Drive robot, method for controlling drive robot, and recording medium having computer program recorded thereon

Abstract

Provided are a driving robot device, a control method for driving the robot device, and a computer-readable recording medium on which a computer program for executing the control method is recorded. A control method of driving a robot apparatus includes: acquiring, via a sensor, a load value of a rotating motor when the rotating motor rotates a holder to which a cleaning pad can be fixed; identifying a water content of a cleaning pad fixed to the bracket based on a load value of the rotating electric machine; and controlling the cleaning assembly to supply water to the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket based on the load value of the rotating motor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a driving robot apparatus, a control method of the driving robot apparatus, and a computer-readable recording medium having a computer program recorded thereon. Background Art

[0002] The Internet of Things (IoT) is the underlying technology and services for the hyper-connected society and the next generation of the Internet. IoT can also be defined as the Internet of Things or the Internet of Objects, and refers to an environment in which information generated by uniquely identifiable objects is shared via the Internet.

[0003] Internet-connected devices (IoT devices) use built-in sensors to collect data and respond based on situations. IoT devices help improve the way people work and live. IoT devices are used in a variety of fields, from smart home devices that automatically adjust heating and lighting to smart factories that monitor industrial equipment to detect problems and automatically resolve the problems found.

[0004] On the other hand, IoT devices can also be used in a driving robot device for cleaning. The driving robot device for cleaning is a household appliance that performs vacuum cleaning or wet mopping cleaning at home. For example, in a case where the cleaning driving robot device is connected to the Internet, the user can remotely control the cleaning driving robot device from outside by using a mobile terminal even if the user does not live indoors, and can reserve a cleaning time by using a mobile terminal. The cleaning driving robot device recognizes major household appliances and furniture through object recognition and performs cleaning at home. Summary of the invention

[0005] Technical solutions to the problem

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for controlling a driving robot device may include: obtaining, via a sensor, a load value of a rotating motor when a rotating motor that drives the robot device rotates a bracket; based on the load value of the rotating motor, identifying the water content of a cleaning pad fixed to the bracket; and based on the load value of the rotating motor, controlling a cleaning component to supply water to the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket.

[0007] In addition, obtaining the load value of the rotating motor may include: when the driving robot device is moving, controlling the sensor to obtain the instantaneous load value of the rotating motor; and when the driving robot device is moving, obtaining the average load value of the rotating motor via the sensor, and controlling the cleaning component may include: based on comparing the instantaneous load value with the average load value, controlling the cleaning component to supply water to the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket.

[0008] Additionally, controlling the cleaning component may include: obtaining a standard deviation of the instantaneous load value; and controlling the cleaning component to supply water to the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket based on comparing the standard deviation with a threshold value.

[0009] Additionally, the method may further include: identifying an area where the driving robot apparatus travels when supplying water to the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket; and adjusting a travel path of the driving robot apparatus based on the identified area.

[0010] In addition, obtaining the load value of the rotating motor may include: when the driving robot device is in a docking station, controlling a sensor to obtain a first load value of the rotating motor, wherein the docking station includes a protrusion in an area where a cleaning pad fixed to the bracket is located, and controlling the cleaning component may include: based on comparing the first load value with a reference load value, controlling the cleaning component to supply water to the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket.

[0011] Additionally, the method may further include: based on comparing the first load value with a reference load value, controlling the moving assembly to drive the robotic device away from the docking station.

[0012] In addition, the method may also include: immediately after the driving robot device leaves the docking station, controlling the sensor to obtain a second load value of the rotating motor; when the driving robot device is moving, controlling the sensor to obtain a third load value of the rotating motor; and based on comparing the second load value with the third load value, controlling the cleaning component to supply water to the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket.

[0013] In addition, the protrusion has different slopes on respective sides of the protrusion, and obtaining the first load value of the rotating motor may include: controlling the rotating motor so that the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket rotates in a direction in which the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket travels along a higher slope among the different slopes of the protrusion.

[0014] In addition, the protrusion may include: a central protrusion; and one or more wing-shaped protrusions located at both ends of the central protrusion, a higher slope among the different slopes of the protrusion being located on one side of the central protrusion.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a computer-readable recording medium having a computer program recorded thereon, the computer program being used to cause a computer to execute at least one embodiment of the disclosed method.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an application stored in a recording medium may perform the function of at least one embodiment of the disclosed method.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a driving robot device may include: a moving component; a cleaning component, including a bracket to which a cleaning pad can be fixed and a rotating motor configured to rotate the bracket; a sensor, configured to detect the load of the rotating motor when the rotating motor is rotating the bracket; and a processor, configured to: obtain the load value of the rotating motor by using the sensor, and control the cleaning component to supply water to the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket based on the load value of the rotating motor.

[0018] In addition, the processor can also be configured to: when the driving robot device is moving, control the sensor to obtain the instantaneous load value of the rotating motor; when the driving robot device is moving, obtain the average load value of the rotating motor via the sensor; and based on comparing the instantaneous load value with the average load value, control the cleaning component to supply water to the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket.

[0019] Additionally, the processor may be further configured to: obtain a standard deviation of the instantaneous load value; and control the cleaning component to supply water to the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket based on comparing the standard deviation with a threshold value.

[0020] Additionally, the processor may be further configured to: identify an area where the driving robot apparatus travels when supplying water to the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket; and adjust a travel path of the driving robot apparatus based on the identified area.

[0021] In addition, the processor can also be configured to: when the driving robot device is in the docking station, control the sensor to obtain a first load value of the rotating motor, wherein the area of ​​the docking station where the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket is located includes a protrusion; and based on comparing the first load value with a reference load value, control the cleaning component to supply water to the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket.

[0022] Additionally, the processor may be further configured to: based on comparing the first load value with the reference load value, control the moving assembly so as to drive the robotic device to leave the docking station.

[0023] In addition, the processor can also be configured to: immediately after the driving robot device leaves the docking station, control the sensor to obtain a second load value of the rotating motor; when the driving robot device is moving, control the sensor to obtain a third load value of the rotating motor; and based on comparing the second load value with the third load value, control the cleaning component to supply water to the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket.

[0024] In addition, the protrusion can have different slopes on the corresponding two sides of the protrusion, and the processor can also be configured to obtain a first load value by controlling the rotary motor so that the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket rotates in the direction in which the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket moves along a higher slope among the different slopes of the protrusion.

[0025] In addition, the protrusion may include: a central protrusion; and one or more wing-shaped protrusions located at both ends of the central protrusion, a higher slope among the different slopes of the protrusion being located on one side of the central protrusion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 is a diagram for describing the operation of driving the robot apparatus according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing a structure of a driving robot apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing a structure of a driving robot apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 4 is a diagram showing a structure of a rotating pad assembly of a driving robot device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 5 is a graph showing a load value of a rotating pad assembly driving a robot apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 6 is a graph illustrating a load value of a rotating pad assembly according to a moisture content of a cleaning pad driving a robot apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figures 7a to 7c is a diagram for describing a method of determining the number of attached cleaning pads or the moisture content of the cleaning pads by using a protrusion located in a docking station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating a protrusion located in a docking station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Fig. 9 is a diagram illustrating a protrusion located in a docking station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Fig.10a is a graph illustrating load values ​​of a rotating pad assembly according to a protrusion located in a docking station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] Fig.10b is a graph illustrating load values ​​of a rotating pad assembly according to a protrusion located in a docking station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Fig.10c is a graph illustrating load values ​​of a rotating pad assembly according to a protrusion located in a docking station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Fig.11 is a flowchart of a control method for driving a robot device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] Fig.12 is a flowchart of a control method for driving a robot device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] Fig.13 is a diagram illustrating an operation of driving a robot apparatus to adjust a travel path according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] Fig.14 is a diagram illustrating an operation of driving a robot apparatus to adjust a travel path according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] In the present disclosure, the expression “at least one of a, b, or c” means “a,” “b,” “c,” “a and b,” “a and c,” “b and c,” “all of a, b, and c,” or variations thereof.

[0043] The present disclosure sets forth the scope of the claims and illustrates the principles of the embodiments of the present disclosure, so that those of ordinary skill in the art can implement the embodiments of the present disclosure set forth in the claims. The embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms. The embodiments of the present disclosure described herein can be implemented individually or in combination with at least two or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0044] Throughout the present disclosure, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements. The present disclosure does not describe all elements of the embodiments of the present disclosure, and will omit the general description of the technical field to which the embodiments of the present disclosure belong or the repeated description between the embodiments of the present disclosure. Terms such as "module" or "unit" used herein can be implemented as software, hardware or firmware individually, or as a combination of two or more of software, hardware or firmware. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, multiple "modules" or "units" can be implemented as one element, or one "module" or "unit" can include multiple elements.

