KR100575703B1 - Charge station return system and method for robot cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a charging table return system and method for a robot cleaner, wherein a supporter sensor that leads to a charging zone detection area is installed in a predetermined area of an internal space, and the robot cleaner is delivered to a specific position by the supporter sensor. While reverting to the charging stand, the charging stand is recognized by the sensor of the charging stand and the supporter sensor in three dimensions, thereby quickly and accurately returning to the charging stand. To this end, the present invention provides a sensor for sensing the position of the robot cleaner, and having a sensor for inducing a docking of the detected robot cleaner, the charging table for charging the power of the battery of the docked robot cleaner; A supporter sensor installed at a specific distance and direction from the charging stand to guide the robot cleaner to an area in which the charging stand can be detected; The supporter sensor is configured to include a robot cleaner that moves to the charging zone detection area and then recognizes the charging zone in three dimensions and docks the charging zone using the supporter sensor and the charging zone sensor.

Description

CHARGE STATION RETURN SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ROBOT CLEANER}

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration for a traveling device of a conventional robot cleaner.

2 is a flow chart illustrating a driving method of a conventional robot cleaner.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing a sensing state of the charging stand according to the driving of the conventional robot cleaner.

Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the charging stand return system of the robot cleaner of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing a sensing state of the charging stand according to the running of the robot cleaner of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the charging stand return method of the robot cleaner of the present invention.

Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing a charging stand return method of the robot cleaner of the present invention.

***** Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *****

100: charging stand 200: supporter sensor

300: robot cleaner 301: light receiving means

302: microcomputer 303: driving means

The present invention relates to a charging table return system and method of a robot cleaner, in particular, by installing a supporter sensor leading to the charging zone detection area in a certain area of the interior space, the robot cleaner is guided to a specific position by the supporter sensor, The present invention relates to a charging table returning system and method for a robot cleaner, which automatically and automatically returns to the charging table, thereby quickly and accurately returning to the charging table by recognizing the charging table in three dimensions by the sensor and the supporter sensor.

In general, the robot cleaner refers to a device that automatically cleans an area to be cleaned by suctioning foreign substances such as dust from the floor while driving itself in the area to be cleaned without a user's operation.

The robot cleaner is configured to perform a cleaning operation while driving a predetermined cleaning path according to a built-in program. In order to perform the cleaning operation while automatically driving the preset cleaning path, the position, the driving distance, and the obstacle of the robot cleaner are A large number of sensors are used to detect the back.

However, such a robot cleaner has a problem in that the internal structure becomes complicated and the manufacturing cost increases because numerous expensive sensors are installed to perform the cleaning by accurately driving the set cleaning path.

In order to solve this problem, a robot cleaner has been developed which performs cleaning by driving an arbitrary cleaning path by a random method.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a traveling device of a conventional robot cleaner.

As shown in FIG. 1, the robot cleaner moves straight through a certain area, and when an collision occurs, an obstacle detecting unit 1 detecting an obstacle by the collision; The controller for stopping the robot cleaner from running by the signal output from the obstacle detecting unit 1, generating a random angle in a random manner, and applying the random angle to the rotation angle of the robot cleaner to rotate the robot cleaner. (2); A left wheel motor driving unit 3 for driving the left wheel motor 5 at a constant speed by a control signal of the control unit 2; By the control signal of the said control part 2, the right wheel motor drive part 4 which drives the right wheel motor 6 at a constant speed is comprised.

2 is a flow chart illustrating a driving method of a conventional robot cleaner.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the cleaning command is generated by the user, the process of determining whether an obstacle is detected while driving the robot cleaner straight (SP1 to SP3); Stopping the robot cleaner when an obstacle is detected as a result of the determination, and generating a random random angle by a random method (SP4); Rotating the robot cleaner (SP5) using the random angle generated in the step as the rotation angle; While the rotating robot cleaner is straight, it is determined that the cleaning is completed, the process is made to stop the running (SP7) when the cleaning is completed, such a prior art will be described.

First, when a cleaning command is generated by the user (SP1), the control unit 2 outputs a control signal for matching the driving speed of the left wheel motor 5 and the right wheel motor 6 to advance the robot cleaner.

Accordingly, the left wheel motor driver 3 drives the left wheel motor 5 by the control signal of the controller 2, and the right wheel motor driver 4 is driven by the control signal of the controller 2. 6).

Accordingly, the robot cleaner moves straight (SP2).

At this time, the obstacle detecting unit 1 detects the obstacle by the amount of impact generated when the robot cleaner collides with an arbitrary obstacle, and applies the obstacle detection signal according to it to the controller 2.

