JP2018143715A - Autonomous cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an autonomous cleaner capable of moving cooperatively with a person.SOLUTION: The autonomous cleaner includes: a cleaner body; a control part causing the cleaner body to clean a cleaning area; an object detection part mounted on the cleaner body and moving along with the cleaner body to detect a position of an object placed on the cleaning area; and a control mode setup instruction reception part receiving a setup instruction for setting up a control mode of the control part. In a case where a first control mode is set up when causing the cleaner body to clean the cleaning area, the control part causes the cleaner body to travel in the cleaning area on the basis of the detection result by the object detection part, and, in a case where the second control mode is set up, causes the cleaner body to travel such that the cleaning part instructed by the user is cleaned.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3C

Description

  The present invention relates to an autonomously traveling vacuum cleaner.

  In recent years, autonomous traveling type vacuum cleaners that perform cleaning while autonomously moving in a predetermined direction in a predetermined cleaning area have become widespread.

  Various technologies have been developed for such autonomously traveling vacuum cleaners (see, for example, Patent Document 1. Refer to Non-Patent Document 1 for autonomous traveling technology in general).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-267074

S. Thrun, W. Burgard, and D. Fox: Probabilistic Robotics, MIT Press, 2005.

  However, when cleaning is performed using such an autonomous traveling type cleaner, if an object is placed on the floor, the place is not cleaned.

  If a person is to clean, moving such an object temporarily to the side can clean the place where the object was originally placed. The object must be moved to a place that does not interfere with the running of the vacuum cleaner. And it takes time and effort to secure such a place and to carry objects to that place.

  In order to eliminate such inconvenience, it is effective that the autonomously traveling vacuum cleaner can operate in cooperation with humans.

  This invention is made | formed in view of such a point, and it aims at providing the autonomous running type vacuum cleaner which can operate | move in cooperation with a human being.

  The autonomous traveling type vacuum cleaner according to one aspect includes a cleaner body, a control unit that causes the cleaner body to clean a cleaning area, and the cleaner body mounted on the cleaner body while moving together with the cleaner body. An object detection unit that detects the position of an object placed in an area; and a control mode setting instruction reception unit that receives a setting instruction for setting a control mode of the control unit, wherein the control unit includes the vacuum cleaner When the first control mode is set when the cleaning area is cleaned by the main body, the cleaner body is caused to travel in the cleaning area based on the detection result by the object detection unit, and the second control mode is When set, the cleaner main body is caused to travel so that the cleaning portion indicated by the user is cleaned.

  In addition, the problems disclosed by the present application and the solutions thereof will be clarified by the description in the column of the embodiment for carrying out the invention and the description of the drawings.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes possible to provide the autonomous running type vacuum cleaner which can operate | move in cooperation with a human.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the robot cleaner which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the cleaning area which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which shows operation | movement of the robot cleaner which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which shows operation | movement of the robot cleaner which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which shows operation | movement of the robot cleaner which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which shows a mode that the robot cleaner which concerns on this embodiment produces an occupation grid map. It is a figure which shows a mode that the robot cleaner which concerns on this embodiment produces an occupation grid map. It is a figure which shows a mode that the robot cleaner which concerns on this embodiment produces an occupation grid map. It is a figure which shows the flag set to the cell of the occupation grid map which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the robot cleaner which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the robot cleaner which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the robot cleaner which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the robot cleaner which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the robot cleaner which concerns on this embodiment. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of the robot cleaner which concerns on this embodiment.

  At least the following matters will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

  A robot cleaner 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

== Robot vacuum cleaner ==
The robot cleaner 1000 according to the present embodiment is an autonomous traveling type capable of cleaning while traveling autonomously in a predetermined cleaning area in various places such as indoors, corridors, rooftops, desks, and outdoor grounds. It is a vacuum cleaner.

  The robot cleaner 1000 according to the present embodiment travels while detecting distances and directions to various surrounding objects using a technique such as SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) in which the robot itself creates a map. Thus, the shape and area of the cleaning area, the position of the object placed in the cleaning area, and the position and movement locus of the object in the cleaning area are grasped, and the cleaning area is efficiently cleaned.

  For example, when the indoor cleaning area 500 as shown in FIG. 2 is cleaned using the robot cleaner 1000, the robot cleaner 1000 travels in the cleaning area 500 while surrounding walls 520A, partitions 520B, and portable objects ( (Chair, planter, luggage, etc.) The distance and direction to the object 520 such as 520C are sequentially detected, and at the same time, the shape and size of the floor surface 510 to be cleaned, its own position, and the like are detected.

