Robot cleaner and control method therefor

Abstract

This robot cleaner comprises: a driving device; a suctioning device for suctioning dust; a dust detection sensor for detecting dust suctioned into an inlet of the suctioning device; a wet cleaning device for performing mop cleaning on a floor surface; a memory for storing at least one instruction; and one or more processors for executing the at least one instruction, wherein the one or more processors control the driving device and the suctioning device such that a cleaning operation is performed along a travel path, identify a dust inflow amount on the basis of an output signal of the dust detection sensor, and control a cleaning operation of the wet cleaning device on the basis of the identified dust inflow amount.

Description

Robot vacuum cleaner and control method thereof

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a robot vacuum cleaner capable of controlling the operation of a wet cleaning device based on dust information detected by a dust detection sensor, and a method for controlling the same.

[0002] An autonomous robot is a device that performs a designated task while driving in an arbitrary area without user operation. In particular, robot vacuum cleaners are widely used in homes these days. A robot vacuum cleaner is a device that cleans the surface to be cleaned while driving in a cleaning area without user operation.

[0003] Robot vacuum cleaners can vacuum dust and other debris from floor surfaces using a vacuum cleaner device for vacuuming. In addition, recent robot vacuum cleaners have been able to perform wet mopping on floor surfaces using a wet cleaning device capable of performing wet mopping.

[0004] Embodiments of the present disclosure may solve at least one of the previously described problems and / or disadvantages and provide the advantages described below. Accordingly, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a robot vacuum cleaner and a method for controlling the same that can control the operation of a wet cleaning device based on dust information detected by a dust detection sensor.

[0005] Additional embodiments will be presented in the detailed description below, some of which are obvious from the detailed description, and other embodiments can also be presented through learning from the presented embodiments.

[0006] A robot vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is disclosed. The robot vacuum cleaner comprises a driving device, a suction device for sucking dust, a dust detection sensor for detecting dust sucked into an inlet of the suction device, a wet cleaning device for performing wet mop cleaning on a floor surface, a memory for storing at least one instruction, and one or more processors for executing the at least one instruction. The one or more processors control the driving device and the suction device to perform a cleaning operation according to a driving path, check the amount of dust inflow based on the output signal of the dust detection sensor, and control the cleaning operation of the wet cleaning device based on the confirmed amount of dust inflow.

[0007] One or more processors above can control the wet cleaning device so that the cleaning pad is separated from the floor surface if the amount of dust inflow confirmed is greater than or equal to a preset amount.

[0008] The above one or more processors can control the suction device to increase the suction intensity to clean when the confirmed amount of dust inflow is greater than or equal to a preset amount, store location information for an area where the wet mop cleaning has not been performed in the memory, and control the wet cleaning device to perform wet mop cleaning for the area based on the location information when the suction cleaning for the area is finished.

[0009] The above one or more processors can store driving direction information for the area in the memory and, based on the location information and driving direction information, control the driving device to perform wet mop cleaning while moving in a driving direction different from the existing driving direction for the area.

[0010] The above one or more processors can determine the amount of dust inflow and the dust size based on the amount of change and the period of change of the output signal of the dust detection sensor, and control the suction device to have a suction strength corresponding to the determined dust size.

[0011] The above one or more processors can control the wet cleaning device to vary at least one of the water supply amount and water supply cycle to the cleaning pad in response to the confirmed amount of dust inflow.

[0012]

[0013] The above one or more processors can update the contamination status of the cleaning pad based on the confirmed amount of dust inflow.

[0014] The above one or more processors can control the driving device to return to the station if the contamination state of the cleaning pad is greater than a preset standard.

[0015] The robot vacuum cleaner further includes a communication device that communicates with a station, and the one or more processors can control the communication device to transmit information about the contamination status of the cleaning pad to the station when the robot vacuum cleaner docks with the station.

[0016] The above one or more processors can control the driving device and the suction device to change the driving direction and the rotation direction of at least one of the cleaning rollers of the suction device when the output signal of the dust detection sensor outputs a value greater than a preset detection value for a preset time.

[0017] A control method for a robot vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes the steps of performing a cleaning operation along a driving path, checking the amount of dust inflow, and controlling a wet mop cleaning function based on the checked amount of dust inflow.

[0018] The step of controlling the above-mentioned wet mop cleaning function can cause the cleaning pad to be lifted away from the floor surface if the confirmed amount of dust inflow is greater than or equal to a preset amount.

[0019] The control method may further include the steps of: controlling a suction device by increasing the suction intensity when the confirmed amount of dust inflow is greater than or equal to a preset amount; storing location information for an area where wet mop cleaning has not been performed; and performing wet mop cleaning for the area based on the location information when the suction cleaning for the area is completed.

[0020] The above-mentioned storage step also stores driving direction information for the area, and the above-mentioned step of performing mop cleaning can perform mop cleaning while moving in a driving direction different from the existing driving direction for the area based on the location information and driving direction information.

[0021] The step of checking the dust inflow amount checks the dust inflow amount and dust size based on the amount of change and the period of change of the output signal of the dust detection sensor, and the control method may further include the step of controlling the suction device to have a suction strength corresponding to the checked dust size.

[0022] The step of controlling the above-mentioned wet mop cleaning function can vary at least one of the water supply amount and water supply cycle to the cleaning pad in response to the confirmed amount of dust inflow.

[0023] The control method may include a step of updating the contamination status of the cleaning pad based on the confirmed dust inflow amount.

[0024] The control method may further include the step of controlling a driving device to return to a station if the contamination state of the cleaning pad is greater than a preset standard.

[0025] The control method may further include the step of transmitting information regarding the contamination status of the cleaning pad to the station when the robot vacuum cleaner docks at the station.

[0026] A non-transient computer-readable recording medium storing a program for executing a control method for a robot vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the control method comprises the steps of performing a cleaning operation along a driving path, checking a dust inflow amount, and controlling a wet mop cleaning function based on the checked dust inflow amount.

[0027] The above-described or other aspects, features, and benefits of embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings:

[0028] FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining a cleaning system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure,

[0029] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a robot vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure,

[0030] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a robot vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure,

[0031] FIG. 4 is a drawing for explaining the operation of a suction device and a wet cleaning device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure,

[0032] FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining the placement location of a dust detection sensor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure,

[0033] FIG. 6 is a drawing for explaining the operation of a dust detection sensor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure,

[0034] FIG. 7 is a drawing for explaining the light emission operation of a dust detection sensor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure,

[0035] FIG. 8 is a waveform diagram illustrating an example of an output signal of a dust detection sensor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure,

[0036] FIG. 9 is a drawing illustrating an example of confirming the inflow amount and dust size based on the output signal of a dust detection sensor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] FIG. 10 is a drawing for explaining the operation of a dust detection sensor when a wire is introduced according to one embodiment of the present disclosure,

[0038] FIG. 11 is a drawing for explaining the operation of a dust detection sensor when a wire is introduced according to one embodiment of the present disclosure,

[0039] FIG. 12 is a drawing illustrating an example of map information according to one embodiment of the present disclosure,

[0040] FIG. 13 is a drawing for illustrating a driving path according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and,

[0041] FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a control method for a robot vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] The embodiments described herein are subject to various modifications and may have various forms; specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. However, this is not intended to limit the scope of specific embodiments and should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, and / or alternatives of the embodiments of the present disclosure. In relation to the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar components.

[0043] In describing the present disclosure, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known functions or configurations could unnecessarily obscure the essence of the present disclosure, such detailed description is omitted.

