Method for updating firmware of vacuum cleaner, vacuum cleaner for performing method, and computing device

Abstract

A method for updating firmware of a vacuum cleaner, the vacuum cleaner comprising a station and a vacuum cleaner body, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, by the vacuum cleaner body, a request for checking firmware update conditions when there is a new version of firmware; identifying, by the cleaner body, whether a firmware update condition is satisfied; sending, by the cleaner body, a result of the identification to the station; if a firmware update condition is satisfied and the user also agrees firmware update, a new version of firmware is received by the cleaner body and the received new version of firmware is installed by the cleaner body, where the firmware update condition may include at least one of a communication condition, a location condition, and a battery condition of the cleaner body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for updating firmware of a vacuum cleaner consisting of a station and a vacuum cleaner main body, and a computing device for executing the method. Background Art

[0002] Recently launched cleaners (vacuum cleaners, robot cleaners, etc.) have gradually supported various functions due to the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, and technological development is constantly being carried out to realize new functions.

[0003] When a consumer develops new functions or supplements existing functions after purchasing a vacuum cleaner, the consumer can add the new functions or supplement the existing functions for the vacuum cleaner purchased previously by updating the firmware of the vacuum cleaner.

[0004] However, if the vacuum cleaner does not have a wired connection port or a WiFi module, the consumer may need to take the vacuum cleaner to a service center or a service technician may need to go to the consumer's home to update the firmware of the vacuum cleaner, which is inconvenient. Summary of the invention

[0005] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for updating the firmware of a vacuum cleaner, the vacuum cleaner comprising a station and a vacuum cleaner body, the method may include: when there is a new version of firmware, the vacuum cleaner body receives a firmware update condition check request from the station; the vacuum cleaner body checks whether the firmware update condition has been met; the vacuum cleaner body sends the check result to the station; and when the firmware update condition has been met and the user agrees to update the firmware, the vacuum cleaner body receives the new version of firmware, and the vacuum cleaner body installs the received new version of firmware. The firmware update condition may include at least one of a communication condition, a location condition, or a battery condition of the vacuum cleaner body.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a vacuum cleaner body of a vacuum cleaner may include: a memory storing a program for executing a firmware update; and a processor configured to execute the program to perform: when a new version of firmware exists, receiving a firmware update condition check request from a station of the vacuum cleaner, checking whether a firmware update condition has been met, sending a result of the check to the station, and when the firmware update condition has been met and a user agrees to update the firmware, receiving the new version of firmware, and installing the received new version of firmware. The firmware update condition may include at least one of a communication condition, a location condition, or a battery condition of the vacuum cleaner body.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium may have a computer program stored therein, and when the computer program is executed by a computer, at least one of the embodiments of the above-described method is performed.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer program may be stored in a computer-readable recording medium to execute at least one embodiment of the above method embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 A diagram illustrating a system environment for updating firmware of a vacuum cleaner composed of a station and a vacuum cleaner main body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of the structure of a vacuum cleaner body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram of a structure of a station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 4 is a schematic block diagram of the structure of a server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 5 is a diagram for explaining an overall process of updating firmware of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 6 is a flowchart of a method for updating firmware of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating combinations of firmware update conditions according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] Figures 8 to 10 is a flowchart of operations performed by a vacuum cleaner body in a method of updating firmware of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] Fig.11 and Fig.12 2 is a diagram for explaining a method of outputting guidance regarding firmware update through a user interface (UI) of a cleaner body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] Fig.13 is a diagram for explaining a method of obtaining user consent through a mobile terminal when a firmware update condition has been satisfied according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] Fig.14 It is used to illustrate Figure 8 Flowchart of sub-operations included in the operation of receiving and installing a new version of firmware.

[0020] Fig.15 and Fig.16 1 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of checking whether a user agrees to perform the update through a UI of a vacuum cleaner body instead of a mobile terminal in a method of updating firmware of a vacuum cleaner.

[0021] Fig.17 and Fig.18 This is a diagram for explaining an embodiment in which the object for checking whether the firmware update condition has been satisfied is changed to a station or a server.

[0022] Fig.19 and Fig. 20 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment in which firmware update is performed by downloading a new version of firmware from a server through a mobile terminal instead of a station and transmitting the downloaded new version of firmware to a cleaner body. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Throughout the disclosure, the expression "at least one of a, b, or c" means only a, only b, only c, both a and b, both a and c, both b and c, all of a, b, and c, or variations thereof.

[0024] In the following description of the present disclosure, descriptions of technologies that are well known in the art and not directly related to the present disclosure are omitted. This is to clearly convey the main points of the present disclosure by omitting any unnecessary descriptions. In addition, the terms used below are defined in consideration of the functions in the present disclosure and may have different meanings depending on the intention, habits, etc. of the user or operator. Therefore, the terms should be defined based on the description of the entire specification.

[0025] For the same reason, some elements in the figures are exaggerated, omitted or schematically shown. In addition, the actual size of each element is not necessarily represented in the figures. In the accompanying drawings, the same or corresponding elements are represented by the same reference numerals.

[0026] With reference to the embodiments of the present disclosure described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, the advantages and features of the present disclosure and the methods for achieving these advantages and features will become apparent. However, this is not intended to limit the present disclosure to specific embodiments, and the present disclosure covers all changes, equivalents and substitutions that do not deviate from the spirit and technical scope. These embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be comprehensive and complete, and the scope of the present disclosure will be fully conveyed to those of ordinary skill in the art. The embodiments of the present disclosure can be defined according to the claims. Throughout the specification, similar reference numerals or characters refer to similar elements. In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, when it is considered that some detailed descriptions of related functions or configurations may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present disclosure, these detailed descriptions will be omitted. In addition, the terms used below are defined in view of the functions in the present disclosure, and may have different meanings according to the intentions, habits, etc. of the user or operator. Therefore, the terms should be defined based on the description of the entire specification.

[0027] Each block in the flowchart illustration and the combination of blocks in the flowchart illustration can be implemented by computer program instructions. The computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device, and the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device can produce a device for performing the functions specified in the flowchart block. The computer program instructions can also be stored in a computer-usable or computer-readable memory, which can instruct the computer or other programmable data processing device to operate in a specific manner, and the instructions stored in the computer-usable or computer-readable memory can produce an article of manufacture including an instruction device for performing the functions specified in the flowchart block. The computer program instructions can be installed on a computer or other programmable data processing device.

[0028] In addition, each block of flow chart can represent the part of module, segment or code, and it comprises one or more executable instructions for realizing the specified logical function.According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the function mentioned in the block also may not occur in order.For example, two blocks of continuous display can actually be performed substantially simultaneously, or can be performed in reverse order according to the function.

[0029] The term "unit" or "... device" used herein may represent a software element or a hardware element, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and perform a certain function. However, the term "unit" or "... device" is not limited to software or hardware. The term "unit" or "... device" may be configured to be included in an addressable storage medium or to replicate one or more processors. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the term "unit" or "... device" may include, for example, object-oriented software components, class components, and task components, as well as processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, program code segments, drivers, firmware, microcodes, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. The functions provided by a specific component or a specific "... unit" may be combined to reduce the number, or may be separated into additional components. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a "unit" or "... device" may include one or more processors.

[0030] Before going into detail, several terms will be defined.

[0031] In this specification, the "firmware" of the vacuum cleaner body refers to the software of the main microcomputer of the vacuum cleaner body (usually included in the input / output interface such as the LCD panel). In other words, hereinafter, the firmware refers to the software for controlling the overall operation of the vacuum cleaner body, and the embodiments disclosed herein relate to a method for easily updating such firmware.

[0032] The "firmware update condition" refers to one or more conditions that need to be satisfied in order to update the firmware of the vacuum cleaner body. The combination of the firmware update conditions can be presented in various ways, and specific examples thereof will be described below.

