Cleaning method and device, cleaning robot, program product and storage medium

Abstract

The invention is suitable for the technical field of smart home, and provides a cleaning method and device, a cleaning robot, a program product and a storage medium. The cleaning method is implemented by the cleaning robot, the cleaning robot comprises a mechanical arm, and the method comprises the steps that after the cleaning robot cleans a first area, whether obstructions exist on the boundary of the first area or not is detected, and an uncleaned second area is searched; under the condition that the obstructions are detected, the mechanical arm is controlled to carry the obstructions to a storage area; and controlling the cleaning robot to move to the second area for cleaning. According to the embodiment of the invention, the cleaning robot can control the mechanical arm to carry the obstructions to the storage area when detecting that the obstructions exist at the boundary of the first area, so that the obstructions are carried to the position where passing is not obstructed, and the cleaning robot can carry the obstructions to the position where passing is not obstructed under the condition of no obstruction. And the robot smoothly enters the blocked second area for cleaning, so that the cleaning coverage rate is increased.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the field of smart home technology, and in particular, relates to a cleaning method, a device, a cleaning robot, a program product and a storage medium. Background Art

[0002] Cleaning robots (such as floor scrubbers, sweepers, etc.) are special robots that perform cleaning and washing tasks, and they mainly serve the fields of home, business, medical care, and industry. In recent years, as the concept of smart home has gradually gained popularity and technology has continued to advance, the popularity of cleaning robots has shown a rapid growth trend.

[0003] When cleaning, the cleaning robot generally scans and identifies the areas that can be cleaned. However, if there are objects (such as shoes, socks, etc.) blocking the passage area, the blocked area may not be cleaned, resulting in a low cleaning coverage rate and a cleaning result that is difficult to satisfy the user. Summary of the invention

[0004] The embodiments of the present application provide a cleaning method, device, cleaning robot, program product and storage medium, which can solve the technical problem that obstacles block the passage area and cause some areas to be unable to be cleaned.

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a cleaning method, which is applied to a cleaning robot, wherein the cleaning robot includes a mechanical arm, and the method includes:

[0006] After the cleaning robot finishes cleaning the first area, detecting whether there is an obstruction at the boundary of the first area, and searching for an uncleaned second area;

[0007] When the obstruction is detected, the robot arm is controlled to move the obstruction to a storage area; wherein the obstruction is located on a path leading to the second area;

[0008] The cleaning robot is controlled to move to the second area for cleaning.

[0009] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, detecting whether there is an obstacle at a boundary of the first area includes:

[0010] detecting whether a boundary of the first area includes the identified object;

[0011] In the case where the boundary of the first area includes the identified object, if the object meets a preset condition, determining that the object is an obstruction that blocks passage;

[0012] The preset condition includes a first preset condition, and the first preset condition is at least one of the following:

[0013] The area where the object is located intersects with the boundary of the first area;

[0014] The area of ​​the second region blocked by the object is greater than a first area threshold;

[0015] Other objects near the area where the object is located have not been moved by the cleaning robot.

[0016] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the preset condition further includes a second preset condition, and the second preset condition includes at least any one of the following:

[0017] The type of the object belongs to the type of object that the robotic arm supports grasping;

[0018] The area where the object is located belongs to a graspable area;

[0019] The predetermined range of the three-dimensional space region where the object is located does not include grasping obstacles;

[0020] The object does not belong to the objects currently used by the user.

[0021] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, when the obstruction is detected, controlling the robot arm to move the obstruction to a storage area includes:

[0022] When the obstruction is detected, determining a starting grasping position of the obstruction;

[0023] The cleaning robot is controlled to move to the starting grasping position, and the mechanical arm is controlled to grasp the obstruction and carry the obstruction to a storage area.

[0024] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, when the obstruction is detected, controlling the robot arm to move the obstruction to a storage area further includes:

[0025] When the obstruction is successfully captured, the object information of the obstruction is recorded and updated.

[0026] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, when the obstruction is detected, controlling the robot arm to move the obstruction to a storage area further includes:

[0027] Determining a target arrival position after the obstruction is transported to the storage area, wherein the target arrival position is located in the second area;

[0028] The controlling the cleaning robot to move to the second area for cleaning comprises:

[0029] The cleaning robot is controlled to move to the target arrival position for cleaning.

[0030] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, before controlling the cleaning robot to move to the second area for cleaning, the method further includes:

[0031] Determine whether the target arrival position belongs to the current cleaning area;

[0032] If the target arrival position belongs to the current cleaning area, controlling the robot arm to move the obstruction to the storage area;

[0033] If the target arrival position does not belong to the current cleaning area, the robot arm is controlled to move the obstruction to the storage area after the current cleaning area is cleaned.

[0034] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the method further includes:

[0035] Determine whether there are other obstructions that can be grasped on the path to the target arrival location;

[0036] If there are other obstacles that can be grasped on the path, grasp and record the object information of the other obstacles;

[0037] The other obstructions are moved to a storage area.

[0038] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a cleaning device, which is applied to a cleaning robot, the cleaning robot includes a mechanical arm, and the device includes:

[0039] A first detection unit is used to detect whether there is an obstruction at the boundary of the first area after the cleaning robot cleans the first area, and to search for an uncleaned second area;

[0040] a first control unit, configured to control the robot arm to move the obstruction to a storage area when the obstruction is detected; wherein the obstruction is located on a path leading to the second area;

[0041] The second control unit is used to control the cleaning robot to move to the second area for cleaning.

