Method and apparatus for controlling cleaning appliance

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method and apparatus for controlling a cleaning appliance. Upon determining that a wiping element is in a state requiring cleaning, further determining whether a cleaning base station is present within a task area of a cleaning appliance. Upon determining that no cleaning base station is present within the task area, the cleaning appliance suspending a cleaning task, and outputting first prompt information. The first prompt information is used for guiding a user to move the cleaning appliance to an area in which the cleaning base station is present, so as to clean the wiping element, ensuring that the wiping element of the cleaning appliance is clean and wet, and thereby ensuring subsequent cleaning performance, increasing user convenience when using the cleaning appliance to clean areas without a cleaning base station, and improving user experience.

Description

Control methods and devices for cleaning machines

[0001] Citation of relevant applications

[0002] This disclosure claims the full benefits of patent application No. 202510360849.8, entitled "Control Method and Apparatus for Cleaning Machines," filed on March 25, 2025, with the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] field

[0004] This disclosure relates to the field of cleaning machine technology, and in particular to a control method and apparatus for a cleaning machine.

[0005] background

[0006] In related technologies, cleaning machines such as floor scrubbers and mops often require timely cleaning of their mop heads. Generally, cleaning machines need to wash the mop head before mopping to ensure that the mop head is wet and clean, thereby ensuring cleaning effectiveness.

[0007] However, cleaning machines are usually only equipped with one cleaning base station, but some users live on more than one floor. When the cleaning machine is mopping on a floor without a base station, it cannot automatically return to the cleaning base station to clean the mop, which means the mop cannot be kept clean and wet, seriously affecting the cleaning effect and resulting in a poor user experience.

[0008] Overview

[0009] In view of this, in order to solve the technical problem that when there is no cleaning base station in the area where the cleaning machine is performing the cleaning task, the cleaning machine cannot automatically return to the cleaning base station to clean the mop, which leads to the inability to ensure the cleanliness and wetness of the mop and thus causes poor cleaning effect, this disclosure provides a control method, device, cleaning machine and storage medium for a cleaning machine.

[0010] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a control method for a cleaning machine is provided, the cleaning machine being used to perform a cleaning task, the control method comprising:

[0011] Detect the condition of the mop in the cleaning machine;

[0012] When the mop is in a state to be cleaned, the presence of a cleaning base station within the task area of ​​the cleaning machine is detected; wherein, the task area is an area that the cleaning machine can reach on its own without the application of external force.

[0013] If the cleaning base station is not present in the task area, the cleaning task is paused and a first prompt message is output; wherein, the first prompt message is used to guide the user to move the cleaning machine to an area with the cleaning base station in order to clean the mop.

[0014] In one optional implementation, detecting the state of the mop in the cleaning machine includes:

[0015] After starting the cleaning task of the cleaning machine, if it is determined that the cleaning machine has completed the area positioning and has not performed cleaning, the status of the mop in the cleaning machine is detected.

[0016] In one optional implementation, detecting the state of the mop in the cleaning machine includes:

[0017] Determine the type of the cleaning task;

[0018] If the cleaning task is determined to be the first task, then it is determined whether the time interval between the current moment and the last time the mop was cleaned is greater than or equal to a first time interval; wherein, the first task includes the mopping task;

[0019] If it is determined that the time interval between the current moment and the last time the mop was cleaned is greater than or equal to the first time interval, then the mop is determined to be in a state to be cleaned.

[0020] In one optional implementation, after determining the type of the cleaning task, the control method includes:

[0021] If the cleaning task is determined to be the second task, then the cleaning machine is controlled to perform cleaning; wherein, the second task does not include mopping.

[0022] And / or,

[0023] If it is determined that the interval between the current moment and the last time the mop was cleaned is less than the first time interval, then the cleaning machine is controlled to perform cleaning.

[0024] In one optional implementation, detecting whether a cleaning base station exists within the task area of ​​the cleaning machine includes:

[0025] Determine whether the cleaning machine has detected the area map of the task area;

[0026] If it is determined that the cleaning machine has detected the area map of the task area, then the area map of the task area is acquired.

[0027] If the cleaning base station is not recorded in the area map of the task area, it is determined that the cleaning base station does not exist in the task area.

[0028] In one optional implementation, the control method includes:

[0029] If it is determined that the cleaning machine has not detected the area map of the task area, the cleaning task is changed from the first task to the second task; wherein the first task includes a mopping task, and the second task does not include a mopping task;

[0030] And / or,

[0031] If it is determined that the cleaning base station is recorded in the area map, the cleaning machine is controlled to move to the cleaning base station to clean the mop.

[0032] In one alternative implementation,

[0033] The output of the first prompt information includes:

[0034] A first prompt interface pops up; wherein, the first prompt interface is used to guide the user to move the cleaning machine to the area with the cleaning base station in order to clean the mop.

[0035] In one alternative implementation,

[0036] The first prompt interface includes a first option, which represents the user's consent to move the cleaning machine to an area with the cleaning base station; the control method includes:

[0037] If an instruction to select the first option is received, the first prompt interface is hidden, and the mop is automatically cleaned after the cleaning machine is detected to be successfully connected to the cleaning base station.

[0038] And / or,

[0039] The first prompt interface includes a second option, which represents an option for the user to change the first task of the cleaning task to the second task, wherein the first task includes a mopping task and the second task does not include a mopping task; the control method includes:

[0040] If an instruction to select the second option is received, the first prompt interface is hidden, and the cleaning task is changed from the first task to the second task before the cleaning machine is controlled to perform cleaning.

[0041] And / or,

[0042] The first prompt interface includes a first animation display area and a second animation display area. The first animation display area is used to play a first animation, which instructs the user to move the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station. The second animation display area is used to play a second animation, which instructs the user to control the cleaning machine to start the cleaning task.

[0043] And / or,

[0044] The control method includes:

[0045] If the pop-up duration of the first prompt interface exceeds the second duration, the first prompt interface is hidden, and the cleaning task is changed from the first task to the second task before the cleaning machine is controlled to perform cleaning.

[0046] In one optional implementation, the control method includes:

[0047] During the execution of the first task by the cleaning machine, if it is determined that the cleaning base station does not exist in the area map of the task area, and if it is detected that the water volume in the water tank of the cleaning machine is less than or equal to the water volume threshold, then the cleaning task is changed from the first task to the second task; wherein, the first task includes a mopping task, and the second task does not include a mopping task.

[0048] And / or,

[0049] During the cleaning machine's mopping task, if the cleaning base station is not found in the area map of the task area, and the water level in the cleaning machine's water tank is detected to be less than or equal to a water level threshold, the base station detection component of the cleaning machine is controlled to detect the cleaning base station in the task area.

[0050] In one optional embodiment, after the base station detection component controlling the cleaning machine detects the cleaning base station in the task area, the control method further includes:

[0051] If the cleaning base station in the task area is detected by the base station detection component, the cleaning machine's rewash task is triggered; wherein, the rewash task is used to control the cleaning machine to move to the cleaning base station to clean the mop.

[0052] In one optional implementation, after controlling the cleaning machine to move to the cleaning base station, the control method includes:

[0053] If it is detected that the cleaning machine has successfully connected to and / or successfully disconnected from the cleaning base station, then the cleaning base station is recorded in the area map of the task area.

[0054] And / or,

[0055] If the cleaning machine fails to connect to the cleaning base station, an alarm message is output; the alarm message indicates that the cleaning machine has failed to connect to the cleaning base station.

[0056] In one alternative implementation, after the cleaning machine completes the cleaning task, the control method includes:

[0057] If it is determined that the cleaning base station does not exist in the area map of the task area, the cleaning machine is controlled to move to the starting position before performing the cleaning task.

[0058] And / or,

[0059] If the cleaning base station is not found in the area map of the task area, a second prompt message is output; wherein, the second prompt message is used to guide the user to move the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station, and / or, the second prompt message is used to prompt the user to move the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station.

[0060] In one optional implementation, the control method includes:

[0061] When the cleaning task of the cleaning machine is paused, if it is detected that the cleaning machine is successfully connected to the cleaning base station, it is determined whether the cleaning base station exists in the task area.

[0062] If the cleaning base station is determined to exist in the task area, the cleaning task is terminated.

