This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2011-0032346, filed on Apr. 7, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.
1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a robot cleaner capable of creating a contaminant degree map, and remote controlling system and method for controlling a robot cleaner based on a contaminant degree map.
2. Background of the Disclosure
Generally, a robot has been developed for an industrial use, and has managed some parts of factory automation. As the robot is applied to various fields recently, medical robots, space robots, home robots, etc. are being developed.
A representative of the home robot is a robot cleaner, a kind of home electronic appliance capable of performing a cleaning operation by sucking peripheral dust or foreign materials with autonomously moving on a predetermined region. This robot cleaner is provided with a chargeable battery, and is provided with an obstacle sensor for avoiding an obstacle while moving. Recently, being developed are robot cleaners capable of recognizing positions thereof and creating maps by using cameras and sensors.
Therefore, an aspect of the detailed description is to provide a robot cleaner capable of creating a contaminant degree map by detecting contamination materials (contaminants) included in the air or on the bottom of a region to be cleaned (cleaning region).
Another aspect of the detailed description is to provide a robot cleaner capable of creating a cleaning map by searching for a region to be cleaned and capable of creating a contaminant degree map by detecting a contaminant degree at the periphery thereof, and remote controlling system and method for remote controlling a robot cleaner based on the contaminant degree map.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of this specification, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a remote controlling system of a robot cleaner, the system comprising: a robot cleaner configured to create a cleaning map with respect to a cleaning region to be cleaned by searching for the cleaning region, and configured to create a contaminant degree map from the cleaning map by detecting a contaminant degree of the cleaning region; and a terminal device configured to control the robot cleaner by receiving the contaminant degree map from the robot cleaner, and by generating a control command with respect to the robot cleaner.
The robot cleaner may include a contaminant degree detection unit configured to detect a contaminant degree of a region to be cleaned; and a controller configured to create a cleaning map by searching for the cleaning region, and configured to create a contaminant degree map from the cleaning map based on the contaminant degree. The robot cleaner may further include a communication unit configured to transmit the contaminant degree map to an external device.
The terminal device may include a control module configured to create the control command by executing a remote control program; a communication module configured to receive the contaminant degree map from the robot cleaner, and to transmit the control command to the robot cleaner; and a user interface module configured to display the contaminant degree map, and to receive the control command.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of this specification, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is also provided a remote controlling method of a robot cleaner, the method comprising: creating a cleaning map with respect to a region to be cleaned by a robot cleaner; detecting a contamination degree of the cleaning region by the robot cleaner; creating a contaminant degree map from the cleaning map based on the contaminant degree by the robot cleaner; and transmitting the contaminant degree map to the terminal device by the robot cleaner.
In the present disclosure, the cleaning map may be created by searching for a region to be cleaned (cleaning region), and the contaminant degree map may be created by detecting a contaminant degree according to each position within the cleaning region. This may allow a cleaning schedule and a contamination prevention schedule to be easily established based on the cleaning map and the contaminant degree map.
In the present disclosure, contamination materials, the contaminant degree, etc. may be analyzed to be stored according to each position of a region to be cleaned. This may allow a cleaning operation to be performed in more details, resulting in enhancing cleaning efficiency.
In the present disclosure, dust, harmful materials, harmful gas, virus, radioactive materials, etc. included in the air, on the bottom, etc. of a region to be cleaned may be detected for removable. This may allow a user to be protected from each type of colorless and odorless contamination materials.
In the present disclosure, the cleaning map and the contaminant degree map with respect to the cleaning region may be received at a remote place, through the terminal device. This may allow information on the cleaning region, such as a cleaning state and a contamination state, to be easily checked. Furthermore, a user may control the robot cleaner to perform a cleaning operation, contaminant removal, etc. with respect to the cleaning region, at a remote place, by using the terminal device. This may enhance cleaning efficiency and a user's convenience.
Further scope of applicability of the present application will become more apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the disclosure, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description.
The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.
In the drawings:
Description will now be given in detail of the exemplary embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the sake of brief description with reference to the drawings, the same or equivalent components will be provided with the same reference numbers, and description thereof will not be repeated.