[0045] Some embodiments of the present disclosure can be represented by function block configurations and various processes. All or part of these function blocks can be implemented with various numbers of hardware and / or software configurations for performing specific functions. For example, the function blocks of the present disclosure can be implemented by one or more microprocessors, or can be implemented by circuit configurations for specific functions. In addition, for example, the function blocks of the present disclosure can be implemented with various programming or scripting languages. The function blocks can be implemented by algorithms executed on one or more processors. In addition, the present disclosure can use prior art to set up electronic environments, signal processing and / or data processing. Terms such as "mechanism", "element", "device" and "configuration" can be widely used and are not limited to mechanical configurations and physical configurations.

[0046] When describing the embodiments of the present disclosure, when the detailed description of the related known technology is determined to be unnecessary to make the subject of the present disclosure obscure, its detailed description may be omitted herein. In addition, the numbers (e.g., first, second, etc.) used in the description of this specification are only identification symbols used to distinguish one element from another element.

[0047] In addition, when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, the one element may be directly connected or coupled to the other element, but it should be understood that the elements may be connected or coupled to each other via another element therebetween unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0048] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a driving robot apparatus, a control method of the driving robot apparatus, and a computer-readable recording medium having a computer program recorded thereon.

[0049] On the other hand, the technical objectives to be achieved by the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned technical objectives.

[0050] Hereinafter, an operating principle of an embodiment of the present disclosure and various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0051] Figure 1 is a diagram for describing the operation of driving the robot apparatus according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] The embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a driving robot device 10 that travels in a specific area. The driving robot device 10 is a robot device that can move by itself by using wheels, etc. and can perform cleaning while moving in a specific area. The specific area may be a space to be cleaned, such as a house or an office.

[0053] refer to Figure 1, the driving robot device 10 can perform vacuum cleaning or wet mop cleaning while traveling in the travel area. The travel area may be defined according to a specific standard when the driving robot device 10 starts operating, or may be pre-set by a designer or user. The travel area of ​​the driving robot device 10 may be variously defined as a house, a store, an office, or a specific outdoor space. The travel area of ​​the driving robot device 10 may be pre-defined by a wall, a ceiling, a sign, etc.

[0054] The robot device 10 is driven by using a moving component 11 (such as Figure 2 For example, the driving robot device 10 can move in a specific direction by using one or more wheels included in the moving component 11. The driving robot device 10 can travel in a zigzag manner in the traveling area.

[0055] The driving robot device 10 can clean the travel area by using the cleaning assembly 12 when traveling. The driving robot device 10 may include two or more cleaning assemblies 12. For example, the driving robot device 10 may include a cleaning assembly 12 that performs water cleaning on the travel area. The driving robot device 10 can perform cleaning by wiping the travel area with a cleaning pad, and water is supplied to the cleaning pad from a water tank. The driving robot device 10 can perform cleaning by rotating the bracket of the fixed cleaning pad using a rotating motor. As another example, the driving robot device 10 may include a cleaning assembly 12 that absorbs foreign matter by vacuum in a specific area. As another example, the driving robot device 10 may include a cleaning assembly 12 that applies vertical and / or horizontal vibrations to shake off dust from an object (e.g., a carpet, etc.) located below the driving robot device 10. The cleaning assembly may be located in other parts of the driving robot device 10. For example, the cleaning assembly 12 that performs water cleaning may be located at the front end of the driving robot device 10, and the cleaning assembly 12 that applies vibration may be located at the rear end of the driving robot device 10.

[0056] The driving robot device 10 can travel while identifying obstacles. The driving robot device 10 can identify obstacles by using cameras, sensors, etc. For example, the driving robot device 10 can detect obstacles by using input images captured by a camera. The driving robot device 10 can detect obstacles by analyzing the input images using an artificial intelligence model built into the driving robot device 10 or built into the cloud server. As another example, the driving robot device 10 can detect obstacles by using a distance measurement sensor (e.g., a lidar).

[0057] The driving robot device 10 may follow the identified obstacle. For example, the driving robot device 10 may move along a wall. As another example, the driving robot device 10 may move along the legs of a piece of furniture. The driving robot device 10 may adjust the moving direction of the driving robot device 10 so that the driving robot device 10 is aligned with the obstacle in order to follow the obstacle. In addition, the driving robot device 10 may adjust the travel path in order to avoid the identified obstacle.

[0058] When the drive robot device 10 follows the obstacle, one or more cleaning pads can be popped out. For example, the drive robot device 10 can pop out a cleaning pad positioned toward the obstacle so that the cleaning pad protrudes outward from the drive robot device 10. The drive robot device 10 can pop out the cleaning pad by using a slider that moves a bracket to which the cleaning pad is fixed. The drive robot device 10 can pop out the cleaning pad by using an arm having one side connected to the drive robot device 10 and another side connected to a bracket to which the cleaning pad is fixed. The drive robot device 10 travels so that the ejected cleaning pad moves along the outer edge of the obstacle so as to clean the area between the obstacle and the bottom of the drive robot device 10.

[0059] The driving robot device 10 may bounce the ejected cleaning pad in. For example, the driving robot device 10 may stop following the obstacle and bounce the cleaning pad in.

[0060] The driving robot device 10 can identify the water content of the cleaning pad attached to the driving robot device 10. For example, the driving robot device 10 can identify the water content of the cleaning pad based on the load value of the rotating motor that rotates the bracket to which the cleaning pad is fixed. Based on the load value of the rotating motor increasing according to the increase in the water content of the cleaning pad, the driving robot device 10 can identify the water content of the cleaning pad from the load value of the rotating motor by using data in which the load value of the rotating motor matches the water content of the cleaning pad. When the driving robot device 10 is traveling, the driving robot device 10 can obtain the instantaneous load value of the rotating motor. The instantaneous load value is the load value of the rotating motor required to rotate the cleaning pad when the driving robot device 10 identifies the load value of the rotating motor. The driving robot device 10 can obtain the average load value based on the instantaneous load value obtained within a specific time. The average load value is the average value of the load value of the rotating motor required to rotate the cleaning pad within a specific time.

[0061] The driving robot device 10 may identify the moisture content of the cleaning pad attached to the driving robot device 10 in the docking station 20. The docking station 20 is a device on which the driving robot device 10 is mounted for charging. The docking station 20 may include a protrusion 25 in an area where the cleaning pad of the driving robot device 10 is located.

[0062] The driving robot device 10 can obtain the load value of the rotating motor by using the protrusion 25 in the docking station 20. The driving robot device 10 can apply pressure to the cleaning pad by using the protrusion 25 to emphasize the difference in the load current value of the rotating motor caused by the difference in the water content of the cleaning pad.

[0063] The two sides of the protrusion 25 may have different slopes from each other. The driving robot device 10 may obtain the load current value of the rotary motor by controlling the rotary motor so that the cleaning pad rotates in the direction of the high slope of the protrusion 25. The protrusion 25 may include a central protrusion and / or one or more wing-shaped protrusions. The one or more wing-shaped protrusions are located at both ends of the central protrusion.

[0064] The driving robot device 10 may control the water supply motor of the cleaning component to supply water to the cleaning pad based on the result of identifying the water content of the cleaning pad attached to the driving robot device 10. The driving robot device 10 may supply water to the cleaning pad based on the result of comparing the load value of the rotating motor according to the water content of the cleaning pad with the reference load value of the cleaning pad. The driving robot device 10 may supply water to the cleaning pad based on the result of comparing the instantaneous load value with the average load value. The driving robot device 10 may supply water to the cleaning pad based on the result of comparing the standard deviation of the instantaneous load value with the threshold value.

[0065] The driving robot device 10 may leave the docking station 20 based on the moisture content of the cleaning pad. When it is recognized that the driving robot device 10 is capable of performing wet cleaning on the floor, the driving robot device 10 may leave the docking station 20. For example, when the moisture content of the cleaning pad identified according to the instantaneous load value of the rotary motor is greater than or equal to the reference moisture content, the driving robot device 10 may leave the docking station 20. The reference moisture content is a moisture content that exhibits the cleaning performance of the driving robot device 10. As another example, when the instantaneous load value of the rotary motor is greater than or equal to the reference load value, the driving robot device 10 may leave the docking station 20. The reference load value is a load value of the rotary motor corresponding to the reference moisture content.

[0066] The driving robot device 10 may supply water to the cleaning pad while traveling based on the water content immediately after leaving the docking station 20. For example, the driving robot device 10 may supply water to the cleaning pad while traveling based on the result of comparing the load value of the rotary motor for the floor immediately after leaving the docking station 20 with the load value of the rotary motor obtained while traveling.