[0033] Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] First, refer to Figure 1 First, a system environment for updating the firmware of a vacuum cleaner body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described, and reference is made to Figures 2 to 4 Describe the configuration of the equipment included in the system (vacuum cleaner body, station, and server), and then refer to Figures 5 to 20 Describes the process of updating firmware by using these devices.

[0035] Figure 1 A diagram illustrating a system environment for updating firmware of a vacuum cleaner composed of a station and a vacuum cleaner main body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] refer to Figure 1 , a system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a vacuum cleaner consisting of a vacuum cleaner body 100 and a station 200 , a server 10 , and a mobile terminal 20 , and the station 200 , the server 10 , and the mobile terminal 20 may be connected to each other through a network.

[0037] according to Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the cleaner body 100 is a cleaner that sucks away dust by generating suction using a motor, but is not limited thereto and the cleaner body 100 may be any of various types of cleaners such as a robot cleaner.

[0038] The station 200 is a component for assisting or controlling the cleaner body 100. The cleaner body 100 can be stably mounted on the station 200, and the battery of the cleaner body 100 can be charged when the cleaner body 100 is mounted on the station 200. When the cleaner body 100 is mounted on the station 200, the station 200 can perform auxiliary tasks such as emptying the dustbin of the cleaner body 100.

[0039] The station 200 may transmit a command for controlling the cleaner body 100 to the cleaner body 100 and receive information related to a state of the cleaner body 100 from the cleaner body 100 by performing wireless communication with the cleaner body 100 via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) or the like.

[0040] The station 200 may be connected to the server 10 or the user's mobile terminal 20 through WiFi communication to provide the user with status information about the cleaner body 100 or receive information or a command for controlling the cleaner body 100 .

[0041] In the embodiment disclosed herein, the main function of the station 200 is to determine whether a firmware update is required, and when a firmware update is required, to control the firmware update process through BLE communication with the vacuum cleaner body 100. The detailed process of the station 200 controlling the firmware update of the vacuum cleaner body 100 will be described below with reference to other drawings.

[0042] The server 10 plays a role of storing the firmware to be installed in the cleaner body 100 and providing the stored firmware to the station 200 or the mobile terminal 20. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the server 10 may play a role of determining whether the firmware update condition has been met. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure (refer to Fig.18 In the embodiment of the present invention, the server 10 may be an Internet of Things (IoT) server that integrates and controls IoT devices in the home. In this case, the server 10 may provide information related to the control of the IoT device to the user 1 through the mobile terminal 20, and may receive a command for controlling the IoT device from the user 1 through the mobile terminal 20.

[0043] The mobile terminal 20 may be an electronic device such as a smart phone carried by the user 1 , and the mobile terminal 20 may be connected to the server 10 through a network to process a part of a process required for firmware update of the cleaner body 100 .

[0044] like Figure 1 As shown, the cleaner body 100 may be installed to be coupled with the station 200 when not in use, and the user 1 may remove the cleaner body 100 from the station 200 and operate the cleaner body 100 when the user 1 wants to clean.

[0045] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of the structure of the vacuum cleaner body 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the vacuum cleaner body 100 may include a communication interface 110, an input / output interface 120, a memory 130, a processor 140, a motor 150, and a battery 160. However, the components of the vacuum cleaner body 100 are not limited to the above examples, and the vacuum cleaner body 100 may include more or less components than the above components. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, some or all of the communication interface 110, the input / output interface 120, the memory 130, and the processor 140 may be implemented as a single chip, and the processor 140 may include one or more processors.

[0046] The communication interface 110 is a component for sending and receiving signals (e.g., control commands and data) with an external device in a wired or wireless manner, and may be configured to include a communication chipset that supports various communication protocols. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the communication interface 110 may support BLE communication by including a BLE module 111. Therefore, the cleaner body 100 may perform BLE communication with the station 200 or the mobile terminal 20.

[0047] The communication interface 110 may receive a signal from an external source and output the signal to the processor 140 , or may transmit a signal output by the processor 140 to an external source.

[0048] The input / output interface 120 may include an input interface (e.g., a power button, a touch screen, a function button, and a microphone) for receiving a control command or information from a user, and an output interface (e.g., a display panel, a speaker, and a vibration device) for displaying an execution result of an operation under user control or a state of the vacuum cleaner body 100. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the input / output interface 120 may output a guidance message related to a firmware update of the vacuum cleaner body 100, and may receive a response from the user 1 indicating whether to agree to the firmware update.

[0049] The memory 130, which is a component for storing various programs or data, may be composed of a storage medium (e.g., a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a hard disk, a compact disk (CD)-ROM, and a digital versatile disk (DVD), or a combination thereof). The memory 130 may not exist alone, but may be included in the processor 140 described below. The memory 130 may be implemented as a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, or a combination of a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory. The memory 130 may store a program for performing operations according to an embodiment of the present disclosure to be described below. The memory 130 may provide the stored data to the processor 140 in response to a request of the processor 140. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a program for updating the firmware of the vacuum cleaner body 100 may be stored in the memory 130.

[0050] The processor 140 is a component that controls a series of processes so that the vacuum cleaner body 100 operates according to the embodiments described below, and may include one or more processors. The one or more processors may be general-purpose processors such as a central processing unit (CPU), an application processor (AP), or a digital signal processor (DSP), a graphics-only processor such as a graphics processing unit (GPU) or a visual processing unit (VPU), or an AI-only processor such as a neural processing unit (NPU). For example, when the one or more processors are AI-only processors, the AI-only processor may be designed as a hardware structure specifically for processing a specific AI model.

[0051] The processor 140 may write data to the memory 130 or read data stored in the memory 130. Specifically, the processor 140 may execute a program stored in the memory 130 to process data according to a predefined operation rule or an artificial intelligence (AI) model. Therefore, the processor 140 may perform the operations described in the following embodiments, and unless otherwise specified, the operations performed by the cleaner body 100 described in the following embodiments may be regarded as being performed by the processor 140. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor 140 may perform a process for updating the firmware of the cleaner body 100 by executing a program stored in the memory 130.

[0052] exist Figure 2 In the embodiment of the present invention, the processor 140 may include a main microcomputer 141, a motor microcomputer 142, and a battery microcomputer 143. Figure 2 , the main microcomputer (micom) 141, the motor microcomputer 142, and the battery microcomputer 143 are all shown as being mounted on the processor 140 as a single chip, but are not limited thereto. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the main microcomputer 141 may be mounted on the input / output interface 120, the motor microcomputer 142 may be mounted on the motor 150, and the battery microcomputer 143 may be mounted on the battery 160. As described above, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the firmware to be updated may be software installed in the main microcomputer 141.

[0053] The motor 150 is a component that provides power required for the cleaner body 100 to perform a cleaning operation. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the cleaner body 100 is a vacuum cleaner, the motor 150 may generate suction to suck in dust.

[0054] The battery 160 is a component for supplying power to the components included in the cleaner body 100. Figure 1 As shown, the cleaner body 100 can perform a cleaning operation while being separated from the station 200. At this time, since the power line is not connected to the cleaner body 100, the cleaner body 100 can perform a cleaning operation by using the power charged in the battery 160.

[0055] Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram of the structure of the station 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the station 200 may include a communication interface 210, an input / output interface 220, a memory 230, a processor 240, a dust exhaust motor 250, and a battery charging adapter 260. However, the components of the station 200 are not limited to the above examples, and the station 200 may include more or less components than the above components. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, some or all of the communication interface 210, the input / output interface 220, the memory 230, and the processor 240 may be implemented as a single chip, and the processor 240 may include one or more processors.

[0056] The communication interface 210 is a component for sending and receiving signals (e.g., control commands and data) with an external device in a wired or wireless manner, and may be configured to include a communication chipset that supports various communication protocols. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the communication interface 210 may support WiFi communication and BLE communication by including a WiFi module 211 and a BLE module 212. Figure 3 In the embodiment, the WiFi module 211 and the BLE module 212 are configured separately. In fact, the WiFi module 211 and the BLE module 212 can be implemented in separate chips, or a module composed of a single chip can be configured to perform the roles of both the WiFi module 211 and the BLE module 212. Therefore, the station 200 can communicate with the server 10 or the mobile terminal 20 via WiFi, and can communicate with the cleaner body 100 or the mobile terminal 20 via BLE.

