Pool cleaning system, pool cleaning robot and control method of pool cleaning robot

Abstract

The invention relates to a pool cleaning system, a pool cleaning robot and a control method thereof, and the control method comprises the steps: receiving an instruction of returning to a base station, controlling the pool cleaning robot to run in a pool, and obtaining the distance information of the pool cleaning robot relative to the base station in the running process; and adjusting the advancing direction of the pool cleaning robot based on the change condition of the distance information, so that the pool cleaning robot travels to the range of the base station. The distance information of the pool cleaning robot relative to the base station is obtained when the pool cleaning robot is controlled to run in the pool, and the advancing direction of the pool cleaning robot is adjusted in real time according to the change condition of the distance information, so that the pool cleaning robot can continuously run close to the base station; the control method is suitable for the pool bottom with a complex environment, so that the pool cleaning robot can stably and efficiently return to the base station.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of pool cleaning, and in particular to a pool cleaning system, a pool cleaning robot and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] At present, the pool cleaning robot needs to return to the base station to recharge after walking in the pool. Due to the complex pool environment, unclear base station location information and obstacles in the pool, the pool cleaning robot cannot quickly find and return to the vicinity of the base station. Therefore, it is necessary to design a stable and efficient solution for the pool cleaning robot to return to the base station in various complex pool environments. Summary of the invention

[0003] In order to solve at least one of the technical problems mentioned above, the present application proposes a pool cleaning system, a pool cleaning robot and a control method thereof.

[0004] According to some embodiments of the present application, a control method for a pool cleaning robot is provided, the method comprising:

[0005] receiving an instruction to return to the base station, controlling the pool cleaning robot to travel in the pool, and obtaining distance information of the pool cleaning robot relative to the base station during the travel;

[0006] Based on the change of the distance information, the forward direction of the pool cleaning robot is adjusted so that the pool cleaning robot travels within the range of the base station.

[0007] In some possible implementations, adjusting the forward direction of the pool cleaning robot based on the change in the distance information includes:

[0008] If the change in the distance information is a decrease, the forward direction is kept unchanged;

[0009] If the change in the distance information is an increase, rotating the forward direction by a first preset angle;

[0010] If the distance information changes from decreasing to increasing, the forward direction is rotated by a second preset angle.

[0011] In some possible implementations, the first preset angle is 180°, and / or the second preset angle is 90°.

[0012] In some possible implementations, rotating the advancing direction includes: rotating the advancing direction along a specified side or rotating it randomly.

[0013] In some possible implementations, when it is confirmed that the change in the distance information is increasing or first decreasing and then increasing, the pool cleaning robot is controlled to stop moving forward and adjust the moving direction.

[0014] In some possible implementations, the driving in the pool includes: driving on the water surface or on the surface of the pool,

[0015] Wherein, when traveling on the surface of the pool, the forward direction is changed by the walking device and / or the water spraying mechanism;

[0016] When traveling on the water, the forward direction is changed by a water spray mechanism.

[0017] In some possible implementations, the pool cleaning robot drives within the range of the base station, including:

[0018] When it is detected that the distance information between the pool cleaning robot and the base station is less than a preset distance value, it is determined that the pool cleaning robot has traveled into the range of the base station.

[0019] In some possible implementations, the method further includes:

[0020] When the pool cleaning robot is moving forward and detects an obstacle in the moving direction, the pool cleaning robot is controlled to perform an obstacle avoidance action, wherein the obstacle avoidance action includes: rotating left or right by a specified angle or a random angle to adjust the moving direction.

[0021] According to some other embodiments of the present application, a pool cleaning robot is provided, the pool cleaning robot comprising:

[0022] A filtering device, used to filter the water flow entering the pool cleaning robot;

[0023] A walking mechanism, used to drive the pool cleaning robot to walk on a supporting surface;

[0024] A water spray mechanism, used to provide water flow force for the pool cleaning robot;

[0025] A detection unit, used to detect distance information of the pool cleaning robot relative to a base station;

[0026] A memory storing processor executable instructions;

[0027] At least one processor, when executing the executable instructions stored in the memory, causes the pool cleaning robot to execute the control method for the pool cleaning robot as described in any one of the above embodiments.

[0028] According to some other embodiments of the present application, a pool cleaning system is provided, the system comprising:

[0029] Pool cleaning robot and base station;

[0030] The pool cleaning robot returns to the range of the base station by executing the method described in any one of the above embodiments.

