Vacuum cleaner system

Abstract

To provide a vacuum cleaner system that can perform cleaning efficiently even if some kind of problem occurs with the vacuum cleaner. [Solution] A vacuum cleaner system comprising a vacuum cleaner 100 and a storage unit that stores a map including the area in which the vacuum cleaner 100 travels, wherein the map stored in the storage unit is divided into a plurality of areas (areas A to D), and each of the plurality of areas has at least a first area (area A) and a second area (area B), the vacuum cleaner 100 is capable of traveling in the first area (area A) and the second area (area B), and if an event occurs while the vacuum cleaner 100 is traveling in area A, it stops traveling in area A and starts traveling in area B.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vacuum cleaner system.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for dividing a cleaning area into a plurality of areas and causing a plurality of vacuum cleaners to clean in different areas respectively.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Patent Document ① does not sufficiently consider a method for dealing with a situation where the vacuum cleaner stops for some reason in the cleaning area or where the cleaning takes a long time.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The present invention is a vacuum cleaner system having an autonomous driving type vacuum cleaner and a storage unit that stores a map including the area where the autonomous driving type vacuum cleaner travels. The map stored in the storage unit divides the area on the map into a plurality of areas, and the plurality of areas have at least a first area and a second area. The autonomous driving type vacuum cleaner can travel in the first area and the second area. When an event occurs during travel in the first area, the autonomous driving type vacuum cleaner stops traveling in the first area and starts traveling in the second area. <00​​​​​​​​​

[0007] [Figure 1] Diagram showing the vacuum cleaner system of this embodiment. [Figure 2] Perspective view of the vacuum cleaner 100 in this embodiment [Figure 3] Plan view of the vacuum cleaner 100 in this embodiment [Figure 4] Left side view of the vacuum cleaner 100 in this embodiment [Figure 5] Front view of the vacuum cleaner 100 in this embodiment [Figure 6] Bottom view of the vacuum cleaner 100 in this embodiment [Figure 7] Perspective view of the vacuum cleaner 100 in this embodiment [Figure 8] Block diagram of the vacuum cleaner 100 in Embodiment 1 [Figure 9] Block diagram of the server in Embodiment 1 [Figure 10] Block diagram of the communication terminal in Embodiment 1 [Figure 11] Sequence diagram of the vacuum cleaner system in Embodiment 1 [Figure 12] Sequence diagram of the vacuum cleaner system in Embodiment 1 [Figure 13] This figure shows an example of the display of the display unit 305 in Embodiment 2. [Figure 14] This figure shows an example of the display of the display unit 305 in Embodiment 2. [Figure 15] This figure shows an example of the display of the display unit 305 in Embodiment 3. [Figure 16] This figure shows an example of the display of the display unit 305 in Embodiment 3. [Figure 17] Flowchart showing the operation of the communication terminal 300 in Embodiment 3 [Figure 18] This figure shows an example of the display of the display unit 305 in Embodiment 4. [Figure 19] This figure shows an example of the display of the display unit 305 in Embodiment 4. [Figure 20] This figure shows an example of the display of the display unit 305 in Embodiment 5. [Figure 21]Figure showing the display example of the display unit 305 in Embodiment 5 [Figure 22] Figure showing the display example of the display unit 305 in Embodiment 5 [Figure 23] Figure showing the display example of the display unit 305 in Embodiment 5 [Figure 24] Figure showing the display example of the display unit 305 in Embodiment 5

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0009] The accompanying drawings and the following description are provided for those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0010] (Example 1) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the vacuum cleaner system of Example 1.

[0011] In FIG. 1, the self-propelled vacuum cleaner (vacuum cleaner 100) can be wirelessly connected to the router 200 by short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0012] The router 200 can be wirelessly connected to the vacuum cleaner 100 by short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and further, the router 200 can also be connected to the network N using, for example, the TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol) protocol.

[0013] The communication terminal 300 is a communication terminal having a function of connecting to the communication network N, such as a communication terminal operable by a touch panel like a smartphone or the like, a mobile phone device, a personal computer, etc.

[0014] Server 400 is connected to the communication network N and has the function of receiving, storing, and transmitting various information transmitted from the vacuum cleaner 100 and the communication terminal 300.

[0015] Furthermore, the vacuum cleaner 100 may have not only the function to perform short-range wireless connections, but also the function to perform long-range wireless communication, such as WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) (registered trademark), or the function to connect to a communication network N via a cable.

[0016] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner 100, which is the device of this embodiment. In Figure 2, the front, rear, left, and right sides of the vacuum cleaner 100 are indicated by arrows, respectively.

[0017] In Figure 2, the housing 1 of the vacuum cleaner 100 has an upper body 2 and a lower body 3, and a bumper 4 is positioned at the front of the housing 1. One or more collision detection switches (not shown) are positioned inside the bumper 4, and when the bumper 4 collides with an obstacle, the bumper 4 moves inward toward the housing 1 and the switches turn on, detecting that the bumper 4 has collided with an obstacle.

[0018] A cover 5 is positioned on the top surface of the housing 1 and behind the bumper 4. A dust collection container (not shown) is located inside this cover 5, and when the user presses down on the cover 5, the front or rear of the cover 5 detaches, allowing the dust collection container to be removed from the housing 1.

[0019] A LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) 6 is positioned behind cover 5. This LiDAR 6 can detect obstacles and other objects around the housing 1 by rotating its light-emitting and light-receiving parts around its center axis. It is also possible to create a map of the room using this LiDAR 6.

