Cleaning robot control method and device, storage medium and cleaning robot

Abstract

The invention provides a control method and device of a cleaning robot, a storage medium and the cleaning robot, and relates to the technical field of cleaning robots. The control method comprises the steps that the cleaning robot is controlled to conduct cleaning along a path shaped like a Chinese character'gong '; when the cleaning robot moves to the inflection point position of the path shaped like the Chinese character'gong ', the position of the cleaning part relative to the body within a certain threshold range of the inflection point position in the previous cleaning process of the cleaning robot is determined; and according to the position of the cleaning part relative to the body in the previous cleaning process, the turning mode of the cleaning robot at the inflection point position is determined. The cleaning path can cover all the cleaning blind areas, and the cleaning effect is improved.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] In related technologies, to improve cleaning effectiveness, when obstacles such as walls exist in the cleaning area, cleaning robots first clean along the edges of the walls before performing large-area bow-shaped cleaning. However, due to limitations in the robot's shape, the size of its mop tray, and sensor accuracy, the robot cannot perfectly fit against the wall when cleaning edges, leading to cleaning blind spots. To address this, a cleaning robot with an extendable mop tray is proposed. When cleaning edges, the mop tray extends to fit against the wall, thereby improving cleaning effectiveness.

[0003] When the dishcloth tray extends, new gaps will form in the original position of the dishcloth tray, thus creating new cleaning dead spots. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application aims to address at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art or related technologies.

[0005] Therefore, the first aspect of this application proposes a control method for a cleaning robot.

[0006] The second aspect of this application proposes a control method for a cleaning robot.

[0007] The third aspect of this application proposes a control device for a cleaning robot.

[0008] The fourth aspect of this application proposes a control device for a cleaning robot.

[0009] The fifth aspect of this application proposes a control device for a cleaning robot.

[0010] The sixth aspect of this application proposes a readable storage medium.

[0011] The seventh aspect of this application proposes a cleaning robot.

[0012] In view of this, the first aspect of this application provides a control method for a cleaning robot. The cleaning robot includes a main body and a cleaning part, the cleaning part being able to switch between a first position and a second position relative to the main body. The control method includes: controlling the cleaning robot to clean along a bow-shaped path; when the cleaning robot moves to the inflection point of the bow-shaped path, determining the position of the cleaning part relative to the main body within a certain threshold range at the inflection point during the previous cleaning process; and determining the turning mode of the cleaning robot at the inflection point based on the position of the cleaning part relative to the main body during the previous cleaning process.

[0013] In this technical solution, the cleaning robot includes, but is not limited to, sweeping cleaning robots, mopping cleaning robots, and combined sweeping and mopping cleaning robots. The cleaning robot includes a main body and a cleaning unit; exemplarily, the cleaning unit can be a main brush, a mop tray, etc. The cleaning unit is movable relative to the main body of the cleaning robot, specifically switching between a first position and a second position.

[0014] When a cleaning robot performs automatic cleaning on an area, it first detects obstacles such as walls and large floor furniture. Upon detecting an obstacle, the robot initially cleans along its edge. During this process, to bring the cleaning unit closer to the obstacle's edge, the robot sometimes extends its cleaning unit. However, this extension creates new blind spots in the previously covered areas. This application addresses this issue by controlling the cleaning robot to compensate for these blind spots created during edge cleaning when performing a zigzag cleaning path, thus preventing the cleaning of the corners.

[0015] For example, when the cleaning robot moves to the inflection point of the bow-shaped path, it is determined whether there is an edge cleaning area near the inflection point, that is, whether the cleaning robot has extended its cleaning part near the current inflection point, thereby creating a cleaning blind spot.

[0016] If the cleaning robot extends its cleaning section near the current inflection point, it is necessary to supplement the cleaning of the new blind spots caused by the extension of the cleaning section. At this time, the cleaning robot is controlled to perform a special turning maneuver, such as turning 90° and traveling a distance along the wall, and then turning 90° to complete the turning maneuver, in order to supplement the cleaning of the aforementioned blind spots, thereby completely "eliminating" the blind spots and improving the cleaning effect.

[0017] This application can determine whether the current inflection point is adjacent to the edge cleaning path, and determine the turning method of the cleaning robot at the current inflection point based on the judgment result, thereby enabling the cleaning path to cover all cleaning blind spots and improve the cleaning effect.

[0018] In some technical solutions of this application, optionally, the cleaning part extends at least partially beyond the body contour of the second position relative to the first position.

[0019] In this technical solution, when the cleaning part is located in one of the first and second positions, the cleaning part is in its original position. When the cleaning part is switched to the other of the first and second positions, at least a portion of the cleaning part extends beyond the outline of the body.

[0020] For example, taking the first position as the original position of the cleaning unit and the second position as the position where the cleaning unit extends beyond the outline of the main body, due to limitations such as the shape of the cleaning robot, the size of the mop tray, and the accuracy of the sensors, the cleaning robot cannot closely adhere to the wall when cleaning edges. This results in the cleaning unit being unable to reach areas very close to the wall when in the first position, leading to cleaning blind spots. When the cleaning unit is in the second position, it extends and adheres to obstacles such as walls, enabling effective cleaning of areas very close to the wall.

[0021] In some technical solutions of this application, optionally, determining the turning method of the cleaning robot at the inflection point based on the position of the cleaning part relative to the body during the previous cleaning process includes: if the cleaning part is located in the first position, determining that the cleaning robot turns at the inflection point in a first turning manner; if the cleaning part is located in the second position or any position between the first and second positions, determining that the cleaning robot turns at the inflection point in a second turning manner, wherein the path of the second turning manner is different from the path of the first turning manner.

[0022] In this technical solution, the first position is the original position of the cleaning unit, and the second position is the position where the cleaning unit extends beyond the outline of the main body. Near the current turning point, if the cleaning unit of the cleaning robot is in the first position, it means that the cleaning robot is not cleaning the edges nearby, and there is no blind spot that needs to be compensated for. At this time, the cleaning robot turns according to the normal first turning method.

[0023] If the cleaning robot's cleaning section is in the second position near the current inflection point, it means that the inflection point before the point is a section of the bow-shaped path near the edge of the obstacle. The cleaning robot has cleaned the edge nearby and needs to compensate for the cleaning blind spot. At this time, the cleaning robot turns in the normal second turning manner to compensate for the cleaning blind spot.

[0024] For example, the first turning method is different from the second turning method. The first turning method prioritizes turning efficiency, while the second turning method prioritizes the coverage area of ​​the cleaning path.

[0025] The technical solution of this application determines whether a special turn is needed based on whether edge cleaning has been performed near the inflection point of the bow-shaped path, thus ensuring the cleaning efficiency of the cleaning robot while guaranteeing full coverage of the cleaning blind spots.

[0026] In some technical solutions of this application, optionally, when turning in a second turning manner, the cleaning part is located in a first position relative to the main body.

[0027] In this technical solution, the purpose of the cleaning robot turning in the second manner is to compensate for cleaning blind spots created during edge cleaning. Because the cleaning unit is in the second position when the cleaning robot is cleaning the edges, areas that would have been covered by the cleaning unit in the first position will now have new cleaning blind spots due to the change in the cleaning unit's position. Therefore, when the cleaning robot compensates for these blind spots by turning in the second manner, the cleaning unit is kept in the first position. This method ensures full coverage of the blind spots.

[0028] In some technical solutions of this application, optionally, the second turning method includes at least a straight path; the first turning method includes at least a curved path.

[0029] In this technical solution, the second turning method includes a straight path. When the cleaning robot turns in the second way, the cleaning part is located in the first position. When the cleaning robot moves along the straight path in the second turning method, the cleaning part can stay in the first position and perform compensatory cleaning of the blind spots.

[0030] The first turning method includes an arc path. When the cleaning robot turns in the first way, it means that the cleaning robot does not need to compensate for cleaning blind spots. At this time, turning around along the arc path can improve the movement efficiency.

[0031] Optionally, in some technical solutions of this application, the second turning method includes: the cleaning robot turns in place at the inflection point by a first angle and then moves forward along a straight path; and after the cleaning robot reaches the end of the straight path, it turns in place by a second angle; wherein the first angle and the second angle are complementary angles; the first turning method includes: the cleaning robot moves along an arc path at the inflection point until the turn is completed.

[0032] In this technical solution, when the cleaning robot turns around in the second way, it turns at the turning point at the first angle, then moves along a preset straight path for a certain distance before stopping, and then turns at the second angle.

[0033] For example, in the first turning mode, the cleaning robot turns and makes a U-turn following a zigzag pattern. For example, both the first angle and the second angle are 90°.

[0034] When the cleaning robot makes a U-turn using the first turning method, it dynamically completes the turn along a preset arc path. Compared to the first turning method, which involves first turning in place at a certain angle, then moving in a specific direction, and then turning in place again to complete the U-turn, the turning process via the arc path is a continuous action at a constant speed. It does not require two turns in place, thus having higher efficiency and improving the cleaning efficiency of the robot.

[0035] In some technical solutions of this application, the bow-shaped path includes at least two straight paths, and the inflection point is the position of the endpoints connecting the two adjacent straight paths.

[0036] In this technical solution, the bow-shaped path includes multiple straight paths, which, for example, are parallel to each other. When the cleaning robot moves to the end of one of the straight paths along the bow-shaped path, it needs to turn and change direction to the next adjacent straight path, and then move in the opposite direction along that next straight path. The position where the cleaning robot turns at the end of the straight path is the aforementioned turning point.

[0037] A second aspect of this application provides a control method for a cleaning robot, the cleaning robot including a body and a cleaning part, the cleaning part being able to extend from the body, the control method including:

[0038] The cleaning robot is controlled to clean along the edge of the first object and the first coordinate position is recorded; wherein, the first coordinate position is the coordinate position of the cleaning robot when the cleaning part extends out of the body; the cleaning robot is controlled to clean along the bow-shaped path; when the cleaning robot moves to the inflection point of the bow-shaped path, the second coordinate position of the cleaning robot is obtained; based on the first coordinate position and the second coordinate position, the turning method of the cleaning robot at the inflection point is determined.

[0039] In this technical solution, the cleaning robot includes, but is not limited to, sweeping cleaning robots, mopping cleaning robots, and combined sweeping and mopping cleaning robots. The cleaning robot comprises a main body and a cleaning unit; for example, the cleaning unit may be a main brush, a mop tray, etc.

