Automatic pool cleaning device, control method and computer storage medium

Abstract

The invention provides an automatic pool cleaning device, a control method and a computer storage medium, the automatic pool cleaning device is used for cleaning a pool, the bottom of the pool is provided with at least one step, and the step comprises a step side wall and a step platform; the control method comprises the steps that the automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to move on the side wall of the step; in the process that the automatic pool cleaning device moves on the side wall of the step, the pitch angle of the automatic pool cleaning device is monitored; and under the condition that the pitch angle becomes small, the thrust of the water flow pushing device is adjusted, so that at least one part of the automatic cleaning device for the pool reaches a target platform, and the target platform comprises a step platform or a pool bottom. According to the method, at least part of the automatic pool cleaning device can stably reach the target platform, and further the robot can smoothly go up and down the steps.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] With the development of computer technology, robotics has also rapidly evolved. Currently, underwater robots are increasingly used in various fields, assisting people with underwater operations, including cleaning, exploration, and sightseeing. Pool cleaning robots are required to clean the pool's bottom, surface, and walls. During this cleaning process, the robot encounters complex terrain. For example, the pool's bottom may have one or more steps. After cleaning the area below the steps, the robot must climb the steps to clean the area above them or the surface. However, climbing the steps can be difficult to control, causing the robot to turn and change direction on the steps, resulting in the robot becoming stuck on the steps, making it difficult to reach the pool bottom or surface. Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device is provided, wherein the automatic pool cleaning device is used to clean a pool, wherein the bottom of the pool has at least one step, the step including a step sidewall and a step platform, the control method comprising:

[0004] Controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move on the side wall of the step;

[0005] monitoring the pitch angle of the automatic pool cleaning device during its movement on the sidewall of the step;

[0006] When the pitch angle becomes smaller, the thrust of the water flow propulsion device is adjusted so that at least a portion of the automatic pool cleaning device reaches a target platform, which includes a step platform or a pool bottom.

[0007] According to a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present disclosure, if the automatic pool cleaning device is currently moving upward on the side wall of the step, adjusting the thrust of the water flow propulsion device includes:

[0008] Increase the thrust of the water flow propulsion device in the forward direction of the automatic pool cleaning device.

[0009] According to a control method of an automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present disclosure, the speed of the automatic pool cleaning device is reduced while the thrust of the water flow propulsion device in the forward direction of the automatic pool cleaning device is increased.

[0010] According to a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present disclosure, if the automatic pool cleaning device is currently moving downward on the step sidewall, adjusting the thrust of the water flow propulsion device includes:

[0011] The thrust applied by the water flow propulsion device to the automatic pool cleaning device is reduced.

[0012] According to the present disclosure, a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device further includes:

[0013] In a case where at least a portion of the automatic pool cleaning device reaches the target platform, a step count of the automatic pool cleaning device is updated.

[0014] According to a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present disclosure, before the automatic pool cleaning device moves upward on the step sidewall, the control method further includes:

[0015] The automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to move forward or backward, and when it is determined that the pitch angle of the automatic pool cleaning device is greater than a predetermined threshold during the movement, the automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to move upward to the side wall of the step.

[0016] According to a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present disclosure, before the automatic pool cleaning device moves downward on the step sidewall, the control method further includes:

[0017] The automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to move forward or backward. When it is determined that the pitch angle of the automatic pool cleaning device is greater than a preset threshold during the movement, the automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to move downward to the side wall of the step.

[0018] According to a control method of an automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present disclosure, wherein controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move forward or backward includes:

[0019] Controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move forward for a first time, and when the pool cleaning device is in a stable state after the first forward movement, controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move forward for a second time; wherein the distance of the second forward movement is greater than the distance of the first forward movement; or

[0020] The automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to move backward for the first time, and when the pool cleaning device is in a stable state after the first backward movement, the automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to move backward for the second time; wherein the distance of the second backward movement is greater than the distance of the first backward movement.

[0021] According to a control method of an automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present disclosure, the control method further comprises:

[0022] The automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to continue moving in the current direction of travel on the target platform. When the moving distance of the automatic pool cleaning device meets the first predetermined distance, or the automatic pool cleaning device is at least partially located on the water surface, it is determined that the automatic pool cleaning device moves to the highest step platform.

