Sweeper operation method and sweeper

Abstract

The invention relates to a sweeper operation method and a sweeper, after the sweeper constructs a regional map, a virtual boundary incompletely coinciding with the physical boundary of each sweeping area in the regional map is constructed, so that a first area enclosed by the virtual boundaries completely covers a second area enclosed by the physical boundaries. In the process that the sweeper sweeps each sweeping area, if an area missed during regional map construction appears, at least one part of a sweeper body enters a difference value area defined by a virtual boundary and a physical boundary when the sweeper sweeps along the edge; namely, at least one part of the edge cleaning track of the current cleaning area is located outside the physical boundary. After this, whether an extensible area exists at present can be determined only by analyzing the advancing path in the difference value area. And when the extensible area exists, exploration mapping is carried out on the extensible cleaning area to obtain an extended cleaning area, and cleaning operation is carried out on the extended cleaning area.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of cleaning robot technology, and in particular to a sweeping robot operation method and a sweeping robot. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous development of science and technology, cleaning robots, represented by robotic vacuum cleaners, are becoming increasingly widely used in daily life, bringing great convenience. In home scenarios, robotic vacuum cleaners typically first build a map of the entire home environment, then divide the home environment into different rooms based on geometric information, and finally perform cleaning tasks sequentially according to the room numbers.

[0003] However, if some room doors are not open when the map is built, but are opened when the cleaning task is performed, there will be missed cleaning. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a sweeper operation method and a sweeper to alleviate the phenomenon of missed sweeping by sweepers.

[0005] This application provides a method for operating a robotic vacuum cleaner, comprising: if the robotic vacuum cleaner completes the construction of a sub-regional map, then constructing virtual boundaries for each cleaning area in the sub-regional map; wherein the physical boundary and virtual boundary of the same cleaning area do not completely overlap, and a first area completely covers a second area, the second area being the area enclosed by the physical boundary, and the first area being the area enclosed by the virtual boundary of the same cleaning area; if the robotic vacuum cleaner cleans any cleaning area, then obtaining the travel path of at least a portion of the robotic vacuum cleaner body when it is in a difference area; wherein the difference area is the area between the virtual boundary and the physical boundary of the same cleaning area; verifying whether there is an expandable area based on the travel path, and if it is determined that there is an expandable area, then exploring and mapping based on the travel path to obtain an expanded cleaning area, and cleaning the expanded cleaning area.

[0006] This application provides a sweeping robot, including a distance detector, a cleaning component, a traveling component, and a processor. The distance detector, the cleaning component, and the traveling component are respectively connected to the processor, and the processor is used to execute the steps of the sweeping robot operation method described above.

[0007] The above scheme, after the robot vacuum cleaner completes the zoning map, constructs a virtual boundary for each cleaning area in the map that does not completely overlap with its physical boundary. This ensures that the first area enclosed by the virtual boundary completely covers the second area enclosed by the physical boundary. During the robot vacuum cleaner's cleaning of each area according to the set program, if a newly opened door or other situation causes an area to be missed during the zoning map construction, at least a portion of the robot vacuum cleaner's edge-cleaning path will enter the difference area enclosed by the virtual and physical boundaries. In other words, at least a portion of the edge-cleaning path for the current cleaning area will be outside the physical boundary. Afterwards, by analyzing the path within the difference area, it is possible to determine if an expandable area exists. If an expandable area exists, it is explored and mapped to obtain the extended cleaning area, and cleaning is then performed on the extended cleaning area. This scheme allows for timely detection and cleaning of extended cleaning areas during the robot vacuum cleaner's operation, effectively mitigating the phenomenon of missed areas. Attached Figure Description

[0008] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments or related technologies of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or related technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0009] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the operation method of a sweeper in one embodiment of this application;

[0010] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the regional map structure in one embodiment of this application;

[0011] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of virtual boundary construction in one embodiment of this application;

[0012] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the edge cleaning path of the sweeper in one embodiment of this application;

[0013] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the sweeper operation method in another embodiment of this application;

[0014] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the operation method of a sweeping machine in another embodiment of this application;

[0015] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the sweeper operation method in another embodiment of this application;

[0016] Figure 8This is a schematic diagram illustrating the mapping process in one embodiment of this application;

[0017] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the mapping process in another embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the operation method of a sweeping machine in another embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0020] The sweeping machine operation method provided in this application is applied to sweeping machines, specifically to sweeping machines used for cleaning home environments. When performing cleaning operations in a home environment, the sweeping machine constructs a map based on the home environment and divides the home environment into different cleaning areas, then sequentially cleans each cleaning area. Specifically, one room can be considered as a cleaning area, or multiple rooms can be considered as a cleaning area; this is not limited here. For ease of understanding, the following embodiments can all be considered as using one room as a cleaning area.

[0021] In a more detailed embodiment, the robotic vacuum cleaner referred to in this application can be a point laser robotic vacuum cleaner, that is, a robotic vacuum cleaner that completes map construction and positioning through a single-point ranging sensor. In another embodiment, although an LDS (Laser Distance Sensor) robotic vacuum cleaner can complete map construction and positioning by acquiring environmental data in real time through 360-degree LiDAR, the robotic vacuum cleaner operation method provided in this application can also be applied to ensure the accuracy of real-time map updates through dual construction.

[0022] Please see Figure 1 This application provides a method for operating a sweeping machine, including steps 102, 104 and 106.

