Automatic pool cleaning device, control method and computer storage medium

Abstract

The invention provides an automatic pool cleaning device, a control method and a computer storage medium, and the control method comprises the steps: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to work on the water surface in a first cleaning mode, and if a first preset condition is met, starting the automatic pool cleaning device; in the first cleaning mode, if a second preset condition is met, the working mode of the automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface is switched from the first cleaning mode to the second cleaning mode, and in the second cleaning mode, if a second preset condition is met, the working mode of the automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface is switched from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode or a third cleaning mode; wherein in the first cleaning mode, the automatic pool cleaning device walks on the water surface along the edge of the pool; in the second cleaning mode, the automatic pool cleaning device does not control the course angle of the cleaning device; in the third cleaning mode, the automatic pool cleaning device travels in a non-pool edge area according to a preset path or a preset walking rule.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] With the popularization of swimming pools and the remarkable progress of robot technology, more and more consumers tend to use automated pool cleaning robots to perform pool cleaning tasks. Currently, pool cleaning robots usually adopt a random cleaning mode to perform cleaning tasks on the water surface, that is, the robot does not perform path planning during the water surface cleaning process, but executes the cleaning task by moving randomly. When the pool cleaning robot collides with the pool wall or other obstacles in the pool, it will automatically change the traveling direction and continue cleaning. However, due to the lack of effective path planning in the random cleaning mode, the pool cleaning robot may repeatedly pass through certain areas during the cleaning process while missing other areas, resulting in insufficient guarantee of the cleaning coverage rate. Moreover, when facing large or complex-shaped pools, the pool cleaning robot needs to spend more time to complete the cleaning task, resulting in low cleaning efficiency of the pool cleaning robot. In addition, the random cleaning mode may also cause the robot to stop and turn frequently during the cleaning process, further reducing its working efficiency. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a new implementation method to avoid the above problems and ensure that the pool cleaning robot can efficiently and stably perform cleaning tasks on the water surface. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present application aims at the above deficiencies of the prior art and provides a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device, including: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to work on the water surface in a first cleaning mode, and if a first predetermined condition is satisfied, switching the working mode of the automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface from the first cleaning mode to a second cleaning mode, wherein, in the second cleaning mode, if a second predetermined condition is satisfied, switching the working mode of the automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode or a third cleaning mode; wherein, in the first cleaning mode, the automatic pool cleaning device walks along the edge of the pool on the water surface; in the second cleaning mode, the automatic pool cleaning device does not control the heading angle of the cleaning device; in the third cleaning mode, the automatic pool cleaning device travels in a non-pool-edge area according to a preset path or a preset walking rule.

[0004] Further, after switching the working mode of the automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode or the third cleaning mode, if a third predetermined condition is satisfied, the working mode of the automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface is switched from the first cleaning mode or the third cleaning mode to the second cleaning mode.

[0005] Further, the first predetermined condition includes one or more of the following conditions: the automatic pool cleaning device has worked on the water surface in the first cleaning mode for a first predetermined duration; the automatic pool cleaning device has traveled or nearly traveled around the edge of the pool in the first cleaning mode; the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck by an obstacle.

[0006] Further, the automatic pool cleaning device includes an inertial measurement unit, wherein the automatic pool cleaning device determines that it has traveled or nearly traveled around the edge of the pool through the inertial measurement unit.

[0007] Further, the second predetermined condition includes one or more of the following conditions: the automatic pool cleaning device has worked on the water surface in the second cleaning mode for a second predetermined duration; the number of collisions of the automatic pool cleaning device with the pool wall of the pool is greater than or equal to a predetermined number; the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck by an obstacle.

[0008] Further, the third predetermined condition includes one or more of the following conditions: after switching from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode, the automatic pool cleaning device has worked on the water surface in the first cleaning mode for a first predetermined duration; after switching from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode, the automatic pool cleaning device has traveled or nearly traveled around the edge of the pool in the first cleaning mode; after switching from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode, the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck by an obstacle; after switching from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode, the duration of the automatic pool cleaning device working on the water surface in the edge cleaning mode is greater than or equal to the historical edge cleaning duration; after switching from the second cleaning mode to the third cleaning mode, the automatic pool cleaning device cannot continue to travel according to the preset path or preset walking rules when working on the water surface in the third cleaning mode.

[0009] Further, the historical edge cleaning duration is the duration when the automatic pool cleaning device travels or nearly travels around the edge of the pool during the period when the automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to work on the water surface in the edge cleaning mode.

[0010] Further, after the third predetermined condition is satisfied and the working mode of the pool automatic cleaning device on the water surface is switched from the first cleaning mode or the third cleaning mode to the second cleaning mode, if the fourth predetermined condition is satisfied, the control stops the operation of the pool automatic cleaning device.

[0011] Further, the fourth predetermined condition includes one or more of the following conditions: the total working duration of the pool automatic cleaning device on the water surface has reached a predetermined total duration; the cleaning coverage rate of the water surface is greater than a predetermined coverage rate threshold.

[0012] This application also discloses a pool automatic cleaning device, and when the pool automatic cleaning device can be executed, it realizes the method described in any embodiment of this application.

[0013] This application also discloses a computer storage medium, in which a computer program is stored, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, it realizes the method described in any embodiment of this application.

