Control method of cleaning equipment and cleaning equipment

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a control method of cleaning equipment and the cleaning equipment. The cleaning equipment comprises a front cliff sensor, a left cliff sensor and a right cliff sensor. The method comprises the steps that in the moving process of the cleaning equipment, when a first cliff sensor is triggered, the cleaning equipment is controlled to rotate and retreat; wherein the first cliff sensor comprises a left cliff sensor or a right cliff sensor; when the second cliff sensor is triggered, the retreating direction is determined according to the moving direction of the cleaning equipment, and the cleaning equipment is controlled to retreat according to the retreating direction; wherein the second cliff sensor comprises a front cliff sensor or a combination of at least two cliff sensors. Thus, after different cliff sensors are triggered, the cleaning equipment retreats in different modes, the retreating modes when the cleaning equipment detects that a cliff exists around are enriched, the retreating flexibility is effectively improved, and the safety of the retreating process can be improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of cleaning equipment, and in particular to a control method of a cleaning equipment and the cleaning equipment. BACKGROUND

[0002] As an intelligent cleaning equipment in modern families and commercial environments, the core function of the cleaning equipment is to autonomously complete a cleaning task in a complex ground environment. In the moving process of the cleaning equipment, it is necessary to accurately identify and avoid high-fall regions such as stairs, steps, and balconies.

[0003] In the prior art, a cliff sensor is arranged in the cleaning equipment, and in the moving process of the cleaning equipment, a signal collected by the cliff sensor is acquired in real time to determine whether there is a cliff in front. The cliff is a high-fall region such as a stair, a step, or a balcony. If a signal used to represent that there is a cliff in front is acquired, the cleaning equipment is controlled to retreat until a signal used to represent that there is no cliff in front is acquired.

[0004] However, the above-mentioned retreat method is usually linear retreat, and the retreat mode is relatively single and has poor flexibility. The signal used to represent that there is a cliff in front may be caused by a sensor abnormality such as a short circuit or an open circuit of the cliff sensor, at which time the cleaning equipment will continuously retreat. Since the rear end of the cleaning equipment is not provided with a cliff sensor, the single retreat mode causes the cleaning equipment to continuously retreat and fall into the cliff behind, so that the safety of the cleaning equipment in the moving process is poor. SUMMARY

[0005] The embodiments of the present application provide a control method of a cleaning equipment and the cleaning equipment, different retreat modes are used according to the positions of triggered cliff sensors, and the flexibility of retreat of the cleaning equipment and the safety of the retreat process are improved.

[0006] In a first aspect, the embodiments of the present application provide a control method of a cleaning equipment, the cleaning equipment comprising a front cliff sensor, a left cliff sensor, and a right cliff sensor; the method comprising:

[0007] In the moving process of the cleaning equipment, when a first cliff sensor is triggered, the cleaning equipment is controlled to retreat in rotation; wherein the first cliff sensor comprises the left cliff sensor or the right cliff sensor;

[0008] When a second cliff sensor is triggered, a retreat direction is determined according to the moving direction of the cleaning equipment, and the cleaning equipment is controlled to retreat according to the retreat direction; wherein the second cliff sensor comprises the front cliff sensor or a combination of at least two cliff sensors.

[0009] In a second aspect, the embodiments of the present application provide a cleaning equipment, comprising:

[0010] body;

[0011] cliff sensors, the cliff sensors including a front cliff sensor, a left cliff sensor, and a right cliff sensor, the cliff sensors being arranged at the bottom of the body and close to the front side of the body in the direction of movement of the cleaning device, and being used to detect whether a cliff exists on the ground;

[0012] drive wheels, the drive wheels including a left drive wheel and a right drive wheel, the drive wheels being arranged at both sides of the bottom of the body in the direction of movement of the cleaning device, and being used to drive the cleaning device to move by rotating;

[0013] a control device, configured to perform the method according to the first aspect of the present application.

[0014] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer readable storage medium, the computer readable storage medium storing computer execution instructions, the computer execution instructions being executed by a processor to implement the method according to the first aspect.

[0015] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product, including a computer program, the computer program being executed by a processor to implement the method according to the first aspect.

[0016] In summary, the control method of the cleaning device and the cleaning device provided by the embodiments of the present application, the cleaning device including a front cliff sensor, a left cliff sensor, and a right cliff sensor. The method includes: during the movement of the cleaning device, when a first cliff sensor is triggered, controlling the cleaning device to rotate and retreat; wherein the first cliff sensor includes the left cliff sensor or the right cliff sensor; when a second cliff sensor is triggered, determining a retreat direction according to the direction of movement of the cleaning device, and controlling the cleaning device to retreat according to the retreat direction; wherein the second cliff sensor includes the front cliff sensor or a combination of at least two cliff sensors. In this way, the cleaning device retreats in different ways after different cliff sensors are triggered, enriching the retreat way of the cleaning device when a cliff is detected around, and effectively improving the flexibility of retreat. And by controlling the cleaning device to retreat in different ways, the situation that the cleaning device falls off the cliff during the retreat process can be avoided, and the safety of the retreat process of the cleaning device is improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0017] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form part of the specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present application and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the application.

[0018] Figure 1 a schematic diagram of an application scenario provided by the present application;

[0019] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a cleaning device provided in this application;

[0020] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of another cleaning device provided in this application;

[0021] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a cleaning device rotating counterclockwise and retracting as provided in this application. Figure 1 ;

[0022] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a cleaning device provided in this application rotating clockwise and retracting. Figure 1 ;

[0023] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a cleaning device rotating counterclockwise and retracting as provided in this application. Figure 2 ;

[0024] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a cleaning device provided in this application rotating clockwise and retracting. Figure 2 ;

[0025] Figure 8 A schematic diagram illustrating a cleaning device falling off a cliff, as provided in this application;

[0026] Figure 9 A schematic diagram illustrating a cleaning device retracting in a straight line, as provided in this application;

[0027] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of a cleaning device retracting in an arc, provided in this application;

[0028] Figure 11 A schematic diagram illustrating the simultaneous triggering of three cliff sensors provided in this application;

[0029] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of another cleaning device retracting in a straight line, provided in this application;

[0030] Figure 13 A flowchart illustrating a control method for a cleaning device provided in this application;

[0031] Figure 14 A schematic diagram of a control method for triggering a left cliff sensor provided in this application;

[0032] Figure 15 A schematic diagram of a control method for triggering a right cliff sensor provided in this application;

[0033] Figure 16 A schematic diagram of a control method for triggering a front cliff sensor provided in this application;

[0034] Figure 17 A flowchart of a control method for another cleaning device provided in this application;

[0035] Figure 18 A schematic diagram of the structure of a control device for another type of cleaning equipment provided in this application;

[0036] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in this application.

[0037] The accompanying drawings illustrate specific embodiments of this application, which will be described in more detail below. These drawings and descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the concept in any way, but rather to illustrate the concept of this application to those skilled in the art through reference to particular embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0038] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0039] This application is used in cleaning equipment and in scenarios involving the control of cleaning equipment. Figure 1 This application provides a schematic diagram of an application scenario, in which... Figure 1 In the example shown, the cleaning device 10 is used as an example of the application of a robot vacuum cleaner in a home cleaning scenario. The cleaning device 10 can replace manual labor to complete the cleaning work of the floor through autonomous navigation and adjustment of cleaning strategies.

[0040] In other examples, the cleaning device 10 includes, but is not limited to, robotic vacuum cleaners, robotic floor scrubbers, robotic vacuum and mop combos, robotic lawnmowers, and robotic snowplows. Cleaning tasks may also include floor washing, mopping, sweeping, lawn mowing, and snow removal. The cleaning device 10 can perform cleaning using either a front-sweeping-then-mopping method or a separate sweeping-and-mopping method. The front-sweeping-then-mopping method allows sweeping and mopping simultaneously, improving cleaning efficiency. The separate sweeping-and-mopping method allows sweeping first, followed by mopping, improving cleaning effectiveness.