[0023] Step 102: If the robot vacuum cleaner has completed the construction of the sub-area map, then construct virtual boundaries for each cleaning area in the sub-area map.

[0024] In this case, the physical and virtual boundaries of the same cleaning area do not completely overlap, and the first area completely covers the second area. The second area is the area enclosed by the physical boundary, and the first area is the area enclosed by the virtual boundary of the same cleaning area.

[0025] Specifically, incomplete overlap means that at least part of the physical and virtual boundaries of the same cleaning area do not overlap. In real-world scenarios, this can mean that some parts of the physical and virtual boundaries overlap, while others do not; or that neither the physical nor virtual boundaries overlap, with no specific limitation. A zone map is a map created by the robot vacuum cleaner based on its exploration of the home environment, dividing different cleaning areas by physical boundaries. A physical boundary is the edge line representing different cleaning areas, constructed by the robot vacuum cleaner. For example, in a room, it can be obtained through the walls between rooms. In real-world scenarios, the physical boundaries of the same cleaning area can form a closed region, representing the area to be cleaned. Physical boundaries can be formed by connecting multiple line segments end-to-end; these line segments can be straight lines or curves, depending on the shape of the cleaning area, with no specific limitation here. A virtual boundary is a boundary obtained by expanding outward from the physical boundary, with a certain distance between it and the physical boundary. Virtual boundaries can also be formed by connecting multiple line segments end-to-end to create a closed region. In real-world scenarios, virtual boundaries can partially overlap with physical boundaries, or they can completely not overlap. There are no specific limitations, as long as it is ensured that the first area enclosed by the virtual boundary completely covers the second area enclosed by the physical boundary within the same cleaning area.

[0026] In this embodiment, before the robot vacuum cleaner performs its first operation, it needs to map the home environment. Based on the map results, it divides the rooms into sub-areas, creating a regional map. For details, please refer to the relevant documentation. Figure 2 After the sub-regional maps are constructed, virtual boundaries are then built for each cleaning area based on these maps. For details, please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 3 Taking cleaning area 2 as an example, the dotted lines represent the constructed virtual boundaries. Finally, after the virtual boundaries of each cleaning area are constructed, the system moves sequentially to each cleaning area to perform the cleaning task according to the pre-set cleaning program.

[0027] Step 104: If the sweeper cleans any cleaning area, obtain the travel path of the sweeper when at least part of its body is in the difference area.

[0028] Specifically, the difference area is the region between the virtual boundary and the physical boundary of the same cleaning area. The number of cleaning areas included in the sub-area map is not unique and will vary depending on the actual layout of the home environment; there is no specific limit. Taking at least two cleaning areas as an example, during the cleaning task, the robot vacuum will perform edge cleaning every time it enters a cleaning area. When the robot vacuum performs edge cleaning, if there are no doors on the surrounding walls of the cleaning area, or if the doors on the surrounding walls of the cleaning area are not open, the robot vacuum's edge cleaning path will not exceed the area enclosed by the physical boundary; that is, the edge cleaning path will not extend into the difference area between the virtual boundary and the physical boundary.

[0029] When the doors on the walls surrounding the edge-cleaning area are opened, the robot vacuum's edge-cleaning path will extend beyond the physical boundary, meaning the path extends into the difference area, and at least a portion of the robot vacuum will operate within this area. In one embodiment, if the distance between the virtual and physical boundaries, and the area of ​​the newly opened doorway, are large enough, the entire robot vacuum will enter the difference area. Further, in one embodiment, due to the edge-cleaning restriction, the robot vacuum can remain within the virtual boundary, and its path will not overlap with the virtual boundary. In another embodiment, the robot vacuum may not be restricted by edge-cleaning, and at least part of its body may extend beyond the first area, allowing its path to overlap with the virtual boundary. However, in either case, a portion of the robot vacuum will extend beyond the second area and operate within the difference area. By combining the path corresponding to this movement, the verification and cleaning of the expandable area can be completed.

[0030] For details, please refer to the relevant documents. Figure 4 Before cleaning areas 5 and 6 are constructed, the doors are closed (i.e., the sub-area map does not include cleaning areas 5 and 6). Taking cleaning area 2 as an example, if the doors of cleaning areas 5 and 6 are opened at this time (assuming the doors are set on the wall adjacent to cleaning area 2), the edge trajectory shown in the figure will be obtained. From this edge trajectory, it can be seen that at least part of the machine body is running in the difference area.

[0031] Therefore, in this embodiment, during the operation of the sweeper, the sweeper's real-time position can be combined to obtain the sweeper's edge cleaning path in the sub-area map. Based on the obtained edge cleaning path, the physical boundary of the current cleaning area, and the virtual boundary, the sweeper's travel path when at least part of its body is in the difference area can be obtained.

[0032] It should be noted that in one embodiment, if the path formed by the sweeping robot along the edge does not exceed the range enclosed by the physical boundary, then it will be impossible to obtain the travel path when at least part of the robot body is in the difference area. It will be considered that there is no expandable area, and no further judgment operation is required. The sweeping operation can be performed with the current sweeping program.

[0033] Step 106: Check whether there is an expandable area based on the travel path. If it is determined that there is an expandable area, explore and map based on the travel path to obtain the expanded cleaning area, and clean the expanded cleaning area.