[0031] According to some other embodiments of the present application, an electronic device is provided, which includes a processor and a memory, wherein at least one instruction or at least one program is stored in the memory, and the at least one instruction or at least one program is loaded and executed by the processor to implement the control method of the pool cleaning robot as described above.

[0032] According to other embodiments of the present application, a storage medium is provided, in which at least one instruction or at least one program is stored, and the at least one instruction or at least one program is loaded and executed by a processor to implement the control method of the pool cleaning robot as described above.

[0033] According to some other embodiments of the present application, a computer program product is provided, including computer instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implement the control method of the pool cleaning robot as described above.

[0034] Implementing the embodiments of the present application has the following beneficial effects:

[0035] The present application controls the pool cleaning robot to obtain the distance information of the pool cleaning robot relative to the base station when driving in the pool, and adjusts the forward direction of the pool cleaning robot in real time according to the change of the distance information, so that the pool cleaning robot can continue to drive closer to the base station until the pool cleaning robot drives within the range of the base station. This control method is suitable for the pool bottom with a complex environment, so that the pool cleaning robot can return to the base station stably and efficiently.

[0036] Other features and aspects of the present application will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions and advantages in the embodiments of this specification or the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the prior art descriptions are briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this specification. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0038] Figure 1 A flow chart showing a method for controlling a pool cleaning robot according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the direction in which a pool cleaning robot according to an embodiment of the present application approaches a base station;

[0040] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the direction in which the pool cleaning robot according to an embodiment of the present application travels away from a base station;

[0041] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing the direction in which the pool cleaning robot according to an embodiment of the present application first approaches a base station and then moves away from the base station;

[0042] Figure 5 A structural block diagram of a pool cleaning robot according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0043] Figure 6 A system block diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this specification to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of this specification, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this specification, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0045] The embodiment of the present application provides a control method for a pool cleaning robot, which is used to control the pool cleaning robot to stably and efficiently return to a base station from a working pool. Figure 1 A flow chart showing a method for controlling a pool cleaning robot according to an embodiment of the present application is shown, the method comprising:

[0046] Step S101: receiving an instruction to return to a base station, controlling the pool cleaning robot to travel in the pool, and obtaining distance information of the pool cleaning robot relative to the base station during the travel process.

[0047] In the embodiment of the present application, the pool cleaning robot travels in the pool, including: traveling on the water surface or traveling on the surface of the pool, wherein the surface of the pool should be understood as the bottom of the pool or the wall of the pool. Correspondingly, the walking mechanism carried by the pool cleaning robot can support the pool cleaning robot to travel in the above two ways.

[0048] In a specific embodiment, the pool cleaning robot is equipped with a walking device and a water spraying mechanism. The walking device includes a crawler and a driving part thereof. The walking device enables the pool cleaning robot to travel on the surface of the pool. The water spraying mechanism includes one or more water pumps, at least one of which is used to provide a driving force for walking and / or turning. The water spraying mechanism enables the pool cleaning robot to travel on the surface of the pool and on the water surface. Based on the above structure, when the pool cleaning robot travels on the surface of the pool, it changes its forward direction through the walking device and / or the water spraying structure; when traveling on the water surface, it changes its forward direction through the water spraying mechanism.

[0049] In the embodiments of the present application, the specific components and method principles for obtaining distance information of the pool cleaning robot are not limited. Since the distance information is the distance of the pool cleaning robot relative to the base station, the pool cleaning robot should be equipped with a point-to-point distance detection device, such as a laser rangefinder, an ultrasonic rangefinder or other types of rangefinders.

[0050] In some preferred embodiments, the pool cleaning robot is equipped with an ultrasonic rangefinder. Since the pool cleaning robot is located in a pool environment, compared with a laser rangefinder or other types of rangefinders, the ultrasonic rangefinder is less affected by environmental interference, and the measurement accuracy is guaranteed.

[0051] In some possible implementations, the pool cleaning robot may also analyze distance based on image recognition, that is, the pool cleaning robot captures image data of the base station, and analyzes and calculates the image data to obtain distance information of the pool cleaning robot relative to the base station.

[0052] Step S102: Based on the change in the distance information, adjust the forward direction of the pool cleaning robot so that the pool cleaning robot travels within the range of the base station.