[0067] The driving robot device 10 may adjust the travel path of the driving robot device 10 based on the supply of water to the cleaning pad while traveling. For example, while supplying water to the cleaning pad, the driving robot device 10 may adjust the travel path so as to re-clean an area where the driving robot device 10 has already traveled. While supplying water to the cleaning pad, the driving robot device 10 may identify an area where the driving robot device 10 has already traveled, and may adjust the travel path so as to re-clean the identified area while traveling near the identified area. When the driving robot device 10 finishes cleaning the travel area, the driving robot device 10 may adjust the travel path so as to re-clean the identified area.

[0068] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the driving robot device 10 can easily identify the water content of the cleaning pad, can adjust the travel path according to the water content of the cleaning pad, and control the water supply.

[0069] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing a structure of a driving robot apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0070] refer to Figure 2 , the driving robot device 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include a moving component 11, a cleaning component 12, a sensor 14, a memory 17 and a processor 19. However, Figure 2 Not all of the elements shown are necessary to drive the robot device 10. A person skilled in the art to which the present embodiment of the present disclosure relates will appreciate that the robot device 10 may be driven using a plurality of components. Figure 2 More components than those shown may be used, or Figure 2 The components shown can be implemented with fewer components.

[0071] The moving assembly 11 may be located below the driving robot device 10 , and may move the driving robot device 10 forward and backward and rotate the driving robot device 10 .

[0072] The cleaning assembly 12 performs cleaning while the driving robot device 10 is traveling. The cleaning assembly 12 may be located below the driving robot device 10.

[0073] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the cleaning assembly 12 can be classified according to purpose and structure. For example, the cleaning assembly 12 may include a cleaning assembly that performs wet mop cleaning, a cleaning assembly that absorbs foreign matter by vacuum, and a cleaning assembly that applies vertical and / or horizontal vibration to shake off dust from an object. The driving robot device 10 may include one or more cleaning assemblies 12 according to purpose.

[0074] The sensor 14 obtains data to be used when the driving robot device 10 travels and / or performs cleaning. For example, the sensor 14 can obtain an image to be used to detect an obstacle located near the driving robot device 10. As another example, the sensor 14 can detect the distance to the obstacle located near the driving robot device 10. As another example, the sensor 14 can obtain information about the position of the driving robot device 10 within a specific area. As another example, the sensor 14 can obtain information about the proximity of a bracket that fixes a cleaning pad to a specific position. As another example, the sensor 14 can identify the moisture content of a cleaning pad attached to the driving robot device 10.

[0075] The memory 17 may store programs and instructions for data processing by the processor 19 and control by driving the robot device 10 .

[0076] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the memory 17 may include at least one type of storage medium selected from a memory for temporarily storing data (e.g., a random access memory (RAM) or a static random access memory (SRAM)) and a data storage device for non-temporarily storing data (e.g., a flash memory type or a read-only memory (ROM)).

[0077] The processor 19 controls the overall operation of the driving robot device 10. The processor 19 may be implemented as one or more processors. The processor 19 may execute instructions stored in the memory 17 to control the overall operation of the moving component 11, the cleaning component 12, the sensor 14, the memory 17, etc. The processor 19 may execute programs and / or instructions to control the driving robot device 10 to perform the operations to be referred to. Figures 3 to 14 For example, the processor 19 controls the moving assembly 11 to control the travel of the driving robot device 10. As another example, the processor 19 controls the cleaning assembly 12 to perform cleaning while the driving robot device 10 is traveling. As another example, the processor 19 can process data obtained by the sensor 14.

[0078] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing a structure of a driving robot apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0079] refer to Figure 3 , the driving robot device 300 may include a moving component 310, a cleaning component 330, a sensor 340, a communication interface 350, an input / output interface 360, a memory 370, and a processor 390. However, Figure 3 Not all of the elements shown are necessary elements for driving the robot device 300. A person skilled in the art to which the present embodiment of the present disclosure relates will appreciate that the robot device 300 may be driven using a plurality of components. Figure 3More components than those shown may be used, or Figure 3 The components shown can be implemented with fewer components.

[0080] The moving assembly 310 drives the robot device 300 to move.

[0081] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the moving assembly 310 may include a pair of wheels respectively disposed on the left and right edges of the central area of ​​the main body of the driving robot device 300. In addition, the moving assembly 310 may include: a wheel motor that applies a moving force to each wheel; and a caster that is installed in front of the main body and rotates according to the state of the floor on which the driving robot device 10 moves, thereby changing its angle. The pair of wheels may be symmetrically disposed on the main body of the driving robot device 10. The moving assembly 310 may use the wheels to move the driving robot device 300 forward and backward and to rotate the driving robot device 300.

[0082] The cleaning assembly 330 may perform a cleaning operation while the driving robot device 300 is traveling. For example, the cleaning assembly 330 may perform vibration cleaning, vacuum cleaning, and / or water cleaning.

[0083] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the cleaning assembly 330 may include a rotating pad assembly 331 that uses a wet mop to clean a specific area, a water container 333 that contains water to be supplied to the rotating pad assembly 331, and a water supplier 335 that supplies water to the rotating pad assembly 331. The rotating pad assembly 331 may include a cleaning pad, a bracket to fix the cleaning pad, and a rotating motor to rotate the bracket.

[0084] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the cleaning assembly 330 may include a mechanism for moving the cleaning pad so that the cleaning pad protrudes outward from the driving robot device 300, and the cleaning pad protruding to the outside is inserted into the driving robot device 300. For example, the cleaning assembly 330 may include a slider that moves a bracket to which the cleaning pad is fixed. As another example, the cleaning assembly 330 may include an arm having one side connected to the driving robot device 10 and the other side connected to the bracket to which the cleaning pad is fixed. The cleaning assembly 330 may include a sensor and a guide that help the cleaning pad protruding outward from the driving robot device 300 to be inserted into an appropriate position.

[0085] The sensor 340 obtains sensing data to be used when the driving robot device 300 travels and / or performs cleaning. The sensing data refers to data obtained by various sensors provided in the driving robot device 300. For example, the sensor 340 can obtain data to be used for detecting obstacles while the driving robot device 300 is traveling. As another example, the sensor 340 can detect an anti-collision signal (e.g., a HALO signal) generated from a charger of the driving robot device 300. As another example, the sensor 340 can detect the remaining battery power of the driving robot device 300. As another example, the sensor 340 can obtain data to be used when the driving robot device 300 searches for an indoor space and generates an indoor space map. The indoor space refers to an area in which the driving robot device 300 can move substantially freely.

[0086] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the sensor 340 may include an obstacle detection sensor 341 , a position recognition sensor 343 , and a pad recognition sensor 345 .

[0087] The obstacle detection sensor 341 may obtain data to be used for detecting an obstacle located on a travel path of the driving robot device 300. The obstacle detection sensor 341 may include at least one of an image sensor that obtains an image, a three-dimensional (3D) sensor, a laser radar sensor, or an ultrasonic sensor. For example, the image sensor may obtain a surrounding and / or ceiling image to be used for detecting an obstacle located near the driving robot device 300. The laser radar sensor and / or the ultrasonic sensor may obtain data on a distance to an obstacle located near the driving robot device 300. The 3D sensor may obtain 3D data on an area within a specific distance from the driving robot device 300.

[0088] The position recognition sensor 343 may obtain data for identifying the position of the driving robot device 300 in the indoor space. The position recognition sensor 343 may recognize the position of the driving robot device based on at least one of image data, 3D data obtained by a 3D sensor, information about the distance to an obstacle obtained by a laser radar sensor, or the strength of a communication signal received from an access point (AP) and / or a home appliance. The position recognition sensor 343 may recognize the position of the driving robot device 300 in an indoor space map. The indoor space map may include data about at least one of a navigation map, a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) map, or an obstacle recognition map.

[0089] The pad recognition sensor 345 may obtain data to be used for recognizing whether a cleaning pad is attached to the driving robot apparatus 300 and / or recognizing the type of the cleaning pad attached to the driving robot apparatus 300. The pad recognition sensor 345 may recognize the moisture content of the cleaning pad. The pad recognition sensor 345 may recognize the moisture content of the cleaning pad to which the rotational force is applied by the rotational motor based on the result of recognizing the load value of the rotational motor.

[0090] The communication interface 350 can communicate with an external device. For example, the communication interface 350 can send and receive data to and from a mobile terminal (e.g., a smart phone, a laptop computer, a tablet personal computer (PC), a digital camera, an e-book terminal, or a digital broadcast terminal), a server device, or a household appliance (e.g., a refrigerator or a washing machine). The communication interface 350 may include a Bluetooth communication interface, a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) communication interface, a near field communication interface, a wireless local area network (WLAN) (Wi-Fi) communication interface, a ZigBee communication interface, an infrared data association (IrDA) communication interface, a Wi-Fi direct (WFD) communication interface, an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication interface, an Ant+ communication interface, a mobile communication interface, etc., but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0091] The input / output interface 360 ​​is a hardware module and / or device that receives user input and outputs information. For example, the input / output interface 360 ​​may include an output device (e.g., a display 361 or a speaker), an input device (e.g., a microphone, a keyboard, a touch pad, or a mouse), and a combination of an output device and an input device (e.g., a touch screen). In addition, the input / output interface 360 ​​may receive user input for controlling the driving robot apparatus 300. The input / output interface 360 ​​may output information about the state of the driving robot apparatus 300 and information about the operation mode of the driving robot apparatus 300.