[0034] Specifically, the expandable area refers to the area that can be expanded to become the cleaning area for the robot vacuum cleaner to perform cleaning operations. Considering factors such as positioning errors, after obtaining its travel path, the robot vacuum cleaner cannot directly assume that there is an expandable area in the current home environment. Instead, it performs further analysis based on the travel path to ensure the accuracy of the expandable area analysis. After verifying the existence of an expandable area based on the travel path, the robot vacuum cleaner will, according to a preset map exploration program, control the robot vacuum cleaner to explore the location corresponding to the travel path, and finally construct a map including the expandable cleaning area, and use this map to perform cleaning operations in the expandable cleaning area.

[0035] The above scheme, after the robot vacuum cleaner completes the zoning map, constructs a virtual boundary for each cleaning area in the map that does not completely overlap with its physical boundary. This ensures that the first area enclosed by the virtual boundary completely covers the second area enclosed by the physical boundary. During the robot vacuum cleaner's cleaning of each area according to the set program, if a newly opened door or other situation causes an area to be missed during the zoning map construction, at least a portion of the robot vacuum cleaner's edge-cleaning path will enter the difference area enclosed by the virtual and physical boundaries. In other words, at least a portion of the edge-cleaning path for the current cleaning area will be outside the physical boundary. Afterwards, by analyzing the path within the difference area, it is possible to determine if an expandable area exists. If an expandable area exists, it is explored and mapped to obtain the extended cleaning area, and cleaning is then performed on the extended cleaning area. This scheme allows for timely detection and cleaning of extended cleaning areas during the robot vacuum cleaner's operation, effectively mitigating the phenomenon of missed areas.

[0036] Please see Figure 5 In one embodiment, step 102 includes step 502.

[0037] Step 502: If the robot vacuum cleaner has completed the construction of the sub-area map, then the physical boundary of the same cleaning area in the sub-area map is expanded in the direction away from the cleaning area to obtain the virtual boundary of the cleaning area.

[0038] Specifically, when constructing virtual boundaries, the virtual boundary of each cleaning area is constructed independently. For the same cleaning area, its physical boundary can be expanded away from the cleaning area, that is, the physical boundary can be moved in all directions to obtain a first area that encloses a larger area and covers the second area enclosed by the physical boundary. The boundary of the first area is the constructed virtual boundary. It can be understood that when the physical boundary moves in all directions, some of the physical boundary can move in all directions while some of the physical boundary remains unchanged, thus obtaining a virtual boundary that partially overlaps with the physical boundary. In another embodiment, all physical boundaries can also move in all directions, thus obtaining a virtual boundary that does not overlap with the physical boundary. The specific choice can be made based on the actual scenario.

[0039] This scheme expands the physical boundaries of the regional map to obtain virtual boundaries, resulting in a high virtual boundary construction speed.

[0040] It should be noted that when constructing the virtual boundary, the distances between each edge of the virtual boundary and the physical boundary can be set to the same or different, without any specific limitation, as long as the physical boundary and the virtual boundary of the same cleaning area do not overlap, and the first area completely covers the second area. In a specific embodiment, the distances between each edge of the virtual boundary and the physical boundary can be any value less than the width of the robot vacuum cleaner body.

[0041] Please see Figure 6 In one embodiment, step 502 includes step 602.

[0042] Step 602: Expand each edge of the physical boundary of the same cleaning area in the sub-area map by the same set distance in the direction away from the cleaning area to obtain the virtual boundary of the cleaning area.

[0043] Specifically, the set distance is the pre-set distance required between the virtual and physical boundaries when precisely implementing scalable area verification. It can be understood that the set distance can be configured in conjunction with the size of the robot vacuum, positioning accuracy, etc., and is not specifically limited. For example, the set distance can be a value smaller than the width of the robot vacuum's body.

[0044] This embodiment uses the example of all edges in the virtual boundary being equidistant from the physical boundary for explanation. When constructing the virtual boundary, simply expand each edge of the physical boundary of the same cleaning area by the same distance away from the cleaning area. Specifically, the robot vacuum cleaner has pre-stored the required distance for constructing the virtual boundary, which is directly called during the virtual boundary construction process.

[0045] This scheme extends each edge of the physical boundary outward by the same distance to obtain a virtual boundary. This ensures the accuracy of the virtual boundary, eliminates the need for differentiated settings for each edge, and also has high construction efficiency.

[0046] It should be noted that the set distance is not unique and will vary depending on the model of the robot vacuum. In one embodiment, considering that when the robot vacuum performs edge cleaning, its center will be some distance from the wall along the edge due to its width, to ensure the distinction between the virtual boundary and the physical boundary, the set distance can be set to half the width of the robot vacuum. More specifically, if the orthographic projection of the robot vacuum on the horizontal plane is a circle, and the width of the robot vacuum is the diameter of this circle, then the set distance can be set to the radius of this circle. Furthermore, in other embodiments, considering the positioning error of the robot vacuum, the set distance can be set to be greater than half the width of the robot vacuum but less than its width.

[0047] Please see Figure 7 In one embodiment, step 502 includes step 702.

[0048] Step 702: Expand the physical boundary of the same cleaning area in the sub-area map by a set number of pixels in the direction away from the cleaning area to obtain the virtual boundary of the cleaning area.

