Method for operating a system comprising two autonomously propelled ground handling devices

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a system comprising a first autonomous ground processing device and a second autonomous ground processing device, wherein the first ground processing device detects environmental features of the environment of the first ground processing device, the first ground processing device or a computing device commonly associated with the first and second ground processing devices creates a first map of the environment based on the detected environmental features, and the first ground processing device also detects the second ground processing device and then stores the position of the second ground processing device in the created first map of the environment. To achieve resource-saving and time-saving processing of the environment, once the first ground processing device has detected the second ground processing device, the second ground processing device also receives information about the current position of the second ground processing device within the first map of the environment during the first ground processing activity performed by the first ground processing device, and controls the second ground processing activity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for operating a system comprising an automatically propelling first ground processing device and an automatically propelling second ground processing device, wherein the first ground processing device detects environmental characteristics of an environment of the first ground processing device, wherein the first ground processing device or a computing device commonly associated with the first ground processing device and the second ground processing device creates a first environmental map based on the detected environmental characteristics, and wherein the first ground processing device also detects the second ground processing device and then stores the position of the second ground processing device in the created first environmental map.

[0002] Furthermore, the invention relates to a system having a first floor processing device and a second floor processing device for carrying out a method of the type mentioned above. Background Art

[0003] Systems with a plurality of automatically moving ground handling devices, which are interconnected via a common communication network or directly connected to each other, are known in the prior art. For example, the ground handling devices may be ground handling robots, such as cleaning robots, polishing robots, mowing robots, etc. At least one of the plurality of ground handling devices has a navigation and self-positioning device, which is suitable for creating an environmental map of the environment and positioning and moving according to the environmental map. Furthermore, it is also known in the prior art that the ground handling devices can access a common environmental map stored in an external storage device.

[0004] In addition, patent document US 6374155B1 discloses a system with multiple robots, wherein one robot serves as a navigation robot and at least one other robot can perform activities such as vacuuming, wiping, etc. The navigation robot creates a map of the environment and locates itself and one or more functional robots in the created environment map. Then, the navigation robot plans the floor treatment activities to be performed by the functional robots.

[0005] A disadvantage of the above-mentioned system or method is that the navigation robot itself does not perform ground handling activities, but is only used to create maps and plan the working activities of the functional robot. Therefore, an additional robot is required to perform the method known in the prior art. Summary of the invention

[0006] Starting from the above-mentioned prior art, the present invention is therefore based on the technical problem of providing a method for operating a system having a plurality of self-propelled floor treatment devices, wherein a resource-saving and time-saving treatment of the environment is achieved.

[0007] In order to solve the above technical problem, it is suggested that once the first ground processing device has detected the second ground processing device, the second ground processing device also obtains information about the current position of the second ground processing device within the first environment map during the first ground processing activity performed by the first ground processing device, and controls the second ground processing activity.

[0008] According to the invention, the system has at least one automatically moving floor treatment device, which can both automatically perform floor treatment activities in an environment and detect environmental characteristics of the environment and the current position of at least one other floor treatment device. Based on the detected environmental characteristics, an environment map can be created either by the first floor treatment device itself or by a central computing device that is commonly associated with the floor treatment devices of the system. Since the first floor treatment device thus simultaneously performs floor treatment activities and detects information about the current position of the other floor treatment devices, according to the invention, while the first floor treatment device is still performing floor treatment activities, the second floor treatment activity of the second floor treatment device can be started. Thus, in a networked system of floor treatment devices, the cleaning activities of multiple floor treatment devices can be coordinated with each other very quickly. In particular, multiple floor treatment devices access the same environment map, for example an environment map created by the first floor treatment device and / or an environment map stored in a central storage device. The environment map can also be created by the first floor treatment device or by another floor treatment device or a common computing device of the system. Each floor treatment device then independently controls its movement and floor treatment activities based on the environment map and the received position information. Since the ground processing activities of the plurality of ground processing devices are carried out in a temporally overlapping manner, the time required for ground processing of the environment can be shortened. Since the second ground processing device does not have to create a map of the environment itself and localize itself therein, but instead obtains the information required for navigation based on the already created first map of the environment, the navigation and self-localization tasks can be completed particularly quickly and efficiently.