[0057] The communication interface 210 may receive a signal from an external source and output the signal to the processor 240 , or may transmit a signal output by the processor 240 to an external source.

[0058] The input / output interface 220 may include an input interface (e.g., a power button, a touch screen, a function button, and a microphone) for receiving a control command or information from a user, and an output interface (e.g., a display panel and a speaker) for displaying an execution result of an operation under user control or a state of the station 200.

[0059] The memory 230, which is a component for storing various programs or data, may be composed of a storage medium (e.g., a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a hard disk, a compact disk (CD)-ROM, and a digital versatile disk (DVD), or a combination thereof). The memory 230 may not exist alone, but may be included in the processor 240 described below. The memory 230 may be implemented as a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, or a combination of a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory. The memory 230 may store a program for performing operations according to an embodiment of the present disclosure to be described below. The memory 230 may provide the stored data to the processor 240 in response to a request of the processor 240. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a program for updating the firmware of the vacuum cleaner body 100 may be stored in the memory 230.

[0060] The processor 240 is a component that controls a series of processes so that the station 200 operates according to the embodiments described below, and may include one or more processors. The one or more processors may be a general-purpose processor such as a central processing unit (CPU), an application processor (AP), or a digital signal processor (DSP), a graphics-only processor such as a graphics processing unit (GPU) or a visual processing unit (VPU), or an AI-only processor such as a neural processing unit (NPU). For example, when the one or more processors are AI-only processors, the AI-only processor may be designed as a hardware structure specifically for processing a specific AI model.

[0061] The processor 240 may write data to the memory 230 or read data stored in the memory 230. Specifically, the processor 240 may execute a program stored in the memory 230 to process data according to a predefined operation rule or AI model. Therefore, the processor 240 may perform the operations described in the following embodiments, and unless otherwise specified, the operations performed by the station 200 described in the following embodiments may be regarded as being performed by the processor 240. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor 240 may execute a process for updating the firmware of the vacuum cleaner body 100 by executing a program stored in the memory 230.

[0062] The dust discharge motor 250 is a component for performing an operation of discharging dust from a dustbin mounted on the cleaner body 100 when the cleaner body 100 is coupled to the station 200. For example, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the dust discharge motor 250 may provide a driving force for discharging dust in the dustbin by opening a lid of the dustbin mounted on the cleaner body 100.

[0063] The battery charging adapter 260 is a component for charging the battery 160 mounted on the cleaner body 100. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the cleaner body 100 is coupled to the station 200, the battery charging adapter 260 of the station 200 can provide power for charging the battery 160 by contacting the terminal for charging the battery 160.

[0064] Figure 4 is a schematic block diagram of the structure of the server 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 , the server 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a communication interface 11, a processor 12, and a memory 13. However, the components of the server 10 are not limited to the above examples, and the server 10 may include more or less components than the above components. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, some or all of the communication interface 11, the processor 12, and the memory 13 may be implemented as a single chip, and the processor 12 may include one or more processors.

[0065] The communication interface 11 is a component for sending and receiving signals (e.g., control commands and data) with an external device in a wired or wireless manner, and can be configured to include a communication chipset supporting various communication protocols. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the communication interface 11 can communicate with the station 200 or the mobile terminal 20 through a network.

[0066] The communication interface 11 may receive a signal from an external source and output the signal to the processor 12 , or may transmit a signal output by the processor 12 to an external source.

[0067] The processor 12 is a component that controls a series of processes so that the server 10 operates according to the embodiments described below, and may include one or more processors. The one or more processors may be a general-purpose processor such as a central processing unit (CPU), an application processor (AP), or a digital signal processor (DSP), a graphics-only processor such as a graphics processing unit (GPU) or a visual processing unit (VPU), or an AI-only processor such as a neural processing unit (NPU). For example, when the one or more processors are AI-only processors, the AI-only processor may be designed as a hardware structure specifically for processing a specific AI model.

[0068] The processor 12 can write data to the memory 13 or read data stored in the memory 13. Specifically, the processor 12 can execute the program stored in the memory 13 to process the data according to the predefined operation rules or AI model. Therefore, the processor 12 can perform the operations described in the following embodiments, and unless otherwise specified, the operations performed by the server 10 described in the following embodiments can be regarded as being performed by the processor 12. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor 12 can execute a process for updating the firmware of the vacuum cleaner body 100 by executing the program stored in the memory 13.

[0069] The memory 230, which is a component for storing various programs or data, may be composed of a storage medium (e.g., a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a hard disk, a compact disk (CD)-ROM, and a digital versatile disk (DVD), or a combination thereof). The memory 13 may not exist alone, but may be included in the processor 12. The memory 13 may be implemented as a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, or a combination of a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory. The memory 13 may store a program for performing operations according to an embodiment of the present disclosure to be described below. The memory 13 may provide the stored data to the processor 12 in response to a request from the processor 12. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a program for updating the firmware of the vacuum cleaner body 100 may be stored in the memory 13. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the firmware to be installed in the vacuum cleaner body 100 may be uploaded to the memory 13.

[0070] A method of updating the firmware of the cleaner main body 100 will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0071] Before describing the specific embodiment, the firmware update process is schematically described. When a new version of firmware for adding a new function to the vacuum cleaner main body 100 is developed, the new version of firmware can be stored in the server 10. The station 200 can compare the version of the firmware installed in the vacuum cleaner main body 100 with the version of the firmware stored in the server 10 to determine whether a firmware update is required. When a firmware update is required, the vacuum cleaner main body 100 can determine whether the firmware update condition has been met. The determination of whether the firmware update condition has been met can be made by the station 200 or the server 10 instead of the vacuum cleaner main body 100. A specific example of the firmware update condition will be described in detail below. When the firmware update condition has been met, the vacuum cleaner main body 100 or the station 200 can check whether the user agrees to update the firmware through the mobile terminal 20 or the vacuum cleaner main body 100, and when the user agrees, the update can be performed by installing the new version of firmware stored in the server 10 in the vacuum cleaner main body 100.

[0072] In the embodiments described below, some processes may be changed, or objects that perform some processes may be changed.

[0073] Figure 5 is a diagram for explaining an overall process of updating firmware of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0074] refer to Figure 5 In operation 501, the station 200 sends a firmware version check request to the cleaner body 100. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the station 200 may inquire the cleaner body 100 of the version of the software installed in the main microcomputer 141 of the cleaner body 100.

[0075] In operation 502, the cleaner body 100 transmits firmware version information to the station 200. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the cleaner body 100 may check the version of software installed in the main microcomputer 141, and may notify the station 200 of the checked version.

[0076] In operation 503, the station 200 accesses the server 10 and checks whether a new version of firmware (a firmware version after the firmware version installed in the cleaner body 100) is stored in the memory 13 of the server 10. When it is checked that the new version of firmware is not stored in the memory 13, the station 200 may periodically (for example, every 24 hours) check whether a new version of firmware has been uploaded to the memory 13.

[0077] When the new version of firmware is stored in the memory 13 of the server 10, the station 200 may request the server 10 to send the new version of firmware. In operation 504, the server 10 may send the new version of firmware to the station 200. The station 200 may store the received new version of firmware in the memory 230.

[0078] In operation 505, the station 200 may send a firmware update condition check request to the cleaner body 100. In other words, the station 200 may inquire the cleaner body 100 whether the firmware update condition has been satisfied. Figure 7 Describe a specific example of the firmware update condition.