[0041] In other possible scenarios, the cleaning device 10 can specifically be an autonomous robot capable of moving autonomously within a work area and completing cleaning tasks without external human input or control. The work area can include indoor and outdoor areas. Indoor areas can include family rooms, offices, shopping malls, factory workshops, etc. Outdoor areas can include lawns, gardens, roads, etc.

[0042] Cleaning device 10 can connect to server 20 via a network, and terminal device 30 can also connect to server 20 via a network, enabling communication between terminal device 30 and cleaning device 10 through server 20. This allows user 40 of cleaning device 10 to control cleaning device 10 to perform cleaning tasks on the home floor via terminal device 30. Alternatively, in some communication technologies, terminal device 30 can also communicate directly with cleaning device 10. This application does not limit the communication method of devices such as cleaning device 10 and terminal device 30.

[0043] Cleaning equipment moves across surfaces of varying materials while accurately identifying and avoiding areas with significant elevation changes, such as stairs, steps, and balconies. Cliff sensors, a critical safety component of the cleaning equipment, are typically installed at the bottom of the chassis. They determine the presence of a "cliff" by emitting infrared signals and receiving reflected signals.

[0044] In existing technology, if a cliff sensor detects an abnormal signal while the cleaning equipment is moving (sweeping or traversing complex terrain), the equipment is controlled to reverse to avoid falling. The cliff status is continuously monitored during reversal until a normal signal is detected, at which point the equipment stops reversing. The equipment can reverse in a straight line in the opposite direction of its current movement, or along a line connecting the cliff sensor and the center of the equipment.

[0045] However, in the methods described above, the cleaning equipment typically reverses in a straight line, resulting in a limited and inflexible reversal mechanism. In actual operation, the cliff sensor may experience continuous misjudgments due to hardware malfunctions (such as open or short circuits), causing the cleaning equipment to incorrectly reverse in non-cliff areas. Furthermore, the absence of a cliff sensor at the rear of the cleaning equipment could lead to it continuously reversing and potentially falling off the cliff behind it. Therefore, existing methods also suffer from low safety during the movement of the cleaning equipment.

[0046] Based on this, embodiments of this application provide a control method and a cleaning device, which is equipped with a front cliff sensor, a left cliff sensor, and a right cliff sensor. During the movement of the cleaning device, when the left or right cliff sensor is triggered, the cleaning device is controlled to rotate and retreat, moving away from the cliff position. When the front cliff sensor is triggered, or when at least two or more cliff sensors are triggered in combination, the retreat direction is determined based on the current movement direction of the cleaning device. This allows the cleaning device to retreat in different ways after different cliff sensors are triggered, enriching the retreat methods when the cleaning device detects the presence of a cliff and effectively improving the flexibility of retreat.

[0047] Furthermore, the control method of this application controls the cleaning equipment to retreat in different ways depending on the triggered sensor, which can improve safety during the retreat process. For example, the following Figure 6 The control method shown allows the cleaning equipment to move away from the cliff position by rotating backward when the left cliff sensor is triggered, without falling off the cliff behind it during the backward movement.

[0048] The technical solution of this application and how the technical solution of this application solves the above-mentioned technical problems are described in detail below with specific embodiments. These specific embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be described again in some embodiments. The embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0049] Figure 2 A structural schematic diagram of a cleaning device provided in this application is shown below. Figure 2 The cleaning device 10 shown can be applied to, for example... Figure 1 In the scenario shown. Specifically, as Figure 2 The cleaning device 10 shown includes:

[0050] The control device 100, as the core control unit in the cleaning equipment 10, can be used to integrate and process sensor data, communication data, control commands, etc., and specifically for controlling the backward task of the cleaning equipment 10, coordinating the work of various components, etc., and can realize intelligent decision-making and control of the autonomous operation of the cleaning equipment 10.

[0051] Specifically, the control device 100 can control the rotation of the drive wheel in the cleaning device 10 to control the cleaning device 10 to perform the corresponding backward task. For example, the control device 100 can be a central processing unit (CPU), microcontroller unit (MCU), system on a chip (SoC), or other controllers, or it can be other devices or circuit structures with related control functions.

[0052] A cliff sensor 101 is mounted on the body of the cleaning equipment 10, for example, on the chassis of the cleaning equipment 10, to detect whether there is a cliff on the ground, that is, to detect whether the cleaning equipment 10 is at risk of falling. (Reference) Figure 1 As shown in the example, the body of the cleaning device 10 can be round, square, or triangular, etc.

[0053] The cliff sensor 101 is communicatively connected to the control device 100. The control device 100 can be used to acquire the signal collected by the cliff sensor 101 and determine whether there is a cliff on the ground based on the signal, that is, to detect whether there is a risk of falling from the cleaning equipment 10.

[0054] The drive mechanism 102 is mounted on the body of the cleaning device 10, for example, on the chassis of the cleaning device 10, and is used to drive the cleaning device 10 to move.

[0055] A cleaning device 103, mounted on the body of the cleaning equipment 10, is used for cleaning the floor. The cleaning device 103 includes one or more of the following: a side brush, a roller brush, a mop, or a vacuum module. The side brush gathers foreign objects and moves them towards the center of the bottom of the cleaning robot. The roller brush sweeps up foreign objects from the bottom of the cleaning robot, allowing them to enter the dust collection box through the suction port. The mop is used for wiping or mopping the floor; the mop can be a disc mop, roller mop, flat mop, tracked mop, etc. The cleaning device 103 is communicatively connected to a control device 100, which can control the cleaning device 103 to perform cleaning tasks. This application does not limit the specific implementation of the cleaning device 103 and its control method.

[0056] For example, Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of another cleaning device provided in this application, such as... Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the positions of the cliff sensor 101 and the drive mechanism 102 mounted on the body of the cleaning device 10 is shown.

[0057] like Figure 3As shown, the cliff sensor 101 includes a front cliff sensor 1011, a left cliff sensor 1012, and a right cliff sensor 1013. Along the traveling direction of the cleaning equipment, drive mechanisms 102 are distributed on both sides of the cleaning equipment's body. Each drive mechanism 102 includes a left drive wheel 1021 and a right drive wheel 1022. The cleaning equipment 10 also has casters on its body.

[0058] The omnidirectional wheel is located directly in front of the cleaning device 10, the front cliff sensor 1011 is located in front of the omnidirectional wheel, the left drive wheel 1021 is located on the left side of the cleaning device 10, the left cliff sensor 1012 is located to the left of the left drive wheel 1021, the right drive wheel 1022 is located on the right side of the cleaning device 10, and the right cliff sensor 1013 is located to the right of the right drive wheel 1022.

[0059] For your understanding, the embodiments in this application are only for reference. Figure 3 The structure shown is for illustrative purposes only and does not constitute any limitation.

[0060] In this application, during the movement of the cleaning equipment 10, each cliff sensor detects in real time whether there is a cliff around the cleaning equipment 10. If a cliff is detected, the cliff sensor is triggered. The control device can control the cleaning equipment 10 to retreat using different strategies based on the triggered cliff sensor.

[0061] One possible implementation is that, during the movement of the cleaning device 10, when the first cliff sensor is triggered, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to rotate and move backward.

[0062] The first cliff sensor includes either a left cliff sensor 1012 or a right cliff sensor 1013.

[0063] In combination with the above Figure 3 The structure of the cleaning device 10 shown can be controlled to rotate and move backward by controlling the rotation of the drive wheel.

