KR100283865B1 - Apparatus for controlling robot vacuum cleaner and method there of - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cleaning controller and a method for cleaning a robot cleaner, the robot cleaner of which cleaning is performed while driving a cleaning area by driving a left and right motor according to a cleaning start signal from an operation unit. Wide sensor for detecting obstacles located in front of the cleaner, an encoder for detecting the driving distance of the robot cleaner, and the cleaning area divided by a predetermined unit to set horizontal and vertical values, and are detected by the encoder. Drive the left and right motors to compare the traveling distance of the robot cleaner with a predetermined value and to move the robot cleaner forward and to change the driving direction, and operate the robot cleaner according to the obstacle detection signal detected by the wide sensor. And a control unit for driving control of the left and right wheel motors to change driving directions. By cleaning divided by the unit of measurement to perform cleaning while smoothly driving a cleaning area by removing the straightness error appears when driving long distances, and to clean the room center intensively increases the cleaning efficiency.

Description

Apparatus for controlling robot vacuum cleaner and method there of}

The present invention relates to a robot cleaner for cleaning while driving the cleaning area by itself, and in particular, by cleaning the cleaning area by dividing the cleaning area by a certain unit, it is possible to eliminate the linearity error that occurs during long distance driving, and to clean the center of the room to increase the cleaning efficiency A cleaning control apparatus for a robot cleaner and a method thereof are provided.

In general, the robot cleaner automatically cleans the cleaning area by suctioning foreign matters such as dust from the floor while driving the area to be cleaned without user's manipulation.

In the robot cleaner, when the user turns on the operation button, the left and right wheels in the robot cleaner are driven so that the robot cleaner starts driving in a zigzag from the end of the wall to the end as shown in FIG. The suction motor is driven.

When the suction motor is driven, foreign substances such as dust on the bottom surface are sucked through the suction port by the suction force of the suction motor, and the foreign substances such as dust sucked through the suction port are collected in the dust collecting pack through the suction passage and are cleaned. Is performed.

However, in the conventional robot cleaner, as shown in FIG. 6, since the cleaning is performed zigzag from the end of the wall to the end, the low-cost robot cleaner that does not use the driving correction sensor does not have straightness during long distance driving. There was a problem that the area is not moved smoothly, and the cleaning efficiency is lowered because the center of the room cannot be cleaned.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and by cleaning the cleaning area by dividing the cleaning unit by a certain unit, it is possible to perform the cleaning while smoothly running the cleaning area by removing the linearity error that appears during long distance driving, It is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning control device and a method of cleaning a robot cleaner to increase the cleaning efficiency by intensively cleaning the center.

In order to achieve the above object, the cleaning control apparatus for a robot cleaner according to the present invention is a robot cleaner for cleaning while driving a cleaning area by driving a left and right motor according to a cleaning start signal from an operation unit. A wide sensor for detecting an obstacle located in front of the robot cleaner based on the robot cleaner, an encoder for detecting the driving distance of the robot cleaner, and dividing the cleaning area by a predetermined unit to set horizontal and vertical values, By comparing the traveling distance of the robot cleaner detected by the set value, if the forward distance is the set value, the driving direction of the robot cleaner is changed. If the forward distance is not the set value, the robot cleaner moves forward, and the obstacle is prevented by the wide sensor. Control to drive and control the left and right motor to switch the running direction of the robot cleaner when detected That consisting of features.

The cleaning control method for a robot cleaner according to the present invention is a cleaning method for a robot cleaner that performs cleaning while driving a cleaning area by driving a left and right motor according to a cleaning start signal from an operation unit.

An obstacle detecting step of detecting an obstacle located in front of the robot cleaner while driving;

A first driving direction switching step of switching the driving direction of the robot cleaner by selectively driving the left and right wheel motors when an obstacle is detected in the obstacle detecting step;

A distance discrimination step of detecting the distance of the robot cleaner and comparing the detected value with a predetermined unit in the control unit;

A second driving direction switching step of switching the driving direction of the robot cleaner by selectively driving the left and right wheel motors when it is determined that the advance distance of the robot cleaner is a set value in the distance discriminating step;

If it is determined that the forward distance of the robot cleaner is not a predetermined value in the distance discriminating step, the robot may move forward and backward by driving the left and right wheel motors.