[0079] Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating combinations of firmware update conditions according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 7The first condition 710 and the second condition 720 are shown as examples of firmware update conditions. The first condition 710 and the second condition 720 are only examples, and the firmware update condition can be set to a combination of various conditions. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the firmware update condition can be set to include at least one of a communication condition of the vacuum cleaner body 100 (for example, whether the vacuum cleaner body 100 is connected to another device), a location condition (for example, whether the distance between the vacuum cleaner body 100 and another device is less than or equal to a reference value), or a battery condition (for example, how the battery charging state of the vacuum cleaner body 100 is).

[0080] Regarding the first condition 710, when the vacuum cleaner body 100 is installed on the station 200 (location condition) and connected to the station 200 via BLE (communication condition), and the battery 160 of the vacuum cleaner body 100 is in a 100% charged state (battery condition), the vacuum cleaner body 100 can determine that the firmware update condition has been met.

[0081] For the second condition 720, when the distance between the vacuum cleaner body 100 and the station 200 is within the BLE communication range (location condition and communication condition), and the battery 160 of the vacuum cleaner body 100 is charged to 50% or more (battery condition), the vacuum cleaner body 100 can determine that the firmware update condition has been met.

[0082] In addition to the first condition 710 and the second condition 720 , the firmware update condition may be variously set to include at least one of a communication condition, a location condition, or a battery condition of the cleaner main body 100 .

[0083] Return to reference Figure 5 In operation 506, the vacuum cleaner body 100 may determine whether the firmware update condition has been met, and when it is determined that the firmware update condition has not been met, the vacuum cleaner body 100 may periodically recheck whether the firmware update condition has been met. When the firmware update condition has been met, in operation 507, the vacuum cleaner body 100 may output a guide indicating that the firmware update is feasible. The vacuum cleaner body 100 may output a guide indicating that the firmware update is feasible through the input / output interface 120. For example, the vacuum cleaner body 100 may display a message indicating that the firmware update is feasible through a display panel included in the vacuum cleaner body 100, or may output a sound indicating that the firmware update is feasible through a speaker included in the vacuum cleaner body 100.

[0084] In operation 508 , the cleaner main body 100 may transmit a check response indicating that the firmware update condition has been satisfied to the station 200 .

[0085] In operation 509 , the station 200 may send a request to the mobile terminal 20 of the user 1 to display a message asking whether the user 1 agrees with the firmware update.

[0086] At the request of the station 200 , the mobile terminal 20 may display a message asking whether to agree to the firmware update on the screen, and when receiving the agreement from the user 1 in operation 510 , the user 1 may inform the station 200 that the user 1 has agreed to the firmware update in operation 511 .

[0087] When the firmware update condition is satisfied and the user 1 agrees to the above firmware update, in operation 512 , the station 200 may request installation when transmitting the new version of the firmware stored in the memory 230 to the cleaner body 100 .

[0088] In operation 513 , the cleaner main body 100 may perform firmware update by installing the received new version firmware.

[0089] Figure 6 is a flowchart of a method for updating firmware of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0090] refer to Figure 6 In operation 601 , the station 200 may check a firmware version of the cleaner body 100 , and in operation 602 , the station 200 may check whether a new version of the firmware has been uploaded to the server 10 .

[0091] When the result of the check is that the new version of the firmware has been uploaded to the server 10, in operation 603, the station 200 can download and store the new version of the firmware from the server 10. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, instead of the station 200 downloading the new version of the firmware from the server 10, the mobile terminal 20 can download the new version of the firmware from the server 10. This will be referred to below. Fig.19 and Fig. 20 Detailed description.

[0092] In operation 604, at the request of the station 200, the cleaner body 100 may check whether the firmware update condition has been satisfied. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the station 200 or the server 10 may check whether the firmware update condition has been satisfied instead of the cleaner body 100. Fig.17 An embodiment in which the station 200 checks whether the firmware update condition has been satisfied is described in detail and will be referred to below. Fig.18 An embodiment in which the server 10 checks whether the firmware update condition has been satisfied is described in detail.

[0093] In operation 605, the vacuum cleaner body 100 may output a guide indicating that the firmware update is possible through the input / output interface 120, and the mobile terminal 20 of the user 1 may display a message asking whether to agree to the firmware update. Subsequently, in operation 606, the mobile terminal 20 may determine whether the user 1 agrees to update the firmware through touch input or the like. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to check whether the user agrees to perform the update through the input / output interface 120 of the vacuum cleaner body 100 instead of the mobile terminal 20. Fig.15 and Fig.16 This embodiment is described in detail.

[0094] In operation 607, the cleaner body 100 may perform an update by receiving and installing a new version of firmware. Figure 5 As described above, the station 200 can download and store the new version of firmware from the server 10, and then send the new version of firmware to the vacuum cleaner body 100 when checking that the user agrees to the update. However, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the mobile terminal 20 can download and store the new version of firmware from the server 10 instead of the station 200, and then send the new version of firmware to the vacuum cleaner body 100. Fig.19 and Fig. 20 An embodiment in which the mobile terminal 20 transmits the new version of firmware to the cleaner body 100 instead of the station 200 is described in detail.

[0095] Now refer to Figures 8 to 10 A method of updating firmware of the cleaner main body 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described. The description will focus on operations performed by the cleaner main body 100.

[0096] Figures 8 to 10 1 is a flowchart of operations performed by the cleaner body 100 in a method of updating firmware of a cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figures 8 to 10 The flowchart shown in FIG. 1 summarizes the above reference from the perspective of the cleaner body 100. Figure 5 and Figure 6 The above also applies to the results of the process described. Figures 8 to 10 Flowchart of the process.

[0097] refer to Figure 8 , when receiving a firmware version check request from the station 200 in operation 801 , the cleaner body 100 may transmit version information of the firmware installed in the cleaner body 100 to the station 200 in operation 802 .

[0098] In operation 803 , when there is a new version of firmware, the cleaner main body 100 may receive a firmware update condition check request from the station 200 .

[0099] In operation 804, the cleaner body 100 may check whether the firmware update condition has been satisfied, and may send the check result to the station 200. Figures 9 to 12 Operation 804 is described in more detail.

[0100] Fig. 9 and Fig.10 They are used to illustrate Figure 8 Flowchart of sub-operations included in operation 804. Fig. 9 is a flowchart of an embodiment in which the vacuum cleaner body 100 periodically rechecks whether the firmware update condition is satisfied when checking that the firmware update condition is not satisfied, and Fig.10 The flowchart of an embodiment is for inducing the user 1 to actively contribute to satisfying the condition by outputting guidance for satisfying the firmware update condition when it is checked that the firmware update condition is not satisfied.

[0101] refer to Fig. 9 , in operation 901, the cleaner body 100 may determine whether a firmware update condition has been met.

[0102] In operation 902, the cleaner body 100 may output a guide indicating that the firmware update is possible through the input / output interface 120. The specific implementation of operation 902 is as follows: Fig.11 Reference Fig.11 , when the user 1 separates the vacuum cleaner main body 100 from the station 200, the vacuum cleaner main body 100 may display a guidance message indicating “Firmware update is possible” on the input / output interface 120, as shown in the first enlarged diagram 1100. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the vacuum cleaner main body 100 may display a message through the display panel of the input / output interface 120, and at the same time may output a notification sound (for example, a sound generated when an important event occurs, rather than a sound normally generated when the vacuum cleaner main body 100 is separated from the station 200) through the speaker of the input / output interface 120, or may output a voice message indicating “Firmware update is possible”. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the user 1 presses the power button of the vacuum cleaner main body 100 or inputs an operation command, the vacuum cleaner main body 100 may output a guidance message indicating that the firmware update is possible according to the various methods described above. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as will be described below with reference to Fig.12 As described above, the cleaner body 100 may output guidance indicating that firmware update is possible while outputting vibration.

[0103] In operation 903 , the cleaner main body 100 may transmit a response indicating that the firmware update condition has been satisfied to the station 200 .

[0104] refer to Fig.10 , in operation 1001 , the cleaner body 100 may determine whether a firmware update condition has been met.

