Automatic pool cleaning device, control method thereof and computer storage medium

Abstract

The invention provides an automatic pool cleaning device, a control method thereof and a computer storage medium. The automatic pool cleaning device comprises a detection sensor and a water pump, the water pump is used for guiding water flow to flow into a water suction port of the automatic pool cleaning device and flow out of a water drainage port of the automatic pool cleaning device, and the water suction port is located at the bottom of the automatic pool cleaning device. The control method comprises the following steps: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move and clean on the pool wall of the pool; in the movable cleaning process, detection information is obtained through the detection sensor; and whether the cleaning device slips on the pool wall of the pool or not is judged based on the detection information, and if yes, the power of the water pump is increased so as to increase the adsorption force at the water suction opening.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] With the widespread popularity of swimming pools, the demand for swimming pool cleaning is increasing. When a swimming pool cleaning robot is cleaning the pool wall, regardless of the pollution of the pool wall or the material of the wall, the robot maintains a constant water pump power and a constant crawler moving speed. Therefore, in some cases (such as when the pool wall is smooth or there are a lot of algae on the pool wall), the robot may slip on the pool wall, resulting in low cleaning efficiency, missed cleaning areas, and even causing the robot to slide off the pool wall in severe cases. Summary of the invention

[0003] To solve the above problems, according to one aspect of the present application, a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device is provided, wherein the automatic pool cleaning device comprises a detection sensor and a water pump, wherein the water pump is used to guide water to flow into a water suction port of the automatic pool cleaning device and out of a water discharge port of the automatic pool cleaning device, wherein the water suction port is located at the bottom of the automatic pool cleaning device, and the control method comprises: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move and clean on the pool wall; acquiring detection information through the detection sensor during the moving cleaning process; judging whether the automatic pool cleaning device slips on the pool wall based on the detection information, and if so, increasing the power of the water pump to increase the adsorption force at the water suction port.

[0004] Furthermore, after increasing the power of the water pump, if the water pump is still slipping, the control method also includes executing the following steps in sequence one or more times: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move from the pool wall to the pool bottom; controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move sideways at the pool bottom; and controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move from the pool bottom to the pool wall.

[0005] Furthermore, after the automatic pool cleaning device moves from the bottom of the pool to the wall of the pool, the control method further includes: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move and clean on the wall of the pool; and controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move sideways on the wall of the pool.

[0006] Furthermore, the detection sensor includes at least one of the following: a depth sensor, wherein the detection information includes water depth information; or an inertial measurement unit, wherein the detection information includes acceleration information or yaw angle information.

[0007] Furthermore, judging whether the cleaning device slips on the pool wall based on the detection information includes: determining a change in water depth when the automatic pool cleaning device moves on the pool wall for a first predetermined time period or a first predetermined distance based on the detection information; and judging whether the automatic pool cleaning device slips on the pool wall based on the change in water depth.

[0008] Further, judging whether the automatic pool cleaning device has slipped on the pool wall based on the water depth change includes: judging whether the water depth change exceeds a preset water depth change or an expected water depth change; if not, determining that the automatic pool cleaning device has slipped on the pool wall.

[0009] Furthermore, judging whether the cleaning device slips on the pool wall based on the detection information includes: determining an acceleration change or a yaw angle change of the automatic pool cleaning device when it moves on the pool wall for a first predetermined time period or a first predetermined distance based on the detection information; judging whether the automatic pool cleaning device slips on the pool wall based on the acceleration change or the yaw angle change.

[0010] Further, judging whether the automatic pool cleaning device slips on the pool wall based on the acceleration change or the yaw angle change includes judging whether the automatic pool cleaning device encounters an obstacle in its direction of travel, and if not, judging whether the automatic pool cleaning device slips on the pool wall based on the acceleration change or the yaw angle change.

[0011] Furthermore, after increasing the power of the water pump, the control method also includes determining whether the automatic pool cleaning device has returned to a non-slip state on the pool wall based on the detection information, and if so, reducing the power of the water pump.

[0012] Furthermore, while increasing the power of the water pump, the control method also includes increasing the driving speed of the automatic pool cleaning device.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present application, an automatic pool cleaning device is provided, wherein the automatic pool cleaning device is capable of executing the above control method.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present application, a computer storage medium is provided, wherein the storage medium stores a computer program, and the computer program implements the above control method when executed by a processor.