[0064] For example, controlling the cleaning device 10 to rotate backward can include any of the following three methods:

[0065] Method 1: Control the drive wheel on the same side as the first cliff sensor to move backward, while the drive wheel on the other side does not rotate, so as to control the cleaning device 10 to rotate backward.

[0066] In this mode, when the first cliff sensor is the left cliff sensor 1012, that is, when the left cliff sensor 1012 is triggered, the left drive wheel 1021 can be controlled to move backward while the right drive wheel 1022 does not rotate, so that the cleaning device 10 rotates counterclockwise and moves backward.

[0067] Figure 4A schematic diagram of a cleaning device 10 rotating counterclockwise and retracting as provided in this application. Figure 1 .

[0068] Figure 4 When the cleaning device 10 moves on the cliff platform, it performs a counter-clockwise rotation and reversal based on the triggering of the cliff sensor. It should be noted that subsequently... Figures 5-12 These are all situations that occurred when the cleaning equipment 10 was moving on the cliff platform.

[0069] like Figure 4 As shown, the cleaning equipment 10 moves to Figure 4 When the position is indicated by the dotted line, a cliff exists on the left side of the cleaning device 10. The left cliff sensor 1012 is triggered, which allows the left drive wheel 1021 to move backward while the right drive wheel 1022 remains stationary, causing the cleaning device 10 to rotate counterclockwise and move backward. Figure 4 The solid line is positioned so that the cleaning equipment 10 is away from the cliff on the left.

[0070] In this mode, when the first cliff sensor is the right cliff sensor 1013, that is, when the right cliff sensor 1013 is triggered, the right drive wheel 1022 can be controlled to move backward while the left drive wheel 1021 does not rotate, so that the cleaning device 10 rotates clockwise and moves backward.

[0071] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a cleaning device 10 rotating clockwise and retracting as provided in this application. Figure 1 .

[0072] like Figure 5 As shown, the cleaning equipment 10 moves to Figure 5 When the position is indicated by the dotted line, a cliff exists on the right side of the cleaning device 10. The right cliff sensor 1013 is triggered, which controls the right drive wheel 1022 to move backward while the left drive wheel 1021 remains stationary, causing the cleaning device 10 to rotate counterclockwise and move backward. Figure 5 The solid line is positioned so that the cleaning equipment 10 is away from the cliff on the right.

[0073] Method 2: Control the drive wheel on the same side as the first cliff sensor to not rotate, while the drive wheel on the other side moves forward, so as to control the cleaning device 10 to rotate and move backward.

[0074] In this mode, when the first cliff sensor is the left cliff sensor 1012, that is, when the left cliff sensor 1012 is triggered, the left drive wheel 1021 can be controlled to not rotate, while the right drive wheel 1022 moves forward, causing the cleaning device 10 to rotate counterclockwise and move backward.

[0075] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a cleaning device 10 rotating counterclockwise and retracting as provided in this application. Figure 2 .

[0076] like Figure 6 As shown, the cleaning equipment 10 moves to Figure 6 When the position is indicated by the dotted line, a cliff exists on the left side of the cleaning device 10. The left cliff sensor 1012 is triggered, which controls the left drive wheel 1021 to remain stationary while the right drive wheel 1022 moves forward, causing the cleaning device 10 to rotate counterclockwise and retract. Figure 6 The solid line is positioned so that the cleaning equipment 10 is away from the cliff on the left.

[0077] In this mode, when the first cliff sensor is the right cliff sensor 1013, that is, when the right cliff sensor 1013 is triggered, the right drive wheel 1022 can be controlled to not rotate, and the left drive wheel 1021 can move forward, so that the cleaning device 10 rotates clockwise and moves backward.

[0078] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a cleaning device 10 rotating clockwise and retracting as provided in this application. Figure 2 .

[0079] like Figure 7 As shown, the cleaning equipment 10 moves to Figure 7 When the position is indicated by the dotted line, there is a cliff on the right side of the cleaning device 10. The right cliff sensor 1013 is triggered, which controls the right drive wheel 1022 to remain stationary while the left drive wheel 1021 moves forward, causing the cleaning device 10 to rotate counterclockwise and retract. Figure 7 The solid line is positioned so that the cleaning equipment 10 is away from the cliff on the right.

[0080] In this way, by controlling the drive wheel on the same side as the triggered cliff sensor to rotate, while the drive wheel on the other side remains stationary, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to rotate counterclockwise and retreat when the left cliff sensor 1012 is triggered; and when the right cliff sensor 1013 is triggered, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to rotate clockwise and retreat, thus moving the cleaning device 10 away from the cliff position. Furthermore, this control method can also control the cleaning device 10 to rotate and retreat to the right when the left cliff sensor 1012 is triggered. Since the right cliff sensor 1013 is not triggered, it indicates that there is no cliff on the right, therefore, it will not fall off the cliff during the rightward rotation and retreat. Similarly, when the right cliff sensor 1013 is triggered, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to rotate and retreat to the left. Since the left cliff sensor 1012 is not triggered, it indicates that there is no cliff on the left, therefore, it will not fall off the cliff during the leftward rotation and retreat. Therefore, this rotation-and-retreat method effectively improves safety during the retreat process.

[0081] In this application, when the first cliff sensor is triggered, and the cleaning device 10 is controlled to rotate and move backward in the manner described above, there may be a situation where the drive wheel on the same side falls into the cliff. In this case, the drive wheel on the same side as the first cliff sensor is controlled to move backward, while the drive wheel on the other side does not rotate. There may be a situation where the cleaning device 10 does not move or moves only a small distance.

[0082] Therefore, the drive wheel on the same side as the first cliff sensor is controlled to move backward, while the drive wheel on the other side does not rotate, and the control time reaches the first preset time. If it is detected that the moving distance of the cleaning device 10 is less than the first preset distance, the drive wheel on the same side as the first cliff sensor is controlled to not rotate, while the drive wheel on the other side moves forward, so as to control the cleaning device 10 to rotate backward.

[0083] The first preset duration can be 2 seconds or a similar duration, but this application embodiment does not limit this.

[0084] The first preset distance can be a relatively small distance, and this application embodiment does not limit this.

[0085] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a cleaning device 10 falling off a cliff, as provided in this application.

[0086] like Figure 8 As shown by the dashed line in the diagram, the cleaning device 10 is positioned such that the left cliff sensor 1012 is triggered, and the left drive wheel 1021 falls into the cliff, leaving it suspended in mid-air. At this point, controlling the left drive wheel 1021 to move backward while the right drive wheel 1022 remains stationary prevents the cleaning device 10 from moving. Therefore, it is possible to control the left drive wheel 1021 to remain stationary while the right drive wheel 1022 moves forward, causing the cleaning device 10 to rotate counter-clockwise and move backward. Figure 8 The position of the solid line is to pull the left drive wheel 1021 up from the cliff and to move the cleaning device 10 away from the cliff on the left.

[0087] In this way, when the drive wheel on the same side as the triggered cliff sensor cannot rotate to drive the cleaning device 10 to rotate backward, the drive wheel on the same side can be controlled to not rotate, while the drive wheel on the other side moves forward. This is to switch to the method of using mode two to control the cleaning device 10 to rotate backward, which can avoid the situation where the cleaning device 10 cannot move away from the cliff.

[0088] Method 3: Control the drive wheel on the same side as the first cliff sensor to move backward, while the drive wheel on the other side moves forward, and the two drive wheels have different speeds, so as to control the cleaning device 10 to rotate backward.

[0089] In this mode, when the first cliff sensor is the left cliff sensor 1012, that is, when the left cliff sensor 1012 is triggered, the left drive wheel 1021 can be controlled to move backward and the right drive wheel 1022 to move forward, and the speeds of the two drive wheels are different, so that the cleaning device 10 rotates counterclockwise and moves backward.