[0063] In one optional implementation, after determining whether the cleaning base station exists in the task area, the control method includes:

[0064] If it is determined that the cleaning base station does not exist in the task area, then it is determined whether the cleaning task is the first task; wherein, the first task includes mopping task;

[0065] If it is determined that the cleaning task is not the first task, then the cleaning task is terminated.

[0066] In one optional implementation, after determining whether the cleaning task is the first task, the control method includes:

[0067] If the cleaning task is determined to be the first task, then determine whether the time interval between the current moment and the last time the mop was cleaned is greater than or equal to the first time interval.

[0068] If it is determined that the time interval between the current moment and the last time the mop was cleaned is greater than or equal to a first time interval, then the mop is cleaned.

[0069] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a control device for a cleaning machine is provided, the cleaning machine being used to perform a cleaning task, the control device comprising:

[0070] The determination module is used to detect the state of the mop in the cleaning machine; it is also used to detect whether there is a cleaning base station in the task area of ​​the cleaning machine when the mop is in a state to be cleaned; wherein, the task area is an area that the cleaning machine can reach by itself without the application of external force.

[0071] The control module is configured to pause the cleaning task and output a first prompt message if the cleaning base station is not present in the task area; wherein the first prompt message is configured to guide the user to move the cleaning machine to an area with the cleaning base station in order to clean the mop.

[0072] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a cleaning machine is provided, the cleaning machine comprising:

[0073] processor;

[0074] Memory used to store the processor's executable instructions;

[0075] The processor is configured to execute the control method as described in any of the first aspects.

[0076] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein when instructions in the storage medium are executed by a processor of a cleaning machine, the cleaning machine is enabled to perform the control method as described in any of the first aspects.

[0077] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure can include the following beneficial effects: In this disclosure, the state of the mop in the cleaning machine can be detected. If it is determined that the mop is in a state to be cleaned, it indicates that the mop needs to be cleaned. In this case, it can further detect whether there is a cleaning base station in the task area of ​​the cleaning machine. If it is determined that there is no cleaning base station in the task area, it indicates that the cleaning machine cannot automatically move to the cleaning base station to clean the mop. In this case, the cleaning machine can pause the cleaning task and output a first prompt message. The first prompt message can guide the user to move the cleaning machine to an area with a cleaning base station, thereby achieving the cleaning of the mop. That is to say, in this disclosure, when there is no cleaning base station in the task area where the cleaning machine performs the cleaning task, the user can be guided to move the cleaning machine to an area with a cleaning base station by outputting a first prompt message, thereby achieving the cleaning of the mop, ensuring that the mop of the cleaning machine is clean and moist during subsequent cleaning, thereby ensuring the cleaning effect, and also improving the convenience for users when using the cleaning machine to clean areas without cleaning base stations, which can greatly improve the user experience.

[0078] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0079] Brief description of the attached figures

[0080] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0081] Figure 1 is a flowchart illustrating a control method according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0082] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a control method according to another exemplary embodiment.

[0083] Figure 3 is a block diagram of a control device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0084] Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating a cleaning machine according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0085] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a first prompt interface according to an exemplary embodiment (showing a first animation).

[0086] Figure 6 is another schematic diagram of a first prompt interface according to an exemplary embodiment (showing a second animation).

[0087] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a second prompt interface according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0088] Detailed Explanation

[0089] The embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this application from the content disclosed in this specification. This application can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this application. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments are only for illustrating this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0090] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of this application. Therefore, the drawings only show the components related to this application and are not presented according to the actual number, shape and size of the components in the actual implementation. In the actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.

[0091] To address the technical problem mentioned above, where the cleaning machine cannot automatically return to the cleaning base station to clean the mop when there is no cleaning base station in the area where the cleaning machine is performing the cleaning task, resulting in the inability to ensure the cleanliness and moisture of the mop and thus causing poor cleaning effect, this disclosure provides a control method, device, cleaning machine, and storage medium for a cleaning machine.

[0092] In this disclosure, the state of the mop in the cleaning machine can be detected. If it is determined that the mop is in a state awaiting cleaning, it indicates that the mop needs to be cleaned. In this case, the presence of a cleaning base station within the cleaning machine's task area can be further detected. If it is determined that no cleaning base station exists in the task area, it means that the cleaning machine cannot automatically move to a cleaning base station to clean the mop. In this case, the cleaning machine can pause the cleaning task and output a first prompt message. The first prompt message guides the user to move the cleaning machine to an area with a cleaning base station, thereby achieving the cleaning of the mop. In other words, in this disclosure, when there is no cleaning base station in the task area where the cleaning machine performs a cleaning task, the first prompt message can be output to guide the user to move the cleaning machine to an area with a cleaning base station, thereby achieving the cleaning of the mop. This ensures that the mop is clean and moist during subsequent cleaning, thus ensuring the cleaning effect and improving the convenience for users when cleaning areas without cleaning base stations, significantly enhancing the user experience.

[0093] In one exemplary embodiment, a control method for a cleaning machine is provided, which can be applied to the cleaning machine. The cleaning machine may include, for example, a floor mop, a floor scrubber, or other machine used in conjunction with a cleaning base station for cleaning purposes; its specific type is not limited. Referring to Figure 1, the control method may include:

[0094] S110. Detect the status of the mop in the cleaning machine;

[0095] S120. When the mop is in a state to be cleaned, detect whether there is a cleaning base station in the task area of ​​the cleaning machine; wherein, the task area is an area that the cleaning machine can reach by itself without the application of external force.

[0096] S130. If the cleaning base station does not exist in the task area, the cleaning task is paused and a first prompt message is output; wherein, the first prompt message is used to guide the user to move the cleaning machine to an area with the cleaning base station in order to clean the mop.

[0097] In step S110, the state of the mop can be detected by built-in sensors (such as a humidity sensor, a dirt detection sensor, etc.) to determine whether the mop is in a state to be cleaned, that is, whether the mop is sufficiently wet or whether the degree of dirt exceeds a preset threshold. If the mop is detected to be relatively dry or relatively dirty, it can be considered that the mop is in a state to be cleaned.

[0098] It should be noted that the mop in the cleaning machine can include disc mops and roller mops. For disc mops, the cleaning robot needs to return to the cleaning base station for cleaning when it needs to be washed. For roller mops, the cleaning robot generally has a water tank, so the mop does not need to return to the cleaning base station for cleaning; the cleaning robot can clean the mop while moving. In this embodiment, determining that the mop is in a state to be washed can mean that the mop needs to be returned to the cleaning base station for cleaning. That is, when the cleaning robot's mop is a roller mop, in this embodiment, if the mop is determined to be in a state to be washed, it means that the mop needs to be returned to the cleaning base station for cleaning.

[0099] In addition to the methods mentioned above, other methods can also be used to detect the condition of the mop.

[0100] It should be noted that, generally, when cleaning, the cleanliness of the mop must first be determined. The cleaning task can only proceed if the mop's cleanliness meets the requirements. Therefore, in some implementations, after starting the cleaning machine's cleaning task, if it is determined that the cleaning machine has completed area positioning and has not yet performed cleaning, the status of the mop within the cleaning machine is detected.

[0101] Users can initiate the cleaning task of the cleaning machine via remote control, APP (application), or other control methods, without limitation. After receiving the start command, the cleaning machine can start the cleaning task; for example, the cleaning machine can enter standby mode, ready to perform the cleaning task.

[0102] The cleaning machine can determine its location through a built-in positioning system (such as GPS (Global Positioning System), Wi-Fi positioning (a technology that uses signal information from nearby Wi-Fi hotspots to determine the device's location), visual positioning system, etc.), thereby completing area positioning. If the cleaning machine has completed area positioning but has not yet started cleaning, the status of the mop inside the machine can be detected. That is, before the cleaning machine completes area positioning but begins cleaning, the status of the mop inside the machine can be checked.

[0103] Additionally, generally speaking, the cleanliness and wetness of the mop head only need to be ensured during mopping operations. Therefore, the mop head needs to be cleaned before the cleaning machine performs a mopping task. However, the mop head does not need to be cleaned before the cleaning machine performs a sweeping task.

[0104] Based on this, in this embodiment, after starting the cleaning task of the cleaning machine, if it is determined that the cleaning machine has completed the area positioning and has not performed cleaning, the status of the mop in the cleaning machine is detected.