  The movement locus of the robot cleaner 1000 means a time series of the position and orientation of the robot cleaner 1000. The position and orientation of the robot cleaner 1000 are, for example, position coordinates and azimuth angles (x, y, θ) in a two-dimensional coordinate system defined on the cleaning area 500 where the robot cleaner 1000 moves.

  Although details will be described later, the robot cleaner 1000 creates a map called an occupation grid map 600 based on the detection result of the surrounding object 520 and recognizes the cleaning area 500.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 4C, the occupation grid map 600 is a map constructed by dividing the cleaning area 500 of the robot cleaner 1000 into a plurality of rectangular cells 610. As shown in FIGS. 4A to 4C, the robot cleaner 1000 sequentially detects surrounding objects 520 while moving in the cleaning area 500, and constructs an occupation grid map 600. Although the size of each cell 610 is arbitrary, it is about several centimeters (for example, 5 centimeters), for example.

  Then, the robot cleaner 1000 manages, for each cell 610, whether or not it has been cleaned and whether or not the object 520 is placed by using a flag. Details will be described later.

  On the other hand, the robot cleaner 1000 according to the present embodiment operates in cooperation with the user, and can also clean the inside of the cleaning area 500 according to the guidance by the user.

  For example, as shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C, when the robot cleaner 1000 cleans the cleaning area 500, the cleaning is performed while avoiding the place where the object 520 is placed (FIG. 3A). When the location is moved (FIG. 3B), the robot cleaner 1000 reacts to it and moves to the location where the object 520 was placed before the move and cleans the location (FIG. 3C).

  In this way, the robot cleaner 1000 according to the present embodiment can operate in cooperation with a human.

  Next, the configuration of the robot cleaner 1000 will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 1, the robot cleaner 1000 includes a cleaner body 300 and a cleaner controller 100.

= Vacuum cleaner body =
The vacuum cleaner main body 300 is configured to include an intake port, an exhaust port, an intake motor, a fan, a filter, and the like, although not particularly illustrated, and uses the intake motor controlled by the cleaner control unit 100 to control the fan. When rotating, the air sucked from the air intake port is exhausted from the exhaust port, and the dust sucked together with the air is captured by the filter.

  The cleaner body 300 has a self-propelled motor and wheels, and travels through the cleaning area 500 by rotating the wheels using the self-propelled motor controlled by the cleaner control unit 100.

= Vacuum cleaner controller =
The vacuum cleaner control unit 100 includes a control unit 110, an object detection unit 120, a control mode setting instruction reception unit 140, a stop instruction reception unit 150, and a voice command reception unit 160. The cleaner control unit 100 is mounted on the cleaner body 300 and controls the cleaner body 300 while moving together with the cleaner body 300.

<Object detection unit>
The object detection unit 120 is a sensor that detects the position and orientation of the object 520 placed in the cleaning area 500 while moving together with the cleaner body 300. The object detection unit 120 according to the present embodiment is a two-dimensional (2D) laser scanner including, for example, a light source that emits a laser pulse and a detector that detects reflected light of the laser pulse, and is directed toward a predetermined direction. The distance to the object is calculated by measuring the time that the emitted laser pulse reciprocates. In addition, by measuring the distance and direction from the robot cleaner 1000 to the surrounding object 520, the width and shape of the cleaning area 500 between the robot cleaner 1000 and the object 520 can also be known.

  In the object detection unit 120 according to the present embodiment, a laser pulse light source and a detector rotate at a predetermined speed, emit laser pulses every predetermined angle or every predetermined time, and detect the reflected light. For example, in the present embodiment, the object detection unit 120 rotates counterclockwise at 10 rotations per second and emits a laser pulse every time the light source rotates 1 °. The values of the rotation direction, rotation speed, and laser pulse emission frequency are examples, and differ depending on the sensor model.

  And the object detection part 120 outputs the measured distance and the emission direction of the laser pulse at that time as a measurement result.

  Of course, the laser pulse has a reachable distance. Therefore, the object detection unit 120 does not output the measurement result when the laser pulse does not reach the object 520 or when the reflected light cannot be detected. For example, an arc indicated by a broken line in FIGS. 4A to 4C indicates a measurable distance of the object detection unit 120, and an object 520 farther than the measurable distance is not detected. For this reason, the object detection unit 120 according to the present embodiment outputs a distance and direction of a maximum of 360 locations as a measurement result during one rotation of the light source, but the measurement result may be less than 360.