[0040] When a cleaning robot performs automatic cleaning on an area, it first detects obstacles within the area, such as walls or large floor furniture, and designates these obstacles as the first object. After detecting the first object, the cleaning robot first cleans the edge area along the edge of the first object. During this process, the cleaning robot moves along the edge of the first object to clean the edge area and prevent blind spots from being created when cleaning in a bow-shaped pattern.

[0041] Due to limitations in shape, mop tray size, and sensor accuracy, cleaning robots cannot maintain close contact with walls when cleaning edges, creating blind spots in areas very close to the wall. To address this issue, when cleaning edge areas such as walls, the cleaning unit extends its body towards one side of the wall, allowing it to clean these blind spots.

[0042] When the cleaning unit extends, new blind spots appear in the areas originally covered by the unit. Therefore, when the cleaning robot performs edge cleaning, it records the coordinates of the cleaning unit when it extends, and designates this as the first coordinate position. This first coordinate position is also the new blind spot that appears in the area originally covered by the cleaning unit. However, this new blind spot is not close to the edge of obstacles such as walls, so it can be cleaned in addition to the existing blind spot during the bow-shaped cleaning process.

[0043] After the cleaning robot completes edge cleaning, it begins the bow-shaped cleaning phase, during which it travels along a bow-shaped path. When the robot reaches the inflection point at the end of the bow-shaped path, it needs to turn around and move in the opposite direction. Upon reaching the end of the reverse path, it turns around again and repeats this process.

[0044] For the end of the path near the edge of the first object, the cleaning robot obtains the current second coordinate position, that is, the coordinate position of the cleaning robot at the end of the path near the edge of the first object. Based on the recorded first coordinate position and the current second coordinate position, it determines the position where the cleaning robot turns around this time, whether it is the end of the bow-shaped path near the edge of the first object or the end away from the edge of the first object.

[0045] If the cleaning robot is located away from the edge of the first object, it means there are no blind spots caused by the cleaning unit extending out during edge cleaning. Therefore, the robot can simply turn around using a normal zigzag path. If the cleaning robot is located closer to the edge of the first object, it is necessary to clean the new blind spots caused by the cleaning unit extending out of its body. In this case, the robot should be controlled to perform a special turning maneuver, such as turning 90°, traveling a distance along the wall, and then turning 90° again to complete the turn. This will clean the aforementioned blind spots, thereby completely eliminating them and improving the cleaning effect.

[0046] This application enables the cleaning unit to extend from the main body during edge cleaning, allowing it to closely adhere to the edge of obstacles, i.e., the first object, thus avoiding cleaning blind spots such as those near walls. Furthermore, during bow-shaped cleaning, based on the coordinates of the inflection point and the robot's position when the cleaning unit extends during edge cleaning, it determines whether the current inflection point is adjacent to the edge cleaning path. Based on this determination, it determines the robot's turning direction at the inflection point, ensuring the cleaning path covers all blind spots and improving cleaning effectiveness.

[0047] In addition, the control method for the cleaning robot in the above-mentioned technical solution provided in this application may also have the following additional technical features:

[0048] In some technical solutions of this application, optionally, the turning mode of the cleaning robot at the inflection point is determined based on the first coordinate position and the second coordinate position, including: determining the distance value between the first coordinate position and the second coordinate position; if the distance value is less than or equal to a first distance threshold, determining the turning mode as a first turning mode; if the distance value is greater than the first distance threshold, determining the turning mode as a second turning mode.

[0049] In this technical solution, whenever the cleaning robot moves to the inflection point of the bow-shaped path near the edge of the first object, the cleaning robot determines the second coordinate position at the inflection point and obtains the first coordinate position recorded during edge cleaning. The distance value between the second coordinate position and the first coordinate position is determined. This distance value can express the distance between the cleaning robot at the inflection point at the end of the bow-shaped path and the position where the cleaning part extends out of the body when the cleaning robot is cleaning the edge.

[0050] If the distance value is greater than the preset first distance threshold, it means that the current turning position is the end of the bow-shaped path that is far away from the first object. At this time, the cleaning robot can turn around in the normal turning method, that is, the second turning method mentioned above, so as to ensure the movement efficiency of the cleaning robot.

[0051] If the distance value is less than or equal to the first distance threshold mentioned above, it means that the turning point is one end of the bow-shaped path near the edge of the first object. At this position, there is a new cleaning blind spot caused by the cleaning part extending out of the body when cleaning the edge. Therefore, the cleaning robot is controlled to turn around according to the preset first turning method. Through the first turning method, the path of the cleaning robot turning around covers the above-mentioned cleaning blind spot, thereby supplementing the cleaning of the cleaning blind spot.

[0052] The technical solution of this application determines whether a special turn is needed based on the coordinates of the inflection point of the bow-shaped path and the coordinates recorded during edge cleaning. This ensures the cleaning efficiency of the cleaning robot while guaranteeing full coverage of the cleaning blind spots.

[0053] In some technical solutions of this application, optionally, the first turning method is: after the cleaning robot turns to a first angle, it moves forward a first preset distance; the cleaning robot turns to a second angle; wherein the first angle and the second angle are complementary angles.

[0054] In this technical solution, when the distance between the current second coordinate position and the recorded first coordinate position is less than or equal to the first distance threshold, it indicates that the end of the bow-shaped path where the cleaning robot is currently located is close to the edge of the first object. At this time, the cleaning robot needs to supplement the cleaning blind spot caused by the cleaning part extending out of the body. Therefore, the cleaning robot selects the first turning method to turn around.

[0055] For example, in the first turning method, the cleaning robot turns and makes a U-turn along a zigzag pattern. Specifically, when the cleaning robot moves to the end of the path near the edge of the first object on the zigzag path, the cleaning robot first turns a first angle in the direction of the uncleaned area. For example, the range of this first angle is 75° to 100°. For example, the first angle is 90°.

[0056] After the cleaning robot rotates to the first angle, it travels a first preset distance in a straight line. During this process, the cleaning robot actually moves close to the edge of the first object. This movement path overlaps with the edge cleaning process to a certain extent. Since the cleaning part does not extend beyond the main body during this process, it can completely cover the cleaning blind spots created when the cleaning part extends beyond the main body.

[0057] For example, the first preset distance is associated with the external dimensions of the cleaning robot. For example, the range of the first preset distance is 20cm to 40cm.

[0058] After the cleaning robot has traveled a distance of the first preset distance, it rotates again in the direction away from the first object by a second angle. This second angle is complementary to the first angle. Therefore, after rotating by the second angle, the cleaning robot has actually rotated 180° relative to before turning around, thus completing the turn. At this time, the cleaning robot continues to move forward in a straight line and repeats the cycle to complete the bow-shaped cleaning.

[0059] For example, the first angle is 90° and the second angle is 90°.

[0060] The technical solution of this application rotates a first angle at the inflection point near the end of the first object's edge in a bow-shaped path, then moves forward in a straight line for a certain distance, and then rotates a second angle that is complementary to the first angle to complete the turning around. This enables the cleaning robot to completely cover the cleaning blind spots generated when the cleaning part extends out of the body.

[0061] In some technical solutions of this application, optionally, the first turning method is: the cleaning robot turns to face the first direction, and records the third angle of the cleaning robot turning to face the first direction; wherein, the first direction is parallel to the extension direction of the edge of the first object; after the cleaning robot moves forward a second preset distance along the first direction, the cleaning robot is controlled to turn to the fourth angle; wherein, the third angle and the fourth angle are complementary angles.

[0062] In this technical solution, when the distance between the current second coordinate position and the recorded first coordinate position is less than or equal to the first distance threshold, it indicates that the end of the bow-shaped path where the cleaning robot is currently located is close to the edge of the first object. At this time, the cleaning robot needs to supplement the cleaning blind spot caused by the cleaning part extending out of the body. Therefore, the cleaning robot selects the first turning method to turn around.

[0063] For example, in the first steering mode, the cleaning robot uses its own sensors, such as LiDAR, to scan the edge of the first object, or obtains the edge of the first object through mapping capabilities, and determines the extension direction of the edge of the first object.

[0064] For example, assuming the first object is a wall, the direction in which the edge of the first object extends is the direction in which the wall extends.

[0065] For example, assuming the first object is an obstacle such as a large piece of floor furniture, and the shape of the first object is irregular, the direction of the extension of the edge of the first object can be a continuously changing direction.

[0066] The purpose of determining the first direction is to allow the cleaning robot to travel a certain distance along the edge of the first object. This process is essentially equivalent to "retracing" a path of edge cleaning. During this process, the cleaning unit does not extend beyond the main body, thus enabling complete coverage of the cleaning blind spots created when the cleaning unit extends beyond the main body during edge cleaning.

[0067] During the turning process towards the first direction, the cleaning robot records the angle of its rotation and designates it as a third angle. After completing the turn, the cleaning robot travels a second preset distance along the first direction. Exemplarily, the second preset distance is related to the external dimensions of the cleaning robot. Exemplarily, the second preset distance ranges from 20cm to 40cm.

[0068] After the cleaning robot has traveled a distance of the second preset distance, it rotates again in the direction away from the first object by a fourth angle. This fourth angle is complementary to the third angle. Therefore, after rotating by the fourth angle, the cleaning robot has actually rotated 180° relative to before turning around, thus completing the turn. At this time, the cleaning robot continues to move forward in a straight line and repeats the cycle to complete the bow-shaped cleaning.

[0069] The technical solution of this application rotates to a first direction toward the edge of the first object at the inflection point near the end of the bow-shaped path, and then moves a second preset distance along the first direction before turning around, so that the cleaning robot can completely cover the cleaning blind spot generated when the cleaning part extends out of the body.

[0070] In some technical solutions of this application, optionally, the second turning method is: the cleaning robot moves along a preset arc path; wherein the radius of the arc path is smaller than the distance value.

[0071] In this technical solution, when the distance between the current second coordinate position and the recorded first coordinate position is detected to be greater than the first distance threshold, it indicates that the end of the bow-shaped path where the cleaning robot is currently located is the end away from the edge of the first object. There is no cleaning blind spot caused by the cleaning part extending from the body near the current inflection point. At this time, the cleaning robot selects the second turning method to turn around.

[0072] For example, the second turning method is an arc-shaped turning. Compared to the first turning method, which involves first turning in place by a certain angle, then moving forward in a specific direction, and then turning in place again by a certain angle to complete the turn, the turning and turning process through the arc path is a continuous action at a constant speed. It does not require two turns in place, so the action efficiency is higher and the mobile cleaning efficiency of the cleaning robot can be improved.