[0105] When detecting the mop's condition, the type of cleaning task can be determined first. If the cleaning task is identified as the first task (which includes mopping), then the cleanliness and moisture level of the mop need to be maintained. Therefore, it can be further determined whether the interval between the current moment and the last mop cleaning is greater than or equal to a first interval. If the interval between the current moment and the last mop cleaning is greater than or equal to the first interval, it means that the mop has not been cleaned for a relatively long time, and therefore the mop needs to be cleaned, i.e., it is determined that the mop is in a state awaiting cleaning.

[0106] When determining the type of cleaning task, if it is determined that the cleaning task is not a second task (the second task does not include mopping), it means that the cleaning task does not need to consider the cleanliness and wetness of the mop. Therefore, it is considered that there is no need to clean the mop. That is, it is confirmed that the mop is not in a state of waiting to be cleaned, and the cleaning machine can be controlled to clean it, thus officially executing the cleaning task.

[0107] Specifically, when determining whether the interval between the current moment and the last mop cleaning is greater than or equal to a first time interval, if the interval is determined to be less than the first time interval (i.e., the interval is neither equal to nor greater than the first time interval), then the mop is considered to maintain a relatively good level of cleanliness and moisture, and therefore needs to be cleaned; in other words, the mop is not in a state awaiting cleaning. In this case, the cleaning machine can be controlled to perform the cleaning task.

[0108] It should be noted that the first task can consist solely of mopping; that is, the first task is solely mopping. Of course, the first task can also include other tasks, without limitation. The second task can consist solely of sweeping; that is, the second task is solely sweeping. Of course, the second task can also include other non-mopping tasks, without limitation. Furthermore, the first duration mentioned above can be set according to actual needs, and its specific value is not limited. For example, the first duration could be 10 minutes.

[0109] In some implementations...

[0110] The first task is mopping, and the second task is sweeping; the duration is 10 minutes. In this implementation, before the cleaning machine completes area positioning but before cleaning, the type of the initiated cleaning task can be determined. If the cleaning task is determined to be sweeping, it is assumed that the cleanliness and wetness of the mop dot do not need to be considered, and therefore no mop dot cleaning is required; that is, the mop dot is not in a state awaiting cleaning, and the cleaning machine can be controlled to clean. If the cleaning task is determined to be mopping, it is assumed that the cleanliness and wetness of the mop dot need to be considered, and therefore the mop dot may need to be cleaned. In this case, it is further determined whether the interval between the current moment and the last mop dot cleaning is greater than or equal to 10 minutes. If the interval between the current moment and the last mop dot cleaning is greater than or equal to 10 minutes, it is assumed that the mop dot has not been cleaned for a long time, and the mop dot is determined to be in a state awaiting cleaning. If it is determined that the time interval between the current moment and the last mop cleaning is less than 10 minutes, it means that the mop still meets the requirements for the mopping task and there is no need to clean the mop. In other words, the mop is not in a state of waiting to be cleaned, and the cleaning machine can be controlled to start cleaning.

[0111] It should be noted that, in addition to detecting the condition of the mop in the cleaning machine as described above, other methods can also be used in this step, and there are no limitations on this.

[0112] In step S120, after determining that the mop is in a state to be cleaned, it is indicated that a cleaning base station is needed to clean the mop. Therefore, the cleaning base station in the task area of ​​the cleaning machine can be further detected. That is, it is detected whether a cleaning base station exists in the task area. Here, the task area is the area that the cleaning machine can reach on its own without external force, or it can refer to the area to be cleaned corresponding to the cleaning task of the cleaning machine. The cleaning base station can be used to clean the mop of the cleaning machine, and can also charge the cleaning machine, etc. In addition to the above-mentioned cleaning and charging functions, the cleaning base station may also have drying and disinfection functions, etc., without limitation.

[0113] When detecting the presence of a cleaning base station in the task area, it can first be determined whether the cleaning machine has detected a map of the task area. It should be noted that the area map can be stored in the cleaning machine itself, or in a cleaning base station, server, or terminal that is communicatively connected to the cleaning machine; there is no limitation on this. If it is determined that the cleaning machine has not detected a map of the task area, then the current task is considered a map-less cleaning, indicating that a map has not been built for the current environment. If it is determined that the cleaning machine has detected a map of the task area, then the cleaning machine can retrieve the map of the task area from its storage location, and then determine whether a cleaning base station exists in the task area based on the map.

[0114] For example, area maps are typically stored in the storage unit of a cleaning machine. When detecting whether a cleaning base station exists in a task area, it can first be determined whether the cleaning machine stores an area map of the task area. If it is determined that the cleaning machine does not store an area map of this task area, it means that the current task is mapless cleaning, indicating that the current environment has not been mapped. Therefore, the cleaning machine cannot confirm whether a cleaning base station exists in the current environment. If the cleaning machine issues an incorrect prompt, it is easy to cause user dissatisfaction. In this embodiment, to avoid the cleaning machine outputting incorrect prompts and guidance to the user, the cleaning task of the cleaning machine can be adjusted from the first task to the second task, so that the cleaning machine no longer performs the mopping task, and therefore there is no need to wash the mop. If it is determined that the cleaning machine stores an area map of the task area, the area map of the task area can be retrieved from the cleaning machine's storage unit (e.g., memory), and then the presence of a cleaning base station in the task area can be determined based on the area map. For example, the identifier of a cleaning base station can be searched in the area map. If the identifier of a cleaning base station is not recorded in the area map, it is determined that no cleaning base station exists in the task area. If the area map shows a cleaning base station, it means that a cleaning base station exists in the task area. In this case, the cleaning machine can be controlled to move to the cleaning base station according to the area map to clean the cleaning machine's mop.

[0115] In some implementations...

[0116] The user's room includes two floors. The cleaning machine stores area maps of both the lower and upper floors. In this case, when the user starts the cleaning machine to clean the upper floor, the machine first performs area localization to determine that the task area is the upper floor. Then, it determines the type of cleaning task. If the user sets the task to mopping, the machine will identify it as mopping and determine if the interval since the last mop cleaning is greater than or equal to 10 minutes. For example, if the last mop cleaning was two days ago, in this embodiment, the machine can determine that the interval since the last mop cleaning is greater than 10 minutes, indicating that the current cleaning task requires mopping and the mop needs cleaning, thus confirming that the mop is in a waiting-to-be-cleaned state. The machine then determines that it stores the area map of the task area. Since the task area located by the cleaning machine is the upper floor, and the machine stores the area map of the upper floor, it can be confirmed that the machine stores the area map of the task area. The cleaning machine can then retrieve the aforementioned area map of the upper room from the storage unit and search for the identifier of the cleaning base station in the area map. If the user places the cleaning base station in the lower room, and the cleaning machine does not record the identifier of the cleaning base station in the area map of the upper room, the cleaning machine cannot find the identifier of the cleaning base station in the area map of the upper room, and can thus determine that there is no cleaning base station in the current task area (i.e., the upper room).

[0117] It should be noted that, in addition to the methods mentioned above for determining whether a cleaning machine's task area has a cleaning base station, other methods can also be used to determine this, and there are no limitations on these methods.

[0118] In step S130, if it is determined that there is no cleaning base station in the task area, it means that the cleaning machine cannot automatically move to the cleaning base station and cannot automatically clean the mop. Therefore, the cleaning task can be paused, and a first prompt message can be output. The first prompt message is used to guide the user to move the cleaning machine to an area with a cleaning base station to clean the mop.

[0119] It should be noted that the first prompt message can be a prompt interface, text information, voice information, etc., and is not limited thereto. Accordingly, the "output" of this embodiment can include popping up a prompt interface, displaying text information, playing voice, etc., and is not limited thereto.

[0120] For example, if it is determined that there is no cleaning base station in the task area, a first prompt interface can pop up (see Figures 5 and 6). The first prompt interface is used to guide the user to move the cleaning machine to an area with a cleaning base station to clean the mop.

[0121] The first prompt interface may include a first option. This first option represents the user's agreement to move the cleaning machine to an area with a cleaning base station. For example, the first option might be labeled "OK". When the user selects the first option (e.g., clicks the first option), the cleaning machine receives the instruction to select it and then responds by hiding the first prompt interface. Furthermore, since the cleaning machine receives the instruction to select the first option, it indicates that the user understands the content of the first prompt interface and will move the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station. Therefore, after detecting a successful connection between the cleaning machine and the cleaning base station, the mop is automatically cleaned. In other words, after the user pushes the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station, the cleaning base station automatically starts cleaning the mop.