[0044] Additionally, the following embodiments may be modified in various other forms, and the scope of the technical concept of the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the present disclosure more faithful and complete and to fully convey the technical concept of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0045] The terms used in this disclosure are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the rights. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0046] In the present disclosure, expressions such as “have,” “may have,” “include,” or “may include” indicate the presence of such features (e.g., numerical values, functions, actions, or components, etc.) and do not exclude the presence of additional features.

[0047] In the present disclosure, expressions such as “A or B,” “at least one of A or / and B,” or “one or more of A or / and B” may include all possible combinations of items listed together. For example, “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” or “at least one of A or B” may refer to cases including (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) both at least one A and at least one B.

[0048] Expressions such as “first,” “second,” “first,” or “second” used in this disclosure may modify various components regardless of order and / or importance, and are used only to distinguish one component from another and do not limit said components.

[0049] Where it is stated 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 the component may be directly connected to the other component or connected through the other component (e.g., a third component).

[0050] On the other hand, when it is stated that a certain component (e.g., a first component) is "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another component (e.g., a second component), it may be understood that no other component (e.g., a third component) exists between said certain component and said other component.

[0051] As used in this disclosure, the expression “configured to” may be replaced, depending on the context, 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 hardware.

[0052] Instead, in some situations, the expression “device configured to do something” may mean that the device is “capable of doing something” together with other devices or components. For example, the phrase “processor configured (or set) to perform A, B, and C” may mean a dedicated processor for performing those operations (e.g., an embedded processor), or a generic-purpose processor (e.g., a CPU or application processor) capable of performing those operations by executing one or more software programs stored in a memory device.

[0053] In the embodiments, a 'module' or 'part' performs at least one function or operation and may be implemented in hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software. Additionally, a plurality of 'modules' or a plurality of 'parts' may be integrated into at least one module and implemented by at least one processor, except for the 'module' or 'part' that needs to be implemented in specific hardware.

[0054] Operations performed by a module, program, or other component according to various embodiments 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.

[0055] Meanwhile, various elements and areas in the drawings are depicted schematically. Accordingly, the technical concept of the present invention is not limited by the relative sizes or spacing depicted in the attached drawings.

[0056] Meanwhile, an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may include, for example, at least one of a smartphone, a tablet PC, a desktop PC, a laptop PC, a server, or a wearable device. The wearable device may include at least one of an accessory type (e.g., a watch, ring, bracelet, anklet, necklace, glasses, contact lens, or head-mounted device (HMD)), a fabric or clothing integrated type (e.g., electronic clothing), a body-attached type (e.g., a skin pad or tattoo), or a bio-implantable circuit.

[0057] In some embodiments, the electronic device is, for example, a television, a DVD (digital video disk) player, audio, a refrigerator, an air conditioner, a vacuum cleaner, an oven, a microwave, a washing machine, an air purifier, a set-top box, a home automation control panel, a security control panel, a media box (e.g., Samsung HomeSync). TM It may include at least one of a game console, electronic dictionary, electronic key, camcorder, or electronic photo frame.

[0058] A vacuum cleaner is an electronic device used to maintain cleanliness by sucking up or removing dust, foreign matter, small debris, etc. Generally, it may include not only vacuum cleaners that generate suction force to suck up foreign matter, but also steam cleaners that generate steam to clean, and wet cleaners that rotate a mop to clean wetly.

[0059] Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the attached drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement them.

[0060] FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining a cleaning system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0061] Referring to FIG. 1, the cleaning system (400) may include a robot vacuum cleaner (100) and a station (200).

[0062] The robot vacuum cleaner (100) is an autonomous vacuum cleaner equipped with the function of automatically cleaning the floor. Such a robot vacuum cleaner (100) is equipped with a rechargeable battery, operates using power charged in the battery while driving, and can return to a station (200) for charging when the battery is low.

[0063] The station (200) holds the robot vacuum cleaner and can provide charging power to the robot vacuum cleaner (100) when the robot vacuum cleaner (100) is placed thereon. Recently, the station (200) can not only provide charging power but also perform functions such as automatically emptying dust from the dust bin of the robot vacuum cleaner, washing, steaming, and drying the cleaning pad (or mop) attached to the robot vacuum cleaner, and supplying water to the water tank of the robot vacuum cleaner.

[0064] These stations (200) may be referred to as docking devices, docking stations, charging devices, charging stations, cleaning stations, etc. Here, the cleaning pad is a pad used for wet mop cleaning and may be referred to as a wet mop, a mop, a cleaning cloth, a cleaning cloth, etc.

[0065] If the station (200) is equipped with a cleaning function for a cleaning pad, it may be equipped with a turbidity sensor that detects the turbidity of wastewater discharged during the cleaning process.

[0066] The robot vacuum cleaner (100) performs cleaning tasks according to the user's cleaning command or a preset cleaning schedule. When cleaning is completed, the robot vacuum cleaner (100) can return to the station (200) when the internal dust bin is full of dust or when the battery capacity falls below a certain level. After such a return, the robot vacuum cleaner (100) can empty the dust bin, charge the battery, or wash the cleaning pad.

[0067] Recent robot vacuum cleaners are capable of wet mopping and can be equipped with a wet cleaning device for wet mopping. Previously, the degree of dirtiness of the cleaning pad used during wet mopping was not assessed, and the cleaning time was adjusted merely based on the wastewater generated during the cleaning process. In other words, cleaning was performed without checking whether the cleaning pad had become dirty during the cleaning process.

[0068] Consequently, cleaning was performed even though the cleaning pad was dirty, which could lead to the problem of foreign matter from the pad being transferred to the floor.

[0069] To solve these problems, the robot vacuum cleaner according to the present disclosure can continuously update the dirt status of the mop based on dust information detected by a dust detection sensor, and perform various controls such as lifting the cleaning pad off the floor or returning it to the station when it is thought to be dirty beyond a certain level or when wet cleaning needs to be temporarily suspended due to high dirt levels on the floor surface.

[0070] In addition, during the cleaning process of the cleaning pad after the robot vacuum cleaner returns to the station, the dirty condition of the cleaning pad can be provided to the station, thereby enabling a cleaner cleaning process. For example, in the conventional method, the rinsing time was adjusted during the cleaning process of the cleaning pad, but in the present disclosure, the dirty condition can be known in advance before cleaning, so steam can be provided in advance, a soaking operation can be performed, or the cleaning time can be set to be longer in advance to perform the cleaning operation.

[0071] The specific configuration and operation of such a robot vacuum cleaner will be described later with reference to FIGS. 2 and FIGS. 3.

[0072] As described above, the cleaning system (400) can continuously monitor the condition of the cleaning pad during the cleaning process and perform corresponding actions, thereby enabling a cleaner cleaning operation.

[0073] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a robot vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0074] Referring to FIG. 2, the robot vacuum cleaner (100) may include a memory (110), a driving device (120), a suction device (130), a dust detection sensor (140), a wet cleaning device (150), and a processor (160).

[0075] The memory (110) may be implemented as internal memory such as ROM (e.g., EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory)) or RAM included in the processor (160), or as memory separate from the processor (160). In this case, the memory (110) may be implemented in the form of memory embedded in the robot vacuum cleaner (100) or in the form of memory that can be attached to and detached from the robot vacuum cleaner (100), depending on the purpose of data storage. For example, data for operating the robot vacuum cleaner (100) may be stored in memory embedded in the robot vacuum cleaner (100), and data for the expansion function of the robot vacuum cleaner (100) may be stored in memory that can be attached to and detached from the robot vacuum cleaner (100).