[0090] In this mode, when the first cliff sensor is the right cliff sensor 1013, that is, when the right cliff sensor 1013 is triggered, the right drive wheel 1022 can be controlled to move backward and the left drive wheel 1021 to move forward, and the speeds of the two drive wheels are different, so that the cleaning device 10 rotates clockwise and moves backward.

[0091] For example, the different speeds of the two drive wheels may include the speed of the left drive wheel 1021 being greater than the speed of the right drive wheel 1022, or the speed of the right drive wheel 1022 being greater than the speed of the left drive wheel 1021. This application embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0092] In this way, by controlling the drive wheel on the same side as the triggered cliff sensor to move backward, while the drive wheel on the other side moves forward at different speeds, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to rotate counterclockwise and move backward when the left cliff sensor 1012 is triggered; and to rotate clockwise and move backward when the right cliff sensor 1013 is triggered, thus moving the cleaning device 10 away from the cliff position. Furthermore, this control method can also control the cleaning device 10 to rotate backward to the right when the left cliff sensor 1012 is triggered. Since the right cliff sensor 1013 is not triggered, it indicates that there is no cliff on the right, therefore, it will not fall off the cliff during the rightward rotation and backward movement. Similarly, when the right cliff sensor 1013 is triggered, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to rotate backward to the left. Therefore, this rotation-and-backward movement effectively improves safety during the backward movement process.

[0093] The cleaning equipment 10 may perform the above three types of retreat during the execution of edge tasks.

[0094] As the cleaning device 10 moves along the edge, after controlling the cleaning device 10 to rotate and move backward, the cleaning device 10 can be controlled to return to the initial heading angle, which is the heading angle before the cleaning device 10 rotates and moves backward.

[0095] The initial heading angle is the heading angle for the edge-following mission, and can be recorded when the first cliff sensor is detected to be triggered. This application does not limit the initial heading angle in its embodiments.

[0096] In this way, when performing edge-crossing tasks, if the cleaning equipment 10 is controlled to rotate due to the cliff-crossing sensor being triggered, the cleaning equipment 10 can be restored to its original heading angle after rotation, so that the cleaning equipment 10 can still perform edge-crossing tasks according to the original heading angle. This can reduce the impact on the tasks being performed by the cleaning equipment 10 due to avoiding cliffs.

[0097] The above describes one possible implementation of the triggering of the left cliff sensor 1012 or the right cliff sensor 1013. This application also includes another implementation of the triggering of the cliff sensor, which will be described below.

[0098] Another possible implementation is that, during the movement of the cleaning device 10, when the second cliff sensor is triggered, the backward direction is determined according to the movement direction of the cleaning device 10, and the cleaning device 10 is controlled to move backward according to the backward direction.

[0099] The second cliff sensor includes a front cliff sensor 1011 or a combination of at least two cliff sensors.

[0100] In this possible implementation, the triggered cliff sensor may include the following possibilities: front cliff sensor 1011, front cliff sensor 1011 + left cliff sensor 1012, front cliff sensor 1011 + right cliff sensor 1013, left cliff sensor 1012 + right cliff sensor 1013, and front cliff sensor 1011 + left cliff sensor 1012 + right cliff sensor 1013.

[0101] In this way, the backward direction is determined by the moving direction of the cleaning device 10, and the backward movement of the cleaning device 10 is controlled according to the backward direction, instead of using a single method.

[0102] In this possible implementation, controlling the cleaning device 10 to retract can include either of the following two methods:

[0103] Method 1: When the second cliff sensor is triggered, the original moving path of the cleaning device 10 before the current moment is obtained; the opposite direction of the original moving path is determined as the backward direction; according to the backward direction, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to retreat along the original moving path.

[0104] For example, when the cleaning device 10 is moving in a straight line, the second cliff sensor is triggered. In this case, the original movement path is a straight line, and the backward direction is always the opposite of the forward direction. Based on this backward direction, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to retreat along the original movement path, that is, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to retreat in a straight line.

[0105] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a cleaning device 10 retracting in a straight line, as provided in this application.

[0106] like Figure 9 As shown, the cleaning equipment 10 moves to Figure 9 When the cleaning device 10 is positioned as shown by the dotted line, a cliff exists in front of it. The front cliff sensor 1011 is triggered. At this point, it can be determined that the reverse direction is always the opposite of the forward direction. Therefore, the right drive wheel 1022 and the left drive wheel 1021 can be controlled to reverse, causing the cleaning device 10 to reverse in a straight line. Figure 9 The solid line is positioned so that the cleaning equipment 10 is kept away from the cliff in front.

[0107] For example, during the rotation of the cleaning device 10, the second cliff sensor is triggered. In this case, the original movement path is an arc. At this time, the backward direction is the tangent of the arc and is opposite to the previous forward direction, and this backward direction is changing. Based on this backward direction, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to retreat along the original movement path, that is, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to rotate in the opposite direction.

[0108] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a cleaning device 10 retracting in an arc, as provided in this application.

[0109] like Figure 10 As shown, the cleaning device 10 moves in the direction indicated by the dashed arrow to... Figure 10 At the position indicated by the dashed line, there is a cliff in front of the cleaning device 10, triggering the front cliff sensor 1011, and the omnidirectional wheel at the front of the cleaning device 10 may fall off the cliff and become suspended in mid-air. At this point, the reverse direction can be determined as the dashed line. Figure 10 The direction indicated by the middle arrow controls the right drive wheel 1022 to move backward while the left drive wheel 1021 remains stationary, allowing the cleaning device 10 to rotate and then move backward. Figure 10 The solid line is positioned so that the cleaning equipment 10 is kept away from the cliff.

[0110] In this application, the simultaneous triggering of three cliff sensors may include Figure 11 The situation is shown below. Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the simultaneous triggering of three cliff sensors, as provided in this application.

[0111] exist Figure 11 In this situation, the cleaning equipment 10 can be controlled to move backward in a straight line to get away from the cliff.

[0112] In this way, when the cliff sensor is triggered, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to retreat along the original path. Since there is no cliff in the original path, or the cliff has been avoided, retreating along the original path can prevent the cliff sensor from being triggered again, thereby preventing the cleaning device 10 from falling into the cliff during the retreat process and improving the safety of the retreat process.

[0113] Method 2: When the second cliff sensor is triggered, the opposite direction of the current movement direction of the cleaning device 10 is determined as the backward direction; the cleaning device 10 is controlled to move backward in a straight line based on the backward direction.

[0114] In this mode, if the second cliff sensor is triggered while the cleaning device 10 is moving in a straight line, the determined backward direction is the opposite of the straight-line forward direction. At this time, the backward path for controlling the cleaning device 10 to move backward in a straight line based on the backward direction is the same as described above. Figure 9 Similarly, I will not go into details here.

[0115] If the second cliff sensor is triggered during the rotation of the cleaning device 10, the backward direction is the tangent direction of the path during rotation.

[0116] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of another cleaning device 10 provided in this application retracting in a straight line.

[0117] like Figure 12 As shown, the cleaning device 10 rotates in the direction indicated by the dashed arrow to... Figure 12 When the dashed line is in position, there are cliffs in front of and to the left of the cleaning device 10, triggering both the front cliff sensor 1011 and the left cliff sensor 1012. At this point, the reverse direction can be determined. Figure 12 The direction indicated by the solid arrow allows control to move the right drive wheel 1022 and the left drive wheel 1021 backwards, causing the cleaning device 10 to rotate and retract. Figure 12 The solid line is positioned so that the cleaning equipment 10 is kept away from the cliff.

