Control method and device of cleaning robot, cleaning robot, equipment and medium

Abstract

The application provides a cleaning robot control method and device, a cleaning robot, equipment and a medium, and relates to the technical field of cleaning equipment. The method comprises the following steps: in the process of moving the cleaning robot from a first plane to a second plane, controlling the cleaning robot to travel to a target position at a first distance from the junction of the first plane and the second plane, determining first size information of the second plane based on a first sensor; the second plane is lower than the first plane; controlling an auxiliary wheel to be in a first position, determining second size information and / or surface feature information of the second plane based on a second sensor; and determining whether the cleaning robot moves from the first plane to the second plane based on the information detected by the two sensors. By detecting at the target position and fusing and correcting the multi-angle information detected by the two sensors, the second plane condition is accurately identified and the next decision is determined, the misjudgment and the missed judgment are reduced, and the completion efficiency of the task is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of cleaning equipment technology, and in particular to a control method, device, cleaning robot, equipment and medium for a cleaning robot. Background Technology

[0002] Autonomous mobile cleaning robots, such as robotic vacuum cleaners, have become one of the core devices in smart homes, capable of cleaning without human intervention. However, the safe handling of "cliff-like" terrain such as stairs and steps by robotic vacuum cleaners is one of the urgent problems to be solved.

[0003] In existing technologies, robotic vacuum cleaners generally use a single cliff sensor to tentatively descend stairs. That is, the cliff sensor detects whether there is a height difference in front, such as steps. When the cliff sensor detects that the signal of the cleaning surface in front has disappeared, the robotic vacuum cleaner determines that there is a cliff in front, and then immediately controls the robot to back up or turn to avoid falling.

[0004] However, when using a single cliff sensor for exploratory steps, it is prone to misjudgment due to the susceptibility of the clean surface material, such as mistaking a dark floor for a cliff or missing a real step, resulting in low task execution efficiency and the risk of falling. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a control method, device, cleaning robot, equipment, and medium for a cleaning robot. By utilizing sensors with different scanning field of view angles for collaborative detection and linkage with a liftable mechanical structure, it effectively solves the problem of misjudgment and missed judgment caused by the interference of the cleaning surface material by a single sensor, and avoids the risk of falling or getting stuck due to blindly descending the steps. This allows the cleaning robot to obtain multi-dimensional accurate information by actively raising its body in a safe position, thereby achieving intelligent and reliable descent decision-making, significantly improving task execution efficiency and overall safety.

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a control method for a cleaning robot. The cleaning robot includes a body, auxiliary wheels, a first sensor, and a second sensor. The first sensor is located at the front end of the body, and the second sensor is positioned below the first sensor for scanning from a top-down angle. The auxiliary wheels have a first position that supports the body and raises it to a first height, and a second position that retracts inside the body. The method includes:

[0007] During the process of the cleaning robot moving from the first plane to the second plane, the robot is controlled to travel to the target position, and the first dimension information of the second plane is determined based on the first sensor; at the target position, the boundary between the first plane and the second plane is a first distance away from the robot body; the second plane is lower than the first plane;

[0008] The auxiliary wheel is controlled to be in the first position, and the second dimension information and / or surface feature information of the second plane are determined based on the second sensor;

[0009] Based on the first dimension information, as well as the second dimension information and / or surface feature information, it is determined whether the cleaning robot has moved from the first plane to the second plane.

[0010] Therefore, compared to existing methods that use a single cliff sensor for tentative descent, which suffer from misjudgments and missed judgments due to material interference from a single sensor, as well as falls or getting stuck due to blind exploration, this application achieves multi-dimensional and multi-angle cross-verification of the terrain by fusing the first dimension information from the first sensor and the precise second dimension information and / or surface feature information obtained by the second sensor after elevation. This effectively identifies and eliminates optical artifacts caused by dark floors, reflections, or complex textures, significantly improving the accuracy of identification and effectively reducing misjudgments and missed judgments. Furthermore, by extending the auxiliary wheels to the first position to elevate the body for precise detection, it can actively and accurately assess the true height between the first and second planes (steps) and the condition of the second plane without risking descent. This allows the cleaning robot to pre-judge the feasibility of descent without risking any falls during exploration. By simply performing a remote scan at the target location, it can accurately assess the feasibility of descent from a safe position, avoiding getting stuck or falling due to blind descent. Furthermore, this application ensures that the cleaning robot is in an absolutely safe state during the detection phase by pre-setting the target location and the first distance, thus avoiding the risk of falling from the edge of the steps.

[0011] In this way, through accurate identification and safe decision-making mechanisms, it is ensured that the cleaning robot can reliably enter the second plane to perform tasks, avoiding ineffective detours caused by misjudgment, and preventing downtime due to accidents, thereby improving the overall work efficiency and reliability of task execution.

[0012] It should also be noted that the cleaning robot makes a quick preliminary judgment at the target location based on the first sensor. If the first sensor does not detect any suspended signal, it may mean that there is no second plane. In this case, the cleaning robot can avoid initiating a more complex lifting and detection process, thus saving time and energy.

[0013] Optionally, the auxiliary wheel is in the first position, including:

[0014] The control wheel is switched from the second position to the first position.

[0015] Therefore, this application controls the auxiliary wheels to switch from a second position to a first position when the cleaning robot is in the target location, ensuring that they only extend when the specific task of detection is required. This avoids the auxiliary wheels being exposed and stressed for extended periods in non-downward scenarios, such as cleaning tasks or avoiding low obstacles, reducing unnecessary wear, energy consumption, and the risk of damage from accidental collisions, thus helping to improve the overall energy efficiency and lifespan of the cleaning robot. Furthermore, keeping the auxiliary wheels in the retracted second position in non-downward scenarios also ensures that the ground clearance and overall profile of the cleaning robot remain unchanged. This guarantees the cleaning robot's normal mobility in low spaces such as under tables and chairs, avoiding potential reduced mobility or jamming problems caused by the auxiliary wheels being extended for extended periods.

[0016] Furthermore, a clear position switching control from the second position to the first position ensures that the cleaning robot can be stably and reliably raised to the first height during detection. This determinism provides a stable and consistent detection platform for the second sensor, improving the determinism and stability of the detection action.

[0017] Optionally, determining the second dimension information and / or surface feature information of the second plane based on the second sensor includes:

[0018] Control the cleaning robot to perform lateral reciprocating motion at the target location;

[0019] Under at least two different poses of lateral reciprocating motion, the second dimension information and / or surface feature information of the second plane are determined based on the second sensor.

[0020] In this way, by scanning the second sensor from different lateral positions, the second plane's second-dimensional information and / or surface feature information can be obtained from multiple angles. This multi-view data helps the cleaning robot more accurately determine the three-dimensional morphology of the second plane, especially for second planes with uneven surfaces or complex contours, effectively reducing blind spots and errors from single-point detection. Furthermore, this application, by fusing data collected from different poses, can cross-verify and compensate for errors or noise that may exist at individual measurement points. This processing method can more accurately calculate parameters such as flatness and slope, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of decision-making.

[0021] Furthermore, lateral movement allows the second sensor to observe the second plane from different angles. Observation from different angles helps to better identify the material, texture, and presence of obstacles on the second plane. For example, observing from multiple angles can reduce interference from specular reflections or dark light-absorbing materials on the sensor.

[0022] Optionally, the method also includes:

[0023] Before the first sensor scans the second plane, the orientation of the cleaning robot is adjusted so that the scanning field of view of the first sensor at least covers the second plane;

[0024] And / or, before the second sensor scans the second plane, adjust the orientation of the cleaning robot so that the scanning field of view of the second sensor at least covers the second plane.

[0025] In this way, by pre-adjusting the robot's orientation before the sensor scans the second plane, it is ensured that the sensor can effectively detect the target area to be probed. This avoids incomplete or invalid scanning data due to poor initial positioning, improving the completeness and effectiveness of data acquisition. This pre-adjustment mechanism creates a suitable detection starting point for the cleaning robot to collect data, enhancing the accuracy of the robot's detection in complex environments, thereby indirectly improving the accuracy of subsequent size calculations and surface feature recognition.

[0026] Optionally, based on the first dimension information, and the second dimension information and / or surface feature information, determining whether the cleaning robot has moved from the first plane to the second plane includes:

[0027] When the first dimension information, the second dimension information, and / or surface feature information meet the first preset conditions, the cleaning robot is controlled to move from the first plane to the second plane.

[0028] Thus, for scenarios where the height difference between the second and first planes is significant, the terrain of the second plane is complex, or the second plane is uneven, and the second dimension information and / or surface feature information meets the first preset conditions, this application improves the descent capability by controlling the auxiliary wheels to be in the first position and performing a descent motion from the first plane to the second plane, thereby enhancing the cleaning robot's passability when moving from the first plane to the second plane. Furthermore, by maintaining the body elevated during the descent motion, the ground clearance of the chassis is increased, effectively preventing the bottom of the body or components from scraping or colliding with the edge of the step during descent, preventing jamming or damage, and improving the safety of the cleaning robot's operation.

[0029] Optionally, the cleaning robot also includes an auxiliary support and a rotating mechanism, with auxiliary wheels located at one end of the auxiliary support and the other end of the auxiliary support connected to the main body via the rotating mechanism; controlling the cleaning robot to move from the first plane to the second plane includes:

[0030] Using an auxiliary support as a support rod, the robot body is controlled to rotate gradually based on a rotating mechanism, so that the cleaning robot can move from the first plane to the second plane.

[0031] In this way, based on the design of the rotating mechanism, the process of the cleaning robot moving from the first plane to the second plane is transformed into a rotational motion around the rotating mechanism. This achieves a stable landing with reduced speed and impact, avoiding the risk of the cleaning robot tipping over and improving the controllability and smoothness of the descent. Furthermore, this process does not rely on the traction of the drive wheels, allowing the cleaning robot to safely move to the second plane with the help of auxiliary wheels, preventing the drive wheels from slipping during descent. This lever-rotation principle enables the cleaning robot to safely traverse higher steps, greatly expanding its applicability.

