CN110477805B

CN110477805B - Mobile body system including a plurality of mobile bodies movable along ground

Info

Publication number: CN110477805B
Application number: CN201910144891.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 田岛泰治; 松井康博; 姚卓男; 伊藤则和
Original assignee: Hitachi Global Life Solutions Inc
Current assignee: Hitachi Global Life Solutions Inc
Priority date: 2018-05-14
Filing date: 2019-02-27
Publication date: 2021-06-08
Anticipated expiration: 2039-02-27
Also published as: CN110477805A; JP2019198346A; JP7025990B2

Abstract

The invention provides a moving body system including a plurality of moving bodies capable of moving along the ground, which can make map processing between a plurality of self-propelled electric dust collectors arranged on different floors smooth. The mobile body includes a communication unit and a height detection unit, and can refer to a map of a floor where the mobile body is located, update the map, or input an already-passed area through which the mobile body has passed into the map, and determines that the other mobile body is located on the same floor when a difference between a detection value of the height detection unit and a detection value of the height detection unit of the other mobile body is small, and determines that the other mobile body is located on the other floor when a difference between the detection value of the height detection unit and a detection value of the height detection unit of the other mobile body is large.

Description

Mobile body system including a plurality of mobile bodies movable along ground

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a mobile body system including a mobile body that can move along a ground surface.

Background

Patent document 1 discloses a self-propelled electronic apparatus having a control unit that selects a travel map corresponding to a height detected by a height detection unit that is an air pressure sensor for detecting the height of a place where the apparatus is located, and controls travel based on the selected travel map (claim 1, paragraph 0044).

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2017-204132

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

As the atmospheric pressure sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor is known which measures the altitude at which the sensor is located, and atmospheric pressure varies even at the same altitude due to conditions such as weather and season. Therefore, when only the floor is used alone as in patent document 1, the floor where the sensor is located cannot necessarily be determined with high accuracy. In addition, patent document 1 does not investigate a specific process for a mobile body system including a plurality of air pressure sensors.

Means for solving the problems

In view of the above, the present invention provides a mobile body system including a plurality of mobile bodies movable along a ground surface, characterized in that:

the moving body is provided with a plurality of moving bodies,

has a communication part and a height detection part,

the map of the floor on which it is located can be referenced,

the update of the map can be performed and/or a passed area through which a moving body has passed can be input to the map,

wherein when the difference between the detection value of the height detection unit and the detection value of the height detection unit of another mobile body is small, it is determined that the other mobile body is located on the same floor,

when the difference between the detection value of the height detection unit and the detection value of the height detection unit of another mobile body is large, it is determined that the other mobile body is located on another floor.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner according to the embodiment of the present invention, with the upper housing and the dust collection box removed.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view a-a of fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a configuration diagram showing a control device of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner according to the embodiment of the present invention and an apparatus connected to the control device.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the running control of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a layout view of a floor where 2 self-propelled electric vacuum cleaners according to the embodiment of the present invention are located.

Fig. 8 is a map generated when 2 self-propelled electric vacuum cleaners according to the embodiment of the present invention perform cleaning on the same floor.

Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a travel locus in a case where 2 self-propelled electric vacuum cleaners according to the embodiment of the present invention perform cleaning on the same floor.

Fig. 10 is a diagram showing a shared map, a cleaned area, and an uncleanable area in the case where 2 self-propelled electric cleaners according to the embodiment of the present invention perform cleaning on the same floor.

Fig. 11 is a view showing a travel locus in a case where 2 self-propelled electric vacuum cleaners according to the embodiment of the present invention perform cleaning on the same floor.

Fig. 12 is a diagram showing a shared map, a cleaned area, and an uncleanable area in the case where 2 self-propelled electric cleaners according to the embodiment of the present invention perform cleaning on the same floor.

Fig. 13 is a diagram showing a map shared by 2 self-propelled electric vacuum cleaners and terminal devices of a cleaned area and an uncleanable area when cleaning is performed on the same floor according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 14 is a diagram showing a map shared by 2 self-propelled electric vacuum cleaners and terminal devices of a cleaned area and an uncleanable area when cleaning is performed on the same floor according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 15 is a layout view of 2 self-propelled electric vacuum cleaners according to the embodiment of the present invention in a case where cleaning is performed on different floors.

