Automatic pool cleaning device, control method and computer storage medium

Abstract

The invention provides a control method of an automatic pool cleaning device, the automatic pool cleaning device comprises a water pump, and the water pump is used for guiding water flow to flow into a water suction port in the bottom of the automatic pool cleaning device and flow out from a water drainage port of the automatic pool cleaning device. The control method comprises the following steps: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to walk underwater and execute cleaning operation; in the walking process, whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck or not is judged, and if the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, a water pump is turned off, and the automatic pool cleaning device is made to rotate by a preset angle; and controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to advance or retreat after rotating by a preset angle. According to the method, when the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, the automatic pool cleaning device can be controlled to escape as soon as possible, and the cleaning efficiency and user experience of the automatic pool cleaning device are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present application relate to the technical field of cleaning devices, and in particular to a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device, an automatic pool cleaning device, and a computer storage medium. Background Art

[0002] With the development of computer technology, robotics technology has also developed rapidly. Currently, underwater robots are used more and more widely in various fields, and can assist people in working in the water, including underwater cleaning operations.

[0003] Underwater cleaning robots, such as swimming pool cleaning devices, will encounter many complex terrains while cleaning the bottom of the swimming pool. These complex terrains can easily cause the swimming pool cleaning device to get stuck, that is, the swimming pool cleaning device will get stuck in the complex terrain at the bottom of the swimming pool and will have difficulty continuing to clean, thus affecting the cleaning efficiency of the swimming pool cleaning device.

[0004] Therefore, in the process of using a swimming pool cleaning device to clean the bottom of a swimming pool, how to overcome the complex terrain and clean smoothly becomes a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently. Summary of the invention

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present application, a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device is provided, wherein the automatic pool cleaning device comprises a water pump, wherein the water pump is used to guide water to flow into a water suction port at the bottom of the automatic pool cleaning device and flow out from a water discharge port of the automatic pool cleaning device, wherein the control method comprises: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to walk underwater and perform cleaning operations; during the walking process, determining whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, and if the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, turning off the water pump and rotating the automatic pool cleaning device by a predetermined angle; and controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move forward or backward after rotating by the predetermined angle.

[0006] According to a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application, during the forward or backward process, the water pump is turned on to provide forward or backward thrust for the automatic pool cleaning device.

[0007] According to a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application, the walking includes straight-line walking.

[0008] According to a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application, the automatic pool cleaning device also includes an inertial measurement unit IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit). During the walking process, the inertial measurement unit IMU is used to measure the acceleration of the automatic pool cleaning device. The determining whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck includes: determining whether the acceleration of the automatic pool cleaning device changes within a first predetermined time period based on the acceleration measured by the inertial measurement unit IMU; if the acceleration of the automatic pool cleaning device does not change within the first predetermined time period, determining that the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck.

[0009] According to a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application, the automatic pool cleaning device also includes a speed sensor, and during the walking process, the speed sensor is used to measure the forward speed of the automatic pool cleaning device, wherein the judging whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck includes: judging whether the forward speed of the automatic pool cleaning device is always less than a predetermined speed threshold within a second predetermined time period based on the forward speed measured by the speed sensor, if the forward speed of the automatic pool cleaning device is always less than the predetermined speed threshold within the second predetermined time period, then judging that the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck.

[0010] According to a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application, the automatic pool cleaning device also includes a wheel speed sensor. During the walking process, the wheel speed sensor is used to measure the straight-line moving distance or moving time of the automatic pool cleaning device. The judging whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck includes: judging whether the measured moving distance is greater than a predetermined distance threshold or judging whether the moving time is greater than a predetermined moving time. If the measured moving distance is greater than the predetermined distance threshold or the moving time is greater than the predetermined moving time, it is judged that the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck.

[0011] According to a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application, the automatic pool cleaning device also includes a distance sensor, and during the walking process, the distance sensor is used to measure the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device and a predetermined object, wherein the judging whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck includes: judging whether the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device and the predetermined object has changed within a third predetermined time period based on the distance measured by the distance sensor, and if the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device and the predetermined object has not changed within the third predetermined time period, judging that the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck.