[0042] In a possible implementation manner of the second aspect, the first detection unit is further configured to:

[0043] detecting whether a boundary of the first area includes the identified object;

[0044] In the case where the boundary of the first area includes the identified object, if the object meets a preset condition, determining that the object is an obstruction that blocks passage;

[0045] The preset condition includes a first preset condition, and the first preset condition is at least one of the following:

[0046] The area where the object is located intersects with the boundary of the first area;

[0047] The area of ​​the second region blocked by the object is greater than a first area threshold;

[0048] Other objects near the area where the object is located have not been moved by the cleaning robot.

[0049] In a possible implementation manner of the second aspect, the preset condition further includes a second preset condition, and the second preset condition includes at least any one of the following:

[0050] The type of the object belongs to the type of object that the robotic arm supports grasping;

[0051] The area where the object is located belongs to a graspable area;

[0052] The predetermined range of the three-dimensional space region where the object is located does not include grasping obstacles;

[0053] The object does not belong to the objects currently used by the user.

[0054] In a possible implementation manner of the second aspect, the first control unit is configured to:

[0055] When the obstruction is detected, determining a starting grasping position of the obstruction;

[0056] The cleaning robot is controlled to move to the starting grasping position, and the mechanical arm is controlled to grasp the obstruction and carry the obstruction to a storage area.

[0057] In a possible implementation manner of the second aspect, the first control unit is further configured to:

[0058] When the obstruction is successfully captured, the object information of the obstruction is recorded and updated.

[0059] In a possible implementation manner of the second aspect, the first control unit is further configured to:

[0060] Determining a target arrival position after the obstruction is transported to the storage area, wherein the target arrival position is located in the second area;

[0061] The second control unit is used for:

[0062] The cleaning robot is controlled to move to the target arrival position for cleaning.

[0063] In a possible implementation manner of the second aspect, the first control unit is further configured to:

[0064] Determine whether the target arrival position belongs to the current cleaning area;

[0065] If the target arrival position belongs to the current cleaning area, controlling the robot arm to move the obstruction to the storage area;

[0066] If the target arrival position does not belong to the current cleaning area, the robot arm is controlled to move the obstruction to the storage area after the current cleaning area is cleaned.

[0067] In a possible implementation manner of the second aspect, the first control unit is further configured to:

[0068] Determine whether there are other obstructions that can be grasped on the path to the target arrival location;

[0069] If there are other obstacles that can be grasped on the path, grasp and record the object information of the other obstacles;

[0070] The other obstructions are moved to a storage area.

[0071] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a cleaning robot, comprising a processor, a memory, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein when the processor executes the computer program, the cleaning robot implements a method as described in any one of the above-mentioned first aspects.

[0072] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product, including a computer program, wherein when the computer program is executed, the method described in any one of the above-mentioned first aspects is executed.

[0073] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the method as described in any one of the above-mentioned first aspects is implemented.

[0074] The first aspect of the embodiment of the present application has the following beneficial effects compared with the prior art:

[0075] In an embodiment of the present application, after the cleaning robot cleans the first area, it detects whether there is an obstruction at the boundary of the first area, and searches for the uncleaned second area; when the obstruction is detected, the mechanical arm is controlled to move the obstruction to the storage area; wherein the obstruction is located on the path leading to the second area; and the cleaning robot is controlled to move to the second area for cleaning. The cleaning method provided in the present application is implemented by a cleaning robot, and the cleaning robot includes a mechanical arm. When there is an obstruction that blocks the passage, the blocked area cannot be cleaned or is missed, resulting in a low cleaning coverage rate, and the cleaning result is difficult to satisfy the user. In the present application, when the cleaning robot detects that there is an obstruction at the boundary of the first area, the mechanical arm can be controlled to move the obstruction to the storage area, thereby moving the obstruction to a position that does not block the passage, and then the cleaning robot can smoothly enter the previously blocked second area for cleaning without obstruction, thereby improving the cleaning coverage rate and improving the user's satisfaction with the cleaning results and effects.

[0076] It can be understood that the beneficial effects of the second to fifth aspects mentioned above can be found in the relevant description of the first aspect mentioned above, and will not be repeated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0077] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0078] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of a cleaning method provided in one embodiment of the present application;

[0079] Figure 2 is a plan view of a cleaning area provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0080] Figure 3 is a plan view of a cleaning area provided by another embodiment of the present application;

[0081] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a cleaning device provided in one embodiment of the present application;

[0082] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the cleaning robot provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0083] In the following description, specific details such as specific system structures, technologies, etc. are proposed for the purpose of illustration rather than limitation, so as to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present application. However, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that the embodiments of the present application can also be implemented in other embodiments without these specific details. In other cases, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, devices, circuits, and methods are omitted to prevent unnecessary details from hindering the description of the embodiments of the present application.

[0084] It should be understood that when used in the present specification and the appended claims, the term "comprising" indicates the presence of described features, wholes, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, wholes, steps, operations, elements, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0085] It should also be understood that the term “and / or” used in the specification and appended claims refers to any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items, and includes these combinations.