  In addition to the laser scanner that measures the round trip time of the laser beam, the object detection unit 120 measures the phase difference between the transmission signal and the reception signal of the laser beam, or between the laser beam emission point and the light reception point. Some of them use trigonometry based on the distance. In this embodiment, a 2D laser scanner is handled as a representative, but a 3D laser scanner may be used. In addition to the laser scanner, a distance image camera that simultaneously measures the distances of a plurality of points using a plurality of light receiving elements may be used.

<Control mode setting instruction receiving unit>
The control mode setting instruction receiving unit 140 is an input device for setting the control mode of the control unit 110. The user can set the control mode of the control unit 110 by inputting a control mode setting instruction to the control mode setting instruction receiving unit 140.

  The control unit 110 operates in a normal mode (first control mode) or a cooperative mode (second control mode).

  When operating in the normal mode, the control unit 110 estimates the self-position while building a surrounding map using SLAM or the like based on the detection result of the object detection unit 120, so that the uncleaned area in the cleaning area 500 So that the cleaner main body 300 travels autonomously so that they are sequentially cleaned.

  On the other hand, when operating in the cooperative mode, the control unit 110 causes the cleaner body 300 to travel so that the cleaning portion indicated by the user is cleaned. For example, the control unit 110 may cause the cleaner main body 300 to travel so that a new cleaning portion is cleaned after the user, or recognizes a voice command issued by the user and uses the voice command. You may make it make the cleaner main body 300 drive | work so that the cleaning location shown may be cleaned.

  Alternatively, as illustrated in FIGS. 3A to 3C, the control unit 110 detects that the user has moved the object 520 in the cleaning area 500 and moves to the place where the object 520 was placed before the movement. , You may clean the place.

  The control mode setting instruction accepting unit 140 may be configured by a switch that can be operated by the user, or may be configured by a voice recognition device that can recognize the voice that is pronounced by the user. .

  When the control mode setting instruction receiving unit 140 is configured using a switch, the control mode setting instruction by the user can be accurately detected without error. On the other hand, when the control mode setting instruction accepting unit 140 is configured by the voice recognition device, the user can set or change the control mode without performing a switch operation. In this case, the user can set or switch the control mode simply by uttering a predetermined voice command.

  Furthermore, when the control mode setting instruction receiving unit 140 is configured using a switch, the cleaner main body 300 may be provided with a switch, or a remote control terminal (not shown) separate from the cleaner main body 300 may be used. It is good also as a form which provides a switch in this remote control terminal. In this case, the remote control terminal may be a dedicated input device or a portable information device such as a mobile phone or a smartphone. When the control mode of the control unit 110 is set using such a remote control terminal, the user can switch the control mode from a position away from the cleaner body 300.

  When the control mode setting instruction receiving unit 140 is configured by a voice recognition device, the voice command receiving unit 160 (to be described later) and the voice recognition device may be shared.

<Stop instruction reception part>
The stop instruction receiving unit 150 is an input device for stopping the cleaner body 300. When a stop instruction is input to stop instruction receiving unit 150, control unit 110 stops the movement of cleaner body 300.

  Similarly to the control mode setting instruction accepting unit 140, the stop instruction accepting unit 150 may be configured by a switch that can be operated by the user, or a speech recognition device that can recognize the sound produced by the user. It may be configured by.

  Similarly, when the stop instruction receiving unit 150 is configured by a switch, it may be provided in the cleaner main body 300 or may be provided in a remote control terminal. Furthermore, when the stop instruction receiving unit 150 is configured by a voice recognition device, the voice command receiving unit 160 (to be described later) and the voice recognition device may be shared.

<Voice command reception part>
The voice command receiving unit 160 is a voice identification device that can recognize a voice command uttered by a user. And the control part 110 controls the vacuum cleaner main body 300 according to this audio | voice command.

  For example, when the control unit 110 is operating in the cooperative mode, when the user utters “follow me”, the control unit 110 causes the cleaner body 300 to run after the user. Alternatively, when the user utters “clean”, the control unit 110 controls the cleaner main body 300 so that the current position of the robot cleaner 1000 and a certain range around it are cleaned. Furthermore, when the user utters “stop”, the control unit 110 stops the cleaner body 300 on the spot.