[0105] When it is determined that the firmware update condition is not met, the cleaner body 100 may output guidance for meeting the firmware update condition through the input / output interface 120 in operation 1004. The specific implementation of operation 1004 may be as follows: Fig.12 Reference Fig.12 , when user 1 is cleaning by using the vacuum cleaner main body 100, when the vacuum cleaner main body 100 checks that there is an updateable firmware version but the firmware update condition is not met, the vacuum cleaner main body 100 can output a guidance message indicating "There is an updateable firmware version. To continue the update, please install the vacuum cleaner on the station." through the display panel of the input / output interface 120, as shown in the second enlarged diagram 1200. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the vacuum cleaner main body 100 can notify user 1 that there is an event to be checked by outputting vibration. In the case where user 1 operates the vacuum cleaner main body 100, user 1 may miss the notification sound or the guidance message due to noise, so user 1 can be notified by vibration.

[0106] Return to reference Fig.10 When it is determined in operation 1001 that the firmware update condition has been satisfied, in operation 1002, the cleaner body 100 may output a guide indicating that the firmware update is feasible through the input / output interface 120. Operation 1002 may be performed in the same manner as the above-described operation 902.

[0107] In operation 1003 , the cleaner main body 100 may transmit a response indicating that the firmware update condition has been satisfied to the station 200 .

[0108] Return to reference Figure 8 In operation 805, when the firmware update condition is met and the user 1 agrees to the firmware update, the cleaner body 100 can receive and install the new version of the firmware from the station 200. Figures 13 to 16 Operation 805 is described in more detail. Fig.13 and Fig.14 is a diagram related to an embodiment of checking whether the user 1 agrees to update the firmware through the mobile terminal 20, and Fig.15 and Fig.16 This is a diagram related to an embodiment of checking whether the user 1 agrees to update the firmware through the cleaner body 100.

[0109] Fig.13 2 is a diagram for explaining a method for obtaining user consent through a mobile terminal when a firmware update condition has been satisfied according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig.13, when the station 200 checks that the firmware update condition has been met, when the vacuum cleaner body 100 is mounted on the station 200, the station 200 may display a message asking whether to agree to update the firmware on the mobile terminal 20 of the user 1 through a WiFi communication request. The mobile terminal 20 may display a pop-up message 1310 on the screen 1300 according to the request from the station 200. At this time, the mobile terminal 20 may be in a state where an application for controlling the vacuum cleaners (100 and 200) has been executed, and the mobile terminal 20 may display information related to the control of the vacuum cleaners (100 and 200) by communicating with the station 200 directly or via an IoT server, etc. when executing the application, and may receive a command from the user 1 and send the received command to the vacuum cleaners (100 and 200).

[0110] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, regardless of the location of the mobile terminal 20, when the station 200 checks that the firmware update condition has been met, the station 200 may request the mobile terminal 20 to display the pop-up message 1310. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, after the station 200 checks that the firmware update condition has been met, when the user 1 separates the cleaner body 100 from the station 200, the station 200 may request the mobile terminal 20 to display the pop-up message 1310. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, after the station 200 checks that the firmware update condition has been met, when the mobile terminal 20 is located within a certain distance from the station 200 or the cleaner body 100, the station 200 may request the mobile terminal 20 to display the pop-up message 1310.

[0111] When the user 1 agrees to update the firmware through the pop-up message 1310 displayed on the screen 1300 of the mobile terminal 20, the station 200 may request installation when sending the new version firmware to the cleaner body 100, and the cleaner body 100 may install the received new version firmware.

[0112] Fig.14 It is used to illustrate Figure 8 Flowchart of sub-operations included in operation 805. Fig.14 In operation 1401, when a response indicating that the firmware update condition has been met is received from the vacuum cleaner main body 100, the station 200 may control the mobile terminal 20 to display a message asking whether to agree to update the firmware. In operation 1402, when the user 1 agrees to the firmware update, the station 200 may request installation when sending the new version of the firmware to the vacuum cleaner main body 100. In operation 1403, the vacuum cleaner main body 100 may install the received new version of the firmware.

[0113] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, whether the user 1 agrees to update the firmware may be checked through the cleaner body 100 instead of the mobile terminal 20 . Fig.15 and Fig.161 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of checking whether the user agrees to perform the update through a user interface (UI) of the cleaner body 100 instead of the mobile terminal 20 in a method of updating firmware of the cleaner.

[0114] refer to Fig.15 , in operation 1501 , the station 200 sends a firmware version check request to the cleaner body 100 , and in operation 1502 , the cleaner body 100 may send version information of the firmware installed in the cleaner body 100 to the station 200 .

[0115] In operation 1503 , the station 200 may access the server 10 to periodically check whether a new version of firmware is stored in the memory 13 of the server 10 .

[0116] When checking that the new version of the firmware is stored in the memory 13 of the server 10 , the station 200 may request the server 10 to transmit the new version of the firmware, and in operation 1504 , the server 10 may transmit the new version of the firmware to the station 200 .

[0117] In operation 1505, the station 200 may transmit a firmware update condition check request to the cleaner main body 100. In other words, the station 200 may inquire the cleaner main body 100 whether the firmware update condition has been satisfied.

[0118] In operation 1506 , the cleaner body 100 may determine whether the firmware update condition has been satisfied, and, when it is determined that the firmware update condition has not been satisfied, may periodically recheck whether the firmware update condition has been satisfied.

[0119] When the firmware update condition has been satisfied, the cleaner body 100 may display a message asking whether to agree to the firmware update on the input / output interface 120 of the cleaner body 100 in operation 1507 .

[0120] When the user 1 agrees to update the firmware through the input / output interface 120 of the cleaner body 100 in operation 1508 , the cleaner body 100 may request the station 200 to transmit a new version of the firmware in operation 1509 .

[0121] When the station 200 transmits a new version of firmware to the cleaner main body 100 according to the request in operation 1510 , the cleaner main body 100 may perform firmware update by installing the received new version of firmware in operation 1511 .

[0122] Fig.16 It is used to illustrate Figure 8 Flowchart of sub-operations included in operation 805. Fig.16In operation 1601 , the cleaner body 100 may display a message asking the user 1 whether to agree to the firmware update through the UI (input / output interface 120 ) of the cleaner body 100 .

[0123] In operation 1602, the vacuum cleaner body 100 may check whether the user 1 agrees to perform the firmware update. When the user 1 agrees to update the firmware through the input / output interface 120 of the vacuum cleaner body 100, the vacuum cleaner body 100 may request the station 200 to send a new version of firmware in operation 1603. In operation 1604, the vacuum cleaner body 100 may receive the new version of firmware from the station 200 and install the received new version of firmware.

[0124] In the above-described embodiment, the cleaner body 100 has checked whether the firmware update condition has been satisfied. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the station 200 or the server 10 may check whether the firmware update condition has been satisfied.

[0125] Fig.17 and Fig.18 1 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment in which the object for checking whether the firmware update condition has been satisfied is changed to a station or a server. Fig.17 In the illustrated embodiment, station 200 may check whether the firmware update conditions have been met and Fig.18 In the illustrated embodiment, the server 10 may check whether the firmware update condition has been satisfied.

[0126] refer to Fig.17 , in operation 1701 , the station 200 sends a firmware version check request to the cleaner body 100 , and in operation 1702 , the cleaner body 100 may send version information of the firmware installed in the cleaner body 100 to the station 200 .

[0127] In operation 1703 , the station 200 may access the server 10 to periodically check whether a new version of firmware is stored in the memory 13 of the server 10 .

[0128] When checking that the new version of the firmware is stored in the memory 13 of the server 10 , the station 200 may request the server 10 to transmit the new version of the firmware, and in operation 1704 , the server 10 may transmit the new version of the firmware to the station 200 .

