Robot cleaner and control method therefor

Abstract

Disclosed are a robot cleaner and a control method therefor. In particular, the robot cleaner comprises: a driving unit; a memory for storing at least one instruction; and at least one processor for executing the at least one instruction. The at least one processor: acquires information about a carpet disposed in a space to be cleaned; determines, on the basis of the information about the carpet, a path for the robot cleaner to clean the carpet; determines, on the basis of the information about the carpet, a first suction force for cleaning a first area corresponding to the center portion of the carpet and a second suction force for cleaning a second area of the carpet different from the first area; and controls the driving unit so that the robot cleaner operates on the basis of the first suction force and the second suction force while moving along the path.

Description

Robot vacuum cleaner and control method thereof

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a robot vacuum cleaner and a control method thereof. Specifically, the present disclosure relates to a robot vacuum cleaner capable of cleaning a carpet present on a floor surface and a control method thereof.

[0002] Recently, there has been continuous advancement in technology for robot vacuum cleaners that can automatically move along a driving path and clean the floor, and in particular, robot vacuum cleaners that can clean in an appropriate way depending on the type of floor have been provided.

[0003] However, when carpets are present on the floor, they often have different characteristics, although they are also subject to cleaning like the floor. Furthermore, because carpets vary widely in their characteristics, the appropriate cleaning method may vary depending on the carpet's characteristics. The robot vacuum's travel path may also vary depending on the carpet's characteristics.

[0004] For example, the type of carpet fibers contained in the carpet may determine the appropriate suction power, and the thickness and shape of the carpet may also determine the path the robot vacuum cleaner will take while cleaning the carpet.

[0005] However, conventional robot vacuum cleaners have limitations in that they attempt to climb onto carpets in various ways and perform cleaning in limited ways when carpets are present on the floor, and they cannot provide suitable driving paths and cleaning methods that take into account the various characteristics of carpets.

[0006] The present disclosure is intended to address the limitations of the prior art as described above, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a robot vacuum cleaner and a control method thereof that can provide a suitable driving path and cleaning method by taking into account various characteristics of a carpet.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a robot cleaner includes a driving unit, a memory storing at least one instruction, and at least one processor executing the at least one instruction, wherein the at least one processor obtains information about a carpet arranged in a cleaning space, determines a path for the robot cleaner to clean the carpet based on the information about the carpet, determines a first suction force for cleaning a first area corresponding to a center of the carpet and a second suction force for cleaning a second area of ​​the carpet different from the first area, and controls the driving unit to operate based on the first suction force and the second suction force while the robot cleaner moves along the path.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method for controlling a robot cleaner includes the steps of: obtaining information about a carpet arranged in a cleaning space; determining a path for the robot cleaner to clean the carpet based on the information about the carpet; determining a first suction power for cleaning a first area corresponding to a center of the carpet and a second suction power for cleaning a second area different from the first area based on the information about the carpet; and controlling the robot cleaner to operate based on the first suction power and the second suction power while the robot cleaner moves along the determined path.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium including a program for executing a control method of an electronic device includes the steps of: obtaining information about a carpet arranged in a cleaning space; determining a path for the robot cleaner to clean the carpet based on the information about the carpet; determining a first suction power for cleaning a first area corresponding to a center of the carpet and a second suction power for cleaning a second area different from the first area based on the information about the carpet; and controlling the robot cleaner to operate based on the first suction power and the second suction power while the robot cleaner moves along the determined path.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a robot vacuum cleaner according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0011] FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are diagrams showing exemplary movements of a robot cleaner according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure along a path for entering a carpet;

[0012] FIGS. 4 to 9 are diagrams showing exemplary movements of a robot vacuum cleaner moving along a path according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0013] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of a robot vacuum cleaner according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0014] FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 are diagrams illustrating an exemplary process for obtaining information about a carpet according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, and

[0015] FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a robot vacuum cleaner according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0016] The present embodiments may be modified and have various embodiments. Specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. However, this is not intended to limit the scope to specific embodiments, but should be understood to encompass various modifications, equivalents, and / or alternatives of the embodiments of the present disclosure. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar components.

[0017] In describing the present disclosure, if it is determined that a specific description of a related known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present disclosure, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0018] Additionally, the following embodiments may be modified in various other forms, and the scope of the technical concepts of the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments. Rather, these embodiments are provided to further faithfully and completely convey the technical concepts of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0019] The terminology used in this disclosure is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the rights. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0020] In this disclosure, expressions such as “has,” “can have,” “includes,” or “may include” indicate the presence of a corresponding feature (e.g., a component such as a number, function, operation, or part), and do not exclude the presence of additional features.

[0021] In this disclosure, expressions such as “A or B,” “at least one of A and / or B,” or “one or more of A or / and B” can include all possible combinations of the listed items. For example, “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” or “at least one of A or B” can all refer to (1) including at least one A, (2) including at least one B, or (3) including both at least one A and at least one B.

[0022] The expressions “first,” “second,” “first,” or “second,” etc., used in this disclosure can describe various components, regardless of order and / or importance, and are only used to distinguish one component from another, but do not limit the components.

[0023] When it is said that a component (e.g., a first component) is “(operatively or communicatively) coupled with / to” or “connected to” another component (e.g., a second component), it should be understood that said component may be directly coupled to said other component, or may be coupled via another component (e.g., a third component).

[0024] On the other hand, when it is said that a component (e.g., a first component) is "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another component (e.g., a second component), it can be understood that no other component (e.g., a third component) exists between said component and said other component.

[0025] The expression "configured to" as used in the present disclosure may be used interchangeably with, for example, "suitable for," "having the capacity to," "designed to," "adapted to," "made to," or "capable of." The term "configured to" may not necessarily mean only "specifically designed to" in terms of hardware.

[0026] Instead, in some contexts, the phrase "a device configured to" may mean that the device, in conjunction with other devices or components, is "capable of" performing A, B, and C. For example, the phrase "a processor configured (or set) to perform A, B, and C" may refer to a dedicated processor (e.g., an embedded processor) for performing those operations, or a general-purpose processor (e.g., a CPU or application processor) that can perform those operations by executing one or more software programs stored in a memory device.

[0027] In the embodiments, a 'module' or 'part' performs at least one function or operation, and may be implemented as hardware or software, or as a combination of hardware and software. Furthermore, a plurality of 'modules' or 'parts' may be integrated into at least one module and implemented as at least one processor, except for a 'module' or 'part' that needs to be implemented as a specific hardware.

[0028] Meanwhile, the various elements and areas in the drawings are schematically drawn. Therefore, the technical concept of the present invention is not limited by the relative sizes or spacing depicted in the attached drawings.

[0029] Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described in detail so that a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present disclosure pertains can easily implement the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a drawing briefly showing the configuration of a robot vacuum cleaner (100) according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0031] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a robot cleaner (100) according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may include a driving unit (110), a memory (120), and a processor (130).

[0032] The driving unit (110) can control the operation of the robot cleaner (100). Specifically, the driving unit (110) can include a plurality of wheels and at least one motor, and the at least one motor can include a suction motor, a brush control motor, a wheel motor, etc. At least one motor included in the driving unit (110) can be implemented as various types of motors, such as a DC (Direct Current) motor, an AC (Alternative Current) motor, and a BLDC (Brushless DC) motor.

[0033] A 'suction motor' refers to a motor capable of generating suction pressure. Specifically, when a control signal is received from a processor (130) and power is supplied from a power supply, an impeller can rotate by driving the suction motor. A suction pressure is generated by the rotation of the impeller, and air containing contaminants can be sucked into the suction port of the robot cleaner (100) by this suction pressure. Meanwhile, the suction pressure can increase as the speed of the suction motor increases. As described below, in the description of the present disclosure, the magnitude of the suction pressure generated by the suction motor is referred to as 'suction power'.