  Alternatively, when the user utters “switch to the normal mode”, the control unit 110 switches the control mode from the cooperative mode to the normal mode. Alternatively, when the user utters “end of cleaning”, control unit 110 ends the cleaning.

  With such an aspect, the robot cleaner 1000 according to the present embodiment can perform cleaning in cooperation with the user.

  Note that the voice command receiving unit 160 can receive voice commands even in the normal mode. In this case, for example, when the user utters “Switch to cooperative mode”, the control unit 110 switches the control mode from the normal mode to the cooperative mode. Alternatively, when the user utters “end of cleaning”, control unit 110 ends cleaning even if an uncleaned area remains in cleaning area 500.

  In addition, the voice command receiving unit 160 can receive various voice commands for the control unit 110.

<Control unit>
The control unit 110 performs the vacuum cleaner according to the detection result of the object 520 by the object detection unit 120 described above and the instruction contents from the user received by the control mode setting instruction reception unit 140, the stop instruction reception unit 150, and the voice command reception unit 160. The main body 300 is controlled. Specifically, the control unit 110 drives various devices included in the cleaner body 300, such as the intake motor and the self-propelled motor described above.

  At that time, when operating in the normal mode, the control unit 110 sets the vacuum cleaner main body 300 so that the uncleaned area where the object 520 is not placed is sequentially cleaned based on the detection result by the object detection unit 120. Drive autonomously.

  On the other hand, when operating in the cooperative mode, the control unit 110 causes the cleaner body 300 to travel according to the guidance by the user. Of course, while the control unit 110 operates in the cooperative mode, the object detection unit 120 continues to measure the distance and direction to the surrounding object 520, and the control unit 110 operates in the cooperative mode. The detection result from the object detection unit 120 is continuously acquired and the construction of the occupied grid map 600 is continued.

  The control unit 110 is a computer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a storage device such as a flash memory, and various data input / output interfaces. Composed. And various functions which control part 110 concerning this embodiment has are realized when CPU runs a program memorized by storage.

  The control unit 110 can also acquire data from an external device such as the object detection unit 120 through the data input / output interface. When the program is recorded on a recording medium such as a USB (registered trademark) memory, the program can be loaded from the recording medium into a storage device. Alternatively, when the program is stored in another computer, the program can be downloaded from this computer to a storage device via a communication network such as the Internet or a telephone network.

  By the way, as described above, the object detection unit 120 emits laser light to the surroundings, and measures the distance and direction to the object 520 by detecting the reflected light. The control unit 110 creates an occupation grid map 600 based on the measurement result. As shown in FIG. 4C, the occupation grid map 600 divides the space (floor surface 510) into cells 610, each cell 610 being “occupied” (object is placed), “unoccupied”, “undecided”. It has a state. The robot cleaner 1000 can pass through an unoccupied cell 610. To create the occupied grid map 600, the cell 610 at the position of the point (on the object) measured by the reflection of the laser beam is occupied, the cell 610 through which the laser beam passed is unoccupied, and the laser beam passes or reflects. The cell 610 which is not set is set to be undetermined. Then, a plurality of measurements are overlapped to increase the accuracy of state estimation of the cell 610. A method for creating such an occupied grid map 600 is detailed in Non-Patent Document 1.

  However, there are cases where the laser light emitted from the object detection unit 120 does not reach the object 520 or the reflected light cannot be received. For example, the sensor of the object detection unit 120 has a maximum measurement distance, and the object 520 located beyond the maximum measurement distance cannot be measured. Also, depending on the sensor, the field of view may be smaller than 360 degrees, and the object 520 outside the field of view cannot be measured. An object 520 that is behind another object 520 cannot be measured.

  Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 4A, the controller 110 occupies the lattice map 600 only within a range where the laser light emitted from the object detector 120 reaches the object 520 such as the wall surface 520A or the partition 520B and the reflected light can be detected. Create Then, the control unit 110 leaves the range where the object detection unit 120 cannot receive the reflected light from the object 520 (the outside of the maximum measurement distance or the shadow of another object 520) in an undetermined state, and part of this is undetermined. Traveling through the cleaning area 500 while keeping the state. For example, the portion written as the unreceivable range in FIG. 4A remains in an undetermined state because the distance to the wall surface 520A exceeds the maximum measurement distance.