[0014] The embodiments described in this application have the following beneficial effects:

[0015] The control method of the pool automatic cleaning device provided in this application can control the pool automatic cleaning device to walk along the edge of the pool on the water surface (i.e., the first cleaning mode). After it meets the first predetermined condition, the working mode of the pool automatic cleaning device on the water surface is switched from walking along the edge of the pool on the water surface to walking without controlling the course angle (i.e., the second cleaning mode), and after it meets the second predetermined condition, the working mode of the pool automatic cleaning device on the water surface is switched from walking without controlling the course angle (i.e., the second cleaning mode) to walking along the edge of the pool (i.e., the first cleaning mode) or switched to driving in a non-pool-edge area according to a preset path or preset walking rules (i.e., the third cleaning mode). Through the mixed cleaning of multiple cleaning modes, the cleaning coverage rate and cleaning efficiency of the pool water surface are improved. Description of the Drawings

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of this application, the drawings required for the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. The drawings in the following description are only exemplary embodiments of this application.

[0017] Figure 1 is a flowchart showing the control method of the pool automatic cleaning device according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Embodiments

[0018] The technical solutions in the present application will be described clearly and completely below. Apparently, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments in the present application without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present application. It should be noted that, without conflict, the embodiments in the present application and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0019] The present application provides a control method for a pool automatic cleaning device, a pool automatic cleaning device applying the control method, and a computer storage medium. The pool automatic cleaning device of the present application can clean a pool. The pool is, for example, a pool-shaped building. The pool-shaped building can be a swimming pool, a water storage tank, a spa pool, a water storage tank, a water storage trough, etc. The pool automatic cleaning device can be a device such as an automatic cleaning device, a pool cleaning robot, etc., which can clean the pool-shaped building. The present application does not limit the specific presentation forms of the pool automatic cleaning device and the pool-shaped building, as long as the principle of the present application can be realized. In the following text, if not otherwise specified, a robot will be used as an example of the pool automatic cleaning device for elaboration, and a swimming pool will be used as an example of the pool or the pool-shaped building for elaboration. In the following text, if not otherwise specified, the terms "pool bottom", "swimming pool bottom surface", and "swimming pool bottom" all refer to the bottom surface of the swimming pool.

[0020] The control method 100 of the pool automatic cleaning device of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 The flowchart of the control method of the pool automatic cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. The control method 100 includes steps S101 to S103. Steps S101 to S103 will be described below.

[0021] In step S101, control the pool automatic cleaning device to work on the water surface in a first cleaning mode, wherein, in the first cleaning mode, the pool automatic cleaning device walks along the edge of the pool on the water surface.

[0022] In one embodiment, the robot can be controlled by a control system to move along the edge of the pool on the water surface (i.e., the first cleaning mode, also known as the "water surface edge following mode"). In other words, the robot can be controlled by the control system to perform an edge following movement on the water surface to execute the current cleaning operation task. The control system can include a sensing module, a control module, an execution module, etc. The sensing module includes but is not limited to: a flow velocity sensor, a pressure sensor, an image sensor, etc., which are used to monitor the water flow condition in the pool, the distribution of dirt on the water surface, and the movement state of the robot in real time. The control module can be composed of a control chip and related circuits, and is responsible for receiving sensor data, processing signals, and generating corresponding control commands according to the preset control strategy. The execution module includes but is not limited to: a motor drive system and a cleaning mechanism, etc. The motor drive system can adjust the rotation speed and direction of the motor according to the control command to control the movement speed and movement path of the robot; the cleaning mechanism (for example, a sewage suction port, a belt conveyor, a rotary brush, etc.) can remove the dirt on the water surface during the movement of the robot.

[0023] It should be noted that when the robot moves along the edge of the pool on the water surface, it can move while maintaining a certain distance value from the edge of the pool, or it can move parallel to the edge of the pool or generally parallel to the edge of the pool or at a predetermined angle to the edge of the pool within a certain distance range, or it can move while abutting against the edge of the pool.

[0024] Specifically, if the robot moves while maintaining a certain distance value from the edge of the pool, during the movement, the robot can measure the distance between itself and the edge of the pool in real time through a sensor, and adjust its own movement trajectory based on a motion control algorithm (such as a PID control algorithm, etc.) according to the preset distance value (for example, 5 cm, 10 cm, etc.), so that the robot always maintains a constant distance from the edge of the pool.

[0025] If the robot moves parallel to the edge of the pool or generally parallel to the edge of the pool or at a predetermined angle to the edge of the pool within a certain distance range, during the movement, the robot can obtain the direction information between itself and the edge of the pool in real time through a sensor, and adjust the movement direction of the robot through a control algorithm (such as a PID control algorithm based on the direction angle, etc.) so that it is parallel or generally parallel or at a predetermined angle to the direction of the edge of the pool.

[0026] If the robot moves while abutting against the edge of the pool, it maintains contact or a relatively short distance from the edge of the pool during the movement. The robot can detect the contact signal or distance between itself and the edge of the pool through a sensor, and adjust its posture and / or movement direction in real time to ensure that the robot always fits against the edge of the pool or maintains a small spacing.

[0027] It should be noted that the above description of the robot walking along the edge of the pool on the water surface is only exemplary. The scope of walking along the edge of the pool protected by the present application is not limited to the content listed above. Those skilled in the art can set and plan the scope of walking along the edge of the pool according to the actual situation, as long as the technical principle of the present application can be realized.

