Method for controlling automatic pool cleaning device to move on the water surface of a pool and corresponding automatic pool cleaning device

Abstract

A method for controlling an automatic water cleaning device to move along the water surface of a water tank is proposed, comprising: controlling the automatic water cleaning device to move along the bottom of the water tank and the boundary of the water tank; obtaining the duration for which the automatic water cleaning device completes a closed loop while moving along the bottom of the water tank and the boundary of the water tank; controlling the automatic water cleaning device to move along the water surface of the water tank and the boundary of the water tank; and determining, based on the obtained closed loop duration, whether the automatic water cleaning device has completed a closed loop while moving along the water surface of the water tank and the boundary of the water tank.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of pool cleaning, and specifically to a method for controlling the movement of an automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface of a pool, as well as the corresponding automatic pool cleaning device. Background Technology

[0002] Automatic pool cleaning devices are generally used for cleaning pools, such as collecting and removing trash / debris from the bottom, side walls, and / or surface of pools like swimming pools, in order to filter and purify the water in the pool. Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a method for controlling an automatic water cleaning device to move along the water surface of a water tank is proposed, which may include: controlling the automatic water cleaning device to move along the bottom of the water tank and the boundary of the water tank; obtaining the duration for which the automatic water cleaning device completes a closed loop while moving along the bottom of the water tank and the boundary of the water tank; controlling the automatic water cleaning device to move along the water surface of the water tank and the boundary of the water tank; and determining, based on the obtained closed loop duration, whether the automatic water cleaning device has completed a closed loop while moving along the water surface of the water tank and the boundary of the water tank.

[0004] Optionally, the above method may further include: obtaining the duration of the automatic cleaning device traveling along the boundary of the pool on the water surface; and determining whether the automatic cleaning device has completed the closed loop based on the closed loop duration and the obtained duration of the automatic cleaning device traveling along the boundary of the pool on the water surface.

[0005] Optionally, in the above method, determining whether the automatic cleaning device has completed the closed loop based on the closed loop duration and the time taken for the automatic cleaning device to travel along the boundary of the pool on the water surface may include: determining the ratio or difference information between the geometric dimensions of the water surface and the bottom of the pool; determining a first threshold range based on the determined ratio or difference information between the geometric dimensions of the water surface and the bottom of the pool, and the closed loop duration; and comparing the time taken for the automatic cleaning device to travel along the boundary of the pool on the water surface with the first threshold range to determine whether the automatic cleaning device has completed the closed loop.

[0006] Optionally, the above method may further include: when the time the automatic water cleaning device travels along the boundary of the water tank on the water surface is within the first threshold range, determining that the automatic water cleaning device has completed a closed loop in traveling along the boundary of the water tank on the water surface; and when the time the automatic water cleaning device travels along the boundary of the water tank on the water surface is not within the first threshold range, controlling the automatic water cleaning device to continue traveling along the boundary of the water tank on the water surface.

[0007] Optionally, in the above method, the geometric dimensions of the water surface and the bottom of the pool may include: the area of ​​the water surface, the area of ​​the bottom of the pool, the perimeter of the boundary of the water surface, or the perimeter of the boundary of the bottom of the pool.

[0008] Optionally, in the above method, controlling the automatic cleaning device of the pool to move along the boundary of the pool may include: acquiring the yaw angle of the automatic cleaning device of the pool in real time during the movement, and accumulating the acquired yaw angle; based on the accumulated yaw angle value, determining whether the movement route of the automatic cleaning device of the pool has achieved a closed path or a closed direction.

[0009] Optionally, in the above method, when the path of the automatic cleaning device traveling along the boundary of the pool at the bottom of the pool is closed, the time for the path to be closed is obtained as the duration of the closed loop.

[0010] Alternatively, in the above method, the yaw angle can be obtained by the inertial measurement unit (IMU) of the automatic water tank cleaning device.

[0011] Optionally, the above method may further include: obtaining a distance measurement value between the automatic pool cleaning device and an object in its lateral direction; and determining that the automatic pool cleaning device travels along the boundary of the pool based on the closed direction of the determined travel route of the automatic pool cleaning device and the method of obtaining the distance measurement value; wherein the method of obtaining the distance measurement value includes at least one of the following: measuring the distance to the left side of the travel direction of the automatic pool cleaning device; or measuring the distance to the right side of the travel direction of the automatic pool cleaning device.

