Automatic retrieval of autonomous pool-cleaning robots

Abstract

An electronic pool-cleaning robot includes repositionable arms coupled to traction devices on one end and shafts on the other. As the shafts cause the arms to reposition, the arms cause the traction devices to extend past a body of the robot, thereby enabling the robot to adjust its clearance and its pitch angle while cleaning the pool, and to autonomously climb out of the pool for maintenance or recharging without requiring manual intervention.

Description

Automatic Retrieval Of Autonomous Pool-Cleaning Robots RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 740,721, filed December 31, 2024, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] This application relates to retrieval systems for autonomous pool-cleaning robots.BACKGROUND

[0003] Pool-cleaning robots can be categorized into corded and cordless types. Corded pool-cleaning robots rely on a power cable to supply electricity. The advantage of this design is a continuous power supply, but the disadvantage is the risk of the cable tangling or getting caught on obstacles along the deck or under the water. Cordless pool-cleaning robots, which are powered by batteries, eliminate the issue of cable tangling. However, cordless robots are limited by battery capacity and often run out of power before completing most of the cleaning tasks. They then require several hours of recharging before resuming the cleaning operation.

[0004] Whether for the purpose of cleaning the filter or recharging the battery, poolcleaning robots must first be retrieved from the pool. Current methods for retrieving poolcleaning robots typically include the use of a long pole with a hook to lift the robot from the bottom of the pool, or the use of a handle presented by the robot while adhering to a pool wall to lift the robot from the water surface. Since pool-cleaning robots can weigh more than twenty pounds, retrieving them from either the bottom of the pool or the water surface is a time-consuming and labor-intensive task, which presents a significant challenge for users attempting to clean and recharge their pool-cleaning robots.SUMMARY

[0005] Based on the discussion above as well as other problems and disadvantages of the related art, there is a need for a system that can enable timely and automatic retrieval of autonomous pool-cleaning robots without the need for manual intervention. Such a system can streamline the cleaning and recharging processes, eliminating the laborious tasks of manual retrieval and reinsertion, thereby allowing autonomous pool-cleaning robots to seamlessly continue their underwater cleaning tasks once they have been cleaned and / or recharged.137587-5003-WO - 1 -

[0006] This disclosure describes a system and method for maneuvering wheels of a poolcleaning robot to enable the robot to adjust its underbody clearance during operation, and to enable the robot to climb out of the water and onto the pool deck for recharging and cleaning.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] For a better understanding of the various described implementations, reference should be made to the Detailed Description below, in conjunction with the following drawings. Like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

[0008] FIG. l is a block diagram of a pool-cleaning robot in accordance with some implementations.

[0009] FIGS. 2A-2B are diagrams depicting side and overhead views of a pool-cleaning robot including rotatable arms configured for adjusting underbody clearance and for automatically climbing out of the pool in accordance with some implementations.

[0010] FIGS. 3A-3C are diagrams depicting a pool-cleaning robot adjusting its underbody clearance using the rotatable arms in FIGS. 2A-2B in accordance with some implementations.

[0011] FIGS. 4A-4I are diagrams depicting a pool-cleaning robot leaving the pool using the rotatable arms in FIGS. 2A-2B in accordance with some implementations.

[0012] FIGS. 5A-5B are diagrams depicting a scissor mechanism of a pool-cleaning robot in accordance with some implementations.

[0013] FIGS. 6A-6B are diagrams depicting a cylindrical mechanism of a pool-cleaning robot in accordance with some implementations.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a pool-cleaning robot 120 in accordance with some implementations. The pool-cleaning robot 120 is an underwater self-propelled pool-cleaning device that autonomously cleans the underwater surfaces of the pool. By using rotatable arms (described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 2A-4I), the pool-cleaning robot 120 can (i) automatically adjust its underbody clearance during cleaning operations and (ii) climb out of the pool for maintenance operations (e.g., for filter cleaning and / or battery recharging) or for any other reason.137587-5003-WO - 2 -

[0015] The pool-cleaning robot 120 includes one or more processors 121, memory 122, a sensing unit 123, a power module 124, a transceiver 126, a guidance module 128, a drive system 130, a cleaning system 132, or a subset thereof.

[0016] The processor(s) 121 include one or more central processing units (CPUs) or any other electronic circuitry configured to execute instructions comprising a computer program (e.g., the programs stored in the memory 122).

[0017] The memory 122 includes a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, such as volatile memory (e.g., one or more random access memory devices) and / or nonvolatile memory (e.g., one or more flash memory devices, magnetic disk storage devices, optical disk storage devices, or other non-volatile solid state storage devices). The memory may include one or more storage devices remotely located from the processor(s). The memory stores programs (described herein as modules and corresponding to sets of instructions) that, when executed by the processor(s) 121, cause the pool-cleaning robot 120 to perform functions as described herein. The modules and data described herein need not be implemented as separate programs, procedures, modules, or data structures. Thus, various subsets of these modules and data may be combined or otherwise rearranged in various implementations.