[0012] According to a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application, the distance sensor includes an ultrasonic sensor or an infrared sensor.

[0013] According to a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application, the first predetermined time length is 3 seconds to 10 seconds.

[0014] According to a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application, the predetermined angle is 30 degrees to 90 degrees.

[0015] According to a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application, after controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move forward or backward a predetermined distance, the control method further includes: determining again whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, and if the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to issue a prompt message.

[0016] According to a second aspect of the present application, an automatic pool cleaning device is provided for cleaning a swimming pool, the automatic pool cleaning device comprising: a water pump, the water pump being used to guide water to flow into a water suction port at the bottom of the automatic pool cleaning device and out of a water discharge port of the automatic pool cleaning device; and a control unit, the control unit being configured to: control the automatic pool cleaning device to walk underwater and perform cleaning operations; during the walking process, determine whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, if the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, the control unit turns off the water pump and controls the automatic pool cleaning device to rotate a predetermined angle; and controls the automatic pool cleaning device to move forward or backward.

[0017] According to a third aspect of the present application, a computer storage medium is provided, wherein the storage medium stores a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the control method of the automatic pool cleaning device as described in any one of the above is implemented.

[0018] The embodiments described in this application have the following beneficial effects:

[0019] During the movement of the automatic pool cleaning device, it is determined whether it is stuck. If it is stuck, the automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to rotate a predetermined angle to adjust the relative posture of the automatic pool cleaning device and the stuck position. After the posture is adjusted, the automatic pool cleaning device is further controlled to move forward or backward so that the automatic pool cleaning device can get out of the predicament as soon as possible, thereby allowing the automatic pool cleaning device to clean smoothly, thereby improving the cleaning efficiency of the automatic pool cleaning device and user experience. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for the description of the embodiment. The drawings described below are only exemplary embodiments of the present application.

[0021] Figure 1 is a flow chart of a control method of an automatic pool cleaning device provided in the present application; and

[0022] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the components of the swimming pool cleaning device provided by the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions in this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in this application. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0024] The present application provides a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device, wherein the automatic pool cleaning device comprises a water pump, wherein the water pump is used to guide water to flow into a water suction port at the bottom of the automatic pool cleaning device and flow out from a water discharge port of the automatic pool cleaning device.

[0025] It is understandable that the automatic pool cleaning device can be mobile and clean in a pool-shaped building, and the pool-shaped building can be, for example, a swimming pool, a reservoir, a water tank, a water tank, etc. The pool cleaning device can be a device such as an automatic cleaning device, a pool cleaning robot, etc., which can clean the pool-shaped building. The present application does not limit the specific presentation of the automatic pool cleaning device and the pool-shaped building, as long as the principle of the present application can be implemented. In the following, if not otherwise specified, the robot will be used as an example of the automatic pool cleaning device, and the swimming pool will be used as an example of the pool-shaped building.

[0026] When cleaning the bottom of the swimming pool, the robot usually cleans according to a planned cleaning route, wherein the planned cleaning route may be, for example, reciprocating cleaning between two opposite sides of the bottom of the swimming pool. The robot may include a water pump, and a water inlet and a water outlet are also provided on the robot, wherein the water inlet is located at the abdomen or bottom of the robot, and the water outlet is located at the back or upper part of the robot. In the process of controlling the robot to move forward to clean the bottom of the swimming pool, the water pump is used to guide water to flow into the water inlet of the robot and out of the water outlet of the robot, thereby cleaning the swimming pool.

[0027] The robot control method 100 is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] Figure 1 1 is a flow chart of a control method 100 for an automatic pool cleaning device provided in the present application. Figure 1 As shown, the control method 100 includes step 101, step 102 and step 103. Steps 101 to 103 are described in detail below.

[0029] In step 101, the automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to move underwater and perform cleaning operations.

[0030] For example, the robot can be controlled to walk along a planned cleaning route on the bottom of a swimming pool to perform cleaning work. The cleaning route can be planned according to the shape of the bottom of the swimming pool. The robot can also be controlled to walk along the wall of the swimming pool and perform cleaning work.