[0012] According to another aspect of this disclosure, an automatic pool cleaning device is proposed, which may include: at least one processor; a memory storing executable instructions; said at least one processor is configured to cause the automatic pool cleaning device to perform the above-described method when executing the executable instructions stored in the memory. Attached Figure Description

[0013] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0014] Figure 1A-1B The illustration shows a schematic outline of an automatic water tank cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an automatic pool cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure traveling in a pool environment (e.g., a swimming pool).

[0016] Figure 3 This is a schematic flowchart of a method for controlling an automatic water cleaning device to move on the surface of a water tank according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figures 4A-4D The present disclosure illustrates a method for cleaning a water tank according to embodiments of the present disclosure and an application scenario of a corresponding automatic water tank cleaning device. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The detailed description that follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, is intended as a description of various configurations and not as representing only the configurations in which the concepts described herein can be practiced. The detailed description includes specific details and is intended to provide a thorough understanding of the various concepts. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these concepts can be practiced without these specific details.

[0019] In the description of this disclosure, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," "circumferential," "one side," "the other side," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this disclosure and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure.

[0020] Furthermore, terms such as "first," "second," and "third," which relate to sequence, are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with terms such as "first," "second," and "third," which relate to sequence, may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. In the description of this disclosure, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0021] Furthermore, dimensions may be exaggerated in the accompanying drawings for clarity and are not drawn to scale. Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals generally refer to the same elements.

[0022] Figure 1A The diagram schematically illustrates the external appearance of an automatic pool cleaning device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. It can perform cleaning operations on the bottom, walls, water, and surface of a pool (e.g., a swimming pool) as needed, for example, to remove debris from the water, bottom, and surface, and to clean dirt from the pool bottom and walls. Figure 1A As shown, the automatic pool cleaning device 100 may include structures / components such as a housing 110, a traveling unit 120, and a cleaning unit 130. As an example, the automatic pool cleaning device 100 may also include a buoyancy adjustment unit (not shown), allowing the device to adjust its depth in the water as needed; for example, it can float on the surface, submerge, or sink to the bottom for cleaning operations on the surface, in the water, or at the bottom. As an example, a control chamber, a power chamber, and a filter chamber (not shown) may be housed within the housing 100. The control chamber may contain control circuitry such as a microprocessor, digital signal processor (DSP), or microcontroller; the power chamber may contain a drive unit such as a water pump or drive motor; and the filter chamber may contain a filter unit to filter and purify the water entering the filter chamber through the inlet (not shown), removing impurities, and discharging the cleaned water through the drain outlet. As an example, Figure 1A The diagram shows that the traveling unit 120 may include tracked traveling units on both sides of the lower part of the automatic pool cleaning device 100, allowing the pool cleaning unit to travel along the bottom or walls of the pool to perform cleaning operations. However, the traveling unit is not limited to... Figure 1A The type shown can include, for example, wheeled travel units, without limitation.

[0023] As an example, Figure 1AIt also shows drain outlets 140 symmetrically arranged about the longitudinal axis of the automatic pool cleaning device 100 on the rear side of the housing 110 about the longitudinal axis of the device body, and drain outlets 150 symmetrically arranged about the top of the housing 110 about the longitudinal axis of the device body; while Figure 1B One of the drain outlets 160 is symmetrically arranged on the front side of the housing 110 of the automatic pool cleaning device 100.

[0024] In addition, the automatic pool cleaning device 100 may employ a water jet propulsion unit (e.g., a motor and an impeller) as an auxiliary propulsion unit so that the thrust generated by the water flow driven by the water jet propulsion unit can be used to propel the automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface, in the water, on the pool bottom and / or on the pool wall.

[0025] It should be understood that Figure 1A-1B The automatic water tank cleaning device 100 shown is merely an example. Those skilled in the art can make changes to it in one or more aspects such as appearance, structure, layout, components, and functions according to actual needs, without departing from the principles of this disclosure.

