user input.

3. The autonomous robot of claim 2, wherein the current command is to perform a cleaning operation with respect to the cleaning region or the designated region.

4. The autonomous robot of claim 2, wherein the control unit performs the cleaning operation with respect to the designated region after forming the designated region.

5. The autonomous robot of claim 1, wherein the region setting module sets the designated region into a rectangular shape, using maximum values and minimum values in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction of the running path.

6. The autonomous robot of claim 1, wherein the region setting module sets the designated region by connecting a start position and an end position on the running path with each other when the running path according to the designated region setting command is not a closed loop.

7. The autonomous robot of claim 1, wherein the region setting module sets the designated region into a polygonal shape by approximating the running path.

8. The autonomous robot of claim 1, further comprising a communication unit configured to receive a remote control signal from an external device, wherein the control unit further comprises a command extraction module configured to extract, from the remote control signal, a control command including the designated region setting command.

9. The autonomous robot of claim 1, wherein the cleaning command comprises one or more among a cleaning type, the number of times of cleaning, whether to repeatedly perform a cleaning operation or not, and a cleaning start time.

10. A autonomous robot system, comprising:

a autonomous robot provided with a designated region cleaning mode, and configured to set a designated region within a cleaning region according to a designated region setting command inputted by a user, and to perform a cleaning operation with respect to the designated region according to a cleaning command; and

a terminal device separated from the autonomous robot, and configured to receive the designated region setting command corresponding to the designated region cleaning mode or the cleaning command with respect to the designated region, and then transmit the command to the autonomous robot,

wherein the designated region is formed based on a running path of the autonomous robot, the running path being generated based on sequential changing moving directions of the running autonomous robot according to the user input.

11. The autonomous robot system of claim 10, wherein the autonomous robot stops performing a current command upon receiving the designated region setting command, and then sets the designated region according to a user input.

12. The autonomous robot system of claim 11, wherein the current command is to perform a cleaning operation with respect to the cleaning region or the designated region.

13. The autonomous robot system of claim 11, wherein the autonomous robot performs the cleaning operation with respect to the designated region after forming the designated region.

14. The autonomous robot system of claim 10, wherein the terminal device comprises an input unit configured to receive the designated region setting command and the cleaning command,

wherein the input unit comprises:

a designated region button for making the autonomous robot enter the designated region cleaning mode; and

one or more directional buttons for driving the autonomous robot such that the autonomous robot sets the designated region.

15. A method for controlling a autonomous robot, comprising:

receiving a designated region setting command transmitted from a terminal device that is separated from the autonomous robot;

generating a running path based on a path of sequential changing moving directions of the running autonomous robot according to a user input;

setting a designated region within a cleaning region, wherein the designated region is formed based on the running path of the autonomous robot; and

performing a cleaning operation with respect to the designated region according to a cleaning command.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising stopping performing a current command after the step of receiving a designated region setting command.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the current command is to perform a cleaning operation with respect to the cleaning region or the designated region.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein in the step of setting a designated region, the designated region is set into a rectangular shape using maximum values and minimum values in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction of the running path.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein in the step of setting a designated region, the designated region is set by connecting a start position and an end position on the running path with each other when the running path according to the designated region setting command is not a closed loop.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein in the step of setting a designated region, the designated region is set into a polygonal shape by approximating the running path.