Swimming pool robot control method, swimming pool robot, equipment and storage medium

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a control method of a swimming pool robot, the swimming pool robot, equipment and a storage medium, the swimming pool robot comprises a sensor system and an operation part, the sensor system is used for detecting information of obstacles around the swimming pool robot, and the method comprises the steps that in the process that the swimming pool robot operates in the current operation direction, the operation part is started; under the condition that the swimming pool robot is in the first scene, the swimming pool robot is controlled to execute a first target action, so that an operation part of the swimming pool robot faces the target obstacle; and the swimming pool robot is controlled to execute a second target action so as to drive an operation part of the swimming pool robot to perform operation on a target area, and the target area is an area between the swimming pool robot and the target obstacle and is a missed operation area brought by the swimming pool robot executing the first target action. Therefore, in the face of a specific scene, the operation is performed on the operation leakage area by executing a specific action, so that the adaptability is improved while the operation efficiency and the operation coverage rate are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to, but is not limited to, the field of robotics, and particularly relates to a control method for a pool robot, a pool robot, a device, and a storage medium. Background Art

[0002] In the related art, a pool robot is an autonomous device that can autonomously perform operations (such as mapping, cleaning, etc.) in various pools. There are usually various obstacles in the pool (such as wall-like obstacles, etc.), which may cause blind spots in the operation of the pool robot (i.e., areas where the operation is missed), resulting in problems such as low operation efficiency, low operation coverage rate, and poor adaptability. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Embodiments of this application provide a control method for a pool robot, a pool robot, a device, a storage medium, and a program product to solve the problems of low operation efficiency, low operation coverage rate, and poor adaptability of pool robots in the related art.

[0004] The technical solution of the embodiments of this application is implemented as follows:

[0005] Embodiments of this application provide a control method for a pool robot. The pool robot includes a sensor system and an operation component. The sensor system is used to detect obstacle information around the pool robot. The method includes:

[0006] During the process of the pool robot performing operations in the current operation direction, when the pool robot is in a first scenario, control the pool robot to perform a first target action so that the operation component of the pool robot faces the target obstacle; wherein, the first scenario indicates that there is the target obstacle in front of the pool robot and the distance between the pool robot and the target obstacle is not greater than a first distance threshold;

[0007] Control the pool robot to perform a second target action to drive the operation component of the pool robot to perform operations on a target area; wherein, the target area is the area between the pool robot and the target obstacle and is a missed operation area caused by the pool robot performing the first target action.

[0008] In an embodiment of the present application, on the one hand, during the operation of the pool robot, the surrounding obstacle information is detected by the sensor system, and the obstacle information can be determined more accurately according to the obstacle information, so that it can be accurately identified whether the pool robot is in a specific scenario; on the other hand, when the pool robot is in a specific scenario, by performing specific actions to first make the working component face the target obstacle, and then drive the working component to operate on the working blind area (i.e., the area where the operation is missed), the operation range is increased, and the possibility of the appearance of the working blind area is reduced. Therefore, while improving the operation efficiency, the operation coverage rate is effectively improved. At the same time, since this control method can be applied to various operation paths and different operation scenarios, the adaptability of the pool robot is greatly improved.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first scenario further characterizes that the current orientation of the pool robot is not perpendicular to the tangent direction of the target surface of the target obstacle, and the target surface is the surface formed by the contact between the pool robot and the target obstacle along the current orientation.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present application, determining whether the pool robot is in a specific scenario according to the detected obstacle information can improve the accuracy of identifying the specific scenario, so that not only the operation on the possible working blind area in the specific scenario is realized to ensure the full coverage of the operation area to the greatest extent, but also the operation efficiency is improved while improving the operation safety of the pool robot.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first target action includes a turning action. Controlling the pool robot to perform the first target action so that the working component of the pool robot faces the target obstacle includes: controlling the pool robot to perform the turning action so that the working component of the pool robot faces the target obstacle.

[0012] In an embodiment of the present application, by performing a turning action to make the working component face the target obstacle, it is convenient for the subsequent working component to operate on the working blind areas such as corners and edges, thereby increasing the operation range of the pool robot.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first target action further includes a backward movement. Before controlling the pool robot to perform the turning action, the control method further includes: controlling the pool robot to perform the backward movement so that any part of the pool robot does not contact the target obstacle.

[0014] In the embodiments of the present application, by controlling the pool robot to retreat until no part of the pool robot touches the wall-like obstacle, the possibility of the pool robot colliding with the wall-like obstacle during subsequent turning is reduced, ensuring the normal execution of the subsequent turning action, thereby enhancing the safety of the pool robot and extending the service life of the pool robot.

[0015] In some embodiments, when the current working direction is the long side direction of the zigzag path, the turning action includes a first turning action and a second turning action. Controlling the pool robot to perform the turning action so that the working part of the pool robot faces the target obstacle includes: controlling the pool robot to perform the first turning action so that the pool robot faces the target direction; wherein, the target direction is a direction parallel to the tangent direction of the target surface of the target obstacle; controlling the pool robot to perform the second turning action so that the working part of the pool robot faces the target obstacle.

[0016] In the embodiments of the present application, on the one hand, by the pool robot performing the first turning action so that the pool robot faces the direction parallel to the tangent direction of the target surface, not only the possibility of the pool robot colliding with the target obstacle is reduced, but also the distance between the pool robot and the target obstacle is reduced, thereby reducing the operation blind area; on the other hand, by the pool robot performing the second turning action so that the working part faces the target obstacle, it is convenient for the subsequent working part to operate on the operation blind areas such as corners and edges, thereby enhancing the operation range of the pool robot.

[0017] In some embodiments, after controlling the pool robot to perform the first turning action, the control method further includes: controlling the pool robot to perform a forward movement along the target direction.

[0018] In the embodiments of the present application, by the pool robot performing a forward movement along the target direction so that the pool robot approaches the next working direction, it is ensured that the subsequent orientation of the pool robot is consistent with the next working direction, thereby improving the operation efficiency.

[0019] In some embodiments, the distance between two adjacent long sides in the zigzag path is less than the axial width of the working part.

[0020] In the embodiments of the present application, by setting the distance between two adjacent long sides in the zigzag path to be less than the axial width of the working part, it is ensured that adjacent working areas overlap, reducing the possibility of missing operations due to path deviation, and achieving full coverage of the working area.

[0021] In some embodiments, the sensor system includes a first sensor system located in the body of the pool robot and a second sensor system located on the surface of the body. The obstacle information around the pool robot is determined by the first detection information obtained by the first sensor system and the second detection information obtained by the second sensor system. The first detection information is used to indicate the current motion state of the pool robot, and the second detection information is used to indicate the current distance between the pool robot and the obstacle.

[0022] In the embodiments of the present application, first, the first sensor system located in the body can ensure the stable operation of the pool robot in the water and reduce the risk of flipping. Second, the second sensor system located on the surface of the body focuses on the edge area, reducing the possibility of dead zones in operation and optimizing the edge operation. Finally, through the cooperation between the first sensor system and the second sensor system, not only can obstacles be detected from multiple angles, but also the operation route is optimized to ensure comprehensive coverage of the operation path, thereby improving the operation coverage rate.

[0023] In some embodiments, the first detection information includes at least one of the following: current acceleration, current tilt angle. The control method further includes: determining that the detected current motion state of the pool robot is an abnormal motion state when the current acceleration indicates the presence of a force in front of the pool robot and / or the current tilt angle indicates that the pool robot is tilted.

[0024] In the embodiments of the present application, the current motion state of the pool robot is determined by the current acceleration and / or the current tilt angle, improving the accuracy of the current motion state, so as to accurately determine whether the pool robot is in the first scenario.

[0025] In some embodiments, the control method further includes: determining that the pool robot is in the first scenario when the current distance is not greater than the first distance threshold and the current motion state of the pool robot is an abnormal motion state.

[0026] In the embodiments of the present application, comprehensively determining whether the pool robot is in a specific scenario based on the current motion state and the current distance can improve the accuracy of identifying the specific scenario, thereby improving the operation safety and operation efficiency of the pool robot.