[0076] Meanwhile, the memory embedded in the robot vacuum cleaner (100) is implemented as at least one of volatile memory (e.g., DRAM (dynamic RAM), SRAM (static RAM), or SDRAM (synchronous dynamic RAM), etc.), non-volatile memory (e.g., OTPROM (one time programmable ROM), PROM (programmable ROM), EPROM (erasable and programmable ROM), EEPROM (electrically erasable and programmable ROM), mask ROM, flash ROM, flash memory (e.g., NAND flash or NOR flash), etc.), hard drive, or solid state drive (SSD), and the memory that can be attached to and detached from the robot vacuum cleaner (100) can be implemented in the form of a memory card (e.g., CF (compact flash), SD (secure digital), Micro-SD (micro secure digital), Mini-SD (mini secure digital), xD (extreme digital), MMC (multi-media card), etc.), external memory that can be connected to a USB port (e.g., USB memory).

[0077] Meanwhile, although the illustrated example shows the robot vacuum cleaner (100) being composed of a single memory, when distinguishing between volatile memory and non-volatile memory, the robot vacuum cleaner (100) may be described as including multiple memories.

[0078] The memory (110) can store an operating system (OS) for controlling the overall operation of the components of the robot vacuum cleaner (100) and instructions or data related to the components of the robot vacuum cleaner (100).

[0079] In addition, the memory (110) can store kernel configurations (e.g., IPC driver, camera driver, graphics driver, power management program) for controlling various sensors, cameras, etc. within the robot vacuum cleaner.

[0080] The memory (110) can store map information generated during the process described below. Although the above description assumes that the robot vacuum cleaner (100) directly generates and uses map information, it is also possible to receive and use map information generated by an external device.

[0081] And the memory (110) can store detection data obtained from the sensor (180) while driving. And the memory (110) can store contamination status information for the cleaning pad (or mop). This contamination status can be continuously updated during cleaning and can be reset to a value of 0 when cleaning is performed at the station.

[0082] The drive unit (120) is configured to move (or drive) the robot vacuum cleaner. For example, the drive unit (120) may include a wheel that moves (or drives) the robot vacuum cleaner (100) and a wheel drive motor that rotates the wheel. Additionally, the drive unit (120) may include a motor drive circuit that supplies drive current to various motors and a rotation detection sensor that detects the rotational displacement and rotational speed of the motor.

[0083] The suction device (130) includes a configuration such as a motor, generates suction force through the operation of the motor described above, and can suck up contaminants such as dust on the floor surface based on the generated suction force. This suction device (130) may further include a drum brush that moves dust into a duct and a side brush that moves dust on the side of the robot vacuum cleaner in the direction of the drum brush.

[0084] The suction device (130) can separate at least one of the drum brush and side brush described above from the floor surface. The specific configuration of the suction device (130) will be described later with reference to FIG. 4. Such a suction device (130) may be referred to as a dry cleaning device, a vacuum cleaning device, etc.

[0085] The dust detection sensor (140) can detect dust being sucked into the inlet of the suction device. For example, the dust detection sensor (140) may be composed of a light emission sensor and a detection sensor, and may output an output signal that can be used to detect the amount of dust or the size of dust moving into the inlet based on whether light is detected by the detection sensor. The specific configuration and operation of the dust detection sensor (140) will be described later with reference to FIGS. 5 to 8.

[0086] The wet cleaning device (150) can perform wet mop cleaning on a floor surface. For example, the wet cleaning device (150) may include a cleaning pad for wet mop cleaning and a mechanical device such as a motor for rotating the pad.

[0087] The wet cleaning device (150) can perform a lift function to cause the cleaning pad described above to fall off the floor surface and may further include a water supply device for supplying water to the cleaning pad. The specific configuration and operation of the wet cleaning device (150) will be described later in FIG. 4. Such a wet cleaning device (150) may also be referred to as a wet mop cleaning device, a wet mop cleaner, etc.

[0088] The processor (160) controls the overall operation of the robot vacuum cleaner (100). Specifically, the processor (160) is connected to the configuration of the robot vacuum cleaner including a memory (110), a driving device (120), a suction device (130), a dust detection sensor (140), and a wet cleaning device (150), and can control the overall operation of the robot vacuum cleaner by executing at least one instruction stored in the memory (110) as described above. In particular, the processor (160) can be implemented as a single processor as well as as a plurality of processors.

[0089] The processor (160) may be implemented as one or more IC (integrated circuit (or circuitry)) chips and may perform various data processing operations. The processor (160) may include at least one electrical circuit and may process instructions (or programs, data, etc.) stored in memory individually or collectively in a distributed manner.

[0090] The processor (160) may include a processor assembly comprising one or more processing circuits. The processor (160) may include any processing circuit that is operative to control the performance and operations of one or more components of the robot vacuum cleaner (e.g., memory and / or drive unit (sensor)). For example, the processor (160) (e.g., AP) may be implemented as a system on chip (SoC) (e.g., a single chip or a chipset). For example, the processor (160) may be implemented as multiple cores (or at least one core circuit), multiple chips, or multiple chipsets.

[0091] For example, the processor (160) may include one or more processing circuits. The processor (160) may include one or more processing circuits configured to perform various functions of the present disclosure individually and / or collectively. As an example without limitation, at least a portion of the processor (160) may be included in a first chip of the robot vacuum cleaner (100), and at least another portion of the processor (160) may be included in a second chip of a robot vacuum cleaner different from the first chip of the robot vacuum cleaner (100).

[0092] For example, the processor (160) may include a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor (ISP), a display controller, a memory controller, a storage controller, a communication processor (CP), and / or a sensor interface. These components of the processor (160) are merely exemplary. The processor (160) may include additional components other than those described above. Additionally, some components of the processor (160) may be omitted. Furthermore, some components of the processor (160) may be included as separate components of the robot vacuum cleaner (100) outside of the processor (160). For example, some components of the processor (160) (e.g., a memory controller) may be included within other components (e.g., at least a portion of memory, an interface (e.g., available for connection to at least one component of the robot vacuum cleaner (100)), a display).

[0093] The processor (160) can cause other components of the robot vacuum cleaner (100) to perform various operations by executing instructions stored in memory (110). The processor (160) processes setting values, function commands, etc. according to a stored control program or control data, and can output control signals related to functions that the robot vacuum cleaner (100) can perform or communication signals for communicating with an external electronic device.

[0094] The processor (160) can perform cleaning operations according to the driving path. For example, the robot vacuum cleaner (100) can receive a cleaning command from a user or, when time corresponding to a preset cleaning schedule arrives, set a driving path (or cleaning path) and perform cleaning operations while moving along the set driving path.

[0095] The processor (160) can generate a driving path based on map data stored in memory (110) and control the driving device (120) so that the robot vacuum cleaner (100) moves according to the generated driving path.

[0096] At this time, the processor (160) can determine and use a cleaning mode on each driving path. Here, the cleaning mode may include a mode that performs only suction operation (e.g., vacuuming or dry cleaning), a mode that performs only wet mopping, and a mode that performs both suction and wet mopping simultaneously.

[0097] The selection of such modes can be specified by user settings or automatically determined based on the type of floor. For example, vacuuming and mopping are performed simultaneously on floors suitable for mopping, while only vacuuming may be performed on floors that are difficult to mop, such as carpets.

[0098] The processor (160) can identify an object using detection data obtained from a sensor or an image obtained from a camera while performing a cleaning operation.

[0099] The processor (160) can identify the surrounding environment while the robot vacuum cleaner (100) is moving and control each component within the robot vacuum cleaner based on the identified surrounding environment.

[0100] For example, at least one processor (160) can identify whether there is a safe path (hereinafter referred to as a safe path) or a path requiring caution (hereinafter referred to as a caution path) by checking for the presence of an obstacle (anomaly, stairs, railing) within a preset distance on the driving path of the robot vacuum cleaner. Here, the safe path may include cases where there are no objects expected to collide with the robot vacuum cleaner on the driving path for a certain period of time or a certain distance, and may be referred to as a normal path, general path, safe state, normal state, etc.

