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. The automatic pool cleaning device comprises image acquisition equipment. The control method comprises the steps that the automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to advance on the water surface along the edge; in the process that the automatic pool cleaning device advances along the edge, first image information in the moving direction of the automatic pool cleaning device is collected through the image collection equipment; and under the condition that it is determined that at least one skimmer is arranged on the pool wall of the pool based on the first image information, the working state of each skimmer is determined, and the cleaning strategy of the automatic pool cleaning device is adjusted according to the working state of each skimmer. According to the method, the automatic pool cleaning device can be controlled to reasonably clean the water surface of the pool according to the setting condition and the working state of the skimmer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present application relate 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 development of computer technology, robot technology has also developed rapidly. Currently, underwater robots are increasingly widely used in various fields and can assist people in performing operations in water, including underwater cleaning, underwater exploration, underwater sightseeing, etc.

[0003] A robot for pool cleaning, such as an automatic pool cleaning device, can clean areas such as the water surface, pool wall, and pool bottom of the pool according to cleaning requirements. There may be skimmers installed on the pool wall of some pools. The skimmer can filter and collect floating objects on the water surface of the pool by means of suction and drainage. Therefore, how to reasonably clean the pool based on the automatic pool cleaning device in the case where a skimmer is set in the pool has become an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present application, there is provided a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device. The automatic pool cleaning device includes an image acquisition device. The control method includes: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to travel along the edge on the water surface; during the process of the automatic pool cleaning device traveling along the edge, collecting first image information in the moving direction of the automatic pool cleaning device through the image acquisition device; in the case where it is determined based on the first image information that at least one skimmer is provided on the pool wall of the pool, determining the working states of the skimmers, and adjusting the cleaning strategy of the automatic pool cleaning device according to the working states of the skimmers.

[0005] According to a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present disclosure, wherein adjusting the cleaning strategy of the automatic pool cleaning device according to the working states of the skimmers includes: when there is a skimmer with a working state of being turned on, controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to clean a specified area, where the specified area is an area that cannot be reached by the skimmer in the on state.

[0006] According to a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present disclosure, wherein controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to clean a specified area includes: determining whether the skimmer in the on state includes a water outlet skimmer; if the skimmer in the on state includes a water outlet skimmer, controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to clean the specified area.

[0007] A control method for a pool automatic cleaning device provided by the present disclosure, wherein the method for determining the designated area includes: controlling the pool automatic cleaning device to move in front of the skimmer in the opened state, and controlling the pool automatic cleaning device or the image acquisition device to rotate a preset angle to collect second image information on both sides and in front of the skimmer in the opened state; when it is determined based on the second image information that there are objects to be cleaned on both sides and / or in front of the skimmer in the opened state, the area corresponding to the object to be cleaned is used as the designated area.

[0008] A control method for a pool automatic cleaning device provided by the present disclosure, wherein adjusting the cleaning strategy of the pool automatic cleaning device according to the working states of the skimmers includes: if the working states of all the skimmers are not opened, or the opened skimmers only include the water inlet skimmer, controlling the pool automatic cleaning device to perform a full-surface cleaning of the water surface.

[0009] A control method for a pool automatic cleaning device provided by the present disclosure further includes: when it is determined based on the first image information that there is no skimmer installed on the pool wall, controlling the pool automatic cleaning device to perform a full-surface cleaning of the water surface.

[0010] A control method for a pool automatic cleaning device provided by the present disclosure, wherein adjusting the cleaning strategy of the pool automatic cleaning device according to the working states of the skimmers includes: after the pool automatic cleaning device finishes walking along the edge, adjusting the cleaning strategy of the pool automatic cleaning device according to the working states of the skimmers.

[0011] A control method for a pool automatic cleaning device provided by the present disclosure, wherein the method for determining the working state of the skimmer includes: obtaining the water flow state near the skimmer according to the first image information, and if the water flow near the skimmer faces or deviates from the skimmer, determining that the skimmer is opened.

[0012] A control method for a pool automatic cleaning device provided by the present disclosure, wherein obtaining the water flow state near the skimmer according to the first image information includes: obtaining the water flow state near the skimmer based on multiple pieces of first image information; wherein the multiple pieces of first image information correspond to the same skimmer.

