Procedure for creating an environmental map

Abstract

Method for creating an environmental map of an environmental area for the operation of a mobile, self-propelled device (10), in particular a floor cleaning device such as a vacuum and / or sweeping and / or wiping robot, comprising the method steps: - Carrying out an exploration drive with the device (10) in the surrounding area to create the surrounding area map, - Approaching the device (10) to a detected wall (5) during the exploration drive, - detecting a skirting board (4) of the detected wall (5) by a first sensor (3) with a single scanning maneuver, wherein the scanning maneuver is carried out by a targeted rotation of the device (10) against the wall (5), and - Determine the thickness (d S ) of the skirting board (4).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for creating an environmental map of an environmental area for the operation of a mobile, self-propelled device, in particular a floor cleaning device such as a vacuum and / or sweeping and / or wiping robot, as well as a mobile, self-propelled device that can carry out such a method.

[0002] Mobile, self-driving devices such as robot vacuums are designed to autonomously clean an entire floor area, if possible. In particular, robot vacuums are designed to relieve their users of the task of regularly removing dust and dirt from the floor. Particular attention is paid to cleaning along walls. A robot vacuum should be able to move very close to existing walls or other objects in order to position its cleaning elements, such as suction brushes, in close proximity to wall edges, thus avoiding remaining uncleaned floor areas. If the robot vacuum is unable to detect its surroundings at a low height, there is a risk that it will increasingly encounter obstacles such as skirting boards while traveling close to walls.

[0003] Robot vacuum cleaners available on the market therefore often feature wall-following sensors, which are mounted on the side of the robot vacuum cleaner, for example. When these robot vacuum cleaners drive along walls, they can determine their distance from the wall and initiate appropriate maneuvers, for example, to move closer to or away from the wall. However, the wall-following sensors result in additional costs and require additional installation space in the robot vacuum cleaner.

[0004] According to the publication DE 10 2020 212 043 A1, reflective markings are applied to the floor for near-wall navigation. These markings can be detected by subsurface sensors or cliff sensors. When driving along the wall, the robot vacuum cleaner receives information about its distance from the wall or the path it is traveling on. The disadvantage, however, is that the user must first apply the reflective markings. In particular, the user must apply adhesive strips to the floor for each wall in their home.

[0005] The publication DE 10 2020 208 400 B4 describes a robot vacuum cleaner that features a lidar sensor and a bumper. If the robot vacuum cleaner encounters a previously unknown baseboard during a cleaning run, it saves the collision point as a coordinate in its surrounding map. If the robot vacuum cleaner encounters the baseboard a second time during the further course of the cleaning run, the robot vacuum cleaner also saves this collision point as a coordinate and then calculates a line from the two points. If the line runs parallel to the detected wall, the resulting distance is saved as the approach limit to the wall in question for future cleaning runs, and the robot vacuum cleaner only approaches the wall far enough to avoid collisions with baseboards from then on.

[0006] To determine a baseboard, two collisions with the baseboard are mandatory before it is integrated into the environment map. Furthermore, collisions with the baseboard occur at the robot vacuum's full speed, which can be perceived negatively by the user as an annoying audible event and can also lead to damage to the baseboard or the robot vacuum.

[0007] From the publication CN 1 09 683 622 A a robot is known which, after a collision with a skirting board, increases the distance to the wall in such a way that the thickness of the skirting board is taken into account.

[0008] An exploration trip to create a map of the surrounding area is described, for example, in the publication DE 10 2021 206 142 A1.

[0009] The object of the invention is to provide a method for creating an environmental map which avoids the above-mentioned disadvantages and which, in particular, checks the presence of skirting boards by carefully feeling the walls and determines their thickness.

[0010] This object is achieved by a method for creating an environmental map of an environmental area with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are the subject of the subclaims.

[0011] According to the invention, a method for creating an environmental map of an environmental area for the operation of a mobile, self-propelled device, in particular a floor cleaning device such as a vacuum and / or sweeping and / or wiping robot, comprises the following method steps: - Carrying out an exploration drive with the device in the surrounding area to create the surrounding area map, - Approaching the device to a detected wall during the exploration drive, - Detecting a skirting board of the detected wall by a first sensor with a single scanning maneuver, wherein the scanning maneuver is carried out by a targeted turning of the device against the wall, and - Determine the thickness of the skirting board.