[0034] A 'brush motor' refers to a motor that can control the position and operation of at least one of a plurality of brushes included in a robot cleaner (100). For example, the processor (130) can control the brush motor to lower the position of the wet brush (i.e., a mop) among the plurality of brushes to clean the floor, so that the wet brush can come into contact with the floor. In addition, the processor (130) can control the brush motor to raise the position of the wet brush to prevent the floor from being cleaned using the wet brush, so that the wet brush can not come into contact with the floor.

[0035] The 'wheel motor' can control the operation of the wheel included in the robot cleaner (100). Specifically, the wheel motor can control the direction of movement and speed of the wheel included in the robot cleaner (100) by controlling the rotational direction and speed of the wheel. When the robot cleaner (100) includes two wheels, a left wheel and a right wheel, the wheel motor can include a left wheel motor and a right wheel motor, and the left wheel motor and the right wheel motor can control the rotational direction and speed of the left wheel and the right wheel, respectively.

[0036] At least one instruction regarding the robot cleaner (100) may be stored in the memory (120). In addition, an O / S (Operating System) for operating the robot cleaner (100) may be stored in the memory (120). In addition, various software programs or applications for operating the robot cleaner (100) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be stored in the memory (120). In addition, the memory (120) may include a semiconductor memory such as a flash memory or a magnetic storage medium such as a hard disk.

[0037] Specifically, various software modules for operating the robot cleaner (100) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be stored in the memory (120), and the processor (130) may control the operation of the robot cleaner (100) by executing the various software modules stored in the memory (120). That is, the memory (120) is accessed by the processor (130), and data reading / recording / modifying / deleting / updating, etc. may be performed by the processor (130).

[0038] Meanwhile, in the present disclosure, the term memory (120) may be used to mean a memory (120), a ROM, a RAM in a processor (130), or a memory card (e.g., a micro SD card, a memory stick) mounted in a robot cleaner (100).

[0039] In one or more embodiments, the memory (120) may store information about a driving path of the robot cleaner (100), information about a carpet, information about suction power for each path, information about a brush for each path, and the like. The information about the driving path stored in the memory (120) may be updated based on user input, type information about the type of floor surface, and the information about the carpet may be updated whenever it is acquired through at least one sensor (140).

[0040] In addition, various information necessary within the scope of achieving the purpose of the present disclosure may be stored in the memory (120), and the information stored in the memory (120) may be updated as received from an external device or input by a user.

[0041] The processor (130) controls the overall operation of the robot cleaner (100). Specifically, the processor (130) is connected to a configuration of the robot cleaner (100) including at least one sensor (140), a driving unit (110), and a memory (120), and can control the overall operation of the robot cleaner (100) by executing at least one instruction stored in the memory (120) as described above.

[0042] The processor (130) may be implemented in various ways. For example, the processor (130) may be implemented as at least one of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an embedded processor, a microprocessor, hardware control logic, a hardware finite state machine (FSM), and a digital signal processor (DSP). Meanwhile, the term "processor (130)" in the present disclosure may be used to mean a central processing unit (CPU), a graphic processing unit (GPU), and a microprocessor unit (MPU).

[0043] In one or more embodiments, the processor (130) may determine a path for the robot cleaner (100) to clean the carpet based on information about the carpet, and may determine various methods for cleaning the carpet, including a suction force for cleaning the carpet, based on information about the carpet. Various embodiments implemented by the processor (130) will be described below.

[0044] The processor (130) can obtain information about a carpet placed in a cleaning space. In the present disclosure, the term 'carpet' refers to an object that is a target of cleaning, like the floor, among objects placed in the cleaning space (i.e., the floor) of the robot cleaner (100). In other words, the term 'carpet' includes all objects that can perform various functions such as protecting the floor, decorating the space, and keeping the space warm, and may include not only objects commonly referred to as carpets, but also objects referred to as rugs, mats, tiles, etc.

[0045] The term "information about the carpet" is used to collectively refer to all information about the carpet that may affect the cleaning of the carpet by the robot vacuum cleaner (100). Specifically, the information about the carpet may include at least one of information about the thickness of the carpet, information about the size of the carpet, information about the shape of the carpet, and information about the type of carpet material contained in the carpet.

[0046] 'Information on the thickness of the carpet' may include the average thickness of the entire area of ​​the carpet, the thickness of the edges of the carpet, etc. 'Information on the size of the carpet' may include information on the area of ​​the carpet, the perimeter length of the carpet, the length of each side that constitutes the carpet, etc. 'Information on the shape of the carpet' may include information on whether the shape of the carpet is rectangular, circular, or oval, and may also include information on the detailed shape of each area of ​​the carpet.

[0047] In addition, 'information on the type of carpet lining' may specifically include information on the material (or substance), length, and surface properties of the carpet lining. For example, information on the type of carpet lining may include various information such as information on whether the material of the carpet is nylon, polyester, or silk, information on whether the length of the carpet lining is long-pile or longer than a predetermined threshold length, or short-pile or shorter than the threshold length, information on the strength of the carpet lining, and information on whether the surface of the carpet is waterproofed.

[0048] Specifically, the processor (130) may obtain information about the carpet through at least one sensor (140), and may also obtain information about the carpet by receiving information about the carpet from an external device. The process of obtaining information about the carpet through at least one sensor (140) or an external device is described in detail with reference to FIGS. 10 to 12.

[0049] The processor (130) can determine a path for the robot cleaner (100) to clean the carpet based on information about the carpet. Here, the 'path for cleaning the carpet' can include a first path for the robot cleaner (100) to enter the carpet and a second path for the robot cleaner (100) to move on the carpet.

[0050] The 'first path' refers to the path for the robot cleaner (100) to enter the carpet, and determining the first path may include determining the position at which the robot cleaner (100) enters the carpet and determining the direction in which the robot cleaner (100) enters the carpet.

[0051] In one or more embodiments, the processor (130) may determine a first path so that the robot cleaner (100) enters the widest side among the plurality of sides of the carpet based on information about the shape of the carpet included in the information about the carpet. For example, the processor (130) may identify that the shape of the carpet is rectangular based on the information about the shape of the carpet. If the shape of the carpet is rectangular, the processor (130) may determine the midpoint of the longest side of the rectangle as the entry position of the robot cleaner (100).

[0052] In one or more embodiments, the processor (130) may determine a first path based on information about the carpet so that at least one of the plurality of wheels contacts the carpet before at least one brush (150) when the robot cleaner (100) enters the carpet. For example, if the plurality of wheels are composed of a left wheel and a right wheel, the processor (130) may determine the entry direction of the robot cleaner to be diagonal so that the left wheel or the right wheel contacts the carpet before at least one brush (150) when the robot cleaner (100) enters the carpet.

[0053] As described above, an embodiment of determining the entry position of the robot cleaner (100) and an embodiment of determining the entry direction of the robot cleaner (100) will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0054] The 'second path' refers to a path for the robot cleaner (100) to move on the carpet, and determining the second path may include determining a location where the robot cleaner (100) starts cleaning after entering the carpet, determining a path for cleaning the entire area of ​​the carpet, and determining a location where the robot cleaner leaves the carpet after finishing cleaning the carpet.

[0055] Additionally, the second path may include a movement path between a first region corresponding to the center of the carpet and a second region different from the first region. Specifically, the "first region" refers to a region corresponding to the center of the carpet, i.e., a region including the center or center of gravity of the carpet, and the size of the first region may vary depending on the embodiment. The "second region" may include an edge of the carpet as a region different from the first region.