[0009] Particularly advantageously, the system according to the invention can be used where two floor treatment devices are to perform complementary floor treatment activities in an environment. For example, the floor treatment devices can clean two different environmental sub-areas of the environment at the same time or can clean the same environmental sub-area in a close temporal relationship. For example, the first floor treatment device can be a vacuuming robot and the second floor treatment device can be a mopping robot. In order to optimally clean hard floors, such as wooden floors, composite floors, tile floors, etc., it is preferred to perform vacuum cleaning and mopping cleaning directly in temporal succession. Here, the mopping cleaning of the second floor treatment device can be integrated into the floor treatment process of the first floor treatment device in time, that is, the mopping cleaning starts while the vacuum cleaning of the first floor treatment device is still in progress. The first floor treatment device moves from the first environmental sub-area to the second environmental sub-area in position, so that while the first floor treatment device is still performing the vacuuming task in the next second environmental sub-area, the first environmental sub-area that has been vacuumed is mopped by the second floor treatment device. It can be provided that the second floor treatment device is started with a time delay only when the environmental sub-area that is currently being processed by the first floor treatment device or has been processed by the first floor treatment device has not yet reached a defined minimum size. This is particularly advantageous in the case where the first ground processing device has detected a further, second ground processing device immediately after the start of the ground processing activity and is therefore still at the very beginning of the ground processing activity to be performed. According to one design, an environmental sub-area can be defined in the environmental map, for example delimited by detected walls, obstacles, ground coverings, etc., so that the second ground processing activity is started by the second ground processing device only when the defined environmental sub-area has been completely processed by the first ground processing device. The second ground processing device can start its subsequent ground processing activity at a position in the environmental sub-area that has the shortest distance to the current stop position of the second ground processing device. Alternatively, it is feasible that the second ground processing device starts at the same position where the first ground processing device has already started the first ground processing activity.

[0010] In order to enable the first ground processing device to detect or identify the identity of the second ground processing device, the ground processing device may have a clear identification code, based on which the ground processing device can be identified by one or more other ground processing devices. The ground processing devices networked in the system accordingly have corresponding detection devices, which can read the identification code. If the code is, for example, an optical code, a corresponding optical detection device is required. According to one embodiment, the first ground processing device has, for example, a camera, which is designed to read a QR code, a color code or another optical code of another second ground processing device. One or more codes of multiple ground processing devices can be stored in a database, and all ground processing devices can access the database. An alternative to optical codes is an electronic tag, such as an electronic tag based on an RFID beacon, an NFC beacon, a Bluetooth beacon, etc., which stores a clear (eindeutige) ID of a ground processing device. The identification of the ground processing device can be assisted by communication between two or more ground processing devices. For example, when the first ground processing device recognizes the second ground processing device as a ground processing device based on its external shape, the first ground processing device can send a request signal, and preferably all ground processing devices can receive the request signal. The request signal can include a request for the ground processing device receiving the request to detect the environment and search for ground processing devices contained in the environment. The second ground processing device that sees another ground processing device in the environment detected by it is likely to see the first ground processing device. The first ground processing device can thus conclude that it currently detects the second ground processing device, and the second ground processing device can conclude that it currently detects the first ground processing device. In addition, the base station corresponding to the determined ground processing device can also have a clear identification. In this case, the identity of the ground processing device in the area of ​​the base station is inferred by the base station whose identity is identified. The corresponding ground processing device detects the environmental features inside the environment of its base station and creates a local environment map. If the second ground processing device now detects a base station in the environment, the identity of the base station or the ground processing device present nearby can be inferred by comparing the current map information of the second ground processing device with the map information of the first ground processing device.

[0011] According to a possible embodiment of the present invention, it can be provided that the first ground processing device creates a first environment map and transmits it directly to the second ground processing device. According to this embodiment, it is not mandatory for the ground processing devices to be connected to each other via a communication network, although the ground processing devices can also be part of a wireless communication network. Therefore, the first ground processing device directly sends the created environment map to the second ground processing device, for example without temporarily storing it in a server. For this purpose, it is advantageous that a radio signal, in particular a Bluetooth signal or a WLAN signal, is sent by the first ground processing device to the second ground processing device. Therefore, when the first ground processing device detects the second ground processing device during the ground processing activity, the first ground processing device transmits its currently created environment map together with the estimated position of the second ground processing device in the environment map to the second ground processing device. The second ground processing device receives the signal of the first ground processing device and obtains information about its current position relative to the coordinates of the environment map of the first ground processing device. Then the second ground processing device can immediately start its own ground processing activity. Additional information can be transmitted to the second ground processing device with the environment map or stored in the environment map, such as information about which environmental sub-areas of the environment have been processed by the first ground processing device, which ground coverings, pollution parameters or pollution amounts are present in the environmental sub-areas.

