Cleaning robot detrapping method, cleaning robot and computer readable storage medium

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention relates to the technical field of cleaning systems, in particular to a cleaning robot escape method, a cleaning robot and a storage medium. The cleaning robot comprises an obstacle removing device which can stretch into any passing space and push obstacles corresponding to the passing space. The method comprises the steps that the passing distance around the cleaning robot is recognized; whether all the passing distances are smaller than the minimum distance threshold value needed by passing of the cleaning robot or not is judged; and if all the passing distances are smaller than the minimum distance threshold value, the cleaning robot is controlled to move the obstacle so as to enlarge one of the passing distances. According to the embodiment of the invention, the position data of the obstacles and the wall body are acquired in real time, the passing distance between two adjacent obstacles or between the obstacle and the wall body is calculated, and the passing distance is compared with the preset minimum distance threshold value. And when all the passing distances are smaller than the threshold value, the cleaning robot is controlled to execute the obstacle removing task, the obstacle removing device moves the obstacles to enlarge the distances, and therefore the passing capacity in the complex and narrow space is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to the technical field of cleaning systems, and particularly to a method for a cleaning robot to escape from being trapped, a cleaning robot, and a storage medium. Background Art

[0002] With the popularization of intelligent cleaning devices, floor-sweeping robots can already achieve obstacle recognition and avoidance functions by equipping with sensors such as AI vision, line lidar, and 3D TOF. In the prior art, the robot adjusts its path within the safe obstacle avoidance distance by calculating the distance from the obstacle in real time to avoid collision. However, this solution has significant drawbacks: when there are low obstacles such as shoes, socks, and data cables in the environment, the robot only adopts a passive avoidance strategy, resulting in the area around the obstacle not being cleaned and the cleaning coverage rate decreasing. If the obstacle is located at the entrance of the room, the robot may directly skip this area due to the avoidance action, causing the room to be missed during cleaning. More seriously, when dynamic obstacles (such as objects blown by the wind or suddenly thrown to the ground) surround the robot to form a closed enclosure, the robot will be trapped in place for a long time due to the lack of an active intervention mechanism and requires manual intervention for rescue. Summary of the Invention

[0003] An object of embodiments of the present invention is to provide a method for a cleaning robot to escape from being trapped, a cleaning robot, and a storage medium, so as to solve the technical problem that it is difficult for a cleaning robot to actively escape when trapped by obstacles in the related technical content.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a method for a cleaning robot to escape from being trapped, which is applied to a cleaning robot. The cleaning robot includes an obstacle clearing device, and the obstacle clearing device can extend into any passing distance and push the obstacle corresponding to the passing distance. The passing distance is the distance formed between two adjacent obstacles or between a wall and an adjacent obstacle. The method for the cleaning robot to escape from being trapped includes:

[0005] Identifying the passing distances around the cleaning robot;

[0006] Judging whether each of the passing distances is less than the minimum distance threshold required for the cleaning robot to pass through;

[0007] If each of the passing distances is less than the minimum distance threshold, controlling the cleaning robot to move the obstacle to expand one of the passing distances.

[0008] Optionally, the identifying the passing distances around the cleaning robot includes:

[0009] Obtaining position point set information, where the position point set information includes the contour position point set of the obstacle and the position point set of the wall;

[0010] Obtain spacing information based on the position point set information, where the spacing information includes each of the passing spacings.

[0011] Optionally, controlling the cleaning robot to move the obstacle includes:

[0012] Select the target spacing from the spacing information;

[0013] Control the cleaning robot to move the obstacle corresponding to the target spacing.

[0014] Optionally, controlling the cleaning robot to move the obstacle corresponding to the target spacing includes:

[0015] When it is determined that the obstacle corresponding to the target spacing is immovable, mark the current target spacing as an unavailable spacing;

[0016] Re-select a new target spacing from the remaining spacings in the spacing information.

[0017] Optionally, the target spacing selected each time is the maximum spacing among the remaining spacings in the current spacing information.

[0018] Optionally, controlling the cleaning robot to move the obstacle corresponding to the target spacing further includes:

[0019] When all the spacings in the spacing information are marked as unavailable spacings, send an alarm signal, where the alarm signal is used to indicate that the cleaning robot is trapped.

[0020] Optionally, controlling the cleaning robot to move the obstacle corresponding to the target spacing includes:

[0021] Control the cleaning robot to move to the obstacle removal operation position according to the target spacing, where the obstacle removal operation position is the position where the cleaning robot is located when moving the obstacle;

[0022] Control the cleaning robot to activate the obstacle removal device and move the obstacle corresponding to the target spacing.

[0023] Optionally, controlling the cleaning robot to activate the obstacle removal device and move the obstacle corresponding to the target spacing includes:

[0024] Obtain the reaction force exerted by the obstacle on the obstacle removal device during the process of moving the obstacle;

[0025] When the reaction force exceeds a preset force threshold, stop moving the obstacle and retract the obstacle removal device.

[0026] Optionally, controlling the cleaning robot to move to an obstacle removal operation position according to the target distance includes:

[0027] Determining a first object and a second object forming the target distance, wherein one of the first object and the second object is an obstacle, and the other is an adjacent obstacle or a wall;

[0028] Obtaining a central axis of a line connecting the closest points of the first object and the second object;

[0029] The cleaning robot is controlled to move along the central axis to the obstacle removal operation position, and the distance between the obstacle removal operation position and any one of the first object and the second object is greater than or equal to a preset safety distance threshold.