[0056] In one or more embodiments, the processor (130) may determine a second path for the robot cleaner (100) to move in a spiral from the first area to the second area. Specifically, the processor (130) may determine the second path for the robot cleaner (100) to move in a spiral from the first area to the second area based on information about the carpet.

[0057] For example, the processor (130) may identify that the carpet is circular in shape based on information about the carpet. If the carpet is circular in shape, the processor (130) may determine a second path to start from the center of the carpet corresponding to the center of the circle and move in a spiral manner to the edge corresponding to the circumference of the circle of the carpet. The spiral movement of the robot cleaner (100) will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0058] Meanwhile, the above described embodiment determines a second path so that the robot cleaner (100) moves in a spiral from the first area to the second area. However, conversely, the processor (130) may also determine a second path so that the robot cleaner (100) moves in a spiral from the second area to the first area.

[0059] In one or more embodiments, the processor (130) may determine a second path such that the robot cleaner (100) moves reciprocally or cyclically from a first area to each of a plurality of points included in a second area and then returns. For example, the processor (130) may determine the second path such that the robot cleaner (100) moves from the first area to a first point included in a second area, then moves back to the center, and then moves to a second point in the second area. As another example, the processor (130) may determine the second path such that the robot cleaner (100) moves from the first area to a first point in the second area, and then moves to a second point in the second area. Specifically, the processor (130) may determine the second path such that the robot cleaner (100) moves reciprocally or cyclically from the first area to each of a plurality of points included in the second area based on information about the carpet.

[0060] For example, the processor (130) may identify that the shape of the carpet is rectangular based on information about the carpet. If the shape of the carpet is rectangular, the processor (130) may determine a second path to pass through the entire area of ​​the carpet by repeating the operation of moving from the center of the carpet corresponding to the center of the rectangle to a first point at the edge of the carpet and then returning from the first point to the center of the carpet, and the robot cleaner (100) moving from the center of the carpet to a second point at the edge of the carpet and then returning from the second point to the center of the carpet. The operation of the robot cleaner (100) repeatedly passing through the center of the carpet will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9.

[0061] Meanwhile, the above description has described an embodiment in which the robot cleaner (100) determines a path for cleaning the carpet on the premise that the robot cleaner (100) has decided to clean the carpet. However, the processor (130) may also determine the driving path of the robot cleaner (100) to bypass the carpet based on information about the carpet and determine the driving path of the robot cleaner (100) to bypass the carpet.

[0062] Specifically, the processor (130) may identify the thickness of the carpet based on information about the thickness of the carpet. If the identified thickness of the carpet is greater than or equal to a threshold thickness, the processor (130) may determine that the robot cleaner (100) will not enter the carpet and may determine a driving path of the robot cleaner (100) to bypass the carpet. On the other hand, if the identified thickness of the carpet is less than the threshold thickness, the processor (130) may determine that the robot cleaner (100) will enter the carpet and may determine a path for the robot cleaner (100) to clean the carpet according to various embodiments as described above.

[0063] Meanwhile, the process in which the processor (130) determines a path for the robot cleaner (100) to clean the carpet has been described above based on information about the carpet. However, the processor (130) may also determine a suction power for the robot cleaner (100) to clean the carpet based on information about the carpet. That is, the processor (130) may determine a suction power for the robot cleaner (100) to clean the carpet based on at least one of information about the thickness of the carpet, information about the size of the carpet, information about the shape of the carpet, and information about the type of carpet shavings included in the carpet.

[0064] For example, the processor (130) may determine the suction power for the robot cleaner (100) to clean the carpet based on the fact that when the carpet is small, the force resisting the carpet from being drawn into the suction port of the robot cleaner (100) may be stronger than when the carpet is large, and when the carpet is thick, the force resisting the carpet from being drawn into the suction port of the robot cleaner (100) may be stronger than when the carpet is thin.

[0065] For another example, the processor (130) may determine the suction power for the robot cleaner (100) to clean the carpet based on the fact that the shorter the length of the carpet hair, the stronger the force that resists the carpet from being rolled into the suction port of the robot cleaner (100), and the higher the strength of the carpet hair material, the stronger the force that resists the carpet from being rolled into the suction port of the robot cleaner (100) compared to when the strength of the carpet hair material is low.

[0066] Specifically, the processor (130) can determine the initial suction power for the robot cleaner (100) to clean the carpet according to the following mathematical formula, and can also update information about the suction power while gradually increasing the suction power while performing cleaning based on the determined suction power. However, the process of calculating the suction power is not limited to the following mathematical formula.

[0067] [Mathematical Formula 1]

[0068] Suction power = k(size*w1+thickness*w2)

[0069] Here, k is a constant, size is the size of the carpet identified based on information about the carpet, thickness is the thickness of the carpet identified based on information about the carpet, and w1 and w2 are weights calculated based on the type of carpet mock-up (e.g., length of carpet mock-up, strength according to material, etc.).

[0070] In particular, the processor (130) can determine different suction powers for each area of ​​the carpet. Specifically, the processor (130) can determine different first suction powers for cleaning a first area corresponding to the center of the carpet and different second suction powers for cleaning a second area different from the first area based on information about the carpet.

[0071] Here, the 'first suction power' refers to the suction power of the robot cleaner (100) for cleaning the first area corresponding to the center of the carpet, and can be determined based on the speed of the suction motor, the operation time of the suction motor, etc. The first suction power is not necessarily fixed to one value, and may change while cleaning the first area.

[0072] The 'second suction power' refers to the suction power of the robot cleaner (100) for cleaning a second area different from the first area, and like the first suction power, it can be determined based on the speed of the suction motor, the operating time of the suction motor, etc. Like the first suction power, the second suction power is not necessarily fixed to one value, and may change while cleaning the second area.

[0073] In particular, the first suction force may be greater than the second suction force. In other words, the processor (130) may control the suction motor to perform cleaning by reducing the suction force of the robot cleaner (100) when the robot cleaner (100) moves from the first area to the second area.

[0074] For example, since fibers included in the center of the carpet are combined with surrounding fibers in a 360-degree direction, the force that resists being pulled into the suction port of the robot cleaner (100) may be strong due to the suction of the robot cleaner (100), whereas fibers included in the edge area of ​​the carpet may be combined with a smaller number of surrounding fibers than the center area, the force that resists being pulled into the suction port of the robot cleaner (100) may be relatively weak due to the suction of the robot cleaner (100). Accordingly, the processor (130) may control the suction motor so that the robot cleaner (100) performs cleaning on the carpet with a smaller suction force when cleaning the second area than when cleaning the first area.

[0075] For another example, if the length of the fibers included in the edge of the carpet is longer than the length of the fibers included in the center of the carpet, the fibers included in the edge area of ​​the carpet may be more likely to be sucked into the suction port of the robot cleaner (100) due to the suction of the robot cleaner (100) than the fibers included in the center of the carpet. Accordingly, the processor (130) may control the suction motor so that the robot cleaner (100) performs cleaning on the carpet with a smaller suction power when cleaning the second area than when cleaning the first area.

[0076] In one or more embodiments, when the second path is determined so that the robot cleaner (100) moves in a spiral from the first area to the second area, the processor (130) may gradually reduce the suction power or reduce the suction power at a preset rate of change while the robot cleaner (100) moves in a spiral from the first area to the second area. In one or more embodiments, when the second path is determined so that the robot cleaner (100) moves reciprocally or circularly from the first area to each of a plurality of points included in the second area, the processor (130) may control the driving unit (110) to operate according to the first suction power while the robot cleaner (100) moves from the first area to each of the plurality of points along the second path, and may control the driving unit (110) to operate according to the second suction power while the robot cleaner (100) moves from each of the plurality of points to the first area along the second path.