[0027] In some embodiments, the control method further includes: when the pool robot is in a second scenario, controlling the pool robot to perform a third target action so that the pool robot continues to operate in the next operation direction; wherein, the second scenario indicates that the distance between the pool robot and the target obstacle is not greater than a second distance threshold, and the next operation direction includes one of the following: a direction parallel to the current operation direction, a direction at a preset angle to the current operation direction.

[0028] In the embodiments of the present application, on the one hand, during the operation of the pool robot, the surrounding obstacle information is detected by the sensor system, and the obstacle information can be more accurately determined according to the obstacle information, so that it can be accurately identified whether the pool robot is in a specific second scenario; on the other hand, when the pool robot is in a specific second scenario, by performing a specific action to continue the operation, the correctness and integrity of the operation are ensured.

[0029] In some embodiments, before the pool robot performs an operation, the control method further includes: controlling the pool robot to perform a fourth target action so that the pool robot faces the initial operation direction.

[0030] In the embodiments of the present application, the pool robot performs a fourth target action so that the pool robot faces the initial operation direction to ensure subsequent normal operation and full coverage of the operation path.

[0031] An embodiment of the present application provides a pool robot, including a sensor system and a controller. The sensor system is used to detect the obstacle information around the pool robot, and the controller is used to execute any one of the above control methods.

[0032] An embodiment of the present application provides an electronic device, including a processor and a memory. The memory stores a computer program that can run on the processor, and when the processor executes the computer program, it implements any one of the above methods.

[0033] An embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements any one of the above methods.

[0034] An embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product. The computer program product includes a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program. When the computer program is read and executed by a computer, it implements any one of the above methods.

[0035] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are only exemplary and explanatory, and do not limit the present application. Description of the Drawings

[0036] The accompanying drawings here are incorporated into the specification and form a part of this specification. These drawings illustrate embodiments consistent with the present application and, together with the specification, are used to explain the technical solutions of the present application.

[0037] Figure 1A FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the composition structure of a pool robot provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 1B FIG. is a schematic diagram of the composition structure of a pool robot provided by an embodiment of the present application Figure Two ;

[0039] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the implementation process of a control method for a pool robot provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 3 FIG. is a schematic diagram of the implementation process of a control method for a pool robot provided by an embodiment of the present application Figure Two ;

[0041] Figure 4 FIG. is a schematic diagram of the implementation process of a control method for a pool robot provided by an embodiment of the present application Figure Three ;

[0042] Figure 5 FIG. is a schematic diagram of the orientation change of a pool robot during operation provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 6 FIG. is a schematic diagram of the hardware entity of an electronic device provided by an embodiment of the present application. Detailed Embodiments

[0044] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present application clearer, the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The described embodiments should not be regarded as limitations on the present application. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0045] In the following description, reference is made to "some embodiments", which describe a subset of all possible embodiments. However, it can be understood that "some embodiments" can be the same subset or different subsets of all possible embodiments and can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0046] In the following description, the terms "first / second / third" are only used to distinguish similar objects and do not represent a specific order for the objects. It can be understood that "first / second / third" can be interchanged with a specific order or sequence when permitted, so that the embodiments of the present application described here can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described here.

[0047] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the technical field to which this application belongs. The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing embodiments of this application only and are not intended to limit this application.

[0048] Coverage path planning is a key technology in the fields of robotics and automation, aiming to design an operation path or strategy to ensure that a robot or an automated system can cover all points in a specified area without any omission. This technology is widely applied to the cleaning tasks of automatic cleaning robots and agricultural machinery robots on large-area maps. Among them, the operation path can be any suitable path, for example, a bow-shaped path, a figure-eight path, etc. Bow-shaped path planning is a specific type of coverage path planning strategy. This strategy gets its name from the ancient Greek method used for farming, meaning "like a cow plowing the field". In this path planning, the robot moves back and forth within a rectangular or regular-shaped area for strip-shaped coverage, similar to the way a farmer plows the field with a plow.

[0049] In the related art, during the process of a pool robot performing coverage operations according to an operation path, since there are usually various obstacles in the pool (for example, wall-like obstacles, etc.), there may be operation blind spots during the operation of the pool robot, resulting in problems such as low operation efficiency, low operation coverage rate, and poor adaptability.

[0050] The embodiments of this application provide a control method for a pool robot. On the one hand, during the operation of the pool robot, by detecting the surrounding obstacle information through a sensor system, the obstacle information can be determined more accurately according to the obstacle information, so as to accurately identify whether the pool robot is in a specific scenario; on the other hand, when the pool robot is in a specific scenario, by performing specific actions to first make the operation component face the target obstacle, and then drive the operation component to operate on the operation blind spot, the operation range is increased, and the possibility of the appearance of operation blind spots is reduced. Thus, while improving the operation efficiency, the operation coverage rate is effectively improved. At the same time, since this control method can be applied to various operation paths and different operation scenarios, the adaptability of the pool robot is greatly improved.

[0051] The method provided by the embodiments of the present application can be executed by an electronic device, which can be various types of terminals such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a desktop computer, a set-top box, a mobile device (e.g., a mobile phone, a portable music player, a personal digital assistant, a dedicated messaging device, a portable gaming device), a pool robot, etc., or can be implemented as a server. The server can be an independent physical server, or a server cluster or distributed system composed of multiple physical servers, or can also be a cloud server that provides basic cloud computing services such as cloud services, cloud databases, cloud computing, cloud functions, cloud storage, network services, cloud communications, middleware services, domain name services, security services, Content Delivery Network (CDN), and big data and artificial intelligence platforms.

[0052] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application.

[0053] Figure 1A FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the composition structure of a pool robot provided by an embodiment of the present application. As Figure 1A shown, the pool robot 10 includes a fuselage 11, a sensor system 12, and a working component 13, and the sensor system 12 and the working component 13 are both located on the fuselage 11.

[0054] Here, the pool robot is an autonomous device that can move and complete corresponding operations autonomously in water (e.g., on the water surface, underwater, etc.) without external human information input and control. In some embodiments, the operations of the pool robot in water can include but are not limited to cleaning, inspection, environmental monitoring, etc. During implementation, those skilled in the art can set the operations of the pool robot according to actual needs, and the embodiments of the present application do not make any limitations.

[0055] The shape of the fuselage of the pool robot can be any suitable shape, such as circular, square, etc. In some embodiments, a part of the fuselage is circular and another part is square. The material of the fuselage can be any suitable material, such as metal. During implementation, the embodiments of the present application do not limit the shape, material, etc. of the fuselage.

[0056] The working component 13 can be any suitable component that can achieve operations. For example, during the cleaning operation of the pool robot, the working component 13 is mainly used to perform the cleaning task, then the working component can be a cleaning roller, a cleaning brush, a cleaning tray, etc. The shape of the working component can be any suitable shape. During implementation, the embodiments of the present application do not limit the shape, material, etc. of the working component.

[0057] The number of the working components 13 can be at least one. In some embodiments, the working components include a forward working component located in front of the fuselage and / or a backward working component located behind the fuselage. The forward working component and the backward working component can be the same or different. For example, the working components include a forward working component. For another example, when performing a cleaning operation, the working components include a forward working component and a backward working component, and both the forward working component and the backward working component are cleaning rollers, or the forward working component is a cleaning roller and the backward working component is a cleaning brush.

[0058] In some embodiments, the number of the working components can be set according to the application scenario of the pool robot. For example, when the pool robot is a surface robot, the working components can include a forward working component; when the pool robot is an underwater robot or an all-in-one machine, the working components can include a forward working component and a backward working component. A surface robot refers to a robot that performs operations on the water surface. An underwater robot refers to a robot that performs operations underwater. An all-in-one machine refers to a robot that can perform operations both on the water surface and underwater.

[0059] The sensor system 12 is used to detect obstacle information around the pool robot. Among them, the obstacle information can include, but is not limited to, the contour of the obstacle, the distance from the obstacle, the orientation, etc. The obstacle can be any suitable obstacle. For example, rod-shaped obstacles such as branches and sticks, wall-shaped obstacles such as walls and pool walls, and other obstacles other than rod-shaped obstacles and wall-shaped obstacles. The shape of the wall-shaped obstacle can be any suitable shape such as circular, arc-shaped, square, L-shaped, etc. In implementation, the embodiments of the present application do not limit the shape of the wall-shaped obstacle.