[0012] In this case, the mobile, self-propelled device actively approaches walls in order to check for the presence of baseboards and determine their thickness by carefully feeling the walls using the first sensor. To do this, the device starts the probing maneuver at a characteristic position, for example, midway between obstacles, furniture, doorways, or similar. If a baseboard is present at the position, the probing maneuver triggers a targeted, one-time impact event on the baseboard at low speed. This collision is barely audible to the user and is perceived at most as a cautious probing of the surroundings. The significantly reduced speed of the device during the probing maneuver ensures that damage to the device, the baseboard, the wall, or the obstacles encountered during the probing maneuver can be prevented.Due to the careful tactile maneuver, no additional sensors are required, which allows for a cost-effective design.

[0013] A mobile, self-propelled device is specifically defined as a floor cleaning device that autonomously cleans floors, for example, in a household. These include, among others, vacuuming, sweeping, and / or mopping robots. These devices preferably operate without, or with as little as possible, user intervention during operation (cleaning mode). For example, the device automatically moves into a specified room to clean the floor according to a predefined and programmed process strategy.

[0014] In order to take into account any specific environmental characteristics, an exploratory drive with the mobile, self-propelled device is preferably carried out. An exploratory drive is understood to be a reconnaissance drive suitable for checking the area of ​​land to be worked for obstacles, spatial layout, and the like. The goal of an exploratory drive is, in particular, to be able to assess and / or represent the conditions of the soil cultivation area to be worked.

[0015] After the exploratory drive, the mobile, self-driving device is familiar with its surroundings and can communicate this information to the user in the form of a map, for example, in an app (e.g., a cleaning app) on a mobile device. The map can provide the user with the opportunity to interact with the mobile, self-driving device. The user can advantageously view information in the map and change and / or adapt it as needed.

[0016] An environmental map is understood to mean, in particular, any map suitable for depicting the surroundings of the tillage area, including all its obstacles and objects. For example, the environmental map shows a sketch of the tillage area, including the furniture and walls within it.

[0017] The environmental map with the obstacles is preferably displayed in the app on a portable additional device. This serves, in particular, to visualize a possible interaction for the user. In this context, an additional device is understood to mean, in particular, any device that is portable for a user, that is located outside the mobile, self-driving device, in particular external and / or separate from the mobile, self-driving device, and that is suitable for displaying, providing, transmitting, and / or transmitting data, such as a cell phone, a smartphone, a tablet, and / or a computer or laptop.

[0018] The app, in particular a cleaning app, is installed on the portable attachment. This app serves to communicate between the mobile, self-propelled device and the attachment and, in particular, enables visualization of the floor cleaning area, i.e., the living space or apartment or living area to be cleaned. The app preferably shows the user the area to be cleaned as a map of the surrounding area.

[0019] In this context, "approaching a detected wall" means moving the device carefully, particularly slowly, toward the detected wall until it lightly touches the detected wall, i.e., at a slow speed. A detected wall is preferably a wall scanned by the device during the exploration drive and recorded on the surrounding area map.

[0020] A skirting board is, in particular, a strip that runs along the floor of a wall to form a connection between the floor and the wall. The skirting board is detected by a first sensor of the device. The first sensor is preferably suitable for detecting obstacles, especially skirting boards, just above the floor, preferably at floor level.

[0021] A single probing maneuver is understood to mean, in particular, a driving maneuver suitable for probing or detecting skirting boards at the height of the vehicle. This does not mean driving repeatedly into the skirting board or wall, but rather a single, cautious, and particularly low-speed, approach to the skirting board or wall.

[0022] A skirting board thickness is understood to mean, in particular, a dimension of the skirting board starting at the wall at floor level in the spatial direction. The thickness is determined by the device, in particular by a calculation unit of the device.

[0023] In an advantageous embodiment, the wall is detected by a second sensor, in particular a lidar sensor. The first sensor is preferably a bumper sensor. The device therefore has the lidar sensor, which can measure a plane approximately 10 cm above the floor with a 360° field of view. The lidar sensor can detect walls and other obstacles, usually above the height of baseboards. In addition, the device has a bumper, i.e. a push bar, which is preferably placed in the form of a bumper on the front of the device and, upon contact with obstacles and objects, activates bumper sensors, i.e. small tactile sensors that indicate a collision.

[0024] In a further advantageous embodiment, the skirting board is detected by a targeted approach to the wall, with the device approaching the wall once during the scanning maneuver. In particular, when the device travels along a wall section for the first time, for example, during an exploratory drive, it initially maintains a sufficient distance from the wall detected by the lidar sensor. The device stops at a characteristic location, for example, midway between objects, furniture, doorways, and the like, and starts the scanning maneuver by slowly scanning the wall, and in particular any skirting board, with the bumper sensor, particularly at minimal speed.

