Pool edge contour information acquisition system and method and pool robot

Abstract

The invention provides a pool edge contour information collection system and method and a pool robot, and the system comprises an image collection unit which is used for collecting the image data of a pool where the pool robot is located in the walking process of the pool robot; the sensor unit is used for collecting edge data of the pool in the walking process of the pool robot; the angle detection unit is used for detecting the steering angle of the pool robot in the walking process; and the main control unit is used for acquiring contour information of the edge of the pool based on the image data and the edge data when the steering angle meets a first preset condition. Thus, the steering angle of the pool robot in the underwater environment can be detected for the environment with inaccurate angle such as a special-shaped pool, and once the problem that the angle is not clear (such as the steering angle is too large) is found, more accurate angle data can be obtained by utilizing accurate image data, so that the accuracy of the angle data is improved by combining edge data. And the contour information of the pool edge is accurately obtained.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a system, method and robot for acquiring edge contour information of a pool. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of pool cleaning robots, accurately acquiring pool edge contour information is crucial for optimizing robot path planning and improving cleaning efficiency. Current technologies typically use ultrasonic sensors to detect pool edge contours. However, underwater environments have limitations in terms of angles. When the robot turns in irregularly shaped pools, the accuracy of its angle data deteriorates further, leading to a significant difference between the acquired pool edge contour information and the actual pool contour, resulting in poor accuracy in contour information acquisition. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This disclosure provides a system, method, and robot for acquiring edge contour information of a pool, which can, to some extent, solve the problem of accurately acquiring edge contour information of complex-shaped pools in scenarios with irregularly shaped pools.

[0004] In a first aspect, this disclosure provides a pool edge contour information acquisition system, the acquisition system comprising: an image acquisition unit for acquiring image data of the pool where the pool robot is located during the walking process of the pool robot; a sensor unit for acquiring edge data of the pool during the walking process of the pool robot; an angle detection unit for detecting the turning angle of the pool robot during the walking process; and a main control unit for acquiring contour information of the pool edge based on the image data and the edge data when the turning angle meets a first predetermined condition.

[0005] Furthermore, according to the acquisition system of the first aspect of this disclosure, the image data includes pool boundary information, and the boundary information includes at least boundary angle information; the main control unit acquires the contour information of the pool edge based on the boundary information and the edge data.

[0006] Furthermore, according to the acquisition system of the first aspect of this disclosure, the main control unit is also used to correct the steering angle using the boundary angle information; and to obtain the contour information of the edge of the pool based on the corrected steering angle and the edge data.

[0007] Furthermore, according to the acquisition system of the first aspect of this disclosure, the boundary information is obtained by processing the image data using a pre-trained deep learning model.

[0008] Furthermore, according to the acquisition system of the first aspect of this disclosure, when the turning angle of the pool robot meets the first predetermined condition, the main control unit is further configured to: use the angle information to correct the turning angle; or, use the angle information to correct the angle detection unit.

[0009] Furthermore, according to the acquisition system of the first aspect of this disclosure, the first predetermined condition includes: the turning angle of the pool robot is greater than or equal to a first threshold.

[0010] Furthermore, according to the acquisition system of the first aspect of this disclosure, the main control unit is also used to acquire the contour information of the edge of the pool based on the angle detection unit and the sensor unit after the pool robot has turned.

[0011] Furthermore, according to the acquisition system of the first aspect of this disclosure, the edge data of the pool includes at least one of the following: distance information acquired by an ultrasonic sensor, point cloud data acquired by a lidar sensor, and distance information acquired by a direct time-of-flight (Dtof) sensor.

[0012] Furthermore, according to the acquisition system of the first aspect of this disclosure, the image acquisition unit operates continuously; or, the main control unit is further configured to: activate the image acquisition unit when the angle data meets a first predetermined condition; and control the image acquisition unit to shut down or go into sleep mode after the pool robot has completed turning.

[0013] Furthermore, according to the acquisition system of the first aspect of this disclosure, the angle detection unit includes at least one of the following: an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a magnetometer, and an angle sensor.