[0101] A caution path may include cases where there are obstacles (or railings, stairs, etc.) within a preset time or a certain distance, and may be referred to as a danger path, obstacle path, danger state, caution state, etc. In the following description, it has been divided into two stages—that is, whether it is a safe path or a caution path—depending on the surrounding environment, but in implementation, it may be further subdivided into three or more states.

[0102] When an abnormal object is detected on the movement path (or driving path), the processor (160) can determine whether the object needs to be moved or avoided, and can control the driving device (120) to move or avoid the object according to the determined method.

[0103] At this time, the processor (160) can store information about the aforementioned abnormal object in memory (110) in relation to its location on the map data. For example, if the aforementioned abnormal object is determined to be a fixed object, at least one processor (160) can store information about the abnormal object in memory (110) to reflect the abnormal object detected in the map data, or if it is determined to be a movable toy or prop, etc., the processor can store information about the abnormal object in memory (110) to move the object to a specific location or leave it as is according to the user's settings.

[0104] The processor (160) can check the amount of dust entering while moving along the path. For example, the processor (160) may perform the measurement at a preset interval or continuously. Alternatively, if the amount of dust entering immediately before the processor (160) is not large, the measurement may be performed at a relatively long interval, and if the amount of dust entering is somewhat high, the measurement may be performed by shortening the measurement interval.

[0105] The processor (160) can determine the amount of dust inflow and the size of the dust based on the amount of change and the period of change of the output signal of the dust detection sensor (140). Through this operation, the dirty state of a specific area can be identified. If it is determined that the dirty state is high, the processor (160) can store location information for that area. The determination of whether an area is dirty can be made by determining whether the amount of dust inflow is greater than a preset amount, or by determining if the amount of dust inflow is greater than a certain amount and the size of the dust in that area is greater than a certain size.

[0106] For example, if the detected amount of dust inflow is greater than a preset amount, the processor (160) may cause the cleaning pad to move away from the floor surface, or vary at least one of the amount of water supplied to the cleaning pad and the water supply cycle in response to the detected amount of dust inflow.

[0107] Such an operation may be performed simply based on the amount of dust, or it may be performed by reflecting the size of the identified dust. For example, if the processor (160) determines that there is a large amount of dust and that the dust is large in size, it may identify that there are many grains such as sand and cause the cleaning pad to be lifted off the floor so that cleaning proceeds only in a drying (or suction) manner.

[0108] And the processor (160) can store location information for areas where mop cleaning has not been performed. At this time, the processor (160) can also store driving direction information for the area. Such location information can also be provided to the user on a map. An example of this is explained in detail in FIG. 12.

[0109] And when vacuum cleaning of the area is finished, the processor (160) can perform wet mop cleaning of the area based on location information. At this time, the processor (160) can perform wet mop cleaning of the area while moving in a driving direction different from the existing driving direction based on location information and driving direction information.

[0110] Meanwhile, if the amount of dust is large and the dust particles are small, the processor (160) can increase the amount of water supplied to the cleaning pad to prevent the dust from emitting.

[0111] Meanwhile, although only the control operation for the wet cleaning device (150) has been described above, the processor (160) can control the suction strength of the suction device (130) based on the amount of dust described above. For example, if the amount of dust is large, the processor (160) can increase the suction strength. At this time, the suction device (130) can have various suction strengths such as low noise, normal, smart, powerful, super powerful, and jet.

[0112] Additionally, the processor (160) may change the driving pattern based on the amount of dust described above. For example, while cleaning by moving left and right across the entire space, if a preset amount of dust is detected, the processor may move in a spiral shape centered on that area or clean by repeatedly moving back and forth.

[0113] The processor (160) can switch to a smart suction intensity when a large amount of dust is detected while operating at a normal suction intensity. This suction intensity may be changed step by step, or it may be changed adaptively to the suction intensity corresponding to the detected amount of dust. Furthermore, this suction intensity is not determined simply based on the amount of dust, but may also take into account the type of floor surface and the size of the dust. For example, a relatively higher suction intensity may be used when the dust is large compared to when it is small, and a relatively higher suction intensity may be used on floors such as carpets compared to normal floor surfaces.

[0114] And during this process, the processor (160) can update the contamination status of the cleaning pad based on the amount of dust confirmed. If water cleaning is performed on an area with such a large amount of dust, the cleaning pad can become dirty very quickly.

[0115] And the processor (160) can continuously update the contamination status of the cleaning pad based on the amount of dust inflow. And the processor (160) can update (or reset) the cleaning pad to a clean state when the cleaning pad is washed at the station.

[0116] The processor (160) can control the drive device (120) to return to the station if the contamination state of the cleaning pad is greater than a preset standard. At this time, the processor (160) can control the wet cleaning device (150) so that the cleaning pad does not touch the floor surface, that is, so that it falls off.

[0117] And for this reason, when the robot vacuum is docked at the station, the processor (160) can transmit information about the contamination status of the cleaning pad to the station (200). Accordingly, the station (200) can perform cleaning for a longer time than usual, use more detergent, or perform cleaning at a higher temperature.

[0118] Meanwhile, when cleaning is completed, the processor (160) can resume cleaning. At this time, the processor (160) can control the drive device (120) to move to an area where cleaning was stopped or to an area where only dry cleaning was performed.

[0119] When performing re-cleaning, the processor (160) can create a movement path to move in a direction that intersects with the direction of travel in the existing dry cleaning process, and control the drive device (120) to move along the created movement path.

[0120] The processor (160) can control the drive unit (120) to return to the station (200) when cleaning is completed. The processor (160) can store the cleaning history. When the processor (160) returns to the station (200), it can control the station (200) to remove dust from the dust bin, wash the cleaning pad, or supply water.

[0121] Such operation can be performed by control of the robot vacuum cleaner (100), or by independent judgment of the station (200). If cleaning of the cleaning pad is performed by independent judgment of the station (200), the processor (160) can provide the degree of contamination of the cleaning pad to the station (200).

[0122] Accordingly, the station (200) can determine a washing course based on the provided degree of contamination or change detailed settings within the washing course. For example, if the degree of contamination is high, it can perform at least one of various actions such as soaking, high washing intensity, or using a large amount of detergent, or performing a washing action after steam. Alternatively, it can reflect various setting changes such as setting a long washing time in advance or increasing the rinsing time.

[0123] As described above, the robot vacuum cleaner according to the present disclosure can adaptively perform wet cleaning operations depending on the floor condition. In addition, the robot vacuum cleaner can determine the condition of the mop, thereby enabling cleaning operations to be performed in a cleaner state.

[0124] Meanwhile, although only a simple configuration constituting the robot vacuum cleaner (100) has been illustrated and described above, various additional configurations may be provided during implementation. This will be explained below with reference to FIG. 3.

[0125] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a robot vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0126] Referring to FIG. 3, the robot vacuum cleaner (100) may include a memory (110), a driving device (120), a suction device (130), a dust detection sensor (140), a wet cleaning device (150), a processor (160), a communication device (170), a sensor (180), a camera (185), a display (190), and a speaker (195).

[0127] The configuration of the memory (110), driving device (120), suction device (130), dust detection sensor (140), wet cleaning device (150), and processor (160) was previously described in FIG. 2, and only the operation different from FIG. 2 will be described below.

[0128] The communication device (170) is configured to communicate with various types of external devices according to various types of communication methods. The communication device (170) may include a Wi-Fi module, a Bluetooth module, an infrared communication module, and a wireless communication module, etc. Here, each communication module may include at least one hardware chip or hardware circuit.