[0073] Optionally, in some technical solutions of this application, controlling a cleaning robot to clean along the edge of a first object includes: generating a first cleaning path, the first cleaning path being adjacent to the edge of the first object; controlling the cleaning part of the cleaning robot to extend out of its body so that the distance between the cleaning part and the edge of the first object is less than a second distance threshold; and controlling the cleaning robot to clean along the first cleaning path.

[0074] In this technical solution, during the edge cleaning process, the cleaning robot uses its own sensors, such as lidar, ultrasonic radar, electromagnetic radar or visual sensors, to identify existing obstacles, such as the edges of walls and large floor furniture, and obtain the edge information of the first object.

[0075] Based on the edge information obtained from the scanning mapping, a first cleaning path is generated. This first cleaning path is the edge adjacent to the first object and extends along the direction of the edge extension of the first object. When the cleaning robot moves along the first cleaning path, the cleaning robot is actually moving close to the edge of the first object.

[0076] When a cleaning robot performs edge cleaning, limitations such as the robot's shape, the size of its mop tray, and sensor accuracy prevent it from adhering closely to the edge of the first object, potentially creating a cleaning blind spot between the robot's cleaning section and the object's edge. To address this, the cleaning section of the cleaning robot in this application extends beyond its main body. While the robot is cleaning along a first cleaning path, the cleaning section is controlled to extend towards the first object, allowing it to adhere closely to the object's edge and thus avoiding blind spots and improving cleaning effectiveness.

[0077] A third aspect of this application provides a control device for a cleaning robot. The cleaning robot includes a main body and a cleaning part, the cleaning part being able to switch between a first position and a second position relative to the main body. The control device includes: a first control module for controlling the cleaning robot to clean along a bow-shaped path; a first determining module for determining, when the cleaning robot moves to the inflection point of the bow-shaped path, the position of the cleaning part relative to the main body within a certain threshold range at the inflection point during the previous cleaning process; and determining the turning method of the cleaning robot at the inflection point based on the position of the cleaning part relative to the main body during the previous cleaning process.

[0078] In this technical solution, the cleaning robot includes, but is not limited to, sweeping cleaning robots, mopping cleaning robots, and combined sweeping and mopping cleaning robots. The cleaning robot includes a main body and a cleaning unit; exemplarily, the cleaning unit can be a main brush, a mop tray, etc. The cleaning unit is movable relative to the main body of the cleaning robot, specifically switching between a first position and a second position.

[0079] When a cleaning robot performs automatic cleaning on an area, it first detects obstacles such as walls and large floor furniture. Upon detecting an obstacle, the robot initially cleans along its edge. During this process, to bring the cleaning unit closer to the obstacle's edge, the robot sometimes extends its cleaning unit. However, this extension creates new blind spots in the previously covered areas. This application addresses this issue by controlling the cleaning robot to compensate for these blind spots created during edge cleaning when performing a zigzag cleaning path, thus preventing the cleaning of the corners.

[0080] For example, when the cleaning robot moves to the inflection point of the bow-shaped path, it is determined whether there is an edge cleaning area near the inflection point, that is, whether the cleaning robot has extended its cleaning part near the current inflection point, thereby creating a cleaning blind spot.

[0081] If the cleaning robot extends its cleaning section near the current inflection point, it is necessary to supplement the cleaning of the new blind spots caused by the extension of the cleaning section. At this time, the cleaning robot is controlled to perform a special turning maneuver, such as turning 90° and traveling a distance along the wall, and then turning 90° to complete the turning maneuver, in order to supplement the cleaning of the aforementioned blind spots, thereby completely "eliminating" the blind spots and improving the cleaning effect.

[0082] This application can determine whether the current inflection point is adjacent to the edge cleaning path, and determine the turning method of the cleaning robot at the current inflection point based on the judgment result, thereby enabling the cleaning path to cover all cleaning blind spots and improve the cleaning effect.

[0083] A fourth aspect of this application provides a control device for a cleaning robot. The cleaning robot includes a main body and a cleaning part, the cleaning part being able to extend from the main body. The control device includes:

[0084] The second control module is used to control the cleaning robot to clean along the edge of the first object and record the first coordinate position; wherein the first coordinate position is the coordinate position of the cleaning robot when the cleaning part extends out of the body; and to control the cleaning robot to clean along the bow-shaped path; the acquisition module is used to acquire the second coordinate position of the cleaning robot when the cleaning robot moves to the inflection point of the bow-shaped path; the second determination module is used to determine the turning method of the cleaning robot at the inflection point based on the first coordinate position and the second coordinate position.

[0085] In this technical solution, the cleaning robot includes, but is not limited to, sweeping cleaning robots, mopping cleaning robots, and combined sweeping and mopping cleaning robots. The cleaning robot comprises a main body and a cleaning unit; for example, the cleaning unit may be a main brush, a mop tray, etc.

[0086] When a cleaning robot performs automatic cleaning on an area, it first detects obstacles within the area, such as walls or large floor furniture, and designates these obstacles as the first object. After detecting the first object, the cleaning robot first cleans the edge area along the edge of the first object. During this process, the cleaning robot moves along the edge of the first object to clean the edge area and prevent blind spots from being created when cleaning in a bow-shaped pattern.

[0087] Due to limitations in shape, mop tray size, and sensor accuracy, cleaning robots cannot maintain close contact with walls when cleaning edges, creating blind spots in areas very close to the wall. To address this issue, when cleaning edge areas such as walls, the cleaning unit extends its body towards one side of the wall, allowing it to clean these blind spots.

[0088] When the cleaning unit extends, new blind spots appear in the areas originally covered by the unit. Therefore, when the cleaning robot performs edge cleaning, it records the coordinates of the cleaning unit when it extends, and designates this as the first coordinate position. This first coordinate position is also the new blind spot that appears in the area originally covered by the cleaning unit. However, this new blind spot is not close to the edge of obstacles such as walls, so it can be cleaned in addition to the existing blind spot during the bow-shaped cleaning process.

[0089] After the cleaning robot completes edge cleaning, it begins the bow-shaped cleaning phase, during which it travels along a bow-shaped path. When the robot reaches the inflection point at the end of the bow-shaped path, it needs to turn around and move in the opposite direction. Upon reaching the end of the reverse path, it turns around again and repeats this process.

[0090] For the end of the path near the edge of the first object, the cleaning robot obtains the current second coordinate position, that is, the coordinate position of the cleaning robot at the end of the path near the edge of the first object. Based on the recorded first coordinate position and the current second coordinate position, it determines the position where the cleaning robot turns around this time, whether it is the end of the bow-shaped path near the edge of the first object or the end away from the edge of the first object.

[0091] If the cleaning robot is located away from the edge of the first object, it means there are no blind spots caused by the cleaning unit extending out during edge cleaning. Therefore, the robot can simply turn around using a normal zigzag path. If the cleaning robot is located closer to the edge of the first object, it is necessary to clean the new blind spots caused by the cleaning unit extending out of its body. In this case, the robot should be controlled to perform a special turning maneuver, such as turning 90°, traveling a distance along the wall, and then turning 90° again to complete the turn. This will clean the aforementioned blind spots, thereby completely eliminating them and improving the cleaning effect.

[0092] This application enables the cleaning unit to extend from the main body during edge cleaning, allowing it to closely adhere to the edge of obstacles, i.e., the first object, thus avoiding cleaning blind spots such as those near walls. Furthermore, during bow-shaped cleaning, based on the coordinates of the inflection point and the robot's position when the cleaning unit extends during edge cleaning, it determines whether the current inflection point is adjacent to the edge cleaning path. Based on this determination, it determines the robot's turning direction at the inflection point, ensuring the cleaning path covers all blind spots and improving cleaning effectiveness.

[0093] The fifth aspect of this application provides a control device for a cleaning robot, comprising: a memory for storing programs or instructions; and a processor for executing programs or instructions to implement the steps of the control method for a cleaning robot as provided in any of the above technical solutions. Therefore, it also includes all the beneficial effects of the control method for a cleaning robot as provided in any of the above technical solutions, and will not be repeated here to avoid repetition.

[0094] The sixth aspect of this application provides a readable storage medium storing a program or instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the control method for a cleaning robot as provided in any of the above technical solutions. Therefore, it also includes all the beneficial effects of the control method for a cleaning robot as provided in any of the above technical solutions, and will not be repeated here to avoid repetition.

[0095] The seventh aspect of this application provides a cleaning robot, including a control device for the cleaning robot as provided in any of the above technical solutions, and / or a readable storage medium as provided in any of the above technical solutions. Therefore, it also includes all the beneficial effects of the control device for the cleaning robot as provided in any of the above technical solutions and / or the readable storage medium as provided in any of the above technical solutions. To avoid repetition, these will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0096] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0097] Figure 1 The present application shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a cleaning robot according to some embodiments;

[0098] Figure 2A A flowchart illustrating a control method for a cleaning robot according to some embodiments of this application is shown;

[0099] Figure 2B A flowchart illustrating a control method for a cleaning robot according to some embodiments of this application is shown;

[0100] Figure 3The present application shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a cleaning robot according to some embodiments;

[0101] Figure 4 A schematic diagram illustrating the edge cleaning of a cleaning robot according to some embodiments of this application is shown;

[0102] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a first turning mode according to some embodiments of this application is shown;

[0103] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a second turning method according to some embodiments of this application is shown;

[0104] Figure 7 Structural block diagrams of the control device for a cleaning robot according to some embodiments of this application are shown;

[0105] Figure 8 Structural block diagrams of the control device for a cleaning robot according to some embodiments of this application are shown;

[0106] Figure 9 A structural block diagram of the control device for a cleaning robot according to some embodiments of this application is shown.

[0107] Figure label:

[0108] 100 cleaning robots, 102 main body, 104 cleaning department;

[0109] 300 for the first target, 400 for the blind spot. Detailed Implementation

[0110] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in these embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0111] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of this application. However, this application may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0112] The following reference Figures 1 to 9 This application describes a control method and apparatus for a cleaning robot, a storage medium, and a cleaning robot according to some embodiments.

[0113] In some embodiments of this application, a control method for a cleaning robot is provided. Figure 1 The following are schematic diagrams illustrating the structure of a cleaning robot according to some embodiments of this application, such as... Figure 1As shown, the cleaning robot 100 includes a main body 102 and a cleaning unit 104. The cleaning unit 104 can switch between a first position and a second position relative to the main body 102. Figure 2A Flowcharts illustrating control methods for cleaning robots according to some embodiments of this application are shown, such as... Figure 2A As shown, the control methods include:

[0114] Step 202A: Control the cleaning robot to clean along the bow-shaped path;

[0115] Step 204A: When the cleaning robot moves to the inflection point of the bow-shaped path, determine the position of the cleaning part relative to the main body of the cleaning robot within a certain threshold range at the inflection point during the previous cleaning process.