[0049] Specifically, the pixel setting refers to the pre-defined pixel interval required between the virtual and physical boundaries when accurately implementing scalable area verification under a raster map. This embodiment takes into account the area obtained by the robot vacuum cleaner during the construction of the regional map. Figure 1 Generally, a raster map is used. When constructing a virtual boundary, the physical boundary of the same cleaning area can be expanded by a certain number of pixels away from the cleaning area based on the raster map, thereby quickly obtaining the virtual boundary of the cleaning area.

[0050] It should be noted that the size of the pixels is not unique and will vary depending on the type of robot vacuum cleaner, the resolution of the grid map, etc. There is no specific limitation.

[0051] In one embodiment, verifying the existence of an expandable region based on the travel path includes: obtaining the length of each travel path; if there is a length greater than a set length threshold, then it is determined that an expandable region exists; if there is no length greater than the set length threshold, then it is determined that no expandable region exists.

[0052] Specifically, the length of the travel path refers to the length of the robot vacuum cleaner's body that remains within the difference area while cleaning along the edges. Depending on the shape of the cleaning area in the actual scenario, the travel path can be a straight segment or a curved segment, and correspondingly, the length of the travel path can be the length of a straight segment or the length of a curved segment, without any specific limitation.

[0053] Considering that in actual home scenarios, the walls of the cleaning area are generally straight on the horizontal plane, and the path usually corresponds to the door of a newly opened room, the following examples can all be understood as straight segments of the path.

[0054] In real-world scenarios, the travel path is typically located within an expandable area. The path's position essentially represents the connection point between the current cleaning area and the expandable area, such as a doorway. Therefore, to ensure the robot vacuum can ultimately enter the expandable area and perform its tasks, preventing it from getting stuck, the travel path length must be greater than the robot vacuum's width. Thus, in one embodiment, the set length threshold needs to be set greater than the robot vacuum's width.

[0055] Thus, when the robot vacuum detects that the length of its travel path is greater than a set length threshold, the travel path is considered valid, resulting in a verification result indicating the existence of an expandable area. Conversely, when the robot vacuum detects that the length of its travel path is less than or equal to the set length threshold, the travel path is considered invalid, possibly due to positioning errors or other reasons, resulting in a verification result indicating the absence of an expandable area.

[0056] The above scheme verifies the existence of scalable regions by comparing whether there are travel paths with a length greater than a set length threshold, which has high verification accuracy and efficiency.

[0057] In one embodiment, verifying the existence of an expandable region based on the travel path includes: obtaining the length of each travel path; establishing a set of location points based on the midpoint location information of all travel paths whose length is greater than a set length threshold; if the set of location points is not empty, then it is determined that an expandable region exists; if the set of location points is empty, then it is determined that no expandable region exists.

[0058] Specifically, the scheme in this embodiment is similar to that in the above embodiments. First, the length of the travel path is obtained, and then all travel paths with a length greater than a set length threshold are extracted. Then, a set of location points is established using the midpoint position information (specifically, coordinate information, etc.) of each extracted travel path. If the final set of location points is empty, it indicates that there is no travel path with a length greater than the set length threshold; if the final set of location points is not empty, it indicates that there is a travel path with a length greater than the set length threshold.

[0059] After detecting a travel path whose length exceeds a set length threshold, this scheme further obtains the midpoint location information of the travel path, that is, it locates the travel path, which facilitates subsequent map construction of the expandable area.

[0060] Please see Figure 8 In one embodiment, if it is determined that there is an expandable area, exploration mapping is performed based on the travel path to obtain the expanded cleaning area, including steps 802 and 804.

[0061] Step 802: If it is determined that there is an expandable area, then verify whether each cleaning area in the sub-area map has been cleaned.

[0062] Step 804: If all the cleaning areas have been cleaned, then explore and map based on the travel path to obtain an expanded cleaning area.

[0063] Specifically, in this embodiment, if an expandable area is determined to exist based on any cleaning area, all cleaning areas in the sub-area map must be cleaned before the map of the expandable area is constructed. This eliminates the need to adjust the original cleaning sequence of the sweeper, thus improving its cleaning efficiency.

[0064] It should be noted that there is no single way to verify whether all cleaning areas in the sub-area map have been cleaned. In one embodiment, each cleaning area in the sub-area map is assigned a number, and the cleaning order is also preset. The robot vacuum can verify whether all cleaning areas have been cleaned by checking whether the number of the currently cleaned area is the number of the last cleaning area in the cleaning order. The specific details will not be elaborated here.

[0065] In another embodiment, the number of cleaning areas contained in the sub-regional map can be obtained first when mapping. Then, each time a cleaning area is completed, the cumulative number is incremented by 1 until the final cumulative number reaches the number of cleaning areas. At this point, it is considered that all cleaning areas have been cleaned. The specific method is not limited.

[0066] Please see Figure 9 In one embodiment, exploration mapping is performed based on the travel path, including steps 902 and 904.

[0067] Step 902: Obtain the location information of the target midpoint that is closest to the current location of the sweeping machine from the location point set.

[0068] Step 904: If the robot vacuum moves to the location corresponding to the target midpoint location information, then exploration and mapping will begin.

[0069] Specifically, this embodiment uses the example of having multiple travel paths for explanation. It can be understood that if there is only one travel path, the sweeper can be directly controlled to move to the midpoint of the travel path to explore and map.