Fig. 16 is a map generated when 2 self-propelled electric vacuum cleaners according to the embodiment of the present invention perform cleaning on different floors.

Fig. 17 is a diagram showing a travel locus in a case where 2 self-propelled electric vacuum cleaners according to the embodiment of the present invention perform cleaning on different floors.

Fig. 18 is a diagram showing a shared map, a cleaned area, and an uncleanable area in the case where 2 self-propelled electric cleaners according to the embodiment of the present invention perform cleaning on different floors.

Fig. 19 is a diagram showing a travel locus in the case where 2 self-propelled electric vacuum cleaners according to the embodiment of the present invention perform cleaning on different floors.

Fig. 20 is a diagram showing a shared map, a cleaned area, and an uncleanable area in the case where 2 self-propelled electric cleaners according to the embodiment of the present invention perform cleaning on different floors.

Fig. 21 is a diagram showing a map shared by 2 self-propelled electric vacuum cleaners and terminal devices of a cleaned area and an uncleanable area when cleaning is performed on different floors according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 22 is a diagram showing a map shared by 2 self-propelled electric vacuum cleaners and terminal devices of a cleaned area and an uncleanable area when cleaning is performed on different floors according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 23 is a diagram showing a terminal device in which a user can directly set the location of 2 self-propelled electric vacuum cleaners according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, it is assumed that the main traveling direction of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner R (see fig. 1) is the front direction, the vertically upward direction is the upper direction, and the direction opposite to the driving wheel 61 (see fig. 3) is the left and right directions. That is, as shown in fig. 1, the front-back, the top-bottom, and the left-right are defined.

The various components of the present invention are not necessarily required to be independent of each other, and one component may be constituted by a plurality of members, a plurality of components may be constituted by one member, or a part of one component may overlap with a part of another component.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner of the present embodiment. The self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner R is a vacuum cleaner that performs cleaning while autonomously moving in a predetermined cleaning area (for example, indoors). The self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner R has a main body 50 including an upper housing 91 as an upper wall (and a part of a side wall), a lower housing 51 as a bottom wall (and a part of a side wall), and a damper 92 provided at a front portion. On the top surface of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner R, a dust box K and a handle 93 for detaching the dust box K are provided. An operation button 97 and a display panel 98 for displaying a cleaning mode and the like are disposed on the upper case 91.

(Main body)

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner R according to the present embodiment in a state where the upper case 91 and the dust box K are removed. The lower case 51 is a case on which the traveling motor 57, the rotary brush motor 21, the electric blower 81, the control device 95, and the like that transmit the driving force to the driving wheels 61 are placed, and has a thin disc shape. The self-propelled electric cleaner R includes a wireless communication module 101 for communicating with another self-propelled electric cleaner RN, an environment detection unit (for example, an imaging unit such as a camera and/or a laser) 102 capable of introducing an image of the surroundings and generating a self-position and a map, and a barometer 103. Various known barometers can be used as the barometer 103, and the barometer 103 of the present embodiment has a function of estimating the height of the barometer 103 by measuring the atmospheric pressure around the barometer 103.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner R according to the present embodiment. In the

lower case

51, 2 drive wheels 61 opposed in the left-right direction, a drive mechanism housing portion 54 housing the speed reduction mechanism 47 and the traveling motor 57, a side brush attachment portion 82, and a suction port portion 10 are formed.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line a-a of fig. 1. The self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner R has a battery housing portion 55 that houses the rechargeable battery P. Further, the damper 92 is provided to be movable in the front-rear direction in accordance with the thrust force acting from the outside. The retreat of the damper 92 (i.e., contact with the obstacle) is detected by a damper sensor (infrared sensor), and the detection result is input to the control device 95. At least the vicinity of the distance measuring sensor in the damper 92 is formed of resin or glass that transmits infrared rays, and the vicinity of the environment detection unit 102 is formed of resin or glass that transmits visible rays in the case of a camera or resin or glass that transmits a wavelength band of a laser in the case of a laser.

