JP2023181244A - cleaning system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a cleaning system that can effectively maintain cleanliness in a room.SOLUTION: A cleaning system according to the present invention comprises: a vacuum cleaner 100 for cleaning the inside of a room by removing dust on a surface to be cleaned; an air cleaner constituted so as to be capable of supporting the vacuum cleaner 100, and comprising air blowing means for generating an air flow passing through a filter for collecting dust, in the room; an acquisition unit 301 for acquiring three-dimensional position information indicating the three-dimensional position of the vacuum cleaner 100, and dust information indicating the amount of dust removed by the vacuum cleaner 100 at the position; and an output unit 304 and a display unit 210 for outputting information for supporting cleaning in the room, in accordance with the three-dimensional position information and the dust information acquired by the acquisition unit 301. Three-dimensional information of a position where dust accumulates in the room, and information related to the amount of dust accumulation at the position are included in the information outputted by the output unit 304 and the display unit 210.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

CLEANING SYSTEM FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to cleaning systems.

A dust collection system is described in Patent Document 1. This dust collection system includes an air blower that blows air, a dust collector that collects dust according to the air blown by the air blower, position information of the cleaning equipment, and dust related to dust collected by the cleaning equipment at the position indicated by the position information. and a control section that estimates the dust generation mode based on the information and controls the ventilation section and the dust collection section based on the estimated dust generation mode.

JP2017-99540A

In Patent Document 1, the positional information of the cleaning equipment used to control the blowing section and the dust collecting section is two-dimensional information. In the dust collection system described in Patent Document 1, for example, it is not possible to distinguish and use information at a high position and a low position in a certain horizontal position. In the dust collection system described in Patent Document 1, for example, it is not possible to distinguish and estimate the manner in which dust is generated on a particular piece of furniture and the manner in which dust is generated under the piece of furniture. In the dust collection system described in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to effectively maintain indoor cleanliness.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems. An object of the present invention is to obtain a cleaning system that can effectively maintain indoor cleanliness.

A cleaning system according to the present invention includes a vacuum cleaner that cleans a room by removing dust on a surface to be cleaned, and an air flow that passes through a filter that is configured to be able to support the vacuum cleaner and that collects the dust. an air cleaner having an air blower that generates air into the room; three-dimensional position information indicating the three-dimensional position of the vacuum cleaner; and dust information indicating the amount of dust removed by the vacuum cleaner at the position. and an output means that outputs information to support cleaning of the room in accordance with the three-dimensional position information and the dust information acquired by the information acquisition means. The information output by the output means includes three-dimensional information about a position where dust accumulates in the room and information about the amount of dust accumulated at the position.

According to the cleaning system according to the present invention, indoor cleanliness can be effectively maintained.

1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a cleaning system according to Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an indoor cleaning unit that constitutes the cleaning system according to the first embodiment. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration for realizing the functions of a control unit according to Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is an image diagram showing how the cleaning system according to Embodiment 1 acquires three-dimensional position information and dust information. FIG. 3 is an image diagram showing a specific example of a dust accumulation prediction map according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is an image diagram showing a specific example of a dust accumulation prediction map according to the first embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in each figure indicate the same or corresponding parts. Further, in this disclosure, overlapping explanations will be simplified or omitted as appropriate. Note that the present invention may include all modifications and all combinations of the configurations disclosed in the following embodiments without departing from the spirit thereof.

Embodiment 1.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of a cleaning system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an indoor cleaning unit that constitutes the cleaning system according to the first embodiment. Note that FIG. 2 schematically shows the configuration of the indoor cleaning unit according to the first embodiment, and the arrangement, shape, quantity, etc. of each component are not limited to those shown in the figure.

