Water pool cleaning method and water pool cleaning equipment
By building multiple search points in the target working area of the pool cleaning equipment and using image sensors for path planning, the problem of unreasonable cleaning path planning of the existing pool cleaning equipment is solved, and a more efficient and energy-saving cleaning effect is achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202510025171.8
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-01-07
- Publication Date
- 2025-04-11
AI Technical Summary
When performing cleaning tasks, existing pool cleaning equipment consumes a long time and power consumption, which affects the user experience due to unreasonable cleaning path planning.
By building multiple search points in the target work area, using image sensors to search for dirty within a predetermined range at each search point, and controlling the movement of pool cleaning equipment and cleaning dirt, achieving a more efficient cleaning path.
This method allows pool cleaning equipment to be cleaned in full coverage according to a more sparse route, avoiding cleaning omissions, while reducing cleaning time and power consumption and improving user experience.
Smart Images
Figure CN119801302A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present application relates to the field of automatic pool cleaning, and in particular to a pool cleaning method and a pool cleaning device. Background Art
[0002] As an automated cleaning device, pool cleaning equipment usually needs to work for a long time in a swimming pool, and because the body of the pool cleaning equipment is heavy, a large amount of electricity is consumed during operation.
[0003] However, when existing pool cleaning equipment performs swimming pool cleaning tasks, the cleaning process may take a long time and consume a lot of power due to unreasonable planning of the cleaning path, which affects the user experience of such products. Summary of the invention
[0004] In view of this, the present application provides a pool cleaning method and a pool cleaning device.
[0005] A pool cleaning method is applied to a pool cleaning device, wherein the pool cleaning device is equipped with an image sensor. The pool cleaning method comprises: constructing a plurality of search points in a target working area; controlling the pool cleaning device to reach each search point in turn, and controlling the image sensor to search for dirt within a predetermined range at each search point to control the pool cleaning device to move and clean the dirt.
[0006] In one or more embodiments, constructing a plurality of search points in the target working area includes: dividing the target working area into a plurality of cleaning blocks according to contour position information of the target working area and a preset distance, and the search points are located in the cleaning blocks.
[0007] In one or more embodiments, the preset distance is determined according to a radius of a predetermined range or a sensing range of an image sensor.
[0008] In one or more embodiments, the target working area is determined by a pool edge contour, or by a stored map, or by a demarcated area.
[0009] In one or more embodiments, the distance between two adjacent search points is greater than the radius of the predetermined range, or the distance between two adjacent search points is greater than the diameter of the predetermined range.
[0010] In one or more embodiments, controlling the image sensor to search for dirt within a predetermined range at each search point to control the pool cleaning device to move and clean the dirt includes: controlling the pool cleaning device to rotate based on the search point to search for dirt.
[0011] In one or more embodiments, after searching for dirt, the pool cleaning device controls the pool cleaning device to move toward the dirt to clean the current dirt, and after cleaning the current dirt, controls the pool cleaning device to return to the search point or move to the next search point.
[0012] In one or more embodiments, the image sensor is a 360-degree wide-angle camera.
[0013] In one or more embodiments, after searching for dirt, the pool cleaning device records the dirt location information searched by the image sensor; performs local path planning based on the dirt location information, and controls the pool cleaning device to move from the current position to the area where the dirt is located for cleaning based on the local path planning.
[0014] In one or more embodiments, controlling the pool cleaning device to arrive at each search point in sequence includes: sorting the search points according to location information of the search points and current location information of the pool cleaning device, and controlling the pool cleaning device to arrive at each search point in sequence.
[0015] On the other hand, a pool cleaning device is also disclosed, including an image sensor and a controller, wherein the controller controls the pool cleaning device to construct multiple search points in a target working area; the controller also controls the pool cleaning device to reach each search point in turn, and controls the image sensor to search for dirt within a predetermined range at each search point to control the pool cleaning device to move and clean the dirt.
[0016] The present application is based on an image sensor to divide the target working area into different cleaning blocks, which are cleaned in blocks. This allows the pool cleaning equipment to fully clean the pool along a sparser (and correspondingly shorter) route while avoiding cleaning omissions, thereby achieving a more efficient and energy-saving cleaning method while ensuring cleaning coverage. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] Figure 1 A schematic flow chart of a pool cleaning method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application;
[0018] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a cleaning block according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application;
[0019] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a cleaning block according to another exemplary embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] In order to explain the technical content, achieved objectives and effects of the present application in detail, the following is an explanation in combination with the implementation methods and the accompanying drawings.