[0086] As used in the specification and appended claims of this application, the term "if" can be interpreted as "when" or "uponce" or "in response to determining" or "in response to detecting", depending on the context. Similarly, the phrase "if it is determined" or "if [described condition or event] is detected" can be interpreted as meaning "uponce it is determined" or "in response to determining" or "uponce [described condition or event] is detected" or "in response to detecting [described condition or event]", depending on the context.

[0087] In addition, in the description of the present application specification and the appended claims, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are only used to distinguish the descriptions and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0088] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" etc. described in the specification of this application mean that one or more embodiments of the present application include specific features, structures or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment. Therefore, the statements "in one embodiment", "in some embodiments", "in some other embodiments", "in some other embodiments", etc. that appear in different places in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but mean "one or more but not all embodiments", unless otherwise specifically emphasized in other ways. The terms "including", "comprising", "having" and their variations all mean "including but not limited to", unless otherwise specifically emphasized in other ways.

[0089] Figure 1 It is a flow chart of a cleaning method of a cleaning robot provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0090] like Figure 1 As shown, the cleaning method provided in the embodiment of the present application is applied to a cleaning robot, the cleaning robot includes a mechanical arm, and the cleaning method includes the following steps S11 to S13:

[0091] S11, after the cleaning robot cleans the first area, it detects whether there is an obstacle at the boundary of the first area, and searches for the uncleaned second area, and then enters S12.

[0092] In applications, the cleaning robot can identify the space it is in through a laser distance sensor (LDS) or a time of flight sensor (ToF), such as the size of the space, or the size, length, width, etc. of objects in the space.

[0093] In the application, after the cleaning robot cleans the currently cleaned first area, the cleaning robot detects whether there are any obstructions that block the passage of the cleaning robot at the boundary of the first area, and searches for the next second area to be cleaned. The cleaning robot can determine whether an object is an obstruction that blocks passage in a variety of ways. For example, the cleaning robot can determine the width of the object and the width of the aisle between the first area and the second area where the object is located. If the ratio of the width of the object to the width of the aisle is greater than the first accounting threshold, the cleaning robot determines that the object is an obstruction that blocks passage. Among them, the first accounting threshold can be, for example, 70% to 95%. In some embodiments, the first accounting threshold is 80%. For example, if the difference between the width of the aisle between the first area and the second area and the width of the object is less than the maximum width of the cleaning robot device itself, the cleaning robot determines that the object is an obstruction that blocks passage.

[0094] S12, when the obstruction is detected, controlling the robot arm to move the obstruction to a storage area, and entering S13; wherein the obstruction is located on a path leading to the second area.

[0095] In the application, when an obstruction is detected on the path leading to the second area, the cleaning robot can move to a position near the obstruction and control the mechanical arm to grab the obstruction. After successfully grabbing the obstruction, the cleaning robot can carry the obstruction to the storage area, which is generally located in the cleaned area. After the obstruction is carried to the storage area, the cleaning robot can control the mechanical arm to release the obstruction to place the obstruction in the storage area.

[0096] S13, controlling the cleaning robot to move to the second area for cleaning.

[0097] In application, after the obstructions are transported to the storage area, the cleaning robot may move to the second area for cleaning.

[0098] In an embodiment of the present application, after the cleaning robot cleans the first area, it detects whether there is an obstruction at the boundary of the first area, and searches for the uncleaned second area; when the obstruction is detected, the mechanical arm is controlled to move the obstruction to the storage area; wherein the obstruction is located on the path leading to the second area; and the cleaning robot is controlled to move to the second area for cleaning. The cleaning method provided in the present application is implemented by a cleaning robot, and the cleaning robot includes a mechanical arm. When there is an obstruction that blocks the passage, the blocked area cannot be cleaned or is missed, resulting in a low cleaning coverage rate, and the cleaning result is difficult to satisfy the user. In the present application, when the cleaning robot detects that there is an obstruction at the boundary of the first area, the mechanical arm can be controlled to move the obstruction to the storage area, thereby moving the obstruction to a position that does not block the passage, and then the cleaning robot can smoothly enter the previously blocked second area for cleaning without obstruction, thereby improving the cleaning coverage rate and improving the user's satisfaction with the cleaning results and effects.

[0099] In one embodiment of the present application, the above step S11 can be implemented based on the following steps S111 to S112 to detect whether there is an obstacle at the boundary of the first area.

[0100] S111, detecting whether the boundary of the first area includes the identified object, and proceeding to S112;

[0101] S112, when the boundary of the first area includes the identified object, if the object satisfies a preset condition, it is determined that the object is an obstacle that blocks passage, and the process proceeds to S12; wherein the preset condition includes a first preset condition, and the first preset condition is at least any one of the following:

[0102] The area where the object is located intersects with the boundary of the first area;

[0103] The area of ​​the second region blocked by the object is greater than the first area threshold;

[0104] Other objects near the area where the object is located have not been moved by the cleaning robot.