[0030] Optionally, controlling the cleaning robot to enable the obstacle clearing device and move the obstacle corresponding to the target distance includes:

[0031] When the cleaning robot moves to the obstacle removal operation position, controlling the obstacle removal device to extend into the distance between the first object and the second object along the central axis;

[0032] When the obstacle removal device extends into the gap between the first object and the second object, the cleaning robot is controlled to rotate in situ, so that the obstacle removal device pushes the first object and / or the second object.

[0033] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a cleaning robot, comprising:

[0034] Host;

[0035] A sensor component, the sensor component is installed on the host, and the sensor component can at least identify obstacles and walls around the host;

[0036] an obstacle-clearing device, the obstacle-clearing device being installed on the host and capable of moving the obstacles around the host; and

[0037] A device controller, wherein the device controller is respectively connected to the host, the sensor assembly and the obstacle clearing device, the device controller includes a memory and a processor, the memory is connected to the processor, the processor is used to execute one or more computer programs stored in the memory, and when the processor executes the one or more computer programs, the computer device implements the cleaning robot escape method as described in any one of the above items.

[0038] Optionally, the host includes a receiving compartment, and the obstacle removal device includes:

[0039] A driving motor, mounted on the main machine;

[0040] A screw rod, the screw rod being received in the receiving bin, the screw rod being drivingly connected to the driving motor, and the screw rod being able to move axially toward the outside of the main machine or into the receiving bin under the driving of the driving motor; and

[0041] An obstacle clearing component is connected to the screw rod, and is used to extend to the outside of the main machine when the screw rod moves axially toward the outside of the main machine, and to be received in the receiving bin when the screw rod moves axially into the receiving bin.

[0042] Optionally, the obstacle removal component includes:

[0043] a first push rod, the first push rod being coaxially arranged with the screw rod;

[0044] A bearing, wherein one of the inner ring and the outer ring of the bearing is connected to the screw rod, and the other is connected to the first push rod;

[0045] a second push rod, the second push rod being arranged parallel to the first push rod and being located below the first push rod; and

[0046] At least two hinged members, each of the hinged members comprises a first hinged portion and a second hinged portion, each of the first hinged portions is hinged to the shaft of the first push rod, each of the second hinged portions is hinged to the shaft of the second push rod, and the at least two hinged members are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the first push rod;

[0047] Wherein, when the second push rod is extended out of the mainframe, it is expanded relative to the first push rod due to the action of gravity, and when it is retracted into the receiving bin, it is restrained by the inner wall of the receiving bin and is retracted to the side of the first push rod.

[0048] Optionally, the sensor assembly includes a pressure sensing sheet, and at least one of the first push rod and the second push rod is equipped with the pressure sensing sheet, and the pressure sensing sheet is used to sense the reaction force exerted by the obstacle.

[0049] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, wherein the computer program includes program instructions, and when the program instructions are executed by a processor, the processor executes a cleaning robot escape method as described in any one of the above items.

[0050] The embodiments of the present invention can achieve the following technical effects: the embodiments of the present invention obtain the position data of obstacles and walls in real time, calculate the clearance distance between two adjacent obstacles or between an obstacle and a wall, and compare it with the preset minimum distance threshold. When all clearance distances are less than the minimum distance threshold, the cleaning robot is controlled to perform the obstacle removal task, so that the cleaning robot moves the obstacle to expand the distance. The escape method of the embodiment of the present invention actively intervenes in environmental obstacles, breaks through the limitations of traditional obstacle avoidance algorithms, and significantly improves the cleaning robot's ability to pass through complex and narrow spaces. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments of the present invention will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other accompanying drawings can be obtained based on these accompanying drawings without paying creative labor.

[0052] Figure 1 This is a first schematic diagram of a cleaning robot being trapped in the prior art;

[0053] Figure 2 A second schematic diagram of a cleaning robot being trapped in the prior art;

[0054] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a cleaning robot performing an escape task provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the connection between a device controller, a sensor assembly and an obstacle removal device of a cleaning robot provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 5 A first structural schematic diagram of an obstacle clearing device of a cleaning robot provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 6 A second structural schematic diagram of an obstacle clearing device of a cleaning robot provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0058] Figure 7 A schematic structural diagram of a first push rod provided in an embodiment of the present invention and provided with a pressure sensing sheet;

[0059] Figure 8 A flowchart of a cleaning robot escape method provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0060] Figure 9 It is a structural schematic diagram of a cleaning robot escape device provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0061] Figure 10It is a schematic structural diagram of a computer device provided by an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed implementation manners

[0062] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention clearer and more understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not used to limit the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0063] It should be noted that if there is no conflict, the various features in the embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, and all are within the scope of protection of the present invention. In addition, although the functional modules are divided in the device schematic diagram and the logical order is shown in the flowchart, in some cases, the steps shown or described can be executed in a different order from the module division in the device or the flowchart. Furthermore, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. used in the present invention do not limit the data and execution order, but only distinguish the same items or similar items with basically the same functions and effects.