[0118] In this way, when the cliff sensor is triggered, the cleaning device 10 can move away from the cliff by reversing its current direction of movement.

[0119] In actual operation, the cliff sensor may make continuous misjudgments due to hardware failure (such as open circuit or short circuit), causing the cleaning equipment 10 to incorrectly perform a backward movement in non-cliff areas.

[0120] In this application, before the first cliff sensor or the second cliff sensor is triggered and the cleaning device 10 is controlled to move backward, the cleaning device 10 can be controlled to rotate along a preset direction by a preset angle; during the rotation of the cleaning device 10, if the triggered cliff sensor is not deactivated and other cliff sensors are not triggered, the triggered cliff sensor is determined to be faulty.

[0121] The preset direction can be clockwise and / or counterclockwise, but this application embodiment does not limit it.

[0122] The preset angle can be 180°, 360°, or other angles, and this application embodiment does not limit it.

[0123] For example, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to rotate 360° clockwise first, and then 360° counterclockwise.

[0124] Since the triggered cliff sensor can be rotated to a position without a cliff by controlling the rotation of the cleaning device 10, there is a possibility that the cliff sensor will deactivate during the rotation. If the triggered cliff sensor does not deactivate and other cliff sensors are not triggered, it is possible that the triggered cliff sensor is malfunctioning, thus confirming that the triggered cliff sensor is faulty.

[0125] For example, after detecting a cliff sensor malfunction, an alarm message can be output, such as by the cleaning device 10 issuing a prompt sound, to alert the user.

[0126] In this way, by performing fault detection on the cliff sensor before controlling the cleaning equipment 10 to execute the retreat strategy, the situation where the cleaning equipment 10 continuously executes the retreat strategy due to cliff sensor failure can be avoided.

[0127] In this application, during the process of the cleaning device 10 performing a backward movement task, if a new cliff sensor is detected to be triggered, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to stop its current movement, and a corresponding backward movement strategy is determined based on the new cliff sensor. The cleaning device 10 is controlled to move backward according to the backward movement strategy; wherein, the backward movement strategy includes a backward movement strategy corresponding to the triggering of a first cliff sensor, or a backward movement strategy corresponding to the triggering of a second cliff sensor.

[0128] The backward task includes rotation or backward movement. Rotation is the rotation task executed when a fault is detected, and backward movement is the task in the above embodiment where the cleaning device 10 is controlled to move backward based on the triggered cliff sensor.

[0129] For details on the retreat strategy, please refer to the description of the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0130] In this way, if a new cliff sensor is triggered during a rotation or backward movement, the backward movement strategy corresponding to the new cliff sensor can be executed.

[0131] Since the cleaning device 10 lacks a cliff sensor at its rear end, if the cliff sensor malfunctions or continues to move backward, the cleaning device 10 may fall off the cliff during its backward movement. Therefore, the method for controlling the backward movement of the cleaning device 10 during its movement can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 13 As shown, Figure 13 A flowchart illustrating a control method for a cleaning device provided in this application is shown below. Figure 13 The control method shown can be applied to, for example, Figure 2The cleaning equipment 10 shown is specifically controlled by the control device 100 of the cleaning equipment 10. Specifically, as... Figure 13 The control method of the cleaning equipment 10 shown includes:

[0132] S1301. During the movement of the cleaning equipment, when the first cliff sensor is triggered, the cleaning equipment is controlled to rotate and move backward.

[0133] The first cliff sensor includes either a left cliff sensor 1012 or a right cliff sensor 1013.

[0134] The cliff sensor consists of an infrared transmitter and an infrared receiver.

[0135] Before the cleaning equipment 10 leaves the factory or during its first use, a baseline calibration is performed on a standard flat surface (a surface without cliff risk, such as tile or wood flooring). The calibration process may include: the control module controlling the infrared emitting tube to turn on, emitting infrared light of a fixed power; the infrared light is reflected by the ground and received by the infrared receiving tube; the receiving tube converts the reflected light signal into an analog electrical signal, and then converts it into a digital quantity through an analog-to-digital converter to obtain the ground ADC value, i.e., the calibration value. The control device 100 uses this ground ADC value as a reference to set the cliff detection threshold.

[0136] The cliff sensor is triggered when the cleaning equipment 10 reaches the edge of a cliff (such as steps or staircases) or when ground reflection conditions change abruptly (such as a dark black carpet with high infrared absorption). In this case, the infrared light emitted by the infrared emitter is no longer reflected by the ground (cliff scenario), or the intensity of the reflected light decreases significantly (low-reflectivity ground), resulting in an extremely weak or even zero light signal received by the infrared receiver. The receiver converts this weak light signal into a low-amplitude analog electrical signal, and the real-time ADC value after conversion is lower than the calibrated value.

[0137] The control device 100 calculates the difference between the real-time ADC value and the calibration value. When the difference is lower than the preset cliff detection threshold, it is determined that a cliff has been detected, that is, the cliff sensor has been triggered.

[0138] The control device 100 may pre-store the correspondence between cliff sensors and control strategies. For example, the correspondence between cliff sensors and reversing strategies may be the correspondence between the cliff sensor identifier, the drive wheel control strategy, and the strategy for stopping reversing. This application embodiment does not specifically limit the pre-stored correspondence.

[0139] When the first cliff sensor is triggered, a retreat strategy is determined based on the first cliff sensor and the pre-stored correspondence, so as to control the cleaning device 10 to rotate and retreat based on the retreat strategy.

[0140] The method for controlling the rotation and retraction of the cleaning device 10 can be found in the description of the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0141] S1302. When the second cliff sensor is triggered, the backward direction is determined according to the moving direction of the cleaning equipment, and the cleaning equipment is controlled to retreat according to the backward direction.

[0142] The second cliff sensor includes a front cliff sensor 1011 or a combination of at least two cliff sensors.

[0143] Since the second cliff sensor can have multiple possibilities, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to move backward in the reverse direction based on the second cliff sensor.

[0144] Thus, the control method for the cleaning device 10 provided in this application, during the movement of the cleaning device 10, controls the cleaning device 10 to rotate and retreat when the left cliff sensor 1012 or the right cliff sensor 1013 is triggered, so that the cleaning device 10 moves away from the cliff position. When the current cliff sensor 1011 is triggered, or when at least two or more cliff sensors are triggered in combination, the retreat direction is determined according to the current movement direction of the cleaning device 10, so that the cleaning device 10 retreats in different ways after different cliff sensors are triggered, enriching the retreat methods of the cleaning device 10 when it detects the presence of a cliff, and effectively improving the flexibility of retreat.

[0145] In this application, the cleaning device 10 executes the retreat strategy corresponding to the triggering of the first cliff sensor and the retreat strategy corresponding to the triggering of the second cliff sensor, based on the retreat parameters.

[0146] The following section provides a detailed explanation of the specific methods for executing the backoff strategy based on the backoff parameters.

[0147] For example, the back-up parameter may include a preset back-up duration or a preset back-up distance.

[0148] One possible implementation is that the back parameter includes a preset back duration.

[0149] If, during the reversing process of the cleaning device 10, the triggered cliff sensor is deactivated within the first reversing time or the first reversing distance, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to continue reversing for a second preset time before stopping the reversing.

[0150] During the reversal process, the target cliff sensor is checked to see if it is deactivated.

[0151] The second preset duration can be obtained based on actual or simulated testing. For example, the second preset duration can be 100ms or other values. This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0152] The first back-off time can be obtained in advance based on actual testing or simulation testing, and this application embodiment does not limit it.

[0153] The first retreat distance can be obtained in advance based on actual tests or simulation tests, and this application embodiment does not limit it.