[0122] It should be noted that since the cleaning machine has received the instruction to select the first option, it means that the user will manually move the cleaning machine to an area with a cleaning base station to clean the mop, so the first prompt screen can be hidden. Furthermore, the first prompt screen can be displayed either by the app on the cleaning machine or by an app on a mobile terminal that communicates with the cleaning machine; there is no limitation on which.

[0123] The first prompt interface may also include a second option. This second option represents the user's choice to change the cleaning task from the first to the second task. The first task includes mopping, while the second task does not. When the user selects the second option, the cleaning machine receives the instruction to select it, responds by hiding the first prompt interface, changing the cleaning task from the first to the second task, and then controlling the cleaning machine to perform the cleaning.

[0124] For example, when the first task is mopping and the second task is sweeping, the second option could be labeled "Sweep Only Now" or "Sweep Only". If the user selects the second option, it means that the user prefers to perform only the sweeping task rather than move the cleaning machine. Therefore, when the user clicks "Sweep Only Now", the cleaning machine can hide the first prompt interface, change the cleaning task from mopping to sweeping, and automatically perform the sweeping task.

[0125] The first prompt interface may include a first animation display area and a second animation display area. The first animation display area is used to play a first animation, which instructs the user to move the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station. The second animation display area is used to play a second animation, which instructs the user to control the cleaning machine to start the cleaning task.

[0126] It should be noted that the first animation display area and the second animation display area can overlap and be the same animation display area. When the first animation is displayed in the above area, the first prompt interface may include a switching option for switching to display the second animation. This switching option and the first option can be in the same overlapping option position.

[0127] For example, when the animation display area of ​​the first prompt interface shows the first animation (see Figure 5), the option position of the first prompt interface can display a switching option labeled "Next". After the user clicks this switching option, the cleaning machine can receive the switching instruction corresponding to the switching option, and then switch the animation displayed in the animation display area to the second animation. When the animation display area of ​​the first prompt interface shows the second animation (see Figure 6), the above-mentioned option position of the first prompt interface can display the first option labeled "OK". When the user selects the first option (for example, the user clicks the first option), the cleaning machine can receive the instruction to select the first option, and then respond to the instruction to hide the first prompt interface.

[0128] In addition, the first prompt interface can also include other guidance information. For example, when the cleaning machine is a robot vacuum, guidance information such as "Please move the robot vacuum to the base station floor to clean the mop" can be set above the first animation display area. Guidance information such as "After cleaning the mop, please move the robot vacuum to the floor that needs to be cleaned to continue cleaning" can be set above the second animation display area. At the bottom of the first prompt interface, prompt information such as "The robot will dry mop the floor if the mop is not cleaned, which will affect the cleaning effect" can be set.

[0129] In this embodiment, if the duration of the first prompt interface exceeds a second duration (e.g., 10 minutes) after it pops up, the first prompt interface is hidden, and the cleaning task is changed from the first task to the second task before the cleaning machine is controlled to perform cleaning.

[0130] For example, the first task could be mopping, and the second task could be sweeping. When the first prompt appears, it indicates that the user needs to move the cleaning machine to an area with a cleaning base station to clean the mop. However, the user may not see the first prompt when it appears (for example, if the first prompt appears from the cleaning machine's app and the user is not near the machine, they will not see it). In this case, the cleaning machine can pause and wait for a period of time. If the duration of the first prompt reaches the second duration, it means the cleaning machine is waiting too long, and a long pause may delay the cleaning work. However, the cleaning machine does not support mopping directly when the mop or roller is dry, so it can be automatically switched from mopping to sweeping and then used for cleaning.

[0131] In some implementations, the second option may include not only the phrase "Sweep Now Only" but also a countdown timer for a second duration. For example, the countdown timer for the second duration may be displayed below the phrase "Sweep Now Only" so that the user knows that the first task will be automatically switched to the second task after the countdown for the second duration ends.

[0132] It should be noted that, in addition to the above settings, the first prompt interface can also be set with other settings as needed, and there are no restrictions on this.

[0133] In this embodiment, the control method provides effective strategies for handling various task areas that the cleaning machine may encounter, whether they are common areas with stored area maps or new areas that have not yet been explored and recorded. In the absence of stored area maps, the cleaning machine automatically reassigns the cleaning task as a secondary task to avoid erroneous operations due to inaccurate base station location determination. When area maps are stored, the machine can accurately detect the presence of cleaning base stations in the task area and take appropriate measures based on the results. This allows the cleaning machine to adapt to diverse working environments and broadens its application range.

[0134] During cleaning, the cleaning machine meticulously monitors the mop's condition. Once it determines the mop is ready for cleaning, it further checks the cleaning base station in the task area. When a cleaning base station is detected, the cleaning machine automatically moves to it and utilizes its cleaning, drying, and disinfection functions to thoroughly treat the mop. This ensures the mop remains clean and moist throughout the subsequent cleaning process, significantly improving the machine's ability to clean floor stains and preventing incomplete cleaning due to a dirty or dry mop, resulting in superior cleaning performance for users.

[0135] Furthermore, when the cleaning machine determines that there is no cleaning base station in the task area, it will not blindly mop with a dirty or dry mop. Instead, it will pause the cleaning task and display a primary prompt interface, offering the user several options. The design of this primary prompt interface greatly simplifies the user experience. The interface provides a wealth of options and guidance information. For example, the first option guides the user to manually move the cleaning machine to an area with a cleaning base station; the second option allows the user to flexibly adjust the cleaning task; and the animation demonstration area intuitively guides the user's operation through animated displays. This caters to the needs of different users in different scenarios. Whether the user is willing to actively cooperate in moving the cleaning machine for better cleaning results, or chooses to adjust the cleaning task due to busyness or special circumstances, the operation can be easily completed under the guidance of the primary prompt interface, significantly improving the convenience and autonomy of using the cleaning machine.

[0136] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when it is determined that there is no cleaning base station in the task area and the first prompt interface pops up for more than a second duration, the cleaning task is automatically changed from the first task to the second task and cleaning continues. This intelligent design reduces the situation where the cleaning work is interrupted due to the user not paying attention to the prompt interface in time, reduces the user's intervention cost, and allows the cleaning machine to complete the cleaning work as effectively as possible even when unattended, thereby improving the user's overall satisfaction with the cleaning machine.

[0137] In one exemplary embodiment, a control method for a cleaning machine is provided, which can be applied to the cleaning machine. The cleaning machine may include, for example, a mopping machine, a floor scrubber, or other machine that requires the cooperation of a cleaning base station for cleaning, and its specific type is not limited. Referring to Figure 2, in this control method, during the execution of a first task by the cleaning machine, if no cleaning base station is found in the area map of the task area, it can be determined whether the water level in the cleaning machine's water tank is less than or equal to a water level threshold.

[0138] If the water level in the cleaning machine's tank is detected to be greater than a water level threshold (i.e., the water level is neither equal to nor less than the threshold), it indicates sufficient water in the tank, and no additional control is applied; the cleaning machine continues its original cleaning task. If the water level in the cleaning machine's tank is detected to be less than or equal to the threshold, it indicates insufficient water in the tank, and the cleaning task can be changed from the first task to the second task. The first task includes mopping, while the second task does not. Additionally, in this control method, if the water level in the cleaning machine's tank is detected to be less than or equal to the threshold, the base station detection component of the cleaning machine can also be controlled to detect the cleaning base station in the task area to facilitate the cleaning of the mop in the cleaning machine.

[0139] It should be noted that the aforementioned water volume threshold can be set according to actual needs and is not limited thereto. For example, the water volume threshold can be zero. In this case, if the water volume in the cleaning machine's water tank is detected to be non-zero, the cleaning machine can continue its original cleaning task. If the water volume in the tank is detected to be zero, the cleaning task can be changed from the first task to the second task, and cleaning can be performed using the second task. The cleaning machine's base station detection component can also be controlled to detect the cleaning base station in the task area to facilitate the cleaning of the mop in the cleaning machine. It should be noted that the cleaning base station can also refill the cleaning machine's water tank while the mop is being cleaned. When the cleaning machine's water tank is empty, the mop (or roller) is no longer wet and cannot be used for mopping (or washing). To reduce user intervention, it can be set to automatically change the first task to the second task.

