Autonomous travel-type cleaner and control method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional autonomous travel-type cleaners do not effectively notify users of incoming calls on communication terminals, especially when the user is not nearby, leading to potential missed notifications.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous travel-type cleaner equipped with an incoming call detector, person detector, and a notification unit, which uses a controller to manage notifications based on the presence of the user and the incoming call status, allowing for appropriate notification methods such as sound or light alerts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the autonomous travel-type cleaner stops cleaning when the communication terminal receives an incoming call, then the cleaning operation is interrupted, but the user may not notice the incoming call when not near the communication terminal
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous cleaner acts as an intermediary notification device that detects incoming calls to the communication terminal and provides alternative notification methods (light emission, sound output, or movement) when the user is not near the terminal, ensuring reliable notification delivery through multiple channels
Solution Approach 2:
The notification system transitions from a single-dimensional audio notification (communication terminal only) to multi-dimensional notifications by adding light emission, sound output from the cleaner, and movement-based notifications, creating redundant notification pathways that ensure user awareness regardless of location
2Reliability
If the cleaner provides continuous notification for incoming calls, then user awareness is improved, but energy consumption and disturbance increase
Solution Approach 1:
The notification system dynamically adjusts its behavior based on real-time detection of user presence. When a user is detected nearby, the cleaner maintains normal cleaning operation without additional notification. When no user is present, the cleaner activates alternative notification methods (light, sound, or movement) only for the duration of the incoming call, minimizing energy consumption while ensuring notification delivery
3Reliability
If the cleaner activates notification methods such as light or sound, then user awareness is enhanced, but the cleaning environment may be disturbed
Solution Approach 1:
The notification method is dynamically selected based on detected user presence and call duration. For brief calls or when users are nearby, no additional notification is activated. For longer calls or when users are absent, the system activates light emission or sound output only for the necessary duration, minimizing disturbance while ensuring effective notification
Solution Approach 2:
The notification system uses localized light emission at specific positions on the cleaner body rather than full-system activation, and directional sound output, concentrating the notification effect where it is most needed while minimizing broader environmental disturbance
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous travel-type cleaner includes a housing, a drive unit for moving the housing, an incoming call detector that detects whether or not there is an incoming call to a communication terminal, a person detector that detects whether or not a person is present within a first range, an incoming call notification unit (for example, a light source and a speaker) for notifying of presence of an incoming call, and a controller. The controller controls a notification operation of the incoming call notification unit based on a detection result of the person detector and a detection result of the incoming call detector.