[0077] Meanwhile, the above has described an embodiment in which the first suction force is controlled to be greater than the second suction force, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. That is, the processor (130) may control the first suction force to be less than the second suction force depending on the thickness of the carpet, the size of the carpet, the shape of the carpet, and the type of carpet simulation included in the carpet, which are identified based on information about the carpet.

[0078] For example, if the edge area of ​​the carpet has stitching to improve the durability of the carpet by preventing the fibers of the carpet from fraying, the fibers included in the edge area of ​​the carpet may have a relatively stronger resistance to being drawn into the suction port of the robot cleaner (100) than the fibers included in the center area of ​​the carpet due to the suction of the robot cleaner (100). Accordingly, the processor (130) may control the suction motor so that the robot cleaner (100) performs cleaning on the carpet with a stronger suction force when cleaning the second area than when cleaning the first area.

[0079] For another example, if the length of the fibers included in the edge of the carpet is shorter than the length of the fibers included in the center of the carpet, the fibers included in the edge area of ​​the carpet may be less likely to be sucked into the suction port of the robot cleaner (100) due to the suction of the robot cleaner (100) than the fibers included in the center of the carpet. Accordingly, the processor (130) may control the suction motor so that the robot cleaner (100) performs cleaning on the carpet with a stronger suction force when cleaning the second area than when cleaning the first area.

[0080] Meanwhile, the processor (130) inputs at least one of information about the carpet, i.e., information about the thickness of the carpet, information about the size of the carpet, information about the shape of the carpet, and information about the type of carpet simulation included in the carpet, into a neural network model trained to produce a suction force optimized for information about the carpet, so that the robot cleaner (100) can determine a suction force for cleaning the carpet.

[0081] In addition, when information about the carpet is divided by area of ​​the carpet and the neural network model is trained to produce optimal suction power for each area of ​​the carpet, the processor (130) inputs information about the carpet into the neural network model to differently determine a first suction power for cleaning a first area corresponding to the center of the carpet and a second suction power for cleaning a second area different from the first area.

[0082] Although embodiments related to controlling suction power differently for each area of ​​a carpet have been described above, it is obvious that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments and examples described above.

[0083] Meanwhile, while the above description has described an embodiment in which suction power is controlled differently for each area of ​​the carpet, the processor (130) may also determine a brush for cleaning the carpet among the multiple brushes included in the robot cleaner (100) based on information about the carpet. An embodiment of selecting the optimal brush will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 10.

[0084] The processor (130) can control the driving unit (110) to operate according to the determined first suction force and second suction force while the robot cleaner (100) moves along the determined path. Specifically, the processor (130) can control the wheel motor so that the robot cleaner (100) moves along the first path and the second path, control the suction motor so that the robot cleaner (100) has the first suction force while moving in the first area, and control the suction motor so that the robot cleaner (100) has the second suction force while moving in the second area.

[0085] Meanwhile, the processor (130) may change at least one of the first path, the second path, the first suction force, and the second suction force based on information about the carpet acquired through at least one sensor (140) while operating based on the first path, the second path, the first suction force, and the second suction force determined according to various embodiments as described above. One or more embodiments related thereto are described in detail with reference to FIGS. 10 to 12.

[0086] Meanwhile, the processor (130) can not only adjust the suction power differently depending on the area of ​​the carpet, but can also adjust whether or not to suction differently. For example, the processor (130) can stop (or pause) the operation of the suction motor included in the driving unit (110) while the robot cleaner (100) enters the carpet along the first path, and when entering the carpet is completed, the operation of the suction motor can be resumed (or restarted). For example, in the embodiment, the processor (130) can stop or pause the operation of the suction motor included in the driving unit (110) while the robot cleaner (100) enters the carpet along the first path, and when the robot cleaner (100) is firmly placed on the carpet, the operation of the suction motor can be resumed.

[0087] The processor (130) may determine whether to enter the carpet and the entry speed into the carpet based on information about the carpet. For example, if the thickness of the carpet is greater than or equal to a threshold thickness, the processor (130) may determine the travel path of the robot cleaner (100) to bypass the carpet. Furthermore, if the thickness of the carpet is greater than or equal to a threshold thickness, the processor (130) may increase the movement speed of the carpet to ensure smooth entry into the carpet.

[0088] According to one or more embodiments described above with reference to FIG. 1, the robot cleaner (100) can determine a movement path for cleaning the carpet and suction power for each area of ​​the carpet based on information about the carpet. Accordingly, the robot cleaner (100) can provide an optimal cleaning effect depending on the characteristics and type of the carpet, and can significantly improve the convenience of the user using the robot cleaner (100).

[0089] FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are drawings showing a robot cleaner (100) according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure moving along a first path for entering a carpet.

[0090] In FIG. 2, it is shown that the robot cleaner (100) moves along the determined first path (210) when the shape of the carpet is rectangular, and in FIG. 3, it is shown that the robot cleaner (100) moves along the determined first path (220) when the shape of the carpet is oval.

[0091] As described above, the processor (130) can determine the location where the robot cleaner (100) enters the carpet based on information about the carpet. Here, the 'location where the robot cleaner (100) enters the carpet' can mean the intersection where the first path, which is the path for the robot cleaner (100) to enter the carpet, and the edge of the carpet meet.

[0092] In one or more embodiments, the processor (130) may determine a first path so that the robot cleaner (100) enters the widest side among the plurality of sides of the carpet based on information about the shape of the carpet. Referring to the example of FIG. 2, the processor (130) may identify that the shape of the carpet is rectangular based on information about the shape of the carpet. If the shape of the carpet is rectangular, the processor (130) may determine the midpoint of the longest side of the rectangle as the entry position of the robot cleaner (100).

[0093] In one or more embodiments, the processor (130) may determine a first path for the robot cleaner (100) to enter the carpet at a point with the lowest curvature based on information about the shape of the carpet.

[0094] Referring to the example of FIG. 3, the processor (130) can identify that the carpet is oval-shaped based on information about the shape of the carpet. If the carpet is oval-shaped, the processor (130) can determine the entry position of the robot cleaner (100) based on the curvature of the oval. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the processor (130) can determine the point with the lowest curvature in the oval as the entry position of the robot cleaner (100).

[0095] Meanwhile, the processor (130) can not only determine the position at which the robot cleaner (100) enters the carpet based on information about the carpet, but can also determine the direction in which the robot cleaner (100) enters the carpet based on information about the carpet. Here, the 'direction in which the robot cleaner (100) enters the carpet' can mean the direction in which the front of the robot cleaner (100) faces when the robot cleaner (100) enters the position at which it enters the carpet.

[0096] In one or more embodiments, the processor (130) may determine a first path based on information about the carpet so that at least one of the plurality of wheels contacts the carpet before at least one brush (150) when the robot cleaner (100) enters the carpet. Specifically, when the plurality of wheels are composed of a left wheel and a right wheel, the processor (130) may determine the entry direction of the robot cleaning in a diagonal direction so that the left wheel or the right wheel contacts the carpet before at least one brush (150) when the robot cleaner (100) enters the carpet.

[0097] 'The entry direction of the robot cleaner (100) is diagonal' means that, when the shape of the carpet is rectangular as in the example of FIG. 2, the path through which the robot cleaner (100) enters the carpet is not perpendicular to the plane including the entry point of the robot cleaner (100), but forms a predetermined angle, so that at least one wheel comes into contact with the carpet before at least one brush (150).

[0098] Meanwhile, in the case where the shape of the carpet is oval, as in the example of FIG. 3, the diagonal direction of the entry direction of the robot cleaner (100) means that the path through which the robot cleaner (100) enters the carpet is not perpendicular to the tangent line of the entry point of the robot cleaner (100), but forms a predetermined angle, so that at least one wheel comes into contact with the carpet before at least one brush (150).