[0031] When the robot walks along the planned cleaning route, its walking mode is related to the planned cleaning route. For example, the walking includes straight-line walking, and may also include reciprocating walking (for example, bow-shaped walking). The straight line referred to herein also includes a curve with a small curvature. The walking modes shown above are only exemplary, and those skilled in the art can select and set the mode of the robot walking underwater according to the actual situation, as long as the technical principles of the present application can be implemented.

[0032] During the walking process, step 102 is executed, in which it is determined whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck.

[0033] It is understandable that there may be obstacles such as floor lights, drains, filters, and escalators at the bottom of the swimming pool that extend to the side walls of the swimming pool. When the robot is moving and cleaning the bottom of the swimming pool, it may get stuck when it reaches the above-mentioned obstacles due to the obstruction of the obstacles, causing the robot to be unable to continue moving, resulting in the inability to continue cleaning the swimming pool. Therefore, when the robot is stuck, the cleaning efficiency of the pool will be seriously affected. Based on this, in the process of the robot cleaning the bottom of the swimming pool, it is necessary to determine whether the robot is stuck during the cleaning process, so as to promptly detect that the robot is stuck and get out of trouble in time. Among them, there can be many ways to determine whether the robot is stuck, and the present application will be described in the following embodiments.

[0034] When the robot is stuck, there may be two situations: (1) the robot stops at the stuck position, in which case the robot's speed drops to 0 or close to 0; (2) the robot moves back and forth in the narrow space corresponding to the stuck position, in which case the robot's speed is also lower than its normal driving speed. The two situations described above are only exemplary descriptions of situations when the robot is stuck, and are not intended to limit the number of situations when the robot is stuck. Those skilled in the art can apply the principles of the present application to various situations in which the robot is stuck.

[0035] If the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, the process proceeds to step 103. In step 103, the water pump is turned off and the automatic pool cleaning device is rotated by a predetermined angle; and the automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to move forward or backward after rotating by the predetermined angle.

[0036] Specifically, when it is determined that the robot is stuck, the robot's water pump needs to be turned off first. This is because in the process of the water pump sucking water from the robot's water inlet into the robot and discharging it from the robot's drain port, sucking water from the water inlet will increase the suction force of the water inlet on the bottom of the swimming pool (i.e., the suction force between the robot and the bottom of the swimming pool), and the water flow discharged from the drain port will provide a force to the robot. The direction of the force depends on the direction of the drain port. Usually, the drainage direction of the drain port is set upward or obliquely upward, so that the force can increase the friction between the robot and the bottom of the water, reduce the robot's slippage, and improve the adhesion to the bottom of the pool or the wall. However, the combined effect of this adsorption force or adhesion force "presses" the robot on the surface of the bottom of the swimming pool or the pool wall, which is not conducive to the rotation and movement of the robot in the subsequent escape. Therefore, after turning off the robot's water pump, the subsequent escape action of the robot can be facilitated, and the success rate of escape can be increased. Of course, the turning off of the water pump referred to in this scheme also includes the situation where the water pump power is maintained at a small value. When the water pump is running at low power, the robot's escape action will not be affected by the above-mentioned force or adsorption force. In addition, low-power operation can also ensure that the robot's wheels or tracks do not leave the bottom or wall of the pool, preventing the robot from tilting or floating.

[0037] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified in this application, "forward" or "forwards" refers to the direction in which the head of the robot is pointing, and correspondingly, "backward" or "reverse" refers to the direction in which the tail of the robot is pointing. For example, when the robot moves forward along an existing path, it means that the robot moves in the direction in which its head is pointing; when the robot moves backward, it means that the robot moves in the direction in which its tail is pointing.

[0038] When the robot is traveling along a straight line or a curve with a small curvature, if the robot is stuck and cannot move forward, the robot may directly retreat at the stuck position, and may also be stuck. Based on this situation, the robot can be first controlled to rotate a predetermined angle to adjust the posture of the robot at the stuck position or the relative posture of the robot and the obstacle. Further, after rotating the predetermined angle, the robot can be controlled to exit the stuck position by moving forward or backward, thereby achieving escape, wherein the specific method of moving forward or moving backward is related to the environment in which the robot is currently stuck, and the embodiments of the present application are not specifically limited here. In the following, for the convenience of description and to make the specification concise, if there is no additional explanation, the "posture of the robot at the stuck position" and the "relative posture of the robot and the obstacle" are collectively referred to as "posture of the robot" or "posture".