1 is a front view of a robot cleaner according to the present invention;

2 is a plan view of removing the upper cover of the robot cleaner according to the present invention;

3 is a control block diagram of a cleaning controller for a robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a flowchart showing a cleaning control operation procedure of the robot cleaner according to the present invention;

5 is an explanatory diagram showing running in a cleaning area of the robot cleaner according to the present invention;

6 is an explanatory diagram showing a conventional driving in a cleaning area of a robot cleaner.

<Explanation of symbols for main parts of drawing>

10: traveling robot 14: suction pipe

16,18: Left and right wheel 20,22: Left and right motor

24,26: Left and right encoder 50: Handy cleaner

54 suction motor 70 drive means

80: driving distance detection means 90: obstacle detection means

100: driving robot control unit 140: cleaner control unit

150: suction motor drive unit

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

1 is a schematic front view of a robot cleaner according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the upper cover of the robot cleaner according to the present invention removed.

1 and 2, the robot cleaner according to the present invention includes a traveling robot 10 which allows the robot cleaner to drive the cleaning area by itself, and a handy cleaner 50 which sucks and cleans foreign substances such as dust. It consists of, the handy cleaner 50 is to be detachable to the traveling robot (10).

The traveling robot 10 includes a suction brush 12 for collecting foreign substances such as dust on the bottom surface, and a suction pipe 14 serving as a passage to transfer the dust collected through the suction brush 12 to a collection place. ), The left and right wheel motors 20 and 22 which generate driving force so that the left and right wheels 18 for moving the traveling robot 10 switch forward, backward and left and right movements, and the left and right wheels 18. Left and right encoders 24 and 26 for detecting a travel distance to the left and right sides according to the rotation speed of the right wheel motors 20 and 22, and an auxiliary wheel 28 for supporting the robot cleaner while freeing the movement of the robot cleaner. ), A wide sensor 30 comprising a plurality of infrared ray transmitting elements 30a and infrared ray receiving elements 30b, and the wide sensor 30 so as not to detect an obstacle in front of the traveling robot 10. Band switch 34 for detecting the obstacle that can not be installed.

The handy cleaner 50 has a suction port 52 which is connected to the suction pipe 14 of the traveling robot 10 when coupled to the traveling robot 10, and a suction motor 54 which generates suction force to suck foreign substances such as dust. ) And a dust collecting pack 56 for collecting foreign substances such as dust sucked by the suction motor 54.

A circuit block diagram for controlling a cleaning operation of the robot cleaner configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG. 3.

As shown in FIG. 3, the robot cleaner includes the traveling robot 10, the handy cleaner 50, and the handy cleaner 50 when the portable cleaner 10 is coupled to the traveling robot 10. It comprises a connector 60 consisting of a power connector 62 and a control signal connector 64 to electrically connect 50.

The traveling robot 10 may include driving means 70 for controlling forward, backward, left, and right movement of the traveling robot 10, and traveling of the traveling robot 10 moved by the driving means 70. Travel distance detecting means 80 for detecting a distance, obstacle detecting means 90 for detecting an obstacle located in front of the traveling robot 10 moved by the driving means 70, and the traveling distance detecting means ( Overall operation of the traveling robot 10 to receive the traveling distance data detected by the 80 and the obstacle detection data detected by the obstacle detecting means 90 so that the traveling robot 10 smoothly travels the cleaning area. The mobile robot control unit 100 for controlling the power supply, and the power supply of the connector unit 60 when the handy cleaner 50 is coupled to the travel robot 10 while supplying power required to drive the travel robot 10. Power the handy cleaner 50 through 62 That consists of a battery 120 to be charged received power is supplied from the external charging device 122.

The driving means 70 includes a left wheel motor driving unit 72 for driving the left wheel motor 20 to move the robot cleaner to the right, and a right wheel for driving the right wheel motor 22 to move the robot cleaner to the left. The motor drive part 74 is comprised.