[0021] In this document, “exemplary” means “serving as an example, instance or illustration”, and any diagram or implementation described in this document as “exemplary” should not be interpreted as a more preferred or more advantageous technical solution.
[0022] In order to simplify the drawings, only the parts related to the present application are schematically shown in each figure, and they do not represent the actual structure of the product. In addition, in order to simplify the drawings and facilitate understanding, in some figures, only one or more of the parts with the same structure or function are schematically drawn or only one or more of them are marked.
[0023] Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the flow chart of the pool cleaning method of the exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown in FIG. The pool cleaning method can be applied to a controller of a pool cleaning device, wherein the pool cleaning device is also equipped with an image sensor.
[0024] It is understandable that the pool cleaning device can clean a pool. The pool cleaning device can be a robot. The pool is, for example, a pool-shaped building. The pool-shaped building can be a swimming pool, a reservoir, a spa pool, a water tank, a water tank, etc. The automatic pool cleaning device can be a device such as an automatic cleaning device, a pool cleaning robot, etc., which can clean a pool-shaped building. The present application does not limit the specific presentation of the automatic pool cleaning device and the pool-shaped building, as long as the principle of the present application can be realized.
[0025] The pool cleaning method comprises step S102 and step S104. Step S102 and step S104 will be described in detail below in conjunction with a specific embodiment.
[0026] like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment mainly includes the following steps:
[0027] Step S102, constructing multiple search points in the target working area;
[0028] Step S104, controlling the pool cleaning device to arrive at each search point in sequence, and controlling the image sensor to search for dirt within a predetermined range at each search point to control the pool cleaning device to move and clean the dirt.
[0029] The target working area may cover the entire pool or a portion of the pool. In a possible implementation, the target working area is determined by the edge contour of the pool. It is understandable that the edge contour of the pool is obtained by the pool cleaning device walking along the edge of the target working area for at least one week, or the edge contour of the pool is obtained by calling contour information on an existing map.
[0030] In a possible implementation, the target working area may be a partial area of a pool, which may be a map of the target working area generated in real time according to the human-computer interaction result. For example, the corresponding map parameters may be determined according to the area range input by the user (e.g., the area range circled by drawing), and the map of the target working area may be generated accordingly; for another example, the corresponding map parameters may be determined according to the area, shape, or location information input by the user, and the map of the target working area may be generated accordingly.
[0031] It is understandable that the target working area is divided into a plurality of cleaning blocks according to the contour position information of the target working area and the preset distance. After obtaining the contour position information of the target working area, the pool cleaning device is divided into a plurality of cleaning blocks according to the preset distance. The target working area is divided into a plurality of cleaning blocks so that they can be cleaned one by one to ensure the cleaning coverage of the target working area. It is understandable that the shape of the cleaning block is not limited and can be circular, square or other regular shapes. In a possible embodiment, the shape of the cleaning block can also be an irregular shape suitable for irregular swimming pools.
[0032] In a possible implementation, the preset distance is determined according to the radius of the predetermined range or the sensing range of the image sensor. It is understandable that the length of the sensing range of the image sensor may be greater than the preset distance and the radius of the predetermined range, so that when cleaning each cleaning block, all dirt information in the cleaning block can be sensed without leaving any blind spots.
[0033] It is understandable that the search point is located in the cleaning block. Further, the center position of the cleaning block can be set as the search point. In this way, the image sensor mounted on the pool cleaning device can perform a surround scan of the cleaning block at the center position of each cleaning block to fully obtain the dirt information in the cleaning block.
[0034] It can be understood that, exemplarily, the pool cleaning device or image sensor rotates based on the search point to search for dirt and obtain dirt information in the cleaning block. The pool cleaning device or image sensor can be controlled to rotate one circle, more than one circle or less than one circle at the search point to obtain all dirt information in the cleaning block. Alternatively, the image sensor is set to a 360-degree wide-angle camera, and the image sensor can directly sense all dirt information in the cleaning block.
[0035] In other implementations, the method of obtaining all dirt information in the cleaning block may not be limited.