[0023] According to a control method of an automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present disclosure, the control method further comprises:

[0024] The automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to continue moving in the current direction of travel on the target platform. When the automatic pool cleaning device is in a stable state after moving a second predetermined distance, or when the step count of the automatic pool cleaning device is reset to zero, it is determined that the automatic pool cleaning device has moved to the bottom of the pool.

[0025] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, an automatic pool cleaning device is provided, which can execute any one of the control methods described above.

[0026] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a computer storage medium is provided, wherein the storage medium stores a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, any one of the control methods described above is implemented.

[0027] The embodiments described in this application have the following beneficial effects:

[0028] The control method of the automatic pool cleaning device provided in the present application monitors the pitch angle of the automatic pool cleaning device during the process of controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move upward along the side wall of the step. Based on the pitch angle, the degree of crawling of the robot on the side wall of the step can be known. Further, when the pitch angle of the automatic pool cleaning device becomes smaller, it can be determined that the robot has partially detached from the side wall of the step and its posture is difficult to control. At this time, the posture of the automatic pool cleaning device can be adjusted by adjusting the thrust of the water flow propulsion device, so that at least part of the automatic pool cleaning device can reach the target platform smoothly, and further the robot can go up and down the steps smoothly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for describing the embodiments. The drawings described below are only exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 1 A schematic flow chart showing a control method for the automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application is shown;

[0031] Figure 2 One of the schematic diagrams showing a reduced pitch angle of the automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application is shown;

[0032] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the force acting on the automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application; and

[0033] Figure 4 The second schematic diagram shows a reduced pitch angle of the automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application more clear, the technical solutions in this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0035] The present application provides a control method for an automatic pool cleaning device. The automatic pool cleaning device in the present application can clean a pool. The pool is, for example, a pool-shaped building, which can be a swimming pool, a reservoir, a spa pool, a water tank, a water trough, etc. The automatic pool cleaning device can be a device such as an automatic cleaning device, a pool cleaning robot, etc., which can clean a pool-shaped building. It can be understood that the bottom of the pool has at least one step, and the step includes a step sidewall and a step platform. The step protrudes from the bottom surface of the pool, the step sidewall can be perpendicular to (or substantially perpendicular to) the bottom surface of the pool, and the step platform is parallel to (or substantially parallel to) the bottom surface of the pool. In the case where the step includes multiple steps, the multiple steps can form a stepped shape and extend toward the water surface. The steps in the pool will be described below in conjunction with specific embodiments.

[0036] The automatic pool cleaning device may include a water flow propulsion device, which may include a water pump and / or a water spraying mechanism. The water pump and / or the water spraying mechanism may adjust the thrust by absorbing and discharging water. Furthermore, the water pump can also provide power for filtering the water flow for the cleaning device, that is, when the water pump is working, it will suck the water flow into the robot from the water suction port, and when passing through the trash basket, impurities will enter and be retained in the trash basket, and the water will be discharged from the drain port on the back of the robot. The thrust can be adjusted by the water pump absorbing and discharging water. This application does not limit the specific presentation of the automatic pool cleaning device and the pool-type building, as long as the principle of this application can be realized.

[0037] Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the description of the automated pool cleaning device will be based on a robot, a swimming pool, or a pool-shaped structure, and a water pump as an example of a water flow propulsion device. Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the terms "pool bottom," "pool bottom surface," and "pool bottom" all refer to the bottom surface of a swimming pool.

[0038] The control method 100 of the automatic pool cleaning device of the present application is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] Figure 1 The flow chart of the control method of the automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application is shown. Figure 1 As shown, the control method 100 includes steps 101 to 103. Steps 101 to 103 are described in detail below.

[0040] In step 101, the automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to move on the side wall of the step.

[0041] For example, the pool floor may have some unusually complex terrain. For example, the pool floor may include multiple steps, forming a staircase, with the bottom of the staircase at the pool bottom and the top at or near the water surface. Each step may include a platform (also known as a step surface) and sidewalls. If the pool floor includes at least one step, the robot may need to clean the step surface and then return to the pool bottom smoothly after cleaning. In other words, when the robot needs to move from the pool bottom to the step surface, it needs to be controlled to climb the steps; when the robot needs to descend from the step surface to the pool bottom, it needs to be controlled to descend the steps. When the robot ascends or descends the steps, it needs to be controlled to move to and along the step sidewalls. For example, when the robot is controlled to climb the steps, it moves up along the step sidewalls; when the robot is controlled to descend the steps, it moves down along the step sidewalls.