  Then, as the robot cleaner 1000 moves in the cleaning area 500, as shown in order in FIGS. 4B and 4C, the undetermined area gradually decreases, and the entire cleaning area 500 becomes clear.

  As described above, when operating in the normal mode, the control unit 110 causes the cleaner body 300 to travel along a predetermined travel route set in the cleaning area 500, thereby removing an uncleaned area in the cleaning area 500. Clean sequentially. Then, the control unit 110 extends or corrects the travel route of the robot cleaner 1000 as the cleaning area 500 expands as it travels within the cleaning area 500.

  Here, as shown in FIGS. 6A to 6D, the control unit 110 sets and updates a flag in each cell 610 of the occupied grid map 600 to manage the cleaned area and the uncleaned area in the cleaning area 500. doing. In addition, the control unit 110 manages whether or not the object 520 is placed for each cell 610 using a flag. In this embodiment, the control unit 110 manages these states by setting any one of four types of flags A, B, C, and D to each cell 610.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the flag A indicates a state where cleaning has not been performed and the object 520 is placed. The flag B indicates a state where the cleaning has been performed but the object 520 is placed. The flag C indicates a state where cleaning has not been performed and the object 520 is not placed. The flag D indicates a state where the cleaning has been performed and the object 520 is not placed.

  6A to 6D will be specifically described as an example. First, FIG. 6A shows that the robot cleaner 1000 is currently at the position indicated by (P) and is being cleaned along the travel route rt1. In FIG. 6A, a part of the travel route rt1 indicated by a solid line indicates a past movement trajectory of the robot cleaner 1000, and a part indicated by a broken line indicates a travel route to be traveled.

  Then, the control unit 110 sets the flag D (cleaned, no object) to the cell 610 that has already been cleaned, and sets the flag C (uncleaned, object) to the cell 610 that is about to be cleaned. None) is set. Then, the control unit 110 sets the travel route rt1 so that the cells 610 in which the flag C is set are sequentially cleaned.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6B, when it is determined that the portable object 520C is placed in the cleaning area 500, the control unit 110 displays the flag A (cleaning not performed, object in the cell 610 at the place). Yes) and the travel route rt1 is set so as not to pass through the cell 610 in which the flag A is set.

  In this way, when operating in the normal mode, the control unit 110 cleans the cleaning area 500 and extends or corrects the travel route rt1 each time a new uncleaned area (flag C) is found. To go.

  Here, a case where the user changes the place where the portable object 520C is placed and wants the robot cleaner 1000 to clean the place where the portable object 520C was originally placed will be described.

  The work procedure in this case can be determined in various ways. As an example, the user once inputs a stop instruction to the robot cleaner 1000 to stop the robot cleaner 1000. Thereafter, the user moves the place of the portable object 520C as shown in FIG. 6C. The user then activates the robot cleaner 1000 by setting a cooperation mode.

  Then, the control unit 110 compares the occupied grid map 600 (FIG. 6B) when the robot cleaner 1000 is stopped with the occupied grid map 600 (FIG. 6C) when the cooperation mode is set. In FIG. 6C, the cell 610 where the portable object 520C was originally placed is updated from the flag A (not cleaned, with an object) to the flag C (not cleaned, no object), and a new portable object 520C is placed. The cell 610 is updated from the flag D (cleaning completed, no object) to the flag B (cleaning completed, object present). Since the back side of the portable object 520C is not visible from the stop position (P), the flag D remains unchanged. Next, the control unit 110 detects an area where the flag A has changed to the flag C. This area is a new cleaning area caused by the movement of the portable object 520C (FIG. 6D).

  Then, the control unit 110 creates a travel route rt2 as shown in FIG. 6D, cleans the new cleaning area, and moves the cells 610 in the area from the flag C (not cleaned, no object) to the flag D ( Updated to (cleaned, no object) (not shown).

  Thereafter, when the robot cleaner 1000 returns to the original position (P), the controller 110 switches the control mode to the normal mode and continues cleaning along the travel route rt1.

  Various methods for creating the travel route rt2 are also conceivable, but for example, as shown in FIG.

  First, the control unit 110 creates a rectangle including the uncleaned area updated from the flag A (not cleaned, with an object) to the flag C (not cleaned, without an object) on the occupied grid map 600. . Then, the control unit 110 causes the cleaner body 300 to travel from the current position (P) to the nearest vertex of the rectangle.