Accordingly, the controller 2 stops the driving by the obstacle detection signal, generates a random random angle by the Landon method (SP4), and controls the random angle to be the rotation angle of the robot cleaner. In this case, the control unit 2 outputs a control signal for causing the robot cleaner to vary the speed of the left wheel motor 5 and the right wheel motor 6 according to the rotational direction of the left wheel motor driving unit 3 and the right wheel motor driving unit ( Output to 4).

Accordingly, the left wheel motor driver 3 drives the left wheel motor 5 by the control signal of the controller 2, and the right wheel motor driver 4 is the right wheel motor by the control signal of the controller 2. (6) is driven to rotate the robot cleaner at an arbitrary random angle (SP5).

Then, the control unit 2 continues the robot cleaner (SP6), and if it is determined that the cleaning is completed, the cleaning is terminated (SP7), and if the cleaning is not completed, repeats the above operation.

When the above-described robot cleaner returns to the charging station due to the exhaustion of the battery during the cleaning operation, or when returning to the charging station after the completion of the operation, as shown in FIG. 3, the mobile robot docks the charging station only when it enters the charging zone detection area. to be.

That is, the robot cleaner randomly detects the charging station using various sensors (ultrasound sensor, infrared sensor), or enters the detection zone of the charging station by performing a monthly follow-up.

However, in the above-described method of returning the charging stand of the robot cleaner, when the robot cleaner returns to the region where the charging stand can be sensed by performing random or monthly follow-up, the robot cleaner does not return to the charging stand due to the shortage of battery voltage. There is a problem.

The present invention devised in view of the above problems, the supporter sensor that leads to the charging zone detection area, installed in a predetermined area of the interior space, the robot cleaner is guided to the specific position by the supporter sensor, automatically charging station It is an object of the present invention to provide a charging table returning system and method for a robot cleaner, which enables the user to quickly and accurately return to the charging table by recognizing the charging table in three dimensions by the sensor of the charging table and the supporter sensor.

The present invention for achieving the above object, the sensor having a sensor for detecting the position of the robot cleaner, docking the detected robot cleaner, charging station for charging the power of the battery of the docked robot cleaner; A supporter sensor installed at a specific distance and direction from the charging stand to guide the robot cleaner to an area in which the charging stand can be detected; The supporter sensor is configured to include a robot cleaner which moves to the charging zone detection area and recognizes the charging zone in three dimensions and docks the charging zone using the supporter sensor and the charging zone sensor.

The present invention for achieving the above object, in the robot cleaner having a supporter sensor installed in the ceiling position of a specific position, while cleaning a certain area, when the battery residual voltage falls below the reference value to switch to the charging station recovery mode Process; Moving by an optical signal generated by the supporter sensor and stopping at the point where the optical signal is maximum; Rotate 180 degrees at the point, and then move backward to perform the process of docking the charging station.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, the operation and effects of the charging table return system and method of the robot cleaner according to the present invention will be described.

Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the charging stand return system of the robot cleaner of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4, the present invention includes a charging unit 100 which senses a position of a robot cleaner and includes a sensor for inducing a docking of the detected robot cleaner, and charging a power of a battery of the docked robot cleaner; A supporter sensor 200 installed at a specific interval and direction with the charging stand 100 to guide the robot cleaner to an area in which the charging stand 100 can be detected; After moving to the charging zone detection area by the supporter sensor 200, using the supporter sensor 200 and the charging station 100 sensor, the charging station 100 is recognized in three dimensions and docked on the charging station 100. The robot cleaner 300 is configured to include.

The supporter sensor 200 is installed at a predetermined direction and position from the charging station 100 to transmit an optical signal.

The supporter sensor 200 is installed in the ceiling of a position spaced apart from the center of the charging stand 100 vertically by a predetermined distance in the sensing area of the charging stand 100, and the robot cleaner 300 is charged as shown in FIG. After moving to the sensing area, a signal for docking the robot cleaner 300 to the charging stand 100 in three dimensions with the charging stand 100 sensor is oscillated.

The robot cleaner 300 includes: light receiving means 301 for receiving an optical signal generated from the supporter sensor 200; detecting the intensity of the optical signal output from the light receiving means 301, and detecting the light A microcomputer 302 which controls to move the robot cleaner 300 to a point where the signal strength is maximum; The control means of the microcomputer 302 includes a driving means 303 for driving the robot cleaner 300.

The robot cleaner 300 further includes a sensing means (not shown) for transmitting and receiving a signal to and from the charging stand 100 to detect a position and a direction of the charging stand 100.

