KR20100003816A - Method of controlling a robot cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A control method of a robot cleaner is provided to only clean a cleaning area set by a user by sensing a signal from a transmission device. CONSTITUTION: The cleaning start information is received(302). The cleaning time is calculated by moving a robot cleaner and scanning a cleaning area(304). The cleaning of the robot cleaner is performed by driving a driving part, a dust absorption part, and a sensing part(306). A radio signal is received through a receive part(308). When the received radio signal is a signal transmitted from a first transmission device, it is decided whether the intensity of the radio signal is weakened or not(314). In case it is decided that the intensity of the radio signal gets weak, the progress direction of the robot cleaner is modified(316).

Description

Robot Cleaner Control Method {METHOD OF CONTROLLING A ROBOT CLEANER}

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a robot cleaner, and more particularly, to a method for controlling a robot cleaner equipped with a receiver for communication with a transmitter.

Robots have been developed for industrial use and used as part of factory automation, or to collect information on behalf of humans in extreme environments that humans cannot tolerate. This field of robotics has been developed in recent years as it is used in the cutting-edge space development industry, and recently, until a human-friendly home robot was developed. Representative applications of such human-friendly home robot is a robot cleaner.

In general, the robot cleaner refers to a device that performs a cleaning operation of sucking dust and foreign substances from the floor surface while traveling by itself within a range of working areas without a user's manipulation. The robot cleaner uses sensors and cameras to determine the distance to obstacles such as furniture, office supplies, and walls installed in the work area such as the home or office, and uses the determined information to drive the operation while avoiding collision with the obstacle. To perform.

However, since the conventional robot cleaner does not determine the area where the robot cleaner is located and controls the cleaning path by a lambdon method by detecting an obstacle around it, in some cases, a space where no cleaning is performed may be generated. There is a problem that can be.

In addition, there may be a cleaning area that the user thinks that cleaning by the robot cleaner is not necessary, or that the cleaning should not be performed in the entire cleaning area, the conventional robot cleaner is cleaned according to the user's intention as described above It is not given the ability to perform.

Therefore, when a conventional cleaner is used, cleaning may be performed for an area that does not need cleaning, and cleaning may be performed for an area that should not be cleaned, thereby causing an undesired damage to a user.

An object of the present invention for solving the above problems is to provide a robot cleaner control method for the robot cleaner to detect a signal transmitted from the transmission device, so that only the cleaning area set by the user can be cleaned.

In the present invention for achieving the above object, in the robot cleaner control method applied to the robot cleaner, when the cleaning start information for the first detail cleaning area is received, the controller of the robot cleaner drives the driving unit of the robot cleaner; A cleaning step of causing the robot cleaner to clean the first detail cleaning area; During the cleaning, the intensity of the first wireless signal transmitted from the first transmission device provided in the first detail cleaning zone is weakened, and the second transmitted from the second transmission device provided in the second detail cleaning zone in the cleaning zone. Determining, by the controller, whether a radio signal is received or not; A continuous step of continuing, by the control unit, the cleaning step when the first wireless signal strength is not weakened or the second wireless signal is not received as a result of the determination of the wireless signal strength; And a path changing step of changing, by the control unit, the driving direction of the robot cleaner by driving the driving unit when the first wireless signal strength is weakened and the second wireless signal is received as a result of the determination of the wireless signal strength. do.

According to the present invention, the robot cleaner senses a signal transmitted from the transmission device, so that only the cleaning area preset by the user can be cleaned, so that the robot cleaner may not be cleaned for the unnecessary area, and the cleaning is required. There is an excellent effect that allows for constant cleaning of the area.

In addition, the present invention has an excellent effect that the unavoidable situation due to the cleaning of the robot cleaner can not be generated by preventing the cleaning to be performed on the area that is not required to be cleaned by the user.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is an exemplary view showing a cleaning system composed of a robot cleaner and a transmission device to which the present invention is applied, and in particular, an exemplary view showing a state viewed from the ceiling of the cleaning area.