[0013] A control method for a pool automatic cleaning device provided by the present disclosure, wherein when it is determined that the skimmer is in the opened state, the method for determining the water inlet skimmer and the water outlet skimmer includes: if the water flow faces the skimmer, determining that the skimmer is the water inlet skimmer, and if the water flow deviates from the skimmer, determining that the skimmer is the water outlet skimmer.

[0014] A control method for a pool automatic cleaning device provided by the present disclosure, wherein the method for determining the working state of the skimmer includes: controlling the pool automatic cleaning device to move to a preset distance in front of the skimmer and then stop for a preset duration; using a distance measuring sensor and / or the image acquisition device to obtain the distance change between the pool automatic cleaning device and the skimmer within the preset duration; if the distance change between the pool automatic cleaning device and the skimmer is greater than a preset threshold within the preset duration, it is determined that the skimmer is in the open state.

[0015] A control method for a pool automatic cleaning device provided by the present disclosure, wherein when it is determined that the skimmer is in the open state, the method for determining the water inlet skimmer and the water outlet skimmer includes: if the distance between the pool automatic cleaning device and the skimmer increases within the preset duration, it is determined that the skimmer is the water outlet skimmer; if the distance between the pool automatic cleaning device and the skimmer decreases within the preset duration, it is determined that the skimmer is the water inlet skimmer.

[0016] A control method for a pool automatic cleaning device provided by the present disclosure, wherein the method further includes: when it is determined based on the first image information that there is a skimmer provided on the pool wall and it is determined that the skimmer is in the open state, controlling the pool automatic cleaning device to bypass the skimmer and continue to travel along the edge.

[0017] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a pool automatic cleaning device, the pool automatic cleaning device includes an image acquisition device, wherein the pool automatic cleaning device can execute any one of the above control methods.

[0018] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a computer storage medium, the storage medium stores a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements any one of the above control methods.

[0019] The embodiments described in this application have the following beneficial effects:

[0020] During the process of controlling the pool automatic cleaning device to travel along the edge on the water surface, the first image information in the moving direction of the pool automatic cleaning device is collected through the image acquisition device to determine whether there is a skimmer provided on the pool wall according to the first image information. In the case where it is determined that there is a skimmer provided on the pool wall, the cleaning strategy of the pool automatic cleaning device can be adjusted according to the working state of the skimmer, and then the pool automatic cleaning device can be controlled reasonably to clean the water surface of the pool according to the setting situation and working state of the skimmer, improving the cleaning effect and cleaning efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the accompanying drawings required for the description of the embodiments. The accompanying drawings in the following description are only exemplary embodiments of the present application.

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic flowchart of the control method of the automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application; and

[0023] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the moving route along the edge of the automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application. Detailed Embodiments

[0024] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present application clearer, the following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the present application with reference to the accompanying drawings in the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are some, but not all, of the embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present application.

[0025] The present application provides a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device. It can be understood that the automatic pool cleaning device includes an image acquisition device, and the automatic pool cleaning device 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 automatic pool 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 automatic pool cleaning device and the pool-shaped building, as long as the principle of the present application can be realized.

[0026] In the following, if not otherwise specified, the robot will be used as an example of the automatic pool cleaning device for elaboration, and the swimming pool will be used as an example of the pool or pool-shaped building for elaboration. In the following, if not otherwise specified, the terms "pool wall", "swimming pool wall", and "wall of the swimming pool" all refer to the surface of the wall of the swimming pool.

[0027] The following will refer to the accompanying drawings to elaborate in detail on the control method 100 of the automatic pool cleaning device. Figure 1 is a schematic flowchart of the control method of the automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application. As Figure 1 shown, the control method 100 includes steps 101 to 103. The following will elaborate in detail on steps 101 to 103.

[0028] In step 101, control the automatic pool cleaning device to travel along the edge on the water surface.