  Then, control unit 110 creates travel route rt2 so as to fill each cell 610 in the rectangle, and causes cleaner body 300 to travel along the travel route rt2.

  Note that if the user changes the location of the plurality of objects 520 between the time when the robot cleaner 1000 is stopped and the time when the robot cleaner 1000 is activated in the cooperative mode, the control unit 110 is configured to move the objects 520 before the movement. It is also possible to move the cleaner main body 300 so as to clean each place by sequentially moving to each place.

  According to such an aspect, since a plurality of places can be cleaned at a time, the cleaning area 500 can be more efficiently cleaned.

  Alternatively, when the robot cleaner 1000 moves the object 520 placed in the cleaning area 500 while cleaning the cleaning area 500 along the travel route rt1 in the normal mode, the stop instruction described above is performed. Even if the input of the object or the cooperation mode is not performed, the control mode is switched to the cooperation mode in response to the movement of the object 520, the user moves the object 520 to the place where the object was originally placed, and the place Can also be cleaned.

  In this case, the robot cleaner 1000 can detect that the user has moved the object 520 by detecting that the position of the object 520 has changed in only one of the plurality of objects 520 existing around.

  Alternatively, when the robot cleaner 1000 is activated in the cooperative mode from the beginning, each time the user moves the location of the object 520, the robot cleaner 1000 can move to that location and clean it.

  According to such an aspect, for example, it is possible to intensively clean a place that is difficult to clean because the object 520 is usually placed.

  Alternatively, after the cleaning of the cleaning area 500 in the normal mode is completed, the positions of the plurality of objects 520 placed in the cleaning area 500 are shifted, and the robot cleaner 1000 is started in the cooperative mode, It is also possible to clean the place together.

  Thus, according to the robot cleaner 1000 which concerns on this embodiment, even if a user uses various ways, it can clean in cooperation with a user.

== Control flow of robot cleaner ==
Next, an example of the control flow of the robot cleaner 1000 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  In the present embodiment, when the robot cleaner 1000 is first activated, the robot cleaner 1000 operates in the normal mode. As described above, the robot cleaner 1000 starts cleaning the cleaning area 500 based on the detection result of the surrounding object 520 by the object detection unit 120 (S1000).

  If there is still a cell 610 that can be cleaned and has not been cleaned (cell of flag C) in the cleaning area 500, the robot cleaner 1000 proceeds to NO in S1010. If no stop instruction is input by the user (S1020: NO), the robot cleaner 1000 continues cleaning the cleaning area 500 (S1000).

  On the other hand, when a stop instruction is input by the user (S1020: YES), the robot cleaner 1000 once stopped moving and whether or not the cooperation mode ON was input within a predetermined time (for example, within 15 seconds). Is detected (S1030). If the input of the cooperative mode ON is not made within the predetermined time, the robot cleaner 1000 ends the cleaning as it is.

  When the cooperative mode ON is input (S1030: YES), the robot cleaner 1000 starts in the cooperative mode, cancels the stop instruction (S1040), and occupies the grid when the robot cleaner 1000 stops. The map 600 is compared with the occupation grid map 600 when activated in the cooperative mode. Then, the robot cleaner 1000 checks the flag of each cell 610, and among the uncleaned areas where the object 520 was originally placed, there is an area where the object 520 has been removed (area where the flag A has changed to the flag C). If so, move to that area and clean (S1050). When there are a plurality of such areas, the robot cleaner 1000 sequentially cleans each area. Alternatively, at this time, the robot cleaner 1000 may recognize the user's voice command and perform movement and cleaning in accordance with the voice command.

  When the cleaning for such an area or the cleaning according to the user's instruction is completed, the robot cleaner 1000 switches the cooperative mode to OFF and shifts to the normal mode (S1060), and can be cleaned in the cleaning area 500. In addition, it is confirmed whether or not the uncleaned cell 610 (flag C cell 610) remains (S1010).

  If the cell 610 that can be cleaned and has not yet been cleaned (the cell 610 of flag C) remains, the robot cleaner 1000 continues to clean (S1000), but the cells 610 in all the cleaning areas 500 are not. When flag A (not cleaned, with object), flag B (cleaned, with object) or flag D (cleaned with no object) (S1010: YES), robot cleaner 1000 moves and cleans. The user is notified that the cleaning is completed by stopping and blowing a predetermined alarm sound (S1070).