[0129] Wi-Fi modules and Bluetooth modules can perform communication via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth methods, respectively. When using a Wi-Fi module or a Bluetooth module, various connection information, such as SSID and session key, is transmitted and received first; after establishing a communication connection using this information, various types of information can be transmitted and received.

[0130] The infrared communication module performs communication according to infrared communication (IrDA, Infrared Data Association) technology, which uses infrared rays located between visible light and millimeter waves to wirelessly transmit data over short distances.

[0131] In addition to the communication method described above, the wireless communication module may include at least one communication chip that performs communication according to various wireless communication standards such as Zigbee, 3G (3rd Generation), 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project), LTE (Long Term Evolution), LTE-A (LTE Advanced), 4G (4th Generation), and 5G (5th Generation).

[0132] In addition, the communication device (170) may include at least one wired communication module that performs communication using a LAN (Local Area Network) module, an Ethernet module, a pair cable, a coaxial cable, a fiber optic cable, or a UWB (Ultra Wide-Band) module.

[0133] The communication device (170) can communicate with the station (200) to provide status information of various robot vacuum cleaners. At this time, the communication device (170) can provide information about the contamination status of the cleaning pad to the station (200). Meanwhile, in implementation, the communication device (170) may transmit a setting value for cleaning instead of information about the contamination status of the cleaning pad.

[0134] And the communication device (170) may communicate with the user terminal device to provide information such as the cleaning status or a map created. In this case, the map information may include only information about the space, and may display the path the robot vacuum cleaner has moved on the space, display the area cleaned in the space, or provide information about the area where a lot of dust has been detected.

[0135] The sensor (180) is configured to acquire information about the surrounding environment of the robot vacuum cleaner (100) while the robot vacuum cleaner (100) is driving. In particular, the sensor (180) can acquire detection data about the surrounding environment of the robot vacuum cleaner (100) while the robot vacuum cleaner (100) is driving.

[0136] For example, the sensor (180) may include an IR sensor (180-1), a fall detection sensor (180-2), etc.

[0137] The IR sensor (180-1) is configured to detect surrounding obstacles, and the processor (160) can obtain the distance to the obstacle based on the signal output from the IR sensor (180-1).

[0138] The fall detection sensor (180-2) is configured to detect hazardous elements on the floor surface and is a sensor for preventing the robot vacuum cleaner (100) from falling. The processor (160) can identify whether there is a risk on the floor based on the signal output from the fall detection sensor (180-2).

[0139] In the illustrated example, only two sensors are illustrated and described, but in implementation, only some sensors may be included, and additional sensors not illustrated may be used. For example, the sensor (180) may further include a depth sensor, an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) sensor, a WF sensor, a carpet detection sensor, etc. The depth sensor is configured to detect obstacles around the robot vacuum cleaner (100). The processor (160) can obtain the distance from the robot vacuum cleaner (100) to the obstacle based on the detection data from the depth sensor. For example, the depth sensor may include at least one of a LiDAR sensor and a 3D sensor.

[0140] The WT sensor is a sensor for estimating the wall surface and may be a light sensor, and the carpet detection sensor is a sensor for detecting whether the floor surface is carpet and may be an ultrasonic sensor.

[0141] The IMU sensor is configured to acquire posture information of the robot vacuum cleaner (100). Such an IMU sensor may be a 6-axis or 9-axis sensor. For example, a 6-axis IMU may be composed of a 3-axis gyroscope and a 3-axis accelerometer, and a 9-axis IMU may be composed of a 3-axis gyroscope, a 3-axis accelerometer, and a 3-axis magnetometer. In addition, the robot vacuum cleaner (100) may include various sensors to detect the environment around the robot vacuum cleaner (100) or the state of the user. Meanwhile, although the dust detection sensor (140) is shown in FIG. 2 as a configuration separate from the sensor (180), in implementation, the dust detection sensor (140) may be a configuration within the sensor (180). Alternatively, the dust detection sensor (140) may be a configuration within the suction device (130) in that it is placed in the suction port.

[0142] The camera (185) is configured to acquire information about the surrounding environment. In particular, at least one camera (185) can acquire images (or video) according to the driving direction of the robot vacuum cleaner while the robot vacuum cleaner (100) is driving. For example, at least one camera may include various types of image sensors, such as a stereo camera or an RGB camera.

[0143] For example, the camera (185) may include a stereo camera (185-1), a mono camera (120-2, or an RGB camera).

[0144] The stereo camera (185-1) is configured to recognize the distance to an object using two captured images.

[0145] The mono camera (185-2) can be used to provide images to the user or positioned in a frontal direction for object recognition. In the illustrated example, two cameras are shown and described, but in implementation, only one may be included, and other cameras not shown may be additionally used.

[0146] The display (190) displays a user interface window or indicator for selecting a function supported by the robot vacuum cleaner (100). For example, the display (190) can display information corresponding to each state, such as whether an error has occurred in the robot vacuum cleaner, whether cleaning is in progress, or whether it is charging.

[0147] The display (190) can display information such as the amount of dust detected in areas with a large amount of dust, or that wet cleaning is temporarily suspended.

[0148] The speaker (195) is a device that outputs sound. For example, the speaker (195) can output information corresponding to the status of the robot vacuum cleaner (100) as an alert sound or voice. For example, if an error occurs, it can output information about the error, or output a status such as cleaning completion as an alert sound.

[0149] The processor (160) may include a CPU (161) and a GPU (162). Here, the GPU (162) is a processor specialized for image processing, etc., and can perform image processing on an image captured by a camera (185).

[0150] The CPU (161) can process the signal output from the sensor (180) or perform image processing on the image captured by the camera (185). In this way, the CPU (161) can perform image processing on the captured image, but it may be slower than processing by the GPU (162).

[0151] The CPU (161) can determine at least one of the amount of dust or the size of dust based on the signal output from the dust detection sensor (140) and control the suction device (130) and the wet cleaning device (150). The CPU (161) can also continuously update the contamination status of the cleaning pad based on the amount of dust and determine the return of the station if the contamination status of the cleaning pad is above a threshold.

[0152] Meanwhile, while illustrating and describing FIG. 3, various configurations are depicted as being included in the robot vacuum cleaner (100), but some configurations may be omitted during implementation. Additionally, additional configurations may be included in addition to the configurations depicted. For example, the robot vacuum cleaner may further include an operation input device for directly receiving cleaning commands.

[0153] FIG. 4 is a drawing for explaining the operation of a suction device and a wet cleaning device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0154] Referring to FIG. 4, the robot vacuum cleaner (100) may have a suction device (130) located in front of it relative to the direction of travel of the robot vacuum cleaner, and a wet cleaning device (150) located behind it. Accordingly, the robot vacuum cleaner (100) may first perform cleaning work based on suction force on the floor surface while moving, and then perform wet cleaning using a cleaning pad. Meanwhile, cleaning using such a suction device (130) may be referred to as dry cleaning, and cleaning using the wet cleaning device (150) may be referred to as wet cleaning.

[0155] The suction device (130) may include a drum brush (131) and a side brush (132). Meanwhile, the suction device (130) may further include a motor for generating suction force, a passage for moving the sucked dust, and a dust container for storing the dust.

[0156] The drum brush (131) can move dust from the floor surface into the duct using rotational force. Meanwhile, in the illustrated example, the drum brush (131) is implemented with a single roller, but the drum brush (131) can be composed of multiple rollers when implemented.

[0157] The side brush (132) can move dust on the side of the robot vacuum cleaner (100) toward the drum brush (131). Such a side brush (132) does not rotate in a fixed position, but may, in some cases, protrude further than illustrated and rotate. For example, when the robot vacuum cleaner (100) cleans a corner area, it may protrude further to move dust within the corner toward the drum brush (131).