[0029] Exemplarily, when the robot is cleaning a pool, it can include multiple cleaning operation modes, such as the bottom cleaning mode, the pool wall cleaning mode, and the water surface cleaning mode. Among them, the water surface cleaning mode includes the water surface edge cleaning mode and the water surface random cleaning mode. Edge cleaning means controlling the robot to clean along the pool wall of the swimming pool. The water surface edge cleaning mode can be used to clean the narrow contours of the swimming pool, such as the water line position of the pool wall, the edge of obstacles, etc. The water line position of the swimming pool is a frequently flushed area by water flow, and dirt such as garbage and algae is easy to deposit here. And this part is difficult for the traditional cleaning method of the pool cleaning robot to act on, resulting in low cleaning efficiency of the robot. Secondly, for the edges of obstacles in the pool, such as the edge of a walk-in pool ladder and other floating objects encountered during travel, these are all difficult points that the cleaning robot should pay attention to when performing cleaning tasks. Based on the water surface edge cleaning mode, the cleaning method of the robot is more efficient and the cleaning effect is better, greatly improving the convenience of the cleaning work and the user experience. Further, the water surface edge cleaning mode can also be used to obtain the size information of the pool. For example, controlling the robot to clean along the pool wall for one circle can obtain the size of the pool, that is, the contour information of the pool. In the water surface edge cleaning mode, it is necessary to control the robot to travel along the edge on the water surface, that is, along the pool wall of the swimming pool.

[0030] Next, enter step 102. In step 102, during the process of the pool automatic cleaning device traveling along the edge, the first image information in the moving direction of the pool automatic cleaning device is collected by the image acquisition device.

[0031] Specifically, during the process of the robot traveling along the pool wall of the swimming pool, the first image information in the moving direction of the robot can be collected by the image acquisition setting. Exemplarily, the above image acquisition device can be a monocular image acquisition device or a binocular image acquisition device. It can be understood that the image acquisition device can be controlled to continuously collect the first image information, or the image acquisition device can be controlled to periodically collect the first image information. For example, the image information is collected once every 5 seconds. The present application does not make specific limitations on the specific acquisition method of the image acquisition device, as long as the technical principle of the present application can be realized.

[0032] Next, enter step 103. In step 103, when it is determined based on the first image information that there is at least one skimmer on the pool wall of the pool, determine the working state of each skimmer, and adjust the cleaning strategy of the pool automatic cleaning device according to the working state of each skimmer.

[0033] It can be understood that a skimmer can be installed on the pool wall. The working principle of the skimmer is to suck in the dirty water to be cleaned in the pool, filter it, and then discharge the filtered and clean water back into the pool, so as to filter and collect garbage and other objects to be filtered in the pool (such as floating objects on the water surface). The skimmer can generally be installed on the pool wall near the water line or at the bottom of the pool. When a skimmer is installed on the pool wall and the skimmer is in the working state, on the one hand, the skimmer can clean floating objects on the water surface, etc.; on the other hand, the working skimmer will affect the movement of the robot moving along the edge when sucking or discharging water. Therefore, when it is determined based on the first image information collected by the image acquisition device that a skimmer is installed on the pool wall, it is necessary to determine the working state of the skimmer and adjust the subsequent cleaning strategy of the robot according to the working state of the skimmer.

[0034] It can be understood that one or more skimmers can be installed on the pool wall. When multiple skimmers are installed on the pool wall, the cleaning strategy of the robot needs to be adjusted according to the working states of the multiple skimmers.

[0035] In step 103, adjusting the cleaning strategy of the automatic pool cleaning device according to the working states of the skimmers includes: when there is a skimmer in the on state, controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to clean a specified area, where the specified area is the area that cannot be reached by the on-state skimmer.

[0036] It can be understood that one or more skimmers can be installed on the pool wall. Among them, when there is a skimmer in the on state, it means that at least one skimmer is in the current on state.

[0037] When there is a skimmer in the on state, it means that there is currently a skimmer filtering and cleaning the water in the pool. The skimmer can clean some floating objects on the water surface. Therefore, to improve the cleaning efficiency of the robot, when there is a skimmer cleaning the water in the pool, the robot can be controlled to clean a specified area on the pool surface. Among them, the specified area refers to the area that cannot be reached by the on-state skimmer when cleaning the pool water, that is, the area that cannot be cleaned by the on-state skimmer. It can be understood that when there are multiple on-state skimmers, the specified area refers to the area that cannot be reached by all the on-state skimmers.