[0018] The sensing unit 123 includes one or more sensors. For example, proximity sensors detect obstacles around the robot's body, pressure sensors measure the depth of the body underwater, out-of-water sensors detect when the body has surfaced, and inertial sensors monitor the robot's posture and motion state. The control unit 121 processes the information collected by the sensing unit 123 and, using internal computational logic, determines the necessary response to the surrounding environment. The control unit 121 then issues commands to the drive system 130 to move the robot and / or adjust the underbody clearance of the robot, enabling the pool-cleaning robot to perform autonomous movements and adjustments.

[0019] The power module 124 comprises circuitry configured to supply electrical power to the various systems of the pool-cleaning robot 120 (e.g., processors, motors, sensors, cleaning hardware, and so forth) while functioning to clean the pool. For cordless implementations, the power module includes storage circuitry (e.g., a battery) configured to store electrical power received from a power station (e.g., from the assisting device 110 or137587-5003-WO - 3 -from a separate power station) during a charging process. When the battery is low, the battery requires recharging.

[0020] The transceiver 126 is configured to transmit signals to and / or receive signals from a transceiver of an optional base station mounted on the pool wall or pool deck. The transceiver 126 may transmit and / or receive photoelectric signals or any other type of signal that can be emitted and sensed in an underwater environment, such as acoustic signals, radio frequency (RF) signals, laser signals, and so forth.

[0021] The guidance module 128 includes algorithms configured to guide the poolcleaning robot 120 across the various underwater surfaces of the pool during cleaning operations, and to guide the pool-cleaning robot 120 to climb out of the pool. In some implementations, the guidance module 128 uses the sensors of the sensing unit 123 and / or a guidance signal received via the transceiver 126 from an optional base station to navigate while cleaning and / or exiting the pool.

[0022] The drive system 130 comprises traction devices (e.g., wheels and shafts) installed on both sides of a body of the pool-cleaning robot 120. The drive system 130 also includes motors configured to drive the traction devices to move and adjust the body.

[0023] The cleaning system 132 comprises rollers (scrubbers) that are positioned at the front and / or rear of the body of the robot, driven by motors to scrub the pool floor and walls. The cleaning system 132 also includes one or more openings at the bottom of the body of the robot that serve as water inlets (liquid inlets), and one or more openings at the top and / or sides of the body of the robot that serve as water outlets (liquid outlets). The cleaning system 132 also includes one or more filtration devices and one or more hydraulic circuits (water pumps) that are installed between the water inlets and outlets. Each of the one or more filtration devices includes a cavity (chamber) with one or more openings connected to the water inlets. Walls of the cavity consist of support structures and filter screens. When the hydraulic circuits operate, water is drawn in through the water inlets, passes through the filtration devices, and is discharged through the water outlets. Debris and dirt carried by the water flow are trapped within the filtration devices. Once the cavities of the filtration devices are filled with debris and dirt, the filtration devices must be cleaned to maintain the cleaning efficiency of the pool-cleaning robot.

[0024] The water pumps are positioned between the water inlets and outlets, and they create a pressure difference by rotating an impeller, allowing water to flow from the inlets137587-5003-WO - 4 -into the filtration devices and out through the outlets. The operation of the pumps not only helps the pool-cleaning robot collect dirt and debris from the pool floor, but also creates a suction force that enables the robot to attach vertically to the pool wall below the water surface, climbing up and down or moving horizontally or diagonally. However, once above the water surface, the lack of buoyancy support means the suction force created by the adhesion power of the pumps is insufficient to support the robot's weight, preventing the robot from continuing to climb towards the pool deck. The following disclosure describes various systems and methods that allow the robot to climb all of the way out of the water and onto the pool deck.

[0025] FIGS. 2A-2B are diagrams depicting side and overhead views of a pool-cleaning robot 120 including rotatable arms 212 and 222 configured for adjusting underbody clearance and for automatically climbing out of the pool in accordance with some implementations.

[0026] The robot 120 includes multiple rotatable arms 212 / 222, with one end of each arm attached to a shaft 214 / 224 mounted on the robot body 202 and the other end of each arm attached to one or more traction devices 210 / 220. The traction devices 210 / 220 may be any mechanical component configured to cause the robot 120 to move when the component itself moves. For example, the traction devices may be repositionable wheels (e.g., wheels 210 / 220). In another example, the traction devices may be any combination of wheels, arms, and shafts (e.g., 210 / 220, 212 / 222, and 214 / 224). In general, the traction devices may include any subset or superset of repositionable components (e.g., wheels, tracks, shafts, arms, sleds, balls, rings, suction cups, and so forth) that, when repositioned, cause the robot 120 to move with respect to a surface of the pool. For ease of discussion and so as to not obscure more pertinent aspects of the disclosure, the following discussion refers to and illustrates the traction devices as repositionable wheels. However, the inventive concepts described herein are equally applicable to other types of traction devices.