[0105] In application, when performing cleaning work, the cleaning robot can determine the space and each object in the space by scanning the space, and can determine the information of the cleaned area, the area being cleaned, the uncleaned area, the object area where the object is located, the area blocked by the object, etc. The cleaning robot can determine whether the boundary of the first area includes the identified objects, such as shoes, socks, etc., based on the information obtained by real-time scanning or based on the information obtained by previous scanning. In the case that the boundary of the first area includes the identified objects, the cleaning robot can process the aforementioned cleaned area information, the area being cleaned, the uncleaned area information, the object area where the object is located, and the area blocked by the object. If the object meets any one, any two, or all three of the first preset conditions, it is determined that the object is an obstruction that blocks passage. Taking the case where the object area satisfies the three first preset conditions as an example, if the area where the object is located is at the cleaning boundary of the first area (that is, the area where the object is located intersects with the boundary of the first area), and the area of ​​the second area blocked by the object is greater than the first area threshold, and the objects near the area where the object is located have not been moved by the cleaning robot (to prevent repeated grabbing of previously grabbed objects), then it is determined that the object is an obstruction that blocks passage and is an effective object that can be grabbed and moved. The first area threshold can be, for example, 0.5 square meters to 2 square meters. In some embodiments, the first area threshold can be 1 square meter.

[0106] The embodiment of the present application can more accurately determine whether the object is an obstruction that blocks passage by determining whether the object satisfies one or more first preset conditions, thereby improving the accuracy of identifying the obstruction and avoiding misoperation.

[0107] In one embodiment of the present application, the above step S11 can be implemented based on the following steps S113 to S114 to detect whether there is an obstacle at the boundary of the first area.

[0108] S113, detecting whether the boundary of the first area includes the identified object, and proceeding to S114;

[0109] S114, when the boundary of the first area includes the identified object, if the object meets the preset condition, it is determined that the object is an obstacle that blocks passage, and the process proceeds to S12;

[0110] The preset condition includes a first preset condition, and the first preset condition is at least one of the following:

[0111] The area where the object is located intersects with the boundary of the first area;

[0112] The area of ​​the uncleaned region blocked by the object is greater than a first area threshold;

[0113] Other objects near the area where the object is located have not been moved by the cleaning robot;

[0114] The preset condition further includes a second preset condition, and the second preset condition includes at least one of the following:

[0115] The type of the object belongs to the type of object that the robotic arm supports grasping;

[0116] The area where the object is located belongs to a graspable area;

[0117] The predetermined range of the three-dimensional space region where the object is located does not include grasping obstacles;

[0118] The object does not belong to the objects currently used by the user.

[0119] The specific implementation manner in which the object satisfies the first preset condition is similar or close to the specific implementation manner described in the previous embodiment, and will not be described in detail here.

[0120] In the application, the types of objects that the robotic arm supports grasping include but are not limited to fabrics, shoes, lumps, etc. Areas that cannot be grasped include prohibited areas set by the user, low areas, chair array areas composed of multiple chairs, etc. Areas that are not ungraspable are graspable areas. Grasping obstacles refer to objects that hinder the cleaning robot from controlling the robotic arm to grasp objects, such as obstacles that prevent the cleaning robot from approaching the object to be grasped. The cleaning robot can determine whether there is a grasping obstacle in the three-dimensional space area where the object is located, such as within a predetermined distance range of the adjacent object. Objects currently used by the user include but are not limited to the shoes the user is wearing, the mat the user is using, etc.

[0121] In application, the cleaning robot can process the aforementioned cleaned area information, the area being cleaned, the uncleaned area information, the object area where the object is located, and the area blocked by the object to determine whether the object satisfies any one, any two, or all three of the above first preset conditions, and whether the object satisfies any one, any two, any three, or all four of the above second preset conditions. Those skilled in the art should understand that the specific number of the first preset condition and the second preset condition can be specifically set according to demand, and various settings belong to the scope of protection of this application. For example, if the object satisfies all three of the above first preset conditions and satisfies all four of the above second preset conditions, it is determined that the object is an obstruction that blocks passage. For another example, if the object does not meet any of the above second preset conditions, it is determined that the object does not belong to an obstruction that blocks passage.

[0122] Those skilled in the art should understand that the order in which the cleaning robot determines whether an object meets the first preset condition and whether the object meets the second preset condition can be set arbitrarily and falls within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0123] The embodiment of the present application can more accurately determine whether an object is an obstruction that blocks passage by determining whether the object satisfies one or more first preset conditions and whether the object satisfies one or more second preset conditions, thereby improving the accuracy of identifying the obstruction and avoiding misoperation.

[0124] In one embodiment of the present application, after the above step S111 or S113, the cleaning method further includes:

[0125] S115, when the boundary of the first area does not include the identified object, searching for an uncleaned third area, and proceeding to S116;

[0126] S116, controlling the cleaning robot to move to the third area and perform cleaning.

[0127] In application, if the boundary of the first area does not include the identified object, that is, when there is no object at the boundary of the first area, the uncleaned third area can be searched. When the uncleaned third area is found, the cleaning robot moves to the third area and cleans it.

[0128] In the embodiment of the present application, when the boundary of the first area does not include the identified object, the uncleaned third area is searched, and the third area is moved to and cleaned without identifying whether the object is an obstruction, thereby improving the cleaning speed and efficiency of the cleaning robot.

[0129] In one embodiment of the present application, the above step S12 can be implemented based on the following steps S121 to S122 to control the robot arm to move the obstruction to the storage area.

[0130] S121, when the obstruction is detected, determining the starting grasping position of the obstruction, and proceeding to S122;

[0131] S122, control the cleaning robot to move to the starting grasping position, control the robotic arm to grasp the obstruction and move the obstruction to the storage area, and enter S13.