[0038] Exemplarily, controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to clean a specified area includes: determining whether the on-state skimmer includes an outlet skimmer; if the on-state skimmer includes an outlet skimmer, controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to clean the specified area.

[0039] Specifically, since the skimmer needs to suck and drain water when cleaning the water in the pool, the skimmer in the open state for water suction operation can be used as the water inlet skimmer, and the skimmer in the open state for water drainage operation can be used as the water outlet skimmer. When the skimmer is a water outlet skimmer, the water flows out from the water outlet skimmer, resulting in relatively large fluctuations in the water flow around the skimmer, causing garbage such as leaves near the water outlet skimmer to be carried by the water flow to both sides or the opposite side of the skimmer. It can be seen that the water outlet skimmer has a greater impact on the cleaning range to be cleaned. Therefore, when it is detected that there is a skimmer in the open state, it is necessary to determine whether the skimmer in the open state includes a water outlet skimmer that has a greater impact on the cleaning range. Among them, the skimmer in the open state including a water outlet skimmer can include two situations: one situation is that all the skimmers in the open state are water outlet skimmers, and the other situation is that some of the skimmers in the open state are water outlet skimmers and some are water inlet skimmers. Since the water outlet skimmer has a greater impact on the cleaning range of the skimmer, when the open skimmer includes a water outlet skimmer, the robot can be controlled not to clean the water surface comprehensively, but to clean the water surface intelligently. For example, the robot can be controlled to only clean a specified area, that is, to clean the area that cannot be reached when the water outlet skimmer is working.

[0040] Exemplarily, the method for determining the specified area includes: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move in front of the skimmer in the open state, and controlling the automatic pool cleaning device or the image acquisition device to rotate a preset angle to collect second image information on both sides and in front of the skimmer in the open state; when it is determined based on the second image information that there are objects to be cleaned on both sides and / or in front of the skimmer in the open state, the area corresponding to the object to be cleaned is used as the specified area.

[0041] Exemplarily, Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the moving route along the edge of the automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application, as Figure 2As shown, when it is determined that there is a skimmer on the pool wall in front of the robot during the process of controlling the movement of the robot and the working state of the skimmer is the on state, the robot can be controlled to turn at position 1 which is at a first predetermined distance from the on-state skimmer, so as to move from position 1 to the front position 2 of the on-state skimmer. It can be understood that in order to enable the robot to clean along the edge sufficiently, it is necessary for the robot to move to a position relatively close to the skimmer as much as possible and then move to position 2. However, since the water flow disturbed by the on-state skimmer may affect the movement of the robot, and if the robot is too close to the skimmer, it may collide with the skimmer during turning or be sucked by the water flow of the inlet skimmer or washed away by the water flow of the outlet skimmer. Therefore, the robot can be controlled to turn at position 1 which is at a first predetermined distance from the skimmer to move to position 2. Among them, the setting of the first predetermined distance can be determined according to the size of the skimmer, the water flow speed and direction of the skimmer, and the size of the robot, etc. For example, position 1 can be 30 centimeters away from the side of the skimmer.

[0042] After controlling the robot to move to position 2, the robot or the image acquisition device can be controlled to rotate a preset angle, so as to collect second image information on both sides and in front of the on-state skimmer through the image acquisition device. For example, the robot or the image acquisition device can be controlled to rotate a first preset angle to collect the second image information on the left side of the skimmer through the image acquisition device, then the robot or the image acquisition device can be controlled to rotate a second preset angle to collect the second image information on the right side of the skimmer through the image acquisition device, and finally the robot or the image acquisition device can be controlled to rotate a third preset angle so that the image acquisition device can collect the second image information in front of the skimmer when the image acquisition device is facing away from the skimmer.

[0043] After the second image information is collected, when it is determined based on the second image information that there are objects to be cleaned on both sides and / or in front of the on-state skimmer, it means that the skimmer is difficult to effectively clean the area where the objects to be cleaned are located. These areas are areas that the skimmer cannot reach. Therefore, the area corresponding to the objects to be cleaned can be used as a designated area, so as to control the robot to effectively clean the designated area subsequently. For example Figure 2 The area outside the dotted line in is the area that the skimmer has not reached.