[0064] In the related technical content of the cleaning system, when the distance between the obstacles around the cleaning robot 100 or the distance between the obstacle and the wall is less than the sum of the diameter of the floor sweeper and the safe obstacle avoidance distance, it will cause the floor sweeper to fail to navigate to the target area, resulting in missed cleaning or the floor sweeper being trapped.

[0065] Exemplarily, please refer to Figure 1 , when the floor sweeper navigates from Room B to Room A and when approaching the room door, if the floor sweeper finds that there are obstacles at the door affecting its going to another room, in order not to collide with the obstacles, the floor sweeper will miss cleaning Room A. Another example, refer to Figure 2 , when there are multiple obstacles and walls around the floor sweeper and it needs to navigate to the external environment, in order not to collide with the obstacles, the floor sweeper will be trapped.

[0066] In order to solve the technical problems existing in the related technical content, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , in a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a cleaning robot 100, including a main body 10, a sensor assembly 30, an obstacle clearing device 20 and a device controller 40.

[0067] A receiving bin is provided inside the main body 10, and a driving wheel set is configured at the bottom thereof to achieve the moving function. Specifically, the main body 10 can travel in multiple directions and rotate in place, etc.

[0068] The sensor component 30 is installed on the host 10. Exemplarily, the sensor component 30 is integrated on the top and surrounding sides of the host 10, and includes a line laser radar, a 3D TOF (three-dimensional camera based on the time of flight measurement principle) module, an AI (Artificial Intelligence) visual camera and a pressure sensing sheet 31, etc., which are at least used to construct obstacle contour point cloud data in real time and detect physical contact force.

[0069] The obstacle clearing device 20 is installed on the host 10. In some embodiments, the obstacle clearing device 20 is a grasping device (such as a mechanical claw) that can grasp obstacles or an adsorption device (such as a vacuum suction cup) that adsorbs obstacles, and its specific structure can be adapted according to the type of obstacle. Exemplarily, the obstacle clearing device 20 is equipped with a mechanical claw that can grasp smaller obstacles and drive the obstacles to move when the host 10 moves to expand the clearance distance. Designers can configure the specific mechanical structure of the obstacle clearing device 20 according to the actual obstacle clearing method, and make the device controller 40 adapt to the obstacle clearing method of the obstacle clearing device 20, which will not be repeated here.

[0070] See also Figure 5 and Figure 6 In other embodiments, the obstacle clearing device 20 is a pushing device, and the obstacle clearing device 20 includes a driving motor 21, a screw 22, and an obstacle clearing assembly 23. The driving motor 21 is installed on the host 10. The screw 22 is received in the receiving bin, and the screw 22 is drivingly connected to the driving motor 21. The screw 22 can move axially to the outside of the host 10 or in the receiving bin under the drive of the driving motor 21. The obstacle clearing assembly 23 is connected to the screw 22, and the obstacle clearing assembly 23 is used to extend to the outside of the host 10 when the screw 22 moves axially to the outside of the host 10, and to be received in the receiving bin when the screw 22 moves axially into the receiving bin.

[0071] Specifically, the obstacle removal assembly 23 includes a first push rod 231, a second push rod 232, a bearing 233 and at least two hinges 234. The first push rod 231 is coaxially arranged with the screw rod 22. One of the inner ring and the outer ring of the bearing 233 is connected to the screw rod 22, and the other is connected to the first push rod 231. The second push rod 232 is arranged parallel to the first push rod 231 and is located below the first push rod 231. Each hinge 234 includes a first hinge part and a second hinge part, each first hinge part is hinged to the rod body of the first push rod 231, and each second hinge part is hinged to the rod body of the second push rod 232. At least two hinges 234 are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the first push rod 231. Among them, the second push rod 232 is extended relative to the first push rod 231 under the action of gravity when it is extended outside the host 10, and is restrained by the inner wall of the receiving bin and retracted to the side of the first push rod 231 when it is retracted into the receiving bin.

[0072] It can be understood that the screw rod 22 can axially move within the receiving bin under the drive of the drive motor 21, and the end of the screw rod 22 is axially rotatably connected to the first push rod 231 through a bearing 233, and the first push rod 231 will not rotate following the screw rod 22. The second push rod 232 is arranged parallel to the first push rod 231 and realizes relative movement through at least two hinge members 234 distributed at intervals, so that when the screw rod 22 is controlled to push outwards, the second push rod 232 unfolds due to gravity, and the interval between the first push rod 231 and the second push rod 232 can better push the obstacle simultaneously, and when the screw rod 22 retracts, the second push rod 232 is automatically folded and reset under the extrusion of the inner wall of the receiving bin. Please refer to Figure 7 , at least one of the first push rod 231 and the second push rod 232 is installed with a pressure sensing sheet 31, which can sense the magnitude of the reaction force when at least one of the first push rod 231 and the second push rod 232 bears the reaction force of the obstacle.

[0073] The device controller 40 is respectively connected to the host 10, the sensor assembly 30 and the obstacle clearing device 20. The device controller 40 plans the obstacle clearing task and the traveling path based on the obstacle spacing data obtained by the sensor assembly 30, controls the drive motor 21 to perform the telescopic action of the screw rod 22, and simultaneously receives the sensing signal fed back by the pressure sensing sheet 31. When it detects that the reaction force of pushing the obstacle exceeds the preset force threshold, it immediately triggers an emergency stop and retracts the screw rod 22 to avoid damage to the mechanical structure.