[0020] Figure 3 is a plan view of the vacuum cleaner 100, which is the device of this embodiment. In Figure 3, the front, rear, left, and right sides of the vacuum cleaner 100 are indicated by arrows, respectively.

[0021] In Figure 3, a bumper 4, which is roughly U-shaped when viewed from above, is positioned at the front of the housing 1, and the upper body 2 is positioned at the rear of the housing 1. A cover 5 is positioned between the bumper 4 and the upper body 2, and a LIDAR 6 is positioned at the rear of the cover 5.

[0022] Bumper 4 is biased forward of housing 1 by a spring (not shown) located inside, and a gap exists between bumper 4 and upper body 2. When bumper 4 collides with an obstacle, bumper 4 can move backward by the amount of this gap, against the force of the spring.

[0023] Figure 4 is a left side view of the vacuum cleaner 100, which is the device of this embodiment. In Figure 4, the front, rear, top, and bottom of the vacuum cleaner 100 are indicated by arrows, respectively.

[0024] A bumper 4 is positioned at the front of the chassis 1, and the upper body 2 is positioned behind it. Exhaust ports 7 are formed on the left and right sides of the upper body 2, and a LIDAR 6 is positioned on the rear upper surface of the upper body 2. Side brushes 8 are positioned at the front of the lower body 3, and rear wheels 9 are positioned at the rear.

[0025] Figure 5 is a front view of the vacuum cleaner 100, which is the device of this embodiment. In Figure 5, the top, bottom, left, and right sides of the vacuum cleaner 100 are indicated by arrows, respectively.

[0026] The front of the bumper 4 has two ultrasonic sensors 10 and two infrared sensors 11, each having a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element. In addition, side brushes 8 are positioned at the front of the lower body 3. The side brushes 8 are positioned on both the front right and front left sides of the lower body 3, but they may be positioned on either the front right or left side of the lower body 3.

[0027] Figure 6 is a bottom view of the vacuum cleaner 100, which is the device of this embodiment. In Figure 6, the front, rear, left, and right sides of the vacuum cleaner 100 are indicated by arrows, respectively.

[0028] In Figure 6, the rear wheels 9 are located behind the lower body 3, and a battery 18, consisting of a secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery, is located in front of the rear wheels 9. The right drive wheel 19 and the left drive wheel 20 are located approximately in the center of the lower body 3, and wheel support members 21 are connected to each of the right drive wheel 19 and the left drive wheel 20. These wheel support members 21 are movable in the vertical direction of the housing 1 around axis A, and a wheel spring (not shown) is placed between each of the two wheel support members 21 and the lower body 3. This wheel spring biases the wheel support members 21, the right drive wheel 19 and the left drive wheel 20 toward the floor.

[0029] In Figure 6, a portion of the battery 18 is located between the right drive wheel 19 and the left drive wheel 20, but the battery 18 could also be positioned behind the right drive wheel 19 and the left drive wheel 20. However, in this embodiment, the battery 18 is positioned at the rear of the housing 1 so that the center of gravity of the housing 1 is at the rear of the housing. For this reason, the two wheel support sections It is preferable that at least a portion of the battery 18 is located between the shafts A of each of the materials 21.

[0030] In Figure 6, a suction port 22 for collecting dust is formed in front of the battery 18 and in front of the right drive wheel 19 and the left drive wheel 20, and the main brush 23 is rotatably supported inside this suction port 22.

[0031] Step sensors 24 are positioned on both the left and right sides of the intake port 22. Each step sensor 24 has a light-emitting part and a light-receiving part, and detects when the housing 1 approaches a step.

[0032] In Figure 6, the tip of the step sensor 24 is located on or approximately at the same axis as the rotation axis of the main brush 23. Alternatively, the tip of the step sensor 24 may be positioned behind the axis of the rotation axis of the main brush 23.

[0033] The step sensor 24 may be placed in locations other than those shown in Figure 6. For example, it may be placed on the front side of the lower body 3.

[0034] In front of the step sensor 24 is a recess 25, and the side brush 8 is positioned with its axis approximately in the center of this recess 25. The side brush 8 rotates toward the suction port 22. Therefore, in Figure 6, the left side brush 8 rotates clockwise, and the right side brush 8 rotates counterclockwise.

[0035] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner 100, which is the device of this embodiment, as seen from the front and below.

[0036] In Figure 7, recesses 25 are formed on the left and right sides of the front of the lower body 3, where side brushes 8 are positioned. The length of the side brushes 8 is such that they protrude further outward from these recesses 25 than the housing 1.

[0037] Figure 8 is a functional block diagram of the vacuum cleaner 100 of Embodiment 1. Note that components of a typical autonomous vacuum cleaner that are not directly related to this embodiment have been omitted.

[0038] In Figure 8, the communication unit 101 can wirelessly connect to a communication terminal 300, a router 200, etc., and has communication functions such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) and Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0039] The storage unit 102 consists of a non-volatile memory, such as flash memory, and stores control programs and various parameters executed by the control unit 110.

[0040] The suction motor 104 is a motor for generating suction air. The suction motor 104 and the suction port 22 formed on the back of the vacuum cleaner 100 are in communication, and the suction motor 104 sucks in outside air and dust from the suction port 22.

[0041] The right drive unit 44 is a motor for driving the right drive wheel 19. The left drive unit 45 is a motor for driving the left drive wheel 20.

[0042] The rotation detection unit 103 detects the rotation direction, rotation speed, and rotational velocity of the right drive wheel 19 and the left drive wheel 20, respectively.