[0060] The sensor system 12 can include any suitable sensors capable of implementing this function. For example, distance sensors, vision sensors, acceleration sensors, angle sensors, infrared sensors, ultrasonic sensors, depth sensors, structured light sensors, etc. The depth sensor can include, but is not limited to, area array TOF (Time of Flight) sensors, 3D lidars, etc. In implementation, the sensor system can include at least one sensor of at least one type.

[0061] In some embodiments, the sensor system 12 may include a first sensor system located in the fuselage. The first sensor system is mainly used to detect the attitude of the pool robot (e.g., tilt angle, rotation angle, etc.), motion information (e.g., acceleration, speed), etc. The information detected by the first sensor system can be used to determine whether the pool robot contacts an obstacle. The first sensor system may include any suitable sensor capable of implementing this function. For example, an acceleration sensor, an angle sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, etc. In some embodiments, the first sensor system may include an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). An IMU is a device that measures the three-axis attitude angle (or angular rate) and acceleration of an object. During implementation, the IMU may be located at any suitable position such as the center of gravity or the center of the pool robot. In this way, the first sensor system can not only ensure that the pool robot maintains balance in water to ensure the smooth operation of the pool robot and reduce the risk of flipping, but also provide navigation information to facilitate the planning of the overall operation path.

[0062] In some embodiments, the sensor system 12 may include a second sensor system located on the surface of the fuselage. The second sensor system is mainly used to detect information about obstacles. For example, the distance and orientation between the pool robot and an obstacle, the size and contour of the obstacle, etc. In some embodiments, the second sensor system includes at least one sensor of at least one type. For example, a distance sensor, a vision sensor, an infrared sensor, a laser sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a depth sensor, a structured light sensor, etc. In some embodiments, the sensors in the second sensor system may be located in front of, on the side of, or behind the pool robot. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the number of sensors in the second sensor system and the positions of the respective sensors on the surface of the pool robot.

[0063] For example, the second sensor system includes a depth sensor located in front of the fuselage. The depth sensor is used to detect the first point cloud information of the obstacle in front of the pool robot. The distance between the pool robot and the obstacle in front and the contour of the obstacle in front can be determined through the first point cloud information.

[0064] For another example, the second sensor system includes a depth sensor located on the side of the fuselage. The depth sensor is used to detect the second point cloud information of the obstacle on the side of the pool robot. The distance between the pool robot and the obstacle on the side and the contour of the obstacle on the side can be determined through the second point cloud information.

[0065] For another example, the second sensor system includes at least one distance sensor located in front of the fuselage and at least one depth sensor located on the side of the fuselage. The distance sensor located in front of the fuselage is used to detect the distance between the front obstacle and the pool robot, and the depth sensor located on the side of the fuselage is used to detect the second point cloud information of the side obstacle of the pool robot. Through this second point cloud information, the distance between the pool robot and the side obstacle, the contour of the side obstacle, etc. can be obtained.

[0066] In some embodiments, the second sensor group includes a first sensor group located on the front end face of the fuselage and a second sensor group located on the side face of the fuselage. Among them, the sensor group (including the first sensor group and the second sensor group) includes at least one sensor. The first sensor group is mainly used to detect the distance and azimuth between the pool robot and the front obstacle to ensure that the pool robot can avoid obstacles when operating in the water. The second sensor group is mainly used to detect the distance and azimuth between the pool robot and the side obstacle, enhance the perception ability of the pool robot at the edge or during turning, avoid colliding with the side obstacle and having dead corners during operation, so as to improve the edge operation efficiency. The sensors in the sensor group may include, but are not limited to, distance sensors, vision sensors, infrared sensors, laser sensors, ultrasonic sensors, depth sensors, structured light sensors, etc. In some embodiments, when there are at least two sensors in the sensor group, the types of these at least two sensors may be the same or different. For example, the first sensor group includes two ultrasonic sensors. For another example, the first sensor group includes one depth sensor. During implementation, the embodiments of the present application do not limit the layout and position of the first sensor group on the front end face of the fuselage. The second sensor group may be located on the left side, right side, left and right sides, etc. of the fuselage. During implementation, the left side and the right side of the fuselage are divided based on the forward direction of the pool robot as the reference direction. For example, the second sensor group includes two sensors, one sensor is located on the right side of the fuselage, and one sensor is located on the left side of the fuselage. In this way, by setting sensors on both the left and right sides, when the pool robot operates near the left wall and / or the right wall area, the distance from the wall can be accurately judged, so that the pool robot can not only operate in the area near the right wall, but also operate in the area near the left wall, which broadens the usage scenario of the pool robot and improves the comprehensiveness of edge operation at the same time.

[0067] Figure 1B Schematic diagram of the composition structure of a pool robot provided by an embodiment of the present application Figure Two , such as Figure 1BAs shown, the pool robot includes a body 11, a sensor system 12, and an operation component 13. The sensor system 12 includes a first sensor system 121 located in the body and a second sensor system 122 located on the surface of the body. The operation component 13 includes a first operation component 131 located in front of the body and a second operation component 132 located behind the body. The pool robot performs a first target action to cause one of the first operation component 131 or the second operation component 132 to face a target obstacle.

[0068] In some embodiments, the pool robot further includes a controller configured to execute any one of the control methods for the pool robot provided in this application. Among them, the controller can be any suitable component capable of implementing a control function. For example, an MCU (Microcontroller Unit), a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), a single-chip microcomputer, etc.

[0069] In some embodiments, the pool robot further includes a power system. The power system may include a propeller, and the propeller is used to enable the pool robot to perform actions such as moving forward, backward, and turning. In some embodiments, the propeller may include a left propeller and a right propeller. During implementation, by controlling the simultaneous forward and reverse rotation of the left propeller and the right propeller, the pool robot is enabled to perform forward or backward actions; by controlling the rotational speed of the left propeller to be different from that of the right propeller, the pool robot is enabled to perform left or right turning actions.

[0070] In some embodiments, the power system may further include a track. With the track, the pool robot can move stably on the bottom of the pool (e.g., tile joints, slopes, steps, etc.), avoiding jamming or slipping problems caused by an uneven pool bottom, and is suitable for handling curved pool walls and corner areas. At the same time, compared with wheels, the track disperses the body weight by increasing the contact area, reducing the frictional damage to the pool bottom coating, and enhancing the grip on the smooth tile surface. During implementation, the track is used to enable the pool robot to perform actions such as moving forward, backward, and turning. In some embodiments, the track may include a left track and a right track. During implementation, by controlling the simultaneous forward and reverse rotation of the left track and the right track, the pool robot is enabled to perform forward or backward actions; by controlling the rotational speed of the left track to be different from that of the right track, the pool robot is enabled to perform left or right turning actions.

[0071] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a schematic flow chart of the implementation of a control method for a pool robot provided by an embodiment of this application. As Figure 2As shown, the control method includes step S21 and step S22, where:

[0072] Step S21: During the operation of the pool robot in the current operation direction, when the pool robot is in the first scenario, control the pool robot to perform the first target action so that the working component of the pool robot faces the target obstacle; where the first scenario indicates that there is a target obstacle in front of the pool robot and the distance between the pool robot and the target obstacle is not greater than the first distance threshold.

[0073] Here, the operation direction (including the current operation direction and other operation directions mentioned later) refers to the direction pointed by a certain side, a certain line segment, or a certain curve of the operation path. The operation path can include, but is not limited to, any suitable path such as a bow shape, a figure-eight shape, an 8-shape, etc. For example, the operation direction can refer to the direction pointed by a long side of a bow shape. The current orientation of the pool robot is consistent with the current operation direction.

[0074] The target obstacle can be a wall-like obstacle. The presence of a target obstacle in front can include, but is not limited to, the presence of a wall-like obstacle directly in front, a wall-like obstacle in the front side, a wall-like obstacle in the front corner, etc. In some embodiments, since the shape of the target obstacle can include, but is not limited to, a plane, a curved surface, etc., then, before the pool robot performs the first target action, the first angle between the current orientation of the pool robot and the tangent direction of the target surface of the target obstacle can be 90°, or non-90°. The target surface refers to the surface formed by the pool robot contacting the target obstacle along the current orientation. For example, the first angle can be 120°.