[0070] During operation, the robot vacuum cleaner can determine its location and obtain its coordinates. By combining this coordinates with the midpoint information from the set of location points, the distance between the robot vacuum cleaner and the midpoint of each travel path can be calculated. Afterward, the robot vacuum cleaner is controlled to move to the nearest midpoint of the travel path, which corresponds to the target midpoint location, and then exploration and mapping begins.

[0071] This scheme allows the sweeper to be controlled to move to the midpoint of the path closest to its current location to initiate exploration and mapping, which can effectively save mapping time and improve the sweeper's operating efficiency.

[0072] It is understood that in another embodiment, the location information of the target midpoint farthest from the current location can be obtained, and the location can be moved to the location corresponding to the target midpoint location information for exploration and mapping. The specific method is not limited.

[0073] Furthermore, in other embodiments, other methods can be used for exploration and mapping. For example, by combining all the midpoint position information for analysis, the globally optimal exploration path can be obtained. Then, based on the obtained exploration path, the path can be used to move to the position points corresponding to each midpoint position information in sequence. A map of all extended areas can be constructed through a single exploration.

[0074] Please see Figure 10 In one embodiment, after step 106, the method further includes steps 1002 and 1004.

[0075] Step 1002: If the current extended cleaning area has been cleaned, then check whether there is still an extendable area.

[0076] If there are still expandable areas, return to the step of exploring and mapping based on the travel path to obtain the expanded cleanup area.

[0077] Step 1004: If no expandable area exists, end the cleaning operation.

[0078] Specifically, in this embodiment, when the robot vacuum explores and maps the expandable areas, it starts cleaning the expandable cleaning area as soon as it completes mapping. That is, mapping and cleaning of the expandable cleaning areas are continuous. Therefore, after cleaning the expandable cleaning areas, it is necessary to verify whether any expandable areas still exist to ensure that all expandable areas have been cleaned.

[0079] In one embodiment, verifying whether an expandable area still exists includes: determining whether the set of location points contains midpoint location information where the location is not covered by the map; if midpoint location information where the location is not covered by the map exists, then it is determined that an expandable area still exists; if midpoint location information where the location is not covered by the map does not exist, then it is determined that an expandable area does not exist.

[0080] Specifically, the location not being covered by the map means that the location is not covered by the zonal map built before the robot vacuum cleaner cleans, nor by the map corresponding to the extended cleaning area built before verification. As shown in the above embodiment, the travel path is generally located within an expandable area. Therefore, after mapping the expandable area, obtaining the extended cleaning area, and cleaning it, the midpoint location information on the travel path will be covered by the map. Correspondingly, if two travel paths are located within the same extended cleaning area (for example, if the extended cleaning area has two doors and both doors are open), then the location points corresponding to the midpoint location information of both travel paths will be covered by the map; if different travel paths are located in different extended cleaning areas, then after completing the cleaning of the current extended cleaning area, the location map corresponding to the midpoint location information of the other travel path will be covered, and at this time, it is considered that an extended cleaning area still exists.

[0081] The above solution verifies whether the expandable area has been cleaned by detecting the presence of midpoint location information that is not covered by the map, and has high detection accuracy.

[0082] In one embodiment, if no expandable area exists, the cleaning operation is terminated, including: if no expandable area exists, checking whether there is still a cleaning area that needs to be cleaned; if no cleaning area exists, the cleaning operation is terminated.

[0083] Specifically, this solution will perform a second check if there are any areas that need to be cleaned when no expandable areas are detected. That is, it will check whether all cleaning areas in the sub-zone map have been cleaned. This ensures that when cleaning ends, all cleaning areas and expandable areas in the sub-zone map have been cleaned, further improving cleaning reliability.

[0084] To facilitate understanding of the technical solution of this application, the following detailed embodiments will be used to explain and illustrate this application.

[0085] First, the robot vacuum cleaner uses a map-building program to create a map of different zones, and then constructs virtual boundaries for each cleaning area. Specifically, it expands the physical boundaries of the current cleaning area outward by a specified number of pixels to form the virtual boundary of that area.

[0086] Afterwards, the robot vacuum cleaner sequentially performs cleaning operations on each cleaning area. If a new room adjacent to the current cleaning area opens its door (not opened during the area map construction), the robot vacuum cleaner will place at least part of its body in the difference zone while cleaning along the edge of the current cleaning area, thus obtaining the travel path. Then, the straight line segments L of each travel path are extracted, and the length and midpoint of each straight line segment are calculated. The midpoint position information (coordinates) of the straight line segments whose length is greater than a set length threshold are selected and recorded as a set of position points.

[0087] During the cleaning process, the robot vacuum performs the same edge cleaning and midpoint location information recording for each cleaning area. After completing the cleaning of each cleaning area in the sub-area map, it begins cleaning the expandable area. Specifically, the robot vacuum checks whether an expandable area exists by determining whether the final set of location points is empty. If the set of location points is not empty, it is considered that an expandable area exists, and the robot vacuum moves to the location corresponding to the nearest midpoint location information to start mapping; if the set of location points is empty, it is considered that no expandable area exists, and the cleaning operation ends.

[0088] After the robot vacuum completes the mapping of an expandable area, it cleans the designated cleaning area within that area. Upon completion, it checks if any of its location points contain a midpoint not covered by the map to determine if any further expandable areas exist. If so, it moves to the location corresponding to the nearest midpoint and maps and cleans the next expandable area. This process continues until no further expandable areas remain. A second check then checks for any remaining cleaning areas. Finally, if no further cleaning areas exist, the cleaning operation ends.