The cleaning system according to this embodiment includes a vacuum cleaner 100 and an air cleaner 200, as shown in FIG. The indoor cleaning unit shown in FIG. 2 includes a vacuum cleaner 100 and an air cleaner 200. The vacuum cleaner 100 constituting the indoor cleaning unit is detachable from the air cleaner 200. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the vacuum cleaner 100 is attached to the air cleaner 200.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the vacuum cleaner 100 is a cordless vertical vacuum cleaner. A cordless vertical vacuum cleaner is a rechargeable vacuum cleaner. A vertical vacuum cleaner is also called a stick-type vacuum cleaner. A rechargeable battery (not shown) is built inside the cordless vacuum cleaner 100. The cordless vacuum cleaner 100 is a device that operates using power supplied from a secondary battery.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the air cleaner 200 has the function of a device that cleans indoor air and the function of a charging stand for the vacuum cleaner 100. The air cleaner 200 is configured to be self-supporting. The air cleaner 200 is used, for example, by being installed on the floor of a room. Note that "indoor" in the present disclosure means a predetermined space surrounded by a structure such as a wall. The space may be a closed space or an open space.

The air cleaner 200 is configured to be able to support the vacuum cleaner 100. For example, the vacuum cleaner 100 is supported by the air cleaner 200 in an upright state. The air cleaner 200 can be connected to an external power source via a power cable (not shown) or the like. The secondary battery built into the vacuum cleaner 100 is charged by being attached to the air cleaner 200 connected to an external power source.

First, the configuration and functions of the vacuum cleaner 100 will be explained. The vacuum cleaner 100 is a device that cleans a room by removing dust on a surface to be cleaned. Vacuum cleaner 100 in this embodiment is an example of a cleaning means according to the present disclosure. In this disclosure, objects to be cleaned, such as dirt, dust, hair, fibers, etc., are collectively referred to as "dust." Further, the surface to be cleaned in the present disclosure includes not only the floor surface but also the upper surface of furniture such as a table, shelf, and futon. As shown in FIG. 2, the vacuum cleaner 100 includes, for example, a vacuum cleaner body 101, an extension tube 102, and a head 103.

The vacuum cleaner main body 101 is a main component of the vacuum cleaner 100. The vacuum cleaner main body 101 has a built-in electric blower and the above-mentioned secondary battery. The electric blower is a device that generates airflow for the vacuum cleaner 100 to suck dust. The secondary battery is a power source for driving the electric blower. The secondary battery built into the vacuum cleaner body 101 is charged when the vacuum cleaner 100 is attached to the air cleaner 200.

The extension tube 102 is a cylindrical member that extends linearly. One end of the extension tube 102 can be connected to the head section 103. The head portion 103 is detachable from the extension tube 102 . The other end of the extension tube 102 can be connected to the cleaner body 101. The extension tube 102 is detachable from the cleaner body 101.

The head section 103 is for removing dust on a surface to be cleaned, such as a floor surface. The head portion 103 is a component also called a cleaning tool or a suction tool. The head section 103 is detachably connected to the cleaner main body section 101 via the extension tube 102. Note that the head portion 103 may be detachably connected to the cleaner main body portion 101 without using the extension tube 102. Further, the cleaner body 101 and the extension tube 102 may be integrated.

An air path is formed inside the extension tube 102 and the head section 103 to allow air containing dust to flow into the cleaner main body section 101 from the outside. The electric blower built into the cleaner body 101 can generate airflow in the air passages inside the extension tube 102 and the head 103 . Note that in this disclosure, air containing dust may be referred to as "dust-containing air." In addition, in the present disclosure, air that has been made clean by removing dust may be referred to as "clean air."

The cleaner body 101 has a function of separating dust from dust-containing air. Further, the cleaner main body 101 has a function of collecting separated dust. The cleaner main body part 101 includes, for example, a grip part 104, a suction pipe 105, and a dust collecting part 106.

The grip part 104 is a member that the user grips while using the vacuum cleaner 100. The suction pipe 105 is a cylindrical member that extends linearly. A flow path is formed inside the suction pipe 105 through which dust-containing air that has passed through the extension pipe 102 and the head portion 103 flows. As an example, the suction pipe 105 is formed so as to be continuous with the grip part 104 in terms of appearance.

The dust collector 106 is a dust collector that separates dust from dust-containing air and collects the dust. The dust collecting section 106 is formed to be detachable. An air path communicating with an air path inside the suction pipe 105 is formed inside the dust collecting section 106 .