[0032] Optionally, the cleaning robot also includes omnidirectional wheels located on the front side of the body, the omnidirectional wheels having a third position where they are partially retracted inside the body and in contact with the cleaning surface, and a fourth position where they support the front end of the body to be raised to a second height; controlling the cleaning robot to move from the first plane to the second plane includes:

[0033] During the process of the cleaning robot moving from the first plane to the second plane, the omnidirectional wheel is controlled to be in the fourth position so that the omnidirectional wheel in the fourth position contacts the second plane to form a transition support point;

[0034] With the support of the transition support point, the cleaning robot continues to move until it completes the movement from the first plane to the second plane.

[0035] Because the casters make contact with the second plane in advance and form a transition support point, the risk of loss of control of the robot body during the moment of forward tilt is effectively prevented, making the center of gravity transfer more stable and enhancing the stability of the transition phase. This effectively avoids collisions or damage to the front of the cleaning robot body. Furthermore, by having the casters make contact with the second plane in advance and bear part of the support, the tilt angle of the robot body can be adjusted, preventing the bottom or rear of the robot body from scraping against the edge of the first plane when descending, thus reducing the risk of chassis collision.

[0036] In this way, as the cleaning robot moves from the first plane to the second plane, controlling the omnidirectional wheels to be in the fourth position ensures sufficient ground clearance for the front of the robot. This prevents the bottom of the front of the robot or the cleaning components from scraping or colliding with the edge of the step during descent. It also improves landing stability and distributes the force supported by the auxiliary wheels, preventing the weight from being concentrated on the auxiliary wheels and causing damage. This design allows the cleaning robot to safely traverse steps with significant drops or uneven second planes, enhancing its ability to handle complex terrain.

[0037] Optionally, the cleaning robot also includes omnidirectional wheels located on the front side of the body, the omnidirectional wheels having a third position where they are partially retracted inside the body and in contact with the cleaning surface, and a fourth position where they support the front end of the body to be raised to a second height; after controlling the auxiliary wheels to be in the first position, the method further includes:

[0038] Position the swivel wheels to the fourth position.

[0039] In this way, by raising the foremost omnidirectional wheel structure to a second height higher than the auxiliary wheel structure, the entire fuselage achieves a stable posture with a specific elevation angle. This allows it to scan the second plane from a better top-down angle, thereby acquiring surface feature information and / or dimensional information of the second plane more accurately and reliably. Furthermore, with the auxiliary wheel structure already raising the fuselage, the omnidirectional wheel structure extends further to a fourth position, providing support for the fuselage and effectively adding a stable fulcrum at the front. This arrangement of the omnidirectional wheel and auxiliary wheel forms a more stable triangular support structure, effectively counteracting the recoil generated by the drive wheels during climbing or disturbances caused by uneven cleaning surfaces, significantly suppressing longitudinal sway of the fuselage, and providing a stable platform for sensor detection and subsequent obstacle-crossing maneuvers.

[0040] Optionally, determining the first dimension information of the second plane based on the first sensor includes:

[0041] Control the cleaning robot to perform lateral reciprocating motion at the target location;

[0042] In at least two different poses of lateral reciprocating motion, the first dimension information of the second plane is determined based on the first sensor.

[0043] In this way, by detecting the first dimension information of the second plane from different lateral positions, the first dimension information of the second plane can be calculated more accurately, effectively reducing dimensional misjudgments caused by single-point measurement errors or sensor noise, and improving the accuracy of dimension measurement. Furthermore, the lateral reciprocating movement of the cleaning robot also allows the second sensor to scan the contour changes of the second plane's sides. For irregular cuboid second planes such as cylinders or trapezoids, this detection method can capture changes in width or the tilt of the sides, thereby enhancing the contour recognition capability for irregularly shaped second planes.

[0044] Furthermore, by fusing data collected from different poses, cross-verification and compensation can be achieved. For example, if data collected from a certain point is abnormal due to reflection issues, it can be corrected by data collected from other normal points. This processing method improves the success rate and reliability of detecting the first dimension information of the second plane.

[0045] Optionally, the method also includes:

[0046] During the process of the cleaning robot moving from the first plane to the second plane, if it is detected that it has not moved to the second plane for more than a preset time and / or the tilt angle of the robot body is greater than a preset angle threshold, a first prompt message is generated.

[0047] In this way, by adding a safety barrier during the cleaning robot's movement from the first plane to the second plane, problems such as motor stalling, structural damage, or tipping over can be prevented from occurring if the robot continues to perform erroneous actions while stuck or in a dangerous posture, thus improving the safety of the descent process. Furthermore, it enables the cleaning robot to cope with more complex and uncertain environments, enhancing its fault tolerance and reliability in the face of unexpected situations throughout the descent process. In addition, the aforementioned detection mechanism can detect problems in their early stages and immediately notify the user with an initial warning message, achieving early detection and early warning of faults and improving the user experience.

[0048] Optionally, based on the first dimension information, and the second dimension information and / or surface feature information, determining whether the cleaning robot has moved from the first plane to the second plane includes:

[0049] If the first dimension information, the second dimension information, and / or surface feature information do not meet the first preset condition, and it is determined that the cleaning robot cannot move from the first plane to the second plane, then the cleaning robot is controlled to remain on the first plane, and a second prompt message is generated.

[0050] In this way, after the cleaning robot compares the first dimension information, the second dimension information, and / or surface feature information with the safe descent conditions (first preset conditions) requiring the use of auxiliary wheels, and confirms that descent is impossible, the cleaning robot will abandon the descent attempt and remain on the safe first plane, while generating a second prompt message. This ensures that the cleaning robot will not attempt dangerous descents when faced with hazardous environments beyond its capabilities, avoiding the risk of damage or getting trapped. Furthermore, by generating the second prompt message, the user is informed of the cleaning robot's status and decision, avoiding confusion caused by the robot's inaction and prompting the user to make necessary manual intervention, demonstrating the intelligence of human-computer interaction.

[0051] Secondly, this application provides a control device for a cleaning robot. The cleaning robot includes a body, auxiliary wheels, a first sensor, and a second sensor. The first sensor is located at the front end of the body, and the second sensor is positioned lower than the first sensor for scanning from a top-down angle. The auxiliary wheels have a first position that supports the body and raises it to a first height, and a second position that retracts inside the body. The device includes:

[0052] The first control module is used to control the cleaning robot to move to the target position during the process of the cleaning robot moving from the first plane to the second plane, and to determine the first dimension information of the second plane based on the first sensor; at the target position, the boundary between the first plane and the second plane is a first distance away from the robot body; the second plane is lower than the first plane;

[0053] The second control module is used to control the auxiliary wheel to be in the first position and to determine the second dimension information and / or surface feature information of the second plane based on the second sensor.

[0054] The determination module is used to determine whether the cleaning robot has moved from the first plane to the second plane based on the first size information, the second size information and / or surface feature information.

[0055] Thirdly, this application provides a cleaning robot, which includes a body, auxiliary wheels, a first sensor and a second sensor. The first sensor is located at the front end of the body, and the second sensor is positioned below the first sensor for scanning from a top-down angle. The auxiliary wheels have a first position that supports the body to be raised to a first height and a second position that is retracted inside the body. The cleaning robot is used to perform the method as described in any of the first aspects.

[0056] Fourthly, this application provides an electronic device, including: a processor, and a memory communicatively connected to the processor;

[0057] The memory stores the instructions that the computer executes;

[0058] The processor executes computer-executable instructions stored in memory to implement the method as described in any of the first aspects.

[0059] Fifthly, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, are used to implement the method as described in any of the first aspects.

[0060] Sixthly, this application provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method as described in any of the first aspects.

[0061] It should be noted that the second to sixth aspects of this application correspond to the technical solutions of the first aspect of this application, and the beneficial effects achieved by each aspect and the corresponding feasible implementation are similar, and will not be repeated here.

[0062] The cleaning robot control method, device, robot, equipment, and medium provided in this application control the cleaning robot to a safe position (target position) at a first distance from the boundary between a first and second plane (such as the edge of a step). Using a first sensor located at the front of the robot, the robot performs an initial detection of the lower second plane, acquiring its first dimensional information, such as relative distance and approximate height difference, thus completing an initial assessment of the terrain. Since the accuracy of the initial detection may have errors in some angles or fields of view, the auxiliary wheels are further controlled to a first position, raising the robot to a first height. This allows the lower-positioned second sensor to scan the second plane from a top-down angle, thereby acquiring more accurate second dimensional information and / or surface feature information. Furthermore, by combining the first dimensional information obtained from the first sensor and the accurate second dimensional information and / or surface feature information obtained from the second sensor, a comprehensive analysis of the second plane is performed, and a decision is made based on the analysis results regarding whether the cleaning robot should move forward. Since the second sensor may also experience false detections or anomalies, by fusing the first dimension information from the first sensor and the precise second dimension information and / or surface feature information from the second sensor, the two sets of information are integrated and corrected to overcome the shortcomings of a single sensor being susceptible to interference from the material and color of the cleaning surface. This effectively distinguishes between a real cliff and an optical artifact, thereby significantly reducing false alarms and missed detections. Furthermore, by actively raising the robot body at a safe position (target position) and conducting multi-angle detection, a pre-assessment of the second plane's condition is achieved. This allows the cleaning robot to wisely determine whether it is suitable to descend without taking risks, avoiding the risk of getting stuck or falling due to blindly descending steps. Thus, by accurately identifying the second plane's condition and determining a safe descent decision, the cleaning robot can reliably move to the lower area to perform its tasks, while avoiding unnecessary detours due to misjudgments or downtime due to accidents, thereby improving task completion efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0063] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0064] Figure 1 This is a partial structural diagram of a cleaning robot provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0065] Figure 2 This is a partial structural diagram of another cleaning robot provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0066] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a cleaning robot provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0067] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of another cleaning robot provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0068] Figure 5 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of another cleaning robot provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0069] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of another cleaning robot provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0070] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of an application scenario provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0071] Figure 8 A flowchart illustrating a control method for a cleaning robot provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0072] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a control device for a cleaning robot provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0073] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0074] The accompanying drawings illustrate specific embodiments of this application, which will be described in more detail below. These drawings and descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the concept in any way, but rather to illustrate the concept of this application to those skilled in the art through reference to particular embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0075] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0076] To facilitate a clear description of the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used in the embodiments of this application to distinguish identical or similar items with essentially the same function and effect. For example, "first sensor" and "second sensor" are used only to distinguish different sensors and do not limit their order. Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or execution order, and the terms "first" and "second" do not necessarily imply that they are different.