[0015] The control method of the automatic pool cleaning device provided in the present application can adjust the power of the water pump when the robot slips during the mobile cleaning of the pool wall, so that the robot can continue to effectively clean the pool wall, avoiding the problems of low cleaning efficiency and missed cleaning areas due to slipping, improving the cleaning efficiency of the pool wall, and making the pool wall cleaning operation more intelligent. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the embodiment of the present disclosure, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for describing the embodiment. The drawings described below are only exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 1 A flow chart showing a method for controlling an automatic pool cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0018] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing a moving path of an automatic pool cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0019] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the moving path of an automatic pool cleaning device according to another embodiment of the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions in this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in this application. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0021] The present application provides an automatic pool cleaning device and a control method thereof. The automatic pool cleaning device and the control method thereof can be used to clean a pool. 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. In the following, if not otherwise specified, the robot will be used as an example of the automatic pool cleaning device, and the swimming pool will be used as an example of a pool or a pool-shaped building. In the following, if not otherwise specified, the terms "pool bottom", "pool bottom surface", and "bottom" all refer to the bottom surface of the pool; the term "pool wall" means the side wall of the pool, which can be rectangular, arc-shaped or other shapes, and the pool wall and the pool bottom together constitute the main body of the pool.

[0022] The automatic pool cleaning device provided in the present application can perform cleaning operations in the pool wall cleaning mode. The pool wall cleaning mode is also called the wall climbing mode, which mainly uses the vacuum adsorption principle to attach to the pool wall. Specifically, when the automatic pool cleaning device is on the pool wall, due to the operation of the water pump, the water pump guides the water flow into the water suction port of the automatic pool cleaning device (located at the bottom of the robot) and flows out from the drain port of the automatic pool cleaning device, thereby forming a low-pressure area between the automatic pool cleaning device and the pool wall, thereby generating an adsorption force perpendicular to the pool wall (i.e., pointing to the pool wall), and the magnitude of the adsorption force is related to factors such as the power of the water pump. Moreover, when the water pump drains water outward, it can drain water toward the back of the robot or between the back and the tail. Due to the reaction force of the water, the robot is provided with a pressure perpendicular to the surface of the pool wall (the greater the power of the water pump, the greater the reaction force generated by the drainage). The pressure and the adsorption force described above work together to produce the effect of "adsorbing" the robot on the pool wall, and the pressure and the adsorption force can work together. Therefore, by increasing the power of the water pump, according to the friction formula, the friction between the robot's drive device and the wall can be increased accordingly, thereby preventing slipping (this will be described in detail below). When the automatic pool cleaning device moves on the pool wall, the automatic pool cleaning device is subject to vertical upward buoyancy, vertical downward gravity, and a driving force consistent with the direction of travel and a friction force opposite to the direction of movement. When the direction of the resultant force of the automatic pool cleaning device in the direction parallel to the pool wall is upward, the automatic pool cleaning device moves upward to clean; when the resultant force is zero, the automatic pool cleaning device stays on the surface of the pool wall; when the direction of the resultant force is downward, the automatic pool cleaning device moves downward to clean.

[0023] Combine the following Figure 2 The following briefly describes the situation in which the robot slips during the pool wall cleaning mode. Figure 2 As shown in , the robot can move along a vertical path or a substantially vertical path (e.g. Figure 2 The paths ① and ② shown in the figure can be moved on the surface of the pool wall, or along an inclined path (such as Figure 2The robot moves on the surface of the pool wall along the path (⑩) shown in the figure. The vertical path means that the movement path of the robot is perpendicular to the bottom of the pool. During the period when the robot is moving and cleaning the surface of the pool wall, if the surface of the pool wall is relatively smooth, or the friction of impurities / dirt on the surface of the pool wall is relatively small (for example, algae, plastic bags, etc.), the robot's driving device (for example, driving wheels, tracks, etc.) may "slip" on the surface of the pool wall. For example, the friction between the driving wheels of the robot and the surface of the pool wall is insufficient, resulting in the driving wheel rotating at an unchanged speed. The robot's movement speed slows down, and the robot may even stay in place (that is, although the driving wheels are still rotating, the robot does not move), thereby affecting the efficiency of the cleaning operation. If the robot is moving from Figure 2 If a similar slipping phenomenon as described above occurs during the process of turning from path ⑨ shown in the figure to path ⑩, the robot may understeer or oversteer (for example, the driving wheel on one side of the robot may slip, causing the wheel speeds on the left and right sides to be out of balance, thereby making the steering angle too small or too large), thereby causing the robot to repeatedly clean a certain area or miss a certain area in subsequent cleaning operations, affecting the efficiency of the cleaning operation and providing a poor user experience. The automatic pool cleaning device and control method provided in the present application can cope with the above-mentioned slipping phenomenon according to the different materials and different pollutant states of the pool wall, improve the cleaning efficiency of the pool wall, and make the pool wall cleaning operation more intelligent. The above description of the causes of "slipping" and the location of "slipping" is only exemplary, and those skilled in the art may apply the technical principles recorded in this application to other causes and locations of slipping.