[0132] In the application, the cleaning robot can determine the starting grasping position for grasping the obstruction through the breadth-first search algorithm (also known as the breadth-first search algorithm, Breadth First Search, abbreviated as BFS) based on the information of the cleaned area, the area being cleaned, the uncleaned area, the obstacles in the space, the object area where the object is located, and the area blocked by the object, so as to grasp the obstruction. After determining the starting grasping position, the cleaning robot can move to the starting grasping position, control the mechanical arm to grasp the obstruction, and move the obstruction to the storage area.

[0133] In applications, the starting grasping position is usually located in a cleaned area, there is no obstacle between the starting grasping position and the obstruction, and the starting grasping position is close to the obstruction, which is convenient for the cleaning robot to grasp.

[0134] Related References Figure 2 , Figure 2 The middle fold line 21 indicates that the area 22 where it is located is a cleaned area. The area 23 without the fold line is an uncleaned area. The obstacle 24 blocks the passage of the cleaning robot. Figure 2 The position of the circular mark point 25 is the starting grasping position. The cleaning robot can control the mechanical arm to grasp the obstruction 24 when moving to the starting grasping position.

[0135] The embodiment of the present application can grasp the obstruction by determining the starting grasping position of the obstruction, and then move the obstruction to the storage area. The cleaning robot can then smoothly enter the second area that was previously blocked for cleaning without obstruction, thereby improving the cleaning coverage rate and enhancing the user's satisfaction with the cleaning results and effects.

[0136] In one embodiment of the present application, the above step S12 also includes the following step S123.

[0137] S123, when the obstruction is successfully captured, the object information of the obstruction is recorded and updated, and the process proceeds to S13.

[0138] The cleaning robot can also identify objects and record object information, such as the type, shape, size, etc. of the object. When other obstructions are subsequently grasped, the cleaning robot can update the object information of the obstruction currently held by the robotic arm.

[0139] In one embodiment of the present application, the above step S12 also includes the following step S124.

[0140] S124, determining a target arrival position after the obstruction is transported to the storage area, and proceeding to S13, wherein the target arrival position is located in the second area.

[0141] In one embodiment of the present application, the above step S13 can be implemented based on the following step S131 to control the cleaning robot to move to the second area for cleaning.

[0142] S131, controlling the cleaning robot to move to the target arrival position for cleaning.

[0143] In application, the starting grasping position is usually located on one side of the obstruction, and the target reaching position is usually located on the other side relative to the starting grasping position. The cleaning robot can determine the target reaching position after the obstruction is moved to the storage area through a breadth-first search algorithm (also known as a breadth-first search algorithm, in English, Breadth First Search, abbreviated as BFS), based on information about the cleaned area, the area being cleaned, the uncleaned area, the obstacle information in the space, the object area where the object is located, and the area blocked by the object. The target reaching position is located in the second area. The target reaching position is usually located in the uncleaned area. The target reaching position can be far away from the obstruction to prevent some obstacle avoidance information from remaining in the area near the obstruction after the obstruction is moved, causing abnormalities in the cleaning process of the cleaning robot. After the obstruction is moved to the storage area, the cleaning robot can move to the target reaching position for cleaning.

[0144] Related References Figure 2 , Figure 2 The circular mark 26 is the location of the storage area. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the above storage area is only an example. The storage area is usually located in a cleaned area. The cleaning robot can control the mechanical arm to release the obstruction 24 when it moves to the storage area.

[0145] Figure 2 The circular mark point 27 is the target arrival position. The cleaning robot can move to the target arrival position after controlling the mechanical arm to release the obstruction 24. The target arrival position is usually located in an uncleaned area. When moving to the target arrival position, the cleaning robot can clean the uncleaned second area.

[0146] In the embodiment of the present application, the target arrival position after the obstruction is moved to the storage area is determined, and after the obstruction is moved to the storage area, the cleaning robot can be controlled to move to the target arrival position for cleaning, thereby improving the cleaning coverage rate and improving the user's satisfaction with the cleaning results and effects. In addition, in the process of moving to the target arrival position after releasing the obstruction, the cleaning robot can also perform additional cleaning on the position where the obstruction was previously located, thereby further improving the cleaning coverage rate and improving user satisfaction.

[0147] In one embodiment of the present application, before the step S13, the cleaning method further includes the following steps S125 to S127 to implement the step of controlling the robot arm to move the obstruction to the storage area in the above step S12.

[0148] S125, determining whether the target arrival position belongs to the current cleaning area, and proceeding to S126 or S127;

[0149] S126, if the target arrival position belongs to the current cleaning area, control the robot arm to move the obstruction to the storage area, and enter S13;

[0150] S127, if the target arrival position does not belong to the current cleaning area, after cleaning the current cleaning area, control the robot arm to move the obstruction to the storage area, and enter S13.