(side brush)

The side brush 40 illustrated in fig. 3 is a brush that is positioned outside the main body 50 and guides dust in a place where the rotary brush 5 is not easily reached, such as a corner of a room, to the suction port portion 10 (suction port 17), and a part of the side brush is exposed from the main body 50 in a plan view. The side brush 40 has 3 bundles of brush bristles radially extending at 120 ° intervals in a plan view, and is disposed on the left and right sides in front of the lower housing 51.

The side brush holder 41 is provided near the bottom surface of the lower case 51 and coupled to the side brush motor 42. The side brush 40 is driven by the side brush motor 42 to rotate inward (in the direction of the arrow shown in fig. 3), and collects dust into the suction port 17.

(electric blower)

The electric blower 81 shown in fig. 4 has a function of generating a negative pressure by discharging air in the dust box K to the outside by rotational driving, and sucking dust from the floor surface through the suction port 17 (suction port portion 10).

(Sensors)

Fig. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a control device 95 of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner and equipment connected to the control device 95. The damper sensor (obstacle detection unit) is a sensor that detects the retreat of the damper 92.

The distance measuring sensor 96 (obstacle detecting means) is an infrared sensor that detects the distance to an obstacle. The distance measuring sensor 96 includes a light emitting portion (not shown) that emits infrared rays, and a light receiving portion (not shown) that receives reflected light that is returned after the infrared rays are reflected by an obstacle. The distance to the obstacle is calculated based on the reflected light detected by the light receiving unit.

The distance measuring sensors 94 for the ground (ground detecting means) are infrared sensors for measuring the distance to the ground, and are provided at the front, rear, left, and right 4 positions on the bottom surface of the lower case 51 (see fig. 3). By detecting a large step difference such as a step with the distance measuring sensor for a floor surface, the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner R can be prevented from falling (from the step or the like).

The rotation speed and the rotation angle of the traveling motor 57 are detected by the traveling motor pulse output. The control device 95 can be used to calculate the moving speed and the moving distance of the main body 50 based on the rotation speed and the rotation angle detected from the pulse output of the traveling motor, the gear ratio of the reduction mechanism, and the diameter of the driving wheel 61.

The rechargeable battery P is, for example, a secondary battery that can be reused by charging, and is housed in a battery housing portion 55 (see fig. 4). The electric power from the rechargeable battery P is supplied to the sensors, the motors, the driving devices, and the control device 95.

(drive device)

The traveling motor driving device (left) and (right) shown in fig. 5 are an inverter for driving the traveling motors 57 on the left and right sides, or a pulse waveform generating device based on PWM control, and operate in response to a command from the control device 95. The same applies to the electric blower driving device, the motor driving device for the rotary brush, and the motor driving device for the side brush (left) (right). These respective driving means are provided in a control device 95 (refer to fig. 2) inside the main body 50.

(control device)

The control device 95 is, for example, a Microcomputer (not shown), reads a program stored in a rom (read Only memory), deploys the program to a ram (random Access memory), and executes various processes by a cpu (central Processing unit).

Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing processing concerning travel control, map generation, and recording of a work environment among the processing executed by the control device. When a user instructs or a timer instructs to start cleaning, the self-propelled electric cleaner R searches for another self-propelled electric cleaner RN connected to the same access point using the wireless communication module 101 as a communication unit (step S1). Further, if it is possible to acquire information of another access point (for example, another access point installed in the same building) predetermined by the user, for example, it is also possible to search for whether another self-propelled electric cleaner RN is connected to the access points. If no other self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner R is detected, the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner is judged to be independent. When the detection is made, the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner R communicates with another self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner R, and compares the values of the respective barometers 103 (step S2). In the present embodiment, 2 self-propelled

electric vacuum cleaners

105 and 106 are provided.

If the difference between the values of the barometers 103 of the 2 self-propelled

electric cleaners

105, 106 is greater than a predetermined value, it is determined that the self-propelled

electric cleaners

105, 106 are located on different floors. If the difference between the values of the barometers 103 is smaller than a predetermined value, it is determined that the self-propelled

electric cleaners

105 and 106 are located on the same floor. Since the determination is made not from the absolute value but from the relative value of the barometer 103, the difference in the layer can be determined with less influence of weather (high air pressure, low air pressure).