[0024] It should be noted that although Figure 2 Path ① and Path ② shown in the figure are two different paths, but in fact, since the robot cleans the pool wall surface by reciprocating between the pool bottom and the waterline, without considering the movement errors caused by water flow resistance, pool wall dirt resistance, etc., Path ① and Path ② actually represent the same cleaning path on the pool wall surface, where Path ① represents the robot moving from the pool bottom to the waterline along the cleaning path, and Path ② represents the robot moving from the waterline to the pool bottom along the cleaning path. Path ① and Path ② are named only to distinguish the movement direction of the robot during the reciprocating movement. In the same way, Figure 2 Path ⑤ and path ⑥ in the figure actually represent different reciprocating directions of the same cleaning path on the pool wall surface; path ⑦ and path ⑧ actually represent different reciprocating directions of the same cleaning path on the pool wall surface. Figure 2 and Figure 3 Understand the path marking principle in .

[0025] It is understandable that the robot's moving cleaning path on the pool wall surface is not limited to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The robot can perform path planning in advance to obtain various moving paths on the surface of the pool wall. It should be noted that in practice, the term "path planning" does not necessarily require the robot to plan a moving trajectory in advance and store the information corresponding to the moving trajectory in the robot's memory. The so-called path planning in this field usually refers to planning a movement rule, which can be a trajectory planned according to the global map. The movement rule can also be a certain movement rule that controls the movement of the robot, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 The movement rules shown in .

[0026] It is understandable that when the robot performs cleaning operations on the surface of the pool wall, the direction pointed by the robot's head can be used as its forward direction, or the direction pointed by its tail can be used as its forward direction. For example, when the robot moves along path ①, the robot's head can be pointed to its forward direction, that is, the robot's head moves upward toward the waterline; and when the robot moves along path ②, the robot's tail can be pointed to its forward direction, that is, the robot moves backward toward the bottom of the pool. For another example, when the robot moves along path ①, the robot's head can be pointed to its forward direction, that is, the robot moves upward toward the waterline; after the robot reaches the waterline position and cleans the waterline, the robot can turn around (for example, rotate 180 degrees) and point the robot's head in the direction of path ②, that is, the robot's head moves downward toward the bottom of the pool.

[0027] The automatic pool cleaning device and control method 100 of the present application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 A flow chart of a control method 100 of an automatic pool cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the moving path of an automatic pool cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. Figure 3 FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the movement path of an automatic pool cleaning device according to another embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 As shown, the control method 100 of the automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application includes steps 101 to 103. Steps 101 to 103 will be described in detail below in conjunction with specific embodiments.

[0028] First, enter step 101. In step 101, control the automatic pool cleaning device to move and clean on the pool wall.

[0029] For example, the robot can Figure 2 and Figure 3 The mobile cleaning can be performed along the path on the pool wall surface shown in the figure, or along other paths on the pool wall surface, as long as the technical principles of the present application can be implemented.

[0030] The robot moves on the wall of the pool and sucks impurities and dirt on the surface of the pool wall (such as leaves, branches, plastic particles, algae, oil film on the surface of the pool wall, etc.) into the filter inside the robot through a water pump and a water suction port at the bottom of the robot, and filters and stores these impurities and dirt in a dirt box, and discharges water from the drain port, thereby achieving the purpose of cleaning the pool wall.

[0031] It is understandable that when the robot moves on the pool wall, it mainly relies on the propulsion force generated by the water pump and the propulsion force generated by the robot's driving device (such as driving wheels, tracks, impellers, etc.). In the following, the robot's lateral movement (such as lateral movement on the pool bottom and lateral movement on the pool wall) will also be described. The lateral movement can also be achieved by the water pump and / or the driving device. For example, the robot can be turned by changing the direction of water pump drainage; the robot can be turned by changing the wheel speed of the left and right wheels of the robot to generate a wheel speed difference.

[0032] Next, the process proceeds to step 102. In step 102, during the mobile cleaning process, detection information is acquired through the detection sensor.

[0033] The detection sensor can be used to detect whether the robot slips while moving and cleaning the pool wall surface. As mentioned above, when the robot slips, the robot's moving speed on the pool wall surface slows down, or even stays still, or the robot understeers or oversteers. The detection sensor can be used to detect the robot's moving speed, or the robot's steering situation can be detected, or the detection sensor can be used to detect both the robot's moving speed and the robot's steering situation, so as to determine whether the robot slips.

[0034] The detection sensor includes at least one of the following: a depth sensor, wherein the detection information includes water depth information; or an inertial measurement unit, wherein the detection information includes acceleration information or yaw angle information.

[0035] The depth sensor can measure the underwater depth of the robot (referred to as "water depth"). The depth sensor is, for example, an ultrasonic depth sensor, a pressure sensor, a laser depth sensor, an optical depth sensor, etc., as long as the technical principle of the present application can be realized.

[0036] The depth sensor can detect the water depth of the robot in real time, obtain water depth information, and form a water depth curve with the water depth information over a period of time. The water depth curve refers to a graphical representation of the water depth information obtained by real-time measurement by the depth sensor. Specifically, the water depth curve can show the trend of the water depth of the robot changing over time during the movement. When the robot moves and cleans on the surface of the pool wall, the water depth curve will change with the movement of the robot.