[0036] The pool cleaning device may arrive at each search point in sequence to clean the target working area.
[0037] In a possible implementation, the distance between two adjacent search points is greater than the radius of the predetermined range. To ensure cleaning efficiency and save cleaning time and power consumption, the distance between the two search points is set to be greater than the radius of the predetermined range. Figure 2 and Figure 3 shown. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The positional relationship between the cleaning blocks is shown only as an example. In actual applications, the distance between two adjacent cleaning blocks can be set as needed.
[0038] For example, the distance between the two adjacent search points can be set to be greater than the diameter of the predetermined range as needed. Since the length of the sensing range of the image sensor is much greater than the preset distance and the radius of the predetermined range, setting the length of the sensing range of the image sensor to be greater than the preset distance and the radius of the predetermined range can further improve the cleaning efficiency of the pool cleaning device in a pool with a small amount of dirt.
[0039] It can be understood that the user can set the distance between two adjacent search points through human-computer interaction results. In this way, the user can set the cleaning density of the swimming pool according to the degree of dirtiness of the swimming pool, allowing the pool cleaning equipment to fully clean the pool along the desired route, thereby achieving a more efficient and energy-saving cleaning method.
[0040] Controlling the image sensor to search for dirt within a predetermined range at each search point to control the pool cleaning device to move and clean the dirt also includes, after searching for dirt, controlling the pool cleaning device to move toward the dirt to clean the current dirt. After the current dirt is cleaned, controlling the pool cleaning device to return to the search point or move to the next search point.
[0041] It can be understood that the present application can be applied to situations where the swimming pool has less dirt and does not require full coverage cleaning. Since the amount of dirt may be very limited, the pool cleaning device can be controlled to return to the search point after cleaning a dirt. That is to say, at a search point, the pool cleaning device is controlled to directly clean the dirt after searching for it, and return to the search point to continue searching after the cleaning is completed until the search of the cleaning block is completed. Since the amount of dirt is limited, the cleaning time of the cleaning block is within a reasonable range. Alternatively, after the entire cleaning block is searched at the search point, all the searched dirt can be cleaned one by one, so that all the dirt in the cleaning block can be cleaned at one time. At this time, the pool cleaning device can be controlled to return to the search point after cleaning and continue to drive to the next search point, or it can directly drive to the next search point after cleaning.
[0042] In one possible implementation, after searching for dirt, the pool cleaning device records the dirt location information searched by the image sensor; performs local path planning based on the dirt location information, and controls the pool cleaning device to move from the current location to the area where the dirt is located for cleaning based on the local path planning. In this way, all dirt in the current cleaning block can be cleaned, and the pool cleaning device can directly enter the mark that the cleaning block is cleaned and enter the next cleaning block.
[0043] Local path planning can also be to determine the shortest path that can be used to clean all cleaning targets based on the orientation relationship or topological structure of each dirty location information.
[0044] It can be understood that in the process of entering the next cleaning block, the pool cleaning device simultaneously cleans the area in which it travels.
[0045] In the present application, controlling the pool cleaning device to reach each search point in sequence includes, after the pool cleaning device has completed building all search points, controlling the pool cleaning device to navigate to a planned search point for cleaning, deleting the search point or marking the search point as search completed, and continuing to navigate to the next search point until all search points in the target working area have been cleaned.
[0046] In other embodiments, controlling the pool cleaning device to arrive at each search point in sequence includes sorting the search points according to the location information of the search points and the current location information of the pool cleaning device, and controlling the pool cleaning device to arrive at each search point in sequence, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown by the arrow in the middle. Searching according to the planned search points can reduce the disorderly movement of the pool cleaning equipment, reduce the cleaning time, and avoid cleaning omissions, thereby achieving a more efficient and energy-saving cleaning method while ensuring the cleaning coverage.
[0047] The pool cleaning device according to the embodiment of the present application includes at least an image sensor and a controller, and the controller is used to execute the path planning method as described above.
[0048] The present application is based on an image sensor to divide the target working area into different cleaning blocks, which are cleaned in blocks. This allows the pool cleaning equipment to fully clean the pool along a sparser (and correspondingly shorter) route while avoiding cleaning omissions, thereby achieving a more efficient and energy-saving cleaning method while ensuring cleaning coverage.
