Display device and system

Abstract

To display a map by deleting as much information as possible that is unnecessary for a user.SOLUTION: A terminal control unit 301 of a communication terminal 300 starts a map application in response to the operation of an input unit 306 (step S1). When receiving map information from a server, the communication terminal 300 creates a map using the map information that a map creation unit 302 receives (step S3). When determining there is information detected by LIDAR or the like outside a room, the map creation unit 302 creates a map so as not to display the information detected outside the room, and displays the map on a display unit 305 (step S5).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 17

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to display devices and systems. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a vacuum cleaner that has a function of detecting the surrounding situation using an obstacle sensor and creating a map based on the detection results. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-205028 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In recent years, vacuum cleaners equipped with LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) have been commercialized, expanding the detection range of obstacles. However, if all obstacles detected by the vacuum cleaner are displayed, for example, as in the map described in Patent Document 1, obstacles located outside the room will also be displayed, and unnecessary information for the user will be displayed on the display. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present invention is a display device that can display on a map obstacles detected by the LIDAR while an autonomous vacuum cleaner is traveling, the display device having a LIDAR arranged in a housing and a bumper that detects collisions with obstacles.When the display device displays the map, it can display at least one of the obstacles, the amount of dust, and the traveling route of the autonomous vacuum cleaner in the inner area, which is the area surrounded by walls, and displays the map in an outer area, which is the area outside the walls, so as not to reflect information detected by the LIDAR.

[0006] The present invention is a system having an autonomous vacuum cleaner and a display device, wherein the autonomous vacuum cleaner has a LIDAR arranged on a housing and a bumper that detects collisions with obstacles, and the display device is capable of displaying on a map obstacles detected by the LIDAR while the autonomous vacuum cleaner is traveling, and when displaying the map, the display device is capable of displaying at least one of obstacles, the amount of dust, and the traveling route of the autonomous vacuum cleaner in an inner area that is an area surrounded by walls, and displays the map in an outer area that is an area outside the walls in a way that does not reflect information detected by the LIDAR. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, when a map is displayed, information unnecessary for the user can be eliminated as much as possible. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a vacuum cleaner system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 is a plan view of a vacuum cleaner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 1 is a left side view of the vacuum cleaner 100 of this embodiment. [Figure 5] Front view of the vacuum cleaner 100 of this embodiment [Figure 6] 1 is a bottom view of the vacuum cleaner 100 of this embodiment. [Figure 7] 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 8] Block diagram of a vacuum cleaner 100 according to a first embodiment [Figure 9] Block diagram of a server according to the first embodiment [Figure 10] Block diagram of a communication terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] Sequence diagram of the vacuum cleaner system according to the first embodiment [Figure 12] Sequence diagram of the vacuum cleaner system according to the first embodiment [Figure 13] FIG. 10 shows an example of a display on the display unit 305 according to the second embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 shows an example of a display on the display unit 305 according to the second embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 shows an example of a display on the display unit 305 according to the second embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 shows an example of a display on the display unit 305 according to the second embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the communication terminal 300 according to the second embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 13 shows an example of a display on the display unit 305 according to the third embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 13 shows an example of a display on the display unit 305 according to the third embodiment. [Figure 20] Sequence diagram of the vacuum cleaner system according to the third embodiment [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the communication terminal 300 according to the third embodiment. [Figure 22] FIG. 13 shows an example of a display on the display unit 305 according to the third embodiment. [Figure 23] FIG. 13 shows an example of a display on the display unit 305 according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 24] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the communication terminal 300 according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 25] FIG. 13 shows a display example of the display unit 305 in the fifth embodiment. [Figure 26] FIG. 20 shows the operational transition of the vacuum cleaner 100 according to the sixth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0010] The accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0011] Example 1 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a vacuum cleaner system according to a first embodiment.

[0012] In FIG. 1, an autonomous vacuum cleaner (vacuum cleaner 100) can be wirelessly connected to a router 200 by short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0013] The router 200 can be wirelessly connected to the vacuum cleaner 100 using 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.

[0014] The communication terminal 300 is a communication terminal that can be operated using a touch panel such as a smartphone, a mobile phone, a personal computer, or the like, and has a function to connect to the communication network N.

[0015] The 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 .

[0016] The vacuum cleaner 100 not only has a function for short-distance wireless connection but also has a function for connecting to a wireless network using a technology such as WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave The wireless communication device may have a function for performing long-distance wireless communication such as Wireless Access (registered trademark), or may have a function for connecting to a communication network N via a cable.

[0017] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device of this embodiment, the vacuum cleaner 100. In Fig. 2, the front, rear, left and right sides of the vacuum cleaner 100 are indicated by arrows, respectively.

[0018] 2, the housing 1 of the vacuum cleaner 100 has an upper body 2 and a lower body 3, and a bumper 4 is disposed in front of the housing 1. One or more collision detection switches (not shown) are disposed inside the bumper 4, and when the bumper 4 collides with an obstacle, the bumper 4 moves toward the inside of the housing 1 and the switch turns on, detecting that the bumper 4 has collided with the obstacle.

[0019] A cover 5 is disposed on the top surface of the housing 1 and behind the bumper 4. A dust collection container (not shown) is disposed inside this cover 5, and when the user presses down on the cover 5, the front or rear of the cover 5 is released, allowing the dust collection container to be removed from the housing 1.

[0020] A LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) 6 is disposed behind the cover 5. This LIDAR 6 can detect obstacles and the like around the housing 1 by rotating the light emitting part and the light receiving part around the axis at the center of the LIDAR 6. It is also possible to create a map of the room by using this LIDAR 6.

[0021] Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device of this embodiment, the vacuum cleaner 100. In Fig. 3, the front, rear, left and right sides of the vacuum cleaner 100 are indicated by arrows, respectively.

[0022] 3, a bumper 4, which is roughly U-shaped when viewed from above, is disposed in front of the housing 1, and an upper body 2 is disposed behind the housing 1. A cover 5 is disposed between the bumper 4 and the upper body 2, and a LIDAR 6 is disposed behind the cover 5.