[0116] Step 206A: Based on the position of the cleaning unit relative to the main body during the previous cleaning process, determine the turning method of the cleaning robot at the inflection point.

[0117] In this embodiment, the cleaning robot includes, but is not limited to, sweeping cleaning robots, mopping cleaning robots, and combined sweeping and mopping cleaning robots. The cleaning robot includes a main body and a cleaning unit; exemplarily, the cleaning unit may be a main brush, a mop tray, etc. The cleaning unit is movable relative to the main body of the cleaning robot, specifically switching between a first position and a second position.

[0118] When a cleaning robot performs automatic cleaning on an area, it first detects obstacles such as walls and large floor furniture. Upon detecting an obstacle, the robot initially cleans along its edge. During this process, to bring the cleaning unit closer to the obstacle's edge, the robot sometimes extends its cleaning unit. However, this extension creates new blind spots in the previously covered areas. This application addresses this issue by controlling the cleaning robot to compensate for these blind spots created during edge cleaning when performing a zigzag cleaning path, thus preventing the cleaning of the corners.

[0119] For example, when the cleaning robot moves to the inflection point of the bow-shaped path, it is determined whether there is an edge cleaning area near the inflection point, that is, whether the cleaning robot has extended its cleaning part near the current inflection point, thereby creating a cleaning blind spot.

[0120] If the cleaning robot extends its cleaning section near the current inflection point, it is necessary to supplement the cleaning of the new blind spots caused by the extension of the cleaning section. At this time, the cleaning robot is controlled to perform a special turning maneuver, such as turning 90° and traveling a distance along the wall, and then turning 90° to complete the turning maneuver, in order to supplement the cleaning of the aforementioned blind spots, thereby completely "eliminating" the blind spots and improving the cleaning effect.

[0121] This application can determine whether the current inflection point is adjacent to the edge cleaning path, and determine the turning method of the cleaning robot at the current inflection point based on the judgment result, thereby enabling the cleaning path to cover all cleaning blind spots and improve the cleaning effect.

[0122] In some embodiments of this application, optionally, the cleaning portion extends at least partially beyond the body contour at the second position relative to the first position.

[0123] In this embodiment, when the cleaning part is located in one of the first and second positions, the cleaning part remains in its original position. When the cleaning part is switched to the other of the first and second positions, at least a portion of the cleaning part extends beyond the outline of the body.

[0124] For example, taking the first position as the original position of the cleaning unit and the second position as the position where the cleaning unit extends beyond the outline of the main body, due to limitations such as the shape of the cleaning robot, the size of the mop tray, and the accuracy of the sensors, the cleaning robot cannot closely adhere to the wall when cleaning edges. This results in the cleaning unit being unable to reach areas very close to the wall when in the first position, leading to cleaning blind spots. When the cleaning unit is in the second position, it extends and adheres to obstacles such as walls, enabling effective cleaning of areas very close to the wall.

[0125] In some embodiments of this application, optionally, determining the turning method of the cleaning robot at the inflection point based on the position of the cleaning part relative to the body during the previous cleaning process includes: if the cleaning part is located at a first position, determining that the cleaning robot turns at the inflection point in a first turning manner; if the cleaning part is located at a second position or any position between the first and second positions, determining that the cleaning robot turns at the inflection point in a second turning manner, wherein the path of the second turning manner is different from the path of the first turning manner.

[0126] In this embodiment, the first position is the original position of the cleaning part, and the second position is the position where the cleaning part extends beyond the outline of the main body. Near the current inflection point, if the cleaning part of the cleaning robot is in the first position, it means that the cleaning robot is not cleaning the edges nearby, and there is no blind spot that needs to be compensated for. At this time, the cleaning robot turns according to the normal first turning method.

[0127] If the cleaning robot's cleaning section is in the second position near the current inflection point, it means that the inflection point before the point is a section of the bow-shaped path near the edge of the obstacle. The cleaning robot has cleaned the edge nearby and needs to compensate for the cleaning blind spot. At this time, the cleaning robot turns in the normal second turning manner to compensate for the cleaning blind spot.

[0128] For example, the first turning method is different from the second turning method. The first turning method prioritizes turning efficiency, while the second turning method prioritizes the coverage area of ​​the cleaning path.

[0129] This application's embodiments determine whether a special turn is needed based on whether edge cleaning has been performed near the inflection point of the bow-shaped path, ensuring the cleaning robot's mobility and cleaning efficiency while guaranteeing full coverage of cleaning blind spots.

[0130] In some embodiments of this application, optionally, when turning in a second turning manner, the cleaning part is located in a first position relative to the body.

[0131] In this embodiment, the purpose of the cleaning robot turning in the second manner is to compensate for cleaning blind spots created during edge cleaning. Because the cleaning unit is in the second position when the cleaning robot is performing edge cleaning, areas that would have been covered by the cleaning unit when it was in the first position will now have new cleaning blind spots due to the change in the cleaning unit's position. Therefore, when the cleaning robot compensates for these blind spots by turning in the second manner, the cleaning unit is kept in the first position. This method ensures full coverage of the cleaning blind spots.

[0132] In some embodiments of this application, optionally, the second turning method includes at least a straight path; the first turning method includes at least a curved path.

[0133] In this embodiment, the second turning method includes a straight path. When the cleaning robot turns in the second method, the cleaning part is located in the first position. When the cleaning robot moves along the straight path in the second turning method, the cleaning part can remain in the first position and perform compensatory cleaning of the cleaning blind spots.

[0134] The first turning method includes an arc path. When the cleaning robot turns in the first way, it means that the cleaning robot does not need to compensate for cleaning blind spots. At this time, turning around along the arc path can improve the movement efficiency.

[0135] In some embodiments of this application, optionally, the second turning method includes: the cleaning robot turning in place at the inflection point by a first angle and then moving forward along a straight path; and, after the cleaning robot has traveled to the end of the straight path, turning in place by a second angle; wherein the first angle and the second angle are complementary angles; the first turning method includes: the cleaning robot traveling along an arc path at the inflection point until the turn is completed.

[0136] In this embodiment, when the cleaning robot turns around in the second turning manner, the cleaning robot turns at the turning point at the first angle, moves along a preset straight path for a certain distance, stops, and then turns at the second angle.

[0137] For example, in the first turning mode, the cleaning robot turns and makes a U-turn following a zigzag pattern. For example, both the first angle and the second angle are 90°.

[0138] When the cleaning robot makes a U-turn using the first turning method, it dynamically completes the turn along a preset arc path. Compared to the first turning method, which involves first turning in place at a certain angle, then moving in a specific direction, and then turning in place again to complete the U-turn, the turning process via the arc path is a continuous action at a constant speed. It does not require two turns in place, thus having higher efficiency and improving the cleaning efficiency of the robot.

[0139] In some embodiments of this application, the bow-shaped path includes at least two straight paths at both ends, and the inflection point is the location of the endpoints connecting the adjacent two straight paths.

[0140] In this embodiment, the bow-shaped path includes multiple straight paths, which, exemplarily, are parallel to each other. When the cleaning robot moves to the end of one of the straight paths along the bow-shaped path, it needs to turn and change direction to the next adjacent straight path, and then move in the opposite direction along that next straight path. The position where the cleaning robot turns at the end of the straight path is the aforementioned turning point.

[0141] In some embodiments of this application, such as Figure 1 As shown, the cleaning robot 100 includes a body 102 and a cleaning part 104, and a control method for the cleaning robot is provided, wherein the cleaning part 104 can extend out of the body 102.

[0142] Figure 2B Flowcharts illustrating control methods for cleaning robots according to some embodiments of this application are shown, such as... Figure 2B As shown, the control methods include:

[0143] Step 202B: Control the cleaning robot to clean along the edge of the first object and record the first coordinate position; wherein, the first coordinate position is the coordinate position of the cleaning robot when the cleaning part extends out of the main body;

[0144] Step 204B: Control the cleaning robot to clean along the bow-shaped path;

[0145] Step 206B: When the cleaning robot moves to the inflection point of the bow-shaped path, obtain the second coordinate position of the cleaning robot.

[0146] Step 208B: Based on the first coordinate position and the second coordinate position, determine the turning method of the cleaning robot at the inflection point.

[0147] In this embodiment, the cleaning robot includes, but is not limited to, sweeping cleaning robots, mopping cleaning robots, and combined sweeping and mopping cleaning robots. The cleaning robot includes a main body and a cleaning unit; exemplarily, the cleaning unit may be a main brush, a mop tray, etc.

[0148] When a cleaning robot performs automatic cleaning on an area, it first detects obstacles within the area, such as walls or large floor furniture, and designates these obstacles as the first object. After detecting the first object, the cleaning robot first cleans the edge area along the edge of the first object. During this process, the cleaning robot moves along the edge of the first object to clean the edge area and prevent blind spots from being created when cleaning in a bow-shaped pattern.

[0149] Due to limitations in shape, size of the mop tray, and sensor accuracy, cleaning robots cannot stay close to walls when cleaning edges, resulting in blind spots in areas very close to walls. Figure 3 The following are schematic diagrams illustrating the structure of a cleaning robot according to some embodiments of this application, such as... Figure 3 As shown, to address this issue, when the cleaning robot 100 is cleaning edge areas, such as the edge of a wall, the cleaning part 104 extends the main body 102 toward one side of the wall. At this time, the cleaning part 104 can be close to the wall, thereby cleaning the blind spot near the wall.

[0150] Figure 4 The diagram illustrates a cleaning robot 100 performing edge cleaning according to some embodiments of this application, such as... Figure 4 As shown, Figure 4Arrow X indicates the direction of travel of the cleaning robot. When the cleaning unit 104 extends, a new cleaning blind spot 400 appears in the area originally covered by the cleaning unit 104. Therefore, when the cleaning robot 100 performs edge cleaning, it records the coordinate position of the cleaning unit 104 when it extends, and records it as the first coordinate position mentioned above. This first coordinate position is also the new cleaning blind spot 400 that appears in the area originally covered by the cleaning unit 104. However, this new cleaning blind spot 400 is not close to the edge of obstacles such as walls, so this part of the blind spot can be cleaned in addition to the cleaning during the bow-shaped cleaning process.