The threshold value (predetermined value) for distinguishing whether 2 self-propelled

electric cleaners

105 and 106 are located on different floors or on the same floor depends on the floor height (height per 1 floor) of the building, and if the building is a residential building, the floor height is usually about 3m, and the air pressure is different by about 0.35 hPa. In addition, in the case of an office building, the floor height is usually about 4.5m, and the air pressure is different by about 0.52 hPa. Therefore, it is considered that the threshold value is set to about 0.35hPa when the target demander of the manufacturer of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner R is a user of a residential building, and to about 0.52hPa when the manufacturer of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner R is an office building manager or the like. When the air pressure difference is detected to be equal to or greater than the threshold value, it is determined that the floor is located at a different floor. The user may be allowed to input the floor height or the type of building to be used (e.g., residential or office building). Thus, by determining the threshold value, it is possible to accurately estimate whether the layers on which the self-propelled

electric dust collectors

105 and 106 are arranged are the same or different. In addition, regarding the above 0.35 and 0.52, it is preferable to consider that the significant digit is 2 bits.

First, a case where 2 self-propelled

electric vacuum cleaners

105 and 106 perform cleaning on the same floor will be described. Fig. 7 is a diagram in which the self-propelled

electric cleaners

105 and 106, the charging stands 107 and 108, and the furniture 109 are additionally depicted in a layout of a floor on which the 2 self-propelled

electric cleaners

105 and 106 are installed, and fig. 8 is a diagram showing a map 110 of a floor.

Fig. 7 depicts a layout 104, a self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 105, another self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 106, a charging base 107 of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 105, a charging base 108 of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 106, an uncleanable area 109 for furniture or the like, a wall-following travel trajectory 120 of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 105, and a wall-following travel trajectory 121 of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 106. The environment detection unit can determine whether or not the area is not cleanable by, for example, acquiring the height and gap size of the area, comparing the height and gap size with the size of the area, or determining whether or not the area can be entered with the movement performance of the environment detection unit.

The self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 105 and the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 106 first start traveling along the wall (step S3).

At this time, the controller 95 calculates the moving speed and the moving distance of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner R from the pulse output of the traveling motor, for example. At the same time, the images and the like from the environment detection unit 102 are processed to extract characteristic points such as the ceiling of a room and furniture, and the position of the user is estimated from the plurality of characteristic points (step S4). Through this process, the self-propelled

electric vacuum cleaners

105 and 106 complete generation of the map 110 when 1 week passes around the room (step S5). The map 110 may be generated and stored by the control device 95 of each traveling electric vacuum cleaner, or the respective traveling electric vacuum cleaners may transmit the travel data to another server to generate and store the respective maps 110. The map 110 is suitably merged as described later.

Then, the self-propelled

electric vacuum cleaners

105 and 106 located on the same floor are shared with the generated map 110 (step S6, 2:). Specifically, the map generated by the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 105 and the map generated by the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 106 are compared to find a common point, and 2 maps are merged and synthesized into one map. Then, the map is shared by 2 self-propelled

electric cleaners

105 and 106 on the same floor, and the own position is estimated on the shared map. The map data may be stored in each or a part of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaners and referred to by the communication unit, or may be stored in the server and referred to by each of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaners by the communication unit.

Then, cleaning is resumed (step S7), and cleaning of the room is performed while avoiding obstacles using the shock absorber 92, the distance measuring sensor 96, and the ground distance measuring sensor 94 (step S8). At the same time, the self-position is estimated from the traveling motor pulse output and the data of the environment detection unit 102, and the cleaned area and the uncleanable area are recorded on the map (step S9).

Fig. 9 shows the traveling locus of the self-propelled

electric vacuum cleaners

105 and 106. The travel path 111 of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 105 and the travel path 112 of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 106 are depicted.

Since the self-propelled

electric cleaners

105, 106 are located on the same floor, the cleaned area and the uncleanable area are shared (step S10). The shared map is shown in fig. 10. The cleaned area 113, the uncleanable area 114 of the autonomous electric vacuum cleaner 105, the cleaned area 115 of the autonomous electric vacuum cleaner 106, and the uncleaned areas 116-118 are depicted.