[0037] The inertial measurement unit (IMU) can measure the acceleration information and / or yaw angle information of the robot on the surface of the pool wall. The inertial measurement unit can be a mechanical IMU, an optical gyroscope IMU, a micro-electromechanical system IMU, etc. The inertial measurement unit can also be used together with the depth sensor described above to determine whether the robot is slipping.

[0038] Next, the process proceeds to step 103. In step 103, it is determined based on the detection information whether the automatic pool cleaning device has slipped on the pool wall, and if so, the power of the water pump is increased to increase the adsorption force at the water suction port.

[0039] As mentioned above, when the robot slips during the mobile cleaning of the pool wall, the movement speed of the robot will decrease, or even the robot will stay in place. The reason for the slip is, for example, the insufficient friction between the robot's drive device (e.g., drive wheels, tracks, etc.) and the pool wall surface. Therefore, if slipping occurs, the friction between the robot's drive device and the pool wall surface can be increased. According to the friction calculation formula f = μ × Fn, f is the sliding friction, Fn is the normal pressure, and μ is the sliding friction coefficient. When the material of the robot's drive device and the pool wall material remain unchanged, the μ value remains unchanged. Therefore, the friction between the robot's drive device and the pool wall surface is directly related to Fn (i.e., the normal pressure between the robot and the pool wall surface). In other words, the greater the normal pressure perpendicular to the pool wall surface, the greater the friction, and vice versa. The positive pressure between the robot and the pool wall surface can be provided by the water pump, that is, as described above, due to the drainage of the water pump, the robot is provided with a pressure perpendicular to the pool wall surface, and because the water pump absorbs water through the water inlet at the bottom of the robot, the robot is provided with an adsorption force perpendicular to the pool wall, and the pressure and the adsorption force can work together to form a positive pressure Fn between the robot and the pool wall surface. It can be seen that increasing the power of the water pump can increase the adsorption force at the water inlet, and can also increase the pressure perpendicular to the pool wall surface, thereby increasing the positive pressure Fn, and correspondingly, the friction force f can be increased. Increasing the friction force f can prevent the robot's drive device (such as a drive wheel) from slipping with the pool wall, thereby enabling the robot to move normally.

[0040] The power of the water pump can be increased in many ways. For example, it can be achieved by increasing the power supply current of the water pump. The present application does not impose any specific restrictions on the method of increasing the power of the water pump, as long as the technical principle of the present application can be realized.

[0041] For example, in the pool wall cleaning mode, the robot can first set the power of the water pump to 80% of the rated power, and when the above-mentioned slippage occurs, the power of the water pump can be increased to the rated power. Those skilled in the art can understand the technical principles of the present application based on the above exemplary description of increasing the power of the water pump.

[0042] In step 103, judging whether the cleaning device has slipped on the pool wall based on the detection information includes: determining a change in water depth when the automatic pool cleaning device moves on the pool wall for a first predetermined time period or a first predetermined distance based on the detection information; and judging whether the automatic pool cleaning device has slipped on the pool wall based on the change in water depth.

[0043] With robot along Figure 2 Take the movement of path ① shown in the figure as an example. Under normal circumstances (no slippage), the water depth curve representing the change in water depth will show a gradually rising trend (i.e., the water depth of the robot gradually decreases), indicating that the robot is moving upward and gradually approaching the water surface. When the robot slips (for example, the movement speed slows down or even stays in place), the water depth curve will deviate from the rising trend described above and may even become flat. Therefore, the change in water depth can be used to determine whether the robot is slipping.

[0044] With robot along Figure 2 For example, in the case of the movement of path ② shown in the figure, under normal circumstances (no slippage), the water depth curve representing the change in water depth shows a gradually decreasing trend (i.e., the water depth of the robot gradually increases), indicating that the robot is moving downward and gradually away from the water surface. When the robot slips (for example, the movement speed slows down or even stays in place), the water depth curve will deviate from the downward trend described above and may even become flat. Therefore, the water depth curve can be used to determine whether the robot is slipping.

[0045] Referenced above Figure 2 The described slip phenomenon is only exemplary. When the robot moves on the surface of the pool wall, if the surface of the pool wall is relatively smooth, or the friction of impurities / dirt on the surface of the pool wall is small (for example, algae, plastic bags, etc.), slipping may occur. Therefore, this slip phenomenon may also occur in Figure 2 Path ⑤, Path ⑥, Path ⑨, Path ⑩, Path Waiting on the path.