As an example, the dust collection unit 106 swirls dust-containing air sucked in by an airflow generated by an electric blower, and separates dust by centrifugal force. As an example, the dust collecting section 106 has a cyclone separation function. Note that the dust collecting section 106 is not limited to a cyclone type dust collecting device. The dust collecting unit 106 may be, for example, a paper pack type dust collecting device.

As an example, the grip part 104 is provided with an operation part (not shown) for the user to operate the vacuum cleaner 100 and control the operation of the vacuum cleaner 100. This operation unit includes, for example, a plurality of buttons for controlling the operation of the vacuum cleaner 100. The electric blower built into the vacuum cleaner main body 101 performs preset operations in response to a user's operation on the operating section. Further, the operation unit may include a lamp, a liquid crystal screen, etc. as display means for displaying the status of the vacuum cleaner 100 to the user.

The vacuum cleaner 100 configured as described above is removed from the air cleaner 200 during use. The user of the vacuum cleaner 100 operates the operating section provided on the grip section 104 to drive the electric blower. When the electric blower is driven, dust-containing air containing dust on the surface to be cleaned is sucked into the head section 103 . The user cleans the room by, for example, moving the vacuum cleaner 100 with the bottom surface of the head section 103 in contact with the surface to be cleaned. The dust-containing air sucked into the head section 103 is sent to the dust collection section 106. The dust-containing air sent to the dust collecting section 106 is separated into dust and air. The dust is collected in the dust collecting section 106. The air separated from dust by the dust collector 106, that is, clean air, is discharged to the outside of the vacuum cleaner 100.

Note that the user may clean the room while removing at least one of the extension tube 102 and the head portion 103 from the cleaner main body portion 101. The user can, for example, clean the upper surface of furniture using the cleaner body 101 with the extension tube 102 and the head 103 removed.

As shown in FIG. 1, a vacuum cleaner 100 that constitutes the cleaning system of this embodiment is equipped with a dust sensor 107. The dust sensor 107 is provided in at least one of the cleaner body 101, the extension tube 102, and the head 103. The dust sensor 107 is a sensor that detects the amount of dust passing through the air passage in which the dust sensor 107 is provided. The dust sensor 107 is an example of a dust amount detection means that detects the amount of dust sucked by the vacuum cleaner 100, that is, the amount of dust removed from the surface to be cleaned by the vacuum cleaner 100. In this embodiment, the detection result of dust sensor 107 is output to a device external to vacuum cleaner 100, as shown in FIG.

Next, the configuration and functions of the air cleaner 200 will be explained. As shown in FIG. 2, the air cleaner 200 includes a pedestal section 201 and a tower section 202. The pedestal section 201 is a member placed on an installation surface such as a floor surface. Tower portion 202 is a columnar member. The tower section 202 is provided so as to stand on the pedestal section 201. As an example, the tower section 202 is configured to be rotatable in the left-right direction with respect to the pedestal section 201.

The tower section 202 is configured to be able to support the vacuum cleaner 100. The tower section 202 is provided with a terminal that can be connected to a terminal provided on the cleaner main body section 101. When the cleaner body 101 is attached to the tower 202, the terminals provided on the cleaner body 101 and the terminals provided on the tower 202 are electrically connected. Thereby, the secondary battery built into the vacuum cleaner 100 is charged.

As shown in FIG. 2, the air cleaner 200 includes a suction port 203 for sucking air, and a filter 204 for collecting dust in the air sucked from the suction port 203. The air cleaner 200 also includes an outlet 205 for blowing out the air that has passed through the filter 204. The air cleaner 200 blows clean air that has passed through a filter 204 into the room from an outlet 205.

The suction port 203 and the blowout port 205 are formed in the tower portion 202, for example. The suction port 203 is formed, for example, on the side surface of the tower portion 202. The air outlet 205 is formed on the top surface of the tower portion 202, for example. The filter 204 is built into the tower section 202 in which an inlet 203 and an outlet 205 are formed. A filter 204 built into the tower section 202 is located between the suction port 203 and the blowout port 205.