[0026] Figure 2 The diagram schematically illustrates the working environment of the automatic pool cleaning device, specifically the pool 200 where the cleaning operation takes place, such as a swimming pool, a water storage tank, etc. Figure 2 As shown, the pool 200 includes a water surface 210, a pool bottom 220, and pool walls 230. The automatic pool cleaning device 100 can perform cleaning operations on the water surface 210, the pool bottom 220, or the pool walls 230 according to specific operational needs.

[0027] For example, when an automatic pool cleaning device moves along the pool boundary at the bottom of the pool, it can use a traveling mechanism (such as tracks) to move along the bottom of the pool. At the same time, it can use a detection unit such as a distance sensor to measure the distance to the pool wall and control the automatic pool cleaning device to move along the boundary of the pool bottom in real time based on the acquired distance value. Since the automatic pool cleaning device can maintain contact with the pool bottom using the traveling mechanism (such as tracks) while moving along the bottom of the pool, it is easy to maintain its position and posture, which makes the distance measurement accuracy of the distance sensor better and makes it easy to control the automatic pool cleaning device to move along the boundary of the pool bottom. Thus, various operations can be performed, such as mapping the boundary contour of the pool bottom and cleaning operations at the bottom of the pool.

[0028] However, when the automatic pool cleaning device moves on the surface of the pool, for example, when it moves on the surface of the pool using the thrust generated by the water flow driven by the water jet propulsion unit, it is not easy to maintain its position because it floats on the water surface. The body is prone to shaking and drifting, resulting in poor stability. This makes it easy for the sensor to detect the movement status of the automatic pool cleaning device to produce errors, making it difficult to accurately control the movement of the automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface, and also difficult to accurately determine whether the movement of the automatic pool cleaning device along the boundary of the pool on the water surface has completed a closed loop.

[0029] Therefore, this disclosure proposes a method for controlling the movement of an automatic cleaning device on the surface of a water tank. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the method includes: S310, controlling the automatic water cleaning device to move along the boundary of the water pool at the bottom of the water pool; S320, obtaining the duration of the automatic water cleaning device completing the closed loop while moving along the boundary of the water pool at the bottom of the water pool; S330, controlling the automatic water cleaning device to move along the boundary of the water pool at the water surface; and S340, determining whether the automatic water cleaning device has completed the closed loop while moving along the boundary of the water pool at the water surface based on the obtained closed loop duration.

[0030] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the above method may further include: obtaining the duration of the automatic water cleaning device traveling along the boundary of the water tank on the water surface; and determining whether the automatic water cleaning device has completed the closed loop by traveling along the boundary of the water tank on the water surface based on the closed loop duration and the obtained duration of the automatic water cleaning device traveling along the boundary of the water tank on the water surface.

[0031] As an example, determining whether the automatic pool cleaning device has completed a closed loop based on the closed-loop duration and the time taken for the device to travel along the pool boundary on the water surface can include: determining the ratio or difference between the geometric dimensions of the water surface and the pool bottom; determining a first threshold range based on the determined ratio or difference between the geometric dimensions of the water surface and the pool bottom, and the closed-loop duration; and comparing the time taken for the automatic pool cleaning device to travel along the pool boundary on the water surface with the first threshold range to determine whether the automatic pool cleaning device has completed a closed loop on the pool boundary.

[0032] As an example, since there is a certain proportional relationship between the dimensions of the pool bottom and the pool surface, for example, when the pool wall is perpendicular to the pool bottom, the areas of the pool surface and the pool bottom are basically the same. That is to say, the perimeter of the pool bottom boundary is basically the same as the perimeter of the pool surface boundary. Therefore, there is a certain correspondence between the time it takes for the automatic pool cleaning device to complete the closed loop along the pool boundary at the bottom and the time it takes for the automatic pool cleaning device to complete the closed loop along the pool boundary at the water surface. For example, the automatic pool cleaning device travels along the pool boundary at the bottom using a traveling mechanism such as a track, while the automatic pool cleaning device travels along the pool boundary at the water surface using a propulsion unit such as a water jet. Therefore, a first threshold range can be set based on the time it takes for the automatic pool cleaning device to travel one revolution along the pool boundary. For example, the first threshold range can be set to [K1*t1, K2*t1], where the values ​​of K1 and K2 depend on the ratio or difference between the geometric dimensions of the water surface and the pool bottom, as well as factors such as the travel speed of the automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface and the pool bottom. As an example, K1=0.8, K2=1.2.