[0043] The sensor group 105 has multiple types of sensors. The step sensor 24 is located on the underside of the vacuum cleaner 100 and is a sensor that detects steps in the floor surface. This step sensor 24 is, for example, an infrared sensor having a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element.

[0044] The infrared sensor 11 is, for example, an infrared sensor having a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, and is placed on the front of the vacuum cleaner 100 to detect the presence or absence of obstacles around the vacuum cleaner 100 and the distance to those obstacles. Note that this infrared sensor 11 may be placed not only on the front of the vacuum cleaner 100, but also on the right side, left side, rear side, etc.

[0045] The ultrasonic sensor 10 is an ultrasonic sensor having an output unit that emits ultrasonic waves and an input unit that detects reflected ultrasonic waves. Multiple ultrasonic sensors are arranged on the front of the vacuum cleaner 100 to detect the presence or absence of obstacles around the vacuum cleaner 100 and the distance to those obstacles. Note that the ultrasonic sensor 10 may be arranged not only on the front of the vacuum cleaner 100, but also on the right side, left side, rear side, etc.

[0046] The gyro sensor 12 is a sensor that detects the direction and speed of movement of the vacuum cleaner 100.

[0047] The LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) 6 has a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit, as well as a rotation mechanism and motor for rotating these elements.

[0048] Furthermore, as a method for detecting obstacles, for example, an imaging device such as a camera may be used to detect obstacles through image processing.

[0049] The control unit 110 consists of a microcomputer, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and is responsible for controlling each circuit. The control unit 110 includes a movement control unit 111, a position information calculation unit 112, and a map information creation unit 113.

[0050] The mobile control unit 111 performs cleaning when instructed to start by the user or according to the cleaning plan. For example, the mobile control unit 111 starts cleaning when the set cleaning start time arrives. While the vacuum cleaner 100 is moving, the mobile control unit 111 rotates the main brush 23 and the side brush 8 to clean the floor surface and drives the suction motor 104 to suck up dust and dirt.

[0051] The movement control unit 111 moves the vacuum cleaner 100 by controlling the right drive unit 44 and the left drive unit 45 to drive the right drive wheel 19 and the left drive wheel 20. When cleaning is started, the movement control unit 111 detaches the vacuum cleaner 100 from the base station (charging stand). The movement control unit 111 travels around the room according to a predetermined travel plan or randomly, for example, by referring to a map stored in the storage unit 102. When cleaning is finished, the movement control unit 111 returns the vacuum cleaner 100 to the base station (charging stand), for example by referring to a map stored in the storage unit 102.

[0052] The movement control unit 111 moves the vacuum cleaner 100 by controlling the right drive unit 44 and the left drive unit 45 to drive the right drive wheel 19 and the left drive wheel 20 when creating map information. For example, map information can be created by moving the vacuum cleaner 100 in a zigzag pattern within a room or along the walls of the room.

[0053] The position information calculation unit 112 calculates its own position information from the information detected by the LIDAR 6 and the information detected by the rotation detection unit 103. The information detected by the rotation detection unit 103 is, for example, information such as the rotation angle and displacement of the drive wheels. In this embodiment, the position of the charging stand is used as the initial position, and the own position information is calculated from the information detected by the LIDAR 6 and the information detected by the rotation detection unit 103 from this holding position. The method for calculating the own position is, for example, an odometry method.

[0054] Furthermore, the location information calculation unit 112 can calculate its own position information using methods other than those described above. For example, it can also calculate information indicating the current location of the vacuum cleaner 100 using information about obstacles detected by the infrared sensor 11 and ultrasonic sensor 10 (information such as the presence or absence of obstacles and the distance to the obstacles), information about obstacles detected by the LIDAR 6 (information such as the presence or absence of obstacles and the distance to the obstacles), and information such as the rotation direction, speed, and rotation speed of the drive wheels detected by the rotation detection unit 103.

[0055] Furthermore, the position information calculation unit 112 may also use information such as the direction and speed of the vacuum cleaner 100 detected by the gyro sensor 12 to calculate information indicating the current location of the autonomously moving vacuum cleaner.

[0056] The map information creation unit 113 creates map information that includes room layout information using, for example, information about obstacles detected by the infrared sensor 11 and ultrasonic sensor 10 (information such as the presence or absence of obstacles and the distance to obstacles) and information about obstacles detected by LIDAR 6 (information such as the presence or absence of obstacles and the distance to obstacles). This map information mainly includes the locations of walls and obstacles in the room. It is also possible to use only the information detected by LIDAR 6 when creating the map information.

[0057] In this embodiment, the map is created on the server 400 or communication terminal 300 based on the information created by the map information creation unit 113. The user can view a map of the room being cleaned by the vacuum cleaner 100 by displaying the map on the display unit 305 of the communication terminal 300, such as a smartphone. In addition, the following settings can be made by the user.

[0058] For example, this includes setting the cleaning route for the vacuum cleaner 100, setting areas where the vacuum cleaner 100 is prohibited from entering or cleaning, setting areas where the vacuum cleaner 100 will clean, and setting the date and time for cleaning.

[0059] In this embodiment, the location information calculation unit 112 calculates the current location of the autonomous vacuum cleaner, and the map information created by the map information creation unit 113 is included in a frame described later, and transmitted to a communication terminal 300 or the like using the communication unit 101.

[0060] Figure 9 is a block diagram of server 400.

[0061] In Figure 9, the server control unit 401 consists of a microcomputer, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and is responsible for controlling each circuit.