[0151] In the application, the cleaning robot records the cleaning information of the space it is in. For example, the range of the current cleaning area. Figure 3 , Figure 3 The first cleaning area 31 includes a first cleaning area 31, a second cleaning area 32, and a third cleaning area 33. The first cleaning area 31 includes a first cleaning sub-area 311 and a second cleaning sub-area 312. Figure 3 The middle fold line 34 indicates that the first cleaning sub-area 311 where it is located is a cleaned area. The cleaning robot 35 is located in the first cleaning sub-area 311. The first cleaning area 31 is the current cleaning area. That is, the first cleaning sub-area 311 and the second cleaning sub-area 312 are both within the scope of the current cleaning area. The target arrival position 37 corresponding to the obstruction 36 belongs to the current cleaning area. When the obstruction 36 needs to be moved, the cleaning robot controls the mechanical arm to move the obstruction 36 to the storage area. The target arrival position 39 corresponding to the obstruction 38 does not belong to the current cleaning area. After cleaning the current cleaning area (the first cleaning area 31), the cleaning robot controls the mechanical arm to move the obstruction 38 to the storage area.

[0152] The embodiment of the present application determines whether the target arrival position belongs to the current cleaning area, and when the target arrival position belongs to the current cleaning area, first moves the obstruction to the storage area; when the target arrival position does not belong to the current cleaning area, the obstruction is moved to the storage area after cleaning the current cleaning area, thereby improving the efficiency and orderliness of the cleaning robot's cleaning to achieve cleaning more effectively.

[0153] In one embodiment of the present application, the cleaning method further includes the following steps S132 to S134.

[0154] S132, determining whether there are other obstacles that can be grasped on the path to the target arrival position, and proceeding to S133;

[0155] S133, if there are other obstacles that can be grasped on the path, grasp and record the object information of the other obstacles, and enter S134;

[0156] S134, moving the other obstacles to a storage area.

[0157] In the application, the cleaning robot can also identify objects and record object information, such as object type, shape, size, etc. After releasing an obstruction, the cleaning robot can clear the current object information in order to record the object information of the next obstruction.

[0158] The embodiment of the present application ensures that all obstructions are moved to the storage area by moving all other grabbable obstructions on the path to the target arrival position to the storage area, thereby ensuring that the previously blocked area can be smoothly entered for cleaning without obstruction, thereby improving the cleaning coverage rate and user satisfaction with the cleaning results and effects. In addition, when the cleaning robot moves to the target arrival position after releasing all obstructions, it can also perform additional cleaning on the positions where all obstructions were previously located, thereby further improving the cleaning coverage rate and user satisfaction.

[0159] In one embodiment of the present application, the cleaning method further includes the following step S135 or S136 to implement the step of controlling the cleaning robot to move to the second area for cleaning in the above step S13.

[0160] S135, if the target position is successfully moved, cleaning is performed;

[0161] S136: If the movement to the target arrival position is unsuccessful, record failure information.

[0162] In the application, the cleaning robot may successfully reach or fail to reach the target arrival position during the process of moving to the target arrival position. Whether the cleaning robot successfully reaches the target arrival position can be determined by whether the current position of the cleaning robot belongs to an uncleaned area. If the current position of the cleaning robot belongs to an uncleaned area, it is determined that the cleaning robot successfully moves to the target arrival position and performs cleaning. If the current position of the cleaning robot does not belong to an uncleaned area, it is determined that the cleaning robot failed to move to the target arrival position and the failure information is recorded. The failure information may include, for example, information that the obstacle fails to move.

[0163] The embodiment of the present application can effectively monitor the movement process of the obstruction by determining whether it has successfully moved to the target arrival position, performing cleaning when successful, and recording failure information when unsuccessful. On the one hand, it ensures the stability of the cleaning process, and on the other hand, it also improves the efficiency of identifying obstructions during subsequent cleaning. When an obstruction is identified at the same position again, the obstruction can be no longer moved based on the recorded failure information.

[0164] It should be understood that the size of the serial numbers of the steps in the above embodiments does not mean the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present application.

[0165] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of a cleaning device provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0166] The cleaning device provided in the embodiment of the present application is applied to a cleaning robot, and the cleaning robot includes a mechanical arm. The cleaning device is used to perform the steps in the above cleaning method embodiment. The cleaning device can be a virtual appliance in the cleaning robot, which is operated by a processor of the cleaning robot, or it can be the cleaning robot itself.

[0167] like Figure 4 As shown, the cleaning device 4 comprises:

[0168] A first detection unit 41 is used to detect whether there is an obstruction at the boundary of the first area after the cleaning robot cleans the first area, and to search for an uncleaned second area;

[0169] a first control unit 42, configured to control the robot arm to move the obstruction to a storage area when the obstruction is detected; wherein the obstruction is located on a path leading to the second area;

[0170] The second control unit 43 is used to control the cleaning robot to move to the second area for cleaning.

[0171] Another embodiment of the present application discloses a cleaning device 4. Figure 4 Based on the corresponding embodiment, the first detection unit 41 is further used for:

[0172] detecting whether a boundary of the first area includes the identified object;

[0173] In the case where the boundary of the first area includes the identified object, if the object meets a preset condition, determining that the object is an obstruction that blocks passage;

[0174] The preset condition includes a first preset condition, and the first preset condition is at least one of the following:

[0175] The area where the object is located intersects with the boundary of the first area;

[0176] The area of ​​the second region blocked by the object is greater than the first area threshold;

[0177] Other objects near the area where the object is located have not been moved by the cleaning robot.

[0178] Another embodiment of the present application discloses a cleaning device 4. Figure 4 On the basis of the corresponding embodiment, the preset condition further includes a second preset condition, and the second preset condition includes at least any one of the following:

[0179] The type of the object belongs to the type of object that the robotic arm supports grasping;

[0180] The area where the object is located belongs to a graspable area;

[0181] The predetermined range of the three-dimensional space region where the object is located does not include grasping obstacles;

[0182] The object does not belong to the objects currently used by the user.