[0023] The bumper 4 is biased toward the front of the housing 1 by a spring (not shown) disposed inside, and there is a gap between the bumper 4 and the upper body 2. When the bumper 4 collides with an obstacle, the bumper 4 can move rearward by the amount of this gap against the force of the spring.

[0024] Fig. 4 is a left side view of the device of this embodiment, the vacuum cleaner 100. In Fig. 4, the front, rear, upper and lower sides of the vacuum cleaner 100 are indicated by arrows, respectively.

[0025] A bumper 4 is disposed in front of the housing 1, and an upper body 2 is disposed behind it. Exhaust ports 7 are formed on the left and right side surfaces of the upper body 2, and a LIDAR 6 is disposed on the rear upper surface of the upper body 2. Side brushes 8 are disposed in front of the lower body 3, and rear wheels 9 are disposed behind it.

[0026] Fig. 5 is a front view of the device of this embodiment, the vacuum cleaner 100. In Fig. 5, the upper, lower, left and right sides of the vacuum cleaner 100 are indicated by arrows, respectively.

[0027] Two ultrasonic sensors 10 and two infrared sensors 11 each having a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element are provided on the front surface of the bumper 4. Also, side brushes 8 are provided in front of the lower body 3. The side brushes 8 are provided on both the front right and front left sides of the lower body 3, but may be provided on either the front right or left side of the lower body 3.

[0028] FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the vacuum cleaner 100, which is the device of this embodiment. The front, back, left and right sides of 0 are indicated by arrows.

[0029] 6, rear wheels 9 are disposed behind the lower body 3, and a battery 18, which is a secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery, is disposed in front of the rear wheels 9. A right drive wheel 19 and a left drive wheel 20 are disposed approximately in the center of the lower body 3, and wheel support members 21 are connected to the right drive wheel 19 and the left drive wheel 20, respectively. The wheel support members 21 are movable in the vertical direction of the housing 1 about an axis A. Wheel springs (not shown) are disposed between the two wheel support members 21 and the lower body 3, and the wheel springs urge the wheel support members 21 and the right drive wheel 19 and the left drive wheel 20 toward the floor.

[0030] 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 may also be located behind the right drive wheel 19 and the left drive wheel 20. However, in this embodiment, the battery 18 is located behind the housing 1, so that the center of gravity of the housing 1 is located behind the housing. For this reason, it is preferable that at least a portion of the battery 18 is located between the axes A of the two wheel support members 21.

[0031] In FIG. 6, an intake port 22 for sucking in collected 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 a main brush 23 is rotatably supported inside this intake port 22.

[0032] Step sensors 24 are arranged on both the left and right sides of the suction port 22, and the step sensors 24 have a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, and detect when the housing 1 approaches a step.

[0033] 6, the tip of the step sensor 24 is located on or at approximately the same position as the axis of the rotation shaft of the main brush 23. Alternatively, the tip of the step sensor 24 may be located behind the axis of the rotation shaft of the main brush 23.

[0034] The step sensor 24 may be disposed at a position other than that shown in Figure 6. For example, it may be disposed on the front side of the lower body 3.

[0035] There is a recess 25 in front of the step sensor 24, and the side brushes 8 are arranged with their axis at approximately the center of this recess 25. The side brushes 8 rotate toward the suction port 22. Therefore, in FIG. 6, the left side brush 8 rotates clockwise, and the right side brush 8 rotates counterclockwise.

[0036] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cleaner 100, which is the device of this embodiment, as viewed from the front lower side.

[0037] 7, recesses 25 in which side brushes 8 are disposed are formed on the left and right sides of the front of the lower body 3. The length of the side brushes 8 is such that they protrude beyond the recesses 25 to the outside of the housing 1.

[0038] 8 is a functional block diagram of the vacuum cleaner 100 of Example 1. Note that, among the functional blocks of a normal autonomous vacuum cleaner, configurations that are not directly related to this example are omitted.

[0039] In FIG. 8, a communication unit 101 can be wirelessly connected to a communication terminal 300, a router 200, etc., and has a communication function such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0040] The storage unit 102 is made up of a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory, and the control unit The control program executed by 110 and various parameters are stored.

[0041] The suction motor 104 is a motor for generating suction air. The suction motor 104 and the suction port 22 formed on the rear surface of the vacuum cleaner 100 are in communication with each other, and the suction motor 104 sucks in outside air and dust from the suction port 22.

[0042] 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.

[0043] The rotation detection unit 103 detects the rotation direction, number of rotations, rotation speed, etc. of each of the right drive wheel 19 and the left drive wheel 20.

[0044] Sensor group 105 has multiple types of sensors. Step sensor 24 is a sensor that is arranged on the back surface of vacuum cleaner 100 and detects steps on the floor surface. Step sensor 24 is, for example, an infrared sensor that has a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element.

[0045] The infrared sensor 11 is an infrared sensor having, for example, a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, and is arranged on the front surface of the vacuum cleaner 100 to detect the presence or absence of obstacles around the vacuum cleaner 100, the distance to the obstacles, etc. Note that the infrared sensor 11 may be arranged not only on the front surface of the vacuum cleaner 100, but also on the right side, left side, rear surface, etc.

[0046] The ultrasonic sensor 10 is an ultrasonic sensor having an output section that emits ultrasonic waves and an input section that detects reflected ultrasonic waves, and a plurality of ultrasonic sensors 10 are arranged on the front surface of the vacuum cleaner 100 to detect the presence or absence of obstacles around the vacuum cleaner 100 and the distance to the obstacles, etc. Note that the ultrasonic sensors 10 may be arranged not only on the front surface of the vacuum cleaner 100 but also on the right side, left side, rear surface, etc.

[0047] The gyro sensor 12 is a sensor that detects the direction and speed of movement of the vacuum cleaner 100 .

[0048] The LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) 6 has a light emitting unit, a light receiving unit, and a rotation mechanism and a motor for rotating these elements.