[0025] According to the invention, the sensing maneuver is carried out by deliberately rotating the device against the wall. In particular, the device rotates slowly towards the wall at a minimal speed so that the front of the device and with it the bumper sensor are moved towards the wall. The rotation speed of the device is selected such that a front corner of the device's front housing moves towards the wall at only approximately 1 mm / s to 15 mm / s. The distance to the wall is preferably selected so that, on the one hand, the device is as far away from the wall as possible in order to avoid accidental collisions during approach. On the other hand, the distance is selected to be as large as possible so that the front corner of the housing reliably hits the wall when the device is rotated, regardless of any existing skirting board. The distance from the center of the device to the wall is preferably slightly smaller than the radius of a circumferential circle of the device.

[0026] If there is a baseboard on the wall, the resulting collision triggers a soft bump, which means a deliberate collision with an object at low speed. Such a collision is barely audible to the user and is perceived at most as a cautious probing of the surroundings. The significantly reduced rotation speed of the device advantageously prevents damage to the device, the baseboard, walls, or objects.

[0027] In a further advantageous embodiment, the skirting board is detected during rotation if a collision of the device with the wall is detected outside a detected wall area including the tolerance range. Preferably, the device continuously records its position and orientation to the wall during the sensing maneuver. If the soft bump event occurs, the device can determine the coordinate at which the front, wall-facing housing corner is located, which can then be used to determine a point at which the collision occurred. If this point is within the predefined tolerance range around a line that defines the wall, it is assumed that the device has sensed the wall and that no skirting board is present on this wall. If, on the other hand, the point is outside the predefined tolerance range, it is assumed that a skirting board is present.

[0028] In a further advantageous embodiment, the thickness of the skirting board is determined by evaluating a distance value of the collision from the wall. In particular, the distance of the point from the wall defines the thickness of the skirting board at the level of the outermost point of the bumper sensor and thus the necessary distance that the device must maintain from this wall during future cleaning runs. Since the course of the wall is known from measurements from the lidar sensor, the course of the detected skirting board can advantageously be determined with a single scanning maneuver. In particular, two coordinate points are not necessary.

[0029] The assumption here is that the baseboard and the wall are parallel. To validate this assumption, the device preferably checks for the presence of the baseboard at specific intervals, for example, at other characteristic locations on the same wall. In particular, the device checks for the presence of the baseboard and its thickness at predetermined intervals in the surrounding area. Individual sections of the wall can be viewed separately and each stored with its own baseboard in the surrounding map.

[0030] In a further advantageous embodiment, the determined thickness of the skirting board is applied to any detected walls in the surrounding area. In particular, the thickness of the skirting board determined with the one-time scanning maneuver is applied to all walls detected with the lidar sensor, so that a single determination of the thickness of the skirting board is actually sufficient for the entire soil processing area. It is assumed that the same skirting board is installed throughout the entire soil processing area, so that the thickness of the skirting board is virtually identical throughout the entire soil processing area. This advantageously enables a simplified determination method with only one determined thickness value.

[0031] Alternatively, the determined baseboard thickness is applied to predetermined detected walls in the surrounding area. For example, the thickness is applied only to the wall detected by the tactile maneuver or to all walls in the room in which the tactile maneuver was performed.

[0032] In a further advantageous embodiment, a single scanning maneuver is performed on individual sections of the wall. In particular, the floor processing area is divided into individual wall sections. For example, each straight wall forms a wall section until it bends or curves. This allows various skirting boards, which may have different thicknesses and are installed on the individual wall sections, to be detected and taken into account. Individual sections of the wall are examined separately and assigned their own skirting board.

[0033] In another advantageous embodiment, the baseboard and its thickness are stored in the surrounding area map. During future movements of the device along the individual walls, the device can access the stored data and process it accordingly.

[0034] In a further advantageous embodiment, if the device unexpectedly collides in the immediate vicinity of a wall, the device performs the scanning maneuver on that wall. In particular, the device checks the stored data or determined thickness values ​​regarding the skirting board if an unexpected collision occurs in the immediate vicinity of a wall. In this case, the device moves specifically to the affected wall, repeats the one-time scanning maneuver there, and overwrites the previously determined and stored values ​​with the newly determined data.