Note that the arrangement of the inlet 203, filter 204, and outlet 205 is not limited to the above example. For example, the suction port 203 may be formed in a portion other than the top surface of the tower portion 202, or may be formed in the pedestal portion 201. The air outlet 205 may be formed, for example, on the side surface of the tower section 202. Further, the filter 204 may be provided to cover the suction port 203, for example. The filter 204 of the air cleaner 200 only needs to be placed upstream of the air outlet 205.

As shown in FIG. 1, the air cleaner 200 that constitutes the cleaning system of this embodiment includes an air blower 206. The air blower 206 generates an air flow into the room that passes through the filter 204 that collects dust. The air blower 206 is an example of an air blower according to the present disclosure.

The air cleaner 200 is configured to be able to blow air in any direction and with any amount of air by controlling the blowing unit 206. Specifically, the air blowing unit 206 includes, for example, a fan 207 built into the tower unit 202, a louver 208 disposed near the air outlet 205, a motor (not shown) that operates the fan 207 and the louver 208, and the like. Ru. Fan 207 is a device that generates airflow through filter 204. Fan 207 generates an airflow from suction port 203 toward blowout port 205 . By controlling the fan 207, the amount of air blown by the air cleaner 200 is adjusted. Moreover, the louver 208 changes the direction of the air blown out from the air outlet 205 in the vertical and horizontal directions. By controlling the louver 208, the blowing direction of the air cleaner 200 is adjusted.

Note that the louver 208 may be configured to change the direction of the air blown out from the air outlet 205 in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction. The direction of the air blown out from the air outlet 205 may be adjusted to the left or right by, for example, rotating the tower section 202 with respect to the pedestal section 201. Further, the tower section 202 of the air cleaner 200 does not necessarily have to be configured to be rotatable with respect to the pedestal section 201. The tower section 202 and the pedestal section 201 may be formed as an integral member.

Next, the overall configuration and functions of the cleaning system according to this embodiment will be explained. The cleaning system according to this embodiment includes a system control unit 300, as shown in FIG. System control unit 300 is for controlling the operation of the cleaning system. The system control unit 300 is configured to be able to communicate with the vacuum cleaner 100 and the air cleaner 200. In this embodiment, system control unit 300 has a function of controlling the operation of air cleaner 200.

As shown in FIG. 1, the system control unit 300 of this embodiment includes an acquisition section 301, a storage section 302, a control section 303, and an output section 304.

The acquisition unit 301 acquires various types of information for controlling the cleaning system. The acquisition unit 301 acquires, for example, three-dimensional position information indicating the three-dimensional position of the vacuum cleaner 100. Specifically, the acquisition unit 301 acquires information on the detection results of the position sensor 209 provided in the air cleaner 200. The position sensor 209 is a sensor that detects the position of the vacuum cleaner 100, and is an example of position detection means.

The position sensor 209 described above particularly detects the position of the part of the vacuum cleaner 100 that is in contact with the surface to be cleaned. That is, the position sensor 209 detects the three-dimensional position of the place cleaned by the vacuum cleaner 100. The position sensor 209 may have a function of detecting attachment/detachment of the extension pipe 102 and attachment/detachment of the head portion 103 of the vacuum cleaner 100, for example. Thereby, the position sensor 209 can accurately detect the three-dimensional position of the place cleaned by the vacuum cleaner 100.

The position sensor 209 is configured by, for example, an acceleration sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, a camera, or the like. Note that the vacuum cleaner 100 may be configured to be able to transmit three-dimensional position information of the vacuum cleaner 100. The position sensor 209 may receive information transmitted from the vacuum cleaner 100 via short-range wireless communication, the Internet, or the like. Furthermore, the position sensor 209 may be built into the system control unit 300. The function of the position sensor 209, which is an example of a position detection means, may be provided in the vacuum cleaner 100 or the air cleaner 200, or may be provided in a device external to the vacuum cleaner 100 and the air cleaner 200. good.

The acquisition unit 301 also acquires information on the detection results of the dust sensor 107. In the present embodiment, the acquisition unit 301 acquires three-dimensional position information indicating the position of the vacuum cleaner 100 based on the detection result of the dust sensor 107 and the detection result of the position sensor 209, and the information that the vacuum cleaner 100 removes at the position. Obtain dust information indicating the amount of dust. The dust sensor 107, position sensor 209, and acquisition unit 301 in this embodiment constitute an example of an information acquisition unit that acquires three-dimensional position information and dust information.