[0140] In addition, the base station detection component of the cleaning machine may include a visual detection component, or an ultrasonic detection component, a Bluetooth detection component, or an infrared detection component, etc., without limitation.

[0141] In this embodiment, after the base station detection component of the cleaning machine detects the cleaning base station in the task area, if the cleaning machine detects the cleaning base station in the task area through the base station detection component, it can trigger a backwash task. The backwash task is used to control the cleaning machine to move to the cleaning base station to clean the mop. That is, when the cleaning machine triggers the backwash task, the cleaning machine can automatically move to the location where the base station detection component detects the cleaning base station, and then automatically clean the mop through the cleaning base station. It should be noted that after the cleaning task of the cleaning machine is adjusted to the second task, its mop (or roller) is no longer wet and clean. If the base station detection component detects the cleaning base station at this time (for example, the user has previously moved the cleaning base station to the current task area, but the base station is not marked in the area map), the cleaning machine can automatically trigger a backwash to ensure that the mop is clean and wet.

[0142] After the cleaning machine moves to the cleaning base station, it can detect whether it is connected to the cleaning base station. If it is detected that the cleaning machine is successfully connected to the cleaning base station (i.e., the cleaning machine is successfully mounted), or if it is detected that the cleaning machine is successfully disconnected from the cleaning base station (i.e., the cleaning machine is successfully dismounted), the cleaning base station can be recorded in the area map of the task area. That is, the identifier of the cleaning base station is added to the area map.

[0143] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the reason for saving the information of the cleaning base station to the area map only when the machine is successfully mounted or dismounted is that the detection of the base station detection component may be a false identification. However, if the cleaning machine is detected to have successfully mounted or dismounted, it can be said that the cleaning machine has indeed completed the connection with the cleaning base station. At this time, adding the information of the cleaning base station to the area map can raise the threshold for saving the information of the cleaning base station to the area map, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the information of the cleaning base station in the area map.

[0144] In this embodiment, after the cleaning machine moves to the cleaning base station, it checks its connection with the base station. If the connection fails (i.e., the cleaning machine fails to mount), an alarm message is output. The alarm message indicates that the cleaning machine has failed to connect to the cleaning base station. After discovering the alarm message, the user can manually determine the cause of the connection failure. It should be noted that the cause could be a false detection by the base station detection component, meaning that the cleaning base station does not actually exist in the task area; or the cleaning machine may not have moved correctly to the cleaning base station, meaning that although the cleaning base station exists in the task area, the cleaning machine has not mounted correctly, resulting in mounting failure. In this embodiment, by outputting the alarm message, the user can easily discover the mounting failure of the cleaning machine and determine the cause of the failure in a timely manner, thus improving convenience.

[0145] In some implementations...

[0146] The first task can be mopping, and the second task can be sweeping (or simply sweeping). The cleaning machine can be a floor scrubber. In this embodiment, the user uses the floor scrubber to perform a cleaning task in the upper room, which is mopping. The upper room's area map does not record any cleaning base stations. During mopping, the floor scrubber can monitor the water level in its tank in real-time or periodically. If the water level is not zero, mopping continues. If the water level is zero, the task can be switched to sweeping. During sweeping, the floor scrubber's vision detection component can detect the presence of a cleaning base station in the task area (upper room). If no cleaning base station is detected, sweeping continues. If a cleaning base station is detected, the floor scrubber triggers a backwash task, automatically moving to the cleaning base station to wash the mop. After successfully mounting the cleaning base station, the floor scrubber adds a marker for it to the upper room's area map. If the floor scrubber detects a failure to mount after triggering the rewash task, it can output an alarm message to remind the user of the failure so that the user can check the cause in time.

[0147] In this embodiment, by monitoring the water level in the water tank, it is possible to accurately determine whether the water level is sufficient. When the water level in the tank is detected to be less than or equal to a water level threshold (e.g., zero water), the first task, which includes mopping, is automatically adjusted to a second task, such as a sweeping task, which does not include mopping. This mechanism avoids situations where the mop (or roller) dries out due to insufficient water in the tank, thus preventing effective mopping (or washing). It maintains the continuity of cleaning work and ensures that a certain level of floor cleaning effect can be provided to the user under different working conditions, preventing a significant decrease in cleaning effect due to insufficient water in the equipment. Moreover, it eliminates the need for the user to manually pause cleaning, add water, and restart, improving the convenience and comfort of using the cleaning machine.

[0148] In this feature, when the cleaning machine switches to performing a second task (such as a pure sweeping task), if the base station detection component (such as a vision detection component) detects the presence of a cleaning base station in the task area, a rewash task is automatically triggered. The cleaning machine can automatically move to the cleaning base station to wash the mop, ensuring that the mop remains clean and moist during subsequent cleaning. This function greatly reduces manual intervention by the user during the cleaning process and effectively solves the problem of the cleaning machine still being able to obtain a clean mop for mopping even when no base station is initially recorded in the task area but the base station's position changes (such as when the user manually moves the base station to the area), further improving the stability and reliability of the cleaning effect.

[0149] Furthermore, if a connection failure (mounting failure) is detected after the cleaning machine moves to the cleaning base station, an alarm message can be output. This design allows users to promptly identify connection problems between the cleaning machine and the base station, enabling them to quickly determine the cause of the failure, such as whether the base station actually exists (preventing false detection by the base station detection component) or whether the cleaning machine has correctly moved to the base station location. This fault diagnosis assistance function helps users efficiently resolve problems, reduces cleaning interruptions caused by equipment failures, and further enhances the user experience.

[0150] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cleaning machine only records the identifier of the cleaning base station on the area map of the task area when it detects a successful connection (successful connection) or a successful disconnection (successful disconnection). This strict information recording condition effectively avoids errors in base station information on the area map due to misidentification by the base station detection component, ensuring the accuracy of the cleaning base station information on the area map. Accurate map information helps the cleaning machine plan its path more efficiently in subsequent cleaning tasks, quickly locate the base station, improve cleaning efficiency, and also enhance the equipment's adaptability to different task areas.

[0151] In one exemplary embodiment, a control method for a cleaning machine is provided, applicable to the cleaning machine. The cleaning machine may include, for example, a mop or scrubber that requires a cleaning base station for cleaning; its specific type is not limited. Referring to Figure 2, in this control method, after the cleaning machine completes its cleaning task, if it is determined that no cleaning base station exists in the area map of the current task area, the cleaning machine can be controlled to move back to its starting position before performing the cleaning task, making it easier for the user to find the cleaning machine.

[0152] Additionally, after the cleaning machine completes its cleaning task, if no cleaning base station is found on the area map of the task area, a second prompt message can be output. This second prompt message can be used to guide the user to move the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station; of course, it can also be used to prompt the user to move the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station. The second prompt message can also simultaneously fulfill both of the above functions, and this is not limited.

[0153] It should be noted that, referring to the description of the first prompt message, the second prompt message may also include at least one of the following: a prompt interface, text information, and voice information; there is no limitation on this. The term "output" here may also include at least one of the following: a pop-up prompt interface, displaying text information, and playing voice information; there is no limitation on this.

[0154] For example, if no cleaning base station exists in the area map of the designated task area, a second prompt interface (see Figure 7) can pop up after the cleaning machine completes the cleaning task, and / or, text or voice prompts can be displayed. The second prompt interface guides the user to move the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station, and the text or voice prompts prompt the user to move the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station.

[0155] It should be noted that voice prompts are more likely to attract users' attention, allowing them to receive the prompts promptly and move the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station in a timely manner.

[0156] The second prompt interface may include a third animation. The third animation can refer to an animation guiding the user to move the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station. The pop-up method of the second prompt interface can refer to the first prompt interface in other embodiments, and is not limited thereto. After seeing the third animation, the user can more intuitively understand the next operation, further facilitating the user's use of the cleaning machine. This multimodal prompting method fully considers the usage habits and scenarios of different users, providing users with comprehensive and convenient operation guidance, further enhancing the convenience and experience of using the cleaning machine.

[0157] It should be noted that the pop-up of the second prompt interface and the output of the prompt information can be synchronized, or the order can be set according to needs, and there is no restriction on the specific order.