[0074] Exemplarily, the spacing between every two adjacent obstacles around the cleaning robot 100 or the spacing between the wall and the adjacent obstacle constitutes the passing spacing of the cleaning robot 100. When the device controller 40 determines that the passing spacing around the cleaning robot 100 is not sufficient for the cleaning robot 100 to pass through, it enables the obstacle clearing device 20 to extend into the passing spacing and controls the host 10 to rotate in place to push away the obstacle to expand the passing spacing. Also exemplarily, when the obstacle is a heavy or fixed object (such as a cabinet, a table leg, etc.), and the obstacle clearing device 20 cannot push the obstacle, the device controller 40 determines that the obstacle exceeds the preset force threshold according to the sensing signal fed back by the pressure sensing sheet 31. At this time, the device controller 40 will control the host 10 to stop rotating and retract the obstacle clearing device 20.

[0075] In one embodiment, the obstacle clearing assembly 23 no longer extends into the passing spacing of the cleaning robot 100 and pushes the obstacle from the side of the obstacle, but faces the obstacle and abuts against the obstacle head-on to expand the passing spacing. Designers can configure the specific mechanical structure of the obstacle clearing assembly 23 according to the actual obstacle clearing method and make the device controller 40 adapt to the obstacle clearing method of the obstacle clearing assembly 23, which will not be elaborated here.

[0076] It can be understood that the cleaning robot 100 provided by the embodiments of the present invention effectively solves the problems of reduced cleaning coverage and entrapment caused by passive detouring in traditional obstacle avoidance strategies by using the cooperation of the sensor assembly 30 and the obstacle clearing device 20 to move obstacles and expand the passing distance of the cleaning robot 100.

[0077] Please refer to Figures 3 to 8 , in a second aspect, the embodiments of the present invention provide a method for the cleaning robot to escape from entrapment, which is applied to the cleaning robot 100 in the above embodiments. The method for the cleaning robot to escape from entrapment includes:

[0078] S81. Identify the passing distance around the cleaning robot;

[0079] In this step, the passing distance is the distance formed between two adjacent obstacles or between a wall and an adjacent obstacle. Please refer to Figure 3 . The distance formed between two adjacent obstacles referred to in the embodiments of the present invention, for example, the distance between obstacle 1 and obstacle 2, and the distance between obstacle 1 and obstacle 3. The distance formed between a wall and an adjacent obstacle referred to in the embodiments of the present invention, for example, the distance between the lower wall and obstacle 3, and the distance between the right wall and obstacle 2.

[0080] S82. Determine whether each passing distance is less than the minimum distance threshold required for the cleaning robot to pass through.

[0081] Exemplarily, the minimum distance threshold is configured as the sum of the diameter of the cleaning robot 100 and the safe obstacle avoidance distance of the cleaning robot 100. The safe obstacle avoidance distance of the cleaning robot 100 can be set by the designer according to actual experience and is not limited here.

[0082] S83. If each passing distance is less than the minimum distance threshold, control the cleaning robot 100 to move the obstacle to expand one of the passing distances.

[0083] Among them, if at least one passing distance is not less than the minimum distance threshold, the device controller 40 can plan a travel path based on the passing distances that meet the conditions and control the cleaning robot 100 to drive out of the trapped area.

[0084] It can be understood that the device controller 40 obtains the position data of obstacles and walls in real time through the sensor component 30, calculates the clearance distance between two adjacent obstacles or between an obstacle and a wall, and compares it with the preset minimum distance threshold. When all clearance distances are less than the minimum distance threshold, the device controller 40 controls the cleaning robot 100 to perform the obstacle removal task, so that the cleaning robot 100 moves the obstacle to expand the distance. The escape method of the embodiment of the present invention actively intervenes in environmental obstacles, breaks through the limitations of traditional obstacle avoidance algorithms, and significantly improves the cleaning robot 100's ability to pass through complex and narrow spaces.

[0085] In some embodiments, step S81 includes:

[0086] S811, obtaining location point set information;

[0087] In this step, the position point set information includes the contour position point set of the obstacle and the position point set of the wall. Exemplarily, the contour edge of the obstacle is scanned by a line laser radar to generate a contour position point set in a three-dimensional point cloud coordinate system; the 3DTOF module performs depth measurement on the wall surface to generate a wall position point set. The AI ​​visual camera performs semantic segmentation on the obstacle to distinguish between movable objects (such as paper balls, toys) and fixed objects (such as wall protrusions).

[0088] S812: Obtain spacing information based on the location point set information, where the spacing information includes each passing spacing.

[0089] Exemplarily, based on these contour position point set data, a relevant algorithm (such as a nearest neighbor algorithm) is used to calculate the minimum distance between two adjacent obstacles and the minimum distance between an obstacle and a wall to form a distance information set.

[0090] In some embodiments, step S83 includes:

[0091] S831, selecting a target spacing from the spacing information;

[0092] Exemplarily, the target spacing is selected by analyzing the spacing information set and preferentially selecting the maximum value of the remaining spacing as the target to improve the success rate of the obstacle removal operation.