[0154] The first backward distance can be a straight distance or a curved path, depending on the specific backward strategy of the cleaning equipment 10. This application embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0155] In this way, when the cliff sensor is deactivated during the reversing process, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to continue reversing for a second preset time before stopping, so that the cleaning device 10 is further away from the location where there may be a cliff, which can effectively improve the safety of the cleaning device 10.

[0156] If the triggered cliff sensor is not detrimentalized within the first reversing time or the first reversing distance, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to continue reversing for a third preset time and then stop reversing; wherein the third preset time is longer than the second preset time.

[0157] The third preset duration is longer than the second preset duration.

[0158] The third preset duration can be obtained based on actual or simulated testing. For example, the third preset duration can be 240ms or other values. This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0159] Thus, if the cliff sensor is not deactivated within a certain time or distance, it may be because a cliff remains in the vicinity during the retraction process. In this case, controlling the cleaning device 10 to continue retracting for a period of time, further distancing it from the cliff, effectively improves the safety of the retraction process. Alternatively, it could be a false detection caused by a malfunction of the cliff sensor itself. In this case, controlling the cleaning device 10 to continue retracting for a period of time and then stopping prevents it from retracting indefinitely when the cliff sensor is faulty, reducing the risk of the cleaning device 10 falling off the cliff and effectively improving the safety of the retraction process.

[0160] Another possible implementation is that the back parameter includes a preset back distance.

[0161] If, during the reversing process of the cleaning device 10, the triggered cliff sensor is deactivated within the first reversing time or the first reversing distance, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to continue reversing for the first preset distance and then stop reversing.

[0162] The first preset distance can be obtained based on actual or simulated tests. This first preset distance can be a straight distance or a curved path, depending on the retraction method of the cleaning device. This application does not specifically limit this aspect.

[0163] In this way, when the cliff sensor is deactivated during the reversing process, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to continue reversing for a first preset distance before stopping, so that the cleaning device 10 is further away from the cliff, which can effectively improve the safety of the cleaning device 10 during the reversing process.

[0164] If the triggered cliff sensor is not detrimentalized within the first reversing time or the first reversing distance, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to continue reversing for a second preset distance before stopping.

[0165] The second preset distance is greater than the first preset distance.

[0166] The second preset distance can be obtained based on actual or simulated tests. This second preset distance can be a straight distance or a curved path, depending on the retraction method of the cleaning device. This application does not limit this aspect.

[0167] Thus, if the triggered cliff sensor is not detected and detrimented within a certain time period or distance, it may be because a cliff remains in the vicinity during the retreat. In this case, controlling the cleaning device 10 to continue retreating a certain distance further away from the cliff can effectively improve the safety of the retreat process. Alternatively, it may be a false detection caused by a malfunction of the target cliff sensor itself. In this case, controlling the cleaning device 10 to continue retreating a certain distance and then stopping prevents the cleaning device 10 from retreating indefinitely when the cliff sensor is malfunctioning, reducing the possibility of the cleaning device 10 falling off the cliff and effectively improving the safety of the retreat process.

[0168] In this application, during the retraction of the cleaning device 10, if at least one of the triggered cliff sensors fails to deactivate within the second retraction time or the second retraction distance, an alarm message is output.

[0169] The second back-up duration is greater than or equal to the first back-up duration, and the second back-up distance is greater than or equal to the second back-up distance.

[0170] The second backward duration and the second backward distance can be obtained in advance based on actual tests or simulation tests, and this application embodiment does not limit this.

[0171] The second backward distance can be a straight distance or a curved path, depending on the specific backward movement of the cleaning equipment 10. This application embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0172] If the triggered cliff sensor is a cliff sensor, and the cliff sensor is not deactivated within the second reversal time or the second reversal distance, an alarm message will be output.

[0173] If two or three cliff sensors are triggered, and at least one cliff sensor remains untriggered within the second reversal time or distance, an alarm message will be output.

[0174] For example, the way to output alarm information may include at least one of the following: controlling the indicator light corresponding to the cleaning device 10 to flash, controlling the cleaning device 10 to play a prompt voice, displaying prompt information on a terminal device that is communicatively connected to the cleaning device 10, or playing a prompt voice on a terminal device that is communicatively connected to the cleaning device 10.

[0175] This application does not specifically limit the method of outputting alarm information.

[0176] For example, the output alarm information may include information such as the identifier of the cliff sensor that has not been deactivated, so that users can identify cliff sensors that may be faulty based on the alarm information.

[0177] Thus, if the target cliff sensor remains triggered after the cleaning equipment 10 has retreated a certain distance or for a certain period of time, it can be determined that the cliff sensor may be malfunctioning. In other words, the triggering of the cliff sensor is due to its own failure, rather than the detection of a cliff. Therefore, an alarm message can be output to alert the user.

[0178] Based on the above embodiments, taking the preset duration of the back-off parameter as an example, the following descriptions are given regarding the individual triggering of the front cliff sensor 1011, the left cliff sensor 1012, and the right cliff sensor 1013, as well as the triggering of at least two cliff sensors in combination.

[0179] Scenario 1: When the left cliff sensor 1012 is triggered, the control method can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 14 As shown. Figure 14 A schematic diagram of a control method for triggering a left cliff sensor 1012 provided in this application.

[0180] like Figure 14As shown, during the movement of the cleaning device 10, the control device 100 detects whether a cliff sensor has been triggered. If the left cliff sensor 1012 is detected to be triggered, a counter-clockwise rotation and reversal task is executed. Specifically, the left drive wheel 1021 is controlled to move backward while the right drive wheel 1022 does not rotate, so that the cleaning device 10 moves backward in a curve to the right, i.e., reverses counter-clockwise.

[0181] Within the first backward movement time or distance, determine whether the left cliff sensor 1012 is deactivated. If it is deactivated, control the cleaning device 10 to continue backward movement for 100ms, that is, control the left drive wheel 1021 to continue backward movement for 100ms, and then exit the rotation and backward movement task.

[0182] If the left cliff sensor 1012 is not detrimentalized within the first backward movement time or distance, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to continue backward movement for 240ms, that is, the left drive wheel 1021 is controlled to continue rotating for 240ms, and then the rotation backward movement task is terminated.

[0183] Scenario 2: When the right cliff sensor 1013 is triggered, the control method can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 15 As shown. Figure 15 A schematic diagram of a control method for triggering a right cliff sensor 1013 provided in this application.

[0184] like Figure 15 As shown, the control device 100 detects whether a cliff sensor has been triggered. If the right cliff sensor 1013 is detected to be triggered, a clockwise rotation and reversing task is executed. Specifically, the control device 100 controls the right drive wheel 1022 to move backward while the left drive wheel 1021 does not rotate, so that the cleaning device 10 moves backward in a curve to the left, that is, rotates backward in a clockwise direction.

[0185] Within the first backward movement time or distance, determine whether the right cliff sensor 1013 is deactivated. If it is deactivated, control the cleaning device 10 to continue backward movement for 100ms, that is, control the right drive wheel 1022 to continue rotating for 100ms, and then exit the rotation and backward movement task.

[0186] If the right cliff sensor 1013 is not detrimentalized within the first backward movement time or distance, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to continue backward movement for 240ms, that is, the right drive wheel 1022 is controlled to continue rotating for 240ms, and then the rotation backward movement task is terminated.

[0187] Scenario 3: Front cliff sensor 1011 is triggered; control method can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 16 As shown. Figure 16 A schematic diagram of a control method for triggering a front cliff sensor 1011 provided in this application.

[0188] like Figure 16 As shown, during the movement of the cleaning equipment 10, the control device 100 detects whether a cliff sensor has been triggered. If the front cliff sensor 1011 is detected to be triggered, a complete reversal task is executed. This complete reversal task can be found in the above embodiment.