[0014] Secondly, this disclosure provides a method for acquiring contour information of a pool edge, the method comprising: obtaining contour information of the pool edge in an irregularly shaped pool area using image data acquired by a pool robot and edge data of the pool.

[0015] Thirdly, this disclosure provides a pool robot equipped with a pool edge contour information acquisition system as described above.

[0016] This disclosure provides a system, method, and robot for acquiring pool edge contour information. The pool edge contour information acquisition system includes an image acquisition unit, a sensor unit, an angle detection unit, and a main control unit. The image acquisition unit is primarily used to acquire image data of the pool where the robot is located during its movement; the sensor unit is primarily used to acquire edge data of the pool during the robot's movement; the angle detection unit is primarily used to detect the robot's turning angle during movement; and the main control unit is primarily used to obtain the contour information of the pool edge based on the image data and the edge data when the turning angle meets a first predetermined condition. In summary, this disclosure, by acquiring image data and edge data of the robot during its movement, can accurately obtain the contour information of the pool edge once the robot's turning angle meets the preset condition. Thus, the technical solution provided by this disclosure can accurately obtain the contour information of the pool edge by combining angle data obtained from image data with edge data during the mapping of irregularly shaped pools.

[0017] It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and intended to provide further illustration of the claimed technology. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of this disclosure will become more apparent from the more detailed description of the embodiments thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are provided to further illustrate the embodiments of this disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of this disclosure to explain the disclosure and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings, the same reference numerals generally represent the same components or steps.

[0019] Figure 1 Application scenarios provided by the embodiments of this disclosure;

[0020] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a pool robot equipped with a pool edge contour information acquisition system provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the data collection by the pool robot provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this disclosure more apparent, exemplary embodiments according to this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this disclosure, and not all embodiments of this disclosure. It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein.

[0023] Currently, in the field of edge contour information acquisition, existing technologies largely rely on ultrasonic sensors. These sensors capture and analyze the physical characteristics of the target site by emitting ultrasonic waves and receiving their reflected signals, thereby forming corresponding edge contour information. In the case of irregularly shaped pool environments, edge contour information needs to be obtained in conjunction with IMU data from the machine. However, due to the inherent nature of IMUs, their data contains errors such as bias and noise, making it impossible to accurately acquire the edge contour information of the pool.

[0024] Therefore, this disclosure provides a method for acquiring edge contour information of a pool, which can accurately obtain the edge contour information of the pool by combining angle data obtained from image data with edge data, especially in irregularly shaped pool environments. First, referring to... Figure 1 Overview of application scenarios according to embodiments of this disclosure.

[0025] like Figure 1 As shown:

[0026] In this disclosure, the pool can be of any shape, whether it is a regular geometric shape or... Figure 1 All the irregular, curved shapes shown are within the scope of this disclosure. A pool may contain at least one irregular shape, obstacle, slope, or curved structure. The specific form and structure of the pool are not limited herein.

[0027] Specifically, this disclosure provides a system for acquiring the contour information of a water tank edge. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a pool robot equipped with a pool edge contour information acquisition system, provided as an embodiment of the present disclosure. The pool edge contour information acquisition system 200 equipped on the pool robot includes: an image acquisition unit 201, a sensor unit 202, an angle detection unit 203, and a main control unit 204.

[0028] The image acquisition unit 201 is used to acquire image data of the pool where the pool robot is located during the walking process of the pool robot.

[0029] Sensor unit 202 is used to collect edge data of the pool during the robot's movement in the pool.

[0030] Angle detection unit 203 is used to detect the turning angle of the pool robot during its walking process.

[0031] The main control unit 204 is used to obtain the contour information of the edge of the pool based on image data and edge data when the steering angle meets the first predetermined condition.

[0032] In this disclosure, a pool robot can be understood as a system or device with mobility capabilities, capable of moving autonomously within a pool to perform tasks such as pool cleaning and water quality testing. This application does not impose any particular limitations on the specific technology or equipment form employed in the pool robot.