The cleaning system to which the present invention is applied includes at least two transmitters 21 and 22 and transmitters installed on the ceiling of the cleaning zone 30 to transmit radio signals RF, as shown in FIG. 1. It is configured to include a robot cleaner 10 that can perform the cleaning while receiving the wireless signal transmitted from the current position is determined.

The transmitting apparatuses 21 and 22 are installed for each sub-cleaning area of the cleaning area 30 which can be cleaned at the same time by the robot cleaner. For example, in the case of an apartment, a transmitting device may be separately installed in a living room, a room, a kitchen, or the like. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, as shown in FIG. 1, the present invention will be described assuming that the first transmission device 21 and the second transmission device 22 are installed in one cleaning area 30. Here, the detailed cleaning area managed by the first transmitting device 21 is called a first detail cleaning area, and the detailed cleaning area managed by the second sending device 22 is called a second detail cleaning area. On the other hand, the detailed cleaning area in which the radio signals transmitted from the first transmitting device and the second transmitting device can be superimposed can be called a third detail cleaning area. The transmitting device may use any one of various kinds of radio waves, and in particular, each transmitting device may use different frequencies or include different recognition information in a radio signal to be distinguished by a robot cleaner. I can send it.

The robot cleaner 20 includes a receiver 16 so as to receive and identify a radio signal transmitted from a transmitter. The robot cleaner may analyze the received wireless signal to determine which transmission device is a wireless signal, and then move its position to receive the wireless signal only from a predetermined transmission device. The detailed configuration of the robot cleaner 20 including the above function will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

2 is an exemplary view showing an internal configuration of a robot cleaner to which the present invention is applied.

As shown in FIG. 2, the robot cleaner to which the robot cleaner control method according to the present invention is applied includes: an input unit 11 receiving various information, a storage unit 12 storing various information necessary for driving the robot cleaner; From the sensing unit 13 for detecting an obstacle or a wall disposed in the moving section of the robot cleaner, the driving unit 14 for driving the motor to perform a cleaning function, the dust collecting unit 15 for collecting dust, the transmitter And a receiver 17 for receiving the transmitted signal and a controller 17 for controlling the functions of the components.

The input unit 11 is for receiving various information required for the operation of the robot cleaner, and may be various buttons provided on the robot cleaner itself, and may be a remote controller (not shown) that communicates with the robot cleaner via wireless. It may be. That is, the user may control the robot cleaner by using an input unit such as a button or a remote controller provided in the main body housing of the robot cleaner.

The storage unit 12 stores various programs necessary for the operation of the robot cleaner or information on a cleaning operation process set by the user. In particular, the user may limit and set the cleaning time in a specific region of the entire cleaning time, and the set information is stored in the storage unit.

The sensing unit 13 detects an obstacle or a wall in the forward or driving direction by applying an infrared sensor or an ultrasonic sensor, and detects the distance so that the robot cleaner can be moved without being caught by the obstacle. . On the other hand, the detection signal detected from the various sensors of the detection unit is transmitted to the control unit.

The driving unit 14 is to drive a function of the robot cleaner, a suction motor for sucking dust, a driving motor for moving the robot cleaner by rotating wheels, a brush motor for driving a brush to easily inhale dust, and the like. It may be configured as. The driving unit independently drives each motor to rotate in the forward or reverse direction according to the control signal of the controller. The running direction is determined by controlling the rotation speed of each motor differently.

The suction unit 15 performs a function of collecting dust on the floor while inhaling air, and the suction motor, the suction port formed to face the floor by driving the suction motor, and the dust sucked in through the suction port and the suction pipe. The dust collecting chamber may be configured to include a dust collecting chamber.

The receiving unit 16 performs a function of receiving a radio signal transmitted from the transmitting apparatuses 21 and 22, and is preferably formed on an upper end of the robot cleaner body.

The controller 17 performs the indicated cleaning operation by controlling the respective components of the robot cleaner having the above-described configuration, and analyzes the current position of the robot cleaner by analyzing the wireless signal received through the receiver. After that, it resets the detailed cleaning area.

The present invention is that the robot cleaner receives a radio signal from the transmission device and resets the cleaning operation accordingly, and may include other components that may be applied to the general robot cleaner in addition to the above-described components.