[0027] The bottom of the robot body, referred to as the underbody 204, includes the suction inlet and faces the target cleaning surface (e.g., the floor, walls, stairs, and other underwater surfaces of the pool). In some implementations, the suction inlet may be located on any surface of the robot. As such, the term “underbody” as used herein refers to any surface of the robot that faces a target cleaning surface while the robot is in a cleaning configuration. In a four-wheeled robot, the placement of the four wheels may resemble a car, with two wheels 210 placed at a front end of the robot and two wheels 220 placed at a rear end of the robot. In contrast to a car, however, the two wheels 210 placed at the front end of137587-5003-WO - 5 -the robot are respectively attached to arms 212, and each arm 212 is coupled, or hinged, to a shaft 214 located away from the center of the wheels and towards the rear end of the robot. Thus, as the shaft 214 rotates, the arms 212 move around the hinge of the shaft 214, and the center of each wheel 210 follows a circular trajectory around the shaft 214 (see, e.g., front wheel F in FIGS. 4B and 4H). Similarly, two wheels 220 placed at the rear end of the robot are respectively attached to arms 222, and each arm 222 is coupled, or hinged, to a shaft 224 located away from the center of the wheels and towards the front end of the robot. Thus, as the shaft 224 rotates, the arms 222 move around the hinge of the shaft 224, and the center of each wheel 220 follows a circular trajectory around the shaft 224 (see, e.g., rear wheel R in FIGS. 4C and 41).

[0028] Using the shafts and arms on both front wheels 210 and rear wheels 220 as described above, each wheel has at least one degree of freedom (DOF) of rotation as long as any given wheel does not interfere with another wheel. Such interference may be avoided if (i) the rear wheels 220 are placed farther away from the center axis 230 of the robot body 202 compared to the front wheels 210, and (ii) the arms 222 for the rear wheels 220 are longer than the arms 212 for the front wheels 210.

[0029] While this disclosure describes a four-wheeled robot, the robot 120 may include more than four wheels or fewer than four wheels without departing from the inventive concepts described herein.

[0030] Each arm 212 / 222 may be straight or non-straight in its shape; a curved or bent shape of the arms could potentially help the robot’s reach. Each arm 212 / 222 may comprise one solid section or multiple sections joined together through rigid or flexible pieces. For implementations in which the arms comprise multiple sections, each section of a given arm, or the total arm may be extended by length, or by a number of further sections (e.g., in a telescoping configuration).

[0031] Each shaft 214 / 224 may be one continuous shaft coupled to arms on both sides of the robot (i.e., one shaft 214 is coupled to arms 212 on both sides of the robot), or may comprise separate shafts for each side of the robot (e.g., one shaft 214 is coupled to one arm 212 on one side of the robot, and another shaft 214 is coupled to another arm 212 on the other side of the robot).

[0032] Each wheel in a pair of front wheels 210 or a pair of rear wheels 220 may have its own motor or actuator. Alternatively, both wheels in a pair may be linked onto a coaxial shaft137587-5003-WO - 6 -that is driven by one single motor or actuator. For example, the arms 212 for the front wheels 210 may be coupled by a shaft 214 located towards the rear of the robot body 202 where there is a motor or actuator that drives this shaft to control the angle of these arms. When two wheels in a pair are controlled by two individual arms not coupled by a common shaft, each arm may be controlled separately to achieve different angles on the arms if necessary.

[0033] The configuration of the wheels 210 / 220 as shown in FIGS. 2A-2B may be referred to as a cleaning configuration, a default configuration, a home configuration, or a travelling configuration. In the cleaning configuration, at least a portion of each wheel is proximate to (e.g., overlaps or is within two wheel diameters of) the body of the robot. In this configuration, the scrubbers that are positioned at the front and / or rear of the body of the robot can scrub the edges and comers of the underwater surfaces of the pool without being obstructed by the wheels. For example, FIG. 4A depicts the robot 120 in the cleaning configuration.

[0034] When one or more of the wheels 210 / 220 rotates to an extended configuration (e.g., as depicted in FIGS. 4B-4H), this may be referred to as a climbing configuration, an egress configuration, or an extended configuration. In the climbing configuration, one or more of the wheels 210 / 220 extends past the body of the robot so there is no overlap with the body. In this configuration, the wheels have greater leverage in assisting the robot 120 in climbing out of the pool and onto the deck.

[0035] The wheel / arm / shaft combinations 210 / 212 / 214 and 220 / 222 / 224 are coupled to the body 202 at first and second anchor points, respectively. Depending on the implementation, these anchor points may be located at different ends of the robot 120, or on the same end of the robot 120. For example, wheel / arm / shaft combinations 210 / 212 / 214 may be coupled to anchor points at the rear end of the robot 120 while wheel / arm / shaft combinations 220 / 222 / 224 may be coupled to anchor points at the front end of the robot 120 as depicted in FIGS. 2A-4I. Alternatively, wheel / arm / shaft combinations 210 / 212 / 214 and 220 / 222 / 224 may each be coupled to anchor points at the front end of the robot 120.Alternatively, wheel / arm / shaft combinations 210 / 212 / 214 and 220 / 222 / 224 may each be coupled to anchor points at the rear end of the robot 120. Stated another way, the shafts 214 / 224 may all be mounted to the same end of the body (as long as the corresponding arms are long enough to prevent the corresponding wheels from interfering with each other).137587-5003-WO - 7 -

[0036] The terms “front” and “rear” are used for illustrative purposes only, in order to distinguish between sets of wheels and ends of the body. The wheel / arm / shaft combinations 210 / 212 / 214 and 220 / 222 / 224 may be implemented according to the concepts described herein regardless of whether they correspond to a front end or a rear end of the robot. Thus, general terminology such as “first end” and “second end” may respectively refer to front and rear ends, or rear and front ends of the robot.