[0049] The control unit 110 is made up of a microcomputer such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and controls 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 movement control unit 111 performs cleaning when instructed by the user to start cleaning or according to a cleaning schedule. For example, the movement control unit 111 starts a cleaning operation when a set cleaning start time arrives. While the vacuum cleaner 100 is traveling, the movement control unit 111 rotates the main brush 23 and the side brushes 8 to clean the floor surface and drives the suction motor 104 to suck up dust.

[0051] The movement control unit 111 controls the right drive unit 44 and the left drive unit 45 to drive the right drive wheel 19 and the left drive wheel 20, thereby moving the vacuum cleaner 100. When cleaning starts, the movement control unit 111 causes the vacuum cleaner 100 to detach from the base station (charging base). The movement control unit 111 travels around the room according to a predetermined travel plan or randomly, for example, while referring to a map stored in the storage unit 102. When cleaning is completed, the movement control unit 111 causes the vacuum cleaner 100 to return to the base station (charging base), for example, while referring to a map stored in the storage unit 102.

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

[0053] The position information calculation unit 112 calculates information about the vehicle's own position from information detected by the LIDAR 6 and information detected by the rotation detection unit 103. The information detected by the rotation detection unit 103 is, for example, information about the rotation angle and movement amount of the drive wheels. In this embodiment, the position of the charging stand is set as the initial position, and the vehicle's own position information is calculated from the holding position using information detected by the LIDAR 6 and information detected by the rotation detection unit 103. The vehicle's own position is calculated, for example, by an odometry method.

[0054] Note that the method of obtaining the information on the self-position by the position information calculation unit 112 is not limited to the above-mentioned method, and other methods are also possible. For example, it is possible to calculate information indicating the current location of the vacuum cleaner 100 using information on obstacles detected by the infrared sensor 11 or the ultrasonic sensor 10 (information on the presence or absence of an obstacle and the distance to the obstacle, etc.), information on obstacles detected by the LIDAR 6 (information on the presence or absence of an obstacle and the distance to the obstacle, etc.), and information on the rotation direction, speed, number of rotations, etc. of the drive wheels detected by the rotation detection unit 103.

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

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

[0057] In this embodiment, a map is created on the server 400 or the communication terminal 300 side based on the information created by the map information creation unit 113. The user can check the map of the room to be 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's operation.

[0058] For example, the setting of the route that the vacuum cleaner 100 will clean, the setting of areas that the vacuum cleaner 100 is prohibited from entering or cleaning, the setting of the area that the vacuum cleaner 100 will clean, the setting of the date and time that cleaning will be performed, etc.

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

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

[0061] In FIG. 9, a server control unit 401 is made up of a microcomputer such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and controls each circuit.

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

[0063] FIG. 10 is a block diagram of communication terminal 300. As shown in FIG.

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

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

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

[0067] Fig. 11 is a sequence diagram of the vacuum cleaner system of Example 1. In the method shown in Fig. 11, map information from vacuum cleaner 100 is sequentially transmitted to server 400 and stored in a storage unit of server 400. Thereafter, when communication terminal 300 requests map information from server 400, server 400 transmits the map information to communication terminal 300, and a map is created and displayed on the communication terminal 300 side based on the received map information. Note that router 200, which is wirelessly connected to vacuum cleaner 100, is omitted from Fig. 11.

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

[0069] 11, when the vacuum cleaner 100 starts operating, the vacuum cleaner 100 notifies the server 400 that it is operating. In this embodiment, the vacuum cleaner 100 notifies the server 400 of the status every time the status of the vacuum cleaner 100 changes. The status of the vacuum cleaner 100 includes, for example, the start and end of cleaning, the operating status, and errors such as being unable to move.

[0070] The status notification (in operation) shown in FIG. 11 includes, for example, a case where map information of a room is created, or a case where a cleaning operation is performed after the map information of a room is created.

[0071] The vacuum cleaner 100 creates a frame at predetermined time intervals (for example, every second). The 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, the information includes information calculated by the location information calculation unit 112 of the vacuum cleaner 100 indicating where the autonomous vacuum cleaner was located, information regarding the trajectory of the vacuum cleaner 100, and map information created by the map information creation unit 113.

[0073] The frames are also numbered. The first frame is the one that is numbered after the vacuum cleaner 100 starts operating. The frame transmitted from the vacuum cleaner 100 to the server 400 is frame 0, and the frame number increases every second as the vacuum cleaner 100 transmits a frame, such as frame 1, frame 2, and frame 3.

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

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

[0076] When an operation to start up specific application software (for example, an application that displays a map of a room) is performed on the communication terminal 300 side, a request to transmit map information is made to the server 400. In response, the server 400 transmits 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 (for example, a map as shown in FIG. 18). Regarding the sequence diagram shown in FIG. 11, if the communication terminal 300 requests map information from the server 400 while the vacuum cleaner 100 is sending a frame to the server 400, the server 400 may send the map information stored in the server storage unit 403 to the communication terminal 300 at that time, or the server 400 may send a signal to the communication terminal 300 indicating that it is refusing to send the map information.

[0078] Furthermore, the map information transmitted from the vacuum cleaner 100 to the server 400 may be stored in a storage unit of the communication terminal 300 instead of being stored in the server 400, or may be stored in both the storage unit of the server 400 and the storage unit of the communication terminal 300.

[0079] Fig. 12 is another sequence diagram of the vacuum cleaner system of Example 1. In the method shown in Fig. 12, map information from vacuum cleaner 100 is sequentially transmitted to server 400 and stored in a storage unit of server 400, and the map information is also transmitted from server 400 to communication terminal 300. Communication terminal 300 sequentially generates a map each time map information is received (the map is generated so as to sequentially update areas for which no map has yet been generated). This allows the user of communication terminal 300 to view the location of vacuum cleaner 100 and the status of maps being generated one after another in real time.

[0080] 12, when the vacuum cleaner 100 starts operating, the vacuum cleaner 100 notifies the server 400 that it is operating. In this embodiment, the vacuum cleaner 100 notifies the server 400 of the status every time the status of the vacuum cleaner 100 changes. The status of the vacuum cleaner 100 includes, for example, the start and end of cleaning, the operating status, and errors such as being unable to move.