[0028] Next, step S102 is entered. In step S102, if the first predetermined condition is satisfied, the working mode of the pool automatic cleaning device on the water surface is switched from the first cleaning mode to the second cleaning mode, where in the second cleaning mode, the pool automatic cleaning device does not control the heading angle of the cleaning device.

[0029] The purpose of setting the first predetermined condition is to trigger a mode switching action when the first predetermined condition is satisfied, thereby changing the working mode of the robot on the water surface. Therefore, the first predetermined condition refers to a specific condition or threshold set in advance for triggering mode switching. This first predetermined condition may be related to the working time of the robot, the cleaning coverage rate, the environmental information detected by sensors (such as the cleaning degree of the pool edge, the distribution of obstacles, etc.) or other relevant parameters. When the first predetermined condition is satisfied, the robot switches its working mode from the first cleaning mode (i.e., walking along the edge of the pool on the water surface) to the second cleaning mode (such as walking randomly on the water surface). During the process of walking randomly on the water surface, the robot starts from the current position and moves forward in a certain random or preset direction. When the robot detects a collision with an obstacle (such as the pool wall of the pool) through a sensor (such as a collision sensor or a distance sensor, etc.), the robot will adjust its forward direction randomly or according to a preset rule to continue moving forward until the next collision, and the above process is repeated. The collision sensor can be one or more of an infrared collision sensor, an ultrasonic collision sensor, a mechanical collision sensor, or other sensors capable of realizing the functions of the present application. In the present application, if there is no additional explanation, the connotations of the terms "random walking mode on the water surface", "random mode", and "random mode on the water surface" are the same or similar.

[0030] It should be noted that when the robot walks along the edge of the pool on the water surface (i.e., the first cleaning mode), the robot will dynamically adjust its heading angle according to the direction information of the pool edge to ensure that its movement trajectory always maintains a certain distance value from the pool edge, or within a certain distance range, or is parallel to the pool edge or substantially parallel to the pool edge or forms a predetermined angle with the pool edge, or abuts against the pool edge. When the robot walks randomly on the water surface (i.e., the second cleaning mode), the robot no longer walks along the pool edge, but can move on the water surface in a non-fixed and random path. Different from walking along the pool edge, during random walking, the robot does not control its own heading angle. In other words, its movement direction is random or determined by a non-directional algorithm, rather than being adjusted based on the pool edge direction. Further, it can be considered that during the random walking on the water surface, the robot will only adjust its forward direction according to the preset rules after colliding with the pool wall or other obstacles, and then continue to drive in that direction until the next collision.

[0031] In another embodiment, the first predetermined condition includes one or more of the following conditions: the automatic pool cleaning device has worked in the first cleaning mode on the water surface for a first predetermined duration; the automatic pool cleaning device has traveled around or nearly around the edge of the pool in the first cleaning mode; the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck by an obstacle.

[0032] For example, although the robot can effectively clean the pool edge when walking along the pool edge on the water surface (i.e., the first cleaning mode), if the robot walks along the pool edge for too long and still has not completed a full circle around the pool edge, it may cause the robot to overrun in a local area, while other areas are not fully cleaned, reducing the cleaning efficiency of the robot. Therefore, by setting an upper limit on the cleaning time of the first cleaning mode (for example, 10 minutes), it can be ensured that when the robot fails to complete the edge cleaning within the specified time, it can still switch to the random walking mode on the water surface in a timely manner. Specifically, if it is detected that the robot has not completed a full circle along the pool edge on the water surface (i.e., the first cleaning mode) after 10 minutes, the working mode of the robot will automatically switch to the second cleaning mode (for example, the random walking mode on the water surface) to ensure that the robot can efficiently clean the water surface.

[0033] If the robot has completed a full cleaning path along the edge of the pool on the water surface and returns to the initial position or close to the initial position. In other words, the robot travels around the edge of the pool on the water surface, or the robot has completed most of the cleaning tasks along the edge of the pool on the water surface. In other words, the robot travels nearly around the edge of the pool on the water surface. To improve the cleaning coverage rate of the robot and further clean the areas not covered by the first cleaning mode, and also to avoid repeated work in local areas, the working mode of the robot can be automatically switched to the second cleaning mode to flexibly adjust the movement direction of the robot and avoid missing cleaning areas.

[0034] When the robot walks along the edge of the pool on the water surface, it usually relies on sensors (such as lidar, ultrasonic sensors, vision sensors, etc.) to determine whether there are obstacles in front of the robot. However, due to the possible limitations of the detection range and detection accuracy of the sensors, phenomena such as jamming may occur. For example, due to the blind spots in the detection angle and detection range of the sensors installed on the head or above the robot, it cannot accurately identify the shallow platform or other obstacles below the robot, resulting in the robot thinking that there are no obstacles in front, but the fuselage below it is jammed, affecting the cleaning efficiency and safety of the robot. Therefore, after detecting that the robot is jammed by an obstacle, etc., it can be timely switched to the second cleaning mode, such as ensuring that the robot can get out of trouble in time and efficiently clean the water surface in a random cleaning manner.

[0035] It should be noted that when the robot meets one or more of the above conditions, the working mode of the robot is switched from the first cleaning mode to the second cleaning mode.

[0036] In another embodiment, the automatic pool cleaning device includes an inertial measurement unit. Wherein, the automatic pool cleaning device judges that it has traveled around the edge of the pool or nearly around the edge of the pool through the inertial measurement unit.