[0053] In the embodiment of the present application, the change of the distance information includes three situations: decrease, increase, and decrease first and then increase. Based on the above three situations, the forward direction of the pool cleaning robot is adjusted based on the change of the distance information, including:

[0054] If the change in the distance information is decreasing, keep the forward direction unchanged;

[0055] If the change in the distance information is an increase, the forward direction is rotated by a first preset angle;

[0056] If the distance information changes from decreasing to increasing, the forward direction is rotated by a second preset angle.

[0057] It can be understood that the judgment on the change of the distance information is based on the calculation started after the last action of adjusting the forward direction. When the action of adjusting the forward direction is completed, the change of the distance information will be recalculated.

[0058] For details, please refer to Figure 2 If the change in the distance information is decreasing, it means that the pool cleaning robot is moving towards the base station, and the angle α formed by the ray S in the direction of the pool cleaning robot and the line L between the pool cleaning robot and the base station is less than 90°. The straight-line distance between the pool cleaning robot and the base station is constantly decreasing, and there is no need to change the direction of movement at this time;

[0059] Please refer to Figure 3 If the change in the distance information is increasing, it means that the pool cleaning robot is moving away from the base station, and the angle α formed by the ray S in the forward direction of the pool cleaning robot and the line L between the pool cleaning robot and the base station is greater than 90°. The straight-line distance between the pool cleaning robot and the base station is increasing. At this time, the forward direction needs to be rotated by a first preset angle;

[0060] Please refer to Figure 4 If the distance information changes by decreasing and then increasing, it means that the pool cleaning robot first approaches the base station and then moves away from the base station, and the straight-line distance between the pool cleaning robot and the base station first decreases to a minimum value and then increases. At this time, the angle α formed by the ray S in the forward direction of the pool cleaning robot and the line L between the pool cleaning robot and the base station is slightly greater than 90° (i.e., the angle α is greater than 90° and close to 90°). At this time, the forward direction needs to be rotated by a second preset angle.

[0061] Based on the above control strategy, the control process of the pool cleaning robot's driving process is:

[0062] (1) After detecting that the direction of travel is away from the base station, the direction of travel is rotated by a first preset angle and detected again. If the direction of travel is still away from the base station, the direction of travel is rotated by the first preset angle again, and the above steps are repeated until the direction of travel is close to the base station.

[0063] (2) When it is detected that the distance information changes from decreasing to increasing, the forward direction is rotated by a second preset angle and the process jumps to step (1).

[0064] It can be seen from the above process that when the pool cleaning robot is driving, it will repeatedly execute steps (1)-(2). Whenever it detects that the distance information increases, it will adjust the forward direction. When it detects that the distance information decreases, it will keep the forward direction unchanged. The relative distance between the pool cleaning robot and the base station will continue to decrease, and the pool cleaning robot will gradually approach the range of the base station.

[0065] It is worth noting that in the above process, if the first preset angle and the second preset angle are set too small, it is easy to cause the pool cleaning robot to adjust the forward direction too many times, thereby affecting the speed and efficiency of returning to the base station. It can be seen from the above embodiment that if the change in distance information is increasing, the angle α formed by the ray S where the forward direction of the pool cleaning robot is located and the line L between the pool cleaning robot and the base station is greater than 90°. In order to reduce the number of times the forward direction is adjusted, the first preset angle should be greater than 90°; if the change in distance information is decreasing and then increasing, at this time, the angle α formed by the ray S where the forward direction of the pool cleaning robot is located and the line L between the pool cleaning robot and the base station is slightly greater than 90°. In order to reduce the number of times the forward direction is adjusted, the second preset angle should be close to 90°.

[0066] In some specific embodiments, the first preset angle is 180°, and / or the second preset angle is 90°. Based on the above configuration, when it is detected that the pool cleaning robot is moving away from the base station, the forward direction is rotated 180°, that is, the pool cleaning robot turns around and drives on the spot; when it is detected that the pool cleaning robot first approaches and then moves away from the base station, the forward direction is rotated 90°.

[0067] In the embodiment of the present application, the above-mentioned rotating the forward direction includes: rotating the forward direction along a specified side or rotating randomly. That is, each time the pool cleaning robot rotates the forward direction, the rotation direction can be determined or random.