[0081] The status notification (in operation) shown in FIG. 12 includes, for example, a case where map information of a room is created, or a case where a cleaning operation is performed after the map information of a room is created.

[0082] The vacuum cleaner 100 creates a frame at predetermined time intervals (for example, every second). The frame contains information about obstacles such as walls and floors, information about the trajectory of the vacuum cleaner 100, and information about obstacles including walls, floors, etc. It contains information about the location of obstacles, etc.

[0083] Specifically, the information includes information calculated by the position information calculation unit 112 of the vacuum cleaner 100 indicating where the vacuum cleaner 100 was located, information regarding the trajectory of the vacuum cleaner 100, and map information created by the map information creation unit 113.

[0084] Furthermore, frames are assigned numbers. The first frame transmitted from vacuum cleaner 100 to server 400 after vacuum cleaner 100 starts operating is frame 0, and the number increases every second as frames are transmitted from vacuum cleaner 100, such as frame 1, frame 2, and frame 3.

[0085] When frame 0 is created on the vacuum cleaner 100 side, it is transmitted from the vacuum cleaner 100 to the server 400. When frame 0 is received by the server communication unit 402 on the server 400 side, it is stored in the server storage unit 403, and the server communication unit 402 transmits frame 0 to the communication terminal 300. When the communication terminal 300 receives frame 0, it stores it in the terminal storage unit 307. Note that in the example of Fig. 12, it is assumed that the communication terminal 300 has launched an app and is in a state where it can display a map before receiving frame 0. However, when executing the sequence diagram of Fig. 12, the communication terminal 300 can receive frames even if the app is not launched.

[0086] Next, when frame 1 is created on the vacuum cleaner 100 side, it is transmitted from vacuum cleaner 100 to server 400. When frame 1 is received by server communication unit 402 on the server 400 side, it is stored in server storage unit 403, and frame 1 is transmitted from server communication unit 402 to communication terminal 300. When communication terminal 300 receives frame 1, it stores it in terminal storage unit 307.

[0087] In this way, frame data is transmitted from vacuum cleaner 100 to server 400 every second, starting from frame 0.

[0088] Every time communication terminal 300 receives a frame, map creation unit 302 creates a map from the map information included in the received frame, and display unit 305 displays the created map. In this way, maps are created or updated one after another.

[0089] Then, when the operation of the vacuum cleaner 100 is finished, the vacuum cleaner 100 transmits information to that effect to the server 400.

[0090] In this way, by operating in accordance with the sequence diagram shown in FIG. 11 or the sequence diagram shown in FIG. 12, the terminal control unit 301 of the communication terminal 300 can cause the display unit 305 to display a map. Example 2 Next, a description will be given of Example 2. The system configuration, the configuration of the vacuum cleaner 100, etc. are the same as those of Example 1, so the description will be omitted.

[0091] In Example 2, when the map creation unit 302 of the communication terminal 300 creates a map based on information from the map information creation unit 113 of the vacuum cleaner 100 and displays the map on the display unit 305, information detected by the LIDAR 6 or the like outside the room is not displayed on the map.

[0092] FIG. 13 shows an example of a map created on the communication terminal 300 side using the detection results of the LIDAR 6, ultrasonic sensor 10, and infrared sensor 11 of the vacuum cleaner 100. The walls of a room can be roughly created using the ultrasonic sensor 10, etc., but by adding information from the LIDAR 6, it is possible to create a more accurate map. However, the light from the LIDAR 6 is reflected by the glass. Because the light passes through glass, it will show parts of the wall that are protruding, as if they are flooded with water (the two circled areas in Figure 13). In other words, the light that passes through the glass will detect reflected light from outside the room, and if this information is used to create a map as is, even information detected outside the room will be displayed on the map.

[0093] In this embodiment, when a map is displayed, the portions of the map that extend beyond the glass or the like as a result of measurements by the LIDAR 6 are not displayed on the map. The display result is shown in Figure 14. By displaying the map in this manner, the user can use the map comfortably without wondering what the portions of the map that extend beyond the room are.

[0094] 13 and 14 show the results of actual experiments and are examples of displayed maps, but for ease of understanding, the following explanation will be given using simplified drawings of FIGS. 15 and 16.

[0095] FIG. 15 shows a simplified example of a map created by the communication terminal 300 using the detection results of the LIDAR 6, ultrasonic sensor 10, and infrared sensor 11 of the vacuum cleaner 100. The walls of a room can be roughly created using the ultrasonic sensor 10, etc., but a more accurate map can be created by adding information from the LIDAR 6. However, because light from the LIDAR 6 passes through glass, etc., parts that extend beyond the walls (extraneous information in FIG. 15) are displayed, as if they were flooded with water. In other words, the light that passes through the glass detects reflected light from outside the room, and if a map is created using this information as is, even information detected outside the room will be displayed on the map.

[0096] In this embodiment, when a map is displayed, the portions of the map that extend beyond the glass, etc., based on the measurement results of the LIDAR 6 are not displayed on the map. A simplified version of the display result is shown in Figure 16. By displaying the map in this way, the user can use the map comfortably without wondering what the portions of the map that extend beyond the room are.

[0097] Note that the information that lies outside the map of the room is not necessarily information detected by the LIDAR 6. There is a possibility that light from the infrared sensor passes through glass or the like to detect an object outside the room, and there is also a possibility that information that lies outside the map of the room may be detected by other obstacle detection methods. In the second embodiment, such information that lies outside the map of the room is not displayed on the map.

[0098] FIG. 17 is a flow diagram showing the operation of communication terminal 300.

[0099] In step S1, if the terminal control unit 301 determines that an operation to start a map application has been performed from the input unit 306, the process proceeds to step S2.

[0100] In step S2, the terminal control unit 301 controls the terminal communication unit 303 to receive map information from the vacuum cleaner 100 via the server 400, and stores the received map information in the terminal storage unit 307. In step S3, the map creation unit 302 starts creating a map.