[0037] For example, it is possible to determine whether the robot has traveled or nearly traveled one full circle along the edge of the pool on the water surface through an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). An IMU typically includes an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a magnetometer. The accelerometer is used to measure the acceleration of the robot in three-dimensional space, including the gravitational acceleration due to the Earth's gravitational force and the inertial acceleration generated by changes in the motion state of the object. The gyroscope is used to measure the angular velocity of the robot in three-dimensional space, that is, the rate at which the robot rotates around each spatial axis (X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis). The magnetometer is used to detect the magnetic field of the surrounding environment when the robot travels along the edge of the pool on the water surface, helping to determine the direction of the robot in the Earth coordinate system. Through this data, the motion trajectory and position changes of the robot can be deduced.

[0038] Specifically, the IMU can measure the three-axis angular velocity data of the robot in real time. Based on the three-axis angular velocity data, the change in the heading angle during the edge-following motion of the robot along the edge of the pool on the water surface can be calculated through integration. When the cumulative angle approaches 360°, it can be determined that the robot has traveled or nearly traveled one full circle along the edge of the pool, that is, the first predetermined condition is satisfied.

[0039] It is also possible to combine the IMU data and the path planning algorithm to record the pose changes of the robot during the edge-following motion and construct the motion trajectory. By matching the current trajectory with the initial trajectory, if the distance between the current position and the initial position of the robot is less than a certain threshold, it can be determined that the robot has traveled or nearly traveled one full circle along the edge of the pool, that is, the first predetermined condition is satisfied.

[0040] In some complex environments, the IMU data can also be combined with the Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) technology to perform closed-loop detection using the environmental perception ability of the IMU. For example, using the rolling angle estimated by the IMU as a terrain feature, closed-loop detection is performed through algorithms such as particle filters. By matching the terrain features recorded by the robot during the edge-following motion with the constructed map, it is determined whether the robot has completed a closed loop, that is, it is determined whether the robot has traveled or nearly traveled one full circle along the edge of the pool, that is, it is determined whether the first predetermined condition is satisfied.

[0041] To improve the accuracy of judgment, other sensors (such as lidar, vision sensors, etc.) can also be combined with IMU data for multi-sensor fusion. For example, lidar can be used to detect the position change of the robot during edge following, and combined with the angle data of the IMU for comprehensive judgment. Also, the vision sensor can be used to identify the feature points on the edge of the pool, and combined with the IMU data to determine whether the robot has traveled around or nearly around the edge of the pool, that is, to determine whether the first predetermined condition is met.

[0042] It should be noted that due to the noise and errors in the measurement readings of the IMU, the collected data needs to be fused and filtered. Common methods include, but are not limited to: Kalman filtering, complementary filtering, etc., to improve the accuracy and stability of the data.

[0043] It should be noted that the above description of determining whether the robot has traveled around or nearly around the edge of the pool through the inertial measurement unit is only exemplary. The content of the present application for determining whether the robot has traveled around or nearly around the edge of the pool through the inertial measurement unit is not limited to the above-listed content. Those skilled in the art can set and plan the method for determining whether the robot has traveled around or nearly around the edge of the pool according to the actual situation, as long as the technical principle of the present application can be achieved.

[0044] It should be noted that the above description of the first predetermined condition is only exemplary. The first predetermined condition protected by the present application is not limited to the above-listed content. Those skilled in the art can set and plan the first predetermined condition according to the actual situation, as long as the technical principle of the present application can be achieved.

[0045] Finally, enter step S103. In step S103, in the second cleaning mode, if the second predetermined condition is met, the working mode of the pool automatic cleaning device on the water surface is switched from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode or the third cleaning mode, where in the third cleaning mode, the pool automatic cleaning device travels in the non-pool edge area according to a preset path or preset walking rules.

[0046] In one embodiment, the purpose of setting the second predetermined condition is to trigger a mode switching action when the second predetermined condition is satisfied, thereby changing the working mode of the robot on the water surface. Therefore, the second predetermined condition refers to a specific condition or threshold that is preset and used to trigger mode switching. This second predetermined condition may be related to the working time of the robot, the cleaning coverage rate, the environmental information detected by sensors (for example, the cleaning degree of the pool edge, the distribution of obstacles, etc.), or other relevant parameters. When the second predetermined condition is satisfied, the robot switches its working mode from the random walking mode on the water surface (i.e., the second cleaning mode) to the edge following mode on the water surface (i.e., the first cleaning mode) or makes the robot travel in a non-pool-edge area according to a preset path or preset walking rules (for example, a zigzag path, a square path, a spiral path, etc.) (i.e., the third cleaning mode).

[0047] If the robot switches its working mode from the random walking mode on the water surface (i.e., the second cleaning mode) to walking along the pool edge on the water surface (i.e., the first cleaning mode), before switching the working mode, the robot can first rotate in place for one week (for example, rotate 360° or close to 360°) to scan the surrounding environment, and use sensors (for example, lidar, ultrasonic sensor, infrared sensor, etc.) to find the pool wall closest to the robot. For example, lidar can generate a 360° scan map, and the robot uses an algorithm to find the closest distance point and its direction. After detecting the direction of the pool wall closest to the robot, the robot uses the drive system to control the robot to turn so that it faces the closest pool wall, and controls the robot to move forward until it touches the pool wall, so as to continue the edge following cleaning mode and make the robot continue to move along the pool edge on the water surface and perform cleaning.