[0099] FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate, by way of example, a movement path when the robot cleaner (100) enters the carpet and determines the entry direction of the robot cleaner to be diagonal so that the left wheel contacts the carpet before at least one brush (150). In this way, when the robot cleaner (100) enters the carpet while forming a predetermined angle with the edge of the carpet, at least one wheel presses the carpet and then the remaining wheels settle on the carpet, thereby preventing the carpet from rolling.

[0100] According to one or more embodiments described above with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the robot cleaner (100) can determine an entry position and an entry direction of the robot cleaner (100) into the carpet based on information about the carpet so that the robot cleaner (100) can stably enter the carpet while preventing the carpet from rolling.

[0101] In particular, when the robot cleaner (100) enters a wide surface of the carpet or a point with low curvature, as in the examples of FIGS. 2 and 3, the carpet can be prevented from rolling compared to when it enters a narrow surface of the carpet or a point with high curvature. In addition, even when the robot cleaner (100) enters the carpet in a diagonal direction, as in the examples of FIGS. 2 and 3, the carpet can be prevented from rolling because one wheel presses against the carpet.

[0102] FIGS. 4 to 9 are drawings showing a robot cleaner (100) according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure moving along a second path for moving on a carpet.

[0103] FIGS. 4 to 9 illustrate that the robot cleaner (100) moves along a determined second path (410, 510, 610, 710, 810, 910) when the shape of the carpet is rectangular and when the shape of the carpet is circular.

[0104] However, only a part of the second path is illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 9, and the second path may be determined to include all areas of the carpet that the paths shown in FIGS. 4 to 9 do not pass through. In one or more embodiments, the processor (130) may determine the second path based on information about the carpet so that the robot cleaner (100) moves in a spiral manner from the first area to the second area. In addition, when the second path is determined so that the robot cleaner (100) moves in a spiral manner from the first area to the second area, the processor (130) may gradually or at a preset rate of change reduce the suction power while the robot cleaner (100) moves in a spiral manner from the first area to the second area. As described above, the first area refers to an area corresponding to the center of the carpet, and the second area is an area different from the first area and may include the edge of the carpet.

[0105] Referring to the example of FIG. 4, the processor (130) may identify that the carpet is rectangular in shape based on information about the carpet. If the carpet is rectangular in shape, the processor (130) may determine a second path (410) that starts from the center of the carpet corresponding to the center of the rectangle and moves to the edge of the carpet while drawing a spiral corresponding to the shape of the carpet.

[0106] Referring to the example of FIG. 5, the processor (130) may identify that the carpet is rectangular in shape based on information about the carpet. If the carpet is circular in shape, the processor (130) may determine a second path (510) that starts from the center of the carpet corresponding to the center of the circle and moves in a spiral manner to the edge corresponding to the circumference of the circle of the carpet.

[0107] In other words, the robot cleaner (100) can clean the carpet by drawing a spiral from the center of the carpet to the edge, but drawing a spiral in a shape corresponding to the shape of the carpet.

[0108] Meanwhile, the above described embodiment determines a second path so that the robot cleaner (100) moves in a spiral from the first area to the second area. However, conversely, the processor (130) may also determine a second path so that the robot cleaner (100) moves in a spiral from the second area to the first area.

[0109] In particular, when cleaning is performed while moving over a carpet in a spiral path as in the examples of FIGS. 4 and 5, it is possible to minimize the robot cleaner (100) from repeatedly passing over the same point on the carpet multiple times, and at the same time, to minimize the rolling of the carpet due to the suction port of the robot cleaner (100).

[0110] As described above, since the fibers included in the center of the carpet are combined with the surrounding fibers in a 360-degree direction, the force that resists being pulled into the suction port of the robot cleaner (100) may be strong due to the suction of the robot cleaner (100), whereas the fibers included in the edge area of ​​the carpet may be combined with a smaller number of surrounding fibers than the center area, the force that resists being pulled into the suction port of the robot cleaner (100) due to the suction of the robot cleaner (100) may be relatively weak. Accordingly, the processor (130) may gradually reduce the suction power of the robot cleaner (100) from the center to the edge or at a preset rate of change.

[0111] In one or more embodiments, the processor (130) may determine a second path to move from the first area to the second area in a plurality of consecutive straight paths based on information about the carpet.

[0112] In other words, the robot cleaner (100) can perform cleaning on the carpet by moving from the center of the carpet to the edge, but not in a spiral manner, but along a path (610, 710) that includes a plurality of continuous straight lines as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. In this case, as in the embodiment described above with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the processor (130) can sequentially reduce the suction power while the robot cleaner (100) moves along a plurality of continuous straight line paths from the first area to the second area.

[0113] In particular, when cleaning is performed while moving over a carpet in a plurality of consecutive straight paths as in the examples of FIGS. 6 and 7, the friction between the wheels of the robot cleaner (100) and the ground can be reduced compared to a path that includes cornering, such as a spiral, thereby further reducing the possibility of deformation of the carpet shape.

[0114] In one or more embodiments, the processor (130) may determine a second path based on information about the carpet so that the robot cleaner (100) moves back and forth or circularly from the first area to each of a plurality of points included in the second area.

[0115] And, when the second path is determined so that the robot cleaner (100) moves back and forth or circularly from the first area to each of the plurality of points included in the second area, the processor (130) can control the driving unit (110) to operate according to the first suction force while the robot cleaner (100) moves from the first area to each of the plurality of points along the second path, and can control the driving unit (110) to operate according to the second suction force while the robot cleaner (100) moves from each of the plurality of points to the first area along the second path.

[0116] Referring to the example of FIG. 8, the processor (130) can identify that the shape of the carpet is rectangular based on information about the carpet. If the shape of the carpet is rectangular, the processor (130) can control the driving unit (110) to perform cleaning according to the first suction force while moving from the center of the carpet corresponding to the center of the rectangle to a first point at the edge of the carpet. Thereafter, the processor (130) can control the driving unit (110) to perform cleaning according to the second suction force while returning from the first point to the center of the carpet. Thereafter, the processor (130) can control the driving unit (110) to perform cleaning according to the first suction force while moving from the center of the carpet to a second point at the edge of the carpet.

[0117] Referring to the example of FIG. 9, the processor (130) can identify that the shape of the carpet is circular based on information about the carpet. If the shape of the carpet is circular, the processor (130) can control the driving unit (110) to perform cleaning according to the first suction force while moving from the center of the carpet corresponding to the center of the circle to the first point at the edge of the carpet. Thereafter, the processor (130) can control the driving unit (110) to perform cleaning according to the second suction force while returning from the first point to the center of the carpet. Thereafter, the processor (130) can control the driving unit (110) to perform cleaning according to the first suction force while moving from the center of the carpet to the second point at the edge of the carpet.

[0118] Although only a portion of the second path (810, 910) is illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the processor (130) can determine the second path to pass through the entire area of ​​the carpet by repeating the operation of going back and forth or circulating around the center and edge of the carpet as described above.

[0119] In particular, when cleaning is performed while moving over a carpet in a plurality of discontinuous straight paths as in the examples of FIGS. 8 and 9, the friction between the wheels of the robot cleaner (100) and the ground can be reduced compared to a path that includes cornering, such as a spiral, thereby further reducing the possibility of deformation of the carpet shape.