[0089] It should be understood that although the steps in the flowcharts of the embodiments described above 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 flowcharts of the embodiments described above may include multiple steps or multiple stages. These steps or stages are not necessarily completed at the same time, but can be executed at different times. The execution order of these steps or stages is not necessarily sequential, but can be performed alternately or in turn with other steps or at least some of the steps or stages of other steps.

[0090] This application also provides a sweeping robot, including a distance detector, a cleaning component, a traveling component, and a processor. The distance detector, the cleaning component, and the traveling component are respectively connected to the processor, and the processor is used to execute the steps of the sweeping robot operation method:

[0091] If the robot vacuum has completed the construction of a sub-area map, then virtual boundaries are constructed for each cleaning area in the sub-area map; if the robot vacuum cleans any cleaning area, then the travel path of the robot vacuum when at least part of the robot body is in the difference area is obtained; the travel path is used to check whether there is an expandable area; if it is determined that there is an expandable area, then the robot vacuum explores and builds a map based on the travel path to obtain the expanded cleaning area, and then cleans the expanded cleaning area.

[0092] The cleaning components are those used to perform cleaning tasks during the robot vacuum's movement, including roller brush components, mop components, etc., with no specific limitations. The propulsion components are those used to drive the robot vacuum's movement, and can include drive motors and drive wheels, etc., also with no limitations. The distance detector is a device used to perform functions such as map building by measuring distances during the robot's operation, and can specifically be a single-point distance sensor, etc., with no specific limitations.

[0093] In one embodiment, when the processor executes the computer program, it also performs the following steps: if the robot vacuum cleaner has completed the construction of a sub-area map, the physical boundary of the same cleaning area in the sub-area map is expanded in a direction away from the cleaning area to obtain the virtual boundary of the cleaning area.

[0094] In one embodiment, when the processor executes the computer program, it further implements the following steps: expanding each edge of the physical boundary of the same cleaning area in the sub-area map by the same set distance in the direction away from the cleaning area to obtain the virtual boundary of the cleaning area.

[0095] In one embodiment, when the processor executes the computer program, it also performs the following steps: expanding the physical boundary of the same cleaning area in the sub-area map by a set number of pixels in a direction away from the cleaning area to obtain the virtual boundary of the cleaning area.

[0096] In one embodiment, when the processor executes the computer program, it further performs the following steps: obtaining the length of each travel path respectively; if there is a length greater than a set length threshold, it is determined that there is an expandable region; if there is no length greater than the set length threshold, it is determined that there is no expandable region.

[0097] In one embodiment, when the processor executes the computer program, it further performs the following steps: obtaining the length of each travel path; establishing a set of position points based on the midpoint position information of all travel paths whose lengths are greater than a set length threshold; if the set of position points is not empty, then it is determined that there is an expandable region; if the set of position points is empty, then it is determined that there is no expandable region.

[0098] In one embodiment, when the processor executes the computer program, it further performs the following steps: if it is determined that there is an expandable area, it verifies whether each cleaning area in the sub-area map has been cleaned; if each cleaning area has been cleaned, it explores and maps according to the travel path to obtain the expanded cleaning area.

[0099] In one embodiment, when the processor executes the computer program, it also performs the following steps: obtaining the location information of the target midpoint closest to the current location of the sweeping machine from the set of location points; if the sweeping machine moves to the location corresponding to the target midpoint location information, then starting exploration and mapping.

[0100] In one embodiment, when the processor executes the computer program, it further performs the following steps: if the current extended area cleaning is completed, it checks whether there is still an extendable area. If there is still an extendable area, it returns to the operation of exploring and mapping based on the travel path; if there is no extendable area, it ends the cleaning operation.

[0101] In one embodiment, when the processor executes the computer program, it further performs the following steps: determining whether the set of location points contains midpoint location information that is not covered by the map; if midpoint location information that is not covered by the map exists, then determining that there is still an expandable area; if midpoint location information that is not covered by the map does not exist, then determining that there is no expandable area.

[0102] In one embodiment, when the processor executes the computer program, it further performs the following steps: if there is no expandable area, it checks whether there is still a cleaning area to be cleaned; if there is no cleaning area to be cleaned, it terminates the cleaning operation.

[0103] In one embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium is provided having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program performing the following steps when executed by a processor:

[0104] If the robot vacuum has completed the construction of a sub-area map, then virtual boundaries are constructed for each cleaning area in the sub-area map; if the robot vacuum cleans any cleaning area, then the travel path of the robot vacuum when at least part of the robot body is in the difference area is obtained; the travel path is used to check whether there is an expandable area; if it is determined that there is an expandable area, then the robot vacuum explores and builds a map based on the travel path to obtain the expanded cleaning area, and then cleans the expanded cleaning area.

[0105] In one embodiment, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it also performs the following steps: if the robot vacuum cleaner has completed the construction of a sub-area map, the physical boundary of the same cleaning area in the sub-area map is expanded in a direction away from the cleaning area to obtain the virtual boundary of the cleaning area.

[0106] In one embodiment, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it further performs the following steps: expanding each edge of the physical boundary of the same cleaning area in the sub-area map by the same set distance in the direction away from the cleaning area to obtain the virtual boundary of the cleaning area.