[0048] If the robot switches its working mode from the random walking mode on the water surface (i.e., the second cleaning mode) to traveling in a non-pool-edge area according to a preset path or preset walking rules (for example, a zigzag path, a square path, a spiral path, etc.) (i.e., the third cleaning mode), the robot can be controlled to move back and forth along a bow-shaped or similar bow-shaped trajectory on the water surface and perform cleaning. Specifically, the zigzag path may include multiple sub-paths, that is, it may include one or more long-side sub-paths, or it may include one or more short-side sub-paths. In other words, both the long-side sub-paths and the short-side sub-paths belong to a type of sub-path. When the robot travels along the zigzag path, it can successively pass through the long-side sub-path, the short-side sub-path, the long-side sub-path, the short-side sub-path... In this way, the long-side sub-path and the short-side sub-path alternate reciprocally.

[0049] If the robot switches its working mode from the random walking mode on the water surface (i.e., the second cleaning mode) to driving in the non-pool edge area according to a preset path or preset walking rules (e.g., a bow-shaped path, a back-shaped path, a spiral path, etc.) (i.e., the third cleaning mode), the robot can also be controlled to move back and forth along a back-shaped or back-shaped trajectory and clean when moving on the water surface. Specifically, the robot can be controlled to start from the periphery of the pool and gradually shrink inward along the boundary of the pool to form a trajectory similar to the word "back" until the entire area is covered. That is, the robot is controlled to travel a circle along the outer boundary of the pool to form an outer frame. After completing the outer frame, it is shrunk inward by a certain distance (usually the width of the robot itself or the preset step length), and travels a circle along the new boundary to form a smaller rectangular frame. The robot repeats the above process continuously, gradually shrinking inward and driving until the entire pool area is covered. The U-shaped path may include multiple sub-paths, that is, it may include one or more long side sub-paths, and may also include one or more short side sub-paths. In other words, both the long side sub-path and the short side sub-path are a type of sub-path. The long side sub-path refers to the portion of the robot traveling along the boundary of the longer direction of the pool. After each contraction, the long side sub-path will gradually shorten. The short side sub-path refers to the portion of the robot traveling along the boundary of the shorter direction of the pool. After each contraction, the short side sub-path will also gradually shorten. During the driving process, the robot will pass through the long side sub-path, the short side sub-path, the long side sub-path, the short side sub-path... and so on, alternating back and forth until the entire cleaning task is completed.

[0050] If the robot switches its working mode from the random walking mode on the water surface (i.e., the second cleaning mode) to driving in the non-pool edge area according to a preset path or preset walking rules (e.g., a bow-shaped path, a back-shaped path, a spiral path, etc.) (i.e., the third cleaning mode), the robot can also be controlled to move back and forth along a spiral or similar spiral track and clean when moving on the water surface. Specifically, the robot can be controlled to start from a corner or edge of the pool and drive along the outer boundary. And after completing the outer circle, it shrinks inward by a certain distance (usually the width of the robot itself or the preset step length) so that it continues to drive along the new boundary. The robot repeats the above process continuously, gradually shrinks inward and drives until the entire area is covered. The spiral path can be generated by a polar coordinate system, in which the position of a point is determined by a radius and an angle. As the angle increases, the radius gradually decreases, thereby forming a spiral trajectory.

[0051] It should be noted that in practice, the terms "bow-shaped path", "square-shaped path", and "spiral path" do not necessarily require the robot to pre-plan a movement trajectory and store the information corresponding to the movement trajectory in the robot's memory. What is generally referred to as path planning in this field usually means planning a predetermined movement rule. For example, the movement rule of the bow-shaped path can control the robot to move forward in a certain predetermined direction (i.e., along the long side of the bow-shaped path, in other words, along the long-side sub-path) for a certain distance or time, then deflect 90 degrees or a predetermined angle, and then continue to move forward (i.e., along the short side of the bow-shaped path, in other words, along the short-side sub-path) for a certain distance or time and then deflect 90 degrees or a predetermined angle again, and continue to move forward (i.e., along the long side of the bow-shaped path, in other words, along the long-side sub-path) for a certain distance or time and then deflect 90 degrees or a predetermined angle again,... and so on and forth.

[0052] It should be noted that the above description of the preset path or the preset walking rule is only exemplary. The preset path or the preset walking rule protected by the present application is not limited to the content listed above. Those skilled in the art can set and plan the preset path or the preset walking rule according to the actual situation, as long as the technical principle of the present application can be realized.

[0053] In another embodiment, the second predetermined condition includes one or more of the following conditions: the pool automatic cleaning device has worked on the water surface in the second cleaning mode for a second predetermined duration; the number of collisions between the pool automatic cleaning device and the pool wall of the pool is greater than or equal to a predetermined number; the pool automatic cleaning device is stuck by an obstacle.

[0054] For example, although the robot randomly walks on the water surface (i.e., the second cleaning mode) can cover a large area to a certain extent, its path planning lacks systematicness and is prone to cause repeated cleaning or omission of some areas. Therefore, by setting an upper limit on the cleaning time of the second cleaning mode, that is, the second predetermined duration (for example, 40 minutes), it can be ensured that after the robot runs for a sufficient time in the second cleaning mode (i.e., has worked on the water surface in the second cleaning mode for the second predetermined duration), it switches to a more efficient cleaning mode (for example, the first cleaning mode or the third cleaning mode), so that the robot can cover the cleaning area more evenly, reduce omissions and repeated cleaning, and further optimize the cleaning effect.