[0049] The basic principle of the present application is described above in conjunction with the embodiments. However, it should be noted that the advantages, strengths, effects, etc. mentioned in the present application are only examples and not limitations, and it cannot be considered that these advantages, strengths, effects, etc. are required by each embodiment of the present application. In addition, the aforementioned details are only for the purpose of illustration and ease of understanding, not limitation, and the aforementioned details do not limit the present application to being implemented by adopting the aforementioned details.
[0050] The block diagrams of devices, apparatuses, equipment, and systems involved in this application are only illustrative examples and are not intended to require or imply that they must be connected, arranged, or configured in the manner shown in the block diagrams. In different embodiments, these devices, apparatuses, equipment, and systems may be connected, arranged, or configured in any appropriate manner.
[0051] In addition, words such as "including", "comprising", "having" and the like are open-ended words, meaning "including but not limited to", and can be used interchangeably therewith. The words "or" and "and" used herein mean the words "and / or" and can be used interchangeably therewith, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The word "such as" used herein means the phrase "such as but not limited to", and can be used interchangeably therewith.
[0052] It should also be noted that in the apparatus, device and method of the present application, each component or each step can be decomposed and / or recombined. Such decomposition and / or recombination should be regarded as equivalent solutions of the present application.
[0053] In this document, modifiers such as "first", "second", etc. without quantifiers are intended to distinguish different elements / components / circuits / modules / devices / steps, and are not used to emphasize the order, positional relationship, importance, priority, etc. In contrast, modifiers such as "first", "second", etc. with quantifiers can be used to emphasize the order, positional relationship, importance, priority, etc. of different elements / components / circuits / modules / devices / steps.
[0054] The above is only an exemplary embodiment of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can easily think of various changes or substitutions within the technical scope recorded in the present application, which should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be based on the protection scope of the claims.
Claims
1. A pool cleaning method, applied to a pool cleaning device, wherein the pool cleaning device is equipped with an image sensor, wherein: The pool cleaning method comprises: Construct multiple search points within the target work area; The pool cleaning device is controlled to arrive at each search point in sequence, and the image sensor is controlled to search for dirt within a predetermined range at each search point to control the pool cleaning device to move and clean the dirt.
2. The pool cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein: The constructing of multiple search points in the target working area comprises: The target working area is divided into a plurality of cleaning blocks according to the contour position information of the target working area and a preset distance, and the search point is located in the cleaning block.
3. The pool cleaning method according to claim 2, wherein: The preset distance is determined according to a radius of a predetermined range or a sensing range of an image sensor.
4. The pool cleaning method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The target working area is determined by the edge contour of the pool, or by a stored map, or by a demarcated area.
5. The pool cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein: The distance between two adjacent search points is greater than the radius of the predetermined range or the distance between two adjacent search points is greater than the diameter of the predetermined range.
6. The pool cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein: The controlling the image sensor to search for dirt within a predetermined range at each search point to control the pool cleaning device to move and clean the dirt comprises: The pool cleaning device is controlled to rotate based on the search point to search for dirt.
7. The pool cleaning method according to claim 6, wherein: The pool cleaning method further comprises: After searching for dirt, the pool cleaning device controls the pool cleaning device to move toward the dirt to clean the current dirt; After the current dirt cleaning is completed, the pool cleaning device is controlled to return to the search point or travel to the next search point.
8. The pool cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein: The image sensor is a 360-degree wide-angle camera.
9. The pool cleaning method according to claim 6, wherein: The pool cleaning method further includes, after searching for dirt, the pool cleaning device recording the dirt location information searched by the image sensor; A local path planning is performed based on the dirt location information, and the pool cleaning device is controlled to move from a current location to the dirt location area for cleaning based on the local path planning.
10. The pool cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein: The controlling the pool cleaning device to sequentially reach each search point comprises: The search points are sorted according to the position information of the search points and the current position information of the pool cleaning device, and the pool cleaning device is controlled to reach each search point in sequence.
11. A pool cleaning device, comprising an image sensor and a controller, wherein: The controller controls the pool cleaning device to construct a plurality of search points within a target working area; The controller also controls the pool cleaning device to arrive at each search point in sequence, and controls the image sensor to search for dirt within a predetermined range at each search point to control the pool cleaning device to move and clean the dirt.