[0158] In this embodiment, the multimodal prompting method fully considers the usage habits and scenarios of different users, providing users with comprehensive and convenient operation guidance, further enhancing the convenience and experience of using the cleaning machine. Moreover, guiding users to move the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station helps standardize the user's usage process and cultivate good equipment maintenance habits. This standardized operation not only benefits equipment maintenance but also reduces the failure rate caused by improper user operation or neglect of equipment maintenance, lowering equipment repair costs and improving equipment reliability and stability. Furthermore, by prompting users to move the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station, this embodiment helps ensure that the mop is cleaned promptly, preventing bacterial growth and odors due to prolonged uncleanliness, while also preventing excessive wear and tear on the mop, extending its lifespan, and thus improving the overall performance and lifespan of the cleaning machine. Timely mop cleaning also ensures that the cleaning machine maintains good cleaning performance in subsequent cleaning tasks, continuously providing users with high-quality cleaning services.

[0159] In one exemplary embodiment, a control method for a cleaning machine is provided, which can be applied to the cleaning machine. The cleaning machine may include, for example, a floor mop, a floor scrubber, or other machine used in conjunction with a cleaning base station for cleaning purposes; its specific type is not limited. Referring to Figure 2, the control method may include:

[0160] S210. When the cleaning task of the cleaning machine is paused, if it is detected that the cleaning machine is successfully connected to the cleaning base station, it is determined whether there is a cleaning base station in the task area; if it is determined that there is a cleaning base station in the task area, proceed to step S240; if it is determined that there is no cleaning base station in the task area, proceed to step S220.

[0161] S220. Determine whether the cleaning task is the first task; wherein, the first task includes the mopping task; if it is determined that the cleaning task is not the first task, proceed to step S240; if it is determined that the cleaning task is the first task, proceed to step S230.

[0162] S230. Determine whether the time interval between the current moment and the last mop cleaning is greater than or equal to the first time interval. If it is determined that the time interval between the current moment and the last mop cleaning is greater than or equal to the first time interval, proceed to step S240. If it is determined that the time interval between the current moment and the last mop cleaning is not greater than or equal to the first time interval (i.e., less than the first time interval), no action is taken.

[0163] S240, End of cleaning task.

[0164] It should be noted that this embodiment provides users with a new way to end a cleaning task. That is, when the cleaning machine is in a paused state, if the user moves the cleaning machine to the cleaning base and the cleaning machine detects that it has successfully connected to the cleaning base (i.e., the cleaning machine has been successfully mounted), it assumes that the user may want to end the cleaning task.

[0165] However, users may also manually move the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station to clean the mop.

[0166] Therefore, in this situation, it can be further determined whether a cleaning base station exists in the task area corresponding to the cleaning task (the method of determining this through an area map in other embodiments can be referred to, and will not be elaborated here). If it is determined that a cleaning base station exists in the task area, it can be assumed that the user really wants to end the cleaning task, and the cleaning machine can automatically end the cleaning task. If it is determined that no cleaning base station exists in the task area, it can be assumed that the user may want to clean the mop.

[0167] To determine the user's intent, it's necessary to further determine whether the cleaning task is the primary task. It's important to note that if the cleaning task is not the primary task, it means the cleaning machine hasn't previously used the mop, and there's no need to clean the mop. Therefore, it can be confirmed that the user genuinely wants to end the cleaning task, and the cleaning machine can then terminate it. If the cleaning task is the primary task, it means the cleaning machine has previously used the mop, meaning there's a need to clean the mop. However, it's still necessary to determine whether the mop needs cleaning. In this case, it's further possible to determine if the interval between the current moment and the last mop cleaning is greater than or equal to a first time interval (e.g., 10 minutes).

[0168] If the interval between the current moment and the last time the mop was cleaned is greater than or equal to a first time interval, then the mop needs to be cleaned, and the cleaning machine can clean the mop via the cleaning base station. If the interval between the current moment and the last time the mop was cleaned is less than the first time interval, then the mop does not need to be cleaned, and no other actions need to be performed to avoid repeatedly triggering the mop cleaning process and causing user annoyance. Of course, in this case, it can also be set to end the cleaning task; there are no restrictions on this.

[0169] In practical use, users may have various intentions when manually moving the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station. This control method fully considers this complex scenario and constructs a comprehensive and detailed user intention judgment system when the cleaning machine pauses its cleaning task and successfully connects to the cleaning base station. First, by determining whether a cleaning base station exists in the task area, it initially distinguishes whether the user wants to end the task or clean the mop. If a base station is present, it is highly likely that the user wants to end the cleaning task, thus automatically ending the process and accurately responding to the user's intention. When there is no base station in the task area, it further determines the cleaning task type. If it is not the primary task (including mopping), it clarifies the user's intention to end the task and directly terminates it. When the cleaning task is the primary task, it further determines the user's true needs by judging the time interval since the last mop cleaning.

[0170] When cleaning is determined to be the primary task and the mop needs washing (the interval between the current moment and the last mop washing is greater than or equal to the first interval), the cleaning machine can automatically wash the mop using the cleaning base station, without requiring additional user commands, thus providing convenience. Furthermore, this function ensures that the mop is processed promptly when washing is needed, maintaining its cleanliness and moisture level, providing a good foundation for subsequent cleaning tasks. This avoids the problem of decreased cleaning effectiveness due to prolonged periods without mop washing, improving the overall cleaning performance of the cleaning machine.

[0171] The multi-dimensional judgment mechanism in this embodiment effectively reduces misjudgments of user operation intentions, providing users with device responses that better meet their needs and improving the user experience. Furthermore, this embodiment also provides users with a convenient way to end tasks without requiring an application, further enhancing the user experience.

[0172] In one exemplary embodiment, a control device for a cleaning machine is provided, applied to the cleaning machine. This control device can be used to implement the control method described above. For example, referring to FIG3, the control device may include a determining module 20 and a control module 30.

[0173] The determination module 20 is used to detect the state of the mop in the cleaning machine; and is also used to detect the cleaning base station of the task area of ​​the cleaning machine if it is determined that the mop is in a state to be cleaned.

[0174] The control module 30 is configured to control the cleaning machine to pause the cleaning task and output a first prompt message if it is determined that the cleaning base station does not exist in the task area; wherein, the first prompt message is used to guide the user to move the cleaning machine to an area with the cleaning base station to clean the mop; the current area of ​​the cleaning robot and the area of ​​the cleaning base station belong to different areas.

[0175] In one exemplary embodiment, a control device for a cleaning machine is provided, applied to the cleaning machine. This control device can be used to implement the control method described above. Referring to FIG3, the control device may include a start-up module 10.

[0176] The startup module 10 can be used to start the cleaning task of the cleaning machine;

[0177] The determination module 20 can be used to detect the status of the mop in the cleaning machine after starting the cleaning task of the cleaning machine and determining that the cleaning machine has completed the area positioning and has not performed cleaning.

[0178] In one exemplary embodiment, a control device for a cleaning machine is provided, applied to the cleaning machine. This control device can be used to implement the control method described above. Referring to FIG3, in this control device, the determining module 20 can be used for:

[0179] Determine the type of cleaning task;

[0180] If the cleaning task is determined to be the first task, then it is determined whether the time interval between the current moment and the last time the mop was cleaned is greater than or equal to a first time interval; wherein, the first task includes the mopping task;

[0181] If it is determined that the time interval between the current moment and the last time the mop was cleaned is greater than or equal to the first time interval, then the mop is determined to be in a state to be cleaned.

[0182] In one exemplary embodiment, a control device for a cleaning machine is provided, applied to the cleaning machine. This control device can be used to implement the control method described above. Referring to FIG3, in this control device, the control module 30 can be used for:

[0183] If the cleaning task is determined to be the second task, then control the cleaning machine to perform the cleaning; the second task does not include mopping.

[0184] And / or,

[0185] If it is determined that the interval between the current moment and the last mop cleaning is less than a first time interval, then the cleaning machine is controlled to perform cleaning.

[0186] In one exemplary embodiment, a control device for a cleaning machine is provided, applied to the cleaning machine. This control device can be used to implement the control method described above. Referring to FIG3, in this control device, the determining module 20 can be used for:

[0187] Determine whether the cleaning machine stores a region map of the task area;

[0188] If it is determined that the cleaning machine stores a region map of the task area, then the region map of the task area is obtained.

[0189] If the cleaning base station is not recorded in the area map of the task area, it is determined that the cleaning base station does not exist in the task area.