[0158] The wet cleaning device (150) may include two cleaning pads (151), a rotating member for rotating the cleaning pads, and a configuration for lifting the cleaning pads off the floor. Additionally, the wet cleaning device (150) may further include a water supply device for supplying water to the pads.

[0159] A wet cleaning device (150) of this type can perform wet mop cleaning on the floor by rotating two cleaning pads at the rear of the drum brush (131).

[0160] Meanwhile, although the illustrated example depicts a configuration for mopping by rotating two cleaning pads, in implementation, mopping may be performed by having one cleaning pad vibrate up and down or left and right instead of rotating. Additionally, the cleaning pad may be configured in the form of a roller, allowing mopping to be performed by rotating the roller.

[0161] Such a wet cleaning device (150) can be moved away from the floor based on a determined cleaning mode or amount of dust. For example, if the user has specified only suction cleaning or is cleaning a carpet, the robot vacuum cleaner can move upward so that the cleaning pad does not touch the floor surface.

[0162] In addition, as in the present disclosure, even when there is a large amount of dust, the robot vacuum cleaner can move upward so that the cleaning pad does not come into contact with the floor surface.

[0163]

[0164] Meanwhile, in the illustrated example, only the wet cleaning device (150) is shown falling off the floor, but in the implementation, at least one of the drum brush (131) and side brush (132) described above can be made to fall off the floor.

[0165] FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining the placement location of a dust detection sensor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0166] Referring to FIG. 5, the suction device (130) may include a drum brush (131), a dust bin (134), and a duct (135).

[0167] The drum brush (131) is a brush that moves dust from the floor to the duct. For example, it rotates by receiving rotational force through a configuration such as a motor, and can move foreign substances such as dust located on the floor to the duct. Since suction force is generated in the duct, when dust located on the floor is separated from the floor by the drum brush (131), it moves toward the dust container (134) by the suction force of the duct.

[0168] The dust container (134) is a container for storing foreign substances, such as dust sucked in. For example, the dust container (134) can store dust introduced through a duct. The dust stored in the dust container (134) can be emptied at the station.

[0169] The duct (135) is a moving area between the drum brush and the dust bin. Meanwhile, in implementation, the duct may be a fixed configuration or may be made of a flexible material.

[0170] The dust detection sensor (140) may be located between the drum brush and the outlet of the duct as illustrated. In implementation, the dust detection sensor (140) may be placed between the duct and the dust bin. Meanwhile, although the illustrated example shows the use of a single dust detection sensor (140), multiple dust detection sensors may be used in implementation.

[0171] Accordingly, it can be said that the dust detection sensor (140) detects the amount of dust moving through the duct.

[0172] The operation of such a dust detection sensor will be explained below with reference to FIG. 6.

[0173] FIG. 6 is a drawing for explaining the operation of a dust detection sensor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0174] Referring to FIG. 6, the dust detection sensor (140) may include a light emission sensor (141) and a detection sensor (142). The light emission sensor (141) and the detection sensor (142) may be arranged facing each other.

[0175] The light emission sensor (141) can irradiate light of a preset wavelength in the direction of the detection sensor (142). For example, the light emission sensor (141) can be placed in the left area of ​​the duct described above and irradiate light toward the right side of the duct.

[0176] And the detection sensor (142) may be positioned at a location corresponding to the direction in which the light emission sensor (141) emits light. For example, if the detection sensor (142) is placed in the right area of ​​the duct described above, it may be positioned in a direction that can receive light emitted from the left side of the duct. For example, such a light emission sensor (141) may be located to the left with respect to the axial direction of the drum brush (131) described above, and the detection sensor may be located to the right with respect to the axial direction.

[0177] With this arrangement structure, when the light emission sensor (141) emits light, the detection sensor (142) can detect the intensity of the light by synchronizing with the time when the light emission sensor (141) emits light.

[0178] In this way, if there is no foreign matter between the two components (141, 142), the detection sensor (142) can detect a light amount greater than a certain amount.

[0179] However, if dust moves between the two components (141, 142), the dust may obstruct the path of the light emission sensor (141) and the detection sensor (142). Accordingly, the amount of light detected by the detection sensor (142) changes. Furthermore, as the amount of obstructing dust increases—that is, as the amount of dust increases—the path that is obscured increases, and thus the voltage value of the detection sensor (142) may drop further. The specific operation of the dust detection sensor (140) will be explained below with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0180] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the light-emitting operation of a dust detection sensor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 8 is a waveform diagram illustrating an example of an output signal of a dust detection sensor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0181] Referring to FIG. 7, the light emission sensor (141) can irradiate light by periodically repeating the turn-on and turn-off states. Meanwhile, although the illustrated example shows the case where the on period and the off period are the same, the ratio may differ in implementation.

[0182] Meanwhile, although Figure 7 illustrates the light being periodically turned on and off, it is also possible to implement a form in which light is continuously irradiated.

[0183] Referring to FIG. 8, the output signal of the detection sensor (142) is shown. It can be seen that the output signal initially maintains a constant value, and drops to a value lower than a constant voltage value when dust enters. Specifically, it can be seen that the light-emitting sensor emits a periodic signal, but when there is no dust entry, the detection sensor outputs a signal of a constant value.

[0184] If a certain amount of dust is introduced, light is reflected by the dust, and the amount of light detected by the dust detection sensor (140) is lower than when there is no dust. In this way, the robot vacuum cleaner can calculate the amount of dust based on the voltage change amount (mV) and a time interval (△t) that is separated by a certain amount.

[0185] Accordingly, the calculated amount of dust and dust size will be explained below with reference to Fig. 9.

[0186] FIG. 9 is a drawing illustrating an example of confirming the amount of inflow and the size of dust based on the output signal of a dust detection sensor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0187] Referring to Fig. 9, the number of times the amount of dust entering during the cleaning period exceeds a certain level is shown in the table on the left, and the dust size in each corresponding section is shown in the table on the right.

[0188] For example, the amount of dust can be calculated using the dust inflow time (△t) and the voltage change amount (mV) in Fig. 8, that is, the changed area (△t*mV) in Fig. 8.

[0189] In addition, since the falling width can change as the size of the dust increases, the dust size can be determined based on the signal difference (mV). This calculation method is an example, and various methods other than the one described above can be applied during implementation.

[0190] In addition, the robot vacuum cleaner can continuously update the contamination status of the cleaning pad based on the aforementioned amount of dust. For example, when cleaning is first started, the robot vacuum cleaner can set the contamination level of the cleaning pad to 0.

[0191] Also, as shown on the left side of Fig. 9, if the inflow amount is confirmed to be 10 or more, the contamination level can be increased by 1. Furthermore, this increase in contamination level may vary depending on the amount of dust inflow or the size of the dust. Such numerical values ​​are set by the manufacturer and can be provided at the time of product launch or updated through firmware updates. Alternatively, the robot vacuum cleaner may learn and update these values ​​during the cleaning process.

[0192] For example, the dirt level of the cleaning pad may be updated according to the amount of dust inflow, and accordingly, the aforementioned numerical values ​​may be learned and updated based on the condition of the wastewater discharged during the cleaning process of the actual cleaning pad.

[0193] FIG. 10 is a drawing for explaining the operation of a dust detection sensor when a wire is introduced according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 11 is a drawing for explaining the operation of a processor when a wire is introduced according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0194] Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, a detection signal above a reference value is detected before the wire enters. Then, when the wire enters the robot vacuum cleaner, the detection signal drops below the reference value as shown in the figure. In the case of ordinary dust or foreign matter, even if the detection signal drops below the reference value, it rises back above the reference value after a certain period of time.