[0046] Taking the depth sensor as an example, the detection information obtained by the depth sensor may include water depth information. In other words, the depth sensor may obtain the water depth information of the robot. During the movement of the robot on the pool wall, the water depth information of the robot may be obtained in real time through the depth sensor. When the robot moves on the pool wall for a first predetermined time or a first predetermined distance, the water depth change of the robot during the movement of the first predetermined time or the first predetermined distance may be determined through the water depth information obtained in real time. Through the water depth change, the water depth curve as described above may be obtained, and the water depth curve may be analyzed to determine whether it deviates from a certain predetermined trend (for example, the water depth curve generated by the robot slipping as described above with reference to path ① and path ② deviates from the water depth curve generated by normal driving (no slipping)), and then it may be determined whether the robot slips.

[0047] In step 103, judging whether the automatic pool cleaning device has slipped on the pool wall based on the water depth change includes: judging whether the water depth change exceeds the expected water depth change; if not, determining that the automatic pool cleaning device has slipped on the pool wall.

[0048] For example, the displacement information (e.g., change in water depth) of the robot moving along the pool wall for a first predetermined period of time can be determined based on the detection information; the slipping of the robot on the pool wall can be determined by comparing the displacement information with a preset water depth change or an expected water depth change of the robot during the first predetermined period of time, wherein the preset water depth change and the expected water depth change are used to characterize the displacement information of the robot moving along the pool wall for the first predetermined period of time without slipping.

[0049] Specifically, for example, when the detection sensor is a depth sensor, the robot can detect the water depth of the robot within the first predetermined time period through the depth sensor, and calculate the change in the water depth of the robot within the first predetermined time period (for example, within the first predetermined time period, the water depth of the robot changes from 2 meters to 1.8 meters, that is, a change of 0.2 meters). Knowing the preset wall climbing speed of the robot in the pool wall cleaning mode (for example, the factory setting), when the first predetermined time period is known, the preset water depth change of the robot in the first predetermined time period can be determined (for example, within the first predetermined time period, the preset water depth change is 1 meter), that is, the preset water depth change can be calculated based on the preset wall climbing speed and the first predetermined time period.

[0050] Similar to the above principle, the robot's wall climbing speed before slipping in the pool wall cleaning mode can also be obtained. When the first predetermined time period is known, the expected water depth change of the robot in the first predetermined time period can be determined (for example, within the first predetermined time period, the expected water depth change is 1 meter), that is, the expected water depth change is calculated based on the wall climbing speed before slipping and the first predetermined time period. The expected water depth change can also be affected by other parameters. For example, the expected water depth change can be calculated based on a preset pool wall driving speed, a preset driving time, and a preset driving yaw angle before slipping. The above parameters can be preset or selected by the user according to actual conditions, and the values ​​of the above parameters can be obtained in real time through sensors such as an inertial measurement unit and a wheel speed meter.

[0051] Next, the displacement information (i.e., the water depth change) can be compared with the preset water depth change or the expected water depth change. In the above example, since the water depth change (0.2 meters) is smaller than the preset water depth change or the expected water depth change (1 meter), it can be determined that the robot has slipped within the first predetermined time period.

[0052] The first predetermined time length can be set by the user, or can be set when the robot leaves the factory. The first predetermined time length can also be set according to parameters such as the size of the pool and the size of the robot.

[0053] In step 103, judging whether the cleaning device has slipped on the pool wall based on the detection information includes: determining the acceleration change or yaw angle change of the automatic pool cleaning device when it moves on the pool wall for a first predetermined time period or a first predetermined distance based on the detection information; judging whether the automatic pool cleaning device has slipped on the pool wall based on the acceleration change or yaw angle change.

[0054] As described above, the acceleration and yaw angle of the robot during the movement along the pool wall can be measured in real time by an inertial measurement unit. Therefore, when the robot moves along the pool wall for a first predetermined time or a first predetermined distance, the acceleration change and yaw angle change of the robot during this period can be obtained by the inertial measurement unit, and then, the acceleration change can be compared with the preset acceleration change to determine whether slipping occurs, or the yaw angle change can be compared with the preset yaw angle change to determine whether slipping occurs.

[0055] For example, taking the acceleration change as an example, the robot moves along the pool wall for a first predetermined time or a first predetermined distance, and the actual acceleration change obtained by the robot during this period obtained by the inertial measurement unit is 2m / s 2, and the preset acceleration change of the robot during this period (such as factory setting or user setting) is 0.5m / s 2 Since the acceleration change is greater than the preset acceleration change, it can be determined that the robot slips within the first predetermined time period or the first predetermined distance.

[0056] The determination of whether the automatic pool cleaning device has skidded on the pool wall based on the acceleration change or the yaw angle change includes determining whether the automatic pool cleaning device has encountered an obstacle in the direction of travel. If not, determining whether the automatic pool cleaning device has skidded on the pool wall based on the acceleration change or the yaw angle change. When the robot encounters an obstacle in the direction of travel, it needs to perform obstacle avoidance actions, so it needs to adjust the speed and direction, which will cause changes in acceleration and yaw angle. Therefore, in the example of referring to the acceleration change / yaw angle change above, it can also be determined whether the robot has encountered an obstacle in the direction of travel. If no obstacle is encountered, it can be determined whether skidding has occurred by referring to the acceleration change or the yaw angle change as described above, thereby eliminating the situation where the acceleration change / yaw angle change is caused by the robot encountering an obstacle during travel.