The storage unit 302 stores three-dimensional position information and dust information acquired by the acquisition unit 301. Furthermore, the storage unit 302 stores a dust accumulation prediction model that indicates the prediction result of the state of accumulation of dust in the room. The dust accumulation prediction model is information generated based on three-dimensional position information and dust information. The dust accumulation prediction model indicates the state of dust accumulation at a specific location in the room. The dust accumulation prediction model includes three-dimensional information about the position where dust is predicted to accumulate and a predicted value of the amount of accumulation at this three-dimensional position. The dust accumulation prediction model indicates how easily dust accumulates at a specific location in a room.

The dust accumulation prediction model is generated by the control unit 303, for example. The control unit 303 updates the dust accumulation prediction model at regular intervals based on the information accumulated in the storage unit 302. The updated dust accumulation prediction model is stored in the storage unit 302.

In this embodiment, the control unit 303 controls the air blower 206. The control unit 303 constitutes an example of a control means that controls the air blowing means. The control unit 303 controls the blower unit 206 based on the dust accumulation prediction model stored in the storage unit 302. Specifically, the control unit 303 controls the air blowing direction and air blowing amount of the air blowing unit 206 so that air efficiently flows to positions where dust tends to accumulate. Further, the control unit 303 controls the operation timing of the air blowing unit 206 based on the dust accumulation prediction model so that the air cleaner 200 efficiently collects dust.

In this way, the control unit 303 controls the blower unit 206 according to the three-dimensional position information and dust information acquired by the acquisition unit 301. The air cleaner 200 that constitutes the cleaning system of this embodiment operates according to three-dimensional position information indicating the position of the vacuum cleaner 100 and dust information indicating the amount of dust removed by the vacuum cleaner 100 at the position. do. The air cleaner 200 that constitutes the cleaning system of this embodiment can efficiently and appropriately clean indoor air.

The output unit 304 controls a display unit 210 provided in the air cleaner 200. The display unit 210 is configured with, for example, a touch panel. Note that the display unit 210 may be configured to provide audio notification, or may be configured to include a screen display unit such as a liquid crystal screen and an operation unit such as a button.

The display unit 210 displays information to support indoor cleaning to the user. The output unit 304 displays information to support indoor cleaning to the user based on the above-described dust accumulation prediction model. The output unit 304 and the display unit 210 in this embodiment output information that supports indoor cleaning according to the three-dimensional position information and dust information described above. The output unit 304 and the display unit 210 are examples of output means that outputs information that supports indoor cleaning.

Information that supports indoor cleaning includes, for example, information on positions to be cleaned preferentially and information on timing at which each position in the room should be cleaned. The display unit 210 displays, for example, information on locations to be cleaned as a dust accumulation prediction map. The dust accumulation prediction map means an image showing a specific position in a room and how easily dust accumulates at that position. A specific example of the dust accumulation prediction map will be described later. The data of the dust accumulation prediction map is generated by the output unit 304, for example.

The dust accumulation prediction map includes three-dimensional position information. For example, the dust accumulation prediction map includes information on the state of dust accumulation on the upper surface of furniture placed in the room and information on the state of dust accumulation under the furniture. By looking at the dust accumulation prediction map, the user can recognize, for example, whether to give priority to cleaning the top of the furniture or the bottom of the furniture.

Note that the information output by the display unit 210 is not limited to the above-described dust accumulation prediction map. For example, the display unit 210 may display information on positions to be cleaned preferentially and information on timing at which each position in the room should be cleaned as text information. Furthermore, the display unit 210 may convey information to support indoor cleaning to the user by audio notification.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the display section 210 is provided in the air cleaner 200. The display unit 210 may be included in the vacuum cleaner 100. Further, the display unit 210 may be included in a device external to the vacuum cleaner 100 and the air purifier 200, such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a remote control for operating other home appliances.