[0012] In addition, the first environment map of the first ground processing device and the position of the second ground processing device marked therein can be continuously updated during the movement of the first ground processing device. According to this design, the environment map is always kept updated while the first ground processing device is moving in the environment. At the same time, the detected position of the second ground processing device is also updated so that the second ground processing device always knows its position in the environment map. Therefore, the second ground processing device itself does not need to have a navigation and self-positioning device. In addition, the ground processing progress (or progress) can also be recorded in the environment map. Preferably, a user with an external terminal device can, for example, access and view the created environment map. Preferably, an application is installed on the terminal device, which can display the environment map.

[0013] In addition, it is suggested that the first ground processing device detects the ground parameters of the environmental sub-area of ​​the environment, the processing status of the environmental sub-area processed or not processed by the first ground processing device, and / or the walking route of the first ground processing device through one or more environmental sub-areas, and stores them in the first environmental map, or alternatively detects them and transmits them to a public computing device. The ground parameters of the environmental sub-area can be, for example, the ground type, the dirt type and / or the degree of dirt in the corresponding environmental sub-area. As the ground type, it can be, for example, hard ground and carpet, especially further divided into short-pile carpet or carpet floor, long-pile carpet or carpet floor, wooden floor, tile floor, etc. The dirt type can be classified according to the consistency (dry, liquid, sticky or other) or by the composition (grease, wine or other). The degree of pollution can be defined as a percentage of the normalized maximum degree of dirt, wherein, for example, a degree of dirt of 100 percent represents the maximum pollution defined in this way. In addition, it is feasible to determine the pollution category, such as light pollution, moderate pollution, and heavy pollution. The degree of dirt can represent the degree of coverage of the surface of the environmental sub-area by dirt, the amount of dirt contained by the first ground processing device per unit surface area, etc. Based on the information about the type of floor, type of soiling and / or degree of soiling, the second floor treatment device can check which setting parameters are suitable for successful post-cleaning. Based on the information about the treatment state of the environment sub-area or the knowledge of whether a specific environment sub-area is on the previous travel route of the first floor treatment device, the second floor treatment device can plan its own travel route through the environment. Thus, all the information required by the second floor treatment device for successful floor treatment is available. In particular, the second floor treatment activity can be performed at a location on the travel route of the first floor treatment device.

[0014] According to the present invention, it is proposed that a second floor treatment activity of a second floor treatment device is performed in a determined environmental sub-area only if a first floor treatment activity has previously been performed by a first floor treatment device in the determined environmental sub-area, and / or a second floor treatment activity of a second floor treatment device is performed in the determined environmental sub-area only if the second floor treatment device is suitable for floor treatment in the environmental sub-area. The first alternative scheme takes into account the situation that the floor treatment of the second floor treatment device depends on the successful previous floor treatment of the first floor treatment device in the same environmental sub-area. If the second floor treatment device is, for example, a wet cleaning robot, it is recommended that the first floor treatment device perform vacuum cleaning in advance. However, the floor treatment activity of the second floor treatment device should only be performed if the floor type of the environmental sub-area involved is also suitable for floor treatment by the second floor treatment device, i.e., wet cleaning, in the proposed case, i.e., wiping cleaning according to the second alternative scheme.

[0015] Furthermore, it may happen that, by the time the first ground processing device detects the second ground processing device in the environment, the first ground processing device has already processed more than one environmental sub-area. If, on the travel route that the first ground processing device has already passed, there are multiple environmental sub-areas that are suitable for processing by the second ground processing device, it is recommended that the control device of the second ground processing device determine its own travel route, which is conducive to ground processing by the second ground processing device. In this case, for example, the distances between environmental sub-areas that are suitable for ground processing by the second ground processing device can be determined. These distances are added in different combinations and the travel route for connecting environmental sub-areas with the smallest total line length is selected. In this way, it is simultaneously determined in which order the second ground processing device processes the environmental sub-areas, as well as the positions of the starting point and the end point of the travel route of the second ground processing device.

[0016] In the case where the first ground processing device cannot detect the second ground processing device when performing the first ground processing activity, it is recommended that the first ground processing device transmits status information about the completed first ground processing activity to the second ground processing device and / or the common computing device after the first ground processing activity is terminated. In this case, the second ground processing device cannot obtain information about its position in the first environment map of the first ground processing device. Therefore, the second ground processing device must create a map and position itself. However, the first ground processing device transmits status information to the second ground processing device and / or the common computing device in order to inform the second ground processing device, for example, in which environmental sub-areas of the environment have been ground processed by the first ground processing device. The status information can refer to the environmental sub-areas stored in the environmental map of the first ground processing device. Once the first ground processing device has detected the second ground processing device, the status information can be transmitted to the second ground processing device. Therefore, if the first ground processing device does not detect the second ground processing device when performing the first ground processing activity, the first ground processing device first terminates the first ground processing activity and then transmits information and / or requirements about the subsequent second ground processing activity to the second ground processing device. According to a possible embodiment, the second ground processing device then first performs a standard processing mode without accessing an already stored environment map. During the execution of the ground processing activity, the second ground processing device advantageously creates its own environment map by using detection results detected by its own detection device.