Fig. 13 is a view showing a screen displayed by the terminal device 119 of the present embodiment during cleaning of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner, and fig. 14 is a view showing a screen displayed by the terminal device 119 of the present embodiment after completion of cleaning of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner. The terminal device 119 displays the map 1191 in which the cleaned area and the layout are combined (step S11). When the uncleaned area remains (step S12), an optimal path is calculated from the distance between the self position of each self-propelled electric dust collector and the uncleaned area (step S13). Specifically, the cleaning is continued from the non-cleaned area located at a position close to the self position of each self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner (step S14). Then, if there is no longer an uncleaned area (refer to fig. 11), the charging stand is returned to, respectively (step S15). Since the optimal path is calculated from the distance between the self position of each self-propelled electric cleaner and the non-cleaned area, there is no need to newly group the non-cleaned areas and allocate the cleaned areas to each self-propelled electric cleaner, and the processing load of the control device 95 or the server is reduced. Further, for example, when the number of obstacles is large in the cleaning area close to the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 105 and it takes time to clean, the cleaning area of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 106 is automatically expanded by calculating the optimal path, and finally, the cleaning can be completed at the fastest speed by 2 apparatuses. Then, the map shown in fig. 12 and the final cleaned area are displayed on the terminal device 119.

Next, a case where 2 self-propelled electric vacuum cleaners perform cleaning on different floors will be described. Fig. 15 is a diagram in which the self-propelled

electric cleaners

105 and 106 and the charging stands 107 and 108 are additionally drawn in the layout of one floor (1 floor and 2 floors in the present embodiment) in which the 2 self-propelled

electric cleaners

105 and 106 are respectively installed, and fig. 16 is a

diagram showing maps

132 and 133 of the one floor.

Fig. 15 depicts a layout 122 of 1 floor, a layout 123 of 2 floors, the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 105, the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 106, the charging base 107 of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 105, the charging base 108 of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 106, the non-cleanable areas 126 to 131 such as steps, the wall-following travel track 124 of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 105, and the wall-following travel track 125 of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 106. In the present embodiment, the atmospheric pressures of different floors are stored in advance with reference to the highest atmospheric pressure among the detected atmospheric pressures. That is, the pressure of 2 floors in a residential building is, for example, (1 floor pressure) to about 0.35 "hPa, based on the 1 floor having the highest pressure.

First, the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 105 and the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 106 start traveling along the wall (step S3), and at this time, the control device 95 calculates the moving speed and the moving distance of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner R from the traveling motor pulse output. At the same time, the video from the camera 102 is subjected to image processing, characteristic points such as the ceiling of a room and furniture are extracted, and the position of the user is estimated from the plurality of characteristic points (step S4). Through this process, the self-propelled

electric vacuum cleaners

105 and 106 complete generation of the

maps

132 and 133 of the layouts of the respective floors when 1 week passes around the room (step S5).

Next, since 2 self-propelled electric vacuum cleaners are on different floors, the control devices 95 do not share the generated

maps

132 and 133 between the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 105 and the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 106. Each of the self-propelled

electric vacuum cleaners

105 and 106 refers to the detection value of the respective altimeter, and determines the floor on which the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner is disposed based on the difference between the highest detection value and the detection value of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner. Then, the self-position is estimated on the map of each floor determined (step S6). Then, cleaning is resumed (step S7), and cleaning of the room is performed while avoiding obstacles using the shock absorber 92, the distance measuring sensor 96, and the floor distance measuring sensor 94 (step S8). At the same time, the position of the user is estimated from the traveling motor pulse output and the image of the camera 102, and the cleaned area and the non-cleaned area are recorded on the respective maps (step S9).

Each of the self-propelled

electric vacuum cleaners

105 and 106 can only refer to the map of the floor where the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner is located. Therefore, the map data may be exchanged with each other so that the map of the floor where the map data is located can be referred to by the map data itself. This can be easily implemented in the case of unified management with a server, which is preferable. If the data is stored in the respective control devices 95 or the like for reference, the data can be acquired by communicating with the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner having the map of the floor after determining the floor where the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner is located.