[0075] The first distance threshold can be any suitable distance value that can represent that the distance between the front of the pool robot and the target obstacle is very close. For example, 0 centimeters (cm), 0.5 cm, 1 cm, etc. In some embodiments, the first distance threshold can be set according to the sensitivity, accuracy, etc. of the sensors in the pool robot, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0076] In some embodiments, it is possible to determine whether the pool robot is in the first scenario according to at least one obstacle information obtained within the first duration, thereby reducing the misjudgment rate. The first duration can include, but is not limited to, any suitable duration such as 10 milliseconds (ms), 30 ms, etc. The determination method of the first scenario can be any suitable method. For example, if most of the obstacle information in at least one obstacle information indicates that the pool robot is in the first scenario, then it is determined that the pool robot faces the first scenario.

[0077] During implementation, when the pool robot is stationary, turning, moving forward, moving backward, etc., it can obtain information about surrounding obstacles through the sensor system. For example, when the pool robot is powered on (i.e., the pool robot is in a stationary state), it can obtain information about surrounding obstacles through the sensor system, and based on the obstacle information, it can detect whether the pool robot is in the first scenario. For instance, it can detect whether the pool robot is in the first scenario based on the second detection information. Also, for example, during the process of the pool robot performing a forward movement, it can obtain information about surrounding obstacles through the sensor system, and based on the obstacle information, it can detect whether the pool robot is in the first scenario.

[0078] In some embodiments, it can be determined whether the pool robot is in the first scenario through the first detection information and / or the second detection information. The first detection information may include, but is not limited to, the current acceleration, the current angular velocity, the current tilt angle, etc. The second detection information may include, but is not limited to, distance, size, contour, etc.

[0079] For example, the second detection information detected by the sensor is used to determine whether there are obstacles around the pool robot and the distance to the obstacles. When the second detection information detected by the sensor indicates that there is an obstacle in front of the pool robot and the pool robot is very close to the obstacle, at this time, it can be determined that the pool robot is in the first scenario.

[0080] Also, for example, the first detection information detected by the sensor is used to determine the distance between the pool robot and the obstacle. For instance, when the current acceleration in the first detection information indicates that there is a force in front of the pool robot, it indicates that the pool robot has come into contact with the obstacle, and at this time, it can be determined that the pool robot is in the first scenario.

[0081] Also, for example, the second detection information detected by the sensor is used to determine whether there are obstacles around the pool robot and the distance to the obstacles. When the second detection information detected by the sensor indicates that there is an obstacle in front of the pool robot and the pool robot is very close to the obstacle, due to the structural limitations of the sensor itself, the sensor may not be able to further sense the distance between the pool robot and the obstacle. At this time, the first detection information detected by another sensor can be used to further determine the distance between the pool robot and the obstacle. For instance, when the current acceleration in the first detection information indicates that there is a force in front of the pool robot, it indicates that the pool robot has come into contact with the obstacle, and at this time, it can be determined that the pool robot is in the first scenario.

[0082] In some embodiments, the first detection information is used to indicate the current motion state of the pool robot, and the second detection information is used to indicate the current distance between the pool robot and an obstacle. The current motion state may include, but is not limited to, an abnormal motion state, a normal motion state, etc. The abnormal motion state indicates that there is a target obstacle in front of the pool robot. For example, when the accelerometer of the IMU records a force in the front direction, it can be determined that the detected current motion state of the pool robot is an abnormal motion state. Another example is when the angular velocity in the Z-axis direction of the IMU changes (i.e., the pool robot tilts), which indicates that the pool robot's forward movement is abnormal. At this time, it can be determined that the current motion state of the pool robot is an abnormal motion state.

[0083] In some embodiments, when the second detection information indicates that the pool robot is approaching an obstacle, the forward speed of the pool robot can be slowed down to continue moving forward, so as to reduce the force exerted on the pool robot by the target obstacle when the pool robot contacts the target obstacle, thereby improving the safety and service life of the pool robot.

[0084] The first target action may include, but is not limited to, a turning action, backward + turning, backward + turning + turning, backward + turning + forward + turning, etc. The turning action may include, but is not limited to, a left turn, a right turn, etc.

[0085] In some embodiments, the first target action can be determined based on the next operation direction, operation components, etc. For example, in the case where the pool robot includes a forward operation component and a backward operation component, and the next operation direction is the long side direction of a bow-shaped path, the forward operation component or the backward operation component can be directed towards the target obstacle. When implemented, the left side and the right side of the fuselage are divided based on the forward direction of the pool robot, where:

[0086] When the forward operation component is directed towards the obstacle and the next operation direction is on the right side of the pool robot's fuselage, the first target action may include, but is not limited to, right turn + left turn, right turn + forward + left turn, backward + right turn + left turn, backward + right turn + forward + left turn, etc., by controlling the pool robot to perform two turns in different directions and the sum of the two turning angles is 0°;

[0087] When the forward operation component is directed towards the obstacle and the next operation direction is on the left side of the pool robot's fuselage, the first target action may include, but is not limited to, left turn + right turn, left turn + forward + right turn, backward + left turn + right turn, backward + left turn + forward + right turn, etc., by controlling the pool robot to perform two turns in different directions and the sum of the two turning angles is 0°;

[0088] When the rear working component faces an obstacle and the next working direction is on the right side of the body of the pool robot, the first target action may include, but is not limited to, turn right + turn right, turn right + go forward + turn right, go backward + turn right + turn right, go backward + turn right + go forward + turn right, etc. By controlling the pool robot to turn right twice and the sum of the two turning angles is 180°, that is: the U-turn of the pool robot is achieved;

[0089] When the rear working component faces an obstacle and the next working direction is on the left side of the body of the pool robot, the first target action may include, but is not limited to, turn left + turn left, turn left + go forward + turn left, go backward + turn left + turn left, go backward + turn left + go forward + turn left, etc. By controlling the pool robot to turn left twice and the sum of the two turning angles is 180°, that is: the U-turn of the pool robot is achieved.

[0090] Step S22, control the pool robot to perform a second target action to drive the working component of the pool robot to work on the target area; wherein, the target area is the area between the pool robot and the target obstacle and is the missed working area caused by the pool robot performing the first target action.

[0091] Here, since the pool robot often leaves an area that cannot be covered by the working component (i.e., the target area or the missed working area) at the edge of the target obstacle during the execution of the first target action, which will affect the working coverage rate of the pool robot. Therefore, usually control the pool robot to perform this second target action to expand the working area of the pool robot, thereby improving the effect of pool cleaning. For example, when the first target action includes a turning action, the target area may be the missed working area caused by the pool robot performing this turning action.

[0092] The second target action may include, but is not limited to, a forward movement, a backward movement, etc. In some embodiments, the second target action may be determined according to the working component. For example, if the forward working component of the pool robot faces the target obstacle, at this time, the second target action may include a forward movement; if the backward working component of the pool robot faces the target obstacle, at this time, the second target action may include a backward movement. In some embodiments, when the power system of the pool robot includes left and right propellers, the rotation directions of the left and right propellers when the pool robot performs a forward movement are different from those when it performs a backward movement. For example, generally, when the pool robot performs a forward movement, both propellers rotate forward. When the pool robot needs to move backward, the two propellers can be controlled to rotate in reverse to achieve the backward movement of the pool robot. In some embodiments, when the power system of the pool robot includes left and right tracks, the rotation directions of the left and right tracks when the pool robot performs a forward movement are different from those when it performs a backward movement. For example, generally, when the pool robot performs a forward movement, the left and right tracks both rotate forward. When the pool robot needs to move backward, the left and right tracks can be controlled to rotate in reverse to achieve the backward movement of the pool robot.

[0093] The target area refers to the area formed between the front or rear of the pool robot and the target obstacle. In implementation, if the forward working component of the pool robot faces the target obstacle, the target area refers to the area formed between the front of the pool robot and the target obstacle; if the backward working component of the pool robot faces the target obstacle, the target area refers to the area formed between the rear of the pool robot and the target obstacle. And the target area further refers to the missed working area brought about by the pool robot performing the first target action.