[0092] The memory 370 may store various types of data, for example, an operating system (OS), programs such as applications, and files for data processing by the processor 390 and control by driving the robot apparatus 300. The memory 370 may store at least one instruction and at least one program for processing and control by the processor 390.

[0093] The memory 370 may include at least one type of storage medium selected from a flash memory, a hard disk memory, a multimedia card micro memory, a card-type memory (e.g., a secure digital (SD) or extreme digital (XD) memory), a random access memory (RAM), a static random access memory (SRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), a magnetic memory, a magnetic disk, and an optical disk, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0094] The processor 390 controls the overall operation of the driving robot device 300. The processor 390 may be implemented as one or more processors. The processor 390 may execute instructions stored in the memory 370 to control the overall operation of the moving component 310, the cleaning component 330, the sensor 340, the communication interface 350, the input / output interface 360, the memory 370, etc. The processor 390 may execute programs and / or instructions to control the reference Figures 5 to 14 The operation of the driving robot device 300 is described.

[0095] For example, the processor 390 may control the moving assembly 310 to control the travel of the driving robot device 300. The processor 390 may generate a driving signal for controlling the moving assembly 310, and may output the driving signal to the moving assembly 310. The moving assembly 310 may drive each component of the moving assembly 310 based on the driving signal output from the processor 390. The processor 390 may set a travel path of the driving robot device 300, and drive the moving assembly 310 to move the driving robot device 300 along the travel path.

[0096] As another example, the processor 390 may control the cleaning assembly 330 so that the driving robot device 300 performs cleaning while traveling. The processor 390 may generate a drive signal for controlling the cleaning assembly 330, and may output the drive signal to the cleaning assembly 330. The cleaning assembly 330 may drive each component of the cleaning assembly 330 based on the drive signal output from the processor 390. The cleaning assembly 330 may control the rotation and movement of the bracket that fixes the cleaning pad and supply water to the cleaning pad according to the drive signal output from the processor 390. The processor 390 may generate a drive signal for moving the bracket that fixes the cleaning pad so that the cleaning pad is ejected to the outside of the driving robot device 300. The processor 390 may generate a drive signal for moving the bracket so that the ejected cleaning pad is ejected.

[0097] As another example, the processor 390 may process data obtained by the sensor 340. The processor 390 may process an image obtained by the sensor 340 to identify an obstacle from the image. The processor 390 may identify an obstacle based on distance data obtained by the sensor 340. The processor 390 may generate and adjust a travel path by using data obtained by the sensor 340 about the position of the driving robot device 300.

[0098] As another example, the processor 390 may control the moving assembly 310 and the cleaning assembly 330 based on a control signal received through the communication interface 350. The processor 390 may control the moving assembly 310 based on a user input related to a specific area received through the communication interface 350 so as to drive the robot device 300 to move to the specific area, and may control the cleaning assembly 330 so as to drive the robot device 300 to clean the specific area.

[0099] As another example, the processor 390 may control the moving assembly 310 and the cleaning assembly 330 based on a control signal received through the input / output interface 360. The processor 390 may control the moving assembly 310 based on a user input related to a specific area input through the input / output interface 360 ​​so as to drive the robot device 300 to move to the specific area, and may control the cleaning assembly 330 so as to drive the robot device 300 to clean the specific area.

[0100] As another example, the processor 390 can identify the moisture content of the cleaning pad according to the load value of the rotating motor that applies the rotating force to the cleaning pad. For example, the processor 390 can identify the moisture content of the cleaning pad by using data obtained by matching the load value of the rotating motor with the moisture content of the cleaning pad.

[0101] As another example, the processor 390 may control the water supply motor of the cleaning assembly 330 to supply water to the cleaning pad based on the water content of the cleaning pad. The driving robot device 10 may supply water to the cleaning pad based on the result of comparing the load value of the rotating motor according to the water content of the cleaning pad with the reference load value of the cleaning pad. The processor 390 may control the water supply motor to supply water to the cleaning pad based on the water content of the cleaning pad obtained during travel.

[0102] As another example, the processor 390 may adjust the travel path based on supplying water to the cleaning pad while the driving robot device 10 is traveling. When the driving robot device 10 supplies water to the cleaning pad, the processor 390 may adjust the travel path so as to re-clean the area where the driving robot device 10 has traveled.

[0103] Figure 4400 is a diagram showing a structure of a rotating pad assembly of a driving robot device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The driving robot device may clean a floor by using the rotating pad assembly 400.

[0104] refer to Figure 4 , the rotating pad assembly 400 may include a cleaning pad 450 , a bracket 430 , and a rotating motor 410 .

[0105] The rotary motor 410 applies rotation to the cleaning pad 450 so as to clean the travel path of the driving robot device. The rotary motor 410 can apply rotation to the cleaning pad 450 by applying rotation to the bracket 430 that fixes the cleaning pad 450. The rotary motor 410 can rotate in one direction or two directions based on a drive signal generated by a processor of the driving robot device. For example, the rotary motor 410 can rotate according to a drive signal that includes a rotation direction determined based on an obstacle and the position of the rotary motor 410 / cleaning pad 450.

[0106] The bracket 430 fixes the cleaning pad 450. For example, the bracket 430 may have a lower portion made of Velcro and may be coupled to the cleaning pad 450 having an upper portion made of Velcro. The bracket 430 is connected to the rotating motor 410 so that the rotational force applied from the rotating motor 410 can be transmitted to the cleaning pad 450. The bracket 430 may have a disc shape.

[0107] The cleaning pad 450 is a pad that cleans the travel path of the driving robot device. The cleaning pad 450 may have a disc shape. The diameter of the cleaning pad 450 may be greater than the diameter of the bracket 430. The cleaning pad 450 performs water cleaning in such a manner that the upper surface of the cleaning pad 450 absorbs the supplied water, and the lower surface of the cleaning pad 450 wipes the floor by using the absorbed water. The cleaning pad 450 may include an upper surface and a lower surface, which respectively include materials different from each other. The cleaning pad 450 may include a first member constituting an upper portion, a second member constituting a lower portion, and an outer portion surrounding the periphery of the upper portion and the lower portion and coupling the periphery to each other. The portion at the center of the cleaning pad 450 may be an opening.

[0108] Figure 5 is a graph showing a load value of a rotating pad assembly of a driving robot device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 6 is a graph illustrating a load value of a rotating pad assembly according to a moisture content of a cleaning pad driving a robot apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0109] Figure 5 The graph shown shows a load value of a rotary motor according to a state of driving a cleaning pad of a robot device when a docking station is provided with a protrusion. Figure 5 The horizontal axis represents time (seconds), and Figure 5 The vertical axis represents the load current value (mA) of the rotating electrical machine.

[0110] The first graph 510 shows the load value of the rotating motor when the cleaning pad is not attached to the driving robot device. The second graph 520 shows the load value of the rotating motor when one cleaning pad is attached to the driving robot device and is dry. The third graph 530 shows the load value of the rotating motor when both cleaning pads attached to the driving robot device are dry. The fourth graph 540 shows the load value of the rotating motor when one cleaning pad is attached to the driving robot device and is wet. The fifth graph 550 shows the load value of the rotating motor when only one of the two cleaning pads attached to the driving robot device is wet. The sixth graph 560 shows the load value of the rotating motor when both cleaning pads attached to the driving robot device are wet.

[0111] refer to Figure 5 In the graphs 510, 520, 530, 540, 550, and 560, the load value of the rotating motor increases more when two cleaning pads are present than when one cleaning pad is present, and the load value of the rotating motor increases more when the cleaning pad is wet than when the cleaning pad is dry. Therefore, the driving robot device can determine at least one of the following based on the load current value of the rotating motor over time: whether a cleaning pad is attached, the number of attached cleaning pads, and whether the wetness of the attached cleaning pad exceeds a reference moisture content.

[0112] Already referenced Figure 5 A method for determining the number of attached cleaning pads and whether the cleaning pads are wet based on the load current value of the rotary motor when two cleaning pads are rotated by one rotary motor is described. However, when the rotary motor is set accordingly to correspond to the two cleaning pads, the water content and whether the cleaning pad corresponding to the rotary motor is attached can be determined based on the load current value of the rotary motor.

[0113] Figure 6 The illustrated graph shows standard deviation values ​​of load current of a rotary motor according to the water content of a cleaning pad driving a robot device. Figure 6 The horizontal axis represents the water content of the cleaning pad, and Figure 6 The vertical axis represents the standard deviation value of the load current of the rotating electrical machine.