[0190] In one exemplary embodiment, a control device for a cleaning machine is provided, applied to the cleaning machine. This control device can be used to implement the control method described above. Referring to FIG3, in this control device, the control module 30 can be used for:

[0191] If it is determined that the cleaning machine does not store a map of the task area, the cleaning task is changed from the first task to the second task; wherein the first task includes a mopping task, and the second task does not include a mopping task.

[0192] And / or,

[0193] If it is determined that the cleaning base station is recorded in the area map, the cleaning machine is controlled to move to the cleaning base station to clean the mop.

[0194] In one exemplary embodiment, a control device for a cleaning machine is provided, applied to the cleaning machine. This control device can be used to implement the control method described above. Referring to FIG3, in this control device,

[0195] The control module 20 can be used to pop up a first prompt interface; wherein the first prompt interface is used to guide the user to move the cleaning machine to the area with the cleaning base station in order to clean the mop.

[0196] In one exemplary embodiment, a control device for a cleaning machine is provided, applied to the cleaning machine. This control device can be used to implement the control method described above. Referring to FIG3, in this control device,

[0197] The first prompt interface includes a first option, which represents the user's consent to move the cleaning machine to an area with the cleaning base station; the control module 30 can be used for:

[0198] If an instruction to select the first option is received, the first prompt interface is hidden;

[0199] And / or,

[0200] The first prompt interface includes a second option, which represents the user's option to change the first task of the cleaning task to the second task. The first task includes a mopping task, while the second task does not include a mopping task. The control module 30 can be used for:

[0201] If an instruction to select the second option is received, the first prompt interface is hidden, and the cleaning task is changed from the first task to the second task before the cleaning machine is controlled to perform cleaning.

[0202] And / or,

[0203] The first prompt interface includes a first animation display area and a second animation display area. The first animation display area is used to play a first animation, which instructs the user to move the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station. The second animation display area is used to play a second animation, which instructs the user to control the cleaning machine to start the cleaning task.

[0204] And / or,

[0205] Control module 30 can be used for:

[0206] If the pop-up duration of the first prompt interface exceeds the second duration, the first prompt interface is hidden, and the cleaning task is changed from the first task to the second task before the cleaning machine is controlled to perform cleaning.

[0207] In one exemplary embodiment, a control device for a cleaning machine is provided, applied to the cleaning machine. This control device can be used to implement the control method described above. Referring to FIG3, in this control device, the control module 30 can be used for:

[0208] If the cleaning base station is not found in the area map of the task area, and during the execution of the first task by the cleaning machine, if it is detected that the water volume in the water tank of the cleaning machine is less than or equal to the water volume threshold, the cleaning task is changed from the first task to the second task; wherein the first task includes a mopping task, and the second task does not include a mopping task.

[0209] And / or,

[0210] If the cleaning base station is not found in the area map of the task area, during the mopping task performed by the cleaning machine, if the water level in the cleaning machine's water tank is detected to be less than or equal to a water level threshold, the base station detection component controlling the cleaning machine will detect the cleaning base station in the task area.

[0211] In one exemplary embodiment, a control device for a cleaning machine is provided, applied to the cleaning machine. This control device can be used to implement the control method described above. Referring to FIG3, in this control device, the control module 30 can be used for:

[0212] After the base station detection component of the control cleaning machine detects the cleaning base station in the task area, if the base station detection component detects the cleaning base station in the task area, the cleaning machine is triggered to perform a rewash task; wherein, the rewash task is used to control the cleaning machine to move to the cleaning base station to clean the mop.

[0213] In one exemplary embodiment, a control device for a cleaning machine is provided, applied to the cleaning machine. This control device can be used to implement the control method described above. Referring to FIG3, in this control device, the control module 30 can be used for:

[0214] After controlling the cleaning machine to move to the cleaning base station...

[0215] If it is detected that the cleaning machine has successfully connected to and / or successfully disconnected from the cleaning base station, then the cleaning base station is recorded in the area map of the task area.

[0216] And / or,

[0217] If the cleaning machine fails to connect to the cleaning base station, an alarm message is output; the alarm message indicates that the cleaning machine has failed to connect to the cleaning base station.

[0218] In one exemplary embodiment, a control device for a cleaning machine is provided, applied to the cleaning machine. This control device can be used to implement the control method described above. Referring to FIG3, in this control device, the control module 30 can be used for:

[0219] If the cleaning base station is not found in the area map of the task area, after the cleaning machine completes the cleaning task, the cleaning machine is controlled to move to the starting position before the cleaning task was performed.

[0220] And / or,

[0221] If the cleaning base station does not exist in the area map of the task area, a second prompt message is output after the cleaning machine completes the cleaning task; wherein, the second prompt message is used to guide the user to move the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station, and / or, the second prompt message is used to prompt the user to move the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station.

[0222] In one exemplary embodiment, a control device for a cleaning machine is provided, applied to the cleaning machine. This control device can be used to implement the control method described above. Referring to FIG3, in this control device,

[0223] The determination module 20 can be used to determine whether the cleaning base station exists in the task area if the cleaning machine is successfully connected to the cleaning base station when the cleaning task of the cleaning machine is in a paused state.

[0224] The control module 30 can be used to terminate the cleaning task if it is determined that there is a cleaning base station in the task area.

[0225] In one exemplary embodiment, a control device for a cleaning machine is provided, applied to the cleaning machine. This control device can be used to implement the control method described above. Referring to FIG3, in this control device, the control module 30 can be used for:

[0226] If it is determined that the cleaning base station does not exist in the task area, then it is determined whether the cleaning task is the first task; wherein, the first task includes mopping task;

[0227] If it is determined that the cleaning task is not the first task, then the cleaning task is terminated.

[0228] In one exemplary embodiment, a control device for a cleaning machine is provided, applied to the cleaning machine. This control device can be used to implement the control method described above. Referring to FIG3, in this control device, the control module 30 can be used for:

[0229] If the cleaning task is determined to be the first task, then determine whether the time interval between the current moment and the last time the mop was cleaned is greater than or equal to the first time interval.

[0230] If it is determined that the time interval between the current moment and the last time the mop was cleaned is greater than or equal to a first time interval, then the mop is cleaned.

[0231] In one exemplary embodiment, a cleaning machine is provided, which may include, for example, a floor mop, a floor scrubber, or other machine that needs to be used in conjunction with a cleaning base station for cleaning, and its specific type is not limited.

[0232] Referring to Figure 4, the cleaning machine 100 may include at least one processor 101, a memory 102, at least one network interface 104, and other user interfaces 103. The various components in the cleaning machine 100 are coupled together via a bus system 105. It is understood that the bus system 105 is used to enable communication between these components. In addition to a data bus, the bus system 105 also includes a power bus, a control bus, and a status signal bus. However, for clarity, all buses are referred to as bus system 105.

[0233] The user interface 103 may include a display, keyboard, or clicking device (e.g., mouse, trackball, touchpad, or touchscreen).

[0234] It is understood that the memory 102 in the embodiments of this application can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory can be read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. The volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), Double Data Rate SDRAM (DDRSDRAM), Enhanced SDRAM (ESDRAM), Synchronous Link DRAM (SLDRAM), and Direct Rambus RAM (DRRAM). The memory 102 described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0235] In some implementations, memory 102 stores elements, executable units or data structures, or subsets thereof, or extended sets thereof: operating system 1021 and application program 1022.

[0236] The operating system 1021 includes various system programs, such as a framework layer, a core library layer, and a driver layer, used to implement various basic business functions and handle hardware-based tasks. The application program 1022 includes various applications, such as a media player and a browser, used to implement various application functions. Programs implementing the methods of this application embodiment can be included in the application program 1022.

[0237] In this embodiment of the application, the processor 101 executes the methods provided in each method embodiment by calling the program or instructions stored in the memory 102, specifically the program or instructions stored in the application program 1022.

[0238] The methods disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be applied to or implemented by the processor 101. The processor 101 may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. In the implementation process, each step of the above method can be completed by the integrated logic circuit of the hardware or by instructions in the form of software in the processor 101. The processor 101 may be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components. It can implement or execute the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of this application. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be directly embodied in the execution of a hardware decoding processor, or can be executed by a combination of hardware and software units in the decoding processor. The software units may be located in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable memory, registers, or other mature storage media in the art. The storage medium is located in memory 102. Processor 101 reads the information in memory 102 and performs the above method in conjunction with its hardware.