[0055] When the robot randomly walks on the water surface (i.e., the second cleaning mode) to perform the cleaning operation task, it will collide with the pool wall or other obstacles multiple times. Frequent collisions may lead to wear and tear of the robot's mechanical components and an increased risk of failure. Therefore, the collision events between the robot and the pool wall can be detected by a collision sensor (e.g., a mechanical collision sensor or a pressure sensor, etc.), and the number of collisions can be recorded. After the number of collisions between the robot and the pool wall or other obstacles is greater than or equal to a predetermined number (e.g., 3 times or 5 times) (i.e., the second predetermined condition is satisfied), the controller of the robot will trigger a mode switch, switching the working mode of the robot from the second cleaning mode to other cleaning modes (e.g., the first cleaning mode or the third cleaning mode), so as to optimize the path planning, reduce mechanical wear and tear, improve the cleaning efficiency, and adapt to complex environments.

[0056] When the robot randomly walks on the water surface (i.e., the second cleaning mode) to perform the cleaning operation task, it usually relies on sensors (e.g., lidar, ultrasonic sensors, vision sensors, etc.) to determine whether there are obstacles in front of the robot. However, due to the limitations of the detection range and accuracy of the sensors, phenomena such as jamming may occur. For example, due to the blind spots in the detection angle and detection range of the sensors installed on the head or above the robot, it is unable to accurately identify the shallow platform or other obstacles below the robot, resulting in the robot thinking that there are no obstacles in front, but the fuselage below it is jammed, affecting the cleaning efficiency and safety of the robot. Therefore, after detecting that the robot is jammed by an obstacle, etc. (i.e., the second predetermined condition is satisfied), the working mode of the robot can be switched from the second mode to other cleaning modes (e.g., the first cleaning mode or the third cleaning mode) in a timely manner to ensure that the robot can get out of trouble in time and clean the water surface efficiently.

[0057] It should be noted that when the robot meets one or more of the above conditions, the working mode of the robot will be switched from the second cleaning mode to other cleaning modes (e.g., the first cleaning mode or the third cleaning mode).

[0058] It should be noted that the above description of the second predetermined condition is only exemplary, and the second predetermined condition protected by the present application is not limited to the content listed above. Those skilled in the art can set and plan the second predetermined condition according to the actual situation, as long as the technical principle of the present application can be realized.

[0059] In another embodiment, after switching the working mode of the automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode or the third cleaning mode, if the third predetermined condition is satisfied, the working mode of the automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface will be switched from the first cleaning mode or the third cleaning mode to the second cleaning mode.

[0060] For example, the purpose of setting the third predetermined condition is to trigger a mode switching action when the third predetermined condition is met, thereby changing the working mode of the robot on the water surface. Therefore, the third predetermined condition refers to a specific condition or threshold that is preset and used to trigger mode switching. This condition may be related to the working time of the robot, the cleaning coverage rate, the environmental information detected by sensors (for example, the cleaning degree of the pool edge, the distribution of obstacles, etc.), or other relevant parameters. When the third predetermined condition is satisfied, the robot switches its working mode from the edge-following mode on the water surface (i.e., the first cleaning mode) or traveling in the non-pool-edge area according to a preset path or preset walking rules (for example, a zigzag path, a figure-eight path, a spiral path, etc.) (i.e., the third cleaning mode) to the random walking mode on the water surface (i.e., the second cleaning mode).

[0061] In another embodiment, the third predetermined condition includes one or more of the following conditions: after switching from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode, the automatic pool cleaning device works in the first cleaning mode on the water surface for a first predetermined duration; after switching from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode, the automatic pool cleaning device has traveled around or nearly around the edge of the pool in the first cleaning mode; after switching from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode, the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck by an obstacle; after switching from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode, the duration for which the automatic pool cleaning device works in the edge-cleaning mode on the water surface is greater than or equal to the historical edge-following duration; after switching from the second cleaning mode to the third cleaning mode, the automatic pool cleaning device cannot continue to travel according to the preset path or preset walking rules when working in the third cleaning mode on the water surface. Wherein, the historical edge-following duration is the duration during which the automatic pool cleaning device travels around or nearly around the edge of the pool when controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to work in the edge-cleaning mode on the water surface.

[0062] For example, after the robot switches from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode, when the robot walks along the edge of the pool on the water surface (i.e., the first cleaning mode), although it can effectively clean the edge of the pool, if the walking time is too long and it still has not completed a full circle along the edge of the pool, it may cause the robot to overrun in a local area, while other areas are not cleaned sufficiently, reducing the cleaning efficiency of the robot. Therefore, by setting an upper limit for the cleaning time of the first cleaning mode (e.g., 10 minutes), it can be ensured that when the robot fails to complete the edge cleaning within the specified time, it will switch to random cleaning in a timely manner. Specifically, if it is detected that the robot has not completed a full circle along the edge of the pool on the water surface (i.e., the first cleaning mode) after 10 minutes, the working mode of the robot will be switched to the random walking mode on the water surface (i.e., the second cleaning mode) to ensure that the robot can clean the water surface efficiently.