[0114] refer to Figure 6, when the water content of the cleaning pad is 20g, the standard deviation of the load value of the rotating motor is 20. When the water content of the cleaning pad is 30g, the standard deviation of the load value of the rotating motor is 23. When the water content of the cleaning pad is 40g, the standard deviation of the load value of the rotating motor is 30. When the water content of the cleaning pad is 50g, the standard deviation of the load value of the rotating motor is 38. When the water content of the cleaning pad is 60g, the standard deviation of the load value of the rotating motor is 25.

[0115] That is, as the moisture content of the cleaning pad increases, the standard deviation value of the load current of the rotating motor generally increases until a critical level of moisture content ( Figure 6 50g in). Therefore, the driving robot device can determine the water content of the cleaning pad based on the standard deviation value of the load current of the rotating motor. In addition, the driving robot device can determine the amount of water to be supplied to the cleaning pad based on the determined water content. For example, when the appropriate level of the water content of the cleaning pad is set to 40g, and the standard deviation value of the load current of the rotating motor is calculated to be 20, it can be determined that the water content of the cleaning pad is 20g, and 20g of water is supplied to the cleaning pad.

[0116] However, when the water content exceeds a critical level, the cleaning pad no longer absorbs water, and the friction between the cleaning pad and the floor decreases due to the water content of the cleaning pad. Therefore, the standard deviation value of the load current of the rotating motor can be gradually reduced. Therefore, when supplying water to the cleaning pad, the driving robot device can also determine whether the water content is below the critical level based on whether the standard deviation value of the load current of the rotating motor increases. The driving robot device can determine the amount of water to be supplied to the cleaning pad based on the determined water content of the cleaning pad and whether the water content is below the critical level.

[0117] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown in the chart, the driving robot device can store matching data obtained by matching the load current value of the rotating motor with the standard deviation value of the load current according to the number of attached cleaning pads and the water content of the cleaning pads. For example, the driving robot device can store the matching data in a memory. As another example, the driving robot device can store the matching data in a cloud server.

[0118] The driving robot device may detect the state of the cleaning pad by using the matching data. For example, the driving robot device may identify the number of cleaning pads attached to the driving robot device and / or the water content of the cleaning pad based on the result of comparing the load value of the rotating motor obtained by using the sensor with the load value of the rotating motor included in the matching data. The driving robot device may detect the state of the cleaning pad in the docking station, or may detect the state of the cleaning pad while traveling.

[0119] The driving robot device may control the water supply motor to supply water to the cleaning pad based on the result of detecting the cleaning pad. For example, the driving robot device may control the water supply motor to supply water to the cleaning pad based on the result of comparing the standard deviation of the load value of the rotating motor with the standard deviation of the load value of the rotating motor for the appropriate water content. As another example, the driving robot device may control the water supply motor to supply water to the cleaning pad at specific intervals based on the standard deviation of the load value of the rotating motor when starting to travel.

[0120] The driving robot device may adjust the travel path based on the result of detecting the cleaning pad. For example, when water is supplied to the cleaning pad, the driving robot device may adjust the travel path so as to re-clean the area where the driving robot device has traveled. As another example, the driving robot device may adjust the travel path so as to return to the docking station based on the result of recognizing that the cleaning pad has been removed.

[0121] Figures 7a to 7c is a diagram for describing a method of determining the number of attached cleaning pads or the moisture content of the cleaning pads by using a protrusion located at a docking station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0122] Figure 7a The first graph 705 shows the load current 701 of the rotation motor when the cleaning pad is wet beyond the appropriate moisture content, the load current 702 of the rotation motor when the cleaning pad is dry, and the load current 703 of the rotation motor when no cleaning pad is attached, in the case where the docking station has no protrusion. Referring to the first graph 705, even when the docking station has no protrusion, the difference between the load current corresponding to the dry cleaning pad and the load current corresponding to the wet cleaning pad is large, and therefore, the driving robot device can easily identify whether the cleaning pad is dry or wet.

[0123] On the other hand, when the docking station has no protrusion, the difference between the load current when the dry cleaning pad is attached and the load current when the dry cleaning pad is not attached is not large, and therefore, it may be difficult for the driving robot device to distinguish between the dry cleaning pad and the absence of the cleaning pad. Figure 7a A second graph 707 of the present invention shows the load current 706 of the rotary motor when the cleaning pad is wet beyond the appropriate moisture content, the load current 708 of the rotary motor when the cleaning pad is dry, and the load current 709 of the rotary motor when no cleaning pad is attached, in the case where the docking station has one or more protrusions. Since the one or more protrusions are provided on the pad holder of the docking station, the difference between the load current 708 when the dry cleaning pad is attached and the load current 709 when the dry cleaning pad is not attached can be increased. Therefore, the driving robot device can recognize whether the dry cleaning pad is attached to the holder or whether the cleaning pad is not attached.

[0124] refer to Figure 7b, the docking station 700 may include one or more protrusions 715 on a pad holder 710 on which a cleaning pad of the driving robot device is mounted. Since the cleaning pad rubs against the one or more protrusions 715 when rotating, the load of the rotating motor may increase.

[0125] The protrusion 715 may include a central protrusion 715 spanning across the plurality of pad holders 710 and 711 of the docking station 700 so as to simultaneously press-drive a plurality of cleaning pads of the robotic device.

[0126] In addition, the portions of the central protrusion 715 corresponding to the respective pad holders 710 and 711 may have different angles from each other so that the friction between the left cleaning pad and the protrusion 715 is different from the friction between the right cleaning pad and the protrusion 715. Figure 7b As shown, a portion 717 of the central protrusion 715 corresponding to the left pad holder 711 may have a gentle slope, and a portion 719 of the central protrusion 715 corresponding to the right pad holder 710 may have a steep slope. Therefore, the difference between the load current value of the rotary motor when the cleaning pad is placed only on the right pad holder 710 and the load current value of the rotary motor when the cleaning pad is placed only on the left pad holder 711 may increase. Therefore, the driving robot device may identify the holder to which the cleaning pad is attached based on the load current value of the rotary motor.

[0127] refer to Figure 7c , the docking station 700 may include protrusions 726 and 725 on the pad holders 710 and 711, respectively. The protrusions 725 and 726 may be arranged so that the curvature angles in the clockwise direction and the curvature angles in the counterclockwise direction are different from each other, and therefore, the friction between the cleaning pad and the protrusion 725, and the friction between the cleaning pad and the protrusion 726 are different from each other according to the rotation direction of the cleaning pad. Therefore, the driving robot device can more accurately determine the number of attached cleaning pads and the water content of the cleaning pads based on the load current value of the rotating motor corresponding to the inward rotation of the cleaning pad (the counterclockwise direction of the right pad and the clockwise direction of the left pad) and the standard deviation value of the load current, and the load current value of the rotating motor corresponding to the outward rotation of the different friction forces (the clockwise direction of the right pad and the counterclockwise direction of the left pad) and the standard deviation of the load current.

[0128] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating a protrusion of a docking station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0129] The protrusion 815 may include a first load 831 and a second load 833 located at different angles from each other relative to a center point 851. The center point 851 may be a position corresponding to a central axis 871 of a rotary motor driving the robot device 10. In addition, the center point 851 may be a position corresponding to the center of a cleaning pad placed on the pad holder 810. The first load 831 may be referred to as a central protrusion, and the second load 833 may be referred to as a wing-shaped protrusion. The wing-shaped protrusion 833 may face a specific direction and may be configured in a symmetrical shape. Since the protrusion 815 includes two loads (i.e., the first load 831 and the second load 833), the load current value of the rotary motor may be increased.

[0130] Fig. 9 is a diagram illustrating a protrusion of a docking station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0131] The protrusion 915 may include a first load 831, a second load 833, and a third load 931 located at different angles from each other relative to a center point 851. The center point 851 may be a position corresponding to the center of a cleaning pad placed on the pad holder 910. The first load 831, the second load 833, and the third load 931 may be disposed at positions separated by the same angle relative to the center point 851. Since the protrusion 915 includes three loads (i.e., the first load 831, the second load 833, and the third load 931), a load current value of the rotating motor may be increased.

[0132] Figures 10a to 10c is a graph illustrating load values ​​of a rotating pad assembly according to a protrusion located in a docking station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig.10a is based on Figure 7b or Figure 7c The graph of the embodiment of the present disclosure shown in FIG. Fig.10b is based on Figure 8 A graph of an embodiment of the present disclosure shown, and Fig.10c is based on Fig. 9 A graph of an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0133] refer to Fig.10a , when the protrusion provided on the pad support of the docking station includes a load, such as Figure 7b and Figure 7c As shown, the graph 1010 of the load current of the rotating motor includes: a first curve graph 1011, which shows the load value of the rotating motor of the driving robot device to which a cleaning pad made of a water-containing towel material is attached; a second curve graph 1013, which shows the load value of the rotating motor of the driving robot device to which a cleaning pad without water is attached; and a third curve graph 1015, which shows the load value of the rotating motor of the driving robot device without a cleaning pad attached.