[0039] It can be understood that the specific escape action includes controlling the robot to rotate the predetermined angle, and then controlling the robot to move forward or backward. If the robot is difficult to escape, the direction of travel can be changed, such as changing from moving forward to moving backward or from moving backward to moving forward. If the robot still cannot escape, the robot is controlled to repeat the above escape actions in sequence until the robot successfully escapes. If the robot still fails to escape after several escape attempts, the robot can send a prompt message to the user so that the user can help the robot escape.

[0040] If the predetermined angle at which the robot rotates at the stuck position is set too small, the robot's posture adjustment is small, and the robot may be difficult to get out of trouble. However, due to the size and weight of the robot, the robot also needs to consume power to rotate its body, and the larger the rotation angle, the higher the power consumption. Therefore, the size of the predetermined angle of rotation can be set according to the size and weight of the robot. For example, if the size of the body is larger, the robot needs to rotate a larger predetermined angle to have a significant posture adjustment.

[0041] Exemplarily, the predetermined angle is small, which can save power when the robot is out of trouble, and the small rotation angle also makes it easier for the robot to continue cleaning near the path before the robot is out of trouble, thereby reducing the area that is missed. In one embodiment, the predetermined angle can be 30 to 90 degrees.

[0042] For example, in some cases, the predetermined angle can be set to a larger angle, such as more than 90 degrees, so that there are no more obstacles in the robot's forward direction after the robot is controlled to rotate a larger angle, and the robot can be controlled to move forward directly to escape. If there are still obstacles in the robot's forward direction after rotating a larger angle, the robot can be controlled to move backward to escape.

[0043] The above embodiments have the following beneficial effects:

[0044] The automatic pool cleaning device determines whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck. If stuck, the automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to rotate a predetermined angle to adjust the posture of the automatic pool cleaning device at the stuck position and / or its relative posture to the obstacle. After the posture is adjusted, the automatic pool cleaning device is further controlled to move forward or backward so that the automatic pool cleaning device can get out of the jam as soon as possible, thereby allowing the automatic pool cleaning device to continue cleaning operations, thereby improving the cleaning efficiency of the automatic pool cleaning device and user experience.

[0045] In one embodiment, during the forward or backward movement, the water pump is turned on to provide the automatic pool cleaning device with forward or backward thrust.

[0046] Specifically, the drainage outlet of the robot is located at the tail or upper part of the robot, and the direction of the discharged water flow can be adjusted by adjusting the direction of the drainage outlet. Based on this, in the process of controlling the robot to move forward or backward, in order to enable the robot to escape from the stuck position smoothly and quickly, the drainage direction of the drainage outlet can be adjusted based on the robot's escape method to provide the robot with forward or backward thrust, thereby increasing the success rate of the robot's escape. Usually, the thrust of the water spray is greater than the driving force of the crawler track.

[0047] For example, if the robot escapes by moving forward, the direction of the drain outlet can be adjusted so that the drain outlet sprays water toward the rear or obliquely above the rear of the robot, thereby providing a forward thrust to the robot, and the forward thrust together with the driving wheels of the robot pushes the robot forward, thereby increasing the success rate of the robot escaping from the trap. If the robot escapes by moving backward, the direction of the drain outlet can be adjusted so that the drain outlet sprays water toward the front or obliquely above the front of the robot, thereby providing a backward thrust to the robot, and the backward thrust together with the driving wheels of the robot pushes the robot backward, thereby increasing the success rate of the robot escaping from the trap. If the escape fails, the direction of travel can be changed and the escape can be tried again.

[0048] It is understood that, corresponding to adjusting the direction of the drain outlet, the robot has a drain outlet adjustment device that can adjust the drainage direction of the drain outlet, and those skilled in the art can selectively set the drain outlet adjustment device according to the principle of this application, and this application does not specifically limit it. The adjustment includes rotating the drain outlet or switching different drain outlets.