According to the present invention as described above, it is possible to perform cleaning for each detailed cleaning area by using the cell area setting and position control for the radio signal (RF) transmission and reception. To this end, the cleaning system to which the present invention is applied is attached with a transmitting device for notifying each area for each designated position. Therefore, when the robot cleaner according to the present invention starts cleaning in the first detail cleaning zone, the robot cleaner randomly proceeds to clean the area around the first detail cleaning zone, and when the cleaning is completed, the robot cleaner may proceed to the second detail cleaning zone sequentially. The present invention can enlarge the detailed cleaning zone in the above manner and can be cleaned by setting a different area for each detailed cleaning zone. On the other hand, by using the difference in the reception strength of the radio signal, the present invention can determine the direction of the robot cleaner, if the signal of the first detail cleaning zone is weakened through the rotation, the direction of the signal of the first detail cleaning zone is stronger direction After setting a predetermined distance in the set direction, and performs a random cleaning again.

On the other hand, in the following, a method of performing the cleaning operation by the robot cleaner as described above using a wireless signal will be described in detail.

3 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a robot cleaner control method according to the present invention.

First, the user transmits cleaning start information to the robot cleaner through the input unit. That is, when the user selects the cleaning start menu using a button provided on the robot cleaner itself or a button provided on the remote controller, the controller confirms reception of cleaning start information (302). In this case, when the robot cleaner is provided with a transmitter capable of transmitting driving start information to the transmitters 21 and 22, the controller may transmit driving start information to the transmitter, whereby the transmitters 21 and 22 may transmit the driving start information. Can be driven. However, when the robot cleaner is not provided with a transmitter, the user may wirelessly transmit driving start information to the transmitters 21 and 22 by using a remote controller, and turn on a switch connected to the transmitter by wire. ), The transmitter can be driven.

The controller receiving the cleaning start information first calculates a cleaning time by scanning the cleaning area 30 while moving the robot cleaner by driving the driving unit (304). That is, the robot cleaner scans the cleaning area before performing the cleaning operation, and calculates the area and the cleaning time for the cleaning area. Meanwhile, in the scanning process, a method similar to the path setting method performed in the cleaning function execution process to be described below is applied, and a description thereof will be replaced with the following description.

After performing the scanning process, the controller drives the driving unit, the suction unit, the sensing unit, etc., so that the cleaning function of the robot cleaner is performed (306). That is, the driving unit 14 and the suction unit 15 are composed of various motors to perform the movement and dust suction function of the robot cleaner. On the other hand, the sensing unit 13 detects the detection signal for the obstacle on the moving path of the robot cleaner and transmits it to the control unit, the control unit 17 controls the drive unit according to the detection signal, the robot cleaner cleans the normal Perform a function.

On the other hand, while the cleaning function as described above, the control unit receives a wireless signal through the receiving unit (308).

When the radio signal is received, the controller determines whether the radio signal is a radio signal transmitted from a transmitter installed in a preset sub-cleaning zone (310). That is, as exemplified above, the cleaning area is divided into a first detail cleaning area and a second detail cleaning area, and each of the detailed cleaning areas has two transmitting apparatuses 21 and 22 in charge of each detailed cleaning area. Is provided. That is, each transmitting apparatus transmits a radio signal by dividing one sub-cleaning zone, and each transmitting apparatus has different identification information or uses different frequencies. In addition, since the storage unit stores information on each transmitter, the controller can classify the received radio signal for each transmitter. On the other hand, the present invention is to allow the robot cleaner to clean only the detailed cleaning zones that the user wants to separate the cleaning zones into the detailed cleaning zones, or to set the time zone to be cleaned for each detailed cleaning zone, the user With cleaning start information, you can input the detailed cleaning area or cleaning start time for each detailed cleaning area (hereinafter, simply called 'cleaning menu') that you want to clean through the input unit. Are stored in. For example, in the home cleaning, the user may not clean the specific detail cleaning area such as the bedroom (eg, the second detail cleaning area equipped with the second transmitting device) even if the robot cleaner is operated at a certain time. The cleaning menu can be set so that the cleaning menu can be set, and the cleaning menu can be set so that cleaning is not performed only for a specific cleaning area regardless of time zone. That is, the control unit controls the movement of the robot cleaner so that only the wireless signal transmitted from the transmission device in charge of the detailed cleaning area requiring cleaning is received through the cleaning menu stored in the storage unit. Since the storage unit stores analysis information that can be matched with identification information of each wireless device, the control unit compares the identification information of the received radio signal with the analysis information stored in the storage unit, thereby transmitting from any transmission device. You can check whether it is a wireless signal. In addition, when the two transmitters transmit radio signals having different frequencies, since the analysis information about the frequencies transmitted by the transmitters is stored in the storage unit, the control unit stores the frequencies of the received radio signals. By comparing with the analysis information stored in the data, it is possible to confirm which radio signal is transmitted from which transmission apparatus. In the following, the present invention is explained by taking an example in which the cleaning menu is set so that only the first cleaning area is cleaned by the user.