[0151] After cleaning robot 100 completes edge cleaning, it begins the bow-shaped cleaning phase, during which it moves along a bow-shaped path. When the cleaning robot reaches the inflection point at the end of the bow-shaped path, it needs to turn around and move in the opposite direction. After reaching the end of the reverse path, it turns around again and repeats this process.

[0152] For the end of the path near the edge of the first object 300, the cleaning robot 100 obtains the current second coordinate position, that is, the coordinate position of the cleaning robot at the end of the path near the edge of the first object 300. Based on the recorded first coordinate position and the current second coordinate position, it determines the position where the cleaning robot turns around this time, whether it is at the end of the bow-shaped path near the edge of the first object 300 or at the end far away from the edge of the first object 300.

[0153] If the cleaning robot is located away from the edge of the first object 300, it means there is no blind spot 400 in the vicinity caused by the extension of the cleaning part 104 during edge cleaning. Therefore, the cleaning robot 100 can simply turn around along a normal bow-shaped path. If the cleaning robot is located near the edge of the first object 300, it is necessary to supplement the cleaning of the new blind spot 400 caused by the extension of the cleaning part 104 from the body 102. In this case, the cleaning robot 100 is controlled to perform supplementary cleaning of the aforementioned blind spot 400 by turning 90°, traveling a distance along the wall, and then turning 90° again to complete the turn. This completely "eliminates" the blind spot 400 and improves the cleaning effect.

[0154] This application enables the cleaning unit to extend from the main body during edge cleaning, allowing it to closely adhere to the edge of obstacles, i.e., the first object, thus avoiding cleaning blind spots such as those near walls. Furthermore, during bow-shaped cleaning, based on the coordinates of the inflection point and the robot's position when the cleaning unit extends during edge cleaning, it determines whether the current inflection point is adjacent to the edge cleaning path. Based on this determination, it determines the robot's turning direction at the inflection point, ensuring the cleaning path covers all blind spots and improving cleaning effectiveness.

[0155] In some embodiments of this application, optionally, determining the turning mode of the cleaning robot at the inflection point based on the first coordinate position and the second coordinate position includes: determining the distance value between the first coordinate position and the second coordinate position; if the distance value is less than or equal to a first distance threshold, determining the turning mode as a first turning mode; if the distance value is greater than the first distance threshold, determining the turning mode as a second turning mode.

[0156] In this embodiment, whenever the cleaning robot moves to the inflection point of the bow-shaped path near the edge of the first object, the cleaning robot determines the second coordinate position at the inflection point and obtains the first coordinate position recorded during edge cleaning. The distance value between the second coordinate position and the first coordinate position is determined. This distance value can express the distance between the cleaning robot at the inflection point at the end of the bow-shaped path and the position where the cleaning part extends out of the body when the cleaning robot is cleaning the edge.

[0157] If the distance value is greater than the preset first distance threshold, it means that the current turning position is the end of the bow-shaped path that is far away from the first object. At this time, the cleaning robot can turn around in the normal turning method, that is, the second turning method mentioned above, so as to ensure the movement efficiency of the cleaning robot.

[0158] If the distance value is less than or equal to the first distance threshold mentioned above, it means that the turning point is one end of the bow-shaped path near the edge of the first object. At this position, there is a new cleaning blind spot caused by the cleaning part extending out of the body when cleaning the edge. Therefore, the cleaning robot is controlled to turn around according to the preset first turning method. Through the first turning method, the path of the cleaning robot turning around covers the above-mentioned cleaning blind spot, thereby supplementing the cleaning of the cleaning blind spot.

[0159] Based on the coordinates of the inflection points of the bow-shaped path and the coordinates recorded during edge cleaning, this application determines whether a special turn is needed, ensuring the cleaning efficiency of the cleaning robot while guaranteeing full coverage of the cleaning blind spots.

[0160] In some embodiments of this application, optionally, the first turning method is: after the cleaning robot turns to a first angle, it moves forward a first preset distance; the cleaning robot turns to a second angle; wherein the first angle and the second angle are complementary angles.

[0161] In this embodiment, when the distance between the current second coordinate position and the recorded first coordinate position is less than or equal to the first distance threshold, it indicates that the end of the bow-shaped path where the cleaning robot is currently located is close to the edge of the first object. At this time, the cleaning robot needs to supplement the cleaning blind spot caused by the cleaning part extending out of the body. Therefore, the cleaning robot selects the first turning method to turn around.

[0162] For example, Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a first turning mode of some embodiments of this application is shown, such as... Figure 5 As shown, in the first turning mode, the cleaning robot turns and makes a U-turn following a zigzag pattern. Specifically, when the cleaning robot moves to the end of the path near the edge of the first object on the zigzag path, it first rotates a first angle in the direction of the uncleaned area. For example, the range of this first angle is 75° to 100°. For example, the first angle is 90°.

[0163] After the cleaning robot rotates to the first angle, it travels a first preset distance in a straight line. During this process, the cleaning robot actually moves close to the edge of the first object. This movement path overlaps with the edge cleaning process to a certain extent. Since the cleaning part does not extend beyond the main body during this process, it can completely cover the cleaning blind spots created when the cleaning part extends beyond the main body.

[0164] For example, the first preset distance is associated with the external dimensions of the cleaning robot. For example, the range of the first preset distance is 20cm to 40cm.

[0165] After the cleaning robot has traveled a distance of the first preset distance, it rotates again in the direction away from the first object by a second angle. This second angle is complementary to the first angle. Therefore, after rotating by the second angle, the cleaning robot has actually rotated 180° relative to before turning around, thus completing the turn. At this time, the cleaning robot continues to move forward in a straight line and repeats the cycle to complete the bow-shaped cleaning.

[0166] For example, the first angle is 90° and the second angle is 90°.

[0167] In this embodiment, the robot rotates a first angle at the inflection point near the end of the first object's edge along the bow-shaped path, then moves forward a distance in a straight line, and then rotates a second angle that is complementary to the first angle to complete the turning and reversing. This enables the cleaning robot to completely cover the cleaning blind spots created when the cleaning part extends out of the body.

[0168] In some embodiments of this application, optionally, the first turning method is: the cleaning robot turns to face a first direction, and records the third angle of the cleaning robot's rotation to face the first direction; wherein, the first direction is parallel to the extension direction of the edge of the first object; after the cleaning robot moves forward a second preset distance along the first direction, the cleaning robot is controlled to turn to a fourth angle; wherein, the third angle and the fourth angle are complementary angles.

[0169] In this embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, arrow Y indicates the first direction. When the distance between the current second coordinate position and the recorded first coordinate position is less than or equal to the first distance threshold, it means that the end of the bow-shaped path where the cleaning robot is currently located is the end close to the edge of the first object. At this time, the cleaning robot needs to supplement the cleaning blind spot caused by the cleaning part extending out of the body. Therefore, the cleaning robot selects the first turning method to turn around.

[0170] For example, in the first steering mode, the cleaning robot uses its own sensors, such as LiDAR, to scan the edge of the first object, or obtains the edge of the first object through mapping capabilities, and determines the extension direction of the edge of the first object.

[0171] For example, assuming the first object is a wall, the direction in which the edge of the first object extends is the direction in which the wall extends.

[0172] For example, assuming the first object is an obstacle such as a large piece of floor furniture, and the shape of the first object is irregular, the direction of the extension of the edge of the first object can be a continuously changing direction.

[0173] The purpose of determining the first direction is to allow the cleaning robot to travel a certain distance along the edge of the first object. This process is essentially equivalent to "retracing" a path of edge cleaning. During this process, the cleaning unit does not extend beyond the main body, thus enabling complete coverage of the cleaning blind spots created when the cleaning unit extends beyond the main body during edge cleaning.

[0174] During the turning process towards the first direction, the cleaning robot records the angle of its rotation and designates it as a third angle. After completing the turn, the cleaning robot travels a second preset distance along the first direction. Exemplarily, the second preset distance is related to the external dimensions of the cleaning robot. Exemplarily, the second preset distance ranges from 20cm to 40cm.

[0175] After the cleaning robot has traveled a distance of the second preset distance, it rotates again in the direction away from the first object by a fourth angle. This fourth angle is complementary to the third angle. Therefore, after rotating by the fourth angle, the cleaning robot has actually rotated 180° relative to before turning around, thus completing the turn. At this time, the cleaning robot continues to move forward in a straight line and repeats the cycle to complete the bow-shaped cleaning.

[0176] In this embodiment, by rotating at the inflection point near the end of the bow-shaped path close to the edge of the first object, to a first direction extending toward the edge of the first object, and then advancing a second preset distance along the first direction before turning around, the cleaning robot can completely cover the cleaning blind spots generated when the cleaning part extends out of the body.

[0177] In some embodiments of this application, optionally, the second turning method is: the cleaning robot moves along a preset arc path; wherein the radius of the arc path is smaller than the distance value.

[0178] In this embodiment, when the distance between the current second coordinate position and the recorded first coordinate position is greater than the first distance threshold, it indicates that the end of the bow-shaped path where the cleaning robot is currently located is the end away from the edge of the first object, and there is no cleaning blind spot caused by the cleaning part extending from the body near the current inflection point. At this time, the cleaning robot selects the second turning method to turn around.

[0179] For example, Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a second turning method according to some embodiments of this application is shown, such as... Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6 The arrows in the diagram indicate the direction of movement of the cleaning robot. The second turning method is an arc-shaped turn. Compared to the first turning method, which involves first turning in place at a certain angle, then moving forward in a specific direction, and then turning in place again to complete the turn, the turning and turning process through the arc path is a continuous action at a constant speed. It does not require two turns in place, so the action efficiency is higher, which can improve the cleaning efficiency of the cleaning robot.

[0180] In some embodiments of this application, optionally, controlling a cleaning robot to clean along the edge of a first object includes: generating a first cleaning path adjacent to the edge of the first object; controlling the cleaning part of the cleaning robot to extend out of its body so that the distance between the cleaning part and the edge of the first object is less than a second distance threshold; and controlling the cleaning robot to clean along the first cleaning path.

[0181] In this embodiment, during the edge cleaning process, the cleaning robot uses its own sensors, such as lidar, ultrasonic radar, electromagnetic radar or visual sensors, to identify existing obstacles, such as the edges of walls and large floor furniture, and obtain the edge information of the first object.

[0182] Based on the edge information obtained from the scanning mapping, a first cleaning path is generated. This first cleaning path is the edge adjacent to the first object and extends along the direction of the edge extension of the first object. When the cleaning robot moves along the first cleaning path, the cleaning robot is actually moving close to the edge of the first object.