[0120] FIG. 10 is a drawing showing in detail the configuration of a robot vacuum cleaner (100) according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0121] As illustrated in FIG. 10, a robot cleaner (100) according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may further include not only a driving unit (110), a memory (120), and a processor (130), but also at least one sensor (140), at least one brush (150), a communication unit (160), an input unit (170), and an output unit (180). Meanwhile, the configurations illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 10 are merely exemplary, and it is to be understood that new configurations may be added or some configurations may be omitted in addition to the configurations illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 10 when implementing the present disclosure.

[0122] At least one sensor (140) can detect various information inside and outside the robot cleaner (100). Specifically, at least one sensor (140) can include an image sensor and an object detection sensor.

[0123] The term "image sensor" is a general term for sensors that detect light and convert it into an image. That is, in the present disclosure, the term "image sensor" is used to mean a camera including an image sensor and a vision sensor that performs image processing based on the image sensor.

[0124] The term 'object detection sensor' is a general term for sensors that can recognize the presence of objects and the characteristics of objects placed in the environment surrounding a robot cleaner (100). Specifically, the object detection sensor may include various types of sensors that can obtain information about an object by emitting light and receiving light reflected by the object. For example, the object detection sensor may include a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) sensor, a ToF (Time of Flight) sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, etc. The object detection sensor can obtain various information such as the distance between the robot cleaner (100) and the object, the size of the object, the shape of the object, the color of the object, etc.

[0125] In one or more embodiments, the processor (130) may acquire an image of a carpet via an image sensor. Furthermore, the processor (130) may analyze the image of the carpet to obtain information about the size, shape, thickness, etc. of the carpet. For example, the processor (130) may input an image of the carpet into a trained neural network model to obtain information about the carpet.

[0126] In one or more embodiments, the processor (130) may obtain information about the size, shape, color, etc. of the carpet through an object detection sensor, and may also identify the characteristics and type of the carpet based on the information about the size, shape, color, etc. of the carpet.

[0127] In one or more embodiments, the processor (130) may identify an obstacle present on the first path or the second path while the robot cleaner (100) moves along the first path or the second path, and determine the first path or the second path to bypass the identified obstacle.

[0128] In one or more embodiments, the processor (130) may obtain information on changes in the shape of the carpet through at least one sensor (140) while the robot cleaner (100) moves along the second path. Then, the processor (130) may adjust at least one of the first suction force and the second suction force based on the information on changes in the shape of the carpet.

[0129] For example, while the robot cleaner (100) is performing cleaning while moving along the second path, if it is identified that a part of the carpet is being or has been rolled into the suction inlet of the robot cleaner (100), the processor (130) may control the suction motor to reduce at least one of the first suction force and the second suction force, or may stop or pause the suction motor to make at least one of the first suction force and the second suction force zero.

[0130] At least one brush (150) can sweep away contaminants placed on the floor so that the suction unit of the robot cleaner (100) can easily capture the contaminants. Specifically, the at least one brush (150) can include a dry brush and a wet brush.

[0131] A "dry brush" refers to a brush capable of cleaning a floor without getting wet. Specifically, a dry brush can sweep away contaminants such as dust placed on the floor, allowing the suction unit of a robot cleaner (100) to easily capture the contaminants. The operating mode for cleaning using a dry brush may be referred to as a "dry mode."

[0132] A 'wet brush' refers to a brush that can clean a floor surface with water while it is wet, and may be referred to by terms such as 'mop' or 'wet mop'. For example, a wet brush may receive water from a user or a water tank, detach contaminants adsorbed on a floor surface while it is wet, and sweep away the detached contaminants so that the suction unit of a robot cleaner (100) can easily capture the detached contaminants. An operation mode in which cleaning is performed using a wet brush may be referred to as a 'wet mode'.

[0133] When the robot cleaner (100) includes both a dry brush and a wet brush and is implemented so as to be able to control the position of the wet brush, the robot cleaner (100) can perform cleaning without using the wet brush when operating in dry mode, and can perform water cleaning using the wet brush by automatically controlling the position of the wet brush when operating in wet mode.

[0134] In one or more embodiments, the processor (130) may determine, based on information about the carpet, one of at least one brush (150) to clean the carpet while the robot cleaner (100) moves along the second path.

[0135] The communication unit (160) includes a circuit and can perform communication with an external device. Specifically, the processor (130) can receive various data or information from an external device connected via the communication unit (160) and can also transmit various data or information to the external device.

[0136] The communication unit (160) may include at least one of a WiFi module, a Bluetooth module, a wireless communication module, an NFC module, and an Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) module. Specifically, the WiFi module and the Bluetooth module may each perform communication in the WiFi or Bluetooth manner. When using a WiFi module or a Bluetooth module, various connection information, such as an SSID, may be first transmitted and received, and then communication may be established using this, after which various pieces of information may be transmitted and received.

[0137] In addition, the wireless communication module can perform communication according to various communication standards such as IEEE, Zigbee, 3G (3rd Generation), 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project), LTE (Long Term Evolution), 5G (5th Generation), etc. And, the NFC module can perform communication in the NFC (Near Field Communication) method using the 13.56MHz band among various RF-ID frequency bands such as 135kHz, 13.56MHz, 433MHz, 860~960MHz, 2.45GHz, etc. In addition, the UWB module can accurately measure ToA (Time of Arrival), which is the time it takes for a pulse to reach a target, and AoA (Ange of Arrival), which is the pulse arrival angle at the transmitting device, through communication between UWB antennas, and accordingly, precise distance and location recognition is possible within an error range of several tens of centimeters indoors.

[0138] In one or more embodiments, the processor (130) may acquire an image of the carpet through an image sensor included in at least one sensor (140). The processor (130) may control the communication unit (160) to transmit the image of the carpet to a server that performs a search for the image. In addition, the processor (130) may acquire information about the carpet by acquiring information about the image from the server.

[0139] For example, the processor (130) can control the communication unit (160) to transmit an image of a carpet to a server providing a search engine, and receive information about the manufacturer, country of origin, identification number, material, color, size, etc. of the carpet corresponding to the image from the server.

[0140] In addition, the processor (130) may receive various information, such as information on the driving path of the robot cleaner (100) and information on the carpet, from an external device through the communication unit (160).

[0141] The input unit (170) includes a circuit, and the processor (130) can receive user commands for controlling the operation of the robot cleaner (100) through the input unit (170). Specifically, the input unit (170) can be configured with components such as a microphone, a camera, and a remote control signal receiving unit. In addition, the input unit (170) can also be implemented in a form included in a display as a touch screen. In particular, the microphone can receive a voice signal and convert the received voice signal into an electrical signal.

[0142] In one or more embodiments, the processor (130) may receive, through the input unit (170), a user input for starting cleaning, a user input for stopping or pausing cleaning, a user input for ending cleaning, a user input for setting a driving path of the robot cleaner (100), a user input for adjusting suction power, etc.

[0143] The output unit (180) includes a circuit, and the processor (130) can output various functions that the robot cleaner (100) can perform through the output unit (180). In addition, the output unit (180) can include at least one of a display, a speaker, and an indicator.

[0144] The display can output image data under the control of the processor (130). Specifically, the display can output an image previously stored in the memory (120) under the control of the processor (130). In particular, the display according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure can also display a user interface stored in the memory (120). The display can be implemented as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display Panel), an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes), etc., and in some cases, the display can also be implemented as a flexible display, a transparent display, etc. However, the display according to the present disclosure is not limited to a specific type.

[0145] The speaker can output audio data under the control of the processor (130). The indicator can be turned on under the control of the processor (130). Specifically, the indicator can be turned on in various colors under the control of the processor (130). For example, the indicator can be implemented using a light emitting diode (LED), a liquid crystal display panel (LCD), a vacuum fluorescent display (VFD), etc., but is not limited thereto.