[0062] The server communication unit 402 connects to the communication network N using a communication protocol such as TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol). The server storage unit 403 stores various data transmitted and received by the server communication unit 402.

[0063] Figure 10 is a block diagram of the communication terminal 300.

[0064] The terminal control unit 301 consists of a microcomputer, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and is responsible for controlling each circuit. The terminal control unit 301 has a map creation unit 302. The terminal communication unit 303 establishes a wireless connection with the base station.

[0065] The short-range wireless unit 304 can wirelessly connect to the vacuum cleaner 100, etc., and has communication functions such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or Bluetooth (registered trademark). If unit 00 also has a short-range wireless unit, it is possible to use this short-range wireless unit 304 to connect directly to the vacuum cleaner 100.

[0066] The display unit 305 is, for example, a liquid crystal display device with touch panel functionality. The input unit 306 is, for example, a capacitive touch panel mounted on the display unit 305. The terminal storage unit 307 consists of, for example, non-volatile memory such as flash memory, and stores control programs executed by the terminal control unit 301, various parameters, map information, maps (maps to be displayed on the display unit 305), etc.

[0067] Figure 11 is a sequence diagram of the vacuum cleaner system in Embodiment 1. In the method shown in Figure 11, map information from the vacuum cleaner 100 is sequentially transmitted to the server 400 and stored in the server 400's storage unit. Subsequently, when a request for map information is received from the communication terminal 300, the server 400 transmits the map information to the communication terminal 300, and the communication terminal 300 creates and displays a map based on the received map information. Note that the router 200, which is wirelessly connected to the vacuum cleaner 100, is omitted in Figure 11.

[0068] In the method shown in Figure 11, map information from the vacuum cleaner 100 is temporarily stored in the server 400, and the communication terminal 300 receives the map information stored in the server 400 and creates a map. Therefore, once the vacuum cleaner 100 has completed its run and the map information has been compiled, the user of the communication terminal 300 can view the map.

[0069] In Figure 11, when the vacuum cleaner 100 starts operation, it notifies the server 400 that it is in operation. In this embodiment, the vacuum cleaner 100 also notifies the server 400 of its status each time its status changes. The status of the vacuum cleaner 100 includes, for example, the start and end of cleaning, the operating status, and errors such as becoming immobile.

[0070] As shown in Figure 11, status notification (operating) includes, for example, the creation of room map information or the performance of cleaning operations after the room map information has been created.

[0071] The vacuum cleaner 100 creates a frame at predetermined time intervals (for example, every second). Each frame contains information about obstacles such as walls and floors, information about the trajectory of the vacuum cleaner 100, and information about the positions of obstacles, including walls.

[0072] Specifically, this includes information calculated by the vacuum cleaner 100's location information calculation unit 112 indicating the location of the autonomously moving vacuum cleaner, information regarding the vacuum cleaner 100's trajectory, and map information created by the map information creation unit 113.

[0073] Additionally, each frame is assigned a number. The first frame sent from the vacuum cleaner 100 to the server 400 after the vacuum cleaner 100 starts operating is frame 0, and the number increases every second as each frame sent from the vacuum cleaner 100 becomes frame 1, frame 2, frame 3, and so on.

[0074] When frame 0 is created on the vacuum cleaner 100 side, frame 0 is sent from the vacuum cleaner 100 to the server 400. When the server communication unit 402 on the server 400 side receives frame 0, it is stored in the server storage unit 403. Subsequently, when frame 1 is created on the vacuum cleaner 100 side, frame 1 is sent from the vacuum cleaner 100 to the server 400. When the server communication unit 402 on the server 400 side receives frame 1, it is stored in the server storage unit 403. In this way, frame data is sent from the vacuum cleaner 100 to the server 400 every second, starting with frame 0.

[0075] Then, when the operation of vacuum cleaner 100 is finished, a message to that effect is sent from vacuum cleaner 100 to server 400. The information is transmitted. Subsequently, the server 400 saves map information from the multiple frame data stored in the server storage unit 403.

[0076] When the communication terminal 300 initiates the launch of a specific application (for example, an application that displays a room map), it requests the server 400 to send map information. In response, the server 400 sends the map information stored in the server storage unit 403 to the communication terminal 300.

[0077] The communication terminal 300 creates a map using the map information received from the server 400 and displays it on the display unit 305.

[0078] Furthermore, regarding the sequence diagram shown in Figure 11, if the communication terminal 300 requests map information from the server 400 while the vacuum cleaner 100 is transmitting a frame to the server 400, the server 400 may, at that point, transmit the map information stored in the server storage unit 403 to the communication terminal 300, or the server 400 may transmit a signal to the communication terminal 300 indicating that it refuses to transmit the map information.

[0079] Furthermore, the map information transmitted from the vacuum cleaner 100 to the server 400 may be stored in the storage compartment of the communication terminal 300, or it may be stored in both the storage compartment of the server 400 and the storage compartment of the communication terminal 300.

[0080] Furthermore, the communication terminal 300 may create the map, or the server 400 or the vacuum cleaner 100 may have the function of creating a map and the function of storing the created map.

[0081] Figure 12 is another sequence diagram of the vacuum cleaner system of Embodiment 1. In the method shown in Figure 12, map information from the vacuum cleaner 100 is sequentially transmitted to the server 400, stored in the server 400's storage unit, and the server 400 transmits the map information to the communication terminal 300. The communication terminal 300 sequentially creates a map each time it receives map information (creating the map so that areas for which a map has not yet been created are updated sequentially). Therefore, the user of the communication terminal 300 can see the location of the vacuum cleaner 100 and the progress of map creation in real time.