[0129] When the station 200 requests the vacuum cleaner body 100 for information for checking the firmware update condition in operation 1705, the vacuum cleaner body 100 may send the information for checking the firmware update condition to the station 200 in operation 1706. “Information for checking the firmware update condition” refers to information required for checking whether the firmware update condition has been satisfied, and may include information about the communication state of the vacuum cleaner body 100, information about the position of the vacuum cleaner body 100, and information about the battery charging state of the vacuum cleaner body 100. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the vacuum cleaner body 100 may be in a state where it is not currently connected to another device through BLE communication and may be at a BLE communication possible distance or more from the station 200, and the battery 160 may send information indicating a 40% charging state to the station 200.

[0130] In operation 1707, the station 200 may check whether the firmware update condition is satisfied based on the information received from the cleaner body 100. When checking that the firmware update condition is not satisfied, the station 200 may return to operation 1705 after a predetermined period of time and request information for checking the firmware update condition from the cleaner body 100.

[0131] When checking that the firmware update condition has been satisfied, the station 200 may notify the cleaner body 100 that the firmware update condition has been satisfied in operation 1708 , and may send a message display request to the mobile terminal 20 asking whether to agree to the firmware update.

[0132] In operation 1709 , the cleaner main body 100 may output a guidance indicating that firmware update is possible to the input / output interface 120 .

[0133] When receiving the approval of the firmware update from the user 1 in operation 1711 , the mobile terminal 20 may inform the station 200 that the user 1 has approved the firmware update in operation 1712 .

[0134] In operation 1713, the station 200 may transmit the new version of the firmware to the cleaner body 100 and request the installation of the new version of the firmware. In operation 1714, the cleaner body 100 may perform firmware update by installing the received new version of the firmware.

[0135] refer to Fig.18 , in operation 1801 , the station 200 sends a firmware version check request to the cleaner body 100 , and in operation 1802 , the cleaner body 100 may send version information of the firmware installed in the cleaner body 100 to the station 200 .

[0136] In operation 1803 , the station 200 may access the server 10 to periodically check whether a new version of firmware is stored in the memory 13 of the server 10 .

[0137] When checking that the new version of the firmware is stored in the memory 13 of the server 10 , the station 200 may request the server 10 to transmit the new version of the firmware, and in operation 1804 , the server 10 may transmit the new version of the firmware to the station 200 .

[0138] When the station 200 requests the cleaner body 100 for information for checking the firmware update condition in operation 1805, the cleaner body 100 may send the information for checking the firmware update condition to the station 200 in operation 1806. In operation 1807, the station 200 may send the information for checking the firmware update condition to the server 10. The “information for checking the firmware update condition” is the same as that in the above reference. Fig.17 Same as described.

[0139] In operation 1808, the server 10 may check whether the firmware update condition has been satisfied based on the information received from the station 200. When it is checked that the firmware update condition has not been satisfied, the server 10 may send a response indicating that the firmware update condition has not been satisfied to the station 200 in operation 1809. In operation 1805, the station 200 may re-request information for checking the firmware update condition from the cleaner body 100 after a certain time has passed after receiving the response.

[0140] When it is checked in operation 1808 that the firmware update condition has been met, the server 10 proceeds to operation 1810 to notify the station 200 that the firmware update condition has been met. In operation 1811, the station 200 may notify the cleaner body 100 that the firmware update condition has been met. In operation 1813, the station 200 may request the mobile terminal 20 to display a message asking the user 1 whether to agree to the firmware update.

[0141] When the cleaner body 100 receives the notification indicating that the firmware update condition has been satisfied from the station 200 , in operation 1812 , the cleaner body 100 may output a guidance indicating that the firmware update is possible to the input / output interface 120 .

[0142] When receiving the approval of the firmware update from the user 1 in operation 1814 , the mobile terminal 20 may inform the station 200 that the user 1 has approved the firmware update in operation 1815 .

[0143] In operation 1816, the station 200 may transmit the new version firmware to the cleaner main body 100 and request the installation of the new version firmware. In operation 1817, the cleaner main body 100 may perform firmware update by installing the received new version firmware.

[0144] In the above embodiment, when a new version of firmware is stored in the memory 13 of the server 10, the station 200 downloads the new version of firmware and stores it in the memory 230, and then, when it is checked that the firmware update condition has been met and the user 1 has agreed to the firmware update, the firmware update is performed by performing all the above operations.

[0145] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the mobile terminal 20 may download and store a new version of firmware from the server 10 instead of the station 200 , and transmit the new version of firmware to the cleaner body 100 .

[0146] Fig.19 and Fig. 20 1 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment in which firmware update is performed by downloading a new version of firmware from a server through a mobile terminal instead of a station and transmitting the downloaded new version of firmware to a cleaner body.

[0147] refer to Fig.19 , in operation 1901 , the station 200 sends a firmware version check request to the cleaner body 100 , and in operation 1902 , the cleaner body 100 may send version information of the firmware installed in the cleaner body 100 to the station 200 .

[0148] In operation 1903 , the station 200 may access the server 10 to periodically check whether a new version of firmware is stored in the memory 13 of the server 10 .

[0149] When it is checked that the new version of the firmware is stored in the memory 13 of the server 10, the station 200 may send a firmware update condition check request to the vacuum cleaner body 100 in operation 1904. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the station 200 checks that the new version of the firmware is stored in the memory 13 of the server 10, when the station 200 is not connected to the vacuum cleaner body 100 via BLE or the distance between the station 200 and the vacuum cleaner body 100 exceeds the possible range of BLE connection, the station 200 may not request the server 10 to send the new version of the firmware. In other words, unless the station 200 is able to send the new version of the firmware to the vacuum cleaner body 100 via BLE, the station 200 may not download the new version of the firmware from the server 10, thereby avoiding unnecessary waste of storage space.

[0150] In operation 1905 , the cleaner main body 100 may determine whether the firmware update condition has been satisfied, and, when it is determined that the firmware update condition has not been satisfied, may periodically recheck whether the firmware update condition has been satisfied.

[0151] When the firmware update condition is satisfied, in operation 1906, the cleaner body 100 may output a guide indicating that the firmware update is possible to the input / output interface 120 of the cleaner body 100. Figures 9 to 12A detailed method of outputting a guidance indicating that firmware update is possible to the input / output interface 120 of the cleaner body 100 is described.

[0152] In operation 1907 , the cleaner main body 100 may transmit a check response indicating that the firmware update condition has been satisfied to the station 200 .

[0153] In operation 1908 , the station 200 may send a request to the mobile terminal 20 of the user 1 to display a message asking whether the user 1 agrees with the firmware update.

[0154] At the request of the station 200, the mobile terminal 20 may display a message on the screen asking whether to agree to the firmware update, and when receiving the agreement from the user 1 in operation 1909, the mobile terminal 20 may request the server 10 for the new version of the firmware. In operation 1910, the server 10 may send the new version of the firmware to the mobile terminal 20.

[0155] The mobile terminal 20 may store the received new version of the firmware. In operation 1911, the mobile terminal 20 may establish a BLE connection with the cleaner body 100, and send the new version of the firmware to the cleaner body 100 through the BLE communication to request installation.

[0156] In operation 1912, the cleaner main body 100 may perform firmware update by installing the received new version firmware.

[0157] Fig. 20 A case where the mobile terminal 200 stores the new version of firmware and transmits the new version of firmware to the cleaner main body 100 is shown instead of the station 200 .

[0158] In a general use environment, since the station 200 is fixed at a fixed position and the user 1 performs cleaning while moving the cleaner body 100 , the distance between the cleaner body 100 and the station 200 may often exceed the BLE communication possible range.

[0159] Since user 1 often carries the mobile terminal 20, there is a high possibility that the mobile terminal 20 is within the range where the mobile terminal 20 can communicate with the vacuum cleaner body 100 by BLE. Therefore, it may be more advantageous for the mobile terminal 20 to send a new version of firmware to the vacuum cleaner body 100 via BLE communication.

[0160] To cope with this situation, the mobile terminal 20 may receive the new version of the firmware from the server 10 instead of the station 200 , and send the new version of the firmware to the cleaner body 100 .