[0189] exist Figure 16 In the example of a straight backward movement, the control device 100 controls the right drive wheel 1022 to move backward and the left drive wheel 1021 to move backward, so that the cleaning device 10 moves backward in a straight line.

[0190] Within the first backward movement time or distance, determine whether the front cliff sensor 1011 is deactivated. If it is deactivated, control the cleaning device 10 to continue backward movement for 100ms, that is, control the left drive wheel 1021 and the right drive wheel 1022 to continue rotating for 100ms, and then exit the backward movement task.

[0191] If the front cliff sensor 1011 is not detrimentalized within the first backward movement time or distance, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to continue backward movement for 240ms, that is, the left drive wheel 1021 and the right drive wheel 1022 are controlled to continue rotating for 240ms, and then the backward movement task is exited.

[0192] Scenario 4: At least two cliff sensors are triggered. This scenario is similar to Scenario 3 above. The control device 100 detects whether any cliff sensors have been triggered. If at least two cliff sensors are detected to be triggered, a complete reversal task is performed.

[0193] Within the first backward time or the first backward distance, determine whether at least two cliff sensors have been deactivated. If both have been deactivated, control the cleaning device 10 to continue backward for 100ms and then exit the backward task.

[0194] If at least two cliff sensors are not deactivated within the first backward time or the first backward distance, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to continue backward for 240ms before exiting the backward task.

[0195] Regarding the above situation four, when the target cliff sensor includes at least two cliff sensors, during the execution of the retreat task, if it is detected that some of the triggered cliff sensors are detrimental while others are not detrimental within the first retreat duration or the first retreat distance, then according to the cliff sensors that are not detrimental, the retreat strategy corresponding to the cliff sensors that are not detrimental is controlled to be executed so that the cleaning device 10 retreats in a new retreat mode.

[0196] For example, when the left cliff sensor 1012 and the right cliff sensor 1013 are triggered, and the cleaning device 10 is controlled to move backward in a straight line, if the left cliff sensor 1012 is deactivated and the right cliff sensor 1013 is not deactivated within the first backward movement time or the first backward movement distance, then the right drive wheel 1022 is controlled to move backward while the left drive wheel 1021 does not rotate, so that the cleaning device 10 moves backward in a curve to the left, that is, backward in a counterclockwise direction.

[0197] In this way, during the retraction of the cleaning device 10, the retraction strategy of the cleaning device 10 is adjusted according to the changes triggered by the cliff sensor, so as to adjust the retraction route of the cleaning device 10 and enable the cleaning device 10 to move away from the cliff.

[0198] Based on the content described in the above embodiments, Figure 17 A flowchart of a control method for another cleaning device 10 provided in this application.

[0199] like Figure 17 As shown, during the movement of the cleaning equipment 10, the initial heading angle is recorded in real time, and it is determined whether the forward ground detection is continuously abnormal. The forward ground detection is the forward cliff sensor 1011.

[0200] If no continuous anomalies are detected in the front ground detection system, the front cliff sensor 1011 is not triggered, and the cleaning device 10 continues its current operation. If continuous anomalies are detected in the front ground detection system, the front cliff sensor 1011 is triggered, control switches to the global escape mission, and a system-level rotation braking command is issued. Based on this command, the cleaning device 10 is controlled to brake and execute the global escape mission. This global escape mission includes controlling the cleaning device 10 to perform forward and reverse rotation.

[0201] The process of performing forward and reverse rotation tasks can be found in the above embodiments of controlling the cleaning device 10 to rotate along a preset direction by a preset angle, and will not be repeated here.

[0202] During the forward and reverse rotation process, it is determined whether the front ground detection has been restored, i.e., whether the front cliff sensor 1011 has been detrimentalized. If it has been restored, the system-level rotation non-braking command is restored, and the global escape mission is exited. Based on this command, the cleaning equipment 10 is controlled to resume its previous actions.

[0203] If recovery is not achieved, it is determined whether other ground checkpoints have been triggered. If triggered, the system-level rotation without braking command is restored, and the global escape mission is exited, i.e., the forward and reverse rotation mission is exited. The backward movement mission is then executed based on the newly triggered ground checkpoint. For details, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0204] If other ground checks are not triggered, the system checks whether the global escape mission corresponding to the previous ground check has been completed or has timed out. If the global escape mission corresponding to the previous ground check has been completed and / or timed out, meaning that the previous ground check was not deactivated during the execution of the forward and reverse missions, it can be determined that the previous ground check is abnormal. In this case, a ground check error is broadcast, the system-level rotation without braking command is restored, and the global escape mission is exited. If the global escape mission corresponding to the previous ground check has not been completed and / or has not timed out, the forward and reverse missions continue to be executed.

[0205] For details on reporting ground inspection errors, please refer to the relevant description of outputting alarm information in the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0206] In summary, the control method of the cleaning equipment 10 provided in this application can solve the problems of continuous backward movement after the cliff sensor is open / short-circuited, falling off the cliff when there is no cliff sensor, and falling off the cliff when the cliff sensor is continuously triggered and the action is singular. It can effectively improve the safety of the cleaning equipment 10 during the backward movement process.

[0207] In the foregoing embodiments of this application, a control method for a cleaning device provided by the embodiments of this application has been described. To achieve the functions of the methods provided by the embodiments of this application, the control device, as the executing entity, can implement the above functions through hardware structures and / or software modules. Whether a particular function is executed through hardware structures, software modules, or a combination of hardware structures and software modules depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0208] Figure 18 A schematic diagram of the control device for another type of cleaning equipment provided in this application is shown below. Figure 18 The control device 180 of the cleaning equipment shown includes a detection module 1801 and a control module 1802.

[0209] The detection module 1801 is used to detect whether the cliff sensor is triggered during the movement of the cleaning equipment.

[0210] The control module 1802 is used to: control the cleaning equipment to rotate backward when the first cliff sensor is triggered; wherein the first cliff sensor includes a left cliff sensor or a right cliff sensor. When the second cliff sensor is triggered, determine the backward direction according to the moving direction of the cleaning equipment, and control the cleaning equipment to retreat according to the backward direction; wherein the second cliff sensor includes a front cliff sensor or a combination of at least two cliff sensors.

[0211] like Figure 18 The specific implementation method and principle of the control device of the cleaning equipment shown can be referred to the control method of the corresponding cleaning equipment mentioned above. The implementation method and principle are the same, and will not be repeated here.

[0212] It should be understood that the division of the various modules in the above device is merely a logical functional division. In actual implementation, they can be fully or partially integrated into a single physical entity, or they can be physically separated. Furthermore, these modules can be implemented entirely in software via processing element calls; they can be fully implemented in hardware; or some modules can be implemented by processing element calls to software, while others are implemented in hardware. For example, a module can be a separately established processing element, or it can be integrated into a chip within the above device. Alternatively, it can be stored as program code in the memory of the above device, and its functions can be called and executed by a processing element of the device. The implementation of other modules is similar. Moreover, these modules can be fully or partially integrated together, or they can be implemented independently. The processing element here can be an integrated circuit with signal processing capabilities. In the implementation process, each step of the above method or each of the above modules can be completed through integrated logic circuits in the hardware of the processor element or through software instructions.

[0213] For example, these modules can be one or more integrated circuits configured to implement the above methods, such as one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), or one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). As another example, when a module is implemented using processing element scheduler code, the processing element can be a general-purpose processor, such as a central processing unit (CPU) or other processor capable of calling program code. Furthermore, these modules can be integrated together to implement a system-on-a-chip (SOC).