[0077] It should be noted that, in this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is being described as an example, illustration, or illustration. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design solutions. Specifically, the use of terms such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner.

[0078] In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0079] In existing technologies, robotic vacuum cleaners generally use a single cliff sensor to tentatively descend stairs. That is, the cliff sensor detects whether there is a height difference in front, such as steps. When the cliff sensor detects that the signal of the cleaning surface in front has disappeared, the robotic vacuum cleaner determines that there is a cliff in front, and then immediately controls the robot to back up or turn to avoid falling.

[0080] However, when using a single cliff sensor for exploratory steps, it is prone to misjudgment due to the susceptibility of the clean surface material, such as mistaking a dark floor for a cliff or missing a real step, resulting in low task execution efficiency and the risk of falling.

[0081] It should be noted that if the height of the step and the conditions below it cannot be accurately detected, the robot vacuum cleaner may get stuck or face the risk of falling if it blindly attempts to descend if the step is too high or unsuitable for descent. Therefore, the aforementioned single, trial-and-error strategy is insufficient in terms of adaptability and reliability in complex home environments.

[0082] To address the aforementioned issues, this application provides a control method for a cleaning robot. The method involves controlling the cleaning robot to travel to a safe position (the target position) at a first distance from the boundary between a first and second plane (e.g., the edge of a step). Using a first sensor located at the front of the robot, the lower second plane is initially probed to obtain its first dimensional information, such as relative distance and approximate height difference, thus completing an initial assessment of the terrain. Since the accuracy of the initial probe may have errors in some angles or fields of view, the auxiliary wheels are further positioned in a first position, raising the robot to a first height. This allows the lower-positioned second sensor to scan the second plane from a top-down angle, thereby obtaining more accurate second dimensional information and / or surface feature information. Furthermore, by combining the first dimensional information obtained from the first sensor and the accurate second dimensional information and / or surface feature information obtained from the second sensor, a comprehensive analysis of the second plane's condition is performed, and a decision is made based on the analysis results regarding whether the cleaning robot should move forward. Since the second sensor may also experience false detections or anomalies, by fusing the first dimension information from the first sensor and the precise second dimension information and / or surface feature information from the second sensor, the two sets of information are integrated and corrected to overcome the shortcomings of a single sensor being susceptible to interference from the material and color of the cleaning surface. This effectively distinguishes between a real cliff and an optical artifact, thereby significantly reducing false alarms and missed detections. Furthermore, by actively raising the robot body at a safe position (target position) and conducting multi-angle detection, a pre-assessment of the second plane's condition is achieved. This allows the cleaning robot to wisely determine whether it is suitable to descend without taking risks, avoiding the risk of getting stuck or falling due to blindly descending steps.

[0083] In this way, by accurately identifying the second plane condition and determining a safe descent decision, the cleaning robot can reliably move to the lower area to perform its tasks, while avoiding unnecessary detours due to misjudgment or downtime caused by accidents, thereby improving the efficiency of task completion.

[0084] It should be noted that the control method for the cleaning robot provided in this application is applied to cleaning robots, for example, Figure 1 This is a partial structural diagram of a cleaning robot provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 1 As shown, the cleaning robot 100 includes a body 101, auxiliary wheels 102, a first sensor 103 and a second sensor 104. The first sensor 103 is located at the front end of the body 101, and the second sensor 104 is positioned lower than the first sensor 103 for scanning from a top-down angle. The auxiliary wheels 102 have a first position that supports the body 101 to a first height and a second position that retracts inside the body 101.

[0085] The fuselage 101 can be circular, square, or other shapes, such as an irregular shape formed by combining parts of a circle and parts of a square. This application embodiment does not specifically limit the shape of the fuselage 101.

[0086] Optional, such as Figure 4 As shown, with the direction of travel of the cleaning robot 100 as the front, the first sensor 103 is located at the front of the body 101, and can be set on the side or top of the body 101. The first sensor 103 scans the environment in front at a level angle.

[0087] Since the second sensor 104 is positioned lower than the first sensor 103, the second sensor 104 can be positioned at the bottom or side of the body 101.

[0088] The auxiliary wheel 102 is a height-adjustable wheel used to provide temporary, additional support and lifting force during the movement from the first plane to the second plane. Because the auxiliary wheel 102 has a first position where it extends and moves downwards until it contacts the cleaning surface, thereby raising the front of the body 101 to a first height, and a second position where it retracts upwards and is stored inside the body 101 or close to the chassis of the body 101, when the auxiliary wheel 102 is in the first position, it can be ensured that after the body 101 is raised, the second sensor 104 has a sufficient downward angle to effectively scan the surface of the second plane, and even the depth of the second plane.

[0089] With the auxiliary wheel 102 in the second position, it does not affect the normal turning and movement of the cleaning robot 100, making it easy to travel efficiently on flat cleaning surfaces and enter low spaces.

[0090] It should be noted that the specific value corresponding to the first height is not limited in the embodiments of this application. It is only necessary to ensure that the front of the fuselage 101 can be stably supported and that the second sensor 104 has a sufficient downward angle to perform a full top scan of the obstacle.

[0091] For example, Figure 2 This is a partial structural diagram of another cleaning robot provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 2 As shown, the cleaning robot 100, in addition to having Figure 1 In addition to the structure shown, the cleaning robot 100 also includes a caster wheel 105 located on the front side of the body 101. The caster wheel 105 has a third position where it is partially retracted inside the body 101 and in contact with the cleaning surface, and a fourth position where it supports the front end of the body 101 to be raised to a second height; the second height is greater than the first height.

[0092] The second height can refer to the ground clearance significantly higher than the first height, formed by the caster wheel 105 raising the front of the fuselage 101 when it is extended to the fourth position. For example... Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a cleaning robot provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 3 As shown, the universal wheel 105 is in the fourth position. In this way, with the universal wheel 105 in the fourth position and the auxiliary wheel 102 in the first position, the stability of the body 101 can be maintained and the surface feature information of the second plane can be better obtained, preventing shaking. Moreover, the combination of the two can form a stable elevation angle, allowing the second sensor 104 to better capture the height information and / or surface feature information of the second plane.

[0093] Optionally, the caster wheel 105 is rotatably or retractably connected to the machine body 101 via a support rod. Thus, when the caster wheel 105 switches from the third position to the fourth position, the support rod of a certain length drives the caster wheel 105 to extend beyond the outside of the machine body 101 and move to a position such as... Figure 3 The fourth position is shown. Alternatively, the support rod is a shorter telescopic rod. During the process of the caster wheel 105 switching from the third position to the fourth position, the support rod drives the caster wheel 105 to extend outside the body 101, and controls the support rod to extend downwards to extend to the position shown. Figure 3 The fourth position is shown. This application embodiment does not specifically limit the structural configuration required for the caster wheel 105 to switch from the third position to the fourth position.

[0094] Understandably, when the caster wheel 105 switches from the fourth position to the third position, a support rod of a certain length moves the caster wheel 105 to retract into the body 101, causing part of the caster wheel 105's structure to retract into a more compact configuration. Figure 4 The third position shown. Alternatively, the support rod drives the caster wheel 105 to retract into the body 101, and controls the support rod to retract upwards, so as to retract to the position shown. Figure 4 The third position shown.

[0095] It should be noted that, Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of another cleaning robot provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 4 As shown, the bottom of the body 101 of the cleaning robot 100 is typically provided with a caster wheel 105 located on the vertical axis of the body 101 and near the front end of the body 101. On both sides of the body 101, near or located on the horizontal axis, drive wheels 108 are provided. The caster wheel 105 is used to change the direction of movement of the cleaning robot 100.

[0096] Optional, Figure 5 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of another cleaning robot provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 5 and Figure 4 As shown, the cleaning robot 100, in addition to having Figure 3 In addition to the structure shown, the cleaning robot 100 also includes an auxiliary support 106, with auxiliary wheels 102 mounted on the auxiliary support 106. The auxiliary support 106 is rotatable around the drive wheel 108, allowing the auxiliary wheels 102 to switch between a first position and a second position. Figure 4 In the middle, the auxiliary wheel 102 is in the first position.

[0097] Optional, such as Figure 5 As shown, the cleaning robot 100, in addition to having Figure 5 In addition to the structure shown, the cleaning robot 100 also includes a rotating mechanism 107. For example, Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of another cleaning robot provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 6 As shown, the other end of the auxiliary support 106 is connected to the body 101 through the rotating mechanism 107. In this way, the body 101 can rotate gradually based on the rotating mechanism 107. During the process of the cleaning robot 100 moving from the first plane to the second plane, the caster wheel 105 contacts the second plane.

[0098] In this way, during the descent of the cleaning robot 100, the gradual rotation allows for a smooth transition of the robot's center of gravity, enabling the caster wheels 105 to contact the lower second plane. This significantly reduces the impact, avoids the risk of the cleaning robot 100 tipping over, and achieves a smooth landing.

[0099] Optionally, the rotating mechanism 107 can be a servo motor or a motor with a reduction gear, etc. The specific structure of the rotating mechanism 107 is not limited in this application embodiment.

[0100] Optionally, the first sensor 103 can be a laser sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a vision sensor, a binocular camera, or an artificial intelligence (AI) camera, and the second sensor 104 can be an optical flow sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor, or a downward-looking sensor, etc. The acquisition angle of the second sensor 104 is not obstructed by the omnidirectional wheel 105, so the second sensor 104 can adjust its field of view by rotating.