[0082] In Figure 12, when the vacuum cleaner 100 starts operation, it notifies the server 400 that it is in operation. In this embodiment, the vacuum cleaner 100 also notifies the server 400 of its status each time its status changes. The status of the vacuum cleaner 100 includes, for example, the start and end of cleaning, the operating status, and errors such as becoming immobile.

[0083] As shown in Figure 12, status notification (operating) includes, for example, the creation of room map information or the performance of cleaning operations after the room map information has been created.

[0084] The vacuum cleaner 100 creates a frame at predetermined time intervals (for example, every second). Each frame contains information about obstacles such as walls and floors, information about the trajectory of the vacuum cleaner 100, and information about the positions of obstacles, including walls.

[0085] Specifically, this includes information calculated by the vacuum cleaner 100 location information calculation unit 112 indicating where the vacuum cleaner 100 was located, information regarding the vacuum cleaner 100's trajectory, and map information created by the map information creation unit 113.

[0086] Additionally, each frame is assigned a number. The first frame sent from the vacuum cleaner 100 to the server 400 after the vacuum cleaner 100 starts operation is frame 0, and frames 1 Each time a signal is sent from vacuum cleaner 100 every second, the frame number increases to frame 1, frame 2, frame 3, and so on.

[0087] When frame 0 is created on the vacuum cleaner 100 side, frame 0 is sent from the vacuum cleaner 100 to the server 400. When the server communication unit 402 on the server 400 side receives frame 0, it stores it in the server storage unit 403, and then the server communication unit 402 sends frame 0 to the communication terminal 300. When the communication terminal 300 receives frame 0, it stores it in the terminal storage unit 307. In the example in Figure 12, it is assumed that the communication terminal 300 has launched the application and is in a state where it can display the map before receiving frame 0. However, when executing the sequence diagram in Figure 12, the communication terminal 300 can receive the frame even if the application is not running.

[0088] Next, when frame 1 is created on the vacuum cleaner 100 side, frame 1 is sent from the vacuum cleaner 100 to the server 400. When the server communication unit 402 on the server 400 side receives frame 1, it is stored in the server storage unit 403, and frame 1 is sent from the server communication unit 402 to the communication terminal 300. When the communication terminal 300 receives frame 1, it stores it in the terminal storage unit 307.

[0089] In this way, frame data is sent from the vacuum cleaner 100 to the server 400 every second, starting from frame 0.

[0090] Each time the communication terminal 300 receives a frame, the map creation unit 302 creates a map from the map information contained in the received frame, and the display unit 305 displays the created map. In this way, maps are created or updated one after another.

[0091] Then, when the operation of the vacuum cleaner 100 is finished, information to that effect is sent from the vacuum cleaner 100 to the server 400.

[0092] In this way, by operating according to the sequence diagram shown in Figure 11 or Figure 12, the terminal control unit 301 of the communication terminal 300 can display a map on the display unit 305. (Example 2) Next, we will describe Example 2. Since the devices and systems in Example 2 are the same as those in Example 1, we will omit their description.

[0093] In Embodiment 2, the user can operate the input unit 306 of the communication terminal 300 to divide the area in which the vacuum cleaner 100 travels into multiple sections and set the order in which the vacuum cleaner travels through these divided sections.

[0094] Furthermore, if, for example, the vacuum cleaner moves sequentially from area A to area B within one of the divided areas, and an event occurs within area A (for example, detecting an obstacle a predetermined number of times), the vacuum cleaner will stop moving within area A, then move to area B, and begin moving within area B.

[0095] First, when the terminal control unit 301 of the communication terminal 300 displays a map on the display unit 305 and receives an operation from the input unit 306, it can divide the area on the map into four areas A to D, as shown in Figure 13. The shape of each area A to D can be a rectangle, like areas A to C, or an L-shape, like area D, or any other shape. Furthermore, the size of each area can be freely set by the user.

[0096] For example, multiple area shapes can be prepared in advance, and after the user selects an area shape, each area can be... The size of the area can be changed by performing zoom-in or zoom-out operations.

[0097] The user can also set the order in which the vacuum cleaner 100 will clean, and the terminal control unit 301 can receive an operation from the input unit 306 regarding the order in which each area A to D should be cleaned.

[0098] Specifically, the terminal control unit 301 of the communication terminal 300 displays a map on the display unit 305 based on the input from the input unit 306. Subsequently, when the terminal control unit 301 determines that there is an operation to input the shape and location of each of the regions A to D from the input unit 306, it displays a map divided into multiple regions A to D on the display unit 305, for example, as shown in Figure 13.

[0099] Furthermore, when the terminal control unit 301 determines that there is an operation from the input unit 306 to input the order in which the vacuum cleaner 100 will travel, it can set the order in which the vacuum cleaner 100 will travel through areas A to D.

[0100] When the terminal control unit 301 determines that these input operations have been completed, it stores information such as the size and location of multiple regions A to D, and the order in which regions A to D are traveled, along with a map, in the terminal storage unit 307.

[0101] In this embodiment, the cleaning is set to proceed in the order of areas A, B, C, and D, but it is also possible to set it in other orders, such as areas A, D, B, and C.

[0102] Furthermore, the map stored in the terminal storage unit 307 is transmitted to the vacuum cleaner 100 via the server 400, and the vacuum cleaner 100 operates based on this map.