[0093] S832, controlling the cleaning robot to move to obstacles corresponding to the target distance.

[0094] It can be understood that the embodiment of the present invention actively selects the distance that is most likely to be expanded through obstacle removal, and performs the obstacle displacement operation in a targeted manner, thereby solving the problem of insufficient passage space.

[0095] In other embodiments, the target distance selection may also be to preferentially select the distance closest to the cleaning robot 100 among the remaining distances as the target distance.

[0096] Please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 In some embodiments, the cleaning robot 100 includes an obstacle clearing device 20, and the obstacle clearing device 20 can extend into any passage spacing and push the obstacle corresponding to the passage spacing. Step S832 includes:

[0097] S8321. Control the cleaning robot to move to the obstacle clearing operation position according to the target spacing;

[0098] In this step, the obstacle clearing operation position is the position where the cleaning robot 100 moves the obstacle.

[0099] S8322. Control the cleaning robot to activate the obstacle clearing device and move the obstacle corresponding to the target spacing.

[0100] In the embodiments of the present invention, the obstacle clearing operation position is the positioning point when the cleaning robot 100 performs the obstacle clearing operation. It can be understood that through the above steps, the cleaning robot 100 in the embodiments of the present invention is accurately positioned near the obstacle spacing, and can better directly apply a thrust through the obstacle clearing device 20 to change the position of any obstacle.

[0101] In some embodiments, step S8321 includes:

[0102] S83211. Determine the first object and the second object that form the target spacing;

[0103] In this step, one of the first object and the second object is an obstacle, and the other is an adjacent obstacle or wall.

[0104] S83212. Obtain the central axis of the line connecting the closest points of the first object and the second object.

[0105] S83213. Control the cleaning robot to move along the central axis to the obstacle clearing operation position.

[0106] In this step, the distance between the obstacle clearing operation position and any one of the first object and the second object is greater than or equal to the preset safety distance threshold.

[0107] It can be understood, please refer to Figure 3, the obstacle clearing operation position in the embodiment of the present invention is located on the central axis of the line connecting the nearest points of the first object and the second object corresponding to the target spacing. The reason for setting the obstacle clearing operation position on the central axis of the line connecting the nearest points of the first object and the second object is to enable the obstacle clearing device 20 to align with the central area of the obstacle spacing, ensure that the thrust acts evenly on the two obstacles corresponding to the spacing, and avoid the deviation of the pushing direction or jamming caused by deviation from the center. The preset safety distance is the minimum interval value to prevent collision with obstacles during the extension of the obstacle clearing device 20 and the movement and rotation of the cleaning robot 100, and is used to ensure the structural safety of the cleaning robot 100. Through the above steps, precise positioning and safety distance constraint, the embodiment of the present invention realizes the efficient directional force application of the obstacle clearing device 20 while reducing the risk of mechanical damage.

[0108] In some embodiments, step S8322 includes:

[0109] S83221. When the cleaning robot moves to the obstacle clearing operation position, control the obstacle clearing device to extend into the spacing between the first object and the second object along the central axis.

[0110] S83222. When the obstacle clearing device extends into the spacing between the first object and the second object, control the cleaning robot to rotate in place so that the obstacle clearing device pushes the first object and / or the second object.

[0111] Exemplarily, the cleaning robot 100 in the embodiment of the present invention realizes rotation in place by configuring the differential rotation of the drive wheel set, that is, the left and right drive wheels rotate at the same speed in opposite directions, so that the cleaning robot 100 rotates around its own central axis. After the obstacle clearing device 20 extends into the target spacing, the rotation of the cleaning robot 100 drives the obstacle clearing device 20 to move laterally, applying a lateral thrust to the obstacle, thereby pushing the obstacle.

[0112] It can be understood that in the embodiment of the present invention, by rotating the cleaning robot 100, a lateral thrust is generated on the obstacle clearing device 20, so as to effectively displace the obstacle with a smaller driving force, while keeping the position of the robot body stable and avoiding collision with the obstacle.

[0113] In some embodiments, step S8322 includes:

[0114] S8322a. Obtain the reaction force exerted on the obstacle clearing device by the obstacle during the process of moving the obstacle.

[0115] S8322b. When the reaction force exceeds the preset force threshold, stop moving the obstacle and retract the obstacle clearing device 20.

[0116] Specifically, the pressure sensing sheet 31 on the obstacle removal device 20 monitors the reaction force generated when the push rod contacts the obstacle in real time, and converts the mechanical signal into an electrical signal and transmits it to the device controller 40. It can be understood that the embodiment of the present invention recognizes the mobility of the obstacle and terminates the obstacle removal action in time when encountering a fixed obstacle, thereby preventing the mechanical structure from being overloaded and damaged and reducing ineffective energy consumption.

[0117] In some embodiments, step S832 further includes:

[0118] S8323. When it is determined that the obstacle corresponding to the target spacing is immovable, mark the current target spacing as an unavailable spacing.

[0119] S8324. Reselect a new target spacing from the remaining spacings of the spacing information.

[0120] In this step, the pressure sensing sheet 31 is used to detect whether the reaction force continues to exceed the preset force threshold, so as to determine whether the obstacle corresponding to the target distance is immovable.

[0121] Exemplarily, if the reaction force reaches a preset force threshold and the obstacle cannot be pushed, the interval is marked as an unusable interval, and its status is updated to "inoperable" in the data set.