[0183] Another embodiment of the present application discloses a cleaning device 4. Figure 4 Based on the corresponding embodiment, the first control unit 42 is further configured to:

[0184] When the obstruction is detected, determining a starting grasping position of the obstruction;

[0185] The cleaning robot is controlled to move to the starting grasping position, and the mechanical arm is controlled to grasp the obstruction and carry the obstruction to a storage area.

[0186] Another embodiment of the present application discloses a cleaning device 4. Figure 4 Based on the corresponding embodiment, the first control unit 42 is further configured to:

[0187] When the obstruction is successfully captured, the object information of the obstruction is recorded and updated.

[0188] Another embodiment of the present application discloses a cleaning device 4. Figure 4 Based on the corresponding embodiment, the first control unit 42 is further configured to:

[0189] Determining a target arrival position after the obstruction is transported to the storage area, wherein the target arrival position is located in the second area;

[0190] The second control unit 43 is used for:

[0191] The cleaning robot is controlled to move to the target arrival position for cleaning.

[0192] Another embodiment of the present application discloses a cleaning device 4. Figure 4 Based on the corresponding embodiment, the first control unit 42 is further configured to:

[0193] Determine whether the target arrival position belongs to the current cleaning area;

[0194] If the target arrival position belongs to the current cleaning area, controlling the robot arm to move the obstruction to the storage area;

[0195] If the target arrival position does not belong to the current cleaning area, the robot arm is controlled to move the obstruction to the storage area after the current cleaning area is cleaned.

[0196] Another embodiment of the present application discloses a cleaning device 4. Figure 4 Based on the corresponding embodiment, the first control unit 42 is further configured to:

[0197] Determine whether there are other obstructions that can be grasped on the path to the target arrival location;

[0198] If there are other obstacles that can be grasped on the path, grasp and record the object information of the other obstacles;

[0199] The other obstructions are moved to a storage area.

[0200] In application, each unit in the cleaning device may be a software program module, or may be implemented by different logic circuits integrated in a processor, or may be implemented by multiple distributed processors.

[0201] It should be noted that the information interaction, execution process, etc. between the above-mentioned devices / units are based on the same concept as the method embodiment of the present application. Their specific functions and technical effects can be found in the method embodiment part and will not be repeated here.

[0202] The technicians in the relevant field can clearly understand that for the convenience and simplicity of description, only the division of the above-mentioned functional units and modules is used as an example for illustration. In practical applications, the above-mentioned function allocation can be completed by different functional units and modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional units or modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The functional units and modules in the embodiment can be integrated in a processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated in one unit. The above-mentioned integrated unit can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional units. In addition, the specific names of the functional units and modules are only for the convenience of distinguishing each other, and are not used to limit the scope of protection of this application. The specific working process of the units and modules in the above-mentioned system can refer to the corresponding process in the aforementioned method embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0203] like Figure 5 As shown, an embodiment of the present application also provides a cleaning robot 5, comprising: at least one processor 50, a memory 51, and a computer program 52 stored in the memory 51 and executable on the at least one processor 50, wherein the processor 50 implements the steps in any of the above-mentioned method embodiments when executing the computer program 52.

[0204] An embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the steps in the above-mentioned method embodiments can be implemented.

[0205] An embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product. When the computer program product runs on a cleaning robot, the cleaning robot can implement the steps in the above-mentioned method embodiments when executing the computer program product.

[0206] If the integrated unit is implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on such an understanding, the present application implements all or part of the process in the above-mentioned embodiment method, which can be completed by instructing the relevant hardware through a computer program, and the computer program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and the computer program can implement the steps of the above-mentioned various method embodiments when executed by the processor. Wherein, the computer program includes a computer program code, and the computer program code can be in source code form, object code form, executable file or some intermediate form, etc. The computer-readable medium can at least include: any entity or device, recording medium, computer memory, read-only memory (ROM, Read-Only Memory), random access memory (RAM, RandomAccess Memory), electric carrier signal, telecommunication signal and software distribution medium that can carry the computer program code to the cleaning device / cleaning robot. For example, a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, a magnetic disk or an optical disk, etc. In some jurisdictions, according to legislation and patent practice, computer-readable media cannot be electric carrier signals and telecommunication signals.

[0207] In the above embodiments, the description of each embodiment has its own emphasis. For parts that are not described or recorded in detail in a certain embodiment, reference can be made to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0208] Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the units and algorithm steps of each example described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are performed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional and technical personnel can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to be beyond the scope of this application.

[0209] In the embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed cleaning device / cleaning robot and method can be implemented in other ways. For example, the cleaning device / cleaning robot embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the division of the modules or units is only a logical function division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation, such as multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be an indirect coupling or communication connection through some interfaces, devices or units, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0210] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed on multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment.