[0094] In the embodiments of the present application, on the one hand, during the operation of the pool robot, by detecting the surrounding obstacle information through the sensor system, the obstacle information can be determined more accurately according to the obstacle information, so as to accurately identify whether the pool robot is in a specific scenario; on the other hand, when the pool robot is in a specific scenario, by performing specific actions to first make the working component face the target obstacle, and then drive the working component to work on the working blind area, the working range is increased, and the possibility of the occurrence of the working blind area is reduced. Thus, while improving the working efficiency, the working coverage rate is effectively improved. At the same time, since this control method can be applied to multiple working paths and different working scenarios, the adaptability of the pool robot is greatly improved.

[0095] In some embodiments, the sensor system includes a first sensor system located in the body of the pool robot and a second sensor system located on the surface of the body. The obstacle information around the pool robot is determined by the first detection information obtained by the first sensor system and the second detection information obtained by the second sensor system. The first detection information is used to indicate the current motion state of the pool robot, and the second detection information is used to indicate the current distance between the pool robot and the obstacle.

[0096] Here, the first detection information may include, but is not limited to, the current acceleration, the current angular velocity, the current tilt angle, etc.

[0097] The current motion state may include, but is not limited to, an abnormal motion state, a normal motion state, etc. In implementation, the current motion state of the pool robot can be determined according to the first detection information. For example, if the current acceleration in the first detection information indicates that there is a force in front of the pool robot, then the current motion state of the pool robot is an abnormal motion state.

[0098] The second detection information may include, but is not limited to, the current distance, size, contour, orientation, etc. The current distance may include the distances between the pool robot and various obstacles around it.

[0099] The acquisition method of the detection information (including the first detection information and the second detection information) can be any suitable method. For example, the sensor system can acquire the detection information in a timed, real-time, command, etc. manner. For instance, when the first sensor system receives a collection command, it collects the first detection information. Another example is that the second sensor system collects the second detection information according to a set collection duration.

[0100] In the embodiments of the present application, first, the first sensor system located in the body can ensure the stable operation of the pool robot in water and reduce the risk of flipping; second, the second sensor system located on the surface of the body focuses on the edge area, reduces the possibility of dead corners during operation, and optimizes the edge operation; finally, through the collaborative work between the first sensor system and the second sensor system, not only can obstacles be detected from multiple angles, but also the operation route is optimized to ensure full coverage of the operation path, thereby improving the operation coverage rate.

[0101] In some embodiments, the control method further includes step S201, wherein:

[0102] Step S201: When the current distance is not greater than the first distance threshold and the current motion state of the pool robot is an abnormal motion state, it is determined that the pool robot is in the first scenario.

[0103] Here, the first distance threshold can be any suitable distance value that can characterize that the distance between the front of the pool robot and the target obstacle is very close. For example, 0 cm, 0.5 cm, etc. In implementation, when the current motion state and the current distance of the pool robot both meet the corresponding conditions, it can be determined that the pool robot is in the first scenario.

[0104] In the embodiments of the present application, determining whether the pool robot is in a specific scenario based on the current motion state and the current distance can improve the accuracy of identifying the specific scenario, thereby improving the operation efficiency while enhancing the safety of the pool robot operation.

[0105] In some embodiments, the first detection information includes at least one of the following: the current acceleration, the current tilt angle. The control method further includes step S200, where:

[0106] Step S200: When the current acceleration characterizes that there is a force in front of the pool robot and / or the current tilt angle characterizes that the pool robot tilts, it is determined that the detected current motion state of the pool robot is an abnormal motion state.

[0107] Here, when the sensor for detecting the first detection information includes an IMU, if the accelerometer of the IMU records that there is a force in front (or the IMU senses a small backward acceleration), and / or when the angular velocity in the Z-axis direction of the IMU changes (i.e., the pool robot tilts), it characterizes that the pool robot is abnormal when performing the forward movement. At this time, it can be determined that the current motion state of the pool robot is an abnormal motion state.

[0108] In the embodiments of the present application, determining the current motion state of the pool robot through the current acceleration and / or the current tilt angle improves the accuracy of the current motion state, so as to accurately determine whether the pool robot is in the first scenario.

[0109] In some embodiments, the first scenario further characterizes that the current orientation of the pool robot is not perpendicular to the tangent direction of the target surface of the target obstacle, and the target surface is the surface formed by the pool robot contacting the target obstacle along the current orientation.

[0110] Here, since the shape of the target obstacle may include but is not limited to a plane, a curved surface, etc., the first included angle between the current orientation of the pool robot and the tangent direction of the target surface of the target obstacle may not be 90°. For example, the first included angle may be 45°, 120°, etc. In some embodiments, the first included angle may be determined by second detection information, which is used to indicate the current distance between the pool robot and the target obstacle and the first included angle. During implementation, when the current motion state, the current distance, and the first included angle of the pool robot all meet the corresponding conditions, it can be determined that the pool robot is in the first scenario.

[0111] In the embodiments of the present application, determining whether the pool robot is in a specific scenario according to the detected obstacle information can improve the accuracy of identifying the specific scenario, so as to not only realize operations for possible operation blind spots in the specific scenario to ensure full coverage of the operation area to the greatest extent, but also improve the operation efficiency while improving the operation safety of the pool robot.

[0112] In some embodiments, the first target action includes a turning action. The step of "controlling the pool robot to perform the first target action so that the working part of the pool robot faces the target obstacle" in step S21 includes step S211, where:

[0113] Step S211: Control the pool robot to perform a turning action so that the working part of the pool robot faces the target obstacle.

[0114] Here, the turning action can be any suitable turning action. For example, turning left, turning right, etc. During implementation, the process of the pool robot performing the turning action may include but is not limited to the pool robot performing the turning action but the fuselage not turning, the pool robot performing the turning action and at least part of the fuselage already turning, etc.

[0115] The number of times of the turning action can be at least one time. In some embodiments, the number of times of the turning action can be determined according to the operation path. In some embodiments, when the operation path is a bow-shaped path, the turning action may include at least two turning actions, and the at least two turning actions may be the same or different. During implementation, the two turning actions are determined based on the next operation path, the working part, etc.

[0116] In some embodiments, when the operation path is a square-shaped path, the turning action includes at least one turning action. During implementation, the at least one turning action is determined based on the working part.

[0117] In the embodiments of the present application, by performing a steering action to direct the working component towards the target obstacle, it is convenient for the subsequent working component to operate in blind spots such as corners and edges, thereby expanding the working range of the pool robot.

[0118] In some embodiments, when the current working direction is the long side direction of the bow-shaped path, the steering action includes a first steering action and a second steering action, and step S211 includes step S2111 and step S2112, where:

[0119] Step S2111, controlling the pool robot to perform a first steering action to direct the pool robot towards the target direction; wherein, the target direction is a direction parallel to the tangent direction of the target surface of the target obstacle, and the target surface is the surface formed by the contact between the pool robot and the target obstacle along the current orientation.

[0120] Here, the first steering action can be any suitable steering action, for example, turning left, turning right, etc. In implementation, the process of the pool robot performing the first steering action may include, but is not limited to, the pool robot performing the first steering action but the fuselage not turning, the pool robot performing the first steering action and at least part of the fuselage already turning, etc.

[0121] The number of times of the first steering action can be at least once. By performing the first steering action at least once, the pool robot is directed towards the target direction.

[0122] In some embodiments, the first steering action can be determined according to the next working direction, the working component, etc. In implementation, the left side and the right side of the fuselage are divided based on the forward direction of the pool robot as the reference direction.

[0123] For example, if the next working direction is on the right side of the fuselage of the pool robot, at this time, the first steering action can be turning right or turning left. Then, if the first steering action is turning right, the pool robot can move forward a first distance after performing the first steering action to approach the next working direction; if the first steering action is turning left, the pool robot can move backward a second distance after performing the first steering action to approach the next working direction. The first distance can be a fixed distance, for example, half of the fuselage, one-third of the fuselage, etc. The second distance is greater than the first distance, and the second distance can include the first distance + the length of the fuselage.

[0124] For another example, if the next working direction is on the left side of the body of the pool robot, at this time, the first turning action can be a left turn or a right turn. Then, if the first turning action is a right turn, the pool robot can move backward a second distance after executing the first turning action to make the pool robot approach the next working direction. If the first turning action is a left turn, the pool robot can move forward a first distance after executing the first turning action to make the pool robot approach the next working direction.