[0033] Similarly, as another example, when the area of ​​the water surface and the bottom of the pool differs significantly—for example, if the pool contains a platform with a large bottom area and a small top area, or if the pool walls are sloping, causing the bottom area to be smaller than the water surface area (meaning the perimeter of the pool bottom boundary differs significantly from the perimeter of the pool surface boundary)—the values ​​of K1 and / or K2 can be adjusted. For example, K2 can be adjusted from 0.8 to 1.2, and K2 can be adjusted from 1.2 to 1.6 to reflect the correspondence between the time it takes for the automatic cleaning device to travel one revolution along the pool boundary on the water surface and the time it takes to travel one revolution along the pool boundary on the bottom.

[0034] Therefore, by comparing the time taken by the automatic water cleaning device to travel along the water surface and boundary of the pool with a first threshold range, it can be determined whether the automatic water cleaning device has completed a closed loop along the water surface and boundary of the pool. In other words, when the time taken by the automatic water cleaning device to travel along the water surface and boundary of the pool is within the first threshold range, it indicates that the automatic water cleaning device has completed a closed loop along the water surface and boundary of the pool. Conversely, if the time taken by the automatic water cleaning device to travel along the water surface and boundary of the pool is not within the first threshold range, it indicates that the automatic water cleaning device has not completed a closed loop along the water surface and boundary of the pool, and the automatic water cleaning device needs to continue traveling along the water surface and boundary of the pool.

[0035] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the method may further include: when the time the automatic water cleaning device travels along the boundary of the water tank on the water surface is within the first threshold range, determining that the automatic water cleaning device has completed a closed loop of traveling along the boundary of the water tank on the water surface; and when the time the automatic water cleaning device travels along the boundary of the water tank on the water surface is not within the first threshold range, controlling the automatic water cleaning device to continue traveling along the boundary of the water tank on the water surface.

[0036] In other words, according to the embodiments of this disclosure, the time taken for the automatic pool cleaning device to complete a closed loop while traveling along the boundary of the pool at the bottom of the pool can be used to determine whether the automatic pool cleaning device has completed a closed loop while traveling along the boundary of the pool at the water surface; this eliminates the misjudgment of whether the automatic pool cleaning device has completed a closed loop while traveling along the boundary of the pool at the water surface due to unstable posture.

[0037] Figure 4A A schematic top view of the pool environment is shown as the automatic pool cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure travels along the edge. (See diagram below.) Figure 4A As shown, given that the automatic pool cleaning device controls its movement along the edge based on lateral ranging in its direction of travel, the automatic pool cleaning device 100 may move along the boundary 410 of the pool (e.g., when moving at the bottom of the pool, 410 corresponds to the boundary of the pool wall at the bottom, and when moving on the surface of the water, 410 corresponds to the boundary of the pool wall at the surface of the water), or it may move along the boundary 420 of an island present in the pool. Figure 4A In the scenario shown, during the movement, the automatic pool cleaning device 100 measures distances to the right of its direction of travel. For example, the automatic pool cleaning device 100 can acquire the distance value of the object (i.e., the side wall of the pool) located to the right of the direction of travel of the automatic pool cleaning device 100 in real time through a distance measuring unit such as an ultrasonic sensor. Based on the distance value, the control unit of the automatic pool cleaning device controls the automatic pool cleaning device 100 to move along the direction extending from the pool wall, that is, to maintain a certain distance from the pool wall and move along the boundary of the pool.

[0038] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the automatic pool cleaning device is further equipped with a direction detection unit, which can acquire the yaw angle of the automatic pool cleaning device in real time during its movement. By accumulating the acquired yaw angle values, and based on the accumulated yaw angle values, it can be determined whether the path of the automatic pool cleaning device has been closed or the direction of closure.

[0039] As an example, the orientation detection unit may include, but is not limited to, various components such as an inertial measurement unit (IMU) installed on an automatic pool cleaning device that can be used to detect yaw angle.