[0049] In one embodiment, the power of the water pump is adjustable, for example, the water pump has two working powers, low power and high power. When the robot moves forward or backward when getting out of trouble, after turning on the water pump, the water pump can be controlled to run at low power first, so that the robot attempts to get out of trouble, and the water pump first uses low power to help the robot get out of trouble, which can help the robot save electricity during the process of getting out of trouble. If the robot fails to get out of trouble, the water pump is controlled to run at high power, thereby increasing the thrust on the robot forward or backward, and increasing the success rate of the robot getting out of trouble.

[0050] In one embodiment, the automatic pool cleaning device further includes an inertial measurement unit (IMU). During the walking process, the inertial measurement unit (IMU) is used to measure the acceleration of the automatic pool cleaning device. The determination of whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck includes: determining whether the acceleration of the automatic pool cleaning device has changed within a first predetermined time period based on the acceleration measured by the inertial measurement unit (IMU). If the acceleration of the automatic pool cleaning device has not changed within the first predetermined time period, it is determined that the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck. The above acceleration data is acceleration data with abnormal data removed.

[0051] Exemplarily, the robot may further include an inertial measurement unit, which may measure the acceleration of the robot. The robot may determine whether the robot is stuck based on the acceleration measured by the inertial measurement unit. The specific technical principle example is described as follows:

[0052] An acceleration threshold value A is preset. If the measured acceleration is less than the preset acceleration threshold value A, it is determined that the robot is not stuck, but the robot is slightly affected by the uneven surface of the pool bottom, pebbles, branches, etc. when driving on the pool bottom, causing the robot's acceleration to fluctuate, but these reasons are not enough to cause the robot to be stuck, so the robot can still continue the cleaning operation. If the measured acceleration is greater than the predetermined acceleration threshold A, it can be determined that the robot has experienced a sudden drop in driving speed. At this time, it cannot be directly determined that the robot is stuck, because the robot may have touched the pool wall at this time and needs to turn back (for example, a bow-shaped turn). Therefore, it is necessary to continue to determine whether the measured acceleration changes within the next period of time (that is, within the first predetermined time length). If the acceleration measured within the first predetermined time length does not change, it means that the robot cannot return to the normal driving speed after the sudden drop in driving speed, or even cannot drive. Therefore, it can be determined that the robot is stuck; if the acceleration measured within the first predetermined time length changes, it means that the robot is accelerating (usually corresponding to the robot accelerating to the normal driving speed after making a bow-shaped turn), and it can be determined that the robot is not stuck.

[0053] In one embodiment, a stuck acceleration threshold B may also be pre-set. Accordingly, the determination of whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck includes: determining whether the acceleration of the automatic pool cleaning device within a first predetermined time period is greater than the stuck acceleration threshold B based on the acceleration measured by the inertial measurement unit IMU; if the acceleration of the automatic pool cleaning device within the first predetermined time period is greater than the stuck acceleration threshold B, it is determined that the automatic pool cleaning device is not stuck; if the acceleration of the automatic pool cleaning device within the first predetermined time period is always less than the stuck acceleration threshold B, it is determined that the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck.

[0054] As mentioned above, when the robot is stuck, it may reciprocate at the stuck position. In this case, the robot is not in a stationary state, and each reciprocating movement of the robot will bring about a change in acceleration. Therefore, if at a certain moment, the measured acceleration is greater than the predetermined acceleration threshold A, it can be determined that the robot has experienced a sudden drop in driving speed, thereby triggering a comparison between the measured acceleration and the stuck acceleration threshold B within the next first predetermined time period. If the acceleration of the robot within the first predetermined time period is greater than the stuck acceleration threshold B, it means that the robot has significantly accelerated after experiencing a sudden drop in driving speed, indicating that the robot is not stuck; if the acceleration of the robot within the first predetermined time period is always less than the stuck acceleration threshold B, it means that the robot cannot achieve reasonable acceleration to restore to normal driving speed, and therefore indicates that the robot is stuck.