[0125] In some embodiments, the first target angle corresponding to the first turning action can be determined first according to the contour of the target obstacle and the current orientation of the pool robot, and then the current angle of the pool robot's turning can be calculated in real time using the angular velocity meter of the IMU until the current angle reaches the first target angle to complete the first turning action.

[0126] Step S2112: Control the pool robot to execute a second turning action so that the working part of the pool robot faces the target obstacle.

[0127] Here, the second turning action can be any appropriate turning action, such as a left turn, a right turn, etc. The second turning action and the first turning action can be the same or different. In implementation, the process of the pool robot executing the second turning action can include but is not limited to the pool robot executing the second turning action but the body not turning, the pool robot executing the second turning action and at least part of the body already turning, etc.

[0128] The number of times of the second turning action can be at least once. By executing the second turning action at least once, the working part of the pool robot can face the target obstacle.

[0129] In some embodiments, the second turning action can be determined according to the next working direction, the working part, etc. In implementation, the left side and the right side of the body are divided based on the forward direction of the pool robot as the reference direction. For example, if the next working direction is on the right side of the body of the pool robot and the rear working part faces the target obstacle, or the next working direction is on the left side of the body of the pool robot and the front working part faces the target obstacle, at this time, the second turning action can be a right turn. If the next working direction is on the right side of the body of the pool robot and the front working part faces the target obstacle, or the next working direction is on the left side of the body of the pool robot and the rear working part faces the target obstacle, at this time, the second turning action can be a left turn.

[0130] In some embodiments, the second target angle corresponding to the second turning action can be determined first, and then the current angle of the pool robot's turning can be calculated in real time using the angular velocity meter of the IMU until the current angle reaches the second target angle to complete the second turning action.

[0131] In implementation, after the pool robot executes the first turning action and the second turning action, the sum of the first target angle and the second target angle can be 0° or 180°.

[0132] In some embodiments, when the power system of the pool robot includes left and right propellers, normally the rotational speeds of the two propellers are basically the same. When the pool robot needs to turn left, the rotational speed of the left propeller can be reduced and / or the rotational speed of the right propeller can be increased to make the rotational speed of the left propeller lower than that of the right propeller, so as to achieve a left turn of the pool robot; when the pool robot needs to turn right, the rotational speed of the left propeller can be increased and / or the rotational speed of the right propeller can be reduced to make the rotational speed of the left propeller higher than that of the right propeller, so as to achieve a right turn of the pool robot.

[0133] In some embodiments, when the power system of the pool robot includes left and right side tracks, normally the rotational speeds of the left and right side tracks are basically the same. When the pool robot needs to turn left, the rotational speed of the left side track can be reduced and / or the rotational speed of the right side track can be increased to make the rotational speed of the left side track lower than that of the right side track, so as to achieve a left turn of the pool robot; when the pool robot needs to turn right, the rotational speed of the left side track can be increased and / or the rotational speed of the right side track can be reduced to make the rotational speed of the left side track higher than that of the right side track, so as to achieve a right turn of the pool robot.

[0134] In the embodiments of the present application, on the one hand, by the pool robot executing the first turning action to make the pool robot face a direction parallel to the tangent direction of the target surface, not only the possibility of the pool robot colliding with the target obstacle is reduced, but also the distance between the pool robot and the target obstacle is reduced, thereby reducing the operation blind area; on the other hand, by the pool robot executing the second turning action to make the working component face the target obstacle, so as to facilitate the subsequent working component to operate on the operation blind areas such as corners and edges, thereby improving the operation range of the pool robot.

[0135] In some embodiments, when the pool robot operates along a bow-shaped path, the distance between two adjacent long sides in the bow-shaped path is less than the axial width of the working component.

[0136] Here, the axial direction refers to the distance that an object extends along its length or thickness direction, that is, the direction parallel to the central axis. For example, when the working component is a cylinder, the axial direction refers to the direction of its central axis. Then, the axial width of the working component refers to the length of the cylinder. In some embodiments, the difference between the distance between two adjacent long sides and the axial width of the working component should be within a threshold range to balance missed operations and duplicate operations. The threshold range can be any suitable range, such as 9 cm to 12 cm, 10 cm to 15 cm, etc. In implementation, the threshold range can be set according to the sensitivity, accuracy, etc. of the sensors in the pool robot, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0137] In the embodiment of the present application, by setting the distance between two adjacent long sides of the bow-shaped path to be less than the axial width of the working component, it is ensured that adjacent working areas overlap, reducing the possibility of missed operations caused by path deviation and achieving full coverage of the working area.

[0138] In some embodiments, after controlling the pool robot to perform the first turning action, the control method further includes step S2113, where:

[0139] Step S2113: Control the pool robot to perform a forward movement along the target direction.

[0140] Here, the process of the pool robot performing a forward movement may include but is not limited to the pool robot performing a forward movement but the body not advancing, the pool robot performing a forward movement and at least part of the body has advanced, etc.

[0141] In some embodiments, the pool robot performs a forward movement so that the pool robot advances a first distance. The first distance may include but is not limited to half of the body, one-third of the body, or other suitable distances, etc.

[0142] In some embodiments, the target forward duration can be determined according to the speed of the pool robot and the first distance. When the duration of performing the forward movement is the target forward duration, then control the pool robot to stop advancing.

[0143] In the embodiment of the present application, by the pool robot performing a forward movement along the target direction, the pool robot is made to approach the next working direction to ensure that the subsequent orientation of the pool robot is consistent with the next working direction, thereby improving the working efficiency.

[0144] In some embodiments, the first target action further includes a backward movement. Before step S211, the control method further includes step S210, where:

[0145] Step S210: Control the pool robot to perform a backward movement so that no part of the pool robot touches the target obstacle.

[0146] Here, the purpose of the pool robot performing a backward movement is to avoid hitting the target obstacle when performing subsequent turns. At this time, the backward distance of the pool robot should not be too much or too little, as long as it does not hit the target obstacle during the turn. This backward distance can be a fixed distance or a distance determined in real time. For example, the backward distance can be 10 cm, 11 cm, 9.5 cm, etc. In some embodiments, during the backward movement of the pool robot, the distance from the target obstacle is obtained in real time. When it is determined that no part of the pool robot will touch the target obstacle, the pool robot is controlled to stop moving backward. In some embodiments, the backward distance of the pool robot should be small enough to reduce the possibility of repeated operations. In some embodiments, if a preset distance is to be retreated, the target backward duration can be determined according to the speed of the pool robot and the preset distance. When the duration of the backward movement is the target backward duration, the pool robot is controlled to stop moving backward.

[0147] The process of the pool robot performing a backward movement can include, but is not limited to, the pool robot performing a backward movement but the body not moving backward, the pool robot performing a backward movement and at least part of the body has moved backward, etc.

[0148] In some embodiments, when the power system of the pool robot includes left and right propellers, generally, when the pool robot performs a forward movement, both propellers rotate forward. When the pool robot needs to move backward, the two propellers can be controlled to rotate in reverse to achieve the backward movement of the pool robot.

[0149] In the embodiments of the present application, by controlling the pool robot to move backward until no part of the pool robot touches the wall-like obstacle, the possibility of the pool robot colliding with the wall-like obstacle during subsequent turning is reduced, ensuring the normal execution of subsequent turning actions, thereby improving the safety of the pool robot and extending the service life of the pool robot.

[0150] In some embodiments, before the pool robot performs operations, the control method further includes step S23, where:

[0151] Step S23: Control the pool robot to perform a fourth target action so that the pool robot faces the initial operation direction.

[0152] Here, the initial operation direction refers to the direction pointed to by an edge, a line segment, or a curve corresponding to the starting point in the operation path. For example, in a bow-shaped path, the initial operation direction can refer to the direction pointed to by the first long side of the bow.

[0153] The fourth target action can be any suitable action, for example, moving forward, moving backward, turning, etc. During implementation, the fourth target action can be determined according to the initial orientation and the initial working direction of the pool robot. In some implementation manners, before operation, the initial orientation of the pool robot can be determined by an IMU. When the initial orientation and the initial working direction are not consistent, the angle of the pool robot is adjusted so that the pool robot can move forward along the initial working direction.

[0154] In the implementation manner of the present application, the pool robot executes the fourth target action so that the pool robot faces the initial working direction, ensuring subsequent normal operation and comprehensive coverage of the operation path.