[0042] During the movement of the automatic pool cleaning device on the side wall of the step, step 102 is executed. In step 102, the pitch angle of the automatic pool cleaning device is monitored.

[0043] It is understood that as the robot moves along the sidewall of the step, its pitch angle will change as the front end of the robot leaves the sidewall and approaches the target platform. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the robot's pitch angle during its movement along the sidewall of the step. This change in the robot's pitch angle can be used to detect whether the front end of the robot is gradually separating from the sidewall and tilting away from the sidewall toward the target platform. Unless otherwise specified, the front end of the robot refers to the end of the robot's main body that is closest to the direction of travel.

[0044] In the present application, a body coordinate system (i.e., a three-dimensional orthogonal rectangular coordinate system) can be constructed for the robot. In the body coordinate system, the center of mass of the robot is taken as the origin O, the direction of the end of the robot pointing toward the top of the step side wall is taken as the OX-axis direction (for example, when the head of the robot is facing the top of the step side wall, the direction of the robot's head is the OX-axis direction, and when the tail of the robot is facing the top of the step side wall, the direction of the robot's tail is the OX-axis direction), the right side of the robot's body is taken as the OY-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the XY plane of the body and toward the abdomen of the robot is taken as the OZ-axis direction. During the control of the robot to move on the step side wall, the angle between the OX-axis and the horizontal plane is the pitch angle. In the present application, when the OX-axis is above the horizontal plane, the pitch angle of the robot is a positive value, and the pitch angle of the robot can be monitored by monitoring the angle between the OX-axis and the horizontal plane.

[0045] When the pitch angle becomes smaller, step 103 is executed. In step 103, the thrust of the water flow propulsion device is adjusted so that at least a part of the automatic pool cleaning device reaches the target platform, which includes a step platform or the pool bottom.

[0046] Specifically, based on the robot's body coordinate system constructed above, it can be seen that when the robot is completely on the step sidewall, the angle between the OX axis and the horizontal plane is the largest, that is, the robot's pitch angle is the largest. As the robot continues to move up or down along the step sidewall until the front end of the robot leaves the step sidewall, the robot will tilt toward the target platform above or below the step sidewall, and the robot's pitch angle will gradually decrease.

[0047] When at least part of the robot is separated from the step sidewall and moving toward the target platform, the robot's drive device is partially in contact with the step sidewall, and the contact area gradually decreases as the robot moves. As the contact area between the drive device and the step sidewall decreases, the friction between the robot and the step sidewall also gradually decreases, making the robot's posture more difficult to control. Therefore, when the robot's pitch angle is detected to be decreasing, the thrust applied by the water pump to the robot needs to be adjusted so that the robot's posture can be better controlled under the action of the water pump, thereby allowing at least a portion of the robot to smoothly reach the target platform.

[0048] It is understandable that when the robot is climbing up or down the stairs, the target platform of the last step (i.e. the step next to the bottom of the pool) refers to the bottom of the pool, while for other steps, the target platform refers to the platform of the step.

[0049] Wherein, if the automatic pool cleaning device is currently moving upward on the side wall of the step, then in step 103, adjusting the thrust of the water flow propulsion device includes: increasing the thrust of the water flow propulsion device in the forward direction toward the automatic pool cleaning device.

[0050] Figure 2 One of the schematic diagrams showing the pitch angle of the automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application is reduced. Figure 2 As shown, since the robot is moving upward on the side wall of the step, when the pitch angle of the robot is detected to be smaller, it means that the front end of the robot is suspended and the front end of the robot begins to deflect toward the target platform. At this time, it is necessary to increase the thrust of the water pump in the forward direction of the robot. In this way, when the gravity of the robot remains unchanged, the thrust of the water pump in the forward direction of the robot will cause the front end of the robot to be unevenly stressed. Its front end will be pressed down toward the target platform under the action of the thrust of the water pump, and then as the robot continues to move upward, at least a part of the robot (such as the front end of the robot) will reach the target platform. The thrust of the water pump in the forward direction of the robot can be increased by increasing the power of the water pump and / or adjusting the water spraying direction of the drain outlet.