[0040] As an example, when the automatic pool cleaning device according to this disclosure is used in situations such as... Figure 4A When the device travels along the edge in the direction indicated by the solid arrow, the accumulated yaw angle may vary from 0 degrees to 360 degrees during its journey. This is when the yaw angle at the starting position of the automatic pool cleaning device's movement along the edge is considered. At that time, the direction angle of its movement can be presented as follows: Figure 4B The changes shown, for example, from arrive

[0041] The process of change; in fact, when the automatic cleaning device of the pool moves along the edge, the yaw angle of the automatic cleaning device of the pool can be acquired in real time by sensors such as IMU, and the acquired yaw angle can be accumulated; depending on the position of the automatic cleaning device of the pool, the yaw angle can be positive or negative; when moving along a straight line, the accumulated yaw angle value is small; while when the automatic cleaning device of the pool turns, the accumulated yaw angle value is large, which basically corresponds to the turning angle; when the automatic cleaning device of the pool completes one revolution along the edge, that is, when the movement along the edge completes a closed loop, the accumulated yaw angle value is close to 360 degrees.

[0042] As an example, in Figure 4A In the case shown by the solid arrow, that is, the distance measurement value is obtained by measuring the distance to the right of the travel direction of the automatic cleaning device 100 of the pool. When the accumulated yaw angle value can determine that the closed direction of the travel route of the automatic cleaning device along the edge is counterclockwise, it can be determined that it is traveling along the boundary 410 of the pool.

[0043] Similarly, when the automatic pool cleaning device according to this disclosure is used in situations such as... Figure 4A When the device travels along the edge in the direction indicated by the dashed arrow, the accumulated yaw angle may vary from 0 degrees to -360 degrees during its journey. This is when the direction angle of the automatic pool cleaning device at its initial position along the edge is considered. At that time, the direction angle of its movement can be presented as follows: Figure 4C The changes shown, for example, from arrive

[0044] The process of change; in fact, when the automatic cleaning device of the pool moves along the edge, the yaw angle of the automatic cleaning device of the pool can be acquired in real time by sensors such as IMU, and the acquired yaw angle can be accumulated; depending on the position of the automatic cleaning device of the pool, the yaw angle can be positive or negative; when moving along a straight line, the accumulated yaw angle value is small; while when the automatic cleaning device of the pool turns, the accumulated yaw angle value (referring to the absolute value of the accumulated value) is large, which basically corresponds to the turning angle; when the automatic cleaning device of the pool completes one revolution along the edge, that is, when the movement along the edge completes the closed loop, the accumulated yaw angle value (referring to the absolute value of the accumulated value) is close to 360 degrees.

[0045] As an example, in Figure 4A In the case shown by the dashed arrow, that is, the way to obtain the distance measurement value is to measure the distance to the right of the travel direction of the automatic cleaning device 100 in the pool. When the cumulative value of the yaw angle can determine that the closed direction of the travel route of the automatic cleaning device along the edge is clockwise, it can be determined that it is traveling along the boundary 420 of the island in the pool.

[0046] In other words, when the automatic cleaning device 100 of the pool obtains the distance measurement value on the right side of the direction of travel, if the cumulative value of the yaw angle obtained during the travel indicates that the closing direction of the travel route is counterclockwise, it can be determined that it is traveling along the boundary of the pool; if the cumulative value of the yaw angle obtained during the travel indicates that the closing direction of the travel route is clockwise, it can be determined that it is traveling along the boundary of the island in the pool.

[0047] Figure 4D A schematic top view of the pool environment is shown as the automatic pool cleaning device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure travels along the edge. (See diagram below.) Figure 4D As shown, given that the automatic pool cleaning device controls its movement along the edge based on lateral ranging in its direction of travel, the automatic pool cleaning device 100 may move along the boundary 410 of the pool (e.g., when moving at the bottom of the pool, 410 corresponds to the boundary of the pool wall at the bottom, and when moving on the surface of the water, 410 corresponds to the boundary of the pool wall at the surface of the water), or it may move along the boundary 420 of an island present in the pool. Figure 4D In the scenario shown, during the movement, the automatic pool cleaning device 100 measures distance to the left of its direction of travel. For example, the automatic pool cleaning device 100 can obtain the distance value of the object (i.e., the side wall of the pool) located to the left of the direction of travel of the automatic pool cleaning device in real time through a distance measuring unit such as an ultrasonic sensor. Based on the distance value, the control unit of the automatic pool cleaning device controls the automatic pool cleaning device to move along the direction extending from the pool wall, that is, to maintain a certain distance from the pool wall and move along the boundary of the pool.