The traveling distance detecting means 80 generates a pulse signal that is proportional to the rotational speed of the left wheel 16 driven by the left wheel motor driving unit 72, that is, the rotational speed of the left wheel motor 20, thereby providing A pulse signal proportional to the rotational speed of the left wheel encoder 24 for detecting the traveling distance moving to the right and the right wheel 18 driven by the right wheel motor driver 74, that is, the rotation speed of the right wheel motor 22. It consists of a right wheel encoder 26 for detecting the traveling distance that the robot cleaner moves to the left.

The obstacle detecting means 90 includes a plurality of infrared ray transmitting elements 30a arranged horizontally and an infrared ray receiving element 30b for receiving reflected infrared rays reflected from obstacles of infrared rays emitted from the plurality of infrared ray transmitting elements 30a. It consists of a wide sensor 30 and a sensor driver 92 for driving the wide sensor 30 so that the wide sensor 30 can transmit infrared light.

The traveling robot controller 100 divides the cleaning area into predetermined units to set horizontal and vertical values, and compares the traveling distance of the robot cleaner detected by the traveling distance detecting means 80 with the set value. Generate a control signal for the forward running and the driving direction of the robot cleaner, and generates a control signal for changing the driving direction of the robot cleaner according to the obstacle detection signal detected by the obstacle detection means (90).

In addition, the handy cleaner 50 is provided with a switch for on / off operation of the operation of the robot cleaner, the operation unit 130 for converting the switch operation by the user to the corresponding electrical signal, and the operation unit Control the overall operation of the handy cleaner 50 according to the cleaning start signal input from the 130 and at the same time start cleaning with the traveling robot control unit 100 through the control signal connector 64 of the connector unit 60. A cleaner controller 140 for outputting a signal, a suction motor driver 150 for driving the suction motor 54 to suck foreign substances such as dust according to a control signal from the cleaner controller 140, and the handy cleaner ( It is composed of a battery 160 that is charged by receiving power from the battery of the traveling robot 10 through the power connector 62 of the connector 60 to supply the power required to drive 50.

Hereinafter, the effect of the cleaning control device and method of the robot cleaner configured as described above will be described.

4 is a flowchart showing a cleaning control operation procedure of the robot cleaner according to the present invention, in which S denotes a step.

First, when the user couples the handy cleaner 50 to the travel robot 10, the suction port 52 of the handy cleaner 50 communicates with the suction pipe 14 of the travel robot 10, and the connector 60 of the connector 60 is connected. Power lines of the traveling robot 10 and the handy cleaner 50 are connected to each other through the power connector 62, and the traveling robot 10 and the handy cleaner 50 are connected to the control signal connector 64 of the connector 60. Signal lines are connected to each other.

As described above, when the power supply lines of the traveling robot 10 and the handy cleaner 50 are connected to each other, power is supplied from the battery 120 of the traveling robot 10 to the handy cleaner 50 so as to carry out the handy cleaner 50. While the battery 160 is charged, power is supplied to drive the handy cleaner 50.

As described above, even when the handy cleaner 50 is detached from the traveling robot 10 as the battery 160 of the handy cleaner 50 is charged, the handy cleaner is powered by the power charged in the battery 160 of the handy cleaner 50. 50 can operate independently.

That is, when the user operates the operation unit 130 to input the cleaning start signal to the cleaner control unit 140, the cleaner control unit 140 controls the suction motor driving unit 150 to drive the suction motor 54 to perform a handy cleaner ( 50) is working.

On the other hand, in a state in which the handy cleaner 50 is coupled to the traveling robot 10, in step S1, the initial position of the robot cleaner is set by positioning the robot cleaner at the initial position a of the cleaning area to be cleaned.

At this time, when the user operates the manipulation unit 130 provided in the handy cleaner 50, a cleaning start signal corresponding thereto is input to the cleaner control unit 140, so in step S2, the cleaner control unit 140 determines whether a cleaning start signal is input. If the cleaning start signal is not input (NO), the operation of step S2 or less is repeated until the cleaning start signal is input.