[0017] In this sense, it is proposed that the second ground processing device receives the status information of the first ground processing device and then initiates the second ground processing activity. Preferably, the second ground processing device then detects environmental features of the environment itself, creates a second environment map based on the detected environmental features, and performs the second ground processing activity based on the second environment map.

[0018] In addition to the above-mentioned method for operating a system, the present invention also proposes a system, the system comprising a first floor processing device and a second floor processing device, the system being designed to perform the above-mentioned method. Therefore, the above-mentioned features and advantages of the method also apply to the system according to the present invention. To avoid repetition, please refer to the previous description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The present invention will be further described below based on the embodiments.

[0020] Figure 1 A system is shown according to a first embodiment having a first floor processing device and a second floor processing device.

[0021] Figure 2 showing an overview of the environment of the ground processing device and transmitting a map of the environment created by the first ground processing device to the second ground processing device,

[0022] Figure 3 Shown in Figure 2 The environment shown in FIG. 1 together with the walking route of the second ground processing device according to the modified environment map,

[0023] Figure 4 According to a further embodiment, a system is shown having two ground processing devices and a computing device commonly associated therewith. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Figure 1 First, a system according to the present invention is shown, which has two floor treatment devices 1, 2, namely a first floor treatment device 1 and a second floor treatment device 2. The floor treatment devices 1, 2 are designed as self-propelled cleaning robots and each have a drive wheel 16 for the floor treatment devices 1, 2 to move in an environment shown in the sketch, such as a house. In addition, the floor treatment devices 1, 2 have different floor treatment elements 13, 14, 15 depending on the type of device. The first floor treatment device 1 is designed here as, for example, a vacuum cleaner robot and has a brush roller (floor treatment element 14) that can rotate about a horizontal axis and a side brush (floor treatment element 13) that protrudes beyond the contour of the housing of the floor treatment device 1 and can rotate about a substantially vertical axis. The second floor treatment device 2 is designed here as, for example, a wiping robot and has a wiping plate (floor treatment element 15). In addition, each floor treatment device 1, 2 has a detection device 11 for detecting obstacles 17 in the environment. As Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the obstacle 17 can be furniture, a wall or other objects in the environment. The detection device 11 is, for example, a laser scanner, which works according to the triangulation principle. A laser source, not shown, emits, for example, a laser beam, which is deflected by an optical element so that the laser beam leaves the ground processing device 1, 2 essentially parallel to the surface to be processed. By arranging the laser source or even a corresponding deflection element on a turntable, for example, a 360° measurement around the ground processing device 1, 2 can be achieved. Each ground processing device 1, 2 also has a computing device 12, which processes the distance value detected by the detection device 11 to the obstacle 17 into the surrounding ground. Figure 4 . Based on the environmental contours presented and the obstacles 17 contained therein Figure 4 A travel route 5 , 10 of the first or second floor-handling device 1 , 2 can be planned.

[0025] Although in the illustrated embodiment both ground processing devices 1, 2 have a detection device 11 and a device for creating an environmental ground Figure 4 , but a special embodiment of the invention can provide that, for example, only the first ground processing device 1 has such a detection device 11, while the second ground processing device 2 is oriented in the environment based on the environment map created and transmitted by the first ground processing device 1.

[0026] Furthermore, the ground processing devices 1, 2 also have data communication devices (not shown), such as WLAN or Bluetooth radio modules, via which the ground processing devices 1, 2 can communicate with each other or also with an external computing device 3 (see Figure 4 ) communication. A system with two or more ground processing devices 1, 2 shown in the figure can advantageously have a wireless communication network, in particular a so-called smart home network. In addition to the ground processing devices 1, 2 and the computing device 3, the network can also include other devices, such as other household devices and / or computers. In particular, there can also be a communication connection with mobile communication devices such as smartphones, tablets or other devices. An application can be installed on the mobile communication device, via which the user of the system can control one or more ground processing devices 1, 2, view or modify their environment. Figure 4 , or other operations.