[0195] However, because the wire is long, some parts may be located in the duct or dust bin, while others may be located externally. In other words, it may be positioned in a way that blocks the area detected by the dust sensor, which interferes with the cleaning operation.

[0196] Therefore, if the robot vacuum cleaner maintains a signal below a threshold value for a certain period of time, it can confirm that foreign matter, such as a wire, has entered. In this case, since the duct is blocked by the wire and the suction operation is being obstructed, the robot vacuum cleaner can perform an action to remove the wire.

[0197] That is, when the processor (160) detects a signal drop of more than a certain amount for a certain period of time, it confirms that the duct is blocked by foreign matter and can proceed with movement to remove the foreign matter. For example, if the processor (160) moves in the opposite direction to the direction of travel, the drum brush (131) can also be made to rotate in the opposite direction.

[0198] After performing this process for a certain period of time, the robot vacuum cleaner can check whether the signal drop of the aforementioned dust detection sensor is still being maintained.

[0199] If it is confirmed that foreign matter has been discharged, the robot vacuum cleaner can move to avoid the area where the foreign matter originated. Meanwhile, the robot vacuum cleaner can store such locations and provide a message to the user notifying them that foreign matter, such as wires, is located in that area.

[0200] If the discharge of foreign matter is not confirmed, the robot vacuum cleaner may repeat the operation described above a certain number of times.

[0201] If the aforementioned operation is repeated a certain number of times but it is confirmed that no foreign matter has been discharged, the robot vacuum cleaner may stop operation and send a message to the user requesting the removal of foreign matter.

[0202] FIG. 12 is a drawing illustrating an example of map information according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0203] Referring to FIG. 12, the robot vacuum cleaner can generate a map corresponding to the user's living environment. In this case, the robot vacuum cleaner can distinguish multiple spaces within the map and set a name (or index) for each space from the user. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the space may be divided into a kitchen, room 1, room 2, and a living room. The user can input a cleaning command for the entire space, or input a cleaning command for only some of the spaces.

[0204] And when cleaning is performed, the robot vacuum cleaner can carry out the cleaning task using the corresponding map. Additionally, the robot vacuum cleaner can store location information corresponding to areas where a certain amount of dust is detected by the dust detection sensor.

[0205] In addition, the robot vacuum cleaner can individually store the amount of dust entering each of the aforementioned spaces.

[0206] Such map information can be displayed in the user interface window (1210) of the user terminal device (10). Accordingly, the user can know information about the areas that were dirty during the cleaning process.

[0207] For example, if the user confirms that the living room is dirty in the illustrated example, they can select the living room in the user interface window (1210) and enter a control command to perform re-cleaning only on that living room area.

[0208] Meanwhile, when implemented, for spaces where the amount of dust exceeds a certain amount and is repeated a certain number of times, the robot vacuum can automatically re-clean even without a user's control command. For example, if the amount of dust in Room 1 exceeds a threshold value, the robot vacuum can re-clean Room 1 after completing cleaning of the entire space and returning to the station.

[0209] And the robot vacuum cleaner (100) can control the operation of the wet cleaning device in an area where a certain amount of dust is detected. For example, the robot vacuum cleaner (100) can control the operation of the wet cleaning device in different ways based on the size of the detected dust.

[0210] For example, if the dust particles are large, the robot vacuum cleaner may temporarily stop wet cleaning and increase the suction strength. Conversely, if the dust particles are small, the robot vacuum cleaner (100) may increase the amount of water supplied per cycle above a reference value or increase the number of water supplies.

[0211] Meanwhile, although FIG. 12 illustrates that only the area where dust exceeding a preset amount is detected is provided through the user interface window (1210), in implementation, the movement path (cleaning area) in each area may be displayed. Additionally, if the robot vacuum cleaner detects a wire, it may provide the location of the wire to the user. Such a wire may include not only cases where it is sucked into the suction device as illustrated in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, but also cases where it is detected by vision recognition and then avoided.

[0212] FIG. 13 is a drawing for explaining a driving path according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0213] Referring to FIG. 13, the robot vacuum cleaner (100) can perform cleaning by creating a movement path. When cleaning in this manner, the robot vacuum cleaner (100) detects a certain amount of dust and, if it is confirmed that the dust is relatively large, it may decide not to perform wet cleaning on that area immediately.

[0214] Accordingly, the robot vacuum cleaner (100) stores the location information and can clean the space (room 1) using only a wet method. When the cleaning of the space (room 1) is completed, the robot vacuum cleaner (100) can clean the space (room 1) again. At this time, the robot vacuum cleaner (100) can clean using only a wet method, or it can clean using both dry and wet methods.

[0215] And during this re-cleaning, the robot vacuum cleaner can proceed with cleaning while moving in a direction opposite to the existing direction of movement, as shown in FIG. 13.

[0216] Meanwhile, such re-cleaning may be performed only in a wet manner after cleaning in a dry manner. However, when implementing it, it may be a cleaning method that is repeatedly performed on the same space by performing both dry and wet cleaning as described in FIG. 12 when dust is detected a certain number of times or more in a specific space after cleaning in a general manner.

[0217] In addition, when moving for the aforementioned re-cleaning, cleaning can be performed in conjunction with re-cleaning specific areas where there is a large amount of dust, as well as cleaning uncleaned areas that could not be cleaned due to closed doors or pets being present.

[0218] FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a control method for a robot vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0219] Referring to FIG. 14, the robot vacuum cleaner performs cleaning operations along a driving path (1410). The robot vacuum cleaner (100) can receive a cleaning command from a user or, when time corresponding to a preset cleaning schedule arrives, set a driving path and perform cleaning operations while moving along the set driving path.

[0220] At this time, the robot vacuum cleaner (100) can determine and use a cleaning mode on each driving path. Here, the cleaning mode may include a mode that performs only suction (e.g., vacuuming or dry cleaning), a mode that performs only wet mopping, and a mode that performs both suction and wet mopping simultaneously.

[0221] The selection of such modes can be specified by user settings or automatically determined based on the type of floor. For example, vacuuming and mopping are performed simultaneously on floors suitable for mopping, while only vacuuming may be performed on floors that are difficult to mop, such as carpets.

[0222] As described above, once the driving path and cleaning mode are determined, the robot vacuum cleaner (100) can perform cleaning operations while moving along the determined driving path. During this process, the robot vacuum cleaner (100) can check the amount of dust entering (1420). This checking of the amount of dust entering may be performed at a preset interval or continuously.

[0223] For example, the robot vacuum cleaner (100) can determine the amount of dust inflow and the size of the dust based on the amount of change and the period of change of the output signal of the dust detection sensor. Through such operation, the dirty state of a specific area can be identified. If it is determined that the dirty state is high, information about the area can be stored. The determination of whether an area is dirty can be made by determining whether the amount of dust inflow is greater than a preset amount, or by determining if the amount of dust inflow is greater than a certain amount and the size of the dust in the area is greater than a certain size.

[0224] And the robot vacuum cleaner controls the mop cleaning function based on the amount of dust inflow (1430). For example, if the amount of dust inflow is greater than a preset amount, the cleaning pad may be moved away from the floor surface, or at least one of the amount of water supplied to the cleaning pad and the water supply cycle may be varied in response to the amount of dust inflow.

[0225] Such an action can be performed simply based on the amount of dust, or it can be performed by reflecting the size of the identified dust. For example, if the identified amount of dust is large or the dust particles are large, the robot vacuum cleaner may detect that there are many grains such as sand and cause the cleaning pad to be lifted off the floor so that cleaning proceeds only in a drying (or suction) mode.