As a result of the determination in step S2, when the cleaning start signal is input (YES), the process proceeds to step S3 and the cleaner controller 140 transmits a control signal for driving the suction motor 54 to the suction motor driver 150. Output

Therefore, the suction motor driver 150 drives the suction motor 54 according to a control signal output from the cleaner controller 140.

At this time, since the suction port 52 of the handy cleaner 50 communicates with the suction brush 12 through the suction pipe 14 of the traveling robot 10, the suction port 52 is sucked by a strong vacuum suction input driven by the suction motor 54. As foreign matters such as dust collected by the brush 12 are sucked through the suction pipe 14, the dust is collected in the dust collecting pack 56 through the suction port 52 of the handy cleaner 50 and is cleaned.

Subsequently, in step S4, the cleaner controller 140 outputs a cleaning start signal to the traveling robot controller 100 through the control signal connector 64 of the connector 60, thereby driving the robot cleaner in the traveling robot controller 100. The control signal for controlling the output to the drive means (70).

Accordingly, the left wheel motor driving unit 72 and the right wheel motor driving unit 74 of the driving unit 70 receive the control signals output from the traveling robot control unit 100 to receive the left wheel motor 20 and the right wheel motor 22. By driving, the left and right wheels 18 are driven forward, and the robot cleaner starts moving forward in the vertical (Y) direction as shown in FIG.

In this case, the left wheel encoder 24 generates a pulse signal proportional to the rotational speed of the left wheel 16 according to the driving of the left wheel motor 20, and outputs a pulse signal to the traveling robot controller 100, and in the right wheel encoder 26. A pulse signal proportional to the rotational speed of the right wheel 18 according to the driving of the right wheel motor 22 is generated and outputted to the traveling robot controller 100.

While the robot cleaner is traveling forward in the vertical (Y) direction, the robot cleaner is advanced through the infrared transmitting element 30a in the plurality of wide sensors 30 arranged horizontally on the front surface of the traveling robot 10 in step S5. Infrared rays are transmitted to the front surface of the vehicle, and the infrared rays transmitted from the infrared ray transmitting element 30a receive a signal reflected from the obstacle through the infrared ray receiving element 30b to detect and determine an obstacle located in front of the robot cleaner. do.

As a result of the discrimination in step S5, when no obstacle is detected (NO), the process proceeds to step S6 and the traveling robot control unit 100 receives the pulse signals output from the left and right wheel encoders 24 and 26. The cleaner calculates the traveling distance advanced in the vertical (Y) direction, and determines whether the advance distance is the vertical value y set by dividing the cleaning area by a predetermined unit (x, y).

As a result of the discrimination in step S6, when the calculated forward distance (distance from a to b) is not the set vertical value y (NO), the process returns to step S4 and the traveling robot control unit 100 is left. By driving the left and right wheel motors 20 and 22 by controlling the right motor driving sections 72 and 74, the robot cleaner sweeps forward in the vertical (Y) direction while repeatedly performing the operations of Step S4 and below.

On the other hand, if the result of the discrimination in step S6 is that the calculated forward distance (distance from a to b) is the set vertical value y (YES), the process proceeds to step S7 and the travel robot control unit 100 By driving the left wheel motor 20 or the right wheel motor 22 by controlling the right wheel motor driving units 72 and 74, the left wheel 16 or the right wheel 18 is selectively driven so that the robot cleaner is shown in FIG. 5. Change driving direction left or right.

When the driving direction of the robot cleaner is switched, the driving robot control unit 100 controls the left and right motor driving units 72 and 74 to drive the left and right wheels 20 and 22 in step S8 to the left and right wheels 18. This advancing drive causes the robot cleaner to move forward in the horizontal (X) direction as shown in FIG. 5.

At this time, the left and right encoders 24 and 26 generate pulse signals proportional to the rotational speeds of the left and right wheels 16 and 18 according to the driving of the left and right motors 20 and 22 to generate the driving robot controller ( To 100).

While the robot cleaner is moving forward in the horizontal (X) direction, the wide sensor 30 transmits infrared rays through the infrared transmitting element 30a in step S9, and the infrared rays received by the infrared rays transmitted to the obstacles are reflected to the infrared signal. Received through the element 30b to detect the obstacle located in front of the robot cleaner to determine it.