FIG. 2 merely shows an example of the configuration of the cleaning system. The configuration of the cleaning system according to the present disclosure is not limited to that shown in FIG. 2. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the system control unit 300 is provided outside the vacuum cleaner 100 and the air cleaner 200. At least part of the functions of the system control unit 300 may be provided in at least one of the vacuum cleaner 100 and the air cleaner 200. The functions of the system control unit 300 may be realized by a control device built into the vacuum cleaner 100 and a control device built into the air cleaner 200 working together. The system control unit 300 may be a device mounted on one of the vacuum cleaner 100 and the air cleaner 200.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration for realizing the functions of system control unit 300 according to the first embodiment. Each of the above functions of the system control unit 300 is realized by a processing circuit. The processing circuitry may be dedicated hardware 600. The processing circuit may include a processor 601 and a memory 602. Part of the processing circuitry may be formed as dedicated hardware 600 and may further include a processor 601 and a memory 602 . In the example shown in FIG. 3, part of the processing circuitry is formed as dedicated hardware 600. Furthermore, in the example shown in FIG. 3, the processing circuit further includes a processor 601 and a memory 602 in addition to the dedicated hardware 600.

The processing circuitry, a part of which is at least one dedicated hardware 600, may be, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC, an FPGA, or a combination thereof. .

When the processing circuit comprises at least one processor 601 and at least one memory 602, each function of the system control unit 300 is realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware.

Software and firmware are written as programs and stored in memory 602. The processor 601 implements the functions of each section by reading and executing programs stored in the memory 602. The processor 601 is also referred to as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), central processing unit, processing unit, arithmetic unit, microprocessor, microcomputer, or DSP. Examples of the memory 602 include nonvolatile or volatile semiconductor memories such as RAM, ROM, flash memory, EPROM, and EEPROM, or magnetic disks, flexible disks, optical disks, compact disks, minidisks, and DVDs.

In this way, the processing circuit can implement each function of the system control unit 300 using hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.

Next, a specific example of the operation of the cleaning system according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is an image diagram showing how the cleaning system according to the first embodiment acquires three-dimensional position information and dust information.

A user cleans dust on the floor surface 401 using the vacuum cleaner 100, for example. When the dust is removed by the vacuum cleaner 100, the position sensor 209 detects the three-dimensional position of the vacuum cleaner 100, that is, the position of the cleaned area on the floor 401. Based on the detection result of the dust sensor 107 and the detection result of the position sensor 209, the acquisition unit 301 acquires three-dimensional information on the position of the cleaned place on the floor 401 and information on the amount of dust at the position. obtained by.

Further, the user cleans the upper surface of the shelf 402, for example, using the vacuum cleaner 100 with the extension tube 102 and head portion 103 removed. When dust is removed by the vacuum cleaner 100, the three-dimensional position of the vacuum cleaner 100 is detected by the position sensor 209. The height information included in the position information detected by the position sensor 209 when the top surface of the shelf 402 is cleaned is the height information included in the position information detected by the position sensor 209 when the top surface of the floor 401 is cleaned. The information will be different from the original information. Based on the detection result of the dust sensor 107 and the detection result of the position sensor 209, the acquisition unit 301 obtains three-dimensional information on the position of the cleaned area on the upper surface of the shelf 402 and information on the amount of dust at the position. be obtained.

The user also cleans, for example, the television stand 404 on which the television 403 is placed, the walls, and the like. The acquisition unit 301 acquires three-dimensional position information, which is three-dimensional information about the position cleaned by the vacuum cleaner 100 in the room, and dust information, which is information about the amount of dust removed at the position.

As described above, a dust accumulation prediction model is created based on the three-dimensional position information and dust information acquired by the acquisition unit 301. The control unit 303 controls the blower unit 206 of the air cleaner 200 based on the dust accumulation prediction model. Air cleaner 200 operates according to three-dimensional position information. The air cleaner 200 that constitutes the cleaning system of this embodiment can efficiently collect, for example, fine dust floating above the shelf 402 and fine dust floating at high places such as the boundary between walls and ceilings. be able to. According to the cleaning system of this embodiment, indoor cleanliness can be effectively maintained.