[0107] In one embodiment, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it further performs the following steps: expanding the physical boundary of the same cleaning area in the sub-area map by a set number of pixels in a direction away from the cleaning area to obtain the virtual boundary of the cleaning area.

[0108] In one embodiment, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it further performs the following steps: obtaining the length of each travel path respectively; if there is a length greater than a set length threshold, it is determined that there is an expandable region; if there is no length greater than the set length threshold, it is determined that there is no expandable region.

[0109] In one embodiment, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it further performs the following steps: obtaining the length of each travel path respectively; establishing a set of position points based on the midpoint position information of all travel paths whose length is greater than a set length threshold; if the set of position points is not empty, then determining that there is an expandable region; if the set of position points is empty, then determining that there is no expandable region.

[0110] In one embodiment, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it further performs the following steps: if it is determined that there is an expandable area, it verifies whether each cleaning area in the sub-area map has been cleaned; if each cleaning area has been cleaned, it explores and maps according to the travel path to obtain the expanded cleaning area.

[0111] In one embodiment, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it further performs the following steps: obtaining the location information of the target midpoint closest to the current location of the sweeping machine from the set of location points; if the sweeping machine moves to the location corresponding to the target midpoint location information, then starting exploration and mapping.

[0112] In one embodiment, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it further performs the following steps: if the current extended area has been cleaned, it checks whether there are still extendable areas. If there are still extendable areas, it returns to the operation of exploring and mapping based on the travel path; if there are no extendable areas, it ends the cleaning operation.

[0113] In one embodiment, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it further performs the following steps: determining whether the set of location points contains midpoint location information that is not covered by the map; if midpoint location information that is not covered by the map exists, then determining that there is still an expandable area; if midpoint location information that is not covered by the map does not exist, then determining that there is no expandable area.

[0114] In one embodiment, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it further performs the following steps: if there is no expandable area, it checks whether there is still a cleaning area to be cleaned; if there is no cleaning area to be cleaned, it terminates the cleaning operation.

[0115] In one embodiment, a computer program product is provided, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, performs the following steps:

[0116] If the robot vacuum has completed the construction of a sub-area map, then virtual boundaries are constructed for each cleaning area in the sub-area map; if the robot vacuum cleans any cleaning area, then the travel path of the robot vacuum when at least part of the robot body is in the difference area is obtained; the travel path is used to check whether there is an expandable area; if it is determined that there is an expandable area, then the robot vacuum explores and builds a map based on the travel path to obtain the expanded cleaning area, and then cleans the expanded cleaning area.

[0117] In one embodiment, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it also performs the following steps: if the robot vacuum cleaner has completed the construction of a sub-area map, the physical boundary of the same cleaning area in the sub-area map is expanded in a direction away from the cleaning area to obtain the virtual boundary of the cleaning area.

[0118] In one embodiment, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it further performs the following steps: expanding each edge of the physical boundary of the same cleaning area in the sub-area map by the same set distance in the direction away from the cleaning area to obtain the virtual boundary of the cleaning area.

[0119] In one embodiment, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it further performs the following steps: expanding the physical boundary of the same cleaning area in the sub-area map by a set number of pixels in a direction away from the cleaning area to obtain the virtual boundary of the cleaning area.

[0120] In one embodiment, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it further performs the following steps: obtaining the length of each travel path respectively; if there is a length greater than a set length threshold, it is determined that there is an expandable region; if there is no length greater than the set length threshold, it is determined that there is no expandable region.

[0121] In one embodiment, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it further performs the following steps: obtaining the length of each travel path respectively; establishing a set of position points based on the midpoint position information of all travel paths whose length is greater than a set length threshold; if the set of position points is not empty, then determining that there is an expandable region; if the set of position points is empty, then determining that there is no expandable region.

[0122] In one embodiment, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it further performs the following steps: if it is determined that there is an expandable area, it verifies whether each cleaning area in the sub-area map has been cleaned; if each cleaning area has been cleaned, it explores and maps according to the travel path to obtain the expanded cleaning area.

[0123] In one embodiment, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it further performs the following steps: obtaining the location information of the target midpoint closest to the current location of the sweeping machine from the set of location points; if the sweeping machine moves to the location corresponding to the target midpoint location information, then starting exploration and mapping.

[0124] In one embodiment, when the computer program is executed by the processor, it further performs the following steps: if the current extended area has been cleaned, it checks whether there are still extendable areas. If there are still extendable areas, it returns to the operation of exploring and mapping based on the travel path; if there are no extendable areas, it ends the cleaning operation.

[0125] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes in the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium. When executed, the computer program can include the processes of the embodiments described above. Any references to memory, databases, or other media used in the embodiments provided in this application can include at least one of non-volatile and volatile memory. Non-volatile memory can include read-only memory (ROM), magnetic tape, floppy disk, flash memory, optical memory, high-density embedded non-volatile memory, resistive random access memory (ReRAM), magnetic random access memory (MRAM), ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM), phase change memory (PCM), graphene memory, etc. Volatile memory can include random access memory (RAM) or external cache memory, etc. By way of illustration and not limitation, RAM can take many forms, such as Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) or Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM). The databases involved in the embodiments provided in this application may include at least one type of relational database and non-relational database. Non-relational databases may include, but are not limited to, blockchain-based distributed databases. The processors involved in the embodiments provided in this application may be general-purpose processors, central processing units, graphics processing units, digital signal processors, programmable logic devices, quantum computing-based data processing logic devices, etc., and are not limited to these.