[0037] The rotatable arms 212 / 222 as described herein enable dynamic adjustment of the underbody clearance of the robot 120 (as described below with reference to FIGS. 3 A-3C), as well as automatic robot egress from the pool (as described below with reference to FIGS. 4A-41).

[0038] FIGS. 3A-3C are diagrams depicting a pool-cleaning robot 120 adjusting its underbody clearance using rotatable arms 212 / 222 in accordance with some implementations.

[0039] Cleaning performance of a pool-cleaning robot is affected by underbody clearance, which is the distance or gap between the suction inlet at the underbody 204 and the target cleaning surface (e.g., the floor, walls, stairs, and other underwater surfaces of the pool). In general, a large underbody clearance enables easier water backfill into the inlet area and less hydraulic pressure drop, which leads to slower local flow velocity and lower pressure outside the inlet. While a slower flow velocity is not as efficient at cleaning, the large underbody clearance associated with the slower flow velocity is better for clearing obstacles in the path of the robot. On the other hand, a small underbody clearance results in faster local flow velocity and higher pressure. The higher flow velocity is better for cleaning, but the small underbody clearance associated with the higher flow velocity decreases the ability of the robot to clear obstacles in its path.

[0040] The underbody clearance of a pool-cleaning robot may change due to uneven target cleaning surfaces. In some cases, elements of the pool structure itself or solid objects such as thick tree branches could get stuck in this gap, causing the robot to suspend itself on top of the pool structure element or object, which causes the robot to lose some or all of its traction. Therefore, without the ability to adjust its underbody clearance, a pool-cleaning robot may be unable to complete cleaning tasks.

[0041] Referring to FIG. 3A, the robot 120 is in a default cleaning configuration, in which the underbody clearance (the distance between the underbody 204 and the target cleaning surface 304) has a substantially uniform distance 310 spanning the underbody of the137587-5003-WO - 8 -robot (between front and rear). In some implementations, the robot body has approximately 0-2 inches (or more) of underbody clearance 310 while cleaning the pool in the default cleaning configuration. This clearance may be adjusted by rotating either the front shaft 224, the rear shaft 214, or both shafts 224 / 214.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 3B, the robot 120 is in a raised cleaning configuration, in which the underbody clearance (the distance between the underbody 204 and the target cleaning surface 304) has an increased distance 320 (higher than the default distance 310 in FIG. 3 A). The increased clearance is reached by rotating both front and rear shafts 224 / 214, causing arms 222 / 212 to lower the wheels 210 / 224 with respect to the body 202, which causes the body 202 to raise to a higher height 320 with respect to the target cleaning surface 304.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 3C, the robot 120 is in an alternative raised cleaning configuration, in which the robot pitch angle has been adjusted, causing rear end of the robot to have a first underbody clearance 330 and the front end of the robot to have a second underbody clearance 332 different from the first underbody clearance. This pitch angle adjustment is the result of (i) rotating the front wheel shaft 224 by a first amount, causing the rear wheels 220 to lower with respect to the front end of the robot, which causes the front end of the robot to rise with respect to the target cleaning surface 304, and (ii) rotating the rear wheel shaft 214 by a second amount lower than the first amount (or not rotating the rear wheel shaft 214 at all).

[0044] By further manipulating both the front and the rear shaft angles, the main body may be lifted off the ground by much more than 2 inches, and therefore avoid being caught by, or stuck on, pool structure elements such as drain covers or other foreign objects such as fallen tree branches and other debris. This mechanism can also be deployed while the robot is out of the pool and moving on the deck surface during a docking session.

[0045] As a result of adjustments to the underbody clearance (FIG. 3B) and / or the pitch angle (FIG. 3C), the pressure as well as the flow velocity pattern may be altered, thereby balancing the tradeoff between ease of navigation and optimized cleaning results.

[0046] In some implementations, the sensing unit 123 may sense an obstacle, obstruction, or any other type of condition in the path of the robot that can potentially interfere with the robot’s movement, and notify the control unit 121 that there is potential interference with the robot’s movement. Additionally or alternatively, the drive system 130 and / or the cleaning system 132 may notify the control unit 121 that there is currently interference with the137587-5003-WO - 9 -robot’s movement or cleaning operations, respectively. For example, the drive system 130 may determine that a motor is overheating or is otherwise not causing an associated wheel to move as expected. In another example, the cleaning system 132 may detect a blocked water pump. In response to any of these detections and / or notifications, the control unit 121 may instruct the drive system 130 to adjust the underbody clearance and / or pitch angle of the robot by controlling one or more of the arms 212 / 222 as described above with reference to FIGS. 3B-3C, thereby avoiding the potential interference or clearing the current interference, whichever the case may be. In some implementations, the robot 120 may adjust its pitch angle (posture) to align with a charging port of a base station or any other docking mechanism that requires dimensional alignment.

[0047] FIGS. 4A-4I are diagrams depicting a pool-cleaning robot leaving the pool using rotatable arms 212 / 222 in accordance with some implementations. By rotating the front and rear shafts to place the wheels in different extended positions, the robot 120 may autonomously leave an underwater surface 404 of the pool, breach the water surface 402, and climb onto the pool deck 406.