[0027] under, Figure 2 and Figure 3 The working mode of the ground processing equipment 1 and 2 is shown, wherein the ground processing equipment 1 and 2 are used. Figure 1 The ground processing devices 1 and 2 shown communicate directly with each other so that the environment of the first ground processing device 1 is Figure 4 Transfer to the second ground processing equipment 2.

[0028] Figure 2The floor plan of a house is shown, in which two floor treatment devices 1, 2 are located. The house has a plurality of environmental sub-areas 6, 7, 8, 9, wherein the environmental sub-areas 6, 9 are rooms of the house, and the environmental sub-areas 7, 8 are different areas of a room, namely the carpet that is to be cleaned only by the first floor treatment device 1 (environmental sub-area 8) and the remaining area of ​​the room adjacent to the carpet (environmental sub-area 9). The environmental sub-areas 6, 7, 8, 9 can in principle be defined as desired by the user of the system, in particular by the above-mentioned application or can also be automatically determined by the computing device 12 of the floor treatment devices 1, 2. In the illustrated environment there are also base stations 18, 19, namely a first base station 18 for the first floor treatment device 1 and a second base station 19 for the second floor treatment device 2. The first base station 18 is located in the first environmental sub-area 6 of the house, while the second base station 19 is located in the other environmental sub-area 9. The ground processing devices 1, 2 and preferably the base stations 18, 19 have a clear identification code, through which the ground processing devices 1, 2 and preferably the base stations 18, 19 can be identified by other ground processing devices 1, 2 through corresponding devices. The identification code can be, for example, an optical code, such as a barcode, a two-dimensional code (QR-Code), etc. In addition, an electronic tag containing an identifiable code can also be used. For example, such a tag can be an RFID tag, an NFC tag or a Bluetooth beacon. It is important that the identification code clearly identifies the ground processing device 1, 2 or the base station 18, 19 and can be read by a corresponding detection device. Preferably, the identification code is stored in a common storage device of the ground processing devices 1, 2 or the base stations 18, 19. In addition, the ground processing devices 1, 2 have one or more sensor devices for detecting the type of ground present in the environmental sub-areas 6, 7, 8, 9, the type of dirt and / or the degree of dirt of the environmental sub-areas 6, 7, 8, 9. The ground type can be divided into ground types such as carpet or carpet ground and hard ground. Hard floors include, for example, laminate floors, tiles and wooden floors. The device for detecting the type of floor, the type of dirt or the degree of dirt can be, for example, an optical or mechanical detection device. For example, a camera with an image processing program can be used, which is suitable for identifying the type of floor, the type of dirt or the degree of dirt. For example, the type of dirt can be dirt of different consistencies, such as liquid, solid, viscous, etc. The degree of dirt indicates the intensity of the dirt, for example, it is divided into low, medium and high categories. In addition, the degree of dirt can also be expressed as a percentage of the maximum possible dirt, as a surface sub-area defined per unit of dirt particle concentration, etc.

[0029] Now according to Figure 2 and Figure 3A possible embodiment is further explained. The first floor treatment device 1 starts a journey for floor treatment, for example starting from its base station 18, following a travel route 5 which meanders through the environmental sub-areas 6, 7, 8, 9, but excludes those areas with obstacles 17 under which it is not possible to travel. The carpet present in the environmental sub-area 8 can also be traversed and cleaned by the floor treatment device 1. For example, at the beginning of the journey of the first floor treatment device 1, there is no environmental carpet yet. Figure 4 Instead, the first ground processing device 1 creates the environment itself. Figure 4 To this end, the detection device 11 of the first floor processing device 1 detects the distance to obstacles 17 in the environment of the first floor processing device 1 and to the room boundaries. Figure 4 The first floor-processing device 1 travels along the travel route 5 and the surrounding floor-processing device 1 is shown in FIG. Figure 4 The creation of the first ground processing equipment 1 is carried out simultaneously, so that the further the first ground processing equipment 1 advances along the walking route 5, the more the environmental Figure 4 While walking, the corresponding sensor device of the ground processing device 1 can identify the ground type, dirtiness and / or dirtiness type of one or more environmental sub-areas 6, 7, 8, 9 and record them directly in the environmental map. Figure 4 The first floor processing device 1 is also designed to create an environment in which the environment is located. Figure 4 Self-localization, that is, determining its own position and orientation in the environment.

