Robot cleaner and control method for the same

Abstract

A robot cleaner includes a body to travel on a floor, an obstacle sensing unit to sense an obstacle approaching the body, an auxiliary cleaning unit mounted to a bottom of the body, to be extendable and retractable, and a control unit to control extension or retraction of the auxiliary cleaning unit when the obstacle is sensed, through adjustment of an extension or retraction degree of the auxiliary cleaning unit.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2011-106678 and 10-2012-22469, respectively filed on Oct. 18, 2011 and Mar. 5, 2012 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Field[0003]Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a robot cleaner and a control method for the same, which are capable of automatically cleaning a region to be cleaned by removing dust or the like from a floor of the cleaning region while traveling about the cleaning region.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]A robot cleaner is a device for automatically cleaning a region to be cleaned by sucking foreign matter such as dust from a floor of the cleaning region while autonomously traveling about the cleaning region without being operated by a user. Such a robot cleaner not only includes a main brush to remove dust or the like accumulated on a reg...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The control unit can control the extension of the auxiliary cleaning units based on the direction of rotation of the body. This ensures that the preceding auxiliary cleaning unit has an increased extension degree when the body rotates in the opposite direction. The control unit can also prevent the auxiliary cleaning unit from extending when a cleaning operation is completed, if it detects an obstacle such as a charger or exhaust station, or if it initiates an automatic cleaning mode. Additionally, the control unit can prevent the auxiliary cleaning unit from extending when the body performs a charging operation, or when the charging operation is completed and the supply of electric power to the charger is stopped.

Problems solved by technology

Although such an auxiliary cleaning tool achieves an enhancement in cleaning performance in a region adjacent to a wall, there may be a problem in that the auxiliary cleaning tool has an increased possibility of striking the wall because it is outwardly protruded from the robot cleaner body.

In a conventional robot cleaner, however, it may be impossible to prevent the auxiliary cleaning tool from striking an obstacle because protrusion of the auxiliary cleaning tool is not accurately controlled.

For this reason, the auxiliary cleaning tool may interfere with travel of the robot cleaner.

Consequently, it may be impossible to achieve efficient cleaning in a region adjacent to a wall.

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