[0048] The robot 120 initially approaches the wall 404 in a cleaning configuration and readies itself into a vertical pose for climbing, as depicted in FIG. 4A. As the robot approaches the surface 402, the robot swings or rotates the front wheels F (210 in FIGS. 2A-2B) to the rear by rotating the rear shafts (214 in FIGS. 2A-2B), as depicted in FIG. 4B, and swings or rotates the rear wheels R (220 in FIGS. 2A-2B) to the front by rotating the front shafts (224 in FIGS. 2A-2B), as depicted in FIG. 4C. The operations in FIGS. 4B-4C may be reversed, or they may happen in parallel. By extending the wheels as depicted in FIG. 4C, the robot has transitioned to a climbing configuration.

[0049] The robot continues to move upwards by friction of the front wheels F while the rear wheels R now reach out of the water to a height above the surface of the pool deck. With the rear wheels R now rotating towards the pool deck, they now come in contact with the deck surface, as depicted in FIG. 4D. The front and rear arms extend the robot away from the wall of the pool, allowing the rear wheels R to provide traction force in the X and Y direction and pull the robot upwards, as depicted in FIG. 4E. In this configuration, the rear wheels R pull the robot while the front wheels F climb up the wall. The robot coordinates the front and rear wheel movements to move up the center of gravity of the complete robot assembly.137587-5003-WO - 10 -

[0050] As the rear wheels R move further away from the pool and the front wheels F approach the deck surface, the robot body moves up and realigns itself to a horizontal orientation, as depicted in FIG. 4F. The center of gravity of the full robot assembly eventually shifts away from the water and onto the deck, as depicted in FIG. 4G.

[0051] When the center of gravity reaches the deck surface, the robot swings (rotates) the front wheels F back to the default position at the front of the robot by rotating the rear shafts, as depicted in FIG. 4H, and swings (rotates) the rear wheels R back to the default position at the rear of the robot by rotating the front shafts, as depicted in FIG. 41. The operations in FIGS. 4H-4I may be reversed, or they may happen in parallel. By retracting the wheels back to their default positions, as depicted in FIG. 41, the robot has transitioned out of the climbing configuration and back into the traveling configuration, allowing the robot to travel across the pool deck to a base station for maintenance and / or recharging. The base station may be positioned on the pool deck itself, or mounted on a surface that is accessible via the pool deck (e.g., on an exterior wall of a house).

[0052] The operations described above with reference to FIGS. 4A-4I may be reversed, thereby allowing the robot to approach the edge of the pool deck and automatically climb back into the pool without requiring manual intervention. Thus, all references above to the robot leaving the pool equally apply to the robot re-entering the pool. As such, in some implementations, the robot can autonomously and automatically climb out of the pool, perform maintenance (cleaning) and / or charging operations, and re-enter the pool when those operations are complete.

[0053] In the implementations described above with reference to FIGS. 2A-4I, the wheels 210 and 220 are extended past the body 202 through the operation of rotatable arms 212 and 222 coupled to shafts 214 and 224. However, in other implementations, the wheels may be extended past the body through the operation of a scissor mechanism 502 as depicted in FIGS. 5A-5B. The scissor mechanism 502 is a mechanical linkage system consisting of a series of interconnected, folding supports in a crisscross ‘X’ pattern. As the scissor mechanism 502 extends and retracts, the wheel 210 can extend past the body 202 and retract back to its original position. In yet other implementations, the wheels may be extended past the body through the operation of a cylindrical mechanism 602, also referred to as a threaded cylinder, as depicted in FIGS. 6A-6B. The cylindrical mechanism 602 comprises a plurality of threads and is positioned in a corresponding cavity in the body 202. Depending on which direction the cylindrical mechanism 602 rotates with respect to the cavity, the wheel 210 can137587-5003-WO - 11 -extend past the body 202 and retract back to its original position. In each of the aforementioned implementations, the body 202 corresponds to the body 202 in the robot 120 as described with reference to FIGS. 2A-4I, but with the arms and shafts replaced by alternative mechanism for causing the wheels to extend and retract.

[0054] While each of FIGS. 5A-5B and 6A-6B only depict one wheel and one corresponding extending mechanism, other wheels (not shown so as to not obscure more pertinent aspects) using similar mechanisms may also be used. As such, the implementations described with reference to FIGS. 2A-4I (rotating extender mechanisms), FIGS. 5A-5B (scissor extender mechanisms), and FIGS. 6A-6B (cylindrical extender mechanisms), are several examples of extending mechanisms among others, and any type of extending mechanism can be replaced with another type of extending mechanism without departing from the inventive concepts described herein.

[0055] The following disclosure includes an example system and method for operating an electronic pool-cleaning robot in accordance with some implementations.