[0183] When a cleaning robot performs edge cleaning, limitations such as the robot's shape, the size of its mop tray, and sensor accuracy prevent it from adhering closely to the edge of the first object, potentially creating a cleaning blind spot between the robot's cleaning section and the object's edge. To address this, the cleaning section of the cleaning robot in this application extends beyond its main body. While the robot is cleaning along a first cleaning path, the cleaning section is controlled to extend towards the first object, allowing it to adhere closely to the object's edge and thus avoiding blind spots and improving cleaning effectiveness.

[0184] In some embodiments of this application, the proposed control method for a cleaning robot aims to address the issue of cleaning gaps missed at the original position of the wiping disc when it extends, without affecting cleaning efficiency. During the edge cleaning phase, the position of the cleaning robot is recorded when the wiping disc extends. During the bow-shaped cleaning phase, the extension of the wiping disc is stopped, and before each bow-shaped straight-line movement, the distance between the endpoint of the straight-line movement and the position where the wiping disc extends is calculated.

[0185] If the distance is less than a preset threshold, it is assumed that the cleaning robot needs to clean any missed gaps caused by the extended cloth disc at the end of its bow-shaped straight-line movement. Therefore, the end point of the bow-shaped straight-line movement is set at the position where the cloth disc extends, and when the cleaning robot turns around, it uses a straight-line turning method to clean any missed gaps. The effect is as follows: Figure 5 As shown. When the cleaning robot reaches the position where the cloth tray extends during edge cleaning, it turns around in a straight line near the wall. At this point, the cleaning robot's cloth tray is in its original position, allowing the cleaning robot to completely fill in any gaps missed during edge cleaning.

[0186] If the distance exceeds a preset threshold, it is assumed that the cleaning robot does not need to clean any gaps missed by the extended cloth disc at the end of its bow-shaped straight-line movement. In this case, the existing bow-shaped straight-line movement endpoint is used, and when the cleaning robot turns around, the following steps are taken: Figure 6The semi-circular U-turn shown improves the efficiency of the bow-shaped cleaning pattern. In the bow-shaped pattern, a semi-circular U-turn is more efficient than a straight U-turn because a straight U-turn is closer to the wall, involves deceleration, and includes two stops followed by a 90° rotation in place; while a semi-circular U-turn is a continuous, uniform motion, thus more efficient. When cleaning along the edge, at the position where the mop tray retracts, the cleaning robot, upon reaching this point in the bow-shaped pattern, uses a semi-circular U-turn, maintaining a certain distance from the wall, to ensure efficient cleaning.

[0187] In some embodiments of this application, a control device for a cleaning robot is provided. The cleaning robot includes a main body and a cleaning unit, the cleaning unit being capable of switching between a first position and a second position relative to the main body. Figure 7 Structural block diagrams of the control devices for cleaning robots according to some embodiments of this application are shown, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the control device 700 includes: a first control module 702, used to control the cleaning robot to clean along a bow-shaped path; a first determination module 704, used to determine the position of the cleaning part relative to the main body of the cleaning robot within a certain threshold range at the inflection point position during the previous cleaning process when the cleaning robot moves to the inflection point position of the bow-shaped path; and to determine the turning mode of the cleaning robot at the inflection point position based on the position of the cleaning part relative to the main body during the previous cleaning process.

[0188] In this embodiment, the cleaning robot includes, but is not limited to, sweeping cleaning robots, mopping cleaning robots, and combined sweeping and mopping cleaning robots. The cleaning robot includes a main body and a cleaning unit; exemplarily, the cleaning unit may be a main brush, a mop tray, etc. The cleaning unit is movable relative to the main body of the cleaning robot, specifically switching between a first position and a second position.

[0189] When a cleaning robot performs automatic cleaning on an area, it first detects obstacles such as walls and large floor furniture. Upon detecting an obstacle, the robot initially cleans along its edge. During this process, to bring the cleaning unit closer to the obstacle's edge, the robot sometimes extends its cleaning unit. However, this extension creates new blind spots in the previously covered areas. This application addresses this issue by controlling the cleaning robot to compensate for these blind spots created during edge cleaning when performing a zigzag cleaning path, thus preventing the cleaning of the corners.

[0190] For example, when the cleaning robot moves to the inflection point of the bow-shaped path, it is determined whether there is an edge cleaning area near the inflection point, that is, whether the cleaning robot has extended its cleaning part near the current inflection point, thereby creating a cleaning blind spot.

[0191] If the cleaning robot extends its cleaning section near the current inflection point, it is necessary to supplement the cleaning of the new blind spots caused by the extension of the cleaning section. At this time, the cleaning robot is controlled to perform a special turning maneuver, such as turning 90° and traveling a distance along the wall, and then turning 90° to complete the turning maneuver, in order to supplement the cleaning of the aforementioned blind spots, thereby completely "eliminating" the blind spots and improving the cleaning effect.

[0192] This application can determine whether the current inflection point is adjacent to the edge cleaning path, and determine the turning method of the cleaning robot at the current inflection point based on the judgment result, thereby enabling the cleaning path to cover all cleaning blind spots and improve the cleaning effect.

[0193] In some embodiments of this application, optionally, the cleaning portion extends at least partially beyond the body contour at the second position relative to the first position.

[0194] In this embodiment, when the cleaning part is located in one of the first and second positions, the cleaning part remains in its original position. When the cleaning part is switched to the other of the first and second positions, at least a portion of the cleaning part extends beyond the outline of the body.

[0195] For example, taking the first position as the original position of the cleaning unit and the second position as the position where the cleaning unit extends beyond the outline of the main body, due to limitations such as the shape of the cleaning robot, the size of the mop tray, and the accuracy of the sensors, the cleaning robot cannot closely adhere to the wall when cleaning edges. This results in the cleaning unit being unable to reach areas very close to the wall when in the first position, leading to cleaning blind spots. When the cleaning unit is in the second position, it extends and adheres to obstacles such as walls, enabling effective cleaning of areas very close to the wall.

[0196] In some embodiments of this application, optionally, the first determining module is further configured to determine that if the cleaning part is located at the first position, the cleaning robot turns at the inflection point in a first turning manner; if the cleaning part is located at the second position or at any position between the first and second positions, the cleaning robot turns at the inflection point in a second turning manner, wherein the path of the second turning manner is different from the path of the first turning manner.

[0197] In this embodiment, the first position is the original position of the cleaning part, and the second position is the position where the cleaning part extends beyond the outline of the main body. Near the current inflection point, if the cleaning part of the cleaning robot is in the first position, it means that the cleaning robot is not cleaning the edges nearby, and there is no blind spot that needs to be compensated for. At this time, the cleaning robot turns according to the normal first turning method.

[0198] If the cleaning robot's cleaning section is in the second position near the current inflection point, it means that the inflection point before the point is a section of the bow-shaped path near the edge of the obstacle. The cleaning robot has cleaned the edge nearby and needs to compensate for the cleaning blind spot. At this time, the cleaning robot turns in the normal second turning manner to compensate for the cleaning blind spot.

[0199] For example, the first turning method is different from the second turning method. The first turning method prioritizes turning efficiency, while the second turning method prioritizes the coverage area of ​​the cleaning path.

[0200] This application's embodiments determine whether a special turn is needed based on whether edge cleaning has been performed near the inflection point of the bow-shaped path, ensuring the cleaning robot's mobility and cleaning efficiency while guaranteeing full coverage of cleaning blind spots.

[0201] In some embodiments of this application, optionally, when turning in a second turning manner, the cleaning part is located in a first position relative to the body.

[0202] In this embodiment, the purpose of the cleaning robot turning in the second manner is to compensate for cleaning blind spots created during edge cleaning. Because the cleaning unit is in the second position when the cleaning robot is performing edge cleaning, areas that would have been covered by the cleaning unit when it was in the first position will now have new cleaning blind spots due to the change in the cleaning unit's position. Therefore, when the cleaning robot compensates for these blind spots by turning in the second manner, the cleaning unit is kept in the first position. This method ensures full coverage of the cleaning blind spots.

[0203] In some embodiments of this application, optionally, the second turning method includes at least a straight path; the first turning method includes at least a curved path.

[0204] In this embodiment, the second turning method includes a straight path. When the cleaning robot turns in the second method, the cleaning part is located in the first position. When the cleaning robot moves along the straight path in the second turning method, the cleaning part can remain in the first position and perform compensatory cleaning of the cleaning blind spots.

[0205] The first turning method includes an arc path. When the cleaning robot turns in the first way, it means that the cleaning robot does not need to compensate for cleaning blind spots. At this time, turning around along the arc path can improve the movement efficiency.

[0206] In some embodiments of this application, optionally, the second turning method includes: the cleaning robot turning in place at the inflection point by a first angle and then moving forward along a straight path; and, after the cleaning robot has traveled to the end of the straight path, turning in place by a second angle; wherein the first angle and the second angle are complementary angles; the first turning method includes: the cleaning robot traveling along an arc path at the inflection point until the turn is completed.

[0207] In this embodiment, when the cleaning robot turns around in the second turning manner, the cleaning robot turns at the turning point at the first angle, moves along a preset straight path for a certain distance, stops, and then turns at the second angle.

[0208] For example, in the first turning mode, the cleaning robot turns and makes a U-turn following a zigzag pattern. For example, both the first angle and the second angle are 90°.

[0209] When the cleaning robot makes a U-turn using the first turning method, it dynamically completes the turn along a preset arc path. Compared to the first turning method, which involves first turning in place at a certain angle, then moving in a specific direction, and then turning in place again to complete the U-turn, the turning process via the arc path is a continuous action at a constant speed. It does not require two turns in place, thus having higher efficiency and improving the cleaning efficiency of the robot.

[0210] In some embodiments of this application, the bow-shaped path includes at least two straight paths at both ends, and the inflection point is the location of the endpoints connecting the adjacent two straight paths.

[0211] In this embodiment, the bow-shaped path includes multiple straight paths, which, exemplarily, are parallel to each other. When the cleaning robot moves to the end of one of the straight paths along the bow-shaped path, it needs to turn and change direction to the next adjacent straight path, and then move in the opposite direction along that next straight path. The position where the cleaning robot turns at the end of the straight path is the aforementioned turning point.