[0044] In step 103, the adjusting the cleaning strategy of the automatic pool cleaning device according to the working state of the skimmer includes: if the working state of all the skimmers is not on, or the on-state skimmers only include the inlet skimmers, then control the automatic pool cleaning device to perform a full-surface cleaning of the water surface.

[0045] In some cases, although skimmers are installed on the pool wall, the working states of all the installed skimmers are in the off state, or all the skimmers in the on state are water inlet skimmers. In the above two cases, when the working states of the skimmers are all in the off state, the skimmers do not clean the pool. When all the skimmers in the on state are water inlet skimmers, the cleaning range of the water inlet skimmers has little impact and can be ignored. Therefore, in the above two cases, it is necessary to control the robot to conduct a comprehensive surface cleaning of the pool.

[0046] Further, the control method of the automatic pool cleaning device further includes: when it is determined based on the first image information that no skimmer is installed on the pool wall, the automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to conduct a comprehensive surface cleaning.

[0047] In some cases, after identifying the first image information, there may be a situation where no skimmer is installed on the pool wall. In this case, it means that there is no other cleaning equipment to clean the pool surface. At this time, it is necessary to control the robot to conduct a comprehensive surface cleaning of the pool.

[0048] In step 103, the adjustment of the cleaning strategy of the automatic pool cleaning device according to the working state of the skimmer includes: after the automatic pool cleaning device finishes walking along the edge, the cleaning strategy of the automatic pool cleaning device is adjusted according to the working states of the skimmers.

[0049] It can be understood that when the robot conducts edge cleaning on the water surface, it needs to walk along the edge at least one circle to effectively clean the water line position of the pool, and the robot needs to walk along the edge one circle to accurately obtain the size information of the pool and whether skimmers are installed on all the pool walls. Therefore, after controlling the robot to finish walking along the edge, that is, after the robot walks along the edge one circle, the cleaning strategy of the robot can be adjusted according to the working states of the skimmers installed on all the pool walls. The cleaning strategy can be understood as the cleaning method or cleaning rules of the robot. For example, if it is found that there is an open skimmer on the pool wall after walking along the edge, the specified area can be cleaned directionally based on the method described in the above embodiments. After the directional cleaning is completed, random cleaning or comprehensive cleaning of the pool surface can be carried out again. And during the cleaning process, the open skimmers can be avoided to prevent being washed away or sucked. If it is found that there is no skimmer or the skimmer is not open on the pool wall after walking along the edge, comprehensive cleaning or random cleaning of the pool surface can be carried out.

[0050] Further, the control method of the automatic pool cleaning device further includes: when it is determined based on the first image information that a skimmer is installed on the pool wall and the skimmer is in the on state, the automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to bypass the skimmer and continue to walk along the edge.

[0051] Specifically, when it is determined based on the first image information that there is a skimmer on the pool wall and the skimmer is in the open state, if the robot continues to move along the edge, it will be affected by the disturbed water flow of the open skimmer. For example, when the open skimmer is an outlet skimmer, if the robot is too close to the outlet skimmer, it will be pushed by the water flow to a place farther away from the skimmer; when the open skimmer is an inlet skimmer, if the robot is too close to the outlet skimmer, it will be adsorbed by the water flow near the skimmer and it is difficult to continue moving smoothly along the edge. Therefore, when there is a skimmer on the pool wall and the skimmer is open, it is necessary to control the robot to bypass the skimmer and continue to move along the edge after bypassing the skimmer to avoid the open skimmer affecting the movement of the robot.

[0052] In addition, when it is found that there is an open skimmer on the pool wall, such as an open outlet skimmer, the position of the specified area can be recorded, and after the edge walking is completed, the specified area can be cleaned directionally. It is also possible to immediately clean the specified area after detecting an open skimmer. For example, when the robot is cleaning along the water surface edge, it can detect whether there is a skimmer on the pool wall during the edge walking process. After detecting the skimmer, determine the working state of the skimmer. If the skimmer is in the open state, continue to determine the type of the skimmer. If the skimmer is an outlet skimmer, determine the position of the specified area and control the robot to clean the specified area. After the specified area cleaning is completed, control the robot to continue cleaning along the edge; if the skimmer is an inlet skimmer, control the robot to continue cleaning along the edge. During the process of continuing to clean along the edge, if a skimmer is detected on the pool wall again, repeat the above operation. When the robot finishes cleaning along the edge, it can perform random cleaning on the pool surface for supplementary cleaning or directly end the pool surface cleaning task. If no skimmer is found on the pool wall after walking around the edge, control the robot to perform a full cleaning or random cleaning of the pool surface. If there is only an open inlet skimmer, a full pool surface cleaning mode is performed after the edge walking is completed, and the inlet skimmer is avoided during the cleaning process.