[0101] For example, Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of an application scenario provided in an embodiment of this application, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the control method for the cleaning robot provided in this application can be applied to a home setting, which includes the cleaning robot 100 and the steps 200.

[0102] When the robot vacuum cleaner detects a cliff or step 200 ahead while performing its task on a flat surface, such as the living room floor, it will follow a predetermined path until it reaches a target position at a preset safe distance (first distance) from the edge of the step 200 and then stops.

[0103] The method of detecting the presence of a cliff ahead can be through sensors such as the cliff sensor, the first sensor 103, and the second sensor 104 set on the robot vacuum cleaner body 101, or it can be the cliff marked in advance on the cleaning map, or it can be determined based on user instructions. This application embodiment does not specifically limit the method of detecting the presence of a cliff ahead.

[0104] At the target location, the first sensor 103 at the front of its body 101 sends a detection signal to the step 200 below. Based on the returned signal, the robot's control system calculates the first dimension information of the step 200, for example, initially determining that there is a significant drop ahead and estimating a rough depth.

[0105] Furthermore, the control system controls the auxiliary wheel 102 to extend from inside the body 101 and be in a first position to raise the entire body 101 of the sweeping robot to a first height.

[0106] With the body 101 raised, the lower-positioned second sensor 104 obtains a top-down view and scans the area below the step 200. This allows it to collect secondary dimensional information about the step 200, such as its precise vertical height, and / or surface feature information, such as whether the area below the step 200 is wooden flooring or carpet, or whether there are any obstacles.

[0107] Furthermore, the control system will fuse and analyze the first dimension information, as well as the second dimension information and / or surface feature information, to determine whether the robot vacuum cleaner can descend the step 200.

[0108] Optionally, if the above analysis results indicate that the height of step 200 is within a safe range, and the next step 200 is flat and free of obstacles, then it is deemed safe and the descent can be performed.

[0109] Optionally, if the above analysis results indicate that step 200 is too high, or there are obstacles such as toys on the next step 200, or there is a contradiction in the information between the first sensor and the second sensor, then it is determined that descending is prohibited, and the robot vacuum cleaner is controlled to execute a detour or reverse command. Alternatively, the control system will control the auxiliary wheel 102 to be in the second position and continue to stay on the second plane, and generate a second prompt message, such as a voice prompt "step ahead is too high" or push a notification to the application (App) of the terminal device. This application embodiment does not specifically limit the strategy adopted after determining that descending is not possible; the above is only an example.

[0110] Optionally, in the event of a conflict between the information from the first sensor 103 and the second sensor 104, an analysis can be performed using a correction algorithm or AI model to obtain the analysis results, and then determine whether the robot vacuum cleaner can descend the step 200.

[0111] It should be noted that this application can also be applied to shopping malls, schools, and offices. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific application scenarios; the above are merely illustrative examples.

[0112] It should be noted that the cleaning robot 100 can be a sweeping robot, a mopping robot, a floor washing robot, a lawn mopping robot, etc. The embodiments of this application do not specifically limit the type of the cleaning robot 100, which can be any smart mobile device with cleaning function.

[0113] The technical solution of this application and how the technical solution of this application solves the above-mentioned technical problems are described in detail below with specific embodiments. These specific embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be described again in some embodiments. The embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0114] For example, Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating a control method for a cleaning robot provided in an embodiment of this application. The control method for the cleaning robot is applied to... Figures 1-6 The cleaning robot shown is, for example Figure 8 As shown, the control method for this cleaning robot includes the following steps:

[0115] S801. During the process of the cleaning robot moving from the first plane to the second plane, the cleaning robot is controlled to travel to the target position, and the first dimension information of the second plane is determined based on the first sensor; at the target position, the boundary between the first plane and the second plane is a first distance away from the body; the second plane is lower than the first plane.

[0116] In this embodiment, the first distance can refer to a safe interval between the body of the cleaning robot and the boundary between the first and second planes at the target location, such as the edge of a step. This first distance ensures that the body of the cleaning robot will not cross the edge of the step during the preparation and detection phases, while ensuring that the first sensor can effectively scan the surface area of ​​the second plane. This embodiment does not specifically limit the magnitude of the first distance; it can be determined based on the installation location or performance of the first sensor.

[0117] The first dimension information can refer to the preliminary geometric feature data of the second plane detected by the first sensor from the perspective of the front of the fuselage under standard traveling posture. Optionally, the first dimension information includes the height difference between the second plane and the first plane (i.e., height information), the width information of the second plane, and the horizontal distance from the leading edge of the second plane to the vertical surface of the step (i.e., depth information), etc.

[0118] It should be noted that because the observation angle of the first sensor is fixed, horizontal, or slightly downward, it cannot accurately measure the true vertical height between the second and first planes, and it is also difficult to determine the specific situation below the first plane, such as whether there are obstacles. The first sensor's observation angle has a blind spot.

[0119] Therefore, the initial size information is usually insufficient to make the final decision on safe descent, but it is a crucial trigger. Only if it indicates that there is indeed a significant drop ahead, i.e., the second plane is lower than the first plane, will the cleaning robot determine that descent is possible and then initiate the next step (S802) of the precise verification process.

[0120] For example, during the execution of a task, upon detecting a step ahead, the cleaning robot is controlled to move to a preset target position. At this target position, the robot's body maintains a specific distance from the edge of the step, such as a first distance of 10cm. Furthermore, a first sensor located at the front of the robot scans the plane beneath the step to perform a preliminary and rapid assessment of the step.

[0121] The task to be performed can be a cleaning task, a mapping task, a refilling task, etc. The specific type of task is not limited in the embodiments of this application.

[0122] S802, control the auxiliary wheel to be in the first position, and determine the second dimension information and / or surface feature information of the second plane based on the second sensor.

[0123] In this embodiment, the second dimension information may refer to the precise geometric feature data about the second plane detected by the second sensor based on the top-down angle after the fuselage is raised. The content of the second dimension information is similar to that of the first dimension information. For details, please refer to the description of the first dimension information in the above embodiment, which will not be repeated here. The difference between the two may be that the accuracy and data completeness of the second dimension information are higher than those of the first dimension information.

[0124] It should be noted that the first dimension information and the second dimension information are geometric parameters for determining whether the mechanical structure of the cleaning robot can safely complete the step-down action. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific content corresponding to the first dimension information and the second dimension information. The two contents can be the same or different.

[0125] Surface feature information refers to physical parameters that determine whether a cleaning robot can maintain stability and normal movement after landing, and whether there is a risk of tipping over. Optionally, surface feature information includes attributes such as the material, flatness, slope, and presence of obstacles on the second surface. For example, the material can be a hard floor, carpet, or soft ground, and obstacles can be toys, slippers, etc.

[0126] In this step, the auxiliary wheels are extended to raise the entire body to a first height. The second sensor, installed at the bottom or side of the body, is used to scan the plane below the step from a top-down viewing angle to determine the size information and / or surface feature information of the second plane.

[0127] Understandably, because the perspective changes from "eye-level" to "top-down," this scan can acquire more accurate and richer dimensional and / or surface feature information than the S801. When scanning the plane below the step using the first sensor, surface feature information of the second plane can also be obtained. However, since the second plane is lower than the first plane, its surface features are partially obscured. Therefore, the surface feature information obtained by the first sensor is incomplete, and is usually not used for subsequent analysis. However, in cases where the second sensor scan is abnormal or malfunctions, the surface feature information obtained by the first sensor can be included in the analysis when assessing whether the cleaning robot can move from the first plane to the second plane.

[0128] S803. Based on the first dimension information, the second dimension information and / or surface feature information, determine whether the cleaning robot has moved from the first plane to the second plane.

[0129] In this step, the acquired sensing information is compared with preset safety thresholds and motion capability parameters to determine whether movement from the first plane to the second plane is permissible. The sensing information includes any of the following: first dimension information and second dimension information; first dimension information and surface feature information; first dimension information, second dimension information, and surface feature information.

[0130] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not specifically limit the judgment method of the perceived information. For example, it can be the threshold comparison method mentioned above, or it can be a method of intelligent recognition and decision-making using a pre-trained recognition model, a decision-making method of matching and analyzing historical data and perceived information, or a decision-making method of comprehensive scoring by weighted fusion of multi-source sensor information.

[0131] Therefore, compared to existing methods that use a single cliff sensor for tentative descent, which suffer from misjudgments and missed judgments due to material interference from a single sensor, as well as falls or getting stuck due to blind exploration, this application achieves multi-dimensional and multi-angle cross-verification of the terrain by fusing the first dimension information from the first sensor and the precise second dimension information and / or surface feature information obtained by the second sensor after elevation. This effectively identifies and eliminates optical artifacts caused by dark floors, reflections, or complex textures, significantly improving the accuracy of identification and effectively reducing misjudgments and missed judgments. Furthermore, by extending the auxiliary wheels to the first position to elevate the body for precise detection, it can actively and accurately assess the true height between the first and second planes (steps) and the condition of the second plane without risking descent. This allows the cleaning robot to pre-judge the feasibility of descent without risking any falls during exploration. By simply performing a remote scan at the target location, it can accurately assess the feasibility of descent from a safe position, avoiding getting stuck or falling due to blind descent. Furthermore, this application ensures that the cleaning robot is in an absolutely safe state during the detection phase by pre-setting the target location and the first distance, thus avoiding the risk of falling from the edge of the steps.

[0132] In this way, through accurate identification and safe decision-making mechanisms, it is ensured that the cleaning robot can reliably enter the second plane to perform tasks, avoiding ineffective detours caused by misjudgment, and preventing downtime due to accidents, thereby improving the overall work efficiency and reliability of task execution.

[0133] It should also be noted that the cleaning robot makes a quick preliminary judgment at the target location based on the first sensor. If the first sensor does not detect any suspended signal, it may mean that there is no second plane. In this case, the cleaning robot can avoid initiating a more complex lifting and detection process, thus saving time and energy.

[0134] Optionally, the auxiliary wheel is in the first position, including:

[0135] The control wheel is switched from the second position to the first position.