[0146] In one or more embodiments, the processor (130) may control the output unit (180) to output at least one of information about the driving path of the robot cleaner (100), information about the carpet, information about the suction power for each path, and information about the brush for each path. In this case, the user may input a user input for setting the driving path of the robot cleaner (100) or a user input for adjusting the suction power, and accordingly, the processor (130) may update the driving path of the robot cleaner (100) or adjust the suction power.

[0147] FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 are diagrams illustrating a process for obtaining information about a carpet according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0148] As described above, the processor (130) can obtain information about the carpet through at least one sensor (140), and determine a path for the robot cleaner (100) to clean the carpet based on the information about the carpet.

[0149] In particular, the processor (130) can obtain information about the carpet in different ways depending on the size of the carpet. Specifically, the processor (130) can identify the size of the carpet based on the information about the carpet. If the size of the carpet is identified as being greater than a threshold size, the processor (130) can control the driving unit (110) to cause the robot cleaner (100) to move around the carpet. In addition, the processor (130) can update information about the carpet through at least one sensor (140) while the robot cleaner (100) moves around the carpet.

[0150] For example, the processor may control the driving unit (110) to cause the robot cleaner (100) to circle around the perimeter of the carpet outside the carpet, collect information about the carpet, and then return to the original position, as in the path (1110) illustrated in FIG. 11, or may control the driving unit (110) to cause the robot cleaner (100) to circle around the perimeter of the carpet inside the carpet, collect information about the carpet, and then return to the original position, as in the path (1210) illustrated in FIG. 12.

[0151] In other words, if the size of the carpet is large enough to be greater than a critical size, the processor (130) can control the driving unit (110) so that the robot cleaner (100) can obtain more information about the carpet (e.g., more images of the carpet) while moving around the carpet.

[0152] Additionally, the processor (130) may obtain information about the distance the robot cleaner (100) has moved around the carpet while the robot cleaner (100) moves around the carpet, and may obtain information about the size of the carpet based on at least one of the updated information about the carpet and the information about the distance.

[0153] In other words, the processor (130) can obtain information about the size of the carpet not only by using information about the carpet obtained while the robot cleaner (100) moves around the carpet, but also by using the distance of the path along which the robot cleaner (100) moves around the carpet.

[0154] FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of a robot vacuum cleaner (100) according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0155] The robot cleaner (100) can obtain information about a carpet placed in a cleaning space (S1310). Specifically, the robot cleaner (100) can obtain information about the carpet through at least one sensor (140) included in the robot cleaner (100), and can also obtain information about the carpet by receiving information about the carpet from an external device including at least one sensor (140).

[0156] The robot cleaner (100) can determine a path for cleaning the carpet based on information about the carpet (S1320). Specifically, the robot cleaner (100) can determine a first path for entering the carpet and a second path for moving on the carpet based on at least one of information about the thickness of the carpet, information about the size of the carpet, information about the shape of the carpet, and information about the type of carpet sham included in the carpet.

[0157] The robot cleaner (100) can determine a first suction power for cleaning a first area corresponding to the center of the carpet and a second suction power for cleaning a second area different from the first area based on information about the carpet (S1330). In addition, the robot cleaner (100) can control the robot cleaner (100) to operate according to the determined first and second suction powers while the robot cleaner (100) moves along the determined path (S1340).

[0158] In particular, the first suction power may be greater than the second suction power. In other words, the robot cleaner (100) may perform cleaning by reducing the suction power of the robot cleaner (100) when the robot cleaner (100) moves from the first area to the second area.

[0159] Meanwhile, the control method of the robot cleaner (100) according to the above-described embodiment may be implemented as a program and provided to the robot cleaner (100). In particular, the program including the control method of the robot cleaner (100) may be stored and provided in a non-transitory computer readable medium.

[0160] Specifically, in a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium including a program for executing a method for controlling a robot cleaner (100), the method for controlling the robot cleaner (100) may include a step of obtaining information about a carpet arranged in a cleaning space, a step of determining a path for the robot cleaner (100) to clean the carpet based on the information about the carpet, a step of differently determining a first suction force for cleaning a first area corresponding to the center of the carpet and a second suction force for cleaning a second area different from the first area based on the information about the carpet, and a step of controlling the robot cleaner (100) to operate according to the determined first suction force and second suction force while the robot cleaner (100) moves along the determined path.

[0161] In the above, the control method of the robot cleaner (100) and the computer-readable recording medium including the program for executing the control method of the robot cleaner (100) have been briefly described, but this is only to omit redundant description, and various embodiments of the robot cleaner (100) can of course also be applied to the control method of the robot cleaner (100) and the computer-readable recording medium including the program for executing the control method of the robot cleaner (100).

[0162] The artificial intelligence-related function according to the present disclosure is operated through the processor (140) and memory (130) of the robot cleaner (100). The processor (140) may be composed of one or more processors (140). In this case, the one or more processors (140) may include at least one of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and an NPU (Neural Processing Unit), but is not limited to the examples of the processors (140) described above.

[0163] The CPU is a general-purpose processor (140) capable of performing not only general calculations but also artificial intelligence calculations. Its multi-layer cache structure allows for the efficient execution of complex programs. The CPU is advantageous in a serial processing method, which enables organic linking of previous and subsequent calculation results through sequential calculations. The general-purpose processor (140) is not limited to the aforementioned examples, except in cases where it is specifically designated as a CPU.

[0164] A GPU is a processor (140) for large-scale operations such as floating point operations used in graphic processing, and can perform large-scale operations in parallel by integrating a large number of cores. In particular, a GPU may be advantageous compared to a CPU in parallel processing methods such as convolution operations. In addition, a GPU may be used as a co-processor (140) to supplement the functions of a CPU. The processor (140) for large-scale operations is not limited to the examples described above, except in cases where it is specifically referred to as a GPU.

[0165] An NPU is a processor (140) specialized in artificial intelligence operations using an artificial neural network, and each layer constituting the artificial neural network can be implemented with hardware (e.g., silicon). At this time, since the NPU is designed specifically according to the required specifications of the company, it has a lower degree of freedom compared to a CPU or GPU, but it can efficiently process the artificial intelligence operations requested by the company. Meanwhile, as a processor (140) specialized in artificial intelligence operations, the NPU can be implemented in various forms such as a Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), an Intelligence Processing Unit (IPU), a Vision Processing Unit (VPU), etc. The artificial intelligence processor (140) is not limited to the above-described examples, except in cases where it is specified as the above-described NPU.

[0166] Additionally, one or more processors (140) may be implemented as a System on Chip (SoC). In this case, the SoC may further include, in addition to one or more processors (140), a memory (130), and a network interface such as a bus for data communication between the processor (140) and the memory (130).

[0167] When a plurality of processors (140) are included in a SoC (System on Chip) included in a robot cleaner (100), the robot cleaner (100) can perform operations related to artificial intelligence (e.g., operations related to learning or inference of an artificial intelligence model) by using some of the plurality of processors (140). For example, the robot cleaner (100) can perform operations related to artificial intelligence by using at least one of a GPU, an NPU, a VPU, a TPU, and a hardware accelerator specialized in artificial intelligence operations such as convolution operations and matrix multiplication operations among the plurality of processors (140). However, this is merely an example, and it is of course possible to process operations related to artificial intelligence by using a CPU or a general-purpose processor (140).

[0168] In addition, the robot cleaner (100) can perform calculations for functions related to artificial intelligence by utilizing multiple cores (e.g., dual cores, quad cores, etc.) included in a single processor (140). In particular, the robot cleaner (100) can perform artificial intelligence calculations, such as convolution operations and matrix multiplication operations, in parallel by utilizing multiple cores included in the processor (140).