[0122] In some embodiments, the target distance selected each time is the maximum distance among the remaining distances of the current distance information.

[0123] Each time, the maximum distance among the remaining distances is selected as the target, because a larger distance usually means a larger initial space between obstacles, and it is easier to reach the minimum distance threshold required for the cleaning robot 100 to pass after pushing, thereby improving the success rate of a single obstacle removal.

[0124] It is understandable that the embodiments of the present invention gradually identify movable obstacles by continuously eliminating invalid obstacle-clearing tasks, while ensuring that the robot prioritizes attempts at more feasible clearance intervals, thereby improving overall escape efficiency. It is even easier to understand that the embodiments of the present invention prioritize processing of more feasible clearance intervals, reduce the number of invalid attempts, optimize path planning efficiency, and reduce the risk of damage to the mechanical structure due to frequent operation of small intervals.

[0125] In some embodiments, step S832 further includes:

[0126] S8325. When all the intervals in the interval information are marked as unavailable intervals, an alarm signal is sent, where the alarm signal is used to indicate that the cleaning robot is trapped.

[0127] Exemplarily, the cleaning robot 100 includes a wireless communication module (such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth), and the alarm signal is a notification message sent by the device controller 40 to the user terminal (such as a mobile phone APP) through the wireless communication module, which includes the trapped position (such as in Figure 1 room B) and environmental data (such as the type and quantity of obstacles).

[0128] In some embodiments, the cleaning robot 100 includes an audio module installed on the main body 10. The audio module is configured with a speaker, and the device controller 40 sends an alarm signal to the audio module, so that the main body 10 outputs voice information indicating that the cleaning robot 100 is trapped through the audio module.

[0129] It can be understood that the embodiment of the present invention actively triggers a request for manual intervention when the cleaning robot 100 fails to escape independently, avoiding the robot from exhausting its power or causing mechanical failures due to continuous attempts, and at the same time providing visual data of the trapped environment for the user to assist in rescue decision-making.

[0130] It should be noted that in the above various embodiments, there is not necessarily a certain order between the above steps. Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand according to the description of the embodiments of the present invention that in different embodiments, the above steps can have different execution orders, that is, they can be executed in parallel or exchanged, etc.

[0131] As another aspect of the embodiment of the present invention, the embodiment of the present invention provides a device for a cleaning robot to escape. Among them, the device for a cleaning robot to escape can be a software module. The software module includes several instructions, which are stored in a memory, and a processor can access the memory and call the instructions for execution to complete the method for a cleaning robot to escape described in the above various embodiments.

[0132] In some embodiments, the device for a cleaning robot to escape can also be built by hardware devices. For example, the device for a cleaning robot to escape can be built by one or more than two chips, and each chip can cooperate with each other to complete the method for a cleaning robot to escape described in the above various embodiments. For another example, the device for a cleaning robot to escape can also be built by various logic devices, such as built by a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a single-chip microcomputer, an ARM (Acorn RISC Machine), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination of these components.

[0133] Please refer to Figure 9 , the device 900 for a cleaning robot to escape according to the embodiment of the present invention includes an identification module 901, a judgment module 902, and a control module 903.

[0134] The identification module 901 is used to identify the passage spacing around the cleaning robot, which is the spacing between two adjacent obstacles or between a wall and an adjacent obstacle. The judgment module 902 is used to judge whether each passage spacing is less than the minimum distance threshold required for the cleaning robot to pass. The control module 903 is used to control the cleaning robot to move obstacles to expand one of the passage spacings when each passage spacing is less than the minimum distance threshold.

[0135] It can be understood that the embodiment of the present invention obtains the position data of obstacles and walls in real time, calculates the clearance distance between two adjacent obstacles or between an obstacle and a wall, and compares it with the preset minimum distance threshold. When all clearance distances are less than the threshold, the cleaning robot is controlled to perform the obstacle removal task, so that the cleaning robot moves the obstacle to expand the distance. The escape method of the embodiment of the present invention actively intervenes in environmental obstacles, breaks through the limitations of traditional obstacle avoidance algorithms, and significantly improves the cleaning robot's ability to pass through complex and narrow spaces.

[0136] In some embodiments, the identification module 901 is specifically used to obtain position point set information, which includes the outline position point set of the obstacle and the position point set of the wall; and obtain spacing information based on the position point set information, which includes each passing spacing.

[0137] In some embodiments, the control module 903 is specifically used to select a target distance from the distance information; and control the cleaning robot to move an obstacle corresponding to the target distance.

[0138] In some embodiments, the control module 903 is specifically configured to mark the current target distance as an unavailable distance when it is determined that the obstacle corresponding to the target distance is immovable; and reselect a new target distance from the remaining distances in the distance information.

[0139] In some embodiments, the target distance selected each time by the control module 903 is the maximum distance among the remaining distances of the current distance information.

[0140] In some embodiments, the control module 903 is further specifically used to send an alarm signal when all the intervals in the interval information are marked as unavailable intervals, and the alarm signal is used to indicate that the cleaning robot is trapped.