[0053] It can be known from the records of the above embodiments that in the embodiments of this specification, it is necessary to detect whether there is a skimmer on the pool wall during the process of the robot walking along the edge, and detect the working state and type of the skimmer, so as to adjust the cleaning strategy of the robot based on the working state and type of the skimmer, so as to improve the cleaning effect and cleaning efficiency of the robot.

[0054] Exemplarily, the method for determining the working state of the skimmer includes: obtaining the water flow state near the skimmer according to the first image information, and if the water flow near the skimmer faces towards or away from the skimmer, it is determined that the skimmer is open.

[0055] It can be understood that the skimmer filters and cleans the water in the pool by means of water absorption and drainage. When the skimmer is in the open state, it is either absorbing water or draining water. Therefore, based on the above situation, it is possible to determine whether the skimmer is open by the water flow state near the skimmer. When the water flow near the skimmer flows towards or away from the skimmer, it can be determined that the skimmer is open.

[0056] Among them, obtaining the water flow state near the skimmer according to the first image information includes: obtaining the water flow state near the skimmer based on multiple pieces of first image information; where the multiple pieces of first image information correspond to the same skimmer.

[0057] Specifically, when obtaining the water flow state near the skimmer according to the first image information, for the same skimmer, multiple pieces of first image information corresponding to the same skimmer at different times can be obtained. Furthermore, the optical flow method can be used to analyze the multiple pieces of first image information to determine the water flow state near the skimmer. Among them, the optical flow method refers to a simple and practical expression of image motion, which is usually defined as the apparent motion of the image brightness pattern in an image sequence, that is, the expression of the motion speed of points on the surface of a spatial object on the imaging plane of a visual sensor.

[0058] Among them, when determining that the skimmer is in the open state, the determination methods for the water inlet skimmer and the water outlet skimmer include: if the water flow is towards the skimmer, it is determined that the skimmer is a water inlet skimmer; if the water flow is away from the skimmer, it is determined that the skimmer is a water outlet skimmer.

[0059] It can be understood that the skimmer filters and cleans the water in the pool by means of water absorption and drainage. When the skimmer is in the open state, it is either absorbing water or draining water. Therefore, when the water flow near the skimmer is towards the skimmer, it means that the skimmer is open and the skimmer is a water inlet skimmer; when the water flow near the skimmer is away from the skimmer, it means that the skimmer is open and the skimmer is a water outlet skimmer.

[0060] Exemplarily, the method for determining the working state of the skimmer includes: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move to a preset distance in front of the skimmer and then stop for a preset duration; using a distance measuring sensor and / or the image acquisition device to obtain the distance change between the automatic pool cleaning device and the skimmer within the preset duration; if the distance change between the automatic pool cleaning device and the skimmer within the preset duration is greater than a preset threshold, it is determined that the skimmer is in the open state.

[0061] It can be understood that the skimmer filters and cleans the water in the pool by means of water absorption and drainage. Therefore, when the skimmer is in the open state, it is either absorbing water or draining water. When the skimmer absorbs or drains water, there will be a water flow towards or away from the skimmer near the skimmer. Based on this situation, the robot can be controlled to move to a preset distance in front of the robot, and then the robot is controlled to stop working for a preset duration. When the robot stops working, it will be affected by the water flow near the skimmer in the open state, and the robot will generate a displacement. Therefore, the distance change between the robot and the skimmer within the preset duration can be obtained by using the ranging sensor and / or the image acquisition device. If the distance change is greater than the preset threshold, it can be determined that the skimmer is in the open state.