[0056] In some implementations, an electronic pool-cleaning robot (e.g., 120) includes a body (e.g., 202) having a first anchor point and a second anchor point; a first traction device (e.g., wheel 210 in FIGS. 2A-3C, wheel F in FIGS. 4A-4I) proximate to a first end of the body while in a cleaning configuration (e.g., front end, FIGS. 2A-2B), wherein the first traction device is coupled to a first repositionable arm (e.g., 212), and the first repositionable arm is coupled to a shaft (e.g., 214) mounted to the second anchor point of the body. When the shaft is repositioned (e.g., rotated), the shaft causes the first repositionable arm to extend the first traction device past the body (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 3B, 3C, and 4B); and a second traction device (e.g., wheel 220 in FIGS. 2A-3C, wheel R in FIGS. 4A-4I) proximate to a second end of the body while in the cleaning configuration (e.g., rear end, FIGS. 2A-2B), wherein the second traction device is coupled to a second repositionable arm (e.g., 222), and the second repositionable arm is coupled to a shaft (e.g., 224) mounted to the first anchor point of the body. When the shaft is repositioned (e.g., rotated), the shaft causes the second repositionable arm to extend the second traction device past the body (e.g., as shown in FIGS.3B and 4C).

[0057] In some implementations, one or more of the first and second repositionable arms includes at least one rotatable arm that rotates when a corresponding shaft rotates, causing a corresponding traction device to extend past the body. In some implementations, each of the137587-5003-WO - 12 -first and second repositionable arms is rotatable, the second traction device is placed farther away from a center axis of the body compared to the first traction device, and the second repositionable arm is longer than the first repositionable arm (e.g., as shown in FIG. 2B).

[0058] In some implementations, one or more of the first and second repositionable arms includes at least one arm operated by a scissor mechanism comprising a plurality of foldable supports configured to extend a corresponding traction device past the body (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 5A-5B). In some implementations, one or more of the first and second repositionable arms includes at least one arm operated by a cylindrical mechanism comprising a plurality of threads configured to extend a corresponding traction device past the body (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 6A-6B).

[0059] In some implementations, one or more of the first and second repositionable arms has a non-straight shape. In some implementations, one or more of the first and second repositionable arms comprises a plurality of sections flexibly joined together. In some implementations, one or more of the first and second repositionable arms comprises a plurality of individually extendable sections.

[0060] In some implementations, the first anchor point is located at a first end of the body (e.g., rear end in FIGS. 2A-2B) and the second anchor point is located at a second end of the body opposite the first end (e.g., front end in FIGS. 2A-2B). In some implementations, the first and second anchor points are located at one end of the body (e.g., both at the rear end, both at the front end, or both in the middle of the robot between the front and rear ends).

[0061] In some implementations, the robot further includes a suction inlet positioned to face a target cleaning surface (e.g., located at the underbody 204) while the first and second traction devices are in the cleaning configuration. In some implementations, extending at least one of the first and second traction devices past the body causes a clearance between the body and a target cleaning surface to increase (e.g., e.g., as shown in FIG. 3B). In some implementations, extending at least one of the first and second traction devices past the body causes a pitch angle of the body with respect to a target cleaning surface to change (e.g., as shown in FIG. 3C). In some implementations, extending at least one of the first and second traction devices past the body causes a pitch angle of the body with respect to a docking mechanism of a base station to change during an alignment procedure.

[0062] In some implementations, the robot further includes one or more processors configured to determine, based on sensor data, that there is an obstacle in a path of the137587-5003-WO - 13 -electronic pool-cleaning robot; and based on the determination, cause the electronic poolcleaning robot to adjust a clearance (e.g., as shown in FIG. 3B) or a pitch angle (e.g., as shown in FIG. 3C) to avoid the obstacle by causing at least one of the first and second traction devices to extend past the body.

[0063] In some implementations, the robot further includes one or more processors configured to determine, based on sensor data, that there is interference in a drive system or in a cleaning system of the electronic pool-cleaning robot; and based on the determination, cause the electronic pool-cleaning robot to adjust a clearance (e.g., as shown in FIG. 3B) or a pitch angle (e.g., as shown in FIG. 3C) to clear the interference by causing at least one of the first and second traction devices to extend past the body.

[0064] In some implementations, the robot further includes one or more processors configured to, while operating a drive system of the electronic pool-cleaning robot to navigate up a wall: cause the first repositionable arm to extend the first traction device past the second end of the body until the first traction device reaches the wall (e.g., as shown in FIG. 4B); and cause the second repositionable arm to extend the second traction device past the first end of the body until the second traction device reaches a pool deck (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 4C-4D).

[0065] In some implementations, the one or more processors are further configured to, subsequent to the second traction device reaching the pool deck, cause the second traction device to pull the first end of the body toward the pool deck while the first traction device pushes the second end of the body up the wall until the first traction device reaches the pool deck (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 4E-4F).

[0066] In some implementations, the one or more processors are further configured to, subsequent to the first traction device reaching the pool deck and upon determining that a center of gravity of the body is located over the pool deck (e.g., as shown in FIG. 4G): cause the first repositionable arm to retract the first traction device until the first traction device reaches the pool deck while proximate to the first end of the body (e.g., as shown in FIG. 4H); and cause the second repositionable arm to retract the second traction device until the second traction device reaches the pool deck while proximate to the second end of the body (e.g., as shown in FIG. 41).

[0067] In some implementations, the one or more processors are further configured to, subsequent to causing the first and second repositionable arms to retract the first and second137587-5003-WO - 14 -traction devices, operate the drive system to navigate the electronic pool-cleaning robot to a base station. In some implementations, the one or more processors are further configured to, upon the second traction device reaching the pool deck, cause the pool-cleaning robot to hang itself on the pool deck using the second traction device.