[0068] It should be understood that whether the rotation direction is determined will only affect the rotation efficiency when the change in the distance information is a decrease and then an increase. At this time, the forward direction needs to be rotated to a second preset angle. The rotation can be a left turn or a right turn. There are two situations for the forward direction after rotation, which are the direction away from the base station and the direction close to the base station. When the forward direction after rotation is close to the base station, the pool cleaning robot continues to move forward; when the forward direction after rotation is away from the base station, the pool cleaning robot needs to rotate the forward direction again by the first preset angle. It can be seen that if the rotation direction is determined, it can ensure that the forward direction after rotation is close to the base station, which can reduce the number of rotations once, thereby improving the efficiency of returning to the base station.

[0069] In some possible embodiments, the rotation direction can be determined based on the angle α formed by the ray S in the forward direction of the pool cleaning robot and the line L between the pool cleaning robot and the base station, thereby ensuring that the angle α formed by the ray S in the forward direction of the pool cleaning robot and the line L between the pool cleaning robot and the base station after rotation is less than 90°.

[0070] In the embodiment of the present application, when it is confirmed that the change in the distance information is increasing or decreasing first and then increasing, the pool cleaning robot is controlled to stop moving and adjust the moving direction. Based on the above steps, the distance between the pool cleaning robot and the base station can be prevented from further increasing, thereby shortening the time to return to the base station.

[0071] In an embodiment of the present application, the range of the above-mentioned base station is determined based on distance information. Specifically, the pool cleaning robot drives into the range of the base station, including: when it is detected that the distance information between the pool cleaning robot and the base station is less than a preset distance value, it is determined that the pool cleaning robot has driven into the range of the base station.

[0072] The above-mentioned multiple embodiments have introduced in detail the control method of the pool cleaning robot returning to the base station. The purpose of this method is to control the pool cleaning robot to move quickly and accurately within the range of the base station after receiving the instruction to return to the base station, so as to facilitate the subsequent accurate return to the charging compartment of the base station.

[0073] In addition, due to the complex environment in the pool, the pool cleaning robot has many driving positions (including driving on the water surface and driving on the pool surface), and there is a possibility of encountering obstacles, so obstacle avoidance control also needs to be set up.

[0074] Specifically, in a further embodiment, the method also includes: during the forward movement of the pool cleaning robot, if an obstacle is detected in the forward direction, controlling the pool cleaning robot to perform an obstacle avoidance action, the obstacle avoidance action including: rotating left or right by a specified angle or a random angle to adjust the forward direction.

[0075] In some possible embodiments, the pool cleaning robot is equipped with an obstacle detection device, which may be a distance detector or a visual device. The obstacle detection device is used to obtain obstacle information (volume, size, shape) and the distance information of the pool cleaning robot relative to the obstacle. The pool cleaning robot determines the rotation direction and rotation angle of the obstacle avoidance action based on the data obtained by the obstacle detection device.

[0076] The present application also provides a pool cleaning robot. Figure 5 The structure block diagram of the pool cleaning robot is shown, and the pool cleaning robot comprises:

[0077] A filtering device 100, for filtering water entering the pool cleaning robot;

[0078] A walking mechanism 200 is used to drive the pool cleaning robot to walk on a supporting surface;

[0079] The water spray mechanism 300 is used to provide water flow force for the pool cleaning robot;

[0080] The detection unit 400 is used to detect the distance information of the pool cleaning robot relative to the base station;

[0081] Memory 500, storing processor executable instructions;

[0082] When executing the executable instructions stored in the memory, at least one processor 600 enables the pool cleaning robot to perform the method described in any one of the above embodiments.

[0083] An embodiment of the present application further provides a pool cleaning system, which includes a pool cleaning robot and a base station, wherein the pool cleaning robot returns to the range of the base station by executing any of the methods described in the above embodiments.

[0084] An embodiment of the present application also provides an electronic device, which includes a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores at least one instruction or at least one program, and the at least one instruction or at least one program is loaded and executed by the processor to implement the control method of the pool cleaning robot as described above.

[0085] The memory can be used to store software programs and modules. The processor executes various functional applications and data processing by running the software programs and modules stored in the memory. The memory can mainly include a program storage area and a data storage area, wherein the program storage area can store an operating system, application programs required for functions, etc.; the data storage area can store data created according to the use of the device, etc. In addition, the memory can include a high-speed random access memory and can also include a non-volatile memory, such as at least one hard disk storage device, a flash memory device or other volatile solid-state storage device. Accordingly, the memory can also include a memory controller to provide the processor with access to the memory.