[0062] Due to the action of wind or other environmental factors, the water flow in the pool will also produce certain fluctuations, which will also affect the movement of the robot. However, the water flow speed under the starting state of the skimmer is relatively fast, and the influence on the robot is more direct and obvious. Based on the above situation, in order to exclude the misjudgment caused by the influence of other factors on the movement of the robot, a preset threshold is set to make the judgment of the open state of the skimmer more accurate.

[0063] Among them, when determining that the skimmer is in the open state, the determination methods of the water inlet skimmer and the water outlet skimmer include: if the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device and the skimmer increases within the preset duration, it is determined that the skimmer is the water outlet skimmer; if the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device and the skimmer decreases within the preset duration, it is determined that the skimmer is the water inlet skimmer.

[0064] It can be understood that the skimmer filters and cleans the water in the pool by means of water absorption and drainage. When the skimmer is in the open state, it is either absorbing water or draining water. When the skimmer absorbs or drains water, there will be a water flow towards or away from the skimmer near the skimmer. Based on the above situation, when there is a water flow towards the skimmer near the skimmer, the distance between the robot and the skimmer will decrease under the action of the water flow. When there is a water flow away from the skimmer near the skimmer, the distance between the robot and the skimmer will increase under the action of the water flow. Therefore, it can be determined whether the skimmer is a water inlet skimmer or a water outlet skimmer by the change in the distance between the robot and the skimmer within the preset duration. If the distance between the robot and the skimmer becomes smaller, it is a water inlet skimmer; if the distance between the robot and the skimmer becomes larger, it is a water outlet skimmer.

[0065] The control method of the automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application, during the process of controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to travel along the edge on the water surface, collects the first image information in the moving direction of the automatic pool cleaning device through an image acquisition device, so as to determine whether a skimmer is installed on the pool wall of the pool according to the first image information. In the case where it is determined that a skimmer is installed on the pool wall of the pool, the cleaning strategy of the automatic pool cleaning device can be adjusted according to the working state of the skimmer, and thus the automatic pool cleaning device can be controlled to reasonably clean the water surface of the pool according to the installation situation and working state of the skimmer, improving the cleaning effect and cleaning efficiency.

[0066] According to the second aspect of the present application, there is also provided an automatic pool cleaning device. The automatic pool cleaning device can execute the control method described above with reference to each embodiment. The description of the automatic pool cleaning device executing the control method of each embodiment is omitted here. For the principle and solution of the control method, refer to the control method described above in combination with each embodiment and the drawings, and will not be elaborated here.

[0067] According to the third aspect of the present application, there is also provided a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it is configured to execute the control method of the automatic pool cleaning device provided in the above embodiments. The automatic pool cleaning device includes an image acquisition device, and the control method includes: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to travel along the edge on the water surface; during the process of the automatic pool cleaning device traveling along the edge, collecting the first image information in the moving direction of the automatic pool cleaning device through the image acquisition device; in the case where it is determined based on the first image information that at least one skimmer is installed on the pool wall, determining the working state of each skimmer, and adjusting the cleaning strategy of the automatic pool cleaning device according to the working state of each skimmer. For the principle and solution of the control method, refer to the control method described above in combination with each embodiment and the drawings, and will not be elaborated here.

[0068] Fourthly, the present application further provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program. The computer program can be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the computer can execute the control method of the automatic pool cleaning device provided by the above-mentioned various methods. The automatic pool cleaning device includes an image acquisition device, and the control method includes: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to travel along the edge on the water surface; during the process of the automatic pool cleaning device traveling along the edge, collecting first image information in the moving direction of the automatic pool cleaning device through the image acquisition device; when it is determined based on the first image information that at least one skimmer is provided on the pool wall, determining the working states of the skimmers, and adjusting the cleaning strategy of the automatic pool cleaning device according to the working states of the skimmers. For the principle and solution of the control method, refer to the control method described above in combination with various embodiments and drawings, which will not be elaborated here.

[0069] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed to multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment. Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand and implement it without creative work.

[0070] Through the description of the above embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that each embodiment can be implemented by means of software plus a necessary general hardware platform, and of course, it can also be implemented by hardware. Based on such an understanding, the above technical solution, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disc, etc., and includes several instructions for causing a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in each embodiment or some parts of the embodiments.