[0103] Figure 14 shows the routes that the vacuum cleaner travels through areas A and B on the map. The vacuum cleaner 100 travels through each area, for example, in a zigzag pattern, and the zigzag lines in Figure 14 represent the routes that the vacuum cleaner 100 travels.

[0104] Vacuum cleaner 100 travels sequentially from the upper left (starting position) to the lower right (ending position) of area A. Once the vacuum cleaner reaches the lower right (ending position) of area A, it then travels to the upper left (starting position) of area B, and travels in a zigzag pattern within area B to reach the lower right (ending position) of area B. Similarly, the vacuum cleaner 100 travels in a zigzag pattern within areas C and D.

[0105] When the vacuum cleaner 100 is moving, the control unit 110 controls the right drive unit 44, the left drive unit 45, etc., to start moving from the upper left (starting position) of area A. When the LIDAR 6, etc. of the vacuum cleaner 100 detects an obstacle on the travel route a predetermined number of times (for example, 5 to 7 times), the control unit 110 controls the right drive unit 44, the left drive unit 45, etc., to stop the vacuum cleaner 100 from moving along the travel route, then move to the upper left (starting position) of area B, and start moving from the upper left (starting position) of area B.

[0106] Furthermore, since the driving route is set to an area without obstacles when the map is created, if an obstacle is detected on the driving route while the vacuum cleaner 100 is driving after the map has been created, it is highly likely that an obstacle was placed on the driving route after the map was created. In addition, in this embodiment, the system is configured to detect an obstacle on the driving route a predetermined number of times, but it may also be configured to stop driving if an obstacle that does not exist on the map is detected a predetermined number of times within each area.

[0107] Thus, in Embodiment 2, when the control unit 110 determines that it has detected an obstacle a predetermined number of times in area A, it stops traveling in area A, and after the vacuum cleaner 100 moves to area B, it starts traveling in area B. Therefore, because there is an obstacle on the travel route, the vacuum cleaner 100 does not take evasive action. Even if events occur that prevent the vacuum cleaner 100 from moving forward or otherwise, the time it spends traveling on the map can be minimized. The configuration of this embodiment is particularly useful when the user prioritizes reducing the time it takes to complete cleaning rather than completely cleaning the entire area.

[0108] In Example 2, the system was configured to move to the next area after detecting an obstacle a predetermined number of times. However, it is also possible to configure the system to move to the next area after detecting an obstacle in each area for a predetermined amount of time.

[0109] The vacuum cleaner 100 may detect obstacles not shown on the map while moving between areas. If the vacuum cleaner 100 detects an obstacle a predetermined number of times (for example, 1 to 3 times) while moving from area A to area B, it may be configured to either stop moving to area B and start moving to area C, or to move to the final point of a room divided into multiple areas. In this case, it can be said that the cleaning is forcibly terminated.

[0110] The number of times obstacles are detected may be changed depending on the movement state of the vacuum cleaner 100. For example, the vacuum cleaner 100 may move to the next area after detecting an obstacle four times while moving along a wall, while the vacuum cleaner 100 may move to the next area after detecting an obstacle seven times while moving in a zigzag pattern.

[0111] Regarding the configuration in which the vacuum cleaner moves to the next area when an obstacle is detected for a predetermined time, the control unit 110 may be configured to stop the vacuum cleaner 100 when it determines that an obstacle has been stopped in the same position on the travel route for a predetermined time, or it may be configured to stop the vacuum cleaner 100 when it determines that an obstacle has been moving on the travel route for a predetermined time.

[0112] The control unit 110 may stop the vacuum cleaner 100 from moving if it determines that it has detected an obstacle for a predetermined time while the vacuum cleaner 100 is moving, or it may stop the vacuum cleaner 100 from moving if it determines that it has detected an obstacle for a predetermined time while the vacuum cleaner 100 is stopped.

[0113] When the vacuum cleaner 100 moves between different areas, it may be configured to move along the shortest distance between those areas.

[0114] In this embodiment, the vacuum cleaner 100 is configured to move to the next area when an event occurs. However, as another example of an event, the vacuum cleaner 100 may move to the next area when its battery capacity falls below a predetermined level. This can be achieved by incorporating a circuit to detect the battery capacity, and the control unit 110 controlling the movement based on the detection result of this circuit.

[0115] Alternatively, the vacuum cleaner 100 may be configured to move to the next area when the amount of dust stored in its dust box exceeds a predetermined amount. In this case, the dust box can be equipped with a sensor, such as an optical sensor, to detect the amount of dust, and the control unit 110 can control the movement based on the detection result of this sensor. (Example 3) Next, we will describe Example 3. Since the apparatus and system in Example 3 are the same as in Example 1, we will omit their description.

[0116] In Example 3, the user can set an area on the map in which the vacuum cleaner 100 will travel. Furthermore, if the area set by the user includes obstacles or walls, the system will automatically display the area so that it does not include those obstacles or walls.

[0117] Figure 15 shows an example of a map displayed on the display unit 305 of the communication terminal 300. The map shows walls and obstacles.

[0118] The user can set the area on the map displayed on the display unit 305 by tracing the area where the vacuum cleaner 100 will travel (for example, the area to be cleaned) with their finger. For example, as shown in Figure 16, if the user tries to set the area indicated by the dotted line as the cleaning area, there are two obstacles within the cleaning area. Therefore, as shown in Figure 17, the cleaning area is automatically displayed without including the two obstacles and the wall.