[0239] It is understood that the embodiments described herein can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, middleware, microcode, or a combination thereof. For hardware implementation, the processing unit can be implemented in one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), general-purpose processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, other electronic units for performing the functions described herein, or combinations thereof.

[0240] For software implementation, the techniques described herein can be implemented by units that perform the functions described herein. The software code can be stored in memory and executed by a processor. The memory can be implemented in the processor or external to the processor.

[0241] This application also provides a storage medium (computer-readable storage medium). This storage medium stores one or more programs. The storage medium may include volatile memory, such as random access memory; it may also include non-volatile memory, such as read-only memory, flash memory, hard disk, or solid-state drive; and it may also include combinations of the above types of memory.

[0242] When a storage medium contains one or more programs that can be executed by one or more processors, and when the storage medium is used in a cleaning machine, the method described above for execution in the cleaning machine can be implemented. The processor executes a control program for the cleaning machine stored in memory to implement the method described above for execution in the cleaning machine.

[0243] Those skilled in the art will further recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. To clearly illustrate the interchangeability of hardware and software, the components and steps of the various examples have been generally described in terms of functionality in the foregoing description. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0244] It should be noted that the terms "one implementation," "embodiment," "exemplary embodiment," and "some embodiments" used in the specification indicate that the described embodiment may include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes that specific feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, when a specific feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, implementing such a feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments, whether explicitly described or not, is within the knowledge scope of those skilled in the art.

[0245] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or cleaning machine. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0246] The above embodiments are merely preferred embodiments provided to fully illustrate this application, and the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art based on this application are all within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A control method for a cleaning machine, characterized in that, The cleaning machine is used to perform cleaning tasks, and the control method includes: Detect the state of the mop in the cleaning machine; When the mop is in a state to be cleaned, the presence of a cleaning base station within the task area of ​​the cleaning machine is detected; wherein, the task area is an area that the cleaning machine can reach on its own without the application of external force. If the cleaning base station is not present in the task area, the cleaning task is paused and a first prompt message is output; wherein, the first prompt message is used to guide the user to move the cleaning machine to an area with the cleaning base station in order to clean the mop.

2. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection of the state of the mop in the cleaning machine includes: After starting the cleaning task of the cleaning machine, if it is determined that the cleaning machine has completed the area positioning and has not performed cleaning, the status of the mop in the cleaning machine is detected.

3. The control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The detection of the state of the mop in the cleaning machine includes: Determine the type of the cleaning task; If the cleaning task is determined to be the first task, then it is determined whether the time interval between the current moment and the last time the mop was cleaned is greater than or equal to a first time interval; wherein, the first task includes the mopping task; If it is determined that the time interval between the current moment and the last time the mop was cleaned is greater than or equal to the first time interval, then the mop is determined to be in a state to be cleaned.

4. The control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, After determining the type of the cleaning task, the control method includes: If the cleaning task is determined to be the second task, then the cleaning machine is controlled to perform cleaning; wherein, the second task does not include mopping. And / or, If it is determined that the interval between the current moment and the last time the mop was cleaned is less than the first time interval, then the cleaning machine is controlled to perform cleaning.

5. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection of whether a cleaning base station exists within the task area of ​​the cleaning machine includes: Determine whether the cleaning machine has detected the area map of the task area; If it is determined that the cleaning machine has detected the area map of the task area, then the area map of the task area is acquired. If the cleaning base station is not recorded in the area map of the task area, it is determined that the cleaning base station does not exist in the task area.

6. The control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The control method includes: If it is determined that the cleaning machine has not detected the area map of the task area, the cleaning task is changed from the first task to the second task; wherein the first task includes a mopping task, and the second task does not include a mopping task; And / or, If it is determined that the cleaning base station is recorded in the area map, the cleaning machine is controlled to move to the cleaning base station to clean the mop.

7. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The output of the first prompt information includes: A first prompt interface pops up; wherein, the first prompt interface is used to guide the user to move the cleaning machine to the area with the cleaning base station in order to clean the mop.

8. The control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first prompt interface includes a first option, which represents the user's consent to move the cleaning machine to an area with the cleaning base station; the control method includes: If an instruction to select the first option is received, the first prompt interface is hidden, and the mop is automatically cleaned after the cleaning machine is detected to be successfully connected to the cleaning base station. And / or, The first prompt interface includes a second option, which is an option for the user to change the first task of the cleaning task to the second task, wherein the first task includes a mopping task and the second task does not include a mopping task; the control method includes: If an instruction to select the second option is received, the first prompt interface is hidden, and the cleaning task is changed from the first task to the second task before the cleaning machine is controlled to perform cleaning. And / or, The first prompt interface includes a first animation display area and a second animation display area. The first animation display area is used to play a first animation, which instructs the user to move the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station. The second animation display area is used to play a second animation, which instructs the user to control the cleaning machine to start the cleaning task. And / or, The control method includes: If the pop-up duration of the first prompt interface exceeds the second duration, the first prompt interface is hidden, and the cleaning task is changed from the first task to the second task before the cleaning machine is controlled to perform cleaning.

9. The control method according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The control method includes: During the execution of the first task by the cleaning machine, if it is determined that there is no cleaning base station in the task area, and if the water volume in the water tank of the cleaning machine is less than or equal to a water volume threshold, the cleaning task is changed from the first task to the second task; wherein, the first task includes a mopping task, and the second task does not include a mopping task. And / or, During the mopping process, if it is determined that there is no cleaning base station in the task area, and the water level in the water tank of the cleaning machine is less than or equal to a water level threshold, the base station detection component of the cleaning machine is controlled to detect the cleaning base station in the task area.

10. The control method according to claim 9, characterized in that, After the base station detection component controlling the cleaning machine detects the cleaning base station in the task area, the control method includes: If the cleaning base station in the task area is detected by the base station detection component, the cleaning machine's rewash task is triggered; wherein, the rewash task is used to control the cleaning machine to move to the cleaning base station to clean the mop.

11. The control method according to claim 10, characterized in that, After the cleaning machine is moved to the cleaning base station, the control method includes: If it is detected that the cleaning machine has successfully connected to and / or successfully disconnected from the cleaning base station, then the cleaning base station is recorded in the area map of the task area. And / or, If the cleaning machine fails to connect to the cleaning base station, an alarm message is output; the alarm message indicates that the cleaning machine has failed to connect to the cleaning base station.

12. The control method according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, After the cleaning machine completes the cleaning task, the control method further includes: If it is determined that the cleaning base station does not exist in the task area, the cleaning machine is controlled to move to the starting position before performing the cleaning task. And / or, If it is determined that the cleaning base station does not exist in the task area, a second prompt message is output; wherein, the second prompt message is used to guide the user to move the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station, and / or, the second prompt message is used to prompt the user to move the cleaning machine to the cleaning base station.

13. The control method according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The control method includes: When the cleaning task of the cleaning machine is paused, if it is detected that the cleaning machine is successfully connected to the cleaning base station, it is determined whether the cleaning base station exists in the task area. If the cleaning base station is determined to exist in the task area, the cleaning task is terminated.

14. The control method according to claim 13, characterized in that, After determining whether the cleaning base station exists in the task area, the control method includes: If it is determined that the cleaning base station does not exist in the task area, then it is determined whether the cleaning task is the first task; wherein, the first task includes mopping task; If it is determined that the cleaning task is not the first task, then the cleaning task is terminated.

15. The control method according to claim 14, characterized in that, After determining whether the cleaning task is the first task, the control method includes: If the cleaning task is determined to be the first task, then determine whether the time interval between the current moment and the last time the mop was cleaned is greater than or equal to the first time interval. If it is determined that the time interval between the current moment and the last time the mop was cleaned is greater than or equal to a first time interval, then the mop is cleaned.

16. A control device for a cleaning machine, characterized in that, The cleaning machine is used to perform cleaning tasks, and the control device includes: The determination module is used to detect the state of the mop in the cleaning machine; it is also used to detect whether there is a cleaning base station in the task area of ​​the cleaning machine when the mop is in a state to be cleaned; wherein, the task area is an area that the cleaning machine can reach by itself without the application of external force. The control module is configured to pause the cleaning task and output a first prompt message if the cleaning base station is not present in the task area; wherein the first prompt message is configured to guide the user to move the cleaning machine to an area with the cleaning base station in order to clean the mop.

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