[0161] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for updating the firmware of a vacuum cleaner composed of a station 200 and a vacuum cleaner main body 100 may include: when there is a new version of firmware, the vacuum cleaner main body 100 receives a firmware update condition check request from the station 200; checks whether the firmware update condition has been met and sends the result of the check to the station 200, wherein the checking and sending are performed by the vacuum cleaner main body 100; and when the firmware update condition is met and the user agrees to update the firmware, the vacuum cleaner main body 100 receives and installs the new version of firmware. The firmware update condition may include at least one of a communication condition, a location condition, or a battery condition of the vacuum cleaner main body 100.

[0162] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, sending the checked result to the station 200 may include: when the firmware update condition has been met, outputting guidance indicating that the firmware update is possible through the UI of the cleaner body 100, and sending a response indicating that the firmware update condition has been met to the station 200.

[0163] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, outputting a guidance indicating that a firmware update is feasible may include: when it is determined that the user presses the power button of the vacuum cleaner body 100, the vacuum cleaner body 100 is separated from the station 200, or the vacuum cleaner body 100 moves, outputting a guidance indicating that a firmware update is feasible through the UI of the vacuum cleaner body 100.

[0164] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, outputting guidance indicating that a firmware update is feasible may include: when the vacuum cleaner body 100 is not working, displaying a guidance message together with a notification sound to a display panel included in the vacuum cleaner body 100; and when the vacuum cleaner body 100 is working, displaying a guidance message together with vibration to a display panel included in the vacuum cleaner body 100.

[0165] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, sending the result of the inspection to the station 200 may include: when the firmware update condition is not met, outputting guidance for meeting the firmware update condition through the UI of the vacuum cleaner body 100, and when the user performs an operation according to the guidance and the firmware update condition is thereby met, sending a response to the station 200 indicating that the firmware update condition has been met.

[0166] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, receiving and installing a new version of firmware may include: when a response indicating that a firmware update condition has been met is received from the vacuum cleaner body 100, controlling the user's mobile terminal 20 to display a message asking whether to agree to update the firmware, wherein the control is performed by the station 200; when the user agrees to update the firmware through the mobile terminal 20, requesting to install the new version of firmware when sending the new version of firmware to the vacuum cleaner body 100, wherein the request is executed by the station 200; and installing the received new version of firmware, wherein the installation is performed by the vacuum cleaner body 100.

[0167] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, receiving and installing a new version of firmware may include: the vacuum cleaner body 100 displays a message through the UI of the vacuum cleaner body 100 asking the user whether to agree to update the firmware; determining whether the user agrees to update the firmware; when the user agrees, requesting the station 200 to send the new version of firmware, wherein the request is executed by the vacuum cleaner body 100; and receiving the new version of firmware from the station 200 and installing the received new version of firmware, wherein the receiving and installation are executed by the vacuum cleaner body 100.

[0168] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, determining whether the user agrees to update the firmware may include determining that the user agrees when the user moves the cleaner body 100 according to the guidance included in the message.

[0169] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, displaying a message asking the user whether he agrees to update the firmware may include: when the vacuum cleaner body 100 is working, stopping the operation and displaying the message, and determining whether the user agrees to update the firmware may include: when the user operates the vacuum cleaner body 100 again, determining that the user does not agree to update the firmware.

[0170] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the cleaner body 100 is connected to the station 200 through BLE communication, the cleaner body 100 is mounted on the station 200, and the battery of the cleaner body 100 is charged to a certain standard or more, the firmware update condition may be satisfied.

[0171] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the distance between the cleaner body 100 and the station 200 is within a range where BLE communication is available and the battery of the cleaner body 100 is charged to a certain standard or more, the firmware update condition may be satisfied.

[0172] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, receiving and installing a new version of firmware may include: when a response indicating that a firmware update condition has been met is received from the vacuum cleaner main body 100, controlling the user's mobile terminal 20 to display a message asking whether to agree to update the firmware, wherein the control is performed by the station 200; when the user agrees to update the firmware through the mobile terminal 20, downloading the new version of firmware from the server 10, wherein the downloading is performed by the mobile terminal 20; establishing a communication connection with the vacuum cleaner main body 100, wherein the establishing is performed by the mobile terminal 20; and sending the new version of firmware to the vacuum cleaner main body 100, wherein the sending is performed by the mobile terminal 20.

[0173] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a vacuum cleaner body 100 capable of communicating with a station 200 includes: a motor 150 configured to perform a cleaning operation; a communication interface 110 configured to perform wireless communication with the station 200; an input / output interface 120 configured to receive input from a user and display information; a memory 130 storing a program for performing a firmware update; and a processor 140. The processor 140 is configured to execute a program to: when a new version of firmware exists, receive a firmware update condition check request from the station 200, check whether the firmware update condition has been met, send the result of the check to the station 200, and when the firmware update condition has been met and the user agrees to the firmware update, receive and install the new version of firmware. The firmware update condition includes at least one of a communication condition, a location condition, or a battery condition of the vacuum cleaner body 100.

[0174] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when sending the check result to the station 200, when the firmware update condition has been met, the processor 140 can output a guidance indicating that the firmware update is possible through the input / output interface 120, and send a response indicating that the firmware update condition has been met to the station 200.

[0175] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when outputting a guidance indicating that a firmware update is feasible, when it is determined that the user presses the power button of the vacuum cleaner body 100, the vacuum cleaner body 100 is separated from the station 200, or the vacuum cleaner body 100 moves, the processor 140 can output a guidance indicating that a firmware update is feasible through the input / output interface 120.

[0176] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when outputting a guidance indicating that a firmware update is feasible, when the vacuum cleaner body 100 is not working, the processor 140 can display the guidance message together with a notification sound to the display panel included in the input / output interface 120, and when the vacuum cleaner body 100 is working, the processor 140 can display the guidance message together with vibration to the display panel.

[0177] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the result of the check is sent to the station 200, when the firmware update condition is not met, the processor 140 can output a guide for meeting the firmware update condition through the input / output interface 120, and when the firmware update condition is met by the user performing an operation according to the guide, the processor 140 can send a response to the station 200 indicating that the firmware update condition has been met.

[0178] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when receiving and installing a new version of firmware, the processor 140 can display a message asking the user whether to agree to the firmware update, determine whether the user agrees to the firmware update, and when the user agrees, request the station 200 to send the new version of firmware, and receive and install the new version of firmware from the station 200.

[0179] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when determining whether the user agrees to the firmware update, when the user moves the cleaner body 100 according to the guidance included in the message, the processor 140 may determine that the user has agreed.

[0180] When displaying a message asking whether the user agrees to update the firmware, when the vacuum cleaner body 100 is working, the processor 140 can stop operating and display the message. When determining whether the user agrees to update the firmware, when the user operates the vacuum cleaner body 100 again, the processor can determine that the user does not agree to update the firmware.

[0181] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the cleaner body 100 is connected to the station 200 through BLE communication, the cleaner body 100 is mounted on the station 200, and the battery of the cleaner body 100 is charged to a certain standard or more, the firmware update condition may be satisfied.

[0182] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the distance between the cleaner body 100 and the station 200 is within a range where BLE communication is available and the battery of the cleaner body 100 is charged to a certain standard or more, the firmware update condition may be satisfied.

[0183] Various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented or supported by one or more computer programs, and one or more computer programs may be formed by computer-readable program code and may be included in a computer-readable medium. According to the present disclosure, "application" and "program" may represent one or more computer programs, software components, instruction sets, processes, functions, objects, classes, instances, related data, or a portion thereof suitable for implementation in a computer-readable program code. "Computer-readable program code" may include various types of computer codes, including source code, object code, and executable code. "Computer-readable medium" may include various types of media that can be accessed by a computer, such as a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a hard disk drive (HDD), a compact disk (CD), a digital video disk (DVD), and various other types of memory.