[0030] Once the first ground processing device 1 detects the second ground processing device 2, the second ground processing device 2 is located in the environment of the first ground processing device 1. Figure 4The position in the environment is marked. The first ground processing device 1 identifies the identity of the second ground processing device 2 based on the clear identification of the second ground processing device 2, that is, for example, a two-dimensional code set on the housing of the second ground processing device 2, and clearly determines the identity of the second ground processing device 2 by comparing it with the identification codes of different ground processing devices 1, 2 stored in the database. The clear identification of the second ground processing device 2 by the first ground processing device 1 can also be assisted by communication between the two ground processing devices 1, 2. When the first ground processing device 1 identifies the second ground processing device 2 as a ground processing device 1, 2 based on the external shape of the second ground processing device, the first ground processing device 1 can send a request signal to the environment. The request signal may include a request for another ground processing device 1, 2 to observe in the environment and also search for ground processing devices 1, 2. Then, the ground processing device 2 that finds the ground processing device 1 in its own environment is likely to have detected the first ground processing device 1. In this way, both ground processing devices 1, 2 know which other ground processing device 1, 2 is in their environment.

[0031] Furthermore, the corresponding ground processing device 1, 2 can also be inferred from the identification of the base station 18, 19 belonging to a specific ground processing device 1, 2. In this case, the first ground processing device 1 in the environmental sub-area 9 can, for example, detect the base station 19 of the second ground processing device 2 and identify the base station 19 based on the identification code arranged on the base station 19. If the second ground processing device 2 itself creates a local environmental map Figure 4 , then by comparing the local environmental location of the second ground processing device 2 and the first ground processing device 1 Figure 4 It is determined which base station 18 , 19 is involved.

[0032] like Figure 2 As shown, the first floor processing device 1 now detects the second floor processing device 2 present in the environment sub-area 9 and transfers the environment area created so far by the first floor processing device to the second floor processing device 2. Figure 4 Transmitted to the second ground processing equipment 2. The environment Figure 4 The estimated position of the second ground processing device 2 is included in Figure 4 The second ground processing device 2 knows its environment in the first ground processing device 1. Figure 4 The current position in the environment, i.e. the position in coordinates of the first floor treatment device 1, also includes information about the cleaned areas on the travel route 5 of the first floor treatment device 1 and information about the types of floors present in the environmental sub-areas 6, 7, 8, 9, for example, information about the presence of carpets in the environmental sub-area 8 that cannot be cleaned by the second floor treatment device 2 and should therefore not be driven on. Figures 1 to 3 In the embodiment, the environment Figure 4 The transmission to the second ground processing device 2 is carried out directly via wireless communication without intermediate transmission to, for example, an external terminal device, a server, etc. Figure 4 The second ground processing device 2 knows the information about the ground type, dirt type and / or dirt degree collected by the first ground processing device 1. In addition, the second ground processing device 2 knows the travel route 5 that the first ground processing device 1 has traveled. The computing device 12 of the second ground processing device 2 can Figure 4 It is stored locally and a separate travel route 10 is planned for the second floor processing device 2 , which in this case omits, for example, the surrounding sub-area 8 containing the carpet.

[0033] When transmitting the environmental information from the first ground processing device 1 to the second ground processing device 2 Figure 4 During this time, and when the floor processing activity is started by the second floor processing device 2, the first floor processing device 1 continues its floor processing activity and travels, that is, while the first floor processing device 1 is performing the floor processing activity of the first floor processing device, the floor processing activity of the second floor processing device 2 has already begun. In this way, the floor processing activities can be advantageously performed in a complementary and time-saving manner, because the second floor processing device 2 does not have to wait until the first floor processing device 1 has finished its floor processing activity. The second floor processing device 2 travels to those environmental sub-areas 6, 7, 9 that are located on the travel route 5 of the first floor processing device 1 and have a floor type that can or should be cleaned by the second floor processing device 2. Therefore, the environmental sub-area 8 with carpet is not integrated into the travel route 10 of the second floor processing device 2. While it continues to travel along the travel route 5, the first floor processing device 1 also detects obstacles 17 in the environment and expands or updates its environmental area. Figure 4 , the environment Figure 4 It is then preferably continuously also provided again to the second ground processing device 2. The user of the system can display the progress of the ground processing activities of the two ground processing devices 1, 2, for example, on an external terminal device, such as a mobile phone.