[0169] One or more processors (140) are controlled to process input data according to predefined operation rules or artificial intelligence models stored in the memory (130). The predefined operation rules or artificial intelligence models are characterized by being created through learning.

[0170] Here, "created through learning" means that a predefined set of behavioral rules or an AI model with desired characteristics is created by applying a learning algorithm to a large number of learning data. This learning may be performed on the device itself, where the AI ​​according to the present disclosure is implemented, or through a separate server / system.

[0171] An artificial intelligence model may be composed of multiple neural network layers. At least one layer has at least one weight value and performs its operation through the operation result of the previous layer and at least one defined operation. Examples of neural networks include a convolutional neural network (CNN), a deep neural network (DNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), a restricted boltzmann machine (RBM), a deep belief network (DBN), a bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), deep Q-networks, and a transformer. The neural networks in the present disclosure are not limited to the above-described examples unless otherwise specified.

[0172] A learning algorithm is a method for training a target device (e.g., a robot) using a large amount of learning data, enabling the target device to make decisions or predictions on its own. Examples of learning algorithms include supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning. Unless otherwise specified, the learning algorithms in this disclosure are not limited to the aforementioned examples.

[0173] A device-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, the term "non-transitory storage medium" simply means a tangible device that does not contain signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves). This term does not distinguish between cases where data is permanently stored in the storage medium and cases where data is temporarily stored. For example, a "non-transitory storage medium" may include a buffer in which data is temporarily stored.

[0174] According to one embodiment, the method according to the various embodiments disclosed in the present document may be provided as included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a product between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)), or may be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) via an application store (e.g., Play Store™) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product (e.g., downloadable app) may be temporarily stored or temporarily generated in a machine-readable storage medium, such as a memory (130) of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.

[0175] Each of the components (e.g., modules or programs) according to the various embodiments of the present disclosure as described above may be composed of a single or multiple entities, and some of the sub-components described above may be omitted, or other sub-components may be further included in the various embodiments. Alternatively or additionally, some components (e.g., modules or programs) may be integrated into a single entity, which may perform the same or similar functions as those performed by each of the respective components prior to integration.

[0176] According to various embodiments, operations performed by a module, program or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively or heuristically, or at least some operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or other operations may be added.

[0177] Meanwhile, the terms "part" or "module" used in the present disclosure include units composed of hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit. A "part" or "module" may be an integrally composed component, a minimum unit performing one or more functions, or a portion thereof. For example, a module may be composed of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0178] Various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented as software including commands stored in a machine-readable storage medium that can be read by a machine (e.g., a computer). The device is a device that can call commands stored in the storage medium and operate according to the called commands, and may include an electronic device (e.g., a robot vacuum cleaner (100)) according to the disclosed embodiments.

[0179] When the above instruction is executed by the processor, the processor may perform the function corresponding to the instruction directly or by using other components under the control of the processor. The instruction may include code generated or executed by a compiler or interpreter.

[0180] Although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and various modifications may be made by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from the gist of the present disclosure as claimed in the claims, and such modifications should not be understood individually from the technical idea or prospect of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. In robot vacuum cleaners, drive unit; a memory storing at least one instruction; and At least one processor executing at least one instruction; At least one processor of the above, Obtain information about the carpets placed in the cleaning area, Based on the information about the carpet, the robot cleaner determines a path to clean the carpet, Based on the information about the carpet, a first suction power for cleaning a first area corresponding to the center of the carpet and a second suction power for cleaning a second area of ​​the carpet different from the first area are determined, A robot cleaner comprising at least one processor that controls the driving unit to operate based on the first suction force and the second suction force while the robot cleaner moves along the path.

2. In paragraph 1, The information about the carpet includes at least one of the thickness of the carpet, the size of the carpet, the shape of the carpet and the type of carpet material included in the carpet, A robot cleaner, wherein the path includes a first path for the robot cleaner to enter the carpet and a second path for the robot cleaner to move on the carpet.

3. In paragraph 1, A robot vacuum cleaner wherein the first suction power is greater than the second suction power.

4. In paragraph 2, At least one processor of the above, The second path is determined so that the robot cleaner moves in a spiral manner from the first area to the second area, A robot cleaner that gradually reduces the suction power of the robot cleaner from the first suction power to the second suction power while the robot cleaner moves in the spiral from the first area to the second area.

5. In paragraph 2, At least one processor of the above, The second path is determined so that the robot cleaner moves from the first area to each of a plurality of points included in the second area, Controlling the driving unit to operate according to the first suction force while the robot cleaner moves from the first area to each of the plurality of points along the second path; A robot cleaner that controls the driving unit to operate according to the second suction force while the robot cleaner moves from each of the plurality of points to the first area along the second path.

6. In paragraph 2, The above robot vacuum cleaner, further comprising at least one sensor; At least one processor of the above, While the robot cleaner moves along the second path, it acquires change information related to shape change of the carpet through the at least one sensor, A robot vacuum cleaner that adjusts at least one of the first suction power and the second suction power based on change information related to shape change of the carpet.

7. In paragraph 6, At least one processor of the above, If the size of the carpet is identified as being greater than a threshold size based on the information about the carpet, the driving unit is controlled to cause the robot cleaner to move around the carpet, While the robot vacuum cleaner moves around the carpet, it updates information about the carpet through the at least one sensor, Obtain the distance the robot vacuum cleaner has moved around the carpet, A robot vacuum cleaner that obtains the size of the carpet based on at least one of the updated carpet information and the distance.

8. In paragraph 6, The above robot vacuum cleaner, including the Department of Communications; At least one processor of the above, Obtaining an image of the carpet through an image sensor included in at least one of the sensors, Controlling the communication unit to transmit the image to a server that performs a search for the image; A robot vacuum cleaner that obtains information about the carpet by obtaining image information about the image from the server.

9. In paragraph 2, The above robot vacuum cleaner further comprises at least one brush; At least one processor of the above, A robot cleaner, based on information about the carpet, determining one of the at least one brushes to clean the carpet while the robot cleaner moves along the second path.

10. In paragraph 2, The above driving unit includes a plurality of wheels and at least one motor, At least one processor of the above, A robot cleaner, based on information about the carpet, determining the first path such that at least one wheel of the plurality of wheels contacts the carpet before the at least one brush while the robot cleaner enters the carpet.

11. In paragraph 2, At least one processor of the above, A robot cleaner that determines the first path so that the robot cleaner enters the widest surface among the plurality of surfaces of the carpet based on the shape of the carpet.

12. In paragraph 2, At least one processor of the above, While the robot cleaner enters the carpet along the first path, the operation of the suction motor included in the driving unit is stopped, A robot cleaner that resumes operation of the suction motor following the robot cleaner entering the carpet.

13. In paragraph 1, At least one processor of the above, A robot vacuum cleaner that determines whether to enter the carpet and the speed at which it enters the carpet based on information about the carpet.

14. A method for controlling a robot vacuum cleaner executed by at least one processor, Step of obtaining information about carpets placed in a cleaning space; A step of determining a path for the robot cleaner to clean the carpet based on information about the carpet; A step of determining a first suction power for cleaning a first area corresponding to the center of the carpet and a second suction power for cleaning a second area different from the first area based on information about the carpet; A method for controlling a robot cleaner, comprising: a step of controlling the robot cleaner to operate based on the first suction force and the second suction force while the robot cleaner moves along the determined path; 15. In paragraph 14, The information about the carpet includes at least one of the thickness of the carpet, the size of the carpet, the shape of the carpet and the type of carpet material included in the carpet, A control method for a robot cleaner, wherein the path includes a first path for the robot cleaner to enter the carpet and a second path for the robot cleaner to move on the carpet.

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