[0057] It can be understood that the above exemplary descriptions of the robot's water depth change, theoretical movement displacement, first predetermined time duration, etc. are not intended to be an exhaustive enumeration of the connotations of these terms. Those skilled in the art can select these terms according to actual needs as long as the technical principles of this application can be implemented.

[0058] After increasing the power of the water pump, if the water is still slipping, the control method further includes executing the following steps in sequence one or more times: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move from the pool wall to the pool bottom; controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move sideways at the pool bottom; and controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move from the pool bottom to the pool wall.

[0059] After increasing the power of the water pump, if the detection sensor detects that the driving device of the robot is still slipping, then increasing the power of the water pump may still not avoid slipping. Alternatively, as described in the above embodiment, after increasing the power of the water pump, the water pump works at rated power and the power of the water pump cannot be increased. In this case, although the robot can still move in some paths (such as Figure 2The robot moves and cleans along the paths ① and ② shown in the figure. However, if the robot moves sideways on the pool wall (for example, moving sideways from path ② to the vertical path of the next wall), the robot may not be able to accurately complete the sideways movement due to slippage, and may even slide off the pool wall during the sideways movement due to slippage. Therefore, after increasing the power of the water pump, if the robot is still in the slipping situation, it is necessary to control the robot to move to the bottom of the pool and complete the sideways movement at the bottom of the pool.

[0060] Refer to the following Figure 2 and Figure 3 The operation of the robot moving sideways on the pool bottom is illustrated by way of example.

[0061] by Figure 2 For example, assuming that the robot slips while moving sideways on the pool wall (e.g. path ⑩), it is not convenient to move sideways on the pool wall. The robot can be controlled to move from the pool wall to the pool bottom (i.e., move along path ③), and then controlled to move sideways (i.e., move along path ④); after the robot moves along path ④ to the junction of the pool bottom and the pool wall, the robot is controlled to move upward from the pool bottom to the pool wall. In this way, the robot can move and clean path ⑤ of the pool wall. Path ⑤ is the path next to path ① / path ②, that is, the robot has completed the sideways movement. Figure 2 As shown, when the robot moves sideways at the bottom of the pool, it can first rotate a certain angle (e.g., 30 degrees or 150 degrees) at the end point of path ③ to make the head of the robot point in the direction of path ④, and then move along path ④ to the junction of the pool bottom and the pool wall.

[0062] by Figure 3 For example, assuming that the robot slips while moving sideways on the pool wall (for example, path ⑩), it is not convenient to move sideways on the pool wall. The robot can be controlled to move from the pool wall to the pool bottom (i.e., move along path ③), and then controlled to move sideways (i.e., move along path ④); after the robot moves a predetermined distance along path ④, the robot is controlled to turn and move toward the junction of the pool bottom and the pool wall; after the robot moves to the junction of the pool bottom and the pool wall, the robot is controlled to move upward from the pool bottom to the pool wall. In this way, the robot can move and clean path ⑤ of the pool wall. Path ⑤ is the path next to path ① / path ②, that is, the robot has completed the sideways movement. Figure 3 As shown, when the robot moves sideways at the bottom of the pool, it can first rotate a certain angle (e.g., 90 degrees) at the end point of path ③ to make the head of the robot point in the direction of path ④, and then move a predetermined distance (e.g., 0.5 body length) along path ④, and then rotate a certain angle (e.g., 90 degrees) toward the pool wall, and then move to the junction of the pool bottom and the pool wall.

[0063] Referenced above Figure 2 and Figure 3The description of the lateral movement of the robot is only exemplary, and those skilled in the art can set the lateral movement operation according to the above description as long as the technical principles of the present application can be implemented.

[0064] After the robot has completed the sideways movement at the pool bottom and returned to the pool wall, the robot can continue to move and clean at the pool wall. If the detection sensor detects that the robot is still slipping during the continued mobile cleaning, the robot can be controlled to repeat the above-mentioned sideways movement at the pool bottom. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The exemplary side shift operation can be performed multiple times. For example, if the robot still slips during a reciprocating cleaning along path ⑤ and path ⑥, the robot can refer to Figure 2 The principles or references of paths ③ and ④ in Figure 3 The method moves to the pool bottom again according to the principle of paths ③ and ④ in the figure and moves sideways at the pool bottom, and then returns to the pool wall for mobile cleaning.

[0065] After the automatic pool cleaning device moves from the bottom of the pool to the wall of the pool, the control method further includes: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move and clean on the wall of the pool; and controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move sideways on the wall of the pool.