[0134] Comparing the first graph 1011, the second graph 1013, and the third graph 1015 with each other, the load value indicated by the third graph 1015 (i.e., the load value of the rotary motor to which the cleaning pad is not attached) is the lowest. The load value indicated by the first graph 1011 (i.e., the load value of the rotary motor to which the wet cleaning pad is attached) is higher than the load value indicated by the second graph 1013 (i.e., the load value of the rotary motor to which the dry cleaning pad is attached). That is, since the cleaning pad is pressed by the protrusion 715 included in the docking station 700, a difference in the load value of the rotary motor occurs depending on whether the cleaning pad is attached and whether the cleaning pad contains water. Since the difference between the load value indicated by the first graph 1011 (i.e., the load value of the rotary motor with the wet cleaning pad attached) and the load value indicated by the second graph 1013 (i.e., the load value of the rotary motor with the dry cleaning pad attached) is greater than the reference difference, the driving robot device can easily identify the moisture content of the cleaning pad and whether the cleaning pad is attached. However, since the difference between the load value indicated by the second graph 1013 (i.e., the load value of the rotary motor with the dry cleaning pad attached) and the load value indicated by the third graph 1015 (i.e., the load value of the rotary motor without the cleaning pad attached) is not large, the driving robot device may have difficulty in identifying the dry cleaning pad and the absence of the cleaning pad.

[0135] refer to Fig.10b , since the protrusion of the docking station pad holder includes two loads, such as Figure 8 As shown, the driving robot device can easily distinguish between the dry cleaning pad and the non-cleaning pad. Figure 8 Figure 1030 of the embodiment of the present disclosure shown includes: a first curve graph 1031, which shows the load value of the rotating motor of the driving robot device to which a water-containing cleaning pad is attached by using a central protrusion included in a pad holder of a docking station and a wing-shaped protrusion located at each of the two ends of the central protrusion; a second curve graph 1033, which shows the load value of the rotating motor of the driving robot device to which a non-aqueous cleaning pad is attached; and a third curve graph 1035, which shows the load value of the rotating motor of the driving robot device to which no cleaning pad is attached.

[0136] refer to Fig.10b , it can be confirmed that there is almost no difference between the first graph 1031 corresponding to the cleaning pad containing water and the second graph 1033 corresponding to the cleaning pad without water. Therefore, when the protrusion of the pad holder of the docking station includes two loads, such as Figure 8 As shown, a dry cleaning pad and a no cleaning pad can be easily identified, but a cleaning pad without water and a cleaning pad containing a small amount of water may be difficult to identify.

[0137] refer to Fig.10c, when the protrusion of the pad support of the docking station includes three loads, such as Fig. 9 As shown, the driving robot device can easily distinguish between a dry cleaning pad and a non-cleaning pad, and can easily distinguish between a cleaning pad without water and a cleaning pad containing a small amount of water. Fig. 9 Figure 1050 of the embodiment of the present disclosure shown includes: a first curve graph 1051, which shows the load value of the rotating motor of the driving robot device with an aqueous cleaning pad attached; a second curve graph 1053, which shows the load value of the rotating motor of the driving robot device with a non-aqueous cleaning pad attached; and a third curve graph 1055, which shows the load value of the rotating motor of the driving robot device without a cleaning pad attached.

[0138] Will Fig.10b and Fig.10c To compare, although Fig.10b The load value of the first graph 1031 is Fig.10b The load values ​​of the second graph 1033 are similar, but Fig.10c The load value of the first graph 1051 is greater than Fig.10c The load value of the second graph 1053 is shown in FIG. 1054 . In other words, it can be confirmed that as the number of protrusion loads (e.g., wing-shaped protrusions) increases, even a small amount of water increases the difference in the load current value of the rotating motor between the wet cleaning pad and the dry cleaning pad. Due to the difference in the shapes of protrusions 815 and 915, the difference in load value occurs. That is, since one wing-shaped protrusion of protrusion 815 applies uneven pressure to the cleaning pad, no difference in load value occurs regardless of whether the cleaning pad attached to the driving robot device contains water. Since the two wing-shaped protrusions of protrusion 915 apply uniform pressure to the cleaning pad, a huge difference in load value occurs depending on whether the cleaning pad attached to the driving robot device contains water.

[0139] Will Fig.10a and Fig.10c For comparison, Fig.10a The first graph 1011 has a larger load value deviation, but Fig.10c The first graph 1051 has a smaller load value deviation. The difference in load value occurs due to the difference in the shapes of the protrusions 715 and 915. That is, since the two wing-shaped protrusions of the protrusion 915 uniformly press the cleaning pad, the deviation of the load value of the rotary motor driving the robot device is smaller.

[0140] The driving robot device can easily identify the water content of the cleaning pad and whether the cleaning pad is attached by pressing the cleaning pad using the protrusions 715, 815, and 915 respectively included in the docking stations 700, 800, and 900. In addition, the driving robot device can store the load current value of the rotating motor for each water content of the cleaning pad and the standard deviation value of the load current obtained by using the protrusions 715, 815, and 915 of the docking stations 700, 800, and 900. The driving robot device can identify the water content of the cleaning pad by using pre-stored data in which the water content of the cleaning pad matches the load value of the rotating motor, or pre-stored data in which the water content of the cleaning pad matches the standard deviation value of the rotating motor.

[0141] Fig.11 is a flowchart of a control method for driving a robot device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig.11 Each operation of the control method may be configured with one or more instructions to be executed by the driving robot device and may be stored in a recording medium.

[0142] In operation S1110, the driving robot device receives a command to start traveling and cleaning. For example, when the driving robot device travels in a specific area, a user input to clean the specific area with a wet mop may be received through an input / output interface. As another example, the driving robot device may receive a control signal for traveling in a specific area and cleaning the specific area from an external device (e.g., a server, a mobile terminal, etc.) through a communication interface. For another example, the driving robot device may receive a control signal for starting traveling and cleaning at a preset time.

[0143] In operation S1130, the robot apparatus is driven to detect the cleaning pad.

[0144] The driving robot device may use a sensor to detect whether a cleaning pad is attached. In addition, the driving robot device may identify the type of the cleaning pad. For example, the driving robot device may emit a light signal to the cleaning pad and identify whether a cleaning pad is attached and the type of the cleaning pad by using the intensity of the reflected light received from the cleaning pad.

[0145] As another example, the driving robot device can identify whether the cleaning pad is attached to the bracket based on the load value of the rotating motor by rotating the bracket to which the cleaning pad is attached. In this case, the pad bracket of the docking station can be provided with a protrusion. When the cleaning pad rubs against the protrusion, the load current value of the rotating motor can increase.

[0146] The driving robot device can obtain data on the load current value or the standard deviation value of the load current according to whether the cleaning pad is attached. Whether the cleaning pad is attached can include the case where only the right cleaning pad is attached, the case where only the left cleaning pad is attached, and the case where both the left cleaning pad and the right cleaning pad are attached. Therefore, the driving robot device can identify the bracket to which the cleaning pad is attached based on at least one of the load current value of the rotating motor or the standard deviation value of the load current.

[0147] As another example, the driving robot device can identify whether a cleaning pad is attached by receiving a result of identifying the cleaning pad from the docking station. The docking station can identify the cleaning pad by using a sensor located on the pad holder. The docking station can identify the cleaning pad by emitting a light signal to the cleaning pad using an optical sensor. The docking station can use a physical contact sensor to identify the cleaning pad in contact with the pad holder.

[0148] In operation S1150, the robot apparatus is driven to detect the moisture content of the cleaning pad.

[0149] The driving robot apparatus may detect the moisture content of the cleaning pad based on a load value of a rotation motor that applies a rotational force to the cleaning pad by rotating the cleaning pad detected in operation S1130.

[0150] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the driving robot device can identify the water content of the cleaning pad by rotating the bracket of the fixed cleaning pad in the docking station. The driving robot device can identify the water content of the cleaning pad based on the result of comparing the load value of the rotating motor according to the water content with the pre-stored data in which the water content of the cleaning pad matches the load value of the rotating motor by using the protrusion included in the docking station. The data in which the water content of the cleaning pad matches the load value of the rotating motor can be pre-stored in the memory of the driving robot device and / or in the cloud server. The driving robot device can identify the water content of the cleaning pad by using the load value of the rotating motor when the cleaning pad rotates in the direction of the high slope of the two sides of the protrusion with different slopes from each other. The driving robot device can identify the water content of the cleaning pad by using a protrusion including a central protrusion and one or more wing-shaped protrusions located at both ends of the central protrusion.