[0033] In this disclosure, the pool edge contour acquisition system carried by the pool robot includes an image acquisition unit. The image acquisition unit can be at least one of a camera (monocular or binocular), an image acquisition device, etc. This disclosure does not specify a particular number of image acquisition units; for example, it can be... Figure 2 One of them. The specific deployment location of the image acquisition unit on the pool robot is not limited here. The image acquisition unit disclosed herein can be responsible for acquiring image data during the walking process of the pool robot.

[0034] In this disclosure, the pool edge contour acquisition system carried by the pool robot also includes a sensor unit. The sensor unit may include, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: ultrasonic sensor, infrared sensor, laser sensor, contact sensor, etc. This disclosure does not impose any particular limitation on the specific technology or device form used in the sensor, and exhaustive examples are not provided here. This disclosure does not impose a specific limitation on the number of sensor units; exemplarily, it may include… Figure 2 The two components are explained in detail below. The sensor unit is responsible for collecting edge data during the robot's movement in the pool.

[0035] In this disclosure, the pool edge contour acquisition system mounted on the pool robot also includes an angle detection unit. The angle detection unit can be understood as being specifically used to detect the pool robot's own turning angle. The angle detection unit of this disclosure includes, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a magnetometer, and an angle sensor. It should be noted that one or more of the above angle detection units can be used individually or in combination, and can be flexibly selected according to actual needs; no limitation is made here. It should also be noted that the angle detection unit of this disclosure can exist independently (e.g., Figure 2 The angle detection unit can exist independently or be integrated into other components.

[0036] In this disclosure, the pool edge contour acquisition system mounted on the pool robot also includes a main control unit. The main control unit can be understood as one of the core components of the pool edge contour acquisition system, responsible for processing and coordinating various functions within the system. The main function of the main control unit is to determine whether the turning angle meets a first predetermined condition. When the turning angle meets the first predetermined condition, the image data is combined with the edge data to obtain accurate pool edge contour information. The first predetermined condition can be set according to the actual application scenario. In this disclosure, the first predetermined condition can be that the turning angle of the pool robot is greater than or equal to a first threshold. The first threshold (e.g., 10 degrees, 30 degrees, etc., not exhaustive) can be customized according to the device settings or actual parameter requirements, and is not limited here.

[0037] In this way, the main control unit can detect the steering angle in special environments such as irregularly shaped pools, where there may be angle errors. Once the steering angle meets the first predetermined condition, it indicates that there may be an inaccurate angle data. At this time, accurate image data and edge data can be combined to obtain accurate pool edge contour information.

[0038] In summary, the technical solution provided in this disclosure can accurately obtain the contour information of the edge of an irregularly shaped pool by using angle data obtained from image data and combining it with edge data during the mapping process.

[0039] As mentioned above, the various units of the pool edge contour information acquisition system carried by the pool robot have been described. The following will explain in detail how the main control unit accurately obtains the pool edge contour information.

[0040] Before explaining how to accurately obtain the contour information of the pool edge, we can explain the meaning of image data and edge data.

[0041] In this disclosure, image data can be understood to include pool boundary information, which includes, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: boundary angle information, boundary distance information, and boundary height information. In this disclosure, the pool boundary information can be obtained by processing the image data using a pre-trained deep learning model. The boundary angle information within the pool boundary information is directly related to the accuracy of the constructed map.

[0042] In this disclosure, edge data can be understood as distance information describing the distance between a pool robot and different boundaries within a pool. Specifically, the edge data disclosed herein includes, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: distance information acquired by ultrasonic sensors, point cloud data acquired by lidar, and distance information acquired by direct time-of-flight (Dtof) sensors. This edge data can accurately determine the distance information of the pool boundaries relative to the pool robot, providing a solid foundation for determining the pool edge contour information.

[0043] The following details how the main control unit uses image data, edge data, and steering angle to obtain accurate pool edge contour information.