[0051] Exemplarily, while increasing the thrust of the water flow propulsion device in the forward direction of the automatic pool cleaning device, the speed of the automatic pool cleaning device can also be reduced.

[0052] Figure 3 The figure shows the force diagram of the automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application. Figure 3As shown in , the robot is mainly subjected to three forces on the side wall of the step (buoyancy and friction are temporarily ignored here): the thrust from the water pump, the driving force from the drive device, and the robot's own gravity. In order to further increase the tendency of the front end of the robot to press down toward the target platform, the speed of the robot's drive device can be adjusted to reduce the speed of the robot. By reducing the speed of the robot, the driving force on the bottom of the robot in the forward direction can be reduced. In this case, when the gravity of the robot remains unchanged and the thrust of the water pump in the forward direction of the robot is greater than the driving force of the drive device at the bottom of the robot, the suspended part of the robot will be subjected to unbalanced force. Due to the unbalanced force, the front end of the robot will produce a Figure 3 The torque for deflection in the right direction shown in the figure (i.e., the front end of the robot gradually "deflects" toward the target platform), whereby the front end of the robot will be pressed down toward the target platform side more quickly, so that at least a part of the robot can reach the target platform quickly and smoothly.

[0053] Wherein, if the automatic pool cleaning device is currently moving downward on the side wall of the step, then in step 103, adjusting the thrust of the water flow propulsion device includes: reducing the thrust applied by the water flow propulsion device to the automatic pool cleaning device.

[0054] Figure 4 The second schematic diagram shows that the pitch angle of the automatic pool cleaning device provided by the present application is reduced. Figure 4As shown in the figure, since the robot moves downward on the step sidewall, when the robot's pitch angle is detected to be decreasing, it means that part of the robot has contacted the target platform, part is still in contact with the step sidewall, and part of the bottom area of the robot is suspended. It is understandable that during the robot's movement on the step sidewall, due to the operation of the water pump, the water pump will guide the water flow into the robot's water intake (the robot's water intake is usually located at the bottom of the robot) and out of the robot's drain port, thus forming a low-pressure area between the robot and the step sidewall, thereby generating an adsorption force perpendicular to the step sidewall (i.e., pointing to the step sidewall). The magnitude of the adsorption force is related to factors such as the power of the water pump. Under the action of this adsorption force, the robot is "adsorbed" on the step sidewall, which can increase the friction between the robot and the step sidewall, prevent the robot from slipping, and enable the robot to move smoothly on the step sidewall. When the robot's pitch angle is detected to be decreasing, it is next necessary to control the robot to move to the target platform. In order for the robot to move smoothly down to the target platform, it is necessary to reduce the thrust applied by the water pump to the robot, that is, to reduce the power of the water pump. Since the adsorption force between the robot and the side wall of the step is related to the power of the water pump, when the power of the water pump is reduced, the adsorption force between the robot and the side wall of the step will also be reduced. The reduction in adsorption force makes it easier to better control the robot to move more stably to the target platform.

[0055] The control method further includes updating a step count of the automatic pool cleaning device when at least a portion of the automatic pool cleaning device reaches the target platform.

[0056] Specifically, when controlling the robot to climb or descend stairs, the robot's step count is updated each time it reaches a stair platform. If the robot is climbing, the step count is updated by adding one to the existing step count; if the robot is descending, the step count is updated by subtracting one from the existing step count. By updating the step count during climbing, the total number of steps can be determined, allowing for further refinement of the pool map information. By updating the step count during descent, the remaining number of steps can be determined, allowing for confirmation of whether all steps have been descended.

[0057] Wherein, before the automatic pool cleaning device moves upward on the side wall of the step, the control method further includes: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move forward or backward, and when it is determined during the movement that the pitch angle of the automatic pool cleaning device is greater than a predetermined threshold, controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move upward to the side wall of the step.

[0058] Specifically, before controlling the robot to move upward on the sidewall of the step, it is necessary to control the robot to crawl onto the sidewall of the step, that is, to control the robot to move forward or backward on the pool bottom or the previous step platform. Forward movement refers to the robot moving forward, and backward movement refers to the robot moving backward. During the robot's movement, if the robot's pitch angle is determined to be greater than a predetermined threshold, it means that the front end of the robot has crawled onto the sidewall of the step, causing the robot's posture to change. At this time, the robot can be controlled to move upward so that the robot is completely located on the sidewall of the step.