[0086] Figure 6 is an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 6As shown, the electronic device 900 may have relatively large differences due to different configurations or performances, and may include one or more central processing units (CPU) 910 (the processor 910 may include but is not limited to a processing device such as a microprocessor MCU or a programmable logic device FPGA), a memory 930 for storing data, and one or more storage media 920 (such as one or more mass storage devices) for storing application programs 923 or data 922. Among them, the memory 930 and the storage medium 920 can be short-term storage or permanent storage. The program stored in the storage medium 920 may include one or more modules, each of which may include a series of instruction operations in the electronic device. Furthermore, the central processing unit 910 may be configured to communicate with the storage medium 920 to execute a series of instruction operations in the storage medium 920 on the electronic device 900. The electronic device 900 may also include one or more power supplies 960, one or more wired or wireless network interfaces 950, one or more input and output interfaces 940, and / or one or more operating systems 921, such as Wi ndows ServerTM, Mac OSXTM, UnixTM, LinuxTM, FreeBSDTM, etc.

[0087] The input / output interface 940 may be used to receive or send data via a network. The specific example of the network may include a wireless network provided by a communication provider of the electronic device 900. In one example, the input / output interface 940 includes a network adapter (NIC), which may be connected to other network devices via a base station so as to communicate with the Internet. In one example, the input / output interface 940 may be a radio frequency (RF) module, which is used to communicate with the Internet wirelessly.

[0088] It can be understood by those skilled in the art that Figure 6 The structure shown is only for illustration and does not limit the structure of the above electronic device. Figure 6 More or fewer components as shown, or with Figure 6 Different configurations shown.

[0089] An embodiment of the present application also provides a storage medium, in which at least one instruction or at least one program is stored, and the at least one instruction or at least one program is loaded and executed by a processor to implement the control method of the pool cleaning robot as described above.

[0090] An embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program product, comprising computer instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implement the control method of the pool cleaning robot as described above.

[0091] The embodiments of the present application have been described above, and the above description is exemplary, not exhaustive, and is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and changes will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The selection of terms used herein is intended to best explain the principles of the embodiments, practical applications, or technical improvements in the market, or to enable other persons of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A control method for a pool cleaning robot, characterized in that: The method comprises: receiving an instruction to return to the base station, controlling the pool cleaning robot to travel in the pool, and obtaining distance information of the pool cleaning robot relative to the base station during the travel; Based on the change of the distance information, the forward direction of the pool cleaning robot is adjusted so that the pool cleaning robot travels within the range of the base station.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The adjusting the forward direction of the pool cleaning robot based on the change of the distance information includes: If the change in the distance information is a decrease, the forward direction is kept unchanged; If the change in the distance information is an increase, rotating the forward direction by a first preset angle; If the distance information changes from decreasing to increasing, the forward direction is rotated by a second preset angle.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The first preset angle is 180°, and / or the second preset angle is 90°.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The rotating the forward direction includes: rotating the forward direction along a designated side or rotating it randomly.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that: When it is confirmed that the change of the distance information is increasing or first decreasing and then increasing, the pool cleaning robot is controlled to stop moving forward and adjust the moving direction.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: Said driving in the pool includes: driving on the water surface or on the surface of the pool, Wherein, when traveling on the surface of the pool, the forward direction is changed by the traveling device and / or the water spraying mechanism; When traveling on the water, the forward direction is changed by a water spray mechanism.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The pool cleaning robot drives into the range of the base station, including: When it is detected that the distance information between the pool cleaning robot and the base station is less than a preset distance value, it is determined that the pool cleaning robot has traveled into the range of the base station.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The method further comprises: When the pool cleaning robot is moving forward and detects an obstacle in the moving direction, the pool cleaning robot is controlled to perform an obstacle avoidance action, wherein the obstacle avoidance action includes: rotating left or right by a specified angle or a random angle to adjust the moving direction.

9. A pool cleaning robot, characterized in that: The pool cleaning robot comprises: A filtering device, used to filter the water flow entering the pool cleaning robot; A walking mechanism, used to drive the pool cleaning robot to walk on a supporting surface; A water spray mechanism, used to provide water flow force for the pool cleaning robot; A detection unit, used to detect distance information of the pool cleaning robot relative to a base station; A memory storing processor executable instructions; At least one processor, when executing the executable instructions stored in the memory, causes the pool cleaning robot to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-8.

10. A pool cleaning system, characterized in that: The system comprises: Pool cleaning robot and base station; The pool cleaning robot returns to the range of the base station by executing the method described in any one of claims 1-8.

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