[0101] In step S4, the map creation unit 302 determines whether there is a portion (e.g., extra information in FIG. 15) detected by the light emitted by the LIDAR 6 that protrudes from the room, based on the wall information created by the ultrasonic sensor 10 or the like and the information detected by the LIDAR 6. If it is determined that there is, the terminal control unit 301 proceeds to step S5.

[0102] As a more specific example, the map creation unit 302 creates information about the walls of the room based on information created by the ultrasonic sensor 10, and when it determines that there is information about an obstacle or the like detected by the LIDAR 6 outside the wall, it controls so that the information is not reflected on the map. do.

[0103] In step S5, the map creation unit 302 prevents the portion of the map detected by the light emitted by the LIDAR 6 that extends beyond the wall (extraneous information in Figure 15), and the terminal control unit 301 displays the map on the display unit 305 (for example, the display shown in Figure 16).

[0104] In step S6, the map creation unit 302 creates a map, and the terminal control unit 301 displays the map on the display unit 305 (for example, the display shown in FIG. 16).

[0105] When the map is displayed on the display unit 305 in step S5, if there are still parts of the map that extend beyond the room due to the processing capacity of the map creation unit 302 or other reasons, the user may be able to operate the input unit 306 to surround or trace the parts that extend beyond the room and delete them. Alternatively, corrections may be made to the map, such as extending walls or placing obstacles, based on the user's operation. For example, when the obstacle detection accuracy of the vacuum cleaner 100 is low, such a function is particularly user-friendly.

[0106] It is also possible to more reliably delete the protruding areas by storing and learning information about areas deleted automatically by the map creation unit 302 or areas deleted by the user in step S5. In this case, the functions of the map creation unit may be installed in the server 400, and the results may be sent to the communication terminal 300.

[0107] Furthermore, in step S6, when the map is displayed on the display unit 305, the user may be able to modify the map by operating the input unit 306. Here, modification refers to, for example, processing such as erasing walls or obstacles, extending or moving walls, or placing obstacles.

[0108] This process may be performed in real time while the vacuum cleaner 100 is moving and the map is being created on the communication terminal 300 side, or may be performed in response to an operation of the communication terminal 300. In other words, a map may be created in real time while the vacuum cleaner 100 is moving and the map may be displayed on the display unit 305 of the communication terminal 300, or the map may be displayed on the display unit 305 of the communication terminal 300 after the vacuum cleaner 100 has moved or after map information has been acquired.

[0109] The map displayed in Example 2 may be configured to be divided into a plurality of grids or cells, and the amount of dust in each cell may be displayed by varying the shade or color of the color. In this case, the vacuum cleaner may be equipped with a dust sensor that detects dust, and information about the amount of dust detected by the dust sensor may be reflected on the map.

[0110] 13 to 16 and the aforementioned amount of garbage may be displayed on a different color screen, or the two screens may be displayed side by side. In particular, by displaying the two screens side by side, the user can compare the two screens.

[0111] In the first and second embodiments and the following embodiments, the communication terminal may receive frames from the server via a public line and a base station, or may receive frames from the server via a router. Example 3 Next, a description will be given of Example 3. The system configuration, the configuration of the vacuum cleaner 100, etc. are the same as those of Example 1, so the description will be omitted.

[0112] In the third embodiment, when an error occurs while the vacuum cleaner is running (for example, the battery runs out, the dust container is full, the vacuum cleaner is unable to run, etc.), an error message corresponding to the error (for example, text such as E101) is displayed on the display unit 305 of the communication terminal 300 (for example, the display shown in FIG. 18).

[0113] Furthermore, in Example 3, after an error display is displayed on display unit 305 of communication terminal 300, guidance indicating the specific content of the error information (text that more specifically explains the content of the currently displayed error information, for example, "The battery is dead") is displayed on display unit 305 (for example, the display shown in Figure 19).

[0114] The error message may be in the form of numbers, English, Japanese, an abbreviation of some word, an icon, etc. If the error content is displayed as text (for example, "The vehicle is unable to be driven"), the number of characters to be displayed will be large. Therefore, if a vacuum cleaner icon is displayed on a map, the text and the vacuum cleaner icon are likely to overlap, which may make the location of the vacuum cleaner unclear. For this reason, it is preferable that the displayed error message be short.

[0115] It is also preferable to configure the vacuum cleaner so that the battery is monitored and, when the remaining battery power falls below a predetermined level, the vacuum cleaner 100 notifies the communication terminal 300 of this fact. By configuring in this way, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the remaining battery power suddenly drops to zero and communication itself becomes impossible.

[0116] The system operation of the third embodiment will be described with reference to the sequence diagram of FIG.

[0117] In the vacuum cleaner 100, when the control unit 110 of the vacuum cleaner 100 determines that some error has occurred while the vacuum cleaner 100 is moving (for example, the battery is dead, the dust container is full, the vacuum cleaner 100 is unable to move, etc.), the control unit 110 controls the communication unit 101 to include information about the error that has occurred (for example, the type of error, the location where the error occurred, the time of occurrence, etc.) in a frame and transmit the frame to the server 400 (step S301). Note that in the following description, the information about the error that has occurred will sometimes be referred to as error information.

[0118] In the server 400, when the server communication unit 402 receives the frame transmitted from the vacuum cleaner, the server control unit 401 stores the information contained in the received frame in the server storage unit 403 and controls the server communication unit 402 to transmit the received frame to the communication terminal 300 (step S302).

[0119] In the communication terminal 300, when the terminal control unit 301 determines that the frame received by the terminal communication unit 303 contains error information, it displays text data indicating that an error has occurred on the display unit 305 (step S303).

[0120] It should be noted that the user may be notified of the occurrence of an error by vibrating a vibrator built into the communication terminal 300 or by generating an alarm sound from a speaker.

[0121] In the communication terminal 300, the terminal control unit 301 displays an error along with a map on the display unit 305. For example, as shown in Fig. 18, text indicating the type of error (for example, E101) is displayed on the map (step S304).

[0122] By seeing this display, the user can know that some kind of error has occurred while the robot cleaner was cleaning. After that, a detailed explanation (guidance) regarding the error can be displayed on the display unit 305.