[0044] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the main control unit can directly combine the boundary angle information and edge data of the image data to obtain accurate contour information of the pool edge. In other words, it directly uses the boundary angle information and edge data provided by the image data for processing, such as fusion mapping, to obtain the contour information of the pool edge. In this case, the angle information detected by the angle detector is not directly used to obtain the contour information, thus reducing the dependence on the angle detection unit. Directly using accurate image data and edge data simplifies the complexity of the system. Simultaneously, it improves the accuracy of the edge contour information for irregularly shaped pools with unclear angles.

[0045] In another embodiment of this disclosure, the main control unit can further use the boundary angle information of the image data to correct the steering angle detected by the angle detection unit; and based on the corrected steering angle and edge data, obtain the contour information of the pool edge. In short, after obtaining the boundary angle information, the main control unit can further select to correct the steering angle. Based on the corrected steering angle and edge data, it obtains the edge contour information. This does not change the existing mechanism of obtaining edge contour information using steering angle and edge data, but adds the use of boundary angle information from the image data to correct the steering angle. By combining the corrected steering angle with the edge data, accurate pool edge contour information is obtained. Thus, by fully utilizing image data to correct the steering angle, the actual angle change of the pool edge can be more accurately reflected. Compared to methods that rely solely on steering angle and edge data, adding image data correction can significantly reduce the influence of at least one factor such as sensor accuracy and environmental interference, improving the accuracy of the obtained edge contour information.

[0046] In summary, the main control unit can choose to use either of the two methods mentioned above to obtain accurate pool edge contour information.

[0047] This disclosure also provides a specific method for the main control unit to use edge angle information from image data to correct the steering angle, as shown below:

[0048] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the main control unit can use angle information to correct the steering angle. In other words, the steering angle (i.e., the data collected by the angle detection unit used in this solution) can be directly corrected using edge angle information, which can correct and determine the robot's steering angle to make it closer to the angle of a real scene (e.g., an irregularly shaped pool), thereby improving the accuracy of the final pool edge contour information.

[0049] In another embodiment of this disclosure, the main control unit can use angle information to correct the angle detection unit. In other words, the edge angle data of the image data can be used to correct the angle detection unit, making the turning angle detected by the angle detection unit more accurate, and enabling the angle detection unit to maintain high accuracy and stability during subsequent use (e.g., it can identify the angle of an irregularly shaped pool).

[0050] Both methods can improve the positioning accuracy and directional accuracy of the robot during movement. Depending on the specific application scenario, one or a combination of both can be selected to achieve steering angle correction.

[0051] The following details how the main control unit utilizes edge angle information from image data to correct the steering angle or angle detection unit. Multiple methods can be used for further correction. This disclosure provides the following feasible implementations, specifically including:

[0052] Obtain the difference between the angle information and the steering angle;

[0053] The quotient between the difference and the number of sampling points is used to obtain the deviation between the angle information and the steering angle.

[0054] The deviation value is used to correct the steering angle or angle detection unit.

[0055] Specifically, the main control unit can obtain the difference between the angle information and the steering angle, and then determine the quotient between the difference and the number of sampling points to obtain the deviation value. This deviation value reflects the degree of deviation between the angle information and the steering angle. The steering angle is adjusted based on the deviation value to make it closer to the angle information. Alternatively, the parameters or calibration values ​​of the angle detection unit can be adjusted based on the deviation value to improve the accuracy of angle detection.

[0056] Therefore, based on the above method, the steering angle or angle detection unit can be completely corrected using angle information.

[0057] After the turn is completed, the main control unit can also accurately determine the edge contour information of the pool. At this time, the method for determining the edge contour information of the pool can also include: after the pool robot has turned, the contour information of the pool edge is obtained based on the angle detection unit and the sensor unit.

[0058] Specifically, this can be used to detect whether the robot has completed a turning maneuver in the pool. After the turn, the main control unit can directly obtain the latest pool edge contour information based on the turning angle determined by the angle detection unit and the edge data collected by the sensor unit. In other words, it directly processes the data detected by the angle detection unit and the edge data (e.g., through fusion mapping) to obtain the contour information of the pool edge. This allows for timely updates to the edge contour information after the turn, saving resources and making the process more convenient.