[0141] In some embodiments, the cleaning robot includes an obstacle clearing device, which can extend into any passage distance and push the obstacle corresponding to the passage distance. The control module 903 is specifically used to control the cleaning robot to move to the obstacle clearing operation position according to the target distance. The obstacle clearing operation position is the position of the cleaning robot when it moves the obstacle; control the cleaning robot to enable the obstacle clearing device and move the obstacle corresponding to the target distance.

[0142] In some embodiments, the control module 903 is specifically used to obtain the reaction force applied by the obstacle to the obstacle removal device during the process of moving the obstacle; when the reaction force exceeds a preset force threshold, stop moving the obstacle and retract the obstacle removal device.

[0143] In some embodiments, the control module 903 is specifically used to determine the first object and the second object that form the target distance, one of the first object and the second object is an obstacle, and the other is an adjacent obstacle or wall; obtain the central axis of the line connecting the nearest points of the first object and the second object; control the cleaning robot to move along the central axis to the obstacle clearing operation position, and the distance between the obstacle clearing operation position and either the first object or the second object is greater than or equal to a preset safety distance threshold.

[0144] In some embodiments, the control module 903 is specifically used to control the obstacle clearing device to extend into the distance between the first object and the second object along the central axis when the cleaning robot moves to the obstacle clearing operation position; when the obstacle clearing device extends into the distance between the first object and the second object, control the cleaning robot to rotate in place so that the obstacle clearing device pushes the first object and / or the second object.

[0145] It should be noted that the cleaning robot escape device 900 can execute the cleaning robot escape method provided in the embodiment of the present invention, and has the corresponding functional modules and beneficial effects of the execution method. For technical details not fully described in the embodiment of the cleaning robot escape device 900, please refer to the cleaning robot escape method provided in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0146] See also Figure 10 , Figure 10 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a computer device 1000 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The computer device 1000 is a device controller of a cleaning robot, and the device controller includes one or more processors 1001 and a memory 1002. The memory 1002 is connected to the one or more processors 1001, for example, connected to the processor 1001 through a bus.

[0147] The processor 1001 is configured to support the computer device 1000 to execute the corresponding functions in the methods of the above method embodiments. The processor 1001 may be a central processing unit (CPU), a network processor (NP), a hardware chip, or any combination thereof. The above hardware chip may be an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (PLD), or a combination thereof. The above PLD may be a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a generic array logic (GAL), or any combination thereof.

[0148] The memory 1002 is used to store program codes and the like. The memory 1002 may include volatile memory (VM), such as random access memory (RAM); the memory 1002 may also include non-volatile memory (NVM), such as read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, hard disk drive (HDD), or solid-state drive (SSD); the memory 1002 may further include a combination of the above types of memories.

[0149] The memory 1002 can be used to store non-volatile software programs, non-volatile computer executable programs, and modules, such as the program instructions / modules corresponding to the method for the cleaning robot 100 to escape from trouble in the embodiments of the present invention. The processor 1001 executes various functional applications and data processing of the method for the cleaning robot to escape from trouble and the cleaning robot escape device 900 by running the non-volatile software programs, instructions, and modules stored in the memory 1002, that is, to implement the functions of each module or unit of the method for the cleaning robot to escape from trouble and the cleaning robot escape device 900 provided in the above method embodiments.

[0150] The memory 1002 may include a program storage area and a data storage area, wherein the program storage area may store an operating system and an application required for at least one function. The data storage area may store data created according to the use of the cleaning robot escape device 900, etc. In some embodiments, the memory 1002 may optionally include a memory remotely arranged relative to the processor 1001, and these remote memories may be connected to the cleaning robot escape device 900 via a network. Examples of the above-mentioned network include, but are not limited to, the Internet, an intranet, a local area network, a mobile communication network, and combinations thereof.

[0151] The one or more modules are stored in the memory 1002, and when executed by the one or more processors 1001, the cleaning robot escape method in any of the above method embodiments is executed, for example, the method steps described in the above method embodiments are executed to realize the functions of the modules described in the above device embodiments.

[0152] An embodiment of the present invention further provides a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, wherein the computer program includes program instructions, and when the program instructions are executed by a computer, the computer executes the method described in the above embodiment.

[0153] A person skilled in the art can understand that all or part of the processes in the above-mentioned embodiments can be implemented by instructing the relevant hardware through a computer program, and the program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when the program is executed, it can include the processes of the embodiments of the above-mentioned methods. The storage medium can be a disk, an optical disk, a read-only memory (ROM) or a random access memory (RAM), etc.

[0154] The above disclosure is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention, which certainly cannot be used to limit the scope of the present invention. Therefore, equivalent changes made according to the claims of the present invention are still within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for escaping a cleaning robot, characterized in that: Applied to a cleaning robot, the cleaning robot includes an obstacle clearing device, the obstacle clearing device can extend into any passage spacing and push the obstacle corresponding to the passage spacing, the passage spacing is the spacing between two adjacent obstacles or between a wall and an adjacent obstacle, and the cleaning robot escape method includes: Identify the clearance distance around the cleaning robot; Determine whether each of the passage distances is less than a minimum distance threshold required for the cleaning robot to pass; If each of the passage distances is smaller than the minimum distance threshold, the cleaning robot is controlled to move the obstacle to expand one of the passage distances.