[0123] Next, the operation of the communication terminal 300 will be described in more detail with reference to the flow chart of FIG.

[0124] First, when communication terminal 300 is in a standby state, in step S311, if terminal control unit 301 determines that terminal communication unit 303 has received a frame and that the frame contains information about the error that has occurred (for example, the type of error, the location where the error occurred, the time of occurrence, etc.), then in step S312, it displays text data indicating that an error has occurred (for example, "vacuum cleaner Error") on display unit 305. On the other hand, if terminal communication unit 303 does not receive a frame containing error information, terminal control unit 301 proceeds to step S317.

[0125] In step S312, the user may be notified that an error has occurred by vibrating a vibrator built into communication terminal 300 or by generating an alarm sound from a speaker, etc. Alternatively, an icon or the like indicating that an error has occurred may be displayed on display unit 305 instead of text data.

[0126] In step S313, if the terminal control unit 301 determines that an operation to start an application for displaying a map has been performed from the input unit 306, the process proceeds to step S314; otherwise, the communication terminal 300 remains in the standby state.

[0127] In step S314, the map creation unit 302 creates a map from the map information stored in the terminal storage unit 307, and the terminal control unit 301 displays the created map together with an error message at the location where the error occurred on the display unit 305. For example, as shown in Fig. 18, an error message (e.g., E101) is displayed on the map at the location where the error occurred.

[0128] By looking at this display, the user can know at what point an error has occurred while the robot cleaner was cleaning.

[0129] In step S315, if the terminal control unit 301 determines that an operation to display guidance (operation instructions related to the currently displayed screen or icon) has been performed from the input unit 306, the terminal control unit 301 proceeds to step S316, and if no operation has been performed, the terminal control unit 301 remains in standby mode.

[0130] In step S316, the terminal control unit 301 displays guidance (such as text that more specifically explains the nature of the currently displayed error, for example, "The battery is dead") on the display unit 305. At this time, a method for dealing with the error may also be displayed. This guidance may be stored in the terminal storage unit 307 in advance, or may be stored in the server storage unit 403 of the server 400 and received from the server 400.

[0131] In step S317, if the terminal control unit 301 determines that a map is being displayed on the display unit 305, the process proceeds to step S318; otherwise, the standby state is maintained and the process returns to step S311. The map referred to in step S317 is a state in which the error message displayed in step S314 is not being displayed. In step S317, the terminal control unit 301 determines whether an application for displaying a map has already been started and a map is being displayed on the display unit 305 before receiving the frame containing the error information in step S311.

[0132] In step S318, if the terminal control unit 301 determines that an operation to display guidance (operation instructions related to the currently displayed screen or icon) has been performed from the input unit 306, the processing proceeds to step S319, and if no operation has been performed, the terminal control unit 301 remains in standby mode.

[0133] In step S319, the terminal control unit 301 displays guidance (operation instructions related to the currently displayed screen or icon) on the display unit 305. Fig. 19 is an example of a display screen showing the guidance.

[0134] In this way, in the third embodiment, when an error occurs in the vacuum cleaner 100 during cleaning, the display unit 305 of the communication terminal 300 is notified of the occurrence of the error, and when the user displays a map, text corresponding to the error is displayed on the map. Furthermore, when the user performs an operation to display guidance in this state, guidance related to the displayed text is displayed.

[0135] Furthermore, if an operation to display guidance is performed while communication terminal 300 is on standby, guidance such as an explanation related to the currently displayed screen is displayed (for example, in the display form shown in FIG. 22).

[0136] In the third embodiment, the user of the communication terminal 300 can know that an error has occurred while the vacuum cleaner 100 is cleaning, and can also know what kind of information has specifically been generated about the error. Furthermore, the user can also know how to deal with the error.

[0137] The map and text may be displayed in real time when an error occurs in the vacuum cleaner 100, or may be displayed after the vacuum cleaner 100 has finished cleaning. Furthermore, the map and text may be configured to be enlarged. This configuration can avoid the text being too small to read as much as possible, and also allows the user to check in more detail where the error occurred.

[0138] The map information, error information, etc. may be stored in the server storage unit 403 of the server 400 or in the terminal storage unit 307 of the communication terminal 300.

[0139] The map displayed in the third embodiment may be configured such that the map is divided into a plurality of grids or cells, and the amount of dust in each cell is displayed by varying the shade or color of the color. In this case, the vacuum cleaner is equipped with a dust sensor that detects dust, and information about the amount of dust detected by the dust sensor is reflected on the map.

[0140] Furthermore, the screen displaying the text corresponding to the error and the screen displaying the amount of dust mentioned above may be switched by using different colors, or the two screens may be displayed side by side. In particular, by displaying the two screens side by side, the user can compare the two screens.

[0141] Examples of guidance include "Charging stand not found," "The tire has come off the floor. Please check," "The battery is dead," "The dust collection container is full," and "The vehicle cannot be driven."

[0142] When notifying that the dust container is full, a configuration may be adopted in which a notification is sent to communication terminal 300 when the amount of dust in the dust container is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount while vacuum cleaner 100 is charging on the charging base. If the dust container becomes full while vacuum cleaner 100 is cleaning, vacuum cleaner 100 will not be able to collect dust even if it is forced to move thereafter, so if the dust container is full, it is better for vacuum cleaner 100 to wait on the charging base until the user has emptied the dust in the dust container.

[0143] In the third embodiment, when an error occurs in the vacuum cleaner 100, the display unit 305 of the communication terminal 300 is configured to notify the user that an error has occurred, but when the error is cleared in the vacuum cleaner 100, the error display on the display unit 305 of the communication terminal 300 may be automatically cleared, or a message indicating that the error has been cleared may be displayed on the display unit 305 of the communication terminal 300. Also, a history of error occurrences and error clearing may be stored in one or more storage units of the vacuum cleaner 100, the server 400, and the communication terminal 300, and the history may be made viewable later on the display unit 305 of the communication terminal 300. Example 4 Next, a description will be given of Example 4. The system configuration, the configuration of the vacuum cleaner 100, etc. are the same as those of Example 1, so the description will be omitted.