[0063] After the robot switches from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode, if the robot completes a full cleaning path along the edge of the pool on the water surface and returns to the initial position or close to the initial position. In other words, the robot travels one full circle along the edge of the pool on the water surface (i.e., the third predetermined condition is met), or the robot has completed most of the cleaning tasks along the edge of the pool on the water surface. In other words, the robot travels nearly one full circle along the edge of the pool on the water surface (i.e., the third predetermined condition is met). In order to improve the cleaning coverage rate of the robot and further clean the areas not covered by the first cleaning mode, and also to avoid repeated work in local areas, the cleaning mode of the robot can be automatically switched to the second cleaning mode to flexibly adjust the movement direction of the robot and avoid missing cleaning areas.

[0064] After the robot switches from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode, during the process of the robot walking along the edge of the pool on the water surface, it usually relies on sensors (such as lidar, ultrasonic sensors, vision sensors, etc.) to determine whether there are obstacles in front of the robot. However, due to the possible limitations of the detection range and detection accuracy of the sensors, it may cause phenomena such as getting stuck. For example, due to the blind spots in the detection angle and detection range of the sensors installed on the head or above the robot, it cannot accurately identify the shallow platform or other obstacles below the robot, resulting in the robot thinking that there are no obstacles in front, but the fuselage below it is stuck, affecting the cleaning efficiency and safety of the robot. Therefore, after detecting that the robot is stuck by an obstacle, etc. (i.e., the third predetermined condition is met), it can be switched to the second cleaning mode in a timely manner to ensure that the robot can get out of trouble in a timely manner and clean the water surface efficiently in a random cleaning manner.

[0065] After the robot switches from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode, the average time required for the robot to travel around or nearly around the pool edge multiple times within the historical time range (i.e., the historical edge-following duration) can be used as a reference. When the edge-following running time of the robot reaches or exceeds the historical edge-following duration (i.e., the third predetermined condition is satisfied), the working mode of the robot is switched to avoid situations such as the robot performing repeated cleaning or getting stuck in a local loop, thereby improving the cleaning efficiency of the robot.

[0066] After the robot switches from the second cleaning mode to the third cleaning mode, since there may be obstacles in the pool that were not detected in advance (e.g., floating objects, steps, shallow platforms, etc.), or the sensors of the robot (e.g., lidar, ultrasonic sensors, vision sensors, etc.) may malfunction during operation, resulting in the robot being unable to accurately perceive the environment, and further causing the robot to be unable to continue traveling along the preset path or preset driving rules. Therefore, when it is detected that the robot is unable to continue traveling along the preset path or preset driving rules (i.e., the third predetermined condition is satisfied), the working mode of the robot is switched, and the robot is switched from the third cleaning mode to the second cleaning mode.

[0067] It should be noted that when the robot meets one or more of the above conditions, the working mode of the robot is switched from the first cleaning mode or the third cleaning mode to the second cleaning mode.

[0068] It should be noted that the above description of the third predetermined condition is only exemplary, and the third predetermined condition protected by this application is not limited to the content listed above. Those skilled in the art can set and plan the third predetermined condition according to the actual situation, as long as the technical principle of this application can be achieved.

[0069] In another embodiment, after the third predetermined condition is satisfied and the working mode of the automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface is switched from the first cleaning mode or the third cleaning mode to the second cleaning mode, if the fourth predetermined condition is satisfied, the automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to stop working. Among them, the fourth predetermined condition includes one or more of the following conditions: the total working duration of the automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface has reached the predetermined total duration; the cleaning coverage rate of the water surface is greater than the predetermined coverage rate threshold.

[0070] For example, the purpose of setting the fourth predetermined condition is to trigger a mode switching action when the fourth predetermined condition is met, thereby changing the working mode of the robot on the water surface. Therefore, the fourth predetermined condition refers to a specific condition or threshold that is preset for triggering mode switching. This condition may be related to the working time of the robot, the cleaning coverage rate, the environmental information detected by sensors (such as the cleaning degree of the pool edge, the distribution of obstacles, etc.), or other relevant parameters. When the fourth predetermined condition is satisfied, the robot will stop working.

[0071] After the robot switches from the first cleaning mode or the third cleaning mode to the second cleaning mode, the total running time of the robot from startup to the current moment (i.e., the total working duration of the robot on the water surface) can be counted by a timer. When the total running time reaches or exceeds a predetermined total duration, an instruction to stop working is triggered to control the robot to stop working. It is also possible to use sensors (such as lidar, vision sensors, ultrasonic sensors, etc.) to monitor in real time the coverage of the area cleaned by the robot on the water surface, and combine the sensor data and the map information of the pool to calculate the current cleaning coverage rate of the robot. In other words, by combining the sensor data and the map information of the pool, calculate the proportion of the area cleaned by the robot on the water surface to the total cleaning area. When the cleaning coverage rate exceeds a predetermined coverage rate threshold (the coverage rate threshold is a coverage rate target preset according to the cleaning task requirements), an instruction to stop working is triggered to control the robot to stop working.

[0072] It should be noted that when the robot meets one or more of the above conditions, the robot will be controlled to stop working.

[0073] It should be noted that the above description of the fourth predetermined condition is only exemplary, and the fourth predetermined condition protected by this application is not limited to the content listed above. Those skilled in the art can set and plan the fourth predetermined condition according to the actual situation as long as the technical principle of this application can be achieved.