[0119] To explain the specific control method, when the terminal control unit 301 is displaying a map on the display unit 305 (the map shown in Figure 15 is displayed on the display unit 305) and an operation to input a cleaning area is received from the input unit 306 (the area shown by the dotted line on the map shown in Figure 16 is input as the cleaning area), the terminal control unit 301 determines whether or not there are walls and obstacles within the input cleaning area, and if they are present, it automatically displays the vacuum cleaner area so as not to include those walls and obstacles. At this time, the position of the cleaning area is automatically changed so that the cleaning area is located at a predetermined distance (for example, 1 meter in actual space, or a few millimeters on the display screen) away from the walls and obstacles.

[0120] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 15, the walls of the room are roughly rectangular when viewed from above. However, depending on the room layout, the walls are generally irregular. In this case, the automatically displayed area will be an irregular shape rather than a rectangle. However, even if the room layout is irregular, the area to be automatically cleaned can be configured to be a rectangle or a shape with minimal irregularities.

[0121] According to the configuration of Example 3, the user does not need to perform any fine-tuning operations when setting the cleaning area, so the user can easily set the cleaning area. (Example 4) Next, we will describe Example 4. Since the apparatus and systems in Example 4 are the same as those in Example 1, we will omit their description.

[0122] In Example 4, the user can remove obstacles on the map. For example, while the vacuum cleaner 100 is moving to acquire map information, a person might temporarily stop to chat. In that case, the legs of the person temporarily standing and chatting would be identified as an obstacle and reflected on the map.

[0123] Subsequently, when the vacuum cleaner performs cleaning, even though the user's legs are no longer on the actual route, the user's legs will still appear as obstacles on the map, causing the vacuum cleaner 100 to avoid cleaning the area where the user's feet were located. Embodiment 4 was devised to avoid this situation.

[0124] Figure 18 shows a map displayed on the display unit 305 of the communication terminal 300. This map shows walls and obstacles.

[0125] The user can specify the obstacles to be removed by tracing the area containing the obstacles on the map displayed on the display unit 305 with their finger. For example, as shown in Figure 18, if the user specifies the area indicated by the dotted line, there are two obstacles within the specified area, and as shown in Figure 19, the two obstacles within the specified area can be deleted.

[0126] To explain the specific control method, when the terminal control unit 301 is displaying a map on the display unit 305 and the input unit 306 receives an operation to select an obstacle to be deleted (for example, an operation to surround an obstacle with a dotted line on the map shown in Figure 18), the terminal control unit 301 determines whether or not an obstacle exists within the input dotted line area, and if it does, it deletes that obstacle. Delete and display the map.

[0127] This configuration allows the user to easily remove any temporary obstacles. Furthermore, it ensures that the area the vacuum cleaner 100 cleans is as wide as possible.

[0128] In this embodiment, the area containing the obstacle to be erased is enclosed by a rectangle, for example, with a finger. However, it may also be enclosed by a circle instead of a rectangle, or the obstacle itself may be selected directly. (Example 5) Next, we will describe Example 5. Figure 20 shows the display screen of the display unit 305 in Example 5. As shown in Figure 20, the upper part of the display screen shows a map and a vacuum cleaner 100, and the lower part of the display screen shows an icon shaped like a vacuum cleaner 100.

[0129] The vacuum cleaner 100 shown at the top of the display screen is represented, for example, by a black circle. While displaying an icon such as a picture of the vacuum cleaner 100 on the map would be easier for the user to understand, if the map area is large, it may be difficult to display the icon on the map. In order to maintain consistency between the size of the vacuum cleaner 100 and the size of the map, it may be necessary to display the vacuum cleaner 100 with a simple shape such as a black circle.

[0130] If we were to represent vacuum cleaner 100 with a black circle, for example, it would be impossible to tell which direction the vacuum cleaner is currently facing, which could lead to problems such as the user not knowing how to operate vacuum cleaner 100 remotely.

[0131] Furthermore, even if the vacuum cleaner 100 were displayed not as a black circle, but as a small icon such as a circle or square, it might still be unclear which direction the vacuum cleaner 100 is currently facing.

[0132] Therefore, in Example 5, a large icon resembling a vacuum cleaner 100 is displayed at the bottom of the map screen, and the display of the icon is changed according to the direction that the vacuum cleaner 100, shown at the top of the map screen, is currently facing.

[0133] When the vacuum cleaner 100, shown as a black circle at the top of the display screen in Figure 20, is facing the top of the page in Figure 20 as its direction of travel, the icon for the vacuum cleaner 100 shown at the bottom of the display screen in Figure 20 will also be facing the top of the page as its direction of travel.

[0134] Similarly, as shown in Figure 21, for example, if the vacuum cleaner 100, represented by the black circle at the top of the display screen in Figure 21, is facing the left side of the page in Figure 21, the icon for the vacuum cleaner 100 shown at the bottom of the display screen in Figure 21 will also face the left side of the page. In the same way for other directions, the display of the icon for the vacuum cleaner 100 changes according to the orientation of the vacuum cleaner 100 on the map.

[0135] Thus, in Example 5, a large icon resembling the shape of the vacuum cleaner 100 is displayed at the bottom of the map screen, and the orientation of the icon is changed to match the direction that the vacuum cleaner 100, shown at the top of the map screen, is currently facing.

[0136] This configuration allows the user to easily determine which direction the vacuum cleaner 100 is facing on the map.