[0144] In the fourth embodiment, after cleaning is completed, the user can check the path traveled by the vacuum cleaner 100. More specifically, in response to an operation by the user of the communication terminal 300, a map is displayed on the display unit 305 of the communication terminal 300, and the path traveled by the vacuum cleaner 100 is displayed as an animation. Fig. 23 shows an example of a display on the display unit 305 in the fourth embodiment.

[0145] In Fig. 23, the display unit 305 of the communication terminal 300 displays a map of the room, as well as icons for the charging base and the vacuum cleaner 100, and also displays the path that the vacuum cleaner 100 has taken from the charging base. Furthermore, operation icons are displayed at the bottom of the screen, and when the user touches the central icon, the vacuum cleaner 100 starts moving from the charging base. This is the so-called play button. When the user touches the icon on the right, the vacuum cleaner 100 moves fast forward. This is the so-called fast forward button. When the user touches the icon on the left, the vacuum cleaner 100 moves backward. This is the so-called reverse button.

[0146] In this way, in the fourth embodiment, the movement of the vacuum cleaner 100 in response to the user's operation is displayed like an animation, and the user can check the location to which the vacuum cleaner 100 has moved. Also, an icon for stopping the vacuum cleaner may be displayed on the display unit.

[0147] Next, the operation of communication terminal 300 will be described with reference to Fig. 24. Fig. 24 is a flow diagram showing the operation of communication terminal 300.

[0148] First, in the standby state, when the terminal control unit 301 determines that an operation to start an application has been made from the input unit 306, the process proceeds to step S412 (step S411).

[0149] Next, the terminal control unit 301 displays a map and icons as shown in FIG. 23 on the display unit 305 (step S412).

[0150] In step S413, if the terminal control unit 301 determines that the play icon has been operated from the input unit 306, in step 414, it controls the display unit 305 to display an animation of the vacuum cleaner 100 moving from the charging base, and returns the process to step S413.

[0151] In step S415, if the terminal control unit 301 determines that the fast-forward operation icon has been operated from the input unit 306, in step 416, it controls the display unit 305 to display an animation of the vacuum cleaner 100 moving in fast forward, and returns the process to step S413.

[0152] In step S417, if the terminal control unit 301 determines that the reverse operation icon has been operated from the input unit 306, in step 418, it controls the display unit 305 to display an animation of the vacuum cleaner 100 moving in reverse, and returns the process to step S413.

[0153] In step S419, if the terminal control unit determines that an operation to terminate the application has been made from the input unit 306, the terminal control unit terminates the application and goes into a standby state. On the other hand, if it determines that no operation has been made, the process returns to step S413.

[0154] Needless to say, in the process from step S411 to S419, Other controls are also performed, such as an incoming call notification if an incoming call is received, but a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0155] In the fourth embodiment, information about the path traveled by the vacuum cleaner 100 may be stored in the server storage unit 403 of the server 400, or may be stored in the terminal storage unit 307 of the communication terminal 300. In order to configure the display of animation after cleaning is completed, all frames including the position information of the vacuum cleaner 100 transmitted from the vacuum cleaner 100 need to be stored in the server storage unit 403 or the terminal storage unit 307. However, in order to configure the display of animation of the path traveled by the vacuum cleaner 100 before the vacuum cleaner 100 completes cleaning, the position information of the vacuum cleaner 100 stored in the server storage unit 403 or the terminal storage unit 307 may be read out and the animation before the cleaning is completed may be displayed.

[0156] In this case, it is possible to display in real time an animation of the vacuum cleaner 100 performing cleaning. In this case, it is preferable to perform the operations shown in the sequence diagram of FIG.

[0157] In this way, in the fourth embodiment, the movement of the vacuum cleaner 100 in response to the user's operation is displayed like an animation, and the user can check the locations and order in which the vacuum cleaner 100 has moved. In addition, the user can also rewind to view a part that he or she missed, or fast-forward to play the animation faster.

[0158] The map displayed in the fourth embodiment may be configured such that the map is divided into a plurality of grids or cells, and the amount of dust in each cell is displayed by varying the shade or color of the color. In this case, the vacuum cleaner 100 is equipped with a dust sensor that detects dust, and information about the amount of dust detected by the dust sensor is reflected on the map.

[0159] 23 and the previously mentioned screen showing the amount of dust may be switched using different colors, or the two screens may be displayed side by side. In particular, by displaying the two screens side by side, the user can compare the two screens. Example 5 Next, a description will be given of Example 5. The system configuration, the configuration of the vacuum cleaner 100, etc. are the same as those of Example 1, so the description will be omitted.

[0160] In the fifth embodiment, the vacuum cleaner 100 has a silent mode. When the silent mode is set to ON, the vacuum cleaner 100 reduces the power of the suction motor 104, reduces the power of the brush rotation motor, reduces the movement speed, and suppresses the output of the electronic sound (alert sound) when cleaning. The configuration may be such that any one of these is selectively performed, or such that all of them are performed.

[0161] By running the vacuum cleaner 100 in silent mode, it is possible to avoid situations where the user is woken up by the sound of the vacuum cleaner 100 while sleeping, or is unable to concentrate while studying, etc., due to the sound of the vacuum cleaner 100.

[0162] Furthermore, in the fifth embodiment, the user can set an area to be cleaned and an area where cleaning is prohibited. Fig. 25 shows an example of a screen displayed on the display unit 305. As shown in Fig. 25, a map of the room, area A, and area B are displayed on the display unit 305. Area A is, for example, an area to be cleaned by the vacuum cleaner 100, and area B is an area where the vacuum cleaner 100 is prohibited from moving. The user can set an area to be cleaned and an area where movement is prohibited by tracing or surrounding the area with a finger on the display unit.

[0163] Furthermore, in the fifth embodiment, the area in which the vacuum cleaner runs in silent mode can be set. 24. For example, areas A and B shown in FIG. 24 can be set as areas to run in silent mode.