[0226] In addition, location information for areas where wet mopping was not performed can be stored. At this time, driving direction information for the area can also be stored.

[0227] And when vacuum cleaning is completed for an area, wet mopping can be performed on the area based on location information. At this time, the robot vacuum cleaner can perform wet mopping while moving in a driving direction different from the existing driving direction for the area, based on location information and driving direction information.

[0228] Meanwhile, if the amount of dust is large and the dust particles are small, the amount of water supplied to the cleaning pad can be increased to prevent the emission of the dust.

[0229] During this process, the robot vacuum cleaner can update the contamination status of the cleaning pad based on the detected amount of dust. If wet cleaning is performed on areas with such a large amount of dust, the cleaning pad can become dirty very quickly.

[0230] In addition, the robot vacuum cleaner can continuously update the contamination status of the cleaning pad based on the detected amount of dust inflow, and control the drive unit to return to the station if the contamination status of the cleaning pad exceeds a preset standard.

[0231] And for this reason, when the robot vacuum is docked at the station, it can transmit information about the soiling status of the cleaning pad to the station. Accordingly, it can clean the pad for a longer period, use more detergent, or increase the cleaning temperature compared to normal cases.

[0232] As described above, the control method according to the present disclosure enables a robot vacuum cleaner to adaptively perform wet cleaning operations according to dust conditions. In addition, the robot vacuum cleaner continuously updates and monitors the contamination status of the cleaning pad, thereby enabling cleaning operations to be performed in a cleaner state.

[0233] Meanwhile, methods according to at least some of the various embodiments of the present disclosure described above can be implemented in the form of an application that can be installed on an existing robot vacuum cleaner.

[0234] In addition, methods according to at least some of the various embodiments of the present disclosure described above can be implemented by software upgrades or hardware upgrades for existing robot vacuum cleaners alone.

[0235] In addition, methods according to at least some of the various embodiments of the present disclosure described above may also be performed through an external server, such as an embedded server equipped in a robot vacuum cleaner or an electronic device.

[0236] Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the various embodiments described above may be implemented as software containing instructions stored on a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., a computer). The machine may include an electronic device (e.g., a robot vacuum cleaner) according to the disclosed embodiments, which is a device capable of calling instructions stored from the storage medium and operating according to the called instructions. When instructions are executed by a processor, the processor may perform a function corresponding to the instructions directly or by using other components under the control of the processor. Instructions may include code generated or executed by a compiler or an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, "non-transitory storage medium" simply means that it is a tangible device and does not contain a signal (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and this term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where it is stored temporarily in the storage medium. For example, A 'non-transient storage medium' may include a buffer in which data is temporarily stored. According to one embodiment, the method according to the various embodiments disclosed herein may be provided by being included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded between a seller and a buyer as a product. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a device-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)), or distributed online (e.g., download or upload) through an application store or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones).For online distribution, at least a portion of a computer program product (e.g., a downloadable app) may be temporarily stored or temporarily created on a device-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.

[0237] Various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented as software comprising instructions stored on a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., a computer). The machine may include an electronic device (e.g., a robot vacuum cleaner, a station) according to the disclosed embodiments, which is a device capable of calling instructions stored on the storage medium and operating according to the called instructions.

[0238] When the above-described instruction is executed by a processor, the processor may perform the function corresponding to the above-described instruction directly or by using other components under the control of the above-described processor. The instruction may include code generated or executed by a compiler or an interpreter.

[0239] Although preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. It is understood that various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the essence of the present disclosure as claimed in the claims, and such modifications should not be understood individually from the technical spirit or perspective of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. Regarding robot vacuum cleaners, drive; A suction device for sucking up dust; A dust detection sensor that detects dust sucked into the inlet of the above-mentioned suction device; A wet cleaning device that performs wet mop cleaning on a floor surface; Memory for storing at least one instruction; and It includes one or more processors that execute at least one of the above instructions; The above one or more processors, A robot vacuum cleaner that controls the driving device and the suction device to perform a cleaning operation according to a driving path, checks the amount of dust inflow based on the output signal of the dust detection sensor, and controls the cleaning operation of the wet cleaning device based on the checked amount of dust inflow.

2. In Paragraph 1, The above one or more processors, A robot vacuum cleaner that controls the wet cleaning device so that the cleaning pad separates from the floor surface when the confirmed amount of dust inflow is greater than or equal to a preset amount.

3. In Paragraph 2, The above one or more processors, If the confirmed amount of dust inflow is greater than or equal to a preset amount, the suction device is controlled to increase the suction intensity to clean, and The location information for the area where the above-mentioned wet mop cleaning was not performed is stored in the memory, and A robot vacuum cleaner that controls the wet cleaning device to perform mop cleaning of the area based on the location information when suction cleaning of the area is finished.

4. In Paragraph 3, The above one or more processors, The driving direction information for the above area is stored in the memory, and A robot vacuum cleaner that controls the driving device to perform wet mop cleaning while moving in a driving direction different from the existing driving direction for the area based on the above location information and driving direction information.

5. In Paragraph 1, The above one or more processors, Based on the amount of change and the period of change of the output signal of the dust detection sensor above, the amount of dust inflow and the dust size are determined, A robot vacuum cleaner that controls the suction device to have a suction strength corresponding to the dust size identified above.

6. In Paragraph 5, The above one or more processors, A robot vacuum cleaner that controls the wet cleaning device to vary at least one of the water supply amount and water supply cycle to the cleaning pad in response to the confirmed amount of dust inflow.

7. In Paragraph 1, The above one or more processors, A robot vacuum cleaner that updates the contamination status of a cleaning pad based on the above-mentioned dust inflow amount.

8. In Paragraph 7, The above one or more processors, A robot vacuum cleaner that controls the drive device to return to the station when the contamination state of the cleaning pad is greater than a preset standard.

9. In Paragraph 7, A communication device that communicates with a station; further comprising, The above one or more processors, A robot vacuum cleaner that controls the communication device to transmit information about the contamination status of the cleaning pad to the station when the robot vacuum cleaner docks at the station.

10. In Paragraph 1, The above one or more processors, A robot vacuum cleaner that controls the driving device and the suction device to change the driving direction and the rotation direction of at least one of the cleaning rollers of the suction device when the output signal of the dust detection sensor exceeds a preset detection value for a preset time.

11. In a method for controlling a robot vacuum cleaner, Step of performing a cleaning action according to the driving path; Step to check the amount of dust inflow; and A control method comprising the step of controlling a wet mop cleaning function based on a confirmed amount of dust inflow.

12. In Paragraph 11, The step of controlling the above-mentioned wet mop cleaning function is, A control method for separating a cleaning pad from a floor surface when the confirmed amount of dust inflow is greater than or equal to a preset amount.

13. In Paragraph 12, A step of controlling the suction device by increasing the suction intensity if the confirmed dust inflow amount is greater than or equal to a preset amount; A step of storing location information for the area where the above-mentioned wet mop cleaning was not performed; A control method further comprising the step of performing wet mop cleaning of the area based on the location information when suction cleaning of the area is finished.

14. In Paragraph 13, The above-mentioned saving step is, Also store driving direction information for the above area, and The step of performing the above wet mop cleaning is, A control method for performing wet mop cleaning while moving in a driving direction different from the existing driving direction for the area based on the above location information and driving direction information.

15. A non-transient computer-readable recording medium storing a program for executing a control method for a robot vacuum cleaner, The above control method is, Step of performing a cleaning action according to the driving path; Step to check the amount of dust inflow; and A computer-readable recording medium comprising the step of controlling a wet mop cleaning function based on a confirmed amount of dust inflow.

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