[0059] It is understandable that when the robot moves onto an obstacle (such as a ground lamp) during movement, the robot's posture will also change, causing the robot's pitch angle to increase. However, since the side walls of the steps are perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the bottom of the pool, when the robot encounters the side walls of the steps, its pitch angle changes significantly. Therefore, a predetermined threshold is set here to exclude the situation where the robot's pitch angle becomes larger due to other obstacles. Furthermore, if the robot's posture changes due to an obstacle, the robot's posture will quickly recover after crossing the obstacle, that is, the pitch angle will decrease again. Therefore, a predetermined time period can also be set on the basis of setting a predetermined threshold. When the robot's pitch angle is greater than the predetermined threshold and the duration meets the predetermined time period, it can be more accurately determined that the robot encountered a step rather than an obstacle.

[0060] Wherein, before the automatic pool cleaning device moves downward on the side wall of the step, the control method further includes: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move forward or backward, and when it is determined during the movement that the pitch angle of the automatic pool cleaning device is greater than a preset threshold, controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move downward to the side wall of the step.

[0061] Specifically, before controlling the robot to move downward on the side wall of the step, it is necessary to control the robot to move downward onto the side wall of the step first, that is, to control the robot to move forward or backward on the step platform corresponding to the side wall of the step, wherein forward movement refers to the robot moving forward, and backward movement refers to the robot moving backward. For example, if the robot goes up the steps by moving forward, then the robot can be controlled to go down the steps by moving backward; if the robot goes up the steps by moving backward, then the robot can be controlled to go down the steps by moving forward. During the movement of the robot, if it is determined that the pitch angle of the robot is greater than a predetermined threshold, it means that the front end of the robot tilts downward and begins to approach the side wall of the step, thereby causing a change in the robot's posture. At this time, the robot can be controlled to move downward so that the entire robot is located on the side wall of the step.

[0062] It is understandable that when the robot moves onto an obstacle (such as a wall lamp) during movement, the robot's posture will also change, causing the robot's pitch angle to increase. However, since the side walls of the steps are perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the bottom of the pool, when the robot encounters the side walls of the steps, its pitch angle changes significantly. Therefore, a predetermined threshold is set here to exclude the situation where the robot's pitch angle becomes larger due to other obstacles. Furthermore, if the robot's posture changes due to an obstacle, the robot's posture will quickly recover after crossing the obstacle, that is, the pitch angle will decrease again. Therefore, a predetermined time period can also be set on the basis of setting a predetermined threshold. When the robot's pitch angle is greater than the predetermined threshold and the duration meets the predetermined time period, it can be more accurately determined that the robot encountered a step rather than an obstacle.

[0063] Exemplarily, during the process of the robot going down the stairs, controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move forward or backward includes: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move forward for a first time, and when the pool cleaning device is in a stable state after the first forward movement, controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move forward for a second time; wherein the distance of the second forward movement is greater than the distance of the first forward movement; or, controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move backward for a first time, and when the pool cleaning device is in a stable state after the first backward movement, controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move backward for a second time; wherein the distance of the second backward movement is greater than the distance of the first backward movement.

[0064] Specifically, in the process of controlling the robot to move forward or backward on the step platform corresponding to the step side wall, the robot can be controlled to move multiple times, for example, the robot can be controlled to move twice. Taking forward movement as an example, the robot can be controlled to move forward twice, and the distance of the second forward movement is made longer than the distance of the first forward movement. In this way, the robot can be controlled to move forward a relatively short distance the first time. If the robot remains in a stable state after moving, it means that the robot has not moved to the junction of the step side wall and the step platform after the first forward movement. In this case, the robot can be controlled to move forward a relatively long distance the second time so that the robot can move to the junction of the step side wall and the step platform as quickly as possible. It is understandable that if the robot is in an unsteady state after controlling the robot to move forward the first time, it means that the robot has moved to the junction of the step side wall and the step platform. In this case, there is no need to control the robot to move a second time.

