Vacuum Cleaner Follower Navigation Using Visual Marker Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cleaners face challenges in accurately following the suction device due to interference from obstacles and walls, leading to reduced following ability and increased complexity in various cleaning zones.
Innovation Solution
A cleaner equipped with a movable body and a following body that uses an image acquisition unit and controller to track the position and movement of a marker, allowing the following body to actively follow the suction device based on acquired image data, reducing interference and improving navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If ultrasonic waves are used for tracking the suction device, then the following body can actively follow the suction device, but the ultrasonic receiver may receive reflected ultrasonic waves from obstacles or walls causing inaccurate following
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a visual marker as an intermediary object between the suction device and the following body. The marker is attached to the suction device and contains specific pattern information that can be easily detected by the image acquisition unit. This intermediary visual marker system replaces the direct ultrasonic detection method, allowing the following body to track the suction device's position and movement through image processing of the marker rather than through direct ultrasonic wave reception, thereby avoiding the problem of reflected waves causing detection errors.
2Device complexity
If the main body is moved by tension from the hose, then the structure is simple, but the following ability and navigation accuracy are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the passive mechanical tension-based movement system with an active visual tracking and motor control system. The image acquisition unit continuously captures images of the marker on the suction device, the controller processes these images to determine the relative position and movement direction, and the motor drives the wheels to actively follow the suction device. This substitution of mechanical passive following with optical-active control significantly improves following ability and navigation accuracy while maintaining reasonable system complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the following body tracks based on ultrasonic waves, then it can follow the suction device, but interference from obstacles and walls reduces following ability in various cleaning zones
Solution Approach 1:
The visual marker serves as a stable intermediary that provides consistent detection signals regardless of the cleaning environment. Unlike ultrasonic waves that reflect off obstacles and walls causing interference, the visual marker presents a distinct visual pattern that can be reliably detected and tracked by the image acquisition unit across diverse cleaning zones including narrow corridors, open spaces, and areas with various obstacles, thereby improving adaptability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A cleaner is disclosed. The cleaner includes a movable body (100) configured to be movable for suctioning dust and a following body (200) for collecting the dust suctioned by the movable body (100), the following body (200) being mobile, wherein the following body (200) includes an image acquisition unit (220) for acquiring an image for a view around the following body (200) and a controller (230) for controlling the following body (200) to travel while following the movable body (100) based on the acquired image.