[0066] The robot completes the lateral movement of the pool bottom and returns to the pool wall, and moves to clean the pool wall. If the robot does not slip during the subsequent mobile cleaning, it indicates that the surface of the pool wall is suitable for supporting the robot to move sideways to the pool wall, and the robot can move sideways to the pool wall.

[0067] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 , assuming that the robot does not slip while moving along paths ⑤ and ⑥, the robot can first move to the bottom of the pool along path ⑦, then move to the junction of the bottom and the wall along path ⑧, then move to the wall along path ⑨, then move to the side of the wall along path ⑩, and then move along path ⑩. Moving upwards to clean, the robot thus completes a lateral move along the pool wall.

[0068] Referenced above Figure 2 and Figure 3 The robot first "goes down the wall" (i.e., moves from the pool wall to the pool bottom), then "goes up the wall" (i.e., moves from the pool bottom to the pool wall), and then moves sideways. The robot's sideways movement operation can also omit the above-mentioned process of going down the wall and going up the wall. For example, the robot can first move backward along path ⑥ to the junction of the pool wall and the pool bottom, then move upward along path ⑨, and then move sideways along path ⑩.

[0069] The above description of the robot performing lateral movement of the pool wall is exemplary and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of operating methods of lateral movement of the pool wall.

[0070] After increasing the power of the water pump, the control method further includes determining whether the automatic pool cleaning device has returned to a non-slip state on the pool wall based on the detection information, and if so, reducing the power of the water pump.

[0071] For example, after the robot completes the sideways movement of the pool bottom and returns to the pool wall, it continues to move along the pool wall (for example, along the Figure 2 ), and determine whether the robot has recovered to a non-slip state by detecting the detection information obtained by the detection sensor (for example, by the water depth change determination method, acceleration change determination method, yaw angle change determination method, etc. described above). If the robot has recovered to a non-slip state (for example, the actual water depth change is equal to the preset water depth change / expected water depth change), the power of the water pump can be reduced, for example, the power of the water pump can be reduced to the preset power for normal pool wall cleaning, or the power of the water pump can be reduced from the rated power to 0.8 times the rated power. For another example, during the period when the robot is moving sideways against the pool wall (for example, along the Figure 2 If the detection sensor detects that the robot is no longer slipping, the power of the water pump can be reduced. By reducing the power of the water pump, electric energy can be saved, so that the robot has a better endurance.

[0072] The application scenarios for reducing the power of the water pump are not limited to the examples described above, and those skilled in the art can reduce the power of the water pump when the robot no longer slips based on the principles described in this application.

[0073] While increasing the power of the water pump, the control method further includes increasing the driving speed of the automatic pool cleaning device.

[0074] In the various embodiments of increasing the power of the water pump described above, in some cases (for example, when the pool wall is particularly smooth or there is a lot of algae), simply increasing the water pump power and increasing the friction may still not enable the robot to move on the surface of the pool wall, or the movement speed may be slow (that is, the robot still slips at this time). At this time, the driving speed of the robot can also be increased, such as increasing the rotation speed of the robot's driving wheels or tracks, thereby facilitating the robot to move and clean the pool wall in a slippery area or state.

[0075] The control method may further include: continuing to acquire detection information of the automatic pool cleaning device through the detection sensor; and reducing the power of the water pump and / or reducing the driving speed of the automatic pool cleaning device when it is determined according to the detection information that the automatic pool cleaning device moves on the pool wall for a second predetermined period of time without slipping.

[0076] As described above, after increasing the power of the water pump and the driving speed of the robot, it is possible to continue to determine whether the automatic pool cleaning device has recovered to a non-slip state on the pool wall based on the detection information. If it has recovered to a non-slip state, it indicates that the corresponding pool wall area can support the robot to perform mobile cleaning operations on the pool wall surface in the conventional pool wall cleaning mode as described above. Therefore, the power of the water pump can be reduced, or the driving speed of the robot can be reduced to save electricity and give the robot better endurance. For example, the power of the water pump can be reduced and the driving speed of the robot can be reduced at the same time. It is also possible to reduce the power of the water pump first, and determine whether the robot has slipped. If no slipping occurs, the driving speed of the robot is reduced.

[0077] The second predetermined time length can be set by the user, or can be set when the robot leaves the factory. The first predetermined time length can also be set according to parameters such as the size of the pool and the size of the robot.

[0078] The above descriptions about reducing the power of the water pump, reducing the driving speed of the robot, and the second predetermined time period are exemplary. Those skilled in the art can set the above terms and operations according to actual needs as long as the technical principles of the present application can be implemented.

[0079] As described above, the control method of the automatic pool cleaning device provided in the present application can adjust the power of the water pump when the robot slips during the mobile cleaning of the pool wall, so that the robot can continue to effectively clean the pool wall, avoiding the problems of low cleaning efficiency and missed cleaning areas due to slipping, improving the cleaning efficiency of the pool wall, and making the pool wall cleaning operation more intelligent.