[0136] For example, when it is necessary to detect surface feature information and / or second dimension information of the second plane, the cleaning robot issues an instruction to drive the auxiliary wheels to unfold and descend from their initial second position, which is housed inside the body, until they reach a first position that can stably support the body and raise it to a first height.

[0137] Optionally, the auxiliary wheel can be in the first position as the cleaning robot moves to the target location. However, during routine task execution, the auxiliary wheel is usually retracted into the body by default, i.e., in the second position.

[0138] Therefore, this application controls the auxiliary wheels to switch from a second position to a first position when the cleaning robot is in the target location, ensuring that they only extend when the specific task of detection is required. This avoids the auxiliary wheels being exposed and stressed for extended periods in non-downward scenarios, such as cleaning tasks or avoiding low obstacles, reducing unnecessary wear, energy consumption, and the risk of damage from accidental collisions, thus helping to improve the overall energy efficiency and lifespan of the cleaning robot. Furthermore, keeping the auxiliary wheels in the retracted second position in non-downward scenarios also ensures that the ground clearance and overall profile of the cleaning robot remain unchanged. This guarantees the cleaning robot's normal mobility in low spaces such as under tables and chairs, avoiding potential reduced mobility or jamming problems caused by the auxiliary wheels being extended for extended periods.

[0139] Furthermore, a clear position switching control from the second position to the first position ensures that the cleaning robot can be stably and reliably raised to the first height during detection. This determinism provides a stable and consistent detection platform for the second sensor, improving the determinism and stability of the detection action.

[0140] Optionally, determining the second dimension information and / or surface feature information of the second plane based on the second sensor includes:

[0141] Control the cleaning robot to perform lateral reciprocating motion at the target location;

[0142] Under at least two different poses of lateral reciprocating motion, the second dimension information and / or surface feature information of the second plane are determined based on the second sensor.

[0143] For example, after the auxiliary wheels lift the robot body, the cleaning robot does not keep its body stationary for a single scan, but controls the body to perform lateral reciprocating motion, i.e., swaying left and right. During the lateral reciprocating motion, the second sensor performs multiple probes and data acquisitions on the second plane at at least two different lateral positions and body postures, such as acquiring image information of the second plane from different angles, thereby accurately determining the second dimension information and / or surface feature information of the second plane.

[0144] In this way, by scanning the second sensor from different lateral positions, the second plane's second-dimensional information and / or surface feature information can be obtained from multiple angles. This multi-view data helps the cleaning robot more accurately determine the three-dimensional morphology of the second plane, especially for second planes with uneven surfaces or complex contours, effectively reducing blind spots and errors from single-point detection. Furthermore, this application, by fusing data collected from different poses, can cross-verify and compensate for errors or noise that may exist at individual measurement points. This processing method can more accurately calculate parameters such as flatness and slope, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of decision-making.

[0145] Furthermore, lateral movement allows the second sensor to observe the second plane from different angles. Observation from different angles helps to better identify the material, texture, and presence of obstacles on the second plane. For example, observing from multiple angles can reduce interference from specular reflections or dark light-absorbing materials on the sensor.

[0146] Optionally, the method also includes:

[0147] Before the first sensor scans the second plane, the orientation of the cleaning robot is adjusted so that the scanning field of view of the first sensor at least covers the second plane;

[0148] And / or, before the second sensor scans the second plane, adjust the orientation of the cleaning robot so that the scanning field of view of the second sensor at least covers the second plane.

[0149] In this step, a posture adjustment process is introduced before the sensor scan. That is, before controlling the first or second sensor to scan the second plane, the cleaning robot can adjust its body orientation, i.e., rotate, based on the approximate field of view of the sensor and the relative position of the second plane, in order to better observe the situation of the second plane.

[0150] Understandably, the purpose of adjusting the orientation of the cleaning robot is to ensure that the main body of the second plane or the key area to be measured falls within the effective scanning field of view of the sensor.

[0151] In this way, by pre-adjusting the robot's orientation before the sensor scans the second plane, it is ensured that the sensor can effectively detect the target area to be probed. This avoids incomplete or invalid scanning data due to poor initial positioning, improving the completeness and effectiveness of data acquisition. This pre-adjustment mechanism creates a suitable detection starting point for the cleaning robot to collect data, enhancing the accuracy of the robot's detection in complex environments, thereby indirectly improving the accuracy of subsequent size calculations and surface feature recognition.

[0152] Optionally, based on the first dimension information, and the second dimension information and / or surface feature information, determining whether the cleaning robot has moved from the first plane to the second plane includes:

[0153] When the first dimension information, the second dimension information, and / or surface feature information meet the first preset conditions, the cleaning robot is controlled to move from the first plane to the second plane.

[0154] In this embodiment of the application, the first preset condition may refer to the threshold condition that the cleaning robot needs to meet to safely complete the step-down action, based on the first size information, the second size information and / or surface feature information, and the additional ground clearance and protection provided by the robot body raised by the auxiliary wheels (i.e., in the first position).

[0155] Optionally, the first preset condition includes at least one of the following: height information is greater than the first threshold and less than or equal to the fifth threshold; depth information is greater than or equal to the sixth threshold and less than the second threshold; flatness is greater than or equal to the seventh threshold and less than the third threshold; there is an obstacle but the size of the obstacle is less than the eighth threshold; slope is greater than the fourth threshold and less than or equal to the ninth threshold, etc.

[0156] If the height information is greater than the first threshold but less than or equal to the fifth threshold, it indicates that the step is relatively high, posing a greater risk of downward impact, but still within the limits of the cleaning robot's mechanical structure. In this case, the cleaning robot can move from the first plane to the second plane using auxiliary wheels.

[0157] If the depth information is greater than or equal to the sixth threshold and less than the second threshold, it indicates that the landing area is relatively narrow, but the cleaning robot can still move from the first plane to the second plane by using the auxiliary wheels.

[0158] If the flatness is greater than or equal to the seventh threshold but less than the third threshold, it indicates that the second plane is slightly uneven, which may cause bumps, but not enough to cause the cleaning robot to get stuck or deviate significantly from its path. The cleaning robot can reach the second plane with the help of auxiliary wheels.

[0159] The eighth threshold can refer to the maximum permissible size of obstacles on the second plane. When an obstacle is detected and its size is less than or equal to the eighth threshold, it means that the obstacle is small and can be traversed. In this case, the cleaning robot can attempt to pass through using its auxiliary wheels, rather than completely refusing to descend.

[0160] If the slope is greater than the fourth threshold but less than or equal to the ninth threshold, it indicates that the second plane has a significant incline and poses a risk of slippage, but it is still within the grip and control capabilities of the cleaning robot's drive wheels. The cleaning robot can use auxiliary wheels to perform downward movements.

[0161] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not specifically limit the first threshold, second threshold, third threshold, fourth threshold, fifth threshold, sixth threshold, seventh threshold, eighth threshold and ninth threshold, as well as the specific content corresponding to the first preset condition.

[0162] For example, when the cleaning robot determines that the first preset condition is met based on the detected first size information, as well as the second size information and / or surface feature information, the cleaning robot can control the auxiliary wheels to continue in the first position and perform a downward movement from the first plane to the second plane.

[0163] Thus, for scenarios where the height difference between the second and first planes is significant, the terrain of the second plane is complex, or the second plane is uneven, and the second dimension information and / or surface feature information meets the first preset conditions, this application improves the descent capability by controlling the auxiliary wheels to be in the first position and performing a descent motion from the first plane to the second plane, thereby enhancing the cleaning robot's passability when moving from the first plane to the second plane. Furthermore, by maintaining the body elevated during the descent motion, the ground clearance of the chassis is increased, effectively preventing the bottom of the body or components from scraping or colliding with the edge of the step during descent, preventing jamming or damage, and improving the safety of the cleaning robot's operation.

[0164] Optionally, based on size information and / or surface feature information, determining whether the cleaning robot has moved from the first plane to the second plane includes:

[0165] When the first dimension information, the second dimension information, and / or surface feature information meet the second preset conditions, the auxiliary wheel is controlled to switch from the first position to the second position, and the cleaning robot is controlled to move from the first plane to the second plane.

[0166] In this embodiment of the application, the second preset condition may refer to the threshold condition that the cleaning robot must meet to safely complete the step-down action with its own standard downward capability, which is determined based on the first size information, the second size information and / or surface feature information.

[0167] Optionally, the second preset condition includes at least one of the following: height information is less than or equal to a first threshold, depth information is greater than or equal to a second threshold, flatness is greater than or equal to a third threshold, there are no obstacles, and slope is less than or equal to a fourth threshold. The first threshold defines the maximum step height that the cleaning robot can safely descend without the aid of auxiliary wheels or other structures. For example, if the measured step height exceeds the first threshold, it means that the impact of the cleaning robot descending is too great, which may cause the bottom of the robot to collide with the edge of the step, posing a risk of structural damage or overturning.

[0168] The second threshold defines the minimum landing area depth required for the cleaning robot to successfully descend to the second plane. This second threshold is based on constraints on the cleaning robot's body size and movement space. If the depth of the step is less than the second threshold, the cleaning robot will not have enough space to straighten itself or continue moving after descending, which may cause it to get stuck at the edge or be unable to move.

[0169] The third threshold defines the maximum allowable unevenness of the second plane surface. If the flatness of the second plane is less than the third threshold, the cleaning robot may experience severe jolts, become stuck, or be unable to perform its task effectively after descending.

[0170] The fourth threshold defines the maximum permissible tilt angle of the second plane relative to the horizontal plane. If the second plane itself has a slope that exceeds the fourth threshold, the cleaning robot may accelerate and slide due to gravity, tip over, or lose control due to drive wheel slippage after descending.

[0171] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not specifically limit the threshold conditions corresponding to the second preset conditions. These threshold conditions collectively define the environmental conditions that the cleaning robot must meet to safely and successfully move from the first plane to the second plane.