[0055] In addition to the two situations described above where the robot is stuck, the robot may also experience a sudden drop in speed due to other situations. For example, when the robot travels to the junction of the bottom of the swimming pool and the side wall of the swimming pool and needs to stop and turn, the speed may also drop suddenly. However, in this case, the robot will accelerate again soon after the speed drops, so the acceleration of the robot will change within a certain period of time. Therefore, in order to exclude other situations that may cause the robot's speed to drop suddenly, the first predetermined time is set. When the acceleration of the robot changes within the first predetermined time (for example, the robot returns to the normal driving speed), it means that the robot is not stuck, and the speed drops suddenly due to other reasons; if the acceleration of the robot does not change within the first predetermined time, it means that the robot is in a stuck state. Based on the above discussion, the first predetermined time cannot be too short. If the time is too short, the situation where the acceleration of the robot remains unchanged for a short period of time in other non-stuck states of the robot may be misjudged as a robot stuck; the first predetermined time should not be too long either. If the time is too long, it will lead to the inability to timely judge the situation where the robot is stuck. In one embodiment, the first predetermined time can be 3 seconds to 10 seconds.

[0056] In one embodiment, the automatic pool cleaning device further comprises a speed sensor, such as a Hall sensor, a photoelectric sensor, a camera or other sensors capable of detecting speed. The automatic pool cleaning device further comprises a speed sensor, and during the walking process, the speed sensor is used to measure the forward speed of the automatic pool cleaning device, wherein the determining whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck comprises: determining whether the forward speed of the automatic pool cleaning device is always less than a predetermined speed threshold within a second predetermined time period based on the forward speed measured by the speed sensor, and if the forward speed of the automatic pool cleaning device is always less than the predetermined speed threshold within the second predetermined time period, then determining that the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck.

[0057] In one embodiment, the automatic pool cleaning device further comprises a wheel speed sensor (e.g., a code disc), and during the walking process, the code disc is used to measure the straight-line moving distance or moving time of the automatic pool cleaning device, wherein the judging whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck comprises: judging whether the measured moving distance is greater than a predetermined distance threshold or judging whether the moving time is greater than a predetermined moving time, and if the measured moving distance is greater than the predetermined distance threshold or the moving time is greater than the predetermined moving time, then the automatic pool cleaning device is judged to be stuck. The predetermined moving time is, for example, the conventional time required for the robot to walk straight from one edge area of ​​the swimming pool to the opposite edge area on the other side, and if the predetermined moving time is exceeded and the moving distance measured by the code disc is still increasing, it means that the robot has not actually moved, but only the idling of the wheel generates the reading of the code disc, and therefore it is judged that the robot is stuck; or the moving distance of the robot's straight-line walking can be directly monitored by the code disc, and if it exceeds the predetermined distance threshold (e.g., the distance from one edge area of ​​the swimming pool to the opposite edge area on the other side), then it is considered that the robot is stuck. The predetermined distance threshold may be determined based on a maximum distance that the robot walks in a straight line in the swimming pool.

[0058] In one embodiment, the automatic pool cleaning device further includes a distance sensor, and during the walking process, the distance sensor is used to measure the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device and a predetermined object, wherein the judging whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck includes: judging whether the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device and the predetermined object has changed within a third predetermined time period based on the distance measured by the distance sensor, and if the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device and the predetermined object has not changed within the third predetermined time period, then judging that the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck.

[0059] Exemplarily, the robot may include a distance sensor, and the distance between the robot and a predetermined object may be measured by the distance sensor, and then whether the robot is stuck may be determined based on the distance between the robot and the predetermined object. The specific technical principle example is described as follows:

[0060] It is understandable that in addition to the robot being difficult to move after being stuck, there may be other situations that cause the robot to move a reduced distance in a short period of time. For example, when the robot drives to the junction of the bottom of the swimming pool and the side wall of the swimming pool and needs to stop turning, it may be difficult to move forward in a short period of time. Therefore, in order to eliminate other situations that may cause the robot to be difficult to move smoothly, the third predetermined time length is set. When the distance between the robot and the predetermined object does not change within the third predetermined time length, it means that the robot is difficult to move smoothly within the third predetermined time length and the robot is stuck. It should be pointed out that the above-mentioned distance has not changed, including situations where the distance change is small or the distance change is within a predetermined threshold range. In one embodiment, the third predetermined time length can be 3 seconds to 10 seconds.