[0151] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the driving robot device can identify the moisture content of the cleaning pad based on the result of comparing the instantaneous load value of the rotating motor when traveling with the average load value obtained by accumulating the instantaneous load value over time. In this case, the driving robot device can perform the comparison with the average load value by using the standard deviation of the instantaneous load value. The instantaneous load value is the load value of the rotating motor required to rotate the cleaning pad when the driving robot device identifies the load value of the rotating motor. The average load value is the average value of the load value of the rotating motor required to rotate the cleaning pad within a specific time.

[0152] In operation S1170, the robot device is driven to control the water supply motor.

[0153] The driving robot device may control the water supply motor to supply water to the cleaning pad based on the water content of the cleaning pad identified in operation S1150. For example, the driving robot device may control the water supply motor to supply water to the cleaning pad based on the result of comparing the load value of the rotating motor obtained in operation S1150 with the reference load value.

[0154] The driving robot apparatus may supply water to the cleaning pad based on a difference between the reference water content and the water content of the cleaning pad identified in operation S1150. The driving robot apparatus may control the water supply motor to supply the cleaning pad with a shortage of the reference water content.

[0155] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the driving robot device may supply water to the cleaning pad based on the water content of the cleaning pad detected in the docking station. For example, the driving robot device may supply water to the cleaning pad in the docking station based on the result that the water content of the cleaning pad detected in the docking station is lower than the reference water content. As another example, the driving robot device may match the water content corresponding to the first load value of the rotary motor identified on the floor immediately after the driving robot device leaves the docking station with the water content identified by using the protrusion on the docking station. The driving robot device may supply water to the cleaning pad while traveling based on the result of comparing the second load value of the rotary motor obtained while traveling with the first load value of the rotary motor.

[0156] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the driving robot device may supply water to the cleaning pad based on the water content of the cleaning pad detected while traveling. The driving robot device may supply water to the cleaning pad based on the result of identifying that the standard deviation of the instantaneous load value of the rotating motor while traveling is lower than a threshold value. The driving robot device may supply water to the cleaning pad based on the result of comparing the instantaneous load value with the average load value obtained by accumulating the instantaneous load values ​​over time. For example, the driving robot device may supply water to the cleaning pad based on the result of identifying that the instantaneous load value is lower than the average load value.

[0157] In operation S1190, the robot device is driven to start traveling and cleaning.

[0158] The driving robot device may start traveling based on the result of recognizing that the cleaning performance of the driving robot device can be exhibited due to the cleaning pad containing a sufficient amount of water. For example, the driving robot device may start traveling based on the result of comparing the instantaneous load value of the rotating motor with the reference load value. The reference load value is a load value of the rotating motor corresponding to a reference water content, which is a water content that can exhibit the cleaning performance of the driving robot device.

[0159] The driving robot device may start traveling in a traveling area at a location (e.g., a docking station or a floor) where the driving robot device receives a command in operation S1110 and clean the traveling area. The driving robot device may travel in a driving area and clean the driving area according to the command received in operation S1110.

[0160] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the driving robot apparatus can improve cleaning performance by easily recognizing the water content of the cleaning pad and supplying water to the cleaning pad.

[0161] Fig.12 is a flowchart of a control method for driving a robot device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0162] Fig.12 Each operation of the control method may be configured with one or more instructions to be executed by the driving robot device and may be stored in a recording medium.

[0163] In operation S1210, the driving robot device starts traveling and cleaning. The driving robot device can perform cleaning by using a cleaning pad while traveling. For example, the driving robot device can use a wet mop to clean a specific area while traveling in the specific area based on a user input received through the input / output interface. As another example, the driving robot device can travel in a specific area and clean the specific area based on a control signal received from an external device (e.g., a server, a mobile terminal, etc.) through a communication interface. As another example, the driving robot device can travel in a specific area and clean the specific area based on a control signal for starting traveling and cleaning at a preset time.

[0164] The driving robot device may leave the docking station based on the result of identifying whether the moisture content of the cleaning pad in the docking station is greater than or equal to the reference moisture content. Even if the moisture content of the cleaning pad is the same, the load value of the rotary motor of the driving robot device may vary depending on the material of the floor of the travel area. For example, in the case of an uneven floor, the load value of the rotary motor is identified as high, and in the case of a uniform and smooth floor, the load value of the rotary motor is identified as low. Since the load value of the rotary motor of the driving robot device is constantly identified in the pad holder of the docking station, the driving robot device can identify the moisture content of the cleaning pad by using the load value obtained in the docking station.

[0165] In operation S1230, the robot apparatus is driven to detect a load of the cleaning pad on the floor.

[0166] The driving robot device can obtain the load value of the rotary motor for the floor immediately after leaving the docking station. The water content of the cleaning pad identified in the docking station when the driving robot device starts is equal to the water content of the cleaning pad on the floor immediately after the driving robot device starts. That is, in operation S1210, when the water content of the cleaning pad of the driving robot device meets the reference water content, the driving robot device leaves the docking station, and thus the water content of the cleaning pad on the floor immediately after the driving robot device starts meets the reference water content. Therefore, by obtaining the load value of the rotary motor for the floor immediately after the driving robot device leaves the docking station, the load value of the rotary motor for the floor can be matched with the reference water content of the cleaning pad. The driving robot device can identify the material of the floor by using data in which the reference water content of the material of the floor is matched with the load value of the rotary motor. The data in which the reference water content of the material of the floor is matched with the load value of the rotary motor can be pre-stored in the memory of the driving robot device and / or the cloud server.

[0167] In operation S1250, the robot apparatus is driven to detect the moisture content of the cleaning pad.

[0168] The driving robot device may identify the water content of the cleaning pad while traveling. For example, the driving robot device may identify the water content of the cleaning pad by using the instantaneous load value of the rotating pad identified during traveling. The driving robot device may identify the water content of the cleaning pad based on the result of comparing the instantaneous load value of the rotating motor while traveling with the average load value obtained by accumulating the instantaneous load value over time. In this case, the driving robot device may perform the comparison with the average load value by using the standard deviation of the instantaneous load value.

[0169] The driving robot device can identify the moisture content corresponding to the instantaneous load value of the cleaning pad by using data in which the moisture content of the material of the floor is matched with the load value of the rotating motor. The data in which the moisture content of the material of the floor is matched with the load value of the rotating motor can be pre-stored in the memory of the driving robot device and / or the cloud server.

[0170] In operation S1270, the robot device is driven to control the water supply motor.

[0171] The driving robot device may supply water to the cleaning pad based on the water content of the cleaning pad identified in operation S1250. For example, the driving robot device may control the water supply motor to supply water to the cleaning pad based on a result of comparing the instantaneous load value of the rotary motor obtained in operation S1250 with a reference load value. The reference load value of the driving robot device may be a load value of the rotary motor for the floor immediately after leaving the docking station obtained in operation S1230.

[0172] The driving robot device may supply water to the cleaning pad based on a result of recognizing that the standard deviation of the instantaneous load value of the rotating motor when traveling is lower than a threshold value. The driving robot device may supply water to the cleaning pad based on a result of comparing the instantaneous load value with an average load value obtained by accumulating the instantaneous load values ​​over time. For example, the driving robot device may supply water to the cleaning pad based on a result of recognizing that the instantaneous load value is lower than the average load value.

[0173] The driving robot apparatus may supply water to the cleaning pad based on a difference between the reference water content and the water content of the cleaning pad identified in operation S1250. The driving robot apparatus may control the water supply motor to supply the cleaning pad with a shortage of the reference water content.

[0174] The driving robot device may supply water to the cleaning pad while traveling. The driving robot device may identify an area to which the driving robot device has traveled while supplying water to the cleaning pad. The driving robot device may adjust a travel path of the driving robot device based on the area to which the driving robot device has traveled while supplying water. For example, when traveling near an area to which the driving robot device has traveled while supplying water, the driving robot device may adjust a travel path so as to re-clean the identified area. When the driving robot device finishes cleaning the travel area, the driving robot device may adjust a travel path so as to re-clean the area to which the driving robot device has traveled while supplying water.

[0175] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the driving robot apparatus can easily identify the water content of the cleaning pad, can adjust the travel path according to the water content of the cleaning pad, and control water supply.

[0176] Fig.13is a diagram showing an operation of driving a robot device to adjust a travel path according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Fig.14 is a diagram illustrating an operation of driving a robot apparatus to adjust a travel path according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0177] refer to Fig.13 and Fig.14 , the driving robot devices 1300 and 1400 according to the embodiments of the present disclosure may leave the docking station 20 and clean the travel area 1 along the travel paths 1310 and 1410, respectively. The travel area 1 may be defined according to a specific standard when the driving robot devices 1300 and 1400 start operating, or may be preset by a designer or user.