[0068] In some implementations, a method of operating an electronic pool-cleaning robot includes one or more of the functions described above with reference to the robot, the traction devices, and the one or more processors.

[0069] In some implementations, an electronic pool-cleaning robot includes a first repositionable traction device (e.g., 210, wheel F) proximate to a first end of a body of the robot while in a cleaning configuration; a second repositionable traction device (e.g., 220, wheel R) proximate to a second end of the body of the robot while in the cleaning configuration; and one or more processors (e.g., 121) and memory (e.g., 122) storing instructions that cause the one or more processors to operate a drive system (e.g., 130) causing one or more of the first and second repositionable traction devices to extend past the body of the robot.

[0070] In some implementations, extending the at least one of the first and second repositionable traction devices past the body causes a clearance (e.g., 320) between the body and a target cleaning surface to increase. In some implementations, extending the at least one of the first and second repositionable traction devices past the body causes a pitch angle of the body with respect to a target cleaning surface to change (e.g., as shown in FIG. 3C). In some implementations, extending the at least one of the first and second repositionable traction devices past the body causes a pitch angle of the body with respect to a docking mechanism of a base station to change during an alignment procedure.

[0071] In some implementations, the instructions further cause the one or more processors to: determine, based on sensor data, that there is an obstacle in a path of the electronic pool-cleaning robot; and based on the determination, cause the electronic poolcleaning robot to adjust a clearance or a pitch angle to avoid the obstacle by causing at least one of the first and second repositionable traction devices to extend past the body.

[0072] In some implementations, the instructions further cause the one or more processors to: determine, based on sensor data, that there is interference in the drive system or in a cleaning system of the electronic pool-cleaning robot; and based on the determination, cause the electronic pool-cleaning robot to adjust a clearance or a pitch angle to clear the137587-5003-WO - 15 -interference by causing at least one of the first and second repositionable traction devices to extend past the body.

[0073] In some implementations, the instructions further cause the one or more processors to operate the drive system to: navigate the electronic pool-cleaning robot up a wall while the first and second repositionable traction devices are in the cleaning configuration; and cause one of the first and second repositionable traction devices to extend past the body and reach a pool deck surface while another of the first and second repositionable traction devices continues to navigate the electronic pool-cleaning robot up the wall.

[0074] In some implementations, the instructions further cause the one or more processors to operate the drive system to navigate the electronic pool-cleaning robot to the pool deck surface by causing the another one of the first and second repositionable traction devices to reach the pool deck surface while the one of the first and second repositionable traction devices remains on the pool deck surface. In some implementations, the instructions further cause the one or more processors to operate the drive system to navigate the electronic pool-cleaning robot on the pool deck surface toward a base station using the first and second traction devices.

[0075] In some implementations, a method of operating an electronic pool-cleaning robot includes one or more of the functions described above with reference to the robot, the traction devices, and the one or more processors.

[0076] Reference has been made in detail to various implementations, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the above detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention and the described implementations. However, the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the implementations.

[0077] It will be understood that, although the terms “first,” “second,” etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first device could be termed a second device, and, similarly, a second device could be termed a first device, without changing the meaning of the description, so long as all occurrences of137587-5003-WO - 16 -the first device are renamed consistently and all occurrences of the second device are renamed consistently. The first device and the second device are both devices, but they are not the same device.

[0078] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular implementations only and is not intended to be limiting of the claims. As used in the description of the implementations and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that the term "and / or" as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. For example, “A, B, and / or C” means: A only; B only; C only; A and B; A and C; B and C; or A, B, and C. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising," when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0079] As used herein, the term “if’ may be construed to mean “when” or “upon” or “in response to determining” or “in accordance with a determination” or “in response to detecting,” that a stated condition precedent is true, depending on the context. Similarly, the phrase “if it is determined [that a stated condition precedent is true]” or “if [a stated condition precedent is true]” or “when [a stated condition precedent is true]” may be construed to mean “upon determining” or “in response to determining” or “in accordance with a determination” or “upon detecting” or “in response to detecting” that the stated condition precedent is true, depending on the context.

[0080] The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has been described with reference to specific implementations. However, the illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The implementations were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various implementations with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.137587-5003-WO - 17 -

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. An electronic pool-cleaning robot, comprising:a body having a first anchor point and a second anchor point;a first traction device proximate to a first end of the body while in a cleaning configuration, wherein the first traction device is coupled to a first repositionable arm, and the first repositionable arm is coupled to a shaft mounted to the second anchor point of the body that, when repositioned, causes the first repositionable arm to extend the first traction device past the body; anda second traction device proximate to a second end of the body while in the cleaning configuration, wherein the second traction device is coupled to a second repositionable arm, and the second repositionable arm is coupled to a shaft mounted to the first anchor point of the body that, when repositioned, causes the second repositionable arm to extend the second traction device past the body.

2. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first and second repositionable arms includes at least one rotatable arm that rotates when a corresponding shaft rotates, causing a corresponding traction device to extend past the body.

3. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second repositionable arms is rotatable, the second traction device is placed farther away from a center axis of the body compared to the first traction device, and the second repositionable arm is longer than the first repositionable arm.

4. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first and second repositionable arms includes at least one arm operated by a scissor mechanism comprising a plurality of foldable supports configured to extend a corresponding traction device past the body.

5. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first and second repositionable arms includes at least one arm operated by a cylindrical mechanism comprising a plurality of threads configured to extend a corresponding traction device past the body.137587-5003-WO - 18 -6. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first and second repositionable arms has a non-straight shape.

7. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first and second repositionable arms comprises a plurality of sections flexibly joined together.

8. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first and second repositionable arms comprises a plurality of individually extendable sections.

9. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein the first anchor point is located at a first end of the body and the second anchor point is located at a second end of the body opposite the first end10. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein the first and second anchor points are located at one end of the body.

11. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 1, further comprising a suction inlet positioned to face a target cleaning surface while the first and second traction devices are in the cleaning configuration.

12. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein extending at least one of the first and second traction devices past the body causes a clearance between the body and a target cleaning surface to increase.

13. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein extending at least one of the first and second traction devices past the body causes a pitch angle of the body with respect to a target cleaning surface to change.

14. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 1, wherein extending at least one of the first and second traction devices past the body causes a pitch angle of the body with respect to a docking mechanism of a base station to change during an alignment procedure.

15. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 1, further comprising one or more processors configured to:determine, based on sensor data, that there is an obstacle in a path of the electronic pool-cleaning robot; and137587-5003-WO - 19 -based on the determination, cause the electronic pool-cleaning robot to adjust a clearance or a pitch angle to avoid the obstacle by causing at least one of the first and second traction devices to extend past the body.

16. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 1, further comprising one or more processors configured to:determine, based on sensor data, that there is interference in a drive system or in a cleaning system of the electronic pool-cleaning robot; andbased on the determination, cause the electronic pool-cleaning robot to adjust a clearance or a pitch angle to clear the interference by causing at least one of the first and second traction devices to extend past the body.

17. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 1, further comprising one or more processors configured to, while operating a drive system of the electronic pool-cleaning robot to navigate up a wall:cause the first repositionable arm to extend the first traction device past the second end of the body until the first traction device reaches the wall; andcause the second repositionable arm to extend the second traction device past the first end of the body until the second traction device reaches a pool deck.

18. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, subsequent to the second traction device reaching the pool deck, cause the second traction device to pull the first end of the body toward the pool deck while the first traction device pushes the second end of the body up the wall until the first traction device reaches the pool deck.

19. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 18, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, subsequent to the first traction device reaching the pool deck and upon determining that a center of gravity of the body is located over the pool deck:cause the first repositionable arm to retract the first traction device until the first traction device reaches the pool deck while proximate to the first end of the body; and cause the second repositionable arm to retract the second traction device until the second traction device reaches the pool deck while proximate to the second end of the body.

20. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, subsequent to causing the first and second repositionable arms to137587-5003-WO - 20 -retract the first and second traction devices, operate the drive system to navigate the electronic pool-cleaning robot to a base station.

21. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, upon the second traction device reaching the pool deck, cause the pool-cleaning robot to hang itself on the pool deck using the second traction device.

22. An electronic pool-cleaning robot, comprising:a first repositionable traction device proximate to a first end of a body of the robot while in a cleaning configuration;a second repositionable traction device proximate to a second end of the body of the robot while in the cleaning configuration; andone or more processors and memory storing instructions that cause the one or more processors to operate a drive system causing one or more of the first and second repositionable traction devices to extend past the body of the robot.

23. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 22, wherein extending the at least one of the first and second repositionable traction devices past the body causes a clearance between the body and a target cleaning surface to increase.

24. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 22, wherein extending the at least one of the first and second repositionable traction devices past the body causes a pitch angle of the body with respect to a target cleaning surface to change.

25. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 22, wherein extending the at least one of the first and second repositionable traction devices past the body causes a pitch angle of the body with respect to a docking mechanism of a base station to change during an alignment procedure.

26. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 22, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:determine, based on sensor data, that there is an obstacle in a path of the electronic pool-cleaning robot; andbased on the determination, cause the electronic pool-cleaning robot to adjust a clearance or a pitch angle to avoid the obstacle by causing at least one of the first and second repositionable traction devices to extend past the body.137587-5003-WO - 21 -27. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 22, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:determine, based on sensor data, that there is interference in the drive system or in a cleaning system of the electronic pool-cleaning robot; andbased on the determination, cause the electronic pool-cleaning robot to adjust a clearance or a pitch angle to clear the interference by causing at least one of the first and second repositionable traction devices to extend past the body.

28. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 22, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to operate the drive system to:navigate the electronic pool-cleaning robot up a wall while the first and second repositionable traction devices are in the cleaning configuration; andcause one of the first and second repositionable traction devices to extend past the body and reach a pool deck surface while another of the first and second repositionable traction devices continues to navigate the electronic pool-cleaning robot up the wall.

29. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 28, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to operate the drive system to navigate the electronic poolcleaning robot to the pool deck surface by causing the another one of the first and second repositionable traction devices to reach the pool deck surface while the one of the first and second repositionable traction devices remains on the pool deck surface.

30. The electronic pool-cleaning robot of claim 29, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to operate the drive system to navigate the electronic poolcleaning robot on the pool deck surface toward a base station using the first and second traction devices.137587-5003-WO - 22 -

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