[0164] Alternatively, the settings may be made for each room. For example, the bedroom and study may be set as areas where the vacuum cleaner 100 runs in silent mode, the kitchen may be set as an area where the vacuum cleaner 100 cleans normally, and the toilet and other areas may be set as areas where the vacuum cleaner 100 is prohibited from moving.

[0165] Information about the silent mode set on the communication terminal 300 side can be included in a frame and sent from the communication terminal 300 to the vacuum cleaner 100 via the server 400, thereby enabling remote setting from the communication terminal 300 to the vacuum cleaner 100. Settings for areas to be cleaned, areas where movement is prohibited, and areas to move in silent mode can also be made in the same way. Example 6 Next, a sixth embodiment will be described. The system configuration, the configuration of the vacuum cleaner 100, etc. are basically the same as those of the first embodiment, so the description will be omitted. The difference from the first embodiment is that the vacuum cleaner 100 has a dust sensor that detects dust.

[0166] In the sixth embodiment, the suction power, travel speed, and operation of the suction motor are changed according to the amount of dust detected by the dust sensor (for example, on a five-level scale, with 5 being the most and 1 being the least). Fig. 26 shows an example of such a table, where the suction power is strong when the amount of dust is 5 or 4, medium when the amount of dust is 3 or 2, and weak when the amount of dust is 1.

[0167] Furthermore, the running speed is slow when the amount of dust is 5, 4, or 3, and normal when the amount of dust is 2 or 1. Furthermore, when the amount of dust is 5, the vacuum cleaner 100 moves back and forth, and when the amount of dust is 4 or less, the vacuum cleaner 100 performs a running running operation.

[0168] In this way, in places where there is a large amount of dust, the suction power of the suction motor is increased and the travel speed is slowed down, and conversely, in places where there is a small amount of dust, the suction power of the suction motor is reduced to below normal and the travel speed is made normal.

[0169] With this configuration, it is possible to reliably clean up dust in places with a lot of dust, while avoiding unnecessary power consumption in places with little dust. (Other possible embodiments for all examples) In this embodiment, a map is displayed on the display unit 305 of the communication terminal 300, but it is also possible to have a display unit installed in the vacuum cleaner 100 and display the map on the vacuum cleaner 100, or to display the map on a display unit of a personal computer or the like connected to the network N.

[0170] When receiving a frame from the server 400, the communication terminal 300 may receive the frame from a base station connected to a public line network, or may receive the frame via a router by wirelessly connecting to a home router or the like.

[0171] Although the function for creating a map is installed in the communication terminal 300, the function for creating a map may be installed in the vacuum cleaner 100 or the server 400, and the communication terminal 300 may receive and display the map from the server 400 or from the vacuum cleaner 100 via the server 400.

[0172] The total amount of dust detected by the dust sensor in one cleaning may be displayed as a bar graph, and multiple bar graphs may be displayed. Also, the cumulative amount of dust detected by the dust sensor in multiple cleanings may be displayed as a bar graph. Furthermore, when the total amount of dust detected by the dust sensor in one cleaning is displayed as a bar graph and multiple bar graphs are displayed, when the user selects a bar graph, a map of the room corresponding to the selected bar graph may be displayed. In this case, Alternatively, the room may be divided into a plurality of cells and the amount of dust in each cell may be displayed by using different shades of color.

[0173] The current running status of the vacuum cleaner may be displayed on the display. For example, the currently detected amount of dirt, the running speed, suction power, operation, and other statuses of the items shown in Fig. 26 may be displayed on the display. In this case, the information may be displayed in text, or as an animation or icon of the vacuum cleaner.

[0174] A camera may be mounted on the vacuum cleaner, and when an intruder is detected, the vacuum cleaner may recognize people from images captured by the camera and notify the communication terminal 300 of the detection. [Industrial Applicability]

[0175] The display device, system having an autonomous vacuum cleaner and a display device, display method and program of the present disclosure can be widely applied not only to home use, but also to offices, factories, restaurants, etc., or public facilities such as airports and hospitals. [Explanation of symbols]

[0176] 1 chassis 2 Upper body 3 Lower body 4 Bumper 5 Cover 6. LIDAR 7. Exhaust port 8 Side Brush 9 rear wheels 10 Ultrasonic Sensor 11 Infrared sensor 12 Gyro sensor 18 Battery 19 Right drive wheel 20 Left drive wheel 21 Wheel support member 22 Intake port 23 Main Brush 24 Cliff sensor 25 depression 100 vacuum cleaner 101 Communications Department 102 Storage area 103 Rotation detection unit 104 Suction motor 105 Sensor Group 110 control section 111 Movement control unit 112 Location information calculation unit 113 Map Information Creation Department 200 Routers 300 Communication terminal 302 Map Creation Department 303 Terminal Communication Unit 304 Short-Range Radio Section 305 Display section 306 Input section 307 Terminal storage section 400 servers 401 Server control unit 402 Server Communication Department 403 Server Storage

Claims

1. A display device capable of displaying on a map an obstacle detected by the LIDAR while an autonomous vacuum cleaner is traveling, the display device having a LIDAR disposed in a housing and a bumper for detecting a collision with an obstacle, When the display device displays the map, it is capable of displaying at least one of obstacles, the amount of dust, and the travel route of the autonomous vacuum cleaner in an inner area that is an area surrounded by a wall, and the map is displayed in an outer area that is an area outside the wall so as not to reflect information detected by the LIDAR.

2. A system having an autonomous vacuum cleaner and a display device, The autonomous vacuum cleaner has a LIDAR disposed on a housing and a bumper that detects a collision with an obstacle, the display device is a display device capable of displaying on a map an obstacle detected by the LIDAR while the autonomous vacuum cleaner is traveling, A system having an autonomous vacuum cleaner and a display device, wherein when displaying the map, the display device is capable of displaying at least one of obstacles, the amount of dust, and the driving route of the autonomous vacuum cleaner in an inner area that is an area surrounded by a wall, and displays a map in an outer area that is an area outside the wall in a way that does not reflect information detected by the LIDAR.

Images