[0211] The embodiments described above are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, a person skilled in the art should understand that the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments may still be modified, or some of the technical features may be replaced by equivalents. Such modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and should all be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A cleaning method, characterized in that: The method is applied to a cleaning robot, the cleaning robot comprising a mechanical arm, and the method comprises: After the cleaning robot finishes cleaning the first area, detecting whether there is an obstruction at the boundary of the first area, and searching for an uncleaned second area; When the obstruction is detected, the robot arm is controlled to move the obstruction to a storage area; wherein the obstruction is located on a path leading to the second area; The cleaning robot is controlled to move to the second area for cleaning.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The detecting whether there is an obstacle at the boundary of the first area includes: detecting whether a boundary of the first area includes the identified object; In the case where the boundary of the first area includes the identified object, if the object meets a preset condition, determining that the object is an obstruction that blocks passage; The preset condition includes a first preset condition, and the first preset condition is at least one of the following: The area where the object is located intersects with the boundary of the first area; The area of ​​the second region blocked by the object is greater than a first area threshold; Other objects near the area where the object is located have not been moved by the cleaning robot.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The preset condition further includes a second preset condition, and the second preset condition includes at least one of the following: The type of the object belongs to the type of object that the robotic arm supports grasping; The area where the object is located belongs to a graspable area; The predetermined range of the three-dimensional space region where the object is located does not include grasping obstacles; The object does not belong to the objects currently used by the user.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that When the obstruction is detected, controlling the robot arm to move the obstruction to the storage area includes: When the obstruction is detected, determining a starting grasping position of the obstruction; The cleaning robot is controlled to move to the starting grasping position, and the mechanical arm is controlled to grasp the obstruction and carry the obstruction to a storage area.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that When the obstruction is detected, controlling the robot arm to move the obstruction to the storage area also includes: When the obstruction is successfully captured, the object information of the obstruction is recorded and updated.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that: When the obstruction is detected, controlling the robot arm to move the obstruction to the storage area also includes: Determining a target arrival position after the obstruction is transported to the storage area, wherein the target arrival position is located in the second area; The controlling the cleaning robot to move to the second area for cleaning comprises: The cleaning robot is controlled to move to the target arrival position for cleaning.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that Before controlling the cleaning robot to move to the second area for cleaning, the method further includes: Determine whether the target arrival position belongs to the current cleaning area; If the target arrival position belongs to the current cleaning area, controlling the robot arm to move the obstruction to the storage area; If the target arrival position does not belong to the current cleaning area, the robot arm is controlled to move the obstruction to the storage area after the current cleaning area is cleaned.

8. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The method further comprises: Determine whether there are other obstructions that can be grasped on the path to the target arrival location; If there are other obstacles that can be grasped on the path, grasp and record the object information of the other obstacles; The other obstructions are moved to a storage area.

9. A cleaning device, characterized in that: The device is applied to a cleaning robot, the cleaning robot includes a mechanical arm, and the device includes: A first detection unit is used to detect whether there is an obstruction at the boundary of the first area after the cleaning robot cleans the first area, and to search for an uncleaned second area; a first control unit, configured to control the robot arm to move the obstruction to a storage area when the obstruction is detected; wherein the obstruction is located on a path leading to the second area; The second control unit is used to control the cleaning robot to move to the second area for cleaning.

10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that The first detection unit is also used for: detecting whether a boundary of the first area includes the identified object; In the case where the boundary of the first area includes the identified object, if the object satisfies a first preset condition, it is determined that the object is an obstacle that blocks passage, and the first preset condition includes at least any one of the following: The object region of the object intersects with a boundary of the first region; The area of ​​the second region blocked by the object is greater than a first area threshold; Objects near the object area of ​​the object have not been moved by the cleaning robot.

11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that The preset condition further includes a second preset condition, and the second preset condition includes at least one of the following: The type of the object belongs to the type of object that the robotic arm supports grasping; The area where the object is located belongs to a graspable area; The predetermined range of the three-dimensional space region where the object is located does not include grasping obstacles; The object does not belong to the objects currently used by the user.

12. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that The first control unit is used for: When the obstruction is detected, determining a starting grasping position of the obstruction; The cleaning robot is controlled to move to the starting grasping position, and the mechanical arm is controlled to grasp the obstruction and carry the obstruction to a storage area.

13. The device according to claim 12, characterized in that The first control unit is also used for: When the obstruction is successfully captured, the object information of the obstruction is recorded and updated.

14. The device according to claim 9 or 12, characterized in that The first control unit is also used for: Determining a target arrival position after the obstruction is transported to the storage area, wherein the target arrival position is located in the second area; The second control unit is used for: The cleaning robot is controlled to move to the target arrival position for cleaning.

15. The device according to claim 14, characterized in that The first control unit is also used for: Determine whether the target arrival position belongs to the current cleaning area; If the target arrival position belongs to the current cleaning area, controlling the robot arm to move the obstruction to the storage area; If the target arrival position does not belong to the current cleaning area, the robot arm is controlled to move the obstruction to the storage area after the current cleaning area is cleaned.

16. The device according to claim 14, characterized in that The first control unit is also used for: Determine whether there are other obstructions that can be grasped on the path to the target arrival location; If there are other obstacles that can be grasped on the path, grasp and record the object information of the other obstacles; The other obstructions are moved to a storage area.

17. A cleaning robot, characterized in that: The cleaning robot comprises a processor, a memory, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein when the processor executes the computer program, the cleaning robot implements the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

18. A computer program product, characterized in that The invention comprises a computer program which, when executed, causes the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8 to be performed.

19. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8 is implemented.

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