[0035] In another advantageous embodiment, the device performs the sensing maneuver on a predetermined wall following a user command. For example, the user notifies the device via an app that a baseboard on a wall has changed by marking the corresponding walls on the surrounding map. A sensing maneuver is then manually initiated on the marked walls, so that the device performs the necessary sensing maneuver(s) on the corresponding walls.

[0036] In a further advantageous embodiment, the device performs one-off scanning maneuvers on walls in the surrounding area at specific time intervals. As an alternative to detecting the baseboard exclusively during the exploration drive, the device can randomly check individual walls at specific time intervals, for example, for the unchanged presence of baseboards. Such spontaneous scanning maneuvers are preferably performed when the device is already performing a braking or turning maneuver near a wall.

[0037] In a further advantageous embodiment, a shape, in particular a lateral silhouette of the device housing, in particular a lower shell, the device front, or the bumper sensor at the housing corner, is essentially identical from different directions. If the bumper sensor detects a skirting board with a certain thickness during the scanning maneuver, the device advantageously does not cause a collision with other parts of the housing during subsequent travels at the calculated distance along the wall.

[0038] Furthermore, the invention relates to a mobile, self-propelled device on which a method as described above is carried out.

[0039] Any features, configurations, embodiments and advantages relating to the method also apply in connection with the device according to the invention, and vice versa.

[0040] The invention is explained in more detail with reference to the following embodiments, which are merely examples. They show: Fig. 1A: a schematic view of an embodiment of a mobile, self-propelled device suitable for operating a method according to the invention, Fig. 1B: a schematic plan view of the embodiment of the mobile, self-propelled device of the Fig. 1A, Fig. 2A - 2C each show schematic views of the embodiment of the mobile, self-propelled device of the Fig. 1A during the palpation maneuver, Fig. 3 a flowchart relating to an embodiment of a method according to the invention for creating an environment map.

[0041] Fig. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of a mobile, self-propelled device 10, in particular a vacuum robot, comprising a device housing 1 having a D-shape. In particular, the housing body 1 has a straight front shape and a round rear shape. In a rear area, a second sensor 2, in particular a lidar sensor, is placed on the housing body, in particular centrally. With the lidar sensor, the vacuum robot can measure a horizontal plane approximately 10 cm above the ground with a 360° field of view. In particular, the lidar sensor detects walls, obstacles, and other objects and integrates them into an environmental map.

[0042] However, due to the usually low height of baseboards, they cannot be detected or recognized by the lidar sensor. To detect obstacles and objects at low heights, particularly less than 10 cm above the floor, a first sensor 3, for example, a collision sensor, in particular a bumper sensor, is used. This is located behind a bumper on the straight front of the robot vacuum. When the bumper comes into contact with objects, objects, and obstacles, bumper sensors, i.e., small tactile sensors, are activated, indicating a collision.

[0043] Fig. Figure 1B shows how a wall detection run works, for example, during an exploration run of the vacuum robot. When the vacuum robot travels across a wall section for the first time, it initially maintains a sufficient distance from the wall detected by the lidar sensor. The distance d Mfrom the center of the device housing to the wall depends on a circumferential radius r of the vacuum robot, and is in particular smaller than the circumferential radius r of the vacuum robot.

[0044] Fig. Figures 2A to 2C show various steps of the probing maneuver for determining an existing skirting board and its thickness. Fig. 2A the vacuum robot moves at a minimum distance d A to the detected wall 5. At a characteristic location, approximately midway between doorways, the robot vacuum stops and starts the probing maneuver. To do so, the robot vacuum slowly turns toward the wall at minimal speed, so that the front of the robot vacuum and, with it, the bumper sensor 3 of the robot vacuum are moved toward the wall ( Fig. 2B). The rotation speed of the vacuum robot is selected so that a housing corner 6 of the vacuum robot moves towards the wall 5 at only approximately 1 mm / s to 15 mm / s.

[0045] The minimum distance d A to the detected wall 5 is selected so that the vacuum robot maintains the greatest possible distance from the wall 5 in order to avoid accidental collisions during the approach. On the other hand, the minimum distance d A to the detected wall 5 is selected to be as large as possible so that the front housing corner 6 safely hits the wall 5 when the vacuum robot rotates.

[0046] If there is a skirting board 4 on the wall 5, the collision 7 triggers a soft bump event ( Fig. 2C), i.e., a deliberate collision with the wall 5 at low speed of the robot vacuum cleaner. This collision 7 is barely audible to a user. The significantly reduced rotation speed of the robot vacuum cleaner prevents damage to the robot vacuum cleaner 10, the baseboard 4, or the wall 5.