[0155] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the implementation process of a control method for a pool robot provided by an embodiment of the present application Figure Two , as Figure 3 shown, the control method includes steps S31 to S33, where:

[0156] Step S31, during the operation of the pool robot in the current working direction, when the pool robot is in the first scenario, control the pool robot to execute the first target action so that the working component of the pool robot faces the target obstacle; where the first scenario indicates that there is a target obstacle in front of the pool robot and the distance between the pool robot and the target obstacle is not greater than the first distance threshold.

[0157] Step S32, control the pool robot to execute the second target action to drive the working component of the pool robot to operate on the target area; where the target area is the area between the pool robot and the target obstacle and is the missed operation area brought about by the pool robot executing the first target action.

[0158] Here, the above steps S31 and S32 respectively correspond to the foregoing steps S21 and S22. During implementation, the specific implementation manners of the foregoing steps S21 and S22 can be referred to.

[0159] Step S33, when the pool robot is in the second scenario, control the pool robot to execute the third target action so that the pool robot continues to operate in the next working direction; where the second scenario indicates that the distance between the pool robot and the target obstacle is not greater than the second distance threshold, and the next working direction includes one of the following: a direction parallel to the current working direction, a direction at a preset angle to the current working direction.

[0160] Here, the current operation direction refers to the direction pointed by an edge, a line segment, or a curve segment of the operation path. The operation path can include, but is not limited to, any suitable path such as a bow shape, a loop shape, an 8 shape, etc. For example, the current operation direction can refer to the direction pointed by a long side of a bow shape. The current orientation of the pool robot is consistent with the current operation direction.

[0161] The next operation direction refers to the direction in which the pool robot will need to operate soon. For example, the next operation direction can refer to the direction pointed by a long side of a bow shape, and the long side in the next operation direction and the long side in the previous operation direction (i.e., the current operation direction) are adjacent long sides.

[0162] The second distance threshold can be any suitable distance value that can characterize that the distance between the front of the pool robot and the target obstacle is very close. For example, 0 centimeters (cm), 0.5 cm, 1 cm, etc. In some embodiments, the second distance threshold can be set according to the sensitivity, accuracy, etc. of the sensors in the pool robot, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this. In some embodiments, the second distance threshold and the first distance threshold can be the same or different.

[0163] In some embodiments, it is possible to determine whether the pool robot is in the second scenario based on at least one piece of obstacle information obtained within the second time period, thereby reducing the misjudgment rate. The second time period can include, but is not limited to, any suitable time period such as 10 ms, 30 ms, etc. The second time period and the first time period can be the same or different. The determination method of the second scenario can be any suitable method. For example, if most of the obstacle information in at least one piece of obstacle information indicates that the pool robot is in the second scenario, then it is determined that the pool robot faces the second scenario.

[0164] In some embodiments, it is possible to determine whether the pool robot is in the second scenario through the first detection information and / or the second detection information. The first detection information can include, but is not limited to, the current acceleration, the current angular velocity, the current tilt angle, etc. The second detection information can include, but is not limited to, distance, contour, etc.

[0165] For example, the second detection information detected by the sensor is used to determine whether there is an obstacle for the pool robot and the distance from the obstacle. When the second detection information detected by the sensor indicates that there is an obstacle in front of / behind the pool robot and the pool robot is very close to the obstacle, at this time, it can be determined that the pool robot is in the second scenario.

[0166] For another example, the distance between the pool robot and the obstacle is determined based on the first detection information detected by the sensor. For example, when the current acceleration in the first detection information indicates that there is a force acting on the front / rear of the pool robot, it indicates that the pool robot has come into contact with the obstacle. At this time, it can be determined that the pool robot is in the second scenario.

[0167] For still another example, the second detection information detected by the sensor is used to determine whether there is an obstacle for the pool robot and the distance between the pool robot and the obstacle. When the second detection information detected by the sensor indicates that there is an obstacle in front of / behind the pool robot and the pool robot is very close to the obstacle, due to the structural limitations of the sensor itself, the sensor may not be able to further sense the distance between the pool robot and the obstacle. At this time, the first detection information detected by another sensor can be used to further determine the distance between the pool robot and the obstacle. For example, when the current acceleration in the first detection information indicates that there is a force acting on the front / rear of the pool robot, it indicates that the pool robot has come into contact with the obstacle. At this time, it can be determined that the pool robot is in the second scenario.

[0168] In some embodiments, when the second detection information indicates that the pool robot is approaching the obstacle, the speed of the pool robot can be slowed down to continue the operation, so as to reduce the force generated by the target obstacle on the pool robot when the pool robot comes into contact with the target obstacle, thereby improving the safety and service life of the pool robot.

[0169] The third target action can be any suitable action, such as a forward movement, a turning action, etc. The turning action can be any suitable action that can enable the pool robot to turn around. For example, the turning action includes left turn + right turn, right turn + left turn, backward + left turn + right turn, backward + right turn + left turn, etc.

[0170] In some embodiments, the third target action can be determined according to the working component. For example, when the rearward working component faces the target obstacle, then the third target action can be a forward movement. For another example, when the forward working component faces the target obstacle, then the third target action can be a turning action.

[0171] In the embodiments of the present application, on the one hand, during the operation of the pool robot, the surrounding obstacle information is detected by the sensor system, and the obstacle information can be more accurately determined based on the obstacle information, so that it can be accurately identified whether the pool robot is in a specific second scenario; on the other hand, when the pool robot is in a specific second scenario, by performing a specific action to continue the operation, the correctness and integrity of the operation are ensured.

[0172] The following takes a bow-shaped operation path, a pool robot including a forward operation component and a backward operation component, and the pool robot performing a cleaning operation as an example to illustrate the control method provided by the embodiments of the present application.

[0173] Figure 4 Schematic implementation process of a control method for a pool robot provided by an embodiment of the present application Figure Three , as Figure 4 shown, the control method includes steps S401 to S414, where:

[0174] Step S401: Obtain the initial orientation of the pool robot through the IMU, and determine the fourth target action according to the initial orientation and the initial operation direction of the bow-shaped operation path;

[0175] Step S402: Control the pool robot to perform the fourth target action so that the pool robot faces the initial operation direction;

[0176] Step S403: Control the pool robot to perform a cleaning operation along the current long side of the bow shape, and sense the forward obstacle information (corresponding to the second detection information) according to the forward sensor;

[0177] Step S404: If the forward obstacle information indicates that the pool robot is approaching a forward obstacle, reduce the forward speed of the pool robot and continue to move forward;

[0178] Step S405: When the forward sensor can no longer sense the forward obstacle information, determine the current motion state of the pool robot through the first detection information detected by the IMU;

[0179] Step S406: If the current motion state of the pool robot is an abnormal motion state, the pool robot can be controlled to first perform a backward action and then a first turning action so that the pool robot faces the target direction;

[0180] Here, the abnormal motion state may refer to the motion state brought about after the pool robot comes into contact with an obstacle. Perform a backward action to make the pool robot retreat a certain distance so that when the pool robot performs the subsequent first turning action, it will not contact the target obstacle, thus ensuring the normal execution of the first turning action.

[0181] Step S407: Control the pool robot to continue moving forward a first distance in the target direction;

[0182] Step S408: Control the pool robot to perform a second turning action so that the backward operation component of the pool robot faces the obstacle;

[0183] Step S409: Control the pool robot to perform a backward action to drive the backward operation component to clean the target area;

[0184] Step S410: Determine the current motion state of the pool robot based on the first detection information detected by the IMU;

[0185] Step S411: If the current motion state of the pool robot is an abnormal motion state, the pool robot can be controlled not to move backward anymore;

[0186] Here, during the execution of the backward movement, the motion state of the pool robot is detected in real time. If the pool robot touches the target obstacle, it is determined that the motion state of the pool robot is an abnormal motion state.

[0187] Step S412: Determine whether the current long side is the last long side of the bow-shaped path. If so, go to step S414; otherwise, go to step S413;

[0188] Step S413: Take the next long side as the current long side and go to step S403;

[0189] Step S414: End.