[0071] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples", etc. means 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 can 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.

[0072] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the description of the present application, "a plurality of" means two or more unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0073] 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, 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, the automatic pool cleaning device including an image acquisition device, the control method comprising: Controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to travel along the edge on the water surface; During the process of the automatic pool cleaning device traveling along the edge, acquiring first image information in the moving direction of the automatic pool cleaning device through the image acquisition device; When it is determined based on the first image information that at least one skimmer is provided on the pool wall of the pool, determining the working states of the skimmers, and adjusting the cleaning strategy of the automatic pool cleaning device according to the working states of the skimmers.

2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein, The adjusting the cleaning strategy of the automatic pool cleaning device according to the working states of the skimmers includes: When there is a skimmer in an open state, controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to clean a specified area, the specified area being an area that the open-state skimmer cannot reach.

3. The control method according to claim 2, wherein, The controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to clean a specified area includes: Judging whether the open-state skimmer includes an outlet skimmer; If the open-state skimmer includes an outlet skimmer, controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to clean the specified area.

4. The control method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein The determining method of the specified area includes: Controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move in front of the open-state skimmer, and controlling the automatic pool cleaning device or the image acquisition device to rotate a preset angle to acquire second image information on both sides and in front of the open-state skimmer; When it is determined based on the second image information that there are objects to be cleaned on both sides and / or in front of the open-state skimmer, taking the area corresponding to the objects to be cleaned as the specified area.

5. The control method according to claim 1, wherein, The adjusting the cleaning strategy of the automatic pool cleaning device according to the working states of the skimmers includes: If the working states of all the skimmers are not open, or the open-state skimmers only include inlet skimmers, controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to perform a full water surface cleaning.

6. The control method according to claim 1 further includes: When it is determined based on the first image information that no skimmer is provided on the pool wall of the pool, controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to perform a full water surface cleaning.

7. According to the control method according to any one of claims 1-6, the adjusting the cleaning strategy of the automatic pool cleaning device according to the working states of the skimmers includes: After the automatic pool cleaning device finishes walking along the edge, adjusting the cleaning strategy of the automatic pool cleaning device according to the working states of the skimmers.

8. The control method according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein, The method for determining the working states of the skimmers includes: Obtaining the water flow state near the skimmer according to the first image information, if the water flow near the skimmer faces towards or away from the skimmer, determining that the skimmer is open.

9. The control method according to claim 8, wherein, The obtaining the water flow state near the skimmer according to the first image information includes: Obtaining the water flow state near the skimmer based on multiple pieces of first image information; wherein the multiple pieces of first image information correspond to the same skimmer.

10. The control method according to claim 8, wherein, When it is determined that the skimmer is in an open state, the determining methods for the inlet skimmer and the outlet skimmer include: If the water flow is directed towards the skimmer, the skimmer is determined to be an inlet skimmer; if the water flow is away from the skimmer, the skimmer is determined to be an outlet skimmer.

11. The control method according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein, The method for determining the working state of the skimmer includes: Controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move to a preset distance in front of the skimmer and stop for a preset duration; Using the ranging sensor and / or the image acquisition device to obtain the distance change between the automatic pool cleaning device and the skimmer during the preset duration; If the distance change between the automatic pool cleaning device and the skimmer is greater than a preset threshold during the preset duration, it is determined that the skimmer is in an open state.

12. The control method according to claim 11, wherein, When it is determined that the skimmer is in an open state, the determination methods for the inlet skimmer and the outlet skimmer include: If the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device and the skimmer increases during the preset duration, the skimmer is determined to be an outlet skimmer; if the distance between the automatic pool cleaning device and the skimmer decreases during the preset duration, the skimmer is determined to be an inlet skimmer.

13. The control method according to claim 1, wherein, The method further includes: When it is determined based on the first image information that there is a skimmer on the pool wall and the skimmer is in an open state, controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to bypass the skimmer and continue to travel along the edge.

14. An automatic pool cleaning device, wherein, The automatic pool cleaning device can execute the method according to any one of claims 1-13.

15. A computer storage medium, in which a computer program is stored, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the method according to any one of claims 1-13 is implemented.

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