Further, as described above, the display unit 210 displays the dust accumulation prediction map as information to support indoor cleaning. 5 and 6 are image diagrams showing specific examples of the dust accumulation prediction map according to the first embodiment.

The dust accumulation prediction map is generated as an image showing the indoor condition. The dust accumulation prediction map displays, for example, the position of furniture in the room and the ease at which dust accumulates at each position in the room. In FIGS. 5 and 6, for convenience, positions where dust tends to accumulate are shown by filling them out.

FIG. 5 shows, as an example, the ease with which dust accumulates indoors from a perspective from above. Further, FIG. 6 shows, as an example, the ease with which dust accumulates indoors from a horizontal perspective. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the dust accumulation prediction map distinguishes and displays, for example, the ease with which dust accumulates on the top surface of a table 405 placed indoors and the ease with which dust accumulates under the table 405. can do. For example, the dust accumulation prediction map can distinguish and display the ease with which dust accumulates on the top surface of the television stand 404 and the ease with which dust accumulates under the television stand 404. The dust accumulation prediction map can, for example, distinguish and display the ease with which dust accumulates on the upper surface of the shelf 402 and the ease with which dust accumulates in the middle of the shelf 402.

In this way, the dust accumulation prediction map includes three-dimensional position information. According to the present embodiment, by viewing the dust accumulation prediction map, the user can appropriately determine which locations should be prioritized for cleaning. According to the cleaning system of this embodiment, indoor cleanliness can be effectively maintained.

The display unit 210 is switched between the state shown in FIG. 5 and the state shown in FIG. 6 in response to a user's operation. In the examples shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the display unit 210 displays three-dimensional information by displaying two two-dimensional maps. The display unit 210 may display, for example, a three-dimensional dust accumulation prediction map. Further, the display unit 210 may display three-dimensional information by combining a two-dimensional map and text information, for example. For example, the display unit 210 in the state shown in FIG. 5 may display information about the height of a specific location where dust tends to accumulate when the user specifies the location. Further, the display unit 210 may display the state of the entire room as shown in FIG. 5, or may display the state of a part of the room as shown in FIG.

The display unit 210 displays, for example, the ease with which dust accumulates using different colors or color shading. The display unit 210 may display, for example, the difference in the ease with which dust accumulates using text information. Further, the display unit 210 may display, for example, only positions in the room where dust is particularly likely to accumulate on the dust accumulation prediction map. For example, the display unit 210 may display information on positions that should be cleaned with particular priority on the dust accumulation prediction map.

In the embodiment described above, the vacuum cleaner 100 is a cordless vertical type, but the type of the vacuum cleaner 100 that constitutes the cleaning system according to the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the vacuum cleaner 100 may be a wired canister type vacuum cleaner.

Moreover, the vacuum cleaner 100 that constitutes the cleaning system does not necessarily need to be a device that can be attached to and detached from the air cleaner 200. Air cleaner 200 does not need to have a function as a charging stand for vacuum cleaner 100. Further, the blowing section 206, which is an example of a blowing means, and the filter 204, which collects dust, may be provided in different devices. In this way, the cleaning system shown in the above embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. In addition, the cleaning system according to the present disclosure requires only one of the following: controlling the air blowing means according to the three-dimensional position information and dust information, and outputting information that supports cleaning according to the three-dimensional position information and dust information. This also includes those who do.

In the above embodiment, the control unit 303 controls the blower unit 206 of the air cleaner 200 based on the dust accumulation prediction model. For example, the control unit 303 may control the air blowing unit 206 to blow air more intensively to the upper part of the room. For example, if the dust accumulation prediction model predicts that the ease with which dust accumulates on the top surface of the shelf 402 and the ease with which dust accumulates on the floor surface 401 are predicted to be similar, the control unit 303 The blower unit 206 may be controlled so as to blow air more intensively above the shelf 402 than the above. In this example, fine dust and the like floating in high places can be collected more efficiently. In addition, the cleanliness of high places that are difficult for users to clean is effectively maintained.