[0074] The control method of the automatic pool cleaning device provided by this application can control the automatic pool cleaning device to walk along the pool edge on the water surface (i.e., the first cleaning mode). After it meets the first predetermined condition, the working mode of the automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface is switched from walking along the pool edge on the water surface to walking without controlling the heading angle (i.e., the second cleaning mode), and after it meets the second predetermined condition, the working mode of the automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface is switched from walking without controlling the heading angle (i.e., the second cleaning mode) to walking along the pool edge (i.e., the first cleaning mode) or switched to driving in a non-pool-edge area according to a preset path or preset walking rules (i.e., the third cleaning mode). Through the mixed cleaning of multiple cleaning modes, the cleaning coverage rate and cleaning efficiency of the water surface are improved.

[0075] The present application also provides a pool automatic cleaning device. The pool automatic cleaning device can execute the control method described in each of the above embodiments.

[0076] This embodiment discloses a computer storage medium. A computer program is stored in the storage medium, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the control method described above is implemented.

[0077] It should be understood that in this embodiment, the above computer storage medium may be located in at least one of multiple network servers in a computer network. Optionally, in this embodiment, the above storage medium may include, but is not limited to: various media such as USB flash drives, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), mobile hard disks, magnetic disks, or optical discs that can store program codes.

[0078] It should be noted that the above sequence of embodiments of the present application is only for description and does not represent the superiority or inferiority of the embodiments.

[0079] In the description of this specification, the descriptions with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples", etc. mean that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection 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 a suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0080] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the present application, "a plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0081] In the present application, unless otherwise stated, the orientation terms such as "upper" and "lower" are usually in the directions shown in the drawings or in the vertical, perpendicular, or gravitational directions; similarly, for the convenience of understanding and description, "left" and "right" are usually the left and right shown in the drawings; "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer of the contour of each component itself, but the above orientation terms do not limit the present application.

[0082] As described above, it is only an exemplary embodiment of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art within the technical scope recorded in the present application can easily think of various changes or substitutions thereof, and these should all be covered within the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A control method for an automatic pool cleaning device, comprising: Controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to work on the water surface in a first cleaning mode, If the first predetermined condition is met, the working mode of the automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface is switched from the first cleaning mode to the second cleaning mode, wherein: In the second cleaning mode, if a second predetermined condition is met, the working mode of the automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface is switched from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode or the third cleaning mode; Among them, in the first cleaning mode, the automatic pool cleaning device walks on the water surface along the edge of the pool; in the second cleaning mode, the automatic pool cleaning device does not control the heading angle of the cleaning device; in the third cleaning mode, the automatic pool cleaning device travels in the non-pool edge area according to a preset path or preset walking rules.

2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein: After the working mode of the automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface is switched from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode or the third cleaning mode, if a third predetermined condition is met, the working mode of the automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface is switched from the first cleaning mode or the third cleaning mode to the second cleaning mode.

3. The control method according to claim 1, wherein: The first predetermined condition includes one or more of the following conditions: The automatic pool cleaning device operates on the water surface in the first cleaning mode for a first predetermined time period; The automatic pool cleaning device has traveled along the edge of the pool for one or nearly one cycle in the first cleaning mode; The automatic pool cleaning device is stuck by an obstacle.

4. The control method according to claim 3, wherein: The automatic pool cleaning device comprises an inertial measurement unit, wherein: The automatic pool cleaning device determines through the inertial measurement unit that it has traveled one circle or nearly one circle along the edge of the pool.

5. The control method according to claim 1, wherein: The second predetermined condition includes one or more of the following conditions: The automatic pool cleaning device operates on the water surface in the second cleaning mode for a second predetermined time period; The number of collisions between the automatic pool cleaning device and the pool wall is greater than or equal to a predetermined number; The automatic pool cleaning device is stuck by an obstacle.

6. The control method according to claim 2, wherein: The third predetermined condition includes one or more of the following conditions: After switching from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode, the automatic pool cleaning device works on the water surface in the first cleaning mode for a full first predetermined time period; After switching from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode, the automatic pool cleaning device has traveled along the edge of the pool for one or nearly one cycle in the first cleaning mode; After switching from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode, the automatic pool cleaning device is stuck by an obstacle; After switching from the second cleaning mode to the first cleaning mode, the time duration of the automatic pool cleaning device working on the water surface in the edge cleaning mode is greater than or equal to the historical edge cleaning time duration; After switching from the second cleaning mode to the third cleaning mode, the automatic pool cleaning device cannot continue to travel according to the preset path or preset walking rules when working on the water surface in the third cleaning mode.

7. The control method according to claim 6, wherein: The historical edge cleaning time is the time it takes for the automatic pool cleaning device to travel along the edge of the pool for one circle or nearly one circle during the period when the automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to work on the water surface in the edge cleaning mode.

8. The control method according to claim 2, wherein: After the third predetermined condition is met and the working mode of the automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface is switched from the first cleaning mode or the third cleaning mode to the second cleaning mode, if the fourth predetermined condition is met, the automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to stop working.

9. The control method according to claim 8, wherein: The fourth predetermined condition includes one or more of the following conditions: The total working time of the automatic pool cleaning device on the water surface has reached a predetermined total working time; The clean coverage rate of the water surface is greater than a predetermined coverage rate threshold.

10. An automatic pool cleaning device, wherein: The automatic pool cleaning device can execute the control method described in any one of claims 1-9.

11. A computer storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor, implements the control method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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