[0034] The planning of the travel route 10 of the second floor treatment device 2 can be associated with defined conditions. For example, if the first floor treatment device 1 has not cleaned the hard floor before the first floor treatment device 1 has detected the second floor treatment device 2, the second floor treatment device 2, that is, the mopping robot, is not activated because the mopping robot is only suitable for hard floor treatment. Figure 4 The position of the second floor treatment device 2 detected by the first floor treatment device 1 is marked in the inner part. Once the first floor treatment device 1 detects and cleans the hard floor, the environment Figure 4The second floor treatment device 2 may mark the area 6 , 7 , 9 or transmit a corresponding instruction to the second floor treatment device 2 , so that the computing device 12 of the second floor treatment device 2 may initiate cleaning by the floor treatment device 2 in the environmental sub-area 6 , 7 , 9 .

[0035] Furthermore, the start of the floor treatment by the second floor treatment device 2 can be carried out according to the minimum area size of the environmental sub-area 6, 7, 8, 9 to be cleaned. If the first floor treatment device 1 starts cleaning the hard floor shortly before the second floor treatment device 2 is detected, it is expedient to delay the start signal for the floor treatment of the second floor treatment device 2 until the first floor treatment device 1 has pre-cleaned, i.e. vacuumed, the smallest area. It is therefore advisable to start the second floor treatment device 2 only when the hard floor area that has been treated by the first floor treatment device 1 has the minimum area size or has even been completely cleaned. At the same time, this means that the environmental sub-areas 6, 7, 8, 9 can be completely mapped. If the hard floor area is allowed to be cleaned by the second floor treatment device 2, the computing device 12 of the second floor treatment device 2 starts the floor treatment activity by the second floor treatment device 2. The starting position for the floor treatment activity of the second floor treatment device 2 is preferably determined in such a way that the current location of the second floor treatment device 2 is the shortest distance from the environmental sub-area 6, 7, 9 to be cleaned or the shortest distance relative to the planned travel route 10 of the second floor treatment device 2. If, before the second floor treatment device 2 is started, the first floor treatment device 1 has already cleaned a plurality of hard floor areas that are also to be cleaned by the second floor treatment device 2, namely, the environmental sub-areas 6, 7, 9, then a travel route 10 that is as short as possible is planned for the second floor treatment device 2, which travel route includes all the environmental sub-areas 6, 7, 9 to be cleaned. This simultaneously determines in what order the second floor treatment device 2 cleans the environmental sub-areas 6, 7, 9. Therefore, the travel route 10 of the second floor treatment device 2 does not have to be identical to the travel route 5 of the first floor treatment device 1. Therefore, at the same time, the time period and energy required for floor treatment by the second floor treatment device 2 can be kept as low as possible. If the travel route 5 of the first floor treatment device 1 is changed or supplemented and involves the environmental sub-areas 6, 7, 8, 9 that are also to be cleaned by the second floor treatment device 2, the travel route 10 for the second floor treatment device 2 is advantageously changed or supplemented.

[0036] If the first ground processing device 1 does not detect any other ground processing device 2 during its ground processing activity, the first ground processing device 1 ends its ground processing activity as planned and transmits information about its successful completion of ground processing to, for example, an external computing device 3 or other ground processing devices 1, 2 known to the first ground processing device 1 in the system. The second ground processing device 2 can then perform its own ground processing activity, wherein of course the first environment map with the position of the second ground processing device 2 recorded in the first ground processing device 1 is not provided. Figure 4 In contrast, the second ground processing device 2 must create its own environment Figure 4 , for which the second ground processing device 2's own detection device 11 is used. After successfully completing its ground processing activity, the first ground processing device 1 can in particular send a status message to the so-called cloud, from which the second ground processing device 2 then receives information about the completed ground processing activity of the first ground processing device 1 and can start its own ground processing activity. Since the second ground processing device 2 is therefore unaware of the surrounding ground when starting its ground processing activity Figure 4 Furthermore, the specific ground type in the surrounding sub-areas 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 is not known, so the second ground processing device 2 must first acquire its relevant information about the surroundings itself.

[0037] at last, Figure 4 FIG. 2 shows another possible embodiment of the invention, in which the ground processing devices 1, 2 do not communicate directly with each other, but rather communicate via an external computing device 3. During ground processing, the first ground processing device 1 presents its environment map created up to this point and continuously updated. Figure 4 Sent to an external computing device 3. Figure 4 It is stored there and transmitted to the second ground processing device 2, or is available for retrieval. Figure 4 Collect and / or exchange information about the environment Figure 4 The additional information of the environmental sub-areas 6, 7, 8, 9 present in the system is transmitted to the computing device 3, so that the networked ground processing devices 1, 2 in the system basically only need to transmit status information and area information to the computing device 3. In principle, the computing device 3 can also have a cross-device, i.e. global, persistent environmental map. Figure 4 , and then register the information detected by the ground processing devices 1, 2, such as ground type, dirt amount, dirt type, etc., in the environment map. The ground processing devices 1, 2 can access the environment map stored in the computing device 3. Figure 4 , in order to transmit or obtain information about the current position and orientation of the other ground processing devices 1 , 2 , for example.