[0047] During the probing maneuver, the robot vacuum continuously records its position and orientation relative to wall 5. If the soft bump event occurs, the location of the housing corner can be determined, which allows the collision point at which collision 7 occurs to be identified. If this point is within a predefined narrow tolerance range around the line defining wall 5, it is assumed that there is no skirting board on the wall. If, on the other hand, the point is outside the predefined tolerance range, it is assumed that there is a skirting board. The distance of the point from the wall defines the thickness of the skirting board at the level of the outermost point of the bumper and thus the necessary additional distance that the robot vacuum must maintain from this wall during future cleaning runs.

[0048] Since the course of wall 5 is already known from the detected values ​​of the lidar sensor, the course of the skirting board can be determined with a single scanning maneuver. The skirting board, with its determined thickness, is guided parallel along the detected wall. If desired by the user, the robot vacuum cleaner can check for the presence of the skirting board at specific intervals, for example, at other characteristic locations on the same wall. Individual sections of a wall are preferably viewed separately and each scanned with a separate scanning maneuver and, in particular, stored in the environment map with a separate skirting board.

[0049] In Fig. 3 shows a flowchart of a method for creating an environment map, in which only a single scanning maneuver with a vacuum robot is used, as is the case in connection with the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is described.

[0050] In step 101, the robot vacuum performs an exploratory drive during which, among other things, walls of the surrounding area to be cleaned are detected with the lidar sensor and plotted on the surrounding map. In the next step 102, the robot vacuum approaches a detected wall at a safe distance, in particular at a distance at which an accidental collision with the wall or any skirting board attached to it can be ruled out. Next, the robot vacuum performs a probing maneuver on this wall. To do this, in step 103, the robot vacuum turns its front with the integrated bumper towards the detected wall until the bumper sensor is triggered. In step 104, the robot vacuum determines the coordinates of the collision point based on its position and orientation in the created surrounding map.Based on the collision point, the robot vacuum checks for the presence of a baseboard on the wall in step 105 based on a tolerance range along the detected wall, and if a baseboard is present, determines its thickness. In step 106, the robot vacuum saves the determined thickness of the baseboard in the environment map as a new minimum distance to the wall, at least for the entire wall section, preferably for all walls in the surrounding area. The robot vacuum then continues its exploration run in step 107.

Claims

[1] Method for creating an environmental map of an environmental area for the operation of a mobile, self-propelled device (10), in particular a floor cleaning device such as a vacuum and / or sweeping and / or wiping robot, comprising the method steps: - Carrying out an exploration drive with the device (10) in the surrounding area to create the surrounding area map, - approaching the device (10) to a detected wall (5) during the exploration drive, - detecting a skirting board (4) of the detected wall (5) by a first sensor (3) with a single sensing maneuver, wherein the sensing maneuver is carried out by a targeted rotation of the device (10) against the wall (5), and - Determine the thickness (d S ) of the skirting board (4). [2] Method according to claim 1, wherein the wall (5) is detected by a second sensor (2), in particular a lidar sensor, and wherein the first sensor (3) is a bumper sensor. [3] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the skirting board (4) is detected by a targeted approach to the wall (5), and wherein the device (10) approaches the wall (5) once during the sensing maneuver. [4] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a rotational speed is between 1 mm / s and 15 mm / s inclusive. [5] Method according to claim 4, wherein the skirting board (4) is detected during rotation if a collision (7) of the device (10) on the wall (5) is detected outside a detected wall area including a tolerance range. [6] Method according to claim 5, wherein the thickness (d S ) of the skirting board (4) is determined by evaluating a distance value of the collision (7) from the wall (5). [7] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the thickness (d S) of the skirting board (4) is applied to any detected walls (5) of the surrounding area. [8] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the device (10) detects the presence of the skirting board (4) and its thickness (d S ) checks. [9] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a single probing maneuver is carried out on individual sections of the wall (5). [10] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the skirting board (4) with its thickness (d S ) is stored in the surrounding area map. [11] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in the event of an unforeseen collision of the device (10) in the immediate vicinity of a wall (5), the device (10) carries out the sensing maneuver on this wall (5). [12] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the device (10) carries out the sensing maneuver on a predetermined wall (5) according to a user command. [13] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the device (10) carries out one-off scanning maneuvers on walls (5) in the surrounding area at certain time intervals. [14] Mobile, self-propelled device (10) with which a method according to one of the preceding claims can be carried out.

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