[0065] Among them, in the case of controlling the robot to climb the stairs, the control method also includes: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to continue moving in the current direction of travel on the target platform, and determining that the automatic pool cleaning device moves to the highest step platform when the moving distance of the automatic pool cleaning device meets the first predetermined distance or the automatic pool cleaning device is at least partially located on the water surface.

[0066] For example, when controlling the robot to climb stairs, after the robot reaches the target platform, the robot is controlled to continue moving on the target platform in the current direction of travel. During the movement, the robot's movement distance is detected. If the movement distance meets a first predetermined distance, it can be determined that the robot has moved to the highest step platform, that is, the robot has climbed all the steps. The first predetermined distance can be determined based on the size of the swimming pool and the size of the steps. Alternatively, while controlling the robot to continue moving on the target platform in the current direction of travel, the water outlet sensor can be used to monitor in real time whether the robot is out of the water. If the robot is at least partially located above the water surface, it indicates that the robot has emerged from the water by climbing the steps, that is, the robot has climbed all the steps. Of course, other methods can also be used to determine whether the robot has climbed the steps, which is not specifically limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0067] Among them, when controlling the robot to go down the stairs, the control method also includes: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to continue moving in the current direction of travel on the target platform, and determining that the automatic pool cleaning device has moved to the bottom of the pool when the automatic pool cleaning device is in a stable state after moving a second predetermined distance, or when the step count of the automatic pool cleaning device is reset to zero.

[0068] For example, when the robot is controlled to descend stairs, after reaching the target platform, it is controlled to continue moving on the target platform in the current direction of travel. During this movement, the robot's travel distance is detected. If the robot remains stable after moving a second predetermined distance, it can be determined that the robot has moved to the lowest step, i.e., the robot has descended all steps and is currently located at the pool bottom. The second predetermined distance can be determined based on the size of the step platform. Alternatively, while the robot is controlled to continue moving on the target platform in the current direction of travel, the robot's step count can be used to determine whether the robot has reached the pool bottom. If the step count is reset to zero, it can be determined that the robot has descended all steps and is currently located at the pool bottom.

[0069] The control method of the automatic pool cleaning device provided in the present application monitors the pitch angle of the automatic pool cleaning device during the process of controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move upward along the side wall of the step. Based on the pitch angle, the degree of crawling of the robot on the side wall of the step can be known. Further, when the pitch angle of the automatic pool cleaning device becomes smaller, it can be determined that the robot has partially detached from the side wall of the step and its posture is difficult to control. At this time, the posture of the automatic pool cleaning device can be adjusted by adjusting the thrust of the water flow propulsion device, so that at least part of the automatic pool cleaning device can reach the target platform smoothly, and further the robot can go up and down the steps smoothly.

[0070] According to a second aspect of the present application, an automatic pool cleaning device is also provided. The automatic pool cleaning device is capable of implementing the control method described in the various embodiments above. The principles and schemes of the control method are described above in conjunction with the various embodiments and drawings, and will not be repeated here.

[0071] According to the third aspect of the present application, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is also provided, on which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it is implemented to execute the control method of the automatic pool cleaning device provided in the above-mentioned embodiments, and the control method includes: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move on the step side wall; monitoring the pitch angle of the automatic pool cleaning device during the movement of the automatic pool cleaning device on the step side wall; when the pitch angle becomes smaller, adjusting the thrust of the water flow propulsion device so that at least a part of the automatic pool cleaning device reaches the target platform, and the target platform includes a step platform or a pool bottom. The principle and scheme of the control method are described above in combination with the various embodiments and drawings, and will not be repeated here.

[0072] In a fourth aspect, the present application also provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program, which can be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the computer can execute the control method of the automatic pool cleaning device provided by the above methods, and the control method includes: controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move on the step side wall; monitoring the pitch angle of the automatic pool cleaning device during the movement of the automatic pool cleaning device on the step side wall; when the pitch angle becomes smaller, adjusting the thrust of the water flow propulsion device so that at least a part of the automatic pool cleaning device reaches the target platform, and the target platform includes a step platform or the bottom of the pool. The principle and scheme of the control method refer to the control method described above in combination with the various embodiments and drawings, and will not be repeated here.

[0073] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, i.e., they may be located in one location or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules may be selected based on actual needs to achieve the objectives of the present embodiment. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will be able to understand and implement the present invention without inventive effort.