[0137] Furthermore, the vacuum cleaner 100 on the map could be a still image showing its current orientation, or it could be a video where the display of the vacuum cleaner 100 icon changes in accordance with the movement of the black circle representing the vacuum cleaner 100.

[0138] In Example 5, the user can easily operate the vacuum cleaner 100 by tracing on or around the icon.

[0139] For example, as shown by the arrow in Figure 22, if the user traces around the icon from left to right on the page of Figure 22, the display of the vacuum cleaner 100 icon changes so that it faces to the right, as shown in Figure 23. Accordingly, the control unit 110 controls the actual vacuum cleaner to also face to the right. Similarly, for example, if the user traces around the icon from right to left, the vacuum cleaner 100 icon will face to the left.

[0140] Specifically, when the terminal control unit 301 determines from the input unit 306 that there is an operation to change the direction of the vacuum cleaner 100, it sends information indicating that instruction from the terminal communication unit 303 to the vacuum cleaner 100 via the server 400, or sends it directly to the vacuum cleaner 100.

[0141] When the control unit 110 of the vacuum cleaner 100 determines that the communication unit 101 has received information indicating the instruction, it controls the right drive unit 44 or the left drive unit 45 to drive the vacuum cleaner 100 according to the instruction.

[0142] In this way, the user can easily change the direction in which the vacuum cleaner 100 is pointed by tracing around or on the icon in the direction they want the vacuum cleaner 100 to point.

[0143] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 24, when the user traces the icon from bottom to top in Figure 24, the vacuum cleaner 100 moves forward. In other words, by tracing the icon of the vacuum cleaner 100 in the direction the user wants the vacuum cleaner 100 to move, the vacuum cleaner 100 will move or rotate in the traced direction. Alternatively, the vacuum cleaner 100 may be moved in the direction of the tap by tapping once or multiple times in the direction the user wants the vacuum cleaner 100 to move.

[0144] Furthermore, in Figure 24, if the user traces the icon from top to bottom on the page of Figure 24, the vacuum cleaner 100 will move backward. Also, in Figure 24, the user can stop the vacuum cleaner 100 by tapping the icon of the vacuum cleaner 100 multiple times or touching it for a predetermined amount of time or longer.

[0145] Furthermore, when the vacuum cleaner 100 is stopped, the icon for the vacuum cleaner 100 may change to red or blink, or display in a different way from the icon indicating that the vacuum cleaner 100 is cleaning. In particular, when the vacuum cleaner 100 is stopped in an emergency, the icon for the vacuum cleaner 100 may be configured to display differently from the icon indicating that it is cleaning.

[0146] Thus, in Example 5, the user can easily operate the vacuum cleaner 100. Furthermore, in the event of an emergency stop, the display of the vacuum cleaner 100 icon can be changed to differ from the display for cleaning, etc., making it easy to inform the user that an event such as an emergency stop has occurred.

[0147] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the map is displayed at the top of the display screen and the icons at the bottom. However, other display formats are also possible, such as displaying the map and icons on the left and right sides, respectively. Alternatively, the icons may be overlaid on a portion of the map. In this case, if the icons are displayed so that they are visible through the screen, the map will not be obscured by the vacuum cleaner 100, thus increasing convenience for the user.

[0148] Furthermore, although all embodiments have been described using examples of vacuum cleaners, the same methods can be applied to self-propelled devices such as surveillance robots, robots that transport silicon wafers in semiconductor factories, and transport robots that carry luggage in logistics warehouses, factories, hotels, airports, etc. [Industrial applicability]

[0149] The vacuum cleaner system disclosed herein can be widely applied to household vacuum cleaner systems as well as to facilities such as factories, offices, airports, and hospitals. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0150] 1 cabinet 2 Upper body 3 Lower body 4 Bumper 5 Cover 6 LIDAR 7 Exhaust vent 8 Side Brushes 9 Rear wheels 10 Ultrasonic Sensors 11. Infrared sensor 12 Gyro Sensor 18 batteries 19 Right drive wheel 20 Left drive wheel 21 Wheel support member 22 Inlet 23 Main Brush 24 Step Sensor 25 indentations 100 vacuum cleaner 101 Communications Department 102 Storage Unit 103 Rotation detection unit 104 Suction motor 105 Sensor Group 110 Control Unit 111 Movement Control Unit 112 Location information calculation unit 113 Map Information Creation Department 200 routers 300 communication terminals 302 Mapmaking Department 303 Terminal Communications Department 304 Short-range radio section 305 Display section 306 Input section 307 Terminal storage unit 400 servers 401 Server Control Unit 402 Server Communications Department 403 Server Storage Unit

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner system comprising an autonomous vacuum cleaner and a storage unit that stores a map including the area in which the autonomous vacuum cleaner travels, The map stored in the memory unit is divided into multiple regions, The plurality of regions include at least a first region and a second region. The autonomous vacuum cleaner is capable of traveling between the first region and the second region. The autonomous vacuum cleaner system is configured such that, when an event occurs while it is traveling in the first region, it stops traveling in the first region and starts traveling in the second region.

2. The vacuum cleaner system according to claim 1, wherein the event is the autonomous vacuum cleaner detecting an obstacle that is not present on the map within the first area a predetermined number of times or for a predetermined period of time or longer.

3. The vacuum cleaner system according to claim 1, wherein the event is the autonomous vacuum cleaner detecting an obstacle that is not present on the map on a driving route within the first area a predetermined number of times or for a predetermined period of time or longer.

4. The vacuum cleaner system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the autonomous vacuum cleaner travels the shortest distance when moving from the first area to the second area.

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