[0178] The driving robot devices 1300 and 1400 may identify the moisture content of the cleaning pad in the docking station 20. The driving robot devices 1300 and 1400 may identify the load value of the rotation motor for the floor immediately after leaving the docking station 20.

[0179] The driving robot devices 1300 and 1400 can identify the moisture content of the cleaning pad while traveling. The driving robot devices 1300 and 1400 can identify the moisture content of the cleaning pad according to the instantaneous load value obtained while traveling based on the load value of the rotation motor for the floor immediately after the driving robot devices 1300 and 1400 leave the docking station 20.

[0180] When the water content of the cleaning pad is less than the reference water content, the driving robot devices 1300 and 1400 may supply water to the cleaning pad. The driving robot devices 1300 and 1400 may supply water to the cleaning pad while traveling. For example, the driving robot devices 1300 and 1400 may supply water to the cleaning pad based on the result of comparing the instantaneous load value of the rotating motor obtained while traveling with the reference load value. The reference load value of the driving robot devices 1300 and 1400 may be the load value of the rotating motor for the floor immediately after leaving the docking station 20. As another example, the driving robot devices 1300 and 1400 may supply water to the cleaning pad based on the result of recognizing that the standard deviation of the instantaneous load value of the rotating motor while traveling is lower than a threshold value. As another example, the driving robot devices 1300 and 1400 may supply water to the cleaning pad based on the result of recognizing that the instantaneous load value is lower than the average load value obtained by accumulating the instantaneous load value over time. As another example, the driving robot devices 1300 and 1400 may supply water to the cleaning pad according to the difference between the water content of the cleaning pad identified based on the reference water content and the instantaneous load value. The driving robot devices 1300 and 1400 may control the water supply motor to supply the cleaning pad with a shortage of the reference water content.

[0181] Since the cleaning pads of the driving robot devices 1300 and 1400 need time to be permeated with water even if water is supplied, the water content of the cleaning pads does not increase immediately. Therefore, the driving robot devices 1300 and 1400 can re-clean the area to which water is supplied to the cleaning pads.

[0182] The driving robot apparatuses 1300 and 1400 may identify an area where the driving robot apparatuses 1300 and 1400 have traveled while supplying water to the cleaning pad. For example, the driving robot apparatuses 1300 and 1400 may identify an area where the driving robot apparatuses 1300 and 1400 have traveled while supplying water to the cleaning pad in an indoor space map (e.g., a navigation map, a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) map, and an obstacle recognition map).

[0183] The driving robot devices 1300 and 1400 may adjust the travel paths of the driving robot devices 1300 and 1400 based on the areas where the driving robot devices 1300 and 1400 have traveled while supplying water.

[0184] For example, when the driving robot device 1300 travels near the first area where the driving robot device 1300 has traveled when the water is supplied, the driving robot device 1300 may adjust the travel path 1320 for re-cleaning. When traveling near the first area, the driving robot device 1300 may adjust the travel path 1320 so as to travel within the first area. The driving robot device 1300 may travel along the travel path 1320 in a zigzag and / or spiral manner in the first area. When the travel within the first area is completed, the driving robot device 1300 may travel along the travel path 1310.

[0185] As another example, when the driving robot device 1400 finishes cleaning the travel area 1, the driving robot device 1400 may adjust the travel path 1420 so as to re-clean the second area to which the driving robot device 1400 has traveled while supplying water. When the driving robot device 1400 reaches the end of the travel path 1410, the driving robot device 1400 may add the travel path 1420 so as to travel in the second area. The driving robot device 1400 may travel in a zigzag and / or spiral manner along the travel path 1420 in the second area. When the travel in the second area is completed, the driving robot device 1400 may return to the docking station 20.

[0186] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the driving robot apparatus can easily identify the water content of the cleaning pad, can adjust the travel path according to the water content of the cleaning pad, and control water supply.

[0187] The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. A "non-transitory storage medium" is a tangible device and only means that signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves) are not included. The term does not distinguish between a case where data is semi-permanently stored in a storage medium and a case where data is temporarily stored in a storage medium. For example, a non-transitory storage medium may include a buffer that temporarily stores data.

[0188] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method according to various embodiments of the present disclosure disclosed herein can be provided by being included in a computer program product. The computer program product can be traded between a seller and a buyer as a commodity. The computer program product can be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., a compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM)), or can be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) via an application store, or distributed directly between two user devices (e.g., smart phones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product (e.g., a downloadable application) is at least temporarily stored on a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., a server of a manufacturer, a server of an application store, or a memory of a relay server), or can be temporarily generated.

Claims

1. A control method for driving a robot device, the control method comprising: Obtaining, via a sensor, a load value of the rotating motor when the rotating motor driving the robot device rotates the bracket; identifying a moisture content of a cleaning pad fixed to the bracket based on a load value of the rotating motor; as well as Based on the load value of the rotary motor, the cleaning assembly is controlled to supply water to the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket.

2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein: Obtaining the load value of the rotating electrical machine includes: When the driving robot device is moving, controlling the sensor to obtain an instantaneous load value of the rotating motor, and while the driving robot device is traveling, obtaining an average load value of the rotating motor via the sensor; and Controlling the cleaning component includes: Based on comparing the instantaneous load value with the average load value, the cleaning assembly is controlled to supply water to the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket.

3. The control method according to claim 2, wherein: Controlling the cleaning component includes: Obtain the standard deviation of the instantaneous load values, and Based on comparing the standard deviation with a threshold value, the cleaning assembly is controlled to supply water to the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket.

4. The control method according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising: identifying an area in which the drive robotic device travels while supplying water to the cleaning pad secured to the support; as well as Based on the identified area, a travel path of the drive robotic device is adjusted.

5. The control method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: Obtaining the load value of the rotating electrical machine includes: When the driving robot device is in the docking station, controlling the sensor to obtain a first load value of the rotating motor, wherein the docking station includes a protrusion in an area where the cleaning pad is fixed to the bracket, and Controlling the cleaning component includes: Based on comparing the first load value with a reference load value, the cleaning assembly is controlled to supply water to the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket.

6. The control method according to claim 5, further comprising: Based on comparing the first load value with the reference load value, a movement assembly is controlled to cause the driving robotic device to leave the docking station.

7. The control method according to claim 6, further comprising: Immediately after the driving robot device leaves the docking station, controlling the sensor to obtain a second load value of the rotating motor; When the driving robot device is moving, controlling the sensor to obtain a third load value of the rotating motor; as well as Based on comparing the second load value with the third load value, the cleaning assembly is controlled to supply water to the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket.

8. The control method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein: The protrusion has different slopes on respective sides of the protrusion, and Obtaining a first load value of the rotating electrical machine includes: The rotation motor is controlled so that the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket is rotated in a direction in which the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket travels along a high slope among the different slopes of the protrusion.

9. The control method according to claim 8, wherein: The protrusion comprises: Central protrusion, and One or more wing-like protrusions located at both ends of the central protrusion, A high slope among the different slopes of the protrusion is located on one side of the central protrusion. 10 . A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program for causing a computer to execute the method according to claim 1 .

11. A driving robot device (10; 300), comprising: Mobile assembly (11; 310); Cleaning components (12; 330), including: A bracket to hold the cleaning pad, and a rotary motor configured to rotate the bracket; a sensor (14; 340) configured to detect a load of the rotating motor when the rotating motor is rotating the bracket; and The processor (19; 390) is configured to: obtaining a load value of the rotating electrical machine by using the sensor (14; 340), and Based on the load value of the rotary motor, the cleaning assembly (12; 330) is controlled to supply water to a cleaning pad fixed to the bracket.

12. The driving robot device according to claim 11, wherein: The processor is further configured to: When the driving robot device is moving, controlling the sensor to obtain the instantaneous load value of the rotating motor, while the driving robot device is traveling, obtaining an average load value of the rotating motor via the sensor, and Based on comparing the instantaneous load value with the average load value, the cleaning assembly is controlled to supply water to the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket.

13. The driving robot device according to claim 12, wherein: The processor is further configured to: Obtain the standard deviation of the instantaneous load values, and Based on comparing the standard deviation with a threshold value, the cleaning assembly is controlled to supply water to the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket.

14. The driving robot device according to claim 12 or 13, wherein: The processor is further configured to: identifying an area that the driving robotic device travels while supplying water to the cleaning pad secured to the support, and Based on the identified area, a travel path of the drive robotic device is adjusted.

15. The driving robot device according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein: The processor is further configured to: When the driving robot device is in the docking station, controlling the sensor to obtain a first load value of the rotating motor, wherein the docking station includes a protrusion in an area where the cleaning pad is fixed to the bracket, and Based on a result of comparing the first load value with a reference load value, the cleaning assembly is controlled to supply water to the cleaning pad fixed to the bracket.

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