[0074] Through the description of the above embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that each embodiment can be implemented by means of software plus a necessary general hardware platform, or of course, by hardware. Based on this understanding, the essence of the above technical solution or the part that contributes to the existing technology can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as ROM / RAM, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, etc., and includes a number of instructions for enabling a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in each embodiment or certain parts of the embodiments.

[0075] In the description of this specification, the reference terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples" mean that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as features of different embodiments or examples, unless they are mutually inconsistent.

[0076] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. Throughout the description of this application, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0077] In this application, unless otherwise specified, directional words such as "up" and "down" are generally used with respect to the directions shown in the drawings, or with respect to the vertical, perpendicular or gravity directions; similarly, for ease of understanding and description, "left" and "right" are generally used with respect to the left and right shown in the drawings; "inside" and "outside" refer to the inside and outside relative to the outline of each component itself, but the above directional words are not used to limit this application.

[0078] The above is merely an exemplary embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various modifications or substitutions within the technical scope described in this application, and such modifications or substitutions should be included in the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an automatic pool cleaning device, wherein the automatic pool cleaning device is used to clean a pool, wherein the bottom of the pool has at least one step, wherein the step includes a step sidewall and a step platform, the control method comprising: Controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move on the side wall of the step; monitoring the pitch angle of the automatic pool cleaning device during its movement on the sidewall of the step; When the pitch angle becomes smaller, the thrust of the water flow propulsion device is adjusted so that at least a portion of the automatic pool cleaning device reaches a target platform, which includes a step platform or a pool bottom.

2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein: If the automatic pool cleaning device is currently moving upward on the side wall of the step, then adjusting the thrust of the water flow propulsion device includes: Increase the thrust of the water flow propulsion device in the forward direction of the automatic pool cleaning device.

3. The control method according to claim 2, wherein: While increasing the thrust of the water flow propulsion device in the forward direction of the automatic pool cleaning device, the speed of the automatic pool cleaning device is reduced.

4. The control method according to claim 1, wherein: If the automatic pool cleaning device is currently moving downward on the side wall of the step, adjusting the thrust of the water flow propulsion device includes: The thrust applied by the water flow propulsion device to the automatic pool cleaning device is reduced.

5. The control method according to claim 1, further comprising: In a case where at least a portion of the automatic pool cleaning device reaches the target platform, a step count of the automatic pool cleaning device is updated.

6. The control method according to claim 2, wherein: Before the automatic pool cleaning device moves upward on the side wall of the step, the control method further includes: The automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to move forward or backward, and when it is determined that the pitch angle of the automatic pool cleaning device is greater than a predetermined threshold during the movement, the automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to move upward to the side wall of the step.

7. The control method according to claim 4, wherein: Before the automatic pool cleaning device moves downward on the side wall of the step, the control method further includes: The automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to move forward or backward. When it is determined that the pitch angle of the automatic pool cleaning device is greater than a preset threshold during the movement, the automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to move downward to the side wall of the step.

8. The control method according to claim 7, wherein: The method of controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move forward or backward includes: Controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move forward for a first time, and when the pool cleaning device is in a stable state after the first forward movement, controlling the automatic pool cleaning device to move forward for a second time; wherein the distance of the second forward movement is greater than the distance of the first forward movement; or The automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to move backward for the first time, and when the pool cleaning device is in a stable state after the first backward movement, the automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to move backward for the second time; wherein the distance of the second backward movement is greater than the distance of the first backward movement.

9. The control method according to claim 2, wherein: The control method further includes: The automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to continue moving in the current direction of travel on the target platform. When the moving distance of the automatic pool cleaning device meets the first predetermined distance, or the automatic pool cleaning device is at least partially located on the water surface, it is determined that the automatic pool cleaning device moves to the highest step platform.

10. The control method according to claim 4, wherein: The control method further includes: The automatic pool cleaning device is controlled to continue moving in the current direction of travel on the target platform. When the automatic pool cleaning device is in a stable state after moving a second predetermined distance, or when the step count of the automatic pool cleaning device is reset to zero, it is determined that the automatic pool cleaning device has moved to the bottom of the pool.

11. An automatic pool cleaning device, wherein: The automatic pool cleaning device can execute the control method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A computer storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program is executed by a processor to implement the control method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

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