[0190] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the orientation change of a pool robot during operation provided by an embodiment of the present application, as Figure 5 shown, where:

[0191] Control the pool robot Y to perform cleaning operations in the direction A1;

[0192] When the obstacle information detected by the sensor system indicates that the pool robot Y touches the obstacle W in front and the current orientation of the pool robot Y is not perpendicular to the tangent direction A2 of the target surface S2 of the obstacle W, the pool robot Y is first controlled to perform a backward movement to point S1, and then a right-turn movement is performed so that the pool robot Y faces the direction A3;

[0193] Control the pool robot Y to perform a forward movement along the direction A3 so that the pool robot Y approaches the next operation direction. In implementation, during the movement of the pool robot Y along the direction A3, the obstacle should move as close as possible to the obstacle W to fully clean the edge of the obstacle W (for example, the bottom of the pool wall);

[0194] Control the pool robot Y to perform a right-turn movement so that the pool robot Y faces the direction A4;

[0195] Control the pool robot Y to perform a backward movement to drive the rear operation component to clean the target area, which is the missed cleaning area caused by the right-turn movement of the pool robot Y;

[0196] When the obstacle information detected by the sensor system indicates that the pool robot Y contacts the rear obstacle W, the pool robot Y is controlled to perform a forward movement along direction A4 to continue the operation until the entire operation area is covered.

[0197] It should be noted that in the embodiments of the present application, if the above method is implemented in the form of software function modules and sold or used as an independent product, it can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the embodiments of the present application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the related technology, can be embodied in the form of a software product. The software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to enable an electronic device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the methods described in the various embodiments of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes: various media such as USB flash drives, mobile hard disks, read-only memories (ROM), magnetic disks, or optical discs that can store program codes. In this way, the embodiments of the present application are not limited to any specific combination of hardware and software.

[0198] The embodiments of the present application provide a pool robot, including a sensor system and a controller. The sensor system is used to detect obstacle information around the pool robot, and the controller is used to execute any one of the above control methods for the pool robot.

[0199] The embodiments of the present application provide an electronic device, including a memory and a processor. The memory stores a computer program that can run on the processor, and when the processor executes the computer program, the above method is implemented.

[0200] The embodiments of the present application provide a computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed by the processor, the above method is implemented. The computer-readable storage medium can be transient or non-transient.

[0201] The embodiments of the present application provide a computer program product. The computer program product includes a non-transient computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program. When the computer program is read and executed by a computer, some or all of the steps in the above method are implemented. The computer program product can be specifically implemented in a manner of hardware, software, or a combination thereof. In an optional embodiment, the computer program product is specifically embodied as a computer storage medium. In another optional embodiment, the computer program product is specifically embodied as a software product, such as a software development kit (SDK), etc.

[0202] It should be noted that Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the hardware entity of an electronic device provided by the embodiments of the present application, as Figure 6As shown, the hardware entities of the electronic device 600 include: a processor 601, a communication interface 602, and a memory 603, where:

[0203] The processor 601 generally controls the overall operation of the electronic device 600.

[0204] The communication interface 602 enables the electronic device to communicate with other terminals or servers via a network.

[0205] The memory 603 is configured to store instructions and applications executable by the processor 601, and can also cache data to be processed or already processed by the processor 601 and each module in the electronic device 600 (for example, image data, audio data, voice communication data, and video communication data), and can be implemented by flash memory (FLASH) or random access memory (Random Access Memory, RAM). Data transmission can be carried out between the processor 601, the communication interface 602, and the memory 603 via a bus 604.

[0206] It should be noted here that: the descriptions of the above storage medium and device embodiments are similar to the descriptions of the above method embodiments, and have beneficial effects similar to those of the method embodiments. For the technical details not disclosed in the storage medium and device embodiments of this application, please refer to the descriptions of the method embodiments of this application for understanding.

[0207] It should be understood that the term "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" mentioned throughout the specification means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic related to the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of this application. Therefore, the appearances of "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" throughout the specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, these specific features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner. It should be understood that in various embodiments of this application, the magnitudes of the serial numbers of the above processes do not mean the order of execution is prior or posterior, and the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation to the implementation process of the embodiments of this application. The serial numbers of the embodiments of this application above are only for description and do not represent the superiority or inferiority of the embodiments.

[0208] It should be noted that in this article, the term "comprising", "including", or any other variant thereof is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article, or device including a series of elements not only includes those elements, but also includes other elements not expressly listed, or further includes elements inherent to such process, method, article, or device. Without further limitation, an element defined by the statement "including a..." does not exclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or device including that element.

[0209] In several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the division of the units is only a logical function division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components can be combined, or can be integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. In addition, the coupling, direct coupling, or communication connection between the components shown or discussed with each other can be through some interfaces. The indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units can be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0210] The units described above as separate components may or may not be physically separated. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units. They can be located in one place or distributed to multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment. In addition, each functional unit in the embodiments of the present application can be all integrated in a processing unit, or each unit can be separately used as a unit, or two or more units can be integrated in one unit. The above integrated units can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of a combination of hardware and software functional units.

[0211] Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand that all or part of the steps of implementing the above method embodiments can be completed by hardware related to program instructions. The foregoing program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When the program is executed, it executes the steps including the above method embodiments. The foregoing storage medium includes various media that can store program codes, such as removable storage devices, read-only memory (ROM), magnetic disks, or optical discs.

[0212] Alternatively, if the above integrated units of the present application are implemented in the form of software functional modules and sold or used as independent products, they can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on such an understanding, the technical solution of the present application essentially or the part that contributes to the related technology can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for causing an electronic device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the methods described in the embodiments of the present application. The foregoing storage medium includes various media that can store program codes, such as removable storage devices, ROM, magnetic disks, or optical discs.

[0213] As described above, this is only the implementation mode of the present application. However, the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed by the present application can easily think of changes or substitutions, which should all be covered within the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A control method for a pool robot, characterized in that, The pool robot includes a sensor system and an operating component. The sensor system is used to detect obstacle information around the pool robot. The method includes: During the process of the pool robot operating in the current operating direction, when the pool robot is in the first scenario, controlling the pool robot to perform a first target action so that the operating component of the pool robot faces the target obstacle; wherein, the first scenario indicates that there is the target obstacle in front of the pool robot and the distance between the pool robot and the target obstacle is not greater than a first distance threshold; Controlling the pool robot to perform a second target action to drive the operating component of the pool robot to operate on a target area; wherein, the target area is the area between the pool robot and the target obstacle and is the missed operation area caused by the pool robot performing the first target action.

2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein The first scenario further indicates that the current orientation of the pool robot is not perpendicular to the tangent direction of the target surface of the target obstacle, and the target surface is the surface formed by the pool robot contacting the target obstacle along the current orientation.

3. The control method according to claim 1, wherein The first target action includes a turning action. Controlling the pool robot to perform the first target action so that the operating component of the pool robot faces the target obstacle includes: Controlling the pool robot to perform the turning action so that the operating component of the pool robot faces the target obstacle.

4. The control method according to claim 3, wherein When the current operating direction is the long side direction of a zigzag path, the turning action includes a first turning action and a second turning action. Controlling the pool robot to perform the turning action so that the operating component of the pool robot faces the target obstacle includes: Controlling the pool robot to perform the first turning action so that the pool robot faces the target direction; wherein, the target direction is a direction parallel to the tangent direction of the target surface of the target obstacle; Controlling the pool robot to perform the second turning action so that the operating component of the pool robot faces the target obstacle.

5. The control method according to claim 4, characterized in that The distance between two adjacent long sides in the zigzag path is less than the axial width of the operating component.

6. The control method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The control method further includes: When the pool robot is in the second scenario, controlling the pool robot to perform a third target action so that the pool robot continues to operate in the next operating direction; wherein, the second scenario indicates that the distance between the pool robot and the target obstacle is not greater than a second distance threshold, and the next operating direction includes one of the following: a direction parallel to the current operating direction, a direction at a preset angle to the current operating direction.

7. A pool robot, characterized in that, Including a sensor system and a controller. The sensor system is used to detect obstacle information around the pool robot, wherein: The controller is used to execute the control method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. An electronic device, comprising a processor and a memory, the memory storing a computer program that can run on the processor, characterized in that, When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the control method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

9. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, A computer program is stored thereon, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the control method described in any one of claims 1 to 6 is implemented.

10. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, and when the computer program is read and executed by a computer, the control method described in any one of claims 1 to 6 is implemented.

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