As a result of the determination in step S9, when no obstacle is detected (NO), the process proceeds to step S10, and the traveling robot control unit 100 receives the pulse signals output from the left and right wheel encoders 24 and 26 and the robot. The cleaner calculates the travel distance advanced in the horizontal (X) direction, and determines whether the advance distance is the horizontal value x set by dividing the cleaning area by a predetermined unit (x, y).

As a result of the determination in step S10, if the calculated forward distance (distance from b to c) is not the set horizontal value x (NO), the process returns to step S8 and the traveling robot control unit 100 is left. By driving the left and right motors 20 and 22 by controlling the right motor driving units 72 and 74, the operation of step S8 or less is repeated while continuing forward movement in the horizontal (X) direction of the robot cleaner.

On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step S10 is that the calculated forward distance (distance from b to c) is the set horizontal value x (YES), the process proceeds to step S11 and the travel robot control unit 100 By driving the left wheel motor 20 or the right wheel motor 22 by controlling the right wheel motor driving units 72 and 74, the left wheel 16 or the right wheel 18 is selectively driven so that the robot cleaner is shown in FIG. 5. Change driving direction left or right.

When the running direction of the robot cleaner is changed, in step S12 the robot cleaner finishes the driving of the cleaning area and determines whether the cleaning is completed. If the cleaning is not completed (NO), the robot cleaner returns to the step S4 to perform the cleaning. As shown in FIG. 5, the robot cleaner repeatedly performs the operation of Step S4 or below to perform cleaning while traveling by dividing the cleaning area into predetermined units (x, y) until completion.

As a result of the determination in step S12, when the cleaning is completed (YES), the process proceeds to step S13, and the traveling robot control unit 100 controls the left and right motor driving units 72 and 74 to control the left and right motors 20 and 22. ) And at the same time outputs a cleaning completion signal to the cleaner control unit 140 through the control signal connector (64).

Accordingly, the cleaner controller 140 controls the suction motor driver 150 to stop the suction motor 54 and the cleaning operation of the robot cleaner is terminated.

On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step S5 or step S9 indicates that an obstacle is detected (YES), the process proceeds to step S7 or step S11 so as to switch the running direction of the robot cleaner, and the operation of step S7 or step S11 or less is performed. Repeat.

According to the cleaning control apparatus and method of the robot cleaner according to the present invention as described above, by cleaning the cleaning area by dividing the unit by a certain unit to remove the linearity error that appears during long distance driving to perform the cleaning while smoothly running the cleaning area. It is possible to increase the cleaning efficiency by intensively cleaning the center of the room.

Claims (2)

A robot cleaner for cleaning while driving a cleaning area by driving a left and right motor according to a cleaning start signal from an operation unit. A wide sensor for detecting an obstacle located in front of the robot cleaner based on the robot cleaner; An encoder for detecting a driving distance of the robot cleaner; The cleaning area is divided by a predetermined unit to set values in the horizontal and vertical directions, and if the forward distance is a set value by comparing the traveling distance of the robot cleaner detected by the encoder, the driving direction of the robot cleaner is changed. If the forward distance is not a predetermined value, the robot cleaner moves forward, and when the obstacle is detected by the wide sensor, the robot cleaner comprising a control unit for driving control of the left and right motors to switch the driving direction of the robot cleaner. Cleaning control system. In the cleaning method of the robot cleaner which performs the cleaning while driving the cleaning area by driving the left and right motors according to the cleaning start signal from the operation unit, An obstacle detecting step of detecting an obstacle located in front of the robot cleaner while driving; A first driving direction switching step of switching the driving direction of the robot cleaner by selectively driving the left and right wheel motors when an obstacle is detected in the obstacle detecting step; A distance discrimination step of detecting the distance of the robot cleaner and comparing the detected value with a predetermined unit in the control unit; A second driving direction switching step of switching the driving direction of the robot cleaner by selectively driving the left and right wheel motors when it is determined that the advance distance of the robot cleaner is a set value in the distance discriminating step; And a forward driving step of driving the robot cleaner forward by driving the left and right motors when it is determined that the forward distance of the robot cleaner is not a set value.