2. The cleaning robot escape method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The identifying the passage distance around the cleaning robot comprises: Acquire location point set information, wherein the location point set information includes a contour location point set of the obstacle and a location point set of the wall; Spacing information is obtained based on the location point set information, where the spacing information includes each of the passing spacings.

3. The cleaning robot escape method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The controlling the cleaning robot to move the obstacle comprises: Selecting the target spacing from the spacing information; The cleaning robot is controlled to move the obstacle corresponding to the target distance.

4. The cleaning robot escape method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The controlling the cleaning robot to move the obstacle corresponding to the target distance comprises: When it is determined that the obstacle corresponding to the target distance is immovable, marking the current target distance as an unavailable distance; A new target distance is reselected from the remaining distances of the distance information.

5. The cleaning robot escape method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The target spacing selected each time is the maximum spacing among the remaining spacings of the current spacing information.

6. The cleaning robot escape method according to claim 4, characterized in that: The controlling the cleaning robot to move the obstacle corresponding to the target distance further comprises: When all the intervals in the interval information are marked as unavailable intervals, an alarm signal is sent, where the alarm signal is used to indicate that the cleaning robot is trapped.

7. The cleaning robot escape method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The controlling the cleaning robot to move the obstacle corresponding to the target distance comprises: Controlling the cleaning robot to move to an obstacle clearing operation position according to the target distance, wherein the obstacle clearing operation position is the position of the cleaning robot when moving the obstacle; The cleaning robot is controlled to enable the obstacle clearing device and move the obstacle corresponding to the target distance.

8. The cleaning robot escape method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The controlling the cleaning robot to enable the obstacle removal device and move the obstacle corresponding to the target distance comprises: Acquire the reaction force exerted by the obstacle on the obstacle-clearing device during the process of moving the obstacle; When the reaction force exceeds a preset force threshold, the obstacle is stopped from being moved and the obstacle-clearing device is retracted.

9. The cleaning robot escape method according to claim 7, characterized in that: Controlling the cleaning robot to move to the obstacle removal operation position according to the target distance includes: Determining a first object and a second object forming the target distance, wherein one of the first object and the second object is an obstacle, and the other is an adjacent obstacle or a wall; Obtaining a central axis of a line connecting the closest points of the first object and the second object; The cleaning robot is controlled to move along the central axis to the obstacle removal operation position, and the distance between the obstacle removal operation position and any one of the first object and the second object is greater than or equal to a preset safety distance threshold.

10. The cleaning robot escape method according to claim 9, characterized in that: The controlling the cleaning robot to enable the obstacle removal device and move the obstacle corresponding to the target distance comprises: When the cleaning robot moves to the obstacle removal operation position, controlling the obstacle removal device to extend into the distance between the first object and the second object along the central axis; When the obstacle removal device extends into the gap between the first object and the second object, the cleaning robot is controlled to rotate in situ, so that the obstacle removal device pushes the first object and / or the second object.

11. A cleaning robot, characterized in that: include: Host; A sensor component, the sensor component is installed on the host, and the sensor component can at least identify obstacles and walls around the host; An obstacle-clearing device, the obstacle-clearing device is installed on the host, and the obstacle-clearing device can move the obstacles around the host; as well as A device controller, wherein the device controller is respectively connected to the host, the sensor assembly and the obstacle clearing device, the device controller includes a memory and a processor, the memory is connected to the processor, the processor is used to execute one or more computer programs stored in the memory, and when the processor executes the one or more computer programs, the computer device implements the cleaning robot escape method as described in any one of claims 1-10.

12. The cleaning robot according to claim 11, characterized in that: The host comprises a receiving compartment, and the obstacle removal device comprises: A driving motor is installed on the main machine; A screw rod, the screw rod being received in the receiving bin, the screw rod being drivingly connected to the driving motor, and the screw rod being able to move axially toward the outside of the main machine or into the receiving bin under the driving of the driving motor; and An obstacle clearing component is connected to the screw rod, and is used to extend to the outside of the main machine when the screw rod moves axially toward the outside of the main machine, and to be received in the receiving bin when the screw rod moves axially into the receiving bin.

13. The cleaning robot according to claim 12, characterized in that: The obstacle removal component comprises: a first push rod, the first push rod being coaxially arranged with the screw rod; A bearing, wherein one of the inner ring and the outer ring of the bearing is connected to the screw rod, and the other is connected to the first push rod; a second push rod, the second push rod being arranged parallel to the first push rod and being located below the first push rod; and At least two hinged members, each of the hinged members comprises a first hinged portion and a second hinged portion, each of the first hinged portions is hinged to the shaft of the first push rod, each of the second hinged portions is hinged to the shaft of the second push rod, and the at least two hinged members are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the first push rod; Wherein, when the second push rod is extended out of the mainframe, it is expanded relative to the first push rod due to the action of gravity, and when it is retracted into the receiving bin, it is restrained by the inner wall of the receiving bin and is retracted to the side of the first push rod.

14. The cleaning robot according to claim 13, characterized in that: The sensor assembly includes a pressure sensing sheet, and at least one of the first push rod and the second push rod is equipped with the pressure sensing sheet, and the pressure sensing sheet is used to sense the reaction force exerted by the obstacle.

15. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, which includes program instructions. When the program instructions are executed by a processor, the processor executes the cleaning robot escape method as described in any one of claims 1-10.

Images