As a result of the determination of the radio signal, if the received radio signal is not a radio signal transmitted from the first transmission device 21 set in the cleaning menu, the controller drives the driving unit to search for the path of the robot cleaner again (312). ). That is, in the state where cleaning is performed only for the first detail cleaning area in which the first transmitting device is mounted by the cleaning menu, there is no wireless signal received from the first transmitting device. It means that it is placed in the sub-cleaning area or in a position that has nothing to do with the cleaning area. Therefore, the robot cleaner drives the driving unit to modify the path of the robot cleaner, thereby allowing the robot cleaner to enter the first detail cleaning zone. On the other hand, even when the above-mentioned path rescanning process is performed for a preset time, if the wireless signal transmitted from the first transmitting device is not received, the controller may output a message indicating that the path search is impossible through the speaker or the display. . In this case, the user may check the position of the robot cleaner and then reposition the robot cleaner in the first detail cleaning area.

As a result of the determination of the radio signal, if the received radio signal is a radio signal transmitted from the first transmission device 21 set in the cleaning menu, the controller performs a cleaning function and whether the strength of the radio signal is weak. Determine (314). That is, as shown in Figure 1, the intensity of the radio signal output by the transmission device is smaller as the distance away from the transmission device, so that the robot cleaner does not want to leave the first detail cleaning zone, or cleaning is not required When it is located in an overlapping area (third detail cleaning zone) with the second detail cleaning zone, the intensity of the radio signal output from the first transmitting device is reduced. Therefore, the controller continuously determines that the intensity of the radio signal is smaller than the preset intensity or less than the intensity of the radio signal received immediately before. In the latter case, the control unit analyzes the radio signal at regular intervals (for example, 30 seconds or 1 minute), while transmitting information of the analyzed radio signal (for example, the strength of the radio signal and a radio signal transmitting the radio signal). Information, etc.) may be stored in the storage unit, and the variation in the strength of the radio signal may be determined by comparing the radio signal with information received thereafter.

If it is determined that the strength of the radio signal is not weakened as a result of the determination of the strength of the radio signal, the controller continuously performs the cleaning function (306).

However, if it is determined that the strength of the radio signal is small, the controller modifies the direction in which the robot cleaner proceeds, thereby allowing the robot cleaner to perform cleaning while staying in the first detail cleaning zone (316). However, when the strength of the radio signal transmitted from the first transmission device 21, which is a preset transmission device, becomes small, the progress path of the robot cleaner does not change. That is, if the path of the robot cleaner is modified by cleaning the robot cleaner in a direction away from the first transmitting device in the first detail cleaning zone, the outer portion of the first detail cleaning zone cannot be cleaned. Accordingly, the present invention relates to a case where the robot cleaner proceeds in a direction in which the radio signal transmitted from the first transmission device is weakened, and proceeds in a direction in which a radio signal transmitted from the second transmission device is received. Judging by the departure, the robot cleaner to modify the direction of progress. That is, in the present invention, when the robot cleaner moves to the upper side, the left side, or the lower side of the first detail cleaning zone, the robot cleaner sees the normal cleaning progress for the first detail cleaning zone and artificially determines the moving direction of the robot cleaner. Although not corrected, the robot cleaner may not enter the second detail cleaning zone by artificially modifying the moving direction of the robot cleaner when entering the right side of the first detail cleaning zone, particularly the third detail cleaning zone. . However, in this case, since the cleaning for the third detail cleaning area may not be performed at all, the control unit may be configured to control the first wireless signal received from the first transmission device and the second wireless signal received from the second transmission device. By comparing the magnitudes, when the second wireless signal is not larger than a predetermined range compared to the first wireless signal, the third cleaner is not changed by changing the traveling direction of the robot cleaner extremely (for example, 180 °). Cleaning can also be carried out for the area. In other words, when the first wireless signal received immediately before or the intensity of the second wireless signal does not increase beyond the preset intensity, the control unit controls the moving direction of the robot cleaner by a general random method When the first wireless signal received immediately before is not received, or when the intensity of the second wireless signal is greater than or equal to a predetermined intensity, the controller rotates the moving direction of the robot cleaner between 90 ° and 270 °, thereby providing a robot cleaner. Do not enter the second detail cleaning area.