[0126] The aforementioned robot vacuum cleaner, storage medium, and computer program, after the robot vacuum cleaner completes the construction of a zone map, will construct a virtual boundary for each cleaning area in the zone map that does not completely coincide with its physical boundary. This ensures that the first area enclosed by the virtual boundary completely covers the second area enclosed by the physical boundary. During the robot vacuum cleaner's cleaning of each zone according to the set program, if a newly opened door or other situation causes an area to be missed during the zone map construction, at least a portion of the robot vacuum cleaner's edge-cleaning path will enter the difference area enclosed by the virtual and physical boundaries. In other words, at least a portion of the edge-cleaning path of the current cleaning area will be outside the physical boundary. Afterwards, by analyzing the travel path within the difference area, it is possible to determine whether an expandable area exists. If an expandable area exists, it is explored and mapped to obtain the expanded cleaning area, and cleaning is performed on the expanded cleaning area. This solution allows for timely detection and cleaning of expanded cleaning areas during the robot vacuum cleaner's cleaning process, effectively mitigating the phenomenon of missed areas.

[0127] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0128] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for operating a floor-scrubbing machine, characterized in that Comprise: If the floor cleaning mechanism builds a sub-area map, a virtual boundary is respectively built for each cleaning area in the sub-area map; wherein the physical boundary and the virtual boundary of the same cleaning area do not completely coincide, and the first area completely covers the second area, the second area is the area surrounded by the physical boundary, and the first area is the area surrounded by the virtual boundary of the same cleaning area; If the floor cleaning mechanism cleans any cleaning area, the travel path of the floor cleaning mechanism when at least part of the body is in the difference area is obtained; wherein the difference area is the area between the virtual boundary and the physical boundary of the same cleaning area; According to the travel path, it is checked whether there is an expandable area, and if it is determined that there is an expandable area, the expandable area is obtained by exploring mapping according to the travel path, and the expandable area is cleaned.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, If the floor cleaning mechanism builds a sub-area map, a virtual boundary is respectively built for each cleaning area in the sub-area map, comprising: If the floor cleaning mechanism builds a sub-area map, the physical boundary of the same cleaning area in the sub-area map is expanded in the direction away from the cleaning area to obtain the virtual boundary of the cleaning area.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, The virtual boundary of the cleaning area is obtained by expanding the physical boundary of the same cleaning area in the sub-area map in the direction away from the cleaning area, comprising: Each edge of the physical boundary of the same cleaning area in the sub-area map is respectively expanded by a set distance in the direction away from the cleaning area to obtain the virtual boundary of the cleaning area.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein, The virtual boundary of the cleaning area is obtained by expanding the physical boundary of the same cleaning area in the sub-area map in the direction away from the cleaning area, comprising: The virtual boundary of the cleaning area is obtained by inflating the physical boundary of the same cleaning area in the sub-area map by a set of pixels in the direction away from the cleaning area.

5. The method of claim 1-4, wherein, The checking whether there is an expandable area according to the travel path, comprising: The length of each travel path is obtained respectively; If there is a length greater than a set length threshold, it is determined that there is an expandable area; If there is no length greater than the set length threshold, it is determined that there is no expandable area.

6. The method of claim 1-4, wherein, The checking whether there is an expandable area according to the travel path, comprising: The length of each travel path is obtained respectively; According to the midpoint position information of all the travel paths with a length greater than a set length threshold, a position point set is established; If the position point set is a non-empty set, it is determined that there is an expandable area; If the position point set is an empty set, it is determined that there is no expandable area.

7. The method of claim 1-4, wherein, If it is determined that there is an expandable area, the expandable area is obtained by exploring mapping according to the travel path, comprising: If it is determined that there is an expandable area, it is checked whether each cleaning area in the sub-area map is cleaned; If each cleaning area is cleaned, the expandable area is obtained by exploring mapping according to the travel path.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein, The exploring mapping according to the travel path, comprising: acquire target midpoint position information closest to the current position of the sweeping machine from the set of position points; if the sweeping machine moves to the position corresponding to the target midpoint position information, start exploration mapping.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, The method further comprises: if it is determined that there is an expandable area, performing exploration mapping according to the travel path to obtain an expanded cleaning area, and after cleaning the expanded cleaning area, further comprising: if the current expanded cleaning area is cleaned, checking whether there is still an expandable area; if there is still an expandable area, returning to the step of performing exploration mapping according to the travel path to obtain an expanded cleaning area; if there is no expandable area, ending the cleaning operation.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, The method further comprises: determining whether there is midpoint position information whose position is not covered by the map in the set of position points; if there is midpoint position information whose position is not covered by the map, it is determined that there is still an expandable area; if there is no midpoint position information whose position is not covered by the map, it is determined that there is no expandable area.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein, The method further comprises: if there is no expandable area, checking whether there is still a cleaning area that needs to be cleaned; if there is no cleaning area that needs to be cleaned, ending the cleaning operation.

12. A robot vacuum cleaner characterised in that, The sweeping machine comprises a distance detector, a cleaning assembly, a travel assembly, and a processor, wherein the distance detector, the cleaning assembly, and the travel assembly are respectively connected to the processor, and the processor is configured to perform the steps of the sweeping machine operation method according to any one of claims 1-11.

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