[0214] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved, in whole or in part, through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, it can be implemented, in whole or in part, as a computer program product. A computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the flow or function according to the embodiments of this application is generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., DVD), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., solid-state disk (SSD)).

[0215] Figure 19 A schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in this application, such as... Figure 19 The electronic device 190 shown can be used to perform the control method of the cleaning equipment provided in any embodiment of this application.

[0216] In one embodiment, such as Figure 19 The control device 190 shown includes one or more processors 1901 and a memory 1902. The memory 1902 stores computer-executable instructions, and the processors 1901 can execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 1902. When the computer-executable instructions are executed by the processor 1901, the processor 1901 implements the control method for the cleaning device provided in any of the foregoing embodiments of this application.

[0217] In one embodiment, such as Figure 19 The control device 1900 shown also includes a communication interface 1903, through which the processor 1901 can communicate with other devices, such as sending and receiving data through the communication interface 1903.

[0218] In the above embodiments, it should be understood that the processor can be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the method disclosed in this invention can be directly implemented by a hardware processor, or implemented by a combination of hardware and software modules within the processor.

[0219] The memory may include random access memory (RAM) and may also include non-volatile memory (NVM), such as at least one disk storage device.

[0220] The bus can be an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, or an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, etc. Buses can be categorized as address buses, data buses, control buses, etc. For ease of illustration, the buses shown in the accompanying drawings are not limited to a single bus or a single type of bus.

[0221] This application also provides a chip for executing instructions, which is used to execute the control method of the cleaning equipment provided in any of the foregoing embodiments of this application.

[0222] This application also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed, implements the control method for the cleaning equipment provided in any of the foregoing embodiments of this application.

[0223] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed, can be used to implement the control method of the cleaning equipment provided in any of the foregoing embodiments of this application.

[0224] The aforementioned readable storage medium can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device or a combination thereof, such as static random access memory (SRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic storage, flash memory, magnetic disk, or optical disk. The readable storage medium can be any available medium accessible to a general-purpose or special-purpose computer.

[0225] An exemplary readable storage medium is coupled to a processor, enabling the processor to read information from and write information to the readable storage medium. Of course, the readable storage medium can also be a component of the processor. The processor and the readable storage medium can reside in an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). Alternatively, the processor and the readable storage medium can exist as discrete components in the device.

[0226] The division of units is merely a logical functional division; in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be indirect coupling or communication connection through some interfaces, devices, or units, and may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0227] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0228] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of the present invention can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0229] If a function is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this invention, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods of the various embodiments of this invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0230] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps of the above-described method embodiments can be implemented by hardware related to program instructions. The aforementioned program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When executed, the program performs the steps of the above-described method embodiments; and the aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as ROM, RAM, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0231] Finally, it should be noted that other embodiments of the invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This invention is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention that follow the general principles of the invention and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein, and is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of the invention is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A control method for a cleaning device, characterized in that, The cleaning equipment includes a front cliff sensor, a left cliff sensor, and a right cliff sensor; The method includes: During the movement of the cleaning equipment, when the first cliff sensor is triggered, the cleaning equipment is controlled to rotate and move backward; wherein, the first cliff sensor includes the left cliff sensor or the right cliff sensor; When the second cliff sensor is triggered, the backward direction is determined according to the moving direction of the cleaning equipment, and the cleaning equipment is controlled to retreat according to the backward direction; wherein, the second cliff sensor includes a front cliff sensor or a combination of at least two cliff sensors.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the direction of travel of the cleaning equipment, a left drive wheel and a right drive wheel are distributed on both sides of the body of the cleaning equipment; the left cliff sensor is located on the left side of the left drive wheel, and the right cliff sensor is located on the right side of the right drive wheel; When the first cliff sensor is triggered, controlling the cleaning equipment to rotate and retract includes: Control the drive wheel on the same side as the first cliff sensor to move backward, while keeping the drive wheel on the other side stationary, in order to control the cleaning device to rotate backward; Alternatively, the drive wheel on the same side as the first cliff sensor can be kept stationary while the drive wheel on the other side moves forward, thereby controlling the cleaning device to rotate backward. Alternatively, the drive wheel on the same side as the first cliff sensor can be controlled to move backward while the drive wheel on the other side moves forward, with the two drive wheels moving at different speeds, in order to control the cleaning device to rotate backward.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of controlling the cleaning equipment to rotate and retract when the first cliff sensor is triggered also includes: The drive wheel on the same side as the first cliff sensor is controlled to move backward, while the drive wheel on the other side does not rotate, and the control time reaches a first preset time. If the moving distance of the cleaning device is detected to be less than the first preset distance, the drive wheel on the same side as the first cliff sensor is controlled to not rotate, while the drive wheel on the other side moves forward, so as to control the cleaning device to rotate backward.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the first cliff sensor is triggered, controlling the cleaning equipment to rotate and retract includes: When the left cliff sensor is triggered, it controls the cleaning equipment to rotate counterclockwise and move backward. When the right cliff sensor is triggered, the cleaning device is controlled to rotate clockwise and move backward.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, As the cleaning device moves along the edge, after controlling the cleaning device to rotate and retract, the method further includes: Control the cleaning equipment to return to the initial heading angle, which is the heading angle of the cleaning equipment before it rotates and moves backward.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the second cliff sensor is triggered, the reversing direction is determined based on the moving direction of the cleaning equipment, and the cleaning equipment is controlled to reverse according to the reversing direction, including: When the second cliff sensor is triggered, the original movement path of the cleaning equipment before the current moment is obtained; The reverse direction of the original movement path is determined as the backward direction; Based on the backward direction, control the cleaning equipment to retreat along the original movement path.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the second cliff sensor is triggered, the reversing direction is determined based on the moving direction of the cleaning equipment, and the cleaning equipment is controlled to reverse according to the reversing direction, including: When the second cliff sensor is triggered, the opposite direction of the current movement direction of the cleaning equipment is determined as the backward direction; The cleaning equipment is controlled to move backward in a straight line based on the backward direction.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The method further includes: If a new cliff sensor is detected during the backward movement of the cleaning device, the device is controlled to stop its current movement and a corresponding backward movement strategy is determined based on the new cliff sensor. The backward movement task includes rotation or backward movement. The cleaning equipment is controlled to retreat according to the retreat strategy; wherein, the retreat strategy includes a retreat strategy corresponding to the first cliff sensor being triggered, or a retreat strategy corresponding to the second cliff sensor being triggered.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, Before the first cliff sensor or the second cliff sensor is triggered, and the cleaning equipment is controlled to retreat, the method includes: Control the cleaning device to rotate a preset angle along a preset direction; If the triggered cliff sensor does not deactivate during the rotation of the cleaning equipment, and other cliff sensors are not triggered, then the triggered cliff sensor is determined to be faulty.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The method further includes: If, during the backward movement of the cleaning equipment, the triggered cliff sensor is deactivated within the first backward movement time or the first backward movement distance, the cleaning equipment is controlled to continue backward movement for a second preset time before stopping backward movement. If the triggered cliff sensor is not detrimentalized within the first backward movement time or the first backward movement distance, the cleaning device is controlled to continue backward movement for a third preset time and then stop backward movement; wherein the third preset time is longer than the second preset time.

11. A cleaning device, characterized in that, include: body; The cliff sensor includes a front cliff sensor, a left cliff sensor, and a right cliff sensor. The cliff sensor is located at the bottom of the machine body and close to the front side of the machine body along the direction of travel of the cleaning equipment, and is used to detect whether there is a cliff on the ground. The drive wheels include a left drive wheel and a right drive wheel. The drive wheels are arranged on both sides of the bottom of the machine body along the travel direction of the cleaning equipment, and are used to drive the cleaning equipment to move by rotation. A control device for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1-10.

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