[0048] As an example, when the automatic pool cleaning device according to this disclosure is used in situations such as... Figure 4D When the device travels along the edge in the direction indicated by the solid arrow, the accumulated yaw angle may vary from 0 degrees to -360 degrees during its journey. This is when the direction angle of the automatic pool cleaning device at its initial position along the edge is considered. At that time, the direction angle of its movement can be presented as follows: Figure 4C The changes shown, for example, from arrive

[0049] The process of change; in fact, when the automatic cleaning device of the pool moves along the edge, the yaw angle of the automatic cleaning device of the pool can be acquired in real time by sensors such as IMU, and the acquired yaw angle can be accumulated; depending on the position of the automatic cleaning device of the pool, the yaw angle can be positive or negative; when moving along a straight line, the accumulated yaw angle value is small; while when the automatic cleaning device of the pool turns, the accumulated yaw angle value (referring to the absolute value of the accumulated value) is large, which basically corresponds to the turning angle; when the automatic cleaning device of the pool completes one revolution along the edge, that is, when the movement along the edge completes the closed loop, the accumulated yaw angle value (referring to the absolute value of the accumulated value) is close to 360 degrees.

[0050] As an example, in Figure 4D In the case shown by the solid arrow, that is, the distance measurement value is obtained by measuring the distance to the left of the travel direction of the automatic pool cleaning device 100. When the cumulative value of the yaw angle can determine that the closed direction of the travel route of the automatic pool cleaning device along the edge is clockwise, it can be determined that it is traveling along the boundary 410 of the pool.

[0051] Similarly, when the automatic pool cleaning device according to this disclosure is used in situations such as... Figure 4D When the device travels along the edge in the direction indicated by the dashed arrow, the accumulated yaw angle may vary from 0 degrees to 360 degrees during its journey. This is because the yaw angle at the starting position of the automatic pool cleaning device's movement along the edge is considered. At that time, the direction angle of its movement can be presented as follows: Figure 4B The changes shown, for example, from arrive

[0052] The process of change; in fact, when the automatic cleaning device of the pool moves along the edge, the yaw angle of the automatic cleaning device of the pool can be acquired in real time by sensors such as IMU, and the acquired yaw angle can be accumulated; depending on the position of the automatic cleaning device of the pool, the yaw angle can be positive or negative; when moving along a straight line, the accumulated yaw angle value is small; while when the automatic cleaning device of the pool turns, the accumulated yaw angle value is large, which basically corresponds to the turning angle; when the automatic cleaning device of the pool completes one revolution along the edge, that is, when the movement along the edge completes a closed loop, the accumulated yaw angle value is close to 360 degrees.

[0053] As an example, in Figure 4D In the case shown by the dashed arrow, that is, the way to obtain the distance measurement value is to measure the distance to the left of the travel direction of the automatic cleaning device 100 in the pool. When the cumulative value of the yaw angle can determine that the closed direction of the travel route of the automatic cleaning device along the edge is counterclockwise, it can be determined that it is traveling along the boundary 420 of the island in the pool.

[0054] In other words, when the automatic cleaning device 100 of the pool obtains the distance measurement value on the left side of the direction of travel, if the cumulative value of the yaw angle obtained during the travel indicates that the closing direction of the travel route is clockwise, it can be determined that it is traveling along the boundary of the pool; if the cumulative value of the yaw angle obtained during the travel indicates that the closing direction of the travel route is counterclockwise, it can be determined that it is traveling along the boundary of the island in the pool.

[0055] Therefore, according to embodiments of this disclosure, the automatic pool cleaning device can determine whether it travels along the boundary of the pool or along the boundary of an island in the pool based on the closed direction of the travel route and the method of obtaining the distance measurement value.

[0056] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, controlling the automatic cleaning device of the pool to move along the boundary of the pool includes: acquiring the yaw angle of the automatic cleaning device of the pool in real time during the movement, and accumulating the acquired yaw angle; and determining whether the path of the automatic cleaning device of the pool has been closed or the direction of closure based on the accumulated yaw angle value.