[0212] In some embodiments of this application, a control device for a cleaning robot is provided. The cleaning robot includes a body and a cleaning part, the cleaning part being able to extend out of the body. Figure 8 Structural block diagrams of the control devices for cleaning robots according to some embodiments of this application are shown, such as... Figure 8 As shown, the control device 800 includes:

[0213] The second control module 802 is used to control the cleaning robot to clean along the edge of the first object and record the first coordinate position; wherein the first coordinate position is the coordinate position of the cleaning robot when the cleaning part extends out of the body; and to control the cleaning robot to clean along the bow-shaped path.

[0214] The acquisition module 804 is used to acquire the second coordinate position of the cleaning robot when the cleaning robot moves to the inflection point of the bow-shaped path.

[0215] The second determining module 806 is used to determine the turning method of the cleaning robot at the inflection point based on the first coordinate position and the second coordinate position.

[0216] In this embodiment, the cleaning robot includes, but is not limited to, sweeping cleaning robots, mopping cleaning robots, and combined sweeping and mopping cleaning robots. The cleaning robot includes a main body and a cleaning unit; exemplarily, the cleaning unit may be a main brush, a mop tray, etc.

[0217] When a cleaning robot performs automatic cleaning on an area, it first detects obstacles within the area, such as walls or large floor furniture, and designates these obstacles as the first object. After detecting the first object, the cleaning robot first cleans the edge area along the edge of the first object. During this process, the cleaning robot moves along the edge of the first object to clean the edge area and prevent blind spots from being created when cleaning in a bow-shaped pattern.

[0218] Due to limitations in shape, mop tray size, and sensor accuracy, cleaning robots cannot maintain close contact with walls when cleaning edges, creating blind spots in areas very close to the wall. To address this issue, when cleaning edge areas such as walls, the cleaning unit extends its body towards one side of the wall, allowing it to clean these blind spots.

[0219] When the cleaning unit extends, new blind spots appear in the areas originally covered by the unit. Therefore, when the cleaning robot performs edge cleaning, it records the coordinates of the cleaning unit when it extends, and designates this as the first coordinate position. This first coordinate position is also the new blind spot that appears in the area originally covered by the cleaning unit. However, this new blind spot is not close to the edge of obstacles such as walls, so it can be cleaned in addition to the existing blind spot during the bow-shaped cleaning process.

[0220] After the cleaning robot completes edge cleaning, it begins the bow-shaped cleaning phase, during which it travels along a bow-shaped path. When the robot reaches the inflection point at the end of the bow-shaped path, it needs to turn around and move in the opposite direction. Upon reaching the end of the reverse path, it turns around again and repeats this process.

[0221] For the end of the path near the edge of the first object, the cleaning robot obtains the current second coordinate position, that is, the coordinate position of the cleaning robot at the end of the path near the edge of the first object. Based on the recorded first coordinate position and the current second coordinate position, it determines the position where the cleaning robot turns around this time, whether it is the end of the bow-shaped path near the edge of the first object or the end away from the edge of the first object.

[0222] If the cleaning robot is located away from the edge of the first object, it means there are no blind spots caused by the cleaning unit extending out during edge cleaning. Therefore, the robot can simply turn around using a normal zigzag path. If the cleaning robot is located closer to the edge of the first object, it is necessary to clean the new blind spots caused by the cleaning unit extending out of its body. In this case, the robot should be controlled to perform a special turning maneuver, such as turning 90°, traveling a distance along the wall, and then turning 90° again to complete the turn. This will clean the aforementioned blind spots, thereby completely eliminating them and improving the cleaning effect.

[0223] This application enables the cleaning unit to extend from the main body during edge cleaning, allowing it to closely adhere to the edge of obstacles, i.e., the first object, thus avoiding cleaning blind spots such as those near walls. Furthermore, during bow-shaped cleaning, based on the coordinates of the inflection point and the robot's position when the cleaning unit extends during edge cleaning, it determines whether the current inflection point is adjacent to the edge cleaning path. Based on this determination, it determines the robot's turning direction at the inflection point, ensuring the cleaning path covers all blind spots and improving cleaning effectiveness.

[0224] In some embodiments of this application, optionally, the determining module is further configured to determine the distance value between the first coordinate position and the second coordinate position; if the distance value is less than or equal to a first distance threshold, the turning mode is determined to be a first turning mode; if the distance value is greater than the first distance threshold, the turning mode is determined to be a second turning mode.

[0225] In this embodiment, whenever the cleaning robot moves to the inflection point of the bow-shaped path near the edge of the first object, the cleaning robot determines the second coordinate position at the inflection point and obtains the first coordinate position recorded during edge cleaning. The distance value between the second coordinate position and the first coordinate position is determined. This distance value can express the distance between the cleaning robot at the inflection point at the end of the bow-shaped path and the position where the cleaning part extends out of the body when the cleaning robot is cleaning the edge.

[0226] If the distance value is greater than the preset first distance threshold, it means that the current turning position is the end of the bow-shaped path that is far away from the first object. At this time, the cleaning robot can turn around in the normal turning method, that is, the second turning method mentioned above, so as to ensure the movement efficiency of the cleaning robot.

[0227] If the distance value is less than or equal to the first distance threshold mentioned above, it means that the turning point is one end of the bow-shaped path near the edge of the first object. At this position, there is a new cleaning blind spot caused by the cleaning part extending out of the body when cleaning the edge. Therefore, the cleaning robot is controlled to turn around according to the preset first turning method. Through the first turning method, the path of the cleaning robot turning around covers the above-mentioned cleaning blind spot, thereby supplementing the cleaning of the cleaning blind spot.

[0228] Based on the coordinates of the inflection points of the bow-shaped path and the coordinates recorded during edge cleaning, this application determines whether a special turn is needed, ensuring the cleaning efficiency of the cleaning robot while guaranteeing full coverage of the cleaning blind spots.

[0229] In some embodiments of this application, optionally, the first turning method is: after the cleaning robot turns to a first angle, it moves forward a first preset distance; the cleaning robot turns to a second angle; wherein the first angle and the second angle are complementary angles.

[0230] In this embodiment, when the distance between the current second coordinate position and the recorded first coordinate position is less than or equal to the first distance threshold, it indicates that the end of the bow-shaped path where the cleaning robot is currently located is close to the edge of the first object. At this time, the cleaning robot needs to supplement the cleaning blind spot caused by the cleaning part extending out of the body. Therefore, the cleaning robot selects the first turning method to turn around.

[0231] For example, Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a first turning mode of some embodiments of this application is shown, such as... Figure 5As shown, in the first turning mode, the cleaning robot turns and makes a U-turn following a zigzag pattern. Specifically, when the cleaning robot moves to the end of the path near the edge of the first object on the zigzag path, it first rotates a first angle in the direction of the uncleaned area. For example, the range of this first angle is 75° to 100°. For example, the first angle is 90°.

[0232] After the cleaning robot rotates to the first angle, it travels a first preset distance in a straight line. During this process, the cleaning robot actually moves close to the edge of the first object. This movement path overlaps with the edge cleaning process to a certain extent. Since the cleaning part does not extend beyond the main body during this process, it can completely cover the cleaning blind spots created when the cleaning part extends beyond the main body.

[0233] For example, the first preset distance is associated with the external dimensions of the cleaning robot. For example, the range of the first preset distance is 20cm to 40cm.

[0234] After the cleaning robot has traveled a distance of the first preset distance, it rotates again in the direction away from the first object by a second angle. This second angle is complementary to the first angle. Therefore, after rotating by the second angle, the cleaning robot has actually rotated 180° relative to before turning around, thus completing the turn. At this time, the cleaning robot continues to move forward in a straight line and repeats the cycle to complete the bow-shaped cleaning.

[0235] For example, the first angle is 90° and the second angle is 90°.

[0236] In this embodiment, the robot rotates a first angle at the inflection point near the end of the first object's edge along the bow-shaped path, then moves forward a distance in a straight line, and then rotates a second angle that is complementary to the first angle to complete the turning and reversing. This enables the cleaning robot to completely cover the cleaning blind spots created when the cleaning part extends out of the body.

[0237] In some embodiments of this application, optionally, the first turning method is: the cleaning robot turns to face a first direction, and records the third angle of the cleaning robot's rotation to face the first direction; wherein, the first direction is parallel to the extension direction of the edge of the first object; after the cleaning robot moves forward a second preset distance along the first direction, the cleaning robot is controlled to turn to a fourth angle; wherein, the third angle and the fourth angle are complementary angles.

[0238] In this embodiment, when the distance between the current second coordinate position and the recorded first coordinate position is less than or equal to the first distance threshold, it indicates that the end of the bow-shaped path where the cleaning robot is currently located is close to the edge of the first object. At this time, the cleaning robot needs to supplement the cleaning blind spot caused by the cleaning part extending out of the body. Therefore, the cleaning robot selects the first turning method to turn around.

[0239] For example, in the first steering mode, the cleaning robot uses its own sensors, such as LiDAR, to scan the edge of the first object, or obtains the edge of the first object through mapping capabilities, and determines the extension direction of the edge of the first object.

[0240] For example, assuming the first object is a wall, the direction in which the edge of the first object extends is the direction in which the wall extends.

[0241] For example, assuming the first object is an obstacle such as a large piece of floor furniture, and the shape of the first object is irregular, the direction of the extension of the edge of the first object can be a continuously changing direction.

[0242] The purpose of determining the first direction is to allow the cleaning robot to travel a certain distance along the edge of the first object. This process is essentially equivalent to "retracing" a path of edge cleaning. During this process, the cleaning unit does not extend beyond the main body, thus enabling complete coverage of the cleaning blind spots created when the cleaning unit extends beyond the main body during edge cleaning.

[0243] During the turning process towards the first direction, the cleaning robot records the angle of its rotation and designates it as a third angle. After completing the turn, the cleaning robot travels a second preset distance along the first direction. Exemplarily, the second preset distance is related to the external dimensions of the cleaning robot. Exemplarily, the second preset distance ranges from 20cm to 40cm.

[0244] After the cleaning robot has traveled a distance of the second preset distance, it rotates again in the direction away from the first object by a fourth angle. This fourth angle is complementary to the third angle. Therefore, after rotating by the fourth angle, the cleaning robot has actually rotated 180° relative to before turning around, thus completing the turn. At this time, the cleaning robot continues to move forward in a straight line and repeats the cycle to complete the bow-shaped cleaning.

[0245] In this embodiment, by rotating at the inflection point near the end of the bow-shaped path close to the edge of the first object, to a first direction extending toward the edge of the first object, and then advancing a second preset distance along the first direction before turning around, the cleaning robot can completely cover the cleaning blind spots generated when the cleaning part extends out of the body.

