Appliance-Controlled Cleaning Robot Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Household appliances and automatically moving cleaning devices often operate independently, failing to coordinate cleaning operations effectively based on the appliances' current status, leading to inefficiencies in addressing soiling that occurs during their use or after their operation.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a household appliance, an automatically moving cleaning appliance, and a control device that communicates the appliance's type, location, and operating status to coordinate cleaning operations, allowing the cleaning device to perform tasks like suction, wiping, or disinfection based on the household appliance's status, such as before or after its operation, using a communication network like WLAN or Zigbee.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If household appliances and cleaning devices operate independently, then device simplicity is maintained, but cleaning efficiency and coordination are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the household appliance and cleaning device into an integrated system where the appliance's control unit also manages the cleaning device. This combination enables coordinated operation - when the appliance detects soiling conditions (e.g., during or after operation), it automatically triggers the cleaning device to clean the surrounding area, thereby improving cleaning efficiency without requiring a completely separate complex control system.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit of the household appliance is designed with multi-functionality, serving both to control the appliance's primary function and to manage the cleaning device. This universal control approach allows the same control unit to handle diverse tasks - from monitoring the appliance's operational status to detecting soiling conditions and commanding the cleaning device, thereby improving coordination without proportionally increasing system complexity.
2Loss of time
If cleaning operations are coordinated with appliance status, then cleaning timeliness is improved, but communication infrastructure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a communication interface as an intermediary between the household appliance and the cleaning device. This interface receives operational status signals from the appliance (such as start/stop commands or soiling detection data) and translates them into appropriate cleaning commands for the cleaning device. By using this intermediary, the system achieves timely cleaning responses without requiring direct complex point-to-point communication between all components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the appliance's control unit continuously monitors its operational status and environmental conditions (such as soiling detection), then uses this feedback information to automatically trigger cleaning operations. This closed-loop feedback approach ensures cleaning occurs at the optimal time based on actual conditions, reducing cleaning response time without requiring constant manual intervention or overly complex communication protocols.
3Extent of automation
If manual cleaning intervention is required, then user control is maintained, but automation level and convenience are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the household appliance to serve itself by integrating cleaning functionality directly into its control system. When the appliance detects soiling conditions during or after operation, it automatically initiates cleaning commands to the cleaning device without requiring user intervention. This self-service capability significantly increases the automation level, allowing the system to maintain itself autonomously.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary cleaning actions by detecting soiling conditions during the appliance's operation and triggering cleaning operations immediately or at optimal moments (such as during idle periods). This preliminary action approach ensures cleaning is performed proactively before soiling becomes severe, maintaining high automation levels while ensuring cleaning occurs at the most convenient times without requiring user initiation.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a system comprising at least one household appliance (1), at least one self-propelled cleaning device (2), and a control unit (3) for controlling the operation of the cleaning device (2). To achieve fully automatic operation of the system, it is proposed that the control unit (3) be configured to control the operation of the cleaning device (2) depending on the operating status of the household appliance (1).