[0080] The present application also provides an automatic pool cleaning device. The automatic pool cleaning device can execute the control method described above with reference to various embodiments. The description of the control method of the automatic pool cleaning device executing various embodiments is omitted here.

[0081] The present application also provides a computer storage medium, in which a computer program is stored. The computer program is executed by a processor to execute the control method described above with reference to various embodiments.

[0082] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative, wherein the units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components displayed as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place, or they may be distributed on multiple network units. Some or all of the modules may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the scheme of this embodiment. Ordinary technicians in this field can understand and implement it without paying creative labor.

[0083] Through the description of the above implementation methods, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that each implementation method can be implemented by means of software plus a necessary general hardware platform, and of course, it can also be implemented by hardware. Based on this understanding, the above technical solution is essentially or the part that contributes to the prior art can be embodied in the form of a software product, and the computer software product can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as ROM / RAM, a disk, an optical disk, etc., including a number of instructions for a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in each embodiment or some parts of the embodiments.

[0084] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of different embodiments or examples, unless they are contradictory.

[0085] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0086] In the present application, unless otherwise specified, directional words such as "up" and "down" are generally used with reference to the directions shown in the drawings, or with reference to the vertical, perpendicular or gravity direction; similarly, for ease of understanding and description, "left" and "right" are generally used with reference to the left and right shown in the drawings; "inside" and "outside" refer to the inside and outside relative to the outline of each component itself, but the above directional words are not used to limit the present application.

[0087] The above is only an exemplary embodiment of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can easily think of various changes or substitutions within the technical scope recorded in the present application, which should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A control method for an automatic pool cleaning device, the automatic pool cleaning device comprising a detection sensor and a water pump, the water pump is used to guide water to flow into a water suction port of the automatic pool cleaning device and flow out from a water discharge port of the automatic pool cleaning device, the water suction port is located at the bottom of the automatic pool cleaning device, the control method comprising: Controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move and clean on the pool wall; During the mobile cleaning process, the detection information is obtained through the detection sensor; Based on the detection information, it is determined whether the automatic pool cleaning device has slipped on the pool wall. If so, the power of the water pump is increased to increase the adsorption force at the water suction port.

2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein: After increasing the power of the water pump, if the vehicle is still in a slipping state, the control method further includes executing the following steps in sequence one or more times: Controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move from the pool wall to the pool bottom; Controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move sideways at the bottom of the pool; as well as The automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to move from the bottom of the pool to the wall of the pool.

3. The control method according to claim 2, wherein: After the automatic pool cleaning device moves from the bottom of the pool to the wall of the pool, the control method further includes: Controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move and clean on the pool wall; and The automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to move sideways on the pool wall.

4. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the detection sensor comprises at least one of the following: Depth sensor, where The detection information includes water depth information; Or, inertial measurement unit, the detection information includes acceleration information or yaw angle information.

5. The control method according to claim 4, wherein: The determining, based on the detection information, whether the automatic pool cleaning device slips on the pool wall comprises: Determine, based on the detection information, a change in water depth when the automatic pool cleaning device moves on the pool wall for a first predetermined time period or a first predetermined distance; Whether the automatic pool cleaning device slips on the pool wall is determined based on the water depth change.

6. The control method according to claim 5, wherein: The determining whether the automatic pool cleaning device has slipped on the pool wall based on the water depth change includes: determining whether the water depth change exceeds a preset water depth change or an expected water depth change; if not, determining that the automatic pool cleaning device has slipped on the pool wall.

7. The control method according to claim 4, wherein: Judging whether the cleaning device slips on the pool wall based on the detection information includes: determining the acceleration change or yaw angle change of the automatic pool cleaning device moving on the pool wall for a first predetermined time period or a first predetermined distance based on the detection information; judging whether the automatic pool cleaning device slips on the pool wall based on the acceleration change or yaw angle change.

8. The control method according to claim 7, wherein: Determine whether the automatic pool cleaning device slips on the pool wall based on the acceleration change or the yaw angle change, including determining whether the automatic pool cleaning device encounters an obstacle in its direction of travel; if not, determine whether the automatic pool cleaning device slips on the pool wall based on the acceleration change or the yaw angle change.

9. The control method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: After increasing the power of the water pump, the method further includes judging whether the automatic pool cleaning device has recovered to a non-slip state on the pool wall based on the detection information, and if so, reducing the power of the water pump.

10. The control method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: While increasing the power of the water pump, the method also includes increasing the driving speed of the automatic pool cleaning device.

11. An automatic pool cleaning device, wherein: The automatic pool cleaning device is capable of executing the method according to any one of claims 1-10.

12. A computer storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor, implements the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

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