[0061] The predetermined object is a pre-set reference object. The predetermined object may change with the movement route of the robot. For example, the cleaning route of the robot at the bottom of the swimming pool is to move back and forth between two opposite sides of the bottom of the swimming pool. The predetermined object may be the side wall of the swimming pool in front of the robot (e.g., the side wall on the left side of the swimming pool). When the robot turns back in a bow shape, the predetermined object may be the side wall of the swimming pool on the other side (e.g., the side wall on the right side of the swimming pool). It should be noted that the above description of the predetermined object is only exemplary, and those skilled in the art may selectively set the predetermined object according to the principle of the present application, as long as the technical principle of the present application can be implemented.

[0062] In one embodiment, the distance sensor comprises an ultrasonic sensor or an infrared sensor.

[0063] The above describes four embodiments: (1) judging whether the robot is stuck by the change of acceleration; (2) judging whether the robot is stuck by the forward speed; (3) judging whether the robot is stuck by the moving time or moving distance given by the encoder; (4) judging whether the robot is stuck by judging the distance between the robot and a predetermined object.

[0064] Those skilled in the art can understand various combinations of the above four embodiments based on the principles described above, which will not be described in detail here.

[0065] In one embodiment, after controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to advance or retreat a predetermined distance or a predetermined time, the control method further includes: determining again whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, and if the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to issue a prompt message.

[0066] According to a second aspect of the present application, an automatic pool cleaning device is provided for cleaning a swimming pool. Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the swimming pool cleaning device provided by the present application. Figure 2 As shown in, the automatic pool cleaning device includes: a water pump, the water pump is used to guide water to flow into the water suction port at the bottom of the automatic pool cleaning device and flow out from the drain port of the automatic pool cleaning device; and a control unit, the control unit is configured to: control the automatic pool cleaning device to walk underwater and perform cleaning operations; during the walking process, determine whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, if the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, the control unit turns off the water pump and controls the automatic pool cleaning device to rotate a predetermined angle; and control the automatic pool cleaning device to move forward or backward after rotating the predetermined angle.

[0067] The automatic pool cleaning device can use the principles of the various embodiments described above to determine whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, and perform an escape operation after determining that it is stuck. The technical principles of the determination and escape operation can refer to the description of the various embodiments above, and will not be repeated here.

[0068] According to the third aspect of the present application, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is also provided, on which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it is implemented to execute the control method of the automatic pool cleaning device provided by the above-mentioned embodiments, wherein the automatic pool cleaning device includes a water pump, and the water pump is used to guide water to flow into the water suction port at the bottom of the automatic pool cleaning device and flow out from the discharge port of the automatic pool cleaning device. The control method includes: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to walk underwater and perform cleaning operations; during the walking process, determining whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, if the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, turning off the water pump and rotating the automatic pool cleaning device by a predetermined angle; and controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move forward or backward after rotating by a predetermined angle.

[0069] In a fourth aspect, the present application also provides a computer program product, the computer program product includes a computer program, the computer program can be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the computer can execute the control method of the automatic pool cleaning device provided by the above methods. Wherein, the automatic pool cleaning device includes a water pump, the water pump is used to guide the water flow into the water suction port at the bottom of the automatic pool cleaning device and out of the water discharge port of the automatic pool cleaning device, and the control method includes: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to walk underwater and perform cleaning operations; during the walking process, determining whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, if the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, turning off the water pump and rotating the automatic pool cleaning device by a predetermined angle; and controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move forward or backward after rotating by a predetermined angle.

[0070] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative, wherein the units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components displayed as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place, or they may be distributed on multiple network units. Some or all of the modules may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the scheme of this embodiment. Ordinary technicians in this field can understand and implement it without paying creative labor.