[0057] As an example, the yaw angle can be obtained through the IMU of the automatic cleaning device in the pool.

[0058] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the method further includes: acquiring a distance measurement value between the automatic pool cleaning device and an object in its lateral direction; and determining that the automatic pool cleaning device travels along the boundary of the pool based on the closed direction of the determined travel route of the automatic pool cleaning device and the manner in which the distance measurement value is acquired.

[0059] Optionally, the method of obtaining the distance measurement value includes at least one of the following: measuring the distance to the left side of the direction of travel of the automatic water tank cleaning device; or measuring the distance to the right side of the direction of travel of the automatic water tank cleaning device.

[0060] According to embodiments of this disclosure, an automatic pool cleaning device is proposed, comprising: at least one processor; a memory storing executable instructions; the at least one processor being configured to cause the automatic pool cleaning device to perform the above-described method when executing the executable instructions stored in the memory.

[0061] According to the embodiments of this disclosure, after obtaining the time for the automatic cleaning device to complete a closed loop along the boundary of the pool at the bottom of the pool, it can determine whether the automatic cleaning device has completed a closed loop along the boundary of the pool at the water surface based on the obtained closed loop time and the size relationship or difference information between the bottom of the pool and the water surface. This eliminates the misjudgment of whether the automatic cleaning device has achieved a closed loop along the boundary of the pool at the water surface due to the unstable posture of the automatic cleaning device when it is moving on the water surface.

[0062] As an embodiment of this disclosure, it is also possible to determine whether the automatic cleaning device has completed a closed loop by using the accumulated value of the yaw angle during travel and the method of obtaining the distance measurement value. This is based on the yaw angle accumulated during travel and the method of obtaining the distance measurement value.

[0063] When determining the path taken by the automatic cleaning device along the boundary of the pool at the bottom (or surface) of the pool to achieve a closed loop, the time taken to achieve the closed loop can be used as the duration of the closed loop.

[0064] Therefore, based on the ratio or difference between the geometric dimensions of the water surface and the bottom of the pool, the time taken for the automatic cleaning device to complete a closed loop along the pool boundary at the bottom can be used to verify the time taken for the device to complete a closed loop at the water surface. For example, a threshold range can be determined based on the ratio or difference between the geometric dimensions of the water surface and the bottom of the pool, and the time taken for the automatic cleaning device to complete a closed loop at the bottom. The obtained time taken for the device to complete a closed loop at the water surface is then compared to this threshold range. If the time is outside this range, the obtained time is deemed unreasonable, and the device needs to continue traveling along the pool boundary at the water surface to re-determine the time required to complete a closed loop at the water surface.

[0065] According to the above embodiments, after obtaining the time for the automatic cleaning device to complete the closed loop along the boundary of the pool at the bottom of the pool, the time for the automatic cleaning device to complete the closed loop along the boundary of the pool at the bottom of the pool can be used to verify whether the time for the automatic cleaning device to complete the closed loop on the surface of the pool is reasonable. This eliminates the possibility of misjudging the automatic cleaning device's closed loop movement on the surface of the pool due to unstable posture.

[0066] Therefore, various aspects of this disclosure have been presented above with reference to different apparatuses and methods. These apparatuses and methods are illustrated in the accompanying drawings by various blocks, components, circuits, processes, algorithms, etc. (collectively, "elements"). These elements can be implemented using electronic hardware, computer software, or any combination thereof. Whether these elements are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and the design constraints of the overall system.

[0067] For example, a component, any part of a component, or any combination of components can be implemented as a "processing system" including one or more processors. One or more processors in the processing system can execute software. Software should be interpreted broadly as meaning instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subroutines, software components, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executable programs, threads of execution, procedures, functions, etc., regardless of whether it is called software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, or something else.

[0068] Therefore, in one or more example embodiments, the described functionality can be implemented in hardware, software, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, these functions can be stored or encoded as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. A computer-readable medium includes a computer storage medium. The storage medium can be any available medium accessible to a computer. By way of example and not limitation, such a computer-readable medium can include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage, other magnetic storage devices, combinations of computer-readable media of the types described above, or any other medium that can be used to store computer-executable code in the form of computer-accessible instructions or data structures.