[0172] Understandably, if there are obstacles on the second plane, the cleaning robot may get stuck after descending, hindering its progress and making it impossible to ensure that the cleaning robot remains stable and moves normally after landing. Therefore, the second plane must also ensure that there are no obstacles or that the position of the obstacles does not affect the movement of the cleaning robot.

[0173] For example, when the cleaning robot determines that a second preset condition is met based on the detected first size information, as well as the second size information and / or surface feature information, the cleaning robot can first retract its auxiliary wheels, that is, control the auxiliary wheels to switch from the first position to the second position, restore its standard traveling posture, and then perform the standard step-down action from the first plane to the second plane. This shows that the step-down action can be completed without the aid of auxiliary wheels.

[0174] In this way, by introducing a clear second precondition, the descent decision-making process is transformed from a potentially ambiguous judgment into a rule-based, repeatable standard procedure. This improves the consistency and objectivity of the decision-making process, avoiding uncertainty caused by fluctuations in sensor data or subjective biases in different scenarios. Moreover, since the second precondition is a comprehensive judgment condition, it simultaneously includes physical passability requirements from dimensional information and operational safety requirements from surface feature information. This design ensures that once the cleaning robot confirms the safety and feasibility of the dimensions and surface features of the second plane, it adopts the most direct and rapid standard descent mode, saving time and energy and greatly improving the safety of the operation.

[0175] Furthermore, before moving from the first plane to the second plane, the auxiliary wheel is switched from the first position to the second position, which reduces the frequency of use of the auxiliary wheel and the unnecessary load on the mechanism when performing the downward movement, thus helping to extend the service life of the auxiliary wheel.

[0176] Optionally, controlling the cleaning robot to move from the first plane to the second plane includes:

[0177] Using an auxiliary support as a support rod, the robot body is controlled to rotate gradually based on a rotating mechanism, so that the cleaning robot can move from the first plane to the second plane.

[0178] For example, during the process of the cleaning robot moving from the first plane to the second plane, it can perform a "rotation around a pole" step-down motion using the auxiliary support as a fulcrum. Specifically, the auxiliary wheel and its auxiliary support in the first position are used as a fixed fulcrum. The robot body is controlled to rotate forward and downward around the rotation mechanism connected to the auxiliary support as the axis, using its own weight as the power source. Figure 6 As shown, through this controlled rotation, the front of the robot body is slowly lowered, the drive wheels are then suspended in the air and pass over the edge of the step, thus allowing the entire cleaning robot to land smoothly on the second plane.

[0179] Optionally, after the front end of the robot body contacts the second plane, the auxiliary wheel is switched back to the second position, driving the drive wheel to move so that the cleaning robot moves onto the second plane.

[0180] Optionally, the cleaning robot can be controlled to move from the first plane to the second plane. With the auxiliary support and control structure, the auxiliary wheels can also be controlled to gradually switch from the first position to the second position so that the front end of the robot body is slowly lowered and contacts the second plane.

[0181] In this way, based on the design of the rotating mechanism, the process of the cleaning robot moving from the first plane to the second plane is transformed into a rotational motion around the rotating mechanism. This achieves a stable landing with reduced speed and impact, avoiding the risk of the cleaning robot tipping over and improving the controllability and smoothness of the descent. Furthermore, this process does not rely on the traction of the drive wheels, allowing the cleaning robot to safely move to the second plane with the help of auxiliary wheels, preventing the drive wheels from slipping during descent. This lever-rotation principle enables the cleaning robot to safely traverse higher steps, greatly expanding its applicability.

[0182] Optionally, the cleaning robot also includes omnidirectional wheels located on the front side of the body, the omnidirectional wheels having a third position where they are partially retracted inside the body and in contact with the cleaning surface, and a fourth position where they support the front end of the body to be raised to a second height; controlling the cleaning robot to move from the first plane to the second plane includes:

[0183] During the process of the cleaning robot moving from the first plane to the second plane, the omnidirectional wheel is controlled to be in the fourth position so that the omnidirectional wheel in the fourth position contacts the second plane to form a transition support point;

[0184] With the support of the transition support point, the cleaning robot continues to move until it completes the movement from the first plane to the second plane.

[0185] In one possible implementation, as the cleaning robot descends from the first plane, its omnidirectional wheels located at the front of the body make initial contact with the second plane. At this point, some components of the cleaning robot, such as the drive wheels or auxiliary wheels, remain on the first plane, while the omnidirectional wheels are already on the second plane, thus creating a stable three-point support configuration. Furthermore, supported by the omnidirectional wheels as a transitional support point, the drive wheels or auxiliary wheels are controlled to continue moving, smoothly pushing the cleaning robot's center of gravity over the edge of the step, allowing the drive wheels or auxiliary wheels to land safely on the second plane in sequence, thereby completing the movement from the first plane to the second plane.

[0186] Because the casters make contact with the second plane in advance and form a transition support point, the risk of loss of control of the robot body during the moment of forward tilt is effectively prevented, making the center of gravity transfer more stable and enhancing the stability of the transition phase. This effectively avoids collisions or damage to the front of the cleaning robot body. Furthermore, by having the casters make contact with the second plane in advance and bear part of the support, the tilt angle of the robot body can be adjusted, preventing the bottom or rear of the robot body from scraping against the edge of the first plane when descending, thus reducing the risk of chassis collision.

[0187] In another possible implementation, when the cleaning robot needs to descend a step, the omnidirectional wheels can be extended downwards to a fourth position during the movement. This allows the omnidirectional wheels, which have a certain height, to make contact with the second plane first, thus forming an earlier and more stable transition support point. Furthermore, supported by this transition support point, the drive wheels or auxiliary wheels can be controlled to continue moving to achieve the movement from the first plane to the second plane.

[0188] In this way, as the cleaning robot moves from the first plane to the second plane, controlling the omnidirectional wheels to be in the fourth position ensures sufficient ground clearance for the front of the robot. This prevents the bottom of the front of the robot or the cleaning components from scraping or colliding with the edge of the step during descent. It also improves landing stability and distributes the force supported by the auxiliary wheels, preventing the weight from being concentrated on the auxiliary wheels and causing damage. This design allows the cleaning robot to safely traverse steps with significant drops or uneven second planes, enhancing its ability to handle complex terrain.

[0189] Optionally, after the control auxiliary wheel is in the first position, the method further includes:

[0190] Position the swivel wheels to the fourth position.

[0191] For example, omnidirectional wheels located on the front of the robot body and their position control are introduced. After the auxiliary wheels have extended to the first position and raised the robot body to the first height, the cleaning robot further controls the omnidirectional wheels to rise from the third position, where they are in normal contact with the cleaning surface, to a higher fourth position, thereby giving the robot head a higher second height.

[0192] In this way, by raising the foremost omnidirectional wheel structure to a second height higher than the auxiliary wheel structure, the entire fuselage achieves a stable posture with a specific elevation angle. This allows it to scan the second plane from a better top-down angle, thereby acquiring surface feature information and / or dimensional information of the second plane more accurately and reliably. Furthermore, with the auxiliary wheel structure already raising the fuselage, the omnidirectional wheel structure extends further to a fourth position, providing support for the fuselage and effectively adding a stable fulcrum at the front. This arrangement of the omnidirectional wheel and auxiliary wheel forms a more stable triangular support structure, effectively counteracting the recoil generated by the drive wheels during climbing or disturbances caused by uneven cleaning surfaces, significantly suppressing longitudinal sway of the fuselage, and providing a stable platform for sensor detection and subsequent obstacle-crossing maneuvers.

[0193] Optionally, if the rear of the aircraft also has casters, the casters on the rear side can also form a stable posture with a specific angle of elevation with the auxiliary wheel in the first position, which is equivalent to adding a stable fulcrum on the rear of the aircraft.

[0194] Optionally, determining the first dimension information of the second plane based on the first sensor includes:

[0195] Control the cleaning robot to perform lateral reciprocating motion at the target location;

[0196] In at least two different poses of lateral reciprocating motion, the first dimension information of the second plane is determined based on the first sensor.

[0197] In this step, the first dimension information of the second plane is detected by controlling the lateral movement of the cleaning robot. For example, after the cleaning robot reaches the target position, it does not remain stationary for a single measurement, but rather performs a small-amplitude lateral reciprocating motion at the target position, i.e., swaying left and right. During the lateral reciprocating motion, the first sensor located at the front end of the cleaning robot performs multiple distance measurements and data acquisitions on the second plane at at least two different lateral positions and body postures, thereby comprehensively calculating the first dimension information of the second plane.

[0198] In this way, by detecting the first dimension information of the second plane from different lateral positions, the first dimension information of the second plane can be calculated more accurately, effectively reducing dimensional misjudgments caused by single-point measurement errors or sensor noise, and improving the accuracy of dimension measurement. Furthermore, the lateral reciprocating movement of the cleaning robot also allows the second sensor to scan the contour changes of the second plane's sides. For irregular cuboid second planes such as cylinders or trapezoids, this detection method can capture changes in width or the tilt of the sides, thereby enhancing the contour recognition capability for irregularly shaped second planes.

[0199] Furthermore, by fusing data collected from different poses, cross-verification and compensation can be achieved. For example, if data collected from a certain point is abnormal due to reflection issues, it can be corrected by data collected from other normal points. This processing method improves the success rate and reliability of detecting the first dimension information of the second plane.

[0200] Optionally, the method also includes:

[0201] During the process of the cleaning robot moving from the first plane to the second plane, if it is detected that it has not moved to the second plane for more than a preset time and / or the tilt angle of the robot body is greater than a preset angle threshold, a first prompt message is generated.

[0202] In this embodiment, the preset duration refers to the maximum allowable time for completing the movement from the first plane to the second plane. This preset duration can be an empirical value determined based on statistical analysis of the time required for a normal descent, or a predetermined value set by the user. This embodiment does not limit the specific value corresponding to the preset duration. If the movement to the second plane is not completed within the preset duration, it indicates that the vehicle may be stuck at an edge, the drive wheels may be spinning and slipping, or the vehicle may have failed to land successfully due to other obstacles.