[0038] It should be understood that the above description is only some embodiments of the present disclosure and an explanation of the technical principles used. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope of disclosure involved in the present disclosure is not limited to the technical solutions formed by a specific combination of the above-mentioned technical features, but should also cover other technical solutions formed by any combination of the above-mentioned technical features or their equivalent features without departing from the above-mentioned public concept. In addition, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of the present disclosure described can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0039] Reference numerals list

[0040] 1Ground handling equipment

[0041] 2Ground handling equipment

[0042] 3 Computing Devices

[0043] 4 Environment Map

[0044] 5 Walking routes

[0045] 6 Environmental sub-areas

[0046] 7 Environmental sub-areas

[0047] 8 Environmental sub-areas

[0048] 9 Environmental sub-areas

[0049] 10 Walking routes

[0050] 11 Detection device

[0051] 12Computing Device

[0052] 13 Ground handling elements

[0053] 14 Ground handling elements

[0054] 15 Ground handling elements

[0055] 16 wheels

[0056] 17 Obstacles

[0057] 18 base stations

[0058] 19 Base Stations

Claims

1. A method for operating a system comprising a first automatically propelled ground processing device (1) and a second automatically propelled ground processing device (2), wherein: The first ground processing device (1) detects environmental features of the environment of the first ground processing device, the first ground processing device (1) and the second ground processing device (2) have data communication means, through which the first ground processing device (1) and the second ground processing device (2) communicate with each other, wherein the first ground processing device (1) or a computing device (3) commonly associated with the first ground processing device (1) and the second ground processing device (2) creates a first environmental map (4) based on the detected environmental features, and wherein the first ground processing device (1) also detects the second ground processing device (2) and then stores the position of the second ground processing device (2) in the created first environmental map An environment map (4) is provided in which a first ground processing device (1) transmits its first environment map (4) created so far to a second ground processing device (2), and the second ground processing device (2) has obtained the first environment map (4) and information about the current position of the second ground processing device (2) within the first environment map (4) during the first ground processing activity performed by the first ground processing device (1), wherein a computing device (12) of the second ground processing device (2) independently controls the second ground processing activity based on the first environment map (4) and the received information about the current position of the second ground processing device (2) within the first environment map (4).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The first ground processing device (1) creates a first environment map (4) and transmits it directly to the second ground processing device (2).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: After creating a first environment map (4) and storing the position of the second ground processing device (2) within the created first environment map (4), the first environment map (4) and the position of the second ground processing device (2) marked therein are continuously updated during the movement of the first ground processing device (1).

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The first ground processing device (1) detects ground parameters of environmental sub-areas (6, 7, 8, 9) of the environment, the processing status of environmental sub-areas (6, 7, 8, 9) processed or not processed by the first ground processing device (1) and / or the travel route (5) of the first ground processing device (1) through one or more environmental sub-areas (6, 7, 8, 9) and stores them in a first environmental map (4), or detects them and transmits them to a common computing device (3).

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: A second ground handling activity is performed at a location on the travel path (5) of the first ground handling equipment (1).

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The second ground processing activity of the second ground processing device (2) is performed in a determined environmental sub-area (6, 7, 8, 9) only if a first ground processing activity has previously been performed by the first ground processing device (1) in the determined environmental sub-area (6, 7, 8, 9), and / or the second ground processing activity of the second ground processing device (2) is performed in the determined environmental sub-area (6, 7, 8, 9) only if the second ground processing device (2) is suitable for ground processing in the determined environmental sub-area (6, 7, 8, 9).

7. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: When the first ground processing device (1) cannot detect the second ground processing device (2) during the execution of a first ground processing activity, the first ground processing device (1) transmits status information about the terminated first ground processing activity to the second ground processing device (2) and / or a common computing device (3) after the first ground processing activity is terminated.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that The second ground processing device (2) receives the status information and then initiates a second ground processing activity.

9. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that The second ground processing device (2) detects environmental features of the environment, creates a second environmental map according to the detected environmental features, and performs a second ground processing activity based on the second environmental map.

10. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that The ground surface parameters are ground surface type, dirt type and / or dirt degree.

11. A system having a first ground processing device (1) and a second ground processing device (2), characterized in that: The system is designed to carry out a method according to one of the preceding claims.

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