The dust accumulation prediction model and the dust accumulation prediction map in the above-described embodiments indicate the prediction result of how easily dust accumulates at a specific position in the room. For example, the control unit 303 may generate a dust accumulation state model that indicates a prediction result of the state in which dust is accumulated at the present time. The dust accumulation state model is generated, for example, based on the dust accumulation prediction model and information on the usage history of the vacuum cleaner 100. The information on the usage history of the vacuum cleaner 100 is acquired by the acquisition unit 301 from the dust sensor 107, for example. In this example, the dust sensor 107 transmits information about the time when the vacuum cleaner 100 was used to the acquisition unit.

The output unit 304 may, for example, generate data of a dust accumulation state map indicating the prediction result of the state in which dust is accumulated at the present time from the dust accumulation state model. The output unit 304 may display a dust accumulation state map on the display unit 210 as information to support cleaning.

The dust accumulation state map, like the dust accumulation prediction map, is an image showing the indoor state. A specific example of the dust accumulation state map is similar to the specific example of the dust accumulation prediction map shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The dust accumulation state map indicates, for example, that no dust is accumulated at a position where cleaning has been performed within a predetermined period of time. The dust accumulation state map is updated every time the user cleans with the vacuum cleaner 100. By looking at the dust accumulation state map that shows the predicted state of dust accumulation at the present time, the user can more accurately recognize the location that should be prioritized for cleaning.

As described above, the dust accumulation prediction model and the dust accumulation prediction map indicate how easily dust accumulates. Further, the dust accumulation state model and the dust accumulation state map indicate the current state of dust accumulation, as described above. The dust accumulation prediction model, the dust accumulation prediction map, the dust accumulation state model, and the dust accumulation state map all include information regarding the amount of accumulated dust.

Further, for example, the output unit 304 may cause the display unit 210 to display information that supports indoor cleaning by the vacuum cleaner 100, depending on the remaining capacity of the secondary battery of the vacuum cleaner 100. For example, the output unit 304 outputs information on the range that can be cleaned before the charge runs out, based on information such as the location and time when the vacuum cleaner 100 was used in the past, and information on the remaining amount of the secondary battery. It may be displayed on the display unit 210. The display unit 210 may display information on the range that can be cleaned before the battery runs out, together with the dust accumulation prediction map or the dust accumulation state map. In addition, for example, when the vacuum cleaner 100 is being charged, the display unit 210 displays the information when the remaining battery power reaches a level sufficient to complete cleaning of an area that should be prioritized. Information urging the user to clean may be displayed. In this example, interruption of cleaning due to battery exhaustion is prevented.

100 vacuum cleaner, 101 vacuum cleaner body, 102 extension tube, 103 head, 104 grip, 105 suction pipe, 106 dust collection section, 107 dust sensor, 200 air cleaner, 201 pedestal, 202 tower, 203 Suction port, 204 Filter, 205 Air outlet, 206 Air blower, 207 Fan, 208 Louver, 209 Position sensor, 210 Display unit, 300 System control unit, 401 Floor surface, 402 Shelf, 403 Television, 404 TV stand, 405 Table, 600 dedicated hardware, 601 processor, 602 memory

Claims (3)

A vacuum cleaner that cleans the room by removing dust from surfaces to be cleaned;
an air cleaner configured to be able to support the vacuum cleaner and having a blowing means that generates an air flow into the room that passes through the filter that collects the dust;
Information acquisition means for acquiring three-dimensional position information indicating the three-dimensional position of the vacuum cleaner and dust information indicating the amount of dust removed by the vacuum cleaner at the position;
Output means for outputting information supporting cleaning of the room according to the three-dimensional position information and the dust information acquired by the information acquisition means;
Equipped with
In the cleaning system, the information outputted by the output means includes three-dimensional information about a position where dust accumulates in the room and information about the amount of dust accumulated at the position. The cleaning system according to claim 1, further comprising a control means for controlling the blowing means according to the three-dimensional position information and the dust information acquired by the information acquisition means. The vacuum cleaner operates with power supplied from a secondary battery,
3. The cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the output means outputs information for supporting cleaning of the room by the vacuum cleaner, depending on the remaining amount of the secondary battery.

Images