Referring to
Referring to
The contaminant degree detection unit 110 may include a bottom detection sensor 112 configured to detect dust or specific materials on the bottom of the cleaning region. The bottom detection sensor 112 is configured to suck dust or foreign materials disposed on the bottom (to perform a cleaning operation), and then to detect materials included in dust or foreign materials. Alternatively, the bottom detection sensor may detect materials included in dust or foreign materials by transmitting a signal to the dust or foreign materials. The bottom detection sensor may be implemented as an infrared ray sensor, an ultrasonic wave sensor, a dust sensor, an electrode sensor, etc. Still alternatively, the bottom detection sensor may be configured to detect each type of colorless and odorless contaminants, e.g., specific materials, dust, harmful gas, etc., in the same manner as the air detection sensor.
The controller 120 is configured to create a cleaning map in a wall surface search manner, in a cell division manner, etc., by searching a region to be cleaned, i.e., with running or performing a cleaning operation. Here, explanations about a detail algorism for creating a cleaning map will be omitted. As explained later, when creating a cleaning map, the controller 120 may use a position, a size, etc. of an obstacle or a structure inside a cleaning region. The controller may refer to a position of the robot cleaner, etc., or may use a substantial map. The cleaning map may include position information. The controller 120 is configured to create a contaminant degree map by corresponding a contaminant degree detected by the contaminant degree detection unit 110 to a position on the cleaning map. The controller 120 may compare the contaminant degree with a preset reference value, and generate an alarm signal according to a comparison result. For instance, the robot cleaner presets a reference contaminant degree with respect to a specific contaminant such as formaldehyde. Then, the controller compares a contaminant degree detected by the contaminant degree detection unit 110 with the reference contaminant degree. If the contaminant degree detected by the contaminant degree detection unit 110 is more than the reference contaminant degree, the controller 120 may transmit an alarm message to a user.
Referring to
Referring to
The obstacle detection unit 140 is configured to detect an obstacle at the periphery of the robot cleaner while moving within the cleaning region, or while performing a cleaning operation. The obstacle detection unit 140 outputs, to the controller 120, information on the position and the size of the obstacle, and information whether the obstacle exists or not, etc. As the obstacle detection unit 140, may be used an infrared ray sensor, an ultrasonic wave sensor, a radio frequency (RF) sensor, a bumper, etc. The controller 120 may create a cleaning map based on information on the obstacle detected by the obstacle detection unit 140.
The position recognition 150 is configured to recognize the current position of the robot cleaner within a cleaning region. As the position recognition 150, may be used a sensor such as an acceleration sensor, an encoder, a gyro sensor and a laser sensor. The acceleration sensor is configured to recognize each speed and each position of the robot cleaner which is moving. The encoder is connected to a wheel motor for driving wheels of the robot cleaner, thereby detecting the speed of the robot cleaner. The gyro sensor is configured to detect a rotation speed of the robot cleaner. As shown in
More concretely, the controller 120 may create the cleaning map or the contaminant degree map by combining the information on the obstacle detected by the obstacle detection unit 140, with the information on the position recognized by the position recognition unit 150. Alternatively, the controller 120 corrects the created cleaning map or contaminant degree map.
Referring to
Referring to
A user may directly input a control command to the robot cleaner through the input unit 170, or may input a command for instructing output of at least one information of the robot cleaner. The input unit 170 is provided with one or more input buttons. The input button may include an OK button for inputting a command for certifying detection information, obstacle information, position information, a cleaning region or a contaminant degree map and a cleaning map, and a setting button for inputting a setting command. Alternatively, the input button may include a resetting button for inputting a resetting command with respect to each information, a deletion button, a cleaning start button, a stop button, etc. The input unit 170 and the output unit 160 may be implemented as a touch screen for implementing both an input and an output.