[0184] Machine-readable storage media may be provided as non-transitory storage media. Non-transitory storage media are tangible devices and may not include wired, wireless, optical, or other communication links that transmit temporary electrical or other signals. Non-transitory storage media do not distinguish between situations where data is semi-permanently stored in the storage medium and situations where data is temporarily stored in the storage medium. For example, a non-transitory storage medium may include a buffer for temporarily storing data. Computer-readable media may be any available media that can be accessed by a computer, and may include all volatile / non-volatile and removable / non-removable media. Computer-readable media include media in which data can be permanently stored and media in which data can be stored and later rewritten, such as a rewritable optical disk or a removable storage device.

[0185] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method according to various disclosed embodiments may be provided by including it in a computer program product. The computer program product as a commodity may be traded between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a device-readable storage medium (e.g., a compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM)), or may be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) directly through an application store or 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) may be at least temporarily stored in a device-readable storage medium, such as a memory of a manufacturer's server, a server of an application store, or a relay server, or may be temporarily generated.

[0186] Although the present disclosure has been specifically shown and described with reference to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. For example, even if the above-mentioned techniques are performed in an order different from that of the above-mentioned method, and / or components such as the above-mentioned systems, structures, devices and circuits are coupled or combined in a form different from that of the above-mentioned method, or the above-mentioned components are replaced or substituted with other components or their equivalents, appropriate results may be obtained. Therefore, the above-mentioned embodiments should be regarded as merely descriptive and not for the purpose of limitation. For example, each component described as a single type may be implemented in a distributed manner, and similarly, components described as distributed may be implemented in a combined form.

[0187] The scope of the present disclosure is indicated by the scope of the claims described below rather than the detailed description above, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and the concepts of their equivalents should be construed as being included in the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for updating firmware of a vacuum cleaner, the vacuum cleaner comprising a station (200) and a vacuum cleaner body (100), the method comprising: When a new version of firmware exists, the vacuum cleaner body (100) receives a firmware update condition check request from the station (200); The vacuum cleaner main body (100) checks whether a firmware update condition has been met; The vacuum cleaner body (100) sends the inspection result to the station (200); as well as When the firmware update condition is met and the user agrees to update the firmware, the vacuum cleaner main body (100) receives the new version of the firmware and the vacuum cleaner main body (100) installs the received new version of the firmware. The firmware update condition includes at least one of a communication condition, a location condition or a battery condition of the vacuum cleaner body.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The vacuum cleaner body (100) sending the inspection result to the station (200) includes: When the firmware update conditions are met: outputting guidance to a user interface UI of the vacuum cleaner body (100), indicating in said boot that a firmware update is available, and A response is sent to the station (200) indicating that the firmware update condition has been met.

3. The method according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein: Outputting the guide includes: When it is determined that the user presses a power button of the cleaner body (100), the cleaner body (100) is separated from the station (200), or the cleaner body (100) moves, the guidance is output through the UI of the cleaner body (100).

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The vacuum cleaner body (100) sending the inspection result to the station (200) includes: When the firmware update conditions are not met: outputting guidance for satisfying the firmware update condition to a user interface UI of the vacuum cleaner body (100); and When the user performs an operation according to the outputted guidance and thus satisfies the firmware update condition: A response is sent to the station (200) indicating that the firmware update condition has been met.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The vacuum cleaner main body (100) receives the new version of the firmware and the vacuum cleaner main body (100) installs the received new version of the firmware, comprising: receiving, by the station (200), a response from the cleaner body (100); indicating in the response that the firmware update condition has been satisfied; The station (200) controls the user's mobile terminal (20) to display a message asking the user whether to agree to update the firmware; When the user agrees to update the firmware via the mobile terminal (20), when the station (200) sends the new version of the firmware to the vacuum cleaner main body (100), the station (200) requests the vacuum cleaner main body (100) to install the new version of the firmware; and The vacuum cleaner main body (100) installs the received new version of the firmware.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The vacuum cleaner main body (100) receives the new version of the firmware and the vacuum cleaner main body (100) installs the received new version of the firmware, comprising: The vacuum cleaner body (100) displays a message through a user interface UI of the vacuum cleaner body (100); Inquiring the user in the message whether to agree to update the firmware; determining whether the user agrees to update the firmware; When the user agrees to update the firmware, the vacuum cleaner body (100) requests the station (200) to send the new version of the firmware; The vacuum cleaner body (100) receives the new version of the firmware from the station (200); The vacuum cleaner main body (100) installs the received new version of the firmware.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The vacuum cleaner main body (100) checks whether the firmware update condition has been met, including: When the vacuum cleaner body (100) is connected to the station (200) via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication, the vacuum cleaner body (100) is mounted on the station (200), and a battery of the vacuum cleaner body (100) is charged to a preset standard or more, it is determined that the firmware update condition is satisfied.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The vacuum cleaner main body (100) checks whether a firmware update condition has been met, including: When the distance between the cleaner body (100) and the station (200) is within the range available for BLE communication, and the battery of the cleaner body (100) is charged to the preset standard or more, it is determined that the firmware update condition is satisfied.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: The vacuum cleaner main body (100) receives the new version of the firmware and the vacuum cleaner main body (100) installs the received new version of the firmware, comprising: receiving a response from the vacuum cleaner body (100) indicating that the firmware update condition has been met, The station (200) controls the user's mobile terminal (20) to display a message asking the user whether to agree to update the firmware. When the user agrees to update the firmware through the mobile terminal (20), the mobile terminal (20) downloads the new version of the firmware from the server (10). The mobile terminal (20) establishes a communication connection with the vacuum cleaner body (100), and The new version of the firmware is sent by the mobile terminal (20) to the vacuum cleaner main body (100).

10. A vacuum cleaner body of a vacuum cleaner, the vacuum cleaner body (100) comprising: a motor (150) configured to perform a cleaning operation; a communication interface (110) configured to perform wireless communication with a station; an input / output interface (120) configured to receive input from a user and display information; A memory (130) storing a program for executing a firmware update; as well as The processor (140) is configured to execute the program to perform: When there is a new version of firmware, receiving a firmware update condition check request from the station (200) of the vacuum cleaner, Check whether the firmware update conditions have been met, sending the results of said checking to said station (200), and When the firmware update condition is met and the user agrees to update the firmware, the new version of the firmware is received and the received new version of the firmware is installed, The firmware update condition includes at least one of a communication condition, a location condition or a battery condition of the vacuum cleaner body.

11. The vacuum cleaner body according to claim 10, wherein: In the operation of sending the result of the check to the station (200), when the firmware update condition has been met, the processor 140 is further configured to execute the program to perform: outputting guidance to the input / output interface (120), indicating in said boot that a firmware update is available, and A response is sent to the station (200) indicating that the firmware update condition has been met.

12. The vacuum cleaner body according to any one of claims 10 and 11, wherein: In the operation of outputting the guidance, the processor (140) is further configured to execute the program to perform: When it is determined that the user presses a power button of the cleaner body (100), the cleaner body (100) is separated from the station (200), or the cleaner body (100) moves, the guidance is output through the UI of the cleaner body.

13. The vacuum cleaner body according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein: In the operation of sending the result of the inspection to the station (200), the processor (140) is further configured to execute the program to perform: When the firmware update conditions are not met: outputting a guide for satisfying the firmware update condition to the input / output interface (120), and When the user performs an operation according to the outputted guidance and thus satisfies the firmware update condition: A response is sent to the station (200) indicating that the firmware update condition has been met.

14. The vacuum cleaner body according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein: In the operation of checking whether the firmware update condition is met, the processor (140) is further configured to execute the program to perform: When the cleaner body (100) is connected to the station (200) through BLE communication, the cleaner body (100) is mounted on the station (200), and a battery of the cleaner body (100) is charged to a preset standard or more, it is determined that the firmware update condition is satisfied. 15 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program for executing the method of claim 1 on a computer.

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