By the above process, the present invention may allow the robot cleaner to clean only the detailed cleaning area set by the user.

On the other hand, the present invention can proceed with the cleaning in consideration of the cleaning time set in the cleaning menu as described above. That is, even in the second detail cleaning zone that is set not to be cleaned at a specific time zone, the control unit determines whether the specific time zone has elapsed, and if so, the robot cleaner enters the second detail cleaning zone to perform cleaning. It can also be done.

In the above, although the present invention allows the cleaning to be performed only for the specific sub-cleaning area by using the transmitting device, the present invention may allow only the specific sub-cleaning area to be cleaned by another method.

For example, when the user sets the robot cleaner equipped with an odor sensor to determine whether to proceed with cleaning according to the smell, the control unit, when a certain amount or more of the smell is measured, the robot cleaner is the direction in which the smell is measured You can prevent it from entering. That is, after operating the robot cleaner, when the user is cooking in the kitchen, the user may be disturbed by the entry of the robot cleaner. Therefore, in the case of a robot cleaner equipped with an odor sensor, the present invention may modify the traveling direction of the robot cleaner according to whether the smell is measured.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents described in the detailed description of the specification but should be defined by the claims.

1 is an exemplary view showing a cleaning system composed of a robot cleaner and a transmission apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

Figure 2 is an exemplary view showing the internal configuration of a robot cleaner to which the present invention is applied.

Figure 3 is a flow diagram of one embodiment of a robot cleaner control method according to the present invention.

<Description of Major Symbols in Drawing>

10: robot cleaner 21, 22: transmitter

30: cleaning area

Claims (4)

In the robot cleaner control method applied to the robot cleaner, A cleaning step of controlling, by the controller of the robot cleaner, the driving unit of the robot cleaner to perform the cleaning of the first detail cleaning zone when the cleaning start information on the first detail cleaning zone is received; During the cleaning, the intensity of the first wireless signal transmitted from the first transmission device provided in the first detail cleaning zone is weakened, and the second transmitted from the second transmission device provided in the second detail cleaning zone in the cleaning zone. Determining, by the controller, whether a radio signal is received or not; A continuous step of continuing, by the control unit, the cleaning step when the first wireless signal strength is not weakened or the second wireless signal is not received as a result of the determination of the wireless signal strength; And And a path changing step of changing, by the controller, the driving direction of the robot cleaner by driving the driving unit when the first wireless signal strength is weakened and the second wireless signal is received as a result of the determination of the wireless signal strength. How to control the robot cleaner. The method of claim 1, The second detail cleaning zone in which the second transmitter is mounted is set so that cleaning is not performed during the time set by the cleaning menu stored in the storage unit of the robot cleaner, and the step is performed during the set time. Robot cleaner control method, characterized in that it is repeatedly performed by the control unit. The method of claim 1, The sustaining step, And the controller is performed by randomly driving the driving unit. The method of claim 1, The rerouting step, And controlling the robot cleaner by comparing the strengths of the two first wireless signals and the strengths of the second wireless signals received at different time periods, and determining a moving direction of the robot cleaner.

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