[0071] Through the description of the above implementation methods, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that each implementation method can be implemented by means of software plus a necessary general hardware platform, and of course, it can also be implemented by hardware. Based on this understanding, the above technical solution is essentially or the part that contributes to the prior art can be embodied in the form of a software product, and the computer software product can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as ROM / RAM, a disk, an optical disk, etc., including a number of instructions for a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in each embodiment or some parts of the embodiments.

[0072] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of different embodiments or examples, unless they are contradictory.

[0073] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0074] The above is only an exemplary embodiment of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can easily think of various changes or substitutions within the technical scope recorded in the present application, which should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A control method for an automatic pool cleaning device, the automatic pool cleaning device comprising a water pump, the water pump being used to guide water to flow into a water suction port at the bottom of the automatic pool cleaning device and to flow out from a water discharge port of the automatic pool cleaning device, the control method comprising: Controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move underwater and perform cleaning operations; During the walking process, determining whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, If the automatic pool cleaning device becomes stuck, turning off the water pump and rotating the automatic pool cleaning device by a predetermined angle; as well as The automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to move forward or backward after rotating by the predetermined angle.

2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein: During the forward or backward process, the water pump is turned on to provide the automatic pool cleaning device with forward or backward thrust.

3. The control method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The walking includes walking in a straight line.

4. The control method according to claim 1, wherein: The automatic pool cleaning device further comprises an inertial measurement unit IMU, and during the walking process, the inertial measurement unit IMU is used to measure the acceleration of the automatic pool cleaning device, wherein: The determining whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck includes: determining whether the acceleration of the automatic pool cleaning device changes within a first predetermined time period based on the acceleration measured by the inertial measurement unit IMU; if the acceleration of the automatic pool cleaning device does not change within the first predetermined time period, determining that the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck.

5. The control method according to claim 1, wherein: The automatic pool cleaning device further comprises a speed sensor, which is used to measure the forward speed of the automatic pool cleaning device during the walking process, wherein: The determining whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck includes: determining whether the forward speed of the automatic pool cleaning device is always less than a predetermined speed threshold within a second predetermined time period based on the forward speed measured by the speed sensor; if the forward speed of the automatic pool cleaning device is always less than the predetermined speed threshold within the second predetermined time period, determining that the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck.

6. The control method according to claim 1, wherein: The automatic pool cleaning device further comprises a wheel speed sensor, which is used to measure the linear moving distance or moving time of the automatic pool cleaning device during the walking process, wherein: The determining whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck includes: determining whether the measured moving distance is greater than a predetermined distance threshold or determining whether the moving time is greater than a predetermined moving time; if the measured moving distance is greater than the predetermined distance threshold or the moving time is greater than the predetermined moving time, it is determined that the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck.

7. The control method according to claim 1, wherein: The automatic pool cleaning device further comprises a distance sensor, and during the walking process, the distance sensor is used to measure the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device and a predetermined object, wherein: The determining whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck includes: determining whether the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device and the predetermined object changes within a third predetermined time period based on the distance measured by the distance sensor; if the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device and the predetermined object does not change within the third predetermined time period, determining that the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck.

8. The control method according to claim 7, wherein: The distance sensor includes an ultrasonic sensor or an infrared sensor.

9. The control method according to claim 4, wherein: The first predetermined time length is 3 seconds to 10 seconds.

10. The control method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein: The predetermined angle is 30 degrees to 90 degrees.

11. The control method according to claim 1, wherein: After controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move forward or backward, the control method further includes: determining again whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, and if the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to issue a prompt message or adjust the direction of travel to the opposite direction and then try to get out of the jam.

12. An automatic pool cleaning device for cleaning a swimming pool, the automatic pool cleaning device comprising: a water pump, the water pump being used to guide water to flow into a water intake port at the bottom of the automatic pool cleaning device and out of a water outlet of the automatic pool cleaning device; as well as A control unit, the control unit being configured to: Controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move underwater and perform cleaning operations; During the walking process, it is determined whether the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck. If the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck, the control unit turns off the water pump and controls the automatic pool cleaning device to rotate a predetermined angle; and controls the automatic pool cleaning device to move forward or backward after rotating the predetermined angle.

13. A computer storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program implements the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11 when executed by a processor.

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