[0069] It should be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of blocks in the disclosed process / flowchart is illustrative of the exemplary method. Based on design preferences, it should be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of blocks in the process / flowchart can be rearranged. Furthermore, some blocks can be combined or omitted. The appended method claims present elements of various blocks in a sample order and are not intended to limit one to the specific order or hierarchy presented.

[0070] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "setting," "connection," "linking," "fixing," and "coupling," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communicative connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0071] Obviously, the embodiments described above are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. The accompanying drawings show preferred embodiments of this application, but do not limit the patent scope of this application. This application can be implemented in many different forms; rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and comprehensive understanding of the disclosure of this application. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing specific embodiments, or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any equivalent structures made using the content of this application's specification and drawings, directly or indirectly applied to other related technical fields, are within the scope of patent protection of this application.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an automatic water cleaning device to move in a closed loop along the boundary of the water tank, comprising: The automatic cleaning device for the water tank is controlled to move along the boundary of the water tank at the bottom of the tank. The time it takes for the automatic water tank cleaning device to complete a closed loop as it travels along the boundary of the water tank at the bottom of the tank is obtained. The automatic cleaning device for the water tank is controlled to move along the boundary of the water tank on the water surface; The time taken for the automatic cleaning device to travel along the boundary of the pool on the water surface is obtained. as well as Based on the closed-loop duration and the time taken for the automatic water cleaning device to travel along the water boundary on the water surface, it is determined whether the automatic water cleaning device has completed the closed loop while traveling along the water boundary on the water surface, so as to eliminate misjudgment that the automatic water cleaning device has achieved closed-loop travel on the water surface.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Based on the closed-loop duration and the time taken for the automatic water cleaning device to travel along the boundary of the pool on the water surface, it is determined whether the automatic water cleaning device has completed the closed loop during its travel along the boundary of the pool on the water surface, including: Determine the ratio or difference between the geometric dimensions of the water surface and the bottom of the pool; and Based on the ratio or difference between the geometric dimensions of the water surface and the bottom of the pool, and the closed-loop duration, a first threshold range is determined. The time taken for the automatic water cleaning device to travel along the boundary of the water tank on the water surface is compared with a first threshold range to determine whether the automatic water cleaning device has completed a closed loop while traveling along the boundary of the water tank on the water surface.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: When the time taken for the automatic water cleaning device to travel along the boundary of the water tank on the water surface is within the first threshold range, it is determined that the automatic water cleaning device has completed the closed loop of traveling along the boundary of the water tank on the water surface. as well as When the time taken for the automatic water cleaning device to travel along the boundary of the water tank on the water surface is not within the first threshold range, the automatic water cleaning device is controlled to continue traveling along the boundary of the water tank on the water surface.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The geometric dimensions of the water surface and the bottom of the pool include: the area of ​​the water surface, the area of ​​the bottom of the pool, the perimeter of the boundary of the water surface, or the perimeter of the boundary of the bottom of the pool.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein, Controlling the automatic cleaning device of the water tank to move along the boundary of the water tank includes: The yaw angle of the automatic water tank cleaning device during its movement is acquired in real time, and the acquired yaw angles are accumulated. Based on the accumulated yaw angle values, determine whether the path of the automatic cleaning device for the pool has been closed or the direction of closure.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, The yaw angle is obtained by an inertial measurement unit (IMU).

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein, When the automatic cleaning device for the water tank travels along the bottom of the water tank and along the boundary of the water tank to achieve a closed loop, the time it takes to achieve the closed loop is obtained as the duration of the closed loop.

8. The method according to claim 5, further comprising: Obtain the distance between the automatic cleaning device for the pool and an object to its side; as well as Based on the closed direction of the determined travel route of the automatic water tank cleaning device and the method of obtaining the distance measurement value, it is determined that the automatic water tank cleaning device travels along the boundary of the water tank. The method for obtaining the ranging value includes at least one of the following: Distance is measured to the left of the direction of travel of the automatic water tank cleaning device; or Distance is measured to the right of the direction of travel of the automatic water tank cleaning device.

9. An automatic water tank cleaning device, comprising: At least one processor; Memory stores executable instructions; The at least one processor is configured to, when executing executable instructions stored in the memory, cause the automatic pool cleaning device to implement the method according to any one of claims 1-8.

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