The storage unit 180 is configured to store therein a control algorithm for driving the robot cleaner. The storage unit 180 is configured to store therein information on a contaminant degree, a contaminant degree map, and a contaminant (contamination material). The storage unit may store therein information on an obstacle detected by the obstacle detection unit 140, position information, a cleaning region, a cleaning map, etc. As the storage unit 180, a non-volatile memory is mainly used. The non-volatile memory (NVM, NVRAM) indicates a storage apparatus capable of continuously maintaining stored information even in a state of no power supply. The non-volatile memory is implemented as ROM, a flash memory, a magnetic computer memory device (e.g., a hard disc, a diskette drive and a magnetic tape), an optical disc drive, magnetic RAM, PRAM, etc.
The power unit 191 is provided with a chargeable power supply means, thereby supplying power into the robot cleaner. The power unit 191 is configured to supply power for moving the robot cleaner and performing a cleaning operation. If the remaining amount of power is not sufficient, the robot cleaner is moved to a charging plate to be supplied with a current.
The driving unit 193 is connected to a plurality of wheels including a plurality of main wheels and one or more auxiliary wheels. And, the driving unit 193 is provided with a wheel motor for rotating the wheels, and moves the robot cleaner by driving the wheel motor.
The robot cleaner may further comprise a cleaning unit (not shown). The cleaning unit includes a suction motor for sucking the air and means for collecting dust, and is configured to suck dust or foreign materials of the periphery.
Referring to
Referring to
The robot cleaner 100 firstly searches for a region to be cleaned (cleaning region), and creates a cleaning map. Here, the robot cleaner 100 creates a cleaning map based on information on an obstacle detected by the obstacle detection unit 140. Alternatively, the robot cleaner 100 may create a cleaning map by combing information on an obstacle detected by the obstacle detection unit 140, with information on its position recognized by the position recognition unit 150. The contaminant degree detection unit 110 is configured to detect dust, contaminants, etc. included in the air or on the bottom of a cleaning region, and calculates a contaminant degree. The controller 120 creates a contaminant degree map from the cleaning map through combination with position information. The communication unit 130 is connected to the terminal device 200, and transmits a cleaning map, a contaminant degree map, obstacle information, position information, state information, etc. to the terminal device 200. The communication unit 130 is configured to receive a control command from the terminal device.
As shown in
Referring to
The robot cleaner firstly searches for a region to be cleaned, and creates a cleaning map (S100). That is, the robot cleaner creates a cleaning map based on obstacle information or position information or a combination of obstacle information and position information. Then, the robot cleaner detects a contaminant degree of dust or contaminants which exist in the air or on the bottom of the cleaning region (S200). Then, the robot cleaner creates a contaminant degree map from the cleaning map through combination with the position information (S300). Then, the robot cleaner is connected to a terminal device, and transmits to the terminal obstacle information, position information, state information, etc. (S400). And, the robot cleaner receives a control command from the terminal device.
The remote controlling method of a robot cleaner further comprises displaying the contaminant degree map on a screen by the terminal device (S500). The remote controlling method of a robot cleaner further comprises creating a control command with respect to the robot cleaner by the terminal device (S600), and transmitting the control command to the robot cleaner by the terminal device (S700). The terminal device displays a received cleaning map on the screen as shown in
As aforementioned, in the present disclosure, a cleaning map is created by searching for a region to be cleaned (cleaning region), and a contaminant degree map is created by detecting a contaminant and a contaminant degree according to each position within the cleaning region. A user may easily establish a cleaning schedule and a contamination prevention schedule based on the cleaning map and the contaminant degree map. Furthermore, the cleaning map and the contaminant degree map with respect to the cleaning region may be received at a remote place through the terminal device. This may allow the user to easily check information on a cleaning state, a contamination state, etc. of the cleaning region, and to control the robot cleaner based on the checked information.
The foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present disclosure. The present teachings can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses. This description is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The features, structures, methods, and other characteristics of the exemplary embodiments described herein may be combined in various ways to obtain additional and/or alternative exemplary embodiments.
As the present features may be embodied in several forms without departing from the characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalents of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10-2011-0032346 | Apr 2011 | KR | national |