When the robot cleaner 300 arrives at a specific position by the supporter sensor 200, the microcomputer 302 rotates the robot cleaner 300 by 180 degrees and then moves the robot cleaner 300 backward. To be docked to the charging station 100.

Such operation of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the supporter sensor 200 for guiding the robot cleaner 300 into the charging zone detection area is installed at a ceiling position of a specific position.

Here, the distance and the direction of the charging table 100 and the supporter sensor 200 are pre-stored in the robot cleaner 300, whereby the supporter sensor 200 moves the robot cleaner 300 within the sensing area of the charging table 100. When guided to a specific location, the robot cleaner 300 can automatically dock to the charging station 100 at the specific location.

That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the robot cleaner 300 cleans a certain area (SP1), and when the battery residual voltage falls below the reference value, the robot cleaner 300 switches to the charging stand return mode (SP2, SP3), and then the supporter sensor 200 The light signal generated moves to a predetermined specific position (charge zone detection area) (SP4).

At this time, the robot cleaner 300 moves while receiving the optical signal output from the supporter sensor 200 and stops at a point where the intensity of the received optical signal is maximum, that is, at a predetermined specific position (SP5, SP6).

Next, the robot cleaner 300 rotates 180 degrees at the specific position, and then moves backward to dock the charging table 100 (SP7).

In this case, the robot cleaner 300 may be automatically docked to the charging stand 100, but in order to eliminate an error due to the sliding during movement, by using the signals of the charging stand 100 sensor and the supporter sensor 200. Docking the charging station 100 accurately while sensing the charging station 100 in three dimensions.

In other words, in the present invention, the supporter sensor that leads to the charging station detection area is installed in a predetermined area of the internal space, and the robot cleaner is guided to the specific position by the supporter sensor, and then automatically returns to the charging station, And by the supporter sensor to recognize the charging stand in three dimensions.

The specific embodiments or examples made in the detailed description of the present invention are intended to clarify the technical contents of the present invention to the extent that they should not be construed as limited to these specific embodiments and should not be construed in consultation. Various changes can be made within the scope of.

As described in detail above, the present invention provides a supporter sensor that leads to the charging zone detection area in a predetermined area of the internal space, and automatically returns to the charging station after the robot cleaner is guided to the specific location by the supporter sensor. By recognizing the charging stand in three dimensions by the sensor of the charging stand and the supporter sensor, there is an effect of returning to the charging stand quickly and accurately.

Claims (8)

A charging base configured to sense a position of the robot cleaner and to induce a docking of the detected robot cleaner, and to charge power of a battery of the docked robot cleaner; A supporter sensor installed at a specific distance and direction from the charging stand to guide the robot cleaner to an area capable of detecting the charging stand; After the supporter sensor is moved to the charging zone detection area, and using the supporter sensor and the charging zone sensor, the robot cleaner comprising a robot cleaner which recognizes the charging stand in three dimensions and docks the charging stand. Return system. The method of claim 1, wherein the supporter sensor, A charging stand return system for a robot cleaner, which is installed at a predetermined direction and position from a charging stand and transmits an optical signal. The method of claim 2, wherein the supporter sensor, A charging stand return system for a robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the robot cleaner is installed on a ceiling at a position spaced vertically from the center of the charging stand by a predetermined distance. The robot cleaner of claim 1, wherein Light receiving means for receiving an optical signal generated from the supporter sensor; A microcomputer for detecting the intensity of the optical signal output from the optical receiving means and controlling the robot cleaner to move to the point where the intensity of the optical signal is maximum; And a driving means for driving the robot cleaner by the control signal of the microcomputer. The robot cleaner of claim 4, wherein Charging table return system of the robot cleaner, characterized in that it further comprises a sensing means for transmitting and receiving a signal with the charging table, the position and direction of the charging table. The method of claim 4, wherein the microcomputer, When the robot cleaner arrives at a specific position by the supporter sensor, the robot cleaner is rotated 180 degrees, and then the robot cleaner is moved backward and docked on the charging stand. In the robot cleaner having a supporter sensor installed at a ceiling position of a specific position, Cleaning the predetermined area and switching to the charging station return mode when the battery residual voltage falls below the reference value; Moving by an optical signal generated by the supporter sensor and stopping at the point where the optical signal is maximum; Rotating 180 degrees at the point, and moving to the reverse to the docking method of the robot cleaner, characterized in that performed by the step of docking on the charging station. The method of claim 7, wherein docking the charging station, Using the supporter sensor and the charging station sensor, the charging table return method of the robot cleaner comprising the step of recognizing the charging station in three dimensions.

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