[0203] The tilt angle refers to the real-time angle between the cleaning robot's body and a horizontal reference (i.e., the horizontal plane corresponding to the first plane) during movement. It can be measured using an onboard gyroscope.

[0204] The preset angle threshold refers to the maximum safe limit of the robot's tilt angle set to ensure the stability and structural safety of the cleaning robot. This preset angle threshold is a safety boundary calculated based on the cleaning robot's center of gravity and physical structure.

[0205] If the tilt angle exceeds a preset threshold, it means that the cleaning robot's center of gravity may have deviated too far from the support surface, posing an extremely high risk of instantaneous tipping over, or that the robot's structure has been subjected to excessive abnormal stress. In this case, an alarm should be triggered and the robot should stop operating.

[0206] For example, during the process of the cleaning robot moving from the first plane to the second plane, the cleaning robot can continuously monitor the time taken for movement and the tilt angle of the body. If any abnormal situation is detected, such as the time taken for movement exceeding a preset duration or the tilt angle of the body exceeding a preset angle threshold, it is determined that there may be a problem in the descent process, such as getting stuck, suspended in mid-air, or about to overturn. At this time, a first warning message is immediately generated.

[0207] The first notification message can refer to information generated to inform the user of the status and cause when a problem or abnormality occurs during the descent of the cleaning robot from the first plane to the second plane. This first notification message can be output through sound, light, electrical signals, or network communication. For example, it can be an onboard audio-visual prompt, an app notification on a terminal device, etc. This application embodiment does not specifically limit the form and content of the first notification message.

[0208] For example, the cleaning robot can emit specific voice messages via its built-in speaker, such as "Downward movement error, stuck on a step," or alert the user with an alarm tone. It can also visually indicate the downward movement failure status using light strips or status lights on its body, with specific colors and flashing patterns. Furthermore, it can send a push notification to the app that has established a communication connection with the cleaning robot.

[0209] In this way, by adding a safety barrier during the cleaning robot's movement from the first plane to the second plane, problems such as motor stalling, structural damage, or tipping over can be prevented from occurring if the robot continues to perform erroneous actions while stuck or in a dangerous posture, thus improving the safety of the descent process. Furthermore, it enables the cleaning robot to cope with more complex and uncertain environments, enhancing its fault tolerance and reliability in the face of unexpected situations throughout the descent process. In addition, the aforementioned detection mechanism can detect problems in their early stages and immediately notify the user with an initial warning message, achieving early detection and early warning of faults and improving the user experience.

[0210] Optionally, based on the first dimension information, and the second dimension information and / or surface feature information, determining whether the cleaning robot has moved from the first plane to the second plane includes:

[0211] If the first dimension information, the second dimension information, and / or surface feature information do not meet the first preset condition, and it is determined that the cleaning robot cannot move from the first plane to the second plane, then the cleaning robot is controlled to remain on the first plane, and a second prompt message is generated.

[0212] It should be noted that the execution method of the second prompt message is similar to that of the first prompt message. For details, please refer to the description of the first prompt message in the above embodiment, which will not be repeated here. However, the two need to be set with different display methods, such as different displayed content, or different light brightness, color, etc., so as to facilitate user differentiation.

[0213] In this way, after the cleaning robot compares the first dimension information, the second dimension information, and / or surface feature information with the safe descent conditions (first preset conditions) requiring the use of auxiliary wheels, and confirms that descent is impossible, the cleaning robot will abandon the descent attempt and remain on the safe first plane, while generating a second prompt message. This ensures that the cleaning robot will not attempt dangerous descents when faced with hazardous environments beyond its capabilities, avoiding the risk of damage or getting trapped. Furthermore, by generating the second prompt message, the user is informed of the cleaning robot's status and decision, avoiding confusion caused by the robot's inaction and prompting the user to make necessary manual intervention, demonstrating the intelligence of human-computer interaction.

[0214] Optional, the first distance is zero.

[0215] Understandably, when the first distance is zero, the target position is the location where the leading edge of the robot body aligns with the intersection of the first and second planes (the edge of the step). At this target position, the cleaning robot controls the auxiliary wheels to be in the first position, raising the robot body to a first height, providing the second sensor with a downward scanning view of the second plane.

[0216] In this way, because the robot body is close to the edge, the second sensor can scan the second plane with a smaller slant distance and a wider field of view, which helps to obtain more accurate dimensional information with less distortion and clearer surface feature information. In addition, setting the first distance to zero eliminates the need to leave a safety gap before the edge of the step, simplifying the positioning process of the cleaning robot.

[0217] Optionally, controlling the cleaning robot to move from the first plane to the second plane includes:

[0218] Control the cleaning robot to move to the intersection of the first plane and the second plane, and position the center of gravity of the robot on the first plane;

[0219] Using the drive wheel of the cleaning robot as a fulcrum, the robot body is controlled to rotate forward around the fulcrum, so that the front end of the robot body moves downward and contacts the second plane;

[0220] Drive the drive wheels to move, so that the cleaning robot can move to the second plane.

[0221] In this embodiment of the application, the cleaning robot can perform a downward movement in a "lever-like" or "nodding" manner with the drive wheel as the fulcrum. For ease of understanding, the downward movement can be regarded as a step-down movement.

[0222] For example, the process of a cleaning robot moving from the first plane to the second plane includes: controlling the robot's movement so that its drive wheels are as close as possible to the edge of the step, while ensuring that the robot's center of gravity remains stable on the first plane; further, the robot controls its body to rotate forward and downward around the front drive wheels, causing the front end of the robot (usually a swivel wheel) to actively move downward and make contact with the second plane first. Once the front end of the robot is stable on the second plane, the drive wheels begin to rotate, smoothly pulling the robot's center of gravity across the edge of the step, thus moving the entire cleaning robot completely onto the second plane.

[0223] In this way, the rotation-contact descent motion described above breaks down the existing one-step drop descent into a controlled, step-by-step, slow, and continuous process, significantly reducing impact force and the risk of loss of control. Furthermore, by allowing the front of the fuselage to contact and confirm the stability of the second plane first, it effectively prevents the fuselage from getting stuck or instantly tipping over due to the chassis directly scraping against the edge or an uneven landing surface. Moreover, utilizing the lever principle, the center of gravity is gradually transferred while maintaining stability, making the entire descent process smoother and safer.

[0224] In the foregoing embodiments, the control method for the cleaning robot provided in this application has been described. To achieve the functions of the methods provided in the embodiments of this application, the electronic device serving as the execution entity may include hardware structures and / or software modules, implementing the aforementioned functions in the form of hardware structures, software modules, or a combination of hardware structures and software modules. Whether a particular function is executed in the form of hardware structures, software modules, or a combination of hardware structures and software modules depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0225] For example, Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a control device for a cleaning robot provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 9 As shown, the cleaning robot includes a body, auxiliary wheels, a first sensor, and a second sensor. The first sensor is located at the front of the body, and the second sensor is positioned below the first sensor for scanning from a top-down angle. The auxiliary wheels have a first position that supports the body and raises it to a first height, and a second position that retracts inside the body. The control device 900 of the cleaning robot includes:

[0226] The first control module 901 is used to control the cleaning robot to move to a target position during the process of the cleaning robot moving from the first plane to the second plane, and to determine the first dimension information of the second plane based on the first sensor; at the target position, the boundary between the first plane and the second plane is a first distance away from the robot body; the second plane is lower than the first plane;

[0227] The second control module 902 is used to control the auxiliary wheel to be in the first position and to determine the second dimension information and / or surface feature information of the second plane based on the second sensor.

[0228] The determination module 903 is used to determine whether the cleaning robot has moved from the first plane to the second plane based on the first size information, the second size information and / or surface feature information.

[0229] Optionally, the second control module 902 includes a control unit and a determining unit, the control unit being used for:

[0230] The control wheel is switched from the second position to the first position.

[0231] Optionally, the determining unit is used for:

[0232] Control the cleaning robot to perform lateral reciprocating motion at the target location;

[0233] Under at least two different poses of lateral reciprocating motion, the second dimension information and / or surface feature information of the second plane are determined based on the second sensor.

[0234] Optionally, the control unit 900 of the cleaning robot also includes an adjustment module for:

[0235] Before the first sensor scans the second plane, the orientation of the cleaning robot is adjusted so that the scanning field of view of the first sensor at least covers the second plane;

[0236] And / or, before the second sensor scans the second plane, adjust the orientation of the cleaning robot so that the scanning field of view of the second sensor at least covers the second plane.

[0237] Optionally, the determining module 903 is specifically used for:

[0238] When the first dimension information, the second dimension information, and / or surface feature information meet the first preset conditions, the cleaning robot is controlled to move from the first plane to the second plane.

[0239] Optionally, the cleaning robot also includes an auxiliary support and a rotating mechanism. The auxiliary wheels are located at one end of the auxiliary support, and the other end of the auxiliary support is connected to the robot body via the rotating mechanism. The determining module 903 is specifically used for:

[0240] Using an auxiliary support as a support rod, the robot body is controlled to rotate gradually based on a rotating mechanism, so that the cleaning robot can move from the first plane to the second plane.

[0241] Optionally, the cleaning robot also includes omnidirectional wheels located on the front side of the body, the omnidirectional wheels having a third position where they are partially retracted inside the body and in contact with the cleaning surface, and a fourth position where they support the front end of the body to be raised to a second height; the determining module 903 is specifically used for:

[0242] During the process of the cleaning robot moving from the first plane to the second plane, the omnidirectional wheel is controlled to be in the fourth position so that the omnidirectional wheel in the fourth position contacts the second plane to form a transition support point;

[0243] With the support of the transition support point, the cleaning robot continues to move until it completes the movement from the first plane to the second plane.

[0244] Optionally, the cleaning robot also includes omnidirectional wheels located on the front side of the body, the omnidirectional wheels having a third position where they are partially retracted inside the body and in contact with the cleaning surface, and a fourth position where they support the front end of the body to be raised to a second height; the control device 900 of the cleaning robot also includes a third control module, which is used for:

[0245] After controlling the auxiliary wheel to the first position, control the swivel wheel to the fourth position.

