Cleaning Robot Display Orientation Adapting to User Position

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing self-moving vehicles, such as cleaning robots, often require users to adjust their position or orientation to read information displayed on a fixed-direction screen, which can be inconvenient when operating from sides or rear positions.

Innovation Solution

The method involves using an image capture device to detect the user's spatial position and viewing direction, adjusting the display orientation automatically to ensure information is readable without the user needing to change their position or orientation, by repositioning controls and information on the screen based on the user's current interaction direction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the display direction is fixed to optimize reading from the front, then information readability is improved for users in front of the vehicle, but usability deteriorates for users operating from sides or rear positions

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveusabilityVSAvoidadaptability to different user positions
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The display orientation is made dynamic by detecting the user's spatial position relative to the vehicle and automatically rotating the display content to face the user. The system transitions from a static fixed display direction to a dynamic adaptive display direction that changes based on user location, resolving the contradiction between optimized front reading and side/rear operability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The display orientation parameter is changed based on detected user position. The system modifies the display rotation angle according to the user's spatial coordinates, transforming the display from a fixed-parameter state to a variable-parameter state that adapts to different operating positions, thereby improving both usability and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If the user must adjust their position or orientation to read the display, then the display structure remains simple and fixed, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of reading informationVSAvoiddisplay control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The display system performs self-adjustment by automatically detecting user position and rotating its own content accordingly. Instead of requiring manual user intervention to reposition or reorient the display, the system serves itself by autonomously adapting to user location, improving ease of reading while adding only minimal detection and control complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback loop where the user's spatial position is continuously detected and used to adjust the display orientation. This closed-loop control allows the display to automatically respond to user position changes, improving readability without requiring complex manual adjustment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3392738B1Method for operating an automatically moving vehicle
Publication Date: 2021.08.18 VORWERK & CO INTERHOLDING GMBH
  • EP3392738B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3392738B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3392738B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for operating an unmanned vehicle (1) that moves automatically within an environment, in particular a cleaning robot, the vehicle (1) detecting obstacles and/or people located within the environment, a user (2) receiving information ( 3) are displayed on a display (4) of the vehicle (1) which is usually horizontally aligned with respect to a display plane during operation of the vehicle (1). In order to enable a user (2) of the vehicle (1) to always be able to read the information (3) optimally, regardless of his or her position, it is proposed that when the presence of a user (2) is detected, a spatial position of the user (2) relative to the vehicle (1) is determined and an orientation of the displayed information (3) depending on the determined spatial position of the user (2) is varied.