[0246] In some embodiments of this application, optionally, the second turning method is: the cleaning robot moves along a preset arc path; wherein the radius of the arc path is smaller than the distance value.

[0247] In this embodiment, when the distance between the current second coordinate position and the recorded first coordinate position is greater than the first distance threshold, it indicates that the end of the bow-shaped path where the cleaning robot is currently located is the end away from the edge of the first object, and there is no cleaning blind spot caused by the cleaning part extending from the body near the current inflection point. At this time, the cleaning robot selects the second turning method to turn around.

[0248] For example, Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a second turning method according to some embodiments of this application is shown, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the second turning method is an arc-shaped turning. Compared to the first turning method, which involves first turning in place at a certain angle, then moving forward in a specific direction, and then turning in place again at a certain angle to complete the turn, the turning and turning process through the arc path is a continuous action at a constant speed. It does not require two turns in place, so the action efficiency is higher, which can improve the mobile cleaning efficiency of the cleaning robot.

[0249] In some embodiments of this application, the control device may optionally include: a generation module for generating a first cleaning path, the first cleaning path being adjacent to the edge of the first object; a control module for controlling the cleaning part of the cleaning robot to extend out of the body, so that the distance between the cleaning part and the edge of the first object is less than a second distance threshold; and controlling the cleaning robot to clean along the first cleaning path.

[0250] In this embodiment, during the edge cleaning process, the cleaning robot uses its own sensors, such as lidar, ultrasonic radar, electromagnetic radar or visual sensors, to identify existing obstacles, such as the edges of walls and large floor furniture, and obtain the edge information of the first object.

[0251] Based on the edge information obtained from the scanning mapping, a first cleaning path is generated. This first cleaning path is the edge adjacent to the first object and extends along the direction of the edge extension of the first object. When the cleaning robot moves along the first cleaning path, the cleaning robot is actually moving close to the edge of the first object.

[0252] When a cleaning robot performs edge cleaning, limitations such as the robot's shape, the size of its mop tray, and sensor accuracy prevent it from adhering closely to the edge of the first object, potentially creating a cleaning blind spot between the robot's cleaning section and the object's edge. To address this, the cleaning section of the cleaning robot in this application extends beyond its main body. While the robot is cleaning along a first cleaning path, the cleaning section is controlled to extend towards the first object, allowing it to adhere closely to the object's edge and thus avoiding blind spots and improving cleaning effectiveness.

[0253] In some embodiments of this application, a control device for a cleaning robot is provided. Figure 9 Structural block diagrams of the control devices for cleaning robots according to some embodiments of this application are shown, such as... Figure 9 As shown, the control device 900 includes: a memory 902 for storing programs or instructions; and a processor 904 for executing programs or instructions to implement the steps of the control method for the cleaning robot provided in any of the above embodiments. Therefore, it also includes all the beneficial effects of the control method for the cleaning robot provided in any of the above embodiments, which will not be described again here to avoid repetition.

[0254] In some embodiments of this application, a readable storage medium is provided that stores a program or instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the control method for the cleaning robot provided in any of the above embodiments. Therefore, it also includes all the beneficial effects of the control method for the cleaning robot provided in any of the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here to avoid repetition.

[0255] In some embodiments of this application, a cleaning robot is provided, including a control device for the cleaning robot as provided in any of the above embodiments, and / or a readable storage medium as provided in any of the above embodiments. Therefore, it also includes all the beneficial effects of the control device for the cleaning robot as provided in any of the above embodiments and / or the readable storage medium as provided in any of the above embodiments. To avoid repetition, these will not be repeated here.

[0256] The methods can be implemented in various ways depending on specific features and / or example applications. For example, these methods can be implemented by a combination of hardware, firmware, and / or software. For instance, in a hardware implementation, the processor can be implemented in one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, electronic devices, other device units for performing the functions described above, and / or combinations thereof.

[0257] A computer-readable storage medium can be a tangible device that holds and stores instructions for use by an instruction execution device. A computer-readable storage medium can be an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing, but is not limited thereto. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of computer-readable storage media includes: portable computer floppy disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable and programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), static random access memory (SRAM), portable optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital universal disk (DVD), memory cards, floppy disks, encoding mechanical devices (e.g., punched cards or grooves with raised structures for recording instructions), and any suitable combination of the foregoing. The computer-readable storage medium used herein should not be construed as the transmission of signals themselves, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through waveguides or other transmission media, or electrical signals transmitted through wires.

[0258] In the description of this application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more. Unless otherwise expressly defined, the terms "upper," "lower," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. The terms "connection," "installation," "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0259] In the description of this application, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "specific embodiment," etc., refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example, which is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this application, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0260] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A control method for a cleaning robot, characterized in that, The cleaning robot includes a body and a cleaning unit, the cleaning unit being able to switch between a first position and a second position relative to the body, and the control method includes: The cleaning robot is controlled to clean along a bow-shaped path; When the cleaning robot moves to the inflection point of the bow-shaped path, determine the position of the cleaning part relative to the main body of the cleaning robot within a certain threshold range at the inflection point during the previous cleaning process; Based on the position of the cleaning unit relative to the main body during the previous cleaning process, the turning method of the cleaning robot at the inflection point is determined.

2. The control method for the cleaning robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the second position relative to the first position, the cleaning part extends at least partially beyond the outline of the body.

3. The control method for the cleaning robot according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The step of determining the turning pattern of the cleaning robot at the inflection point based on the position of the cleaning unit relative to the main body during the previous cleaning process includes: If the cleaning unit is located at the first position, the cleaning robot is determined to turn at the inflection point in a first turning manner. If the cleaning unit is located at the second position or at any position between the first and second positions, the cleaning robot is determined to turn at the inflection point in a second turning manner, wherein the path of the second turning manner is different from the path of the first turning manner.

4. The control method for the cleaning robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, When turning in the second turning manner, the cleaning part is located in a first position relative to the main body.

5. The control method for the cleaning robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second turning method includes at least a straight path; the first turning method includes at least a curved path.

6. The control method for the cleaning robot according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second turning method includes: The cleaning robot turns at the inflection point by a first angle and then moves forward along the straight path. And, after the cleaning robot travels to the end of the straight path, it turns in place at a second angle; wherein the first angle and the second angle are complementary angles. The first turning method includes: The cleaning robot travels along the arc path at the inflection point until it completes the turn.

7. The control method for the cleaning robot according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The bow-shaped path includes at least two straight paths, and the inflection point is the position of the endpoints connecting the two adjacent straight paths.

8. A control method for a cleaning robot, characterized in that, The cleaning robot includes a body and a cleaning unit, the cleaning unit being able to extend from the body, and the control method includes: The cleaning robot is controlled to clean along the edge of the first object and a first coordinate position is recorded; wherein, the first coordinate position is the coordinate position of the cleaning robot when the cleaning part extends out of the main body; The cleaning robot is controlled to clean along a bow-shaped path; When the cleaning robot moves to the inflection point of the bow-shaped path, obtain the second coordinate position of the cleaning robot. Based on the first coordinate position and the second coordinate position, the turning method of the cleaning robot at the inflection point is determined.

9. The control method for the cleaning robot according to claim 8, characterized in that, Determining the turning pattern of the cleaning robot at the inflection point based on the first coordinate position and the second coordinate position includes: Determine the distance between the first coordinate position and the second coordinate position; If the distance value is less than or equal to a first distance threshold, the turning method is determined to be the first turning method; If the distance value is greater than the first distance threshold, the turning method is determined to be the second turning method.

10. The control method for the cleaning robot according to claim 9, characterized in that, The first turning method is: After turning to a first angle, the cleaning robot moves forward a first preset distance; The cleaning robot turns at a second angle; wherein the first angle and the second angle are complementary angles.

11. The control method for the cleaning robot according to claim 9, characterized in that, The first turning method is: The cleaning robot turns to face a first direction, and the third angle of the rotation of the cleaning robot to face the first direction is recorded; wherein, the first direction is parallel to the extension direction of the edge of the first object; After the cleaning robot moves a second preset distance along the first direction, it is controlled to turn to a fourth angle; wherein the third angle and the fourth angle are complementary angles.

12. The control method for the cleaning robot according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that, The second turning method is: The cleaning robot moves along a preset circular arc path, wherein the radius of the circular arc path is smaller than the distance value.

13. The control method for the cleaning robot according to any one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that, The control of the cleaning robot to clean along the edge of the first object includes: A first cleaning path is generated, the first cleaning path being adjacent to the edge of the first object; The cleaning part of the cleaning robot is controlled to extend out of the body, so that the distance between the cleaning part and the edge of the first object is less than a second distance threshold. The cleaning robot is controlled to clean along the first cleaning path.

14. A control device for a cleaning robot, characterized in that, The cleaning robot includes a main body and a cleaning unit, the cleaning unit being able to switch between a first position and a second position relative to the main body, and the control device includes: The first control module is used to control the cleaning robot to clean along a bow-shaped path; The first determining module is configured to determine, when the cleaning robot moves to the inflection point of the bow-shaped path, the position of the cleaning part relative to the main body of the cleaning robot within a certain threshold range at the inflection point during the previous cleaning process; and Based on the position of the cleaning unit relative to the main body during the previous cleaning process, the turning method of the cleaning robot at the inflection point is determined.

15. A control device for a cleaning robot, characterized in that, The cleaning robot includes a main body and a cleaning unit, the cleaning unit being able to extend from the main body, and the control device includes: The second control module is used to control the cleaning robot to clean along the edge of the first object and record the first coordinate position; wherein, the first coordinate position is the coordinate position of the cleaning robot when the cleaning part extends out of the main body; and The cleaning robot is controlled to clean along a bow-shaped path; The acquisition module is used to acquire the second coordinate position of the cleaning robot when the cleaning robot moves to the inflection point of the bow-shaped path; The second determining module is used to determine the turning method of the cleaning robot at the inflection point based on the first coordinate position and the second coordinate position.

16. A control device for a cleaning robot, characterized in that, include: Memory, used to store programs or instructions; A processor for executing the program or instructions to implement the steps of the control method for the cleaning robot as described in any one of claims 1 to 13.

17. A readable storage medium having a program or instructions stored thereon, characterized in that, When the program or instructions are executed by the processor, they implement the steps of the control method for the cleaning robot as described in any one of claims 1 to 13.

18. A cleaning robot, characterized in that, include: Control device for a cleaning robot as described in any one of claims 14 to 16; and / or The readable storage medium as described in claim 17.

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