  Thereafter, the robot cleaner 1000 ends the cleaning as it is if the input of the cooperation mode ON is not made within a predetermined time (S1030).

  Although the robot cleaner 1000 according to the present embodiment has been described in detail above, the robot cleaner 1000 according to the present embodiment can perform cleaning in cooperation with the user. By such an aspect, for example, even in a place where the object 520 is placed in the room and cannot be cleaned as it is, the robot cleaner 1000 cleans the place by moving the object 520 to the side. It becomes possible.

  Further, according to the robot cleaner 1000 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to clean the cleaning area 500 in accordance with the user's voice command. In this case, for example, when the robot cleaner 1000 is constantly circulated in an office or living room, and someone is littering the floor, the robot cleaner 1000 is called and the place is immediately cleaned. It is also possible.

  The embodiments described above are for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention can be changed and improved without departing from the gist thereof, and equivalents thereof are also included in the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Control part 110 Vacuum cleaner control part 120 Object detection part 140 Control mode setting instruction | indication reception part 150 Stop instruction | indication reception part 160 Voice command reception part 300 Vacuum cleaner main body 500 Cleaning area 510 Floor surface 520 Object 520A Wall surface 520B Partition 520C Portable object 600 Occupied grid map 610 cell 1000 robot cleaner

Claims (10)

The vacuum cleaner body,
A controller that causes the cleaner body to clean a cleaning area;
An object detector that is mounted on the cleaner body and detects the position of an object placed in the cleaning area while moving with the cleaner body;
A control mode setting instruction receiving unit for receiving a setting instruction for setting a control mode of the control unit;
With
When the first control mode is set when the cleaning unit cleans the cleaning area, the control unit moves the cleaning unit in the cleaning area based on the detection result by the object detection unit. An autonomous traveling type vacuum cleaner characterized in that when the second control mode is set and the second control mode is set, the main body of the cleaner is caused to travel so that the cleaning portion indicated by the user is cleaned. The autonomously traveling vacuum cleaner according to claim 1,
The control mode setting reception unit is configured by a switch that can be operated by a user. The autonomously traveling vacuum cleaner according to claim 1,
The control mode setting instruction receiving unit is constituted by a voice recognition device capable of recognizing a voice sounded by a user. It is an autonomous running type vacuum cleaner in any one of Claims 1-3,
The control unit detects a change in an object placement location based on the detection result of the object position by the object detection unit, and when the user changes the object placement location in the second control mode, An autonomous traveling type vacuum cleaner, wherein the cleaner body is moved so as to move to a place before the object is moved and to clean the place before the object is moved. The autonomously traveling vacuum cleaner according to claim 4,
A stop instruction receiving unit for receiving a stop instruction of the vacuum cleaner body;
Further comprising
When the second control mode is set while the cleaner body is stopped, the control unit is set with the positions of surrounding objects when the cleaner body is stopped and the second control mode is set. An autonomous traveling type vacuum cleaner that detects the cleaning location indicated by the user by comparing the position of a surrounding object at the time. The autonomously traveling vacuum cleaner according to claim 5,
The said stop instruction | indication reception part is comprised by the switch which can be operated by a user, The autonomous running type vacuum cleaner characterized by the above-mentioned. The autonomously traveling vacuum cleaner according to claim 5,
The said stop instruction | indication reception part is comprised by the speech recognition apparatus which can recognize the audio | voice sounded by the user, The autonomous running type vacuum cleaner characterized by the above-mentioned. It is an autonomous running type vacuum cleaner in any one of Claims 4-7,
In the second control mode, when the user changes the placement location of the plurality of objects, the control unit sequentially moves to the placement location before the movement of each object and cleans the placement location. As described above, an autonomously traveling vacuum cleaner characterized by causing the vacuum cleaner body to travel. It is an autonomous running type vacuum cleaner in any one of Claims 4-8,
The control unit switches the control mode from the second control mode to the first control mode when the cleaning of the place before the movement of the object is completed in the second control mode. Traveling type vacuum cleaner. It is an autonomous running type vacuum cleaner in any one of Claims 1-3,
A voice command receiving unit capable of recognizing a voice command for the vacuum cleaner body pronounced by a user;
Further comprising
The said control part makes the said vacuum cleaner body clean the cleaning location shown by the said voice command in the said 2nd control mode, The autonomous traveling type vacuum cleaner characterized by the above-mentioned.

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