[0059] The following details the working modes and directions of the image acquisition unit and sensor unit in practical applications.

[0060] The image acquisition unit disclosed herein can operate in either continuous or selective modes (i.e., turning on when needed, turning off when stable, or going into sleep mode, etc.).

[0061] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the image acquisition unit can operate continuously. For example, the camera of a pool robot remains on continuously in the pool, responsible for acquiring image data. This continuous operation avoids startup delays, allowing the robot to respond more quickly to environmental changes. Simultaneously, the main control unit does not need to write complex logic to determine when to turn the image acquisition unit on or off, simplifying the design and implementation of the control system. Furthermore, in this implementation, the image acquisition unit can also be used to implement other functions. For instance, in a scenario where the image acquisition unit continuously acquires images for probing the environment within the pool, the data acquired at this time can be reused to achieve the contour information acquisition required by this solution.

[0062] In another embodiment of this disclosure, the image acquisition unit can also be selectively turned on or off based on the control of the main control unit. For example, when the pool robot detects that the angle meets the requirements, the image acquisition unit is turned on; or, when the pool robot detects that a turn has been completed, the control shuts down the image acquisition unit or puts the image acquisition unit into a sleep state. In this way, turning off or putting the image acquisition unit into a sleep state when image data acquisition is not needed can save energy, reduce the data processing burden, and improve processing efficiency.

[0063] The preferred implementation of the image acquisition unit's acquisition direction in this disclosure is that the image acquisition direction (i.e., the lens's field of view) of the image acquisition unit is consistent with the forward movement direction of the pool robot. In this way, when the pool robot moves in the pool, the image acquisition unit can easily capture environmental images in front of the pool robot's movement trajectory in real time, providing basic data for subsequent image analysis. Furthermore, there are no specific restrictions on the deployment location of the image acquisition unit on the pool robot; it can be flexibly adjusted.

[0064] The preferred implementation of the sensor unit's acquisition direction in this disclosure is as follows: In practical applications, the sensor unit deployed on the pool robot includes at least two sensors. Each sensor can have a different sensing direction. The direction of the first sensor can be consistent with the forward movement direction of the pool robot. It can measure the distance between the pool robot and the front boundary in real time. The direction of the second sensor can be the boundary that the pool robot is currently closer to. The specific deployment location of the sensor unit within the pool robot is not limited here. In this way, by deploying multiple sensors with complementary sensing directions, the pool robot can perceive its surrounding environment from all directions, reducing errors and enabling the pool robot to more accurately locate its own position and orientation, providing rich basic data for subsequent acquisition of pool boundary contour information.

[0065] This disclosure also provides a method for acquiring the edge contour information of a water tank, the method comprising:

[0066] In the irregularly shaped pool area, the contour information of the pool edge is obtained by using image data collected by the pool robot and the edge data of the pool.

[0067] In one exemplary embodiment, the image acquisition unit is controlled to acquire image data of the pool where the pool robot is located; the sensor unit is controlled to acquire edge data of the pool where the pool robot is located; the angle detection unit is controlled to detect the turning angle of the pool robot; when the turning angle meets a first predetermined condition, the contour information of the pool edge is obtained based on the image data and the edge data.

[0068] In one exemplary embodiment, the contour information of the pool edge is obtained based on image data and edge data, including: correcting the turning angle using boundary angle information; and obtaining the contour information of the pool edge based on the corrected turning angle and edge data.

[0069] In one exemplary embodiment, the process of obtaining contour information of the pool edge based on image data and edge data further includes: correcting the turning angle using boundary angle information; and obtaining contour information of the pool edge based on the corrected turning angle and edge data.

[0070] In one exemplary embodiment, boundary information is obtained by processing image data using a pre-trained deep learning model.

[0071] In one exemplary embodiment, when the rotation angle of the pool robot meets a first predetermined condition, the angle data is corrected using the angle information; or, the angle detection unit is corrected using the angle information.

[0072] In one exemplary embodiment, the first predetermined condition includes: the rotation angle of the pool robot is greater than or equal to a first threshold.

[0073] In one exemplary embodiment, after the pool robot completes its turn, the contour information of the pool edge is obtained based on the angle detection unit and the sensor unit.

[0074] In one exemplary embodiment, the edge data of the pool includes at least one of the following: distance information collected by an ultrasonic sensor, point cloud data collected by a lidar sensor, and distance information collected by a direct time-of-flight (Dtof) sensor.

[0075] In one exemplary embodiment, the image acquisition unit operates continuously; or, the main control unit is further configured to: activate the image acquisition unit when the turning angle meets a first predetermined condition; and control the image acquisition unit to shut down or go into sleep mode after the pool robot has completed turning.

[0076] In one exemplary embodiment, the angle detection unit includes at least one of the following: an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a magnetometer, and an angle sensor.

[0077] This disclosure also provides a pool robot that can be equipped with a pool edge contour information acquisition system as described above. The specific pool edge contour information acquisition system can be referred to above and will not be repeated here.

[0078] For example, Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the data collection by the pool robot provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0079] like Figure 3 As shown:

[0080] The pool robot is equipped with a camera (i.e., the image acquisition unit of this disclosure), a sensor (i.e., the sensor unit of this disclosure), an IMU detection unit (i.e., the angle detection unit of this disclosure), and a processor (i.e., the main control unit of this disclosure).

[0081] When the robot moves through an irregularly shaped pool, the IMU (Instrument Detector) detects whether the robot is rotating (i.e., encountering a corner at the edge of the pool). When the rotation angle is greater than a certain value (e.g., 10 degrees, 30 degrees, etc., not exhaustive), the angle information from the image data can be directly combined with the ultrasonic data to obtain the contour information of the pool edge, thus compensating for the ultrasonic data with the camera data. Alternatively, the angle information from the image data can be used to correct the IMU or the data detected by the IMU, and the corrected angle information can be combined with the ultrasonic data to obtain the contour information of the pool edge. This also provides the latest and most accurate contour information of the pool edge when subsequent turns are completed. After a turn, the IMU-detected data and ultrasonic data can be combined to determine the contour information of the pool edge. Therefore, this robot can accurately acquire the contour information of pool edges of any irregular shape.

[0082] The present disclosure provides a pool edge contour information acquisition system, method, and pool robot. The pool edge contour information acquisition system of this disclosure includes: an image acquisition unit, a sensor unit, an angle detection unit, and a main control unit. The image acquisition unit is mainly used to acquire image data of the pool where the pool robot is located during its movement; the sensor unit is mainly used to acquire edge data of the pool during the movement of the pool robot; the angle detection unit is mainly used to detect the turning angle of the pool robot during its movement; and the main control unit is mainly used to obtain the contour information of the pool edge based on the image data and the edge data when the turning angle meets a first predetermined condition. In summary, this disclosure, by acquiring image data, sensor data, and image data / edge data of the pool robot during its movement in a target area, can accurately obtain the contour information of the pool edge once the turning angle of the pool robot meets the preset condition. Thus, the technical solution provided in this disclosure can accurately obtain the contour information of the pool edge by using angle data obtained from image data and combining it with edge data during the mapping process of irregularly shaped pools.

[0083] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this disclosure.

[0084] The basic principles of this disclosure have been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it should be noted that the advantages, benefits, and effects mentioned in this disclosure are merely examples and not limitations, and should not be considered as essential features of each embodiment of this disclosure. Furthermore, the specific details disclosed above are for illustrative and facilitative purposes only, and are not limitations. These details do not limit the scope of this disclosure to the necessity of employing the aforementioned specific details for implementation.

[0085] The block diagrams of devices, apparatuses, devices, and systems disclosed herein are merely illustrative examples and are not intended to require or imply that they must be connected, arranged, or configured in the manner shown in the block diagrams. As those skilled in the art will recognize, these devices, apparatuses, devices, and systems can be connected, arranged, and configured in any manner. Words such as “comprising,” “including,” “having,” etc., are open-ended terms meaning “including but not limited to,” and are used interchangeably with them. The terms “or” and “and” as used herein refer to the terms “and / or,” and are used interchangeably with them unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The term “such as” as used herein refers to the phrase “such as but not limited to,” and is used interchangeably with it.

[0086] Additionally, as used herein, the “or” used in a list of items beginning with “at least one” indicates a separate list, such that a list of, for example, “at least one of A, B, or C” means A or B or C, or AB or AC or BC, or ABC (i.e., A and B and C). Furthermore, the word “exemplary” does not imply that the described example is preferred or better than other examples.

[0087] It should also be noted that in the systems and methods of this disclosure, the components or steps can be decomposed and / or recombined. These decompositions and / or recombinations should be considered as equivalent solutions to this disclosure.

[0088] Various changes, substitutions, and modifications can be made to the technology described herein without departing from the teachings defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, the scope of the claims of this disclosure is not limited to the specific aspects of the processes, machines, manufactures, events, means, methods, and actions described above. Currently existing or later-developed processes, machines, manufactures, events, means, methods, or actions that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding aspects described herein can be utilized. Therefore, the appended claims include such processes, machines, manufactures, events, means, methods, or actions within their scope.

[0089] The above description of the disclosed aspects is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use this disclosure. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but rather to be carried out within the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0090] The above description has been given for purposes of illustration and description. Furthermore, this description is not intended to limit the embodiments of this disclosure to the forms disclosed herein. Although numerous exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those skilled in the art will recognize certain variations, modifications, alterations, additions, and sub-combinations therein.

Claims

1. A system for acquiring water pool edge contour information, characterized in that, The data acquisition system includes: The image acquisition unit is used to acquire image data of the pool where the pool robot is located during the robot's movement. The sensor unit is used to collect edge data of the pool during the robot's movement in the pool. An angle detection unit is used to detect the turning angle of the pool robot during its walking process; The main control unit is used to obtain the contour information of the edge of the pool based on the image data and the edge data when the steering angle meets the first predetermined condition.

2. The data acquisition system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The image data includes pool boundary information, and the boundary information includes at least boundary angle information. The main control unit obtains the contour information of the pool edge based on the boundary information and the edge data.

3. The data acquisition system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The main control unit is also used to correct the steering angle using the boundary angle information; and Based on the corrected steering angle and the edge data, the contour information of the pool edge is obtained.

4. The data acquisition system according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The boundary information is obtained by processing the image data using a pre-trained deep learning model.

5. The data acquisition system according to claim 4, characterized in that, When the turning angle of the pool robot meets the first predetermined condition, the main control unit is further configured to: The steering angle is corrected using the angle information. or, The angle detection unit is corrected using the angle information.

6. The data acquisition system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first predetermined condition includes: the turning angle of the pool robot is greater than or equal to a first threshold.

7. The data acquisition system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main control unit is also used to complete the turning of the pool robot. The contour information of the edge of the pool is obtained based on the angle detection unit and the sensor unit.

8. The data acquisition system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The edge data of the pool includes at least one of the following: distance information collected by an ultrasonic sensor, point cloud data collected by a lidar sensor, and distance information collected by a direct time-of-flight (Dtof) sensor.

9. The data acquisition system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The image acquisition unit operates continuously; or, The main control unit is also configured to: activate the image acquisition unit when the turning angle meets a first predetermined condition; and control the image acquisition unit to shut down or go into sleep mode after the pool robot has completed turning.

10. The data acquisition system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The angle detection unit includes at least one of the following: an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a magnetometer, and an angle sensor.

11. A method for acquiring the contour information of a water tank edge, characterized in that, The method includes: The contour information of the edge of the irregularly shaped pool is obtained by using image data collected by the pool robot and the edge data of the pool.

12. A pool robot, characterized in that, The pool robot is equipped with a pool edge contour information acquisition system as described in any one of claims 1-10.

Images