[0246] Optionally, the first control module 901 is specifically used for:

[0247] Control the cleaning robot to perform lateral reciprocating motion at the target location;

[0248] In at least two different poses of lateral reciprocating motion, the first dimension information of the second plane is determined based on the first sensor.

[0249] Optionally, the control unit 900 of the cleaning robot also includes a generation module, which is used for:

[0250] During the process of the cleaning robot moving from the first plane to the second plane, if it is detected that it has not moved to the second plane for more than a preset time and / or the tilt angle of the robot body is greater than a preset angle threshold, a first prompt message is generated.

[0251] Optionally, the determining module 903 is specifically used for:

[0252] If the first dimension information, the second dimension information, and / or surface feature information do not meet the first preset condition, and it is determined that the cleaning robot cannot move from the first plane to the second plane, then the cleaning robot is controlled to remain on the first plane, and a second prompt message is generated.

[0253] It should be noted that the specific implementation principle and effect of the control device 900 of the cleaning robot can be found in the relevant description and effect of the above embodiments, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0254] This application also provides an electronic device. Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application, such as... Figure 10 As shown, the electronic device may include: a processor 1001 and a memory 1002 communicatively connected to the processor 1001; the memory 1002 stores a computer program; the processor 1001 executes the computer program stored in the memory 1002, causing the processor 1001 to perform the method described in any of the above embodiments.

[0255] The memory 1002 and the processor 1001 can be connected via the bus 1003.

[0256] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, are used to implement the methods described in any of the foregoing embodiments of this application.

[0257] This application also provides a chip for executing instructions, which is used to perform the methods described in any of the foregoing embodiments executed by an electronic device as described in any of the foregoing embodiments of this application.

[0258] This application also provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor, can implement the methods described in any of the foregoing embodiments executed by an electronic device as described in any of the foregoing embodiments of this application.

[0259] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of modules is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple modules or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or modules may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0260] The modules described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as modules may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to implement the solution of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0261] Furthermore, the functional modules in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each module can exist physically separately, or two or more modules can be integrated into one unit. The unit composed of the above modules can be implemented in hardware or in the form of hardware plus software functional units.

[0262] The integrated modules implemented as software functional modules described above can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. These software functional modules, stored in a storage medium, include several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) or processor to execute some steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application.

[0263] It should be understood that the aforementioned processor can be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the method disclosed in the application can be directly manifested as being executed by a hardware processor, or executed by a combination of hardware and software modules within the processor.

[0264] The memory may include high-speed random access memory (RAM) and may also include non-volatile memory (NVM), such as at least one disk storage device, and may also be a USB flash drive, external hard drive, read-only memory, disk or optical disc, etc.

[0265] The bus can be an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, or an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, etc. Buses can be categorized as address buses, data buses, control buses, etc. For ease of illustration, the buses shown in the accompanying drawings are not limited to a single bus or a single type of bus.

[0266] The aforementioned storage media can be implemented from any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device or a combination thereof, such as Static Random-Access Memory (SRAM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), magnetic storage, flash memory, magnetic disk, or optical disk. The storage media can be any available medium accessible to general-purpose or special-purpose computers.

[0267] An exemplary storage medium is coupled to a processor, enabling the processor to read information from and write information to the storage medium. Alternatively, the storage medium can be an integral part of the processor. Both the processor and the storage medium can reside in application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). Alternatively, the processor and storage medium can exist as discrete components in an electronic device or host device.

[0268] It should be noted that, for the sake of simplicity, the foregoing method embodiments are all described as a series of actions. However, those skilled in the art should understand that this application is not limited to the described order of actions, as some steps may be performed in other orders or simultaneously according to this application. Furthermore, those skilled in the art should also understand that the embodiments described in the specification are all optional embodiments, and the actions and modules involved are not necessarily essential to this application.

[0269] It should be further noted that although the steps in the flowchart are shown sequentially according to the arrows, these steps are not necessarily executed in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless explicitly stated herein, there is no strict order restriction on the execution of these steps, and they can be executed in other orders. Moreover, at least some steps in the flowchart may include multiple sub-steps or multiple stages. These sub-steps or stages are not necessarily completed at the same time, but can be executed at different times. The execution order of these sub-steps or stages is not necessarily sequential, but can be performed alternately or in turn with other steps or at least some of the sub-steps or stages of other steps.

[0270] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have their own emphasis. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments. The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as the combination of these technical features does not contradict each other, it should be considered within the scope of this specification.

[0271] Other embodiments of this application will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this application that follow the general principles of this application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this application are indicated by the claims.

[0272] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the protection scope of this application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be covered within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A control method for a cleaning robot, characterized in that, The cleaning robot includes a body, auxiliary wheels, a first sensor, and a second sensor. The first sensor is located at the front of the body, and the second sensor is positioned below the first sensor for scanning from a top-down angle. The auxiliary wheel has a first position that supports the fuselage raised to a first height and a second position that retracts inside the fuselage; the method includes: During the process of the cleaning robot moving from the first plane to the second plane, the robot is controlled to travel to the target position, and the first dimension information of the second plane is determined based on the first sensor; at the target position, the boundary between the first plane and the second plane is a first distance away from the robot body; the second plane is lower than the first plane; The auxiliary wheel is controlled to be in the first position, and the second dimension information and / or surface feature information of the second plane are determined based on the second sensor; Based on the first size information, the second size information, and / or the surface feature information, it is determined whether the cleaning robot moves from the first plane to the second plane.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Controlling the auxiliary wheel to be in the first position includes: Control the auxiliary wheel to switch from the second position to the first position.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The determination of the second dimension information and / or surface feature information of the second plane based on the second sensor includes: The cleaning robot is controlled to perform lateral reciprocating motion at the target location; Under at least two different poses of the lateral reciprocating motion, the second dimension information and / or surface feature information of the second plane are determined based on the second sensor.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Before the first sensor scans the second plane, the orientation of the cleaning robot is adjusted so that the scanning field of view of the first sensor at least covers the second plane; And / or, before the second sensor scans the second plane, adjust the orientation of the cleaning robot so that the scanning field of view of the second sensor at least covers the second plane.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Determining whether the cleaning robot has moved from the first plane to the second plane based on the first size information, the second size information, and / or the surface feature information includes: When the first size information, the second size information, and / or the surface feature information meet the first preset condition, the cleaning robot is controlled to move from the first plane to the second plane.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The cleaning robot also includes an auxiliary support and a rotating mechanism. The auxiliary wheel is disposed at one end of the auxiliary support, and the other end of the auxiliary support is connected to the body through the rotating mechanism. The control of the cleaning robot to move from the first plane to the second plane includes: Using the auxiliary support as a support rod, the body is controlled to rotate gradually based on the rotating mechanism, so that the cleaning robot moves from the first plane to the second plane.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The cleaning robot also includes a caster wheel located on the front side of the body. The caster wheel has a third position where it is partially retracted inside the body and in contact with the cleaning surface, and a fourth position where it supports the front end of the body to be raised to a second height. The control of the cleaning robot to move from the first plane to the second plane includes: During the process of the cleaning robot moving from the first plane to the second plane, the omnidirectional wheel is controlled to be in the fourth position so that the omnidirectional wheel in the fourth position contacts the second plane to form a transition support point; With the support of the transition support point, the cleaning robot is controlled to continue moving until it completes the movement from the first plane to the second plane.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cleaning robot also includes a caster wheel located on the front side of the body. The caster wheel has a third position where it is partially retracted inside the body and in contact with the cleaning surface, and a fourth position where it supports the front end of the body to be raised to a second height. After controlling the auxiliary wheel to be in the first position, the method further includes: Control the omnidirectional wheel to the fourth position.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining the first dimension information of the second plane based on the first sensor includes: The cleaning robot is controlled to perform lateral reciprocating motion at the target location; At least two different poses during the lateral reciprocating motion, the first dimension information of the second plane is determined based on the first sensor.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: During the process of the cleaning robot moving from the first plane to the second plane, if it is detected that the robot has not moved to the second plane for more than a preset time and / or the tilt angle of the robot body is greater than a preset angle threshold, a first prompt message is generated.

11. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Determining whether the cleaning robot has moved from the first plane to the second plane based on the first size information, the second size information, and / or the surface feature information includes: If the first size information, the second size information, and / or the surface feature information do not meet the first preset condition, and it is determined that the cleaning robot cannot move from the first plane to the second plane, then the cleaning robot is controlled to remain on the first plane, and a second prompt message is generated.

12. A control device for a cleaning robot, characterized in that, The cleaning robot includes a body, auxiliary wheels, a first sensor, and a second sensor. The first sensor is located at the front of the body, and the second sensor is positioned below the first sensor for scanning from a top-down angle. The auxiliary wheel has a first position that supports the fuselage to be raised to a first height and a second position that retracts inside the fuselage; the device includes: A first control module is configured to control the cleaning robot to travel to a target position during the process of the cleaning robot moving from a first plane to a second plane, and to determine the first dimension information of the second plane based on the first sensor; at the target position, the boundary between the first plane and the second plane is a first distance away from the robot body; the second plane is lower than the first plane; The second control module is used to control the auxiliary wheel to be in the first position and to determine the second dimension information and / or surface feature information of the second plane based on the second sensor. A determining module is configured to determine, based on first size information, second size information, and / or the surface feature information, whether the cleaning robot has moved from the first plane to the second plane.

13. A cleaning robot, characterized in that, The cleaning robot includes a body, auxiliary wheels, a first sensor, and a second sensor. The first sensor is located at the front end of the body, and the second sensor is positioned below the first sensor for scanning from a top-down angle. The auxiliary wheels have a first position that supports the body to be raised to a first height and a second position that retracts inside the body. The cleaning robot is used to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-10.

14. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: A processor, and a memory communicatively connected to the processor; The memory stores computer-executed instructions; The processor executes computer execution instructions stored in the memory to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1-11.

15. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, are used to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1-11.

16. A computer program product, characterized in that, Includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method as described in any one of claims 1-11.

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