Fig. 17 shows the traveling locus of the self-propelled

electric vacuum cleaners

105 and 106. Fig. 17 depicts a travel path 134 of the autonomous electric vacuum cleaner 105 and a travel path 135 of the autonomous electric vacuum cleaner 106.

Since the self-propelled

electric cleaners

105, 106 are located on different floors, the cleaned area and the uncleanable area are not shared (step S10). Fig. 18 shows a map that is not shared. Swept areas 136, unswept areas 126-131 of the autonomous electric vacuum cleaner 105, swept area 139 of the autonomous electric vacuum cleaner 106, and

unswept areas

137, 138, 140, 141 are depicted.

Fig. 21 is a view showing a screen displayed by the terminal device 119 of the present embodiment during cleaning of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner, and fig. 22 is a view showing a screen displayed by the terminal device 119 of the present embodiment after completion of cleaning of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner.

The map and the cleaned area are displayed on the terminal device 119 (step S11). If an uncleaned area remains (step S12), an optimal path is calculated from the distance between the self position of each self-propelled electric dust collector and the uncleaned area (step S13). Specifically, the cleaning is continued from the non-cleaned area located at a position close to the self position of each self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner (step S14). Then, as shown in fig. 19, if there is no longer an uncleaned area, each returns to the charging stand (step S15). Then, the map and the final cleaned area (fig. 20) are displayed on the terminal device 119 (refer to fig. 22).

As described above, the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner of the present embodiment can display the area driven by each self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner on the same map when a plurality of self-propelled electric vacuum cleaners are located on the same floor, create a map for each floor when located on a different floor, and display the area driven by each self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner on the map for each floor.

Fig. 23 is a screen for displaying the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner detected through the access point search on the terminal device 119. The self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner may not be provided with the barometer, but may be set directly by the user as described above. In general, since a user arranges the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaners in a building, the user can know which floor the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner is arranged on, and thus, the user can also conceivably designate the floor where each vacuum cleaner is arranged. This can be applied even when a part of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaners arranged in the same building does not have the barometer. The user may specifically ask the floor where each self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner is located, or may ask only whether a plurality of self-propelled electric vacuum cleaners are located on the same floor.

The floor determination according to the present embodiment is not limited to the application to the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner, and may be applied to other electric vacuum cleaners and a moving body that moves along the floor surface.

Description of the reference numerals

1 sweeping brush

5 rotating brush

10 suction inlet part

17 suction port

40 side brush

41 side brush support

50 main body

51 lower shell

54 drive mechanism housing

55 Battery housing part

61 drive wheel

71 arm (suspension)

81 electric fan

82 side brush mounting part

83 auxiliary wheel

84 auxiliary wheel mounting part

91 upper shell

92 shock absorber

93 cover

95 control device

96 sensors (obstacle detection unit)

97 operation button

98 display panel

101 wireless communication module

102 vidicon

103 barometer

R self-propelled electric dust collector

K dust collecting box

F dust collecting filter

P charging the battery.

Claims

1. A mobile body system including a plurality of mobile bodies that are movable along a ground surface, characterized in that:

the moving body is provided with a plurality of moving bodies,

has a communication part and a height detection part,

the map of the floor on which it is located can be referenced,

wherein when the difference between the detection value of the height detection unit and the detection value of the height detection unit of another mobile body is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, it is determined that the other mobile body is located on the same floor,

when the difference between the detection value of the height detection unit and the detection value of the height detection unit of another mobile body is greater than the predetermined threshold value, it is determined that the other mobile body is located on another floor.

2. The movable body system according to claim 1, wherein:

the update of the map of any floor is shared by the moving bodies determined to be located on the same floor, and/or the already-passed area of the map input to any floor is shared by the moving bodies determined to be located on the same floor on the same map.

3. The movable body system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that:

updating of the map and inputting of the already-passed area are not reflected to the other party between the moving objects determined to be located on floors different from each other.

4. The movable body system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that:

the user can input information on the floor on which the mobile body is located to a part of the mobile bodies.

5. A mobile body system as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that:

6. The movable body system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that:

the information on whether some or all of the plurality of moving bodies are located on the same floor or the information on the floor on which each of the moving bodies is located can be inquired to the user.

7. A mobile body system as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that: