Cleaning control method, system, storage medium and program product

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of intelligent cleaning robots, in particular to a cleaning control method and system, a storage medium and a program product. In view of the problems that existing single cleaning robots are prone to form cleaning blind areas in limited areas such as furniture corners, narrow gaps, dense table and chair areas and local table surfaces, and fixed base stations lead to frequent back-and-forth and insufficient continuous operation capacity, a control scheme for cleaning by a mother robot in cooperation with a child robot is provided. The mother robot identifies a to-be-cleaned area that is difficult for the mother robot to enter in a main cleaning process, and accordingly issues a task to the child robot, then lowers a structure carrying the child robot to the vicinity of the target area through a mechanical arm and releases the child robot to complete corresponding cleaning. The scheme extends the complex area processing position from the fixed base station to the current position of the mother robot, realizes dynamic division of labor between open areas and limited areas, and improves cleaning coverage, operation continuity and overall cleaning efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of intelligent cleaning robot technology, and in particular to a cleaning control method, system, storage medium and program product. Background Technology

[0002] Most existing cleaning robots adopt a stand-alone autonomous cleaning method, combining navigation modules and fixed base stations to complete area operations, recharging, and daily maintenance.

[0003] However, single-unit solutions are limited by the size and capacity of the unit, making it difficult to simultaneously achieve both large-area cleaning efficiency and coverage in narrow, corner, or high-altitude areas; moreover, they rely on fixed base stations for power replenishment and maintenance, which can easily lead to operational interruptions and limited service radius.

[0004] Therefore, how to improve the coverage and continuity of operations in complex cleaning environments, while also taking into account overall cleaning efficiency, has become a technical problem that needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a cleaning control method, system, storage medium, and program product to solve the aforementioned technical problems. The solution is based on a collaborative cleaning approach between a mother robot and its sub-robots. During the cleaning process, the mother robot identifies target areas where its cleaning capabilities are limited and schedules and allocates corresponding cleaning tasks, enabling the appropriate sub-robots to intervene in the target area. This improves area coverage and task execution continuity in complex cleaning environments, while also considering overall cleaning efficiency and multi-device collaborative operation capabilities.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a cleaning control method applied to a mother robot, the mother robot including a robotic arm transfer mechanism and a daughter robot carrier, the method comprising:

[0007] Identify the first area to be cleaned in the environment where the mother robot's cleaning capabilities are limited;

[0008] Upon identifying the first area to be cleaned, a scheduling instruction is generated and sent to the sub-robot;

[0009] The robotic arm transfer mechanism lowers the sub-robot carrier. After the sub-robot carrier is lowered, the sub-robot is released so that the sub-robot can clean at least the first area to be cleaned according to the scheduling instructions. Before being released, the sub-robot is located inside the sub-robot carrier.

[0010] In one possible embodiment, the method further includes:

[0011] Determine the target working surface height corresponding to the first area to be cleaned;

[0012] The control mechanism for the robotic arm to transfer the sub-robot carrier component includes:

[0013] Based on the target working surface height, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier component.

[0014] In one possible embodiment, based on the target working surface height, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier, including:

[0015] The control robotic arm transfer mechanism drives the sub-robot's carrier component to shift away from the mother robot's main body projection area;

[0016] The distance sensor is located below the robotic arm's transfer mechanism and acquires the ground distance information collected by the distance sensor.

[0017] Based on the target working surface height and ground distance information, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier component.

[0018] In one possible embodiment, based on the target working surface height and ground clearance information, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier. After the sub-robot carrier is lowered, a release operation of the sub-robot is performed, including:

[0019] When the target work surface is at the ground work area, based on the ground distance information, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier to the ground height. After the sub-robot carrier is lowered, the sub-robot release operation is performed.

[0020] When the target work surface is at the height of the high-level or low-level work area, based on the ground distance information, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier to the target work surface height. After the sub-robot carrier is lowered, the sub-robot release operation is performed. After the release operation is completed, the sub-robot is completely in the first area to be cleaned.

[0021] In one possible embodiment, the first area to be cleaned includes at least one of the following areas: a narrow space, a complex corner area, a raised platform area, a low-lying recessed area, a missed area, an area with dense obstacles, or an area with special cleaning needs.

[0022] In one possible embodiment, the scheduling instruction includes: area coordinate information of a first area to be cleaned, and / or, a cleaning type, wherein the area coordinate information is used to indicate the location of the first area to be cleaned, and the cleaning type is related to the environmental characteristics of the first area to be cleaned.

[0023] In one possible embodiment, the cleaning types include: narrow space cleaning type, corner cleaning type, high platform cleaning type, low-lying depression cleaning type, obstacle-heavy cleaning type, and special need cleaning type.

[0024] In one possible embodiment, the method further includes:

[0025] While the child robot is cleaning the first area to be cleaned, the mother robot is cleaning the second area to be cleaned, which is under its responsibility.

[0026] In one possible embodiment, the method further includes:

[0027] Monitor the return trigger signal or cleaning completion signal corresponding to the sub-robot. The return trigger signal includes at least one of the following: insufficient power, reaching the standard for dirt, insufficient water, system failure, and user recall.

[0028] After detecting a return trigger signal or a cleaning completion signal, the real-time position information of the sub-robot is obtained;

[0029] Send a home-positioning scheduling command to the sub-robot so that the sub-robot moves to the vertical docking area after receiving the home-positioning scheduling command;

[0030] When the sub-robot is determined to be within the vertical docking area, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier component; after the sub-robot carrier component is lowered, docking, locking, and storage operations are performed with the sub-robot to complete the sub-robot retrieval.

[0031] When the mother robot is in operation, the child robot is controlled to enter a waiting mode.

[0032] In one possible embodiment, the method further includes:

[0033] Perform automatic maintenance operations on the sub-robot; wherein the automatic maintenance operations include at least one of the following: automatic charging, automatic dust collection, automatic water replenishment, and automatic cleaning;

[0034] After the release operation of the sub-robot is completed, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to retrieve the sub-robot's carrier components;

[0035] After the retrieval operation of the sub-robot is completed, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to retrieve the sub-robot's carrier components.

[0036] In one possible embodiment, the method further includes:

[0037] The initial map of the environment to be cleaned is created using its own scanning information, resulting in a master map.

[0038] Based on the parent map, identify the mapping-restricted areas where the parent robot's scanning field of view is limited;

[0039] Deploy sub-robots and control them to scan and supplement the limited mapping areas to obtain sub-maps;

[0040] Obtain the sub-map, merge the sub-map with the parent map, and generate a global master map corresponding to the environment to be cleaned;

[0041] Accordingly, the first area to be cleaned in the environment where the mother robot's cleaning capabilities are limited includes:

[0042] Using the global map, identify the first area to be cleaned where the mother robot's cleaning capabilities are limited, and the second area to be cleaned that the mother robot is responsible for.

[0043] In one possible embodiment, the method further includes:

[0044] The system acquires map information from a second sub-map sent by the sub-robot. This second sub-map is constructed by the sub-robot continuously scanning the surrounding environment during the cleaning process to identify unknown areas in the environment to be cleaned, and based on the scanning information of the unknown areas.

[0045] The second sub-map is merged with the existing global map.

[0046] In one possible embodiment, the mother robot performs cleaning operations on the second area to be cleaned; the daughter robot performs cleaning operations on the first area to be cleaned, and performs boundary cleaning operations along the boundary of the second area to be cleaned.

[0047] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a cleaning control method applied to a sub-robot, the method comprising:

[0048] Receive scheduling instructions from the mother robot; wherein, the scheduling instructions are generated by the mother robot when it identifies the first area to be cleaned and sent to the child robot. The first area to be cleaned is the area identified by the mother robot as having limited cleaning capabilities in the environment to be cleaned.

[0049] After the mother robot completes the release operation of the child robot, it performs cleaning operations on at least the first area to be cleaned according to the scheduling instructions; wherein, before being released, the child robot is located inside the child robot carrier.

[0050] In one possible embodiment, according to the scheduling instructions, cleaning operations are performed on at least the first area to be cleaned, including:

[0051] When the scheduling instruction includes the area coordinate information of the first area to be cleaned, the cleaning operation is carried out on the first area to be cleaned based on the area coordinate information; wherein, the area coordinate information is used to indicate the location of the first area to be cleaned.

[0052] When the scheduling instruction does not contain area coordinate information, the target cleaning area is traversed based on its own cleaning logic. The target cleaning area includes the first area to be cleaned.

[0053] In one possible embodiment, the method further includes:

[0054] The surrounding environment is continuously scanned during the cleaning operation;

[0055] Unknown areas in the environment to be cleaned are identified, and a second sub-map is constructed based on the scanning information of the unknown areas;

[0056] The map information of the second sub-map is sent to the target processing terminal so that the target processing terminal can perform a merging process between the second sub-map and the global map.

[0057] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a cleaning control system, including:

[0058] The mother robot is used to perform the methods described above;

[0059] Sub-robots are used to perform the methods described above.

[0060] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, are used to implement the methods provided above.

[0061] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method described above.

[0062] The mother robot identifies the first area to be cleaned in the environment where its cleaning capabilities are limited. Upon identifying the first area to be cleaned, a scheduling command is generated and sent to the child robot. Simultaneously, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the child robot's carrier. After the carrier is lowered, the child robot is released, ensuring that it is within the carrier before being released and has cleaned at least the first area to be cleaned according to the scheduling command. This allows for targeted supplementary cleaning of areas that the mother robot cannot effectively cover, thereby improving cleaning coverage, operational continuity, and the overall efficiency of collaborative cleaning between the mother and child robots in complex environments. Attached Figure Description

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

[0064] Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a cleaning device in an assembled state, provided as an embodiment of this application;

[0065] Figure 2A three-dimensional structural diagram of a cleaning device in a separated state, provided as an embodiment of this application;

[0066] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a sub-robot provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0067] Figure 4 A schematic flowchart of a cleaning control method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0068] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a cleaning operation scenario provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0069] Figure 6 A schematic flowchart of another cleaning control method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0070] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a cleaning control device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0071] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another cleaning control device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0072] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic device provided in this application.

[0073] Figure label:

[0074] 10-Cleaning equipment; 200-Mother robot; 300-Daughter robot; 100-Robotic arm transfer mechanism; 400-Daughter robot carrier; 201-First cleaning component; 301-Second cleaning component; 401-First area to be cleaned; 402-Second area to be cleaned.

[0075] The accompanying drawings have illustrated 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 specific embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0076] 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.

[0077] This application relates to intelligent cleaning robot control technology, applicable to complex cleaning environments such as homes, hotel lobbies, and shopping mall exhibition areas, where there are open floors, furniture corners, low crevices, and locally elevated countertops. The relevant system typically includes a mobile cleaning robot, a navigation and sensing unit, and a base station for power replenishment and maintenance.

[0078] Most existing cleaning robots operate autonomously as stand-alone units. The robot completes floor cleaning along a preset or autonomously planned path, returning to a fixed base station for charging, water replenishment, or cleaning when its battery is low, its dust collector is full, or maintenance is required. This approach is efficient in open areas, but it primarily relies on a single robot to cover all cleaning tasks.

[0079] When there are areas in the environment that cleaning robots cannot reach, such as the sides of sofas, crevices between cabinets, densely packed areas of tables and chairs, or countertops, a stand-alone solution can easily create cleaning blind spots. Reducing the robot size to improve its accessibility would compress battery life, cleaning components, and maintenance space, leading to a decrease in efficiency when operating over large areas. The deployment of fixed base stations also limits the service radius, and frequent robot back-and-forth trips will lengthen the operation time. In multi-device scenarios, the lack of close coordination between sub-devices and maintenance nodes makes task switching and retrieval processes cumbersome, affecting continuous cleaning capabilities.

[0080] Based on the aforementioned technical challenges, the mother robot is considered as the main mobile operator and scheduling carrier. During the execution of the main cleaning task, it identifies areas where its cleaning capabilities are limited and issues scheduling instructions to the child robots after identification. The mother robot is equipped with a robotic arm transfer mechanism and a child robot carrier. The child robots move with the mother robot to the vicinity of the target environment, and then the robotic arm transfer mechanism lowers the carrier and releases the child robots to enter the corresponding area for cleaning.

[0081] This approach extends the processing location in complex areas from near the fixed base station to the current location of the mother robot. Open and restricted areas can be dynamically divided according to environmental conditions, reducing round-trip interruptions and improving coverage and continuity in complex cleaning environments.

[0082] Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a cleaning device in an assembled state, provided as an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a cleaning device in a separated state, provided as an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a sub-robot provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0083] The cleaning equipment provided in the embodiments of this application is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0084] See Figures 1 to 3As shown, the cleaning device 10 includes a mother robot 200, a daughter robot 300, and a robotic arm transfer mechanism 100. The mother robot 200 is capable of autonomous movement in the environment to be cleaned. The mother robot 200 includes a first cleaning component 201. The daughter robot 300 is also capable of autonomous movement in the environment to be cleaned, and the daughter robot 300 includes a second cleaning component 301.

[0085] One end of the robotic arm transfer mechanism 100 is connected to the mother robot 200, and the other end is provided with a sub-robot carrier 400 for carrying the sub-robot 300. The robotic arm transfer mechanism 100 is configured to switch between a retracted state and an extended state.

[0086] The cleaning device 10 has a first cleaning mode and a second cleaning mode. In the first cleaning mode, the robotic arm transfer mechanism 100 is in a retracted state, and the sub-robot carrier 400 carries the sub-robot 300 onto the mother robot 200. The mother robot 200 moves in the environment to be cleaned, and the first cleaning component 201 starts the cleaning operation.

[0087] In the second cleaning mode, the robotic arm transfer mechanism 100 switches to the deployed state, the sub-robot 300 detaches from the mother robot 200 and the robotic arm transfer mechanism 100, and autonomously walks to the target cleaning area, at least the second cleaning component 301 can start the cleaning operation.

[0088] It should be noted that the mother robot 200 can autonomously walk in the environment to be cleaned and perform cleaning operations through the first cleaning component 201. Furthermore, the mother robot 200 can also be used to carry the daughter robot 300 in the first cleaning mode. It is easy to understand that when the daughter robot 300 is located near the mother robot 200, the cleaning device 10 is in a combined state. The mother robot 200 can act as the main support for the entire machine and drive the combined cleaning device 10 to complete the cleaning operation. When the daughter robot 300 can detach from the mother robot 200 and the robotic arm transfer mechanism 100, the cleaning device 10 is in a separated state. The mother robot 200 and the daughter robot 300 can perform cleaning operations independently. The technical solution of this application and how the technical solution of this application solves the above-mentioned technical problems will be 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 repeated in some embodiments. The embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0089] Figure 4 This is a schematic flowchart of a cleaning control method provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 4 As shown, the cleaning control method of this application is applied to a mother robot, which includes a robotic arm transfer mechanism and a daughter robot carrier, comprising:

[0090] S401: Identify the first area to be cleaned in the environment where the mother robot's cleaning capabilities are limited.

[0091] In this application, the mother robot, as the method execution subject, moves along a predetermined cleaning path in the environment to be cleaned, or performs autonomous inspection based on navigation mapping results. The mother robot includes an environmental perception unit, a navigation and positioning unit, a main controller, and an execution control module linked to the robotic arm transfer mechanism. The environmental perception unit may include LiDAR, a depth camera, ultrasonic sensors, collision detection switches, edge detection sensors, and an image acquisition module. The main controller fuses and processes various sensor data to form spatial information of the current area, obstacle distribution information, passability information, and the location information of the object to be cleaned. In this application, the mother robot is the subject that identifies the first area to be cleaned, triggers the intervention of the sub-robot, and undertakes the subsequent release action. The first area to be cleaned is an area with limited cleaning capacity identified by the mother robot during the current operation; this area may be one that the mother robot cannot directly reach, enter, or adequately cover.

[0092] In practice, the mother robot continuously acquires environmental information from the front, sides, and bottom during its movement, and establishes an accessibility analysis based on its own body outline. The main controller can combine the mother robot's dimensions, mobility, the reachability of its cleaning components, and the distribution of obstacles in the current environment to determine whether the target area is suitable for direct cleaning by the mother robot. When the determination result indicates that the mother robot's accessibility or cleaning coverage of a certain area is limited, that area is identified as the first area to be cleaned.

[0093] To enable the identification results to be used for subsequent scheduling, the mother robot performs task parameterization processing on the first area to be cleaned after determining it. Specifically, the main controller can project candidate areas onto local environmental information to generate area location information and task information for subsequent scheduling. If multiple restricted areas exist, the main controller can select the area that meets the release conditions as the first area to be cleaned based on the current operation, and temporarily store the other areas in a scheduling queue. Based on the above analysis, it can be seen that by identifying the first area to be cleaned with limited cleaning capacity in real time during the mother robot's cleaning process, cleaning blind spots that would otherwise be caused by insufficient coverage by a single robot can be determined in advance at the perception level, providing a task entry point for the sub-robots to intervene according to the area.

[0094] S402: Upon identifying the first area to be cleaned, generate and send scheduling instructions to the sub-robot.

[0095] In this application, the scheduling command is generated by the main controller of the mother robot after identifying the first area to be cleaned, and sent via the communication link between the mother robot and the child robot. The scheduling command is not a single start / stop command, but rather a set of control information used to drive the child robot to execute the corresponding cleaning task after release. The child robot is an execution unit that cleans the first area to be cleaned according to the scheduling command after being released. Before release, it is located inside the child robot carrier and is in a standby state. The child robot carrier is a storage and transfer structure installed on the mother robot, used to carry the child robot during the mother robot's movement and to lower it to the target position as a whole with the robotic arm transfer mechanism during release.

[0096] In the specific generation process, the parent robot converts the information of the first area to be cleaned obtained in S401 into scheduling information that the child robot can recognize and sends it to the child robot. After sending, the child robot can return a reception completion flag to the parent robot, and the parent robot switches to the release preparation state accordingly. If no confirmation information is received within the set time, the parent robot can resend the scheduling command or cancel the current scheduling and retain the area for subsequent processing. Based on the above analysis, it can be seen that the generation and sending of scheduling commands converts the environmental recognition results into work tasks that the child robot can execute, thus forming a clear division of tasks and data connection between the parent robot and the child robot.

[0097] S403: Control the robotic arm transfer mechanism to lower the sub-robot carrier. After the sub-robot carrier is lowered, execute the release operation of the sub-robot so that the sub-robot can clean at least the first area to be cleaned according to the scheduling instructions. The sub-robot is located inside the sub-robot carrier before being released.

[0098] In this application, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is the actuator for releasing the sub-robot. After the mother robot sends the scheduling command and receives confirmation from the sub-robot, it can control the robotic arm transfer mechanism to move the sub-robot carrier from its storage position on the mother robot to its release position based on the positional relationship of the first area to be cleaned. The sub-robot carrier in this application is used to carry and store the sub-robot. Before being released, the sub-robot is located within the carrier, thus maintaining a stable and fixed state during the mother robot's movement phase. During the release phase, the change in the position of the sub-robot carrier enables the switch from a carrying state to an independent operating state.

[0099] During the actual deployment process, the main controller controls the robotic arm transfer mechanism to lower the sub-robot carrier to a position suitable for performing the release operation, and confirms the deployment completion status through corresponding detection results.

[0100] After the sub-robot carrier is successfully lowered, the parent robot executes the release operation. This release operation can specifically involve releasing the locking structure of the sub-robot carrier, opening the sub-robot carrier's hatch, removing the limiting baffle, or driving the ejection mechanism to push the sub-robot out of the carrier until it is detached from its carrier position. The completion of the release can be determined through changes in the status of the occupancy sensors within the sub-robot carrier, sub-robot status feedback, or visual confirmation. Once the parent robot confirms that the sub-robot has detached from its carrier, it records the current operational status as "sub-robot deployed" and transfers the task execution authority for the first area to be cleaned to the sub-robot.

[0101] After detaching from its carrier, the sub-robot enters the first area to be cleaned according to the scheduling instructions received in S402 to perform cleaning. Specifically, the sub-robot can generate its own travel route based on the task information in the scheduling instructions, and perform cleaning operations on the first area to be cleaned or a target area including the first area to be cleaned according to the set method.

[0102] This step, through the sequential coordination of the lowering action of the robotic arm transfer mechanism and the release action of the sub-robot's carrier, transforms the sub-robot from the state carried by the mother robot to the state of independent cleaning. This expands the processing location of complex areas from near the fixed base station to the current location of the mother robot, thereby enabling the division of labor between the mother robot being responsible for open areas and the sub-robot being responsible for restricted areas to be completed within the same work process.

[0103] Based on the above analysis, this application provides a cleaning control method, including: identifying a first area to be cleaned in the environment where the cleaning capability of the mother robot is limited; generating and sending a scheduling command to the child robot upon identification of the first area to be cleaned; controlling the robotic arm transfer mechanism to lower the child robot carrier; and executing the release operation of the child robot after the carrier is lowered, so that the child robot can clean at least the first area to be cleaned according to the scheduling command; wherein, the child robot is located inside the child robot carrier before being released. In this application, the mother robot completes the identification of the restricted area, task generation, child robot transfer, and on-site release during the main cleaning process. The child robot directly intervenes in the cleaning of the first area to be cleaned near the current working position of the mother robot, enabling the handling of open and restricted areas to be dynamically divided based on environmental conditions, and eliminating the need for the child robot to be deployed near a fixed base station before entering the target area. Thus, the continuous operation capability of the mother robot in a large area and the entry capability of the child robot in restricted areas are unified into the same control process, cleaning blind spots are addressed specifically, and the non-cleaning time occupied by the mother robot traveling to and from the fixed base station is correspondingly reduced. Furthermore, when the sub-robot is unable to walk on its own to drive from the side of the mother robot to the target location, this application uses a robotic arm transfer mechanism to adaptably overcome obstacles of different heights and directly deploy the sub-robot into a complex work area surrounded by obstacles to carry out targeted cleaning, thus demonstrating stronger environmental adaptability.

[0104] Based on the foregoing embodiments, the cleaning control method provided in this application further includes: determining the target working surface height corresponding to the first area to be cleaned; controlling the robotic arm transfer mechanism to lower the sub-robot carrier, including: controlling the robotic arm transfer mechanism to lower the sub-robot carrier based on the target working surface height.

[0105] The target working surface height is used to characterize the height parameter of the working surface corresponding to the first area to be cleaned relative to the current reference surface of the parent robot. The parent robot can determine the height position of the area and obtain the target working surface height by combining its own positioning results, environmental mapping results, and spatial position recognition results of the first area to be cleaned. The first area to be cleaned can be an area located on the ground level, or an area with steps, thresholds, partial elevated or sunken structures. The corresponding target working surface height can be at the same height as the ground, below the ground, or above the ground.

[0106] When the robotic arm transfer mechanism lowers the sub-robot carrier, the parent robot uses the target work surface height as the control basis for lowering. It drives the robotic arm transfer mechanism to move the sub-robot carrier vertically or along a trajectory with a vertical component, lowering it to a position adapted to the target work surface height. The robotic arm transfer mechanism may include a telescopic arm, a lifting arm, or a multi-joint linkage mechanism. The sub-robot carrier may be a bracket, mounting frame, or limiting seat for supporting the sub-robot. Relative motion control between the two can be achieved through hinged, sliding guide, or locking connections. After lowering based on the target work surface height, the sub-robot carrier is positioned suitable for releasing the sub-robot. The parent robot then performs the release operation, allowing the sub-robot to enter the first area to be cleaned and perform cleaning on that area.

[0107] By incorporating the target work surface height to constrain the lowering process, the robotic arm transfer mechanism can adjust the sub-robot carrier to a position that matches the height of the first area to be cleaned. This ensures that the release position of the sub-robot is consistent with the actual spatial conditions of the target area, improving the positioning accuracy of the sub-robot carrier's lowering and adapting the subsequent entry of the sub-robot into the work surface to the height requirements of that area.

[0108] Based on the aforementioned embodiments, further, based on the target working surface height, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier, including: controlling the robotic arm transfer mechanism to move the sub-robot carrier to the area detached from the main body projection area of ​​the mother robot; acquiring the ground distance information collected by the distance sensor, which is located below the robotic arm transfer mechanism; and controlling the robotic arm transfer mechanism to lower the sub-robot carrier according to the target working surface height and the ground distance information.

[0109] In its implementation, the robotic arm transfer mechanism may include a telescopic arm, a swing arm, and a drive motor. The swing arm can be hinged to the main body of the parent robot via a pivot. The drive motor drives the swing arm to swing laterally through a reduction mechanism, moving the sub-robot carrier from directly above the main body to the outer edge of the main body before continuing the lowering process. The sub-robot carrier is equipped with a sub-robot limiting groove and a locking device, which can be an electromagnetic lock or a spring-loaded latch. The distance sensor can be a laser rangefinder, a ToF (Time of Flight) sensor, or an ultrasonic sensor. Among these, the laser rangefinder has a fast response and high resolution, making it suitable for continuously acquiring height change information during the lowering process.

[0110] After receiving the ground clearance information, the control unit first determines the difference between the current ground clearance and the target working surface height, and then outputs the corresponding lowering control quantity. When the difference is large, the robotic arm transfer mechanism continues to lower the robot. When the difference decreases to within a preset threshold range, the lowering speed is reduced. When the ground clearance reaches the range corresponding to the target working surface height, the lowering stops and the sub-robot carrier's posture remains stable. This control method ensures that the sub-robot carrier completes height alignment after detaching from the projection of the parent robot body before entering the sub-robot release process, thus matching the lowering path with the working surface height.

[0111] With the above structure, the sub-robot carrier completes lateral avoidance before being lowered, and then controls its height based on the real-time ground clearance. This makes the posture of the sub-robot carrier more stable when it reaches the target work surface, and the correspondence between the lowering position and the height of the target work surface is more accurate, thereby improving the reliability of the sub-robot deployment and the continuity of the operation.

[0112] In one possible implementation, based on the target work surface height and ground clearance information, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier. After the sub-robot carrier is lowered, a release operation of the sub-robot is performed, including: when the target work surface height is in the ground work area, based on the ground clearance information, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier to ground height, and a release operation of the sub-robot is performed after the sub-robot carrier is lowered; when the target work surface height is in the high-level or low-level work area, based on the ground clearance information, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier to the target work surface height, and a release operation of the sub-robot is performed after the sub-robot carrier is lowered. After the release operation is completed, the sub-robot is completely in the first area to be cleaned.

[0113] The ground work area is used to define the height of the target work surface corresponding to the ground plane, so that the sub-robot carrier can be directly lowered to the ground height; the high-level work area is used to define the target work surface as a table, desktop or step surface above the ground; the low-level work area is used to define the target work surface as a recessed area, sunken area or local low space below the ground.

[0114] In practice, the mother robot can obtain the distance from the ground through a distance sensor set below the robotic arm transfer mechanism. After receiving the target working surface height, the controller compares the height with the preset ground working area threshold, high working area threshold, and low working area threshold, and combines the distance from the ground to perform closed-loop control of the robotic arm transfer mechanism, so that the sub-robot's carrier remains at the position corresponding to the ground height or the target working surface height.

[0115] When the target work surface is at ground level, the controller continuously adjusts the lowering stroke of the robotic arm's transfer mechanism based on the ground clearance information until the sub-robot carrier reaches ground level and stops moving. At this point, the release mechanism is triggered to release the sub-robot body, allowing it to detach from the carrier and enter the first cleaning area to perform cleaning. When the target work surface is at a high or low level, the controller lowers the sub-robot carrier directly to the target work surface height. After confirming the carrier is stationary, the release mechanism is triggered, ensuring the sub-robot is fully positioned in the first cleaning area after release and no longer has any contact with the carrier.

[0116] During this control process, the lowering position of the robotic arm transfer mechanism is corrected in real time based on the ground clearance information. The stopping height of the sub-robot's carrier before release matches the working surface height of the first area to be cleaned, allowing the sub-robot to directly enter the corresponding area to carry out cleaning operations. Since the sub-robot is completely located within the first area to be cleaned after release, its movement space is consistent with the boundary of the target area, facilitating the subsequent completion of the cleaning task in the corresponding area according to the scheduling instructions.

[0117] By adopting the above method, the mother robot can differentiate and control the lowering endpoint of the sub-robot's carrier based on the height of the target working surface, and achieve precise positioning during the lowering process through the ground distance information. This allows the sub-robot to be stably released into position in different height areas and directly into the first area to be cleaned after release, thereby improving the accuracy of the sub-robot entering the target area and the continuity of operation.

[0118] Based on the aforementioned embodiments, the first area to be cleaned further includes at least one of the following areas: a narrow space area, a complex corner area, a high platform area, a low-lying recessed area, a missed area, an area with dense obstacles, or an area with special cleaning needs.

[0119] Among them, narrow spaces refer to confined spaces where the width of the mother robot body, chassis, or the unfolded dimensions of the robotic arm's transfer mechanism makes it difficult to directly enter. Typical examples include the sides of sofas, gaps in cabinets, the edges of beds, or narrow passages between furniture. Complex corner areas refer to areas with multiple folds, chamfers, or irregular contours at floor boundaries, wall corners, column edges, or turning points. Elevated areas refer to work surfaces above the ground with a height difference. Low-lying recessed areas refer to recesses, sunken areas, or spaces inside steps that are lower than the normal walking plane. Missed areas refer to areas that were not treated during previous cleaning processes due to path obstruction, identification errors, or insufficient local coverage. Obstacle-dense areas refer to areas with a large number of table and chair legs, display shelves, ornaments, or other obstacles, limiting passage. Areas with special cleaning needs refer to areas with localized stains, edge dust accumulation, particulate matter buildup, or requiring different cleaning intensities or attachments.

[0120] In practical implementation, the parent robot can divide the environment to be cleaned into zones based on navigation maps, environmental point clouds, distance information, and historical cleaning trajectories. It then identifies the first area to be cleaned by combining ground access width, boundary curvature, platform height difference, obstacle distribution density, and missed coverage records. For narrow areas and areas with complex corners, the controller can mark them as the first area to be cleaned and generate corresponding scheduling instructions, allowing the sub-robot to enter the gaps or corners after release to complete local cleaning. For elevated areas and low-lying recessed areas, the parent robot can control the robotic arm transfer mechanism to lower the sub-robot based on the height difference of the working surface, ensuring the sub-robot's carrier is in a releaseable relative position with the target working surface before performing the release operation. For missed areas, the system can extract uncovered grids by combining completed trajectories and coverage heatmaps, and use these as targets for re-cleaning. For areas with dense obstacles and areas with special cleaning needs, the parent robot can generate matching scheduling instructions based on local obstacle spacing, stain level, or cleaning mode requirements, allowing the sub-robot to complete the cleaning using local reciprocating cleaning, edge cleaning, or enhanced vacuuming modes.

[0121] This zone division method allows the mother robot to clearly identify areas that are difficult to directly cover as the first areas to be cleaned, and then dispatches the sub-robots to carry out targeted cleaning. Since the zone types correspond to the scenarios where cleaning capacity is limited, the sub-robots can perform supplementary cleaning, corner cleaning, or local fine cleaning at the target locations, thereby improving the coverage integrity and operation continuity in complex environments.

[0122] In one possible implementation, the scheduling instruction includes: area coordinate information of a first area to be cleaned, and / or, a cleaning type, wherein the area coordinate information is used to indicate the location of the first area to be cleaned, and the cleaning type is related to the environmental characteristics of the first area to be cleaned.

[0123] In practical implementation, the mother robot can obtain its own position on the environmental map through the navigation and positioning module, and determine the coordinate range of the first area to be cleaned by combining visual recognition, depth perception, or boundary detection results. Then, this range is converted into area coordinate information that can be resolved by the sub-robot. The cleaning type can be generated by the environmental judgment unit inside the mother robot based on the distance between obstacles in the area, edge curvature, table height difference, or local stain distribution characteristics. When the area has the characteristics of a narrow passage, the scheduling instruction writes the narrow space cleaning type; when the area is located at the edge of furniture or the corner of a wall, the corner cleaning type is written; when the area is located on a high platform or in a low depression, the corresponding high platform cleaning type or low depression cleaning type is written.

[0124] After receiving the scheduling command, the sub-robot locates the area based on the area coordinates and adjusts the operating status, travel posture, and work path of the cleaning components according to the cleaning type. For example, it changes the side brush speed, suction nozzle height, or body posture to adapt to the environmental characteristics of the target area. By incorporating both location data and environmental feature indications into the scheduling command, the sub-robot can directly enter the corresponding area and execute the matching cleaning task after being released. This enables targeted handling of complex cleaning environments, improves the accuracy of task assignment after area identification, and enhances the continuity of operations.

[0125] Based on the aforementioned embodiments, the cleaning types further include: narrow space cleaning type, corner cleaning type, high platform cleaning type, low-lying depression cleaning type, obstacle-heavy cleaning type, and special need cleaning type.

[0126] In this application, the narrow space cleaning type is used to address the cleaning needs of narrow spaces, the corner cleaning type is used to address the cleaning needs of complex corner areas, the elevated platform cleaning type is used to address the cleaning needs of elevated platform areas, the low-lying recessed cleaning type is used to address the cleaning needs of low-lying recessed areas, the obstacle-dense cleaning type is used to address the cleaning needs of obstacle-dense areas, and the special needs cleaning type is used to address areas with special cleaning needs.

[0127] In its implementation, after identifying the first area to be cleaned, the parent robot assigns a cleaning type to the scheduling command based on the area's width, boundary shape, work surface height, degree of ground depression, distribution of local obstacles, and stain properties. For narrow areas such as sofa crevices and cabinet gaps, the system marks them as narrow space cleaning; for corners, table leg angles, or the outer edges of cabinets, it marks them as corner cleaning; for countertops, upper shelves, or other areas above the ground, it marks them as elevated platform cleaning; for sunken floors, low-lying recesses, or locally recessed areas, it marks them as low-lying recess cleaning; for areas with densely packed tables and chairs, areas with many temporary storage items, or areas with restricted paths, it marks them as dense obstacle cleaning; and for areas with oil stains, adhesive stains, localized disinfection, or other non-standard floor cleaning needs, it marks them as special need cleaning. Upon receiving this type, the sub-robots, based on the working status of their sweeping, adsorption, or wiping components, automatically invoke the corresponding operating mode to complete the localized cleaning.

[0128] This classification of cleaning types enables the regional environmental characteristics to correspond to the working modes of the sub-robots. When scheduling, the parent robot can directly output appropriate scheduling instructions, and the sub-robots can perform targeted cleaning accordingly, thereby achieving fine coverage in complex environments and ensuring consistency and identifiability of cleaning methods in different areas.

[0129] Based on the foregoing embodiments, the cleaning control method provided in this application further includes:

[0130] While the child robot is cleaning the first area to be cleaned, the mother robot is cleaning the second area to be cleaned, which is under its responsibility.

[0131] The second area to be cleaned may include an open ground area, an edge area accessible to the mother robot, or an independent area separated from the first area to be cleaned. This division can be based on area markers on an environmental map, the mother robot's current position, and the allocation of cleaning tasks. After releasing the child robot, the mother robot maintains its motion control and cleaning components, and enters the second area to be cleaned according to a preset cleaning trajectory or a real-time planned trajectory to perform sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, or combined cleaning operations. While the child robot independently completes cleaning within its corresponding area in the first area to be cleaned according to scheduling instructions, the mother robot synchronously updates its position, posture, and operational status, enabling them to operate in parallel over time. The task management module can synchronize the status of the mother robot and child robot, maintaining simultaneous, non-interfering operation based on the child robot's feedback on its progress and the mother robot's remaining cleaning area. If the mother robot uses a wheeled mobile chassis and main cleaning components, it can continuously move along ground boundaries, passageways, or large open areas when cleaning the second area to be cleaned.

[0132] In this parallel cleaning method, the mother robot undertakes continuous cleaning of the second area to be cleaned while simultaneously coordinating with the child robots, enabling the two robots to work synchronously in different spatial ranges. Since the mother robot can continue cleaning its own area without waiting for retrieval while the child robots are processing the first area to be cleaned, the overall task is more tightly integrated, the environmental coverage process is more continuous, and the total operation time for the same environment to be cleaned can be shortened.

[0133] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a cleaning operation scenario provided in an embodiment of this application, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the environment to be cleaned is divided into a first cleaning area 401 and a second cleaning area 402. The first cleaning area 401 is a smaller rectangular area, which is the area where the cleaning ability of the mother robot 200 is limited and is supplemented by the cleaning by the daughter robot 300. The second cleaning area 402 is the area outside the first cleaning area 401 within a larger rectangular area, which is the area where the mother robot 200 can perform cleaning operations normally. The larger circle represents the mother robot 200, and the smaller circle represents the daughter robot 300. The mother robot 200 can perform cleaning operations on the second cleaning area 402, and the daughter robot 300 can perform cleaning operations on the first cleaning area 401. Furthermore, the daughter robot 300 can perform boundary cleaning operations along the boundary of the second cleaning area 402.

[0134] Based on the foregoing embodiments, the cleaning control method provided in this application further includes: monitoring the return trigger signal or cleaning completion signal corresponding to the sub-robot, wherein the return trigger signal includes at least one of insufficient power, sufficient dirt, insufficient water, system failure, and user recall; after detecting the return trigger signal or cleaning completion signal, acquiring the real-time location information of the sub-robot; based on the real-time location information, sending a homing scheduling command to the sub-robot so that the sub-robot moves to the vertical docking area after receiving the homing scheduling command; when it is determined that the sub-robot is in the vertical docking area, controlling the robotic arm transfer mechanism to lower the sub-robot carrier; after the sub-robot carrier is lowered, performing docking, locking, and storage operations with the sub-robot to complete the sub-robot retrieval; and when the mother robot is in the working state, controlling the sub-robot to enter the waiting mode.

[0135] The return trigger signal indicates that the sub-robot has met the recycling conditions. Insufficient power can be detected by the battery management module when the remaining power is below a preset threshold. Waste compliance can be determined by the full load sensor in the waste collection chamber or the wastewater level sensor. Insufficient water volume can be determined by the clean water tank level detection result. System faults can be triggered by abnormal drive, motor, or communication information. User recall can be initiated by the remote control terminal. Real-time location information can be output by the sub-robot's own positioning module and uploaded to the parent robot via wireless communication. The vertical docking area corresponds to the dockable space directly below the sub-robot's carrier. The return scheduling command guides the sub-robot back to this space along a predetermined path.

[0136] In actual control, after receiving a return trigger signal or a cleaning completion signal, the mother robot first sends a homing scheduling command containing position correction information to the child robot based on real-time position information, causing the child robot to move to the docking position according to its own navigation results. If it has already entered the docking position, the mother robot controls the robotic arm transfer mechanism to lower the child robot's carrier. After the child robot's carrier reaches a preset height, docking, locking, and storage are performed, fixing the child robot inside the carrier. When the mother robot is in a state of moving cleaning, area switching, or path planning, the child robot remains in a waiting mode. The waiting mode can be achieved through a low-power standby state. In this state, the child robot stops performing cleaning actions and remains in communication wake-up mode to receive subsequent retrieval or rescheduling commands.

[0137] Through the above control method, the sub-robot can return to its original position according to its pose information after meeting the return conditions. The mother robot can recycle the sub-robot in an orderly manner without interrupting its own operation, and make the standby state and the recycling state stable, thereby improving the continuity and scheduling consistency of multi-robot collaborative cleaning.

[0138] In one possible implementation, the cleaning control method provided in this application further includes: receiving a cleaning completion signal sent by a sub-robot; verifying the cleanliness of the first area to be cleaned; if the verification is successful, locating the real-time position of the sub-robot, controlling the robotic arm transfer mechanism to lower the sub-robot carrier, and performing docking, locking, and storage operations with the sub-robot after the carrier is lowered to complete the sub-robot retrieval; if the verification fails, sending a secondary cleaning scheduling instruction to the sub-robot until the verification is successful.

[0139] The cleaning completion signal is used by the sub-robot to notify the parent robot that its cleaning operation on the first area to be cleaned has been completed. Upon receiving this signal, the parent robot can proceed to verification. Cleaning qualification verification confirms that the cleaning results of the first area to be cleaned meet the standards. The parent robot can determine whether the area meets the preset cleaning requirements by combining the completion signal returned by the sub-robot, the area cleaning record, image acquisition results, or contaminant detection results. The secondary cleaning scheduling instruction is used to reschedule the sub-robot to continue cleaning the same area if the verification fails, until the verification passes before retrieval.

[0140] In practice, after receiving the cleaning completion signal, the mother robot first uses a vision sensor, stain recognition module, or edge residue detection module to verify the first area to be cleaned, and compares the verification result with a preset threshold. When the verification is deemed successful, the mother robot obtains the real-time position of the child robot based on the positioning module, and then drives the robotic arm transfer mechanism to lower the child robot carrier vertically, so that the child robot carrier and the child robot are in a docking position. Subsequently, it performs actions such as locking the locking parts, locking the limit buckles, and introducing the storage cavity to complete the retrieval of the child robot.

[0141] If the verification fails, the mother robot sends a secondary cleaning scheduling instruction to the child robot through the communication module. The instruction can carry the coordinates of the area to be cleaned again, the cleaning intensity parameters, or the duration of repeated cleaning. The child robot then re-enters the target area to perform supplementary cleaning. After receiving the completion signal again, the mother robot continues to perform the verification until it confirms that the area meets the cleaning requirements before entering the recycling process.

[0142] This approach creates a closed-loop control between cleaning results and recycling actions, enabling sub-robots to continuously clean when the target is not met and then complete recycling once the target is met, thereby improving the integrity of operations and the consistency of task coordination in complex cleaning environments.

[0143] Based on the foregoing embodiments, the cleaning control method provided in this application further includes: performing automatic maintenance operations on the sub-robot; wherein the automatic maintenance operations include at least one of automatic charging, automatic dust collection, automatic water replenishment, and automatic cleaning; after the release operation of the sub-robot is completed, controlling the robotic arm transfer mechanism to retrieve the sub-robot carrier; after the retrieval operation of the sub-robot is completed, controlling the robotic arm transfer mechanism to retrieve the sub-robot carrier.

[0144] The automatic maintenance operation refers to the unmanned recharging and maintenance of the child robots after the mother robot has completed the scheduling, release, or retrieval of the child robots. Automatic charging corresponds to connecting the child robot to the charging contacts via a robotic arm transfer mechanism, allowing the mother robot's internal power supply or base station to replenish the child robot's power. Automatic dust collection corresponds to connecting the child robot's dust collection chamber to the mother robot's dust collection channel after retrieval and sucking out dirt. Automatic water replenishment corresponds to replenishing the child robot's water tank with cleaning water through the maintenance interface. Automatic cleaning corresponds to automatically cleaning the child robot's shell, roller brush, or wastewater passage. These maintenance actions can be performed individually or in combination depending on the child robot's status.

[0145] The sub-robot carrier supports the sub-robot before release and is brought back to a predetermined storage location inside the mother robot by a robotic arm transfer mechanism after release or retrieval. The robotic arm transfer mechanism may include a telescopic arm, a lifting arm, and a gripping assembly. The gripping assembly and the sub-robot carrier are engaged by a locking or slotting mechanism to achieve stable retrieval when the sub-robot carrier is unloaded. Controlling the robotic arm transfer mechanism to retrieve the sub-robot carrier allows it to be promptly reset after release, or to be stored along with maintenance operations after the sub-robot is retrieved. The specific storage path can be determined by the mother robot based on its current position and internal space conditions.

[0146] During operation, after releasing the child robot, the mother robot first detaches the child robot from its carrier and moves it to the target area. Then, it controls the robotic arm transfer mechanism to retrieve the empty child robot carrier, allowing the mother robot to continue its journey or switch to other tasks. Once the child robot has finished cleaning and been retrieved, the mother robot performs automatic maintenance while simultaneously controlling the robotic arm transfer mechanism to retrieve the child robot carrier again, ensuring that the child robot carrier, the child robot, and the maintenance interface are sequentially reset. This control method ensures a continuous and seamless process between release, retrieval, maintenance, and the storage of the child robot carrier.

[0147] With the above setup, the sub-robot can complete tasks, retrieval, and automatic maintenance after being scheduled. The sub-robot's carrier components are promptly stored after release or retrieval, so that the subsequent recharging, dust collection, water replenishment, and cleaning processes of the sub-robot can be completed within the mother robot system, and the time that the sub-robot's carrier components occupy in the work space is reduced.

[0148] Based on the foregoing embodiments, the cleaning control method provided in this application further includes:

[0149] The initial map of the environment to be cleaned is created using its own scanning information, resulting in a master map.

[0150] Based on the parent map, identify the mapping-restricted areas where the parent robot's scanning field of view is limited;

[0151] Deploy sub-robots and control them to scan and supplement the limited mapping areas to obtain sub-maps;

[0152] Obtain the sub-map, merge the sub-map with the parent map, and generate a global master map corresponding to the environment to be cleaned;

[0153] Accordingly, the first area to be cleaned in the environment where the mother robot's cleaning capabilities are limited includes:

[0154] Using the global map, identify the first area to be cleaned where the mother robot's cleaning capabilities are limited, and the second area to be cleaned that the mother robot is responsible for.

[0155] In practical implementation, the parent robot, upon entering the environment to be cleaned, collects its own scanning information using LiDAR, depth cameras, or structured light sensors, and generates a parent map through simultaneous localization and mapping algorithms. Based on the parent map, the controller can identify uncovered grids, echo-blocked areas, or areas where the passage path cannot be closed, and determine these as mapping-restricted areas. Subsequently, the parent robot uses a robotic arm transfer mechanism to lower the child robot to the corresponding area. After receiving area guidance from the parent robot, the child robot performs local scanning and boundary completion of the mapping-restricted area to form a child map. After acquiring the child map, the parent robot merges the child map with the parent map according to the coordinate registration relationship to obtain a global master map. Based on this global master map, it further identifies the first area to be cleaned that is difficult for the parent robot to handle directly due to size, turning radius, or the coverage range of cleaning components. At the same time, it divides the area where the parent robot can normally perform cleaning operations into the second area to be cleaned.

[0156] This solution involves first establishing a basic map using a mother robot, then supplementing it with information on restricted areas using daughter robots. The two maps are then merged into a unified master map, expanding the basis for area identification from local to global perception. This results in more accurate division of the first and second areas to be cleaned. Based on this global master map, the mother and daughter robots can each undertake cleaning tasks tailored to their capabilities, reducing missed areas and improving the continuity and completeness of collaborative operations.

[0157] Based on the foregoing embodiments, the cleaning control method provided in this application further includes:

[0158] The system obtains map information from the second sub-map sent by the sub-robot. The second sub-map is constructed by the sub-robot continuously scanning the surrounding environment during the cleaning operation to identify unknown areas in the environment to be cleaned and based on the scanning information of the unknown areas.

[0159] The second sub-map is merged with the global map.

[0160] In actual operation, the sub-robot simultaneously scans the environment while cleaning, turning, approaching corners, or entering narrow passages. It matches the current perception results with locally cached map information, i.e., the global map. When it determines that a certain local area lacks corresponding map data, it marks that area as an unknown area. The sub-robot then constructs a sub-map based on the distance point cloud, image features, or grid occupancy data collected within that unknown area.

[0161] After the sub-map is formed, the sub-robot uploads the map information to the parent robot via a wireless communication unit. The wireless communication unit can use Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity), Bluetooth, or a dedicated short-range communication link. After receiving the sub-map, the parent robot aligns the coordinates based on the overlap characteristics between known areas in the global map and unknown areas in the sub-map, and integrates the newly added spatial information from the sub-map into the global map, thereby completing the update of the global map.

[0162] By continuously scanning the surrounding environment and building sub-maps for unknown areas during the cleaning process, and then sending the sub-maps to the target processing terminal to be merged with the parent map, it is possible to fill in the environmental blind spots that were not detected in the initial mapping stage in real time, dynamically correct the omissions and errors in the map, and realize the iterative update of the map.

[0163] Based on the aforementioned embodiments, the mother robot further performs cleaning operations on the second area to be cleaned; the child robot performs cleaning operations on the first area to be cleaned, and performs boundary cleaning operations along the boundary of the second area to be cleaned.

[0164] The boundary is the outline of the area defining the outer edge of the second area to be cleaned. The parent robot can determine this boundary based on the environmental map, local perception results, or planned area segmentation information. Boundary cleaning refers to the sub-robot moving along the boundary in the second area to be cleaned and removing edge dirt, dust, or attached impurities.

[0165] In practice, the mother robot can perform routine cleaning along a pre-planned path to the second area to be cleaned. Routine cleaning includes at least one of vacuuming, mopping, or brushing. In addition to cleaning the first area to be cleaned, the child robot can also perform boundary cleaning along the boundary of the second area to be cleaned.

[0166] In this solution, the mother robot and the child robot work collaboratively to clean the area. The mother robot is responsible for the main cleaning of the second area to be cleaned, while the child robot is responsible for supplementing the cleaning of the first area to be cleaned, and simultaneously cleaning the boundary of the second area to be cleaned, thus covering the boundary between adjacent areas. Because the child robot cleans along the boundary while working in the first area to be cleaned, edge residues can be dealt with in a timely manner, resulting in a more complete and continuous cleaning process.

[0167] Figure 6 A schematic flowchart of another cleaning control method provided in this application embodiment is shown below. Figure 6 As shown, the cleaning control method of this application is applied to a sub-robot, and the method includes:

[0168] S601: Receive scheduling instructions from the mother robot; wherein, the scheduling instructions are generated by the mother robot when it identifies the first area to be cleaned and sent to the child robot, and the first area to be cleaned is the area identified by the mother robot as having limited cleaning capabilities in the environment to be cleaned.

[0169] The primary executor in this step is the sub-robot. The sub-robot enters the target area to perform the actual cleaning work after being released by the mother robot. The mother robot identifies the first area to be cleaned, generates scheduling instructions, and releases the sub-robot. The two establish a task coordination relationship through a short-range wireless communication link. The first area to be cleaned is an area in the environment that the mother robot cannot directly reach, or even if it does reach it, it cannot complete the cleaning according to the preset cleaning capabilities. Such areas may include gaps under furniture, corners of cabinets, areas with densely packed tables and chairs, near the edges of localized countertops, or other locations with limited passage size, posture conditions, or working space. The scheduling instructions are the task information carriers issued by the mother robot to the sub-robot, representing the cleaning tasks that the sub-robot needs to perform subsequently.

[0170] In practice, before being released, the sub-robot resides within its carrier and remains in a standby state, moving alongside the parent robot. The carrier, mounted on the parent robot's body, accommodates, supports, and restricts the sub-robot's relative displacement during transport. The carrier may contain guide slots, limiting elements, or charging contacts. Within the carrier, the sub-robot remains in a powered-on standby or low-power monitoring state. During autonomous cleaning, the parent robot utilizes its navigation and sensing unit to collect information on environmental contours, obstacle distribution, passable width, and ground and non-ground boundaries. Based on its body dimensions, the extension range of its cleaning components, turning radius, or obstacle-crossing capability, it identifies the first area to be cleaned. Upon identification, the parent robot generates a scheduling command corresponding to that area and sends it to the sub-robot via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) direct connection, ultra-wideband short-range communication, or a contact data interface, or a combination thereof. After receiving the scheduling instruction, the sub-robot transmits the instruction data to the controller via the communication module. The controller performs integrity verification, source verification, and task status verification on the instruction. The verification content includes at least one or more of the following: task identifier, area identifier, timestamp, instruction sequence number, and execution permission. After the verification is successful, the scheduling instruction is written to the local memory as the basis for subsequent execution.

[0171] In one possible embodiment, the scheduling instruction may carry information characterizing the location or extent of the first area to be cleaned, enabling the sub-robot to determine the corresponding cleaning target after release. In another possible embodiment, when the parent robot identifies multiple first areas to be cleaned, it can generate multiple scheduling instructions based on distance from the current docking position, area complexity, or task priority. The sub-robot receives one of the currently pending instructions and stores the remaining task index, or receives only the single task instruction corresponding to the current batch. Based on the above receiving process, the sub-robot completes task information pre-loading before leaving the sub-robot carrier, thus ensuring a temporal connection between the release action and subsequent cleaning actions.

[0172] Based on the above analysis, this step, by issuing scheduling instructions to the sub-robot in advance after the mother robot identifies the area where its cleaning capacity is limited, ensures that the task objective is determined before the sub-robot is released. The sub-robot does not need to conduct a large-scale autonomous search after detaching from the sub-robot carrier. The current position of the mother robot can be transformed into a forward delivery point for complex area processing, which is suitable for cleaning scenarios where open ground and limited areas coexist.

[0173] S602: After the mother robot completes the release operation of the child robot, according to the scheduling instruction, at least the first area to be cleaned shall be cleaned; wherein, before being released, the child robot is located inside the child robot carrier.

[0174] In this step, the release operation refers to the process by which the mother robot switches the child robot, located within the child robot's carrier, from a stored state to a state where it can move independently. After the mother robot reaches a placement position adjacent to or accessible to the first area to be cleaned, it controls the opening and closing mechanism, lifting mechanism, sliding mechanism, or robotic arm transfer mechanism of the child robot's carrier to move the child robot out of the carrier and into contact with the environment to be cleaned. The determination of release completion can be based on position sensors, attitude sensors, ground contact switches, limit switches, or short-range state handshake signals between the mother and child robots. That is, when the child robot is freed from the constraints of the child robot's carrier and is in a drivable posture, the mother robot sends a release completion signal to the child robot, or the child robot confirms the release completion based on its own sensor status.

[0175] After confirming release, the sub-robot invokes the scheduling instructions stored in S601, reads relevant information about the first area to be cleaned, and establishes a local motion path using its own navigation sensors. The sub-robot's navigation sensors may include one or more of the following: infrared ranging sensors, ultrasonic sensors, vision sensors, collision sensors, odometry, and inertial measurement units. The controller plans the movement route from the release point to the first area to be cleaned based on the target information given in the scheduling instructions. If the scheduling instructions specify an entrance location, the sub-robot enters the restricted area along that entrance; if the scheduling instructions specify the target area range, the sub-robot searches for an accessible passage based on its navigation perception results and enters the target area. Upon entering the first area to be cleaned, the sub-robot activates cleaning components that match the area's characteristics. These cleaning components may be roller brushes, side brushes, suction nozzles, wiping units, or combinations thereof, to perform cleaning actions such as adsorbing dust, sweeping up particles, and wiping away attached stains.

[0176] In practice, at least the first area to be cleaned must be cleaned, meaning the sub-robot should treat this area as the minimum target area it must cover. During implementation, the sub-robot determines the coverage boundary according to scheduling instructions and moves within the boundary using a reciprocating path, spiral path, edge-following path, or segmented path, while continuously monitoring the cleaning status. When local obstacles, corners, or gaps exist within the area, the sub-robot adjusts its direction and cleaning trajectory based on sensor feedback to keep the cleaning action within the target area. Optionally, the sub-robot can report its operational status to the parent robot during the operation.

[0177] After completing the cleaning of the first area to be cleaned, the sub-robot can send a completion message to the parent robot. If an abnormality is detected during execution, the sub-robot can output corresponding status information. Since the sub-robot is located inside its carrier before release, the parent robot can carry the sub-robot to a position close to the first area to be cleaned during the main cleaning process before releasing it. The subsequent movement distance of the sub-robot is limited to a local range, and the cleaning task is transferred from areas that are difficult for the parent robot to handle to the sub-robot, thereby completing collaborative cleaning control.

[0178] Based on the above analysis, this step connects the mother robot's area identification with the child robot's local task execution. After being deployed to a location near the environment to be cleaned, the child robot directly begins cleaning according to pre-stored scheduling instructions, without needing to return to a fixed base station to retrieve tasks or independently travel from a distant location to the target area. This allows for supplementary coverage in areas where the mother robot's cleaning capabilities are limited, and ensures a continuous connection between the processing flow of open and restricted areas. It should be understood that the above example is for demonstration purposes only and is not limiting.

[0179] Based on the above analysis, this application provides a cleaning control method, including receiving a scheduling instruction from a mother robot, and, after the mother robot completes the release operation of the child robot, performing cleaning operations on at least a first area to be cleaned according to the scheduling instruction, wherein the child robot is located inside the child robot carrier before being released. In this application, the mother robot identifies a first area to be cleaned with limited cleaning capabilities during autonomous cleaning and sends the scheduling instruction corresponding to that area to the child robot located inside the child robot carrier in advance. Subsequently, the mother robot releases the child robot to a position adjacent to the target area. The child robot enters and processes the first area to be cleaned according to the received task information, thereby forming a collaborative cleaning process with the mother robot as the mobile scheduling carrier and the child robot as the execution unit for the restricted area. The starting point for processing complex areas dynamically changes with the current position of the mother robot, and the main cleaning of open areas and the supplementary cleaning of local restricted areas can be completed in the same workflow.

[0180] Based on the foregoing embodiments, further, according to the scheduling instruction, at least the first area to be cleaned is cleaned, including: when the scheduling instruction includes the area coordinate information of the first area to be cleaned, the first area to be cleaned is cleaned based on the area coordinate information; wherein, the area coordinate information is used to indicate the location of the first area to be cleaned; when the scheduling instruction does not include the area coordinate information, the target cleaning area is traversed based on its own cleaning logic, and the target cleaning area includes the first area to be cleaned.

[0181] In its implementation, the sub-robot, upon receiving a scheduling instruction containing area coordinate information, writes this information into the path planning module. The path planning module then generates straight approach segments, turning segments, and edge-cleaning segments based on the current pose and target coordinates, driving the walking mechanism to locate and cover the first area to be cleaned. If the area contains narrow gaps, tabletop corners, or low-lying obstructions, the sub-robot can adjust its travel distance based on its body width and the extension of the cleaning components, ensuring effective coverage of the cleaning components at the target location. For scheduling instructions without area coordinate information, the controller invokes built-in traversal rules, moving segment by segment within the target cleaning area in a predetermined order, and corrects its pose using odometer, inertial sensor, and environmental perception results until the first area to be cleaned is confirmed to be covered.

[0182] This method enables the sub-robot to directly locate and clean the first area to be cleaned when it obtains accurate coordinates. Even when it does not obtain area coordinate information, it can still complete the traversal and coverage according to its own cleaning logic, thereby adapting to different scheduling methods of the parent robot and ensuring that the first area to be cleaned can be cleaned.

[0183] By adopting the above method, the sub-robot's compatibility with scheduling instructions is improved. It can perform fixed-point cleaning based on area coordinate information, and can also complete area coverage by traversing when area coordinate information is missing. This reduces job interruptions caused by incomplete instruction information and improves the cleaning completion rate of the first area to be cleaned.

[0184] In one possible implementation, the cleaning control method provided in this application embodiment further includes: continuously scanning the surrounding environment during the cleaning operation; identifying unknown areas in the environment to be cleaned, and constructing a sub-map based on the scanning information of the unknown areas; and sending the map information of the sub-map to the target processing terminal so that the target processing terminal performs a merging process on the sub-map and the global map.

[0185] In actual operation, the sub-robot simultaneously scans the environment while cleaning, turning, approaching corners, or entering narrow passages, and matches the current perception results with locally cached map information. When it is determined that a certain local area lacks corresponding map data, that area is marked as an unknown area. The sub-robot then constructs a sub-map based on the distance point cloud, image features, or grid occupancy data collected within that unknown area.

[0186] After the sub-map is formed, the sub-robot uploads the map information to the target processing terminal via a wireless communication unit. This wireless communication unit can use Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity), Bluetooth, or a dedicated short-range communication link. Upon receiving the sub-map, the target processing terminal aligns the coordinates based on the overlap between known areas in the global map and unknown areas in the sub-map, and integrates the newly added spatial information from the sub-map into the global map, thus completing the update of the global map. The target processing terminal can be located in the parent robot itself, a base station connected to the parent robot, or a cloud computing node.

[0187] By continuously scanning the surrounding environment and building sub-maps for unknown areas during cleaning operations, and then sending these sub-maps to the target processing terminal for merging with the global map, the system can fill in environmental blind spots not detected during the initial mapping phase in real time, dynamically correct omissions and errors in map construction, and achieve iterative map updates. The updated global map provides accurate and reliable environmental data for subsequent area recognition, restricted area determination, cleaning task allocation, motion path planning, and retrieval docking positioning for both the parent and child robots. On the one hand, it can reduce anomalies such as missed sweeps, misjudged obstacles, and robot getting stuck caused by missing maps, improving the overall cleaning coverage and operational stability. On the other hand, it supports flexible map fusion across multiple terminals, including the parent robot, base stations, and the cloud, adapting to different network conditions and ensuring map information consistency during multi-robot collaborative operations, further improving the efficiency of collaborative cleaning between parent and child robots.

[0188] This application embodiment also provides a cleaning control system, the system comprising:

[0189] A mother robot, used to perform the methods provided in any of the above embodiments;

[0190] A sub-robot for performing the methods provided in any of the above embodiments.

[0191] The mother robot, acting as the mobile operator, performs open-ground cleaning, environmental perception, task identification, and scheduling control. Upon identifying confined areas such as furniture edges, low crevices, densely packed tables and chairs, or elevated surfaces, it invokes methods to determine the target area and assign tasks. The child robots respond to the mother robot's scheduling, performing corresponding localized cleaning, supplementary coverage, and collaborative retrieval after the mother robot moves to the vicinity of the target environment. This extends the child robots' operational starting point from near the fixed base station to the mother robot's current location. The mother and child robots form a collaborative operational relationship based on the same method, enabling large-area cleaning and detailed cleaning of confined areas to be carried out in parallel or sequentially. This reduces the time lost due to repeated detours and returns to the base station by a single robot, thus improving cleaning coverage, continuous operation capability, and overall cleaning efficiency in complex environments.

[0192] Corresponding to the above-described cleaning control method, this application also provides a cleaning control device. Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a cleaning control device provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 7 As shown in the figure, this embodiment provides a cleaning control device, which includes:

[0193] The identification module 701 is used to identify the first area to be cleaned in the environment where the mother robot's cleaning ability is limited.

[0194] The generation module 702 is used to generate and send scheduling instructions to the sub-robot when the first area to be cleaned is identified;

[0195] The control module 703 is used to control the robotic arm transfer mechanism to lower the sub-robot carrier. After the sub-robot carrier is lowered, the control module 703 performs the release operation of the sub-robot so that the sub-robot can clean at least the first area to be cleaned according to the scheduling instructions. The sub-robot is located inside the sub-robot carrier before it is released.

[0196] In one possible embodiment, the generation module 702 is further configured to:

[0197] Determine the target working surface height corresponding to the first area to be cleaned;

[0198] When the control module 703 controls the robotic arm transfer mechanism to lower the sub-robot carrier, it is specifically used for:

[0199] Based on the target working surface height, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier component.

[0200] In one possible embodiment, when the control module 703 controls the robotic arm transfer mechanism to lower the sub-robot carrier based on the target working surface height, it is specifically used for:

[0201] The control robotic arm transfer mechanism drives the sub-robot's carrier component to shift away from the mother robot's main body projection area;

[0202] The distance sensor is located below the robotic arm's transfer mechanism and acquires the ground distance information collected by the distance sensor.

[0203] Based on the target working surface height and ground distance information, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier component.

[0204] In one possible embodiment, when the control module 703 controls the robotic arm transfer mechanism to lower the sub-robot carrier based on the target working surface height and ground clearance information, and performs the sub-robot release operation after the sub-robot carrier has been lowered, it is specifically used for:

[0205] When the target work surface is at the ground work area, based on the ground distance information, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier to the ground height. After the sub-robot carrier is lowered, the sub-robot release operation is performed.

[0206] When the target work surface is at the height of the high-level or low-level work area, based on the ground distance information, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier to the target work surface height. After the sub-robot carrier is lowered, the sub-robot release operation is performed. After the release operation is completed, the sub-robot is completely in the first area to be cleaned.

[0207] In one possible embodiment, the first area to be cleaned includes at least one of the following areas: a narrow space, a complex corner area, a raised platform area, a low-lying recessed area, a missed area, an area with dense obstacles, or an area with special cleaning needs.

[0208] In one possible embodiment, the scheduling instruction includes: area coordinate information of a first area to be cleaned, and / or, a cleaning type, wherein the area coordinate information is used to indicate the location of the first area to be cleaned, and the cleaning type is related to the environmental characteristics of the first area to be cleaned.

[0209] In one possible embodiment, the cleaning types include: narrow space cleaning type, corner cleaning type, high platform cleaning type, low-lying depression cleaning type, obstacle-heavy cleaning type, and special need cleaning type.

[0210] In one possible embodiment, the control module 703 is further configured to:

[0211] While the child robot is cleaning the first area to be cleaned, the mother robot is cleaning the second area to be cleaned, which is under its responsibility.

[0212] In one possible embodiment, the control module 703 is further configured to:

[0213] Monitor the return trigger signal or cleaning completion signal corresponding to the sub-robot. The return trigger signal includes at least one of the following: insufficient power, reaching the standard for dirt, insufficient water, system failure, and user recall.

[0214] After detecting a return trigger signal or a cleaning completion signal, the real-time position information of the sub-robot is obtained;

[0215] Send a home-positioning scheduling command to the sub-robot so that the sub-robot moves to the vertical docking area after receiving the home-positioning scheduling command;

[0216] When the sub-robot is determined to be within the vertical docking area, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier component; after the sub-robot carrier component is lowered, docking, locking, and storage operations are performed with the sub-robot to complete the sub-robot retrieval.

[0217] When the mother robot is in operation, the child robot is controlled to enter a waiting mode.

[0218] In one possible embodiment, the control module 703 is further configured to:

[0219] Perform automatic maintenance operations on the sub-robot; wherein the automatic maintenance operations include at least one of the following: automatic charging, automatic dust collection, automatic water replenishment, and automatic cleaning;

[0220] After the release operation of the sub-robot is completed, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to retrieve the sub-robot's carrier components;

[0221] After the retrieval operation of the sub-robot is completed, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to retrieve the sub-robot's carrier components.

[0222] In one possible embodiment, the identification module 701 is further configured to:

[0223] The initial map of the environment to be cleaned is created using its own scanning information, resulting in a master map.

[0224] Based on the parent map, identify the mapping-restricted areas where the parent robot's scanning field of view is limited;

[0225] Deploy sub-robots and control them to scan and supplement the limited mapping areas to obtain sub-maps;

[0226] Obtain the sub-map, merge the sub-map with the parent map, and generate a global master map corresponding to the environment to be cleaned;

[0227] Accordingly, when identifying the first area to be cleaned in the environment where the mother robot's cleaning capabilities are limited, the identification module 701 is specifically used for:

[0228] Using the global map, identify the first area to be cleaned where the mother robot's cleaning capabilities are limited, and the second area to be cleaned that the mother robot is responsible for.

[0229] The identification module 701 is also used for:

[0230] The system obtains map information from the second sub-map sent by the sub-robot. The second sub-map is constructed by the sub-robot continuously scanning the surrounding environment during the cleaning operation to identify unknown areas in the environment to be cleaned and based on the scanning information of the unknown areas.

[0231] The second sub-map is merged with the global map.

[0232] In one possible embodiment, the mother robot performs cleaning operations on the second area to be cleaned; the daughter robot performs cleaning operations on the first area to be cleaned, and performs boundary cleaning operations along the boundary of the second area to be cleaned.

[0233] The cleaning control device provided in this embodiment can execute the method provided in the above method embodiment. Its implementation principle and technical effect are similar, and will not be described in detail here.

[0234] Corresponding to the above-described cleaning control method, this application also provides another cleaning control device. Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another cleaning control device provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 8 As shown, another cleaning control device provided in this embodiment includes:

[0235] The receiving module 801 is used to receive the scheduling instructions issued by the mother robot; wherein, the scheduling instructions are generated by the mother robot when it identifies the first area to be cleaned and sent to the child robot, and the first area to be cleaned is the area identified by the mother robot as having limited cleaning capabilities in the environment to be cleaned.

[0236] The cleaning module 802 is used to perform cleaning operations on at least the first area to be cleaned according to the scheduling instructions after the mother robot completes the release operation of the child robot; wherein the child robot is located inside the child robot carrier before being released.

[0237] In one possible embodiment, when the cleaning module 802 performs cleaning operations on at least the first area to be cleaned according to the scheduling instruction, it is specifically used for:

[0238] When the scheduling instruction includes the area coordinate information of the first area to be cleaned, the cleaning operation is carried out on the first area to be cleaned based on the area coordinate information; wherein, the area coordinate information is used to indicate the location of the first area to be cleaned.

[0239] When the scheduling instruction does not contain area coordinate information, the target cleaning area is traversed based on its own cleaning logic. The target cleaning area includes the first area to be cleaned.

[0240] In one possible embodiment, the cleaning module 802 is further configured to:

[0241] The surrounding environment is continuously scanned during the cleaning operation;

[0242] Unknown areas in the environment to be cleaned are identified, and a second sub-map is constructed based on the scanning information of the unknown areas;

[0243] The map information of the second sub-map is sent to the target processing terminal so that the target processing terminal can perform a merge process between the second sub-map and the global map.

[0244] Another cleaning control device provided in this embodiment can execute the method provided in the above method embodiment. Its implementation principle and technical effect are similar, and will not be described in detail here.

[0245] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic device provided in this application. Figure 9 As shown, the electronic device 90 provided in this embodiment includes at least one processor 901 and a memory 902. Optionally, the device 90 further includes a communication component 903. The processor 901, memory 902, and communication component 903 are connected via a bus 904.

[0246] In a specific implementation, at least one processor 901 executes computer execution instructions stored in memory 902, causing at least one processor 901 to perform the above-described method.

[0247] The specific implementation process of processor 901 can be found in the above method embodiments, and its implementation principle and technical effect are similar. It will not be repeated here.

[0248] 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.

[0249] The memory may include high-speed memory (Random Access Memory, RAM) and may also include non-volatile memory (NVM), such as at least one disk storage device.

[0250] 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.

[0251] This application also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described method.

[0252] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implement the above-described method.

[0253] 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.

[0254] 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 application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). Alternatively, the processor and the readable storage medium can exist as discrete components in the device.

[0255] 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.

[0256] 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.

[0257] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application 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.

[0258] 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 application, in essence, 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 application. 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.

[0259] 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.

[0260] Finally, it should be noted that other embodiments of this application will readily conceive of by those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this application that follow the general principles of this application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein, and is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and alterations may be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this application is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A cleaning control method, characterized in that, Applied to a mother robot, the mother robot including a robotic arm transfer mechanism and a child robot carrier, the method includes: Identify the first area to be cleaned in the environment where the mother robot's cleaning capabilities are limited; Upon identifying the first area to be cleaned, a scheduling instruction is generated and sent to the sub-robot; The robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier. After the sub-robot carrier is lowered, the sub-robot is released so that the sub-robot can clean at least the first area to be cleaned according to the scheduling instruction. The sub-robot is located inside the sub-robot carrier before being released.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Determine the target working surface height corresponding to the first area to be cleaned; Controlling the robotic arm transfer mechanism to lower the sub-robot carrier component includes: Based on the target working surface height, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, Based on the target working surface height, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier, including: The robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to move the sub-robot carrier component to a position that is detached from the main body projection area of ​​the mother robot; The distance sensor is located below the robotic arm transfer mechanism and acquires the ground distance information collected by the distance sensor. Based on the target working surface height and the ground clearance information, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, Based on the target working surface height and the ground clearance information, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier. After the sub-robot carrier is lowered, the sub-robot release operation is performed, including: When the target working surface is at the ground working range, based on the ground distance information, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier to the ground height. After the sub-robot carrier is lowered, the sub-robot release operation is performed. When the target working surface is at a high or low working range, based on the ground distance information, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier to the target working surface height. After the sub-robot carrier is lowered, the sub-robot is released. After the release operation is completed, the sub-robot is completely in the first area to be cleaned.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first area to be cleaned includes at least one of the following areas: narrow space area, complex corner area, high platform area, low-lying recessed area, missed area, densely obstructed area, and area with special cleaning needs.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The scheduling instruction includes: area coordinate information of the first area to be cleaned, and / or, cleaning type, wherein the area coordinate information is used to indicate the location of the first area to be cleaned, and the cleaning type is related to the environmental characteristics of the first area to be cleaned.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cleaning types include: narrow space cleaning type, corner cleaning type, high platform cleaning type, low-lying depression cleaning type, obstacle-heavy cleaning type, and special need cleaning type.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: While the sub-robot is cleaning the first area to be cleaned, the mother robot is cleaning the second area to be cleaned, which it is responsible for.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Monitor the return trigger signal or cleaning completion signal corresponding to the sub-robot, wherein the return trigger signal includes at least one of the following: insufficient power, sufficient dirt, insufficient water, system failure, and user recall; After detecting the return trigger signal or the cleaning completion signal, the real-time position information of the sub-robot is obtained; Send a home-positioning scheduling command to the sub-robot so that the sub-robot moves to the vertical docking area after receiving the home-positioning scheduling command; When the sub-robot is determined to be within the vertical docking area, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to lower the sub-robot carrier; after the sub-robot carrier is lowered, docking, locking, and storage operations are performed with the sub-robot to complete the sub-robot retrieval. When the mother robot is in operation, the sub-robot is controlled to enter a waiting mode.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The method further includes: The sub-robot is subjected to automatic maintenance operations; wherein the automatic maintenance operations include at least one of: automatic charging, automatic dust collection, automatic water replenishment, and automatic cleaning; After the release operation of the sub-robot is completed, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to retrieve the sub-robot's carrier component; After the retrieval operation of the sub-robot is completed, the robotic arm transfer mechanism is controlled to retrieve the sub-robot's carrier component.

11. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: The initial map of the environment to be cleaned is generated by using its own scanning information, thus obtaining a master map. Based on the parent map, the mapping-restricted areas where the parent robot's scanning field of view is limited are identified; Deploy sub-robots and control them to scan and supplement the mapping-restricted areas to obtain the first sub-map; Obtain the first sub-map, merge the first sub-map with the parent map, and generate a global master map corresponding to the environment to be cleaned; Accordingly, the first area to be cleaned in the environment where the mother robot's cleaning capabilities are limited includes: Using the global map, the first area to be cleaned, where the mother robot's cleaning capabilities are limited, and the second area to be cleaned, which is the responsibility of the mother robot itself, are identified.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: The system acquires map information from a second sub-map sent by the sub-robot. This second sub-map is constructed by the sub-robot continuously scanning the surrounding environment during the cleaning process to identify unknown areas in the environment to be cleaned, and based on the scanning information of the unknown areas. The second sub-map is merged with the existing global map.

13. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The mother robot performs cleaning operations on the second area to be cleaned; the child robot performs cleaning operations on the first area to be cleaned, and performs boundary cleaning operations along the boundary of the second area to be cleaned.

14. A cleaning control method, characterized in that, Applied to a sub-robot, the method includes: Receive scheduling instructions from the mother robot; wherein, the scheduling instructions are generated by the mother robot when it identifies a first area to be cleaned and sent to the child robot, and the first area to be cleaned is an area identified by the mother robot as having limited cleaning capabilities in the environment to be cleaned; After the mother robot completes the release operation of the child robot, the first area to be cleaned is cleaned at least according to the scheduling instruction; wherein the child robot is located inside the child robot carrier before being released.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that, According to the scheduling instruction, cleaning operations are performed on at least the first area to be cleaned, including: When the scheduling instruction includes the area coordinate information of the first area to be cleaned, the cleaning operation is performed on the first area to be cleaned based on the area coordinate information; wherein, the area coordinate information is used to indicate the location of the first area to be cleaned. When the scheduling instruction does not contain the area coordinate information, the target cleaning area is traversed based on its own cleaning logic, and the target cleaning area includes the first area to be cleaned.

16. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that, The method further includes: The surrounding environment is continuously scanned during the cleaning operation; Unknown areas in the environment to be cleaned are identified, and a second sub-map is constructed based on the scanning information of the unknown areas; The map information of the second sub-map is sent to the target processing terminal so that the target processing terminal can perform a merging process between the second sub-map and the global map.

17. A cleaning control system, characterized in that, include: A mother robot, used to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-13; A sub-robot for performing the method according to any one of claims 14-16.

18. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, are used to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1-16.

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

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